Incan Empires
Cruise

Today our latest adventure began at 2:45 am with a trip to the Asheville Airport. We arrived an hour before our flight and the airport was empty. The United counter opened 45 minutes before our flight and we were soon through security and on our plane. The flight to Chicago was easy and we had a bite of breakfast before we boarded the next flight. We slept this flight and arrived very rested. Our bags were off early and we met the driver to our hotel. After a quick check-in, bless Hampton Inn for having our room ready at 10 am, we were soon planning our day. We decided to check out the San Diego Zoo and the hotel shuttle dropped us off. The zoo is huge and we took the bus tour to get oriented. After our tour we walked and took photos of a lot of exotic animals but my favorites were the tigers and the polar bear. The bear was a big ham. We ate lunch at the zoo and then took the aerial tram across the park. It had an amazing view of the zoo and the city. By 4pm we were ready to move on and explore Balboa Park. All the grounds were beautiful and the architecture was very unusual. This was much more than we expected and it was getting late when we decided to walk back to the hotel. It was a very pleasant adventure until we were about 5 blocks from the hotel. Out of the blue I fell, up one minute and flat on the sidewalk the next. My camera crashed around me and I was worried it was broken. Camera was fine but my left pinky was jutting to the left with the bone exposed at the knuckle. It was not tremendously painful but very ugly. We covered it with a hanky and walked back to the hotel. While Hugh took cameras to the room and grabbed our jackets I had the front desk call a taxi and print directions to the nearest medical center. We arrived at UCSD Hillcrest and within minutes we were through triage, blood drawn, vitals taken, and in a room waiting for the orthopedic resident. I had x-rays and 2 very nice residents took care of my hand. The most painful part was the shot of lidocaine to numb it. They reduced the joint, stitched it up, splinted and bandaged it before x-raying it again. It was well organized and the people were extremely nice. Thank you to Drs. Nick and Dustin. After the hand surgeon made his final edict it was decided I would miss the cruise on Sunday, see the Dr. on Monday, and if all was well, no infection, fly to Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday to join the cruise. I was not a happy camper but resigned to my fate. It was 10:30pm when we called a taxi to go back to the hotel. We were starved and convinced our taxi driver to take us through the Jack In the Box drive-thru. We ate our dinner in bed. Oh well, not my finest hour!!!

I slept well but woke up with some trepidation. I was not at all sure how I would feel today or what we could do. Lucky us, I felt great! We had a late breakfast at the hotel and decided to walk to the Gaslamp district in search of a pharmacy. After getting my antibiotics we explored every nook and cranny of this area while enjoying the blue skies, and warm temps. We ended our morning's spree with a late lunch of salted caramel sundaes at Ghirardelli's. From there we strolled to the Seaport area and enjoyed the tall ships especially a Colombian training ship that was in port. We fought the pedicabs and visitors as we made our way to the Midway aircraft carrier. Wow was that impressive. We visited the new park with the statue of the famous sailor kissing the nurse photo and a lovely tribute to Bob Hope. We continued our stroll to the Seaport Village and wandered in the shops enjoying the people way more than the merchandise. Our feet were getting sore by dinnertime so we made the decision to get Mexican take out and enjoy football in our room. The food was fabulous and we got to see the late games. It was an unexpectedly wonderful day!!

I woke up this morning with a lump in my throat. Our ship sails at 4 today and we will not be on it. We had great plans for today; late breakfast; read, arrive at the ship at 11 and check-in; meet Nancy and Jim for lunch, and then check out our cabin. Boy was God laughing! We did have breakfast and read; then we showed up at the port at 11 as planned. From that point on nothing went as planned. We were ushered to the 1st class check-in where we were welcomed, tickets checked and then we had issues. They wanted our passports which we needed to fly to Cabo. No boarding the ship for us. They assured us they would hold our cabin and expedite our boarding in Cabo but NO we could not go on the ship or join our friends for lunch-Wait a minute where is that 1st class pampering? We were blessed and saw Jim and Nancy in line so we could explain. We made plans for Tuesday, gave them our door decoration, and continued our walk down the pier. We found ourselves walking all over this area and we saw yachts the likes of which we had never seen. They could house a small town. We stopped to listen to a pan flute player for a while before we decided on large waffle cones of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia for lunch. Oh man I love this stuff and now Hugh is a fan also. We went back to our room to rest but we could see the ship from our window. At 4:15pm we decided to walk over to photo and wave good-bye. We stood on the pier waving and feeling sad for a bit. We even walked along the pier as it sailed out into the sunset. We decided to have a long leisurely dinner complete with wine to wash away the blues. We ate at Anthony's and it was terrific. We slowly strolled back to the hotel and prepared for whatever decision tomorrow might bring.

We were up early to call the Dr.'s office to get an appointment time. I called at 8 as we had breakfast. The appointment desk told me Dr. Abrahms had no appointments available but they would let his nurse know my dilemma. We stayed in our room until 10ish waiting to hear but we were both getting discouraged and anxious. We headed out for a long walk and it was fun walking through some neighboring areas. We got back to the hotel and still no call. We had some tea and started out again as the phone rang. Dr. Abrahms's office called and wanted us there ASAP. We grabbed a taxi and $50 later found ourselves near La Jolla on the UCSD campus at the medical center there. We filled out forms, had vitals taken, and waited only a short while until we had a room. The orthopedic resident came in and unwrapped the bandage, asked his questions, and went out to get the doctor. He would make no predictions of my travel ability. Dr. Abrahms was in quickly and was extremely personable and pleasant. He thought everything was good and reduced the bandage to a band aid over the stitches, a strip of padding between the fingers, and tape to hold my ring finger and pinky together. No lifting, soaking, some bending for the next 14 days. Stitches out in 2 weeks and have a great trip! He also gave us his personal email and asked for a medical update and some pictures from Machu Picchu. We practically danced out the office door. Such a relief. No taxi back for us we decided on the bus at $3. We had to change once but found ourselves at the waterfront very close to our hotel. I grabbed the ipad and made flight reservations to Cabo and we were in business. We walked some this afternoon but it was overcast and drizzling so we decided on Mexican again close to the hotel After a great dinner, Hugh loves the rolled tacos, we went to our room and packed and dreamed of the great adventure we were about to embark on. San Diego pictures

Today we were up early, packed and ready for our 6:30 am shuttle. We arrived at the airport, checked bags, cleared security, and were soon on our way. We had to fly north to San Francisco to go south. Guess that's what happens when you get last minute cheap tickets. We arrived in Cabo on time, cleared immigration, grabbed our bags , and got a bus from the airport to Cabo, stopping at all the towns and resorts along the way. It was a great way to see the area and much cheaper than the ship tours I am sure. We arrived in Cabo at 4:30pm and the only snag was the bus could not get close to the pier and we had to walk along the cobblestones with our suitcase. Our second snag came when we found the pier and saw that the ship was anchored and we had to be tendered out with all our bags in rather rough seas. We were cleared by the Mexican Authorities after they tossed our suitcases. We then boarded the HAL tender and the sailors handled the bags. We checked in at the front desk and soon we were in our cabin. We were starving so we ate at poolside before we headed back into port. We stayed until the 7:30pm tender and wandered in and out of shops, walked to town, and purchased some things for the trip. We were at the Lido for dinner just as they closed but they kindly fixed us a steak and frites and we had the run of desserts. We unloaded suitcases but did not organize and found ourselves in bed reading before 10. Long day but boy are we happy to be here.

We lost an hour last night so we slept especially late today. After quick showers we headed to breakfast. It was quiet in the dining room and we both had eggs Benedict which were cooked perfectly. We just made it to the kitchen tour which I always enjoy. It is so clean and organized-hard to believe with 81 people in the kitchen. It is a green operation and they are very proud of their efforts. From the kitchen we joined Nancy and Jim for the talk on Huatuco our next port. Hugh and I then took some time exploring the ship before meeting N&J for lunch. Hugh went to read and I decided on the lecture about "what to see at sea". I then went to the pool to relax and read. At 1 o'clock we had to do a private lifeboat drill because we missed the one at San Diego. This was brief and we just made the end of the Cruise Critic meeting in the Crows Nest. It was cloudy this afternoon so we stayed indoors and enjoyed the time to get our cabin organized and our clothes unpacked and stored. At dinner we enjoyed the company of another couple we had met on the Black Sea Cruise. It was fun catching up and we all wanted to walk after dinner. We found the promenade closed because of high winds and sea. We were unaware of this. Change of plans and off to the show for us. It was a very good pianist. We were so tired from the weekend that we left a little early and headed to bed.

Finally we were on vacation time! We got up early, went to stretch class and then stayed for fab abs-very challenging. Our next stop was the omelet station where Winda made a fantastic egg white omelet for each of us, complete with olives, tomatoes, peppers, and jalapenos. Keeping with our plan to stay fit on this cruise we went to the promenade deck and walked 3 miles before we showered and got ready for our day. I went to the location talk and Hugh headed to the Microsoft 8 seminar. The next stop for me was an Italian cooking class and Hugh stayed for the next computer talk. Hugh found me journaling in the main salon at lunch time and we ate a great Indian buffet by the pool. The food was spicy and there was a wonderful selection. No complaints from us! We decided to read and relax after lunch at pool side. Later in the afternoon when the eye lids were heavy we had coffee and explored the shops and bars on board. There was art to look at, pianist to listen to, and of course jewelry to look at. It was a great afternoon and too soon time to shower and dress for dinner. We met N&J and we were seated quickly. Dinner was excellent but by 9 pm Hugh was ready to go back to the cabin and watch the Oregon vs. Stanford game. I read and we stayed up very late. We will pay tomorrow at exercise.

We got up early and we were in the gym before 7. We stayed for 2 classes and during our abs class we sailed into Huatulco and docked. The scenery was lovely and I regretted I did not have my camera. After class we had a quick breakfast and walked 3 miles before we showered and readied ourselves for the day. We had not signed up for an excursion so we headed out on our own. This was an easy area to explore, people were friendly and there were lots of shops, restaurants, and things to see. It was very hot and wandering in air conditioned shops was pleasant; jewelry shops even offered us cokes and beer. We wandered in the area closest to the ship for a while but we soon tired of the local tour guides hassling us about trips into town or to other sites. We decided to walk along the beach area and check out the snorkeling and make our way into La Crucecita several miles away. The walk was easy with good sidewalks and easy to read signs. We took our time strolling in the park area in the middle of the wide boulevard. It was shady and got us to our destination. La Crucecita was a small town built around a central square. La Crucecita means "The Small Cross" and is the meeting point for the area of Huatulco. The church here is a must for Catholics and especially for those who adore the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron virgin of Mexico. The largest painting in the world dedicated to this virgin decorates the whole ceiling. It was painted by the Mexican artist Jose Del Signo. We wandered through the central market and because of the heat decided to stop at a restaurant that advertised 2 beers, chips and salsa, and free Wi-Fi for $3. Hugh had his beer and I had diet coke and we checked our emails and paid bills. While we were lingering in the shade we were joined by Claud and Diane from the ship. They too had the special and we all walked back to the ship together. Claud and Diane stopped to check out bike tours and Hugh and I headed to the ship to change for snorkeling. We got a snack and headed to the beach where I waded and read while Hugh snorkeled. It would be another week before I could get in the water (stitches have to be out). After snorkeling I stopped in a restaurant to use the internet while Hugh went to the ship and showered. When he returned we downloaded a book to my Kindle and sent our emails- much faster than in town. We made our way to the ship in time to shower and dress for dinner with N&J. We talked and talked and it was just so much fun having friends on board to catch up with. No show tonight so we had no schedule.

This morning we got up with the alarm and did our 2 exercise classes. We were surprised with Alex instead of Kevin and he turned Fab Abs into Killer Abs and people were leaving at frequent intervals. We made it through and took our time over breakfast trying to recover. After a 3 mile walk we left the ship for a stroll through the square, stopping at air conditioned shops to cool off and browse. The people were so friendly and by lunch we had a lot of new "friends". We ate lunch on the ship- no chancing illness on this part of the trip. After lunch Hugh went snorkeling again and I took my big camera out to capture the sites. We got back on board in time for a shower before sail away. Camera in hand, we headed to deck 11 for a beautiful view and great music from Karen and the HAL Cats. We danced, made pictures, and enjoyed getting to know some new people. We dressed and met our friends for dinner. The Captain made an announcement at Sail Away that we might have rough seas starting early evening and half way through dinner we were rocking. Nancy did not feel well and after dinner and she and Jim went to their cabin. Hugh and I went to the show. Alfreda Gerald did a terrific salute to Musical Divas. After the show we checked football scores and read. Went to bed with a rocking ship but no illness! Huatulco pictures

Today we decided to keep to our a.m. schedule and we went to our 2 classes, had breakfast, and walked. We docked during this time and we were able to enjoy lively music from the dock while we walked. The port area was filled with dancers and musicians and was very inviting. We dressed and headed out with the intention of staying close and enjoying the entertainment. Once on shore we decided to take the local bus into the town. It was about 25 minutes away. Hugh ran back to the ship for money and sunglasses wile I waited for the bus. Hugh was fast and we made the 9:30 bus. It was modern and air conditioned. We had a guide who told us a lot about the area. Tapachula is a city of approximately 425,000 in a state of close to 8 million. This is an agricultural area where they raise 8 varieties of mangoes (exporting 2 kinds), mahogany, teak, and sugar cane. Coffee is grown high in the surrounding mountains. We saw a lot of thatched roof houses known as Melaka's. We arrived in a very crowded square. It was Sunday and the day for families to be together. We walked around the square and visited the municipal building, the park, and finally the church. There was a street market for the locals and it was extremely crowded. After a while we decided to take the shuttle back-too many people and too much heat. When people started telling me it was not safe to have my camera we knew we had made the right decision. The shuttle this time was small with no guide but we had a passenger that sang (thank you Jose). Back in port we used the internet, 20 min./$1. We then walked through the shops and suddenly Hugh realized he did not have his favorite Australian hat. He had left it on the shuttle. We went to the ticket office and they were so very helpful. They were able to contact the driver and then assured us it would be returned within the hour. We went to the ship and had a late lunch overlooking the port festivities. There was music and dance programs all day, a lovely pool, and an area for shopping. After an hour we headed out, first stop the shuttle stand and there was Hugh's hat-one happy camper! This trip we strolled through the shops and watch the dance performances before heading back to the ship. We took some time to read before going on deck to watch the dancers as we sailed. All the performers gathered to wish us bon voyage. I tried to get some good pictures but it was windy and sprinkling rain. After we sailed we had coffee and showered and dressed for dinner. We met N&J and the time passed quickly as we enjoyed a delicious meal. All four of us decided to go to the show and we laughed hardily at Brad Upton, a very funny comedian. From there we went to the Piano Bar and sang along with Broadway hits. Peurto Chiapas pictures

Today we played hooky from exercise. The wake-up call came at 6:25 and we turned over and went back to sleep. It was 9:15 before we woke up and headed to breakfast. After we ate we felt guilty so we walked 2 miles before heading to the Panama port talk. During the talk I edited our pictures. The talks are good and we learn some tips for non-tour travel. From here we went to the future cruise talk with Heather. Hugh was interested in an 85 day Africa trip but I think we might need to see how we do on our 64 day one in March. As usual there are a lot of perks to signing up on board. We left the talk with big ideas. After our lecture I talked to some people about what they had done in Chiapas. I received differing opinions on the chocolate tour. Most loved it but there were some who thought it was unsanitary and did not participate in the trying of the different types. I tried some in the market and agree it was delish! Most people agreed that Tapachula was dirty and too crowded. Town no, port yes! It was time for lunch so we headed to the Lido. We ate with a couple from New Bern, NC and enjoyed talking with them. After lunch it was journaling for me and computer for Hugh. We have not signed up for internet but we can get the news for free. At 3 I met Nancy for foodie trivia. The teams were set so it was just the 2 of us on our Petite Duo team. We did pretty well scoring 1/15. We then changed and walked 2 miles before going in to cool-off and dress for dinner. It was formal night but because I only brought a few things the choice was easy. We met N&J and 2 couples from our exercise class. It was a lively dinner finishing up well after 9. We caught the last song of Troubadour and then went to the piano bar to hear Lionel Ritchie songs. Nancy and I lost again at the late night jewelry raffle.

Up at 6:25 today for exercise class. Killer Abs was only slightly easier today and the attrition rate was high. We had a hardy breakfast before we sailed into the port. Back in the cabin we changed and packed for the day. At 9:40 the ship cleared and we were off and waiting-today we have to be tendered to shore. The trip is 25 minutes and because of the tours the process is very slow. We waited for almost 90 minutes and then went and had a quick lunch on the Lido arriving back just in time for our tender number to be called. Our group of six enjoyed the ride which was smooth and on shore we easily found the Hop On Hop Off bus. Lucky us, they were having a special; $20/pp for 2 days. We bought our tickets and were on our way. Our little group decided to go to the Miraflores Locks first because it was the fartherest stop. This way we got to see the whole city and we could stop other places on our way back. Traffic made progress slow, but it was raining so this was an easy way to see the sights and stay relatively dry. At the Locks the sun was out and we were able to see ship after ship passing through in rapid succession. We listened to the narrative but skipped the movie as we had been shown a similar one on the ship. We caught the bus and headed back to port as it was getting late. We saw the old and new, the wealthy and the very poor as we traveled. This is a city of contrast. Old town will wait until tomorrow. Back in port it was raining hard. It was a great time to walk through the shops looking for hot sauce, trying on Panama Hats, and talking to the shop owners. We went back to the ship for our iPad and went to the port coffee shop for Wi-Fi. We could not connect so we walked around the area searching until we found a lovely young lady who offered us her hotspot code and we quickly checked email. We got back to the ship late as our tender had to wait in line to unload. We had to get N&J to give us an extra 15 minutes so we could clean up. We had a great dinner with lively conversation and then we went to the piano bar to hear Beatle tunes. The guy was not so great with the Beatles songs and we all agreed he needed to learn the correct words. Then it was off to the cabin to read and journal. A great first day in Panama.

Today Hugh and I got up for our exercise classes even though we were in port. Kevin put us through our paces and his abs workout equaled Alex's. We went for breakfast and showers before meeting N&J at the tender. We used our Hop On Hop Off pass and headed to the Old town (Casco Antiquo). It was the first stop on the bus but a distance from the port. We had fantastic views of the New city. From the harbor side we made our way in to the Old quarters. We saw Iglesias de San Jose" Altar de Oro" with its bell tower and the Plaza Bolivar where Hugh purchased a street artist watercolor of the Cathedral Metropolitano. The architecture in some areas reminds us of New Orleans and other areas look more like Italy; a very strong French and Italian influence. We walked through a street market and we checked out the Panama hats but the quality was not good. We walked through the small streets enjoying the architecture. There was an area that we could not go into because of guards and we found out it was the Palacco De Las Gargas Presidencia De La Republica, the palace home of the President and was built in the 17th century. Our next stop was Cathedral Plaza where we had lovely views of the Cathedral Metropolitano. This is called the Cathedral of Panama and was completed in 1796. The 2 towers are encrusted with pearl shells from the Pearl Islands. It was getting close to our bus time so we made our way back toward the stop. Hugh and I shopped in a local market area to buy some Panamanian hot sauce- we could not find the kind we wanted but bought some interesting looking ones. We caught the bus and made our way around the city again. We could see much more today as it was not raining. We saw the statue of Balboa standing on the world, a very modern multicentre shopping center, the Bio Museum designed by Frank Gehry, the zoo, the Miraflores Locks, the US Embassy, The Cathedral of Independence, and Camp Clay where the US soldiers and workmen lived. This area has been turned into a University area and modern housing. We arrived back at the port under darkening skies and made it on the tender just as the rain started. By the time the tender reached the ship the seas were rough and the wind was high but we made it on board just as the bottom dropped out. We dropped stuff in the cabin and went to the Lido for a snack as we had no lunch. We were going to the sail away but it was a true washout as it was 0 visibility. Hugh and I downloaded our pictures and read until time to dress for dinner. We ate with 4 of our group that will be heading to Machu Picchu. We talked so much we missed the show but ended up at the piano bar for Billy Joel music. It was much better than the Beatles. We made the 10pm show and enjoyed it a lot. Olympic Gold medalist Lance Ringnald showed off his acrobatic skill. He was funny and very much in shape. After the show we retired to the cabin to enjoy our pictures and delete those that were repeats or blurry. Fuerte Amador & Panama pictures

Today is celebrating ME day; I get my stitches out! We slept in today and had breakfast in bed-heaven. At 9 we headed to the Showroom at Sea for a presentation on Trujillo, our next port and our first stop in Peru. Our plan is for me to go see the city while Hugh visits some ruins; we will have lots of pictures to share. We stayed for the next lecture on Cusco and we are getting more excited. We have met about half of our group already and it will be a fun group. Our next stop was the art lecture on Peter Maxx. This was great and we found out that he is a good person as well as a great artist. We had lunch at poolside and we were amazed how cool it was. We sat poolside and edited our pictures and then made our first decision of the day; we walked our 3 miles while it was cool. Well it started out cool and windy but we ended in the sun and very warm. Hugh went to the gym and I met Nancy for a gem showing of Yellow Emeralds. Nancy won a bracelet-nope not of yellow emeralds but one of the glass bead ones. On my way to the cabin I met one of our Mach Picchu friends and she was getting her passport early. This sounded like a good idea so I went to get ours. Glad I did, the process was not fast and we had to have our private tour info. This would have slowed us up on Monday. I showered and went to the Foodie Trivia. Nancy and I had a 5 person team and we came in 2nd. This was good as the questions were very hard. We had 7/15 and the winner 9/15. Back at the cabin I pressed my clothes for this evening while waiting on Hugh. I had to wait to get the iron as tonight is formal night and everyone has a piece which is wrinkled. I'm ready to get the itchy stitches out but I can't find my doctor! Oh joy, he came back and with eyebrow tweezers and his Swiss Army knife scissors, at lot of pulling and tugging, hacking and pain, they are out! Not a pretty sight but no itching. Keeping it covered and splinted for a while, at least until after Machu Picchu. Showered and all dolled up, we went to the Ocean Bar and played cards until time to go for our dinner at the Pinnacle. We arrived and were seated immediately at the restaurant. This place has the best service and food around. We enjoyed every bite but the best was my Baked Alaska made with Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia and brandied cherries. This put the meal over the top; oh yeas Hugh's chocolate souffle was good also. We may have to diet tomorrow but boy was tonight terrific. We retired to the Piano Bar and sang along to Elton John tunes. At 10 we went to the late show, a Juilliard trained flutist from Chile. She was very entertaining. Then it was waddle off to bed time.

Today we woke up with the alarm and made it to our exercise class. Alex did a number on us and I felt better about last night's splurge. We had a good breakfast in the Lido before heading on deck to walk. After several rounds we decided the wind was too strong and the temp too low so we headed to the gym. I did a good workout with weights and then some time on the treadmill and other machines. Hugh ran and did weights. After showers we read until our first lecture at 10. Today's talk was Machu Picchu and it just heightened our excitement. Ron told us a lot about the history. After that we stayed to hear Lance's talk on Lima. We went to sit poolside to get warm and had some soup and listened to music. We were surprised at the 70 degree temperature and Hugh even took a dip in the hot tub. I was only too happy to sit with my iPod tuned to Daniel Silva's The English Girl. Hugh went to the cabin to watch football and I went to the cooking competition between the Photo shop girls and the Art Department guys. It was a lot of laughs and unbelievably the guys won-neither dish looked edible. After the competition I went to the Dancing with the Stars competition for a bit and then bought our shuttle tickets for Trujillo. I went to the cabin to check all our papers for Machu Picchu. Hugh napped so I went to the library to journal and listen to my iPod. Nancy came in and sat and talked for a while and then more iPod. At 5pm I went to get football scores but Hugh was still asleep so I ironed sweaters I had not planned on having to wear. Our tomorrow's forecast is 62 degrees and the same for the next several days and even cooler in Cusco. Hugh was up when I returned so it was football until dinner. We met N&J for dinner. It went amazingly fast for HAL. We made it to the Troubadour show and enjoyed it very much. Next stop was the Piano Bar for Name That Tune, TV version. We had Team Guinea Pig and we knew all 15. It was terrific to finally win! We retired to our room to watch football and although Alabama won they did not play well. Tomorrow Peru!

Today we were up and off to exercise before 7. We did 2 very hard classes today. While we were finishing our 2nd class we saw the first glimpse of the Andes and then we saw our port. This is a commercial port and the terrain around it is other worldly. This is a desert part of Peru and everything is gray and stark. We had breakfast, showered, dressed and went on deck to make some photos before meeting N&J, and Frank and Jeri. The 6 of us caught the shuttle after several wardrobe changes. The weather was supposed to be 66 & overcast. The sun was shining and 70 degrees already. Jackets were left behind and shorts were donned. The ride into Trujillo took us through some very poor areas. Homes were half built and we were told they did not finish them because they would have to pay taxes. The streets were crowded when we arrived. This is Peru's second largest city and has over 800,000 people. There were food carts, clothing carts, and people crowding the streets and the bus (2 story large one) driver had trouble making turns. Vendors wouldn't give right away even on narrow streets. We got off to explore but several people, including Frank and Jeri, stayed on to go back to the ship. No adventurers there. We walked down to the Plaza de Armas and all the buildings surrounding the square. We saw the changing of the guard at the Municipal building; not Buckingham Palace. Here a pick-up truck, well used, drove up and 2 guards jumped out and the old guards jumped in. Like most Peruvian cities, the Plaza de Armas is surrounded by the cathedral and city hall. Numerous colonial mansions have been preserved in the old city and are open to visitors. The fronts of many of these buildings have distinctive wrought-iron grillwork and are painted in pastel colors. The square was lovely and we noticed lots of flowers here and in the traffic circles. We went to see the Basilica Menor Metropolitana de Trujillo. It was lovely and the acoustics were amazing. We walked down one of the main streets and through a town bazaar or weekend market. There were children playing everywhere and they were fun to watch. On our way back to the bus we stopped at McDonalds where Hugh purchased French fries to get the Wi-Fi code. We checked email and the weather forecast for Cusco and Machu Picchu; chance of showers and 78 degrees; much warmer then we had expected. Both of us need to throw in a short sleeved shirt for layering. We turned the corner from Mickey D's and saw our bus. We power walked back and soon we were back at the port. The 4 of us walked around the vendors for a few minutes then boarded. We went to our cabin and packed our carry-on for tomorrow. We then had lunch poolside and walked a mile on Deck 6 to justify our ice cream. Would have walked longer but the wind was cold. Hugh downloaded pictures and I pressed shirts in the laundry and journaled. Hugh decided to nap and I listened to The English Girl. At sail away time we added jackets and went on top. The wind was strong and the temperature cool enough that hot tea couldn't keep us warm. We sat in the Crows Nest until time to dress for dinner. We met N&J but Nancy was feeling the rock and roll of the ship (winds greater than 50 mph) and even the stabilizers can't compensate. We had a nice dinner but she and Jim went to their cabin. Afterward Hugh and I went to the combined show of acrobatics and flutist. The ship was still rocking so we headed to our cabin to watch football. Tomorrow begins our Machu Picchu adventure! Trujillo & Salaverry, Peru pictures

The 19 adventurer's journey to Machu Picchu. Hugh and I got up early and went to exercise. Kevin worked us hard but it felt good. After breakfast we went on deck to check the weather before going to the cabin to shower and dress for the day. We were dressed, packed, and anxiously waiting to be able to leave the ship. The immigration people were very late clearing us but we made it off on the 2nd wave of folks. We caught the port shuttle and still had to wait on our bus. Diane was on the ball and texted me updates. The bus arrived and VCT was terrific. They made sure we could navigate the airport and got us a group check-in. As our plane approached the Cusco airport my seat companion who spoke no English tried very hard to point out the beautiful sights we were seeing. The Flight was uneventful and our driver was waiting for us. We arrived at the market after a short bus ride and walked up a small hill to the Terra Andina and were warmly welcomed. We checked in, had cocoa tea, and then went to our rooms which were very nice. We got our backpacks organized, grabbed our cameras, and headed out to explore with N&J. At the end of our street which is one way and elevated is the San Pedro Central (municipal) Market. We decided to walk to the main plaza first and sightsee on our way back. The scenery was so lovely; even the traffic lights were beautiful. We stopped for photos every few steps and we found several plazas before we found the central one. There were beautiful cathedrals, city gates, and arches, and absolutely adorable children. I love making people pictures and the old ladies squatting and selling their wares fascinated me. They were second only to the children with large chocolate colored eyes. Our first stop was Plaza San Francisco. We thought at first this was the main plaza but soon discovered we needed to go several blocks further. We were overwhelmed with beauty when we reached the Plaza de Armas. We couldn't decide which direction to look in as there was so much to see. The very large cathedral took a large portion of one side of the square and the Compata de Jesus took one whole side. This cathedral houses the painting of the Last Supper that has the guinea pig on the platter; we wanted to see it but not $10 worth. These massive structures had beautiful ornamentation. Around the very large square were restaurants, shop, and museums. The view up into the mountains showed us their Christ the Redeemer. The Andes in the distance gave us a picture perfect moment everywhere we looked. We walk until our tummies started to complain and we selected a rustic pizza shop. Ordering was a chore but with persistence we ordered our pizzas and the pizza maker made them right in front of us. The pies were tasty but by the end of our meal we were feeling the effects of the attitude (11,000ft). We slowly made our way back to our hotel making a short stop in the market. Back at the hotel we sat and talked with some of our group. We purchased water for tomorrow and headed up to shower and pack for our adventure. Our room was well organized and soon we were resting. At 9:45 the tour operator called and changed our pickup time to 5:30. I had to contact all the others in our group with this cheerful tidbit. It was lights out at 10:15. Cusco, Peru pictures

We were up very early this morning and had a very nice surprise. The hotel had prepared a very nice breakfast for us. Everyone was tired because no one slept well because of altitude issues. Our guide Hubert arrived promptly at 5:25 and we walked down to the market to board our bus. We had a 30 min. ride to the train station. We got to see new areas of the city as we drove. We arrived in time to prepare for our trip. Our group was split into 2 cars. We boarded on time and it was a very comfortable vista-dome car. We hurried in and found our seats which were not together so there was some swapping to be done. Hugh ended us across the aisle from me but that was OK. As we pulled out of the station everyone was talking but soon there were a lot of oohs and ahs, and camera clicks. The Andes are not like any other mountain range and this is our first time to see them in all their splendor. As we continued our 3.5 hour ride we saw rivers, waterfalls, eco-shelters high up in the mountains, and fabulous snow covered peaks. About an hour into our trip the porters put out tablecloths, napkins, cutlery, and small bouquets of flowers on our tables. They served breakfast which included; cold pancakes with elderberry jam-delicious, then spinach quiche and drinks. This was such a treat and very unexpected. Everyone was impressed with the excellent service. The scenery was so wonderful the time passed very quickly. We arrived at one station and some new people boarded. They were in a large group that was staying in this tiny village. We arrive at our station and Hubert gathered us and led us through the market area admonishing us not to shop. We crossed the river and walked up to the bus loading area. We boarded our small bus and made the winding drive to the entrance of Machu Picchu. We were talking excitedly until we got our first view and then conversation ceased for a bit. It was more breathtaking and unusual and huge than we had imagined. This is truly a mountaintop retreat for the royalty of the Incans. Having made the trip here it is easy to see why the outside world did not know about this until 1874-1900's. Today is an extremely warm day with some clouds but a good bit of blue sky. We were prepared for cold and rain as this is most often the case. One of our lecturers on the ship has been here 3 times and it has rained each one. We entered the agricultural sector where we could see all the terracing and steps. This is a tremendous area covering the side of the mountain at 8,500 feet. We saw the 3 homes on the lowest plateau, one of which has been completely restored. We traveled past the main square and saw the rest of the houses. On the way we saw alpacas and llamas roaming about. Hubert gave us a lot of information and it will take a while to process it all. We stopped on a plateau before the Temple of the 3 Windows and made a group picture. We walked into the temple sector and we visited the Temple of 3 Windows and the Temple of the Sun. Before we reached the temple of the sun we had lost 2/3 of our group because they couldn't or chose not to climb. From this area Hugh and I decided to climb to the guardhouse which is the highest point. We were joined by Ken, Terry, and Val. We took our time and enjoyed each new area. The views were spectacular of the surrounding mountains as well as the Incan City. The four of us made it to the top where we saw a view that was so worth the hard work! We were able to see the ceremonial rock, the gate house, the storage area, and the Incan Bridge. We stayed longer than the others but we saw some fantastic views as we took a very steep trail down. I now have the central picture for our Christmas card. We climbed back to the entrance and we had a little extra time. We drank water and talked with others about their experience. We made it to our bus and started the trip to Cusco. It was a tired group on the way back. The bus trip was quiet but we perked up in the town. People shopped the market area and Hugh and I had an ice cream and water. The train station was filled with backpackers and they boarded the regular train right before us. So very glad we had the vista-dome as it was way more comfortable and the incredible views are up not out. We boarded the train and it was evident that the wondrous views were not as spellbinding on the way back. Even the magnificent Andes could not hold our attention after Machu Picchu. Peru-Rail served us well with a late lunch, a fashion show of garments made from alpaca, and an odd clown like character who danced with people in the aisles and clapped so loud it woke everyone up. Everyone was so tired and there was a lot of fidgeting, sleeping, and giggling. Happy to be back in Cusco everyone hurriedly boarded our bus to the hotel. At the hotel almost everyone headed to the showers and bed. Hugh and I ate fig bars, granola bars, and drank water for dinner before bathing and falling into bed. WOW what a day! Machu Picchu pictures

This morning we woke up early after a good night's sleep. We showered and dressed before heading down to breakfast. We had delicious eggs, potatoes, and croissants. The coffee was fantastic! Everyone seemed to be rested and still talking about the beauty we saw yesterday! We were not being picked up until 8:30 so we walked down to the market area and I bought some band aids at the farmacia-75 cents for 26. Everyone was ready when the bus arrived but we were surprised that they had 2 buses for us that were very small. As we traveled across Cusco we saw soldiers with guns, water cannons, and riot shields everywhere. The driver said it was because of a protest. We later learned that it was a transportation strike, thus the small private buses we were on and that Machu Picchu was closed that day because there were no trains or buses. Wow, were we blessed. We made it to the airport and found more soldiers. We checked in and soon lined up for our LAN flight to Lima. The flight was full but the service was excellent and in just over an hour we were landing. Our driver was waiting and before lunch we were back on the ship. We unpacked, had a snack and then I did laundry while Hugh uploaded all our pictures. We had an easy afternoon and soon it was dinner time. We ate with friends and went to the piano bar and then to the late show. It was a musician, impersonator, comic and Hugh and I left early in the performance because he was so bad. N&J stayed but said it did not improve. The ship feels like home and it was good to be back. Machu Picchu is the trip of a lifetime but it is very tiring. Good night! Callao, Lima, & Cusco, Peru pictures

We awoke at 7:30 today just before our room service arrived. What a luxury! We ate in bed, watched some news, and looked at our pictures from Machu Picchu. At 10 we went to a lecture on How Big Is The Universe? It was interesting and afterwards we stayed in the showroom at Sea to edit our pictures from all of Peru. It took us 1.5 hours just to delete the ones we were sure we didn't want. There are still a lot of decisions to be made. We got a little cool so we went out by the pool to have some lunch and we lingered listening to guitar music. At one we went to a Cruise Critic meeting and signed up for zip lining in Costa Rica. At two we went to a port talk on Manta, Ecuador, our next port. It looks like a fun place to explore. I followed this with a jewelry presentation while Hugh napped. I didn't win the raffle which was a lovely globe pendant. I sat on Deck 6 and listened to my iPod and enjoyed the cool air. Soon it was time to shower and dress for dinner. We had a great time at dinner rehashing all our Peru adventures and missed the piano bar presentation. We went to the late show presentation by the HAL entertainers and it was mediocre. Then it was off to read and sleep!

It was back to our normal schedule today; up for our 2 exercise classes. It felt great to work out and we enjoyed a tasty breakfast afterwards. It was fun to be greeted by our usual food staff as if they had missed us. At 9 we went to the port talk on things to do in Manta. It looks like we can do this on our own. We stayed in the showroom at Sea and edited our pictures until they closed for rehearsals. We moved to the Mix and worked hard for 2 hours before breaking for lunch. Our Machu Picchu pix are excellent and plentiful. Lunch was by the pool and we stretched it out. It was back to pictures until the jewelry show. I listened to a presentation on yellow emeralds. They are the same as the green except the green has chromium and the yellow has lead. I was sad they did not have a drawing for a prize. We went to the Puerto Caldera port talk at 3. I then joined Nancy to learn about movie making on the computer. Fun class and I have plans for the pictures of the boys. We had a great dinner with N&J, and Heather & Adrian from Australia. The show tonight at the piano bar was a sing along and it was fun. At 10 we went to the production show and Mark Donoghue was fantastic. Then it was off to bed after we made plans for the morning in Manta.

We got up early for exercise today and we were able to watch the sail into Manta. After a very vigorous 2 classes, we had breakfast. At 9:30 we met 4 friends for a walking tour of Manta. We did this on our own and found this to be a city that was easy to navigate. Our first stop was the hardest as we made a wrong turn and walked 15 minutes in the wrong direction up hill. Eventually we found ourselves at the Central Market and the 6 of us shopped for Panama Hats. I know it sounds silly but Panama hats are made in Ecuador and were given their name during the construction of the Panama Canal because so many of the people wore them. Nancy and I had trouble finding small sizes but soon we all had hats. These are very cool as they roll up very small for packing. We walked along the parks and shopping areas and then back toward the ship along the sea. We decided to have lunch on board, drop off packages, and cool off. With all the above accomplished 4 of us headed out to the beach. This was a lovely beach with gray to black very fine sand. It was sunny and over 90 and families were everywhere enjoying the water. The area had lots of chairs, umbrellas, food carts, restaurants, and life guard stands. Hugh and I waded in the cool water and had to run to the boardwalk as the sand was very hot. We found a restaurant with a view and Wi-Fi. We sat for a while and read emails and drank cold beverages. No one had read their emails in several days so this took a while. This is our first cruise without an internet package and so far we have fared well. Our next stop was the Cultural Museum. It was free, air conditioned, had nice banos, oh yes, the exhibits were good also. After 3 stories of exhibits we headed back toward the ship for sail away. Back on board we got cold drinks and checked football scores. Sail away was delayed because the fuel barge was late bunkering. We watched some football and showered and we were still bunkered. We dressed for dinner and walked around deck at 6 but still no sail away. We finally met N&J for dinner and we noticed that we sailed away during the soup course, 1.5 hours late. We had everyone's favorite dessert Cappuccino Bombe. We finished in time to get to the middle show. It was Ballroom Forever and it was fantastic! It consisted of 2 of the top ballroom dance couples from Belarus. They were elegant and sassy and just what the dances called for. After the show we went to the cabin and watched football and caught up on the scores. Wonderful Day!! Manta, Ecuador pictures

We got up for exercise this morning and the sky was cloudy with mist. It was warm as we walked through the pool area to the gym. After a very vigorous workout we had a sensible breakfast and did a mile walk. After showering we headed to the Oceans & Seas lecture with Cally Oldershaw. After the lecture it was off to the pool deck for the King Neptune Ceremony. This is where crew and passengers who have not crossed the equator Kiss the Fish to be initiated from Polliwogs to Shellbacks. It is always fun and today we like seeing our fitness instructor Kevin get tortured. After the ceremony I journaled and Hugh edited pictures. We had lunch today in the Rotterdam Dining room for the first time. It was nice but I still prefer the Lido at lunch. We attended the port talk on Corinto and Puerto Quetzal. It looks like we can do these on our own except that we will need a bus ticket from the ship for Puerto Quetzal. I went to a talk on birthstones with Nancy but no raffle-disappointment. I then met Hugh in the future cruise talk. We still can't find that perfect trip. Nancy and I met and walked and talked on deck 6 while Hugh and Jim napped. We met Heather, Adrian, and N&J for dinner wearing our Panama hats. We made pictures. What fun!! We went to the piano bar after dinner for a 50's sing along. All 6 of us went to the late show and enjoyed another performance from Mark Donoghue and Ballroom Forever. After a quick good-bye to friends it was off to get ready for our Costa Rican adventure. Lucky us we set the clocks back one hour!

Today we slept a little later than usual and had our breakfast in bed. By 8:30 we were showered, packed, and ready for our zip lining adventure. This trip was planned by one of our Cruise Critic friends but at 7:30 she called and said she was sick and would not be going. The ship docked around 9 as Hugh and I walked around the deck. We hurried to our cabin and were able to get in the first flood of passengers off the ship. We quickly found Daniel from Adventure Park and Hotel Vista Golfo . Soon there were 8 of us ready to go. Everyone was excited and one gentleman was celebrating the 10th anniversary of his heart surgery. Daniel took us to a monkey park where we were able to pet and feed white-faced Cappucine monkeys. We all had fun and there were some crazy pictures snapped. Our next stop was 45 minutes away. We traveled through the countryside and Daniel gave us great information on Costa Rica. We arrived at the Adventure Park and signed our releases and locked up our packs. We had time to enjoy the view and check emails. I heard from Lori who had some good job news; not much from anyone else. Soon it was time to get fitted with our harnesses, gloves, and helmets. We were joined by a family and 2 twenty something young ladies from Birmingham AL. Once we were outfitted we loaded onto a huge all-terrain vehicle for a bumpy ride up and down mountains to our first platform. We had to hike a bit to get there and when we arrived all the guides snapped on to the cable and flew off to their stations. I was among the first group to go and it was so much fun. We were flying over the exotic rainforest, beautiful waterfalls, and rivers. At platform #9 we learned a new skill and rappelled down a waterfall. We were all slow with this and some even rode with the guides. After rappelling we again zipped over more breathtaking scenery and Hugh was able to use his little camera some as was Sue. We clamped on to an overhead cable at one point and walked across a hanging bridge which was scarier than the zip lining. We spent over 3 hours of vigorous activity finishing 25 zip lines over 11 waterfalls. Everyone agreed at the end that this was a highlight of our cruise. We boarded the big white machine back to the lodge and had a delicious Costa Rica lunch. I had the vegetarian which included quesadillas and fried plantains. Hugh had the chicken. After lunch the 8 of us piled into Daniels van and headed down the mountain. It started to rain but it did not matter-our adventure had been a huge success. We arrived back at port and said our good-byes to Daniel. We had just a bit of time before we sailed so we walked through the port craft market. We made quick work of this and Nancy joined us for our walk to the ship. We made a stop at the Excursion Desk to get our bus tickets for Guatemala. I got the last 2 but they wait-listed N&J and will hopefully add another bus. Hugh and I were beat and decided to rest and cool off before showering. Hugh decided tonight was early show, dinner in the LIDO, and a good walk before going to the room to look at our pictures and that is exactly what we did. The show was fantastic-the guys from the ships troupe sang a lot of harmony. Off to bed for us. Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica pictures

The wake-up call came at 6:30 and we both groaned and turned over. The next thing we knew it was 8:20. It's a good thing we did not have a tour scheduled. We showered, dressed and had breakfast and the ship still had not been cleared. We took the time to walk around the deck and get a feel for the port. This was another commercial port with warehouses, containers, and automobiles and trucks ready to ship. This time it is Mitsubishi. We noticed we have a police boat guarding our sea facing side. On the dock side the Nicaraguan visitor bureau has a tent and a marimba band-very happy music. When the ship was finally cleared we decided to walk into Corinto. Others decided to take a bus to Leon but we decided Corinto was enough for us to explore. We did not have any expectations but wanted to visit Nicaragua so we just took our time and looked over each area we came to. It was quickly obvious that this is a poor area. The streets are crowded with people going about their lives. We were shopping in the little shops looking for hot sauces and it was funny that each store had the same chili sauce made in Mexico, nothing from Nicaragua. We made it about half way down Main Street before a nice young man offered us a tour in his pedicab for $1 each. It was too good a deal to pass up and we really had a great 1 hour tour. He took us into areas we would not have walked on our own. We went to the beach, through neighborhoods, to a school, and to the hospital. He could not speak much English but was able to point out a lot and answer simple questions. Back at our starting point we meandered through the park, watched workmen set up for a carnival (Hugh was impressed with the quality of the materials) and wandered through a street market. We strolled leisurely back to the ship enjoying the little children, especially a very little one asleep in a hammock right near the sidewalk where the family had a booth. Back on board I did laundry and helped Hugh edit our morning's pictures. We had a late lunch at poolside and then went out on the top deck with our binoculars to check on our police boat. He was still there, driver on cell phone and the 2 policemen with large guns in hand sound asleep on the front seats. I felt so safe! I went down to put away laundry and Hugh read news. At sail away we claimed our seats by the pool. I listened to my iPod and journaled while Hugh typed captions for the pictures. We had a day filled with much more fun than we anticipated. Another country, yippee! We decided to stay on deck after sail away and played Kings on the Corner. Oops, we did not watch our time and we had to race to get showered and dressed for dinner. N&J joined us and we finished just in time for the show. It was a multi-instrumentalist named Oli Nez and he was very good. We went to the piano bar afterwards. This was not his best night so we made our way to the cabin and watched basketball, read, and soon it was good-night! Corinto, Nicauagua pictures

No exercise today just a quick shower and off to breakfast. We ate with 2 lovely ladies and we all agreed we were having a great time and looking forward to today. We walked around deck for a bit before it was time to disembark and get on our bus to Antigua. As we walked to our bus we met N&J and although temptation was there we made our way through the market and got on bus #5 Antigua on Your Own. Our guide was Wilma and she was adorable. The countryside was beautiful with 2 active volcanoes easily visible, on smoking. One volcano is called fire and the other aqua. We traveled the main highway of the country which was 4 laned and went to Guatemala City. We turned off before that and went into the more mountainous region. This country has been devastated by hurricanes twice in the past 20 years; one totally destroyed the Chiquita Banana Plantation which was the largest in Central America. Earthquakes are also a major problem. Wilma told us that Antigua was the capital twice but was destroyed by earthquakes so often that the capital was moved. She admonished us to be very careful as we explore as the streets are cobblestoned and very uneven. We arrived at the Jade Museum which is our meeting point. All the buses stopped so the area was crowded. We listened to the welcome speech and then walked thru the Jade Factory. Everything is made by hand in rather crude surroundings. I skipped the shopping area-yeah me!! Hugh found Mark an English speaking guide to take us thru the city. The 5 of us headed off and our first stop was the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo which was a monastery but is now a 5 star hotel. The ruins and gardens are gorgeous and we also saw the museum and the shop that makes the pottery, candles, etc. for the hotel. We spent a good bit of time here as Lance our port guide on ship said we would. We saw beautiful Macaws and Hugh had to pose with his new flute. From there we walked around the area to the ruins of the Hospital Real Santiago. Mark told us that this town was home to many orders of Convents and Monasteries including the Dominicans, the Jesuits, and the Franciscans. He also told us the story of Saint Pedro. We saw the hospital clinic named and founded by him. We traveled around admiring the intricate ruins of churches and monasteries, enjoying the people and colorful handicrafts. We visited Le Merced church and the Arch of Santa Catalina. We visited a beautiful old hotel decorated for Christmas. They had a marimba band playing and upstairs there was a restaurant and a patio with gorgeous views. The central garden was in full bloom and lovely. We enjoyed this hidden treasure very much. Our next stop was Central Park where we saw more cathedrals, government buildings, and lots of locals enjoying the sunshine. We then visited the local wash area which was an odd concept to us. I can't imagine doing my laundry out on the square by hand! Our last church was St. Peter's Church and Hospital. We then went to Cafe Condessa for Wi-Fi and something to drink. Mark had lunch on us and we enjoyed his company. He walked us back to catch our bus. He was worth every penny! We loaded our bus and for the first time this cruise 2 people were missing. We moved away from the loading area and stopped a block away to wait. The 2 people strolled up and got on without even the smallest apology. The 1.5 hour trip was easy and we arrived back to the ship in time to take our time boarding. The 4 of us strolled through the market doing a lot of looking but no buying. Soon it was time to make our way back to the ship. We dropped off our backpacks and went to the LIDO for a snack. We stayed on deck for the sail away until it was time to get dressed for dinner. We ate with N&J and rehashed our day; very enjoyable. We made it to the show which was Sing That Song with the 2 best performers on the ship. David Green was a great host for this very funny contest. There were 6 contestants and they were a hoot. Not much talent among them. The gentleman that won with his Elvis impression was a huge surprise as he had been pitiful in the preliminary round. N&J were tired and Hugh wanted to watch basketball so we retired to our cabins at 9:30. This proved to be a good idea as before bed the Captain made the announcement that we were going to encounter rough seas and high seas beginning tonight and lasting all day tomorrow. Puerto Quetzal & Antigua, Guatamala pictures

A seasick Thanksgiving Day
Today we got up and went to our exercise class at 7. The seas were rolling but not too bad even though the wind was strong. During our class the captain made the announcement that outside decks were closed and the ship was being prepared for rough weather. He suggested clearing you cabin of lose items, wearing sensible shoes, and remembering that seasick meds were available 24/7 at the front desk. Before the end of our 2nd class the seas were much worse and we decided to grab our breakfast and eat in the cabin as deck 6 is more stable than 11. After we showered we made our way to the port shopping talk and there were only a few people braving the seas. We made it through but N&J had to leave-Nancy was green. We made it back to the cabin and Hugh watched football and I listened to my iPod. We ordered lunch in the room and enjoyed steak sandwiches and chips. We continued taking it easy and the seas got rougher and the wind was hurricane force (plus 9 on the Beaufort scale). The Captain made the announcement that seas were 12-15 feet and the winds plus 75mph. We stayed put until around 7 when things had calmed. We had a little turkey and went to the show which was 2 performers from the ship and fabulous. We went to bed with calm seas and the promise of a calmer tomorrow.

After a great night's sleep we made our way to exercise class and it was much more enjoyable than yesterday. We had breakfast and then walked 2 miles before showering. We took the computer to the Life in the Sea presentation and edited our pictures from Antigua. At 10:30 we went to the Statendam Village Fair on Deck 11. This was postponed yesterday due to weather issues. We had a ball throwing darts at pictures of our exercise team, knocking over cans with beanbags, batting balls into the excursion team, and just laughing at our ineptitude. We ended with 65 bucks; not bad for 2 non-players. We had lunch with N&J in the Lido before the guys headed to the port talk and Nancy and I headed to the Diamonds and Gemstones seminar so we could collect our shopping bag charm and enter the raffle. We didn't win so we moved to the seminar on jewelry trade secrets. We sat and looked at our pictures of Machu Picchu and zip lining. Nancy wanted to see what zipping was like. She also had to endure a few pictures of my family. At 3 Hugh joined us for the watch seminar so I had 3 raffle tickets and still did not win. YUCK! Hugh and I took a walk before heading to the cabin to check football scores and relax before dinner. We had a great time at dinner and made it to the Matt Marcy Magic show. This was a lot of laughs and wonder. We sat and talked for a while and planned our day in Manzanilla. Then it was off to bed.

We went to bed last night with the captain's talk on health and staying healthy and awoke to it again today. There are 25 cases of GI upset and all the major preventative measures have been put in place-no pools or hot tub, hand sanitizer everywhere, no self-serve buffet, stewards sanitizing handrails, rooms and carpets. We are blessed to have stayed healthy. We headed to exercise and enjoyed our classes with Kevin. We had a good breakfast and walked 2 miles before showering. We met N&J, Heather, and Adrian and walked into town. There was a lovely blue fish monument in the center of town. We walked the main street and found it to be a quaint Mexican neighborhood. We shopped for hot sauce and then stopped at an internet cafe where we cleaned out our mail boxes. We then slowly made our way along the waterfront looking at the navy ships and the children playing in the park. N&J were suffering from the heat and decided to go back to the ship. The rest of us decided to explore more of the waterfront area and made our way toward the beach. We saw the fisherman and their small boats. Fishermen were cleaning their catch on the rocks as we made our way to a small beach. By this time we were so hot we turned around and made our way slowly to the ship. When we arrived back we showered and went for a late snack. We were so dehydrated we sat for a while with iced tea. We walked around the deck to watch the sail away and then went to the room to rest, listen to iPod and nap. We met N&J for dinner and then went to the late show. We made plans for tomorrow before heading to our cabin to get football scores. Hugh and Trey are happy, Auburn and Georgia both won. I am very disappointed! YUK. Alabama. Manzanillo, Mexico pictures

Today we were up early and off to exercise. We met N&J at 9:15 to begin our adventure. The sky is blue and the temp a pleasant 78 as we walked to the Tanzanite International Showroom. We only made this trek to get our free charm bracelet and earrings and also to take advantage of the free shuttle to the Malecon, the beachfront community with lots of shops and restaurants. We left Tanzanite International on the first shuttle and arrived at Diamonds International. We stayed long enough to check our email and for Hugh to read news and Jim to play his game. We then started the 2 mile walk and enjoyed the statuary, the sand sculptures, and some of the shops. The weather was perfect and at the end of the walk we got to a lot of seaside restaurants. It was getting very warm so we began our long journey back. We stopped at a sidewalk cafe and had cold drinks, beers, and Wi-Fi. It was a great way to spend an hour. We had a great time and as we walked we made several detours to check out interesting things we saw including a lovely cathedral. We decided to take the local bus to the port and boy was this an adventure. No a/c, someone singing poorly, no shocks, and no way to know where you were. It was definitely a local experience. We recognized the Sam's as we approached and remembered we could see it from the ship. This must be our stop. The bus was cheap and got us where we needed to be but boy was it bumpy-you couldn't tell the cobblestone streets from the paved. We had to cross 4 lanes of traffic and walk just a bit and we were back on the ship for late afternoon snacks. Jim and Hugh decided to nap but Nancy and I decided to make a 20 minute run through the handicraft market at the port. We purchased noting and just made it back for 4:30 sail away. It was shower time and some journaling before dinner. We had our dinner with Heather, Adrian, Nancy and Jim. We talked until after 9 and had to go to the late show at 10. Nancy had a headache and they went to bed. Hugh and I played cards until show time and enjoyed a rather funny comedian from NYC who was a writer for TV. We decided to stay for the Indonesian Crew Show and we were so glad we did. It was great!! Off to bed late; so glad we gain an hour tonight. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico pictures

We were supposed to get up for exercise today but Hugh forgot to set the alarm. We awoke after 8 and showered and dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. This was only the 2nd time all month. It was lovely and finished just in time to head to a lecture on the Aztecs. At 10:30 I left and went to a photo editing workshop and Hugh finished that lecture and stayed for the Mexican fiestas presentation. I joined him at 11:30 and when it finished we went poolside for lunch. It was windy and cool but still nice to eat outside in December. We won't be doing this at home! We packed after lunch and left out just the few items we need for the next 2 days. At 3 we did a 3 mile walk for Philippine Typhoon Relief. This was well attended and it took constant maneuvering to keep up a good pace. Carlos, our Cruise Director, was so funny and kept us entertained as we made our 12 circuits of the ship. They served lemonade, fresh fruit,, and cookies at the end and boy were they appreciated. We were hot and walked around the ship until we cooled down. We showered and rested a little before we dressed for formal night. Not a lot of choice as we have worn everything at least twice. Dinner with N&J was wonderful; surf and turf and Hugh even has his escargot. We went to the show which was Ollie Nez and Colleen Williamson-excellent! N&J went with us and we all went to the photo gallery to pick up our stock photos. Then it was off to the cabin to stuff the formal clothes in the suitcase. Hugh watched Monday night football and I listened to my iPod. Good night!

The clock was set but it was unnecessary. We gained another hour and we both woke up at 5:30. By six we were dressed and having tea in the LIDO. We had time for a weight workout before our 2 classes. Kevin put us through our paces and we then had a nice breakfast by the pool. The pool deck was covered and felt warm. We decided to walk on deck 6 but it was windy and chilly. We opted for showers and journaling and photo editing before the 11 am lecture. They delivered our luggage tags and disembarkation paper so I guess it really is time to go home. At 9:30 we decided to go to the DVD preview and take a Sentimental Journey through our cruise-Nice job photo team! At 10 we enjoyed a lecture on the future of our seas. It was then time to join N&J for the Mariners brunch and Nancy was happy we got our blue HAL tiles. The food was delicious but way more than we usually eat for lunch. Hugh went to read the news and I went to see my new friend Winda's baby pictures. Winda served me my egg white omelet each morning and she is finishing up 7 months on board. She and her husband work for HAL and left a 2 month old son with her mother; a precious baby and an adorable family. I met Nancy for the Scavenger Hunt. We were teamed with 4 other people but 2 dropped out after the first clue. The 4 of us raced all over the ship chasing our clues. We got 3/4 but came in second to a team with 2 kids; so much faster than us. Nancy and I decided to go to the Indonesian Tea Ceremony and had a good time. We were seated with 2 couples from Canada and they were as sad to be leaving as we were. A quick trip to the Culinary Arts Center to pick up recipes finished off the afternoon. It was back to the room to finish that last bit of packing and then met up for our farewell dinner. Trey and the boys called and made my day! Dinner was low key and 3 of the 4 of us are sad to be going home. Jim is the only one ready to leave. No show tonight and packing done, what oh what shall we do. Hugh watched basketball and I journaled. Bags out, we fell asleep thinking about our next trip

Going Home-
We slept in a bit this morning and had breakfast in our cabin so we did not have to fight the crowds in the LIDO. Showered and dressed we impatiently waited for them to call our group. Nancy came by for final good-byes. It was very sad. Finally they called our color and we disembarked for the last time. Good-bye Statendam it was FUN!! We claimed our bags and got the shuttle to the airport. We checked-in and cleared security with time to spare. Our flight boarded on time and our flight was uneventful with just a short layover in Chicago. We arrived back at the Asheville Airport and Hugh got the car while I got the bags. Soon we found ourselves back in Spartanburg. We were tired and left the bags in the sunroom and made our way to bed. Glad all is well at home but I know we will be ready for another adventure very soon... /susan