thefouramigosblog

This past Monday, I went for my usual 3 mile walk in the morning but by the time I reached home, I could barely step on my left foot. I iced it and rested all day and Tuesday I went to a podiatrist who x-rayed it and gave me a shot. I have a bone spur on the bottom of my foot and the back of my heel. Yikes! Not good when I’m heading out of town for 27 days.

Well today is the day! All packed and ready to go. My foot hurts a lot so I decided to use a wheelchair. This made the embarkation easier. It was crazy at the port. Do I look like an old lady, or what?

We made it on the ship quicker then thosevwho had been waiting for hours. And what any good cruiser would do, we immediately converged on the buffet. The comedian last night was so funny talking about how we all looked like we never saw food before!

We are on Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Sea. It’s an older, smaller ship and easier to get around, especially with my foot hurting. I’m using a cane for now but I’m hoping with the exercises I will be good in a few days.

We haven’t been on a Royal ship since Australia in 2017. Our cabin is good with a lot of storage.

The ship is sort of rocky but the swells don’t look very big. It might be that the stabilizers are not as good on these old ships and we are sailing the Atlantic. Our cabin steward wasn’t feeling well this morning.

We went to our cabin for a little while.

Bruce had a little nap on the balcony!

We departed about four hours late. It had a lot to do with expanded security screening for the incoming cruise and the ICE people showing up a few hours late. But it was fun to watch the sail away from our balcony.

We went to dinner with our friends Scott and Sandy at 6:45 and our suitcases had not yet arrived. I was a little concerned but we stayed in our day clothes. I had prime rib and of course escargot.

The comedian was hysterical. Really a lot of belly laughs. It was relaxing to say the least.

Today we are taking it easy. No gym for me. We went to an Enrichment lecture on economics and played some cards. Tonight there should be a good show and we will probably go to the casino.

Nine days at sea before we hit our first port. I have to get this foot better!

#royalcaribbean#rhapsodyofthesea#cruise

We arrived in Bonaire at 7am and I was awake enough to watch the sun rise.

It was early for me and coffee wasn’t going to arrive until 7:30 so I took a little snooze. After a little coffee we headed off the ship to catch a taxi to a snorkel beach. Unfortunately the ships tours did not allow guests to go on snorkel excursions if they are older than 70.

Some colorful buildings on this quaint Caribbean island.

We arrived at Eden Beach sharing the taxi with several people. It was $15 for 4. Not a bad price. And $10 a person at the resort for use of chairs, beach and pool with a rum punch thrown in. We had the rum punch minus the rum.

A pelican glew in for a photo op.

Snorkeling was great at this little beach. Unfortunately I couldn’t upload the photos from our water camera.

It was a nice little stay for a $7 taxi ride and $10 each at the resort for chaise, restrooms, pool and a drink – we had a rum punch without the rum.

We decided to walk back to the ship which was about 1.5 miles. A nice walk to see some of Bonaire.

We sat on a bench and watched the birds and the water.

At night we sat in a sort of open-air tent on the lawn section of the ship. The movie, Casablanca, was playing. One of our favorites.

Our farewell dinner with our fantastic waiters.

Woke this morning to Fort Lauderdale.

Now for rest before our next trip April 29th.

We arrived In Curaçao early this morning, with a departure time of 9:30 tonight. So no need to rush. We enjoyed breakfast in the Oceanview Buffet, especially since they changed the protocol from staff serving to self service. This meant it wasn’t a madhouse with crazy long lines.

From our balcony, we could see the multi colored buildings in the distance.

We decided to hire a tour guide right off the ship along with our friends, Grace and Tim.

Our first stop was the Rif Fort, built in 1828 but now transformed into a mall.

Our driver, Arvelo, was very knowledgeable about his city. As we walked outside the fort area, a large statue of Dr. Efrain Jonckheer, was boldly displayed.

A park dedicated to the slaves who once inhabited this island. Curaçao had been the hub of the slave trade.

Our next stop was a fort used by the US during WWII to protect curaçao from German invasion.

On our way, we stopped to take photos of some old vehicles.

Our guide, Arvelo, was happy to pose!

Next stop by a water well that has gone dry!

I think he thought we wanted to see all the forts, so next we stopped at Fort Nassau, which is now a restaurant, with a view from the top.

From the top of the fort, we could see the entire island.

I loved all the colors of the buildings! Bright and bold!

And of course a house painted with pizza!

It was a fun day exploring the beauty of Curacao.

Dinner tonight was, of course, escargot. I don’t think I will ever stop loving eating these little creatures in a garlic and butter blend!

We saw a great show, L’Marco, who enthralled the audience with his energy a range of music.

Now it’s time to finish up! Early to rise tomorrow in Bonaire!

#lmarco#celebrity#arvelotour#curacao

We had a couple of sea days. Eating, watching shows and eating more! Coffee with friends and a trip to the gym.

We were in Aruba many years ago. In fact, it’s where we went to catch a ship in what we have often labeled the honeymoon from Hell. That’s almost 30 years ago.

This time coming into Aruba at 11am instead of 11pm, we were able to see the beauty of this island.

We spent a few hours catching up with emails, texts and what’s app messages. Our tour wasn’t until 1:45.

We walked to a ferry which shuttled us to Atlantis Submarine Aruba.

It was a tight fit – we all squeezed in but some butts were bigger than the seat.

We started our descent slowly and as we went down, saw coral reefs and many fish.

There was an iron ship that had been under water for 30 years and has become part of the reef.

Also a wooden ship that sank about 15 years but was slowly deteriorating.

We touched down at the bottom at 147’. It was mostly a sandy bottom.

After about an hour under water we headed back to the surface. It was a blast!

Tonight I had escargot, lobster ravioli and shrimp with linguine and lobster sauce. Very delicious! That’s 5 days of escargot and I’m turning into a snail.

This evenings entertainment was a production show. Colorful, fun and great music.

Tomorrow Curaçao!

#celebritycruise#aruba#atlantissubmarinearuba

Life sure is tough. After a few weeks of campaigning for Circle Director in my HOA, I’m finally ready to relax and enjoy a few days. I also had a bad case of shingles from my butt to my ankle which didn’t help my mood much.

Our friends came from New York and spent the night before heading to Port Everglades.

Our first dinner on the Celebrity Equinox was scrumptious. I always look forward to my nightly escargot on celebrity ships.

Although we are usually alone on our travels, it’s nice to have fellow comrades, Grace and Tim.

After a good dinner, we went to the Equinox theater to hear Mike Mentz.

He was really good and enjoyed his repertoire very much. He sang some Springsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd and then his own songs. After the show a bit of gambling in the casino and then to bed.

Our first sea day, we enjoyed the enlightenment series, featuring Cathy Ace, a Welsh mystery writer. She will be doing a series on crime and mystery writing over the next few sea days.

A peak of Cuba from our balcony. I love balcony cabins to enjoy some solitude mixed with breezes of sea air. I must remember to always be grateful to God for the life I live. In my every day life I sometimes forget about gratitude but the peace and serenity of the sea reminds me of all God’s gifts.

Today we stopped in Grand Cayman. We were here last year so we weren’t sure whether to tender to port. But Grace and Tim had never been to GC so we decided to go late.

We visited a combined Congregational and Presbyterian Church built in the 1800s.

We walked around and took a few photos. Tim and Bruce with pirates.

A few shots of the port area!

Then back to the ship for lunch and pool time.

We are heading out shortly so no more WiFi but life sure is good!

#grandcayman#celebrityeqinox#

We have been to many Caribbean islands but never to St. Martin. We have heard many wonderful things about it so we decided to take a bus tour that covered both the Dutch and French sides.

Our ship landed on the Dutch side and we were anchored next to a very large Royal Caribbean ship. Our tour began very early in the day before the heat was too unbearable. We were in a large bus with over 40 people. This is one of the reasons I don’t usually do ship tours. I like doing small group tours or doing something on our own.

We drove past harbors on the Dutch side until we crossed the border to the French side. St. Martin is a very hilly island.

We stopped in Marigot for a 30-minute break. Bruce and I went to a bakery, one of the things we try to do everywhere we go. I will think about dieting when I get home but for now, the pastries are scrumptious!

It was a pretty island with all the hills and I would like to come back for a longer visit. The water looked very inviting. Clear and clean!

By the time we arrived back at the ship, it was hot and sunny. I’m trying to avoid too much sun so we went into a few shops at the port but I found nothing.

We stood on our balcony as we sailed away. Two more sea days and we will be back in Fort Lauderdale.

We spent time with newly made friends. Went into the hot tub, exercised, and watched the shows. It’s been a very relaxing and fun trip. I had escargot nearly every night and the food was very good. Celebrity Reflection, although older, still has it’s charm.

This morning I’m sitting in the Hideaway writing my blog and drinking my coffee. I’ve wanted to sit here all week and now I have the time. Cruising us all about relaxing and pampering oneself. What a life!

#stmartin#celebrity#reflection#l’pres bakery#marigotbay#

We have three ports on this cruise and St. Thomas was our second. I’m not a big fan but I scheduled a sail and snorkel trip. We arrived in St. Thomas at 12:30 so the morning was pretty relaxing. I had a spa treatment on my legs.

This was to help the swelling in my ankles. The therapist massaged my legs and then put a clay over them. I don’t know if it will really help but it felt good.

Bruce watched the entry into St. Thomas from the gym.

Our excursion took us out to Buck Island. Today I found out there are many Buck Islands in the West Indies. This was St. Thomas Buck Island. I had been in St. Croix Buck Island nearly 50 years ago.

We had been docked next to Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Sea. Our ship looked tiny next to the other.

The Captain and his mates hoisted the sails as we headed towards more open waters.

It was about an hour out. The area was very crowded with several boats but we managed to find a spot and begin our snorkeling. We saw stingrays and sea turtles.

Bruce caught me in the water when I surfaced. I needed to defog my mask.

A photo from the water of the Stars and Stripes.

Our Captain and his crew were very young but good lads.

Some of the scenery on our way back to port.

The rest of the evening was lots of fun. We are at the buffet. I ate a huge salad and steak. Bruce had pasta and lasagna. We watched really funny comic in the theatre and played our luck in the casino.

Tomorrow, we arrive in St. Martin in the early morning. We’ve never been there so we’re excited about checking out the island.

#stthomas#starsandstripes#snorkeling#seaturtles#

Today is my birthday and we woke to a beautiful view.

We arrived in Nassau at 7 am and we began our excursion at 8:30. We met our guide just off the ship.

Our first stop was a rum factory. It wasn’t really a factory but a store selling rum cakes. Of course, Bruce and I did not sample the cakes. The guide said there is enough rum in them to preserve them for a year.

Next stop was Atlantis. It looks pretty impressive from the distance but a little worn inside.

Walking through Atlantis there were some Christmas decorations.

This stop was meh! The shops weren’t open yet and the casino was the only thing open. So we put our $20 in a machine and promptly lost it. Time to go!!

Our next stop was the Queen’s Staircase named for Queen Victoria. Only five of us ventured off the bus and took the stroll down the staircase.

Then we drive by the Governor’s house which is under renovation.

We made a brief stop at the public beach that is walking distance from our ship.

And I was able to get a better view of the lighthouse.

We went to the John Wattling distillery for a tour. Nice garden area with colorful buildings.

The labels are still put on the bottles by hand.

It was an interesting place with and old well and wheel.

We visited an area where they had a chocolate factory, wine tasting, ice cream and cigars. It was colorful but in the end not very interesting.

Overall the tour was not very exciting but it did give us a feel for the island.

Our time in Nassau came to a close as we stood on our balcony and watched as our ship sailed out to sea.

We had coffee with new friends and dinner with a table for 8. Tonight I had escargot again and Salmon.

Bruce had Steak Diane.

The show tonight was a female impressionist from Canada. She was great. She did impressions of Tina, Janice, Cher, Celine and Barbara. Very funny and entertaining. It was a wonderful ending to a perfect birthday.

#nassau#atlantis#queensstaircase#celebrity

It’s just a quick 7 day Carribean cruise that Celebrity offered for port taxes and of course gratuities. We are sailing on the Reflection which brings fond memories of our first Transatlantic crossing. The ship is a little older but it has a lot of class.

I love how it’s decorated for Christmas, very elegant. Our cabin is a veranda and it’s much larger than the balcony cabins on Princess. We even have a couch.

The bathroom has good storage and nice soaps and lotions.

We relaxed up on deck and watched as the ship left the port.

Today I was going a comparison between Princess and Celebrity. So far the cabin is better on Celebrity as well as the food. Every night I can have escargot.

I had lamb in a phyllo dough and Bruce had fish for dinner. We dined with 10 people since the only way we could get a table was to share. Which is usually good but this old girls hearing is not so great so it was hard to talk with everyone.

As far as entertainment, first night Broadway Cabaret was a disappointment. I have to say based on tonight, Princess wins a round.

It’s time for shut eye since we land in Nassau at 7 am. We are taking a tour of the island. Bruce has never been there. I’m glad I didn’t book a snorkeling trip since it will be a high of 78.

#Celebritycruises#princesscruises#celebrityreflection#fortlauderdale

Mount Dora is a small town in central Florida known for its Christmas festival. With a population of a little over 16,000 it’s quaint and country with little hills and a fairly good sized lake.

Gift shops line the main street along with restaurants and coffee shops.

They even have pickle ball courts that were well in use during the day and evening.

We arrived early in the day and had lunch at a quaint little restaurant that made Maine lobster rolls. Keeping with my tradition of only having lobster in Maine, I had shrimp and a side of cole slaw. We were all so hungry I forgot to take pictures of the food.

We stayed at a Hampton Inn, just on the outskirts of town with a 10 minute drive downtown. Hampton Inns, part of Hilton chain, are reasonably priced, clean and provide breakfast. We checked in around 3 pm and headed back downtown around 4:30. Parking was relatively easy and free.

We walked to Sunset Park on Lake Eustis just in time for a beautiful sunset.

The four amigis back together again.

We found a lovely German restaurant for dinner, the Bavarian Haus, one street over from the lake. I had Schnitzel, Bruce had bratwurst and Linda and Stan had sauerbratten. Unfortunately, no photos. We had black forest cake for dessert.

Now for the lights. So many and so beautiful it was magical.

We even listened to a piper playing.

It was well worth the three hour drive to visit Mount Dora at Christmas.

#mountdora#bavarianhaus#christmaslights#holiday#hamptoninn