Great Adventure - Reflections

Looking back to the last few weeks, I would have to rank this cruise as one of the best.  The weather was absolutely fabulous.  Sunny skies, warm weather (85-89 degrees), no rain and extremely calm seas made the cruise a pleasure.  I loved Ocho Rios, Jamaica and the tour we did was one for the memories.  It was my first time in Jamaica and while my expectations were high ... every one of them were met.  Being there on Bob Marley's birthday was a special moment also.  I loved the introductions of the guests.  Every time they queried an oriental they always claimed to be from Toronto Canada.  Did the Far East have a relocation effort to Canada?  One of the constant laughs came from these Can-Asians was the constant posing and posturing for pictures. They would do their photo sessions with no regard to other guests and the fact they were blocking the aisles.  The food was great, especially Cagney's Steakhouse.  If I had the money, I would go there every night ... but the budget won't handle it and the waistline wouldn't either.  The two other specialty places we ate were ok but not to the level of making a very memorable impression like Cagney's. As usual the crew talent show was fantastic.  I wish I had some of that talent.  My only regret would have to be not getting enough sun time on the upper decks.  I guess I will have to cut out some other activities and make the time to catch a few more zzz's in the sun.

Stopping by mom's house on the way home was nice.  Yeah, it added some time to the trip but the easy and non-caring thing would have been to head straight home.  Life is too precious and moments to special to pass them by.  Happy Birthday Mom ... I wish it could have been more.  Thanks Carl and Paul for riding along and indulging in my whims.

Thank You to our sailing buddies as they made it special.  The laughs, jokes, sharing of experiences and dreams are special and forever locked in my thoughts.  It isn't a matter if I would do it again with them but one of when and how soon is the next cruise.

To my wife ... all I can think of is super, fantastic, special, tremendous, awesome, emotional, tender and a whole lot of other adjectives.  As we looked at God's wonders and handiwork, I saw her and thought ... it is a double blessing to have her in my life.

I wish all the kids could realize how great these memories of time spent together could be.  Usually we wait till it is too late and then forever rue the lost times.




So once again another great vacation come to an end.
 

Great Adventure Day XII

Today was spent talking and remembering those memories we cherish the most.  Muffin gave us a bit of a scare with another one of her episodes but a little massaging and medication, she recovered and back to full speed by evening. Mom had a doctor's appointment, so after going to the wrong hospital, she finally got there on time.  After that we swung through Pensacola Memorial Gardens and visited Dad for a few minutes.  Then it was off to Ed's Seafood Shack for a great seafood dinner. I loaded up with all you can eat Mullet, Gumbo, and garlic cheese grits.  They definitely lived up to their billing.  The gators didn't make an appearance but numerous other animals did.  We left there stuffed and most everyone slept as we made the trek home.  After arriving we spent several hours just talking and sharing and occasionally glancing at the TV.

Well, another Great Adventure comes to a close as we travel home.  It's back to reality and start saving up for next years cruise.  Where is still up in the air but based on how this one went ... we can't wait!

Great Adventure Day XI

Well, while we were sleeping the ship got back to Miami and docked.  Following breakfast we slowly and sadly departed the ship.  Ronda and Lynn headed for the airport to fly home and us guys loaded the van and headed for Pace Florida.  I figured what the heck, "let's surprise mom with a small birthday present ... me!  It was a very long day as we didn't get to mom's house until 01am.  The ride across Alligator Alley was fun and the animals were amazing.  We didn't get any rain until we were almost there.

Great Adventure Day X - Cruise Day VII

We are at sea once again and sadly heading for home.  Today was spent soaking up the sun and getting the last of the souvenirs.  The afternoon held a talent show featuring the talents of different crew members. It amazed me that they had such talent and did housekeeping for their livelihood.  It was capped off by the Fountain, it was hilarious as they went through their routines.  Evening dinner was special as we went to Cagney's Steakhouse.  We pre-booked this for the last night because we knew how good it was from previous cruises.  What a way to end our fun time.  Everyone left with that stuffed feeling as the food was cooked to perfection.  The evening's entertainment was a review of the special entertainers that were on board.  Alex Jackson, Oh What a Night singers, The ship's production dancers and singers and Chip, a magician/comedian.  Finally we headed back to our room to pack and prepare for Sunday's disembarkation.

Great Adventure Day IX - Cruise Day VI

Cozumel Mexico once again!  Our morning started out pretty much like usual ... you know me a creature of predictable habits.  Since we didn't reach Cozumel till 11am we slept in and ate a late breakfast at the Summer Palace.  Even Ronda slept in and skipped her morning walk.  Then it was off the ship for 5 hours of shopping and sightseeing.  They put us at the new International dock which is well away from where we us to dock and this necessitated a 20 minute cab ride to the best shopping stores.  Ronda was very happy as a Ammolite bracelet screamed "Buy Me."  My wallet gave up the ghost and cried "Uncle."  This little event took almost a hour ... at least it was air conditioned as it was HOT and sunny.  Probably our warmest day of the cruise.  One nice thing about Cozumel was that as the temperature rose the amount of clothes decreased.  Half the fun of walking down the street is the interaction between us and the local barkers trying to get us in their shops.  They will say anything.  We stopped in the Tequila Factory for a few free samples and walked out with a bottle of Tequila that can not be found in the U.S.  Lunch was at a sidewalk restaurant called Palmeras.  The food was good and at the same time different from what we are used too.  With our shopping done and bellies full, we took a 1 horse buggy ride back to the ship.  It was peaceful and very nice as the breeze kept us cool and we had very good vision to see the sights of Cozumel.  Of course, all this walking necessitated a nap to prepare us for dinner.  Following another fine meal and wine in the Summer Palace we headed off to the nights entertainment.  Country and Western music hour wasn't our cup of tea but allowed us to get fairly good seats for the rest of the evening.  "Dancing with The Pearl Stars" was hilarious. Seeing as none of the guests were any good the Stars had the hands full.  The winners were a couple that just had fun and relied on comedy to take them to the top.  The best female pro dancer was definitely worth the attention though her partner was a dud.  P.S., wearing a sheer almost see through top helped to keep many eyes on her.  Next Came "Liars Club" and all of our sides hurt from the steady stream of laughs. Great one-liners came at the rate of 1 every 3 seconds.  The words for the night were "Trion", "Tittup", "Chubble", "Fullfart".  Believe me they came up with some real whoppers.  Trion, pronounced Tree On, was what happend just before a tree mated.  Tittup was the way women were buried. Chubble was a french word for midgets. And Fullfart is when your 86 year old Grandmother farts so hard it blows our the ankles of her panty hose.  Can you believe these definition?  If not "Googleize it"  So about 00:30am we finally made it to bed.

The Great Adventure Day VIII - Cruise Day V

The days fly by as the fun and laughs continue. Today is Grand Cayman Island.  Usually the best snorkeling port but we decided to make it a shopping port.  Sunny and hot ... about 84 degrees. We started the day with a short 2 mile walk (11 laps of the ship) and breakfast in the Summer Palace.  Notice our sequence?  We got off the ship about 9am and returned about 2pm.  Great town with plenty of shops and well defined sidewalks making Carl's job of moving Paul about easier.  Ronda found the Ammolite Ring that said "Buy Me." And she did!  Then on the other side of town she found a set of Ammolite ear rings that talked to her and we completed her set.  I managed to find a new watch which well exceeded the Timex watches I usually get or the $10 specials I usually buy on board the ship. No problem making weight restrictions now going home as the wallet is significantly lighter.  Of course Lynne managed to buy her share too so the Grand Cayman Government gave us a Letter of Thanks for supporting their National GNP so well. After returning to ship we did the buffet and took afternoon naps to rest up for the evening.  The evening show was "Encore", one that we had seen before.  By time the showed ended it was 11:30pm so we called it a night.

Great Adventure Day VII - Cruise Day IV

It is finally here ... Ocho Rios Jamaica.  Of course the day started with NCL serving us breakfast ... no buffet here!  We headed off the ship about 10 am and the temperature pushing 90+ degrees.  NCL did not have any tours that fit our requirements so we winged it and hired our own tour guide at half the cost.  Luciano was fantastic.  He gave us a tour which we won't soon forget.  We visited the Garden and saw many types of native flowers and plants. It was so beautiful, lush, and peaceful.  Kayanna was a great guide and her knowledge was tremendous. Of course I managed to get many pictures.  Good thing I had a fully charged battery and a 1 Gb memory disk.  Next we went to the Falls and got some terrific panoramic shots of the bay and city.  Luciano gave us a tour of the island away from the beaten path and we loved seeing Jamaica as it really is. Gas is over $7 a gallon and unemployment is 42.5%.  There are so many kids they run 2 shifts, 6-12 and 12-6 ... and American kids have it so tough!  We finished the day shopping at a local mall ... away from the cruise line recommended shops and prices, for some souvenirs. The girls visited the Jamaican free market and experienced real bargain buying.  The skill here is in the negotiations. After saying goodbye to Luchiano about 2 pm we headed back on ship. Naturally, since we were exhausted from our strenuous day we took midday naps till dinner time.  Once again we went to the Summer Palace to be pampered and spoiled.  The evenings entertainment was a "Second City" production.  We laughed so hard at their improv and comedy. I loved the Pigeon feeding routine the most. We had our night cap in the Spinnaker Lounge listing to 80's rock.  Oh, we also got our 2 cruise reservations for our future cruises ... guess we will have to take at least 2 more cruises.  Sadly our wonderful day in Jamaica came to an end ... but tomorrow is "Grand Cayman" ... does the fun and adventure ever end?

Great Adventure Day VI - Cruise Day III

Today started out by being spoiled and having breakfast served to us in the Summer Palace.  After that we laid on the deck soaking up the sun.  Ronda and Lynne went to numerous shopping and excursion demos and we all sat in the Diamonds and Gems discussion.  Now if I could only afford to buy the stuff I learned about.  I love how their "demo' stones were always 6.5 carats in size ... like a $10,000 ring is my normal purchase range.  Right!  After a day of observing the natural beauty of the sunny deck ... and in some cases the un-natural beauty we went to dinner at the Italian Restaurant.  It was good but I couldn't help think of Matthew's "Man" lasagna.  The lasagna was mostly meat with minimal pasta and sauce.  Aiden would have loved this "man" lasagna. The evening's entertainment was a tribute to Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons.  They were good and closing your eyes, you could easily drift back to the 70's. We finished the day with Ladies vs Gents games ... they were rigged might I add.  It was a great day but tomorrow is Jamaica and somewhere I have never been.

Great Adventure Day V - Cruise Day II

We are now sitting just off the shore in Great Stirrup Cay after sailing all night. Our goal is to get rested up since we have been to this island numerous times.  Not much here but beach activities.  Though they are doing a lot of improvements like adding a new sheltered cove for docking the tender ships.  Plenty of sun and 84 degrees.  We spent several hours laying out and soaking the rays up on the deck lounge chairs.  So, Ronda and Lynn soaked the most rays up and got a little pink!  We also found the adults only sunbathing area where topless sunbathing is allowed.  Ronda didn't want to stay there.  We did the buffet for lunch which started a food overload with so many choices.  Though I didn't see Jessie's favorite ... mashed potatoes.  If you like fruit you would be in heaven because they have it everywhere.  Also the soft serve ice cream machine is conveniently located and I have made good use of it, so has everyone else. We ate in the Summer Palace Dining room and had a great meal topped off with some Bex Riesling wine.  The evening show was a tribute to Broadway with many songs and dances.  That was followed up by a visit to the Spinnaker Lounge and a bigger dose of Alex Jackson comedy.  Eventually the days activities caught up and we crashed into our freshly turned down beds.

Great Adventure Day IV - Cruise Day I

We made it ... only a couple of hours and we will be boarding the ship.  Following a lazy breakfast at Denny's we had a 30 drive to the port.  Well, actually it was longer as a wreck on the Interstate  blocked the road. So we took surface roads and saw a little bit of Miami.  We quickly remembered our steps as we unloaded the van and trailer at the port.   We arrived before the bulk of people and had a fairly quick boarding process.  Well, easy except a illegal knife which they locked up until we get back off the ship and Lynn knocking the bags off the wheel chair every time it turned.  First action after getting on the ship was getting lunch.  Got to keep out energy level up.  As usual it was great getting spoiled and waited on like they do.  I think everyone tried something different.  The rest of the time was spent exploring the ship, our home for the next 7 days.  We have asked ourselves where everyone is as the crowds are smaller than we remember. After a great dinner at the "Le Bistro", French influenced food, we saw the opening night show.  Looks like the entertainment is up to par.  Comedian Alex Jackson kept us laughing with his jokes and comments on life.  The night wound down about 10:30 pm as the days activities caught up with us.  Later when I check my Fitbit it said we walked 30 flights of stairs, no wonder we were tired.

The Grand Adventure - Day III

Well, Day three comes to a close with our arrival in Fort Lauderdale.  The ride today was uneventful but very nice.  The Temps hit a sunny 77 degrees.  Needless to say the coats and sweaters were peeled off quickly.  Meals were provided by Denney's, Burger King and Bubba Gump's.  The Jambalaya was great though a bit more spice could have been added.  Everyone else enjoyed their food too.  We stopped by Daytona Harley Davidson and looked around for a bit.  We have commented that it would be nice to stop there every time we passed it the last several trips.  Today ... we stopped.  We got off the Interstate and drove along some U.S. Highways and saw Lake Okeechobee and some of the everglade swamp.  Unanimous consent was we did not want to live there.  Packing is complete and all that is left to do is sleep and go to the ship in the morning.  Tough life but I gladly volunteer to do it.  Oh well, bed time for Bonzo ... it is 1am.

The Grand Adventure - Day II

Well, it is Day 2 for Bubba and his Great Adventure.  The morning started out at 08:00am in Fayetteville NC and ended at 4:30pm in Jacksonville Fl.  Nice safe ride today and the weather was great ... reaching 68 degrees ... just had to shed the jacket and walk about in a short sleeve shirt.  Breakfast at Denney's (who would have guessed), lunch at subway and dinner at St John's Steak and Seafood.  The food at St John's was surprisingly good.  Not knowing what we were getting into, we all enjoyed the family style restaurant.  Would recommend it to others if you pass through Jacksonville. Just finished making reservations in Ft Lauderdale for tomorrow night.  Only 304 miles to go.

We have discussed half the worlds problems and solved them all.  Great time is being had by all. Hope everyone is doing well and being blessed in a mighty way.  And being blessed by my absence isn't allowed!