shadowmeboy

Princess Julianna Airport

On the bus to Maho Beach! if looks could kill... Signing our life away... The Sun in the Sun in the Harbor. Election season in St. Maarten

Picture with Santa as we make our way back to the room! Gingerbread House at Starbucks We grabbed a drink before heading onto the Pier. Lining up to head to our excursion! A port picture first! We had a great conversation on the pier with the assistant Shorex Manager who we had interacted with in Alaska. She was saying she was already working on her shore excursions for the coming summer. Time to head out!

Time for breakfast! Off to Seven Seas we go! A ship! Yogurt and granola for Susan Fruit Salad and Cottage Cheese for me Egg & Avocado Wrap Eggs to Order with Ham, Bacon, and potatoes French Toast with Ham and Corned Beef hash

December 25th, 2023 Port Day Location: Philipsburg, St. Maarten

This was a special one time only Christmas performance The kids got to meet Santa after the Show. We were tired and tomorrow is Christmas. We also at in Port in St. Maarten.

Time for Pictures and Dinner! Christmas Eve Dinner Bruschetta Shanghai Pork Pot Stickers Roma Tomato Salad Asian Noodle Salad Mediterranean Sirloin Beef Brochette Chicken Cordon Blue Dessert Menu We decided not to get dessert and headed down to the show.

Statehouse Selfie! After visiting the Statehouse, we headed towards Old Town San Juan on Avenue de la Constitucion aka Constitution Avenue. Puerto Rico Police Memorial Monument They had Plaza Colon all decorated with lights! We headed back towards the Cruise terminal, as we only had a short visit to San Juan. The Sun in San Juan! Back onboard with our Puerto Rico souvenir for our travel wall!

Theodore Roosevelt visited Puerto Rico in 1906. Herbert Hoover visited in 1931. Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited in 1934. Harry Truman visited in 1948. Dwight D Eisenhower visited in 1960. John F Kennedy visited in 1961. Lyndon B. Johnson visited in 1968. Gerald R. Ford visited in 1976. The last President to visit Puerto Rico was President Barack Obama in 2011.

This reminds us of Rapid City, South Dakota, the City of Presidents. When we were in Rapid City in 2020, we took a selfie with each President lining the streets of Rapid City. Here are a few of the selfies we took. President Bush approved of our selfie taking!

Puerto Rico has done something really cool. They have a Walkway of the Presidents. Every US President who has visited the Island of Puerto Rico, while in office, has a statue here.

They had this rail display down by the pier. We found the history to be fascinating. I am a railroad hound I seem to find railroad related things everywhere I go... Have I mentioned Hawaii... Calle General Pershing or General Pershing Street The have a replica liberty bell Puerto Rico Statehouse

Due to the fact it was the evening of Christmas Eve, we did not expect to be able to do much. The big thing we wanted to do is walk up to the Statehouse. What a pretty ship! Cruise terminal all lit up

A San Juan Selfie! I think everyone is a little cooped up. We joined the line to get off! Welcome to Puerto Rico! Check off another US Territory! Port Photo!

I know! It was so cool!

Welcome to San Juan! Here is the Sail in Video!

We got the pilot on, and it was time to enter San Juan Harbor! I may have got a little trigger happy?

I did not. I will have to look them up!

I spy with my camera lens Puerto Rico Pool emptied out as we got closer to land Our laundry had been returned! We grabbed the tripod and camera gear and headed up to the observation lounge deck. San Juan!

So it was a busy, busy weekend, so I didn't get a chance to work on this. 😞 Wasn't the Gingerbread house cool? We went to the lightening fast Art Auction after the Gingerbread House demonstration. We were good on this auction! Afterwards, we headed to Great Outdoors for a late lunch. Susan found a duck on the way! The pool was hopping! a better look at the duck! It was a bit warm, so iced drinks were in order! Cheeseburger with some Jalapeño! We started to see other ships, now that we were getting close to Puerto Rico. Land ahoy!

I see the most whales in Alaska in the mornings. Plus some of my most favorite photographs have been taken during the quiet times early in the mornings. I definitely encourage people to get up and embrace the mornings on a cruise ship!

A bit later, it was a Gingerbread House decorating demonstration! Eric, the chef, was on the encore last year with us! He did the same thing on the Encore the year prior. Eric is very talented. Completed Masterpiece! Video from Eric's presentation: --

Susan did a massage in the spa this morning after breakfast. She did one of the combo special packages.