NCL Epic Day 7 and Miami

Our last day on the boat included a stop in Nassau Bahamas. I had printed out a walking tour with possible side trip to the pirate museum to do with the kids, but when the day came, they didn't want to get off the boat. They wanted to spend the day in the kids club and on the water slides. Michael didn't really want to get off the boat either, and so we enjoyed having the boat to ourselves for the afternoon. We had a great time lounging at Posh, playing on the sports deck, and sitting on our balcony watching drunk, sunburned and overburdened people run down the dock to the Carnival ship as it readied to leave the port. That is such a fun thing to watch, people. Try it.
The next morning we arrived in Miami. We had paid to have our bags taken directly to the airport and checked in without us so we were free to explore Miami with just our backpacks. We got off the ship around 9AM and took a taxi to the Bayside Marketplace so Michael and Davis could see it. We sat outside sipped some starbucks and enjoyed having internet access. After a while we shopped the marketplace and then took a taxi to little Havana. This was so much fun. We did a walking tour I found online. We ate so many delicious things. We stopped for plantain chips in a paper bag and then perused cigar shops and record stores. We crossed the street and saw a few art galleries and then decided to have lunch. We ate cuban seafood sitting at little tables on the sidewalk. The kids tried their first cuban sandwiches. We walked a ways further and found a great gift shop where Sam got a little wooden alligator. We watched a bunch of Cuban people play dominos in a park and Michael tried on a fabulous Panama hat. We had a guava pastry at bakery and then a coco trio at an open air fruit stand. We ordered it and a little old cuban man took a cold fresh coconut from the refrigerator and got out his machete. He whacked the top off the coconut, stuck a straw in it and handed it to us. We were all thrilled with the show and enjoyed the coconut water. We ended our tour at a fantastic clothing store and Michael bought a gorgeous guayabera shirt there while I sipped on a tiny sample of cuban coffee.
We loved little Havana and enjoyed our walking tour so much. After a while though, it was time to head to the airport. We had terrible flights that involved two connections and another 1AM arrival, but we were prepared. Our first flight to New Orleans went well. We were all getting a quick bite to eat for dinner at the airport when we heard our flight was going to be seriously delayed. I went to the counter and after a while, we realized that we wouldn't make our connection in Dallas. We decided to overnight in New Orleans and fly out to Dallas at 10Am. WE hopped a cab and went out to mom and dad's condo in New Orleans. We got there around 8PM and after a quick shower, put the kids to bed. We followed shortly after.
We woke early the next morning and all walked the few blocks to Coulis restaurant (formerly the bluebird). We love this place. It's delicious, close by and has lots of good memories for us. I've never been to New Orleans in the spring time and I was amazed at all the beautiful pink blossoms everywhere. The whole city was in bloom and it was gorgeous.
A taxi picked us up at the restaurant and took us to the airport, where we flew uneventfully home. Our luggage was waiting for us there (we hadn't seen it in two days!) and we scooped it up and headed for home.
It was a great trip. Truly Epic.