Our first full day proved to be an exercise in decompression. For me, vacation is a complete separation from the mental juggernaut of work and stress. Coming to a place that requires little/no human interaction, copious amounts of good food and drink – along with a my very own dashing best friend/husband to share it all with – and a girl can start to get some relaxing done!
An early breakfast, complete with strong Café Bustelo coffee got the day started right in our kitchen. Right in front of our villa is Flamingo Lake, out first target to fish for the day. We packed up the fly rods, applied copious amounts of sunscreen, and headed to fish the flats of the lake. The lake has easy access along the shore, so we literally stepped out onto the flats and were fishing in minutes. 
The water was fairly still, but proved to produce no fish for catching – after some time casting and stalking, we decided to load up the car and head down the road. Where the lake narrows and moves out to sea, there looked to be some large barracuda. The water is so clear – you can see the fish even quite a few yards off! Chad almost connected with one, he was about to recast and the barracuda jumped out of the water at his fly! My attempts also were in vain – a barracuda also snapped a fly right off my line. By 11, the heat starts to set in, so we packed up the rods and headed back to the villa – a cold beer was in our near future.
The pool is super refreshing after a few hours of fishing. Once we got back, beer in hand, wading in the pool – we watched as the only other guests in the complex left – we officially have the entire place to ourselves! For one night at least, I believe others are arriving tomorrow. We really enjoy these places off the normal path – Turks and Caicos is definitely on the rise as a Caribbean destination. Hotels line the north shore of the island. I specifically chose Harbour Club Villas for its size and seclusion on the south side. There are no loud poolside bars, no all-night deejay party fests, no rat race – this place is a quiet gem amidst the slower side of Provincials.
After some cool down in the pool, we made lunch in the villa and then nestled in for a nap. During the hot hours of the day, it is best to siesta! The pool seemed the logical place to relax the remaining part of the afternoon. Barry, one of the owners, chatted with us for a long time about the history of the place. He and Marta have an amazing set up here, a real retirement plan to admire! Cocktail hour soon was upon us – a daily ritual for us! Chad and I covet the special time that is cocktail hour in our day. At home, we spend many cocktail hours talking through our day, our goals, sometimes politics, sometimes just laughs. 
Today’s ritual included a beautiful spread of treats, we brought out some goat cheese, pepper jack cheese, pork pate, and green olives. I also made some rum mango drinks – I blended fresh mango, light rum, milk, and ice into a fruity treat. My recipe turned out to be a better granita than a boat drink. So, we froze the concoction for a treat later in the week. Oh bother, instead of a mango drink, we had to have Turks Head beers and rum and cokes – the world is such a cruel place!
Right before sunset, Chad went out to fish the marina for a bit. I chose to keep the pool occupied and started reading a novel. At sunset, I joined Chad past the marina on the beach. It was amazing, on one side of the horizon was the setting sun, and on the other, a gorgeous full moon rising.
Evening was low key, we really wanted to get an early turn in so that we were fresh for our bone fishing charter in the morning. This place is beautiful and I am so thankful we are here!
