Cruise 2009, something different

This year, we cruised out of Baltimore, and the great thing about that is that we did not fly. We drove right up to the port, where some very friendly and helpful people take your luggage out of your car before you even park. It's so easy!

We sailed on Celebrity's Mercury, which is an older, smaller ship that will be retired after next year.

Sail away night was very a cold one, so there aren't that many people woopin' it up outside, but I was excited enough to put on the coat and stuff and take a bunch of pictures. They always light up the ship so nicely.

It was a dark and stormy night...the storm was very interesting, but eventually, I must confess that it got to me. Fortunately, this bout of motion sickness didn't last that long.

Our first stop was Charleston. We later learned that this port had actually been closed because of the storm, but our good captain got us in.
Mules are so cute:) Mike & I pulled out the AAA book and we followed one of the walking tours.

I took a whole bunch of pictures, but the two things that struck us were how many houses featured these doors that lead to--the rest of the porch. Also, the crape myrtle trees. They weren't in bloom, but we were fascinated by the bark or lack of bark on these trees. I've never seen anything like them.

Step UP to that porch...

Of course, we found a brewery, and sampled a very nice pale ale and a porter.
On the way back...

OUCH! Did the storm do that?? (And has the owner even noticed, yet?)

On Tuesday, an at sea day, the weather was pleasant and it was obvious that we were getting closer to warm weather.

On Wednesday, we walked around Key West, and it was very hot, indeed.

We made the annual trek to Sloppy Joe's, of course. To see the Christmas Marlin.

After that, I wanted my picture taken with an alligator.

On Thursday, we were in Nassau. We'd made plans to visit the British Colonial Hilton there, where we purchased a day pass to spend the afternoon on the beach. There weren't very many people there at all, it felt like this was well-kept secret. I was especially impressed by the hotel chef's gingerbread town.

This was a great photo-op for the ship, showing how close this beach was. We enjoyed the day very much; the staff at the Hilton treated us as very welcome visitors, and the day pass included a nice lunch. It was all good.

Friday was supposed to be Coco Cay Day, but again, the sea was too rough to allow tendering (there's no port), so we remained on Nassau. The most interesting thing about staying put was that we got to see the arrival of The Oasis of the Seas, which is Royal Caribbean's new behemoth, holding more than 6,000 passengers. I got a picture of it next to the older Carnival Sensation (which Mike and I sailed on a bunch of years ago).
As Mom pointed out, everyone in our hometown could fit onto that ship. I'd love to tour it, but wouldn't want to sail on it. Imagine how long it must take to get off and on! Tendering is just out of the question.

Saturday was another at sea day, and the ship was a-rockin', but this time, I was fine. In fact, I got up that morning and ran for about half and hour on the ship's deck, and shared the "track" with just one other person. We were probably nuts, but it was fun; the ups and downs were unpredictable, but not so rough as to be injurous. And when else can you have such topsy turvy fun exercising? And when I tell people how much time I spend reading on vacations, they look at me with uncertan expressions, no doubt thinking that that doesn't sound like much fun, but I always look forward to it. Mike won every single Scrabble game, though.

On Sunday, it was too cold to go out, and I spent a lot of time lazing around in a lounge that was on the very top of the ship, so that I could at least get my fill of ocean-gazing. It's weird that I keep forgetting to tell people this, but I saw dolphins. I SAW DOLPHINS!! They looked like toys from where I sat, but there they were, a large group of them, leaping beautifully. They look like such happy creatures.

This year's disembarkation process was very pleasant and convenient. After we walked off the ship, we found our luggage very easily, remembered where we were parked, and yes, the car was covered with snow. However, once again, we encountered some very pleasant people who were there to dig our cars out so we could drive away as other workers were ploughing the lot.

So, two thumbs up for cruising out of Baltimore AND for this particular cruise, which we will do again next year. It will be the last year for the Mercury, and we may get to Coco Cay.

A Grand Experience

Gee, we never thought we'd stay at The Grand. It's normally too expensive. This year, however, the economy and the swine flu put Mexico's tourist trade in the dumps. Since we have visited the same area in the Riviera Maya so many times, we could certainly see the difference. The resort had to lower its prices drastically, and then simply closed down the two first hotels, automatically upgrading guests who had reservations in that closed area. The company did not change its brand, however; the staff seemed to come together with the goal of wanting us to come back more than ever, hopefully to The Grand. Well, that would be grand.

This is the iconic picture of the main pool:

The other side of this pool is bevelled so as to create the optical allusion, from inside the pool, that it runs into the sea. This picture was taken from the building where we were staying, and there are two other buildings which are right on the ocean. Only one of them was open this year because of a lack of business. The beach was an especially quiet place this year.

There was another, smaller pool, which is seen here from our room's balcony. I was very happy with the view. And it was a nice balcony with a swing and comfy couch, and the housekeeping staff kept beer and other goodies in our 'frig, and the food and wine were off the charts, and one day, we even walked into our room and discovered a beautiful flower arrangement.

The most lavish thing of all was the private dinner on the beach. This is normally something that people pay extra for, but this year, the management picked two couples per night, probably people who are repeat customers, and simply awarded it.



They set up platforms and canopies right out on the beach and treated us as if we were staying at one of the Presidential Suites on the oceanfront. To say that my expectations were exceeded is grossly inadequate.

Of course, some things never change:

There was one particularly bold coati that came up to the main pool area every day. Once, it actually entered the sunbathing area with chairs in the shallow-watered shelf of the pool, where it stomped right up to a low table and stuck its snout into someone's fruity drink. I couldn't help laughing, but when a woman behind me said, "That was my daiquiri," I was embarrassed. Another woman told me that she watched a coati walk up to one of the cabinets in an outdoor cafe area, open a drawer, and help itself to a sugar packet. They are omnivores, their front paws are prehensile, and they live in paradise.

The resorts in the area would love to get rid of the coatis, but the beaches are owned by the Mexican government, which prohibits harming any of the indigenous wildlife. And, well, they're awfully cute and easily shooed away, if you see them coming. Ekim and I witnessed an encounter between this bold coati and a kitten. The kitten hissed, it charged, and it scared the coati away. I wish I had that on tape.

This is a beautiful place, but it's farewell for another year...

The kittens by the pool area, ready to claim their territory!

If you click on this picture, you can see a kitten in the bushes, ready to hiss

Cruise 2008

This year, we took our first-ever Southern Caribbean cruise. Below is the map they show in the brochure.

Since the cruise departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday, and we stayed overnight on Friday, December 12, and finally got to see San Juan's Christmas decorations at night.

This was actually the clearest picture I managed to take all night.
These are decorations in a park located in the heart of Old San Juan.

Also, in one of the parks, there was an exhibit of photos by Yann Arthus-Bertran. One of these aerial photos just happened to be of Puerto Rico:
So, this is a picture I took of his picture. Old San Juan, surrounded by the city wall and fortress, is in the foreground. All of these pictures are stunning, so if you have time, hop on over to his website.

And of course we took a walk along the old fortress,
and visited the cats. They are everywhere, and another visitor pointed out to us that the spayed females all have a notch cut in their left ears. After she told us that, we saw clipped ears everywhere.

Then, it was off to Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, where we strolled around town for a bit before settling in by the beach with some beer. It was a beautiful day.


Then, on Dominica, we took a little hike through the rain forest. It rained. It got muddy. We got wet and muddy. I took a picture of my shoes, but it doesn't do the mess justice.

But, we did make it down to the falls, and it was beautiful.


And no, I did not kill my camera. Miraculously, by the time we drove back down to the beach, it was sunny and hot again.

This is a black sand beach, because it's volcanic. It was The Mud and Black Sand Tour. We looked mighty fine, by the time we got back to the ship. (We got our shoes dried and cleaned up quickly, but I didn't even bring the socks back to the ship with me.) It was a memorable day, and the bus tour was interesting, too. We saw cocoa trees, and bananas growing (they are high maintenance!), and all kinds of local sights.

We just barely got off the ship in Grenada, an island that looks like a work in progress. Actually, the 1980s US invasion of the island killed their tourism trade.

On Bonaire, we chose to simply bask in the sun, since we didn't have much time there. We did not get to go birdwatching--the island is known for it, particularly the wild flamingos--because it would have taken too much time to get to these reserves and back, but we did have some interesting company--

these guys come out, expecting to be fed, and one by one, all of us touristy people did just that.
Hey! There's the ship

The last stop was Aruba, where we visited Palm Beach. This was a most excellent day.
We got to spend pretty much all day at Palm Beach.
We ate lunch at a little restaurant/bar out on a pier, and it looked like a postcard. The lucky dog above belongs to the owner.

And of course the ship was decorated very nicely, and we sometimes got dressed up.

On the last day, a sea day, we found a nice quiet spot on the fourth deck, away from the madding crowd, and enjoyed the sea.
Under the lifeboats, down by the sea...it could almost be a song

I thought about stopping the clock, but I couldn't get up there.

On board, we also went to a couple of wine-tasting activities and had a grand time listening to the pianist at Michael's Club--they call him Wally B, he's from New Orleans, and he really tickles those ivories. Also, there was an excellent close-up magician named Carl Andrews, who was billed as a comedian, but he's really a FISM Winning close-up magician.

Good times!

Riveria Maya, 2008

We're in love with a certain Iberostar resort in Playa Paraiso, which is evident because we've been there four times now. This year, the beach was especially perfect; no debilitating storms had been through to cause debris or the need of repair, the water was perfect, and Iberostar has built another resort beside our favorite, which is very pretty to look at.

The big white and maize-colored building in the background is part of Iberostar's new resort, called The Grande.

And we couldn't ask for better weather.

We also hung out at the pools a lot. Ekim took a very sexy shot of me reading with my butt stuck firmly in a tube, my shoulders covered by a t-shirt after spending enough time in the sun.


Gee, these pictures make it look as if we have the place to ourselves, but that wasn't exactly the case, though we did get a free upgrade to The Maya, the slightly-posher sister of The Lindo. It's not quite as pretty, though. It's hard to be as pretty as a place called The Lindo. Most of the restaurants we visited are at The Lindo and as usual, I took my share of pictures of the lobby! I won't repeat the same views, though. Here are some pictures of The Maya:




There's some scary furniture in Maya's entrance. You WILL enjoy this vacation, grrrrrrrrr!

Back at the poolside, though, I'm afraid that some violence did break out--


It appears that the pawns started the melee, and by the end, both knight and bishop were felled in their effort to save the queen. And boy, does she need work--a little plastic surgery should do the trick.

Meanwhile, the cats were hangin' out, relaxing on a table or under our deck chairs,

--that is, when they weren't being chased off by the gangs of coatis outside the lunch buffett.

This year, there were signs on the beach asking people not to feed the coatis OR the cats, and at first, I thought the darling coatis were gone. I'm either naive or stupid. People are feeding the coatis AND the cats, but not on the beach, anymore. Coatis don't care, they like the vegetation on the way to the beach and will hang out on the bridge, as well as right outside the pool area. And the cats never hung out at the beach.

A coati waits for a scufflaw to exit the lunch buffet.

It was a very relaxing week, and I'm still recouperating. It's hard work. For one thing, I'm definitely in guacomole withdrawal. I had either avocados or guacomole at every meal. It's very good with scrambled eggs. With time, though, I shall overcome.

December 2007 Cruise

Mike and I boarded Celebrity's Millennium on December 16th for a one-week cruise. The afternoon we boarded was unusual in two ways: there had been a Coast Guard inspection, which delayed our embarkation process, then there was some bad weather in the northeast and midwest which delayed air travel for some folks, so The Millennium shoved off later than usual. In fact, we were the last ship docked in Fort Lauderdale to leave, so we got to watch all the other ships pass by. It was actually very interesting.



We smiled and waved at several boatloads of people, and then we left, as the sun was setting.

After a cloudy Sunday, the rest of the week was remarkably beautiful, the best weather we've ever had on a cruise. I got my dose of sunshine.

The first day of the cruise was a sea day, so we mostly sat on the deck and gazed at the beautiful sky and ocean, and read our books. We also participated in a Chardonnay blending class, which was sort of a demonstration about how wine is made. We wound up drinking a copious amount of Chardonnay, and that made my afternoon seem even more carefree and happy.

The second day, Tuesday, was San Juan day.

Such a handsome ship! We walked a lot, and I tried to take a few photos, but the streets are very narrow, and San Juan is actually very hilly, and it's hard to capture what it's like, but I'll try, anyway:

That's me in front of El Paseo de la Princesa, and there's a much more artistic picture of it here, no offense, Mike:)


The old city wall juts out, here and there...


Horse and buggy rides...

...and my new paradise alley. After all that walking, we went to the Harbor Brewery and had a couple beers at the bar and watched very strange Madonna videos on some music channel.

Now it's Wednesday, and that means we're now on the island of Tortula. Actually, the ship is not docked but anchored, so we have to take a tender to the island. In this case, it's a ride in a lifeboat. So, what do you do in Tortula? Go to the beach, of course. We took a small bus/taxi to the beach, and it was a very scary ride. It wasn't quite as scary as the ride to the beach on St. Thomas, but it was very close. Actually, the islands look a lot alike. Kidnap me, blindfold me, wake me up, and I wouldn't know the difference, except for the roosters. I've never seen more roosters per square foot, ever.

So, we're riding this open-sided scary taxi to the beach, up and down very very steep, windy, narrow roads. Oh! And they're driving on the left-hand side. This is the British Virgin Islands. I'm hoping all the tourists got the memo about that. And these narrow roads are two-way. I'm having nightmares of failed brakes and head-on collisions, and now there's a teenaged girl two seats in front of me who thinks it's fun to reach out and touch buildings, branches, and such as we go whizzing by. Where is her mother? Obviously, she needs to be hit upside the head because if she loses her arm, I will faint and fall out, and then I will definitely be kilt.
This is a blurry picture, but what do you expect from a tourist who is holding on for dear life with one hand and not focusing with the other? Beautiful views! We still had a lot of zigzagging to go before we got down to that beach, though.

And then the taxi driver stops, two miles before we get to the beach, to make sure everyone pays him now. Then, when we get to the beach, we discover why they told us to bring cash: it's three bucks for each chair, and seven bucks for that umbrella. The beer is surprisingly cheap, though! And we are helping the local economy. It was another beautiful day, and the way back was just as scary, but I survived. This time, we sat up front with three darling little boys who rode with their hands in the air, as if this were a roller coaster. At least their arms were inside the bus. I appreciated that.

Thursday is Caso de Campo day. This is in the Dominican Republic. We once heard a comedian say that Caso de Campo was Spanish for "stay on the ship," but I'm glad we headed for the beach again. We bought a partial day pass to an all-inclusive resort, and it was a very nice day, and our only complaint was that we didn't get to stay long enough. And it was another scary bus ride, this time for a different reason: our driver kept hogging the narrow road, and oncoming vehicles were being forced onto the shoulder. What is it with these bus and taxi drivers, anyway? And we must've forgotten to take pictures.

It's off to Labadee, Haiti, on Friday. This is a beach area that's owned by the cruise line, and it's really a fantastic beach. It's a very short tender ride, and we were once again blessed with fantastic weather.


It wasn't crowded at all, there's more than one beach, and there are play areas for children, too. This stop is really popular, and once again, I wanted the day to last longer...

But now it's Saturday, which is a bittersweet day. It's another sea day, but it is also the last day.



One more day of sea and sunshine...the food was wonderful, and I finished three really good books, and I got beat at Scrabble every night. It was a great time.

Lots of pictures of the Iberostar Paraiso Lindo

September 8-15 in Playa Paraiso, at the Iberostar Lindo. This is one of the first glimpses one gets, on arrival. There is something supremely uplifting about simply being in such a beautiful place. It's hot, but somehow, in the shade of these courtyards, you'll feel good. Maybe it's all the light, or the reflections from the fountains.







Our room wasn't immediately available, so we visited our favorite bar at The Maya. That's the Lindo's posher sister hotel, next door. See the snake head hanging over the booze? Nice touch.



This is such a cool bar. I love how the plants hang from the ceiling. We spent some time speculating about how the staff cares for those plants. We always have exciting conversations.

Our room's ready now, so it's back to the Lindo. Now, I've been drinking, remember, and that's why some of these photos might seem a bit unbalanced. If anyone paused to laugh at the tipsy middle-aged lady staggering around behind her husband with a camera, she didn't notice.

This is not the swimming pool:) Around this fountain are restaurants, a couple bars, and some shops. Keep going straight, though, and you'll get to the pool.
We're going to the room first, though. This is what I call The Boardwalk. I love it.

Lagging behind Mike...


There are lots of fountains. The skinny stray cats get plenty to drink...



I tend to get lost in such big places. It really helps to have so many landmarks. After the rooster fountain (see the rooster on the top?) comes the four pottery sisters, then

ooooooh, I'm tilting...


the columns! We're getting close.


This is our courtyard. Now, I just have to remember which side we're on.

This way....


We're upstairs. By the way, these knees are famous! Mike was proclaimed Mr. Knobby Knees a few years back, and he's still got it, baby.

This is just another picture of the courtyard from upstairs.

Our room was resplendent in decor and towel decorations. We always carefully transfer those towel creations to a nearby shelf, but a picture lasts longer.

Shots from the pool and the beach:


The pool looks especially lovely at night, but it's hard to get a good picture. This is about a quarter of the pool area. There's a wave pool and a lazy river (rio Lento) behind the pavilion, and another pool in front of this area. We started almost every morning at the river. Now to the beach...

We're pausing here to watch the cute coatis.
YO! I'm open, over here!!!!!

A coati will eat anything--watermelon slices, pizza, or the last bite of your sandwich. Meanwhile, the stray cats, who do not have the advantage of being tourist attractions, must fend for themselves. Mike and I watched a little cat catch and devour a couple small lizards. Serena would be disgusted. Mike got the idea that maybe the cats should wear fake snouts and nip some viagra for their tails. It might work on the tourists, but it wouldn't be worth it, if all they're giving out is fruit. Blek.

That's a lifeguard stand with a view!

We got in lots of strenuous activity. The water was perfect, and the sand is very fine and almost white. The waves are smaller than the ones we see on the mid-Atlantic, and the ocean is bluer.


These guys are working. I thought that we might get to see how these huts are thatched, but by the time we got to the beach the next morning, the huts were up, the stain was dry, and they were already thatched!

These wooden frames are heavy--it took five guys to get this one upright, Iwo Jima-style, first. The men and women who work at this resort are incredible; they can do anything and they are the nicest people you'll ever meet.

On with the advertisement: the food was fabulous. This is Mike with his favorite desert


The Maya Bar at night

The pathways are beautiful at night, lit just enough along the way to give one the feeling of walking through the jungle by torchlight. The week flew by.

Bye, bye, Lindo, until next year.

Chicago

May 2-6: Magical Collector's Weekend
















Downtown Chicago was resplendent in tulips.


The skyline is so intriguing. (Yes, I know I closed my eyes for this one...)
Bean Pictures!
This magnificent bean is in Millenium Park.















Lots of bean pictures...

Take a lap around the bean, and see Chicago! I went for a run in this area a couple hours before taking these pictures, and had the bean all to myself.


















There we are, in our wacky distortions--







We went for a walk down by the lake, and spied a lighthouse. We were lucky to have such gorgeous days for our walkabout in Chicago.

We then left for Schaumburg, one of Chicago's suburbs, for the actual convention. Maybe Ekim took more pics...