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Posts tagged ‘adventure’

Florida 2026, Days 09-18

Touring Florida and visiting people!

After disembarking the ship, we pick up a rental car and visit a shipmate friend from our 2 Round The World Cruises! Hey ‘E-Less Ann’!

Then it’s off towards Naples to visit Elee’s college roommate and her husband! Hey Ellen & Bob! They gave us a tour of the area!

After a couple days we head north to visit with Elee’s cousin on Anna Maria Island near Sarasota. Unfortunately, Karen was marooned up north due to the heavy snowstorms up north so John was a fantastic host who showed us around for a couple days! We also visited Brother in Law John and his partner Andrea who were both gracious enough to let us use their house! Thanks!

Then we were off to Orlando where we stayed at a Hilton (That we would never stay at again!) in the Disney World area. We did get a great deal on the room in exchange for attending a 2 hour Vacation Presentation (thinkTimeshare). Of course we were told there would be no pressure, LOL. But the presenters, sales persons, closers & check-out people were all clearly angry when we turned them down!

Our room in the hotel was next to a vertical shaft that went all the way to the very noisy Lobby where the sound carried to every room! We did have a view overlooking parts of Disney World and the Lazy River that belonged to the hotel. We did spend a couple hours prior to the presentation relaxing in the Lazy River!

Next, we were off to “The Villages” to visit another shipmate friend from our Round The World Cruises, Ron and his girlfriend Linda! It was fun catching up Guys! They took us to an outdoor Country Concert. It seems that The Villages has entertainment happening somewhere almost every night so it doesn’t matter which night you want to go out! There is always something happening!

On our way back to Orlando that evening, we even were able to pull over to watch a launch from Cape Canaveral! This was probably the most disappointing shot with the new iPhone 17 as the phone wouldn’t focus well on the rocket flames!

The next morning we check out of our hotel at 11 AM. Our flight doesn’t take off until 9 PM so we take a leisurely drive back to Fort Lauderdale. We find the Riverwalk and spend a couple hours there.

There will be an upcoming post for something we also did in Sarasota, but was a separate side trip. See you again soon!

Florida 2026, Day 06

San Juan, Puerto Rico (Day 4 on the ship)

We get up and actually have a leisurely breakfast in the buffet (the main restaurant was packed). The gangplank opens a few minutes before 10 AM. We manage to make it off the ship around 10:15.

It’s already quite warm but not unbearable. We’re in the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. We head through the streets of Old Town and work our way up the hill to the Old Fort. The buildings are colorful as we walk. The Fort as we approach, reminds us of the Old Fort in Cartagena, Columbia. Stone and mortar with similar design elements. We even poke our heads into a church on the way up!

Great views from the top of San Juan. The Fort is similar to many South American Forts. Stone, brick and mortar.

We continue through the quaint streets and come across a couple churches which even the local police don’t know the names of! We look inside but don’t opt to actually go in and pay the tithe.

We bump into Austin and Olivia from our ship (lovers in the Pub!) at Las Palomas Park (Pigeon Park) where a pigeon lands on my shoulder and it takes quite a bit of shaking to convince it to fly away!

It is very warm today so, on the way back to the ship, we stop at a local restaurant and imbibe in a cold margarita. Back on the ship, we change and head for a cool water pool. The ships horn informs us that we are departing and I grab my cell phone (the only camera I am traveling with) and get some shots of San Juan as we depart. Back to our cabin to relax before dinner. A new folded towel animal greets us!

Dinner in the main restaurant tonight is very good. After dinner we go to a “Name that Lyric” game show, lots of laughs. Then to an Elton John tribute. We watch the “Rising Tide Bar descend and later rise.

Heading back to our cabin, I take a stroll through Central Park. I come across the Rising Tide Bar ready to descend and I ride it down.

Goodnight All! See you tomorrow!

Florida 2026, Day 04

Nassau, The Bahamas

Day 4 (day 2 on the ship). We need to meet our tour in the ‘terminal’ by 9 AM. We have breakfast at a Cafe on the ship, it turns out to be Starbucks! (yuk!) Then it’s off the ship and the usual walk into the terminal.

We take some fun shots in and around the terminal area while we look for where to meet our tour guide. It turns out the meeting place is back near the ship!

Our guide walks us to a ferry boat and it’s a 30 minutes boat ride to Rose Island. We ride by what appears to be mansions (probably only summer homes of the rich and famous!) Mega yachts everywhere we look! The water is a fantastic aqua blue-green and there are tourist boats galore! Today we are going to swim with pigs!

The island is tropical and scenic. We are pointed towards a lookout tower on top of the island and we walk the short 50 yards and up about 30 steps to the top of this narrow strip of land. We are told the Pig Adventure will start soon so we head down to the beach, a short 3 minute walk from the top! We are told to walk out into the surf and are each given a plastic cup full of sliced carrots. “Release The Pigs!” We hear a guide shout and sure enough, about 50 pigs come running towards us in the water. We have been given a skewer along with the carrots and told to feed them using the skewer as the pigs have teeth! The Pig Adventure lasts about 15-20 minutes, LOL, after which everyone gets to hold a baby pig. Elee gets in line to hold a pig whereas I, having grown up in farm country, don’t see the alure of holding a pig! A pretty island guide, Lauren, spots us and comes over to chat. She offers to get us some rum drinks but Elee misinterprets her offer and tells her we are heading to lunch.

The beaches are beautiful and the people are friendly. Lots of American, UK and Caribbean music play over not too loud speakers. The day is very pleasant and not hot. The ocean is warm and comfortable. Lunch is rice, fried plantains, fish fingers and Mac & cheese. Throw in a couple Bahama Mama’s to sip on and we are on Island Time as birds and chickens visit us hoping for a dropped morsel or three!

Looking out over the ocean, a sandbar off the beach glows in the sun!

I bump into Lauren and she tells me to wait here and she snags me a strong rum punch! She is probably hoping for a nice cash tip but, alas, I have no cash on me to give! A service lady from the restaurant stops by and chats, Samara. Probably hoping for the same thing as Lauren. I take note to have a little cash on me from now on! Back to the dock and onto the ferry for the ride back.

On the boat ride back I found my first pair of lovers. Those of you who read my blog might know that I always look for lovers all over the world!

We arrive back at 2:30 PM. We know we need to be back on the ship by 3:30. John’s Rum Distillery is a 10-12 minute walk. I researched this place at home and you can bottle your own rum for $20 per bottle. So we walk there, wearing Elee out. But we each fill and seal a bottle. We ask for a taxi ride to the ship. A taxi picks us up in 5 minutes. He only takes cash which we don’t have. He takes me to an ATM and I manage to get money. We get to the Port with 12 minutes to spare. But ours is the furthest ship. Luckily for us, several other passengers are walking with us to the ship. We get there just in time and all is good. We are not the only Mega Ship in port today!

Back on the ship we soak our feet in a pool. The ship’s horn makes us jump as it begins to leave port. I climb out and get some photos of the port as we leave. As the ship leaves port, we see a peninsula island that is one that Royal Caribbean owns and their own resort! We chose not to go there as RC charges in the vicinity of $175 per person to spend the day on their private resort!

Then it is back to our cabin to nap and shower and get ready for dinner. We find our first folded ‘animal’ towel that our Room Steward left for us!

We eat in the Solarium Bistro where we made reservations. It’s served buffet style. Some of the food is fabulous but some falls short. For some reason we don’t understand, the manager approaches us and asks us how everything is. We had not even said much except between ourselves. So we gave him an honest critique of the food, both good and bad. The manager sends the chef out to talk with us. We are mildly surprised but we give the chef the same critique we gave the manager. The chef claims to take our suggestions. Also, the chef insists we return for dinner tomorrow and promises to cook us a premium meal! I think I know where we’ll eat tomorrow!

We order wine to take to the show in the big theater and they give it to us in theater ready glasses (acrylic). We readily find seats in the theater and settle in for a great song and dance performance. We are extremely impressed with the caliber of the show and especially with the stage animatronics. Best we’ve seen on a cruise ship. I am uncertain of the ship’s policy on taking photos during the show, so I hold off for now.

We retire to our cabin but the night is not over. There is a Caribbean Party in the Royal Promenade which is like a city street in the middle of this huge ship! Here I find my second pair of lovers, Austin and Olivia, lovers in the pub! Austin from Minnesota and Olivia from North Dakota. They met in Ashley, ND in college!

I go down and find a great spot in the Globe and Atlas Pub, an Irish Pub in the middle of the party! The atmosphere is electric and not one person is unhappy. Considering there are at least 1000 people in the vicinity, I cannot see an unhappy face.

This Pub has its own entertainment with a guitar player starting soon so I relax and have a glass of wine as I listen to the show all around me. Then it’s back to the cabin for the night!

Florida, 2026 Day 01, 02

A day of travel…

Day 1: Our good friend Tony once again gives us a ride to the airport. We get to the airport around 8:00 PM for a 10:00 PM Red Eye flight. I hope we can get some sleep. The flight is uneventful but we get no sleep. Elee has the aisle seat and I have the window. The flight is full and the “Monkey in the Middle” between us is a 6’9” basketball player type. We felt sorry for him. We paid for extra legroom and this poor guy’s knees pushed on the seat in front of us. We change planes in Atlanta and our new “Monkey in the Middle” is a smaller guy. But the flight is barely over and hour and again we get no sleep.

We arrive tired at 9:00 AM in Fort Lauderdale. We hail a cab and get to our hotel around 10:00 AM. After putting our luggage in the hotel, we take a walk around the neighborhood of North Fort Lauderdale. We are only 2 blocks to the beach. We have at least 4 plus hours to kill before we can check in to the hotel. We find a breakfast sandwich food truck that isn’t serving lunch yet so we have a glass of wine. Because why not? We go back to the hotel and they let us check in early. We take a much needed 3 hour nap. We are now in Day 2. We walk to the beach 2 blocks away. I see a ship on the horizon and I get a shot, framing it between 2 trees. Turns out it is our ship!

We find a liquor store and buy wine to take on to the ship. Next door is a fun looking Irish Pub where we have drinks and dinner. We meet Chris and Charlotte and join them at their table. Fun night even when a drunk patron dumps my water glass on me. Then the waitress dumps water on me. We also meet Stefan, a runner from Quebec getting ready to compete in a Marathon occurring tomorrow. We are forewarned that traffic will be difficult even though we are only a few miles from the ship we plan to board. We have Shepherd’s Pie and Mahi Mahi. The fish is severely overcooked. Shepard’s Pie is great. At the end of the night, Chris and Charlotte leave. When we try to pay the bill, our bar tab is missing. It was either the spilled water or Chris and Charlotte paid it. Thanks C & C!!!

Vietnam & Surrounds Day 04

Day 04, Sunday, March 16, Bangkok

Today we arise at 5 AM. We don’t get breakfast in the hotel because it’s not open yet. I call for a Bolt ride at 5:45 AM (Think Uber or Lyft). It is a 15 minute ride to Siam Paragon Gate 1 (Thailand used to be called, Siam”). That is the place our instructions tell us to meet our Tour Guide for the day. It is under large concrete overpasses and it is dawn. So my camera demands some attention and grabs a couple shots. The tour guide shows up at 6:15 AM and checks us in. Before she shows up, we have time to grab a bite of food from a Vendor in front, something made with chicken. Street Food. We also find that water here comes in cans! The bus arrives and we board. The bus leaves promptly at 7:00 AM. The tour guide has quite the sense of humor and everyone is entertained. It appears our group today is around 20 people. It will be a two hour ride on a comfortable bus. Everywhere there are jumbled wires on poles along the streets.

The tour Guides, Apple and Mien Phan entertain us with jokes and local trivia. For example, the average Thai earnings are 10,000 Baht per month. That’s approximately $300 USD. Per month. Let that sink in. You address someone older than you as, ’Peepee’. That is what we should call our driver. But wait, not I. Because I am older than the driver, I am told to address someone younger as, ’Nongnong’. Okay, so there it goes. Thank you for driving today, Nongnong!

We pass many salt mining farms. This is quite the business in Thailand. They pump Sea Water into the fields and let evaporation do it’s thing. Then they rake and scrape the salt into piles and ship it away. My camera whispers in my ear, a two hour ride? Come on, let me have some fun! So I acquire many photos outside from the moving bus.

We stop at Cafe Amazon for a ‘rest’ break with bathrooms. Mien Phan then gives us more trivia and jokes until we reach our first destination.

We arrive at the, “Lao Tuk Luck Floating Market” west of Bangkok. We get into (with difficulty) low floating long boats, such as the ones I commented on yesterday. Ours has what appears to be a 4 cylinder car engine mounted on a long pole, with the propeller at least 12 feet behind the boat. There are 4 or 6 tourists per boat. It’s fun riding in the narrow boats while vendors come alongside with trinkets or food. We cruise through the canals and marvel at this way of life. We even see a sign desribing the cost of a boat ride that we think we understand!

After which we climb out of the boats (with greater difficulty) and have Thai iced coffee and iced chocolate. New found friends Jonathan and Olivia from New Zealand shared their table with us and jolly conversation is had. We walk over walkways over the canals to get overviews.

Then it was back on the bus to the Mae Klong Railway Market. Perhaps you have seen videos where all the vendors pull in the awnings so the train can come through! We ‘high fived’ the passengers on the train because we were inches away! Everyone was on time or early prior to this so we got to see the train come through twice!

Then the trip back to the city was accompanied by guide Apple’s great sense of humor! Driver Peepee ( or to us ‘Nongnong’) took us to Icon Siam, a huge mall on the river. We are not up to walking a mall, especially one this big but Elee wants to see the food areas. This seems to take up most of the ground floor. But first we sit and have a glass of wine.

We then walked through the food courts and marveled at the arrays of seafood, meats and fruit and vegetables. We had been shopping for a taste of Durian all morning and the best we could find was portions for 100 Baht (about $3.50 USD) and didn’t buy any because all we wanted was a tiny taste. Then Elee spotted a vendor with tiny free samples and we said, YES!

Now let me describe Durian. It has such a foul smell that hotels ban it and charge twice as much penalty as they charge for smoking! Sure enough, the smell was rancid! And you say, “You are going to put that in your mouth?” Well, long story short, that’s exactly what we did! And the taste defied logic after smelling it. It was creamy and smooth with a vanilla, banana texture and taste! Absolutely nothing off putting about the taste at all! Now it’s time to go back to the hotel. Right outside the Icon Siam was the river and a riverboat dock. So, for 32 Baht total (0.95 USD, yes, you read that right, 95 cents!) we both got a ride to about two blocks from our hotel!

Today has been a hot one, even for Bangkok. On our walk to the Chillax, we even pass by what appears to be a restaurant food photo shoot! Our hotel has a pool on the roof with a. ‘swim-up’ bar. So guess where we spend the next couple hours? They even have a Happy Hour and get a free appetizer with two drinks! A bargain at twice the price! We chat amicably with other tourists from Holland and Bavaria.

Then back to the room to dry off and head out to find dinner. Tonight we are in search of Street Food. After a couple miles walking, We find a vendor that has Pad Thai with Chicken. Add a large beer and drink for Elee and dinner costs 320 Baht or $9.54 USD! Total. For both of us! However we are underwhelmed with the flavor but it fills us up. The large beer I got was about 38 ounces or one liter. I only drank half of it. A couple sitting next to us was drinking the same beer so I gave them the second half of the bottle!

Back to Chillax to chill and relax for the night. See you again tomorrow!