We had a staff meeting this morning and it was confirmed that 'Dean' was coming. I was allowed to take some time off to buy some supplies as leaving it to Saturday (tomorrow) was not considered to be a good idea and I have to admit that leaving same to tomorrow morning would not have been a good idea at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello there!

 

It has been quite a while since I posted a blog onto my Space so I thought I should rectify the matter sooner rather than later.

 

My last blog entries were about my trip to Orlando, USA in January 2007 and if you have not read these blogs, please consdier doing so as I think you'll enjoy reading about my exploits.

 

I am still living and working in Grand Cayman and in Easter I took another trip to Costa Rica and, of course, took plenty of photographs of my time there. A thoroughly enjoyable exprience I must say and if you ever get the chance to go thee, please do so. Since arriving back I have made a number of attempts to note my time there but I have been extremely busy but I will try and rectify that soon, I hope particularly sicne some memories start to recede into the background so to speak after a while and I would like to get what I can down before this happens.

 

The weather in Cayman was, for a few weeks there, very wet and rather miserable. It was as if someone 'flicked the switch' so to speak on May 1 and turned on the rain machine. When I am walking around Geroge Town centre during my lunch hour when it rains I do feel somewhat sorry for the tourists who are there for a day trip - it all seems a bit of a washout for them.

 

Last weekend was a public holiday as it was the Queens oficial birthday recently and I was happy to see that the weaher was good for the 3 day weekend and for most of the week itself, today included although some clouds are on the horizon. Well, it is rainy season over here after all.

 

What else? Well, I was out for the last ever episode of the 'Sopranos' a couple of weeks ago which was a very enjoyable evening out I must say. Don't worry - I won't spoil it for the rest of you outside of North America but I would recommend seeing the last season (8 episodes) as the show was so well made. The next morning I logged on to the bbc news website and left an entry for them. The went on to publish my comments but left out any references to the events of the last epsiode itself so as not to spoil things for anyone who never saw the show yet. I was surprised to see that my comment was the only really complimentary one of the bunch they published., the others came from America so maybe that means something, I don't quite know. 

 

I was surprised, though, to log onto my email that morning to receive an invitation to talk about the show on BBC World television, especially as I am currently in the Cayman Islands. By the time I got the email and replied, bearing in mind that the BBC in London are 6 hours ahead fo us down here, it was too late although I did get some sort of open invitation to be on the programme in the future so you never know....international stardom beckons. 

 

Anything else? Not really. I have another sailing lesson this afternoon so I am looking forward to that........other than that there's nothing much to say of any interest.

 

If any of you have anything to say, go on ahead to do it as I would love to hear from you. Mind you, I was directed to facebook recently and it looks like fun - check it out.

 

That's all for now although please see below the extract from the BBC News website that was published the next day about the tv show ending. My entry was edited presumably because it alluded to certain instances in the programme itself.

 

The final episode of the highly popular Mafia drama series, The Sopranos, has been aired in the US.

The award-winning series, which has run for eight years on cable channel HBO, centres on the life of a dysfunctional mob family in New Jersey.

Millions had been expected to watch to learn the fate of the top mobster and main character, Tony Soprano.

As the series came to an end after eight years and 86 episodes, the question was: "What happens to Tony?"

Irony and satire

It has been described as the richest achievement in the history of TV, likened both to a Shakespearean drama and a Greek tragedy - the tale of Tony Soprano and the Mafia crime family he controls.

Tony Soprano has got a depth to him that we've rarely seen in mobsters Paul Chicklet Hollywood screenwriter

Hollywood screenwriter Paul Chicklet says the character is a person audiences love to hate.

"Inside ourselves we know we should not be liking this person - he is a killer.

"On the other hand, he has got a depth to him that we've rarely seen in mobsters so we want to see what's going to happen to him, just like we want to see what's going to happen to our Uncle Ralph."

With its complex characters, social satire and rich irony, The Sopranos was always about more than the mob.

By portraying Tony and his associates as everyday citizens, many believe it held a mirror to modern society.

The Sopranos has been both a cultural and a ratings sensation - essential viewing for millions of fans on both sides of the Atlantic.

For many here, Sunday nights will never be quite the same.

Did you watch the finale? What will you do without Tony Soprano? Was it the best ever series? What was so special about the Sopranos? Please tell us what you think using the form below.

The finale of the Sopranos was perhaps the biggest TV anti-climax of all time. It certainly was not a fitting end to 8 years of compelling viewing. Phil
Phil Morel, Redmond, USA

I saw the last ever episode with friends in an Italian restaurant - all very pleasant. I thought the build up to the last moments of the show was very well done - we were all on the edge of our seats at the time. Goodbye Tony & co, we'll all miss you!
Niall Maguire, George Town, Grand Cayman

The Sopranos speaks to the condition of the human heart - we love and care for someone we should "hate". It gives us all hope that no matter what we do, we still will be loved even when not worthy.
Abby Lentz, Austin, Texas United States

The finale was true to the series itself. It was not all tied up in a bow and neatly put away. It was a fitting end to the series which was never about resolution, but a story of the evil that exists in these character's lives. It is frankly more amazing that the main criticism of the last episode is its lack of resolution. This wasn't Seinfeld folks.
Dave, Seattle, Wa

The last episode is full of suspense but it seemed like a long hour waiting for something to happen. Clever writing but an unusual ending to say the least.
Stephanie, Denver USA

I did watch the final episode. I thought it was a great ending, very much in the tradition of the show. This was a great series. I'll look forward to the movie. It will happen and it will be a blockbuster.
Michael Thomas, Jackson, Mississippi

It was a let down. I feel the fans were owed a much better finale than what went down. Is this really the finale of The Sopranos, or just a set-up to make a movie or bring it back? What a huge disappoint and waste of time!
I Gaviria, Middletown, NJ - USA

My first trip to the United States of America was not quite what I expected but that does not necessarily mean that it was not enjoyable. More a case of reality differing from my preconceived perceptions. Not so much ‘lost in translation’ although some aspects of the trip did come as a surprise I am afraid.

Christmas and New Year had come and gone and I was determined to spend a few days off Grand Cayman and visit another country – to get away from the island life for an extended weekend. I did not have to wait too long it turned out, Heroes Day was on January 22^nd so I decided that I would use this public holiday to my best advantage but taking the Friday off and have a 4 day weekend.

I had booked the flight on the Monday before my trip so the flight may have been a bit more expensive that it otherwise needed to be. I didn’t mind though as I was determined to take a break despite the fact that there were no charters operated from Grand Cayman that weekend. Easter would be a different story all together. I had decided upon the United States but where to exactly? The U.S. of A. looked rather large and foreboding but I eventually picked Florida as I didn’t want to spend too long flying. After much discussion with the travel agent, I felt that I would give Miami the ‘cold shoulder’ and head towards Orlando, another flight but it would not mean too much longer travelling. It also had the advantage of being near to the Kennedy Space Centre which did sound rather appealing. But what about accommodation and transport? Well, that was quickly settled upon by booking me into a 3 star ex-Radisson Hotel on International Drive with a hired car with an optional G.P.S. positioning system included.

Owen Roberts airport is quite a basic facility although it is quite sufficient for an island the size of Grand Cayman. Compared to Heathrow or any other international airport, it is like walking into a shed or some other basic structure as there are very little, if any, facilities available to the air traveller.

The check-in facilities are quite reasonable but I do find the waiting area rather basic with a fairly limited ‘restaurant’ with binds that do not seem to be emptied on a regular basis augmented with duty free shops selling iether worthless tourist ‘tack’ or cigars and jewellery. Finally, when one goes to board the plane, one walks over to the aircraft in the Caribbean heat which is not too uncomfortable but some sort of air-conditioned walkway would be welcomed I am sure. Nothing much to write about the place, in all fairness.

The flight from Grand Cayman to Miami was with American Airlines. The flight there lasted a little under 90 minutes and the service was satisfactory with only a minor hiccup at the check-in desk at Grand Cayman where I was first told that I required a visa to visit the States and then told that I didn’t require said visa after all. That’s all right then.

I had visions of ‘hell on earth’ when we arrived at Miami as far as passing through immigration was concerned but my fears were rather quickly dispelled as it soon became clear to me that, as our flight was on the first into Miami that Friday morning, there would be very little time spent in line waiting to pass through. The personnel were courteous enough – professional courtesy with very little, if any, personal warmth or feeling  - and the security measures involved were not inconvenient where all that was needed was 2 scans of one’s index fingers and a photograph. Other than that, there were the usual security measures or ‘hoops to jump through’ before I was able to enter the main area of Miami airport although I did wonder why I had to deal with the Department of Homeland Security official’s 3 or 4 times, asking me pretty much the same questions, each requesting a look at my travel documents which were now becoming rather dog-eared and thumbed.

And so I had arrived on American soil! Only another 2 hours to wait until I could board my connecting flight to Orlando – time for a cup of tea and a bit to eat then and, oh, a quick telephone call to my parents in Derry, Northern Ireland to tell them where I was, enquire how the weather was back home – you know, generally rub their noses in it so to speak. Always enjoyable. The cup of tea would come first though – one must get one’s priorities straight after all!

I found the flight gate easily enough and was relieved to find that there was indeed a sandwich shop and bar a couple of yards nearby. A nice sandwich and cup of tea perked me up somewhat and I was now in the mood to call home, it being early evening in Northern Ireland. My US$10 phone card provided me with 10 much needed minutes of a phone call and it was nice to call home and tell them that I had arrived in the States for the first time with temperatures early 20°C whilst they were experiencing rain and somewhat cooler conditions. The connection was reasonable although they found it hard to hear me so there must have been an issue at their end, not mine.

I followed my call with a nice larger, well I was on vacation although I wanted to be careful with my alcohol intake as I had a drive back to the hotel (as well as American drivers) to contend with in Orlando. One would do rather nicely then.

The flight to Orlando (American Airlines once more) was on time and took less than an hour to do so. Orlando Airport is different from Miami Airport in that a short train ride was necessary to get to the outside of the facility so that was quite interesting, travelling over a lake at one stage. I went to collect my hired car with some trepidation as I was a bit concerned about driving in the States but found the people at the car-rental company had decided to ‘promote’ me from an Hyundai to a Chrysler - a superior model by all accounts.

I collected the car and was quickly shown how to use the G.P.S. navigational system. I found, though, on that occasion, that I had some difficulty in getting the machine to work and found myself lost soon afterwards. Now, usually when I get lost I try and head back to the spot where I got lost and try again but the thing with American motorways or freeways as they call them is that if you make a turn (especially if you don’t quite know where you are) the journey back can take some time as you have to find a suitable turn-off in-order to head back. I also found that, whilst I was looking for my way to the hotel, that American drivers are quite rude and ‘road-rage’ really is prevalent in this part of the world. I quickly lost count of the number of one-fingered salutes I received from other drivers, some of them from middle-aged women. Quite a shocker really.

I began to realise that the best way was to use the toll booths and get directions there and found the staff there quite helpful and with their help, found my way back to the hotel, the G.P.S. device relegated to the cars boot. One more thing about driving in America – the driver is seated on the left hand side of the vehicle but is expected to drive on the right hand side of the road – easy to get confused when one makes a turn although ‘advice’ from the other ‘more informed’ drivers will surely be forthcoming if deemed necessary.

Arriving at the hotel some 2 hours since leaving the airport (a journey last was supposed to last some 20 minutes by the way) I found the staff courteous and helpful with my accommodation holding 2 double beds with the usual en-suite facilities and so on. I was surprised to see that the safe in the room had a key to be retained whilst out of the room as opposed to a P.I.N. number and a keypad which I had used previously. The swimming pool was luxuriously warm and it certainly helped me relax after spending the best part of the day travelling. A quick rest in the room, a change and then head out for a bite to eat and a drink (or two) I thought would round off the day nicely but things did not quite work out that way I am afraid.

I decided that I would drive up to the Universal Studios facility as it had restaurants, bars and some night life. The evening started well as I negotiated my way up International Drive but once again I made a wrong turn and found myself lost, the G.P.S. device still being relegated to the boot of the car as I had no real faith in its ability to help me find my way back. Driving on the freeways of Orlando is a little different from driving during the day – the traffic is a lot heavier and they seem to go a lot faster. I soon decided to ask for directions which helped but at this stage I had travelled some distance from where I wanted to be. The stress of finding my way back to International Drive soon took its toll on me as I began to curse myself for getting lost twice in one day. It did become quite upsetting at times. Once again I found the drivers quite mad and the people I spoke to quite helpful and I eventually found my way back to International Drive some 2 hours later, feeling relieved and eager for some anticipated nourishment.

I found a ‘Red Lobster’ restaurant and asked for a table to sit at rather than having my meal at the bar. It was now a little after 9pm. The place was extremely busy but the staff were very courteous and within a few minutes of asking for a table the electronic pad I was given beeped and a table was found, my server speaking with what sounded like an English accent but hailed from Wyoming or some other part of the States that to drive there would involve a journey of some 27 hours or thereabouts. Not down the road then.

It was then that I made yet another mistake. I ordered a starter and a main course. My god, my heart sank when she came with my lobster brisk and a large salad with a generous supply of freshly baked bread. How was I going to get through all that as well as my main course I wondered. I hate to think what my stomach was thinking. The food was absolutely superb and the portions were extremely generous but I must admit that I had to leave just under a third of the main course back It is no wonder so many Americans are over weight. It was now approaching 11pm and what with the effects of getting lost, finding my way back and then having a very large meal; I found myself aching for bed. No chances of getting lost this time

The next morning I awoke to glorious sunshine albeit with a slight chill with temperatures averaging around the low 20°C. I had my breakfast at the hotel, feeling pleased that at least the breakfast portions were more reasonable, the service being quite satisfactory. I had thought of heading off towards the Kennedy Space Centre for the afternoon but soon realised that that would entail another drive of about an hour so on the advice of the hotels tourist guide, I booked myself a visitors ticket for the Centre for the next day as well as a day ticket for Sea world, a mere 10 minutes drive from the hotel. I was assured that it would I find it to my liking as it catered for both adults and children and, unlike the likes of Disneyworld, there would be no-one in cartoon character suits greeting the visitors of the park. Sounds good so.

The drive there was rather uneventful although I was a little surprised at how busy the roads were at mid-day on a Saturday morning. I arrived a little after mid-day which gave me a little under 6 hours to see the park and the attractions before closing. The Americans seem to cater rather exclusively for those who drive as the car park was very large and rather full at the time I parked my car. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Sea world, taking rather too many photographs of my day there but that’s the thing with having a digital camera as opposed to the more traditional kind – no need to worry about refilling the camera with fresh film or worrying about wasting film as one can take a picture and if one does not like it, one can simply delete it and move on.

There are a number of attractions at Sea world (operated by the brewers of Budweiser by the way) and I managed to see most, if not all, of them. I particularly enjoyed the 2 shows that featured the whales (namely Shanu) and the dolphins respectively and managed to take some nice video of the shows also which are available for viewing. It was a relaxing experience and, although busy, there was no sense of rush generally.

I finished off my visit with a trip up their tower which proved a 360° view of the park and the pictures I took remind me of how large the park (and the surrounding area) truly are. The parks website is www.seaworldorlando.com if you would like to visit same.

I left the park a little after 6pm after stopping off at a few souvenir shops within the park, making good progress on my driving abilities and actually arriving back at my hotel without getting lost and with no help from the G.P.S. system which I still had not forgiven for the day previously. Feeling refreshed for a little after 7pm, I availed of the coach service between the hotel and Citywalk at the Universal Studios park a few miles up the road. This really was a great place to be on a Saturday night, suitable for both families and those, like myself, simply out for the night.  The place was full of lively music, both live and recorded. All I particularly enjoyed the Margueritaville bar which was suitably lively and was intrigued by the Bob Marley themed Jamacian style restaurant but decided to leave it alone once I realised that it had a Jamacian menu which did not particularly entice me at the time. Citywalk seems to cater for just about everyone and it felt very safe to walk around in.

After walking around the area, I decided to eat at The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market which was a theme based restaurant based upon the Oscar-winning film, Forrest Gump. They had memoriabilia from the film almost everywhere yet I was reliably informed (apparently) that Tom (Forrest Gump) Hanks had no shareholding in the business nor did he receive any royalties in relation to same. The restaurant was busy, it being a Saturday evening after all, and I found the layout a bit different from other restaurants I had frequented with the main course portions being more reasonable yet filling. Their local brew hit the spot.

I enjoyed the atmosphere of Citywalk but soon decided that, if I was to get up and head away to the Kennedy Space Centre first thing the next day (Sunday), then I would be well advised not to be out too late that evening. I have to admit though that by midnight I was beginning to wilt anyway so I cut short my time there. The parks website is www.universalorlando.com if you would like to visit same.

Sunday morning and I was eager to head away for the day, anxious to avoid the traffic. I had breakfasted by 10am, leaving the hotel soon afterwards. My journey started well but, like Friday, I did not use the G.P.S. system and took an erroneous turn. Much merriment ensued for the next hour or so but I eventually found my way back on to the right road and arrived at the Centre a little after 12.30pm, an hour or so later than anticipated. Arriving at the ticket desk, I was disappointed to find that the tour that took visitors close to the space shuttle’s launch pad was fully booked but I decided not to let that mar the experience for me.

I took in the IMAX-3D presentation (narrated by Tom Hanks no less with some narrative from other Hollywood actors) on NASA’s past trips to the moon and its future plans for space exploration – all very uplifting stuff it has to be said but entertaining all the same. The bus tour began soon afterwards and it included  going past the Vehicle Assembly Building which is ‘famous’ for having a very large American flag and the NASA logo on its south side.

According to the NASA website, “the 209-foot-tall, 110-foot-wide flag was first painted on the building in 1976 in celebration of the American Revolution bicentennial. To make sure NASA planners got it right, the agency consulted the Department of the Army's Institute of Heraldry at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The result was the largest American flag ever depicted, with its stripes 9 feet wide and stars measuring 6 feet in diameter. In addition to the flag, a 110-foot symbol of the bicentennial was also added to the building at that time and remained there for the next 22 years. In 1998, to commemorate NASA's 40th anniversary, the fading flag was repainted and the 12,300-square-foot NASA logo - affectionately known as the "meatball" - replaced the bicentennial emblem. Since then, time and weather (especially the 2004 hurricane season) took their toll on the flag and the meatball. During back-to-back hurricanes, the building lost nearly 850 of its panels that each measure 14 by 6 feet, and not even the flag was spared. The strong storm winds took a "bite" out of Old Glory's stripes until repairs were completed. But things are looking brighter for the building that has served human spaceflight for more than 40 years. Painters' elevated platforms once again dangle high on the side of the 525-foot-high structure while workers use rollers and brushes to spruce up the flag and meatball - not a task for the faint of heart. In the end, the results will be seen for miles, and one of the most visible symbols of the launch complex will shine once more”. So, now you know. This excerpt was taken from http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/vab_flag.html.

The tour itself included a number of stops which were pretty extensively photographed by me and included a visit to a tower where the press would assemble on launch day as well as a visit to a visitors centre which housed the last Voyager rocket that was not launched – quite massive in fact as well as views form the space pods which the astronauts would have been in when they returned to earth. The rockets were huge and the whole structure seemed to dwarf the other areas of the facility. It was all the more interesting as the technology they used was, presumably, by today’s standards, rather basic. I was able to see replicas of certain elements of the Space Station as well as a look at the assembly plant where no photography was allowed which was unfortunate as some of the equipment being put together for launch really did look as if it was covered in some bright orange sweet rapper, in fact some of the packaging from ‘Lucozade’ came to mind, I must day.

The trip ended with a visit around a replica Space Shuttle where you could see how big the loading bay is as well as the cockpit and the crew’s current space-wear. I was quite impressed with this, particularly the size of the rockets themselves. I rounded off my trip there to see other replicas of rockets of a small scale but quite big all the same. The memorial for those killed during NASA’s space exploration was quite sobering in a way but it is right that something is erected in their memory with more information in relation to same on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_Memorial. Other elements of the centre were of cursory interest to me, I must admit and as the time approached 6pm, I felt it was time to leave. An enjoyable experience it must be said.

Please visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com and http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html.

The drive from the Centre included going over a long bridge and it was here that I stopped to take some pictures of the sun setting for the day as well as the surrounding area. The Centre includes a nature reserve where some species numbers have improved as ‘man’ has not had the chance to interfere with their existence, it being a secure area and only a small area of the land used by NASA. Quite ironic in a way. I rounded off the day by visiting the Astronaut’s memorial building which was close by and this was clearly inclined to the younger visitor in many ways but did have some interesting memoriabilia to view such as the differing uniforms worn over the years. I believe they were linked to the air corp. at one time.  Please visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com/visitKSC/attractions/fame.asp in relation to same.

It was getting a little dark now and I must now feeling a little hungry. I was wary of getting lost once more so I decided to try the G.P.S system one more time. I was not disappointed this time as it still ‘thought’ I was trying to get to my hotel from the Friday previously. The journey home took a little over 40 minutes and involved driving a different course that I think I had done earlier hat day as I found myself in Orlando City Centre before turning towards Universal Studios and, hence, to International Drive. I found a steak house soon after and was quickly ushered to a table. It was clearly a popular venue with the surrounding décor sufficiently tasteful to indicate that eating here would be a little more expensive than for other venues. I decided to stay so. 

I felt safe ordering just the main course and some garlic bread but my waiter did not tell me that this came with complimentary salad, this being quite large with what seemed to be a full loaf of bread to compliment same. He rolled out a cart to show the types of steak to entice me and this was rather quickly cooked (flash cooked apparently) and was absolutely gorgeous. I could not finish the meal though, the portions were just too large but he kindly offered me a ‘doggy bag’ with complimentary steak knife and fork, napkins with the remainder of the steak dish and, yes, the bread too. I drove back to my hotel and polished off some of the steak and bread, the smell being most pleasant with the rest to be consumed at the airport before checking in for my flight the nest day (Monday). Oh yes, the bill did match my earlier expectations but that is another matter altogether.

Monday morning came and I quite looking forward to the trip home as I had enjoyed the air trips to Orlando, previously. Breakfasting around 10am, I had another swim in the hotel pool and, after showering and packing away my belongings, I checked out of the hotel with the G.P.S system one last time circa. 11.20am, anxious to get to the airport on time and avoid any traffic. The journey itself, I was pleased to find, took only 20 – 25 minutes although I felt the system seemed to put the driver away from any build up of traffic as I found myself turning away form such traffic on a couple of occasions even though I was on a road with a road sign that clearly indicated that this was the route to the airport, indeed my final approach to the airport included a route that took me ‘off the beaten track’ somewhat. It was here that I had one final problem in Orlando – the chlorine in the hotel’s pool began to irritate my eyes, so much so that I had to slow down and inch forward at one point as my eyes began to sting quite considerably and I found myself in tears as a result. The lesson here was to wear swimming goggles although I will doubtless ignore this lesson at the earliest opportunity.

Arriving safely at the airport, I managed to deposit the vehicle quite easily at the drop-off point and, after dealing with the paper work of the car-hire company, I found that the time was barely mid-day. It was then that I decided to eat some of the food I had saved from the previous evening and enjoyed my last meal in the United States, the food had not spoiled and was extremely more-some. I then decided to wait in line in-order to check in at the American Airlines desk which had a que of people that snaked some distance in-front of the desk(s).

The que was a babble of activity with conversations mostly in Spanish or similar to that. I found the staff at the American Airlines desk quite professional and friendly – no problems with my passport this time and within an hour of queing, I was free to enjoy the rest of my time there before boarding my flight.

It was then that I decided to send both myself and my parents a postcard from Orlando – more of a keepsake really, spending the balance of my time at the airport at a bar nearby, enjoying a quick lager before settling at the departing gate. The flight was on time and I was grateful for that, the flight itself being comfortable.

Arriving at Miami Airport, it was unfortunate that we were given erroneous advice on our connecting departure gate but as we had arrived on time and had at least two hours between flights, this was a minor inconvenience although it did involve walking from one end of the airport to another – although the fact that the advice on the information screens differed from what we were told at the presumed departure gate did cause some minor concern. Moving through Miami airport involves using a shuttle-train service which enables you to view some of the scenery itself, including a lake and I was happy to take a couple of pictures of this. I also found the entrance to the shuttle terminal a bit odd so I took a picture of this also.

As I was changing flights, I had to go through security there once more but this did not take too long, the reputation of the Department of Homeland Security officials being somewhat better than what I had been led to believe. I had arrived at the departure gate with sufficient time to call home and rest before the flight itself which was delayed a little but otherwise went to plan. I was surprise to meet a friend from Cayman there although most if not all flights from Cayman do go via Miami so this is to be expected. Aboard the plane home I was seated beside someone who had flown (that weekend) to Miami and then to Costa Rica, a single journey being some 8 hours; charter flights really are necessary if you want to visit Latin America from the Cayman Islands.

The final phase of my journey involved dealing with Customs at Grand Cayman which, thankfully, went smoothly – these guys have a bad reputation it has to be said – and within an hour or so of landing, I was back in my flat, the trip had been worthwhile and I was already looking forward to booking a trip away for Easter.

Well there goes another new year!

 

January came and boy was it warm - averaging a little over 89F. Nice to relax and get a tan in January isn't it?

 

Decided to give diving a proper go in the new year after getting certified in early December last year.

 

I went on two 'shallow' dives, abuotr 50 feet in depth and In must say I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.

 

I don't presently have an underwater camera but I hope to get one in the near future as I would like to take pictures of what I see when snorkelling and diving whilst away from Ireland.

 

I went snorkelling on Saturday afternoon in Smiths Cove and, although the water was slightly rougher than anticipated, I still managed to see some very nice fish of varying colours and sizes during my time there. They all seemed to swim together and would swim away and then come back a few moments later. Quite a pleasant experience when all was said and done.  

 

What else? Nothing much really, hoping to get away from it all (stres and that jazz) this coming weekend as we have a public holiday down here. I've probably left things a bit late but I'll see what I can do.

 

In the meantime,

 

Slan!

 

 

 

 

Well, that as they say is that! I have living and working in Grand Cayman for just over a full year now - the year has really flown by I must say. What has it been like for me? Well, mostly good although (as I suppose you would expect) some were bad but there you go......

 

The highlights of the year were my trips to Panama and to Jamaica which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also got the chance to learn how to scuba dive which I did near the end of last year and which was quite enjoyable - hoping to take it up properly early in the new year.

 

The eather down here is mostly sunshine with a few showers so there are no seasons to remind you that the year is moving by, except during the summer  which is warmer than the rest of the year and which also experiences some heavy rain. Can't really complain though, I suppose as it is nice to have a tan when my family and friends are experiencing freezing conditons during the winter months. Good luck to them I say.

 

I have taken a few photographs of my time at Christmas and the new year and I hope to post these up soon. In the meantime I got an email from my parents of my brother and my two nieces and nephew at my parents house (presumably) over the Christmas holidays - Boxing Day I dare say.

 

What else? Nothing much really. looking forward to the next public holiday down here which is later this month so I must see about trips to Costa Rica/cuba/whatever......now that would be good!

 

 

 

Well, it;s that time of year again so I suppose an annual christmas greeting is probably in order.

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to everyone, one and all!

 

May 2007 be better than 2006 was to you all and, oh, Liverpool for the Champions League.

 

By the way, my parents were kind enough to email me a rather nice Christmas card with music so I've attached a weblink for you all to enjoy, should you wish to do so. Enjoy and.....BA! HUMBUG!

 

http://www.esnips.com/doc/dbc4a16e-4c66-4bb3-8bef-d55f12eddefa

 

Cheers!

 

For information on Cayman Islands related websites, please visit the following on my website:

General

Arts related

I have recently registered with two server providers and I am now able to upload my video recordings for you to see. Any video over 10MB has been saved on to yahoo.

Personal video

www.esnips.com/web/niallmaguiresHomeVideos

www.esnips.com/web/Familyvideo

www.esnips.com/web/CaymanIslands

www.esnips.com/web/QueensBirthdayParade

www.esnips.com/web/BatabanoGrandCayman

www.esnips.com/web/Jamaica

http://video.yahoo.com/video/profile?yid=npmmaguire http://video.yahoo.com/video/search?p=npmmaguire

I have also received some video which may appeal to some of you as follows:

Music related

The Improvised Music Company recently emailed me in relation to Yungchen Lhamo who was to appear in concert in the NCH, including the following link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1581867722104021421&pr=goog-sl

Miscellaneous

www.mrcomputerservices.com/DancingHippo.htm

World Cup, 2006

Ireland: http://67.15.68.139/Trinidad-retakes.swf

Scotland: www.scottishquest.com/howscottish/game.html

IFILM

www.ifilm.com 

Hello there!

 

I have recently returned from Montego Bay, Jamaica and took a lot of pictures. 

 

I got a nice tan and went on a trip every day, particularly enjoying visiting Bob Marley's resting place in '9 miles' - quirte moving actually.

 

I also took some video including footage of yours truly canoping  -you will have to see it to believe it!!!!

 

I have just finished upload my video that I took whilst there so, if anyone wishes to view this, includnig the one where we meet the crocodiles in Black Coral River, you may do so at www.esnips.com/web/Jamaica. 

 

Unfortunatley, I took so many pictures that I have exceeded my monthly limit so the balance wil have to wait until September - horror of horrors!

 

For now though............enjoy!!!

 

Well it's June and it is raining! And by raining, I truly mean 'bucketting down', torrentially.

The Cayman Islands are, at best, a mere 4 feet above sea level so, as I am sure you can imagine, there is plenty of water lying around the place, flooding roads and other level places.

Today is one of the few days that I don't need to wear suntan lotion, qute the opposite in fact although it is still a bit humid so walking around the place still leaves you a little sweaty.

I wonder what the weather is like where you are although I dare say that ours will improve siomewhat next week or so when the current weather depression lifts which reminds me that if you are interested in knowing if another hurricane is about to hit Grand Cayman you may like to log onto www.caymanprepared.ky which is a cayman government sponsored website. 

Catch you later.