I had a great time on my island cruise.
JuJu and I made a vow to stay single until after the summer. We promised not to make any commitments until our obligations to the beach have been satisfied. We could not entertain love until the summer skies said goodbye. Well, I cheated. I fell in love...with the roads and the skies. I managed to slip into international waters and played along the rocks of the Bahama shores. I had to get my feet wet and let my toes tell tails of sandy dreamz.
I ate lunch in Fort Lauderdale and waited with Tamu for our escort to drive us to Miami (see my Swagger in M.I.A.). We kissed the air with our happiness as we walked along South Beach. Within 24 hours, we were in a cab with a Cuban. Life never seemed better in comparision to those whose meals are reduced to five pound bags of rice per month. Food stamps are luxuries compared to the rations of the less fortuante. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our brief history lesson in route to the Majesty of the Seas. We were off to the Bahamas for 4 days and 3 nights.
Random thoughts were caught in an early morning moment in Nassau. Enjoy my love for the island air in the Bahamas.
(Nassau, Bahamas – July 2, 2006) Talk about a world being turned three hundred sixty degrees. I visited the beautiful island of Nassau two years ago. When the ship docked on July 1st, it was like a welcome home party. I awoke to the spirits in the Bahama breeze. The waters showered me with love. The key to Nassau awaited my arrival. "What took you so long?" I could hear the coral reef shout. I got so caught up in life that I didn’t think to come back…until this year.
(Coco Cay, Bahamas – July 1, 2006) Tamu and I spent the opening of July in Coco Cay, Bahamas. It’s just a small little island Royal Caribbean capitalized on to make additional money. The straw market and beach are what reside there. I got sucked in. I couldn’t leave my vacation without getting a personalized straw bag. Met some new island gem friends and promoted the book (come on now---had to make my work international. LOL!).
After writing in the sand and collecting seashells, I came upon a family from St. Petersburg, Florida. Thirteen family members vacationed together. As God would have it, Tamu and I met two of them the night prior at Karaoke (I attempted to sing a Lauren Hill diddy---You’re just to good to be true. See the pic and imagine). Turns out, the guy was a member of a popular band in Central Florida called Bus Stop. How cool!
Just behind the Sanders/Jenkins family was a group from Columbia (I still didn’t buy that learn to speak Spanish book). So, I seized the moment to create a story and whipped out my digital recorder (BAM!) and started interviewing.
Of all the animal life I expected to see in the Bahamas (exotic fish swimming to shore, iguanas, seagulls, even a barracuda), a rooster was not on my list. I was totally freaked out. I had to take a picture for you guys. It was a bold little thing. It even flexed its feathers. I don’t know what its problem was, but I sure nuff left it be. Hmmph, I wasn’t the one who cooked its hen.
THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL WELCOMED, GUYS
HA! One of the last conversations I had on my cell in the states warned me against Dexter St. Jacques (Eddie Murphy Raw reference for the younglings out there). Caribbean men are something kinda fresh. The first time I ever visited the Bahamas (1991), I was told Knocked Kneed Girls are Sexy. There was even a song about it. Never heard the melody, but I internalized the message and never felt bad about my walk since then.
More than 10 years later, although I’m a little healthier (lol), the whole sexy thing stands. “OOOH, you are so beautiful. You look so sexy!” I’m cracking up on the inside because I’m sure I was one of a fistful of women who received this same greeting. A great self-esteem booster, but genuine…not until you get to know me. “I want someone to arouse my intellect as well as my loins---” then we can talk sexy. For the fun of it, I took pics with and of my favorite Caribbean men I happened upon on my journey. Shouts to Tyrone (Bahamas), Doney (Trinadad and Tobago…GO SOCCER CHAMPS), and Odalis (Dominican Republic). David Smith (Costa Rica)---he kept our stateroom clean and made our towel into a sunglass wearing elephant (oo-oop my sorors).
THE FOOD
I’ve been eating food for a very long time! I DON’T WANT ANYMORE. Yeah right! Who am I kidding. I am so inspired, here’s a poem:
Food! Food! All Around!
I tried to escape, but to my left I found
Catfish, Scallops, and Lobster Bisque
Filet Mignon, salmon as a side dish
Cheesecake, chocolate mousse, and icecream galore
Pizza at midnight, sandwiches but wait, there’s more!
BBQ ribs, Burgers, and Fries
French Toast for Breakfast what a surprise
All kinds of fruit and unlimited juice
I try to hold back, but I paid for it, whoo!
I took a nap to get ready for round four
When I awoke there was even more
Tacos and rice, shrimp on ice
I picked up one and went back twice
Food! Food! Everywhere!
Now my mini Buda, has to take the stairs.
VIVA LA IMMIGRATION!
This is my position on immigration! I love the freedom of America. I love the opportunities afforded to me. HOWEVER, we are some boring people! I’m saying, if you’re paying anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 for a vacation (not including souvenirs and such), you’d better make some noise and let that pressure out. Shake your booty or something.
KAREOKE NIGHT: We had to force the crowd to just clap. Now, I don’t think the social event was really created for the Next American Idol. Drunk folks just want to have fun while they are “Feeling Good.” For Pete’s sake, clap, cheer, throw a penny up there or something. Performing in front of a crowd is not easy.
DANCING UNDER THE STARS: I was one of few Americans in the Congo line, doing the line dances, and throwing up my hands upon request. My fellow Americans, booed up or otherwise, stood on the side lines looking. The very hot crew member with the flawless vanilla ice cream skin (see pic), said it best: You are around people who don’t know you and won’t care what you do. Those who do know you…don’t worry about them. Have some fun! SCREAAAAAAAAAM!
It’s starting to rain now. I’m going to end on that note and fill you in on my Sunday morning sunrise into Nassau and my Sunday night sunset back to the states.
Feeling Irie,
A. Brown Girl
(At Sea – July 2, 2006) Tamu and I were separated by time and space for a brief spell. We both had the same ingenious idea to get off the ship and shop the straw market. It was shortly after I said, “I shall not. I shall not be moved,” in the craft area of the New Providence dock that Mawiyah appeared. We didn’t want to explore the island alone. There is safety in numbers. So, I thank God for patience.
ATLANTIS! Ah! Everything Oprah said about it is true. Although this was my second visit to the resort, it was the first I went in the daytime. Tamu and were constantly asked, “Can I see your room key or bracelet please.” For lack of a better phrase, we were trespassing the grounds of Atlantis. We were honest with staff members who asked us. We just wanted to see some of the hot spots like the turtle pond. BEAUTIFUL! The caves with underwater treats. Imagine HUUUUUUGE fish tanks in the wall. They were massive.
Atlantis is its own city. They even had a complimentary movie theater for guest. You won’t believe what was showing during the matinee. Give up? Madea’s Family Reunion. We took a picture of the marquee. It was insane. Oooh! Ooh! Let us not forget to mention that we can confirm that Lynn Whitfield’s character in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate was not tripping over her Lilique for nothing. There is a Lilique or as Martin Lawrence’s character called it, a Malik (LOL) store inside Atlantis. Don’t go in there with your food stamps. A crystal water goblet was ONE HUNDRED THIRTY DOLLARS. There were some really nice pieces in the store. However…do I really need to finish? Okay, let’s move on.
FOR LADIES ONLY…
King Poseidon was FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE! You’ll have to see the pics to see what I mean. He was kind enough to hold still for our picture taking pleasures!
OKAY: It’s an ALL SKATE NOW (lol)!
It was time for lunch, but I was also concerned about not having made it to the beach. I couldn’t leave Nassau without getting my feet wet. That was a no no. Mawiyah was kind of enough to go along and pay for yet another taxi. I’m not a fish, but I swear with all the food I’d been eating, I was a floating sea creature (GOTTA GET RID OF THESE POUNDS…burp!). I had to swim in the ocean to connect with my mom whose remains were buried at sea just a year prior! SHOUTS OUT TO MY “PRETTY GIRL MOMMY!”
A PERSONAL MOMENT
Tamu and I ran into some familiar faces throughout our travels in Nassau. I was on a search for a friend I met two years ago. We lost touch. I’m sort of sad that we did. It was after my failed attempts to reach out to him that I realized the reason God allowed us to meet. The one thing I learned from him I never forgot.
The lead seaman asked, “How do you know someone loves you?” I was without an answer. Being a writer, I tried to come up with some clever answer that never left my mouth so I was honest and asked, “How?” His response was simple…sacrifice. With that said, not seeing him was not a lost. He left me with a world of appreciation for that small bit of advice that was given to me after he found out mom had cancer.
LET’S Go To Church
The sky has parted where in the west, the sun was setting with hues of purples and pinks. In the east, the moon was a crescent. As I look up at this very moment, I am surrounded by a backdrop of black. God’s blanket. So, I spoke to him while under his coverings.
I prayed.
I prayed and gave thanks. I gave thanks for have a discerning spirit. I don’t always heed to it, but it certainly gives me clues on what to do with my chess pieces of life. How I move them is on me. It seems God has given me more than enough pawns to protect His kingdom. I’ve had my queen taken and returned…taken and returned…taken and returned. For the return of the queen alone, I say thank you.
I prayed.
I prayed on behalf of myself and friends and family who are fighting demons daily. It is not a wonder we have so much pain in the world. God is just waiting for all of us to submit. It is freedom. God is freedom. There are circumstances we can’t solve on our own. I thank God that He’s God all by Himself and that I don’t have to do His job.
I prayed.
I prayed to be more equipped with the Word to fight the new battles that are coming my way. I have seen the demons that once attacked me and faced them with my new found strength. However, the war has been waged against those who love the Lord. As I conclude with waters crashing in the background, I charge each of you reading this traveling letter to be ready. Be ready to fight…when your day of battle comes.
Your job, is your daily assignment, but even warriors need rest. Take a vacation and renew your strength! God’s blessings to you!
Feeling Blessed,
A. Brown Girl
So...I'm on the computer after getting home from the city (been in Waldorf, MD since June) and I decide to google myself. The result is the picture included in this blog. This was taken on my 25th birthday. Ironically, I was just talking to the person who gave me the cd I'm holding---the soundtrack to The Wiz.
