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. 

 

2017 Sept 4, Labor Day at Sweet Tater Festival Smith Lake Park Cullman, Alabama

After dropping our van off at Champion Chrysler Dodge in Athens (the air-conditioner not working) @ 7:30AM, we stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I ordered two pieces of bacon, one scrambled egg, two pieces of whole-wheat toast, and a bowl of fried apples. Hubby ordered the big breakfast meal.

Cockatoo Dancing 

Camel eating grass
At the Petting Zoo, we saw a camel, some sheep, a couple of pigs, a rabbit, a couple of llamas & some goats. 
I encourage a two-year-old boy to pet a white rabbit and a pig.

Alpaca waiting for food

Little boy petting the pig & Chicken

We attended the Sweet Tater Festival Cullman. 
They are famous for their Fried Sweet Tater Pies, so we bought one.
It was awful (somebody cannot cook tater pies). 
We walked through all the vendor booths, stopping to buy a leather key chain.
Many of the people at the park were riding in Golf Carts, and babies and small children were in strollers or wagons. 

Food Vendors 

Bonji Jumping 

Fire Department 

Stage with Bands 

Light Green Cadillac 

The little helper 

Green Truck and 1973 Ford Gran Torino   

Red Mustang 

The Classic Cars were located in the shaded area of the park. This is always my favorite part of the festival. 
We left after walking around the park for a couple hours.

In Athens, we stopped at Aldies for a few groceries.
At home, I cooked hamburgers with onions, adding taco sauce to make tacos.
Hubby tackled the grass after dinner.

2016 September 5, Saturday, Sweet Tater Festival @Smith Lake & Labor Day Actives

Started the morning with a call out to work with hubby. It only took about fifteen minutes to reset the alarm. 
While at Red Stone Arsenal we stopped at a couple of new buildings so I could take pictures. 
The first building was glass and the entrance had a metal winding staircase that led upstairs to the top level, with high ceilings. 
On display in the lobby were rockets, the Space Shuttle, the mini Apollo Lunar Module, globed Sea of Tranquility July 1969, and a table made from a rocket exhaust nozzle.

Tabletop
Base made from Rocket Exhaust Nozzle

Table made from Rocket Exhaust Nozzle 

Space Shuttle

The next building held The Space Launch Systems.
It had a life-size space suit, an Orion Space Craft, and a mini NASA building, with a launch area.
There was a half-circle orange bench where people could set not very comfortably. 

There was a life-size model of the Space Launch System (SLS) 1.25 scale.
The Space Launch System is going to Mars. 

Lifesize Space suit with an arm around a woman 

Space Launch System will be the next rocket in space going to  MARS

Smith Lake at the Sweet Tater Festival was our next destination which took a little over an hour.
As we got closer to the park we saw signs that said, This way to tater festival, have money ready. The entrance fee was three dollars per person, and children 5 free.

There was plenty of parking with no one directing traffic, we found a nice close spot and parked. 
I took my camera with me and started taking pictures. 
I think we picked the hottest time of the day to visit the festival, the sun was blazing hot,
and sweat was already pouring down the back of my shirt.
The aroma of barbecue, hamburgers, & french fries filled the air.
There was a lemonade stand for the thirsty. 
I could see Smith Lake in the distance, I wanted to take my shoes off and wade in the lake. 
The sound of music filled the air coming from a staging area.
There were people with their children and many with their dogs. 

They had carriage rides for five dollars, I wanted to ride but it was too hot.

Smith Lake 

Carriage Rides

Inflatables for kids

Band

Mechanical Bull riding

Food Vendors 

Several people brought their dogs

In the wooded area was the Hot Rod Car Show.

We saw Corvettes, Fords, Chevys, Mustangs, Camaro, Trans-Am, Firebirds, Cadillacs.

Thunderbird

Ralph Lane st 1927 Rat Farm 

Most of the car show was in the shade

Cadillac

Corvette

Oldsmobile 

Orange Ford truck Hemi Powered

the red car 

Two hours was more than enough fun in the hot sun.
We exited the park, and took I-65N, to Cullman.
We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse for a late lunch.
I was still wearing an orange wristband when I went to the restroom at Logan's. There I meet a family also still wearing their orange wristbands. I ask them if they had been to the festival? They said yes.
When we were leaving we met a man carrying a large camera case and he also was wearing an orange wristband. I ask if he had been to the festival? He replied yes. I laughed and said that Logan's must be the stopping-off place for many people that had been to the festival.

We ordered 1/2 rack of ribs, fried apples, broccoli, salmon, and rolls.
For dessert, we order three bucks of sweets pies.
One peanut butter, and two strawberry cheesecakes.

A bucket full of strawberry cheesecake

Arrived home around 4:00PM
At 5:30PM we rode to Tennessee for lottery tickets.
Stopping at Roger High in Greenhill to watch our grandson play football.

The first team lost Rogers 0, and Lauderdale County 28.
When the first team played the sun was still blazing down and I could nearly see the boys play. By the time the next team played the sun had gone down and it had cool down enough to enjoy the football games.
The boys took several cool-down breaks which they needed, several looked very hot.
The next team won 27 Rogers, Lauderdale County 17.

There was plenty of activity going on in the bleachers with our great-granddaughter.
Had a full fun day.