Fort Lauderdale: Port Everglades

 

Originally known as Lake Mabel, Port Everglades was officially established as a deep water harbor in 1927 and has since grown to become one of South Florida’s strongest economic engines with annual operating revenues of more than $66 million and total waterborne commerce exceeding 23 million tons in liquid, bulk and containerized cargoes.

Fort Lauderdale

More than 5,300 ships call at Port Everglades in a year forming the basis of a diverse maritime operation that includes a thriving cruise industry and a reputation as the “world’s best cruise port,”

Stormy Port Everglades

On December 21, 2003, the port had a record 15 cruise ships.^[8] No other port in the world at that time had hosted 10 or more cruise ships on a single day. The closest competitors are: Port of Barcelona with 9 ships the 26 of August 2011 Miami with 8 ships and Port of New York with 7 ships on a single day.

Port Everglades broke its own world record on November 26, 2011, with more than 53,500 guests passing through the Port in a single day.^[9] The previous record was set on March 20, 2010, with 53,365 passengers.^[10] In 2010, Port Everglades documented 55 cruise ships offering regularly scheduled cruises. With 15 different cruise lines, Port Everglades claims to offer more cruise lines, more sailings, and more itineraries than any other port in the world.^[11]

 

Fort Lauderdale is a city on Florida’s southeastern coast, known for its beaches and boating canals. The Strip is a promenade running along oceanside highway A1A. It’s lined with upscale outdoor restaurants, bars, boutiques and luxury hotels. Other attractions include the International Swimming Hall of Fame, with pools and a museum of memorabilia, and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, featuring trails and a lagoon.

Cruise ship in Port Everglades

 

Growing up on a dairy farm in southeastern Indiana, Gary traveled very little until midlife, when the opportunity became available to him.

Grabbing his camera and a bag full of equipment, he began his vision quest traveling to most areas of the United States and several countries abroad.

Along the way he collected several thousand photographs that he wants to share with everyone.

http://www.travelnsnap.com

Gary decided the best way to accomplish his goal was to publish photo documentaries on the various areas of the world he has visited.

What will follow will be several photography books, who knows how many will wind up in his collection.

To contact Gary:

journeysthrulife@gmail.com.

http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Cruise Ships Docked In Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia, an Eastern Caribbean island nation with a pair of dramatically tapered mountains.  The Pitons, on its west coast.

Its coast is home to volcanic beaches, reef-diving sites, luxury resorts and fishing villages. Trails in the interior rainforest lead to waterfalls like the 15m-high Toraille, which pours over a cliff into a garden. The capital, Castries, is a popular cruise port.

 

The beautiful harbor in St. Lucia

The Pilons, historic landmark in St. Lucia

 

Growing up on a dairy farm in southeastern Indiana, Gary traveled very little until midlife, when the opportunity became available to him.

Grabbing his camera and a bag full of equipment, he began his vision quest traveling to most areas of the United States and several countries abroad.

Along the way he collected several thousand photographs that he wants to share with everyone.

Gary decided the best way to accomplish his goal was to publish photo documentaries on the various areas of the world he has visited.

What will follow will be several photography books, who knows how many will wind up in his collection.

To contact Gary:

journeysthrulie@gmail.com.

http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

A Cruise Ship docked at St. Lucia Canvas Print

by lifejourneysimages

Harvesting Cinnamon in Grenada

While on a recent cruise I had the opportunity to visit the tiny Caribbean Island of Grenada which among other things is a reliable source of many spices, including cinnamon.

Cinnamon has a rich history dating back 5,000 years when Arabs controlled the spice trade bringing cinnamon from what was known then as the Spice Islands, to sell in Nineveh, Babylon, Egypt and Rome. It was used by the Egyptians as an ingredient in their embalming fluids and the Romans used it as a love potion. Even Moses used it in a holy oil to anoint the ark of the covenant.

Harvesting cinnamon is very labor intensive, taking up to three years after a tree is planted before the first harvest can be completed.Harvesting is a long process, it begins  by growing the tree for two years and then coppicing it. Coppicing is a process whereby the tree is cut off at the ground level and shoots are allowed to grow from the main branch.

At harvest time the shoots are cut and the leaves and twigs are removed with the rough outer bark. The shoots are then beaten to soften the tissues of the inner bark and make it easier to peel away in a complete strip. Once peeled, the bark is placed in overlapping, extended layers then rolled to form long canes or quills that are sun-dried. As the quills dry, the bark curls and becomes paper-like. These long canes are later cut into cinnamon sticks. Flakes left over from this process, called  featherings are sold to make into ground cinnamon powder or to be distilled into cinnamon oil. Cinnamon trees can yield productive bark for about 45 years, after which they are replaced with a new seedling.

 

Today much of North America’s cinnamon comes from Southeast Asia and the closely related cassia tree. Cassia is considered slightly inferior in taste to zeylanicum or true cinnamon that is a softer color with a milder, sweeter flavor. Cassia cinnamon is normally a darker reddish brown color and has a stronger, somewhat bittersweet flavor. Cassia cinnamon is also less expensive than zeylanicum cinnamon. Most cinnamon in the United States does not state its origin.

Cinnamon with its woody, mild yet exotic flavor is arguably the most popular spice in the world. Aside from its many uses in baking and cooking, it also provides a wonderful aroma to freshen the house. Just boil 5 cups of water with a teaspoon of added cinnamon, then let it simmer on the stove to enjoy the smell of a spice that has intoxicated people for over five millennia!

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature, landscapes and studying native cultures. Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt, the Canary Islands, much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hardcover and Ebooks, and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income.

 

 

Sailing in Paradise Wallclocks by lifejourneysimages
View other Thomas Wall Clocks

Cabo San Lucas

 

Cabo San Lucas commonly called Cabo  is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Cabo San Lucas together with San Jose Del Cabo is known as Los Cabos. As of 2010, the city had a population of 68,463.

Cabo has been rated as one of Mexico’s top 5 tourist destinations; it is known for its beaches, scuba diving, balnearios,  the sea arch  and marine life. The Los Cabos Corridor has become a holiday destination for tourists, with numerous resorts and timeshares along the coast between Cabo San Lucas and San José Del Cabo.

A cruise ship approaches Cabo San Lucas

 Continuously inhabited for over 10,000 years,  the area offers everything visitors and residents could ever need. Blessed with a perfect climate, a quiet bay and unlimited fishing the areas is a paradise to be enjoyed by all. Accessible by land or sea, it is an easy drive from the United States. Add to everything else the area has to offer, many fine restaurants  are found in the area.

Whether staying for a few hours on a cruise ship or spending a week, your time here would end way too soon.

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature, landscapes and studying native cultures. Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt, the Canary Islands, much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hardcover and Ebooks, and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income

 

Freedom of the Seas : RCCL

 

The newly refurbished Freedom of the Seas is the latest addition to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines fleet. It can accommodate 3634 passengers with a crew of 1300, it was the largest cruise ship afloat from 2006 until 2009 when teh Oasis of the Seas was launched.

                                                           

 

Built in Finland it weighs in at 154,407 gross tonnage , it measures 1,112 feet long and 126 feet wide. With 18 decks it measures 209 feet high.

                               

 

It consumes 28,000 pounds of fuel per hour. According to my calculations, that’s 3,500 gallons.

                                                 

 

The ship has an interior promenade 445 feet (136 m) long called the “Royal Promenade”, which features a coffee shop, Sorrento’s Pizzeria, the Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream shop, Vintages wine and tapas bar, the Bull and Bear Irish Pub, and many duty free shops.The Royal Promenade, first seen on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-Class in 1999, extends through the upper decks of the ships. This gives most upper level cabins a window, either to the port or starboard side or inwards to the promenade.

The ship has three swimming areas: an interactive water park, a dedicated adult pool, and the main pool. The 13th deck has a sports area with a rock climbing wall wall, the Flow rider surf simulator, a miniature golf course and a full size basketball court.

 

Other items include an ice skating rink rink, a casino, a Johnny Rockets restaurant, and a three-deck-high broadway-style theater. Technology amenities include  wifi capabilities throughout the ship, interactive televisions in all staterooms, and cell phone connectivity. Many of the ship’s interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.

 

We had the opportunity to spend a complimentary two day travel agent get acquainted cruise . Turns out that wasn’t nearly enough time to fully enjoy every amenity the ship has to offer.

                             

 

                                           

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well

 

The Bahamas: Great Stirrup Cay

Great Stirrup Cay is a small island that is part of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas.  Norwegian Cruise Line purchased the island from the Belcher Oil Company in 1977 and developed it into a private island for their cruise ship passengers. The northern part of the island has a sandy beach surrounded by rocks with snorkeling areas. The southern part features a helicopter airfield (with a sign reading “Great Stirrup Cay International Airport”), a large area without vegetation, and numerous concrete blocks. These are all remnants of a previous U.S. military installation and satellite tracking station. The island’s lighthouse was originally constructed in 1863 by the Imperial Light House Service

 

Great Stirrup Cay, along with the rest of the Bahamas, was formed by tectonic and glacial shifting. The first known settlers to the Bahamas were the Lucayan Indians, relatives of the Arawaks  who populated the Caribbean around 600 A.D.

Great Stirrup was a pirate hideout while the British settled in Nassau and the larger islands until 1815. This time marks the first documented settlers of Great Stirrup, and many of the structures from this settlement still stand today. Charts of this era show simply “Stirrup’s Cay”.

“Stirrup’s Cay” remained active during the American Civil war, as the Confederates wished to continue to export cotton to Europe. The island was used as a landfall for provisioning while Federal warships patrolled the area to thwart their efforts. After the abolition of slavery, the British began to slowly withdraw from the out island colonies, and the plantation at Great Stirrup was abandoned. Great Stirrup is the northern most island in a chain of islands known as the Berry Islands, and is situated in an area along the Northwest Providence Channel. In 1863, the Imperial Lighthouse Service erected the lighthouse on Great Stirrup Cay. The lighthouse site was manned for many years, but it is now timed and solar powered, making it self-sufficient. The structure stands nearly 80 feet, and its light is visible for over 20 miles.

During  World War ll,the United States, in an effort to protect its eastern shores, came to the Bahamas and Great Stirrup with a wide array of observational and defensive equipment. Among these were submersible cables, which were run along the ocean floor to listen for enemy submarines. Two “cable houses” still stand on the southeastern shore of the island, also overgrown by jungle. The  United States Air force later constructed a satellite tracking station. This facility was later leased to Motorola and other private sector companies. New technology has made the station obsolete, and it was closed in 1991.

Belcher Oil Company of Miami staked claim to the north section of the island for many years. Their interests there included real estate speculation, oil exploration, and a possible site for a corporate retreat. In 1977, Norwegian Caribbean Lines (later Norwegian Cruise Line) acquired this section from Belcher Oil.

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

Sail Boat at Saint John Stretched Canvas Print by lifejourneysimages
See more Caribbean Canvas Prints

Great Stirrup Caye

A private Island owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

Sail Boat at Saint John Stretched Canvas Print by lifejourneysimages
See more Caribbean Canvas Prints

The Sights of San Juan Puerto Rico

\Old Town, San Juan Puerto Rico.

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

Old Town San Juan Puerto Rico Bicycle Card Deck by lifejourneysimages
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Puerto Rico San Cristobol

San Cristobol , along with El Morro provided protectopn to San Juan and Puerto Rico for generations until modern warfare eliminated the need for them.

 

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

waterfall30x22.jpg stretched canvas print by lifejourneysimages
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San Juan Puerto Rico

The sights of San Juan Puerto Rico.

 

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.