Sailboats on Biscayne Bay.......

Differently from other bays, coves, ports, beaches and the like, Biscayne Bay doesn't seem to attract sailboats.....I have no clue why. While living and traveling in the Caribbean, while visiting Panama's coastal towns and in any other place by the sea...I have been soothed by the sight of sails out against the blue sea. Very seldom do I see them on Biscayne Bay. There are sailboats alright, but with their sails rolled up and using their motors.......

In the late afternoon on weekdays, there is a type of Asian junk with a large red sail that takes tourists on a tour of the Bay. Coming back, with the sun setting, it presents a glorious view. That is about it, most of the time. On the other hand, there are motor boats and Skidoos galore. Why is that? What is it with people and speed? The waters of the Bay can be so blue and calm, reflecting the light and the planes that fly low ready to land at MIA. A small white sail would look breathtaking.....or maybe it's only me.

Well, this week, when the weather has been at its best, cool and sunny , with a slight breeze......I saw one sailboat! Alone on the water and listing with the breeze, the sail fluttering, it looked beautiful! I went out into our balcony just to follow it until it disappeared towards Key Biscayne.
It brought back so many memories and it made me smile. What a simple pleasure....to look outside and lose oneself in the sight of a small sailboat cutting the waves on Biscayne Bay!!!

2009 looks like a good year...

Alright, the year is only a couple of weeks old...how much information could I get out of that? You'll be surprised! The weather is finally cooling and it's the best time to live in Miami. It has taken a while this year......we had 80 degree weather for too long....

So, I have started to walk in the late afternoon. It is such a nice way of unwinding at the end of the day. My new iPodsuffle is loaded with walking music: some Latin beat (merengue, salsa, cumbia), ABBA, Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, The Doors, The Eagles, Elton John, Santana...trust me, it keeps me moving and sometimes makes me want to dance! This will help keep me fit.

My freelance work is picking up and some of my pieces have appeared in travel magazines and you can find them in Google.....not bad! This is also so much fun, keeps me involved and takes me to such interesting places around the city. Who would have known? This will help keep my mind fit!

At home, I have been organizing papers.....sort of a early Spring cleaning. Throwing things away, has to be one of the best therapies..EVER!!! Doing this I have discovered so many things: Christmas letters from friends, years worth of these; invitations to weddings, baptisms, bar mitzvahs and showers, baby and bridal; letters from friends with good news and not so good news; thank you notes and sympathy notes; boxes of journals, I have kept for years...in longhand!!! It's been like going over parts of my life, all over again. This will help keep my heart fit.

I have also started to organized my kitchen, living and dinning rooms. Now I am SURE I don't need to buy anything new for my house...well, maybe for the kitchen. Appliances can always be replaced, knives, pots and pans, too. BUT no cutlery or china, maybe some wine glasses..NO knick-knacks or vases or silver of any kind. This will keep my wallet fit!

Finally, I have discovered that the ONLY things I will keep buying on a regular basis are: books, clothes and shoes......and handbags!!! Why not? I do want to look good at all times and my mind needs the constant infusion of knowledge and entertainment. One thing I plan to do, though, is try more vintage places, look for things that have a history and still look good. This will include pieces of jewellery that are not expensive, but look good. Yes, this is going to be a good year!!!

New Year's Celebrations....

Yes, we are at the end of 2008. It has been a stressful year in more than one way, but my family and I have been healthy and things are working well in the job department...so no way I am going to complain....BUT I will certainly complain about the celebrations. This is not the way I would have been spending my afternoon have we'd been in Curaçao!!! Sitting in front of the computer, after a day of shopping with my daughter???....NEEEE!!

Since noon, my family and I would have been after the pagaras, Chinese firecracker rolls that are the staple of the celebrations on the island. They can be as long or short as you can afford and come in wooden crates. Once you decide what you want, you unroll it in front of your house of business. All your friends and family will be there enjoying drinks and food and lively music. At an appointed time, the pagara will be lit. Everyone gets as close to it as possible...the smoke and noise are supposed to chase the demons away and bring in the New Year. It's so noisy and reassuring at the same time.

This is repeated around the island at private homes and business until around 8:00 p.m. Everyone gets home to rest for a while and get ready for the REAL celebrations! You first go to family or friends' and have more to drink and eat. At 12 o'clock the government will fire a cannon in Fort Amsterdam, and the whole island erupts in noise and smoke! Literally, every home has its private fireworks show and everyone runs outside to receive the New Year outdoors.

The display goes on for a couple of hours. Then, there is THE party to go to. Tickets have been on sale for months and everyone attends....well, all the young and fun and able people. There is still the older generation that doesn't participate, but they stay at their parties and continue to celebrate until daybreak......no kidding! It's so much fun and we absolutely miss that. So, resolution for 2009, let's go back next year!!!

Back on Land!!!!!

Yes, I'm back on land...still wobbling a bit, though. The cruise was wonderful, we had family time and we enjoy the food, drinks, shows, islands visited...We started on Sunday the 21st. The embarking procedure took a while, but was fairly organized. My husband and I carry Dutch passport and the agent checking us in had to show them to the captain...never had that before! He even commented on our children's US passports...Ah, you have US ones!!!

Once on board, we went for lunch, had a drink and waited for our cabins. Afterwards got our luggage and went exploring the ship. Up we went to the upper deck to see the ship leave Miami and the glorious sunset behind us. It was a bit windy, but lovely. It turned dark almost immediately and we went inside to get changed for the evening. We had dinner, went to one of the bars for a drink. There was such nice music, we wandered around and went to bed relatively early. We were expecting a good day on Monday....and we did!

It was sunny and warm and breezy, perfect weather for lounging around the pools and having a couple of drinks. So we had breakfast and sat in the sun....after looking everywhere for chairs!!
After a light lunch and a more hours in the sun, the wind picked up and it was time to get ready for dinner in the main restaurant......delicious! On to the show with a a 1970s theme and then a bit of sing-a-long with dancing to the same beat. We retired early, Frank and Camille went to do their own thing and our first full day on the cruise was over.

On the third day, we arrived in George Town, Grand Cayman. A pretty little town , but with too much traffic and souvenir shops. We decided on a day at the beach...it turned out to be only a couple of hours in a crowded beach with a small welcoming drink, and it sprinkled....never mind, the water was fabulous! Nothing like a Caribbean beach for us. On board we had Chinese food and went to the theater to see Second City. Great comedy and talented performers.

On Christmas Eve we disembarked in Cozumel and joined our Eco-tour group. We got our own Jeep and followed the guide. He turned out to be fantastic and the tour was a great idea. The water was rough because of the great wind storm we had the night before, so snorkeling was out of the question for me. My family enjoyed every much, I had a drink! We saw a Mayan hurricane warning system, amazing stuff! A small pyramid with openings on four sides and conch shells inside. The wind would go through the openings and made the shells whistled. Had excellent Mexican food and saw salt water crocodiles, did some shopping and got back exhausted but happy. We had a lovely dinner at the steak house on board and on to the show: a very funny comedian that was booked on the main theater the first night. I'm glad we could catch his routine! There was a White Hot Party for the younger crowd....

Christmas Day was just another day on deck with the sun warming us...and the wind blowing everything out to sea if permitted! Had small bites throughout the day, drinks, and family time. Got dressed and went for Mongolian food...interesting and very healthy. Everything is cooked in broth. We could do this again. That night they had a fabulously wonderful show. Sort of like Cirque de Soleil. Perfect finale. A Chocoholic Buffet had everyone drooling...I had champagne instead!!!

But nothing is perfect. Norwegian Cruise Line did not live up to our expectations, maybe because we are sort of a structured family and freestyle cruising is not for us. Or maybe it was the fact that the ship moved like a leave on a steam, or that we didn't get adjacent cabins, or that the lock on the door to our balcony was broken and the wind whistled and howled one night keeping us awake. Response to complains were not taken up immediately, so things took a while to be fixed. The luggage took forever to appeared the first night and then...it was not ours!

Still, it was a great idea and we should do it again soon.