Day 12 – Grand Turk Island!

Posted on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 by Paul

Mary got up early today!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

We were staring out the window, and to our surprise, the world outside was still zipping by! Apparently, we won’t grace our destination with our presence until 1:00 pm today. Our grand adventure takes us to Grand Turk. How grand is that?

Did You Know? The name Grand Turk Island comes from the Turk’s head cactus (Melocactus intortus) that Christopher Columbus saw growing there in 1492 during his first voyage to the New World. The cactus’s red top resembles a fez, which was worn by Turks in the late Ottoman Empire.

Grand Turk is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s located in the West Indies, north of Hispaniola, between the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, and about 575 miles southeast of Miami, Florida:

Remember: Eat, sleep, cruise, repeat.

Population: 4,500 people; Temperature in the 80s

Cozy!!

Grand Turk Island is the capital of the Turks and Caicos archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s dotted with the remains of salt ponds and windmills from the island’s sea salt industry, which flourished from the 17th to 20th century. The 19th-century Grand Turk Lighthouse is perched on a rocky bluff in the north. Beaches with clear water ring the island, home to wild horses and donkeys.

We hit the gym and hopped on those stationary bikes, pretending we were in the Tour de France, racing around those corners like we were being chased by a swarm of angry bees!

Lookout, world, here we come!

After the exercise, we headed to breakfast to refill the lost calories! MY, what a breakfast. We both had a good BM (Bloody Mary), which at our age is a good thing. BMs are healthy as they are full of vegetables and alcohol. If we get stranded on a desert island and it is freezing, we will stay warm.

Decisions decisions.

As I was scanning the iPhone, it said, “Remember this?”  Indeed I did!  We were on the Wine Train going to Santa Barbara many years ago.

Having fun together for years; this was nine years ago today.

We returned to our cabin via the shops. We did learn from the kids that we signed up to have our baggage go directly to the airplane, so we did NOT have to lug everything around in the airport! It’s like magic. They should have been suspicious when I requested eighteen baggage tags. I will carry my gunny sack.

We stumbled upon the kids playing trivia, so we thought, “Why not?” We joined in and promptly realized that our collective knowledge was somewhat lacking when we only managed to get eleven out of twenty questions right. At least we had a good laugh about it!

We helped and then decided to go get ready for the snorkeling adventure.  We moved right into the beach area and walked off the ship. We were going to go shopping for a UV shirt for Mary.

We have arrived!

We could not be closer to the beach!

We walked off the ship with zero delays!  There was a slight breeze which offset the sweltering heat.

It was a short walk to the shops.

We got a big welcome!  The port was full of restaurants and, of course, shops!

A large sign welcomed us.

Who did we run into?  Our kids were on land shopping like mad (remember, Colleen and Mark are the grandparents of four!)

Grand Turk played an essential role in the early space programs as the space capsules used to land near Grand Turk.  We stopped and visited the display.

The Mercury astronauts are featured.

The small area dedicated to the space program was quite interesting and well done.

An emergency landing could have been made on the Space Shuttle if necessary.was also a potential

We made a brilliant decision to take the kids to Margaritaville for lunch. It was an absolute blast!

We all had hamburgers in paradise to honor Jilly Buffett!

Mark ran back to the ship to get some goodies for the dive that they had forgotten when heading out.

Decisions decisions!

The Old Man And The Sea was pontificating this lunchtime.  My UV protection shirt Mary got me ended up working quite well.  MAry does take good care of me.

Handsome devil!

We overindulged in food and drinks and had to roll out of there to make it on time for snorkeling. It was a hilarious sight seeing us waddle our way to the ocean after that feast—it looked like a herd of ducks!

Let’s go snorkeling

Now we walk to the boats carrying us to the snorkeling spot.  After a relatively long walk through the beach sand, I was huffing and puffing when we arrived. We hopped on the boat and sped off for a fifteen-minute trip to the island’s reefs.

Everyone suited up, but I decided to stay onboard because my sciatica was acting up, and paddling around in the ocean currents would have been difficult. I stayed dry and did elbow exercises.

The woman is like a fish and loves to snorkel.

Mark and Mary hit the water and headed out to the reef. Colleen took it slower, making sure her personal snorkeling equipment was adequately assembled.

“Wait for me, wait for me, or please wait for me!”

The yellow-horned fish is a scary sight to behold.

They spent 40 minutes in the water splashing around.

We had two boatloads of folks in the water exploring the reefs and frightening the little fishies.

It looked like someone unloaded a bag of yellow rubber ducks into the water.

After recording, the captain sailed about a mile toward a sandy island. We jumped off without the snorkeling equipment and played with the rays. One ray was very friendly and posed for many shots.

It was 7:00 pm when we sprinted away from the grasps of the Manta Rays and raced to the awaiting ship that couldn’t sail without us at the scheduled 7:30 pm pre-planned departure time (the brochure said they would wait for us but we know brochures lie!). We were moving faster than a seagull eyeing someone’s fish and chips!

“Wait for us!!”

We made it on board at 7:27 pm to the applause of many passengers and crew.

We were scooting along as fast as our little legs would carry us!

Off to our cabin to shower and remove the salt from our clothes. Then we met up with the kids at the Irish bar, and finally, we all went to the troughHeaded back to our cabin to wash off the salt and avoid being mistaken for walking snacks. Then we rounded up the little ones at the Irish bar for some family-friendly fun, and eventually herded everyone to the trough for a hearty dinner. for dinner.

We sat around looking at each other waiting for the first person to admit defeat and want to return home.  Being the “head of the family” (no comments from the peanut gallery), I suggested we turn in for the night.  Immediately a rousing applause began and everyone followed suit.

The kids brought Dad a LARGE ice cream sundae delivered to the room.  I managed two bites and the body gave out.  I was completely out of gas!

 

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Day 11 – We Walked In San Juan (All Day)

Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 by Paul

At the crack of dawn, precisely 6:30, my eyes creaked open. I stealthily tip-toed out of bed, leaving Her Majesty, the queen of snoring, peacefully serenading the neighborhood with her comical symphony of sounds.

I sorted out the last of last night’s photos and finished off the Daily Diary for today. We needed to be rested for the all-day walk of San Juan. To be prepared, I looked up the emergency number in San Juan, and it is Nine-Juan-Juan!

Breakfast finally showed up, and we awkwardly nibbled at the random bits while juggling showering and loading up for the journey. It was a chaotic scene, with toast crumbs flying and shampoo bottles dodging oranges.

Once we got on the pier, Mary notified me it was a walking tour (NOT a cooking class) and I should be prepared for any eventuality.

Welcome to the walk from Hell!!!

The fort in on the hill, we are on the hill, we had to walk up 66,543,45 stairs from the ship to arrive on that derned hill.  My first clue about it being high was the man selling oxygen on the corner at $4/puff.  My tennis shoes had melted onto the cobblestone streets due to the excessive heat (M-m-m-m-m-m, is 98 degrees excessive?)

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (also known as “El Morro”), perhaps the most iconic fortification built by the Spanish in the Americas, covers a 14,000 foot-high promontory at the entrance to the Bay of San Juan.  (OK, I added a few zeros).

I said a prayer at the next church, thanking HIM for not having Mary check the “see the forts” box on the brochure.

The first thing I nituced were the cobblestone streets and their peculiar blue-gray color. They serve as the first indicator of olden-day pavements, as the bricks were imported from Liverpool, England. Before they were implemented in 1883 and 1890, the streets of Old San Juan were paved by river stones.

Amazing, 150 years old and still working well!

Can you believe it? We actually visited a church of all places! We even ventured down into the crypt where it was surprisingly cool. I was almost tempted to set up camp and spend the rest of the day there!

Mary captured the moment.

We walked and walked and walked and walked!  The street were a bit narrow but we managed to stay on the sidewalk and not get run over.  Apparently, the neighborhood decided to embrace the rainbow color palette and now it looks like a giant, colorful patchwork quilt. It’s like the whole street is competing in a ‘who-can-have-the-wildest-house’ contest. I guess the upside is that no one will ever forget where they live!

Remember, according to the law, you are not allowed to paint your house or establishment the same color as your neighbor’s house or establishment.

Go girl!

We finally stopped for a while and did some “cooking”.  OK, not really cooking but we learned a few things.  First, we made a real Majito.

Havana, Cuba, is the birthplace of the mojito, although its exact origin is a subject of debate. It was known that the native people had remedies for various tropical illnesses, so a small boarding party went ashore on Cuba and came back with ingredients for an effective medicine.

After the majito, we made Mafongo.  Mofongo is a popular Caribbean dish that originated in Puerto Rico. It is made from fried green plantains, seasoned with garlic, fat (olive oil, butter, or lard) and pork cracklings, then mashed. Mofongo is usually served with a fried meat and a chicken broth soup.

The Mofongo was absolutely delicious and easy to make!

I mashed the potato flatter than a pancake! After beating it to death, it formed a bowl!

We mashed the casaba melon into a thick paste and then the cup was filled with pork and chicken; yummy!!

Sergio was a great leader for the activity.  He not only spoke perfect English but had a killer sense of humor! We tossed some chicken pieces and pork rind into the bowl, and voila! Mofongo magic happened.

He had cooked the chicken elsewhere in the restaurant, then brought it into the room and added it to the bowl.

We had a blast cooking up the grub and sipping on the fancy drinks.

We were having so much fun!

You can find motar and pestles made of stone, like granite or marble, or other materials like ceramic or wood. Mortar and pestles are great tools to mix, grind, smash, pulverize, and pound both wet and dry ingredients. A mortar and pestle are among the oldest tools, and they’re not limited to the kitchen.

These are all mahogany.

The bell rang, the whip snapped, and our fearless leader dramatically declared it was time to march on into the wilds of San Juan. After what felt like an eternity, we finally got to take a seat. Thank goodness for the wind today, because without that breeze, we would have turned into human puddles.

Mary had a little friend; he was kind of a birdbrain.

He kept chirping disparaging remarks in her ear about her hairdo!

Little did the bird know that Dr. Mary could carve him up with surgical precision.

Mr. Birdbrain got bery quiet.

Time to walk some more!  We saw another church and thank goodness it was closed.  It was built in the 1700s and was on the top of the fort wall.

The sanctuary was built in honor of a rider who lost control of his horse along Calle del Cristo during a fiesta. Plunging off the top of the stone wall onto the cliffs below, the rider was said to have miraculously survived. Over the years, faithful Puerto Ricans have flocked to the chapel to pray for miracle cures and leave milagros, tiny silver charms representing parts of the body, at its altar.

MAry suggested I leave part of my body there but after her suggestion, I quickly ran the other direction.

Built because of an accident?

The view from the fort wall was amazing and it gave the defenders an unparalleled view of any attackers coming in their direction.  For many years, no house or business could be more than one story so that the three major forts in the city had a view to the bay without any obstructions.

Let the cannon balls fly!

When the tour guide set us free at the harbor, we made our way to the ship without causing any chaos. Our quest for essentials led us to Walgreens, but upon seeing the line that twisted and turned like a confused snake inside the store, we decided to walk  out and take our business elsewhere.

Inside the boarding area it was cool and we just walked right on board but only after I requested an entire body cavity search.  My request was turned down – several times.

We headed to the first bar we saw!

After taking 7,500 steps around the city, we realized our dire need for some liquid courage. So, we plopped down at the bar and chugged down a greyhound faster than you can say “are we there yet?” I’m pretty sure we set a world record for the fastest greyhound consumption.

We returned to our room and watched the end of a science fiction movie before getting ready for dinner at The Catch!

Mary’s eyes were glue to the display as we walked in.   Little did she know the crabs served a purpose!

These turned out to be serving bowls.

I ordered fish soup (Bouillabaisse)  and it cam in a crab bowl!  Bouillabaisse is a Provençal fish soup with a tomato base. While there’s no strict formula, this hearty seafood soup can contain a wide variety of different types of seafood and shellfish. Flaky white fish: Any one of these or a combination — cod, red snapper, sea bass, haddock, porgy, mullet or grouper.

Someone took picture of me wearing the bowl on my head but the image has NOT popped up yet on Facebook.

Boulebase inside!

Stephan, our waiter from Serbia, was so hilariously funny that he made our dinner truly delightful. I went a bit wild and ordered oysters on the half-shell and some ridiculously expensive caviar.

To top it off, Stephan suggested we wash it all down with vodka shooters. As it turns out, he was absolutely right. Cheers to a memorable (and slightly blurry) dining experience!. 

Stephan was amazing doing surgery Dover Soul.

This fish was now deboned.  Of source I suggested Mary keep the bone and use it to keep her hair under control on windy days (the birdbrain would have agreed with me!)

He operated with surgical precision.

The four of us lauged and giggled all night long and I think we drove the next table away when I attempted to flambeé  the bones using the remains of by woodka (Stephan’s pronunciation).

Down the hatch!

We startled the kids by saying we we were going to crash.  They now know we are human and that aliens did not enter our bodies after last night’s soiree into the night life aboard ship.

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Day 10 – Sailing South East Toward Puerto Rico

Posted on Monday, July 22, 2024 by Paul

A day at sea is always pleasant.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

morning, we were feeling the laziness levels hitting maximum capacity, and we didn’t emerge from our comfy cave until a glorious 8:00 am when our breakfast made a heroic appearance.

After a cinematic masterpiece on TV and a thorough scrubbing session, we finally left our cabin around 9:00 am to grace the concierge with our presence for breakfast #2.

As for the kids, well, we released them into the wild to fend for themselves!

I spent the day diligently chronicling the mundane events of my life in the daily diary while Mary pursued her thrilling hobby of needlepoint.

The thinking cap was working overtime!

Our midday adventure involved moseying to the trough for a hearty lunch, after which we retreated to the cabin for a riveting movie marathon.  It was an action-packed day of absolute relaxation!

At 5:00 p.m., we began getting ready for dinner, which is a formal affair this evening. We wanted to go out early and get a couple of formal pictures taken, but we dilly-dallied and did not exit the cabin until 4:54 p.m. when we had to run to the 6th floor and the dining room.

Busy hands are a good thing!

When she smiles, the whole world smiles with her… and then everyone awkwardly waits to see if she is smiling at them or just at the person behind them!

I love that smile!

We sat down at 5:30 pm exactly.  We beat the kids to the table, but they said they were waiting for us on the other side of the dining room!  Sure!

Here they come!

They spilled the tea on their day, and let me tell you, they were busier than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, attending more events than a kid in a candy store!  They made us tired just listening to their activities.  It is too bad that youth is wasted on the young!

We are ready for many laughs now that the kids have arrived.

We planned the evening, and it began with some additional formal pictures! We saw the champagne tree and just had to get a snap!

I was in a state of shick thing I had just died and went to heaven; a champagne waterfall just for us.

The waiter looked distressed when I asked for the waterfall to be delivered to our cabin!

After destroying the lenses on several cameras, we went to O’Malleys and had a smidgeon of alcohol while we pounded the table to their latest tunes.

We called Becky and wished her a happy birthday; the four of us sang happy birthday, but the Lord only knew what it sounded like in Arizona against the backdrop of wild Irish music.

Happy Birthday, Becky!

The pirate gave a toast to start the evening (BTW, she was drinking Diet Coke!)

They kept playing, and we kept clapping and yelling the lyrics. The artists came to our table, looked me in the eye, and had the nerve to ask if that was me singing or if I was stepping on a cat.

Wonderful music made everyone Irish this evening.

Mark looked up the lyrics online and belted them out like a rockstar! We were all impressed and a little deaf afterward!

Remind us; we have to take his phone away next time!

Time to head to the bow and the Vista Lounge for some hilarious routines.  We again sat in the front row and heckled the comedian; we took it in stride.

After the show, the kids were pooped out, and we just got started. We returned to O’Malleys for an hour before going to our cabin for the evening.

The journey to the top of the ship and our cabin was fraught with misadventures, beginning with attempting to find a restroom as the wine was beginning to work…quite well. Typically, restrooms are everywhere, but they were all relocated somewhere tonight!  We must have looked funny walking cross-legged down the halls.

Then we got on an elevator, which previously must have had a nasty little kid in it because EVERY FLOOR WAS PRESSED.  We had to go from the 5th to the 14th floor, and it felt like we were on a sightseeing tour of each floor. I half expected a tour guide to pop out and start sharing fun facts about every level! I will find that little kid and break his fingers!

Then we had to walk the ship’s length as our cabin was toward the stern (that’s REAR for you land lubbers).

We made it just before the clock struck midnight, and our elevator turned back into a pumpkin!  It was a close call!

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Day 9 – The Princess Cay Stay All Day They Say

Posted on Monday, July 22, 2024 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Today’s destination is a top-secret, exclusive Princess beach area, and we decided to be rebels and stay on board to enjoy the peace and quiet while everyone else fights for beach space.

Our suite was on the 14th floor! No diving allowed.

Look carefully, and you will see Colleen waiving.

With some help with the telephoto setting, she appeared in the crosshairs.

There is Colleen.

The kids went to the island, snorkeled, and played in the water.

The Cay appeared before us.

Our coffee arrived, and we enjoyed a leisurely morning sipping coffee and planning the day! After two cups of coffee, an egg McMuffin lookalike, and two glasses of juice, we were ready to conquer the world.

Coffee on the veranda.

First, we went off to the gym, where we put the pedal to the metal and rode the stationary bike for what felt like an eternity. We were sweating more than a glass of iced tea on a hot summer day! It was great to get moving after days of avoiding exercise like the plague. Now we’re just crossing our fingers that our workout won’t wake up our appetites because, let’s face it, our willpower is as strong as a stack of pancakes on a Sunday morning.

We rode the bikes for an hour.

We took a leisurely walk to the Elclave.

Then we walked our pet turtle.

The Enclave was on the 5th floor forward, so Mary suggested I wear a coverup so as not to upset the little children and old ladies  Then she said, “You go, Big Boy. Walk way ahead of me, way ahead of me!!”

We opened the door to The Enclave, home to Princess’ largest-ever thermal suite and a dramatic hydro-therapy pool with a cascading rain shower and therapeutic air jets. We relaxed on heated stone beds and soothing water beds.

Features include The Hammam – a Turkish-style steam bath, and from Roman times, the Caldarium –a light steam chamber infused with herbal aromas and the Laconium – a heated, dry chamber to help with purification and detoxification of the body.

Into the Enclave we went!

It was hidden from the public, which was an excellent idea!

I was prepared for this event with my red swimming suit, complete with flashing warning lights and waterproof pockets to keep my martini dry. I double-checked the trap door—it was locked!

We chose “The Enclave.”  The sign outside said, “Uglies Accepted On Sundays.”

After soaking in the water and sitting in the various steam rooms, I collapsed, and Mary brought out the camera.

Quiet!

There were four showers, each with a different temperature and scent.

Four different showers.

Mary tried all four showers and came back smelling like a florist’s shop!

Hey there, Ester Williams, eat your heart out!!

We departed the Enclave, walking like wet noodles to the alcohol refilling station to await the kids. We walked on the glass floor to the nearest bar when we decided our room was too far away.

We are taking our lives into our own hands.

The bar was like a treasure trove of drinks, and we spent a good few hours there making new friends and sampling all the concoctions.   The kids were incommunicado, so we figured we’d wait until dinner to catch up with them and hear about their day of thrilling adventures on the Cay.

We found the bar, duh!

We had dinner in the regular dining room and enjoyed a delightful meal with the kids. We made the right decision to stay on board the ship.     We feel reinvigorated and ready to go!

After dinner, we headed to the Vista Lounge to listen to a hilarious comic that kept us in stitches for 45 minutes.

Time to laugh.

It was a big mistake; we sat in the front. The comedian asked us several questions, and after hearing our unique answers, he shook his head and went to another table.

We were right up front, always a dangerous place to be!

My security camera went off during the show, showing Robin and Bob swimming at our house. Scout was the official lifeguard.

Robin and Bob went swimming.

After the show, we ran to O’Malley’s and listened to the Irish folks play a set. We tapped, clapped, and swilled another wine before retiring to the cabin.

We got real-time pictures from the Starlighter’s Dance; they had over 100 people this evening, and everybody likes a Hawaiian theme!

We went to Ireland before bedtime!

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Day 8 – Ft Lauderdale; Coming And Going

Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2024 by Paul

We arrived at the port at dawn and docked so smoothly that it felt like we were still at sea. When there was a knock on the door, I opened the curtains and was surprised to see that we had circled back to the spot we had left a week before. It felt like a full-circle cruise!

The Disney ship was adjacent to us, and we could hear the screaming of little kids.

Just for Robin.

Below our room, the delivery trucks were going at breakneck speeds, delivering everything imaginable to the ship before the 2:00 pm cutoff time.

Loading for another week just took a few hours.

Our concierge had a brilliant plan to sneak us off the ship and then sneak us back on to meet those sneaky US immigration regulations. We even bribed the kids to join us at 9:00 am so they could be sneaked along with us.

After returning to the cabin, we ordered drinks and played a couple of hands of Crazy-8’s before going to lunch in the dining room.  We polished off an entire tray of drinks while Papa taught the kids how to play (the luck was with me today!)

The game first appeared as Eights in the 1930s, and the name Crazy Eights dates to the 1940s, derived from the United States military designation for discharge of mentally unstable soldiers, Section 8.

After two rounds of Crazy-8’s.

Time for lunch in the Almafi Dining Room, we were last in and therefore last out; it was quiet!

Mark and I both had “Dirty Banana” drinks. Popular on many Caribbean islands, the classic dirty banana cocktail combines rum, Kahlúa, or another coffee-flavored liqueur along with banana-flavored liqueur in an icy, creamy shake. You can add chocolate syrup for a true happy hour sweet treat, or up the tropical taste with fresh pineapple.

We had lunch in the dining room.

We split up after lunch and met again at dinner time in the Princess Grille. After staying up past midnight last night, we all needed some sleep.

Dinner at the grill was great. Colleen went for broke with the filet mignon while the rest of us did the delicious lamb chops!  Lamb chops originated in 17th-century London chop houses, where individual cuts of meat were cooked for customers.

Dinner time is always fun with the kids as we learn more about each other. The purpose of the trip is being achieved!!

We caught a glimpse of the mastermind behind this incredible adventure – and what do you know, Scout and Irene were holding down the fort in the family room, glued to the TV as their lives depended on it!

Irene made this possible.

After dinner, we headed for the theater because Colleen and Mark raved about the comedian/magician.  They were right!  He was so funny we darned near wet ourselves laughing so hard.

The funny man had us in tears.

We gave him tremendous applause when he was done.

He got a sitting ovation.

On our way back to the room, we stumbled upon doors that were rocking some seriously snazzy artwork. It was like the doors were trying to show off and steal the spotlight!  This one was very interesting!

I could not have said it better!!!

We finally got our formal pictures tonight and downloaded them into the computer! Get ready for some top-class awkward prom poses and cheesy grins.

Family is a wonderful thing.

Just us.

Heading up to dance.

Time to relax!

It’s 11:00 pm and time to crash! Tomorrow we plan to stay on board as Princess Cay sounds dull.  We are going to hit the “Enclave” right after going to the gym and then to our favorite activity, lunch!!

Note to self: Bring rubber duckie!!

See you in the morning.

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Day 7 – Returning To Florida So We Can Start Part Two!

Posted on Friday, July 19, 2024 by Paul

Mary opened the cabin doors to the veranda and closed it quickly.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

840 miles, and we will return to our starting point.

From behind the glass, it looks amazing, but open the window, and wham, the heat and humidity hit you like a ton of bricks.

We woke up bright and early, knowing that breakfast was scheduled for 8:00 am, and then Mary and Colleen had an appointment for “facials” at 10:00 am, whatever that entails. It means I have the delightful task of staying in bed, watching TV, and conducting important scientific observations of the world outside. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!

The concierge called at 10:30 am and said he would rescue us and the kids from the boat, break us out of customer jail, and return us to our cabin ASAP. Yeah, we will finally be free on the ship, and we can finally do our laundry!

At 11:00 am, the captain announced a medical emergency on board. The ship would be speeding up to meet a Coast Guard helicopter to transport the patient to the nearest medical facility. Even a seemingly routine day at sea can quickly become eventful.

We bolted out of the cabin and bee-lined it to the piazza to rendezvous with the kids. Lo and behold, the towel folding contest was in full swing! It was downright mind-blowing to witness the towel-folding prowess of the crew. Who knew towels could be so entertaining!

Towel time.

Colleen got an eagle’s eye view of the activity.  She videoed the efforts so she could fold the towels for guests coming to her home.

You get great shots from above.

Before we ate, it was time to shop.  It was the last day for most of the ship.  We took advantage since we were staying on board for another adventure to the eastern Caribbean.

Time to shop.

Yeah!  She found a treasure!

She found a treasure.

We went to the “trough” for lunch, and it was surprisingly good. We scattered in different directions and returned with hilariously different meals. It was like we had all wandered into different countries instead of the same restaurant!

As we sat and munched, the Coast Guard helicopter flew by.  The helo had a two-engine prop plane circling the ship.  After three passes, the chopper picked up the patient and took off going northeast to Florida.

The chopper arrives from Key West.

Someone videoed the event and put the video on YouTube.

Lunch was finished and Mary brought out the cards; time to pay!  We did three rounds of Crazy-8’s with me being the only one not winning.  I had more cards in my hand at the end than was in the draw pile.

We played Crazy-8’s

Tummies full and resembling beached whales, we reluctantly agreed to waddle over to the Capri at 6:00 pm. We waddled back to our cabin, hoping the alarm clock would be loud enough to wake us from our food coma and get us to dinner on time.

It’s 6:00, and it is time to make the next serious decision.

At dinner time, we feared starvation but our fears were unwarranted.

Colleen knew exactly what she wanted.

All smiles.

We have so much fun being with family and each other.

Just us.

At the end of the dinner, the lights went out!  Oh dear, what now?  It was the traditional last night’s Baked Alaska Parade.

The Baked Alaska parade is a centuries-old tradition on cruise ships. Waiters carry flaming trays of the dessert around the tables in the main dining room while guests wave their napkins. The parade is a chance for the chefs and staff to show off their skills and for diners to show their appreciation.

Baked Alaska is a dessert that consists of a sponge or pound cake base with an ice cream center and a topping of meringue. The dish got its name because you’re baking something that is traditionally served cold. (Ice cream = Alaska in this metaphor.

The march of the Baked Alaska.

After dinner, we headed to the theater for the final show of this voyage.  Our Irish performers did their thing, and the whole theater clapped their hands and stomped their feet.

We went to the theater.

One of the performers did “sand animation.”  The sand performer uses sand on a flat surface made of back-lit glass. Then, the sand is arranged to let the light, depth, shadow, and density pass through and create the picture. The animator captures images, which are arranged in a sequence and played at a suitable speed, creating the illusion of motion.

Amazing sand animation.

We then went to the Vista Longe and heard the comedian, who was hilarious!  We darned near fell out of our chairs laughing.

From there, we went to the Schooner Bar, listened to music, and danced.  We met some folks from England and danced with them.  Our cavorting level was running at 98%!

Music was everywhere.

The women observed the dancing and did some enthusiastic movements; the video was unsuitable for individuals under 18, so it will be kept under wraps until the censors decide.

The ladies were into the music.

The cameras were on all night. We will have stories to tell our kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

Selfies!

We danced the night away.

Once the clock struck 12:30 am, we stumbled to our room to crash. The time it took us from opening the door to passing out could probably be measured in milliseconds.

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Day 6 – Return To Mexico, Costa Mayo 135 NM To The North

Posted on Thursday, July 18, 2024 by Paul

Another adventure of Mary & Paul

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Today, we landed in Mexico again at Costa Maya.  The overnight trip was a mere 135 nautical miles.

Did You Know? Costa Maya is a stretch of Caribbean coast on Mexico’s eastern Yucatán Peninsula.  Mahahual village is a popular cruise ship port with beaches and coral reefs.  Offshore, the reefs and mangroves of Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve are inhabited by sharks, dolphins, and turtles.  To the north, Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is home to jaguars, monkeys, and hundreds of bird species.

We decided to have breakfast delivered to our room to avoid any early morning fashion disasters at the buffet.  We planned to take a leisurely walk to the pier and then stroll over to the pickup point, hoping to maintain our stylish composure throughout the journey.

The view from our room was beautiful!  I disrobed and began to climb the rail to start my dive when Mary reminded me we were fourteen floors up; the plans changed immediately.

The water was warm and clear as a bell!

We originally planned to walk, but the scorching weather convinced us to take the tram instead, which was brilliant.  Oh, and guess what?  Mary bumped into the local Aztec goddess!  Her name was Rocky.   I think the heat brought out some divine company!  BTW, Mary is on the left.

Two goddesses at one time!

Mary insisted that I wear the new SPF 80 shirt (I told her wrapping in tin foil would be cheaper!)

It was complete with a hoodie.  I looked like I was about to embark on a mission to the sun.  After her triumphant fight, she made sure I donned the space-age contraption.

After all the dining I had been doing aboard the ship, I looked like Santa Claus.  I was emulating a pirate; I had a sunken chest!

I am making a true fashion statement.

We put our sniffers on “ultra-sensitive” and found a pub where we did some serious taste testing of the local drinks. We are here to report success; they have alcohol! It’s funny how anything wet tastes good when it is 90 degrees outside.

Interesting bar seats; I needed a safety belt to avoid falling out.

Question? The answer is margarita!

The diet really works!  So far, Mary and I have lost three days!

Being quite curious, Mary went to visit the locals, where they grabbed her and tied her to the railroad tracks (the Mexican version) and, using their sword, sacrificed her to the God of Alcohol.

I heard her screaming and reacted appropriately as a good husband should; I ordered another drink, wandered over and offered to have their swords sharpened, and then returned to my seat.

Mary is the one in the center!

Our tour guide called us to form a single line. We marched about 500 feet to the dolphin pool, where they make human sacrifices in the off-hours.

We got a quick safety briefing and then were given life vests that should keep us afloat in case a dolphin having a lousy day attempts to drag us to the bottom of the sacrificial pool.

We met Sophie, a fourteen-year-old rescue Dolphin.  She was very friendly and only took one finger at a time.

We grew attached!

To capture their food, dolphins often work together to surround and circle their prey to keep it from escaping.  They keep circling until the prey is forced into a small and dense area.  Once trapped, the dolphins take turns swimming through the circle to pick off the human who can’t escape.

They kept moving around us, and we were worried.  Then it dawned on me that they could smell the alcohol, so they left us alone; they were teetotalers!

Then Mark jumped into the water, and they scattered like sardines running from a whale!

OMG, Mark is smiling.

Mark is the one on the left!

Now the girls get their turn since we proved it is mostly safe.

The formal introduction!

Sophie and Mary became friends quickly.  Dolphins are beautiful and amazing animals.  When learning about dolphins, many ask themselves whether they might be as intelligent as humans.  Their brains weigh 1600 grams, compared to human brains, which weigh about 1300 grams.  Oh dear, my brain weighs 3 grams on a good day!

Careful there, Sophie, she bites!

Sophie reminded us of Scout the Wonder Dog, who is always happy and smiling.

Let us count your toofies!

I guess the fish just like the Liles gang!

Smoochie smoochie!

After a wild hour in the water with the dolphins, we were finally ready to escape their clutches and head back to the safety of the ship.  We managed to wriggle out of the straightjacket (don’t ask) and decided we absolutely needed to buy the 45 ridiculous photos they took of us and our friend Sophie.  Who knew dolphin photos could be so… captivating?

Wrestling an alligator is easier than getting out of these straight jackets.

We are done; it’s back to the ship, but where is the ship?

It is awaiting our arrival.

We returned to the ship and met Colleen and Mark near the adult pool.  It was so hot outside that we returned to our cabin and napped until dinner.

But first, we stopped at the trough, where we wandered around seeking exciting delights.  I did Indian food and a good old American hamburger. Mary searched for an interesting salad.

We made a reservation at The Catch for a 5:00 pm dinner.

Did You Know? Debuting on Enchanted Princess as she emerges from dry dock on April 15 and coming soon to three more of the line’s newest ships, The Catch by Rudi is the first Princess restaurant primarily devoted to seafood and offers an entirely fresh take on seafood with the chef’s contemporary interpretations of classic dishes, international fusion influences, highly-creative presentations, and an engaging dining experience.

The room was quite lovely.

I ordered a salmon, shrimp, and scallop plate, but little did I know they hung the poor shrimp right out in front of everyone.   I did not know where to start, but fortunately, the little waitress from Serbia knew precisely what to do with the dangling meal!

The shrimp was giant!  I would not want to meet him in a dark alley!

We all had a fantastic feast, and we were so stuffed that we donated our desserts to Mark, who happily transformed into a dessert-eating tornado!

y.

Mark’s sounds can only be heard deep in a Central American Rainfor  st. We were so embarrassed that we put napkins over our heads and exited quietly.

I took one last shot before exiting; I caught her in the act of elder abuse! She should have known Dads and Moms had eyes in the back of their heads!

I told Colleen not to do it!

I sat next to my bride and she kept m mostly under control.  I did, however, enjoy my gimlets.

Here are some facts about the gimlet cocktail:

Origins – The gimlet has multiple origin stories, but the most widely accepted is that it was created in the 1880s by British Royal Navy surgeon Sir Thomas Gimlette. Gimlette is said to have suggested mixing gin with lime juice to mask the lime’s bitter taste and prevent scurvy among sailors.  The drink may also have been made possible by Lauchlan Rose’s lime juice cordial, invented in the 19th century, which used sugar as a preservative instead of alcohol.  The cordial sweetened the drink and helped preserve the citrus.

Name -The gimlet may have been named after the tool that bore holes into barrels of spirits on Navy ships or Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette.

Recipe – The original gimlet was made with gin and lime juice, but bartenders later tweaked the recipe to make it more palatable.  A standard gimlet is now typically two parts gin to one part cordial, with Rose’s cordial still being the traditional choice.  However, you can also substitute gin with vodka.

Garnishes – The gimlet doesn’t necessarily need a garnish, but you can try adding lime peel, dehydrated lime wheels, elderflower sprigs, mint leaves, or celery bitters.

Best view in the house!

We arrived at the room early after stopping for impromptu photo shoots at random places. Who doesn’t need a picture with a giant rubber duck? We just wanted to make it for the RNC final night speeches.

Tomorrow, we will make the halfway point of this adventure!  Eastern Caribbean, here we come!

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Day 5 – Zipping Through Honduras!

Posted on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Paul

We is on vacation and having a ball!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

We were abruptly awoken by a polite yet overly enthusiastic knock on the door, only to find a cheery chap standing there with an offering of coffee and orange juice. Morning wake-up calls have never looked this bright!

We swung open the sliding glass door and were greeted by a faceful of the astonishing 85-degree 8:00 am morning, accompanied by a whopping 90% humidity. It felt like nature’s way of saying, “Good morning, here’s a tropical vacation!” We, of course, promptly decided we preferred our climate-controlled indoor paradise and promptly retreated, hoping for a more polite weather greeting next time.

We looked out the now-closed door to see the harbor.

We have arrived.

We casually sipped on some coffee and took our sweet time getting dressed because we didn’t need to show up at the rendezvous until a very civilized 11:00 am.

The bay was sheltered from the sea.

Mark’s face lit up like a kid in a candy store when the Honduran Navy showed up in their latest submarine to say hi! I think he might have found his new ride to work!

The Honduran Submarine Service greeted us.

We slurped through the coffee, finished the daily diary, and headed to our dining room for a light breakfast.

The steakhouse dining area is top-secret, reserved only for suite passengers. It’s so quiet in there; you could hear a potato drop! Perfect for discussing the day’s adventures or debating the proper way to exit the ship.

Breakfast at the Grill.

We checked out through the ship’s security and walked the gangplank toward Mahogany Bay.  Mahogany Bay is the cruise ship port owned by Carnival Corporation, located on the island of Roatan. Roatan is a popular cruise ship stop in the Western Caribbean, typically on the same itinerary as Belize and Cozumel.

Mahogany Bay, Honduras, here we come.

The port can hold two ships at once, and the piers are first-class and compete with air-conditioned tourist traps!

Lined up!

We walked around the shops, and Mary bought me an SPF 80 long-sleeved shirt, complete with a hoodie.  I asked her about the hoodie, and she said, “On your bad hair days, you can wear the shirt backward!”  She is always thinking.

Mary took a quick potty break before we got suited up, and she announced the potties were air-conditioned!  Wow.

Getting ready for the thrill of a lifetime. A 2 in 1 jungle adventure of off-roading on a muddy & dusty trail, then zipping through the Sky trails with zip lines of up to 1600 ft long of unforgettable views, untouched jungle, mangroves, and lagoons. Xplore Roatan is locally owned and operated, and it offers high-quality products. They pride themselves on customer service, hard work, and dedication.

Waiting to get harnessed up.

We are harnessed up and await our executive limo to the top of the hill.  Well, the “limo” was a mini-pickup truck, and we would have to ride in the back.  The operator took one look at the two of us and put us in the cab with the driver.  It’s good to look old and, in my case, decrepit.

Your limo awaits!

We are strapped in and ready to go.

We are ready to hang precariously from a single thread.

After a comically strenuous drive up a trail that felt more like a mule’s path, we finally conquered the mountain peak at a staggering altitude of 15,454 feet. Thank goodness we packed oxygen – it saved us from passing out! From the top, we could practically wave to Ft. Lauderdale.

Wait, I’m coming.

OK, it was NOT that tall, but it was 1500 feet above the port, and the bay is spread out below.  There was a little breeze, or we would have died because of the humidity.

It was a great view from the top.

The first station was the easiest.  I kept the camera in a button-up pocket because we were moving fast!  Station #4 had a top speed of 45 miles per hour, and we had to use our asbestos gloves to slow down before hitting the station!  Oh my!

Here we go!

Have you ever noticed that every station has trees all dressed up with splat protectors? It’s like the trees are going to a fancy tree party or something!

Getting the harness adjusted.

Hold on, we are supposed to be doing DOWN, not UP! I kept looking for the elevator or escalator, but we had to walk, crawl, or otherwise navigate to the next station. Dr. Mary was like a mountain goat, and I was like a beached whale.

Oh my, the adventure was part hiking in the jungle.

Just as we were about to reach our final destination, I put my superhuman X-ray vision to good use and spotted our ship. The Grill Bar had our name cards ready at table #3 before we even got there. It’s like they knew we were coming, or maybe they just sensed our alcohol cravings from a mile away!

The ship; the ship!

Each station had at least one and sometimes two guides to ensure our safety. They did an excellent job.

Our guide was delightful.

We were almost done, so we took a break to catch our breath. The next zip line was a whopping 1600 feet long and landed us on top of the beach bar! Talk about living life with a splash!

We made it; the next trip is 1600′ to the local bar at the beach!

We had a beer at the bar before starting our walk back to the beginning.  It was so hot we stopped at the security checkpoint and asked for a cab.  The guard knew the zipline people, called them, and asked for a ride back to the start.  The little red truck showed up a few minutes later.

We strolled for a bit and then hopped on the good ship, where we knew we’d find cool vibes and abundant liquid happiness!

Only a few more feet before alcohol and air conditioning, our two favorites, “A’s”

I was so hot that I soaked a hand towel and applied it in an appropriate place.

Paul plopped!

We crawled to the 14th floor and crashed for an hour before getting ready for dinner.  We departed the cabin at 4:35 and headed to O’Malleys for a pre-dinner drink!  The Irish entertainers were playing, so we stayed and tapped our feet for thirty minutes.

Time for dinner!

Sharing the day!

We did not realize this was Colleen’s first zipline adventure.  She was brave!

Colleen’s first zipline adventure.

After dinner, we hit the spa for some relaxing couples massages. The poor operators who drew the short straw and got Mark as their patient were even given asbestos gloves!

Next, the couple’s massages!

After the massages, we all headed to our rooms to rest for tomorrow’s adventures.

BTW, we walked over 7500 steps or almost four miles today!

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Day 4 – Belieze And The Coral Reefs

Posted on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 by Paul

We read our schedule and had to be up at 7:00 am for a 9:00 pm departure for the great Belize Living Reef, the second largest in the world.  But first, we had a small breakfast delivered to our room.  Mary got ready for our adventure while I worked on the daily diary.

We went to our meeting area and then to the transport, which departed for the island at 10:15 am.  After an hour’s ride on the little boat, we arrived at Rendezvous Cay, Belize.

It is small but perfectly positioned.

The cruise ship anchors off the coast when in Belize, meaning we have to take a tender to shore. However, with the Rendezvous Caye excursion, the boat that transfers us to the island picks us up directly from the ship, saving quite a bit of time.

It is about a 40-minute ride to the island, past other larger islands and mangroves. As we approached Rendezvous Caye, we immediately realized how small this tropical paradise is. It is completely covered in sand and surrounded by incredibly clear water. As soon as we docked, we headed for a thatched-roof cabana so we could drop our stuff off. The organizers then signaled that it was time for snorkeling.

We had a perfect location adjacent to the pier and the “bar”.

On the Cay

A cay also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.

Mary located the beer bar and then headed for our location under a nice roof adjacent to the water.

Beer run!

Mary found a live conch shell with its live animal inside.

Mary finds dinner for tonight.

Did You Know?
Conchs live in shallow seagrass beds and sand flats in warm waters 3–60 ft deep. They are native to the coasts of the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.Conchs have many predators, including loggerhead turtles, nurse sharks, blue crabs, eagle rays, spiny lobsters, and other crustaceans.

Conchs have a hardened tip at the end of their foot called the operculum, which they use to propel themselves forward in a hopping motion called a strombid leap. This movement may help them break up their scent trail to avoid predators.

Conch shells are made of about 95% calcium carbonate and 5% organic matter, and they get their pink color from calcium and carbonate ions in seawater. As conchs grow, they add calcium carbonate to the front edge of their shell, making it longer and wider.

Conch shells are strong and can be used as musical instruments or decorations. Conch meat is edible, and 80% of internationally traded conch is consumed in the United States.

Queen conchs can live for 25–30 years, but their lifespan can vary depending on environmental conditions.  For example, queen conchs in the Caribbean can live for 40 years or more, while those in Florida only live for 7–15 years.

Queen conchs reach sexual maturity around 3.5–4 years old and mate during the warm summer months of April–September. They have a long spawning season of 4–9 months, with peak spawning during warmer months.

Mary asked me to come over in my swimsuit to frighten the poor little conches away. (It could have been worse; I could have been in my birthday suit!)   Sure enough, the water was boiling, and the conches were heading out to sea, waving white flags.

Speaking fluent Conch, I heard them say, “Look out, there is an ugly whale in our area. Head for the open sea!”

That she blows!

As we got into the water, our taxi stayed moored at the pier; that was a good sign that we would not become a repeat of Gilligan’s Island.

This could be us in a few years.

Oh my, the name on the boat was SS Minow!  Should we worry?

Our boat takes a rest.

We paddled and watched the wildlife for 45 minutes. Everything was going swimmingly until I decided to glance to the left and got the shock of my life!

Oh my!!

While paddling around the island and seeing the fishies and coral, the kids were at the Aztec ruins deep in the jungle of Belize.

Meanwhile, the kids are seeing the ruins.

After an hour of swimming, we returned to our little grass shack and had BBQ chicken with rice. Of course, to wash it all down, we tried the local beer, Belieze—it was so good that it made us forget we were sunburnt lobsters.

BBQ is served

On the way back, the tour boat suddenly made an unscheduled stop, much to everyone’s confusion. The captain dramatically declared, ‘We have engine problems!’

It turns out that a tiny hose was doing its best impression of Niagara Falls, but the guys worked their magic and fixed the issue. We were back on track 15 minutes later, much to the relief of everyone who hadn’t packed enough snacks for an extended cruise adventure.

On the way home.

We hopped onto the mothership – also known as the fancy mobile resort – and set course for the Retreat Pool. After claiming seats for four, Mark declared it nap time. Mary and I sneaked into the serene waters (no kids allowed, jackpot!), and Colleen eventually joined us. We sipped on our drinks and then reluctantly abandoned our pool paradise to prep for dinner indoors.  It was dinner time.

Time for a swim in the Adults Only Pool!

No fancy shmancy meal for us tonight. We needed some serious comfort food therapy, so we hit up the Salty Dog Cafe for some good ol’ fashioned hamburgers. They’ve got these fancy Handmade Gourmet Burgers, like the Princess Burger or the Triple Smoked Burger. Who needs a tiara when you’ve got a Princess Burger? Am I right?

The Salty Dog Grill also offers new Street Tacos featuring a choice of grilled chipotle-lime chicken or roasted sweet potato-green chile. Classic Hot Dogs, plus loaded fries in tempting varieties including chili cheese and bacon & cheese.

Tomorrow, we have to go back to gourmet food, oh darn!

We checked our chronometers, and it was time for fun. We went to the Vista Lounge for a 45-minute laughing spell with the resident comedian. He was hilarious! I nearly laughed my chronometer off!

Pre-dinner comedy show.

After the comedy, it was time for a snack and a few drinks at O’Malley’s Pub. We hooted and hollered for the next 45 minutes!

We tapped our toes and joined in the singing.

We shared some onion rings, muscles (not the kind you flex, the kind you eat), and a couple of drinks. My taste buds threw a party, and everyone was invited!

Ladies!

We had an unexpected visit from a pirate. Mark is a huge fan of pirates, so I guess we should start preparing for “Talk Like a Pirate Day” in advance! Arrrrr!

Mark like the pirate.

I don’t want to forget this hilarious moment: At the end of the Irish entertainment, the country Western music unexpectedly kicked in, and suddenly, Colleen and Mary found themselves line dancing in the piazza! Colleen managed to capture a video of Mary doing her thing, but let’s say it might be best kept for our eyes only!

We heard some danceable music, headed to the dance floor, and whirled and twirled for a while.

Dancing the night away.

We danced until that band stopped, and it was a lot of fun.

After showcasing our moves on the dance floor, we returned to the Vista Lounge for another round of comic relief. This comedian had us in splits! By the end of his second show, it was almost 10:00 pm, so we begrudgingly called it a night. The kids hit the sack first, and then we aimlessly wandered around deck seven before retiring to our room.

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Day 3 – Cozumel Mexico!

Posted on Monday, July 15, 2024 by Paul

Today is the big day for our first adventure in a far-off land, and we are psyched! We sprang out of bed at the crack of dawn, suited up in our exploration gear, and dashed out the door to grab a quick pre-departure breakfast. I even sported my fanciest cooking shirt to blend in with the locals. Let’s hope I don’t get mistaken for the chef!

The kids are off to play with the dolphins.

Mary had spearmint tea and scrambled eggs; I went for the lox and bagle.  After all, we are going to eat again soon.

Hot tea starts the day!

We got off the ship after struggling to find the right elevator to the 4th floor.  We were off and walking to our meeting site, identified as “#3 at the end of the pier.”  Arriving, we were challenged because there were two restaurants close by.  We selected Three Amigos and had a table within 25 feet of the meeting point, which we could not miss.

I did the street tacos and a margarita while Dr. Mary had a diet Coke.

Diet Coke, you are going to ruin your reputation!

The day was magnificent, albeit a tad on the warm side.  It was in the low 90s, and so was the humidity.

The cameraman looked at my waistline and decided I could be two amigos today!

We “dined” for about thirty minutes before the guide came and took us to a series of taxis for our journey to the cooking school!

BTW, the food was excellent!

After a harrowing three-mile ride in the Tijiuna Taxi (sans music), we arrived at the cooking school.  The school was above the dolphin swimming area, and little did we know Mark and Colleen could see us with our little chef’s hats on!

It looked like a lot of fun for the people and the dolphins.

We donned our chef’s hats and were ready to cook up a storm.

Cook, drink, and have fun with the guidance of a professional Mexican chef. Learn how to craft a delicious 3-course authentic meal – don’t forget the margarita, of course – guided and led by Chef Luis, a natural entertainer and innovative chef. You’ll prepare the meal at a double workstation, equipped with everything you need to complete your Mexican gastronomy dish and cocktail. Tabasco Chef is located on the second floor of the prestigious Blu by Dolphinaris facility with a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Ocean.

That is us; Paul is on the left.

The ingredients were on the stovetop, and everything was explained.  The chef had perfect English and was easy to follow.  Today, we had 46 people in the class.

The chef explained all the ingredients and what to substitute if needed.

Mary did most of the cooking, but I popped in and did the pork, ensuring every side got some serious heat.

Usually, I slice and dice, but that part of the lesson was already done for us.

We saw the dolphin pool when we made a 180-degree turn from our cooking station.

Collen and Mark were down there somewhere!

We were upstairs from the pool.

Colleen said she saw “Crazy people with funny hats on!”

Oh dear, I wonder if Mark knows?

Kiss me, sponge gums; my tonsils itch!

Chef Mary was diligently cooking, and as I approached to take a picture of her intense focus, she was completely absorbed in the cooking process and didn’t even glance up!

You go girl.

Then it happened; after my fourth margarita, I accidentally breathed toward the stove, and woooooof, flames shot into the air.  The fire alarm went off, and all heck broke loose.  We ducked under the stove and waited for the panic to die down.

Alright, so the real story is that we were trying to make dessert, and when we poured in the liquor, it turned into a “flambeau.”  Tequila burns!

Oh my! What did she do??

After all the cooking, we wandered next door to the alfresco dining area, where margaritas flowed while we ate our creations. The meal was pretty good!

Great fun but where is our taxi?

The Tijuana Taxi didn’t hold back as it bippity-bopped through the town, hitting every rain puddle along the way and giving the pedestrians an unexpected shower!  One could smell burnt rubber for miles when he slammed on the brakes.

We made it to the pier just in the nick of time, thanks to the taxi’s wild ride!

Sure enough, they did not leave without us.

The bicycle cab was a lifesaver! We got to the gangplank within two minutes!

We got onboard and headed to the 14th floor for some relaxation before dinner with the kids.  Today, we are dining at Sabatini’s Italian restaurant on the 7th floor.

On our way to the show, we stopped for some pictures.

Looking good!

There was dancing underway, but we were too tired and decided to hit the bunks early as we had to go snorkeling tomorrow morning.

Waltz anyone?

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