Finally I'm posting pictures of our Thanksgiving cruise...but it's still only January...at least when I started =)
(Click on any picture for a larger image)
This is the ship, The Monarch of the Seas with Royal Caribbean Cruise line.
We left from Port Canaveral, Miami, for a four day cruise with friends I had not seen for thirty plus years.
We came from all over. Rosslyn and Marc from France, Charlotte and Richard from Canada, Beth and John from Miami, and most of the others from Trinidad, which is where we knew each other as children and teens. (The red tee shirts for our group of over thirty said "The Trini Connection").
Al and I had no idea what to expect, having never been on a cruise before, but we LOVED every minute of it and are ready to go again - this time for longer. (My only complaint is that I wish we all had had more time together). It was so wonderful being with my old friends and meeting their husbands, and getting reacquainted with others I had not seen for nearly forty years.
Wow! Could we be that old?
The neat thing was they were all recognizable, (we only had a few wrinkles here and there), and the very things I loved about each of them were still there - they were the very same people, only more "mature" lets say =)
Al and me the first morning in the center of the ship - maybe five stories high, with glass elevators etc. It was hard to believe we were on a ship.
The first night at dinner. We ate every night in the "fine dining " restaurant.
We had so much fun together, and the food and service was fabulous.
Love that wig Gay.. (just be happy I did not put up the pics of you with the Billybob teeth =)
The first day on deck. Rosslyn was one of my dearest friends and my only bridesmaid when we were nineteen. How many years ago is that?...I've stopped counting.
I'm so glad we've kept up the relationship over the years. I think we should get together every couple of years, after all we may not have too many left - we certainly can't do this every 35 years or we may not remember each other's names, maybe not even our own =)
Al and I at the front of the ship - you can see the bow below.
The second night we all got together in one cabin before dinner with our battery operated disco glasses that sparkled - what a neat gift! (See pic below - we turned off all the lights, and what you see are the glasses blinking in all different colors).
Only Trinidadians would do this.. and enjoy it!
Like sardines in a can =)
This night was the Captain's Dinner - the most formal affair of the cruise.
It was lots of fun dressing for dinner each night.
Here we were in the theatre for the Captain's welcome. (We incidentally had the only female captain in this position ever- I believe she was Scandinavian).
Beth and John who arranged it all. Thanks guys... what a great job, and such a fabulous time!
Beth and I go way back as well. We went to St. Joseph's Convent for years together and graduated from the same class. We were all friends and did lots of fun things - like carolling at Christmas, and even went on moonlight sails on my dad's boat, Beth reminded me.
Marc and Ros on the left, sitting with Charlotte and Richard on the right.
(Charlotte and I had lunch almost every day together at school, and get this...every day her mother gave her a Kit-kat candy bar in her lunch.....Yes , she did share =)
I also remember one particular weekend in Toco (on the beach) when Mary Jean Hart (bless her heart), terrified me with a cricket. I remember screaming at the top of my lungs until Charlotte's mom came to my rescue. I was scared of crickets for years after that =)
We had some wonderful talks with Simon and Ann. She told me things I did not know about my relatives, and some other good friends I had lost contact with, like Marlene. It was great!
Al really had some great conversations with Gordon as well, and it was so good seeing these "girls" again.
Great haircut Peggy! (My sister Peggy in Trinidad cuts Gay's hair)
Gay (front center) was such a delight and so real and refreshing - thanks for making it so much fun Gay - you all did! We laughed a lot and really enjoyed our dinners together. They put our group in the far corner of the formal dining room, and for good reason. We were a pretty rowdy bunch - but then nobody had as much fun as we did, I don't believe.
The "Dancing Queens".
(Literally, this is the song by Abba that was playing and we were all singing along - it was our song!)
We had a blast, or is it a "ball"?
Arriving in Nassau in the early morning, this is what we saw from our cabin window.
Starbucks coffee =)
We loved the colors of the houses - everything was so bright in the sunlight!
The City (Resort) of Atlantis in the background.
What a view ! Taken from the ship's Windjammer Cafe over breakfast.
Al and I were so excited to be there - warm, beautiful turquoise water and white sandy beaches.
Who could eat at a time like this? But eat , we did!
(Although we soon were having oatmeal for breakfast, with stewed prunes =)
Getting off at the dock in Nassau. (My Honey, in front of our ship).
We walked through the "world famous" straw market, and purchased some things for the family. Then we walked to this quiet gorgeous beach where we swam and soaked up some sun.
(Our ship is the first in the background).
Then Al and I took a walk through the old section of Nassau. It was great sightseeing, but almost got run over a couple of times. What narrow winding streets, traffic jams, and so few sidewalks!
Some of the old chapels and places we saw reminded me of my childhood in Trinidad, and especially my school, St. Joseph's Convent.
Eating again - Lunchtime!
Here we were at the very front of the ship.
The Atlantis harbor.
The Atlantis Resort which Al and I took a taxi to that afternoon.
(We got a tour of parts of downtown Nassau and some very informative history from the cab driver).
This was quite the place!
This was the aquarium underneath the Atlantis Hotel which was to depict the "Lost city of Atlantis". It was quite fascinating to say the least.
All that glitters is not gold =)
Local police in white, just outside the resort in a lovely but very touristy area. We had quite a walk to get the water taxi back to the ship, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Taken from the water taxi - our ship is on the right.
Goodbye Atlantis!
Now for a nice nap in our cozy little cabin before getting ready for dinner.
"No worries mate"!
New towels were brought in while we were out. These were cleaverly folded in the shape of an elephant.
WHAT A BLESSING!!!
We had a lovely time dining with Marc and Ros. I believe Marc ordered almost everything on the dessert menu - we could order anything and everything we wanted. It was all included.
What a great time we had.... and NO, we did not plan what we were going to wear.
After dinner there was a midnight Caribbean feast outside around the pools. We saw someone create an ice sculpture in a matter of minutes with a chain saw - fascinating!
There were at least four beautiful ice sculptures decorating the food tables, and loads of food - all kinds. We wondered who would be able to eat it all.
Such a variety of desserts - you name it!
Even a suckling pig!
Michele (Beth's sister) on the right, Beth and myself - it actually was getting a little cool as we left Nassau that night.
"It's a beautiful day for Cococay", they announced that morning, and we were excited as we were being "tendered" to the island of Cococay for fun and frolic.... and of course more food - this time a barbeque they were preparing for us.
Two days ago the weather was so rough that they abandoned the entire trip to the island, and who knows what they did with all that food for 2,500 people. Apparently there are only a handful of residents living on the island.
This was taken into the sun, but what a gorgeous place!
This is the color of the water, and crystal clear!
Here we are on Thanksgiving Day on this gorgeous, warm, sunny island, Al and I together, and with good friends......we have so much to be thankful to the Lord for! AMAZING GRACE!!
Beauty and the Beast! (Don't ask =)
Our group had a lovely spot for the day under some trees complete with lounging chairs.
Don't look now Marc! (Ros with her dreadlocks, complete with beads).
What a Thanksgiving to remember!!
We felt like a honeymooning couple, even after all these years.
(Note our ship in the background)
Our group had already left for the ship, but we did some kayaking, and then Al decided he wanted to go out snorkling again, while I swam in this lovely little bay.
(That's our towel on the right). What a gorgeous island!
We were too busy eating to remember to take pictures, but the food was served in these colorful little cabannas, and lots of them.
Drinks anyone?
This was so funny!
Al was towed in by a lifeguard on a jetski because the last tender (boat) was about to leave.
Here he is holding onto the basket in the back AND STILL SNORKLING!
We did make it back to the ship, although it might have been wonderful for a time, being marooned on this island.
Look at that face - happily exausted!
Another "tender" coming toward us, exactly like the one we're in, taking us out to the ship.
Well, here we are all dressed up for our last dinner on board - taken outside around the pool.
Some of "the Trini group" .
The real honeymooning couple are in the center back. (Beth and John's daughter). They called it a "familymoon".=) A really sweet couple, and it was lovely meeting and getting to know his parents.
Love that face Richard! - (and don't try to get even!)
The girls after dinner saying our goodbyes.
Beth and John on left, with Al and Gordon still talking in the background. (Al and Gordon were having a great time talking,and it was difficult getting then to leave the table) - We all had a hard time saying goodbye. What a blessing it was!
What great memories!
We were all up bright and early the last morning, and Al and I actually had two breakfasts since we did not leave the ship until almost midday.
Everything was so well organized that there was never a moment's concern about anything. The staff was exceptional, and every aspect of the cruise was so enjoyable..... we're ready to do it again!
What a fabulous time we had!
