Floodwalls in river towns certainly perform a very useful service. But they also can be a blank canvas for creative people.

One of the floodwalls I always enjoy seeing is located in Cape Girardeau where riverboats tend to stop.

In the 1730s, a young Frenchman named Jean Baptiste Girardot established a trading post at a rock promontory jutting from the west bank of the Mississippi River. This large promontory was referred to as “the cape,” a significant headland projecting well into the river. Read more...

If you’ve cruised the ocean wide, you’ve probably seen that tall “whale tail” decorating ships belonging to a famous cruise line. The red, white and blue funnel with fins on both sides is both decorative and useful.

For a bit of cruise ship trivia, do you know what cruise line uses the distinctive tail atop its ships? A hint – the name is often associated with clowns, appropriate enough because the cruise line’s vessels are often known as “The Fun Ships.” Read more...

ABOARD THE MSC DIVINA – Sandy Sherma could barely see over the steering wheel of her Formula One race car. But she put the pedal to the metal and off she went.

A few spinouts later, the Florida woman emerged from her sleek Ferrari and proclaimed, “Whew! I need a drink!” Read more...

When I told a friend I was cruising to the Conch Republic, he looked a bit puzzled. “Is it in the Bahamas?” he asked. “Or maybe Hawaii?”

Good guesses. But wrong on both. The Conch Republic is located in the good old USA, in Florida, in fact. Conch Republic is the nickname for Key West. Read more...

Think you can recognize a new vessel by the flag it flies while cruising the waterways of Washington and Oregon?

Of course, most of us know that when we see Mickey Mouse or those trademark ears, it must be a Disney ship. And Norwegian Cruise Lines ships boast those colorful Peter Max murals. Read more...

ABOARD THE CARNIVAL FREEDOM – Are you a fan of rocking piano music made famous by the likes of  Jerry Lee Lewis? Maybe your tastes run more to 1980s pop from Cindy Lauper and Michael Jackson.

Or could be the smooth soul songs of Otis Redding that soothe you. Then there’s the feel-good beach music for island time with Jimmy Buffet, the Beach Boys and more. Read more...

  ABOARD THE S.S. LEGACY – No need to fret about misplacing your cabin key on the S.S. Legacy. Cabins have no keys.

“That’s just one less thing to worry about,” said Patrick Rice, hotel manager for the S.S. Legacy. “We want you to relax while you are with us.” Read more...

ABOARD THE MSC DIVINA – Those little blue creatures known as Smurfs are now delighting youngsters of all ages on the new MSC Divina. The 3,500-passenger ship has a Smurfs-themed Mini Club (ages 3-6) and a Junior Club (ages 7-11),  as well as other fun-filled family activities with the ship’s giant Smurf mascot as the guest of honor. Read more...

Shore excursions are part of the fun of cruising. Going ashore and taking a tour is an exciting option on cruises. And, almost always, there are more tour options than I can do. Makes for hard choices.

But Carnival Cruise Lines has now come up with a cruise industry first to be sure passengers get the best shore excursions possible. Carnival just announced a guarantee that guests who book a Carnival shore excursion and find a comparable tour at a lower price will receive an onboard credit of 110 percent of the difference. Read more...

ABOARD THE CARNIVAL BREEZE – Are you a Blue Iguana or are you a Red Frog?

Seems like a strange question. But there is an interesting story behind the two critters who now make their home on Carnival Cruise Lines. The BlueIguana Tequila Bar is featured on the Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Glory, Liberty, Sunshine and Triumph. Read more...