Carnival

 I guess Florida is different from the rest of the world, for as Carol pointed out, Carnivals are usually held around the Easter season (February to April), but Miami's and and Tamarac's was in October. 

Rain or shine, we take in the music events😉.

For years, we in Jamaica had no carnival, so when we wanted to jump and wine, we had to hop on the unreliable, Trinidad and Tobago-owned BWIA (aka Better walk if able or But will it arrive?) and take a flight in excess of three hours to see greats like the Mighty Sparrow. (He died at age 91 on September 27th, 2026).

Walk good honorable sir.🙏

He has been greatly missed ever since he becane ill, for no other Calypsonian had his creativity, energy, ability to deliver subtle social commentary and he had a fantastic sense of humor too🤎.

We Jamaicans owe a debt of gratitude to the late, great musician, Byron Lee, late leader/founder of the popular dance band, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, for importing Carnival into Jamaica so we could stop flying BWIA.

But I stray.

I am so happy I live in Tamarac, for they celebrate everything with free music sessions, and that's right up my street.

Last night it was really a practice session for the full carnival including costumes, road march etc on October 9, featuring Allison Hinds. (That will not be free though so I will skip it!😁.

It was a good evening with nice music and other features. 

Everyone had a good time. 

There was even a personal trainer there giving stretching therapy for a small fee.

Good for the old bodies. 🤣.

The event was held at the amphitheater and you could cool off at the water fountain afterwards if you so wished. 

The water fountain was turned on right there for cooling off.

Kudos Tamarac.

At sea.

 We left Tenerife last night and spent the day at sea.

And boy wasn't the Atlantic Ocean in a bad mood!

And like most European food, the MSC's food has been quite bad so far.

So with rough seas and greasy food, no wonder some of our party had a terrible day.

I am getting ahead of myself though, for they never got sick immediately after breakfast. For Sonja and I had a very good half hour yoga session led by our personal yoga guru/fitness trainer Michelle, followed by strength training at the gym.

(Pics contributed by Sonja).

I never knew how weak my upper body was until our personal trainer showed me how to use the machine to build up those muscles!

I am determined that I will be able to do pushups by the end of this cruise.

It was after those fitness sessions that two of our party got really sick.

It was extremely cold so I couldn't even go into the hot tub for I swear I would freeze to death once I came out and the cold breeze took its toll!😡

So today, those who weren't seasick just hung around, not eating too much though as the food is really bad.

There was a short show in the theater in the night.

 It was promoted as celebrating European culture through song and dance. However it did not get a really rousing applause until three African male gymnasts came on stage and stole the show, so to speak. 

Tomorrow will be better as that's when we land in Morocco.

More anon.