Welcome to

Beach Bum's Cruise

Aboard the

Norwegian Dawn

Hi All! Welcome to my online travelogue. I do not promise that this is going to be a fair or accurate account of my travels, but I do promise it is the story that I plan to stick with, should I ever be questioned about my adventures in paradise. The general plan is to write entries and insert pictures onto this page as the trip goes on. The most recent entries will be at the bottom, so click on the link to get to the most recent entry. I warn you that some out there might get jealous of the conditions in the reports, so read at your own risk! Enjoy! Click Here for Most Recent Entry From New York City - Sunday 3/26

Thursday 3/16/06 - Embarkation Day Well, it has been a while in coming, but we are finally onboard the Norwegian Dawn! Carol and I left our home in Massachusetts at about 9:30am, and arrived in NYC around noon. The drive down was smooth and easy. The terminal, however, was crazy! Apparently, the Dawn was late getting in, so the terminal was filled with people waiting to get a taxi or ride home, while the rest of us were trying to drop off our luggage to get on! They really need another level in the terminal building so that it is more like an airport -- arrivals on one level, departures on another. I don't think that they have the room for that, though. It took about 2 hours to get thru security (the big wait is for the X-ray machine & metal detector). and get checked in. We found our stateroom easily enough. We hung out there until it was time for the boat drill, which was delayed because so many people were still waiting to get checked in. I have to say this about getting onboard. Usually, there are a bunch of different tables of people tryign to sell you stuff - Coke cards, the art auction, reservations to the restaurants, etc. There really wasn't any of that on this ship. It could be that they were doing more of that eariler, and I didn't see it, but I doubt it. There was one table I saw on the pool deck selling the soda cards, but they were just standing around, not really pushing it. I think its nice that they don't push. Of course, if I was a 1st time cruiser, and they didn't tell me about stuff, I might not know it was available! I guess its a double edged sword. The boat drill went fine. Its actually a good thing to make people go to their Muster Stations, but other than that, there is no redeeming value to the exercise. If you can't figure out these life jackets, you really should reconsider whether you belong out on the open ocean in the first place! It is quite cool out today. Air temperature-wise, its not bad, but it is windy! We found a decent place to stand while getting underway, and leaving the City. Carol asked if I wanted to be outside while we left the harbor, and I told her that I figured I only got this chance to shoot the Statue of Liberty once every year or two, and I don't have a shot I am happy with yet, so yes, I was going to freeze. Apparently, I was not the only one who felt that way, and the forward part of the ship was pretty crowed! Here is a couple of the shots I took of from up forward: I think I might actually have gotten a half way decent image of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, I won't be really sure until I get home, so I am going to have to try again when we pull back in! Here is one I shot of the City as we pulled away: It was a pretty scene. The cruise staff set up a bunch of barbeque grills on the pool deck, and the passengers flocked to the summertime/vacation food! They had burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes. These people were really looking forward to this trip! That's one of the two lines waiting for food! Notice no one is wearing shorts yet. This is how Carol & I ate our first dinner aboard the Dawn -- in our winter coats! But it got us in the spirit of things. Well, that's about all for now. We're off to the first show of the cruise! Talk to you later!

Friday 3/17/06 - Happy St Patrick's Day! Today is a mostly overcast, windy day. The high today is reportedly 56F, and the seas are not too bad - 6' to 10', according to the TV in the stateroom. Considering the times I have been out on the Atlantic in winter (granted, in some much smaller vessels), the ride has been surprisingly calm. It is funny to see people walking along, swaying like drunk sailors! Some people have been complaining how rough it is, and I just laugh. I guess there is the perception that at 91,000 ton vessel should not be bothered by waves smaller than 20' or something, but the truth of the matter is that is it. Add to the wave action the wind, and you have a boat that rocks and roll a bit -- good for sleeping, if you ask me! But that is not why were are out here, now is it? This morning, we went to the Star Lounge up on Deck 13 for a get together of the people who were on the Cruise Critic Roll Call. Cruise Critic is a website I found that has reviews of different ships and cruises, ports of calls, and sells cruises. They also have a public forum for people, broken out by cruise line and topics. In the forum, they have a Roll Call section, which allows people going one a specific cruise to chat about the cruise, get to know one another, and if enough of them want to, they can actually meet on the ship. It was really nice to meet some of these people - quite frankly, I wasn't a big participant of the board, but I knew some of the names. I even go a tip on some customizeable photo T-shirts that we might be able to use at Timethief Photography (yes, I am always on the lookout for good ideas). After that, we poked around the ship some more. The ship itself is not terribly large. There is Deck 7, which has the big shop (and for a cruise ship, it is a rather sizeable store), the base of the Grand Atrium, the Photo Gallery, a couple of Clubs, and the upper entrance to the Stardust Theater, the ship's main theater. Deck 6 houses the 3 main restaurants, the Venetian, the Aqua, and Impressions. All 3 serve the same meals, but the ambiance is different in all three. Then there is Deck 12, which is the highest weather deck that runs the length of the ship. The pool is up there, a couple of clubs, and the spa & fitness center (oddly located in the stern of the ship). Also on Deck 12 is the Garden Cafe, a big buffett area with 4 different lines (serving the same things, I believe), and a kids area, which has its own shortened buffett line. Anyone who doesn't want to eat in the diningrooms, ends up here, I think. Deck 13 also has some restaurants (one you pay an up charge for), and some clubs. Our stateroom is located on Deck 9, which also contains the Internet Cafe, which is how I send out these updates and emails. t While we were poking around, we came across a golfing challenge activity that the crew had set up. Obviously, the weather would keep any sane person from going outside to play golf (I know, golfers are not always sane), so they did it inside. The golfer stood on the landing of the stairs, located on the left, and putted a ball to the cup located on the right, at the base of the stairs, some 25 feet away. The picture I took is of the shot we saw that actually went into the hole. If you look closely, you can see the ball at the base of the stairs (its a small white blur). We ate lunch today in the Venetian. As I understand it, the Venetian is the largest of the restaurants. It is somewhat similar to what we have seen on the other cruise ships' main diningrooms, except that it is somewhat smaller, from a square footage point of view. It is located in the stern of the ship, and the whole width of the room in the back is floor to ceiling windows. Beautiful view if you are sitting back there. We were about a third of the way back from the windows (maybe 50-60 feet away), but you could still see the view. I am going to have to get in there to take a shot for you guys. Here is a shot of the Grand Atrium. It spans 3 decks (Decks 7, 8, & 9) that are accessable, and kind of comes to a point , extending it another deck or two. Its pretty, but not as impressive as say the atriums on the Legend or the Radiance. In fact, this ship is somewhat understated -- elegant without being gaudy, but at the same time, not managing to be overly impressive. I cannot decide which I like better - not that I really have to choose, I guess. I'll keep adding pictures as we go, to give you an idea of what the ship looks like. Well, that's all for now. I'll see you next time!

Saturday 3/18/06 - Sea Day This morning finds us a touch north of due east from Key West. The air temperature is now 70F, and the seas are a mannerly 3-4'. The water is actually gorgeous -- finally the turquise you imagine it should have been from about the time we cleared the sea bouys out of NYC. Its going to be a pretty lazy day, because the ship's activities are pretty mundane. I guess you can't expect that the cruise director's staff is going to make every day a constant party! At least that alows me to sit in doorway of the cabin and type a bit to you fine people. I suppose I should tell you a little about the cabin. First of all, when I say doorway, I mean the one that goes onto the balcony of the room, not the passageway (hallway, to you ashore). The door to outside is a big slider, and there is a little table just inside the door, so it is just like being outside, but still being able to reach the plug for the laptop! Here are a couple of pictures of the room: The top picture is standing by the bathroom (head) door, looking out toward the balcony. The bottom picture is the reverse -- looking from the balcony doorway toward the passageway door. As you can see, the room is not terribly large -- in fact, it is about the smallest room that Carol & I have ever stayed in on a cruise. While small, it does the trick. The table I am currently typing from can be seen on the right side of the top picture (yes, that's Carol's winter coat hanging off the back of the chair -- its in the lugage now). Carol is reading a book out on the balcony, and I have the slider open, so it is just like being out there. And while I did bring a book (actually 2) to read, I seem to be enjoying writing more. This is the first time I have actually had a laptop with me at sea, and it makes it much easier to see what pictures I have taken, and commumicate with the outside world. You can definitely tell that the weather has warmed up a bit. Here is the scene out by the pool: There were almost no lounge chairs to be had anywhere! These guys were the steel drum bank playing in the gazebo. They weren't too bad, although a little uninspired as they sang "Margaritaville" - oh well, I guess once you've seen Jimmy sing it, the rest pale by comparison! We just got back from the art auction. This was the second one of the cruise (yes, I went to both). Its not run by Park West, which has been the case on our other cruises. I have to tell you, it shows. Its not nearly as interesting an experience as either the at sea or land based auctions we've been to. And while that is good, because I am not tempted to buy anything, it also makes it boring, since the variety of art is not all that great. I will say this, though -- they have quite a few Picassos, Chagalls and Dalis that are different than the stuff we usually see. Not that I am in that type of market, nor would I really hang any of that on my walls, but it is neat to see. Oh well! Last night we ate dinner in the Aqua restaurant, which was really nice. It is a much more intimate type of restaurant than the Venetian, lower ceilings, not anywhere near as brightly lit, and not as big a room. Last night was the first of two formal nights, and this is the first cruise that I didn't bring a tuxedo or suit to. Carol said that she didn't feel like bring a formal gown, and since the formal night is considered optional, we chose to be neat, but casual. The whole topic of formal wear is a hotly debated one on the message boards, with those who don't like the idea in the majority. It is amazing how intolerant they can be about the whole thing. Slight inferiority complex, if you ask me. Anyway, because it was formal night, the food was really good. Chateaubriand and lobster were two of the main courses. Of course, I got both (okay, Carol did too, when the waitress didn't laugh at me for asking for both). I don't know where they get their lobster, but its not the same place we get ours! They were tiny! The beef, however, was incredibly well done. All in all, a very nice meal in a great setting. Tonight, maybe we'll get to Impressions, the other main diningroom. I'll let you know. Well, that's all for now. See you next time!

Sunday 3/19/06 - St. Thomas 9:00am Welcome to St Thomas! Actually, we're not there yet. We are scheduled to pull in at 11am. Right now we are just entering the straits separating the Altlantic from the Caribbean. From the balcony, you can see many small islands. The air temp is 76F, and we are supposed to be heading for a high of 81F. Just about perfect! Here is the morning view: Last night we ate at Impressions, which is a really pretty restaurant. Its very long, and there are big windows along the outer bulkhead. Between the windows, and above the booths along the inner bulkhead there are these huge copies of impressionist paintings. Its really nice. Unfortunately, they don't tell you the names of the paintings (or the artist), which would have been nice. I guess next time, we'll just have to bring our own art expert for the educational side of the program. After dinner, we hooked up with this couple from Canada that we met at the Cruise Critic get together, and saw the show. One thing I have to say is that thus far, with the exception of the embarkation show (which I didn't expect much of), the shows have been great. Last night's was a large dance troupe doing songs evoking the Miami area. Good singing, incredible dancing, and the band was inspired - might have had something to do with the fact that they were also part of the act, not just supporting the show that happened to be onboard that night. The night before, they had a comdian who they said was one of the opening acts for Celene Dion on her world tour. He was very funny, and definitely good at improv, since much of his act was in reaction to things the audience said. After the show, we went up to the Spinnaker Lounge, which is located up on Deck 12, all the way foward. During the day, there is an incredible view when you are standing at the floor to ceiling windows. Obviously, its night when we were up there, and the shades are pulled so there's no glare from the lights. They played the Newlywed/Not-So-Newly Wed game. It was pretty good, but we've seen it done much better on the Legend. Then we hung out and chatted with our new friends, and turned in. Now you are up to date on the goings on. Carol is done getting ready, so its off to breakfast! See you later! 4:30pm Hi again! Well, we just got back from St James, snorkeling in a little cove apparently called Christmas Cove (because Columbus spend his first Christmas in this cove -- or so the story goes). We took a boat called the Sea Blaster over, snorkelled, and came back. It was a 3 hour tour (and we made it back!). I would highly recommend it when/if/whatever you make it over here. Its a 70 foot twin screw boat that tools along at about 20kts (that's nothing after the whale watching boat out of Boston, but you can't have everything!). I got soaked (so did everyone else) on the way over and they played Buffett on the stereo (I was in heaven singing along - don't worry no one could hear me!). The crew is allot of fun, and the rum punch flows (only on the way back)! They will even let you drive the boat, if you want (lots of parents used it as a photo op with their kids -- and no, I didn't drive it, because I want one that goes faster). Christmas Cove is a very popular place. There had to be 10 or more boats anchored in the bay, and none of them were other cruise type excursions - really pretty sailboats and yachts, too! There were a couple of different areas to go snorkeling in, and Carol and I did both of them (a big circle). Along the way we saw a ton of coral (in 10 years, that cove is going to be spectacular!), lots of fish (a couple even pretty big), and this photo-hound turtle. No lie! I swam parallel to him/her/it, and shot a bunch of pics. Then I figured I had bothered the poor thing enough, and when I turned away, he/she/it turned with me! So I figured I'd make him/her/it happy, and kept shooting. I have some really great shots! At least it seems that way on the back of the camera, in the underwater housing. Note to Michael: DO NOT LET ME LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITHOUT CARD READERS FOR ALL THE TYPES OF CARDS USED BY ALL THE CAMERAS I BRING!!!!!! (for the rest of you, I brought this cute little card reader to with my laptop, that allows me to include pictures with the travelogue. Only problem is that the card reader only reads CF cards, which is what our SLRs use (the real cameras). Underwater shots (an those taken by Carol) are shot with one of two point-and-shoot cameras that we have around the studio for fun. The cards that they use, however, are xD cards, which are about 1/8th the size of CF cards, meaning I can see them, but can't share them with you!!! I'll work on that.) Well, that's about all for the moment. Tonite we are meeting Rachel and Darren (the couple from Canada) for dinner (its italian night) in Impressions, and then heading for the Family Feud show. I'll let you know how it goes. Then its off to Tortola (I think!) See you then!

Monday 3/20/06 -Tortola 7:00am Greetngs from sunny Tortola! We left St Thomas last night during dinner, did laps in the Caribbean, and pulled into Tortola sometime early this morning (we were slated in at 7am, but when I looked at 6:45, we were already tied up). Weatehrwise, it is a pretty day, partly cloudy, with the high reportedly going to be 83F. Just about perfect for snorkeling, which we'll be doing at 9am, hence the reason I am typing so early. Here is the view from the balcony this morning: Dinner last night was in interesting experience. We went down to Impressions, and were getting seated. The four of us were taken to a table for 6 (remember, we were meeting the couple from Canda). On the way, Darren saw a couple they had eaten breakfast with earlier in the day, and asked us if we would mind if they joined us. We, being the wonderful people we are, said no, we don't mind. So, while Darren went over to invite the couple, we told the maitre'd that there might be 6 of us after all. Somehow, that got him all excited, that we were willing to meet new people, etc., and somehow he got it in his head that we wanted him to find us another couple to sit with. So off he goes all animated. Meanwhile, the coupleDarren is talking to had just finished eating, so they were not joining us. As we settle in, the maitre'd brings over this other couple to eat with us! They were interesting, but we won't be seeking them out for another meal anytime soon! They live in the Village, right off Christopher St., apparently. It made for some interesting dinner conversation. Anyway, on the way to dinner, I took this shot of the sunset: The piano player is outside of Impressions. In fact, this piano is the in the golf picture from the first day at sea. I told you this ship wasn't all that large! After dinner, we went up to the Spinnaker Lounge for the Family Feud. I have to tell you, the game was alright, but rife with technical problems. And the prizes for the contestant were Koozies! Talk about lame. Personally, I think that Mark (from Mark's Rolling Dance Revue) can run a better set of games, and he is not a multi-BILLION dollar corporation! And if they are going to have a game, they really should keep score, and have some difference between the winner's and loser's prizes (I am not saying that anyone should ever walk away empty handed, but some on! They sell it as a competitive thing!). Okay, enough about that. We skipped the show last night (a guy singing 70s hit's in falsetto, such as Hey There Lonely Girl (wasn't that a 50s or 60s hit, remade by Shawn Cassidy in the 70s?) just didn't do it for me. But here is a shot of the Stardust Theater, so you can see it: Well, that's all for now. Time for a light breakfast before we hit the water! Talk to you later! 12:25pm Hi all! We just got back from our snorkelling trip to Norman Island. Now, many of you know that I have been to a bunch of different islands, and snorkelled in most of them, many in multiple spots. This was the BEST snorkelling I have ever done in my life! Yeah, Dad, it blows away the stuff we did as kids in PR. Amazing! And I would show you pictures of all the fish I was swimming with, except for one thing (and it is not what you think it is). Due to me uploading the last installment of this blog, and how close it was to the time we needed to be on the pier, I forgot my camera!!!!! Don't say it! I have said "it" and more over the course of the last 3 hours! I guess I will have to come back to shoot it. Now, Norman Island is the spot either where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, and/or where it was supposed to have happened, his classic novel, Treasure Island. It is a pretty spot. We were in the mouth of the inlet for Treasure Island, swimming... Opps! Time to go to lunch! See ya (see, despite writing this webpage, I do have my priorities straight)! 4:00pm Ah, what a day! Where was I? Oh, okay. So, we're in the middle of the mouth of the harbor of Treasure Island swimming around this sizeable rock outcropping. On the island side, its pretty shallow, and on the open side, it drops off pretty good (we're talking 30 or 40 feet, easy - I saw the diver at the bottom only because of the bubbles, since he/she was a hazy shadow). Coral everywhere, with tons of fish around. n the seaward side, there were schools of Blue Chromiums (or something like that, they told me), Angelfish, Parrotfish of a whole range of colors (I hadn't realized that they came in all those different colors - some not even too colorful), and a host of others that I couldn't even begin to describe. Let me put it this way; this is my 3rd trip to Tortola, and honestly, it was one of those islands you had to go to to get to the ones you wanted to see. I never saw why so many of the cruise ship itineraries took you here. I did the dolphin swim here, and to say that its a shadow of our experience in the Bahamas would be generous. There is really no shopping to speak of (especially compared to the other stops on the itinerary), and I don't care if it is the biggest island in the BVI (maybe I should tell you how I really feel, huh?). There is a good restaurant (where I ate lunch, incidentally), but that's not a reason to stop a whole cruise ship, is it? Now, I can say I have a reason to come back, and something special to look forward to. It was that great. Oh yeah, and the fish let you swim with them. Amazing! And me with no camera........ So, we got back from the trip, showered up (you go thru so much shampoo with all the showers you take!), and got together with Rachel and Darren (the canuks) for lunch. I told them that we were going to take them to Pussers, the neatest bar & grill in the Caribbean (except for the Soggy Dollar Bar, but I have yet to get there -- one day!). So, we get there, and have a great meal. Okay, who knows, because Rachel, Carol, and I got a Painkiller (in the traditional tin -- luckily not the large tin!), and Darren got a rum & Coke. Wow! The booze is the cheapest thing in the drink, and they have a reputation to uphold, so I don't remember much more at the restaurant. I do know that I bought a pirate flag for Production in the Studio. Then we poked around a couple of the local shops, and the tent city/shopping mall at the end of the pier. I found a kewl lapel pin that if I have another Painkiller, I might wear on my tux to weddings. Its a conversations piece, for sure. Here is a couple of shots from the pier: To this point, the only shot I have of the Dawn tied up is one I took on my cell phone and sent to Mr. Beecher, so that's gone (and even if it wasn't, I have no idea how to get the pic off the damn cell!). So, this is one I took with my "real" camera. Then there is the Welcome to the BVI sign. I liked it, its touristy, and you are stuck seeing it. They also had entertainment on the pier, a guitarist whowas quite good. He naturally sang Buffett, so I took his picture (which he obligingly smiled for), I gave him a couple of bucks (first time I had cash in my pocket all cruise!), and went merrily on my way. Then there is one for Michael - yes, they still have the tin cups! Tonite we get underway at 6pm, heading off toward St Maarten, my personal pick for Favorite Caribbean Island. Dinner tonight is in Aqua, followed by a comedy show (same guy as last time, David Naster, but he was great, as we're looking forward to it). I'll let you know how it all goes next time. Keep Smiling!!!

Tuesday 3/21/06 -St Maarten 7:00am Okay, I don't mind telling you people that I am a bit miffed this morning!! Here's why! And I have to tell you, I had a great view before I got in the shower this morning! Then I got my camera out for the morning view, and POOF! there was the Disney Magic! Oh well, the day can only go up from here, right (not to mention that the bottom isn't too low to start with!)? So, welcome to St Maarten! Its mostly sunny this morning (who can tell with the big ship next to us....?) with a high predicted to be 82F. St Maarten is divided into 2 separate countries, with the same name (spelled differently, but who's counting?). One side is Dutch, the other French (I think). The ship pulls into the Dutch side, and honestly, I have never been on the French side. That all changes today, since we're going snorkeling on the French side. And we get to do it with little James Bond style speeders (you know, those torpedo looking things that tow you along behind them). It should be cool! One problem I can see having is tooling along, letting go with one hand to try and take a picture (composing a shot underwater is not the simplest thing in the world, and doing it one handed while being pulled by a torpedo, while turning uncontrollably (because of holding on with only one hand) might be a challenge). But I'm willing to give it a try to bring back pictures to you fine people. I know, I know -- I have to remember to bring the camera. You people are merciless!!! Last night was a good time! Here is the view as the ship was in the channel heading out of Tortola: It was a pretty evening. Dinner was in the Venetian, and I innocently asked if there was a table near the big windows in the back of the ship. Well, we got a great seat! The view aft is beautiful -- but we only got to enjoy it for a short while, since the sun had just set. And of course, I hadn't brought my camera! Oh well. The comedy show, if anything, was better than the first time we saw it. I was in tears laughing so hard. If you ever get a chance to see Daid Naster in person, do it. Absolutely amazing! He does self help stuff, too. You know, the healing power of laughter kind of things. He has a web site - its www.YouJustHaveToLaugh.com in case anyone is interested. I haven't been to it, but I might go there to see if he has a CD of his standup routine. When we got back to the room, we found our first towel animal! One thing I should mention about this ship and our stateroom. You know how normally on a cruiseship, you can feel the fact that they slammed 2 twin beds together to make your bed so that there is a gap in the middle, with a metal frame at the bottom? Well, our bed is the the most comfortable bed we've ever had afloat! You don't even feel the separation. That is one thing that they do incredibly well on this ship! Well, that's all for now. I'll let you know how the snorkeling is, and if we saw anyone on the nude beach we're supposed to go by (they say that the nude beach is a scary sight, though - life altering scary). See you later! 2:00pm Another winner of a day! And its not over yet! We went over to the french side of the island by bus (air conditioned, and not open sided like they usually are), and were dropped off on the beach. There, you got life jackets (minimal ones, but they were not the inflatable kind), and a brief safety lecture. Then you climbed aboard the "bananna boat" (a large inflatable rubber boat resembling a pair of Oscar Mayer Hotdog Cars, tied up next to eachother. You sat on top of the yellow banannas, and hung on for dear life while a jetski towed you to the far side of the lagoon! It was great fun. 4:45pm Okay, sorry about that. Carol was done in the shower, so I got de-salted (before someone mistook me for a pretzel), grabbed quick bite, and went into town. I'll get to that later. Okay, so once you are on the other side of the lagoon, you get this little stubby torpedo looking thing, a quick lesson on how it works, and off you go. They broke us into 2 groups of 9 or 10 people, so they could keep an eye on us. After yesterday's snorkelling experience, this one was was a little letdown. There was alot of coral, and quite a few fish, but the sun kept going behind clouds, so it was a little dark. I do think I got a few good shots of parrotfish and some coral. I'll have to wait to get them downloaded to see for sure. I poked my head up to see where Carol was, and she told me that the group leader had said to head back to the beach. I looked around, noticed no one was around, so I figured we were the last of the group to go back. So, we tool along, and I shoot some more fish on the way. We turn the corner, and I see all these people onthe beach, so I figure my speculation about being the last ones in was correct. I beach my torpedo, look up, and realize that the people on the beach are the other group! After Carol gets to the beach, I look out, and who is coming in but Rachel. I ask her where her husband is (you know, the love of her life and all), and she says "I have no idea." I'm just about rolling on the floor laughing when she tells us that she saw a shark (a nurse shark - don't get too excited), and that her first reaction is "Where's Peter?" Now I am thinking that she has joined Carol's conspiracy to get my life insurance! Darren shows a couple of minutes later, and we're talking to the guy who is driving the jet ski. Apparently, he's heading back to Paris after being in paradise for 6 months. All we can do is ask why? He says he's had enough for the time being, and by the way, the cooler behind us has cold drinks in it, help ourselves. So, here we are on this absolutely stunning beach, drinking sodas, sitting on a beached Zodiac, wondering if life can get any better! What a day! After driving back across the island, we get showered and grab a burger, then head into St Maarten. Now, any of you who know me know that I think that St Maarten is about a perfect a Caribbean Island as I have ever been to, and today's jaunt over to the French side certainly didn't hurt that opinion one bit. But I have to tell you that they have done major work on this place, and it is gorgeous. There is a new boardwalk, the sidewalks have been redone, many of the shops have gotten a facelift, and that is since last year. The first time I was here, all the hotels in on the beach looked like they had been bombed. Now, they are all pretty, with beach chairs everywhere, ready for people. Its really nice now -- Disney in the Caribbean. This trip, instead of taking the water taxi to the main shopping pier, we decided to walk it backwards, and got off at the town pier. The first shop we went into was a place called the Guavaberry Emporium. Now, I have been by this place int he past, but never really checked it out, but since we seem to be poking our heads into spice places this trip, I thought it was worth a look. And what a look it was! They are doing amazing things with guava (and mango) these days! And then they put it into these stunning bottles. We did a bunch of samples, I bought a couple of bottles, and then crawled to my favorite store on St Maarten: The Last Mango in Paradise. This is where I get all my best T-shirts. The only problem is that I have a goodly collection, and own many of the shirts they offer - that and the fact that I could barely walk straight! Fear not, dear friends, I found a couple I didn't have, as well as get a bauble to hang on the wall in Production at the Studio. We finished our walking tour, and didn't even look at any of the jewelry shops along the way (there are tons of jewelry stores! Carol said she didn't need anything, and I wisely, did not argue. We got on the water taxi back to the ship, and who do we see getting off but Rachel and Darren. Too late, I think to tell them to go to Guavaberry's and tell them that they are friends of mine (I was there for a while sampling). Oh well, lost opportunity. Then we get back on the ship. For those of you who don't know, when you board a ship from one of the ports of call, they confiscate your liquor. This is for the dual purpose of customs (to know how much you have to declare), and to keep you buying their booze (okay, I don't know if those are the official reasons, but they are the only ones that make sense to me!). Somehow, no one managed to impound my booze, and I wasn't about to ask any questions. I just kept walking, got on the elevator, and headed up to the room (I was feeling it when I had to wait for the second elevator - damned tourists!). I guess the party is in our cabin tonite! And that pretty much brings you up to date. Tonite, we have reservations in the italian joint (La Tattoria). Then Second City is coming onboard for a comedy night (we were all talking on the bus back from the beach, and we agreed they have their work cut out for them after Daid Naster last night). I'll let you know how that all turns out tomorrow when we pull into Puerto Rico. See you then!

Wedneday 3/22/06 -San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:10am Greetings from sunny Puerto Rico! Actually, we're about a mile off shore, waiting to come in. We heard that there were 3 ships ahead of us to get tied up, so we wait. We are up at the crazy hour because we went to foreign countries (Tortolla & St Maarten), and this is our first reemtry to the United States, forcing everyone to go thru immigration. That is scheduled to happen at 7am, and I figured I would get into the shower first and let Carol sleep a little longer. Last night's dinner was okay. Part of that comes from the fact that La Trattoria itself is actually part of the Garden Cafe (the buffett) converted into a restaurant. I applaud their efforts, but honestly, the atmosphere suffers compared to even the main diningrooms. Foodwise, it was okay. Basically, its the same fare as what we had on italian night in the main diningroom. Oh well, you can't have everything! The Second City troupe was pretty good. It reminded me of the Comedy Club on Disney's Pleasure Island. They did some improv stuff based on ideas from the audience. The goal was to stump a pair of the troupe (there are 5 comedians in the group, plus a piano player). Personally, I am not sure that what the crowd gave them to work with was hard enough (the harder, the more they have to contort to figure it out - hence funnier). But they had a couple of preset skits that were really good. They are supposed to be on again later in the week, so I'm looking forward to that. The game show up in the Spinnaker Lounge was the Weakest Link. That was the best organized and most enjoyable game they have had so far on the cruise. We had a good time trying to get the answers faster (and more accurately) than the contestants. Hopefully, they have more of that level of games coming up (or just keep playing that one!). Well, here is the morning view: The sun had just risen when I took this shot. Right after that, we took on the pilot, turned in, and headed for the pier. On the way, I shot this one of El Morro, the old Spanish fort that used to guard the harbor and city. I have been going to visit it since I was little, and seeing it from the sea is something special. Its mostly cloudy at the moment (hopefully that wil improve), with the high predicted to be 83F. Today we have a walking tour of Old San Juan scheduled. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring you some neat shots. I'll see you then! 2:30pm The walking tour of San Juan we took was great! Lots of stories, history, and classic historic buildings in an intimate setting (the tour group was only 16 people). Our tour guide was a girl named Debbie, who was alot of fun - very enthusiastic. I am also convinced that she is a frustrated photographer (she kept telling everyone what good shots there were, how to frame them, etc.). There was a ton of architechure to see. There is currently a deal for home owners in Old San Juan that if you move there, you don't pay property taxes for 10 years to get the area reclaimed. Looks like they are doing a good job! One of the stops on the tour was the Cathedral (long name, don't ask). The tomb of Ponce de Leon is there (for those of you who don't remember 4th grade history, Ponce de Leon was the guy who led the unsuccessful search for the Fountain of Youth). As you are walking around Old San Juan, you get occassional glimpses of the ship down long cobblestone streets, over the hill, and across the park (where I had shaved ice as a kid). At the end of the tour, Debbie asked if we wanted to go to lunch (apparently she was taking a couple of ladies to this local restaurant not far from the pier for "good, not too expensive food -- like the natives eat!"). Naturally, we said yes, and ate a place called Mojitos (after the famous Cuban rum drink). She wasn't going to stay, but we convinced her to hang out with us, so Carol got her first meal of Mofungo (cooked plantains encasing (in this case) chicken stew). It was great. Then we headed back to the ship to relax before we head off toward the Bahamas (early push off -- have to be back onboard for 3:30pm). Tonite, we are going to the Tappas bar with our Canadian friends, checking out a stand up comic, and take in a magic show (don't ask me which is when, though -- I still have time to figure that out!). Then, I believe, we have a sea day before getting into the Bahamas (there was some talk about us going to the Dominican Republic instead of the Bahamas, but that has yet to be confirmed). I am going to leave you with a popular postcard image that I took on the tour. Talk to you later!

Thursday 3/23/06 -Somewhere in the Atlantic 8:30am Well, San Juan is some 360 nautical miles to our stern, and there are another 400 or so before we get to Great Stirrup Cay. The seas are calm (1-4 foot swells), the sky clear with a high predicted to be 82F. We've just passed the Turk and Caicos on our way to the Bahamas (one day I'll have to visit those islands! I've heard good things. So much to do....). Here is the morning view: While not as pretty as some views we have woken up to this trip, its not a bad way to go, huh? Dinner at Salsa (the Mexican place) was quite good. We mostly had a bunch of appetizers and Fajitas, and the timing was just about perfect to make the show. The staff was incredibly funny, mostly because they actually had personality! at the other restaurants, the staff is running around being efficient, and asking what seems to be preprogrammed questions. Last night there was none of that. Allot of interaction. One guy asked us how our day was, we told him great, and then asked him how his was. He got a somewhat dour look on his face, and told us his day wasn't so good. After talking to him, we offered him a drink, and I think he was tempted! I don't think that would have happened anywhere else (if it did, I think it would lose its appeal, but here it made the meal interesting). The magic show last night was incredibly good. If it had lasted an hour more, that would have been a good thing. The stand up comedian wasn't nearly as good. He was a club style comic, mostly one liners, and he never really connected with the crowd. I think I like the stream of consciousness comedians better because if they are good, its just all funny. With the one liner guys, you can go from something hysterical with one joke, to something just plain stupid with the next. Okay, enough of that (look at me, I'm becoming a comedic critic!). Today is a pretty kicked back day. Overall, there aren't tons of things even offered on the schedule. I think that they figure that after 4 straight days of running and doing excursions and stuff, that people just need to relax by the pool or someplace. I suppose that's basically true. I might give the art auction one more try, but that will be more from boredom than anything else. Who knows, I might even make a dent in my book (normally I would have had it about done by now (or have been well into the second book), but instead I write this blog. I think it appeals to the creative side of me to share this experience with you all -- and I don't have to tell anyone how the trip went; they can come to the web site and see for themselves!). Tonight we are doing dinner in Impressions with Rachel & Darren, and another couple (we found out yesterday when we saw them going off the ship and we were coming back in PR). Then there is a comedic ventriloquist in the Stardust Theater, and the game tonite is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire up in the Spinnaker Lounge. I'll let you know how it goes. See you then! Keep Smiling!!!

Friday 3/24/06 - Great Stirrup Cay, the Bahamas 8:15am Good morning, and welcome to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, Norwegian Cruise Line's private island. Currently, the weather is overcast with showers moving thru the area, 70F with a predicted high of 81F. The seas are calm with a mild breeze. Not the prettiest day we've had - cometo think of it, this is the ugliest day of the trip thus far, which is pretty good! Here is the morning view: There was some question this morning if we were going to be able to go ashore here, thanks to the wind andweather in general, but they are now starting to tender people over to the island. Yesterday was a really nice relaxing day. I actually made a pretty good dent in my book (which isn't half bad, actually). Walking around the ship, there were tons of people out sunning themselves. There was also a pool volleyball game going - the Cruise Director's Staff vs. All Comers. If we saw the Cruise Director's staff get 3 points total, that was allot. Here is a shot of the scene: While we were waiting for the elevator, I took a walk onto a balcony at the top of the Grand Atrium, and this is what I saw. I thought it was an interesting perspective. Dinner last night was great. We ate with Rachel and Darren, along with a couple they met a few days back, Miriam and Paul, in Impressions. Miriam and Paul are an older couple from southern New Jersey. They have done extensive cruising - as in over 50 cruises (27 on the Princess line, alone)!!! They are great conversationalists, and did they ever have stories to tell! We were there later than we thought we would be, so we missed the early ventriloquist show, but no one minded. After dinner, we made plans to meet Miriam & Paul for the late show, and headed up to Spinnaker to see the Who Wants to be a Millionaire show. It was pretty funny, but no million dollars. You did get a prize for every question you got right, and worked you way from a bookmark to a bottle of champagne. And if you were even slightly perceptive, you couldn't answer the questions wrong (like they would tell you that you didn't want that answer to be your final answer). It was fun. Then back down to the Stardust Theater to see the ventriloquist. We got a bunch of balcony seats, ordered drinks, and saw an incredible show. This guy was really funny, and somehow he managed to sing in harmony with the dummies. That was a neat trick! After dinner, we said good night to Miriam and Paul, and headed up to the Star Bar, where they had a piano player. We needed to kill an hour or so before we could go and visit the Chocoholic's Buffett. They had it in the Venetian, and it was quite the impressive display of chocolate, let me tell you. I had a couple of things, but it was more the looks of their show pieces that I enjoyed. Here are a couple: Yep, and it wasn't just chocolate! But there were dipping fountains, coffee, champagne, and the list goes on and on. It was a really good display! Well, time to get a quick bite before we head over to the island! I'll let you know how it is when we get back! 2:40pm Well, this is the shore excursion that was destined not to happen. As I mentioned earlier, the weather at Great Stirrup Cay was not great (it was raining for a little, even). The Captain kept coming on the PA system to announce that they were either suspending or resuming tender operations (the one I liked was when he resumed ops, he said that "unless it was imperative to go ashore, I would recommend you stay on the ship for your own safety" -- I want to know why would it be imperative to go ashore for anyone, since its a private island and noone is there! What does he think? We have a pressing meeting we have to get to?). Well, Darren and Rachel have been collecting little bottles of sand from the places we visited. Rachel decided to send Darren, and wanted to know if I wanted to go with him. I had my camera gear packed, so why not? Carol was smarter that I, so she and Rachel made plans to go see the movie at 11am. So, off Darren and I go to Deck 4 to get on a boat. There were a bunch of people waiting. They had a ticket system to try and make getting off the boat a little more organized thru the "rush." Our tickets weren't quite called, but we thoughtwe'd probably be able to catch a half filled boat and head in. Naturally, they were not about to break their ticketing system (better to send a boat half full than get people ashore!), so we had to wait. Then they cancelled the shore excursion due to wind and waves, and the Captain said he "hoped we can get all the passengers back on board." As if he really had an option! So, we went up to the Spinnaker Lounge to get a view of the tenders coming back from the island. Here is a shot of the Spinnaker, located on Deck 12, all the way forward, so there are windows all around with great views. Off the port side we got a good show of the tenders coming in. Now remember, the seas aren't really all that bad, but these boats are, to put it mildly, not equipped for any real seas. In case you were wondering if I made up Rachel and Darren, here is a picture of them as we waited for the tenders to come back: So, after the show, we headed over to the Venetian for lunch. Here is a view from the back of the Venetian, as we left Great Stirrup Cay in our wake: This afternoon there is the Debarkation Lecture (booo, hiss!) at 4pm. This evening has a good lineup of entertainment. First there is a dance/music production called Bollywood (I've read good reviews on that one), then the Second City Players do some improv, and finally, there is a piece called the Liars Club (you try to tell who is lying, but they use the recent show stars - the ventriloquist and comedian - as well as someone from the cruise director's staff. It should be fun!). I'll let you know how it all goes next time. Til then....!

Saturday 3/25/06 - Lost at Sea 9:00am Well Toto, it looks like we're not in the Caribbean anymore! Here is the morning view: Currently, its 53F, the seas are running at about 8-12 feet as we cruise off the Carolinas, and we are headed into a 40 mph Gale strength headwind. And if anyone couldn't tell we weren't in the Caribbean yesterday, the rocking and rolling of last night and this morning should convince the skeptical! Last night's shows were really good. The Bollywood show in the Stardust was amazing! It had dance, acrobatics, and aerial acts, all loosely combined around an Indian theme. And while I can't say I necessarily understood how the acts were all tied together, they were incredibly well done, doubly so when you consider the movement of the ship! The Second City Troupe had a nice show, but it was kind of short. There was allot of audience interaction, and they had a good time acting out some of the ridiculous things that the audience came up with. The Liar's Club was allot of fun. We had a good time trying to figure out who was lying about the definition of some really obscure words. The funniest part of the whole thing were the stories these guys came up with to justify their answers. Its hard to describe, but if you get a chance to see it, I would highly recommend it! Yesterday, as we were getting ready for dinner, I turned on the TV to the Bridge Camera station. Sometimes it is nice to see what is in front of us, not just what is beside us out of the balcony window. Imagine my surprise to see a ship slowly traversing our path. And not some little boat that we could crush like a toothpick - oh no, we were looking at another cruise ship! With the angle of the camera, it looked like we were going to come close to hitting it. When it became clear that were were not going to be the next tradgedy at sea this week, we were about a mile apart, so I went out on the balcony and took this shot of the Carnival Glory. And while I was out there, I shot this one of the bowspray, which was pretty impressive as the seas kicked up! Today is a rest, relax, and cry in your beer day that the cruise is almost over. I suppose packing will get in there someplace, too. The show tonite is a guest talent type thing, but apparently whoever is the best out of the fleet gets offered a contract to be an entertainer on an NCL ship. Its the NCL Idol competition! I'll let you know how it goes! Keep Smiling!!!

Sunday 3/26/06 - New York City, New York 7:30am They say that all good things come to an end, and I guess that applies to cruises, as well! This morning saw a calm sea outside of New York Harbor, with grey clouds, and temperatures in the 40s. Here is the view from the stateroom. The pilot came onboard at 6:30am, just as the Captain had said yesterday, and we headed into port. The first major landmark you come to is the Verazano Narrows Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. A sign of the times is the Coast Guard escort we get going into and out of US ports. These guys were having a little fun riding the Dawn's bow wake: Next on the travel parade is the Statue of Liberty. One day I am going to come into NYC from the sea with the day being bright and sunny! Those of you who have seen my work know that I always seem to go to sea on bright sunny days, forcing me to shoot into the sun, and come home on dark cloudy days, not giving me the look I always want for this shot. I guess that means I have to take another cruise! It will have to do. Last night's events were a blast. The crowd got into the NCL Talent Search Contest (the guy who won was pretty good, and some of the people weren't too good, but the crowd clapped as if they were all superstars -- and that is how it should be!), the comedian was funny, and the magician amazing. It was a good way to close out the trip. We said our goodbyes to Miriam & Paul, then headed to the stateroom to pack and get a little shut eye. Breakfast this morning was with Rachel and Darren in the Venetian (too many people hanging around the Garden Cafe!). It was very nice, but then that too was over. We said our goodbyes, and headed up to the stateroom for a final check of the luggage, and to wait for the order to disembark. At least I know the car is still on the pier (I checked as we tied up). I'll let you know how the debarkation goes in the final entry. Til then........