Continuing Adventures: Trip Journal, Day 6
Mar. 8th, 2009 12:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vdanskFor those of you who are still interested:
Tuesday, February 10th
Grand Cayman
We slept late today, waking about 7:30 AM, and got a late start--breakfast about 8:30AM, pool at 9AM (which Leah opted to skip to go to her club.) No spa today, but Mulan was playing above the Goofy pool, so I got a while in the hot tub while Joy sat next to it, watching. (I have to admit that I am a sucker for the character of Shang, and especially the “Let’s Get Down to Business” song.) Then we went back to the room to change, and Charles collected Leah, to prepare for our excursion. We had a quick snack at Pluto’s Dog House, which had chicken strips for Joy, and Tacos for Leah and me.
The tender to Grand Cayman was probably the roughest trip we encountered, but the small boat was perfectly adequate for the quick trip to shore. They are very serious about safety, from getting your ID scanned to go ashore, to having your hands free to get aboard the tender. I’m not sure how they’d do a wheelchair.
We had about 45 minutes to shop before our excursion, but found most things overpriced--except alcohol, which was quite inexpensive (half of US prices), but we decided was a bad idea. I did get a pretty Butterfly necklace and a small “passport holder” purse, and a few trinkets for the girls.
Our excursion was the SeaWorld Observer Semi Submarine, which is only partially submerged--the part where we sat, watching through large, clear windows as we passed lazily over coral reefs and shipwrecks. The shipwrecks were both 20th century--one ship split open from the rice it carried after it was damaged, the other had its engine come loose in a storm. The coral reefs were amazing, with dozens of kinds of coral visible, and scores of different types of fish. Most interesting were the parrot fish, who change gender; there is only one male per school, but if he dies, the largest female becomes male and takes his place. Similarly, if a larger male encroaches, the current male becomes female. Parrot fish also produce 60% of the gorgeous white sand beaches from processing the limestone in the coral they eat; one parrot fish can produce a ton of sand in a single year.
Joy had been a little tired at the start of the tour, and was quite frightened by the steep ladder she had to descend to get to the viewing room, but perked up once we were underway. One of the crew, who had been pointing things out to us, donned a wet suit and scuba and went out feeding the fish bread, so that hundreds of them flocked around the boat. He also played with the kids as he swam around, pressing his hand against the outside of the panes so they could “high five” him through the glass.
Back ashore, I continued my quest to collect 25 Grand Cayman pennies, so that Leah could bring them in to her class at school. There was a lovely store selling swords--far out of our price range!--and the proprietor was quite taken by the idea, and rummaged for pennies for us. When I gave her a dollar in exchange for them she protested, but finally agreed to put it in the collection plate at her church.
Successful, we caught the tender back to the ship with essentially no wait, then Joy and I took a nap while Leah went to the Oceaneer’s Lab. (I could blame it on the fresh sea air, but when am I not able to take a nap when the opportunity presents itself?) We woke in time for dinner at Animator’s Palate, which was the show dinner tonight, with a surprise visit from Mickey Mouse. Joy is excellent at identifying instrumental music, calling out the name of movies as themes began to play--which was useful, as the theme playing was a cue that that picture was about to transform into color. She stayed awake, between the “show” and the earlier nap. I had Seafood and Avocado wrappers (a little light on the avocado, but good), excellent butternut squash soup, lovely salmon and risotto, then superb peach and ginger cheesecake. My cocktail, the Brush Stroke, was an interesting combination of tequila, Chambord, cointreau, and something else--lime? Leah ate her entire Filet Mignon with scallops, which Charles also got. Joy…ate chicken strips. But at least she enjoyed them.
After dinner, we returned to the room, wrote a bit, then headed off to Twice Charmed. Both Cinderella and the Prince come off as much more sympathetic and active characters, actively fighting for their futures. Again, we had great seats, and all four of us loved it. Finally, back to bed; Charles is out watching a comedy routine, both girls are snoring softly, and I’m ready to fall asleep. It was warmer today, high about 86’. Tomorrow is Cozumel.
Tuesday, February 10th
Grand Cayman
We slept late today, waking about 7:30 AM, and got a late start--breakfast about 8:30AM, pool at 9AM (which Leah opted to skip to go to her club.) No spa today, but Mulan was playing above the Goofy pool, so I got a while in the hot tub while Joy sat next to it, watching. (I have to admit that I am a sucker for the character of Shang, and especially the “Let’s Get Down to Business” song.) Then we went back to the room to change, and Charles collected Leah, to prepare for our excursion. We had a quick snack at Pluto’s Dog House, which had chicken strips for Joy, and Tacos for Leah and me.
The tender to Grand Cayman was probably the roughest trip we encountered, but the small boat was perfectly adequate for the quick trip to shore. They are very serious about safety, from getting your ID scanned to go ashore, to having your hands free to get aboard the tender. I’m not sure how they’d do a wheelchair.
We had about 45 minutes to shop before our excursion, but found most things overpriced--except alcohol, which was quite inexpensive (half of US prices), but we decided was a bad idea. I did get a pretty Butterfly necklace and a small “passport holder” purse, and a few trinkets for the girls.
Our excursion was the SeaWorld Observer Semi Submarine, which is only partially submerged--the part where we sat, watching through large, clear windows as we passed lazily over coral reefs and shipwrecks. The shipwrecks were both 20th century--one ship split open from the rice it carried after it was damaged, the other had its engine come loose in a storm. The coral reefs were amazing, with dozens of kinds of coral visible, and scores of different types of fish. Most interesting were the parrot fish, who change gender; there is only one male per school, but if he dies, the largest female becomes male and takes his place. Similarly, if a larger male encroaches, the current male becomes female. Parrot fish also produce 60% of the gorgeous white sand beaches from processing the limestone in the coral they eat; one parrot fish can produce a ton of sand in a single year.
Joy had been a little tired at the start of the tour, and was quite frightened by the steep ladder she had to descend to get to the viewing room, but perked up once we were underway. One of the crew, who had been pointing things out to us, donned a wet suit and scuba and went out feeding the fish bread, so that hundreds of them flocked around the boat. He also played with the kids as he swam around, pressing his hand against the outside of the panes so they could “high five” him through the glass.
Back ashore, I continued my quest to collect 25 Grand Cayman pennies, so that Leah could bring them in to her class at school. There was a lovely store selling swords--far out of our price range!--and the proprietor was quite taken by the idea, and rummaged for pennies for us. When I gave her a dollar in exchange for them she protested, but finally agreed to put it in the collection plate at her church.
Successful, we caught the tender back to the ship with essentially no wait, then Joy and I took a nap while Leah went to the Oceaneer’s Lab. (I could blame it on the fresh sea air, but when am I not able to take a nap when the opportunity presents itself?) We woke in time for dinner at Animator’s Palate, which was the show dinner tonight, with a surprise visit from Mickey Mouse. Joy is excellent at identifying instrumental music, calling out the name of movies as themes began to play--which was useful, as the theme playing was a cue that that picture was about to transform into color. She stayed awake, between the “show” and the earlier nap. I had Seafood and Avocado wrappers (a little light on the avocado, but good), excellent butternut squash soup, lovely salmon and risotto, then superb peach and ginger cheesecake. My cocktail, the Brush Stroke, was an interesting combination of tequila, Chambord, cointreau, and something else--lime? Leah ate her entire Filet Mignon with scallops, which Charles also got. Joy…ate chicken strips. But at least she enjoyed them.
After dinner, we returned to the room, wrote a bit, then headed off to Twice Charmed. Both Cinderella and the Prince come off as much more sympathetic and active characters, actively fighting for their futures. Again, we had great seats, and all four of us loved it. Finally, back to bed; Charles is out watching a comedy routine, both girls are snoring softly, and I’m ready to fall asleep. It was warmer today, high about 86’. Tomorrow is Cozumel.
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-08 04:45 pm (UTC)And YAY for naps! vacation is all about taking the time you need to feel re-energized. ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-03-08 05:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 01:44 pm (UTC)btw, i love Mulan, too. ;) especially that song.
"BE A MAAAA_AN! you must be swift as a coursing river!"
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 01:25 am (UTC)Charles objects to the "Mysterious as the Dark Side of the Moon" line; he says men are straightforward(he used a less complimentary term), women are mysterious.
I'd never done anything remotely like this trip before...and now I realize that I REALLY need to do it again. :>
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 12:41 pm (UTC)