Grand Cayman Islands!!

 I'm so thankful that Mark and I had the opportunity to go on a trip together this summer to the Grand Cayman Islands!

 We stayed at the Marriott on the 7 mile beach. The sand is silky smooth and the water is so calm and the perfect temperature. Our hotel is the darker yellowish color behind Mark and this is the beach we were able to enjoy while there! Amazing!

 At a shopping center that was within walking distance from our hotel there was a lookout tower that we could have a 365 degree view of the area. The area of the island we were on was only 1 mile apart...so we could see both sides of the ocean. The lookout had a tile mural of the ocean the whole length of the 4 flights of stairs...it was amazing all the work that went into the tiny 1 x 1 tile mosaic.

 We also visited a sea turtle conservation. The adult sea turtles were over 500 pounds! And we were able to hold the 1-3 year olds. :) It was a fun experience.

 We stayed in a touristy area and I really enjoy seeing the areas we visit and experience more of the island life (although the Cayman Islands are very "American"). So we rented a car for a day and set out to see the rest of the island and eat at a few food shacks! This day was the high light of the trip for me. The above picture was taken at a famous jerk chicken stand...and it was delicious!

 Mark had a adventure with driving on the opposite side of the road and car. But he quickly got the hang of it and did a excellent job of getting us around. The drive was beautiful and was mostly along the ocean coast.

 We ended up at a place called Starfish point to do some snorkeling and it was fantastic! It was very secluded and lots of starfish around. :)

 The water was perfect and we laid in the shallows for awhile and just enjoyed the beauty.

 And one day we did a jet ski tour out to the middle of the ocean to Sting Ray Alley. We literally rode a jet ski out about 4.5 miles to where there is a sand bar and were able to swim with large sting rays! The pictures with the disposable camera are terrible but at least captured the experience. :)

We were able to hold and kiss the sting rays. They are super curious and come right up to you looking for squid to eat. It was such a amazing experience!

Thankful for such a amazing experience, trip and time with Mark!