Dec. 08 Trip Report
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:16 pm
Sorry for this being a little late getting this out, I've been so busy since getting back from vacation with Christmas and work. This is the perfect weekend to sit down and write and edit photos.
Our trip started out with a couple of nights on St. Thomas. We stayed at the Best Western Emerald Beach. We really like it there. They have always treated us well and the food is very good. We also like the patio bar by the beach.
Surprisingly, the snorkeling there was pretty good. I photographed a lobster for the first time! What I didn't know at the time was, if you catch one, the restaurant would cook it for you. I could not do that, even though I love lobster.
We also went up on Paradise point by tram rail and had Bush wackers and walked around Havensight Mall area where the cruise ships come in. It was alright, I'm just not a big fan of shopping or St. Thomas.
Finally we were on our way to the Westin on Sunday. It felt good to be back, Mel and I just celebrated our one year anniversary on Oct. 20th. Our first year of marriage was a rocky one because of the stock market loss and housing situation. We endured and we could not wait to take our vacation and get away from everything at home. I'm sure a lot of people were rethinking spending money on traveling, we would have too, but since we have to pay for the Timeshare we had to go.
That night was the Beach Bar Forum party, it was great meeting everyone. We met Bill, who is just as nice in person as he is on the board. While we were there I asked Brenda and Gary and St. John Mike if they were interested in a boat Charter with Capt. John. So we set a date, more on that later.
Mel has always teased me about the board, just didn't understand about posting on the board. Now he loves the fact that we can meet people. Brenda and Gary were so much fun. They invited us over for drinks at Gallows Point and Gary and I snorkeled. What a nice place to snorkel, it has a great reef. Gary and Mel became instant friends, Mel grew up in Detroit and that is where Brenda Gary live. We are already making plans to meet up when we visit family in the coming months.
Our first day out, we visited Francis Bay, right off the bat, Mel photographs a shark, not a little one but a six foot nurse shark. We had a little photo contest going on and he won. He was so excited that he screamed shark while everyone was snorkeling. It was pretty funny.
Tuesday, I woke up early and was checking messages and Carolyn was trying to meet up with us, she was staying at the Westin as well. I did not get her last message before leaving saying the were at Jumbie. We went to Jumbie and while we were snorkeling around she heard me call out "MEL". She came up to me and said, "are you Sandy?"
They are very nice and it was a lot fun talking to her, she is very adventurous and loves hiking some of the off beaten paths. We ran into them on our last day at the Westin and they were off to Hike Honeymoon. I kinda felt lazy after talking to them as we lounged at the Westin.
This is the first time we didn't even go to Coral Bay, the week just seemed to go by so fast.
Monday we went to Francis
Tuesday, we went to Jumbie and Maho
Wednesday went to Cinnamon Bay
Thursday we went to Jost, Tortola, and snorkeled Waterlemon. with Brenda, Gary and St. John Mike
Friday met Gary and Brenda at Maho.
Sat. relax day at the Westin.
Highlights from our trip,
Dinner at Rumblines with Gary, Brenda and St. John Mike. Great dinner and atmosphere.
Dinner at Water front Bistro
Texas toast, cheeseburgers
We also grilled out at the Villa and packed lunches every day for the beach.
Meeting everyone from the Forum at the Beach Bar
Becoming Good friends with Brenda and Gary, can't wait to see them again in Detroit and also planning our trip next year with them as well.
Snorkeling Waterlemon with Mel and Gary. We had a great time and saw our only turtle of the week there, I had to fight off Gary and Mel to get my shots, I swear it was like being in Washington with other photographers fighting for the shot. We called it turle paparazzi.
Mel's photo of turtle
Capt. John Brandi is the best, he runs Palm Tree Charters, highly recommend him for any day trips.
We went to Tortola, Cain Garden, which I really would not go back to. We also went to Foxy's Taboo for lunch and then went to White Bay. The trip was great and everyone had a great time. Mel brought his Guitar along and sang on the beach. He is usually too shy to play in front of people but he was having a great time. This is one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Twins seperated at birth, I swear Brenda and I married the same guy.
If you ever get offered fruit punch from Brenda, beware it is dangerous.
It was a great week and of course it went by way to fast.
Here is a link to all my photos!
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... "><b>Visit My Photos - 81 Pics</b></a><br>
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... 6901"><img src="http://www.picturetrail.com/misc/albumF ... 729608.jpg" width="174" height="104" border="0"></a><br>
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... 901"><b>St John</b></a>
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Our trip started out with a couple of nights on St. Thomas. We stayed at the Best Western Emerald Beach. We really like it there. They have always treated us well and the food is very good. We also like the patio bar by the beach.
Surprisingly, the snorkeling there was pretty good. I photographed a lobster for the first time! What I didn't know at the time was, if you catch one, the restaurant would cook it for you. I could not do that, even though I love lobster.
We also went up on Paradise point by tram rail and had Bush wackers and walked around Havensight Mall area where the cruise ships come in. It was alright, I'm just not a big fan of shopping or St. Thomas.
Finally we were on our way to the Westin on Sunday. It felt good to be back, Mel and I just celebrated our one year anniversary on Oct. 20th. Our first year of marriage was a rocky one because of the stock market loss and housing situation. We endured and we could not wait to take our vacation and get away from everything at home. I'm sure a lot of people were rethinking spending money on traveling, we would have too, but since we have to pay for the Timeshare we had to go.
That night was the Beach Bar Forum party, it was great meeting everyone. We met Bill, who is just as nice in person as he is on the board. While we were there I asked Brenda and Gary and St. John Mike if they were interested in a boat Charter with Capt. John. So we set a date, more on that later.
Mel has always teased me about the board, just didn't understand about posting on the board. Now he loves the fact that we can meet people. Brenda and Gary were so much fun. They invited us over for drinks at Gallows Point and Gary and I snorkeled. What a nice place to snorkel, it has a great reef. Gary and Mel became instant friends, Mel grew up in Detroit and that is where Brenda Gary live. We are already making plans to meet up when we visit family in the coming months.
Our first day out, we visited Francis Bay, right off the bat, Mel photographs a shark, not a little one but a six foot nurse shark. We had a little photo contest going on and he won. He was so excited that he screamed shark while everyone was snorkeling. It was pretty funny.
Tuesday, I woke up early and was checking messages and Carolyn was trying to meet up with us, she was staying at the Westin as well. I did not get her last message before leaving saying the were at Jumbie. We went to Jumbie and while we were snorkeling around she heard me call out "MEL". She came up to me and said, "are you Sandy?"
They are very nice and it was a lot fun talking to her, she is very adventurous and loves hiking some of the off beaten paths. We ran into them on our last day at the Westin and they were off to Hike Honeymoon. I kinda felt lazy after talking to them as we lounged at the Westin.
This is the first time we didn't even go to Coral Bay, the week just seemed to go by so fast.
Monday we went to Francis
Tuesday, we went to Jumbie and Maho
Wednesday went to Cinnamon Bay
Thursday we went to Jost, Tortola, and snorkeled Waterlemon. with Brenda, Gary and St. John Mike
Friday met Gary and Brenda at Maho.
Sat. relax day at the Westin.
Highlights from our trip,
Dinner at Rumblines with Gary, Brenda and St. John Mike. Great dinner and atmosphere.
Dinner at Water front Bistro
Texas toast, cheeseburgers
We also grilled out at the Villa and packed lunches every day for the beach.
Meeting everyone from the Forum at the Beach Bar
Becoming Good friends with Brenda and Gary, can't wait to see them again in Detroit and also planning our trip next year with them as well.
Snorkeling Waterlemon with Mel and Gary. We had a great time and saw our only turtle of the week there, I had to fight off Gary and Mel to get my shots, I swear it was like being in Washington with other photographers fighting for the shot. We called it turle paparazzi.
Mel's photo of turtle
Capt. John Brandi is the best, he runs Palm Tree Charters, highly recommend him for any day trips.
We went to Tortola, Cain Garden, which I really would not go back to. We also went to Foxy's Taboo for lunch and then went to White Bay. The trip was great and everyone had a great time. Mel brought his Guitar along and sang on the beach. He is usually too shy to play in front of people but he was having a great time. This is one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Twins seperated at birth, I swear Brenda and I married the same guy.
If you ever get offered fruit punch from Brenda, beware it is dangerous.
It was a great week and of course it went by way to fast.
Here is a link to all my photos!
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... "><b>Visit My Photos - 81 Pics</b></a><br>
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... 6901"><img src="http://www.picturetrail.com/misc/albumF ... 729608.jpg" width="174" height="104" border="0"></a><br>
<a href="http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... 901"><b>St John</b></a>
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. We can't wait for November and hope to see you before then when you come to Michigan. Rhumblines was soooo good. We will have to go back there. Pu Pu Platter, here we come.
