It’s either number 19 or 20 cruises for DENNY and JANE BARR, Jane seems to have lost count. But whichever one it was, it was special time with family and friends. The Barrs sailed out of Galveston for a week’s cruise on Carnival Line’s ship, “Ecstasy.” There were stops scheduled for ports in Mexico, but the potential danger of swine flu caused the ship to make a detour to the Caymans and Montego Bay in Jamaica.  

They especially enjoyed the “highlights tour” of Montego Bay and were fortunate to have an excellent guide. Jane said there was some lovely scenery and stops at several great shopping areas along the way. There’s always so much going on aboard ship that they didn’t even go ashore in the Caymans.

Denny and Jane have already made plans for a couple more cruises with Alaska topping the list.

Wake up in your DREAM VACATION to the soft swishing sounds of waves as they dance in and out over the sandy beach, the multilingual calls of tropical birds as they join in a good morning chorus, and to the aroma of bougainvillea and other colorful flowers that drape in swags around the balcony. Pull back the delicate canopy of sheer white netting that surrounds your bed and walk out on to the balcony for a dip in the footed bathtub. And while you’re soaking in suds, you can soak up a dazzling view of the Caribbean with its many shades of blue, shimmering in the morning sun.

This can all be yours on NECKER ISLAND, Sir Richard Branson’s 74-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands. You can fly into St. Thomas or San Juan and get a connecting flight to Beef Island, Tortola. A private launch will then take you on a

30-minute trip to the island, or you can hire a helicopter for the brief flight.

On the island, the Great House on top of Devil’s Hill has eight suites, and there are five Bali Houses that round out the complex. You can play tennis, or lounge in a strategically placed hammock for a view of the white sails that bob along the shoreline. There’s dining on Turtle Beach or the sushi bar by the pool, dancing to a calypso band, or you can take a long walk through the tropical foliage that flourishes on the island.

This dream vacation can be yours for a weekly rate of $25,400 for a couple at the Great House. If you prefer the master suite at the Great House, that’s a bit steeper at $28,350. At one of the Bali Houses it will only cost $27,300. Dream on!!

Fly your flag proudly this FOURTH OF JULY. On July 4, 1776, the colonies declared their independence from Britain, and the USA was born. Old glory was authorized by Congress on June 14, 1777, and it’s the third oldest of the national symbols in the world – older than the Union Jack of Britain and the Tricolor of France. Flown from Yorktown to Iwo Jima, it’s been the standard for freedom and liberty, and long may it wave.

Don’t know who said this, but it’s on the mark: “Liberty is the right to choose; freedom is the result of the right choice,”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!