Panama Canal Day 12

I’m at sea today with lots to do onboard. I attended a talk on Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas then grabbed a bite. An enjoyable Zumba class was next, followed by a lap around Deck 7. There was a second presentation on PV and Cabo but it turned out to be a pitch for shore excursions so I left. Great timing! As I began to do my second lap of the day, dolphins were spotted! How wonderful to see them jumping and frolicking beyond the ship.

There aren’t many quiet cool places to hang out on this ship, but one of them is the shady side of Deck 7. There are several lounge chairs on either side but they are popular and hard to find. I did find one and was lucky again – this time whales were off the starboard side. Woo hoo! Then dolphins again! And no camera.

Lunch was at the Blue Lagoon, a small little restaurant on our floor mid-ship. The entertainment in the afternoon was the Second City with a presentation on comedy sketches and improv, followed by a cha-cha dance class. Mervin and Darlene came by our room and we opened the bottle of wine sent to us by Guest Services. We had a lovely supper in the Aqua Dining Room then went our separate ways. Second City was back this evening, this time with an hour of improv. No time for boredom on this cruise!

Panama Canal Day 11

The seas in the night were super rough but I made it, which actually surprised me. Today we arrived in Huatulco, Mexico. My roommate had an advanced snorkeling tour planned so I headed out on my own.

As I got away from the cruise ship area, various vendors were selling tours so I approached one. It seemed like a reasonable deal. Then I saw another couple talking to the same outfit and she was speaking Spanish so I asked if she would mind if I joined them. It was a good move because the taxi driver spoke no English. He took us to several stops with viewpoints and we got out to look and take pictures.

The government allowed Huatulco to be developed in the 1980’s for tourism due to the high percentage of lovely beaches in the area. I was curious if the locals were moved to make room for this development and how they felt about it. Our taxi driver was probably in his early 20’s and he told us they were moved but that it was a good thing. He explained that there were few jobs in the area before and that tourism has brought prosperity to the people. That was his take on the situation at any rate.

Then he took us to the where the town square and church were. I asked to be dropped off there as I wanted to photograph them and the other couple weren’t interested in a stop. The driver stopped in front of a textile store. Not only did they sell them, but there were 3 weavers at the front of the store. They used wooden equipment and were busy with their hands and feet. Every so often they would stop the machine and change the bobbin with a different color of thread.

I walked over to the square and found some interesting people to photograph. But I have found that many locals are quite aware of having their picture taken so I just don’t. Across from the square was the Catholic Temple of Guadalupe.

The building didn’t seem to be very old but I couldn’t tell. The ceiling was beautifully decorated and had a pretty blue paint along the sides with stars.

I decided to look around some more before heading back to Santa Cruz, the port area and it was hot, hot, hot as I walked around. I stopped in a few places but nothing caught my eye. Then a vendor invited me to his shop just a little ways away from the corner. I thought ‘what the heck’ and went in to look. I was hoping to find a silver chain at a reasonable price on this trip and I did. I almost didn’t buy it but as I was leaving the store empty handed, he made one final offer that I couldn’t resist.

The first taxi driver told me how much a cab should cost from the square back to the ship area so found one nearby. I was hungry and the ship was nearby but I didn’t want to go back quite so early. I found a small Italian beach restaurant and ordered a pannini and a margarita. They advertised free Wifi but the signal was useless so I just ate and enjoyed the atmosphere.

After that, I walked along the beach and in the water too. Now I see why the Huatulco beaches are famous. The sand is gorgeous and the water is clean and warm. After collecting some beach sand for my collection and taking a few more photos, I headed back to the ship. I thought I’d cool off in the pool but the temperature was seriously cold. The ocean was much warmer and I only got as far as my knees before chickening out. At least I cooled off in a hurry!

I couldn’t figure out why I was so very, very tired until I realized that margaritas, combined with lots of walking in the hot sun make a perfect recipe for a nap. Which I did. For 2 hours! My roommate woke me up to tell me it was almost sunset time. I always wake up slowly, or at least that’s the way I prefer it. After half a Pepsi Max I was ready to go again.

After sunset I grabbed a small bite to eat then headed to the ship theatre for a magic act. It was quite good but the music was awfully loud at times. Argghhh! I’m getting old! D and I headed back to the buffet after the show then I did a couple of laps around Deck 7. One lap is 560 meters so 2 is just over 1 kilometer. My goal is to do more tomorrow.

Panama Canal Day 10

A port day today! Puerto Chiapas is in the very southern part of Mexico. I took a tour here because everything is so far away from where the ship docks.

It is so lush and green in this part of the country and they grow and export many crops here: bananas, avocados, mangoes, coconuts, corn, and coffee to name a few. It was clear today and two volcanoes were visible. We were close to the Guatemalan border and many of the Guatemalan people come into Mexico to pick the fruit when it is time.

Our first stop was in the town of Tuxtla Chico. As the bus entered the narrow streets, navigation seemed to be impossible and I was amazed at our progress. There were many men pedalling bicycles that had a passenger riding at the front. Mexican ‘taxis’ sure look like a hard way to earn a living in the heat, easily 33 to 35 C.

We parked at the town square and were shown how Mexican chocolate is made, from plant to finished product. I had the opportunity to taste the raw cacao bean (mild with a slimy coating and bitter inside), hot chocolate (delicious with sugar and cinnamon), and finally the chocolate (powdery and very different from what we are used to).

 After that, some women in traditional costumes danced a few dances and invited some of the group to join them. 

We had the opportunity to buy some chocolate of course then we went for a walk over to the church.

Our guide was very knowledgeable about the various trees in the churchyard as well.

She then led us through the market. It is held daily and is full of wondrous booths selling all kinds of fruit, vegetables, herbs and fresh chicken. The women kept the flies away by waving a kind of whip around.

There were also shoes, Christmas decorations and miscellaneous items for sale, but it was predominantly a market for food. The variety was wonderful and I loved the patterns and arrangement of the produce.

Our next stop was the Mayan ruins of Izapa. They aren’t as extensive as others I have visited but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

Several workers were trimming grass growing up in the cracks and their young children were playing and interacting with the visitors.

It was so very, very hot there and I looked for shade whenever I could.

We were about 40 minutes from the ship and the drive was interesting and pleasant. I love Mexico! 

Back at port I browsed at some craft booths then attempted to check my email through a very slow internet connection. There was a cafe nearby and I treated myself to a refreshing margarita. As we sailed off, dancers and marimba players gave us a lovely send-off.

Tonight – the buffet, followed by laps on deck 7. The ocean is rough with swells of 2 ½ to 4 meters. So far so good, but I think I will take Gravol ‘just in case’.

Panama Canal Day 9

A day at sea today. I tried to sleep in but woke at 7 and got up at 8. Guess it pays to go to bed early. I attended a talk on things to see and do in our next 2 ports, Puerto Chiapas and Huatulco. Then I went to my Zumba class. A lot people cram into a small area to do this class and I am quite surprised how almost everyone follows, even though the cueing is minimal. I love the music and the moves and it’s a really great workout even though it’s only 30 minutes long. I am going to look for some good Zumba music and/or dvd’s when I get home.

After class, I headed to the photo studio to look at the 8x10 Panama Canal photos they have for sale there. Along came Darlene, then Dawn a few minutes later. We couldn’t have timed it better. We decided to go for ‘coffee’ and that turned into lunch in the lovely Versailles dining room. In the afternoon we went to another Q & A on ‘Life at Sea’ with the staff. Some great questions were answered.

Later on I went to a bachata dance class. After practising solo, we paired off and practised some more – another good form of exercise.

Every night between 5 and 6 depending on our location, the sun sets, providing wonderful color each and every time. You have to be alert because it sets quickly. However there is a lot of nice color afterwards for a few minutes as well.

We ate supper at the buffet and retired to our rooms early.

Panama Canal Day 8

Today we arrived in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. I was up bright and early as I had a tour booked, an 8 hour one called “Discover Costa Rica”. We were transported by bus to a town many miles away from port. We visited the town’s square and spotted a sloth way up high in the trees. There was also an iguana watching the tourists going by. Across from the park, we stopped to view the outside and inside of a large church.

Our next stop was at the Doka Coffee Plantation. It is a large property and workers are housed in nearby homes. We had lunch there first, then went to learn about the methods used to grow the coffee, harvest the beans, and process them. I was quite surprised at what goes into the making of coffee. Now I understand the term, ‘fair trade coffee’ and what makes it so expensive.

Our final stop of the tour was at an orchid farm.

They had some colourful parrots on display, as well as a multitude of amazing and wonderful trees, plants and flowers. They had areas of bamboo, my favourite! Their height was incredible, as was the diameter of each shoot. It was not the same type as I had seen in Maui. Rather, it was ‘Giant Bamboo’ from Burma with the capacity to grow 20 centimeters in height per week. Bamboo is actually a giant grass and has the ability to absorb more carbon dioxide and release more oxygen than any other plant on earth.

The weather today was a surprise - overcast and warm but not overly humid. Everywhere in Costa Rica it is lush and green. We went to almost 4500 feet above sea level. Costa Rica has mountains and active volcanoes, and it is also earthquake country with daily tremors (which we did not experience thankfully).

It was a long day and I did not realize how far we would travel. We got back to the dock just in time to buy a few postcards and shoot some wonderful sunset pictures. The beach was dotted with kids and families running in and out of the water and it made for some great photos, composition-wise.

I grabbed a quick supper upstairs and went to the excellent evening entertainment – “The Second City” comedy and improve – a great way to end the day.