Hi, everyone!
On our last full day on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Grandma and Grandpa took me to the Island Cow restaurant for lunch. The fried pickles were yummy! I wanted La Vache to see how the restaurant was decorated, so Grandma took some pictures of me. A nice man named Brian-san at the next booth asked about me, and Grandma explained that I had a cow friend at home. A little while later, Brian-san stopped by our booth with a new cow friend for me! My new friend said Little Island Cow was a good name, or LIC for short.
I wanted to show LIC the birds at “Ding” Darling refuge, so we drove through the main trail one more time. We stopped to look for alligators at the cross dike trail. We didn’t see any, but I did get a chance to show LIC how to identify the birds we might see. Then we went to the observation tower and I showed LIC how to use the spotting binoculars.
The roseate spoonbills were back roosting at the end of the big pond, and there was an ibis walking around right by the road. The tide was higher than we’d seen before, so the white pelicans didn’t have as much space on their sandbar.
When we got back to the resort on Captiva Island, we had a chocolate snack. Then it was time to return all the seashells to the beach! After LIC helped me do that, we watched sunset from the beach.
On Tuesday morning, Grandpa drove us from the Gulf Coast of Florida across the state to Miami. We went to the port terminal to start our cruise! I was excited to show LIC how to check in for the cruise. When we got on the cruise ship, our cabin wasn’t ready for us. We ate lunch and looked at the port of Miami from our ship, MS Riviera, while we waited. When our cabin was ready, LIC and I found our spot to sit! Then I showed LIC where we could get snacks any time in the concierge lounge.
When we got back, we had a wonderful surprise! My friend Robielyn-san, who was our housekeeper on our South Pacific cruise four years ago, was our housekeeper for this cruise, too! She said she would bring my buddy Butlog to visit as soon as she got a chance! I took LIC up on deck to show him some of my favorite shipboard places. We looked at the port of Miami and Biscayne Bay from deck fourteen, then watched people on the pool deck. I taught LIC about sea safety and life rings. Then we had a chance to catch some sun on the pool deck!
MS Riviera sailed about the time the sun set, so Grandma and Grandpa took us back on deck to watch both. The sun set behind some tall buildings on the Miami skyline as MS Riviera slowly backed away from the port terminal. It was being pushed by a tugboat! Once there was space, the tugboat turned MS Riviera around so it was facing forward toward the channel. We had a pretty sunset, then we passed right by a container ship being unloaded under night-time work lights.
When we got back to our cabin, my friend Butlog was waiting for us! We had some quiet time with Grandpa before Grandma put us all to bed. When we woke up in the morning, we were cruising off the coast of Cuba!
Butlog and I wanted to show LIC more of our favorite places on MS Riviera. We visited the grand staircase on deck five and made music in the lounge on deck six. Then we went up to deck fourteen and read a Paddington Bear book in the library. We played a game of scrabble in the game room and LIC got a triple letter score for his W! We even visited some art work in the stairways! When we got back, Robielyn-san gave us all something to drink.
Afternoon tea is my favorite event on board! Grandma and Grandpa took us along to Horizons lounge with them for the first tea of the voyage. Butlog and I showed LIC how to order from the sweets cart. Grandma got us a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam! It was yummy!
Last night we watched the sun set over Cuba from the balcony of our cabin. It was a little windy, but we had a perfect view!
Today we will be at sea all day. We won’t get to our first port of call till tomorrow morning. I’m glad to have friends with me to share my cruise adventure!
Love,
Lion-san