SEA DAY AND CAPTAIN’S FAREWELL PARTY-NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Our next to last day @ sea and the captain’s farewell party and then we fly from Miami to San Diego and HOME.

Farewell to enjoying the verandah

I will miss having a glass of wine and looking @ the ocean

We had a show with"Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin"

Last formal night

Scott Peterson (the cruise director)

The captain bidding us farewell

ORANJESTAD, ARUBA-WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Just 15 miles north of the VENEZUELAN coast, the long, skinny island of Aruba is dry and sunny year round. The island houses are painted in soft pastels and have colorful flower gardens behind cactus fences. Tourism is a significant factor in the island’s economy and the visitors have discovered that Aruba has some of the finest beaches in the West Indies. ORANJESTAD is the capital and the largest city of Aruba.  The town was built around Fort Zoutman shortly after it was built in 1796. The population of the city if 33,121.
Don went on a “Aruba See &Sea” excursion and went on a semi-submersible vessel, the Seaworld Explorer. They observed Aruba’s marine world, five feet below the surface of the water and discovered the wreck of the Antilla, a 400 foot German freighter.  This huge wreck lies on her side beneath 60 feet of water.  The California Lighthouse and the ruins of the Natural Bridge were also on his tour.
I went exploring (shopping) in downtown Aruba.

View of ARUBA from our verandah

IVANA- our stateroom attendant from Croatia

 - I am REALLY going to miss her when we go home in 3 days!!

Leaving the ship to go explore (shop) in downtown Oranjestad, ARUBA

Quaint architecture

Shops

AFTERNOON TEA IN THE PALM COURT ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON

THE PALM COURT-with Anton and Ratke ( our waiters @ our Table every night

Ratke serving tea

Donna Peterson (a friend from bridge) and I are enjoying the afternoon tea

Anton serving pastries

WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO-NOVEMBER 12, 2013

WILLEMSTAD, the capital of CURACAO is characterized by story-book Dutch architecture, waterfront promenades, fine shopping and a colorful floating market.  Located in the southern Caribbean, just 38 miles north of VENEZUELA, it is both the wealthiest and the largest of the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles.

The downtown area with the Dutch architecture

Shopping for jewelry with Claire (met her at Bridge)

Nancy in front of the Curacao sign

Fish in the floating markets

Fruit and vegetables in the floating market

Dutch architecture in the houses

SEA DAY-NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Captain Mark Symonds and Nancy

Nancy and Don @ Captain's Quarters for Cocktails

Bartender @ Party

Nancy MacDonald (at our table) and Vice-Captain Tonchi

Tonchi and head waiter Anton selecting dinner

Lectures, bingo, Team Trivia, bridge and cocktails in the Captain’s Quarters.  And 3 wonderful meals!!  I won the 4th game of Bingo-cover the whole card, so I am happy.
We are on the CARIBBEAN SEA and are surrounded by over 7,000 islands, varying in size from Cuba’s massive 42,800 square miles, to little more than a piece of coral piercing the surface of the water in the Lesser Antilles.  The SEA covers over one million miles and the waters lap the beaches of many different and diverse lands and islands, ruled by so many governments.  Nowhere on the planet is there a more varied and unique mixture of cultures, languages, races, colors, creeds, flora, fauna, fish and food than throughout the Caribbean.  The weather is the common denominator.

GRAND TURK, TURK AND CAICOS, UK- SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

GRAND TURK is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos, as well as the historic and cultural center of the islands.  It is here that Christopher Columbus first made landfall on his initial voyage to the New World in 1492.  Almost 500 years later, US astronaut John Glenn “discovered” Grand Turk himself, after he became the first man to orbit the earth.

We enjoyed the “Ultimate Snorkeling Adventure” exploring the waters of one of the world’s top dive sites.  We went to a pristine coral reef near the uninhabited island of Round Cay and explored the reef and saw an array of exotic fish.  Then onto Horseshoe 
Reef where we snorkeled in 6-12 feet of water and saw an amazing myriad of colorful fish.
Back to the ship and the Sunday Night Football game between the Broncos and the Chargers.  The fun never stops!!

Beautiful flowers!!

Our group going out on the pier to board our snorkeling boat

Ready for snorkeling

Crystal Symphony in the Grand Turk Port

Don having fun

What on earth am I doing?  I have never snorkeled before!!!!!

We survived

The beautiful beaches of Grand Turk

The welcoming sign

SEA DAY- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2013

Michael Ritchie

Kste Burton

Grand Gala Buffet

Shrimp

Another glorious day at sea enjoying all the many activities that Crystal offers.  The lecture @ 10:00 was Kate Burton and her husband Michael Ritchie.  She is the daughter of Richard Burton.  Michael is the artistic director of Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.  She is best known for her Tony nominated performance as lead in Hedda Gabler and as Ellis Grey in the TV series, Grey’s Anatomy.
BINGO was next and I won the 3rd game for $251.  Yea!!!
Dinner with the Vice Captain and then the Crystal Society had a party.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, USA-THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013

JACKSONVILLE is in the First Coast region of northeast Florida and is centered on the banks of the St. Johns River, about 25 miles south of the Georgia state line and about 340 miles north of Miami.  The JACKSONVILLE BEACHES communities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast.  JACKSONVILLE is the largest city in the state of Florida by population (836,000) and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States.
Don went to THE WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME in ST. AUGUSTINE, the nation’s oldest city and also holds the distinction of being one of the nation’s most charming.
I was picked up at the ship by my friend, Ann McPherson, whose summer home is in the Broadmoor West Residences with us.  She lives in a lovely home in Ponte Verda which we visited and then had lunch at her Country Club.  A fun day for me.

Ann and John McPherson's home in Ponte Vedra, Florida

Ann in her back yard

View of the #2 hole of SAWGRASS Golf Club from Ann's upper level.

 

               (JOHN'S PUTTING GREEN in the back yard)                              

Lunch with Ann @ her Country Club

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, USA-THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013

The Campbells boarding our pontoon boat for a cruise

The marsh

Our guide telling us (Don) about the tidal river  ecosystem

The boat captain went fishing

A shrimp

Paula Deen's house and guest house

Enjoying our cruise on the pontoon boat

Back to Crystal Symphony in time for lunch!

SAVANNAH lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.  It is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in the state of Georgia.  It was settled by General James Oglethorpe in 1733.  Today it has a population of 142,000 people.
We chose a Pontoon Cruise of Wilmington Island and the surrounding waterways aboard the Island Explorer.  The exclusive home of wealthy Savannahians were on the waterways and I took photos of Paula Deen’s house.  ( Former Food Network Chef)