Happy new year
The ship was today off the private island of Isla Catalina. We had not booked any excursion. So, were among the first to tender over and could choose the loungers. Service staff brought umbrellas and even put our towels on the loungers for us. Expertly they were fixed in such a way that the wind could not blow them away.
The island of Catalina is an uninhabited island of only 9km², belongs to the Dominican Republic and is located about 2 km south of the coastal town of La Romana. It is also called Toeya.
I had 1-2 hours to take pictures in peace. I had my lensball with me and enjoyed the still prevailing silence at the end of the beach before the late risers and excursionists arrived on the island.
![1231 LensBall Insel 02 1231 LensBall Insel 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Insel-02-1579-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 ShipInABottle 02 1231 ShipInABottle 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-ShipInABottle-02-1594-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Insel 01 1231 LensBall Insel 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Insel-01-1578-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall ship 02 1231 LensBall ship 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-ship-02-1585-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall 02 1231 LensBall 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-02-1572-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall ship 01 1231 LensBall ship 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-ship-01-1584-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Ship 03 1231 LensBall Ship 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Ship-03-1586-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Strand 03 1231 LensBall Strand 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Strand-03-1592-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 ShipInABottle 01 1231 ShipInABottle 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-ShipInABottle-01-1593-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Ship 06 1231 LensBall Ship 06](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Ship-06-1589-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall 01 1231 LensBall 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-01-1571-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Insel 04 1231 LensBall Insel 04](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Insel-04-1581-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Ship 05 1231 LensBall Ship 05](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Ship-05-1588-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Palme 02 1231 LensBall Palme 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Palme-02-1583-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Strand 02 1231 LensBall Strand 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Strand-02-1591-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Blaetter 03 1231 LensBall Blaetter 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Blaetter-03-1576-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Blaetter 01 1231 LensBall Blaetter 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Blaetter-01-1574-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Blaetter 02 1231 LensBall Blaetter 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Blaetter-02-1575-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Ship 04 1231 LensBall Ship 04](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Ship-04-1587-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Blaetter 04 1231 LensBall Blaetter 04](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Blaetter-04-1577-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Strand 01 1231 LensBall Strand 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Strand-01-1590-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Palme 01 1231 LensBall Palme 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Palme-01-1582-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall 03 1231 LensBall 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-03-1573-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 LensBall Insel 03 1231 LensBall Insel 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-LensBall-Insel-03-1580-500-300-100.jpg)
And although we had the beach alone for the AIDA, it got crowded.
We did a little snorkeling right from the beach. And it was good that Holger stayed with me here. Because as fast as the current drove us towards the open sea, we were not back at the beach. And the last stretch I was finally towed by Holger.
Again, I walked around with the camera. There was a small path along the coast. The small ringed-tailed masked iguana (don’t know exact English name) was encountered. Appropriate to his name, he also showed himself
. But there were also other things to be found.
![1231 Palme 08 1231 Palme 08](/images/igallery/resized/1601-1700/1231-Palme-08-1602-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 02 1231 Palme 02](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-02-1596-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 06 1231 Palme 06](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-06-1600-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 05 1231 Palme 05](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-05-1599-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 09 1231 Palme 09](/images/igallery/resized/1601-1700/1231-Palme-09-1603-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 10 1231 Palme 10](/images/igallery/resized/1601-1700/1231-Palme-10-1604-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 04 1231 Palme 04](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-04-1598-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 03 1231 Palme 03](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-03-1597-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 01 1231 Palme 01](/images/igallery/resized/1501-1600/1231-Palme-01-1595-500-300-100.jpg)
![1231 Palme 07 1231 Palme 07](/images/igallery/resized/1601-1700/1231-Palme-07-1601-500-300-100.jpg)
The crew brought everything for a hearty barbecue from aboard to land. The queue at the barbecue was much too long for me and so I only stick to the vitamins in solid (pineapple, mango, melon) and liquid form.
In addition, I didn't want to spoil my appetite for our 4-course New Year's Eve menu at the steakhouse.
We had booked the "early slot", and while we were already going to the restaurant in a New Year's Eve celebration outfit, the last ones came back from the beach in bathing outfits on the ship. For 1 to 2 hours there was a really wide variation with regards to clothing on the ship.
After dinner we watched the traditional "Dinner for one". But this time in live. It was nice!
Of course, in the course of the evening everyone gathered at the pool deck to dance into the year 2022 with live music and still summer temperatures. We also didn't have to do without fireworks. Our captain past a hotel resort exactly at midnight, which gave us a decent show.
A new world:
It was the first time I was allowed to celebrate the New Year at 20°C and somehow it felt unreal.