Parents of the Carribean:
Treasures of the Golden Princess
From June 13th to June 20th Terry & I took a trip with Pat and Jeannie Day to six islands in the southern Caribbean. We took our camera, but weren't very diligent taking photos. We're supposed to swap pictures with Pat & Jeannie, but we haven't done so yet. Still, we got a few good pictures that capture a bit of the flavor of the islands. So I decided to share what I've got. This photo is courtesy of the ship's photographer: it captures the immortal moment when Terry & I first set foot aboard the Golden Princess. Pat & Jeannie Day are immediately behind us. Terry is so happy because she knows that it's going to be air-conditioned as soon as we make it past the pesky photographer!
We arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico late in the evening of June 12th. The air was warm and humid; it seemed proper to sip it as much as breathe it. Terry had booked us into a hotel right on the harbor at the edge of Old San Juan, the walled Spanish city that was the bustling heart of this part of the Caribbean. After an exhilarating taxi ride from an enthusiastic local comedian, we dropped our bags at the hotel and set out to explore the old twisty roads by moonlight.
The roads of Old San Juan are paved in blue-glazed bricks. They twist and wind just enough to make an unwary wanderer (e.g. me) lose his way without realizing that it's happening. At night the roads are alive with laughing island crowds moving between the bars and restaurants and peering into the windows of the endless shops. After a few blocks we settled into a delightful restaurant and enjoyed a late dinner, then toddled back toward the harbor. Fortunately Pat remembered his directions better than I did, and we were soon back at the hotel.
The next day we packed our things & took a taxi to the Golden Princess, the ship we would call home for the next seven nights. The check-in process was tedious and long, and we'd all nearly melted by the time we found ourselves in our cabins. Terry had done great by us: the adjoining cabins were spacious, and each had a private balcony with a table and lounge chairs. Nicest digs I've camped in for an ocean voyage!
Terry elected to relax in the cabin for the rest of the day, but Pat, Jean & I went back to explore old San Juan. We climbed through two old Spanish forts and poked into various shops. Pat & I found Panama hats to shield us from the tropical sun, while after a great deal of agonizing and reconsidering Jeannie finally selected a larger leather purse to carry things in.
<previous> <next>