A WALK ALONG THE WATERFRONT LEADS TO CHARLOTTE AMALIE!

Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Sky Princess
Stateroom S222/17
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
Sun, 83F

 

TK captured a sunrise at St. Thomas

I will admit one of my favorite ports is St. Thomas, because of the shopping.  We have toured the island, walked it extensively, but a few years ago I told TK that all I ever want to do in St. Thomas is shop. TK told me that it was only 1.6 miles from the cruise ship at Havensight to downtown Charlotte Amalie, so we started early this morning for a walk.  Five thousand steps later (5,000), we reached the town. What happened? I think the Internet site TK checked was wrong, or Charlotte Amalie moved a little further away. One or the other. 

The walk along the waterfront is beautiful, a sunny day, palm trees, dragon flies, yachts and other boats in the harbor, more cruise ships arriving. Thankfully we both are able to do such a walk.  Even though St. Thomas is part of the United States, people drive American style cars with the driver sitting on the left, but they also drive on the left hand side of the road, like the British.  This makes for interesting driving. 

 

Public art in a shopping area!

NCL Encore (left), Sky Princess (right)

Photo Opps!

We are about half way to Charlotte Amalie

For the last many years my first stop has always been Alpha Jewelers (https://alpha-jewelers.com/). They clean and check the prongs on my rings and sometimes I decide to add something.  TK likes to sit in the king’s chair. I introduced Cruise Friend Donna to the shop and now she buys her jewelry here too.  It is always a good experience.

 

TK in the king's chair!

Alpha Jewelers!

Today another couple was near me as I was looking at earrings. We left the store at the same time and struck up a conversation, they were experienced cruisers, had shopped at Sonny’s for about 15 years. We were talking about our upcoming cruise to Great Britain, and they were giving us some pointers. Sonny, the owner of Alpha Jewelers, came out of the store and said, “Why don’t I treat all of you to lunch?” He had one of his clerks take all four of us to nearby Gladys’ Café (https://gladyscafe.com/) and we had a lovely lunch!

 

Our new friends, Pam and Glenn M from South New Jersey, shared some of their cruise stories (e.g. Iceland, Greenland, Australia, Tahiti, Great Britain) and we made some suggestions on cruising in the Mediterranean. They were both educators in a public school system in NJ.  This week they are sailing on the maiden voyage of the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/icon-of-the-seas/). 

 

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

The Icon of the Seas, brand new, is the largest cruise ship on the seas today. It is 1,197 ft. long, has a beam of 159 ft., 20 decks, 6 water slides, an ice skating rink (and so much more), maximum passengers-7,600, and crew 2,350. That is two and a half times more people than Union City, PA, where I grew up!

After parting ways with our new friends, we continued our walk around the town, but by 2 p.m. I was ready to return to the ship where TK rested before dinner and I read a new book on the balcony, a nice breeze keeping me cool.

 

There are three of these passageways in

Charlotte Amalie

The town was the first permanant European

settlement in St. Thomas in 1672.

The passageways were probably built

in the early 1800s.

Cafe Amici in one of the passageways

Another great day!

 

TK’s Takes:  He enjoyed the walk into Charlotte Amalie and spotted a fish in the water.

OLD SAN JUAN AND THE YOUNG CAT WHISPERER

Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Sky Princess
Stateroom S222/17
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sun, 83F

 

We love Puerto Rico!

Where did our 14,000 steps take us today? Old San Juan is within steps of the port. Our first stop was Walgreen’s for cat nibbles and hair gel. Walgreens is half a block from the ship, and the store gets very busy later in the day. Anyway, TK was on a mission to find the stray cats that we saw on our last visit.  The story is that some are believed to be descendants of colonial-era cats brought to the island by Spanish ships.   More recently, mid-20^th century, cats were brought to the capital in the to kill rats. Guess what, the cats multiplied.

It did not take long to see cats roaming around as we walked along the tree lined sidewalks next to the shore on this beautiful day.    There were parks, gardens, sculptures, pigeons, narrow blue cobblestoned streets, bird of paradise flowers, bougainvillea, mangrove trees with exposed roots, and tourists.

 

Blue cobblestone street (closeup)

Bricks in Old San Juan streets are blue stone

cast from furnace slag which were brought over

on Spanish ships as ballast. 

The blue color comes from age and moisture.

They are  beautiful!

Looks to me like a baby being sacrificed

I could not find anything about it

TK and mangrove tree

Close up of mangrove tree

We love tree lined streets and sidewalks!

Street cats

Fountain

Most of the cats were friendly and hungry, they eagerly ate the treats TK was giving them.  After a while we arrived at the “Save a Gato” cat sanctuary.  A multitude of cats flocked around the “Cat Whisperer,” a sight to behold, as they seemed to treasure the treats that he was giving them.  He really enjoyed the cats and probably would have taken one home if he could. He left the rest of the cat treats with the sanctuary.

 And then we found the area of the cat sanctuary:

The Cat Whisperer

TK thought the car on the roof was amusing

Soon we arrived at the back a U.S. National Park, which includes the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, the citadel/fortification that protected the island from attackers approaching by sea for the 250 years.  Because we were coming from the back of the area, we had to climb a very steep mountain. Okay, it was really a hill, but still steep.

This colorful gate stands as an entrance 

to the walled city of Old San Juan. 

It is 16 feet tall, one of five, and the 

last one still in existence

 

The mountain we climbed. It kills me

that I cannot capture perspective

El Morro still protects the island!

By this time we were very thirsty, and TK spotted a sign for a coffee shop within the old army barracks near El Morro. Coffee was probably not the best thirst quencher, but it sure was delicious at the Don Ruiz Café inside the barracks area plaza. It turned out that Don Ruiz is a 4^th generation coffee producer whose ancestors arrived in the Caribbean during the 15^th century Spanish colonization.  We would totally recommend a stop for coffee here!

 

Don Ruiz Cafe

Very good coffee

Army barracks for the fortress

Between El Morro and the barracks is a square with a 4o foot tower known as El Totem Telurico, meant to symbolize the origin of the New World. The square itself was built in 1992 as a commemoration of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas.  I am very fond of public art and Old San Juan did not disappoint!

 

El Totem Telurico

We continued our journey to Restaurant Barrachina, 104 Fortaleza, in Old San Juan.  We always stop here—a place that claims to be the birthplace of the pina colada. The pina colada here (without alcohol) is the very best, fresh, not watered down, delicious pineapple and coconut! 

 

A peak into Barrachina

Entrance

The quintessential Pina Colada!

The appetizers we shared were delicious too. [Assorted fried delicacies (turnovers, corn fritters and croquettes)/ Surtidos de frituras (croquetas, sorullitos de maíz y pastelillitos de carne y pollo)]—whatever they were, they were delicious. I did not ask. Key word: fried.

Obviously we had already eaten a few of these appetizers 

I might mention that it wouldn’t be Old San Juan without a policeman holding up traffic for an unknown reason—thing blaring horns, black Suburbans, angry shouts in Spanish.  The streets are narrow, reminiscent of our favorite European cities.

 TK bought another t-shirt at Cariloha and then he spotted a Starbucks. We have a fun collection of Starbucks coffee cups from many places we have visited. No coffee this time.

 

The lady next to TK (his left) wanted wave 

for the photo

Our latest Starbucks coffee cup

TK is such a good model!

Twelve thousand steps later, we returned to the ship for a break! 

TK's steps today

I have 13,410 today

Flags flying from the ship

New San Juan looks beautiful too!

Soon enough it was time for dinner and now TK rests.

 

TK’s Takes:  Today was the nicest day so far, weatherwise. Clear skies, no wind, lots of sun, and smooth seas.

Finally, the ship's library cucbicles

SEA DAYS, CONCERTS AT SEAS, BOOKS, AND BURGERS

Monday, January 29, 2024
Sky Princess
Stateroom S222/17
At Sea
Sun, 81F

Dear Readers, you know the routine on a sea day, eat, read, eat, read.  Today I decided to take a few photos of areas of the ship. 

 

First thing this morning we went to the Internet Café to drop off some books, so Janie does not have to carry them all home. The Sky Princess, just like the Enchanted Princess, does not have a library, a space that we truly liked on most every ship since 1967.   As indicated in the name, the Internet Café has about ten desktop computers available for guests. TK logged in and started planning a 2025 cruise while I was looking over the dropped off books. The “library” is reduced to 3 or 4 cubes for books. The Holland America SS Rotterdam had a library that seemed huge to a 19 year old.

 

The very cerebral reading I have done so far

SS Rotterdam in the 40s

This is the best I could do for a photo --

this looks much like the Rotterdam 

library that I remember (1967, 1968)

 The highlight of the day was the Veterans and Military Personnel Get Together.  This week it was hosted which meant everyone was offered champagne by the Princess staff.   There were about 30 men and women in attendance, including Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm veterans. I was so pleased to give everyone a “pocket flag,” a 12” x 18” American flag folded correctly and placed in a small clear plastic bag.  Our Presque Isle Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, collected the flags that were placed at a veterans’ graves before Memorial Day in our area and then retrieved by Veterans Day.  We then cleaned the flags and folded them properly to give them to American military members and veterans as a way to honor not only their service, but the service of those veterans at rest.  Both TK and I were very humbled by how the veterans today reacted to such an honor.

And that was our Sea Day today!  Photos below!

 

TK’s Takes: He enjoyed talking to the veterans today, a Vietnam Cobra helicopter pilot and an Army vet from Maryland who was in Erie many years ago to train people at the Erie International Airport (now Tom Ridge) on the use of the airport fire trucks.

The some of the buffet today--TK had a slice of 4 cheese pizza and I had a cheeseburger on the main pool deck, plus peanut butter cookies!

TK near the Salty Dog Grill Deck 16 Midship

where I ordered my burger.  

"Slice" Pizzeria is opposite the Salty Dog

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Fresh Market Deck 16 Aft (aka the buffet)

Everyone is highly encouraged to wash their hands

before entering

Dishes include Vegetable Birani, Lamb and Potato

Curry, Aloa Gobi Masata, and ______ Noodles

I can't write and take photos at the same time,

plus I have no idea what these are

Salad fixings

More salad fixings

Even more salad fixings

Pub Day

Steak and Kidney Pie (I had to ask if

there really was kidney in the pie. "Yes.")

Scotch Eggs 

(might have tried them if I knew more)

Lunch desserts

More lunch desserts

Even more lunch desserts

More photos-----------

From Deck 7 looking down at Atrium--Deck 5

Alfredo's Pizzeria---Deck 7

We had calzones here a few days ago

Way too big!

Candy Store-Deck 5

Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar--Deck 7

A very popular spot, sushi mostly

Gelato Deck 5

Internet Cafe  Deck 5

Sky Pool Deck 16

You can see the screen for Movies Under The Stars

Movies are also shown during the day

Princess Live Deck 7--

Trivia games, Art Auctions, etc. here

The Catch by Rudi  Deck 7

Seafood Restaurant--we have never eaten here

Wake View Pool  Deck 16 aft

If you can see the "contraption" in the background 

it is used to help people with very limited mobility

 into the pool--most of the pools onboard have this ability.

Wake View Bar area  Deck 16 Aft

CONCERTS AT SEA:

This is a poster listing the bands that are on the ship this week

But we could not get access because the events were sold out

before we booked.  

P.S. I am answering friend C's comment on this post: She asked about how the cruise lines consider shark safety on their private islands. Plus she asked about seconds and more  at the barbecue on the island.

My response:

Oh my, I never gave sharks a thought. This is a very good question that I will try to pursue. 

Those delicious luncheons are indeed all you can eat. Seconds, thirteenths, go ahead! Same with the buffet on the ship.  That said, most cruise lines now charge extra for seconds like lobster tail and prime rib in the main dining rooms. $10. That was not the case previously, one could ask for more lobster tail or prime rib with no extra charge

On our European cruise in NovDec, one night they had lobster claws (not tails) at the buffet. That was a frenzy like I could not believe. We observed only, and it was a sight to behold. Key word: frenzy