Cruisin'

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Cruisin' the Caribbean, Days 4-7

Aruuuuuba

Their license plate says it all.

Our party boat, the Pelican II, sets sails in the morning for another day of snorkeling, swimming, and yep, rum fortification.

Cyndi and Mark are inspired by the Titanic sweep of the fresh breeze billowing the sails and tingling their bodies.
As our catamaran approaches our first dive site we can see how the boat got its name. I was able to swim up to this pelican perched on a piece of a sunken German ship dating back to WWII.

Now this was neat! At left, Mark and I prepare to snorkel in the aquamarine waters. Meanwhile, our "daughters" are able to magically convert from young ladies into mermaids when they don their masks. I didn't retouch these photos — look at their legs while moving the mouse over their picture!

Mark straps on his wristband and checks out some corral and the submerged German ship, the Antilla (the Hun?), sunk during the Second World War when the captain scuttled the ship rather than surrender it.

Then it's time for a barbeque lunch on the pier, sunning on a white-sand Aruban beach, and swimming, where the "girls" flash Matt a victory sign and wish he could be here with them.

Then its time to get back on the catamaran and start the party.

All that swimming and rum brings out the manly men in these hunks
The girls are wondering if that's the best the men can do.

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Mark is surrounded by a bevy of beauties quaffing the local land's libations.
Mark jumped into a chorus of "YMCA", and after some of the women on the ship started stuffing bills into the trunks of the dancer next to him, Mark's tune turned into "Y Not Me?"

Me, I'm just chillin' with the girls

Returning to the port and the capital city of Oraangestad, Cherie rushes out to the shopping area she'd seen in one of her magazines. Oooooh, this is neat. Me, I'm not too observant. When I ask, "what shopping?" they kindly point the way. We plied the streets, bars, and finally returned to the ship at night.

At Sea

Despite the buckets, sheets, and cats and dogs of rain that soaked the ship during much of our steaming hours, there was plenty to do and lots of ways to relax while we were at sea.
Of course, eating and drinking were pretty high on that list, and we had wonderful dinners, tasty late-night snacks, coffee breaks, high tea, and the occasional rum soaked drink served up in hurricane glasses.

The ship is immense, but the size of this floating city really hits you when you view the central atrium, where there are three towering floors of shopping to satisfy even the most demanding American females.
The casino was a frequent haunt of Mark and Cyndi, who are far luckier at the slot machines than we are. Below left, Cherie rubs Mark's head to give him luck. Cyndi, however, needs no such charm. She hit a "7 7 7" winner at least once on the cruise. Cyndi's photo courtesy of Mark

Photo courtesy of Mark
Mark and Cyndi start on dessert.
Dinner was served by our very-proper waiter Mario, and cleared away by the every-laughing Tilsu (name kinda sounds like something out of Moby Dick, doesn't it?). Tilsu would get Cyndi giggling between each course. And the courses ...lobster, filet mignon, quail, pork tenderloin, Chateaubriand, duck... were incredibly edible.

Midnight Buffet is a Feast for the Eyes

High Tea accompianed by soft piano music ...
and coffee on the go

During quiet moments we wrote Matt postcards

At night, we'd find the steward's latest towel animal

And then, all too soon, it was time to say goodbye.

Return to Dominica and Barbados or Return to Puerto Rico and St. Thomas

Or Return to the Family Photo Album

Mark straps on his wristband and checks out some corral and the submerged German ship, the Antilla (the Hun?), sunk during the Second World War when the captain scuttled the ship rather than surrender it.

Then its time to get back on the catamaran and start the party.
All that swimming and rum brings out the manly men in these hunks		The girls are wondering if that's the best the men can do.

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Mark is surrounded by a bevy of beauties quaffing the local land's libations.	Mark jumped into a chorus of "YMCA", and after some of the women on the ship started stuffing bills into the trunks of the dancer next to him, Mark's tune turned into "Y Not Me?"
Me, I'm just chillin' with the girls

At Sea
Despite the buckets, sheets, and cats and dogs of rain that soaked the ship during much of our steaming hours, there was plenty to do and lots of ways to relax while we were at sea. Of course, eating and drinking were pretty high on that list, and we had wonderful dinners, tasty late-night snacks, coffee breaks, high tea, and the occasional rum soaked drink served up in hurricane glasses.