Monday, December 29, 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2004. Mattie was two and a half years old and the first year we were able to photograph Mattie in front of our Christmas tree! When I look back at this photo, there was something rather angelic about this photo. 




Quote of the day: Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia

Last night we had our first formal evening and dinner aboard the cruise. Rarely in life is there really the opportunity to get dressed up anymore. But if you go on a cruise, you need to plan accordingly. I think packing for a cruise requires one to be strategic, because you have to pack for all contingencies! Active wear, smart casual, and formal.

We have two very lovely waiters from the Philippines and they introduced themselves to us as “Richard Gere” and “Marlon Brando.” Clearly they are not….. but Richard and Marlon have a wonderful sense of humor and they both joked with us that their mothers loved American movie stars!!! In any case, they are making our dining experience very special and accommodating every need.

After a day at sea, people were anxious to get onto land today!!! This required taking tenders (or life boats) from the Ruby Princess to the main land of Grand Cayman, since the port was too shallow to accommodate cruise ships.

Tenders were disengaged from their docking stations at 6am today and I can attest to this because this racket woke me up. I honestly had no idea what that noise was, as I thought something was coming through the wall of our room. Naturally nothing was wrong; it was only the tender’s mechanical devices which were housed right next to our cabin!!! Thrilling, a morning not to be forgotten and I am hoping there aren’t more island stops that require tenders versus docking in a port. 

On May 10, 1503, Christopher Columbus was blown off course in his fourth and final visit to the New World and stumbled upon Grand Cayman. He named them Las Tortugas – The Turtles! Apparently there were so many sea turtles in the water that it was estimated that the Caribbean was home to some 40 million of these creatures. For centuries turtle trawlers captured the creatures for their meat.  Now the Caymans are the fifth largest banking center in the world with $1.5 trillion in banking assets and nearly 300 banks. Financing provides 36 percent of the employment, 55 percent of the total economy and 40 percent of all government revenue. There are more registered businesses there than people. The Caymans are home to the several staggeringly beautiful beaches including the world-famous Seven Mile.

While walking through town, I snapped a photo of this wonderful painted Iguana sculpture. In Washington, DC we have painted Elephants and Donkeys…… obviously here in Grand Cayman they feature the Iguana! After today I KNOW WHY….. these creatures ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!

My first real iguana sighting of the day!!! Mattie would have been thrilled. He LOVED lizards and iguanas! In fact, I have two plastic ones on my car dashboard in his honor. Both of which belonged to Mattie. Mattie had one in my car and the other he kept in Peter’s car! They both now sit on my dashboard. 

The famed Cayman Turtle Farm was a commercial venture and housed more than 100,000 creatures in 1968. After being wrecked by Hurricane Michelle in 2001, volunteers from all over the world rushed to rescue the creatures. Today, the reserve is dedicated to bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. It is now a 23-acre adventure marine park with green sea turtles ranging from hand sized newborns to 600+ pound adults. We had the opportunity to tour the reserve and learn how the turtles are breed, raised until they are 18 months old, and then released!  

After the tour we had the opportunity to wash our hands and then had the opportunity to hold a green sea turtle. This turtle was HEAVY and his shell was hard. NOT slimy at all. He wasn’t moving at all for me, but when I passed him over to my mom he started getting feisty!

Roy, our guide, told us that turtles calm down if you rub the underside of their necks! A rather funny commentary, because it took two hands to hold a heavy turtle and not drop it on the ground. So how we were supposed to massage its neck in the process to calm it down was beside me, but just an FYI if you are interested!!!

It is interesting that in this religious and beautiful paradise lies a place called “Hell.” Two stories exist on how the town got its name. One is from the limestone formation that is as big as half-a-footfall field and is rough and jagged that someone quipped this is what hell must look like. The other….. If you throw a pebble into the limestone the echoes sound like the word, “hell.” This town even has its own post office!

Before entering the limestone rocks, you are greeted by this sign. 

Not only are there limestone rocks, but you are surrounded by Iguanas in Hell!!!

Growing up Catholic, I have to say, I was taught to depict Hell in my head to look a certain way. Seeing these blackish limestone rocks go on for miles….. Hell on earth seemed quite accurate and eerie. 

Here is a close up!