 1 We flew directly from JFK to Barbados to meet our ship, setting sail later in the day |
 2 We meet our ship, the Silver Shadow dockside. Initially it looks big, but it is very intimate with only 380 passengers. |
 3 The Ventura, of P&O Cruise Lines, with 19 decks and 5 swimming pools pulls alongside our ship. The Silver Shadow looks positively small in comparison. |
 4 The sitting area of our midship suite. Through the picture windows is a small balcony with deck chairs and a cocktail table. |
 5 The marble bathroom, with dual sinks, tub on the left and shower on the right |
 6 Max reads the menu of activities while the Champagne chills |
 7 We arrive in Grenada the next morning and take a bus tour around the island |
 8 Yep, that's a burning landfill, and in the cove is a derelict ship that was scuttled during a past hurricane |
 9 Grenada is the "spice" island, so first stop is a spice factory |
 10 The guide shows how cocoa beans are cut from the pods and dried |
 11 Bowls of dried cocoa beans and mace, the outer husk of the nutmeg seed, at the lower right |
 12 From left to right: a cocoa pod, a nutmeg pod, cinnamon bark from the cassia tree, bowls of cocoa beans and mace |
 13 Large trays of cocoa beans roll out from under the factory building on steel rails to dry in the sun |
 14 At night or in bad weather, the beans are rolled back under the protection of the building |
 15 A cocoa tree with pods visible |
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 17 Next stop, Grand Etang National Park. Etang literally means "pond" in French, so we should not have been surprised by the awesome sight of this national treasure. The condition of the entrance sign gives yet another clue... |
 18 As at all stops on our tour of Grenada, there is always an opportunity to buy trinkets and kitsch |
 19 The Grand Etang itself, a 45 minute bus ride to see this less than semi-majestic sight. Total time spent taking in the view: < 2 minutes. |
 20 Hoping to learn if there was more to this national park, we stepped inside the "museum". In keeping with the overal theme, the house was largely empty with a few worn posterboards telling the history of the park. |
 21 Coming out of Grand Etang, there was a nice view looking back towards the coast |
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 23 Final stop on our Grenada tour was Annandale Falls. Yet again, the sign should have given us a clue to the natural beauty we would see. Extremely faded to the point of illegible and the fact that the falls are only open when the cruise ships are docked in town! |
 24 The falls are a small stream dropping over some rocks. Not shown in this photo are a bunch of locals who jump off the rocks and then solicit donations for their "diving club". Of course, more trinkets and tchotchkes can be purchased from the myriad stands that block the way from the bus down to the falls. |
 25 After Grenada, we arrive the next morning in Terre de Haut, the 2nd largest, but most populated, of the eight Îles des Saintes, which lie just off the coast of Guadeloupe. Even so, Terre de Haut is only 2 sq miles in size and has only 1800 residents. |
 26 Our ship moors in the harbor as we take tenders into the dock |
 27 The one doctor on the island has a house in the shape of a ship |
 28 The local economy of Terre de Haut is still based on fishing |
 29 Being so small, it is pleasant o walk from the main village to several of the beaches on the other side |
 30 French is the main language of Guadeloupe and its outlying islands. We looked for the dangerous dog, but only saw a small bichon. |
 31 Marigot Bay is mainly a fishing harbor |
 32 There was one restaurant on the beach where we wanted to get something to drink, but they were closed |
 33 Marigot Bay has a nice sand beach, but it is not used for swimming because of the boat activity |
 34 We then walked to the most popular bathing beach, Plage de Pompierre |
 35 The path to beach has a few small cafes, and some goats |
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 37 This cafe is just the front yard of someone's house |
 38 Finally, we walk back into Bourg - literally "town" - and catch sight of the WindStar that has joined our ship in the harbor |
 39 The church in town |
 40 We set sail and looking back we see the WindStar also get under way |
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 43 That evening we had dinner at the premier Relais and Chateau restaurant on the ship, Le Champagne |
 44 The menu tonight was a pairing of North American wines and cuisine. Other evenings were dedicated to French or Spanish themes. |
 45 After dinner, the wine glasses have piled up and the belts need to be loosened! |
 46 The next morning we docked in Marigot, St. Martin on the French side of the island |
 47 The picturesque Marigot harbor |
 48 Our tour of the island starts at a butterfly farm |
 49 The young guide tries to make it interesting, but the farm pales in comparison to the better conservatories we've been to, especially the one in Key West |
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 53 On the ridge back to Marigot from Cole Bay is the Bethel concession stand that miraculously survived a hurricane which wiped out most of the island. The owner has dedicated himself and says that he "is a son of Abraham". |
 54 The view from the stand towards Marigot harbor is marvelous |
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 56 Next stop was Puerto Rico and a trip to the El Yunque rainforest |
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 58 Finally, real waterfalls! |
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 65 A lookout tower further up in the rainforest |
 66 The view from the top of the tower towards the northeast coast of Puerto Rico |
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 68 The rain clouds backup against the peaks and create spectacular views |
 69 We take a short half-hour walk along one of the forest trails |
 70 A man-made catchment pool |
 71 Impatiens growing everywhere |
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 73 Giant snails, also everywhere |
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 79 The giant snails decorate the trees |
 80 Back onboard, a poolside dance party before we depart San Juan |
 81 A look back at Old San Juan just before we get underway |
 82 Views of the pool deck as we spend 2 days at sea on our way to Key West |
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 86 What else is there to do at sea, but have bartending classes at 11:30 in the morning! On the left is Darwin, in the middle is Oliver, the head bartender on the ship. |
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 88 Audience participation is needed, especially considering how early it is |
 89 Dave earns his certificate |
 90 The final afternoon at sea, the galley was opened up for tours at lunchtime |
 91 Salami and ice sculptures |
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 93 Chocolate castles for desert |
 94 The dance instructors were Ukrainian and very good |
 95 Attempts at the tango were met with varying degrees of success |
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 97 Nice form Max! Nice socks Dave! |
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 99 It's been 1-1/2 years since we took our last dance lessons. Not too bad, but not too good either... |
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 101 Our final night and the captain''s formal reception in the theatre |
 102 The cruise director introduces the crew |
 103 We spent alot of time, and our final night, with Al and Ruth Kramer. Al was Qunicy, MA district judge under Dukakis and is famous for his innovative sentencing of drunk drivers. He famously sentenced Joan Kennedy for her 1991 DUI arrest. They now split their time between San Diego and Mass. |
 104 Arrival at Mallory Square, Key West |
 105 In our previous trips to Key West, we had never visited the Audobon House. |
 106 A 10 minute personal introduction to the property and then we are left on our own to explore |
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 109 The gardens offer much needed peace and quiet, away from the tumult of tourist-crazy Duval Street |
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 118 Inside the house are many of the rare original Audobon paintings he did while he stayed in Florida |
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