ART OF CRUISING THE CARIBBEAN - 7

"With color, for the price of a pot of paint, people can express their own style and individuality. But, as with style, a gift for color has to be developed by experiment. If you don't dare, you are doomed to dullness. " - Shirley Conran

BE ALIVE WITH COLOR Too many of us are afraid of experimenting with color. You live and wear the same color day after day and consequently you are bored. And the consequence of being bored is that you are usually "boring." It takes guts to break old ways and routines. Shirley said, if you don't dare you are doomed to dullness. Boredom kills. Today, start thinking about the colors you love. Look for more ways to come alive with color. Take a creative trip this week to a paint store and look at the color spectrum. What are the colors that speak to your soul? Pick up chips. Next, go to a local art gallery in you community and indulge on a painting that catches your eye. You don't have to buy. If a print is affordable, go for it. When next at an art museum, collect colorful art postcards to send to friends. Or you can wander with me on this colorful island tour of St. Thomas. Allow yourself to be carried away by colorful impulses.
WELCOME TO THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS! An American paradise in the heart of the Caribbean: the U.S. Virgin Islands, a United States territory, has much to offer. Composed of three main islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John) with three unique personalities. The USVI have long been a favorite of travelers. St. Thomas is one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean. By far the most visited of the three islands, St. Thomas has long been the favorite of honeymooners and cruise passengers.
WAKING UP In St. Thomas is like seeing an American impressionist paintings by Mary Cassatt. Who is Mary? She was an American painter who spent much of her career in France. She was a member of the French impressionist movement. Like her French impressionist friends, Mary used light, bright colors and sketch brushstrokes to create the effect of what the eyes see at a glance. Mary became famous for her paintings of mother's loving moments shared with their young children in everyday situation. She also painted serene scenes of mother and daughter riding in a boat. There is something in those boat scenes that truly touched my heart.
SAINT THOMAS......What a handsome name for a male saint! Who is a saint? A person who is exceptionally holy, meek, charitable, patient. etc. These are good definitions but here's my own creative descriptions of a Saint named........... Thomas:
S...........................SPECTACULAR
A...........................ALIVE
I............................INTRIGUING
N...........................NOT ORDINARY
T............................TANTALIZING, TRANQUIL

T...........................TALL/TOWERING
H...........................HANDSOME
O...........................OLD, OPULENT
M..........................MAGNIFICENT
A...........................AMAZING
S...........................SENSATIONAL
SPECTACULAR SCENE OF ST. THOMAS This scene is like walking out of a spectacular Mary Cassatt painting. Mary loved to paint colorful boat scenes similar to this one. During a cruise, every morning of your life is new. Every port is new. Every island is new. Every face is new. Everything in the world is new. Let's learn to see each new day with the colorful eyes of Mary. There's something with Mary's creative eyes that's worth peeking at.
ALIVE Nothing will make you alive than gliding on an exciting sky ride to Paradise Point. Board the Sky ride for the 15-minute round trip ride, 700 feet above sea level.
INTRIGUING PARADISE POINT Passengers are taken up a 700-foot peek. Who said... "It's lonely at the top?" Not here. There is plenty of time and creative ways to browse the colorful shops and enjoy a complimentary frozen drinks.
NOT ORDINARY SIGHT BUT EXTRAORDINARY At every side you look, the different views are extraordinarily inspiring. For an extraordinarily stunning views of Charlotte Amalie harbor, try the Paradise Point sky way.
TANTALIZING VIEWS Of Magens Bay, rated by national geographic as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. The Crown Princess dock on the port below.
TRANQUIL SETTING Views from the World Famous "Mountain Top." Enjoy tantalizing views from the highest point of St. Thomas (1547) feet. This mountain top offers serene and spectacular views of nearby St. John, and neighboring islands, the harbor of Charlotte Amalie nestled below, and cruise ships. This is a teachable moment: "Creativity does not happen in a tense environment. Tranquility is the mental climate in which creativity happens and tension blocks the flow of creative ideas."- Robert Shuller
TALL AND TOWERING PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN What makes the blood rush to your heart? For me, its seeing the color red. But also looking at my ideal man - tall, dark and handsome pirate. But wait a minute, this guy has missing hand and foot. Yo Ho Ho.....he is not the ideal guy after all.
HANDSOME PIRATES? HANDSOMER THAN JOHNNY DEPP. NO WAY! The guy on the left could make my heart skips but the guy on the right makes my knees....shaky. I am seeing black blood.....let's run......
OLD AND OPULENT CHARLOTTE AMALIE You can walk for hours browsing and shopping on Charlotte Amalie narrow alleyways and streets. Endless shops and boutiques full of colorful gems, creative arts and crafts.
MAGNIFICENT SCENE OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE. Someone said....If you don't like the scene you're in, if you don't feel that things are happening, change your scene. Paint a new backdrop."
AMAZING COLOR Bold cobalt blue plus hot pink colors have the power to amaze. Amazed and dazzled at all the multi-stuffs for sale, it was very hard not to open one's wallet. Oh, the power of color!
SENSATIONAL FAREWELL SHOW From the kitchen crew of the Crown Princess. All dressed up in a patriotic American color- red, white and blue. An emotional moment but fun-filled evening of fine dining on board.
SENSATIONAL FAREWELL DESSERT ( BAKED-ALASKA) Our head waiter, slicing this giant dessert. It's hard to say "Good-bye" to the Crown Princess after all the wonderful times we had on this cruise ship. So long!
HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU SLICE THE COLORFUL "AMERICAN PIE?" Let us count the slices:
1. Slice side ways...... Break your routine. If you're always the straight person, try becoming a curvy one sometimes.
2. Straight cut............ Focus on one goal at a time. Too many goals are distracting.
3.Diagonal cut ...........Avoid perfection. Nobody is perfect.
4.Anyway you slice it......Think outside the box. That's the creative and colorful way!