Caribbean Adventure

We got back from our week long cruise of the Caribbean earlier this month. We did 7 Islands in 7 days. It was as beautiful, exotic and fun as we had hoped. Here are more pictures of the trip than you'll want to see.

We flew into San Juan on Saturday night and stayed at a hotel. Sunday Morning we got up and went to church at a Spanish ward.





After Church we walked to a cafe the missionaries recommended to us and had some Puerto Rican sandwiches that were delicious.





Then we checked into the boat and got settled in our cabin.





We watched the Super Bowl on the main deck on a big screen. This was the funnest way I've ever watched the big game, even though the Cards lost a heart breaker.





First stop was St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
Breakfast overlooking St. Thomas on the Lido Deck.



We took a bus tour of St. Thomas.

















We went to Megan's Bay in St. Thomas. It was one of the nicest beaches I've ever been on.












I didn't get to meet up with my friend Mike Lawson who lives in St. Thomas, but I'm pretty sure they used him as a model for Black Beard's statue. Whitney wanted pictures with all the pirates at Black Beard's Castle.













The next port was the Island of Dominica. It was my favorite island. They say it is the only Caribbean island that Columbus would recognize today. It still has lush, tropical rain forests and beautiful waterfalls. It also has one of the last populations of Carib Indians (about 4000). Michelle, Whitney and I took a guided tour of their village and lands.

This is a mural of the slaughter of thousands of the Carib Indians by the Spanish.






This is where Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was filmed - where Jack Sparrow was captured by the cannibals. I'm going to have to watch that movie again now.




A Carib Indian woman weaving a basket.



One of the reasons the Caribs were safer on this northeastern side of Dominica was because there was no safe place for the European ships to dock.





Our wonderful guide of the village.



The Village.








Some Carib children.



A man cooking bread made from some type of root. This is the Caribs' staple food. I ate some. It was OK.




Carib Indian dancers entertained us while we had lunch. If you ever get the chance to have Carib pumpkin and coconut soup I highly recommend it.







Whitney made friends with at least one dog in each island.


Whitney and I hiked to this waterfall.




A guy cutting me some sugarcane.



Day 4 - Barbados. Michelle and I went snorkling with the sea turtles and at a shipwreck. More pictures of this when we get our underwater pictures developed. We also took a tour of an old sugar plantation, an old Anglican church and grave yard, and a British fort.




















Day 5 - St. Lucia. We went to the beach and had a taxi driver give us a small tour of the Island. This is where the first Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. We saw one of the ships they used in the movie.





















Relaxing on the boat after a hard day of touring.





Day 6 - Antigua. We explored the Island and shopped in the morning. In the afternoon Michelle, Jim and I went hiking, snorkling and kayaking. More underwater pictures to come.




















Statues captured from one of Napolean's Ships.























Day 7 - St. Kitts. I took an historic walking tour of the capital. We went to the beach in the afternoon, but I guess we didn't take pictures.










Then it was back to San Juan and the long flight home. The cruise was a great way to see lots of small islands in a short period of time. I recommend Carnival Cruises to anyone with kids - the service was great. I don't know if we are really "cruise people"; we don't drink, gamble, stay up late or hang out with a bunch of old midwesterners and Canadians. We still might do it again someday.