November 21 and 22, 2010 - Two Days at Sea

A Beautiful Sunset at the End of a Great Voyage

The Full Moon Rising in the East

We’ve had two absolutely lovely days at sea. We could not have asked for calmer seas and more beautiful skies. Last night (Sunday) we had a spectacular sunset. As we headed west toward the setting sun in the east directly behind us the full moon was rising. From our balcony we could see both. It was quite remarkable to see the two events occurring almost at the same time.

We spent Sunday listening to our last lecture by the astronomer on board, playing Scrabble and in the afternoon our trivia team managed to not win again. Last night we met two of our new cruise critic friends Wes and Ida in the Observation Lounge and wound up dining together. The food, wine, service and company were excellent.

Today we went to a cooking demonstration by the visiting Cordon Bleu chef on the ship. He prepared a quick and easy Tuna a la Basque. I will definitely have to try it at home. At lunch at the Pool Grill they had an international medley of things. There were escargots, crab legs, huge shrimp and mussels, curry, brats and too many other things to name. We wound up at a table by the pool with our British and Scots teammates. We all drank some wine and beer and had a great time. I don’t know if it was the spirits freeing our minds, but we actually WON at trivia today. Perhaps we should have been imbibing a little all along.

We concluded our Scrabble tournament and the winner shall remain a mystery.

All in all it has been a wonderful cruise! The small ship experience has been very nice. I’m sure it won’t be our last.

Hamilton, Bermuda - November 19 and 20, 2010

Eugene Vickers and me

One of Bermuda's beautiful pink beaches

The world's smallest drawbridge

The oldest, smallest active Catholic Church

Hamilton and the Government House at night

We arrived in Hamilton Friday morning at 9 AM, 5 hours earlier than scheduled because of the smooth seas during our crossing. The entrance to Hamilton is pretty spectacular; the channel through which we passed was very narrow and we were kicking up a lot of sand. It’s clear that larger cruise ships cannot dock in Hamilton, but instead must stay out on the West End.

A little about Bermuda is in order. There are actually a couple of hundred little islands. The largest is 22 sq. miles with a width no greater than 1.5 miles. The population is around 65,000. The island was originally found by a Spaniard, Juan de Bermudez, but he didn’t settle it. He did however release some pigs. The English under an Admiral Somers were on their way to resupply Jamestown in 1609 when they were blown off course by a hurricane and shipwrecked on the island. It was uninhabited except for the pigs. The intrepid sailors managed to build two small boats from the wreckage of their original craft and continued on to Jamestown. The Admiral ordered that a new expedition settle Bermuda and it has remained in English hands ever since.

It is a truly beautiful place characterized by the brightly colored houses all of which have white limestone roofs. They are designed this way to capture rainwater which is channeled down to a cistern below the house. Today as houses are being built, the limestone blocks are dug out to form the cistern, a concrete floor is put above that and the limestone which has been excavated is used to build the walls and the limestone plates for the roof. The roof is attached to the building with native cedar beams which allow the roof to flex in the wind.

We spent Friday walking around Hamilton. It’s a lovely town with many shops and restaurants. The primary industry in Bermuda is reinsurance (tourism is second) so there are also many office buildings. We had lunch in a place recommended to us by a shopkeeper. We had a dish unique to Bermuda called Bermudan Guinea Chicks. It sounds like it should be chicken but it’s actually a spiny lobster native to Bermuda. They were served stuffed and grilled and they were delectable!

Today, Saturday the 20^th, we took a tour to the southern shores of the island and to the Dockyard at the West End. Eugene Vickers was our driver in a taxi for four. Eugene is a retired Deputy Police Chief having spent 40 years on the police force and he knows everyone and every place on the island. Our drive took us along the southern shore where we could see some of Bermuda’s beautiful pink sand beaches. Our first stop was the Gibbs Hill lighthouse which is 117 feet high, 362 feet above sea level, and the oldest cast iron lighthouse in the world. The view from there across the island was spectacular, even though we didn’t climb the 185 spiral steps to the top.

We drove through the grounds of the famous Southampton Princess Hotel whose rooms have spectacular views. Next we headed out to the West End and the Royal Naval Dockyard. This is where large cruise ships dock. The area used to be the home of the British Navy when it was here. Parts have been converted to a shopping mall. Some of the housing is being torn down and replaced for public housing.

As we made our way back around the island, Eugene took us to some unplanned stops. The first was a really unique place. It’s the oldest and smallest active Catholic Church maintained by two nuns. It gave us an opportunity to see what an old (1700) Bermuda house was like. We also saw the world’s smallest drawbridge which opens just wide enough for a sailboat’s mast to pass through. We also stopped at a lovely new hotel across the harbor to get some photos of Hamilton. Finally, Eugene took us to the Botanical Gardens where we saw one of the world’s oldest rubber trees. The Gardens and associated parks are a beautiful area which people use for horse and dog shows, picnics, cultural events and many other things.

Then, sadly, it was time to get back to the ship for our final sailaway of this cruise. We have some 950 nautical miles to go before we arrive in Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday.

I hope I’ll come back to Bermuda some time in the future to spend more time on this lovely island.

At Sea - November 16, 2010

Sailing away from Madeira

The Winning Housekeeping Team at the Country Fair

We're about halfway across the Atlantic on our voyage to Bermuda.

Today started off as a dreary day. Midmorning the rain was coming down in buckets. There was supposed to be a pizza and pasta event at the Pool Grill but it had to be moved inside. During his noon report the captain said the rain is supposed to continue for the next 24 hours. I’m happy to report that the weather forecast is no more reliable at sea than at home. It has cleared off nicely this afternoon.

After lunch we went to the Country Fair in the Atrium. The various ship’s departments set up booths with games that the passengers play. You win raffle tickets to be put in for drawings for various and sundry prizes. The passengers vote on the Most Fun and Most Creative departments. The Housekeeping staff had set up an obstacle course that you had to run through with an egg on a spoon. The Galley staff had vats of various foods which you had to reach into without benefit of looking and determine the nature of the food. I wound up fondling a big hunk of octopus! The band played on the steps and a good time was had by all! Regent does seem to come up with some novel ideas for getting passenger participation. I think they can do these because there are fewer of us on the ship than on the large vessels.

Days at Sea - November 14 and 15

Sunday dawned a little cloudy and gray. As the day progressed the skies became partly cloudy and the seas had some swells. The temperature was pleasant but not pool weather. We played some Scrabble and formed a trivia team with a Brit, an Irish couple and a Scots couple. We’re having fun despite the fact we haven’t won anything.

Sunday at the Pool Grill, the galley staff set up big grills and had fresh fish grilling. On this ship, unlike the Princess ships, the Food Service Manager and Executive Chef go ashore in ports and buy local provisions. So Saturday in Madeira they bought a variety of fish which they served up for lunch. It was delicious. Today, Monday, the pool grill had an American Barbecue. In addition to hamburgers and hot dogs, they had some of the best barbecue ribs we’ve ever tasted . Naturally there were all the trimmings to go along. For those of us with a sweet tooth, they have near the grill an ice cream bar where each day they have about 10 flavors of ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt. Of course, next to that they have chocolate sauce, sprinkles, nuts etc, etc I wish I hadn’t found it!

Last night we ate at one of the alternative restaurants (no charge for these) Prime 7. I think we had one of the best veal chops we’ve ever had anywhere on land or sea. The food was exquisite and service outstanding.

We’ve been enjoying the enrichment lectures. They have a retired NASA astronomer on board. He’s doing a series of lectures on the solar system and galaxies and his pictures are incredible. Some of them were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope just within the last few months. Who knows, we may actually come home having learned some things.

Well, that’s about all for now. Tomorrow I may try to post some photos if I have a chance to go through them. They are having a Country Fair around the pool tomorrow afternoon. I don’t know what that will be but it sounds like fun.

Madeira - November 13, 2010

Funchal as we sail away

A thatched roof house on the northern shore

A view of the northern coast

The Eagle Cliff

We arrived early this morning at the port of Funchal, Madeira. This is the largest of the islands of the Madeira Archipelago. Funchal is about 280 miles off the coast of Morocco. It’s an interesting place historically. It was discovered by an expedition sent out by Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. The expedition was supposed to chart the coast of Africa, was blown off course and landed in Madeira. There were no native inhabitants but it was a very lush place with fresh water. When they reported their find to the Prince, he immediately sent another group back to colonize the place. Unlike our last stops the island was never colonized by Phoenicians, Carthagenians or Romans.

The island has approximately 250,000 inhabitants of whom 150,000 live in Funchal and its immediate environs. The city’s buildings are very reminiscent of those we’ve seen in both Lisbon and Punta Delgada in the Azores. There are lots of white buildings with red tiled roofs.

Al took a tour which went to the northern shore of Madeira. The island is completely mountainous with virtually no flat lands. Along the way he saw all the terraced fields which have been carved out of the hillsides. They grow bananas, sugar, grapes and all sorts of vegetables but there is essentially no livestock on the island. The forest areas are full of pine and eucalyptus trees so they are very fragrant. Along both the northern and southern coasts there are some spectacular sea cliffs. One on the southern shore is the highest sea cliff in Europe and the second highest in the world.

For the drive back from the north shore the tour drove through a tunnel which was just completed in 2004. It is 3100 meters long and has shortened the trip from what used to be a 4 hour drive across the mountains to a 45 minute one today.

The weather was nice all day until just before sailaway when we had some light showers. As we released our lines and backed out of the harbor, the sun popped through and we had a nice rainbow off our stern. Hopefully it portends good weather on our crossing.

Malaga and Granada - November 11, 2010

Snow covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada above Granada

Some of the intricate columns in the Moorish Palace

Reflection of the Palace in one of the beautiful pools

A fountain in the Generalife Gardens near the Alhambra

Early this morning we docked in Malaga on the Costa del Sol. Malaga is even older than Cartagena, having probably been settled by the Phoenicians sometime after the fall of Troy around 3100 BC We decided to take a tour to Granada which lies about 2 hours inland. It was the last stronghold of the Moorish Empire in Spain.

Along the way to Granada we passed so many olive groves that it defied imagination. According to our guide Miguel, Spain has more than 350 million olive trees ( more than 8 for every man, woman and child in the country) and is the largest producer of olive oil in the world.

We arrived in Granada on a beautiful cloudless day. This was the last bastion of the Moors in Spain. In January, 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand, known as the Catholic Kings here in Spain, completed the conquest of Spain and ended the Moorish domination of the Iberian Peninsula. They conquered Granada by siege, not direct attack. Ferdinand and Isabella are actually buried in the Royal Chapel next to the Cathedral of Granada.

The Moors had built a splendid palace and city on the hills overlooking what is now the city of Granada. The Moorish Palace is called Alhambra, meaning the red city, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is reportedly the second most visited building in Europe after the Vatican. The Palace which was surrounded by a small city lies at the top of hills and is amazing because the Moors built a canal to bring water down from the mountains some 9 km away. The city and buildings actually had running water. When you consider this was constructed in the 12th century, its remarkable.

There are beautiful gardens and palaces on the hilltop with many fountains. The mosaics and architectural sculpture are incredible. In the distance we could see the highest mountain in the area which was snow-covered and had snow recently. This is the south of Spain; nonetheless a couple of years ago the area hosted the World Cup of Skiing.

We had an excellent lunch at a hotel that my family stayed at many years ago. The place is as beautiful as I remembered it.

After a ride back to Malaga, we’re on our way again. Tonight we can see the lights on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar, or as the ancients called them, the Pillars of Hercules. Our next stop is the island of Madeira, part of Portugal.

Cartagena and Elx - November 10, 2010

Would you set sail in this? Not us!

A splendid old hotel in Cartagena

The 175 year old palm tree

It has been another beautiful day here in southern Spain. We arrived at sunrise in Cartagena, a port in the province of Murcia. Cartagena has a history of approximately 2500 years. The city was founded originally by the Carthaginians and it’s name is a variation of Carthage. Around 250 BC it was conquered by the Romans under Scipio Africanus. In the years since it has been conquered by Visigoths, Vandals, many different Arab rulers and finally Spain.

We took a tour to a small city about an hour away called Elx (pronounced El – che). On the way we traveled through one of the agricultural breadbaskets of Spain. We passed hundreds of fields of artichokes, citrus , olive and almond groves and other varieties of vegetables and grains.

Elx is home to a couple of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It’s the home of the largest palm garden in Europe. Started by a local priest, the botanical garden contains many varieties of palms, cacti and varieties of flowers from all over the world. The most remarkable tree we saw is a palm tree which is approximately 175 years old. It has one trunk coming out of the ground but a couple of feet above it divides into 8 huge trunks. Palm trees in the garden are dedicated to famous people who come to the place and “baptize” the tree with a bottle of wine around the base. The large palm was dedicated by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary when she visited around the turn of the 20th century.

The other UNESCO site is actually an event. At the cathedral in Elx each year in August on the Feast of the Assumption a play is performed in the church with local residents playing the roles of Apostles, angels and the Virgin Mary. It’s one of the few places in the world which is allowed to perform a play in a church. It has become so renowned that in a few months the cast of this years play will go to Rome to perform for the Pope.

After we returned to Cartagena we walked through the downtown area which has many beautiful and ornate buildings built in the early 20^th century. Along the waterfront is one of the earliest submarines. It was a very small one which was part of the Spanish navy around 1880. I can tell you, neither of us would have set sail in it!

We sailed at near sunset and had a spectacular view of the harbor surrounded by its 5 hills, each topped by a fort. It was easy to see why so many civilizations wanted to possess the city with its large natural and protected bay.

Valencia - November 9, 2010

Prawns at the Central Market
The Bank of Spain
All Roads lead to the City of Arts and Sciences
The City of Arts and Sciences

39°27’23” N, 0°19’31” W

This morning we arrived not long after sunrise at the the city of Valencia, which is about 350 km south of Barcelona. The city is famous for many things including oranges, silk , rice and ceramics. One of the most famous Spanish foods is Paella a la Valenciana. In Valencia it is traditionally made with rabbit, but most of us have seen it made with seafood and chicken. The best paella is supposedly cooked over an open fire of orange wood which is supposed to infuse the food with a special flavor.

Today we took a city tour. Our first stop was at the City of Arts and Sciences. Valencia was built along the river Turio which used to flood the city every few years. Back around 1970 the decision was made to divert the river to stop flooding. The old riverbed was made into a park and to a futuristic looking city of arts and sciences with museums, an opera house and a large aquarium. It truly looks like something from a star wars movie.

In March of each year Valencia has a festival called Las Fallas. During the week of March 12 to 19, more than 700 large papier-mâché and cardboard sculptures are placed in squares all around the city. The sculptures represent political commentary on aspects of life in Valencia and the world in general. Each day at 2 PM a large firework and firecracker show is presented in the main city square. On March 19, at the culmination of the festival, the sculptures, which can be as tall as 15 meters, are set on fire and consumed by the flames. An election is held each year for the one sculpture which will be spared from the flames. Our second stop was the Museum in which the survivors since 1932 are housed. It was interesting to see the evolution of the designs.

Finally we went to the city center where we visited the cathedral of Valencia which houses 2 original Goya paintings and a chalice which is alleged to be the Holy Grail by the Church. (No need to look for it anymore! No more Crusades!) The Cathedral was constructed over a period of 500 years. The variety of architecture within the building was fascinating to see as it transitioned from Gothic to Baroque. We also did a very quick stop at the market. Valencia has the largest fresh market in Europe. It covers some 8000 square meters! Unfortunately, we were only able to make a mad dash through. I would have liked to have more time there!

We’ve had a nice day in Valencia. The skies have cleared but the wind is blowing at 40 to 50 knots again. Tonight we may be rocking and rolling.

Barcelona - November 8, 2010, Day One of the Cruise

Loading onions and carrots for the trip

Today we boarded the ship and began our cruise on the Seven Seas Voyager. The ship is much smaller than the Princess ships we’ve sailed on recently and we don’t think it’s full. It is decorated in a very understated elegant style with lots of muted colors. Checking in is done on board in one of the lounges.

After settling in to our cabin and unpacking and the obligatory Muster Drill, Regent did something which we thought was a very nice idea. An announcement is made and everyone comes out of their cabins with wine glasses for a “Block Party” where you meet your neighbors. Ship’s staff are there and wine is served. The Captain, General Manager, and Cruise Director go through the entire ship meeting people and shaking hands. It was a nice experience. After the block party we went up to one of the lounges and met the Cruise Critic Roll call people. It’s always nice to put names and faces together.

We sailed from Barcelona at 8PM. Before our departure the Captain announced that we would probably experience some motion during the night since the winds were blowing between 40 and 50 knots. (We are in a cabin all the way aft and didn’t notice either significant movement or vibration.) Sailing from Barcelona at night is very pretty since you see the lights of not only the city but also the airport which is right at the sea.

For dinner we ate in the main dining room, the Compass Rose. It’s a very elegant room with excellent service. We had what we both agreed was some of the very best prime rib we have ever eaten. In fact the whole meal was great! After a relaxing dinner we called it a night.

Tarragona & Sitges - November 7, 2010

Wonderful paella at a seaside restaurant in Sitges
The wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome
The tower at Sitges above the square where people gather to eat their grapes at midnight
The Wall at Tarragona

Today we left Barcelona and proceeded south with our guide and driver (both named Carlos) arranged through Jose at Pepito Tours. Our drive of approximately 120 km took us to our first stop, the city of Tarragona. Tarragona was known as Tarraco by the Romans and was one of the two major Roman cities on the Iberian Peninsula, the other being Merida in the southern area.

Tarragona was built on a rocky hill next to the sea with an impressive wall that surrounded the city. Most of the wall no longer exists but we saw a portion which was added to in medieval times and which is being preserved today. A beautiful model of the city as it would have been in the 1^st century AD has been created. At the highest point was the Temple of Augustus. On that site the Cathedral of Tarragona was built later in the 13^th century. The city also included a large provincial forum, a circus for chariot races, a “colosseum” for games, an amphitheater and a local forum. The colosseum is fairly intact and portions of the circus are still visible. Tarragona was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000 and as we walked through the old city there were many banners proclaiming the 10^th anniversary of that event. One of the places we visited was reportedly the Emperor's Palace and at the door was a beautiful sculpture of Romulus and Remus being suckled by a wolf.

From Tarragona we drove back up the coast on a road which in Roman times was called the Via Augustus. Along the way we stopped to see the Triumph Arch built to honor the emperor. Augustus is reported to have wintered in the area following one of his campaigns.

Our next stop was the town of Sitges which is about 35 km southwest of Barcelona. It’s famous for its film festival , its beaches and its artsy character. Many people from Barcelona have a place here which they use in the summer. Today because it was past the summer season, we were among the few tourists around. There is a lovely promenade along the shore with a very nice beach.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the promenade and had a lovely salad, paella and bread with tomato, a Catalan tradition. It was all delicious! After lunch we strolled through the old town. We learned that it was here in Sitges that the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes on the 12 strokes of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve began. Evidently one year there was a bumper crop of grapes, more than could even be used for wine. Someone suggested keeping some of the grapes and eating them on New Years Eve for luck. My family lived in Spain when I was growing up and we adopted the Spanish tradition which we still do even now. I had no idea where it came from until today. The blue and white tower in the picture is a symbol of Sitges and the colors of blue and white are all over the city. Houses have blue shutters and many buildings have a thin blue line painted along their foundations.

For anyone going to the Barcelona area who wants to see something a little different, I highly recommend a trip down the coast to Tarragona and Sitges. We had a wonderful day!

Barcelona - November 6, 2010

We awoke after a great night’s sleep to another gorgeous day here in Barcelona. After breakfast we met our guide for our tour of the city, Jose Soler of Pepito Tours. If anyone ever needs a guide and tour, Jose is the person to get. This was our fourth time using his services and each time has been great.

Our first stop was the Gaudi house, Casa Batilø,, also known as the Casa del osso or House of the Bones, on the Passeig de Gracia in the Eixample district. Gaudi is perhaps Spain’s most famous architect. His buildings are fanciful and totally unique. There are two stories about the house. One says that it represents Carnevale and that the balconies are masks and the mosaic decoration on the building is confetti. The other story says that the house represents St. George (the patron saint of Barcelona and Catalunia) slaying the dragon, rescuing a princess and presenting her with a single rose. I like the latter story myself.

After stopping by Gaudi’s most famous house, Casa Mila, known for it’s wavy walls, we rode up to the hills above the city to the Parc Guell. This is a lovely park originally designed to be an upscale housing development by a wealthy Barcelona textile owner. He commissioned Gaudi to design the houses and roads through the area. Unfortunately, he was ahead of his time. The area was too far out of town and only two houses were built. Upon the industrialist’s death his heirs sold the area to the city and it was turned into a park. Now Barcelonans can enjoy the imaginative walkways which include columns like the one which looks like a woman carrying a basket on her head.

From the park we went down to the Sagrada Familia Church. This is perhaps the best known building in Barcelona and the iconic symbol of the city. It too is a Gaudi creation. Begun in 1884, it is still incomplete. Nevertheless Pope Benedict is arriving here today to consecrate it tomorrow. The Church will when it is finished have 18 towers with the highest planned for approximately 550 feet. It turned out to be quite magical being here this weekend because of his visit. Later in the afternoon after our tour was finished we walked through the Plaza de Catalunia and encountered several thousand young people carrying yellow and white banners and having a mass dance in the square to celebrate their “happiness at the Pope’s visit” as a young man told me.

Next stop on our tour was Mont Juic, the hill overlooking the harbor. This is the site of the 1992 Olympic Stadium, a couple of museums and the most unusual cell phone tower we’ve seen. The tower was built for the Olympics and looks more like a work of art than a cell phone tower. Jose told us an interesting story about the lighting of the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony. The stadium is very large and seats 55,000 people. To light the flame, a champion archer shot a flaming arrow across the stadium from the opposite side. It must have been spectacular!

Finally, we ended our tour with a visit back to the Gothic Quarter. We saw the oldest synagogue in Barcelona rediscovered in modern times and we went in a building which houses three column on their original foundation which were part of the Roman Temple of Augustus.

So today we saw 2000 years of Barcelona history. It’s truly a beautiful city and much more than just a stroll up La Rambla.

The Olympic Flame at the Stadium on Mont Juic

Cell Phone Tower on Mont Juic

A Column under a roadway in Parc Guell

Casa Batllo (House of Bones)

Barcelona - November 5, 2010

The Gothic Quarter

La Boqueria Market

After an uneventful but bumpy flight we arrived in Barcelona just as the sun was rising. We had arranged for a car and driver to pick us up so in short order we were off to our hotel, the Hotel 1898. The hotel was formerly the headquarters of the Phillippine Tobacco Company and is a beautiful old building directly on La Rambla only about a block from La Boqueria Market. The location could not be better for wandering around, especially in the Gothic Quarter. After taking just a little nap, we set out for our first walkabout. Since we love markets that was our first stop. The selections of all sorts of foods was amazing! I don't think I've ever seen so many hams and so many varieties of seafood. I'm not sure what some of it was.

From the market we walked along La Rambla for a few blocks taking in the sights. The street is perhaps the most famous in the city. With a tree-lined median where pedestrians can stroll and watch the many street performers it’s busy at all hours of the day and night. We had been warned to be wary of pickpockets there but we never felt uncomfortable. Next we crossed over into the Gothic Quarter, one of the oldest parts of the city.

In this area you can find some of the remnants of the old Roman walled city and also the Cathedral of Barcelona. Tomorrow the Pope is arriving and on Sunday he will consecrate Sagrada Familia Church. The area around the Cathedral was being made ready for his visit since he must be stopping there too.

After wandering around until we were tired and hungry we stopped at a lovely tapas restaurant that Katie and I had eaten at in May. It’s off the beaten path on a little square. We had a great assortment of tapas and a good house wine. We tried a couple of desserts too (we can’t do that every day!) One was a lemon sorbet with a generous splash of a Galician liquor called Orujo poured over it. It was potent stuff but made for an interesting combination of tastes.

Time to start packing!

In a couple of days we'll be on our way for this year's cruise. The suitcases are ready to be filled. (I've been procrastinating.) We're trying something a little different this year. We're flying to Barcelona, Spain, where we'll spend three nights. Then we'll board the Seven Seas Voyager, a Regent Cruise Line ship which is much smaller than those we've sailed in recent years. It holds about 700 passengers vs the nearly 3500 on the Ruby Princess last year. Our voyage will take us to three ports in Spain and the islands of Madeira and Bermuda before we disembark in Ft. Lauderdale. We'll try to be good about keeping the blog up-to-date but it will depend on the internet connection on board and how busy we are.