Day Four: Day at Sea

We left Nassau about 7 am, and headed back by the Islands North towards Florida. I slept through most of this, but when I did manage to get up from a tough day of doing nothing I went and ate lunch, sat on the deck, watched the islands pass in the distance, and the clouds gather above. I walked the track, ate lunch, took a nap, packed, sat, and wrote in my travel journal (because blogging, photographs, scrapbooking, and postcards aren’t enough documentation) and watched people run for a covered deck as the rain showers began. I was so grateful for two beautiful days in the Bahamas. There’s plenty to do inside on this ship, I’m OK with one rainy day. Thanks to some (more) Dramamine I managed to survive the rockier ‘road’ back to the US. I had one more dinner and one more dessert, and enjoyed a few of the onboard shows, comic, magician etc before being rocked to sleep one last time. A day at sea before a very busy next few weeks were doctor prescribed for me (the doctor being-me). If you’ve been on a cruise, feel free to stop reading. If you haven’t been on a cruise, feel free to stop reading. If you are bored at work, but want to look busy on the computer…feel free to keep reading, but I can’t promise the following won’t induce a need for naptime. I’m documenting the following details about cruising for me….which is really what most of this travel documentation is for, it just happens to be on a public blog, and I’ve actually found some useful info on blogs via google searches when traveling, so I’ll throw it out there anyway.
I’ve had a lot of friends who have gone on cruises to celebrate family anniversary milestones. I think this is a good idea (seeking invitations in the future with this praise). There is such a variety of activities on the boat and off the boat. It’s also great because all the food is included in the cost, so you don’t have to budget for food. They have juices, and milks galore, and if you want sodas, you can buy them individually, or buy a soda card (my choice) and have unlimited access to these as well. Everything you purchase (souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, photos (that they take continuously throughout the dinners, festivities, and ports of call) etc go onto a card that is linked to your credit card, so no cash is necessary (though I suspect this could also get tricky if you don’t keep track).

Each ship offers a different variety of (mostly free) activities, but all the ships I know of have tracks you can walk, gyms, saunas, mini golf courses, putting greens , ping pong tables, multiple (5+ on this relatively small ship) hot tubs, pool(s), slides, water play areas…

…enough lounge chairs for you and your imaginary friends, towel refreshment stands, rock climbing walls, adult only decks (with buttons to press every two lounge chairs in case the waiters who are always stopping by to check on you haven’t check on you in the three seconds between their last check, and your decision to get a drink), dance clubs, piano bars, drink bars, and live music played throughout the ships…

… libraries, shops, coffee bars (charges here-depending on the location), candy bars (charges-like you need any after hitting up the free desserts and ice cream topping, but some people like their candy, before lent I was one of those people, and I will be again…), sushi bars, casinos, video games (charges), shows, bingo games (charges to play for the chance to win a lot of money), interactive game shows, ice sculpting, spa treatments (charges), massages (charges), beauty salons (charges), towel folding demos, hairy chest contest, and dance contest. You name it, they have it. I can’t even speak for all the activities that were arranged for the kiddos, but on the last day they even finished up their stay with build a bear, and all sorts of arts, crafts, activities, scavenger hunts, and ice cream eating contest. I dare you to try to get bored….
And then there is the food. There is no word for this other than gluttony. Buffets, sit down options, and omelet stations, or room service (all free) in the morning for breakfast. Lunch includes grills, a rotisserie, made to order Mongolian stir fry, a ‘country a day’ food station, a salad bar with a huge selection of salads, toppings, cheese, fruits, and meat platters. A ‘slice the meat’ as you order deli, dessert buffets, breads, and American food options. Dinner includes an option of more buffets, or a sit down dinner with choices like lobster tails, and prime rib. If you decide you are really hungry, even with the extravagant options, the waiters will bring you multiple appetizers, entrees, or desserts, just ask. You are sat family style if your personal group doesn’t fill a table, which means you will get to know some new friends (same table and time nightly). They try to seat you with ‘similar’ people-singles, newly married etc. I’ve know quite a few people who have made good friends this way. In addition, you’ll fall in love with your waiter,

..and your matre-d who’ll sing you through the trip. There is always one elegant night where you can get as dressed up as you would like, with lots of photo opportunities throughout the ship. And then there are the midnight Mexican Buffets, and Midnight Buffets. I’ve never survived long enough for one of these. Lastly, there is a 24 hour pizza bar, ice cream bar, and room service. I don’t understand how it works, how they can possibly offer all this, but they do. The kicker is the food (prepared for thousands) is actually well made, and elegant!
And the highlight for me is the house keeping department. The people who work on cruise ships come from all over the world, and the cruises are run out of various countries that don’t have strict restrictions on working hours :O(, but I know a lot of the staff use this as the opportunity to make better money (one set tip is charged at the end of all this, and you are given the amount before booking). I’ve met some really sweet people working on cruises that I want to sponsor and move to Plano with me. They clean your rooms twice a day, and do a turn down service, with mints by the pillow, and tomorrow’s boat entertainment schedule each night….and the highlight? I puffy hear the new towel animal every day. I don’t know how they make thousands of people feel important, but they do. It’s hard to have a bad time on a cruise.

Lastly, it’s a safe way to see some places that are becoming ‘less’ safe over time. I’ve never been a good ‘out of country’ eater. My stomach protest at some foreign waters, and I have no problems (which may BE a problem) eating the fruits, waters, and meals offered on the ship. If you book an excursion in locations like Mexico via the cruise they pick you up as soon as you leave the port, stay with you, and bring you safely back. I have some less than ‘safe’ experiences in some foreign countries, but I don’t want to stop enjoying travel, and this provides a great way to enjoy life outside the US borders a little more safely. This also forces me to be a LITTLE less obnoxious about my go-go-go planned out vacations that require a staycation to recover from the ‘vacation’ that wore me out. Cruises force you to relax, and have a little fun, and reclaim the afternoon nap...and forget calories b/c there is no way you can count that high. And sometimes, for a week, that’s nice. For what it’s worth, I recommend a cruise.

Day Three: Nassau, Bahamas

I woke up Tuesday morning to the ship making lots of noise. I figured we were either docking in Nassau, sinking, or being invaded by the famous Bahamian pirates…and when I rolled out of bed a hour later, I was glad to see it was the former. I could not have asked for a more beautiful series of days to explore the towns, and beaches of the Bahamas.


Upon exiting the port we were greeted by a swarm of locals who offered to work in a few hair braids, and tours all around the island, and taxi vans. It was more feasible to take an excursion NOT sponsored by the cruise line in this port since we were docked here until 6 am the next morning (almost 24 hours), but it was also easy enough to get around to see some of the local beauty, unless you want to be wowed by something via an excursion other than the beach. The beach was enough for me.
I shopped around the nearby streets and the straw market in Nassau before taking my loot back to the ship, grabbing something for lunch, and heading to the beach. There were a lot cuter shops (I know this would be an important selling feature for someone like….my brother) ….and more traffic on this Island, so take a little, give a little. The straw market was packed with vendors, and buyers. I did more damage to my wallet on this stop.

One of the most popular items on both islands are the straw items the local ladies sew popular images onto via large needles. The lady above was working on a Hello, Kitty bag before I asked her to personal a little box for me as a gift for someone.

Men chopped wooden masterpieces.

…and then there was the rum cake. There were some vendors carting locally made cakes around, but I found a store selling small cakes that I picked up for myself…and maybe a gift or two….if they make it all the way home. They are good….I have my doubts.
Hungry?

…you can order conch by the truck load. Literally, I saw conch shells filled with…uhh…conch meat (?) being sold on roadsides from the back of trucks….and little cafes, and stands throughout the island. I don’t think so….but I’m guessing the large shell animal must be in abundance here because of all the food, and souvenirs you can purchase made out of these sea creatures.

I bought an ornament carved from a Conch Shell (my souvenir of choice when I vacation-ornaments).
The local flavors I did find enjoyable included these little beauties…

…let’s call them sweets because if we call them candy, I just broke lent. I’ve shared my philosophy before….I don’t care where you are, or how strange the food….I think every country knows how to ‘do dessert.’ It’s where I spend my time on the menu when in doubt.
After my shopping extravaganza, I took a taxi for 4 bucks to Paradise Island (which was an adventure in itself) and hiked up a small hill (I like to use words like ‘hike’ after discussing the desserts I tried, as if I can cancel out the first with the second) and found Cabbage Beach.

Atlantis Hotel was set back to the far side, but I’d say life on Cabbage Beach couldn’t be much ‘worse’ than that exclusive hotel. There were plenty of options for entertainment-jet skis, parasailing, massages, more braiding options, shopping options, and men walking around with coconuts and rum boxed on their heads.

If you choose to ‘order’ a drink from them they will chop open the coconut and hook you up on the spot.
The beach was G-to the-O-to the-R-to the GEOUS. I did more sitting, and people watching. I left all my books and magazines behind because I refuse to close my eyes, or move them over a page of words when I’m somewhere this amazing. I soaked up a little sun, and a lot of beauty. I’m a fan.
After most of the daylight hours shopping, and at the beach, I moved back over to the boat, spent some time at one of the hot tub (sans all the people that normally fill it’s walls), and sat on the Serenity Deck and watched the island. It was a good day.
Before I ‘leave’ the Bahamas….I have to say I enjoyed them immensely. I felt safer than I have in the past while visiting beaches in Mexico. The people were very friendly, though sometimes a little overly eager about selling you their island services, but they do it with a smile, and you just have to be prepared for this, and prepared to say ‘no.’ A lot of this can be avoided if you take the excursions, but if you don’t, I found once you settle down to whatever you’ve decided to do, you’re fine, and you can enjoy relative solitude. The beaches are, of course, amazing, and I love the colorful back drop of the houses, and buildings along these beautiful islands. I also am a fan of the Rum Cake.
Linking To:

Day Two: Freeport-The Grand Bahamas

I booked an excursion for this stop…shopping, and a beach with a chair/drink etc.

I grabbed a chair on the (then) deserted beach of Lucaya, and enjoyed the view, applied some sun screen to everything but the tops of my feet. I think it’s important to get one really terrible sun burn on some weird part of your body. As you watch it peel three weeks later, you can better remember your time in the sun…or not. Anyway, mission accomplished…or not.
I’ve had the fortune of viewing quite a few of the Carribean Islands, and other beaches on the ‘mainland’ and some more exotic places like Hawaii, and it’s amazing how different an ocean’s color can be despite their interconnected qualities. I know there are experts on these subject, but here is my expertise. It’ll get you nowhere in life, but I don’t think it’ll bring you any harm either. The Bahaman Islands offer up aqua colors I’ve never seen before on any of the other beaches I’ve visited. Mexico’s beaches remind me of clear swimming pools, the Hawaiian Islands have more of a green tint to their water (with a few black sand exceptions). California, Florida etc have a deep blue, and then there are the brown waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In the Gulf’s defense, it’s a very warm place to swim with a little gentler waves. Just ask all sharks, stingy things, and other sea life that flock there by the boat load. ;o) All I’m sayin’ is…aqua is a really ‘in’ color right now, so you should check out these beaches in the Bahamas, man…or should I say “mon?” Whatever, they were pretty.
After a few hours at the beach, I headed over to shop at the Straw Market.
They’ll make “Pretty Ladies” and “Sexy Mamas” a very good deal (you can get much of this sitting in your chair on the beach via the ladies and gentlemen who walk by with their wares as you laze in the sun). Much like many of the ports throughout the Carribean's markets, the people are very eager to show you their selections, BUT they invite you in with a smile, and I can appreciate someone that will smile even if you walk on past their stall. For the most part, I walked on because I’ve just about beached out my collection at home, though you never know when you are going to find something you didn’t know they had, and you didn’t know you ‘needed’ until you see it, so I look, just in case. It was a colorful market.

In fact, it was a colorful town filled with pinks, aquas, yellows, blues, lavenders, and peaches, with a red and white stripped light house off in the distance. I loved the colors best. Fine, I loved the beach best, but the colors were a nice backdrop for such a stunning ocean scene.


There was a lot of mood music being played around town by live bands, and there was, rum, rum, and there was quite a lot of rum to be had on the beachside, and roadside bars.
Freeport seemed like a pretty laid back place. I did a lot of sitting and starring at the water, and people watching, shopping, and then…I sat on the beach some more and starred at the water.