Destination Paradise

1st Stop St. Maarten: Tuesday October 21

I often watch house buying shows on HGTV and often St. Maarten is featured as a spectacular 2nd home destination.  I'm guessing there must be other parts to the island than where our cruise landed because I didn't see anything spectacular.  To me it was an overpriced third world country that was way too hot for my liking.  My girls did enjoy getting the front of their hair braided into corn rows by a native and  luckily the ocean was spectacular and the kids and Bart enjoyed a splash and some time spent playing in the sand.  As for me I didn't come prepared with my swimming suit on and there was definitely no place to change into one.  So while the kids played I pushed Pauline in her wheel chair around the streets looking at souvenir nick knacks.  The highlight of our  journey was finding a store that sold linens.  While Pauline looked at their selection of table clothes I found a wonderful cold blowing fan.  

 

2nd Stop San Juan,  Puerto Rico:  Wednesday October 22

This by far was my favorite stop of the trip.  I fell in love with the old spanish architecture and feel of the city.    At a city park we ran into a man who owned birds.  There we took this picture.  Jane wasn't at all excited about the birds and demanded that none of them touch her.  Aaron thought it was great seeing me with a bird on my head and Emily was game having one perched on her shoulder.

Bart wanted to stick with his mom and help her around the city and Sarah, Kate and eventually Joe joined us for the adventure.  The fort was out of the question with too many stairs, so instead we visited some shops and the oldest cathedral in the Carribean. 

 

We then headed to a pidgin park.  Jane saw a lady get pooped on so she was not going anywhere near the pigeons.   Emily again was game but not without hesitation.  She told me she stood there really nervous that one would fly over her and drop some little presents.    Lucky for Em's she came out clean!!

At this point Bart, Aaron and the rest of the crew went back to the ship.  I stayed behind to catch a tour of the governors mansion and to spent some time with my girls walking through the shops looking for small souvenirs that could each take home. 

I was a disappointed that they didn't take us inside the mansion. Especially when they explained part of it was build to resemble a castle inside.  The outside garden was so beautiful with so many trees that were planted as gifts from around the world.   The dungeon was also pretty cool and creepy!!

It was pretty sad to leave behind Puerto Rico.  I would love to return and spend more time there again. 

3rd stop:  Grand Turk

After trekking around the previous ports.  It was fabulous to walk right off the ship and be on the beach.  This wasn't any ordinary beach either.   The cruise ships had palm trees and beach chairs available and a fresh water pool steps away.  In the morning we spent time at the beach. 

 

 

After lunch Jane was done with being wet and wanted to go the kids care.  I then took Aaron back to the room and took a nap while Bart and Emily experienced the fresh water pool by the beach.  I guess Emily, Ben, and Max wanted to practice some of the aerobatic moves they've been watching each night at the cruises entertainment shows.  It's so fun to see these cousins so happy together.