Dear George,
Katja and I both celebrated big
birthdays this year, and, in honor of the occasion, our son J and
daughter-in-law K invited us on a Caribbean cruise. That definitely was the highlight of our year. We haven't been out of the country
together for ages, and we've never been on a cruise before. We flew down to New Orleans for
Thanksgiving and then set off down the Mississippi to the Gulf and the high
seas.
Our cruise ship was truly
astonishing. 15 decks high and
longer than the Titanic or the Queen Elizabeth. We were still discovering new places on the ship after a
full week on the ocean.
It's very mysterious and
mind-altering to travel for days and see nothing but water (and perhaps an
occasional ship) as far as you can see in all directions.
Our stateroom (deck 1, #1319)
was comfy as could be. Our ship
carried 3500 passengers and about 1500 crew. Every morning the staff left an animal on our bed which had
been sculpted from a folded towel.
With a waterpark and multiple
swimming pools, cruises are ideal for families. There was also a basketball court, a gym, a spa, a jogging
track, hot tubs, a miniature golf course, a library, continuous gatherings and
games, and an "ocean camp" for kids that stayed open until 1 a.m.
The adults-only "Serenity
Retreat" featured a well-stocked bar. There were lots of happy-looking parents there.
Our ship had a dozen or so
restaurants -- Italian, French, Mongolian, Indian, sushi, tacos, pizza,
burgers, steak, etc. -- all of them serving delicious food. We had our fancy dinner every evening
at 6 in the Scarlet Room. Our
grandson L pointed out that you can eat as much as you want and it's all
free. His dad explained that it
wasn't exactly free, but you get the idea.
Every night we went to a
Broadway-caliber music revue in the main auditorium. Then we’d follow up with a standup comedian in the Burgundy
Room. J and I are wearing our new
headbands at the "America Rocks" show.
We spent Day 4 at a beach
resort at Montego Bay in Jamaica.
Perfect white sand beaches and crystal-clear blue-green water. K participated in the music/dance
contest, and she won first prize (a fancy cap which she gave to me).
On Day 5 we docked at
Georgetown on Grand Cayman Island.
Our grandkids and their parents went snorkeling with stingrays (actually kissing them),
while Katja and I browsed in the historic business district. Along with fancy shops where Katja
bought a new watch, the downtown streets were also home to well-fed chickens.
On Day 6 we landed at Cozumel,
Mexico. Our family went to the
beach while Katja and I toured the ancient Mayan ruins at San Gervasio, then
traveled along the Caribbean shore.
On the last day V and L and all
the other children at camp received stuffed animal souvenirs of the trip.
Then, before we knew it, we
were back home in New Orleans.
Katja said it was the best trip we've ever taken and that she'd like to
spend her entire life on a cruise ship.
That sounds good to me.
Love,
Dave
