Nassau

Funny, this did not look like Key West!

Today was supposed to be a port call in Key West. A few months ago, they made the change. The announcement came with no explanation. So hi-ho hi-ho, it was off to Nassau we go.  

Hopefully, the derelict lighthouse at the harbor's entrance was not symbolic.

Three large cruise ships were already docked and spilling people onto the piers. It was a pleasant surprise that we got the pier closest to the land.

large costume at Junkanoo Museum
(clip picture for more info)

After allowing some time for those aboard Eurodam who were anxious to visit Nassau to disembark, Pam and I went to shore to stroll around for a while. By not straying from the cruise port area, we knew we were condemning ourselves to be swallowed by the tourist trap's maw, so we set our expectations accordingly.

Nassau had recently rebuilt its cruise port, creating a clean, attractive combination of visitor area and events venue. With some notable exceptions, most shops carried the same items found on Woodes Rodgers Walk (the street parallel to the piers), but without the hovering hustlers, hawkers, and street performers.

Of course, we could not resist diving into the craziness outside the fence. It was unrewarding. We looked in a few stores but swerved away from the (formerly) famous Straw Market. Every last vestige of old Nassau was stripped away, leaving only floor-to-ceiling flotsam and jetsam, much of which was likely of South American and even Asian origin. We nevertheless had some fun and stretched our sea legs.

When we decided enough was enough, we didn't have to return to the main gate to enter the cruise port again, but it didn't let us escape the additional shops inside.

There was a distinctly impressive big-screen presentation at the port center. Check out the first two minutes by clicking on the above picture and waiting until you can SKIP after the first 5-second of the ad that precedes it. 

While waiting for the ship to depart, we watched people swishing down the waterslide on the ship next to us. 

Sometimes, watchers watch watchers watch.

Departing, we found this an interesting color for a cargo port crane. 

We turned our attention to packing everything we did not need into our suitcases so they could be out in the passageway by 10:00 PM. While an unwelcome task, it is so much easier than packing for the trip. The only requirements are to not overlook something in a drawer or closet and to be able to close the bags. Once we were within comfortable range of the goal, it was off to our last dinner aboard.