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January 2024

January - April 2024
An open-ended adventure by Tui Snider Read more
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  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    1
    Day 2

    Barbados Gully

    January 7 in Barbados ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

    After our trip through Harrison Cave, our guide, Shane, took us for a walk through the adjacent nature trail.

    These shady valleys are known locally as “gullies.” Shane gave us what he called, “gully survival tips.” He showed us how to get fresh rainwater from a palm tree, for instance, and which leaves made the best toilet paper.

    The gully has a small enclosed aviary. Although the budgie section was closed to the public that day, Larry and I were able to call over a friendly Saxon Fairy Swallow Pigeon.

    Many people called pigeons “rats with wings,” but that’s simply unfair. Rats truly are vectors of disease, whereas pigeons are not.

    Oddly enough, Lar and I both had headaches before visiting the aviary. Afterwards, we both felt better.

    I blame the “pigeon therapy” for making us both feel better!    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    Day 4

    Curacao Semi Sub

    January 9 in Curacao ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    Since I’m claustrophobic, I was a little nervous about taking a semi submersible tour in Curaçao, but my love of the sea won out.

    As a precaution, I skipped my morning coffee and on the bus ride over, I decided that even if I freaked out, it was only one hour of my life. Also, since we were visiting a Curacao distillery afterward, I promised myself a drink as a reward.

    As it turned out, I did absolutely fine in the semi sub! It helped that there was a steady airflow. Seems like hot stuffy air triggers my claustrophobia.

    So if you also deal with anxiety in confined spaces, I’m letting you know that this was not bad at all.

    The hour long ride was over all too soon, in fact. Along the way we saw lots of gorgeous fish, and at one point, our guide gave us a little show by feeding the fish and blowing bubbles underwater.

    I was surprised to learn the that the resort which hosts the semi sub only charges $675 for a month long stay.

    Wouldn’t that be a nice place to bring the family? Or sequester for a month and write a book…    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    11
    Day 4

    Curaçao Liqueur

    January 9 in Curacao ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    How did the island of Curaçao get its name? A popular theory suggests that Portuguese cartographers combined what the Spanish called it: “corazon” (meaning heart) along with Portuguese words for “heart” (coraçao) and “healing” (cura) after scurvy prone sailors who were miraculously cured after eating the island’s abundant fruit.

    A few years later, in the early 1500s, Spaniards introduced Valencia orange trees to Curaçao. Rather than flourish, the orange trees produced a small and bitter fruit rather than a tasty orange.

    Eager to make “lemonade” out of this experience, the islanders experimented until the found a way to take the dried peels of these oranges and create a tasty orange flavored liqueur.

    Locals called the drink “Laraha” but along the way, it became known as Curaçao. The traditional blue color is simply due to food coloring.

    There are now 10 different flavors of liqueur produced on the island of Curaçao. We sampled three of them after our distillery tour.

    After which, as I’d promised myself, I enjoyed a frozen coffee drink with a shot of coffee flavored Curaçao. Yum!    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    111
    Day 5

    Matosinhos

    January 10 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    It was gray and drizzly in Matosinhos, Portugal. Though it may look chilly in the photos, it was lovely walking weather.

    We originally planned to take the Hop On Hop Off to Porto, but never did find the correct bus stop. After following 3 different signs pointing 3 different directions we decided to explore Matosinhos.

    After posing in front of the ruins of a chapel, we wandered to the local market where I saw a hen with a beautiful comb.

    In true Portuguese fashion, there were mosaic walkways and buildings featuring colorful tiles.

    Portugal is known for a pastry called “pastel de nata,” so I was eager to try one. These are little tarts filled with a custard made from egg yolks.

    Back in the day, egg whites were used for starching clothes. Some monks in Lisbon created the pastel de nata to use the surplus yolks.

    My verdict? Yum! I love egg custard and these were creamy and not too sweet.

    As for the statue, I wasn’t able to read the sign next to it. I think he looks a little like Gary Oldman, actually…

    Later in the day, we stopped at another cafe. The sign on the door gave me a laugh because although “puxe” is pronounced rather like “push,” it actually means “pull.”    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    Day 5

    Santuário do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos

    January 10 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    The grounds for this church were quite lovely, with mossy grottoes and mosaic walkways.

    Unfortunately, the doors were locked, so we were unable to see the famed baby Jesus within.

    The area next to the graveyard features rugged picnic tables made from discarded bits from the church.Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    Day 5

    Cemeterio Municipal de Matosinhos

    January 10 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    Next to the church we found a charming historic graveyard with eye-catching gates, as you can see.

    The skull and crossbones are a typical "memento mori" meant to remind visitors of their mortality. The winged hourglass below it, reminds us that "time flies."

    As we explored the grounds, the skies opened and gave us a good dousing.    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    11
    Day 8

    Canary Islands

    January 13 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Due to a storm, our ship diverted to the Canary Islands, where we enjoyed a leisurely day exploring the town.

    In the town square, there’s a monument featuring four figures next to an obelisk.

    As you can see, each of the four men are brandishing what looks to me like a femur!

    What is that all about?

    After a quick spin around the internet, all I've learned so far comes from this website:

    "Four marble statues of indigenous Guanche people are at the base venerating the image of Mary atop the obelisk. In May the 'Feast of May' is held in the square memorializing the founding of the city."

    Guanches are the native people of the Canary Islands. But why waving leg bones around is a way to offer respect to the Virgin Mary is beyond me.

    As always, I had to do a happy dance at the sight of a living wall. Not only did this one feature poinsettias, but the wall adorns the local police station, making a nice change from the usual somber demeanor such institutions have.

    Mysterious bones aside, we had a fun day wandering around Santa Cruz de Tenerife.    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    11
    Day 11

    Transatlantic Sea Days

    January 16, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌙 73 °F

    We’ve spent a week crossing the Atlantic, but there have been so many fun things to do on the ship that time has flown.

    Larry and I enjoy sea days and have no problem entertaining ourselves. We don’t rely on the ship to prevent boredom. That said, Ambassador Cruise Line offers a wide variety of activities for guests.

    In fact, we often have a hard time choosing between all the options. For instance, most cruise lines offer lectures on sea days, but this ship has had as many as three different guest speakers in a single day!

    Like other ships, there’s a live show every night after dinner. We’ve been very happy with the quality of the performers and performances.

    The ship has an accomplished stable of singers and dancers, and the staging and choreography is very creative.

    As you can see, Larry was pulled onstage by Chris Fleming (a well known UK magician.) I even did some accidental magic as you can see: I made Chris shrink in one of the photos I took!

    Ukulele lessons and watercolor workshops are quite popular. (I sent my ukulele home with Larry when he renewed his passport, and I already play a bit so I’m skipping that.) We both wanted to take the watercolor classes, but they filled up right away.

    Luckily, there’s room in the daily choir class. We are having a blast! I’ve had a lot of music training, but Larry’s a complete newbie. It’s so fun to share the joy of rehearsing and learning music theory with him.

    The voice exercises we do in class really help at karaoke. Ambience dedicates Wednesday evenings to karaoke, so everyone who comes gets to sing two or three songs.

    As always, the karaoke enthusiasts are a lighthearted bunch. It’s such a fun way to make friends. (And since this is a British ship, I can sing Kate Bush and people actually know the songs.)

    Ambience also has two women on the ship from an organization dedicated to cetaceans called Orca. When not giving seminars on sea life, they can be found on the deck looking for whales and dolphins.

    We’ve learned a lot from them already. For instance, a quick way to tell a dolphin from a porpoise is if it leaps from the water. Dolphins jump; porpoises don’t.

    All in all, we are having a great time on the Ambience. It’s a cozy little city at sea.    Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    Day 12

    The Observatory

    January 17, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 77 °F

    One of our favorite spots on the ship is The Observatory. At night, it hosts karaoke and dancing, but during the day, it’s a cozy hangout with a great view of the sea. Here are a few pics to give you a feel for the place.Read more

  • TravelerJanuary 2024
    Day 15

    Harrison Cave

    January 20 in Barbados ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    I always find it challenging to capture the beauty of caves with my iPhone, but here are a few photos of Harrison Cave in Barbados.

    The original spelunkers crawled on their bellies through narrow channels, but we were carted around in an open topped trolley.

    Harrison Cave features grand caverns with streams and waterfalls. There’s even one cave formation which reminds people of someone proposing to their partner. As a result, people often use this spot to pop the question.

    Unlike other caves we’ve visited, this one did not smell at all like bat guano. It smelled like sandalwood incense, in fact. Our guide said that a few bats live in the mouth of the cave, but that’s it.

    They’ve certainly created a fun and easily accessible tour here. We had a great time.    Read more

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