2024 Jan 13-21 Seven-Day Cruise on NCL Breakaway to Caribbean Islands

 On Jan 13, we traveled to Slidell, LA, and stayed at the Hampton Inn by Hilton room 214 for one night. The next day we traveled to New Orleans and boarded the Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Ship from Jan 14-21. So we missed all the bad weather.

We stopped at Shady Acres Village Seminary, MS for lunch where we ordered ribs, black-eyed peas, and creamed potatoes.

Ribs, black-eyed peas, creamed potatoes

Shady Acres Village Seminary, MS

The first day was sea day where we enjoyed checking out the ship and enjoyed shows and eating.
In Cozumel, we visited the Chankanaab National Park. 

Cozumel 

In Rotan Bay Islands Honduras, we did an excursion to Gumbalimba Preserve Animal Sanctuary where we interacted with the white face monkeys and the Macaw birds. 

Red McCaws 

White Face Monkeys Rotan 

 In Harvest Caye, Belize was the Monkey River Eco Boat Tour. We rode a boat through the jungle. 

We walked through the jungle where we saw spiders, termite mounds, boa snakes in the trees, and several white face monkeys in the tree. We also saw a couple of iguanas. Harvest Caye had some beautiful beaches. 

Wooden Iquana 
behind the Iquana is the Wildlife Experience where we saw a butterfly house, a boa, and the McCaws. 

Wildlife Experience 

Our last stop was Costa Maya my favorite stop. Here we took the Mayan Reality Tour where we visited some Maya ruins. Continued our journey on the bus to a Maya family home where they cooked chicken (in a pot) in the ground. We were served Chicken Tacos with sauce and did a tequila tasting. After the tour, we rode the bus back to Costa Maya where we watched the dolphins swim. 

Flamingos 

Dolphins playing basketball 

I did the Amorino Gelato Al Naturel bird tour. I climbed up a series of steps to birdcages that were spaced out along several swing bridges. There you can watch the dolphins swim, and see the beaches, and swimming pools. A perfect view of the island. Our last day was a sea day. We watched people play Pictionary, deal or no deal, and several trivia games. The closer we got to New Orleans the stronger the wind and a lot cooler. On Sunday we docked and exited the ship and began our trip home. 

Roads in Russellville, Al

The further north we went the colder it got. We began to see snow and ice along the roadways beginning in and around Russellville. The roads were clear enough for us to get home. We sure were glad we missed all the bad weather. But glad to be home.

✈️✈️✈️2019 Mar 24-30, Trip to Naples, Florida

Sunday, May 24, 2019

Southwest Airlines Flight 1066 

Leaves BNA at 10:15 at Gate C19 boarding group B. Position 3 arriving at FLL at 1:25 AM 

Hubby took me to Nashville airport. We ate dinner at Red Robin Spring Hill we split a hamburger and fries at 6:55 PM

Monday, March 25, 2019

It was a one and half hour's drive to Naples so it was early morning when we arrived at Lora’s apartment. We both slept late.

For breakfast, I ate a slice of raisin bread and a banana. 

Lora had an infusion in Fort Myers that day so I rode with her. We stopped at Bass Pro Shop just off I-75 address 10040 Gulf Center Fort Myers.

At Bass Pro Shop we saw river fish, ocean fish, raccoons, black bears, waterfowl, alligators, and Everglades.

The bartender said I could come inside and take pictures of the tropical fish and coral reefs in the aquarium. Hanging on the walls we saw Southern Stingrays, Great Hammer Head Shark, Sailfish, yellow tuna, and black-tip sharks.

Outside we saw an old blue Red Head Pickup and a Great Gray Heron Bench where people could sit.

Red Head Pickup 

coral reef in the aquarium

I bought a pair of sunglasses to block out the sun for my eyes were giving me a fit. 

Lora gave one of her Zyrtecs for allegories and some saline to wash out my eyes. 

She also gave me one of her steroid tablets for infection. 

At lunch, we stopped at Chick-fil-A Lora and I split a salad and each ordered a chicken sandwich with water to drink location 5825 Airport Pulling Rd Naples, Fl 

I was so tired from the day's adventures and not getting enough sleep that I fell asleep on the sofa while Lora and Jackie went shopping.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 

Lora had an early morning infusion so I watched TV until she returned. I ate a banana and a slice of raisin bread for breakfast. 

Lora made a ham, cheese, avocado spinach sandwich on toasted bread, and fruit salad for lunch. 

We rode to Clam Bay Beach 410 Seagate Drive Naples, Fl 34103, where we took the trolley down the walkway to the beach.

Clam Bay Beach 

Pelican at Clam Bay Beach 

The Park consists of 35 acres of mangrove forest, coastal dunes, and 3200 linear feet of beach on the Gulf of Mexico. There is a boardwalk, which provides access to the beach through a mangrove forest. The boardwalk is about three-quarters of a mile long and can be walked or you can catch a ride on a free tram that runs continuously throughout the day.

We saw several people on the beach, boaters, and people fishing. We saw waterfowl flying overhead and in the water. A dolphin and manatee were spotted.  We saw children playing in the sand. We saw a couple of children fishing and catching fish.

We saw a sign that said Welcome to Clam Pass Park. A sign that read Shells of Paradise Coast, which included worm shells, Calico Scallops, Mon Snail, Olive shells, fighting conch, Sandollar, Lighting Welk, Starfish, and Horse Conch. There was a sign about Palmetto and Fakahatchee grass.http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/fakahatchee.html

All-day parking was $8.

We rode back to the apartment and walked around the lake where we saw a few birds. 

At 7:30 we rode to Vanderbilt Beach on Pelican Bay to watch an amazing sunset. 

Sunset on Vanderbilt Beach 

Located at 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road Naples, FL 34102 at the end of Vanderbilt Beach Road, Vanderbilt Beach County Park borders the Gulf of Mexico near plenty of hotels, shopping, and restaurants. 

We met Jackie and Geo on the beach along with hundreds of people watching the sun melt into the bay.

What a way to end the day! We ate pizza for supper. Jackie’s boyfriend spent the night.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Lora and I spent the day at Naples Botanical Gardens 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples, FL 34112 1-4:40PM Cost $19.99 each.💐 🌷

We browsed in the Chabraja Visitor Center.

Irma’s Garden was full of charismatic plants such as the screw pines.

Katharine’s Garden was a lush tropical landscape.

LaGrippe Orchid Garden was full of colorful, fragrant orchid species from around the world. 

Botanical Garden 

Orchid Garden

Lea Asian Garden had a Southeast Asia Javanese temple, an ancient blaze landscape filled with Bayan trees, a bamboo grove of established fruits, a lotus pool, stepping stone path through the garden that led to the Balinese Shrine.

Kapnick Brazilian Garden was a garden of people of great diversity and color with a very colorful wall.

Kapnick Caribbean garden was full of towering palms, tropical fruit, and vegetables

Smith Children's Garden was full of vibrant flowers, vegetables, and butterflies a landscape for children. We saw a bicycle, a hand pump, and a toilet decorated with flowers. We saw Flo and Joe flower people working in the vegetable garden. A large turtle made of seashells. 

Scotts Florida Garden was full of trees, palms, a cascading stream, Lake Topkie, and Deep Lake. Florida was once an ancient seafloor.

There was a 90-acre Nature sanctuary boardwalk which we did not take.

Water Garden with a lily pool full of lily pads and a boardwalk. 

On exhibit, in the gardens, you will find Reflections on Glass: Frabel in the Garden features diverse and complex sculptures that at times mimic the plants within the garden. If you look you may find parallels between Frabel’s pieces and the natural shapes of plants in forms and towering cube structures, each piece inspires viewers to discover the wonders of our living collection.

For supper, Lora and I split a chicken and shrimp Carbonara, breadsticks, and salad at Olive Garden, 1565 5th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102 we had leftovers. I used my Christmas gift card to pay. $23,37.

That night Lora and I met several of her friends at the Comedy Club, a two-drink minimum.

I ordered two bottles of glasses of water for @2.50 each. I was too full from supper to drink so I brought my water home. 

The show was bashing ex-spouses which I did not think was too funny.

I enjoyed spending time with Lora’s friends.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

I ate leftovers from Olive Garden for breakfast and lunch.

We rode to the Naples Preserve Boardwalk corner of U.S. 41 North and Fleischmann Boulevard where we walked along the boardwalk looking for box and gopher turtles. We talked with one of the park rangers walking on the bare ground looking for turtles to make sure they were okay.

Inside the center we saw signs telling about Naples Botanical Gardens,  Delnor-Wiggins Pass,  Rookery Bay, Collier-Seminole, Shy Wolf, (Cardinal, Mocking Birds nests), boat Tailed Crackle nest) Natural Communities of Naples Preserve, Turtle Shells, What's in bloom, butterflies, bugs, Collier County, and Myrtle Oaks.

Tucan Statue

Penguin 

Seal

Our next stop was Naples Zoo 1590 Goodlette Rd Naples Florida 34102.

Displayed throughout the zoo was Art to Save the Sea, artwork made completely from garbage collected from beaches. 

The art we saw was Natasha the turtle, Priscilla the Faust Fish, Lidia the Seal, Rufus the Tiger Fish, American Sea Star, Daisy the Polar Bear, Grace the Humpback Whale, Gertrude the Penguin, and Chompers the Shark.

We stood in a long line to ride a slow-moving, tour-guided, ferry around Monkey Island.

Very cool, enjoyable, and informative ride about Madagascar Animals

There were signs located under a thatched roof telling about Monkey Island: they were trees like nowhere else, the island of Lemurs, Bigger than any dinosaur egg, the Madagascar Ferna group helps preserve the wonders of a fragile island nation.

We saw signs about Invisible Geckos, Abundant Chameleons, Madagascar burning, and living wonders. 

We saw American Alligators, Giant Anteater, Cotton-top Tamarin, Aldabra Tortoise,  Slender Horned Gazelle, Mt Bongo, Sulcate Tortoise, Gopher Tortoise, Clouded Leopard, and others.

We watched the feeding of the giraffes and alligators. Dr. Henry Nehrling the founder of the Botanical Garden, Henry Badger, Plains Zebra, Feeding the Alligators, Cheetah, Why the Railroad Trestle? The famous toucan sign, Dead Trees Help the Living, and Marvelous Marsh make for fabulous filters A swamp mystery, planting helps with trees for the future, Shade-grown coffee helps farmers, birds, and the land, and can you find all these birds.

Friday, March 29, 2019 

We stopped at Dollar Tree for sunscreen, and snacks to take to Delnor-Wiggins State Park beach.

Located 11135 Gulf Shore Drive Naples, Fl 34108

One of the most popular seaside destinations in Naples, the mile-long stretch of white sugar sand at Delnor-Wiggins has been rated as one of the best beaches in the nation. 

We saw Gray Pelicans perched, swimming, and flying overhead. 

We saw a Fish Hawk Osprey perched in a tree holding a fish.

We saw seagulls and white egrets waiting for a free fish from a fisherman.

This beach was more secluded than the other beaches that we had visited. 

We rode to Naples Municipal Beach and walked out on the long pier to watch the sunset, with lots of people waiting for the sunset.

 Naples Municipal Beach Sunset

Address 25 12th Av S Naples Florida 34102 

Built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock, The Naples Pier stands as a community landmark

We rode to historic downtown Naples, Lora and Michelle waited in a long line of people to order our ice cream at Kilwins 743 5th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Lora had an infusion that morning so I spent the morning with Jackie and Geo. We went to North Collier Regional Children’s Park 15000 Livingston Rd Naples, FL.

North Collier Regional Children’s Park

Geo enjoyed playing at the Can U Dig It state-of-the-art playground that looks like something from the future with a colorful, modern design.  

The sleek look packs a lot of play value. The playground includes slides, swings, and climbing apparatus, but takes play a step further.  Kids can spin themselves dizzy on squiggly poles, climb on boulders that look like they came from the Monument Valley, or become junior archeologists in the covered fossil dig area.

When we got ready to go Jackie realized she had locked her keys in her car. She called her boyfriend and he brought her a spare set.

We rode back to the apartment by this time Lora had returned. 

Lora, Michelle, and I rode to Fort Lauderdale to spend the rest of the day before my flight. 

We Stopped at Quarterdeck Restaurant 300 N Beach Rd Dania Beach, FL where we ate dinner.

Quarterdeck Restaurant

Quarterdeck Restaurant

We ordered three tacos, smoked shrimp, and smoked fish with French fries and we all drank water with lemon.

We saw British Airways, & Southwest jets fly over so we knew the airport was close by.

You could see several towering buildings in the downtown area from Dania Pier.

We saw several cruise ships leave so Fort Lauderdale must be a hub port for cruise ships.

There were a lot of people sitting on the beach a few in the water. The beaches were full of seagrass, more turbulent, and not as clear as the Naples Beaches.

We watched and waited for a lift bridge to let a sailboat through. The traffic was heavy in the downtown area so I told Lora to take me to the airport and they could do some sightseeing.

I boarded the flight at 9:30 traveling Flight 4145 Boarding group B 23 one hour and a half flight.

Arrived in Nashville around 11:30PM, hubby picked me up and we rode home.

We stopped at the gas station picked up some snacks and rode home we arrived home around 1:30AM. 

Had a great visiting my daughter and all the places we went to,

⛴Trip to Cape Cod

September 22, 2012

My daughter and I rode from Newington, Connecticut to Cape Cod, Mass.

We stopped at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and ordered 8 munchkins.

We rode across the Sagamore Bridge, and facing us was the Rotary sign that said, “Welcome to Cape Cod.”

We visited the white and red Bass River Lighthouse sitting among the Townhouse in West Dennis. 

Bass River Lighthouse

We visited the Light House Inn Lighthouse that now sits on top of the Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis.

Behind the Inn was a rock wall that made a circle in the Bass River. We walked along the wall stopping to take several pictures. It was a beautiful place for a wedding. 

Light House Inn Lighthouse

Rock Wall 

We ate lunch at Kreme and Kone's a family-owned clam shack in West Dennis, where we were served the best seafood on Cape Cod

We split a plate of grilled Halibut on a bed of rice with coleslaw and a vanilla ice cream cone for dessert. 

We stopped at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham where we used the restrooms and toured the museum.

The museum had artifacts, photos, and art from the Mashpee-Wampanoag and Aquinnah tribes.

The Visitor Center also had pictures and articles showing the natural and cultural forces that created Cape Cod's beaches. 

I bought a couple of postcards, Nauset Lighthouse and Three Sisters. 

 Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham 

 Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham 

We also stopped in Eastham to take pictures of the Georgian, Late Victorian-style Eastham Windmill.  

It is the oldest windmill on Cape Cod. It was constructed in 1680 by Thomas Paine in Plymouth. 

We visited the 18 century Judith Baker Windmill, in South Yarmouth. The windmill faces west to Bass River, and nearby is a small boardwalk and beach. 

Judith Baker Windmill

In the town of Orleans, we walked along Nauset Beach, where we saw the Three Sister Lighthouses, & Nauset Lighthouse.

Three Sisters Lighthouses 

Nauset Beach 

Nauset Lighthouse

We saw the historic markers: Three Sisters lit the Way; The Nauset Lights, Pushed back by the sea; & The Long, Black Cable. 

The sun was going down behind the large sand dunes, when we reached Provincetown, Ma. My cell phone was about dead, so I did not take many pictures in Provincetown.

We stopped at Far Land Provisions located at 150 Bradford Street Provincetown, Ma 02657.

We saw the Pilgrim monument, founded in 1892, that overlooks the town. It was said that the Pilgrims spent five weeks exploring the tip of Cape Cod. 

 Pilgrim Monument

We walked several blocks taking in the sights. We saw people sitting on the benches in front of Town Hall watching the world go by. 

We saw drag queens along the streets inviting us into the drag shows, one had a southern accent. I ask the drag queen where he was from, and he said Georgia. Imagine a southern in Provincetown.

We walked along MacMillan Wharf and back through Commercial Street, where we saw shops, galleries, and a Portuguese bakery. 

We spent the night at South Wellfleet Motel. 

September 23, 2012:

We ate a hot breakfast of bacon and eggs in the Motel’s restaurant.

We walked barefoot along the sandy beaches of Chatham Harbor.

We saw the black and white Chatham Lighthouse.  

Chatham Lighthouse

Chatham Beach 

We saw a white two-story siding house with three chimneys with a red roof sitting next to the lighthouse. It was enclosed inside a wire fence. In front of the fence was the historical marker about the History of Chatham Light.  We also saw the historic marker of The Mayflower Story and The Rescue of the Pendleton. 

Nearby was the Chatham Beach-Tennis Clubhouse. 

We rode past the White building of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ established in 1720.

The two-decker steeple had a clock face on three sides, of the church.

In Chatham on Seaview, we saw an antique building and in the downtown area, we saw a Corner Toy Store. 

At 3 Rivers Road Orleans, we visited the Jonathan Young Windmill, where we saw the interior workings of a windmill. The wind shaft in the interior is attached to the brake wheel/bull wheel (wooden gears).

Jonathan Young Windmill

We walked along the beaches of Marconi, located six miles north of Salt Pond Visitor Center. 

The waves were high and we saw men wearing rubber suits and surfing. It was too cold for swimming but not for the dogs, we saw happily, jumping into the splashing waves. 

The next morning we bought tickets to take the ferry to Vineyard Haven.

We parked the car and rode the bus to the ferry at Oaks Bluff.  

On the bus we meet a couple, they ask where we were from, and they said that they had family living in Florence on Robins Lane.

ferryboat 

Everyone got off the bus and loaded onto the ferry.

The ferry took us to Martha’s Vineyard. 

In Martha’s Vineyard, we walked to Ocean Park, where we saw a flock of geese.

In the park, we saw a bandstand, some markers, and a statue. September is the offseason and it was getting late so most of the stores were closing or closed. 

We stopped in The Good Ship Lollipop Store, where I bought some animal cookies and a diet Pepsi. 

The store owner's wife named the store The Good Ship Lollipop.  

We saw many store signs as we walked through the town, we saw Ben & Bills Chocolate, Ice Cream, and Candies, Skinn & Fat sandwiches, Bite on the Go, Pirate Jacks burgers, Sharkey’s Cantina, Oldies Memorial Fountain, Laughing bear, It’s me, Murdock fudge, Boat skipper. 

Vineyard and Vines 

We did not want to miss our ride back to the main island so we hurriedly walked back to the ferry station, but the last ferry left at 6:30pm.

We were told to take bus 13 to Vineyard Haven, it had the only ferry going back to the mainland.  

We hurriedly walked toward the first bus 13 but that bus was going in the wrong direction. We had to wait for the next bus 13, which would take us to Oak Bluffs where we could catch the next ferry.

The couple we met earlier was on bus 13.

On the ferry ride, we meet two women that lived in Johnston, RI.

Riding the ferry 

Riding the ferry 

Riding the Ferry 

One of the women said that she worked in the Art and Drama Department at the local college in Johnston and her husband owned a business.

The other woman said her husband was an angler. 

The two women were on vacation together and my daughter talked their heads off. 

We rode the bus to the parking area where everyone got off and went to their cars. 

We rode to Val’s house, he was watching the Patriots play the Baltimore Ravens. The Patriots lost by one point 30 to 31. We spent the night in Johnston. 

✈️✈️✈️1993 ~ May 12-16, Trip to Cancun Mexico

Day 1: Wednesday, May 12, 1993 

We walked through the three gardens at the Opryland/Gaylord Hotel to kill a couple of hours before heading to the Nashville Airport. 

I took pictures in three acclaimed indoor gardens: The Conservatory, The Cascades, and The Delta. 

 Information about the Gardens: I got from the Internet”

“The Conservatory covers two acres and is devoted solely to tropical plants. The Cascades also covers two acres and features waterfalls cascading into a 12,500-square-foot indoor lake. The Delta covers 4.5 acres and features restaurants, shops, and a fountain that sends out jets of water 85 feet into the air. A breathtaking river runs through it with passenger-carrying boats. Opryland Hotel is now known as Gaylord Hotel.”

The time for our departure flight was getting near.

We left the Opryland/Gaylord Hotel and drove to the Nashville Airport. 

We parked the car in the long-term parking area.

We grabbed our luggage and headed for the ticket counter.  

I almost forgot!  

A new birth certificate! 

There was an error in the original birth certificate.

We had the birth certificate sent overnight to our house because I needed a copy for our trip to Mexico.

US citizens may use one of the following for entry into Mexico, A Passport, or a birth certificate. Entering Mexico, our first stop was a Mexican Immigration where proof of citizenship was inspected and tourist cards were validated. Visitors choose to either declare or not declare that they are importing items beyond their allowance. 

We flew from Nashville, Tennessee to Cancun Mexico.

When we arrived we had to go through customs then we took a bus to the hotel. 

All drivers in Mexico add color and memories to your vacation. Do not drink the water! Buy bottled water and be careful what you eat! Know the exchange rate before you go! Mexico operates in the rise and fall of the Peso! 

The  Oasis Hotel where we stayed was being remodeled

We had an awesome room that overlooked the Gulf of Mexico. From our balcony, we could see the sunrise and the sunset. 

Lizards, Lizards they were everywhere!

We had a refrigerator full of items to buy. 

We bought all our snacks at a local grocery store.

We unpacked our bags and we took a long walk on the beach. 

We ate lunch in the hotel and then went back to our room to relax.

Cancun Beach

Day 2: Thursday, May 13, 1993

The next day we walked to the bus stop, I was frightened by lizards that jumped out of the bushes while we waited for the bus, that we were going to take into the city. 

Oh, my gosh, the driving in Mexico is crazy! 

There is no control over how to drive in Mexico.

The driving is worse than our worst major city in the USA.

We went to all the American malls to shop.

A man was playing the piano near one of the bars in the mall.

In the bar we each ordered margaritas.

The Mexican Margaritas are stronger than I was used to and it made me a bit tipsy. 

In the mall, my husband bought me a black stone necklace with matching earrings.

Shopping Mall in Cancun 

Hard Rock Cafe

Shopping in Cancun

Day 3: Friday, May 14, 1993

Some of the places that we ate while in Cancun were McDonald's, Hooters, the Oasis Hotel Restaurant, and local Mexican restaurants.

We strolled along white sandy beaches watching the warm incredible blue waters flow, it was very calming. 

Where we stayed had great restaurants, and modern shopping facilities and was a semi-peaceful diversion to all of the glitz and hype.

We went to a disco club and recorded some of the dancers with our new video camera. 

In the Oasis Hotel Lobby, I  ran into an old co-worker.

Vince, he was on his honeymoon. 

He said I am glad to see a familiar face. It was their last day and he and his wife were going home the next day.

My  middle son said before we left home, “ Mom, everywhere you go you see someone you know.”  How ironic!

Home of the Mardi Gras

Day 5: Monday, May 16,  1993 

We had a great trip, lots of food, lots of fun, and lots of sun.

We flew from Cancun Mexico landing in New Orleans, La.

What an awesome view of the clouds, they looked like white pillows floating and I took several pictures. 

In the airport in New Orleans, we saw a sign that read: “Welcome to New Orleans, Home of the Mardi Gras.” 

We went through customs and rushed to catch the next plane to Nashville, Tennessee.

After we landed in Nashville, we had to drive another two hours home.

What a trip! Ready for my next adventure.

May 12-16, 1993 Cancan Mexico

Leave Nashville International Airport (BNA)

Arrive Cancan International Airport (CUN) 

Leave Cancan International Airport (CUN)

Arrive New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Leave New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Arrive Nashville International Airport (BNA)

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