Boy if I had the money, I think I would spend the rest of my life cruising. What a great way to travel.
This was my tenth cruise but instead of me getting tired of doing it, it gets better every time. And it was great spending Christmas with my grandson Shadrach who needed a warm break after a year in freezing New York.
The fact that I had been to all the places we visited over Christmas 2012 (except grand Turk) many times, but that did not make it any less interesting.
Really, I am glad I went back to Nassau, Dom Rep and Puerto Rico as I could see for myself how they have improved much while we have regressed.
What impressed me most about Nassau was how clean and pristine it is. Nassau has nothing more than what we have in Mobay to offer visitors but the difference is when you got there, no one bothers you, so you can walk through the craft market and admire the stuff without ever meeting anyone telling you how hungry they are or how many children they have at home or just plain harassing you.....no wonder they had four cruise ships in port when we got there.
It is not the type of place I like to stay for prolonged periods as they really have nothing to offer in comparison to what I am accustomed to seeing every day, but it was a nice break. Never got a chance to call any of my friends though for we were not there long enough for visiting.
Puerto Rico has become much more metropolitan than when I was last there about 15 or twenty years ago. It is now just like any city in the the USA, no rural areas anymore and choked with cars. In fact the guide told us that the population is now is 4 million and the car population is 2.75 million. Choked is a mild word.
I took a tour of the Bacardi distillery, the largest in the world and was surprised to hear they grow absolutely no cane there anymore so import all the inputs.
They have however become the pharmaceutical manufacturing centre of the western hemisphere and the stand of living has improved greatly.
Old San Juan is still super to lyme in . I just love that place.
I did not see anything familiar about the Dom Rep on landing as I had only visited Santo Domingo before and this time we landed in La Romano....2 hours away. We did the historic tour into Santo Domingo and it was excellent, reminded me though of the wasted potential in Spanish town and Port Royal. And I got another reminder of how history is written . For in the English Speaking Caribbean, Sir Francis Drake is honoured (a British legacy of course) and when we toured the Cathedral in Santo Domingo which was built from the 15th century, we were told how he was a vicious pirate who cut off the hands and nose of the priest there before he fled to Jamaica.
I had never been to the Turks and Caicos islands before and was surprised to discover that the population at the capital, Grand Turk is a mere 6,000, so when two cruise ships landed , as happened when we were there, the tourists outnumbered the residents by over a thousand.
It it just a bigger version of Lime Cay really, without even a supermarket but the waters surrounding the island are pristine and inviting, making it ideal for all types of water sporting activities. The tourist bus took us to the craft centre and the driver declared it was downtown. If we were not experienced travellers who went off on our own, we would not even have seen the main street where the government offices are.
Two hurricanes, Ike i2008 and Hannah in 2008, knocked them out, but they are fully recovered and doing well.
I just love cruising for the food and entertainment is worth more than you spend. I must have eaten every possible thing including Alligator on this trip and had to abandon the elevator just to try and keep off the weight, for despite many resolutions, I just never made it to the gym.
I dont think Shadrach went to bed before 2 am any morning either. Elaine (Perkeins) came with us and she said she had a wonderful time and truly enjoyed it, although we only saw her occasionally as she said she had to smoke and the only place allowing it was the upstairs deck, so she spent most of her time there.
I was disappointed I could not enter the karaoke contest as the only song I know really well is "My way" and because it begins "And now the end is near...." they told me they don't use it in karaoke on the ship! How superstitious can one get?
You know about seventy passengers did not get off the ship when we got back to Miami , they simply stayed on and did another week, this time in the western Caribbean. I should try that some time!
This was my tenth cruise but instead of me getting tired of doing it, it gets better every time. And it was great spending Christmas with my grandson Shadrach who needed a warm break after a year in freezing New York.
The fact that I had been to all the places we visited over Christmas 2012 (except grand Turk) many times, but that did not make it any less interesting.
Really, I am glad I went back to Nassau, Dom Rep and Puerto Rico as I could see for myself how they have improved much while we have regressed.
What impressed me most about Nassau was how clean and pristine it is. Nassau has nothing more than what we have in Mobay to offer visitors but the difference is when you got there, no one bothers you, so you can walk through the craft market and admire the stuff without ever meeting anyone telling you how hungry they are or how many children they have at home or just plain harassing you.....no wonder they had four cruise ships in port when we got there.
It is not the type of place I like to stay for prolonged periods as they really have nothing to offer in comparison to what I am accustomed to seeing every day, but it was a nice break. Never got a chance to call any of my friends though for we were not there long enough for visiting.
Puerto Rico has become much more metropolitan than when I was last there about 15 or twenty years ago. It is now just like any city in the the USA, no rural areas anymore and choked with cars. In fact the guide told us that the population is now is 4 million and the car population is 2.75 million. Choked is a mild word.
I took a tour of the Bacardi distillery, the largest in the world and was surprised to hear they grow absolutely no cane there anymore so import all the inputs.
They have however become the pharmaceutical manufacturing centre of the western hemisphere and the stand of living has improved greatly.
Old San Juan is still super to lyme in . I just love that place.
 |
| A welcoming poverty at La Romano |
I did not see anything familiar about the Dom Rep on landing as I had only visited Santo Domingo before and this time we landed in La Romano....2 hours away. We did the historic tour into Santo Domingo and it was excellent, reminded me though of the wasted potential in Spanish town and Port Royal. And I got another reminder of how history is written . For in the English Speaking Caribbean, Sir Francis Drake is honoured (a British legacy of course) and when we toured the Cathedral in Santo Domingo which was built from the 15th century, we were told how he was a vicious pirate who cut off the hands and nose of the priest there before he fled to Jamaica.
 |
| At the port in Grand Turk |
It it just a bigger version of Lime Cay really, without even a supermarket but the waters surrounding the island are pristine and inviting, making it ideal for all types of water sporting activities. The tourist bus took us to the craft centre and the driver declared it was downtown. If we were not experienced travellers who went off on our own, we would not even have seen the main street where the government offices are.
Two hurricanes, Ike i2008 and Hannah in 2008, knocked them out, but they are fully recovered and doing well.
I just love cruising for the food and entertainment is worth more than you spend. I must have eaten every possible thing including Alligator on this trip and had to abandon the elevator just to try and keep off the weight, for despite many resolutions, I just never made it to the gym.
I dont think Shadrach went to bed before 2 am any morning either. Elaine (Perkeins) came with us and she said she had a wonderful time and truly enjoyed it, although we only saw her occasionally as she said she had to smoke and the only place allowing it was the upstairs deck, so she spent most of her time there.
I was disappointed I could not enter the karaoke contest as the only song I know really well is "My way" and because it begins "And now the end is near...." they told me they don't use it in karaoke on the ship! How superstitious can one get?
You know about seventy passengers did not get off the ship when we got back to Miami , they simply stayed on and did another week, this time in the western Caribbean. I should try that some time!
1 comment:
Many very interesting titbits Joan. Thank you.
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