Yes, I am back, and it is Saturday afternoon as we head toward New York City on our last sea day on ms Insigna.  Since leaving Bermuda yesterday afternoon, the seas have been pretty rough and the winds heavy, so it wasn't very comfortable to sit at the computer for blogging.  But the sea is becoming calmer as we continue northeastward.  Because of the heavy headwinds at the bow we will probably arrive in NYC about one hour late, at 8am rather than 7am.  But that will give us a clearer view of the Statue of Liberty as we enter New York Harbor.

The last blog entry featured our day in Grenada, so now I return to 

8 July 2018:
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Today we have an unexpected stop at the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, with an unplanned visit to Port of Spain, national capital of both islands.  Today's stop is to make up for the cancellation of visits to St Lucie and Dominica, because of hurricanes Beryl and Chris. It is, of course, absolutely essential to stay out of the way of these storms, and it is fortuitous that we can substitute Trinidad for one of the missed ports.  However, we will still wind up one port short, with an extra sea day added.  Some cruise lines offer passengers a small cash refund in cases like this, other lines do nothing at all.  It will be interesting how Oceania responds to this event.  But the bottom line is that the Captain is absolutely right to keep us out of the way of danger at sea, and his decisions about this are not to be questioned by complaining passengers. 

So I am trading in two never-before-visited islands with one that I visited on my way to Rio de Janeiro in early 2014.  On that cruise, Holland America's Maasdam made full-day calls at both Port of Spain, Trinidad, and the next day at Scarborough, Tobago.  Trinidad has a special place in my heart as the birthplace of my wonderful Tucson physician, Sudha N.

After driving through the busy streets of central Port of Spain, our first tour bus stop is at the extensive National Botanical Gardens, with its glorious collection of colorful flowering trees.  The Presidential Palace, currently being restored, is also located in the gardens.

Tour Buses Waiting Beside ms Insignia

Central Port of Spain Viewed from Botanical Gardens 

Arts and Conference Center in Downton Port of Spain

Blossoming Trees in Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens

Above and Below:  Presidential Palace Under Restoration

After leaving the Botanical Gardens we drive into the hills surrounding the city for panoramic views of the harbor and countryside.

Final stop before returning to the ship for lunch is

Maracas Beach, a popular place to swim and play for the local population.

If you would like to see more pictures of Trinidad, you can link back from any blog page to 17 February 2014.