• December 05, 2005 at San Juan, Puerto Rico

Our first port of call was San Juan in Puerto Rico. San Juan is known as the walled city and was founded in 1521. In 1508 Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement, Caparra, now known as Pueblo Viejo, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to the west of the present metropolitan area. The settlement was abandoned and moved to the site of what is now called Old San Juan. San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean and is the second oldest city in the Americas. We took the City and the Bacardi Rum distillery tour. We boarded our assigned bus number 15 and headed out to view the massive ancient fortresses and the stone walls that have protected this city in the 16th century and known as the San Cristobal Fortress, from here our bus took us around the city where we saw restored buildings that gave the old city its old Spanish colonial flavor. Then we continued on to the world famous Bacardi rum distillery where we were treated to a fascinating guided tour of the facilities at the “Cathedral of Rum.” Everything from the vast fermentation vats to the high-speed bottling machinery is at work and on display. A trolley took us to the Bacardi family museum, where a history of the product and landmarks in its development are seen. The tour began and ends at the lofty, bat-like shape pavilion, where we sampled the world-famous rum, a flair of different mix drinks and bought souvenirs and a variety of Bacardi products at their gift shop.

• December 06, 2005 at St. Thomas

Charlotte Amalie is the capital St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands and the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean. Charlotte Amalie (named for a Danish Queen) is where our cruise ships docked and right adjacent from the docking pier are the white and pastel houses, which were heavily sprinkled against a background of emerald hills. Colorful sloops dock along the waterfront, and a few steps back, down alleyways lined with Old Danish warehouse buildings, is where the world-famous jewelry shopping center is located. We did our shopping first before we went for a tour around the island. Jennifer and Stephanie bought jewelries and I have never seen them bargained hard. Jennifer haggled for an Omega Constellation Quartz diamond-studded wristwatch to a good price and it was a four-figure price close to $3,000.00 and the deal was sealed with a “thank you Dad”. Connie and I were talked out for an advance Christmas gift. Stephanie and I split the price for her unique choice of a diamond ring. After our shopping we rented a taxi and toured the island going through the scenic drive along Skyline drive through a breathtaking views of the harbor, the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, other Virgin Islands visible on the horizon and the famous Magen Bay.

• December 07, 2005 at Philipsburg, St. Maarten

This 37 square miles French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighborly cooperation and mutual friendship have shared the smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations, St. Martin – French side/St. Maarten – Dutch side for almost 350 years. The border is almost imperceptible and people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country. We rented a taxi and toured around the four boundaries of, Belle Vue / Cole Bay, French Quarter / Dutch Quarter, Low Lands / Copecoy and Oyster Pond, and we experienced a testifying centuries of peaceful cohabitation crossing two different countries in one island. We saw traditional West Indian architecture, including characteristic pastel-colored houses with second-story verandas looking out over the street.
All the same, each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. Our taxi driver gave us 45 minutes to shop at their public swap meet. The French side tends to emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences in the island. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafés and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place the atmosphere remains very relaxed. After our tour, Jennifer and Stephanie decided to do more shopping and were dropped off downtown. There are two main roads that cut across the length of Philipsburg--Front Street and, yes! Back Street. Front Street, is the main thoroughfare, and lined with duty-free shops offering everything from Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. Narrow alleyways lead in either direction to arcades and courtyards filled with flowers.

• December 08, 2005 at Sea - Connie played Bingo and won $393.00 plus her name got picked on the derby winning a Diamond studded bracelet.

Formal Night

• December 09, 2005 at Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau/Paradise Island lies at the heart of a graceful constellation of islands arching away south of the coast of Florida. This island is a unique blend of international glamour and tropical ease that gives everyone the freedom to do absolutely everything from shopping, touring, bar hopping, scuba, jet skiing, snorkeling or basically just touring around the island. We rented a taxi and basically toured around town through sophisticated resorts and empty beaches, colonial charming houses showing the full flavor of the colonial past in its architecture and horticulture. We went to the famous Atlantis and saw the living aquarium going through the “Dig” the underwater passageway where we can view all the different sea creatures. Our taxi driver was very nice at first but then became upset and did not talk about the island anymore until we reached the main port area; here Connie did her last shopping at the pier open market. Jennifer and Stephanie took the same tour but had a better deal; afterwards they went shopping some more. Somehow, the time constraint of only 6 hours was not quite enough to see much of the island, as we have to be back to the ship on time. We sailed out heading to Florida and arrived in Miami early morning of Saturday, December 10, 2005 and that concludes our Caribbean cruise.

Connie, Jennifer, Stephanie and I are back home safe, sound and happy to be with a wonderful family with an open arms.
We thank Enrique for taking us to the airport and to once again thank him again one more time for picking us up. We also thank Ariel for being there to greet us with “Buddha” and “Panda” to the delight of the pet owners…Jen and Steph.

To our family circle of love ones, we thank you all for your prayers; we’re back SAFE in good hands.
Always,

"Basho & Connie"

December 2005