{"id":1447,"date":"2011-06-16T05:55:00","date_gmt":"2011-06-16T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2011\/06\/16\/im-back\/"},"modified":"2015-01-01T12:09:13","modified_gmt":"2015-01-01T20:09:13","slug":"im-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2011\/06\/16\/im-back\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m back"},"content":{"rendered":"
I’ve been quiet lately, but it’s because I was getting ready for our cruise and then taking it! \ud83d\ude42 The two of us had earned a free<\/i> cruise, thanks to the points accumulated on our credit card, so we took off for the southern Caribbean. Summer temperatures in that area are low, compared to the desert where we live, but the humidity is so thick that you can almost cut it with a knife! I’m so used to a dry heat that the humidity was a real change; getting off the ship at each port blinded me briefly each day as my glasses fogged up at the first exposure to that humidity. LOL!<\/div>\n

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This first photo shows part of the interior of the cruise ship \u2014 it was really beautiful!<\/div>\n

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Our itinerary began and ended in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and included stops at five islands: Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten\/St Martin, and St. Croix. This last one is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, though most of the others are independent countries.<\/div>\n

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When we reached Barbados, part of our sightseeing included a visit to an orchid “farm”, where we saw orchids growing in thin air! There were some planted in the ground, but most were simply hanging from wires, and they were all colors of the rainbow \u2014 just gorgeous. <\/div>\n

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BTW, all of these photos are “clickable” so that you can see them a little larger.<\/div>\n

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This is a photo of our ship, taken from quite a distance away; we were docked in Castries, St. Lucia.<\/div>\n

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We also saw what looked like a replica of a pirate ship. \ud83d\ude09<\/div>\n

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Our next port was Antigua, where we toured an old British fort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This photo shows part of the ruins; another step back, and we’d have been over the edge. \ud83d\ude09<\/div>\n

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St. Maarten\/St Martin is very interesting, as it is half Dutch and half French. We did a bit of looking around on both sides of this island, but the most interesting part for me was a visit to the home of a former governor and its outlying buildings, many of which were shacks that had been inhabited by slaves. This signpost was fun to see. \ud83d\ude42<\/div>\n

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Our last stop was in St. Croix, U.S.V.I. This island and the previous one were my favorites. The water around St. Croix is such a gorgeous shade of green\/blue!<\/div>\n

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Here we are, ready to get back to the ship for our last night aboard before heading home. Look at that beautiful water!<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve been quiet lately, but it’s because I was getting ready for our cruise and then taking it! \ud83d\ude42 The two of us had earned a free cruise, thanks to the points accumulated on our credit card, so we took off for the southern Caribbean. Summer temperatures in that area are low, compared to the desert […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[303],"tags":[224],"class_list":{"0":"post-1447","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-family","8":"tag-travel","9":"czr-hentry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Staircase-in-Centrum-252C-Serenade-of-the-Seas-1.jpg?fit=480%2C640&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5yzuO-nl","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2309,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2015\/08\/14\/weather\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":0},"title":"Weather","author":"Sandy","date":"August 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Who said the weather in the Las Vegas area is\u00a0always the same? A few large raindrops fell on me as I was coming home yesterday afternoon. Once home, it began *pouring* \u2014 we ended up with over 1\/2\u201d dumped on us over the course of the late afternoon! We desperately\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"family\"","block_context":{"text":"family","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/tag\/family\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_0785","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/IMG_0785-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2233,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2015\/08\/01\/cruising-the-rhone-part-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":1},"title":"Cruising the Rh\u00f4ne (part 3)","author":"Sandy","date":"August 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Day four of our cruise began in Tournon, a picturesque city surrounded by vineyards. Look how lovely it looks with the sun peeking through the clouds! \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Here is a better view of our docked location. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 This\u00a0one of the many bridges crossing the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Tain-lHermitage-%E2%80%94-Day-4-of-cruise-00051.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Tain-lHermitage-%E2%80%94-Day-4-of-cruise-00051.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Tain-lHermitage-%E2%80%94-Day-4-of-cruise-00051.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Tain-lHermitage-%E2%80%94-Day-4-of-cruise-00051.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1281,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2014\/07\/12\/river-cruise-the-end\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":2},"title":"River cruise \u2014 the end","author":"Sandy","date":"July 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year my husband and I visited Amsterdam before taking a cruise to the Norwegian fjords. At that time, I was pretty disappointed not to see any of the \"traditional\" windmills; these days they are all the modern style, which isn't nearly as picturesque \u2014 though I'm sure they're much\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/category\/family\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/IMG_1250.jpg?fit=640%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/IMG_1250.jpg?fit=640%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/IMG_1250.jpg?fit=640%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2204,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/30\/cruising-the-rhone-part-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":3},"title":"Cruising the Rh\u00f4ne (part 1)","author":"Sandy","date":"July 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"After leaving my sister and brother-in-law, my husband and I flew to the south of France to board a river ship, the Viking Buri. The cruise was to take us from the Sa\u00f4ne River to the Rh\u00f4ne and then down almost to the coast. Our first day put us in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/H%C3%B4tel-Dieu-Beaune-%E2%80%94-Day-1-of-cruise.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/H%C3%B4tel-Dieu-Beaune-%E2%80%94-Day-1-of-cruise.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/H%C3%B4tel-Dieu-Beaune-%E2%80%94-Day-1-of-cruise.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/H%C3%B4tel-Dieu-Beaune-%E2%80%94-Day-1-of-cruise.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/H%C3%B4tel-Dieu-Beaune-%E2%80%94-Day-1-of-cruise.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1308,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2013\/12\/17\/another-cruise\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":4},"title":"Another cruise","author":"Sandy","date":"December 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been away with my husband on another cruise, this one in the southern Caribbean area. We sailed out of Col\u00f3n, Panama, on a Royal Caribbean ship, Oasis of the Seas. Before the cruise, we spent a night in a resort hotel in Col\u00f3n, and I was delighted to see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/category\/family\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/IMG_0480.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/IMG_0480.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/IMG_0480.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2271,"url":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/2015\/08\/04\/cruising-the-rhone-part-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":1447,"position":5},"title":"Cruising the Rh\u00f4ne (part 5)","author":"Sandy","date":"August 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This was the last day of our actual cruise; the following day would be spent traveling home again. We began the day with a tour of Avignon, which I'd visited several years ago with a group of my students; this time, however, the Palais des Papes\u00a0was open to the public.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Avignon-%E2%80%94-Day-6-of-cruise-0008.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Avignon-%E2%80%94-Day-6-of-cruise-0008.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Avignon-%E2%80%94-Day-6-of-cruise-0008.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Avignon-%E2%80%94-Day-6-of-cruise-0008.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Avignon-%E2%80%94-Day-6-of-cruise-0008.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1447"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1696,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1447\/revisions\/1696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandymike.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}