Thinking about the blog
Let’s make this clear early on: I write through a unique set of prejudices and preconceptions, mine. This can’t be helped, so while I do try to be objective and analytical, take what I say with a grain of salt.
My immediate impression of this cruise is my god, we’re on a floating nursing home! I suppose it’s no surprise; after all, how many people can afford to take a six-month trip. But so many walkers and wheelchairs! I’m no spring chicken, but Mary and I have made a pact to walk the stairs, no elevators; keep active; eat healthy. If anything, seeing my fellow passengers have made me double-down on keeping fit.
Day 3, Tuesday, January 17, Ensenada, Mexico. Rainy and cold.
At about 10am the rain stopped and we went ashore. There’s a pleasant promenade along the shore, paved with a wavy stripe. It leads to a spiral walk that encircles what must have been the steel hull of a fishing boat, pointed at the sky. Attached at various points around this gray hull are a number of bronze statues depicting fishermen in various attitudes. On the ground below there is one in an old-fashioned diving suit; above, at the top of the spiral is one of a young woman with a boy at her skirt, looking out to sea. I see this as a display of the town’s pride as a fishing community. In fact, in the water below the mother and son there is a group of fishermen inspecting today’s catch of three enormous tuna.
I like this sculpture best, of the brawny fisherman bending his bamboo pole almost into an S.
Past this entrance to the town is what appears to be a permanent amusement park, then some busy side streets, dusty, but well swept.
Main Street was totally aimed at American visitors, and not just tourists. Sure you could buy your t-shirts and trinkets, but what was most notable was the pharmacies, hawking cheap prescription drugs, and especially Viagra. There were superhero statues with comical erections.
Back at the ship, the chef had scored a couple of mahi-mahi at the market. The captain announced that we would be having fresh fish for dinner that evening(!) Well, it was perfectly prepared and delicious. The surprise of the day was that Mary tried some sushi and liked it!
The evening ended with a show, a “comic magician.” Corny but fun.
Days 4 and 5, At sea, and two days in a row of time changes. Now in the same time zone as Chicago.
We explored the Artists Loft, a lovely spot where classes were held on sea days, but which we could take advantage of at any time; and the spa, where Mary and I tried their “therapeutic” saltwater tub. The steam room afterward was a luxury for me; it was out of order on Mary’s side of the ship.
On the 19th, there was a very polished presentation on the history of Mesoamerica by Richard Dietrich, a retired pastor who now makes a living delivering talks like this. I enjoyed it.
Day 6, Friday, January 20, Manzanilla, Mexico. Sunny and hot
This is a big port town, proud of its economic success. Its landmark is a huge, blue-enameled, abstract sculpture of a leaping swordfish. Along the water, very near to our dock, is Zodiac Park, a nicely manicured park, with smaller abstract sculptures at the edge signifying each of the twelve signs of the zodiac.
Our ship’s berth is right by the center of the city. On the other side of the bay is the very busy commercial port, with ships coming and going constantly. There are two small tankers anchored near our berth, I expect to refuel our ship.
In Manzanilla the pharmacies are normal looking, no Viagra superheroes. The streets are quite clean, and the town looks rather more prosperous than Ensenada.
Day 7, Saturday, January 21, Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Lovely weather
Because of its shallow harbor the ship is anchored about 10 minutes off by tender.
This city is all about hospitality: attractive, with lots of restaurants and bars, hotels, shops to buy toys for children and cute stuff for tourists. While some passengers saw poverty here, it reminded me of places my family would take me when I was a kid, and I didn’t feel poor at all. My word for “Zihu” is delightful.
Where the ship’s tender let us off was a park with winding paths and the shops and restaurants I mentioned. A lot of local folks were there, being a weekend, a lot of young parents with little kids, the little girls with bows in their hair, all of them decked out for a day of fun. We came across a group of people taking a bike tour, a serious young couple intensely peering into a glass case full of sparkly stuff, a group of teenagers playing basketball in a particolored court.
Of course having all this fun can be exhausting. I caught a candid photo that illustrates this.
Day 8, Sunday, January 22, Lunar New Year—Rabbit, Acapulco. Sunny and hot
The city looks big and modern from the ship: lots of tall buildings, highways, etc. Once there you see it’s run-down, clean but shabby.
There were lots of police of various stripes, and military in full gear—serious guns, serious vehicles. When we went to cross the multi-lane road by the dock a woman dressed in uniform accompanied us, waving oncoming traffic to stop. Nevermind we had already gotten to the other side, but it was a nice gesture.
We walked to the cathedral’s plaza just in time to hear its bell sound time for Mass. A few people rushed in, but otherwise the plaza was getting ready for business: pulling tarps off their tables of merchandise(!), cooking food to sell.
Down at the beach people were enjoying the water; one woman was frying up some lovely looking fish.
Day 9, Monday, January 23. Day at sea.
The chef scored again: a couple of beautiful tuna, tuna steaks for dinner.
Bad news: Machu Picchu excursion called off. In fact, not stopping in Peru at all due to the civil unrest there. A Washington Post article said that the inhabitants of Machu Picchu were protesting because all the money that came in was going to big business, and they weren’t seeing any of it. That they’re so mad they pulled up the train tracks to their town. Now to get food they have to walk about two hours to the nearest town.
Day 10, Tuesday, January 24, Puerto Chiapas, our last stop in Mexico. Sunny and hot.
This is strictly a commercial port. Yes, there is a dock for cruise ships and a beautifully manicured park with an impressive visitor center—a huge, pyramid-shape building with a thatched roof!—but it’s like an Arizona golf course, with a razor-sharp line between the grass and the parched earth surrounding it. I do appreciate that they left as many trees standing as possible, even around the commercial port.
Next stop, Guatamala