HappyPappy Blog

We woke up around 7:00 today, wanted to make sure we were ready to get off the boat on time. 

We had time to go and sneak breakfast on the Lido Deck (deck 9) before we finished packing and made our way out the door of our cabin for the last time.Carnival offers two services for disembarkation; one where you lug your suitcases out yourself (called self-assist or something) and another where they pick up your suitcases the night before. Since we had fairly big valises we decided to leave our suitcases outside our cabin the night before. Read the rest of this entry »

Well the ship is steaming (or sailing for you neophyte sailors) back toward Port Canaveral today. 

It’s was quite refreshing to sleep in until eight today instead of getting up at 6:30 to make it out the door toward yet another excursion today. Read the rest of this entry »

We got into Progresso at about 6:30 in the morning, we’re getting accustomed to waking up at such a time and having continental breakfast delivered to our cabin. Continental breakfast in the cabin beats the crap out of the buffet stampede on deck 9 with the ravenous hordes of Americans (and a few Quebecers) gobbling down enough bacon to choke a horse.

After breakfast we proceeded to the pier where we were hustled off to our tour in a hurry as we would be tight on time. The tour is approximately seven hours and the ship was docked for approximately seven hours, you do the math. Shareen and I decided to got to the famous Mayan ruins of Chichen-Itza, a bit of history and culture does the spirit good. Read the rest of this entry »

Well like the rest of the cruise there was nothing wrong with today other than it failed to meet my expectations. Shareen and I booked a tour to Passion Island, we were sold on this tropical paradise where for one day we could be pampered and forget about all our cares. Passion Island is where the Corona commercials were made, crystal blue waters, ebony white sands and service via the snap of my fingers.

In cruise ship talk a day is three hours and service did happen with the snap of my fingers as long as I went to get my drinks and was snapping at myself. In addition there were a number of Mexican vendors allowed on the Island who were strategically located around the Margarita bar such that you had to run the gauntlet every time you wanted a drink. Read the rest of this entry »

The day started out chaotically, the announcements told us to meet in the ship theater at 8:00 to go on our excursion tour but we didn’t get going until 9:00. That simple fact coupled with my (unjustified) apprehension about being in a developing country and my anxiety about going snorkeling for the first time in over 15 years put me in a bad mood.The temperature was fairly warm but the seas were rough from all the wind. Our ship did not get to dock in Belize City as Belize is home to the second largest natural coral reef in the world (after Australia) and the authorities are very strict about not letting big ships in close to shore. All tours going to shore had to use a tender and our own tour picked us up right at the boat. Read the rest of this entry »

Seas are fairly choppy today and it’s hard to believe that anything other than a category 5 hurricane would actually move the behemoth that we’re inhabiting; and yet the boat rocks enough for most guests and your truly to occasionally stumble and appear drunk even if we’re not.

Shareen and I had an early wake up today and had our hair washed and cut.

After our day at the spa we proceeded to the jogging track where w walked 2km or 12 laps around the jogging track while ogling some American spring break bikinis. Read the rest of this entry »

Well it didn’t take too long to figure out that Key West is the “happiest” place in America. Within two blocks of getting off the trolley which delivered us from the boat (security BS won’t let us walk into town from the boat, we had to take a “happy” little train) we noticed posters with either naked men and/or wimin (mostly men) hugging or noticed a “clothing optional” bar.

We got dropped off in Mallory Square which is pretty much the heart/core of Key West; Key West is pretty much like Banff except for the fact that they’ve maintained strict architectural controls. All the houses look like the’re either turn of the century or sixty years old, the only modern building is the court house and the Sheriff’s building. The vegetation is spectacular and controls the lay of the land and each house or lot. Read the rest of this entry »

Well we got up around 8 (EST from now on) as we’re getting accustomed to and as usual when traveling is involved Shareen started packing in a panic (wasn’t too bad but I enjoy making her sound crazy). The day was shaping up nice and sunny with the expected temperature in the mid 70s. Read the rest of this entry »

I won’t bore anyone with the details of our flight other than to say a direct flight from Calgary to Orlando beats stopping in that poophole of the universe known as Toronto. Read the rest of this entry »

I heard about this book one day while watching CNN just before the last US elections and the CNN coverage got me curious. Read the rest of this entry »