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Antigua pulled out of the match. Does it mean forfeit? Well, after all preparations probably. We are now waiting for them to inform us if they would like to play at all.
Hurry!
Bring your photos now to Dr. Michev in the Infirmary,
send them with e-mail: orlinmichev@aol.com,
bring your memory card,
bring the print,
the file on a USB… improvise!
All categories are accepted!
Don’t forget to supply your name and number.
Read more on www.shipdoctor.wordpress.com!
Any original (shot by you) picture can participate. Even the professional photographers can participate but we are not accepting any of the mass-produced staged photos we are all familiar with.
3 officers will choose the best 10 photos and than you will be able to vote for them from 21 November to 27 November. The winner will be announced on 28 November.
I have these confirmed prises:
an iPod,
excursion for two (specially chosen by the Shore Excursion Manager)
and
a beautiful photo frame.
Continue sending your photos!
What are we actually celebrating on Halloween. These days it is trick-or-treating, festivals, bonfires, costume parties and horror films for no reason. Just good fun! The name is shortened from All-hallow-even (The night of (before) all saints). Many believe it comes from pagan traditions. There was an Celtic festival Samhain (actually still celebrated), regarded as ‘The Celtic New Year’. The church decided not to fight the pagan festivities but to absorb them. Pope Gregory III moved All Saints’ Day from May 13 to November 1(making it probably the holliest of the days). The night before is considered as the time the spirits and demons are able to make contact with the physical world and the magic is most potent. After sunset spirits of the dead and inhabitants from the underworld are able to walk free on the earth. It was believed necessary to dress as a spirit or otherworldly creature when going outdoors to blend in.
Let us see how did some of us manage to blend!
We all like this man…hm… witch.
Two witches with special interest in medicine with the Captain.
These demons dressed as crew members : )
The ripper
Friendly witch with Catwoman
The King fresh from the grave…
You can screeeeem as much as you want.
The vilain from Screem and a little enchantress with Svetlana.
Batman
The sleeping beauty and her husband.
Two sexy creatures
Angel and devil
Black angel …
and white… and another captain. Who drives the boat if they are all here?
: ) : ) : )
Another cat
Zombies with so much muscle command respect…
The Moonwalker and the Awesome Faraon
My favorite costume.
If you want your picture here just let me know. If you want your name under your picture just let me know.
This time the catamaran is more like a powerboat. A really fast boat! It is called Wildcat III.
You can see that the boat had even teeth.
So this powerful monster takes us to Freshwater Bay and we dive to see the endangered hawksbill and green turtles.
It is a gracious, gentle dance. The creatures are not so big but they swim around as if there are no humans in the water. These are wild animals and it is not a theme park! There is nothing like a real close encounter with a free animal. We are so happy and even if the guides would say that this is the end of the tour we would be perfectly happy. There was more to come… We went to Carlisle Bay and dived near the Berwyn shipwreck.
It is a vessel that sank 1900. Now the area is a national park. You will not believe the myriad fishes around – a symphony of color and shapes!
Than we went to an excellent beach. We listened to the sea… and played like children.
Than we got very happy after taking some of the antidepressant of the caribbean islands called with the generic name ”rum punch”.
I would say this is an experience you must have if you ever come to Barbados. It is easy to book if you are on a cruise ship and if decide to find them privately their website is: http://www.adventurelandbarbados.com/surf.htm
Eleanor Roosevelt wrote: Many people will walk in and out of your life but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart.
We have excellent team in the Infirmary. These people become part of your life. You bond together. You rely on each other, we live together and one day comes the end of their contract. It feels bad to hug them last time …
For only seven days we lost 2 members of the team. Sonja and Ramon. Sonja went back to South Africa and Ramon returns to Texas.
Here are some pictures from the farewell party.
We will miss you friends!
NB If you want to see enlarged pictures in this material, please click on the thumbnails.
Today the doctor is working. Actually he works the whole week- seven days, every day. So now I am going to the Sari-Sari waterfalls with my colleague Theresa. In the Shore Excursions Manual this excursion is marked with one red and three black “men”. Now this means it is an Extreme Activity.
These are the most spectacular waterfalls in the Caribbean. They preserved their natural beauty. After the excursion I can state this is mostly due to the difficulties reaching them. This is a proper hike not one of them walks. You need healthy heart and trained legs to carry you around!
If youlook closely there is a snail. These guys were rather huge… but they can rarely outrun you!
And some of the places were very narrow. It was difficult even for me to squeeze through. Some river crossings were a real challenge.
It seemed dangerous and I could feel the adrenalin pumping.
And it is beautiful too…
Julia , Matilda and Carina lead us though the jungle. I couldn’t resist the temptation to have a picture with bread tree.
Julia cuts a cacao fruit. The natural chocolate is a cocoa paste made from the cacao seeds. Cacao seeds are the fruit of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao according to the big books. Julia gives us the fresh seeds to taste. She is a native Carib Indian. Honestly you must try this. You would never expect it tastes like this.
But when we arrived I was speechless, breathless, stunned… it was the most beautiful waterfall I have seen till now in the Caribbean indeed. We took some pictures and starved from the long walk we went back to “base”.
We arrived near the river. There we were expected by one of the guides who prepared a soup for us on opened fire. Was it because of the serious exercise or the chef was really good but I ate two full plates and … frankly could have more.
Almost forgot about the beach. On this picture you see the might of the Atlantic ocean. This used to be the most beautiful volcanic beach on the island. The last hurricane claimed all the sand over one night. The waves washed it completely. The guides said they have never seen anything like this.
Do you remember that “all rivers lead to the ocean”? Well, this one does indeed.
Today we are in St Thomas. We are both on duty and despite having so many pictures to share, we decided to present the ship. Just as a reminder our run is San Juan, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, one day at sea and return to San Juan.
SHE IS A BEAUTY! She is the other woman in the life of the doctor for 6 months. I never felt in love with a machine before.
I received as many as 12 e-mails asking for more information what is it to be on a cruise ship. One states: ”…and I am pretty sure these ships are reserved only for the old and rich! I will never be able to afford it!” and “who can stop work for a month to go on a cruise…” Another one asks if I saw any people from “the poor countries working there” or is it only a workplace “for the Americans and Britons”?
I am not going to advertise the company. They can do on their own…And I never worked on another ship. Not even for this company. So I don’t know if my opinion is valid but…
The guests are mostly middle class. The cruise is usually a week and is frankly cheep or at least affordable. I see rarely an elderly passenger. It is mostly young and kids. People just like me love to stay on board but only for some time. One “fun day at see is more than enough!” The food is… well I am in love with the chefs. This is Daz and he has such a bubbly personality… We all love him!
The advert states these are THE FUN SHIPS! I see it as the good old LOVEBOAT : ) (quote from a friend but don’t forget the birthcontrol!)
The staff is mostly from … hm …. from everywhere. Recently I read that the company has employees from 90 countries. I started checking and until now I have 29 confirmed. Different people, different professions, some very well paid, some not so well. Some do jobs I could not believe exist ( some disgusting, some fantastic)
There are about 3100 guests and 1050 crew. And they all relay on you for their illnesses, emergencies and every possible demand you could expect. Some people just want to be treated as kings (I do not mind!), but some are rather mad kings. Some forget they are ill and come to have fun. I think they are best illustrated by this Smiley I found on the wall of the Boatyard in Barbados.
They are so ill to even go outside the hospital but they all want to come on the cruise. Please do not forget your medication and do not put it in the suitcases… They occasionally get lost, honest! You work hard, but when you have some time you party hard! There are gyms, sauna, Jacuzzis, enormous theatre on 3 stores, amazing bars,
This is Down Beat Jazz Bar
And this is Apollo Piano Bar
karaoke, library, pools, golf, disco, sun deck and even a waterslide and running track on the top deck. And if you are still bored there is wireless internet, Internet Café… and if you are still bored go and see the islands. And if you are still bored there is something wrong with you, man…
Many people when they get into the Rotunda forget to look in their feet and … I deal with the consequences. I know it is breathtaking, but please be careful!
And if you are really rich or really lucky this is the Millionaire’s Club. Las Vegas in the middle of the ocean!
And did I mentioned the restaurants? Of course I did. There are some pictures.
The Criterion Lounge
Universe Dining Room (Room?????) There is even a photogalery, and art auctions and…I better stop here. Tomorrow I will tell you about Dominica. Promise!
Another day, another port…
This time it is Antigua. There are … 365 beaches. One for each day of the year. The capital and the largest city is St. John. And guess what… it is St John outside the cabin window.
I can barely wait to run down the gangway and suddenly I remember that I must be back at 12:00. I am going to have a class in something called “crowd management”. I will have about 3 hours. Too little for any of the 365 beaches! So I grab my laptop and run to the nearest bar with free wireless. This is THE COAST! I order a cocktail and sit at the bar.
Two hours later I already squeezed whatever juice was left in computer’s batteries and decided to walk around the souvenir and jewelry shops down the Heritage Quay.
You can see the animated inflatable dummy of The King just outside The King’s Casino. It provokes a smile in every American tourist…
Than I see an intriguing tower. Clock tower without a clock. And as if sensing my thoughts a friendly local shouts: ‘No money! No money to bye the clock, but we have the tower now…’
Then another one offers me taxi, another a pair of sandals, another something carved rather primitively or just asking for money for the song he sang.
And then I see a Rasta man sucking on his smoky source of relaxation. He catches my disapproval and smiles back. Than pulls a T-shirt and offers it to me. I am about to refuse it when I read … Same shit … different island.
Only on the Caribbeans someone would invite you in the shop with pirates or skeletons at the entrance. I have a whole collection of these now. The shop keeper smiles at me and whispers: ‘What happens in Antigua, stays in Antigua!’
People here are very smart. This is a monument and a lamp post, not just a useless unnecessary carved stone.
I must come back! There are only 365 beaches to explore after all!
