Flashback to a year ago

I have been spending some time in my 'pictures' folder today.  Ahhhh...how it takes me back.  I thought it would be fun to post some pics from me and the honey's trip to St. Croix from a year ago, almost to the day.  It was...amaze balls okay?  So, so magical.  We stayed at Hotel on the Cay (pronounced 'key' for those of you less worldly...er, like myself until I knew better).  It is a tiny little island not too far from Puerto Rico.  They speak English and it's one of three islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands.  As you can see, the water was an amazing shade of aqua and the snorkeling was pretty awesome.

Here is an adorable picture of Mr. Siss taking in the view (of me!  duh!) from our balcony.  Hotel on the Cay is nothing fancy when it comes to the actual rooms, but really who freakin' cares when this is your view and you're ON YOUR OWN ISLAND?  You take a two-minute water taxi (free if you're staying at hotel) from the main island to get to the hotel.  It also has it's own little modest restaurant which is always nice in a pinch.  The rooms were sufficiently clean and I couldn't have been happier with our choice.  I looked and looked for a place like this.  Most of the resorts these days are all super big and cheesy, and expensive.  The smaller, independently run and sufficiently nice and affordable gems are harder to come by these days. 

"How you doin?"  No, but seriously....look how ridiculously happy we look!  Mr. Siss had just returned from Iraq and I'd hardly seen him for a year so that made it even better. 

This is the view from the upper level of the hotel.  There are only two.  Calm down.  The town across the water is Christiansted.

 This is an awful picture of me but I love it nonetheless.  I think it really captures our essence, i.e. goofy as all hell.

 I was having a good hair day.  Hurry!  Grab the camera!

This is on the water taxi ride to the island.  Da plane!  Da plane!

 The happy place that I go to when things aren't so happy back home.

I couldn't get over the color of the water!!

 

 It was a full moon while we were there!!  I am queer as all get out for a full moon!!

 We rented a 4x4 Jeep one day and cruised around the island, in search for something in particular...

 We didn't really anticipate seeing a swimming horse in the ocean!!!  

 This is a snorkeling spot we enjoyed.  

 This is what happens when you are forced to have other (cough, incompetent) people take your important photos.

 We found what we were in search of!!!  Beer drinking pigs in the jungle!!!

 They have switched over to O'douls nonalcohlic beer.  It turns out downing all those beers everyday for the tourists wasn't so good for them.

 He looks so forelorn, almost...wistful.

 Our last sunset of the week.

 I love vacation.  It is so easy to be FULLY PRESENT in these moments.  So often they are lost in our everyday lives. 

Saying "goodbye for now" to our little slice of heaven.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.