The Dogs of Legacy Travel
Pets are an important part of the lives of many people. According to the CDC, there are many health benefits to having a pet in your life. Pets can decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and your feelings of loneliness.
In honor of Take Your Pet to Work Day we present…..the Dogs of Legacy Travel:
This is Mike Tyson Beckford McKee. Tyson for short. He belongs to Briana, our office assistant. Reportedly a big baby with a sensitive digestive tract, he is afraid of heights and won’t jump off a bed without help.
Next up, we have Lucy and Taz, who own Marty Boehlke. Lucy is really more like a cat than a dog in that she will only play when she feels like it. Taz is reputed to be a high energy dog (Marty calls her “Taz the Spaz”).
This is Lucy – pictured above.
Next up is Roxanne Rominger (Roxy), who runs Terrah’s house.
Our next dog owns the heart of Nicki. He is the newest of the Legacy Travel dogs. His name is Charlie. Charlie is a bundle of energy and is almost housebroken.
And, finally, Kingston Lacy Banks. Lacy is a Golden Retriever who was originally a Christmas gift to the Banks children, and now lives every day as a gift to the whole family. She is kind and gentle and well behaved unless there are socks involved.
A Review of Puerto Vallarta
Terrah and Nicki in Puerto Vallarta
I recently returned from a stay at the beautiful Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. Terrah and I stayed 4 nights at The Marival Residences & World Spa which is just 15 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport. We stayed in a gorgeous, spacious 2 bedroom residence and just some of the things that surprised me about the resort included: the incredibly spacious balcony, the beautiful vegetation throughout the resort, and the great service. The 2 Bedroom Residence that we had the privilege of staying in had the largest rooms and the biggest balcony I’ve ever seen. You never would have been able to tell that the resort was new by looking around. There were flowers on every veranda, foliage in every hall, palm trees throughout the resort, and all the plants throughout the property made this resort look and feel as though it had been up and running for years, not months. The service was also fine tuned; whether we were making reservations at the concierge desk for an excursion, ordering room service, or taking advantage of the beach butler service at the private beach club next door, the service was always impeccable.
So, it’s a given that I loved the resort, but I really want to point out that the destination itself is absolutely wonderful. The people in Puerto Vallarta are extremely friendly. Everyone we met, whether it was a taxi driver, a salesman, or a waiter–all outside of the resort–were always welcoming, sociable, and helpful. Another pleasant surprise was how truly beautiful the beaches were. I was not expecting a beautiful white sandy beach with the turquoise waters that the Caribbean offers, but I wasn’t expecting what I saw either. What I experienced on the beaches in the Riviera Nayarit was nothing short of amazing. The beaches were nice, big, and very clean. They were not cluttered with sea weed and although the water was not as clear as what you would have in a pool, it was very clear nonetheless. I was very surprised that we were able to snorkel and see blue and yellow fish on the Pacific coast. As opposed to the Caribbean, the Pacific featured slightly larger waves which allowed me to enjoy watching kids boogy-board and play in the surf. All in all, I was very impressed with the resort and the destination, and can’t wait to go back with my friends and family.
Nicki and her friend the dolphin!
Some of Terrah’s Favorite Adventures
We heart Mexico! Our first family vacation…
Carnival Cruise Family Vacation
The Ladies Trip
The 2nd Annual GIVC Karisma Trip
Funjet Hawaii Fam where we sang in unison 
The Azul Beach Resort with their beach butler service
Much Love,
GIVC Awards
GIVCs in Mexico! Plus new amenities for Legacy Travel brides!
It was nothing short of amazing.
We zip lined in the jungle and even rode on snuggly camels! Yes, camels are in Mexico now and they will be coming up in the world you just wait and see. 
During our stay we were also able to visit the adventurous Selvatica! If you haven’t been yet, we strongly suggest it!
Karisma resorts now have a certification for qualifying travel agents to be a Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Consultant. I was quite surpised when they announced my name along with a handful of other agents who were rewarded with this new certification.
Legacy Travel was honored to receive awards of recognition at the GIVC ceremony during our last night there. All in all, we are happy to be back home and the experience just inspired me to have an even more prosperous year in 2010!
We received a nice, warm welcome to the El Dorado Royale.
We had a carnival right on one of my most favorite spots, Maroma Beach! We won Monopoly money to cash in for authentic Mexican toys.
The El Dorado Royale now have a camel tour along with their traditional horseback tour. Everyone who tried this walked away with a new love and passion for camels. ♥
The ceremony was beautiful and the entertainment was absolutely amazing.
Rafaela, the Karisma wedding director, was there as well! It is always lovely being able to spend time with this destination wedding guru. Stay tuned for an enticing interview with Ms Rafaela!
We miss it there already. ♥
Wishing you all a wonderful 2010!
Brad and Kelly – Valentin Imperial Maya
Brad and Kelly at the Valentin
Kelly and I just returned from Playa del Carmen and the celebration of our 20 year anniversary (ok, a few months early). We had a splendid time in this paradise on the Mayan Riviera, south of Cancun. We honeymooned in Cancun in 1989 and returned twice in the 1990s. Much has changed…more commercial and not so undiscovered anymore. Every place we spent money accepted the US dollar…felt like home. Playa del Carmen remains fairly quiet unlike the chaos in Cancun. We did everything we set out to do this week…lots of rest on the beach.
We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Maya – an all inclusive, 5 star resort. Everything from the architecture of the buildings, to the gardens, to the room, to the 8 themed restaurants, to the 9 bars, to the largest swimming pool we have ever seen, to the amazing white sand/turquoise waters and the hospitality of our Mexican hosts was – Awesome. Every single person greeted us with a smile and “Hola”. As large as the resort is, it never felt crowded as it is spread out over many acres and attendance is down due to the economy. We HIGHLY recommend this resort – it’s adults only and caters to those that want a quiet week on the beach and to those that desire lots of activities.
Now, the real reason for including you on this email. We want to recommend our new best friend – Terrah Rominger of Legacy Travel in Plano. Her recommendation of the Valentin was based on her prior stays at the Valentin and what we said we were looking for in a vacation. She hit it out of the park. You can reach her through the Legacy website at http://www.legacytravel.com/profiles.html
Special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Harwick and Texas Tech Red Raider Meghan for taking care of our kids! Ya’ll did great!
Buenas Dias,
Brad and Kelly
The Beach at the Valentin Imperial Maya
