October 27, 2015

Caribbean Sea

On Board the MS Royal Princess: Day Seven

Kralendijk, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

 

[NOTE: I’ve grown weary of writing the usual bullshit narrative; so I’ve decided to dispense with it and present the raw notes I took on my iPhone instead.]

 

Fort Oranje (originally built in 1639 AD) in Kralendijk, Bonaire.
Fort Oranje (originally built in 1639 AD) in Kralendijk, Bonaire.
Government office building in Kralendijk.
Government office building in Kralendijk.
Bottomed-out boat on the shore in Kralendijk.
Bottomed-out boat on the shore in Kralendijk.
Closeup of the coral beach in Bonaire.
Closeup of the coral beach in Bonaire.
Tree along the shoreline walk with many sandals hanging from its branches.
Tree along the shoreline walk with many sandals hanging from its branches.
A collection of license plates outside someone's house in Kralendijk.
A collection of license plates outside someone’s house in Kralendijk.
Kralendijk and Fort Oranje seen from the cruise ship.
Kralendijk and Fort Oranje seen from the cruise ship.
Donkeys along the roadside in Bonaire.
Donkeys along the roadside in Bonaire.
Limestone cliffs in Bonaire.
Limestone cliffs in Bonaire.
Flamingos in Goto Meer.
Flamingos in Goto Meer.
Closeup of a flamingo.
Closeup of a flamingo.
The "mountainous" area on the north part of Bonaire.
The “mountainous” area on the north part of Bonaire.
Rincon Village.
Rincon Village.
Painted sign for the Kos Bon So restaurant in Rincon Village.
Painted sign for the Kos Bon So restaurant in Rincon Village.
Fence made of cacti (quite common in Bonaire).
Fence made of cacti (quite common in Bonaire).
Recreation of historic huts used in Bonaire, located in Mangazina di Rei Culture Park.
Recreation of historic huts used in Bonaire, located in Mangazina di Rei Culture Park.
Melocactus (also known as the Turk's cap cactus).
Melocactus (also known as the Turk’s cap cactus).
Slave huts on the south end of Bonaire - used as shelters for the slaves working in the salt pans during the 19th-century AD.
Slave huts on the south end of Bonaire – used as shelters for the slaves working in the salt pans during the 19th-century AD.
Inside one of the slave huts.
Inside one of the slave huts.
Large mountains of salt outside the Cargill Salt Works.
Large mountains of salt outside the Cargill Salt Works.
Closer view of the salt works.
Closer view of the salt works.
The MS Royal Princess in twilight, seen from Bonaire National Marine Park.
The MS Royal Princess in twilight, seen from Bonaire National Marine Park.
The pier at Bonaire National Marine Park.
The pier at Bonaire National Marine Park.
Boarding the cruise ship late in the evening.
Boarding the cruise ship late in the evening.

-got out of bed after 11:00, showered, dressed, got ready

-exited the ship around 13:00, walked along coast and through town

-restaurant with wifi, checked email, had two Heinekens

-back on ship at 14:20, ate two slices of pepperoni pizza for lunch, relaxed some until my booked tour was ready to leave

-after 15:00, walked back out to the pier and waited to get on the tour bus

-loaded on to the bus at 15:25 and started once everyone was on

-drove along the west coast, saw wild parrots, goats, and donkeys on the way

-saw flamingos at the coastal lake

-Rincon village: two stops, first at a cafe with absolutely nothing interesting and I think we were only there for the tour guide to pick up food for himself (10 min); second stop, on the edge of town at a cultural area with a bar, small museum (cost extra), souvenirs, and an area set up with recreated traditional huts and homes that was not in operational and I was the only one who walked around there (15 min)

-back on the road: windmills for the island’s power, drive along east coast down to south part of island where salt flats are located, stop at slave huts next to the salt flats in the white section (colors of Dutch flag); then short stop next to salt piles on the way back to the pier

-back on ship at 18:20, shower, dress

-dinner at Horizon Court: minute steaks, zucchini fried with garlic, steamed root vegetables, broccoli, mashed potatoes and gravy, spinach salad with sun-dried tomatoes and croutons, iced tea; coffee and cookies for dessert

-Princess Theater to watch Paul Tanner perform (he did a great Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones, and duet of Nat King Cole and Nathalie Cole singing Unforgettable; unfortunately it was mostly snippets and I would have loved to hear some of the songs in their entirety)

-listened to music and relaxed in my room whilst drinking gin

-after 23:00 I made my way to the Retreat Bar on deck 17 for happy hour and had some beer

-after midnight, back to my room where I listened to music, watched ‘The Shining’, and ordered gin and wine, which I did not open and saved for another day; although I did have a bottle of beer

-sleep after 02:00

 

An open journal or an exercise in narcissism.