Well I awoke today to hives over my arms and chest and a bit on my legs. Im allergic to sunscreen!! Eeeek that cant happen. Of course since its been 5 months since Ive actually had to apply sunscreen I forgot that last year when I started wearing sunscreen the exact same thing happened. I had to switch to one for sensitive skin. Well, I was sure I had packed the sensitive skin one, so I start looking for it and cant find it. I ask dh and he says he thinks he unpacked everything. Great, now what am I going to do? Well lets start with an antihistamine and a shower and lets go to breakfast. We went up to Topsiders and had a good breakfast. We are one of those families who loved the hash browns. Whats not to love about grease?! And you guys were wondering how I got to be the size I am?! Anyway, we met up with Arnold at breakfast. He was our headwaiter and just fabulous, always spoke to us and was always busy and smiling. He cleared our table and wiped it for us as everyone else was at breakfast too. I think everyone wanted to get off to get to Grand Cayman, and who could blame them. We had to be tendered in this day. I believe, to start anyway, you had to be catching a shore tour to get off early. Dh and dd7 were going to go geocaching again here. When she found out you had to tender in she wasnt so sure she wanted to go. I told her she could go and then when she came back we would go swimming. After much persuasion she relented and said she would go. I waited in the room, on the veranda. The tender was just under our room so when dh called on the two way radio I said come out and wave. Dd7 was too scared so she barely showed her head at the stairwell and made poor dh go to the lower level of the tender instead of up top with the great view.
Here is someone's yaht!
dd3 in her Hannah Montana costume
The tender right below us.
Before they left for geocaching we kept trying to get dd7 to journal about her vacation. That was her homework assignment from school. Of course she said she would do it no problem at the beginning of vacation, but once we got into it she didnt want to stop and actually spend time doing it. Once the threat of no kids club or swimming was brought up it started to happen!
There were 6 other cruise ships in port with us on this day. Here's some pictures.
Here's our view of Grand Cayman.
I took dd3 to the Mickey pool and snagged a lounger right nearby so I could see her without having to go in. I had no sunscreen on at this point and of course it was a beautiful day with no clouds! Dd3 was so funny to watch. She was taking swimming lessons at home before we left and they often played the Hokey Pokey game in the pool. I was watching her there in the Mickey pool by herself singing the Hokey Pokey and doing all the actions! It was priceless!
I soon heard from Dh that they were back. I believe we met them in the room to hear all about it. They had a good time and dd7 couldnt wait to go swimming. I was out on the veranda and I noticed the crew putting a lifeboat in the water. You know they do that at every stop for drills and training and making sure they work. I sound like I know what Im talking about dont I? I dont really. I assume thats what theyre doing because weve seen them do it on several cruises weve taken. Anyway, I think this is really neat and Im sure my beautiful, intelligent 7 yr old will also find it fascinating. Think again! No, no, I point this out to her and she starts crying and wants to go in the cabin right away! I think, what the
.? Well does anyone recall the Titanic book? Oh yes, she thinks were sinking!!!! The poor kid. I know, mother of the year here! Well, I explain what is happening, then we change the subject, get her ready to swim and I get to go to Grand Cayman by myself! Im so lucky. Dd3 doesnt like to walk very far these days so dh said why dont I go geocaching and when we get back you can go shop for a while? Shop? You dont have to tell me twice! This was the only port I wanted to see anyway. Maybe when the kids are older we will explore more but for now I was looking forward to some alone time and souvenir shopping. I went down and had to wait quite a while for a tender. I think one had just left when I got there.
Views as we approached Grand Cayman
Hard Rock cafe.
The Disney docking area.
Once I got to Grand Cayman I wanted to find a Royal Bank. My sister works for the Royal Bank and I told her I would take a picture when I was there. As we were coming in on the tender I could see the Bank logo and it wasnt very far away. Before I headed to the bank I saw a Haagen
Das ice cream place and seeing as I was hungry I stopped for some. I had two scoops in a cup. One was Dulce de leche and the other vanilla caramel brownie. The dulce de leche was the better of the two. I got some pictures of the outside of the bank and then went inside to see if I could take pictures of an employee. Of course when I got back my sisters says, oh no, thats against policy. Could she have told me that before I left and made myself look like an idiot? Noooooo! Anyway, walking just down the street I see a rooster walking around just outside some stores so I have to have a photo because there is no way in Winnipeg is there going to be a rooster walking around on the street just down from the bank. As I look at the photo Ive taken, I realize the rooster is in front of KFC! Run rooster run! Unless he was looking for his relatives?! After that I headed to this store I had passed. I cant remember the name of it but it sold a lot of the Tortuga Rum Cakes. There was a sign in the window that said if you spent $5 you could have a phone call or internet time. I was all over that! They sold postcards and magnets, cute t-shirts and short sets and lot and lots of rum cakes. I bought 2 short outfits for the girls. I think they were about $10. Then I bought them t-shirts that said Ive been to HELL and back. I thought they were cute, because of the place called Hell there. I bought postcards of it as well, neat rock formations by the looks of it. I went into this room that held all the assorted rum cakes. They came in single sizes, large and small, and packages of 6 assorted flavors of small ones. I didnt realize that until we got home and I was reading the package and it had the three flavors I hadnt picked and then when I opened it I realized the three I had picked were on the other side! Anyway, Im in this room and Im thinking boy, all these flavors, I sure wish they had samples As Im thinking this I turn around and what do I see but huge sheet pans of all the different flavors of rum cakes! Well I dove right in and started sampling. I decided my dad would like the original and then I bought what I thought was a three pack of chocolate, key lime and coconut. Turned out to be a 6 pack with banana, original and pineapple as well. They mad great gifts for people and they packed easily in my suitcase. I think I bought a hat for dh and a polo shirt as well. Needless to say this was a bit more than $5! I asked the girl at the till if the sign was right. She said yes, a 5 minute phone call anywhere or 15 min of internet time. I was so happy! I asked her if there was a timer there for the phone call and she laughed and said no, its on your honor. Im such a rule follower! Dh had checked the weather at home that morning and said that it was -40 Celsius with the wind! I phoned my parents and they thought I was a telemarketer because they have call display! Luckily they answered and told me it was going to -52 with the wind that day and the weather had been that cold the whole time we were gone. I replied well its 80 farenheight here! They thought that was funny. I briefed them on how the trip was and they told us not to worry about them and have a good time. I figured since I spent a lot more than $5 Id call my sister. Of course I get her voice mail! I then went on line and sent an e-mail to my ladies group to tell them of our fabulous weather. I know Im just cruel arent I? I wandered around a bit more and went into a store that has all the embroidered tablecloths and Battenberg lace cloths. I bought a few table-runners for gifts and they had lots of sun dresses and t-shirts. Again, cant remember the name of the store! I decided to go back to the store with the free phone call. I bought some more postcards and called my sister again. This time she answered! I teased her about the weather and updated her on the trip and the whole safety drill drama and tears and today with the life boats. She laughed, she has a daughter that had a lot of fears as a child too. I looked at the time and I had been gone for almost 2 and a 1/2 hours! I thought Id better head back. The tender was waiting and before you went through security they were passing out ice cold cups of water. What a nice touch! When I was almost at the ship dh beeped on the two way to see where I was. I told him Id be up right away. The girls liked their stuff I bought them and so did dh.
Views of the Royal Bank (that's where we keep our off shore money!)
I'll do another post to add more pictures. I hope this will satisfy some of you for a bit! I still need to do dinner for this evening on board but wanted to get this posted.
ok de-lurking to say I love
your trip report....
please
What's next....eating, children
I think the rooster was out in front of KFC mourning his dearly departed!
I love the "mini Montana" comment. 
I'll have to use that.The fear in her eyes was too much
Do you have insomnia? maybe that's why you are so funny......it's sleep deprivation
I'm onto you
Poor baby. I'll try and do another update this weekend.
