SETTING SAIL

 

Lovely picture that Bob took of the Bermuda sunset one night.  I wanted these pictures to tell a story, but I am having a hard time organizing them and Bob is getting very particular about getting the photos perfect before he puts them in my "folder" for me to post.  I think I will start by introducing you to the characters, and I do mean characters, involved ;-)

The host and hostess.  Yes that is me and Bob and I have never been that tan in my entire life.  I rather like it, but it is fading away quickly. Also one does not wear makeup or do one's hair while on a cruise, so get over it!!

This is Kent and Donna.  Kent is my oldest son. It was only recently revealed that Kent and Donna have been married for 4 years ( they have been together for 11 years).  Darn good secret keepers!

This is Shanna ( Donna's daughter) and her cousin Ashley

This is Craig ( Bob's youngest son) and Sami.  They are the ones who bought Bob's parents' house last spring.  And they are now officially engaged.

So that is the cast of characters and I thought it was time you met everyone.  Our two other sons were not able to make it, but were with us in Spirit.  I know Bob's parents were there too, smiling down on us as we had fun honoring them. If you contemplate the pictures and relationships you will see that in some ways we have a pretty non-traditional family structure, but it works for us and that is all that is important.  I love every one of these people with all my heart.

Kent and Sami when we first got on the boat.  We arrived early so that the kids could explore the ship and enjoy every minute of the trip.  Remember, we have been planning this trip for almost a year and none of the kids had ever been on a cruise.  The weather was beautiful.  The Pier is very close to Logan Airport...look up....

The planes were so close that  you could actually seen the passengers looking out the windows.  Pretty surreal.  Not sure where the picture of the Southwest plane is, but that one was the closest.

Our cabin...we never seem to take a picture when the room is still tidy. Please note the ocean is just outside our cabin.  Lovely balcony, small, but lovely.  Craig and Sami were on one side and Kent and Donna on the other.  Kent quickly devised the "knock on the wall, meet on the balcony" form of communicating with his Mother.  He is such a Mama's boy!

Clock Tower at the Royal Naval Dockyard which is where Norwegian Cruise Line Ships dock now.  I have been here several times in the past.  The Naval Yard has been turned into various shops, galleries, restaurants, a maritime museum etc.  Snorkel Park Beach is here, so a beach is just a hop, skip and jump from the ship.  Kent, Donna, Shanna and Ashley spent their first afternoon in Bermuda at the beach.  Craig, Sami, Bob and I ( plus Craig and Bob's cameras) spent the afternoon wandering amongst the buildings.  Tasting the Rum Cake samples was fun!

Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, the only remaining cast iron lighthouse in the Western Hemisphere.  185 steps to the top.  Bob and camera climbed, I sat on a bench with the newest issue of Romantic Homes.

Have fun. I will see you when you get down...

View from the top, pretty spectacular

A cruise ship that was tendered out in the water.  Pretty sure that this was the Japanese ship responsible for all the camera toting tourists at the lighthouse.

Another view from the top

The Visitors Center at the Botanical Garden.  The gardens were a bit of a disappointment, but it was still fun to wander the grounds.  Great Lily pond if I can find the pictures of the toads.  Yes, we were told they were not frogs, but latge toads and that it was mating season.  Use your imagination, please.

After the Botanical Garden we got on another bus and went to Hamilton where we had lunch in an Irish Pub and then took the water taxi back to the Dockyard.

Tomorrow, or soon,  we will go to the beach ( not to sunbathe, but to take pictures of rock formations) and then we will see some houses.  Finally, some houses.  After all, what would Housepeepers be without houses.

Here is the picture of the Southwest Plane that I couldn't find before.

 And a Pink Bermuda Bus...they sell T-shirts that say "I survived the Pink Bermuda Buses".  Roads are narrow and buses are many!

Later,

Janet