And now for something completely different . . . . rather than recount tales of Galveston's history, I'll act as a different kind of Tour Guide -- one who leaves the Island for foreign adventure!  

Before anyone had heard anything about Hurricane Ike, Gene and I discovered a transatlantic cruise on Voyager of the Seas leaving Galveston on his birthday heading for Ireland, France and England.  It also stopped by Bermuda and the Azores enroute.  With no vacation since Feb./March, 2007, we plunked down our dollars in August -- totally unaware of all the truly life-altering events that were to follow.   Each Fall month brought bigger obstacles on the Galveston homefront until battered but not beaten, sadder and wiser, we emerged in January to face our future head-on with a new book, a new job and a new home of our own.   But first -- a cruise to transition!!   Fourteen full days to recover, re-connect, renew and rejuvenate . . . who wouldn't love that?

You'll recall that Saturday, April 18 brought a deluge of 9.5 inches of rain to Friendswood/League City.  I packed in the dark when the eletricity went off while Gene sat stranded above the high water on the new Hwy. 96.  But we made it through to a brighter morning.  However, that storm passed over Galveston Island out into the Gulf, impacting both the Port and both returning cruise ships.  Neither was allowed to dock until 10 am, finally deboarding passengers around noon.  All the simultaneous coming and going traffic backed up Harborside Drive for 11 blocks!!    With a resigned vacation attitude of "you just can't fight Mother Nature," we found ourselves standing in line to board the ship at 4 pm -- the usual time for life jacket muster!  Blessedly, that was postponed until the next morning at 10 am.   A speedy line and a graciously patient on-shore team saw to it we were on the ship in time for a first glass of wine before our early dinner, rescheduled until 6 pm. 

We dined that first evening with two Canadian sisters -- one a nurse, the other a businesswoman -- who make it a point every year to cruise sans their families.   While the nurse defended their heath care system, the more cruise-minded businesswoman vowed to participate in all the special functions, like the murder mystery dinner in Portofino's and the formal lunch with its custom-made salad.   She also had ordered a taste of the vegetable curry dish that evening -- a new feature due to a new Indian chef.  I was hooked at first bite!  However, later that night, Gene and I decided that early 5:30 pm seating was just TOO early so we switched to 8:00 on Day 2 -- our first formal night.