Thunder and lighting overnight, the first we can remember on a cruise.
Standard day at sea, breakfast, 500 cards, Pop Choir signup.
Day 72 Sunday 30th July 2017 Charleston, South CarolinaTop of page
Kevin did no good at golf
Anne
We missed formal tonight, decided to have a break from dressing up, so had pizza and watched the champagne waterfall from level 8.
Sunset and then Sunday’s sunrise from our rear as we headed west into Charleston
Delayed arrival, 9am instead of 8am meant we left it to 9:45 to leave.
Walked the short distance to the old part of town, found First Scots Presbyterian Church founded in 1731, very formal and disappointedly no gospel singing.
Now a walk down town, coffee and markets.
Decided to take a one hour draught horse carriage ride around town, found a company with a ramp allowing easy access, to determine our route around the town and to stop congestion with the carriages, each carriage stopped at a checkpoint and the route was determined by drawing a number like lotto.
An informative hour tour, then time to head back to the ship for a shower, dinner and sunset from our balcony..
Day 74 Tuesday 1st August 2017 Key West, FloridaTop of page
Charlie James our Belgium Draught Horse
Route Lotto selection station
We were very impressed with how they looked after the animals. Our horse had two thermometers up its you know where to check if it was overheated after the tour.
Charlie James having a cool down
Markets just went on and on
Our wharf
Some Cobble stone streets have been preserved, they were made from ship ballast, impossible to traverse with the wheelchair.
Justin our guide
Bit rougher this morning, Anne walked to breakfast but used the wheelchair for the Brain Training lecture (not that she needed it).
Captain said we were running late for tomorrow’s port of Key West, no wonder the TV map shows us just passing Melbourne.
Great Production Show again tonight.
Had a sleep in this morning as our 9am tour had been moved to 11:45am because we arrived late in Key West.
The lineup of Trolley buses and Conch tourist trains can be seen waiting for us to disembark.
Our tour details below (modified by Kevin).
Leaving the wharf on our train (not allowed to take this picture as we are on Naval property. Our Conch train was not wheelchair friendly as requested but Anne managed to get on.
11:30-12:30
Theoretical tour route
On our way on the Conch Train
Most southern point in continental US
Kevin in his normal waiting point outside a disabled toilet inside a ladies toilet.
The Trolley Bus back to ship was very wheelchair friendly, we wished our whole tour was on one of these.
Kevin went back into town on the free shuttle to do some Internet updating at Starbucks while Anne had her SCAN (Senior Citizen Afternoon Nap).
Seatless Starbucks so Anne sat on Kevin’s lap
Day 75 Wednesday 2nd August 2017 At SeaTop of page
We can see the Cuban Islands in the distance this morning, you need to look very closely below to see them.
Breakfast, cards (my best hand opposite but still lost 2 games to 1), pop choir, “Cruise Sale” Coffee, SCAN, dinner, show and another relaxing day at sea has passed by. One month to home.
We wondered how long before the World Cruise stopped in Cuba.
Clocks back an hour, now 15hrs behind Sydney.
Starbucks
Famous Sloppy Joe’s
Day 77 Friday 4th August 2017 Cartagena ColombiaTop of page
Highest point on island is 6 metres above sea level
A rougher day at sea, wheelchair used today for breakfast, choir, coffee, dinner and Production show.
Early breakfast up in the pig pen as we had an 7:55am tour meeting, again an ambulance waiting on dock for someone as we arrive.
Arriving early at 6:15am Ambulance waiting
Always our photographers waiting on the wharf.
On our bus and away by 8:15am.
Saint Felipe Fortress
Las Bovedas (The Dungeons) markets
Hat anybody??
We meet Helen and Ross who were on their own independent tour
Next some street walking with our guide, Gold Museum, then to the Inquisition Museum (Anne stayed outside in the shade getting pestered by the street sellers).
Replaced by the Inquisition Museum as monastery was closed for repairs.
Gold Museum
This is what you call a front door
The Inquisition Museum where Kevin tried out the guillotine.
Instruments of torture
Next free time in and around the main square, an icecream, that melted so quickly in the heat there was no time for a picture.
Along the coast with the modern city ahead of us, peacocks sleeping on the portside road and our cool room waiting at the end of the road.
Our early departure delayed by refuelling operations.
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