|
|
You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Dec 18, 2014 08:00 PM Miami by bike
It was only 9 am when I disembarked the ship in Miami port. Sun, 25 deg Celsius - like summer in Europe!
Passing by the long taxi line I was walking well known route through the port bridge to the bus stop in front of AA Arena - the closest stop to the port.
Public bus C took me to Miami Beach. I must spend in MIA one more day before the cheap return flight to Europe.
My budget is almost empty - I decided to stay in SoBe - South Beach Hostel on Washington Ave. They charge 26 $ for bed in 4-bed spartan room with shared bath. Sheets, towel and basic breakfast are included. It is only 3 blocks to the beach...
Noisy bar works downstairs, but... some people come here to party.
I took evening walk to South Beach Park - great place to be at sunset.
You can also rent a bike to move around. Credit card is required at automated stations and you pay from 4 USD for 30 min to 18 for 4 hours or 24 for 24 hours. Interesting option, but the price...
|
Dec 17, 2014 08:00 PM Great Stirrup Cay -the private island
Norwegian Cruise Line bought litte island to give their clients the taste of the little tropical paradise. The island has nice beaches in one corner and sharp coral rocks around. They use here tenders (small motorized boats) to deliver tourists from the ship, Then you can swim, snorkel, enjoy watersports (for extra fee)... Sorry, they do not supply any maps of the island. I took the walk end to end of the island using their gravel road. It is not possibe to walk around the island along the coast due to the thick, tropical vegetation. But I climbed to the top of the dirty lighthouse for the view -it was worth the effort. Big Blue is around, strong sun... The Caribbean band was playing music in the afternoon... Great day!
.
|
Dec 16, 2014 08:00 PM Nassau - Bahama
Here the ships dock just in the middle of the town so you do not have transport problems. Nassau is nice colonial town easy to visit by foot. Police still wear old colonial uniforms and they are happy to be photographed. It is worth to take the walk up to Fort Fincastle for the view of the city and Paradise Island just opposite. Fort itself is small, but has an interesting shape (entry 1 USD or local dollar - the value is the same).
On the Paradise Island they built luxurious Atlantis Resort - open for paid visits. I took a walk to the first, high bridge heading to the island. Not for the visit, but for the view from the bridge - just at the bottom is an interesting, live ferry port. They have also few museums in Nassau, Queen Victoria monument in front of the pink parliment and plenty of tourist shops. Nice place to spend a day...
|
Dec 15, 2014 08:00 PM Freeport - Bahama
Our first port on the Bahamas... Freeport is a big, commercial port located in the bay. But, sorry - the landscape around is not exciting, except the palm - fringed tourist village attached to the pier. Those of us who paid for the expensive excursions are taken by bus. I - the independent traveller must look for the other solution to get to the "downtown Freeport". Just after the port gate I started to walk, turning left to the Queens Road. It is the long walk! Then I was hitchhiking to the city (some 10 kms). Do not expect in Freeport the image of the big town. Buildings are low and sprayed around. But some of them represents nice, colonial architecture.
Lucaya town - some 4 kms away with its beaches and watersports is the main attraction of the Grand Bahama Island (which is not the biggest island of Bahamas). From downtown there are public buses to Lucaya for just 1,25 USD. Big resorts block the access to the beach - public access you will find at the police station. I found a shared minibus going back to thd ship (5 $) at the marketplace.
|
Dec 14, 2014 08:00 PM Bahama - mama, why not?
Blue sky over Miami... I plan to swim in the morning... How is the weather in the cold Europe? :)
In the afternoon I will embark another ship, sailing to Bahama Islands. In my opinion exploration from the cruise ship is the last expensive way of visiting the archipelago. So why not?
I believe there will be inexpensive internet connection to send you my news. Otherwise I will be back in Miami on Friday - it is not far!
|
Dec 13, 2014 08:00 PM Long Miami walk...
USA became more expensive. Expect to pay 3 USD for the loaf of the last expensive bread 600 g. In Poland it costs less then a dollar! So if you - budget traveller - are debarking the ship it is worth to take with you the things you did not eat there. It is forbidden to take ashore fresh food, fruits, meats and dairy. Just think...
The lovely sun was shining over Florida when I started my Miami walk - Art Deco quarter along Ocean Drive in Miami Beach is still one of my favorite places in Miami. Stylish houses with rounded corners, painted in pastel colors. Can you believe that similar architecture I saw in Africa? In Asmara, Eritrea. Go and check! :)
Then I walked as a lonely, crazy walker all MacArthur Causeway. It is a narrow, natural "bridge"connecting Miami Beach and Miami. Nobody was there except of me and herds of roaring cars, but it was worthbecause the views ofthe downtown and cruise ships alley are exceptional from this side. In downtown Miami I visited Freedom Tower - probably the best known old building in Miami. Once housing the daily paper agency, then Cuban immigrants, now it is exhibition place.
The famous Little Havana around 8th St looks different now - old houses were replaced by skyscrapers and they still built there new ones - it is only the tourist trap now:) Bayside Market and Miami River mouth are the nicest places...
|
Dec 12, 2014 08:00 PM Back in Miami...
They always photograph me once again each time I am entering US territory. There must be a quite big collection of my pictures in their computer! Sun was shining over Florida when I dissembarked the ship at 10 am. I am not in a hurry - it is time to save some money on transport. To get to Miami Beach where I stay overnight you can take a taxi or a shuttle bus, but the last expensive method is to walk through the bridge to the public bus stop in front of American Airlines Arena. Sorry, no public pus at tbe cruise ship terminals....
From the bridge there is nice view of the city. AA Arena is just after the bridge on Biscayne St. Bus stops are not well marked, no timetables. C experess bus is a good choice. As a senior I paid only 1.30 $
It was only 2 blocks walk from the bus to the well known Tropics Hostel.
Welcome to Miami!
|
Dec 11, 2014 08:00 PM Sailing the Blue Caribbean
Day at sea - we are sailing back to Miami... The outside temperature is lower, the wind - stronger.
Carnival is a cheap cruise line, but you should not expect any super entertainment aboard. The evening shows are miserable. I like most the duo from the Philippines "Take Two" who plays good, old standards at the christmas tree. Yes, we have already huge christmas tree in the lobby...
My cabin is over the theatre and the accoustic isolation is so bad that I cannot sleep without the earplugs. Bring a pair for youself just in case!...
The biggest positive surprise I experienced on this ship was... Miss Gosia from Guest Services. Imagine charming young Polish lady from Wroclaw working here since 9 months. She has warm Polish heart. I was really happy to meet her!
In the evening most of the people went to pack their stuff because passengers should put their luggages for collection on the corridod before midnight. Not me - I have only one carry-on pack...
|
Dec 10, 2014 08:00 PM Grand Cayman
It is little insular state, famous for the stingrays. I was plainng with them in the water when I was here for the first time - some 20 years ago. On the international market Cayman is better known for its banks, used to avoiv high taxes.
No dock on Grand Cayman so passengers are tendering obligatory on this island. It was great view when five big passenger ships arrived here on the same day. And a fleet of tenders was taking passengers to the land and back.
The capital of the island is little, color city - especially the waterfont is attractive for photographer.
I took an hour walk to the so-called Seven Miles Beach (in fact it is shorter) taxi drivers organize transfers to this place charging 4 $ per person each way. The beach is nice but gets crowded when 5 ships is arriving.
This is also the effect of the mass tourism - you better go to the smaller, less known islands :)
|
Dec 09, 2014 08:00 PM Roatan Island - Honduras
It is my new island... Unfortunately the weather was not clear when in the morning we docked in Mahogany Bay. What they prepared here for the tourists dissappointed me: fenced tourist village with souvenir shops, beach and the chair lift. I went out of the gate to find the driver who was ready to take me for just 10 USD rountrip to the biggest village on the island - Coxen Hole. There was not much to see except the everyday kife of the local people. Clock tower, little shops, vendors, church. Driver took me also to the viewpoint over the airstrip (they call it simply VIEW) fot the panoramic view. Twice we were stpped by local police, asking for bribe... That's how it looks here in Honduras!
The main attraction of Roatan Island is coral reef. If you do not dive you can stay on the tropical beaches - one of them is just at the dock in Mahogany Bay - but the best ones - in West End. Tour by car around the island costs 40-50 USD after bargaining.
One more lovely, tropical island...
|
Page:
152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162
|
|
|
