Welcome to Jim's Sandy Beaches Cruise travelogue. I did this for some
friends after my return - it was in a number of installments over a couple
of weeks, but this is the whole enchilada.
=======================================
#1
To all -
Okay, I'm back, I'm rested, and ready to tell you about my trip (please
delete if you really don't want to know). I'll try to keep it brief (yeah,
right) and save most of my stories for when I see you (avoid me at your own
risk). I had a great time - it really was the most fun thing I have
done in quite a while. So thank you to all who encouraged me to go as my
resolve was faltering and I threw up all kinds of reasons why I shouldn't
do this.
So here goes -
Day One - Tuesday - In Port
After spending two days with my brother and family he drove me to Port
Manatee, just south of Tampa, to board the Regal Empress. At the port it
was obvious that there was a definite buzz - lots of folks who hadn't seen
each other in a while, were looking expectantly for friends, and were generally
anxious to get cruising. I kind of wandered aimlessly just observing -
hoping I might see someone I knew, but knowing that was a fairly absurd
thought. We finally boarded around 1 PM - was able to quickly introduce
myself to Wendy Goldstein (Delbert's wife, cruise coordinator and cousin
of my friend Gail in Seattle), then it was up the gangway and onto the
ship. After a silly getting-on-board photo (a customary cruise thing which
I neglected to later purchase), I found my room (more like a big closet)
and decided to explore the ship. I wandered up, down, and around -
getting familiar with this smaller, older cruise ship (though intimate with
a lot of character) - but mostly avoiding looking like I was aimlessly
wandering, knowing no one and feeling a little lost - until I ran into Lloyd
Jones. Lloyd (for those of you who don't know him) has been a fixture on
the blues scene in Portland forever (or at least since the 70s) and lives
in my neighborhood. I knew he was supposed to be on the cruise, so it was
nice to meet up with someone I at least vaguely knew. He was scouting the
ship to find best ways to move his wife Cathy around - she had broken her
foot right before they left Portland and would be in a wheelchair or on
crutches for the entire trip. I headed back to my room and ran into a woman
on crutches - Cathy as it turned out - introduced myself, helped her find
Lloyd and a wheelchair - and now had two new friends (they are both really
delightful people who I really enjoyed hanging out with through the trip).
The rest of the afternoon kinda went like this and I got to know the
ship well enough to give directions (amazing what aimless wandering will
do). Unfortunately we got delayed leaving port because some of the musicians
coming from Austin (Derailers, Asleep at the Wheel, Junior Brown) had airline
problems. Everyone really wanted to get going as it was quite cool and overcast
in Florida, but what's a music cruise without musicians. The late start also
changed our itinerary in Mexico - instead of two stops - Merida and Cozumel
- it was changed to one stop - Cozumel - for a day and a half.
Finally it was time to head to the dining room for the late dinner seating
at 7:30. Found my place at a table for six (#88 and a little card with
my name - no random seating here), and waited to see who would join me.
A moment later Bob showed up, introduced himself, and said that the rest
of the table group was on the way (they were traveling together). I noticed
the card next to me said "Matthew Clark" - common name but I mentioned to
Bob that I knew a Matt Clark who had lived in Portland - hadn't seen
him in a long time, but he was a film actor and director. He said yeah, that's
Matt - and I almost flipped. Talk about serendipity, small world, six degrees
of separation . . . A minute later the rest of them appeared - Matt
sat down, said hi and did a double take (a good one too, but then again he's
an actor). To make a long story short (or at least save some of the details
until I see you), I got adopted by this wonderful group - Matt, his wife
Sharon, and their friends Stephanie, Marlene and Bob. Needless to say I was
beginning to feel like this trip might be fun and the music hadn't even
started.
Leading off the music that night was a choice of either Marcia Ball outside
on the pool deck or Tommy Castro inside in the "Grand Lounge" (not all that
grand - more like a very low-ceilinged night club). For me this was
a no-brainer and I headed to the pool deck - didn't care how cold it was
outside - Marcia is one of my favorites and I finally had a chance to see
her perform (and I'd have another chance to see Tommy). She didn't disappoint
- Long tall Marcia Ball and her band did a very hot set on a very chilly night.
Then everyone headed inside for the 11 PM performance of Delbert and his
band (and friends). Another great show and the ship finally sailed a little
after midnight. The boat was rockin' and we were finally headed to sea and
Mexico.
. . . and I realized that getting a lot of sleep wasn't part of
the plan.
Wednesday, Day Two - At sea . . . to be continued . . . .
- music from noon til the wee hours on Wednesday (Cajun, blues,
country, more blues, . . .)
- wandering in Cozumel (and sacrificing a favorite hat to the deep
blue sea)
- catching up with old favorites and discovering new
- hangin' with the Derailers (and a cool Portand connection)
- long day trip to Chichen Itza (Friday)
- new friends
- stayin' up late and having too much fun . . .
But I better stop now - you probably lost interest a long time ago!
====================
#2
Okay, I know you have all been waiting breathlessly for this next
installment of Jim's babbling on about the stupid cruise, so I'll try to
be succinct and not too tangential (though it may be impossible).
. . . just sittin' here listen to Marcia Ball and rememberin'.
. . .
DAY TWO - Wednesday
Day broke sunny and a little warmer - but by time I was in a tee
shirt and shorts it was overcast and cool - at least we were at sea and
headed to warmer climes. Anyway, the music got started around noon on the
pool deck with a really hot set by Wayne Toups and Zydecajun. Wayne's blend
of sounds really jumps and dips heavily into his Cajun roots (and I do love
Cajun music!) - he's a wild guy and plays a mean accordion. Wayne's been
on the trip almost every year and I heard some very interesting stories
about him (let's just say he knows how to party).
Next up was Junior Brown and his distinctive brand of country music -
extreme electric twang on his unique combo guitar (both standard and steel
guitars in one instrument). Great sounds combined with dry sense of humor
made for a very entertaining set. Put it this way - he opened by singing
the theme from "Love Boat" and finished with an outrageous instrumental medley
of TV and movie music (you had to hear it).
Finishing the afternoon's poolside music was Jimmy Hall. Don't know if
you remember the band Wet Willie (gotta go back to the 70s), but that was
Jimmy's. Put in a solid set of blues and R&B. What was really nice
was that he had his kids playing with him - his 16 yr old played some great
piano and he got his 11 yr old up on stage singing with him. Ended up in
a conversation with him later that day and mentioned seeing him when Wet
Willie opened for the Allman Brothers in 1971 in Albany, NY. Strange
thought occurred to me - would I have ever imagined in 1971 that I'd be
standing in the hallway of a cruise ship in 30 years with the tall skinny
kid with the big lips on stage singing and playing sax - and talking about
our kids!? Hmmm...... Which brings up something that was really wonderful
about being on this trip - there's really no line between the audience and
the performers - everyone is just hanging out together - loose, relaxed
and enjoying being part of the community. I understand why everyone,
including musicians, wants to come back every year.
So then it was time to wind down a bit, have dinner and then on to more
music! BTW - you may have heard how good cruise food can be (or maybe not),
but that's not always the case. Food was mediocre - basically there's a lot
of it and virtually anytime you want it, but I came to view it as fuel rather
than a culinary delight. Then again, I don't think anyone was there for
the food.
Evening's music began at 8 in the Mermaid Lounge (the smallest venue)
which I saw as kind of the warm-up event to the 9 PM shows. But theses shows
on Wednesday and Thursday were led by Al Anderson (longtime member of NRBQ)
and ended up being some of the highlights of the week - focused on songwriting,
collaborations, jamming, musical surprises and overall good time.
One of the other cool things about the cruise is that in addition to the
featured performers, there are lots of other musicians - some listed, some
not - who come every year (or occasionally). These various friends of Delbert
end up working with everyone else - leading to a lot of fun, spontaneous
and unpredictable performances. Some I was familiar with (like Al
Anderson, and Bonnie and Bekka Bramlett) but got a great intro to others
(like Gary Nicholson, Jeff Steele, Danny Flowers, Bob DiPiero, T. Graham
Brown) who were outstanding.
Wednesday night gave us the choice of either Asleep at the Wheel at the
pool or Stephen Bruton inside. As a longtime AATW fan, I made my choice to
be outside on another chilly night (and knew I would see Bruton's performance
on Friday). I actually thought I'd split my time, but ended up really
getting into what Ray Benson and AATW were doing. The evening finished
with Michael McDonald poolside. Posessing one of the most recognizable
and distinctive voices in popular music, he was definitely the most "commercial"
artist on board. His band was top notch, but I became somewhat bored -
just a bit too smooth for my taste (or what I was looking for at that moment).
Ended up ignoring much of the set and in a great conversation with my friend
Theresa (from Tulsa) - a fellow western swing music fan who became a music
buddy for the rest of the trip.
The night finished with an Italian buffet in the dining room at 1 AM
(okay, I ate four meals that day). Got seated at a table with Brian Hofeldt
of the Derailers and his wife Tiffany. This was their first cruise
and they couldn't believe how much fun they were having - and the band hadn't
even performed yet. It was nice to connect with them - I've liked the Derailers
for a while and they have Oregon roots - both Brian and Tony Villenueva
grew up and played music here before moving to Austin in the early 90s to
put the band together.
Okay, so if you're still awake that was the second day of the cruise.
Don't think I can keep this up for another three days, so the next installment
will BRIEFLY summarize the rest. Really!
====================
#3
Due to overwhelming requests (though I can hear demands for a recount)
I will not race through the rest of the trip with a paragraph or two, but
instead continue with my overly long ramblings. Sorry for those of
you looking to get off easy (you can stop here).
Interesting, but I realize by writing this it's really helping me organize
my thoughts and memories of the trip before they fade into the haze. And
you thought I was writing this for you . . . :-)
Day Three - Thursday - Cozumel
The Regal Empress docked in Cozumel just before noon. Weather was warmer
but very breezy; Caribbean was choppy but about seven shades of blue. The
cruise usually puts into a couple of ports, so this year would be a bit
unusual with only one two-day stop.
There were a number of organized shore excursions (snorkeling, island
jeep trip, etc), but I decided that because I was going to do a long day
trip on Friday (to Chichen Itza - more on that later) I'd spend the afternoon
relaxing - maybe stay on the ship, maybe just wander around the town of
San Miguel. No real plans - just figured I'd see what developed (read -
I really didn't have a clue what I wanted to do).
Then tragedy! While walking up the stairs to the sun deck a strong gust
of wind forced me to give up my prized John Hiatt hat to the ancient Mayan
water gods. I realized that since John couldn't make the cruise (when the
dates were switched) the hat had to be sacrificed to ensure he made it next
year. Actually I made that up after stupidly letting go of the hat on a
very windy deck - but it sounded good. And that's why I now own a Delbert
McClinton hat.
At lunch I ran into Lloyd and Cathy Jones who invited me to take a walk
into town. With Cathy in a wheelchair we had a very leisurely stroll. It
was great to spend some time with them - Lloyd has always been one of my favorite
Portland musicians and they've lived in the neighborhood for 25 years (guess
that's why I run into him at the bank and the post office).
As we headed back, we ran into Matt, Sharon, Marlene and Bob (my dinner
companions/new friends) who invited me to go with them into San Miguel for
margaritas. Killed the rest of the afternoon with pleasant company and fending
off people trying to sell me stuff I didn't need.
Back on ship in time for dinner and ready for music. Again starting in
the Mermaid Lounge with the "Songwriters Showcase" which was a blast. This
was the only acoustic show of the cruise and was tough to leave (it went
way over it's expected hour), but I wanted to get to the Derailers' show
on the pool deck.
They turned in a great set of really outstanding honky-tonk music - took
me back to mid-60's Bakersfield with Hag and Buck (wait, I was never there).
They seamlessly blend that Bakersfield sound with a serious pop sensibility
- it really jumps and is just plain fun (. . . the dancers were in two-step
heaven). And they're fronted by two Oregonians! 
From talking to folks and reading some of the post-cruise comments on
Delbert's website, they got themselves a mess of new fans. At the same time,
Wayne Toups was performing in the Grand Lounge. I knew he'd probably play
long past when he was supposed to finish (you really have to drag him off
the stage), so I headed inside to catch some more music before Delbert's
set. It was a wild scene in the lounge - Wayne and the band were rockin'
and everyone was having a great time - didn't end until almost 11:30.
Delbert's set (as usual) turned into party with lots of musicians coming
and going and just having a lot of fun working together - in particular,
Gary Nicholson, T. Graham Brown, and Bonnie and Bekka Bramlett - who I think
managed to sing with just about everyone. Delbert also got Lloyd Jones up
there for a couple of tunes that really cranked up the energy level. This
one didn't end until almost 1:30 and then moved back to the Mermaid lounge
for a CD release party for Delbert's guitarist Todd Sharp. That didn't end
until sometime after 3, but I was long asleep - choosing to miss this one
because I had to be up at 7 AM for a shore excursion to Chichen Itza (but
it was the only time sleep took priority over the music!).
Day Four - Friday - Chichen Itza
Bleary but awake at 7:15 -- there was no way I was going to miss the
opportunity to see the Mayan site of Chichen Itza, a place I have wanted
to visit for as long as I can remember. I knew it was going to be a long
day, and I'd be giving up my only real opportunity to just kick back on
the ship (so forget actually sitting on deck in a lounge chair to read
one of the four books I had with me). The group (about two dozen of
us) was off the ship at 8 AM and into a tender that would take us 50 minutes
across the water to the mainland. After a very chilly crossing we met out
tour guide at the dock and headed to our bus for a three-hour ride to the
site. Carlos (our guide) did a good job explaining some of the history and
culture of the Yucatan on the way and the ride went pretty quick. Made a
stop to buy the requisite Mayan souvenirs (yeah I bought stuff, including
a blanket that I wanted to keep me warm on the boat ride back to Cozumel!)
- and arrive at Chichen Itza a little after noon. We decided to lunch first
at the Mayaland Hotel before heading to see the site. Okay buffet (more fuel),
but could have done without the dance troupe's performance around our tables
- maybe because this reminds me so much that I am a tourist with the means
of going to these exotic places where the natives are obligated to entertain
me with "authentic" native folk dances - I don't know about you, but it makes
me feel just a little embarrassed and uncomfortable - it's like no matter
how you respond, it's going to come out as rather patronizing. However
did get to talk with some of my fellow cruisers and found myself sitting
with the only other (besides Lloyd and Cathy) Oregonians - all three of them.
It was funny that we all chose the Chichen Itza trip.
The site was magnificent and I learned a bit about Mayan history
and culture. For me it was just amazing to be in a place where a very old
culture thrived for so long. It was really a fascinating couple of hours
and I wish I could have spend more time - it often felt like we were running
from place to place in order to see it all (which in two hours was impossible).
But I took some great photos and some other cruisers are sending me a video
they did while we were there. It was especially cool to climb the very steep
91steps to the top of the pyramid (though coming down is actually the adventure).
It was soon time to head back - we need to be on board the ship by 8:30,
as it was sailing from Cozumel. The somewhat weary group stumbled back on
schedule - I had just enough time for a reviving shower, then headed to
the Grand Lounge for Stephen Bruton. Stephen is an extraordinarily good
guitarist who has played with just about everyone - check the credits on
your CDs and records. He decided a few years ago to step into the spotlight
with his own band and songs. I really liked his stuff - his writing has
great perspective that I immediately related to - a mature middle of life
look at past and future - and some musical muscle - a really infectious blend
of blues, country, jazz, R & B . . . For me he was one of the very
pleasant music surprises of the cruise.
The late night set on the pool deck was the second show of Asleep at
the Wheel. As usual with the late sets it became a pretty (excuse the pun)
freewheelin' affair with lots of folks (like Marcia Ball, Bonnie, Bekka,
Delbert, etc) joining Ray Benson and the band. FUN. By time it was over
I was pretty wiped and stumbled off to bed around 2. Couldn't believe we
were headed into the last day of the cruise - but you're going to have
to wait for that one. (I might actually finish this by the 2002 cruise).
=====================
#4
Okay everyone, this saga is coming to an end. Thanks goodness! But
this one also includes photos, websites and other stuff that will probably
make for a somewhat bloated message, but hey, it's the last one.
Day Five - Saturday - Heading Home
Beautiful warm sunny day on the Gulf of Mexico when I stumbled on deck
for breakfast Saturday morning. Definite last day buzz in the air as people
surfaced - music was going to begin and noon and really wouldn't stop until
well after midnight. This was going to be a day of pacing. Which brings
me to some observational demographics - for an entire week, I didn't feel
old. Most of the people on the ship under 40 were probably in one of the
bands. (Note - Asleep at the Wheel has been around for 26 years - their current
fiddle player is 25 and piano player is 23!) Figured I was somewhere in the
middle or even younger end (okay, middle).
Before music started was the yearly autograph session - a very organized
way to herd anyone who wanted stuff signed by all of the performers (almost
- I think some didn't quite make it out of bed, and others probably should
have stayed there). What can I say - I had some CDs and bought a
cruise poster, so I did what any slightly embarrassed but collector fan
would do and got in line to get them signed. Everyone was wonderfully gracious
and took time to talk and really personalize stuff if people wanted. I
think virtually all of the first-time cruisers took advantage of the session.
Lots of picture-taking going on Saturday - I think it was everyone's
last chance for the shots they wanted. So here's a couple I digitized
-
Delbert and (". . . so tell me again who this guy is . . .")
(need photo) Delbert, Wendy and their daughter Delaney with
Michael McDonald and Vince (Michael's sax player)
Before we knew it, it was time for Tommy Castro and his band to kick
the day off with some high energy blues. This was my first time catching
Tommy and I was impressed - he's made quite a name for himself in the SF
Bay Area and is getting national attention. Young guy with great chops,
good voice and a tight band. The afternoon was rollin'. . .
This is the pool deck on Saturday afternoon .
. . 
Next up was Marcia Ball - she and the band were quite happy to be playing
on a warm afternoon after their freezing Tuesday night set. There was no
doubt there was a party going on - she opened with a kick ass version of
Sea Cruise. Ooh wee baby! Then Wayne Toups helped out - emphasizing the deep
Louisiana side of Marcia's sound which incorporates Cajun, Zydeco, and New
Orleans rhythm and blues in the mix - don't think there's a piano player
around who can channel Professor Longhair like she does. It was definitely
"laissez les bon temps rouler!" Caught our collective breaths and then
Jimmy Hall finished the afternoon with a great set and a lot of friends sitting
in - Delbert, T. Graham Brown, Lloyd Jones, Tommy Castro, Bonnie Bramlett
- they just cooked until the sun went down.
Marcia and band with Wayne
Jimmy Hall with Lloyd Jones and Tommy Castro . .
. 
The final dinner on a cruise is usually somehow special - so for us,
dessert was paraded out by the entire wait staff to the Macarena! Believe
me, 30 seconds would have been humorously entertaining - at what seemed
like five minutes, it was painful. :-)
So you have an image of dinner and some of the people I've been
talking about . . . here's a shot at the table - on left (front to back)
- Matt, Marlene and Bob, and on the right - Stephanie, Sharon and me.
Choice of music to start the night was either Michael McDonald on the
pool deck or the Derailers inside. You're probably not surprised that I
went for the Derailers who did another fine show. This one was looser than
their first and they had a number of other musicians join them - Marcia,
Stephen Bruton, Al Anderson all seemed to be having a great time playing
with these guys. They got an amazing standing ovation when they finished
- truly, they were the sleeper act of the cruise.
. . . after the set with the 6th Derailer
It was finally time for the last show - of course, Delbert and
Friends on the pool deck. I have run out of ways to describe the music
and atmosphere, but let's just say it was a whole lot of fun. Some quick
highlights - Delbert and Bekka doing Old Feelin' Comin' On Strong, T.Graham
Brown and Delbert doing Memphis Women and Chicken - a great Gary Nicholson
tune (JT - if it's not, it needs to be on you Memphis tape!), Michael McDonald,
T.Graham, and Delbert doing Mustang Sally . . . it seemed like everyone
was on stage at one time or another and no one really wanted it to end.
But it did finally around 1:30. . .
. . . and everyone needed to be up and out of their rooms by 8
AM to get ready to disembark!
Day Six - Sunday -Adios Amigos!
Sometime in the early morning hours the ship pulled into Port Manatee
- we were back. Getting off is a rather involved production - the luggage
actually was collected the night before, the ship has to clear US Customs
(which probably made a few folks a little nervous - I hadn't mention a familiar
scent I often noticed as I walked through the halls), accounts had to be
settled (I cannot imagine the bar tabs some people must have run up!), and
we all had to be out of our rooms. A lot or rather bleary but smiling people
were wandering around deck when I finally made my way up. At least there
was breakfast (and 99 cent breakfast drinks at the bar). It was time for
final connections, recaps, goodbye hugs, pictures, address exchanges, . .
. until the ship was cleared and your color was called (we disembarked by
luggage tag color - there is some logic there that escaped me). We were all
off the ship by 10:30. My brother Andy picked me up and I was back at his
house an hour later, amazed that I had actually done it. Wow. . . .and I
can't wait for January 2002!