Tampa and Busch Gardens

Welcome back! Sorry it's been a while; my laptop died five weeks out from returning to the UK, but now that I am home, I can finally bring you the remaining blog posts. Today I'll show you around Tampa, and one of its most famous attractions, Busch Gardens.

Tampa is one of America's most popular departure ports for western Caribbean cruises. Three cruise lines sail from the port which has three cruise terminals.


Above: The Ryndam docked at Tampa (you can see the passengers' luggage going on the ship)


Above: The view of Tampa from the ship


Above: Parked cars just by the Ryndam (my first attempt at 'Tilt-shift photography'!)


Above: The terminal building (you can just see the ship behind it)

On the ship we were able to hire bikes for free and Tampa was a great city to bike around. There is a large bay area which you can walk or cycle round and the houses in this area are very posh (and unlike the rest of Tampa).


Above: The Tampa cityscape from across the bay


Above: Some of the posh houses in the bay area

Tampa University is also an interesting place to visit with Tampa Plant Hall - the university's main building - heavily steeped in Moorish influence (fascination with all things oriental).


Above: Tampa University


Above: Downtown Tampa from the banks of the University

Attractions within walking distance of the ship terminals include the Florida Aquarium, American Victory Ship and the Channelside District complete with IMAX cinema.


Above: Channelside Plaza located right next to the Carnival Ship


Above: Channelside Cinema located on the first floor of the plaza - one of my favourite places in Tampa!

Tampa is also home to Busch Gardens, an African based theme park and a popular destination with Orlando tourists. I visited Busch Gardens a total of four times, as I was able to purchase a ticket which allowed you to come back again for free! It was about an hour's bike ride away, along one very straight road called Nebraska Avenue.


Above: There are traffic lights for pedestrians across six lane roads - America is crazy!


Above: Nebraska Avenue intersects with Busch Boulevard - the location of Busch Gardens


Above: I normally managed to arrive early in the morning, when the park was fairly empty!


Above: The entrance area of Busch Gardens


Above: Kumba, at the back of the park (I was the only person on this ride one morning)


Above : A dive coaster called Sheikra, my favourite rollercoaster (and Florida's tallest)


Above: The latest rollercoaster at Busch Gardens called Cheetah Hunt which sadly was about a month from opening when I last visited

There were also a lot of animals at Busch Gardens! Here are some of my favourite shots:















Finally, I'll share a little video I shot cycling back to the downtown Tampa area from Busch Gardens. I'll be back with the final few blog posts from my first cruise very soon.

Key West, Florida

Welcome back! In this blog post I’ll take a brief look at our first port of call on every cruise, Key West, Florida.

The m/s Ryndam arrives in Key West every Monday after we depart from Tampa on Sunday evening. As the southernmost city in the continental United States, Key West is strategically located in the Florida Straits and for centuries, treasure ships and merchant vessels alike fell victim to treacherous reefs and hurricanes. Even more deadly were the pirates who stalked their prey with abandon until the arrival of the U.S. Navy in 1823.


Above: Mallory Square (Key West’s undeclared ‘town centre’ viewed from the ship).

The island was once the largest city in Florida, the wealthiest city per capita in the U.S., and the largest producer of cigars and natural sponges in the country. In 1912, Henry Flagler created a railroad which linked Key West to the mainland, and changed the island city forever, allowing tourism to become one of the leading industries.


Above: The m/s Ryndam viewed from Mallory Square

Today, tourism is the only large industry remaining, with attractions ranging from the southernmost point in the USA to Harry Truman’s Little White House, and the houses of famous author Ernest Hemingway and ornithologist John James Audubon as well as a whole host of water sport activities. All of these make the port a popular one with the crew who visit every week.


Above: Shipwreck Treasurer’s Museum

I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction to Key West. I’ll be returning to this port in a later post with more photos to share, but my next blog post will explore life inside the ship.