Zanna!

Back from the Cruise - and I need another week's vacation to recover!

Memories from the cruise:

• Spending time with my parents. They REALLY should have gotten the grandma and grandpa airbrush tattoos.
  
• The Lido Deck, Rome Lounge, "Lower" Paris.


• Listening to Pure in the The Rio Club. Tony swears he has seen them before on the Filipino channel.
  
• Damian the piano guy and his "Something About Mary" hair.
  
• Tristan breaking his finger/hand and the subsequent trip to the Infirmary (he has a lovely arm-length cast to prove it). It didn't slow him down one bit!
  
• Duarte and "Mr. T", our servers at dinner.
  
• The garbage in San Juan. Ugh. Luckily it was cleared up later in the evening. Or maybe it was so dark that I didn't notice. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a purse at the Dooney & Bourke outlet. While we were wandering around I bought a beautiful piece of amber jewelry and a sterling silver omega chain. The following day I purchased a shimmering topaz pendant to go on the necklace. I'm wearing the topaz in the pictures below. Now please refer to me as Mrs. Fancy Pants. Or Mrs. Fancy Neck. Whatever suits your... umm... fancy.


• Our crazy taxi driver in St. Thomas. That was an experience of a lifetime.


• Meeting the "Purple Lady" on Coki Beach and purchasing two sarongs.


• My nasty sunburn after two days on the beach (one day in St. Thomas and one in St. Maarten). My favorite beach was in St. Thomas. My favorite beach surprise? Watching my dad go in the water in St. Maarten. It was colder than bath temperature water! And he still went in! I was floored!


• Spending my mom's quarters in the Casino. I learned that I'm not cut out for slot machines. My mom learned that she should have cashed in while she still had over 600 credits (heehee).


• Mango Daquiris - they make everything funnier.


• The insanely hilarious juggler, Dana Tison. He was funny even without the daquiris.


• Walking up and down 523049875832704 flights of stairs all week because the elevators were too damn slow. I told myself I was working off the delicious desserts.


• The aptly named "Tiramipoop".


• My mom's last-minute tour of St. Maartin - which included a stop at the nude beach.
  
• Cory winning an ice cream eating contest and being awarded a 24-carat plastic ship on a stick.


• Tony participating in the Guest Talent show (he sang "Spirto Gentil") and doing an amazing job! He was awarded a 24-carat plastic ship on a stick and a bottle of champagne. His experience with the cruise director and the special introduction he received before going on stage... so funny. Oh, and afterwards? Tony walked offstage and immediately spilled a drink on my mom. And the cruise director noticed. And he announced it to the audience. We have it all on tape.


• GO WHITE TEAM!! WE WON!!!


• So many days eating great food and watching amazing shows and enjoying time on the boat and just being together with my family.

Our boat, the Carnival Triumph

Cory and Tristan during the first Formal Night

Dinnertime Photo during the second Formal Night

My favorite photo :-)

Last night when we arrived home, we realized that we'd have to cook our own food (yay for Hot Pockets - we were too exhausted to move) and do our own dishes and wash our own clothes. No more fresh towels in the morning or turn down service at night or little chocolates and towel animals on our beds. I think I miss the ice cream machine.