Day 144: Grand Cayman

We have not had the best luck, weather-wise, in Grand Cayman this winter. The best weather we've had was on our first visit, when we accompanied Suzan and Greg to Seven Mile Beach. Once, the Georgetown port was closed and the Emerald Princess had to anchor off Spott's Bay (and I didn't even get off the ship). Today was cloudy and humid, but not too hot, and we had no other plans for the day other than purchasing some last minute souvenirs for the kids.

I slept fairly well, all things considered, and went with G to breakfast in the DaVinci Dining Room (just toast with peanut butter today, and a decaf café Americano). We were not in a rush to get off this morning, and, apparently, neither were most people. Open tender was called around 8am (we had arrived at 7am). 

We went down to the Deck 3 tender platform carrying just some cash and a credit card. We tendered into a dock even north of the North Pier (the Carnival Glory was in port with us and tendered into the same pier). We walked along the main street to the right, along the waterfront, browsing all the T-shirt shops along the way. Nothing was hitting exactly the right note. 

Then G spotted a sign pointing to a customized hat shop down a street and behind a building. Intrigued, we walked down to check it out and hit pay dirt. T-shirts, monogrammed baseball caps...three times we walked out of the shop and thought of someone else to gift, and turned around and bought more. It was a successful stop. 

I wanted to have Awesome Ambrish embroidered on it but it wouldn't fit. And it might embarrass him. But mostly because it wouldn't fit. ;-)

It s a bit hard to read, but there was a glass floor in the shop over stone steps carved down to a freshwater pool that was the source of potable water in the 18th century

Walking back toward the tender pier, we saw a sign advertising conch fritters and turtle burgers. Intrigued by this, too, we walked down to the restaurant and ending up having lunch there. I've been jonesing for conch fritters since we missed Grand Turk last cruise, and G shocked me (I was gobsmacked!) by ordering and eating a turtle burger. (He liked it!). We went all out and ordered dessert, too, key lime pie for me (of course) and coconut cream pie for G. What we really hadn't realized is that the prices were in Cayman dollars which are worth more than US $ and, in the end, this was a lunch with a value on par with any we had in French Polynesia. Oh well. That was really the only entertainment we spent money on today. 

It rained lightly on and off the entire morning, and, by 2pm, we were taking a tender back to the Emerald Princess. We went to the cabin to deposit our purchases and ended up resting until sailaway. We were showered and dressed for the evening by 3:30pm, and went up to Skywalkers with drinks to watch as the sand bar that is Grand Cayman quickly disappeared into the distance for our last time this season. 

We stayed in Skywalkers long enough to have some nibbles when the PES Lounge was set up at 5pm, and then went to dinner in the Michelangelo Dining Room around 5:30pm. Dinner was hit and miss for us tonight, only because we are trying some things that are different from what we usually order. We both started with beef satays (yummy), then I tried the plantain chips and returned them. Not good. I ordered the turkey pot pie for my entree (comfort food sounded good tonight), but G got really brave and tried the Curtis Stone flank steak on the always available menu.  His review?  "There is no end to the chewing until I finally get bored and swallow it", which had me falling off my chair with laughter. 'There is no end to the chewing' might be good for gum, but it is definitely not good for a Curtis Stone dish and is not likely to entice people to try his speciality restaurant. 

Princess really needs to work on those three always available Curtis Stone dishes. Between us, we've tried all three and didn't like any of them. Bring back the salmon, please!!

I was started to fade fast, but we sat in the Piazza and listened to new pianist Monika Rosca. Ryszard Sulek went home last turnaround, and Monika's musical style is totally different. She plays the light, quick tempoed classical music that I love to play (though she plays it much, much, much, much better) and I could listen to her forever. G is not as much a fan and misses Ryszard's more popular music. Is it any wonder that entertainment is a subjective thing when even two pianists have different appeal?

G is in the Princess Theater listening to comedian Eric Lyden. Even if I was feeling 100%, I could not be convinced to sit though his show again, but, feeling as I do gave me a very good excuse for missing it. Hopefully, things will come together to allow us to enjoy a sunny day on the beach in Mahogany Bay, Roatan, tomorrow.