Sunrises without clouds can be boring, even at the beach. So after watching the sun come up into a clear sky, I happened to see this angle on the building and realized that it made for a pretty graphic image. Just another angle on sunrise!
A few weekends ago, Kathy & I visited Staunton, VA to meet up with our friends Jim & Lisa, who drove down from Pennsylvania. We like to find interesting towns to visit for a few days when we have a chance to meet up. Last summer we met in Lewisburg, WV, and we’re planning a trip to Kentucky for later this year.
Staunton (pronounced STON-ton) is a pleasant and vibrant town located along I-81 just north of Roanoke and is about halfway between Jim & Lisa’s home in Pennsylvania and our home in Charlotte. In addition to a nice downtown with good restaurants and interesting shops, Staunton is home to the American Shakespeare Center, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Mary Baldwin University. Oh, and the Camera Heritage Museum.
We spent a few days walking around the town, saw a play at American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse, had some good meals and visited some interesting shops. We were there on St. Patrick’s Day and enjoyed a dinner at a restaurant with a live Celtic band.
One afternoon we were walking around town, and at some point came across these old railroad trestle supports. I don’t remember the words, but Jim asked me if I thought they would make a good photograph. I had seen them but hadn’t responded to them yet, so Jim’s question woke me up. Yes, they were quite interesting, and as it turned out I was able to make a few photographs that prove the point.
Just like with the photos of Bill’s tree in my last post, sometimes it is someone else’s eyes that discover the photo, and my job is to do something with it. Looks like I may have to make another print! 😉
One evening a few weeks ago, Kathy & I were sitting at the kitchen table after dinner, likely finishing some wine before venturing off the do the dishes. The sun had recently set, and the sky was crystal clear. As we sat there, one of us (I’ll give Kathy the credit) said something about how interesting our neighbor’s tree looked against the sky. I sat there, looked at it and at some point said “I’m going to get my camera.”
It took me just a few minutes to drag out the camera and tripod, attach the L-bracket and set it up on the patio. There was no wind, so I didn’t have to worry about movement, and I made a couple dozen frames. They aren’t technically perfect – I could have used a little more depth of field – but they do have a bit of a zen-like look to them.
It’s another lesson in being willing to make a photograph when it presents itself, even if it is right outside our window.
After our two cruises on Celebrity Equinox, we boarded one of Celebrity’s newest ships, Celebrity Apex, for a 7 night cruise to the Western Caribbean. The first stop was Key West, Florida. Not exactly an exotic Caribbean destination, but certainly an interesting place to spend some time.
This was our first time sailing to Key West, but we had visited there previously, flying down for a few chilly days in February 2015. I think we must have experienced record low temperatures on that visit. It was sunny and warm this time, however!
As a cruise port, visited during the day, Key West is pretty much like any other cruise port except the natives speak English and everyone takes dollars. It’s a different world in the evenings, as we experienced previously. No, it’s not all the wild and crazy scene that Key West might be known for, but it is definitely more of a party atmosphere.
One example would be our visit to the Sunset Pier Bar. We arrived in the morning, and at that point the bar was closed. There were a few people taking selfies on the pier, but for the most part it was deserted. It’s a completely different place at sunset, which is what that part of the island is famous for.
Kathy & I spent a few hours walking around town, ending up at Blackfin Bistro, a favorite lunch spot that we remembered from a previous visit. We had a lovely lunch of fresh fish and veggies, along with a nice glass of wine. Afterward we wound our way back to the ship to prepare for departure and sailing to our next stop, Belize.
After our stop on Bonaire, we sailed to the island of Curacao. Like Bonaire, we had visited previously but it was a number of years ago. Things hadn’t changed a lot, but there were a few obvious differences from our prior visit.
The cruise port on Curacao is the capital city of Willemstad. The colorful waterfront and the Queen Emma floating bridge are two of the main symbols of this beautiful island. Downtown Willemstad is an easy walk from the cruise terminal. Although we made the walk three times, and it got a little longer each time!
The Queen Emma Bridge is a floating bridge, hinged on one end with an engine and propulsion unit on the other end that allows the bridge to open, allowing ship traffic to pass in St Anna Bay. We were fortunate to be able to see the bridge open several times throughout the day, and from both sides of the water. When there is a lot of ship traffic and the bridge needs to stay open for more than a few minutes, there is a free ferry that will take pedestrians from one side to the other. We only saw that happen once, as a large cargo ship was escorted out of the bay, and the bridge stayed open long enough for the tugs to return. And yes, it is possible to stay on the bridge when it opens for a long time, and it is possible to get off, but only on one end. So be careful if you have somewhere to be (like the ship?)!
When our ship first arrived in Curacao, Kathy & I walked into town and spent several hours walking around. We walked all over, including through the New Market, a public market offering all kinds of items, from clothing to produce and beyond. The best part for me was all the color there and in the town. It made for some interesting photography, for sure!
After our walkabout we headed back toward the cruise dock, stopping for lunch at the “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar.” Yeah, it was a tourist trap, but it was close to where we needed to meet our tour, which was scheduled for that afternoon.
Our tour took us back into town, where we retraced a number of the steps from earlier in the day. This time we had a guide and narration, however, so we learned a bit more about the town, its history and architecture. After our walk, we boarded a bus for a tour through the city and a stop at the Curacao Liqueur Distillery. Curacao liqueur is a bitter orange liqueur that can be enjoyed on its own, or used as flavoring in numerous cocktails.
After our distillery visit we were taken to a local restaurant, where we were served local cuisine, including baked chicken, plantain and rice & peas. Except for the fact that we weren’t too hungry after a big lunch, it was a yummy experience.
Our tour brought us back to the cruise dock in the late afternoon, and we debated whether or not to return to the ship. I really wanted to head back into town in order to photograph the bridge and the waterfront at dusk. We decided that if we went back to the ship we would likely not leave again, so despite being tired and thirsty we headed back into town. We found some bottled water and a place to chill while we waited the hour or so before twilight.
Our efforts were rewarded, as we not only got to witness another bridge opening, but we were treated to some really gorgeous light on the buildings as the sun set. Soon after, the lights came on on the bridge and I was able to capture the photos I had hoped for. We then walked back to the ship one last time, grabbed a quick shower and headed for drinks and dinner. My Garmin tracker recorded 15,672 steps for the day, so those drinks and dinner were well deserved!
‘Bon Bini’ means ‘Welcome’ in Papiamentu, which is the common local language on Bonaire.
This was only our second visit to this lovely island, as not too many cruise ships stop there, opting instead for the more popular Aruba and Curacao. We last visited in 2007, and while we knew we enjoyed the island, we hadn’t remembered a whole lot about it. I tried to set up a private tour, but we couldn’t generate enough interest on our message boards to make it cost effective, so we booked a ship tour to see the highlights.
The main industry on Bonaire other than tourism is salt. Yes, salt. There is a huge Cargill salt facility there, where they evaporate sea water in large ponds, scrape away the salt then move it out to container ships to be sent around the world.
The island is very dry and arid, and is probably best known as a diver’s paradise due to the shallow and clean water. We enjoy looking at water more than getting in it, but there is plenty to see and do for everyone. Flamingos are also very common on Bonaire, and while they are generally pretty shy, we did manage to come across a few.
Along several beaches are restored slave huts. These huts were used to shelter the workers that were brought here in the early days of salt production, before the implementation of heavy machinery. The huts are pretty to look at, even though they represent a less than pleasant past.
The Atlantic coast has several beaches with huge waves, and the prevailing winds make places like Sorobon Beach especially attractive for wind surfing and kite boarding. There is also a place on the island where you can rent go karts that are powered by sails.
The town of Kralendijk reflects the Dutch influence of the island, in the buildings and architecture. We spent a little time walking around the area close to the ship, which included a marketplace with locally made arts and crafts. A good place to pick up a flamingo souvenir!
Bon Salud! (Cheers!)
On Antigua I was pleasantly reminded of the joy of a pre-arranged private tour with a small group and a knowledgeable local driver/guide. Kathy & I have done this previously – we arrange a tour for just us or for two or three couples, then post on one of the roll call message boards for someone to share the tour with us, splitting the cost. We have met some lovely people that way, since, at least in our experience, people interested in this type of tour are travelers like us. Not photographers necessarily, but people interested in a little slower pace with more details.
In this case, we responded to someone else’s post, and ended up meeting Susan and John, a very nice couple from Indiana. We had lunch with them on one of our sea days to get acquainted. Unfortunately Susan was not able to join us for the actual tour, so there were just three of us plus Emelda, our guide.
We started our tour with a stop at Betty’s Hope Historic Sugar Plantation. We found the remains of an old sugar plantation, with two windmills, and the ruins of several buildings including a still house, where rum was once produced.
We then proceeded to Devil’s Bridge National Park, a place with crashing waves and a blow hole. The blow hole wasn’t blowing too much during our visit, which likely reflected the lovely weather we were having! We did get to see a few bursts, however.
After Devil’s Bridge it was on to Nelson’s Dockyard, another national park which is known for its marina but is much more. Included within the park is a number of historic sites, including forts, lookouts, beaches, hiking trails and more. We spent quite a bit of time in the various locations, since there was so much to see. It was quite windy at the higher elevations, which made it very pleasant without air conditioning – but hold on to your hat!
Our last stop was at St. Barnabas Anglican Church. The church is one of the oldest Protestant church buildings in the western hemisphere, dating from the 1670s. The church has a green color due to the high copper content of the stone, which came from a nearby quarry.
After the church it was back through town and to the ship to prepare for our return to Florida and the end of Cruise #1.
After our visit to Martinique, we traveled about 50 miles south to the island of St. Lucia. St. Lucia also has a bit of French influence, although not to the extent of Martinique.
St. Lucia is a beautiful, tropical island, featuring The Pitons, the twin mountains that are actually two parts of a huge, now-extinct volcano. The biggest issue with seeing St. Lucia is the continuously winding and undulating roads.
We started our tour sitting in the very back of the bus, and while I don’t usually have trouble with motion sickness, I got so woozy that I asked to sit in the front of the bus. I joked with the driver that if he needed me to help him with the driving I would (although I would be terrified!). 😉 The good part was that I was able to take some photos through the windshield, which was fun and a nice distraction.
We had a nice tour, however. Our stop in Anse La Raye reminded me of our first visit, back in 2000. The beach there always has some colorful boats, which make for nice photographs. The downside is the residents that pester you for money, offering to pose for photos. One guy was really annoying, until I told him I didn’t have any money. He walked away and didn’t bother me any more.
We stopped for lunch at a nice restaurant with a great view of The Pitons. After lunch we visited a waterfall and a cocoa plantation, where we tasted some roasted cocoa beans and fresh coconut. Yum! On the way back to the ship we passed a parade celebrating St. Lucias 44th year of independence.
St. Lucia is a beautiful island, but I was reminded that the next visit we should take a boat, instead of a van on those winding roads! 🙂
After our rum tasting we proceeded to La Chaudiere Restaurant for a nice lunch. We had some tasty baked chicken with plantain, rice & peas and other yummy sides, along with some French wine and coffee with dessert. After that, we yawned our way to Jardin de Balata Botanical Gardens to walk the grounds and enjoy the tropical plant life. After that we visited The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Balata. The church reminded me a bit of some of the churches we visited in Italy.
There aren’t too many cruises that visit Martinique (yet) but we really enjoyed our time there. Next time I might plan a longer visit to the distillery and perhaps more time checking out the scenery and some of the small villages we passed through on our bus. The lack of flexibility being one of the downsides of a ship tour.
The next stop on our Martinique tour was the Depaz Rhum Distillery. Now this was pretty nice rum, and the facility has some very historic origins. There was plenty to see and photograph there. The taste of rum was good, but was pretty skimpy, however.
I didn’t end up bringing home any ‘liquid souvenirs’ from this trip. Unfortunately the cruise lines are strict about bringing liquor on board. And while I could have brought it onto the ship from the port on this cruise, the rules would prevent me from taking it on the next ship. Strange but there is no getting around it – I asked ahead of time!
