Friday, December 10, 2010

We Are Back!!!

Dear friends, we are back from our travels and had a most amazing, fun, exciting and relaxing time! It was hard to choose just a few of the many, many photos we took, but I just wanted to give you a short impression of where we were and what we did...
We spent some time in Tampa before boarding a most lovely cruise ship to sail off into the sunny and warm Caribbean!
The sky was spectacular as we took off on our journey!
Our first stop was in Key West, somewhere we had not visited before. Such a pretty place!



In the evening we ate in the ship's restaurant with the best view ever as we sailed away from Key West toward Jamaica.
Jamaica awaited us with beautiful waterfalls,

colorful birds,
and lush, tropical foliage! Every house plant we have, I found there - only much bigger!
From Jamaica we arrived in Grand Cayman Island and had a most amazing adventure swimming with - and petting - the giant stingrays!
We had never seen water this clear,
nor had we known that these giant fish are so gentle and love to interact with humans. We could have stayed forever...
In Cozumel, we finally experienced the highlight of our trip - meeting up with my cousin, who had moved to Playa del Carmen just a few months earlier. It was sheer coincidence that the trip we had booked much before then would actually make a stop where we could see her! (For those of you who speak German, you may enjoy visiting her blog. Click here!)
It was wonderful!!
And today is her birthday. Happy Birthday, Britta!!!
On board of the ship, we did lots of lounging and reading - I read four books in six days,
much admiring of the view,
a bit of knitting while listening to an audio book,
more lounging and reading,
ooohing and aaahing over sunsets and sunrises, 
and, of course, much, much good eating!! Cheers!
Back home, we did some more sight seeing,
playing with Winslow and Ramses,
walking around the neighborhood (and sampling the kumquats which are starting to get ripe),
and, of course, more eating before my dad is making his way back to Germany! It was wonderful!!
But I have missed you all and my blog! I didn't realize how much I like to stay connected to what's going on in blogland. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this busy and magical time of the year. I'll try to check in with you all during the next few days!!

It sure feels good to be back!

35 comments:

  1. This was so beautiful... I wish you joy and thanks for showing us the times you had! Joyous! Glad you are back safe and sound! Blessings.

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  2. Welcome back!! I'm so glad the 3 of you had a wonderful time AND got to visit with Britta! All of your photos are amazing -- so much beauty!

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  3. What a wonderful trip you had! Welcome back!! The water looked amazing. So much beauty to share with us. Hope you have a relaxing weekend dear Silke!
    xo

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  4. Thank you for sharing your adventure. I cannot get over how clear and blue that water is!!! And the sunset over the water. ugh! How amazing!!!!!!

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  5. Welcome back---but I have to say, after all those beautiful spots and lovely delightful dinners and rest, I think I would find it hard to return.
    (but very glad to see you my dear! And I bet Ramses and Winslow were too!)
    Beautiful photos...... ;)

    XXOO~~♥
    Anne

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  6. And it feels good to have you back! Wunderschöne Fotos und Ihr scheint eine richtig, richtig gute Zeit gehabt zu haben! Happy weekend Hugs Stefanie

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  7. Oh Silke!! You're back! Your pics are wonderful! Looks like a lovely trip! I was smiling reading this post because I have also been to Jamaica and grand cayman to see the stingrays!! Not on a cruise, each were separate trips. Are those the dunn's river falls (those were the falls I saw in Jamaica)? Aren't those places magical?! Thanks for sharing!!

    Hugs to you!

    xo

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  8. Welcome back, Silke, I love the photos, I glad you have enjoyed the trip, The waterfalls are really beatiful, and I am surprise of how fast you read...Thanks for sharing, and send you much love.
    Amalia.

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  9. Welcome home. What a wonderful trip you had, it makes me jealous that water looks so inviting.

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  10. Welcome home Silke! I really enjoyed each and every one of your pics! I wanna go on a cruise so bad! maybe someday :)

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  11. Liebe Silke, ich freue mich, dass ich wieder bei dir lesen kann! So schöne Fotos von einer so wundervollen Zeit - sei froh, dass du das mit deinem Vater noch alles erleben kannst.
    Herzliche Grüße aus dem total verschneiten Bayern von Verena

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  12. Welcome back Silke!!! The photos look beautiful, and you and Daniel look tanned and rested. Glad to see you back blogging. Looking forward to what's ahead! :-)

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  13. Hi Silke,
    I did not know you were on a cruise! :-)
    What lovely photos of Jamaicia... I love tropical islands and the warm whether that surrounds you like a heated blanket. It is just like the whether in Fiji. I went there a few years ago.
    The clear sea does look really inviting. Stingrays are very sweet creatures. They have rough skin like sandpaper!
    It is good to see you and Daniel having a wonderful time and enjoying some nice meals with your family.
    I hope you have a Magical Christmas and a Happy New Year!
    Best wishes to you both,
    Jo. xx

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  14. Welcome home, Silke! Looks like a marvelous trip. I love all your pictures. That big red Macaw is beautiful. Hugs, Diane

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  15. Welcome home dear Silke! Wonderful to see photos of your amazing trip. Hard to believe that it's warm & colourful somewhere when it's so cold & dark here! love to you & welcome to Christmas xo Rachel (Mozart's Girl)

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  16. Such a lovely trip Silke. You look so happy and well rested! Welcome home to blogland, we missed you too.

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  17. Welcome home Silke! Looks like you all had a wonderful time. How great! The pictures are awesome, the waters so clear, wow! You do look like you enjoyed every minutes. Great to have you back. Happy Holidays.

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  18. Welcome home! Looks like you and Daniel had a wonderful time! You both look happy and so relaxed. :) Thanks for sharing all these amazing photos - feels like I was there with you. :) Theresa

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  19. Welcome back Silke - what a wonderful trip you made. Love the Stingray photos - my daughter and new son-in-law did just that on their recent honeymoon!

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  20. Welcome back, Silke. You have been missed. Looks like it was an amazing trip. The familiy resemblance between yourself and your cousin is remarkable!

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  21. Liebe Silke,

    es ist alles so harmonisch.
    Wir freuen uns mit dir und Daniel.

    Schön, dass du uns an deinem Glück teilnehmen
    lässt.

    In Liebe
    Angela und Elisabeth

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  22. Schön dass du wieder da bist!

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  23. welcome home!!! :))
    i enjoy seeing your photos, thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend!

    xxoo

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  24. Hi Silke,
    das sind ja wundervolle Fotos, sieht aus als häätet ihr einen tollen Urlaub gehabt.
    Ach ein bischen Sonne und Wärme könnte ich hier auch brauchen.
    Ich musste schmunzeln, als ich das Bild sah auf dem dem du strickst, du machst deine Schals sogar in den Tropen, oder?
    Ich wünsch dir ein schönes Wochenende
    Janine

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  25. Whew! A sigh of relief. I have not been blog hopping so I may have missed your cruise announcement. All I knew was you were gone and I worried a bit. I am glad to see you are well and rested. Welcome back!

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  26. AAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!

    what a trip!!!!!!!!

    i've met and shared company with stingrays too. isn't it cool how they take their food from you?

    welcome back, silke. the blogs are blooming with festivity. i know my mailbox is having a great time.


    kj

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  27. Good to see you back! What a fantastic vacation you have had. Tons of brilliant sights and relaxation. And, of course, yummies galore! Welcome home!!

    xoxo

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  28. Ja, herzlich wilkommen zurueck nach Hause, Silke! You look like you had a wonderful time!

    Winslow looks adoringly up at you and it's obvious he's very happy you're back!

    Will you be making jam or marmalade with your kumquats? I just ate the last of my Persimmons that I wait for all year long - my newest addiction LOL

    Tschuess - bis bald!

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  29. Welcome Back Silke! Sounds like you had a marvelous time!

    Love, Catherine

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  30. Liebe Silke, was für eine schöne Reise! So ein azurblaues Meer, die Entspannung (4 Bücher!), das leckere Essen und vieles mehr. Nun kannst Du ganz in Ruhe das Weihnachtsfest angehen.... Ich wünsche Dir noch eine schöne Zeit und sende liebe Grüße von Luzia.

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  31. welcome back silke! what fun that was tagging along with you, you are a very good tour guide. i loved it all but the stingrays. those must be the kind that don't have a barb to sting with? they are very dangerous here on the west coast. *shudder*
    happy holidays!!

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  32. Happy Birthday to Britta. I see the family resemblance.
    What a wonderful trip you all had. So excellent, so much relaxing.
    And sunsets...my favorites!!
    Have a great week.

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  33. WOW...Silke and Daniel...what a trip!
    I love travelling the World with you! Heehee...
    HUGS and thanks for sharing.
    X.Char.X

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  34. Welcome back, Silke!!! WOW! What an amazing trip you had. Beautiful photographs!! I really enjoyed seeing the places you visited.
    ♥ audrey

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  35. Oh Silke - your trip was fabulous! I loved every photo - you all look so happy! You look so beautiful in you dinner photos - and I LOVE your satchel with the flowers - LOVE that!

    Don't you love cruises - I swear we could live on a cruise ship! Reading, knitting, eating great food - who could ask for more! You went to some fabulous places - some of our favorites also. How wonderful that you were able to meet your cousin - what a special treat!

    Love this post - thanks for sharing such a wonderful trip and your amazing photos!

    Vicki

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