tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13516021149661911822024-03-14T16:50:47.264-04:00Sweet Escapesa travel journalSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.comBlogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-84623604224303397122024-01-29T17:52:00.000-05:002024-01-29T17:52:14.875-05:00Isla Mujeres<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lP-ixRaaHsCw9qcoQ5xZIKpXtc05pkh5Fulzp07_r8x91w-blOyJ4djhg4idCWgj8wcJb0_tWF5NDItmH1imnI047OspZkjhUCzbeR9yfl-dl7xGQPK3d2FvH2hXDZzDn8QraeyUe1UnQPtLHPD2LCNtGVx8Yy0Y2j1eQOdAq6_Cfo0gZHW9tS26cPg/s3718/IMG_0481a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Isla Mujeres" border="0" data-original-height="2789" data-original-width="3718" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lP-ixRaaHsCw9qcoQ5xZIKpXtc05pkh5Fulzp07_r8x91w-blOyJ4djhg4idCWgj8wcJb0_tWF5NDItmH1imnI047OspZkjhUCzbeR9yfl-dl7xGQPK3d2FvH2hXDZzDn8QraeyUe1UnQPtLHPD2LCNtGVx8Yy0Y2j1eQOdAq6_Cfo0gZHW9tS26cPg/w640-h480/IMG_0481a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Isla Mujeres means “Island of Women”. It was given the name by Francisco Hernandez Cordova, who discovered the island in 1517 and found many carved statues of women made by the Mayans to honor Ixchel, the goddess of childbirth and medicine. Although the island is only twelve miles from Cancun's Hotel Zone, it has a more laid-back, local vibe. We’d been to Isla Mujeres once before, on our first trip to Cancun in 2012. Since we were with a tour group, we didn’t have as much time to explore as we would have liked. This time, we thought we’d take the Ultramar ferry to the island so that we could set our own schedule and see some of the things we’d missed.</p>
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<p>The first ferry from Playa Tortugas to Isla Mujeres was at 9:30, so we left our hotel, Secrets the Vine, at 8:30 to give ourselves plenty of time for the bus ride. As soon as we walked up to the bus stop, a bus pulled up and we were off. Traffic was surprisingly light and the bus driver drove like a maniac so we got to the ferry terminal in just 10 minutes! Our original plan was to rent a golf cart after we got to Isla Mujeres, but since we had so much time to wait for the ferry, we decided to go ahead and rent from the guys at the ferry terminal. That way, we could get the paperwork out of the way.</p>
<p>On the ferry, Ron and I sat on the upper deck enjoying the views of the stunningly blue water and listening to a saxophone player entertaining the passengers. When we got off at Isla Mujeres, we walked a few blocks through town to the golf cart rental shop, Gomar II, where we were assigned our golf cart. Wow, it was a wreck! Usually when you rent a vehicle in Mexico, it’s a good idea to take pictures of any dents or scratches before you leave the lot, but that would have taken all day. :-) Also, the steering was barely functional. I guess we should have waited until we got to the island to pick a better rental company. Live and learn…</p>
<p>Ron managed to navigate our cart down the narrow streets and onto the main road that led out of town. We knew to stay to the right so that cars and scooters could pass us, but that was easier said than done with Ron fighting the steering wheel the whole way. It didn’t help that I kept asking him to stop so I could take pictures of all the street art. There were murals and sculptures everywhere on Isla Mujeres! The median of one road was decorated with sculptures made from recycled materials. We found a rainbow-colored stairway with the Spanish words for justice, equality and cooperation painted on the sides of the steps. Everything was so colorful.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dbOWIzgP14Pk_IEDxy3-AhE4hqVqthVs5wQV7w2u1C54rj-ILeNt0Qg1_nCrx3S3ity93uY6OHMqcOcC4J7hBmlJEl2A4DYWR_Jv0GKX-KpKuOUBLimNjVZ1z-O7gEuysj-et39TqcDklD52vNJRAwJlExYavZc3SFaqe62VgjIOb6jCe-DmBz3shSs/s2565/IMG_0374.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="rainbow stairs" border="0" data-original-height="2565" data-original-width="1924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dbOWIzgP14Pk_IEDxy3-AhE4hqVqthVs5wQV7w2u1C54rj-ILeNt0Qg1_nCrx3S3ity93uY6OHMqcOcC4J7hBmlJEl2A4DYWR_Jv0GKX-KpKuOUBLimNjVZ1z-O7gEuysj-et39TqcDklD52vNJRAwJlExYavZc3SFaqe62VgjIOb6jCe-DmBz3shSs/w480-h640/IMG_0374.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the rainbow stairs</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>When we reached Punta Sur, the southern point of the island, we realized how popular Isla Mujeres had become in the last 12 years. The parking lot was jammed with golf carts. We squeezed ourselves into a spot, paid the small admission fee to the park and then walked through a sculpture garden with statues representing Mayan life. The remains of a temple to Ixchel sat on the edge of the limestone cliffs. We took the stone path down to the water, where we could see the hotels in Cancun glowing white against the turquoise backdrop of the Caribbean Sea. Gorgeous!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIctnaAROASEmvqRPtyg_FHPYyk9BPM8kwp3MUZ-aplsPENFtv0oaUbr1ZokftQFLducXTsUVyNh5S0Ln1rkWFMEC_MCHy5EtgAUS0e0_HV4GbRXOvlszvt10aLmfISo7HSKCzshX6tyWGw-p_pjo-m7baOWK2vq7Sdz4UflFQObnCmjoBzxuuac1GVA/s3541/IMG_0408a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punta Sur sign" border="0" data-original-height="2656" data-original-width="3541" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIctnaAROASEmvqRPtyg_FHPYyk9BPM8kwp3MUZ-aplsPENFtv0oaUbr1ZokftQFLducXTsUVyNh5S0Ln1rkWFMEC_MCHy5EtgAUS0e0_HV4GbRXOvlszvt10aLmfISo7HSKCzshX6tyWGw-p_pjo-m7baOWK2vq7Sdz4UflFQObnCmjoBzxuuac1GVA/w640-h480/IMG_0408a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMCQM-Vgom6GmnROIyfYN05Jg_RoENO86REfINV_8wxg3wYqXhDAITShdgzREj9tKiWa7Fst-XJLFQbzsIsFux6YW5mrxVAWl6PbDh-3U9QVcAAj9KbBEC3R_eeg3lV-cd9nrchaOe41jtzK_TWz9JoSHluHczYydSEDeGC0_zxaJbkpHgvjfe0FdYHA/s3821/IMG_0413.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iguana sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="3821" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMCQM-Vgom6GmnROIyfYN05Jg_RoENO86REfINV_8wxg3wYqXhDAITShdgzREj9tKiWa7Fst-XJLFQbzsIsFux6YW5mrxVAWl6PbDh-3U9QVcAAj9KbBEC3R_eeg3lV-cd9nrchaOe41jtzK_TWz9JoSHluHczYydSEDeGC0_zxaJbkpHgvjfe0FdYHA/w640-h480/IMG_0413.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP8prVmKQ76eg1al-zVxFJLgpColxIGS7NG0xBnA08ULCnl-HdfG68Dglg9Ut0Ps2ibptJscvwcUFhvN962ek2p6nb59KdZWml2kY1F1NK_7NxToJQiPuYUaURpBvEjfPYtOTWJSbraPTUAXN-Orn2CXik7JJJ_51fOjeWX3JZ0SYKUK37OALaHWvK6I/s3843/IMG_0415.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Punta Sur Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3843" data-original-width="2882" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP8prVmKQ76eg1al-zVxFJLgpColxIGS7NG0xBnA08ULCnl-HdfG68Dglg9Ut0Ps2ibptJscvwcUFhvN962ek2p6nb59KdZWml2kY1F1NK_7NxToJQiPuYUaURpBvEjfPYtOTWJSbraPTUAXN-Orn2CXik7JJJ_51fOjeWX3JZ0SYKUK37OALaHWvK6I/w480-h640/IMG_0415.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punta Sur Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x7Q3E7cOBsuhvpyrqZ8K12iiJ73VWb_Y628OuTiPD7pKagy6DKyBHy_hV9fsBRAdGkK0RY6AQufswA8X0P5uJ3DwSRa6fvfSI9RJewMVSo0WdKSL9vH2BJfZp2iXBWpd40di0cgLsCL3VvC3vXlRKFfg0rECSkzVmeP4sjZPzawvFoSGygc-PmEe0fM/s4032/IMG_0427.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan and lighthouse door" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x7Q3E7cOBsuhvpyrqZ8K12iiJ73VWb_Y628OuTiPD7pKagy6DKyBHy_hV9fsBRAdGkK0RY6AQufswA8X0P5uJ3DwSRa6fvfSI9RJewMVSo0WdKSL9vH2BJfZp2iXBWpd40di0cgLsCL3VvC3vXlRKFfg0rECSkzVmeP4sjZPzawvFoSGygc-PmEe0fM/w480-h640/IMG_0427.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2d8vo82_b6rgPX2g-xJg2kJ8y3-7nQmVjeyfpbedJxZFS9uAHKVI1auqTrRNnY7lCgfkdtKPMhSo2ulwvIUAhIoIirRTt1J343_6jXmCNKSiAig8TPsRShXF90MB7jMyV7zIKlwnr5HlhVXhH7ShvS_mkl3olktqTAluBWsj9daai86LldUtb-_vUwc/s3691/IMG_0405.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iguana" border="0" data-original-height="2768" data-original-width="3691" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2d8vo82_b6rgPX2g-xJg2kJ8y3-7nQmVjeyfpbedJxZFS9uAHKVI1auqTrRNnY7lCgfkdtKPMhSo2ulwvIUAhIoIirRTt1J343_6jXmCNKSiAig8TPsRShXF90MB7jMyV7zIKlwnr5HlhVXhH7ShvS_mkl3olktqTAluBWsj9daai86LldUtb-_vUwc/w640-h480/IMG_0405.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGvqKI8SzzgvDeX-NM0kU8MLd6xS-7U0Mlh7F9r2kWFsWp9_S_uH73xjj_U_7z7nFNqxfahklSFBq2iGdJ_aPj9bs9BAVvKAUTYm5ACSV1fT-NGBwi23ejm2lK01xaH9QOcOjlLoyIIWLYl64LXlXEKPf79x2pcjJvpv9OVzKn-sJxI5UKmopV5_qKgA/s4032/IMG_0400.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punta Sur sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGvqKI8SzzgvDeX-NM0kU8MLd6xS-7U0Mlh7F9r2kWFsWp9_S_uH73xjj_U_7z7nFNqxfahklSFBq2iGdJ_aPj9bs9BAVvKAUTYm5ACSV1fT-NGBwi23ejm2lK01xaH9QOcOjlLoyIIWLYl64LXlXEKPf79x2pcjJvpv9OVzKn-sJxI5UKmopV5_qKgA/w480-h640/IMG_0400.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU7qALdelmKTZg-TZJP2MAysrwApv0XhWoLXcU_K_guqgR8hLycYSlhFNIhJhKb4U7LmcmzYuhq08bezoKqsDz0xHD_1nJl7yehpR62y_Grl5QZFawbmCQpBmzDpsGAZ9nwYUXo5UrYBvUA-Oz7ath4rrb6pGaZgjxwmewtxSS8E5BejRmYVYpsLE4o0/s3797/IMG_0444.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="temple of Ixchel" border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="3797" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU7qALdelmKTZg-TZJP2MAysrwApv0XhWoLXcU_K_guqgR8hLycYSlhFNIhJhKb4U7LmcmzYuhq08bezoKqsDz0xHD_1nJl7yehpR62y_Grl5QZFawbmCQpBmzDpsGAZ9nwYUXo5UrYBvUA-Oz7ath4rrb6pGaZgjxwmewtxSS8E5BejRmYVYpsLE4o0/w640-h480/IMG_0444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">temple of Ixchel</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim9pK0t4_UGiqQCRElgXhBPftVDIid008ece04vjfhfBUYWtQKA2LRjW1tkGpwaza3JelLCQYfVTxtusFtQ-yPrT0jQrnv2vpGU6iiuF7OJ3m6o722UOGwHrJQv7zToVIxpu18jLZ1kYKEobdmFL_SIGEv9bMmRhwE8XV0AEySq099hcRZ-91psCFGy8/s3914/IMG_0446.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punta Sur" border="0" data-original-height="3914" data-original-width="2935" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim9pK0t4_UGiqQCRElgXhBPftVDIid008ece04vjfhfBUYWtQKA2LRjW1tkGpwaza3JelLCQYfVTxtusFtQ-yPrT0jQrnv2vpGU6iiuF7OJ3m6o722UOGwHrJQv7zToVIxpu18jLZ1kYKEobdmFL_SIGEv9bMmRhwE8XV0AEySq099hcRZ-91psCFGy8/w480-h640/IMG_0446.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuaJCvbel57PgTUZ3OWkBST8kxJpl6bEIb5Qdf-HhkEvaNCivo5xmNQCPa1BR5UFBnSC2rBZb6XZSVrMp0MXf5Hr5M0tqmCEQf-q5XUYyWp_KfB5ejliQuf2xgKL_TbdlNSsmP_SWHg64kwF_2vpGYrrDP1rTZkW1uOyizOB6Oe1K2pJCNOWb5bFfRFQ/s3940/IMG_0467.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punta Sur" border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3940" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuaJCvbel57PgTUZ3OWkBST8kxJpl6bEIb5Qdf-HhkEvaNCivo5xmNQCPa1BR5UFBnSC2rBZb6XZSVrMp0MXf5Hr5M0tqmCEQf-q5XUYyWp_KfB5ejliQuf2xgKL_TbdlNSsmP_SWHg64kwF_2vpGYrrDP1rTZkW1uOyizOB6Oe1K2pJCNOWb5bFfRFQ/w640-h480/IMG_0467.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHRPShwadk5SKXHH0eCQMiGwY3gY5gbkx1YJWCSacef9BtlJOpcxJa3-OjvGEiOOcDsoqv_oMUU_0MokK21BIFcG-Fs4Bsa_p2EA6O9x0EttscN3NQMvIpUslfzqzx_sJlxm9R7DPGiMZjGhjyhobjLMkgrOCRw5jV4b0nNRDZQY2Y_WNc0wEN1P9m08/s4032/IMG_0465.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punta Sur" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHRPShwadk5SKXHH0eCQMiGwY3gY5gbkx1YJWCSacef9BtlJOpcxJa3-OjvGEiOOcDsoqv_oMUU_0MokK21BIFcG-Fs4Bsa_p2EA6O9x0EttscN3NQMvIpUslfzqzx_sJlxm9R7DPGiMZjGhjyhobjLMkgrOCRw5jV4b0nNRDZQY2Y_WNc0wEN1P9m08/w480-h640/IMG_0465.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>By the time we got back to the golf cart, we were hot and ready for lunch, so we drove on to The Joint, a Jamaican-themed bar and restaurant. We sat at the bar and cooled off with cervezas and a frozen mojito. Unfortunately, the bartender forgot to send our food order to the kitchen so we waited for over an hour before we finally got our quesadillas. A live band kept us occupied while we waited, playing songs by Sting, Pink Floyd and Coldplay – not exactly reggae but great music.</p>
<p>After lunch, we drove back to town, taking the east road that wound along the water and was lined with beautiful homes and a long pedestrian promenade. When we got to town, we realized that we didn’t know how to get back to the golf cart shop. All the streets were one-way! We had to circle a couple of times before we were finally going in the right direction on the right road. When we dropped off the golf cart, we ended up buying the souvenir picture they had taken of us so we would always remember our clunker. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo6Sctou2EVEgv8GmzT2OpAzb-Ufi9geAqalZv3I1lmIRfJsrb01IoRI75Azjkp51vJup2sLGcSdxLOACPbbzcUA-auoPUvrpzd0xAYBUB96YAY0rhWZu5sZWw3qHTuE-PbaKFAXfNnk8yNLT3xNZFajzKK9SotaksX2XKbQKWS8XTLFHmSpoJ97UojY/s3622/IMG_0482.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Joint sign" border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="3622" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo6Sctou2EVEgv8GmzT2OpAzb-Ufi9geAqalZv3I1lmIRfJsrb01IoRI75Azjkp51vJup2sLGcSdxLOACPbbzcUA-auoPUvrpzd0xAYBUB96YAY0rhWZu5sZWw3qHTuE-PbaKFAXfNnk8yNLT3xNZFajzKK9SotaksX2XKbQKWS8XTLFHmSpoJ97UojY/w640-h480/IMG_0482.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXkD4zFppWxF-CLUGqMy61lJtR7F_wLuwH1NVrhh3wNDA4wefF1V-5tU8C5A0MVf0DmhOxdm2uPRwAudA2mLETCOI053Ru-SUjGD-fYiokZs9CAHxWeot4VT9afpIzp-7XqZb9Dfe4TQJFSWS4inTF9nDzF_-_VUgOkMQJ-7xIsdudF6AipaKaQqs3i4/s3860/IMG_0492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Joint roof" border="0" data-original-height="2895" data-original-width="3860" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXkD4zFppWxF-CLUGqMy61lJtR7F_wLuwH1NVrhh3wNDA4wefF1V-5tU8C5A0MVf0DmhOxdm2uPRwAudA2mLETCOI053Ru-SUjGD-fYiokZs9CAHxWeot4VT9afpIzp-7XqZb9Dfe4TQJFSWS4inTF9nDzF_-_VUgOkMQJ-7xIsdudF6AipaKaQqs3i4/w640-h480/IMG_0492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict9tt2-m4uORR3tsKwsqKGmt6VBMHxx3nMG8JTLyhEx5UkwtR5i2C9llEGLcuoUAgmsqy0neEBqkNKWDX84u8kMvnEJm_3SLYc_bDS1MYc4TjN-r6PdzqEvpGPEh4vQSt27r4DijdZn357K2BA9bvv1IahoqND7KqXJnqy3QzjKY0TMyvG6_TeKlP1nA/s4032/IMG_0493.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bob Marley mural" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict9tt2-m4uORR3tsKwsqKGmt6VBMHxx3nMG8JTLyhEx5UkwtR5i2C9llEGLcuoUAgmsqy0neEBqkNKWDX84u8kMvnEJm_3SLYc_bDS1MYc4TjN-r6PdzqEvpGPEh4vQSt27r4DijdZn357K2BA9bvv1IahoqND7KqXJnqy3QzjKY0TMyvG6_TeKlP1nA/w480-h640/IMG_0493.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBTNzgTkk-68v-WeG_-EZet9GLb6QdIoK-hGtNthFvV1ECGfhaUSmL7DzYZPeis7dKdQCuZPmr39lZo0EI8_QL4_ecyPlDHpBHiVAWcpulKwH4QzIPwh6-EAhJIf6vOuenMC_VQO5ZDq0MMFcyRU5kR82ScGneOk1c3FR9sbr893Pgcp_ux1TB_DDi1o/s4032/IMG_0506.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Isla Mujeres malecon" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBTNzgTkk-68v-WeG_-EZet9GLb6QdIoK-hGtNthFvV1ECGfhaUSmL7DzYZPeis7dKdQCuZPmr39lZo0EI8_QL4_ecyPlDHpBHiVAWcpulKwH4QzIPwh6-EAhJIf6vOuenMC_VQO5ZDq0MMFcyRU5kR82ScGneOk1c3FR9sbr893Pgcp_ux1TB_DDi1o/w640-h480/IMG_0506.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56BML7DYUZWw9WHhHbkhq6dr705mNdV4XijnWqSQxgX7zK0lBnqjOOKVKvbICVSAoN8A41QaCiwUre7VmfHEQZxJZdwvO6RS-Q6_PG21ITrgkTo58f4YlAPfGVRJDzsf9U-Q6g7qTi1kz-r2uzZ0_DVHDDWoqOdAMVpqYcLk5We8KneFZJ4IBaSJpuK0/s4728/GolfCart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="golf cart souvenir photo" border="0" data-original-height="3232" data-original-width="4728" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56BML7DYUZWw9WHhHbkhq6dr705mNdV4XijnWqSQxgX7zK0lBnqjOOKVKvbICVSAoN8A41QaCiwUre7VmfHEQZxJZdwvO6RS-Q6_PG21ITrgkTo58f4YlAPfGVRJDzsf9U-Q6g7qTi1kz-r2uzZ0_DVHDDWoqOdAMVpqYcLk5We8KneFZJ4IBaSJpuK0/w640-h438/GolfCart.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>On our first trip to Isla Mujeres, we didn’t have the chance to spend any time at Playa Norte ("North Beach"), so we made that our last stop of the day. We found a couple of swing chairs at Las Hamacas, one of the many beach clubs and bars along the shore. There were hundreds of people sunning themselves on lounge chairs or standing in the calm, waist-deep water. Big pleasure boats were anchored just offshore. It actually reminded me a little of Clearwater Beach, with its calm, shallow water, but I decided I liked the wild waves of Cancun better.</p><p>Soon it was time to head back to the ferry terminal. We weaved through town, passing the Punta Norte lighthouse and food cart vendors selling street corn and mangos sprinkled with spicy Tajin. We had to dodge all the shopkeepers shouting, “I know you! I’m a waiter at your hotel!” Apparently, that’s the latest trick to lure people into the shops. :-) On the ferry ride back, we sat on the upper deck again. This time the musician was a guitarist singing “Over the Rainbow” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”.</p>
<p>It was 6 o’clock when we got back to Playa Tortugas and we were tired, so we decided to take a taxi to the hotel instead of riding the bus. We made it back just in time to watch a beautiful sunset from our balcony. What a fun and memorable day!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdv6rJyoHH7eJKBMU0opX4X3QQv6Vk4VjsvnuNOsO_2UdGj_t9hgS2gUIV7LxLwfE9hYe-25R_9AKV6MLPQMnrwb3lcuEwOBl9xbcuCKZBgL78yYrD_9nryZPYEmusG6-NXH6cV3SmCrzBVPiCAiR0XE1mrRGDv1wn8G_pTT3QGjHZ0d3-l56nr5mbn4/s4032/IMG_0536.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Playa Norte" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdv6rJyoHH7eJKBMU0opX4X3QQv6Vk4VjsvnuNOsO_2UdGj_t9hgS2gUIV7LxLwfE9hYe-25R_9AKV6MLPQMnrwb3lcuEwOBl9xbcuCKZBgL78yYrD_9nryZPYEmusG6-NXH6cV3SmCrzBVPiCAiR0XE1mrRGDv1wn8G_pTT3QGjHZ0d3-l56nr5mbn4/w640-h480/IMG_0536.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playa Norte</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLpLj9NwjRtR1MGsAP17XDtLj-aafqr4RMx5PAOx6y_ZJQO-dAYu2Q8vzHVw9x8tAsJU3rM1mcNF9JvDQnh1YRnfKDiGgG_frFzJEGSwy-AvGpyIqFmMaQiU2IUChdHIfY5t_bis3m8sic7xE6RfwZsr72Zlb_CtN9Um0sT3lum3IC6mTdMicE4qCBXY/s4032/IMG_0534.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Playa Norte seagull" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLpLj9NwjRtR1MGsAP17XDtLj-aafqr4RMx5PAOx6y_ZJQO-dAYu2Q8vzHVw9x8tAsJU3rM1mcNF9JvDQnh1YRnfKDiGgG_frFzJEGSwy-AvGpyIqFmMaQiU2IUChdHIfY5t_bis3m8sic7xE6RfwZsr72Zlb_CtN9Um0sT3lum3IC6mTdMicE4qCBXY/w480-h640/IMG_0534.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuuaiq7-90vvUPc4rTt459e3GELkw9nYSV8v8GAcvigJi0LLJzOO7wgSLvic5VMvquPreDxKrEw0M9u00RdjUG0LKJnw3KEMx00Eeuqg2qNwEmMI79xq1wg49edwbDNWfAbYEQ2__KCx3eGIC7qlySZF4eauHdtEIls_ikmOG65LBX87SDfOYIzTbJDw/s4032/IMG_0530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Las Hamacas" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuuaiq7-90vvUPc4rTt459e3GELkw9nYSV8v8GAcvigJi0LLJzOO7wgSLvic5VMvquPreDxKrEw0M9u00RdjUG0LKJnw3KEMx00Eeuqg2qNwEmMI79xq1wg49edwbDNWfAbYEQ2__KCx3eGIC7qlySZF4eauHdtEIls_ikmOG65LBX87SDfOYIzTbJDw/w480-h640/IMG_0530.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G2r1iCRtpxl0PI7FUav_2_bm5XfRn1wvm-W_KG2GpHaqM_MSWmmJybZGvDdW7GAV4hIeVaKy79wkCj3avX0rKoldBj-lrmbjn-SWvbvjSWp50ii61XzwWaw9N_JFmgTiKtX7kfcn4qXuqTqT5IgvJ5qvGTuCdREDzkN0EReEcAvMIOAHZaIOZS7Oaj0/s4032/IMG_0525.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dirty Monkey drink" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G2r1iCRtpxl0PI7FUav_2_bm5XfRn1wvm-W_KG2GpHaqM_MSWmmJybZGvDdW7GAV4hIeVaKy79wkCj3avX0rKoldBj-lrmbjn-SWvbvjSWp50ii61XzwWaw9N_JFmgTiKtX7kfcn4qXuqTqT5IgvJ5qvGTuCdREDzkN0EReEcAvMIOAHZaIOZS7Oaj0/w480-h640/IMG_0525.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1wyNJ1ZSxR8XsukREIjvwa6mcQ9jeOQf_aGgNG2yvmAfUcqbrp5FGF27TmfUY_m47jDf-9hF422WuQday3-jNYjrhku0k6Xi2gSr3z8IJpLliT3F7yHuy4_iY_KJt2sCp5PKNyywSBgE-hNXErb9SqTj6ROl9HJ026jb-gBLVN93rr5rY06YFonFKjk/s4032/IMG_0537.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Punta Norte Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1wyNJ1ZSxR8XsukREIjvwa6mcQ9jeOQf_aGgNG2yvmAfUcqbrp5FGF27TmfUY_m47jDf-9hF422WuQday3-jNYjrhku0k6Xi2gSr3z8IJpLliT3F7yHuy4_iY_KJt2sCp5PKNyywSBgE-hNXErb9SqTj6ROl9HJ026jb-gBLVN93rr5rY06YFonFKjk/w480-h640/IMG_0537.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punta Norte Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHR3qpM-L4z7oVwe3ZAu-5GxT0VBEEQRftwe_moF4oE2DaY3KTNykByVx6lR_DQ-X4zfgHQ5xQ7jMoByo4KHrg__vjh1M3sc1Clbg6HXKXOCMXKHznXpu86pK18OjyL2rws_LCd3g0HlxUVsAveDdv3ON9obvTRULOCD_BbHfNl9mPH7GvrredveW2so/s3976/IMG_0543.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lighthouse and golf carts" border="0" data-original-height="3976" data-original-width="2982" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHR3qpM-L4z7oVwe3ZAu-5GxT0VBEEQRftwe_moF4oE2DaY3KTNykByVx6lR_DQ-X4zfgHQ5xQ7jMoByo4KHrg__vjh1M3sc1Clbg6HXKXOCMXKHznXpu86pK18OjyL2rws_LCd3g0HlxUVsAveDdv3ON9obvTRULOCD_BbHfNl9mPH7GvrredveW2so/w480-h640/IMG_0543.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: If you purchase a round trip ferry ticket, don’t lose your ticket stub because you will need it for the return trip. Round trip ferry tickets can be used for any return ferry. Check the Ultramar website for the schedule. <a href="https://ultramarsales.ultramarferry.com/en/routes-and-departures.html" target="_blank">https://ultramarsales.ultramarferry.com/en/routes-and-departures.html</a></p>
<p>There are many golf cart companies within a few blocks of the ferry terminal. As we discovered, you’re probably better off waiting until you get to the island to choose a golf cart company. Don’t worry about getting lost. It's easy to find your way around the island. The hardest part is getting through downtown because of all the one-way streets.</p>
<p>Before your trip, consider purchasing the MapChick app, which has lots of information about attractions, restaurants and beaches clubs. There is even a golf cart tour with maps. <a href="https://www.mapchickapps.com" target="_blank">https://www.mapchickapps.com</a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdY4VIN13GsObtB5WZVSvdPpNOs0El3SGvkYKmydNT4BwNyviFPhui5gvgxryb-bLUg8b8D3ev3blzN8yWL7dqeuEqnU4T3hyphenhyphen6XtZ9LgjoO6XEYMWYWievohsSs_YyY5kDngOnuq07NZ7ZRfPItve1LTwt_adbpAjeeDN40eG8k7IeI29HEl9Nw4T9Es/s3932/IMG_0545.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Isla Mujeres sign" border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdY4VIN13GsObtB5WZVSvdPpNOs0El3SGvkYKmydNT4BwNyviFPhui5gvgxryb-bLUg8b8D3ev3blzN8yWL7dqeuEqnU4T3hyphenhyphen6XtZ9LgjoO6XEYMWYWievohsSs_YyY5kDngOnuq07NZ7ZRfPItve1LTwt_adbpAjeeDN40eG8k7IeI29HEl9Nw4T9Es/w640-h480/IMG_0545.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-37250472689056342832024-01-29T17:51:00.002-05:002024-01-29T17:57:51.677-05:00Secrets the Vine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYncfw1j0iBfO2ekSlgIHyCgsK_nMl-eBZZAfvN1qY3RIJRGMcTfN6uQSVLqLNjX-RS6p-am5LV9aSe0LROzHmaDgwzGlqUlRhSgk-mHX-SVuA2BHQtSeumuRwIZj2qKX3fj6zlaQrvvfNA6-_19XUmEy06os222vxmJmcBLu1iE4IqQD9c3RAa4GHk0/s3810/IMG_0159.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Secrets the Vine" border="0" data-original-height="2858" data-original-width="3810" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYncfw1j0iBfO2ekSlgIHyCgsK_nMl-eBZZAfvN1qY3RIJRGMcTfN6uQSVLqLNjX-RS6p-am5LV9aSe0LROzHmaDgwzGlqUlRhSgk-mHX-SVuA2BHQtSeumuRwIZj2qKX3fj6zlaQrvvfNA6-_19XUmEy06os222vxmJmcBLu1iE4IqQD9c3RAa4GHk0/w640-h480/IMG_0159.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>After a very early flight to Cancun, Ron and I arrived at Secrets the Vine at 10 in the morning. Fortunately, we’d planned ahead and packed bathing suits in our backpacks so we didn’t have to wait until our room was ready for vacation to start. Within half an hour, I was lounging by the pool with my first mojito, where I spent most of the next four days.</p>
<p>Secrets the Vine is an all-inclusive, high-rise hotel in Cancun’s Hotel Zone. Our room was on the 18th floor, which was actually the 11th floor. That was because the first floor of guest rooms, the 3rd floor, was called the 10th floor so that all the room numbers could be 4-digits. Confusing… Regardless of floor number, it was a nice room with two queen beds, a mini-bar, complimentary robes, and tons of storage. One thing we found weird about the room was that the wall separating the sleeping area from the shower was made out of glass, and so were the walls around the toilet. The glass had strategically-placed opaque areas, but it still wasn’t very private.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11303SRU-_yeDmPT6xYpRUPjKnPbhE5_hRTIP9UzL3E0734-_ycaSOG92kqYD1ebHt7XcWklwL9QGXOQR4nvszwJp-wLrQDgejg0U5ZNY2oWLKH9y0ELWoaOEA_8wn04cDNfeuAwwlk3wUcW6f3JncAHjtja7q4YRW4mW0z-_kfgqx0iOo1kf1eHqp_Q/s4032/IMG_0051.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Secrets the Vine" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11303SRU-_yeDmPT6xYpRUPjKnPbhE5_hRTIP9UzL3E0734-_ycaSOG92kqYD1ebHt7XcWklwL9QGXOQR4nvszwJp-wLrQDgejg0U5ZNY2oWLKH9y0ELWoaOEA_8wn04cDNfeuAwwlk3wUcW6f3JncAHjtja7q4YRW4mW0z-_kfgqx0iOo1kf1eHqp_Q/w480-h640/IMG_0051.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0RUyVVMWC8y8s2jF6vP0hcUkZZwLyL4_CKcwPrylv6HhprJIHts3W9JWfKhSLtJm1WFmnbDKp7yVTH7HYTBe6-f8UJpIgaxM0yMMKY3hN4tO3BmUDeEGufYK-PhhByEEJ9j23k4lq0jFVODjJt1ZyffG1Eu5X54cXnajaPnW_OQ9EsrYJaUiv1krXJU/s4032/IMG_0155.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Secrets the Vine wall art" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0RUyVVMWC8y8s2jF6vP0hcUkZZwLyL4_CKcwPrylv6HhprJIHts3W9JWfKhSLtJm1WFmnbDKp7yVTH7HYTBe6-f8UJpIgaxM0yMMKY3hN4tO3BmUDeEGufYK-PhhByEEJ9j23k4lq0jFVODjJt1ZyffG1Eu5X54cXnajaPnW_OQ9EsrYJaUiv1krXJU/w640-h480/IMG_0155.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5iPFwn_NiTBK2VkKRR1nkMChGzNQzJrsAoFJg8QUaugPoysMyofSzg8LhHnobt2o79aQCo9qU1kFHnAdl_NJXHvOho1j6BaGjxFCkuuf6oyZ4-0Gdy6m6wPW27I5yOak3_J348zlDKNG6s06a_4ZcItAFX7aMIQz6AxF9kCq9MVFz-HQlflWt0X32Mc/s4032/IMG_0161.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="observation walkway" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5iPFwn_NiTBK2VkKRR1nkMChGzNQzJrsAoFJg8QUaugPoysMyofSzg8LhHnobt2o79aQCo9qU1kFHnAdl_NJXHvOho1j6BaGjxFCkuuf6oyZ4-0Gdy6m6wPW27I5yOak3_J348zlDKNG6s06a_4ZcItAFX7aMIQz6AxF9kCq9MVFz-HQlflWt0X32Mc/w640-h480/IMG_0161.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-EzejvuW6pYo8XWwfFwNWsQQif8J3xBmuR3K8eH4uYbAVaRQ9Lk4QtPD5OxOmeSs6bFGqZb1CeCeDmfsm0AQ3kUN8o2Plgctwej9PGqTeYh6vsj4ViAoTtR-5OK55Uf-pnlaSgMHJhCF-AAJHZwrjCT5sRXNM5ivDLWXExDcQxfP4VSSzH5bK0s0i8/s4032/IMG_0231.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="deluxe oceanview room" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-EzejvuW6pYo8XWwfFwNWsQQif8J3xBmuR3K8eH4uYbAVaRQ9Lk4QtPD5OxOmeSs6bFGqZb1CeCeDmfsm0AQ3kUN8o2Plgctwej9PGqTeYh6vsj4ViAoTtR-5OK55Uf-pnlaSgMHJhCF-AAJHZwrjCT5sRXNM5ivDLWXExDcQxfP4VSSzH5bK0s0i8/w640-h480/IMG_0231.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>My favorite part of the room was the view. Our balcony faced south, with the Nichupte Lagoon on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. The problem with the balcony was that the partitions between our neighbor’s balconies and ours were just metal strips. I guess they were designed that way so that they wouldn’t block the view of the water, but the neighbors on one side of us like to hang out on their balcony nekid! A couple of times I got a view I wasn’t expecting. Between the balconies and the glass bathroom walls, I decided the hotel should have been called “No Secrets”. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldsguYG6G7_7F8zQ1eECP6EMnJYKrrBHkEKO43vaCcWzq-50iBEdDNa5ymXs9Q53c8m8wGOjmo8r-dp6IBXeFv7B5BlyyrK6kk5W82cDXqVL9sZHa3ffuVwEMRYGzy-TXVPd-dJYOh38kBRwRRxAoYzC7r1WftgHQI97q7hzVzn0we0doUzlVY3NRgfw/s4032/IMG_0010.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="balcony" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldsguYG6G7_7F8zQ1eECP6EMnJYKrrBHkEKO43vaCcWzq-50iBEdDNa5ymXs9Q53c8m8wGOjmo8r-dp6IBXeFv7B5BlyyrK6kk5W82cDXqVL9sZHa3ffuVwEMRYGzy-TXVPd-dJYOh38kBRwRRxAoYzC7r1WftgHQI97q7hzVzn0we0doUzlVY3NRgfw/w640-h480/IMG_0010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm2VOWobLo2gUyQCHY9mjPJxUZ1jb3vjcPQ4Qt3tCM5Nkumm9xiFutwy4EKjwiIfgcRW6smw_uAqe6mPz7_K3x7W9bcbN810J5-JQ8TsPJW8FqVpDpMUQVLZYDsq0PHDlcG8xaukKo8TsbEVrz1-Ecun__i2uh25yv_9QBDC7lAMHJQIx77iqiZY3BcQ/s3905/IMG_0015.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view from room" border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2929" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm2VOWobLo2gUyQCHY9mjPJxUZ1jb3vjcPQ4Qt3tCM5Nkumm9xiFutwy4EKjwiIfgcRW6smw_uAqe6mPz7_K3x7W9bcbN810J5-JQ8TsPJW8FqVpDpMUQVLZYDsq0PHDlcG8xaukKo8TsbEVrz1-Ecun__i2uh25yv_9QBDC7lAMHJQIx77iqiZY3BcQ/w480-h640/IMG_0015.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUQbZ27m_1PHOI9cs6xhCQRDOeOOr9FqD8hHmIFdyyr6Eo5E8iIs5ys_CX_sSdOVTlDfSXHE0aIuTBVr3vWz2uEc3jkCuUGpK1VQuAI76kgt2KWu3tqM-RKgakDu9kh50uRNbOSoA6vIWVAhzYZ1Gj6g2gZyeBjP-zzzLj25c_HITttpjMNG_F47LECY/s3985/IMG_0551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset from balcony" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUQbZ27m_1PHOI9cs6xhCQRDOeOOr9FqD8hHmIFdyyr6Eo5E8iIs5ys_CX_sSdOVTlDfSXHE0aIuTBVr3vWz2uEc3jkCuUGpK1VQuAI76kgt2KWu3tqM-RKgakDu9kh50uRNbOSoA6vIWVAhzYZ1Gj6g2gZyeBjP-zzzLj25c_HITttpjMNG_F47LECY/w640-h480/IMG_0551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>The resort had eight restaurants and eight bars, including a 24-hour coffee bar in the lobby. Our favorite restaurant was Sea Salt Grill, the poolside restaurant that served fresh seafood. We ended up eating lunch there every day. I loved the seabass and the seafood soup. Ron loved the hot sauce, made in-house from roasted habanero peppers and olive oil. Next to Sea Salt Grill there was a tent where different foods were cooked each day – paella, pizza or tacos. Yum!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JyuLL2fgz7l-tHR-Cf1Db3qUXIqqHDjLv2eUQLewER_rCKlLCbwRFPuFRUS1FDc0Bn6FP2-xSvwj9fQu7alEx8DeGqKedeAYILoNchuXozYrBBDzoWNJziaoNWe1hw2yN-5fQRAWauPjElpbTZuWBS80vNEZkuWAy_m1_Hc_bLXoO-cORAlF1YD62sA/s3546/IMG_9999.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sea Salt Grill" border="0" data-original-height="2660" data-original-width="3546" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JyuLL2fgz7l-tHR-Cf1Db3qUXIqqHDjLv2eUQLewER_rCKlLCbwRFPuFRUS1FDc0Bn6FP2-xSvwj9fQu7alEx8DeGqKedeAYILoNchuXozYrBBDzoWNJziaoNWe1hw2yN-5fQRAWauPjElpbTZuWBS80vNEZkuWAy_m1_Hc_bLXoO-cORAlF1YD62sA/w640-h480/IMG_9999.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5q6mdSutTKGyI74dh-tbJZz_9akalaDFQQWb8-HAlMB6_cW-pRZ6IzcuEUZUnugiRBPPOXQVpuHMDjxbJIIjObjlExAMUciWZ1zd6dkoSRz5ldoadio7bPc_geOgJfXXzh6vh7Sjo5z4uR2uIV8-SAZyydX6gu_08XWMVXiW3HLEzK79FRIvA7ZmGys/s4032/IMG_0177.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="seabass" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5q6mdSutTKGyI74dh-tbJZz_9akalaDFQQWb8-HAlMB6_cW-pRZ6IzcuEUZUnugiRBPPOXQVpuHMDjxbJIIjObjlExAMUciWZ1zd6dkoSRz5ldoadio7bPc_geOgJfXXzh6vh7Sjo5z4uR2uIV8-SAZyydX6gu_08XWMVXiW3HLEzK79FRIvA7ZmGys/w640-h480/IMG_0177.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpukpysSHgE10ozjKraL-uY7j0Z0gaF8P8b0BNmakue-JNj4Zk34BpUqMLNoEAgN2dQenrZAgEj8wKJXANUnw28tfPFtQ8j9IP6GDW-ig1Z3v5kLz2HJkapXMA1w81E1KZIX9knS4sP2aQOL4fKp913_EsBhP3OFBoexifgnFCqvLwSb_5kIbFgrxqrK8/s4032/IMG_0001.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="paella" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpukpysSHgE10ozjKraL-uY7j0Z0gaF8P8b0BNmakue-JNj4Zk34BpUqMLNoEAgN2dQenrZAgEj8wKJXANUnw28tfPFtQ8j9IP6GDW-ig1Z3v5kLz2HJkapXMA1w81E1KZIX9knS4sP2aQOL4fKp913_EsBhP3OFBoexifgnFCqvLwSb_5kIbFgrxqrK8/w480-h640/IMG_0001.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">poolside paella</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>The food at dinner was just OK. Bluewater Grill, the steakhouse, seemed to be the most popular restaurant, but Ron and I weren’t that excited about it. I thought Nebbiolo, the Italian restaurant, and Dragons, the Asian fusion restaurant, were better. There was also Olio, a Mediterranean restaurant by the rooftop pool on the twelfth (5th?) floor, that we didn't try. None of the restaurants took reservations and I’d heard complaints about having to wait a long time to get a table, but we didn’t have any problems. We like to eat early, so we’d just show up when the restaurants opened at 6 and always got a seat. After dinner, we’d skip dessert and go to The Vine Lounge in the lobby for drinks. One of the bartenders, Rodolfo, made the most beautiful chocolate martinis.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUsW0jW2U4j5fx5x0_IqGEN2qhFcnCfvZHf_x5sHBT2YOmfdus7s0ek6m1Kd3ByZo7eJgUUzHv8sjueSRjAuS1lYslyTt0bHcXFLZU5zxaVVaA_ims2cUf4DDeN9ARjCbsU1P7BkpURDlGty4Z70N31tWkesyaYk2UEd_m96laxP1rfTiz8HTdoemFrE/s3885/IMG_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dragons, Asian fusion restaurant" border="0" data-original-height="3885" data-original-width="2914" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUsW0jW2U4j5fx5x0_IqGEN2qhFcnCfvZHf_x5sHBT2YOmfdus7s0ek6m1Kd3ByZo7eJgUUzHv8sjueSRjAuS1lYslyTt0bHcXFLZU5zxaVVaA_ims2cUf4DDeN9ARjCbsU1P7BkpURDlGty4Z70N31tWkesyaYk2UEd_m96laxP1rfTiz8HTdoemFrE/w480-h640/IMG_0004.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragons</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfvIuXpR3euM2JToICKtZnkWAcMPGr7DD6cHMETn_JKcS4zbI8IfLb-Tpb2Ez05DUqIhcIbM-l5nDoxWAt52AUZ1g591GSAH12RpAFRbc-ZiUotlol9TdYAg3rfzODWFNCzJ_f5rG2sdbTW5IpKqYm-ax39WDQvim9FFiMD4fvdPZm7MH7K1W2twBllQ/s3664/IMG_0022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nebbiolo, Italian restaurant" border="0" data-original-height="3664" data-original-width="2748" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfvIuXpR3euM2JToICKtZnkWAcMPGr7DD6cHMETn_JKcS4zbI8IfLb-Tpb2Ez05DUqIhcIbM-l5nDoxWAt52AUZ1g591GSAH12RpAFRbc-ZiUotlol9TdYAg3rfzODWFNCzJ_f5rG2sdbTW5IpKqYm-ax39WDQvim9FFiMD4fvdPZm7MH7K1W2twBllQ/w480-h640/IMG_0022.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nebbiolo</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyy3s8qZ7-pQf3VuFaTd3Trnxum_A8wi0U88sl256fQL5zmpzWmvthjS_3FuWNMQJ-I0AOGK55BWPoLgtxo9ayku8bP6cX20yDYdM22fycbQXUnCSipCfv0LJVy7pVQPUnplKSEvIMZHa8fKdceaC-6hKqVaGfXcLPb9xmngvozpFs0OCfE7z_2mFtNc/s4032/IMG_0028.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chocolate martinis" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyy3s8qZ7-pQf3VuFaTd3Trnxum_A8wi0U88sl256fQL5zmpzWmvthjS_3FuWNMQJ-I0AOGK55BWPoLgtxo9ayku8bP6cX20yDYdM22fycbQXUnCSipCfv0LJVy7pVQPUnplKSEvIMZHa8fKdceaC-6hKqVaGfXcLPb9xmngvozpFs0OCfE7z_2mFtNc/w480-h640/IMG_0028.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>What I loved most about Secrets the Vine was the location. Cancun’s Hotel Zone is shaped like the number seven. The beaches along the top part of the seven are rocky, but the long side is an endless stretch of soft, white sand, big waves, and that amazing turquoise water. Secrets was about halfway down the long side of the seven. The first two days we were there, the red flags were out and the waves were HUGE! We had a lot of fun getting knocked around by the surf, but it was a real workout. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt58AQSlIZD7HcHNpdXGWEHXW1Oo78T-8kBgp4kgL6WZyeYvUv2PDOClg3iWw2JQm_mwet1y78XK5Rd3FeU61dP8zD1fWXMrSHasjKhNXd9xWAiJaJYQKxgHljOWHf4hh5jZaaKpfdLH8ZWu3ZUpN_H-Gn3foPASjhJYGKYjtOh1frP0-Hs0ahH_Pza4/s3797/IMG_0184.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view of beach from pool deck" border="0" data-original-height="2847" data-original-width="3797" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt58AQSlIZD7HcHNpdXGWEHXW1Oo78T-8kBgp4kgL6WZyeYvUv2PDOClg3iWw2JQm_mwet1y78XK5Rd3FeU61dP8zD1fWXMrSHasjKhNXd9xWAiJaJYQKxgHljOWHf4hh5jZaaKpfdLH8ZWu3ZUpN_H-Gn3foPASjhJYGKYjtOh1frP0-Hs0ahH_Pza4/w640-h480/IMG_0184.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpD1g9AsOjBNnyK22cEQ0IzsKj43aemQRVgTudXqcJggs0zUTMk6WwVtpdrA4qvyELFrzJRPR9dishPKSquK2JD6N7uhBvZfwAEYdH6e-Grnmr5pwy1caDYh5zqPmZNpXkZ-0cVmNaN0EmQK9KTlpelFNCpXQkJq7SQ8gm8HSSwAF1xHX1CFo16JF1Dk/s4032/IMG_0653.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Secrets the Vine beach" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpD1g9AsOjBNnyK22cEQ0IzsKj43aemQRVgTudXqcJggs0zUTMk6WwVtpdrA4qvyELFrzJRPR9dishPKSquK2JD6N7uhBvZfwAEYdH6e-Grnmr5pwy1caDYh5zqPmZNpXkZ-0cVmNaN0EmQK9KTlpelFNCpXQkJq7SQ8gm8HSSwAF1xHX1CFo16JF1Dk/w640-h480/IMG_0653.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we got tired out from playing in the waves or taking walks on the beach, we hung out by the pools. There were 4 pools – the rooftop pool (which was reserved for Preferred Club guests), the long, narrow pool on the terrace used for pool volleyball, and two more pools overlooking the beach. Our favorite was the entertainment pool where there was usually some kind of game or live music taking place. We found a couple of lounge chairs that sat in the shallow end of the pool and spent the days splashing back and forth between our chairs, the pool bar and the beach.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi1yQ6bVj7avQSAzgl2hrcbn47LibYLtRxR2EYC-tKgW0fyzmcXXfrr-O-prjM6EuxNShZxksYeG6dDN3cnYi_3ZcKoHwrIhkaH7RUQOAhcbBF4BxLDjmCWTORfzbYol0RHCf4C2t1QkLw_u5yf4BMKcTUYHMVWK-_7JdZllhVrjF0GMiJ_G8pp3oWhk/s3863/IMG_0219.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="terrace pool" border="0" data-original-height="2897" data-original-width="3863" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi1yQ6bVj7avQSAzgl2hrcbn47LibYLtRxR2EYC-tKgW0fyzmcXXfrr-O-prjM6EuxNShZxksYeG6dDN3cnYi_3ZcKoHwrIhkaH7RUQOAhcbBF4BxLDjmCWTORfzbYol0RHCf4C2t1QkLw_u5yf4BMKcTUYHMVWK-_7JdZllhVrjF0GMiJ_G8pp3oWhk/w640-h480/IMG_0219.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BypEZEQSWPd4Onf8Wc8V02V7uW75fWVcCsHi84R-RzBaxz7uKnV9xhVx-85Vz-0SMoaYWkdkv836AEMY9JgXWSfhA73AKT2K67NU76cgelvXB_aEUiDnSgMyIzE-fS063oBVPCqMAyQKGdU83Ev5Gxf5GhTdcCggSEm-SAkfzxj7r0SQ6FXXRNUKKzE/s4032/IMG_0637.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan in pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BypEZEQSWPd4Onf8Wc8V02V7uW75fWVcCsHi84R-RzBaxz7uKnV9xhVx-85Vz-0SMoaYWkdkv836AEMY9JgXWSfhA73AKT2K67NU76cgelvXB_aEUiDnSgMyIzE-fS063oBVPCqMAyQKGdU83Ev5Gxf5GhTdcCggSEm-SAkfzxj7r0SQ6FXXRNUKKzE/w640-h480/IMG_0637.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtoXa8auuT2_i6iwVR1eLfrIdv3Bzns4iC9l5KRhN1pqmAeE_QwqoYLE8eRhXveAAWgnd5Zp0gqldaEkCWkq4jTNgNXOJFQ-eesNKkANvOLy4JNNXu0fFX_OucYwnZ4HcydHGDDVJWRabo-KHT45mNJJ2D2mR028weM0RW5eJ4N1zEw1HcUclDh65-cU/s4032/IMG_0578.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pools" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtoXa8auuT2_i6iwVR1eLfrIdv3Bzns4iC9l5KRhN1pqmAeE_QwqoYLE8eRhXveAAWgnd5Zp0gqldaEkCWkq4jTNgNXOJFQ-eesNKkANvOLy4JNNXu0fFX_OucYwnZ4HcydHGDDVJWRabo-KHT45mNJJ2D2mR028weM0RW5eJ4N1zEw1HcUclDh65-cU/w640-h480/IMG_0578.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0vk_FCkCrF_ZboR11_5bhGTZRS86_l8XTYUJ18JP6HxkFjWBY7jjXjAL4c6qNA-8K4RJ7sAioaUMBM2jRt2QuABHAxcwaDQl5Ss8bSgM8NiGrArA5uhPuCFKU7cXsGNB0cpi34DMVii1BsTkDDNXzuMj5mklXo0aueK27LothMlKwqcccAyxRtBWWZA/s4032/IMG_0190.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="pool horse racing" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0vk_FCkCrF_ZboR11_5bhGTZRS86_l8XTYUJ18JP6HxkFjWBY7jjXjAL4c6qNA-8K4RJ7sAioaUMBM2jRt2QuABHAxcwaDQl5Ss8bSgM8NiGrArA5uhPuCFKU7cXsGNB0cpi34DMVii1BsTkDDNXzuMj5mklXo0aueK27LothMlKwqcccAyxRtBWWZA/w480-h640/IMG_0190.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">horse race pool game</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Nightly entertainment was what you’d expect for an all-inclusive. One night there was an excellent violinist playing by the terrace pool. Another night there was a Cirque de Soleil style show with an aerialist, juggler and gymnasts. On Casino Night, we played Blackjack in the lobby, with fake money, of course. Ron kept going all-in and winning. That would never happen with real money. :-)</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYrZ59H_VXp9pZSSaHTC49xnRf40nsb6M04KsbQaeeAW8iIoM8EhWVyklHEJ_DB7m402dvQigXLHnGb9IRmgq6eWW9f41q7m66TFQsHzRwSGd_zf6H-b9PS18P_pgXqDZ7FFQA_nRJxFeUfo-Js_8NATHon86PC-joROCrDC3Sd4Ux1slVb__nyIJrZI/s3905/IMG_0319.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red Vine Piano Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2929" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYrZ59H_VXp9pZSSaHTC49xnRf40nsb6M04KsbQaeeAW8iIoM8EhWVyklHEJ_DB7m402dvQigXLHnGb9IRmgq6eWW9f41q7m66TFQsHzRwSGd_zf6H-b9PS18P_pgXqDZ7FFQA_nRJxFeUfo-Js_8NATHon86PC-joROCrDC3Sd4Ux1slVb__nyIJrZI/w480-h640/IMG_0319.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">karaoke night in the Red Vine Piano Bar</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>On our third day, we were ready to get off the resort and explore, so we spent the day at Isla Mujeres, a small island twelve miles east of Cancun. We took the ferry, then rented a golf cart and drove all over the island, from Punta Sur to Playa Norte. I loved riding around on our own and stopping wherever we felt like stopping without being on a schedule. I wrote a separate review about Isla Mujeres (click <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2024/01/isla-mujeres.html"><b>here</b></a> for the review), so I won’t repeat all the details, but it was a great day. We got back to the hotel just in time to catch a beautiful sunset from our balcony, the sun sinking into the lagoon. After the long day, we didn’t feel like getting dressed up for dinner, so we ate chicken wings and quesadillas at the Half Time Sports Bar and watched the Bucs play the Eagles in the playoffs. Go Bucs!</p>
<p>Our last day was supposed to be rainy, so we thought we’d take the bus to La Isla Mall to pick up souvenirs for our family and friends. But then the sun came out and sand gravity took over. We didn’t want to leave our lounge chairs! Thank goodness there were shops at the airport so we still came home with a bag full of hot sauce and vanilla.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM15BwSFdb_y185e2GzRsRVnn1UK-VbaBSJrjOk84_aUNOGj7OXsSVdgJQYjVllAYPVyeHCdsPy_uBLgbyR7BRBbL1hTCpIZkGc0iKf03sX-RSOnpdv2n0jtnjCQfYb3uGBssDVAGI-CMxyOxDDhvGx2fggfktgAQoA3Wv7IoIUiCZhc96CVlolKEKVVs/s4032/IMG_0343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise and Secrets sign" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM15BwSFdb_y185e2GzRsRVnn1UK-VbaBSJrjOk84_aUNOGj7OXsSVdgJQYjVllAYPVyeHCdsPy_uBLgbyR7BRBbL1hTCpIZkGc0iKf03sX-RSOnpdv2n0jtnjCQfYb3uGBssDVAGI-CMxyOxDDhvGx2fggfktgAQoA3Wv7IoIUiCZhc96CVlolKEKVVs/w640-h480/IMG_0343.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcPSQLG7grK31ZXdk0UbK8bLxthR6P2UqH7d3yjqZHEamZ6eTrg6dArFnUtlZ_h49UaMisjz-sVHfU3yVwpm44xT9x1A-tPAiUMpEUM3T7Z9Nb_BqtrrxfiQS_vmgKe-z-85u2genTa0Er2-EiKDvJCwBzn6yPYjHfYjsfEGFjmfL3Z0AtBkZbYxsfEc/s4032/IMG_0349.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise and pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcPSQLG7grK31ZXdk0UbK8bLxthR6P2UqH7d3yjqZHEamZ6eTrg6dArFnUtlZ_h49UaMisjz-sVHfU3yVwpm44xT9x1A-tPAiUMpEUM3T7Z9Nb_BqtrrxfiQS_vmgKe-z-85u2genTa0Er2-EiKDvJCwBzn6yPYjHfYjsfEGFjmfL3Z0AtBkZbYxsfEc/w640-h480/IMG_0349.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz4C4_XAeIGlgpYH0sbVot7xzSZKsTFgpnrhK1BTDlhaTfm4sfA74pv270evpscco0hdDLttUlO4CTL1PJmWlnGRKLHauZGRA0KlDAJOvRQQGes951Hwk4M1jxZosdNj42bXijf0zIb7HmVaNsLxy430BKsZFIwVbAsqD4ojCiuXIua6V-zv1hoh-Dn0/s4032/IMG_0351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise and red flag" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz4C4_XAeIGlgpYH0sbVot7xzSZKsTFgpnrhK1BTDlhaTfm4sfA74pv270evpscco0hdDLttUlO4CTL1PJmWlnGRKLHauZGRA0KlDAJOvRQQGes951Hwk4M1jxZosdNj42bXijf0zIb7HmVaNsLxy430BKsZFIwVbAsqD4ojCiuXIua6V-zv1hoh-Dn0/w480-h640/IMG_0351.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSibpopNaTHdIWaDHeqHFvnqxXCpwFtnURjPXMVdPboQUfON6eroTaTj32if0imiwEIwI9r3dR1EwksceJsUYPQ-Jj4BiNwMk5WcySEeHYwyNQA7NhoX3zbTpTqSaRdint2OwL-bwP89gIHqp473gEaeDV1mtpC7iIrJD8X3t75gqjiM71doTJZJWQ8tQ/s4032/IMG_0354.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise and beach" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSibpopNaTHdIWaDHeqHFvnqxXCpwFtnURjPXMVdPboQUfON6eroTaTj32if0imiwEIwI9r3dR1EwksceJsUYPQ-Jj4BiNwMk5WcySEeHYwyNQA7NhoX3zbTpTqSaRdint2OwL-bwP89gIHqp473gEaeDV1mtpC7iIrJD8X3t75gqjiM71doTJZJWQ8tQ/w640-h480/IMG_0354.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-7812972448594472002024-01-10T19:18:00.001-05:002024-01-10T19:21:22.074-05:00Fire and Ice - Iceland Lighthouses Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_HZxDeDs4H09jPmqaOY5DMU5a0f7FkGGI3fnRZXzcTr2r9LJuLwITqviPj23pRR_-wCn14uwOO80aHmwl06zE4wZaOhxY_1SvfRIULFKtMs00gt9mru1o1-mjX7r8wshQsD6LCMsGRtFTWP58GNiPuDde3s2o-pZHeFu4T8rtf_x_Y9wd3EOfzDUnmY/s1480/416292721_10160106011017909_6863587904577792816_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Grotta Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1480" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_HZxDeDs4H09jPmqaOY5DMU5a0f7FkGGI3fnRZXzcTr2r9LJuLwITqviPj23pRR_-wCn14uwOO80aHmwl06zE4wZaOhxY_1SvfRIULFKtMs00gt9mru1o1-mjX7r8wshQsD6LCMsGRtFTWP58GNiPuDde3s2o-pZHeFu4T8rtf_x_Y9wd3EOfzDUnmY/w640-h480/416292721_10160106011017909_6863587904577792816_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><i>Another Iceland post by guest writer and sister, Mary Wagner. You can read Mary's first post <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2022/09/iceland-lighthouses.html"><b>here</b></a>.</i></p>
<p>This is definitely NOT the usual fare for this blog: Iceland in December and January! But there are still good reasons to visit. If you love
Christmas, it's about as Christmassy as it gets, with lights, decorations, festivities, stories, masses in their historic Churches. One Icelandic custom
is to give books for Christmas Eve gifts, then on Christmas Day everyone stays home in their pajamas, drinks cocoa, and reads. So perhaps the actual week of Christmas isn't the best time to visit, but the weeks prior and after can be pretty amazing.</p>
<p>This trip we took in two lighthouses, Akranesviti and Grottaviti. We arrived at Akranes at sunrise of our first morning, which by the way was 11:11 AM, and watched the clouds changing color over the bay and
Reykjavik in the distance. The Akranes lighthouse is open for climbing, and has the only non-spiral staircase I've ever seen in a lighthouse. There are
actually two lighthouses on that landspit. The smaller structure is the original lighthouse, built in 1918. As you walk from the visitor center to the lighthouses, you pass the racks for drying fish, as Akranes is an old fishing village, and in the air you will catch a faint whiff of smoking fish.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjAF6C-qsHVcCM2KM1I-67nbpwnIiKM0F8J8maQjGCxsDV4f3JMCEtRli2LyK46MsauofCj1ZCm5Ab9O8UIoHQdo-KRyDg1lSWxdRAtCZNvhY7JyTP-4KZUAkNjEeVTe5j7WYEVwZ0RSvUnmtFMZoHmYgAuUFtEhkVt-30TDBKcIgp6Fv_M_pxOl-BE4/s3787/IMG_3145a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Akranes Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3787" data-original-width="2840" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjAF6C-qsHVcCM2KM1I-67nbpwnIiKM0F8J8maQjGCxsDV4f3JMCEtRli2LyK46MsauofCj1ZCm5Ab9O8UIoHQdo-KRyDg1lSWxdRAtCZNvhY7JyTP-4KZUAkNjEeVTe5j7WYEVwZ0RSvUnmtFMZoHmYgAuUFtEhkVt-30TDBKcIgp6Fv_M_pxOl-BE4/w480-h640/IMG_3145a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Akranes Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NwrRSMkEgzb06fOb30Q7of7XV3JReoj5Xy_Iu59vy8Pu_cGUbf2_WRcLTMqeb2qK28OUzqYbU_HQMiHYijuhaBBbCxi25sGJJiZo7M-gPPW8bhgMenGkZHYxeUf36SbY4kpeB1o0d-4wTDAd1QioZ1VBo6-5BpXkhkjZtYVjhXsS7TviTpGcMbLsVJA/s4032/IMG_3169.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Akranes Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NwrRSMkEgzb06fOb30Q7of7XV3JReoj5Xy_Iu59vy8Pu_cGUbf2_WRcLTMqeb2qK28OUzqYbU_HQMiHYijuhaBBbCxi25sGJJiZo7M-gPPW8bhgMenGkZHYxeUf36SbY4kpeB1o0d-4wTDAd1QioZ1VBo6-5BpXkhkjZtYVjhXsS7TviTpGcMbLsVJA/w480-h640/IMG_3169.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU47ZMrEdNMZ3yn-p600GNMwf4eV9T6TUncBUpYRYgxFptFyhPbmOdSPZCK8GROXj1q0JfMhiqaAj7x9jrJDPC91HbO17wa94Lh17S1B8ZOOhvSvIKM9iLpSXD8hp0yjJwJDqxlD1qOTS7cRC5Kan9LrMtkr8mmfHTlDtstZIPVRlXOSMfkLStE6oBh24/s3888/IMG_3160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lighthouse steps" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="2916" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU47ZMrEdNMZ3yn-p600GNMwf4eV9T6TUncBUpYRYgxFptFyhPbmOdSPZCK8GROXj1q0JfMhiqaAj7x9jrJDPC91HbO17wa94Lh17S1B8ZOOhvSvIKM9iLpSXD8hp0yjJwJDqxlD1qOTS7cRC5Kan9LrMtkr8mmfHTlDtstZIPVRlXOSMfkLStE6oBh24/w480-h640/IMG_3160.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLsRos7wTCP3aaJOcxvVvr1PCm9CLYxAMsIqyXnQ9xPEUG5ZlrfWO0CHJvXBF4Q4wP8146xTZFK-tUlPeW5LfpBd5JOJJOao5UVjQQnrmRXLM4h669fQDKpLBMQKHwF629sZB4tO9CsGb0o3Yj7REQLuNSQpN9R9soAnZUc18qSIsPhGByJvCD5Ekm6c/s3024/IMG_3185.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Akranes Lighthouse and Old Akranes Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLsRos7wTCP3aaJOcxvVvr1PCm9CLYxAMsIqyXnQ9xPEUG5ZlrfWO0CHJvXBF4Q4wP8146xTZFK-tUlPeW5LfpBd5JOJJOao5UVjQQnrmRXLM4h669fQDKpLBMQKHwF629sZB4tO9CsGb0o3Yj7REQLuNSQpN9R9soAnZUc18qSIsPhGByJvCD5Ekm6c/w640-h480/IMG_3185.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvB3B88YrsKdwH20YvAzP-NYFeFEtKojUvJudNvYAVkY_NpG-6kBNSTcDGacFWwEA7Gic1ZuwyZ_Ic_7HqW7MoJmVAEa7WCkPM-k2fewURE4tqrT5-hkPM98EYSUdBXJu08Itldwhmw9arEgRTop8TeZLYGet0AGkGFuzO1ArvHHQxM9gpntvNTHT0Qo/s3511/IMG_3166a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Akranes Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3511" data-original-width="2633" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvB3B88YrsKdwH20YvAzP-NYFeFEtKojUvJudNvYAVkY_NpG-6kBNSTcDGacFWwEA7Gic1ZuwyZ_Ic_7HqW7MoJmVAEa7WCkPM-k2fewURE4tqrT5-hkPM98EYSUdBXJu08Itldwhmw9arEgRTop8TeZLYGet0AGkGFuzO1ArvHHQxM9gpntvNTHT0Qo/w480-h640/IMG_3166a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Akranes Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4SbqHlNPQEEZyhOnZ5tiqPnLw6wmPnT0SzYQpu6ASOLewKIcffuxGrEge53hKAP_aht2A7SXI7Z4T02PTeD74E4HI9z-nXhYuYqXlbgilDMaiSR6XRuLYP1k22QcMZ8Ii5ps_N-QwIDqLsJFPO7OSHHR_Vkfe3ukTDTtub8e4mmiAHo2A7vf-C2Yv64/s3051/IMG_3147.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Old Akranes Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="2288" data-original-width="3051" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4SbqHlNPQEEZyhOnZ5tiqPnLw6wmPnT0SzYQpu6ASOLewKIcffuxGrEge53hKAP_aht2A7SXI7Z4T02PTeD74E4HI9z-nXhYuYqXlbgilDMaiSR6XRuLYP1k22QcMZ8Ii5ps_N-QwIDqLsJFPO7OSHHR_Vkfe3ukTDTtub8e4mmiAHo2A7vf-C2Yv64/w640-h480/IMG_3147.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Close to Akranesviti is the town's local rec center, with modern swimming complex, soccer field, indoor golf facility, and just down by
the beach from it, is the Gudlaug swimming pool, a multilevel hot tub overlooking the black sand beach and ocean. You can scamper down into the water
and back into the infinity pool for a tingly invigorating/exhilarating Nordic experience. Outdoor geothermal pools are a huge thing in Iceland, almost every hotel has a spa/hot tub complex, as well as the many various natural hot springs, some of which you can bathe in, and some of which you need to keep a healthy distance from.</p>
<p>We visited the Sturlureykir horse farm, which is heated by such a hot spring and has belonged to its current family in residence since
1886. It has its own little mini-geyser, and the resulting hot water is piped into and under the stables and home for heating, and into a little in-ground bake oven where they bake/steam the most delicious rye bread/cake that they offer to visitors. They offer riding, but we opted just to visit the beautiful friendly shaggy curious horses which they have been breeding there since 1886, admire the wall of trophies earned by their horses, and pet the dogs who came up for ear skritches and belly rubs. For non-riding visits, no reservations are required, just show up.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjFqZ0_4DqoJj7yMUKDsNgwVY1tOfaF_OtqyqbPbAgiFP5akdy0bBP86590aHjfWJIGQraQea5cQc5GXKvEfBaLtBXZ35BndUcS5tP6aErJf_sp-GbsgTfpM5no-LA38c1vSVldPHrXGH5TQQT8KEaQVyNW9tGsuZpgYri_EPX_OZqEvlLKAAnmVHfPc/s3520/IMG_3190a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Icelandic horses" border="0" data-original-height="3520" data-original-width="2640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjFqZ0_4DqoJj7yMUKDsNgwVY1tOfaF_OtqyqbPbAgiFP5akdy0bBP86590aHjfWJIGQraQea5cQc5GXKvEfBaLtBXZ35BndUcS5tP6aErJf_sp-GbsgTfpM5no-LA38c1vSVldPHrXGH5TQQT8KEaQVyNW9tGsuZpgYri_EPX_OZqEvlLKAAnmVHfPc/w480-h640/IMG_3190a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8jcqyZgqGbMfFv3BTWzcEZfVFr8jsw1qzhjcgIT2YpNH_-g18lATDMqlTjfeeAZ06-e8wgZ8JhBBM7QWSl7Ftbw81G2C1iRaVNyIzUV6zv2gYs6daSDnlmkW2Kaw1tZeq6FSXO8audRyCHNmGqbk5-3HCdOmHlzwiLiB87mezWk3rtm1k2WYQ92-Zi0/s4032/IMG_3417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mary at Sturlureykir horse farm" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8jcqyZgqGbMfFv3BTWzcEZfVFr8jsw1qzhjcgIT2YpNH_-g18lATDMqlTjfeeAZ06-e8wgZ8JhBBM7QWSl7Ftbw81G2C1iRaVNyIzUV6zv2gYs6daSDnlmkW2Kaw1tZeq6FSXO8audRyCHNmGqbk5-3HCdOmHlzwiLiB87mezWk3rtm1k2WYQ92-Zi0/w640-h480/IMG_3417.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP0HEiDEvFMH25v_9dOhuMEpFN-IyUzlFu445SauIT4hjKEB3UTw2vORwzQSzGZKPoW7QrIlXo4Gi0lOd2eN7f6Bnz351EnGml11MVcGjdW6ts95glsI4zttNHKQkNUQ4xA_6kyfQWCMJE_vJ_5gqIJR7UDLCR_K0e4QhaGFKToj30gYS7id_ycBiv4Y/s4032/IMG_3445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chris with horse" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP0HEiDEvFMH25v_9dOhuMEpFN-IyUzlFu445SauIT4hjKEB3UTw2vORwzQSzGZKPoW7QrIlXo4Gi0lOd2eN7f6Bnz351EnGml11MVcGjdW6ts95glsI4zttNHKQkNUQ4xA_6kyfQWCMJE_vJ_5gqIJR7UDLCR_K0e4QhaGFKToj30gYS7id_ycBiv4Y/w640-h480/IMG_3445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What has it got in its pocketses?"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NuloO7YR6OJ5BA8HIxndSWbHhyphenhyphenv5PdwNgmpZhsqt3ft7MeFg27UiNNWoqbhKLmPHmogdBbfsRluJTPDh6B-gQA2qZ7z67pk4uUYO15DJXBjFK5ceq44OZegtqXU8RN-D8bVrAR-gJV9n4mYRwQ1hqtZuKFoF0RGXkBIDunox_dPHBP2PnEVdGKxEQrA/s4032/IMG_3436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sturlureykir horse farm" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NuloO7YR6OJ5BA8HIxndSWbHhyphenhyphenv5PdwNgmpZhsqt3ft7MeFg27UiNNWoqbhKLmPHmogdBbfsRluJTPDh6B-gQA2qZ7z67pk4uUYO15DJXBjFK5ceq44OZegtqXU8RN-D8bVrAR-gJV9n4mYRwQ1hqtZuKFoF0RGXkBIDunox_dPHBP2PnEVdGKxEQrA/w640-h480/IMG_3436.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Sturlureykir horse farm is near the village of Reykholt, about a 90-minute drive from the capital of Reykjavik. We stayed in the very
comfortable Fosshotel there, where we could see the Aurora Borealis from our window the first night, and where we spent two hours in their gorgeous spa the second night. The village has some historical significance, as Snorri Sturluson the 12th century poet/historian/political leader/ambassador retired
there, and some of the remains of his life there have been preserved, such as his bathing pool. The Snorri was my favorite of the three cocktails I sampled at the hotel restaurant, which also served amazing food, especially the baked brie made from local milk and served with honey, nuts, and apples. Oh, and the Arctic char, which is a delicious freshwater salmon'ish fish. The first night we had entrees, the second night we enjoyed a variety of appetizers, aka Icelandic tapas.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wKvch54JC0gE6-xqMDKrGZXmEMZE41CGli847JdEkEpCmTWL4t-eYKO7sGAauU-EKEERxXJ6nGzpmSvW7feV5BQJwk8Chb9naKPZJZ2nFp2PJhcW5LFjqtspRZ1goY9orP8CLoQiF7WAwArSknbSihUwa3BI_BVNY_jMwynvBH8xst2rFUIj-xDiagg/s3049/IMG_3233a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="cocktail" border="0" data-original-height="3049" data-original-width="2287" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wKvch54JC0gE6-xqMDKrGZXmEMZE41CGli847JdEkEpCmTWL4t-eYKO7sGAauU-EKEERxXJ6nGzpmSvW7feV5BQJwk8Chb9naKPZJZ2nFp2PJhcW5LFjqtspRZ1goY9orP8CLoQiF7WAwArSknbSihUwa3BI_BVNY_jMwynvBH8xst2rFUIj-xDiagg/w480-h640/IMG_3233a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Snorri Sturluson</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jcvXozRPzR0MbwfIrgFFlSDNzGaS4SjaEqIfRRE9N3AkILMSZ0Riawm7dJEwg1iQdZDna3vs-UYYd96WCr7kGbCHKEE1OiUNjmJ7cIY90A6BvKOn-GJzsJ5YsJteygvixUyzZev9kVIgeUnsHZ_YEYp-hUf7UOqrODQT5wsJO6d0hlDlHEW8yL9x2Mk/s4032/IMG_3394.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tapas" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jcvXozRPzR0MbwfIrgFFlSDNzGaS4SjaEqIfRRE9N3AkILMSZ0Riawm7dJEwg1iQdZDna3vs-UYYd96WCr7kGbCHKEE1OiUNjmJ7cIY90A6BvKOn-GJzsJ5YsJteygvixUyzZev9kVIgeUnsHZ_YEYp-hUf7UOqrODQT5wsJO6d0hlDlHEW8yL9x2Mk/w480-h640/IMG_3394.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>After two nights in Reykholt we made our way to Reykjavik for their 13th day of Christmas festivities, primarily the bonfires and fireworks, which were all spread along a snowy beachfront park. Fire and Ice indeed!</p>
<p>As we walked down to the park after another delicious Icelandic tapas dinner (I'm still remembering the smoked salmon), we fell in with the huge crowd headed that direction, children with sparklers, adults carrying torches. It felt so classically Icelandic. Burn away any sorrows of the past year, so you can start afresh!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweAXAxW6-QMeiyEcnrtlQ9oPBp1OrMt8cUzjIk_wOfufcx5iQwIR8GcUa1qIsPpIFg-U91s7jSdvcL-SFhyphenhyphenlIdDSpA-iSVbcjcQWY96OvpDxGJo-HDMykT3IwSLvpuBKl6LyC-JaGfEF7sxjMIwiBp08u2K8jkWaPcrQ7Ob1nMeKTg9opWdfvm6sHkdk/s1509/416324630_10160105988707909_1072429760325544273_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fireworks and bonfire" border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1509" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweAXAxW6-QMeiyEcnrtlQ9oPBp1OrMt8cUzjIk_wOfufcx5iQwIR8GcUa1qIsPpIFg-U91s7jSdvcL-SFhyphenhyphenlIdDSpA-iSVbcjcQWY96OvpDxGJo-HDMykT3IwSLvpuBKl6LyC-JaGfEF7sxjMIwiBp08u2K8jkWaPcrQ7Ob1nMeKTg9opWdfvm6sHkdk/w640-h480/416324630_10160105988707909_1072429760325544273_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>For our final day, we visited the Maritime Museum by our hotel, and then on to the lighthouse. Grottaviti is on a spit of land projecting from the city of Reykjavik, and is a popular walking trail and local Aurora Borealis viewing point, as it gets far enough from the city lights for a dark sky. You can't climb this lighthouse, and you do have to watch for tides, as the narrow path to the lighthouse goes underwater at high tide. From the lighthouse, you have great views across the waves of the bay to the projecting points of Akranes and Borgarnes, and if the sky is clear enough, north to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Speaking of which, we visited that peninsula, but due to the very short day, we only got halfway to the national park and lighthouses on the far western end of it (next time!). But we did have a good stop at the Ytri Tunga seal beach and watched the grey and harbor seals splashing each other there.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU3vBoWQ6Qjj5UY8sXKavPliJmOJ7N29FLw09_k2hc6LiGcjzJP2zjH7NUZFttH42gBij6fLimdrjGCxskhWkWVgi7NJ0jzdAeUPVY9PV3Klzk6xnNTJb1oZ4d6zqBgTcZpNHOP7ljYtfJhffBUJAxA3poT7AlzIvKyhwPuzIi0RXyiv2__LvZ7r5yj4/s2992/IMG_3583.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chris at Grotta Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2244" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU3vBoWQ6Qjj5UY8sXKavPliJmOJ7N29FLw09_k2hc6LiGcjzJP2zjH7NUZFttH42gBij6fLimdrjGCxskhWkWVgi7NJ0jzdAeUPVY9PV3Klzk6xnNTJb1oZ4d6zqBgTcZpNHOP7ljYtfJhffBUJAxA3poT7AlzIvKyhwPuzIi0RXyiv2__LvZ7r5yj4/w480-h640/IMG_3583.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grotta Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2oaumqbuxOb-apu_iUfwyiI7L8IJRqKSm56IwimWLBUz1eDTlOxAt3qDZcz5MBwMbbuGZIQmnOcLLpTMt2DDjQyz4xzFUTsaRL4SRz2EOp8ue5DtRG6bRKzo9ETQmIKbFMdFLu9BYakQiV_1PizNx9NiGRn5LCsmBxv4m_phtIg-1j0RYTVTiyy65vg/s3672/IMG_3587a.jpg"><img alt="Grotta Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="2754" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2oaumqbuxOb-apu_iUfwyiI7L8IJRqKSm56IwimWLBUz1eDTlOxAt3qDZcz5MBwMbbuGZIQmnOcLLpTMt2DDjQyz4xzFUTsaRL4SRz2EOp8ue5DtRG6bRKzo9ETQmIKbFMdFLu9BYakQiV_1PizNx9NiGRn5LCsmBxv4m_phtIg-1j0RYTVTiyy65vg/w480-h640/IMG_3587a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdD5MXwfz9_sZatrHyHj6a0-S4tbkWLEWRnY34vU0uYb5m-_8FDf4RzcSYoENcbgkRzgJinKSYOk2zEDx8mVf-wY9EBF6RHAolIC0cuyJa6KR7_tB0iL0yGRPGybbwxU9NXiVzRb7lrZhzAS6Fnm2a6ghMLJc1bMFmB5P7s6vFgHVKiu4WDEkaz8vWoc/s1536/416295798_10160105897012909_3864796528401196070_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Snaefellsnes Peninsula" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdD5MXwfz9_sZatrHyHj6a0-S4tbkWLEWRnY34vU0uYb5m-_8FDf4RzcSYoENcbgkRzgJinKSYOk2zEDx8mVf-wY9EBF6RHAolIC0cuyJa6KR7_tB0iL0yGRPGybbwxU9NXiVzRb7lrZhzAS6Fnm2a6ghMLJc1bMFmB5P7s6vFgHVKiu4WDEkaz8vWoc/w640-h480/416295798_10160105897012909_3864796528401196070_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Snaefellsnes Peninsula</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpMmTo-0x_kUV_RGmv55rCle41IBkhMZYrsZR_vB-OgwlgNCfp7v-rGFkPMAUqeedR4PrQ2uk1KNSvtLOOOS3DUpQldXHloeBCrT3I7FfTIjmVeT6AGKWfUVEMRBNb411ZaFXbLf-Iil9R42iyyDeAmPwhcAHQf04eOmiPtClQuLirLt041dE3JcXUlQ/s960/417492595_10160226328054261_2880830898129262463_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="basalt columns" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpMmTo-0x_kUV_RGmv55rCle41IBkhMZYrsZR_vB-OgwlgNCfp7v-rGFkPMAUqeedR4PrQ2uk1KNSvtLOOOS3DUpQldXHloeBCrT3I7FfTIjmVeT6AGKWfUVEMRBNb411ZaFXbLf-Iil9R42iyyDeAmPwhcAHQf04eOmiPtClQuLirLt041dE3JcXUlQ/w480-h640/417492595_10160226328054261_2880830898129262463_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Iceland in winter: So yes sunrise isn't until 11 or thereabouts, but they have a long lovely dawn that starts around 9:30. And
sunset is around 3:45 but they have a long lovely dusk that goes until around 5:30. You have to play around with your photography filters, but the light is just gorgeous, like an all-day magic hour. It does tend to be cloudy, but on sunny days the white landscape creates its own light as well. There's really no bad time of year to visit Iceland, it's all about what magic you personally are looking for!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa5a7Q74_vZQqaSpG0uF-LPG4F7XpwNRMmkUvpBlXiHwGi6O9wzFiS4fGofQIeMJUVYUcm2uAYQNKcXn4ZMcQ_07B0EXGceSeMrtARzP2-raQhrYlAnOKqxQdze5fZDe-MsD-E9LgLK_gJ5X33VUHbyUTYJ4bWAaVRSpx8Wc_RfF4j5oHe00wEOL0xsk/s3958/IMG_3590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Iceland mountains" border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3958" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa5a7Q74_vZQqaSpG0uF-LPG4F7XpwNRMmkUvpBlXiHwGi6O9wzFiS4fGofQIeMJUVYUcm2uAYQNKcXn4ZMcQ_07B0EXGceSeMrtARzP2-raQhrYlAnOKqxQdze5fZDe-MsD-E9LgLK_gJ5X33VUHbyUTYJ4bWAaVRSpx8Wc_RfF4j5oHe00wEOL0xsk/w640-h480/IMG_3590.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: Iceland is extremely tourism-friendly. You can get shuttles into Reykjavik and then take day trip tours. You can take longer
guided tours - we ran into two different tour groups who were staying at our hotel in Reykholt. You can do self-driving tours where the travel agencies set up everything for you. You can just book all your own stuff online, which is very easy to do. If you choose to drive yourself, make sure that you
acclimatize yourself with their driving rules. They do drive on the right side of the road so that's easy. Winter driving requires 4WD and studded tires and paying attention to road safety conditions, so it's definitely not for everyone!</p>
<p>
<a href="https://grapevine.is/news/2019/01/08/akranes-lighthouse-one-of-best-travel-discoveries-of-2018-guardian-readers-say/" target="_blank">https://grapevine.is/news/2019/01/08/akranes-lighthouse-one-of-best-travel-discoveries-of-2018-guardian-readers-say/</a><br />
<a href="https://totaliceland.com/visiting-grotta-island-iceland-timing-everything/" target="_blank">https://totaliceland.com/visiting-grotta-island-iceland-timing-everything/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.west.is/en/service/sturlureykirhorses-visiting-horsefarm" target="_blank">https://www.west.is/en/service/sturlureykirhorses-visiting-horsefarm</a><br />
<a href="https://www.whatson.is/the-last-day-of-christmas-threttandinn/" target="_blank">https://www.whatson.is/the-last-day-of-christmas-threttandinn/</a></p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-85184067955934512602024-01-04T19:00:00.000-05:002024-01-05T11:50:06.690-05:00Manatees at Tampa Electric's Viewing Center<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgbi626EX5wY0jQ8aaiBvUydARZ323z_LKqFQnTYziFd0PMksPy_VJgJPCjCI00z9Soze3h26mv2A782HBIL2CCis8_aBguChcwk4qv-wTDek97HLHE-nHXNOdZUQU5bsMwZkjBtaWTlGsp8A8N3Gao5ysQ30dzeF14_LOytNsKwGVmYmZEela5LayqQ/s4032/IMG_9276.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Manatee Viewing Center entrance" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgbi626EX5wY0jQ8aaiBvUydARZ323z_LKqFQnTYziFd0PMksPy_VJgJPCjCI00z9Soze3h26mv2A782HBIL2CCis8_aBguChcwk4qv-wTDek97HLHE-nHXNOdZUQU5bsMwZkjBtaWTlGsp8A8N3Gao5ysQ30dzeF14_LOytNsKwGVmYmZEela5LayqQ/w640-h480/IMG_9276.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Florida manatees can’t tolerate the cold, so when the water temperature in Tampa Bay drops below 70 degrees, they seek out warmer water. The Manatee Viewing Center was created in 1986 when employees at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station noticed large numbers of manatees gathering in the warm water of its discharge canal. In 2002, the center became a federally designated manatee sanctuary.</p>
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<p>Ron and I visited the Manatee Viewing Center ten years ago, but since then, Tampa Electric collaborated with the Florida Aquarium to add a sea turtle rehabilitation center and a stingray touch tank. There was also a new 50-foot observation tower. I was looking forward to seeing all the changes. We started the day on the walkways along the canal where we could see hundreds of manatees resting or swimming, occasionally lifting their noses out of the water to breathe. One manatee floated on his back, warming his belly in the sun. We even spotted a couple of babies, staying close to their mothers’ sides.</p>
<p>After about an hour of manatee-watching, we took a break for lunch at Finn’s Dockside Bar and Grill, then returned to see the turtle hospital and climb the observation tower. It was a beautiful, clear day, and from the top of the tower we could see all the way across the Bay. We somehow completely missed the Education Building, but that gives us an excuse to go back next year. I never get tired of seeing those funny, gentle manatees.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d4Jn_xbuFq9WZVcsIJET0rYU0CuK5d93srTrkIyNxeuCj9_vYoIwsDeM15umYPc6jfAk_Mz41WY0oMI-D9Atc-uC0VAc8AYpMmLzKhB4yWsXv0zNgvovSoM_2x8OrufT64UxkdKhPD_0XGoW5kAIOTu6nfWnrKSUVO2zUEeNXda-BAJohq6M3GnPct0/s3952/PXL_20231223_160822446.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Manatee Viewing Center" border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3952" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d4Jn_xbuFq9WZVcsIJET0rYU0CuK5d93srTrkIyNxeuCj9_vYoIwsDeM15umYPc6jfAk_Mz41WY0oMI-D9Atc-uC0VAc8AYpMmLzKhB4yWsXv0zNgvovSoM_2x8OrufT64UxkdKhPD_0XGoW5kAIOTu6nfWnrKSUVO2zUEeNXda-BAJohq6M3GnPct0/w640-h482/PXL_20231223_160822446.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6nUqm5KW6o4-USgvWN-ZmJ6m-50soqn-6nOfCwy-mVs9hiV08Qvb6r6A3ScSx-i39qM0dnOyyb8eTUnhEbrOPPSavB0Ae4XndNiT9UzcgvcMhjp6BuyIfDaCXPVTplUxvtOip2ivoQmiE89jx3UMU1FaCOJnqntc2eRQLCXM0YWsorzO61h22yqE7Y8/s4032/IMG_9420.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatees and power plant" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6nUqm5KW6o4-USgvWN-ZmJ6m-50soqn-6nOfCwy-mVs9hiV08Qvb6r6A3ScSx-i39qM0dnOyyb8eTUnhEbrOPPSavB0Ae4XndNiT9UzcgvcMhjp6BuyIfDaCXPVTplUxvtOip2ivoQmiE89jx3UMU1FaCOJnqntc2eRQLCXM0YWsorzO61h22yqE7Y8/w480-h640/IMG_9420.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iFwk3PofaXc5f4cmKrdKTAKd6EozSArJQDM8dAP1oo2hBTjfT68LN82mK21zk91Q_Jxzh1cDU5cDh06kaf5P8kM9rsxFJB06BXEMGBT8ig6nkM8DcqAH9SXQkaPkX51He-_gqgicm1CZdllXOmGS2qsyvKqvaOGSVeroFzLpmqRHedUhcg7bUAdIpic/s3409/IMG_9409.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mama and baby manatee" border="0" data-original-height="2557" data-original-width="3409" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iFwk3PofaXc5f4cmKrdKTAKd6EozSArJQDM8dAP1oo2hBTjfT68LN82mK21zk91Q_Jxzh1cDU5cDh06kaf5P8kM9rsxFJB06BXEMGBT8ig6nkM8DcqAH9SXQkaPkX51He-_gqgicm1CZdllXOmGS2qsyvKqvaOGSVeroFzLpmqRHedUhcg7bUAdIpic/w640-h480/IMG_9409.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mama and baby manatee</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWq7KcTOPMEF9tiv7gJ-fZv9VKdRrWCJ9ImKb8-SIiRKBIkCfnuAHbgMfj6roKF3U98uq97xa-WA1BkZGVJBIOUtaHmtLpHODs7hmoYf3FD_2Kf1vPr_eQO2O8ipYRZn9UXoIKL4eX45tffg8_Si9R-13xH3-S7-zVDfbPAQNIBkJ4Nl8wMiqF8x7jQQ/s3244/IMG_9528.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee and boardwalk" border="0" data-original-height="3244" data-original-width="2433" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWq7KcTOPMEF9tiv7gJ-fZv9VKdRrWCJ9ImKb8-SIiRKBIkCfnuAHbgMfj6roKF3U98uq97xa-WA1BkZGVJBIOUtaHmtLpHODs7hmoYf3FD_2Kf1vPr_eQO2O8ipYRZn9UXoIKL4eX45tffg8_Si9R-13xH3-S7-zVDfbPAQNIBkJ4Nl8wMiqF8x7jQQ/w480-h640/IMG_9528.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJi19WmRwW1RO5Mzp1LdAIMsjngbbHDXD-6osodPfFPvcuyJFvQ_j4yODr9wA9Aa7ahu0Pe0uo1DwDeGINaHug_hy1Xomkm-ntoapU0YkE-E6jI5hnJ8cay3VCe8r6hPZXeIvBujdZuGdG0G-YmO9tnwxjJa4LVEGMVvpE66a937MxDE0LO0nErdL_to/s2961/IMG_9534.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee" border="0" data-original-height="2961" data-original-width="2221" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJi19WmRwW1RO5Mzp1LdAIMsjngbbHDXD-6osodPfFPvcuyJFvQ_j4yODr9wA9Aa7ahu0Pe0uo1DwDeGINaHug_hy1Xomkm-ntoapU0YkE-E6jI5hnJ8cay3VCe8r6hPZXeIvBujdZuGdG0G-YmO9tnwxjJa4LVEGMVvpE66a937MxDE0LO0nErdL_to/w480-h640/IMG_9534.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLp-a6MECpEQHn9USav5Erf4BhPAnd-C-Pg6ZleDcucqT77eaTwjVU02nKDo9CwQZ35A8rRixDDf2oLdn0m3PZtbaoi3ISCnqQRs7tmkPEaQbdMaJ8gorfhZD3GgdvDtAUF27yUdhiRWoQ80fuPdhCYsas3nRwbqf7U0NicQANXGqcQYx_tEBh47DP5k/s3024/IMG_9454.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatees" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLp-a6MECpEQHn9USav5Erf4BhPAnd-C-Pg6ZleDcucqT77eaTwjVU02nKDo9CwQZ35A8rRixDDf2oLdn0m3PZtbaoi3ISCnqQRs7tmkPEaQbdMaJ8gorfhZD3GgdvDtAUF27yUdhiRWoQ80fuPdhCYsas3nRwbqf7U0NicQANXGqcQYx_tEBh47DP5k/w640-h480/IMG_9454.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAZlP8YrFDforDUtxicFNGMAGMmFmJRlEK8SsRwaw-gotvtHeaK-3PKK7sJCjkRh5Kdiv_dz6fFNbzShUoHJGaGtp3nL3cGG__-KKiBCY9NDvuiP-RiVlZOogjha_zR3knskP1gMcE_qg6Mn5wsE8vCC1TvAH0LYhrkA_Gy2QYEmkT5XC5rWDJ1orppc/s3325/IMG_9505a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee" border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="3325" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAZlP8YrFDforDUtxicFNGMAGMmFmJRlEK8SsRwaw-gotvtHeaK-3PKK7sJCjkRh5Kdiv_dz6fFNbzShUoHJGaGtp3nL3cGG__-KKiBCY9NDvuiP-RiVlZOogjha_zR3knskP1gMcE_qg6Mn5wsE8vCC1TvAH0LYhrkA_Gy2QYEmkT5XC5rWDJ1orppc/w640-h480/IMG_9505a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhongv8k-MGE-3RwOX2Y1lrZNSN7_qfuM3gcmIwWLqP-TDTuXAF4-eoqnP2gwxsBKkdjRZ3ll1JMkMqptwzPrxdqv1vjvg5m_KXDPXdHKYMsXASMDPrRJP-S2mByWkX9rIXlmg2MaOL9LHyyt-GBp1E9-sHNbmdwMFfQPOBxd30veDKXrRQhgDFtjlwMWY/s4032/IMG_9469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee group" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhongv8k-MGE-3RwOX2Y1lrZNSN7_qfuM3gcmIwWLqP-TDTuXAF4-eoqnP2gwxsBKkdjRZ3ll1JMkMqptwzPrxdqv1vjvg5m_KXDPXdHKYMsXASMDPrRJP-S2mByWkX9rIXlmg2MaOL9LHyyt-GBp1E9-sHNbmdwMFfQPOBxd30veDKXrRQhgDFtjlwMWY/w480-h640/IMG_9469.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8mL3QlctIOURK8gJQiONMcybf7nAVroXHQdhim2h6aTM-zJWs0nXGN6IJIKkJMgpk9nXbjtrR8CnSCEZK9ak1GOa-oyEPuUxC-ccnaErkfpQzGTEu064yCFLZKlJDQjHJddvh7JqG6zZrvBhaPohqWbOxyLgD_q3lDkNBHCL-AeGgf5_m8dZzVRR2zk/s4004/IMG_9522.JPG"><img alt="How to spot a manatee sign" border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8mL3QlctIOURK8gJQiONMcybf7nAVroXHQdhim2h6aTM-zJWs0nXGN6IJIKkJMgpk9nXbjtrR8CnSCEZK9ak1GOa-oyEPuUxC-ccnaErkfpQzGTEu064yCFLZKlJDQjHJddvh7JqG6zZrvBhaPohqWbOxyLgD_q3lDkNBHCL-AeGgf5_m8dZzVRR2zk/w640-h480/IMG_9522.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4U72iBGselvRF3E09iUPsg5TDSiK4R1huF610TJehsPx1-cKfdyavrwEAmsKxzlCkgKVmAfhDvYLMPktCMLcETvORg3Pz56wx5iJUhi4xwyY_fYDpnyU-FtaP7KZgYRDGXmPgqQdsVC7aHJbnsssAQOvGyGbYtGDdYVKf3NdftUGbs0IPsSgba1cakc/s4520/DSCN5882.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="manatee backs" border="0" data-original-height="3390" data-original-width="4520" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4U72iBGselvRF3E09iUPsg5TDSiK4R1huF610TJehsPx1-cKfdyavrwEAmsKxzlCkgKVmAfhDvYLMPktCMLcETvORg3Pz56wx5iJUhi4xwyY_fYDpnyU-FtaP7KZgYRDGXmPgqQdsVC7aHJbnsssAQOvGyGbYtGDdYVKf3NdftUGbs0IPsSgba1cakc/w640-h480/DSCN5882.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">resting manatees</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtupvLJRY7IXDZcbLqg47kn8ykHun1tPEPbtK_gpnZnno_lJymtlFYO4Yackw1O9kmcfcjUHyNzSlgoAXYm24iOzJFk9XF8QWQ5r1fUYtYeX4x1zXp47nHwrUkbrRqobbu-UN3jdkioY2rfLD0T4YHf9VPhA77Uf94UH78FncPBA_oRXddme8ruQSaDY/s4032/IMG_9439.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtupvLJRY7IXDZcbLqg47kn8ykHun1tPEPbtK_gpnZnno_lJymtlFYO4Yackw1O9kmcfcjUHyNzSlgoAXYm24iOzJFk9XF8QWQ5r1fUYtYeX4x1zXp47nHwrUkbrRqobbu-UN3jdkioY2rfLD0T4YHf9VPhA77Uf94UH78FncPBA_oRXddme8ruQSaDY/w480-h640/IMG_9439.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtp-4bMNjg_IZmhAa4TTJFpFeNOlkEJXI1Zs7HRVVgBQb4xBtx1rXGPwiVMgMvqSx-fEKif0bZOezXWI1XVvV7tO7fHvTntnZjQrS0pDszoizG4QX-WC8RVRYYGsNWXT9GkH1ETdiH2l0u8pvxuWBlw2bBDJYTPcbN4gIPsoT6Ns7I1UhiEKiuJpUR5E/s4032/IMG_9550.JPG"><img alt="Finn's Dockside Bar and Grill" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtp-4bMNjg_IZmhAa4TTJFpFeNOlkEJXI1Zs7HRVVgBQb4xBtx1rXGPwiVMgMvqSx-fEKif0bZOezXWI1XVvV7tO7fHvTntnZjQrS0pDszoizG4QX-WC8RVRYYGsNWXT9GkH1ETdiH2l0u8pvxuWBlw2bBDJYTPcbN4gIPsoT6Ns7I1UhiEKiuJpUR5E/w480-h640/IMG_9550.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdVvziOcz1pRmGlnRd49rz-AJ9FSmq83UezGkg0LTrVLBgG66FfU0sa-XqDZpdhfoRxtSuZIgBcHmrKNTMpRd_ekzDvSaV1BaDy6RFC6KY_R3k4RFEjIG8ZhNaxtwbiZXQrGyyudU862iq_x_exnjOj7TPFtdDzYN2CFP5vtF-t3SAhstX8sCbSfxFwc/s3773/IMG_9544.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pina colada" border="0" data-original-height="3773" data-original-width="2830" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdVvziOcz1pRmGlnRd49rz-AJ9FSmq83UezGkg0LTrVLBgG66FfU0sa-XqDZpdhfoRxtSuZIgBcHmrKNTMpRd_ekzDvSaV1BaDy6RFC6KY_R3k4RFEjIG8ZhNaxtwbiZXQrGyyudU862iq_x_exnjOj7TPFtdDzYN2CFP5vtF-t3SAhstX8sCbSfxFwc/w480-h640/IMG_9544.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5k96NpccisuRSZr43XamN4qtCJOtKdVkvVY1mP86TIFPxCHnC9T0CfyOtwJ9lBkloqF7bcp8KlVprysuNhyphenhyphenrOaC-wDIe_w710FFK0_O6AVgK-dH-3XePTFQXTkehyphenhyphen3VBuJPw7ahD1CPXZa6QQLyHra1ydQFiWyLiPbaBJo98imFkTPKYYjRc7f0FIdw/s2241/IMG_9559.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sea Turtle Rehab Center" border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="2241" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5k96NpccisuRSZr43XamN4qtCJOtKdVkvVY1mP86TIFPxCHnC9T0CfyOtwJ9lBkloqF7bcp8KlVprysuNhyphenhyphenrOaC-wDIe_w710FFK0_O6AVgK-dH-3XePTFQXTkehyphenhyphen3VBuJPw7ahD1CPXZa6QQLyHra1ydQFiWyLiPbaBJo98imFkTPKYYjRc7f0FIdw/w640-h480/IMG_9559.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, rescued from New England</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn93BCNICIrWx2Z5SL1er5FOBgRY5inzF4dvnhhWWp6APpe3b7bUdzBn5K7WUnmqKS2apjD_IFUrovfrUpSiIwe2OABO1tEVdPzBaA34fSLoeJHUMy039_nQXTmrhVkmF3n3xdq_dM3TY0cj9L5uOh9e4TcdqeqJR6dNuE5GJOB4YMwmRPlLFa9inyzvY/s4032/IMG_9580.JPG"><img alt="observation tower" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn93BCNICIrWx2Z5SL1er5FOBgRY5inzF4dvnhhWWp6APpe3b7bUdzBn5K7WUnmqKS2apjD_IFUrovfrUpSiIwe2OABO1tEVdPzBaA34fSLoeJHUMy039_nQXTmrhVkmF3n3xdq_dM3TY0cj9L5uOh9e4TcdqeqJR6dNuE5GJOB4YMwmRPlLFa9inyzvY/w640-h480/IMG_9580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmThrwM3YxSq-zcNoOSRmoav2s4dCk6Fm5HL3MfBnC1KzEA8DYwQhqeISx4yZcvprbRW0Eh6qJ8y3REO2WueOIT1t_IPP98hlQ0oKIJTNSU4waWkYxbzhuJRcc7dpKonTJJmqx_HYqmqhZUGazZh-LKo9glzfUAAc49S8KHhWrUSysxWhM5laIME-1B0/s3967/IMG_9584.JPG"><img alt="view from observation tower" border="0" data-original-height="2975" data-original-width="3967" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmThrwM3YxSq-zcNoOSRmoav2s4dCk6Fm5HL3MfBnC1KzEA8DYwQhqeISx4yZcvprbRW0Eh6qJ8y3REO2WueOIT1t_IPP98hlQ0oKIJTNSU4waWkYxbzhuJRcc7dpKonTJJmqx_HYqmqhZUGazZh-LKo9glzfUAAc49S8KHhWrUSysxWhM5laIME-1B0/w640-h480/IMG_9584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ed1ILpyLrujK4C67wP2gBCrVOxPHwsEcaz4cqTR7AAhHYxYOt8XrUjs-_7Nqg56lhygXscQIzq936mr4eitH6Dp-0ck0qt31orChgAD5hNbUu1hsU3hiEepu4wD_q-Q_KQAF41vMgStAM3NLMjiIDL-Dbv0qKBiVNvEwQBPf3qU4xs8iDPwzO8FfaEE/s4032/IMG_9585.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="observation tower" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ed1ILpyLrujK4C67wP2gBCrVOxPHwsEcaz4cqTR7AAhHYxYOt8XrUjs-_7Nqg56lhygXscQIzq936mr4eitH6Dp-0ck0qt31orChgAD5hNbUu1hsU3hiEepu4wD_q-Q_KQAF41vMgStAM3NLMjiIDL-Dbv0qKBiVNvEwQBPf3qU4xs8iDPwzO8FfaEE/w480-h640/IMG_9585.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: The Manatee Viewing Center is open from November 1 to April 15 and is free to the public. The main parking lot is small, but there is more parking at the overflow lot. You can walk the half-mile trail from the overflow lot or catch a ride on one of the golf cart shuttles.</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-4782963099127337022023-12-05T18:12:00.000-05:002023-12-05T18:12:53.338-05:00Enchant Christmas St Petersburg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPvX9Z0-MBW8SuMYaxwuB_-pGjtJiUFZNUKhQwTCU7l8oHaGbpJ0JkPfnXIxXm06zKcqDIx2Kt_snbtYkd3jzlV7Q-SeTirxED92sL01ldXpdpKXNkBIEiIJqvULvRW3Gxa4Wxj0PLTuHV7eVFw648K9coWbyPWhumoNIIkGr4n0R9YHXVAaSiqHfuUQ/s3668/IMG_9022a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Enchant Christmas" border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="3668" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPvX9Z0-MBW8SuMYaxwuB_-pGjtJiUFZNUKhQwTCU7l8oHaGbpJ0JkPfnXIxXm06zKcqDIx2Kt_snbtYkd3jzlV7Q-SeTirxED92sL01ldXpdpKXNkBIEiIJqvULvRW3Gxa4Wxj0PLTuHV7eVFw648K9coWbyPWhumoNIIkGr4n0R9YHXVAaSiqHfuUQ/w640-h480/IMG_9022a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>On Sunday, Ron and I went to St Petersburg to see Enchant Christmas, a scavenger hunt set inside a maze of over four million Christmas lights. Each year, the story behind the scavenger hunt is slightly different. This year, mischievous forest animals had stolen the magical sleigh bells that allowed Santa’s reindeer to fly. Our mission (should we choose to accept it) was to find all eight of the sleigh bells and save Christmas! At the entrance to the maze, we were given a scratch-off card with the names of the animals so that we could check them off as we found them. This was the second time we’ve been to Enchant Christmas, and I thought it was even better this year than on our first visit. I loved all the forest creatures, especially the penguin pair and the snowy owl. In the center of the maze, towering icicles surrounded a 100-foot Christmas tree.</p>
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<p>Besides the scavenger hunt, the festival included tunnels of lights, snow machines, an ice-skating trail and vendors selling hot chocolate and mulled wine. It was a great way to spend a date night and get into the Christmas spirit.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bnxg0NA2xcpWTURqWVPocoqQjRHOVRGFA6xT_ZJY3oeXEyGFOfrbtxRhgxmrs1wfovo8f-8X1FD9vqDahwPbHM1_LgEs4yDypK419W6Ydfrmk2xfazxLapMLY2sgcFHU424xeTF3DqgRyS0x16ulsLajrnrmkCx4qZy75ZXjjLDHu3N9S8FibD0l84s/s4032/IMG_9024.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Enchant Christmas trees and bells" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bnxg0NA2xcpWTURqWVPocoqQjRHOVRGFA6xT_ZJY3oeXEyGFOfrbtxRhgxmrs1wfovo8f-8X1FD9vqDahwPbHM1_LgEs4yDypK419W6Ydfrmk2xfazxLapMLY2sgcFHU424xeTF3DqgRyS0x16ulsLajrnrmkCx4qZy75ZXjjLDHu3N9S8FibD0l84s/w480-h640/IMG_9024.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<p>Travel tips: Enchant Christmas is the perfect place to take your holiday family picture. There are photo ops everywhere – lighted chairs, a sleigh and even a giant wedding ring. Just be patient because you might have to wait a bit for people to clear out of the background. Food and drinks are available but pricey so I suggest having dinner before you get there. The festival runs through December 31. For more details, see the Enchant Christmas website: <a href="https://enchantchristmas.com/st-petersburg-fl-tropicana-field/" target="_blank">https://enchantchristmas.com/st-petersburg-fl-tropicana-field/</a></p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-37591479335566712642023-11-20T19:08:00.003-05:002023-11-20T19:17:56.671-05:00Allure of the Seas - Our First Cruise on a Megaship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2ucTuyaGj5oP2UtA62vved_OeYyxfIdfGvNet4mU7VbUHIs9BTFbh3MEXJx-zo71c3-zp5g63krJfeji9pCfY9S4mFG0KC2Dk5Fa02jxsDgDxEC2x_pG_f2aY23TlL763Sdtflhog1J42xuLo5vm9CIy4W6JAyaDwovOSY2zz6nNZypINprYk-o-J64/s3783/IMG_7900.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Allure of the Seas" border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="3783" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2ucTuyaGj5oP2UtA62vved_OeYyxfIdfGvNet4mU7VbUHIs9BTFbh3MEXJx-zo71c3-zp5g63krJfeji9pCfY9S4mFG0KC2Dk5Fa02jxsDgDxEC2x_pG_f2aY23TlL763Sdtflhog1J42xuLo5vm9CIy4W6JAyaDwovOSY2zz6nNZypINprYk-o-J64/w640-h480/IMG_7900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Port Canaveral</b></p>
<p>We’ve put off sailing on a megaship for a couple of reasons. For one thing, we were concerned about crowds and long lines. But also, we normally take 3 or 4-day cruises and those tend to be on the smaller ships. When we found out that Allure of the Seas would be doing short cruises out of Port Canaveral, we decided it was time to give a megaship a try.</p>
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<p>When we got to the port around noon, I realized that one of my worries was unfounded. Royal Caribbean had the embarkation process down to a science. It took longer to find a parking space than it did to board the ship. The first thing we did after boarding was check in at our muster station. Then we headed up to Deck 15 to the Solarium Bistro for lunch. The Solarium was the adults-only area at the front of the ship with a small pool, two hot tubs that jutted out over the sides of the ship, a bar and the Bistro, which served a buffet breakfast and lunch. Because of the Solarium’s out-of-the-way location, we figured most people wouldn’t have discovered it yet, so it would be easier to get a table than at the Windjammer. While we ate our lunch, I had my first mojito, which was good and extra minty. I know I’m on vacation when I have my first mojito!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4oLlsDLvyzsrvvQ9jbuvE7eLKVt_XhdDLHkT_xRaoIpdTakYWT1YwLkIEFLBJcx7v9DkEnTZsM7iWLZpR2yqI_BaMX2LrKrLNSQWhutefkIznHsEcPPh9dJ-G6uNCLnwUT1NhHIV7HcQzlgvZbA1DOUVzEJ0NpbgoKNf2ojpndwDcTLhQvysMAEWmdU/s3967/IMG_7480.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Solarium" border="0" data-original-height="2975" data-original-width="3967" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4oLlsDLvyzsrvvQ9jbuvE7eLKVt_XhdDLHkT_xRaoIpdTakYWT1YwLkIEFLBJcx7v9DkEnTZsM7iWLZpR2yqI_BaMX2LrKrLNSQWhutefkIznHsEcPPh9dJ-G6uNCLnwUT1NhHIV7HcQzlgvZbA1DOUVzEJ0NpbgoKNf2ojpndwDcTLhQvysMAEWmdU/w640-h480/IMG_7480.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmjeNPN9cAaGid3QXi-m3d4Bi6HX9FKKOWvPDPON9A30_aYNy6zIQBEb3fbsGZekpkVAYA4W6FBS2LKly0KcTgt2GjBxg1vZC8LqM6vDH1w7NWnxAx-b8-WN3N9l4kx7kDOyFTrI0tA2gSdF0iCh16GCGn5fQe093Rv5P84GjeJvAekRTlR41XQXyiNM/s4032/IMG_7475.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Solarium hot tub" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmjeNPN9cAaGid3QXi-m3d4Bi6HX9FKKOWvPDPON9A30_aYNy6zIQBEb3fbsGZekpkVAYA4W6FBS2LKly0KcTgt2GjBxg1vZC8LqM6vDH1w7NWnxAx-b8-WN3N9l4kx7kDOyFTrI0tA2gSdF0iCh16GCGn5fQe093Rv5P84GjeJvAekRTlR41XQXyiNM/w480-h640/IMG_7475.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Solarium</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After lunch we explored the Pool and Sports Zone on Decks 15 and 16. There were already lots of people in the pools and trying out the Flowriders. The zipline was open! I’d really wanted to go on the zipline on our <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2023/09/msc-seaside-getaway-to-ocean-cay.html" target="_blank"><b>MSC cruise</b></a>, but I’d chickened out at the last minute. This time I was determined to try it. I’d had a mojito and was feeling brave. :-) The zipline stretched over the Boardwalk area of the ship, 9 decks below, but it was too short to be scary. By the time I had the chance to look down, I was at the other end! But it was fun, so I did it twice.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnnzKddDhXJ3ScjyY93XGAqVGgiHGaT1YTAJQ1-Qwbmp9DyRtX7t2DEK2r9WlHRwEQaa0r39oASnZftkCMRgA10WaehZ-za1UQcudAqYsCcHQRCDPEprHjds5JjBLc7xlvWgrLcHFDDD_v3StJYfbMOFbUxmiN6Umx3zPxQXgN16c2j-qRtFNF3WB0Os/s3956/IMG_8206.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="zip line sign" border="0" data-original-height="3956" data-original-width="2967" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnnzKddDhXJ3ScjyY93XGAqVGgiHGaT1YTAJQ1-Qwbmp9DyRtX7t2DEK2r9WlHRwEQaa0r39oASnZftkCMRgA10WaehZ-za1UQcudAqYsCcHQRCDPEprHjds5JjBLc7xlvWgrLcHFDDD_v3StJYfbMOFbUxmiN6Umx3zPxQXgN16c2j-qRtFNF3WB0Os/w480-h640/IMG_8206.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjfHB_gMKa0i5kTsiQtIBUFsa863R0qv1YyAhL2T980IRgbgGv1iqjHfQ0GTsoaH8eCPQ55xfCbcQv2PpJ6FIe6s1k6K-OMK2JjPBdv2m1UGRvmTaqM_xcV3CUtL5F5lQvz1PyqeZb3jHQRDjcB472fvEf35q6NKoGREy65rcIp04drg2RjoDSBgkw3Y/s4032/IMG_7498.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan on the zipline" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjfHB_gMKa0i5kTsiQtIBUFsa863R0qv1YyAhL2T980IRgbgGv1iqjHfQ0GTsoaH8eCPQ55xfCbcQv2PpJ6FIe6s1k6K-OMK2JjPBdv2m1UGRvmTaqM_xcV3CUtL5F5lQvz1PyqeZb3jHQRDjcB472fvEf35q6NKoGREy65rcIp04drg2RjoDSBgkw3Y/w480-h640/IMG_7498.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AA3FeJ2dgGIpbAiRf9BfZkWsNT3DuJJueYnmFWDa2BPUKuzEOLJaoLyMFBtNLriEY3F3W_gIOZATZWjPlJcgdaUaCCnsmBwEGOGSTzLUugdldDx8XzNqdDiKlqKVG6qcodnyjFp6Ne_ffjZNQaXC_-XeBG92v4yny55BtT62w_jlUE9rwoxUKfBPQYU/s4032/IMG_7508.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan after ziplining" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AA3FeJ2dgGIpbAiRf9BfZkWsNT3DuJJueYnmFWDa2BPUKuzEOLJaoLyMFBtNLriEY3F3W_gIOZATZWjPlJcgdaUaCCnsmBwEGOGSTzLUugdldDx8XzNqdDiKlqKVG6qcodnyjFp6Ne_ffjZNQaXC_-XeBG92v4yny55BtT62w_jlUE9rwoxUKfBPQYU/w480-h640/IMG_7508.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Allure turned out to be much easier to navigate than I was expecting, despite its size. The Oasis-class ships are arranged in “neighborhoods”. All you had to do was remember which deck a neighborhood was on and you could find your way around. In addition to the Pool and Sports Zone, there was the Royal Promenade, the Boardwalk, Entertainment Place and Central Park. The Royal Promenade was like a mini mall with lots of shops and bars. Entertainment Place was where you could find the ice-skating rink, the comedy club and the casino. The Boardwalk was designed to look like an old-fashioned amusement park. It had a full-size carousel, a hot dog stand and even a Zoltar fortune-telling machine.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAIB6xOqB_8jN6aGxvKIH8Le9kHWIXCfu5_-xW8buL30tDWF5lVimKagLXlWFr7O2o0SzZQcYcs3q1i4-mK9hXk1oviZfELeOlmiAM7ffcHo7yV37TwRRWzr468RBozrJE2uDhMZRZeFtEggGORKBMV39qr9qCScTi_7MRxdFFScI9cT618rIrv-qKnI/s3949/IMG_7884.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Boardwalk" border="0" data-original-height="3949" data-original-width="2962" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAIB6xOqB_8jN6aGxvKIH8Le9kHWIXCfu5_-xW8buL30tDWF5lVimKagLXlWFr7O2o0SzZQcYcs3q1i4-mK9hXk1oviZfELeOlmiAM7ffcHo7yV37TwRRWzr468RBozrJE2uDhMZRZeFtEggGORKBMV39qr9qCScTi_7MRxdFFScI9cT618rIrv-qKnI/w480-h640/IMG_7884.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Boardwalk</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJydzLRBxj2rFiVC-gT3qTI_weq8W7mRAiZjyfWYn_zq9KY8fLuL8oBOea0PhfiBnKgjjDxgE7zEHWd6JDqlh2BbbrCOB2GphPlxStTT9gBNY3oCavRzmK8sV2xZJdYG8CFaaZXg03PN4yKpnqMY6IgYA0Kmv9RcVDveDKx2br3lpuY78D7QnCj_H9lJA/s4032/IMG_7875.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="carousel animals" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJydzLRBxj2rFiVC-gT3qTI_weq8W7mRAiZjyfWYn_zq9KY8fLuL8oBOea0PhfiBnKgjjDxgE7zEHWd6JDqlh2BbbrCOB2GphPlxStTT9gBNY3oCavRzmK8sV2xZJdYG8CFaaZXg03PN4yKpnqMY6IgYA0Kmv9RcVDveDKx2br3lpuY78D7QnCj_H9lJA/w480-h640/IMG_7875.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyal02P4A4EbrlwMZ6Ch_HKM2Y-uWpDH1w4RyaH42LBYCCrZFsYc9eckSyu-2eLcp54OWFU-Y4LV9-gEZiaRYUEmD60ZhTmVuv6BqOH_nylv6TRitS1kWIY_uBj7j2I5XYbg58u_b5Cm4iNscrOrznVYWYp5JeV6Pop8vMCYKud1ydeCRTP7hMrbKgRaM/s4032/IMG_7878.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="zipline from below" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyal02P4A4EbrlwMZ6Ch_HKM2Y-uWpDH1w4RyaH42LBYCCrZFsYc9eckSyu-2eLcp54OWFU-Y4LV9-gEZiaRYUEmD60ZhTmVuv6BqOH_nylv6TRitS1kWIY_uBj7j2I5XYbg58u_b5Cm4iNscrOrznVYWYp5JeV6Pop8vMCYKud1ydeCRTP7hMrbKgRaM/w640-h480/IMG_7878.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the zipline from below</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>My favorite neighborhood was Central Park on Deck 8. It was in the middle of the ship but was open at the top, so you felt like you were outdoors. There were live trees and thousands of plants, vine-covered trellises and park benches. Bird songs were piped in over the speakers. We’d booked an ocean view balcony cabin on Deck 8, and it was the perfect location. Whenever we needed to cross the ship, we would walk through Central Park. It was so much nicer than walking down an endless dark hallway!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HMAB8SFOKFoIGhpASnfx8AAXm72zlsVs6nkDeD2TViSAIrvNXh6oEBJNfrluC8LAZZZ3IIICCgspgE5wR60WhGd-gV7ixIGOXSAeZlp7tByS2bNYLF_2aBNkh71Y_iZ2n6xplsnRktfDZUM-xVs8-DZ_nAgSfi8fNXm4StJ2t9sJpJpWOCHpHHDmdHk/s4032/IMG_7540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Central Park sign" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HMAB8SFOKFoIGhpASnfx8AAXm72zlsVs6nkDeD2TViSAIrvNXh6oEBJNfrluC8LAZZZ3IIICCgspgE5wR60WhGd-gV7ixIGOXSAeZlp7tByS2bNYLF_2aBNkh71Y_iZ2n6xplsnRktfDZUM-xVs8-DZ_nAgSfi8fNXm4StJ2t9sJpJpWOCHpHHDmdHk/w480-h640/IMG_7540.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5PmRuHJ0KlCKhDVDJHiSHS8YO9iW0JA72V42U7oNrxf0ptqP7fhJo2TwYvAqsIX13tJ3yDmB6nQd8nbA2OcXxvKiSGQbPgz6cr7z3s0L_NrebMREys4bmk8riaD_kToD3RtpP01Avt_3IX0utl6QWJz7BEouRp0gtvMbzFZEmWnOvwpLEzsbqQrhOr8/s3967/IMG_8008.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Trellis Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3967" data-original-width="2975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5PmRuHJ0KlCKhDVDJHiSHS8YO9iW0JA72V42U7oNrxf0ptqP7fhJo2TwYvAqsIX13tJ3yDmB6nQd8nbA2OcXxvKiSGQbPgz6cr7z3s0L_NrebMREys4bmk8riaD_kToD3RtpP01Avt_3IX0utl6QWJz7BEouRp0gtvMbzFZEmWnOvwpLEzsbqQrhOr8/w480-h640/IMG_8008.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>After the sail away, we watched the sunset from the pool deck, then got ready for dinner. Royal Caribbean had recently updated their main dining room menus and I was looking forward to seeing the changes. The new menus didn’t seem all that different. The main change was that the “classic” items were no longer offered daily, which meant I wouldn’t be able to order escargot every night. Bummer… But it was on the menu that night, so I ordered a plate along with beef Bolognese and chocolate custard.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJnNMUib-1P1dKZzeKbZFawM9eZgdms__dv3zEvGKJoRSmfv_tZ-fK9PXYCNWYYofYWAMf1iJWL41DtLcG57RPkDEidLJcOhXN9pNsjp1hkeu_uJPtG-9hpK94m2ufb1ReW55q8oLmmlrDVX4I6CHas5YocE-FlxEDYGWIm_I37L06DQFsWEShe60QIE/s4032/IMG_7633.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron looking at sunset" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJnNMUib-1P1dKZzeKbZFawM9eZgdms__dv3zEvGKJoRSmfv_tZ-fK9PXYCNWYYofYWAMf1iJWL41DtLcG57RPkDEidLJcOhXN9pNsjp1hkeu_uJPtG-9hpK94m2ufb1ReW55q8oLmmlrDVX4I6CHas5YocE-FlxEDYGWIm_I37L06DQFsWEShe60QIE/w480-h640/IMG_7633.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<p>We had reservations for the aqua show at 10:30, which felt like 11:30 thanks to the end of Daylight Saving Time. To keep ourselves awake until the show, we went to the Schooner Bar to listen to the piano player, Connor Schenk. He played lots of 90s music but also some Billy Joel and John Denver. When he got to “Country Roads”, he said we should shout out the name of our own hometown since no one was actually from West Virginia. Of course, someone in the audience was from West Virginia. :-)</p>
<p>At 10 o’clock, we headed to the Boardwalk to make sure we got good seats at the Aqua Theater. The show, Oceanaria, was amazing, filled with high dives and acrobatics. One acrobat balanced on the head of another, others tumbled off a trampoline like they were on puppet strings. Watching the divers leap from the 30-foot-high platforms into that tiny pool was incredible. It was the first time we’ve seen an aqua show and I loved it.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8ukNrwWDpgYSV3vRJ6_fPuVCZVwgWaCYBtDLgU_9DPMQzBB8D5mJtHE_-bswnndXoKZ_Da7AKdzpoc6_6j7bjiC4QWUOoRm2IpzhP7cOUwL_Es7LWADw_d7LKyLfGEzEBHaMYS-_4HFNp2M_BoE91TawCBAZuWZ00fBxj2d6OeGPipylT0kZlzkYqok/s4032/IMG_7796.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="acrobats" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8ukNrwWDpgYSV3vRJ6_fPuVCZVwgWaCYBtDLgU_9DPMQzBB8D5mJtHE_-bswnndXoKZ_Da7AKdzpoc6_6j7bjiC4QWUOoRm2IpzhP7cOUwL_Es7LWADw_d7LKyLfGEzEBHaMYS-_4HFNp2M_BoE91TawCBAZuWZ00fBxj2d6OeGPipylT0kZlzkYqok/w480-h640/IMG_7796.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<p><b>Sea Day</b></p>
<p>In the morning, we slept in and had breakfast in the Solarium Bistro. Since we had a whole day at sea ahead of us, it seemed like a good time to hide some of the Armed Forces “cruising ducks” that I’d bought in honor of Veterans Day. This was easier said than done. The neighborhood-layout reduced crowding by disbursing people throughout the ship, but there never seemed to be a time or place where there WEREN’T people around. It made it very hard to hide ducks without anyone seeing.</p>
<p>We spent the morning relaxing in the Solarium. The Solarium was covered by large glass panels that filtered the sunlight but the gaps between the panels allowed a breeze to come through. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we could see the tall buildings along the Florida coast as we sailed south. We’d been lounging for about an hour when suddenly there was a rush of activity on the other side of the Solarium. I didn’t see it happen, but Ron said a man had collapsed and another passenger immediately ran over and started chest compressions. The “Alpha Alpha Alpha” call came over the speakers, and officers and security guards arrived, forming a ring. There was nothing we could do but stay out of the way and pray. For 45 minutes, the responders worked hard to save the man as the captain turned the ship back towards land. A Coast Guard rescue boat arrived, but when it rode away slowly, we realized that the man hadn’t made it. I guess if my last hours on earth are on vacation with my family on a beautiful, sunny November day, that would not be such a bad thing, but we were so sad for the man’s family.</p>
<p>After lunch, we watched the belly flop contest at the Sports Pool and then went to the Royal Promenade so that I could get a mojito from Boleros, the Latin-themed bar. Before the cruise I found out that Boleros made three different mojitos, and I wanted to try them all. (Click <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2023/11/mojito-madness-on-allure-of-seas.html" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> for my mojito review.) When I stopped to take a few pictures of the Promenade, Ron spotted a tiny duck sitting on one of the lamp posts. He had found a mini duck! When you find a duck, you’re supposed to take a picture and post it on the Cruising Duck Facebook page, but on our way back to the cabin, two teenage boys on a scavenger hunt ran up and asked if we had anything we could trade for a paper clip. The only thing we had with us was the duck. We made the trade and the boys ran off again, so I never got a picture of the duck to post. But I did take a picture of the paper clip. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVU86WfZtY5WG8my8YxuH1qhDvzFfEOoeU9gKUMdZfU-EpPmMXdo1eRr4YsBg6GMxG_ZkecHFYu2sHfdi6nEK28yUbmTV7Tshcmwn8l9XNzeJ7VGrorYCe9Kb-ehclsZR2VXIUCQWvrq1j67VLkjYsWT0GgI7QGfoP9tMc6osh8Ve-JNsn-8EAsoD6lI/s4032/IMG_7896.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pool statue" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVU86WfZtY5WG8my8YxuH1qhDvzFfEOoeU9gKUMdZfU-EpPmMXdo1eRr4YsBg6GMxG_ZkecHFYu2sHfdi6nEK28yUbmTV7Tshcmwn8l9XNzeJ7VGrorYCe9Kb-ehclsZR2VXIUCQWvrq1j67VLkjYsWT0GgI7QGfoP9tMc6osh8Ve-JNsn-8EAsoD6lI/w480-h640/IMG_7896.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd8b7j7Neyk4msNjlKzN-G3i2Et_byNMs9yspadjFzT5YE6VbkA1HoeZqceCfki3q-olvPBs1kleyDHHZ1pteGKIZyFNmPr9QsHcufFU-dC9Pjo9_RDsraCY62Lrz4oJkHkCa_MbkMfWQyHzwAlwwxlrw4CSVe4SYyCvrIeBL_Nf4c_fns269tom6oXw/s3852/DSCN5829.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="belly flop contest" border="0" data-original-height="2889" data-original-width="3852" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd8b7j7Neyk4msNjlKzN-G3i2Et_byNMs9yspadjFzT5YE6VbkA1HoeZqceCfki3q-olvPBs1kleyDHHZ1pteGKIZyFNmPr9QsHcufFU-dC9Pjo9_RDsraCY62Lrz4oJkHkCa_MbkMfWQyHzwAlwwxlrw4CSVe4SYyCvrIeBL_Nf4c_fns269tom6oXw/w640-h480/DSCN5829.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSHPddgtcpJJZeuu7NKcrbx_fUNrb9y_iYTkAe66geHD9wraRZwLdW0bLz-kHSH3Q6fecBBuFwK8klAzzn_P-kFdrmtK2cnhGWoDOWYzG7CJQA6ydKfJ00ie9-cAjPP9l_7FJu43IeiLqpbXRnx57qdzzA_KYYNzmHkxmIWTCneEwnweP2rAOR85q4tY/s3721/DSCN5825.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="belly flop contest" border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="3721" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSHPddgtcpJJZeuu7NKcrbx_fUNrb9y_iYTkAe66geHD9wraRZwLdW0bLz-kHSH3Q6fecBBuFwK8klAzzn_P-kFdrmtK2cnhGWoDOWYzG7CJQA6ydKfJ00ie9-cAjPP9l_7FJu43IeiLqpbXRnx57qdzzA_KYYNzmHkxmIWTCneEwnweP2rAOR85q4tY/w640-h480/DSCN5825.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdsP7-I52Kszc3hwfa99aKQiklsHfYmaAjMSftIUiK2KqTwA5NZE-lqWPVw5rB7kxo8KBtWnqrKVsaeam563khE7kgfPZxgIUKkPJDd6QisioGmIRVZSQLc4EJ7CRFGzP7ItGvYiE-HbssBfPZ02TCtr3PPcZm7mBpuDaL-IzpNq7fiFgHnIofY8J1kQ/s4032/IMG_7917.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Royal Promenade car" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdsP7-I52Kszc3hwfa99aKQiklsHfYmaAjMSftIUiK2KqTwA5NZE-lqWPVw5rB7kxo8KBtWnqrKVsaeam563khE7kgfPZxgIUKkPJDd6QisioGmIRVZSQLc4EJ7CRFGzP7ItGvYiE-HbssBfPZ02TCtr3PPcZm7mBpuDaL-IzpNq7fiFgHnIofY8J1kQ/w480-h640/IMG_7917.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Promenade</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt3Lt-w69_eTTBh8_bipMWIE20-5ShnCfM7j63qkJBi-15Rz_k2C89o0P81S_y7wXuTdfvrKcSPn5DMqQaoWXpKpyY53FJfexAqZdAU3POxMGySoTJAoA1oOOGAd04U3KRI6qK3zVCjh08e5qnANllm_TnqR1E_J1lf7JUDh0y63Hs-_7Bq4Kl6XjKco/s3958/IMG_7847.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Promenade" border="0" data-original-height="3958" data-original-width="2969" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt3Lt-w69_eTTBh8_bipMWIE20-5ShnCfM7j63qkJBi-15Rz_k2C89o0P81S_y7wXuTdfvrKcSPn5DMqQaoWXpKpyY53FJfexAqZdAU3POxMGySoTJAoA1oOOGAd04U3KRI6qK3zVCjh08e5qnANllm_TnqR1E_J1lf7JUDh0y63Hs-_7Bq4Kl6XjKco/w480-h640/IMG_7847.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyK8mLo1l7byZKe1VcG1UG2qgM-btzl2twPxjbSiHI8lSTfG-c3j2GtF2r57p2BT8saWhGjPVkow5MCjzrf_bGBnt9N6BqWEkBsUEtgGmGka58ESRNr3IK4JYWt8BtbDI7o3pQyWre47ST1f6IBpwQYllnErslA0W74lhr0LDeD56h2x9mgoRhh2OP2aA/s4032/IMG_7850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pub" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyK8mLo1l7byZKe1VcG1UG2qgM-btzl2twPxjbSiHI8lSTfG-c3j2GtF2r57p2BT8saWhGjPVkow5MCjzrf_bGBnt9N6BqWEkBsUEtgGmGka58ESRNr3IK4JYWt8BtbDI7o3pQyWre47ST1f6IBpwQYllnErslA0W74lhr0LDeD56h2x9mgoRhh2OP2aA/w480-h640/IMG_7850.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>It was French night in the main dining room that night, so of course I ordered escargot again. I also had the French onion soup (which was fantastic) and seafood fettuccine and cappuccino cake (which were OK). We had reservations for the adult comedy show after dinner. For some reason, the comedy show was held in a tiny lounge. This was the one show where you really needed to have reservations. The stand-by line wrapped all the way down the hallway to the casino. There were two headliners – Steve White and Dan Grueter. We’d seen Steve White before so a lot of his material was familiar, but there were some ship-specific jokes. My favorite part was when he called the zipline “the clothesline” and said the crew hung the laundry on it at night. Dan Grueter was more interactive with the audience and was hilarious. I’d love to see one of his full-length acts sometime.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuz8ufEFPa22-djtDmUoc0_bgB_KKyiSdqfVOocE-c2T4cmU-dFK9_R8Th29gLeVHGUVlMHWeqqu4GRy33Boq64SkRYggs3TWxdtNwBPH1FuRKeyvYBgDLl3dHNQ-mHMmCrgN4zZ_Byu4kESWAtDxQ-EF1TWPnqX8-c73TcCtbS_yETaSIgSYJHfKafo/s4032/IMG_8375.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="martinis" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuz8ufEFPa22-djtDmUoc0_bgB_KKyiSdqfVOocE-c2T4cmU-dFK9_R8Th29gLeVHGUVlMHWeqqu4GRy33Boq64SkRYggs3TWxdtNwBPH1FuRKeyvYBgDLl3dHNQ-mHMmCrgN4zZ_Byu4kESWAtDxQ-EF1TWPnqX8-c73TcCtbS_yETaSIgSYJHfKafo/w480-h640/IMG_8375.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champagne Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0fze0hbrKn2woo34Y7hyphenhyphenaP40YFhXOp_zJZw00o_Xns06zrpCuH4A2W8yl8DmE2V6SjHhHLxCfBxozoU3wCU35YkGCr0-eTulJCIdM5r1g-CKRZSBwYFB-iFC7cLCYzs5wBHI9N3Hiute3OKoYu6zNI7IK24pcbgy_Ou6mvwAWgM36PZY-y2viMSSKw0/s3928/IMG_7652.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Central Park from above" border="0" data-original-height="3928" data-original-width="2946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0fze0hbrKn2woo34Y7hyphenhyphenaP40YFhXOp_zJZw00o_Xns06zrpCuH4A2W8yl8DmE2V6SjHhHLxCfBxozoU3wCU35YkGCr0-eTulJCIdM5r1g-CKRZSBwYFB-iFC7cLCYzs5wBHI9N3Hiute3OKoYu6zNI7IK24pcbgy_Ou6mvwAWgM36PZY-y2viMSSKw0/w480-h640/IMG_7652.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Park from above</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8uhAHUo9rElcuE4aek-nJXcnRMoww0iGNchvO5VSszWGocAlv_01AjpTBReF_LoNlyZtzY1vzNgzkc33GpL8gXbKmM6b2i4pi8XAjkIlVVjjkBuOBI8SQE27S2oVrZMY42GpcnMtlj7PLBI7CinWbql5drrGSxGzeJV7xewr9aYHXfjaZrneXPnHQQM/s3595/IMG_7950a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan on formal night" border="0" data-original-height="3595" data-original-width="2696" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8uhAHUo9rElcuE4aek-nJXcnRMoww0iGNchvO5VSszWGocAlv_01AjpTBReF_LoNlyZtzY1vzNgzkc33GpL8gXbKmM6b2i4pi8XAjkIlVVjjkBuOBI8SQE27S2oVrZMY42GpcnMtlj7PLBI7CinWbql5drrGSxGzeJV7xewr9aYHXfjaZrneXPnHQQM/w480-h640/IMG_7950a.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>When the show was over, it was 10:30, which felt like 11:30, so we headed to bed. Ugh, I really hate the time change. Can we please stop messing with the clocks now??</p>
<p><b>Nassau</b></p>
<p>I woke up just in time to watch a beautiful sunrise as the ship pulled into port. Good morning, Nassau!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVsYsyyyF-lxGyIJKP5hAw5Y-wOyNistqHXIBBxMhlWSghUIFejxsttB3JrRSh66NN7jjs2BsBpEjAQIdaj9l4_YkVFKK6vCol0YfMM1cSlkTXvNIkQTd5MhWpqiPAMmQtlUDhdQ2Hyw9LL7P40iWOkWe_fXbF5n3klhGLTP0Qmx5ZsZYxMXNJcO9Arw/s4032/IMG_7969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise over Nassau" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVsYsyyyF-lxGyIJKP5hAw5Y-wOyNistqHXIBBxMhlWSghUIFejxsttB3JrRSh66NN7jjs2BsBpEjAQIdaj9l4_YkVFKK6vCol0YfMM1cSlkTXvNIkQTd5MhWpqiPAMmQtlUDhdQ2Hyw9LL7P40iWOkWe_fXbF5n3klhGLTP0Qmx5ZsZYxMXNJcO9Arw/w640-h480/IMG_7969.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPurCk6OdE4Nlf5o3ZnUH4wjW_0mN1Y0FGAquazbHVGTdpe3ltafXcGFAaJU5jtxNYv8EZZOYnJLl0u2rj1zdLg2H7okWwIiVawVRTxWGi1xpnP_xaqF-Fsez02JFxS5DjirR1hCLpKO0KYFph2oS1vrU_nw7DpGQ-WSpwj6s2JFfn6z0cq5Htb8ve9bo/s3905/IMG_7999.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nassau lighthouse at sunrise" border="0" data-original-height="2929" data-original-width="3905" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPurCk6OdE4Nlf5o3ZnUH4wjW_0mN1Y0FGAquazbHVGTdpe3ltafXcGFAaJU5jtxNYv8EZZOYnJLl0u2rj1zdLg2H7okWwIiVawVRTxWGi1xpnP_xaqF-Fsez02JFxS5DjirR1hCLpKO0KYFph2oS1vrU_nw7DpGQ-WSpwj6s2JFfn6z0cq5Htb8ve9bo/w640-h480/IMG_7999.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We had booked the 9:45 Art of Chocolate and Factory Tour at Graycliff, so we got off the ship at 9 to give ourselves time to explore the new cruise port before the tour. On our last cruise to Nassau, the port was still a torn-up construction zone, but it had been completed in May and looked great. The walkways were shaded, and the shopping area was much larger and less congested. There was a designated taxi stand so you didn’t have a hundred people asking if you needed a taxi. Definitely a big improvement over the old Festival Place.</p>
<p>When we got to Graycliff, we found out that we were the only two people signed up for the chocolate tour. Our guide Dawanna started by telling us about how the Mayans used cocoa beans as medicine and also as currency, trading beans for food or goats. Then we got to sample each of the three kinds of chocolate that they make at the factory – white, milk and dark. White chocolate is actually not made with cocoa beans, just cocoa butter, milk and sugar. Graycliff's dark chocolate was 70% cocoa and 30% sugar, and their milk chocolate was a mixture of the white and dark chocolates. Dawanna told us that cocoa is not grown in the Bahamas, so Graycliff sources their beans from Mexico or Jamaica.</p>
<p>After donning hair nets and aprons, we got to “make” our own chocolate. First, we rubbed the insides of chocolate molds with a cloth which would give the chocolate a glossy surface. Then we filled the molds with our choice of chocolate and nuts or cranberries. Dawanna also gave us marshmallows and pretzels to dip. After about 10 minutes in the chiller, our chocolate was hardened enough for us to remove it from the molds and box it up to take home. It wasn’t the most educational tour, but I enjoyed seeing the process. Besides the chocolate that we’d made ourselves, we bought a box of bonbons from the chocolate shop and a couple of cigars.</p>
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<p>Our plan was to have lunch at the Fish Fry, but it was still early so we decided to walk back to the ship first to drop off our chocolates so they wouldn’t melt. Then we headed back out into town, in search of the bus stop which had been moved from George Street to Frederick Street. Once we found the bus, we had to wait about 15 minutes until it filled up before the driver would leave. Finally, we made it to the Fish Fry, where we ate lunch at Oh Andros. Ron and I both ordered fish burgers and shared a giant plate of peas and rice. It was so fresh and delicious! I think I could eat Bahamian peas and rice every day. :-)</p>
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<p>Since the weather was so nice, we ended up walking back to port. Just before we got to the security line for the cruise terminal, I spotted a colorful Junkanoo costume through the open door of a new museum, the Museum of Junkanoo. I was so drawn to the bright colors that we decided to check out the museum. Junkanoo is a Bahamian national festival that takes place between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Like Mardi Gras or Carnival, the highlight of the festival is a parade with bright costumes and music, but it has a different history with its origins in West Africa. The early Junkanoo costumes were made from simple materials – strips of cloth and paper or even sea sponges. Now they are elaborate masterpieces that take months to create. The museum showcased some of the winning costumes from the previous years’ parades and they were incredible! I was really glad we’d stopped in.</p>
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<p>By the time we got back on the ship, we were tired out from all the walking and took a nap in the cabin until time for the sail away. We watched the sunset from the pool deck as the ship pulled out of port. There was a flash of green as the sun sank into the water. Goodbye for now, Nassau! We hope we’ll see you again soon!</p>
<p>The menu in the dining room that night was Caribbean. No escargot but I ordered French onion soup again. It was as good as the night before – my favorite item on the new menus. After dinner, we went to the Boardwalk and rode the carousel, then listened to the live music at Dazzles. The band was very good when they were performing the Top Hits set but not so good when they got to the Country set. You could tell that they did not like singing country music. :-) We listened to a couple of songs and called it a night.</p>
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<p><b>Coco Cay</b></p>
<p>The next morning, we ate breakfast in the Windjammer as the ship docked at Coco Cay. We’d been to Coco Cay once since they added the waterpark and pool, but the last time we were the only ship there. This time we would be sharing the island with Anthem of the Seas, another megaship. That was 12,000 people…ugh!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWkS1j67E3BqCnkqwVcpGsCGGIwZsF7zk3hAZOQWZnRY2Zh23OlA8s8TrhBenxKkvTSNz2rss0WH2aiqpHAnb4RHeJxsLDQQuCly-Cxf368Tq3JV8fEiw8XziTnIXC-KspRo6reVDrxrKl1rXCIMuyEn8mY6wzE_XCmHGKOzU9UpEah-rivE3bcaV0ow/s3976/IMG_8193.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Coco Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="3976" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWkS1j67E3BqCnkqwVcpGsCGGIwZsF7zk3hAZOQWZnRY2Zh23OlA8s8TrhBenxKkvTSNz2rss0WH2aiqpHAnb4RHeJxsLDQQuCly-Cxf368Tq3JV8fEiw8XziTnIXC-KspRo6reVDrxrKl1rXCIMuyEn8mY6wzE_XCmHGKOzU9UpEah-rivE3bcaV0ow/w640-h480/IMG_8193.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We got off the ship around 8:30 so that we could find chairs and try to enjoy a little quiet time before the hordes arrived. There were actually plenty of chairs, and we settled in on two shaded loungers between the Oasis pool and Chill Beach. The weather was gorgeous again – warm and sunny.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktRBid-mmuuOBx0uWOYCxa4JMExA20XORU7d1lgnEtOX5bZJrHrGQH3RDier-Q_aSN6KNVG2JIoQvkV6fdkRcz6fNKjn3kTn5XQUU9Gblkm1C9xUx0AfsdMay48fvHznceeHqOyKGMrOUM6UK2NdTGD_QB4iCTUGFt12T0acb_U9I3VMVcHLYwqsBlNQ/s4032/IMG_8342.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sand sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktRBid-mmuuOBx0uWOYCxa4JMExA20XORU7d1lgnEtOX5bZJrHrGQH3RDier-Q_aSN6KNVG2JIoQvkV6fdkRcz6fNKjn3kTn5XQUU9Gblkm1C9xUx0AfsdMay48fvHznceeHqOyKGMrOUM6UK2NdTGD_QB4iCTUGFt12T0acb_U9I3VMVcHLYwqsBlNQ/w640-h480/IMG_8342.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YP_9e2Rq8culIA4uxIKSTApWfdbJVjRJeAeKbMerver9nftqzJMkVGVkaAK4LmfCo8p9kjb-FIDSEknJApvUvoZHZHBHP7Rpl2eMhOL5_UNNGZ2HhyyWQAx-4GCx7YO21LJz-pLng0zPJ0yLUEtHYII2Bob4d3RIPp7yhEd8dF6OCZ9nEMoWUwoedAk/s4032/IMG_8216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Coco Cay waterpark entrance" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YP_9e2Rq8culIA4uxIKSTApWfdbJVjRJeAeKbMerver9nftqzJMkVGVkaAK4LmfCo8p9kjb-FIDSEknJApvUvoZHZHBHP7Rpl2eMhOL5_UNNGZ2HhyyWQAx-4GCx7YO21LJz-pLng0zPJ0yLUEtHYII2Bob4d3RIPp7yhEd8dF6OCZ9nEMoWUwoedAk/w480-h640/IMG_8216.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJI0vnC2N1p1hGCNawf1ijS7iLZxwpMRw1ZWQQcVTI5hn3QtamS1Etr9aKykeqCpmTh04h8lhRz-y0ttFboqUTJHiiXiLFleNoLl9yTsLdsld8H32_Y_K3T2Ps8xISKho0TK-y_4ju-eNa9BmbTsLoqMDUH7baTZsSD2iW3PRSakNphgTAFwIe79Cxj0/s4032/IMG_8217.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pirate greeters" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJI0vnC2N1p1hGCNawf1ijS7iLZxwpMRw1ZWQQcVTI5hn3QtamS1Etr9aKykeqCpmTh04h8lhRz-y0ttFboqUTJHiiXiLFleNoLl9yTsLdsld8H32_Y_K3T2Ps8xISKho0TK-y_4ju-eNa9BmbTsLoqMDUH7baTZsSD2iW3PRSakNphgTAFwIe79Cxj0/w480-h640/IMG_8217.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT60lknmiefJ0zejBLqEM4UC85nucpYinO1DzyhrJXea7-fPnW_xrS_vWggYnxpx-JKaxAfpmip8NH9JSatkfTphdLuiDL2gBPZdzjsZosRzOSfwUzo0Ps6-o-Xny96Xa58vMzS7FkMo14iS1UVzOTfVk3NjVYnxRhg3v_mwtYDB2j0xRX2nIH35rbPE/s3330/IMG_8222.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron and Susan at Coco Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3330" data-original-width="2498" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT60lknmiefJ0zejBLqEM4UC85nucpYinO1DzyhrJXea7-fPnW_xrS_vWggYnxpx-JKaxAfpmip8NH9JSatkfTphdLuiDL2gBPZdzjsZosRzOSfwUzo0Ps6-o-Xny96Xa58vMzS7FkMo14iS1UVzOTfVk3NjVYnxRhg3v_mwtYDB2j0xRX2nIH35rbPE/w480-h640/IMG_8222.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncyTS5ATI9900DiCIypwBkIbawD64txgBhm-b8TPneIQIHpPLL-RJTOlVvDnqs1Ypry7uEMYoZsmldy_RK44RQwfrcS0FdyQt_gXnybkL5PiKbv1B7ds7glItelc5SDyUMiXibEMPiE1uKLi3reIR-IRRualB8kNOWsvmliHGP3RLPDP4ef59en7uqro/s4032/IMG_8247.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oasis Pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncyTS5ATI9900DiCIypwBkIbawD64txgBhm-b8TPneIQIHpPLL-RJTOlVvDnqs1Ypry7uEMYoZsmldy_RK44RQwfrcS0FdyQt_gXnybkL5PiKbv1B7ds7glItelc5SDyUMiXibEMPiE1uKLi3reIR-IRRualB8kNOWsvmliHGP3RLPDP4ef59en7uqro/w640-h480/IMG_8247.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oasis Pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV21N6Dav2P5jJfaTglIt6NUFQ0Ztnw-VIZRDTizdnDHQikF3KD4Kq134D4-iOppncLf-mpVPCrvCjklSEno62zBIC75H0bFdoVubJHA8MNZ0me2hJgveIKuHZrIagPZB98IkwCv2LSMy2jxilVyigMP7LO0KiG-01U9qc4CDp8lPAXaCWF6BNFvKZKc4/s4032/IMG_8230.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pool bridge" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV21N6Dav2P5jJfaTglIt6NUFQ0Ztnw-VIZRDTizdnDHQikF3KD4Kq134D4-iOppncLf-mpVPCrvCjklSEno62zBIC75H0bFdoVubJHA8MNZ0me2hJgveIKuHZrIagPZB98IkwCv2LSMy2jxilVyigMP7LO0KiG-01U9qc4CDp8lPAXaCWF6BNFvKZKc4/w480-h640/IMG_8230.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhyphenhyphendxLM8D7_5_fW96eg3Q_EpTVBYP18vQpvsouMyTLI99K2teZkDlvMKLPrNSkG1sX_sLkPGQtWo6ZBUi7LwwAR328m4C6_4WI94qFU1Kpy3yCd_vVsWQCkr7jw2MpglhoGlM5_BwPyBKBn-VIOZwxuSExUSSdJm1XtdFyXeigZtpxh7cJiObXdhjtGg/s4032/IMG_8242.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pool chairs" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhyphenhyphendxLM8D7_5_fW96eg3Q_EpTVBYP18vQpvsouMyTLI99K2teZkDlvMKLPrNSkG1sX_sLkPGQtWo6ZBUi7LwwAR328m4C6_4WI94qFU1Kpy3yCd_vVsWQCkr7jw2MpglhoGlM5_BwPyBKBn-VIOZwxuSExUSSdJm1XtdFyXeigZtpxh7cJiObXdhjtGg/w480-h640/IMG_8242.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>After a while we decided to take a walk down the beach to check out the floating bar at South Beach. That’s when we found out that the beach path was blocked by the new Coco Beach Club and over-the-water cabanas, and we had to walk around the club and through the mangroves to get to South Beach. The cabanas looked really cool but to rent one for the day cost over $3000! Insane! Ron and I decided that Royal Caribbean had finally passed the tipping point with all their extra charges. Our MSC cruise a couple of months ago was less expensive, included drinks and Wi-Fi, and we weren’t jammed onto their private island with 12,000 other people. We had lunch at the Skipper’s Grill buffet but then headed back to the ship. I was peopled out. If we do another Perfect Day at Coco Cay cruise, I’m going to make sure we pick a date when there won’t be two megaships there at the same time.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81wRnptyh1KaHWjh0YUTB5ETq534t5Fd7NXAxiQjmJH7hmjxDOdriJqNvUfqBlCns0B_FQyCwUqviBie3aV5b0iOKKYNAKAc5iuFOunDqWT_t-KI5AeckCJvUx0CKEovy56n2lHq35snvKa12qMUCdXuaE74O4xzT3-vtFQPC_JEAPaAlW1q09yDOINA/s4032/IMG_8302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="over-the-water cabanas" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81wRnptyh1KaHWjh0YUTB5ETq534t5Fd7NXAxiQjmJH7hmjxDOdriJqNvUfqBlCns0B_FQyCwUqviBie3aV5b0iOKKYNAKAc5iuFOunDqWT_t-KI5AeckCJvUx0CKEovy56n2lHq35snvKa12qMUCdXuaE74O4xzT3-vtFQPC_JEAPaAlW1q09yDOINA/w640-h480/IMG_8302.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ6xiJyW77Mc67cQEmcX-mvK3hCEYj9UUTsQs7N6P8-_EL9XZ9qOb4cH5CgZZQq7CAMU7jansgO2SVLASNHnCsNjQstaOXJ_y95D3EH3SiiqOlmUIXFfdLFU4oh2xwssiLlrcwYJ2SrBEbtWYjyK9lwlXUtetVEY7KfEUc9l_wONDYdv8m0HNHJxBm2A/s3854/IMG_8272.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="crowded floating bar" border="0" data-original-height="2891" data-original-width="3854" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ6xiJyW77Mc67cQEmcX-mvK3hCEYj9UUTsQs7N6P8-_EL9XZ9qOb4cH5CgZZQq7CAMU7jansgO2SVLASNHnCsNjQstaOXJ_y95D3EH3SiiqOlmUIXFfdLFU4oh2xwssiLlrcwYJ2SrBEbtWYjyK9lwlXUtetVEY7KfEUc9l_wONDYdv8m0HNHJxBm2A/w640-h480/IMG_8272.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X_v-_ZEsce9o0oXUi6OvXsDraFZ9djSQGPqPZlSS9fHq-KFHJMp_-3fg_RJEtx7o8rHci1joa40BOV7rCVnlRHl0u7J6QafW9DmUvbgjVelgOe0Sf7VeVkwCxPF5mAoOxgNzqdY1v8iPWoxFwVXEz86LQHNpTNsxogyvdQAr_H72FxgHWQfpzn8T0QE/s3985/IMG_8336.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ships at Coco Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X_v-_ZEsce9o0oXUi6OvXsDraFZ9djSQGPqPZlSS9fHq-KFHJMp_-3fg_RJEtx7o8rHci1joa40BOV7rCVnlRHl0u7J6QafW9DmUvbgjVelgOe0Sf7VeVkwCxPF5mAoOxgNzqdY1v8iPWoxFwVXEz86LQHNpTNsxogyvdQAr_H72FxgHWQfpzn8T0QE/w640-h480/IMG_8336.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>That night we had dinner reservations at Giovanni’s Table in Central Park. The park was even prettier at night than it was during the day. The trees were lit up with twinkling lights and the bird songs were replaced with the sound of crickets. It was really kind of magical. Our waiter at Giovanni’s, Austin, somehow managed to talk us into ordering half the menu. He told us that Giovanni’s had “family style” dining so we should feel free to share. Perfect! We usually eat that way anyway. When it comes to dining, my family has the “what’s yours is ours” mentality. :-)</p>
<p>We started with Caprese salad and calamari, which was so tender that it was almost like eating a mozzarella cheese stick. Then Ron and I each got a plate of beef carpaccio. Austin said the pasta dishes could be ordered in half portions so we shared half portions of the tagliatelle carbonara and gnocchi gorgonzola for our side dishes. For our main dishes, Ron ordered filet mignon and I had branzino. And for dessert, we had the tiramisu and chocolate hazelnut cake with cups of cappuccino. Oh my! The flavors were so amazing, especially the sauce on the gnocchi. What a fabulous way to end the cruise. I was glad we’d saved it for the last night.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagzzBiT1uOjO5a8MoMEN5vcZfTL8Mbcs8RZXhqSPgmyXEo3kenwsv4OrU5AA65ZIWBxJJG3iBa9ommWJEHbh8dVWGu3XrrYyZSkZd3ck81VejFO8xLBCyJQLQMLJ4P1Tz4RAfkCLqumwCkNkC9JWevTHrmmd7jJvOBOsJP5TtJ7XBVSV6e5RU4EWh6NA/s4032/IMG_8376.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Central Park at night" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagzzBiT1uOjO5a8MoMEN5vcZfTL8Mbcs8RZXhqSPgmyXEo3kenwsv4OrU5AA65ZIWBxJJG3iBa9ommWJEHbh8dVWGu3XrrYyZSkZd3ck81VejFO8xLBCyJQLQMLJ4P1Tz4RAfkCLqumwCkNkC9JWevTHrmmd7jJvOBOsJP5TtJ7XBVSV6e5RU4EWh6NA/w480-h640/IMG_8376.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<p>After dinner, we went to the ice-skating show, Blades. The premise of the show was that the music was from the skaters’ own playlists. I really enjoyed the variety of music. One of my favorite parts was a single skater and a duo dancing around each other to the song “When I Was Your Man”. Very poignant. I also liked the hula hooping skater who kept adding more and more hoops until she looked like a human slinky.</p>
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<p>When the show was over, we were ready for bed so we went back to the cabin to finish packing. From the balcony, we could already see the distant glow of the lights on the Florida coast.</p>
<p>Our first cruise on a megaship was a success. The things I was worried most about – long waits to get on and off the ship, long lines at the buffet or elevators – turned out to be non-issues. Allure was surprisingly easy to get around, and our cabin’s location close to Central Park was perfect. I hope Royal Caribbean puts more of their megaships on the short itineraries.</p>
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<p>Highlights – Central Park, the aqua show, trying a zipline for the first time, the day in Nassau, dinner at Giovanni's Table</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-36293953646182132442023-11-13T14:32:00.000-05:002023-11-13T14:32:57.946-05:00Mojito Madness on Allure of the Seas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdVej4_s-ThO3HnSJhLBgsFnv6Uh5uK1utkazmVM0XmtXYqOr08h0iKqqCpprVLL23rJIjyvVbAZQUoPQgxrFTt-IHJ3CBkKjqeCHg4uABBfXVNLM7BX77dWabPOYe2c5jtcJKGoiSveAxevydFSEzZsYm6aopzENwXO4tjRaZAHWkOx8zyOm8w8Ct-U/s4032/IMG_8187.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Boleros on Allure of the Seas" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdVej4_s-ThO3HnSJhLBgsFnv6Uh5uK1utkazmVM0XmtXYqOr08h0iKqqCpprVLL23rJIjyvVbAZQUoPQgxrFTt-IHJ3CBkKjqeCHg4uABBfXVNLM7BX77dWabPOYe2c5jtcJKGoiSveAxevydFSEzZsYm6aopzENwXO4tjRaZAHWkOx8zyOm8w8Ct-U/w640-h480/IMG_8187.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>If you’ve read any of my Key West posts, you know that I love mojitos. I end all my Key West trip reports with a review of the mojitos I tried during the trip, but I’ve never done a mojito review on a cruise ship before. When I found out that Royal Caribbean’s Latin-themed bar, Boleros, made three different mojitos, I knew I was going to have to try them all.</p>
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<p>My plan was to have one mojito a day to spread them out throughout the cruise. I started with the Coconut Mojito, which the bartender said was their most popular mojito. It was made with Monin coconut syrup and came in a glass rimmed with coconut flakes. I thought it needed a bit more rum, but it was tropical and not too sweet.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNVws-Snmsaa0z0tez98NBhK4J6hKRp6_HvPXJqgiAg_-sBow1P5Lk5hHy1hC9KqrMa2I398SXJ0g5oPIJYa7vZI1cwQZu1227QoBhaYE7FiK2M9p3d9kpEnN3ZXiOCzoGDSPCxrnUuAoAUxLIO3-73sJ11w7rH65XgqLUHEfVKacl7QN9JIaZdSxu38/s4032/IMG_7577.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="coconut mojito" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNVws-Snmsaa0z0tez98NBhK4J6hKRp6_HvPXJqgiAg_-sBow1P5Lk5hHy1hC9KqrMa2I398SXJ0g5oPIJYa7vZI1cwQZu1227QoBhaYE7FiK2M9p3d9kpEnN3ZXiOCzoGDSPCxrnUuAoAUxLIO3-73sJ11w7rH65XgqLUHEfVKacl7QN9JIaZdSxu38/w480-h640/IMG_7577.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut Mojito</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>On Day Two, I tried the Mojito Frappe, a frozen drink made with lime juice and fresh mint leaves. Blending really brought out the flavors of the mint and lime. It was cool and refreshing - perfect for a hot day in the Caribbean!</p>
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<p>My drink for Day Three was a classic mojito. The bartender made it almost exactly the way I make mojitos at home, muddling three slices of lime with fresh mint and simple syrup, then adding Bacardi Superior rum and topping with club soda. I usually use less simple syrup, but it was a very nice drink.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7IEwc3rEsKuwp4vGhFU0eNrVWenQZQPYqcsneMTdFTmltcNP65t8MAzX-tWs9G8AZd41QVfQPCO2nDbyZzxY6SPGAG6ACGEKxpZvwzaslLvWI-mumWPNVCi8RiQb0ceBmWGJnsJnLjkniHh9rKSmjYma2FCQ-64wLCncyfIgcwljwuGUpWj4-CfPgDY/s4032/IMG_8150.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="classic mojito" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7IEwc3rEsKuwp4vGhFU0eNrVWenQZQPYqcsneMTdFTmltcNP65t8MAzX-tWs9G8AZd41QVfQPCO2nDbyZzxY6SPGAG6ACGEKxpZvwzaslLvWI-mumWPNVCi8RiQb0ceBmWGJnsJnLjkniHh9rKSmjYma2FCQ-64wLCncyfIgcwljwuGUpWj4-CfPgDY/w480-h640/IMG_8150.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Mojito</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>I couldn’t end the cruise without having one more mojito. For the last day I chose the Coconut Mojito since it was my favorite of the three. Now I’m looking forward to recreating the recipes at home. I’ve already ordered a bottle of Monin coconut syrup!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXihUzwuWBXjmtA6P8m9CSXkLwlaW3mQjNHC1cYNWkfB70qc5LLYgAhgmpoE7rTaLlvjYCOZHqFE9nlBMbXcuIozk7eKGvyoEc1E34A_2e03zZQuWgwp_Dvt2vBY4YHHyySm8iVgHrWSOrNUP6gviJXbPw5dFq2ICcgk2Y8FbF0YYiit-7Lxwpq0iUg0/s3909/IMG_8357.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan in Boleros" border="0" data-original-height="3909" data-original-width="2932" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXihUzwuWBXjmtA6P8m9CSXkLwlaW3mQjNHC1cYNWkfB70qc5LLYgAhgmpoE7rTaLlvjYCOZHqFE9nlBMbXcuIozk7eKGvyoEc1E34A_2e03zZQuWgwp_Dvt2vBY4YHHyySm8iVgHrWSOrNUP6gviJXbPw5dFq2ICcgk2Y8FbF0YYiit-7Lxwpq0iUg0/w480-h640/IMG_8357.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_qB1GadoEihkHFNFRnpBcZeEpPleVAJEzuxHSgo4uAKrgk6ZJFoCf8PCAssFDMGOl1430qmJFsc0kFLHP8ZYGEVGCs7hdWoZM3mfV4MVCbR4ALLAQTg2MFT7hmddAXBUCQZZuMbwpjPR9EPEbW-eK3rKE7YtM5vTs7PiSVDIktIzTDMhG5v6P4qWYzg/s3818/IMG_7561.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sun light fixture" border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="3818" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_qB1GadoEihkHFNFRnpBcZeEpPleVAJEzuxHSgo4uAKrgk6ZJFoCf8PCAssFDMGOl1430qmJFsc0kFLHP8ZYGEVGCs7hdWoZM3mfV4MVCbR4ALLAQTg2MFT7hmddAXBUCQZZuMbwpjPR9EPEbW-eK3rKE7YtM5vTs7PiSVDIktIzTDMhG5v6P4qWYzg/w640-h480/IMG_7561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxNaEn_U8Z9TImgyTT1seR6VN-2Nky8cbMTrWbdaArPEkK36DnSFukXgs7-6VSvk-oaDEPEgb2i2Kw392IDzyn3H9FFmJAxsKbt0eXxKsSXipOZ4Y3N0qkyADbVyppHnIB3s01CV-k3s18fAZ68ewoudv716GwjXdjULcmkQbnQVQ9mFaSgtwikFpUA4/s3508/IMG_7680a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Boleros" border="0" data-original-height="2631" data-original-width="3508" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxNaEn_U8Z9TImgyTT1seR6VN-2Nky8cbMTrWbdaArPEkK36DnSFukXgs7-6VSvk-oaDEPEgb2i2Kw392IDzyn3H9FFmJAxsKbt0eXxKsSXipOZ4Y3N0qkyADbVyppHnIB3s01CV-k3s18fAZ68ewoudv716GwjXdjULcmkQbnQVQ9mFaSgtwikFpUA4/w640-h480/IMG_7680a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: In addition to mojitos, Boleros serves rum-based cocktails like the Hurricane, Cuba Libre and Hemingway Daiquiri. On Allure of the Seas, the bar is located on Deck 5 on the Royal Promenade.</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-78130647857016864782023-09-17T14:29:00.007-04:002023-09-17T14:36:01.865-04:00MSC Seaside Getaway to Ocean Cay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ThKHUU8zh7iBSBSFwoPcCMt8ioBJr763VjTtclH3vr9T0QMd9VjCmkUZBZSXTeNg5t_bzjfAYbSkNSWs0zu5HKTmrXfk9G4_jg-XOX4Tk_gUOj6ioTSrv5F2jFEA4MorEJmCWfQjKjQlur0wTWZgdGhoQ8Sq0KvTuoTyKRecTvH263_DdOMs3cK-kUE/s3985/IMG_6542.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ocean Cay Lighthouse Beach" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ThKHUU8zh7iBSBSFwoPcCMt8ioBJr763VjTtclH3vr9T0QMd9VjCmkUZBZSXTeNg5t_bzjfAYbSkNSWs0zu5HKTmrXfk9G4_jg-XOX4Tk_gUOj6ioTSrv5F2jFEA4MorEJmCWfQjKjQlur0wTWZgdGhoQ8Sq0KvTuoTyKRecTvH263_DdOMs3cK-kUE/w640-h480/IMG_6542.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Port Canaveral</b></p>
<p>We hadn’t been on a cruise in over a year, and I couldn’t wait to see the turquoise water of the Bahamas again, watch a sunset from our balcony, hit the casino, explore a new ship. Then three days before the cruise, Idalia formed in the Gulf, and I didn’t know if I should be preparing for a cruise or a major hurricane. Idalia blew through Tuesday night and when we got up Wednesday morning, our house was fine. More importantly, Judi’s house had power so she would be OK if we went out of town for a few days. I could finally start packing!</p>
<p>We left early Thursday morning for Port Canaveral, even though our assigned boarding time wasn’t until 3 o’clock. We ate lunch at Fishlips at the port, sitting out on the deck and watching a couple of manatees playing in the channel. At 1:30, we decided we’d waited long enough and headed to the cruise terminal. There was no line at all, so we got through security quickly and were onboard by 2. By that time, the cabins were ready, so we went straight to our cabin to drop off our bags and then explored the ship.</p>
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<p>Seaside was huge! At over 150,000 gross tons, it was the largest ship we’ve been on. It had a multi-story atrium with staircases embedded with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystals and more bars than we could possibly visit in three days. There was a sports bar, a champagne bar and a nightclub that looked like a 50s-style diner. There was even a chocolate bar where you could buy hand-made chocolates or chocolate cocktails. There were three pools (one for adults only), an adventure park with twisting water slides, and a zip line. I was most excited about the zip line. I’d never been on one before and the one on Seaside looked short enough that it might not be too scary.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL18i_KDrBXymcBEVF5ZrUTZFUwnt23XUpOwiIQWAjHLNFv7soByHK55BE4_S-RzUkmkPdVbmiddccXYBCbklgbWah8oy2sPqJi-bLPrfAqnUw2IW8Kh_5cCmxSIYKbki6O-cE93r50at62sFuTg2OrovsQLdsVA7njVFxoldJrTiFgIITUwNT3K_RHE/s4032/IMG_6401.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="MSC Seaside Atrium" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL18i_KDrBXymcBEVF5ZrUTZFUwnt23XUpOwiIQWAjHLNFv7soByHK55BE4_S-RzUkmkPdVbmiddccXYBCbklgbWah8oy2sPqJi-bLPrfAqnUw2IW8Kh_5cCmxSIYKbki6O-cE93r50at62sFuTg2OrovsQLdsVA7njVFxoldJrTiFgIITUwNT3K_RHE/w480-h640/IMG_6401.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Atrium</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkERB0eHmHIJsPSCW0w92ext-gbdX4S9XJSyLimLkJQnlAs2Fwi-Ghe-nehpd1SCPQj_Fck0cymoGXNRPBRb9yKIZLb0rCLVouzSqR5qPj3mQgU1TMvpDyP6-gXaYymQivD3VH6tUBIHfE0Po81HgGKnaULXkuX4twSCREDeWsVjWHIjHkRJB6DNLn18A/s3829/IMG_6362.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Seaside Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3829" data-original-width="2872" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkERB0eHmHIJsPSCW0w92ext-gbdX4S9XJSyLimLkJQnlAs2Fwi-Ghe-nehpd1SCPQj_Fck0cymoGXNRPBRb9yKIZLb0rCLVouzSqR5qPj3mQgU1TMvpDyP6-gXaYymQivD3VH6tUBIHfE0Po81HgGKnaULXkuX4twSCREDeWsVjWHIjHkRJB6DNLn18A/w480-h640/IMG_6362.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfVr_fsK2Sssmu2fsDrw7LU1KhTq4gqd1VnkgK1QxhqmaCJfS96eG_qjSsrRWT5RGlw6Wr6Z92w7uI3PeoED9mJBXvboMF-qHas8ZIQ6Sx0M1Fi6zjSaav_qEpKblEHdnUGGqKSvGDZaaNGD8expnd3IXvHePzM9Jkb-7CA2MOzFS4KaZRfCn48tubow/s3914/IMG_6198.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Champagne Bar" border="0" data-original-height="2935" data-original-width="3914" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfVr_fsK2Sssmu2fsDrw7LU1KhTq4gqd1VnkgK1QxhqmaCJfS96eG_qjSsrRWT5RGlw6Wr6Z92w7uI3PeoED9mJBXvboMF-qHas8ZIQ6Sx0M1Fi6zjSaav_qEpKblEHdnUGGqKSvGDZaaNGD8expnd3IXvHePzM9Jkb-7CA2MOzFS4KaZRfCn48tubow/w640-h480/IMG_6198.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champagne Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17rorxHpCUe9Hg7kGBys4i83BtAsrW3hk5loOjIUrBD_CKWX_5MVpDeeNDh75T0JyCXASDw-MvyF8bOmVwBVAomC6aUOGVjgpLOPlXBH1lzJ0aq5zzGKRsugF6Y0zC0cPwegdLDRyZDMETBMhiPHQOh82boXKk0yd1aXhDio6fMGrKUxaGjGgj53aXoM/s2962/IMG_6215a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="casino" border="0" data-original-height="2221" data-original-width="2962" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17rorxHpCUe9Hg7kGBys4i83BtAsrW3hk5loOjIUrBD_CKWX_5MVpDeeNDh75T0JyCXASDw-MvyF8bOmVwBVAomC6aUOGVjgpLOPlXBH1lzJ0aq5zzGKRsugF6Y0zC0cPwegdLDRyZDMETBMhiPHQOh82boXKk0yd1aXhDio6fMGrKUxaGjGgj53aXoM/w640-h480/IMG_6215a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miami Casino</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_6mzH8Z_y4NiFN28f7HcKVuMSjKLEj6as7pkPJ-P2VwAH4QAsKWzgi2OmIFYIovGJ7FbGy2Tqfhusdkwzkk1_d-D4DQxOBuXIIg5CUttHBVGyguvSRejr3Y_rmZnJNZa-5p252WSR2qscvopuxpHN0OXzwgSKIOARhE819CFQjBvcvvleUCtZVo07uQ/s3795/IMG_6206.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Garage Club" border="0" data-original-height="2846" data-original-width="3795" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_6mzH8Z_y4NiFN28f7HcKVuMSjKLEj6as7pkPJ-P2VwAH4QAsKWzgi2OmIFYIovGJ7FbGy2Tqfhusdkwzkk1_d-D4DQxOBuXIIg5CUttHBVGyguvSRejr3Y_rmZnJNZa-5p252WSR2qscvopuxpHN0OXzwgSKIOARhE819CFQjBvcvvleUCtZVo07uQ/w640-h480/IMG_6206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garage Club</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPmLtEHAMb1i8TMyRe2lAIXUKwOlcnjDOAZIEB12_Hql2i6YOOSCzTCUQs2ES6GatTxFucFSep2moozo-rPBbvhM5ZmeFkB4K1weQf1O9bSddO4yu77sL-CUVpiHSojgbC4-PoN0SS8-UDwCacUJ9STe--BNwEWgdzRd31RDWZh1jLS_RmO21HuAXTw4/s4032/IMG_6193.JPG"><img alt="Garage Club seating" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPmLtEHAMb1i8TMyRe2lAIXUKwOlcnjDOAZIEB12_Hql2i6YOOSCzTCUQs2ES6GatTxFucFSep2moozo-rPBbvhM5ZmeFkB4K1weQf1O9bSddO4yu77sL-CUVpiHSojgbC4-PoN0SS8-UDwCacUJ9STe--BNwEWgdzRd31RDWZh1jLS_RmO21HuAXTw4/w640-h480/IMG_6193.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1AL9e9x3m8VIOqppr8KM7CJX1RB-3FLU7NMvEFAfYuw6bPhkKj0lYZlUWfLuxyKAFQD-5iixJ_TSpWwQWDebzuKtC25SNoNPg1FNW1-n-6Dhm11rb41nVo4cVOhGx1Xuoz8fgizkZnbDtWIE6iNjL6sltaSTKaqfiVpgEIRwGm68VIV1UshIRQha4U8/s2982/IMG_6222c.jpg"><img alt="Susan with Lego sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="2236" data-original-width="2982" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1AL9e9x3m8VIOqppr8KM7CJX1RB-3FLU7NMvEFAfYuw6bPhkKj0lYZlUWfLuxyKAFQD-5iixJ_TSpWwQWDebzuKtC25SNoNPg1FNW1-n-6Dhm11rb41nVo4cVOhGx1Xuoz8fgizkZnbDtWIE6iNjL6sltaSTKaqfiVpgEIRwGm68VIV1UshIRQha4U8/w640-h480/IMG_6222c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Our only other MSC cruise was on Divina at the beginning of 2020, just before the COVID shutdown. I thought Divina was prettier than Seaside while Seaside was glitzier. Seaside had mirrored walls everywhere, so you had to watch where you were going. I almost walked into a mirror once, thinking it was a hallway. :-) Because of the ship’s size and layout, Ron and I found it hard to navigate and we were not fans of the “smart” elevators. Outside each bank of elevators, there was a touchscreen pad where you selected the deck you wanted. The screen would then tell you which elevator to take and give you an estimated (underestimated) time of arrival. Half the time, when our elevator finally got there, it would be full, and we’d have to start all over again. This was supposedly more efficient… Normally, Ron and I would just take the stairs, but our cabin was on Deck 14, which was a lot of stairs away from the main entertainment areas. If I had to do it over again, I’d choose a cabin on a lower deck so we wouldn’t have to mess with the elevators.</p>
<p>When the ship left Port Canaveral at 6 o’clock, it was pouring rain, and the sailaway party was moved to the atrium. Ron and I decided to skip the party and head to dinner. On most MSC ships, you’re assigned a specific dining time unless you pay for a higher cabin category. It was my biggest complaint about our Divina cruise. Our dining time always conflicted with other things that we wanted to do, so we ended up eating at the buffet every night. I was very happy when I found out that the three-day cruises on Seaside had My Choice Dining and we could eat when we wanted. I hope MSC expands that option to all their cruises!</p>
<p>Dinner was OK. I ordered pasta Bolognese and ended up with lasagna but didn’t feel like sending it back. After dinner we went to the production show, “Peter Punk”, a strange combination of Peter Pan and Jurassic Park. We got to the theater a little late and missed the beginning of the show, so I have no idea why Captain Hook and Tinkerbell were running around on stage with a dinosaur. :-) The acrobats and juggler were good though.</p>
<p>After the show, we went out to the pool deck. It had stopped raining and the clouds were breaking up. Suddenly we heard someone say, “What’s that??” as they pointed up at an orange ball of light in the sky. It was a rocket! I’d read that a Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to go off that night, but I figured it would be cancelled because of the weather. Everyone on deck watched as the rocket streaked across the sky. So cool! One of these days, I’m determined to see a rocket launch up close.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhINnpsjnJah9bwZAps0cB0httpMfeNaDcW3SM4pUI7Jr4tEiTUA3G0HpccfAQI-0s1GnonP7Ajd2d3FB_r5TlFLFWkRNyNLCA7SFM-9SdvdIJzXLt6RocTPCpwmfctgd-XMjsMWj10zOlb9kqaf8ssinHdMjtCISu6MU-SD0JztdYOJxgRM5bElu9gk/s3932/IMG_6278.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pool at night" border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhINnpsjnJah9bwZAps0cB0httpMfeNaDcW3SM4pUI7Jr4tEiTUA3G0HpccfAQI-0s1GnonP7Ajd2d3FB_r5TlFLFWkRNyNLCA7SFM-9SdvdIJzXLt6RocTPCpwmfctgd-XMjsMWj10zOlb9kqaf8ssinHdMjtCISu6MU-SD0JztdYOJxgRM5bElu9gk/w640-h480/IMG_6278.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNn3m0cLuvssyO5QnfdS63TSIf3HFbnxEEt0Cwm47udz_-_H4GMe8U6N1qPiPdIlskLnfSfAgkL-K1gxhGEUEeTnMNBP2brMZU6r9yTE46GWycEbPhzdu1rm7yC7GBwHxKGXYo79lAnaR_jZZRuA01glvMhxoVHtUeqtjwkJdxmktrucsWThBnOeDBK0/s4032/IMG_6681.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Seaside Bar" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNn3m0cLuvssyO5QnfdS63TSIf3HFbnxEEt0Cwm47udz_-_H4GMe8U6N1qPiPdIlskLnfSfAgkL-K1gxhGEUEeTnMNBP2brMZU6r9yTE46GWycEbPhzdu1rm7yC7GBwHxKGXYo79lAnaR_jZZRuA01glvMhxoVHtUeqtjwkJdxmktrucsWThBnOeDBK0/w480-h640/IMG_6681.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Ocean Cay</b></p>
<p>The next morning, we had breakfast at the Biscayne Bay Buffet. Seaside had two buffets, the main Marketplace Buffet on Deck 8 and Biscayne Bay on Deck 16. Ron and I decided we liked Biscayne Bay better. It was smaller but less hectic and still had everything we could possibly want for breakfast – scrambled and fried eggs, fruit, grits, cereals, bacon, banana bread for Ron and chocolate croissants for me. It was also closer to our cabin, so we didn’t have to take an elevator.</p>
<p>Now that the rain was gone, we had a chance to explore the outside decks. My favorite parts of the ship were the glass bridges. Seaside had two Infinity Bridges, glass walkways that ran along the sides of the ship on Deck 8. At the back on the ship on Deck 16, there was another glass walkway called The Bridge of Sighs, which overlooked the South Beach pool and the ship’s wake far, far below. I was a little nervous about walking across the glass at first. We’d recently watched Squid Game, and the “hopscotch game” was still fresh in my mind. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0C3zDkLJC_qWKS5SN7ERUaKWWlZcGA0HlMgN4B4bCV_apMrHMzSyL7ZDOPq86kHefyrHf7KtEdFyQe12NFMyx8ZWpxiovkJF726snmGk09DzHPQWtOKRQfpzMyaWGOM5nok_Oky4pWx1T7l0ZO6mgz1LgLxLRFEftDycMC3B5170rw9Psequ3h9rUxk/s4032/IMG_6313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Infinity Bridge" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0C3zDkLJC_qWKS5SN7ERUaKWWlZcGA0HlMgN4B4bCV_apMrHMzSyL7ZDOPq86kHefyrHf7KtEdFyQe12NFMyx8ZWpxiovkJF726snmGk09DzHPQWtOKRQfpzMyaWGOM5nok_Oky4pWx1T7l0ZO6mgz1LgLxLRFEftDycMC3B5170rw9Psequ3h9rUxk/w640-h480/IMG_6313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QYYnz8xFTYgGOafs1tmSlWg4U1QXwsiN0WLkmYy0PLi50gEXlltlQWnlJGwTfYYoA9jKDvsDiJrAzBHhGxJ9OBT_5N-rWY1rc-w67eLVA3GDyv3MF2LSWpFzbWFdNux6UfpQyyA59HCJ10OA7GqiTMP9KPvfRI4PSKGD9dWK_pfjOkO5rz-Y0b8863E/s3805/IMG_6314.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Infinity Bridge" border="0" data-original-height="3805" data-original-width="2854" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QYYnz8xFTYgGOafs1tmSlWg4U1QXwsiN0WLkmYy0PLi50gEXlltlQWnlJGwTfYYoA9jKDvsDiJrAzBHhGxJ9OBT_5N-rWY1rc-w67eLVA3GDyv3MF2LSWpFzbWFdNux6UfpQyyA59HCJ10OA7GqiTMP9KPvfRI4PSKGD9dWK_pfjOkO5rz-Y0b8863E/w480-h640/IMG_6314.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVEs0o6Xf7PPQMTe1bthD2PKhf8im0cWXNyUTK0GguxPTqBUOAuOqzM1-tmhEj-OXBfQ2VWGMmJh-id_dzGIj81DcrncbqEmXBc6mPge97NvC03LqrcSzbupVzB7m_tFn65vByKHfvTe4x4QRlc4avU7yhSdQC2k1Dl6bY14ifM-bdTQuGkfTv8e9q5M/s3914/IMG_6291a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Susan on Bridge of Sighs" border="0" data-original-height="2935" data-original-width="3914" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVEs0o6Xf7PPQMTe1bthD2PKhf8im0cWXNyUTK0GguxPTqBUOAuOqzM1-tmhEj-OXBfQ2VWGMmJh-id_dzGIj81DcrncbqEmXBc6mPge97NvC03LqrcSzbupVzB7m_tFn65vByKHfvTe4x4QRlc4avU7yhSdQC2k1Dl6bY14ifM-bdTQuGkfTv8e9q5M/w640-h480/IMG_6291a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge of Sighs</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We watched our approach to Ocean Cay from the South Beach pool deck as the captain backed all the way down the channel and past the iconic lighthouse, guided by a tugboat. No wonder the cruise before ours hadn’t been able to make it to the island. That was a really narrow channel for such a big ship.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9CsMTLT8XQUnoOndz4j1de-4UAVwnBq1NIdNynvzsY_YzLNWJJe3c4_3UAraImcE0H9h3HzjQ5fdF8rwoVzvEW73i-g_gLjEh8MvDYWBnWprLd01mAtrZCrESiWGnV93SHkALXOk8hK5Dy6vKXAEFmi0B-BElvkRY1qZFeQTHPzW5CLJz7VN4RUDYpE/s4032/IMG_6317.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Seaside aft" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9CsMTLT8XQUnoOndz4j1de-4UAVwnBq1NIdNynvzsY_YzLNWJJe3c4_3UAraImcE0H9h3HzjQ5fdF8rwoVzvEW73i-g_gLjEh8MvDYWBnWprLd01mAtrZCrESiWGnV93SHkALXOk8hK5Dy6vKXAEFmi0B-BElvkRY1qZFeQTHPzW5CLJz7VN4RUDYpE/w480-h640/IMG_6317.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher5dgwdpLphd-e5Pg_sy4bLqmTrcK8vctxJeZ3PGKt36CPHYmX4mOFbF_euL31YhYTo3CfIuUG6keltWFh-2RikYYQy6Dj-qvSYFbEU_5TVHsOzx6Czkp9XZvWwAfCrBYXkoZ5BxQZyESj0rycmItHG2Bs-4R4De5ZpXR_ZuDUkAyF0x2srsPAXxnVGk/s5184/DSCN5558.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bridge of Sighs from below" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher5dgwdpLphd-e5Pg_sy4bLqmTrcK8vctxJeZ3PGKt36CPHYmX4mOFbF_euL31YhYTo3CfIuUG6keltWFh-2RikYYQy6Dj-qvSYFbEU_5TVHsOzx6Czkp9XZvWwAfCrBYXkoZ5BxQZyESj0rycmItHG2Bs-4R4De5ZpXR_ZuDUkAyF0x2srsPAXxnVGk/w640-h480/DSCN5558.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht09ONd8UCwyT_i7go4fnYBwE4bomHIt5kEnL7FgJft3QB5XHi-dJXnp0k_zf7_oulZXOfi2TnXnLPLtnqYU0On0y1hiHYWrnNwV2lq9fv87l0eA4YL0p5YDESkIXbSfXWxV035OOf53a60-5kigLH4Am9ibUu-rPD8mg1Yv6i-CLiVNa5mbZTUwe7dzM/s3871/IMG_6323.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="South Beach pool sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="3871" data-original-width="2903" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht09ONd8UCwyT_i7go4fnYBwE4bomHIt5kEnL7FgJft3QB5XHi-dJXnp0k_zf7_oulZXOfi2TnXnLPLtnqYU0On0y1hiHYWrnNwV2lq9fv87l0eA4YL0p5YDESkIXbSfXWxV035OOf53a60-5kigLH4Am9ibUu-rPD8mg1Yv6i-CLiVNa5mbZTUwe7dzM/w480-h640/IMG_6323.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrQOr8r1t076xpRpnpT5a94UJScdhUClFtwerXFYiMLM3iMDWF1We2fBWfqwW8zBwFWawTBLGFvd9rT_US_xLUq_m7qIwHYhPwKl4ey4OfF1EO4uww1XACPs1cLG0udsUigmZ4qvqr0CstuobrL7Dz5Xbom-CUKczsKs10KDA9hkP777Wdt39j1FqeK0/s4032/IMG_6326.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="South Beach Pool sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrQOr8r1t076xpRpnpT5a94UJScdhUClFtwerXFYiMLM3iMDWF1We2fBWfqwW8zBwFWawTBLGFvd9rT_US_xLUq_m7qIwHYhPwKl4ey4OfF1EO4uww1XACPs1cLG0udsUigmZ4qvqr0CstuobrL7Dz5Xbom-CUKczsKs10KDA9hkP777Wdt39j1FqeK0/w480-h640/IMG_6326.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tW7iWsPRW1h9iycLoFeyuG7YaQ843nRe6Df0p0QakSCrK-UVxSfboEgO14wbIa1e3cc7wCxNNBSQ7FtpYPnwu-HInFq01VD433SxxZzCbGiMfCJ2ywfRJzVIgv15wn8H0inGOjx_JoQfdXBUcBsvDgUH_R65ZziZ6U7rD9-i4SIDjOQ_mZjaCAOkPbk/s4032/IMG_6330.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan with sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tW7iWsPRW1h9iycLoFeyuG7YaQ843nRe6Df0p0QakSCrK-UVxSfboEgO14wbIa1e3cc7wCxNNBSQ7FtpYPnwu-HInFq01VD433SxxZzCbGiMfCJ2ywfRJzVIgv15wn8H0inGOjx_JoQfdXBUcBsvDgUH_R65ZziZ6U7rD9-i4SIDjOQ_mZjaCAOkPbk/w480-h640/IMG_6330.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIqgOhH-53nuSWCbT0ycIaFtyFQphx_pfzzsNGx_xTef7bbWwH8cQ9b7i1NT4pqMwBo0rL-tBugJWQf9tczOQehrTdzs3FUFODLUyq2LiQKa3OHpdpHduSiiX1ZFFLycOrHA-ZHo2L7PYa1dY7bbO8Kzf7T74ZPxS-AO2GmB5tK_UU-BpXiuNgDuEmyM/s5184/DSCN5564.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="arriving at Ocean Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIqgOhH-53nuSWCbT0ycIaFtyFQphx_pfzzsNGx_xTef7bbWwH8cQ9b7i1NT4pqMwBo0rL-tBugJWQf9tczOQehrTdzs3FUFODLUyq2LiQKa3OHpdpHduSiiX1ZFFLycOrHA-ZHo2L7PYa1dY7bbO8Kzf7T74ZPxS-AO2GmB5tK_UU-BpXiuNgDuEmyM/w640-h480/DSCN5564.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">arriving at Ocean Cay</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island, was formerly an industrial site for sand excavation. When MSC leased it, they turned it into a marine reserve, removing 1500 tons of discarded scrap metal, planting over 75,000 native trees and shrubs, and creating a protected coral nursery. The last time we were at Ocean Cay, on our Divina cruise, the island had only been open for a couple of months and looked a little bare. Now the trees and plants had filled in and there was more greenery. But for the most part, the island was still natural – no waterparks or pools, just beautiful beaches.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmXO0aEpvUu6Aj1pFPP3WswXlEDswZsrwh-rHclT-hiPbEVfywXoBtbgLhH4ovQ254mwt0hO7r2agqkU9gX0oMox6Jx3PWOrDBt85hx9CuVPLwrgiWqN23rI9kEc4SFILRLxCxJ_WS1MpEG7u19gw2W0VXLs0II2cDLooTXCMLccdYlcYeP40CZRnoy8/s3976/IMG_6356.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="balcony view of Ocean Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="3976" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmXO0aEpvUu6Aj1pFPP3WswXlEDswZsrwh-rHclT-hiPbEVfywXoBtbgLhH4ovQ254mwt0hO7r2agqkU9gX0oMox6Jx3PWOrDBt85hx9CuVPLwrgiWqN23rI9kEc4SFILRLxCxJ_WS1MpEG7u19gw2W0VXLs0II2cDLooTXCMLccdYlcYeP40CZRnoy8/w640-h480/IMG_6356.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from our balcony</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGNpkHxNpiZdqTU-WIGLdN-A0OgCks2Bu4eslPJ9nIHo9w9efV_NuQxKkWDPQcRGkO2vsNVvuCbhLYhjM7WiuraMPmiQMgRbV_t5-92MnTRKD5B3clqLM6yDFysqsV0m5bQG6VgqFF9dHS9ciIOKiXbdsOGONHR7HkcjQAePbWpBcazcpzMOvNUO_5E8/s3911/IMG_6539.JPG"><img alt="Ocean Cay welcome pavilion" border="0" data-original-height="2933" data-original-width="3911" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGNpkHxNpiZdqTU-WIGLdN-A0OgCks2Bu4eslPJ9nIHo9w9efV_NuQxKkWDPQcRGkO2vsNVvuCbhLYhjM7WiuraMPmiQMgRbV_t5-92MnTRKD5B3clqLM6yDFysqsV0m5bQG6VgqFF9dHS9ciIOKiXbdsOGONHR7HkcjQAePbWpBcazcpzMOvNUO_5E8/w640-h480/IMG_6539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We had a jet ski tour scheduled at 11:15, so we made our way off the ship to the jet ski dock where we met our tour guides, Eddie and DeAngelo. Eddie spent a few minutes showing us how to operate the jet skis and then we climbed on, Ron in the driver’s seat and me sitting behind him. There were ten pairs in our group, plus the guides. Eddie led us out of the marina while DeAngelo brought up the rear, making sure we kept a safe distance from each other. Once we were out in the open, we rode at full speed in single file, zigzagging through the water. We were supposed to stay in the wake of the jet ski in front of us, but we were behind two young guys who thought it would be funny to weave back and forth. When we made our first stop, the guides shuffled everyone around so that the faster riders were in the front, and we were moved ahead of the “weavers”.</p>
<p>We made a complete loop around Ocean Cay, stopping once near a small island so we could get off our jet skis and swim in the crystal-clear water. I’d brought my waterproof camera, but the battery died as soon as we left the dock. Gah!! My camera had started eating batteries recently. Ron tried to buy me a GoPro before the trip, but unfortunately, he couldn’t get it in time. I was bummed that I didn’t get any pictures of the tour because the color of the water and the views of the ship and lighthouse were so spectacular. It was a really fun tour!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWULYDIEQ_1bYagmZfaJmY_l5HZLfcxYtSmwM4caBze3nn6zvw40rDTCOQDyh__7uNtF_RX5irIE5h910JcDymZarU9LnTSN8ikkxJpgsEmzDCeFWZSz8vukRtSH-nTrcSIHLGXWNHEbnJKy4zE1hJ2DqjvLqlr_C1GsjGXwyxQUtrS33liPWwugRMNw/s3627/IMG_6378.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jet ski tour" border="0" data-original-height="3627" data-original-width="2720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWULYDIEQ_1bYagmZfaJmY_l5HZLfcxYtSmwM4caBze3nn6zvw40rDTCOQDyh__7uNtF_RX5irIE5h910JcDymZarU9LnTSN8ikkxJpgsEmzDCeFWZSz8vukRtSH-nTrcSIHLGXWNHEbnJKy4zE1hJ2DqjvLqlr_C1GsjGXwyxQUtrS33liPWwugRMNw/w480-h640/IMG_6378.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphp0xxMJq00TOpgk0BWsnZKDcO577q6YWavzJrJc-JiFkLHQaOUSneypNvGGqFJCNr7nGexbrqiq3TUswHD7Lq2LfQ7SCtf4nZvMxO5TYnV6jyCrbMiiQyYg6krk2urd_Fou-pby_-zZYKNdOab_DT3DUy7EjHVTLWzad5sFxtj2Fbr367jag41n-wOY/s3918/P9010019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jet skis" border="0" data-original-height="3918" data-original-width="2938" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphp0xxMJq00TOpgk0BWsnZKDcO577q6YWavzJrJc-JiFkLHQaOUSneypNvGGqFJCNr7nGexbrqiq3TUswHD7Lq2LfQ7SCtf4nZvMxO5TYnV6jyCrbMiiQyYg6krk2urd_Fou-pby_-zZYKNdOab_DT3DUy7EjHVTLWzad5sFxtj2Fbr367jag41n-wOY/w480-h640/P9010019.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2qDFvejZiTTNx-7RO4El0fUrpG_6zvjUolNMMUHyRCoOZswspID4ghxYCa9MBY-sSuwjOLPBEX4gIEa8OYhkPZzLGvn9ZjZdmVm_b-wb7Oe1NoZc_Q1XYiq_UBTLtTDgM5zXfD7Inv9IyLnRSZKUCxCVjRnFSJ0pZbQiNHKAnjOcUP9dEfuJ1FIwL8M/s4032/IMG_6393.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MSC Seaside at Ocean Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2qDFvejZiTTNx-7RO4El0fUrpG_6zvjUolNMMUHyRCoOZswspID4ghxYCa9MBY-sSuwjOLPBEX4gIEa8OYhkPZzLGvn9ZjZdmVm_b-wb7Oe1NoZc_Q1XYiq_UBTLtTDgM5zXfD7Inv9IyLnRSZKUCxCVjRnFSJ0pZbQiNHKAnjOcUP9dEfuJ1FIwL8M/w640-h480/IMG_6393.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>By the time we got back at the dock, it was well past my lunchtime. We walked to the buffet shack, but the line was long and not moving at all. I’ve never understood why it takes so long for people to put food on a plate! Thank goodness, there was still food left when I finally made it to the front of the line because I was getting hangry. (To quote Dr. Banner, “You wouldn’t like me when I’m hangry.”) I remembered that there had been complaints about the buffet on our Divina cruise too. I thought MSC had planned to open a second buffet to relieve the congestion, but I guess they decided against it. Maybe it would be too hard to staff. But really the problem would be solved if they would just serve the food at separate stations instead of making everyone stand in one long line.</p>
<p>We spent the rest of the afternoon back on the ship on our balcony, watching the jet ski tours zipping through the water and the sun setting behind the lighthouse. That night at dinner, I had the spring rolls and shrimp risotto, and Ron and I shared a plate of mussels. I ordered the clafoutis for dessert since I had just seen clafoutis on a baking show and wanted to try it. It was alright – kind of an eggy custard baked with cherries. What I really wanted was something chocolate, so after we left the restaurant, we went to the Chocolate Bar. We each ordered a chocolate martini, which was more like a vodka hot fudge sundae. It was the only chocolate martini I’ve ever had that came with a spoon. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWrYMkGhUIjkk7uLw7zIGosVmsewGrbdjO0AuWtsSzEVmWUhxHl9jJ3lBwmw4jnuCpdk8UZfNyV7pJ_zBfOFxbGugo7kNR0b01xaqCg_7bsGxzftPFmEA7VSf11tyoE0TwQ7ktufbiIUjcYXoVMWqNnGSIzftqVfz5e80M1hdsrMQR0qfJP5MGK6Ym7M/s3547/IMG_6464.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset" border="0" data-original-height="2660" data-original-width="3547" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWrYMkGhUIjkk7uLw7zIGosVmsewGrbdjO0AuWtsSzEVmWUhxHl9jJ3lBwmw4jnuCpdk8UZfNyV7pJ_zBfOFxbGugo7kNR0b01xaqCg_7bsGxzftPFmEA7VSf11tyoE0TwQ7ktufbiIUjcYXoVMWqNnGSIzftqVfz5e80M1hdsrMQR0qfJP5MGK6Ym7M/w640-h480/IMG_6464.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt_OFO2UG3H0r7F6VRn5PjYn6NX-CIvNtEsRAzr-IEjrMFSp9Oep27j4KebHLb3_j0MxnogLEi_wL3kX1Zga9x_gmgrY7l5XhUHZRePnQQLo7r2lIgPpR5M51KEYnUdbCJEW7227l7zVRsgqe273fm9oUleYGlFPo6Qm0SsSwnw8qVZgqO_lzUKK-LxE/s3937/IMG_6470.JPG"><img alt="sunset" border="0" data-original-height="3937" data-original-width="2953" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt_OFO2UG3H0r7F6VRn5PjYn6NX-CIvNtEsRAzr-IEjrMFSp9Oep27j4KebHLb3_j0MxnogLEi_wL3kX1Zga9x_gmgrY7l5XhUHZRePnQQLo7r2lIgPpR5M51KEYnUdbCJEW7227l7zVRsgqe273fm9oUleYGlFPo6Qm0SsSwnw8qVZgqO_lzUKK-LxE/w480-h640/IMG_6470.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbK2dhgawZT1Jbond_5pPFbmscX8aEMCp_JIoiYmgj7V7X7BwUNZcXVAyNdaQ0mQN-H91t5zdFvYpOb1QgUslX6Ofxf8v0ZCY93l7ZAyAP-pz1GmT-z9uHF1DHBH0WMw_YWdRy8JXnWsSR8tDh4q-b8CGSLtVQdzJcGH7f29HYA_pYVZCl19g5_3m0Pw/s4032/IMG_6371.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Venchi Chocolate Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbK2dhgawZT1Jbond_5pPFbmscX8aEMCp_JIoiYmgj7V7X7BwUNZcXVAyNdaQ0mQN-H91t5zdFvYpOb1QgUslX6Ofxf8v0ZCY93l7ZAyAP-pz1GmT-z9uHF1DHBH0WMw_YWdRy8JXnWsSR8tDh4q-b8CGSLtVQdzJcGH7f29HYA_pYVZCl19g5_3m0Pw/w640-h480/IMG_6371.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venchi Chocolate Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXb7fUhHmZp5Ves5mEBKKCLvuFYvSQL4HciY5hQNGRz5g0wNqR0fGzjz3mgCNFTfu5C3k2fBiTZ17d2jpVqlX3erHYd2CnAJNXufgtFYPzNyFsuytgmVXelxpI7C6gQqpovrPa67F53w2T9GblTRG5K9W6UDfiS1PbFLDEkx9eeZ1ox6kJD7XF2kuJAo/s4032/IMG_6373.JPG"><img alt="chocolates" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXb7fUhHmZp5Ves5mEBKKCLvuFYvSQL4HciY5hQNGRz5g0wNqR0fGzjz3mgCNFTfu5C3k2fBiTZ17d2jpVqlX3erHYd2CnAJNXufgtFYPzNyFsuytgmVXelxpI7C6gQqpovrPa67F53w2T9GblTRG5K9W6UDfiS1PbFLDEkx9eeZ1ox6kJD7XF2kuJAo/w640-h480/IMG_6373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHKpDa3ZC8E1SvjrboGhZibkUs3QTV8pdSu4aIH2P1aIZIvq-Azsa2pvaWbL-4LYBVCayrlLEz5k6u4sgP3rFefYUPe9r7_1fBomzthJXjy-d5mzjqS3OZhNhsMmyFi-qxscr1mQc2gQLCnbB_N-mrJViK9ffcUX5z3ivKU4bxuAyqjay_76BC4mJHco/s3730/IMG_6481.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chocolate martini" border="0" data-original-height="3730" data-original-width="2798" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHKpDa3ZC8E1SvjrboGhZibkUs3QTV8pdSu4aIH2P1aIZIvq-Azsa2pvaWbL-4LYBVCayrlLEz5k6u4sgP3rFefYUPe9r7_1fBomzthJXjy-d5mzjqS3OZhNhsMmyFi-qxscr1mQc2gQLCnbB_N-mrJViK9ffcUX5z3ivKU4bxuAyqjay_76BC4mJHco/w480-h640/IMG_6481.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Full and sleepy from a day of fun and sun, we decided not to go back onshore for the beach party. We watched the lighthouse light show from deck and then went back to the cabin. Before going to bed, I stood out on the balcony, looking at the lights on the island and the flashes of distant lightning.</p>
<p><b>Ocean Cay Part 2</b></p>
<p>I woke up at 6 o’clock but Ron was still sleeping, so it seemed like a good time to hide my Cruising Ducks. For the past few years, people have been hiding rubber ducks on cruise ships. If you find a duck, you can either keep it or re-hide it for someone else to find. There is even a Cruising Ducks Facebook page where people post pictures of the ducks they find. I’d bought some cute zoo “ducks” over a year ago and they'd been sitting in a drawer waiting for our next cruise. I was glad I finally got a chance to hide them.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigu_-ZR2HbZU931nYDpw4YvpZ4ANW2DuIvyO1Ay0u307uH_BYKbOkWZWPj9UYtvifdesL6aK4PRhsc3iS46q17DVaADnFlU9QY_HKj7cv92JvLFJYPL0K-QcSiiYvmuWN5uvX4YnHQiNtOoUR-FvbCk3igbvDzgLoy23ZKO7IiMhcrYHSrUqIHpQzMyaY/s4031/IMG_6107%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cruising ducks" border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4031" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigu_-ZR2HbZU931nYDpw4YvpZ4ANW2DuIvyO1Ay0u307uH_BYKbOkWZWPj9UYtvifdesL6aK4PRhsc3iS46q17DVaADnFlU9QY_HKj7cv92JvLFJYPL0K-QcSiiYvmuWN5uvX4YnHQiNtOoUR-FvbCk3igbvDzgLoy23ZKO7IiMhcrYHSrUqIHpQzMyaY/w640-h480/IMG_6107%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p6hI9ht_IHzsWZ-fyx7kSVeEctWElEgZ9REWj-7_yjLXXVrH_TzVdbAc-Ea3t0YqPuo-hSFSyPqmVwZTnr-wlVDRf4DU3ZOReXVYIaOArmUt1u--qDUPPOP2j16-Fl8fDR7EfK0NbRsqSEXh7j5wQJrTcQ8vg-ap-cquxBARVXPj7r61o3kWIMFQU-4/s4032/IMG_6521.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cruising duck" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p6hI9ht_IHzsWZ-fyx7kSVeEctWElEgZ9REWj-7_yjLXXVrH_TzVdbAc-Ea3t0YqPuo-hSFSyPqmVwZTnr-wlVDRf4DU3ZOReXVYIaOArmUt1u--qDUPPOP2j16-Fl8fDR7EfK0NbRsqSEXh7j5wQJrTcQ8vg-ap-cquxBARVXPj7r61o3kWIMFQU-4/w480-h640/IMG_6521.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>When Ron got up, we had breakfast at the Biscayne Bay Buffet again and then headed ashore. I had signed up for the lighthouse climb, so we hung out at the Lighthouse Bar while I waited for my tour to start. The weather had changed overnight. It was much windier and there were a few fast-moving rain clouds. I was glad we’d done our jet ski tour the day before. We never saw any jet skis go by so the tours must have been cancelled.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76dY84r_xzCF7cOtrMOOa_6sT51YcsOzjQ0jLdUIQah9A4dnmjHkqHUAmPBtRixYIeTMS3B41oOmJz5bVk-QLPFUgSQ9L_5ZUr58xW_9T2iMl3w-1JgZvFF43kHX0iBrx_P17-4D_wsXZ3tWu3YcnRRBgmYSW-JC-bCyiQQMqz5eGKbN6AXZKH13dA08/s4032/IMG_6527.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="breakfast" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76dY84r_xzCF7cOtrMOOa_6sT51YcsOzjQ0jLdUIQah9A4dnmjHkqHUAmPBtRixYIeTMS3B41oOmJz5bVk-QLPFUgSQ9L_5ZUr58xW_9T2iMl3w-1JgZvFF43kHX0iBrx_P17-4D_wsXZ3tWu3YcnRRBgmYSW-JC-bCyiQQMqz5eGKbN6AXZKH13dA08/w480-h640/IMG_6527.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">breakfast with a view</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>My lighthouse tour met at 10:45 at the base of the lighthouse. Nikki, the tour guide, led the group up the 165 steps to the top, stopping on the landings so we could catch our breath while she gave us some facts about Ocean Cay. Nikki told us that when MSC leased the island, it was so polluted that there was no wildlife. Now, with the removal all the scrap metal and the coral nursery taking hold, the wildlife was returning. There were dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, manatees and even some Rock Iguanas. Unfortunately, when we got to the top of the lighthouse, a rain cloud swept in, and we had to hurry back down. I did manage to get some nice pictures of the ship and the island first though.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6UF_vNilb-zpYh7Q2DKgDG6Benbt69NP0Q8BKeoanQS-_ns9wII2kaJv0xhR9jIyXrD6r2zg_9HMHCxJ1aHscgICf3bZPPLUS50Z7C5KS6zLiGRa_V3Gk9TNaeAIKAvYOTLGBqtVLm8lC-TXbM8esl9F6YJR1J42J2AJ8ZtOfkzu9ADEHlcni6mhD_4/s4032/IMG_6548.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ocean Cay lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6UF_vNilb-zpYh7Q2DKgDG6Benbt69NP0Q8BKeoanQS-_ns9wII2kaJv0xhR9jIyXrD6r2zg_9HMHCxJ1aHscgICf3bZPPLUS50Z7C5KS6zLiGRa_V3Gk9TNaeAIKAvYOTLGBqtVLm8lC-TXbM8esl9F6YJR1J42J2AJ8ZtOfkzu9ADEHlcni6mhD_4/w480-h640/IMG_6548.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJbTesc1BvulL3XB2UTaRg8rs3UZI-1FoxzAI6xFRSgEGlkSA0hkEqkZoqggP69NusR1X04XWeG0YHtpR-d_55773idhQ3uuE22Jz3UNlNna3zqn_enW0AERB1CiIlWvnbiNdAD4lbs2VSsN35v5r1VvO21Ex603VnITHChkUOA5zICHH09GmIgHK4cA/s4032/IMG_6556.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lighthouse Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJbTesc1BvulL3XB2UTaRg8rs3UZI-1FoxzAI6xFRSgEGlkSA0hkEqkZoqggP69NusR1X04XWeG0YHtpR-d_55773idhQ3uuE22Jz3UNlNna3zqn_enW0AERB1CiIlWvnbiNdAD4lbs2VSsN35v5r1VvO21Ex603VnITHChkUOA5zICHH09GmIgHK4cA/w640-h480/IMG_6556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzl4Q4mz25TNxzgGILClg-XOZPdz06fULEG_8s2TmWLVSBJxxwJO8jTUq3rONDvRs90ZQRjSml9wA8s3zs8VYnU3i2rZniRBD4MfKDJulwTubtX61xa9Xxz3kxkguvsYVi7iHHlWwKcRmqMB1uFA6NJ5CE1UBudRIIJYf6qf2qvsyjh8kpgsirqLet-c/s4032/IMG_6642.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snorkelers" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzl4Q4mz25TNxzgGILClg-XOZPdz06fULEG_8s2TmWLVSBJxxwJO8jTUq3rONDvRs90ZQRjSml9wA8s3zs8VYnU3i2rZniRBD4MfKDJulwTubtX61xa9Xxz3kxkguvsYVi7iHHlWwKcRmqMB1uFA6NJ5CE1UBudRIIJYf6qf2qvsyjh8kpgsirqLet-c/w640-h480/IMG_6642.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ojx_oud0q7Vvq8u6U8Xhm9sIbI9L9ZT2AOD3wtyvNKZrgkyvZTUFuhHg9XL9DGHRv3Mdht5MoOFWfvt-4QErXJr7PXSC2HMqKMm9zcMBha6f7hRsbehTkLGTAjmKeWdZPR1v-JtVGrc85trAx_TE6tdJHbVcWI4HjvVwt8NQrs5ROAGjWyPcK9uPMd0/s4032/IMG_6647.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view from lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ojx_oud0q7Vvq8u6U8Xhm9sIbI9L9ZT2AOD3wtyvNKZrgkyvZTUFuhHg9XL9DGHRv3Mdht5MoOFWfvt-4QErXJr7PXSC2HMqKMm9zcMBha6f7hRsbehTkLGTAjmKeWdZPR1v-JtVGrc85trAx_TE6tdJHbVcWI4HjvVwt8NQrs5ROAGjWyPcK9uPMd0/w480-h640/IMG_6647.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdY76PsnzvWyyEmPKNLxQy5qh86p-kC3z2czUkoy1i8bJjrohQZXmT-WuG7d-BNjmeIt8TCV5WRx8kWxyqXd4vKWGo4ENCdc_IJGtt-2Vbz6BapFulB7-IgrFYkgeeH5DoJ5myx6NxGc8aZa9RVXle6OqiakZ55v-jB2Xv46a54dsilt2hTt3lOQfDMo/s3155/IMG_6649.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view of ship from lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="2366" data-original-width="3155" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdY76PsnzvWyyEmPKNLxQy5qh86p-kC3z2czUkoy1i8bJjrohQZXmT-WuG7d-BNjmeIt8TCV5WRx8kWxyqXd4vKWGo4ENCdc_IJGtt-2Vbz6BapFulB7-IgrFYkgeeH5DoJ5myx6NxGc8aZa9RVXle6OqiakZ55v-jB2Xv46a54dsilt2hTt3lOQfDMo/w640-h480/IMG_6649.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG27KhzLkkigLBbMISRCKNIAVqEQYLzx8UOTl7EgNNAYR-J5VaduQTMnYxLWjDhAyc01u337bkHGybSXKBwXO6z3ZW5T1wwyned-amr5mj_NWs1E_qQT9qpdnXz6GtB0YJhF5_95kPsiCRsvJlmZC9eHdjeyJ58vClOboWdWAGXEe0sYJHVTJWFJjtvY8/s4032/IMG_6655.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view from top of lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG27KhzLkkigLBbMISRCKNIAVqEQYLzx8UOTl7EgNNAYR-J5VaduQTMnYxLWjDhAyc01u337bkHGybSXKBwXO6z3ZW5T1wwyned-amr5mj_NWs1E_qQT9qpdnXz6GtB0YJhF5_95kPsiCRsvJlmZC9eHdjeyJ58vClOboWdWAGXEe0sYJHVTJWFJjtvY8/w640-h480/IMG_6655.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We ate lunch at the Lighthouse Bar – chicken wings and meat patties. There was a small charge for the food, but we thought it was worth it not to have to stand in the buffet line again. :-) After lunch we took a walk to Bimini Beach, the beach farthest from the ship. We’d never even made it to that part of the island on our last trip. I took a quick swim before it was time to head back onboard. When we sailed away from Ocean Cay at 4 o’clock, “Time to Say Goodbye” played over the ship’s speakers. Ron and I watched from our balcony as we passed the lighthouse. Some of the staff at the Lighthouse Bar came out and waved. I’d go back to Ocean Cay in a heartbeat! Maybe next time we can go snorkeling or sign up for the sunset cruise.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gWPMBIJswVYggYCLQR8MQn_I5icZqwvYTYhudmFi0DblHdbhPOgb-jYWP-aHLzjC7NvJ1-s3pVuZNBeeg5RfrdxjC-C-z7gvqjspNkx-qC6Cz7CqAUp3QUHJik0oEOkh3Kyjx2Sq2YROnfqODjJrSB2V5EcQIvrHgaE2Ifc5nwqLSGO_G_veMenUdLg/s4032/IMG_6663.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rocky shore" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gWPMBIJswVYggYCLQR8MQn_I5icZqwvYTYhudmFi0DblHdbhPOgb-jYWP-aHLzjC7NvJ1-s3pVuZNBeeg5RfrdxjC-C-z7gvqjspNkx-qC6Cz7CqAUp3QUHJik0oEOkh3Kyjx2Sq2YROnfqODjJrSB2V5EcQIvrHgaE2Ifc5nwqLSGO_G_veMenUdLg/w640-h480/IMG_6663.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAUtFXTkgvWH55wNzY9Y1-Jpf9-9hD9S-EPTsahDSovtIHKcnuA_r3wk2_qFmvMQNaAbOe7emJsemjMhKl0iPHKPr5wsBUlbU0uT1DfjSirtXBNNc5Y1757Mi_QRvuk-0FpciBNbzrkKu-eUBzkC-uXMlALHDZSxQdeVddo_eTUGVeLjftBcliexSiRo/s3967/IMG_6673.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bridge to Bimini Beach" border="0" data-original-height="3967" data-original-width="2975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAUtFXTkgvWH55wNzY9Y1-Jpf9-9hD9S-EPTsahDSovtIHKcnuA_r3wk2_qFmvMQNaAbOe7emJsemjMhKl0iPHKPr5wsBUlbU0uT1DfjSirtXBNNc5Y1757Mi_QRvuk-0FpciBNbzrkKu-eUBzkC-uXMlALHDZSxQdeVddo_eTUGVeLjftBcliexSiRo/w480-h640/IMG_6673.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBxHwqSBGYx6sBBw-i3gZ3XvqhAzLUsgOW1Ggrm9TkYlRWorG8Z5NDGgXGhXljaiNXHwA7J9HvHwKP8PESH_jcIZlLmJzJpR7l35byr5d_jldgbSCRVGU7Mc2cbOF535LvRnpUtCLsAUxu7DPSGpMlUwnbyZFNOaioCTpFGuLxEPHE4ehaSoXZtjLFFw/s4004/IMG_6694.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ocean Cay Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBxHwqSBGYx6sBBw-i3gZ3XvqhAzLUsgOW1Ggrm9TkYlRWorG8Z5NDGgXGhXljaiNXHwA7J9HvHwKP8PESH_jcIZlLmJzJpR7l35byr5d_jldgbSCRVGU7Mc2cbOF535LvRnpUtCLsAUxu7DPSGpMlUwnbyZFNOaioCTpFGuLxEPHE4ehaSoXZtjLFFw/w640-h480/IMG_6694.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwNDegeAB1NuL381Utboyk0h5b84UE4l4yxJnvqabCdpIAJ2hYjfdE3U5h0a9Kh1Vsp_7zqdMJAgmTlrNcJENYa0ZwX97byG_FAiaxv46hfpTvzR0JuDrKrozBxDkuiY14G4h2yqJ0mTAA_bN282a-LCUe_pwBMUurt2jRjJrIynhrHy6Q_Kh-ocwfVE/s4032/IMG_6702.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="leaving Ocean Cay" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwNDegeAB1NuL381Utboyk0h5b84UE4l4yxJnvqabCdpIAJ2hYjfdE3U5h0a9Kh1Vsp_7zqdMJAgmTlrNcJENYa0ZwX97byG_FAiaxv46hfpTvzR0JuDrKrozBxDkuiY14G4h2yqJ0mTAA_bN282a-LCUe_pwBMUurt2jRjJrIynhrHy6Q_Kh-ocwfVE/w480-h640/IMG_6702.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye, Ocean Cay!</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After we’d left the island behind, Ron and I went up to Deck 16 to grab a slice a pizza and see what was going on by the main pool. The zip line was open! We hustled back to the cabin so I could put on my close-toed shoes, and then Ron went to find a good spot to take pictures while I climbed the stairs to the zip line landing. But when I got to the top of the stairs, I heard the attendant telling the man in front of me that his daughter wouldn’t be able to ride. Because it was so windy, lightweight people might get stuck halfway across. Noooooo! That was my worst nightmare! I didn’t want to take the chance of dangling over the pool deck waiting to be rescued, and I ended up chickening out. Later, I was mad at myself for not doing it. I should have gone to the bar, had a shot of rum for courage, waited ten minutes and tried again. Why did I have to be such a wimp?? Instead, I found Ron and we went to the back of the ship to take pictures on the Bridge of Sighs and ride up and down the panoramic glass elevators.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU4zT6Fz2OnXtIEZDKcNQBs4y377JAhAwUuxNZg7TuXNGexw9GmVeEJQph59W2zn2So1dCBGbT0bIR5Lg3rp6W4_l7tZCcA-5mfO3_310kQEFXqHBt55gSvq994znUEQf-X62KQCrnC5oaXN0fUz2LZ52X-DJXwfYeC5wLIm-mHmqlJx0rOLkknq6ALc/s3667/IMG_6710.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="zip line" border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="3667" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU4zT6Fz2OnXtIEZDKcNQBs4y377JAhAwUuxNZg7TuXNGexw9GmVeEJQph59W2zn2So1dCBGbT0bIR5Lg3rp6W4_l7tZCcA-5mfO3_310kQEFXqHBt55gSvq994znUEQf-X62KQCrnC5oaXN0fUz2LZ52X-DJXwfYeC5wLIm-mHmqlJx0rOLkknq6ALc/w640-h480/IMG_6710.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkNHav36SBA3uYv1WgG5SwaPi1SBFlCaUF0Eu9J_hrWuEHMKcfZsn08Zz-iGWdS_rff8lwxwB6aXBDNoY86f_K0K5CSfAC6eEEzUZphB5I-Y_Cw4WWikBTi5xPxhlyGcgF9sqNimsqL1f7isUMegWChvNY2efH8Bqf5X_mZEsNbzzL_Jo6nrWdRyFvUY/s4032/IMG_6744.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron on Bridge of Sighs" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkNHav36SBA3uYv1WgG5SwaPi1SBFlCaUF0Eu9J_hrWuEHMKcfZsn08Zz-iGWdS_rff8lwxwB6aXBDNoY86f_K0K5CSfAC6eEEzUZphB5I-Y_Cw4WWikBTi5xPxhlyGcgF9sqNimsqL1f7isUMegWChvNY2efH8Bqf5X_mZEsNbzzL_Jo6nrWdRyFvUY/w640-h480/IMG_6744.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aWd4ElEYm_G5eDQF6Ehk0wJlcQCvigkQgGSSTxhVzFEG5HYvTQOZ-ias2OQ2Tg0qADaVVWMITnJ3tvwK-L6ZWv1L41n9he4j0nGNugepXiIRE4_GL6WxqOtfbq_cXcvNHozTLVH_ifYzfqjRi1mH3R_XodzAnTB4b9mVJ1yJpjMRdInu-nZIVhWlJvM/s4032/IMG_6752.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view of South Beach pool from Bridge of Sighs" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aWd4ElEYm_G5eDQF6Ehk0wJlcQCvigkQgGSSTxhVzFEG5HYvTQOZ-ias2OQ2Tg0qADaVVWMITnJ3tvwK-L6ZWv1L41n9he4j0nGNugepXiIRE4_GL6WxqOtfbq_cXcvNHozTLVH_ifYzfqjRi1mH3R_XodzAnTB4b9mVJ1yJpjMRdInu-nZIVhWlJvM/w480-h640/IMG_6752.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>The show that night was a tribute to Michael Jackson called “Starwalker”. I’d heard it was good, so I had made reservations on the MSC app that morning. This was the first ship we’d been on where you had to make reservations for the shows, but after seeing how small the theater was for a ship with 5000 passengers, I could see why they were a good idea.</p>
<p>The show was amazing! I loved all the music (Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Thriller, Bad), and the lead dancer who played Michael Jackson was fantastic. There was also a duo who did a very fast, Spanish version of Billy Jean and another dancer who performed a sexy, acrobatic routine to Dirty Diana. For the finale, the troupe sang We are the World while the audience waved their cell phones in the air. It was by far the best show we’ve seen on a cruise in a long time.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRVfFnYbxYrXGhpkSHEDGRvdsIAqr4More2f80pglIOB50xnoSyfrLnpN6XSoD_l5Ftll5cENKvIHNwuXMFYRhvP5XW7bjrWPX--hh9BY0MnLF1v8Cey4mATy_r0Ni08uCS-FpuSHoJaT3nagYVkpmoV5mrben1JQQ2DvxxPOcDtVQhPItXv3u8rt2Mc/s3097/IMG_6784.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Starwalker show" border="0" data-original-height="3097" data-original-width="2323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRVfFnYbxYrXGhpkSHEDGRvdsIAqr4More2f80pglIOB50xnoSyfrLnpN6XSoD_l5Ftll5cENKvIHNwuXMFYRhvP5XW7bjrWPX--hh9BY0MnLF1v8Cey4mATy_r0Ni08uCS-FpuSHoJaT3nagYVkpmoV5mrben1JQQ2DvxxPOcDtVQhPItXv3u8rt2Mc/w480-h640/IMG_6784.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdz8EH-QAxSVJMRfKi50XX3594U9dWEa5EntxRRQcogJEiLTwAP21DCZex51yTtO03JXI4Cs-E-BSDABEw8ZZ5mFz3qoxG_zXMW4iOMHYs1wrqp8j51vENqKweYicqKi1SSBNM7zcRPu9w6HLG97UBkrxuXvLL88QwH9fl5Y-vZmBiMggh_DKnpUb_Ru0/s3400/IMG_6815.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="We Are the World finale" border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdz8EH-QAxSVJMRfKi50XX3594U9dWEa5EntxRRQcogJEiLTwAP21DCZex51yTtO03JXI4Cs-E-BSDABEw8ZZ5mFz3qoxG_zXMW4iOMHYs1wrqp8j51vENqKweYicqKi1SSBNM7zcRPu9w6HLG97UBkrxuXvLL88QwH9fl5Y-vZmBiMggh_DKnpUb_Ru0/w640-h480/IMG_6815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We should have gone back to the cabin at that point and packed, but instead we went to the casino. :-) Ron and I both lost our daily gambling allotment, but we had fun anyway. As Ron said, “I didn’t plan to come home with it.” It wasn’t until I got up from the Blackjack table that I realized how much the ship was rocking! No wonder I was feeling a little queasy. Back at the cabin, I took a Bonine before packing up the suitcases and going to bed.</p>
<p>In the morning, we went to the breakfast buffet one last time for more chocolate croissants. When the ship was cleared, we did the Express Walk Off and were at our car by 8 o’clock. Fast and easy! And now I’m back home, trying to figure out how to use my new GoPro and dreaming about where to go next.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<div style="text-align: center;">In memory of Jimmy Buffet (1946 – 2023)<br />
Thank you for the gift of your music and for teaching us to love the island life.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-62994205852123915902023-06-11T13:39:00.002-04:002023-11-30T11:14:21.852-05:00Sandals Royal Bahamian - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xKXSQvlOVdfLtOAGrA8jJt7K8EsMzrhKiGiU16vELGR7grgZEM6Xy1czRKHw_k66QmT271eKNWAthYHGu4FRNH_L3cd7KyPVSQmx3VsbfSvXvRit20NCQ_bxCta6zHncoKLKvRZV8q0kUqm-mJfQ7dL1c3BFB7ptHquKAOjUkPkkUH8VML0W1-fV/s4032/IMG_5169.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals Royal Bahamian" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xKXSQvlOVdfLtOAGrA8jJt7K8EsMzrhKiGiU16vELGR7grgZEM6Xy1czRKHw_k66QmT271eKNWAthYHGu4FRNH_L3cd7KyPVSQmx3VsbfSvXvRit20NCQ_bxCta6zHncoKLKvRZV8q0kUqm-mJfQ7dL1c3BFB7ptHquKAOjUkPkkUH8VML0W1-fV/w640-h480/IMG_5169.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Wednesday</b></p>
<p>In the morning, we had breakfast at La Plume, the French restaurant that served an a la carte breakfast. When we got to the restaurant, we couldn’t find the door! Apparently, they had moved the entrance during the renovations, and now you had to go through Mr. B’s Bar to get in. La Plume was my favorite restaurant, with its pink Art Deco accents and beautiful curved glass windows. My eggs Benedict were tasty too.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZmB0R8Aj9KF64IRwzzLXhXrNvT5pdidZXMn6Yu9-GV1qGeMGH7AvsOqZOtiVY3GtWBtbDcGsvP58Ja75SIMQR4nMZKYs2OBqxVpr1M8wHQmk3dQ7yAv-IdqIZs0Bd7c4U-DBB4IzeaUL9uzRtVHai6ZPohetSn8zKGIgEoND2Rs3BmXpnGPpVMJA/s4032/IMG_4859.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="La Plume" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZmB0R8Aj9KF64IRwzzLXhXrNvT5pdidZXMn6Yu9-GV1qGeMGH7AvsOqZOtiVY3GtWBtbDcGsvP58Ja75SIMQR4nMZKYs2OBqxVpr1M8wHQmk3dQ7yAv-IdqIZs0Bd7c4U-DBB4IzeaUL9uzRtVHai6ZPohetSn8zKGIgEoND2Rs3BmXpnGPpVMJA/w480-h640/IMG_4859.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Plume</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5LsraWsxVTHKxh0lkuDZHlsPu8pZgfTkVqD1j5Fl5X6xSZ1oQGUVs_i2w66BmbVRIP6iCEgfucvcuW101hZptOpwlWGWr-1pz-tJo41sYqWgf_B6Zwmxoh4zrHmv5kEVCaoshBm9vSsZSxvMshTjbgIM-TYkzNrsI3mT_y3Qv8kChBmJi0yguITa/s3945/IMG_5298.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="La Plume" border="0" data-original-height="3945" data-original-width="2959" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5LsraWsxVTHKxh0lkuDZHlsPu8pZgfTkVqD1j5Fl5X6xSZ1oQGUVs_i2w66BmbVRIP6iCEgfucvcuW101hZptOpwlWGWr-1pz-tJo41sYqWgf_B6Zwmxoh4zrHmv5kEVCaoshBm9vSsZSxvMshTjbgIM-TYkzNrsI3mT_y3Qv8kChBmJi0yguITa/w480-h640/IMG_5298.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>We had signed up for snorkeling at 11:30 so after breakfast, we hung out at the West Bay pool until it was time to meet at the water sports center. That was when we found out that the snorkeling was actually at 12, not 11:30. If I’d known it wasn’t until 12, I might not have signed up because that interfered with my eating time. :-) Oh well, we were already committed, and the weather wasn’t great anyway so what else were we going to do? The forecasted clouds had arrived, and it was sprinkling a little when we boarded the boat, but I ended up being glad we went. Even with the clouds, the snorkeling was good. We saw lots of parrot fish, angel fish, porkfish, friendly chubs, a flounder, and a huge school of blue tang.</p>
<p>When it was time to get back onboard, the captain lowered a ladder from the bow of the boat. Unfortunately, the bottom rung of the ladder was at chest level, and Ron with his long legs and bad knees had trouble climbing up. By the time he made it up the ladder, I realized that the wind had pushed the boat pretty far away from me. I swam and swam, but instead of getting closer, the boat seemed to get farther away! When I finally got back to the ladder, the crew started telling people to use the bigger ladders at the stern. Now they tell us! At that point, I wasn’t about to swim anymore so I hoisted myself up. Phew! We relaxed the rest of the afternoon, eating pizza by the West Bay pool and hanging out at the swim-up bar. The swim-up bar is always one of Ron’s favorite places, and I had a hard time getting him out of the pool when it was time to get ready for dinner. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVZWmaXpDkCQkWe-pCoZk3rD1nSRJSmpeNhvtLm2rVn0TapORC7zUzB0EWtovLDthnG0Mms6FRmivfvE2YGMVKuYX6gNebgYivoq11gHfImHCHiWDBvZBN0S7_-_-XOvGuSVFAdIK1_KisjxQ9V1ibAvZRhH-gElqoCRaLJ3RZ_uoOrDsFORYErWi/s4032/IMG_4870.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="water sports" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVZWmaXpDkCQkWe-pCoZk3rD1nSRJSmpeNhvtLm2rVn0TapORC7zUzB0EWtovLDthnG0Mms6FRmivfvE2YGMVKuYX6gNebgYivoq11gHfImHCHiWDBvZBN0S7_-_-XOvGuSVFAdIK1_KisjxQ9V1ibAvZRhH-gElqoCRaLJ3RZ_uoOrDsFORYErWi/w640-h480/IMG_4870.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We had dinner that night at La Plume, then went to the Balmoral Club in the East Bay building for martinis. The East Bay building, built in the 1940s, was originally part of the Balmoral Beach Hotel, an exclusive hangout for Bahamas high society. The walls of the bar were covered with historic pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor from their years in Nassau. On our first trip to Sandals Royal Bahamian, Mama and Daddy had gone to tea every afternoon in the Balmoral Club. Sandals seemed to have done away with the afternoon tea, but I was glad to see they’d preserved a lot of the character of the beautiful, old building.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80Qk7BvA9CFES6eMjkWvUWT3tRN04kE4N-1aoSvLjTm51pT67jZRYtoiGLiwebZDUR9f5v1pARRrGZ9qqFichD90ln8PKlRDmENvaQisBqrp6CkRmSMcEVYLd5oswUBG-UcjYal3i7dlkdt-X0dCTn_7-CJ0cGR9aG-MOij5gglLsf7bobPfAtXKh/s4032/IMG_4890.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="escargot" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80Qk7BvA9CFES6eMjkWvUWT3tRN04kE4N-1aoSvLjTm51pT67jZRYtoiGLiwebZDUR9f5v1pARRrGZ9qqFichD90ln8PKlRDmENvaQisBqrp6CkRmSMcEVYLd5oswUBG-UcjYal3i7dlkdt-X0dCTn_7-CJ0cGR9aG-MOij5gglLsf7bobPfAtXKh/w480-h640/IMG_4890.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6TrE_y4UXFeopEKFiYkFa8ziJrhNhAWTPiWLKDPsyu7Gx609kge6wys_HxwumGymffgYHF0_Z5w2jdrdxXQlE245xCagrJ8_f-Ny4SjNzvyo_3KrVwR1yTGEANDGJz7Xsl5JGB6jYCJNGgV64NAODDrq1RsZZMCFnQI-QbQFVcdvapslLCDKq9QE/s4032/IMG_4892.JPG"><img alt="lamb shank" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6TrE_y4UXFeopEKFiYkFa8ziJrhNhAWTPiWLKDPsyu7Gx609kge6wys_HxwumGymffgYHF0_Z5w2jdrdxXQlE245xCagrJ8_f-Ny4SjNzvyo_3KrVwR1yTGEANDGJz7Xsl5JGB6jYCJNGgV64NAODDrq1RsZZMCFnQI-QbQFVcdvapslLCDKq9QE/w640-h480/IMG_4892.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJK_Nx4eiplSJgSYJXU8QQwKv0jImyaaJg7bvjshuE5CiWTk6YZNvwbaFBXbw-5KZsXm-01f1Ax84PS86mPri_3zsir1AZhfLjV-U9J2vat_ShdirhNfkqVno-H2giN31UE_OTbWqGMcIgP1YBb7GxGkjmCNghtjNL4bgh5CXzakIdl1-OdiCz_uo/s4032/IMG_4841.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="German Chocolate Cake Martini" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJK_Nx4eiplSJgSYJXU8QQwKv0jImyaaJg7bvjshuE5CiWTk6YZNvwbaFBXbw-5KZsXm-01f1Ax84PS86mPri_3zsir1AZhfLjV-U9J2vat_ShdirhNfkqVno-H2giN31UE_OTbWqGMcIgP1YBb7GxGkjmCNghtjNL4bgh5CXzakIdl1-OdiCz_uo/w480-h640/IMG_4841.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Chocolate Cake Martini at the Balmoral Club</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rkUCnsdUhHCoVm8xIXZfS0K6ZaGvN58lRYksoNcTGNA5RYCEIQuNmCRnouY-QaJO-wbbDNkizRmhFRDplv5IUBXGxSSw0yP9ed0qcr8HvlBiAQ6hiNwoAiEetTbIbg5dHBzoDi--VNbQpWT_Rzrakjlp2CkxpnPLxB9CYK9aRZuO2fje_2WkWeeV/s4032/IMG_5461.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Balmoral Club" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rkUCnsdUhHCoVm8xIXZfS0K6ZaGvN58lRYksoNcTGNA5RYCEIQuNmCRnouY-QaJO-wbbDNkizRmhFRDplv5IUBXGxSSw0yP9ed0qcr8HvlBiAQ6hiNwoAiEetTbIbg5dHBzoDi--VNbQpWT_Rzrakjlp2CkxpnPLxB9CYK9aRZuO2fje_2WkWeeV/w640-h480/IMG_5461.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balmoral Club and piano bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmiMY_kisX0qYFHeI32B64IGs_j-TFWpJvCpaRRVsJcjKOEfLYJrO3ZzCWwOfsTw4PUDrC8L98yhZ2eZPxTEmrIs3q_TEppik873j0GvJev_waOXBMxD2YTyLIlcu6IShtdy1MwhF-E95dc1bNEScWz6fB8yJYsRDDAd2SeHDU8Uw-PjDJzFFK_SN/s3985/IMG_5350.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="billiards room" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmiMY_kisX0qYFHeI32B64IGs_j-TFWpJvCpaRRVsJcjKOEfLYJrO3ZzCWwOfsTw4PUDrC8L98yhZ2eZPxTEmrIs3q_TEppik873j0GvJev_waOXBMxD2YTyLIlcu6IShtdy1MwhF-E95dc1bNEScWz6fB8yJYsRDDAd2SeHDU8Uw-PjDJzFFK_SN/w640-h480/IMG_5350.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9OuBadp2MSUpGap6DPYMuYssb7RUjBqibl7TUcMZrhRE1UEJMoFPPo-BB_fda59niD1-HqmUxEqIJAqe-byUGcvmlvoxW6hoSq5kBud7sSz94MSkOvrxCN9GeXi4HRjk-0wu1vyWof7_N9Tkx7zOuGZrdXAaP9cDkiwZ0v0Aq9P55Ff8d1qa_5kQ/s4032/IMG_4916.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="East Bay building at night" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9OuBadp2MSUpGap6DPYMuYssb7RUjBqibl7TUcMZrhRE1UEJMoFPPo-BB_fda59niD1-HqmUxEqIJAqe-byUGcvmlvoxW6hoSq5kBud7sSz94MSkOvrxCN9GeXi4HRjk-0wu1vyWof7_N9Tkx7zOuGZrdXAaP9cDkiwZ0v0Aq9P55Ff8d1qa_5kQ/w640-h480/IMG_4916.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we were ready to leave the bar and go back to our room for the night, we discovered that it was POURING rain and lightning. We couldn’t get to the food truck, but the Club Sandals lounge had cookies! We ended up waiting out the storm in the lounge, talking to a nice couple from Pennsylvania until 11 o’clock when the rain finally stopped.</p>
<p><b>Thursday</b></p>
<p>After so many visits to Nassau, I thought we’d seen just about everything there was to see. But a few weeks before our trip, I’d found out that Baha Mar, the huge hotel complex about a mile and a half away from Sandals, had flamingo encounters, and I signed us up. I was very excited about meeting the flamingos. When I’d gotten my pre-trip pedicure, I’d even picked a nail polish color called “Pink Flamingo”. :-)</p>
<p>Our Flamingo Meet and Greet was scheduled for 10 o’clock, so we left Sandals at 9 to give ourselves plenty of time to catch the bus and explore the hotel. Baha Mar was gigantic and beautiful. We wandered around the grounds, checking out the beach and the multiple pools.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5-ejucINdk0kMgrA8Co45_bVFyOIHAhQi-0HH8HiiJVwMkQeFFMU15aUD_7kq5ckmBrMt2Bop_kNLc8zhcB6tj1ZKlQSE7SAsn7LOGOoYV1fPgZTZHSf9Gzbwj0ml7qgj-bOu3AkXAgEvyh2BXb1xoLA3RHtzFU2q4V3vvxMFbP8AEuySGgjDonP/s4032/IMG_5083.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Baha Mar" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5-ejucINdk0kMgrA8Co45_bVFyOIHAhQi-0HH8HiiJVwMkQeFFMU15aUD_7kq5ckmBrMt2Bop_kNLc8zhcB6tj1ZKlQSE7SAsn7LOGOoYV1fPgZTZHSf9Gzbwj0ml7qgj-bOu3AkXAgEvyh2BXb1xoLA3RHtzFU2q4V3vvxMFbP8AEuySGgjDonP/w640-h480/IMG_5083.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baha Mar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG4V9gnmlITbKSTup7U3Ft8w0HQxfHMoF0ECrI_zaiLgUIZsImx74AUU21hfCDpPMi0IEEzF2vI-3AYGfbceWujF2yRgJhwPPNQDf9xVdUJvQ15hBgbAnSDjrTDk37v0dpogeFJ5_uiZmJ5s55qm4_J5eekvaI3h1QY1bXASQlnAxiIeCO2UY1dUy/s4032/IMG_4944.JPG"><img alt="Baha Mar pool" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG4V9gnmlITbKSTup7U3Ft8w0HQxfHMoF0ECrI_zaiLgUIZsImx74AUU21hfCDpPMi0IEEzF2vI-3AYGfbceWujF2yRgJhwPPNQDf9xVdUJvQ15hBgbAnSDjrTDk37v0dpogeFJ5_uiZmJ5s55qm4_J5eekvaI3h1QY1bXASQlnAxiIeCO2UY1dUy/w480-h640/IMG_4944.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OGGDTVA8SUnrO_qyAHWxgkKHIjNZByawMMJ1pNoNOdkM6knehDRwtaBDBiSR5__516Jfz8Npxz0H3le4C2uoAurrq4jZXNqwyJSLbdJHvDC9-QupnORyq7OJfxGqP7pMAY08o6awhQMO07M5kQGJSJVnhjYby76YL5MUtGRcTaiIpVwSSDXfkv5n/s4032/IMG_4940.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Baha Mar fountains" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OGGDTVA8SUnrO_qyAHWxgkKHIjNZByawMMJ1pNoNOdkM6knehDRwtaBDBiSR5__516Jfz8Npxz0H3le4C2uoAurrq4jZXNqwyJSLbdJHvDC9-QupnORyq7OJfxGqP7pMAY08o6awhQMO07M5kQGJSJVnhjYby76YL5MUtGRcTaiIpVwSSDXfkv5n/w480-h640/IMG_4940.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>At 10, we met at Flamingo Cay, where our guide Shante led us to a private enclosure and introduced us to the birds. The Caribbean Flamingo was brought back from near extinction by the Bahamas in the 1950s and it is now their National Bird, with over 50,000 living on the southern islands. Shante told us that Baha Mar had 26 flamingos in two separate groups. One group had been raised by other flamingos and acted like flamingos would in the wild. The second group, the ambassadors, had been hand-raised by the staff, so they were used to interacting with people. The ambassadors were all named for significant Bahamian people or events. There was Lynden (named after Lynden Pindling, the prime minister who led the Bahamas to independence), Baha, Indy, Luca, Kanoo and Sidney (for Sidney Poitier).</p>
<p>During our encounter, we each got to touch one of the birds and stroke its feathers, then Shante handed out cups of bird food and water so we could feed them. Flamingos eat with their heads down, swinging their beaks back and forth through the water to filter out the food. While Shante took pictures of us with the flamingos, one of the flamingos came up next to me and tried to preen the hair on my arm. What colorful characters! It was a very fun excursion.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9a-_Lx3JbM6XsEL6ygC-0dGcaGT84v2VsNRHBMtq3Mt_PiKT6jeufL94LmF3M85CSJvRxvIFPDZGdgDEHa244u1byzVdFJZeTc-8W310GKrl_mmTLsGpqqWw7TTsEfwT4qT50qU8Lir7p7Eap7zALTd0S73p6mZM-sKeeEAUjBHNBMe9NKI1UCZ0/s3897/IMG_4942.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingo directional sign" border="0" data-original-height="3897" data-original-width="2922" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9a-_Lx3JbM6XsEL6ygC-0dGcaGT84v2VsNRHBMtq3Mt_PiKT6jeufL94LmF3M85CSJvRxvIFPDZGdgDEHa244u1byzVdFJZeTc-8W310GKrl_mmTLsGpqqWw7TTsEfwT4qT50qU8Lir7p7Eap7zALTd0S73p6mZM-sKeeEAUjBHNBMe9NKI1UCZ0/w480-h640/IMG_4942.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdniNeVN3XvOvhg-m2s2Mw6UTa6nzwY2xyWBVltpeBi-ksDejeDxmoSFWGkCQ_kf1b2au9Ew7VI6TUiXm5ExhV0mTGX8U50uGCwqRrXp9NLh7fFq9F54QimJr8WCTL17PJFf6fySXilKpuZtu_L_Jk3Aeqq-UJ4hWT7LvXdg7vNWRg0D9V9cP72Zp_/s4032/IMG_4974.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingo flock" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdniNeVN3XvOvhg-m2s2Mw6UTa6nzwY2xyWBVltpeBi-ksDejeDxmoSFWGkCQ_kf1b2au9Ew7VI6TUiXm5ExhV0mTGX8U50uGCwqRrXp9NLh7fFq9F54QimJr8WCTL17PJFf6fySXilKpuZtu_L_Jk3Aeqq-UJ4hWT7LvXdg7vNWRg0D9V9cP72Zp_/w480-h640/IMG_4974.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGjA8u6KFGe82O9pKluc4qiulgI8_wqyx7BFko-fT_U2yu1XpP_7tu6DAJUcwOxm5_1fFdyLHXcSi298IvPuSVQ6MjKryEKZdpcey76RgjhJagXg03fMyZMtXA23YNZQ7MjoZxhKE8K27ffOMN4tidFL5HiF6mR97WDhhA0WrtxVvNjUED2H-VO1v/s4032/IMG_4999.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingo" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGjA8u6KFGe82O9pKluc4qiulgI8_wqyx7BFko-fT_U2yu1XpP_7tu6DAJUcwOxm5_1fFdyLHXcSi298IvPuSVQ6MjKryEKZdpcey76RgjhJagXg03fMyZMtXA23YNZQ7MjoZxhKE8K27ffOMN4tidFL5HiF6mR97WDhhA0WrtxVvNjUED2H-VO1v/w480-h640/IMG_4999.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTb115oI3LhJYOrhxjATpkx9zYhWRSs_skAnLTK4tai9IMb8LylT3sB8XC7HRypfrcW9cROEwEwlXCy4GByWMLq_yyI6dsstQDDF-Qj1NzAupEG_TmffyFr4zi1ACbVbZssDsJUvtYqCO83xvljYYNwkEGyQUkXrV38KDWNX_89m8A4nnwbHonKD7/s4032/IMG_5021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="feeding the flamingos" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTb115oI3LhJYOrhxjATpkx9zYhWRSs_skAnLTK4tai9IMb8LylT3sB8XC7HRypfrcW9cROEwEwlXCy4GByWMLq_yyI6dsstQDDF-Qj1NzAupEG_TmffyFr4zi1ACbVbZssDsJUvtYqCO83xvljYYNwkEGyQUkXrV38KDWNX_89m8A4nnwbHonKD7/w480-h640/IMG_5021.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfa2lmTOFgvID9wpTQZPWTeWVJAnYky5YahpWz_Bwi1heGd7V2qaHOBHN54Sq4Ulki_pcgeEx-fSRLdfIHttt5GzUDCXRIDluTY1q_zuWPGd1t_SnOdNFQxhxx1g5MXM_NNT31R5xBAeYcM3Z8sOTKhRqYi7CpoSUgS_6sNzhpgzS68jm83lp7adL-/s4032/IMG_4994.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="flamingo feet" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfa2lmTOFgvID9wpTQZPWTeWVJAnYky5YahpWz_Bwi1heGd7V2qaHOBHN54Sq4Ulki_pcgeEx-fSRLdfIHttt5GzUDCXRIDluTY1q_zuWPGd1t_SnOdNFQxhxx1g5MXM_NNT31R5xBAeYcM3Z8sOTKhRqYi7CpoSUgS_6sNzhpgzS68jm83lp7adL-/w480-h640/IMG_4994.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink Flamingo feet</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-znHSP-a5paqYSKEoKJZtLXuy7myTRXtWZm9H8OaeEhFsLk4nBbw2PP-08dI9i1H07fPvSsvknjvN2a4CUgkIEiX4xyG1KSUjw9fvvrS1M_3L4kuKDRqJ_f0vASt5dmHknNw4lb_FpoM-T7jzYVirDqRZZh69TTA94eQxbIhttTnqNuJ-tkY2OJU/s4032/IMG_5040.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Susan and Ron with flamingos" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-znHSP-a5paqYSKEoKJZtLXuy7myTRXtWZm9H8OaeEhFsLk4nBbw2PP-08dI9i1H07fPvSsvknjvN2a4CUgkIEiX4xyG1KSUjw9fvvrS1M_3L4kuKDRqJ_f0vASt5dmHknNw4lb_FpoM-T7jzYVirDqRZZh69TTA94eQxbIhttTnqNuJ-tkY2OJU/w480-h640/IMG_5040.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo bombing flamingo</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNIvb49suFcVNIL-iayEkaMbXT9bEwCVUJWToLLs9BbbV3qDto0mPd6S7amvXp0UWetszj3yQAnLUwq57jYO0rhi7lMKnFLIPCdYKEWU76BJ1_DRXoURnj7MWfVTW4gjS9DfZ_XEHAtrfPfZkKiM77xPfIBvwNjTwyToAMg2SAWmQBYyMpYnPjH5i/s3644/IMG_5046.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingo" border="0" data-original-height="3644" data-original-width="2733" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNIvb49suFcVNIL-iayEkaMbXT9bEwCVUJWToLLs9BbbV3qDto0mPd6S7amvXp0UWetszj3yQAnLUwq57jYO0rhi7lMKnFLIPCdYKEWU76BJ1_DRXoURnj7MWfVTW4gjS9DfZ_XEHAtrfPfZkKiM77xPfIBvwNjTwyToAMg2SAWmQBYyMpYnPjH5i/w480-h640/IMG_5046.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu6gpVkd8g7HvhczhiCvnboXyly9erd5L99W0mIcDoOZXsAiXpDY6h_pKyzOi6B92wnb6lr_5fNrp6jS38M5cY8qFeINeUaeV_o6KoslTl6atIwR8mWfiPNeqFmih5ke9EApifjo2BIQ_UL4IZZE-4rcnWQX4yI4wCx7NQBACF2ZSybCwgznAdNQT/s3429/IMG_5067.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingo in pond" border="0" data-original-height="3429" data-original-width="2572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu6gpVkd8g7HvhczhiCvnboXyly9erd5L99W0mIcDoOZXsAiXpDY6h_pKyzOi6B92wnb6lr_5fNrp6jS38M5cY8qFeINeUaeV_o6KoslTl6atIwR8mWfiPNeqFmih5ke9EApifjo2BIQ_UL4IZZE-4rcnWQX4yI4wCx7NQBACF2ZSybCwgznAdNQT/w480-h640/IMG_5067.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>We’d planned to gamble a little at Baha Mar's casino before heading back to Sandals, but the Blackjack tables had a $25 minimum. Too high for us! Instead, we decided to walk over to the daiquiri shack outside Melia, the hotel next door. I’d been wanting to try the daiquiri shack for the past few years. Unfortunately, while we were waiting for our daiquiris, a fight started between one of the employees and another man. The bartender pushed the two guys out the door where they continued their cursing and shouting right outside. I was really hoping that no one had brought a gun, but I was more mad than scared. We were just trying to have a fun vacation! Take the drama somewhere else!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY13pw2bLYfEzDTRrnTf8fTM7UNxmePXYl2oVjEztMv5S5sCJO55UwV-8rHT1dQmEKWWATwVK6OFg6fY72zFj1zs2TmvXq8dPusmv6CPjOkiISuBhzBn2aSi5rnJj2lreyuZfMtDG2Lk3duwaFDGvXWQC7d1ur3mpmLbwZxWH1VvBfLDXyFMtjVxfB/s4032/IMG_5096.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Daiquiri Shack" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY13pw2bLYfEzDTRrnTf8fTM7UNxmePXYl2oVjEztMv5S5sCJO55UwV-8rHT1dQmEKWWATwVK6OFg6fY72zFj1zs2TmvXq8dPusmv6CPjOkiISuBhzBn2aSi5rnJj2lreyuZfMtDG2Lk3duwaFDGvXWQC7d1ur3mpmLbwZxWH1VvBfLDXyFMtjVxfB/w480-h640/IMG_5096.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTPTACLpzxGP_B3Jx9xsleNGPyYKm-6nSGSmlqVLdcPv1ab3AsIy570aB5M8tOBFHeb3rWv3IMqvFA3-FyMtNNg_8SlyWEURnAG5SwyYCO8DSpgIi53gGxnnFwroOK7w3KuFSVq34IKWOK9yGhZEfbrsm1P4QJ9VPqPFCcYW5jjiYU9eU-JEYNxrW/s4032/IMG_5102.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="daiquiri" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTPTACLpzxGP_B3Jx9xsleNGPyYKm-6nSGSmlqVLdcPv1ab3AsIy570aB5M8tOBFHeb3rWv3IMqvFA3-FyMtNNg_8SlyWEURnAG5SwyYCO8DSpgIi53gGxnnFwroOK7w3KuFSVq34IKWOK9yGhZEfbrsm1P4QJ9VPqPFCcYW5jjiYU9eU-JEYNxrW/w480-h640/IMG_5102.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>When we finished our daiquiris, we walked the rest of the way back to Sandals. The clouds were gone, and it was sunny and hot. We spent the afternoon cooling off at the West Bay pool, Ron at the swim-up bar and me relaxing on a lounge chair with a book. At least it was relaxing until the pool party started. Sandals used to have a foam party, which sounded like a lot of fun. But a couple of months before our trip, the foam parties mysteriously stopped, and no one was saying why. I don't think the entertainment staff had quite figured out a replacement yet because the party mainly seemed to consist of the dance team dancing around the pool to REALLY loud music. I had to retreat to the Coconut Grove until it was over.</p>
<p>That night we finally stayed awake long enough to make it to the piano bar at the Balmoral Club. We closed out the night singing along to “Friends in Low Places” and “Country Roads.”</p>
<p><b>Friday</b></p>
<p>Friday was Ron’s birthday! We had breakfast at La Plume again, then took a walk around the Island Village, the garden area scattered with two-story villas. The Beatles stayed in one of the villas in 1965 when they were filming the movie “Help!”. The gardens were very pretty and private, with lots of flowers, hummingbird feeders and a gazebo. We found the old phone booth outside of Kanoo restaurant. The phone booth was red in 2009, but now it was pink and covered with flowers.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayPc1Xv---76A_nclyRvb-BquvxGm-_UX0msv01O5iiZiCoZCLqSiUAcmY-GUVBr2noY7Gs8eVXusnVlNNAnELMUXwYpH8vAHO8k20vpenMLBK3zMzbfUXMfFb1krtIVRyYr6a1ABPrEwVQSnXO2iYbsFBk-A97a9D-aBcwt-z21kEb6Bger3VYHI/s4032/IMG_5131.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="East Bay wading pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayPc1Xv---76A_nclyRvb-BquvxGm-_UX0msv01O5iiZiCoZCLqSiUAcmY-GUVBr2noY7Gs8eVXusnVlNNAnELMUXwYpH8vAHO8k20vpenMLBK3zMzbfUXMfFb1krtIVRyYr6a1ABPrEwVQSnXO2iYbsFBk-A97a9D-aBcwt-z21kEb6Bger3VYHI/w640-h480/IMG_5131.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHaveZvWa5lEIzHqLM1iOAvND9iy8nHN-eKCY_IA2dOdAZrr3FolCcs6lsqStloaika_t7KyBY1VtgQuFiZqT-UbZncK0uWrlxiBI0S7nBno2BhyJHkq3HgmzUaSUxvmUbPmhNtSppVxqvACPMHMGkWsX8bbKz-gyhnnxFijFkIW_JOKhB32D4pzt/s4032/IMG_5158.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Island Village gazebo" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHaveZvWa5lEIzHqLM1iOAvND9iy8nHN-eKCY_IA2dOdAZrr3FolCcs6lsqStloaika_t7KyBY1VtgQuFiZqT-UbZncK0uWrlxiBI0S7nBno2BhyJHkq3HgmzUaSUxvmUbPmhNtSppVxqvACPMHMGkWsX8bbKz-gyhnnxFijFkIW_JOKhB32D4pzt/w480-h640/IMG_5158.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKfEsxzf76B1udqBzVGAGVTHQzcFakRLC19aq3gfA5IlnL02pH_pr4RfrHoVHwXwfXqnJkVANnfXRfv-LkgV9fWvjihunw8YoJOFDkCQfNKjurBm3bvPKigzGbbwMIfDiKNXqIw4-j89lz18nyuZZXEbO0P7J_aqptMP00adKsGoXh1_2nbAr2PaQ/s4032/IMG_5152.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tropical flowers" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKfEsxzf76B1udqBzVGAGVTHQzcFakRLC19aq3gfA5IlnL02pH_pr4RfrHoVHwXwfXqnJkVANnfXRfv-LkgV9fWvjihunw8YoJOFDkCQfNKjurBm3bvPKigzGbbwMIfDiKNXqIw4-j89lz18nyuZZXEbO0P7J_aqptMP00adKsGoXh1_2nbAr2PaQ/w480-h640/IMG_5152.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsXN4mkcSXErhVjbsSiO8mcDiNvN2erJ39JGgktT_n__SDVTaQPjMonQfXGh6GqdMGZjhyesm1yeQtmQ4DVx8DlFJJH90yyKiwsCeJmxQ8EHX_S5-IW8DyIUm1Gj2kvyi0u1iFhPBHvbhy6bf7hhoZi8qWTiHsOabA7-ec-EjVCy33aU7mLcvz3si/s4032/IMG_5159.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Kanoo and phone booth" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsXN4mkcSXErhVjbsSiO8mcDiNvN2erJ39JGgktT_n__SDVTaQPjMonQfXGh6GqdMGZjhyesm1yeQtmQ4DVx8DlFJJH90yyKiwsCeJmxQ8EHX_S5-IW8DyIUm1Gj2kvyi0u1iFhPBHvbhy6bf7hhoZi8qWTiHsOabA7-ec-EjVCy33aU7mLcvz3si/w640-h480/IMG_5159.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kanoo Restaurant</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2G1m5ka9qNMPTfV-ms0QmytyTocQlnVL9EXxBTH17AvDWIDjEChyjGqITajldF4SCm7gTP3ErXGK5aYAtlMxBmRQu11rB3p4bxyzKVa_ubBzEVr_VmvzfCjAmlJzjGcz3tKcrPbt6o7yhFQV55PDu5SbgEfJP8JYLxom5Nt9KbYJQ71tI_pKqO1m/s4032/IMG_5146.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="phone booth" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2G1m5ka9qNMPTfV-ms0QmytyTocQlnVL9EXxBTH17AvDWIDjEChyjGqITajldF4SCm7gTP3ErXGK5aYAtlMxBmRQu11rB3p4bxyzKVa_ubBzEVr_VmvzfCjAmlJzjGcz3tKcrPbt6o7yhFQV55PDu5SbgEfJP8JYLxom5Nt9KbYJQ71tI_pKqO1m/w480-h640/IMG_5146.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd73xg5Iltqh8YHg5XGLQJUYpb_XEsUakV3AizJZ-vD7hxmY6TjRvefBok__pp6vffVb69CkXLlEIkSNgUIcC0cUfxYTpyF4WW_42_LWFHT4RON8_SnBx9FdNJAQiLljrD3mcwJ3W7RtZdU6GGXiCMTNXfioz-h07taQXxPZb2LyXrlHX2hRSRnLt/s4032/IMG_5148.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="phone booth flowers" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd73xg5Iltqh8YHg5XGLQJUYpb_XEsUakV3AizJZ-vD7hxmY6TjRvefBok__pp6vffVb69CkXLlEIkSNgUIcC0cUfxYTpyF4WW_42_LWFHT4RON8_SnBx9FdNJAQiLljrD3mcwJ3W7RtZdU6GGXiCMTNXfioz-h07taQXxPZb2LyXrlHX2hRSRnLt/w480-h640/IMG_5148.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>We wanted to spend one more day at Sandals Cay, so we got in line at the pier (but not as early this time). When we got to the island, we hung out on lounge chairs by the pool and went snorkeling around the rocks on the back side of the island. I had the seafood risotto for lunch again and it was just as good as the first time. In the early afternoon, storm clouds started to roll in. Soon the resort disappeared behind a curtain of rain and the lightning got closer and closer until it was right on top of us. Eek! Everyone ran for shelter under the restaurant’s roof.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcGVXNIFTBCOv6nqgrNqMuek31rQQnZQd-hKYYR0-II-TRm-3AzYyt4Wf7po_rU7BfbMlf9JcnKqJRfoQIxOC3uPb6HbGvEP-2KRlSNWHkgjD9OYjee5d6CCBt7WxLCBwppZK_q68K7o0v8RppjUaI9r_ApfEZu-IjEiZmp1lGH7znEY2WPseis_r/s4032/IMG_5199.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals Cay pier" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcGVXNIFTBCOv6nqgrNqMuek31rQQnZQd-hKYYR0-II-TRm-3AzYyt4Wf7po_rU7BfbMlf9JcnKqJRfoQIxOC3uPb6HbGvEP-2KRlSNWHkgjD9OYjee5d6CCBt7WxLCBwppZK_q68K7o0v8RppjUaI9r_ApfEZu-IjEiZmp1lGH7znEY2WPseis_r/w640-h480/IMG_5199.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8M5DVmP-ArGMGEU3DRmVSXGd-96jYP0cZCZ5V7oN2woJa4WgCjvQdPRGNQz8lQABKsE8zwLX_m4MTsYbvJoZbouqOtk8eTTSA2NefUVuDockdCpCRv-I0cb6GrtT7rWmtJ566rPqBtjZ6zYcYkFyEO_rZU2KahMKZSZ4UAqk70CYd0m3PEdaDCC74/s4032/IMG_5195.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals Cay bar" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8M5DVmP-ArGMGEU3DRmVSXGd-96jYP0cZCZ5V7oN2woJa4WgCjvQdPRGNQz8lQABKsE8zwLX_m4MTsYbvJoZbouqOtk8eTTSA2NefUVuDockdCpCRv-I0cb6GrtT7rWmtJ566rPqBtjZ6zYcYkFyEO_rZU2KahMKZSZ4UAqk70CYd0m3PEdaDCC74/w480-h640/IMG_5195.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uHopfD4jb1qq0xR4Yx6HAAgXHEh_mAOIgq_ne8Qh8xK0mt83fbMh32qZvHLQZJnGnDJTbjjy4X2voHBx2V_3Bt0m5conN-wKpCLOvDFiWliO6KcM_Mp5bYXDS7vVUVHZr6XvqOu-9MuzYLefX6BrVkVJYsHhvzhrlXH1I35fwn1-vji_BPCxCWaR/s3644/IMG_5222.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="footprints in the sand" border="0" data-original-height="3644" data-original-width="2733" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uHopfD4jb1qq0xR4Yx6HAAgXHEh_mAOIgq_ne8Qh8xK0mt83fbMh32qZvHLQZJnGnDJTbjjy4X2voHBx2V_3Bt0m5conN-wKpCLOvDFiWliO6KcM_Mp5bYXDS7vVUVHZr6XvqOu-9MuzYLefX6BrVkVJYsHhvzhrlXH1I35fwn1-vji_BPCxCWaR/w480-h640/IMG_5222.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGHfP-7p4nzylJmgJVRz-bIBI0XJQTH7R-INosYeDkcQPris-tf1lB-LNjoNmYYjuSMgyftxkYsRrn71FU5MrmqQHhIl-GrScJg086kqErnLr_g1WCQVXfsS7GSQSdWiuLfKkHAXivuBuSl2LDFpqpV70z2lvf6iWOD7GmClPsf-YEbkz3sgE0kBa/s4032/IMG_5224.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="colorful snails on rocks" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGHfP-7p4nzylJmgJVRz-bIBI0XJQTH7R-INosYeDkcQPris-tf1lB-LNjoNmYYjuSMgyftxkYsRrn71FU5MrmqQHhIl-GrScJg086kqErnLr_g1WCQVXfsS7GSQSdWiuLfKkHAXivuBuSl2LDFpqpV70z2lvf6iWOD7GmClPsf-YEbkz3sgE0kBa/w480-h640/IMG_5224.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp96imOoZm5FHTdkzOGGKWAfxlVkXB9Z_2u6zAD9wWZCFvEGOTeKqIKSejNaHvrWs7BTro5MbFlwitmlBv03ATYsaCuoXIuq9HyqbGL5Fsh8qxILs9TxFnPShQkhE5Ahba5vAqA2rJGf0a16W-ZZ3UqGh0B7z584tb10-6_QXLUW_dkwihCq2XuU1/s4032/IMG_5227.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="downpour" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp96imOoZm5FHTdkzOGGKWAfxlVkXB9Z_2u6zAD9wWZCFvEGOTeKqIKSejNaHvrWs7BTro5MbFlwitmlBv03ATYsaCuoXIuq9HyqbGL5Fsh8qxILs9TxFnPShQkhE5Ahba5vAqA2rJGf0a16W-ZZ3UqGh0B7z584tb10-6_QXLUW_dkwihCq2XuU1/w480-h640/IMG_5227.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Fortunately, the storm didn’t last long and the sun came back out, but everything was soaked. Ron had rescued our beach bag when it started to rain but not the towels, and there was not a dry towel to be had on the island. We decided to take the boat back and find a dry spot at the West Bay pool for the rest of the afternoon.</p>
<p>Before dinner, we met with one of the resort photographers, Javaughn, for a photo session. Poor Ron, I made him get pictures taken on his birthday! But he was a good sport about it, and Javaughn got some great shots. Of course, I had to have my picture taken in the phone booth. That seemed to be a requirement. :-)</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZO9MWtBr4XpuiUJLPcTVj0OLVhy53XmeJr3YGXOnj0FnafO6bc5oz8F-dVifWGU7oxAi8tCs3Wbb1GHe__1gjyvsI_2uWr1Zvuiv2kMszPYbPzladgcd0AiTzZrLU1QtTfa-bGCbm7MofWXsxmAoEjSDUuBvqOBy8itoD5196JvtOaVlmVdxBzZh/s4519/IMG_5352a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ron and Susan at fountain" border="0" data-original-height="3389" data-original-width="4519" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZO9MWtBr4XpuiUJLPcTVj0OLVhy53XmeJr3YGXOnj0FnafO6bc5oz8F-dVifWGU7oxAi8tCs3Wbb1GHe__1gjyvsI_2uWr1Zvuiv2kMszPYbPzladgcd0AiTzZrLU1QtTfa-bGCbm7MofWXsxmAoEjSDUuBvqOBy8itoD5196JvtOaVlmVdxBzZh/w640-h480/IMG_5352a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqdMRM7IAg_Ta02iBn1z_LuTKMyWAW4-N6RQcEk4PBb8nK08CYNiIPonUFXrIM0joW9ZYXLfOd8Uf-ypRFX16EgmgL1D_VNuA6NehenL8xfWMH90VNoMoiAdU57_zSvv6imPGejg6RjjZmQ2DuGYDOxNoN-_IwC5MFf1UFLwfwRuZmVCzXaEgBaGo/s3712/IMG_5353b.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ron and Susan in gazebo" border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="2784" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqdMRM7IAg_Ta02iBn1z_LuTKMyWAW4-N6RQcEk4PBb8nK08CYNiIPonUFXrIM0joW9ZYXLfOd8Uf-ypRFX16EgmgL1D_VNuA6NehenL8xfWMH90VNoMoiAdU57_zSvv6imPGejg6RjjZmQ2DuGYDOxNoN-_IwC5MFf1UFLwfwRuZmVCzXaEgBaGo/w480-h640/IMG_5353b.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Co810EGada9rUmAmEipGpsQEZxYJ8tNSGpOQNv6S6LzzGrRjN8kle_HZYMIovtMiSh8WILM1n3AemtUTBgj9vIq1tV5eyXGG5kI1BGAKxKZd7SfsY8WawJ1hnQ_JjfnwMXYihfFzZ4Ue0zFce7rO-i10GwyfkRK7wkzwX9NKODWmbRj4LX0mJLg_/s4497/IMG_5355a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Susan in phone booth" border="0" data-original-height="4497" data-original-width="3373" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Co810EGada9rUmAmEipGpsQEZxYJ8tNSGpOQNv6S6LzzGrRjN8kle_HZYMIovtMiSh8WILM1n3AemtUTBgj9vIq1tV5eyXGG5kI1BGAKxKZd7SfsY8WawJ1hnQ_JjfnwMXYihfFzZ4Ue0zFce7rO-i10GwyfkRK7wkzwX9NKODWmbRj4LX0mJLg_/w480-h640/IMG_5355a.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>That night we had dinner reservations at Butch’s Chop House at 6:30. When we stayed at Sandals in 2009, Butch’s Chop House was called the Crystal Room. I remember it being dark with an enormous chandelier on the ceiling. During the remodel, glass had been added to the walls between Butch’s, La Plume and Mr. B’s Bar so there was a lot more natural light, but the huge chandelier was still there. Ron and I ordered most of the appetizers on the menu – crab cake, garlic shrimp, and grilled pork belly. My lamb chop entrée was good and my Willy Wonka Brulee, which had caramel popcorn on top, was delicious. Unfortunately, Ron’s T-bone steak was so tough that he could barely cut it. He was disappointed because the Butch’s at Sandals Barbados had been our favorite restaurant last year.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP1E6MKIP8_nDSwfmksnkxMHh6bskdMnSsVcEKa02Z5qTB-uOYKImUE9omhXEW1lvXK-RwRTva5l5swUn3mKC3WhrlX1croSzDJg0rs7PPOFs9z5rIUM0tDnKMw_whSiBA82lAcLOu7BsnUhKl2wRAV89q9sLVsXNLjCTEa7LlrMveHhhMXKi5CIQ/s4032/IMG_4444.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Butch's Chop House chandelier" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP1E6MKIP8_nDSwfmksnkxMHh6bskdMnSsVcEKa02Z5qTB-uOYKImUE9omhXEW1lvXK-RwRTva5l5swUn3mKC3WhrlX1croSzDJg0rs7PPOFs9z5rIUM0tDnKMw_whSiBA82lAcLOu7BsnUhKl2wRAV89q9sLVsXNLjCTEa7LlrMveHhhMXKi5CIQ/w640-h480/IMG_4444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butch's Chop House</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KgRRE0kvqPdoiCDgXfr2R6uho2T7Gti7zbMm2e7W0As7egLoCMi6s7zQ4giwz4YtgmKkcEpTpvpw1BmQRtkc3epD5RL9HIzxM28g4FmrG5Cx0ji6wIk8ndjs3vxJmXOiOY3snNMrAc7uU_bn5oI959SSVEpSevUOZdj_REvKTszgksJOPU_9QbBv/s4032/IMG_5269.JPG"><img alt="appetizer at Butch's" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KgRRE0kvqPdoiCDgXfr2R6uho2T7Gti7zbMm2e7W0As7egLoCMi6s7zQ4giwz4YtgmKkcEpTpvpw1BmQRtkc3epD5RL9HIzxM28g4FmrG5Cx0ji6wIk8ndjs3vxJmXOiOY3snNMrAc7uU_bn5oI959SSVEpSevUOZdj_REvKTszgksJOPU_9QbBv/w640-h480/IMG_5269.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>After we left Butch’s, we stopped at Mr. B’s Bar for drinks and that was when we discovered that they had Ting, a Jamaican grapefruit soda. Why were we just finding this out when vacation was almost over?? Ron and I thought it was funny that the Sandals resorts in Jamaica didn’t have Ting, but here it was in the Bahamas! The bartender poured us glasses of Ting with rum, and even gave us a bottle to take back to the room. We were happy campers. :-) Later there was a Caribbean party in the Coconut Grove. Everyone was dancing, even a bride still in her wedding gown. I did some line dancing and then sat in one of the swing chairs at the bar, enjoying the island music and the night air. I love vacation!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9CsOUtbKFa2LosnJMeAs6k7YLBYPAmTMGjp1Cwla6cvKJd7gqhLVqmFTjWEhDcniGm_IzbgyhUJvC5kktI72JKmqLKkBwRpUHIGlzaQOwYMTs4W0NwIA2vTkcQLLAQ7fktnTVoraRRwCxPTL2bMq0HjAaSQfcLbh4lgoiEnBHMwltsL7OlUb3oxb/s4032/IMG_4437.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="West Bay building at night" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9CsOUtbKFa2LosnJMeAs6k7YLBYPAmTMGjp1Cwla6cvKJd7gqhLVqmFTjWEhDcniGm_IzbgyhUJvC5kktI72JKmqLKkBwRpUHIGlzaQOwYMTs4W0NwIA2vTkcQLLAQ7fktnTVoraRRwCxPTL2bMq0HjAaSQfcLbh4lgoiEnBHMwltsL7OlUb3oxb/w480-h640/IMG_4437.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V8bvTYUvhI0dI2_WENJvqLDPDJU0Tn-Uwh-HNw78SXMUb6gb-MF5gg_cPXPA5Zubgi_RzPdinmMzcuxsLNoPg23PjIrxGQDecWVpAKxblHCLv5I5o4I_ll2FVDI1MwfF2mwDzwTHUKd_LixqTE9uh0JXmZUf2gSayiqtUWvK2V4Jy8T8umRnCVeu/s3747/IMG_5424.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fire pits" border="0" data-original-height="3747" data-original-width="2810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V8bvTYUvhI0dI2_WENJvqLDPDJU0Tn-Uwh-HNw78SXMUb6gb-MF5gg_cPXPA5Zubgi_RzPdinmMzcuxsLNoPg23PjIrxGQDecWVpAKxblHCLv5I5o4I_ll2FVDI1MwfF2mwDzwTHUKd_LixqTE9uh0JXmZUf2gSayiqtUWvK2V4Jy8T8umRnCVeu/w480-h640/IMG_5424.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Saturday</b></p>
<p>No matter how many days we’re on vacation, on the last day we always seem to realize how many things we still haven’t done. We hadn’t gone sailing yet! After breakfast we went to the water sports center to sign up for one of the Hobie Cats, but the watersports guy said there wasn’t enough wind so we ended up kayaking instead. Well, Ron did most of the rowing since I kept stopping to take pictures.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec9uiGN2Dabqwy1XIhB51s21UasZVQIT7NB0mQhECrtFWZYHyW6JGkN3iEYrYnXGD9wI73JjiEU4GSfefFN2n5n5Dg47mqePZQ0oiyWZlPzDiWIm84G43bTtVNV5EylaPiRNnpUnPuyfYxkBvNQj6CJ-n8yeclY8MKlBR0gz4XuikfHCEpUbNBgFi/s4000/P5270313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kayaking" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec9uiGN2Dabqwy1XIhB51s21UasZVQIT7NB0mQhECrtFWZYHyW6JGkN3iEYrYnXGD9wI73JjiEU4GSfefFN2n5n5Dg47mqePZQ0oiyWZlPzDiWIm84G43bTtVNV5EylaPiRNnpUnPuyfYxkBvNQj6CJ-n8yeclY8MKlBR0gz4XuikfHCEpUbNBgFi/w640-h480/P5270313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQV9_LD9bnJjLjYzNOLrNl3-FEeo0eO2Lx5FdQZI6ojXZjAojwkYNAkGS6SEWS9JDY7MnL3WzkCe0yk9yB2NFpdR4Ct2oxAJGUO8UEIHGazzAQjuzUIUmHrwGQWH6iu0m7zH1BUFEOcEq3g2SUCAVCnv0TZ6wPgri9R0dSAV5gzS8YstzeUYFLpY46/s4000/P5270315.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan kayaking" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQV9_LD9bnJjLjYzNOLrNl3-FEeo0eO2Lx5FdQZI6ojXZjAojwkYNAkGS6SEWS9JDY7MnL3WzkCe0yk9yB2NFpdR4Ct2oxAJGUO8UEIHGazzAQjuzUIUmHrwGQWH6iu0m7zH1BUFEOcEq3g2SUCAVCnv0TZ6wPgri9R0dSAV5gzS8YstzeUYFLpY46/w640-h480/P5270315.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We thought we’d try sailing again in the afternoon when the wind picked up, but by the time we’d eaten our lunch from Coco Queen, the skies were threatening rain. I curled up under an umbrella by the pool with my book while Ron joined a rowdy game of pool volleyball. When the rain came, my umbrella kept me dry. The volleyball players were already wet, so the rain didn’t dampen their game.</p>
<p>We had our last dinner at Soy Sushi Bar since it was the only restaurant we hadn’t tried yet, except for Kimonos, which required reservations. After dinner, we went to the gym on the top floor of the East Bay building. This was the only time we made it to the gym the whole week. Ron and I only do “accidental exercise” when we're on vacation. If we happen to burn a few calories while snorkeling or playing pool volleyball, that’s fine, but we aren’t going to do it on purpose! :-) No, the reason we went to the gym is because it had amazing views of the sunset. I don’t think many people knew about this spot because we had the view to ourselves.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rz7muuX0FYwJf8InsUMjU64Qif3gEAclUFAE48xddeN4-z-fxqYKSw6bXCTuhLVo-zJ9yGI2KGHJWGTyWdqgps2ndXPwEfarKXWOWCAVLDm2LzpdS0baDJmAiOkO3AJttzmVF_R8y4twoG7PYXw8iuqrM-azIjInPQ3IwHr-oPU2p0lmUjX3n3eW/s4032/IMG_5390.JPG"><img alt="Kimonos" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rz7muuX0FYwJf8InsUMjU64Qif3gEAclUFAE48xddeN4-z-fxqYKSw6bXCTuhLVo-zJ9yGI2KGHJWGTyWdqgps2ndXPwEfarKXWOWCAVLDm2LzpdS0baDJmAiOkO3AJttzmVF_R8y4twoG7PYXw8iuqrM-azIjInPQ3IwHr-oPU2p0lmUjX3n3eW/w640-h480/IMG_5390.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcXiay5Jnd0mK9IUBJ3Y5Mqtx6m8tf-J9TCJhhml0VW18cTNlOBigr9QUF4oqUHLfcTucMYK8E7hNZcY2NxPXvjbIkFOCyd0ARfM38Z7EmC0qVAYoYvQJnp01FsjxJbw1eJC4UqbVDhR3giBj0PhKMrNGuesHfdwfzyCw-z9Dpvl98OXMpgyoctY0/s4032/IMG_5312.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Soy Sushi Bar" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcXiay5Jnd0mK9IUBJ3Y5Mqtx6m8tf-J9TCJhhml0VW18cTNlOBigr9QUF4oqUHLfcTucMYK8E7hNZcY2NxPXvjbIkFOCyd0ARfM38Z7EmC0qVAYoYvQJnp01FsjxJbw1eJC4UqbVDhR3giBj0PhKMrNGuesHfdwfzyCw-z9Dpvl98OXMpgyoctY0/w640-h480/IMG_5312.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soy Sushi Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY_iH42hKVrh0EVoGGywKiHNFROSdq8TM7x2noq8Mqj5GtpqP6ES3M9vaFq3C26BuAKZmzneju6_5nr09y0utY9rglFAdLMVC0Cz7B5lkk-_iWWMOAraKpDTWgl1XHnxTXBlyFZepcwYNZR-zgsUo73egPvwURR1EQyz3dDtcjaZJiUZmr7aN0MHs/s4032/IMG_5396.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sushi" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY_iH42hKVrh0EVoGGywKiHNFROSdq8TM7x2noq8Mqj5GtpqP6ES3M9vaFq3C26BuAKZmzneju6_5nr09y0utY9rglFAdLMVC0Cz7B5lkk-_iWWMOAraKpDTWgl1XHnxTXBlyFZepcwYNZR-zgsUo73egPvwURR1EQyz3dDtcjaZJiUZmr7aN0MHs/w480-h640/IMG_5396.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q1gtNIDBnTzS48vQwtsFax5ArQFET7XvlklnBKN8P__TjJ00Q7ftBbUWuaovj7QwyyMF01ycmds1SBBoK9c6mpfj3u8gWJ3eh0M3sbfcTQf3H4XhVpAB9LXanCN3XZIf8DRpfMXt7kpCagk3NPVGxC8SCmpHxOT7nyaX2UMzPoqAWxjghCs1Xk0z/s4032/IMG_5398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset from East Bay building roof" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q1gtNIDBnTzS48vQwtsFax5ArQFET7XvlklnBKN8P__TjJ00Q7ftBbUWuaovj7QwyyMF01ycmds1SBBoK9c6mpfj3u8gWJ3eh0M3sbfcTQf3H4XhVpAB9LXanCN3XZIf8DRpfMXt7kpCagk3NPVGxC8SCmpHxOT7nyaX2UMzPoqAWxjghCs1Xk0z/w640-h480/IMG_5398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>The entertainment at the Coconut Grove that night was a silent disco, a dance party where you listen to the music through headphones instead of over a speaker system. There were three different channels of music to choose from so not everyone was dancing to the same type of music, which made it very funny to watch. I couldn’t believe it, but Ron actually danced! Apparently, the way to get Ron to dance is to stick headphones on him. For some reason, the headphones did almost make you feel like no one could see you. You just had to remember not to sing out loud to the music. :-) As the party was winding down, the DJ played “Hell of a View”, and Ron and I slow danced in the sand.</p>
<p><i>This ain’t for everybody<br />
Toes hanging off the ledge<br />
Like we’ve got nothing to lose<br />
Ain’t always heaven, baby<br />
This living on the edge<br />
You holding me holding you<br />
It's a hell of a view</i></p>
<p>We picked up milk and cookies from Sweets ‘n’ Tings one last time before we headed back to our room. When Ron told the lady at the food truck that it was our last night, she filled up a whole bag of cookies for him. What a great end to another great week at Sandals!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDgPaDxBcaDeRY-y0jFe8NiXpsctlGGobakWgptPHMj4gscIYdh1Of9prELpmYTWnEH3EHvi5MWZ4gDX5r4P4U9JLUjcwdyLWRCAy4xLsE1r8f6037Bx57VPPWfpLf8oExrWLRImcwb381YF56DMbuGUxEUvg7QfKprj4v1Jgqbmh0ndGcdj28gDi/s3843/IMG_4574.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals sign at dusk" border="0" data-original-height="2882" data-original-width="3843" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDgPaDxBcaDeRY-y0jFe8NiXpsctlGGobakWgptPHMj4gscIYdh1Of9prELpmYTWnEH3EHvi5MWZ4gDX5r4P4U9JLUjcwdyLWRCAy4xLsE1r8f6037Bx57VPPWfpLf8oExrWLRImcwb381YF56DMbuGUxEUvg7QfKprj4v1Jgqbmh0ndGcdj28gDi/w640-h480/IMG_4574.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-59500594753229976652023-06-11T10:53:00.002-04:002023-06-11T13:41:08.231-04:00Sandals Royal Bahamian - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYeK8pWGcYpt9yzvVH_iy0oe2w9_LZXUwPKJOEa_Rk2awEXjJg6j67VAlK1YIXHgHP9_-kJdrL38Xvxtv6CewIwSfwZPE6b7lwZky6POVdfcwwQGosbC9znv9f-Vgl4rDrn0LFfBJOKSDliZQLW8RgQs4oWwvV7PeRnMEWOGixORbfyvG0A6B2a8w/s4032/IMG_4482.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals Royal Bahamian" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYeK8pWGcYpt9yzvVH_iy0oe2w9_LZXUwPKJOEa_Rk2awEXjJg6j67VAlK1YIXHgHP9_-kJdrL38Xvxtv6CewIwSfwZPE6b7lwZky6POVdfcwwQGosbC9znv9f-Vgl4rDrn0LFfBJOKSDliZQLW8RgQs4oWwvV7PeRnMEWOGixORbfyvG0A6B2a8w/w640-h480/IMG_4482.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Sunday</b></p>
<p>After 70 nights at 9 Sandals resorts over 22 years, Ron and I finally earned our free week vacation! We just had to decide where to take it. We thought about Grenada or Curacao, but the flights were terrible, so we ended up choosing our “home away from home”, the Bahamas.</p>
<p>Our plane landed at 1:10 and by 2:30, we were checked into our room at Sandals Royal Bahamian. We’d booked a West Bay Oceanview Penthouse room, which was on the top floor of the West Bay Building. Our room had a 4-poster king bed with comfy, white bedding and a great view of the West Bay pool, the pier, and the insanely blue water. I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at that water. Pictures just didn't do it justice.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYAnBYjj--uqalr3-qRKHoJH7ubCSKCRuELQ3SIOpQVtyNlJgb6hBEE16qK4LyGibIC0zwyUzUpoaxP40vG2-JuNnFpMjna4y0Z1AVSOYT026ccGhMX2mse6NKKZ4nch9YlH2qhegaJ919njWtZsgAjCUrLcCyyAUY5tiffeK_t3Q9qqRxBhNP6Ve/s3897/IMG_4349.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view from balcony" border="0" data-original-height="2922" data-original-width="3897" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYAnBYjj--uqalr3-qRKHoJH7ubCSKCRuELQ3SIOpQVtyNlJgb6hBEE16qK4LyGibIC0zwyUzUpoaxP40vG2-JuNnFpMjna4y0Z1AVSOYT026ccGhMX2mse6NKKZ4nch9YlH2qhegaJ919njWtZsgAjCUrLcCyyAUY5tiffeK_t3Q9qqRxBhNP6Ve/w640-h480/IMG_4349.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0EdlRCIQCmxv2RCfipwhhq0cKhbX7nXabizEFiahX39WChw6pLKwAqSKxiVPx0fzA96NQeI8oyx_z8DEy46prkHiXaT1GaDOpS8dW2qFqYeM-qlQFctBRhZ66z804OUad_mhVIuAWR_ex4H1TPcHhb-khcHaIG6buGyfs-Mc8IZPRGijLjDdStj-/s4032/IMG_4353.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pier, pool and private island" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0EdlRCIQCmxv2RCfipwhhq0cKhbX7nXabizEFiahX39WChw6pLKwAqSKxiVPx0fzA96NQeI8oyx_z8DEy46prkHiXaT1GaDOpS8dW2qFqYeM-qlQFctBRhZ66z804OUad_mhVIuAWR_ex4H1TPcHhb-khcHaIG6buGyfs-Mc8IZPRGijLjDdStj-/w640-h480/IMG_4353.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W8e-e_Y5aV7JPAZqdx6JxwNrC9tsm29xlj8ddaBhVISksQZTvjtGDCcqR1TY-_c1OfSq6jj5q-AhCZ-CpAFTnbl-bprwN9ANf8iEhE2GXZBZSZJkK6FtDPf5ZuvJttn0xcUgjvJdo8jKps8dhuQr-nI_k--hiMOERGZsruy_osKDjXbXOcEOIZQ7/s4032/IMG_4343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="West Bay Penthouse room" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W8e-e_Y5aV7JPAZqdx6JxwNrC9tsm29xlj8ddaBhVISksQZTvjtGDCcqR1TY-_c1OfSq6jj5q-AhCZ-CpAFTnbl-bprwN9ANf8iEhE2GXZBZSZJkK6FtDPf5ZuvJttn0xcUgjvJdo8jKps8dhuQr-nI_k--hiMOERGZsruy_osKDjXbXOcEOIZQ7/w640-h480/IMG_4343.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Once we’d unpacked our bags, we went down to the Coconut Grove. Sandals Royal Bahamian had gone through a major renovation a couple of years ago, and I was looking forward to seeing all the changes that had been made since we stayed there in 2009. The Coconut Grove was the area of the resort that had changed the most. The theater and pizza oven had been replaced with a large open space where the nightly entertainment was held. There was also a new outdoor bar with swing chairs and two food trucks – Coco Queen, which served Bahamian snacks like conch fritters and conch salad, and Sweets ‘n’ Tings, which served coffees, pastries and crepes. Other than the Coconut Grove, the updates to the resort were mostly cosmetic. The big pillars around the pools and the statues of Greek gods and angels were gone. The buildings had been painted in lighter colors with touches of pink and aqua all around the property. It looked fresh and modern.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWr4NuCmS88aZeuZwWF14YLFSFxRKRvF9oD0qbpa74P8r6SHWNkqJYNfbWhymDfIDzCwBkx73qsBLGgyjumsm1ncHsHxlBBZGnk-GzwDY0ubgGUVw9j-GdN8bwcXQPo_eLdXJg5_4SYAXaI9_dFf98yOZaYiVwAcyN6MoAXfICrgRI4sitNk6F9iOo/s4032/IMG_4866.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Coconut Grove" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWr4NuCmS88aZeuZwWF14YLFSFxRKRvF9oD0qbpa74P8r6SHWNkqJYNfbWhymDfIDzCwBkx73qsBLGgyjumsm1ncHsHxlBBZGnk-GzwDY0ubgGUVw9j-GdN8bwcXQPo_eLdXJg5_4SYAXaI9_dFf98yOZaYiVwAcyN6MoAXfICrgRI4sitNk6F9iOo/w640-h480/IMG_4866.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut Grove</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKB-9qrU1AW1kCv7gHgdp57oq8l1iZ1FnO5IZKTz_-g47jhJCNvtywj_gvW7jmiR-j4ZVa1-gHM_95Wu-_mGUD3bbcWzf1y9dovfoWv6Xfe6TPBs7hQyk56J1rZe69D7YZZgxPMd5SWFCvSSjJJ1ZspoYF-ZNA0Vtg6gtA8IvcLcKpevt6ddHgSDQ/s4032/IMG_4367.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="swing chair" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKB-9qrU1AW1kCv7gHgdp57oq8l1iZ1FnO5IZKTz_-g47jhJCNvtywj_gvW7jmiR-j4ZVa1-gHM_95Wu-_mGUD3bbcWzf1y9dovfoWv6Xfe6TPBs7hQyk56J1rZe69D7YZZgxPMd5SWFCvSSjJJ1ZspoYF-ZNA0Vtg6gtA8IvcLcKpevt6ddHgSDQ/w480-h640/IMG_4367.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVEf_Q62QF7NKLNb96MFATHJPfI6A7eLzT4kcfgbZ8EXH5xQ4a8XR-xRuRrP3VX1_t3b2ySLcrcPCzCOLpLlXk_AV1cxBUiSxVDIHjztzBfC_8GnaTdDF1X8w-TWrZGZLpED2np_q9DxDYJsLqPITLhDlkkmQBOQiMYL41RAOqa1nxCzXwTEgVfqu/s4032/IMG_4377.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dragon in the Coconut drink" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVEf_Q62QF7NKLNb96MFATHJPfI6A7eLzT4kcfgbZ8EXH5xQ4a8XR-xRuRrP3VX1_t3b2ySLcrcPCzCOLpLlXk_AV1cxBUiSxVDIHjztzBfC_8GnaTdDF1X8w-TWrZGZLpED2np_q9DxDYJsLqPITLhDlkkmQBOQiMYL41RAOqa1nxCzXwTEgVfqu/w480-h640/IMG_4377.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragon in the Coconut</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxSZAJa2RK8lowB_Pv9cBxc9ZbOppIuV_IQXx52swYMBmuMo2sdDrR-XkwYzea1ivEfCBFRwA8VFWOWGb0wm2QkCEb8BIbYX4TbOiWCuMDlB83QgRSfsbAOkUTniBq21GD1djlOO00ESiT9zLph19UjxqdkjXHXp38rZMzjvS9Ka5tLvOHUYthxD0/s4032/IMG_4470.JPG"><img alt="Coconut Grove food truck" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxSZAJa2RK8lowB_Pv9cBxc9ZbOppIuV_IQXx52swYMBmuMo2sdDrR-XkwYzea1ivEfCBFRwA8VFWOWGb0wm2QkCEb8BIbYX4TbOiWCuMDlB83QgRSfsbAOkUTniBq21GD1djlOO00ESiT9zLph19UjxqdkjXHXp38rZMzjvS9Ka5tLvOHUYthxD0/w640-h480/IMG_4470.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6hrb4yj7ljnNXDGk3YJNn7BHytKJgS997-NYdlP6geX_zPiEBdHye871gn0Evca5KnB6vwGx--n2s4xUS2Y7vCpVcTCk2zd3Kq7MG0xFAjbDLjoaAV_KYGYxjnDWzk8ZaYWQncDJsduPWOysYfPUhoUt-cLmE83_98GvHEQw_XvZve7JXg_fTU7g/s4032/IMG_4464.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sweets 'n' Tings" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6hrb4yj7ljnNXDGk3YJNn7BHytKJgS997-NYdlP6geX_zPiEBdHye871gn0Evca5KnB6vwGx--n2s4xUS2Y7vCpVcTCk2zd3Kq7MG0xFAjbDLjoaAV_KYGYxjnDWzk8ZaYWQncDJsduPWOysYfPUhoUt-cLmE83_98GvHEQw_XvZve7JXg_fTU7g/w480-h640/IMG_4464.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>For dinner that night, we decided to eat at Gordon’s, the seafood restaurant out on the pier. My swordfish steak was overcooked, but the location and the sunset were perfect. After dinner, we went to Mr. B’s Bar for drinks and ended up chatting with one of the bartenders, Garen. When I said I wanted something refreshing and not too sweet, he made up a cocktail for me with Bombay Sapphire, thyme muddled with lemon, and a splash of tonic water. He even gave it a name – Old Thyme. :-) Before going to bed, we stopped by the food truck to pick up cookies and a glass of milk for Ron. Vacation was off to a good start!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5Umos4668Ed26WQOrXiD7FSkGGobfCjgQFxsMkRM3IIDBYZ9tYHfjmS-AnQtwDaPZHmyo4uOALTFVb_wuI6yxQXIrAS-UsxBu22IuhdKQ_eg8JPU0U_zqOvi3oFoSAPrpt96pLOtjAl8w6SAblW69k1bD2Ohd_bbghDST-88ExdV4m3YT7np3jox/s4032/IMG_4390.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="sunset from pier" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5Umos4668Ed26WQOrXiD7FSkGGobfCjgQFxsMkRM3IIDBYZ9tYHfjmS-AnQtwDaPZHmyo4uOALTFVb_wuI6yxQXIrAS-UsxBu22IuhdKQ_eg8JPU0U_zqOvi3oFoSAPrpt96pLOtjAl8w6SAblW69k1bD2Ohd_bbghDST-88ExdV4m3YT7np3jox/w640-h480/IMG_4390.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the view from dinner at Gordon's</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6o5tWVHBvHkm3jZlSxtgh54iKKHSoL5IpPHupcceonD4Pqs1gmiopCEGvxThdcbjQt34iYyyPoo4rRYSAJMyYpmSg6obpC2-EBfbtMHXKbU0_91ylx-ymUNtXCS6aDqxu2R_p5WQb3x78gsc4qEH_H0x9gv5Aj8CPBy6vkH8157LyMoFHbgRXBel/s4032/IMG_4394.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset at Gordon's" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6o5tWVHBvHkm3jZlSxtgh54iKKHSoL5IpPHupcceonD4Pqs1gmiopCEGvxThdcbjQt34iYyyPoo4rRYSAJMyYpmSg6obpC2-EBfbtMHXKbU0_91ylx-ymUNtXCS6aDqxu2R_p5WQb3x78gsc4qEH_H0x9gv5Aj8CPBy6vkH8157LyMoFHbgRXBel/w480-h640/IMG_4394.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5Vnl74dmG486fiIg8MWycdCvcFEscdt1P3cw8jcrUVeL4XPw-Gra-4eBi-95GwaA7041xNeNULTnKxnBDFzBbmzIuaWoHKlkkTpA9intIftjf-p-DE73XXNlTUhCpp93neI47VkI8JCV45s4sf6l1ZGpL2sA0Ya17MfhLgY_CbeEDv0Hz6BFFaM_/s3976/IMG_4402.JPG"><img alt="sunset and boat" border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="3976" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5Vnl74dmG486fiIg8MWycdCvcFEscdt1P3cw8jcrUVeL4XPw-Gra-4eBi-95GwaA7041xNeNULTnKxnBDFzBbmzIuaWoHKlkkTpA9intIftjf-p-DE73XXNlTUhCpp93neI47VkI8JCV45s4sf6l1ZGpL2sA0Ya17MfhLgY_CbeEDv0Hz6BFFaM_/w640-h480/IMG_4402.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkzHHYgaC8oWFnaFk-QYuxAUGGxWTazOk391hU6woilqOVRfgnWG6KjRPUNeyl_rI6Q4N6-HFLELW7X3X5jRbqvGUUh0XG9_xYrtMDSDBQeOw8UdkseaU4ZdduCEIH_ndHlFh1KYWDf2s42VjOaWljql0dKi0s5tca1GsT7nM4Xl5EMQgJ1AIM5RU/s4032/IMG_4434.JPG"><img alt="swim-up pool at dusk" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkzHHYgaC8oWFnaFk-QYuxAUGGxWTazOk391hU6woilqOVRfgnWG6KjRPUNeyl_rI6Q4N6-HFLELW7X3X5jRbqvGUUh0XG9_xYrtMDSDBQeOw8UdkseaU4ZdduCEIH_ndHlFh1KYWDf2s42VjOaWljql0dKi0s5tca1GsT7nM4Xl5EMQgJ1AIM5RU/w640-h480/IMG_4434.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZvLHb1JLYKyiem0xfEycDLdBt5Bhw3tXtZoD6HgJxNWrl28bJbrDLeC__WOQz2XM7AYIu_KYex8CYXkNDPYSgY77jd2EeFnyqJVSC9wiKszt1O2wqUCu_W0dJhrG9MDx37Km96zcFQOQGEXxkTTWOKpdzKeN4NY2oXqUmr01qdEXB5XXw-ybpbM6/s4032/IMG_4446.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mr. B's Bar" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZvLHb1JLYKyiem0xfEycDLdBt5Bhw3tXtZoD6HgJxNWrl28bJbrDLeC__WOQz2XM7AYIu_KYex8CYXkNDPYSgY77jd2EeFnyqJVSC9wiKszt1O2wqUCu_W0dJhrG9MDx37Km96zcFQOQGEXxkTTWOKpdzKeN4NY2oXqUmr01qdEXB5XXw-ybpbM6/w480-h640/IMG_4446.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. B's Bar</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Monday</b></p>
<p>In the morning, we ate at Tesoro, the Italian restaurant that had a buffet at breakfast. There were several little kitties that hung around outside Tesoro, so I saved a couple of pieces of bacon for them. As we left the restaurant, we kept hearing meowing. Finally, we discovered the source. One of the kitties had climbed onto the roof of Kimonos, the hibachi restaurant, and was stuck. We tried to coax it down with my bacon, but the cat wasn’t having it. Before long, a small crowd had gathered under the cat, trying to figure out what to do. Someone went to ask a grounds keeper for a ladder, and Ron and I wandered over to the Coconut Grove. When we came back a little later, the cat was on the ground and eating the bacon. The Great Cat Rescue was over!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C2hD8U1Fn5kHCwDJ4Ff-sFMxeYdeFATIWxHJY0R0xWX4h7Ljx5LAcAe7rHpYa2iAL9jD_97_XBjGiAUpWloPEugyTwTcASVaTs0_qcO84-O1VCBNjNkOO1cXt9AObh4MUNIndBHgsU88tllRaL-sxLs6eEwZrVW7l5WtcfufDVDa2Ijw2SLt0gbo/s4032/IMG_4631.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tesoro Italian Restaurant" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C2hD8U1Fn5kHCwDJ4Ff-sFMxeYdeFATIWxHJY0R0xWX4h7Ljx5LAcAe7rHpYa2iAL9jD_97_XBjGiAUpWloPEugyTwTcASVaTs0_qcO84-O1VCBNjNkOO1cXt9AObh4MUNIndBHgsU88tllRaL-sxLs6eEwZrVW7l5WtcfufDVDa2Ijw2SLt0gbo/w480-h640/IMG_4631.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5LEI_oWWZgyu-JYDvO3GzqBNXbcRdoHxnAaqEocNoVT7kqg7SmadV5pNYcH_w_RHtPWgBsBVfCjIwo_mU9L3KL_BAtni_YBWxDh5YD7gL_4UAaECKiF6Wx3mlNPMfPXGpaKkpLNQ-ca9og89NDTAEyomfBex1-0rbsZTEd68DhPa2Uv5ANku1z8d/s4032/IMG_5434.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sandals cat" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5LEI_oWWZgyu-JYDvO3GzqBNXbcRdoHxnAaqEocNoVT7kqg7SmadV5pNYcH_w_RHtPWgBsBVfCjIwo_mU9L3KL_BAtni_YBWxDh5YD7gL_4UAaECKiF6Wx3mlNPMfPXGpaKkpLNQ-ca9og89NDTAEyomfBex1-0rbsZTEd68DhPa2Uv5ANku1z8d/w640-h480/IMG_5434.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one of the restaurant greeters</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Our plan for the day was to take the boat over to Sandals Cay. The main beach area at Sandals Royal Bahamian is small, but the resort has a private island called Sandals Cay about half a mile offshore with plenty of room to spread out. The first boat to the island was at 10 o’clock, and by 9 o’clock, there were already people lining up on the pier! We decided we’d better go ahead and get in line. The weather was supposed to get rainy later in the week, and we wanted to make sure we made it to the island at least once. It turned out that we really didn’t need to get in line so early. The boat held a lot of people and there was a second run at 10:15.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1sz95Y13R-FGvl8-QUphCdbqtcYnrn5JWegcCJiTvi55QMs3e7-D6wXEqlTw9lk2RJWzLRCcX_f8E6qwXS9UWTS5ks0bksmAu15LPMAyywg_2GLSZnFJwRqkYKjVuMAwFpd--tOl4YypoP7OiDFJ5leL-nBLMFahHdg5crajtB-srmYY4MeJvWyF/s4032/IMG_4490.JPG"><img alt="chairs on pier" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1sz95Y13R-FGvl8-QUphCdbqtcYnrn5JWegcCJiTvi55QMs3e7-D6wXEqlTw9lk2RJWzLRCcX_f8E6qwXS9UWTS5ks0bksmAu15LPMAyywg_2GLSZnFJwRqkYKjVuMAwFpd--tOl4YypoP7OiDFJ5leL-nBLMFahHdg5crajtB-srmYY4MeJvWyF/w640-h480/IMG_4490.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUrKPuwIOaas2h2Hs4ILRWvmgzFq5Li2jAVNX-92rvGVux1CTMCQ2O_QCE_iljNB3DUyZGxtuyiLpcSTJ4QRR8PiLv83CZenF6EqVOV9__93iUd8OsC-b7bW1RJte-iJNh8zP94t2ulbW0X8Sk7nKMlFQm6qixN_sndPbSmsT5X5pbx_JguSoszk/s3981/P5220011.JPG"><img alt="Sandals sailboat" border="0" data-original-height="2986" data-original-width="3981" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUrKPuwIOaas2h2Hs4ILRWvmgzFq5Li2jAVNX-92rvGVux1CTMCQ2O_QCE_iljNB3DUyZGxtuyiLpcSTJ4QRR8PiLv83CZenF6EqVOV9__93iUd8OsC-b7bW1RJte-iJNh8zP94t2ulbW0X8Sk7nKMlFQm6qixN_sndPbSmsT5X5pbx_JguSoszk/w640-h480/P5220011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Once we got to the island, we explored a little before deciding where to park ourselves. There were so many options – a pool with a swim-up bar and cabanas, thatched palapas on the beach, puffy bean bag chairs, hammocks. We chose two shaded lounge chairs on the back side of the island close to the pool and restaurant. It was gorgeous with the sunshine lighting up the water and turning it a hundred different shades of blue. We could hear music playing from the pool area - Eric Church’s “Hell of a View”. It sure was! We stayed on the island until late afternoon, swimming in the pool and the ocean and having lunch at Aralia House. The seafood risotto at Aralia House was one of the best things I ate all week. Delicious!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdbPacKFy9xT4cBiar9MObc4N3dzWtIfxDeCFsb0se3rgRqsieL9QZac1njjp9aGgCXcps__JHPIRjw3sfdBsSLEx4Z7_oqcguL6tqGwA5yk_OaqDNc-xMYpotsoo0cG2UttyrbZoVU_8e422xtYm3bSthsU4qAkVfqi1q08g0LvMNY9r-X82fl63/s3728/IMG_4493.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pool at Sandals Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2796" data-original-width="3728" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdbPacKFy9xT4cBiar9MObc4N3dzWtIfxDeCFsb0se3rgRqsieL9QZac1njjp9aGgCXcps__JHPIRjw3sfdBsSLEx4Z7_oqcguL6tqGwA5yk_OaqDNc-xMYpotsoo0cG2UttyrbZoVU_8e422xtYm3bSthsU4qAkVfqi1q08g0LvMNY9r-X82fl63/w640-h480/IMG_4493.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHwSyytpxaLvWoACicsg6IlumWkMcKLh1-UYcpaaDgQjQ2l7rfeTsq9WXPzFqsOXWWzOpy_ECQEwXHjsnEmGXpAx_syehD5yUfKPW2GLs16wK4egNiLoTFdQAcr650uEkY9jDjP563KGEzTstjc3tBV82GQ-iEfW01iS_dHEsB7xNP-gcvEkSK1ip/s3985/IMG_4517.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view of Baha Mar from Sandals Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHwSyytpxaLvWoACicsg6IlumWkMcKLh1-UYcpaaDgQjQ2l7rfeTsq9WXPzFqsOXWWzOpy_ECQEwXHjsnEmGXpAx_syehD5yUfKPW2GLs16wK4egNiLoTFdQAcr650uEkY9jDjP563KGEzTstjc3tBV82GQ-iEfW01iS_dHEsB7xNP-gcvEkSK1ip/w640-h480/IMG_4517.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg990zmbp4BTQni3dXe2Ydekxf83ajvHe1Wfv0dabFVfXBqchrnm8IdS6B9Vdme8ZQLi1Hcfx4Yee09tUxb2gTjvvQyiG1tJCEYZKnEcke7VEiM4PZYFOdb0J4rCEqBpGmZkP2UAK-LtJ7uot5-2CRORQJxDFCSOu0MicKk78Zcyntps3C9-DcBimRX/s3871/IMG_4518.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chairs with a view" border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="3871" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg990zmbp4BTQni3dXe2Ydekxf83ajvHe1Wfv0dabFVfXBqchrnm8IdS6B9Vdme8ZQLi1Hcfx4Yee09tUxb2gTjvvQyiG1tJCEYZKnEcke7VEiM4PZYFOdb0J4rCEqBpGmZkP2UAK-LtJ7uot5-2CRORQJxDFCSOu0MicKk78Zcyntps3C9-DcBimRX/w640-h480/IMG_4518.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-akrhsDhDdre6H2rVCsrsU7o1lL4P7nn6H27aJ0xTUbd54gsy5wToWOzpc9rM8xJKnUaO3C7CRkmRsCbLvIlsFO4BncR1yQ7QG6CVRXOGiMvZbEZK2s2uGTgQZ2yoT_2DVOwBHpsuZn0zzPMu9u2ZL7fgV9lqjG0e5PQEZcUDqc7cbfqh7rA3ww/s4032/IMG_4514.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hammocks" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-akrhsDhDdre6H2rVCsrsU7o1lL4P7nn6H27aJ0xTUbd54gsy5wToWOzpc9rM8xJKnUaO3C7CRkmRsCbLvIlsFO4BncR1yQ7QG6CVRXOGiMvZbEZK2s2uGTgQZ2yoT_2DVOwBHpsuZn0zzPMu9u2ZL7fgV9lqjG0e5PQEZcUDqc7cbfqh7rA3ww/w480-h640/IMG_4514.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfKkJymyJXIhk_j_U56Gqzn9VrHZgwOLylpezaRB6gjieFFhM9-VBkzo5RYWL3c1z3VKu1dLS7AgaxjOeVOEHjO4yO_oM4i1sQCIVjeRmgveml3RslMgFib7GBx8XF8hdrkTAJwE3TEut9u-kIdwxWW6_h4Mi4rxpv2VnqCFwE-3oMYoWSo_8QoeS/s3918/PXL_20230522_143546612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan on a hammock" border="0" data-original-height="2950" data-original-width="3918" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfKkJymyJXIhk_j_U56Gqzn9VrHZgwOLylpezaRB6gjieFFhM9-VBkzo5RYWL3c1z3VKu1dLS7AgaxjOeVOEHjO4yO_oM4i1sQCIVjeRmgveml3RslMgFib7GBx8XF8hdrkTAJwE3TEut9u-kIdwxWW6_h4Mi4rxpv2VnqCFwE-3oMYoWSo_8QoeS/w640-h482/PXL_20230522_143546612.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<p>That night after dinner at Tesoro, we went to the Coconut Grove to see the entertainment, a fire show called “Fire in the Grove”. We found some chairs right next to the stage area, which I thought would be great for getting pictures. But once the show started, we realized we were a little too close for comfort! Was it really a smart idea to be that close to people who were swinging around balls of flame? I started practicing “stop, drop and roll” in my head. It was a great show though, and the dancers did an amazing job. I would just sit farther away next time. :-)</p>
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<p><b>Tuesday</b></p>
<p>Tuesday was the day for our Exuma Cays Island Hopping excursion, an all-day powerboat ride to the Exumas, a chain of tiny islands south of Nassau. We’d done a similar powerboat tour in 2013, and Ron and I agreed that it was one of the best things we’ve ever done. This time, the tour also included a visit to Big Major Cay to see the world-famous swimming pigs and a stop for snorkeling at Pablo Escobar’s sunken drug plane.</p>
<p>At 7:30, we met in the lobby for the bus ride over to the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, where we boarded the boat and met our crew, Captain Keith, Jasmine and TJ. Then we were off, speeding through the crystal-clear water to our first stop at Allen Cay to feed the rock iguanas. It was hard to believe, but the water was even more beautiful in the Exumas than in Nassau. After about an hour, we got to Allen Cay where the iguanas were waiting on the beach or sunning themselves on the rocks, looking like miniature dinosaurs. Jasmine handed out lettuce leaves so we could feed them. Some of the larger iguanas came right up and nibbled the lettuce from our hands. We made sure to save a few leaves for the smaller, shyer ones.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0t-d5SQ7nLUgVPe5JZbJvK8Ruf5CNTp40oVZXdBno7RB2ceH4LNgRvGpLctHfHjIin-LhCPc5wU5MZokqsRL-go6IuCawQggPyyMBR3S7kdYuI4b1i8j8x2YMn_HYNDMSM1Ikf--22ip5-TfO_6bAFp6Gn3JBePShiiZEDFfcs5ixf8DDUsY3FKp8/s4032/IMG_4678.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Allen Cay iguanas" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0t-d5SQ7nLUgVPe5JZbJvK8Ruf5CNTp40oVZXdBno7RB2ceH4LNgRvGpLctHfHjIin-LhCPc5wU5MZokqsRL-go6IuCawQggPyyMBR3S7kdYuI4b1i8j8x2YMn_HYNDMSM1Ikf--22ip5-TfO_6bAFp6Gn3JBePShiiZEDFfcs5ixf8DDUsY3FKp8/w480-h640/IMG_4678.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_Ww-BdTO85Tzdx1FnGdmusYvw4pxUbTjUjbTD-47sP98uU5rtvrKqyJ4jkc8tyMkR8NHqpWRQT3f5EA3zLALd2XvwtEsAkBnzgmVbOBPYWnYVb7854jZUwD0d4LDWjkwyV09IzJ_JPrigWyzj3VO8kzl986eGagv2ntOX0k1DFFSJMoWuDqBmzpF/s3576/IMG_4696.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iguana" border="0" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="3576" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_Ww-BdTO85Tzdx1FnGdmusYvw4pxUbTjUjbTD-47sP98uU5rtvrKqyJ4jkc8tyMkR8NHqpWRQT3f5EA3zLALd2XvwtEsAkBnzgmVbOBPYWnYVb7854jZUwD0d4LDWjkwyV09IzJ_JPrigWyzj3VO8kzl986eGagv2ntOX0k1DFFSJMoWuDqBmzpF/w640-h480/IMG_4696.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Our next stop was at Compass Cay, a protected harbor that was home to a group of nurse sharks. As we approached the marina, Captain Keith told us that the sharks were docile, but we still needed to follow some ground rules. “Don’t put your hand in their mouths. I shouldn’t have to say that, but someone did it, so I have to say it.” People never cease to amaze me…</p>
<p>The last time we went to the Exumas, I specifically chose an excursion that did NOT include sharks. I’d seen pictures of tour operators wrestling the sharks, which seemed like a terrible idea for a lot of reasons. But our shark encounter wasn’t like that. It actually reminded me of the sting ray encounters we’ve done. TJ got into the water with us and showed us how to touch the sharks as they swirled around. Their skin was pebbly, kind of like the bottom of a swimming pool. They really were docile, but since their sense of smell was better than their eyesight, we kept our hands out of the way when TJ fed them fish. :-) I wasn’t expecting to like swimming with the sharks so much, but it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day. Very cool!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZVovXBDZ1Baki1GxJgRBrG8OJ1xtPvqg5b2KMZJBy2MJy71RGkHpa44ne1XwqNH0fZfN-SW4Qg6jhHMYM9aO4vnUG82-gC8Yh24sDJi8OjHND_D7E8oEtMc9cvjuLO11lCebetFnff7Knt8B4gr1OO02b961zvD_dI7BYkHuzfIu3_lkDahGvj2T/s4000/P5230024.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Compass Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZVovXBDZ1Baki1GxJgRBrG8OJ1xtPvqg5b2KMZJBy2MJy71RGkHpa44ne1XwqNH0fZfN-SW4Qg6jhHMYM9aO4vnUG82-gC8Yh24sDJi8OjHND_D7E8oEtMc9cvjuLO11lCebetFnff7Knt8B4gr1OO02b961zvD_dI7BYkHuzfIu3_lkDahGvj2T/w640-h480/P5230024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwgLzWOY-2490lxqydYznDt1qH2axnfBh_NaqWg2RjeQklVfuV5-SzX9mZmSMagaYR70z2UqCC8oj1-VSIrrECO893HDTq_bJKyUGWZBKglj_aNHr-6omV_7uEPk0RWdwAhTY2zVMJ-JqaskynHkSN4mWsp1jfOqmaQB2S2bfFCU7rkT8fMiaUvy-/s4000/P5230035.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="TJ with the sharks" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwgLzWOY-2490lxqydYznDt1qH2axnfBh_NaqWg2RjeQklVfuV5-SzX9mZmSMagaYR70z2UqCC8oj1-VSIrrECO893HDTq_bJKyUGWZBKglj_aNHr-6omV_7uEPk0RWdwAhTY2zVMJ-JqaskynHkSN4mWsp1jfOqmaQB2S2bfFCU7rkT8fMiaUvy-/w480-h640/P5230035.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TJ with the sharks</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcWlSJicpfWa1eebxNsUheJ_mG_BfC50zazwMFjptiYk1E-0RF0cjgQhXrTu6pO9mL1IaQMwcoMg4ELAR1A32lyHiFaqLoEUgPwZ-EoHE6NHdXSZuDYxjQ1mUcdB6DDra7nSBVY8dZSGZ-cT5kQFNyRSVTaGYHPggs6Qc9Br7VuWYk_mm7AVRtgxX/s4000/P5230048a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron with the sharks" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcWlSJicpfWa1eebxNsUheJ_mG_BfC50zazwMFjptiYk1E-0RF0cjgQhXrTu6pO9mL1IaQMwcoMg4ELAR1A32lyHiFaqLoEUgPwZ-EoHE6NHdXSZuDYxjQ1mUcdB6DDra7nSBVY8dZSGZ-cT5kQFNyRSVTaGYHPggs6Qc9Br7VuWYk_mm7AVRtgxX/w640-h480/P5230048a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVryqmW7xk2lqAwPCUws1u5DW1PGnu8bjG1NfWsTRicTvGMfwdp9NSH1pC0DI9k8yOY660GMhp_GfEErjJdlk-CBsaO3XVndplG7bp2ASOGQC8cA8sCIaPfsZVfeA9RCKJN_vqf-REMnhYpTTJ1WRppET3ntHovTv2wsca5QDSf2FJ2pbgWeb3FU4/s4000/P5230062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="nurse shark" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVryqmW7xk2lqAwPCUws1u5DW1PGnu8bjG1NfWsTRicTvGMfwdp9NSH1pC0DI9k8yOY660GMhp_GfEErjJdlk-CBsaO3XVndplG7bp2ASOGQC8cA8sCIaPfsZVfeA9RCKJN_vqf-REMnhYpTTJ1WRppET3ntHovTv2wsca5QDSf2FJ2pbgWeb3FU4/w640-h480/P5230062.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We made a brief stop at a sand bar for photo ops, then rode on to Big Major Cay, otherwise known as Pig Beach. No one knows exactly how the pigs got there, but they were probably put there by farmers from a neighboring cay. When the farmers came over by boat to feed them, the pigs learned that boats meant food and swam out to meet them. Eventually people found out about the swimming pigs, and they became a tourist attraction. Before we got to the beach, Captain Keith once again went over the ground rules. He told us that the best time to interact with the pigs was when they were in the water because once they got onto land, they were more aggressive. Also, the pigs liked to bite butts. :-)</p>
<p>As soon as we anchored at the island, the pigs started swimming our way. These were not little pigs. They were 200-pound hogs! And yes, they really could swim. It was so funny to see their floppy ears and curly tails sticking out of the water as they swam up to our boat. We jumped in the water and swam around with them for a little while before making our way to the sand. I decided not to feed the pigs and mostly stayed in the shallow water trying to keep my butt out of biting range. I did get the chance to hold one of the little piglets though, which was very sweet. Seeing the swimming pigs was an unforgettable experience, but I have to say that the sharks were better behaved. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnlIoq9t_kdUXysTNwM3qK0aJIX1l8QUwahaql0KdtXlGsIcxbV722WfUYieQ3f2LNGZJPlqCZrGjEVxdut5zsIngImvqccOc8cmCA7cRO5i9yR52YxnBWrG4p2GnJLfk-Cj6ScUWLmwG1VZNdbhHdZy-jT7dgSr5RYBVKGIkec3g7Yjql00cyzJg/s4032/IMG_4716.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Exumas" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnlIoq9t_kdUXysTNwM3qK0aJIX1l8QUwahaql0KdtXlGsIcxbV722WfUYieQ3f2LNGZJPlqCZrGjEVxdut5zsIngImvqccOc8cmCA7cRO5i9yR52YxnBWrG4p2GnJLfk-Cj6ScUWLmwG1VZNdbhHdZy-jT7dgSr5RYBVKGIkec3g7Yjql00cyzJg/w640-h480/IMG_4716.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ullBJ2jX1J8tDkXtmLePG81RvmJtYyjLgFIFq1Gu2MJio9VGgagynY_XwljhCzfT_2ftG6Yg0bIIqXrA1rEnqjECobTf1qhZyrVwa3RvQuozI5snWVcGYd9Q02XPyOfRxYfIhmDYZUCqxiMZOJTYxSB0iLbOwV2iKDqR0lp8KNVBnfXv6IWVZNMk/s3739/IMG_4725.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron at sandbar" border="0" data-original-height="3739" data-original-width="2804" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ullBJ2jX1J8tDkXtmLePG81RvmJtYyjLgFIFq1Gu2MJio9VGgagynY_XwljhCzfT_2ftG6Yg0bIIqXrA1rEnqjECobTf1qhZyrVwa3RvQuozI5snWVcGYd9Q02XPyOfRxYfIhmDYZUCqxiMZOJTYxSB0iLbOwV2iKDqR0lp8KNVBnfXv6IWVZNMk/w480-h640/IMG_4725.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJBS1NTeSldbN7GcR_fbMnXIoJX9L0BceLJ_4k1OKnltPtFdlBayCr91XITWPJPbW-nH90lyaBxQxcAP_rKZCvX5dIuijEYupjKPkpe4QkpLp0J-kN-yn64oJgeg0GXvin_PZ3XfH2p2D5rVp7bcfUh8RV2Lr403WXjNGprSrZ3xTPPvRUjdfrVWQ/s3660/IMG_4720.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sands Pink Radler" border="0" data-original-height="3660" data-original-width="2745" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJBS1NTeSldbN7GcR_fbMnXIoJX9L0BceLJ_4k1OKnltPtFdlBayCr91XITWPJPbW-nH90lyaBxQxcAP_rKZCvX5dIuijEYupjKPkpe4QkpLp0J-kN-yn64oJgeg0GXvin_PZ3XfH2p2D5rVp7bcfUh8RV2Lr403WXjNGprSrZ3xTPPvRUjdfrVWQ/w480-h640/IMG_4720.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdBHFAZ_fkYMXUvEDAhv5Ey-NiFtAAbuEjFSq3FHPK_GH4xu2PZ0MhNYjDbrnkgydhcr9i9h_EDQ_9UoWcJqcazOWQgpy3idSsZILJyUerNM-k2zJNefetMKo7BT3-ZvIyH6FuxYLT6v8Ias7R4XeR2Q1m0H0dFcjjaHmE5Mx8FwX_31VMI_raggv/s3560/IMG_4763.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Big Major Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3560" data-original-width="2671" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdBHFAZ_fkYMXUvEDAhv5Ey-NiFtAAbuEjFSq3FHPK_GH4xu2PZ0MhNYjDbrnkgydhcr9i9h_EDQ_9UoWcJqcazOWQgpy3idSsZILJyUerNM-k2zJNefetMKo7BT3-ZvIyH6FuxYLT6v8Ias7R4XeR2Q1m0H0dFcjjaHmE5Mx8FwX_31VMI_raggv/w480-h640/IMG_4763.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they come!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE1RMLbBDA0mSRDN-ha-95X-kZ2qo9cSyOW43q2TKZ_mIfeQFXmnsX8TMDQCj2Ffi9aSIOiZXnot_HqoRKP2SPrs_0BIUJ-WgU9kkChawiMVzfDtMxCjYh7ByYfhXKXSIMtZdSlgWHV8LsWo2EqHppUiTV26F_mosDZdDyDnbPDHcua0UE3jJdRaO/s3403/IMG_4775.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="swimming pigs" border="0" data-original-height="3403" data-original-width="2552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE1RMLbBDA0mSRDN-ha-95X-kZ2qo9cSyOW43q2TKZ_mIfeQFXmnsX8TMDQCj2Ffi9aSIOiZXnot_HqoRKP2SPrs_0BIUJ-WgU9kkChawiMVzfDtMxCjYh7ByYfhXKXSIMtZdSlgWHV8LsWo2EqHppUiTV26F_mosDZdDyDnbPDHcua0UE3jJdRaO/w480-h640/IMG_4775.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq13BQ0lXrcJHGyjVb1ULDtBfY-CdxfZKvdBCrpKiLjmPPB5qeDrCTFAuxEXhngxNy_SGx2xds-p1WQ_g4I4ifXIoWQ4kf8F-lDJZCJUVUd-0Cw8ClMUMQeQqG8XbgaZ3-IIUyKGXXdKvCBfTPnoAW_drAbWhFuIXa87qgJ7g-bEx0RL3ESXRWFTC/s4032/IMG_4772.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="swimming with the pigs" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq13BQ0lXrcJHGyjVb1ULDtBfY-CdxfZKvdBCrpKiLjmPPB5qeDrCTFAuxEXhngxNy_SGx2xds-p1WQ_g4I4ifXIoWQ4kf8F-lDJZCJUVUd-0Cw8ClMUMQeQqG8XbgaZ3-IIUyKGXXdKvCBfTPnoAW_drAbWhFuIXa87qgJ7g-bEx0RL3ESXRWFTC/w480-h640/IMG_4772.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M15n7WmPXMdkk72ZLh1demA8S5ZPjlBkc3ny1Z1sxY3BFqwHqaN_bzFYi8PXnPqgEL_1i0a6NnLQcN0IEUHbcLWnmrN6wAP8F99BrzT8N3RBdaSLd39cS7o8MS4QUxyjxPlzjik6Fi9GAIejkEeW3ki2QPq2kygAf6S1vIVbyJ7soGUkueLjXQoA/s2947/PXL_20230523_162024130b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan and Ron with piglet" border="0" data-original-height="2210" data-original-width="2947" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M15n7WmPXMdkk72ZLh1demA8S5ZPjlBkc3ny1Z1sxY3BFqwHqaN_bzFYi8PXnPqgEL_1i0a6NnLQcN0IEUHbcLWnmrN6wAP8F99BrzT8N3RBdaSLd39cS7o8MS4QUxyjxPlzjik6Fi9GAIejkEeW3ki2QPq2kygAf6S1vIVbyJ7soGUkueLjXQoA/w640-h480/PXL_20230523_162024130b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_401wCNhtgDDUx2YkLZefysdUasmlo0fP0XMK2MgmDAbGKfCX3TfsWxR-lbzX7F9_dluAicLRAAkV2xpuMi8-lv0eoIis7yCqDaPDMtttn-QHRMKR2Od1jm3NxdUGyxcqtZlLCyv21tH2YhmNZsduEeKbs-ZmfWWtEd7YfGWCTN8dI9YEqguOzKip/s4032/IMG_4782.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Point Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_401wCNhtgDDUx2YkLZefysdUasmlo0fP0XMK2MgmDAbGKfCX3TfsWxR-lbzX7F9_dluAicLRAAkV2xpuMi8-lv0eoIis7yCqDaPDMtttn-QHRMKR2Od1jm3NxdUGyxcqtZlLCyv21tH2YhmNZsduEeKbs-ZmfWWtEd7YfGWCTN8dI9YEqguOzKip/w640-h480/IMG_4782.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Lunch was at a little restaurant on Black Point Cay called Lorraine’s Café – chicken, peas and rice, meatballs, and grilled vegetables served buffet style. We were now 80 miles south of Nassau and had a long ride back. As we sped along, Jasmine pointed out various islands. “That island belongs to Johnny Depp. That island belongs to Stephen Spielberg. That island belongs to a Saudi Arabian prince.” How do you go about buying an island in the Bahamas, anyway?</p>
<p>After an hour or so, we made our final stop at Pablo Escobar’s plane. The drug-smuggling plane had crashed off Norman’s Cay in 1980 and sat in shallow water just below the surface. We could see the plane’s propellers covered with coral and the door lying on the sandy bottom. Fish swam in and out of the windows. It was probably some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever done. What a fantastic day and what an amazing tour!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhgLornvE1FmmShe0wdf_eehBdKtQ_hrjssmlO16cZTKYTWz6HWsp-N74XJC4wYZgj9hs6wrzGsv4sVSOaBE2rrTvIqTtDqsPV4bZFX0bYkd9TPF1QNlTg7MTNmtSh2LJvozFS388FBcXIyg0xU8OSfRS3FvDik7dnz0lZo4CSNWwogvIVIn_880E/s4000/P5230133a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snorkeling Pablo Escobar's plane" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhgLornvE1FmmShe0wdf_eehBdKtQ_hrjssmlO16cZTKYTWz6HWsp-N74XJC4wYZgj9hs6wrzGsv4sVSOaBE2rrTvIqTtDqsPV4bZFX0bYkd9TPF1QNlTg7MTNmtSh2LJvozFS388FBcXIyg0xU8OSfRS3FvDik7dnz0lZo4CSNWwogvIVIn_880E/w640-h480/P5230133a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<p>By the time we got back to Sandals, it was five o’clock and we were tired and wind-blown. We showered and went to dinner at the Queen’s Pearl Pub, because it seemed like the most casual option. After the long day on the water, everything on the menu looked delicious. I had corn chowder, mozzarella cheese sticks and cottage pie. Ron had bangers and mash. We watched the sunset and then went to the Coconut Grove for the show but were falling asleep on our chairs, so Ron picked up his milk and cookies from Sweets ‘n’ Tings and we headed to bed.</p>
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<p><b><a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2023/06/sandals-royal-bahamian-part-2.html">continued on Part 2</a></b></p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-29476175203578172802023-04-14T08:39:00.006-04:002023-04-14T08:47:25.933-04:00Blast from the Past at the Sugar Sand Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumUSq-v5u0qobIbR-0dBoPmOah9cq5l-iPKYhveJmeqpt_B_9ufdz0u0qf-Ny2Jd5xiiDfs83n9Q0gFr7Yff2hlUk1m88GUuXLULpgyTdCmPy_IublKZfg3jDjywXO5g1aLhwJw2YtRs5vvdQ8inm-TQ1jgVS6tLCPNQ_b5CN0poe17wmR9r8S86d/s5047/DSCN5465.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sugar Sand Festival" border="0" data-original-height="3785" data-original-width="5047" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumUSq-v5u0qobIbR-0dBoPmOah9cq5l-iPKYhveJmeqpt_B_9ufdz0u0qf-Ny2Jd5xiiDfs83n9Q0gFr7Yff2hlUk1m88GUuXLULpgyTdCmPy_IublKZfg3jDjywXO5g1aLhwJw2YtRs5vvdQ8inm-TQ1jgVS6tLCPNQ_b5CN0poe17wmR9r8S86d/w640-h480/DSCN5465.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>The Sugar Sand Festival is a 17-day sand sculpting competition celebrating Clearwater Beach’s soft, white sand. I’ve gone to the festival five times now and every year is different. This year’s theme was “Blast from the Past.” It was a nostalgic look at the pop culture icons of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, all carved out of sand.</p>
<p>Since I grew up in the 80s, I especially liked the sculptures of Michael Jackson, the space shuttle and Pac Man. Another of my favorite sculptures (from the 90s section) was of the Simpson family sitting their couch with the characters from Toy Story. To add to the mood, there was background music playing for each decade, from “Mr. Sandman” to “Staying Alive” to the theme song from <i>Seinfeld</i>.</p>
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<p>Although the sculptures are 95% complete by opening day, some spots are purposefully left open so that visitors can watch the artists adding the finishing touches. I got to see local artist Dean Arscott sculpting with a spatula, a paint brush and even a dog grooming tool. It always amazes me that such beautiful art can be created with just sand, water and simple household items.</p>
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<p>In addition to the sculptures, the festival has sand sculpting classes, concerts, buskers and food and craft vendors. There is even a beach clean-up on Friday, April 21, in honor of Earth Day. Since I wouldn’t be able to make it to the clean-up, I took a walk on the beach after I left the festival and picked up a bag of trash. I was glad to be part of keeping our sand beautiful for the next decades. Earth Day is every day!</p>
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<p>Travel tips: The Sugar Sand Festival runs through April 23 and costs $14 a person.<br />
Festival details: <a href="https://www.sugarsandfestival.com" target="_blank">https://www.sugarsandfestival.com</a><br />
Earth Day Clean-up: <a href="https://www.sugarsandfestival.com/p/activities2/earth-day-celebration" target="_blank">https://www.sugarsandfestival.com/p/activities2/earth-day-celebration</a></p>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-43665823880427781362023-04-05T17:11:00.001-04:002023-04-05T17:13:14.689-04:00Tall Ships St Pete<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0Nz0MkxQ46FR3_I8R2aWTs9GVYjf7ACwVwngmJjN9fKRv6rm8f-OGOudCTaXSYmlgDwXflBnhiaJ4av2fzT8K2UiGUFrZRnj_qxRImo9KcJUfllYxY_56H_ETDzJJsRC8-x7QCkrXamEZPise4bCf17DHDM-Wwfb5rlyF4GOl9wGWEXhpJljDLip/s4032/IMG_3848.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tall Ships St Pete" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0Nz0MkxQ46FR3_I8R2aWTs9GVYjf7ACwVwngmJjN9fKRv6rm8f-OGOudCTaXSYmlgDwXflBnhiaJ4av2fzT8K2UiGUFrZRnj_qxRImo9KcJUfllYxY_56H_ETDzJJsRC8-x7QCkrXamEZPise4bCf17DHDM-Wwfb5rlyF4GOl9wGWEXhpJljDLip/w640-h480/IMG_3848.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Last weekend, Ron and I went to St Petersburg with our friends for the Tall Ships festival, a 4-day exhibition of the ships participating in the 2023 Tall Ships Challenge. This year the Tall Ships Challenge was taking place in the Gulf of Mexico, with stops in St Petersburg, Galveston and Pensacola.</p>
<p>I love sailing ships because they are so beautiful and historical, but to tell the truth, I didn’t know much about them. What exactly is a tall ship? I did a little research before the festival to educate myself. I found out that tall ships are large, traditionally rigged sailboats that have at least two masts. They can be categorized by size or by the number of masts and type of sails. For example, schooners have at least two masts with the foremast shorter than the main mast. Full-rigged ships and barques both have at least three masts, but on a full-rigged ship all the sails are square-rigged (which means the sails run perpendicular to the length of the boat) while on a barque, the aft mast is fore-and-aft rigged.</p>
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<p>Our tickets to the event allowed us to go aboard four tall ships. The first ship was the 1877 Barque Elissa, one of the oldest ships sailing today. She was rescued from a scrap yard in Greece in 1987 and brought to Galveston Texas where she now serves as a floating museum.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-xu16n2xVS6lk_GJz2knl4yJkTPCzCgjCNZ8HpYfln-nHEGVQCs6in3V9BNUYvxu30D78gronQc6yPWJDJlFKzJJYBVVYGi860rn4xtgTW_fk6uxdD1XH26mYDFaHndlsBxQUDwL7uymVlW800-1Ck9VDrZBfqVR9_B12Lh7HE_TLH45a_pbwu_g/s4032/IMG_3775.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="1877 Barque Elissa" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-xu16n2xVS6lk_GJz2knl4yJkTPCzCgjCNZ8HpYfln-nHEGVQCs6in3V9BNUYvxu30D78gronQc6yPWJDJlFKzJJYBVVYGi860rn4xtgTW_fk6uxdD1XH26mYDFaHndlsBxQUDwL7uymVlW800-1Ck9VDrZBfqVR9_B12Lh7HE_TLH45a_pbwu_g/w480-h640/IMG_3775.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1877 Barque Elissa</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc3oQnTX3EmKYvcC3D2tQjxwm2pGHgkZWIDn-DmV-zBVB-3lskvONXRD4dPtupEjuHakc2b6C4f2FiyBiIP6g3GHq5aMF3ouhxaLIFTMh_iTH04QkV3g9f0tp_OpVsQnrRYONxGwalY3D4rnFYFVQK_voC4SCLY3KXWE2ehCXE_JU2QbYb6XnEjU0/s3352/IMG_3804.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ship's bell" border="0" data-original-height="3352" data-original-width="2514" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc3oQnTX3EmKYvcC3D2tQjxwm2pGHgkZWIDn-DmV-zBVB-3lskvONXRD4dPtupEjuHakc2b6C4f2FiyBiIP6g3GHq5aMF3ouhxaLIFTMh_iTH04QkV3g9f0tp_OpVsQnrRYONxGwalY3D4rnFYFVQK_voC4SCLY3KXWE2ehCXE_JU2QbYb6XnEjU0/w480-h640/IMG_3804.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Next was the Ernestina-Morrissey, built in 1894. She was used for arctic expeditions, and in 1940 she sailed within 600 miles of the north pole, the furthest north any sailing ship has ever reached.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2iTGLJodA3wo7VYyqVqN8DE8l3I03uLUwuy6-5DIpAWOQ9bvyN0rq7Fem8ROIUnPqhPj2bfFUrTDapuN-X1rTrNT6rlQKTuHGcGrB1qKrF6W9BARNI38x0r5Hq1gg7VF-Stb2tH0PiKKO7r9yyxmm7GGmPX05RtafCUhqt4M3RpIo53kwS6-BGKD/s4032/IMG_3832.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ernestina-Morrissey" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2iTGLJodA3wo7VYyqVqN8DE8l3I03uLUwuy6-5DIpAWOQ9bvyN0rq7Fem8ROIUnPqhPj2bfFUrTDapuN-X1rTrNT6rlQKTuHGcGrB1qKrF6W9BARNI38x0r5Hq1gg7VF-Stb2tH0PiKKO7r9yyxmm7GGmPX05RtafCUhqt4M3RpIo53kwS6-BGKD/w480-h640/IMG_3832.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Ernestina-Morrissey</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrWCFNflE7RQinOEeCuD1vaB1_bGgYg-cIUMOWfHPLKTdLUvdjVfslQAMCyGOtcqWfN2x00rgPZmEWz-N-vBk0RuLY0uYx4WatP0Lbg22LVeo8LoTGyE0j7EMvkd53eSPSPjCGV8AgX71e_7ipZ0DRZeGlqO36BjKBYjMB9VEmZlJfNHNTdnEdApD/s4032/IMG_3830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ropes and rigging" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrWCFNflE7RQinOEeCuD1vaB1_bGgYg-cIUMOWfHPLKTdLUvdjVfslQAMCyGOtcqWfN2x00rgPZmEWz-N-vBk0RuLY0uYx4WatP0Lbg22LVeo8LoTGyE0j7EMvkd53eSPSPjCGV8AgX71e_7ipZ0DRZeGlqO36BjKBYjMB9VEmZlJfNHNTdnEdApD/w480-h640/IMG_3830.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc24viEuxyqV_o8F7WCnlSnHd7D4H8RFJcYboN2ZXJ9TLzm14l4SAx-De6_WG1b5Y8VbRSFSiCb3Eu-oHzS9UPbtUvu1ThLd1iRRKrFg0pQdj2g4yCnmXoPlK-G53NQ9dlYIzGTi-7HQrVQUxTgn3ASev108zRE9yd0DObWNVLcykkK3_mztsj_DnC/s4032/IMG_3833.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ernestina-Morrissey mast" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc24viEuxyqV_o8F7WCnlSnHd7D4H8RFJcYboN2ZXJ9TLzm14l4SAx-De6_WG1b5Y8VbRSFSiCb3Eu-oHzS9UPbtUvu1ThLd1iRRKrFg0pQdj2g4yCnmXoPlK-G53NQ9dlYIzGTi-7HQrVQUxTgn3ASev108zRE9yd0DObWNVLcykkK3_mztsj_DnC/w480-h640/IMG_3833.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>The last two ships were replicas. The Pride of Baltimore II was built in 1988 as a memorial to the Pride of Baltimore, which tragically sank in a storm in 1986. The Nao Trinidad was built in Spain in 2018. It was a replica of the flagship of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, the first voyage around the world between 1519 and 1522. We were able to tour the lower decks of the Nao Trinidad and get a glimpse of what life was like onboard a ship in the 16th century.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmpH4hmwerGVxLqN4aeF1b3EXqae4S_meaByAP0uge3Qu51FRBObfIwU1iZ3GanGfCvgTe1ljxUr0NURqdxBqEz-EXZoVvibutZtlATN5Xqs9n0kp4AYli7NcEoS52--Vt6PDdPlNCr5PIT07bIx8TEWUxdaD-PtnqYp-rE-ZMRQiFoR59NmhduGp/s3742/PXL_20230402_153722339.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nao Trinidad" border="0" data-original-height="3742" data-original-width="2817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmpH4hmwerGVxLqN4aeF1b3EXqae4S_meaByAP0uge3Qu51FRBObfIwU1iZ3GanGfCvgTe1ljxUr0NURqdxBqEz-EXZoVvibutZtlATN5Xqs9n0kp4AYli7NcEoS52--Vt6PDdPlNCr5PIT07bIx8TEWUxdaD-PtnqYp-rE-ZMRQiFoR59NmhduGp/w482-h640/PXL_20230402_153722339.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nao Trinidad</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCuGEYTQnhiSWuDhXRRrxVTYrag9uJEvsbF49vTDEqE8qGfhBO7bvFN9PGHmkL0sw-Gcsm2e2PMiJLwxHxhqLivKi2MPtFyj9h-ez4Sqq7I-xdn2jHLj_28ALVAEWV5KCfA_DUq8990JwHOkU6TltAcPrgyUTc-Hw9XeDFE5f5u73BVO1WjQ9WcR5/s4717/DSCN5324.JPG"><img alt="ropes and rigging" border="0" data-original-height="3538" data-original-width="4717" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCuGEYTQnhiSWuDhXRRrxVTYrag9uJEvsbF49vTDEqE8qGfhBO7bvFN9PGHmkL0sw-Gcsm2e2PMiJLwxHxhqLivKi2MPtFyj9h-ez4Sqq7I-xdn2jHLj_28ALVAEWV5KCfA_DUq8990JwHOkU6TltAcPrgyUTc-Hw9XeDFE5f5u73BVO1WjQ9WcR5/w640-h480/DSCN5324.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrZ_Apz8_DGq2YKO1DxAmcrT92Lfujwv6c9s0vwWRkd99U6FBD7oKyAeGknhSNOJMZ8P45uKEHOau4sXLDANHFHO7BXVBPrBwIwRFLcvbN19B92vAHlx1Idgjw4SouggaEbrOgxK70DkDQwuW2ApcOQ3aDaZG_z5p7BhL94YkiFCll5EZdXS1JO2r/s5184/DSCN5314.JPG"><img alt="Nao Trinidad window" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrZ_Apz8_DGq2YKO1DxAmcrT92Lfujwv6c9s0vwWRkd99U6FBD7oKyAeGknhSNOJMZ8P45uKEHOau4sXLDANHFHO7BXVBPrBwIwRFLcvbN19B92vAHlx1Idgjw4SouggaEbrOgxK70DkDQwuW2ApcOQ3aDaZG_z5p7BhL94YkiFCll5EZdXS1JO2r/w640-h480/DSCN5314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGUarBrzm7XjtG3vqxuVYckQas8xw8L5o_1NnoAv80aCnAO-bIwgySw1PP1ddzCC1fzQhXD4sk8sfFp_1PsHjHkzSuzSwnjCbRj5zDIDstpgJlPmvWjNPHzd7wVzV4rrpMQQoYlNCfl6VHvL-5DT7kG2M4WjzoNkPgB2lz79Otq5-P8m9UeXASLct/s4032/IMG_3865.JPG"><img alt="informational sign" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGUarBrzm7XjtG3vqxuVYckQas8xw8L5o_1NnoAv80aCnAO-bIwgySw1PP1ddzCC1fzQhXD4sk8sfFp_1PsHjHkzSuzSwnjCbRj5zDIDstpgJlPmvWjNPHzd7wVzV4rrpMQQoYlNCfl6VHvL-5DT7kG2M4WjzoNkPgB2lz79Otq5-P8m9UeXASLct/w640-h480/IMG_3865.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CI6OxSd0_td9vJCT6ltD1Jes1XJI7a31JOngyFGst--2aVvTf7wWc4aWUZHvGnWlyUbctOtjh7_e9PkeX6fMYKJEXic5qPIxIVni7JmOMcFaMoGsEb3Y87XUSPnMQU9C1SzZV0VGvFE_rZMeOEghQmlehKaUKUqtzfCAu6rxprG8pPbXSDBOI419/s3888/DSCN5350.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pride of Baltimore memorial bell" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="2916" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CI6OxSd0_td9vJCT6ltD1Jes1XJI7a31JOngyFGst--2aVvTf7wWc4aWUZHvGnWlyUbctOtjh7_e9PkeX6fMYKJEXic5qPIxIVni7JmOMcFaMoGsEb3Y87XUSPnMQU9C1SzZV0VGvFE_rZMeOEghQmlehKaUKUqtzfCAu6rxprG8pPbXSDBOI419/w480-h640/DSCN5350.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pride of Baltimore II</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRWtX88Tru1iyuTprGfNeauG7YA3umb5k5xCsCJR-1Kil-8et3nhtHcHYPhsiMohjZL5KYsouZA9bztzz6RH_yma692qKrvqCsEYzQJfxwpH53_ABP9Sb4FgUk482arSWyJGVbIgVjSeYZkpmIXpF3Rv9ZWdv7os-zo9I7oNuv-NPpgGgXoEKud2q/s3888/IMG_3903.JPG"><img alt="Pride of Baltimore II wheel" border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="3888" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRWtX88Tru1iyuTprGfNeauG7YA3umb5k5xCsCJR-1Kil-8et3nhtHcHYPhsiMohjZL5KYsouZA9bztzz6RH_yma692qKrvqCsEYzQJfxwpH53_ABP9Sb4FgUk482arSWyJGVbIgVjSeYZkpmIXpF3Rv9ZWdv7os-zo9I7oNuv-NPpgGgXoEKud2q/w640-h480/IMG_3903.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEvBh0f5VZ0qHc-VLf-buKJ3XDc5TyXYeo1WfNKoPHRRHLDLMusblt2bGW1hjVBSy2LURnXQqqQcgknR8LOJ4d4pLmSmCoKxIxDqxA7K-aWsAb9LGQXMI0wcK_TGonHlwjeID337IDkDYFHvDdxhiZOB_Bkdc8q2maE5uOtq3ZHuimtq1QmwHTFl5/s4032/IMG_3893.JPG"><img alt="canon" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEvBh0f5VZ0qHc-VLf-buKJ3XDc5TyXYeo1WfNKoPHRRHLDLMusblt2bGW1hjVBSy2LURnXQqqQcgknR8LOJ4d4pLmSmCoKxIxDqxA7K-aWsAb9LGQXMI0wcK_TGonHlwjeID337IDkDYFHvDdxhiZOB_Bkdc8q2maE5uOtq3ZHuimtq1QmwHTFl5/w640-h480/IMG_3893.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Besides the four ships that we could board, there were three smaller schooners giving sailing tours around the bay. One of these was the When and If, which we’d seen on a sunset sail in Key West a couple of years ago. The When and If, was built for General George S. Patton, who’d said “When the war is over, and if I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.” Sadly, General Patton died before he got to sail the world, but maybe one day his ship will be able to fulfill his dream.</p>
<p>It was a great way to spend the morning - exploring the majestic and historic ships, talking to the crew and learning more about our seafaring past. I just wish that I could have seen the ships out on the water. If the tall ships return to Tampa Bay, I hope I can be there when they sail under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge with all their sails raised.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbEQQbIIuaR23GPH68SElJcutFvwVPJ5rj6f8kc4xX0OBDTSO-vjKS_ExaSu7qzNuWdPVhNe6pDaCXGA-sKQUCLO0bM_PazHlqXcyNs4_CBV7xl0e0kvd5W2hO-XgEwUucUQgsGaCXc7MuLXdTlcsXqZJGBLknjAJy2TnO179aI9hvj05DPqm1nYP/s4197/DSCN5339.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="When and If sailboat" border="0" data-original-height="4197" data-original-width="3148" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbEQQbIIuaR23GPH68SElJcutFvwVPJ5rj6f8kc4xX0OBDTSO-vjKS_ExaSu7qzNuWdPVhNe6pDaCXGA-sKQUCLO0bM_PazHlqXcyNs4_CBV7xl0e0kvd5W2hO-XgEwUucUQgsGaCXc7MuLXdTlcsXqZJGBLknjAJy2TnO179aI9hvj05DPqm1nYP/w480-h640/DSCN5339.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When and If</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHsmOA1_eINytfWERbjY6_h5_uWnaRw4oNu7KFjMY1al01yMuXG2KuAvYAlkCAddNoo2uUYG1oGwlkD6ZIa3F6z11xpOaB_QK-Bk5leZ8aF0Q0zMsiBXayPBZx2GyF9Sf295KGZqpqxtHOzXtC6fuWjm7nm2piXuP_XuOBgQvyiI32QAjHIzuWq4q/s4707/DSCN5341.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tall Ships St Pete sail away tour" border="0" data-original-height="3530" data-original-width="4707" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHsmOA1_eINytfWERbjY6_h5_uWnaRw4oNu7KFjMY1al01yMuXG2KuAvYAlkCAddNoo2uUYG1oGwlkD6ZIa3F6z11xpOaB_QK-Bk5leZ8aF0Q0zMsiBXayPBZx2GyF9Sf295KGZqpqxtHOzXtC6fuWjm7nm2piXuP_XuOBgQvyiI32QAjHIzuWq4q/w640-h480/DSCN5341.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: After leaving St Petersburg, the tall ships will travel to Galveston (April 13-16) and then Pensacola (April 27-30).</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-80320820851752184062023-03-30T08:28:00.000-04:002023-03-30T08:28:11.493-04:00Key West 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWaWJ5Lh4O-B7H8WLWjoECLjVIE3gHyEVX0BPBsP--a3mjLNUUV8M_1o7SoFVYDL9sLXJ1W7xYoXRsaEhZOmbRq7HWoW-glomcROZWl-xdekLYmAP_ZOiCaOcwE-06ty2nurQkfrsz-2AcqF7E14Trb-RTHmx4Ark6yZbQJkkXFVOa83PkJyWCMLx/s3880/IMG_3601a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rooster art" border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="3880" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWaWJ5Lh4O-B7H8WLWjoECLjVIE3gHyEVX0BPBsP--a3mjLNUUV8M_1o7SoFVYDL9sLXJ1W7xYoXRsaEhZOmbRq7HWoW-glomcROZWl-xdekLYmAP_ZOiCaOcwE-06ty2nurQkfrsz-2AcqF7E14Trb-RTHmx4Ark6yZbQJkkXFVOa83PkJyWCMLx/w640-h480/IMG_3601a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Friday</b></p>
<p>This trip we were traveling with our friends, E and Stacey. It was their first trip to the Keys, so I was a little nervous. Would they love Key West as much as we did?</p>
<p>Our plane got into EYW at 2:30. We made a quick run to Publix for essentials (beer and half-and-half for coffee), dropped our luggage off at Chris’s house on Grinnell Street and headed to the Historic Seaport. I thought the waterfront would be a good place to introduce E and Stacey to Key West. It was St Patrick’s Day, so the people-watching around the seaport was even better than usual – lots of green beads, green bras, elf shoes, tutus, you name it. We even saw one guy dressed as St Patrick in green robes, a bishop’s hat and a staff with a snake wrapped around it. I think we saw more people walking with their dogs than usual too, but maybe I just noticed them more because E and Stacey were missing their dog, Bristol, so we stopped to say hello to all the “puppers”. It didn’t matter what size the dogs were, they were all puppers. :-)</p>
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<p>We found an outdoor table at the Boat House, which had great Happy Hour prices – 50% off small plates, beer and well drinks. Even the mojitos were half price! I had my first mojito of the trip, and Ron and I shared a plate of chicken wings. Stacey ordered something called “boat bread with chef’s toppings” and it was delicious. We’ll definitely have to go back to the Boat House on our next trip.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5toHnD_RvGwCOlgmsD4c9sxuB0Q3o1ojBGtGaFgcO2EU4FWwxJ2UGuCJJpY6UkXo14IXi6CfjM-HCzF9wfTgK45kG6lYHp77UVdTOFeWdLMSfqJG6nSBlaEExqO7TOoA1bn1cUjVhT5RNz6-m7si0fiHDZDUGo0tZULUuomrHPn0b-qsU-70oeU2l/s3741/IMG_3335a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Boat House sign" border="0" data-original-height="2806" data-original-width="3741" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5toHnD_RvGwCOlgmsD4c9sxuB0Q3o1ojBGtGaFgcO2EU4FWwxJ2UGuCJJpY6UkXo14IXi6CfjM-HCzF9wfTgK45kG6lYHp77UVdTOFeWdLMSfqJG6nSBlaEExqO7TOoA1bn1cUjVhT5RNz6-m7si0fiHDZDUGo0tZULUuomrHPn0b-qsU-70oeU2l/w640-h480/IMG_3335a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we were done with our appetizers, we meandered towards Mallory Square. The weather forecast had been calling for rain all weekend, so we thought it was probably our best chance to see the sunset celebration. You can’t go to Key West without seeing at least one sunset! When we got to the square, I noticed a man with a curly gray mullet. Was that the Catman?? It was! Dominique LeFort, aka the Catman, was a fixture at Mallory Square for decades with his famous flying cats. He and his cats were getting older, so he’d decided to retire when COVID hit, but he’d been promising to return for another show “in two weeks” for the last two years. I said hello and talked to him for a bit. He was very gracious and friendly.</p>
<p>We found a spot to sit on the seawall with our legs dangling over the water, watching the sailboats passing back and forth. It was a pretty Key West sunset, but I realized later that we should have walked further down towards the entertainment to give E and Stacey the full Mallory Square experience. Ah well… You can never fully experience a place in one visit. I guess that gives you an excuse to go back.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilb67wfhtRcP4lJnMr6aAqDH6U_CCgs_jasOmD9SXFqQZXrCd0iJLMHWR2QicQcLmFRwzdcpT4YqV3hNW6VGzS8kMeQGZ9Lno_kMvVP6RPRaeZUDomA1ZAWaqlGA4jQ4f4JunMGH4-pCh1Gp4PiKfFkIc3YqUePKb2fKqG-d8LxeK7ps9bula7VIqs/s3905/IMG_3398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West sunset" border="0" data-original-height="2929" data-original-width="3905" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilb67wfhtRcP4lJnMr6aAqDH6U_CCgs_jasOmD9SXFqQZXrCd0iJLMHWR2QicQcLmFRwzdcpT4YqV3hNW6VGzS8kMeQGZ9Lno_kMvVP6RPRaeZUDomA1ZAWaqlGA4jQ4f4JunMGH4-pCh1Gp4PiKfFkIc3YqUePKb2fKqG-d8LxeK7ps9bula7VIqs/w640-h480/IMG_3398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDktUROR-9JbHrzu8ZL3wFabhTvh8_yfBfg7KLlgk7KdxljqiqbpOLJxzjLsDbCDA9GCgXw14dR_1TiTiz06QZGwyarA6bUxkT9fWz_bbgR312sCvYz12EH-2JhZT8lnfnJR2o6Pjdv5BqVkBtj09spo5T_p5VxBlyFg667T0eyXrIdXfnDW9X-H1n/s3985/IMG_3384a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sun and sails" border="0" data-original-height="3985" data-original-width="2989" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDktUROR-9JbHrzu8ZL3wFabhTvh8_yfBfg7KLlgk7KdxljqiqbpOLJxzjLsDbCDA9GCgXw14dR_1TiTiz06QZGwyarA6bUxkT9fWz_bbgR312sCvYz12EH-2JhZT8lnfnJR2o6Pjdv5BqVkBtj09spo5T_p5VxBlyFg667T0eyXrIdXfnDW9X-H1n/w480-h640/IMG_3384a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-Rcniof_m9Aus91dTjWCZYk12PysLrPly6lYxcpnbRLaUwRi_OkVtaB_XszoPgu_gWoUEDmETFRofAfwPe8V6XTp77f7fjHqot-0VUuPlTaKio_6meVL1viBbNyPyv87xQ33ndO_Y2ifKjtnjtzcPYg2C_UOh0RERPIu7KTjUjRrkivXr2aIilQY/s3958/IMG_3404.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset" border="0" data-original-height="3958" data-original-width="2969" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-Rcniof_m9Aus91dTjWCZYk12PysLrPly6lYxcpnbRLaUwRi_OkVtaB_XszoPgu_gWoUEDmETFRofAfwPe8V6XTp77f7fjHqot-0VUuPlTaKio_6meVL1viBbNyPyv87xQ33ndO_Y2ifKjtnjtzcPYg2C_UOh0RERPIu7KTjUjRrkivXr2aIilQY/w480-h640/IMG_3404.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>After the sunset, we had dinner at Garbo’s Grill, the food truck behind Hank's Hair of the Dog Saloon. The guys shared the Korean BBQ tacos, and Stacey and I shared the shrimp tacos. We walked back to the house by way of Duval Street, which was busy but not nearly as crowded and crazy as it was two years ago. It was a long walk and by the time we got back to the house, we were ready to get off our feet and crash for the night.</p>
<p><b>Saturday</b></p>
<p>Saturday was our day to check some of the “first timer must-do” items off our list. We’d rented bikes from Eaton Bikes, and after all the walking we’d done the day before, we were happy to be riding. You can see so much more of Key West on a bike. We started with the Southernmost Point Buoy, where we stood in line for 20 minutes for the obligatory picture. Then we rode to the Hemingway Home and Museum. We bought tickets for the museum but skipped the guided tour and walked around on our own. Ron and I had seen the house before, so I mostly spent time looking for the Hemingway cats. There are 50-some cats at the Hemingway Home, so I didn’t have to look very hard. There was even one sleeping in a flower pot by the pool. :-) The cats are descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s six-toed cat, Snow White, and although not all of them have extra toes, they all carry the gene.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNx_jLJZncaofDj1Puft1yvDs6rvqOaXVxafUZKKatuZW8eBcCaQnBEyFSwUtM8PkgrTc5XgGMdN7DqA50NcAkRYJZ7QwoHSACtGTxs3dHN7KJkJ39h1CK6etY6Mq_mdjAAB6iRptBCV2cW6nl6V3M3ONhtKO1dwGfjumm43QOMs79KkFzOoMwt95X/s4032/IMG_3651.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eaton Bikes" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNx_jLJZncaofDj1Puft1yvDs6rvqOaXVxafUZKKatuZW8eBcCaQnBEyFSwUtM8PkgrTc5XgGMdN7DqA50NcAkRYJZ7QwoHSACtGTxs3dHN7KJkJ39h1CK6etY6Mq_mdjAAB6iRptBCV2cW6nl6V3M3ONhtKO1dwGfjumm43QOMs79KkFzOoMwt95X/w480-h640/IMG_3651.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxe12DwM68Stcl1VcBf__O29w4F99ZR23wYmjIOdE4r_6prvOQ3xIOZBVAVZiRo9EI6TLGsfoHty3ceRYUhG582LMnNKlVeX9_uUYJ-2dWK5N_w9iwAc4XAs1IckWqTIw-qKL1kPQvsWo__J-xHoHWBwWcdfNItz_9H5xufzpAHfLEPHyWWv7Nl_-/s4032/IMG_3462.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Southernmost House" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxe12DwM68Stcl1VcBf__O29w4F99ZR23wYmjIOdE4r_6prvOQ3xIOZBVAVZiRo9EI6TLGsfoHty3ceRYUhG582LMnNKlVeX9_uUYJ-2dWK5N_w9iwAc4XAs1IckWqTIw-qKL1kPQvsWo__J-xHoHWBwWcdfNItz_9H5xufzpAHfLEPHyWWv7Nl_-/w480-h640/IMG_3462.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Southernmost House</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DxqWH3qps6aqeiCI74eCnWHHvGa6HJ9Tz9qKNFi3mkrxozRu9REpN6hDcxcA3vRMpHm1myNwxaeJEtL2nZszL3JQ_oSd0M8egM2MYTF2sObuqgxXBAZ_w-9gIr8AWZpGhIUHk_QqiGbixaKddscFVANOWhh8uFP9mtz7ZDxPH7SMivzPCnEk3BIv/s4032/IMG_3480.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Southernmost House" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DxqWH3qps6aqeiCI74eCnWHHvGa6HJ9Tz9qKNFi3mkrxozRu9REpN6hDcxcA3vRMpHm1myNwxaeJEtL2nZszL3JQ_oSd0M8egM2MYTF2sObuqgxXBAZ_w-9gIr8AWZpGhIUHk_QqiGbixaKddscFVANOWhh8uFP9mtz7ZDxPH7SMivzPCnEk3BIv/w480-h640/IMG_3480.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61sG7je5cIL5h5nuorzuxrHFCoSX5an9yywvQPt5YD7_3vVHHUnyS5b6Z1h9U_q69SkbQVe8eEID1DJwX3dUpC9vNH7kFL_IbKViMnQ8-9yimzyNUjzIEarrYe8JjVnUUgKWDarZEfxW9K9x5DQNfPmQKe_WEDNqFEXxvieMcZUae86xTugcGE0Ix/s4032/IMG_3491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61sG7je5cIL5h5nuorzuxrHFCoSX5an9yywvQPt5YD7_3vVHHUnyS5b6Z1h9U_q69SkbQVe8eEID1DJwX3dUpC9vNH7kFL_IbKViMnQ8-9yimzyNUjzIEarrYe8JjVnUUgKWDarZEfxW9K9x5DQNfPmQKe_WEDNqFEXxvieMcZUae86xTugcGE0Ix/w480-h640/IMG_3491.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJrsD9MqH1H8hJ2cfJOUXmdIzZPM1__MPJVy0zmjr_ohchGrF3sFcMPZQVb8T3lfvBQMf9Z7bPerTGlCcMP7aJ6h61bNhIW6xzAqSqi8Sf-02YMRSQpexsd4yU9ixi1JtlfkWBhzwaNbiLj0pTX43p7WvMqj1bykRW9FlhfEy49gdQHw9WNhS9y18/s4032/IMG_3506.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway Home porch" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJrsD9MqH1H8hJ2cfJOUXmdIzZPM1__MPJVy0zmjr_ohchGrF3sFcMPZQVb8T3lfvBQMf9Z7bPerTGlCcMP7aJ6h61bNhIW6xzAqSqi8Sf-02YMRSQpexsd4yU9ixi1JtlfkWBhzwaNbiLj0pTX43p7WvMqj1bykRW9FlhfEy49gdQHw9WNhS9y18/w480-h640/IMG_3506.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hemingway Home</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaglUfueOXuq_MWSZvaUuO3cumLZila8garlreizOvhpdMJ3gJSDghu8dusN3wx0Wx7P2Qvlh1lx0fiI0PnahElyLKxxY0j9b84pDfbMwCaBfMfKB4mq8yRFBEoW5mVTXVq9C3JKe4NZQMPOQfGGBWoLCpzxHVM9rXZfRcR6d65mvheZnLgiVzyRT/s4032/IMG_3494.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cat" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaglUfueOXuq_MWSZvaUuO3cumLZila8garlreizOvhpdMJ3gJSDghu8dusN3wx0Wx7P2Qvlh1lx0fiI0PnahElyLKxxY0j9b84pDfbMwCaBfMfKB4mq8yRFBEoW5mVTXVq9C3JKe4NZQMPOQfGGBWoLCpzxHVM9rXZfRcR6d65mvheZnLgiVzyRT/w480-h640/IMG_3494.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Babe Ruth, one of the many Hemingway cats</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsBjfH-tXBJ31FtYZ-u7hqljJaSeYEHCC6l_LHyH9RXA2e5agI6Sawg0kQKSp1zrBFVV6kciy-ZsBJwCbf_WLUAvKgIUal4o603GVQ743YXTmhPz_C9zJXDflCS8nRT6O-xzB-hml4ByDJgg9f8QSGaDg3m2yCioycYtMTa3uaMFlUcH7JZXKkvUU/s4032/IMG_3510.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cat on bed" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsBjfH-tXBJ31FtYZ-u7hqljJaSeYEHCC6l_LHyH9RXA2e5agI6Sawg0kQKSp1zrBFVV6kciy-ZsBJwCbf_WLUAvKgIUal4o603GVQ743YXTmhPz_C9zJXDflCS8nRT6O-xzB-hml4ByDJgg9f8QSGaDg3m2yCioycYtMTa3uaMFlUcH7JZXKkvUU/w480-h640/IMG_3510.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQls5BgpqDG-yl-h6u_1eL_r5UiKRNv3YVGD_Ao-fCj-VX6Bp9yQrFh3WEzBhFciJHorlJooWQzqEGhkTcjjne4_KAsHrfRW8ZhZX3TsH8ZhBNYiCh2zcR9IvYuD203zBZzzKFKM96At82EJgsV0KRsQEmaDW861_jLjXGzUGQiGd6my1V4opkFXN/s4032/IMG_3511.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bathing cat" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQls5BgpqDG-yl-h6u_1eL_r5UiKRNv3YVGD_Ao-fCj-VX6Bp9yQrFh3WEzBhFciJHorlJooWQzqEGhkTcjjne4_KAsHrfRW8ZhZX3TsH8ZhBNYiCh2zcR9IvYuD203zBZzzKFKM96At82EJgsV0KRsQEmaDW861_jLjXGzUGQiGd6my1V4opkFXN/w480-h640/IMG_3511.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhBGCv1E8Ch4qLrFRKyc-H9RAteQcEq0NpQz7pzGt_BUBKWengbST51MOuDoSXpcLHfKJUveM74EuKgB49P0hgNX-ABdH-aEmcPyqc6eB9V1BSYNIv0W4SqYe6YvloJVhwZcDTpJQ5CLB_Ka4IBqfKd6SEiF4yZ3blk1w6tJ96JIN-INz5VlOsxnk/s4032/IMG_3524.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cat in flower pot" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhBGCv1E8Ch4qLrFRKyc-H9RAteQcEq0NpQz7pzGt_BUBKWengbST51MOuDoSXpcLHfKJUveM74EuKgB49P0hgNX-ABdH-aEmcPyqc6eB9V1BSYNIv0W4SqYe6YvloJVhwZcDTpJQ5CLB_Ka4IBqfKd6SEiF4yZ3blk1w6tJ96JIN-INz5VlOsxnk/w480-h640/IMG_3524.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWHyA2ah24OIvCdCf1P4V153EWK3BAj9rStU3Ew5vo8LSKTZd5_9uP4KgddaHHM_ytdl_QgTD7aXWO6SMWejDR6sU_ZALjgGRCtpq_saVmZz2o0m9Vyt81w75y8w88zEVBs4tpzZMk9VzLs0_W3V4jYknlkvUPmFPVlQPSvwkDnPwY242KE4PX8Va/s4032/IMG_3514.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cat footprints" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWHyA2ah24OIvCdCf1P4V153EWK3BAj9rStU3Ew5vo8LSKTZd5_9uP4KgddaHHM_ytdl_QgTD7aXWO6SMWejDR6sU_ZALjgGRCtpq_saVmZz2o0m9Vyt81w75y8w88zEVBs4tpzZMk9VzLs0_W3V4jYknlkvUPmFPVlQPSvwkDnPwY242KE4PX8Va/w480-h640/IMG_3514.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>It was late morning and we were getting thirsty, so we pedaled on to Captain Tony’s Saloon, the historic bar where Hemingway spent a lot of time in the 30’s and Jimmy Buffet got his start in the 70’s. The bar stools at Captain Tony’s were painted with the names of famous people who had spent time at the bar. We saw Dan Marino, John Goodman, Dale Jr, Sean Connery and Shel Silverstein. (I didn’t know until recently that Shel Silverstein had lived in Key West.) Our bartender told us that Robert De Niro came to the bar every night for a week to earn his stool.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_wwiUyQJ8rNUnQp66jgAuYwoYWJavR2hjycx0Z1yodw7yiBQDq7v5rNSURa7dBxM3pXdkVFSzvKCkPrOTOgQHFauepmxshu3DBSHw0du-qAhAzqFQe1udt8jSpv9AP-Wd9oTI4lyjt4DMYRZZsvTat0I-Xmtsy8HHuoLA3oJ1ctH-k_hbKZwNJ8F/s3804/IMG_3542.JPG"><img alt="Captain Tony's Saloon" border="0" data-original-height="2853" data-original-width="3804" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_wwiUyQJ8rNUnQp66jgAuYwoYWJavR2hjycx0Z1yodw7yiBQDq7v5rNSURa7dBxM3pXdkVFSzvKCkPrOTOgQHFauepmxshu3DBSHw0du-qAhAzqFQe1udt8jSpv9AP-Wd9oTI4lyjt4DMYRZZsvTat0I-Xmtsy8HHuoLA3oJ1ctH-k_hbKZwNJ8F/w640-h480/IMG_3542.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Then it was back to Garbo’s Grill for lunch. I branched out from my usual tacos and tried the Mango Dog, which was amazing, a quarter-pound hot dog topped with mango and jalapeno. Yum! Sheldon Benton, the young musician we’d heard at Hank's Saloon on our last trip, was playing again. We listened for a while, then went across the street to First Flight and sat at the bar, chatting with a hilarious family from New Jersey. Ron and I shared a plate of the Brussels sprouts. That's one thing about Key West - you can eat well just grazing on appetizers and Happy Hour specials. We did a lot of grazing. :-)</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3zvR21rtpuvIwxLx8r6DWadxSG4RHW5R0vCO0SobJY82_bZgDu8Tpi1V2h5X88GZ9RqhpCqAIecOxvAh8Kp9k98I16paPWCrxmHVBIYwwQX9yi14e5wrPuPzkSla1EXGLosmY0OmSU2fkIvJGY3RHHeW62jQOdjAmCEdCMmZKW_rquXa1PaytBxM/s4032/IMG_3557.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Garbo's Grill" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3zvR21rtpuvIwxLx8r6DWadxSG4RHW5R0vCO0SobJY82_bZgDu8Tpi1V2h5X88GZ9RqhpCqAIecOxvAh8Kp9k98I16paPWCrxmHVBIYwwQX9yi14e5wrPuPzkSla1EXGLosmY0OmSU2fkIvJGY3RHHeW62jQOdjAmCEdCMmZKW_rquXa1PaytBxM/w640-h480/IMG_3557.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garbo's Grill</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7MJzsKVMmumGsvbC_L6lEJ1o3eNbWrn-022Nyy-urdfDvn2ttkXxaFC8UURQSDzLXA1YkFvHj298ApITiTheCHwVNPf-WsEDrjGg0PyoEmFEsQi7GoqagRATNlkbQFWSQPsaov1U9QIzQlb0V-gAX-PKqdQMVWZWSVo1vJXfk8CrWQLmJ67RT7iz/s3397/IMG_3551.JPG"><img alt="Garbo's Grill sign" border="0" data-original-height="2548" data-original-width="3397" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7MJzsKVMmumGsvbC_L6lEJ1o3eNbWrn-022Nyy-urdfDvn2ttkXxaFC8UURQSDzLXA1YkFvHj298ApITiTheCHwVNPf-WsEDrjGg0PyoEmFEsQi7GoqagRATNlkbQFWSQPsaov1U9QIzQlb0V-gAX-PKqdQMVWZWSVo1vJXfk8CrWQLmJ67RT7iz/w640-h480/IMG_3551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2DJu6lRl8Ca_kAxYtKhnFJr2lL9-X0-ydyCzxm7r65JfQ9iDNxPkERfvxF71cg8Y9w8_O75t8UJpyOjp2q5_NqZ4uGf8BZuCJk3iRmprkUCyyS5Vs8MbLmuzr76gVralkNfUJPVEpOMprj62upy1ya0Pr9mBJUNtPo7Meocr1OXnEL3B4LfFjig3/s4032/IMG_3555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Garbo's Grill hot dog" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2DJu6lRl8Ca_kAxYtKhnFJr2lL9-X0-ydyCzxm7r65JfQ9iDNxPkERfvxF71cg8Y9w8_O75t8UJpyOjp2q5_NqZ4uGf8BZuCJk3iRmprkUCyyS5Vs8MbLmuzr76gVralkNfUJPVEpOMprj62upy1ya0Pr9mBJUNtPo7Meocr1OXnEL3B4LfFjig3/w480-h640/IMG_3555.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLRt02cKvTXuq9vYrdsu1P7ujlKK_H82z2DcB06z3eojpi4UajbsB2KsRvE6YJpZrjaX2sAwHF6uY1OKxVKFSyH6Zft87nuTITM6NWgaJ7PeQTE3Ean8i-wBOmOUXWNXnOz79DxHsbDwZoFCqm53-ApW6l6Hdw166aphRzLo5gjK3oK_ex3sLH4qw/s4032/IMG_3559.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="First Flight" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLRt02cKvTXuq9vYrdsu1P7ujlKK_H82z2DcB06z3eojpi4UajbsB2KsRvE6YJpZrjaX2sAwHF6uY1OKxVKFSyH6Zft87nuTITM6NWgaJ7PeQTE3Ean8i-wBOmOUXWNXnOz79DxHsbDwZoFCqm53-ApW6l6Hdw166aphRzLo5gjK3oK_ex3sLH4qw/w480-h640/IMG_3559.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Flight</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXopT2vIsVDmt8TI2266LQf45GoEeFxPWrxXgTrDuUcwIIWXNZtAAlKlOlwZtYrFRfSPYMxnJmBlrFE5YT1aTgcemVVhI5C_tPDAfdRZ6MGpN-6zUJ_8cqTUDxGo7NHq-W4rZR5hzJepuG65OhPgdXpdzdX3nvO8D4LgacBFK_mlaUKr0ggFqiRwz/s4032/IMG_3560.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hen and chicks" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXopT2vIsVDmt8TI2266LQf45GoEeFxPWrxXgTrDuUcwIIWXNZtAAlKlOlwZtYrFRfSPYMxnJmBlrFE5YT1aTgcemVVhI5C_tPDAfdRZ6MGpN-6zUJ_8cqTUDxGo7NHq-W4rZR5hzJepuG65OhPgdXpdzdX3nvO8D4LgacBFK_mlaUKr0ggFqiRwz/w480-h640/IMG_3560.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMqyvwtcaNQ8XQp2dlC5nIed6YZHTxMnCxzcunSQ3kW-reQzVSSj7rsramGKwj4JZ60fvfE5o7WdcZfxzfIVsXFd4N5QgJlzCzzKyC_Jxpk1C24OFpfZn6P-lO4it350Q793OglnNIoFWQdZAh72d0Bkm7menCB6sZV76yd619vPUhtCCQOkHSjSA/s3958/IMG_3562.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chicken art" border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3958" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMqyvwtcaNQ8XQp2dlC5nIed6YZHTxMnCxzcunSQ3kW-reQzVSSj7rsramGKwj4JZ60fvfE5o7WdcZfxzfIVsXFd4N5QgJlzCzzKyC_Jxpk1C24OFpfZn6P-lO4it350Q793OglnNIoFWQdZAh72d0Bkm7menCB6sZV76yd619vPUhtCCQOkHSjSA/w640-h480/IMG_3562.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>The forecasted rain hadn’t materialized yet, and it was sunny and hot. We pedaled back to the house and spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool. For dinner, we headed down to the Conch Republic Seafood Company at the seaport where we found a table on the outdoor deck. I decided to try their Royal Red shrimp, which are supposed to be sweeter than other Gulf shrimp, more like lobster. They aren’t on the menu, but I’d read on Trip Advisor that you can request them. My Royal Reds really did taste like baby lobster tails, but E’s blackened shrimp was overcooked and only blackened on one side. E mentioned the one-sided seasoning to our waiter, who gave us some free drink tokens to use the next day. We were all tired, so we rode back to the house and sat out on the porch, talking into the night.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TGihicIGv4JD-nSyvkRG81vGOAPrysV5VHmRLBtWHSZB8GdD39vp_B06a-GUl50eAUcm0j8y8n9JpLcT5_RjF46npIlcrTzIfck87LMTVhK02N-HKQipqs13lfD9U1n9C2Yyf9Pm0pddr7Pfge9Zg2stnzc6Vr-D5cOJXSGgMQg7hxcZLj8j4wMr/s4032/IMG_3567.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="seaport at dusk" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TGihicIGv4JD-nSyvkRG81vGOAPrysV5VHmRLBtWHSZB8GdD39vp_B06a-GUl50eAUcm0j8y8n9JpLcT5_RjF46npIlcrTzIfck87LMTVhK02N-HKQipqs13lfD9U1n9C2Yyf9Pm0pddr7Pfge9Zg2stnzc6Vr-D5cOJXSGgMQg7hxcZLj8j4wMr/w640-h480/IMG_3567.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Sunday</b></p>
<p>The next morning, Ron and I continued our tradition of trying a new breakfast place whenever we’re in Key West. This time we chose Pepe’s Café, the second oldest eatery in Florida (after the Columbia in Tampa). It had been operating since 1909 and was frequented by President Truman, who would stop by for coffee. The ambiance was rustic, the portions were large. The sunny weather had given way to clouds, but it was cooler and pleasant as we rode back to the house to meet up with E and Stacey.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3glv2b5rRsU6gEvXfrCprfixTwi3optuytaaUiCs1D30q1V-r2ag8bnOPu3vbj-_LdJH0OMttqABKNYblF2DTUWtTTVknQFIn9ZBa_agoD84fYbAzbut433Xs82nne_CkAZB8eJwu7lGjNsrcAmhbK46FwI9uVb_zF6cUK5qUAB3DZwqMxrS7fWGU/s4032/IMG_3591.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pepe's Cafe" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3glv2b5rRsU6gEvXfrCprfixTwi3optuytaaUiCs1D30q1V-r2ag8bnOPu3vbj-_LdJH0OMttqABKNYblF2DTUWtTTVknQFIn9ZBa_agoD84fYbAzbut433Xs82nne_CkAZB8eJwu7lGjNsrcAmhbK46FwI9uVb_zF6cUK5qUAB3DZwqMxrS7fWGU/w480-h640/IMG_3591.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpAU_HcR-kj96A7dtxU2xlLjJHDHF4Bf1aNf5B_PLDZQR8cA5CthDLU5AEilgohOpnoXe3Y9IV-WM7bZAtlI1GSQhlKz-bzNk7o2f2KWmnBLB8wljIXyeWUztYxOrtbjGSfozzHrpIoTN2Z4FTnfyUFFrhqH0Bk1GymQeFtyq0bbxaehe7ixi-1lb/s4032/IMG_3588.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sticker truck" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpAU_HcR-kj96A7dtxU2xlLjJHDHF4Bf1aNf5B_PLDZQR8cA5CthDLU5AEilgohOpnoXe3Y9IV-WM7bZAtlI1GSQhlKz-bzNk7o2f2KWmnBLB8wljIXyeWUztYxOrtbjGSfozzHrpIoTN2Z4FTnfyUFFrhqH0Bk1GymQeFtyq0bbxaehe7ixi-1lb/w640-h480/IMG_3588.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We didn’t have any particular plans for the day except to look for a funny Key West sign for our friend Joe’s garage sign collection. We popped into a few of the shops along Duval Street and ended up at Mallory Square, where we explored the memorial sculpture garden. Mallory Square was surprisingly quiet considering it was “tourist central” and a cruise ship was in port. We found seats at a little bar called Salty Frog’s and chatted with the bartender. He was from Nashville but came down every month or so to help his friend who owned the bar. A very cool guy. While we nursed our drinks, we took pictures of the roosters and baby chicks. They were everywhere! E said that he didn’t think he’d get used to hearing roosters all the time, but I didn't mind. Just like the tree frogs in Jamaica at night, I know I’m on vacation when I hear the roosters.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6JMC-EuSvdBAOT6KaC6j2V7e0MSoQ8pTLK522nVOrq8kxgeXJDq9QKNT_hNwVq-ewrGcg7DaheIeKZLGtqGIHJ3J0kPMjyJnzgdJHg7P02kg1P3-vAqUUdr96ik1eRzD6V6_UF2ObEhv1lmzSSaO8jjSOj8oIjIqAIUd3Jbji3n9fdnmg7B0uL6P/s4032/IMG_3596.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6JMC-EuSvdBAOT6KaC6j2V7e0MSoQ8pTLK522nVOrq8kxgeXJDq9QKNT_hNwVq-ewrGcg7DaheIeKZLGtqGIHJ3J0kPMjyJnzgdJHg7P02kg1P3-vAqUUdr96ik1eRzD6V6_UF2ObEhv1lmzSSaO8jjSOj8oIjIqAIUd3Jbji3n9fdnmg7B0uL6P/w480-h640/IMG_3596.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mallory Square</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLhenFSOhL3fHJcIzBfgB1lo77RRz29P6wJIumRXctkNo_kuVXCF-dQxVaZf_1qHYuheW6i8SKhPauZBVFEJuxhJyGyrkkTPPGzrhUAlJv2FgkXJG25mFu6I47MMegPzRHQzBbpfcaQm1GvzAfn5E4dePOkF-2O5E1bEIZ_1an0ZuhXgiQmHIxhgM/s3976/IMG_3620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Conch Train" border="0" data-original-height="3976" data-original-width="2982" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLhenFSOhL3fHJcIzBfgB1lo77RRz29P6wJIumRXctkNo_kuVXCF-dQxVaZf_1qHYuheW6i8SKhPauZBVFEJuxhJyGyrkkTPPGzrhUAlJv2FgkXJG25mFu6I47MMegPzRHQzBbpfcaQm1GvzAfn5E4dePOkF-2O5E1bEIZ_1an0ZuhXgiQmHIxhgM/w480-h640/IMG_3620.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDG5aEJtQqDVJD3lQIHfE0zuUVpAANqc2bTCZ5klW9vtODR0St8LuljxXeC5PtivhWYJ3-Yb9GcBhqPqgDWM7ouMmcom3Zf908WmzCSoE9iQkj4FUUfKtb_XgJMFYUDqpxmwP1eMz2w4HyZTGYWk1s9MtF3x-k4c7ul15W0S3ZJa8ebJmA0AaE2od/s4032/IMG_3608.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Memorial Sculpture Garden" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDG5aEJtQqDVJD3lQIHfE0zuUVpAANqc2bTCZ5klW9vtODR0St8LuljxXeC5PtivhWYJ3-Yb9GcBhqPqgDWM7ouMmcom3Zf908WmzCSoE9iQkj4FUUfKtb_XgJMFYUDqpxmwP1eMz2w4HyZTGYWk1s9MtF3x-k4c7ul15W0S3ZJa8ebJmA0AaE2od/w480-h640/IMG_3608.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key West Memorial Sculpture Garden</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewJUnGve7S55F-xUWJ8c1pAV57xtBek9vdScCW0MXvrj4uzyGIse0zbk8Qbde3laY4V07ppcfdZRRAshfWQ1bjDXWMTOJVHyjA_PQ_wONsBts0bEYtRihGkg3m7CeyUeRmfoTFWJzBOKd_W8CYA2T-TWvP32N5HbIhILMxjcvSUWP9GQMVTazbclM/s4032/IMG_3615.JPG"><img alt="Wreckers sculpture" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewJUnGve7S55F-xUWJ8c1pAV57xtBek9vdScCW0MXvrj4uzyGIse0zbk8Qbde3laY4V07ppcfdZRRAshfWQ1bjDXWMTOJVHyjA_PQ_wONsBts0bEYtRihGkg3m7CeyUeRmfoTFWJzBOKd_W8CYA2T-TWvP32N5HbIhILMxjcvSUWP9GQMVTazbclM/w480-h640/IMG_3615.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQubhCMNvqGdmgZz4nJCKm1N1OMEGfgKq-fJYr4BrcpGw-APx9ppBQeR66hN4TvFg_QX5c3b7_pzQX14YAbHE3azih-QnRtFF3HZv6zJG7jYJjurSRKw8rgHNFhbc4LK3Bv0JQyFEQqvy5HJ7-tdLJOPuCuM6KgZrxwTlgZsaCl9zTkknJgJk5behT/s4032/IMG_3626.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="El Meson de Pepe" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQubhCMNvqGdmgZz4nJCKm1N1OMEGfgKq-fJYr4BrcpGw-APx9ppBQeR66hN4TvFg_QX5c3b7_pzQX14YAbHE3azih-QnRtFF3HZv6zJG7jYJjurSRKw8rgHNFhbc4LK3Bv0JQyFEQqvy5HJ7-tdLJOPuCuM6KgZrxwTlgZsaCl9zTkknJgJk5behT/w480-h640/IMG_3626.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Meson de Pepe</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmPGD2wOn6KtL16Y09K-qYWdsi1qWrOVlmqbRwOhECpK0gKTaaOKQujbFJMG37GgIALEOSQk2Rb7oyNyxWYUD6GVMMsJcA_Y9r8ybEfwiR9IjsTkGmzCT6lTr7chMA4SJRPOndoWLglLupxfLkvJWhO1AUtC7wboVnRlS5V8MWxZabDTh2f2IS9dU/s4032/IMG_3630.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rooster" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmPGD2wOn6KtL16Y09K-qYWdsi1qWrOVlmqbRwOhECpK0gKTaaOKQujbFJMG37GgIALEOSQk2Rb7oyNyxWYUD6GVMMsJcA_Y9r8ybEfwiR9IjsTkGmzCT6lTr7chMA4SJRPOndoWLglLupxfLkvJWhO1AUtC7wboVnRlS5V8MWxZabDTh2f2IS9dU/w480-h640/IMG_3630.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>At around 3, we rode to Conch Republic Seafood to use our free drink tokens. That’s when we realized that the tokens were only good during Happy Hour. And the bartender was RUDE. Someone had hooked up the beer taps wrong, so instead of Bud Lite, E and Stacey ended up with a weird Key lime beer. The staff switched out the kegs but didn’t clear the lines. When we told the bartender that the beer still didn’t taste right, she said shortly, “It tastes fine to me!” What a contrast to the great bartender at Salty Frog’s. Usually we like going to the Conch Republic, but this trip it was very disappointing. Plus, they had added an annoying 3% surcharge unless you paid in cash. It wasn’t that long ago that a lot of places wouldn’t even take cash!</p>
<p>That night we had dinner in the cozy little courtyard at Mangia Mangia, one of my favorite places. The fresh homemade pasta was as delicious as always. It was our last night, so we decided we needed to hit a couple more bars before we had to go home. We just couldn’t decide which bars. So many choices, so little time! I really didn’t care where we went as long as they had mojitos and live music. :-) We ended up back at Captain Tony’s. While we were pulling some barstools together, E fell over the roots of the big tree growing through the roof of the bar. Legend has it that the tree was used to hang pirates, so we teased E that the ghosts of the pirates had tried to trip him. After Captain Tony’s, we went to Sloppy Joe’s. Yes, it's touristy, but it’s something every first timer must do. My mojito was surprisingly good. It was made with Papa’s Pilar rum, a local rum named after Hemingway’s fishing boat, Pilar. I thought we’d been able to give E and Stacey a pretty good overview of Key West in a short time - a sunset at Mallory Square, the seaport and Southernmost Point, iconic bars, good food, a little history, a lot of chickens.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVyY_DjXu8nZCfaLJDJENHCZg6CNz2A-gJWmCXtbDtlIZLtkMP_gfahr7BcuxGZjv_aB8fgcA0tFK7ncX1FFZlw0ui5CwjIBeTWEqZbLPDL_gpvIDa-W-P7Bs5DRFO8LQfBbR9JVAuzUmsjF7FRAFcEIJ4zcfCTIY3t2t6k3Y0hRCp3TeeLpnhh4k/s4032/IMG_3637.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mangia Mangia" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVyY_DjXu8nZCfaLJDJENHCZg6CNz2A-gJWmCXtbDtlIZLtkMP_gfahr7BcuxGZjv_aB8fgcA0tFK7ncX1FFZlw0ui5CwjIBeTWEqZbLPDL_gpvIDa-W-P7Bs5DRFO8LQfBbR9JVAuzUmsjF7FRAFcEIJ4zcfCTIY3t2t6k3Y0hRCp3TeeLpnhh4k/w480-h640/IMG_3637.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangia Mangia</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUbMoSfND-7XTdWOraEvvtXPmWb8N_kdjXN4NTO8ptNAGiRTc4aw-bDbHwKeOLfbTqjXqgcAv43Ju_EchzVTPgmx_JyRFvFKd3VfsDtKAvr2U1hC536sJ9hm0qL3cgqTmp2WRxCwMTudJReZUWWkPgdITpCO2Ucq6NNkf-722mapcQ4dsUtuQ-_PT/s4013/IMG_3642.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West house" border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4013" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUbMoSfND-7XTdWOraEvvtXPmWb8N_kdjXN4NTO8ptNAGiRTc4aw-bDbHwKeOLfbTqjXqgcAv43Ju_EchzVTPgmx_JyRFvFKd3VfsDtKAvr2U1hC536sJ9hm0qL3cgqTmp2WRxCwMTudJReZUWWkPgdITpCO2Ucq6NNkf-722mapcQ4dsUtuQ-_PT/w640-h480/IMG_3642.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>On the walk back to where we’d parked the bikes, we passed a sweet shop that had amazing-looking gigantic cookies in the window. Suddenly, we all had a craving for milk and cookies. We bought three cookies and picked up half a gallon of milk from the CVS across the street. Halfway home, the rain and wind finally arrived, and we got pelted. When we got to the house, we divided up the cookies four ways and ate them outside under the shelter of the gazebo before going to bed.</p>
<p>I woke up at 2:30 to the sound of pouring rain and the palms whipping in the wind. Thank goodness it hadn’t rained like that all weekend! We were very lucky with the weather.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HgXrRUJfWLOwfnMxDZI7BQbsGTLsGuJgu4nY8njQphPTQ4_p0RASdFB12ozMBN5KXVAMJjJKWrxqVLf8X4dnlNiVrCu1FzRR6iPIhrhkMfjx7YGi1lKVgcMmUFK7YjBokP_OSgc-Zf1eyHIQblrboiBFTBtzB7-DjRnsjGYb5bz91nQPONjHojY9/s1592/337517379_3417574665165334_7513184155654771790_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cookies" border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1194" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HgXrRUJfWLOwfnMxDZI7BQbsGTLsGuJgu4nY8njQphPTQ4_p0RASdFB12ozMBN5KXVAMJjJKWrxqVLf8X4dnlNiVrCu1FzRR6iPIhrhkMfjx7YGi1lKVgcMmUFK7YjBokP_OSgc-Zf1eyHIQblrboiBFTBtzB7-DjRnsjGYb5bz91nQPONjHojY9/w480-h640/337517379_3417574665165334_7513184155654771790_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Monday</b></p>
<p>By the time we were up in the morning, the rain had stopped and the clouds were breaking up, but it was still crazy windy. We had some time to kill before our flight, so we took a walk around the Key West Cemetery. Before the trip, I’d bought a quirky guidebook called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0983167168" target="_blank">The New Key West Bucket List</a></i> that included over a hundred “offbeat adventures”. The legality of some of the activities were a bit questionable, but I liked the Did You Know facts, such as this one: “The law forbids people who live in houses on the perimeter of the Key West Cemetery from being buried there. This is because they are not yet dead.” :-)</p>
<p>We checked out an intriguing monument that we’d noticed when we’d biked by on Saturday. It was shaped like a giant conch shell (or possibly a body part). The conch shell turned out to be the final resting place of Sir Peter Anderson, the Secretary General of the Conch Republic. His inscription said simply, “He had fun.” And so did we! Long live the Conch Republic!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRutCAE8a7f7kHjfGjkQ-rxtvJPwczcexE56MyH9oNzn9iXEQmL1Yo5IwKnfT7E9XRgIUewswCAZZ4ebH8xJPfFJ3z_D2YbmI3F69V3bDAeJYlkE3GPLnlCCksbZEOJO1mutn-Yv_wsnwvbtng91Kf7yLesbhbdQsRw9M6ZcVHkWMDf28AAF2ueIoF/s3813/IMG_3656.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Cemetery" border="0" data-original-height="3813" data-original-width="2860" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRutCAE8a7f7kHjfGjkQ-rxtvJPwczcexE56MyH9oNzn9iXEQmL1Yo5IwKnfT7E9XRgIUewswCAZZ4ebH8xJPfFJ3z_D2YbmI3F69V3bDAeJYlkE3GPLnlCCksbZEOJO1mutn-Yv_wsnwvbtng91Kf7yLesbhbdQsRw9M6ZcVHkWMDf28AAF2ueIoF/w480-h640/IMG_3656.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key West Cemetery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYwf3KenNx2PWFQ-Qsa2Szuc0la6W0KXrzyS3gTBjD8Rx2IdvLBgWSMcHMEHxdk72fN0hJAPSVDSr0hnsYnKHFhE6EXHFNiRLjPfCqT0m-my_l6Q3GfWd8kF404vMlLrA2jP4Ry_RNpR1RO2Eun5ScM15sIB1ukYKfOd8N4u42itxHrGfDWcjXsZD/s4032/IMG_3665.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="headstone" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYwf3KenNx2PWFQ-Qsa2Szuc0la6W0KXrzyS3gTBjD8Rx2IdvLBgWSMcHMEHxdk72fN0hJAPSVDSr0hnsYnKHFhE6EXHFNiRLjPfCqT0m-my_l6Q3GfWd8kF404vMlLrA2jP4Ry_RNpR1RO2Eun5ScM15sIB1ukYKfOd8N4u42itxHrGfDWcjXsZD/w640-h480/IMG_3665.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYb4PuyFfXLQurBk5Hzu5M3KKUDwwC1vYg76Aozg3TieYM49C6Gs8ajuxCbWBYPyYgxzab84f4p9dlPTDb34XA69ixafGl8Kf-kNjZhxcJwMRdIHXeoptEUAC8wtESz1Vy50k57Ao0NRKxWztA8GF6OYWC1Z3TXV9zOXN7Mnc4-EkWaPJ-4EySdcC4/s4032/IMG_3667.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cemetery angel" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYb4PuyFfXLQurBk5Hzu5M3KKUDwwC1vYg76Aozg3TieYM49C6Gs8ajuxCbWBYPyYgxzab84f4p9dlPTDb34XA69ixafGl8Kf-kNjZhxcJwMRdIHXeoptEUAC8wtESz1Vy50k57Ao0NRKxWztA8GF6OYWC1Z3TXV9zOXN7Mnc4-EkWaPJ-4EySdcC4/w480-h640/IMG_3667.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<p><b>Mojito Review</b></p>
<p>I had so many mojitos this trip that it was hard to rank them. Instead, I’ve broken them up into categories.</p>
<p>The Best:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>• El Meson de Pepe – always at the top of my list</li>
<li>• Sloppy Joe’s – made with Papa’s Pilar rum and lots of fresh mint</li>
<li>• Boathouse – half price for Happy Hour!</li></ul>
<p>The Good:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>• Hank’s Hair of the Dog – just a hint of citrus flavoring</li>
<li>• Captain Tony’s Saloon – a good balance of rum, lime and club soda</li>
<li>• Conch Republic Seafood Company (blackberry mojito) – although I usually stick with classic mojitos, I liked the slightly tart taste of the muddled blackberries</li></ul>
<p>The Ugly:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>• Mallory Square drink cart – The only mojito I didn't finish. The mint was completely disintegrated.</li></ul>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-61438335424612977632023-01-20T17:09:00.004-05:002023-01-21T08:06:24.897-05:00The Chihuly Collection and Morean Glass Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9-FCV0JtxLoV041Vyf0h9NuFcQGJg7izAJojMstYz3Ch3Pp5T-QKnuzr4iTcRzKbPqUXtkNBv6PAwqq_VYMeIv8jPk8Gu8JOOZLrFK0R8755TD4wflzSl_4nsT4b7vEjQ0EpO3QtpQJFGim8t5YO-kor80J4d1QduWJAoyHpMPyNqAT8iKcioKse/s4032/IMG_2761.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chihuly Collection" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9-FCV0JtxLoV041Vyf0h9NuFcQGJg7izAJojMstYz3Ch3Pp5T-QKnuzr4iTcRzKbPqUXtkNBv6PAwqq_VYMeIv8jPk8Gu8JOOZLrFK0R8755TD4wflzSl_4nsT4b7vEjQ0EpO3QtpQJFGim8t5YO-kor80J4d1QduWJAoyHpMPyNqAT8iKcioKse/w640-h480/IMG_2761.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Since it was too chilly for boating last weekend, Ron and I decided to head to St Petersburg to visit the <a href="https://moreanartscenter.org/chihuly-collection-location/" target="_blank"><b>Chihuly Collection</b></a> at the Morean Arts Center. I loved Dale Chihuly’s beautiful glass sculptures at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and in the Bahamas, so I was excited about seeing an entire exhibition of his works.</p>
<p>Our tickets to the Morean Arts Center included a glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Glass Studio. We got to the studio just in time for the first demonstration at 1 o’clock. Our glass blowers, or gaffers, were Anjali and Dan. While Dan narrated, Anjali layered glass that had been heated to 2100 degrees (in furnaces named Puff and Toothless) onto the end of a pipe and blew into the pipe to create a hollow ball. At first the glass was so hot that it was bright orange, but as it cooled, the blue color started to appear. Slowly, Anjali transformed the ball of glass into a cylindrical vase. Then Dan added smaller pieces of glass, which Anjali shaped into decorative leaves and a base. Finally, the vase was transferred to another rod so that Anjali could widen and shape its mouth. It was amazing to watch her swing and spin the rod, using gravity and centrifugal force to create the scalloped edges of the vase. The finished piece was placed in an annealing oven to cool to room temperature.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfRVv8N8AIXIhtV6F-jrjJA44WeJClGLFX9yqRsUxXXl8cJELme9_7Qlp6PY1vlckW8_0r2dQ_CbMQbxaD-Lx9S2sB4waleL5q5naq-TVdLk8y0pO6h12xN8B5Z2Bdbz4F6FnUSXgkjLCgiu9D7_lFu-0ONfTs09keX18IzvR8dp9CSu5yoBRJcaS/s4032/IMG_2691.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Morean Glass Studio" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfRVv8N8AIXIhtV6F-jrjJA44WeJClGLFX9yqRsUxXXl8cJELme9_7Qlp6PY1vlckW8_0r2dQ_CbMQbxaD-Lx9S2sB4waleL5q5naq-TVdLk8y0pO6h12xN8B5Z2Bdbz4F6FnUSXgkjLCgiu9D7_lFu-0ONfTs09keX18IzvR8dp9CSu5yoBRJcaS/w480-h640/IMG_2691.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuGLdAcWO5S7PLjodCd_vYxB2KeeAiNMhJ9R1WDlDho_TdP9fsZvobl5B9FjXLsFw94b1r4DxcBaTWJMmngcEPkvc2uSqlo4-81kd0gn7yi3N2oD-YKVpftuzOk0GHFRLqAPqV0vl4XdRajtcGxVk-LeHoO0gBOfUDEVPc9GrysLvSrRX741LWNVX/s4032/IMG_2717.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="glass blowing demonstration" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuGLdAcWO5S7PLjodCd_vYxB2KeeAiNMhJ9R1WDlDho_TdP9fsZvobl5B9FjXLsFw94b1r4DxcBaTWJMmngcEPkvc2uSqlo4-81kd0gn7yi3N2oD-YKVpftuzOk0GHFRLqAPqV0vl4XdRajtcGxVk-LeHoO0gBOfUDEVPc9GrysLvSrRX741LWNVX/w480-h640/IMG_2717.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1sk22P37t2gy4v2zb1Zc308zc-Kd6HkTnTD5Q_rgjeaY1A0uX24r2rvFpOBl-4TYm-QN_Wmo67A3KP6eWvfZiQStWf5f-odWnUJeU6VbCySlMXg4DrHGqty_JOXcyqlr2RPooHD4LPEuPGESQPXURnpOv1yM3ty3-RLiv6lbKZzQqcaYEEQxakJ5/s3430/IMG_2734.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anjali and Dan adding the base" border="0" data-original-height="3430" data-original-width="2573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1sk22P37t2gy4v2zb1Zc308zc-Kd6HkTnTD5Q_rgjeaY1A0uX24r2rvFpOBl-4TYm-QN_Wmo67A3KP6eWvfZiQStWf5f-odWnUJeU6VbCySlMXg4DrHGqty_JOXcyqlr2RPooHD4LPEuPGESQPXURnpOv1yM3ty3-RLiv6lbKZzQqcaYEEQxakJ5/w480-h640/IMG_2734.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9_IwCFYFP9KbwUbAEHySyBrI0enCKKolzZR49C04bqiJ1kX7cULLS29WryASpwQTpJnJjp1vX-QzPmE8XKrzMLVxvBWvPTy55mpwGFJ8XxuUDrWmhYZllM4aPAmPb3s2ThBmjIgzMbCIiDBoN_Xlk4J76FA44U2LBNujzaHA7mwPAtG4DX0SJCWP/s4032/IMG_2747.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9_IwCFYFP9KbwUbAEHySyBrI0enCKKolzZR49C04bqiJ1kX7cULLS29WryASpwQTpJnJjp1vX-QzPmE8XKrzMLVxvBWvPTy55mpwGFJ8XxuUDrWmhYZllM4aPAmPb3s2ThBmjIgzMbCIiDBoN_Xlk4J76FA44U2LBNujzaHA7mwPAtG4DX0SJCWP/w480-h640/IMG_2747.JPG" title="final spin" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>The Chihuly Collection was across the street from the glass studio in a building designed specifically for the exhibit. It included 18 installations with examples from all of Chihuly’s major series - baskets, Persians and Venetians, chandeliers, Macchia and even acrylic drawings. Walking through the gallery, we could see the evolution of Chihuly’s art through the decades as he experimented with new forms and colors. My favorite pieces were the Persians, with their swirling, asymmetrical shapes. In one hallway, the ceiling was covered with colorful Persians that looked like sea creatures - seashells, anemones or jellyfish. It was like walking into an underwater world. I also loved the Macchia Forest installation. “Macchia” is the Italian word for spotted. Chihuly made the Macchia series by layering several different colors with white or clear glass in between, creating a spotted or speckled effect.</p>
<p>There were a couple of pieces from Chihuly’s Ikebana series. These fantastical sculptures were inspired by Japanese flower arrangements and resembled vases of long-stemmed leaves or flowers. To me, they looked like they came from the pages of a Dr. Suess book. Ron said they reminded him of the alien plant in <i>Little Shop of Horrors</i>. (“Feed me, Seymour!”) The largest installation in the exhibit was the Mille Fiori, which means “a thousand flowers” in Italian. This installation combined hundreds of individual elements of all shapes into an other-worldly garden of glass.</p>
<p>When we were finished viewing the collection, we browsed the glass studio's gift shop, which sold pieces that were made during the glass blowing demonstrations. I was glad that we’d watched a demonstration before viewing the Chihuly Collection. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the skill and years of training it took to become a glass artist. It was amazing to see what could be created with sand, fire and a puff of air.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2G-kLtirBBiS6dxwRNQE7X29GHvwUBvXeAzpUBvcYWBVeowVXYGwuGYC-l8C62evmT-Urtr-8x8ZTCSLtNJosCqKfM16DZyXozbRwp5EBco4bjRoSvJJH8PNP9nv0wV6YgiEGs8mH9CA4Om-TJfmHzHkp_0z2vmbdEUpPBmoXjmwSu7C7O4Dpjg9/s4032/IMG_2767.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2G-kLtirBBiS6dxwRNQE7X29GHvwUBvXeAzpUBvcYWBVeowVXYGwuGYC-l8C62evmT-Urtr-8x8ZTCSLtNJosCqKfM16DZyXozbRwp5EBco4bjRoSvJJH8PNP9nv0wV6YgiEGs8mH9CA4Om-TJfmHzHkp_0z2vmbdEUpPBmoXjmwSu7C7O4Dpjg9/w480-h640/IMG_2767.JPG" title="Chihuly basket series" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuNi2B3RFiMiuv07cnTgdQe8B6umD-V9cA41yQkPKQwHEqB0ZhgSwcoZzp1jiNP5er4SXc55b3ryA2tuOoo_aW1JzAKKWXxRtszGiteBX1YPT78M8gVWIA63yVYCAzrQ0kZix9SNnjPKdykcPU7jL9EEREqb-B-YuHqv3WSAJeKFsHeJO8w1f2WAD/s4032/IMG_2776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuNi2B3RFiMiuv07cnTgdQe8B6umD-V9cA41yQkPKQwHEqB0ZhgSwcoZzp1jiNP5er4SXc55b3ryA2tuOoo_aW1JzAKKWXxRtszGiteBX1YPT78M8gVWIA63yVYCAzrQ0kZix9SNnjPKdykcPU7jL9EEREqb-B-YuHqv3WSAJeKFsHeJO8w1f2WAD/w640-h480/IMG_2776.JPG" title="Chihuly acrylic drawings" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawing Wall</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmE8FwRLN9KlkbgFJ1LMxTLxJuPbhQaB-tD0P6QiEMgVjryQ827huuT2n5AMMB-ogOpVguRqN7N1ABZFPSab7WNV3_A0mSaEIQaEknow4hisa7ijXOno6q3r4OSy55bNozaJZ1N720nQZRpx9CfdEMedYRkf6YDApF3qe1VWM49NFS2JRPib1WSCN/s3808/PXL_20230115_185259688.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="3808" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmE8FwRLN9KlkbgFJ1LMxTLxJuPbhQaB-tD0P6QiEMgVjryQ827huuT2n5AMMB-ogOpVguRqN7N1ABZFPSab7WNV3_A0mSaEIQaEknow4hisa7ijXOno6q3r4OSy55bNozaJZ1N720nQZRpx9CfdEMedYRkf6YDApF3qe1VWM49NFS2JRPib1WSCN/w640-h480/PXL_20230115_185259688.jpg" title="Sunset Persian Wall" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset Persian Wall</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltDWkhENSfzHsRNvOz1x5aA_w_Efu_041pnyQtj68NrnB6E5HR_0TUMAfpM1WwbeaYL0ASkHbde4rytwVJMKfdPiWuUTLXkgOKcvbEqjPJtM3KgP-_fnVwdlHhXcJaDihynu9SslsuK-RYEsiD_ybsmElwxDkUStk5gROBrdFs_fjnOHlK0RnfVwu/s4032/IMG_2789.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltDWkhENSfzHsRNvOz1x5aA_w_Efu_041pnyQtj68NrnB6E5HR_0TUMAfpM1WwbeaYL0ASkHbde4rytwVJMKfdPiWuUTLXkgOKcvbEqjPJtM3KgP-_fnVwdlHhXcJaDihynu9SslsuK-RYEsiD_ybsmElwxDkUStk5gROBrdFs_fjnOHlK0RnfVwu/w480-h640/IMG_2789.JPG" title="persian detail" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZcs59w-S4CwD9YuHz1_Rm7hwSQ-Tl6i-XdAG2iGXG2K3F1TGVDbNNGyN-Sn9YuyaNU0txzFKrEf_3jtrif0_JBIIXH6PeauWkWjTjPudyPEZ1XdnuQqB6147x4DXlffUrIjIc0BEavJ6PgvAV_t8EL097mJ10V4gisJzQFUOTATgXyS9rF94EHJS/s4032/IMG_2795.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Float Boat" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZcs59w-S4CwD9YuHz1_Rm7hwSQ-Tl6i-XdAG2iGXG2K3F1TGVDbNNGyN-Sn9YuyaNU0txzFKrEf_3jtrif0_JBIIXH6PeauWkWjTjPudyPEZ1XdnuQqB6147x4DXlffUrIjIc0BEavJ6PgvAV_t8EL097mJ10V4gisJzQFUOTATgXyS9rF94EHJS/w640-h480/IMG_2795.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Float Boat</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KVAd6Drqp5PrElEmXQzz6rUpRFwpkirmeYosMKBgo05zouCrMpvwui7in8Shvkle5oLfBFql0wSYmxb3gMMBNBC-ys-kGcLjOeyCuDmxXxdkTq6eyZT1YsUEAdI4uwRTWTAriQfDPdyLOUw47OJ4IYn8_37N6zBXVK61nAqGy5OoShjpsvvOtTaE/s4032/IMG_2770.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Carnival chandelier" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KVAd6Drqp5PrElEmXQzz6rUpRFwpkirmeYosMKBgo05zouCrMpvwui7in8Shvkle5oLfBFql0wSYmxb3gMMBNBC-ys-kGcLjOeyCuDmxXxdkTq6eyZT1YsUEAdI4uwRTWTAriQfDPdyLOUw47OJ4IYn8_37N6zBXVK61nAqGy5OoShjpsvvOtTaE/w480-h640/IMG_2770.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carnival</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Izot9ksX1QzEuAeB7kNQSegZOFSleMrIOLAbgacfkrhyIlR-ywKehmRdURhYxH91EXfO4KW4bZ_0aNWGnRPGc4hzzzHbDucielshSxihW8OhFyASekAOa3Q2joVNEpw9A4Rlt8rKPZei1jAz2CVhPTJUUeL4c9NJMOiJbQPDffobjbeW56nWxxoQ/s3813/IMG_2804.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Persian Ceiling" border="0" data-original-height="3813" data-original-width="2860" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Izot9ksX1QzEuAeB7kNQSegZOFSleMrIOLAbgacfkrhyIlR-ywKehmRdURhYxH91EXfO4KW4bZ_0aNWGnRPGc4hzzzHbDucielshSxihW8OhFyASekAOa3Q2joVNEpw9A4Rlt8rKPZei1jAz2CVhPTJUUeL4c9NJMOiJbQPDffobjbeW56nWxxoQ/w480-h640/IMG_2804.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Persian Ceiling</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmDocQk9Z1w1whv7CE0o6YT-aQWqhUaIgw9WyreLro1tlCwRQAuqFIsW97niEgWcwmcrCcOZArwF1IXPq_0ffvF3ipJW4QLe2aQHt_mjGLJmlKa1pXHXfBAGaUitx94WLoBy1FH88f2cP8GpQddw4MLvtImQeV8HkSeAkgeNE2tsB1C9Lu6pMdm9v/s4032/IMG_2797.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ceiling detail" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmDocQk9Z1w1whv7CE0o6YT-aQWqhUaIgw9WyreLro1tlCwRQAuqFIsW97niEgWcwmcrCcOZArwF1IXPq_0ffvF3ipJW4QLe2aQHt_mjGLJmlKa1pXHXfBAGaUitx94WLoBy1FH88f2cP8GpQddw4MLvtImQeV8HkSeAkgeNE2tsB1C9Lu6pMdm9v/w640-h480/IMG_2797.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0-LrwVmFCD69i_HsPPAmNHh1iagxj9qh9TY392iUdS1SC3mImk5WxmJ6N5r-1DYe4cfEovCbxPnJ6xTHh_8j1qyZ4SLGNfFYSruwD5y0wo5ZAkgzLUgjEE9-jEaP2S1BYFSC0nSvPHo8hUEs3UIysJAr1R-iD0gt2n11vc0SWid7joYSzl8Lto56/s3374/PXL_20230115_185759106.NIGHT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier" border="0" data-original-height="3374" data-original-width="2531" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0-LrwVmFCD69i_HsPPAmNHh1iagxj9qh9TY392iUdS1SC3mImk5WxmJ6N5r-1DYe4cfEovCbxPnJ6xTHh_8j1qyZ4SLGNfFYSruwD5y0wo5ZAkgzLUgjEE9-jEaP2S1BYFSC0nSvPHo8hUEs3UIysJAr1R-iD0gt2n11vc0SWid7joYSzl8Lto56/w480-h640/PXL_20230115_185759106.NIGHT.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJP4_dsPOBmmZpCZ4ikSPwOwst6arTgIlDKk5toIyb0PTSVGy7_SC-wu5GXLSlNNRTUu91Y5S0QcQ6lxePnDaClPSv7pLC9dr1XJ9wtzco8fTbvRqKawn0KlYLzB15aw7x45f1gr1l_0SXwSgz0SYFpgRKMWJXrKP5w_86H8qSAS1OXoIuzRqRu7x/s4032/IMG_2808.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chandelier detail" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJP4_dsPOBmmZpCZ4ikSPwOwst6arTgIlDKk5toIyb0PTSVGy7_SC-wu5GXLSlNNRTUu91Y5S0QcQ6lxePnDaClPSv7pLC9dr1XJ9wtzco8fTbvRqKawn0KlYLzB15aw7x45f1gr1l_0SXwSgz0SYFpgRKMWJXrKP5w_86H8qSAS1OXoIuzRqRu7x/w480-h640/IMG_2808.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeklB4vlPBp1D-yonHf8MqZV1HAOqQ6IFJNtI2Ohuuv8_0cLjqsz0-BuyWCjL4BUzVwgOMYdGZM2H-o5yApXCgb6B0EJqN_M7txm4-v624QbkP6p8ihKQRzPhm58W0MdykhnEC-JglOfGY5Zrqezd7LFceuTHScs0L74EDC-mNhhmXJ3XYCeW5U2xk/s4032/IMG_2817.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chihuly Ikebana" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeklB4vlPBp1D-yonHf8MqZV1HAOqQ6IFJNtI2Ohuuv8_0cLjqsz0-BuyWCjL4BUzVwgOMYdGZM2H-o5yApXCgb6B0EJqN_M7txm4-v624QbkP6p8ihKQRzPhm58W0MdykhnEC-JglOfGY5Zrqezd7LFceuTHScs0L74EDC-mNhhmXJ3XYCeW5U2xk/w480-h640/IMG_2817.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silvered White-Spotted Ikebana with Gilded Purple Stems</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9tUncjlv8uflvH3daVgB25QsjO45FARkhyAz1klN9f3o6wzvGw93no4gkCcp3sHQv8d7FXtUoGfVeppYykuh2Nmq-Jh4hbcETiZ4r3yq7jOwUUF3u_w_6HWmOfttdk5HTg6DplnU8aLmYdcMqQpRUED9dzKWX2m3QwAqmLWlVNRn-jGqRp90KDAI/s3346/IMG_2859a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Macchia Forest" border="0" data-original-height="2509" data-original-width="3346" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9tUncjlv8uflvH3daVgB25QsjO45FARkhyAz1klN9f3o6wzvGw93no4gkCcp3sHQv8d7FXtUoGfVeppYykuh2Nmq-Jh4hbcETiZ4r3yq7jOwUUF3u_w_6HWmOfttdk5HTg6DplnU8aLmYdcMqQpRUED9dzKWX2m3QwAqmLWlVNRn-jGqRp90KDAI/w640-h480/IMG_2859a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macchia Forest</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglltamNbhcP6tEf_r3zbMajk2GYh2CcH4i2dGOAV9M7zWrc08UcYmCtSRo3_Ejm2bT4fboUZfRQd9llxvA0-6Sg0DSPtY5qHuaInRzsFQ6FzPM1xUIg6gIWjawI7uHMMt-_XqKjRveDiRbRYycwCJ337DQrSHTgRe7mXSloxQXBCGMpZG7VhMglsWO/s4032/IMG_2857.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Macchia Forest close-up" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglltamNbhcP6tEf_r3zbMajk2GYh2CcH4i2dGOAV9M7zWrc08UcYmCtSRo3_Ejm2bT4fboUZfRQd9llxvA0-6Sg0DSPtY5qHuaInRzsFQ6FzPM1xUIg6gIWjawI7uHMMt-_XqKjRveDiRbRYycwCJ337DQrSHTgRe7mXSloxQXBCGMpZG7VhMglsWO/w480-h640/IMG_2857.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4ebzW8IGL090UqllZMi9ysaBfWE8VNgi9N1UD_xJ2xR_Z84mUjc0AZ6a3jy-39m2aFMLzFCkcXTdAY8oZ7lESNMJdBJ9VepuYq9K8JQzz-yPzKZMlQ_RDAbkGLgBTdP3seTAs7Vn_g5R8CJb2Cb3g03lS6zmx--5yzwPY_6Ov7vquwq9STaWW5BW/s4032/PXL_20230115_190138418.NIGHT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mille Fiori" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4ebzW8IGL090UqllZMi9ysaBfWE8VNgi9N1UD_xJ2xR_Z84mUjc0AZ6a3jy-39m2aFMLzFCkcXTdAY8oZ7lESNMJdBJ9VepuYq9K8JQzz-yPzKZMlQ_RDAbkGLgBTdP3seTAs7Vn_g5R8CJb2Cb3g03lS6zmx--5yzwPY_6Ov7vquwq9STaWW5BW/w640-h480/PXL_20230115_190138418.NIGHT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mille Fiori</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYq4stN4oON6LrTBTdtDbPDK9_wr2Kg7u6nv8sKBcC0iUbTvA292R-yI5tVVK0iEy9THW2-II3PN4ZOIWLpvq6bq844ZU6Bsy5fmPVsvMV4asKT3cBet-jSzMIOAQXSMzPqw48Bo5KYbTrjBAzU8MUNatwtRqDc3hbhCn2etXJCqkxKcG4f0okt4Mw/s4032/IMG_2842.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mille Fiori close-up" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYq4stN4oON6LrTBTdtDbPDK9_wr2Kg7u6nv8sKBcC0iUbTvA292R-yI5tVVK0iEy9THW2-II3PN4ZOIWLpvq6bq844ZU6Bsy5fmPVsvMV4asKT3cBet-jSzMIOAQXSMzPqw48Bo5KYbTrjBAzU8MUNatwtRqDc3hbhCn2etXJCqkxKcG4f0okt4Mw/w480-h640/IMG_2842.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy1c93uL9ccnc6sS0v91g5Sl881X24FZaCEXt-P700Ubc3b3kQ6ieDZ9hgLkD39k97MGM8blUy744AokCxJbuqHJ9vET8PI8D8EYs0ikwvo6gl278aUrxPapnaouc5jZm09xByaVKMgo25iR37yIugcWp31l2aM1bAsyJwkvSuV2CmrcWHm61VeLw/s4032/IMG_2838.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="glass globe" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy1c93uL9ccnc6sS0v91g5Sl881X24FZaCEXt-P700Ubc3b3kQ6ieDZ9hgLkD39k97MGM8blUy744AokCxJbuqHJ9vET8PI8D8EYs0ikwvo6gl278aUrxPapnaouc5jZm09xByaVKMgo25iR37yIugcWp31l2aM1bAsyJwkvSuV2CmrcWHm61VeLw/w480-h640/IMG_2838.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: Be sure to check the Morean Arts Center’s website (<a href="https://moreanartscenter.org" target="_blank">https://moreanartscenter.org</a>) for the days and times of the glassblowing demonstrations. You don’t want to miss seeing how this beautiful art is made!</p>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-44545679209717015272022-12-01T08:49:00.002-05:002022-12-01T08:52:45.669-05:00Sanding Ovations “Once Upon a Time”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSFHrHYCw5lZx1raDJ3UvignSieyeFcEGohxsEypdZzVc0TkPD4BpjdmGgpmzTQ1PWfDZGXalAUU8gCtxaMONcXho4c1mtDdxdrUAw7x__473j-SosGz0C9ik5g0GKT9sbz092XdnGyhwWhS_iSSkB6kKd9G26_hGZn1ID2vqYrNJaazTqXCiPscd/s3492/IMG_1671.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sanding Ovations" border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="3492" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSFHrHYCw5lZx1raDJ3UvignSieyeFcEGohxsEypdZzVc0TkPD4BpjdmGgpmzTQ1PWfDZGXalAUU8gCtxaMONcXho4c1mtDdxdrUAw7x__473j-SosGz0C9ik5g0GKT9sbz092XdnGyhwWhS_iSSkB6kKd9G26_hGZn1ID2vqYrNJaazTqXCiPscd/w640-h480/IMG_1671.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>On Saturday, Ron and I went to Treasure Island for the Sanding Ovations sand sculpting festival. I love art displays with a theme, something that ties everything together. This year’s theme, “Once Upon a Time”, seemed to have brought out the best in the artists. There was so much creativity and humor. The Rapunzel sculpture was titled “Hair Extensions” and showed Prince Charming lying on ground holding up a long braid. In the Goldilocks and the Three Bears sculpture, the bear family finds Goldilocks passed out on their beach chair after drinking all their beer. Because of the way the sculptures were laid out on the beach, you could view the details on all sides. I especially liked the back of the Three Bears sculpture, with Mama Bear’s thong and Papa Bear’s butt crack. These fairy tales creations did not look anything like the ones in my childhood story books. :-) The highlight of the exhibit was an enormous castle, made with 80 tons of sand, that all ten of the master sculptors had worked on together.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGasRzHQ8wUACnaJpMzMRZBA1M3XhR5z4eGA3RT4N158frDpGmF5KAaE4bbdxlQcvhdUECOWjqDmScaELF24fRX1ttuz1lcuvhPrWuud8jQf7VZ_gvsilhROvBzjf_bvyebpluJ5oq-5SjZDy6g2J1_xiGW-kDBbOWu7YLGKngGOiXCEVrAdcDYESC/s4660/DSCN5205b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sanding Ovations castle" border="0" data-original-height="4660" data-original-width="3495" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGasRzHQ8wUACnaJpMzMRZBA1M3XhR5z4eGA3RT4N158frDpGmF5KAaE4bbdxlQcvhdUECOWjqDmScaELF24fRX1ttuz1lcuvhPrWuud8jQf7VZ_gvsilhROvBzjf_bvyebpluJ5oq-5SjZDy6g2J1_xiGW-kDBbOWu7YLGKngGOiXCEVrAdcDYESC/w480-h640/DSCN5205b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>Besides the sand sculptures, there was live music, a food court, and craft vendors. I bought a couple of beautiful Christmas ornaments made from Treasure Island sand from one of the vendors. Since it was Small Business Saturday, I was happy I could support a local artist and do some Christmas shopping at the same time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugCNR5nA_oGuI8K6Ts8ykeMvNTTl9BrjcYB9V9ePwTGqnYJ89RFYrPVDvgAVFBAGRThjbMINXYvQHNMHW3ruYlLGqMCmiYREhq-74IDKr2uHGLppgEH6QBpl7b1Sxmys4Uaq2HY3THF3HHmNKbhu-kh2f2FJYd3KijOPwf5WmVNTItWYJRdRE4fWA/s4032/IMG_1731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sand ornament" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugCNR5nA_oGuI8K6Ts8ykeMvNTTl9BrjcYB9V9ePwTGqnYJ89RFYrPVDvgAVFBAGRThjbMINXYvQHNMHW3ruYlLGqMCmiYREhq-74IDKr2uHGLppgEH6QBpl7b1Sxmys4Uaq2HY3THF3HHmNKbhu-kh2f2FJYd3KijOPwf5WmVNTItWYJRdRE4fWA/w480-h640/IMG_1731.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: Although the festival has ended, the sand sculptures will remain on display until the first week of January.</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-27304170243396454052022-11-25T15:52:00.006-05:002023-06-11T13:46:50.066-04:00Sandals Montego Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3CufVrQLARK30e3QvmqHOq33TE_cUQ0Ov-Ia-G1BJd-Z3o7I1QgYcnngQkmwqLO-sWVCoIL9A5ZEX-qO3REmBodjShxc6wwIXmBY0GyGCa8S0hig95KCCliEJhB95jx6Jj0Zl8zDtdcp39OB27Sgna5GJBn1Tzyjs48nZ7DLKYVWBa6UZ-h0sQUE/s3897/IMG_1018.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sandals Montego Bay" border="0" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="3897" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3CufVrQLARK30e3QvmqHOq33TE_cUQ0Ov-Ia-G1BJd-Z3o7I1QgYcnngQkmwqLO-sWVCoIL9A5ZEX-qO3REmBodjShxc6wwIXmBY0GyGCa8S0hig95KCCliEJhB95jx6Jj0Zl8zDtdcp39OB27Sgna5GJBn1Tzyjs48nZ7DLKYVWBa6UZ-h0sQUE/w640-h480/IMG_1018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Getting There</b></p>
<p>We planned this vacation earlier this year when we realized that we were just shy of 70 nights at Sandals, the milestone for getting a free week at a Sandals resort of our choice. Then in June, Judi had her stroke, and we didn’t know if we’d be able to make the trip. We hired a home aid company who could help out while we were away and crossed our fingers. Everything looked like a go, but then along came Tropical Storm Nicole and our Friday morning flight was cancelled. Jet Blue rescheduled the flight for Saturday afternoon, which meant we’d miss a day in Jamaica, but as long as we could get to the resort sometime on Saturday, we’d still earn our free week. We spent Friday night in Orlando and woke up to the news that now the airport was fogged in. Seriously??? Our flight was delayed another two hours, and by the time we finally made it to Sandals, it was 7 o’clock, dark and raining, and we were tired, hungry, and grumpy. We had dinner at Cricketer’s Pub since it was the most casual restaurant, and we were still in our grubby travel clothes. Once we’d gotten some fish and chips and steak pie in our bellies, we were feeling much better. We’d made it! The rain had stopped, so we walked over to Latitudes, the over-the-water bar, enjoying the night breeze and the lights of the resort. I couldn’t wait to see everything in daylight.</p>
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<p><b>Sunday</b></p>
<p>The next morning, I woke up at 6 and sat out on our balcony, watching the clouds turn orange and pink in the sunrise. What a view! The walkway in front of our building wound along the seawall. The Island Routes catamaran was anchored just offshore in the turquoise water. I noticed some motion on the path below and thought it was one of the resort cats but then I realized it was a mongoose. How cool!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojQe1KRxD2FJcUQ9W-0WqXyUKmmv_rzrJmAOn6yOtk8henEHuUsxSddSuv2Lhv2wpJ6vNZ2jHWD5N7N1ClkHwtGc8Rfj9dv3UTGy5Qvvb19F8g8kabtwxd3uFzm55_08fdX6nrCcWOYjdK_lOgYVcyushBd5zVpw1EZ7ne8Hft0E8oIp4XCZyll_F/s3854/IMG_0904.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="morning view from room" border="0" data-original-height="3854" data-original-width="2891" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojQe1KRxD2FJcUQ9W-0WqXyUKmmv_rzrJmAOn6yOtk8henEHuUsxSddSuv2Lhv2wpJ6vNZ2jHWD5N7N1ClkHwtGc8Rfj9dv3UTGy5Qvvb19F8g8kabtwxd3uFzm55_08fdX6nrCcWOYjdK_lOgYVcyushBd5zVpw1EZ7ne8Hft0E8oIp4XCZyll_F/w480-h640/IMG_0904.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from our balcony</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpOqx1W3NEYiavOP22GwzHqnatB_vmBA_mHS7RhIWk2sCHjHJMzso4kdU0yq_SJBDU35PC5eu7sxI8weH5rUtiuzs1_qvAoKrwWH2IYPe54nCEMcnvRvinNEZ8_q5_n6CD0CCzpy2zHp0xddA20xoKpvVLDK0eqgrsg9DOn1mWsS7-evH7OpNiXBO/s3940/IMG_0905.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view from room" border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3940" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpOqx1W3NEYiavOP22GwzHqnatB_vmBA_mHS7RhIWk2sCHjHJMzso4kdU0yq_SJBDU35PC5eu7sxI8weH5rUtiuzs1_qvAoKrwWH2IYPe54nCEMcnvRvinNEZ8_q5_n6CD0CCzpy2zHp0xddA20xoKpvVLDK0eqgrsg9DOn1mWsS7-evH7OpNiXBO/w640-h480/IMG_0905.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGu9LBLKZXpS6CUvKXpZj3gFWAQIOO_0JsblyNVbH2z636iGa3tkxEx6Q0ZmiCkI-OZavKBufdQKpaF2i2JsarVHkJfQPuNM1KqICXZpuFqxm4-k8lVC6wWyTfpE4AAxG0fiaYKiUzJgIuINk2yULE4gI3uYreFbDSRC2AP405z8zuHnQH30xteVD/s7801/IMG_1441a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="panoramic view from room" border="0" data-original-height="3210" data-original-width="7801" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGu9LBLKZXpS6CUvKXpZj3gFWAQIOO_0JsblyNVbH2z636iGa3tkxEx6Q0ZmiCkI-OZavKBufdQKpaF2i2JsarVHkJfQPuNM1KqICXZpuFqxm4-k8lVC6wWyTfpE4AAxG0fiaYKiUzJgIuINk2yULE4gI3uYreFbDSRC2AP405z8zuHnQH30xteVD/w640-h264/IMG_1441a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirduyLBhAEiFbza4IwrlykFYAtOAXiKkLZoYYeKQi4PnPeWlFCDYIjmehpw1QllFse0cXW1ael5msXoK_hEtQtwBfBlbLfgY-G9gS89-5mn6AmOMI0qkmagEpvYvkBy1ulO04hAfD68Bi4w0TF99SEB98vM8nLgnsmlpQQO7ZXCOqTjwterKy4U27/s3553/IMG_1146a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mongoose" border="0" data-original-height="3553" data-original-width="2665" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirduyLBhAEiFbza4IwrlykFYAtOAXiKkLZoYYeKQi4PnPeWlFCDYIjmehpw1QllFse0cXW1ael5msXoK_hEtQtwBfBlbLfgY-G9gS89-5mn6AmOMI0qkmagEpvYvkBy1ulO04hAfD68Bi4w0TF99SEB98vM8nLgnsmlpQQO7ZXCOqTjwterKy4U27/w480-h640/IMG_1146a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mongoose!</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After Ron got up, we went to the breakfast buffet at Bayside, then walked around to get our bearings. We’d spent three days at Sandals Mobay in 2010, but a lot had changed since then. Latitudes had been added, as well as a couple of new restaurants, Butch’s Steakhouse and Soy Sushi Bar, and the coffee shop, Café de Paris. The lobby and rooms were completely updated. I loved our room in the Almonds Building. It was in the perfect location, right on the water and convenient to everything but private at the same time. The room was smallish, just large enough to fit a king-sized bed, but the bathroom had a huge shower and trough sink. There was even a soaking tub on the balcony. I didn't think we'd use the tub except for hanging our wet bathing suits, but it turned out to be great for soaking off the salt after a day on the beach.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt27B7zlfyNAKctqVjSOFd03B5s7XzByY7g5R1pfXGaoYSQTCwOdGHlai9h8iI7DxMH6fxws3J0pgOi21_8G1envGI72YWTjyOKzA6ofusxrrq65X7wACgGldOCbRKSIJMyeXMAPVdw7Slq6RciwwVzXWTZas6KOZjoaXOXOBSBED8POs2sA3Hvn_i/s4032/IMG_1180.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sandals Montego Bay lobby" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt27B7zlfyNAKctqVjSOFd03B5s7XzByY7g5R1pfXGaoYSQTCwOdGHlai9h8iI7DxMH6fxws3J0pgOi21_8G1envGI72YWTjyOKzA6ofusxrrq65X7wACgGldOCbRKSIJMyeXMAPVdw7Slq6RciwwVzXWTZas6KOZjoaXOXOBSBED8POs2sA3Hvn_i/w640-h480/IMG_1180.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the lobby</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlbzOibgwj-YpJFhk1yOcGRElupyZCNNx1V2hg3O61V5ug2tIH7-tIfRT1gNt1EMrywThVXEvsk1-ZBnsPuTTu3zK3alXPVEZ3o-ykMoIGtnRAjZoLV1g8I4iCsI27twbQjVK_DAFpz1Sm0uLf8CE9aJTUfD0tt0cBSvosAQR9gxcUfspniDDSRRl/s4032/IMG_0942.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="main pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlbzOibgwj-YpJFhk1yOcGRElupyZCNNx1V2hg3O61V5ug2tIH7-tIfRT1gNt1EMrywThVXEvsk1-ZBnsPuTTu3zK3alXPVEZ3o-ykMoIGtnRAjZoLV1g8I4iCsI27twbQjVK_DAFpz1Sm0uLf8CE9aJTUfD0tt0cBSvosAQR9gxcUfspniDDSRRl/w640-h480/IMG_0942.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">main pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--cs6ErcJuuqnYowxz6_D09Jh1rjbOmXJHl1EepopAOSNkQp9t_dtasAxujl7zWPqPu5rcSybEpKJld_MSwGAxC9cMHVEgyyMQU4oJUUtrzWEVcRQW4zQPYzUTz9H5sk6zEBzmuC2GTY6GTO2tRuBGvmlQsjmDrH1wVh8CygPmHsjRd3yc7NBYTAy/s4032/IMG_0985.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cafe de Paris" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--cs6ErcJuuqnYowxz6_D09Jh1rjbOmXJHl1EepopAOSNkQp9t_dtasAxujl7zWPqPu5rcSybEpKJld_MSwGAxC9cMHVEgyyMQU4oJUUtrzWEVcRQW4zQPYzUTz9H5sk6zEBzmuC2GTY6GTO2tRuBGvmlQsjmDrH1wVh8CygPmHsjRd3yc7NBYTAy/w480-h640/IMG_0985.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U18EQ5u765G74_8tGeD-7l-XnbVKW4z2Mbx2Q_lA9ChAKV4OHX_h8krhurZTIBhyvzLTYGED4kXQeqJY37UfCezt6eT5yJ314JkN70LoHuJTESdep89qDJiPRilnEvzTQwhvkOhC2H4IUutnvpXg9huQLBDpt69N42MoVc_7P7YpyT3gAV9ajxyO/s3932/IMG_1361.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Almonds building walkway" border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U18EQ5u765G74_8tGeD-7l-XnbVKW4z2Mbx2Q_lA9ChAKV4OHX_h8krhurZTIBhyvzLTYGED4kXQeqJY37UfCezt6eT5yJ314JkN70LoHuJTESdep89qDJiPRilnEvzTQwhvkOhC2H4IUutnvpXg9huQLBDpt69N42MoVc_7P7YpyT3gAV9ajxyO/w640-h480/IMG_1361.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC30JBQL3_9Y4EwSTXC5k7JJPKnAeoZnIu3UV4iurqI2mASTc-ps7g4qH1_gpCi--P_X-aWTr8D8X34aLDnW1H8vGyJEiwEUSDSQseMe4v0zz9DsElzakyJHpJa-Uscvt2ZdJ-dxA_rhcMRQDQSY10568d_eQhkBaUEDlmWxg1kWVuVfJBD4pbO801/s3633/IMG_1356.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="seawall" border="0" data-original-height="3633" data-original-width="2725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC30JBQL3_9Y4EwSTXC5k7JJPKnAeoZnIu3UV4iurqI2mASTc-ps7g4qH1_gpCi--P_X-aWTr8D8X34aLDnW1H8vGyJEiwEUSDSQseMe4v0zz9DsElzakyJHpJa-Uscvt2ZdJ-dxA_rhcMRQDQSY10568d_eQhkBaUEDlmWxg1kWVuVfJBD4pbO801/w480-h640/IMG_1356.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheS4vq9Lf061ToO9rSyyj3icNA7fwEUcgOyE1zEdDEAEy7GGdqTZ_JsD62KpbNn6lkeTNO6SVqjhoObh9-ae9wWfNAfcrFaSkG5rdUpBoxJ0a1ghmnRAW5NjRSTtBrKxC2Gn2QceD1nV1oNxeo9peHgSy6epy3JDaCNoCT6b_msM5GPsar5aO5aQv9/s4032/IMG_1348.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="memorial to Butch Stewart" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheS4vq9Lf061ToO9rSyyj3icNA7fwEUcgOyE1zEdDEAEy7GGdqTZ_JsD62KpbNn6lkeTNO6SVqjhoObh9-ae9wWfNAfcrFaSkG5rdUpBoxJ0a1ghmnRAW5NjRSTtBrKxC2Gn2QceD1nV1oNxeo9peHgSy6epy3JDaCNoCT6b_msM5GPsar5aO5aQv9/w480-h640/IMG_1348.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">memorial to Butch Stewart, founder of Sandals</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGl5k0qZ9WenekKG5JxTnyGpbZScF-KeLhIpivqIqeX3-nB_0LwYP8eSCTGZhSReWqCCdL20HqzgVEmbhC8Ebi0HLStg2OCUdgmSERc_3VAeJli3vAVFOhplBTqYF8vgZbLRUCu2vkwHnxXAkIoKzDRxN0pBjDhlsLiVRAyOUm7lqdvFbXGD4vEDb/s3949/IMG_1032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="our room" border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="3949" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGl5k0qZ9WenekKG5JxTnyGpbZScF-KeLhIpivqIqeX3-nB_0LwYP8eSCTGZhSReWqCCdL20HqzgVEmbhC8Ebi0HLStg2OCUdgmSERc_3VAeJli3vAVFOhplBTqYF8vgZbLRUCu2vkwHnxXAkIoKzDRxN0pBjDhlsLiVRAyOUm7lqdvFbXGD4vEDb/w640-h480/IMG_1032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7RO_yCFNk0YcTHyC-u1I8LB-hxytkYm6-ue21DZEudUVjtNPuAOzlobZLAF9QcbQOVob7lAeGsvtwDSBauS0dzTaA8nMIizPIwzZwON5uf8f1NPXyFMmW7oHzBjCOetTqtddeBZh2QCP1QEUApJCBQL36WMaH0yAW-oLGvBjbM0wIKOzpZhZjkLL/s4032/IMG_1044.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="soaking tub" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7RO_yCFNk0YcTHyC-u1I8LB-hxytkYm6-ue21DZEudUVjtNPuAOzlobZLAF9QcbQOVob7lAeGsvtwDSBauS0dzTaA8nMIizPIwzZwON5uf8f1NPXyFMmW7oHzBjCOetTqtddeBZh2QCP1QEUApJCBQL36WMaH0yAW-oLGvBjbM0wIKOzpZhZjkLL/w480-h640/IMG_1044.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>One of my goals for the trip was to take advantage of all the included watersports. As much as I’d loved Sandals Barbados for its pools and restaurants, it didn’t have much in the way of watersports and I’d missed that. Sandals MoBay had a long stretch of beach, and the water was calm enough for sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking and skiing. We had to wait out a passing rain shower, but it was over quickly, leaving a beautiful rainbow, and it stayed sunny and hot the rest of the trip. We found some shaded lounge chairs under an almond tree near the aqua center. I wasn’t quite ready for wakeboarding, so we took one of the Hobie Cat sailboats out for a ride, then spent the rest of the day floating around in the water. The pools at the Sandals Mobay were small, so the beach was definitely the place to be.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx_Xzm9MSU5RXuIKhIdBRz0K3f1UGklyWytNY7UKwqj0IQydGZmMMpQZIxvydAzUBRAfi6doFpvrOewiq9M9jAD9tJIYUV17ybcwXzxPSOWRkcU_Y6Sy_v1mqFtxVt-YaKOU_A1KZ-ayBrup0qazYQQvJaZylCAmA2U0xvkW3WsSQSeNxWuPBflre/s3405/IMG_0956.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kayaks" border="0" data-original-height="3405" data-original-width="2553" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx_Xzm9MSU5RXuIKhIdBRz0K3f1UGklyWytNY7UKwqj0IQydGZmMMpQZIxvydAzUBRAfi6doFpvrOewiq9M9jAD9tJIYUV17ybcwXzxPSOWRkcU_Y6Sy_v1mqFtxVt-YaKOU_A1KZ-ayBrup0qazYQQvJaZylCAmA2U0xvkW3WsSQSeNxWuPBflre/w480-h640/IMG_0956.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx1VET8j1Au7UJiUEKHmlXwHedNG2NV3epBnAUTv2Tk4Afi1YjjYwTwj3Q2c_uEw1D-XJP7FH-UU-zjzQYVq7q_UVGKNU_wYTc8ONg81XNoBolf_02XHrGq0n90fDKVk6gTAzIM1bCQtzU2YEk-DmTW7MBTPBfVvPwtV4PPynwm6i8NjIicw1MZl4/s3605/IMG_0953a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rainbow" border="0" data-original-height="2704" data-original-width="3605" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx1VET8j1Au7UJiUEKHmlXwHedNG2NV3epBnAUTv2Tk4Afi1YjjYwTwj3Q2c_uEw1D-XJP7FH-UU-zjzQYVq7q_UVGKNU_wYTc8ONg81XNoBolf_02XHrGq0n90fDKVk6gTAzIM1bCQtzU2YEk-DmTW7MBTPBfVvPwtV4PPynwm6i8NjIicw1MZl4/w640-h480/IMG_0953a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQdyuAjT7HsTYoe8XmcQy902b3jQQRAhAr84jnMzna5eVsW5jbk7U2ceXkyuIcXANpy34GrX7xH4jLAx1Y9fvknMvXJhnWgImi5GC1uq6aUjQpa8jwz8rBE4JQCGCfux-ZG87oOFoOif8lCxS1poT7nfCTsaw722W8Ahpbz5uK1DPvd9snHx2JN8F/s3561/IMG_0975.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="floating ring" border="0" data-original-height="2671" data-original-width="3561" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQdyuAjT7HsTYoe8XmcQy902b3jQQRAhAr84jnMzna5eVsW5jbk7U2ceXkyuIcXANpy34GrX7xH4jLAx1Y9fvknMvXJhnWgImi5GC1uq6aUjQpa8jwz8rBE4JQCGCfux-ZG87oOFoOif8lCxS1poT7nfCTsaw722W8Ahpbz5uK1DPvd9snHx2JN8F/w640-h480/IMG_0975.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1fAwSW7w7pXEY-iHSr28CoaO9XuF-qflhKUBwKOhdH7rR9sJsm1KnEAspw1vH_geoF1J4AD0lf3uqvZQ5Vrn-eMwLj_Ug2cDKvEdX3rauD5q9V_0XpvmtZphmRqtFfV0IgYlMtKjkRKIMx73hS1b2Fejt95RGAuuxaVQt_3bybWD-bPIVpqwTjdC/s3801/IMG_0994.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dirty Banana drink" border="0" data-original-height="3801" data-original-width="2851" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1fAwSW7w7pXEY-iHSr28CoaO9XuF-qflhKUBwKOhdH7rR9sJsm1KnEAspw1vH_geoF1J4AD0lf3uqvZQ5Vrn-eMwLj_Ug2cDKvEdX3rauD5q9V_0XpvmtZphmRqtFfV0IgYlMtKjkRKIMx73hS1b2Fejt95RGAuuxaVQt_3bybWD-bPIVpqwTjdC/w480-h640/IMG_0994.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>That night we watched a gorgeous sunset from Latitudes and ate dinner at Soy, sharing a bunch of different sushi rolls – the champagne roll, crispy Philly, snow crab and spicy tuna. Yum! We went to Cricketer’s Pub for the Sunday night football game, but I couldn’t stay awake, so we were back in the room by 9 o’clock. Vacationing is hard work! :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnBdybYPH2zRm_eialR3lEqekC10Q3-U0ZCcU4lg80h8uQBCLR4X32nuR29hC6M8n3diMP1ULHymfq_iSsu0xSEmPXa3azNfOQkLZVDp4wUo8U8vwfq0SqHVVoE5jg1agYtMhE9JDhWthR0j5unv78o0SRQ8ceNshavfOygUw6-iotXuLlEq6ynyV/s4032/IMG_1098.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Latitudes at sunset" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnBdybYPH2zRm_eialR3lEqekC10Q3-U0ZCcU4lg80h8uQBCLR4X32nuR29hC6M8n3diMP1ULHymfq_iSsu0xSEmPXa3azNfOQkLZVDp4wUo8U8vwfq0SqHVVoE5jg1agYtMhE9JDhWthR0j5unv78o0SRQ8ceNshavfOygUw6-iotXuLlEq6ynyV/w640-h480/IMG_1098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAqLByAGglhDQQHPdqcEvGCLs2TK3wkwJyLf-2RYBaiyO-J7Nl5RWX_NP5BhK6i5QuLj0lV9RKPF9v7ASjQ1ZRkxByzIRt09JKoY8XeJ9sPUEhg9oEkfWvisYl5197vUhPB2JKEpCoq7CPOfLRv7VfCtbWJn8Lj4oPVh-Dlz67WcpxOeZLGwHur1t/s2979/PXL_20221113_230520133.NIGHTa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Latitudes" border="0" data-original-height="2234" data-original-width="2979" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAqLByAGglhDQQHPdqcEvGCLs2TK3wkwJyLf-2RYBaiyO-J7Nl5RWX_NP5BhK6i5QuLj0lV9RKPF9v7ASjQ1ZRkxByzIRt09JKoY8XeJ9sPUEhg9oEkfWvisYl5197vUhPB2JKEpCoq7CPOfLRv7VfCtbWJn8Lj4oPVh-Dlz67WcpxOeZLGwHur1t/w640-h480/PXL_20221113_230520133.NIGHTa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzwaFh1U4OO6eX7fYtXcvE_MvJVOiz98p9s0fEJoEdKEflS5kqtX49n9kNv-31jAsxHIllEBGQY014t-lW_CNec5wlRVFyqyk3CTE2dQ-xwp-j6qBOEgqzRHm6iORW4wwrAAT2vhYTc4gd12Q0GXYuYQBfs0sAkXXxUalV9QtCsQZBlauyWCwzZC9/s4032/IMG_1121.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Soy sushi" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzwaFh1U4OO6eX7fYtXcvE_MvJVOiz98p9s0fEJoEdKEflS5kqtX49n9kNv-31jAsxHIllEBGQY014t-lW_CNec5wlRVFyqyk3CTE2dQ-xwp-j6qBOEgqzRHm6iORW4wwrAAT2vhYTc4gd12Q0GXYuYQBfs0sAkXXxUalV9QtCsQZBlauyWCwzZC9/w640-h480/IMG_1121.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Monday</b></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_q8oHyoTrRTjOvydRpfalyxWWoBALw6PkXFkjiLSRFL3MGxYjALiEdnUYVQjV3TGBTFPvZh-r_d-aTx32SiTr9uMO5B3zBbT0-DW0AqwKM6oiJHhUrHu8yp5pfYqO5d0MpEEGezjFTAPVmp3WJ3rlEzPVO_CbNe35rhomE5uOOoTADHsqGESXKDv/s3867/IMG_1160.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="eggs Benedict" border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="3867" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_q8oHyoTrRTjOvydRpfalyxWWoBALw6PkXFkjiLSRFL3MGxYjALiEdnUYVQjV3TGBTFPvZh-r_d-aTx32SiTr9uMO5B3zBbT0-DW0AqwKM6oiJHhUrHu8yp5pfYqO5d0MpEEGezjFTAPVmp3WJ3rlEzPVO_CbNe35rhomE5uOOoTADHsqGESXKDv/w640-h480/IMG_1160.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">breakfast at Cucina Romana</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<p>Monday was the day for our Martha Brae Bamboo River Rafting tour. Martha Brae is a river that winds through Trelawny Parish on the island’s north coast. During colonial times, rafts made of bamboo were used to transport sugar from Trelawny’s sugarcane plantations to the port in Falmouth, where it could be shipped to Europe. Now the 35-foot-long rafts are used for tours. It sounded like a fun and different way to get away from the beach and see a little more of Jamaica.</p>
<p>Our driver met us in the lobby at 10 o’clock. We were the first ones on the bus, but after four more hotel stops, the bus filled up. Then it was about a half hour drive to Martha Brae Village where the tour began. It took a while for our driver to sort out our tickets with the ticket office. While we waited, Ron ordered a rum and Ting (a Caribbean grapefruit soda) from the bar. Rum and Ting is our favorite drink when we’re in Jamaica, but weirdly Sandals doesn’t have Ting at their bars, so we were very happy that the bartender let us take the rest of the bottle with us to drink later.</p>
<p>When our driver finally had all our tickets, he led our group down to the dock where we boarded the rafts. Our raft captain, Danny, was an older gentleman who had been guiding rafts for 30 years. The ride down the river was absolutely beautiful. The water was emerald-green, and the banks were lined with red ginger and birds of paradise. Sometimes we would pass through tunnels of towering bamboo plants. As Danny steered the raft with a long pole, he pointed out purple bananas and a giant termite nest in a tree. There were a few vendors on the banks along the way, selling conch shells and Red Stripe, and some of the rafters in our group pulled over to pick up souvenirs. We opted not to stop but ended up buying a calabash bowl that Danny carved with our names.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58JhjU21QqCnkrI42Tvz3iQEn7nClS90J7AtRRJ5-c4NG748c6587y4qVfq5IUr6IgvgBDyx0x_kdtDC2uZt-MXCNc0Ot66ZkzoGaeIw_RbfuUE4QkNDXvElWQDVhOu1B0PZ68dP4GKWIu_HqKJOlGE1LvsSOy4Xbh-_4sBMiNNVW7tfE8vGI0fu-/s3422/IMG_1188.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Martha Brae sign" border="0" data-original-height="3422" data-original-width="2567" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58JhjU21QqCnkrI42Tvz3iQEn7nClS90J7AtRRJ5-c4NG748c6587y4qVfq5IUr6IgvgBDyx0x_kdtDC2uZt-MXCNc0Ot66ZkzoGaeIw_RbfuUE4QkNDXvElWQDVhOu1B0PZ68dP4GKWIu_HqKJOlGE1LvsSOy4Xbh-_4sBMiNNVW7tfE8vGI0fu-/w480-h640/IMG_1188.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMmOX_vZBMVg_oHjBOA9nPTzfX8IW2vCEr3wDXQCvr9sYBA3Modw4YoWEb4BpUpB1CL4WX9yc3Thd10X0GfUPp6HOwuG3pCk-DHYTpqeFCwNMYWgUnOrTALzb27TwqCO6f3XRdlS0jlnk71TjutR3vnscGhOutqTy009LRpFBHIMaggDOVskKI8Bi/s4032/IMG_1184.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Martha Brae River" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMmOX_vZBMVg_oHjBOA9nPTzfX8IW2vCEr3wDXQCvr9sYBA3Modw4YoWEb4BpUpB1CL4WX9yc3Thd10X0GfUPp6HOwuG3pCk-DHYTpqeFCwNMYWgUnOrTALzb27TwqCO6f3XRdlS0jlnk71TjutR3vnscGhOutqTy009LRpFBHIMaggDOVskKI8Bi/w640-h480/IMG_1184.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbiSYXflM9D9mBVS-zgoKcIXElUmBFKdQeeNMtpkToZPHlw2qeimxUlEN-73H9B0YpKyYnCyDxwA9VcvQyls3fG7FgbbHGScFOTAQT60BJHh6-rj3ol49eqdZWFn2Z43qRLp-mc7ZocI-7x4XjxGL1QwWLKsLQR2l8Kxw31ZxLZQOIYgEtVFrrnRu/s3458/IMG_1194.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Danny" border="0" data-original-height="3458" data-original-width="2594" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbiSYXflM9D9mBVS-zgoKcIXElUmBFKdQeeNMtpkToZPHlw2qeimxUlEN-73H9B0YpKyYnCyDxwA9VcvQyls3fG7FgbbHGScFOTAQT60BJHh6-rj3ol49eqdZWFn2Z43qRLp-mc7ZocI-7x4XjxGL1QwWLKsLQR2l8Kxw31ZxLZQOIYgEtVFrrnRu/w480-h640/IMG_1194.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5KmVsGorhVSFq6hAAUwrI1YiDByCb5dGVrBh9J2aWt9C4pHyrsFJ9zSt1Z2R_OxkDDezRHRKXL4PlZO5-TRypC0Dgwkqhf0dyOYyN1QYCsv6e7aT9ACpQcMkDnZbrEP0-6jnI8cNeQjV4SZM006XVs-MH7sdYWE2dGQDRuV_RMTK2wGJZAP-vIWa/s4032/IMG_1261.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rafting on Martha Brae" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5KmVsGorhVSFq6hAAUwrI1YiDByCb5dGVrBh9J2aWt9C4pHyrsFJ9zSt1Z2R_OxkDDezRHRKXL4PlZO5-TRypC0Dgwkqhf0dyOYyN1QYCsv6e7aT9ACpQcMkDnZbrEP0-6jnI8cNeQjV4SZM006XVs-MH7sdYWE2dGQDRuV_RMTK2wGJZAP-vIWa/w480-h640/IMG_1261.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEj58zMxK2pCc_gurZJgf0i0g3TaqhZWFPuh1ezSNPPZghkP1p1n0yAt-s0TTeS5kBdvQ-e2ltwA4TNhg32UdTNydLi26S4K2ewfmivVIEjbkknONSBMVLaYziknIrCnoDq3vmhCwz8zAH8LAkDRzvcxNPXd-t4ICiBxZTOBNTes2OfUGWEbEd2oUG/s4032/IMG_1224.JPG"><img alt="rafting on Martha Brae" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEj58zMxK2pCc_gurZJgf0i0g3TaqhZWFPuh1ezSNPPZghkP1p1n0yAt-s0TTeS5kBdvQ-e2ltwA4TNhg32UdTNydLi26S4K2ewfmivVIEjbkknONSBMVLaYziknIrCnoDq3vmhCwz8zAH8LAkDRzvcxNPXd-t4ICiBxZTOBNTes2OfUGWEbEd2oUG/w640-h480/IMG_1224.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabAtMe7auZeY5XjkBdYpgnNFtF8yFoDpR1APEkgQbf8s9yxILn_zyglCwIP9B5CMbh3K7dmzKt6fSwkfUf-fTyOdmGeDv-sbxBHMv7CH-nIn3lFG4VUz7G4xn4WKFUOfS9CcEzP2pwE2LmVBZSQ79rMx9hb4mDhFGDy8NnAJbho6fjP3c32MPCvSM/s3775/IMG_1253.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="birds of paradise" border="0" data-original-height="2831" data-original-width="3775" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabAtMe7auZeY5XjkBdYpgnNFtF8yFoDpR1APEkgQbf8s9yxILn_zyglCwIP9B5CMbh3K7dmzKt6fSwkfUf-fTyOdmGeDv-sbxBHMv7CH-nIn3lFG4VUz7G4xn4WKFUOfS9CcEzP2pwE2LmVBZSQ79rMx9hb4mDhFGDy8NnAJbho6fjP3c32MPCvSM/w640-h480/IMG_1253.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS255mnXonCAAfbxOKDq2Rx6BJJP1aE4lDV7Tc6R4RcW-v9tUGxhRYX3kg3UAUBrgjfZDBriol2FDmjylQf02-MD97MHOYkOhOXFiVIC9405AtqhOjXnhnKYbQEB5sOvmGw-ozoW2c7Q0OPs6Hl8XozMvUK7u0I-7i3iEMFVZnMAit_DmE6TKUOcPl/s3609/IMG_1239.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="river rafting" border="0" data-original-height="2707" data-original-width="3609" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS255mnXonCAAfbxOKDq2Rx6BJJP1aE4lDV7Tc6R4RcW-v9tUGxhRYX3kg3UAUBrgjfZDBriol2FDmjylQf02-MD97MHOYkOhOXFiVIC9405AtqhOjXnhnKYbQEB5sOvmGw-ozoW2c7Q0OPs6Hl8XozMvUK7u0I-7i3iEMFVZnMAit_DmE6TKUOcPl/w640-h480/IMG_1239.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>It was 1:30 when we got back to the resort. We ate a quick lunch at Bayside and then headed down to the beach. I was ready to do some wakeboarding, but the winds had picked up and the watersports guys warned me that it might be a little rough. I decided to go for it anyway. I got up on the board, but the guys were right, it was really choppy. I made it almost all the way back to the beach when I fell. So close! Oh well, we still had one more day left. I could try again in the morning when it was calmer. On our way back to our room, we stopped at the lobby bar and picked up a couple of glasses of rum to mix with the rest of the Ting. We drank it out on our balcony while we took silly selfies in the soaking tub (which I will not be posting). :-)</p>
<p>Before dinner, we went down to the pier where the Sandals paparazzi were taking sunset shots. We watched another spectacular sunset, then headed to dinner at Cucina Romana, the Italian restaurant upstairs from Bayside. I had the Caprese salad, spaghetti with clams and tiramisu for dessert. We’d gotten an email that afternoon saying that we’d earned our free Sandals week, and while we ate our dinner we discussed where we wanted to go next year. So many great options! It was going to be hard to decide.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxRVLhuy0ITxUuC4pG2ai8_S9L6CLHjoVVGpv402rizkGMEtldMoQEYO0QaggkXHDQtEvEdyhnI7x5Nvq7si9XH0HF7hTevJR5AfN2R7rWCIhthdzRhUJBd23H8YcSVQGtgaD2Ap6Uyn9_MyWqtIBxxf2bJinaYlIr3nlae6mALoVTdr13eoPq8uh/s3923/IMG_1060.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tokyo Jo's" border="0" data-original-height="2942" data-original-width="3923" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxRVLhuy0ITxUuC4pG2ai8_S9L6CLHjoVVGpv402rizkGMEtldMoQEYO0QaggkXHDQtEvEdyhnI7x5Nvq7si9XH0HF7hTevJR5AfN2R7rWCIhthdzRhUJBd23H8YcSVQGtgaD2Ap6Uyn9_MyWqtIBxxf2bJinaYlIr3nlae6mALoVTdr13eoPq8uh/w640-h480/IMG_1060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu74f5USReqRiy26lEhFCFY-je0JEz28FbRVxnqInfNcGx8_MtVbNIqwuEpu4pb88xzU9-UlECcS4fNn4nfHJPhpgKsvvtlrTFiH2ahum8UfuFzp_kcKjbAr6vi_wFLe9ee-Dm3ZLEdyhGStPCe0iQ2rq_P2CDU4aHfaTc5lWzbTFLshzwrppExNcR/s3945/IMG_1279.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fire pits" border="0" data-original-height="3945" data-original-width="2959" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu74f5USReqRiy26lEhFCFY-je0JEz28FbRVxnqInfNcGx8_MtVbNIqwuEpu4pb88xzU9-UlECcS4fNn4nfHJPhpgKsvvtlrTFiH2ahum8UfuFzp_kcKjbAr6vi_wFLe9ee-Dm3ZLEdyhGStPCe0iQ2rq_P2CDU4aHfaTc5lWzbTFLshzwrppExNcR/w480-h640/IMG_1279.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-i4hs9IMmc9XywvRlPtqpK6JHGAIrd9B5O5o1viAVM8s6Pziubyf6ziseSj9VTlKh8cWseRkKJik2NH6RlcONF_0br_ckXyuhz0fGCf694rK-8QQiOnflxExvFrepb4qo0wF8-l3RSXnyjo7f4T1VWiUofuF98ew1sYrGpdbD2u8PT_S9YMbxaoo/s4032/IMG_1294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-i4hs9IMmc9XywvRlPtqpK6JHGAIrd9B5O5o1viAVM8s6Pziubyf6ziseSj9VTlKh8cWseRkKJik2NH6RlcONF_0br_ckXyuhz0fGCf694rK-8QQiOnflxExvFrepb4qo0wF8-l3RSXnyjo7f4T1VWiUofuF98ew1sYrGpdbD2u8PT_S9YMbxaoo/w640-h480/IMG_1294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq96Og62O2U2i4yi0ISz-70QXSSiMS0V-BUzs-Wen_ItJZ-6lRMSy4xad_YkqMf1w90SzRLY41rYvtPYVuDHMFoHzI9fJ91f5UwVjX64gAfLUcu7FHWun6k0eXMB-oeYvTrINm4652vdOGsuhrbQ_8fQm6e4MdLpkxV1b8WKzbUfcs7nJvUFr2Ckn/s4032/IMG_1291.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunset" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq96Og62O2U2i4yi0ISz-70QXSSiMS0V-BUzs-Wen_ItJZ-6lRMSy4xad_YkqMf1w90SzRLY41rYvtPYVuDHMFoHzI9fJ91f5UwVjX64gAfLUcu7FHWun6k0eXMB-oeYvTrINm4652vdOGsuhrbQ_8fQm6e4MdLpkxV1b8WKzbUfcs7nJvUFr2Ckn/w480-h640/IMG_1291.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLNngIXFCDW8Pplo_mopS0Bh9uIbR40egdBNx4NgJ703g9edVS1rKBr2qFvlCovD7C_FTsUP26pGrTTUtXbz58t7yQZBcDteASlmpqg3vfn1B7lowjz8itqPtdzYlPL9ZPpyFpktnmwMFVsmwKWg478Nafd92Hz77oPdRqcNqAbLE0fKlk9fdrcoi/s3339/ImageID_55560973_1c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ron and Susan at sunset" border="0" data-original-height="3339" data-original-width="2504" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLNngIXFCDW8Pplo_mopS0Bh9uIbR40egdBNx4NgJ703g9edVS1rKBr2qFvlCovD7C_FTsUP26pGrTTUtXbz58t7yQZBcDteASlmpqg3vfn1B7lowjz8itqPtdzYlPL9ZPpyFpktnmwMFVsmwKWg478Nafd92Hz77oPdRqcNqAbLE0fKlk9fdrcoi/w480-h640/ImageID_55560973_1c.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>That night was the beach party and fire show. We got there early so we could find good seats near the front, but unfortunately, the emcee started by picking “volunteers” from the audience for a Magic Mike dance off. Despite our attempts to avoid eye contact, we got picked, along with 12 other couples. The emcee set up a chair on one end of the stage. Then, one at a time, the women sat in the chair while their husbands/boyfriends tried to woo them with their best Magic Mike impressions. One of the first guys picked up his wife and started swinging her around his waist. Oh no! Ron’s Axl Rose dance moves couldn’t compete with that. :-) Suddenly, one of the women made a mad dash from the stage and the emcee yelled “Runaway bride!”. While he went to retrieve her, Ron and I used the distraction to sneak quietly away to the safety of the lobby bar. Darn it, I’d really wanted to see the fire show! Later we heard that the couple who won the contest had been married for 50 years and the husband simply walked over and kissed his wife on the cheek. Ron said, “If I’d known that was all I had to do!” :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwFMOiP5ryFPt-C29BYGA7U-rj5KEK_1SQaOc8KYNCSc442qeneDVztCQrFA6VW17VOPKLBhaNup3z6l5VoEWMZoQydehsbLirg6vv3zM83IklZRtN89IG71ETffV5ZCBs9oqfw3fMNPFQysdi2K9ozWX_cxM-GlqvwRjhj-n0gXPXx837OlJli9O/s3756/IMG_1289a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lobby bar" border="0" data-original-height="3756" data-original-width="2817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwFMOiP5ryFPt-C29BYGA7U-rj5KEK_1SQaOc8KYNCSc442qeneDVztCQrFA6VW17VOPKLBhaNup3z6l5VoEWMZoQydehsbLirg6vv3zM83IklZRtN89IG71ETffV5ZCBs9oqfw3fMNPFQysdi2K9ozWX_cxM-GlqvwRjhj-n0gXPXx837OlJli9O/w480-h640/IMG_1289a.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rirQjfC_UU_adD-JFeO1nUjCdQHRM__j5xtWIzjvpJSYxfI0EzeIvoGxzb5l2KUBGaHfouLyvVnprYfEXZJuW5ilVjNNePLRzKwKM53K2hWI1fhZ3ZN3H-ShsndmShxBixf7YgFq7F3vSK7V3lCOCoau6dRBiAT3ycjriTcIkLCsO5xRPszkvIZy/s4032/IMG_1318.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="beach party" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rirQjfC_UU_adD-JFeO1nUjCdQHRM__j5xtWIzjvpJSYxfI0EzeIvoGxzb5l2KUBGaHfouLyvVnprYfEXZJuW5ilVjNNePLRzKwKM53K2hWI1fhZ3ZN3H-ShsndmShxBixf7YgFq7F3vSK7V3lCOCoau6dRBiAT3ycjriTcIkLCsO5xRPszkvIZy/w480-h640/IMG_1318.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87ypF9lGt3h2rQOY_Dh37rnvZFDCjWwe-2RGSfSj6-3o3asvUR0iJuSb8KDBhrIsAGE2mCR-2BMYzaFh2YzKCOS2nAPzyQsZZbTl7icyDMs7FZfE76z-Bs-ln2LT0iFve3WcgeCZnPHpsWw1Ic9GJY2_XXmf01hna9GokwbZ3jXYkWUYwoixpGyOi/s4032/IMG_1319.JPG"><img alt="On the Rum sign" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87ypF9lGt3h2rQOY_Dh37rnvZFDCjWwe-2RGSfSj6-3o3asvUR0iJuSb8KDBhrIsAGE2mCR-2BMYzaFh2YzKCOS2nAPzyQsZZbTl7icyDMs7FZfE76z-Bs-ln2LT0iFve3WcgeCZnPHpsWw1Ic9GJY2_XXmf01hna9GokwbZ3jXYkWUYwoixpGyOi/w640-h480/IMG_1319.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Tuesday</b></p>
<p>We had breakfast at Bayside, eating outside on the terrace, then went back to the room to change into our swimsuits. I was determined to do some more wakeboarding that morning before it got too windy. It was already getting rough out on the water, but this time I made it all the way back to the beach. Yay!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooPI9SX7xChUljQ5ypiIasFuiF8T7YAeKmrLybY07AEfkynm1URGiIe23A9OacYziYX1czS6bChWcl5xW9OAbLojFKGHEDKl_svhNJYFirs_Fx9RN8Ewo7zwJWyAxOsJGIeV5X6gGQ8OhDOWbQI3YhJrIoi0neMTxKNVz0e1BsxMetZNv7le48BLK/s3033/PB150091.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wakeboarding" border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="3033" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooPI9SX7xChUljQ5ypiIasFuiF8T7YAeKmrLybY07AEfkynm1URGiIe23A9OacYziYX1czS6bChWcl5xW9OAbLojFKGHEDKl_svhNJYFirs_Fx9RN8Ewo7zwJWyAxOsJGIeV5X6gGQ8OhDOWbQI3YhJrIoi0neMTxKNVz0e1BsxMetZNv7le48BLK/w640-h480/PB150091.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygO-r8zP3JOCwodq1ZME66xrZL_h7Gfzge1do8R26C5bKPeg5WqkmkunS2eynx8cvFkz0-Tbij1M86N0nr5HfxNQnJ6YAfnfB4HsF6V3hN84i74m56OPOXp_8Y62g3mSLCtfPArb9tJCo_3s_kzY1QQk9nkiqYyhrdRwo777I1qFeSnywL2Uc_MgI/s3081/PB150094.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wakeboarding" border="0" data-original-height="2311" data-original-width="3081" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygO-r8zP3JOCwodq1ZME66xrZL_h7Gfzge1do8R26C5bKPeg5WqkmkunS2eynx8cvFkz0-Tbij1M86N0nr5HfxNQnJ6YAfnfB4HsF6V3hN84i74m56OPOXp_8Y62g3mSLCtfPArb9tJCo_3s_kzY1QQk9nkiqYyhrdRwo777I1qFeSnywL2Uc_MgI/w640-h480/PB150094.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi9w202ni5U2OxRsvarZ0XL7Kc4l8qqMUGZi0e2QiO6pgzafpTclPpiPPIfOQ-6p01XSoVOgi9NF7pntg1yecWH7WrrGpnKtzm_dufvqLOhcoQ7IrmzK_mHsvMf9QSzxTDC3ANXzi-Me2sPSlz2NXdLacpb4KjQl8TVDLw23cORu1OI5T4M36ma98/s3524/IMG_1384.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flags on the pier" border="0" data-original-height="3524" data-original-width="2643" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi9w202ni5U2OxRsvarZ0XL7Kc4l8qqMUGZi0e2QiO6pgzafpTclPpiPPIfOQ-6p01XSoVOgi9NF7pntg1yecWH7WrrGpnKtzm_dufvqLOhcoQ7IrmzK_mHsvMf9QSzxTDC3ANXzi-Me2sPSlz2NXdLacpb4KjQl8TVDLw23cORu1OI5T4M36ma98/w480-h640/IMG_1384.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJAyT3PvJ_paS6LNNY3rOpYEFoAnB01LW-BNp0okaMulcCQEyJuQHM9w9sNAZtqm3tmqMutBzHrQ0pazMeF-6tFWlMqJADgvnCgQVRmrg3DRAo7RPduU9lmU2A-kPNksYQ5yPKAdydi8ToiyK6KXI4Ykgq0JzgqCBo7LhVwQx-8mySz7_8-oct0i2/s3712/ImageID_55560978_6b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ron and Susan on pier" border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="2784" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJAyT3PvJ_paS6LNNY3rOpYEFoAnB01LW-BNp0okaMulcCQEyJuQHM9w9sNAZtqm3tmqMutBzHrQ0pazMeF-6tFWlMqJADgvnCgQVRmrg3DRAo7RPduU9lmU2A-kPNksYQ5yPKAdydi8ToiyK6KXI4Ykgq0JzgqCBo7LhVwQx-8mySz7_8-oct0i2/w480-h640/ImageID_55560978_6b.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After I was done wakeboarding, we caught the shuttle over to Sandals Royal Caribbean. The two resorts are only five-minutes apart and if you are staying at one resort, you can visit the other to use the pools or eat at the restaurants. Sandals Royal Caribbean was our very first Sandals. We stayed there in 2000 and again last year, so it holds a special place in our memories. We spent the day on the resort’s private island, eating lunch at the Jerk Shack and alternating between the swim-up pool and one of the shaded wicker beds. Before we caught the shuttle back to Sandals Mobay, we walked by our old room in the Kensington Building and looked for the hummingbird that hung out in the orchid tree.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q0K0HmxXfnjEaKxWcLmxCMOJSnXt9pNQY3ljTuY9jp5jhPeI3inMTihHAFFJLTcU94aRoayFYJLcVTmAP0bRkBMutvoidGBCCDfdL6aICO4MfTzcUhc6Xgvaj19g6srx74NCZYsT9--szsagpA1Rb4pf9TyNeV0CHbmzPIMCEpMR8_9GlutgkxdE/s3824/PB150099.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sandals Cay" border="0" data-original-height="2868" data-original-width="3824" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q0K0HmxXfnjEaKxWcLmxCMOJSnXt9pNQY3ljTuY9jp5jhPeI3inMTihHAFFJLTcU94aRoayFYJLcVTmAP0bRkBMutvoidGBCCDfdL6aICO4MfTzcUhc6Xgvaj19g6srx74NCZYsT9--szsagpA1Rb4pf9TyNeV0CHbmzPIMCEpMR8_9GlutgkxdE/w640-h480/PB150099.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandals Royal Caribbean</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ij_nie4UpFdRB1qu12r43DovUAQJByqvgdA4uU1cFrzx1CpPWZGJ4Tsw8pJjVZ4wFqUAV1xzYn1JHIfmNhl3mOJpV39oIr7vANkQr_nvhgyKKeZYK-UoP1DjQuLDvK92Ljy166qxVhAYSNvX1ENeXkZMAAfXwoIhaxbZgDTDELloovE3vXWD1d5c/s4032/IMG_1402.JPG"><img alt="snorkelers on Sandals Cay" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ij_nie4UpFdRB1qu12r43DovUAQJByqvgdA4uU1cFrzx1CpPWZGJ4Tsw8pJjVZ4wFqUAV1xzYn1JHIfmNhl3mOJpV39oIr7vANkQr_nvhgyKKeZYK-UoP1DjQuLDvK92Ljy166qxVhAYSNvX1ENeXkZMAAfXwoIhaxbZgDTDELloovE3vXWD1d5c/w640-h480/IMG_1402.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVz_DDTwE_exMbvKtBIFovLb-L-J25V3QPBbnVjGotTHvC_ruxpvdDbIPrAiN9tbknSLP7pNc7llUnONRnDrjG28fKbozqhx3fI8fcTJrCSIuiJwepMqU6FCG3c1OJyHLsYUgF51Xm0nwa_eKsWD2OG9lFUizbay-IGSBCCy-LR0ISK6nKOlyW6hY-/s4032/IMG_1409.JPG"><img alt="Sandals Royal Caribbean" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVz_DDTwE_exMbvKtBIFovLb-L-J25V3QPBbnVjGotTHvC_ruxpvdDbIPrAiN9tbknSLP7pNc7llUnONRnDrjG28fKbozqhx3fI8fcTJrCSIuiJwepMqU6FCG3c1OJyHLsYUgF51Xm0nwa_eKsWD2OG9lFUizbay-IGSBCCy-LR0ISK6nKOlyW6hY-/w640-h480/IMG_1409.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>That night we had dinner reservations at Oleander, which turned out to be my favorite restaurant. It had a Caribbean-inspired menu and everything we ordered was full of flavor with just the right amount of heat. I had the crispy pork belly with coconut shrimp, grilled lamb chops and the chocolate marquise, which was kind of like a dense chocolate mousse with a rum cream center. While we were eating, a bride and groom were seated at the table next to us, still in their gown and suit. I whispered to Ron (who was in a chatty mood) that he needed to behave himself because this was supposed to be their romantic wedding dinner. But then the lady sitting on the other side of us leaned over and said, “I feel like we need to order them shots. Would that be inappropriate?” :-)</p>
<p>As we were leaving Oleander, we stopped to listen to the singer who was performing for the repeat guest dinner on the Bayside terrace. He reminded me of Shyam Moses. We heard Shyam sing when we were at Couples Swept Away twelve years ago, on the night of the beach bonfire. That is still one of my all-time favorite vacation memories – sitting on the beach by the fire wrapped in blankets, with the stars bright above us, listening to that clear voice. We waited until the singer finished his set, then went up to talk to him. It was Shyam! What a neat surprise to hear him again.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Zfpb0YZxYTSudXvYbJzerISlsfBc76n6-0tZJ9_KsllZ2_SBIl5_HgHIy3P4W4FPOUl3bEOTHbPrZ27bsP9hj_Am9BjVAAPTeMCptP9ukvxjjv01WLiEL8OC_6T6WYVc_bS4L3vVnA6qFHvHlhQdm5y526jqCddDcXbCzwtvVI3QDfeN8wy0vNO4/s3838/IMG_1428.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Susan before dinner" border="0" data-original-height="3838" data-original-width="2878" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Zfpb0YZxYTSudXvYbJzerISlsfBc76n6-0tZJ9_KsllZ2_SBIl5_HgHIy3P4W4FPOUl3bEOTHbPrZ27bsP9hj_Am9BjVAAPTeMCptP9ukvxjjv01WLiEL8OC_6T6WYVc_bS4L3vVnA6qFHvHlhQdm5y526jqCddDcXbCzwtvVI3QDfeN8wy0vNO4/w480-h640/IMG_1428.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">heading to dinner</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_31B-9_nWtjRLw1OfBjddn_yn4b96f-6EA9qr0_PMgAqok8SZfBOf_qEZBeCC3wzG96kwMsAzBoyorwJNdePCGCb6-RoKczPH3jvtZqYx1kdFd_8ovb-uB2g8V2qef2Rp6Ji4PqOlsrN7PoPsogyHPTreJIqy0Gv5ZRDUJ3pLwyAH6IUjMejyrgzL/s4032/IMG_1433.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Oleander and Cucina Romana" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_31B-9_nWtjRLw1OfBjddn_yn4b96f-6EA9qr0_PMgAqok8SZfBOf_qEZBeCC3wzG96kwMsAzBoyorwJNdePCGCb6-RoKczPH3jvtZqYx1kdFd_8ovb-uB2g8V2qef2Rp6Ji4PqOlsrN7PoPsogyHPTreJIqy0Gv5ZRDUJ3pLwyAH6IUjMejyrgzL/w480-h640/IMG_1433.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Wednesday</b></p>
<p>In the morning we packed and took one last walk around the resort, wandering down to the swim-up bar and the new over-the-water wedding chapel. We’d barely spent any time at this end of the resort. I wished we had one more day to float in the lazy river pool around the swim-up bar or try out the paddleboards. The trip was over way too soon! All the Hobie cats were out on the water and as we walked out to the wedding chapel, we saw some of the friends we’d met that week sailing by on one of the sailboats. I was glad we got the chance to wave goodbye to them.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiragQ_gDS8YS7IXAUe2leYhL9Ko0lxdEtvJXib7PYJX9-dRWRxDuDBZNq22LJ8wxwfr1SuE3-srRqh8oe2r7gB89hzRJXKAqqhGZVh4zzxnwcpyFU4ew3T9Pf3FInK6BY-8yH4JVty7Db76bEcGjmD4Wka8CcnP7EH2bcn3dNykERGb2HUNTMQ3Cri/s4032/IMG_1465.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="swim-up pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiragQ_gDS8YS7IXAUe2leYhL9Ko0lxdEtvJXib7PYJX9-dRWRxDuDBZNq22LJ8wxwfr1SuE3-srRqh8oe2r7gB89hzRJXKAqqhGZVh4zzxnwcpyFU4ew3T9Pf3FInK6BY-8yH4JVty7Db76bEcGjmD4Wka8CcnP7EH2bcn3dNykERGb2HUNTMQ3Cri/w640-h480/IMG_1465.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">swim-up pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEc_3KDT1TrT3XCkyuJ20r8PKu8hySW7rpqGt7qRA6o0EnfDfuh-CJYGeUHZZLqYQ1cf_74ZuxrOFhguuL-NbEq12EHCzSTucQ5czRAr4ABiVyQPwg95ccyeOmKWfij-oNMaXxmptw8upBL0MSaYHPC011zmr3LJ5xrKV9Fr3_RnjBX5YMRf_Bqk-/s4032/IMG_1462.JPG"><img alt="swim-up pool" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEc_3KDT1TrT3XCkyuJ20r8PKu8hySW7rpqGt7qRA6o0EnfDfuh-CJYGeUHZZLqYQ1cf_74ZuxrOFhguuL-NbEq12EHCzSTucQ5czRAr4ABiVyQPwg95ccyeOmKWfij-oNMaXxmptw8upBL0MSaYHPC011zmr3LJ5xrKV9Fr3_RnjBX5YMRf_Bqk-/w640-h480/IMG_1462.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEMo4AZNl6sAFy3XmOpcMRt8TTtLMZ-5EhkIbOrM1lQsiBI3awgp9h_kzGTJW0_EgBz7woe0DWZHUO2avcsUnaS1WmSOlAbSPvLDpf2LdkXjHwRtk511r08_rbe-tkIDGs1J-x-TmSG9-gsW55AeymgimJJ4Ug-XFjq7jSRVknHLhJDdKnpcB1bjP/s4032/IMG_1483.JPG"><img alt="over-the-water wedding chapel" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEMo4AZNl6sAFy3XmOpcMRt8TTtLMZ-5EhkIbOrM1lQsiBI3awgp9h_kzGTJW0_EgBz7woe0DWZHUO2avcsUnaS1WmSOlAbSPvLDpf2LdkXjHwRtk511r08_rbe-tkIDGs1J-x-TmSG9-gsW55AeymgimJJ4Ug-XFjq7jSRVknHLhJDdKnpcB1bjP/w640-h480/IMG_1483.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyfPbzqylgjqrr28zsCCJMdExxtBaWdt4OfCOAL3opx0BrBoEDhx4PWWNP0UWWaRJ2n6cq4i38c3QppSV6WNiYiR4nV6EFbeRGNRRl9g31YxR1_HnzN4P-RLm9PhGSiwjAhTlwO6kNX62Vqd5_GQ8cpDZtSarH7VH957lqGOPi84BmXzpr4PNFxPw/s3661/IMG_1458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Latitudes" border="0" data-original-height="3661" data-original-width="2746" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyfPbzqylgjqrr28zsCCJMdExxtBaWdt4OfCOAL3opx0BrBoEDhx4PWWNP0UWWaRJ2n6cq4i38c3QppSV6WNiYiR4nV6EFbeRGNRRl9g31YxR1_HnzN4P-RLm9PhGSiwjAhTlwO6kNX62Vqd5_GQ8cpDZtSarH7VH957lqGOPi84BmXzpr4PNFxPw/w480-h640/IMG_1458.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNUrGZAnnlgIncSFQN59gC7c3oXr7PenPaJqqYg0xkN8E04IdP1SX-SFLGfo6ROAKegesvsznHlVnSZtR90WNLlS7NqT_WrkczYI0HIuSbsJW4cYTeQobAoUNhtAmK2i-HTpmTR0ZSfFBb6lZg-4tMwacUrYOJ3jUClTCy-760XrslwpEmL5ZyiOP/s4032/IMG_1503.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="glass buoys at Latitudes" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNUrGZAnnlgIncSFQN59gC7c3oXr7PenPaJqqYg0xkN8E04IdP1SX-SFLGfo6ROAKegesvsznHlVnSZtR90WNLlS7NqT_WrkczYI0HIuSbsJW4cYTeQobAoUNhtAmK2i-HTpmTR0ZSfFBb6lZg-4tMwacUrYOJ3jUClTCy-760XrslwpEmL5ZyiOP/w480-h640/IMG_1503.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe8LyLSHZOzDD1CEgS6YIHRURdOYjieRdhWVZ-V5v7E1oc2-mDA95fA-gD-W2mNaHXpuO7xoKuAj-ZzaLrdcpu1a6bSN7VNeJ1YXzSLsPvOmd8lmXvkyXUQZX67X9l90p6Y9yP-5HxBjreUqpzgpbJC3ujTKjuwS0R1kbrhecZJcCRbUrPjA-HKNx/s4032/IMG_1490.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sailboat" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe8LyLSHZOzDD1CEgS6YIHRURdOYjieRdhWVZ-V5v7E1oc2-mDA95fA-gD-W2mNaHXpuO7xoKuAj-ZzaLrdcpu1a6bSN7VNeJ1YXzSLsPvOmd8lmXvkyXUQZX67X9l90p6Y9yP-5HxBjreUqpzgpbJC3ujTKjuwS0R1kbrhecZJcCRbUrPjA-HKNx/w640-h480/IMG_1490.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Then it was time to catch the shuttle to the airport. We filled Ron’s backpack with Blue Mountain coffee and spices from the airport shops and waited for our flight at the Club Mobay departure lounge. The time flew by as we sat at the bar, snacking on Jamaican patties, drinking rum and Ting, and joking with the bartender. The bartender even gave us a couple of bottles of Ting to take home.</p>
<p>One advantage of staying at Sandals Mobay is that it is so close to the airport. By close, I mean the resort is right on the end of the runway. :-) Ron and I had spent some time over the past few days trying to get pictures of the planes as they lifted off over the Sandals entrance. I guess the noise from the planes bothered some people, but I thought it was kind of neat. The only bad part about the planes was when it was our turn to be the ones on the plane, leaving Jamaica. As we took off, I could see the Almonds building, the Hobie cats out on the water, the pools and Latitudes, getting smaller and smaller below. See you next year, Sandals! Now we just need to figure out where we’re going to go.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWHwYZLGrWkLRTHSqEP39b8bIB0ML-HEeqgUhVtumJCGJuUuBqv3xfQJzTveMTAlwiz1uvZ-9HR8F7VLNk9uOMt2khSsqSGrdpOt6wkylJPTfPKXFR98Ik-S3WAc-03xXH0q0BMMb_LRQ42ph6rjPlukZc6lTpLGHclJoMaaEFTX8yrlONceCR8EE/s4032/IMG_1516.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="view of Sandals Montego Bay from plane" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWHwYZLGrWkLRTHSqEP39b8bIB0ML-HEeqgUhVtumJCGJuUuBqv3xfQJzTveMTAlwiz1uvZ-9HR8F7VLNk9uOMt2khSsqSGrdpOt6wkylJPTfPKXFR98Ik-S3WAc-03xXH0q0BMMb_LRQ42ph6rjPlukZc6lTpLGHclJoMaaEFTX8yrlONceCR8EE/w480-h640/IMG_1516.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-37327605674467086702022-09-25T13:24:00.003-04:002022-10-19T13:40:05.695-04:00Iceland Lighthouses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwhGEoxHlyOSavaORI8JAoGP8N3_gGkXCZVR2LYNLG4ZL-weFlr-gq4GSa-h97x9Z0DWV08LgqpRXMi761lex51rm3igR22wbEFmLSfoQ1ww-JWECvphjHw9NSJeCWSEms-RHbc1Fud6MZ2lYAw0qfl8Own8skH5EXW256U2xjMWeTiA5j2HaNwxJ/s2845/IMG_5714a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Iceland lighthouses" border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2845" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwhGEoxHlyOSavaORI8JAoGP8N3_gGkXCZVR2LYNLG4ZL-weFlr-gq4GSa-h97x9Z0DWV08LgqpRXMi761lex51rm3igR22wbEFmLSfoQ1ww-JWECvphjHw9NSJeCWSEms-RHbc1Fud6MZ2lYAw0qfl8Own8skH5EXW256U2xjMWeTiA5j2HaNwxJ/w640-h480/IMG_5714a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><i>In a departure from my usual Caribbean-themed posts, here is a review from my first guest writer, my sister Mary, about her recent adventures in Iceland.</i></p>
<p>Iceland has approximately 104 lighthouses along its 3000-mile coastline, mostly small ones, but for those with a passion for architecture, history, and fantastical panoramas, they are definitely worth a visit! The Icelandic word for a lighthouse is “viti,” which means “to know,” as in “to know” where one is sailing. And similarly, the purpose of reading a travel blog is “to know” more about, well, wherever one has been or will be travelling.</p>
<p>Most of the lighthouses are scattered along the northern coasts and fjords, but my south coast and Reykjavik/Reykjanes visit included a number of particularly interesting viti, of which I visited two.</p>
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<p>Originally beacons were set out by churches along the coast, before specific-purpose lighthouses were built. Reykjanesviti on the Reykjanes peninsula, holds the title of Iceland’s oldest lighthouse, originally constructed in 1878, destroyed by earthquake 8 years later, and rebuilt in 1929. It still has a lighthouse keeper, which is unusual. It has the most traditional appearance, and is one of the taller ones, at 26 meters, as well as being on top of a hill overlooking the Atlantic coast. The ocean surrounding the rocky shoreline is a spectacular sapphire, and there are black sand beaches and cliffs full of seabirds, and rainbows everywhere. You can see why the Bifrost Bridge of Norse mythology is a rainbow. You can park at the Gunnuhver hot springs and walk to the lighthouse, or vice versa, because hot springs are a key element of Icelandic geology. And the Blue Lagoon is close by, and if you don’t go to the Blue Lagoon, did you even go to Iceland? Yes, it’s touristy, but own it, you are a tourist! Plus it has an in-pool bar. And 5 days later, my skin still feels amazing from the silica soak and sample lotions provided.</p>
<p>You can see the Hopsnesviti, built in 1928, from the Reykjanesviti, or make a side trip. Being short on time, we did not. Nor did we actually climb the hill of the Reykjanesviti, but next time!!</p>
<p>Dyrholaeyviti, first lit in 1927, is on the south coast, the southernmost bit of the country other than the Westman Islands, which have their own lighthouse, and which I definitely want to visit at a not-too-far-distant future. The waters here are famously treacherous, but between fire and ice and the oceans power, truly mythic landscapes have been created. The lighthouse itself is only 13 meters tall, but is on a high sea cliff, and overlooks the famous Reynisdrangar rocks, the black sand beaches, the sea arches for which Dyrholaey (literally door in the wall) is named, and looking the other direction, from which you can see the Myrdalsjokull glacier in the distance. Speaking of glaciers, they feed the abundance of waterfalls for which the south coast is known.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOlmodHWfGMyG37VFU7LPs3L_3oKHBss0oAlkbaL5zMeJjChCqMD7uwJ3r2Ekmqulj4maezAycwAjbH0bjMpSjzlnlT_3Kn0GHi4mP9sw-TPK2KdUBK5kvxfGe1lxyoQqolQ4cNP06fQjfiXB_yK7UYJqMgkdQMWVQsJcKCj3UifeB15lqTrqh_1S/s3187/IMG_5323.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2482" data-original-width="3187" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOlmodHWfGMyG37VFU7LPs3L_3oKHBss0oAlkbaL5zMeJjChCqMD7uwJ3r2Ekmqulj4maezAycwAjbH0bjMpSjzlnlT_3Kn0GHi4mP9sw-TPK2KdUBK5kvxfGe1lxyoQqolQ4cNP06fQjfiXB_yK7UYJqMgkdQMWVQsJcKCj3UifeB15lqTrqh_1S/w640-h498/IMG_5323.jpg" title="Sun Voyager sculpture" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reykjavík</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3IBSJak9USHQ-lFQMvKBm8Xl5NxkRUHCUpFf0lADI-LORoodT7yGl9u29VUUBzGOnrpm5_Z6TfUX4BS_mh5or2wOFhIsBUzzmXCFvYgBnX2uAtQf33dgksAx1EpmpuE99JrqaY7u-lWwbKlt6F3wDycz588Vz1gY5MVn0aTy4ly1mePvxIgfk62b/s3732/IMG_5326.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="3732" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3IBSJak9USHQ-lFQMvKBm8Xl5NxkRUHCUpFf0lADI-LORoodT7yGl9u29VUUBzGOnrpm5_Z6TfUX4BS_mh5or2wOFhIsBUzzmXCFvYgBnX2uAtQf33dgksAx1EpmpuE99JrqaY7u-lWwbKlt6F3wDycz588Vz1gY5MVn0aTy4ly1mePvxIgfk62b/w640-h478/IMG_5326.jpg" title="Ingólfsgarður Lighthouse" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingólfsgarður Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7cPSxtQz-DWZP2DoC8m-C6SHIEc4uwDu1WLOYiGxP4jp4yIViYmlGggK0978-HeCsyOLf7c_ZoUyu118ZhQDo6lxXU7CksBY5GcgCKemed_6REG3Vfd6TqEAeCKuU2HrXG56uo8-A4FN2hwAZf9e-JhdVr7TAiYCL4xdzoo202XZVfWYjLHcTOCH/s4032/IMG_5700.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7cPSxtQz-DWZP2DoC8m-C6SHIEc4uwDu1WLOYiGxP4jp4yIViYmlGggK0978-HeCsyOLf7c_ZoUyu118ZhQDo6lxXU7CksBY5GcgCKemed_6REG3Vfd6TqEAeCKuU2HrXG56uo8-A4FN2hwAZf9e-JhdVr7TAiYCL4xdzoo202XZVfWYjLHcTOCH/w640-h480/IMG_5700.jpg" title="Iceland cliffs" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlTHDU8Zjkgr5jtIcCEjFjOUlttPOp7jg39Ai8EFOgqGhtR2J9lNUcEV5xK3taYyDE0PDbjLkHuCSfuex_s1qOqMmdlxStCecwmbOjFTzZbytjpmlckgxJMBUL4H4XS4PBT4qsPvXEQ2eYe5T6IZUuzGxGp_Ggx3JuchpxLtNYtVhMlv86iEj-55o/s2137/IMG_5483a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1603" data-original-width="2137" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlTHDU8Zjkgr5jtIcCEjFjOUlttPOp7jg39Ai8EFOgqGhtR2J9lNUcEV5xK3taYyDE0PDbjLkHuCSfuex_s1qOqMmdlxStCecwmbOjFTzZbytjpmlckgxJMBUL4H4XS4PBT4qsPvXEQ2eYe5T6IZUuzGxGp_Ggx3JuchpxLtNYtVhMlv86iEj-55o/w640-h480/IMG_5483a.jpg" title="geyser" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Þingvellir National Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidwcb5iWyHEFEMhaJ8ruc-6SymQQ8i1bkudLLl42CKAdMXwihYboH2GbA3hVdb_Y8sPzHOz3xzqtOJBrXG5U1cms40CbO3MX2NdpSH4nzHapl-5B_tqiG_aqM6N7dCKTooB6KLeMQ1mkvga4rYCVy6XZXM8ZmG1Zyu-JHcrco2QVU_eCzczqrr-9C/s960/306831954_10159277721034261_8991141696798871534_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidwcb5iWyHEFEMhaJ8ruc-6SymQQ8i1bkudLLl42CKAdMXwihYboH2GbA3hVdb_Y8sPzHOz3xzqtOJBrXG5U1cms40CbO3MX2NdpSH4nzHapl-5B_tqiG_aqM6N7dCKTooB6KLeMQ1mkvga4rYCVy6XZXM8ZmG1Zyu-JHcrco2QVU_eCzczqrr-9C/w480-h640/306831954_10159277721034261_8991141696798871534_n.jpg" title="rocky stream" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpnVrJiDZnhowufwn6cOFKuXI0G8X42caxIMrbsG29r9q1FI88s4ZmVno7gBvhRpfYB_6MiovDIWvsSS2yyXWEXzGveEYDx1_M8T628MdxkF1dvfqiEH2H3vwH962e2JMbbcjlVRANpSxEy6AGlOM9to5P3lLrv3G2Sh7HucxcKtvdOSouifnrMkW/s3841/IMG_5708.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3841" data-original-width="2881" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpnVrJiDZnhowufwn6cOFKuXI0G8X42caxIMrbsG29r9q1FI88s4ZmVno7gBvhRpfYB_6MiovDIWvsSS2yyXWEXzGveEYDx1_M8T628MdxkF1dvfqiEH2H3vwH962e2JMbbcjlVRANpSxEy6AGlOM9to5P3lLrv3G2Sh7HucxcKtvdOSouifnrMkW/w480-h640/IMG_5708.jpg" title="Dyrholaey Lighthouse" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dyrholaey Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYZlwdlWIcPdK_OoZJQIf0gMhlx8AbbjDa0ZRBepf8tKbU6t-sSx7yUjMOXjH7U3ORruXmZ8RYMgvflkUjXwS4xVaHQgJC2eiOScxivbDfWDll0kWeu_B8_DxY03jyoq4p1-GVgjhPQtHopAs9Lm1sR53pak_pVs-CA1tz4djZ73Vaar9DyjwBckS/s4032/IMG_5729.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYZlwdlWIcPdK_OoZJQIf0gMhlx8AbbjDa0ZRBepf8tKbU6t-sSx7yUjMOXjH7U3ORruXmZ8RYMgvflkUjXwS4xVaHQgJC2eiOScxivbDfWDll0kWeu_B8_DxY03jyoq4p1-GVgjhPQtHopAs9Lm1sR53pak_pVs-CA1tz4djZ73Vaar9DyjwBckS/w480-h640/IMG_5729.jpg" title="walking path" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1szMBDqgUINr27ePHEmiOCWJexf2Q1ZEcyPhk9ItwSojfzcyihQRPeFQw-pmtiSFpvdtOOhzaqi5cI_GM67w5do56DI0hPL4zurp-3J5TsZCMqIgzRmZjyTc_RVir59LJ3lAe0njSA8X5OtpKf27luQPsiaNa1rWlt2-y2ZcTS0ttffRZYi9OWFQ/s927/307330733_10159278163849261_2604718805822353123_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="695" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1szMBDqgUINr27ePHEmiOCWJexf2Q1ZEcyPhk9ItwSojfzcyihQRPeFQw-pmtiSFpvdtOOhzaqi5cI_GM67w5do56DI0hPL4zurp-3J5TsZCMqIgzRmZjyTc_RVir59LJ3lAe0njSA8X5OtpKf27luQPsiaNa1rWlt2-y2ZcTS0ttffRZYi9OWFQ/w480-h640/307330733_10159278163849261_2604718805822353123_n.jpg" title="Icelandic horses" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Icelandic horses</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HsarBh1V0MR_BKNrwAvAQ_HXcVeLrzh0_eZja5BaaY0yrgdwNrCmXwgBAcyAzEco-Igpkz8Ghaod_0Jo4ghKR1NS0hseS1ncUpL9XJZpGIUkwiuQMtwdw7dqW2P3DEtrHs9EAE8bg3hg6kDMXoaat9HEBGz6eVFncuuuKzD3UvqdHP2agXtaJGJ_/s960/307029663_10159278178039261_1494529182100816334_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HsarBh1V0MR_BKNrwAvAQ_HXcVeLrzh0_eZja5BaaY0yrgdwNrCmXwgBAcyAzEco-Igpkz8Ghaod_0Jo4ghKR1NS0hseS1ncUpL9XJZpGIUkwiuQMtwdw7dqW2P3DEtrHs9EAE8bg3hg6kDMXoaat9HEBGz6eVFncuuuKzD3UvqdHP2agXtaJGJ_/w480-h640/307029663_10159278178039261_1494529182100816334_n.jpg" title="Seljalandsfoss Waterfall" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seljalandsfoss Waterfall</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxfZQpQrNSdGWoTS10VrQ-fHQdk07rSmjTYzJPcP21PNRLF1HgcbdConnPa_M0hmyxj1NLznvD5XT3GxxskUetQLHgRA4bl4stpqPXDbbfnNwQ5hW3WdJDKjPhk6Puw4D6e_crsWU8i-XuluRXsvavUEvyLdhpgHWSyk95zdVJiOCC-Rwrrf2Lf1a/s3552/IMG_5884.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3552" data-original-width="2664" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxfZQpQrNSdGWoTS10VrQ-fHQdk07rSmjTYzJPcP21PNRLF1HgcbdConnPa_M0hmyxj1NLznvD5XT3GxxskUetQLHgRA4bl4stpqPXDbbfnNwQ5hW3WdJDKjPhk6Puw4D6e_crsWU8i-XuluRXsvavUEvyLdhpgHWSyk95zdVJiOCC-Rwrrf2Lf1a/w480-h640/IMG_5884.jpg" title="Reykjanes Lighthouse" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reykjanes Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyIT0te0jxSz3diCastwM3YSE_YXhtQ0ASr_4EolbA4-M7EujfK7mgP_A89DMQJTDIVn06dkewlVYI2ifumif_KPVNOzKDFCBUPb_arw2ec_FhfPc9M2-29ghLDvm27QAn9yii2z3g8vVg_yeGdei_2YdOhfV1UUCGWXzzYlMITaZjD97Q8eNR3dO/s3540/IMG_5777.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="3540" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyIT0te0jxSz3diCastwM3YSE_YXhtQ0ASr_4EolbA4-M7EujfK7mgP_A89DMQJTDIVn06dkewlVYI2ifumif_KPVNOzKDFCBUPb_arw2ec_FhfPc9M2-29ghLDvm27QAn9yii2z3g8vVg_yeGdei_2YdOhfV1UUCGWXzzYlMITaZjD97Q8eNR3dO/w640-h546/IMG_5777.jpg" title="Skógafoss Waterfall" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skógafoss Waterfall</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>No travel blog is complete without mention of food and drink, so let me just say that Iceland is worth visiting just for the food. The volcanic terroir infuses the greenhouse grown vegetables and the grasses on which the livestock feed with a flavor that makes even the simplest boiled egg with salt into an extravaganza of deliciousness. Their rye bread is like cake, the fish is probably right off the boat into the kitchen, and they have a taste for fascinating and unusual ice cream flavors. It’s a brilliant combination of hearty and light, I don’t know how they do it! Gin is a popular cocktail base, and Icelandic gins are becoming renowned for their quality: there are entire bars in Rejkjavik dedicated to different gins. But Brennivin is the signature distilled beverage, flavored with caraway, so with a fresh rye herbal flavor. It’s quite delicious as either a shot or cocktail base, but beware, it’s also quite potent!</p>
<p>We ate at the Cafe Loki in Rejkjavik, which looked potentially gimmicky, with their "icelandic plates" featuring the notorious fermented shark, but was actually fantastic, with their rye bread/trout torte and rye bread ice cream. Also in Rejkjaviik, we ate at ROK in a very cute traditionally styled building complete with thatch roof, where the Arctic char, kind of a cross between salmon and trout, was sooo good. In Selfoss, we were fortunate to get the last available table at Tryggvaskali where we enjoyed pan fried ling, a type of cod, in a broth that made me just pick up the bowl and drink it so as not to miss a drop. Caramel ice cream at the Efstidalur farm inland was a wonderful mid-afternoon Golden Circle treat. In Vik, the Strondin pub had succulent lamb chops and fish stew, and the Skool Beans coffee bus is a not-to-miss.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6N1pTeqF8LlBffZWWb_2cmc2JCCeD91y1Leqs5QiUV-WFHOHxD0xeOvnyYgTJ4A_wHQdQUREGL3mTyOsojnZ-vbzECfxSroU9XKEVbSvi3Mluconew7pHiC_MUIND24_FwlLbjhNnV5h7pvOb7aZSDni9H7CxDFTRzrFkceqX7PsTS8RKUNF8uxl/s4032/IMG_5311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6N1pTeqF8LlBffZWWb_2cmc2JCCeD91y1Leqs5QiUV-WFHOHxD0xeOvnyYgTJ4A_wHQdQUREGL3mTyOsojnZ-vbzECfxSroU9XKEVbSvi3Mluconew7pHiC_MUIND24_FwlLbjhNnV5h7pvOb7aZSDni9H7CxDFTRzrFkceqX7PsTS8RKUNF8uxl/w480-h640/IMG_5311.jpg" title="Cafe Loki" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2mIUeX-SxMknmcTu4D0BNc1n0GLgTTms-JFZxNv5LuER2H7DOB6P3Ou_yAlsV11dLZtqqiG4yqpjNPkSp0s7nMPjjJ6zNMfegzwPsgKufvXAnH_z2QfsxZbs8eossrppieFDnu1KtGIID9K27qaTZgoroRoyg_H7Yw3V_c8zUhKuDX1cG_6bbthx/s3899/IMG_5332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="3899" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2mIUeX-SxMknmcTu4D0BNc1n0GLgTTms-JFZxNv5LuER2H7DOB6P3Ou_yAlsV11dLZtqqiG4yqpjNPkSp0s7nMPjjJ6zNMfegzwPsgKufvXAnH_z2QfsxZbs8eossrppieFDnu1KtGIID9K27qaTZgoroRoyg_H7Yw3V_c8zUhKuDX1cG_6bbthx/w640-h480/IMG_5332.jpg" title="ROK Restaurant" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Other lighthouses of note, on my “next time” list:</p>
<ol>
<li>Grottaviti, 3 miles from Reykjavik and a popular place from which to view the Aurora Borealis. They have had a lighthouse at this site since 1897.</li>
<li>Akranesviti, in the Westfjords, actually two at this site</li>
<li>Garoskagaviti, the “tallest” in Iceland at 28m height, near the Keflavik International Airport</li>
<li>Thridrangaviti, perched atop a 120-foot basalt stack in the Westman Islands, so the “highest” in Iceland, which can be visited by helicopter and is described as the most isolated lighthouse in the world</li>
<li>Dalantangaviti, the easternmost and the oldest existing structure, built in 1895, but not actually in use because it was replaced with a newer one at some point. Since the original Reykjanesviti was destroyed, there’s some conflicting claims for longevity of the viti: Do you claim by age of existing structure vs site?</li>
<li>Knarrarosviti in the south coast village of Stokkseyri, which looks more like a cubist sculpture than a typical lighthouse, and huh we must’ve driven right by it, how did I miss it?</li>
<li>Hraunhafnartangiviti, the northernmost, only a half mile south of the Arctic Circle</li>
</ol>
<p><br /></p>
<p>Travel tips: Iceland is about a 6-hour flight from the big US airports, we flew Icelandair from Washington Dulles. They currently have no Covid-19 immunization or testing requirements. Iceland's time zone is four hours ahead of the US east coast. We booked a self-driving package which included airport shuttle on arrival, rental car, hotels for three nights with breakfast, and Blue Lagoon on day of departure. They offer bookings for many excursions such as glacier hikes, whale watching or northern lights cruises, or you can arrange those yourself. If you prepay 25% at time of booking, you get travel insurance included at no additional cost - how civilized! The rental car came with wi-fi, which was very handy - again, how civilized! Driving is on the right side of the road so that's easy. The ring road is single lane each way with many narrow bridges, and watch out for sheep! You can't drive fast, but why would you want to? The scenery is mouthwatering pretty much everywhere.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.visitreykjanes.is/en/place/reykjanes-lighthouse" target="_blank">https://www.visitreykjanes.is/en/place/reykjanes-lighthouse</a><br /><a href="https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-info/lighthouses-in-iceland-everything-you-need-to-know" target="_blank">https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-info/lighthouses-in-iceland-everything-you-need-to-know</a><br /><a href="https://meanderingwild.com/lighthouses-iceland/" target="_blank">https://meanderingwild.com/lighthouses-iceland/</a><br /><a href="https://iceland.nordicvisitor.com/" target="_blank">https://iceland.nordicvisitor.com/</a></p>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-53730075356012009032022-09-11T09:34:00.003-04:002023-08-09T18:22:17.988-04:00Clearwater's Dolphin Trail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8Bzxgs5ZqBoHhPKAOn0VDSCwSqR-mXbIf_P5WRRq2tztSiLsDD7vCdJVW9TF6EkFRsdUCcIIPYhw59uq9Qvsk6NOPc95IKqZyq_vxxTI9Zz-dVu8T7_8voUIkD-T_n-zu1rZHcAS54J8y0hBRIl587Vss1UHNTk-ebR8FzVZLa2QPUU8Ci-Wuxos/s4032/IMG_0445.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clearwater's Dolphin Trail" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8Bzxgs5ZqBoHhPKAOn0VDSCwSqR-mXbIf_P5WRRq2tztSiLsDD7vCdJVW9TF6EkFRsdUCcIIPYhw59uq9Qvsk6NOPc95IKqZyq_vxxTI9Zz-dVu8T7_8voUIkD-T_n-zu1rZHcAS54J8y0hBRIl587Vss1UHNTk-ebR8FzVZLa2QPUU8Ci-Wuxos/w640-h480/IMG_0445.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>You may have heard of Winter, Clearwater’s famous bottlenose dolphin, from the movie <i>Dolphin Tail</i>, but did you know that Clearwater is also home to a “pod” of colorful dolphin sculptures called the Dolphin Trail? Clearwater’s Dolphin Trail, a group project between the City of Clearwater and the Clearwater Regional Chamber, began in 2012 with 50 sculptures decorated by local artists to showcase the area’s history, wildlife and attractions. Since then, the trail has grown to include over 100 dolphins and has expanded to neighboring cities from Tarpon Springs to Saint Petersburg.</p>
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<p>I’d noticed the dolphins around Clearwater, but I didn’t realize how many there were until this spring when Ron and I went to the <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2022/04/sandimals-from-to-z.html" target="_blank"><b>Sugar Sand Festival </b></a>at Clearwater Beach and started seeing them everywhere. That was the beginning of my quest to find as many of the sculptures as possible. A <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cQx70BoNZVllLuPi41_NGg9xBjwSoKr6/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank"><b>2016 brochure</b></a> which listed the dolphins’ locations gave me a good start, but I quickly found out that some of the original dolphins had moved and new ones had been added. I finally decided to create my own Google map, adding pins and photographs for each dolphin I visited.</p>
<p>Although the 6-foot-tall fiberglass dolphins are all fabricated from the same mold, every dolphin on the trail is unique. Some are painted or airbrushed, some are decorated with fabrics or mosaic glass. Most of the artists are professionals while others are just getting started, like the nine-year-old twins from the Dunedin Fine Art Center’s youth program who designed “Daisy” in Downtown Dunedin. I love seeing how the artists’ personalities and creativity come through in their designs. One of my favorite dolphins, installed in Clearwater’s Main Library, is decorated with scenes from the book <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>. Perfect for a library! Another of my favorites is “Linger” on Honeymoon Island, painted with tall pine trees, ospreys and gopher turtles. Winter the dolphin sadly passed away last year, but her legacy lives on in “Winter Inspires”. Artist M’rissa Rosenthal covered her sculpture with messages from children with disabilities who were encouraged by Winter’s story of resilience. A heart-shaped patch on the sculpture’s chest was painted by Winter herself.</p><p>The Dolphin Trail highlights all the things that make the Clearwater area such a special place to visit.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWSHAdWnxXPwrGHtaUwwlKetKI8HBpN7zGe6MBUPnPPKqzMI0_r-DyUJke_h-oBfYlCMMpP6cAN6v4t9BwfyE9w4WRTNJmosmrOFgIEAvzM_dpY4Hfafn_qsnsRRKp5VnZlw_MgnkhoiKOezBuyt4mck0kRzI90K4htqv6Szik20PuAamUuQUBRkv/s3970/IMG_0179.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="dolphin trail main library" border="0" data-original-height="3970" data-original-width="2978" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWSHAdWnxXPwrGHtaUwwlKetKI8HBpN7zGe6MBUPnPPKqzMI0_r-DyUJke_h-oBfYlCMMpP6cAN6v4t9BwfyE9w4WRTNJmosmrOFgIEAvzM_dpY4Hfafn_qsnsRRKp5VnZlw_MgnkhoiKOezBuyt4mck0kRzI90K4htqv6Szik20PuAamUuQUBRkv/w480-h640/IMG_0179.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Dolphin Can Take You to Where the Wild Things Are</i><br />artist: Cathie Zurich-Wus</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T5rwvNPGW-vG9IR4RdeLmvklUWu9zia2HicJlAiDXDKtWziRdMhOobjR2cMICUiLTAm_XHkKuq4vDw9bpZ21CQQWjwEBU_fVrhe2fa8F0kE2pS5EBFv6vJ8Rx4DkLXnNiZ8TrGUtkNEIXqwTs-U9DktIMDttVNZuwPvjlpWbJa4bjFZmkInkDK30/s1769/IMG_0181.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dolphin detail" border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1769" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T5rwvNPGW-vG9IR4RdeLmvklUWu9zia2HicJlAiDXDKtWziRdMhOobjR2cMICUiLTAm_XHkKuq4vDw9bpZ21CQQWjwEBU_fVrhe2fa8F0kE2pS5EBFv6vJ8Rx4DkLXnNiZ8TrGUtkNEIXqwTs-U9DktIMDttVNZuwPvjlpWbJa4bjFZmkInkDK30/w640-h480/IMG_0181.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVaVDH8GjdecqZxGmDh3AjqnA-FruvMef_IGcOUUbtozVbeIS_UTi1mxVUwHMan3I5jv63JNyhko-vS4gI26JN3HmnJQeVKqKhlmz42eLiZ0DsfKXV22uzXlpGbIBR6DrpYyMXTOM_rU_7QVAP5nufJbgPOKL6Q12uBIb88fbQIxq-bhL-YJ2o3s0/s3477/IMG_0180.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dolphin base detail" border="0" data-original-height="2608" data-original-width="3477" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVaVDH8GjdecqZxGmDh3AjqnA-FruvMef_IGcOUUbtozVbeIS_UTi1mxVUwHMan3I5jv63JNyhko-vS4gI26JN3HmnJQeVKqKhlmz42eLiZ0DsfKXV22uzXlpGbIBR6DrpYyMXTOM_rU_7QVAP5nufJbgPOKL6Q12uBIb88fbQIxq-bhL-YJ2o3s0/w640-h480/IMG_0180.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5J34HlRJikxdNkTRnUTx5oi6enpN0VRNOBH-Rb5kdcyl2KL-veChIj3kGqx7WSUhlumH0BN1Ja4CPekG5wty4UfaOK5BIkELRYo7qFHkADMiPOJMQIGsR7maSa4x3jtG0s_8r74s-kucjd9DZoOCisGitgT_tzyGgT7VVcnC8Go1XdCVJqdsSdeGT/s4032/IMG_0263.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Island Way Grill dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5J34HlRJikxdNkTRnUTx5oi6enpN0VRNOBH-Rb5kdcyl2KL-veChIj3kGqx7WSUhlumH0BN1Ja4CPekG5wty4UfaOK5BIkELRYo7qFHkADMiPOJMQIGsR7maSa4x3jtG0s_8r74s-kucjd9DZoOCisGitgT_tzyGgT7VVcnC8Go1XdCVJqdsSdeGT/w480-h640/IMG_0263.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Treasured Current-Sea<br /></i>artist: Jesse Wilhelm</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltB7Wb3wPybI3I43TYM9HN9nORXsS76ixQrwoSL3ce79wRB-Fkm0F_CY0vMnBQTHsgPiQx2_TSDez7LkPC0DwUuw49WaK0KUv2QMsEsovuRiCb7k1pY_svltAhQCjJ8K5f94KrXK1WdcYxjI_O7njDK0716VVeQADVJd0Xe0l4BHNJiB_IhBFG9yL/s4032/IMG_0297.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Honeymoon Island dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltB7Wb3wPybI3I43TYM9HN9nORXsS76ixQrwoSL3ce79wRB-Fkm0F_CY0vMnBQTHsgPiQx2_TSDez7LkPC0DwUuw49WaK0KUv2QMsEsovuRiCb7k1pY_svltAhQCjJ8K5f94KrXK1WdcYxjI_O7njDK0716VVeQADVJd0Xe0l4BHNJiB_IhBFG9yL/w480-h640/IMG_0297.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Linger</i><br />artist: M'rissa Rosenthal</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-1O7V6umGnO594oJ-Mf7U8SlPb1QtEmkM8i4w2hB2b3_gAUDShTGycHjvMGMAkFrFhTFwd8CXh5rw1E-9VgbXs_mZbuFictirjbAU1KRUiGx8YihemeKYLt4WQsQAt2AALRFKNyWBlNIwrYmIK-TdDc6M_yHaLqp9bYl7j3CwpPUexvDUHY9bWCZ/s3763/IMG_0467.JPG"><img alt="Pier 60 dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="2822" data-original-width="3763" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-1O7V6umGnO594oJ-Mf7U8SlPb1QtEmkM8i4w2hB2b3_gAUDShTGycHjvMGMAkFrFhTFwd8CXh5rw1E-9VgbXs_mZbuFictirjbAU1KRUiGx8YihemeKYLt4WQsQAt2AALRFKNyWBlNIwrYmIK-TdDc6M_yHaLqp9bYl7j3CwpPUexvDUHY9bWCZ/w640-h480/IMG_0467.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgA_a3hmTVQh0bXA07oXIKaGt3kIVA_Nvpcq4-jf3AA6GcRRGisQiPDgXYR9f8uqQ3S3vvhMXOQYvossRw9oJ4srGUr_s4uZnfmbQ-oXaDBZooTdYQEs05il_ysi0_Xq0RHdy7rh0VVS_KX-4YtgObsQ76vXAVnei8AaJxZbj_30lEiCLaWP6CNT3/s4032/IMG_0275.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shephard's Beach Resort dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgA_a3hmTVQh0bXA07oXIKaGt3kIVA_Nvpcq4-jf3AA6GcRRGisQiPDgXYR9f8uqQ3S3vvhMXOQYvossRw9oJ4srGUr_s4uZnfmbQ-oXaDBZooTdYQEs05il_ysi0_Xq0RHdy7rh0VVS_KX-4YtgObsQ76vXAVnei8AaJxZbj_30lEiCLaWP6CNT3/w480-h640/IMG_0275.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Akela Tiki<br /></i>artist: Morgan O'Brien</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQRm1CP3Y7fWNjLTWXadE_w2Nb7u6hsLDUr80dLvC7bq834vFVJ7YebdisFxA6LGPUcG84CdBXML_YGJxSovf6Fop_-KIda_S1olM-nd01GITXRYm15cD1RI18G2-MDNNp_GgO97Gc8VfmgHACR9M9XcLWkIujhgTo83f5qzYDcJpqMeqf8AnJJPp/s3838/IMG_9579.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dunedin Marina dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="3838" data-original-width="2878" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQRm1CP3Y7fWNjLTWXadE_w2Nb7u6hsLDUr80dLvC7bq834vFVJ7YebdisFxA6LGPUcG84CdBXML_YGJxSovf6Fop_-KIda_S1olM-nd01GITXRYm15cD1RI18G2-MDNNp_GgO97Gc8VfmgHACR9M9XcLWkIujhgTo83f5qzYDcJpqMeqf8AnJJPp/w480-h640/IMG_9579.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Marina<br /></i>artist: Demeree Barth</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G_eH_7tnVlCFWXAI00dy6Y8amdzASZlYQ_g4yRG4tMSxjfp_eurn_a6iwTiFx6VhMkcRHfOK1ICA82eYqSwfAiDnMh2nyQFU2B8PzHsCuDtJQgxUo5q90kYVUQbTrnSvUEeqVBD1BVChrysQLoN1yvjBob1yCFZ_KTy4R-YURIBajp4LxNo0sjUe/s4032/IMG_0436.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="West End Dunedin dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G_eH_7tnVlCFWXAI00dy6Y8amdzASZlYQ_g4yRG4tMSxjfp_eurn_a6iwTiFx6VhMkcRHfOK1ICA82eYqSwfAiDnMh2nyQFU2B8PzHsCuDtJQgxUo5q90kYVUQbTrnSvUEeqVBD1BVChrysQLoN1yvjBob1yCFZ_KTy4R-YURIBajp4LxNo0sjUe/w640-h480/IMG_0436.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hunter</i><br />artist: Dee Rodriques</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_gDc1h4Lm_Q0bSzVEX-p678oJOPLmXcCdOb0ODjn0sRUyi8KjR7SI_x9u8_JcYhYRTrB3Cp5zs9QDdDpT0gMj95qbTiCRV8LF79tVKOC1gASkEfHrsbymtvkX6segFPoALKhwv9E5K3ofmxAc0Y-l8roNW3Qg6-3jwXfot-4L6b5h2_kntOeM6SJ/s4032/IMG_0339.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cleveland Street dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_gDc1h4Lm_Q0bSzVEX-p678oJOPLmXcCdOb0ODjn0sRUyi8KjR7SI_x9u8_JcYhYRTrB3Cp5zs9QDdDpT0gMj95qbTiCRV8LF79tVKOC1gASkEfHrsbymtvkX6segFPoALKhwv9E5K3ofmxAc0Y-l8roNW3Qg6-3jwXfot-4L6b5h2_kntOeM6SJ/w480-h640/IMG_0339.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spot</i><br />artist: Liquid Sol Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGPalmlbdIGEILeC0z5S-VenrSxkLSZzSZXUxD0McfphMVwKMJuFQ-pIQXDm2EoGNSmg49cn_3YMl6toauwFZcLA33AoAWFOZc2jBVEKqreddM4JUzttqCmP9eGvoAioLl-HL_sK97sgS4FZlrpeIkNek8Zh5viq3GB4nNg4oT9Wzbuaxp4YJap8u/s2595/IMG_0344a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Downtown Clearwater dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="1946" data-original-width="2595" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGPalmlbdIGEILeC0z5S-VenrSxkLSZzSZXUxD0McfphMVwKMJuFQ-pIQXDm2EoGNSmg49cn_3YMl6toauwFZcLA33AoAWFOZc2jBVEKqreddM4JUzttqCmP9eGvoAioLl-HL_sK97sgS4FZlrpeIkNek8Zh5viq3GB4nNg4oT9Wzbuaxp4YJap8u/w640-h480/IMG_0344a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Welcome<br /></i>artist: Cathie Zurich-Wus</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYBbpczEaXzhQJDpiilyzKkZy3JOARd0cUKZXZncy084eMIR6XANLTdkicL7Dwv8eiSl-JEp_0k_A5r2xSRZV9gzW150cEBtlbMD9w4zvaSMo3W4wyAJraHCdmRifP4Gvpf7IZQEuxwDjr-xV7iLwZ2wZDg1ZlIPXiaIThTHfyUwl6qJpKovghApe/s3908/IMG_0359.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clearwater Fire and Rescue dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="3908" data-original-width="2931" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYBbpczEaXzhQJDpiilyzKkZy3JOARd0cUKZXZncy084eMIR6XANLTdkicL7Dwv8eiSl-JEp_0k_A5r2xSRZV9gzW150cEBtlbMD9w4zvaSMo3W4wyAJraHCdmRifP4Gvpf7IZQEuxwDjr-xV7iLwZ2wZDg1ZlIPXiaIThTHfyUwl6qJpKovghApe/w480-h640/IMG_0359.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Splash<br /></i>artist: Don Scali</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfWWVyGkDfGF6gQzNYhjSHndEXLV9TP-SXnse3pY-0YR9q-kKCCc7eUZuJM1_EnTxcdXrCGW4MifmqFKIg93Qbd1vvzOmVmw9FRMtoeJPWSetaVD6TyA-NmRJnDjkQIfkMGap95LtOu-hb3eiuk9zSmU5VGcIPja3lLupvlFPD-2x20DWrw0zpwfP/s3636/IMG_0455.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hilton Clearwater Beach dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="3636" data-original-width="2727" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfWWVyGkDfGF6gQzNYhjSHndEXLV9TP-SXnse3pY-0YR9q-kKCCc7eUZuJM1_EnTxcdXrCGW4MifmqFKIg93Qbd1vvzOmVmw9FRMtoeJPWSetaVD6TyA-NmRJnDjkQIfkMGap95LtOu-hb3eiuk9zSmU5VGcIPja3lLupvlFPD-2x20DWrw0zpwfP/w480-h640/IMG_0455.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jewel</i><br />artist: Dawn Klyczek</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR__iSF0BAgqtiEA9o8NFFtAbZxFKkvA6fcaLMbzPS3pCQApRqKI5hLR_rNJr48wlvkA_TOEuWBLglaO7LYTh4h8VHyuAhYjPDVd9shp2xIlXlvX_aJLColSto7A2lRqvm654U5rCxCjIThyYXQs_26MU1ReWb1tumrZ0qGUmdOQNaCpN14D2y9Lhs/s4032/IMG_0442.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sharmaine's Salon dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR__iSF0BAgqtiEA9o8NFFtAbZxFKkvA6fcaLMbzPS3pCQApRqKI5hLR_rNJr48wlvkA_TOEuWBLglaO7LYTh4h8VHyuAhYjPDVd9shp2xIlXlvX_aJLColSto7A2lRqvm654U5rCxCjIThyYXQs_26MU1ReWb1tumrZ0qGUmdOQNaCpN14D2y9Lhs/w640-h480/IMG_0442.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Queen Dolphin Diva</i><br />artist: Jules Burt</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKTrTUPzCnB7A84TmRGl6NEpsvRKrZJqihyxrVuDZoCx5dmN1AnpOe-rbstzsTvaSYMdkQo16e0ib8zgE6n1lzoGGRZ_t06LZva7qq4tVNZ0TrypB7LkS96PFLHqSy-AcKE7vvzrj9ehmuVipV1bAzoua1LTy6vzhtWyXVuVnjOKYxwwCRG5E8Olm/s4032/IMG_0304.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Downtown Dunedin dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKTrTUPzCnB7A84TmRGl6NEpsvRKrZJqihyxrVuDZoCx5dmN1AnpOe-rbstzsTvaSYMdkQo16e0ib8zgE6n1lzoGGRZ_t06LZva7qq4tVNZ0TrypB7LkS96PFLHqSy-AcKE7vvzrj9ehmuVipV1bAzoua1LTy6vzhtWyXVuVnjOKYxwwCRG5E8Olm/w480-h640/IMG_0304.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daisy<br /></i>artists: Addison and Ella Engle and Christine Renc-Carter</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahxXAoO2rtZDzLH19hj5qNyY6ar491ZmmlKpqPRq8JiFlmXuWkqj22PxP_rWlgglH1lM0fhWk4QeC3-g1yHyFqk_dS6im84MGpDswQVw4hqNajwJoul_DQzqTL8HQWp0vIkQsF--_Cl0415RJxW7sWqOr80aSWmC2mo-3loXe4R6WrtXEbA56Q0TP/s3393/IMG_0387b.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Indian Rocks Welcome Center dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="3393" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahxXAoO2rtZDzLH19hj5qNyY6ar491ZmmlKpqPRq8JiFlmXuWkqj22PxP_rWlgglH1lM0fhWk4QeC3-g1yHyFqk_dS6im84MGpDswQVw4hqNajwJoul_DQzqTL8HQWp0vIkQsF--_Cl0415RJxW7sWqOr80aSWmC2mo-3loXe4R6WrtXEbA56Q0TP/w640-h480/IMG_0387b.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sandy<br /></i>artist: Liquid Sol Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaCOtoMSaQDBaz0Fo5m8baG5C0LFYRQOjdjro3BO-SOc-RCz0fUu1RzxxJJU4V-TjFconUXNZMzbhbwC9v9pItu0kffHPp1kd-s-X2p1cnrmEJACcC6TJ8c0kfYf6NzqrcZhDXi4yXftOt8KHwk_O7I84meIEHclLnlpdV3tcnlW9rCL8ftF4j3gZ/s3024/IMG_0401a.JPG"><img alt="Caddy's Indian Rocks dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaCOtoMSaQDBaz0Fo5m8baG5C0LFYRQOjdjro3BO-SOc-RCz0fUu1RzxxJJU4V-TjFconUXNZMzbhbwC9v9pItu0kffHPp1kd-s-X2p1cnrmEJACcC6TJ8c0kfYf6NzqrcZhDXi4yXftOt8KHwk_O7I84meIEHclLnlpdV3tcnlW9rCL8ftF4j3gZ/w640-h480/IMG_0401a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB21-aGdKG9IJbw2dqpgWq1FU7Ib5d67uHvImHWjpGiB8DXCt0qvuZWxzOR6zVGh03O7bdMMdJDIRHOB9njhTLItPfRtrDl0xvdw7Hpyir4eUaE_nnoBX-wBojm1qr6c3uQL9IxP8z1mCfyt8aJSBZvlnTzxuungL2uJDi-Aqw3qLrWFjAab1Bdxa9/s4032/IMG_8532.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Surf Style dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB21-aGdKG9IJbw2dqpgWq1FU7Ib5d67uHvImHWjpGiB8DXCt0qvuZWxzOR6zVGh03O7bdMMdJDIRHOB9njhTLItPfRtrDl0xvdw7Hpyir4eUaE_nnoBX-wBojm1qr6c3uQL9IxP8z1mCfyt8aJSBZvlnTzxuungL2uJDi-Aqw3qLrWFjAab1Bdxa9/w480-h640/IMG_8532.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>ZZ<br /></i>artist: Larry Davis</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XCXn4Ti1WiHeyHuWixLhMu0VxNQSz0_8YB1IJI3qyyhQsxYAW-suwtysGIDF32MRnZNEfHhjxyh8cnmH4r2GAzpSJDJfw9EoEg0bhQKM-VdOKIa6uFQ761fhgdyjU37yyuHZLV-tpoE-7t6Js9CDZz3e3uodVYVUoiMCGz6t8-e6P9cgN4pBBvWs/s4032/IMG_0319.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clearwater Courthouse dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XCXn4Ti1WiHeyHuWixLhMu0VxNQSz0_8YB1IJI3qyyhQsxYAW-suwtysGIDF32MRnZNEfHhjxyh8cnmH4r2GAzpSJDJfw9EoEg0bhQKM-VdOKIa6uFQ761fhgdyjU37yyuHZLV-tpoE-7t6Js9CDZz3e3uodVYVUoiMCGz6t8-e6P9cgN4pBBvWs/w480-h640/IMG_0319.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Playing on the Water</i><br />artist: Sandra Blythe</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc1bLC-6F50n_-0rCNtX3c8z-mDhe7wK6FPIRGQ6gmLGyFoJsLFwukw5E5D-K6houY0HpQv6hGEtx8ENErmmb4G2zYS9PH31KURGbz2S54xSgrAgF4p9AEA53q0U84WA2rOzH5sufqfLQMaJ1BsN2twhAvtbLYWEKQvD1kJ912WemRrzRyOkjd4Ew/s3547/IMG_0535a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clearwater Beach Hotel dolphin" border="0" data-original-height="2660" data-original-width="3547" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc1bLC-6F50n_-0rCNtX3c8z-mDhe7wK6FPIRGQ6gmLGyFoJsLFwukw5E5D-K6houY0HpQv6hGEtx8ENErmmb4G2zYS9PH31KURGbz2S54xSgrAgF4p9AEA53q0U84WA2rOzH5sufqfLQMaJ1BsN2twhAvtbLYWEKQvD1kJ912WemRrzRyOkjd4Ew/w640-h480/IMG_0535a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winter Inspires</i><br />artist: M'rissa Rosenthal (with help from Winter the dolphin)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<p>Travel tips: The official start of the Dolphin Trail is on Clearwater Beach, where you can find more than 20 dolphins within walking distance. Just like live dolphins, the sculptures don’t always stay in one place so lists become outdated. If you spot a dolphin that isn’t on my map, please contact me at SweetEscapes@susancrow.com so I can add a new pin to the map.</p>
<p>Businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor a dolphin can contact Amplify Clearwater (formerly the Clearwater Regional Chamber). Click <a href="https://amplifyclearwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DOLPHIN-PURCHASE-FORM-3_2021.pdf" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> for more information.</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-76070248277075009812022-07-14T18:26:00.003-04:002022-10-19T14:17:56.931-04:00Carnival Freedom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YlVRc3Ic6MaPb9qmTz5H4SKYLSyLkJWzE8MBPOIkD3QdFBHEgg-WJ5WRBI9Ws4FJVBr8UrFXAOnx0-D2fG90BLoQzVV66mtpiuXqevojwKbPJMM6R7b-b1PUW6tDj01ZAOD3tg33FBT7KlNW9eOM_C-6GLErIMhE1Ekni_shN26TdWeecry4h6Ag/s4032/IMG_9687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Carnival Freedom atrium" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YlVRc3Ic6MaPb9qmTz5H4SKYLSyLkJWzE8MBPOIkD3QdFBHEgg-WJ5WRBI9Ws4FJVBr8UrFXAOnx0-D2fG90BLoQzVV66mtpiuXqevojwKbPJMM6R7b-b1PUW6tDj01ZAOD3tg33FBT7KlNW9eOM_C-6GLErIMhE1Ekni_shN26TdWeecry4h6Ag/w640-h480/IMG_9687.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Port Canaveral</b></p>
<p>As soon as we got back from Barbados, Ron was ready to go on another trip. We didn’t want to drive far, and airfare was insane, so we found a 4-day cruise out of Port Canaveral on the Carnival Freedom. Unfortunately, the day after we booked the cruise, the ship’s funnel caught fire while it was docked in Grand Turk! The videos of the fire looked terrifying but, thank goodness, no one was hurt, and Carnival arranged for another ship to bring the stranded passengers home. But now we were in limbo. Would the damage be fixed in time or would our trip be cancelled? Just five days before the cruise, Freedom sailed back to Florida, minus its iconic “whale tail”. Every Carnival ship, starting with Tropicale in 1982, has had a whale tail funnel. The design is part of Carnival’s logo, and it makes their ships instantly recognizable. Freedom’s new shorter funnel was going to take a little getting used to, but we would be sailing! Of course, there were lots of jokes about the stubby funnel. Someone in my Freedom Facebook group said that we could play ‘Pin the Tail on the Ship’. :-)</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8YJIwn4VHc-KxJCEOoP264b8EsMedbxOMelJi0nh0mRklnkEsogjNoe4IuB6TAgRObVoEj7q8MITRjjFGt8JkKOZjvWzwnUzQuaFzxS1UpTZWMYZ-3KH1coDBuBhLWuShDgkfbMoAqXfV4pmYPiElc90trM6q8Vq3exVjkgIB2z8gJeHH_IWrw3J/s5184/DSCN4715.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="new shortened funnel" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8YJIwn4VHc-KxJCEOoP264b8EsMedbxOMelJi0nh0mRklnkEsogjNoe4IuB6TAgRObVoEj7q8MITRjjFGt8JkKOZjvWzwnUzQuaFzxS1UpTZWMYZ-3KH1coDBuBhLWuShDgkfbMoAqXfV4pmYPiElc90trM6q8Vq3exVjkgIB2z8gJeHH_IWrw3J/w640-h480/DSCN4715.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjgiMVhu6p21ekp-jYGL6aml1OCHzI2QOhP5NE5lN8YU0Bi-ezMe47G1lX1G44ggBsQ77zhJrAeInlgt1bgmBBZZsr-Ti34q4WNpxsNNx0iHGsQ-83vdFulPPfWtOKuPOtzl9dd6ULfLdXL0obxQb5SpxwN3MfjDVdJwZ0LWah1wbEigDez7ESeze/s5082/DSCN4735.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="funnel" border="0" data-original-height="3812" data-original-width="5082" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjgiMVhu6p21ekp-jYGL6aml1OCHzI2QOhP5NE5lN8YU0Bi-ezMe47G1lX1G44ggBsQ77zhJrAeInlgt1bgmBBZZsr-Ti34q4WNpxsNNx0iHGsQ-83vdFulPPfWtOKuPOtzl9dd6ULfLdXL0obxQb5SpxwN3MfjDVdJwZ0LWah1wbEigDez7ESeze/w640-h480/DSCN4735.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Our check-in time at Port Canaveral was 10:30, but boarding started late, so we didn’t get on the ship until lunch time. We went straight to the buffet for lunch, then explored the ship. This was our first time on Freedom, but we’d been on Liberty, her sister ship, so we were familiar with the layout. Freedom’s design theme was “Decades Through the Centuries”, and the public spaces were named and designed to reflect different periods of time. The Victoriana Theater had an ornate crystal chandelier and Victorian-style artwork. The bas-relief sculptures of dancing couples in the Swing Time Jazz Club represented the 1930s. In the 1940s Habana Bar there was a large mural of Havana Harbor, and the bases of the tables and bar stools looked like cigars. The 70’s Nightclub…well, duh. :-) Some of the pictures I’d seen of Freedom before our cruise made the ship look dark and dreary, but it wasn’t as bad as I was afraid it would be. There were enough pops of color and neon lights to brighten it up. My main problem with the décor was the random mishmash of patterns. There were swirls and dots and squares and tiger prints, all in the same space. I made it into a game to see how many different patterns I could get in one picture.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPtA4v5Gm7vXfljbfozpz9u8EFuOKUQtFdzUiHpGJ8rMc_OugFRokqAw30CukAoi42E7pm5jLTANCWDxPj4MkJ4yObsieGqAyrOjycYUJPC9zndUUfDX5vs9cmnT0wj6eHpBhjYGqg92xbfr9R7A-MADxl0CuoQZAWOsRrZD8vaf7mX2dQaOi-Hpw/s4032/IMG_9684.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Millennium Atrium" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPtA4v5Gm7vXfljbfozpz9u8EFuOKUQtFdzUiHpGJ8rMc_OugFRokqAw30CukAoi42E7pm5jLTANCWDxPj4MkJ4yObsieGqAyrOjycYUJPC9zndUUfDX5vs9cmnT0wj6eHpBhjYGqg92xbfr9R7A-MADxl0CuoQZAWOsRrZD8vaf7mX2dQaOi-Hpw/w480-h640/IMG_9684.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millennium Atrium</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OaHZzAMUyLFUwDXLC-C-z_uLy1SUXOGdmCeR0uEQ_zrFKtQgaJfQmQXRUrkEXUIPku_NSL1Cg-d_67cK6EjXRbUJXmzNa8xQvx7Ya1t9ZkCGydnhtep2EDQseIsy4AzpIndNzFn5B-xGAoSsewAc5avceSkVlT4VQzwfEVFAmK6b2W3w_Courwxs/s3985/IMG_9875.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="lots of patterns" border="0" data-original-height="3985" data-original-width="2989" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OaHZzAMUyLFUwDXLC-C-z_uLy1SUXOGdmCeR0uEQ_zrFKtQgaJfQmQXRUrkEXUIPku_NSL1Cg-d_67cK6EjXRbUJXmzNa8xQvx7Ya1t9ZkCGydnhtep2EDQseIsy4AzpIndNzFn5B-xGAoSsewAc5avceSkVlT4VQzwfEVFAmK6b2W3w_Courwxs/w480-h640/IMG_9875.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many patterns do you see?</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We watched the sail away from the Serenity area at the bow of the ship, then got ready for dinner. Something new since our last Carnival cruise was that we had to check in for dinner using Carnival’s Hub app. I thought this was a pretty good system. We tended to eat early, so our table was usually ready by the time we walked to the restaurant. But if the restaurant was busy, we could check in and then go to a bar for a drink while we waited for the app notification. What I didn’t like was that we also had to use the app to view the dinner menus. Besides the fact that the tiny print was hard to read, it just didn’t feel right to sit at the table staring at our phones. As usual, Ron and I both ordered the Chocolate Melting Cake with two scoops of ice cream for dessert. My cake needed a few more minutes in the oven because it was VERY melted. It was more like Chocolate Melting Soup. :-)</p>
<p>After dinner, we went to the Punchliner Comedy Club and spent some time in the casino playing Blackjack. Our dealer, Percy, was a lot of fun, and I ended the night $40 ahead plus the $1 chip that I saved for my chip collection.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G7E9hD0mjIajfFQw4TAEPDtt4Hly_XIEJqtkTCiivS5UaLD6UWjtmJY0cz3RY4CZ5azW6E9Ky8p7u7WCG70DS0SLTf7ZLoiN7ZgsyA3Oj-PJbWg3HvTA9koYndGBByRw5fIi3VzYIlrgmqKGFGga1UvhLTPOOBUSpAGaK6u_GBB0ZDaof4zyxFbL/s3905/IMG_9842.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chic Restaurant" border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2929" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G7E9hD0mjIajfFQw4TAEPDtt4Hly_XIEJqtkTCiivS5UaLD6UWjtmJY0cz3RY4CZ5azW6E9Ky8p7u7WCG70DS0SLTf7ZLoiN7ZgsyA3Oj-PJbWg3HvTA9koYndGBByRw5fIi3VzYIlrgmqKGFGga1UvhLTPOOBUSpAGaK6u_GBB0ZDaof4zyxFbL/w480-h640/IMG_9842.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chic Restaurant</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiZqznCsJ8D9Di1wVol8Okf8wVgMgztnHJQnJNxCejwHfcUTAmlDgyLIliFE_OKWbAtmCHSfR-JFev8dEcwk8hiYlUj7igSzab8PqpnKiXJQ0w5QFH88usWfclD01mOME5gkyGxBawwmxrNaK6XdziQqbKZRsafZs7n3trgH1iMBrYeBAUbBQRpqM/s3840/IMG_9714.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dancing waiters" border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2880" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiZqznCsJ8D9Di1wVol8Okf8wVgMgztnHJQnJNxCejwHfcUTAmlDgyLIliFE_OKWbAtmCHSfR-JFev8dEcwk8hiYlUj7igSzab8PqpnKiXJQ0w5QFH88usWfclD01mOME5gkyGxBawwmxrNaK6XdziQqbKZRsafZs7n3trgH1iMBrYeBAUbBQRpqM/w480-h640/IMG_9714.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<p><b>Nassau</b></p>
<p>In the morning, we had breakfast at the Lido buffet. I’d forgotten how bad the buffet layout was on this class of ship. Instead of separate stations, all the food was arranged in one long line so even though I only wanted a couple of things, I had to wait forever while everyone in front of me grazed through each item. Then I had to search for a coffee machine that wasn’t empty. But worst of all, there was no bacon! I could understand when Carnival started using the “bacon police” to make sure people didn’t pile half a pound on their plate, but no bacon at all?? That was just wrong! :-) We decided we would eat breakfast in the main dining room for the rest of the cruise.</p>
<p>The ship arrived in Nassau a little after 10 o’clock. Ron and I watched from deck as we sailed into the harbor, followed by a flotilla of huge yachts from South Florida. It was a hot, sunny day and all the royal poinciana trees were in full bloom. Good morning, Nassau!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpUTvca0Fbxtqg5CsfPCrY-4mPMCxh2Qef6dNfwMQijC3vC106IaM0jrz6cABl6DMIfk3_BRo9A3nBgr8BS4U0v3YfRxo-d86g0Nf8LlzctINXzQn2CgY2ag47lPE1mXcm5e6wz4xIzPc45P2O0dunfgAXlWKw4zR0mDT2KsQ4b8xLkkHNg6fqAtx/s5033/DSCN4693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Baha Mar" border="0" data-original-height="3774" data-original-width="5033" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpUTvca0Fbxtqg5CsfPCrY-4mPMCxh2Qef6dNfwMQijC3vC106IaM0jrz6cABl6DMIfk3_BRo9A3nBgr8BS4U0v3YfRxo-d86g0Nf8LlzctINXzQn2CgY2ag47lPE1mXcm5e6wz4xIzPc45P2O0dunfgAXlWKw4zR0mDT2KsQ4b8xLkkHNg6fqAtx/w640-h480/DSCN4693.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<p>We had booked the 11:15 Wine Blending class at Bahama Barrels, so as soon as the ship was docked, we headed into town. Bahama Barrels is the first and only winery in the Bahamas and is housed in an old church building across the street from the Graycliff Hotel. We ended up having a private class since Ron and I were the only two who’d signed up. Our tour guide, Jonae, started by asking us if we preferred red or white wine. We said red, so Jonae set out five different wines that we would combine to create our own personal blend. The five wines she chose were a semi-sweet white, a sweet strawberry wine, the house red, an IGT (a blend of different Italian grapes) and an extra dry red that was 14% alcohol. After we tasted each wine and took notes on their aromas and flavors, Jonae had us combine the wines into large beakers in whatever proportions we chose. Ron and I made two blends each. For my first blend, I used some of the strawberry wine and thought it came out too sweet, but I really liked my second blend, which was 50% house red, 25% white and 25% IGT. As we experimented, Jonae went across the street to the Graycliff Chocolatier and brought back some chocolates for us to pair with the wine.</p>
<p>Once we had settled on our final blend, we poured our wine from our beaker into a bottle, then back into the beaker, then finally back into the bottle. This was to make sure it was fully mixed, but it was easier said than done after drinking a bunch of wine. :-) Jonae showed us how to cork and seal our bottles and then printed out personalized labels with the names we had chosen for our wines. Ron called his “Relapse Red”. I named mine “Heritage” after Heritage Village, the historic area around the Graycliff Hotel and winery. What a great tour!</p>
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<p>After the class, we walked to the Fish Fry for lunch at Twin Brothers where we shared a fish burger and a plate of peas and rice. We thought we’d catch a jitney back to town, but we waited and waited and never saw any buses. The pandemic must have really messed up the jitney business. They used to come by every few minutes. The walk back was only about a mile and a half, but it was a lot hotter than it was on our last trip to Nassau in February! By the time we got back to the port, we were wilted. We spent the rest of the afternoon cooling off in the cabin and napping.</p>
<p>The ship was supposed to leave Nassau at 6 o’clock, but 6 o’clock came and went. I looked out our cabin window to watch for pier-runners. I could see the dock master pacing back and forth by the gangway, and after a while, two Carnival staff got into a golf cart and rode off into town. They must have been going to look for the missing person at Senor Frog’s. Finally, at 6:30 the captain decided we’d waited long enough, and we pushed off from the dock. I found out later from someone in my Facebook group that the missing person was able to get a ride back to Port Canaveral on Carnival Liberty. I’m glad he made it home!</p>
<p>That night at dinner we ordered the Chocolate Melting Cake again, and this time it was overcooked and wasn’t melting at all. It was just Chocolate Cake. :-) I haven’t been a big fan of Carnival’s food since they switched to the “American Table” menus, but this was the first time we’d experienced such inconsistent cooking. It seemed like the kitchen really needed to work on quality control. On the plus side, we didn’t have to wait a long time between courses like on some of our other cruises.</p>
<p>We ended the night at the Alchemy Bar, my favorite Carnival bar. The Alchemy Bar is a cocktail bar with an old-fashioned pharmacy theme. The bartenders wear white pharmacy coats, and the drinks have names like The Remedy and The Quick Fix. I ordered something I hadn’t tried on our previous cruises, the Restorative Basil Drop, which was fresh and different. I’ll have to figure out how to make it at home. Ron gave me a hydroponic gardening system for my birthday and my basil has been growing like crazy! That would be fun way to use up some of the basil.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIZNrTdFDkUcaVHwcQBNDQ6bpEbOV3EMNfFV-h4Bx5KZQjq1Uj77FoLNjhWz-9JdsoFmoR5CiP4NYF1JGFZHjPA3HN3wJ2USO57k0TrQZQD6Lf2Mf10Fxc3QWoX8k7bJaPlaHdwS8F12h3fOn2NR45xrIm6l1vWe1p9MPSS-Xm0_Xa6qaFXBHTHz4/s3953/IMG_9613.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Freedom Alchemy Bar" border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3953" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIZNrTdFDkUcaVHwcQBNDQ6bpEbOV3EMNfFV-h4Bx5KZQjq1Uj77FoLNjhWz-9JdsoFmoR5CiP4NYF1JGFZHjPA3HN3wJ2USO57k0TrQZQD6Lf2Mf10Fxc3QWoX8k7bJaPlaHdwS8F12h3fOn2NR45xrIm6l1vWe1p9MPSS-Xm0_Xa6qaFXBHTHz4/w640-h480/IMG_9613.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ycQHjNBKiB-XH6fdrNP5aWsoW1YptSDfh7neivVbn1O0cMhNHr2fcIHDBA-DHL9CiuZFFJPiL8mnoLckAVCGXoJu-qy1wCeV6PW51nu2l1c_mAJmTlP_U2mgmQc3xf6Xil6v7XRhkTaoAtO0sp6lahUb3FVlea_o4A9S2wl9YX6IgRAXQxZNtZPY/s4032/IMG_9863.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Restorative Basil Drop" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ycQHjNBKiB-XH6fdrNP5aWsoW1YptSDfh7neivVbn1O0cMhNHr2fcIHDBA-DHL9CiuZFFJPiL8mnoLckAVCGXoJu-qy1wCeV6PW51nu2l1c_mAJmTlP_U2mgmQc3xf6Xil6v7XRhkTaoAtO0sp6lahUb3FVlea_o4A9S2wl9YX6IgRAXQxZNtZPY/w480-h640/IMG_9863.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restorative Basil Drop</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Princess Cays</b></p>
<p>The next morning, we had breakfast in the Posh Restaurant, which was a big improvement over the chaos at the buffet. I had eggs Benedict (with a side of bacon!) and bruleed grapefruit. The grapefruit was one of the best things I ate the whole trip. I never would have thought to brulee a grapefruit. That’s something else I will have to try at home.</p>
<p>By the time we finished breakfast, the ship was anchoring off Princess Cays, a private beach on the south end of the Bahamian island of Eleuthera. We had signed up for the 10:30 Stingray Encounter, so we headed to the gangway at 9 o’clock to give ourselves time to tender over to the island and explore a little before our tour. This was our first visit to Princess Cays, and it reminded me of Coco Cay before the “Perfect Day” water park and pool were added. Nothing splashy, just a nice beach with lounge chairs and some watersports. We found a couple of shaded chairs, then walked the beach path past the colorful private cabanas and climbed the observation tower for a nice view of the ship. It was even hotter that day than it had been in Nassau, and after our walk we were more than ready to get into that cool, blue water!</p>
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<p>The stingray encounter took place in a small cove next to the tender dock. Our tour guide, Luca, handed out snorkel masks and water shoes and gave us about 10 minutes to snorkel around the enclosure on our own. There were eight stingrays, all of them female (which Luca said were easier to train). Once Luca got into the water, all the stingrays headed his way. Smart stingrays – they knew who “dad” was. Luca picked Sheila out of the school, and we each got a chance to touch her soft, wet-mushroom skin and hold her while one of the ship’s photographers took our pictures. At the end of the tour, we lined up along the shoreline to feed the stingrays. Luca told us their names as we fed them and made sure every stingray got some of the food. Otherwise, Big Mama might have eaten it all. :-) It felt weird when my stingray, Star, sucked the fish right out of my hand. Another great tour!</p>
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<p>We’d planned to spend the whole day at Princess Cays, but the barbecue lunch didn’t sound very appealing and apparently, we couldn’t use our drink packages on the island. Ron got a beer from one of the bars and it was $10! Crazy. We packed up our things and took the tender back, where we took advantage of the mostly empty ship. There was no line at all at Guy’s Burgers or the Red Frog Rum Bar. I ordered a Chilius Maximum with extra chili and a Ting Mojito. Yum! After lunch, we lounged on the Serenity Deck for a while but then decided that since we’d be on the ship all day the next day, we really should get off while we had the chance. By the time we got back to Princess Cays, the skies had clouded over and there were rain showers in the distance, but we didn’t mind the clouds because they kept it from being so brutally hot. Ron and I walked down to the cabanas again where the shoreline was rocky and climbed around on the rocks. Late in the afternoon, the line to board the tender got long. When we finally made it back on the ship, we watched from our cabin window as the last tender pulled up carrying just a few stragglers and tired-looking crew members. The captain announced that everyone had made it back on board this time.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHFK00rrHecqZCMki3LH_MnvisWYaaPnoMNFSuZWaqiAJeFpfGxZ6ODpep2cTw3dHgPNAlgM6ElOMGRqTxkTt4MFPnC4qKRBW6Njue0EEWeAknDuVy4EB36vRrSlDXKdxV_hDaGl1VBdf4oiRx4Wbumo5uObJiDu9CvSCrabd63H_O1JnCABV7y6j/s4000/P6180386.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Princess Cays" border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHFK00rrHecqZCMki3LH_MnvisWYaaPnoMNFSuZWaqiAJeFpfGxZ6ODpep2cTw3dHgPNAlgM6ElOMGRqTxkTt4MFPnC4qKRBW6Njue0EEWeAknDuVy4EB36vRrSlDXKdxV_hDaGl1VBdf4oiRx4Wbumo5uObJiDu9CvSCrabd63H_O1JnCABV7y6j/w640-h480/P6180386.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxCGZKNa68JkT0xnJZ80doBMXsY7CuEnmTj_cQ5XGqPV4op4BRILB2EAm1e_I7g8J6Fb-y72fRpNEmVItX6Vz4rC952INHdvXgR7tZ4l-_euUrXFTK7EwDO8enyFKRnL9PWJS2mG-LyWo36C4yGpR-8JoaGlPjfnLhskwOC4CoRyxbld-CjyIh_lS/s2515/P6180385.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Princess Cays watersports" border="0" data-original-height="1886" data-original-width="2515" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxCGZKNa68JkT0xnJZ80doBMXsY7CuEnmTj_cQ5XGqPV4op4BRILB2EAm1e_I7g8J6Fb-y72fRpNEmVItX6Vz4rC952INHdvXgR7tZ4l-_euUrXFTK7EwDO8enyFKRnL9PWJS2mG-LyWo36C4yGpR-8JoaGlPjfnLhskwOC4CoRyxbld-CjyIh_lS/w640-h480/P6180385.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU79X5Dl_1Gwo0JE1DVrgDC_N-JgFKrX3uxIbHv5D5jDCbgKkOlLqCKSF0Z_1YbxZxjjgezEVFTtneCz9MNyoLVhWQizIPQrDCqdvR0vL2zuJ_gM5wU2i6GKMohm7_bncy4RHpKX9QVwuLZkBf9dYbjHpWHDLi5SJq8suan0qbEePpBjw0Qqflw0Nn/s4000/P6180400.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rock pile" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU79X5Dl_1Gwo0JE1DVrgDC_N-JgFKrX3uxIbHv5D5jDCbgKkOlLqCKSF0Z_1YbxZxjjgezEVFTtneCz9MNyoLVhWQizIPQrDCqdvR0vL2zuJ_gM5wU2i6GKMohm7_bncy4RHpKX9QVwuLZkBf9dYbjHpWHDLi5SJq8suan0qbEePpBjw0Qqflw0Nn/w480-h640/P6180400.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>That night after dinner, we went to the Skybox Sports Bar to watch the Lightning play the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals. I didn’t know what to order, so the bartender made up a drink for me with gin, lime and club soda. The drink was great, the game not so much… :-( When the score got to 4-0, we gave up and went for a walk around the Lido Deck, stopping at the Pizza Pirate for a couple of slices of late-night pizza before going to bed.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58nCFZawUoUAw-oVCiHr2YgxGh84q3zSMp18D_utwzmjflnpYL6DL7Vc1Ucf0Pn9Frp39Jrq9lAF5ROVj6BWuGpW2zASYA0mEnswPIFU2oBPFhpIpNJ9iLy_BTvL4-zAjyKliTZbXdt5pv6xHk_prRID-MpSonr__lj9A4Y3au3rC4sfRuSrfonio/s3854/IMG_9918.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ron on ship's deck" border="0" data-original-height="3854" data-original-width="2891" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58nCFZawUoUAw-oVCiHr2YgxGh84q3zSMp18D_utwzmjflnpYL6DL7Vc1Ucf0Pn9Frp39Jrq9lAF5ROVj6BWuGpW2zASYA0mEnswPIFU2oBPFhpIpNJ9iLy_BTvL4-zAjyKliTZbXdt5pv6xHk_prRID-MpSonr__lj9A4Y3au3rC4sfRuSrfonio/w480-h640/IMG_9918.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y4VU89Z4-9pSpkQ2eYZyeMz2isPi4vqqjvWhhaoPMnDp2ZQW4sr8qTG1oIpb7EBnXNKP5c5CBELIBKj7B8b8i6qfRGXOlsTS64N34SGtnGOSJH9tHySrA9_PISY6O9tFO3M98IQYTPBxae9fVgCX7SyZpmT3VLLsEk8rzOz90ofwxi_V4WmkDb83/s3456/IMG_9929b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Susan on ship's deck" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="2592" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y4VU89Z4-9pSpkQ2eYZyeMz2isPi4vqqjvWhhaoPMnDp2ZQW4sr8qTG1oIpb7EBnXNKP5c5CBELIBKj7B8b8i6qfRGXOlsTS64N34SGtnGOSJH9tHySrA9_PISY6O9tFO3M98IQYTPBxae9fVgCX7SyZpmT3VLLsEk8rzOz90ofwxi_V4WmkDb83/w480-h640/IMG_9929b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QBQOWMM56WN97TF9WNDoO6ElsXjEBOoBwYm0_xSoAwPl7ioORGO5mSV8B9IoSm-aZu3CRr9xuwHkNwk39dfFO8OyvvZ_FthsNOo60xVGDboAH3vLZwoVVelhKhENsXuePs9Bl3V_Vg4xKzLsImB62PPQwm7gmSjlj3hH89aXyoVb1EnBISWLTM72/s2766/IMG_9938a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hockey game" border="0" data-original-height="2075" data-original-width="2766" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QBQOWMM56WN97TF9WNDoO6ElsXjEBOoBwYm0_xSoAwPl7ioORGO5mSV8B9IoSm-aZu3CRr9xuwHkNwk39dfFO8OyvvZ_FthsNOo60xVGDboAH3vLZwoVVelhKhENsXuePs9Bl3V_Vg4xKzLsImB62PPQwm7gmSjlj3hH89aXyoVb1EnBISWLTM72/w640-h480/IMG_9938a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skybox Sports Bar</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Sea Day</b></p>
<p>Since it was a day at sea, there was a brunch in the Posh Restaurant instead of the usual breakfast. The Seaday Brunch menu had changed since our last Carnival cruise. I tried a couple of the new menu items, the chia seed pudding and fresh-pressed juice with pineapple, ginger and turmeric. I thought I should have something healthy to counteract all the chocolate melting cakes, but then I also ordered a side of bacon. So much for being healthy. :-)</p>
<p>When we finished brunch, we went to the Victoriana Theater for the towel folding class. The stairs of the theater were covered with a menagerie of towel animals made by the hard-working cabin stewards. I’d planned to just watch the class, but it looked like fun, and I ended up getting towels and jumping in. The instructor showed us how to make a towel swan and a “lazy dog”. My lazy dog turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. At least there was a slight resemblance to the instructor’s.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqb2N37w0cYnD63qTe-X3SqCaod2QDmmQPgxHNchNWPfd_c6USqkd66fk3UUfEDkPW6_tU5KhOJS2AaNJ9LmENl6ssfbEn9Z3FIv-Ng5ULnwKtXzzm4xav1BJV3Taw3w_oLUgMmiA54vnXHQ2HkdBFz-X91JdfKBo3msAFtRdZTIUl4YHFQO3OBBM/s3940/IMG_9951.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="towel animal display" border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3940" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqb2N37w0cYnD63qTe-X3SqCaod2QDmmQPgxHNchNWPfd_c6USqkd66fk3UUfEDkPW6_tU5KhOJS2AaNJ9LmENl6ssfbEn9Z3FIv-Ng5ULnwKtXzzm4xav1BJV3Taw3w_oLUgMmiA54vnXHQ2HkdBFz-X91JdfKBo3msAFtRdZTIUl4YHFQO3OBBM/w640-h480/IMG_9951.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNJHZNXf4d7Ac40YwCB_Ad1OKkS0Ge4a5aqroDaQ84Ng4-du8A5M-bxRVOKxQqfUwNd_u5yBCxPhhb3GtwGyGdDwLSHgNngQ5wxxro2lzM0-7wZeypMLrFPk906KV8GQ8Lxp-jxwE97WcIzy6-g2ifbqKTlJDJIOGzHM3LpgZM90Ug39HXeGCbgHM/s4032/IMG_9952.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="towel animals" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNJHZNXf4d7Ac40YwCB_Ad1OKkS0Ge4a5aqroDaQ84Ng4-du8A5M-bxRVOKxQqfUwNd_u5yBCxPhhb3GtwGyGdDwLSHgNngQ5wxxro2lzM0-7wZeypMLrFPk906KV8GQ8Lxp-jxwE97WcIzy6-g2ifbqKTlJDJIOGzHM3LpgZM90Ug39HXeGCbgHM/w480-h640/IMG_9952.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjaJdnyIPncedC1Vu6d9WNnOLk130SIm8RefI1sfJ8tNUNdACCMS4d34Caxc6xS5CE85pS284mAwgut4BLb32OWs6JyrIKLps6_AAvZ69De56rg_NWKHltHVawY3L4RorTqgAE7VDNzWQJ3q4Yodl41YFgnMtVqiTzSxWtceaj7y-qVwAV8B3ofyQu/s3680/IMG_9956.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="lazy dog towel animal" border="0" data-original-height="3680" data-original-width="2760" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjaJdnyIPncedC1Vu6d9WNnOLk130SIm8RefI1sfJ8tNUNdACCMS4d34Caxc6xS5CE85pS284mAwgut4BLb32OWs6JyrIKLps6_AAvZ69De56rg_NWKHltHVawY3L4RorTqgAE7VDNzWQJ3q4Yodl41YFgnMtVqiTzSxWtceaj7y-qVwAV8B3ofyQu/w480-h640/IMG_9956.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my "lazy dog"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIWNghgci6sfuCoVaCwiCAyZOuG-BBZBPZQs-rgNCd-xIYJqV6qJ6cPLQm_v7ID0l5G_tTOYh7trOCyjOWhDYPJRBOTHgilWD0JTAvbaHIA346r6O0iEbbQrH7Owj3xhtzfMZ5Q6LwbaT63ugyZ_5ZADV8ju5sLiv-uYumeS_LVXhU0EzT6zrefaL/s4032/IMG_9972.JPG"><img alt="Blue Iguana tacos" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIWNghgci6sfuCoVaCwiCAyZOuG-BBZBPZQs-rgNCd-xIYJqV6qJ6cPLQm_v7ID0l5G_tTOYh7trOCyjOWhDYPJRBOTHgilWD0JTAvbaHIA346r6O0iEbbQrH7Owj3xhtzfMZ5Q6LwbaT63ugyZ_5ZADV8ju5sLiv-uYumeS_LVXhU0EzT6zrefaL/w640-h480/IMG_9972.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cG4LL8wXMCZVk5BspL5Is3piszNPV7BY0-AEfZxpg6be8IlFr5ruMnOKFtmk9Na4mktEHQJYTAB1Icr-uJE7sWneU4yJ_Vauy6Wt6XR1xiQvcbWOpRK9cws9jsXhdB6QzP78Ffb06fTPG9r1ljHrqKUMXu9OVoYtBtOS6YoR0MvOf_nbrKvqLgwp/s2939/IMG_9890a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red Frog Rum Bar" border="0" data-original-height="2205" data-original-width="2939" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cG4LL8wXMCZVk5BspL5Is3piszNPV7BY0-AEfZxpg6be8IlFr5ruMnOKFtmk9Na4mktEHQJYTAB1Icr-uJE7sWneU4yJ_Vauy6Wt6XR1xiQvcbWOpRK9cws9jsXhdB6QzP78Ffb06fTPG9r1ljHrqKUMXu9OVoYtBtOS6YoR0MvOf_nbrKvqLgwp/w640-h480/IMG_9890a.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Frog Rum Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDalEOiVuGsImyUwcPf0d9SGsFcRNWAE9WJNbaSZTiSewiGFhfXfsrC87tCsgiRt58NGhafqWdGCPe1bxqAD_n2logUthhGvLqvazAQjHvfi2UkxVzadEA2tIcJ_vP7TRayBcHE_l-qC1TajugIvnQVG2XKBBLWqGpFcXAPjNVAgUySIO48R5afIq/s3196/P6180380.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="funnel cups" border="0" data-original-height="3196" data-original-width="2397" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDalEOiVuGsImyUwcPf0d9SGsFcRNWAE9WJNbaSZTiSewiGFhfXfsrC87tCsgiRt58NGhafqWdGCPe1bxqAD_n2logUthhGvLqvazAQjHvfi2UkxVzadEA2tIcJ_vP7TRayBcHE_l-qC1TajugIvnQVG2XKBBLWqGpFcXAPjNVAgUySIO48R5afIq/w480-h640/P6180380.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">funnel cups pre- and post-fire :-)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDwqecDoUxx_0eeDlSqXTxe4I_qihaZemwiTHeekYd3XTwQEstVbeGx5O1SDHkACPFSCBfaXDcpQrlbFQLBLxXaY3S15JR2WCyM2MeIHP2C8s3kFeT-DaCVTIw01wfCQngjZqCQqVPG4PoclRcjaawDTuJ9pQ9H75bGCJ4NhcZ4hcj_MPD-ol-CC5/s3872/IMG_9769.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="aft pool" border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="3872" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDwqecDoUxx_0eeDlSqXTxe4I_qihaZemwiTHeekYd3XTwQEstVbeGx5O1SDHkACPFSCBfaXDcpQrlbFQLBLxXaY3S15JR2WCyM2MeIHP2C8s3kFeT-DaCVTIw01wfCQngjZqCQqVPG4PoclRcjaawDTuJ9pQ9H75bGCJ4NhcZ4hcj_MPD-ol-CC5/w640-h480/IMG_9769.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Endless Aft Pool</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>It was too hot to hang out by the pool, so we spent the afternoon reading and relaxing in our cabin. It was Father’s Day and the entertainment staff had planned several activities to celebrate fathers. At six o'clock there was a remembrance service for the fathers who were no longer with us. I thought this was a really nice way to recognize the people who were missing their fathers. Father's Day has been a sad day for me since Daddy died. The service was held at the back of the ship and was short and simple. The cruise director read a poem and then everyone stood quietly, looking out at the ocean and the ship’s wake. Ron and I talked about how both of our dads loved the water. I remembered Daddy teaching me to swim and flipping me off his shoulders into the pool. Ron remembered Bud taking him fishing and teaching him how to drive a boat. We are lucky that we had such wonderful dads.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEsEdzRcV6N4iUOu3mF6GgGx8xlstgYIo5lg1t0YlZkAM-W7j51TNOnCM7W6n_6k9ataEuUfviFmY4FHzKAq3YnLw3MOoRajcgVcycIK7FepYYOsV8zkIGNf15yfEBQJ3A-23cDCyj9tg8LdkRyIAI2BkRSSQzAcbTPIGqKp9IxMtv3WpIXLw1kEz/s3985/IMG_9979.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ship's wake" border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEsEdzRcV6N4iUOu3mF6GgGx8xlstgYIo5lg1t0YlZkAM-W7j51TNOnCM7W6n_6k9ataEuUfviFmY4FHzKAq3YnLw3MOoRajcgVcycIK7FepYYOsV8zkIGNf15yfEBQJ3A-23cDCyj9tg8LdkRyIAI2BkRSSQzAcbTPIGqKp9IxMtv3WpIXLw1kEz/w640-h480/IMG_9979.JPG" title="ship's wake" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>After dinner (and one last chocolate melting cake) we went to the casino again. I had no luck at all and moved to another table where I didn’t do much better. But Ron took my spot at the first table and made all my money back. We cashed in our chips, then went to the late-night comedy show. The comedian, Manny Oliveira, didn’t just pick on the people in the front row, he went right out into the audience. Ron and I pretended to be invisible and fortunately, he didn’t come our way. He was hilarious but also very irreverent. We found ourselves saying, “that’s just wrong!” a lot. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA91gpd1RytnK-53LqSE-zXlDFPVB6enANdgrvIfVol5JMzeoorq04XzWWWmZ0YFS83IaK8gbrv1jqXhg4Oa6dZIctqRQvNFrVo0MO464sbWjljuk0L0d82YgZpzpgfQEMvAcb_h1oKkZySHYI1NcVh5bXvE5I3Y2rLfWHavXTykAxLMWNpqwgj_S/s3733/IMG_9748.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Punchliner Comedy Club" border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="3733" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA91gpd1RytnK-53LqSE-zXlDFPVB6enANdgrvIfVol5JMzeoorq04XzWWWmZ0YFS83IaK8gbrv1jqXhg4Oa6dZIctqRQvNFrVo0MO464sbWjljuk0L0d82YgZpzpgfQEMvAcb_h1oKkZySHYI1NcVh5bXvE5I3Y2rLfWHavXTykAxLMWNpqwgj_S/w640-h480/IMG_9748.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOtUZRZ4O3pg-Sec68mLXqNmeg5GbNMUctF-udLH95u7mD0celeen_BaY-aeAsMEkcd6ZbTZ48ifcPGWg2C2MIxEYrTMXy8sMdWCxSBM5DDH-l1x5Ug08eK5wL_hjgkHaR0EXx_hnKvawQKZYdCSKGtIKnekaBuxcSd1CCGD3yjJYjRa_4mj0uLYM/s4032/IMG_9631.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="casino" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOtUZRZ4O3pg-Sec68mLXqNmeg5GbNMUctF-udLH95u7mD0celeen_BaY-aeAsMEkcd6ZbTZ48ifcPGWg2C2MIxEYrTMXy8sMdWCxSBM5DDH-l1x5Ug08eK5wL_hjgkHaR0EXx_hnKvawQKZYdCSKGtIKnekaBuxcSd1CCGD3yjJYjRa_4mj0uLYM/w640-h480/IMG_9631.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When the show was over, we thought we’d pop into the piano bar for a few minutes and ended up staying and singing along. Before we knew it, it was after midnight, and we realized we really needed to get a few hours of sleep before the drive home. Carnival calls their ships “the Fun Ships” and we had a lot of fun, even with the cutbacks in staff and food. I'm glad we got to see Princess Cays for the first time, and I loved our two tours, especially the wine blending class. Now we have two bottles of wine to remind us of another great cruise to the Bahamas.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2-R5AJIxrlZpdaMjveZZ8PBtopuEdH3fRZ7_e6y3Yi-Zu0AvgNg_SCdVC8gNWfsEvw4fYv44KD_vaDWU09DWLN5VNG0ONnCFeiK7DtN5sUQz99vFFzBdFLiE4issVwJ-xnM0UUfgXmtuvuqysZFRwfTS85RMXNr60_QG1j16zwFVCCngVMh4FRW8/s4032/IMG_0016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="personalized wine bottles" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2-R5AJIxrlZpdaMjveZZ8PBtopuEdH3fRZ7_e6y3Yi-Zu0AvgNg_SCdVC8gNWfsEvw4fYv44KD_vaDWU09DWLN5VNG0ONnCFeiK7DtN5sUQz99vFFzBdFLiE4issVwJ-xnM0UUfgXmtuvuqysZFRwfTS85RMXNr60_QG1j16zwFVCCngVMh4FRW8/w480-h640/IMG_0016.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-55481848725536440412022-05-22T19:08:00.005-04:002023-08-09T14:39:42.186-04:00Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinK82qZncd6HjdgiPkOCH_1W4ANRtK6xmYJmtq4i2hVSVt3PlcKZb7IWrVedhlXefiH7HZAwrJkbKheVcb8sEYpQuw47oWNF7f7K4mX-sBqlZIjXLwR1bfAKVI2F6MHThI46BSwVK5wsgB0SS6M_lCd1DpTtUI9oHiBsl55NqZAoOiayH9DWhY6o9u/s4032/IMG_8993.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinK82qZncd6HjdgiPkOCH_1W4ANRtK6xmYJmtq4i2hVSVt3PlcKZb7IWrVedhlXefiH7HZAwrJkbKheVcb8sEYpQuw47oWNF7f7K4mX-sBqlZIjXLwR1bfAKVI2F6MHThI46BSwVK5wsgB0SS6M_lCd1DpTtUI9oHiBsl55NqZAoOiayH9DWhY6o9u/w640-h480/IMG_8993.JPG" title="Sandals Royal Barbados infinity pool" width="640" /></a></div>
<p></p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p>
<p>Wednesday was the day for our Story of Rum Tour with <a href="https://www.glorytoursbarbados.com" target="_blank"><b>Glory Tours</b></a>. Our tour guide, Stephen, met us in the lobby at 8:30 and then we drove to Bridgetown to pick up four more passengers. As we went along, Stephen pointed out the Parliament Building and the Garrison Savannah Racetrack where we saw some of the horses back from their daily swim in the ocean. But once we got to the other passengers’ hotel, we found out that they had rescheduled, so we ended up having the tour to ourselves. :-)</p>
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<p>Our first stop was St Nicholas Abbey, which was not an abbey at all but a 400-acre sugarcane plantation and rum distillery. The plantation operated from the 1600s until it closed in 1947. Then in 2006, it was purchased by architect Larry Warren and his family, who restored the Great House and began producing sugar and rum again. In 2018, they also added the St Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway, a train track that looped around the plantation, designed to recreate the experience of the original train service that ran from Bridgetown to the east coast between 1881 and 1937.</p>
<p>It was a 45-minute drive up the west coast and across the island to the plantation. Once we got there, we boarded a restored steam engine train for a ride on the railway. The train took us to the top of Cherry Tree Hill, where the engine was detached from the cars, turned around on a turntable and reattached to the other end of the cars for the return ride. The engineer asked for volunteers to help turn the engine and let us blow the steam whistle. The view of the coastline from Cherry Tree Hill was amazing! We could see almost all the way to the Rugged Point Lighthouse on the easternmost point of the island. It reminded me of the view from our Waihe’e Ridge Trail hike in Maui except I didn’t have to hike to see it. The disadvantage of it being easier to get to was that there were vendors at the top of the hill trying to sell us souvenirs. :-)</p>
<p>After the train ride, we toured the plantation’s Great House, where we were greeted by Rosa, the friendly house cat. The house was built in 1658 in Jacobean architectural style and furnished with pieces from the 1800s and early 1900s. We also visited the distillery where the rum was made using traditional methods. We got to see sugarcane being hand-fed into a steam mill and the specially designed combination pot and column still, affectionately named “Annabelle”. There was a lot more to see at the plantation, but we needed to move on to the rest of the tour, so we quickly sampled a glass of the 5-year rum and then rejoined Stephen.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj8kSsrF5drTtu-F7UlKH-7gCQ3_ajqbAL4mqiZg62m6zy7t9NfXwGHTpk6ZAKGIbUcfNVX35ma3TE7hh3xBEBhVtcCKBU38SXoU4lXsbJ_xC5JFjQHndemK2Nb1i5P4UqMqRsk6_83BS-hnJlEY210RAAyd90x2KkH4pbs_ULbN4QD75MYuhXGl5/s2925/PXL_20220511_143148251b.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="2925" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj8kSsrF5drTtu-F7UlKH-7gCQ3_ajqbAL4mqiZg62m6zy7t9NfXwGHTpk6ZAKGIbUcfNVX35ma3TE7hh3xBEBhVtcCKBU38SXoU4lXsbJ_xC5JFjQHndemK2Nb1i5P4UqMqRsk6_83BS-hnJlEY210RAAyd90x2KkH4pbs_ULbN4QD75MYuhXGl5/w640-h480/PXL_20220511_143148251b.jpg" title="St Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jDAKTQ9I_Sy_xRw-Y6nV99hhjXb-ZTWpMp6so0Q4sPL5Kd8Etwq1FcIwajU5qitlUVC5l0XNZC2IDRYwuYkCp5bGkstwBa_Bp9kKiBar7bAJe3_hvOJw4YFEvNG7Rj3YkjjKrAGkrsw2mZYybEGsdgLEVRaKgKkL-67nP15Khsf9fZBDb699Sbcy/s2640/IMG_9178a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="2640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jDAKTQ9I_Sy_xRw-Y6nV99hhjXb-ZTWpMp6so0Q4sPL5Kd8Etwq1FcIwajU5qitlUVC5l0XNZC2IDRYwuYkCp5bGkstwBa_Bp9kKiBar7bAJe3_hvOJw4YFEvNG7Rj3YkjjKrAGkrsw2mZYybEGsdgLEVRaKgKkL-67nP15Khsf9fZBDb699Sbcy/w640-h480/IMG_9178a.JPG" title="train steam whistle" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">blowing the steam whistle</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbyJTh8BIUNKJ2lcowTyRy6C4SBBrBaPFRyuwTexGi8gBDKoBz8wpAHGfbqzesVpaqXM6xhRQFYJ9rmrIf8YF8SCSoah-1k_RA5zkoeJK3tspxmzFEhZAlEfzWoCuvhAbUfaIf4XtKQ6DhG58j9zIjtaYlsEWgdQc2WOPbMbqLX2Y7IW-pmniDc-N/s3953/DSCN4393.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3953" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbyJTh8BIUNKJ2lcowTyRy6C4SBBrBaPFRyuwTexGi8gBDKoBz8wpAHGfbqzesVpaqXM6xhRQFYJ9rmrIf8YF8SCSoah-1k_RA5zkoeJK3tspxmzFEhZAlEfzWoCuvhAbUfaIf4XtKQ6DhG58j9zIjtaYlsEWgdQc2WOPbMbqLX2Y7IW-pmniDc-N/w640-h480/DSCN4393.JPG" title="Cherry Tree Hill" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry Tree Hill</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSM3GZQNls3Og8jJdmyl0vx8Voery1VeuOx1gQw0W_0VypcsmQCYInY-Jp2pA9YIcUqMqkin_H8yPXjVzC-4OsawmfunZXc0n79h0RSJNOYUcZ_AAhNZyFVKFDWTRXj3w6Ge-NMp5_4gtlzDuvNcPn16SgiUGM0nx7hYCSU-ot4WnRO6lnqLsuMm8/s4032/IMG_9215.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSM3GZQNls3Og8jJdmyl0vx8Voery1VeuOx1gQw0W_0VypcsmQCYInY-Jp2pA9YIcUqMqkin_H8yPXjVzC-4OsawmfunZXc0n79h0RSJNOYUcZ_AAhNZyFVKFDWTRXj3w6Ge-NMp5_4gtlzDuvNcPn16SgiUGM0nx7hYCSU-ot4WnRO6lnqLsuMm8/w640-h480/IMG_9215.JPG" title="Great House" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkRgmSUh9T5Nb5s7fqWwUNh89JJKDm3bXagK81MSroMKtnrDR2iCr7YniayZD-Y0wgHE6pO6PzfzKhXEG4OGxs3GbBbyfk2YxKkLWq7IWc9AfekUGqm888qooBp6p_4ozGfsa0SiED7jTFsUGtg79dt7_0OvB5_k4jZW6nY45vT1GaMDTR7u_r0xY/s3832/IMG_9208.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="3832" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkRgmSUh9T5Nb5s7fqWwUNh89JJKDm3bXagK81MSroMKtnrDR2iCr7YniayZD-Y0wgHE6pO6PzfzKhXEG4OGxs3GbBbyfk2YxKkLWq7IWc9AfekUGqm888qooBp6p_4ozGfsa0SiED7jTFsUGtg79dt7_0OvB5_k4jZW6nY45vT1GaMDTR7u_r0xY/w640-h480/IMG_9208.JPG" title="Rosa, the house cat" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa, the house cat</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAmtgOh6L9-PMf7bTdRn5g6sEbzVSIrPRDec7ijeqOAJyR2cpodIeYaHu1rDG1qCPusuxOgFgdPbeIoU_jK-tqmhaQGj59rhnREeak2e-1Wn2SegDBxGvv4juW4zT2BhfWogWD5bMAfUrbgh0mhCC2wKfpCcDkXkEMcMn3q9N_N4fYNEiwbfA76zp/s3500/IMG_9227.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAmtgOh6L9-PMf7bTdRn5g6sEbzVSIrPRDec7ijeqOAJyR2cpodIeYaHu1rDG1qCPusuxOgFgdPbeIoU_jK-tqmhaQGj59rhnREeak2e-1Wn2SegDBxGvv4juW4zT2BhfWogWD5bMAfUrbgh0mhCC2wKfpCcDkXkEMcMn3q9N_N4fYNEiwbfA76zp/w480-h640/IMG_9227.JPG" title="distillery sill" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annabelle</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We drove down the east coast, stopping for a photo op at the Morgan-Lewis windmill, one of only two intact windmills left in the Caribbean. Then it was on to lunch at the Sand Dunes Bar and Restaurant. Lunch was included with the tour, a traditional Bajan meal of flying fish, peas and rice, and macaroni pie. Even with all the restaurants at Sandals, this was one of my favorite meals of the trip. When we were done eating, we continued down the east coast to Bathsheba, a rugged beach littered with giant boulders. Stephen explained that Barbados was formed by the collision of tectonic plates. As the plates pushed upwards and rose out of the sea, large boulders broke off and rolled down to the shore. Years of erosion then gave them their strange mushroom shapes. It was really a beautiful area, even with the sargassum seaweed that had washed onto the beach.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9g1gurOGAWEyEQybO7EY0vElPCsdIvcxWqph_fXsGWKkf0MSJ9LdWuDP_kNQONMh83VCRQwj9mSstckXuedVesJ6Y1KqBeRz4SBeGUdZqzuhz3C2ZCxiuK5ZejSUTV2HgVOMQgraovTBwIDs7Q8vSulXhEmUuZty0d62MWKwSN0tEgyDcuw70mgD/s3797/PXL_20220511_161305830.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="3797" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9g1gurOGAWEyEQybO7EY0vElPCsdIvcxWqph_fXsGWKkf0MSJ9LdWuDP_kNQONMh83VCRQwj9mSstckXuedVesJ6Y1KqBeRz4SBeGUdZqzuhz3C2ZCxiuK5ZejSUTV2HgVOMQgraovTBwIDs7Q8vSulXhEmUuZty0d62MWKwSN0tEgyDcuw70mgD/w640-h480/PXL_20220511_161305830.jpg" title="Morgan-Lewis Windmill" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgan-Lewis Windmill</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qLcYSbc8shW_RW0x5Pvz7iz5rVskc95I0cW9UJ7sHSk-GluQHEPM76W68JEjhj5x-TnAtZitFytWlDlcN0apyZncZiEdeooqXG5X-lFL0nMFgiGxAYIEDV1h32q_d-uTJQdCvUqoeRTf96GOaYNwhFdkJqppOD3-9XazfcwX9MPRYwuaZJfH9vN5/s4032/IMG_9235.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qLcYSbc8shW_RW0x5Pvz7iz5rVskc95I0cW9UJ7sHSk-GluQHEPM76W68JEjhj5x-TnAtZitFytWlDlcN0apyZncZiEdeooqXG5X-lFL0nMFgiGxAYIEDV1h32q_d-uTJQdCvUqoeRTf96GOaYNwhFdkJqppOD3-9XazfcwX9MPRYwuaZJfH9vN5/w640-h480/IMG_9235.JPG" title="Bajan lunch" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXrrnAhd91Tvet7ffhm6-FVXCyCo_NoGOdz4P4PaG3iW2pQxuxaHIhT7tq6YcnyThJQO7C60VZ3ne9VcMy9Lv1uduSdgwHmQMv5Wv3eAxM6_PsGoFQj_Ok6dvq7loEjSqv4JezqGMh2aHtHc28b6sDmNwqQdm6FmIBuRrTK1cB_hp5ZTVM0Iscf4h/s4913/DSCN4440.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3685" data-original-width="4913" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXrrnAhd91Tvet7ffhm6-FVXCyCo_NoGOdz4P4PaG3iW2pQxuxaHIhT7tq6YcnyThJQO7C60VZ3ne9VcMy9Lv1uduSdgwHmQMv5Wv3eAxM6_PsGoFQj_Ok6dvq7loEjSqv4JezqGMh2aHtHc28b6sDmNwqQdm6FmIBuRrTK1cB_hp5ZTVM0Iscf4h/w640-h480/DSCN4440.JPG" title="Bathsheba" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathsheba</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUKguXgcyX6vaxyKdiRLA7c-XDaPOD23ajhi2PzA8wQZBX_twBmmJ3K1UQHDa-i_vNKBhKO6nYpThCDpF5kriBmsnziADOVrpzB4uzd3rx6TOVbwTiQRdx_vKnn7cQcH_rP2WImwQx_WgiWXLMbsg7kO8SJscGtMKY6WOyls2eO8paZxhBXpDwBrF/s5184/DSCN4446.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUKguXgcyX6vaxyKdiRLA7c-XDaPOD23ajhi2PzA8wQZBX_twBmmJ3K1UQHDa-i_vNKBhKO6nYpThCDpF5kriBmsnziADOVrpzB4uzd3rx6TOVbwTiQRdx_vKnn7cQcH_rP2WImwQx_WgiWXLMbsg7kO8SJscGtMKY6WOyls2eO8paZxhBXpDwBrF/w640-h480/DSCN4446.JPG" title="Bathsheba rock" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Our last stop was the Mount Gay Rum Distillery Visitor Center in Bridgetown. Mount Gay has been in operation since 1703, making it the world’s oldest rum distillery. We had half an hour before the next rum tasting, which gave us time to drink our complimentary rum punch. At the rum tasting, our guide Zareah let us sample four different rums – Silver, Eclipse, Black Barrel and XO. Ron and I agreed that the Black Barrel was the best. We didn’t buy any rum because we’d be getting a bottle from Sandals and we only had so much room in our suitcases, but I did purchase a jar of Barbados raw sugar to use for making mojitos.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww73-zA0fxRvDaYThfv_80sJ_n_Oa0PpPBYK-hL3mgosEwfgCNsAZJJiHW9gU21zbLo-sYJN_myUd1AzxCyu4dIhEj9nnNKlPj7JKz6CSVZUvzcbJJ6JRf0_HwWqGquXqyf7Qn1vhed5NCHmooK5geYdOpChePrnoV-vhwbn6OV_C2qnQ3B8Dzv5U/s3800/IMG_9250.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3800" data-original-width="2850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww73-zA0fxRvDaYThfv_80sJ_n_Oa0PpPBYK-hL3mgosEwfgCNsAZJJiHW9gU21zbLo-sYJN_myUd1AzxCyu4dIhEj9nnNKlPj7JKz6CSVZUvzcbJJ6JRf0_HwWqGquXqyf7Qn1vhed5NCHmooK5geYdOpChePrnoV-vhwbn6OV_C2qnQ3B8Dzv5U/w480-h640/IMG_9250.JPG" title="Mount Gay sign" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7hcgbdb3NT3LdDglBxjYdbJFLU9DWX2GE8DGyKbP7g1QhnWGsO7UC2qhJyXwLtQRRqEB7pl8IxF49Z0bedO-JTxOf5EPng8Vj4zXgFh0G6vx4rjur8PDFmuThxBnQ4A1glpjo0pAhz_eYmtPEonLSIRwwwVqYC5ouh7toOq97r677QqntP9LKep9/s3810/IMG_9266.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2858" data-original-width="3810" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7hcgbdb3NT3LdDglBxjYdbJFLU9DWX2GE8DGyKbP7g1QhnWGsO7UC2qhJyXwLtQRRqEB7pl8IxF49Z0bedO-JTxOf5EPng8Vj4zXgFh0G6vx4rjur8PDFmuThxBnQ4A1glpjo0pAhz_eYmtPEonLSIRwwwVqYC5ouh7toOq97r677QqntP9LKep9/w640-h480/IMG_9266.JPG" title="Mount Gay rum tasting" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We didn’t get back to the resort until late afternoon. The rum and long car ride had made me sleepy, so we wanted something casual and simple for dinner. We went to the Merry Monkey, the British pub in the courtyard. That night there was a chocolate buffet and silent disco, but I just couldn’t stay awake for it. We were in our room and in bed by 8:30. It was a long day, but I really enjoyed seeing so much of the island. Barbados is a beautiful country, colorful and lush. If we go back, I hope we can spend more time on the east coast and visit some of the lighthouses.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5_3fNGekgzHmLLl5j-rcZiQE5cWQDUQ3NSNpg-KqL2zu8_KMRqmv8H92aQiyuXcXRJ8x1Nq0V5oXDC31GHBh9coKr4GDuQJlcCSLECqXJQYotTrApuU-XBCrdx16V2ereDC1I93DeDnz3IvtyoczJ8R9oJOieHhpIslan69_G_YYLjLEKsvDItMm/s3747/IMG_9421.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3747" data-original-width="2810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5_3fNGekgzHmLLl5j-rcZiQE5cWQDUQ3NSNpg-KqL2zu8_KMRqmv8H92aQiyuXcXRJ8x1Nq0V5oXDC31GHBh9coKr4GDuQJlcCSLECqXJQYotTrApuU-XBCrdx16V2ereDC1I93DeDnz3IvtyoczJ8R9oJOieHhpIslan69_G_YYLjLEKsvDItMm/w480-h640/IMG_9421.JPG" title="Merry Monkey Pub" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Merry Monkey</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Thursday</b></p>
<p>We didn’t have any plans for the day except to relax. We set up camp on our usual chairs by the main pool, occasionally popping into the water to sun on a floatie or get a drink from the swim up bar. It was very windy that day, and the Hobie Cats were zipping across the water. I wanted to go sailing but Ron thought it would be too rough. He was probably right. The people coming off the catamarans looked pretty drenched. This was the one disadvantage of Sandals Barbados. The beach was beautiful with soft sand and turquoise water but because of the resort’s location on the south coast, the waves were too rough for most watersports or an onsite snorkel boat. Sandals Negril was one of my favorite resorts because of the watersports - wakeboarding, tubing, paddleboards and snorkeling. On the other hand, it was hard to beat the Sandals Barbados pools.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2BZyoctxD0Vwb26Uc-y4J99Pazg1GOenzh0iYAOYi6ulpHH5DwIDIrKRX0jtISW7-ezoEjce_Q0Xfn3onQx-zHu7gjpYsiEqRhGoHVL1Yn9gqS0r4Tq0JCPcSWzRh1p2WI5taRNiM-lRGqRCUjoC69nAK2VbldxQfwlnJOUINGRPetQmubeMwevZ/s4000/P5120118.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2BZyoctxD0Vwb26Uc-y4J99Pazg1GOenzh0iYAOYi6ulpHH5DwIDIrKRX0jtISW7-ezoEjce_Q0Xfn3onQx-zHu7gjpYsiEqRhGoHVL1Yn9gqS0r4Tq0JCPcSWzRh1p2WI5taRNiM-lRGqRCUjoC69nAK2VbldxQfwlnJOUINGRPetQmubeMwevZ/w640-h480/P5120118.JPG" title="beach" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr9Am1AM_jFcqizsmPGV6oNVatlv0rhVufoDCxNMRjsG0tspJJyjswCeri2ejLko_3AlcQwCAjxF0-Vt1WlKEJ8FGCv_gnXnY9cfva6RsmJLSF37ftf1PhLg0XmajSTU0pyzXy-SHSxEA-cCacLWYeJwZcvZCcz3Pq0OVC3CQWbQTRTgzxRHvs2Yd/s3918/P5120138.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2938" data-original-width="3918" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr9Am1AM_jFcqizsmPGV6oNVatlv0rhVufoDCxNMRjsG0tspJJyjswCeri2ejLko_3AlcQwCAjxF0-Vt1WlKEJ8FGCv_gnXnY9cfva6RsmJLSF37ftf1PhLg0XmajSTU0pyzXy-SHSxEA-cCacLWYeJwZcvZCcz3Pq0OVC3CQWbQTRTgzxRHvs2Yd/w640-h480/P5120138.JPG" title="sailboat" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Before heading to dinner, we had our pictures taken in the courtyard beside the lobby. We had reservations for Butch’s Chophouse, which turned out to be our favorite restaurant. I had Oysters Rockefeller and a veal chop with cabernet sauce, and we shared a side of lobster mac and cheese. For dessert, we both ordered the Oreo crusted cheesecake which was topped with a bruléed marshmallow. Everything was delicious.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1i5kDuIgOFuPX4CZfgSVa2iqcYOi9o3CK-I2ohb2fIsrX6jqJxIbd0kXR1JdPMy9fKYj3wDrTduqGM9YgeorlgYzn8iYCqPpqmYMXXEg0nfBgreSmDd9AZdwIcYWLFpfyH48ivPgAFuxmxAecn3nh0oPtBpyzKNojvCL4CIej9ZyoLBPrC5--jMGQ/s4032/IMG_9277.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1i5kDuIgOFuPX4CZfgSVa2iqcYOi9o3CK-I2ohb2fIsrX6jqJxIbd0kXR1JdPMy9fKYj3wDrTduqGM9YgeorlgYzn8iYCqPpqmYMXXEg0nfBgreSmDd9AZdwIcYWLFpfyH48ivPgAFuxmxAecn3nh0oPtBpyzKNojvCL4CIej9ZyoLBPrC5--jMGQ/w640-h480/IMG_9277.JPG" title="courtyard sign" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY051mPTpVuBPssm-SVxZxS6eqqGc44DWI7tt7y1b7ezUGiFT010GiRCAcB2nnoaUfRXX4TeYay396FU0F8GFrBegomlXrus-qJM63a4924wCJyAdcRypMKe7H8HIqQkpEiHEL6CDElT0unYJaikXOQiqGzbqhOx2vM_pTYDgPznnjtfOyvybHzi6d/s4496/ImageID_51635335_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY051mPTpVuBPssm-SVxZxS6eqqGc44DWI7tt7y1b7ezUGiFT010GiRCAcB2nnoaUfRXX4TeYay396FU0F8GFrBegomlXrus-qJM63a4924wCJyAdcRypMKe7H8HIqQkpEiHEL6CDElT0unYJaikXOQiqGzbqhOx2vM_pTYDgPznnjtfOyvybHzi6d/w640-h428/ImageID_51635335_1.jpg" title="Ron and Susan on courtyard lounge chair" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRz7k94fHOkSAfqks4LD650oz2dDgK7M3Te0eWMd55Lci2DhZXa3WmnS4X9DJ3rO_0PMdLuGSTTwKfa5G_zsqD3Q40bh_cY9ONZ9yAcfYYH6v2UnA5-e_81DH-MFD5i6x7hszJAJ7FkJwET1khQO99hllzH0x6PWp2A2Y5h_d3CkQAB1C97-fqMduv/s3975/ImageID_51635336_3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2839" data-original-width="3975" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRz7k94fHOkSAfqks4LD650oz2dDgK7M3Te0eWMd55Lci2DhZXa3WmnS4X9DJ3rO_0PMdLuGSTTwKfa5G_zsqD3Q40bh_cY9ONZ9yAcfYYH6v2UnA5-e_81DH-MFD5i6x7hszJAJ7FkJwET1khQO99hllzH0x6PWp2A2Y5h_d3CkQAB1C97-fqMduv/w640-h458/ImageID_51635336_3.jpg" title="Susan and Ron by courtyard sign" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHYBfE8eHkXsMsIFkU3VfNuB8hNg6H0F-C6XllOBni3RJpossCHnCnCUhJ9Du3PpOnohB56Ziai62quiRsb-3iguvYx-GhbC5hd-E422Q2rjYOFO6oOce1QXyQfSQHk_kpoTN1Yp1TgV0q-A9sAC_CpTfhGs_ZV7Gr7xNgOramWsahSCpzvvPVJlt/s4032/IMG_9341a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHYBfE8eHkXsMsIFkU3VfNuB8hNg6H0F-C6XllOBni3RJpossCHnCnCUhJ9Du3PpOnohB56Ziai62quiRsb-3iguvYx-GhbC5hd-E422Q2rjYOFO6oOce1QXyQfSQHk_kpoTN1Yp1TgV0q-A9sAC_CpTfhGs_ZV7Gr7xNgOramWsahSCpzvvPVJlt/w480-h640/IMG_9341a.jpg" title="Butch's Chophouse main course" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butch's Chophouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKR9nRntnAVXo266CQmOLD6Zo7wnlHge5fQLUI0d7uxrcrWDKEogh9Y3WU9TD8-B9WWJMTAK9Q2ef9ubszu4NyEBdEBQuJX1jn1g9NImzOIYY-YlorbfeX0lMgN-hNMevrxfdr2Bng2U6hFwWHSRuMgT16L9bT4bz0K5ttpwqkNecrZm0eRpNaNnE/s3932/PXL_20220513_000625547.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKR9nRntnAVXo266CQmOLD6Zo7wnlHge5fQLUI0d7uxrcrWDKEogh9Y3WU9TD8-B9WWJMTAK9Q2ef9ubszu4NyEBdEBQuJX1jn1g9NImzOIYY-YlorbfeX0lMgN-hNMevrxfdr2Bng2U6hFwWHSRuMgT16L9bT4bz0K5ttpwqkNecrZm0eRpNaNnE/w640-h480/PXL_20220513_000625547.jpg" title="cheesecake dessert" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we finished dinner, we went to Lover’s Lanes to watch the Lightning play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Lover’s Lanes was Sandals’ only bowling alley and a sports bar with large-screen TVs, ping pong tables and a menu of international beers. We found a spot to watch the game on one of the outdoor TVs, but unfortunately, we were far outnumbered by the Canadian fans who gave us dirty looks whenever we cheered. Go Lightning! :-) We left and wandered down to the main pool to listen to the saxophonist playing outside Schooners.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2DYmkCYGHuRLOW0a4P1e8-E93s5q0aRcXinS5sqjgUuqIOmjgc_KEUMXNK3jkeSK0pbtU4xvYOXWk4wabOu99EbW845j48gaKlNKInLL-i_ajaJ0bmn1r95KGzDL9r7KymXTzq-myzKZVF-8dEOWEnIC4VEAYnzAybvsIntL7ixDUmPiicqgN-g9/s5184/DSCN4352.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2DYmkCYGHuRLOW0a4P1e8-E93s5q0aRcXinS5sqjgUuqIOmjgc_KEUMXNK3jkeSK0pbtU4xvYOXWk4wabOu99EbW845j48gaKlNKInLL-i_ajaJ0bmn1r95KGzDL9r7KymXTzq-myzKZVF-8dEOWEnIC4VEAYnzAybvsIntL7ixDUmPiicqgN-g9/w640-h480/DSCN4352.JPG" title="Lover's Lanes" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lover's Lanes</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJUYPx-2ZWO1VDQd_lbcXGKhCgSoz4VLGN306RislnWk3wuQ-Ikke-VxJF5vWrC-dnAakvg8ixeMajyZ5V3hGe_q0IKNa9zf-JD5h9facsZavBqHu4rIVv_78F4vGxBtjiNhwDxalfW5KxZXrh5Rqyr78WYtldJR2dwSKWasPE9cd7kueGapWyM_m/s4032/IMG_8979.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJUYPx-2ZWO1VDQd_lbcXGKhCgSoz4VLGN306RislnWk3wuQ-Ikke-VxJF5vWrC-dnAakvg8ixeMajyZ5V3hGe_q0IKNa9zf-JD5h9facsZavBqHu4rIVv_78F4vGxBtjiNhwDxalfW5KxZXrh5Rqyr78WYtldJR2dwSKWasPE9cd7kueGapWyM_m/w480-h640/IMG_8979.JPG" title="bowling balls" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1qAOI5GlA79aZfBNfPBWMdq2YjESwosHevrwuefsTwzXbRO1YUEgeLKCbaQc0bxCX0phhPwGO2grcZEnVjUIq3-sKfcSDuSY3A30j9qVhplu5rHqIcRJCZIGtIIv5zgHfPtzMIe4fU2-AXDJHulTm4sPPb6AEOSwWsbX7sW28POG6SZEAFrJ5Iqo/s3985/IMG_9413.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3985" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1qAOI5GlA79aZfBNfPBWMdq2YjESwosHevrwuefsTwzXbRO1YUEgeLKCbaQc0bxCX0phhPwGO2grcZEnVjUIq3-sKfcSDuSY3A30j9qVhplu5rHqIcRJCZIGtIIv5zgHfPtzMIe4fU2-AXDJHulTm4sPPb6AEOSwWsbX7sW28POG6SZEAFrJ5Iqo/w640-h480/IMG_9413.JPG" title="bowling sign" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Friday</b></p>
<p>Our last full day. I was awake early again, so I decided to look for the monkeys one more time. I snuck out of the room and walked back to the service road where I’d found them before. I was scanning the trees when suddenly I saw a monkey walking along the top of the fence straight towards me. There were four more monkeys behind him, a smaller one leapfrogging over the others. One of the monkeys looked a bit strange and then I realized it was because she had a little baby clinging to her belly as she walked. At one point she turned towards me, and I could see the baby monkey’s tiny head wrapped protectively in her paw. It was an amazing sight. This time I didn’t break the monkey-spotting rule because there were a few other people out and about. We watched quietly as the monkeys headed into the resort and towards the South Seas pool. They didn’t seem bothered by people and just went on their way.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9wjfqK7VL6LIU6KCagRV_4A-2gsNuICjrIFhI5urhqqycYCyqJS1YZ9RNqH6RQWv1n7pLgCfRS_kgyV5b80C8fA1r7phr74cXjEnIiBih42Qr4odDTFzX0EzWQRl9nni6J6cYv3-mW-4UhVoYNJZDVnVYT9yYFMbO9M0rI-H_TMLg6dm2VMMJoIt/s3681/DSCN4463.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2761" data-original-width="3681" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9wjfqK7VL6LIU6KCagRV_4A-2gsNuICjrIFhI5urhqqycYCyqJS1YZ9RNqH6RQWv1n7pLgCfRS_kgyV5b80C8fA1r7phr74cXjEnIiBih42Qr4odDTFzX0EzWQRl9nni6J6cYv3-mW-4UhVoYNJZDVnVYT9yYFMbO9M0rI-H_TMLg6dm2VMMJoIt/w640-h480/DSCN4463.JPG" title="green monkeys" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZGLAQxum5NV-FtujRJdBs0HrDdXa5r57vExlT8Bc_JVbAMwb6jkPmsODc8dxy-PJm4f83dGXqRnKwXQUnWfRPyQumatGZQAf0dQl14lSSDtUwXeeAkHPnoLUgWIshzAUg-CSnPUB9AwHFMq5N_WhxSZSSzMm9tLxskbIkZ-faS0y2M8_lGKztmhl/s3134/DSCN4475a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2351" data-original-width="3134" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZGLAQxum5NV-FtujRJdBs0HrDdXa5r57vExlT8Bc_JVbAMwb6jkPmsODc8dxy-PJm4f83dGXqRnKwXQUnWfRPyQumatGZQAf0dQl14lSSDtUwXeeAkHPnoLUgWIshzAUg-CSnPUB9AwHFMq5N_WhxSZSSzMm9tLxskbIkZ-faS0y2M8_lGKztmhl/w640-h480/DSCN4475a.JPG" title="green monkey" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF39W-vw1o32SM8vTcJwqeSCrC7526DrQdSqSCZp7cJ70rclfG4h_YlZEa5qYC0sBDYkmnC0EZIb7AcnnrJyShyj7SznpVuHMvQb8XrtmwDF7BP_TI7EHBl0YFgfvzUbYNWM29D1M69eOLjEzJChFPB6dwdT3S-YSl3DWc_9ArZXWXG2AATCCz6n_J/s5184/DSCN4474.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF39W-vw1o32SM8vTcJwqeSCrC7526DrQdSqSCZp7cJ70rclfG4h_YlZEa5qYC0sBDYkmnC0EZIb7AcnnrJyShyj7SznpVuHMvQb8XrtmwDF7BP_TI7EHBl0YFgfvzUbYNWM29D1M69eOLjEzJChFPB6dwdT3S-YSl3DWc_9ArZXWXG2AATCCz6n_J/w480-h640/DSCN4474.JPG" title="green monkey" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DrswJFpW3teGsGCOo1GdA56nVEl515TFmBXIypSeOHCmvT0yFp37iFFqy80FOoPBNo6r0y9bSGoqQFZDL2DRG3-CB_AgwZmH_TayJorgoE_ecOoKiVhHB1rHgjN8ZpsoG1jSZHkrbKHXGFAxOSyEem56iDuzrhNiaUZaNyKa6JrCYYFO0jbjq-sL/s2629/DSCN4502a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2629" data-original-width="1972" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DrswJFpW3teGsGCOo1GdA56nVEl515TFmBXIypSeOHCmvT0yFp37iFFqy80FOoPBNo6r0y9bSGoqQFZDL2DRG3-CB_AgwZmH_TayJorgoE_ecOoKiVhHB1rHgjN8ZpsoG1jSZHkrbKHXGFAxOSyEem56iDuzrhNiaUZaNyKa6JrCYYFO0jbjq-sL/w480-h640/DSCN4502a.JPG" title="mama green monkey holding baby" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMflny_2LLnlF6JVeOQ1jpRM_edgY3BQd_jmby8d0xObJItdPF_QRkMMOa-t9-SnRv3E9EYMVZxML4hBCi6h6Y4exfe7Tdqx2vK0M3JuHCfkE1FPeEZM_Tn1W9pYYikmeuwIXz5kqEiKw-iFJnAt2-aNOzb0iTQlT9hKfFPdFMoHaqbHM5foo6NtSj/s4394/DSCN4504.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3296" data-original-width="4394" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMflny_2LLnlF6JVeOQ1jpRM_edgY3BQd_jmby8d0xObJItdPF_QRkMMOa-t9-SnRv3E9EYMVZxML4hBCi6h6Y4exfe7Tdqx2vK0M3JuHCfkE1FPeEZM_Tn1W9pYYikmeuwIXz5kqEiKw-iFJnAt2-aNOzb0iTQlT9hKfFPdFMoHaqbHM5foo6NtSj/w640-h480/DSCN4504.JPG" title="green monkey family" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Ron and I spent the rest of the morning taking care of last-day business. First, we had to get our COVID tests for the return trip. I went to the photo shop and sorted through the pictures the photographers had taken of us over the week. And we visited the Loyalty Center to book our next trip and pick up our bottle of rum. The rum turned out to be Mount Gay’s Black Barrel, our favorite of the ones we’d tried on the Story of Rum Tour. Yay!</p>
<p>We had lunch at the Jerk Shack and relaxed in the main pool. The winds were even stronger that day, so water sports was shut down and we didn’t get to go sailing. But I didn’t want to go home without getting into the ocean again, so we jumped and played in the big waves.</p><p>That night we had dinner at La Parisienne, the rooftop French restaurant. I had escargot and tiger prawns and Ron ordered French onion soup and beef medallions. We shared the chocolate opera cake and berry pastry for dessert. After dinner Ron was sleepy, so we went to Lover’s Lanes and played ping pong to perk ourselves up. We were really out of practice! After chasing the ping pong ball around for a while, we were awake but sweaty. :-) To cool off, we went to the Oyster Bar for one last chocolate martini. At 10 o’clock, the piano bar entertainer, Dale, started playing, and the lobby quickly filled up with people. I wished we’d made it to the piano bar sooner. Why do we always find the fun stuff on the last night? We sang along until the karaoke started and then headed back to the room where we sat on the balcony listening to the tree frogs and the waves crashing on the beach.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVL1PS2ViHCc6psbQ4dTj5tl2dCPI8tzaMMjcFAiVHCUchihBaUcdEQQpJ38FqvZYTSy4fQbAbqZyzs7tz-LNIE5mMz40I3-dCHO-cLykOvv3_h9jacFPvc5xEPpCi8tiwN5S9gNlE8iTcqvkvcJE4pBrPfEh5A7LD60uaVvr_tAQHfC6m79qPqDC/s3167/IMG_9303.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2375" data-original-width="3167" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVL1PS2ViHCc6psbQ4dTj5tl2dCPI8tzaMMjcFAiVHCUchihBaUcdEQQpJ38FqvZYTSy4fQbAbqZyzs7tz-LNIE5mMz40I3-dCHO-cLykOvv3_h9jacFPvc5xEPpCi8tiwN5S9gNlE8iTcqvkvcJE4pBrPfEh5A7LD60uaVvr_tAQHfC6m79qPqDC/w640-h480/IMG_9303.JPG" title="rooftop pool" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roof-top pool and Sky Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-MULqAx65pxCD7Yplcu5mDF8mArvj-2Y5WUboHpvwWziyprjzLZj3OdxaCXZSe-pSjOrx-Fqd7scIKp0WxypauKdjdmaqrIYVnd9i6ZWpTLVX1JdWPcDTs8Zgc3UP40LfeWoZc4gHH5JtI0hN_WCuPL9oQiWnH78aEXPfNcjSV8Eafl9qpIbKNX-/s4032/IMG_8812.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-MULqAx65pxCD7Yplcu5mDF8mArvj-2Y5WUboHpvwWziyprjzLZj3OdxaCXZSe-pSjOrx-Fqd7scIKp0WxypauKdjdmaqrIYVnd9i6ZWpTLVX1JdWPcDTs8Zgc3UP40LfeWoZc4gHH5JtI0hN_WCuPL9oQiWnH78aEXPfNcjSV8Eafl9qpIbKNX-/w480-h640/IMG_8812.JPG" title="La Parisienne" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-TkN0d4XWRiMej1xerkeMSzJTfO1NfOu-y0myepF_BUOQXdMwCMA7BqR4Fwcv04wmtc16FtyWBK-CdWXd-chKpevw0-XWjmCzHWwq28S2CsDVUko10E9KE5pfloYRW86WZ42hgw-AgiFBn0wIwgdL1c-At_FjOImEv3i1PIk_4P9Chs9BrVWoLAc/s3303/PXL_20220513_220724079b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3303" data-original-width="2477" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-TkN0d4XWRiMej1xerkeMSzJTfO1NfOu-y0myepF_BUOQXdMwCMA7BqR4Fwcv04wmtc16FtyWBK-CdWXd-chKpevw0-XWjmCzHWwq28S2CsDVUko10E9KE5pfloYRW86WZ42hgw-AgiFBn0wIwgdL1c-At_FjOImEv3i1PIk_4P9Chs9BrVWoLAc/w480-h640/PXL_20220513_220724079b.jpg" title="Susan and Ron at La Parisienne" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Saturday</b></p>
<p>The next day as we boarded the shuttle bus to the airport, some of the staff sang a goodbye song and waved as we pulled away. It’s always hard to leave, but it helped to know that we already have our next trip planned for Sandals Montego Bay in November. It will only be goodbye for a little while!</p>
<br />
<p>Where we ate:<br />
<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X51q3QAVGtIF6pj7omRPTeCVwdFOaiEv/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Schooners Seafood Grill</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/10mRpvodJFjjXO18B0F6cllHgPw-SEc9V/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Chi Asian Fusion</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SPtpimihx7YdhX2fENuFF4e5ZQgCZxQY/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Portofino’s Italian Restaurant</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LozX3Eiqi40XzKFjhngl0IG3JhVd3hwy/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">The Merry Monkey Pub</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g-KcTaE9lB7Ui7ByZ8ZQnXAVzY-OCDJS/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Butch’s Chophouse</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uzjqIpS1ojy66Q2SC9VnNHdNR4fzrZ5N/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">La Parisienne</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/124Y3dUaFq3WHC6nYZzpWysU1U3AaP-4r/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Dino’s Pizzeria</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XhYYevcl2ZlX_ta266dG-hp-kPlRbOzl/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Neptune’s</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cyc_2DPvr6epLiqx9eC0X1MO3He4ZDdX/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Jerk Shack</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SYvbNaGx7sdfZBo-ceCNOSzPB0xh-Yq9/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Café de Paris</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/12eYq5SOUbLHG9iZcOYdqDTSuMEBxF3WB/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Sweet n’ Salty’s Donuts</a></b><br />
Plus the breakfast buffets at Spices and American Tavern</p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-89162127528761822572022-05-22T10:23:00.004-04:002023-06-11T13:47:20.926-04:00Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzhhyWg7y1BygxdZ0-w_vcFIl2qYz0MwW5Dpy3YbutdXsqNDAD3zi0vqWB10A3B6ZKdQpW2VEQY1Zt3qpUgmHchvRbwflSznZ0RHSlUr7trW2scp2ZWnELB0iafjfm0RJC2j7CeB3swJO46ZfeBlxtPqA28vP2uRRtNWd_C7cYSxww-D9cn_1X5k7/s4032/IMG_8872.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzhhyWg7y1BygxdZ0-w_vcFIl2qYz0MwW5Dpy3YbutdXsqNDAD3zi0vqWB10A3B6ZKdQpW2VEQY1Zt3qpUgmHchvRbwflSznZ0RHSlUr7trW2scp2ZWnELB0iafjfm0RJC2j7CeB3swJO46ZfeBlxtPqA28vP2uRRtNWd_C7cYSxww-D9cn_1X5k7/w640-h480/IMG_8872.JPG" title="Sandals firepits" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Sunday</b></p>
<p>Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados are two separate resorts, but because Sandals Royal Barbados was built right next to the original Sandals Barbados, they are more like one large resort. Even though we were staying on the Sandals Barbados side, we could use the amenities at both resorts. That meant we could choose from twenty different restaurants and six pools, including an infinity pool and Sandals’ first roof-top pool. I was looking forward to trying them all!</p>
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<p>When we arrived at Sandals Barbados after a long day of traveling, it was almost 4 o’clock. We checked in at the Club Sandals lounge and one of the staff walked us over to our room in the Royal Building, which overlooked the main pool and the beach. The room was on the 3rd floor and had a four-poster king bed and an updated bathroom with lots of blue glass tile and a rain showerhead. One strange feature was the picture on the wall beside the bed that slid open to reveal a window into the shower. I guess it might be kind of romantic to look in on your showering mate, but directly across from the shower was the toilet. Not so romantic. :-)</p>
<p>Unfortunately, our air conditioning unit didn’t seem to be working. We’d only been in the room for a few minutes when a maintenance worker knocked on the door to say the problem had been reported and he was going to go up on the roof to take a look. It probably just needed to be charged. An easy fix! I really wanted to settle in and unpack, but Ron said we’d better wait in case we needed to change rooms, so we took a short walk around the grounds and went to Café de Paris for an iced coffee. An hour later, we went back to the room, but the air conditioner was still blowing warm-ish air. Ron called the front desk and asked to be moved to a different room, but they told him the air conditioner might take a while to cool down so we should go to dinner, and it would be working by the time we got back.</p>
<p>We choose Schooners, the seafood restaurant, for dinner. It was a pretty, open-air restaurant between the main pool and the beach. I ordered the seafood ceviche, peppered shrimp and the Mother’s Day special dessert, a spiced poached pear with white chocolate. I also tried the restaurant’s signature drink, which was like a cucumber gimlet but with Appleton rum. Yum! I was frustrated about the air conditioning, but I knew the problem would get sorted out eventually, so I was determined not to let it spoil the evening.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwFKq5BJjbKfV_Lj98MHoX4tlSyUgVagVHIzI8liZ4Tn5Yeh1WQCnNN-NMfOKNRelhY_LrJYDNb5RiqzKZqx2EFtdrQxMlSDXmlCdZNjREmM0FUDcH0-GJhvKKZLKvTS5oZaU19OUe6YDG-yQyC0SE3yTf8A0w7PF7B_oqdwpRAn6GZV-S_P28WJw/s4032/IMG_8814.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwFKq5BJjbKfV_Lj98MHoX4tlSyUgVagVHIzI8liZ4Tn5Yeh1WQCnNN-NMfOKNRelhY_LrJYDNb5RiqzKZqx2EFtdrQxMlSDXmlCdZNjREmM0FUDcH0-GJhvKKZLKvTS5oZaU19OUe6YDG-yQyC0SE3yTf8A0w7PF7B_oqdwpRAn6GZV-S_P28WJw/w480-h640/IMG_8814.JPG" title="Schooners Seafood Grill" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>When we got back to the room after dinner, it was still warm. Sigh… We walked over to Club Sandals and one of the ladies came back with us, looked at the unit, called maintenance and confirmed that yes, the air conditioner was broken. Then she tried to find us another room but there weren’t any available for that night. It was 10 o’clock and it had been a long day, so we gave up, unpacked our suitcases and went to bed.</p>
<p><b>Monday</b></p>
<p>We slept OK, but even though the room cooled off overnight, everything felt damp and musty. After breakfast, we decided we would try one more time to change rooms. This time when we went to Club Sandals, they said they had another room for us. Hurray!! We just had to wait until the new room was ready at 3 o’clock. That was fine; we weren’t planning on being in the room anyway. It was beautiful outside!</p>
<p>We spent the day exploring the resort. It was a stunning property. There were brightly colored flowers and fountains and pools everywhere. From the roof-top pool and Sky Bar, the views of the infinity pool and the electric blue ocean were incredible. We could even see the red and white stripes of the South Point Lighthouse in the distance. We played for a while in the infinity pool but decided we liked the main pool on the Barbados side better. It was close to our room and the beach and had a swim-up bar. I found Sweet n’ Salty’s, the donut shop, and picked up a couple of donuts – a Coco Loco and a Red Velvet. They were delicious, and I ended up going back every day after that. By the end of the week, I’d tried most of the donuts on the menu. My favorites were the S’mores, 24K Carrot and Coco Loco, which had jerk seasoning in the glaze and was just a little bit spicy.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki_ALebbX2O47rBrIWeWNs4BwpEB4CP3GAqVyeuH9IfAyBxe3zG2ZO-h-RHyUz0NDdEzxZcmJ-Yvm6LQ_muyL-yuvt0r7QHsu38rfLuKmerKG-JRFUSEbw__4lbmBEooqwHtnuUglyxtqLTqrRKCDezGHqtY_lWk1GkSR6_MaeJg3uhcJ6pcJLDHW/s3905/IMG_9083.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2929" data-original-width="3905" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki_ALebbX2O47rBrIWeWNs4BwpEB4CP3GAqVyeuH9IfAyBxe3zG2ZO-h-RHyUz0NDdEzxZcmJ-Yvm6LQ_muyL-yuvt0r7QHsu38rfLuKmerKG-JRFUSEbw__4lbmBEooqwHtnuUglyxtqLTqrRKCDezGHqtY_lWk1GkSR6_MaeJg3uhcJ6pcJLDHW/w640-h480/IMG_9083.JPG" title="view of infinity pool from rooftop" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the infinity pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE6i6lBTgW7kzrt5Aq-fbt5aR6D9JleqON-2dZZn5_eU2GUWbRzUcwlg-earevKayNj84QhDnAeSzWTEuV5euFZYdClJCp2wd1oSg3ZFgE_srJGXUYtnZT1CIoF-ceffBksa_6BzkXtzGAl4fWsTKzv660F--gCFW4HekIZhc-CWf6614-VXzLxSf/s3829/IMG_8910.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="3829" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE6i6lBTgW7kzrt5Aq-fbt5aR6D9JleqON-2dZZn5_eU2GUWbRzUcwlg-earevKayNj84QhDnAeSzWTEuV5euFZYdClJCp2wd1oSg3ZFgE_srJGXUYtnZT1CIoF-ceffBksa_6BzkXtzGAl4fWsTKzv660F--gCFW4HekIZhc-CWf6614-VXzLxSf/w640-h480/IMG_8910.JPG" title="Susan in infinity pool" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIY07STc8UymXrR0Dlm5ekLDSqEiGPXGbH0gI_g4qD9gKgYKD1A7YgB9egpFctvaQ2C3yAmEclFUtM8zwclpZy-dkYO4GbrvfOxF-BBd7xIro-7f126xCnpiLVBEtixNp_VU1V5rZg1jUOfGJhEkgOn9mlPBCkZVX8z6tn6_ucD1jmsfDXCX-MF2Zq/s5184/DSCN4351.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIY07STc8UymXrR0Dlm5ekLDSqEiGPXGbH0gI_g4qD9gKgYKD1A7YgB9egpFctvaQ2C3yAmEclFUtM8zwclpZy-dkYO4GbrvfOxF-BBd7xIro-7f126xCnpiLVBEtixNp_VU1V5rZg1jUOfGJhEkgOn9mlPBCkZVX8z6tn6_ucD1jmsfDXCX-MF2Zq/w640-h480/DSCN4351.JPG" title="Ron at the swim-up bar" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron at the main pool swim-up bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAWWMldyCJJKBBEkkR_2vxJLUlHqQefv6FeMEnuyqybRv0piG8s6lexlgxRkRKZZDIaVCsuLXlo6phpR2y2gPE7L_KWs6vi8h_uIBH7YZRySIpEIJs3UsHkj4xWKbTkLoM35UX57mh6MC4dvFQ9gKzmaEEb1mn0QXgDwXVl_4bX4yQ-3qVvGQPF14/s4032/IMG_8922.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAWWMldyCJJKBBEkkR_2vxJLUlHqQefv6FeMEnuyqybRv0piG8s6lexlgxRkRKZZDIaVCsuLXlo6phpR2y2gPE7L_KWs6vi8h_uIBH7YZRySIpEIJs3UsHkj4xWKbTkLoM35UX57mh6MC4dvFQ9gKzmaEEb1mn0QXgDwXVl_4bX4yQ-3qVvGQPF14/w640-h480/IMG_8922.JPG" title="Sweet n' Salty's sign" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zIJ5Xrax_GWFq-g--emupZ8peK_qRkI3UtjOJaGOwnIyKu4pNXmyE0ZhI9Z_cAsqUUUmPcDleHXzTRjodSWnT8KrAteyPslMnOvuA9uHDDXG3y6wgRwW7HoN8DxUOTPU51qdQG_qE-vFTKec0_SRj9cfDPCd7jySl0tZgZKjHKp5gaBnAjhvFiP-/s4032/IMG_9099.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zIJ5Xrax_GWFq-g--emupZ8peK_qRkI3UtjOJaGOwnIyKu4pNXmyE0ZhI9Z_cAsqUUUmPcDleHXzTRjodSWnT8KrAteyPslMnOvuA9uHDDXG3y6wgRwW7HoN8DxUOTPU51qdQG_qE-vFTKec0_SRj9cfDPCd7jySl0tZgZKjHKp5gaBnAjhvFiP-/w480-h640/IMG_9099.JPG" title="Donut Worry sign" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuVvgrGw5U1VfFamZYv3UmekLB8Ojs0ERzo9UkcTxmB22XxyRlFI2FuExUBOlnCZpUdVh-xjnd0iQV9vBmhvXkJ_45cieyUVZPUQRQ-lgaXayWd_5Qd1wac-Cm7gkBBIy4THlD_RNSRpzffROELmb6X9ntNOzKp9cahLdZiDGH4Ja6E901hf699OX/s4032/IMG_9101.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuVvgrGw5U1VfFamZYv3UmekLB8Ojs0ERzo9UkcTxmB22XxyRlFI2FuExUBOlnCZpUdVh-xjnd0iQV9vBmhvXkJ_45cieyUVZPUQRQ-lgaXayWd_5Qd1wac-Cm7gkBBIy4THlD_RNSRpzffROELmb6X9ntNOzKp9cahLdZiDGH4Ja6E901hf699OX/w480-h640/IMG_9101.JPG" title="donuts" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1sbBxuYCCZ97IXiCJevM0U8H8wLKErmQHkg-xukK8iFYd4NG7cChtXE_TIZM3pgCXXIMofgTHrj3QV0N6W2jdLA6_XWdduFBY28Kp69Xfu1ZYYzqevuiipehHDPb0n-vQ3MwlCKNa94mrNGhKNyjrWxR8nAnEzmzP4OdocGyuOysuZlzg0ToZCbV/s4032/IMG_8948.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1sbBxuYCCZ97IXiCJevM0U8H8wLKErmQHkg-xukK8iFYd4NG7cChtXE_TIZM3pgCXXIMofgTHrj3QV0N6W2jdLA6_XWdduFBY28Kp69Xfu1ZYYzqevuiipehHDPb0n-vQ3MwlCKNa94mrNGhKNyjrWxR8nAnEzmzP4OdocGyuOysuZlzg0ToZCbV/w480-h640/IMG_8948.JPG" title="flowers" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKodnKTmrzWSwJ3IpYUQ4ZBz3IwUIaKkxX43j3iktmEJKKZfH-WrGj4CNtxifl-Rq8lZ2wNEsY583odXX3vqbDiBJDUlecHUxZZLYj7ecqWOuxQIaomCNxGFbxwc-891_ZhmDbd17K_HzFQqihrowVnPhwjy3gvG-MSfRldZ8_UygyKsixKqfFtE6/s4032/IMG_8949.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKodnKTmrzWSwJ3IpYUQ4ZBz3IwUIaKkxX43j3iktmEJKKZfH-WrGj4CNtxifl-Rq8lZ2wNEsY583odXX3vqbDiBJDUlecHUxZZLYj7ecqWOuxQIaomCNxGFbxwc-891_ZhmDbd17K_HzFQqihrowVnPhwjy3gvG-MSfRldZ8_UygyKsixKqfFtE6/w640-h480/IMG_8949.JPG" title="flowers close-up" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Around 2 o’clock, I left the pool to go to the room and discovered that my key didn’t work. That either meant that I’d accidentally demagnetized the key or it had been recoded for our new room. Either way, we had to go to Club Sandals, so I collected Ron from the swim-up bar. The new room was ready! We went back to the Royal Building, threw everything into our suitcases, rolled them a few doors down the hall and unpacked again. The new room had a slightly better view, but most importantly, the air conditioning worked! The toilet seat wouldn’t stay up, but we could deal with that. I told Ron to just aim carefully. :-)</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuky78ghu7mNHYuZBQRCAdIrY3l3AzVeZCLaE4DtoSOxLLuyRpyWDkPeXxEsMICbuvv_Zi4xLuX3vTiFcLQDuNTKLACdIfPssyGwYoCFbTxKpx_11lZ0snDjAOD9xW2-a-h3Xz83V5IQS7ikQhXG4ybbZ0jLvRCCtBm--5Dq74qFZZ9HgH3QK67N2/s3921/IMG_9075.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2941" data-original-width="3921" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuky78ghu7mNHYuZBQRCAdIrY3l3AzVeZCLaE4DtoSOxLLuyRpyWDkPeXxEsMICbuvv_Zi4xLuX3vTiFcLQDuNTKLACdIfPssyGwYoCFbTxKpx_11lZ0snDjAOD9xW2-a-h3Xz83V5IQS7ikQhXG4ybbZ0jLvRCCtBm--5Dq74qFZZ9HgH3QK67N2/w640-h480/IMG_9075.JPG" title="view from room" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from our new room</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We had dinner reservations that night at Chi, the Asian fusion restaurant surrounded by a koi pond. I had the orange dragon roll and miso-ginger glazed salmon, then we went to Café de Paris for coffee and dessert. Later, there was a “Beach Party” which, weirdly, was at the main stage and not on the beach. The entertainers were playing loud, frantic-sounding steel drum music. Ack! We walked back to the room and sat out on our balcony listening to a guitar soloist playing songs by Lionel Richie and The Weeknd outside of Schooners. That was more our speed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIALJqDXDsM8ULg9Af2QurlZfOS0P9F-BwJ6ohcSf7fIkx225hjkUDOnrjlR9YqLiuIRIPje9e7t8dL4IFkP3LkmXmLRNCCBweZeXDcrkwCjHh4_V-IhokLcM-QKR9pv7Dr7VaCV6ajjBUcBGsMLuebHBFPZZeZNwJvV6KdnwN7mu_jog2_s2tANME/s5184/DSCN4382.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIALJqDXDsM8ULg9Af2QurlZfOS0P9F-BwJ6ohcSf7fIkx225hjkUDOnrjlR9YqLiuIRIPje9e7t8dL4IFkP3LkmXmLRNCCBweZeXDcrkwCjHh4_V-IhokLcM-QKR9pv7Dr7VaCV6ajjBUcBGsMLuebHBFPZZeZNwJvV6KdnwN7mu_jog2_s2tANME/w640-h480/DSCN4382.JPG" title="Chi Asian Fusion" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmgO6dgIoIcShvwqsknYd-5zsRKvMii1QCfkMm8dPMllwqCRyjjMSqe_1hPVBbeWmv8NPxW-RzvhwEytgwnSjv_iJSyBUdukc9qiNSbWA8_-3BItQmKa10aQgdB5A7qqRQTxuW3e1bZm2IWV-fejPwcHRGVcwukA-D_3nhGgJG9M4cD8ExqQN2RXR/s3428/IMG_8964.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3428" data-original-width="2571" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmgO6dgIoIcShvwqsknYd-5zsRKvMii1QCfkMm8dPMllwqCRyjjMSqe_1hPVBbeWmv8NPxW-RzvhwEytgwnSjv_iJSyBUdukc9qiNSbWA8_-3BItQmKa10aQgdB5A7qqRQTxuW3e1bZm2IWV-fejPwcHRGVcwukA-D_3nhGgJG9M4cD8ExqQN2RXR/w480-h640/IMG_8964.JPG" title="Susan in garden" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvihrv824Y-3iouUhcxG-rtES1ywTFC_ceToQT1h4bSwOBeP_IS04-ypuwsZ4oeomW3dyXE_co4IhuN6bq3rNSoNGIj4-omRkFEiINDGcdjlFgebSE1MmSHXBgFgtLUJsrpAFfPVs0J2kGM3Q8xF7ETR_CODvd51ohLTiSPXSECzhzeC9iBL5EdTfp/s3856/ImageID_51635338_4d.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3856" data-original-width="2892" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvihrv824Y-3iouUhcxG-rtES1ywTFC_ceToQT1h4bSwOBeP_IS04-ypuwsZ4oeomW3dyXE_co4IhuN6bq3rNSoNGIj4-omRkFEiINDGcdjlFgebSE1MmSHXBgFgtLUJsrpAFfPVs0J2kGM3Q8xF7ETR_CODvd51ohLTiSPXSECzhzeC9iBL5EdTfp/w480-h640/ImageID_51635338_4d.jpg" title="Sandals photographer garden photo" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sandals photographer</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Tuesday</b></p>
<p>The sun rose at 5:30 so I woke up early. Since I was awake, I decided I might as well get up and look for the monkeys. Barbados, like St Kitts, is home to green monkeys that were originally brought over from Africa over 300 years ago. I’d read that there were several monkeys living in the forest behind the resort that would sometimes walk through the grounds and drink out of the pools. Since animals tend to be more active in the morning before it gets hot, I figured early morning was the best time to see them. I found the service road that ran along the back of the property and walked slowly, looking into the trees. Just when I was about to give up, a monkey ran out of the gate right in front of me and jumped up onto the fence and into the trees! Then three more monkeys sauntered by. It was so cool! Unfortunately, I’d broken the first rule of monkey spotting which we’d learned from our tour guide in St Kitts: Make sure you aren’t the only one to see the monkey. :-) At least I’d taken a few pictures, so I had photographic evidence.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTh_43bPd8f8yb8rf9VoqE35uX6ZxFWRg-kKvTEUAvmoGMtIkOt_gkzooVODra5VgL_6IdXVL62cuz7M1-7ib7LI4E_cSOebmGkeK8olzWGyTiNV7rGAs9nDylP4bj_VnZ0ZBpDkPHfFzdJO5Rqa6lrIcekWFhj3sDynitws-WyKGdrXWPYjlS9LxD/s5184/DSCN4368.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTh_43bPd8f8yb8rf9VoqE35uX6ZxFWRg-kKvTEUAvmoGMtIkOt_gkzooVODra5VgL_6IdXVL62cuz7M1-7ib7LI4E_cSOebmGkeK8olzWGyTiNV7rGAs9nDylP4bj_VnZ0ZBpDkPHfFzdJO5Rqa6lrIcekWFhj3sDynitws-WyKGdrXWPYjlS9LxD/w640-h480/DSCN4368.JPG" title="green monkey" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQn44DCbGCvzhSuhzkbMtIvUbl0fnkRuslEO7RZpGnlFSV_8wiJxOBD64RUilVQUR9cYXBJ_fuMjw2OwRMIlCh9cd7mtx8PriQ1OvpC7fAAsB3KdL8UFA6MV9zZsqAo7Dvr0OyQiG9XV83EG8ruL-3lGBCxXZ5I_v18wJg0Z0AputjOr6oXQDGHtg/s4053/DSCN4369a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3040" data-original-width="4053" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQn44DCbGCvzhSuhzkbMtIvUbl0fnkRuslEO7RZpGnlFSV_8wiJxOBD64RUilVQUR9cYXBJ_fuMjw2OwRMIlCh9cd7mtx8PriQ1OvpC7fAAsB3KdL8UFA6MV9zZsqAo7Dvr0OyQiG9XV83EG8ruL-3lGBCxXZ5I_v18wJg0Z0AputjOr6oXQDGHtg/w640-h480/DSCN4369a.JPG" title="green monkey" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When Ron was up, we went to breakfast at Portofino’s, the Italian restaurant next to the European pool – blueberry pancakes for me and French toast for Ron. We saved a couple of pieces of bacon to feed the little kitties that lived outside Café de Paris. After breakfast, we relaxed on our favorite chairs by the main pool and walked down to the beach to take pictures of the “love tree”.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsbYK-R24ptPbw071vA2QWgPf5TCtR8Zgbn9b9G3XaSBty72R8nfo3Hv-0j6e6awzxkwfRSfIt0rxBFg7wPVXjHDvLi9IgQIXmoNWUNkeY96shpFfubztBZ9R9Nz-vNyKPEPtZt22bTo3VL85h9E0qXH6jvbmHCJSzoMDCTyty3xOOgduUZUrXfQD/s3851/IMG_9035.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3851" data-original-width="2888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsbYK-R24ptPbw071vA2QWgPf5TCtR8Zgbn9b9G3XaSBty72R8nfo3Hv-0j6e6awzxkwfRSfIt0rxBFg7wPVXjHDvLi9IgQIXmoNWUNkeY96shpFfubztBZ9R9Nz-vNyKPEPtZt22bTo3VL85h9E0qXH6jvbmHCJSzoMDCTyty3xOOgduUZUrXfQD/w480-h640/IMG_9035.JPG" title="Portofino's Italian Restaurant" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portofino's Italian Restaurant</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkC2BpXlANw1_4QGjl-Oa7TjozP0UDN4UgCwZ6nYQhbGMXgFA47uC5A6EdMWu-lopqkSMONMRB4T1ZGcVp2MDXRMBTzgErUCRS39vUv0mQwOpHcewR4kJCJk6BUIuLl3k47YfLwzadEky1Jfhbr1hdJ4UelPco3JTUhhsnOySyeLn71QZ-QobeYJ8r/s3923/IMG_9038.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3923" data-original-width="2942" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkC2BpXlANw1_4QGjl-Oa7TjozP0UDN4UgCwZ6nYQhbGMXgFA47uC5A6EdMWu-lopqkSMONMRB4T1ZGcVp2MDXRMBTzgErUCRS39vUv0mQwOpHcewR4kJCJk6BUIuLl3k47YfLwzadEky1Jfhbr1hdJ4UelPco3JTUhhsnOySyeLn71QZ-QobeYJ8r/w480-h640/IMG_9038.JPG" title="Cafe de Paris" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe de Paris</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV29HTFhSDobVjj-Oqbh0bUxwLHyWXQ4FmgwqTzCUz_TNi_YzfGjn5OnCGiy3p5lTYTeSLXoaLYbcSYNMFuO-MMgUXMJAgw9YAp1dwTEjmKZo5h8m6hmiXI3yvj79c-wpf_jNzNkwg0vUOmAw6VOmSBSwQWHOjjli6F7hLGCk_zkeqMr5Z3-gKnCWS/s4032/IMG_8954.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV29HTFhSDobVjj-Oqbh0bUxwLHyWXQ4FmgwqTzCUz_TNi_YzfGjn5OnCGiy3p5lTYTeSLXoaLYbcSYNMFuO-MMgUXMJAgw9YAp1dwTEjmKZo5h8m6hmiXI3yvj79c-wpf_jNzNkwg0vUOmAw6VOmSBSwQWHOjjli6F7hLGCk_zkeqMr5Z3-gKnCWS/w480-h640/IMG_8954.JPG" title="kitten" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57nvF7kaVuH2HvJ9dtuB5jU4J25vs-1trs-PIcXAHs_f9JfPcOyxduW5ddZflBN_JTMQHNaZDz9e91P1TV3q1-zDWQNtoNixa3gytmGg_J-H2KiL4_YBEM1sIE8ftEDGqjMhDvph6CWNLypD663trHzHxVH_0YQM56kDA9ldwHj_6bj2-abonZpvy/s3863/IMG_9041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2897" data-original-width="3863" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57nvF7kaVuH2HvJ9dtuB5jU4J25vs-1trs-PIcXAHs_f9JfPcOyxduW5ddZflBN_JTMQHNaZDz9e91P1TV3q1-zDWQNtoNixa3gytmGg_J-H2KiL4_YBEM1sIE8ftEDGqjMhDvph6CWNLypD663trHzHxVH_0YQM56kDA9ldwHj_6bj2-abonZpvy/w640-h480/IMG_9041.JPG" title="beach and watersports" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdN0fltks4bjLbW-9KOpEMwiLG5Mj31qjq4r3LzxPus8s-urHzYzSPHez2xGHLkqRm0BEF5o6n1lXQBFrLv6p_Z0YJS5ZaJWx05FpyMh3fV6sDr0x_1mg8QnsDZygy3-LAyFmXnvkDw26-zxeM7hbHCcqRtA1IMi0hH8V6Ws752E8OmNLgdrLmOyd/s3743/IMG_9042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="3743" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdN0fltks4bjLbW-9KOpEMwiLG5Mj31qjq4r3LzxPus8s-urHzYzSPHez2xGHLkqRm0BEF5o6n1lXQBFrLv6p_Z0YJS5ZaJWx05FpyMh3fV6sDr0x_1mg8QnsDZygy3-LAyFmXnvkDw26-zxeM7hbHCcqRtA1IMi0hH8V6Ws752E8OmNLgdrLmOyd/w640-h480/IMG_9042.JPG" title="fallen palm trees" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs5q-qirtsET6wqzmARogaGLAhuBNIKoUZYGTN4SLip4zN2SguOGK9b6mpd67VdHOZZcYzMK2pWCv768CC4KefT6nV87tk3ubfk1tA7PTk8HTP1D-QYMByjVNH1QElJ50WTgGA2nemrlEGUwAU2lDWisZEoHm2GpyjwfiDIzVl5Lup5pgUEmgrl0p/s3923/IMG_9045.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3923" data-original-width="2942" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs5q-qirtsET6wqzmARogaGLAhuBNIKoUZYGTN4SLip4zN2SguOGK9b6mpd67VdHOZZcYzMK2pWCv768CC4KefT6nV87tk3ubfk1tA7PTk8HTP1D-QYMByjVNH1QElJ50WTgGA2nemrlEGUwAU2lDWisZEoHm2GpyjwfiDIzVl5Lup5pgUEmgrl0p/w480-h640/IMG_9045.JPG" title="love tree" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the love tree</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLprcAQ7KB6Qi9kKXmlv1HkiIA2Ncc1ejML8LdD6-AI6sJp5UW0b8GZ0fO8Fj9S1T18XySGVZ4-CKVwrdYOUaMFeGLCZDn8CU2fZmnNEysV5LpJT43bf_6VGbjafaFF4_PbtK-fD-DbnzuIJalrFLIpAeHOLerBr7N9Hp3-SwHNaiaRKzUUYuFJIcn/s3994/IMG_9059.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3994" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLprcAQ7KB6Qi9kKXmlv1HkiIA2Ncc1ejML8LdD6-AI6sJp5UW0b8GZ0fO8Fj9S1T18XySGVZ4-CKVwrdYOUaMFeGLCZDn8CU2fZmnNEysV5LpJT43bf_6VGbjafaFF4_PbtK-fD-DbnzuIJalrFLIpAeHOLerBr7N9Hp3-SwHNaiaRKzUUYuFJIcn/w640-h480/IMG_9059.JPG" title="Susan and palm trees" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>At 1:15, it was time to meet in the lobby for our snorkeling tour. Sandals Barbados didn’t have an onsite snorkel or dive boat, so we had to take a shuttle to the marina in Bridgetown. The first snorkeling spot was in Carlisle Bay to see the sea turtles. Before we’d even gotten into the water, we saw our first turtle swimming around the mooring buoy. That was promising! Our snorkel guide pointed out a strange-looking fish sitting on the sandy bottom. She said it was a flying gurnard and that she would try to get it to open its “wings”. She dived down close to the fish, and it spread out its fins like a fan and scuttled away. Before long, a turtle started swimming around us and then a second larger one appeared. So beautiful.</p>
<p>Our second snorkel spot was a shipwreck. There were several scuba divers exploring the wreck, and it was neat to float over their bubbles and watch them swimming in and out of the sunken boat. We saw two groupers hanging out near the bow of the boat and schools of sergeant majors. It was like swimming in a fishbowl. What a great day. I’d seen monkeys in the morning and sea turtles in the afternoon!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxX6HJ2Sum72XIAzCyf4_zkW0w-gLgksNxToMGXep9oLIBjwkove4td3POfMYgR6ys3KKnmNUl8qkoqdMAGA7wBDtsQf7Ue0JMLaOSrrdwxknSm0kpqF0vvslCpzvHTGdakYKVOQdy887axY3WSD2ORJt4aInPxnp6OnLu0PnOaMZNsYrc2FQ2U-l/s3108/P5100031a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2331" data-original-width="3108" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxX6HJ2Sum72XIAzCyf4_zkW0w-gLgksNxToMGXep9oLIBjwkove4td3POfMYgR6ys3KKnmNUl8qkoqdMAGA7wBDtsQf7Ue0JMLaOSrrdwxknSm0kpqF0vvslCpzvHTGdakYKVOQdy887axY3WSD2ORJt4aInPxnp6OnLu0PnOaMZNsYrc2FQ2U-l/w640-h480/P5100031a.jpg" title="flying gurnard" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpEDauZPtZ2FnpzS_uaeUpJ29_efxGwLs2kGFQnmguXYdlKEMWYfgbjy_2D1dRl0nDdA80mVuf4i4Sk6fGKpgHTQWYwiYLUj23Q0lBo8ae2wm9PJXu49_G3nEza-4KChfUTaRE13GIWvvyouK3qeLmihxa_drvNkAlz-3QB2LHleMOyPqTdltkcry/s3616/P5100039a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2712" data-original-width="3616" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpEDauZPtZ2FnpzS_uaeUpJ29_efxGwLs2kGFQnmguXYdlKEMWYfgbjy_2D1dRl0nDdA80mVuf4i4Sk6fGKpgHTQWYwiYLUj23Q0lBo8ae2wm9PJXu49_G3nEza-4KChfUTaRE13GIWvvyouK3qeLmihxa_drvNkAlz-3QB2LHleMOyPqTdltkcry/w640-h480/P5100039a.jpg" title="sea turtle" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZumLHoGUIVU0WcAEdidB9Ma9MEbHopGg40jLh5p5NXS2fQgL91G5gZ56Qrb-IQMcpdmVQpBxAOEqe8vcEAylaMHtMJlCRcHrMHYFoLux56NJq6S4Y-dahcTnRjp1yHna8oMXwFl3yq1So7jtZ06EQvz74CXaLC_V93rDtK0sB3PFveGWoOb4RUqws/s4000/P5100055a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZumLHoGUIVU0WcAEdidB9Ma9MEbHopGg40jLh5p5NXS2fQgL91G5gZ56Qrb-IQMcpdmVQpBxAOEqe8vcEAylaMHtMJlCRcHrMHYFoLux56NJq6S4Y-dahcTnRjp1yHna8oMXwFl3yq1So7jtZ06EQvz74CXaLC_V93rDtK0sB3PFveGWoOb4RUqws/w640-h480/P5100055a.jpg" title="sea turtle" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVP_QqFY0I-tc-HKOz9KDJzak9vzWqie8cqnFNoK8atvxMKhAfkpLaTYYoK4eGY4l48KF6SUzmM2495-splkDKdM58ey-mJgzaI-zDYPR06TaDH2wZ_7BTylrabWLqi3XNAbYa1UiVuL1y0VmisdRmVwWJ8vrH6ftaWq6W9qN7A_-vz7KFgfodsMP/s2641/P5100062a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="2641" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVP_QqFY0I-tc-HKOz9KDJzak9vzWqie8cqnFNoK8atvxMKhAfkpLaTYYoK4eGY4l48KF6SUzmM2495-splkDKdM58ey-mJgzaI-zDYPR06TaDH2wZ_7BTylrabWLqi3XNAbYa1UiVuL1y0VmisdRmVwWJ8vrH6ftaWq6W9qN7A_-vz7KFgfodsMP/w640-h480/P5100062a.jpg" title="sea turtle" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>For dinner we went to Portofino's where I ordered Caprese salad and seafood fettuccine. I was in the mood for a chocolate martini, so we skipped dessert and went to the Oyster Bar in the lobby. I loved the oyster shell chandeliers over the bar and the gas lanterns in the lobby fountain. The resort was so pretty at night with all the firepits and fountains glowing with light and the smell of night-blooming jasmine in the air. We had a couple of chocolate martinis and then headed to bed.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzThSUZLgXSI-uFbz4UPQJIlU-KeQDiF3aLMOPGqk3Tv4k7dfH4CUE7WOMRllqPU4cdZNvGSr4yEZZAi1QK9kQGr29fyN2KpHtQAphtYyyp4zkCPIZcRWM9iQ47SXlEmDSQNvjm_XjDnmBE9CjIqT55KQo8HpUpR5hzCKsHNhJKmIEyz0YtQpGr2K/s2948/IMG_9129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="2211" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzThSUZLgXSI-uFbz4UPQJIlU-KeQDiF3aLMOPGqk3Tv4k7dfH4CUE7WOMRllqPU4cdZNvGSr4yEZZAi1QK9kQGr29fyN2KpHtQAphtYyyp4zkCPIZcRWM9iQ47SXlEmDSQNvjm_XjDnmBE9CjIqT55KQo8HpUpR5hzCKsHNhJKmIEyz0YtQpGr2K/w480-h640/IMG_9129.JPG" title="lobby fountains" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandals Barbados lobby fountain</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2022/05/sandals-barbados-and-sandals-royal_22.html">continued on Part 2</a></p>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-4067531458855616582022-05-01T12:41:00.002-04:002022-10-19T13:39:20.605-04:00Battle of the Key West Mojitos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk0lS7UuOs5CZNlOT1XsvbwEX5t2sUH6nJKAV-106rbWd14lVOshEv_I3aKBjXcR_s1TlT8-CpmI3r-rkrOw0a8SQyPWVUnkkMduKplnHhjqLcr493sAZSxlRSlLN7OIFEnRR4wRyGFd-6Sp3Hc2iozMlf-NM_Pq0jBBn0Fl8CNPt88Iw0-v4shrJ/s3882/IMG_8724a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West rums" border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="3882" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk0lS7UuOs5CZNlOT1XsvbwEX5t2sUH6nJKAV-106rbWd14lVOshEv_I3aKBjXcR_s1TlT8-CpmI3r-rkrOw0a8SQyPWVUnkkMduKplnHhjqLcr493sAZSxlRSlLN7OIFEnRR4wRyGFd-6Sp3Hc2iozMlf-NM_Pq0jBBn0Fl8CNPt88Iw0-v4shrJ/w640-h480/IMG_8724a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>When I think of Key West, I think of sunsets, roosters, gingerbread-trimmed cottages, turquoise water and mojitos! I love mojitos and whenever we are in Key West, I sample three or four and end my trip reports with a mojito review. Now, thanks to two Key West rum distilleries, I can make Key West mojitos at home.</p>
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<p><b>The Distilleries</b></p>
<p>Key West First Legal Rum Distillery opened in 2013, the first (legal) distillery in the Florida Keys since Prohibition. It was founded by Chef Paul Menta, whose philosophy is “chef first, distiller second.” Menta sailed some of his rum to Havana, birthplace of the mojito, and came back with tips on making mojitos the Cuban way. Ron and I learned some of those tips when we took the distillery’s Mojito Class a few years ago.</p>
<p>A second distillery, Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery, opened in 2017. Papa’s Pilar Rum was named after Ernest Hemingway’s boat, the Pilar, and was inspired by Hemingway’s life and adventurous spirit. The family of Ernest Hemingway was involved in developing the rum and contributes a portion of their proceeds to charities that promote ocean conservation. We took a tour of the distillery when we were in Key West on our cruise in February and tasted three of their rums.</p>
<p>So which distillery has the best rum for making mojitos? I decided to try both distilleries’ recipes and find out.</p>
<p><b>The Mojitos</b></p>
<p>Mojitos are made with just a few ingredients – rum, lime, fresh mint, sugar and soda water. We'd brought back a bottle of Papa's Pilar Blond Rum from our cruise. The Key West Legal Rum was harder to come by, but after some searching, I found it at one of our local Luekens stores.</p>
<p>I followed the distilleries’ recipes as closely as possible. First Legal’s recipe called for muddling the mint (including the stems) with Key lime juice and Demerara sugar, a coarse raw sugar. One of the tips we learned in our Mojito Class is that the sugar crystals pull oils from the mint, which gives the drink more flavor than using simple syrup. I didn’t have Demerara sugar so I substituted granulated sugar. For the Papa’s Pilar mojito, I muddled the mint with lime wedges and simple syrup, being careful to muddle gently so that the lime’s peel wouldn’t leave a bitter taste. Then I added the rums and club soda (I used Schweppes), topped each glass with ice and stirred.</p>
<p>Next came the fun part, judging the mojitos. I recruited Ron for a second opinion, and we rated the two cocktails based on their appearance, aroma and taste.</p>
<p><b>Appearance</b> – Papa’s Pilar had the edge in this category. The lime wedges gave the drink color, and the mint leaves were evenly distributed, while the sugar-muddled mint in First Legal’s mojito clumped together.</p>
<p><b>Aroma</b> – I preferred the light, minty smell of First Legal’s cocktail. The aged Blond Rum in the Papa’s Pilar mojito had a caramel scent that overpowered the mint and lime. </p>
<p><b>Taste</b> – Ron’s vote went to Papa’s Pilar. He liked the butterscotch taste of the aged rum and the sweeter flavor. Although I thought the taste of First Legal's white rum was more traditional for a mojito, the drink was a little strong and tart for me. The Papa’s Pilar mojito had a better balance of rum and club soda, sugar and lime. </p><p>I would have been happy if I'd ordered either one of these mojitos at a bar or restaurant in Key West, but now I don't have to wait for our next trip to have one!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhf006dAhegFuLwGUxWsT3ek-IdDeHEUkqDKMRTf8Li0-YUuLSn48_7TX-iUQIosxJ7svdp8t2q5YV3lF_JCQx0UbxgSlsOCZItGl3-oaQLumkvbYGdA-70VQsE44tZeuylov997XEKVpq9sE_zWyMOfoOezi9XLFIWnrY5n0Gb0y6omsBT1eIMU3/s4032/IMG_8429.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Papa's Pilar mojito" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhf006dAhegFuLwGUxWsT3ek-IdDeHEUkqDKMRTf8Li0-YUuLSn48_7TX-iUQIosxJ7svdp8t2q5YV3lF_JCQx0UbxgSlsOCZItGl3-oaQLumkvbYGdA-70VQsE44tZeuylov997XEKVpq9sE_zWyMOfoOezi9XLFIWnrY5n0Gb0y6omsBT1eIMU3/w480-h640/IMG_8429.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJcgK1d7wW8Km8vjCNODR0gDFK-7yU6zvAqnODsJyqRnDNjGomMMO2EdHwBkXYMrs4vRSqsHt6T5jDk2F4RegaXx1vYOxFeXK205DzMpRmLZLCReXCrIfAQd4RPlUk_8Y-0Lhv05rGgngMZhnD-1-floxzMwe3eBsiymhWHctrHqqdt_RuE1ZKQZH/s3173/IMG_8473a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West First Legal mojito" border="0" data-original-height="3173" data-original-width="2380" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJcgK1d7wW8Km8vjCNODR0gDFK-7yU6zvAqnODsJyqRnDNjGomMMO2EdHwBkXYMrs4vRSqsHt6T5jDk2F4RegaXx1vYOxFeXK205DzMpRmLZLCReXCrIfAQd4RPlUk_8Y-0Lhv05rGgngMZhnD-1-floxzMwe3eBsiymhWHctrHqqdt_RuE1ZKQZH/w480-h640/IMG_8473a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>The Recipes</b></p>
<p><i>Key West First Legal “Senior Menta” Mojito</i>
<br />from the <a href="https://www.keywestlegalrum.com/the-mojito-rum" target="_blank">Mojito Class</a></p>
<p>
2 tsp Demerara sugar<br />
0.5 oz Kermit’s Key lime juice<br />
Bunch of fresh mint with stems on<br />
2-3 oz Key West Legal Rum (I used 2 oz)<br />
2 oz soda water</p>
<br />
<p><i>Papa’s Pilar Mojito</i><br />from the distillery's <a href="https://www.papaspilar.com/blogs/recipes/mojito" target="_blank">website</a></p>
<p>
1.5 oz Papa’s Pilar Blond Rum<br />
8-10 fresh mint leaves<br />
1 oz simple syrup<br />
3 lime wedges<br />
2-4 oz club soda (I used 3 oz)</p>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqriau87nvvdcMuRdCxzktpl2p96yMnFp_pFalDcRZqsLKbhoUQgg06k5Kgiz8cDHin-X3lJenBmnG6urf1Nq7nbj_04wF3h46KHaWKmgI2zesKqdjE7N7vLwYJ1ppSRposb5_o5rgK0fF8AvoldVdn6sCvwKdWavaqo-8rjxugolaRjBOZ_JC8wX/s4032/IMG_8415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mojito ingredients" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqriau87nvvdcMuRdCxzktpl2p96yMnFp_pFalDcRZqsLKbhoUQgg06k5Kgiz8cDHin-X3lJenBmnG6urf1Nq7nbj_04wF3h46KHaWKmgI2zesKqdjE7N7vLwYJ1ppSRposb5_o5rgK0fF8AvoldVdn6sCvwKdWavaqo-8rjxugolaRjBOZ_JC8wX/w640-h480/IMG_8415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-65479759243289955662022-04-11T17:51:00.004-04:002022-10-17T11:52:15.047-04:00SANDimals from A to Z<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4crvl9e2uhPKIgIBWrr3USPhM88BB5XSPgg6yTAqf5Id0iKtqY8GYc23nhO0WeV-7ay4zOiLyeHIH2nk-CfdpfiD53scaHCMGS9-YjVB3fJkZ5uFPYTo0oD5m6X1lBj9pSOULZWACYLX8clcgs_COX6L3JQ6ZWJcDSrStfP6_le63OZuEpA77Wsg/s3552/PXL_20220410_140727472.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="3552" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4crvl9e2uhPKIgIBWrr3USPhM88BB5XSPgg6yTAqf5Id0iKtqY8GYc23nhO0WeV-7ay4zOiLyeHIH2nk-CfdpfiD53scaHCMGS9-YjVB3fJkZ5uFPYTo0oD5m6X1lBj9pSOULZWACYLX8clcgs_COX6L3JQ6ZWJcDSrStfP6_le63OZuEpA77Wsg/w640-h480/PXL_20220410_140727472.jpg" title="2022 Sugar Sand Festival" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>On Sunday, Ron and I drove to Clearwater Beach for the Sugar Sand Festival, a beach party celebrating Clearwater’s famous soft, white sand. For the 17-day festival, master sand sculptors carved amazing works of art using nothing but sand, water and simple tools. This was the fourth time we've gone to the festival, and I thought it was the best one yet. This year's theme was “SANDimals, an Animal Adventure”. There were animals representing every letter of the alphabet, from aardvark to zebra, and even a few fictional creatures like the yeti and Chewbacca the Wookiee. Each sculpture had so much character and detail. While we were at the exhibit, several of the sculptors were carving individual pieces for a competition to raise money for local schools, so we got to watch their artwork come to life.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZEnBdQQDXXaL-SiaH3tkFAbXClky0xyrR03X4CacHu9Pi5sxCzxE29brQwhzWSZlRBAF5F6Eymep0X-XaSVfB8dQRjduNwBaww1hO2ye04YCsnLFurFmQbpRI2bL1Ngbkwfr4EW6s0VoDgi8uT-v6RJrY2g_GjGA8P8cvM-dKLOxwc4Mt65Ugqpc/s3402/PXL_20220410_142912218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3402" data-original-width="2552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZEnBdQQDXXaL-SiaH3tkFAbXClky0xyrR03X4CacHu9Pi5sxCzxE29brQwhzWSZlRBAF5F6Eymep0X-XaSVfB8dQRjduNwBaww1hO2ye04YCsnLFurFmQbpRI2bL1Ngbkwfr4EW6s0VoDgi8uT-v6RJrY2g_GjGA8P8cvM-dKLOxwc4Mt65Ugqpc/w480-h640/PXL_20220410_142912218.jpg" title="zebra" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCeb1A_0mwrudirrBQrQDAjo_8ToqbsIfn6PrdexpVIc4r1p7q-ZsTfY5auL7AZoZtiMsBUODafhH1dE72Y3czC95UQFfUaRaIk9oEPV1gNS9WzEZ-FwZbgzu-waP2OSi_lm-komAsmX1b-LPHtj6LWNKnhM1n3QkpjyhBFGl4fS_WZaQq59PhYrb/s4841/DSCN4265.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3631" data-original-width="4841" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCeb1A_0mwrudirrBQrQDAjo_8ToqbsIfn6PrdexpVIc4r1p7q-ZsTfY5auL7AZoZtiMsBUODafhH1dE72Y3czC95UQFfUaRaIk9oEPV1gNS9WzEZ-FwZbgzu-waP2OSi_lm-komAsmX1b-LPHtj6LWNKnhM1n3QkpjyhBFGl4fS_WZaQq59PhYrb/w640-h480/DSCN4265.JPG" title="zebra tail" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The End</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZUSglBue0EDjtr8p3RCwystaR8ZVe86jEx8b4Q_cpRkZRilufu6Lk69_fo40qEDzo4IltA7_GZE25MTCoxt3AtpQoJu5Qc1JZ3uAsIU14ePsoSwa-kCb3LIUEMEkyLZM-hcfcEzBmfahwV8s6XzVlV3_bbKsrDUHyTzWqASb6M3Pa_ULOHFdeQLI/s5184/DSCN4289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZUSglBue0EDjtr8p3RCwystaR8ZVe86jEx8b4Q_cpRkZRilufu6Lk69_fo40qEDzo4IltA7_GZE25MTCoxt3AtpQoJu5Qc1JZ3uAsIU14ePsoSwa-kCb3LIUEMEkyLZM-hcfcEzBmfahwV8s6XzVlV3_bbKsrDUHyTzWqASb6M3Pa_ULOHFdeQLI/w480-h640/DSCN4289.JPG" title="sand sculptor" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj08uQqlk0qOkz6xcFfI9rHdqLfcgxpKB1TZDvBIJjLbtMQqmmjGG0bBNPZJ3VqZBd4G1hqzD4FaUafpwk2V8R2aiH_Uzl4HDhCPQ6FjOTmBSzWCYSHafexTuSykjgKQfC3SFrB75-IAmEJZiof5-BYKKOPPs5gyko1P4JMvw00W0KH0xvSY1ZnunD/s4740/DSCN4283.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3555" data-original-width="4740" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj08uQqlk0qOkz6xcFfI9rHdqLfcgxpKB1TZDvBIJjLbtMQqmmjGG0bBNPZJ3VqZBd4G1hqzD4FaUafpwk2V8R2aiH_Uzl4HDhCPQ6FjOTmBSzWCYSHafexTuSykjgKQfC3SFrB75-IAmEJZiof5-BYKKOPPs5gyko1P4JMvw00W0KH0xvSY1ZnunD/w640-h480/DSCN4283.JPG" title="sand sculptor" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>Travel tips: The Sugar Sand Festival runs through April 24 and costs $12 a person. In addition to the sand sculptures, there are concerts, street performances, sand sculpting classes, and food and craft vendors. This year, the Alligator and Wildlife Discovery Center will be on-site to introduce some of their rescued reptiles and teach guests about Florida’s wildlife. </p><p><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSaujP4JA2ogguVbAgzhb73SnONOP8T2CPIFfQ5Fmu8Ioqd45lmqhWv4NdkyT8733wn8Gug4yB6ICBKfveo7Q2JVGo0vdwVgFss6C81OegrkbKX7hSQ3Bqj4WrDx_gcp5Hvj69m5UHaoaG-kYYPwGlKAAYse0cuneNaLKusokKJDrzn1mVbyKaJxW/s4888/DSCN4270.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="4888" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSaujP4JA2ogguVbAgzhb73SnONOP8T2CPIFfQ5Fmu8Ioqd45lmqhWv4NdkyT8733wn8Gug4yB6ICBKfveo7Q2JVGo0vdwVgFss6C81OegrkbKX7hSQ3Bqj4WrDx_gcp5Hvj69m5UHaoaG-kYYPwGlKAAYse0cuneNaLKusokKJDrzn1mVbyKaJxW/w640-h480/DSCN4270.JPG" title="Winter the Dolphin memorial" width="640" /></a></div>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-60885864496509436182022-03-21T17:29:00.000-04:002022-03-21T17:29:26.112-04:00The Bars on Celebrity Millennium<p>On our last cruise on Serenade of the Seas, we challenged ourselves to have a drink at every bar on the ship. It was such a fun way to see the whole ship and to try new drinks that we decided to do it again on Millennium. With nine bars and only four days, this was not an easy challenge, but we were determined to succeed! :-) Fortunately, our booking included the Classic Drink Package, which covered beer, wine and cocktails up to $9 a serving. Many of the drinks I like cost more than $9, so I used some of our onboard credit to upgrade my beverage package to the Premium Package, which covered drinks up to $15. Since Ron usually sticks with Miller Lite, the Classic Package was fine with him.</p><p><b>Sunset Bar</b></p>
<p>We started our Bar Challenge at the Sunset Bar, where I ordered my traditional Welcome Aboard mojito. The bar was outdoors at the very back of the ship, a perfect place to watch the sail away or see the sunset. It was my favorite spot on the ship. I loved the look of the wavy wooden panels over the bar, although they didn't provide much shade.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGw443L-cklW1VeQM8r3LwiDzzvYdtxw2VBg-0VXkSRUZSQZrU04oNygtWBnnkpc6yw2-wJu_An1SA0CY3fIobNvV70uN_Gsue0bY-WcaKtvlud_nxlTUB42vusDEspaHqk1zPXiSDSzCmnpQGKdkHfsJ-PvidnyPyBDt2fMpgG02I2rWw0BI2CC3b=s3635" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="3635" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGw443L-cklW1VeQM8r3LwiDzzvYdtxw2VBg-0VXkSRUZSQZrU04oNygtWBnnkpc6yw2-wJu_An1SA0CY3fIobNvV70uN_Gsue0bY-WcaKtvlud_nxlTUB42vusDEspaHqk1zPXiSDSzCmnpQGKdkHfsJ-PvidnyPyBDt2fMpgG02I2rWw0BI2CC3b=w640-h480" title="Sunset Bar" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<p><b>Martini Bar</b></p>
<p>The Martini Bar was the most popular bar on the ship, thanks to the entertaining bartenders who could juggle liquor bottles and pour multiple martinis at one time. It was hard to get a seat, so we only had drinks there once, although we sometimes stopped on our way through the Grand Foyer just to watch the bartenders perform. All the martinis on the bar’s menu cost $13 and up, so my Premium Drink Package upgrade came in handy. I ordered the Fresca Martini, made with vodka, fresh watermelon juice, mint and lime.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_aaU6SCf-4lciVIze7zm6XC_noU91EPKyb_fGXSI7oSAV50RPaiZ1Rd4ocLxdYgjpiMMhctjoj0hFl--YVN0-8P0wA6BJxab9ZRkoGX0hAy4ScNETXEewgqcCOMGub2XYKvGOuq_DfHe3C3XPTow9nfO39G-DW0C0UMhrTr8NuqbcHyn5BthCyFsx=s3314" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3314" data-original-width="2486" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_aaU6SCf-4lciVIze7zm6XC_noU91EPKyb_fGXSI7oSAV50RPaiZ1Rd4ocLxdYgjpiMMhctjoj0hFl--YVN0-8P0wA6BJxab9ZRkoGX0hAy4ScNETXEewgqcCOMGub2XYKvGOuq_DfHe3C3XPTow9nfO39G-DW0C0UMhrTr8NuqbcHyn5BthCyFsx=w480-h640" title="Martini Bar" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Cellar Masters</b></p>
<p>Cellar Masters is Millennium’s wine bar. Ron and I don’t drink wine very often, but we stopped there for a glass before dinner on Chic Night. There’s something about being dressed up that makes me feel like I should be sipping wine. I had the Kiona Merlot and Ron ordered a carménère from Chile. I thought Ron’s wine had an odd taste, but I liked my merlot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4AFiKXgNOumrdZYoEJKbPq9QM2tGzEfCAzvBEsDLJjUNzHXTjOXKumwbGNeAPGlaTw2J0sX2kqSaAcpNJZYLMZzpmslyf9nxjliA5xxoMzVbyBMgGO0ggAWQKUCPj3tLCVONSn_w0PwC_4dpWqSAZVZQnqprU-RYOhd1nd0oZgZA5qNi9YIw9D0NH=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4AFiKXgNOumrdZYoEJKbPq9QM2tGzEfCAzvBEsDLJjUNzHXTjOXKumwbGNeAPGlaTw2J0sX2kqSaAcpNJZYLMZzpmslyf9nxjliA5xxoMzVbyBMgGO0ggAWQKUCPj3tLCVONSn_w0PwC_4dpWqSAZVZQnqprU-RYOhd1nd0oZgZA5qNi9YIw9D0NH=w640-h480" title="Cellar Masters" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Rendezvous Lounge</b></p>
<p>At the Rendezvous Lounge, which had live music and dancing in the evenings, I chose a drink from the bar’s menu, the Cucumber Collins. It was made with gin and fresh cucumber and reminded me of the cucumber gimlet that I sometimes make at home. Light and refreshing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2mJfdAlPg-MG6o44BUpdHd5QiJGZDvNRqpT3qr9uuaVUu9p_5baVDu_EQQuw04VVl3_f0XCoTCeFjWSn7i01B4lPWre3mR5YlnBLuj0BJHzc-lu5GVqUkmM-hr59JZKtUzwfSmNobr0Y80YFPBCZAruGLp-v3sr0j9kHxsswKvCfBgb8wwH94Mepv=s3684" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2763" data-original-width="3684" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2mJfdAlPg-MG6o44BUpdHd5QiJGZDvNRqpT3qr9uuaVUu9p_5baVDu_EQQuw04VVl3_f0XCoTCeFjWSn7i01B4lPWre3mR5YlnBLuj0BJHzc-lu5GVqUkmM-hr59JZKtUzwfSmNobr0Y80YFPBCZAruGLp-v3sr0j9kHxsswKvCfBgb8wwH94Mepv=w640-h480" title="Rendezvous Lounge" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Pool Bar/Mast Bar</b></p>
<p>I stuck with classic Bacardi and Coke at these busy outdoor bars – quick and simple.</p>
<p><b>Casino Bar</b></p><p>Since there was a shortage of dealers on our cruise due to COVID quarantines, I spent time at the Casino Bar while waiting for a spot at a Blackjack table. According to Celebrity’s app, the bar had a menu of drinks with casino-related names like “Double Down” and “High Roller”, but the bartenders didn’t seem to know how to make them. I ordered a gin fizz, a drink I discovered on our Serenade of the Seas Bar Challenge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZYHAMWfTnAA8q5-JBhGTuC-TBoidf4OThmLYeehGT52poUpg2a40WpmoNnPDD1HwSrQ3OjG8PRQMjXNmD00KJM95puY0Olzmd3rZ2rl3eYuH_0xQrv8tQRirtcNPrgpHotivCzb6g1DyD7vUKBZuvdYghNJ0Gi6QQqEEaKS5PZUMOZ00n9r-TAwUI=s3731" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2798" data-original-width="3731" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZYHAMWfTnAA8q5-JBhGTuC-TBoidf4OThmLYeehGT52poUpg2a40WpmoNnPDD1HwSrQ3OjG8PRQMjXNmD00KJM95puY0Olzmd3rZ2rl3eYuH_0xQrv8tQRirtcNPrgpHotivCzb6g1DyD7vUKBZuvdYghNJ0Gi6QQqEEaKS5PZUMOZ00n9r-TAwUI=w640-h480" title="Casino Bar" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Café al Bacio</b></p>
<p>Café al Bacio is a more of a coffee shop than a bar, but it also offers espresso-based cocktails and adult coffees. There are complimentary snacks throughout the day - croissants, little sandwiches, cakes and cookies. We went to the café in the afternoons when we needed a caffeine boost. I tried the Caffé Shakerato (espresso shaken with ice and cream), and the French Kiss (espresso, cognac and Grand Marnier), both delicious. Normally we wouldn’t have paid for specialty coffees, but they were covered by our drink packages, a very nice “perk”.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnoXMGyuwHRaH2xeJar1OvrDijN7AOq5pioxONBrAzD35h2YvDSwl2ST7tXmGDX4fLtA-V8HHVVZZO5XyYezYvXbaa-KmjmnQSxFf43E7hCqpGeQA469mwvfnHkutrHcYycY3ZkxvcwXfEj4t_zG4hexom9ihGM-Ib9vao20XHDPiEYt3wBPVrbpPG=s3779" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2834" data-original-width="3779" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnoXMGyuwHRaH2xeJar1OvrDijN7AOq5pioxONBrAzD35h2YvDSwl2ST7tXmGDX4fLtA-V8HHVVZZO5XyYezYvXbaa-KmjmnQSxFf43E7hCqpGeQA469mwvfnHkutrHcYycY3ZkxvcwXfEj4t_zG4hexom9ihGM-Ib9vao20XHDPiEYt3wBPVrbpPG=w640-h480" title="Cafe al Bacio" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p><b>Sky Lounge</b></p>
<p>The Sky Lounge is a large bar overlooking the bow of the ship where trivia games take place during the day and dance parties are held at night. We went there for the Totally 80s Gameshow, a hilarious Name That Tune-style game with 80s music. The drinks at the bar are named after the signs of the zodiac – Aries, Taurus, etc. My drink, the Gemini, was made with gin, rum, cognac, sherry, almond syrup, orange and lemon juice. Everything but the kitchen sink. :-) The result was that it was very strong and tasted like something I might have had at a party in college, fitting for the 80s-themed event. Gnarly but fun!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoUJB9aGJWrrhNCJU3SfL-q35D5tuXDM08EO9_TgGra9d8OUba51QBHtL9X2TZLRFZVfqY4cYU8QLKqMHDMRdbhG--AlwZfzGWiF8BBYm1Jpu3NVakF0BfProplbIDSE05pCHZf-3oAf6cz_lV0uZUtLp0nHrZJXw5z1lDHWiBvtl3mBnFsX2Zg9Rw=s2494" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1871" data-original-width="2494" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoUJB9aGJWrrhNCJU3SfL-q35D5tuXDM08EO9_TgGra9d8OUba51QBHtL9X2TZLRFZVfqY4cYU8QLKqMHDMRdbhG--AlwZfzGWiF8BBYm1Jpu3NVakF0BfProplbIDSE05pCHZf-3oAf6cz_lV0uZUtLp0nHrZJXw5z1lDHWiBvtl3mBnFsX2Zg9Rw=w640-h480" title="Sky Lounge" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<p>Although we don’t usually pay for drink packages, it was very nice having them included in our cruise fare this trip. I tried drinks that I might not ordinarily have ordered, like wine and specialty coffees. By the end of the cruise we had visited every bar on the ship except for the Retreat Lounge, which is exclusively for suite guests. I think we are going to make the Bar Challenge our new cruising tradition.</p><br />
<p>Travel tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>• DO get to the Martini Bar early to get a seat.</li>
<li>• DO enjoy the snacks at Café al Bacio, which are complimentary even if you don’t buy a drink. The almond croissants are fantastic!</li>
<li>• DON’T believe everything on the Celebrity app. The Casino Bar menu shown on the app sounded fun, but the bartenders weren’t familiar with the drinks.</li>
<li>• DON’T worry if your drink costs more than the limit of your drink package. You'll only need to pay for the amount over the limit, not the full price of the drink.</li>
<li>• DO the math. Before buying or upgrading a drink package, consider how many drinks and the types of drinks you are likely to order to determine if it’s worth it. It might cost less to pay as you go.</li>
</ul>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351602114966191182.post-59603727858431628252022-03-08T17:03:00.003-05:002022-03-21T15:05:05.970-04:00Celebrity Millennium<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif1fri5oSrgXr2giS6zorbVpdGRD2kwYWaODXlKRvWWv05Uw_wOL8VEBgMh0ys0MtKDlJaF_e_DvRgqn9688WtRmfqFtSqJJhbF9gYglfHfmRL0M10o9iicfcqrxG7DI6SsCeiJsN6veboumwX4rtMoulutzHqGvmkXhv8BomWegUHr_zSvKzqHY-Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif1fri5oSrgXr2giS6zorbVpdGRD2kwYWaODXlKRvWWv05Uw_wOL8VEBgMh0ys0MtKDlJaF_e_DvRgqn9688WtRmfqFtSqJJhbF9gYglfHfmRL0M10o9iicfcqrxG7DI6SsCeiJsN6veboumwX4rtMoulutzHqGvmkXhv8BomWegUHr_zSvKzqHY-Q=w640-h480" title="Celebrity Millennium" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><b>Fort Lauderdale</b></p>
<p>Celebrity is my favorite cruise line, but they don’t offer many short sailings so when Ron found a 4-day cruise on Millennium over Presidents’ Day weekend, we jumped on it. The itinerary was great (full days in Key West and Nassau), and our booking included drinks, tips, internet service and even some onboard credit.</p>
<p>We hit the road early to get to Port Everglades for our assigned check-in time. There was no line at all to get through security, and we practically walked right on the ship. Once we were onboard, it was easy to find our way around since we’d sailed on Constellation and Summit, Millennium’s sister ships, before. Although Millennium was built in 2000 and is the oldest in Celebrity’s fleet, you wouldn’t know it. It had been “Revolutionized” in 2019 and everything looked updated and fresh. The dark woods and warm reds and golds had been replaced with more muted tones – grays, soft blues and blush. I was afraid there would be too much “greige”, but it looked nice. The biggest changes I noticed were in our cabin, which had new bedding, a large flat screen TV, lots of open shelving, a lighted vanity mirror and USB ports by the bed. The bathroom even had a glass shower door! I don’t think I’ve ever been on a ship with a glass shower door. Much better than those “friendly” shower curtains.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3jgUqUA_BhsNpOCHRMQSy3pjAFdOtXYMUS5BT6Y5JDvXgEdlX6qyplMTF2UenD5xcFZqnfIZtzN51JwMQyCEu8-nv7KXnvp--OnZD1U5BsWmvZ-7A9skbBu0bXsxlAWC0aYPrzfkK6nCowOETb_qDVRIWHnNUPAsChRqCsthYtz6jRRtfeNlIwWjM=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3jgUqUA_BhsNpOCHRMQSy3pjAFdOtXYMUS5BT6Y5JDvXgEdlX6qyplMTF2UenD5xcFZqnfIZtzN51JwMQyCEu8-nv7KXnvp--OnZD1U5BsWmvZ-7A9skbBu0bXsxlAWC0aYPrzfkK6nCowOETb_qDVRIWHnNUPAsChRqCsthYtz6jRRtfeNlIwWjM=w640-h480" title="Grand Foyer" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Grand Foyer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsf_1b1Z4NWG15tX8jZ4ISYml3Q8qvsLJaD-WSL-tv2mM1cORFz1OedKVff_OtUuiUgp3l09TcvmPjIkF8Ue83vMYTykigAzLVk1ACgLwDaRR6oIDP59GCOMPrMxE9bgaPXoBdB8Il1xNDZrbjI55_96coJQfeVBA23snwtaroBoDfu8fMrncAy0kI=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsf_1b1Z4NWG15tX8jZ4ISYml3Q8qvsLJaD-WSL-tv2mM1cORFz1OedKVff_OtUuiUgp3l09TcvmPjIkF8Ue83vMYTykigAzLVk1ACgLwDaRR6oIDP59GCOMPrMxE9bgaPXoBdB8Il1xNDZrbjI55_96coJQfeVBA23snwtaroBoDfu8fMrncAy0kI=w480-h640" title="casino" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkkY0j-zElptHYP5jnQw5MNzx1Nic7dgHqem5ld8gb2wPjEa1FVZR4Df4pELFUCO2Jhyl8mQMmzaV5aZWNI2QthsRmjOUx3OrTqoD8Q0fRYfLkjiXJGuIuwEYxF-oOojiGjn03UkRLEUTPCzrU1a_DJzxiTP6UEjA6dED8Rwa_TDdpjeulfnBNX2bI=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkkY0j-zElptHYP5jnQw5MNzx1Nic7dgHqem5ld8gb2wPjEa1FVZR4Df4pELFUCO2Jhyl8mQMmzaV5aZWNI2QthsRmjOUx3OrTqoD8Q0fRYfLkjiXJGuIuwEYxF-oOojiGjn03UkRLEUTPCzrU1a_DJzxiTP6UEjA6dED8Rwa_TDdpjeulfnBNX2bI=w480-h640" title="Solarium" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solarium</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUtwGrOaE85JE91Y18VYMApFb1PVXnAfxd_eUYl18F9_PZK7H6A9iSp4FcKdpOiJuihQQSIsKnpXsZXfx115EGu9c3WK_Ya0tKZdrqB4qAcqmAtGwPfrObWJ30VPz_rk9N190aZ1Bkm1Hz7A7JT3MzoRxwIQ6sBKUCDGLGJDNWJ5a5FCl0LIkuoI5z=s3531"><img border="0" data-original-height="2648" data-original-width="3531" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUtwGrOaE85JE91Y18VYMApFb1PVXnAfxd_eUYl18F9_PZK7H6A9iSp4FcKdpOiJuihQQSIsKnpXsZXfx115EGu9c3WK_Ya0tKZdrqB4qAcqmAtGwPfrObWJ30VPz_rk9N190aZ1Bkm1Hz7A7JT3MzoRxwIQ6sBKUCDGLGJDNWJ5a5FCl0LIkuoI5z=w640-h480" title="Susan in the Solarium" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLmgGAoc-9f4ghuNkjxux9j_vB2URzLCqvAIUhlw-Sd0-ggxhLC1u6o2OWfCoaVoG6JLJ6YPnHisBHrOpy0r2n7fC1SGIAW0zCXH-t8KacWC8V5k9bHA5UiGB5_pdn1F3oxN9G31dtQIZPSjs3--foZT4Wjr-hpFqhxLhX-SmhkaRi56UJ4ojq96k8=s3923" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2942" data-original-width="3923" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLmgGAoc-9f4ghuNkjxux9j_vB2URzLCqvAIUhlw-Sd0-ggxhLC1u6o2OWfCoaVoG6JLJ6YPnHisBHrOpy0r2n7fC1SGIAW0zCXH-t8KacWC8V5k9bHA5UiGB5_pdn1F3oxN9G31dtQIZPSjs3--foZT4Wjr-hpFqhxLhX-SmhkaRi56UJ4ojq96k8=w640-h480" title="mojito at the Sunset Bar" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj91xN7NOoNUIuuT_w1N0CRcUlTs5N-Oi_a10u7W44Td6FwxAG_dxSWaVaC0hXQwaplYb0MWH-kw6tgSwazWLvy0t1YXNZ6SxlxWJezEkV4CucQ7pa0TpOLdVOznH6v6r5-51Xxo9xbQ6AbDk3z6T3QY4BM54fJWYLaE6-Tfdzg47-3pqMbmIVdc2B6=s4032"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj91xN7NOoNUIuuT_w1N0CRcUlTs5N-Oi_a10u7W44Td6FwxAG_dxSWaVaC0hXQwaplYb0MWH-kw6tgSwazWLvy0t1YXNZ6SxlxWJezEkV4CucQ7pa0TpOLdVOznH6v6r5-51Xxo9xbQ6AbDk3z6T3QY4BM54fJWYLaE6-Tfdzg47-3pqMbmIVdc2B6=w640-h480" title="balcony cabin" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>After we dropped our bags off in the cabin, we hung out on deck, watching the huge yachts riding up and down the Intracoastal Waterway. Celebrity Infinity, which was being used as a crew quarantine ship, circled offshore. Next to us there was a Coast Guard cutter unloading one billion (that’s billion with a B) dollars’ worth of cocaine and marijuana that had been seized at sea. So that’s what one billion dollars looks like! A water taxi went by, and we could hear the tour guide talking about how cruise ships were sailing at only 50% capacity right now. He said, “In my opinion, this is the best time to go on a cruise. It’s much less crowded.” I agree. It’s great not to have to fight for a pool chair or a spot in the elevators. You just have to remember that the cruise lines are struggling with the same staffing and supply problems as everyone else, so there might be a few hiccups.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2vLomu0j5e1NuEvocOaqKm0va-MToT_yyeqSPmZ7i8JVeYxALUFhMlRji3n9O5GyRNfoFVeDvFQShkbx5S3PldKseDs1ul3N5F0uhhJMQSOPpw9lkwtxdsbAKUAzsXpA_N4C2aHmIl0cV9b92mDrAoD3DVS62yb3_33bJjuMKI3JoGBQvQ4Bx8vh4=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2vLomu0j5e1NuEvocOaqKm0va-MToT_yyeqSPmZ7i8JVeYxALUFhMlRji3n9O5GyRNfoFVeDvFQShkbx5S3PldKseDs1ul3N5F0uhhJMQSOPpw9lkwtxdsbAKUAzsXpA_N4C2aHmIl0cV9b92mDrAoD3DVS62yb3_33bJjuMKI3JoGBQvQ4Bx8vh4=w480-h640" title="sailboat in Intracoastal Waterway" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd1L-YdHdzdPmfzI42AhQ1ylYLC2T02-3lrct8Gw14HCDOTtexmYN-jv37-8rRZ4H1KxqDQuf_xndS-xnwuXgG9YnqFyxYxdykj3Q51fyJGDlrP4nIKoUyOJM8yYu3j6WafjxMpGz2Cqul8KYxYJOckInmqZ_d4EfM4Cu4nmyzu1VF6BeHEk6hv20D=s3880"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="3880" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd1L-YdHdzdPmfzI42AhQ1ylYLC2T02-3lrct8Gw14HCDOTtexmYN-jv37-8rRZ4H1KxqDQuf_xndS-xnwuXgG9YnqFyxYxdykj3Q51fyJGDlrP4nIKoUyOJM8yYu3j6WafjxMpGz2Cqul8KYxYJOckInmqZ_d4EfM4Cu4nmyzu1VF6BeHEk6hv20D=w640-h480" title="mega-yacht" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We watched the sail away from the Sunset Bar, then went to dinner in the Metropolitan Restaurant, the ship’s main dining room. The restaurant looked great after its makeover, with bright white pillars and a new, modern chandelier. The tables by the windows had funky, high-backed chairs that reminded me of something out of Alice in Wonderland. For my dinner, I ordered escargot, roasted carrot salad and seared salmon. Ron had the prime rib but was disappointed that there was no horseradish. Later, one of the chefs told us that they hadn’t had a delivery of horseradish the last three sailings. The horseradish must be floating somewhere off the coast of California, along with all the computer chips and cat food. #supplychainproblems</p>
<p>Service that night was slow and a bit chaotic. Ron ordered coffee with dessert and I asked for a cappuccino. The assistant waiter brought my cappuccino and brought Ron an empty coffee cup but didn’t fill it. The next time we caught his attention to ask about Ron’s coffee, he said, “it’s coming” as he ran by. Ron never did get his coffee. Oh well. It’s not unusual for the first night’s dining service to be a little off, as the wait staff adjusts to a new group of passengers.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqYQZj6QM9DiIGfiuyZc_V2SaZTsYuXxIj9mxW5csP-CDmTnjSB6wfxjLDNbzY5O8mEDbsrI0sxRTPGs-e_JvUpMOXY1IvGyZf_p3OW-qzrxEM8SdOYX7AN2pdeu6aGdlnhvf2V1CROQGX0E1FuzHQ5QSPumi8V8MkEbVxeE3-dMBxjR41lBrtznxT=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqYQZj6QM9DiIGfiuyZc_V2SaZTsYuXxIj9mxW5csP-CDmTnjSB6wfxjLDNbzY5O8mEDbsrI0sxRTPGs-e_JvUpMOXY1IvGyZf_p3OW-qzrxEM8SdOYX7AN2pdeu6aGdlnhvf2V1CROQGX0E1FuzHQ5QSPumi8V8MkEbVxeE3-dMBxjR41lBrtznxT=w640-h480" title="Metropolitan Restaurant" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metropolitan Restaurant</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj__Es4Sntd8cQps5GDRuR9qPXe30OuninhRuOWj9AzBSAsFqEXcRjjqLz0QpTEUlPRg_wxcM7IYeP0_TgDszK-A58eSnOoiviQAziYC02I1QPnKU-h7Wv6LdZUBeIGYFupyxnYFxBafHh5EOZxotjS2X_TVm1FS7UloUVLukw4ty8AlG3mwCs9c3jc=s3946"><img border="0" data-original-height="2960" data-original-width="3946" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj__Es4Sntd8cQps5GDRuR9qPXe30OuninhRuOWj9AzBSAsFqEXcRjjqLz0QpTEUlPRg_wxcM7IYeP0_TgDszK-A58eSnOoiviQAziYC02I1QPnKU-h7Wv6LdZUBeIGYFupyxnYFxBafHh5EOZxotjS2X_TVm1FS7UloUVLukw4ty8AlG3mwCs9c3jc=w640-h480" title="chandelier" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHfTtp9Ca2CSQ99WmELAMYkepvWxy3HJL9aQUVt7mmgE3_fdzMmoWmIlFp6EzAJlO2-3gsi3swaQQbste6KUv4V_cLo5LzLYMe1uZ-WVOJsdXUIF2H7lVfj5Z5ziuItLMKkpki350mmzpvYXXL5rAT6WOARAcp9KMVEdoPfUuTmbPDCEhHsEbGpvrX=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHfTtp9Ca2CSQ99WmELAMYkepvWxy3HJL9aQUVt7mmgE3_fdzMmoWmIlFp6EzAJlO2-3gsi3swaQQbste6KUv4V_cLo5LzLYMe1uZ-WVOJsdXUIF2H7lVfj5Z5ziuItLMKkpki350mmzpvYXXL5rAT6WOARAcp9KMVEdoPfUuTmbPDCEhHsEbGpvrX=w480-h640" title="high-backed chairs" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>At 9 o’clock there was a comedy show in the main theater. I liked the comedian, Cathy Ladman, who had been on the Tonight Show and several TV comedies, including Modern Family, Caroline in the City and Everyone Loves Raymond. I could relate when she talked about having Face ID on her phone. She said one morning right after waking up, she checked her phone and it dialed 911. :-) “911. What is your emergency?” “My hair!!” There was a Motown show after the comedy act, but Ron and I were both sleepy from our early morning, so we called it a night.</p>
<p><b>Key West</b></p>
<p>We weren’t sure if we were going to make it to Key West or not. In November of 2020, the city passed a referendum banning ships carrying more than 1500 passengers. With cruise lines sailing at reduced capacity, a few ships had been able to dock (greeted by protestors), but others had rerouted to Bimini. Before the cruise, Ron and I researched Bimini, just in case. I was actually kind of excited about Bimini since we’d never been there, but either port was fine with me.</p>
<p>We woke up in the morning to a view of Sunset Key. We’d made it to Key West after all! We didn’t see any protestors, but there was a large banner across the dock saying, “Welcome to Key West, Cruise Ship Passengers!” After breakfast at the Oceanview Café, we headed off the ship and wandered into town, trying not to look too cruiser-ish. We had an 11 o’clock tour at the Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery. Papa’s Pilar Rum was named after Ernest “Papa” Hemingway’s fishing boat, “Pilar”, which was also the nickname of Hemingway’s second wife. Since apparently everyone had to have a nickname, our tour guide Mathias went by “Mo”. The distillery had a wall of historic photos highlighting Hemingway’s life and adventurous spirit, including pictures of Hemingway as a child, with his friend “Sloppy” Joe Russell and, of course, fishing on the Pilar. Hemingway’s family was involved in developing the rum and it showed in the details. Even the rum bottles were designed in the shape of Hemingway’s water canteen. Mo walked us through the process of distilling rum, explaining that rum got its color by aging in charred wooden barrels. He said that people thought pirates drank dark rum, but it takes at least three years to age rum. He joked, “Do you think pirates waited three years? No, they drank the clear stuff.” :-) We got to taste some of the rum ourselves and ended up buying a bottle of the blond rum, which had a buttery taste, almost like butterscotch candy.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiqobFl5FbB3svOGqnK5kqPHZTi8sEWqzFFa5PjUGF090I1vlcave7ChjzfMa2yxrOfkvt6D2-4V7bUyaolSipS0WsJ_B8Ty6sVYVV6eBmH9qDeFVXLKZCLPMV3si87eR8wbCiNlOPD3jXdnbKFEJVDwCHJemJY2rFVou6Lz6uNECXvv0qANMOjUBD=s4980" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4980" data-original-width="3735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiqobFl5FbB3svOGqnK5kqPHZTi8sEWqzFFa5PjUGF090I1vlcave7ChjzfMa2yxrOfkvt6D2-4V7bUyaolSipS0WsJ_B8Ty6sVYVV6eBmH9qDeFVXLKZCLPMV3si87eR8wbCiNlOPD3jXdnbKFEJVDwCHJemJY2rFVou6Lz6uNECXvv0qANMOjUBD=w480-h640" title="Key West roosters" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5y5ZGC_QVgWIjCJQQC8aywWND4v5qf4n4ejwlqCN893ZflYyzKZ8XOyw4S-zlnwiq0ejLSYbPKzcvKlv1VGP7bxkdi-5Z8-Iqp7cSDSxP9cV7Zd93e7vGw8lRr-GWbNCbThDNakYeJ1chtSy5wU6C1ATAYvSjMkSBc-NZcffrmbXO70SvdC-kXYvr=s4983" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3737" data-original-width="4983" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5y5ZGC_QVgWIjCJQQC8aywWND4v5qf4n4ejwlqCN893ZflYyzKZ8XOyw4S-zlnwiq0ejLSYbPKzcvKlv1VGP7bxkdi-5Z8-Iqp7cSDSxP9cV7Zd93e7vGw8lRr-GWbNCbThDNakYeJ1chtSy5wU6C1ATAYvSjMkSBc-NZcffrmbXO70SvdC-kXYvr=w640-h480" title="mailbox" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMvkxstpc50TkUvhFrFGK4ImTXuSYhyDjmY8V8rpDHsU_hSyGM9SpvorzGXyus9oOtcxPzKqb4-YRMx2OElYGhALVtz30J77L91xHiNeI2o1iJ0a6hcC6Q-EJewaaXo24FelaMaTxfB4LMIRFoeyyJ-gHMrinvj81uIsQzCLwOUvnY3zCUkBMM-X_V=s3698" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3698" data-original-width="2774" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMvkxstpc50TkUvhFrFGK4ImTXuSYhyDjmY8V8rpDHsU_hSyGM9SpvorzGXyus9oOtcxPzKqb4-YRMx2OElYGhALVtz30J77L91xHiNeI2o1iJ0a6hcC6Q-EJewaaXo24FelaMaTxfB4LMIRFoeyyJ-gHMrinvj81uIsQzCLwOUvnY3zCUkBMM-X_V=w480-h640" title="Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEYZDBwjtMTzRMiQunGVKRXz2EH6rJxOfIcoj_AugiOnlE_Wl2y49wSg305LJTuQNpjkPmN98f6YzkAu4FHyuvc5Xs2qxQSZ8zRg11IS0yDThfanrais-x4HFgOWm4dMhHFE8e98B4Kp0Fs7H8U17TOhwcaVV_PweZlbCWnSvj5Zehwdfvvnjlb1cE=s3738" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2803" data-original-width="3738" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEYZDBwjtMTzRMiQunGVKRXz2EH6rJxOfIcoj_AugiOnlE_Wl2y49wSg305LJTuQNpjkPmN98f6YzkAu4FHyuvc5Xs2qxQSZ8zRg11IS0yDThfanrais-x4HFgOWm4dMhHFE8e98B4Kp0Fs7H8U17TOhwcaVV_PweZlbCWnSvj5Zehwdfvvnjlb1cE=w640-h480" title="Pilar rum" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsIty2NBWGUTmNZaGB44r2E289i1YCep_bMpxvalAjAPCjW5UalLi4FWId_JsCWbgbwf5IMAthEvJKiQ2DmH_haoUDnlr7z5A-nkZ7BRsrix508sOFLyh0QciaUx5VD4kweBe2qnov07nleF3A8BnM0KbaaaKf8zD08jiyFgIAjTyON2LTqPbXrDui=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsIty2NBWGUTmNZaGB44r2E289i1YCep_bMpxvalAjAPCjW5UalLi4FWId_JsCWbgbwf5IMAthEvJKiQ2DmH_haoUDnlr7z5A-nkZ7BRsrix508sOFLyh0QciaUx5VD4kweBe2qnov07nleF3A8BnM0KbaaaKf8zD08jiyFgIAjTyON2LTqPbXrDui=w480-h640" title="rum barrels" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjLyqE8X6L9NcMWd5LSESZWFF34a0q0LVOMSfCVoxwy_X_ks0YW8K-6M1khm5EELm1Ddmu8zWFR9latxqsw0UmzwrThXYgrMu5GFxfG3ONjVvYs7un1PN4ichcQ0yASYsI6s7lBBoi4IXZmfI6wLY6sGJnsecIIIMb95o2iniCaWfFlP9LgbPOIKFd=s3968" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjLyqE8X6L9NcMWd5LSESZWFF34a0q0LVOMSfCVoxwy_X_ks0YW8K-6M1khm5EELm1Ddmu8zWFR9latxqsw0UmzwrThXYgrMu5GFxfG3ONjVvYs7un1PN4ichcQ0yASYsI6s7lBBoi4IXZmfI6wLY6sGJnsecIIIMb95o2iniCaWfFlP9LgbPOIKFd=w640-h480" title="rum barrels" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcm-UstJGmJzDz1nyZyK7G2HY8kqCLYSJdVZ4Nv8273KB0q5FTt7xWjScojvRCXYFiU3fvwTxQl3ob-yXO4aIGEB2JasXT_dZC-jk1soW2AshXopZ6n6tZR7Er9GIWuYaasJ1T6Chw2gGIzBNTBj-oHKmorQCAUfG85lkFG0FQ2NKz3OuFA1ktUtt2=s3780" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="2835" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcm-UstJGmJzDz1nyZyK7G2HY8kqCLYSJdVZ4Nv8273KB0q5FTt7xWjScojvRCXYFiU3fvwTxQl3ob-yXO4aIGEB2JasXT_dZC-jk1soW2AshXopZ6n6tZR7Er9GIWuYaasJ1T6Chw2gGIzBNTBj-oHKmorQCAUfG85lkFG0FQ2NKz3OuFA1ktUtt2=w480-h640" title="Ron with Pilar rum" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>We had lunch at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, went back to the ship to drop off our rum, and then walked to the lighthouse at the southern end of the island. We’d visited the lighthouse before, so Ron opted to stay on the ground this time while I climbed the 88 steps to the top of the tower. From the lighthouse gallery, there was a beautiful view of Old Town and of our ship. By that time we were done at the lighthouse, we were both tired, and the walk back to the pier seemed very looooong. I wished I had thought to ask if we could borrow a couple of Chris’s bikes. We had to stop at Caroline’s Café on Duval Street for a mojito while we rested our feet. :-)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifCHrWXjMAgDn4LBCwc2d_8SsJbnRnWD3DNcJE8WzlhiEbEoi3pu1C6JhyQcrdPuYO1V8ezHQhjQZtv-Ux5FwlGSt0jiQm_VEyBQF2dYxG-oYZGfVqGDBH9r5-lzZ2mdwtyVOL3DBhVtd1vD1ZtjEHKwGf0A8SZfgvwoNyoh0KAvsrXMWl4NGHV8P2=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifCHrWXjMAgDn4LBCwc2d_8SsJbnRnWD3DNcJE8WzlhiEbEoi3pu1C6JhyQcrdPuYO1V8ezHQhjQZtv-Ux5FwlGSt0jiQm_VEyBQF2dYxG-oYZGfVqGDBH9r5-lzZ2mdwtyVOL3DBhVtd1vD1ZtjEHKwGf0A8SZfgvwoNyoh0KAvsrXMWl4NGHV8P2=w480-h640" title="Key West bight" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF3ycF2HfbQwlQLhXo-MCu2tvawmIzb3XoOb_3-El5ITlzKwMf28JoueRwiJPV5ISKS7H5K5UBSkDLWfu70Hbr3FvurvlBvUbTasDU3smBmHenMJDsFPPIww9YiNc3IpG89ShOlbtGqRK-E4T9kcp8eZbcpIOPY5ecl_97TVQobdh0fGCUwMaxKkiQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF3ycF2HfbQwlQLhXo-MCu2tvawmIzb3XoOb_3-El5ITlzKwMf28JoueRwiJPV5ISKS7H5K5UBSkDLWfu70Hbr3FvurvlBvUbTasDU3smBmHenMJDsFPPIww9YiNc3IpG89ShOlbtGqRK-E4T9kcp8eZbcpIOPY5ecl_97TVQobdh0fGCUwMaxKkiQ=w480-h640" title="Key West Lighthouse" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key West Lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlScsYaF6Q7Y9BF_SeEWx-PgMV4C0ubYgD85jcXe0Prc-fc0NSolxsscDmsycVbVucQdW75V9Mo5dEpj800rxtQv8ZpMPMlJabjrDPJPeekmU6jNe0IXaw3pQC1oAOLQFOHbuDNUcaIAIbMh_BHOYG0OXFpSzKUkktG5WKSEgHsLJRGVFE-IeLvbev=s3932" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3932" data-original-width="2949" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlScsYaF6Q7Y9BF_SeEWx-PgMV4C0ubYgD85jcXe0Prc-fc0NSolxsscDmsycVbVucQdW75V9Mo5dEpj800rxtQv8ZpMPMlJabjrDPJPeekmU6jNe0IXaw3pQC1oAOLQFOHbuDNUcaIAIbMh_BHOYG0OXFpSzKUkktG5WKSEgHsLJRGVFE-IeLvbev=w480-h640" title="lighthouse sign" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaHON3PNKGRCthxyz9m1QxT4QVsFv_V1dwN0c2U0AEMV01UvYqJEyIyBoqo5xW5vAZpnyBNrnhyK5FAb8v0WFO7c-jP4w90dpapJreyGXxQu1ZLv3ibPGFEoqdOdh_tR3S-Xtohxr4Q1aiwIjal2LwZEFeTC78NvHEgvJarO2fWMhMlSAN4hSoR6xg=s5101" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3825" data-original-width="5101" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaHON3PNKGRCthxyz9m1QxT4QVsFv_V1dwN0c2U0AEMV01UvYqJEyIyBoqo5xW5vAZpnyBNrnhyK5FAb8v0WFO7c-jP4w90dpapJreyGXxQu1ZLv3ibPGFEoqdOdh_tR3S-Xtohxr4Q1aiwIjal2LwZEFeTC78NvHEgvJarO2fWMhMlSAN4hSoR6xg=w640-h480" title="view of ship from lighthouse" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgri-q6Z2-VFoAirPmuffXMrKFwws4KPxkPrcbvHbbUMCYqXs4_U221EsTxcTLZme-lgvvWhgHgLmJ2taqRtFYCvOyEtL-dGLlKMP9rFieGYlrTZEaHYs3b7KvYKyT53gO9OQlzLnkMKqpdHx_W6BQB42eQa4vHcgzb2gHr39sctDg-T_2x_ausqRZL=s4828" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3621" data-original-width="4828" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgri-q6Z2-VFoAirPmuffXMrKFwws4KPxkPrcbvHbbUMCYqXs4_U221EsTxcTLZme-lgvvWhgHgLmJ2taqRtFYCvOyEtL-dGLlKMP9rFieGYlrTZEaHYs3b7KvYKyT53gO9OQlzLnkMKqpdHx_W6BQB42eQa4vHcgzb2gHr39sctDg-T_2x_ausqRZL=w640-h480" title="Caroline's Cafe sign" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Back on the ship, we napped in our cabin until 5 o’clock, then went to the Sunset Bar for the sail away, but the ship showed no signs of leaving port. After a while we heard an announcement that we were waiting on two missing passengers. We watched the officers milling around the gangway until finally at almost 5:30, we saw a couple slowly sauntering up the pier, totally clueless that they were holding up the whole ship. A crew member ran out to meet them and then they walked slightly faster the rest of the way. As soon as they were onboard, the gangway was pulled up and we were on our way. I don’t think we would have waited for them much longer. If Key Westers were already unhappy with cruise ships, I could imagine the outcry if we had blocked the sunset.</p>
<p>It was a beautiful sail away. As we pulled away from the pier, we could see the crowd of people at Mallory Square and the sailboats out for their sunset sails. We passed the Sand Key Lighthouse just as the sun was setting. There is nothing like a Key West sunset.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFBJR6Sj59_xbF1HCuCXMbOMY8MypB6XQBd3zNPHZER3lFFtCdPGhJLf10ZfIZRefCIMkiKHTUGE7PiEJF_0_USXbkGpo4SP0XeBVS_BIrJ94Ez_KREFt8Jkqk33_0hPN0b0uEBDcaYwm_om67GoLiYgdFo7VJnbiFJ30blfTt-4LCEYlsUTSNhu1=s5184" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFBJR6Sj59_xbF1HCuCXMbOMY8MypB6XQBd3zNPHZER3lFFtCdPGhJLf10ZfIZRefCIMkiKHTUGE7PiEJF_0_USXbkGpo4SP0XeBVS_BIrJ94Ez_KREFt8Jkqk33_0hPN0b0uEBDcaYwm_om67GoLiYgdFo7VJnbiFJ30blfTt-4LCEYlsUTSNhu1=w640-h480" title="sunset sailboats" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF-yZ-qFg-fXrOTKtuA7GbMwvBheppzghhVx-1L_pzTWtxp3vELD73UqYHOMGXDmp2EyBGOVFjbsImN4Eeps5FHZEd4q90eyGTnl-lfWbNWjFvEwE7nenbnS2apFG9MKqXmRAYABc5nJLjUjZtPc4EEDfKqNbVtzsaliU6QaKSeo-qUYqlu8XVdiV7=s4988" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3741" data-original-width="4988" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF-yZ-qFg-fXrOTKtuA7GbMwvBheppzghhVx-1L_pzTWtxp3vELD73UqYHOMGXDmp2EyBGOVFjbsImN4Eeps5FHZEd4q90eyGTnl-lfWbNWjFvEwE7nenbnS2apFG9MKqXmRAYABc5nJLjUjZtPc4EEDfKqNbVtzsaliU6QaKSeo-qUYqlu8XVdiV7=w640-h480" title="sailboat" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia4Dkbyr8G5q2RVzhrx49AanFvumxC1NSa8qkfPE80MudMLDHFvGuLotLoFMfWBnoirDeEOcftt0vZcOrzeybQGoCkl7hzWwEFh9InDmxWsiI1JXb9hjwQjZAAFBb2T16q1yxEU8f00Hh-Eo_YUD17wMI5Gnig8F_k877FK_pq7YDw4mHYsq8HBNbS=s5037" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3778" data-original-width="5037" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia4Dkbyr8G5q2RVzhrx49AanFvumxC1NSa8qkfPE80MudMLDHFvGuLotLoFMfWBnoirDeEOcftt0vZcOrzeybQGoCkl7hzWwEFh9InDmxWsiI1JXb9hjwQjZAAFBb2T16q1yxEU8f00Hh-Eo_YUD17wMI5Gnig8F_k877FK_pq7YDw4mHYsq8HBNbS=w640-h480" title="sun setting behind the Sand Key Lighthouse" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>That night at dinner, we were seated at one of the tables with the Alice in Wonderland chairs. Unfortunately, the service was just as slow as the first night and our waiter brought an appetizer I didn’t order. We decided not to bother with dessert and went to the casino for some Blackjack. Because of COVID precautions, the casino manager was only allowing four players per table, and with just two open Blackjack tables, it was a challenge to get a seat. Eventually Ron nabbed a spot at the single deck table, and I got a seat at the regular table. We played for a long time, and I lost about $40 but we had fun. When we turned in our chips, the cashier told us that half of the dealers were out on COVID quarantine. No wonder there were only two tables open. Before going back to the cabin, we stopped at the Martini Bar, where the high-energy bartenders were putting on a show, juggling bottles and pouring multiple drinks at one time.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEecyhowiML_TnfBhoA7RSDvCFbxAE_0FV0qlaUAxEKgBzoodSeTPIIawJZWKC0UyM5zpwOQQRz9JNRoH5oSqlN7_8-e4AYpeIroOZhHJ8_roQ_MCDqVT5I9FaoYz9WHt9IwdVP_c8vFfq24uJ6SfUJNO-JUIladPUbYtLkB4op8PSu7IuuZT5gwnr=s3314" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3314" data-original-width="2486" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEecyhowiML_TnfBhoA7RSDvCFbxAE_0FV0qlaUAxEKgBzoodSeTPIIawJZWKC0UyM5zpwOQQRz9JNRoH5oSqlN7_8-e4AYpeIroOZhHJ8_roQ_MCDqVT5I9FaoYz9WHt9IwdVP_c8vFfq24uJ6SfUJNO-JUIladPUbYtLkB4op8PSu7IuuZT5gwnr=w480-h640" title="Martini Bar" width="480" /></a></div>
<p><b>Sea Day</b></p>
<p>I woke up at 3:30 to people yelling in the hallway. Grrr! :-( Eventually I fell back asleep and when I woke up again, it was almost 7. We spent the morning at the pool deck where the activities staff were giving dance lessons and a Boy Band cover group performed a mini concert by the pool. It was a beautiful day. While Ron and I were soaking up vitamin D and looking out at the ocean, a large sport fishing boat came speeding towards us and crossed directly in front on the ship’s bow! Our captain blasted the horn. I couldn’t believe that had happened! With all that ocean, how does someone almost run into a cruise ship? Ron guessed that the fishing boat’s captain had put his boat on autopilot and gone below to fix a drink.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzXR77pD6Th4YAih0xP8di6Vawhqf29sKNPwc-JOIu8p5WKc3TqGqaQhvP9o3_rrSgWeefaHLcua7QYEXx_5g6X8Oy2E0zphBgd_-zMDskAaXuhv0BHq6czYVXkKoSxDa5GowoQlGj3aI9I-JD2vbvxURkorUbEnOZL8RrmMJ7D80ZbIgKTujJMeUZ=s2996" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="2996" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzXR77pD6Th4YAih0xP8di6Vawhqf29sKNPwc-JOIu8p5WKc3TqGqaQhvP9o3_rrSgWeefaHLcua7QYEXx_5g6X8Oy2E0zphBgd_-zMDskAaXuhv0BHq6czYVXkKoSxDa5GowoQlGj3aI9I-JD2vbvxURkorUbEnOZL8RrmMJ7D80ZbIgKTujJMeUZ=w640-h480" title="main pool" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbTdru_ejRdqT8kOr_PEY6jQqWvsAGXs0CC6uwpxOrViVEkJ7qc-8IysFPChrEmKvP--5wtD2VbbIoAPhK9KR2FQM5Rev4Rww9YocB5Q_1v5AonHKJnYavwthVKoM3E_IQFe-TkUgrGSmL1Cw9s07HvYqC6_QnwqoLTAhYEXhM2MahmugjmX_zmy4A=s4032"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbTdru_ejRdqT8kOr_PEY6jQqWvsAGXs0CC6uwpxOrViVEkJ7qc-8IysFPChrEmKvP--5wtD2VbbIoAPhK9KR2FQM5Rev4Rww9YocB5Q_1v5AonHKJnYavwthVKoM3E_IQFe-TkUgrGSmL1Cw9s07HvYqC6_QnwqoLTAhYEXhM2MahmugjmX_zmy4A=w640-h480" title="love art on ship's hull" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we’d had enough sun, we went down to the cabin and hung out on our balcony. On our last cruise in November, we had two sea days and I thought we would spend a lot of time on the balcony, but we always seemed to be busy doing other things. This cruise, I really wanted to enjoy the balcony. We stood at the railing for a long time, just watching the flying fish leaping away from the ship’s wake and skipping across the water.</p>
<p>That night was Chic Night, so we dressed up and went to the Grand Foyer to get our pictures taken before dinner. Since we hadn’t been very excited about our main dining room experience so far, I thought we could use some of our onboard credit to pay for dinner at Tuscan Grill, the Italian steakhouse specialty restaurant. I had called to make reservations, but there weren’t any tables available until the next night. I ended up being glad that we couldn’t get reservations that night because the main dining room was like a different restaurant. All the courses came out quickly and the menu was great. We ordered almost everything – scallops Rockefeller, prosciutto and arugula salad, blue cheese soufflé (it was very rich), lobster and Beef Wellington. Yum!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyFMdFM1CYGAqIJHaP6Hn3x4rnVnUpKuM3G1N1cdziaoOkXKjhVKekVqH6TRxEF7-g6TmRyGZ4GNpTMBo5XqWs0Kq0lg-qfCPfkPF0KWwhqwXgHTRPhwEe4W3e5PRSF32Cuo1dbro9RmQFLGnTv003PdethVuVilkBD3r_PGBO0r9TlkHtl2oLKYub=s1933" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1933" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyFMdFM1CYGAqIJHaP6Hn3x4rnVnUpKuM3G1N1cdziaoOkXKjhVKekVqH6TRxEF7-g6TmRyGZ4GNpTMBo5XqWs0Kq0lg-qfCPfkPF0KWwhqwXgHTRPhwEe4W3e5PRSF32Cuo1dbro9RmQFLGnTv003PdethVuVilkBD3r_PGBO0r9TlkHtl2oLKYub=w640-h512" title="Chic Night portrait" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>The evening’s entertainment included Touch of Shine, an excellent aerial/acrobat duo, followed by the Totally 80s Gameshow, which was held in the Sky Lounge. Like on our Serenade of the Seas cruise, I’d made it a goal to have a drink at every bar on the ship, and we hadn’t made it to the Sky Lounge yet. Perfect - I could check a bar off my list and listen to 80s music at the same time! :-) The game involved two teams, Team Awesome and Team Gnarly, competing against each other to name the title and artist of songs as quickly as possible. Team Awesome was winning until we got to the rock portion of the show when Team Gnarly picked a new captain who clearly knew his 80s rock. There was a lot of singing along from the audience too. I ended up a little tipsy from the drink I’d ordered, so Ron picked up pizza for us at the Oceanview Café, which we ate in our cabin before going to bed. What a fun night.</p>
<p><b>Nassau</b></p>
<p>When I woke up the next morning, we were docking in Nassau. Ron was still sleeping so I crept out onto the balcony. There was a Carnival ship docked next to us, and when I pulled up marinetraffic.com on my phone to see which ship it was, the radar showed a second Carnival ship pulling into the harbor and two more ships already docked on our other side. Five ships! It was going to be a busy day in Nassau.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXru_JqP54acpTb3rpLvpjzsEeF0oOU4l3ar5wynfVc7dAh9zJcdQtfchTnKgwZAG8eKdW67vTZoYQ0naUObgQo7NeRB5wTzc7B7sOihqoAJQuF-dSRUkFgfTJ90d5pwT00kqG9yIc0P_HV52vVM2QF_-q5qXOUhlkm6owGfxcADQsCOUuAp0O-ZB_=s948" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="948" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXru_JqP54acpTb3rpLvpjzsEeF0oOU4l3ar5wynfVc7dAh9zJcdQtfchTnKgwZAG8eKdW67vTZoYQ0naUObgQo7NeRB5wTzc7B7sOihqoAJQuF-dSRUkFgfTJ90d5pwT00kqG9yIc0P_HV52vVM2QF_-q5qXOUhlkm6owGfxcADQsCOUuAp0O-ZB_=w640-h480" title="marine traffic screenshot" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVua7DPXoz0ka8qjP4u0cvI1Er_R9gCK4pX0_xbsOvt_BH0Qz-i059yeUSW3NNPi9-Y5KfXLgwKX1yCjoYALX6vVtJY5WyNwWrhTu5EpCrFkfIy-QDQFA4uRD4Udts2KSGvuOGXvPcGnTWTZrRjrb1Ui1n8d0V3vrf9XcwfXoJNnz8qzA-dbXLwsn8=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVua7DPXoz0ka8qjP4u0cvI1Er_R9gCK4pX0_xbsOvt_BH0Qz-i059yeUSW3NNPi9-Y5KfXLgwKX1yCjoYALX6vVtJY5WyNwWrhTu5EpCrFkfIy-QDQFA4uRD4Udts2KSGvuOGXvPcGnTWTZrRjrb1Ui1n8d0V3vrf9XcwfXoJNnz8qzA-dbXLwsn8=w640-h480" title="two Carnival ships" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj93tUeJz4Lah1HEW38_bxlWrcGvz28yKgCILh_G5WTCDCNz2bcA7TRfPxbFW2xsXC7V5nb0o9HjvGhFw8VwK-Zw-VKG-Ayu6yltChrSgUCoVLTNH2NVfCdGNVCsxUL8Y8vUe4cWH3rs-xEEjmZW8n0asvJVjJafAlF0Dz08JmmYEAwHX2vhZWKaAMs=s3940" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3940" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj93tUeJz4Lah1HEW38_bxlWrcGvz28yKgCILh_G5WTCDCNz2bcA7TRfPxbFW2xsXC7V5nb0o9HjvGhFw8VwK-Zw-VKG-Ayu6yltChrSgUCoVLTNH2NVfCdGNVCsxUL8Y8vUe4cWH3rs-xEEjmZW8n0asvJVjJafAlF0Dz08JmmYEAwHX2vhZWKaAMs=w640-h480" title="Celebrity logo reflection" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reflection of our smokestack in Celebrity Apex's windows</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD5zKQjCiAO1VCRuzrt95OsBqHp1C9dllw0Wsw7uFlhS26YM16_il9TowYGavsVI4UX-7ClSzpB4Cn5dwO6x-U-RAevPq4kX2eaNVyUdqmp3n6mIgFt6jQOrtk89qgVEuVDrLDXva6fAl1p0hvnhRmllMal4zR3-70A-RyZGAvSVJqiFa6YzbYZ1-R=s3994"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3994" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD5zKQjCiAO1VCRuzrt95OsBqHp1C9dllw0Wsw7uFlhS26YM16_il9TowYGavsVI4UX-7ClSzpB4Cn5dwO6x-U-RAevPq4kX2eaNVyUdqmp3n6mIgFt6jQOrtk89qgVEuVDrLDXva6fAl1p0hvnhRmllMal4zR3-70A-RyZGAvSVJqiFa6YzbYZ1-R=w640-h480" title="Celebrity Millennium in Nassau" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>We didn’t have any specific plans for the day except to revisit our favorite places and have some Sky Juice and good Bahamian food. The area around the port was a bit of a mess. The old Festival Place had been bulldozed to build a new cruise terminal and marina. We made our way through the construction zone and down Bay Street, stopping to take a picture of the British Colonial Hilton while we still could. I was sad that the beautiful old hotel had closed for good. What a loss of history.</p>
<p>Next, we headed up the hill to the Graycliff Hotel to buy some chocolates at the chocolate shop. A Christmas tree, made out of wine bottles, was still up in Graycliff’s lobby. Across the street from Graycliff, there was a winery, a couple of colorful bars and the Heritage Museum which was formerly the summer home of Lord Mountbatten. An umbrella art display was strung over the road. As we walked along, I took pictures of some of the unique and brightly painted doorways. John Watling’s rum distillery was nearby, so we stopped there for a rum and Coke. Since our last visit, the distillery had turned into a major tourist stop. It was packed! </p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtHNpsdTrALei4Fx_HlvNcks0oqTZWERh8u0iqlWqJKN1HyexEQl_pMinEle0PxGi3LB3uCI6NoA-T21ffp01qckH8y5O96_m6A-O1uUCBT74NCgciLMNSUIendX2PNii79cXynsJ1DyiWMn_0HFrnfztRU1OBuZbvdZB1z4SAjIVtFWSBa1Yp7Yu8=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtHNpsdTrALei4Fx_HlvNcks0oqTZWERh8u0iqlWqJKN1HyexEQl_pMinEle0PxGi3LB3uCI6NoA-T21ffp01qckH8y5O96_m6A-O1uUCBT74NCgciLMNSUIendX2PNii79cXynsJ1DyiWMn_0HFrnfztRU1OBuZbvdZB1z4SAjIVtFWSBa1Yp7Yu8=w640-h480" title="British Colonial Hilton" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Colonial Hilton</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpm2YO1eOxq8roYBmm49yAM_r2MLL5ilCmVYzlZKtpKHs3xiHnZIgeZeuAOq97P5WKkWxP9dBg8YzRTmZgyK5EmpcfGWWZTG6wMAJA626qm3yiK3Su1iA5GH9YGerSymTu4lPlq3kHBf6LKIl-HDqDm4pIwUJUsdavWhGkfUo2Nek1EFkfN5tvMM1h=s4032"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpm2YO1eOxq8roYBmm49yAM_r2MLL5ilCmVYzlZKtpKHs3xiHnZIgeZeuAOq97P5WKkWxP9dBg8YzRTmZgyK5EmpcfGWWZTG6wMAJA626qm3yiK3Su1iA5GH9YGerSymTu4lPlq3kHBf6LKIl-HDqDm4pIwUJUsdavWhGkfUo2Nek1EFkfN5tvMM1h=w640-h480" title="Graycliff sign" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpSjwSOIOKPqRt34LkgvvhsVRcVKQgWCKMYFKv5G_6VGn6AULwvT3xAJ5E4a0ql1m1NNh6XXzSjJ3hzcwJHB3KYFoHNatmJuPvUDQHUm6ZQ3aZqH4cGT-xg5l8xyb0d8QDg45hxh2Mt8O3DDJ6dgnVSkH1h7rkaQVSX90aj58Y8-hWBiAKBRKoMfRn=s3854" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3854" data-original-width="2891" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpSjwSOIOKPqRt34LkgvvhsVRcVKQgWCKMYFKv5G_6VGn6AULwvT3xAJ5E4a0ql1m1NNh6XXzSjJ3hzcwJHB3KYFoHNatmJuPvUDQHUm6ZQ3aZqH4cGT-xg5l8xyb0d8QDg45hxh2Mt8O3DDJ6dgnVSkH1h7rkaQVSX90aj58Y8-hWBiAKBRKoMfRn=w480-h640" title="wine bottle Christmas tree" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiNq-ennjB1hyWC6fY4rmfocebQ249VIE3JdKk76Er7bJ52jwgLOE5VsCpravX92EfcgpH48bFDMGXPOFzwN2QmVzcu6O3WSB2Wxi-cZ37FqsOdVquNrYR3D4OpzBmscI8mpvF_Jh7qgFTxHQE014C84aXzOX9Q9PrfbpRvGCeGhRe_O-OnjFX19QF=s3760" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="3760" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiNq-ennjB1hyWC6fY4rmfocebQ249VIE3JdKk76Er7bJ52jwgLOE5VsCpravX92EfcgpH48bFDMGXPOFzwN2QmVzcu6O3WSB2Wxi-cZ37FqsOdVquNrYR3D4OpzBmscI8mpvF_Jh7qgFTxHQE014C84aXzOX9Q9PrfbpRvGCeGhRe_O-OnjFX19QF=w640-h480" title="Heritage Museum of the Bahamas" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUuwfty6IsQ4SLYUs0E7H4pdHch8y2FZGVY_dvK8Loxgdvs24zkVuFnmpzaIBRduJ09WAGG-7QUv3l5sRiglXhFNHT7-CVdoLLRaznf54Ie9tORRPYAuijg09l81W3CfP-H-1ZqCzqrCMYczz4ypSsx185ylpIgfqyYRjcHJZVqV1heaCUWvqeRMTI=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUuwfty6IsQ4SLYUs0E7H4pdHch8y2FZGVY_dvK8Loxgdvs24zkVuFnmpzaIBRduJ09WAGG-7QUv3l5sRiglXhFNHT7-CVdoLLRaznf54Ie9tORRPYAuijg09l81W3CfP-H-1ZqCzqrCMYczz4ypSsx185ylpIgfqyYRjcHJZVqV1heaCUWvqeRMTI=w480-h640" title="West Hill Street" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Hill Street</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ70YTcDY0vzCpM4pqPshXxnv8x2ESB3_2LB903d9HqNNzFvAbQNACAqsCXEjXl9KZT35lbmV7WtSQHeUfNJHv_VIczb1nHQMJbyANyWBe-2u1JBkA11iDEihvObyePMZ31FukHJtUqheW1jp6SNCjHEHuTQiJbGRvNroqWzyLsFJD_Bv9ZgTWPbHS=s2899" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="2174" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ70YTcDY0vzCpM4pqPshXxnv8x2ESB3_2LB903d9HqNNzFvAbQNACAqsCXEjXl9KZT35lbmV7WtSQHeUfNJHv_VIczb1nHQMJbyANyWBe-2u1JBkA11iDEihvObyePMZ31FukHJtUqheW1jp6SNCjHEHuTQiJbGRvNroqWzyLsFJD_Bv9ZgTWPbHS=w480-h640" title="wooden door and flowers" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgec44pv-xXKMDl_e5dV2WbWGmlbl6FhSCzqCymjsvO60NbMNDDaYP7TQC29_IqvkKj_qu8YpZcY522D4acX5RKoUqWviBAQ93ciI-1xgisihnBLMw3Dz4EjzBWS7vobaJTZJGUDAuLp_8zuvFD2roPtMrMzYQJ2Ns4gDcS6IqGeR7ZgUzYiZdLT12A=s4032"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgec44pv-xXKMDl_e5dV2WbWGmlbl6FhSCzqCymjsvO60NbMNDDaYP7TQC29_IqvkKj_qu8YpZcY522D4acX5RKoUqWviBAQ93ciI-1xgisihnBLMw3Dz4EjzBWS7vobaJTZJGUDAuLp_8zuvFD2roPtMrMzYQJ2Ns4gDcS6IqGeR7ZgUzYiZdLT12A=w640-h480" title="gate painted with fish" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX-uUfBp7OndnUYY8AxVX5mnELPGUGD_s8PuoLk1Bpjhf2HcD5ig-vr5WnmsQ6RalCYz7z75WrkrQcYw6WvGLCcomkVS_tYKTTvOt8la2-zyRHwCpG0rpvP_3HFSsgsqvVKK02d3BcXiYGVYh2WLrLiqEr-BCDOg8fr8aqW7lGD96radcqHyjLZxqe=s3768" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3768" data-original-width="2826" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX-uUfBp7OndnUYY8AxVX5mnELPGUGD_s8PuoLk1Bpjhf2HcD5ig-vr5WnmsQ6RalCYz7z75WrkrQcYw6WvGLCcomkVS_tYKTTvOt8la2-zyRHwCpG0rpvP_3HFSsgsqvVKK02d3BcXiYGVYh2WLrLiqEr-BCDOg8fr8aqW7lGD96radcqHyjLZxqe=w480-h640" title="colorful doorway" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE97R_JGVtms8zd988ZReDaLhUTsPUCidbZ7RydHoeW4MkqVplCNZpCFrOcJc7zUiYoV3gkeeKW5supcgofMsDJKCH1UGPPncb5MMGzmPNpgxB683LQI9040AncDlyatlm5aozEBPVihf1qSdAVDgbdaSxTKlfJNCtzRm7EceeldHiEIonrSCxE5bu=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE97R_JGVtms8zd988ZReDaLhUTsPUCidbZ7RydHoeW4MkqVplCNZpCFrOcJc7zUiYoV3gkeeKW5supcgofMsDJKCH1UGPPncb5MMGzmPNpgxB683LQI9040AncDlyatlm5aozEBPVihf1qSdAVDgbdaSxTKlfJNCtzRm7EceeldHiEIonrSCxE5bu=w480-h640" title="stone doorway" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKLAO-gzmVsbRzDQqF2U4inVWrkTn4T3j6pj7xu13vk-ozTHhazBuVww1kjKnXx9IUNCKgyQFuOQUrqksbTfCssvbCZFXr6Z1aQYEC9G4Yic5SqXpKDFMSONBcNK3XegEwgh_pLQ662jrrlMJZbYKVEhRb2UwPliJlZk-KhI6o7FIc78SBwx6EZoKl=s3932" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3932" data-original-width="2949" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKLAO-gzmVsbRzDQqF2U4inVWrkTn4T3j6pj7xu13vk-ozTHhazBuVww1kjKnXx9IUNCKgyQFuOQUrqksbTfCssvbCZFXr6Z1aQYEC9G4Yic5SqXpKDFMSONBcNK3XegEwgh_pLQ662jrrlMJZbYKVEhRb2UwPliJlZk-KhI6o7FIc78SBwx6EZoKl=w480-h640" title="National Art Gallery" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Art Gallery</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After we made our way back to Bay Street, we flagged down a #10 bus to go to the Fish Fry for lunch. The Fish Fry is a row of little restaurants about a mile outside of town. We’d eaten at Goldie’s and Twin Brothers before, so this time we chose Oh Andros. It was one of the smaller restaurants, but it always seemed to get great reviews from both locals and tourists. While we chatted with the other customers, Ron and I shared a fish sandwich, conch salad and a massive dish of rice and peas. I was bummed we couldn’t take the leftover rice and peas home with us. It was so good. The sun was out, and it was windy and cool, so we decided to walk back to the port, enjoying the views of the beautiful, turquoise water and the ships lined up in port. We stopped briefly at the new Margaritaville Beach Resort to see what it was like. It looked like a fun place to spend a day sometime, but there was really nothing Bahamian about it. It could have been in Florida or Vegas or anywhere. I wished they had tried to incorporate more of the local culture and character.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI0XihAqxbwhXGhKVkCiPpqtES05T3QOKJfT5_Z6v-9QUDh8gexl5_29oSrIGiXvwzSwULigXPZwFVLseDGz3Ef8I7WnovYW0IFLDe2VlkZ6glZreOprC1WFt-Yj6x0kNAhHRbGhd5NJfTVaLuqLw4FKzDk-szBYLSLoKXFmJSo7Dd05bzL424Nvsn=s3865" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3865" data-original-width="2899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI0XihAqxbwhXGhKVkCiPpqtES05T3QOKJfT5_Z6v-9QUDh8gexl5_29oSrIGiXvwzSwULigXPZwFVLseDGz3Ef8I7WnovYW0IFLDe2VlkZ6glZreOprC1WFt-Yj6x0kNAhHRbGhd5NJfTVaLuqLw4FKzDk-szBYLSLoKXFmJSo7Dd05bzL424Nvsn=w480-h640" title="Oh Andros" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAKynSOQe3j7MnuAKQK4kXc4P8GXs3ziMJ1gF1D-epcRzT0zhu_9EXgdbDI3ftkRy1ql8tDE7zqm85AqPrwV5XcrMJMMU3ezSsmSyXhMkUIEHtGAGdgy2izLyC53G7HPiFFbOdkxlV8lqvqr5H2Nea3azVl5g6miiNBFdNl1IITJJgFeQiNheyHRXz=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAKynSOQe3j7MnuAKQK4kXc4P8GXs3ziMJ1gF1D-epcRzT0zhu_9EXgdbDI3ftkRy1ql8tDE7zqm85AqPrwV5XcrMJMMU3ezSsmSyXhMkUIEHtGAGdgy2izLyC53G7HPiFFbOdkxlV8lqvqr5H2Nea3azVl5g6miiNBFdNl1IITJJgFeQiNheyHRXz=w480-h640" title="conch salad" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">conch salad</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioyoDyu5X8DKAgpyekTJww8-W2O2HYr9VtpctSyiQIU16bn2yGFBVFeYk-JZM7200XRpycrUbYPmvE633yPi1YuAxdyg_HAEHh9RooDMuL-qhHzfXIWcTPnmZhrdOUz1iLU8iKZVYTylPegCsguDsHpOVAsK3L6SzgSgQj40t9xxtfXA7cOru1Hg3q=s4879" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3659" data-original-width="4879" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioyoDyu5X8DKAgpyekTJww8-W2O2HYr9VtpctSyiQIU16bn2yGFBVFeYk-JZM7200XRpycrUbYPmvE633yPi1YuAxdyg_HAEHh9RooDMuL-qhHzfXIWcTPnmZhrdOUz1iLU8iKZVYTylPegCsguDsHpOVAsK3L6SzgSgQj40t9xxtfXA7cOru1Hg3q=w640-h480" title="lighthouse" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixiQvgWRkuHn0bcKwBgdU7mg9bBRpkRbitGGyxSXBquAXKUmIvfLtiLtUGSmLDgtKgQ8HwMJilcPKOWmfJ8sPVmQFn1K15pg1ox2LbhI_UXaYgr-icYN6Dp0B0r5EElhyV6PZ3C19Ta53eyOB6U4wIAtM25HQ0_Dh1Apeq8QQyOtTGdyo0mUJumr_k=s5148" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3861" data-original-width="5148" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixiQvgWRkuHn0bcKwBgdU7mg9bBRpkRbitGGyxSXBquAXKUmIvfLtiLtUGSmLDgtKgQ8HwMJilcPKOWmfJ8sPVmQFn1K15pg1ox2LbhI_UXaYgr-icYN6Dp0B0r5EElhyV6PZ3C19Ta53eyOB6U4wIAtM25HQ0_Dh1Apeq8QQyOtTGdyo0mUJumr_k=w640-h480" title="Long Wharf Beach" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi364R3JWYGQ7ecPcXlQ4Sps5NVbfHahxyCJ74SCVgfqWSeDODeK55PaASdjF7S_-KWZdwWNU6SHKMSGWP5R0VVDxLiXWO5AwnJ5fR9WdtUKNILjpO5n5itsLSxFSznJpXffBl_2M_qoGx7TmBqkbcNqlVtLZtChgisnpG_-8Nx1oOGjJeLNw6eAKCz=s4843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3632" data-original-width="4843" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi364R3JWYGQ7ecPcXlQ4Sps5NVbfHahxyCJ74SCVgfqWSeDODeK55PaASdjF7S_-KWZdwWNU6SHKMSGWP5R0VVDxLiXWO5AwnJ5fR9WdtUKNILjpO5n5itsLSxFSznJpXffBl_2M_qoGx7TmBqkbcNqlVtLZtChgisnpG_-8Nx1oOGjJeLNw6eAKCz=w640-h480" title="ships in port" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>When we got back onboard, we watched from our balcony as, one-by-one, the other cruise ships pulled away from the dock and sailed away. We were the last to leave. Our reservations for Tuscan Grill were at 6 o’clock and we were seated at a table by a window so we could see the darkening sky as we left Nassau behind. We shared an antipasti plate, and I ordered beef carpaccio and creamy burrata, which was kind of like a Caprese salad except the cheese was softer than mozzarella. For our main courses, Ron had the rib eye with a side of lobster rigatoni, and I had the short rib pappardelle. You could order the pastas in full or half portions or even as a side. I got the half portion, which was more than enough. We both had tiramisu for dessert. While we ate, the Chef’s Table dinner was taking place at a large table next to us. I thought <a href="https://susancrow.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-chefs-table.html" target="_blank"><b>our Chef’s Table</b></a> on Serenade of the Seas looked nicer since we’d had our own private dining room. That was such a memorable experience. I hope we can do another Chef’s Table dinner someday.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimM8AOZVBoWr6mYdTCg7Dy5EZ0tYv8nSUS9p5rBho5BF5PWVnFo3p4y9x7lCkQo6Qn3nM2-iNSfTltaTXrok5EmQdJNCqKh-pRc5r4xYetAHo5ZJxMbuPuFmTvJIs1c0QDjsDzZzxVP4sz7SliG1UrE8onRiZUqkX6-fRZzNrymSTRi2SDBAoelVuH=s3917" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2938" data-original-width="3917" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimM8AOZVBoWr6mYdTCg7Dy5EZ0tYv8nSUS9p5rBho5BF5PWVnFo3p4y9x7lCkQo6Qn3nM2-iNSfTltaTXrok5EmQdJNCqKh-pRc5r4xYetAHo5ZJxMbuPuFmTvJIs1c0QDjsDzZzxVP4sz7SliG1UrE8onRiZUqkX6-fRZzNrymSTRi2SDBAoelVuH=w640-h480" title="Tuscan Grill" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuscan Grill</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCfaR5ITkyqU9xzfQ5sTvNoKSfVvzjxf2noYz-DmmwIwZY23IuzBnyCyMpyWejU1OPYSI6b5UfgSWoWfblVTuavFyvuSo5bBsCrrgwpG6Ee-kaxQQ5MxPgyrN5uBl19l9-RhQi9rXCluLeARGDiRsTPizwzy14LV_ZLbstXONZvGdHhbIRXHvSFnoK=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCfaR5ITkyqU9xzfQ5sTvNoKSfVvzjxf2noYz-DmmwIwZY23IuzBnyCyMpyWejU1OPYSI6b5UfgSWoWfblVTuavFyvuSo5bBsCrrgwpG6Ee-kaxQQ5MxPgyrN5uBl19l9-RhQi9rXCluLeARGDiRsTPizwzy14LV_ZLbstXONZvGdHhbIRXHvSFnoK=w480-h640" title="appetizers" width="480" /></a></div>
<p>We still had some onboard credit that we needed to use up before the end of the cruise. We’d planned to spend it in the gift shop, but then we found out that we could use it to buy casino chips. Cool! We split up the chips and went in search of seats. We found two open seats at the single deck table, but I immediately lost half my chips and decided to leave Ron to find another table. A couple of new dealers had arrived that day, fresh out of quarantine, but even with a third table opened up, I had to wait a while for a seat. At first I didn’t do much better at the new table, but every time I got down to my last hand I would win. That went on for a while, and I heard the lady standing behind me say to her husband, “She’s like a phoenix that keeps rising from the ashes!” :-) Finally my luck turned for good and I made back all my money. When the dealer stopped to shuffle, it seemed like a good time to quit and let someone else have a chance to play.</p>
<p>On our way back to the cabin, Ron and I walked through the Grand Foyer where the Silent Disco was taking place. The Silent Disco was a dance party where music was played through headphones instead of over a speaker system. To someone watching, it looked like everyone was dancing to nothing. To make it even funnier, the headphones had three music channels to choose from, so people were listening and dancing to totally different songs. In one corner, a group of girls was singing aloud to “We Are Family” while another group suddenly started doing to steps to “the Cha Cha Slide”. It was hilarious. I hope our next cruise has a Silent Disco. It looked like so much fun. Before going to bed, I sat out on the balcony for a little while, listening to the sound of the waves against the ship's hull.</p>
<p>In the morning as we finished packing, we watched a cute goodbye video playing on the cruise line TV channel. Crew members from all the different departments were saying that they hoped we’d had a great cruise and that we would be sailing on Celebrity again soon. We did and we will!</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQZi_vzLRXGobJr7MXFjcbbG5eC0bDdZB1jSHbpWHd8zMlWj_H3K6brYdV17cxkxROIoHiRfi3rJwsx_wPlaB_EctozSr1CXxiP9Zjjo5qyI6FuqeN4SIjb0owCpDj-vmPr-vNTqszkzfzYXoSl1NazcldBASv41yQrWiUdfJ9q1GFie_kL5xxSyzU=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQZi_vzLRXGobJr7MXFjcbbG5eC0bDdZB1jSHbpWHd8zMlWj_H3K6brYdV17cxkxROIoHiRfi3rJwsx_wPlaB_EctozSr1CXxiP9Zjjo5qyI6FuqeN4SIjb0owCpDj-vmPr-vNTqszkzfzYXoSl1NazcldBASv41yQrWiUdfJ9q1GFie_kL5xxSyzU=w480-h640" title="Love sculpture" width="480" /></a></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267913280851100548noreply@blogger.com8