Crazy Old People and Sea Glass

Let me just give you a little color about our fellow travelers.  Cruise lines cater to different folks and Holland America is known to attract an older crowd.  The meals are a little more formal. The entertainment is a little old school. And the activities include Bridge and Afternoon Tea.    Dave and I were prepared because not too many young folks can take a 21 days cruise. But we weren’t prepared.  This crowd was OLD! I’m betting the average was 85-90.  The lady sitting behind us at dinner one night was celebrating her 103 birthday. 

There were motorized scooters everywhere.  In the piano bar,   there were scooters parked in the back and the folks were catching a few ZZZZs.  It was only 9:00. And quite honestly, these people should have to pass a dexterity test to operate these things.  If you didn’t watch out you could lose a toe.

And speaking of toes, on a Caribbean cruise you see a mass of toes and feet.  People, people, feet need maintenance.  If you can’t reach ‘em or see em, it’s called a pedi.  I won’t go into graphic detail, because you might be eating crusty bread with cheese.

So the next island was Samana, Dominican Republic.  The day was overcast and rainy.  Our fellow travelers didn’t give us very good reviews and we had been to the DR before.  So we hung out on board, reading, playing trivia and eating ice cream.  They also have some awesome baked cookies.  Ohhh-lala.

The next day is a day at sea.  Today, we discovered the Mixology Class.  For a mere $12, you learn to make 4 cocktails. That includes mixing, drinking and prizes.  Our prizes were additional drinks. Holy Crap this takes place at 3:00.  No wonder I need a nap before dinner.

Now we dock at Bonaire. Bonaire is one of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). Each of the islands is known for something different.  In hindsight, this was one of my favorite islands.  Bonaire is known for shore diving.  This means, that you can get your tanks and just walk in for some great underwater views.   The water was clear.  The fish were unbelievable.  The beaches are not good because it’s so rocky.  But this leads to sea glass everywhere.  I came back with my pockets full.   After we finished snorkeling and our walking around, we stop at a little grass hut and order the local brew.  The bartender tells us that Polar is the closest to local which is Venezuelan.  Close enough- Venezuela is only 50 miles away.  Tonight, the show is “Simply Broadway”.  We don’t even sit down.  We check it out and sneak out pass the scooters.

Snorklers off the rocky coast of Bonaire.

Sand, Surf & Barracuda

This weekend Deanna from NY came to visit.  I got a little lecture on my lack of blogness, so I promised to be a good blog girl and catch up on my posts.

So… Back to our cruise.  Our first day was supposed to be a stop at the island of Half Moon Cay, the private island of Holland America.  At 8:30am, our Australian Cruise Director- Drew comes on to announce that the seas are so rough today that we will not be able to take our tender service to the island.   For those who don’t know, a tender service is when they get a couple of the life boats and haul people to the island because there is not a dock available to house a humongous cruise boat.   

So we are off to a great start.  Our first island is cancelled and I’m convinced that my day is going to include a session of seasickness.

We spent the day at sea reading, playing trivia and going to a culinary seminar where they demonstrated Blue Cheese & Orange Swirl Canapes.  

Our cruise line allows you to bring on unlimited wine and champagne.  So we had stocked our room like a wine cellar.  I don’t have to tell you that buying alcohol on a cruise boat is like buying beer and hotdogs at the ballpark- before you know it you have to take out a home equity loan.

Dave pours our evening cocktail and we are off to dinner.  We met some new friends Allen and Ellen from New York but who are now living in Florida.  We check out the evening show- the Ballroom Blitz.  It stinks and we sneak out the back. 

We make it back to the room.  Luckily, I wore flats because we are walking like a pair of pin balls down the hallway because the boat is a rockin’. Shew- I made it through the day with my belly in check.

Next morning, the seas are calm and we are docking in Grand Turk.  What a beautiful beach!  Dave and I are tight wads and we are going to try to avoid going on too many shore excursions through the cruise line.    Since the beach is right next to the dock, we are golden.  We brought our snorkel gear and it is perfect.  We drop in and putz around checking out the Angelfish and the Barracuda.  After we see what there is to see, we head over to Margaritaville where they have an awesome pool that is free to use.  So we splurge on a couple margaritas and lay in the sun. 

This is the life.

Florida- The land of Mojitos and Strip Clubs

In October, Dave and I were trying to figure out what we were going to do for the month of Dec.  Lots of vacation spots are discounted between Thanksgiving and Christmas because it’s typically a low travel time.   Dave threw out that we look at a 10 day cruise.  I started to look around and found a 21 day cruise that was SUPER cheap at that time, $1299 a person. Peeps, that is just over $60 a day to sleep, eat and see the islands.  Dave’s response- “Book it, Danno.” 

I have to be honest, I had some apprehension about a 21 day cruise for 2 reasons.   Reason  #1-On our first cruise, the first several days were rough seas.  Some of the staff had never seen it so rough.  I get seasick anyway so needless to say I was feeding the fish.  After a double dose of drugs, I was in a coma for a day and half.  Reason #2- At this point, I’ve been “vacationing’ for 2 months and I am currently sporting a muffin top.  I’m not currently feeling my bikini best and I have nowhere to go but down if I continue with my cocktail and dessert fest.

So, we drove from my Dad’s house down to Ft Lauderdale to catch the cruise.  Along the way, we stopped in Charleston because that is one of the places we wanted to stay after the cruise. (Side note- we liked it so much, we have a beach house for Jan, Feb and Mar).  After that, we decided to check out Miami Beach.  The architecture is cool.  But to be frank, the place is a little too fake-hip for me.  It’s all about being seen.  You know me, I’m a gypsy, bumpkin at heart.  But we did have lunch at the coolest place- called Nikko’s which is right off the beach .  Our table was sitting in sand and we enjoyed the Cuban delight known as Mojito!

We get to Ft Lauderdale.  Dave has booked a cheapo packing spot for $4 a day. SCORE!  We get to the address on our paperwork and low and behold- it’s a club- a bar type club.  This can’t be the place.  But there is another couple with suitcases loitering in the parking lot.  Hmmm- they look like cruisers not clubbers.  Mike and Veronica were from outside Toronto.  They had been waiting outside what Veronica coined the” strip club” for over an hour but the shuttle was on the way.

But we safely get to the Noordam ship with no incidence.  Remember, we’ve got the cheap room.  So it’s about the size of a postage stamp on the interior of the ship.  Alright, I’m exaggerating.  It is 150 square feet which means that you have to scoot in sideways to get into bed from the side or you can always just dive in from the end.  Our bathroom is small enough where I could maximize my efficiency by peeing, showering and washing my hands in the sink all at the same time. 

The first night- we set sail into the sunset with a glass of wine and the sound of Jimmy Buffet.

The first island stop is tomorrow.  Stay tuned….

Where did the time go?

When I was in grade school, we lived in a split level house on Oak Drive.  It was complete with Harvest Gold appliances and matching linoleum. We even had green shag carpet in our downstairs bathroom.  When I think back on that house, what pops in my head are the days of summer break.  The memories of those days are swirled together like a twist cone (a Kohr Brothers orange and vanilla cone- the one that taste like a dreamcicle-ohh-lala).  Each of the memories melded together where you can’t tell where one started and the other ended.

You got up every morning with the intention of getting your tail-end outside as quickly as possible.  And the rule was to be home before the street lights came on. My friends on our street were Elaine, Cathy and Keri.   We played in the creek, which was against every parent’s rules.   We laid in the grass looking for four leaf clovers and blowing on blades of grass to see who could whistle the loudest.  We would suck on honeysuckle convincing ourselves- Yep, this really taste like honey.

When no one could play, I’d climb the maple tree in our front yard.  I was the best spy.  I could sit in that tree for what I thought was hours.  Through the break in the leaves, I would watch the neighbors come and go. A tad creepy in hindsight.

Then one day for my birthday, I received the ultimate… a baby blue and white bike.  As I remember  that day, a spotlight of sun broke through the clouds and the blue glittered banana seat and handle bar streamers sparkled like stars in the heaven.  I think the angels broke out in song.  This was not just a beautiful bike, this was freedom.     This is when I started stealing change from my Dad’s change dish on his dresser.  Us girls would ride our freedom machines to the Marstellers.  For a mere 25 cents, you buy a Marathon bar.  If you don’t remember a Marathon bar, it was a braided looking candy bar of caramel covered in chocolate.  And even if you could only scrounge a nickel or a dime, you could still get Smarties or Candy Cigarettes.  If you got a good Candy Cigarette, it had a bunch of powdered sugar and you could make a couple of good “puffs”.
Every day of summer just happened.  You did what the day and your heart desired with no plan and no agenda.

If you wonder why you haven’t heard much from me in Nov and Dec that because I’ve had a true summer break.  There no agenda and each day was going where the day took you.  That could be collecting slugs with my nephew or hanging out with family, watching the game and throwing back a couple of cold ones.
November was an easy breezy month that very few of us get to experience as adults.

But alas, after Thanksgiving the time with family was over and we moved on to the next phase of our travels- a 21 day Caribbean, 15 island cruise in the month of Dec.   In the next couple installments find out….what kind of people can take a 21 day cruise?    Where to find the “best cool smoke” in the islands?  The trials and tribulations of making towel animals.

The Wheels on the Bus

The Driver on the Bus Says Move on Back- Move on Back

I love the bus.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, I rode the Peter Pan bus to NY City.  For a mere $40, I rode from Wilmington, DE to New York and back again.  From my math, I missed about $25 worth of tolls.  The toll just to get on the “Island” is $12.  If you look at tolls, gas and parking, this is th best bargain going.   

When I told my brother I was taking the bus, he told me to watch out for weird people.   I told him, I like weird people.  But let’s be honest, I like harmless weird people.  Secretly, I’m praying I don’t end up next to the guy who just got released for a rape and murder conviction.  But I end up sitting across from some Indian college kid. He was a sweet- looking, geeky dude with a big nose.  He was rocking out on his Ipod and quite honestly, I think he was reading a paper on quantum physics.  He scarfed down a whole can of BBQ Pringles.  He must have still been starving because he started to rip open a bag of peanuts like a virgin opening a condom package.  He was so worked up it shot peanuts around the bus like BBs.  He looked at me like he’d just been caught with his pants down to which I started to laugh.  So much for my rapist/murder.   

After the great weekend with my girlfriend, I headed back to the NY bus station.  There are 400 terminals. This is the Supersize of bus stations.  I grabbed a chocolate croissant and coffee and headed to my terminal.  I still had 30 minutes and walked into a snack bar to take a seat.  I looked around.  There was quite a few homeless folks sleeping at the random tables.  They each kept their bags under their feet or heads or in their laps.    I sat down and contemplated for a minute.  I look a little different.  And I smell a whole lot different, but officially I’m homeless.  Hmmm, maybe I’m one of the weird people.

New York- Part II

Asking someone if you can come” visit” is actually a strange proposition, except with your parents and your grandparents.  I can’t figure out why they always want to see my crazy butt, but they do.  God Bless ‘em.

But for the rest of your family and friends, it can be awkward.  It’s actually one of the few situations where you invite yourself to someone’s home or personal space.  And you are not only expecting just to see them but also sleep, eat, shower and pee in their space.   This also puts the askee in a strange position, too.  What if they don’t really like you as much as you think they do? I guess they can always say their out of town at that time.  Over the years, I’ve called friends and family to say” I’m going to be in your area, do you want a houseguest?”    I’ve been pretty fortunate, no one has said no. 

Then, there is the issue of how long.  A weekend is a good stint of time.  But I always wonder if I will stink like catfish after 3 days. Or is the saying goldfish?  As long as they have a shower, I try not to…stink that is.

The last issue is housekeeping etiquette.  This one gets me.  Obviously, I clean up after myself and I try to do a little more. I mean this is free room and board.  There should be a little payback.  But if you do all the dishes in the sink are you sending the message that they are a slob. Or do they appreciate it?  Also the sheet issue, do you make the bed or strip the sheets on your last morning?  They always tell you to leave it, but do they really mean it?

So back to my NY story… By the way Deanna had no dishes in the sink.   She didn’t even let me buy her dinner as payback.

When I originally asked Deanna my “Hey I’m in your area, do you want a houseguest?” question.  Her response was “Yes, but that is the weekend of the Sheep & Wool Festival.  Do you want to go?” To which my response was “That sounds awesome”.   When I told a couple of other people about this, they give me a strange look and a snicker.

Let me give you a little background.  Deanna taught me how to knit.  She still knits.  I suck at it but I appreciate it all the same.  Now, the picture I’ve painted of her to this point – savvy, cute New Yorker is not consistent with a typical knitter.    So let me just say, she taught me to knit in a bar at the Plaza at 4:30 on a Friday.  She is one of those cool knitters. She rarely has to look down.  Her fingers just move like they have a mind of their own.  She looks kinda cool knitting in a bar.  I, on the other hand, am not a cool knitter.  I’ve got the needles up next to my face, probably with my tongue hanging out, trying to figure out what I just did wrong.

So on Sunday, we went to the Sheep & Wool Festival.  It was about a 2 hour drive north of the city in a town called Rhinebeck.  And much to my surprise and delight… There were sheep. There was wool.  And there were surprisingly hot men there.  The first guy was shearing the sheep.  Kinda sexy.  Then, there were guys showing sheep and there was a guy working with the sheep and the kids.  We are talking sexy calendar-looking guys.  I was in sheep heaven.   And of course, there was really soft pretty wool and yarns. 

After the festival, we went to a nice little French restaurant.  Being the Midwestern girl that I am, I ordered the Osso Bucco .  With all that livestock around, I had worked up an awesome appetite.

Up next- Bumpkin rides the bus!

Subways and Protesters

New York Part 1

New York is so intriguing I’m splitting it into a 2 part series.  First, let me say my friend Deanna is the hostess with the mostest.  She was the ultimate tour guide, friend, story teller and chauffer. 

Friday-  Deanna came and picked me up from Club Applebee’s. She came in-laughed her famous ah-ha laugh and said “Only in New York- we have got to get out of here” (see the previous post).  With that, we walked a couple blocks to a little swanky African café and ordered a bottle of Chardonnay.  

There are certain friends that you have that you may not see for years, but you spend 5 minutes catching up and it feels like you just had lunch with them yesterday.  Deanna is one of those friends. 

So half way through the first glass, we were caught up on major life events including jobs and travel (kid and husband for me- string of hot men for her). So we are done our bottle of wine and a couple appetizers and I ask her if she has her phone on vibrate because about every 10-15 minutes the table shakes a bit.  “No, that‘s  the subway” .  Yep- I’m a bumpkin.

So afterwards we take the subway about 25 minutes to her apartment.  It’s a cool area that is in the process of “turning”.  It has a lot of green space and young people.  NY is a cool place with a ton of diversity, activities, bands, shopping and food.

Saturday we went on a walking tour of the city that included crafts in Chelsea, the farmers’ market, Soho, the Strand, China Town and a bunch of other neighborhoods.  By evening, we ended up at the Wall Street protest.  It was electrifying, depressing, inspirational and frustrating all wrapped into one.  There were people shouting, preaching, singing, drumming, sleeping, and watching everywhere.    I’m proud of people there wanting to be heard.  We all know something has to change and apathy is definitely not going to fix it.  But the frustration is… no one knows how to fix this mess we are in and it seems too big. 

But the key points of frustration from the protest were:

1)      Our government is corrupt and protects the rich.

2)      Corporations are greedy.

Honestly, those 2 points are nothing new but the feeling is that it is the government and corporate greed that got us into this economic mess and only the common person is paying the price.I’m really not a political person. The negativity wears on me but it’s irresponsible to be apathetic and ignore it. But that is exactly what I have been doing.

So here are the solutions for me.  You can disagree but I encourage you to figure out your own actions.

1)       Support a 3^rd party.  If you are a strong Republican or Democrat this sounds like hooey.  But ask yourself if your party is trying harder to do the right thing or support the party line.

2)      Buy stocks and products only from companies I deem ethical.   I don’t believe that laws should drive CEO compensation, the market should.  I am part of the market and I vote with my money.

3)      Buy local when possible.  I’d rather my money go to small businesses and my community than Walmart.  Now nobody I know is making toilet paper and if I find someone,  I don’t know if I’d buy it. So there has to be exceptions to this rule.

 I didn’t want to write about anything negative or too serious in my blog.  But being a wanderlust is about discovery and this was a little about political and self discovery for me. And of course after this experience, Deanna and I kicked back at an Irish pub with a burger and beer.  Whew.

Part II- Back to the Happy Place with some hot sheep shearing men!