May 17th, 2009 Embarkation Day

For breakfast we went to Kasalta, a popular bakery that has been serving up tasty pastries for over 30 years. All of their local pastries, pies, cookies and treats are displayed in glass cases and if you can’t find something that looks delicious, then have your eyes checked.

We then had a taxi take us to the port. Before really being able to see our ship, the Carnival Victory, we saw Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas and a Princess ship. They look so much bigger in person, like giant floating buildings. Our ship was huge too, very grand and sort of elegant.

I really enjoyed the whole boarding process, probably because I was just so excited to be trying something new. We arrived a little bit early, so there was a short wait before we could board, but once we got on the ship we ate lunch on the Lido deck, and walked around a bit before settling into some lounge chairs to wait for our room to be cleaned.

The room was honestly smaller than I expected. It would be very difficult to fit 4 people into one of those rooms, but doable I guess. The balcony was so worth it though. It’s not that you’ll spend a whole lot of time in your room or on the balcony, but to wake up and be able to see the dock or port as you’re pulling in, or to look out at the dark sea as the waves break from the ship, well it’s very impressive and relaxing.

Once we were able to drop off our carryons in our room, we decided to head out and explore Old San Juan a bit. Narrow streets are lined with tall houses all painted in eccentric and playful colors. Flowers hang from the balconies, and each door is unique and so sturdy looking. You can shop for the kitschy tourist stuff, and there are even a few designer stores for those who are interested.

That night was an open seating dinner, and then the dreadful muster drill. I know, it’s for our safety and required, but I felt it was poorly executed. The cruise line crams everyone into two areas, and the people who arrive on time to the drill are forced to the back of the line which gets very hot, and claustrophobic. On top of that, you can’t hear a word of what is being said, so in an emergency situation, I would not have known which life boat was mine any way, only what deck it was on. Past guests did say it took an unusual amount of time to complete the drill, so I take comfort in the fact that my next cruise drill should be a little less tedious.

After returning our life jackets to the room, despite battling fatigue, we decided to head to the deck for the sail away party, because really, how can you miss the ship pulling away from the dock for the first time? We didn’t stay very long, but we decided to try the pizza. We weren’t too impressed with it, but it worked for a quick snack. Plus by getting in that line we ended up meeting a couple who would become our "Show” friends. They were from Oklahoma and had just barely boarded the ship before the muster drill, missing dinner. I think it was Wednesday before we learned their names. (Dan and Kristy)
It’s funny like that on a cruise ship. You talk to the same people over and over again, but they all get nicknames. Like this couple got that name since we ended up sitting with them for almost all of the shows we attended in the theater. They said the same thing about us. They had called me “Candy Girl” as I had a bag of candy with me for most of the shows.

After that it was off to bed, where the gentle rocking of the ship quickly lulled us to sleep.

San Juan May 16th 2009

After a mostly sleepless red eye flight, we arrived in Puerto Rico, somewhat bleary-eyed, but full of anticipation. The sky was a deep azure blue accented with puffy white clouds and bright yellow sunshine.



Flowering trees were blooming almost every where and each house seemed to be painted a different bold color. There were signs of poverty and neglect in many of the buildings, but they are mixed in with the resorts and richly appointed Spanish style structures. It feels very much like slipping into another country, even though it is a US territory. There's a definite flavor and vibe that is unique to Latin countries.

We stayed in a little posada or guest house called Andalucia. They are like a bed and breakfast, only without the breakfast. They have a little courtyard with tropical plants and trees.

The rooms are pretty basic, but clean and perfect for a short stopover. The host was very welcoming and friendly. He gave us a local area map and pointed out restaurants and places of interest. He also has supplies, like beach towels, chairs, and even coolers that could be borrowed for use at the beach, which was a short walk away.



The beach had plenty of sandy space to layout on, with crashing waves and kite surfers to watch. We went to a little restaurant right on the beach for lunch. The prices were really a bit too steep for lunch, so we just split a meal. It came with one of the best creme brulee desserts, by the way.

Later that evening, after a much needed nap we had dinner at Bebo's. It was a little bit of a walk from our posada, but a recommended place to eat if you are looking for great Puerto Rican food. The prices were better than what we had for lunch, although not cheap, but the plates were of good size and taste.

On the walk back we listened to the Coqui frogs sing and enjoyed the sea breezes.

Our First House

Tony and I have moved into the new house. It feels very grown up and adult to be owning a home. It's fun and exciting and nerve-racking.

I am loving the pool. Just today I went swimming in it around 3pm, and the top few inches of water were so hot that it was like being in a hot tub. The bottom wasn't as warm, but it was still really nice.(We are not heating the pool at all right now, it's just like that.)

A neat feature to the pool is that it has a color changing light bulb. At night you can have a deep blue pool, or a purple pool, or aqua, or red, or whatever. (Although the yellow makes it look like pond scum.) Where we live is kind of away from lots of lights so swimming in the pool at night gives a great view of the stars, at least as far as being kind of in a city.

Also it seems like we are not having to keep the AC on as low. This house is better insulated,I guess, plus it has shade screens on the windows. My new office stays so much cooler.

One thing I don't like is all of the light switches. Each room has like 3 switches. I have to click each button to find the right one, but I am sure I will get used to it.

Anyway, we are no where near to being settled in and Tony and I leave for our cruise on Friday night. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, to be honest. I usually like to leave my house clean before I go, but that won't be happening this time. No big deal though. If I am feeling stressed I just head to the pool and ahhh.... float away my troubles.