TravelStream™ news feed for member j_and_m on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/j_and_m en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:19:29 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1128790800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1128790800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1128790800/tpod.html Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:19:29 -0400 11 day Mediterranean cruise to Italy, Greece, Sicily & France.

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Amalfi, Italy

We piled back into the van and continued hurling our way down the coastal highway, pausing several times for photo opportunities. Around every turn was a breathtaking view of blue ocean with houses hugging the sides of the cliffs. Towns we passed by included Sorrento, Amalfi and a cliffside village called Concha de Marini. The house of Sophia Loren, overlooking the ocean, was pointed out to us. Lunch was a stop at Al Pesce d'Oro in Amalfi where we found another group of fellow Cruise Critic members Carol & Jack, and Jack & Donna. John & I shared a large order of spaghetti with tomato sauce with freshly baked bread. A lady was introduced as the owner of the restaurant, and we were told that she personally makes the pasta fresh each and every day. As we were leaving, the owner's husband presented each of us with a colorful poster of the restaurant which overlooks the sea. With our bellies full, Dominic took us back to Naples and the port. Some of us fell asleep despite the hairpin turns and knuckle-whitening speed. In spite of everything, we arrived back at the port safe and sound. Dinner was an enjoyable event with our tablemates, and I marveled how the assistant waiter remembered that we preferred a glass of iced tea with our meal. Prime rib was the best entrée of the meal. We headed back to the room to review the next day's activity list and called it a night.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1130706000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1130706000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/medcruise/1130706000/tpod.html Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:17:15 -0400 11 day Mediterranean cruise to Italy, Greece, Sicily & France.

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Mykonos, Greece

Decided this morning to try a waffle which can be found at a station at the Aft Deck 11.  The waffles were freshly made with an assortment of fruit toppings, syrup and whipped cream available.  After a hearty breakfast we made our way to the tender that ferried us from the ship to Mykonos port.  There we joined the ship-sponsored group tour of nearby island Delos.  According to mythology, this island was the birthplace of Apollo and Artemus.  It was first inhabited as early as the 3rd millenium BC.Delos was a sacred place with splendid buildings and sanctuaries.  Many of the sculpture pieces have since been moved to museums in Greece and abroad.  Excavations started in 1873 by the French School of Archaeology in Athens, who still carry out their work today.The island of Mykonos is a maze of narrow streets that were originally constructed to deter pirate raids and also to defuse the wind blowing in from the harbor.  The windmills had strips of cloth suspended from the spokes and when in operation, acted as a sail.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246841446/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246841446/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246841446/tpod.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:19:41 -0400 Is This Heaven? No, It's Iowa!

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Buffalo Center, Iowa, United States

While Mom & I got ready for the day, Dad walked up to the drive-in (actually BC Restaurant, not a drive-in anymore) and brought us each a huge homemade caramel roll.  Delicious!! One of the big topics around town in the past year or so has been the Bauman family’s Hawktree Dairy on the outskirts of town.  This is the first dairy farm in Iowa, and one of only four in the US, to use robotic milkers. The cows walk into the stall on their own and while they leisurely eat the feed that is mixed specifically for them, a robot cleans the udder, attaches the cups and milks the cow.  The computer system measures and monitors each cow's milk output.  When milking is done, one gate opens for the cow to exit while another gate opens for the next cow waiting in line.  We were very fortunate that the local vet was there when we dropped in, so we got the grand tour.  Very impressive operation! Next on our to-do list was to check out the wind turbines which was another hot topic of local coffee shop talk.  The wind turbine farms in this area, put up by Florida Power & Light, take advantage of the state's flat land and transmission lines.  Iowa is ranked 3rd in the nation in production of wind power with more turbines being constructed.  I lost count of how many semis loaded with turbine blades I passed on the road.  One of my parents' farms missed getting a turbine erected by just a few hundred feet.  The towers are impressive and look like quiet giants marching across the farmland.Lunchtime took us to Wubben's Bar & Grill located in downtown Woden.  Try to find the restaurant's ingenious advertising in the photo.  Great food and awesome entertainment was provided by Bruce the owner. We continued on to my second cousin's farm where he's been renovating his parent's old home into a larger, up-to-date house.  No one was at the construction site so we moved on to where his family presently lives, which happens to be the farm where my mother's parents lived.  Still no one home.  We stared in amazement at how much the trees had all grown.  I remember spending time with my grandparents who had a love for nature and cared for the earth by planting trees all around the farm.Our travels took us on to Titonka, a nearby town of about 580, to visit an old neighbor and friend.  Trivia time -- in the movie Dances With Wolves, the Indians called the buffalo 'titonka' and the name is an actual Sioux word meaning "Big Black" or buffalo.Late in the afternoon I headed to my long-time friend Anita's place to visit with her and her family.  Once you've moved away from the country where every road is spaced a mile apart and farms disappear over time, the landscape starts to look foreign.  This time, however, I managed to drive right up to the lane without blowing by it.  The family (Anita, husband Steve, son Eric and daughter Jenee) surprised me with an impromptu birthday party complete with cake and presents.  What a treat even though I'd much rather skip this particular birthday.We all decided to head to nearby Algona for the stock car races.  I was more than game since this would be my first time and what fun it was although my ears were ringing till the next day.  Jenee took great delight whenever the car I picked to win would meet with disaster.  My picks tended to crash into the fence, get swiped by a competitor, lose a wheel, or as in one case, they just drove right off the track.  There was quite the excitement for a little while when a lady seated in front of us spied a high school classmate that turned out to be my second Iowa celebrity sighting.  There in the stands was Dallas Clark of the Indiana Colts.  I grabbed a quick snapshot of him from far away so you'll have to take my word for it. I finally got to savor my first Walking Taco.  What is that, you say?  When I first heard the name, I envisioned a little tortilla with tennis shoes and wide-brimmed sombrero like a cartoon figure.  Leave it to the ingenious Iowans to come with this  unique food item that is no muss, no fuss.  Open a snack-sized bag of Doritos the long way, crunch up the chips, add a spoonful of taco-seasoned ground beef, some shredded cheese, throw in a fork and voila...Walking Taco - a meal in a bag.Halfway through the races all kids were invited to take a ride on the school bus.  I was thinking 'why'?  Most of us in the midwest rode a bus daily to school and those that didn't were 'town kids'.  Nevertheless, the bus was crammed full of screaming youngsters and took off down the track.  Now I understood -- the bus rode the track twice and then became the pace car for the next race.  All right, not so weird anymore.End of a long, but fun, day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246842559/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246842559/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246842559/tpod.html Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:02:52 -0400 Is This Heaven? No, It's Iowa!

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Buffalo Center, Iowa, United States

The day dawned overcast and misting.  But it was Father's Day.  It would be a special day as my parents spend their summers at Steamboat Lake in northern Minnesota but especially because I had the perfect joke up my sleeve for my father.  Call it a little payback for all the times he's teased me.My cousin Ron invited us over to tour his new house before church so we headed out to his farm again.  The interior is huge and will be a dream come true for this family once all the work is finished this month.  Congratulations! Then on to Immanuel Lutheran Church - my family's church for 3 generations and the church I was baptized in.  Driving through the country, this stone structure can be seen rising out of the cornfields which is exactly where it stands, in the country.  Family and friends built the church in the early 1950's and my father began his masonry trade on this enormous project.  My maternal grandmother was organist and choir director for a number of years and I can still picture her playing the grand pipe organ up in the choir loft with the sunlight streaming through the colorful stained glass windows.  Both of my parents attended church, Sunday School, Luther League and social functions here as did I before we moved to the farm north of Buffalo Center.  Many of my relatives are buried in the small cemetery nearby.After church we returned to Buffalo and stopped at the Drivers Choice Restaurant for their noontime buffet.  The waitress seemed particularly familiar to me until I realized it was Pam from my high school class!Then it was off to my Aunt Louise & Uncle Virgil's place south of town for an afternoon visit.  In addition to farming, they have also run a fruit and vegetable farm for many years.  Much to my delight my aunt served a lunch (midwest's version of an afternoon 'snack') of vanilla Blue Bunny ice cream, fresh garden strawberries, tea and coffee.  Three foods on my list checked off!  It was such a hot, humid, sticky afternoon, with tornado watch warnings, that lunch was a very welcome treat.  My Uncle Dean came as well as my cousin Valerie and her daughter so it was a nice afternoon visiting again with family.Then it was time to present my dad with his Father's Day gift.  A few weeks ago he made mention that his old fish finder had broken and how much he would love to have a new one.  So I took note of the exact model and decided with my mother and brother to get him that for a combination Father's Day and birthday gift as his birthday is in June also.  One day I had a brillant flash of genuis -- if he's looking for fish while out on the lake, why doesn't he just stick his head under the water and look for himself rather than relying on an electronic contraption?  Bingo, an evil idea was born.  So on that muggy afternoon in the presence of family, I approached my father, wished him a very happy Father's Day and acknowledged the fact that his fish finder was busted.  And, I added, we thought it would be appropriate to replace it with something more practical and I handed him his very own snorkel and goggles.  The look on his face was absolutely precious and he laughed just as hard as everyone else at the joke.  When we could finally calm down, he received the 'real' fish finder he wanted. My parents and I returned to Lola's Cottage to pack up as we would be going our separate ways tomorrow morning.  Mom & Dad would be returning to Steamboat Lake while I would drive back to Des Moines to pick up my boss at the airport and continue on with my business trip for 3 days.  I will still have one more person to see, Lynda who is a good friend from college.  She now lives in Cedar Rapids and it works out perfectly we'll end up in that city tomorrow evening.  My weekend was packed with visits to see family, friends and local sites.  I was lucky enough to check off everything that was on my must-eat list and then some.Growing up on a farm in rural north central Iowa may seem boring to some but I am glad to have experienced it.  After living in 6 metropolitan areas since I left home after college, I know I wouldn't be able to return to that lifestyle but I do enjoy visiting and reestablishing my roots.  I will always be proud to be a farm girl.Following is a poem titled Iowa Child written by Sarah Hall Mancey that I dearly love.I am an Iowa childPart and product of the land on which I grewFlat and open and stright, like the farm roads that bordered the cornFriendly and receptive, like the rich, black soil that grows the cornSimple, and plain, but productive, like the fields of soy beans and hayYes, I am an Iowa childThere have been times when I have kept it hiddenPretending somewhere, something, someone elseBut today I stand with itDrawing upon the strength of it -Acknowledging the unique gifts I share with itOf course, an Iowa child has not many deep, intriguing forests within -Not many clear, refreshing lakes to draw uponNo lofty, grand mountain peaks to soar fromNo yawning canyons to descend -And I know my Iowa child must liveAnd comes to terms with the part of meThat is controlled, precise, yearning to be perfect -Like the squared-off, ruler-straight rows of hybrid seed cornPehaps I will never be as exciting, as spontaneous,as a tumbling Colorado mountain streamAs magnificent as a crashing California ocean waveAs serene and stately as a Minnesota pine treeBut no matterI am who I amAn Iowa childAnd that is enough
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246753396/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246753396/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/5/1246753396/tpod.html Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:01:53 -0400 Is This Heaven? No, It's Iowa!

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Des Moines, Iowa, United States

A business trip was scheduled to audit billboards along railroad property in the state of Iowa, so I took this opportunity to spend a few days beforehand visiting with family and friends in north central Iowa.  I had developed a list of favorite foods I missed from Iowa that I intended to consume at every opportunity:  breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, corn-fed beef, fresh garden strawberries, rhubarb and pie.As the plane was descending into the Des Moines area, the skies got very dark and we were warned there may be turbulence.  Actually, yes there was.  Twice the plane dropped suddenly and we all flew up out of our seats quite violently.  Then it felt like we were doing a nosedive for about a minute or two.  I'm thinking great...I'll end up in a cornfield like Buddy Holly.  The roller coaster ride was over and the plane landed safely, but still under dark ominous skies.  Just as I was walking down the aisle, there was a blinding flast of light.  I bent down to peer out the plane window only to see a downpour of rain.  Great...I'm dressed as an Arizonan in capris, short sleeve top and sandals!At the car rental desk as I keep a cautious eye on the exit door and the continuing downpour, the agents became frantic looking for paper and pen, gabbering about someone important by baggage claim.  Two of them scampered off and proudly returned with an autograph from Carlito, a professional wrestler.  Eh...no one that I recognize.Car rental paperwork gets squared away and now I venture out in the rain to stand on the middle curb to wait for the shuttle to take me to my car.  The air is warm, naturally very damp, but it's still raining cats and dogs.  To wile away the time I call my parents to see where they're at in their drive down from their summer home in northern Minnesota.  Just then a car passes behind me at a good clip, runs through a big pool of water along the curb and SPLASH...I'm now soaked from the knees down.  Sigh...thanks for the baptism.  I finally get to my car, still pouring rain, and the trunk release button on the remote doesn't work.  If someone saw me running circles around the car, unsuccessfully trying to avoid the large puddles in sandals they would have rolled around laughing so hard but I didn't think it one bit funny.  I quickly gave up and just threw my suitcase and bag in the back seat, got in and slammed the door shut.  A quick glance in the mirror confirmed I looked like a drowned rat.  Welcome home.My first stopping point, and the most important, was Smitty's Tenderloin on Army Post Road for a genuine breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.  Um um um.  My most favorite food of all and it's hard to come by in the desert southwest.  The onion rings were OK but I concentrated on trying to finish my sandwich first while keeping an wary eye on the weather outside.  Check one off my food list!I was then finally on my way to Buffalo Center where my parents and I were staying at Lola's Cottage - a nice little rental house in town.  It's a very odd feeling returning to my homeland but not being able to walk into my old room at our house on the farm.  While Dad still owns the farmland, the acerage with our beautiful house, the barn and buildings all belong to a new owner now.  I pulled into Britt and stopped at the Cobbler Shop to get my sons commemorative Hobo Convention t-shirts.  Now in the final stretch, I drove through Woden which is where I attended Kindergarten through the first half of 2nd grade.  Also drove past an old one-room country school house where my 4-H club, Grant Gleaners, would sometimes hold meetings. Then my final stopping point for the day, Buffalo Center, my home town!  Here are a few tidbits about BC so you may understand where I come from.  The town's population is about 860 made up of mostly German and Norwegian ancestry.  The town boasts the first consolidated school west of the Mississippi, built in 1876.  There are six churches, a bank, small grocery store/deli, barber shop, library, gas station, and swimming pool among a few others.  Our farm was located 5 miles northeast of town -- 2 miles of blacktop and 2 1/2 miles of gravel road and only 5 miles from the Minnesota border.We enjoyed a steak dinner (first check mark on the need-to-eat list) at the Rake Cafe 3 miles away in Rake, naturally.  Then we spent the evening visiting my parents' friends Shirley & Keith.  Shirley served lunch (midwest version of evening 'snack') of rhubarb bars and lemonade.  Check another off my food list!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1233007980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1233007980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1233007980/tpod.html Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:33:53 -0400 Cruising the Caribbean!

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Dania Beach, Florida, United States

Forecast: 81 degrees, sunnyMonday dawned bright and slightly breezy again -- another beautiful day in paradise.There's two things I've been wondering about here on Key West. 1) Why are there so many roosters seemingly running around loose? 2) If this island is famous for all things with key lime, where are all these lime trees? There's key lime pie, margaritas, cookies, rum cake, soap, lotion, potholders, key chains, ice cream, t-shirts -- you name it you can probably buy it.Alas it was time to pack up, turn in our key and bid farewell to Papa's Hideaway and Key West. We loaded up the car and headed back north on Highway 1 then turned west to cross the northern edge of the Everglades, the only subtropical preserve in North America. As the trip was uneventful and monotonous, we stopped at Oasis Ranger Station to look at some alligators who were basking in the sun in a protected area alongside the road. Neither one of us had been that close to one before. They were huge and definitely a throw-back to the dinosaur era. We watched in amusement as a black bird called the anhinga catch, kill and eat a small fish. When the fish was caught on its beak, it pounded it over and over against the rock, the flipped it around in its beak and swallowed it whole. (I'm not a card-carrying member of the Audubon Society so I may be wrong on identifying this bird.)Late in the afternoon we arrived at our destination -- Embassy Suites hotel in Fort Myers. We got checked in and learned we had arrived just as the nightly Manager's Reception was beginning. Free drinks on the house! Tomorrow we'll meet up with friends we met on our Mediterranean cruise.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232902800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232902800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232902800/tpod.html Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:23:17 -0400 Cruising the Caribbean!

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Key West, Florida, United States

We took the luxury of sleeping in a little and woke to the shouts of people close by (an early morning ballgame?) and crowing roosters. I've noticed plenty of colorful roosters on the island who crow well before dawn and throughout most of the day. I've read about the cats at Hemingway House and how that coloney continues to thrive, but didn't realize that roosters were here as well?! We enjoyed a leisurely continental breakfast on the private deck while reviewing our photos and taking stock of our sunburn patches, or memories, of yesterday.In the afternoon we took off with cameras in hand to play tourist. We first headed 2 blocks south to the Southernmost point in the continental US. There was quite the crowd of people but everyone formed an orderly line in order to get a fair turn at posing for photos.We turned in the opposite direction and started to walk down Whitehead Street enjoying the sunny but cool day when what should we see but a craft fair! In my research and planning our time in Key West, I ran across this fair but hadn't brought up the subject knowing John's opinion of shopping. True to form he looked at me and said, "You can shop all you want till I drop" which meant we kept walking. Big sigh.Whitehead Street ended at Mallory Square where we purchased tickets for the Conch Train Tour of the island. Bob was the conductor/tour guide who had just recently moved from Pittsburgh. Hearing his running commentary you wouldn't know that as he wove a very detailed tale of the history, people and landmarks of Key West. At our rest stop on the tour, we bought ourselves some treats: me a waffle cone of key lime sherbet, a couple varities of fudge and a chocolate cone for John. The tour finished back at Mallory Square and we started off on our own. The area of Old Town is teaming with souvenir and quaint specialty shops so it's fun to just walk around and window shop. But watching the people is the best part and there's no shortage of interesting characters.We both wanted some t-shirts from Hog's Breath Saloon so we made our selections then sat down in the outdoor bar for a dinner of Hog Burgers, Bud Light and a bottle of Hog's Breath Brew. We'd noticed there are streaming live web cams at several Key West landmarks and wouldn't you know we sat directly in front of one while we were eating. As we're finishing up dinner and the live band is warming up, the sky quickly became a riot of pink, orange, yellow and red. Unfortunately we had just missed celebrating the sunset as is custom here but that just gives us motivation to return for another vacation.We continued our walk down Duval Street people-watching and picking up souvenirs here and there for ourselves. No one can accuse us of not stimulating Key West's economy! Passing by Sloppy Joe's (Ernest Hemingway's favorite old hangout) we decided we had enough t-shirts so we just stopped for a moment in front of the web cam because we knew we could find our picture in the archive online later. The last rest stop was at Fat Tuesday's where we enjoyed a cold beverage and got off our feet. And I couldn't be in Key West without getting a slice of the official dessert of Florida, Key West Lime Pie, at the Blond Giraffe so we headed in there for a slice to go.We returned to Papa's Hideaway with weary feet and our arms laden down with our souvenirs. Needless to say it didn't take long for us to collapse and rest up for our departure tomorrow.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232834880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232834880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232834880/tpod.html Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:47:28 -0400 Cruising the Caribbean!

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Key West, Florida, United States

Another early wake-up today as we have a full day of playing in the sun and water planned for ourselves. So the sunscreen got slathered on, we gathered up towels and camera and drove towards Mallory Square to hunt for one of the few precious free parking spots. We managed to snag one 3 blocks from the Square and hoofed it to the Sebago ticket booth where we got checked in for our next adventure.Again, through ShoreTrips we booked the "Empowered in Key West" excursion operated by Sebago Watersports, 6 hours long, that included a catamaran sail, 1 hour snorkel stop, buffet lunch and water toy playtime - kayak, wave runner and parasail. What an awesome time we had!We first sailed around the south point of the island to a coral marine sanctuary about 5 miles offshore for some snorkeling. The crew members did an awesome job of carefully instructing us on how to snorkel, to respect the fragile coral reef, what to expect, and mostly to relax and have fun. This was my 2nd attempt at snorkeling and I was determined to do better despite the waves, knowing the bottom was 10' down, and tucking away the tidbit that we may see jellyfish and sharks. Doh! And I keep hearing my Dad say "You...snorkel? You hated swimming lessons!"So the catamaran took off and sailed around to the east side of Key West out about 12 miles and it was a beautiful day. I donned my life vest, flippers, fitted the mask and sat shivering along the front of the catamaran watching while the first brave soul slowly inch her way down the ladder to the chilly waves splashing up. There were plenty of shrieks and a few would-be snorkelers decided the water was too cold. I was starting to second guess myself but decided it was now or never. So I scooched down the ladder on my bottom as instructed, one rung at a time while the cold waves slapped me. Fighting the urge to climb back onboard, I eased myself in and grabbed one of the swimmers lines to get myself psyched up. After a few minutes of calm breathing and my mantra "You can do this -- just relax and float -- nothing to it", I let go and floated away. Hey! This wasn't too bad: relax, float, do a little scissor kick, let the arms dangle, and stick my face in the water.Yep, there was some coral on the bottom waaay down there. I saw a few fish swim by. Every so often I'd look up to get a fix on where I was only to find the current had carried me out too far so I struggled to swim against the waves to get back to the appointed area under the watchful eye of the crew. Twice I heard "Snorkler, you're too far", only to be dismayed they meant me! At least I could be comforted by the fact that they wouldn't let me drift out to open ocean and end up on the shores of Cuba or something!Too soon it was "Snorklers, come in" so I sawm back and scooched backwards up the ladder. Talk about cold! The wind raised all kinds of goosebumps on me as I wrapped up in my towel and huddled on a bench in the corner of the catamaran. Other snorkelers had better luck at seeing marine life than I did. I heard tales of a nurse shark and eel sightings. I had snapped a few photos underwater but they're not that exciting. Before our trip I had purchased an underwater bag to protect my camera and it worked great. Dicapac is the brand name and they sell different sizes for most camera types. For the $30 investment it was well worth it and it even protected my camera from the dust and mud on our ATV tour.Back on the catamaran, we sailed to a spot about 2 1/2 miles northwest of the island and tied up to a barge for the water toy part of the day. Eight of us boarded the parasail boat and wouldn't you know...John & I were the first "volunteers" to go up. It was probably a good thing we were first as we didn't really know what to expect and what would happen. We each got hooked up in a harness, the colorful sail was unfurled and before I knew it we were sitting on our butts at the back edge of the boat hooked up to the sail. Suddenly the sail filled up, the line let out and we were yanked off the boat with a shriek. What a blast! The sail lifted us high but soon we found ourselves up to our knees in the cold salty water as the boat's captain dipped our "toes" in the water. In an instant we were sailing high again and the boat was far below us. All too soon we came floating back to the boat and passed the harnesses on to the next two thrill-seekers. Have I mentioned it was a blast? Even though I took some pictures as we were flying, I bought the CD of photos taken of us by the crew member just so I could prove we really did it.The day passed quickly, our water play time was over and the captain set sail for Key West harbor. We were plenty worn out but with big smiles on our faces as we drove back to our home-away-from-home and called it a day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232710802/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232710802/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232710802/tpod.html Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:15:48 -0400 Cruising the Caribbean!

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Key West, Florida, United States

Weather forecast: 77 degrees, party sunnyThe ship was slowly making its way into Miami port when we woke up this morning. The Captain guided the ship all the way into the channel, did a 360 degree turn and pulled up to the dock next to the Carnival Imagination and RCL's Majesty of the Seas. One last time at the buffet for breakfast, showers and final packing was first priority, then all we could do was sit and wait for the customs all clear signal. We chose the Express Walk-Off Disembarkation so when the announcement was given, we walked off the ship carrying our own luggage. Evidently several hundred passengers though this was a good idea too as the line snaked halfway down the ship, across the bow and halfway down the other side. Our cabin cards were swiped for the last time, customs officials checked passports and we headed outside to the curb to wait for the Alamo shuttle. The whole process went smoothly and quickly.Final reflections on the cruiselineNCL likes: Egg Beaters, Splenda, no formal clothes needed and no formal dining timeNCL dislikes: no food trays, salt & pepper packets used on the aft balcony dining area, no free daily newspaperAlamo didn't have much choice in the luxury car class available (there were 5 SUVs) so we chose a Toyota Avalon and received a discount on the rental. Luggage got stowed in the trunk, GPS fired up and we were on our way to Key West!The drive down was nice but if there's one road in the country that needs to be widened beyond 2 lanes, it's definitely Highway 1! Stoplight after stoplight, fluctuating speed limit signs, vehicles out for a scenic drive moseying along just makes for a long drive. But the scenery was great and weather awesome.We passed Key after Key after Key and finally made it to the end of the road mid-afternoon. We drove down Duval Street, past Hemingway's House and found Papa's Hideaway Bed & Breakfast tucked in a little dead-end street next to the Key West Naval Air Station Truman Annex. Fred, the owner, welcomed us, gave us a rundown of amenities and introduced us to Pookie, the beautiful long-haired resident cat. Our room was Studio #2 up the stairs and has the comforts of home in a little package. We have a private balcony with clothesline, wicker loveseat, 2 chairs and a table. Inside is a small bathroom with shower, closet, king bed, futon, TV and a kitchenette (half-sized refrigerator, sink, dishes, coffee maker, microwave and toaster oven.The property is landscapped with palm trees, flowers and shrubs which certainly gives it a tropical feel and earns the name "hideaway". Between the 2 cottages is a in-ground pool and hot tub. A nice continental breakfast is served poolside daily with selections of cereal, breads and pastries, oatmeal, coffee and juice.We relaxed in the cool breezes of the balcony, unpacked, then ventured out for some dinner before turning in for the night.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232636400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232636400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/j_and_m/4/1232636400/tpod.html Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:55:48 -0400 Cruising the Caribbean!

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entry & travel map

key west, United States

Weather forecast: 69 degrees and partly cloudyThese weary adventurers slept in till 9:30 this morning! Today is a sea day and time to relax one last time before the sad task of packing and setting off for Key West. We enjoyed a late breakfast at the Great Outdoors again and found a nice table where it wasn't so windy.Fellow CC'ers Thomas & his wife stopped by to chat. They told us of how they swam with the dolphins in Cozumel at Chankanaab National Park and decided that while it was fun, it wasn't worth $300. That was the excursion fee coupled with 4 photos since no cameras are allowed in the park. That's a tidbit to file away if we're ever in Cozumel again.The rest of the day we spent on our balcony, read and enjoyed music on the portable speakers & iPod. The clouds got thicker the further north we traveled so it was pretty cool with definitely no sun tanning (or freckle darkening in my case) to be done today.Our last dinner was at the Garden Cafe then it was back to the room to pack. NCL offers several different options to disembark -- passengers can basically choose when they want to leave the ship. Since we have a long drive tomorrow to Key West, we chose the option of taking our luggage off the ship ourselves and we plan to leave by 8:30am. Guess we'll see how well this works.
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