Back to Ft. Lauderdale and beyond

Princess Cays was our last stop before arriving back in Ft. Lauderdale for the first time on this cruise. In Princess Cays our ship had a bit of an issue with a cooling hose on a propulsion motor, so we were delayed in leaving by about three hours.  Our captain updated us about every half hour, and it was very much appreciated as we like to know what’s happening.  There’s good communication with the passengers on this voyage. 

Once we sailed out of Princess Cays, the pedal was to the metal, and we were in fast-cruise mode, about 22 knots, a little more than 25 mph.  When you looked overboard you could watch the sea bubbling, churning and speeding by as our crew was making up time.  They may have also been helping by paddling near the stern.  By the next morning when we arrived at Ft. Lauderdale we were only 15 minutes behind schedule. 

Our final approach to Ft. Lauderdale, the first time around this trip.

I was glad we didn’t have to get off the ship and could just be lazy, except when we had to go get checked through Customs.  As there were quite a few of us remaining onboard, they came onto the ship and checked our passports.  A lazy day here then included a hot rock massage, ankle, foot and scalp massage and a facial.  What a treat. 

About 550 passengers were left onboard and the other 3,000 were leaving and being replaced by new ones … this time appearing to be mostly Americans and Canadians rather than the Australians and English we’d been accustomed to having with us.  There’d also been quite a number of Canadians.  It’s been a great mix of people for both voyages.

The ship was quickly turned around … cleaned, crew members changed out, replenished with food and beverages … and at about 4 p.m. we were once again on the high seas, heading to Aruba.  There’d be two sea days before we arrived.  We like sea days … lots of things to do on board and plenty of nap and reading time.

This time we’ve spent not as much time going to the bigger shows, but hitting some of the smaller ones, like karaoke and the game shows they play with the passengers.  It’s been fun and maybe we’ll participate in one of them.  We’ll see.  It’s mostly been better to watch at this point.  We’ve also attended some lectures on pirates in the Caribbean … true stories and they’re not like Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl … and the role piracy played in the development of the islands.  It’s been quite interesting … Sea Dogs, Buccaneers and Black Dogs.  

We also attended a chocolate demonstration.  Best part?  Eating some of the treats they made … chocolate chunk cookies and truffles … the truffles were “die and go to heaven” awesome!!!  AND … we had a lesson on playing the steel pan drum, which was a heap of fun. 

I've never ben around a steel pan drum and it was fun to learn.

“Day…o, daaay…o, daylight come, and I wanna go home.”  About 25 of us were mostly playing all different sounds at all different times, and not on purpose.  It really was a good time.

Drums.  There was a lot of noise making.

It was a great few days and now we were once again island-hopping.  Aruba is a favorite from a previous trip and we decided to just do a walkabout.  There’s a Harley shop here and we didn’t get a chance to stop last time.

Once there we knew Aruba is located north of Venezuela and we peered through our binoculars … it was a hazy day and we couldn’t see it but we knew it was close.  However, we could see oil platforms … several, as well as pelicans and a lone osprey. 

We disembarked early on March 6, and walked about a half-mile, homing in on the Harley shop … what?  It’s closed?  Sure, it’s Sunday but there are two cruise ships in port!!!  Huh???  Closed for repairs … electrical issues.  And this one is a real shop … it had a motorcycle in it.  So, once again, no Aruba Harley shirt for me.  CRAP!!!!  I may have to order it on-line.  I did that once for Bangor, Maine, as I’d been there a couple of times and it was never open either.  But I don’t like to do that.  Maybe no choice.

Another T-shirt opportunity missed.

From there we turned and walked the other direction.  We found colorful buildings, round-a-bouts that go the way we’re used to seeing, tons of tourist shops with bright clothing and loads of trinkets (of course, so I dropped a few bucks to help the economy), and some churches, that have gorgeous architecture.  My favorite was an old church that is currently being renovated.

The Protestant Church of Aruba, established in 1822, is the oldest existing church in Aruba.
 The present building dates to 1846.

 

These would have been great fun to wander around in, but we didn't know about them.  Next time.

The buildings look more like ones from a movie than real ones used for businesses or homes.

Many are painted with bright colors while others are a variety of pastels.

Sinforosa is the martyr of the herd, always looking for trouble.  Livestock had a tough time on Aruba as grazing land and water hindered breeding and herding.  Eventually they were pretty much taxed out of existence.

We continued walking, finding a road less traveled by tourists.  Everyone was friendly, and paid us no mind.  Believe me, I kept watch, as did Jaz.  We continued to take photos wherever we walked, with more colorful buildings, some interesting graffiti, and even a large, old kiln of some type.

The painted wall includes a picture of the kiln we saw just down the street.

The kiln was huge, and we wondered what it had been used for.  It also appeared someone might be living in the openings.

The bright buildings are my favorites.

But even ones that are less colorful have their appeal.

I couldn't help but take more photos of buildings.

A newer, brightly-painted building caught my eye.

As did an older one just across the street  ...

It was sad to see such beauty left to decay.

I've always got time to photograph a clock tower and a cannon.

This handsome guy was along an ocean walkway.

Lots of tourists were lined up to take a photo here.

The road for us had turned back toward the port.  We were hardly ever out of sight of our Princess as she stands tall in the harbor, and once again is the biggest, baddest ship here.  Except maybe for the German one … it has a black hull so maybe it’s badder than we are.  Probably not, though, because we’re still bigger.  It’s interesting, the way we’re all docked – they’d in come in right behind us, and it was stern-to-bow parking.

Stern to hull, and not much room between the two.

A few statues also graced some of the grounds near one of the large hotels where there was an ocean walkway.  Anne Frank was one, and Wilhelmina the other. 

Queen Wilhelmina.

Wilhelmina became Queen of the Netherlands at the age of 10, serving from 1890 to 1948, a reign of nearly 58 years that spanned World Wars I and II.  Although 10 when she became Queen, her mother served as Regent until Wilhelmina reached 18.  She had a great business mind and through a number of business ventures became the first woman to be worth more than a billion dollars.  She died in 1962 at the age of 82.

The island is about 20 miles long and has a population of 103,000, and we believe they were all driving at the same time on the same main road as there was quite a traffic jam with pedestrians moving quicker than the cars and busses.

We even found a couple of birds, perhaps a Northern Mockingbird.

We made our way back to the ship via a small flea market.  I found a lot of bobble heads that I don’t have.  I started collecting them a number of years ago when a boss, Carol, brought some back.  They intrigue me and I’ve fallen in love with the silly little things, so I look for them.  And Aruba was a bobble head gold mine.

Bobble heads.  They're everywhere.

 

We wandered into the terminal where the German ship passengers were embarking.  Their terminal was much more interesting than ours.

So long, Aruba.

Oranjestead is where we were, the capital, and it, too, boasts great shopping, as has everywhere we’ve been in the Caribbean.  But, the only thing we really shopped for were the beautiful buildings that have been inspired by the Dutch so we could take photographs.  It’s been another wonderful visit, and I’d still like to return here as there’s a lot to do … both on the turquoise-colored water and off.