Documenting the dream western caribbean 01/21-28/2012; the money monkey goes cruising

[radrayjax]

Dang! Just missed you on timing. Hope you see this tonight. That cooler might not fly unless it's 12"x12"x12". You might be able to clooaspe it and pack in your suitcase. You have to carry on the soda. Stop at a WalMart and buy a small travel dolly or cheap roller duffel bag for the sodas and chocolate. Either way, Good Luck and have a great cruise. We'll be waiting for your missives when you return.

 

Thanks for your concern. You can't tell from the photo but the cooler IS a rolling suitcase of sorts. The handle pulls out and it has wheels. It is also soft sided so it may fly as is.

[radrayjax]

NOTE: I noticed that some of my early posts have been deleted by the powers that be. It makes some of what I said early on disjointed.

 

Continuing….

 

We live about 2 ½ hours from Port Canaveral and I could have easily made the port from Jacksonville in plenty of time to get on board by lunch if we decided to go down the morning of the cruise. If we did go down the morning of the cruise I would be too antsy. I would hardly be able to sleep the night before and I always have insomnia the night before a major trip.

 

However, my mom lives in Titusville which is only half and hour from Port Canaveral. So we drove to Titusville and arrived shortly after 5:00PM.

 

Map of Jacksonville to Titusville trip.

 

Everybody likes to talk about where they stay pre-cruise. We are staying at the exclusive RMB&B. That’s Ray’s Mom’s Bed and Breakfast. Below are a couple of shots from the RMB&B. If the garage looks remotely familiar it is because that’s where the photo of the giant fish and I was taken in 1968. One of the nice things about staying at the RMB&B is that it is free. But only if you have the right credentials.

 

 

 

 

The proprietor of the RMB&B (Ray’s Mom)

 

Here is the mascot of the RMB&B AKA her fur daughter Haley (AKA Ray’s fur sister).

Haley is the latest in a long line of Pekinese that my family has had. My family, including my sister, has had Pekinese dogs since 1963. Harkening back to another picture to remember is this photo from the late 1960’s of my father’s boat with our first Peke in the foreground. I said we’d get back to the dog and so we have. The most important lesson I’ve ever learned about owning a Peke, or any small dog I learned about 45 years ago. I can’t stress enough how important this is.

 

The night before a vacation to the Smokey Mountains my mother make a chuck roast and none of us liked it. So she fed it to Choo-Choo (see photo below). Well that little dog lapped it up. Unfortunately, during the drive north Choo-Choo had gas. It was so bad that we had to drive with the windows down, even in the blazing summer. So remember, NEVER, and I mean NEVER, feed a small dog a large chuck roast the night before a long drive.

[radrayjax]

This is our room at the RMB&B.

 

Without settling in we took my mother to the world famous Dixie Crossroads seafood restaurant on Garden Street, SR 406, mile marker 220 on I-95 (about three miles east of the interstate).

 

West side of Dixie Crossroads

 

Pond on the west side of Dixie Crossroads

 

Another view of the pond on the west side of Dixie Crossroads

 

Turtles in the pond…

[radrayjax]

DIXIE CROSSROADS CONTINUED...

 

Below is the Dixie specialty and mascot, Mr. Rock Shrimp. Rock Shrimp are like miniature lobsters and have thicker shells than other varieties of shrimp. They are best broiled or steamed with spices and are served with drawn butter.

 

 

 

Everybody gets a basket of delicious corn fritters covered in powdered sugar (FREE!)

 

I had 1 ½ dozen the rock shrimp steamed with Old Bay spices ($17.99).

 

Fran had a cup of clam chowder as one of her appetizers. This was good but not earth shattering.

 

I present the above as contrast. Last September we were visiting my mother and went to Dixie. Fran was not too hungry that night and just ordered a bowl of chowder, thinking that it would only be a few ounces more than the cup. Little did she know…

[radrayjax]

Dixie Crossroads final shots.....

 

Fran had 1 dozen of the rock shrimp fried ($13.99)

 

 

A framed stained glass window of rock shrimp at Dixie.

 

THAT's REALLY it pre-trip. We're up to date.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1550338

 

Copy the URL of this thread because it is sure to dissappear over the next few dates. Or, keep throwing comments at it to keep it visible.

 

Thanks for watching...

[jimbug]

Holy buckets, this is the start to one detailed review! And yet, I'm oddly intrigued and can't wait to read more after your trip! Enjoy your cruise!

[bfree32]

SIR....I hope you have a great time on your vacation. But seriously, the word eccentric does not begin to explain you. I was hoping for a great review of the Dream, but this is over the top. Various Personality types come to mind as I read your tangential zig-zag of life's experiences. In a few posts you have somehow attempted to tie together pictures of your wife (the one on the right), a cruise you went on many years ago and ZOCOR. That is outstanding!!!!!!!!!

 

Your Life Review is not a cruise review.....it makes me long for a cruise review that begins with: We got on the ship, ate lunch at the Lido deck and explored until the muster drill......

[travlngrl1996]

Subscribing. This is starting off very interesting. I can't wait to read more. Have fun on your cruise!!:)

[nodogkisses]

I think I'm gonna miss his storytelling this week......

[Melismass]

Ray, you are one strange dude! But for some reason, I kind of get you! I cant wait to read about the Dream (In great detail). Im sailing her on 3/17/12 in a cove balcony on the Main Deck! We wont be fishing from our balcony though! Can someone please tell me how to subscribe please?

[funinthesun86]

Can someone please tell me how to subscribe please?

 

To subscribe to a thread, open the thread, go to Thread Tools at the top right and choose Subscribe.

[nodogkisses]

I wonder what Ray is doing right now? I wold love to run into him on a cruise. So interesting.

[Melismass]

I wonder what Ray is doing right now? I wold love to run into him on a cruise. So interesting.

 

He sure is! I love interesting people and he sure fits the bill. I hope he has a great time and doesnt spend the whole cruise "working".

[LoveCruiseing]

You're losing me fast - started out strongly & with conviction, then the sudden shift to things non-Dream.... coins, sharks, sheeeesh !!

 

Let's get on with it !

 

I agree going to far off subject

[JoanK]

...wow!!!!! ..what a review:confused:;):D:D

 

JoanK

[Redsfan]

interesting review so far...if we are able to cruise in early December we are looking at East or West on the Dream maybe..come that time you may actually be half way through the Dream portion..

Cheers

[BenjiRodney]

Loved the start, can wait to read the rest of your report.

[mondello]

Ray, sorry if I tried to interject some humor with my previous post. I have quit watching Short Attention Span Theater and have pushed all-in here. I believe you have achieved a cult following here and your thread is in little danger of being buried. Best wishes on your current cruise and can't wait to read every last detail.

[dogbert's mom]

I'm hooked! Its kind of like passing an accident and not being able to take your eyes off of it. Can't wait for Ray to return and read the rest of the review.

[radrayjax]

Ray, you are one strange dude! But for some reason, I kind of get you! I cant wait to read about the Dream (In great detail). Im sailing her on 3/17/12 in a cove balcony on the Main Deck! We wont be fishing from our balcony though! Can someone please tell me how to subscribe please?

 

THANKS! I'm BACK!

I'm not sure about subscribing but to SEARCH for the thread here is the URL:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1550338

[radrayjax]

5382 -- HAVE I GOT YOUR ATTENTION??

 

I'M BACK.

 

THE ABOVE STATISTIC IS THE NUMBER OF PHOTOS I TOOK!

 

I would HATE to think of the processing costs if I used FILM!

 

I reviewed most of the photos on the ship when uploading them to my wife's laptop and my thumb drive and deleted a fast 5% as being out of focus.

 

I will NOT be posting all of them as part of this write up. WHEW! Big sigh of relief on your part. HOWEVER, I must go through ALL of them and process them along the way (compress, rotate as required, brighten AR, CROP, etc) to find the best of the lot that tell the story of the ship and the trip.

 

The above stat does NOT include over 100 scans in process of documents, letters, hand outs, and most especially, EIGHT editions of the FUN TIMES from the cruise.

 

I spent three hours last night starting processing and scanning.

 

I WILL be posting new material this evening!

 

THANKS to all of you who commented and hung in there in my absence.

 

I endeavored to meet my two major goals during the trip. Time, and you will tell how well I do.

 

See you later this evening....

 

radray

[radrayjax]

Dang! Just missed you on timing. Hope you see this tonight. That cooler might not fly unless it's 12"x12"x12". You might be able to clooaspe it and pack in your suitcase. You have to carry on the soda. Stop at a WalMart and buy a small travel dolly or cheap roller duffel bag for the sodas and chocolate. Either way, Good Luck and have a great cruise. We'll be waiting for your missives when you return.

 

Crewsweeper, thanks for your concern. It was unnecessary. The cooler passed through security with flying colors.

[Pepperw23]

Welcome back!! Can't WAIT to read your review. I admit, I am strangely interested in your report. So much so I came on CC tonight just to see if you were back yet. ha ha. So git' typin' :p

[scopewest]

I love your review and can't wait for more. I also saw Gene Roddenberry in person back in the '70s at a Star Trek convention or maybe it was a seminar (nobody was wearing costumes and it only lasted three hours or so) where he showed the blooper reel from the TV show and promised us that yes, there would be a Star Trek movie one of these days!

 

Ah, youth.

[mondello]

 

Crewsweeper, thanks for your concern. It was unnecessary. The cooler passed through security with flying colors.

Glad to hear your cooler passed muster. I wanted to get one like that but didn't wish to donate it at check-in. Take your time, don't omit anything and tell every last detail. I'm curious if you did a thesis or any dissertations back in the day?