2024 Feb 4-10, Five-Day Carnival Valor Cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico (5 Day Crusie)

 Sunday, Feb 4, Travel to Slidell, La.

Stopped at Jack's for breakfast gravy, sausage, and biscuit. We stopped at Murphy's in Petal, MS, to fill up with gas.

We stopped at McDonald's for a couple of pies and to use the restroom.

We checked in at Hampton Inn by Hilton Slidell, LA, room 213, and then went to eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I ordered grilled chicken and a baked sweet potato with rolls. Hubby ordered Caesar salad, steak, and baked potato.

Grilled chicken and baked sweet potato

We returned to the hotel, where we met a man unloading his car. He asked us if we were cruising with Carnival. I think he saw the Carnival luggage tag on my carry-on baggage. He and his wife were from Birmingham, AL. He said they had been cruising since the 90s. They had been on about 30 different cruises on different ships. We saw them leave the next morning.  

Monday, Feb 5, Travel to New Orleans 

Ate breakfast at the hotel with 2 waffle rounds with whipped cream, sausage, and cranberry juice. 

Checked out of the hotel and headed to New Orleans around 10 AM. 

Paid for parking at Erato St Cruise Terminal $125

Parked the car and walked to the elevator down to the boarding process. For lunch, we ate at Guys Burgers. 

And ordered a cheeseburger and fries.  Our room 6434 was ready by 1:30 PM. 

The ship left port around 3:30 P M. Let the party begin. 

It was too cold on the Lido Deck, so everyone met in the American Lobby. 

the Crimson Trio 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby. 

We ate dinner in the Lincoln Room. I ordered a shrimp cocktail, a crawfish strudel(savory baked phyllo, sweet corn remoulade), Szechuan Shrimp (scallions, garlic, angel hair noodles, peppers, and bok choy), and Cheese Cake with strawberry sauce. 

We sat next to a couple from the State of Washington. Said they lived on an island and watched cruise ships come up the Pacific Ocean. 

We also sat next to a mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

Tuesday, Feb 6, Sea Day 

Watched the sun come up from my balcony. 

sunrise

At the Omelette Station, I ordered a loaded omelet made to order, with bacon and chocolate milk for breakfast.

9:00 AM made two necklaces at Creativity at Sea in the American Lobby. 

We went to the Fun Ashore Giveaway at 10:30 in the Ivanhoe Theatre but didn't win anything. 

Lunch was at the Mongolian Wok, where I ordered a shrimp stirfry with veggies.

Mongolian Wok Asian flavor your stir-fry bar with rice noodles,  veggies, sauce, and shrimp (double) cooked in unique culinary creations. 

Met a woman from Louisiana who loved Mongolian food. She had several bowls of food for crew members because they did not have the time to wait in line.

Took a long nap.

Dinner in the Lincoln Diner, where I ordered Herb-crusted salmon with asparagus, sweet potatoes, beurre shrimp cocktail, and Carnival's Chocolate Melt Cake with Ice cream. 

We once again sat next to the mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

We went to the V IP Show at 7:00 PM in the Ivanhoe Theater. 

Wednesday, Feb 7, Cozumel 

Breakfast in Lincoln Dinner ordered waffle, omelet, sausage, and water. 

Went ashore in Cozumel around 9:00 AM.

We walked around to several shops and bought Ron a pair of Crocs. 

Took several pictures. Walked up the street to Margaritaville, where we ate lunch. 

We ordered 3 tacos, 1 Pepsi, Sunrise Margarita. We Walked back to our port area, stopping to take several pictures of the Coral Reef display. 

Stopped to take pictures in front of a couple of donkeys at the 3 Amigos. 

Dinner in the Washington Dining Room, where I ordered a Shrimp cocktail, Chicken, Veggies, and chocolate melt cake with ice cream. 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby. 

Chac Mool ("Red Claw") 

Thursday, Feb 8, Progresso 

Breakfast: Omelet bacon, pastry, and Chocolate milk. 

All-inclusive Shore Excursion at 9 AM to Mi Casa Es Su Casa Private Beach your way. 

Back on the ship by 3:30 PM 

Lunch: avocado dip, chips, Pina cola, and coke. Watched our host make an avocado dip using Mangos and tomatoes. Cilantro, salt, pepper and avocados.

Dinner: Stuffed mushrooms, Fried Mississippi Catfish(cornmeal-crusted), spinach, mac & cheese, tartar sauce, and a banana split. 

Excursion to a Private beach with around 40 people took the bus with 2 children. A nine-year-old named Sabrina. Our host cooked us lunch: Mexican Avocado dip, chicken tacos, etc. We had a bartender who mixed drinks. I ordered a Pina cola and my hubby a margarita, both virgins. 

I walked along the beach, and the water was cold. Monday, a storm had come through with 50 MPH winds, so the water was a little choppy and dirty. Not many people went into the water. Most everyone sat in beach chairs, and some under umbrellas. Lunch was served around 10:30 AM. 

Around 10:30-11 We heard a mother call out  Sabrina, where are you?

She was nowhere to be found. Everyone joined in the search for Sabrina up and down the beach, inside the house. Going from one neighbor's house to another.  A neighbor called the police. Five showed up at the beach. A detective went along the beach, circling Sabrina's footprints. Neighbors called their friends, and several said they saw a small girl walking up the beach crying. 

She had walked about 1 1/2 to 2 miles up the beach to the nearby hotel. When they found her, she said, "I thought my family had left me, so I was walking back to the ship. You could see the ship from the beach. 

They took her to the hospital to be checked out for dehydration. 

The family was brought back to the beach house, where everyone enjoyed the rest of the day, eating and drinking. 

Everyone was so proud to see the little girl, Sabrina.

I overheard the mother ask Sabrina about her adventure, but she just said I don't want to discuss it. 

The mother's feet were covered in scratches from running through the thickets, looking for Sabrina. 

Everyone loaded back onto the bus and began our journey back to the ship. Thank God we were able to return with everyone. 

We were back on the ship by 3:30 PM. The ship's time to leave was 3:30-4 PM, but we didn't leave until almost 5 PM because a bus full of people was running late getting back from an excursion. 

The bus drove straight up to the ship, letting people off right at the boarding area. This was a very eventful day. 

Welcome to Yucatan

Friday, Feb 9, Sea Day 

Breakfast with Doctor Seuss Cat & the Hat, thing one, thing two in the Lincoln Dining room.

Hubby ordered Green eggs with ham and funny Belgian Waffles. I just ordered Funny Belgian Waffles with Moose Juice.

In the Ivanhoe Theater, we made a bulldog and an elephant out of towels and bought the Towel Art Book. 

Lunch was #6 Cuban Mixto: roasted pork, ham, yellow mustard, Swiss cheese sandwich, 3 cookies, and vanilla ice cream. 

Bought Build-A-Bear for St Jude on the Lido Deck. 

Hubby took a long nap while I watched TV.

Ate a salad for dinner. 

We watched 90s music and We Are the World in the Ivanhoe Theater. 

We did the Debark process in the Carnival App.

funny Belgian Waffles

Saturday, Feb 10, Travel Home

Breakfast Lido Deck 9 Omelets, chocolate milk, pastry. 

Waited for our app to tell us when to embark. 

Went through the immigration process, loaded our car, and started for home. 

We stopped in Petal, MS, to fill up with fuel. 

Stopped at Welcome Center  for a break

Ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Meridian, MS

I ordered Fried Shrimp, Pinto Beans, cornbread, chow, and tartar sauce. 

Bought some chocolate candy and hubby a shirt. 

It began to rain in Russellville and rained all the way home. 

 

2023 Sep 15-18, Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Daphne, AL. and Pensacola, FL. (4 days)

Day 1:

I had planned a day trip to Canton, MS, the day before. The next morning, I asked hubby if he wanted to spend a couple of days in Gulf Shores, Al, after we left Canton. He said yes.

He had been talking about going all summer. So we packed our bags for 3 days. We were just going to wing it. 

After spending all morning visiting museums and walking around the town, we begin our journey to Gulf Shores. 

Shady Acres Village 

We stopped at Shady Acres Village Restaurant Seminary, MS, for a late lunch. I enjoyed a shrimp basket with fries, and hubby enjoyed a 49'er Hamburger with onion rings. 

We also bought several items in their General Store. 

It was a four-and-a-half-hour drive to Gulf Shores. 

The sun was setting as we drove through Mobile. We checked into Staybridge Hotel, and by the time we were settled in, it was dark.

Sunset in Mobile, Al 

We both were too tired for any further adventures, so to bed, we both went. 

Day 2:

The next morning, we rushed to the beach to watch the sun come up, but it was cloudy, and a storm was brewing, so no sunrise. 

We went back to the hotel for breakfast, and then our adventures began.

Cloudy Sunrise 

We rode to the Outlet Mall to shop. I bought a top and pants at Columbia. At T J Max, I bought some spices and a set of Halloween hand towels.

Our next stop was OWA Park Foley. They were having a car show throughout the park. By this time, it was very hot. After I finished taking pictures of most of the cars, we left. 

This was my favorite Car!

We headed down the coastline towards Pensacola, Florida. 

By the time we arrived in the downtown area, the Arts and Crafts Sales was winding down. 

We had enough time to walk through to see their wear. 

We ate lunch at The Fish House Restaurant on Barracks St., where we enjoyed fried Cod served with creamed potatoes, collard greens, and a salad. 

Fried Cod with Collard Greens, Creamed Potatoes 

It was getting late, so we began our journey back to the hotel. 

Day 3:

Once again, we were up, heading to the beach for an early morning sunrise, but once again, it was cloudy. Sunrise was at 6:35AM

 Came back to the hotel for breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit, bagel, and juice.

We began our journey up the coast in the opposite direction to Fairhope. 

We stopped at the Municipal Park, where they were having an Arts and Crafts Tent Sale.  

We stopped to talk to a couple that were selling spices. (I bought one for my son).

They saw the camera I was carrying, and we talked about cameras and taking pictures.

The woman was telling me about the Brown Pelicans there at the beach.

Brown Pelicans 

We walked down the long pier, and there were several Brown Pelicans and a variety of Gulls. I took several pictures. 

We rode to Daphne, stopping to eat lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse.

We enjoyed steak with grilled shrimp, creamed potatoes, and Caesar salad. 

We stopped at the Halloween Store in Daphne, where I bought a dress for Halloween. 

We headed back to the hotel but stopped at the Story Walk in Loxley. 

Another long day.

Day 4: 

We headed to the beach (6:35AM) to see the sunrise. Today it was beautiful so I got several pictures.

Sunrise 

Rode back to the hotel, ate breakfast, packed our bags, and began our journey home.

The sun was shining right on my face, so I napped the first part of the trip home. 

Hubby had wanted to stop at Peach Park in Clanton, Al, and when I woke up, he said, I think I have passed Peach Park, and we had.

We did not turn around we just kept going. 

We eat lunch at Oh"Bryan's in Hartselle, Al (his favorite place)

He always orders a steak or baked potato and gets their salad bar.

I ordered grilled chicken and a sweet potato.

We were home way before sunset. 

Another great trip in the books. 

2018 May 29-Jun 2, 🚙The sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Loaded my new Nissan Murano with my suitcase and camera and drove to my sisters to meet them for our trip. While waiting for them to finish getting ready, I went outside and took some pictures. There were birdhouses in different shapes and sizes filled with bird feed atop tall poles, along with wind chimes and deer antlers.

Standing next to a mailbox, I saw a bicycle covered with vines of purple flowers, its basket was filled with lots of pink flowers.

Sitting next to a gate and next to a pink rose bush  with some faded and crumbling blooms,

sat on a wooden bench that read School Bus

On top of the fence post, See Rock City, on both sides, red rose bushes stood a birdhouse.

A flower bed with several greenery plants, stepping pads, a wooden bench, a wagon wheel, a pot, and water flowing from a small pump down a wooden plank into a bucket. 

All this was enclosed, and the ground was covered in mulch, a birdhouse, and a fence on the backside. There was a brick path leading up to the home next to the path stood another flower bed, a tall pole with a birdhouse, a wooden sign that read HOME, and atop was a big black dinner bell. All around the home were flowerbeds dotted with greenery and orange/yellow tubed blooms. In the distance stood an outhouse with a washtub hanging on the side. A cabin with wooden steps on two sides, two wagon wheels, a dipper, cowbells, a bucket, and other paraphernalia hanging from the porch. A black mailbox, number 146, standing next to the steps, waiting for delivery. Jumping, playing, and hiding among the tall flowers was their bulldog puppy.

Red Roses

We have had lots of rain during April and May, and today was no exception.

It started to rain and rained most of the day. The rain lessened the further south we went. 

We enjoyed lunch at Dairy Queen in Northport near Tuscaloosa. We stopped at Chick-fil-A in Foley for dinner. It was getting late when we arrived at Island Winds East. Unloaded the car and headed to the beach. My niece and her friend had never seen the Ocean/Gulf and were very excited. The water was still very turbulent from the storm that had come through a few days before. 

There was a full moon overlooking the Gulf the night we arrived. 

Full Moon 

Bird, Clouds, and Turbulent Water 

Wednesday, May 30

Around six AM, I walked to the sand-covered beach, there were a few people out and about, some watching the sunrise, some looking for shells, and some walking and wading in the water. 

It looked like a fire breaking through the clouds as the sun began to shine. It was going to be another hot day.

Everyone enjoyed playing in the gulf. It was too hot for me, so I got into the swimming pool and later went back to the room.

Around seven, I walked down to the concrete boardwalk to watch the sunset. There were several tarps above concert benches with palm trees around each area. Footprints covered the sand, and silence filled the air along the beach.

As I neared the Hangout, I could hear a band playing. 

Sunrise

Thursday, May 31

With my camera, I walked to the quiet beach around 7 AM.

There, I saw a few white & pink clouds floating above the Gulf as the sun began to rise. 

A few birds were feeding, and a few people setting up for the day, but still very quiet. Going to be another hot day.

Around noon, we went to the theme park OWA in Foley.

The ground at the park was covered in Concrete, making for an even hotter day.

We rode several rides but had the most fun in the kiddy area. 

Enjoyed a banana split Ice Cream at Hershey Ice Cream Parlor.

At Wahlburgers, everyone ordered hamburgers and fries, and I ordered chicken fingers.

Katie enjoyed the splash pad, where buckets of water splashed over her head. 

OWA Park 

Friday, June 1

Up and down to the beach at 6AM to watch the sunrise. A few clouds covered the sky, the waves not quite so turbulent, and not as many birds. The storm had brought high waves, and in those waves were schools of fish.

The sun was up, and it was getting hot as my sister and I walked down to the Hangout, stopping to take a picture in the BIG BLUE chair. 

Gulf Shores Hangout 

Everyone enjoyed another day at the beach, not me I went sightseeing.

I drove to Elberta to see dinosaurs and arrived around 10AM. Stopped at a Marathon Gas Station in Elberta to fill it with gas and to purchase a Coke and cookies.

Dinosaur Park 

I drove to Fort Morgan and toured the Museum where I saw Mobile Point Lighthouse Order Fresnel Lens (1873-1966), a 32-pound Carronade, a picture of Admiral David Farragut, Civil War Artillery at Fort Morgan, & Last Campaign Federal Operations at Mobile March thru April 1865. 

There were war signs posted along the walls, “I want you for US Army, Join the Army Air Service, Help Them Keep your war sayings PLEDGE, Tell that to the Marines Men wanted for the Army and etc.” Army returns to Fort Morgan 1989, A gallant officer and gentleman Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Stewart. The Big Gun Corps at Fort Morgan had several uniforms and guns. I walked around inside the Fort and drove around the outside of the fort. It was just too hot to stay for very long. 

I drove to Foley, where I toured the Train Depot and the L & N. Red Caboose stationed outside the Museum. 

Inside the museum, I saw a statue sitting on a long bench, a bell, a set of faded blue luggage, and a stove with a metal kettle sitting on top. I saw an empty trunk, a closed trunk, and a Piano with a songbook opened to the song DEAD MARCH IN SAUL on page 87. 

Song Book at Train Depot 

I saw a wheel barrel with a sack of Hollywood-washed potatoes, two old-style telephones, the sign “No Longer a 'ONE CROP” Country, a couple of washtubs, a Mother’s Best Flower sign, a ringer Washing machine, an Ice Box and a Potato Grader.

 I walked across the street, where I toured the Holmes Medical Hospital Museum.

There I saw wheelchairs, hospital rooms, a doctor's office, examining rooms, medical equipment, bedpans of every shape and size, medical books, an Ex-ray Room, medicine bottles, scales, a skeleton, a sink, a washtub, an Incubator for infants and so much more. 

I walked up the street to the Art Museum, and flowers were in bloom everywhere. Painted on the Foley Coffee Shop was a man standing next to a red truck, a train engine # 1701, with smoke coming out of an airplane flying overhead. 

Mural 

I walked to the overpass, took the elevator up, crossed the road to Heritage Park, stopped at the Visitor Center, and drove back to Condo.

We ate dinner at Desoto’s Seafood Cafe; the place was packed.

Saturday, June 2,

Up early once again to white clouds with the sun trying to break through. The beach was quiet, and the sand was covered in footprints, It was going to be another hot day.

I drove over to the Wetlands and walked across the wooden bridge. There were two young from Texas fishing. I took a few pictures as I walked along the bridge. 

Wetland Bridge/Boardwalk 

Rode back to the Condo, packed, and drove home. 

Sunrise, Sunset

Sunset Gulf Shores, Alabama

 

 Sun crackles in the blue reserved hill.
One lone leaf glitters eerily of chill.
The sky looks grosgrain from my window sill.

Sunset Marathon, Florida

The vastness of hill country in a leaf
Dances beyond the span of all belief,
The splendor of its memory is brief.

Sunset Glencoe, Alabama

You may not want to hear it when I say
That earth is in the twilight of its day.
The depth of it is drinking us away.

Sunset Mexico Beach, Florida

A cloud is a distant parchment in the sky.
Today's boat is a shadow sailing by.
Minutes will never catch it, though they try.

Apollo Beach Florida

I wish it could be every sunset, Friend,
That fey instant before all colors blend,
Dusk held at the crescendo of its end.

Sunrise in an Airplane near Baltimore MD

The title poem of my book, Ever Sunset, Skylark Publications, India

Sandra Fowler :