What Happens on a Sea Day? (aboard Adventure of the Seas)

Time to catch everyone up on our latest journey! We are aboard Adventure of the Seas, a cruise ship that left San Juan and departed for several islands in the Southern Caribbean. Because it takes a day to sail to our first stop Barbados, we had a day onboard the ship without a stop- called a "sea day". So what happens on a sea day on board a large mass market cruise ship? All kinds of things, here's a sample of some of them...

Unusual things- like an ice skating show on a moving ship.

Usual things- like buffets. Everyone seems to equate cruising with eating, and although there is so much more going on, there is plenty of food, including interesting things like an apple pie as big as a monster truck tire! 

Interesting things-like this peek a boo bridge window looking down to the bridge where the captain and crew pilot this enormous cruise ship with the most incredible ease! It's a complex and high tech operation, and on a sea day, passengers have the opportunity to "peek" in on the action. (The upper part of the window shows the bridge, the lower part is reflecting the gym windows above) 

Crazy things- like this scrum of passengers awaiting the "opening" of the jewelry store and an associated raffle for a pair of earrings. Crowds often build for sales of things that can easily be purchased at home at Walmart (probably for less!) Some people enjoy shopping as sport, but maybe some get enticed by the psychology of a "sale" or special event to purchase things they really don't need or want. 

Peaceful, already included things- just 100 feet from the jewelry store bacchanal, I sit in a quiet spot where a real artisit, a 12 string classical guitarist, plays in a quiet spot. There is no charge for this, all this live entertainment is included in my cruise fare, and anyone can enjoy it quietly, while others shop! 

Entertaining things- this Acapella group, re-Voiced, performed in the theater in the evening. This very talented and entertaining group also perform at no extra charge to guests. The man in the middle beat boxes, and I have never heard a human being sound exactly like a drum set, (even the cymbals!) but this man does, and he underpins a very talented group of singers! 

Relaxing things- at the end of the day, (and in the beginning and middle) a cruise is about the sea. The motion of the ship on a sea day, the sight of the vast ocean, the pelagic birds swooping and diving in the ships wake, the sound of the churning sea under the massive engines of this large cruise ship are the things that connect the people on it to the ocean. It is an unusual, interesting, entertaining, crazy, peaceful, (with lots of food!) and ultimately relaxing island that can be found floating in the middle of the sea, and despite all that is offered onboard, all you have to to do is look out over the rail to breathe the salt air and relax! 

San Juan at Night

San Juan is a very lively place on a Saturday night! Old San Juan is surrounded by the colonial city walls, many of which are dramatically lit at night.  There is a wonderful walkway along the ocean call Paseo de Princessa. It follows along the outside of the walls and the part closest to the center serves a street fair of sorts with artisans invited by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to sell their handiwork. There are food trucks and vendors also lining the pedestrian walkway. What we love best about it is that the promenade is full of families out enjoying the Saturday evening! 

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An artisan works on caritcutures of children.

Brightly lit, patrolled by friendly security officers, the Paseo De Princessa is a safe, fun place to people watch locals and visitors in historic Old San Juan. 

Working with a electric peeler, an orange juice vendor creates a huge pile of orange peels by nights end.  The cost of this hand squeezed treat on the street? $1.50 for a larger than 8 oz cup. 

Old walls, and old colonial buildings are meshed with new parks and sculpture to create a wonderful place to sit or stroll.

Raices Fountain is a more recent addition to the area, a dramatic installation with a descriptive plaque in English and Spanish which explains all of the elements of the sculpture and what they relate to Puerto Rico. 

Because it was Saturday night, we had the opportunity to see Jewel of the Seas sail out of port at 8:30 PM, knowing that Sunday night, we would be aboard Adventure of the Seas and sail past the same spot! 

And on Sunday night, we sailed out of San Juan past El Morro and its imposing walls and moody light house! 

Viejo San Juan

There is nothing like the vibrancy of Old San Juan! Colonial Spanish culture and color with an "of the moment" art and dining scene; it has "old" in its name, but everything but the architecture feels new and cool! 

We started our day at the Forts in Old San Juan before the heat of the day! San Cristobal is, in our opinion, one of the best forts for presenting the way the fortifications are built to work as defenses. We missed the "Tunnel Tour" this trip, but it's offered at 10:30 AM on weekends and is not to be missed for an excellent under and above ground view of how the forts served as an important defense of strategic San Juan for the Spanish in colonial times. 

The forts fly the Spanish Colonial, Puerto Rican and US flags

San Cristobal was built on the water, but located to provide defense to the interior of the island.

Tunnels under the fort are a literally "cool" way to see life of the soldiers stationed in this new world outpost and understand the defenses of the fortification.

A view of the Celebrity and Jewel of the Seas cruise ships docked at the Pan American pier.

We next took the free tram from San Cristobal to El Morro. Here school children were flying kites on the lawn in some kind of festival. Every time we've visited we always see some sort of local event happening at the fort which means not only are we immersed in the colonial history, but also in the modern culture of Puerto Rican life!  

The El Morro light house, which we will pass by at night when we sail on Adventure of the Seas on Sunday! 

This fellow was enjoying the warmth of the walls and the tourist were enjoying him! 

Following our fort tours, we walked down the hills. By zig zagging down the hill from tiny alleys to be main calles, we were able to see a lot of colonial architecture along the streets of old San Juan. Here an icon serves as a "street address" on St Sebastion!  

On Calle Hospital, an organization cares and feeds the local feral cats, who are very friendly and happily pose for photos! 

Beautiful bouganvillia drapes down an upper balcony. 

It took nearly 3 years, but we finally made it to a restaurant recommended by a Crusie Critic member from San Juan. Parrot Club (Calle Forteleza) has a fun vibe, colorful original art and even better food! With a piano tucked in the corner and mojito happy hour, I bet it's even more lively at night! 

A ceviche appetizer with plantain chips.

Another recent recommendation on line - Cafe Cortes on Calle San Fransisco. This home of the Cortes chocolate family houses and uber cool chocolate bar and restaurant, where everything on the menu has at least a touch of chocolate. 

We may have had more than a touch with this lava cake dessert! And don't miss the Frio Chocolate drinks! 

Upstairs in the old colonial villa is the fascinating modern Latin American art collection of the Cortes family (free). Today they were holding a free concert with Jose Luis harpist.