Our bags are packed for the Ms Koningsdam

We are traveling again but only for 2 weeks in Jan 08-22 2017.  Bob really wanted to experience the new ship of HAL's  Ms Koningsdam.  So this is our Christmas present to each other.  A bit larger that what we like to travel on, but we want to see her.

This is the itinerary.  We are looking forward to heading to Fort Lauderdale and then  for 2 full weeks in the Caribbean.  Love HAL's private island Half Moon Cay, and we get to stop there going and coming back.  But our first stop is Grand Turk then onto San Juan.  So stay tuned.  

and remember...

AROUND THE WORLD 2016 As we see it thru our eyes.

A true voyage of a lifetime, our magnificent Around the World journey came to a close this weekend as Insignia returned to Miami and our world travelers departed for home.  It was a sad day.  But the most suggested quote was "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.  That is just what we are doing. 
We left from Miami Fl. U.S.A. on January 04, 2016 and got off in Miami on July 01, 2016.  Our total distance for this amazing "Around The World Voyage" was  46,501 Nautical Miles.  So a nautical mile (sea mile) is 1.15 Land mile. 
We made it safely to Canada on Sunday Morning at 1:20am after leaving the ship on Friday in Miami, driving to our Village in Largo, going to Costco to cash a rebate cheque.  Then  Bob got our battery in our car hooked back up.  Return the Car rental.  Went back to our unit in FV grabbed all our stuff that was already in bags to take home.  On the Road to go home by 8pm. Friday night.  Driving 1400miles was very hard due to lack of sleep and burning eyes.  I think it was our adrenaline that keep us motivated. We both new it was going to be a bad weekend due to the Canada Day and 4th of July holidays, traffic will be huranduss.  But is really wasn't that bad. 
Today is Wednesday July 06 and all of our bags have arrived back home.  They came yesterday.  I have 1 more to unpack.  The weather is very warm now around mid 80's.  So we are trying to get moved back over to the cottage.  The condo is definality in a uproar.  Also we are really having withdrawels from the ship life. I have already burnt toast the first morning we were here. Yesterday we went grocery shopping ugh hate it but we keep seeing our ship worldies, coarse it wasn't them it was local people.  We feel that we are jetlagged but we are not maybe ship lagged.  So overwhelming.   Listlessness, no energy, no motivation, hard to focus, exhausted.  Took a nap yesterday just because....

Can you see us Leslee pink shirt  left side Bob lime green shirt middle

Middle of this shot...

loved this quote.

So for all you Thank you for traveling with us on the amazing journey of our life.

As we have said many times before.  Get out and see this AMAZING WORLD  we live in.

  Leslee & Bob

Day 181 July 01, 2016 ~ END OF CRUISE Docked in Miami Florida U.S.A.

Canada day in 2016 is on a Friday so won't have to take a day off to make Canada day a long weekend! (Unlike last year when it was on a Wednesday).
Canada Day celebrates the birthday of Canada. On July 1, 1867 Canada became a new federation with its own constitution by signing the Constitution Act - formerly known as the British North America Act.
Canada Day is a national statutory holiday celebrated in all provinces and territories and it is a day off for most businesses. There is, of course, a lot more to Canada Day but the purpose of this page is only to give you a date and a brief history.
So we have till the 04 of July to get home.  Will sum up the final remakes when we get home...

gathering the luggage.  On to Largo for a quick change of cars, shut our unit down and drive home...

Day 180. More pictures of Key West Florida U.S.A. On the Picturesque Panama

Our End of the World Sail away.

ATW's jumping in the pool

Some of our day in Key West

Miami in the morning.  Bags are all pack.  Dinner is over.  See you laters have been said.  Just Chillin with a glass of wine.  It has been amazing.   Love you all. Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 180 June 30, 2016. LAST PORT DOCKED IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA U.S.A. On the Picturesque Panama

Off the ship by 9:00.  Right after our face to face with Customs and Immigration.  Jumped onto the trolley to take us into town.  Walked around for 2 hours until 11:00 then we meet everyone at the Lazy Gecko for drinks and Pizza.  The at 1:00 pm about 55 of us walked to see the sights of Key West.  Really the pubs.  It was a lot of fun.  Below is Joyce we all walked to her beautiful Key West Home and had drinks.

Joyce and Craig place is the last place we are going to visit.  Here are a few pictures of our day.

Bob with mile marker 0 start of heading north. 

It hasn't changed at all. Been here back in the 80's and 90's.  Will try and post more later tonight.  At 5:00 pm was our sail way and we all got together from a group photo.  People were jumping in the pool.  We really had a wonderful time on this amazing Journey.  Tomorrow at 8:15 we are off the ship on the way to Largo.  Thanks for coming along with us.  It has been a pleasure to do this journal.  On our way home.  Leslee & Bob.

Alex cooling down at Joyce & Craig's

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 179. June 29, 2016. 2/2 LAST SEA DAY ENROUTE to Key West U.S.A. On the Picturesque Panama

The sea is special. The ever present horizon, fresh air, constant motion and the excitement of anticipation as each day brings the familiar along with the new.   But what makes cruising special, whether on Oceania  or on Holland America is the sense of community. Everyone is literally in the same boat – heading to the same places, sharing the same experiences.   Cruising brings together thousand of people, passengers and crew, doing different tasks but joined by a common goal and expectation.

Back before cable and the internet which gave us lots of choices for entertainment at home, there were basically 3 channels and everyone shared the same experience.  The last episode of MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, the whole country shared these events.   Now everyone is forging their own path and we have lost some of our sense of community.   Cruising brings some of that back.   But I fear the new Mega Ships with Anytime This and Anytime That and "wear what you want where you want" are starting to turn cruising into just another all inclusive – a floating hotel.

A cruise experience is a shared experience.  Everyone checks in the same day, goes to the same places, sees the same shows and eats the same food.

People come up the stairs, people go down the stairs, use the elevator.  We are all moving about this ship.  Today is a very sad day because we are finishing our packing.  Sending 4 bags home with Luggage Free and carrying off 2 small rolling duffels.  Hope to see them in Gananoque soon.  Tomorrow is our party with a lot of the ATW's at a passengers home that she is opening up for the day.  Then we board by 4:30 for our last sail away to Miami.  6 months gone in a flash I still cannot believe that we were able to experience this in our life.  We just heard about the Turkey International Airport bombing yesterday.  So sad pretty soon half these places where we visited will not be able to go anymore.  Sad Sad.

Last night dinner

was so much fun

Last night show. "Divas 3"

Packed most of everything this morning just a few last minute items.  Tonight we are back in the Pollo Restaurant for our last specialty dinner with Karen & Harold and Andy & Faith.   Until tomorrow.  Thanks again for joining us.  Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 178. June 28, 2016 SEA DAY 1/2. Enroute to our LAST Port of Call Key West Florida U.S.A. On the Picturesque Panama

We were really rockin and rolling last night.  This morning is a lot calmer.  Highs of waves last night were 10-12 feet.  All the or most of the ATW's were up in the Horizon between 9:30pm to 10:30pm, we had a mix and mingle with a lot of the crew members that you don't get to meet.  Like the 10 guys from the laundry department there were 5 of them there last night.  Everyone was giving them hugs and kisses.  We all love them.

They were so good throughout the cruise.  Never lost an item and nothing was ruined.  We THANKYOU guys so much.  At 10:30 pm we went down to the piano bar because their was a special concert given by a lot of the musicians.

Very private.  We thank them.  Also the other night we went up to Toscana and I finally had the Lobster.  It was so good. 

Wa- La.  Bruno awaiting to lift the lid.

Wow.  So dam good.  Ate my lobster but not the spaghetti.  Way to much.  Tonight we have our last ATW Dinner with all of us in either the Pollo or Toscana.  We have had 8 of these special dinners.  One for each of the legs we had.  So tomorrow is our last Sea Day on this cruise and at 11:00am we have a special "Fairwell Mimosa Party".   Tears will flow tomorrow for sure.  Thanks once again for joining us on this amazing journey we are on.  Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 177 June 27, 2016 ~ Docked in Cartagena, Colombia on the Picturesque Panama

When you hear of the name "Cartagena"  what do you think of ?  Drugs, killings, filth, "Romancing the stone" the movie with Micheal Douglas and Kathleen Turner.  Ok ok the last thing was a good thing.  But when we heard the port talk on Cartagena we were not surprised when they told us that Cartagena could be a little scary with drugs, drug-sniffing dogs, taxi drivers that took you for a ride, so called guides who jump into your cab and demand payment, a litany of security guidelines and the warning to stay in the tourist areas, along with the advice to take a ships tour. Other advise were:

1. See the Sail in because it is impressive
2. The real problem is the street vendors who see you as a source of money.  Dont make eye contact, dont give out money to beggars and just say "No gracias"
3. Bargain with the vendors and get the price down to 50 percent or less
4. Don't pay taxi drivers or guides until they bring you back
5. Don't buy Cuban Cigars because they are not from Cuba
6. Dont buy coffee.  Tastes like mud
7. Be careful of the emeralds. They maybe made from Heiniken Beer bottles
8. Take your own water.

Now for the real Cartagena.....

Its called the Pearl of the Caribbean, although its history is conflicting.  It was a gateway for gold leaving for Spain, and the slaves arriving from Africa.  Then came the pirates robbing them from their riches.  Massive forts were built.  They are still there today.
Cartagena has a Old Walled City, high rises buildings, resorts, hotels, castles, churches, palaces, museums. It's best to start sightseeing early, as the Cartagena sun is well and truly beaming by 10am. The humidity is intense and you have no choice but to dart from shady spot to shady spot - two minutes in the direct sun will roast you. But by 4.30pm the mercury starts to drop, creating the perfect temperature for a well-deserved cold beverage.  But that is when we need to be back on board by.

  What a great port.  Been here many times and it only gets better.  Now we have 1 more port which is Key West Florida.  So during our free time in the next 2 days we will be packing our bags that will be shipped right to our home in Canada.  We will only carry off our back packs and a bag of souvenirs.  Luggage free is great.  Hopefully we will get them in Gananoque on July 13

Jackaranda Tree

Fruit Lady

                                   Flamingos walking down the street to get to there pond.

Colors Colors Colors

Old vs. New  Towns of coarse

Pretty as a peacock

Love the colors of these old birds

Sorry I went a little crazy on putting the pictures on.  We had a great day as you can see.  Got back on the ship by 2:00pm and believe me it was so so hot.  Well we now have 2 sea days until our last port which is Key West and we have been invited to someone's home.  We are having a Beer and Pizza party for a lot of the ATW's.  So between now and then lots of final parties.  So sad cant think of that right now.  To emotional if I think of ay good bye to everyone.  Really they have been our family for 6 months. The crew even told us they are going to miss us.  Trying to take some pictures of most of them.  So until tomorrow thanks for joining us on this amazing journey of our life... Leslee & Bob 

Day 176. More of the Transit of the Panama Canal

 

Wow what a great day.

The new canal just opened today.  We heard the band playing and saw all the busses going in with the Dignitaries.  Then this huge container ship went down to open it. 

Largest container ship going from east to west opening the "The New Larger Canal". Followed by helicopters and lots of boats

Last new canal from the Atlantic side.

 

Tomorrow we are in Cartegenia Columbia.  Thanks for joining us on this 180 days of travel.   Leslee & Bob 

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big.