THE CRUISING CONTINUES! NEW ORLEANS AND MONTEGO BAY! updated---

Sunday, February 8 to Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Sunny

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA: CHUKKA 4X4 SAFARI RIDE

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Sunny, 70s

The six of us disembarked at 9 a.m. this morning for our Carnival tour on the Chukka (company name) 4x4 ride. TK and I bought water shoes in the gift shop yesterday because we forgot ours at home. We dressed in swimsuits under clothes in preparation.

On left: TK,Nancy, Janie, Donna

On right; Brian, a couple from Wisconsin, Lawrence

Our driver Richard told us to buckle up, this would be quite a ride. No kidding. My motto is to only go on tours in countries where they care whether you live or die. Hmmm. Eight of us buckled up and held on. The tour was advertised as “taking a ride through the real Jamaica.” Apparently Jamaica has no speed limits anywhere and people drive on the opposite side of the road that we do in the U.S. We were driving on VERY obscure roads with interesting hairpin turns, “where regular buses can’t go.” 

As advertised, we traveled over rocky terrain and through tropical landscapes. We discovered “hidden waterfalls and swimming pools, natural mineral waters, all in a rainforest.”

Brian, TK, and Donna

TK and Janie

We did learn some Jamaican history-saw a former slave hospital converted to a Baptist church in 1846 and the original plantation site of a slave insurrection in the early1800s. Most of all we enjoyed the lush landscapes. Richard told us that ackee (blighia sapida—soapberry family) was the national fruit and provided an easy sandwich with breadfruit, also common. We saw violet orchids, bird of paradise, 1600 acres of orange trees, banana trees, coffee plants, cocoa, three different kinds of coconuts, croton, so many ferns, and so many palm trees. Sensitive plants grew all over the ground. (I wish I knew Latin names of these plants!). There were so many flowers, red, orange, yellow, so much beauty and I didn't know what they were!

Richard took us to the hidden area by the river where the mineral springs were. Donna, TK, and Brian all went in and splashed around, with promises of eternal youth. On the other hand, those of us who did not go into the water were told not to put our hands on the railing of the overlook because it was covered with biting black ants. Richard did say there were few snakes in Jamaica because the mongoose were prevalent. I did see unidentified creepy crawly things, but what the heck, we were in a jungle. The small falls area was very nice and I loved the crooked little creek emptying into the river.  

We loaded up the 4x4 (really an open air safari truck like vehicle) again and went to a private area for the Chukka tours for beverages and fabulous jerk chicken.  I would eat chicken a lot more often if TK fixed chicken like that. The hushpuppies were sure tasty too. We enjoyed this tour very much. We felt bad because this is the tour Gwenda and Colin especially wanted to do. They would have really enjoyed it!

Nancy did not feel well with a cold, so it was dinner for 5 tonight. Wasanna looks after us well and knew just what Nancy needed (chicken and rice) so she sent that “home” with Brian. We all had an early evening of it because Grand Cayman is an early port tomorrow.

COMEDY SHOWS

At Sea/Carnival Dream

Monday and Tuesday

High 70s, Sunny

We were at sea for two days, sailing toward Jamaica. Both days I read on deck by the Waves Pool and the Aft Sunset Pool. TK wandered around, lounging on Deck 5, Promenade Deck or by the Pool on Decks 10, 11, and 12. It was easy to get a lounge chair in the shade both days. On some ships that is a difficult feat. I got the Soda Card again, $48 for unlimited soda for the week. Carnival Cruise Lines sells Coca Cola products. I have found that Coke Zero tastes much better than Diet Coke. Coca Cola Light, available on the islands and in Europe, tastes much better too.

As a group we really enjoy dining with Wasanna every night. She is especially personable and seems to like her job as Head Waitress very much.

On Monday night after dinner we sat in the Lanai Bar/Ocean Plaza area and listened to BlackJack, a band Donna said was very popular on Carnival. They played music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s that we all recognize. From there we went to the Burgundy Lounge for the Punchliner Comedy Club featuring adult comedy with Carl Faulkenberry. We had a lot of good laughs. In one topic he said that everything is reality TV now. He said, “What is real about one ordinary man entertaining 30 single women in a mansion?” as in The Bachelor.

We did the same thing Tuesday night, only we saw adult comedy with Caroline Picard. She was funny, but there was not one joke I could repeat in this blog!

PERPETUAL MUSIC IN NEW ORLEANS!

Sunday, 76 F, sunny 

All six of us easily disembarked the Dream at 9:30 a.m., went through U.S. Customs, and started walking toward Café du Monde. [Note: One of the six of us accidentally brought his/her expired U.S. passport. As it turns out Customs officers accept copies and can easily check the numbers to see if the passport was renewed. Not TK or I]. The only thing in our way was an Outlet Mall right outside the ship. What a challenge. One Tommy Bahama bandeau swimsuit (my absolute favorite style) and one TB shirt later (purchased by Donna and Lawrence who like TB just as much as we do), we finally made it to Chico’s.  A quick look around and we were on the NOLA River Walk truly walking along the Mississippi River toward the Café.  We all enjoyed our powdered sugar beignets and coffee or hot chocolate as we wondered how many beignets a day this open air café sells. There is always a long line to get in to the popular café and NOLA never sleeps!

I guided everyone to the French Market just down the street from the café. The weather was so pleasant, sunny and warm enough to wear capris and sandals.   Nancy and I bought some fabulous feathered masks and Donna bought a feathered hair clip similar to mine. The market was very crowded. We saw so many dogs with Mardi Gras outfits discovered that there was a Mardi Gras parade for dogs today.

We sampled pecan pralines, a New Orleans specialty, in several shops, but I thought Evans had the best. This candy is so sweet. I needed to find a post office box to mail some special cards—Donna and I walked briskly to find one blocks away, but I finally left the cards in an Art Gallery near the Cathedral where a lady promised to mail them. I hope so!

After a stop at Walgreen’s on Decatur Street for soda, we walked back to board the ship about 2:30 p.m. which was cutting it a little close. We were almost the last people to board the ship. We went straight to the Safety Drill and then we were sailing down the Mississippi toward the Gulf one more time.

The passengers this week seem a little more laid back than last. The majority are from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.