December 2007
Day 7 - Hayden-day, December 2, 2007
Why "Hayden-day", you ask? Today (Sunday) is grandson Hayden's second birthday so we're dedicating our adventure in St. Maarten to him:
There's a chance you'll see more of the sign..
We awoke to find we were tied up alongside another cruise ship:
It's the Royal Caribbean cruise ship "Empress of the Seas". It's about three times the size of our ship and really fills the window!
Off to breakfast:
   
We disembarked for Gustavia; yet another upscale shopping opportunity. I'm so thrilled.. Looking back up to the ship I marked our suite location:
Here's the first example showing how much bigger the "Empress of the Seas" is compared to our little "Seven Seas Navigator":
 
Yes, that's a rock-climbing wall at the stern of the "Empress of the Seas".  
It was Dr. Claude Wathey's vision that St Maarten evolve into a tourist destination. He worked for forty years to make this happen; he was successful (for sure):
He, too, wishes Hayden a Happy Birthday!
All the shopping action is on Front Street. Another narrow, cobblestoned street with shop after shop after shop:
I don't remember a lot my father warned me about, but I'm pretty sure I received an admonition against the advice on this sign:
   
This young pair are on our ship and were on our water taxi back to the ship; we've seen them often during the week. By "pair" I'm referring, of course, to the two PEOPLE!:
This is our Stewardess, Mary Ann:
 
At 5:00p, the "Empress of the Seas" left the dock. I've never watched the process before; now I have and now you can,too:
First, they take up the gangway.. 
..then they loosen all lines..
..and haul them in. 
Lots of waving from the passengers..
This is where the people who do the work live..     
Tomorrow, short sail to Tortola.
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