San Juan and Back-to-Back Loop of the

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Our flight was due to arrive in Miami at 08:30 and as we began our descent the stewardess turned on the cabin lights and then went down the aisle with plastic glasses of orange juice or water. No coffee, just offering replacement liquids for our bodies. “Nothing is too good for the troops... so we gave them nothing.”

We arrived at the Miami Airport a few minutes early so this allowed us plenty of time to find a place for breakfast before we sat down in the waiting room for the next flight to San Juan. Given the weather across the county, we thought we had cleverly dodged a bullet by flying Seattle to Miami to Puerto Rico. Not so... that last leg of the trip originated in Washington, D. C. and was delayed over an hour because of snow.

15 Once we did leave the flight was uneventful. We retrieved our bags quickly and processed through the taxi stand to board our cab to the hotel. This centralized system set out a $19.00 fee plus for $4.00 for two suitcases. About twenty minutes later our driver guided us through the one way street (Calle Fortaleza) and to the Hotel Casablanca.

The draw of CasaBlanca Hotel is its location -- right in the middle of historic Old San Juan, near countless restaurants, nightclubs, and shops. But once you get past the funky, chic decor of the lobby, the hallways are worn and musty, and the rooms -- despite the cute, eclectic decor -- are on the small side, with thin walls, tiny bathrooms (that have temperamental water pressure and temperature), and little light.

Miguel met us at the taxi. He then gave us a welcome briefing he and another man carried our bags up four flights of stairs to Room 4A while we struggled up the same uneven steps with our backpacks. They seemed to run... we didn't. Later we went up another two flights to the rooftop rest area with concrete bath tubs and lounge chairs to enjoy the view of the tops of four cruise ships and old San Juan.

When we came back down to the desk to begin exploration of the old sector, we noticed there was a continuous tape of Humphrey Bogart's Casablanca playing on the television. Cafe Americain is located off the lobby and it does serve breakfast and lunch but we were past those serving hours. We asked Miguel to recommend a nearby restaurant which serve typical Puerto Rican dishes. He suggested we walk a block up the road to the Milano Hotel.

The Punto De Vista Restaurant occupies the top floor of the hotel. The view from the roof also had clear views of the cruise ships and the old city. It was breezy enough to blow our non weighed down napkins away while we pondered our choices.

We selected the Tostones Relleno (fried plantains) with Carne Frita (traditional seasoned and fried pieces of pork) and an order of Mofongo stuffed with chicken and camarones. We also had Medalla in keeping with our tradition to taste local food and drink.

After our lunch/dinner we walked a couple blocks further toward the SuperMax and Walgreen to buy a few things for our room. On the way we saw a jewelry shop which advertised Larimar. Two months ago Liz noticed the stone had fallen out of her Larimar ring and was looking for... and found a replacement ring at this shop.

We then window shopped our way back to our hotel and settled in to rest from our long flight and busy day. We also reviewed our plans for an early start to see the old section of San Juan.

San Juan is the capital and most populous city in Puerto Rico. Founded in 1521 by Juan Ponce de León, who named it City of Puerto Rico (Rich Port). The capital of Puerto Rico is the oldest city under U.S. jurisdiction, but some people argue than St. Augustine, Florida, founded in 1565 is the oldest city in the continental United States.

The history of San Juan begins a long time before its official foundation, in 1493, during his second voyage, Christopher Columbus landed in Puerto Rico. He named the island "San Juan Bautista", in honor of John the Baptist. But was not until 1508, that the Spanish government appointed Juan Ponce de León as the first governor of the island. He founded the original settlement in Caparra, now known as Pueblo Viejo, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to

16 the west of the present metropolitan area and the city quickly became Spain's most important military outpost in the Caribbean.

Friday, February 27

We slept comfortably and well and woke at seven o'clock without the need of an alarm. Then we went to the lobby and the Café Americain for breakfast. Selecting Pan de Mallorca (sweet and light yeast rolls topped with powdered sugar, stuffed with cheese and ham), we wanted to try something new to us. The café con leche was strong and delicious, exactly what we needed to start a long day of walking.

We had booked the Old San Juan Food Tour for late this afternoon which opened up the day for our own exploration. Checking our map, we set out for the Plaza del Immigrante as our first stop of the day.

The Plaza del Inmigrante is also known as Plaza de la Marina because it opens onto the cruise port. This sloping cobbled plaza was built in the 19th century. Soaring over the north side is the Banco Popular, a graceful Art Deco structure built in 1939 and adorned with faces of ancient gods. On the east side, the stately Antiguo Edifico de Correos (post office) and Neo-Classical Edificio Federal (Federal Building) add stature to the tree—shaded square. From here it was a short walk to the cruise pier, which had two cruise ships and a three masted Dutch sailing ship tied up at their respective piers.

Doubling back to the plaza we then walked through the Paseo de la Princesa, originally built in 1853 and faithfully restored to become a great place to walk. The tree lined promenade provides plenty of shade and is lined by local street vendors and artisan stalls. On your right are the impressive fortification walls of Old San Juan. At the end of this is the Raices Fountain.

The Raíces Fountain is considered to be one of the most romantic spots in Old San Juan, particularly when the setting sun casts its shades of copper and gold across the water in the bay outlining the dramatic silhouette of the bronze statues. The terraced decks near the fountain are perfect for sitting and contemplating the ever changing scene, and

17 frequent musical performances add to the charm of the area.

The Raíces Fountain, which was completed in May 1992, was designed by architect Miguel Carlo to commemorate and celebrate the New World’s 500th anniversary. This collection of bronze statues honoring Puerto Rico’s mixed African, Spanish and Taino/Amerindian heritage, is represented as a ship being steered out into the open sea with leaping dolphins leading the way to a bright 21st century future. The picturesque San Juan Bay serves as a backdrop to the statue, adding an interesting dimension to the ship at sea concept.

Many Puerto Ricans who identify themselves as descendants of the Tainos have recently formed groups who have been active in calling for recognition of their tribe. A 2002 study using the Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of 800 Puerto Ricans to examine pre-Columbian migrations to the Caribbean revealed that more than 61% of the Puerto Rican population has Taino mtDNA. The conclusion of the study is that the largest components of the genetic pool of Puerto Ricans are, in descending order, European/Caucasian, Amerindian/Taino and African.

We continued along the Paseo del Morro trail which follows a 42-foot high masonry wall of solid sandstone blocks held together with mortar, limestone, sand and water. Dating back to the 1630s, the wall surround the city of Old San Juan. The Paseo del Morro once served as a maintenance road for the west section of the city walls. In 2001 the Paseo del Morro trail was designated as a National Recreation Trail. The trail skirts the city wall from the San Juan Gate to Castillo San Felipe del Morro along the entrance to the San Juan Bay.

Within this wall is La Puerta de San Juan (San Juan Gate), constructed in 1520. This strong, heavy wooden door was the official entrance for those who came to Puerto Rico on wooden sailing ships during the colonization. Up the block is La Catedral de San Juan Bautista where Mass would be held to thank God for allowing them to make the journey. Built in 1540, it is an example of Gothic architecture in the New World. Here in a marble tomb lie the remains of Juan Ponce de Leon.

Walking through Parque de las Palomas (Park of the Pigeons), in the heart of Old San Juan historic quadrant, we came upon the Capilla del Cristo. built as a memorial to a celebrated miracle.

This Chapel in Old San ]uan is one of the most beautiful and historic monuments in the island of Puerto Rico. It was built in 1753 to commemorate a miracle, as told by Don Cayetano Coll y Toste, a Puertorican historian, in one of his books.

Horse racing from the top of Cristo Street, down to the wall that surrounded the city, was one of the highlights of the fiesta in honor of San Juan (St. John), the Capital's patron saint. In 1753 Baltazar Montanez, a youthful rider, lost control of his horse and fell over the wall to the cliff below. The Spanish Secretary of Government, Don Mateo Pratts, watching from a balcony shouted in despair and devotion: "Christ of Good Health save him!" The horse fell to mis death, but the rider was miraculously

18 saved.

The Chapel was built that sane year on the wall, over the exact place where the horseman had fallen. A painting of the Christ of Good Health was placed over the altar, the same one we can still admire and revere.

The Chapel is a religious museum. The beautiful silver and gold altar was made from ex-votos or offering brought by the faithful in gratitude for health recovered. At the sides of the original painting, there are two oil paintings by the famous Puertorican painter Jose Campeche. The top part of the altar is wood and gold leaf and most of the objects kept in the Chapel are the original ones from 1753.

For fifty-five years the Chapel has been under the care and supervision of a group of volunteers ladies "La Hermandad del Santo Cristo de la Salud", organized and presided until her death in 1974 by Mrs. Isabel A. de Mier, who saved the Chapel from being demolished in 1925.

Later in the day the guide for our tour also led us to this little cliff side chapel and amplified the legend. The “ex-votos” were usually silver charms in the image of the organ or body part healed, i.e. heart, liver, arm, leg etc. These were then melted to form the silver and gold alter. Today the gate remained closed but the chapel is open on Saturday and Sunday. We will try to return next Saturday when we return to the city between our back-to-back cruises.

Continuing our walk we went to La Catedral de San Juan Bautista. This is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. The cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, located in Old San Juan, and is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas.

The original cathedral in what was the city of Puerto Rico (changed to San Juan after the Spanish-American War) was constructed from wood in 1521. It was destroyed by a hurricane and the current structure constructed in 1540, being reshaped in later centuries, the last time being in 1917.

The first school in Puerto Rico (and the oldest school in the United States after Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States) was the Escuela de gramática (Grammar School). The school was established by Bishop Alonso Manso in 1513, in the area where the cathedral would later be constructed. The school was free of charge and the courses taught were Latin language, literature, history, science, art, philosophy and theology.

The cathedral contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and settlement founder Juan Ponce de León. It also has a shrine to the Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago, the first Puerto Rican, the first Caribbean-born layperson and the first layperson in the history of the United States to be beatified.

Across the plaza from the cathedral is Hotel El Convento located in an old monastery.

19 The Monasterio del Señor San José de la Orden de nuestra Señora del Carmen was founded in 1651 by Doña Ana Lanzós, a wealthy widow who donated her money and her magnificent residence (a large double sloped tiled roof) in the street that since then bears the name: de las Monjas. Historian María de los Ángeles Castro tells us that the delay in the arrival of a nunnery was due to economic reasons but also for lack of since the fortifications of the city were still not complete. Three nuns brought especially from Santo Domingo served as founders.

The building was expanded between 1854 and 1861 after the original building was torn down. Governor Fernando de Norzagaray personally helped raising the necessary funds and personally inspected the work daily. Certain elements stand out in the facade of the chapel, besides the entrance, the pair of Tuscan columns, the two towers and the latticed choir arch. The frieze above the door is interrupted for a legend that never was placed. The building was closed from 1903 to 1959 and then sold. During its conversion to hotel the two towers were removed and the cross that identified the site as a temple.

In 1903 it was closed until 1959, when Robert Woolworth started the renovation to turn it into the El Convento Hotel. It reopened in 1962 to the stars of the day, including Rita Hayworth. In The 90’s it was renovated again and rechristened as Hotel El Convento, a 4 star small luxury hotel with five stories, a central courtyard, a pool on the fourth floor terrace, and great views of Old San Juan.

We continued through the Plaza del Quinto Centario (Plaza V Centennial) and the Tótem Telúrico and decided we would return in a week with Fereshteh and Mahmood Sarram, who will join us at the cruise ship tomorrow. We also decided to save our trip out to Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro) until then too. But for now we decided to visit the Museo de San Juan.

El Museo de San Juan is located next to the Dominican Convent on Norzagaray Street. Once the center for a busy marketplace during the 19th century, the museum was established in 1978 to preserve the history of Puerto Rico's capital and the cultural contributions of its citizens. Renovated at the turn of the century, it features artwork by local artists, including celebrated painters José Campeche and Francisco Oller. The museum's "Sala Oller" houses a permanent exhibit on the history and culture of San Juan, told through panels that are eighteen-feet in height and with interactive displays.

We visited the other, rotating gallery featuring the some of the art collection of the Cortés family. The Cortés family has been making chocolate for more than 80 years. They are the largest chocolate-maker in the Caribbean. They have a huge presence in and Puerto Rico. The cacao used in production of their chocolate is grown (or is in cultivation) on both of these islands.

Our walk then took us to Castillo San Cristóbal, built in 1771 and designed to protect the city from attack by land.

Castillo de San Cristóbal (San Cristóbal Fort) is El Morro's partner in the city's defense. Built in 1634 (completed in 1771), was considered the Gibraltar of the . San Cristóbal was supported by a massive system of outworks which provided defense in depth and is is one of the largest defenses ever built in the Americas. It rose 150 feet, covering 27 acres of land. As if its size and height weren't sufficient to intimidate enemies, its intricate modular design was sure to foil them. A strategic masterpiece, it features five independent units, each connected by moat and tunnel; each fully self-sufficient should the others fall.

Two blocks later we reached Plaza de Colón, a short four blocks back to our hotel... after a pause at the

20 Information Center. Here we did some additional map reading to determine the actual location for our Old San Juan Food Tour later this afternoon. We will return to Plaza del Inmigrante – and now we have a better feel for the size and distances of Old San Juan. We also learned that the city of San Juan operates a hop-on-hop-off trolley system which we will use next Saturday while we again tour the city. Returning to our hotel, we dropped off our souvenir purchases in our room. We relaxed for an hour and then decided to window shop our way to our late afternoon meeting place for the excursion we had booked on-line. That assembly was right next to a local brewery and we decided to step inside.

Old Harbor Brewery is the only microbrewery on the island. We went to taste the local beer before re- walking down to the harbor to look at the ships. I sampled the Santo Viejo while Liz tasted the Old Harbor . A very personable waiter suggested an appetizer plate of Puerto Rican Mini Fritters, an assortment of Puerto Rican favorites.

We sampled an order of Sorullitos de Maiz (deep fried corn meal sticks); Almojábanas (cheese fritters); Arepa Reina Pepiada (w/ chicken and avocado); Bacalaítos (salt codfish fritters), croquetts, and Alcapurria (masa, primarily of green bananas or yauti [taro] and filled with picadillo [spicy ground beef]). Everything was very flavorful and unique, just the thing we needed to sustain another walk along the cruise terminals.

When we were looking for ways to maximize our experiences in San Juan we found this description of the Old San Juan Food tour. It sounded too intriguing to pass up. We booked it months ago and were looking forward to the tour.

Food and Culture: Join us as we stroll through Old San Juan’s most historic section, visiting five off the beat “do not miss” spots ranging from a “mom and pop” coffeehouse to a former 16th century jailhouse turned restaurant. Stop fumbling through your guide book or going bleary-eyed reading TripAdvisor trying to find “the best” restaurant during your limited visit here. Take our Old San Juan Food Tour™ and enjoy the oversight and knowledge your fun, entertaining local guide can provide. With Flavors, you’ll learn the places you love and have the knowledge (and savings guide) to return to them and make the most of Old San Juan. All food tastings are included in the ticket price.

On this tour you’ll visit five spots with a mix of sit down and “on the go” tastings (without guaranteed seating) so we can share as many foods and restaurants with you as possible in the short time you’re here. We taste on average 1-4 tastings per stop and the idea is to be pleasantly full at the end, but please note this is not a buffet and the idea is not to be stuffed at the end, but to feel satisfied and able to navigate through the unique cuisine and culture of Old San Juan and Puerto Rico.

History & Architecture: In between bites of mofongo and mallorca, you’ll stroll through the most historic and architecturally rich city in all of Puerto Rico. Experience it like you’ve never seen it: with a bilingual interactive guide that gets you behind the scenes and shares with you the “Fortress City’s” personality, rich history and interesting local tales. You will leave with a wider understanding of Old San Juan’s varied architectural gems and unique restaurants, cultural attractions and “must do” activities.

21 Carmen, our Flavors of San Juan tour guide, is from Ponce, Puerto Rico and left this Caribbean island to pursue studies in Massachusetts, returning to her island recently to be closer to family, friends and warmer weather. Given what Boston has been experiencing this winter, she made a wise choice.

She introduced herself as we arrived at the meeting point. When fully assembled, the group consisted of fifteen people from all over the US. She asked us to introduce ourselves and one couple mentioned this was their second time taking this tour. The woman was born in Puerto Rico but lived most of her life in Philadelphia and this tour always seemed “like being at home”. It was a good endorsement.

Our first stop was at Aromas Coffeehouse where we got a bit better acquainted with our fellow group members while tasting café con leche and local sweetbread, Mallorca (plump, buttery egg bread, dusted with powdered sugar). This set the tone of a late afternoon discovering San Juan.

Next we went to Café El Punto, an eatery highlighting fresh ingredients from San Juan's most popular farmer's market. Here we again had alcapurria, the appetizer we first tasted at the brewery earlier in the day.

Carmen led us to a portion of the old city wall overlooking the Paseo de la Princesa. She spoke of the history of San Juan and the original occupants. “Taíno Indians, a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (from northeastern South America), inhabited the Greater (, , Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico) in the at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World.

About 100 years before the Spanish invasion, the Taínos were challenged by an invading South American tribe - the Caribs. Fierce, warlike, sadistic, and adept at using poison-tipped arrows, they raided Taíno settlements for slaves (especially females) and bodies for the completion of their rites of cannibalism. Some ethnologists argue that the preeminence of the Taínos, shaken by the attacks of the Caribs, was already jeopardized by the time of the Spanish occupation. In fact, it was Caribs who fought the most effectively against the Europeans, their behavior probably led the Europeans to unfairly attribute warlike tendencies to all of the island's tribes.”

A few feet up the street was a small shop, Senor Paleta, which is a Popsicle emporium making a wide variety of flavors. It is very popular and “often has long lines down the street.” We chose from almost twenty flavors such as fudge, dulce de leche, pistacio, vanilla, mango, and lemon. Liz selected coconut and I tried the pineapple. Hers was better.

Continuing the history, Carmen walked through the Parque de las Palomas and explained the two statues of cats reflected the often large population of cats that enjoy this area. Maybe they also come to

22 see the pigeons. After taking us through La Catedral de San Juan Bautista, she pointed out the tomb of Juan Ponce de León. “He was killed by Indians in Florida and his remains were brought here, in honor of his service as the first governor for Spain.”

Back to the center of the park, we entered Rosa de Triana, a restaurant formerly used as Old San Juan's original city hall (built in 1523). The arced ceiling dinning room feels more like a wine cellar and our tables were preset with service for fifteen (Carmen had called ahead with the numbers). At each setting was a wooden mortar and pestle. We were invited to experience making Puerto Rico's signature dish (mofongo).

Double fried plantains, butter, and garlic had been placed in each mortar. We were given guidance to carefully mash the mix from the sides rather than plunge through the center. That would spray us with garlic butter all over our clothes. As we followed instructions, the waiters brought dishes of chicken in a salsa. This would be added to the mortar. We also had freshly baked bread as well as red beans and rice to finish the serving. Dessert would be served at the next location.

Our path took us to La Fortaleza (official governor's residence) past little shops and up to the Capilla del Cristo (Cristo Chapel) which was built in the 18th century (1753). "The stories surrounding the history of this small chapel conflict wildly except on one point: someone on horseback took a terrible spill off the cliffs at the end of Calle Cristo. Whether he lived, and the chapel was built to commemorate the miracle, or whether he died, and the chapel was to block off the street and prevent such an accident from happening again, is the part of the story that is in dispute."

23 Casa Cortés ChocoBar would provide our dessert. This is Old San Juan's only chocolatier, established by the Cortés family who have been producing fine chocolate for over eighty years. We were led to a small banquet room where we watched a short film while sampling from trays of chocolate served on matching size cheese slices. A new idea for me but quite tasty. We also had hot dark chocolate dipping sauce for fresh, hot churros. We also sampled cups of hot chocolate.

We finished the evening with a nightcap at The Mezzanine at St. Germain. A colonial building turned craft cocktail bar has small rooms decorated with vintage art and furnishings. Here we said goodbye to Carmen and the tour as we sipped an after-tour drink: the city's famous piña colada! This made a great ending to a very full and exciting day.

Saturday, February 28

After our food tour yesterday we decided that we would return to Aromas for coffee and breakfast this morning. The website announced opening time of eight o'clock was an hour inaccurate. And just as we rounded the corner of the bank the skies opened up and attempted to drench us. We opened the umbrella and waited ten minutes under the entrance eaves of the corner building. Then we decided to take a walk on to the Cortes Chocolate Shop instead.

We had a Café de Leche and a serving of chocolate with a fresh churro for dipping. That gave us the wake-up feeling we wanted. By then it was time to return to the Casa Blanca to finish packing and getting ready for the ship. I called down to the desk to have our luggage carried down stairs. A few minutes later Juan came to the room, hoisted the 47 pound bag onto his left shoulder, and tucked the 43 pound bag under the other arm and set out down the four flights of stairs. We just trailed after him.

After an hour of sitting we decided it would be better to wait at the ship rather than stay in the increasingly crowded hotel lounge. This prove to be quite true. When we got to the ship they processed us in in fifteen minutes and we relaxed in the Windjammer Lounge for lunch and then went to our stateroom (8664). Our luggage was delivered a half hour late and we unpacked and set up our closets.

During that process we met Rodel Ranon (Philippines), our stateroom attendant. He knew our names of course and we did tell him we were back-to-back cruisers; as were Fereshteh and Mahmood. Several times we called their room (8656) to learn when they would arrive. It turned out that the airline had “lost” their luggage in Kentucky and offered them vouchers for new clothes. But then their suitcases were located and delivered in time to rejoin them for the cruise. We did not catch up with them until

24 after four o'clock but by then they were also unpacking and setting up their stateroom.

We caught up with them in the Tides Dinning Room at six o'clock. We share a table for four (#480) at a port-side window. Our waitress, Claudia Bayona from Bogot á, Columbia, introduced herself and then introduced her assistant, Glenn Rona, from Manila, Philippines. They will be our food service team for this leg of the cruise and they seem very well qualified and personable. We will asked that we remain with this team for the second leg as well.

We spoke with Fereshteh and Mo about our transit news and they spoke of their trip to visit friends in Tampa. Then we told them of our adventures in San Juan and our plans to show them the city when we have a full day there next Saturday. Then we discussed our plans for St. Thomas tomorrow. We told them that Charlotte Amalie itself was essentially a shopping mall but our guidebook had described the restoration of Ft. Christian and we thought that would make for an interesting tour. That and the Emancipation Garden offered culture stops and we looked forward to that tomorrow.

Then it was time for the mandatory safety briefing and all passengers were required to report to the Emergency Guest Muster Drill (Station U15) at eight o'clock. Names were checked off the list and after the emergency klaxon sounded seven short and one long blast, Captain Castelsky came on the speaker system and welcomed us to the cruse.

Captain Dustin Castelsky, Master

Born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Dustin embarked on a career at sea through a close family friend. Dustin began sailing worldwide trade on Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers (LNG), where he gained his experience and accreditation. He then completed his degree in Nautical Sciences in Vancouver, British Columbia, Having joined the marine industry to work on passenger vessels he moved from the cargo sector and joined Royal Caribbean International as 2nd Officer in the spring of 2003. He has had the privilege of serving on many of the vessels within our fleet, on a variety of worldwide itineraries providing him the opportunity to meet many guests from all over the world. Dustin is proud to serve you as your Captain. He wishes you a wonderful cruise vacation and looks forward to meeting you around the vessel.

Tonight's show in the Coral Theater was The Comedy of Don Barnhardt. He was accompanied by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers but there was only one show and that would be at 10:30 o'clock. We chose to skip the performance and finish unpacking and hanging up our clothes. I sent my formal wear out for pressing. Then I put out a room service request for coffee to be delivered at seven thirty o'clock tomorrow morning.

Sunday, March 01

Liz and I went up to the running track on Deck 12 at six o'clock. No one else was on the track at first but the doors had just opened at the gymnasium and about ten people were beginning stair-step or jogging machines. By the time we finished our first lap the track held another dozen joggers and walkers.

Our coffee was delivered at seven thirty o'clock as requested. We then joined Fereshteh and Mahmood for a sit down breakfast. We prefer the dining room when possible. It makes portion control that much easier. And today we do not have an excursion but just plan to walk downtown.

25 Charlotte Amalie, located on St. Thomas, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. . Founded in 1666 as Taphus (beer houses). In 1691, the town was renamed to Amalienborg (English: Charlotte Amalie) after Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714), queen consort to King Christian V of Denmark.

The city is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, and a dozen streets and places throughout the city have Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has buildings of historical importance including St. Thomas Synagogue, the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, and the oldest Lutheran church in the Western Hemisphere, the Frederick Lutheran Church. The town has a long history of pirates, especially stories of Bluebeard and Blackbeard (Edward Teach). In the 17th-century, the Danes built both Blackbeard's Castle and Bluebeard's Castle attributed to the pirates. Blackbeard's Castle is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Another tourist attraction is Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands Archipelago. A copy of the Liberty Bell is located in Emancipation Park, which is a tourist attraction.

In 1915, the United States became interested in buying the U.S. Virgin Islands. They were concerned over German infiltration in the . The U.S. purchased the in 1917 for $25 million. Charlotte Amalie was under U.S. Navy rule until 1931. The United States decided to make Charlotte Amalie the main headquarters of the renamed United States Virgin Islands. During the Second World War, the city became a naval base to protect allied shipping to and from the Panama Canal.

26 The ship was docked a little more than a mile and a half around Long Bay and Fort Christian. We found it easy to bypass Señor Frogs and to forgo all the barkers touting their taxi for a quick trip downtown. It was warm compared with Lakewood weather and we enjoyed the sun.

Our guidebook said that there had been a great deal of renovation at Fort Christian (Danish-built fort (1671) and named for King Christian V.; the oldest standing structure in the U.S. Virgin Islands, this fort has served as a town center, a government building, and a jail. It currently holds the St. Thomas Museum. This museum holds artifacts and art of the Danish period. Date over the main gate is 1671). We could tell as we walked up to the adjacent Downtown Fire Station that the fort was not open. The firemen confirmed this and we decide to check out Emancipation Park instead.

Emancipation Park was named in commemoration of the July 3rd, 1848 emancipation of slaves in the Danish West Indies. On the west side of the park is a conch blower statue which also commemorates emancipation; and a reproduction of the Liberty Bell (every U.S. state and territory has a copy of the Bell). A bust of Denmark’s King Christian IX is situated in the middle of the park. Adjacent to the north side is Grand Galleria; opened in 1840 as the Commercial Hotel and Coffee House. In its heyday the Hotel was the accommodation of distinguished and well-to- do visitors. It remained a hotel until 1975. Renamed Grand Galleria in 2000.

Our ladies shopped in the Vendors Plaza and then we moved through the Grand Galleria and onto other local shops. Liz and Fereshteh looked at linens and jewelry while Mo and I dodged in and out of the shops to avoid an afternoon sprinkle. When the rain stopped and the shopping was done we retraced our route back to our ship.

We went to the Windjammer Café for a late lunch. Mo said he had an appointment with his pillow and I went to the Internet Café to set up wi-fi for our computers. Then I returned to our stateroom to process photos. I try to download my camera to the computer each day. Then I process the pictures I wish to keep and set them in pre-designated folders for storing.

Fereshteh and Liz went to the Hollywood Odyssey Room to attend the Explorer Academy: Greeting Card Workshop . One of my duties was to have been going to their class to take a picture but the next thing I knew Liz returned from the session with two completed cards and I missed my chance.

I called our steward to check on the status of the pressing of my white jacket and tuxedo pants. I wanted them for formal night and it was time to get dressed for the evening. After a few minutes they found and delivered them to the room. We got dressed and made our way to Deck 13 and the Hollywood Odyssey Room.

The Crown and Anchor Society hosts a loyalty program for Diamond and Diamond Plus members.

27 They serve cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before dinner and it is an opportunity to meet others from the group. We met Jack and Kathie Corless from Rockville, MD, another back-to-back cruise couple, and we began to compare past adventures. Another gentleman introduced himself and left the four of us scratching our heads as he described his booking of twenty-one cruises this year. We are not in that league. Maybe he is complying with the rumor that cruising is cheaper than assisted living.

Allan Mirales (Philippines) is the manager of the Hollywood Odyssey. He is a one man operation able to remember over thirty patrons (at least at the hour we are there) as well as their beverage choices. The other loyalty room on Deck 13 (Vortex) had two bartenders and a waitress doing the same work as Allan.

We met the Sarram's at our dinning room table. I brought my camera to document our formal evening instead of the ship photographers. They tend to ask a couple to lean their heads toward each other while sitting at the table. I am truly not fond of that pose. Instead, I asked Claudia to take several group pictures of us at our table... much better.

After dinner we went to the Coral Theater to see the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers in West End To Broadway. The show was introduced by the Cruise Director Dennis Charles. Has a delightful sense of humor and the best singing voice of any cruised director we have known in 44 cruises. He is very impressive!

Dennis Charles, Cruise Director

Dennis comes to us from Kenosha, Wisconsin. He started his career at the tender age of 16, when he was selected as one of the states finest young entertainers. He traveled the world as a Headline Entertainer, He has worked on Cruise Ships for 23 years, and considers the Sea his home. He has been part of the Royal Caribbean family since 1990, has served as Cruise Director on over 22 ships and is proud to be your Cruise Director on-board the Jewel of the Seas. He looks forward to meeting all of our new guests and returning family members, and wishes everyone a great cruise vacation. “Welcome aboard"!

Monday, March 02

We have an early excursion this morning so we walked on the running track on Deck 12 (6 laps = 1 mile) but would have to forego breakfast in the dinning room. Instead, after clean-up, we met Fereshteh and Mo in the Windjammer Café. It was busy but offered a great deal of choice. We each selected servings of fruit with the Sarram's concentrating their second choices on bread, cheese, and nuts. We

28 also selected breads plus eggs, Caribbean breakfast potatoes (fresh fried potato chips with onion), and corned beef hash. It was a good start for a full day ahead.

Basseterre, Saint Kitts

Saint Kitts, also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French), is an island in the West Indies. Saint Kitts and the neighboring island of Nevis constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

A Spanish expedition under Christopher Columbus discovered and claimed the island for Spain in 1493. A short-lived French Huguenot settlement was established at Dieppe Bay in 1538.

The first English colony was established in 1623, followed by a French colony in 1625. The English and French briefly united to massacre the local Kalinago (preempting a Kalinago plan to massacre the Europeans), and then partitioned the island, with the English colonists in the middle and the French on either end. In 1629, a Spanish force sent to clear the islands of foreign settlement seized St. Kitts. The English settlement was rebuilt following the 1630 peace between England and Spain.

The island alternated repeatedly between English and French control during the 17th and 18th centuries, as one power took the whole island, only to have it switch hands due to treaties or

29 military action. Parts of the island were heavily fortified, as exemplified by the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Brimstone Hill and the now-crumbling Fort Charles.

Since 1783, St. Kitts has been affiliated with the Kingdom of Great Britain, which became the United Kingdom.

Teddy, our guide, met us at the pier and walked us to the bus where he introduced himself and began telling us about the island. He said, “sugar cane was introduced in St. Kitts in 1643, and it became as valuable as oil is today. Control of the Caribbean sugar islands sent European armies and navies to war, and sugar built empires. By 1775, with 200 estates producing sugar, St. Kitts was the wealthiest of the British possessions. But the introduction of the sugar beet and international market competition drove prices steadily downward, and by the beginning of the 20th Century the local industry was on its last legs.

Believing that profitability could be achieved with economies of scale, in 1912 a group of investors built a modern central sugar factory near Basseterre and began construction of a narrow gauge railway around the island to bring in cane from the outlying estates for processing. Completed in 1926, the railway ran seasonally from February to June for the annual sugar harvest, called “Crop”.

The new system allowed sugar production to continue on St. Kitts much longer than on other islands. The island of Nevis stopped growing cane in the mid–1930s. ended sugar production in 1971. But with a now antiquated factory and railway, diminishing acreage, and intense international competition, losses mounted. The European Union withdrew its subsidy of sugar and sales plummeted. Finally, Prime Minister Denzil L. Douglas announced that the industry would be closed at the end of the 2005 Crop. The last “sugar train” rattled into the yard and the factory machinery was shut down on July 31, 2005, bringing an end to over 350 years of sugar production on the island.”

As we made our way to the railhead where we would meet the sugar train he described the effect of that loss of a way of living on this island of 40,000 people. We passed by several buildings, to include an almost completed supermarket, which failed to be completed. Another was the shell of the last sugar factory which lay rusting and presumably, future demolition. Then we arrived alongside the narrow gauge train sitting on the track.

“The narrow gauge St. Kitts Scenic Railway is one of the most beautiful train rides in the world.” Originally built between 1912 and 1926 to deliver sugar cane from the fields to the sugar mill in Basseterre, the "Last Railway in the West Indies" now provides a new way for visitors to circle the

30 island.

“The “Island Series” rail-cars of the St. Kitts Scenic Railway are unlike any other rail-cars anywhere in the world.” I was more than a little surprised when Conductor Levi Pemberton later informed us they were built in Seattle. They are double-decked, with an upper open-air observation platform that puts you high above the top of the sugar cane and island vegetation for unobstructed 360 degree viewing, and a lower air-conditioned “parlor”. The carpeted parlor has huge six–foot vaulted windows, and is furnished with cushioned rattan chairs at inlaid tables. There is a service bar, a restroom, and paintings by local artists hang on the walls. Of course, all the passengers opted for the upper seating of the four passenger cars that made up the train.

Mr. Pemberton spoke over a speaker system placed in each car but because these cars are open, he was visible to all of us as he pointed to or gestured over significant views. At the same time he supervised his staff in distribution of complimentary drinks (rum punch, frozen daiquiris, soft drinks, fruit juices, and bottled water) served throughout the trip. We also were entertained by the three-voice, a cappella St. Kitts Railway Choir singing Caribbean folk songs, children's songs, and familiar hymns. They came to each car in turn but also were heard over the public address system.

“The Railway portion of the tour hugs the Northeastern coastline where spectacular vistas of the ocean, surf, cliffs and lush vegetation surround you. The train rolls across tall steel bridges spanning deep "ghuts", or canyons, and winds through small villages and farms. Dark green rain forests are skirted by rippling fields of sugar cane, with the volcanic cone of Mt. Liamuiga rising above the railway.”

I was intrigued by the foliage,

31 track-side villages, layout of former sugar cane fields, and the skeletal remains of windmill bases and adjoining smokestacks indicating cane crushing facilities and sap reduction processing. These windmill and smokestack combinations indicated the size and number of adjacent plantations over the landscape. They also gave the feel of how manpower intensive this grueling life would have been to the slaves that worked these fields.

When we reached the end of our 18 mile ride (La Valle Station) we exchanged buses with the reverse- order Catamaran group on this Rail-and-Sail excursion. They would then take the train back to our start point and we were transferred the short distance to New Guinea to meet our Catamaran. After removing shoes to board the vessel, the crew introduced themselves and the party began. They served alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. A particular favorite of St Kitts is Ting (“Good with Every-Ting”), a grapefruit soft-drink that Mo and Fereshteh sampled. Liz and I enjoyed the Carib beer. The crew also handed out brown-bag lunches of a chicken sandwich, a bag of potato chips, and fruit.

We sailed along the western coastline of St Kitts, under the over-watch of Brimstone Hill Fortress, the British "Gibraltar of the West Indies."

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a well-preserved fortress on a hill on the island of St. Kitts. It was designed by British military engineers, and was built and maintained by African slaves. It is one of the best preserved historical fortifications in the Americas.

Cannon were first mounted on Brimstone Hill in 1690, when the British used them to recapture Fort Charles from the French. The French had not considered it possible to transport cannon up the steep and thickly wooded sides of Brimstone Hill. The construction of the fort then carried on intermittently for just over 100 years. In its heyday, the fort was known as 'The Gibraltar of the West Indies', in reference to its imposing steepness and height, its proximity to the sea, and its seeming invulnerability.

In 1782, the French, under Admiral Comte François Joseph Paul de Grasse laid siege to the fort. During the siege, the adjacent island of Nevis surrendered, and guns from Fort Charles and other small forts there were brought to St. Kitts for use against Brimstone Hill. British Admiral Hood could not dislodge de Grasse, and after a month of siege, the heavily outnumbered and cut-off British garrison surrendered. However, a year later, the Treaty of Paris (1783) restored St. Kitts and Brimstone Hill to British rule, along with the adjacent island of Nevis. Following these events, the British carried out a program to augment and strengthen the fortifications, and Brimstone Hill never again fell to an enemy force. The French navy tried to recapture the fort in 1806 but failed.

The fort was abandoned by the British in 1853.

Savoring the ocean breezes, we enjoyed the sunshine and the views as we passed many of the small fishing villages. We also could see more abandoned sugar estates in the cane fields on the slopes of the mountains. We then passed “Old Road Town, the first British settlement, founded by Sir Thomas Warner in January 1624, and sail[ed] around "Bloody Point", where the French and the British came together to destroy the power of the Carib Indians in 1626.”

Back on-board, Fereshteh and Liz went to a Medi-Spa Pamper Party on Deck 11. Dr Paola, a dermatologist, spoke at the session. These normally turn out to be high pressure sales of spa procedures. Both Liz and Fereshteh came back to their rooms laughing. They had been invited to step on a form of carbon paper and the resulting footprint is then used as a tool to determine adjustments to

32 your health. It all sounds like phrenology and they are reading the “bumps”.

Tuesday, March 03

I had mixed up my memory of Philipsburg with another Dutch Caribbean port we had visited with Roger and Tina (Oranjestad, ). As we came in this morning I couldn't place the layout of this port and thought it must be a new place. But when we got off the ship and walked to the port exit I correctly remembered which port it had been. Of course, that had been in October 2009 and your mind can get confused in six years.

We did our walk as usual but the wind was strong on Deck 12, so much so we couldn't hear our audio books on our iPods. We decided to drop down to Deck 5 and the promenade deck. Access to the helicopter deck stairs to Deck 6 forward limits a full revolution of the promenade so we walked a “U” pattern. When we finished we returned to our stateroom and then went down to the Diamond and Diamond Plus Tides Dinning Room. There we could enjoy a cappuccino while waiting to meet with Fereshteh and Mo in the main Tides Dinning Room for breakfast.

The sit down breakfast is off menu but there is also a fruit and nut station which one may visit after placing your order. We each would select our preference and then supplement the menu with fresh fruits and nuts. A lovely option.

33 When we finished breakfast we retired to our staterooms for a half hour and then met in the Centrum on Deck 4 to depart the ship. We had no excursions but chose to walk through the town on our own. Today they have two piers and we were but one of four ships side-by-side. The Jewel of the Seas (RCCL), Independence of the Seas (RCCL), Fantasy (Disney), and Getaway (NCL). That made for a memorable picture.

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten is the main town and capital of the country of Sint Maarten. The town is situated on a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. It functions as the commercial center of Saint Martin island, whereof Sint Maarten encompasses the southern half. As of 2006, it has 1,338 inhabitants.

The island was first sighted by Christopher Columbus on 11 November 1493, but there was already an settlement there before his discovery. Philipsburg was founded in 1763 by John Philips, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy; the settlement soon became a bustling center of international trade. Two historic forts bear witness to Philipsburg's strategic importance in St. Maarten's history: Fort Amsterdam and Fort Willem .

We walked through some of the many shops right at the port. One of them, a chocolate shop, was worth a look to determine what they had and if we might return on the way back from town to make a purchase right before we re-boarded the ship. Their prices were well over what we thought we would wish to spend so that saved us at least one stop.

The main shopping area is about a mile past marinas and boat repair yards with some bars and restaurants along the way. Fereshteh had brought along her iPad with a view toward finding a wi-fi link to download emails. Chez Delphine seemed like a good spot and they offered free link-ups for customers.

We sat at a table right next to boats in a marina. Ordering soft drinks, we asked the owner if we needed a code for the internet. She said we did and then gave us the password. We tried to set it up but could not hook up. Thinking I may have heard the woman wrong, I asked her to write the password down. She did and we still couldn't connect. The next time she came by we told her it was not working and she said, “maybe you need to closer to the bar inside.” No luck here either. She said, “That's strange, it must not be working.” I felt we were part of a bait and switch procedure... and the sodas were three times what we would pay at home.

We did enjoy walking downtown and shopping. Some of the prices seemed fairly dear but that is part of the process. Mo was looking for shoes and the girls were looking for bargains. All of us came back with empty shopping bags but it was still fun.

We returned around one thirty o'clock and headed for the Windjammer for lunch. I offered to set up some of our internet time for Fereshteh to check her eMail so we met on Deck 7 (wi-fi was available on Decks 4, 5, and 7) where she was able to clear her account and sent a quick note to her family.

Then Liz and Fereshteh met at the Schooner Bar on Deck 6 for Explorer Academy: Jewelry Making . The instructor admitted that he only knew how to make earrings so that is what they did. Of course, that admission foretold a lack of interest for the same class next week. When you are a one-trick-pony you shouldn't expect repeat students.

34 Tonight dinning room dress was “casual: white attire” so we all wore our white finery. We were not alone but there wasn't a full gathering of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, plenty were “just casual” and multi-colored . After dinner we went to the show in the Coral Theater.

The Pampas Devils Gauchos were the highlighters. I'm not sure why we had gauchos in the Caribbean but they were very energetic and fun to watch. We enjoyed the show and posed with the artists at the end of the performance.

Wednesday, March 04

Liz and I booked an excursion through Online Vacations for today. So we will be going our separate ways this morning but still met at the Windjammer to begin our day. We discussed our plans for tomorrow and Mo would go to the Excursion Desk to join us on the same tour. We also told them we could meet for iced tea when we returned and planned to do so.

Dominica is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea. Its size is 750 square kilometres (290 sq mi) and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of 1,447 metres (4,747 ft). The Commonwealth of had a population of 72,301 at the 2014 Census. The capital is Roseau which is located on the leeward side of the island.

Dominica was first discovered by the Spanish, then colonized by the French and British before finally obtaining independence in 1978. Dominica has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its unspoiled natural beauty. The island features lush mountainous rainforests, home of many rare plant, animal, and bird species. The island has 365 rivers. The Sisserou parrot (AKA imperial amazon), is found only on Dominica and is the island's national bird. It is featured on the national flag. Dominica's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and agriculture.

Christopher Columbus named the island after the day of the week on which he spotted it, a Sunday (Dies Dominica), 3 November 1493. In the hundred years after Columbus's landing, Dominica remained isolated. At the time it was inhabited by the Island Caribs, or Kalinago people, and over time more settled there after being driven from surrounding islands, as European powers entered the region. The people of Spain left the island due to isolation and the fierce Island Carib warriors that inhabited the island. France had a colony for several years, importing African slaves to work on its plantations. In this period, the Antillean Creole language developed. France formally ceded possession of Dominica to Great Britain in 1763. Great Britain established a small colony on the island in 1805.

Britain abolished slavery throughout the British Empire in 1834. By 1838, Dominica became the first British Caribbean colony to have a legislature controlled by an ethnic African majority. In

35 1896, the United Kingdom took governmental control of Dominica, turning it into a Crown colony. Half a century later, from 1958 to 1962, Dominica became a province of the short-lived . On 3 November 1978, Dominica became an independent nation.

We were met at the pier by our driver of a ten passenger van who described his city as we climbed, quite sharply, into the luscious hills. Along the way he also stopped to point out special plants and views from the island. “Feel and then crush this leaf, it is from the castor plant, used to harvest castor beans for castor oil.” I have not been reminded of that purgative since I was a little boy, not a fond memory.

He stopped at the luxurious home of Daria Eugene, Managing Director of Jungle Trekking Adventures & Safaris Inc., who also designed our class Cooking Caribbean, Rum and Nature . When we were escorted to the back yard we discovered an excellent view of Dominica and the harbor far below. We also learned that the second floor portico protected the open kitchen that lead into that back yard.

Our course was designed to give us an appreciation of Caribbean, Creole cooking. Daria introduced herself, a niece, and one other helper who had prepped the vegetables and fish the ten of us, plus nine others from a second ship, would use in preparing our lunch.

Our first lesson was to learn about and possibly recognize trays of the traditional spices, vegetables,

36 and fruits used in creole cooking. By “possibly recognize” I refer to known varieties which are larger or more luxurious in Dominica that what we are used to at home, such as their bay leaf. Or spices we have not see in their fresh form, only dried and processed, such as mace. I was very surprised when the feathery, outer wrap of the nutmeg was presented. And then other items, such as a cacao pod, which I had never seen before. All of this was quite informative.

Daria then put on rubber gloves to demonstrate the proper way to slice open the skin and then drain the juice from a green banana. She said at this stage the juice was quite caustic and acted like bleach. Next to this station was a large bowl of already sliced and cooked green banana sections. These would be combined with onion, garlic, butter, olive oil, curry powder, geera powder, clove powder, grated ginger, coconut milk, Bay leaf, and lime juice in a dish called Curried Green Bananas, served hot.

Each of us were given tasks or participated in group effort. Some cut tomatoes to be used on a salad; some boiled rice to be used in beans and rice. Another group sprinkled brown cane sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and dark rum on grapefruit halves for our Boozed Grapefruit dessert.

My task was to stir-fry chives, thyme, celery, parsley, onion, pepper tomato and garlic until the onion was tender. Then I was directed to take half of the mixture and put it in another pan. To this we added marlin fillets; and top them with the other half of the mixture. Tomato sauce was added and the pan was covered and let simmer eight more minutes minutes.

We collectively patted ourselves on the back as we enjoyed our “student prepared” lunch. It was scrumptious... and we also learned a bit of the culture and history of this beautiful country in the process. Refreshed with , the number one and brewed locally; it was a very successful excursion.

Having had lunch, we returned to the ship and the Windjammer Café for a prearranged meeting with Fereshteh and Mo. They had independently booked a taxi to tour the island and saw some of the same attractions we had seen. After we finished our iced tea Mo retired to their stateroom and Fereshteh, Liz and I returned to the Old Market Square in Roseau.

The Old Market square used to be a place where food produce was bought and sold, where slaves were auctioned and where public executions were carried out. Today it hosts a craft and souvenir market. The old streets laid by the French settlers radiate out from this central point.

37 Located within the Old Market square is a cast iron fountain where a well was once located, and the Dawbiney hucksters shelter which is still used today.

The market is run down and rusted in places but the shadow of time is reflected in this imposing building right off the pier where frightened slaves must have dreaded a short, one block walk from a ship to face an auction block and a life of servitude. Today, only souvenirs are sold by several vendors who seem to carry the same craft items. It only takes a few minutes to walk through the area.

After a half hour we returned to the ship. I became hat-less when a gust of wind blew my straw hat into the harbor. Now I am in the market for a new Panama hat! We got back to the ship in time for Fereshteh and Liz to attend Explorer Academy: Napkin Artistry, in the Schooner Bar. I returned to my room to process today's photos.

Tonight was another formal evening and after the last formal I sent my tuxedo and shirt to the cleaners. This afternoon the steward delivered my tuxedo but said there “was a problem with my shirt.” It appeared that there had been a bleaching accident as the shirt was severely discolored. Subsequently one of the supervisors interviewed me and I reported this shirt had been worn for the first time this week. Royal Caribbean did reimburse the cost of that shirt in the final billing for the first leg of the cruise.

After dinner the performance in the Coral Theater was a presentation by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, City Of Dreams , accompanied by the Jewel of the Seas Orchestra

Thursday, March 05

Another early walk followed by the four of us meeting in the Windjammer Café for breakfast. Then we are on to an early excursion, Essence of .

Barbados is a sovereign island country in the Lesser Antilles. Barbados was visited by Spanish navigators in the late 15th century and claimed for the Spanish Crown. It first appears on a Spanish map from 1511. The Portuguese visited the island in 1536, but they left it unclaimed, with their only remnants being an introduction of wild hogs for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. The first English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1625. They took possession of it in the name of King James I. In 1627 the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and it became an English and later British colony.

The Spanish and Portuguese briefly claimed Barbados from the late 16th to the 17th centuries.The are believed to have fled to neighboring islands. Apart from possibly displacing the Caribs, the Spanish and Portuguese left little impact and left the island uninhabited. Some Arawaks migrated from British Guiana (modern day ) in the 1800s and continue to

38 live in Barbados.

From the arrival of the first English settlers in 1627–1628 until independence in 1966, Barbados was under uninterrupted English and later British governance and was the only Caribbean island that did not change hands during the colonial period. In the very early years, the majority of the population was white and male, with African slaves providing little of the workforce. Cultivation of tobacco, cotton, ginger and indigo was handled primarily by European indentured labor until the start of the sugar cane industry in the 1640s.

In 1966, Barbados became an independent state and Commonwealth realm, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. It has a population of 277,821 people, mostly of African descent.

The Excursions Desk has to take a hit, not totally of their own making, for the fiasco at Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados. The contractor, Sol Tours, did not have enough agents to intercept and guide the Jewel of the Seas passengers out of the many other cruisers disembarking from two additional cruise ships.

We were advised to “just go over there, in those chairs and benches in the center, and we will call you for your excursion.” This did not happen and only when we noticed several of our small excursion group (Essence of Barbados) assembling at a bus stop did we learn that we were forming into a line. At the same time, the bus in front of us was fully loaded and sitting in the bus stop for twenty one minutes before a driver entered that bus and closed the doors, and then drove off.

I speculated, quite loudly, that we needed a supervisor to take charge of the confusion. Then one of the company representatives did come by and explain that “your driver” has been delayed by an accident. This could well be possible but the driver later told us he left late. Why didn't the company become proactive and jump in front of the problem to lessen the dissatisfaction many felt? I think the company was non responsive.

Everton, our driver, was not a guide per se. He did say things like, “over there is the first Episcopalian church on the island; and there is one of our many schools...” We did learn a bit about school children being required to wear uniforms but nothing about the rate of graduation or what percentage went on to college or trade schools. To those type questions he would either say, “I used to know that or I never learned that.” One of the passengers asked, “when did Barbados become independent?” and he replied, “Jesus, I learned that in school a long time ago, but I'm 67 now!”

39 My feel was that he truly was just a driver and others normally served as a guide on his bus.

We drove past inoperative sugar cane fields to Foursquare Distillery, the newest distillery in the Eastern Caribbean. This is a also a part of Heritage Park, a place to see and experience the culture and history of Barbados.

This fourth generation, family owned business was established in the 1920s. Over the course of a decade or so they have grown from being rum traders to rum distillers of some repute. In 1995 they took over an abandoned sugar factory and after refurbishment and the installation of custom built stills in 1996 commenced rum production.

Despite sitting in the middle of a sugar cane plantation. Four Square is forced to import most of their molasses from Guyana. The sugar cane plantation was separated from the old sugar factory (now the distillery) in the 1950s with sugar production ceasing in 1987-89.

Another guide walked us through the distillery and then accompanied us on Everton's bus to the Sunbury Plantation House. Over 300 years old, this reflects life on a sugar estate in the 18 th and 19 th centuries.

40 The history of Sunbury Plantation House goes back over three hundred years. It was built around 1660 by Matthew Chapman, an Irish/English planter, one of the first settlers on the island. He was related to the Earl of Carlisle and through this association, was granted lands in Barbados. The name Chapman appears in the first map of the island in 1638.

In 1981 the house was separated from the sugar plantation and sold to Mr. and Mrs. Keith Melville of Barbados. The Melville’s, both keen horse lovers, started their horse drawn collection many years ago. What began as a hobby grew into a most comprehensive collection of antiques and artifacts of a bygone era. The Melville’s resided at Sunbury until 1985. Sunbury House was opened to the public in January 1984.

The main building features quoined corners, a water catchment situated in the west side of the hose is dated 1788 suggesting that this was the date that the roof was replaced following the damage in the 1780 hurricanes. The house one of the main attractions on the island suffered a disastrous fire on July 24th 1995. It was meticulously restored and reopened to the public in August 1996.

The furniture that was destroyed in the fire was replaced by part of the Harold Bowen collection as well as with many items made available for purchase by numerous Barbadian families. To all of them the owners of Sunbury will always be eternally grateful for their great interest in this Heritage House. Also our deep appreciation to everyone who inspired and encouraged us and made it possible to rebuild Sunbury to its former glory.

The collections are impressive. One sees fine furnishings, many of which show progressive design, ahead of routine construction of its day. The walls are 2½ feet thick and sash windows are protected by jalousies on the outside and shutters on the inside. While allowing a refreshing flow of air through the house, they could be quickly closed in the event of a hurricane.

Our last stop of the day was at Reggie Medford Craft World. Here his personally tutored team of artisans transform the roots of the Barbados mahogany tree into beautiful works of art. After a steep incline into the property, our bus was met by a 20 year veteran carver who would explain the process of of making mahogany figures.

He began by explaining that their stockpile of mahogany trunks and roots are harvested only through removal of damaged trees through construction or natural wind damage. It is illegal to harvest healthy mahogany trees. The guide also showed us how roots often grew around rocks in such a way as to become impossible to remove them and they sometimes become part of the finished art pieces.Our guide then told us that in twenty years, right after he finished high school, he has never "carved" mahogany with a blade. They use sanders to finish the wood. This was demonstrated when he took a roughly shaped block of wood and made a dolphin within three minutes with his hand-held drill sander. He also explained how each piece was then hand dipped in a finishing shellac which would turn the

41 wood to a bisque or gloss finish, depending on the process.

After the demonstration we entered the shop. Liz found a small bud vase and a budgie bird to bring home. Fereshteh purchased a mortar and pestle for her kitchen. Medford Craft World would happily ship larger and more expensive art works back to the US for us but these were good memories of our trip to Bridgetown, Barbados.

In the afternoon Liz and Fereshteh attended the Explorer Academy: Jewelry Making in the Schooner Bar. They made earrings while Mo and I went to the Centrum, Deck 7 and opened up our computers. Mo wanted to send out an eMail. I just wanted to clear some of my traffic. Part of our package gave Liz and me free time on the wi-fi and we just logged in Mo's computer to access the system.

Earlier in the week we had been served a Moist Chocolate Almond Cake that the four of us agreed was the best dessert we had on this cruse. In otherwise very mediocre offerings, this had the taste and texture of a chocolate dessert for the Sarram's annual chocolate auction for Clover Park College. We asked for the recipe and tonight Claudia brought it to the table, along with servings of three portions for each of us. That was too much, as was the recipe itself. It was for 100 portions; the ladies will have to modify it for home use.

This evening's performance in the Coral Theater was the Mind Blowing Mental Magic Alan Chamo . “Alan Chamo is a master of mentalism (the magic of the mind) and enjoys performing his shows in English and Spanish. He uses clean comedy, hypnosis and mentalism to amaze, motivate and inspire people.”

We enjoyed the show and were intrigued by the last session where two people, apparently under post hypnotic suggestion, would respond separately and inversely to gestures from Mr. Chamo even when he was behind and out of sight of them. It was a “puzzlement.”

Friday, March 06

We slept in a little later because today was a sea day. I had requested coffee be sent to the room at six thirty o'clock and we received a phone call from room service ten minutes before that announcing that our order was on the way. We were dressed for walking when it arrived and when finished, we went up toe Deck 12 and the running track. The wind was blowing so hard we could not hear our audio book. We were on the last chapter of Jeffrey Deaver's Skin Collector and wanted to be sure to hear the

42 conclusion.

Going down to the Promenade on Deck 5, we walked a U pattern for 2.5 miles. When we got to the bow, the bottom of the U, the wind whistled through the superstructure and we momentarily struggled to hear but that went quickly and we did finish the book before returning to the room.

At eight o'clock we met Fereshteh and Mo at the dining room and had breakfast. The ladies were planning to attend an animal towel folding class at nine o'clock. I would go back to the room and then stop to pick up Mo at eleven for a meeting of consecutive cruisers to discuss the procedures we will need to complete tomorrow.

The session was delayed over a half hour while waiting for people too inconsiderate to arrive on time. We made the best of that delay by allowing Mo to join us in signing up for an excursion to St John's, USVI next cruise, on Sunday. We otherwise would return to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas but since we had done that last Sunday we thought this would be a better use of our time.

When the program did begin the Customer Services Officer explained to the approximately 140 back- to-back cruisers that we would receive new key cards for next week in this afternoon's distribution. We would then leave the ship tomorrow morning using our current (old) sea pass card so the ship could clear the records of this cruise. We then would use our new sea pass to re-board the ship later in the afternoon.

We also would be given an “In-Transit” card to show immigration officials who would then understand we are back-to-back cruisers and would not have luggage to check through customs. We also would use these cards to bypass the new boarders for next week's cruise.

At eleven o'clock the culinary team, fronted by Cruise Director Dennis Charles, made a Black Forest Cherry Cake. Dennis selected someone from the audience to also make this cake, along with the pastry chef. These three cakes would then be served to the rest of the audience. Dennis talked the others through the process, liberally dousing his cake with kirschwasser (clear, colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries). The guest chef and the pastry chef were much more traditional than Dennis. His was the booze version.

After the silliness and the laughs, the audience could sample either the boozy version, the traditional version, or alcohol free versions of this German favorite. When the class finished we met the ladies in the Tides Dinning Room for lunch.

43 Tonight's Showtime: The Comedy of Don Barnhart , was accompanied by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. "The Don Barnhart Comedy Hypnosis Show delivers interactive, improvisational and sidesplitting comedy while simultaneously unlocking the unique mysteries of the human mind. It's a musical, fast-paced romp through volunteers' subconscious creative genius that keeps audiences on the edges of their seats. Akin to releasing the hidden talents of a dozen comedians onstage with Barnhart as the ringleader, each performance is kept clean and wholly unique."

The show ended with Cruise Director Dennis Charles introducing a video of the passengers followed by an after show introduction of the staff and crew of the Jewel of the Seas as they said farewell to the passengers.

Saturday, March 07

We had our breakfast in the Windjammer Café this morning. It was packed with passengers getting ready to finish their cruise and leave the ship. The offerings were a bit more limited than normal fare and were intended to help people eat quickly and move to their respective assembly rooms to depart the ship.

We were not in a rush as it would not do to leave the ship and go downtown before attractions and shops opened. We left at nine o'clock and quickly cleared immigration and the terminal and made our way to the taxi stand. We planned to begin our adventure at Columbus Square.

The Plaza de Colón, originally called St. James Square, was renamed in 1893 to honor Christopher Columbus on the 400th anniversary of his discovery of Puerto Rico; bronze tablets at the pedestal of the Columbus statue record important episodes in the explorer's life. From here we crossed the street to wait for the trolley.

Old San Juan has a free trolley service to help you get around the city. It does not provide a guided tour but serves as a hop-on-hop-off conveyance and would be just right for our plans. Last week we had seen that the open air trolley was empty at major attraction points but is often difficult to re-board at lesser traveled stops. We had decided to take this to our first major stop of the day, El Morro.

San Felipe del Morro was named in honor of King Phillip II, commonly known as El Morro, is a 16th-century citadel. The word itself sounds powerful and this six-level fortress certainly is. The construction of the Castillo San Felipe del Morro began in 1540 when King Charles V of Spain authorized its construction, including the surrounding walls and completed in 1589. Most of the walls in the fort today were added later, in a period of tremendous construction from the 1760's- 1780's. Rising 140 feet above the sea, its 18-foot-thick wall proved a formidable defense. It fell only once, in 1598, to a land assault by the Earl of Cumberland's forces. The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps. El Morro is studded with small, circular sentry

44 boxes called garitas that have become a national symbol. The views of San Juan Bay from El Morro are spectacular. The area was designated a National Historic Site in February, 1949 with 74 total acres. It has the distinction of being the largest fortification in the Caribbean. In 1992, in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus, the fortress was restored to its historical architectural grace and beauty. El Morro Fortress is a National Historic Site administered by the National Park Service.

The trolley routed us along Calle Norzagaray, past Castillo San Cristóbal, an on to El Morro. There we had a very short walk to the entrance of the fortress. The first portion we walked to was the main ramp/ staircase which leads to the Bateria de Santa Barbara and it was the most powerful cannon battery of the fort. There are many Garitas (sentry boxes) along the walls.

The Harbor defense was El Morro main mission, and El Morro formed the nuclear of the San Juan fortifications. In its heyday, its batteries of cannon on four different levels were deadly deterrents to any enemy warship that dared to enter San Juan Bay.

1. At sea level beside the entrance channel, guns in the water battery could break the waterline planking of passing vessels or fire “hot shot,” cannon balls heated until they glowed cherry-red into a ship’s hull (ship’s side), starting fires.

45 2. The cannon at El Morro’s second level (the case mated guns) faced directly seaward, and gunners here would try for hull and deck damage: with any luck they might cut a mast or two.

3. Third-level gunners (Santa Bárbara Battery) aimed at sails and rigging (rope), and cut them to pieces with canister and chain or bad shot.

4. Fourth-level guns (the Carmen Battery) supported the Santa Bárbara Battery and included in their field of fire the entire western and even part of the eastern sector of San Juan.

Because El Morro was vulnerable from the rear, a fifth landward, mounted on a barrier wall called the “horn work” because its plan resembled the outreaching horns of a bull – two half-bastions (the horns) joined by a curtain (straight) wall. In front of it was a barrier moat. Beyond that was cleared land called a glacis, smoothed and sloped so there was no shelter for attacking troops from the gunners and musketeers who lined the fort walls.

As we walked about the fortress we took the circular staircase down to lower levels. This staircase, plus a triangular staircase in another portion, were designed to give gunners easy access between levels of El Morro. Storerooms, gun-rooms, officers’ and soldiers’ quarters, a chapel, and a prison surround a large courtyard, or assembly plaza. Huge cisterns lie beneath, (3 Cisterns store 216,000 gallons of water).

Visible from the walls of El Morro is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. "The cemetery was named in honor of Saint Maria Magdalena de Pazzi. The cemetery dates back to early 1863, when construction was begun. It was then administered by Carmelite nuns. The oceanfront location of the cemetery is symbolic of the journey over to the afterlife and originates from Spanish superstition and fear of death."

Upon leaving the fortress we caught up with the trolley which was letting out passengers. We found plenty of seats and took a ride to Calle Tizol - beginning of the Paseo de la Princesa. From there we walked to La Fortaleza;

La Fortaleza was the first defensive fortification built for the city of San Juan, and the first of a series of military structures built to protect the city which included the Fort San Felipe del Morro and the Fort San Cristóbal. The construction was authorized by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor as a defense against attacks from Island Caribs and the European powers of the time. Initially, the structure consisted of four walls enclosing an interior patio with a circular tower known as the Homage Tower. From the top of the tower, the governor, following military tradition, would take oaths of fidelity at critical moments to the King and Queen of Spain.

46 La Fortaleza has been the home of 170 governors of Puerto Rico and is the official residence of the current governor. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina's Palace). It is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the New World. It was listed by UNESCO in 1983 as part of the World Heritage Site "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site.

A short walk of window shopping took us next to Capilla del Cristo. At this little chapel I told Fereshteh and Mo the legend of the miracle of the horseman who overrode the cliff edge but avoided sure death. However, it was tough on his horse. Today, the chapel was open and we could view the silver and gold altar, reputably forged from the charms representing healed body parts attributed to the miracle that took place here.

We continued to the Parque de las Palomas and climbed the steps of La Catedral de San Juan Bautista.

The original cathedral in the city of Puerto Rico (now San Juan) was constructed from wood in 1521. It was destroyed by a hurricane and the current structure constructed in 1540. The cathedral contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and settlement founder Juan Ponce de León. It also has a shrine to the Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago, the first Puerto Rican, the first Caribbean-born layperson and the first layperson in the history of the United States to be beatified.

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named. He is associated with the legend of the Fountain of Youth, reputed to be in Florida.

In 1521 Ponce de León organized a colonizing expedition on two ships. It consisted of some 200 men, including priests, farmers and artisans, 50 horses and other domestic animals, and farming implements. The expedition landed on the southwest coast of Florida, in the vicinity of Caloosahatchee River or Charlotte Harbor. The colonists were soon attacked by Calusa braves and Ponce de León was injured when, historians believe, an arrow poisoned with the sap of the Manchineel tree struck his thigh. After this attack, he and the colonists sailed to Havana, Cuba, where he soon died of the wound. He was buried in Puerto Rico, in the crypt of San José Church from 1559 to 1836, when his remains were exhumed and later transferred to the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista.

When we left the cathedral we were 100 feet from the restaurant we had selected to take Fereshteh and Mahmood to for a typical Puerto Rico meal. This was at Rosa de Triana, the restaurant we had visited with Carmen, our Flavors of San Juan tour guide. And shortly after we arrived she walked in with

47 today's tour. She smiled when she saw us and told the group we had been on her tour just last week.

Liz and I ordered Ensalada del Topacio (Lechuga, aguacate, tomate & verduras de temporada - lettuce, avocado & tomatoes & vegetables of season), Tostones con Camarones (fried plantains topped with shrimp and tomato sauce), and Alcapurrias (fried, ground beef filled fritters from the Caribbean made from a mixture of grated yautia (taro root) and green banana). Fereshteh and Mo had also ordered the Ensalada del Topacio and the Alcapurrias.

Martin, our waiter, served chupitos de manzana verde after lunch. I said that our friends did not enjoy alcohol and he said these did not contain any. He also said they taste like green apple. They are served in a small glass (no more than 5 or 6 cm high) and are usually served in groups. In Spanish customs it is customary to be served after lunch and, in some cases, are courtesy of the hoteliers.

After leaving the restaurant we walked to Plaza del Quinto Centenario (Quincentennial Square), opened in October 12, 1992. “This plaza is the cornerstone of Puerto Rico's commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World, has a sculpture which rises 12 meters (40 feet). The monumental totemic sculpture in black granite (Tótem Telúrico) and ceramics symbolizes the earthen and clay roots of American history and is the work of Jaime Suarez, one of Puerto Rico's foremost artists.”

Now it was time to take Fereshteh and Mo to a promised spot for dessert. We worked our way to Calle San Francisco. Then, on the way, we stopped at Marshalls where I bought a dress shirt to replace the one that was damaged in the ship laundry. Mo also found a shirt and as soon as we purchased our items, we crossed the street and went to SuperMax. Then we walked another four blocks to our destination.

At Casa Cortés ChocoBar we ordered Puertorriqueño (traditional hot chocolate) and Churros Delight con 3 Salsas: chocolate oscuro, crema de avellana,mermelada (homemade churros with 3 sauces: dark chocolate, hazelnut cream, marmalade). Then, as we got ready to leave, Mo purchased several packages of Cortés dark chocolate to take back to the ship.

Cortés is the uncontested leader in the Caribbean market, processing more than 6,000 metric tons per year. We are also constantly seeking to keep ahead of market changes, rolling out new products on an ongoing basis, all under the strictest international standards for quality, with the ultimate goal of satisfying the public’s evolving tastes.

Four generations after Pedro first launched our family company, we now enjoy an important global presence. We have learned from our ancestors to meet the challenges of each day, to constantly improve ourselves as individuals, and to give our utmost best. This is why we devote ourselves to delighting the palates of consumers with our passion for chocolate.

By now we had walked eight miles and decided to walk another four blocks north to Plaza de Colón and flagged down a taxi to retrace our route back to our ship. We again bypassed the main passenger boarding process and returned to our staterooms, now opened with our new sea pas cards.

From this point it was a re-play of last Saturday's boarding procedure. Of course, we now know the ship and know the stateroom and dinning room staff. We reported to our regular table for dinner. Thankfully, Claudia was still our waiter but she had a new assistant waiter, Christian Liparu (Romania). He seems as professional as Glenn Rona was on the last leg. I'm sure Christian will quickly learn our

48 preferences too. After dinner we repeated our mandatory safety briefing with all passengers required to report to the Emergency Guest Muster Drill (Station U15) at eight o'clock. Names were checked off the list and after the emergency klaxon sounded the now familiar seven short and one long blast, Captain Castelsky came on the speaker system and welcomed this new group to the cruse.

Tonight's show in the Coral Theater was The Comedy of Steve Smith. He was accompanied by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers but there was only one show and that would be at 10:30 o'clock. I put out a room service request for coffee to be delivered at seven thirty o'clock tomorrow morning.

Sunday, March 08

Our room service delivery of coffee was filled by a young steward (Russian) who called and said “your coffee will be in your room in five minutes.” Then when he arrived he seemed nervous when he delivered our order and was most appreciative when Liz gave him a tip. He fumbled with putting it in his pocket and a few moments later Liz noticed the tip was on the floor by the door. She went down the hall looking for him and heard him behind a crew door, alerting another room on the telephone that he was on the way. She knocked on the door and said, “I believe you lost your tip at our door.” He was so surprised and thankful that anyone would have sought him out to return it to him.

After our walk the four of us reported to the fitness center on Deck 12. We decided to sign up for Wake Up & Stretch. Out instructor, Tom, is Welsch and this is a new contract for him. There were eight people taking his class. We decided that when we didn't have an early excursion we would also take this class and Tom's follow-on session, Fab Abs.

We docked at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas but since we visited there last Sunday, today we boarded a coastal ferry to Saint John, USVI.

St. John is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. The smallest of the main US islands, St. John is located about four miles east of Saint Thomas, the location of the territory's capital, Charlotte Amalie.

Because there are no airports on St. John, the only access to the island is by boat. A ferry service runs hourly from St. Thomas. Since 1956, approximately 60% of the island is protected as Virgin Islands National Park, administered by the United States National Park Service. The economy is based on tourism.

Explorer Christopher Columbus, traveling on behalf of the Spanish Crown, is credited with being the first European to see the Virgin Islands in 1493, during his second voyage to the New World. A Catholic, he named the group of numerous islands as Once Mil Virgenes (Eleven Thousand Virgins), in honor of the feast day of Saint Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who were martyred with her.

The Danish West India and Guinea Company represented the first Europeans to settle the island in 1718. They are also credited with naming the island Saint John (Danish: Sankt Jan). The Danish crown took full control of this and nearby colonies in 1754, including those founded on the similarly named islands of Saint Thomas and Saint Croix. Sugar cane plantations, such as the famous Annaberg Sugar Plantation, were established in great numbers on St. John; the intense heat and fertile soil provided ideal growing conditions. The establishment of sugar plantations created a high demand for labor. The indigenous Carib and Arawak were used as slave labor but their population was quickly decimated by new infectious diseases.

49 The planters imported many slaves from Africa in an established slave trade dominated by Portugal in the early years, but which Britain also entered. In 1733 St. John was the site of one of the first significant slave rebellions in the New World. Enslaved Akwamu from the Gold Coast rebelled and took control of the island for six months before being defeated by a combination of better armed forces.

The Danish defeated the enslaved Africans with help from French colonists of Martinique. Instead of submitting to captivity and slavery, more than a dozen men and women shot and killed themselves before the French forces reached them. It is estimated that by 1775, slaves outnumbered the Danish settlers on St. John by a ratio of 5:1. Denmark finally abolished slavery in St. John and its other islands on July 3, 1848.

In 1917, during the Great War, the United States purchased the U.S. Virgin Islands for $25 million from the Danish government in order to establish a naval base.

Our ride on the Cruzan Breese Fastcat to Cruz Bay took thirty minutes and when we arrived we went to a temporary berth where we off loaded and then the ferry set out elsewhere for the day. It would return later in the afternoon. Our drop off point was right across from the United States National Park Service headquarters. In the parking lot were three open safari buses with rows of passenger seats holding approximately twenty seven people. Bucky, our guide and driver, led us to Island Breeze, our assigned

50 vehicle, and we set out for the north shore road.

He said, “the population of St. John is approximately 5,500.” There are no schools on the island, the children have to ferry to school on St. Thomas. “Many of the children have to get up at 4:00 am to get ready to go to school. Then they get back at 6:00 or 7:00 pm.”

The road winds through hairpin turns and switchbacks as we climbed. Several times Bucky stopped to allow us the opportunity to look back down at the harbor of Cruz Bay and Christians Fort (Cruz Bay Battery) which now houses administrative government offices. Further is Caneel Bay and the Caneel Bay Resort. Here one could see two beaches with public access and three beaches only accessible from the sea. On could also see a historic sugar works which are partially restored and offer gardens for relaxation.

We passed by Dennis Bay Plantation Ruins to the north of the highway and then next to Trunk Bay Plantation ruins immediately off the side of the road. And then on to the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, the most preserved of the former agricultural centers of the island.

Annaberg Plantation, as of 1780, was one of 25 active sugar producing factories on St. John. Other products produced at Annaberg were molasses and rum. Annaberg was named after William Gottschalk's daughter and translates to Anna's Hill. Gottschalk was the plantation owner. Slave labor was used to clear densely forested hillsides and to terrace the slopes around Annaberg to make farming possible. Slave labor was also used to plant, harvest and process the sugarcane. When slavery was abolished, plantations were divided. The 518 acres that were once Annaberg Plantation were divided into smaller farms.

Today the plantation ruins are protected by the Virgin Islands National Park and are open to the public. Trees have reclaimed the hillsides around Annaberg. A trail leads through factory ruins, slave quarters, windmill and other remains. Placards and signs along the trails describe how sugar was produced and discuss plantation life and the history behind sugar plantations on St. John and in particular Annaberg.

The windmill at Annaberg, one of focal points of the site, was built possibly between 1810 and 1830, and was one of the largest in the islands. Thirty four feet in diameter at the base and twenty feet at the top, the mill stands thirty eight feet high. When there was no wind to work the windmill, a horse mill would be used. The horses or mules were plodded in a circular motion; this turned the upright rollers in the center of the platform. Slaves passed cane stalk through the rollers and a box at the bottom caught the juice. The juice ran by gravity through gutters to the factory for processing. Three to five hundred gallons of juice could be produced in an hour.

51 The cane juice flowed first into a large copper kettle, where a fire was lit beneath. The excess water evaporated and workers would ladle the juice from one kettle to the next, down a line of five kettles. The juice eventually became concentrated through various levels of heating and evaporation. The concentrated juice was then placed in a box to crystallize. The crystallized brown sugar was then put in barrels that held up to 1,600 pounds of sugar. Early removal from the last heated kettle prevented crystals from forming however produced molasses that was used to make rum. Some of the heating kettles used in the process described above are still visible.

Evidence of about 16 slave cabins were found in the Annaberg area. The construction of the cabins consisted of branches woven together with lime and a mud mixture. The roofs were likely made of palm leaves. The cabins deteriorated over time and are not fully standing; placards do indicate where the cabins were located and describe them.

The Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins help the visitor visualize the equipment and labor of the 18th century. The Annaberg Sugar Mill has the distinction of being the largest, tallest windmill in the Virgin Islands. St. John could never have been considered ideal for agriculture. Its hills are too steep, the soil too thin and rocky, and the island itself too small for large concerns. More suitable islands like Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados, Guadeloupe, and Martinique were already colonized by the British, Spanish and French. A taste for sugar in Europe continued to grow, finally bringing the Virgin Islands to the attention of the Danes. The Danish Government offered homestead exemptions to the adventurous to colonize and produce sugar, rum, and molasses or plantations of cotton, tobacco and indigo.

Also, there are placards describing the working conditions and life of the slaves located throughout the property. Most striking was and artist's drawing of men and women harvesting sugar cane on the steep side of the hill. It must have been grueling work, performed under hot skies. There were also cells for slaves who were punished for various infractions. One can easily speculate what would happen to slaves who tried to revolt or escape.

We stopped at Trunk Bay to let people off. It sounded like a good option at first, then we could spend a few hours on the beach. The problem then became one of logistics. If you did use the beach you would then have to get a taxi on your own. Then you would need to allow yourself a minimum of 30 minutes to get back to the pier to catch the ferry back to St. Thomas. We thought we might have a minute or two to photograph the beach but Bucky couldn't wait, he could only drop off the four and move on. This seemed to fall into the too-hard box.

Instead, all but four people from our group returned to Mongoose Junction, a shopping and restaurant area near the point where we would later meet our ferry. There were several places to eat in the mall and we selected the Ocean Grill.

52 Liz and I began our order with Virgin Island Hoppin' IPA. Then we selected Grilled Fish Tostada (Tender bites of fresh mahi, with cabbage, cilantro, salsa fresca & mango aioli atop a tortilla; served with guacamole, sour cream & hot sauce on the side). Mo ordered a Salade niçoise (salad of tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, and anchovies, dressed with a vinaigrette; served on a bed of lettuce). Fereshteh ordered a Grilled Fresh Salmon (finished with coconut cream sauce; served with sautéed julienne vegetable medley) and French fries as her choice for her preferred fish and chips.

After our lunch we toured the other shops of Mongoose Junction as well as a craft shop across from the Cruz Bay pier. Then we were in position to board the Cruzan Breese for the trip back to the ship.

Tonight was another Formal evening and we retook some photos of the four of us in our finery. The dinner was just acceptable and Mahmood suggested we try an evening dinner in the Windjammer Café to see how they do for their service.

Tonight there was a Production Showtime: The Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers in West End to Broadway , featuring the Jewel of the Seas Orchestra. These usually are high energy, fast moving production numbers spliced together. Our hearts were not fully into the idea tonight. We skipped the show.

Monday, March 09

We do not have an excursion this morning so we decide we will meet at the Fitness Center for Wake Up And Stretch followed by Fab Abs. It was a nice workout and we needed the exercise. The walks have been good, sometimes as much as a dozen miles in a day but we also need to keep up with our Senior Aerobics while we are away too.

It also helps that when we have this kind of time we can go to the Tides Dinning Room for an off menu breakfast and relax and discuss our day. Fereshteh and Mo are great company; we can and do discuss everything with ease.

Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Christopher Columbus landed forces on the island on November 14, 1493. Control of the island was traded among various powers, including Spain, Netherlands, Knights of , and Great

53 Britain before it became a possession of France from 1650 until 1733. On June 13, 1733, France sold the island group to the Danish West India Company. For nearly 200 years, St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John were known as the Danish West Indies; around the mid to late eighteenth century, "at the peak of the plantation economy, the enslaved population of St. Croix numbered between 18,000 and 20,000, the white population ranging between 1,500 and 2,000".

For some time St. Croix was one of the wealthiest islands in the West Indies. The prosperity was due greatly to sugar cultivation, rum production and slave labor. St. Croix's economy existed through trade. The island exported five commodities; sugar, rum, cotton, molasses and hard woods and imported almost everything it needed.

The price of sugar in the world market was stable for the first decades of the 19th century and St. Croix's plantation owners were doing well. In 1803 the population of the island was 30,000 with 26,500 being slaves engaged in planting and processing sugar cane. Prosperity however came to a halt with the closure of Denmark's role in the slave trade. St. Croix had played an important role in the triangular trade route that connected Europe, Africa and the Caribbean in a trade of human cargo, sugar and rum. Around this same time competing beet sugar prices caused a sharp decline in the profitability of cultivating sugarcane. An increasing number of slave revolts motivated governor general of 21 years Peter von Scholten to abolished slavery in the Danish colonies on July 3rd, 1848. With all these factors playing a role St. Croix's economy by the end of the 1820's was nearing ruin.

The late 1800's was a period filled with changes, rebellions and progress. Some of the most famous leaders were Queen Mary, Bodhoe and David Hamilton Jackson. Their efforts and those of other residents were extolled for the good of the local population on issues like improvement of living conditions, freedom of press, education and labor laws.

In 1916, Denmark sold St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John to the United States, formalizing it in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, in exchange for a sum of US $25 million in gold. The island's inhabitants were granted United States citizenship in 1927. Industrialization of the island and its move away from an agrarian society took place in the 1960s. The 2012 shutdown of the Hovensa refinery resulted in the loss of many jobs, so that some people have returned to subsistence agriculture.

Our ship had docked at Frederiksted and it was but a short walk to the Market Square. We shopped our way through the craft stands at the end of the pier and then walked the beach in front of Fort Frederik. Mo was not feeling well, he suspected something didn't agree with him at breakfast. He returned to the ship.

Fereshteh, Liz and I stretched our legs as we waded in the water for a couple blocks. Then we walked inland above the beach to the park and bath house that support the park. At this time Fereshteh wanted to go back to the ship and check on Mo. We decide to walk through the town, admiring the architecture and window shopping along the way.

54 Liz and I toured Fort Frederik Museum.

Fort Frederik! On the west side of the island lies Fort Frederik, which was built in the 18th century out of necessity by the Danish government to protect St. Croix against invasion of European powers, smugglers and pirates! It gained its status as a National Landmark because of the role it played in two events that eventually led to the dissolution of slavery in the Virgin Islands in 1848. In 1848, Emancipation Revolt ended slavery in the Danish West Indies, but inaugurated a 30- year period of serfdom based on contract labor that ensured continuing control by plantation owners. Then in 1878, escalating tensions erupted into the Labor Riot and Fireburn, which ended the contract labor system.

Fort Frederik, also known as Frederiksfort, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark in Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands.

The old officers quarters now house an art gallery and when you tour the grounds you can not help but notice the armory, powder magazine, and even a small cell for slave prisoners whose punishment may have exceeded what plantation owners could impart. The second story of the fort now houses rooms filled with antiques representing life on the plantation, fromboth the viewpoint of the landowners and that of the slaves.

55 Then we relaxed at Pier 69 with a small Piton beer and a shared appetizer of nachos before going back to the ship to meet the Sarram's for lunch at 13:30. Mo's earlier discomfort, “was just a false alarm.” We told them of our window shopping adventure and then described what we saw at the Fort Fredrik Museum. That interested Mo and he decided to walk back into the city and visit the museum after lunch.

Liz and Fereshteh attended a jewelry seminar in the afternoon. Royal Caribbean maintains a position of a Port and Shopping Guide who recommends merchants that are verified as legitimate and guaranteed. On this afternoon he gave a seminar on purchasing gemstones. As he spoke of selecting Tanzanite he would defer to a woman in the audience who verified she had made great purchases and owned a good sized collection. And he distributed coupons for free Tanzanite earrings!

After that session the ladies passed on the Caribbean Line Dance Class but attended the follow-on Zoomba Class, Poolside, Deck 11. When Mo returned from the museum he went to the Shore Excursions desk and ordered tickets to join us tomorrow in Antigua.

Tonight we had decided to eat later than our scheduled time but not in the dinning room. We chose to eat after the early show in the Coral Theater. But tonight's Headliner Showtime: Mind Blowing Mental Magic of Alan Chamo was a repeat of his performance on March 5 th . We decided to have dinner at eight o'clock.

The Windjammer Café was decently attended but not packed. There might be a few more offerings than our menu options of the Tides Dinning Room but a buffet requires different choices as one has to decide if a particular dish suffers too long on the steam table rather than be freshly prepared as ordered off the menu. We decided that we prefer the ambiance of the dinning room for our evening meal.

Tuesday, March 10

Our excursion began at eight thirty o'clock this morning so we took our walk first. It was windy on Deck 12 so we moved down to the Promenade on Deck 5. Then we all met at seven o'clock in the Windjammer Café for breakfast.

Antigua and Barbuda ("ancient" and "bearded") is a twin-island country lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands. The capital and largest port and city is St. John's, on Antigua.

Separated by a few nautical miles, Antigua and Barbuda, the country is nicknamed "Land of 365 Beaches" due to the many beaches surrounding the islands. Its governance, language, and culture have all been strongly influenced by the British Empire, of which the country was formerly a part.

The island of Antigua, originally called Wa'ladli by Arawaks, is today called Wadadli by locals. Christopher Columbus, while sailing by in 1493, may have named it Santa Maria la Antigua after an icon in the Spanish Seville Cathedral. The Spaniards did not colonize Antigua because it lacked fresh water but not aggressive Caribs.

The English settled on Antigua in 1632; Sir Christopher Codrington settled on Barbuda in 1684. Slavery, established to run sugar plantations around 1684, was abolished in 1834. The British ruled from 1632 to 1981, with a brief French interlude in 1666.

56 Fort James is at the entrance to the harbor of St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. The fort was built to guard St. John's harbor and is one of the many forts built by the British in the 18th century. Fear of a French invasion prompted the construction. It is located on a headland overlooking the town northwesterly. A powder magazine, several cannons and the foundation of the fort's wall remain. The main attraction today is the excellent view of the surrounding harbor.

The fort is named after King James II of England. Work on the fort started in 1706, and most of the buildings were built in 1739. In 1773, the fort was armed with 36 guns, and had a barracks which accommodated 75 men.

The islands became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 November 1981, with Elizabeth II as the first Queen of Antigua and Barbuda. The Right Honorable Vere Cornwall Bird Sr became the first Prime Minister.

Nicole, our guide, introduced herself and her driver Joseph. Then we boarded a small but full bus with jump seats filling in the fourth seat in the aisle between one seat on the left and two seats on the right. I suspect it is an efficient design except for some of our group who were not sized for jump seats.

As we boarded she gave out her “Whisper System” (VOX) but then had to retrieve them because she did not have enough for everyone. That was then the first time she said, “I am having a bad day today!” But she really was quite good and the several equipment mishaps were just that.

Nicole discussed the history of Antigua as we drove through St. John. “Except for a brief time when the island was held for about six months by the French before taken over by the British, who then took control of the island for hundreds of years until they gained independence 53 years ago. They are, however, current members of the British Commonwealth.”

We drove through Liberta, a small village, and observed unique Caribbean architecture as we continued the discussion of Antiguan history. The oldest Anglican and also the first church, on the island was pointed out and appears to need some loving care. However, the old sugar factory is well beyond repair and sits rusting along side the road. The largest plantation, @ 680 acres, now houses cattle rather than grow sugar cane which is no longer profitable.

Arriving at the Blockhouse Ruins, Nicole described the structure as being "built in 1787 and standing 446 ft above the sea atop a sheer cliff above the Atlantic Ocean. You can see Indian Creek where the first Arawak Indians settled and lived. The prestigious St. James' Club on Mamora Bay and Eric Clapton's new house can be viewed from this point."

We continued on to Shirley Heights, the most southerly point in Antigua. This was the principal fortification of the British fleet stationed at English Harbor. Here too was a commanding cliff view over the Atlantic Ocean and English Harbor. There was a small gift shop at the overlook and Liz purchased a tropical bag with a change purse attached inside and decorated with a parrot.

Our last stop of the afternoon was at Nelson's Dockyard village. Named after Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, it was built in 1725, to provide a base for a squadron of ships patrolling the West Indies maintaining England's sea power. Today it is one of the biggest attractions of the eastern Caribbean, being the world's last remaining Georgian naval dockyards still in use today.

57 A guide briefed us about the history of the dockyards and then led us through the facility as she pointed out three capstans used to careen ships on their side to remove barnacles; sheds where sail makers produced the rigging for the ships; and warehouses and ramps where timber was worked to repair planking for ships. Then we had time to work our way through gift shops and past restaurants of this commercial, living museum.

After lunch Fereshteh and Liz attended the Scrapbook Workshop in the Hollywood Odyssey. This time I made it to their class with camera in hand. The instructor gave them complimentary scrapbook kits and both were well on their way designing and laying out their plans for a scrapbook. Liz prepares such books for each cruise and then frames it until it is taken down, photographed, and replaced by the next cruise scrapbook.

We returned to our regular table in the Tides Dining Room this evening. But we opted out of going to the theater. Tonight's Showtime Staring: The Pampas Devils Gauchos was a repeat of the show on March 3 rd and while we did enjoy that performance, we didn't want to see it again.

Wednesday, March 11

Castries, was founded by the French in 1650 as "Carénage" (safe anchorage). It was renamed in 1756 after Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, marquis de Castries, commander of a French expeditionary force to Corsica that year.

The earlier settlement across the harbour at Vigie (1651), was abandoned after a devastating hurricane in 1780. From 1803 to 1844, the British made the town a major naval port and built fortifications on Morne Fortune, the mountain that overlooks this important harbour. By the end of the century it had become a major coaling station, because it was the only port in the Caribbean capable of accommodating the Royal Navy.

During World War II, a German U-boat sailed into Castries harbor and sank two allied ships. Castries has been rebuilt many times, following major fires in 1796 and 1813, and most notably on June 19, 1948.

Castries is the capital and largest city of Saint Lucia. It is in a flood gut and is built on reclaimed land. It houses the seat of government and the head offices of many of foreign and local businesses. The city's design is in a grid pattern similar to a metropolitan city like New York but on a much smaller scale. Its sheltered harbour receives cargo vessels, ferry boats, and cruise ships.

Castries is the birthplace of Arthur Lewis, winner of the 1979 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics.

58 This morning's excursion did not begin until 09:30 so we had plenty of time for stretch exercises and Fab Abs today. Then Liz and I stopped in at the Diamond Plus section of the Tides Dinning Room to order cups of cappuccino before meeting Fereshteh and Mahmood at a table for four on the other side. I ordered Salmon Benedict for the two of us while Liz went to the fruit station. I then followed her when she returned and before our breakfasts were served.

After we returned to our rooms to collect our day packs, we met in the Centrum and proceeded to the gangway to go ashore. We were met by our guide, Ron, of Evergreen Tours. “On your left is Derek Walcott Square, named after one of our two Nobel Prize winners. The other winner is our driver... (laughter and applause). No, our other winner is Economics Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur Lewis. We are very proud of their achievements.”

As we climbed winding roads our driver would stop by plants and trees and Ron would jump out and pick some representative example, pass it through the bus, and then state that it was the coffee plant and would show us the outer cover of a coffee bean. We also stopped along the side of a cinnamon tree while our guide described how cinnamon was harvested and processed.

"We are now climbing Morne Fortune, a residential area which was a British Army Barracks (Fort Charlotte) constructed by the French. It was captured by the British on 24th May 1796. A memorial to

59 the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers still stands commemorating the battle. The original fortifications still stand on the summit and the old military buildings are in area operated by the Saint Lucia National Trust. Here you will also find the Saint Lucian campus of the University of the West Indies as well as Sir Arthur Lewis Community College." Here we saw the tomb of Sir Arthur Lewis, next to the barracks, in the center of the campus.

Ron also told us the unemployment rate was 23.8%. The Education Act provides for free and compulsory education in Saint Lucia from the ages of 5 to 15. Children attend primary school up until the age of 11. They then sit an entrance exam to move on to secondary school. Lessons are taught in English, even though many children speak Creole at home, and the school day lasts for eight or nine hours. It is also compulsory for all children who attend school to wear a uniform.

We were close to Romney Manor, once owned by Sam Jefferson II, the great great great grandfather of Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of U.S.A.). The great house was renamed Romney Manor following its acquisition in the early 17th century by the Earl of Romney. In 1834 contrary to the instructions of the British Parliament, Lord Romney declared his slaves free men. Romney Estate therefore became the first estate in St. Kitts to emancipate their slaves.

Here Caribelle Batik began in 1974. “Using ancient Indonesian methods of resisting dye with wax, Caribelle creates the many designs for which they have become associated.” We then enjoyed watching artists demonstrating the techniques as well as receive a full explanation from one of the experts. We then had an opportunity to peruse the racks and shop. Liz found a dress and I found a dress shirt as souvenirs of our visit.

Our last stop of the day was Stony Hill.

Stony Hill is a privately owned home built high on a ridge in the north of St Lucia. It lends itself beautifully as a host site for a wide range of special events. Surrounded by three acres of tropical gardens, it has beautiful panoramic views. To the west it overlooks la Brelotte Bay, Rodney Bay and Marina, Pigeon Island, the Caribbean sea and the island of Martinique.

Stony Hill gardens set on three acres of grounds with a network of pathways some with hand rails, offers stunning views, waterfalls and ponds, extensive flower and cactus beds, fruit, herb and vegetable gardens and an orchid house.

60 We were met by the owner who welcomed us to his home and invited us to tour the gardens. He spoke of a joint effort to Taiwan and Saint Lucia Tissue Culture Laboratory, expected to become “a Centre for cut flower and ported orchard plants for the regional market.” Liz and I enjoyed the waterfall as well as the view but found the orchid gardens most memorable. They made me think of my brother Jim's sixty year hobby of raising and judging orchids in St. Louis.

After touring the grounds and relaxing in the gazebo we returned to the house where we were served fruit drinks plus accra (salt cod fritter), banana ketchup, hot pepper sauce, and homemade cakes (carrot & nutmeg with vanilla frosting; banana & ginger, and coconut & cinnamon with chocolate topping).

When we returned to our ship we asked Ron to let us out at the Castries Market and Vendor's Arcade, their largest open-air market. It is located in the middle of the capital and has over 300 regular vendors and a hundred or more local sellers on market days.

“The market was constructed in 1891 and was originally built to improve the town's appearance. Opened on July 2, 1894. the building became the central place for selling a variety of goods such as: fresh meat and fish, herbs, spices, crafts and dry goods.

Fish is no longer being sold and meat isn't slaughtered on the premises, but the market has become the central hub for buying almost anything.”

Much of the market resembled the Nassau Straw Market in . Similarly the Castries Market offers handmade crafts, gifts, souvenirs and items such as hand-woven straw hats, bags, mats, dolls, conch shell jewelry and wood carvings. We shopped through the displays of many

61 vendors offering the same items at the same price. It may have been possible to bargain but we didn't see anything we wanted enough to try.

But while we were there we did want to try a “local” lunch. We walked through the fresh fruit and vegetable stands until we came to a very small restaurant, the Dolphin Ocean. They had a “regulars” table able to seat six people. It was full, apparently with friends of the owner. None were eating, they were just discussing the day or chatting with the others. We were the “paying customers” and were escorted to a smaller table able to seat four people. One of the women from the other table got up to take our order and, once taken, inquired of the cook (owner) if she could make the items. Assured that she could, our waitress then went elsewhere to secure the Piton beer we requested with our lunch.

We rejoined Fereshteh and Mo on the ship and decided to return to the port to claim the benefit of the Tanzanite coupon we had received the other day. Right at the end of the pier one could see Diamonds International, Colombian Emeralds, and Tanzanite stores. Mo told Fereshteh she should buy some if she wished and both Liz and she looked over several pieces. The necklace they thought was quite nice was priced at $5,000. I think Mo could attest that the price was breathtaking, I could see his reaction. But neither of the ladies thought such a purchase was practical.

Tonight's dinner was formal, the second formal night of this leg of the cruise. It was our last opportunity to take formal photos of our group. Later we would compare them and select the best pictures to keep.

The Production Showtime starred the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers in City of Dreams and featured the Jewel of the Seas Orchestra.

Thursday, March 12

Our final day on land, our excursion was not booked from Royal Caribbean but through On Line Vacations. The ship offered a similar choice and the Sarram's did sign up for it but we had signed up for this several months ago. Grenada's Spice Route seemed a perfect choice to learn about “The Island of Spice.”

Grenada is an island country consisting of Grenada itself and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea.

On March 17, 1649, a French expedition founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. Within months this led to conflict with the local islanders which lasted until 1654 when the island was completely subjugated by the French.

Grenada was formally ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The French re-captured the island during the American War of Independence, after Comte d'Estaing won the bloody land and naval Battle of Grenada in July 1779. However the island was restored to Britain with the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.

On March 3, 1967, Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State. Herbert Blaize was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada from March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974. Independence and revolution (1974–1983)

Independence was granted on February 7, 1974, under the leadership of Eric Gairy, who

62 became the first Prime Minister of Grenada.

Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy's government and some opposition parties including the New Jewel Movement (NJM). Gairy's party won elections in 1976, but the opposition did not accept the result, accusing it of fraud. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop launched a paramilitary attack on the government resulting in its overthrow.

On October 25, 1983, combined forces from the United States and from the Regional Security System (RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed Operation Urgent Fury. The U.S. stated this was done at the behest of Prime Minister Eugenia Charles of Dominica. While the Governor-General of Grenada, Sir Paul Scoon, later stated that he had also requested the invasion, it was highly criticised by the governments of Britain, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada

Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which it is one of the world's largest exporters.

There was some confusion in the terminal because similar names of the Royal Caribbean and the On Line Vacation excursions. Our group was met by our tour representative, Mandoo Seales. We boarded a small bus guided by Cosmos Seales, the first of nineteen children, and Mandoo was his younger brother.

63 As we drove toward the fishing town of Gouyave, we passed by the Nutmeg Processing Station, the largest in Grenada and the factory where most of the island's spices are processed for export. En-route, Cosmos told us he had lived in the United Kingdom; served in the merchant marine; and lived in the United States but has returned to his homeland, Grenada.

The Dougladston Estate is just outside Gouyave and here we visited a building (boucan) with huge drying trays on rails, so that the trays can be pushed under the building if it rains. Depending on the time of the year, the drying trays may contain mace, cocoa, cinnamon, pimento (allspice), or cloves.

Once inside Mandoo briefed our tour groups. We were invited to 'scratch 'n sniff' the leaves of twigs and failed to identify a few. Then we were shown where cocoa beans (not a spice) used to be processed using steam technology. Some of the spices were in Calabash shells, used to make bowls. We saw trees with loofah 'sponges' but they are not sponges, they are the fibrous interior of a cucumber. One could buy spices here and Liz found some representative samples to take home.

Cosmos continued on into the mountains to the Belvedere Plantation. We stopped and Mandoo obtained fresh Grenadian bananas for each of us to try. Then our two bus convoy continued on steep switchbacks, including a 180° turn, to the Grand Étang National Park.

The most popular area in Grenada, for hiking and trekking, is in the rain forest around the Grand Etang Lake, in the central part of the island. This is only a small snapshot of what the island is like in general, as there are several waterfalls, hot springs and plantations where they meander through the hills. Needless to say, the views are exceptional. Grand Etang, however, is a crater lake surrounded by a lush tropical forest and is part of the nature reserve. A series of trails has been marked, and hiking them is well worth the effort. The scenery is breathtaking, with the chance to see a fascinating cross-section of the flora and fauna which make up this rain forest. The trails meander around the area's stunning waterfalls as well as the alluring waters of Grand Etang Lake.

At the lake we had twenty minutes to tour an exhibition center, buy souvenirs, take photos with native Indians wearing colorful costumes with fruit basket hats. It seemed like too brief a time but we had almost twice the promised time as others refused to rejoin the bus on time. That cut our time to finish our tour with a photo stop at the Annandale waterfall.

Located in a luscious grotto, the 30 foot high falls pour into a shallow pool that seemed chest high on five or six people splashing about. Local divers, ala Acapulco, earn a living by collecting tips after diving in the pool. It was impressive but crazy. Our drive back completed our loop around the island.

64 Returning to the ship, we just relaxed while we discussed our similar but not exact trips in Grenada. Mo and I talked about what we should expect tomorrow. There will be a program on television which would explain the process of debarkation on Saturday. The four of us agreed we should take advantage of a special subscription lunch at the Portofino Italian Restaurant in celebration of the last full day of our two week cruise.

We thought we would enjoy that and we made reservations for 12:30 tomorrow. Then we met in the Centrum and then went to the theater together.

When we were at the Crown and Anchor Society get together before dinner we spoke with one of our group who had attended the early show, the Action Comedy of Michael James and had been called upon to be a volunteer. She described his routine; riding a unicycle while juggling and carrying on a comedic patter. Then he asked a woman to assist him by letting him carry her on his shoulders while lurching over the stage on the unicycle. I presumed he must have rehearsed this with pre-selected volunteers, I can't imagine how anyone would do this as a "cold" stunt. He finished his act by climbing an unsupported ladder, one rung at a time, and bouncing it over the stage. It was a good stunt and he received a lot of applause when he reached the top rung and sat with one leg on each side of the ladder.

Friday, March 13

Today is a sea day and we had plenty of time to walk a full four miles on Deck 5. Then we met Fereshteh and Mo at the gym for our final feel- good stretch exercise followed by fab abs. The cruise will be soon over and Fit Happens will be calling to us back in Lakewood.

Fereshteh and Liz attended a repeat of last Friday's cooking demonstration of Cruise Director Dennis Charles making a Black Forest Cherry Cake with a guest and a pastry chef. Same class, same result and Black Forest Cake was offered to the audience.

At 12:30 we went to the Portofino Italian

65 Restaurant. We had made reservations but there were only three tables occupied while we were there. Our waiter was very pleasant and helpful. He had plenty of time to serve the few of us and he made the most of it.

Liz and I ordered Focaccia della Casa (Italian flat bread for 2 with the choice of Margherita, Mushroom & Prosciutto, Arugula & Parmesan shavings). Fereshteh and Mo selected Insalata Caprese per due (Salad of Vine Ripe Tomatoes and Bocconcini Mozzarella for two).

For our soup course we selected Zuppa del Giorno (Minestrone) and the Ciuppin Ligure (Seafood Ligurian Cioppino soup, Shrimps).

For the Pasta course the Sarram's picked Lasagna Tradizionale al sugo di Carne (Traditional rich Meat Lasagna) while we had Penne with Salmon.

Our Entrees were Bistecca di Manzo alla Griglia, Patate Fritte all'olio di Tartufo, Salsa al Barolo o Burro di Gorgonzola (Grilled 8 oz striploin steak, truffled oil flavored fries, and Gorgonzola butter). Liz chose Filetto di Pollo Ripieno di Ricotta e Funghi, Fonduta di Parmigiano, Salvia e Chardonnay (Chicken breast filled with Ricotta and Mushrooms, wrapped in Prosciutto, Chardonnay, Sage and Parmesan fondue). I selected an old favorite, Saltimbocca alla Romana (Pan-fried small tender Scallops of Veal wrapped with fresh Sage and Prosciutto, Mushroom risotto, dressed with a Marsala jus).

Dolci della Casa found Fereshteh ordering Tartufo al Cioccolato (layers of Chocolate Mousse and Cherries); Liz selected the Dessert Sampler Dolcctti alla Portofino; Mo enjoyed Tiramisu (Traditional Luscious favorite with crushed marinated Raspberries); and I opted for Cannoli Alla Giovanni (Ricotta and Marsala and Hazelnut filled cannoli).

We took over two and a half hours to savor our special lunch as we reviewed the past two weeks. It made the day and the cruise even that much more special.

After lunch we went to Deck 7 of the Centrum to use the ship computers. They were connected to printers and we could then get our boarding passes printed for tomorrow's flights onward. We also cleared our eMail accounts.

When I returned to our stateroom I checked the luggage tags to be placed on our suitcases before they would be set out in the corridor this evening. We were “Independent Guests” and since we had been assigned an original departure of 8:30, I asked Rodel if we could obtain baggage tags of 09 or 10 which would let us disembark in the first time group (8:00) of our category. He asked if we wanted the same tags for Fereshteh and Mahmood and we did.

The Farewell Show was early and featured the Comedy of Jeff Jena. Cruse Director Dennis introduced the show and played some of the DVD that was taped of the passengers this week. After the show we retired to our stateroom to complete packing and taggin our luggage.

Saturday, March 14

We met for breakfast in the Windjammer at seven o'clock and then had time to go back to our staterooms for final cleanup before reporting to the Safari Lounge to wait for our new assigned

66 departure time of eight o'clock.

Once we were released it was a short walk to the terminal where we quickly located our luggage and then proceeded to a line of passengers processing through the two immigration stations being staffed for the full ship complement. Since our times were staggered it was less onerous than expected when offloading a ship with a capacity of 2,500 passengers through an administrative choke-point of two passport control officers. We were in a taxi queue twenty minutes later and at the airport fifteen minutes after that.

The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is a joint civil-military international airport named for Puerto Rico's first democratically elected governor. The airport opened on May 22, 1955 and has been upgraded periodically, as recently as December 2014 and construction is ongoing. Still, the waiting rooms seem to lack the capacity of modern aircraft. People could not find seats and many passengers remained standing in the corridors until boarding announcements were made.

The ticket agent announced that our aircraft would be arriving and would deplane passenger before we would then load the US Airways Flight 678 to Philadelphia. This was a four hour flight that was unable to depart on time and would leave us a little more than an hour to meet our six hour connecting flight, US 729, to SeaTac.

It was a little tight, made even more-so because the Philadelphia airport is quite large. We had to walk from Terminal A to Terminal C and would have enjoyed stopping at several fascinating shops along the way but it turned out to be a long walk, even with moving sidewalks, and we couldn't afford to dawdle. We did reach our gate and still had a half hour to settle in before our flight was called.

We were in row 19 but boarding group 5 so it took a little time to be seated. The aisle seat was occupied by a man using a portable oxygen machine. He also had Bose headphones, a Kindle, and a tablet; all of which took up his storage space and required dismantling for either of us to get out to use the restroom or walk about the cabin. We decided right away that we would take the opportunity to get out of our seats when he made the first move.

We left Philadelphia late but the pilot was able to make up the time in his 6 hour flight to Seattle. We rolled up to the gate only a few minutes after the scheduled arrival time. And with luggage secured, we went to the Shuttle Express counter and climbed aboard our ride home ten minutes after that. We were back in our house by 23:30; turning on the bed warmer and resetting the furnace thermostat.

67 68