Yet another trip blog

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Comment by Clay, the watcher... on December 14, 2009 at 7:23pm

PLUG ALERT

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Comment by Clay, the watcher... on December 13, 2009 at 7:38am

Monday-Day Two, Grand Cayman
The first thing I want to say is I have yet to have a cigar, too much going on. I’ll have to fix that and make up for lost time.

One word, Botswain’s Turtle Farm and Beach. We spent the day here. It a tourist attraction/turtle hatchery. Here the kids got to hold turtles, pet turtles, swim at the “beach” and have an all around turtletastic time. They have hundreds of turtles in varying ages and actually release some back into the wild each year. My question is, with all of those hundreds and hundreds of turtles, why do they only release about 20 each year and are the ‘extras’ made into soup? I tried to get some turtle stew later on, but the restaurant (not in the park) was out. we still managed to get in some shopping and while I want to complain about spending almost $100 on Rum Cake and Rum, it could have been worse. we did avoid all of the jewelers. Cuban cigars in Grand Cayman are plentiful and authentic. The problem is the pricing. Their prices were actually higher than in Canada! I imagine that had a lot to do with being in Georgetown, both a cruise port and tourist trap. Now it’s Cigar time!

My wife is not much of a gambler, shy is the best way to put it. We wander around the casino and she finds a slot to play, a nickel machine. We set up her Sea Pass to use in the machine (this is a new feature by Princess, “use your card no charge!”). When she’s down to about five dollars she hits for a $50 jackpot. She’s both excited and done. I’m happy because of the previous rum expenditure. From there we wander into the Speak Easy, Princess’ cigar lounge. It seats about 20 and is one of the two places inside the ship you can smoke. Like the Connoisseurs Club on Royal Caribbean, the room itself is open 24 hours but, the bar is open just s few hours at night. Being that it’s attached to the casino and has a big screen playing sports, it gets more traffic than Royal’s club does.

I decided on a Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill I picked up in St. Maarten. The first thing I noticed was the natural sweetness. It’s a decidedly creamy smoke from one end to the other. I kept trying to place other favors, nutty, woody, fruit? None were overpowering , just a smooth creamy, slightly sweet smoke. I have had other RyJ’s, just not this size. When I smoke “contraband” cigars they tend to be in the narrow ring gauges, nothing larger than a 42 maybe. This size was “milder” and the intensity did not overpower towards the end. The construction was excellent, the ash firm and white. (I love me a tight ash!) My only complaint was the draw was a bit tight. I blame one of two things, either the humidity here in the Caribbean or I should have opened the tube while it sat in my humidor for the last two months, an issue I’l correct when I get home.

Tuesday-Day Three, Roatan, Honduras
Roatan is one of three inhabited Islands 36 miles off the coast of Honduras. Similar in shape to a Perfecto cigar, it’s 4 miles wide at the thickest point and 36 miles long. That’s about all I know about the island geopolitically.

I will say the island is beautiful. I have talked with many people who are hesitant of Roatan as it part of Honduras. I say these people miss out on a hidden gem of the Caribbean. Yes, their economy is different than ours. Yes, their houses are built different. Yes, as an inland that depends on tourism there are many people who have “shops” set up roadside to sell you trinkets. if you think about it, that’s no different that roadside fruit stands or farmer’s markets we frequent to get “the good stuff”. It’s just they sell different stuff. Roatan has two piers. The international pier is in “downtown” Coxwain (named after the pirate). Just outside the gates there are vendors with homemade wine, cookies, bracelets, hats and other touristy junk. These people are making a living. Carnival built a pier for their cruiselines which has the same franchise vendors in every cruise port. If you are faint of heart or plain old scared, shop there. You’ll pay more, but you’ll feel safe.

We hired a private driver to take us all around the island. Personalized, private and about half the cost of Princess’ excursion. We went to the Cameo Factory, the only on in the America’s. Located in the West End village, it’s not impressive from the outside. On the inside, it’s basically a store. Where it differs is they have a brief demonstration of the steps that go into making a cameo and they was a young man in the back carving cameo’s as you watched. The detail that some of these have is magnificent, and once you see how they are made you are simply blown away.

During our tour inside the island, we noticed everyone and their grandmother (literally) have small animal “preserves”, ziplines, rainforest canopy tours and home made crafts. Ours included monkeys, lots and lots of monkeys. One was so frisky he peered down Tamela’s top and then decided to climb in. It was quite the show and we should have charged the other tourists for that! We did forgo the beach on this trip, something I feel a bit sad about, but beaches in the Caribbean all tend to have sun sand and trees so we’ll do that Friday.

Wednesday-Day Four, Couzmel, Mexico

Another island, this one 26 miles off the Mexican Peninsula. Beautiful beaches, wonderful snorkeling off coral reefs, Myan ruins. We saw none of these. Caribbean beaches mostly all have the same thing. Nice sand, trees, chairs and hot. Lots and lots of hot. As we will be on Princess’ private island Friday we decided on crap shopping and Cozumel is great for that. We do want to see the ruins, but this is a trip better experienced when we have time, real time, to see them. Cozumeil is definately a port town,\. Next year it will be worse (better?) as it will become a home port for Pulmanter, a Spanish Cruise Line. This will bring jobs to the area. good for the locals. After a half day of crap shopping and some drinking we proceded to drink some more with friends. After that, more crap shopping. We boarded the ship and had some free time before we had to pick up the kids (did I mention we went shoreside without them?) That meant it’s time for beer and cigars.

Partagas: These never disappoint. As I’ve been searching for more flavors this one first struck me as nutty, but that wasn’t quite right. Leather with hints of nuts with a slightly woody overtone. About a third of the way in the spice kicked up and became a more full bodied smoke, not overpowering, just smooth and, well I can’t quite find the words. Hints of leather and mild wood, buttery and smooth.

Speaking of cigars, Cozumel had plenty of them, all Cuban, all fake. Everybody and their brother (literally) held signs on the street “Authentic Cuban Cigars” . Some fakes were better then others, but fakes none the less. There were fakes in authentic boxes, fresh cigars, 2 year old boxes. Then there were the “five packs” in boxes with glass lids, with (fake) holographic seals. There were a few dead giveaways. the tax seals were bad copies and easily spotted, they were all Montecristo or Cohiba, construction less than stellar. Larger issue, they wanted $22-$25 a piece for them! My advice, if you choose to buy cigars in Cozumel, find an authorized Habanos dealer.

Thursday- Day Six, at Sea
I don’t expect to have a lot to say today, let’s see if I can get in a Cigar or two and review those. On the menu, Partagas Spanish Rosado and La Aroma de Cuba, Ashtons new offering.

Talk about an exciting day at sea! Somewhere around noon we hear a crew announcement, “rescue crew A report to station” ohhh, intrigue. A few minutes later the Captain comes over the speaker saying the bridge has spotted a small craft, apparently manned, off the port side. So many passengers went to look it actually caused the ship to list slightly! The Navigation Deck repositioned the ship, we launched the FRB (Fast Rescue Boat) to investigate the craft. How they spotted the “craft” I’ll never know. It was smaller that the rescue boat and that’s about 14 feet long. It was several miles away and we never came closer than within two and a half. We picked up a “single male in apparent good health” from the craft. I keep saying craft since it was so far away, we never saw it. Also if he was “out of gas” or something similar we would have notified, well I don’t know who, but someone. At the time of the rescue we were about 54 miles SE of Cuba and 34 Miles NW of Haiti. If he was Cuban, boy did he ever have a bad sense of direction.


Friday-Day Seven, Princess Cays, Bahamas
As we motor our way to princess’ private island, I’m reflecting on the trip. Having a successful cruise is all about setting your expectations properly, I did a bad job of that. I will say that a cruise vacation with children is different than any other cruise I’ve ever been on. It’s not as relaxing as other cruise vacations I’ve been on. But as far as a family vacation, it’s been a lot easier. The kids had a great time in their kids camp, which gave us free time. That time was a bit disjointed for us since the spilt the day into sessions.

There was however none of the “are we there yet” and the “I have to pee” meant walking to a bathroom rather than searching for a gas station. Meals were painless, we sat and ate if and when we wanted, weather that was in a dining room or on deck was up to us (the kids). Overall, it’s a winner.

La Aroma de Cuba:
At initial firing it’s sweet with a hint of nuts, that disappears quick and settles into a decidedly woody taste. Easily lit, great draw and excellent construction, all hallmarks of an Ashton product. More full bodied that a standard Ashton, not quite as rich as a VSG, it fits into their stable well, very well in fact. About 1/4 of the way through it reminds me of a very dry wine and it’s developed a distinctly peppery flavor. Halfway through it settles into a nice woody, peppery smoke. Medium bodied leaning towards full depending on your taste buds. the ash is firm and silver grey. I’d tell you about the smoke, but it’s had to tell as I’m on deck, basking in the sun, just of Princess Cays. Towards the end the spice kicks in, I was pleasantly surprised when it did. I began to “worry” that it would wouldn’t shift again. I love me a complex cigar that keeps me on my toes (or in the clouds).

Overall a very good smoke. Plenty of flavors to enjoy, and not so complex that it confuses or overpowers the palate. I would say great but I’m getting all snooty and great is a word rarely used by me anymore.

Saturday-Day 8, Fort Lauderdale to Home
Postscript. The trip home was as painless at the trip over. Easily boarded, no wait for luggage. The shuttle came in about 3 minutes and the car was still in the lot. The one down side, which I knew on Wednesday, the house was broken into. It’s more of a family drama thing than anything else, but still what a pain n the ass. The golden side? We tend to take all of our important jewelry on a cruise for formal nights. Still, it’s a big pain n the ass.

Vacation? Winner. Coming home, acceptable. Christmas? On the way!

Comment by Charming Karl, Cookie King on December 8, 2009 at 1:51pm

Thanks for sharing your fun with us, Clay!

Comment by Clay, the watcher... on December 7, 2009 at 6:51pm

Saturday-Day Zero
Where to start, where to start. I guess I was left with two impressions about today. One, the kids are amped up. Our shuttle to the pier doesn’t leave until noon, by 8:00 the kids are ready to go. We dress slowly, we eat slowly, explore the hotel a bit and are done by 10:30. Now the kids are really amped up! There were about 30 people total at our hotel going on the same cruse as us, they make friends with all of them. Why they may drive us towards the edge, everyone is kind and understanding, gracious even. Everydody remarked on how well behaved (hah! if they only knew) and beautiful (well, duh! they're ours) they are.

Even though this is our first Princess Cruise, I’m a Platinum member due to classes I took. This means priority boarding, we have our own line. The boarding lines were mercifully short anyway and after a heath form (or two) and some kind of identification form (or two) for the kids we are on the ship. Now they are really amped. Both of them are excited they get their own Sea Pass cards. If you don’t know, thats your combination door key, charge card for the ship. It has you name on it, Richard’s says “Master Richard Hawley” and he lets everyone he can know that he is the “Master”. For Hannah we purchase a soda sticker, free soda’s all week, more about that later. All this was my second impression, we got on the ship. Just four days before the trip my less than ethical former employer tried to cancel my trip out from underneath me. You can imagine the last minute stress this caused, but as it turns out, good does triumph over evil!

Sunday-Day One, at sea
Days at sea can be relaxing or activity filled, your choice. Ours was both. We were a bit worried that the children would not enjoy Princesses “day camp”, boy were we ever wrong! After my morning walk, I get back to the cabin at about 7:30 to find everyone dressed and Hannah exclaiming, “daddy, where were you? We’re ready to go!!”. Princess has 3 sessions 9-12, 2-5 and 7-10. I was a bit worried about the age groupings, the get put in the 3-7 year old group, being 7 will they have friends to play with? Needless to say they had a great time and after lunch, by 1:30 they were dying to go back. For us they day was uneventful, Tamela got a spa treatment, I had some beers. It was formal night and the children looked stunning! We had dinner with a couple of friends and the kids went down like a sack of potatoes by about 9:00. I made a brief visit to the casino and our good fortune continues. I win $300 on a slot machine and I never pay slots, you never win on those things. Oh, about Hannah’s soda card, all day she told every bartender, waiter and random guest on the ship, “I have a sticker. I’m buying drinks for my whole family”. Tomorrow Grand Cayman.

Comment by Charming Karl, Cookie King on December 7, 2009 at 2:35pm

Ignore Mr. Geographically-challenged. Hope you're having a great time with the W and Ks. Tell us all about it when you have chance! I am jealous, but I'll be heading down to Tampa and Miami in March, which is right around the time that I annually start to get serious winter blahs.

Keep in touch Mr. Non Linear!

Comment by Clay, the watcher... on December 4, 2009 at 9:00pm

The day is actually uneventful! Kids were up on time, bus came on time, Tamela came home on time. Cars packed and we are off to the airport. Once there, check-in? Seamless. Security? No questions, no secondary screening. (This is a coup when kids pack their own backpacks) The plane (for all intents and purposes) on time. If all goes well we will land in Fort Lauderdale by about 7:00.

We land about 10 minutes late (on time by my book) and head down to baggage. Surprise! All the bags have already been delivered! With all of this positive spin, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Tomorrow, boarding the ship...

Comment by Ade' The New Yorker. on December 4, 2009 at 11:38am

Whats up Clay.Hope everything works out ok.Im glad you told that c%*ksucka where he can put his job.You are in business for yourself and thats the way to go.Some people dont understand when you fuck with a mans money its like an assault on him and his family.THATS WHY YOU NEVER SCREW SOMEONE OUT OF THEIR LOOT.Good luck and God bless.