JOHNNY'S JOURNEYS: CARIBBEAN CRUISE 2017

---

JOHNNY'S JOURNEYS: CARIBBEAN CRUISE 2017



January 14, 2017 (Saturday)

I got 200 minutes of sleep last night as we get up before 4 a.m. Bethany drove us to the Mobile, AL

airport. Check-in via pre-clearance went smoothly. Our Delta flight was delayed about half an hour,

so we flew out at 7:05. I had a chance to chat with my pharmacy fraternity brother, Dan, and his wife.

There is a two hour layover in Atlanta. There was time to talk to Ralph and Becky and Mike before

eating a delicious (and huge) Danish pastry. And I got a hot Earl Grey tea for Janet.

The flight from Atlanta left on time, 11:30. After getting settled in, lunch was served. My Tapas box

offered: multi-grain crackers, hummus, dipin quinoa, super seed crackers, harvest snap peas, almonds,

a lemon-fig bar and dark chocolate. I then watched the movie, “Deepwater Horizon”. It was about an

oil rig explosion in 2010, 38 miles south of Venice, LA.

Landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3:50 Atlantic Standard Time, we're very pleased to see both

suitcases! For hundreds of tourists trying to secure a taxi ride, there is a very efficient service. Taxi

Touristico asks how many passengers and which hotel. We were then told $20 and given a ticket order.

No guesswork. I like it. Two years ago, our 1st taxi driver took us to the wrong hotel. $$ for a 2^nd taxi.

Riding through town, we passed thousands of tall palm trees. It was interesting to see the U.S. Flag

flying side-by-side with the Puerto Rican flag. Our inn, the Wind Chimes Boutique, is in the Condado

District. Checking in went smoothly for our second floor for a king-sized bed. This is a Colonial

Spanish Villa with a lovely tropical courtyard and pool. There's even an ocean view. It was adorable.

To make up for lost sleep, we took a five-hour nap. That was much needed. I woke up about 10 p.m.

and went walking about 6 blocks to a supermarket. I'm bringing back a late night supper. A few blocks

from the hotel, I see a shooting star. I just took that as a sign that we would have a wonderful trip. I

had a tuna salad sandwich on pita bread with a can of guanabana nectar. Janet wanted a chicken club

sandwich with mango juice. I finish my diary and get back in bed at midnight.



January 15, 2017 (Sunday)

I awoke at 5 a.m. and told Janet that I was walking 3 blocks to the beach. I don't know when the

sun rises, but I want several sunrise photos. I walked the beach for close to two hours. It was quite

cloudy and there was even a few minutes of light rain. Finally, about 7 a.m. I was able to take some

gorgeous pictures of the sun rising. Plus, I captured a few excellent reflections shots.

I stopped at Quisnos for pastries and coffee. Well, I needed some assistance finding our hotel. I

asked a young woman for directions. Luckily, she and her dog were walking in that direction. Five

blocks away, I thanked her and saw the cute tile sign at our hotel: Bienvenidos... mi casa es su casa.

My house is your house!

We eat in the breezeway and enjoy breakfast... and warm, gentle breezes. We're overlooking the

courtyard and street. We call for a taxi and finish our packing. This has been a pleasant place. $20

later and the taxi drops us off at our cruise ship terminal.

We enter the Royal Caribbean ship at 12:15. There are 2471 tourists aboard the Jewel of the Seas.

Most all of our meals will be at the Windjammer Cafe. Lunch is served and we sit by a large window,

looking out at northern San Juan and the calm Atlantic Ocean.

At 4:00 I attend a shopping seminar. We are taught how to be savvy shoppers and save $$$. Raffle

tickets are handed out and I won an item. It's a bottle of Peek-A-Boo nail polish. It is a clear looking

coat, while inside of a building. But out in the sun, the nails are a bright red color. This could be fun.

I take a cup of coffee to Janet and we sit and rest on our balcony. We enjoy the views and talk about

or cruise just two years ago. We go up for supper at 7:15 and look forward to many wonderful meals. A

mandatory safety drill occurs at 8:00. Next for us is a 9:00 trip to pick up raffle tickets for an art

auction. Passengers were given a complementary 9” x 7” print of “Abstract Poppy” by Dominic

Pangborn.

We wanted to see the comedian, John Wing, in the Coral Theater. He talked a lot about the

challenges of parenthood. Another fun time. And we end our evening at 11:30.





January 16, 2017 (Monday)

We're up with a 6:15 alarm and are eating breakfast around 7 a.m. We enjoy watching the sun rise

upon St. Thomas. We are back in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ship docks at 8:00. And we are ready for

our 8:30 – 4:00 Coral World Tour. I'll be on a Sea Turtle encounter before free time at Coki Beach. As

we wait, a Diamonds International store is right behind our bench. A few minutes later, we have picked

up our free charm. This one is a shopping bag.

There is a 25 minute van drive to Coral World. We see a brief introductory presentation about the

facility... and the care for the turtles. We then enter the Undersea Observatory room, which is 15 feet

below sea level. Colorful posters of fish and other sea life we might view are on the walls. And we read

about the coral restoration projects. We do see many fish through the observation glass. And there are a

few tourists that took a Sea Trek Helmet Dive. Donning a weighted helmet, they can easily breathe

underwater. It is the closest thing to scuba diving and you have 30 minutes to observe the pretty fish

and other sea life. I would like to do that.

I have 30 minutes in a fairly small pool with two green sea turtles. One weighs 150 pounds and the

other is about 250 pounds. They are gentle, leathery and quite docile. I was instructed not to put my

hand on their faces. I can handle that. Janet stood above the pool area and took a few dozen photos of

me... enjoying my sea turtle encounter. They swam in circles, again and again. This might be my high-

light of the week.

Next for us was a trip to the Coral Reef Encounter. It is an 80,000 gallon coral reef aquarium that

encircled us. There are 12 acrylic windows, 3-inches thick, that gave us 360 degree views. Sponges,

soft and stony living corals and hundreds of fish swim close by us. The native fish are colorful and are

many sizes.

The Lorikeet Garden was next. We see Australian Rainbow Lorikeets and a Blue Streak Lorikeet.

The prettiest for me were blue and gold macaws. We walked around the Tropical Nature Trail and saw

about 3 dozen Red Footed Tortoises. And ducks, iguanas and lizards were at home there, too.

The Shark Bar seemed like a good choice for lunch. We had turkey-and-cheese wraps with a coke.

I had to report to workers there that a 7 year old boy was pulling iguana tails. At the Touch Pool, we got

a real hands on experience. I got to touch, pick up, handle sea cucumbers, sea stars (starfish), conchs,

sea anemones, sea urchins and a few others.

We passed by a mangrove lagoon and read about its importance to the entire ecosystems here in the

Virgin Islands. Then we're on our way to see a Sea Lion feeding. Omar is given treats after each little

performance. When the trainer said “embarrassed”, he put his flipper over his head. That was cute.

In the Marine Gardens, there are 21 various aquariums. And then, it was time to enjoy the stingrays

at the Stingray Lagoon. They are gentle and graceful as they glide by us in their pool. These Southern

stingrays seem to slap their “wings” against the wall of the pool. And we were able to feed them out of

our hands. I was surprised how silky their skin felt.

The Dolphin Sanctuary was temporarily closed, so we went to Coki Beach. I get a chair for Janet

and I pull out my new snorkeling mask, j-tube and fins. There are hundreds of fish near to the shore.

And lots of pretty colors. They are so close as they swim by me... that I reached out and touched 15 of

them! I walk along the beach a little ways and see chickens, iguanas and some lizards.

As we prepare to leave Coral World, I bought a tee shirt and a flash drive. It contained around 60

pictures of me swimming with the sea turtles. What great memories I'll be able to look back on. If we

ever come back here to St. Thomas, I would like to swim with the juvenile sharks.

Okay, we have been returned to the pier and I bought two banana daiquiris. On our cruise two years

ago, we made it to the highest spot on this island, called Mountain Top. The banana daiquiri is reported

to have been invented there in a bar in the 1970s. I've been waiting two years to get one. Tasty!!

We enjoyed a 2-hour nap before going to supper at 8:00. And at 9:00 we went to see a comedian

and impressionist, James Stephens III. That was so good... such a talented guy. It's been a long day with

lots of fun. In bed tonight at 11:15.





January 17, 2017 (Tuesday)

I'm up with the 6:30 alarm. After finishing breakfast, I bring an English muffin, bagel and coffee to

Janet, My excursion today meets at 8:30. Janet will not be volcano hiking with me. She wants to shop

in St. Kitts. Four people from TX and myself meet Doobey, our hiking guide. We drive to another ship

and pick up three tourists: 2 from Wales and 1 from MN. We had to return to our ship, where the young

couple from Quebec was running late.

Riding through the capital of Basseterre, we heard a little history of this small country. Then we're in

the countryside and pass the Veterinary School and Medical College. The blue ocean is about one mile

away. Two years ago, Janet and I visited the British fort at Brimstone Hill. I snapped a few photos of

this U.N. World Heritage Site.

After exiting a paved road, we meandered by farms, saw baby goats, and newly planted fields. They

were growing sweet potatoes, peanuts, bell peppers, peas, tomatoes, cabbages, watermelons, peaches,

avocados and breadfruit. When the bus stopped, I took one of the walking sticks. That turned out to be

a great decision. We are at the dormant stratovolcano at Mount Liamuiga. The elevation is 3792 feet.

Wow, what an extremely strenuous hike. There are winding and twisting paths with a few rope handles

near the bottom of our trail. It rained last night and the rocks and boulders were wet, slippery, mossy

and muddy. Sometimes, the trail was 10 – 15 feet wide. Then, some paths were a mere 18 inches wide.

Yes, we had to turn sideways.

I had never climbed or walked or hiked such a steep trail. A little over one mile in, the 40ish couple

from Texas turned back. It was too steep for them. We would grab roots and trees to help pull ourselves

up. We could not have made it otherwise. About two hours later, we finally reached the top! That was

an amazing 3.5 mile hike.

On the rim, we looked down into the crater. Clouds started rolling in just five minutes later. Let's

celebrate with a picnic lunch. We're given a bottle of orange juice, raisin bread, and small chunks of

coconut. I took several pictures of my 5^th volcano. I stood on a 4-foot ledge, next to a 90-foot dropoff.

And then it was time to come down from the highest point on this Leeward island. I enjoyed having

a chance to chat with Doobey. He has been a tour guide at this volcano for 10 years. And he hikes it 4

times each week! He was in terrific condition. At times he would stop and point out different types of

trees... like eucalyptus, mahonia or the rubber vines. And then he grabbed a “strongman root” and

shared its story with us.

When this was over, we had hiked a total of seven miles. We did work out different muscles. While

going up, the glutes were burning at times. Coming down, the upper front legs got the biggest workout.

I took a little snooze on the bus ride back.

The bus drops us off at Port Zante at 4:05. It took about 15 minutes to find two tee shirts and a few

postcards I wanted. I'm back on the ship at 4:20... with just 10 minutes to spare. Janet told me about her

shopping experience. She looked at blue diamonds. She did buy a watch and bracelet... and was pleased

with the $$ she saved. After a hot shower, we sat in lounge chairs by the pool, as we leave St. Kitts.

We go to supper at 6:30 and then at 7:30 there is a Pharmacy meet and greet gathering. Janet and I

go to the Coral Theater at 9:00 for a West End to Broadway show. There is plenty of singing and

dancing. The performers were passionate and very talented professionals. They were great. 1960s

music was playing in a lounge, as we returned to our room. We're in bed around midnight.



January 18, 2017 (Wednesday)

Our wake-up call is at 6:45. The breakfast variety is good before we join our onshore excursion. It is

scheduled from 9:00 – 2:00. There are three couples on this Panoramic Antigua Tour. Our van takes us

by Her Majesty's Prison. Built in 1755, the living conditions there are rough, with extreme over-

crowding. There is poor sanitation and ventilation, plus too many rats and diseases.

We pass by the ruins of a sugar cane plantation, a sports field where cricket is played and then an

international raceway. The oldest church in Antigua is the St. Barnabas Anglican Church, dating back

to the 1840s. Built primarily of Antigua Green Stone, this is sometimes referred to as Antiguan Green

House of God. And then we're on our way to the opposite side of the island, with a population

of 95,000.

Keon stops our van at the Shirley Heights Lookout military complex. It is a breathtaking view of the

entire English Harbor. There were a few hundreds yachts and sailboats... just waiting for passengers.

Such gorgeous scenery from these heights. We were able to tour the ruins and buildings where the

British military was stationed from 1840–1851. There are clear skies today and we are shown

Montserrat, 33 miles in the distance.

Our next stop is Nelson's Shipyard. It was designated as a United Nations World Heritage Site just

last year. Nelson served here from 1784 – 1787. Horatio Nelson was commander of the British Royal

Navy during the Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805. In that battle, 27 British warships defeated 33 ships of the

combined French and Spanish allies. Even though Nelson was killed in the battle, the British captured

19 of the 33 Franco-Spanish ships.

The majority of the buildings in the Dockyard were constructed between 1780 and 1820. They could

now better accommodate the Royal Navy warships, crew and stores so as to protect the island and

wage war against France and Napoleon Bonaparte. The Royal Navy finally closed the dockyard in

1889. The most impressive sight for us was the Boat House and Sail Loft Pillars! The sun dial was also

interesting.

It's snack time and we reached a bakery, located behind the Captain's House Museum. The pineapple

turnover was highly recommended. We also bought a slice of coconut pie and rum punch. We then

found a shady place to eat and I thought how colorful this area was.

After boarding the van, Keon drove us to Dickenson Bay beach. It is said that Antigua has 365 white

sand beaches. That means one beach to explore every day of the year. We were given one hour here. A

nearby restaurant had grilled tilapia sandwiches on their menu. Two, please. Janet said that was on her

bucket list... while enjoying a warm breeze and looking out at palm trees, blue waters and white, sandy

beaches! Afterwards, I walked along the beach before a little swimming.

Returning to the pier, we visited the Diamonds International store. The free charm today is a pine-

apple. Back on the boat we rest a bit before I go out to the pool. At 4:30 there is a line dance party. And

they play “The Wobble” song. I have been waiting two years for this! Six dances and 30 minutes later,

the pool party is over. But is was FUN!

It's time to alternate getting in a pool, then a hot tub. I talk to the Fort Wayne, IN folks again. Two

couples from Pittsburgh and New Jersey then join us. This is quite relaxing. I've met some very nice

people on this cruise.

At 6:30 I'm participating in an evening stretch class. And at 7:00 we're ready for Classic Rock Music

Trivia. My team of 3 did better than several teams... getting 10 of 19 correct. The winner, who was a

musician, got all 19 right. And he won a key chain.

Janet and I went out on our balcony at 7:45. We saw an island, maybe 15 miles away. There were

thousands of lights, but they were all near sea level. We had no idea which island we had just passed.

And we were able to see a few dozen stars tonight. I think the brightest one is probably a planet.

At 8:00 we go up for supper. I enjoyed four different meats this evening. There was grilled fish, pork

schnitzel, chicken cordon bleu and my first time for ox-tail stew (yum). Dessert tonight was cake and

caramel flan. We sat out on the balcony a little while, before going to bed early.



January 19, 2017 (Thursday)

A wake-up call today is at 6:30 and I go and eat breakfast. I bring a plate... and cup of coffee back

for Janet. It does save us a little time, for we are scheduled to meet our tour group at 8:40. We are in

Castries, the capital of St. Lucia. A green and lush adventure awaits us.

This island country has a population of 180,000. Possession of the island alternated about 6 times,

between the French and the British. Its area is about 27 miles by 14 miles. We will be on a Soufriere

Sail Excursion. There are 70 cruisers on this catamaran, called Spirit of Carnival. There's a 1-hour 45-

minute trip down the west coast of the island. We are offered pineapple juice, banana bread and fruit

and enjoy the scenery and Caribbean music.

We pass by the Piton peaks. These are twin volcanic spires and are designated as a U.N. World

Heritage Site. One is 2620 feet high. While the others measures 2438 feet. By comparison, the highest

spot in Alabama is 2413 feet high. There is a colorful poster on this catamaran called Guide to

Caribbean Reef Fish. There are 75 varieties of fish we might see.

We disembark from the catamaran in Soufriere. Our first visit is the Diamond Botanical Gardens;

Mineral Baths' Waterfall; Nature Trail; Old Mill and Water Wheel. King Louis XIV of France granted

2000 acres of land in 1713 to 3 brothers. This is part of it. As a child Empress Josephine, wife of

Napoleon Bonaparte bathed in the original baths while spending holidays at her father's plantation.

There's a lot to see on this excursion. It is so lush and green. And it is a designated bird sanctuary.

The first thing I notice are cacao pods. We cross a small wooden bridge with brightly painted red

rails. They seem to accent the gorgeous red flowers nearby. Beautiful trees and tropical flowers are

everywhere! We see mahogany, avocado, heliconia, vanilla vines, bird-of-paradise, orchids, bananas,

castor oil tree and beans, ferns, torch ginger, nutmeg, lilies plus many, many more.

Several tourists enjoyed the hot springs featuring warm / hot mineral waters. We passed an aquaduct

system which was built in 1765. It was first used to carry water to a sugar cane waterwheel. Much later,

it was used to generate the first electricity for the town of Soufriere, where electricity service cost 25

cents per month!

We take a short walk to the Diamond Waterfall. It's probably the most colorful waterfall in the entire

Caribbean. There are several “stripes” of different colors, behind the waterfall. This is due to the water

being laced with minerals: sulphur, magnesium, copper, iron, calcium and manganese. Depending on

the mineral content, these colorful stripes change from day to day.

Back on the van and we travel to the Caribbean's Only Drive-In Volcano. Soufriere Volcano, called

Sulphur Springs, has active steam vents releasing strong sulphur smells. We start at the boardwalk and

steps of 360 Crater View Point. This takes us right to the edge and we see 4 or 5 boiling mud pots. The

most recent eruption of this volcano was 250+ years ago. Though dormant, this volcano is still very

hot. There are boiling pools of water and mud. And a few dozen steam vents. The adjacent bamboo

were some of the tallest I had ever seen. With geothermal / hot water activity, mud baths are a popular

nearby attraction. Going back to our bus, we saw a few folks sporting new “mud masks”.

I have now visited two volcanoes in a three day period. And I have now been to 6 volcanoes. We all

thoroughly enjoyed this. Next up was a stop at the Fon Doux Plantation Restaurant. It is open air with

NO windows. Nice! A few birds flew in... and through. One landed on the rail behind us. There are

framed photos of celebrities that have visited here over the years. That includes 4 pictures of England's

Prince Charles and Camilla. Yes, the Royals have eaten here.

Back in the port of Soufriere and we load onto the catamaran. After about an hour, there is a choice

of snorkeling or swimming. I chose to swim. As I approached a rock outcropping, I put my feet down

in about 5 feet of water. That was a bad decision. Unfortunately, I stepped on TWO sea urchins.

OUCH!!! I swam back to our boat, then tried pulling the quills out of my feet.

Getting onto the catamaran, I told the crew what happened. I counted 59 quills that I pulled out.

Maybe it's a local remedy, for they poured a bottle of urine onto the bottoms of my feet. The pain did

ease with two rum punches (for medicinal purposes). I was instructed to soak my feet in hot water, with

4 oz. vinegar. There was fun, party music with some line dancing as we continued going back. I heard

the Wobble song. But there's no way I'm dancing anytime soon.

We were dropped off by our ship about 4:15.That gave me enough time to scoot to Diamonds Inter-

national and pick up a complementary “palm tree” charm for Janet's D.I. bracelet. We got the bracelet

two years ago, on our first Caribbean cruise.

Needing medical attention, I went to the ship's medical office. The nurse recommended I order a

small amount of vinegar and add it to the hottest water (from the shower) that I can stand. It really did

help. Those St. Lucians on the catamaran were pretty smart.

After some rest and supper at 7:45, we went to see a show at the Coral Theater. Claire Vinkesteijn

was a finalist in Holland's Got Talent show in 2013. Originally from Great Britain, she now lives in

Holland. She performed for almost an hour. Wow, this was just piano perfection. She was accompanied

by her 9 piece live band. And she was an excellent singer as well.

When this show was over, we got on an elevator. An older man commented that he admired my

energy level while line dancing at the pool yesterday. In the room, I caught up on this travel diary. And

we're in bed at 11:15.



January 20, 2017 (Friday)

With a 6:30 wake-up call, I step out onto the balcony. Hello Barbados! I go and eat breakfast at the

Windjammer. Then I brought a light breakfast and coffee to the room for Janet. As I check our e-tickets

for today's “Natural Wonder's” tour. I see it starts at 8:30. I had thought it was at 9:00. Let's hurry.

A shuttle bus takes us to the end of the pier. There are 10 tourists aboard. We learn that this island is

roughly 14 x 21 miles. With a population of 290,000, it gained its independence in 1966 after 300+

years as a British colony.

Our first tour stop this morning is Harrison's Cave. There are flowing streams and deep pools of

clear water with plenty of stalactites and stalagmites. We see pillars (columns) where these two features

connect. What I found rather unique about this limestone cavern was that an electric tram takes us

through it. At times the tram stopped and we could walk around. Different areas are lighted, such as

calm, glassy pools of water. We visit “The Chapel”, “The Altar”, the “Little Village” and “The

Rotunda”.

I enjoyed the tropical setting, especially the beautiful traveler's palm (Ravenala Madagascariensis).

It has enormous paddle shaped leaves which hold rain water and could be used as an emergency

drinking supply for needy travelers.

Next up is a trip to Hunte's Gardens. Some call this “the most enchanting place on Earth”. Centuries

ago this land was part of a sugarcane plantation. We are surrounded by 10 acres of what was once a

regular gully. It was developed by horticulturist Anthony Hunte. There is a picturesque and easy to

walk brick path. Dozens of mini-gardens create a cozy paradise with vibrant colors and textures of rare

tropical plants. Do not rush... sit down and soak it all in.

There were small surprises around each turn like hidden statues. Such a sense of serenity, peace,

harmony and tranquility in this lovely garden. It was like we were walking through a living painting.

The fragrance of the flowers and singing birds added to the ambiance. This lush oasis might be the

prettiest garden I've ever seen. For more galleries of photos, visit www.huntesgardens-barbados.com.

Of course, Mr. Hunte is home most every day and enjoys talking to his guests. We enjoyed

refreshments in an enclosed courtyard area. Nice... I'm pleased that I got his autograph for my

collection. And Janet received a nice magazine called Ins and Outs of Barbados.

After passing sugarcane fields, we reached the Atlantic Ocean fishing village of Bathsheba. Near

sandy beaches are huge rocks / boulders. These have actually broken away from ancient coral reef

formations. Geologically, Barbados lies directly over the intersection of the Caribbean Tectonic Plate

and the South American Plate.

Lunch at the Sand Dune Restaurant offers spectacular blue views of the Atlantic as its roaring

waters crash ashore. I'm not surprised to see several surfers out there. We ordered flying fish with

ginger beer. Outside, two soldiers wearing camouflage uniforms patrol the area with large guns. We

had been notified earlier that wearing camouflage clothing on Barbados is PROHIBITED. This can

only be worn by the Barbados Defense Force.

There are unusual (to me) geologic / rock formations across the road as we travel away. An old wind

mill catches my eye. We learn that the Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill, built in 1727, was used to process

sugarcane to produce sugar. It is ONE of only two functioning Sugar mills left in the world. In 1848,

with 506 windmills, Barbados was second only to Holland as the country with the most windmills /

square mile.

The final stop on our tour is at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. It is atop a mahogany forest and was

originally set up in 1982. Expanded in 1985, protected animals here are green monkeys, red-footed

tortoises, Patagonian maras, Cuban rock iguanas, red brocket deer and numerous caged tropical birds.

Arriving at 2:00 and it was feeding time. A large bucket was eagerly awaited by playful monkeys,

chickens, and tortoises. On the menu were potatoes, watermelons, bananas and sweet potatoes.

We slowly follow a brick pathway across four acres. There is more variety of animals than expected

here. As we stroll along we see peacocks, spectacled caiman, guineas, otters, agouti, flamingos and

inquisitive deer.. In a small Reptile House, there are a variety of snakes in glass enclosures. The yellow

snake was strangely pretty and one python was named Monte.

It has been a wonderful day as we return to the pier. At the Diamonds International store we pick up

a sandals charm. Now is the time to clean up, rest and enjoy supper. There was a large sheet cake for

dessert. It was inscribed: From the Wind Jammer Cafe... The Culinary Team... Jewel of the Seas 2017.

Then we're off to another show. There are 12 singers / dancers with colorful costumes.

I have anticipated the Quest game at 10:00. It is a scavenger hunt with an adult theme. Tonight we

have 12 teams. I joined two couples and we had a blast. The director asked each team to bring him

something or show him something. He wanted to see a picture of a baby; a $5 bill; an appendix scar;

fruit on a toothpick; our daily cruise ship itinerary; a hairy back; one man & woman sharing pants; bark

like a dog; a piercing below the neck and several more. Our team of 5 finished in 2^nd place. We received

a medal and a souvenir cap. Fun!!



January 21, 2017 (Saturday)

Another 6:30 wake-up call starts our day-at-sea. The reason for our Alabama Pharmacy Association

C.E. @ SEA is the four hour continuing education meetings. There are four separate one-hour sessions

on a variety of topics. Our state requires 15 hours of Continuing Education each year. Hey, if you need

C.E., might as well get it on a cruise ship! A traditional group photo was then taken of us overlooking

the pool. I spoke to a couple from Pittsburgh, who I met in the hot tub several days ago.

I join Janet in our cabin at 12:30. She has done some reading out on the balcony. We go up to the

Wind Jammer for another wonderful lunch. After returning to our room, we pack most of our luggage.

We next fill out forms for the Customs Bureau. We will need those tomorrow. We just about finish

packing everything.

I go to the pool before 3:00 and grab a towel. 12 men sign up for the World's Sexiest Man Contest.

List one interesting fact about you. “I have traveled to 28 countries”. One by one, we walked / danced

in front of the 4 female judges. Then it was time to shake, wiggle and dance. Hey, I came in 5^th place.

And my participation “trophy” was a W.S.M. Hand towel. That was fun.

Back in the room, I took a 2-hour nap. At 7:15, Janet and I went to dinner. Janet then went to pick

up some jewelry she had ordered. I went to the Coral Theater to save her a seat. No surprise, she found

me on the front row... 3 minutes before the 7:45 show started. There was a 9-piece band playing Jazz

music. Dennis, our director of entertainment, was so sad to have to say good-bye.

Carl Banks, a comedian, talked, cracked jokes, told funny stories and sang. Janet and I were very

attentive. At one point, he looked down and asked how long we had been married. “You look like a

happily married couple. Do you still feel the tingle?” He wiggled his fingers. I raised my hands and

wiggled my fingers, too. “Oh, that's either love... or diabetes!” Hehehe.

The singers came out and performed a few songs. Then several dozen of the crew and staff came

onto the stage. It's almost over. Next, we went to the Safari Club for some of the 9:30 show. The jazz

music was great and four of the main showtime singers entertained us as well. Going back to our room,

we passed by the Schooner Club piano bar. We gotta stop and listen to a little of that. He did a

wonderful rendition of Piano Man! After the song Memories from Cats. Arriving in the room, I put our

luggage out in the hallway by 11:20. Time for bed.





January 22, 2017 (Sunday)

Today we get a 5:40 wake-up call. We go upstairs for our last breakfast. We shared our table with a

friendly man from Norway. Back in our room, we finishing stuffing my back-pack. We leave our room

at 8:00 and go to the Coral Theater. At 9:00 we leave the ship and retrieve our luggage.

A $25 taxi ride takes us from the cruise terminal to the L.M. Marin International Airport before 10

a.m. My wife has pre-check clearance, but I don't. She makes it through Security 15 minutes before I

do. Well, now I have misplaced her. As I go to Terminal B, I finally find her. We have a very long wait,

and I get to chat with 13 pharmacist friends.

When we do get hungry, we eat Mexicali and Avocado burgers. There is plenty more time to wait.

Okay, we start to board at 4:05. I receive a phone call from my elderly Indiana friend, Leon Williams.

There were tornadoes in Alabama yesterday. He was concerned and wanted to check on us. Leaving

San Juan at 4:45, we fly over the colorful buildings near the beach and cross the blue Atlantic Ocean.

The 1343 mile flight to Atlanta, GA should take 3 hours and 30 minutes. I bought two Tapas boxes

and we also had Coke, apple juice and water. I watched a Jason Bourne movie, before a little nap.

Arriving in Atlanta about 7:30, we learn there is a weather delay. Our 9:34 takeoff to Mobile was

bumped to around 10:45. And now we're bumped to 12:03. Now, we're going to fly out at 1:13 a.m. At

11:15 p.m. the flight is canceled. Can't say that we are surprised.

We make our way to another concourse for the Delta Service Desk. Looks like there are 300 people

in front of us. Tuesday night is the soonest that Delta can fly us to Mobile. Janet and I have been patient

as we've waited. And we talk with our veterinarian, Dr. Chris. He sees one of his church friends who is

standing in line. They both have to be at work tomorrow (Monday) morning.

Becky has just reserved a rental car. It takes just a few minutes to decide that all four of us will drive

all night long. We take turns, so that at least one of us is wide awake. We reach Mobile around 5 a.m.

What a long night... I hope our luggage arrives later today at our airport... and it does. Life is good!

---

Photos

IMG_0032
Sunrise in San Juan, Puerto Rico

IMG_0093
Sea Turtle Encounter at Coral World.

IMG_0154
Coral World... St. Thomas... Virgin Islands

IMG_0236
Southern Stingray

IMG_0244
Red-footed tortoise.

IMG_0266
Juvenile shark.

IMG_0304
Coki Beach on St. Thomas.

IMG_0330
St. Kitts.

IMG_0373
Volcano hiking on St. Kitts.

IMG_0388
Dormant stratovolcano crater at Mount Liamuiga.

IMG_0424
Doobey... our guide on the volcano hike.

IMG_0444
Antigua.

IMG_0510
English Harbour on Antigua.

IMG_0556
Nelson's Dockyard.

IMG_0605
St. Lucia.

IMG_0632
Piton Peaks.

IMG_0645
Diamond Botanical Gardens.

IMG_0712
Soufriere Volcano.

IMG_0769
Snorkeling and swimming near our St. Lucia catamaran.

IMG_0852
Harrison's Cave in Barbados.

IMG_0942
Hunte's Gardens in Barbados.

IMG_1037
These boulders look out of place.

IMG_1051
Bathsheba Beach in eastern Barbados.

IMG_1065
Lunch time at Barbados Wildlife Reserve.

IMG_1096
Barbados Wildlife Reserve.

IMG_1112
Final show on Jewel of the Sea.