This afternoon we went to a Joanie Mitchell and Leonard Cohen Tribute Show. It was great fun and highlighted their best music.
Leonard Cohen was a Canadian poet turned songwriter who was a big part of the folk scene in the 1960s. His most famous song, now used as a Christian ballad is Hallelujah, which is funny since he was raised Jewish.
Of course, that song, along with Suzanne and So Long, Marianne, was performed, and the male vocalist was quite good.
Our next stop was Fort Lauderdale, where we had tickets to Les Misérables. This is Bruce’s favorite play.
But we had some time to kill so we had pizza at The Apothecary. It was an interesting place.
Afterwards, we walked to the Broward Center and saw an exceptional performance of Les Mis. This was our third time seeing this play. The first time was 32 years ago in a little theater in the West End of London.
Today we had no plans. We spent time here last year so we toured the fort and old San Juan. We woke a little later and had our coffee and tea in the room. We had a nice view. At least very colorful.
They were offering $20 tours by car to Old San Juan but we decided to walk the promenade or the area by the water. The Beyond is in the background. What a great ship.
It was very warm so we stopped a few times to drink some water. We saw fountains on our walk.
The views were very picturesque.
A giant statue of a seahorse overlooked the walkway.
And time for a drink of water.
We walked a couple of miles back and forth.
We walked past the Capitol on our way back to the shop.
And after lunch spent time at the spa and at the pool. In the late afternoon, we sailed out of the harbor.
We’ve had two beautiful sea days watching the ocean from our balcony and spending time in the thermal suites at the spa.
So very relaxed we decided to get off the ship in Tortola.
Shopping, shopping everywhere. And because I’m not into that we were able to pass by the stores. Lovely buildings in Caribbean colors.
Bruce and I stopped for our usual coffee and pastry. I had coffee he had a chocolate chip cookie.
There was a two-hour tour on an open-air taxi around the island. But they looked so crammed that I didn’t think it would be great. On the other side of the entrance gate, they were offering the same tour for $20. We decided to go with that driver.
He only had a total of six passengers which was great.
The ride was wild. Hairpin turns with vehicles coming at you. The roads weren’t well-paved either.
The views were spectacular and he stopped several times so we could take pictures.
We could see our ship in the harbor next to a Ritz-Carlton Yacht.
We stopped at a little open-air restaurant and had fish cakes. And a beautiful view.
Next stop was Cane Garden Bay Beach where the surf was a little rough but I did get to put my feet in the water.
It was a fun trip and a great way to see the Island of Tortola in the BVI.
Heading back to Road Town and the pier we could see the panoramic view of the area as well as our ship.
Once on the ship, we headed to lunch and then spent some time in the thermal suites.
It was beautiful on Tortola. We watched the other ship leave and then we followed suit. From our balcony, we watched the setting sun.
This is our third cruise this month, but instead of four days, it’s seven. We are on our favorite ship, the Celebrity Beyond.
We have a lovely infinity balcony again. Although I like the outside balconies this gives our cabin so much more room.
On this cruise, I am going to eat less and work out more, hoping to lose a little weight, then gain. We signed up for the thermal suites which should help Bruce’s back.
The skyline of Miami was beautiful from the spa.
We had dinner at Cyprus. The setting sun was beautiful.
I also asked to have less sodium in my meals. This was the beet salad.
We had this crazy waiter who was flinging parmesan cheese on Bruce’s plate.
We went to the comedian and he was actually really funny. A couple of times I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.
Today so far I did a stretch class and then the thermal suites.
We enjoyed the afternoon by the pool and after which we met some friends for coffee. No pastries for me. Some pretty decorations around the ship.
Usually, Bruce and I sail on medium- to large-sized ships, such as Celebrity Beyond and Sky Princess. They are manageable with roughly 3,000 passengers. But for this short four-day cruise we decided on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.
Walking on board we were greeted by a giant promenade. Guest Services were right in front of us, and to the right were shops and restaurants, and on the upper floors were balcony cabins.
We decided to drop our bags off in our room before attempting to find our muster station.
The skyline of Miami looked ominous, a prediction of cool and rainy weather ahead!
Our room is spacious with a lot of storage, a couch, a mini refrigerator, and a safe. The balcony is large.
The Boardwalk was interesting with Johnny Rockets, several bars, the Aqua Theater, and a carousel.
We had a great dinner in the main dining room with our female waiter and her assistant. I had escargot and prime rib.
We walked around the ship and there was a Christmas Tree Lighting.
On our deck – 12 – there’s an interesting restaurant called Wonderland. It’s a take on Alice in Wonderland. We didn’t eat there but heard it is an experience.
Many of the shows were sold out but Bruce and I wandered into the theater just minutes before showtime. The crew member said that many people book shows but don’t show up. Anyway, the show was great!
We went to the spa for a while before casino time!
In the morning we had coffee in our room and it was cold and dreary out on the balcony. We decided to stay in so we went to the spa.
Then we spent some time in the solarium, an adults-only area.
We had lunch in the Windjammer and then walked through Central Park.
Now we are taking a nap before dinner. At our table, we can see the rocky seas.
This ship has a lot to offer. It’s like being in a small city. The elevators have been a little easier today. At least the wait has not been as long and sometimes we don’t stop at every floor.
A metal cowboy hat is part of the ambiance of the promenade.
So our four day vacay on the Wonder of the Seas has been fun and not as chaotic as I thought. The ship is so big that the crowds have plenty of places to hang out!
If you like adventure, Egypt has a lot to offer. From the pyramids in Cairo, to the tombs in Luxor, and to the many temples throughout the region, there is so much to see.
For us in our 70s, it would have been a lot easier 10 years ago. Maybe even 5. We were on a river cruise with Avalon. However, only 4 nights were on the river. We stayed in hotels in Cairo for 6 nights.
I clocked my steps with my Apple watch and most days were about 11,000 steps. We also walked up quite a few stairs. Living in a one-story house made that a bit of a challenge at first.
If you don’t tolerate heat, it gets a bit warm and humid. Little flies took nips at bare legs. We traveled in October and the temperature in Aswan was in the 90s.
Now smoking. Cigarette smoke was everywhere. It seems that the majority of Egyptians smoke and you can smoke in restaurants, hotels, ships, just about anywhere. Our guide who smoked said, The only place you can’t smoke is in the operating room. I think he was being funny.
Security was very good. In fact, even getting into the hotel you had to go through a screening process. Sometimes though when they did the pat down, which was almost always, they were a little too personal.
If you like dogs, they are everywhere. Most looked pretty good, even though they live on the streets. This guy was posing for me.
So my final thoughts. If you really want to go to Egypt go sooner rather than later.
That’s not easy to say when I travel the world. Places are different.
I may love a city or a small town or the countryside.
I love primates so Uganda was amazing. I was up close and personal with a silverback.
I traveled to Borneo to see orangutans in the wild. I wasn’t able to get great photos but the experience was amazing. But I did get to see many other primates.
Now as far as cities, I’m originally from New York and I still love the city.
Next year I plan to visit Prague, which is supposed to be beautiful.
A few months ago when we went to Bimini, we paid $38 for the shuttle, lounge chair and umbrella, and punch!
As we sat there I noticed a few people without the yellow wristbands we were wearing. One lady told me that you don’t have to pay. She just took the shuttle and came to the beach.
I thought we would do the same this time. However, when we got to the beach resort they told us it was $67 per person. Of course, we didn’t do that.
Instead, we strolled along as we headed back to the ship. The locals were offering golf carts for $80 per day. I think we might do that next time.
We went back to the ship and enjoyed spending time in the pool and hot tub.
In the afternoon we read our books, took a nap, and met some friends for coffee.
I enjoyed a cup of coconut gelato which I got for free as a Select member on Celebrity Cruises.
What is one thing you would change about yourself?
I watch my granddaughter, a well-balanced, polite, smart and pretty young lady appear very confident in herself. My daughter is the same way with a little more hesitation.
I still have insecurities into my 70s which can still hold me back. My mother was fraught with insecurities. She was talented, beautiful, and kind. Yet all her life her insecurities held her back.
So it appears every generation has matured in this area but I still wish at my age I had conquered my insecurities.
I’ve worked on positive affirmations, pushed through insecurities and done things anyway, and even spent time in therapy. But again, I’m still not where I want to be with this.
I own my insecurities. I don’t deny them, as I did when I was younger. This had little effect on my insecurities except to leave me in a state of rage.
I’m not angry anymore. I can be kind and also be happy for those who seem to go through life comfortably in their own skin.
But for today my insecurities are my nemesis that I will probably work on for the rest of my life.
We are off on a four-night cruise on the Celebrity Reflection, which we’ve been on five times. Most recently two times on a back-to-back in August.
Our neighbor gave us a ride to the Port of Everglades and our embarkment went very easy. We were on the ship in a matter of minutes.
The Reflection is nicely decorated for the holidays with Christmas trees and garland.
We ate with a small group, and, of course, I ate escargot. Food on Celebrity Reflection is always good.
The show was Broadway Cabaret and they performed songs from our favorites, Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.
Today was port day in Key West. Strolling the streets of Key West we saw houses decorated for Christmas.
Orchids were growing everywhere.
It was a mile walk to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. We paid a $5 admission for both of us. We visited the fort but you can also go to the beach at this state park.
There were cannons everywhere.
Bruce is always happy around cannons.
Construction on the fort began in 1845 and it served as a coastal fort from 1861 to 1947. In 1962 it was used during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It was very hot so we decided to head back to the ship for lunch. We stopped once or twice for a drink of water. Staying hydrated is critical in this weather.
I had shrimp ceviche for lunch.
Now we are taking it easy sitting on our balcony!
It was very relaxing for our first day but we did get in a few miles of walking in my Oofos. I forgot my sneakers.
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