Ft, Lauderdale – March 27 – disembarkation

Ft, Lauderdale – March 27 – disembarkation

The final leg of our voyage was from Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale and we sailed 7,203 Nautical Miles.

The disembarkation wasn’t the smoothest one ever, but all in all not too bad. We ended up at a different slot than we were supposed to be in. The “reason” was that the nice close one didn’t have WIFI. So, we were at the farthest berth away. For some reason all disembarkations would start 1 hour later than scheduled. I think that all passport control had to be done manually and that was taking a long time. So, not to have us all crammed in down there, they had us wait on the ship. I’m sure that was the civilized thing to do.

We got all the last-minute stuff packed and then went upstairs for our last breakfast. We were delighted that Tom & Cathy joined us for one last breakfast. We waited in the Elite lounge and said goodbye again to our tablemates and several other people. We all agreed that this was not goodbye, and we will see each other again.

Finally, our color was called, and we got off to find our bags and find a porter. Ran into Bob & Phyllis and they were the only ones we hadn’t said goodbye to yet, so that was nice. We found a porter and went through immigration. The only question he asked was “what did you bring back that you didn’t bring with you?”

We almost made it out of the terminal when a guy came out and called us aside into a little room and I thought they were going to open our boxes. The guy started firing questions like “do you have any live animals in there?” What is in the boxes? Clothes, shoes, a fan…… What’s the fan made out of?” I guess we passed his “sweat test” as he said “OK, you can go.” Then one last question. “what’s in the case? Do you have weapons in there?” Uh, NO…… He didn’t look and just took our word for it. Sheesh!

Greg left me with the luggage and went to get the rental car. An hour and 45 minutes later, he comes back. He said the place was a zoo. It’s now almost noon. Normally, we would have been home about then, not just leaving the port. Since we were so late, we stopped at the Cheesecake Factory for their Mexican Taco Salad on their “lite” menu. Normally, we pass by there way too early on our way to Port Saint Lucie. So, running late worked in our favor. YUM!

We were home by 2:30 and we got checked into a corner room, but on the 2^nd floor instead of the top floor. The hotel is really packed. The first thing you notice is barking dogs and kids screaming in the pool. After 4 months at sea with neither, it really hits you that the cruise is over. We’ll get laundry done over the next few days. Photos will be done as soon as I can and I’ll add the links as I get them up.

Sea Day – March 26

Sea Day – March 26

Well, it’s hard to believe that this awesome journey will come to an end tomorrow. This morning I had my final walk on the track and Cathy & I had our final chat as we walked around together.

I’m all packed except for tonight’s clothes and the last-minute shower stuff in the morning. Greg is almost done as well.

This morning I won 2 games of Bingo for a total of $90.00 It was banana splits in the dining room for lunch, so we ate there. To clarify, we had lunch as well, we didn’t just go for banana splits. I thought our neighbor had lent me a couple of cute cardboard Easter eggs and when we passed them at lunch, I thanked her. I had put them in her mailbox with a note saying thanks. She said she wasn’t the one that put them there, but she did pack them. So, now I have no idea who left the decorations in our mailbox. Thanks to whoever it was. Now, Sally has them. Sally had very similar decorations outside of her cabin, so I just assumed they came from her. Hmmmmm…….

We had a little bit of spare time to organize and relax before the final Bingo which was held this afternoon for the big prize to go no matter how many numbers it takes. We didn’t win it or any of the games in the afternoon. The big prize went to a “non-regular” bingo player.

We said goodbye to our tablemates at dinner and then went to the evening entertainment which was the female singer/impressionist.

It has been a day of saying goodbye to friends old and new.

It will take me a few days to finish the remaining photos and get those uploaded. I want to thank all of you that follow along on our adventures. I’ll also post my top 10 “favorites” and general impressions now that the 2019 WC has come to an end.

Now back to “real life” with numerous doctors & dentist appointments. We are excited to see how much progress they have made on our new neighborhood and maybe they will have an idea of when our house will be started.

Up early tomorrow to finish packing the “carry off” luggage and disembark the ship around 8:30.

Sea Day – March 25

Sea Day – March 25

We had beautiful sunny weather today for walking the track. Cathy & lamented that we only have 1 more day to do this.

Neither of us won at Bingo today and we grabbed lunch at the buffet. Then, it was back to the room to start the packing.

At 3:00 we had a farewell high tea with dancing for the full world cruisers. They do a nice job. They came around with all kinds of finger sandwiches, cookies, pastries and scones. The band played and quite a few people danced.

Not all that hungry for dinner, but of course we managed to go and eat. It was escargot & lobster night, so we didn’t want to miss that. We look forward to the asiago cheese pinwheel breads with sesame seeds that work so well to sop up all the garlic butter from the escargots. YUM!

The entertainment tonight was the final production show and was a repeat of La Danza. It really features the amazing talent of the dancers.

We then came back to watch a movie. Only 1 more sea day……..

Marigot, St. Maarten – April 24

Marigot, St. Maarten – April 24

We have been here 4 times before, though we have never arrived on the French side since most ships call on the Dutch side. 

We have seen both sides of the islands several times. (Dad came with us on one visit on a 7 day cruise) We have snorkeled here and last year we took the ferry to St. Barts Island. All good stuff. This time we thought we would hike and bird.

We didn’t feel the need to rush off the ship since we didn’t have much planned. Good thing, since the tendering process was slow going. We were late getting in and setting up took them quite a bit of time. We were to get in at 7:00 and it was closer to 8:00 before they started to get set up. We went down to get our tickets for the tenders and one had just left. They told us that it was slow going since it was bumpy getting on the tenders. It also was about a 25 minute tender ride to shore. Then, the one that we were supposed to get on broke down and needed to be fixed. That didn’t take too much longer, but it was probably about 10:00 before we got underway. 

We grabbed a taxi at the port and he took us to Loterie Farm where we had planned to hike. Loterie Farm is a secret hideaway nestled in the hillside of Pic Paradis on French Saint Martin. The main restaurant was damaged in the hurricane and is still closed, but they server the food in their bar area now which is a great spot that is like being in a tree house. 

We did the shorter of the two hikes. The terrain was pretty tough in places with huge rocks that we had to climb up and over. Some areas had ropes to help pull yourself up. They had zipline areas all around, but the ones we could see were pretty low to the ground. It didn’t look like a particularly exciting one, but if it was your first one it would probably be fun. 

At one point in the hike we were surrounded by lots of Green Monkeys. You could hear them in the trees all around us. They were going from tree to tree and across fallen tree trunks. It was a huge troupe of them. We had thought we would do the extended part of the hike, but I was running out of water and it was a dryer heat today and very sunny and I was overheating. Plus, I was about over “rock climbing”. We made the loop and going down was easier on that path. We got back to the bar and ordered a couple of diet cokes. The restaurant didn’t open for another 10 minutes so we cooled off watching the birds and iguanas below them. 

Greg ordered a tuna tartar “burger” and I got a chicken BLT. We split an order of sweet potato fries. Everything was delicious. My sandwich had 2 chicken breasts on it and I took off half of it to get it in my mouth. There was a full chicken above and below the middle piece of toast. 

They also had a lovely pool where you could rent cabanas or lounge chairs and spend the day. 

We grabbed a cab back to Marigot. We had hoped to have gelato, but the place we had been to a couple of times before was gone. Now, there is a French pastry shop there. There is still a lot of rebuilding to do after the hurricane, but all in all they are doing well. We didn’t get to the Dutch side this time, but I imagine it has been rebuilt for the most part. We wandered around the small area and the checked out the tents with souvenirs and then grabbed a pastry where our gelato shop used to be. 

We also went into the small shopping mall just to see what was there, but it was the usual high-end shops. We saw a lot of ships’ people there using the WIFI.

We got on the next tender and were back on the ship a couple of hours before we needed to be. We wanted a shower before dinner.

After dinner we went to see a new show by Cory Kahaney, the female comedian. She might have been a bit funnier, but still not all that funny to me. 

We now have 2 final sea days before the end of this 111 day journey.

St. Martin https://photos.app.goo.gl/eAGPeQjtEDYaMW3TA

Guadeloupe – April 23

Guadeloupe – April 23

This was our first visit here. This is another port that it was hard to find a private guide. I don’t think they get a lot of cruise ships. When I run out of options, I usually use Viator or a Tours By Locals type company. None of Viator’s regular tours picked up at the port or could accommodate our timeframe. So, they had a private tour for 6 hours and we could set up whatever we wanted to do.

Viator - 6 hour Private tour similar to Town to Nature and lunch and snacks are included – port pickup

https://www.viator.com/tours/Guadeloupe/Daily-island-tours/d4311-46401P6

We were early getting off the ship and waited just a short while for Taina our guide and owner of her company Guadeloupe Explor. info@guadeloupe-explor.com

You could easily contact her directly without going through Viator. Her English is very good, and we had a great day with her. Today we were joined by Bob & Phyllis and Toni & John. 

Taina took us on a walking tour of Pointe-à-Pitre. We didn’t know it was a walking tour which wouldn’t have mattered if we weren’t lugging around our snorkel gear & another extra bag since we figured we could leave it in the vehicle. It was hard to walk around the markets with all of our stuff, taking photos with a free hand and then she hands us all a banana to eat with our 3^rd free hand. And to top it off it was raining on and off. 

We visited a couple of markets and unlike most of these places that we tourists go through taking photos, many of these people did not seem to like us there, much less take photos of them or their stuff. (they are French after all…lol) 

The first one was the famous central market, also known as Saint-Antoine market. This market had many colorful stalls, all loaded with spices, exotic jams and punch, with the traders were in traditional madras dress. The next one was fruits and vegetables. That is where Taina bought our bananas. The lady she bought them from didn’t mind photos being taken, while everyone else held up newspapers to cover their faces or yelled at us. 

Then we went to the small fish market of La Darse, which takes place every morning from Monday to Saturday, and was sold by the fishermen that caught the fish that morning.

We then walked through a park, a small flower shop and then visited a church. Just when I thought my arms might fall off from carrying snorkel gear and my bags, we arrived at her van. She had lots of juices and tea or coffee for us. Then, we stashed our stuff in the van and got in for the drive to the other island. Guadeloupe is known as the butterfly island since it’s really 2 islands connected by a small bridge and it forms the shape of a butterfly. (sort of)

Basse-Terre is a pristine land of mountains, with one volcano, rainforests, and rivers. Our first stop on the island was the Sugar Cane & Rum Factory of Montebello. Taina gave us a tour of the factory and we climbed small ladders to get up and look into the vats and other ones to get a good look at the equipment used to make the rum. Of course, there was rum tasting. Greg found a 4 year old rum that he liked and bought a bottle.

Then off we went to cross the National Park and we stopped at the Crayfish waterfall which was a short walk and then some of us took a bit longer hike to the river and a swimming hole. It had started to rain harder here, but we made it. Then, back to look at the small craft shops there. We cut our shopping time short since she said we needed to hurry to make the noon presentation at the chocolate factory since that was the time they did the tour in English instead of French. I was waiting for change for a pair of abalone earrings and then we left. (didn’t get my token magnet, but I had high hopes for the stalls at the pier)

We got to the Chocolate factory and they switched the times in English, so she said we could go have lunch, snorkel and then we could go back. 

She drove us to Restaurant an Ba Re'zen LA where we were given a choice of chicken or fish and water was included, but if we wanted a soft drink or beer it was extra. The food was very good and then after the meal we had a choice of coconut or passionfruit ice cream. YUM!

Our next stop was to snorkel from shore in the Cousteau reserve. I think the better snorkeling would be to take the boat to the island and snorkel there, but we only had time to snorkel from shore. (later, I talked to someone that did that and they said it wasn’t worth it and wouldn’t do it again) We had to snorkel quite far before we got to where the fish, corals and sea grasses were and since we only had an hour, by the time we got to the “good spot” it was almost time to turn around and go back. We should have skipped this part of the tour in hindsight since there wasn’t any place to change and then we were wet to finish the tour. It originally was scheduled for our last stop, but since we had to reschedule the English-speaking tour of the chocolate factory, it made it a short stop and not last. (and the snorkeling wasn’t that great)

The sand was “grey” and we were a mess and Taia was great at providing water to wash our feet so we could get our shoes back on. 

So, our last stop was at La Maison du Cacao, a Chocolate Factory with tasting and was 8 euro per person. Their website is in French, but here is the link to reviews on tripadvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1214312-d1645645-Reviews-La_Maison_du_Cacao-Pointe_Noire_Basse_Terre_Island_Guadeloupe.html

It was a very good presentation and we got to taste quite a few varieties of chocolate including hot chocolate. The chocolate was as good as the reviews stated. (not if you were a milk chocolate lover though) We bought an assortment which Taina stored in her cooler to keep it from melting. 

Then, we headed back across the bridge to the other island and she dropped us off at the port. Unfortunately, all but 2 of the vendors had closed for the day and I didn’t get the magnet I wanted but found another one that will be my token magnet from Guadeloupe. 

I wouldn’t hesitate to use Taina again should we return to this lovely island. She is establishing a very good business for herself and knows how to pamper her guests. (not counting the walking tour part where we had to carry all of our stuff.) If we weren’t snorkeling it wouldn’t have been a problem at all. 

We got back on the ship and ate upstairs at the buffet since by the time we got showered and our snorkel gear rinsed it was too late to make dinner. 

The we went to the evening entertainment which was Christina Bianco a female vocalist, and she did a lot of impressions of divas. She was funny and a great entertainer. She had a nice voice when she sang as herself as well. Not all of her impressions were that good, but she was fun.

Then, back to the room to get ready for our last port of this world cruise which is St. Maarten. 

Guadeloupe https://photos.app.goo.gl/CNew3GPRWZB8cfNV7

Barbados – April 22

Barbados – April 22

It’s our second time here, though the first time was a very long time ago. We did the tram ride through the cave and visited a Flower Forest last time. 

I set up a tour with Ted’s Private Tour for 6 – Taste of Barbados http://tedstour.wixsite.com/tedstour   

We were early getting off the ship, so we waited outside for Ted. Oftentimes, the tour guides are there early, but that didn’t happen. The tour start time was 8:30 and when that came and went, I called his cell phone number to see where he was. He asked where we were and then he said did you have a tour with me today? I said yes. He said his daughter sets up the tours and she had been sick for 4 days. He said he’d call me right back after he checked with her. In the meantime, I went over to the taxi dispatch and inquired about the cost of a tour with 4 of us. We were supposed to be 6, but Vikki’s husband Greg wasn’t feeling well, and Vikki was going to go anyway and pay for Greg if Ted required that. 

Ted called back and said he could be there in half an hour. I said to tell him that’s too long and we’d just grab a cab. So, with no obligation Vikki said she’d go back on the ship with Greg. So, John & Toni agreed we should just grab a cab and it was half the cost of Ted’s Tours. Our guide was Nigel and he was super. He took us everywhere we wanted to go except Hunte’s Gardens which was closed due to the holiday. In fact, many of the local stores were not open since it was Easter Monday. 

Nigel took us to some off the beaten path places as well as the main sights. He had a huge van and since there was only 4 of us, we had lots of room. 

Rihanna (the singer) was born here and he drove us past the small home where she grew up and later by her condo on the beach worth millions. 

Our first stop was at St. John’s Church which is the oldest church in Barbados. It has a plaque where President & Mrs. Reagan sat when they visited. I should have checked my photo since it came out blurry. Argh…..

Next, we drove by some beautiful beaches in Speighstown. We got out and walked along the esplanade for some beautiful views. 

Nigel took us into the countryside to see the natural beauty of the island. 

Our next stop was at Barbados Wildlife Reserve. What a lovely and peaceful place. There were many tortoises walking about. You could hear them rustling the dried leaves as they walked around. Many were mating on our walking path. We also came across some cute Green Monkeys that had very long tails. There were also some crocodiles in a pond. Further into the reserve there were some cute deer that went flying by. The female was in front running away from all the males chasing her. They kept going around and around in circles through a bush and then out and around again. 

They also had some snakes & birds in cages, but we favored the animals that were free to roam. There were a few peacocks as well. We had about an hour here. It was a lovely stop and just so peaceful to wander around. 

From there we headed for Cherry Tree Hill which had gorgeous views. There were also a few vendors set up there and someone dressed up like an Easter Bunny. I got my token magnet and a cute hummingbird. John & Toni got coconut water and they said the guy put a “bit” of rum in the coconut. 

We drove down from the hill and stopped for photos of Morgan Lewis Windmill. It no longer is in operation, but it is beautiful.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant & bar named Sand Dunes. It was a local place recommended by Nigel. We did see about 4 people from our ship there that had also grabbed a cab and that was where their driver took them. I ordered the baked pork plate which came with 2 sides. When it came it not only had the 2 sides I ordered (macaroni casserole, mashed potatoes) it also came with a small salad & potato salad. All was very good. Greg ordered the Flying Fish & chips and he tried the local Banks beer. 

After lunch we drove to Bathsheba which is famous for its breathtaking beauty and pounding surf. There were a few people surfing despite the surf not being “up”. Since it was a holiday there were many families picnicking, flying kites, enjoying the tide pools or surfing. 

There was a lady there that was friendly and pointed out some of the sites to us and let us take photos of her. Of course, she had hand-made jewelry to sell. She was so sweet we all just had to buy a necklace or bracelet. She had some that were made of a seed that felt like velvet. 

On our drive around the island we also saw where Tiger Woods had a place and the golf course where he played. Just beautiful beaches and lush green scenery everywhere.

Back in town we stopped to get photos of the swinging bridge. I had some trouble with a guy there that grabbed me and put a bracelet on my wrist. He said just a dollar. I wouldn’t have minded giving him a buck, but when I tried to give him one, he said it wasn’t enough he wanted 3 and then 5 and then 7. He put a second one on and said 2 for the price of 1. I tried to take them both off and he wouldn’t let me. Finally, Nigel noticed what was happening and he told the guy to get away. If she gave you a dollar let her go and that’s enough. As I was walking away, he came and grabbed one of the bracelets off my wrist. Yikes! Greg said I should have yelled, but I was just trying to get away. He wasn’t hurting me, but he was insistent and holding my wrist. 

After seeing more of Bridgetown, we were taken back to the ship. We shopped a bit at the shops at the pier and then went back on board and got cleaned up for dinner. I used my phone as a hotspot and got another album uploaded since I had 3 hours until we sailed. 

After dinner we went to see Cory Kahaney a comic that was a finalist on Last Comic Standing. She was OK.

Barbados https://photos.app.goo.gl/2c3mGMYznU1wNiZw9

Tomorrow we visit Guadeloupe.

Sea Day – April 21 – Easter Sunday

Sea Day – April 21 – Easter Sunday

Happy Easter! 

I walked the track this morning after a light breakfast. The light breakfast was in preparation for the Easter Brunch and we try to eat early before Bingo. It was a really special brunch that had crab, lobster (Caribbean), lamb, ham, ribs, mashed potatoes and lots of other sides. Lots of different salads and deviled eggs. Of course, there was a huge dessert table. They were also breaking up the large chocolate eggs to be eaten. There was a chocolate fountain to dip fruit. YUM! Plus, there were breakfasts items for those that wanted that.

Greg won $30 at Bingo today and then we went back and got dessert at the brunch. 

Tonight, was a formal night but we ate upstairs at the Bistro since the menu wasn’t all that special in the dining room to warrant dressing up. The amount of formal nights gets a bit old after being on the ship for so long. 

The entertainment tonight was another production show called Starlight Club. (a repeated show)

We also got to set our clocks back one last time before we reach Fort Lauderdale. 

Tug of War & Easter https://photos.app.goo.gl/b5bpozPde5wbc2fB7

Tomorrow, we tour Barbados.

Here's one more photo album. (not arranged)

Natal, Brazil https://photos.app.goo.gl/RucxaMXGqRpreM5j7

Devil’s Island, French Guiana – April 20

Devil’s Island, French Guiana – April 20

This is our second time doing scenic cruising of the islands. (there are 3 clustered) Maybe one day we will be on a cruise where they do go ashore to tour the island. (yes, some do that) It’s a beautiful island, despite its gruesome history. Last year they brought a few people from the island on board to sell a few things, but not this time. Last year they showed the movie Papillon with Steve McQueen & Dustin Hoffman for several days before seeing the island which helped us picture the penal colony there. This time they aired a newer version with Rami Malak, which had some differences, but pretty much the same idea. They then showed the older one with McQueen & Hoffman in the “theater” after the scenic cruising. I do think we were able to get a bit closer to the island this time since we are on a smaller ship than last year.

While walking the track this morning, a butterfly flew by which I chose to believe was Papillon reincarnated. LOL 

There was no regular Bingo this morning due to Devil’s Island.

There was a French Buffet upstairs today in honor of French Guiana, but the dining room was having chimichangas so that won us over.

I got quite a few photo albums uploaded to the Google Photos site this afternoon. I wish after spending lots of time organizing the photos only to have Google divide them wasn’t happening, but it is. It looks like it is separating them by Greg’s photos and mine, I always sort them by time and it combines our photos, but now Google over-rides that during the upload. I just don’t have the time or internet minutes to resort them online. I’m hoping I can get a few more up tomorrow. 

The entertainment tonight was another performance by Anne Martinez. I liked her first show, but I didn’t care for this one. I think the 2^nd show was a surprise for her since she started the show with something like “I’m back for a 2^nd show, aren’t you surprised? I know I was.”

After the show was a Nightro Bingo session. 3 chances to win $250 on a $10 ticket. A regular bingo player won so that was nice. 

We have one more sea day until Barbados. Also, we only have 1 week left of this journey. So sad…….

Devil’s Island https://photos.app.goo.gl/p9pPNJVuy6Yb5hyP9

Sea Day – April 19

Sea Day – April 19

I walked the track and then did some pool time.

Greg won $40 at Bingo and I only got close a couple of times.

The lunch buffet was German today, so we went up there.

The evening entertainment was a 4^th show by Branden and James. They are very good but, seeing the same performers over and over gets old. Not sure why they are doing this on this leg of the cruise.

Whoo Hoo! Tomorrow, we will have scenic cruising of Devil’s Island for a couple of hours, but essentially, it’s a sea day.

Here are some more photos:

Cape Town HOHO https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZDfoj7wyVH5mYxKK8

Luderitz, Namibia https://photos.app.goo.gl/cAYpDzKzG8B9gMqg6

Walvis Bay, Namibia https://photos.app.goo.gl/xYWGd8M1GHMDSSUR7

Saint Helena https://photos.app.goo.gl/SvbEJirKbY9Yqsbn8

Sea Day – April 18

Sea Day – April 18

I “over-slept” this morning so I got a later start on walking the track. It was quite comfortable with the breeze.

Neither of us won at Bingo today. After walking the track, I went to the buffet to grab a glass of ice and I noticed a sign where the burgers and dogs are served that said Mongolian BBQ. So, I decided to have that for lunch. Wow, it was good. Too bad it’s the only time they had it on this cruise. (at least as far as I know, it wasn’t listed in the Patter, you just had to stumble upon it)

After dinner we went to see Anne Martinez who was a fantastic vocalist. She has done a lot of Broadway and performs in Las Vegas. She really was a great performer.

We have already gotten our “debarkation papers”. We received our group photo of all the full world cruisers as well as a gift of 3 packing cubes that say World Cruise 2019. (we each got a set) All reminders that this journey is soon coming to an end.

Three more days at sea. Below are uploaded albums. They are scrambled and not in order since Google seems to think that is a feature. I won’t have time until we get back to Florida to organize them. Sorry, but they are up there as they are….enjoy!

Durban to Sabi Sands https://photos.app.goo.gl/L3yqieSuFCayhQTK8

Safari Day 1 part 1 https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yy2tWR3AtjEEvAeY8

Safari Day 1 part 2 https://photos.app.goo.gl/QBRbRYQX1eHfHUGK9

Safari Day 2 https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZWUYnJPFnhoShBNu9

Safari Day 3 https://photos.app.goo.gl/YgJmmk83e7nGgLFg7

Cape of Good Hope part 1 https://photos.app.goo.gl/tfEFG74nSGfpzPbN9

Cape of Good Hope part 1 https://photos.app.goo.gl/CyrCds1Yk4sByfBh7

Table Mountain https://photos.app.goo.gl/iZNKeULEMctv82Ks7

Fortaleza, Brazil – April 17

Fortaleza, Brazil – April 17

It’s our second time here. We did a great tour last time, but it poured rain, so it wasn’t as fun as it could have been. (Cumbuco beach in dune buggies and a city tour) 

This time I set up a private birding tour with Thieres Pinto. He met us at the port and we discussed our plan for the day based on types of birds to see, weather, distance and safety. It had been raining for days so many areas were flooded. 

We started at Floresta do Curio' an urban park with a lot of natural areas. We saw quite a few birds here including Tody Flycatchers with a nest, Purple Throated Euphonia, Little Woodpecker, Ochraceous Piculet Woodpecker which is the smallest woodpecker, White-fringed Antwren, Pale-breasted Thrush, Pearly-breasted Cuckoo, Sayaca Tanager and more. We also saw 3 bats on a tree trunk, and quite a few White-tufted Marmosets, (small monkeys) and a Crab-eating Fox with a young one. The action was slowing with the birds and Thieres said we should leave and drive to the mountains during the slow part of the day. We did see a few more birds on our walk back. Thieres had made us lunch so we wouldn’t waste time at a restaurant. He had grilled ham & cheese with tomato and the cheese was a locally made variety that is only found in this area. He had drinks and cookies that we enjoyed on a bench in the park. 

We then drove to the foot of the Serra da Aratanha (nearby mountain) about an hour away. It was a beautiful drive and the area that we went to was on private property where he had permission to bird. It was a lovely forest. We saw quite a few birds there. 

We crossed a small stream that had more water than I cared to wade through, but wade through it I did. It started to rain a little and we took cover on the porch of an abandoned house. It really only sprinkled, and we resumed our walk. We birded all the way to a waterfall and our guide said he had never seen so much water flowing. It has been raining for days here. We turned around to bird our way back and it started to pour. We had our rain jackets with us, but our pants got soaked. Then, we had to cross that same stream that was now much fuller, and I couldn’t see the rocks as well as when it wasn’t raining. I took a step and went in almost knee deep. We made it back to the car and Thieres asked if we wanted to wait to see if the rain would stop or go back to the ship. Soaked to the bone we said lets just call it a day. We had seen a lot of birds and it was late afternoon anyway. We did see Rufus-tailed Jacamar, Reddish Hermit, Ochre Backed Woodpecker, Black-bellied Antwren, Glittering Throat Emerald Hummingbird, Green-backed Becard, Pale-breasted Thrush, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Blue-capped Trogon, White-naped Jay, Pearly-breasted Cuckoo, Straight-billed Woodcreeper and more. We saw a great number of species and 1round 17 of them were new. 

After leaving the mountain area it was completely dry and sunny all the way back to the port. The rain had smeared the windows, so I didn’t take any photos on the drive, but we saw a huge hog just walking along side of the road, carts being pulled by horses or people and just lots of local color. 

It was a great day and there were a couple of vendors in the port building and I spent off my last few Reis on a souvenir for Scott & Sonya. I’ve picked up very few things along the way since in some ports we have very little time or limited local cash to shop. 

We debated eating upstairs or going to the dining room, but we quickly showered and made it in time. After dinner the evening entertainment was the comedic magician with a new show and he really is entertaining. It’s silly, but it did make us laugh. 

Now, for 4 days at sea. Maybe I can get caught up on photos. I’m only to Cape Town, but have previous ones done enough to upload. (I will finish deleting and organized after we get home) 

Fortaleza, Brazil https://photos.app.goo.gl/YovW1T8wKNF24jzz5

Natal, Brazil – April 16

Natal, Brazil – April 16

Natal "Christmas" is the capital and largest city of the state Rio Grande do Norte, located in northeastern Brazil.

This was our first time here. I was not able to find any independent tour operators here (that spoke English), so I booked the only Princess tours on this cruise. The sail in was very scenic and offered great views of the Newton Navarro Bridge which spans the Potengi River and the 5,843 feet long cable-stayed bridge and is one of Brazil’s largest.

We met in the Cabaret Lounge to wait until our tour was called. Our morning tour was Capoeira & Handicraft Market.

We boarded the “big bus” and were taken to the community of Boa Vontade for a performance of Capoeira, acclaimed by UNESCO for its "intangible cultural heritage." Performers called capoeiristas used quick and complex moves, speed, kicks and spins, and cartwheels and handstands to create a rhythmic show. While it looks like a spirited dance, the capoeira was initially designed as a serious fight held between slaves who needed to disguise the fight from their owners. 

At the school where the performance was, we high fived the kids as we entered. We took our seats and what a show they put on. All the performers young and old seemed so proud to perform. It’s a free school designed to give the children a place to go and learn something they can be proud of in hopes that it would keep them off the streets and not get into gangs or drugs. 

Our guide translated their Portuguese to us in English. Much like our martial arts, they progress through different colored belts as their skills improve. What an awesome show. 

Next, we went to the local Tourism Center for a look at handicrafts. The craft market is housed in Centro de Turismo de Natal, a former 19^th century penitentiary where prison cells have been converted to shops. We had an hour here which was plenty. We also had a cold soda while we waited after the shopping was done. (yep, got my token magnet)

After that we were taken back to the ship. We had an hour or so to have some lunch and then went back on shore to meet for our afternoon tour which was Natal Highlights.

It began with a drive through the Ribeira area, Natal's historic center and a National Heritage Site. Although the city dates from 1599, most of the historical buildings were constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries including the grand Governor's Palace, which dates back to 1873. 

We were supposed to tour the 16th century Fort Reis Magos, another Historical Heritage site, but it was closed for renovation. The guide said it was just an empty shell anyway, nothing remained in it. I’m sure there would have been beautiful views from the fort if we could have gone. We did stop for a photo op of the area. We saw a baggie of what we are sure was drugs on a ledge near the ocean. 

Next, we took a scenic drive to the world's largest cashew tree at nearby Pirangi Beach. Measuring 1,640 feet around, it's earned a place in the "Guinness Book of Records." Wow, I wasn’t prepared to be blown away by this tree. I don’t think a photo can do it justice. It covered a really large area. After taking the boardwalk that weaves through the tree, we climbed the stairs to get a better view from the top of it. There was a market there as well to buy cashews and trinkets. 

After we finished there, we were taken across the street for coconut water. I don’t normally care for those drinks in the shell, but this one was very good. 

From there we went to the downtown area and did a short walking tour before heading back to the ship. 

While the morning tour was OK in a large group, the city tour would have been better in a smaller vehicle with less people. It’s hard to see anything from the bus window unless you are the one right next to it, and too many things are just a “drive by”. 

It was a pleasant day and we both enjoyed the port very much. We would have preferred an independent tour with just a few people since ship tours waste a lot of time getting on and off the bus and going back to the ship to make it 2 short half day tours instead of staying out all day and having a local lunch. However, our guide was fantastic, and we did get a great overview of the city and surrounding areas. They have beautiful beaches here as well.

We got back about 2 minutes before all aboard, but the ship does wait for their tours if they are late. (unlike private tours)

We got back in time to clean up and had dinner in the dining room and then off to the entertainment which was a 3^rd performance by Branden & James. (Cellist & tenor) They are very good, and we really didn’t mind the encore performance. 

Then, back to the cabin to upload some photos and watch a movie.

Natal, Brazil https://photos.app.goo.gl/RucxaMXGqRpreM5j7

Tomorrow, we are in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Sea Day – April 15

Sea Day – April 15

I didn’t walk the track this morning since the photo shoot was right in the middle of when I normally walk. I’m not sure why they didn’t schedule it on one of the previous days when it wasn’t so hot out, but here we are.

They got us all set up and started to take the photo and many yelled “it’s too early”. In 2017, they took the photo like 2 to 3 minutes early and people that showed after that time were angry. They made such a fuss that Princess had to do a reshoot on a different day. So, we waited for a few more minutes and photos were taken.

Right after the photo op, they had the annual world cruise tug off war contest. In 2017, our waiter was on the team that won. This year, the galley crew team won. They were up against a team of really huge guys and no one expected them to win. They lost the first one and then won the next 2 times for the best of 3. 

After that we went to Bingo. I was down to 1 number on 2 cards so when #52 was called I yelled Bingo. At the same time Greg called Bingo. He also needed #52 on 2 cards. So, instead of $70 or $35 each we got $36 each for $72, since we both had 2 claims, Not sure what the odds were of that happening.

For lunch we went upstairs for the Golden Dragon Buffet.

Tonight, there was a Production show called “Talk of the Town” which they have performed before on this cruise. They have had many new shows since they have been on board and this is the first one that they have repeated.

The evening trivia was Discover Channel “Velocity”. It turned out to be all about cars. (not our strong suit) Dwain came over and joined us and named the team “Memories of 2013” since we were on the 2013 WC together. We didn’t do well at all, as we expected.

We got to set the clocks back another hour, so we get an extra hour of sleep tonight which helps when getting up early.

Tomorrow, we visit Natal, Brazil.

Sea Day – April 14

Sea Day – April 14

I was up earlier than usual and got a jump on walking the track. As we get closer to Brazil, the temperature is getting HOT HOT HOT.

The Brazilian Sunday Brunch was fantastic. It rates up there as one of our favorites on this trip. The Churrascaria steak & sausage was really good with some of the best Chimichurri sauce we have ever tasted. There were of course many other yummy choices as well.

We went to Bingo and neither of us won. Then, we went back to the brunch to get a couple of their chocolate “balls”.

Tonight’s show was the “John Denver” style singer aka Trevor Knight doing another show that was more Australian in nature. The lounge was nearly empty. Guess 4 times of seeing the same guy was 3 too many.  

Tomorrow, we have one last sea day before Natal, Brazil. We also got a letter saying that the Full World Cruisers photo would be taken at 9:30.

Sea Day – April 13

Sea Day – April 13

Today there were many large schools of flying fish to watch as I walked the track.

Greg won the $50 bingo, but he had to split it with one other person for $25 each.

After Bingo we went upstairs for the Mexican lunch buffet.

This afternoon we went to the Captain’s Circle Party. After many complaints of people not going because it was on a formal night, they held it on a casual night. It was well received.

After that we had dinner in the dining room and then went to the evening entertainment which was E Sarah Carter, the violinist again. Princess had been doing a very good job with the entertainment, but on this leg they seem to be short on new talent. The “John Denver” style singer has now performed 3 times and is performing again, I think. He also does Horse Whisperer lectures and his wife is on board lecturing on palm reading. I think the Violinist will also perform again. The funny magician will perform at least 1 more time. For the people that are only doing this leg, it seems a bit unfair to them to have such limited variety.

We hadn’t been upstairs to the evening trivia in a long time since the last segment was so port intensive, but we went last night despite Classic Rock not being my strong suit in terms of music genres. We came in third even though I didn’t think we knew that many. We missed the 60’s which normally is a good one for me.

We got to put our clocks another hour back for that extra hour of sleep.

Sea Day – April 12

Sea Day – April 12

I walked the track for an hour this morning. It was partly cloudy, and you could see showers behind us, but they never caught up to us.

I won twice at Bingo. The first one I split with another lady and she had 2 bingos on her set of cards, so she got 2/3 of the $50 and I got 1/3. They rounded it up and I got 17.00. If they had called 42 instead of 44, I would have had 3 bingos on one card. Then I won the last bingo for $70. Greg is lamenting that now he hasn’t one in a long time.

We had lunch in the dining room and sat with the people in the cabin next to us. She had mentioned that at around midnight someone is walking the halls whistling. We said we hadn’t heard that. Oddly, the next time we walked out of our cabin the woman from the cabin on the other side of us walked by whistling loudly. It has to be her. The other woman said the only reason she was up at the hour was because her husband was keeping her awake with his coughing. She also had some other tidbits of gossip. It is a bit of a Peyton Place sometimes on the ship. One was that a wife walked in on her husband with someone else on deck 6. The other had to do with our highest-ranking officer on the ship and is rumored to be “seeing” the lead singer. Yikes! Possibly active imaginations.

The minister and his wife are now off the ship. Apparently, she has pneumonia. So, the ship is looking for a passenger to fill in for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday services.

It’s a formal night and the menu was not “worthy” of dressing up for, so we went to the bistro tonight. People had complained that they never got to go to the Captain’s Circle party because it was always formal and low and behold, they are having a casual one tomorrow night. I had hoped they would just not do the formal night at all, but they decided to hold the party on a different night.

The entertainment tonight was Greg Moreland billed as “Magic wasn’t supposed to be this funny” He was very good and funny.

Yay, 3 more sea days!

Saint Helena, Great Britain – April 11

Saint Helena, Great Britain – April 11

Saint Helena Island is in the eastern part of the South Atlantic Ocean and is one of the world's most isolated islands. If you start crossing the Atlantic due west from the border between Namibia and Angola, Saint Helena Island will appear about one-third of the way across to Brazil. 

Because of this extreme isolation, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled here from Oct 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. It is the most populous of the United Kingdom's territories in the South Atlantic. 

It was our first time here. Originally, I had a taxi tour set up, but Bob found a much better tour and even though his tour was full he graciously set up a second car for 6 of us and a third car for 6 more. Thanks Bob! Ironically, the only “Bob Tour” we were on, Bob couldn’t be on his own tour. Hopefully, they will rejoin the ship in Natal, Brazil. The tour company was Island Images LTD. My only suggestion to them as they start their new business is to use more comfy vehicles. The old school bus wasn’t easy to tour in. 

The tender process was very slow. The water didn’t seem to have swells, but the tender boat next to the ship was really bobbing up and down. So, it took them a long time to load the first one. We got on the 3^rd and 4^th tenders. Part of the group was on the 3^rd one and the rest of us followed on the 4^th. 

I’m not sure what happened with the vehicle situation, but we were supposed to have a vehicle with 6 people in it and that got all changed around. I thought that perhaps the person that took over Bob’s tour just made an error and it would be a simple fix to switch us. I guess that wasn’t an option because I was told If I didn’t want to go on the tour, she had others to take my place. Well, it was the night before the tour and it was paid in full, seriously??? For some reason we only had 2 vehicles as well so that put a lot of people in the bus and 26 of us total. Anyway, it wasn’t my intention to be a pain in the butt, but I really thought it was an oversight. 

So, we got in the ancient school bus with 16 or 18 of us. Thankfully, a guy traded seats with me since my feet couldn’t touch the floor and with my foot condition my feet go numb quickly. He needed more leg room and the seat I had had way more legroom and since he had a “hump” below his feet, it worked way better for my feet. Despite each seat supposedly being able to seat 2 people, it was geared to grade school children, and the couples were wedged in. 

Our drivers and guides were very good. The island is pretty new to tourism and they were doing their best to build their business. They stopped in quite a few places for photo ops. The scenery was jaw-dropping. One stop was to see the Heart-shaped Waterfall which is dry this time of year. Another was to see the house where Napoleon stayed in exile for the first 3 months. (Briar’s Pavillion)

We went to the St. Helena Distillery which is billed as the most remote distillery in the world. We tasted several kinds of spirits such as lemon flavored, coffee, spiced rum and gin. Honestly, we didn’t think any of it was very good. Several people on the tour did buy some so it was nice that at least a few people supported the local economy. I wanted the coffee one just for the pretty bottle. The owner designed bottles that resemble Jacob’s Ladder and the coffee one was black and gold. (wasn’t worth $25 just for the bottle)

Our next stop was to see Napoleon’s tomb. His body is no longer there as it was returned to France in 1840. It was a short walk to get there through a very serene and beautifully kept grounds. White Terns were flying overhead, and it was a lovely walk. 

Next, we visited the Millennium Forest where they have and grow endemic plants for the island. We also got to see the airport which has been dubbed the most useless airport in the world. (60 minutes did a piece on it) If tourism takes off maybe they can have more than 1 to 2 flights a week. We passed a pretty dry looking golf course to get there. We had hopes of seeing a Wirebird there, but there wasn’t one to be found. They are endemic here, so it’s the only place they can be found.

We then stopped to tour Longwood House where Napoleon spent the great majority of his time on Saint Helena, and where he died. It has several wings and contains reproductions of furniture that was there. It is now a museum and no photos were allowed. After we were finished touring the guides set up a nice picnic lunch for us. They had vegetable quiche, tomato paste sandwiches, fish cakes and a pumpkin raisin desert. They included soft drinks as well. 

Our next stop was to see Lot and Lot’s wife (2 rock formations) and then on to the Blue Hill picnic area for an overlook of Sandy Bay which is the only beach on the island. 

We then visited the Plantation House grounds to see Jonathan the tortoise believed to be the oldest living animal. He had 3 other tortoises on the grounds, but we only saw him and 2 others. Plantation House is the governor’s residence. There was a very nice garden next to the viewing area for the tortoises and it belonged to our driver. 

Our guide was working on Ascension Island at the same time when Greg went there in the Navy. 

The tour also included a scenic drive through the western side of the island. We saw the Central Peaks which include Diana’s Peak which is the highest point on the island. 

After we left there, we visited High Knoll Fort which stands 584 meters above sea level. It offered some amazing views of the island in all directions. We climbed around on both sides of it before continuing with the tour. 

Our last stop was at the top of Jacob’s Ladder which was built in 1829 and has 699 steps. It was built as an inclined plane to bring goods down from the farming areas in the center of the island. The top sits at Ladder Hill Fortification. I really wanted to climb up it, but really didn’t want to take it down. (hard on the knees) We got our photo ops and Cathy & Tom decided to walk down. 

The tour then took us back to Jamestown where we walked about on our own. I wanted to climb, but I didn’t want to do it by myself and Greg didn’t want to come back down due to knee issues. (nor did I) I didn’t see any taxis at the top to bring me back down, so I decided not to climb. 

The Main Street of Jamestown is described as one of the best examples of unspoiled Georgian architecture anywhere in the world and the whole island has been proposed to the UK government as a mixed World Heritage site.

We walked the small Castle Gardens and went into the St. James church which is the oldest Anglican church in the southern hemisphere dating back before 1774. The town didn’t take long to see, and we got our token photos at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder and headed back to the tender boats.  

We had hoped to see at least one Wirebird, but that didn’t happen. We did see quite a few Yellow Canaries. Some people said they saw some Wirebirds, but the description didn’t seem like one. Princess had a tour that went on a search for them, I haven’t talked to anyone that went on it to see if they saw any. We thought about grabbing a cab after our tour was over to see if we could find one, but we decided against it. It was a great day and Saint Helena was a delightful surprise. 

We got back early enough to clean up for dinner in the dining room.

The entertainment tonight was an encore of Branden & James doing a whole new show.

There was a Nightro bingo right afterwards. (we did not win)

We also got to set the clocks back an hour to get that extra hour of sleep.

Now, we have 4 sea days before we hit Brazil. 

Saint Helena https://photos.app.goo.gl/SvbEJirKbY9Yqsbn8

Sea Day – April 10

Sea Day – April 10

We got news that Phyllis is now out of the hospital in Cape Town and she and Bob will rejoin the ship in Natal, Brazil. Saint Helena didn’t have any flights that worked for them. (only 1 flight a week)

I walked the track this morning and the weather is starting to warm up. Yay!

We didn’t win at Bingo today. We had lunch up at the buffet and relaxed in the cabin in the afternoon.

Tonight, Princess closed the buffet/Bistro area for a special buffet for all the crew. How nice that they do that for them. They all were very excited to have a party.

Tonight’s entertainment was another performance by Trevor Knight. (John Denver kind of guy) He did a Beatles tribute that was basically “John Denver” singing along to Beatles songs.

Tomorrow, we visit Saint Helena.

Sea Day – April 9

Sea Day – April 9

The weather was a bit better today and I did walk the track wearing long yoga pants and a light sweater.

I got all of the “people photos” together to put in a file to get them to the proper people that toured with us.

We went to Bingo and I got down to 1 number on 3 cards and no one else was down to 1 yet. I did Bingo and won $70 and didn’t have to share it.

We had lunch at the buffet since it featured Indian food, but it wasn’t their best effort.

In the afternoons we usually watch the movie that was shown in the Cabaret Lounge the day before. So, we work on birds, photos and I work on the blog while we watch.

We went to dinner in the dining room and all 6 of us were there again. An announcement came from the cruise director saying the Production Show would be delayed due to technical difficulties. The line was long to get into the lounge, but we got good seats. The show was called Variations, but it wasn’t one of my favorites. The dancers are always good, but there was some odd choreography tonight.

We got to set our clocks back another hour tonight. One more sea day to relax before Saint Helena.