Mardi Gras Spirit

Talk about preconceived notions…

I used to think that visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras would be spooky and creepy (I pictured dark streets being taken over by packs of drunken miscreants!) *buzzer* Wrong impression.

I had become stuck on one particular cruise line (far superior than all the others – in my mind!) *buzzer* Wrong assumption.

I felt uncomfortable with the idea of combining business with pleasure – as in taking hubby’s two clinical assistants with us on a seminar cruise – even though we all had either continuing education or management classes to take while on board the ship (wanted to keep clear interpersonal boundaries, you know!) *buzzer* Wrong again!

Well, that’s three strikes for me! I’m out. No, wait a minute. *grins* Let me explain…

Last week on Sunday (as in Super Bowl XLIV, thank you very much!) we set sail for a 7-night business cruise on the Norwegian Spirit from New Orleans to Costa Maya, Guatemala, Belize, and Cozumel. Everything down to the smallest detail went off without a hitch *happy dance* and there were good vibes everywhere we went… all week long (better than I could imagine!) To begin with, since we and our luggage, arrived on the ship promptly, there was plenty of time to take a walk around town before “sail away” and as it turned out, we literally moseyed up to three Mardi Gras parades in three hours flat!

The people of New Orleans are super friendly! As soon as we walked up to the curb along the first parade route, a man in front of us turned around and began explaining everything a savvy New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade Spectator needs to know about tossing and catching beads, plastic coins, stuffed animals, and mini moon pies (they’re a yummy tradition there!) At first I thought he was exaggerating when he said you end up with so many beads around your neck that it’s hard to stand up straight… until it happened to me! *giggles*

It was so cool on board the Norwegian Spirit, especially that night, because every single TV screen in each and every public area was tuned in to the game – a huge Super Bowl party atmosphere that really coalesced all of us passengers and crew who were watching it together. We all sailed away down the Mississippi River in great spirits. *ahhh* Congratulations New Orleans Saints – Who Dat Super Bowl XLIV Champions!

Going to seminar lectures on board a moving ship can be nauseating at times (would rather kick back in a reclining poolside Barca Lounger!) but paying attention to 12 hours of Dental Office Management presentations is an effective distraction from mild seasickness. *whew* And having two office mates with us on the cruise made it even more enjoyable and interesting (“who did what” conversations are fun!)

Speaking of fun… nothing beats the spirit of live bands… so we danced whenever and wherever we could on the ship (it may look like a grand foyer to you – we see a dance floor!)

Oh, and let’s not forget the shore excursions: My very first horseback ride happened last week in Belize. *pat on the back* It still counts even though we (horse #4 and I) merely sauntered along the trail – while hubby, quite the horseman, cantered away (he did circle back to the rear of the line to check on me periodically!) *sweet*

The hidden waterfalls and colorful butterflies of Guatemala are breathtaking, but my favorite memories revolve around how the local people made me feel. Quite a bona fide spirit of human kindness prevails among the Guatemalans who interact with cruise ship visitors to their country. Ya know something? I’ve been on eight cruises already (three different cruise lines) and have gone on dozens of shore excursions in conjunction with those cruises, but I have to say, Guatemalans are not shy about expressing their love of the tourists (Love you back!) When our ship was sailing away, a local band and two groups of dancers in traditional costumes serenaded us from the pier… the last sounds I heard from Guatemala were the performers on the dock shouting, “We love you!” as they waved goodbye.

Then back to our U.S. neighbor of the south – Mexico *amigos* where we went on a bike ride, kayaking, and an extreme dune buggy ride to jade caverns and bat caves (socks got so filthy, we trashed ‘em!) All in all, it was a fabulous business cruise, which culminated on Valentine’s Day! *warm fuzzies*

Yes, I do love cruising… now please excuse me while I “cruise” on down to the laundry room and embark on what looks to be a long cleansing journey… if you know what I mean. *giggles*

Have a fabulous week! I’ll be back here next Monday.

~peace~