A DAY AT MONTSERRAT MONASTERY IN SPAIN

Montserrat means “The Serrated Mountain” and is home to Catalonia’s most important religious retreat.  Located 30 miles and about an hour northwest of Barcelona by train, the beauty of the area is, in one word, stunning.   Anyone in the Barcelona area will want to take time to explore this gem.  Located 4,055 feet above the valley floor, on a clear day even the island of Mallorca is visible. 

View from the gondola ride

You will find a myriad of various tickets available for your Montserrat experience but my suggestion would be to purchase the ToT Montserrat ticket. I purchased ours online for $46.20 Euros per person.  This is just a little over $50 USD but here is what is included:

• Train from Barcelona to Montserrat
• Cable car OR track railway to the top (I would recommend the Cable Car)
• Unlimited buffet lunch including some typical Catalan dishes along with wine and beer
• Admission to the Museu de Montserrat
• Admission to the Audiovisual Gallery (video is about 7 minutes in length)
• Unlimited use of the Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars
• Cable car OR track railway to the bottom
• Return train trip from Montserrat to Barcelona

You will certainly find plenty to explore at Montserrat, including a visit into the Basilica for viewing of the Black Virgin, the Patron Saint of Catalonia.  Legend has it that the statute  was moved to Montserrat around 718 to avoid danger by invading Saracens. In 880AD some shepherd children claimed they saw a bright light and heard angels singing in the Montserrat mountains.  The children later brought their parents to the location and they witnessed the same.  Believing that the visions were a sign from God, the community elders were then brought to the site to explore the cave where the vision occurred.  This was the genesis of the Montserrat legend and the Black Virgin.

Our day to Montserrat began at 8:10am.  We left our apartment and hopped on the Metro to the Plaza Espanya stop.  Depending upon your departure time, the trains to Montserrat depart from either track 3 and 4.  Here’s a link to help plan yourtrip.  

We had planned on taking an 8:55am train but when we arrived we discovered that the 8:55am train wasn’t operating that day.  No problem.  Trains operate frequently so we took the escalator upstairs to enjoy a morning cup of coffee and waited for the 9:36am departure.  The train will take 1 hour and the cable car ride to the top is 3 ½ minutes.   Because there is only 1 car operating in each direction, the wait can be extensive.  Our wait was just over 1 hour.  

Cable car at Montserrat

Cable car platform at top of Montserrat

When you finally arrive at the top you will want to go to the information center and pick up a map to help you navigate around the complex.  Because we arrived at the top at about 11:45am, we opted to have our lunch before touring the site to avoid lunch crowds. The restaurant for the self-serve buffet is location #7 on your map.    

The doors to the buffet opened promptly at 12:00 noon and the experience was WONDERFUL.   Salads, pastas, hot entrees, desserts and drink stations abound and it made me feel like I was back on our cruise ship.  The restaurant clings to the side of one of the cliffs with very large windows that afford spectacular views of the valley below.  The cost for this unlimited buffet is normally $15.50 Euros, about $17 USD, but is included with your ToT Montserrat ticket.  

Once you have arrived at Montserrat Monastery, you also have the option of taking two more funicular rides: the Funicular de Santa Cova and the Funicular de Sant Joan. I would allow a minimum of about 3 hours for your meal, touring the complex and taking at least 1 of the funicular rides.   We took the ride to Sant Joan.  It runs about every 20 minutes and the ride takes 7 minutes.  With a grade of 65%, this is the steepest in Spain, taking you to the very top of the mountain peaks.  From here you can enjoy the views of the Monastery and the valley below.  You can also take a variety of walks from here. 

Funicular car to Sant Joan, the highest point

Tracks to San Joan - steepest in Spain

You should make it a point to go to the audiovisual building and watch the short 7 minute film about the development of the mountain.  They offer this in several languages so you will want to check the time slots for your language.  We headed back down the mountain at 3:30pm and boarded the 4:00pm train back to Barcelona.  By the time we took the Metro back to our stop, we stepped through our apartment door at 5:30pm bringing to an end a another wonderful and interesting day.

Entrance to the Basilica

Inside the Basilica

Black Virgin of Montserrat

BASCILICA DE LA SAGRADA FAMILIA IN BARCELONA, SPAIN

Docking in Barcelona came early.  We left our cabin for the last time at 7:30am and made our way to the Atrium to join fellow cruisers Joy and Jon Jackson and waited for the announcements of disembarkation times.  We would be sharing a 3-bedroom apartment with the Jacksons so felt it better to remain together until we were settled into the apartment for our 3 night stay.   Our luggage tag color was GREY and our scheduled time to disembark was 8:15am.

Our color was called at 8:20am.  After collecting our luggage and exiting the terminal, we boarded the T3 Pier Bus a/k/a “The Blue Bus” which would transport us off the pier and drop us at the Christopher Columbus Statute located at the bottom of Las Ramblas.  The cost is  $2 Euros per person and must be paid in cash when you board the bus.  

Christopher Columbus Statute

Once we arrived at the Christopher Columbus Statute we went underground to the Tourist Information Center.  Here we were able to pick up mapes, our Barcelona 3-day transportation passes, our Monserrat tickets and also our admission tickets to Bascilica de la Sagrada Familia.  From here it was just a short walk to the Drassanas metro station where we boarded the train to the Monumental station, just 1 block from our apartment.

We found our arrival too early for check in but we were able to leave our luggage with an attendant.  This allowed us to do some walking around the immediate area.  Marci and I ended our walk at a local sidewalk café that overlooked the Sagrada Familia.  We decided to take a short break and enjoy some of the local beer while the Jacksons continued on.  My cellphone battery had died so after enjoying a local beer we took the Metro back to our apartment to retrieve my power pack.  Then it was back to the sidewalk café for pizza and beer, spending about 40 minutes eating, drinking and people watching, all the while overlooking the magnificent Sagrada Familia and adjacent park. 

Our Barcelona card included bus transportation so we decided to hop on one of the local buses for an adventure ride.  A bus stop was conveniently located right across the street from our little café.  The first bus that stopped was bus H10.  We decided we should hop on and after riding it to the end of the line we then crossed the street and jumped onto bus 75, taking it as far back as the Barcelona University stop.    

We spent time just walking by the University campus and enjoying the beautiful weather before we headed back down to the metro and made our way back to the Sagrada Familia stop to meet up with the Jacksons for our 3:45pm entrance time. 

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.  Construction commenced in 1882 and Gaudi became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming it to his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and Art Nouveau. At the time of Gaudi’s death at age 73 in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete.  Construction was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War and progresses slowly as it has to rely on private donations. 

An organ was installed in 2010 allowing the unfinished building to be used for religious services.  The instrument has 26 stops (1,492 pipes) on two manuals and a pedalboard.  Because of the unique acoustical challenges, additional organs are installed at various points within the building.  These organs can be played separately or simultaneously, from a single console yielding an organ of some 8,000 pipes.  The church was consecrated on November 7, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI in front of a congregation of 6,500 with another 50,000 outside the basilica. 

Organ pipes

Organ pipes

Gaudi’s original design called for eighteen spires, representing in ascending order the height of the twelve apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and tallest of all, Jesus Christ.  The completion of the spires will make the structure the tallest church building in the world. 

The church has 3 facades.  The Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South.    The Nativity façade is dedicated to the birth of Jesus and is decorated with scenes and images from nature.  The Passion façade is plain and simple and carved with straight lines, resembling the bones of a skeleton and dedicated to the Passion of Christ.  This façade is to portray the sins of man.  The Glory façade, under construction since 2002, is the largest and most striking of the facades.  It represents the road to God:  Death, Final Judgment and Glory.  This year the cathedral will draw more than 2.5 million visitors.  Here’s a short 1minute video.  

It's hard to capture the beauty of this building, especially how the light changes like the colors of the rainbow.  Here's a few photos just to give you the feel of the majesty of it. 

Looking Up

 

LEFT-CENTER-RIGHT SEA DAYS

A 17-day Transatlantic cruise would not normally be one that a “first time cruiser” would choose but as a seasoned traveler, I love sea days.  This is the time for me to meet new people, nurture friendships, learn new things, try new foods, play games and a myriad of other things.  In fact, with so many things to chose from I have trouble deciding which activities to attend.

Here is a very short list of a few of the activities I experienced on this cruise. 

Astronomy Lessons

Sitting in the Hot tub

Walking the ship

Solo traveler gatherings

Constellation Viewings

Acupunture Lectures

Art Auctions

Emerald Lectures

Art Lectures

Meet & Greet Party

Champagne Parties

Gift Exchange

Lounge Music

Cabin Crawl

Slot Tournament

Hypnosis seminar

Left-Center-Right games

Meet the Entertainers

Cruise Passengers Talent Show

Panel Discussions with Cruise Staff

Daily movies

Team Trivia

Some cruisers, like my husband, simply want to do nothing but read and take naps.  This is what makes cruising attractive to me.  In our earlier days of cruising, back in the 80’s and 90’s, we packed a set of walkie-talkies to keep in touch with each other. With current technology, a simple text message with my smartphone does the trick, allowing us to quickly find each other.

With over 100 Cruise Critics on this cruise there were lots of planned activities.  One of my favorite sea day activities came to be the LCR game.  Called Left-Center-Right, I was not familiar with the game prior to the cruise so did not go to the first two games, which were scheduled each sea day at 1:00pm.   However, after playing this game once I was immediately hooked and made sure to show up whenever it was offered. 

LCR or Left-Center-Right is a fast-paced dice game for three or more players, published by George & Company LLC in 1992. It is entirely a game of chance with no skill or thought required.  Maybe this is why I liked it so much.  Players make no decisions of any kind, even as to wagering.  The outcome is left entirely to the three dice that come in the game.  It can be purchased at any Walmart, Fred Meyer, Target or even online at Amazon.  The game uses three specially imprinted dice and three betting medium of your choice: chips, pennies, M and M's, unshelled peanuts, cookies, etc.  We used dollars.  I suppose one could use three $5 bills or three $10 bills, but for this cruise we each started with three $1 bills. 

Players then take turns rolling the six-sided dice, each of which is marked with “L”, “C”, “R” on one side, and a single dot on the three remaining sides. For each "L" or "R" thrown, the player must pass one betting medium - remember we used $1 bills - to the player to his left or right, respectively. A "C" indicates $1 to the center or pot. A dot has no affect, you simply retain your dollars and pass the dice to the next player.

If a player has fewer than $3 left, including zero, you are still in the game but how many dollars you have remaining is the number of dice you roll on you turn, rather than rolling all three. For example - If I only have $2 left you can only roll 2 dice.  If I have no dollars remaining I simply pass the dice without rolling and hope that my neighbors to my right and left will roll L's and R's and give me dollars back.  The winner is the last player with $1 remaining.  That person does not roll the dice and wins the center pot. 

Call it beginners luck but I was fortunate enough to win the pot on two occasions.  The first time we had a total of 33 people playing the game, taking about 90 minutes to complete.  I walked away with $99.    The second time I won we had a total of 54 people, played for 2 hours and I collected $161.   WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME?  Don’t be afraid to try something new.  You might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

My winnings from playing Left-Center-Right

FUNCHAL, MADEIRA, PORTUGAL

Six days in a row glances out our cabin window revealed water.  The earth is flat and we will surely fall off if we continue forward.  Strangly, my thoughts wanted to continue down this obscure path.  If the earth were flat, how far could one go before you fall off and entered the abyss?  My estimates ranged from 7 to 25 miles due to the curvature of the earth and your height above sea level.  I wondered if these were some of the same thoughts that raced through the minds of  Erik the Red, Leif Ericson, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan and others as they made their way across the Atlantic?   

“Land Ho!” I suddenly yelled to my cabin mate Marci.  It was just before 7:00am as I glanced out our cabin window, just as I had done on each of the previous six day.   This time however, I was pleasantly surprised to see land.   We had finally arrived in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. 

The Norwegian Jade Funchal shore excursion was titled “Eira Do Serrado and Monte”.   We took this one because we received shore excursion credits when we made our original booking.  We met the balance of our group at the Stardust Lounge at 8:15am but by the time group #6 was called, we exited the ship and boarded our awaiting bus, my watch had just clicked over to 9:00am.  Normally just a 30 minute winding road trip to the top, our arrival on this day was at 10:10am, slowed considerably due to construction.   The drive and the delays all proved to be worthwhile.

The viewpoint stands 4,000 feet above sea level, where one can enjoy the majestic views over the valley of Curral das Freiras - Nun’s Valley.  Our guide shared that the nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara lived here between 1492 and 1497 and it was used as a haven from pirate attack.  Inhabited since the 15^th century and located inside an inactive volcano crater, the site is geographically isolated from other communities by the cliffs and peaks surrounding its central valley. A tunnel southwards in the direction of Funchal now offers safe access to the valley.

Curral das Frieras - Nun's Valley

 To access the first viewpoint one must walk by path that starts at the Inn of Eira do Serrado.   The start of the path is constructed of concrete, contains a moderate grade incline and turns to cobblestone before reaching the first lookout.  From here you can continue up an additional 103 steps to the top viewing area.  This affords a stunning panoramic view of the ravine and 5 smaller cities with streams cutting through the villages from the mountain water runoff.  

 

Marci and I ready to climb to the top

Lookout to Nun's Valley below

 Once back at the Inn you can souvenir shop, enjoy a beverage or just sit and relax while you take in the view and wait for fellow passengers.   The weather at this elevation changes quickly and frequently and visits should be made as early in the day as possible.  During our visit a thick fog rolled in, taking only 3-4 minutes before our views were completely obstructed. 

Just took photos, didn't ride down the hills.

Heading back down the mountain we turned our coach away from the water and headed to Monte, a quaint village tucked in the hillside suburbs of Funchal.  Once we were dropped off we walked about 500 yards further up the hill and came across the boarding location for the carros de cesto (basket cars).  In 1850, the residents created this innovative method of moving rapidly between Monte and downtown Funchal.   They are baskets with seats on wooden skis that slide through the inclined streets of Monte.  Each basket is guided by two pilots each wearing the traditional white uniform with straw boaters (hats).  Today you can still experience the toboggan and cruise about 1.2 miles down to Livramento school at some very exciting speeds.  The basket cars remain one of the most popular features of Monte. 

Once we passed the toboggans, we continued our walk about another quarter mile to the gondola entrance.  Each car can hold 8 adults, 4 facing each direction.  Cost for a one-way ride is $10 Euros, about $11.25 U.S. Dollars.   The length of the cable car line is 12,198 feet, with a height difference of 1,840 feet and a journey time, one way, of 15 minutes. The line has over 39 cars and can carry 800 passengers per hour down to the waterfront of downtown Funchal.   The views of the city, the port, and our ship were breathtaking.

Gondola ride back to the waterfront

Our bus and driver were eagerly awaiting our return at the bottom of the gondola ride.  We quickly boarded and were taken to Oliveira’s Embroidery Factory, located near the Cathedral and across the street from Madeira Casino.  Opened since 1917 and employing over 50 people, the store is located in the heart of the historical center of Funchal.   Upon entering we were confronted with a question - “Sweet or dry?”, referring to preference on the type of locally produced wine I preferred to sample.  I tasted both and preferred the sweet wine.  You can then purchase bottles to take home at a cost of about $5.00 for a small bottle, under our normal 750 mil.   

After wine tasting we were left to browse through the embroidery store.   Our stop here was a brief 10-12 minutes, then back on the bus and a short drive to the city center to drop passengers who wanted to stay in town a little longer.  The bus then transported the remainder of us back to the terminal, delivering us dockside.  The time was 12:00pm.  Once on board we headed to the room to drop our day packs and then immediately proceeded to the Blue Lagoon Restaurant for a casual lunch which, for me, consisted of a bowl of soup and half a sandwich.  

Dinner was at Cagney’s Steakhouse with our new friends Lesley and Dave from the United Kingdom.  Time slipped away as we enjoyed the food and conversation and before we knew it the time was 9:20pm.  We were too late for the Starlight Theatre as that show had started at 9:00pm so we all headed to the Spinnaker Lounge for a high energy Tina Turner tribute which capped off another fantastic day.  Two more sea days and then we disembark in Barcelona. 

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS, USVI

Table 51 in the Grand Palace dining room on the Norwegian Jade quickly became one of my favorites. Located next to the window in the rear of the dining room, table 51 affording some glorious views.  Many times I would find myself almost hypnotized as I blankly stared at the agitating waters.  Colors altering from dark blue to sea foam green, then back to dark blue as we churned ahead at 18-20 knots.  After enjoying a quiet and relaxing breakfast at table 51 we headed back to the cabin to collect our day packs. 

We stepped off the ship a few minutes before 9am.  Our shore excursion today was prearranged by Leslie and Dave from Lancashire, England.  They were just 2 of more than 130 Cruise Critics on board our Transatlantic sailing.  Exiting the ship today was effortless, with no delays, and we immediately spotted Leslie and Dave dockside. By the time our tour was ready to depart we became a  party of 18.   Much more intimate than the mega groups you are thrown into when you take a ship offered shore excursion. 

The tour Leslie and Dave planned was operated by Brenda and Franko from B&F Fun Tours. Personally I could easily have skipped the first 2 hours as we were driven to downtown Charlotte Amelia and dropped off in front of the Little Switzerland store to allow time for shopping.  I am not a die-hard shopper but certainly can appreciate those that are and what  better place to test your shopping skills than the streets of St. Thomas.

One of the fun local transportation options in St Thomas

Blackbeards Castle

Slowly strolling along the back streets with Leslie and Dave, we chatted and enjoyed the sunshine and freshness of the morning until about 11am.  We rejoined our group at the downtown market area and began the short ride to Blackbeard’sCastle.  Known as “The Williamsburg of the Caribbean”, Blackbeard's Castle is one of five National Historic Landmarks in the U.S. Virgin Islands with historic manor houses dating back to the late 1600’s.   

The Three Queens Statute with Skytsborg Tower in Background

Skytsborg Tower, built in 1679, was used by Blackbeard as a lookout to identify enemy ships entering the harbor.  The military tower stands 40-feet tall with 6-foot thick walls and offers 360 degree views of Charlotte Amelia, St Croix and the surrounding area.  The complex at Blackbeard's Castle houses the world’s largest collection of life-sized pirate sculptures, crafted in copper and bronze, as well as the sculpture of The Three Queens.   

These beautiful bronze sculptures depict three former female slaves who led a revolt against the Danish government in 1878.

Leaving Blackbeard’s Castle, we headed to Mountain Top, the highest point on the island of St. Thomas and home to the world famous “Banana Daiquiri”.  

 

Panoramic View on way to Mountain Top

One of the first attractions on the island, Mountain Top offers stunning panoramic views of Magens Bay, St. John and the British Virgin Islands from its expansive observation deck.   We ejoyed a 30 minute stop here and I was able to download all my email while sipping on my banana daiquiri as I found free wi-fi here, password SOUVENIRS.  The banana daiquiri isn’t cheap however with the smallest glass running $10.99 plus taxes.  Before leaving Mountain Top our guides, Brenda and Franko, served us our choice of Pineapple, Coconut or Mango Cruzin Rum shots.   

View of Megans Bay from Mountain Top

Mountain Top - Home to Banana Daiquiri

Next stop - Emerald Bay beach, right across from the airport.  I found this to be a beautiful beach but very noisy and would not want to stay at the hotel here.  There was not time to actually enjoy a dip in the water but it was relaxing non the less.  On our way back to the ship Brenda and Franko made an unscheduled stop at the local K-Mart to drop off folks that wanted to do a little shopping before walking back to the ship. 

Ahhhhh. . . . Emerald Bay Beach

We arrived back at the ship at 3:45pm.  The cost for the day trip was only $30 per person, much less than anything offered from the ship.  Remember to take your photo ID anytime you leave the ship as you will be checked both leaving and returning.   

Dinner reservations for tonight were at La Bistro French Restaurant with friends and fellow Cruise Critics Steve and Judy  from Texas and Dawn from Calgary, Canada. La Bistro is listed as the most elegant and formal specialty restaurant in the Norwegian fleet.  Our seating was at 6:30pm and after ejoying the escargot appetizer I opted for the French tradition of Coq au Vin, a dish consisting of chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms and garlic presented in a small cast iron skillet.  The ambiance, friends, food and wine all made for an absolutely perfect dinner choice.

After dinner we headed straight to the Stardust Theatre and front row seats for viewing the vocal talent of 4EVER.   Originally formed as a tribute to the world famous II Divo, the group is comprised of 4 extraordinary males from Uruguay and Spain.  The stage presence and musical talent of these 4 young men was excellent.  The conclusion of the show brought the day to an end providing me with some fantastic memories and new friendships.  Tomorrow will be the first of 6 straight days at sea before Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

MIAMI SHORE EXCURSION

After 2 days at sea our first port of call was Miami.   As an early riser, being up at 5:45am is the normal for me and being up at this hour one can enjoy the quietness you experience walking around the ship. 

Blue Lagoon 24-hour Restaurant

Our cabin was just a few steps from a 24-hour restaurant called the Blue Lagoon. Breakfast today would be scrambled eggs with link sausage followed by some small talk reminiscing over our previous 3 days.  Once finished, we headed back to our cabin to assemble our day bag and head to the Stardust Lounge for our 8:00am check-in time.   My day bag always includes, at minimum, a water bottle, sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrella and a sweater.  On this day I also included my laptop in hopes of finding a free wi-fi location to catch up on emails. 

Normally you won’t see me taking a shore excursion offered on a cruise ship but when we booked this cruise we were given an incentive of $25 per person for each shore excursion we booked through the ship. After looking over the options offered we settled on the Hop On Hop Off (“HOHO”) tour.   

Once we left the ship we were greeted dockside by the HOHO bus and driver, given maps and driven to the Bayview Station.  This is the transportation hub for the cruise pier.  You can actually walk to it from the ship but I would not recommend that as you have to cross over the causeway and it is very dangerous. 

HOHO Bus

The Big Bus TourCompany of Miami offers three different routes and can be booked online for an adult price of $45.  The three tours are colored coded – “blue” for the South Beach Loop, “red” for the City Loop and “green” for the Uptown Loop.   

Before we arrived at Bayview Station we had decided that we would take the red loop first, then the blue loop, and if time permitted would do the green loop.   There are color-coded flags at the Bayview Station to help you identify which bus you are to board.  Simply stand next to the flag color that corresponds with the loop color you want to take.  As you board you will be given headsets as they offer the tours in several languages.  

Biltmore Hotel

The “red” City Loop included the Vizcaya Museum, Coconut Grove, Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables Museum, Little Havana and Central Station.   A few minutes into our tour we encountered a slight sprinkle but our tour guide quickly distributed rain ponchos to everyone, which we were allowed to keep.  The sprinkle lasted only a few minutes and was very slight.  Several people didn’t feel the need to even put their ponchos on.  The red tour is 90 minutes in length and if you hop off another bus comes by every 30 minutes. 

After returning to Bayview Station we changed buses to the “blue” South Beach Loop.  This loop took about an hour and if you hop off another bus comes by every 30 minutes.   This tour included American Airlines Arena, Perez Art Museum, South Pointe Park,  South Beach areas 1 and 2, Holocaust Museum,  Shops at 5^th and Alton and Jungle Island. 

Art Deco of South Beach

Wall art of uptown

The third itinerary was the “green” Uptown Loop.  Be careful. This bus only leaves from Bayview Station every 90 minutes so you need to watch time closely to be sure you get back to the ship on time.  We picked up the 1pm departure.  This loop lasts 60 minutes but if you get off anywhere on this loop, the next bus only comes by every 90 minutes.  This loop features the art and architecture of uptown which includes the Lynwood Walls. 

Local art of uptown

After returning to Bayview Station we took time to stroll through some of the shops ending up seated at an outdoor café overlooking the boat docks.  Here we enjoyed some local beer as we took in the sights and sounds of Miami.   The beer cost was only $4 – less than half of what it cost on board the ship.  

At Bayview Station you will also find a Hard Rock Café, along with a food court.  

In addition, The Island Queen boat tours leave from this area, taking 1 hour at a cost of $27.  I didn’t take the boat trip this time but have taken it twice before.  It circles Star Island for views of the multi-million dollar homes which are fun to see up close.  

Finally the time had come for us to head back to the ship.  We walked back to the bus stop and waited a short 5 minutes before our shuttle arrived.  The ride back to the ship takes about 10 minutes.

At 5:00pm we headed up to the Outdoor Café again for another Cruise Critic sail away party as we had picked up several more passengers while docked in Miami.   Dinner this evening was in the Jasmine Asian Restaurant.  My favorite food for the evening turned out to be the pot stickers.   Two more days at sea and then St. Thomas.