Ashore One Last Time

Chris and Mary
Cozumel, Mexico
November 11, 2022

 

Our last shore day of the cruise was in Cozumel, Mexico. Having been in Cozumel more than a few times,  Chris and I do not find it all that exotic a port. Yesterday was most interesting, however, in that there were six cruise ships in port. Most of the major cruise lines were represented: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, and MSC in addition to Holland America which is the line we are sailing with on this voyage. I was able to get four of the ships into one photo, the other two were further down the port. 

4 of the Cruise Ships in Port
Cozumel, Mexico
November 11, 2022

It was a hot day away from the water in the markets. We explored tourist areas looking for some trinkets and gifts. It was enjoyable to wander around, but the aggressiveness of the shop keepers was a bit off-putting. But, that is how it is in a cruise port town. We decided not to take an excursion and we also determined that we were not going to head off to a beach for the day. We just wanted to be off the ship for a while doing our own thing.

Our day was relaxing and enjoyable. That is how a cruise day should be. 

Sunrise over the Caribbean
November 12, 2022

This morning I was greeted to a magnificent sunrise over the Caribbean Sea as our ship makes it way to homeport. We arrive tomorrow morning and our November vacation will be complete. It will be back to our regular lives. 

And as for regular lives, there is more travel in our future. We are heading to Maryland for Thanksgiving and a reunion with our family and friends. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. 

Caribbean Sunrise Part 2
November 12, 2022

-- Bob Doan, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea (222543N 845956W)

Seven Miles of Beach

 

Mary and Chris Arriving in George Town
Grand Cayman
November 10, 2022

If it was Thursday, Chris and I must have been in Grand Cayman. And we were! 

Blessed again with beautiful weather we headed out for the famous Seven Mile Beach upon landing in George Town. Upon researching the options we decided upon a section of the beach known as Cemetery Beach--and upon arriving we understood the name as the beach is guarded by a large cemetery. We chose this section of the beach for the snorkeling opportunities.

And the snorkeling was in fact good, but the wind, current, waves, and distance from the shore to the good snorkeling made it a day for expert swimmers. The waters were full of small almost transparent jellyfish which because I wore a swim shirt did not affect my time in the water. I receive a small sting on my leg, but it was of no consequence. Chris was not so lucky. When we were headed out, and after seeing a very nice sized barracuda, she had one of the jellyfish roll down her arm stinging her the entire way. That ended her excursion into the water after only a few minutes. 

Lunch in George Town
Grand Cayman
November 10, 2022

We rode the public bus back to town and enjoyed a fried chicken lunch at a local establishment apparently not well known to tourists. We were the only ones there. It was good because we also got our first and only Country Music fix since departing Ft. Lauderdale. Country music is not played on the ship. It was a fun stop and we enjoyed a local beer, White Tip, which is named for a shark. 

Rainbow over Cruise Ship 
Grand Cayman
November 10, 2022

After lunch it was back to the ship. We had a mandatory 3:30 pm back on board time and it was about 2:30 when we returned after an enjoyable time in Grand Cayman. As the ship was preparing to depart its anchorage, a rainstorm arrived and I was greeted to an end-to-end rainbow which appeared to pass over one of the other cruise ships at anchor. 

It was a fun day and a great evening about our trusty ship.

Important Note: It is Veteran's Day. Thank a Veteran for their service to our nation!

-- Bob Doan, Caribbean Sea headed to Cozumel

Jamaica from Horseback

 

Moon over the Caribbean
From the Nieuw Amsterdam
November 8, 2022

This morning finds Chris and I on our way to George Town, Grand Cayman. This ship will drop anchor in a few hours and we will once again explore the island and hopefully find some satisfying snorkeling along the Seven Mile Beach. Dawn is breaking behind the ship and I can see the lights of Grand Cayman in the distance. We continue to hope that our friends and neighbors back in Tequesta are surviving the hurricane without major damage.

Wine Tasting Event
Nieuw Amsterdam in the Caribbean
November 8, 2022

During a relaxing sea day on Tuesday, we enjoyed a wine tasting focused upon wines from the Northwest portion of the U.S. The wines were from California, Oregon, and Washington. The wines were excellent and we learned some important things about wine and food pairings. Yes, there is a lemon on the plate! It was an amazing pairing with the Riesling.

Chris and I on the Horses
Jamaica
November 10, 2022

Yesterday saw Chris and I in Jamaica for our first time ever. We decided to take a horseback ride to explore the countryside and the Caribbean Sea. The ride was very enjoyable and we got to see Jamaica first hand. I have to admit, some of it is not pretty. The horses and guides were great as was the ride down the path into the sea. We were not impressed, however, with the debris along the shoreline. There was not much of a beach, but the horses knew the route. We enjoyed chatting with our guides along the way and our trip was thoroughly documented in video and images. The day a perfect with clear skies and a nice breeze. After the riding experience we dod some obligatory shopping and I may have bought Chris a dress from one of the shops. Once back on the ship it was time for food, relaxation, and enjoyment. 

Thus far the trip has been blessed with near perfect weather! We avoided the storm and are enjoying relatively calm seas and light winds! Grand Cayman is coming into sight and we are expecting to drop anchor in just over an hour for another adventure!

-- Bob Doan, from the Caribbean Sea near Grand Cayman

Sailing, Storms, Sun

 

I was reminded that it is still November and that Hurricane Season does not end until the last day of the month. There is a potential hurricane headed for the area of Florida in which we reside and Chris and I are on a cruise ship in the Caribbean enjoying time away, yet very concerned about the possible hurricane. 

Yesterday we made our first visit to Half Moon Cay, a Holland America Line island in the Bahamas. It was an enjoyable day on the beach. It was bright and sunny. We dragged our snorkeling gear along to hopefully see some fish and ocean creatures, but the waters off the beach were devoid of life. As it turned out, we were snorkeling on the wrong side of the island. Of course, we found that out after returning to the ship. 

Chris on the Tender next to the Ship
Hold Moon Cay, Bahamas
November 7, 2022

We had to be tendered to the island, as the Nieuw Amsterdam is too large to to dock. That was a fun experience, one which we had not done in a few years. We were able to get a picture of Chris on the Tender and able to touch the hull of the Nieuw Amsterdam. I actually did touch the hull of the ship just before we pulled away for our day in the sun on the island. 

Chris with the Nieuw Amsterdam
Half Moon Cay
November 7, 2022

Thus far the trip has been enjoyable. We have an "At Sea Day" today which will allow us to further explore the ship and I am planning on hitting the gym this morning. We may enjoy a wine tasting this afternoon and then of course dinner and the night life. 

The ship did bring in the Ravens game last evening and I watched some of the 4th Quarter in my stateroom before turning in for the night. I was happy to see the Ravens managed to hold onto the victory. 

Regarding developing Tropical Storm Nicole, the course of the ship is to the south of the disturbance. We had some rough seas during the first night, but the Captain has avoided the storm and our track to our next port of call, Jamaica, is not being affected by the storm. Looking off my balcony, the seas are relatively calm as morning breaks over the Caribbean. 

There always has to be drama when we travel! I hope that the storm does not develop into a hurricane and that my well-prepared fellow Floridians can ride it out as it makes landfall in a couple of days. 

-- Bob Doan, somewhere in the Caribbean

Italian Fest and Travel Days

Italian Festival
Abacoa, Florida
November 5, 2022

Happy, hopefully, last morning that we will Fall Back! Beginning this time next year, the United States will be permanently on Daylight Saving Time (DST) if the House of Representatives passes the bill adopting permanent DST! We do, however, Spring Forward again on March 12, 2023. While I have been touting that this was the last time we would have to Fall Back, it came to my attention that the House of Representatives has not ratified the bill and it is not yet law.  

We enjoyed a trip to the Italian Festival in Abacoa, Florida, yesterday. It was a good change of pace. We enjoyed some of the festivities and of course the food. Italian Sausage and peppers! MMMM. And of course I had to have a cannoli! The festival was held right near Roger Dean Stadium where I hope to see some Spring Training games next year as both the Cardinals and Marlins use the facility.

Today is a busy day as Chris and I head to Port Everglades to board Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam and head off into the storm filled Caribbean for a week of enjoyment. Thus begins the fast-paced travel-filled holiday season. I expect to continue publishing my blog during the voyage, but the regularity may be somewhat questionable as we do have some early morning departures for excursions.

Bon Voyage!

Finally, congrats to the Astros for winning the World Series! They did it fairly this time.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Changing it up

Egret at the Golf Course
Jupiter Dunes, Jupiter, FL
November 4, 2022

 Friday was the day that Chris and I decided to change things up a bit.

That meant we skipped riding bikes and played golf! We actually grabbed our clubs and push carts and headed off to the local golf course to whack at the little ball. And we had fun! I actually did really well on 8 of the 16 holes recording 6 pars and 2 birdies. The other 8 holes, well, let's not discuss them. But, I made my goal of being a bogie golfer ending up exactly 16 shots over par! That kind of tells the story about how poorly the other 8 holes were played. 

Food Trucks Lined-up
Tequesta, FL
October 4, 2022

For the evening we went to Trucks 'n Tunes with a new friend and enjoyed some music and food truck food. It was a beautiful evening to be outside enjoying the music and the atmosphere. I especially enjoyed watching the kids run and play. 

Today we are planning on heading out to the Italian Festival in Abacoa. It should be a great fun time. And after that we will need to buckle down and finish packing for the cruise. 

In the middle of printing the baggage tags for the cruise yesterday, my 10-15 year old Canon printer decided that it no longer liked its print head. Ugh. I did some trouble shooting and finally took the advice of the YouTube repairer and tossed the printer into the trash. Fortunately, I had procrastinated in getting rid of the $15 thrift store acquired Canon printer we had bought for our home here in Florida when we were using it as a vacation home. I was able to press that printer back into service and finish printing the baggage tags! I will look into getting a new printer sometime after Christmas. The broken printer had served us well. As I recall I bought that one on some weird deal where Best Buy gave me more store credit to buy it that the cost of the printer. 

And that was Friday!

Don't forget--Daylight Saving Time ends tonight! 

I would not want you to be early for your first event tomorrow, lol.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Life Race

 There is an old country song "The Race is On" which was originally sung by George Jones during 1965. It has recently been redone by Sawyer Brown.

While the song is about losing at the game of love, the title seems appropriate for what Chris and I are experiencing in life right now. I cannot believe how busy we are right now. I know there were concerns that I would retire and not move, but without our daily exercise routine approaching two hours, I can assure everyone that we are busy and moving. I have already logged just short of 50 miles on my bike during the first three days of the month!

And travel time is upon us. 

Sunday, we sail out on a cruise for a week. Then we return home for a week before heading north for Thanksgiving. It remains unclear whether we will remain in Maryland through Christmas or return to Florida. We are considering a side trips to Ithaca and Houston. Talk about an aggressive holiday travel schedule.

The race is on.

Did I mention we are booked on an early-January cruise? 

And I thought retired life would be quiet.

The race is definitely on. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Florida State Sound

I have a nomination for the State sound of Florida.

There is one sound that is so prevalent that it is everywhere and all of the time from early in the morning until the late evening.

Of course, the sound is most annoying. Living in a tropical environment there is always yard work and trimming happening. But it seems that I can never escape the noise of the gas-powered leaf blower. 

That is my nomination for Florida State Sound!

And it is obnoxious. 

I used to have one and I used it to clear the pool deck at our home in Maryland. I never liked the noise, but it was very limited in duration. But here, the din is constant.

I guess there are some things we just need to learn to accept.

I wish they could be made quieter, more like the sound of a broom.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Day of the Turkey

 

Turkey's on Display
Tequesta, FL
November 1, 2022

It is coming. 

The day of the turkey is almost at hand. 

With the arrival of November, the Halloween decorations are returned to their storage containers and the short season of the turkey arrives. 

Yesterday, we transitioned the decorations in our home from Halloween to Thanksgiving. Some of the pumpkins, which were not jack-o-lanterns, remained and were augmented with more harvest season oriented features. 

This is my favorite season of the year, but it is short. This year it is just 24 days. 

Thanksgiving is coming! Beware the Turkey!

Stay out of the way Santa!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Halloween Bust!

 We were prepared for the hordes of children that used to visit on Halloween in Maryland.

None came.

It was sad. 

We decided to watch Ghostbusters to enjoy the holiday more.

We know there are children in the neighborhood because we see them at the pool and the school bus stops. But none came by. 

We have a lot of candy left over with no prospects for getting rid of it other than eating it ourselves. That should be fun.

We were so disappointed in our neighborhood that we dressed Finnegan in his costume and took him out Trick or Treating to our friend's house. While there we at least got some smiles and enjoyed a large crowd of costumed kids enjoying the evening. 

We will plan something different for next year.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL