The Turks and Caicos

 I have always heard of Turks and Caicos Islands but never had an interest in visiting as I also heard they are so small that they are like our beach towns eg. Negril or Ochie.

Well for my continued 80th celebration, we  took a mini cruise and the first stop was Grand Turk.

This is the second largest of the 8 habitable islands that make up the archipelago.  The largest is   Providenciales and it's the only one with an international airport whereas Grand Turk is the only one with a cruise ship pier. 

Tourism is their main source of income.

These islands remain British colonies so like us, they drive on the left.

Grand Turk has the look and feel of our own Negril, but it is smaller and less developed. 

It's only is 7 square miles and imports virtually everything including Jamaican patties. Things are therefore quite expensive.  For example, gas is US$8 per gallon today.

Our tour bus was a converted school with manual transmission and all.

It has no traffic lights but I hear the accident rate is very low.

The biggest danger they say, is the hundreds of wild donkeys on the island that operate as if they own the roads! There are many Jamaicans here so I am surprised no one has come up with the idea of capturing them and taking them home to sell, as our farmers are always  complaining about the chronic shortage of these valuable, expensive and necessary animals!😉.

Astronaut John Glenn

Their tourism authorities have been smart enough to capitalize on the fact that the late astronaut John Glenn had splashed down a few miles off their coast in 1962,  so they have a small exhibit of the event at their cruise ship pier. 

I am happy we made a stop in Grand Turk as I learned a lot.

All aboard🫠

 All went  well in Orlando and we are now off on the Caribbean Princess.

Never been on a Princess Line before and must say I am impressed with all so far. Beautiful ship, well laid out buffet area on the 15th floor and with our cabin being on the 14th floor, we won't have to go far for food.😁

Madelynn and I have  bottom bunks and Michele and Michelle top bunks.

The lovely tshirts are compliments of Michele. 

She also decorated our cabin door😅.

Now we are ready for everything.😎

Legoland

I have been to Orlando several times but had no interest in visiting legoland. That is, until my granddaughter Madelynn who lives in Colorado, came to join us there to take a cruise to continue celebrating my 80th🫠.

She loves to build things and wanted to visit that iconic theme park. 

So we all did.

So off we went and not only was the theme park where they used some 32 million lego pieces to make beautiful structures, people and animals impressive, but so was the botanical gardens.

This banyon tree was planted in a 5 gallon container in 1936.
Look at it now!

Some of the characters and buildings made from lego pieces.

Animals in the gardens made from lego pieces.

Tribute to FIFA world cup.

Yup,  we also had lots of fun and light family time❤️.

The Michelle's in playful  entanglement.
 

A great prelude to the cruise.