Wednesday, July 2

So on this day we decided we would do a tour of the island of Nassau and Paradise Island. The whole family disembarked at the same time and when we got to the end of the walkway as is customary, there were some cab drivers there. So here is where you haggle some more. We had folks who only wanted to go to Atlantis (the ritzy hotel with the Michael Jackson suite that is $25,000 night with a 4 night minimum stay and it is booked solid for 5 years) and the others wanted to see historical sites and wanted to go into the hood so we could see what was what. Well, of course I got into another altercation with a local. I know right? The cabbie wanted to charge $20 per person (the cruise charges $40 per person). The day before they were charging $10 per person. So you know that is where I started with my bargaining then things took a strange turn. Ol’ boy was like he couldn’t do it for less than $20, I was like fine, I will find a cabbie that will, and the offer is $15 per person with the child being free. He got mad and I walked off and then he had the audacity to say, “I don’t like people trying to hassle and use him because he has a family to feed.” What did he say that for? I was like let me tell you something; I would never treat anyone unfairly and never intimate that I would. I made an offer; it was take it or leave it. So after that he changed his tune and we got our 2 hour tour. The island has and hasn’t changed much. Folks still struggling and the commercialization that has overwrought the island has its benefits and its detriments. Milk is $6 a gallon and gas is $5.79 and we are complaining? You cannot tour the Atlantis aquarium like you could in the past, unless you pay. I have seen fish, stingrays and sharks before, so no, cause the tour didn’t include feeding me or giving me some cold beverages. After the tour we were tired so we headed back to the ship for a nap and then dinner. Dinner on this night was tiger shrimp. Delicious. Then it was on to the club for dancing and drinking. I had 4 shots of patron for $4.48, which should have cost me $7.48 per shot. Good looking out A.ngus. The DJ was doing a good job and then he started playing Footloose and when folks started losing their minds over it I knew my time in the club was coming to an ending. My folks were in the lobby playing spades. Yep they took over a lobby for card games and you know how rowdy they can get. I cannot and I do not play cards, oh well. Funtimes.