Return to Miami

Our cruise ship returned to the Port of Miami by 7 this morning.  After an early breakfast, we disembarked by 9:30, after spending 11 very nice days on Oceania.  Long time friends, JW and Carrie, along with son, Wade, met us near the port and we went to Miami Beach.  We walked about and had lunch, spending a few hours together before they dropped us at the airport.  

It was a treat for us to see them!  Such a good day!

Seven Mile Beach

We arrived in Georgetown, Cayman Islands this morning.  Papa and I explored the little town of Georgetown and then walked north and onto Seven Mile Beach, a seven mile curve of white sand.  Kids were building sand castles, pelicans were flying about.  The water was beautiful.  

We walked in the water's edge about three miles.  Loved it!

Quirigua, Guatamala

We docked at Santa Tomas de Castilla, a busy port.  There were trucks full of dirt going back and forth through the port the whole day.  We later found out the "dirt" contains nickel, zinc, gold, and silver ore, that was being loaded onto ships bound for Russia, where it will be concentrated.  

It seems Guatamalans are mining the ore but don't have a way to refine it.

We booked a private tour to Quirigua, so a driver met us at the port and drove one hour into the country, passing through beautiful rolling countryside, full of cattle ranches, banana and rubber plantations, and small farms.  There were big mountains in the distance, with the tallest mountain in Guatamala over 13,000'.  We arrived at Quirigua, a Mayan site founded around 700 AD.  It is known for its many stellae, beautifully carved and telling stories of the Mayan kings of those days.  We explored the plaza, saw all the stellae, and hiked around the acropolis.  It was a good day!

 

 

 

 

Roatan

Our cruise ship anchored off the coast of Roatan this morning.  We took a tender into the town of Coxen Hole.  We walked away from the cruise port and asked for advice from a local policeman.  

He sent an eleven year old boy with us, through a local market, to find local transportation.  

We hopped on board a minivan and rode, with the locals, to the town of West End, 

and then back to Coxen Hole.  The locals were friendly and helpful along the way.  We enjoyed seeing their homes and gardens, local beaches, and fruit markets. 

River Boat to Lamanai Ruins

Our ship anchored about five miles from Belize City this morning.  We rode the tender into town, then met our tour guide, Javier by 8:45.  Two other couples from the cruise joined our tour.  Javier drove us an hour north into Belize and then we stopped and changed transport, to a small motor boat.  Javier steered us through the New River about an hour.  We saw crocodiles, unusual birds, and many different bromeliad species growing on the trees.  We arrived at Lamanai Ruins before noon.

The visible and excavated ruins at Lamanai include three large temples, built around 100 AD.  There are close to 1000 unexcavated ruins on the same site.  Papa and I climbed to the top of one temple, and looked out over the river and rain forest all around.  There was intermittent rain throughout the day and we got soaked, but the temperature was so warm, that we were never uncomfortable.  Javier drove us back the way we came, up the river and via minivan, to the ship.  An amazing day!

Flowers of Cozumel

We woke up in Cozumel today.  We spent much of the morning exploring on foot, 

seeing tropical flowers in full bloom, in bright, deep colors.  They were beautiful! 

A Day at Sea

We spent a day at sea.  The ship traveled from Key West to Cozumel, an island off the coast of the Yucatan, Mexico.  We spent the day reading, walking 3 miles on the fitness track, doing an hour of water aerobics in the pool, working out in the gym, and having a sinfully rich dinner of osso buco, sea bass, and fresh pasta.  We don't have but two days at sea on this cruise.  Thank goodness!  We can't sustain the pace!

Fort Jefferson

Our cruise ship docked in Key West by 8 this morning.  We explored Key West, and then went to the airport to board a seaplane for a four hour, 140 mile round trip to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.  The seaplane flew close to the water, with the pilot narrating in both directions.  We saw several large sea turtles, dolphins, manta rays, and other large fish.  The colors of the water were beautiful!

The seaplane landed on the water and motored into the beach within a few feet of Fort Jefferson.  It is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere, built of more than 16 million bricks, over nearly thirty years, from 1846-1875.  Fort Jefferson was named a National Monument by FDR in 1935 and became a National Park in 1992.  We enjoyed the afternoon, exploring inside 

and outside the fort, plus bird watching.