January 24, Sea Day
I did jinx the weather. When we reached the open sea out of Limon we hit stronger winds and choppier seas as we began heading east against prevailing winds and tides. It certainly wasn't lash-yourself-to-the mast-so-you-don't-wash-overboard conditions, but it was a change of pace. It was also overcast with some rain which dampened the spirits of those who spend every minute frying around the pools. By midday the skies were clearing and the sea settling so all was well. Jim has found his spot, an arm chair at a window looking out on the promenade deck, where he reads and clocks the walkers going by. I sat in the Crooners Lounge, also by a window looking out on the Promenade Deck, knitting and chit chatting with Sylvia from Toronto.
The Crooners Lounge has the distinction of having the earliest opening hour (9:30 am) of any bar on the ship. Until I discovered the unused and very comfortable Librarian's Desk (the library, such as it is, is unstaffed, with a limited selection of books but great comfy arm chairs with great reading lights for those with the foresight to bring their own books) I would sit in the Crooners Lounge after breakfast to write the blog. At the stroke of 9:30 the regulars would arrive ("Norm!") for their usual eye opener, a restorative Bloody Mary or The Drink of the Day. After reading the description of TDOTD each morning I can only conclude that the bartenders were having a contest to see how many different kinds of alcohol they could mix together. So far my favorite, just by the description-I'm afraid to try it- is the Dirty Banana. It's made with rum, Kahlua, Cointreau, vodka (TDOTD ALways has vodka), Baileys, cream and, oh, yes, a banana. Throw it all in a blender with ice and you're talking breakfast! The bartender said it's quite popular poolside. Can you imagine slurping that mid morning in the Equatorial sun?
January 25, Whoops
Our last port of call is Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We'd been there ten years ago and that was enough so didn't plan anything ashore. I just remember dirty streets, sad little shacks and iffy merchandise in hole in the wall shops and feeling quite unsafe. Hmmm, they certainly had done a magnificent job of urban renewal. I was surprised at the lovely harbor and dock with easy access to the myriad of shops (I've only been to two Caribbean islands but in my limited experience easy access to shopping is universal) all framed by lush hillsides dotted with pastel-colored villas. Jim settled in his usual spot while I had my choice of any deck chair on the lee, shady, breezy side of the Promenade Deck. What better place to read the new Carl Hiason than with your feet up looking out on the blue waters of the Caribbean?
I could see people walking back from the shops with hardly any bags of loot so assumed the shopping wasn't that great and besides, I'd been there before. Mid-afternoon we watched from our balcony as the ship began to leave and once again I said to Jim at how remarkable the change was from 2006. And then the penny dropped, simultaneously, for both of us. We had been to Montego Bay; never been to Ocho Rios! Whoops. Still haven't I guess.
January 26, at sea
The final day of the cruise. We dock in Port Everglades at 7 am tomorrow. We're getting off with the first wave at 8 with hopes of getting back to Sandestin before dark. I've conferred with several people from The Villages in central Florida who all say the Florida Turnpike which crosses the state diagonally from southeast to northwest is our best bet. It's a toll road, but I have a Florida Sun Pass transponder suction cupped to my windshield so we're good to go. Now to pack. Returning to the cabin after breakfast on the last day to find the protective cover on the bed means time to drag the bags out, throw them on top and begin the process, always wondering why it doesn't all fit. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to toodle down to the Atrium shop for one of those twenty dollar collapsible bags to handle the overflow. This time we brought one with us. Only took us twenty years to figure that out!
Everything has been going well on board. The ship is spotless, the staff are 99% pleasant and helpful (Yeah, I'm looking at you surly Serbian running the Internet Cafe), wonderful food, and endless activities. We met one of the very junior members of the Cruise Director's staff on the Sloth Tour. She was Japanese, had taught English in Japan for a couple of years, studied in Sweden, lived in Rome and was on the first cruise of her nine-month contract. She speaks Japanese, English, Swedish, Italian and is learning Spanish, but said the rolling Rs were killing her. The employees generally work at least a 12-hour day, seven days a week, with a couple of hours ashore during every cruise. But what an adventure! There are always the grumps among the passengers but at least you know you'll get a new group every ten days.
Oops. Just got busted for using the librarian's desk. Housekeeping is here to clean the (unused) desk.
When I get home I will sort through the pictures, make an album and then publish the link in his blog.
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