Cruise!!

So that definitely made for a good and interesting start to our vacation! He informed us to tell all our friends back home that when they visit New Orleans and have an EMS vehicle on their tail with sirens blowing, don’t panic, it’s just the EMS taking tourists to their hotel!

New Orleans was an experience in itself. We walked around Mardi Gras and saw some of the parades. I did learn that during the day, they toss beads out to everyone – you don’t have to give up your dignity to get any! That really relieved me because I saw A LOT of people with beads and it scared me that all these people gave everyone a peep show just to get beads. So of course, I got some beads after learning that great fact. (I didn’t want to go home with beads thinking you had to do something to get them and then let others think I participated – I was merely an innocent bystander who got whacked in the head with beads from the parade!) Apparently, what we hear from the natives, that things start to get really out of control and unsafe in the evenings – so we were glad we were only out during the day. Don’t get me wrong – people were still crazy and completely drunk during the day, but that was the “family friendly” version of Mardi Gras. (Trust me, I wouldn’t want to bring my family to this!)

We spent the evening in our hotel for the SuperBowl and decided not to venture out after the game – I think that was a wise decision on our part. Not to mention we got to watch one of the greatest SuperBowls ever!! I’m a Giants fan now! (Ok, not really, but was for this game!) Gotta love those Mannings!

Anyways, after all that, we finally got on the cruise! I don’t have nearly as crazy stories like our New Orleans experience, so I’ll let the pictures tell the stories..

Trying to get artsy with a point and shoot. Oh yeah, I should mention that this was a TRUE vacation for me – the only camera I had on me was the small digital point and shoot and not my big professional one. This vacation was so freeing because I didn’t lug around a big camera and laptop! It was fantastic! I was completely off duty and although I wanted good pictures to document the trip, I wasn’t obsessed with getting THE picture or the best picture possible – that’s what I call a TRUE vacation! :

Our beautiful ship, docked at Progresso. (Yeah, not much to do here – wouldn’t recommend it even though we had fun- we ended back up on the ship early that day).

Anther self portrait…I’m really glad Matthew has long arms and can do this…

Our ship docked at Cozumel (GORGEOUS place – highly recommended). Oh, and someone took our picture – yay!

The Fury – a boat we took on an excursion to go snorkeling, lay on rafts at a private beach, with all the drinks included, and some good music and dancing on the deck (I learned the Cuban Shuffle – for those who don’t know this dance, you need to get on the bandwagon because it’s so much fun!)

On the way out to the private beach – can the water get any more beautiful?

The rafts we used to float in paradise…

My virgin Pina Colada – a favorite for the trip – I think the bartenders laughed at me every time I ordered it without alcohol. Hey, I think it’s better without the alcohol… Sue me! (Oh yeah, and I took this cause I like the reflection of the ceiling in the bar counter) I drank this while we listened to Justin, a fantastic acoustic guitar player who played in the lobby twice a day – we would schedule our day around when he’d play so we could come and sit an listen to him (a great excuse to get my virgin Pina Coladas) 🙂 Matthew immediately fell in love with him when he heard him play Eve 6 the first night on the ship.

Matthew enjoying some good Mexican food at 11:30 pm – maybe not the wisest of decisions, but hey, you’re on vacation, mon! (a favorite Jamaican saying from our honeymoon – still a good piece of advice for anyone!)

A beautiful sunset over the Gulf…

yay for tans!!

We got off the ship around 8:30 am, but our flight didn’t leave until 6:00, so we had all day to kill in New Orleans. Based on the recommendation from New Orleans people at our table on the cruise, we went to Cafe Maspero for lunch and enjoyed some good ol’ Creole Jambalaya….mmm tasty.

We spent the day walking around Bourbon street (which is all strip clubs and bars – also a place I wouldn’t recommend), the French Quarter, a flea market in the French Quarter, and watching some fantastic street performers. It was a good but tiring day. We got home around 12:30 am and were in bed by 1:00 am. It was a fantastic trip, and now with the weather the way it is, I want to go back!! I do have more pictures, obviously, and am going to make a little album, so if you’re interested, I’d be happy to show you. But that’s the trip in a nutshell!

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day!