  It is SO hard to believe that a week ago we were on vacation. we were shopping in Nassau to be exact. nbsp;  So,  here is a mini run- down of our vacation:
 & nbsp;  Saturday:  Drop B off at my parents,  drive to Elmhurst for Portillo's ( YUM!
 stop at Kohl's so hubby can buy a watch ( his broke Friday night)  somehow found ourselves to the Park- n- Jet,  fly from Chicago to Miami.
nbsp;  Arrive around 8pm ( I think)  and wait for hotel shuttle to take us to the hotel. nbsp;  Get to the room,
 relax,  go to hotel restaurant for dinner and saw the fireworks from the restaurant.  & nbsp;  Sunday:  Wake up,
 go downstairs to find some info on what to do in Miami. nbsp;  Concierge hooks us up with a tour guide. nbsp;  Rush back upstairs to get breakfast and get ready. nbsp;
 Meet Oscar for our 3 1/ 2 hour tour. nbsp;  Oscar,  who is Cuban,  takes us to Coral Gables,
 South Beach,  and several other places. very nice guy. very cute accent. we got to see Julio Iglesias,  Rosie O'Donnell,
 and Gloria Estefan's houses. nbsp;  Hubby bought cigars from a Cuban guy. very cool tour.  & nbsp;
 Sunday night we are hooked up with a FREE limo ride down to South Beach to go to dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant. nbsp;  First time hubby or I remember riding in a limo. fun! nbsp;  After a nice dinner,
 we walk down to South Beach but it starts raining so we go back and take the limo back to the hotel.  & nbsp;  Monday: nbsp;  Cruise day!
nbsp;  We get up,  get breakfast,  get ready and go meet the shuttle to take us to the cruise. nbsp;  Getting on the boat did not take as long as we anticipated.
nbsp;  We scoped out the boat a bit and had lunch. nbsp;  We go to a mini- seminar about shopping in Nassau and get some free stuff ( jewelry,
 mug,  perfume) go to the casino and get lessons on blackjack and some poker game but I don't remember which one. nbsp;  Have dinner. meet a VERY nice couple from Pennsylvania,
 not too impressed with the other couples ( one couple can't stop complaining about their food) nbsp;  Later on we stop in the casino where I lose $ 10 in the matter of minutes and I walk away. nbsp;
 Stopped to watch the blackjack table and see& nbsp; a guy lose $ 500 in less time than I lost the $ 10. all of a sudden,
 I don't feel so bad. nbsp;  Saw the show.  & nbsp;  Tuesday:
 Nassau! nbsp;  We get up and get out shopping. nbsp;  Promised hubby it would be 2hours,  it was 3 1/
2. nbsp;  Still not bad. nbsp;  Got a bunch of free stuff and some souvenir stuff. nbsp;
 Afterwards,  we go back to the boat for lunch and a quick rest. nbsp;  Then we head back out to catch a taxi to take us to Paradise Island. nbsp;  We go up to see the Atlantis and walk around for a couple hours.
we aren't allowed to go outside to the cool places which suck but serves us right for being too cheap for the tour! nbsp;  We go to their casino where I won $ 13. 25 in the first push of the button ( nickle slots)
I feel redeemed from the night before. nbsp;  Take a water taxi back to Nassau and stop by Senor Frog's. two children ask us to pay them $ 1 for a song. nbsp;
 Stop at the straw market. very hot. very pushy people. nbsp;  Go back to the boat. nbsp;
 Attend an art auction,  get free art. nbsp;  Formal night,  we have a bottle of champagne and I feel drunk. haha!
nbsp;  Go to the captain's welcome for more champagne. is gross but free! nbsp;  Listen to the band.  &
nbsp;  Wednesday:  CocoCay! nbsp;  Get up,  have breakfast,
 take the boat over to the island. nbsp;  Walk around the island and go get snorkeling gear and lesson. nbsp;  Begin snorkeling. nbsp;
 See the shipwreck and airplane crash. nbsp;  Lose my conch shell bracelet. find it. lose it again. nbsp;
 Get bit by a fish. nbsp;  Go have lunch and go to Aqua park. nbsp;  Realize the park is really for young kids and teens. decide we are too old and fat to get on a giant inflated see-
saw and giant inflated " rock"  climb ( couldn't get our fat butts up and out of the water!  Decide to stop wasting time and go back to snorkeling. go to the last lifeguard station and then head to the deep sea.
nbsp;  On the way out,  people are coming in saying there has been a shark siting but we see lots of people still out and figure it is a rumor. nbsp;  We see a lot of stingrays,  beautiful colored fish,
 and,  yes,  a shark! nbsp;  Small one though. I had the camera so I had to try to swim closer to get a picture,
 don't know if it will turn out or not. nbsp;  After we come in,  we are told it is very possible large sharks were in the deep sea section as it is MATING season and they come into more shallow water to mate. beautiful! nbsp;
 Go back to boat. see a show. nbsp;  Play the " scavenger"  hunt game.
 & nbsp;  Thursday:  Key West! nbsp;  We have to wait for everyone to be cleared by customs.
get pissed at same idiots whose names are being called. nbsp;  Get cleared. nbsp;  Get breakfast,  head out.
nbsp;  Call B,  he tells me that he is being made to work on his vacation and asks if I have ever heard of working on a vacation. very hostile. nbsp;  Ask if he is having a good time and he says no because he has to work on his vacation.
duh,  mom! nbsp;  We walk around aimlessly. find the aloe store to get aloe for our sunburn. nbsp;
 Find LOTs of beautiful jewelry but nothing quite my price. nbsp;  Keep walking around. nbsp;  Stop for a piece of Key Lime pie. nbsp;
 Eat lunch at Hogs Breath. nbsp;  Walk some more. and some more. find a blue topaz I break down and buy. nbsp;
 Start heading back to the boat,  pass a market to shop at. nbsp;  BOUGHT some shells and a stingray doll for B. stop in one more jewelry store before getting back on the boat. bought a gorgeous mystic topaz in white gold.
nbsp;  I feel guilty but hubby assures me I just get it. nbsp;  ( He has bought quite a few expensive things for himself by this point so I'm sure my getting the ring makes HIM feel less guilt) nbsp;
 Go back to the boat and swim. nbsp;  Take a nap and go to dinner. nbsp;  Pack and fall asleep.  &
nbsp;  Friday: nbsp;  Get up and ready immediately,  we have to be off the boat quite early. nbsp;
 Get to the hotel around 9 or 10am. nbsp;  I order breakfast and we both take a nap. nbsp;  Get up,  watch tv,
 watch Jersey Girl,  take a nap. nbsp;  Get up,  go down to gift shop for pop,  take another nap and watch tv.
nbsp;  Get up,  go to hotel restaurant for dinner,  go back and lay down. nbsp;  &
nbsp;  Saturday: nbsp;  Get up EARLY to take shuttle to airport. nbsp;  Plane loaded and then find out valve is broken.
delayed 45 minutes. nbsp;  Get to Chicago,  get luggage,  meet shuttle to go get car. head back to Michigan.
stop at parents to give souvenirs and get Brennan. GO HOME!  & nbsp;  Okay. so this is the short version and there are so many memories in my head.
nbsp;  If I figure out the picture stuff I will post some once they are returned. nbsp;  It was definitely the best vacation I have ever been on. even more special because hubby and I were ALONE for a whole WEEEK! nbsp;
 We were nervous about it but it was just like old times,  bumming around with my best friend. nbsp;  Made this week more lonely,  but that is okay. it gives me something to look forward to when I have more time with him someday!
 As for salmon. yes,  it was my first time! nbsp;  There isn't a good seafood/ fish place in Kzoo.
and when I lived in Chicago,  I would always get shrimp at those places. I like the salmon when it was warm,  when it was cold they had it too salty.
