It is highly frowned upon for teachers to take a vacation during the school year. In fact, it just doesn’t happen. So even though Ed and I decided to get married in October, we didn’t take our full-blown honeymoon until my Spring Break. Which ended up being very practical for reasons I will explain in just a minute.
Ed and I were married on October 12, 2002. It was a beautiful Columbus Day weekend, and since I had no school on Monday, we spent two days in downtown Chicago for our first honeymoon. We acted as tourists during that weekend, even though we live only a few miles away from the Loop. We had dinner at the top of the Hancock building in the Signature Room. We rode on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. We swam in the swimming pool on the top floor of our hotel. And we walked along the shore of Lake Michigan, holding hands.
Delaying our honeymoon for a few months gave me time to legally change my last name, and we both were able to get passports in plenty of time. One of my mom’s friends was a travel agent, and she was able to help us get a great deal on a Caribbean cruise. Instead of just sitting on the ship, we tried to pack as much as we could into the days at port. In Jamaica, we signed up for river tubing, but we wanted to do something else as well. So we jumped into a taxi and went to climb Dunn’s River Falls. Once we got there, it seemed very disorganized and we didn’t quite know where to go. A tour guide was shouting out “Couples over here!” so I grabbed Ed’s hand and pulled him over. We were a couple, right? Then it dawned on me that “Couples” was the name of a resort on Jamaica! We tagged along for the climb up the Falls anyway. The weather was not what we had expected for Jamaica. It was a cloudy and chilly day. The water was so cold!
After climbing the Falls, we caught up with the tour group we were supposed to be in, and took a taxi up a mountain to go tubing. The driver drove those mountainous roads a little fast and every time he came to a curve, instead of slowing down, honked the horn loudly! We miraculously made it up to the river, and leisurely floated down. Even though the day was not warm, we were in Jamaica, mon! Somewhere along the way, we bought jerk chicken at a roadside stand. It was good, but both Ed and I thought the taste must have been toned down for tourists. It pretty much tasted like roasted chicken we would buy in the U.S.
At another port, we explored the Mayan ruins in Tulum, Mexico. The weather was much better in Mexico. Strolling along the ruins, we saw iguanas sunning themselves on top of the rocks. The ocean shone below, the water gleaming in various shades of blue. It was a beautiful place.
During our last day at sea, we spent the day wandering the boat, trying every activity that we could. We skated in the ice skating rink and played mini-golf. Ed went on the rock climbing wall, which I was too chicken to try.
Upgrading to a room with a balcony hadn’t been that expensive. It was our honeymoon, after all!
I still remember waiting on the ship, waiting for our number to be called to get on the shuttle to the Miami airport. I was feeling rather blue; our honeymoon was over. But the next few years of marriage were full of happiness. Now, coming up to our tenth anniversary, I can definitely say that I was wrong. The honeymoon isn’t over.
For more honeymoon stories, visit Gretchen at Second Blooming!
Love your story!!!!
Kathy W
Thanks, Kathy! Don't we look young?? 😀
Two honeymoons, lucky you! Love the lighthouse pic. The falls look awesome!
The falls were a lot of fun to climb! Maybe we'll make it back to Jamaica some day.
You know, BOTH your honeymoons looks fun! I love that you both want to do absolutely everything there is to do – definitely the best attitude about a vacation and about life!
You are linked!!
Ed is my motivation! If it were up to me, I'd sit around and read during my entire vacation. 😀
I think it's terrifying to drive on those buses! When I went to St. Lucia and the Bahamas it was an equally scary experience but I guess they're used to it. Love your honeymoon story, and you're right, the honeymoon should never be over!
I think I would be even more terrified now that I have kids! They change everything. 🙂
It all sounds so wonderful. Mark and I went to Mackinac Island for our Honeymoon back in 1972.
Aw, I love Mackinac Island! I've been there twice. It's such a beautiful place!! And very romantic. 🙂
What a coincidence that you posted this today. Just this afternoon I was with a group of people who talked about the benefits of two honeymoons–one short one right after the wedding and the "real" one later. You aren't the only one who's had two honeymoons.
I'd be happy with one honeymoon. Scratch that. I'd be happy with one loving husband. 🙂
Some day, Amy! Some day your Prince will come, I just know it. 🙂
Ginny, I smiled as I read your post…. you two are such a cute couple :). BTW, Scott proposed to me in Chicago, and we spent the day at Navy Pier (also riding the ferris wheel.), AND we honeymooned in Mexico and visited Tulum…..It IS beautiful there, isn't it? (what I wouldn't give for that weather now!)
Congratulations on your upcoming 10th anniversary, and congrats on having a lasting honeymoon with the love of your life!
Chicago is a great place for a proposal! I could definitely use some of that Tulum sunshine right now.
My parents got married on May first, only because they could get a week off that way, since they got married right in the middle of a series of holidays. I actually wonder whether they took a honeymoon.
A wedding on May Day! How fun! Do you celebrate May Day in the Netherlands? My parents took a honeymoon and my father got so sun burned that he got sun poisoning. It was not a fun trip for them!
Awesome! John and I took Sprite on a cruise this last November for her birthday and our tenth anniversary and we had SUCH a good time! In fact, one of my favorite moments was having coffee delivered to our state room early in the morning. We brought it out to the balcony to enjoy it while watching the waves, WHILE Sprite slept just feet away in her little bed. I think next time we do the cruising thing, I will order coffee EVERY DAY just for that experience. 🙂
What a sweet post. Our honeymoon was one week camping. We both love the outdoors. We both love to boat and so we spent a week camping at the lake. It was AMAZING!!