11.26.2007

Wedding Bells and Tan Lines

Why hello there!

It's been a month since my last post. I'll try and make up for it with good news and a travel report. I just got back for Neil and Lindsey's wedding cruise. The wedding festivities started off in a lovely beach house my parents rented on Folly Beach. This also marks the first time Greg and I have shared a bedroom on a family outing. Very exciting!
As Neil, Mary and I browsed the wine selections for the rehearsal dinner, Neil came up to me and said, "So, We're getting married on Sunday". Thoughts raced through my mind: Why would they do this considering all the people who have traveled to see them off on Saturday? Are they insane?
As it turned out, the cruise line had just called saying the ship was delayed a day due to a medical emergency. The wedding would be on Sunday and our cruise would be cut short a day redirecting our initial port destinations. What did we do? We called family and carried on. We still had the rehearsal dinner that night and the post-wedding reception became an open house for guests on Saturday.
Now, Neil and Lindsey share the same anniversary as my grandparents.
The wedding was short and sweet but certainly not lacking in love.
After a quick reception, we bid our farewells to the rest of the family and Greg. I set sail with my shipmate, Mary, for Nassau. Nassau provided us with a unique opportunity. A rare glimpse inside of Atlantis. It all started with some gambling in the casino where Mary stumbled upon a room key. That room key was the golden ticket into the pools and more importantly the water slides. We laughed like hyenas and cursed like sailors as we were launched down slide after slide. Thank you, Suzette.
The following day we were dropped off on Great Stirrup Cay for beach, sun and drinks.
My favorite port, by far, was Key West. I spent my Thanksgiving Day walking its streets and enjoying every moment of it. We did a tour of Hemingway's home and pet as many poly dactyl cats as we could! We enjoyed a lunch of peel-and-eat shrimp at Sloppy Joe's with some of our fellow mateys. We then found our way to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park for sunset. There, we enjoyed the generosity of a couple celebrating their 5 year wedding anniversary. Nothing says Key West like a sunset champagne celebration with strangers!
Our last day on the ship was cold and windy. Mary and I spent our time catching up on reading and sipping on red wine in our cabin. Our final dinner with the wedding party was savored in the same room Neil and Lindsey were married.
I wish I could say that the cruise ended on a high note such as this. Unfortunately, I spent the entire last night and early morning hours seasick. I was so happy to get to Charleston and back to my life on land!
Click on the title for pictures.


 
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