Sunday, March 20, 2016

Tuesday, December 8, 2016 – Virgin Gorda, BVI –Sunny and Warm – 80s

Distance from Philipsburg, St. Maarten to Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, BVI: 80 Nautical Miles

This is our first time in Virgin Gorda (Christopher Columbus gave the island this name because he thought it resembled a corpulent woman lying on her back).  We have been told that there is not much in the way of shops in Spanish Town but we are going to take a look around.

Up early enough to watch another Caribbean sunrise and have a wonderful breakfast on the back deck. 

20151208_ sunrise VG 1 (Small)20151208_ sunrise VG 3 (Small)20151208_ sunrise VG 4 (Small)20151208_ sunrise VG 5 (Small)20151208_sunrise VG (Small)20151208_ sunrise VG 6 (Small)

Sunrise in Virgin Gorda

I am calling this the best breakfast on this cruise.  All the food turned out great.

20151208_best breakfast of cruise (Small)

This is a tender port but it looks like the ride will be short as the island is very close to our anchor point.

20151208_Virgin Gorda from window (Small)

Virgin Gorda through our Window

20151208_ Virgin Gorda from ship 1 (Small)20151208_ Virgin Gorda from ship 2 (Small)20151208_ Virgin Gorda from ship 4 (Small)20151208_ Virgin Gorda from ship 5 (Small)20151208_Virgin Gorda from ship (Small)

The Island from the Ship

Getting on the tender was easy and soon we were on our way to the island.

20151208_E tender to VG (Small)

Ellen on the Tender

This tender ride afforded terrific shots of the Azamara Journey at Anchor.  Perfect angle and position of the ship.

20151208_ Journey from tender 1 (Small)20151208_ Journey from tender 2 (Small)20151208_Journey from tender (Small)20151208_ Journey from tender 3 (Small)

Journey at Anchor

Also at anchor in the bay is the “Club Med 2” – I had never heard of this ship (unusual configuration) but I am thinking expensive and parties.  The ship has been here a while as I spotted it while I was watching the sun rise this morning.

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Club Med 2

I think we had to bring our own materials to the island including the welcome to BVI sign below.

20151208_virgin gorda tender pier (Small)

It’s true what they said.  There isn’t much to see in Spanish Town.  There are a few shops and restaurants.  The really big site is the “Baths” – volcanic structures located along a beach.  The Baths are approximately 2 miles from Spanish Towns but the roads are uneven and unpaved, the drivers are scary, and it is a hot day.  The solution to the equation is no Baths on this trip.

The harbor area at Spanish Town is very nice with a few spiffy boats docked.

20151208_ Virgin Gorda marina (Small)  20151208_Journey anchored (Small)

Azamara Journey and Club Med 2 from the Marina

It didn’t take long to see everything there was to see in Spanish Town so we tendered back to the ship to enjoy lunch and the rest of the glorious day.

Before dinner, we went to the Hanukkah Candle Lighting in the Drawing Room.  Rabbi Fine (accompanied by his wife) has been running the Candle light for the festival.  He spends a little time going over some topics related to Hanukkah.  After the candles, there are latkes and jelly donuts (suf ganyot), plus some Wine.  The spread prepared by the ship is very nice.

The Captain came by during one of the candle lightings (he had never seen one before) and spent quite a while sharing some stories and having some latkes with us.

20151208_Candle lighting Rabbi Fine (Small)

Rabbi Fine and our J Crew

20151208_Chanukah Spread (Small)

The Hanukkah Spread

The Suf Ganyot cannot be found anywhere else on the ship, so I smuggled some out for dessert later.

Showtime tonight is another double show – Marcos French (Argentine Vocalist) followed by Eric. 

Before the show started, we were treated to a really entertaining Flash Mob dance by passengers.  Natalie and Jodie have been “secretly” teaching the dance.  One member of the audience suddenly stands up and starts the song followed by the other dispersed members of the group until everyone is involved.  It is really a fun thing to watch and it was very hard work to put it together.

20151208_ Flash Mob 1 (Small)20151208_ Flash Mob 3 (Small)

Natalie and Jodie start things off

20151208_Flash Mob (Small)

The Azamara Journey Flash Mob

Marcos French did a nice job during his show – he has a great voice.  He will only get better as he fine tunes his banter with the audience and works on a more defined ending to his musical numbers.

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Marcos French

Eric, as always, put on a great show.  I captured his “Bring Him Home” below.

20151208_Bring Him Home (Small)

During the day, I got a message from Jodie, asking if I could add another talk to fill the last sea day (I was supposed to give just one talk).  I couldn’t reach her so I left a message in her office suggesting “Identifying the Famous and Infamous” as Talk Number 10.  She confirmed with me later. 

Tomorrow, we head to Florida.

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