MAHO BEACH WEB CAM

Here is a link to a great webcam situated above the Sunset Bar and Grill on Maho Beach, St. Maarten.  We had a great time watching the planes take off and land.

SUNSET BAR AND GRILL - MAHO BEACH WEBCAM

ST. THOMAS, USVI

This is a GREAT link to information about St. Thomas, USVI.  I really like the videos about the beaches.  Check it out.
ST. THOMAS INFO SITE

TRAVEL TIP #35 THIS COULD BE THE BEST TRAVEL TIP EVER

USE A TRAVEL AGENT!!!!

Years ago if you wanted to book a flight, or a cruise, you had to use a Travel Agent.  That was the ONLY way to do it.  I hate to admit that I am old enough to remember those days.

And then the Internet happened!  Savvy money saving travelers who were also computer smart could use the mysterious world wide web to book direct with the Cruise Line or Airline.  We can cut out the middle man and save hundreds of dollars!!! Right????

Fast forward to the reality of TODAY.  USE A TRAVEL AGENT.   You will pay EXACTLY the same for your flight, or cruise, or hotel stay, as if you booked it online.  So... if it costs the same... if your Travel Agent can't get you a "better deal", then why bother?  The answer is simple: "Why NOT use a Travel Agent."

When you use a Travel Agent you get all the benefits of a full-time EXPERT for FREE!  Say that again, "FREE!!"  Do you not like free?  I like free.  If I can have someone else taking care of phone calls and paperwork, and it doesn't cost me not one cent more, why not take advantage of free? If I can have another set of eyes watching over my trip at no additional cost to me, why not do so?  For absolutely no additional cost, I have someone whose business is "Travel / Vacations" looking after my journey.

Some think that a Travel Agent is good for making recommendations, and they would be correct.  Travel Agents can and will make very beneficial suggestions.  However, I have found that I am most appreciative of not where an Agent might suggest that I go, but rather, where I should NOT go.  Let's be honest; Internet reviews cannot always be relied upon.  "Bonjour."  But... your local Travel Agent??  Here is someone who, if they make a bad recommendation, they have to face you when you get back.  They are accountable to you and it costs you nothing.  Their business depends upon you.  Their future success depends upon you recommending them to your friends.

Your Travel Agent has their finger on the pulse of the Travel Industry.  They will likely be aware of "specials" and "discounts" even before you are.  Even if you are signed up for email alerts, your Agent will be watching as well and can notify you of special deals specific to your needs and desires.

And lastly, and perhaps most importantly... In the event that something goes wrong while you are on your trip, and you need Stateside support, your Travel Agent is prepared and capable of providing you with a ton of information and logistical support.  In an emergency, the help provided by your Agent can be priceless.

All of this is to say that one of your very best opportunities to have a great vacation may very well begin with your local Travel Agent.

TRAVEL TIP #42 SAVE TIME AND MONEY

Two things that every person wanting to Cruise should do:

#1        Sign up for the Cruise Line email alerts.  Also… do this for the airlines.  This is how we got notice of a GREAT price reduction which we used when we booked our upcoming Cruise on the Jewel of the Seas.  I had picked out our Cruise, but the price was too high.  So… as we waited, and researched, and dreamed… one day, Joni gets an email from Royal Caribbean.  We immediately got to work and contacted our Agent.  The Cruise was booked within a few hours.   GET SIGNED UP FOR EMAIL ALERTS.

#2        Sign up for the Cruise Line loyalty programs.  Take advantage of the perks and promotions.  Signing up for loyalty programs can save both time and money.  In some cases, loyalty club members are cued up in shorter lines when waiting to board the ship.  This perk alone is well worth the little bit of time and effort needed to enroll in a loyalty program. These programs cost you nothing and can provide some very real benefits.

ISLAND TRANSPORTATION TIPS

There are several options for ground transportation that someone visiting the Islands might want to take advantage of.  Your choices will largely depend upon your budget. 

You can book a shore excursion through the Cruise Line.  These are highly organized and escorted.  This can be done online weeks before you go on your cruise.  Your Travel Agent can also assist you.  Or… you can wait until you depart on your Cruise, and then simply book your excursion, which will include the necessary ground transportation, at the “Excursion Desk” on the ship.  This is convenient, but it is also  probably the most expensive.  The biggest advantage of joining a excursion offered by the Cruise Line is that the ship will not leave port without you.  If something goes wrong with your ground transportation, the Cruise Line will be aware and will make sure you are safely back on the ship before they depart.

I have done this only a very few times.  Now, however, I get off ship, walk past the lines of pre-paid and escorted groups, and head out on my own spontaneous (albeit, usually researched) adventure.  This provides several options. 

One can rent a van and driver for a full day, which can cost perhaps $350.  This might be a great option if you are traveling with a group of friends or family, and you can all agree on a schedule and places you would like to see.  The advantages to this option are several and obvious.  Here is a link to just such an option on St. Maarten: FULL DAY PRIVATE VAN ON ST. MAARTEN

Or you can create your own adventure.  This will mean completely freelancing your day, your destinations, and your ground transportation.  As crazy as this might sound, it really is not that bad of an idea.  As a matter of fact, this has become my preferred method.

Once you get off the ship you are very likely going to have to walk through a crush of tour operators / guides.  This is where it is important to have a pretty firm idea of where you want to go.  If you’ve done good research, don’t let them sell you something else.  Once, on St. Thomas, USVI, I had to get “very” insistent. “NO!  I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO MAGENS BEACH.  I WANT TO GO TO EMERALD BEACH!”

They warned me, “You’ll get out there and there will be no way to get back.  You might not be able to get back before the ship leaves.”  This of course was NOT true. 

What they should have said was, “There will only be 5 taxis waiting to bring you back, instead of 25.”

What else should you be aware of if you are going to freelance your time on an Island?  You are probably still going to wind up with a group… a group of strangers. 

Usually there are “hawkers” that are offering tours.  Once you agree on a tour and a price, you will be given to a driver.  Your vehicle might be a worn-out ol’ car...  On our first cruise back in '85, Joni and I toured Nassau and New Providence Island in a rusted old Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.  Your options today will more likely be a minivan, full size passenger van, or any number of types of open-air trucks or trolleys.  It might be an air-conditioned shuttle bus.  So… chances are good that you are going to be a part of a group.  Few tour drivers will be willing to leave without a full vehicle.  This means that once you are shown to a vehicle you may still have to wait for a few minutes for others to join your ad hoc group.

This is where life can get “interesting”.  Your random “group” can be a blessing or a curse.  And… you have no control over the matter.  So, why not take control.  We will assume that you don’t want to pay the “full van” price for your ride.  That leaves you with only one other option.  Spend a little time on your cruise getting to know your fellow cruise mates.  Make some new friends.  With a friendly smile and some pleasant conversation you may very well create your own tour / beach group. If you find someone who happens to be headed to the same beach, you might ask if they want to share a ride.

So… whatever your final choices are concerning how to get around while visiting the Islands, it is a good idea to remain flexible, friendly, and most of all, be determined to have fun.

CARIBBEAN KISSES

Caribbean beaches are kind of like kisses from your lover; they are all wonderful, but some are breathtaking!

Years ago (pre-Internet), doing “beach” research was very slow and difficult.  One had to rely heavily upon a good Travel Agent.  The Internet, however, has changed everything.  Now you can spend a few hours doing your own research online.  You can see pictures.  You can read reviews.  You can watch videos.  But even these tools can fail.  Online reviews are not completely reliable.  Pictures can be cropped and / or enhanced.  Sometimes you have to look for that which the masses of tourists cannot see.  Sometimes you have to follow your instincts.    Sometimes, like that perfect kiss, it takes “feeling”. 

I have been spending some time Googling “beaches” on the islands which we visit on our upcoming cruise.   Up ‘til now I had not been having much success.  I was not “feeling” it.  And then, late this afternoon, I might just have found that perfect kiss.  Soft, unhurried, beautiful, and away from the hoards of cruise ship passengers.

“Where?”, you ask.  On Antigua.  “Valley Church Beach”.  I’ve got a good feeling about this one.   

Reason Number 1:  According to online information, it is typically not recommended by the taxi drivers.  This is good… very good.  Places recommended by taxi drivers are often packed with tourists.  I suspect that taxi drivers get kick-backs from the businesses to bring tourists to their locations.  The result: Recommended beaches will be crowded.  This means that getting beach chairs and an umbrella may be impossible.  Also, big crowds can mean lots of vendors trying to sell you stuff.  This can be a hassle.  “Valley Church Beach” is conveniently located adjacent to the “recommended” Jolly Beach Resort, which should mean that we will get all of the benefits of a beautiful beach harbor without the hassles.  This puts it in the “Win” column.

Number 2: It is about a twenty minute taxi ride from the ship.  Actually this is perfect for a couple of reasons.  It is far enough away that you have time to disconnect from the ship… you can get out of your “ship head” and into your “Ahhhhh… beach… head”.  But it is not so far away that you waste a bunch of time getting to and from.  You should not underestimate how important this can be.  Additionally, it provides an opportunity to “see” the Island.   One more, not to be overlooked benefit, is that it shouldn’t be unreasonably expensive to get there and back. 

This reminds me of another thing… Never mind.  I will put up separate post about “Island Transportation”.

Number 3: It has a beach bar / café.  The important word is “a”, as in one (1).  This is good.  I have access to drinks, perhaps a little bit of food, rest rooms, and maybe a shower to rinse off the salt water.  I don’t need anything more than that.  This is bad because lots of demand and little supply can mean higher prices.  However, my experience has found this not to be a major issue.  I would much rather have to deal with an over priced burger, than to have to put up with a dozen noisy beach bars, loud music, stray volley balls and / or Frisbees.

Indeed, “Valley Church Beach” may very well be a place that we need to visit… a perfect beach kiss.  We shall see.

BACK TO BACK CRUISES...

Back to back cruises one year apart.  I know that is not how it is usually done, but those that know me have learned to expect the unexpected.

Those very smart people that make their living in the Cruise Line industry have figured out ways to maximize their marketing strategies for gaining the best sales advantages.  One of the ways they do this is with careful planning of a particular ship’s itineraries.  For many passengers that travel from all over the world to enjoy all that a Caribbean cruise offers, back to back cruises with different itineraries is a very good option.   Offering such back to back sailing makes perfect sense from a business point of view, as well as from a customer point of view.

As a matter of fact, on our cruise just a few months ago, we visited with a couple from Germany that was doing just that.  It costs them so much in airfare, as long as they are in the Caribbean, they might as well stay for two weeks instead of one. It just makes good vacation-finance sense.  In the same way, we met cruisers from the U.S. who were doing the exact same thing.  If you’ve got the time (and the money), why not sail for two weeks?

Well… that is exactly what Joni and I are going to do.  We are just doing it one year apart!

Today we booked a sailing on the Jewel of the Seas for February of next year.  This time, however, we are sailing on the alternate itinerary, which will again take us to five ports in five days, but none of which were featured on the sailing this past February.  Only one of these ports, St. Thomas, USVI, have we been to previously.  All the others will be new to us.

I am truly looking forward to our return to the Jewel of the Seas.  It is an amazing ship.  There are hundreds of pictures that I didn’t take.  There are dances I didn’t dance.  There are late night strolls with Joni along the ship’s rail that I would love to continue.  This time I might even make it to the Fitness Center. When I walked out of the Windjammer Buffet, there was still food remaining…  So, I need to return and continue eating!

So… let the countdown clock begin.   296 days and counting…

A FINAL SUNSET

LEAVING A JEWEL BEHIND US and THE BANANA LADY

Enjoyed a final buffet breakfast this AM in the open air dining area on Deck 11 at the stern of the ship.  Lox and bagel with another bowl of granola mixed with chopped figs and dried apricots… delicious.  I am planning on a Jets BBQ Chicken pizza this evening in Brownstown, MI. We live in amazing times indeed.

Disembarkation couldn’t have gone smoother.  Luggage was much more organized in the Terminal than what I have experienced on other cruises.  Smaller groupings I’m sure contributed to this.  Carnival Cruise Line could take a lesson here.  We were in no hurry to catch our flight out of San Juan; however, if you are in a hurry, for a few dollars, let one of the porters assist you with your luggage.  The line for porters is much smaller and moves significantly faster.

You would think that standing in line waiting to get cleared through U.S. Customs would be boring.  Oh, no.  Even there we found ourselves close to the action…

A U.S. Customs Agent was quickly walking his K-9 partner past the waiting lines of people and their luggage.  The dog, a beagle, was happily sniffing at every piece of luggage just hoping to pick up the scent of some forbidden contraband.  When suddenly there was a bit of excitement just 3 people in front of me.  I noticed the dog, his tail wagging, was up on his hind legs, fore legs on top of a stack of the luggage of a middle-aged woman.

“Ma’am, I am going to need to look in your bags.  Do you have any agriculture products? Any fruit or vegetables?”

Nervously, she replied, “Well… No… I don’t think so.  Wait.  Yes.  I have a banana.”

I have to wonder how many times does a person have to be told?  “NO FRUIT OR VEGETABLES.”  Don’t take fresh fruit from the Windjammer Buffet and think that you won't get caught.  I mean... really... do you honestly think it is fair to "pocket" food from the ship for you to eat on your way home.  C'mon, lady.

Well... what is the moral to this story?  The dog got his treat.  Banana lady ate her banana.  And America is safe from foreign bugs.  But we are not safe from stupid people.

GOOD BYE, SAN JUAN

SUGGESTIONS

O.K.  It is now time for my suggestions; my “Improvements Needed” list.  Please note that this is not a “List of Complaints”.  They are simply suggestions that I think might have made our time on the Jewel just a bit nicer.

Iced Tea!!!  I want more convenient access to Iced Tea and Lemonade.  This is the same suggestion that I would make to Carnival Cruise Lines.  I do not understand why keeping guests hydrated isn’t more of a concern.  

Offer “Dance Lessons” every day.  The only dance lessons were Argentine Tango lessons; 30 minutes – one time only.  Cruise Ships pay some very well trained and experienced dancers to entertain guests on board.  That is a lot of “talent” going to waste.  Why not have those individuals provide “lessons” each afternoon?  And then have a “Party” each night for couple to put into practice what they learned earlier in the day.

There is a quiet renaissance taking place in America.  Ballroom dancing is happening.  And not just among us Boomers.  There is a great interest coming from those young kids – those in their late 20’s and early 30’s.  Dance studios all across America are open for business.  Party nights are packed with couples enjoying dancing.  Cruise Lines take note: The first Cruise Line to this party will win.

It would be nice to “jazz” up the morning breakfast buffet in the Windjammer.  At least one side of just one the several buffet bars should feature an International theme.  Perhaps one morning: French crepes.  The next: Mexican chorizo and eggs.  The list is long indeed of traditional breakfast recipes that could be enjoyed.

I know this is going to sound silly… (Carnival Cruise Lines does this)…  Hey, RC: Where is the chocolate when I return to my stateroom at 1 AM?

THE RUSSELLS

One Friday night, just as we had ordered our dessert – Key Lime Pie – we had a pleasant surprise.  One of the treats of cruising is the opportunity to meet new people.  The couple that normally sat at the table-for-two next to ours did not come to dinner, so the table was vacant.  Joni and I were simply enjoying a quiet romantic together, when Joni looked up and saw a “senior” couple, Jim and Pat Russell from Cleveland, walking in our direction.

Seeing the empty table next to ours, Pat says to Jim, “It’s K.C. and Joni. It looks like we could sit here.”

We had met the Russells on the dance floor.  Jim was 82 yrs. old, and Pat was quick to tell us that in less than two weeks, she would be an, “Octogenarian”.  They were a happy and effervescent “young” couple who loved to dance.  They told us that they take “about” 3 cruises each year!

Their unexpected arrival threw the Tides staff into a bit of disarray.  I quickly gave Eder a nod of my head indicating that all was O.K. with us.  Within just a minute, the red-jacketed Head Waiter showed up.  I finally got to see what the Head Waiter gets paid to do.  For the next few minutes he took over.  He quickly determined how to “rebalance” the loss of the invisible equilibrium that kept everything working smoothly.  He gladly listened…

The Russells explained that they had left their normal “early dining” table to go dancing!  Did you note that I said the Russells were 82 and 80 yrs. old???  Can’t you just hear that conversation?  

“Come on, Jim.  Let’s skip dessert.  The band is playing and I wanna dance...” 

“O.K., sweetheart.  Whatever you want.  What about dessert?”

“It’s no big deal.  We will just go crash the “late dining” and find us an empty table…”

When the Head Waiter determined that all that was needed was a couple of desserts he simply raised his hand.  Eder seemed to appear out of nowhere... somehow intuitively knowing to bring two Dessert Menus.   The Head Waiter confirmed the order: Two pieces of Key Lime pie.  Balance had been restored to the Tides Dining Room. 

So... Joni and I sat and visited, and laughed, and swapped dance stories, and ate Key Lime Pie with the Russells.  Truly, this is on of the joys of cruising.  Perhaps we will meet Jim and Pat again, on some cruise ship dance floor, sailing across the vastness of the Sea.

MORE GREAT FOOD

Thursday night was "Lobster Night".  The food is fantastic everyday, but it seems as though the night they serve Lobster is always a very popular night.

I started the evening meal with Roasted Peach Soup.  If you have never roasted fresh peaches on an outdoor grill in the summertime, you have no point of reference for the decadent flavor that comes from an ordinary peach when it is slow roasted over a flame.  It is like nothing else I've ever tasted.  Delicious beyond description.  Especially when served warm with cold Breyers vanilla ice cream.  Well, this soup, served chilled, captured that amazing flavor.

BROILED LOBSTER TAIL

And then the lobster arrived.  I will say that in comparison to the other ships on which I've cruised, RC has the very best lobster.  It was a very generous size and it was broiled perfectly; not over cooked and tough.  No, this was really very delicious.

Dessert was a Grand Marnier Souffle with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Friday was our one and only Sea Day.  Truly the days spent entirely at Sea are my favorite of all.  There is nothing quite like it.

Lunch was on what is called on some ships the Lido Deck.  Surrounded by blue sea, we enjoyed BBQ chicken and beef ribs.  I tried a dessert called Clafouti, which is a french custard topped with fresh blueberries.  How do you say, "Yum", in French?

CLAFOUTI

A PERFECT PLACE FOR LUNCH

Dinner was again, one of my very favorite meals; Roasted Lamb Shank.  It was served with a roasted pumpkin and Cabernet sauce.  Simply amazing; rich and satisfying. Appetizer: another chilled soup; Pineapple and Lychee Soup.  Dessert: Key Lime Pie.

MY FAVORITE LUNCH

I don't remember what day it was served, I think perhaps Monday, in the Windjammer Buffet they featured Oxtail Stew.  My, oh my.  It was so delicious I had it for DESSERT!  Fall off the bone tender.  Full of that rich beef flavor that can only be found in a cut such as oxtails.  At home I usually fix oxtails with more allspice than what I detected in this stew, but I must admit that I'm a huge fan of allspice, and probably tend to over use it.  Trust me... I'm not complaining.  It was very, very good.  A wonderful lunch....

OXTAIL STEW

IMPORTANT BARBADOS INFO: SI ROBERTSON WON'T BE HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY

IMPORTANT BARBADOS NOTE #1: 

Barbados Clothing Note:  Do NOT wear any camo clothing on Barbados.  Not shirts.  Not pants.  No camo belts, bandandas.  NO CAMO.  It is illegal, and there is much online to indicate they take this matter seriously and do enforce this law.

IMPORTANT BARBADOS NOTE #2:

Prices in Barbados are normally shown in BARBADOS DOLLARS!   The exchange rate is 2 B$ for 1 US$.

BABADOS: I’LL BE BACK

I will come back to this place. 

For many years, 7 Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island has been the standard by which I measured all other beaches.  Its beautiful sand and gentle surf were ever in my mind as the perfect conditions for a day beneath a tropical sun.  The color of the water seemed even to my color blind eyes a pleasure.  And yet, today I learned that a greater perfection existed.  

Today I experienced a beach that defies my ability as a wordsmith to explain.  I will try, but fail.   I will in vain search through the vocabulary of man to describe a place that seems made by the Divine.  You think I exaggerate, but I do not.  This place… this beach… is found on a 166 square mile island paradise called Barbados.  The beach: Brownes Beach which overlooks pristine Carlisle Bay.

BROWNES BEACH - BARBADOS

The sand was like walking in sugar… soft white sugar.  Never before have I walked on a sun soaked beach on an 87 degree day where the sand was “cool” beneath my feet.  I know it sounds impossible, right?  But it was cool… it really was.  I don’t know how.  It just was.  I did hear someone say that it is because the sand is so perfectly white.  It absorbs very little heat, but rather, it reflects it back to the sky.  Whatever the reason, I do not care.  I just want to come back to this amazing place.  Again.  And again… and again.

And the colors… Please note: I’m am medically certifiable color blind… but the colors were like nothing I have ever seen before.  The white sand clearly visible beneath the crystal surf, then somehow turning a light bluish silver, and then as if painted by God himself, I saw strand after strand of ever darkening shades of blue like I have never seen before.  All of this ending in a stripe of brilliant dark blue drawn directly beneath a beautiful light blue sky dotted with perfectly white puffs of clouds.  I will come back to this place.

As I lounged under a dark green canvas umbrella, I could smell lobster being grilled at Lobster Alive, a small beachfront café that had provided us with a couple of lounges and the umbrella for the price of… are you ready for this?...  $15 dollars US!!!  This included discounts on drinks, access to the necessary rooms.  Fifteen Bucks!!!  I will come back to this place.

THE VIEW FROM UNDER MY HAT - I THINK I'LL TAKE A NAP

Now here is the scoop if you are considering going to Browns Beach.  Your taxi ride will cost you $5 per person each way.  And… they will drop you off at a place called the Boatyard. The Boatyard is a beachfront restaurant that will offer you a bunch of “stuff” for a whole lot more money.  But… if you are willing to walk just a 1 minute stroll down the street from the Boatyard you will find Lobster Alive.  There you will find someone who is eager to get you “set-up” for your day at the beach.  Simple as that. 

For your return to the ship, no worries.  As a matter of fact, as Joni and I were gathering up our stuff getting ready to return to the ship, I put my arms around Joni and gave her a kiss.  It was then that I heard someone saying, in clearly a Barbadian accent, “Hey!  Romeo and Juliet.  Do you need a taxi back to the ship?”   It took us a moment, and then we realized that he was talking to us.

“Yes.  Sure”, was our embarrassed response. 

Simple as that, and we were on our way back. 

This might be a good place to comment about taxi drivers.  Some drivers seem processed of the Devil, because they drive like the notable “bat out of Hell”; like the one we had several years ago on a ride from Miami International Airport (MIA) to the Holiday Inn across the street from the Port.  I distinctly remember looking up at the speedometer and seeing the needle at 70 mph as we entered a tight curving exit ramp that was clearly marked 25 MPH!!!!

However, there are more great ones than bad ones, and the young Barbadian driver who would take us back to the Jewel of the Seas was, as we say back home, “A hoot!”  He cheerfully got us in this van, and easily headed back to the ship, singing as he drove down the clean and beautiful streets of this vibrant tropical city.  When suddenly… he stopped.  Right in the middle of the street.  He just slowed down and stopped.

For what, you ask.  It seemed as though he had spotted a pretty young women walking down the sidewalk.  He leaned out the window and said, “Excuse me, but could you please give me directions?”

She gave him an odd look and replied, “Directions?”

To which he, with a bright smile said, “Yes, directions.  Can you tell me the quickest way to your heart?”

This guy was in a league of his own.  She smiled back at him, shook her head in flirtatious disbelief and walked away…  And we were then back on our way back to the Jewel.

DOMINICA – Pronounced: dom i neek a

Juxtaposition….

It seemed very odd.  In fact, odd is not a “big” enough word for what I was sensing.  In a, “Which one of these things does not belong with the others?” sort of way, with which we are all so familiar on standardized academic testing, something seemed very odd – out of place.  As children, we are taught in school that man is king.  Man is positioned at the top of the animal / “all living things” pyramid.  We make salad with the plants and we roast the animals.  If it is in our way, we cut it down.  As singer /song writer, Joni Mitchell wrote,  “They paved paradise and put in a parking lot.”  As I think about it now, even the idea of me standing there only added to the oddness.

I was standing at the entrance to the 17,000 acre Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.  I was about to step into a protected Rainforest located high in the mountains of Dominica.  But before I started my 10 minute trek along a wet and rocky path to see Trafalgar Falls, I turned around and saw the buses.  Tour buses and vans!!  I looked up at the road that brought us to this spot.  I looked up and saw the electric power lines that brought convenience to the building where we would buy our $5 ticket.

And I realized…  All of this was a strange juxtaposition.   In reality, I was never going to get very far from what had been created to enable me to enjoy this lush piece of nature’s WILDerness.  A muddy, rocky path was all that would keep me from falling into this vast tropical world, this Sea of Green, that would swallow me up in a minute if it were not for my ability to outsmart it… if only but for just a very few brief minutes.  

I was not standing there because I was the biggest, or fastest, or strongest.  I was standing there, in this wild and wonderful place, because of my ability for this moment to move my pieces of the game into my current position.  I was there because of my ability to adapt.  In the same way that the Jewel of the Seas kept the vastness of the sea from swallowing me, only a small rocky path, worn down by the footsteps of hundreds of people trying to get a peek behind the curtain… only that path would protect me… would keep the lush vastness of the rainforest from swallowing me whole.

"CYRIQUE" (Guinotia dentata) LAND CRAB FOUND IN THE RAINFOREST

And for one brief moment I realized that I better keep my eyes open because the game is not over.  (Have you seen the movie “Jumanji”?) My large and powerful opponent might very well be prepared to make her next move. 

Dominica is NOT beaches.  It is NOT shopping.  It is nature.  It is a jungle.  Bring hiking shoes.

One additional note concerning Dominica:

Your ship will arrive at the capital city, Roseau.  It will appear cluttered and dingy.  The streets will seem narrow.  It will appear poor.  That is because it is.  The annual per capita income in less than $7,000.   In St. Kitts that number is just under $13,000.  I think it is important that we keep these numbers in mind as we visit the Islands.  

GREAT FOOD

Each day we were treated to a great variety of delicious food.  Delicious entrees, scrumptious desserts, delightful breads and pastries... it was all available.

On night #3 we began our dinner with Roasted Garlic Soup.  It was everything I expected it to be.  Intensely garlicky and creamy.  What is not to like about this?  Really?  This was followed with perfectly roasted Roast Pork Tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto.  It was tender and delicious.  Joni enjoyed the Chicken Marsala, one of her favorites.  Dinner was finished with Tiramisu and a cup a black coffee.

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN

CHICKEN MARSALA

TIRAMISU

On the forth night in the Tides Dining Room I enjoyed perhaps my favorite meal of the cruise.  I was so happy to see Rack of Lamb on the menu posted just outside the Dining Room.

I started with dinner with chilled Mango and Pineapple soup. It was light, and cool, and fruity, and perfectly refreshing. I could have made a meal on just this. This was followed with the lamb served on a bed of mashed parsnips... so tender that I could cut it with my fork.  Much lighter herbs than how the Greeks in the Detroit area typically serve this dish.  It was really very good.