On the walk towards the market, we went in and out of a few shops searching for trinkets to take home. I did find some cute necklaces and bracelets for the girls. The littlebird girls are always easy to shop for. Years ago, every time we (my honey and I) traveled, we would go to the local Hard Rock Cafe and get the girls and Will a teeshirt. After one trip one of them "suggested" we get them something else besides the famous teeshirts. They were certain they had plenty! LOL!
Will and Lex always present a problem for me. Will has such a unique taste that I never quite know what to get when it comes to shirts and such...and my honey is always telling me he has too many teeshirts...so there went that idea. My honey also sent me with explicit instructions NOT to buy him any wooden mugs at the straw market. Dang...I had hoped to get him a full set this trip! ;)
So, my choices were limited...very limited...unless I wanted to buy them each a Coach knock-off. Now the upside to that would be that they would not want them and would give them back to me!
So, I bought Will a shotglass with some Bahama slang on it....and my honey...are you ready for this??...the only thing you can buy the guy who has everything...the guy who does not want teeshirts...or wooden mugs...are you ready???...a genuine...handmade...magnatized...bottle opener for the mancave!!! Wow...was he excited!! LOL!!
The next day we arrived in Freeport...where we had determined we would spend the day on the beach. M3 had insisted that the only thing she wanted to do on this trip was go to the beach...so off we went.
Now...I love the ocean...I mean I really love the ocean. The ocean excites all of my senses...all at once...the smell of the ocean...the sound of the waves crashing against the shore...the breathtaking view of a horizon that seems so vast...the taste of the salt water (hmmm...not sure about this one)...and last but not least...the feel of the warm sand between my toes.
On this beach, however, my senses were overloaded with...the smell of diesel fuel...the loud rumbling sound...and ungodly sight...of one of several tour boats parked directly in front of us for the ENTIRE time we were plopped on the beach. At one point M3 was almost plowed over as she stood knee-deep in the water moving back toward shore slowly...then more quickly...then at a more determined and focused pace...as the stupid boat continued to come to shore at the exact spot where she was standing. I wish I had a video...priceless!
Then there were the vendors selling...of course...beautiful handmade jewelry...and "ocean shells" (not sure what other kind there are)...and teeshirts with a "lifetime guarantee"! Now I wonder...how would one go about returning one of these teeshirts if dissatisfied? What are the chances of finding the exact vendor who sold it to you...and one with a photographic memory who would remember you because he was not handing out any receipts here people.
We returned to the ship...quite worn out after our big beach day...and decided to hang out in the room for a while...order up some room service...and chill. We unanimously chose one thing on the menu...PB&J with a glass of milk. Perfect end to a perfect day!
All of these are memories we will rehash again and again over the next 50 years while we go on many future "senior citizen" sponsored bus trips, cruises, and all-inclusives. I say "senior citizen" because...a) we are all "seniors" and of course "citizens"...b) we will need a tour guide in the future to help us plan our excursions as we seem to have had some difficulty in this area...c) they always give you name tags so you don't forget who you are, where you are going, and the name tags are a "free pass" that get you back on the ship...no need for all that other identifications stuff that we can't remember to take with us!
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pee Your Pants...three sisters...three friends...forever!
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