2014 - CARNIVAL MAGIC - TEXAS, ROATAN, BELIZE & COZUMEL

ABOARD THE CARNIVAL MAGIC

THE REASON I TOOK THIS CRUISE WAS THE ADVERTISED PRICE OF $509 US FOR SEVEN DAYS. EVEN WITH THE SINGLE SUPPLEMENT, TAXES, US CANADIAN DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE & WHATNOT, IT STILL CAME TO LESS THAN 1OO DOLLARS CANADIAN PER DAY.

NOT TOO BAD.

IT STARTED OUT WITH A FLIGHT TO HUSTON TEXAS, & ON TO GALVESTON FOR TWO NIGHTS WAITING FOR MY BOAT TO COME IN.

I ASKED AT RECEPTION WHERE THE NEAREST FOOD COULD BE HAD & THEY DIRECTED ME TO CHILLIES - EXCELLENT..

JUST A WALK AWAY FOR THE HOTEL IS A FREE FERRY FROM NOWHERE TO NOWHERE & I AM A SUCKER FOR FERRIES & FREEBEES SO I WENT ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

THESE BIRDS WERE FOLLOWING ALONG FOR THE FREE LUNCH...

I THEN WALKED INTO THE STRANGELY EMPTY GALVESTON. ON A SATURDAY AT NOONISH IS WAS VERY QUIET. ALMOST A GHOST TOWN.

I FOUND MY WAY TO THE OCEAN SIDE & A GREAT PLACE TO SIT AND WATCH TO WAVES & CHAT TO THE TOURISTS. TEXAN TOURISTS IN TEXAS

THIS GUY CAME FLYING OVER ON A MOTORISED HANG-GLIDER. A FIRST FOR ME...

THERE WAS A LONG LONG WAIT AT THE CRUISE TERMINAL TO GET ON THE SHIP. IF I HAD A PHONE OR USED INTERNET WHEN I WAS AWAY I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE SHIP WAS STUCK IN FOG OUTSIDE GALVESTON. I GOT THAT BIT OF NEWS WHEN I GOT HOME. CARNIVAL HAD TEXT & E MAILED ME.

FINALLY GOT ON BOARD & THE LUNCH BUFFET WAS A ZOO. THE MAGIG HAS AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF BUFFET STATIONS. ALL THE REGULARS PLUS INDIAN & MONGOLIAN.

THIS IS ROATAN, AN ISLAND OFF HONDURAS.

I TOOK THE ISLAND TOUR THAT INCLUDED A LITTLE BOAT RIDE TO SEE SOME MANGROVES & A WRECK.

I NEVER WENT BACK TO THE BUFFET AS I HAD A FIXED SEATING ASSIGNMENT.

THE FIRST NIGHT AT A TABLE FOR 10 THERE WERE TWO MEN & ME.

SECOND NIGHT & THE MEN HAD BAILED BUT JEFF FROM ARIZONA & TERESA & GLENN FROM TEXAS SUBSTITUTED.

GREAT DINNER COMPANIONS & THE FOOD FOR THE MOST PART WAS EXCELLENT.

ON SEA DAYS THERE IS BRUNCH SO I WENT NUTS AND HAD STEAK & EGGS.

ON TO A VILLAGE WHERE THERE ARE DESCENDANTS FROM AN AFRICAN SLAVE SHIP THAT CRASHED IN THE WEST INDIES .
DANCING - MAKING FLOUR - SELLING NICKNAKS.

I HEARD THAT ONE GUY GOT OFF THE BOAT & BOUGHT A PROPERTY. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A SHOPPING STOP.

NEXT DAY WE WERE IN BELIZE FOR A DRIVE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO VISIT A MAYAN TEMPLE AT XUNANTUNICH
( PRONOUNCED - Xunantunich )

SOME HOUSES ON THE WAY...

AND HERE WE ARE AT XUNANTUNICH......

SOME FOLKS CLIMBED TO THE TOP, UP THE STEPS AT THE FRONT.

NOT ME - I TOOK THE STAIRS WITH A HANDRAIL ROUND THE BACK..

THIS IS THE HAND CRANKED FERRY TO GET BACK TO BELIZE CITY...

WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH WHERE WE WERE TOLD THERE WOULD BE A CHOICE BETWEEN CHICKEN, SOMETHING ELSE CALLED CHICKEN THAT IS ACTUALLY IGUANA & ROYAL RAT THAT IS NOT A RAT & NOT EVEN ROYAL.

IN THE EVENT WE GOT CHICKEN.

SITTING NEXT TO ME AT THE TABLE WAS A TINY TOT, NEXT TO HER FATHER WHO WAS BUSY TALKING TO HER SISTER ON THE OTHER SIDE. I OFFERED TO OPEN HER BOTTLE OF POP & IT EXPLODED ALL OVER ME, OVER HER, THE TABLE.

EVERYTHING COVERED IN PINK POP.

THE LITTLE GIRL WOULD NOT EAT HER PINK CHICKEN.

DON'T KNOW WHY.

SHE WAS VERY GRACIOUS ACCEPTING MY APPOLOGIES. POOR LITTLE MITE.

APART FROM THE BEER WE ALSO SAMPLED A SIP OF AN ALMOND DRINK THAT REMINDED ME OF SHERRY. QUITE TASTY

I GAVE THE GIRL SITTING THE OTHER SIDE OF ME SOME CASH TO GET A PROPER GLASS & SHE DISAPPEARED, ONLY TO REAPPEAR ON THE BUS WITH A FULL GLASS OF THE STUFF & EVEN SOME CHANGE.

THE LITTLE GIRLS GOT THE CHANGE AS SOUVENIRS.

NEXT UP IS A WALKING FOOD TOUR IN COZUMEL MEXICO. A MEXICAN PASSENGER TOLD ME THIS IS NOT MEXICO, JUST A TOURIST PLACE.

I ENJOYED THE TOUR. WE STOPPED AT FOUR OR FIVE SPOTS, TRIED VARIOUS PASTRIES, GUACAMOLE DIP, CIVITCHE, SWEETS, BEER, PIZZA & SANGRIA, THE COMPANY WAS VERY PLEASANT TOO..

AND OFF THE SHIP IN GALVESTON & A SHUTTLE TO HOUSTON WHERE I HAD TO HAVE A TEXAS STEAK & A BEER IN THIS ODD PUB WITH ALL THESE PLATES AROUND THE WALLS

I USUALLY ENJOY THE TIME OFF SHIPS MORE THAN THE TIME ON BOARD BUT THIS WAS AN EXCEPTION.

HAD SOME VERY NICE EVENING MEALS WITH JEFF, TERRESA & GLENN.

SPENT TIME IN THE WEST INDIAN BAR - HOW COULD I RESIST A BEER CALLED RED FROG.

LOTS OF PEOPLE WATCHING ON THE TWO FORMAL NIGHTS WHERE THERE WERE LINE-UPS AROUND THE SHIP FOR POSED PHOTOS.

ONE REGRET I HAD WAS NOT GETING A PHOTO OF THE MISS CARNIVAL MAGIC COMPETITION.

I WAS ON DECK WHEN THEY ASKED FOR 5 CONTESTANTS. I TOOK ONE LOOK AT ONE ABSOLUTE DREAM OF A GIRL & LEFT KNOWING SHE WOULD WIN.

MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, I SAW HER ON THE TV NOT WINNING.

I SPOKE TO HER LATER TO SAY I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DID NOT WIN THE COMPETITION & SHE SAID 'WHICH COMPETITION'.

JADE FROM OKLAHOMA - WOW.. BUT ALAS, NO PHOTOS.