To be honest – our group was really 70+. We were eight girlfriends, most of a group who have been gathering for a winter trip over the past 20 years. This year’s Virgin Cruise is our 16th trip. Geographically, we live from Maryland to Miami, but we met during the past 25 years at our…
Keep readingAs a rule, I don’t write cruise reviews, or even say much about ships we’ve been on. I guess you have to really separate Caribbean cruises from other types. They seem to be in a class all their own (you can decide if that’s good of bad). When we’ve cruised, we have selected the trips…
Keep readingGrand Turk Historic downtown Cockburn is a mess. We arrived for our second visit to Grand Turk on a windy, overcast day, with spitting rain and rough cloudy water. Of note, by our late-day departure, the sun was shining and the water had returned to its normal sparkling turquoise hue. Originally, we had planned to…
Keep readingI’ve traveled in Latin America enough to recognize some basic similarities. First, I must qualify this post by saying I feel comfortable in the region and have always loved the places I’ve visited. On this cruise, the ship visited Puerto Plata on the north shore of the Dominican Republic. The ship docked at the newly…
Keep readingA nice contrast to Curaçao, Bonaire was my favorite island on this trip. Without a big population or huge tourist industry (the government is limiting cruise ships to one at a time), the island has a laid-back, authentic vibe. Hurray up and visit before it changes! We arranged a private guide and driver here and…
Keep readingLast Spring – a lifetime ago – my husband and I went on a get-a-way cruise. At the time, my dear mother was ill and I thought she would improve with rehab. She didn’t. Most of the past year has been filled with bittersweet, challenging trips to see her. As I begin to refocus on…
Keep readingPhilipsburg, Saint Martin The highlight of our visit had to be stopping in at the Sunset Bar to watch the low-flying planes land over Maho Beach. The local Princess Juliana International Airport has a very short runway and it starts just behind the beach. We checked the arrival schedule earlier in the day since our…
Keep readingBimini is the closest Bahama Island to Florida – about 51 miles away. We’d heard about the new high-speed ferry and thought we’d give it a try for a quick day-trip to the island. It’s two hours each way and leaves from the Port of Miami. As my husband said this was a “one & done”,…
Keep readingWell, prepared by the ladies at Antojitos Doña Pili in Cozumel, Mexico, it’s delicious. Authentic quesadillas are a pretty basic affair in Mexico, a small tortilla (usually corn), a small amount of the main ingredient, and maybe a little bit of Oaxaca cheese. Add salsa if you dare. Nopales, from prickly pear cactus was our…
Keep readingReminiscent of Aruba, Grand Turk shares the same arid climate, sand and wild donkeys. On Grand Turk there were also lots of cute wild horses, a vividly gorgeous Atlantic coast, and thankfully, not so much wind. OK, so maybe it’s just the desert climate and wild donkeys the two islands have in common. We decided…
Keep readingVirgin Gorda looks like a perfect script-writers version of what a tropical island should look like. It features beautiful seascapes with sparkling turquoise water, lots of park land, drivable roads and less obvious poverty. This is a small island, and we could easily navigate the entire area, even while driving on the left. Traffic…
Keep readingAzamara: Sint Maarten or Saint Martin This little island is packed with diversity and lots to do. Half Dutch and half French, it’s an interesting blend of Afro-Caribbean with a European flair and some Spanish thrown in. In fact, as Miamians we felt right at home. We had reserved a Jeep ahead of time…
Keep readingOn most trips, my husband forgets at least one essential item – this time, it was shorts. For a South Florida guy who pretty much lives in shorts, this was a big surprise. So, we have another fairly immediate shopping opportunity. Yesterday we flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico to sail on the Azamara Quest…
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