December 15, 2012 A Yo-HO-HO-HO Holiday Fantasy!

[NWmom]

I was going to say.................I hear crickets again.....................but tropical storm Debbie has been dumping allot of rain on us hear on the west coast of Florida. Now all I can hear are the frogs croaking like crazy out there!!!! One will start then you can hear about twenty of them answering back............must be some sort of frog convention or something going on out there!!!!!!

We have been in a some what of a drought situation here for a while. The winter months are our dry season, and the summer months the wet season. The east side of a tropical storm is the wet side, and we are on the east side of this storm. So we are getting the much needed rain we have been needing for some time now. We started getting a little rain last Thursday I believe, then Debbie came into the picture. It rained here all night last night and it has been raining all day today so far. Suppose to do this again tomorrow.

I hope everyone out there is having a Fantastic week-end!!! To sing Kevin and Skye's song..............174 days to go................174 days to go. Before you know it ya'll we will be to our date to start booking those excursions!!!!

Thinking of all of you down south. Hope Debby is not beating you all up to bad and you are able to stay high and dry.

Kevin

Okay, this just hit very close to home. Got an email from my sister (who works at the Health Dept in Suwannee County). She had to leave a car in water this morning on her way to work. Sis will be working the special needs shelter overnight.

Mom is being evacuated to a shelter as we speak. Water this morning was at her back porch. In less than 3 hours it was inside her back room.

They just mentioned a 40 x 40 foot sinkhole in a neighborhood. Mom's neighborhood has had sinkhole problems in the past.

Waiting to hear that Mom made it safely to the shelter.

 

[ShinyDaisy]

Okay, this just hit very close to home. Got an email from my sister (who works at the Health Dept in Suwannee County). She had to leave a car in water this morning on her way to work. Sis will be working the special needs shelter overnight.

Mom is being evacuated to a shelter as we speak. Water this morning was at her back porch. In less than 3 hours it was inside her back room.

They just mentioned a 40 x 40 foot sinkhole in a neighborhood. Mom's neighborhood has had sinkhole problems in the past.

Waiting to hear that Mom made it safely to the shelter.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and David and both your families and everyone affected by this. We're so sorry about your mom and sister. We hope, Skye, that you'll hear soon that your mom made it to safety. Best wishes for everything to look better tomorrow. and for the recovery time to begin soon.

 

[NWmom]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and David and both your families and everyone affected by this. We're so sorry about your mom and sister. We hope, Skye, that you'll hear soon that your mom made it to safety. Best wishes for everything to look better tomorrow. and for the recovery time to begin soon.

Heard from Mom. She is safe.

On another note-- I am home sick and under doctor's orders to rest. That means watching tv (the Weather channel for now)
Would you all please let him know that this is not the time to try and steal the remotes from me.

He laid down next to me to check in when he got home. Pushing the remotes a full 3 feet away from me. He got up and they were missing.

 

[rtobe]

Dennis, Parker and I are coming with you Jackie! Monica was able to move us from the 12/8 to 12/15.

So Parker will celebrate his 22nd birthday (or not) on the 21st!

OMG! I'm so happy!

...still waiting to hear about additional suprise cruisers...one of which you and Dennis know!

.

Ladies -- we can practice for Parker's big day on Dec. 18th for mine (must be chocolate). Yes, it's true, I am tagging along. Right now thinking back to back on Fantasy

 

[rtobe]

Hi I'm new to this merry band. After last year's "bi-coastal birthday bash" decided something more sedate - Birthday at Sea ... ok in port at St. Thomas. There will be chocolate (note, said nothing about sharing the good ones )

Looking forward to meeting more of you.

Been a hectic year, I changed jobs in September and moved cross country from VA to CA. Will be moving into house in two weeks (finally)

Not sure how much time I'll have to read this whole thread but wanted to introduce myself. Traveling solo - rooming with a friend. Have done EBTA on Magic 2010, Wonder in December 2010, Dream in Nov. 2011 and Fantasy Maiden Voyage. Looking forward to sailing on her again

 

[ShinyDaisy]

Heard from Mom. She is safe.

On another note-- I am home sick and under doctor's orders to rest. That means watching tv (the Weather channel for now)
Would you all please let him know that this is not the time to try and steal the remotes from me.

He laid down next to me to check in when he got home. Pushing the remotes a full 3 feet away from me. He got up and they were missing.

...the remotes.


Sorry you're sick, Skye! So glad to hear your Mom's safe!!

 

[ShinyDaisy]

Hi I'm new to this merry band. After last year's "bi-coastal birthday bash" decided something more sedate - Birthday at Sea ... ok in port at St. Thomas. There will be chocolate (note, said nothing about sharing the good ones )

Looking forward to meeting more of you.

Been a hectic year, I changed jobs in September and moved cross country from VA to CA. Will be moving into house in two weeks (finally)

Not sure how much time I'll have to read this whole thread but wanted to introduce myself. Traveling solo - rooming with a friend. Have done EBTA on Magic 2010, Wonder in December 2010, Dream in Nov. 2011 and Fantasy Maiden Voyage. Looking forward to sailing on her again

rtobe

 

[JenDen]

Ros, Dennis and I are excited that you will be coming on this cruise! Yes, we will have a wonderful time celebrating yours' and Parkers' birthday! Chocolate is a must.

 

[rtobe]

Ros, Dennis and I are excited that you will be coming on this cruise! Yes, we will have a wonderful time celebrating yours' and Parkers' birthday! Chocolate is a must.

Can't wait to see you again!

 

[davidls]

Hi I'm new to this merry band. After last year's "bi-coastal birthday bash" decided something more sedate - Birthday at Sea ... ok in port at St. Thomas. There will be chocolate (note, said nothing about sharing the good ones )

Looking forward to meeting more of you.

Been a hectic year, I changed jobs in September and moved cross country from VA to CA. Will be moving into house in two weeks (finally)

Not sure how much time I'll have to read this whole thread but wanted to introduce myself. Traveling solo - rooming with a friend. Have done EBTA on Magic 2010, Wonder in December 2010, Dream in Nov. 2011 and Fantasy Maiden Voyage. Looking forward to sailing on her again

I would like to and also an early to you rtobe!!! So glad you are joining us on this merry cruise!!! The best invention man ever made was CHOCOLATE!!!! Well, man didn't do it all by himself, but he did come up with the idea of putting different fillings into it!!!
When you get a chance, please go to the first post and sign up in the cruisers list, you can also sign up for the FE there and the Secret Santa Mickey there as well, if you want.

 

[davidls]

Okay, this just hit very close to home. Got an email from my sister (who works at the Health Dept in Suwannee County). She had to leave a car in water this morning on her way to work. Sis will be working the special needs shelter overnight.

Mom is being evacuated to a shelter as we speak. Water this morning was at her back porch. In less than 3 hours it was inside her back room.

They just mentioned a 40 x 40 foot sinkhole in a neighborhood. Mom's neighborhood has had sinkhole problems in the past.

Waiting to hear that Mom made it safely to the shelter.

Debbie sure did do a number on everyone here in Florida. She wasn't a hurricane, but she sure did dump a whole lot of rain on us!!! Our last estimate here in my little town was 15 to 17 inches of rain in a 36 hour time frame. We needed the rain, but not all at once. Skye, I hope everything is ok with your Mom and sister. We'll be thinking nothing but good thoughts and our prayers are with them both.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and David and both your families and everyone affected by this. We're so sorry about your mom and sister. We hope, Skye, that you'll hear soon that your mom made it to safety. Best wishes for everything to look better tomorrow. and for the recovery time to begin soon.

DW and I are ok. We stayed in the house and stayed dry. No real big problems for us, just some flooding, and that really didn't effect us all that much. We were one of the lucky ones. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who had some major issues with this storm.

 

[NWDAD]

Welcome to all the new cruisers.

It looks like quite a few. We have quite the merry band here.

Always looking for more recuits for the Worldwide MAN Club.
Remember it is all about the remotes.

Kevin

 

[figmentnnemo]

DCL just posted more shore tours and they include RUM and walking tours

Who is up for thinking of our new name??? As most of you are aware the Hens and WorldWide Man Club joined forces and won our first battle. So teamwork does work.

Stand by for more intel from the front lines.....

 

[NWDAD]

DCL just posted more shore tours and they include RUM and walking tours

Who is up for thinking of our new name??? As most of you are aware the Hens and WorldWide Man Club joined forces and won our first battle. So teamwork does work.

Stand by for more intel from the front lines.....

Who won..........

All for a combined name, Worldwide MAN/HEN Club??????

 

[davidls]

Who won..........

All for a combined name, Worldwide MAN/HEN Club??????

I don't know either Mr President. But I do like the Worldwide MAN/HEN Club name. What would the logo look like..........any ideas???

 

[NWmom]

DCL just posted more shore tours and they include RUM and walking tours

Stand by for more intel from the front lines.....

We are in port 8-4:30. We go to San Juan our last city port day.

The things we wanted to do were the Bacardi Factory and the forts. We've been trying to figure out if it was possible to do both
(They also make molasses at the Rum factory- that process really intrigues me how they can get 2 different end products based on fermentation- I did tell you I was a nerd!)

Best value seems to be the Bacardi Rum Distillery & Old San Juan City Tour
$59 5-5.5 hours
includes the rum factory, San Cristobal and a narrated bus 60 min tour of the city
Would give a great overview and might have time to go to the other fort after

Bacardi Rum & Distillery Tour
$31 2.5-3 hours
seems to do the same things as above - will drop you off in Old San Juan
Could do lunch and then do the forts after

Castillo San Cristobal, A World Heritage Site-Walking Tour
$49 2-2.5 hours
Now the entrance fee to this park is $5 per person over age 16. What exactly do you get for the extra $44? A guide leading you up the 200 yard special entrance and a certificate?

Now the combo tour is the same length as the other two combined, but with that 60 min narrated tour- what are they cutting out?

More intel needed. I want both forts and the rum factory plus lunch in town.
Two months to decide and make decisions. Leaning toward the first two options, just not liking the thought of doing the forts in the heat of the day.
More research to follow.

Skye

 

[davidls]

Heard from Mom. She is safe.

On another note-- I am home sick and under doctor's orders to rest. That means watching tv (the Weather channel for now)
Would you all please let him know that this is not the time to try and steal the remotes from me.

He laid down next to me to check in when he got home. Pushing the remotes a full 3 feet away from me. He got up and they were missing.

Skye, glad to hear all is well with your Mom.

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well Skye. Hope it is nothing serious.

(Mr President............boss............Kevin...........smooth move there big guy!!! Stealing the remote away like that. Bet she didn't even notice right away did she. You sly fox you..............you need to show me that slick move you got there!!!! I'm sure you have practiced this move many times and have it down pat!!!) My problem is Donna keeps a tight grip on the remote, and I just can't seem to pry her fingers off of it!!! She's crushed two remotes so far in the past year. (We keep telling the cable guy it got dropped on the floor by accident................but I think he's not going to buy this excuse too many more times.)

 

[NWmom]

http://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm
The official fort site

From the above website
On foot
If arriving by cruise ship, most piers are within walking distance (10-15 minutes). Just walk north, up the hill, past the Plaza Colon to reach Calle Norzagaray. You will see Castillo San Cristóbal from the Plaza Colon and Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a 15 minute walk up Calle Norzagaray from San Cristóbal. The Pan-American pier is 3 miles away. Taxis are available.

Public Transportation
Free trams are available throughout the day and will take you from the cruise ship piers in Old San Juan to both fortifications. Their schedule depends on traffic in the old city, usually a 20-30 minute wait.

Trams stops will be numbered 1 to 26 throughout the city.

Seems the Disney walking tour still has us walking this exact route to the forts, just doing it in style following someone in historic costume.


More intel--
The Bacardi Tour is actually free- you just have to get there.
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/bacardi-rum-factory/

Seem to be $7 round trip per person and includes a ferry and a taxi. Actually seems to be the recommended way to do it as the tours take longer driving around.

If you just want to take a taxi there is it $31 so do not do that.

 

[NWmom]

Skye, glad to hear all is well with your Mom.

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well Skye. Hope it is nothing serious.

Thanks David.
Turns out I am allergic either to the mosquitos that bit me or something else on the end of year camping trip.
Huge sneezing fits, nose rebellion, then a sinus infection and ear infection that affected my equilibrium.
All it took was a trip to the dr and 48 hours so far of the antibiotic and I can walk in a straight line again!!!
As long as I was not moving, the room stayed where it belonged as well!

 

[davidls]

Thanks David.
Turns out I am allergic either to the mosquitos that bit me or something else on the end of year camping trip.
Huge sneezing fits, nose rebellion, then a sinus infection and ear infection that affected my equilibrium.
All it took was a trip to the dr and 48 hours so far of the antibiotic and I can walk in a straight line again!!!
As long as I was not moving, the room stayed where it belonged as well!

Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok................so it sounds like the esteemed Mr President of the Worldwide Man Club was actually doing you a BIG favor by taking the remote from you when you were trying to rest. You watching all of that movement on the TV could have been pretty upsetting to you, and could have added to your distress!!! Kevin probably called your doctor and under the doctor's orders he was to take away the remote so your equilibrium could settle down, thus helping you to feel better and recover at a faster rate!!!! You have a very special hubby there Skye, and he is just like me, always looking out for the best for my DW!!! That's ok............no thanks is needed............we husbands are just doing our duty to be a loving and supporting man of the family!!!