7 Day Tropical Caribbean on the Neiuw Statendam

[scubacruiserx2]

  

  We met Henry and our driver promptly at 9:30 which felt like 8:30 due to our spring forward  clock resetting . We headed out to our first stop about 20 minutes away and Henry told us a little about the DR . It is one of the islands in the Caribbean occupied by more than 1 county . Hispaniola contains the Dominican Republic which occupies 5/8 ths of the island and Haiti the rest .

Saint Martin is occupied by the French and Sint Maarten by the Dutch . The main part of the economy is based on tourism and agrobusiness with most of the fruits and vegetables in Grand Turk and the Caribbean coming from there .

  Our first stop was at the Macorix House of Rum .

 

 

While waiting for our tour to begin Pat waited in the high chair 

 

 

There was a short video that mentioned that the sugar cane grown there was imported from the Canary Islands

 

 

The short tour ended with about numerous pours of different rums . It was about 10 AM on a Sunday morning .

 

 

 

The tour ended with the opportunity to purchase some Rum across the street which we did for some friends .

 

 

The bottle was scanned when we re boarded the ship but not collected .

[Haljo1935]

Thanks for sharing all the great Turks beach pictures  - they're stunning!

[scubacruiserx2]

11 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Thanks for sharing all the great Turks beach pictures  - they're stunning!

 

  You're welcome . We have rediscovered a couple of dearly departed threads and photos from them of Grand Turk and The DR , which we will finish first before returning to our quite place , Grand Turk . If we learned anything from our  BC years ( Before Covid ) , it was how to go into the save mode again for future travel cash only and to really enjoy our trips and not take them for granted . Consequently , the first 2 trips we took are a return to the good old days with fewer people onboard the trips and a enhanced bonding process with the crew members that we met on the cruise as we found fewer pre cruise travelers on CC Roll Calls willing to meet and share private excursions .

Edited May 16 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

The next stop in Puerto Plata was the downtown Independence Square .

 

 

 

 

 

 

As it was a Sunday , church was having services . We wanted to go into the Philip the Apostle Cathedral to see and photograph it and Henry asked and they said that we would come back later when the services were over .

 

 

There was a Nativity Manger scene there in the square

 

 

Henry wanted us to try the green coconut water and the soft coconut scooped out from inside the coconut . With a couple of swipes of his machete the top flew off revealing our drink and snack and at $ 1.00 - it was the bargain of the day . And with that treat we had no need of a laxative ! Of course we didn't have that problem that sometimes comes with jet lag from long flights since our first couple ones were from our home port of Port Everglades . 

 

 

Edited May 16 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

  

We next walked to Pasa de Dona Blanca aka Pepto Bismo alley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  This passage was a place featured on Amazing Race last week . It use to be one of our favorite shows with the travel format but after this most recent version results , we felt like there was a lot pre determined manipulation of the show giving a clear advantage to the winners . It reminded us of the movie Quiz Show .

Edited May 16 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

Next up was Umbrella Street

 

 

Where there was a chocolate shop with Cacoa pod , some dried beans and a free shot size sample of hot chocolate 

 

 

 

 

Of course there was an opportunity to shop

 

 

When we tried to make a purchase our card was rejected . Thinking that we had enough petty cash in a camera bag we found out that $ 50.00 wasn't petty enough and walked away . At our next stop the card worked and we found some extra cash and returned to almost empty Umbrella Street and completed our chocolate purchase with cash since the card still didn't work at the shop .

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

The next stop was at  Loma Isabel de Torres  . The mountain stands 799 M ( 2600 ' ) and is usually traveled by a cable car , but because of Covid , the car was not running .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

The wind turbines near Amber Cove

 

 

Puerto Plata and the new cruise port Taino Bay

 

 

 This small version of the Christ the Redeemer statute was a gift from Rio de Janeiro .

 

[scubacruiserx2]

  

 It's about 2600' to the top of mountain where there is a garden with many plants that grow here in South Florida .

 

Stag horn fern

 

 

Shrimp plant

 

 

 

Hibiscus

 

 

White Bird of Paradise

 

 

 

This one we don't know . Anyone ?

 

 

It must have been the thin air

 

 

The Australian Pine

 

 

It's an invasive species that Florida is trying to eradicate but you saw them in Grand Turk and HMC .

 

http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/australian-pine-one-of-floridas-least.html

 

[Haljo1935]

Once again, great pictures. Looks like you really had nice weather - such blue skies. As soon as I saw your pink pictures, I instantly thought of Amazing Race.

[scubacruiserx2]

4 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Once again, great pictures. Looks like you really had nice weather - such blue skies. As soon as I saw your pink pictures, I instantly thought of Amazing Race.

 

 

 We did have nice weather as it's less rainy on that visit . The original name of the mountain was Monte de Plata  ( Silver Mountain ) given by Columbus in 1493 . It was called that because there were clouds on the mountain reflecting the Sun making them shine like silver . It was nice that it wasn't cloudy when we visited that time .

[scubacruiserx2]

  The next stop was Fort San Felipe is a historic Spanish fortress located in the north of Dominican Republic in the province of Puerto Plata.

Is also known as El Morro de San Felipe and was used to protect the City of Puerto Plata from pirates and corsairs. The Fort was the scene of one of the few land battles in the Quasi War, against the United States in May, 1800. The Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor saw American forces overwhelm both the French and Spanish forces.

Wikipedia

We were greeted immediately by a jewelry salesman as soon as we exited the van . Fortunately No gracis worked .

 

 

 

 

The most exciting view was of the new Taino Bay cruise port that leaves you within walking distance from the Park Central instead of a 20 minute ride from Amber Cove . 

 

 

 

 You can see the fort at the entrance to the Taino Bay at this map and how much closer it is to the Downtown . But true to form Carnival wants to keep their ports distant to keep people and their money on their property . Like Puerta Maya in  Cozumel .

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Amber+Cove+Cruise+Port,+Maimón,+57000,+Dominican+Republic/Taíno+Bay+Cruise+Port,+Shore+Excursions,+Av.+Antigua+Via+Férrea+Muelle+Turístico+entre+Av.+Penetración+Portuaria+y,+Calle+Duarte,+Puerto+Plata+57000,+Dominican+Republic/@19.8172764,-70.7516183,14.23z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8eb1ee132d97414f:0xbca5aa1607ca81a2!2m2!1d-70.7736685!2d19.8328421!1m5!1m1!1s0x8eb1ee13703e8675:0x914cfc3440ac95eb!2m2!1d-70.7014144!2d19.79762?entry=ttu

 

Edited May 17 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

Darwin's peppered moth on the menu for parrots

 

 

 

 

A stairway to a heavenly view ( but felt like HE double hockey sticks to our old knees ) .

 

 

Photo stop for Neptune Statue

 

 

We did stop at the cathedral but it was closed . Back at the port with Henry ( He looks like Tiger woods to us )

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

And the long walk back .

 

 

 

Walking back with a couple of photo stops

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

 After a quick pit stop and bag drop we hustled up to the Retreat . It was about 3:30 and with no lunch stop we were ready to eat the paint chips off the wall . But we settled for a Back flip chicken and a Dive in Dog .

 

 

 

 

Back in the cabin and time for a quick nap before sailing and Dinner .

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

  A little more of Grand Turk when we first visited there on New Years Day 2022 , our first cruise after Covid on HAL . Our usual dive shop was closed for the Holiday so we didn't bring or rent gear . This future trip in November we will bring our own gear .

 We got a look at the island of Grand Turk as we pulled in next to the Carnival Magic 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw a fish near the surface and behind the Magic . We think that it was a Mahi Mahi .

 

 

  

Edited May 19 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

The Magic looked close enough to touch from our deck

 

 

A side order of hot tubs

 

 

A look at the Water Works

 

 

A tail of the Whale Part 

 

 

Forward to the port

 

 

Almost ready to go ashore

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

   The amazing race HAL style

 

 

Cruise Center log jam

 

 

End run right around the building and breathing free air . Maps of the cruise center and the island .

 

 

 

  We were headed for the Big black , T on the map

 

Edited May 19 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

  

 We made our way to the Taxi stand and let the first one go by as we made our request to the expediter . We wanted to stop at a certain point and he said that it was no problem . As it was NY day some places were closed . The Taxi was about a 12 passenger van which was more like a Jitney than a Taxi . We set in the 2nd row thinking that we would be let off first and made our request for a stop to the driver . The price was $5.00 pp which is 100 X's what the original jitneys cost at nickel a head and gave them the name Jitney which was slang for a nickel . We passed by our stop and dropped off all of the people at the downtown area of Cockburn and picked up a new batch of people headed further North to a beach where they could ride horses on the beach . All except 2 got out . We reminded the driver of where we wanted to get out and he stopped on the way back to the port . Thus we got a mini tour of the island . We were still early and neither of the places that we wanted to eat at were open . We stopped at our usual dive shop and they were closed .

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was still pleasant and mostly shady along the way

 

 

We stopped at the house that the lighthouse keeper lived in and was built by him back in the 1850's .

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

  We stopped at lunch B location and enjoyed the beach and view . It was nice , quite and uncrowded - just what we wanted  We chatted with some visitors from Illinois who were going snorkeling .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

Lunch B location

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

  

The day's menu at the A place

 

 

The grill

 

 

Turk's Head Lager

 

 

The crowd and the big picture

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

  

   We called for a taxi back to the port and the Queen Bee a lady older than we showed up . We were the only ones and we asked Miss Bee to stop at the airport sign . There was a mock up of John Glenn's capsule , and a Turk's head cacti at the sign .

 

 

 

The red cap that tops the cacti is where it got it's name as it resembles a Turkish fez hat . And it's where the Turks islands derives their name .

 

 

The walk away 

 

Edited May 22 by scubacruiserx2

[mexico8]

On 5/16/2024 at 3:16 PM, scubacruiserx2 said:

  

We next walked to Pasa de Dona Blanca aka Pepto Bismo alley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  This passage was a place featured on Amazing Race last week . It use to be one of our favorite shows with the travel format but after this most recent version results , we felt like there was a lot pre determined manipulation of the show giving a clear advantage to the winners . It reminded us of the movie Quiz Show .

If you are referring to the mother/son who were last because they were maid to wait for the "crew" who got lost, then I am also annoyed with this format and what was done.  I have been a fan for a very long time of the Amazing Race but  was very annoyed with this tactic and felt it was very unfair.

 

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, mexico8 said:

If you are referring to the mother/son who were last because they were maid to wait for the "crew" who got lost, then I am also annoyed with this format and what was done.  I have been a fan for a very long time of the Amazing Race but  was very annoyed with this tactic and felt it was very unfair.

 

 

 Yes , that was a first for us . The crew are paid professionals who should have tailed their target group closely . They had a crew member who was with them filming their group in the car and the other crew who got lost . They should have been in radio contact and /or waited for the lost crew group to catch up to their assigned group - the mother and her son who were clear contenders .  Too many  "coincidences " to be believable .

  Additionally , the race began outside of the US , in Mexico which is the first time that we recall it not beginning in the US . The first and second place teams had Hispanic heritage and language skills and all of the race locations  ( except Barbados ) were Spanish speaking .  The first place team had a chef on their team and cooking Spanish street food was a task . Finally , they returned to Philadelphia where the first place team had one of it's members reside for a while - many clear advantages to the team that won the Race and had the most weekly wins . It reminded us of the movie Quiz Show where the outcomes were tilted in one direction to boost viewers for the show .

Edited May 22 by scubacruiserx2