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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 27, 2025 12:00 AM Puerto Plata
It is the port on the northern coast of Dominicana. But take care: there are two cruise docks: one in the city (used by Celebrity line) and second - 13 kms away - on the road to Santiago. I am first time here and Disembarking in Amber Cove (second dock) I did a mistake. Once off the new tourist village taxi drivers attack you asking for 40 dollars to the city. Nobody will say that on the main road are operating the minibuses of Javilla Tours. This is not tour company but gua gua for local people. They will take you to the city for just 50 pesos or 1 USD. I didn't know that and paid taxi driver 20 USD!
In the city there were great manifestation related to tomorrow's Independence Day. They were walking with national flags along the coastal promenade. Ladies were wearing national colors too. Central Plaza with closed cathedral is worth to see with elegant houses as is Umbrella Tourist Street. On the end of the peninsula old Fuerte San Felipe is open as a museum (entry 100 pesos). We returned with Javilla Tours guagua. Hot, lovely day!
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Feb 26, 2025 12:00 AM Grand Turk in the Caribbean
This place is little known! Little insular country consists onlly of two little island: Caicos and Grand Turk. They are member of British Commonwealth. Today I am on Grand Turk. They have here the pier housing maximum 2 ships... Paradise location - just steps from the beauutiful, palm fringed beach. I have been here already twice, but recently they built a huge commercial center near the pier. Nothing elce here except shops and bars... The main city of the island - Cockburn is 5 kms away. We were walking there passinng the airport and the salinas (they produced here salt in the past - like on Bonaire)
Very few monuments in the Cockburn. Kiosk with souvenirs on the short coastal promenade. Little museum. The HM Prison I visited in the past is now closed and overgrown. So what to see here? You will see wild donkeys wondering the bush and sidewalks. Lizards and flowers... But number one of Grand Turk are the extra beaches - so close from the ship. I am enjoying this hot tropical paradise...
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Feb 25, 2025 12:00 AM Samana Peninsula
Samana - they say is the wildest part of Dominican Republic. We were anchoring again on the distance and tenders took us ashore to the little town of Samana. I wanted to go from here to the Las Gaglleras - settlement on the coast 30 kms away, famous for the nice, quiet beaches. First I found in the town estacion the gua-gua (public microbuses) then such a vehicle full like a can of the sardines took me there for 150 pesos. Beaches aroung La Gallera are really nice with the white sand and palms, especially Playita. We returned happy. Nic excursion for 5 USD per person!
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Feb 24, 2025 12:00 AM Isla Catalina
This is small, uninhabited island at the coast of the big Dominicana. Our ship was anchoring in the distance and the passengers were transfered to the beach of the island by the ship's tender. 30 deg Celsius, blue sky...
Catalina is wild, forested by thick bush. Pnly one 300 m beach is cleared ip and it looks like tropical paradise. Ee spent there few jours before returning to the ship the same way... Sea Patru on the deck 9 at the sunset time. I liked Ladies- pirates.. Great day!
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Feb 23, 2025 12:00 AM To Santo Domingo by local bus...
Our ship after one- week loop around Caribbean returned to La Romana. Webhave fill day free before late evening departure to other islands for the second week. I decided to take my grandson to Santo Domingo to show him historic capital of Dominican Republic.. it was 4 km by foot to the bus station Espresso Romana on the outskirts of the town. We noted by the way few places of interest, eg Plaza Duarte. The bus ticket to Santo Domingo (1,5 h ride) costs only 225 peso - they happily accept 4,50 USD pp!
In the strong sun and 30 deg Celsius I was guiding Kuba to the Zona Colonial, enjoying narrow streets full of flowers. Old churches and palacios. We visited panteon nacipnal and mausoleum of 3 fathers of Dominicana. The route ended at Palacio presidencial. With some effort we catch the 3.30 return bus... We missed the lunch, but the tasty dinner and evening show is waiting on the ship!
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Feb 22, 2025 12:00 AM Tortola - British Virgin Islands
Today we are docking in the beautiful Tortola, where port Roadtown is surrounded by picturesque green hills 300 m high.. After breakfast with a view we went ashore. Since my grandson is here for the first time I wanted to take excursion around the hilly islan in the safari bus - many of them are waiting at the port gate, but the price for the 3-hours tour, 1h on the Cane Garden Beach cost now already 30 USD. We paid this amount because we had some savings as a result of hitchhiking yesterday. The bus took us up to the Bellevue view point - some 250 m above sea. Then we were driving narrow and steep roads among mango and breadfruit trees to the other view points and finally to the beach. You never know there were unexpected 15- minutes warm rain - enough to make you wet. We were drying fast. Tortola has still the charm, but is even more expensive!
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Feb 22, 2025 12:00 AM Tortola - British Virgin Islands
Today we are docking in the beautiful Tortola, where port Roadtown is surrounded by picturesque green hills 300 m high.. After breakfast with a view we went ashore. Since my grandson is here for the first time I wanted to take excursion around the hilly islan in the safari bus - many of them are waiting at the port gate, but the price for the 3-hours tour, 1h on the Cane Garden Beach cost now already 30 USD. We paid this amount because we had some savings as a result of hitchhiking yesterday. The bus took us up to the Bellevue view point - some 250 m above sea. Then we were driving narrow and steep roads among mango and breadfruit trees to the other view points and finally to the beach. You never know there were unexpected 15- minutes warm rain - enough to make you wet. We were drying fast. Tortola has still the charm, but is even more expensive!
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Feb 21, 2025 12:00 AM Antigua - to Nelson's Dockyard
Blue sky and strong sun over Antigua island... From the dock I wantes to go to show my grandson famous admiral Nelson maritime base. The taxi drivers ask for 200 USD for the raundtrip. But I remamber the way to the western bus terminal near the market. I found there a junk microbus taking local passengers for 3, 75 caribbean dollars (like USD 1,50). It was a hard ride on the bumpy road, but finally after 40 min we reached the legendary site. Sorry, no discounts for the foreigners - you have to pay 15 USD entry fee. At least you have free reliable internet in the bar. The stoney buildings surrounded by palms have great historic significance! Nice landscape around, interesting museum and mand many tall yachts in this natural harbour... Nice to refresh memories after more than 20 years!
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Feb 20, 2025 12:00 AM Guadeloupe - in the warm rain...
I have been here many times but is was never raining. We went ashore at 10 am, but half an hour later it was raining cats and dogs. - Be patient! - say local Afroamericans...
Aftr an hour the sun returned - we were strolling the narrow streets of old part of Pointe a Pitre full of little shops and murals. Covered market was full of product and there were color fish on the fish market where they sell also whistling shells. Nor far from this pier there is eastern bus terminus.
We boarded there a bus to Sainte Anne. Sainte Anne has opinion to have the best beach on the southern coast of Guadeloupe. Driver collected 3 euro in cash for the ride but didn't give the ticket.
The bus was broken in the middle of the route and we were waiting to board the next one.
Sainte Anne Beach is really nice with white sand and palm trees.
Before return we enjoyed the street manifestation of local school with costumes, dances and steel drums. Lovely, but hot, wet and little tiring day!
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Feb 19, 2025 12:00 AM Champagne Reef. Dominica
In the morning we docked in the only port of lush green Dominica island. Warm rain... But our plan was to go to the Champagne Beach - some 7 kms east so my grandson can try snorkeling there. The name of the place "champagne" comes from the bubbling water in this place (Dominica is a volcanic island). There are corals, color fish and turtles... To save money (the tour from the ship costs 60 USD) we went out of the city of Roseau and started to stop microbuses - they act as public buses here - the fare is 3 Caribbean Dollars per ride. Soon we were in the junk vehicle headind uphill and downhill. The last stop was in the village on the coast. From here we walked around 1 km to the black sand/stoney beach. They charge 2 USD for the entry to the reserve and 5 USD for the rental of mask and snorkel (and fins if you wish). It is worth! There are corals and turtles/fish underwater but you must swim from the beach in the direction of little rocky islets. We returned the same way in the afternoon...
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