Friday, Day 1 - We're Off!!!

We booked this cruise a year ago and believe me, I've been counting down for a year!! The closer the months, weeks and days drew, the more excited I became. See, this time I knew what I was in for. Last time we cruised the Caribbean it was all new. This time? We're pros. LOL Gigi and I have been in cahoots for months waiting for this day. And now, we're finally on a plane and our countdown is measured in hours, not months, weeks or days. I am so there. Before I go any further let me explain that we all have cruising personas. Bob became 8Ball in San Juan last year, Ricky and Regina are Jacques and Gigi and I eventually adopted the handle of Bambi. The names are interchangeable and I won't always be consistent with using one or the other.

This year we decided a January cruise would be better than a December before Christmas cruise. So this time all the hoopla of the holidays are behind us. I plan to milk this chill mode as long as possible. Jacques and Gigi have the cabin we were in last year and ours this year is right next door. 😁😁😁 

Our limo (Gigi's van) arrived earlier than expected this morning and 8Ball and I weren't quite ready. That didn't squash the exitement though. We arrived at the airport about 7:30am and were checked in and through security by about 8:10. Since we had so much time before our 9:55 flight we hit the closest bar by our gate and started out in vacation mode with beers all around - at 8:30am. Well hell it was 1:30pm in England, right? LOL I think we beat our earliest record this morning.

Bob and I brought physical books to read on the beach. First time we've read a real book in ages. We also bought them digitally so when on the ship we can read on our iPads. That's pretty bad isn't it? I checked Goodreads last night and Cari and I have both read the one I brought, "Superstition" by Karen Robards and both of us rated it very high so it should be an easy read. Otherwise I have plenty to choose from on my iPad. 

Getting ready to land in Orlando. We have a couple hour layover here. I'm thinking more eating and more drinking are in order!!!

... Yup. We found our old haunt from last year Johnny Rivers' Grill & Market and planted. Some mediocre food for lunch and adult beverages, of course. It was just enough time to kill with leisure and line up for the last leg to San Juan. 

(Check out the chick yawning behind us LOLOL)

Thankful for some uneventful flights, we landed in San Juan around 6:15. The airport here is dead and it takes a while to get the luggage. Finally, we're loaded into a taxi on our way to the hotel, Marriott Miramar. I have to expound on this taxi ride. This guy was intense. We've ridden with some doozies. He may have edged into first place. The boy was driving like he stole it!! Even Jacques was putting his seatbelt on. No really, that's saying something. I think we were all saying prayers that our big adventure for the week wasn't going to end before it got started. Gigi said later that even she doesn't drive like that ... I had to remind her that indeed she does, in DC. CRAZY!!!

I think we all kissed the ground when we made it to the hotel safely. LOL Typically, we ask the locals where to eat whe visiting a new place so we asked the girl at the desk and without hesitation she recommended Casita Miramar for local cuisine. It was a short walk from the hotel and we all agreed it sounded good. We had also read wonderful things about this place on trip advisor. The worst part of the evening was the 45 minutes wait for a table but we were prepared for that as well. That time was passed enjoying a local holiday passion fruit sangria. Man was it good!! Bob tried a local beer and wasn't  impressed. So we we got to our table we ended up ordering a pitcher of sangria for everyone. I think it's saying something when even the guys really like it. 

The food. Wow. Was fabulous! Bob and I chose their Christmas special with was some kind of pork dish that literally melted in your mouth. Our server said it was a typical local Christmas dinner at most homes around here. I can see why. Was divine. Gigi decided on an avocado stuffed with shrimp and sweet plantains. It, also, was amazing!!! Jacques ordered the sword fish and cleaned up his plate. I'm just glad we had to walk back to our hotel. What a fabulous beginning to an amazing week ahead!!

And 8Ball ... I don't know what's up with him. He is so not into the chill mode yet. He was suggesting we meet for breakfast in the morning at 7:30!!!!! FRO? What was he thinking? We all looked at him like he'd grown another head! 9am sounded much better to the rest of us. Smh. We'll get him in the mode. Guess it just may take a little longer for him. 

That's it for Day 1!