Week in St. Croix
Bob decided he'd rather stay in one place for a week rather than go to a different place every night on a ship. So I booked us for a week in St. Croix where we have only been once for a day (on a cruise). We stayed the night before the flight at the Hampton Inn (where we could also leave the car for $5/night).
We went to G&M's for dinner and Bob had the Maryland crab soup, and the $15.00 crab cake sandwich. He got fries with that. As usual he ate the crab cake (with the cocktail sauce) and not the bun
I had the broccoli Alfredo which was the special for $12.00. We didn't have dessert.
When we got back to the hotel, I looked for the cord to download the photos from the camera and could not find it. (Last time I lost my lens cap)
Bob helped me and we took my suitcase and carry-on and pocketbook all apart, and finally we found it where I put it in with the snorkeling camera.
Saturday Feb 1
Bob went and got me a bagel and a banana and cranberry juice for breakfast and I got dressed and repacked my carry-on bag and we were out in the lobby about 8 for the shuttle to the airport. We are taking the new scooter in its suitcase so we can check it. The scooter is in the big bag with the rainbow strap
The guy dropped us off at the airport at about 8:15, and the wheelchair and gate check guys came out to get our stuff. Then there was a problem with the scooter. The lady said it was non-powered, right, and Bob instead of saying that it was not powered now, said that it had a battery.
It took several phone calls before they finally allowed that if I put the battery in my carry-on instead of in the bag with the scooter (and the scooter bag weighs 81 lbs with the battery), that I could carry it on. In order to get it in there, I took out my hairbrush, my inhaler and my power strip and put them in with the scooter.
We were still two hours early for the flight. Bob went and got some water in one of the water bottles. and I sat and read my Kindle which is really the first time I've used it.
Bob putting his money/passport back in his pouch
BWI has this black stealth tower
It was cold and I could see ice on the rivers and sometimes snow on the ice
This is the Potomac River and the US 301 bridge crossing it. If you look next to the bridge you can see the steam coming from the smoke stacks of the Morgantown MD power plant which is on the south Maryland side of the bridge.
The island here is St. Clements Island which is where the first Maryland settlers landed. It has been eroded since then.
The landscape is warmer here in Florida - I think this is Hillsboro Inlet
and Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades with no cruise ships in port
Landing in Miami
(I told Bob the pilot must have been a Navy pilot because he set us down HARD). I was met with a wheelchair and the wheelchair guy took us on the Skytram from gate 11 to gate 46.
After we got to the gate, I went to see what we could get to eat and told Bob I wanted a spinach cheese turnover, and he must have gone to a completely different place - he got two submarine sandwiches and two bottles of juice. We ate one of the subs for lunch. Then I went to go to the bathroom and got lost on the way back. I asked a wheelchair guy and he put me in the wheelchair and wheeled me back.
Finally our plane was called - it wasn't full. I saw them load the Luggie scooter and Bob's bag (his is the brown one in the middle of the conveyor) but didn't see mine
The sun set and it got dark. I finished reading another book on the Kindle.
We landed pretty much on time. The guy at the bottom of the gangway with the wheelchairs wheeled me in to the door into the airport which someone had to let us in. Then he stayed at the door to let the flight crew through and the door lady wheeled me in to the luggage claim. I saw Budget on the way and told Bob to go get the car. (Bob at the Budget window)
Which he did. I stayed with the luggage. The Luggie came out first and a 'red cap' put it on the cart. Then my bag came and then Bob's came last. We got everything into the car. (Our rental car license)
It was now about 9 pm Atlantic time. We asked at the exit gate how to get to the highway and managed that OK. Then the second turn onto Queens Highway - that went fine. I thought to turn on my phone and allow it to find us and when it did, we were in Christensted. We had gone too far. So we turned around to try again.
We ended up back near the airport. We went into a convenience store/gas station to ask. He basically told us to keep bearing left. He also told us that the Hibiscus Beach Resort (where we were staying) was in Princess. So I asked the phone to find Princess on the map. It did. But somewhere we went wrong and turned too soon or too late (keep in mind that Bob is driving on the left and all the headlights are glaring in his eyes because the cars are LH drive from the US with their headlights pointed to the right), and the roads are twisty and narrow and have no road signs. I am trying to figure out where we need to go on the phone.) This time we ended up at a gated community.
The guy that was there gave us additional directions (and actually followed us to see that we found it). Later, when I looked in the glove compartment I found the directions that Budget had given us to get to the hotel all underlined so we would know the right way to go.... except I hadn't known it was there.
At the hotel there was a NY number to call for after hours (I had tried the regular number but it didn't answer). The man came down and gave us room 20. He also gave me directions how to log into the internet. We were to have been in Room 1 which I could have driven to in the scooter. Room 20 had three huge one foot high cement speed bumps to be traversed. No way could I do it on the scooter.
We brought in all the bags except the scooter and unpacked. Since we did not bring in the scooter bag that meant that I didn't have the cord to download photos from my camera. Which is why I didn't download the photos until Sunday morning. I did log onto the internet and we watched TV.
We had a small fridge
And a coffee pot, but no microwave
Sunday Feb 2
We got up late as we were up late last night. Bob went and got the scooter bag (which had been opened by the TSA) and my pocketbook out of the car.
Bob wanted to get breakfast at the restaurant so we walked over. The office was open, so we went in and finished registering. We also got keys with the correct room number (ours had been for room 19)
We asked about getting a second washcloth, how to turn on the A/C, and whether they were having regular breakfast or Brunch. That was when we found out that the restaurant was closed. They recommended that we go to The Palms, which we did..
I had Eggs Benedict
and Bob had scrambled eggs.
This is more or less what we would have on a cruise (for free/included). Cost $29 including a $5.00 tip.
I decided to go to Kingshill Cemetery as it was big enough that I thought I could find it. After a few wrong turns, including going down a road labeled Drit Road (which I think was meant to be Dirt Road as it was worse than the roads in Costa Rica), we did find the cemetery.
The gate sign said it was open on Sunday until 3 and since it was already 3, I was afraid to leave the car in the cemetery for fear we would get locked in. Bob got the scooter out and we started off in opposite directions to take photos. Bob of course was walking along among the graves taking individual photos. He was apparently in the section of the cemetery where the people who died in 1977-1982 were buried plus there was a section of tiny graves of babies.
This building (a not so good photo but I didn't know what it was when I took it) is the grave of Cyril King
Among other things he was a US Virgin Islands elected governor and the St. Thomas airport is named for him.
Meanwhile I took what photos I could from the scooter. I eventually figured out that I could get over the speed bumps without grounding the scooter if I got two wheels on the cut-out which I guess they have for bicycles. I saw another road farther along in the cemetery but I would have to go out into the parking lot to get there So I did that. I buzzed along past a gate that was shut (took a photo of some horses that were grazing there)
and into the far gate that was open. After I got back to the car, I was going to call it a day and then I saw some military markers and they are very nice and readable. I went up to that section. I had to get off and push the scooter up the last bit of the hill. I didn't take photos of all of them - my back was really hurting. Bob in the red shirt in the cemetery from the car
After Bob came back to the car, we decided to find a market. Eventually got to a big market and Bob went in and got us something to eat for breakfasts and lunches. Then we went to McDonalds and each got a 1/4 pounder and Bob got a milkshake and I got a McFlurry.... And we did get back to the hotel.
I took some photos thinking that they might do for the OOYCZ#3
but decided they didn't tell enough of a story.
Stowed our stuff and ate the food and then I started downloading photos and processing them. And watched the super bowl and charged camera batteries.
They fixed and turned on the AC but we do not know how to turn it off and it is way cold. We did turn off the ceiling fan, but Bob had to get out the blankets to sleep under.
We went to G&M's for dinner and Bob had the Maryland crab soup, and the $15.00 crab cake sandwich. He got fries with that. As usual he ate the crab cake (with the cocktail sauce) and not the bun
I had the broccoli Alfredo which was the special for $12.00. We didn't have dessert.
When we got back to the hotel, I looked for the cord to download the photos from the camera and could not find it. (Last time I lost my lens cap)
Bob helped me and we took my suitcase and carry-on and pocketbook all apart, and finally we found it where I put it in with the snorkeling camera.
Saturday Feb 1
Bob went and got me a bagel and a banana and cranberry juice for breakfast and I got dressed and repacked my carry-on bag and we were out in the lobby about 8 for the shuttle to the airport. We are taking the new scooter in its suitcase so we can check it. The scooter is in the big bag with the rainbow strap
The guy dropped us off at the airport at about 8:15, and the wheelchair and gate check guys came out to get our stuff. Then there was a problem with the scooter. The lady said it was non-powered, right, and Bob instead of saying that it was not powered now, said that it had a battery.
It took several phone calls before they finally allowed that if I put the battery in my carry-on instead of in the bag with the scooter (and the scooter bag weighs 81 lbs with the battery), that I could carry it on. In order to get it in there, I took out my hairbrush, my inhaler and my power strip and put them in with the scooter.
We were still two hours early for the flight. Bob went and got some water in one of the water bottles. and I sat and read my Kindle which is really the first time I've used it.
Bob putting his money/passport back in his pouch
BWI has this black stealth tower
It was cold and I could see ice on the rivers and sometimes snow on the ice
This is the Potomac River and the US 301 bridge crossing it. If you look next to the bridge you can see the steam coming from the smoke stacks of the Morgantown MD power plant which is on the south Maryland side of the bridge.
The island here is St. Clements Island which is where the first Maryland settlers landed. It has been eroded since then.
The landscape is warmer here in Florida - I think this is Hillsboro Inlet
and Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades with no cruise ships in port
Landing in Miami
(I told Bob the pilot must have been a Navy pilot because he set us down HARD). I was met with a wheelchair and the wheelchair guy took us on the Skytram from gate 11 to gate 46.
After we got to the gate, I went to see what we could get to eat and told Bob I wanted a spinach cheese turnover, and he must have gone to a completely different place - he got two submarine sandwiches and two bottles of juice. We ate one of the subs for lunch. Then I went to go to the bathroom and got lost on the way back. I asked a wheelchair guy and he put me in the wheelchair and wheeled me back.
Finally our plane was called - it wasn't full. I saw them load the Luggie scooter and Bob's bag (his is the brown one in the middle of the conveyor) but didn't see mine
The sun set and it got dark. I finished reading another book on the Kindle.
We landed pretty much on time. The guy at the bottom of the gangway with the wheelchairs wheeled me in to the door into the airport which someone had to let us in. Then he stayed at the door to let the flight crew through and the door lady wheeled me in to the luggage claim. I saw Budget on the way and told Bob to go get the car. (Bob at the Budget window)
Which he did. I stayed with the luggage. The Luggie came out first and a 'red cap' put it on the cart. Then my bag came and then Bob's came last. We got everything into the car. (Our rental car license)
It was now about 9 pm Atlantic time. We asked at the exit gate how to get to the highway and managed that OK. Then the second turn onto Queens Highway - that went fine. I thought to turn on my phone and allow it to find us and when it did, we were in Christensted. We had gone too far. So we turned around to try again.
We ended up back near the airport. We went into a convenience store/gas station to ask. He basically told us to keep bearing left. He also told us that the Hibiscus Beach Resort (where we were staying) was in Princess. So I asked the phone to find Princess on the map. It did. But somewhere we went wrong and turned too soon or too late (keep in mind that Bob is driving on the left and all the headlights are glaring in his eyes because the cars are LH drive from the US with their headlights pointed to the right), and the roads are twisty and narrow and have no road signs. I am trying to figure out where we need to go on the phone.) This time we ended up at a gated community.
The guy that was there gave us additional directions (and actually followed us to see that we found it). Later, when I looked in the glove compartment I found the directions that Budget had given us to get to the hotel all underlined so we would know the right way to go.... except I hadn't known it was there.
At the hotel there was a NY number to call for after hours (I had tried the regular number but it didn't answer). The man came down and gave us room 20. He also gave me directions how to log into the internet. We were to have been in Room 1 which I could have driven to in the scooter. Room 20 had three huge one foot high cement speed bumps to be traversed. No way could I do it on the scooter.
We brought in all the bags except the scooter and unpacked. Since we did not bring in the scooter bag that meant that I didn't have the cord to download photos from my camera. Which is why I didn't download the photos until Sunday morning. I did log onto the internet and we watched TV.
We had a small fridge
And a coffee pot, but no microwave
Sunday Feb 2
We got up late as we were up late last night. Bob went and got the scooter bag (which had been opened by the TSA) and my pocketbook out of the car.
Bob wanted to get breakfast at the restaurant so we walked over. The office was open, so we went in and finished registering. We also got keys with the correct room number (ours had been for room 19)
We asked about getting a second washcloth, how to turn on the A/C, and whether they were having regular breakfast or Brunch. That was when we found out that the restaurant was closed. They recommended that we go to The Palms, which we did..
I had Eggs Benedict
and Bob had scrambled eggs.
This is more or less what we would have on a cruise (for free/included). Cost $29 including a $5.00 tip.
I decided to go to Kingshill Cemetery as it was big enough that I thought I could find it. After a few wrong turns, including going down a road labeled Drit Road (which I think was meant to be Dirt Road as it was worse than the roads in Costa Rica), we did find the cemetery.
The gate sign said it was open on Sunday until 3 and since it was already 3, I was afraid to leave the car in the cemetery for fear we would get locked in. Bob got the scooter out and we started off in opposite directions to take photos. Bob of course was walking along among the graves taking individual photos. He was apparently in the section of the cemetery where the people who died in 1977-1982 were buried plus there was a section of tiny graves of babies.
This building (a not so good photo but I didn't know what it was when I took it) is the grave of Cyril King
Among other things he was a US Virgin Islands elected governor and the St. Thomas airport is named for him.
Meanwhile I took what photos I could from the scooter. I eventually figured out that I could get over the speed bumps without grounding the scooter if I got two wheels on the cut-out which I guess they have for bicycles. I saw another road farther along in the cemetery but I would have to go out into the parking lot to get there So I did that. I buzzed along past a gate that was shut (took a photo of some horses that were grazing there)
and into the far gate that was open. After I got back to the car, I was going to call it a day and then I saw some military markers and they are very nice and readable. I went up to that section. I had to get off and push the scooter up the last bit of the hill. I didn't take photos of all of them - my back was really hurting. Bob in the red shirt in the cemetery from the car
After Bob came back to the car, we decided to find a market. Eventually got to a big market and Bob went in and got us something to eat for breakfasts and lunches. Then we went to McDonalds and each got a 1/4 pounder and Bob got a milkshake and I got a McFlurry.... And we did get back to the hotel.
I took some photos thinking that they might do for the OOYCZ#3
but decided they didn't tell enough of a story.
Stowed our stuff and ate the food and then I started downloading photos and processing them. And watched the super bowl and charged camera batteries.
They fixed and turned on the AC but we do not know how to turn it off and it is way cold. We did turn off the ceiling fan, but Bob had to get out the blankets to sleep under.
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Newbie in Action
http://www.photospaced.com
Today we went snorkeling at Buck Island noon to 3:30 - a half day tour with Big Beard. (The guy that I think is the owner has a beautiful white Santa Claus beard but I didn't get a photo of him).
First problem - where is it? Brochure said it was on Queen Cross Street, but there's more than one of them. Tried with all the maps I have on the computer and kept getting a hotel. Called and asked and she gave me directions so I was fairly sure where it was.
For some reason Bob thought that we would just have breakfast here so he fixed grapefruit. But I really need to have lunch. So I ate the grapefruit and then later I ate a banana and an onion roll.
We were to sign in by noon. So Bob wanted to leave at 11:00 even though it wouldn't take very long to get there. We were WAAY early. Bob dropped me off, and I paid and he parked. I sat in one of the two chairs in the shop and waited.. Bob had parked in a lot that closed at 3:30 not realizing that we weren't going to be back until then.. So he went back to get the car and found a place on the street.
There were only six of us in the afternoon. A couple currently living in Orlando that were on Jewel of the Seas and a pair of ladies who were friends of the owner's wife. They don't go if there are less than six people. Pictures of the Fort from the water
It was rough going out and eventually I lay down flat because my back was hurting. So of course they thought I was seasick. But I wasn't.
John the Captain who reminded me of Alan Thicke (Robin's father)
Gabe the mate
Buck Island (taken with my cell phone)
First we went out to a beach for us to try out our snorkeling gear and get instruction if we need it. I just got in and snorkeled about 5 minutes and then got back on as I was saving my energy. Then we all went out to the actual reef and were to go down the steps and sit down and put on our stuff. I backed down and turned around to sit, but I couldn't get my fin on my right foot (couldn't reach it and have very little flexibility in that hip so I couldn't put it up on my knee) and had to have someone do it for me.
The mate (Gabe) led us around on a little tour. But I had trouble keeping up and two ladies passed me and I was afraid they'd kick my mask off so hung back. So I don't know much about the tour. We were told that the current was from the reef toward the boat and not to get behind the boat because then we would have trouble getting back
I snorkeled and took photos until the camera said that the battery was flat (but when I got back to the unit it said that it was charged, so I don't know). I got some reasonable photos.
So after about a half hour, I got back on the boat.
I absolutely could NOT turn around and sit on the steps to take off my fins so I was kneeling up the steps which were corrugated and hurt my knees. Eventually someone came behind me and took off the flippers and then I could climb up the regular way.
We got back to the dock and I sat and waited for Bob to get the car and we started back thinking we would stop someplace to eat.
We got onto the wrong road but I saw a Dominos so we turned around. But the Dominos was closed so we got Chinese instead. I wasn't impressed
Last night, Bob put our bathing suits etc out on the patio in front of our room to get dry.
He brought in the bathing suits and hung them in the shower before he went to bed.Bob has also figured out the best way to make the toilet stop running but I don't have the knack.
Wed, Feb 3
We are at the end of the next unit on the ground floor
This morning, we started out toward Christensted and we were going to stop at the first church which proved to be Friedensthal Moravian .We drove in and up on the hill behind the church where there was a Rasta sitting under a tree.
He asked if we were coming to the meeting. We said "No but do you know if there is a cemetery here?" He said yes and pointed vigorously 'around there - "understand?" Bob parked but he parked in the sun. We walked around the cistern of the building
and there was a gate and some steps and a walkway. We could see the cemetery down in the valley.
Gate at the bottom of the hill
I decided not to go down there so I asked Bob to give me the keys and I reparked the car in the shade and waited. He took photos of all the markers (it wasn't a big cemetery). All the markers were very old, The newest I saw was someone who died in 1930. I took a few photos of the church
We proceeded about a block and came to St. John's Episcopal (Anglican) Church. I kept asking if it was Episcopal or Anglican and they would look at me as if I had two heads and say "It is Episcopal parenthesis Anglican"
We parked.
A lady called me into the church showing me where the ramp was so that I wouldn't have to do the steps and she gave us a tour. All the woodwork in the church is mahogany.
The lady who gave the tour is a volunteer. She decided that cruise ship people should be able to see the church but it was closed during the week. So now that she is retired, she looks at the cruise ship schedule and when a ship is in, she opens the church and gives tours. There was also a man there playing the organ (he comes down to play the organ on his vacation)
and a man who was sitting with her - she said she asked him to come because she didn't want to be by herself. I took photos of the markers in the floor, and signed the guest book.
Bob went out into the cemetery to take the photos, including this one of a blue heron
As we stood at the church door overlooking the cemetery, she pointed out that we could see the Catholic and the Methodist and other cemeteries. I didn't understand this until I looked at the map . The church backs up to the main Christensted Cemetery.
Steeple from inside Christensted Cemetery
Doors where I stood in the morning looking out over the cemetery. The chuch was built of blocks of Bermuda limestone
Bob came in, and we got back in the car and went to Subway and got sandwiches and then came back to the resort, and I downloaded all the photos.
This time, Bob was able to return the towels from yesterday. And he saw the man upstairs with ice so he went and got ice. One of the maintenance guys came and showed us where the controller for the A/C was - it was behind the bathroom door. Since neither of us closed the bathroom door - we never ever saw it.
After we ate and rested, we started out again about 3 aiming for Christensted cemetery that was behind St Johns. We also found the Jewish Cemetery
which is behind the Moravian Cemetery
across the street from the Christensted Cemetery. Bob went to do them (they were small cemeteries and I couldn't get in there with the scooter) and I tried to figure out how to get the scooter into the Christensted cemetery. The gate where we were was locked, but I took the scooter down a pedestrian path.
INSIDE the Christensted Cemetery was the Historic Danish cemetery
Almost all the Danish graves are listed with translations on the internet, and these graves are also on Find A Grave but without photos. So I took what photos I could from the road.
This one the website called
Pompøst muret gravsted - ingen indskrift.
(Grandiose monument - no inscription)
I did all the paved paths with the scooter including taking photos of St. John which is built of limestone imported from Bermuda and went out the main gate and around by road to where I had left Bob. He had reparked the car by the gate I went in originally but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually I went and looked over the wall and called him, so he finished up and came back to the car.
We went to KFC to get chicken and I took a photo of the sign and some people thought I was taking their photo (they were inside behind the poster on the window). A couple with a baby came out and told me to open the window, but Bob had the keys and I had to open the door instead. They asked me why I was taken people's picture without their permission. I said I was taking a picture of the signs - they wanted to see, so I showed them.
We have gone into Christensted enough now, so that we can recite all the landmarks. This intersection is the one that looks like we turn right but we go straight. This one is the one that if we go straight we will be out in the boondocks. Here is where they are digging the big hole. Here is the metal plate in the road. And every so often I have to yell LEFT at Bob and sometimes he thinks he should turn left, forgetting that he has to drive on the left.
Corner of 75 and 752
And we know where the speed bumps are - BIG speed bumps randomly about every 50 feet or so and with no paint or anything to show you where they are. The roads have route numbers but the girl in the hotel office said - Those must be for tourists. We don't use them. The main roads have route numbers from 60 to 80. They don't have speed bumps. Secondary roads are mainly 601 to 799, and then there are the four digit roads
Today we went in to Christensted and visited the Fort there.
I could get into the Fort on my scooter but the courtyard was cobblestone which, since that scooter has no springs is teeth-jarring.
Bob's photo of the courtyard from above
I had my Golden Age Passport, but no ID and I didn't think they were going to let me use it. But the ranger vouched for me
Bob walked around the fort and took the photos of it. But I took this one, thinking I might use it for the OOMCZ#3. I'm sure there is a story behind this man, but I don't know what it is.
Steeple building
This is now part of the historic district under the NPS - was originally the Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church. The current church is up the street about a block
While Bob used the rest room, I took photos of the free range chickens which someone was feeding crumbs from their lunch
Then I rode along the harbor on the boardwalk -
Seaplane
and we stopped at the Fort Christian Brew Pub for lunch. Another possibility for OOYCZ
There was a resident tom cat which came to be petted.
I got a chicken dumpling soup
and quesdillas.
Bob got chicken nuggets. (He wanted fish, but they were out of it)
I tried feeding the cat some of the chicken but I think it was too spicy for him. But when the girl cleared the table she gave the cat my chicken bones, which he ate.
We came on back to the hotel, and I worked on the photos and Bob watched Pawn Stars and we had leftovers for dinner.
Today, we ventured toward the other end of the island. Bob wanted to know how to get back to the airport so he can do it on Saturday.
We went first to the Episcopal (Anglican) church (St Pauls)
(parishioner who left her cell phone and came back for it.)
and took some photos. Note some of the markers have been stuck into the wall
And this is the old cemetery across the street
Someone recommended that we go to the Turtles Deli for lunch, so we did.
Ceiling decoration
Bob got a turkey sandwich
and I got the Reuben special.
As we were finishing up, a group of eight ladies came to have a meeting. One of them talked to us and said they think it is cold down here and she had to sleep with the dogs to keep her warm last night.
Cruise ship dock (but no cruise ships in port - I picked a day to come here without a ship in port)
To the Lutheran Church
and the main Fredericksted cemetery which was across the street. Bob went to the church to take photos
(many of them markers in the wall like this from when they moved them to build another church building)
and I went to take photos (as many as I could) from the scooter in the cemetery.
Bob finished up the Lutherans/Danish He started doing the middles of the sections where I can't go on the scooter.
Danish war memorial in Fredriksted Cemetery
There were a couple groups of men in there working. One group had a cement mixer and the other man was working by himself on one of the crypts. He stopped me and told me that I ought to stay with someone and not go off by myself. People do seem to think I need looking after, which always surprises me. Anyway I went back to the car and found Bob also coming back too. I said I was done and he said he was too, that he had fallen off of one of the above ground crypts.
We have been having trouble with the door of our room - Bob's key did not work yesterday but fortunately I could let him in. I think we have it sorted by now. He went out by himself for the first time and brought back McDonalds for dinner.
Friday Feb 7
Made the run to the airport.. Found how long it took (21 minutes), and where to turn the car in and when they open (7 am), and then went to the airport and got our boarding passes. They said they opened at 7 am also.
From here we went to St. Ann (entrance with speed bump)
and saw three graves there
Next we went to Whim Plantation.
The scooter does OK on grass (if short) and gravel but when I left it to go in the museum, I forgot that it would get really hot in the sun (the seat is black).
Next time I will have to remember to fold the seat back down to shade it.
The docent at the museum said there was no cemetery at Whim, but she pointed out the window and said that there were some crypts there, but they were NOT on the Whim grounds and that was private property.
But there were two graves on the Whim side of the property line.
One was for Ann Elizabeth Heegaard and this is a cenotaph because the NPS historian told me that they have found her actual grave on her own plantation. She was a very interesting woman who is supposed to have influenced the governor at the time to free the slaves.
docent
There was a lady there practicing the piano because there was to be a concert that night
Kitchen building (outside the main house)
THere was a school field trip - the children were running around joyfully
I took a photo of the sugar factory, but we didn't go down there
We stopped at Subway and got a footlong and then filled up with gas (not at this station - I took this because of the name)
and came back to the hotel. We are packed and the scooter and the checked bags are in the car.
.Bob set the alarm (first time we used it this week) for 5:40.
Saturday -
We left the hotel at 6:40. Bob dropped me and the bags off at the airport, and went to return the rental car.
The gates were shut - they weren't open at 7 like they said. So he came back and turned it in at the airport (taking photos of the car first)
and turned in the keys. Then he had to go back as he forgot his hat.
Also he told me that the airport did not open until 7:30 (not 7 as they said). When redcap appeared, he put the luggage over by a pillar and told me to stay there. He was also helping some people with about three dog kennels with the dogs howling inside. (The dogs were not happy)
Bob eventually arrived and someone came out to log us in. But the tag printing machine did not work. Some delay for that. Then the scooter. This time Bob left the battery in the scooter. No dice. We could not ship the scooter that way.Eventually they said that the battery had to be in a zip lock bag and since they didn't have any... but I interrupted here and said I did have one (Bob had the cranberry juice in it on the way down). So they had to shut up about that. They said that the battery would have to be given to a flight attendant and then transferred to the plane going to Baltimore to another flight attendant. I don't know what is special about flight attendants that they can keep the battery from exploding any better than anyone else. Bob was sure that wouldn't work
One of the ladies behind the counter with a reflective vest pushed me through customs (nothing to declare as the only thing we bought was food and gas). Then through security. I was wearing a fairly long dress and this was a problem for them and I not only had to walk through the magnetic door way, but they patted down my legs. We were in the boarding area by about 8:00.They came TWICE to ask me if I could walk up the steps or did I need a lift. I said I could walk up the steps. And I did.
Taking off from St. Crois
THe edge of the Bahama Banks
Landing in Miami
The plane wasn't completely full. Bob said it was a good landing in Miami.
Got to Miami and our gate wasn't announced but they took us to gate 46.
There were a lot of people there as the next flight from that gate was at 12:40 to Nicaragua and there were no seats in the waiting area
The wheelchair pusher got some people to move over.
We got pizza to eat
Boarding the plane people were showing their passports as they boarded and people were coming up and the last minute.
But eventually the ramp was pulled away and the plane left. But where was our plane?
I saw two flight attendants across the way on their phones and eventually they left. Sure enough, the ramp was changed from 46 to 41.
We boarded early. The plane was FULL.
Government Cut in Miami
We got to BWI and the wheelchair guy pushed me down to the baggage claim. I made Bob use the bathroom before we left the terminal as I know there aren't any down there. Then Bob dismissed the wheelchair guy. His idea was that he would put the battery back in the scooter and I could use the scooter to get to where we would be picked up.
There were two things wrong with this -
one - we probably couldn't get the battery out of the taped up box without a knife and
two- the TSA had locked the scooter bag and Bob couldn't see the lock numbers well enough to get it undone.
So dismissing the wheelchair guy was a mistake. Apparently the Hampton Inn van can only pick up at certain points and we were not at one of them. We saw him whizzing by and not stopping as he said he had gotten two tickets already and he wasn't allowed to stop there. Eventually (after several difficult and staticy conversations with the Hampton Inn where I said that I could NOT walk from door 6 down to door 14), Bob saw him coming and more or less threw himself under the wheels of the van so he had to stop - which he did right in the middle of the traffic lane.
We got back to the car and got everything loaded and started home. It was getting dark. Bob initially went the wrong way coming out of the hotel parking lot and made an illegal U turn to get back to where he wanted to be. But no one was around.
I didn't feel like eating much so we stopped at Boston Market and I had chicken noodle soup
and Bob had a carver sandwich. When we got home, Crunch was like a crazy cat running around the house like he was thinking of hiding but not. We picked up the accumulated mail (it was in the mailbox) and the papers were on the coffee table.
Bob says it is nice to have hot water instead of lukewarm. I would have thought that I would have lost weight because I was much more active, but apparently not because the food was so much more salty and we weren't eating as healthy.