day 13 & 14

Subject: A day at the Beach

Good Morning Folks,

Most of us slept in this morning, we awoke to a continental breakfast, which is a fancy way of saying, coffee and cold cereal. We discussed many options for the day, including a $30.usd @ day at the beach, with a bus ride out and back. After speaking broken Spanish with the doorman I found out the locals go to a beach 3 blocks away. Our little band of weary shoppers set off for a day at the beach, which turned out to be 5 blocks away. We were early by local standards, so Gary went ahead and rented a bunch of loungers and umbrellas, from the local beach vender, who also supplied us with cold beer all day long. It was mildly amusing to watch these local venders as they argued over this small strip of beach. At first it was a bit cool to step into the ocean, later it became necessary to dip in every few minutes. What a relaxing time to just sit in the hot sun and chill, watching the beach venders selling their wares, the children laughing in the ocean, and the occasional topless sunbather strut by. Drifting in and out of a light sleep I got to add to my tan, with a dash into the now warm ocean, the morning lazily passed. About that time I began to think of food, again, and with perfect timing the next wave of venders began to set up for lunch, with grills warming up and drinks cooling off we soon had our choice of burgers, hotdogs, tacos, etc. Being a bit leery of the locals doing up my food on the beach, I hung back and just watched their food handling methods. Satisfied that the were not going to outright poison me, I bought a hot lunch, which I shared with Kathy. A little later some guy in a chief's hat and a loud voice, came onto the beach, holding a large serving tray he almost sang out in Spanish, we never found out just what he said, but the locals started lining up right away to buy whatever it was he was selling. Curiosity got the better of Kathy, so she went over to try whatever it was he sold, turned out to be crab cakes baked in a light pastry, delicious indeed, much better than the hot dog I bought. Another nap and a few dips in the ocean later, it was late afternoon, and we all decided that , that was a full day. So we rounded up our group and headed back to the hotel, on the way we decided to return to old San Juan for supper and one last walk around the narrow streets. Back at the hotel, I noticed that I was somewhat red, especially compared to my pasty white bum, after a long shower, I rubbed aloe vera jell over the redness, and dressed for supper. It took two mini vans to get us to old San Juan, we walked to a bakery/restaurant that Kathy and I ate in at the start of this trip. The locals seemed to like the food in this 150 yr. old eatery so we all went for it, turned out to be a great choice for us. I had grilled chicken, with rice and beans, with fried green bananas, it was sooo good, and such a full plate that I couldn't finish it all, but I passed on the fried green bananas. With no room for desert, we were treated to a coconut custard that was made in house, WOW, was that great, I would have ordered more but Kathy got the last of it, so we shared. When the bill's came, they were all screwed up, but being within $2. of each we just paid and left a healthy tip for our over worked waiter. A slow walk back to the square, in the fading light, set the mood for our last night in the Caribbean, lost in our own thoughts, we were all glad that we took the extra time at the end of our cruise to enjoy San Juan and each other, the only tell tail sign, were the satisfied smiles on our faces......

The next day we woke up, packed, had coffee and were in the lobby by 8:30am, reluctantly ready to fly home. Customs was a breeze, and the flight to Dallas was uneventful, lunch at the airport, Mc Uk's, was a sober reminder that we were not in the Caribbean any more. A Ben & Gerry's ice cream treat put me into a better mood, another wait and it was boarding time for the long flight home. Customs at Calgary was routine, but the wait for the bags seemed forever. After the ride home I went through my pockets to find that I had only $6.usd left to my name, nothing like cutting it close. For the next 3 days I wondered around the house wondering what happened to the maid and the waiter, also I tended to list to one side as I walked, much like I did the first few days on the ship.......

Hints for next time...............

Take two big bags, but pack light.......

Less sox and underwear..............

More books, a small first aid kit.........

No tee shirts, I never wore one.......

2 dress shirts, only..........

2 pair of pants, 1 light, 1 dark......

2 pair of shorts, 1 light ,1 dark......

2 bathing suits.....

A Tim Horton's travel mug, it's better than a flag......

of course I bring my own scuba gear....

shoes, one pair dress, one pair casual, and sandals, are all we needed......

Anything else can be bought there, at less cost, like towels, printed shirt etc. which is what I wore the most............

It would be redundant at this point to say we had a great time, however let me state that we are already planning our next family cruise, the Mediterranean in 2010...............

I have emailed these ramblings out to many folks over the past two weeks, and have heard back from only a very few. It would be nice to hear from you, and get your take on my writings. I hope this has inspired you to start thinking that there is more to life than the daily grind, and rather than live vicariously through me, you may seek out your own adventures. Whether it is in the Caribbean, or your own back yard remember, we are only young once in this life, so live it. I know when I was dying in the cancer ward, I was really scared and bitter to look forward, but when I looked behind at all the adventures I've had over the years, I could only be thankful, and felt fulfilled with the life I had been granted, even if it ended today....... And so I thank the Lord for each day since then, and wish His blessings upon each of you...............Andy