We've been having very cold weather this winter, and lots of snow! Morning lows have been 1 degree, 5 degrees with the days topping out at a balmy 25. So our cruise to the Caribbean couldn't come at a better time to get some warmth back!
We booked this cruise over a year ago because of the 4 stops, none of which we've been to. It was supposed to be the ABC islands - Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao as they are all really close to each other. As is normal, things change when you book that far out, and it ended up going to 3 places we'd not been, and 1 we have. So it became the ABD cruise instead.
Shelley's sister and husband - Shauna and Don decided to come along and we were happy they did!
Leaving Miami
Exploring the ship:
Recreating the pic Hannah and Jacob usually do
Home sweet home for the next 8 days
They were playing football on the big screen before we left
Sail Away Party Videos:
The next two days were relaxing filled with eating, reading, playing games, napping, sky bikes, ropes course, pool, hot tubs....well, you get the idea.
Seemingly endless hall
Reading/Relaxing on deck
the famous Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake w/ice cream
This string trio was amazing and played every night in the atrium
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The buffet area is quiet at night and is a good place to play games
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For most of the trip, it was pretty windy and wavy. This was from our room window
Our dining room
.After 3 nights / 2 days of sailing, we finally reached Aruba (new to us), which is only 8 miles from Venezuela - it's way down there!
We took a private jeep tour of the island. Over half the island is a national park that is rugged and dry from the winds depositing salt spray all over the land and nothing will grow. The other half is more green. There is no fresh water on the island and it gets very little rain - only 2 months out of the year. They use desalination plants to get their water from the ocean.
We went in some small caves that even had prehistoric rock art
There was a stream that had fish to give you a pedicure. We saw these same fish at stands on the beach at each island - $15 for 5 mins. These here were free! And there were some pretty big fish too - not just small ones!
VIDEO: Shelley was fine with the little fish, but then the bigger ones all came over at the same time!
It was very windy and water was rough! We were supposed to go to a "natural pool" to swim and snorkel, but the waves were too rough
Aruba calls itself "One Happy Island"
"Three bridges" which is really 3 natural land bridges
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Back on the road again
This is what Aruba used to be known for - "Natural Bridge" which was a natural bridge about 100 feet long. In a hurricane and large waves, it collapsed in 2005
Right next to it, is this smaller natural bridge
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In the 19th Century, Aruba had a thriving gold rush, as gold was found in the higher hills. There isn't much rain in Aruba, it was difficult to process the gold in the hills so they ended up building a "processing plant" at the ocean and hauling (with donkeys) the gold from the hills to the ocean where water was plentiful. These are the Bushiribana Gold Mill ruins - one of the largest processing plants that was used
The next day, we woke up on Bonaire (new to us) which is east of Aruba. Bonaire is owned by the Netherlands and is known for diving and snorkeling having a huge coral reef nearby. We weren't there very long and we did a guided catamaran snorkeling tour. We sailed for 30 minutes to a deserted and protected island that has a coral wall around much of it. The water here was so blue green and extremely clear.
The snorkeling was one of the best spots we've been to. SO many fish and plants and tube sponges and eels and even a few small barracuda. We snorkeled in two spots - both different and both full of amazing things to see and watch. We did a "drift snorkel" where we get dropped off in one place, and just let the current take you down the coastline.
The island in the background is where we went
They took photos of everyone snorkeling (we didn't buy them though) and to preview the pics, because it was so bright and windy, Don did it like this
They kept the drinks coming and even served a hot lunch and dessert which was fresh baked brownies with whipped cream!
I took this pic as we were pulling into port from above - looking down onto lower deck
At dinner, Shauna forgot her phone, so she tried using this shell that was on the table. It didn't work - no shell service
The next day, we woke up in La Romana, Dominican Republic which is on the south side the DR. (new to us)
We went to breakfast in the dining room, and I usually get two juices by asking for "an orange juice and a grapefruit juice" and normally I get two. This time I was brought 1, but it was orange and grapefruit mixed! Don did the same with tomato and orange and got a funny tasting juice! Mine was good!
We took a very small but fast speedboat for 30 mins to a small island
After the very very bumpy and windy ride, we came to this. Amazing. Relaxing. Calm. They gave us a buffet lunch here too.
These ladies were walking around giving you "FREE" 1 minute foot massages. We all know what will happen, right? Shauna was feeling generous and wanted to help out, so her free 1 minute massage ended up 15 minutes and not so free. But it was nice she said.
I finally got Shauna/Don to copy my pose which was copying Jacob and Hannah's pose!
The next day, we woke up in Amber Cove, which is on the north side the DR. We'd been here and went waterfall jumping last time. This time, we found a driver outside the port and took a tour of the city.
We took a cable car up to the top of one of the highest mountains - to an elevation of 2625 feet. It's the longest cable car in the Caribbean.
We were seated in a waiting room, thinking we were just waiting for the cable car to arrive. This band was playing.....we sat and listened.....then Don went and gave them a few dollars tip and immediately we were told to go to the loading station - where the cable car was and had been waiting........seems as if once you pay the tip, you get to ride!
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There is a statue of Christ which is a much smaller replica of the one in Brazil.
There are a few miles of paths and walkways at the top and most of them are through beautiful and lush gardens
The clouds started to roll in, which is common
Don was having a brief moment of "Hannah-like" syndrome
Time to go back down as the cables disappeared in the clouds
After a few minutes though, we were back in the sun
We stopped by the "Umbrella Street"
Saw their version..........
And the Pink street
Since Shauna is a school teacher, she loved posing with the pencil. She was heard whispering to herself, "this is my favorite thing of the entire trip"
This time is was "Jacob-like" syndrome setting in
Shauna and Don wanted to recreate their school yard antics
For dinner, we went to the Teppanyaki restaurant
Six dessert samplers
Well, that about wraps this one up! Great memories were made and amazing things were seen. The world has so much to see. Get out there and see some it!!!
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