Home Again

Hello All, we are home, this is my computer, and we are glad to be back in the "cool" country! It's cool here, 50 degrees or so, and it is WAY COOL to be home! However, we are leaving at noon today for our church convention. On Saturday we will be back and stay put for a while. Our last days on the cruise were great, and made us even more sure we are destined for another cruise. Our final two days we were at sea and then we stopped on Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas for the most wonderful day in bathtub warm waters, colored the most amazing azure blue. We sailed around on a Hobie cat, Jim's highlight of the trip, and went swimming in those beautiful waters. I could have stayed there for three or four days. Our last evening was a fun dinner wth dancing and singing waiters and great food. We went to our last show and then packed our bags for an early departure for home the next morning. It was an uneventful flight back, although any way you look at it, it's a long way from Ft Lauderdale to Seattle and it takes all day! A two hour trip on the airporter shuttle and we were home at some ungodly hour, 11:30 PM in Oak Harbor, but middle of the night hours for us. A good sleep and we are almost recovered. We'll be leaving for our convention soon, but we are so happy to back in sweatshirt weather. I will be posting all about out trip on my blog, as well as pics, so look for an email about that. As we sailed along, we wished all of you had been with us, and I'm already making plans now for the next trip, so start saving your pennies. BTW, our cell phones are on! Peace, Virginia and Jim

The Canal and More

Hello All, we are at sea for two days, on our way to Half Moon Cay, an island owned by Holland America. That is our last stop before we get to Ft Lauderdale. We are almost ready to go home, but the entertainment continues to be good, the food too much and excellent, and the sleep deep. After we were in Nicaraugua, we sailed into the Panama Canal. We just fit in the locks, leaving only 2 feet to spare on the sides of the ship. They were very efficient getting us through, but we had paid for an appointment, and we saw many boats waiting their turn to go in the locks. On the east side of the canal was a huge harbor and ship facility with many cargo carriers and car carriers in port and some waiting outside that looked too big to go through. We decided they may unload, put their cargo on a train and then on other ships on the other side. We went up in the locks to go over the mountain and then down to go into the Caribbean side. Everyone was on deck at 5:45AM to see the Bridge of the Americas as we went under it.

On the other side, we sailed all night and stopped at the San Blas Islands. That was the most memorable place for me. The island people try to maintain their culture and live very simply, but they have given in and allow cruisers to go ashore to buy their crafts and see them in their native huts. The kids pose for photos for $1 and the men and children were diving out of their dugout canoes to catch dollar bills and coins the cruisers were throwing overboard. It made me so unhappy, reminding me of 19th century stories of visitors to Africa and the South Seas. I did improve their economy by buying molas, their textile embroidery pieces. It was very hot, 95 degrees and the humidity right up there with that temp!

Yesterday we were in Santa Marta, Columbia, a city resort and one of the oldest in Columbia. The cathedral is the oldest in Columbia. We went on a city tour and that included a visit to a beach resort hotel with a folkloric dance right down on the beach. That was pleasant with ocean breezes and beautiful dancers right in front of us. We traveled through their city streets on the way to our different destinations, and the population looked poor. The guide did admit they have 22% unemployment. That was obvious because there were lots of poor people along the roads. The cars whiz along, passing donkey driven carts. The guide assured us we were very safe and invited us to come back for a vacation. There were guards/police everywhere, with big guns and looking 14 years old, so we felt safe, I guess! We have one final stop on Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, and I will put on a bathing suit there! Every day I've said I would swim, but the pools have been 92 degrees!!! and that is not very cooling. We plan to rent a small sail boat while on the island, and go swimming in the ocean. This trip has been all we hoped and more. We've loved it, but now I know we have to diet for a year before we can do this again. I have learned a few recipes, too; last night we had cold watermelon soup, with a dollop of lemon sherbet floating on top. Yummy! We'll be sharing that with friends when we get home. Today Janice and I are going to learn how to fold the towels like the stewards put in our rooms every night! Day before yesterday we learned how to fold napkins! Real brain drain, there. Mike and Jim refused to go along on that activity, preferring to hang out on the promenade deck, reading and sleeping. What a life! Much love, Jim and Virginia( Mom and Dad)

And, Guatemala, Too

Hello All, we arrived in Cabo to warm, warm weather. It has been hot (in the 90's) and humid everywhere. In Cabo we tendered ashore and then went on a ride on an America's Cup boat. That was fun, although we didn't win any races; the New Zealand crew was young and entertaining, and Jim got to crank the big winches, the whole purpose of the excursion. Of course, all the regular places were in Cabo, like Hard Rock Cafe, and other famous drinking holes. We went right back to the boat after our boat ride because the heat was terrible and we had a long wait to get on the tenders from the boat. Two of our lifeboat tenders broke down and we had to borrow some from the Zyndam while they were anchored in the harbor. We also saw the Sapphire Princess in the beautiful bay.


Acapulco is huge and overcrowded, but we had a tour to see the chapel and big cross on the top of the hill overlooking the harbor, the fort and its museum of antiquities, and the cliff divers. The divers were amazing! The next day we went to Huatulco, Mexico which was very hot, too, (95 degrees with about 90% humidity!)but we went on a tour into the countryside where we met the locals and they showed us weaving, cooking and all about cactus. We ate a variety of cactus food and tortillas made in a traditional kitchen by the 70 yr old grandma. She was very tiny and a whiz at making tortillas! The people of the state of Oaxaca are gentle and generous. It was a good day. Guatemala was a short stop in Puerto Quetzal where we opted out of a long tour and stayed on ship except for a short visit shoreside to do some shopping in the dock side stalls. They had too much so I only bought a few things for souvenirs. It was overwhelming! Everywhere we go, they have many, many stalls with more trinkets, jewelry and stuff to buy. Today we are in Corinto, Nicaraugua for a very short visit; we leave at 3:30 for a day at sea tomorrow before we enter the canal. Each city is run down compared to American standards and the weather which causes decay. The heat and humidity damage things quickly; the local residents are always polite and smile, although there is always the presence of soldiers with guns, barbed wire areas, bars on windows and even glass on top of walls to prevent people climbing over. We have had reassurances we will be safe on the tours provided by the cruise line, but no guarantees if we go ashore alone.
It is hard to keep track of the days. The food is still interesting, but I am cutting back to ordinary breakfasts instead of Eggs Benedict and Waffles every morning. Believe it or not, oatmeal sounds good!! Jim hasn't slowed down and loves all the pastries. We'll be on diets for the rest of our lives! Everynight when return to our cabin, we have a new towel animal to entertain us. It is such luxury to have all our needs taken care of. We sleep good with the rocking of the boat, and we are meeting interesting people. Our traveling companions, Mike and Janice Connell, are great, keeping us laughing as we tour around. I like this well enough that I am thinking about the next cruise already, but we miss our friends and family. Love to all, Jim and Virginia

On To Mexico

Hello All, we arrived in LA, Long Beach Harbor right across from the Queen Mary, to disembark passengers who got on in Vancouver. About 800 got off and 900 hundred got on! This boat holds 1900+ people. It was fun to watch a big ship tie up to the dock; Jim and I were supervising from the 10th deck!
We can see the Captain and his assistant as they talk on the phones or radios to people on shore, and as they make adjustments to the movement of the ship.



That part is really amazing because the ship is over 900 ft long and it turns faster than our 30 ft boat. The bow and stern thrusters do that very well! The Captain seems to know what he is doing; and we are feeling very confident about the crew. By the way, we had an emercency evacuation/life boat drill right away, making us all sure we could get on lifeboats and escape to safety. The fact that the life boats didn't all work when we were in Cabo made us insecure again!

So far we have had to take off 5 passengers for serious illness, and the last one was last night during dinner when a Coast Guard helicopter flew out to get someone. It's been a topic of discussion on the ship everywhere. The seas are gentle and there is no real wind to speak of, so it isn't sea sickness. We do look like the Senior Citizen group, with lots of white hair, canes, wheelchairs and even a motorized chair on board. Jim and I feel quite young and spry! The Coast Guard has done a really remarkable job. The rescue off Tillamook, Or was watched by the entire shipload of passengers, leaning over the railings as the small cutter came alongside to pick up a heart attack victim. They put him in a basket and slipped him over onto the rocking and pitching boat, and then they helped his companion and a nurse from the ship onboard, too. Those Coast Guard guys really know what they are doing. After we got to the LA dock, two ambulances arrived to take off two more people!


Every day we are at sea we have two Culinary Arts lessons. I've been to two so far and plan to go home and share all the great secrets I learned. The chefs come down (or up) to the display kitchen and show us how to do it, and they bring along samples, so we get treated all the time. The food is truly amazing. The only thing that helps is the portions are small, and that keeps me from getting too full. It doesn't matter if I tell myself I am only having a salad and an entree, I end up with an appetiser, salad, entree and dessert. We've had wonderful lamb, amazing fish, delightful beef steaks, and fresh vegies and salads each night. The treat is the soup. Every night we have a cold soup on the menu. Blueberry and cranberry have been fun. They always have French Onion and they always have steak and baked potatoes, so we can't go hungry. These are all on the menu in the dining room; that doesn't include the buffet lines which stay open day and night and serve a great variety of food. For new cruisers this was overwhelming.

We have met some very interesting and funny people here on the trip. The majority of the passengers are Canadian, and they are fun. We've had dinner with the same two couples from Vancouver on two different nights. They keep us laughing. Last night during the rescue by helicopter, Barb suggested the delay in a message from the Captain about a successful rescue was because they dropped her overboard. Somebody mentioned attaching a rescue signal and light to her so she could be picked up later. Black humor, but funny anyway. It was interesting when the Captain announced we had to turn around againnnnnn. We also learned some Canadians are not that fond of their beautiful geese. Barb says she plays golf and they make an awful mess of the golf course. She couldn't believe they had a Mama Goose with 10 goslings on the course, and all of them lived!! She suggested we might like Canadian goose for Thanksgiving: they'll donate as many as we need!!


Tomorrow we begin speaking Spanish and I get to delight everyone with my knowledge of the four or five words I know and how much I can get out of them. Adios, muchachos! Jim and Virginia

Sailing Away

Hello Everybody! It is our first day

at sea, and we are having a smooth

sail down the coast of Oregon. We left Vancouver at 5PM with horns blowing and cheers as we went under the Lions Gate Bridge. The evening was filled with food, more food and a really funny comedy show. Then, off to bed and a quiet night. I slept like a baby and Jim was unsettled. I think it was the late night coffee! We have two days of cruising before we reach LA, and I plan to set myself up with my knitting. Jim is planning to listen to a book on tape and prowl around the ship. This is like a floating city, so there's lots of prowling you can do. We have an account for internet hook up now, so we can read and send messages daily. Love, Jim and Virginia (Mom and Dad)

P.S. Now that we are home, I can add more information. The first person taken off the ship was in Port Angeles, before we even left the area; someone fell and injured himself. We were eating our first dinner in the dining room, bragging to our table mates that we knew exactly where we were on our way out of the Strait going past Victoria. As we looked and pointed, things started appearing on the wrong side of the boat. We had stopped and were waiting for the Coast Guard to take off the injured person. So much for know it alls! Next stop, Los Angeles, next door to the Queen Mary.

Getting Ready To Go

I am so excited about our cruise through the Panama Canal that I have created a new blog. I hope my family and friends can share the trip with me. We are traveling on the Holland America ship Zuiderdam, (that's Zae-der-dam) leaving out of Vancouver BC on Sept 26. I am already packing, and Jim is waiting until the night before! The photo is our ship. We'll be traveling with Mike and Janice Connell, two experienced cruisers and friends from Oak Harbor. Stay posted for updates. Jim and Virginia