Geeks go for broke! Updated 2/17: Wrap-up

Erica....thought I'd take the dark alley out your picture for you.;)

zweihund-formal.jpg

VERY nice dress Erica... :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes
 
Great update and I love the formal wear!! Also got a kick out of the "grandpa" story!
 
patiently waiting :rolleyes1

You do know that Thanksgiving will be hear before you know it!
 

:surfweb:

Just wanted to say hope all went well, and although I haven't commented in a while, I am still reading!!!!

Love the dress.

Cheryl
 
Erica....thought I'd take the dark alley out your picture for you.;)

zweihund-formal.jpg

Haha, priceless! :lmao: :thumbsup2

Thanks for the update!!!!!!! Can't wait to read the next installment!

Thanks Amy!

I love the dress!!!! Hey a $60 dress is still a steal! Im purusing the ebay boards now looking for my dress for NEXT TIME lol (youve created a monster LOL)

Who, me? :rolleyes1

Erica! I'm glad you're doing well. You looked beautiful on formal night - Lionel was not too shabby, either. ;) This wasn't your Palo night?

Nope, we did Palo on the first Castaway Cay night. We like to dress up as many times as we can, since we never really do it back home.

Wow you two looked snazzy!!!!!!!!!! :rotfl: about the grandpa imprint on the bar stool.
Glad you are feeling better & writing oh so entertaining trip report updates again. :goodvibes

Thanks! :goodvibes

Very nice!
I'm glad your TR features better photoshopping skillz than mine....:thumbsup2

I don't know.....I think there might be a phantom thumb lingering in there somewhere......:rolleyes1

VERY nice dress Erica... :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes

Great update and I love the formal wear!! Also got a kick out of the "grandpa" story!

(said with an accent) MARVELOUS DAHLING!!!!!

Thanks to all three of you! :goodvibes

patiently waiting :rolleyes1

You do know that Thanksgiving will be hear before you know it!

I know, I know, I feel like such a slacker! I'm on a deadline now.....

:surfweb:

Just wanted to say hope all went well, and although I haven't commented in a while, I am still reading!!!!

Love the dress.

Cheryl

Thanks Cheryl!

Hope all is well! Looking forward to another update! :)

Thank you kindly, update coming right up!
 
So where were we? Sleeping?

Well, seeing how our excursion had been cancelled the previous evening, we felt no need to get up early to welcome ourselves to Grand Cayman. But we did anyway. Ok, actually I was the only one up at the crack of dawn, because I was the only one who did not stay up until the wee hours only to miss the very end of a movie. The sun rose, and I rose with it.

I can’t help it. Don’t hate me because I’m a morning person.

I snuck out onto the balcony and was immensely disappointed. Grand Cayman, morning light does not become you. Thankfully it started to look better as it brightened up, because as I stared at the factory smoke coming from a spot on the shore just pass that big honkin’ Carnival boat, I considered briefly just staying on the boat all day.

Then I remembered my mission: RUM CAKES.

Ok. We would get off, go to the factory, buy one of everything, and get back on the boat. I had a plan. Leaving Lionel to snore, I ran up to the deck where I discovered still more boats had parked. I also noticed something else very interesting: with only one anchor down, the boat drifts baaaaaaack and foooooorth, baaaaaaack and foooooorth and baaaaaaack and foooooorth. The Carnival boats would get closer, and then further away. The idea of tendering in wasn’t helping my desire not to get off this boat.

Carnival boats of doom!
000dgs0a


And then a little devil on my shoulder said RUM CAKES. In an instant I was back in the room to rouse my husband from sleep, because it was time to go shopping! We met Sarah and Mat for breakfast up at Topsiders, and then it was down to the theatre to get in the tender line.

Do you know how cranky people get when they are sitting in a theatre waiting to be called for their tender? Omigosh. Rude, grouchy, and just plain miserable. I secretly hoped Captain Mickey would come in and put them in the back of the line just for being spoil-sports. One lady whined "why do THEY get to board before US?" Errr, because you just got here, and they've been waiting for the last ten minutes. BACK OF THE LINE, you!

While we waited patiently, someone behind us said something about their camera. I checked my bag, and was happy to see that I had remembered to pack mine. Still, something seemed to be missing. My bag was lighter than I expected. Hmm. The conversation behind me continued, where I overheard that yes, they do take US Dollars in Grand Cay- OH NO I LEFT THE WALLET IN THE SAFE.

I looked at Lionel, and said “please don’t get mad.”

He rolled his eyes. “What did you forget?”

Me: “ummmmm………the wallet

The called our row. We stood up, filed out and then went back into the hallway where the CM’s tried to direct us to follow the crowd.

Lionel: “no, MY WIFE forgot her WALLET.”

A little louder, honey, I think some people up in deck ten didn’t hear you clearly.

The boys ran back up to the rooms, and we got back in line, and eventually got on a somewhat frightening little boat. Tendering was kind of like riding the Friendship at Epcot: fifteen minutes to board, two minutes to shore, fifteen minutes to debark. What they need is a people mover. Still, I can’t complain about the view. Sitting in the water next to the magic is very humbling. Even through a dirty tender boat window.

She is stunning from every angle....check out those curves!
000dh678


If you look closely, you can see a silly Canadian.
000dw7ge


Since we were there, we poked around the main shopping areas to look at jewelry and glass and other assorted items. You know. Like thousand dollar watches. And fine hand-crafted glass. And tiki cups and coconut monkeys.
Always fun.

In retrospect, I kind of wish I had bought one.
000dr2ar


These, on the other hand, are fine right where they are.
000dsdd7


Sarah found me a shirt.

Actually, I'm a good hunter....it's just that lettuce isn't that hard to catch.....
000dfqh0


We didn’t buy any jewelry because the only piece I liked – a simple, understated white gold pendant with three small diamonds on a single chain – cost FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Dude. That’s like a hundred DOTD’s. I did, however, find a lovely little silver stingray pendant for my Stepmom. Even though we didn't go see the stingrays. But whatever.

We passed some half-empty shopping plazas, some surly street vendors who didn't like us loitering around the salt water taffy, and then finally arrived at our destination:

Sugar and rum....what's not to like?
000dkpgx


My happy place.....
000dptbw


I am pretty sure I heard angels singing as we walked up to the porch, but they promptly stopped when we got inside. That place was about the size of my living room, and it was PACKED. The line to the cake samples moved quickly, however, and I tried every kind of rum cake they had. Nothing beat the original "golden". The chocolate came close, but it was a distant second. The key lime, coconut and pineapple all tasted the same to me. And the coffee was just weird. I'm sure the people like variety, but I'm all for doing what you do best: making a traditional rum cake.

We bustled around, trying to decide what to get for whom. Coworkers? Mom? Dad? Friends? Those things aren’t cheap, but they are totally worth the price. In the end, we bought two large cakes and eight small ones: two for work, one for my Dad, one for my Mom, two for friends, and four for us.
What?
For those of you counting, that is TEN rum cakes. And it was totally worth spending 20 DOTD’s there. In fact, you could say we came out even, since our excursion was cancelled. So really, it was our duty to buy them. Bolstering the economy, that's what I say. Yeah. Something like that.

All your rum cake are belong to us.
000dqhqa


Sufficiently shopped out, we headed back toward the tender dock where we were ready to head back to the boat when Sarah saw it. It shone like a beacon in the distance. It, it was....a homemade ice cream shop. Up we went! Yes, we know the stuff on the boat is free, but we had cancelled excursion money in pur pockets and needed to spend it on something.
Something BESIDES rum cakes.
The ice cream lady was bubbly and sweet, and described how she had started her own ice cream business after her husband encouraged her to contribute something to their store. Her secret was real fruit ingredients. We sampled a few flavors, and determined that she had made a pact with the devil to be able to make ice cream that delicious. We were blown away by the richness and simplicity of the flavors. Haagen Daaz, you and your made up name GOT NUTHIN!

If you are ever in Grand Cayman, you HAVE to try this shop. I had guava, Sarah had mango and Lionel had lychee. It sounds odd, but it was incredible. And the master ice cream maker is a joy to chat with.

Best ice cream on the planet.
000dt2ac


Even though we did not spend our day on the secluded Rum Point beach, we had a lovely time shopping at Grand Cayman. It was by far the cleanest market area we have seen at any port, including Castaway Cay. The people were friendly, and the waters were beautiful. I would like to go back again, and see a bit more of the island. Next time, I will have a back-up excursion in mind. Maybe, possibly, perhaps even stingrays. You know. Since I already bought the pendant.

Some final Grand Cayman pics:

Some local wildlife....
000dyrar


More local wildlife. No wait, that's Mat.
000dz1c3


A lovely view of the Magic in the crystal blue Grand Cayman waters.
000dxgae


Up next: my first mojito, and pirates! Arrrr……
 
awesome! I can't wait to go (in 38 days!!!)

I'm loving your trip report (and interested since I'm on the Christmas Double Dip!)

Robin :goodvibes
 
Carnival boats of doom!
000dgs0a



Sugar and rum....what's not to like?
000dkpgx


My happy place.....
000dptbw




Best ice cream on the planet.
000dt2ac

Just think... all those people on the carnival ships were wishing they were on the MAGIC!!! :banana: :banana:

& I know you're gonna hate me... but my brother brought one of those cakes home for us 2 years ago and my mother just recently threw it out... sorry :sad2: :sad2: :sad2:

& I'm actually wondering what really got you...

I know Sarah saw the ice cream sign... YOU however saw the duty free liquor!!! :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:
 
Just think... all those people on the carnival ships were wishing they were on the MAGIC!!! :banana: :banana:
Oh yea!
We had a "horn off" with a Carnival ship in Mazatlan... " tooot" they said...
"tooooot, tooot" we said.... "toot tooot toooot" they said, then we let them have it with the "when you wish upon a star" horn and they all :worship: :worship: :worship: Really! They bowed to us as we passed and left the harbor... it was a highlight of the trip.

Erica--- (huge fan here, BTW)--- question for you...
Can you tell me about the waiting in the theater to get off at Grand Cayman on a tender procedure? Why the theater? Can't you go to deck 1 or wait in the line on the stairway to get a tender?

We don't have an excursion until noon but hope to get off early to shop. Will we have to go wait in the theater?

Thanks!!
 
Oh yea!
We had a "horn off" with a Carnival ship in Mazatlan... " tooot" they said...
"tooooot, tooot" we said.... "toot tooot toooot" they said, then we let them have it with the "when you wish upon a star" horn and they all :worship: :worship: :worship: Really! They bowed to us as we passed and left the harbor... it was a highlight of the trip.
Thanks!!

I was hoping they would do that for ours.. had my video camera all ready and everything and when I got up to deck 10... realized we were the only ship left LOL

Erica, Love the report. Good think I bought my cakes before we left and had them shipped... sounds like you were close to buying them out LOL

Cant wait to read about the mojito's.. I mean the rest of your adventures LOL
 
Oh yea!
We had a "horn off" with a Carnival ship in Mazatlan... " tooot" they said...
"tooooot, tooot" we said.... "toot tooot toooot" they said, then we let them have it with the "when you wish upon a star" horn and they all :worship: :worship: :worship: Really! They bowed to us as we passed and left the harbor... it was a highlight of the trip.

Erica--- (huge fan here, BTW)--- question for you...
Can you tell me about the waiting in the theater to get off at Grand Cayman on a tender procedure? Why the theater? Can't you go to deck 1 or wait in the line on the stairway to get a tender?

We don't have an excursion until noon but hope to get off early to shop. Will we have to go wait in the theater?

Thanks!!

I'll get it for you Erica... wouldn't want you to have to stop thinking rum cakes for a bit...

They bring you to certain places to meet for the excursions. Sometimes the Theater... mine were all in Rockin Bar D... Then they take you off the ship as a group... very orderly and convienent... once they have the earliest groups depart the ship then they let the rest of the people who want to get off the chance to leave the ship. That way not everyone is fighting the lines all at once and causing confusion. (and getting lost...)

I've only done Disney, but from what I've heard from others...its a much more orderly way of doing things than having to get off the ship and finding your excursion on the pier like some other cruises do.
 
Loved this installment! Those coconut monkeys were kind of freaky looking!

Can't wait to read more!!! :)
 
Fin'ly!;)

Boats of Doom....no freakin kidding. I actually have a funny (or not so funny) story about the inhabitants of those doomboaties...[get it...Doombuggies, Doomboaties:lmao: Yeah, I crack myself up]
You'll all have to wait for it.

ANYWAY I totally agree with you on the cakes. Original is da bomb, no doubt about it. Love the chocolate too. I've never seen the coffee flavor before. Is that what you bought for your co-workers? Its what I'd buy mine...:rolleyes1 (umm...nope...I'd eat whatever I might have bought for my co-workers, no shame in my game:thumbsup2 ) My mother is the only...only person who has actually received a rum cake I bought with the intention of giving to someone else, and only then because I knew she would open it up right then and share it (I ate 3/4 of it. No shame)

I LOVE the coconut monkeys. And the tikis. Man, wished I had seen those shops...we were in too much of a hurry coming and going through that little plaza. Those are some high quality Christmas gifts for the inlaws right there!!!:santa:

Fantastic Installment!!!:thumbsup2

PS to Stinasmom, yes you have to go to the theater. Not only do they count you out, they give you a little ticket you have to hand back to them to get on the tender. :confused3 (I don't get it either)
 
Great fun in Grand Cayman despite your excursion being cancelled.:thumbsup2
I am drooling over your discussion of that homeade tropical fruit ice cream.
Was it a pineapple mojito?????????? That was my favorite DOTD last year. :drinking1
 
The pineapple mojitos were my favorite last year too!!!:laughing:

Robin
Pop and Magic
12/08
 
Just as we were arranging all of our loot, I looked over at the phone, which was suddenly indicating that we had a message. Had I been so excited by the coconut bra drinking glass that I hadn’t heard the phone ring? Who could it have been?

It seems, ladies and gentleman, that the Grand Cayman beach excursion I had researched agonized over and finally planned and gotten excited about…..had been CANCELLED.

Hold on. Let me pull myself together here.

:scared1: :scared1: :scared1: :scared1: :scared1:

FULL BLOWN PANIC!!!!!! Do you know how to torture an over-planner? Cancel her beach excursion at the last minute, leaving her hanging. I was excursion-less. Where was that DOTD????

Don't feel bad. We missed GC entirely on our DD last month! We headed in Wednesday like we were supposed too then they decided that the seas were too rough for tendering.... so our GC day became a Sea Day (no complaints ~ love me some sea days) and our Sea Day (the next day) landed us in Key West. I have to say I was quite impressed with DCL for lining up another port so quickly!

I digress, I had a marvelous time anyway!


I LOVE the coconut monkeys. And the tikis. Man, wished I had seen those shops...we were in too much of a hurry coming and going through that little plaza. Those are some high quality Christmas gifts for the inlaws right there!!!:santa:

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
 
awesome! I can't wait to go (in 38 days!!!)

I'm loving your trip report (and interested since I'm on the Christmas Double Dip!)

Robin :goodvibes

Thanks Robin! With luck, my TR might even be done by then :rolleyes1

Just think... all those people on the carnival ships were wishing they were on the MAGIC!!! :banana: :banana:

& I know you're gonna hate me... but my brother brought one of those cakes home for us 2 years ago and my mother just recently threw it out... sorry

& I'm actually wondering what really got you...

I know Sarah saw the ice cream sign... YOU however saw the duty free liquor!!!

BLASPHEMY!!!!!
Oh, Michelle. I'm so disappointed in you. :rotfl:

Oh yea!
We had a "horn off" with a Carnival ship in Mazatlan... " tooot" they said...
"tooooot, tooot" we said.... "toot tooot toooot" they said, then we let them have it with the "when you wish upon a star" horn and they all :worship: :worship: :worship: Really! They bowed to us as we passed and left the harbor... it was a highlight of the trip.

Awww, how awesome! I wish they would have done that too. Like Jen said though.....we were the last ones outta there. Next time.

Welcome back Erica!

Thanks! :goodvibes
I'd say it's good to be back, but......we all know.....it's muck better to be on the Magic!

I was hoping they would do that for ours.. had my video camera all ready and everything and when I got up to deck 10... realized we were the only ship left LOL

Erica, Love the report. Good think I bought my cakes before we left and had them shipped... sounds like you were close to buying them out LOL

Cant wait to read about the mojito's.. I mean the rest of your adventures LOL

Thanks Drea! And where is your latest update, btw.......just sayin! ;)

Loved this installment! Those coconut monkeys were kind of freaky looking!

Can't wait to read more!!! :)

Yeah, the monkeys kind of scared me, but the more I look at the tiki glasses the more I regret not picking one up! It would have gone so nicely with my coconut bra glass! :thumbsup2

Fin'ly!;)

Boats of Doom....no freakin kidding. I actually have a funny (or not so funny) story about the inhabitants of those doomboaties...[get it...Doombuggies, Doomboaties:lmao: Yeah, I crack myself up]
You'll all have to wait for it.

ANYWAY I totally agree with you on the cakes. Original is da bomb, no doubt about it. Love the chocolate too. I've never seen the coffee flavor before. Is that what you bought for your co-workers? Its what I'd buy mine...:rolleyes1 (umm...nope...I'd eat whatever I might have bought for my co-workers, no shame in my game:thumbsup2 ) My mother is the only...only person who has actually received a rum cake I bought with the intention of giving to someone else, and only then because I knew she would open it up right then and share it (I ate 3/4 of it. No shame)

I LOVE the coconut monkeys. And the tikis. Man, wished I had seen those shops...we were in too much of a hurry coming and going through that little plaza. Those are some high quality Christmas gifts for the inlaws right there!!!:santa:

Fantastic Installment!!!:thumbsup2

PS to Stinasmom, yes you have to go to the theater. Not only do they count you out, they give you a little ticket you have to hand back to them to get on the tender. :confused3 (I don't get it either)

I am waiting anxiously for your story! We had fun in some of the silly little shops, more than we had in the giant mega-opolis-jewelry-glassware-watches-art shops. I mean, what would you rather have.....a coconut monkey, or a glass stingray? Seriously. The monkey wins hands-down. :rotfl2:

Great fun in Grand Cayman despite your excursion being cancelled.:thumbsup2
I am drooling over your discussion of that homeade tropical fruit ice cream.
Was it a pineapple mojito?????????? That was my favorite DOTD last year. :drinking1

The pineapple mojitos were my favorite last year too!!!:laughing:

Robin
Pop and Magic
12/08

I'm afraid I managed to miss the pineapple mojito.....I think that was on the second CC day? When I was toasty on Konk Koolers? Must try next time.

Don't feel bad. We missed GC entirely on our DD last month! We headed in Wednesday like we were supposed too then they decided that the seas were too rough for tendering.... so our GC day became a Sea Day (no complaints ~ love me some sea days) and our Sea Day (the next day) landed us in Key West. I have to say I was quite impressed with DCL for lining up another port so quickly!

I digress, I had a marvelous time anyway!

Hey, any day on the Magic is better than a day at home, right? :thumbsup2

Update incoming!
 


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