Reminiscing - Labadee, Haiti

Our last shore tour was to this beach in Haiti, and it was the most relaxing. Unfortunately we really didn't get to see the real Haiti. So, no taste of Haitian culture, but we also didn't have to worry about political unrest. At any rate, this part of the island of Hispaniola looks very different from the other part which is inhabited by the nation of the Dominican Republic. The beach was amazing, and it was huge - many different sunning spots. You just picked out your place, and the beach workers would pull up some chairs for you (then wait for a tip). The drink-staff from the ship would wander around and you could order drinks. At this point we were so bloated from all the booze that we had moved on to virgin drinks. No matter. We were so relaxed you could have dropped a coconut on us and we wouldn't have cared. This is my new happy place!






And this is the last set of pictures from our trip that I'll post to the blog. (Sigh.) Time to move on! Live in the now! On to the adventure of life!

Healthy Bake Night

TH is working the Weight Watchers for men, online, and has lost about 12 pounds so far. Go baby go!! So he requested a healthy bake night. These scones are only 2 points each.

With craisins substituting for currants. Yum!

Oh, my, they are light and fluffy and delicious.

Something British to go with the scones.

Here's to good health!

BVI and DR

Tortola, BVI.

Yes, British Virgin Islands - so traffic flows differently.

Today's adventure: an "eco tour."

Most of my pictures from Tortola are on a waterproof, non-digital camera. But, I can say that it was a gorgeous, hot, sunny day on the water. We learned about the mangrove tree. Pretty amazing. This tree is incredibly adaptive, and if it doesn't take root, it will set itself free on the waves and get washed to another island. (Just one more reason I believe there must be a Creator.) We also snorkeled and saw some pretty cool fish, including possibly a stonefish or scorpion fish. Reports seem to vary whether stonefish are found in the Caribbean or not. Either way, it was a cool fish.

The next day we docked at Casa de Campo, on the Isla Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). This was not the best stop, because once you got off the ship, you had to take a shuttle or taxi to get anywhere. But we had a shore tour on the River Chavon, so we were set.

Breakfast, via room service. (The croissants are not as good as in France. They never are - is there something in the French water??)

Beautiful bougainvillaea, just onshore.

This picture gives me such joy - the beauty, the colors, the feeling of being somewhere tropical - if I didn't have such a black thumb, I'd try my hand at growing one of these.

Our cheesy amphibious vehicle tour! Excellent.

The river is beautiful.

Cuba libres for everyone!! Bleagh - cheap rum, cheap cola. Ours got "accidentally"dumped overboard. (But we saved the cups for proper disposal. Natch.)

Let's get the tourists tipsy on cheap rum and coke, then make them dance to impossibly fast merengue. Who am I to say no to a merengue? Good times!!

I love how relaxed I look in this picture. I don't allow myself to have this kind of fun except on vacation. Why is that? There was something so delicious in just letting loose and boogying.

Adios, Rio Chavon!

Reasons why today is excellent.

In no particular order:


1. FRIDAY!!!

2. Tonight for dinner TH is making cheeseburgers and french fries.

3. I'm spending some quality time with Clinton and Stacy tonight.

4. Missing Camera Quest:

Yes, Virginia, there are still good people in the world.
http://www6.comcast.net/news/articles/technology/2008/01/25/Missing.Camera.Quest/


4. My husband saved a baby's life today. He's my hero.

5. My day consisted of an awesome unit development day, and I spent it truly appreciating my job and coworkers, all of whom work so hard to serve people in ways that really matter.

6. We're planning future exciting vacations. Even though they are years away, I love the planning as much as the doing.

7. My photos from the Caribbean trip are here. I love the ease of digital, but ther's nothing like holding your pictures. I can't wait to start working on the scrapbook!!


Yup, today is as good as they come.

Bake Night Returns

For tonight's bake night: a recipe from O Magazine for gingersnaps with orange-ginger cream filling. Sounds good, right? They taste good - but don't look at all like the picture. Oh well! It was fun to make them.

Spicy ingredients and spicy music

Ooops, I think I flattened these too much.

Well, the orange-ginger-cream filling looks good.

I guess they're not too bad, after all!