CARIBBEAN CRUISE
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Donnie and I recently returned from a weeklong Caribbean cruise and had a fabulous time. On our first day we met with our Californian friends DeWitt and Ron. This was our third cruise, their second and this was the first time that Donnie and I traveled with a "clique". Our respective staterooms (cabins) were small and windowless, but cozy. After getting settled and calling maintenance to fix our safe, we went to have lunch. The spread of food was enormous with everything from hamburgers/hot dogs and fries to salads to chicken/beef dishes to Indian/Chinese fare to omelettes cooked on the spot and topped off with a dizzying array of fruit, sweet treats like cookies,cakes and gelatin desserts. I know that I'm leaving out a lot, but that's what I can remember for now. And you don't go on a cruise to begin a diet, you will fail! The gym onboard was usually empty most of time.
Next up, was getting ourselves oriented on the boat. There were thirteen decks and ship was as long as maybe two football fields! Well, after all of that, it was time to prepare for dinner! Before dinner there was a welcome aboard party for our very large gay group (900 out of about 2400 passengers) in which we caught up with old friends and acquaintances and attempted to make new ones. The attire in the formal dining hall tonight was casual. The four of us had a table to ourselves. Last year, Donnie and I sat at a large table in which there was one obnoxious tablemate who made everyone else uncomfortable. So, this table setup was a refreshing and safe change. Besides, we wanted to catch up with our friends who we hadn't seen for three years! The food in the main dining hall was like eating at a four star restaurant every night. We had several courses each evening with appetizers like shrimp cocktail and smoked duck on arugula and entrees that we enjoyed included Maine lobster and Norwegian salmon. Desserts that we savored were a delicious cheesecake, strawberry shortcake and gourmet apple pie. I'm hungry now!
Day 2 - First port of call - Key West - We elected to do the gay trolley tour which was hosted by an excellent transgendered driver and guide. She told us in fascinating detail about all of the popular sights, gay and straight and gave us some very interesting historical tidbits as well (like the roosters running wild all over the place were legally protected). The streets in Key West were somewhat narrow and she kept her cool when a rude driver initially refused to get out of the way. A lot of info was given in a New York fast-paced manner, but Key West had a rather colorful history.
After the tour, we decided to go to Ernest Hemingway's house.
I thought that eleven dollars admission per person was a little steep, just to see a house, but when we met our droll guide who looked like he just stepped off of the set of Clint Eastwood's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I knew that eleven dollars was a bargain. Cat lovers rejoice! Hemingway was a feline lover. He seemed to love cats as much as women and alcohol! He even had a cat cemetery built right on the property! We also learned intriguing facts about his many wives.
We needed "siestas" after all of that early touring. Later that evening we went disco dancing and just like last year, the gays dominated the dancefloor. Gays and disco go well together!
Day 3 - Cozumel Beach Party - Donnie and I would have never attended this function if DeWitt and Ron were not with us because we thought that it would be just a bunch of drunkards lying around the beach. We thought, "Boring"! There was definitely some imbibing going on, including our pal, Ron, but we didn't partake. But, this beach outing wound up being the surprise of the cruise! We had a fabulous time. Giant trampolines were placed fifty yards from the shore and Donnie and I went out there to try them out. A tad disappointing, since in the water, you don't get the same kind of bounce that you would get on solid ground. But, then we played volleyball (which I hadn't done for eons!) and had tons of fun and meet several other cruisers. Donnie's skin is very fair, but with ample sunblock, thank goodness he did not burn since we were out in the Mexican sun for hours!
Day 4 - Tour of Belize and Mayan Ruins - Take a busload of gay men, two cool, young, female Belize tour guides and about a hundred questions asked (by me and Donnie) and you had recipe for a most excellent adventure! The recently developed Altun Ha ruins were interesting, but a far cry from the crown jewel of Mayan Ruins in the vicinity (Chichen Itza). I got bitten by a lizard (gecko). Those creatures always looked so cute from afar! 
Day 5 - No official tours planned. The four of us took an unguided tour of Playa Del Carmen. Donnie and I were here ten years ago. We were amazed with this small, sleepy seaside town's growth which had been in the shadow of its much noisier northern brother, Cancun. Happily, the growth is still under control and this charming town on the so-called, "Mayan Riviera" has maintained its quaintness.
In the beach picture our cruise ship is in the background
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Had an even fancier dinner at the upscale restaurant aboard the cruise ship which was a stiff (not!) twenty dollars per person, but offered slightly better food than the formal dining hall. Selections included skewered seafood dish and a Tiger shrimp course. And in celebration of DeWitt's birthday we had a bottle of champagne.
That evening we attended a,"Grease" singalong with a few men dressed like Sandy (Olivia Newton John) and I dressed like Danny (a slim John Travolta). Not a particularly successful event.
Day 6 - Day at Sea - Last event of the week was exclusively for our gay group - The Newlywed Game. There were four partners ranging from: one coupled only three months to another together for thirty-one years and everything in-between. It was hosted by comedian Bruce Vilanch who was hysterical! You may remember him as one of the, "squares" in the new version of The Hollywood Squares which had Whoopi Goldberg in the center square and was broadcast for about a minute a few years back. He also has written material for the Oscars.
Last dinner for this cruise. DeWitt had a birthday onboard and a rich chocolate cake was brought out to celebrate, but I couldn't have any, since chocolate makes me break out.
Day 7- Last breakfast and goodbyes were in order and Donnie, DeWitt, Ron and I got along fabulously and didn't kill each other! Can't wait to travel again with them!
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