Day 222 - A Rare Day Out...Together

Wow! Dr & Mrs actually got to go out together! Almost like a date! Although we didn't have much time for anything, but we were together!


We took a trolley ride, checked out the Mac store, I tried to persuade Jaco into a pair of jeans & a nice polo shirt, but he was a little too picky & we didn't have the time to sit in a shop for the afternoon. Maybe when he comes to Canada I'll get him out of that Quiksilver shirt... :o)


We bought a few treats from the Godiva shop & also from the Cheesecake Factory. By the time we found our way to the taxi station, we were pressed to get back. Jaco had to be on the ship by 1400 & there were no minutes to spare! 


I didn't have to be back until 1530, so I stayed out for a little more snooping around. I was in a jewelry shop when a lady beside me wanted to continue looking at the display, so we moved around each other. I looked at her as she said, 'Excuse me'. I think my jaw must have hit the floor.


Her name totally escaped me, but I couldn't help but blurt out, 'Hey! I know you!' She remembered my name & I fumbled... finally she said, 'Katie'. Oh my gosh! Katie!!! I worked with Katie on my first contract & we had a blast together. She was a Steiner & we hiked AB mountain in Skagway together, flirted with Welsh brothers & all sorts of other mayhem... She left ships to work in a salon in Florida & we were supposed to meet one day & she never showed. I never knew what happened to her. I never heard from her again. I have thought about her countless times, so I was floored to see her!!! 


She is married now, with 2 beautiful children & lives in Arizona. She just so happened to be visiting her Mom & Mother-in-Law & the rest is history! I was so excited to get in touch with her again! I hope we can connect on Facebook soon! She is such a beautiful person & the world is certainly a better place with her here! What a crazy day! Small world! I love it!


I picked up a few sweet treats for Jaco & headed back to the ship. I was mortified to find out that my wigs weren't on the ship! WHAT?!?! Oh, the dark side of me came out. I was so angry! I paid express shipping! I spent hours ensuring the packages would get to San Francisco on time! I sent 2 emails to the ship's agent. I called this morning & they had lost the notices, so I couldn't even get to the post office to find them! WHAT?!?! Argh!!! Now I'm headed back to Canada & I'll be bald & wigless! Hmpf. NOT a happy camper. Or Sailor. Jaco managed to find out that one of the boxes made it onto the ship at 1542 (we were supposed to sail at 1600, gangway's up at 1530). I'm sure they tossed it from the shore into the gunport! (It took about 3 hours to find out that the box was on the ship, so I was good & grumpy for awhile) 


Additionally, the Godiva bag went missing. I had sent Jaco back to the ship with the bags & apparently he forgot it when he came through the security scanner. I was miffed about that too! Luckily, the day was saved when I checked at the Purser's desk & they had the bag! Yay! I returned to the cabin with the sweets to find the wig box! Ahhh. Almost perfect... Now, if only they could locate the other box of wigs with all the supplies in it. No luck. Looks like I'll have one more thing to deal with when I get home. 


I went up on deck for sailaway & called Jaco to come up too. It took him far too long & by the time he did, we were long past the pretty parts. Oh well, I visited with the Senior Nurse's wife & their friends that were onboard. We are going to go for dinner tomorrow night.


Jaco was busy again at work, so while he saved lives & made people feel 'all better', I watched some Big Bang Theory... Thanks Werner & Karen!! I am totally a nerd at heart. I get such a kick out of that show. I think I watched 4 or 5 episodes before I fell asleep.


Sadly, tomorrow I'll have to pack & get ready to leave the day after that. Why oh why does the time fly so quickly? I'm really going to miss him when I'm gone. Here's to a quiet day tomorrow so we can spend some time together. 


Love & hugs,
Maria & Jaco
xxxxxxx

...So happy together...

Oh the places you'll go.

Just in case you needed a reminder

Making a Mac Man outta my Man!

Jaco poses purdy...

Mrs Katie! What a beautiful surprise!

What a fun city!

Alcatraz - I got a day pass

Always a cloudy day over the bridge.

And the clouds lifted...

Day 189 - Antigua

Wow. What a day! I should be completely exhausted, but surprisingly I’m not. I’m feeling a little unsettled, like I can’t quite get comfortable. I haven’t been sleeping well. It’s almost like my body is still on Pacific time. I can’t fall asleep until about 0200 or 0300 & even then, it’s not a deep sleep. I toss & turn & visit the loo throughout the night. Finally about 0600 or 0700 I will fall into a deep sleep.

I had just found a deep slumber when the announcements began. Today were crew drills. The ship’s company practice emergency situations so they are well prepared when one finally arrives. It’s generally well organized & they do a great job of preparing the crew. Unfortunately the drills usually fall the morning after a really good disco or party & most of the crew aren’t too excited to be there! Needless to say, they make announcements over the PA system & of course, it broadcasts in Jaco’s cabin. So much for that deep sleep!

I finally rolled out of bed about 1100, as I was meeting Eddie at noon for a photo shoot. Valentina wasn’t allowed off the ship today, so Jaco would spend the afternoon with her. Eddie had sussed out a location the cruise before & asked me to come along. As it turned out, we were only leaving at 1300. (I could have used that extra hour of sleep!)

I met him by the gangway & he introduced me to Johnny, a Puerto Rican dancer & our model. We found a taxi & headed out to Fort James. We pulled up to a fairly deserted beach & made arrangements to meet our cab driver in a few hours.

We strolled down the beach, a few locals & a few tourists dotted here & there. We met 2 horseback riders, although I must say, the horses were a bit worse for wear.

We walked clear to the end of the beach to a huge building called ‘Russell’s’. The building resembled a plantation home. It was blue & white with two floors & a wrap around veranda. The owner, Russell, greeted us. He was wearing a beige linen button shirt & gold rimmed glasses. He looked cool as a cucumber, with a  bald head, a brilliant smile & a firm handshake.

His restaurant hosted live jazz music on Friday & Sunday nights. What a location! Russell’s was right on the point, so beach could be seen on both sides of the restaurant. We enjoyed a cold drink & then headed to the other side of the restaurant. Fort James was old & crumbling, but the buildings made for a fun backdrop for our photo shoot. There were still a few cannons lying around, along with graffiti on the walls of the building interiors.

We were sweating like crazy in the afternoon heat, but it was a fun way to spend it! Eddie had expected me to run the shoot, but I was just there for the ride. I was quite content to let him ‘call the shots’.

A few locals came by to paint some of the building. I’m not sure how much painting they were going to do, as only one lady painted & it was only about a 4’ square before she decided to sit down for a beer. She offered us a cold beer, but we declined. As we were leaving, her group offered a beer again. Then they kept saying, ‘Mary Jane’, ‘Mary Jane’. Yes, I’m a naïve little country girl. I’m thinking, ‘My name is Jill. Or Maria. Not Mary Jane! What are they on about?’ A moment later, I realized that Johnny & Eddie were declining Mary Jane. Oh, I see!!!! Yeah, NO.

We had planned on eating at Russell’s, but ran out of time, so we said our farewells & headed to the beach. We snapped a few more pics & then it was time to go. NOTE: Why is it that Speedo’s are still legal in come countries? I mean, really, REALLY?! NO! It’s just wrong. Any way you look at it! And I mean that VERY literally!!! I told Johnny & Eddie, both offenders, that Speedos were actually illegal in Canada. They believed me & were quite heartbroken when I told them. They didn’t get it that sometimes less is just WAY TOO MUCH! Now, for some more coverage – of the day…

Back in town, Eddie & I had a gelato & check out the shops. I saw this really sweet leather bag, clearly handmade. I asked the lady how much it was. $20. (I’m thinking ‘cheap!’) So I said, ‘Get outta town!’ She replies, ‘Okay, you can have it for $15.’ Hah! Even better! We also went wig shopping. Eddie took a few pics of me in the wigs & well, you’ll just have to wait & see! I bought two of them. Now if only I could find the eyebrows & lashes too!

Eddie had to work soon, so he headed back onboard. I wandered around for a bit, was accosted by the nearest thing I’ve ever seen to a real live Jack Sparrow. I was on the boardwalk passing the pirate ship that had just come in, when this old man starts talking to me. I can smell the rum on his breath. He’s missing quite a few teeth. His clothes are dirty, as is the bandana on his head. He has dreadlocks & a scruffy, long white goatee. I was about to ask him if I could take his photo when he asks me for a couple of bucks. Hmm. No picture I guess. Only memories. Funny thing is, every time I think of him I get this burning urge to wash my hands & brush my teeth…

I headed onto the ship after Jack Sparrow wouldn’t leave me alone. I was luckily able to escape by walking the plank through security – Mr. Sparrow didn’t have the magical cruise card! I went up for a bite to eat & then out to watch sailaway. We were in port with Royal Caribbean’s second largest ship, Adventure of the Seas. When I went out on deck, we were eye to eye with their Navigational Bridge. A bunch of the Officers were standing near the windows & they hand a giant hand to wave goodbye as we sailed away. They saw me taking a photo & they ‘waved’. It was cute. Then, the announcement comes over our PA system that we are about to sailaway. It is tradition to sound the ship’s horn three times when you sailaway from port. So, Sea Princess gives a big ol’ woot, woot, woot on the horn. (Think fog horn) In response, which doesn’t normally happen, the Adventure of the Seas, gives us a woot, woot, woot back! So the Sea Princess gives another little woot. Then the Adventure of the Seas gives another little woot. I’m laughing so hard I’m crying as I’m typing this. It may not sound funny AT ALL to you, but it was stinking hilarious to me! It was like two little boys playing with their noisy toys. Mom says BE QUIET! They say okay. Then they have to make just a little more noise, just to push Mom’s buttons! Anyhow, I have most of it on video. One day I’ll figure out how to upload it onto the blog & share it with you!

The Medical Team had organized a dinner at the Steakhouse for this evening. It was really nice to sit down with them out of work & enjoy their conversation & company. We had some interesting topics come up, as you do – Fox hunts, battery hens, cameras, Mac computers, dogs, Irish jigs, Aussipinos and the list goes on! I was well impressed by the Senior Nurse & Doctor – They both ate about 20 oz of steak! My tummy churns at the thought of it! In any case, it was a wonderful evening!

And that, my friends, was a wonderFULL day in Antigua. Sun, sand, photography, shopping, friends & food. Come to think of it, this may very well have been THE Perfect Day. Ha! I’m off to bed… Maybe it can get a little better! :o) Just kidding! Mom, you didn’t read that! Or if you did, you better not comment! :o)

Wishing you a Perfect Day too!

Maria, Jaco, & Valentina

xxxxxooooooxxxxxxooooo

Eddie & Johnny chit chat en route to our location... More to follow!

Fun little bicycle & shutters shot

Antigua

Adventure of the Seas 'waving' goodbye!

Adventure of the Seas

Oh how happy can 2 people be?!? I'm so lucky!!!

Tim, the Senior Nurse. Note the number of steaks on his plate. He cleaned it!

Nurse Stacey & Dr. Reuben

Nurse Vicky & Tim, Steak Eating Machine

Johnny rocks a scarf too!

Lookin' fine!

Hello Hot Stuff!

My favourite from the day.

So pensive...

Whoopsee, didn't warn you about this one! :o)

Sorry, 2 men in speedos, I couldn't resist sneaking this shot in! Sorry Eddie! :o) Hope you'll forgive me!

This one too... Speedos just make me gag a little & then giggle a lot!

Day 188 - St. Maarten

Whoo hoo! Another new place to tick off the list! St. Maarten is pretty much a mecca in the Caribbean. Most cruise ships will stop here & on any given day, you're likely to find a few 'boats' in port. Today, we were 4 ships. It was insanity.


The Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, owned by Royal Caribbean, was in port with us. This monster of a boat holds 5000 passengers & I don't even know how many crew! Crazy! I would never want to work on a baby like that! Ugh... The thought of ressi just makes me want to call in sick with Norovirus! Okay, so most of you will have NO IDEA what that last sentence means, but take my word for it, it would not be fun! I'm sure the ship is beautiful & all, but it's a little too 'city-like' for me. Give me my small ship of 2000 passengers (even that is big!!!)


I was very excited to hear that we were also in port with the Emerald Princess. The Medical Centre needed some meds from our ship, so Stacey, one of the nurses, headed over to the Emerald to drop it off. I went along with the hopes of seeing a photog or two. I managed to bump into Jimmy. I worked with Jimmy on the Diamond Princess in 2005. Seems like ages ago! It was great to see him! He's still crazy Jimmy!


Along with Jimmy, Dr. Rudy Bosch was working as Senior Doctor onboard & I was hoping we would get to visit with him. Rudy was Jaco's boss when I sailed with Jaco on the Star Princess. Rudy is like one giant teddy bear & he's a barrel of fun. I have yet to see him in a foul mood & he's always got something interesting to share. 


Unfortunately, Jaco had a dental appointment & missed Rudy's appearance on the ship. Vicky, one of the nurses, worked with Rudy on the Star before I arrived, so they were having a catch up visit when I came to say hello. Rudy is just plain infectious, always with a twinkle in his eye! It's no wonder people request to work with him across the fleet! He is built like a brick potty house & bald as the prairie. When I told him about my chemo situation, he said to send photos & we'll compare bald heads! What a guy! Jaco was very sad to have missed seeing him, as a fellow South African and former colleague, they have a lot in common.


After Rudy left, I took Valentina out & met Eddie to head downtown. We walked for 10-15 minutes & visited a few shops where Eddie searched for some camera accessories. We then headed to the beach. It kind of reminded me of PV or Mazatlan... There were bars everywhere & music blaring & of course, swarms of people. Completely not my scene, but it was fun for a day! We left our things at a bar where Eddie knew the bartender & headed into the water. It was a lovely hot day & the water was very refreshing. We visited with a couple couples enjoying their Carnival cruise. (Carnival's largest ship in their fleet was also in port with us) Valentina hated the water & desperately tried to make a beeline for the shore. Eddie became distracted by the topless sunbathers & I got dizzy rolling my eyes at him! 


After an hour or so, it was time to head back to the ship. Eddie had to work & I had hoped to look around the terminal a bit. Nothing too exciting to be seen, unless you're after an embroidered 'St. Maarten' shopping bag or a pirate t-shirt! What a day! I went up on deck to watch sailaway & to get a bird's eye (sort of) view of the Oasis. I had to take three photos to fit it in!


When I arrived on deck, everyone had British flags they were waving about. I wondered what on earth was going on, but apparently with all our British passengers, they have a British sailaway. They played famous British songs & everyone waved their flags. Okay, I'm down with that. We had a random power outage for about 10 minutes - I asked who forgot to pay the power bill? :o)


Another lovely day in the Caribbean & I'm loving every minute of it. My Babe, my baby, sunshine & the deep blue sea. What more could any girl ask for? Okay, fair enough, good health would be appreciated too. Have a beautiful night...


Maria, Jaco & Valentina 
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Rudy & Vicky - reunited!

Okay, so this photo was taken in March, but I swear it's a mini-Rudy! (It's my cousin's little guy - Rhett!)

Oh so many ships!

Walking down the promenade along the waterfront

Tweet Pea hitches a ride

Oh just please keep me out of the water!

The bartenders & Eddie, the bartender!

A crazy honeymoon couple we met from Mexico. She had one too many Jagermeister's, but she was still fun!

Carnival Dream & Emerald Princess in the distance

British Sailaway

Union Jacks

Oasis of the Seas