Mexico Redeemed
Trip Start
Oct 26, 2009
1
10
23
Trip End
Nov 15, 2009
Bahias De Huatuclo, Oaxaca, Mexico
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday November 4, 2009
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Michael's Corner has returned! He was just being lazy and relaxing, but has gone back and added his comments to the last few entries! So be sure to go back and read them!
We awoke late. Well, late for us. The ship was already docked when I went to get my coffee. Michael was not planning to go ashore, and I was only going to walk around a bit. But what I discovered was the most charming Mexican port I have ever seen. A small and quaint bay where we docked, and you could see over the surrounding peninsulas to other bays. The hillsides lined with villas and small hotels. Huatulco has only recently been "upgraded" by the Mexican government to encourage tourism, and now I can see why. I was charmed by it’s laziness, its laid-back appeal, and warm locals. As I walked down the pier into the small port side community, I was greeted by a local band churning out festive music. I walked around the small town, poking my head in and out of the shops, taking in the architecture and enjoying the local fishing boats. It looks like a place I would like to visit for a longer period than just a day. I circled the marina in order to get a better shot of the ship, and then wandered inland a bit and down a busier street that led to La Crucecita, another village just inland.
I was very taken by Huatulco. It was like being on a movie set in some ways, in others it was so typical Mexico. The streets had the requisite half finished buildings next to brightly colored ones, there were collanaides draped in colorful vines, tiled verandas and porticos, it was all very charming, very romantic. And on the hills above were the villas and small hotels, clinging to the hillsides with their pools and patios over looking the bay. I was getting thirsty, and the beach front restaurants looked so inviting. My table sat under a thatched roof, and the beach stretched out before me. I could hear the waves lapping the shore and see the people playing in the warm waters as I sipped my Carona! Utterly charming. On my way back to the ship, I dropped several dollars into the cup of a local musician playing a wooden xylophone. I had been listening to his playing as I had walked around earlier, and seemed to be the only person who tipped him, which alarmed me somewhat. I picked up a couple of tank tops for myself, and then headed back to the ship. I’d already spent several hours wandering around alone, and other than drinking more beer, I did not see much I wanted to explore without traveling to the other bays nearby, an expense and distance I did not want to travel.
Back aboard ship I read up on the sports deck located above the Crows Nest Lounge. No one was up there and I discovered a shower up there as well so I could rinse off when I got too hot. So I spread out my stuff, slathered on my spf15 and continued to read my book. An hour later I was feeling prickly. Was the spf15 not working well? I stepped into the shower, which cooled me off before I sat back on the lounger. The sun was warm, but it did not feel THAT warm. The breeze felt great, especially since I was wet, but that did not last long. I dried quickly, and once again felt prickly. I was aware we are closer to the equator, perhaps I was underestimating the sun. I wandered to the Lido pool and as I was sitting there dangling my feet in its warm waters when some guy mentioned I was looking mighty red. I gave up and went inside to shower and clean up. All I need is a sun burn.
Sail away was marvelous. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy it? Michael had gone to work out, and I headed to the bow of the ship to take photos and to see the other bays I had missed, due to sleeping, as we had sailed in. Clouds were gathering over the mainland, and it continued to darken as we backed our way out of the harbour and into open waters. The coastline is beautiful, reminding me of central California in some ways, rugged, inspiring, dramatic. As we sailed out the swells were large and the ship began to rock. The captain had said to expect some winds this evening, and it seemed they were beginning.
We had our customary cocktail in the Ocean Bar at 7. I had run into Brian and asked him to join us so we started out as three. The shipped rocked and rolled as we sipped our Martini’s. Soon Nancy and Marlene joined us as well. Another round of drinks were had as we watched other passengers “dance” by, trying to cope with the ships movement.
Dinner at 8. Michael and Myself, Paul and Francis, Nancy and Marlene, Max and Donna. Max had brought champagne, so we started the evening off with a toast. Dinner was delightful as usual. A wonderful puff pastry filled with an artichoke and shrimp sauce. It was followed by banana and yogurt chilled soup, and I had the Coho Salmon as my entrée. Keep in mind these wear only my choices for the courses, there are usually 5 or more options for each course. As the evening progressed, the ships movement had become more pronounced. During coffee and desert, there was a large crash as several cabinet doors opened on one of the buffets and items came flying out. No one was hurt, thank God. Donna was not feeling well, and she and Max left shortly afterwards, followed by the rest of us.
Michael and I parted ways. He headed for the casino, me into the Explorers Lounge to hear the string quartet. They are truly amazing. I joined Brian and Joann for a drink, listening to the quartet serenade us. The scene is almost surreal. Imagine sitting there in a classicly designed “salon” wearing a jacket and tie (looking dashing), sipping a nice scotch as the ship rocks and the quartet plays serenely. About half way thorugh their final hour of playing Paul joined us which was pleasant. His wife had gone to bed, and I’d pointed out the lounge earlier to him, telling him of the qaurtet’s talents. It was nice to have him join us! I only wish they did not stop at 11, but then we do need to get some sleep.
I thought a walk around deck to help settle dinner would be a good idea, but when I tried to access the Lower Promenade deck, the doors were locked. So I tried the other side of the ship, they too were locked. When I looked out the window, I could see why. The sea was high and was washing over the deck at times. So I though I would try the upper deck off the Crows Nest Lounge. It was accessible, but I feared for my safety and returned inside. I was to later learn there were gale force 7 winds.
But the rocking of the ship is relaxing, and once Michael returned from gambling with his winnings (from the Wheel of Fortune machine no less!) and his subsequent visit to the show, we were snuggled into bed and rocked to sleep like babies!
MICHAEL’S CORNER: Tonight was an amazing evening of discovery and serendipity. Max and Donna, who are a lovely couple who live 35 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale in Boca—are from New Kensington, PA—which is literally a town 15 minutes from my grandmother’s house in Natrona, PA. We talked about places like Tarentum, Brackenridge, Creighton, West Tarentum, the Pittsburgh Plate Glass plant (where my grandfather worked) and his business West Penn Hats—a millinery. We were reminiscing, and it was again both engaging and convivial—and illustrates what a truly small world we live in. We also talked about religion, and I regaled the table with snippets about the Baha’i Faith—about which many at the table interrogated. Last night, I also won at Wheel of Fortune. I got to spin the wheel three times—and my $20.00 turned into $116.00 in about an hour of playing. Max and Donna bought a glass of Champagne for everyone at the table, which was a gracious gesture—and I imbibed my entire flute. Postprandial entertainment consisted of the Indonesian Crew show, which provides a cultural opportunity for the crew to share cultural traditions of dance, theatre, and music from their country. The seas were rocky this evening—very rocky—and many aboard didn’t know if it was actually the ship or their bacchanalian behavior. A la prochaine.
