San Juan

When I disembarked today and didn’t recognize the buildings nearest the pier I realized that it has been a few years since I made a port stop in San Juan.

The visiting ships all dock @ Old San Juan (the better to separate you from your money my dear……). It wasn’t like I had any place that I wanted to be or things I really, really wanted to see. Arriving early (well 1215 is early if the ship is scheduled for 1300) we could see the Veendam (HAL) and Carnival Sunshine all ready at the piers.  One ship is smaller, sedate looking and has a couple of hot tubs along with a lot of loungers on deck. The other is significantly larger with four water slides and a sports court on the upper aft of the ship. I will leave it to you as far as which ship is which.

Ignoring all of the usual tourist/cruise port gift shops I focused on what was new – there is now a Walgreens as well as the CVS. At prices that are less than 1/2 of the ship – it was a good place to pick up that sunblock I forgot to pack. Since tomorrow is St Maarten and the weather is suppose to be good – I will need it.  I also purchased a coffee mug, just so I can stop drinking out of paper cups…

Otherwise – there has been some recent painting of buildings-

The streets are still narrow

and the fort still sits on the hill

by the time the Oasis docked I had been long back on the ship.

The ice show this evening was the first of the performances I have seen. Unfortunately, the Cruise Director didn’t bother to introduce the skaters. Several of them looked quite familiar so I am thinking that various teams might just get bored with one set of performances and move ships after a couple of years. On the other hand – chocolate covered strawberries never get boring…..

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About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!
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9 Responses to San Juan

  1. Clint says:

    You and chocolate covered strawberries. I guess that It’s a little late to mention that the senior pass that the Federal Gov sells covers both forts?

    • Holly Doyne says:

      I have the pass. In fact bought it here a couple of years ago when it turned out to be cheaper to buy the pass than pay for entries for me and the two I was dragging along

  2. Brad says:

    San Juan has its charm, but I have seen all of it and the Caribbean I ever want to see. Or beaches. Or rum coconut drinks. Guess I am getting old and cranky.

  3. Vicki says:

    I enjoy stopping at San Juan, we were there last January and again this past October. Have fun,

    • Holly says:

      I actually like the Art Box which is near the parking lot and one ferry stop on the way to walking downtown.

  4. Carmen says:

    I think the Veendam was in St Maarten when we were there. I have to check my photos. I don’t pay that much attention, but we had a lot of ships in port with us that day. One extra even, due to diversion because of the weather.

    I pack an insulated coffee mug with lid on cruises now. Makes transporting beverages much easier.

  5. Pat says:

    I like the new paint jobs. 🙂 I like color. My mom liked St. Maarten’s and the Virgin Islands, and I get them mixed up in my mind.

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