LOOKING TOWARD MY HAPPY PLACE

After finally leaving Brazil, we headed to Devils Island in French Guiana. This place has an interesting history! It was a French Penal Colony from 1852 to 1952. It had a notorious reputation filled with shocking details, political intrigue and larger than life characters. So, naturally, we were excited to visit the island. We were to go ashore using small local boats IF weather permitted. Well, guess what? The locals said their boats were to small to come along our ship in the 20+ winds and high surf. So, we circled the island looking for sharks (part of the mystery/local lore about why there was no cemetery on the island) and saw none. And so we travelled on to another French Island - Martinique.

Don and I spent quite a bit of time exploring Martinique back in the day so I didn't spend a lot of time on shore. Didn't even take a single picture. Maybe it was because our next port was the Spice Island of the Caribbean, Grenada. Yippee, I'm back in the Caribbean. My Happy Place! It was terrific fun wandering around the spice open market and smelling all the good scents of the island. We hit a few local shops but the inside harbour was a lot different than it was 20 years ago. Lots of construction and tear-downs happening which I guess is good. But I did find something that I hoped to find. When Don & I were doing Rum Tastings on every island, we discovered a cream based Rum liquor, called Peanut Punch, made in St. Lucia. Almost didn't even try it, but it tasted like a chilled Reese's Peanut butter Cup and it was awesome. FOUND IT - new name Peanut Rum Cream and still made in Saint Lucia. Can't wait to try it when my sister, Kay, arrives the end of April.

I also found the Grenada Yacht Club and introduced my exploring companions to the Indian Roti at lunch. It is kind of like an Indian Burito. Spicy and filled with shrimp, chicken, fish or beef. Went well with an iced cold beer. Yes, weather is HOT in Grenada.

Grenada: Welcome; Tasting Grenada Chocolate, Downtown anchorage; view from the Yacht Club where we used to anchor

A short visit in Grenada but we are off to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I'm not a fan of St. Vincent but I LOVE the little island only an hour ferry ride away. Bequia. Home of Mac's Lobster Pizza and tiny open-air shops. Yes, the individual pizza (but feeds 2.5) is $40 but is loaded with Alfredo sauce and fresh caught lobster chunks. The island is much more touristy now and resorts are expensive, but the beaches and anchorages full of cruising boats are beautiful. We took a driving tour around the island. Lots of fixer-upper places but also some beautiful Caribbean style new homes. The island has been discovered but not yet well known.

Bequia anchorage, Mac's is still there with great lobster pizza

Whale bones to send to the NC Maritime Museum Whale Guru, Keith. Beautiful waters.

Sea Days, as I have said, are always nice. On one particular Sea Day, I was asked to give a presentation on Why I love the Island and the people of Trinidad. So, I was back in the spotlight. I had already been in contact with a friend who is a 3rd generation Trini and owns a Tour company. Believe it or not his name is Jesse James. He has been the Go-To guy to the cruising community for over 20 years. Who better to show the Odyssey cruisers the sights and food of Trinidad. So I told about 125 or so of my fellow travelers about Trinidad and the tours that Jessie and I put together.

Back to another quick stop in France - Fort de France, Martinique. Actually did a bit of touristing and picture taking.

Friends; the Fort in Fort de France; And the Odyssey

Art work all over town

Our next stop was Barbados, an island I had never been to before. The highlight, for me, of our stop in Barbados was a 5 hour sailing and snorkeling trip on a 52 ft catamaran. There is a reason why there are few pictures. The Pina Colados and Rum Punches were flowing and they tasted really good on a hot beautiful Caribbean day. Enough said? We stopped in several sites to snorkel or float. It was a magical day with lunch included. And a sunburn of course. WeIl, it was all worth it.

The exciting part of our stop in Barbados involved the off-loading of the containers that had many residents goods on them. These two containers had a tough time getting to the Odyssey. One container left Belfast in September for the Bahamas to meet up with the ship. A second container left Florida to go to the Bahamas to meet up with the ship. Both containers got to Nassau but the Odyssey did not (and I can't remember why not). Sooo, the containers headed to Panama and so did the Odyssey. Yippee, the residents would finally get the stuff they bought before the boat sailed last September. The containers ship ran into weather and did not get to Panama until after we had already left. Plan C. Containers head back to Florida as we sail around South America. And the stars finally aligned. I don't know who was happier, the Residents, VVR management, or the Logistics manager who was sick of those two containers. But all is good and everyone is happy. But what an ordeal. Barbados was a pretty island and I'd like to go back again.

But on to Trinidad & Tobago. Only one day in each port. We, the residents are telling management that we would rather spend more time in the smaller towns & islands and less time in the big cities. We want to explore more and meet the locals more. We are not a typical cruise ship that hits a different port every day. We stopped 1st in Tobago which is the smaller island of the two. I was honored to be invited, along with 20 other residents and crew members to a special gathering. One of the officers, who I have gotten to know, invited a select group to go on a tour of the island and end up at his home for an outdoor picnic with his family. It was really fun. At one point we stopped at a small beach and I enjoyed a Tobago Pina Coloda with sprinkles on top. It's great to experience local food & drink. That's what I'm here for. His Mom has a catering business so we had all sorts of interesting local delicacies. I have now eaten Iguana. Yep, tastes like chicken but a wild chicken.

Tobago port entrance; Alix and Melody at a fort; the Beach Bar and my delicious Pina Colado; and the party at Alix's family home. Yes, more alcohol was involved.

 Back on the ship for an overnight sail to Trinidad. Jesse & I put together 3 different tours and almost 70 residents saw the best of Trinidad. Some did the City Tour, some went to the beautiful Maracas beach, and others saw the amazing hummingbirds. But everyone got a different taste of Trinidad - Doubles (breakfast), Roti (lunch) or a Bake & Shark (lunch). I, and a couple of friends, got a personal tour and I got to see the marina area where Don & I hung out for several hurricane seasons. Wonderful Memories.

Trinidad- My friend Jesse James and I in front of my old marina slip with a boat named after ME. last picture - one of old Magnificent homes in downtown Port of Spain

A quick overnight to the ABC islands. We started with Bonaire, my favorite. Several of us had another fun sailing day. We rented a 45ft monohull sailboat for a 3.5 hour sail and snorkel. I had forgotten how beautiful and clear the waters here are. We saw tons of fish, rays, turtles, and coral. The coral has started getting more color after a couple of years where the coral had some sort of disease and was dying.

A couple originally from Denmark were our captain & 1st Mate. There is a great story about how I got a new pair of sunglasses, but you will have to go to their website or Facebook to read about it. go to: SoloBon Sailing Bonaire

Another walk down memory lane while I enjoyed a huge Crispy Bacon cheese burger, sweet potato fries, and a great pina colado in the waterfront tiki bar. If you have ever been to the Caribbean, you know they DO NOT cook bacon crispy!!! You have to ask for it, even beg!

Bonaire - Tiki bars & restaurants on the waterfront; the anchorage and dingy dock where

Cloud 9 was tied to a mooring ball. An old church; great burger and a Pink Moon over beautiful Bonaire

And here we are in Curacao. Or for me, that stands for Casino. My first one since I drove through Louisiana in November. Lost $ of course but enjoyed it for a while. All the slot machines are now Chinese made and designed as such. No fun silly games. I wonder if Vegas is that way now too? I did a little shopping and wandered the waterfront area. It too is more commercial than I remembered but then so is every town in the world.

Curacao: Casino, Captain Morgan Rum and a Castle or beautiful old building

And lastly we arrived in Aruba. Since I was in Aruba a couple of years ago with my sister & her husband, I didn't shop much. I almost went on a submarine ride but the cost was $125. Friends did it and said it was the very best experience of their trip. The sub went down 130 feet and the sights were amazing. Damn, wish I had done it!

We spent Easter in Cartagena, Columbia. Actually it is a pretty town but very quiet while we were there. Several groups went to Easter Sunday service and were surprised at the low attendance since it is a Catholic nation. But they heard that almost every little community has their own neighborhood church now that they attend, so a big crowd is not normal anymore. The entrance to the port in Cartagena has a beautiful little zoo. We all had a great time looking and interacting with the animals. But we did think it was an interesting place to have sloths, anteaters, land turtles, monkeys, pink flamingos, and lots of parrots oh and a rabbit.

And now we arrive in Panama. We have two stops in Panama before we start through the canal on April 25. First stop is the San Blas Islands, and specifically Carti Island. Had a passport check before we could go to the island. We even had the Panamanian Customs office send out 4 Customs officers to do a Face-to-Face passport check. I have heard about these islands and the beautiful hand sewn jewelry and textile art and handicraft work that is done by the Kuna Indians. The 365 San Blas Islands (only 49 are inhabited) indigenous people were moved to the mainland in the early 2000's but 200 families remained. They are a poor tribe but the children & adults were always smiling. The money they make from selling their Molas and other goods are consolidated into one and that is what supports the entire community. I did read that the Kuna women rule the home and the community. The newly married husband moves into the wife's family home and assumes her last name. There were Molas that were made for the tourists - they were usually shades of one color, very simple and the stitching on the back was loose and large. $25.00-$50.00 The really good ones were intricate, colorful with tiny stitches. They were $500. The one that I bought (pictured) was above $50 but less than $500. I was so disappointed when I saw some of our residents negotiating for a lower price for even a $15.00 item. We are living a wonderful life and these people are trying to live in a world that barely knows they exist.

Our last stop on our way to the Canal is in Colon. The shopping mall right outside the port is awesome. I was in the Super 99 grocery store for over an hour walking up and down every aisle. And on every aisle was 2-3 Odyssey residents and crew doing the same thing. I kept telling myself, "I need that because Kay (my sister) is coming." I bought a few things that were not Cocktail hour related, but most were. And she doesn't drink that much. But there will be gatherings.

Before, I close this long discourse, I will tell you about some of the ships happenings,

April 12 was Passover. We have about 10 Jewish residents and they worked with the staff, and Chefs and we had Seder. The Seder is designed to engage participants in the history and significance of the Jewish people's liberation from slavery.. It is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of Passover. Our hosts were amazed that over 80 of us requested to be able to attend and learn about what and why we were eating what we did. It was a fascinating experience. This is just another reason why I am here.

On May 1st, we will have our first wedding on board. The couple met in Belfast while waiting for the ship to depart. They have waited all this time to marry because his family lives in Costa Rica. So the day after we leave Costa Rica (after his family is aboard), there will be an all day wedding ceremony and party, or parties. There is already a party committee formed to help the couple with planning. Should be a full fun day.

We have had some interesting future residents aboard and most of the time we don't even know it until they are gone. A NASA astronaut, a member of the CIA, a Pulitzer Prize winner, scientists, and authors.

As I mentioned earlier, I feel so lucky and humbled to be living on the Odyssey. There is a group on board called Global Harmony. Their, and now our, goal is to do something helpful in each and every port we stop in. We have done a beach clean-up in one city, collected unneeded items from residents and offered them to our crew. If the crew couldn't use or didn't want the items, then we take to a church for distribution. Just this week we conducted a Silent Auction and had over 50 nice items to bid on. The money will be used to do things like: buy school supplies, plant a tree, and there is a big list of opportunities.

We all have Stewards who take care of us. They pick up and return our laundry, they clean and straighten our rooms, they change our linens and they get to know us and we them. Many have worked for the big cruise ship lines. But they say they love working on the Odyssey because we become like their family they left behind. Most sign contracts for 3-4 months, then the contract company pays for their return home for 2-3 months and they hope to get called back for another contract. My last Steward was May. She is 42 years old, never married, from a small village in the Philippines, and has worked in the cruise ship business since she was 19 years old. Started in the laundry and now was the steward for 5 officers (including the captain) as well as a total of 60 rooms (20 on M & TH, 20 on Tue & Frid, and 20 on WED & Sat). She just left and was in tears because she did not want to leave. She said no one knows each other on cruise ships. We became close because we both were born in May, had no children, and helped take care of our parents. I became her Mama Dianne. We are now communicating using What's App. She told me that she is now collecting eggs every morning and selling them on the road to help her parents. We all need to be thankful each and every day for the life we are able to live.

Take care of yourselves and each other. And Thanks for reading.