Merry Christmas!.... Happy Lyle!

After a rather sudden change in schedule for me due to needs on my current assignment, it appeared that Karla might spend Christmas in Tampa, attempting to board The Dawn and I would spend Christmas on The Sky in opposite sides of the Caribbean!  Fortunately before I decided to walk-the -plank and start swimming for Tampa,  we experienced a genuine Christmas miracle.  It came in the form of Sue, the HR Director for The Sky, who stopped me on my way down the hall the 22^nd to see how my Christmas plans were working out to get Karla on board.  I told her it just wouldn’t work since it was way too expensive to get her a flight to St Maarten during Christmas blackout dates.  She asked if I had tried the travel agency NCL used, which I hadn’t, so she sent them a text query which was quickly answered in the affirmative. They could arrange a price at least a quarter of what we had found.  Within 12 hrs from that point, after much scrambling to pack, Karla was flying to meet me.  As you can see from the picture, I wasn’t the only one jumping for joy when she arrived!

 Christmas with the medical staff!  Made me feel young again!  NO! It wasn’t all the young nurses!  It was the fact Karla and I were relegated to sitting at the children’s table!  The restaurant policy was only up to 5 at the ‘big’ table!

Dr. Elaina,                    LaiLoni                              Mabeth             Thelma        

  Cartegenia, Columbia  was our first port after spending two” fun” days rockin and rollin at sea.   We took a carriage ride tour( read that a propaganda indoctrination tour with the stated purpose of “dispelling our shallow notion that Columbia consisted of Juan Valdez coffee and multiple drug cartels!  Well the part about Juan Valdez is “True”) with Wilfred our guide who looked a lot like Wilhem Von What’s- his-name the Nazi propaganda minister who was never found following the end of WWII!”(just kidding!)

  It is a city rich in culture, history and diversity.  The walled fort section of the town, dating back to the 1500’s was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has consequently used this income to renovate and revitalize the old colonial town.

Only ten degrees from the equator, the tropical fruits and flowering plants thrive year round.  The narrow streets of this unique town are lined with the original two to three story buildings, all Spanish colonial in architecture and trimmed in mahogany wood.  Most upper balconies are full of colorful flowers, some overflowing down to the street, while at the street level bougainvillea and assorted trees climb up the walls.

The door to your home or shop was where your social status was or was not displayed.  The larger the Balcony and the more metal studs in  the front door, the more wealth or status.  This door apparently belongs to a very wealthy individual.

WHAT DO THE FOLLOWING PICTURES SHOW:

(1) a demonstration  of the techniques used in the Spanish Inquisition?  

(2) a sample of self flagellation techniques? 

(3) Close encounters with a Sea Urchin?

(4) Cervical traction and acupuncture for treatment of a herniated disc with radicular pain radiating to elbow and fingers 4&5?

(5) All of the Above
                                                               
(6) None of the above

(7) Who cares!  I'm Just glad it's not me!