We spent Thanksgiving week sailing the seas with our little family of 6. We have so many wonderful memories from this trip that we will cherish forever. From breakfast at the Windjammer to unlimited ice cream cones by the pool to formal dining with the sweetest table mates to arts & crafts at the Adventure Ocean club. And those are only the things we did on the ship!
Leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, we spent a day cruising then stopped at the southern most point in the U.S.~ Key West, FL. The kids were excited to ride the Conch Train to get a tour of the island. Next they got to feed sharks at the Aquarium. Ryan took Adelaide & Aspen on a jet ski ride while Brighton, Salem & I spent the afternoon dipping our toes in the sand and the ocean. It was the perfect island day!
The next day we arrived in Havana, Cuba. We were fortunate enough to take a car tour around the city. A little rough navigating our way to Nao Bar first, we were met with two tremendous guides who were happy to see us and the kids. They spent the next 3 hours showing us Old Havana, new Havana, Christ the Redeemer, and many more beautiful sites.
When I moved to Miami for graduate school, I met many people of Cuban decent. Most had fled the country once Castro took over and they don't have the fondest memories. My knowledge of Cuba was that it was mostly influenced by the Spanish. So when we arrived in Havana, it was eye opening to learn the history of the country and its people. There are influences from Africa, Germany, & Russia. It is a unique melting pot with a rich history to be shared.
People have asked if I felt safe and why I would take my kids to Cuba. As with anything, there are many myths about places that we have not been. I never once felt threatened nor did I fear for my children's safety. On the contrary, the people were incredibly nice and as helpful as they could be given the language barrier.
On our second day in Cuba, I actually wandered the town in the morning while Ryan & the kids swam on the boat. I enjoyed a Cuban coffee in the square facing the church of St. Francis of Assisi. I trekked down the cobblestone streets admiring the beautiful murals, fountains, and gardens. I even bargained for a souvenir!
We rounded out our trip in Fort Lauderdale with a trip to the Museum of Science & Discovery which proved to be a joy for all ages. Building houses to making fresh orange juice to rides through the Everglades to digging for dinosaur fossils and more! It was the perfect way to burn off some energy before we headed on the plane.
We had an incredible vacation aboard and offshore. We have much to be thankful for during this holiday season and always!
