Monday, January 30, 2012

Southern Chile

Thursday, January 26 – Castro, on the island of Chiloe and Dalcahue, Chile

Tendered a short distance to the small port town of Castro and the port agent unsuspectingly gave me the key to the free WIFI at the port. THANK GOODNESS. We were there for a few hours making several phone calls for our clients at the hospital and going over paperwork and working. Many others were able to get online and it is such a blessing to be able to get the work done quickly and get on with the day. We hired a cab with a friend from MO and headed up the steep hills to the main square (thankfully we had the taxi as we had no idea the streets were THAT steep). Stopped at the pharmacy and the wooden cathedral where not one nail was used - the Iglesia San Francisco de Castro was built in 1906. We drove to the picturesque port village of Dalcahue. The drive was very scenic and seemed like we were touring New Zealand. The port town is the ferry departure/arrival point for the five minute ride to the island of Quinchao, where there are many cattle ranchers and whalers.

Castro is on the island of Chiloe and is the 3rd oldest continuously inhabited city in Chile and the 2nd largest island in South America. The island is covered with plenty of forests and fields, with traditional villages nestling in sheltered inlets. Gorgeous! Most of the economy is still from fishing and farming, as they have done for centuries. 18th and 19th century wooden churches are the main attractions. Castro was raided from time to time by English and Dutch pirates as well as being destroyed by an earthquake in 1960.

We also drove by the palafitos, the homes built on high stilts on the water.
Kimika, singers and comedians, were the entertainers. Australia Day – we celebrate every nation’s Independence day!

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” - Bill Bryson

Friday, January 27 – Puerto Chacabuco, Chile

As we arrived, we had some scenic cruising in the Aysen Fjord with commentary but it was misty and damp. We docked in a secluded bay surrounded by tall, heavily forested mountains in the drizzle. Our first rain! We could see many snow-capped high mountains around us. Tendered in to the small port and they had a free shuttle to the center of town, where we had been told there was “not much to see or do”. Appropriate statement and we had several taxis meet the bus to offer their services for a day’s tour. We hooked up with Domingo Flores for $25 per person for a four-hour tour of the area, with 10 people in the van. I was asked to serve as translator so I had a front row seat as we toured for the day. This port was established in 1995 as Puerto Aisen, only 10 miles away suffered a series of untamed coastal forest fires which ravaged the town, forcing residents to abandon their homes. Then a powerful tsunami slammed ashore in 1960. Three waves struck within a four-hour period, even though they were in a protected channel.

Our first stop was to see the longest suspension bridge in Chile in Aisen, and I was surprised at the length – must shorter than I expected but maybe they don’t have a need for the longer bridges like we do.

Next we drove to the Rio Simpson National Reserve, which is popular for fly-fishing and has spectacular 5000 foot mountains full of southern beech and evergreens which are ideal for hiking and camping. All these trees are in the area, none of which I could identify! Coigues, tepas, manio, ciruelillo, canelo and tepu. Do you have any of those in your backyard? We also saw a tree over 400 years old – a lenga tree. We saw the huemul (like a deer) and the large elephant ear plants. Other species that abound, which I also could not identify nor did we see, are the pudu, guina, bandurria, queltehue and wild ducks (OK, I know the last one). We walked down to the river’s edge and the water was crystal clear but very low; they apparently had two months of sunshine instead of their usual daily rain so the plants were dried out and the river low. The Waterfall of the Virgin had an altar and small chapel where many candles had been lit.

Highway 24 is dedicated to the Patron Saint Sebastian and we passed two altars along the highway; Domingo, the driver, tooted his horn each time showing his thanks to St. Sebastian. The road wound through the national reserve past spectacular mountain peaks, green valleys and incredibly scenery. Many say it reminded them of the Alaskan Inside Passage, New Zealand’s South Island and Norway’s subarctic coastline.

The largest town, Coihaique, is the administrative center of the region. Established in 1929, the town is centered on its pentagonal Plaza de Armas and there is rugged skiing, fishing and hiking opportunities.

Slept in J’s room as the Captain announced the seas would be rough after midnight. On email late, communicating with the insurance company, DR and our guests, trying to coordinate their return to the ship.

Entertainment was Yacov Noy, a visual comedian. We did some scenic cruising in the Darwin Channel.

Fellow passenger count: Australia 17, Belgium 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 122, Denmark 2, France 4, Germany 17, Israel 1, Italy 1, Mexico 7, Netherlands 41, New Zealand 5, Norway 1, Peru 2, Spain, 5, Sweden 3, Switzerland 7, UK 33 and USA 444.

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” - Martin Buber
Saturday, January 28 – at sea

Chile – the longest and narrowest country in the world. The fertile central region is filled with orchards, vineyards, wheat fields and lovely green pastures where cattle and sheep are raised. The midsection is where the major cities are located and where most Chileans lives. To the north are the arid expanses of the Atacama Desert, one of the world’s driest areas. The far south is a land of islands, forests, mountains and glaciers. Eastern Chile is hemmed in by the majestic Andes Mountains. These mark a fault in the earth’s crust, which causes frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The country’s natural resources are oil, natural gas and they are rich in minerals.

Up early to go to Medical and dropped off the papers I had prepared with all the contact information. No matter how much you try to make the insurance/ship/passenger/doctor path of communication, it is not easy. As the passenger in an emergency medical situation, you are in a foreign country and probably don’t speak the language, you are staying at a hotel near your spouse but not with them, you are not able to communicate with the ship or insurance company via phone on a regular basis and probably don’t have a reliable internet connections and are using a foreign keyboard. I am trying to act as the facilitator but it is not easy. The ship’s DR and the insurance company make all the calls and the future of re-boarding, when and where.

Attended lecture on the next ports of call and back to Medical. Lunch in the buffet and got J out walking and to lunch. Cleaned up the rooms and went to the movie, “For the Love of the Game”, a very good baseball movie. Up to the Crowe’s Nest for scenic cruising but it was misty and dismal and cloudy and wet and rainy. This is where I really wanted to explore on this cruise so I hope the weather improves.

Most of the day we have been sailing through rough seas with a gale force wind of 8 and high swells so the doors to the outside are closed on all decks.

Sunday, January 29 – at sea

Up at 6 to be ready for the scenic cruising but again it looks wet, misty and cloudy! Bummer!!!! Slept soundly but still very tired. Scandinavian buffet; we cannot go outside to eat so they have different luncheons set up each day in the dining room beside the regular luncheon menu. We have a wonderful view from the Crowe’s Nest of the mountains around us – trees, little shoreline, barren rocks…much like the Norwegian coastline.
One of the fellow passengers is showing a DVD of his stay on Antarctica from 1966-70 when he was Assistant to the Admiral.

Chile

Monday, January 23, 2012 – Coquimbo, Chile –

Started off the day with my client’s having to do a medical disembark via ambulance to the nearest hospital. Not a good way to begin the day. They were our tablemates and we have shared 3 cruises together. I wish them best and we pray they can rejoin us along the trip.
Musicians and loud music greeted us on the gangway. This harbor made it a target of desire for the Spanish, along with the gold and copper in the area. By the 1840s, many Europeans, especially from England, settled in Coquimbo. It is an industrial and shipping center, growing rapidly. Wine grapes are also grown in the region and Chilean wines are world-renowned for their flavor. The city is located on the Pan-American highway, which is 29,800 miles long.

We could walk to the cute town – typically Spanish style with a main plaza, singer, people on the benches, and the main street lined with all kinds of shops. Busy, busy little town. Very steep stairs led up to a very large millennium cross overlooking the town. We tried several places for WIFI and they just did not exist. Finally, someone suggested the mall in the next town, La Serena, where we wanted to go anyway, so we took the public colectivo bus and made our way there. McDonald’s is usually a safe bet for free WIFI but it was down. The other places had no access either. By this time, it was close to 4+ HOURS of searching and I had a list of work to be done that was 1.5 pages long!! If I could only get online and get the work done, I could get out and sightsee. Oh, the frustrations. And then the phone did not work. I was in tears; a real meltdown. Then, miraculously, the phone worked. The cell phone -- not Skype (calling through the computer for approx. $0.02 per minute) so you can imagine the cost of those calls. But at that point, it was just GET IT DONE.

So we worked feverishly, found the coletivo bus to the center of La Serena, a small Spanish-replica town with 29 churches. Lovely main square and simple cathedral. I enjoyed a flavored frozen ice on a stick as we wandered around, we took the bus back to the ship and I was feeling quite ill by this time. Tired, achy, depressed…oh dear. Getting sick. Chills and kept feeling worse. Slept in J’s room that night as she was not well either and
worried about her. No shows or fun stuff. Mark Donoghue was the entertainer.
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 – Valparaiso, Chile

Lovely, lovely day. Valparaiso, one of Chile’s most important seaports, is fast becoming one of the most visited cities in Chile. Built upon dozens of hillsides, the city has cobblestone paths in a newly developed artists’ district overlooking the sea. Is it the site of the Latin America’s oldest stock exchange, the continent’s first volunteer fire department, Chile’s first public library and the oldest Spanish language newspaper in continuous publication in the world. Perfect skies, warm temperatures and met from AFS friends from 35 years ago!!

Maria, from Ecuador, and Vivian, from Bolivia, were with me during my AFS exchange year in Denmark from 1977-1978. What a thrill to be with them - and to meet Maria’s husband, Gonzalo, their son, Juan Diego and their friend, Antony, and Maria’s mother, Rosario. The family is musically gifted and Juan Diego, although confined to a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy, has a phenomenal voice, has recorded two CDs, been on TV many times and sung for the Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Ecuador pageants!!
And now he has taken up painting. Very talented young man. Gene and I met Vivian in La Paz, Bolivia, about 20 years ago and since then she has moved to Chile, where her two brothers live. She does translating and used to be a travel agent! They loved exploring the ship and we enjoyed the buffet for lunch. We toured the old section of Valparaiso, high up on the hill, and then to Vina, where the high rises and fancy hotels are along the coast. Very nice day!

Still feeling pretty miserable so I am trying to get to bed tonight early and do as little as possible tomorrow, a sea day.

Our daily paper, sent in via email, told us that a British woman, Felicity Aston, 34, became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica on Monday, after hauling two sledges around crevasses and over mountains into endless headwinds, past the South Pole and to the coastal ice shelf, persevering for 59 days in near-total solitude. She covered 1084 miles to arrive Monday at Hercules Inlet. CONGRATULATIONS!!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Wednesday, January 25 – at sea – formal night / Black and White Officer’s Ball

Met with Medical, worked, Watched the movie, Courageous, and find it quite different and inspirational as compared to other movies in the market. Felt miserable.

Tara Whittaker, a flutist from Oregon, was the entertainer.
“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” - Paul Theroux

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Antofagasta, Chile

Friday, January 20, 2012 – sea day

Did two exercise classes and walked for 2 miles and meditation class. Lovely day again. Warm sun and breezes. Some people are seeing the spouts from the whales but it is difficult to see the whales. They are heading south in the warm current of a strait so we should see a lot of them.

Mark Donoghue was the entertainer playing many instruments very well. Went in to see the movie Super 8 for about 10 minutes and left. Computer classes about photos and downloading. Enjoyed the paper airplane toss (you need to have fun, right?) but we did not win. Crashed and burned, shall we say…
Changed the clocks again an hour forward!

Saturday, January 21, 2012 – Antofagasta, Chile

We landed here in 1992 (via plane) on the way to the arid Atacama desert and really like this region. Dry, dry, high, high mountains surround the town stretched along the coast.
This is our first port of call in Chile. Antofagasta is the service center for the nitrate and copper industries in the area. There are approx. 300,000 residents and it is 800 miles north of Santiago.

We took the free shuttle to the main plaza in town and met up with another friend to use her Chilean money! We had not changed money yet so she had just enough to get all 3 of us out to the ruins of the silver mine, Huanchaca. The brick frames of the buildings are the only remaining walls and they are high above the city. The mine began in 1888, under a British-Bolivan-Chilean consortium and took four years to complete. The ore itself made a 500-km rail trip to arrive at the plant which could process 100 tons per day to produce 20 tons of silver monthly. The complex included workers’ housing, a church, hotel and shops but with the fall of silver in 1902, it closed. Casino hotels are in the area and it seems to be quite a nice area for tourists – we met a family of four adults who had driven their motorcycles for five days from Argentina, over the Andes, to vacation here. What fabulous scenery they must have driven through!! They were our “bank” as there was no place to change money until after 12PM! Nuts. The hotel could not change it. The casino did not open until 12. So they were kind enough to take our US dollars and give us $2 in Chilean pesos. Live and learn.

The public buses were nice and about ½ the size of our buses. Walked to the cathedral, the Torre Reloj, a Big Ben look-alike built by British community donations to honor Chile’s centenary, walked down the pedestrian street with its many shops, over to the fish market (Terminal Pesquero) where it smelled wonderful and everything looked so fresh and to the antique flea market and to the hotel to try for WiFi. No luck. Should have persevered as I spent hours on the internet on the ship costing me a small fortune but you do what you have to do! Small shops were by the ship and they were very strict about food being taken off the ship and even had us get off the bus to go through security with our purchases when we returned to the ship from town.

The sailout was fabulous. LONG city stretched along the coast line with a gorgeous sunset. Who wants to go to dinner with this scenery? The sun is setting now about 8:30PM as the days get longer the further south we travel. Love it.
Worked very late that night and up very early the next morning working out some travel issues.

Close by are the Tropic of Capricorn and many nitrate ghost towns.

Sunday, January 22, 2012 – at sea

Slept until 11:22 when the phone rang and some clients were in the hospital. Spent most of the day with them and with two other clients who are also not feeling well. I must have really needed that sleep this morning. It was beautiful hot day with clear skies – no clouds and very, very calm seas. Please pray the weather remains this way. Very little waves and the ship is pitching forward slowly and easily so it is not uncomfortable at all.

Had an Oktoberfest BBQ on the pool deck and they were all dressed in the Bavarian costumes; quite cute. Finally caught up on my diary writing in between visits to the hospital and staterooms. Gene is watching the football playoffs, as are quite a few others as the TVs at the bars are full. Had a P.E.O. get-together for ½ hour and there are at least five of us onboard – from FL, IA and OH. Dinner in the buffet and watched the singers and dancers perform – excellent show! “Dancing in the Stars”

Thursday, January 19, 2012

General San Martin and Matarani, Peru

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 – General San Martin, Peru – (less than 3 hours south of Lima)

This was a “surprise” port for me. Not much written about it and yet when you arrive, it holds treasures of authenticity and you have a wonderful day. Sunny, bright, clear skies…we were welcomed to the Paracas peninsula by viewing the “Candelabra of the Andes” that is ingrained in the iron-rich sand on the side of the mountain of sand. Reddish sand, high hills and a definite trident shape shows up on the sand – a geoglyth dating back to at least 200 BC (based on pottery found nearby) over 450 feet high and 150 feet wide. Some say it served as a navigational guide for ancient sailors and we based on the constellation of the Southern Cross. Some say it was inspired by a local cactus species with hallucinogenic properties.

The port is for container ships that load the salt and sand for export and is located in the Paracas National Reserve. Named for the blustering paracas (sandstorms) that buffet the west coast each winter, the Reserva Nacional de Paracas is Peru’s first park for marine conservation. There is security to enter the park, there is a fee to enter the park and the sand is full of iron and the landscape is similar to the moon. Fascinating port area. There was a free shuttle to Chaco in the town of Paracas but we opted for a taxi that would include the boat ride to the Ballestas Islands – big mistake we found out later. But it was easy. And it was still less expensive than the ship’s tour so we tried to console ourselves that way. The driver was nice and told us that 800 people live in Paracas, there is a red sand beach, they are building five 5* hotels (Doubletree Suites is one) and they are a booming area for the weekend crowd from Lima. It never rains! The three streets in town had restaurants along the waterfront and a market, two small internet shops and several hostals and small hotels and a small museum. We waited with the locals for the speed boat to take us out to the islands, about 45 minutes away. We sped over to see the candelabra again and then out to the Ballestras Islands.

Wow! They were incredible – full of sea lions, cormorants and loads of other birds that I could not name, Humboldt penguins (small ones), and caves and a dock for collecting their guano! You looked above and the sky was FULL of birds above. On the islands, we saw sea lions sunning on the rocks, crying/talking/whatever you call it on the beaches, playing in the water. The penguins were mixed in with the birds on the rocks of the islands. With all the guano and the black and white of the birds and penguins, it was very difficult to distinguish between them all. And the SMELL. Just imagine all those animals and that this location is where the guano is collected to spread on the crops in Peru as fertilizer. Yep, quite a smell. But so beautiful. All the photos you see online and in books are just as if you are there.

Wild boat ride back but we were safe and sound. Back to the ship for a quick snack and on the shuttle back to town so we could make some calls and work and walk around town. Real Peruvian flavor in this town and would be a great day trip out of the city. Touring the Paracas Reserve would be interesting as would the Tambo Colorado Inca coastal outpost about 30 minutes from the port. I would welcome another stop here!
Julian Gargiulo was the pianist.

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 – sea day

Exercises, chasing down staff for meetings and paperwork, Indonesian buffet with friends, great dinner with two activities staff personnel from three other cruises and star gazing after the show, the Unexpected Boys (cruising version of The Jersey Boys).

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” - Seneca

Thursday, January 19, 2012 – Matarani, Peru

This is a major port in the most southern coast of Peru. It is an important element in the current plan between Peru and Brazil to integrate an Atlantic-Pacific corridor between the two nations to give Brazil access to the Pacific while not having to pay for costs, restrictions and distance of the Panama Canal. Peru will receive access to the Atlantic through the Brazilian ports and the Amazon.

Lovely port – first time for the Prinsendam to be here. Commercial port and we had a HUGE freighter unloading fertilizer next to us. Beautiful day with hot sun and a lovely breeze. After mass confusion about boarding the bus with too many people and too few seats, we boarded the bus for the 30 minute drive to the small town of Mollendo. The road was perilous and breathtaking – windy curves, no side barriers, very tall embankments of sand and stones and deep crevasses of dried out river banks, gorgeous coastline views with steep cliffs, advertisements written in rocks on the sand…quite a different port from our previous ones.

“Town” was a very typical Peruvian village. Narrow streets with holes in the sidewalks in very unpredictable places, market place with slabs of beef hanging from hooks, whole chickens being plucked of their feathers and gutted, chicken feet in a tray for sale, dogs roaming all over, flies resting comfortably on the meat and produce and friendly smiles and questioning eyes. We are quite obviously the tourist in this type of town. Found our way to the WIFI restaurant (one and only) and enjoyed some time with the staff as we called and worked. I had my hair cut for $2 and so what if the bangs are not quite straight – it’s the experience and atmosphere and meeting the people!  Had a nice walk with Ria, the ice cream server from the buffet who was learning her new camera and walked two miles on the ship.

Jaz Danion, French juggler, was the entertainment. I listen to the Ocean Bar band and work from the (cards) Bridge Room at night; relaxing!

OUR FIRST TIME CHANGE! We feel like we are south of California, but we have not changed time yet – tonight – One hour forward!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Trujillo and Lima, PERU

Saturday, January 14, - Salaverry for Trujillo, Peru
Sand dunes ahead of you as you look out the windows! TALL SAND DUNES that appear to be mountains. We enjoyed the free shuttle to the main plaza in Trujillo and hired a very nice driver for $15 an hour to explore. Off to Chan Chan, the largest mud (adobe) city in the world and an UNESCO Archaeological zone! It once held boulevards, aqueducts, gardens, palaces (NINE!) and over 10,000 dwellings with 60,000 people and a vast amount of gold, silver and ceramics. The Moche civilization, and 300 years later, the Chimu people took control of the region. Their empire stretched along 620 miles of the Pacific, from Lima to Tumbes.

The description sounds incredible but you have to understand that this area has horrific rain and this was all built approx. 500+ years ago…SO it is a vast area of rounded off piles of dried sand. It is not quite as impressive as it is made to sound. We were still impressed as we wandered through the labyrinth of the one open palace BUT it is was not as impressive as what we saw in the afternoon. More on that later. One royal palace has been excavated and we saw the storage rooms/bins where the common people paid their taxes – paid in food or animals. There is still a massive 16+ foot high wall around the royal palace so you can imagine how high it was in its original days. They only put up the small roof structures over the main building walls a few years ago – think of the years and years of damage to this site. The museum was small and showed examples of how the people dressed. The royal families ate guinea pig, sea lions, dog, llama and agricultural and sea products; the common people ate dog and llama. Fermented corn was the drink of the day!

We went to a smaller huaca (temple) , Huaca La Esmeralda. Then to the local gas station for drinks (same as in the USA) and off to the very impressive site of Huaca del Sol and Huaca del La Luna (Temples of the Sun and Moon). Huaca del Sol is the largest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas attributed to the Moche period. The Huaca del Sol is just like the Egyptian Sphinx with the head! All that remains is the body. The structure has an estimated 140 million adobe bricks, many of them marked with symbols representing the workers who made them. The Huaca del la Luna is incredible! Archeologists have covered sections of the ruins that, even today, show the gold, white, black and red colors of the inscriptions and friezes. The colors are beautiful and the size of their size is impressive. The structure was built over six centuries to AD 600 with six succeeding generations expanding on it and completely covering the previous structure. Many stairways and various levels and built at the side of the mountain; quite an impressive site! We hurried back to the ship in the taxi and collapsed! Long, hot day filled with lots of Peruvian history. Lots to do in this port; would like to return and stay longer.

Peru is the third largest country in South America. Their currency is the Nuevo sol.

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” - Lin Yutang

Sunday, January 15 – Callao for Lima, Peru – Diane’s birthday!

A Road rally in Lima! All the streets are blocked off and the old section of the city is for pedestrians and rally cars only. We started out late – well, we only docked at 10 but I was not feeling well. Off the ship at 12:30 and it is a 45 minute transfer to Lima, Miraflores section to the Larcomar shopping center and JW Marriott hotel. Of course, a lovely section of the city. Together with a nice Dutch couple we hired a taxi to go to the Gold Museum, a private museum. The first floor was full of many medieval armors, guns, hats, saddles, rifles, pistols…all time periods, all types – incredible collection. The gold collection was in the basement and had silver and gold from the ages. Truly impressive. Mummies, textiles, oars…how does one begin such a collection and where does one store it BEFORE the museum is begun? Wow. Lots to see and do. We had the nicest taxi driver – Judith, who is an English teacher, and her son Miguel, 18 years old - -it was his first driving assignment. They are teaching him. She lived in Miami for a few years and her husband, Rafael, is one of the main drivers at the Marriott hotel. We had fun with them. Back to the hotel and to the park and overlook over the Sea and Larcomar shopping mall (UNDER) the park and on the shuttle back to the ship. I didn’t feel so good – a cold – so I went to bed and the others enjoyed a wonderful Peruvian dance and fashion show on the ship, Inkamerica.

Callao, our port, was founded in 1537. It became the main port for Spanish commerce in the Pacific as good were carried over the Andes mountains by mile to Callao, then shipped to Panama, and then to Cuba and then to Spain.

“All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.” - Samuel Johnson

Monday, January 16, 2012 – Callao port for Lima, Peru

Peruvian Trivia: The potato is originally from Peru and they produced over 3000 varieties! The tomato is originally from Peru and is a close relative of the potato. Corn from Peru is a variety with the largest kernels in the world amongst 32 others produced. The avocado is also from Peru and they produce the softest variety. The finest cottons in the world are Peruvian, Pima and Tanguis. The weeping willow is originally from Peru and it produces the base for aspirin. The highest train pass in the world is in Ticlio at 15,793 feet. The deepest canyons in the world at Cotahuasi at 11,810 feet and Colca at 11,150 feet. (The Grand Canyon is only one mile deep.)

Today, we worked at the Marriott for over 3 hours. Free internet, free phone using Skype…have to make the time to get it all done. Then we found Judith and her husband, Rafael (Taxi drivers), and with a couple from New Zealand, we toured Colonial Lima. Lovely day – cathedral, main square, monastery, catacombs…and we went inside the hotel we had stayed in over 20 years ago – Gran Hotel Bolivar – not quite “grand” but still in use. Back to the ship via the free shuttle and to the many shops at the pier for a few souvenirs. Nice BBQ on deck with a local Peruvian band and dancing. We don’t sail until 10:30PM so it is a rather quiet night.

“All the pathos and irony of leaving one’s youth behind is thus implicit in every joyous moment of travel: one knows that the first joy can never be recovered, and the wise traveler learns not to repeat successes but tries new places all the time.” - Paul Fussell

Friday, January 13, 2012

Ecuador!

Wed, Jan 11 – Manta, Ecuador
Our second time in this port and it grows on you. Manta possesses the largest seaport in the country and since 1999 has been used a a military location for the US Air Forces in supporting anti-narcotics military operations against Columbian drug trafficking cartels. Free shuttle to the Plaza Civica, which has a great market. We hired a cab for $15 an hour and drove past the many tuna factories (Starkist purchases from them), through the dry/arid countryside to Montecristi, the home of the Panamanian hat. Saw how the toquilla plant (looks like bamboo) is boiled, thinned down, woven, trimmed, dried, pounded and shaped into beautiful hats. Who knew a Panamanian hat could cost up to $500! So many varieties to choose from – the best hats are those where you do NOT see sunlight through the woven bands. Bought some tagua jewelry (substitute of ivory/ comes from a tree), cotton shirt…we passed several home factories where they make the popular outdoor furniture of thick woven hemp; the items looked gorgeous. Guess we could have bought them and brought them to the ship! What an easy way to get them home, or at least to Ft. Lauderdale.

At the top of the hill, there is a new building for events and meetings, a wonderful museum on the life of the Ecuadorian President Alfaro (born in this town) and his mausoleum (underground) and a nice handicraft exhibition. Beautiful view of the mountains (high ones) around you and a view out to the sea…

In town, we parked near the fire station – and the fire truck was from Stamford, CT! The name is still on the truck, along with its current location, Montecristi. They also have the old fire hoses from early the 1900s. We went to find some pigs, cows, chickens, goats on the way back to Manta (Gene’s request). At the water’s edge, they were shipbuilding and the local fish market still smelled very fishy from the day’s catch. We went back to the ship for a quick snack and back to town on the shuttle. Internet for $1 an hour (love it) and did quite a bit. Ran through the market for a few last minutes purchases and back to the ship. They were hauling in the tuna catch of the day and trucks were lined up waiting their turn. HUGE tuna – many fisherman boats in the harbor so it is a lovely spot.

“Montecristi produces the finest straw hat on the planet.”

We ate dinner by ourselves on the outer deck as we sailed out from Manta and down the coast. Cloudy for sunset. Francisco Yglesias was our Paraguayan harpist for the show – excellent! And then we went to see “The Perfect Game” movie—a very good TRUE story of a 1957 little league team from Monterrey, Mexico who won the little league world series; we really enjoyed it.

Ecuador: Currency is the US dollar. I would like to know how they get their currency. Do banks order our money for delivery to Ecuador?? I guess so. That is interesting.

Manta is the 5th largest city in Ecuador; population of 185,000.

Thursday, January 12 – Guayaquil, Ecuador

Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city. It is inland on the Guayas River so we picked up the pilot about 3:30 AM for our 4+ hour sail up the river to the city. We docked in the large commercial port AFTER waiting for the banana boat to depart from our berth. We are NOT the priority here. Free shuttle to the city center, about ½ hour drive away – Plaza de Iguanas (yes, it is named so because of the many iguanas walking through the plaza and in the trees above your heads (yech)!). The square is also called Parque Seminario, as the Cathedral is across the street.

We walked to the Municipal Museum of Guayaquil where the “tsantsas” shrunken heads were to be on exhibition but we found out, “only in February”! so we toured it and had a private guide give us the history of the city. After exploring a few pharmacies for some products, we hired a nice cab driver to go up to the White Cemetery, which is one of the city’s most impressive sights. More than 200 mausoleums in elaborately carved white marble line the neat paths. A guard is at each gate of entry and they keep your passport copy and entry card to the country as you enter and return it when you leave. Very elaborate monuments contrasted with the handwritten cremation blocks. On the area of Las Penas, the original “village” of Guayaquil which now houses their art district. Cobble stone streets just wide enough for one vehicle, intimate restaurants, beautiful wooden doors hiding treasures behind them and hilly paths with brightly colored homes…very nice area which was has been recently brought back to life.

We were here 20 years ago and it was known for crime and pickpockets. That danger still exists but they are rapidly changing for the better. “A far cry from its unsavory reputation of yesteryear, Guayaquil is not only the besting commercial heart of the country but a vibrant sprawling city growing every more confident.”
“TIA” grocery store held up captive for socks and water and then the internet – a whopping $0.80 per hour! Whoopee! But did not have the paperwork with me to do much but did what we could.

Back on the shuttle to the ship and was exhausted. Rested before a nice dinner with Francisco Yglesias, and we really enjoyed learning about Paraguay and his life. He was born in the Paraguayan jungle, there are 8 siblings, a priest noticed his musical abilities and sent him away to a seminary to study and those studies began his career in music thus enabling him to move his mother to Asuncion, the capitol city, to her first home with water and electricity. It took her 10 years to adjust to not having chickens and pigs in the yard.

The show was Frank King, comedian. Nice music and the Panama hat party as we were all given Panama hats!

Friday, January 13 – at Sea
Rested in the morning – worked – rested – ate – worked – dressed for formal night. Hazy and actually chilly (I dare not write COLD as this is nothing like what they are having at home!). Nice formal dinner with lobster and cherries jubilee and a a wonderful entertainer.

Panama Canal transit and sea day

Monday, Jan 9 - Transit of the Panama Canal! Sunny and bright so it was a humid and hot day as we slowly proceeded through three sets of locks -Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores—from 7:30AM-6PM. The Windstar Surf ship was ahead of us and had to remain moored just prior to the Pacific Ocean as their masts are too tall for the final bridge. We were exiting at 4PM and they had to remain until low tide at approx. 10PM so they could then pass under the bridge!

As you may know, by 2014 the Panama Canal will complete 100 years of operation and the current expansion will double their capacity. The Culebra Cut is almost 8 miles long and they continue to excavate through rock and limestone, with an estimate that they could build up to 63 Egyptian pyramids with the debris. More than 1 million ships from all over the world have transited the Canal since 1914.

The interoceanic waterway uses a system of locks with two lanes that operates as water elevators and raises the ships from sea level to the level of Gatun Lake, 26 meters above sea level, to allow the crossing through the Continental Divide, and then lowers the ships to sea level on the other side of the Isthmus.

They must continually dredge the canal and you see and hear the vessels near the banks at work.

Nice to be so close to land in some areas – it seems like a real river cruise!
Ken Lucas, a man and his duck, were the entertainment. We’ve seen him before; ventriloquist.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru

Tuesday, Jan 10 – At sea –
Luncheon with new friends, slot pull, free drink at the bar, preparation for the Ensemble cocktail party with 25 attending. We were thrilled to also have Captain Tim Roberts, Hotel Manager Firmin Van Walle, Guest Relations Supervisor Tina K, Future Cruise Consultant Karin, Event Manager Debbie Plewis, Cruise Director Linda Minnikin, Activites Staff member Sparky (Daniel) and Hostess Annette! Some of the guests even commented, “All the big brass came out for us tonight!”. It was a very nice time and it was the first time we met some of the group of 33. Gene and I ate the buffet with a friend and the others went to the dining room. The entertainment was a variety show of two past guest performers, Pete Neighbour and Tony Pace, and it was fun. Gene and I went to see the movie, Apollo 18. Gullible Luisa thought it was real!! The notes state it is from footage just released by NASA. I would NEVER have gone to see that if I had really known. It was scary! Way too real for me and could not sleep after that one. Will never look at the moon again in the same way. Sad.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Bocas del Toro, Panama - peaceful and relaxing

Sun, Jan 8 – Bocas del Toro, Panama (6 islands in the Archipelago)–

Sunny arrival to many mangrove and palm tree islands with colorful homes. The area is becoming a haven for backpackers and ex-pat Americans seeking a quiet life (not sure that cheap figures in there but definitely, quiet). We docked near the only “town” in the area and tendered to shore. Six of us went on a small panga-style boat in the open Caribbean Sea and then in the mangrove patches to see many dolphins in their breeding grounds, sloths in the trees and for snorkeling in the coral reefs. Luckily, it rained(!) which meant we were not subject to the intense sun and additional humidity. The area is tropical, relaxing and primitive. I liked it but I’m not sure I would venture there with this is as my main destination; if I lived in Panama City and wanted a remote weekend jaunt, OK. We were on the island of Colon, then near the Isla San Cristobal, Laguna Bocoatorito, then to National Park of Bastimentos and back to Isla Colon/Bocas del Toro.

The waters were very clear and the coral was plentiful but not as colorful as Belize and the Great Barrier Reef. Walking through town, we found they use the dollar for 1:1 exchange rates so items were high. The sun came out, we tried to connect to the internet since we’ve been having issues on the ship and made the very last tender back to the ship. Sweaty, exhausted and feeling slightly defeated, we returned to the ship to sail past the many islands on our way to the Panama Canal.

We’re heard you can get online to the Panama Canal website and see a live viewing of a ship’s transit. We are the PRINSENDAM, Holland America, and expect to be at the Gatun Locks around 7:30 tomorrow.

Dinner was followed by entertainment by Pete Neighbour, a fantastic (English) jazz clarinetist. Trying to work, wanting to sleep to get try to get rid of this never-ending headache…and tomorrow the canal! the highlight of many cruises in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Name means “mouths of the bull” and was invented by Christopher Columbus, who saw the metaphor in a pair of local waterfalls during his 4th and final voyage to the Americas (1502). These sheltered waters gave him the perfect location for marine repairs. Banana and cocoa were planted in the 19th century and the plants thrived. Immigrants (mostly from Jamaica) flocked to work on plantations and the region became an English-speaking enclave. The Costa Rican border is only 30 miles away.

Friday, January 6, 2012

75 degrees in Grand Cayman

The lovely islands of Grand Cayman -- Grand, Little and Bayman Brac. Sunshine and moderate winds. We're working from the coffee shop, met our friend from DE who manages the PASSMAN shop with coral and gold works of art, and are enjoying the breeze!

Grand Cayman exudes a definite British tone wtih old cemeteries, wood-framed churches and stately homes that belong to the well-heeled residents. The island's sparkling white cemeteries are especially remarkable. There are 3 other ships in towns so the streets are crowded and the beaches are being enjoyed by all. Turtle farm, antique car museum, sting ray swim...they have it all!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Onboard the Prinsendam!

Just like going home...We are onboard the intimate Prinsendam and have seen so many friends and crew members from past cruises that it feels like home. What a nice feeling to be able to catch up with friends from all over the world.

The drive from the west coast of FL to FLL is usually done on Alligator Alley and the interstate. But no, we decided to drive through the orange groves and cattle country. I had forgotten how scenic (and flat!) it is.

We arrived at the ship at 3:45 -- much later than we have ever arrived so we had no lines for checkin. The emergency drill was on the agenda just as we arrived. Our rooms were ready and we have enjoyed our first delicious dinner. Now we will deliver the Ensemble welcome letters and speak to the pursers desk. All is well and we sail in about an hour so I have 30 minutes more on land. Pulling in the last FREE internet I can access. Head to Grand Cayman for a Friday port call in the afternoon.

Now to try to find our way through our stateroom full of suitcases, let alone find the energy to unpack them and organize the contents. Maybe tomorrow...

Monday, January 2, 2012

Just about there

Happy New Year! In Florida - drove down with Mom and we drove alongside your neighbors from Maine, Ontario, Quebec, NY, PA, MD, VA, NC, GA, Michigan, MN, CT…the snowbirds were on the trail! The weather was bright and sunny and it is always a nice treat to have freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice at the Florida Welcome Center!

Our friend, J, a young-at-heart senior citizen, is also joining us for the voyage! Spent Sunday afternoon packing and organizing her treasures and needed items. She seemed to do much better with packing than we do...hmmmmm.

Tomorrow is the last business day before we head out to sea. Much to do and the final push to get the rental car, pack it and head to the Ft. Lauderdale pier on Wednesday! First port of call is Friday on Grand Cayman!