Books I've Read

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Been a long time

So for the first time since leaving the Bahama's I went on a sea kayaking adventure! We left at 9am and did not return until 3pm. (Don't worry I took a lunch and PLENTY of sunscreen and water). There are suposedly alot of mangorves that you can explore around here...but we had no idea where they were or how far they were so we just went exploring! We found plently!

The first thing that we found was the scumy Island that was full of remants of parties...It wasn't very pretty so we left. The next stop was a larger Island there were quite a few mangorves and on closer examination I found this little pathway that lead through the mangroves. So without a second thought in I went. I distrubed a water snake - that thankfully turned and went to opposite way continuing on it opened up into this large little lagoon that was maybe at its deepest 8 inches deep. But that was as far as the pathway went! Our final find was this parkbench that was in the water off this little beach which we had lunch on...it was a great day!

I guess I should also let you all know that we are still in Key West...and will be here until Friday Sat and then I'm not sure where we will head...the ever changing life of a "yachtie" (want-to-be)!

Friday, April 08, 2005

My Birthday!

So I'm another year older...(as of two days ago) I tried to post this earier BUT my internet connection dropped just as I was publishing and so my blog got eaten my the internet. So now I have to try and rememeber what I said!

First though I want to thank everyone for their well wishes it was greatly appreciated, you helped to make this birthday spectacular!

First let me say that I highly recomend spending your birthday on a private yacht with an amazing crew who have all become GREAT friends! They started out by decorating the crew mess with birthday banners and such! Then I had a cake at lunch with gifts (unexpected) and ended the whole day by having dinner with Mr. and two of his friends which meant an amazing meal (I wrote this much better the first time -- oh well). A very incredible bithday.

WE are now in Key West. And I have been having an incredible time here. But first I need to tell you about the afternoon I got to be an assistant deck hand...

So on the boat everyone has their jobs mine is working with Mr. Which is fine. But on my time off...when I'm taking a break from my school work I like to hang out on the bow and inevitably the guys are out there working way on this or that. And even though I have done (or will do) my work for the day I often feel lazy laying their reading or soaking up some sun. So I always bug them to let me help -- and they flatly refuse. Well I don't know if why but the other day when we were coming in to Key west they finally gave in! Man did I pick the wrong day to be an assistant deck hand. First I helped with the anchoring. Then I helped wash down the boat. About the time that we finished with that the fire alarm went off (not a drill) SO I had to help evacuate Mr. and wait to see what the problem was (Turns out just a faulty sensor). Once that was done we were all looking forward to eating supper when we get the owrd that we are NOT anchoring outside Key WEst but are going to dock. SO I help get all the fenders and lines out for docking and help with the anchor. As we head in Captian decides that instead of trying to turn her in the wicked wind and risk running her into the dock we will park port side to dock instead of starboard side (Important as the elevator platform is on the starboard side and that is the easiest way to get Mr. off. So we have to switch all the fenders and lines over AND then go through the docking process. I was sweaty and tired but man was it fun!

Key west has been fun! I've biked around the entire island, see the lighthouse, been to the more sourtrn tip of USA, and seen Hemmingways house and I still have one more day to go!! (I'll post the picture later).

Tonight was fun I took Mr. out on the town. I wheeled him up and down the streets and we poped in to a few stores. He was tired but had ALOT of fun so it was totally worth it! The funniest thing is being at a "public dock" the questions that you get are pretty amuzing. But it makes me feel a bit like a goldfish! I like the Marina's better! It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many questions that you can't answer for the sake of privacy! Some questions are downright funny. A guy in the street stopped me today (I was in my uniform) and asked if our boat was a dinner cruise vessel and how did he book it! When I told him no it was private and not available he still asked for a card (which I don't have and wouldn't give him anyways) so he vould make a reservation! It was fuuny! The life of a superstar!

Wednesday, April 06, 2005


Biltmore pool Posted by Hello

Biltmore lobby Posted by Hello

Biltmore Hotel Posted by Hello

Vinetian pool Posted by Hello

Miami -- Helicopters are REALLY cool! Posted by Hello

South beach from the Chopper Posted by Hello

The helicopter ride Posted by Hello

My feet at the Delano Posted by Hello

Wolfsonian Elevator Posted by Hello

Hitler pin cushion Posted by Hello

Espanola at night Posted by Hello

Espanola Way Posted by Hello

Vircasci's house (where he was shot) Posted by Hello

South beach Posted by Hello

Me on Lincon Way in Miami Posted by Hello

The moon at south beach at 7 am Posted by Hello

Sunday, April 03, 2005

Meet Miami - ami

WOW
What a city. So cool. I think I took like 245 pictures in the day and a half I was there! I stayed in a hotel on Ocean Drive, went for a run on South Beach beach, shopped on Lincon Ave, perused shops on Espanola way, visited the Wolfsonian, saw a demonstration of "hip-hop/break dancing", went to the Delano, had breakfast at the "News cafe", had a salad large enough to feed a small country, went for a helicopter tour of the city, saw the Venitan Pool and the Bitmore Hotel. I don't think we could have fit more in! This of course doesn't count all the random wandering that we did!  What a city.
To save you reading about ALL of those things that I did I'll pick the top three and describe them to you otherwise you'd be reading an entire book.
Run on South Beach:
Started at 7am -- man was it HOT! It was so neat just to be amoung all the people that were on the beach at that time in the morning all of which were doing some form of exercise even the little old man who asked if I was a star for the bodyguard that I had with me (Mark is an imposing 6'5" and had dark sunglass on -- he actually is mistaken for a body guard ALOT).  I saw so many characters it was highly amusing!! We ran for about 3miles...very fun!
The Delano:
Stunning...unique unlike anything that I have ever seen! Forty foot ceilings with dark coloured walls (the colour varied from "room" to "room") with white linen pannels that fell from the ceiling to the floor. The opening of the doors pushed them around. These pannels seperated out "rooms" and no two rooms were the same different stlyes colours and type ofr funiture. It was unlike anything I had ever seen! And this is the Lobby of a hotel. If you go out the back door into the garden you come accross the oddest collection of places to hang out. From a Hamock to a LARGE Chessboard (the pieces were at least a foot high) to random labber leaned up against a tree to a table and two chairs in a pool! Pretty neat!
The Helicopter tour.
Okay so it was a little scary especially considering it didn't turnover on the first try! But I was expecting it to be a lot more unstable that it was. It was incredible! To see that much from the air!! It was fun too getting to see all of Miami that way! WE got to see alot of stuff that you can't see unless you do an air tour - Puff Daddy, J Lo, Enrique's, and madonna's house! It was neat. We also went over to Key Biscane and there was a wind surfer and due to Mark's excitement (he windsurf's) the pilot did a little dive and nearly buzzed the poor guy! It was SO much fun! I wanted him to do it again and again! WE also so a field of sting rays swimming along it was neat!
So that was Miami...in a nutshell!