What is scarier than Halloween? Voodoo. I challenge you to walk into a voodoo shop, handle the items and feel nothing. African religions can be mistaken for voodoo, just as the museums and shops can be mistaken for being a little commercial. But they are fun and buying a spell might just be something you do in-the-moment. The American diaspora religions were developed mainly in southern America and New Orleans has much history there. The African religions are said to have influenced many other religions including Christianity. You will hear a lot about Marie Catherine Laveau who was born on September 10, 1801. She was a hairdresser who added healing and being a herbalist to her talents as well as said to have supplied poison to prisoners wishing to escape the gallows. Some of the stories will have been embellished, but she is said to have walked the streets like she was the Witch Queen of New Orleans, and is said to be seen walking in the procession every year at Mardis Gras. She married her first husband Jacques Paris (or Santiago) in 1819. He died or disappeared so she could marry a prominent rich white man and she died Marie Catherine Laveau Paris Glapion died on June 15, 1881, aged 79. She is buried in the Glapion family tomb. The cemetery can only be visited by family members of those there, or with a guide. Her daughter, also Marie, was as well known as a priestess which does have the effect of the two being mistaken for each other. The daughter is at rest in a church but some of the museum pictures you will see are the daughter.

Doris Visits producer Stuart St Paul wrote about the voodoo high priestess Marie Laveux, and how she got inside the head of Macey a character in his series of cruise thrillers CSCI Cruise Ship Crime Investigators. Macey is helping investigate art thefts from luxury ships and paints the priestess in the graveyard. It is an interesting passage in Cruise Ship Art Theft that really shows the place and excuses some inspirational art by the youngster who is the star guest on the ship. Click the picture for details of the book. On the series page in Amazon, there is the opportunity to buy all six thrillers for the price of two in their boxed Kindle deal. Previously a stuntman then director in major A-List movies, Stuart has many stories to tell on stage. Like the one he told in New York when taken there on the Aurora to explain the tale.

CONTENT

The Port guides here on Doris Visits are a great way to remember your cruise and share with your friends. But you might want to chat.

Continue your cruise anywhere – on the train, on the plane. Load your kindle now, because you can now get all six cruise thrillers for the price of two in the Kindle Box Set. Cruise thrillers are a whole new experience. You may not have been to the ports used in the novels, you certainly won’t have been to the parts of the ship they employ. All the cruise crime novels will make you feel like you are in the adventure and on the ship – dodge the bullets and stay out of the romance (same thing!). Ship and cruise accurate, the novels are a great way for new cruisers to discover a ship too. Please share the Amazon link with other cruisers.

Essentials – cruise travel labels and our cruise crime novels – oh, and the seasickness bands.

CARIBBEAN PORT GUIDES

ANTIGUA ARUBA BAHAMAS BARBADOS BERMUDA BONAIRE CANAVERAL COSTA RICA COLUMBIA CURACAO CUBA DOMINICAN REP – AMBER COVE GRENADA GUADELOUPE JAMAICA KEY WEST MARTINIQUE MEXICO NEW ORLEANS PANAMA St THOMAS St KITTS St LUCIA Sint MAARTEN St VINCENT (& Bequia) TORTOLA TRINIDAD & TABAGO

NEW YORK PORT GUIDES

NEW YORK LIBRARY GRAND CENTRAL STATION NEW YORK BIG BUS TOUR – RED  NEW YORK BIG BUS TOUR – BLUE NEW YORK BIG BUS TOUR – PURPLE   NEW YORK ELLIS ISLAND   NEW YORK CENTRAL PARK    STATUE OF LIBERTY TOUR NEW YORK – JUMPING OFF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY  BROOKLYN CRUISE TERMINAL ACCESS ROCKEFELLER CENTER SAIL UNDER UP RIVER & UNDER HUDSON BRIDGE EMPIRE STATE BLGD @ NIGHT