Birds in Flight

Just in case there are any bird watchers in the audience, I was able to add a few to my life list on the cruise along with seeing many old friends. While these particular birds are not roasted or fricasseed, they might still be of interest to some folks.

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a small pelican found in the Americas. This possibly immature specimen was photographed in the Port of Galveston.

I’m not sure what this specimen is, though it was flying blithely along side the Carnival Breeze in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico when it was photographed.

 

A feral chicken was the only bird spotted during our stop in Montego Bay, Jamaica. apparently what used to be a household food bird there, became a neighborhood standard as the bird ran loose and bred. I’m told by a local that they are everywhere and are treated sort of as community pets.

 

Frigatebirds (also listed as “frigate bird” or “frigate-petrel”) are a family of seabirds  which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. This specimen appears to be a magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens). It was photographed along the coastline of George Town on Grand Cayman.

 

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is also called fish eagle, sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk across it’s rather cosmopolitan range. It appears on all the continents with the exception of Antarctica, though this specimen was photographed along the coast of Cozumel, Mexico.

 

My bet is on this bird being some species of cormorant. This specimen was perched on the forward rigging of the Carmival Breeze while we were at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Any assistance in identifying the two unknowns is most appreciated.

— Ann Cathey

 

Cruise Cuisine – Jamaica

When one visits another country, it’s expected that you will look up local foods to try out. In Jamaica, that food would have to be jerked. Jerk chicken, goat, or conch matters not – you have to try something jerked at least once.

We only had one opportunity, and it turned out to be a good one. At the back end of the Shoppes at Rose Hall lies a large deck with a bar at the back end. That deck and bar offer some very tasty jerk indeed.

The jerk chicken was plentiful, served with a couple of corn fritters and some generously hot and flavorful sauce. My partner and I were able to enjoy not only the signature dish of Jamaica, but had the added bonus of washing down with a Red Stripe.

 

We were able to explore the duty-free shops in the complex as well, most of them being typical of the tourist trade. There was a coffee house featuring Blue Mountain and High mountain coffees in both whole bean and ground varieties, several shops offering the gamut of tchotchkes from t-shirts to shot glasses, and the ever present round of jewelers.

One enterprising gentleman had a sidewalk display of wooden sculptures, two of which followed me home.

There was a vendor of fresh coconut, which he hacked open for visitors with a machete.

There were a few history lessons available.

Of course there were several individuals sporting local color.

 

Jamaica is an amazing place, even from what little we were able to cram into a single days visit. There is so much more to see, and we hope to be able to go back again and again.

–Ann Cathey

Cruise Highlights

There’s more to a cruise than just the eats, though the food is definitely something to be enjoyed, both on board ship and at every stop. There’s a lot more food to be shared, but maybe it’s time for some images from the trip itself!

Our first sight of blue water.

 

A few bits of Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Lovely singers greeting passengers.

Open marketplace on the Hop On Hop Off line.

PArt fo the famous mountains of Jamaica.

 

Some sights around George Town, Grand Cayman.

Christopher and the big map at the Welcome Center.

7 Mile Beach and that clear, blue water!

Elmslie Memorial United church, established 1846.

 

The Island of Cozumel, Mexico, likewise had plenty of local color to share.

A hammock at a beach-side restaurant.

Crystal clear waters.

A “native” performer in the market.

 

While I couldn’t capture the splendor of our own ship at night, I caught one of our docking neighbors under a full moon in Jamaica.

Enjoy!

— Ann Cathey

 

 

 

Cruisin’ Cuisine

My partner in crime and I were treated to a Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Breeze earlier this month. Along with some other WanderingTexans, we visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

Carnival Breeze at Grand Cayman. Shown here with two tenders who ferried passengers back and forth to the mainland.

While this may not be a big deal to some folks, it was a lifetime achievement event for us. We not only ate local at each stop, we also enjoyed the creative talents of the Breeze’s Executive Chef Joaquin R. Dias. The man is a genius to be able to do what he does for as many people as are served aboard ship.

Dos XX daft beer in Cozumel

 

We managed to get photos of most of the delectable treats and exquisite main dishes we sampled on this trip, and I will be posting them in groups for your viewing pleasure. From the simple to the elaborate, it was a foodies’ delight!

I truly hope you enjoy the upcoming posts about the things we were able to see and eat/drink while on this wonderful adventure.

–Ann Cathey