tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85906220310956799792024-02-18T20:48:13.599-05:00Annie's TravelsAnnies Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12446357563313022651noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-62391850583205494012011-01-14T10:14:00.001-05:002011-01-14T10:14:17.472-05:00sorry - here's the linkSorry! Here's link to the pics. please ignore the photo link at the <br>bottom of all my emails, that is no longer relevant. You can also get <br>to the photos from the cruisebaggs link below.<p>xx<p><a href="http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/cruisebaggs">http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/cruisebaggs</a><p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-77697100717659584532011-01-14T09:57:00.001-05:002011-01-14T09:57:11.754-05:00Panama Canal Photos now onlineHello everyone<p>We have been home for over a week already and covered up with snow and work...... oh how I long for those long, lazy warm days on the ship.....<p>After browsing through over 12 000 photographs we took, I have sorted out some for you to see.......<a href="http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/cruisebaggs/">http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/cruisebaggs/</a> to see. There are 10 folders in total.<p>Thanks again. Till next time :)<br>love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-22700064430744358082011-01-03T23:23:00.000-05:002011-01-03T23:24:48.007-05:00n - Back in the USAThe last day on board the Celebrity Constellation was spent quietly and <br>with a combination of happy and sad moments. We met up again with Nena <br>and Hal for a couple of hours in the Reflections lounge which gives a <br>really great view from right up front and on the highest deck of the <br>ship. Lovely. The water was too choppy to spot any marine life, but <br>nevertheless, it was great. The sky was overcast and the ship had her <br>stabilizers out to stop too much listing, The waves were only around 6 <br>foot high, and all of this gave a gentle lurching movement as we headed <br>north along the Baja coastline.<p>The sky was covered with clouds and it was really cold on deck, which <br>meant that almost every seat was filled inside. I took a quick trip out <br>on deck 4 which is much more sheltered than anywhere on the open decks <br>and watched the white water breaking and creating a huge v-shape from <br>the bows. The water churned in a mixture of green and blue with that <br>beautiful white froth rushing by... lovely. Teeth-freezing cold.<p>Walking around the boat, we were still seeing people I swear I have <br>never seen before and many people were hugging total strangers and <br>saying goodbye. It really was nice. We met up again with a good few <br>people that we had spent some time chatting to and had time to say <br>goodbye and exchange details. The mood on board was really good...... <br>two weeks is a long time and I think that everyone was quite happy to <br>hit solid ground again despite it being a wonderful time.<p>The last show on board was great as usual with beautiful singing, <br>dancing and the costumes were just glorious! We sat with our last <br>margarita, crushed ice and salt, enjoying the music and the rocking of <br>the boat too. The waves had picked up, as had the wind, and I have to <br>admit that I was watching those dancers carefully to see if any of them <br>would stumble because of the movement of the ship. They never did.<p>There is lots to say for organized tours and also to break away and and <br>do it on your own. One repercussion of the independent tour is what <br>happened to 5 people in Costa Rica - they got left behind! They took a <br>tour that was not organized through the cruise line and they got back as <br>the ship was literally pushing off the jetty and they could not get on <br>board. Their little bus came shuddering up to the jetty, filled with <br>wide-eyed, horrified passengers, but the ropes had already been <br>tossed..... It was very sad. Another result of the independent tour <br>was our whale sightings in Cabo San Lucas, twice, while doing something <br>unplanned. So there you have it.... its all a calculated risk when on a <br>cruise like this.<p>So what was my favorite? Ok, here goes..... It started with feeling <br>very fortunate in the shadows of all those rich and empty houses of Ft <br>Lauderdale, enjoying the nightlights from the seemingly endless canals <br>around town......... then leaving the pier with the engines of the <br>Constellation humming beneath us, being at sea and watching the lights <br>and land of the USA disappearing into the rain.. Then the wonder of the <br>warm weather, the gentle motion of the boat and seeing no land at all <br>for two whole days.... well, apart from Cuba and Jamaica in the far <br>distance. Arriving and leaving at each port was pure magic and I did <br>not miss one.... Cartegena, Columbia - oh those narrow lanes, beautiful <br>colors and just being somewhere totally new.. and that sloth! that was <br>really special. It was great to be in Costa Rica again and I loved <br>being back in the rain forest and driving through the hills and smelling <br>that wholesome, unpolluted smell. The Panama Canal was truly amazing - <br>what a feat to have built all that and now the expansion. We saw the <br>digging of the new part of the canal, saw the dirt being moved - saw <br>history being created here. It was a very long, very lovely and <br>interesting day filled with something new every minute of the way. <br>Going under The Bridge of the Americas was quite a feeling - I had seen <br>it on Google Earth and now also in person...<p>Hautalco - those beautiful mountains, little villages, the wedding and <br>finding guavas!; Acapulco and those cliff divers was pure magic and the <br>dancers afterwards in their beautiful costumes; San Sebastian holds my <br>heart because of the color of the bouganvillas everywhere up on the high <br>stone walls of the narrow and steep lanes everywhere...the discovery of <br>the real taste of tequila and being able to take such a long drive <br>through the lovely Sierra Madre mountains with such a small and easy <br>going group. Cabo and the whales, the sand between my toes and the <br>freedom from organized tours and soaking up the last warm sunshine we <br>will have for a while - we even got tanned!<p>I thoroughly enjoyed each sunset, especially when we were leaving port <br>at the same time. I would stand for a long time up on deck, just <br>watching the sky lit up by the most glorious shades of orange, red and <br>sometimes pink too. The lights of the cities we left behind would come <br>blinking on as we gently slid away to the horizon. That was probably my <br>very best times on board. Long after everyone headed back indoors <br>leaving the decks totally uncluttered.... it was wonderful to stand up <br>there totally alone with the wind whipping my hair and that smell of the <br>sea watching the trail of foam behind the ship still linking us to where <br>we had been..... pure peace.<p>But then I loved so many other things too - the quiet and beauty in the <br>churches, the odd things at the market places, the stunning views of the <br>countryside, the faces of the people who lived and struggled to live in <br>all the places we visited, that special feeling when strangers stood and <br>waved us goodbye when leaving port........ and the room service that <br>would bring us coffee at any time of day or night! Even "Larry the <br>Lousy Tour Guide" makes me smile - poor man had no idea just how bad a <br>guide he was... maybe some day someone will tell him. But even that <br>trip was not a bad one - we got to see new things and learned new <br>experiences.<p>Something I noticed is that children all do the same sort of things, no <br>matter the culture or country they are brought up in. In some of the <br>very poor areas of Costa Rica, the little girls still clutched dolls and <br>the little boys still made their vroom vroom noises in gruff 3 year old <br>voices. We have seen this in a good many places, and also at the stops <br>we have made along this cruise. And the teens, they all try to be <br>different by doing the same things - baggy clothes, weird hairstyles and <br>'the sullen look' along with piercings in places they should not have <br>piercings... Its a great equalizer.<p>And so the last day at sea, first day of 2011, quietly slid by, filled <br>with packing and goodbyes, last walks and taking last looks around the <br>ship... At around 5am on Sunday morning I woke up feeling a difference <br>in the ships movement - she was quieter with more of a gliding motion, <br>so I quickly dressed and went outside on the balcony to be met by a <br>beautiful sight - San Diego waking up. Her many-colored lights <br>glistening in the early morning moisture, cars lit up small tubes of <br>space as they sped down the roads, the tall buildings stood high and <br>bright in the pitch dark sky and as we slid silently past one long <br>jetty, we were greeted by a good many sea lions honking either their <br>hello's or their irritation at being disturbed. It was really cold out <br>there and soon Frank brought me a jacket - he knows I would freeze <br>before missing a view like this.<p>And all too soon we were docking alongside our final pier. As the ship <br>came to rest, I looked down and knew we were home - there was a stop <br>sign..... in English! It was right at that moment that the cruise was <br>over for me and I was ready to leave. We watched for a while as those <br>heavy blue ropes tied us to the jetty, ensuring no escape and the <br>forklifts started the unloading process of all the trash and luggage. <br>Then it was off to get cleared through immigration. That was held in <br>the Celebrity Theater and no one would be let off the ship until <br>everyone had been through there. Oh boy. They were still searching for <br>two couples at 10.45am! Everyone was really cool and calm but the <br>irritation was growing and we found ourselves glaring at people we <br>thought might be the missing couples. That really was so inconsiderate <br>of them.<p> Finally the captain gave the all clear and they started letting people <br>off, but by now the exit lounge was crammed with people so we just sat <br>quietly in the casino, chatting with people as the next hours went by. <br>I really liked that no one got all huffy, everyone just took it as part <br>of the process, but everyone who had been on this sort of cruise before <br>said that this was not the normal way it happened. Thank goodness for <br>that! And so we quietly left the Constellation behind, quite happy to <br>be on the next leg of our adventure - and even tentatively planning the <br>next cruise.<p>We were shown where to get a taxi and headed to the hotel and then off <br>we went to meet one really special lady. A quick explanation of <br>this...... around 8 or 9 months ago I got an email from a lady that I <br>did not know. She had mistakenly sent it to me instead of to a friend of <br>hers with a very similar email address. It was around the time Tiger <br>Woods' problems were all coming to light... and evidently I was in a bad <br>mood that day because I sent her a really horrible reply! As I hit that <br>send button, I was already sorry...... anyway, she answered me with <br>absolute kindness and gentleness and since then we have been emailing <br>every day. What a lady Esther is! Her birthday was in November and she <br>turned 99 years old, still drives, still volunteers, still goes walking, <br>still lives independently, still golfs and the list goes on and on and on!<p>So when we decided to do a Panama Canal cruise I started looking for one <br>that ended in San Diego. I just had to meet this woman! Most of the <br>Panama Canal cruises end in other places and the timing had to be right <br>because we were also training Steven in the shop. After looking for a <br>good while, I found this cruise that would give us the opportunity to <br>meet Esther. And so after disembarking, dropping our luggage at the <br>hotel, we grabbed a cab and headed her way.<p>Esther, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you and visit with you. <br>That sparkle in your eye and mischievous smile tells more stories than <br>we had time for. You are an inspiration to me and I will always treasure <br>our friendship and also our meeting - thanks SO much!<p>Frank and I were exhausted and we got back to the hotel, ordered a <br>Chinese dinner in and fell asleep at around 6pm San Diego time.. This <br>morning turned out to be another overcast, cool, drizzly day. It <br>promised patches of blue sky and drops mixed in, so we decided to head <br>off the the Midway. This is an aircraft carrier that was built in the <br>1940's and since 2004 she has been here in San Diego where they have <br>done some amazing restorations and turned her into a museum - airplanes <br>up on deck and all. We spent about 2 hours wandering around her innerds <br>of narrow passages and steep stairways as well as her huge expanse of <br>deck, seeing the incredible conditions many men lived in while serving <br>aboard this ship. They hardly had any space at all. The equipment <br>was......well old fashioned. Big old black telephones, telex machines, <br>huge pieces of equipment that these days are housed in the size of a <br>microchip. It was really interesting to see this ship and fascinating <br>to see just how quickly technology has advanced in a relative few short <br>years.<p>The sky had cleared a bit, but the wind had picked up and it was quite <br>chilly. I had not dressed for cold weather so we bought a jacket there <br>and decided to head out and do some walking along the shoreline. Its <br>really a pretty place - and we wandered through Seaport Village which is <br>a gentle and rather attractive collection of shops with all sorts of <br>goodies offered along with plenty places to sit and just enjoy the view, <br>many pieces of artwork all around, strange gnarly trees and restaurants <br>all around. We walked on to the marina that holds a good many fishing <br>boats - these places always deliver interesting smells and screeching <br>seagulls - this time was no different. We bought a cup of coffee and a <br>huge cookie each and sat at a table, expecting a quite rest.... no such <br>luck! First there was one cute little bird, about the size of my palm, <br>perched on the very edge of the table....... but before long I counted <br>30 of them and they were even trying to get inside the paper bag that <br>had another cookie! We spent a good many minutes feeding them and had a <br>good few of them sitting on my hand pecking away happily. It was <br>sweet..... until they started pooping all over the table. We finished <br>our coffee, crumbled a bit more of our cookies on the table for them and <br>left them to it.<p>And then it was time to head back to the hotel again - time to print <br>boarding passes for our full day in the air tomorrow, repack everything <br>safely and rest our tired feet.<p> The time has come, the end of a simply wonderful three weeks. Steven, <br>Laura and Lisa had kept the shop humming along really well - thanks you <br>all, but it is time to head home where we can sit and savor these past <br>weeks quietly. I have not been able to sort, or even look at, most of <br>the near 12 000 photos we have taken but will be posting some of them <br>online for you all to see soon and will send out an email telling you <br>when they are up.<p>The new places we have seen have all added a bit to our souls, to our <br>stories and hopefully they will inspire someone to go and see some place <br>they would love to see.<p>Thanks for all your lovely emails, for encouraging these emails and for <br>coming along with us....... It's been another wonderful adventure! So, <br>till next time............<p>love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-14992158580188730912011-01-01T16:37:00.000-05:002011-01-01T23:44:11.324-05:00m - Cabo San Lucas, Baja MexicoWith the really good feeling of a lovely day at San Sebastian still <br>glowing, we headed off to the show of the night - boy was it good! <br>While we sat and waited for it to start, questions were being flashed up <br>on the screen as in Who wants to be a Millionaire. They were all <br>questions relating the other parts of the worlds and the couple next to <br>us played along - oh boy, we learned a lot! And the show was just <br>fantastic. Its funny how an hour of enjoyment goes by so fast. The <br>costumes and singing were amazing - altogether a really wonderful <br>production.<p>After the show, I thought I would check up on the time to meet up with <br>our tour in Cabo, and discovered that it was only at 9.15am! Whoo hoo - <br>we could sleep in. Not a chance, with sunrise, the cruise-gremlin <br>prised open my eyes and I found myself waking up on the balcony watching <br>Cabo slide into view with the sun slowly lighting it all up for us. <br>Just beautiful. This was another time where the ship did not go onto a <br>jetty and the tenders were used again, but most people were heading off <br>really early for their Cabo experience and we were quite happy to hang <br>back and wait for the later tender.<p>The view from the deck was lovely, we watched at two other cruise ships <br>slid gently into the bay, as the para-sailers littered the bay and as <br>the waters became more and more filled with little boats going in all <br>directions - and then it was our turn. Seals glided through the water <br>everywhere, pelicans flew right up close to our tender to check for any <br>fish and suddenly we were part of all those rushing around little boats.<p>We were taken to meet up with our tour. We had decided on a very short, <br>one hour trip in a semi submersed submarine with glass windows <br>underneath. And there she stood, in all her glory - the Yellow <br>Submarine! There were again only a few of us on this trip which was <br>great again. At first we sat on the top deck and were again bombarded <br>with the birds checking for food and sealions everywhere. We motored <br>past the huge towering cliffs of Land's End of Baja... At this point we <br>were in the Sea of Cortez, with the Pacific Ocean just on the other <br>side. There is a temperature different in the water of around 8 degrees <br>even though the waters meet just a few short beaches further down. One <br>of the gaps in the cliffs, deliver a beach that you can get to both the <br>Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean.. it looked lovely with crystal <br>clear waters.<p>And then it was time to go below deck where we we found what looked like <br>an aquarium. The glass windows are the whole length of this little <br>submarine and many beautiful fish of different shapes, colors and sizes <br>swam lazily past as we hung literally feet away from the rocks and <br>reefs. There were starfish dotted on the rocks everywhere, we saw a big <br>needle fish, puffer fish and some huge groupers. It was really lovely. <br>There were snorklers below us and the bubbles from their tanks added to <br>the scenery. Then off we went, around the point to the Pacific side <br>where we found different type of fish and a few very colorful starfish. <br>I could have stayed down there for hours.... but soon we were told that <br>we could come back up on deck and see what there was to see on the <br>outside. Up on deck again, we were met with a really great close up <br>view of the arch and on the way back we slowly cruised by a few small, <br>beautiful beaches that were almost deserted. But they were really small <br>and the other beaches were not accessible from one to the other.<p>So after our ride in the Yellow Submarine, we wanted to go for a walk <br>around the town. With three cruise ships in town it was chaos. Total <br>chaos and I quickly felt our souls wilting. We spotted a bicycle taxi <br>and took that for a short ride to what we thought was the other side of <br>town, the driver huffing and puffing and offering us a city tour - at <br>around 2 miles and hour. We declined. This end of town held just more <br>tourist shops and about the same amount of people. I was looking for a <br>hat and we must have had 'sucker' written on our foreheads as the one <br>guy wanted $30 for a simple hat......we found one a bit further on for <br>$5. And so we decided that this was not what we wanted to do and I <br>really did want to walk on the beach, so we did an about turn and headed <br>to the water taxi jetty, hopped on one and told him to take us to that <br>beach that goes all the way through to both oceans. Now we were smiling <br>again, shoes off in anticipation and heads back soaking up the sun again.<p>The water taxi guy took us on a tour first, this little boat had a glass <br>bottom too and he took us really close up to some rocks to see some fish <br>- we could see shadows of fish, but looking over the edge of the boat <br>was clearer. What was quite amazing was where we were...... all around <br>us, sometimes only a foot away, were other taxis doing exactly the same <br>and the snorkelers were everywhere! At one point I wanted to lean over <br>the edge and straighten the snorkel of one diver - yes, we were that <br>close! There was also a sailboat of about 30 in length hovering around, <br>small boats and then there came the yellow submarine too. The bubbles <br>from the divers were everywhere around and I wondered just how no one <br>got injured. There is no way at all that I would snorkel around there, <br>not with all those boats around.<p>And so he moved on closer to the arch where there was a little "window <br>to the Pacific" - more light a gun opening in the rocks where the water <br>pounded through and then receded so that we could see all the way <br>through. The sealions honked, the seagulls screamed and the waves <br>crashed and the motors of a good many boats hummed all around us - it <br>was not peaceful at all, but it was soooo good being on the water, <br>rocked around and the smell of the sea is just lovely. Around one more <br>rock and there she was.... we were right under the Arch again. There is <br>a huge cave with its own private beach stretching in front of it and a <br>good many very strange rock structures stretching way up into the blue <br>sky. The waves here was much bigger, this is where the two bodies of <br>water meet - the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez.... uuuup we went and <br>then down went the bows and we could feel the slide begin.. Those water <br>taxi drivers have incredible control over their boats and we could tell <br>that they read the waves very well.<p>Just then the driver looked up, frowned and asked "there are whales, you <br>want to go see?" Well YES! So he turned that little boat around again <br>and we headed right out to sea, the waves increased dramatically and we <br>clung on harder and then there they were - two huge whales breaking <br>water just about 20 feet away from us! Oh wow. There was a guy on a <br>kayak literally 5 foot from them - his face told that he did not expect <br>that. As those whales broke water there was a hush from all the boats <br>and then the clicking began. And the hunt was on again - we followed <br>the whales almost all the way back to the cruise ship out in the bay and <br>we got a few really lovely tail photos as well...... and then it was <br>time to go to our beach for our walk. What a taxi ride - by far the <br>best I have ever had.<p>We hopped off the bouncing bows of this boat and deposited in crystal <br>clear waters and soft white beach sand........ aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! <br>There were a good few people around, but it was not crowded at all. We <br>wandered around the cliffs just enjoying the sand between our toes, the <br>quiet after the madness of all the activity of the other boats and the <br>excitement of the unexpected whale tour. There was a guy sitting on the <br>beach, under a brilliantly multicolored umbrella, selling ice cold beers <br>out of a cooler... yum! And then there was the Pacific ocean crashing <br>into the shore in front of us.... and yes, that water is definitely <br>colder than that on the Cortez side. The beach was quite sloped and we <br>were warned that no swimming was allowed on the Pacific side at all. <br>Well, there were a good many people in the water - families with small <br>kids! With our good and cold beers we walked away from the crowds and <br>found quiet. Only the sound of the ocean slooshing onto the sand and a <br>few gulls whooshing through the air. The sun gently baked a tan into <br>our arms and legs and we found ourselves smiling broadly again. What a <br>good day this had been so far.<p>Too quickly it was time to meet the water taxi again. We had already <br>paid him for a return trip and he said that we should not go with any <br>other boat or they would charge us. So we walked back to the Cortez <br>side of the beach, found a soft rock to sit on and watched the world go <br>by while waiting for our taxi. I found some brightly colored crabs <br>scuttling around the rocks and some interesting barnacles and stuff on <br>the rocks. I loved watching the kids as they ran to the water, only to <br>head back the same way, screaming enthusiastically, as the waves chased <br>them away. The timing was great, our taxi, the New York 1, arrived <br>right as our beers ran out. On we hopped..... well, it was not as easy <br>as that at all. The boat was hopping and dancing in the waves crashing <br>on the beach and we each had our camera's with us too. So they were <br>handed to a guy waiting to help (and get a tip), then we clutched the <br>handrail and quickly rolled ourselves up on board. Interesting and <br>definitely not elegant at all. But we were on. And we still had about <br>an hour to get to the tender to take us back to the Constellation - so <br>all was good.<p>The other people on the taxi were also on vacation we we went along <br>while they did the tour of the sea lions, pelicans, arch and window to <br>the Pacific. And then - there were some more whales! He asked us if <br>we wanted to be taken back first or if he could head out to the whales. <br>Whales, of course! The ship will wait - we hope. Immediately we could <br>see that the waters we much rougher than before and it was not long <br>before we were all sprayed with ice cold sea water. Fortunately neither <br>Gypsy or Nomad suffered a dousing and they both still work great. We <br>headed out to the whales and a good many other little boats that were <br>also trying to catch sight of these huge animals. One moment we had a <br>clear view of everything around, and the next we were way down in the <br>bottom of a dip between waves, so deep that I was beginning to wonder at <br>the idea. But it was great, we saw the whales again, followed them for <br>a bit and then headed off to back to dock. It was really good to see <br>the excitement of the others on the boat - the kids were absolutely in <br>awe, their huge eyes taking it all in with a nervous grin on their faces <br>at the same time. Lovely.<p>We made it to the tender in time, well in time it seems as people were <br>still being rounded up and ferried on boat an hour later. We went up on <br>deck to get our last looks at it all, the sun had started its silver <br>road across the waters and most of the water taxis had stopped for the <br>night. It was a lovely time of a day, when everything was wonderful, <br>the memories are great, the slow wind down is good and gentle...... and <br>the views still lovely. We watched the last of the para-sailors, the <br>last of the jet ski's whizzing around at high speed and a good few <br>sailboats, sails stretched tight, heading home. And then the wind <br>picked up, driving us all inside again. A few of us were hangers on and <br>tried to stay out there, but soon we had to give up too.<p>And it was New Years Eve....... time to get ready to see the new year <br>in. As I said in the other email, we were in for two celebrations due <br>to a time change.....Frank and I also wanted to do something different, <br>so we got a bit dolled up and headed off to get some official photos <br>taken! (Ok, breathe, U3!) We had about three taken, all posed and <br>beautifully smiled for and they came out really nicely, we think. After <br>dinner we went to the Reflections Lounge which is right at the top in <br>the pointy end of the boat - there they played tunes of the Beatles <br>while we enjoyed a strawberry dachairy (sp?) And then off we went to <br>find one of the other celebrations going on..... Now remember, this was <br>already 1am in Chattanooga! And yes, Frank was still awake. (Breathe <br>U3) He pretty much was the driving force behind us staying up. I was <br>really really tired, you know, like when even your eyeballs feel heavy. <br>So to stay awake we wandered around between the different sites on the <br>boat - all filled with people enjoying their evening and appearing to be <br>wide awake. At around 11.30pm (1.30am Chatt time) we joined the throngs <br>at the main atrium and the main stairway. There they had balloons and <br>ice carvings of the year 2011 ready to unveil on the top of the steps. <br>And so the countdown began. Frank's eyes were still bright and awake <br>and I was seriously fading. And then it was time - along with the final <br>minute's countdown came a glass of champagne, the balloons fell, the ice <br>sculpture was unveiled and ........... there it was. A whole new, <br>uncluttered, clean new year to make into whatever we could. Everyone <br>wished everyone around, it was a really good vibe<p>Right afterwards was the time change which would take us back to <br>11.15pm, 2010, but that was enough for us both. We had raised a glass <br>to everyone at home at their New Year, to others around the world, seen <br>the new year in on the boat time and we were happy that we had it all <br>covered. So off to the cabin we headed, along with many others also <br>doing the same thing, interestingly enough. By the time we were ready <br>to close our eyes to end the day and the year, it was, once again, the <br>new year. So we wished each other a very tired, quiet and happy 'Happy <br>New Year' and went to sleep.<p>What a wonderful day. And a lovely way to end a year that has been <br>really great to us.<p>Happy New Year to you all..... I hope that 2011 brings you a good <br>balance in your life; that you are given a good many happy surprises, <br>and that you give and receive lots and lots of love, light and laughter.<p>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-79086493028477703762011-01-01T14:54:00.000-05:002011-01-01T23:40:43.976-05:00l - Puerto Vallarta, MexicoAnd so as the glistening lights of Acapulco receded and the pink in the <br>sky faded, so did we. Off we went to the cabin for a snooze till the <br>show of the evening. This time it was a magic/comedy show with a guy <br>that is very good....... but maybe we were just not in the mood the give <br>it all the credit the show deserved. It was fun, but the walk around <br>the very very windy deck and the glass of wine afterwards was better.<p>The next day was a full day at sea and it slid gently by with a few <br>dolphin, a good many birds and the distant sight of Mexico off our <br>Starboard side all day long. We people watched, snoozed, enjoyed the <br>balcony, walked around and watched a pool volleyball competition between <br>the passengers and the crew. The crew members won again and they played <br>in their uniform - yup, jumped into the water fully decked out. The <br>atmosphere on board was really good.<p>We met up with Nena and Hal for a chat and some whale watching - the <br>chat was great and we ended up having lunch together, but the whale <br>watching was a bust. Ah well. Another lovely sunset and our first <br>night again with the sliding door closed - its getting chilly as we head <br>north.<p>This morning, the wake up call came waaaay too early! 5.30am. We had <br>to meet in the Theater at 7.15am today because we had to be tendered to <br>the shore. There were three other cruise ships due in the port today <br>and we were just going to hang out at anchor in the bay. The tender <br>boats are the life rafts too and it was interesting to imagine being at <br>sea in rough weather in one of those things.........and if they were <br>filled with panicked people, that would really be something else. Two <br>of the other cruise ships in port today were of the Holland America Line <br>and I think the other was Spirit of the Sea - Carnival, I think. They <br>filled the sky. We watched one of them come in right at sunrise this <br>morning - it looked beautiful all lit up against the dark water and <br>lightening sky. Yup - got photos.<p>Anyway - we sat on the top floor of the tender boat - hmmm, that does <br>not sound right...... but we did, and it was lovely, and cold and windy <br>and I would not have gone downstairs for anything :) A short trip to <br>the shore and we found our tour group - a total of 7 of us! Glorious. <br>So off we went in an SUV, through the town and into the SIerra Madre <br>Mountains - up and up and up..... Around tiny little roads that <br>sometimes fell away into the abyss below, being handed the most <br>beautiful views of mountains all layered just like the Smokey Mountains <br>in Tennessee..... It has a blue/gray haze and looked as if it belonged <br>in a fairytale. The shades of green covered the whole range, from <br>light, almost dusty green, to a lush deep rich color that almost lit <br>up. We saw many birds around, a few unfortunate racoons in the road, <br>but the view was the best!<p>Every now and again we would pass a little village and seeing how they <br>live here makes me really grateful for everything I have. Actually, it <br>makes me feel spoiled and ...well, very spoiled. I know life is really <br>very tough for most of these people, and everything is covered in a <br>thick layer of dust and there is no grass for the kids to play on and no <br>shiny bright plastic toys in the yards either - but they all have a <br>smile and a wave for us as we drive by. Maybe its a 'see you in the <br>USA' wave, but still, the friendliness in these poorer countries far <br>outdoes anything back in the States.<p>After about an hour traveling, we stopped at a Tequila processing <br>place. I thought it would be a big place, but its small, really small <br>and very interesting. As they saw us arriving, they quickly put out all <br>the goodies to show us and I am sure we saw a few still wiping the sleep <br>out of their eyes.... but I could not be too certain of that - I was <br>still doing just that! We were given the walk through on the process of <br>making tequila. One Agave plant will produce about 3 liters of tequila <br>- pure, 100% tequila. It takes the plant 8 years to reach maturity and <br>after it has been harvested, the land then stands for two years free of <br>anything so that it can recover.... only then is the new plant put in <br>and another eight year cycle begins.<p>The equipment used here is........ I want to say old, but that implies <br>dirty or not good and this is not true. Its made of solid wood and <br>brass fittings and the finished product drips into a glass jar standing <br>on a little wooden bench just 6 inches off the floor. Everything is <br>done by hand and there is no electricity there at all. And so we came <br>to the tasting part of this demonstration.<p>Now tequila has never been something I really enjoyed drinking. I dont <br>like the taste and don't like the smell, so I stood there a little <br>reticent when we were told that we were going to be taught the right way <br>to drink 100% pure tequila.. 100% alcohol too! We were each given a <br>small shot glass with about a quarter inch of this tequila in it and the <br>process of correct drinking was explained. Toss it all in your mouth <br>and zip your lips. Drink it down at your own pace - close mouthed <br>still. Then breath in sloooooowly though your nose - hooolllld <br>it........ and breathe out sloooowly through your nose and enjoy the <br>experience. Eyes closed.<p>And so we did - me of course peeking to see what the others were <br>doing..... the owner of the distillery was the one demonstrating and he <br>was really enjoying it all - he seemed to go into a trance as he drank <br>his part. What an experience! It was simply wonderful - the taste, the <br>smell of that tequila, the feel in my chest and throat was gentle and <br>vibrant all at the same time. All our eyes came open in mute (mouths <br>zipped!) surprise... It was really a great experience. By the 5th <br>tasting, we all had the correct process down pat and were slightly <br>swaying and much friendlier :) And it was only 9.30am! Our lips <br>started tingling too by now and it was generally agreed that we had <br>better not taste anymore or the tour would end right there and we would <br>go no further :)<p>We tasted about 6 different types of tequila as well as the 100% pure <br>agave syrup and bought two bottles to take home and some syrup too. Got <br>some lessons to give when we get back home! :) Party time anyone?<p>And on we went - higher and higher into the mountains. Although they <br>are beautiful, I just know that my liking of them could change in a <br>heartbeat if I were left to find my own way, no roads, in the middle of <br>nowhere. They are not friendly mountains at all and go on forever in <br>all directions. I would really hate being lost up there. Finally we <br>came to a cobblestone road that led to San Sebastian - the mining <br>village we were visiting for the day. By now we were all happily <br>chatting away in the SUV, all knew each others names and much laughter <br>was happening. The road to this point was really lousy - so maybe this <br>is why they do the tequila stop first!<p>San Sebastian is really something else... very narrow roads of <br>cobblestones that were originally laid in the 1800's.... high stone <br>walls with beautiful thick wooden doors, high windows with potted <br>flowers hanging down everywhere. Bouganvilla plants of all colors <br>leaning over the tops of the high stone walls narrow lanes leading in <br>every possible direction - all filled with the same splashes of color. <br>The old church was again in the center square of the town - just lovely <br>inside. The decorations here are all hand made. In the church were <br>huge bells and balls and baskets and other decorations - all made from <br>grasses and reeds. The nativity scene was also all done with natural <br>things and it made us think. Here is a village of people that has so <br>little and they spend a lot of time making stuff - they seem so grateful <br>for what they have, thankful and willing to put in the effort to make <br>beautiful things out of virtually nothing. Its very humbling to see <br>this life and to think of just how much we have, how relatively easy we <br>have it all.<p>There were so many beautiful doors in San Sebastian that I filled Gypsy <br>up - she did not complain at all. I think I must put together a series <br>on old doors and their hardware. I was not the only one with a door <br>craze. One of the other ladies, Margie, also got a gleam in her eye <br>when yet another old, battered and bruised door was spied. We walked <br>around the town just soaking the clean air in and the doors and all too, <br>for about an hour. The cobblestone roads made one have to go slowly and <br>watch carefully where we walked.<p>Now this all sounds quaint and I can almost hear the clip clop of donkey <br>hooves on those shiny cobblestones............ but no! Not a donkey in <br>sight at all. There were cars of all shapes and sizes - mostly new and <br>well looked after cars. This was a huge surprise to me and the contrast <br>was stark. We were treated to a very tasty lunch in a very peaceful <br>restaurant. We all agreed that we wanted to sit outside in the <br>sunshine...... it was not very hot today and the other couples were from <br>Canada and UK and needed all the sunshine they could soak up before next <br>week.<p>And then, sadly, it was time to head back down to the ship. It was a <br>good 90 minute drive back down the mountain. All of us on this tour <br>agreed that it was just lovely, and the most relaxed, less pushed tour <br>of the whole trip. We had time to wander around and in a village where <br>there were virtually no other tourists and not a single tourist shop to <br>see either! Oh wait - we did stop at a coffee place too and were given <br>a sample of the local coffee. It was not bad and I think I was not <br>supposed to keep the little earthenware cup! Only after leaving there <br>did I notice that I was the only one still to have one clutched in my <br>hand - well, it was small and .......... now I have a very small, very <br>pretty little coffee cup as well. We also found some guava wrap <br>there...... not quite sure how to describe it, but its guava rolled into <br>a thing that looks a bit like a swiss roll - but tastes much better <br>'cause it's guava :) And some coated peanuts of sorts - very good too.<p>Anyway - down the mountain we went, back through town and straight to <br>the port. We were about 10 minutes late so the driver did not play <br>around at all - we zooted at a fair clip all the way. Only to find a <br>huuuuge delay in the boarding of the boat. The tender boats were not <br>handling the load and people from four different cruise ships were <br>milling around the square. But there was so much to see while snaking <br>along that line so it really was not a problem at all. The ship left a <br>good 45 minutes later than planned and was still pulling the last of the <br>little boats up on deck as we pulled up anchor, turned around and headed <br>out to sea again.<p>I just have to stand on deck when we do this.... staying on our balcony <br>is just not enough for me - I think I am a 'view glutton'.... just gotta <br>try to see it all. So up we went and watched Puerto Vallarta slowly <br>fade into the distance. The sunset was spectacular, but quickly <br>forgotten when some whales were spotted. One breached right in front of <br>the ship and then breached again four times down the length of the ship, <br>giving everyone a beautiful sunset show.<p>After dinner we headed of to the "Music of the World" show, put on by <br>the Celebrity Cast. Wow - that was spectacular. I also finally found <br>the perfect setting on Gypsy and took some really great photos from the <br>very back row of the theater!<p>Right now we are heading to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, which is right on the <br>bottom end of that thin strip of land right below California. We aer <br>just south of Mazatlan right now in the open water and the waves are <br>about 5 feet high, giving us some gentle rolling motions... We drove <br>through Cabo a couple of years ago and its going to be good to spend a <br>day there tomorrow. We have a glass boat tour along a reef and then the <br>rest of the day free to walk the beach. We are hoping that the tide is <br>out and that we can walk to the arches at the end of the peninsula.<p>Its definitely getting cooler - fast. I have stopped my nightly walks <br>up on deck - its just way too windy and the other night I was almost <br>blown off my feet up there... and I was on deck all alone too. Not a <br>nice feeling at all. Sadly my evening quiet time on our balcony is also <br>over, it seems. The wind whips the spray and the chill and damp in the <br>air does not make for a good relaxing late night sit. It was fantastic <br>while it lasted and I am not complaining. It's probably good that we <br>are slowly being led back into reality - the cold reality of winter back <br>home. But not yet - Cabo waits!<p>Oh yes! Happy New Year to all of you! I hope this will be your best <br>year yet, only to be outdone by the many other years still to come.<p>Seeing as we are still traveling west, we get a time change and it will <br>happen on New Years Eve - and that means we get to celebrate twice - one <br>hour apart. So its going to be a late night tomorrow night - but the <br>boat is fully stocked up with balloons and streamers all ready to party.<p>Love and light<br>Annie<p><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-35939686493788242852010-12-29T22:29:00.000-05:002010-12-29T22:30:51.387-05:00k - Acapulco and the Cliff DiversLast night we were both very tired and I think I had the earliest night <br>yet - lights out by 10.30pm! Maybe it had something to do with the <br>margarita's ? It was probably a combination of those, the rocking night <br>before and a long day in Hautalco....... And so we woke up a tad more <br>rested this morning.... early, but rested. I just love being up on the <br>top deck when coming into port - its a whole adventure in of itself. So <br>with the sun rising and Acapulco waking up, we eased into the bay - and <br>then turned around and went in backwards! We glided past some <br>incredible scenery, watching the night lights slowly flickering out as <br>the sun lit the sky and Acapulco showed us her colors. The hills are <br>filled with houses all painted different colors, on the left of the bay <br>are the 'normal' size housing and on the right the hills were splattered <br>with huge, sprawling homes of the rich and famous. On this side, right <br>at the top of the tallest hill, stands a huge cross - towering way about <br>everything - very impressive. I much preferred the older part. And <br>yes, we came in backwards. As the ropes landed on the jetty, the <br>traffic was already picking up and we could hear the city starting to <br>roar. And it did all day long.<p>We headed off the boat to find our tour guide - and ended up on a mini <br>bus with only five of us. One guy was from Croatia, but lived in <br>California but did not speak English well at all - he smiled a lot. The <br>other couple had done this cruise before, done Acapulco before and were <br>not impressed by anything at all. They had words with the tour guide <br>really early on which really did not help matters. From the start we <br>all felt that the guide was.......well, otherwise occupied. He was slow <br>and sort of rude and short and so on...but there was no need to be rude <br>to him.<p>Anyway - first we headed to the Pacific side to the Flamingo Hotel where <br>some famous films were made, Elvis and Rambo and ...... well, I bet you <br>all know better than I do who made their movies there - Tarzan maybe? <br>Evidently I was not listening too well, but then the "rich and famous" <br>never really impressed me at all. But that hotel was all pink, with <br>coconut hulls hanging everywhere, the most incredible views of the ocean <br>and the cliffs........ no wonder it was a popular place.<p>And then, after being left there for too long by the guide, which <br>further irritated the 'been there done that' couple, and totally put the <br>Croatian into a flap, we left there and headed to the shopping part of <br>the tour - all jewelry that none of us were interested in, but the guide <br>had to take us there for a while. Unfortunately the guide left us there <br>too long again which did not help the vibe at all. Soon after we all <br>mutinously stood together at the mini bus, we headed to the other side <br>of town - right to that cross that is way up on the hill towering over <br>the rich and famous people and places. But first we passed the beaches <br>- all along the main drag where everyone and their brothers went to <br>visit, seeing as it is one of the busiest weeks in Acapulco! The <br>traffic is incredible....... no, replace that word with 'ridiculous'. I <br>would never drive here. It's not quite as bad as Ecuador, but still <br>totally crazy. Cars squeak through openings that I did not think a <br>bicycle could get through. The beaches looked good but were thickly <br>packed even by 9.30am. For a good many miles there are no buildings <br>along the beach - it is free to everyone and no building is allowed <br>along this stretch - and then the hotels start and the ocean is lost to <br>view apart from little slits between buildings.<p>And so up we went, up yet another steep road with incredible views. The <br>guide, Larry, kept on talking and asking questions and no one answered <br>and I was in the front seat - or was that 'the hot seat'. I just could <br>not let his questions go unanswered, or sit silently as he tried to get <br>the group moving, and there we a good few times when it seemed easier to <br>walk up that road than to keep the conversation going in that van. But <br>the views were amazing - there is a tall ship in port too - she is sleek <br>and white and looked stunning this evening with all her lights lit up <br>all the way up those masts. The houses on this end of town seem to be <br>built with money itself. One guy build a house, sold it a short while <br>later...... the guy that bought it loved the house so much that he had <br>it demolished - only to rebuild it exactly as it was - just so that he <br>could say he built his own dream house. Now THAT should be an illegal <br>waste of money! This area is being built as the "diamond class' of <br>everything - this is way above the 5 star class hotel. One place here <br>is famous for honeymooners and each room has its own indoor swimming <br>pool, as well as an outside one.<p>Anyway - the place where we were headed to is called the Chapel of Peace <br>and it consists of that huge cross thats on the top of the hill and a <br>Chapel and masauleum - dont know how to spell that...... It was <br>privately owned by the parents of two boys who died at the same time in <br>some or other of the wars of the country. They vowed to build something <br>in honor of their sons - and they did. The view from there is beautiful <br>and it really is beautifully peaceful and quiet. The Chapel is stark in <br>its plain-ness, but its soothing, with a very light and airy feel - <br>along with ......well, everyone went quiet as they walked in there. And <br>there is a statue of two hands - the boys' hands - a huge statue.<p>After that, we headed back down again to the Fuerto de San Diego - a <br>fortress that was right opposite where the ship lay waiting for us. By <br>now the 'btdt' couple was almost mutinous and the Croatian disappeared <br>at every turn, absolutely irritating the peace out of poor Larry who was <br>by now at his wits end. We had an afternoon tour to meet up with and <br>Larry kept on saying that 'all going well, we will make it in time'. <br>Well, that sort of played on Frank and my nerves too, and we were all <br>really ready to leave the fort and get back . And Larry made that <br>happen too. Frankly, the tour was not the best by a long way, but I <br>really felt sorry for Larry when, at the very end and after the other <br>three had stalked off, he asked us if we thought he did an ok job <br>because he felt a 'vibe from de odder peeple". Poor man - we just did <br>not have the heart to tell him that we hoped he had better days, or at <br>least a night job......so we told him that he was fine, gave him a tip, <br>told him not to worry about the others and trotted off to meet the other <br>tour.<p>I thought I had booked the boat ride to see the cliff divers. Not. I <br>looked at the tickets and read "City tour and Cliff Divers". Oh heck oh <br>heck - another city tour?? But after being greeted by the new guide we <br>hopped on the much bigger bus and headed out again - straight back to <br>the shop we were nearly held a mutiny on poor Larry.... Sigh. But this <br>time we headed to the Cliff Divers first.<p>Oh boy were they just amazing. There you have cliffs of about 160 foot <br>tall with these young men standing on the sides and top getting ready to <br>dive off. They only have a narrow strip of water to dive into and when <br>they start their dive they cannot even see the water - they have to push <br>off hard from where they stand to hit the water - but not too hard or <br>they will hit the other cliff on the other side! I am going to try to <br>put a photo in with this email to show you what I mean. Anyway, as we <br>found a place to get the best view, these young men, about eight of <br>them, scrambled up and down the cliff, stretched, waved and got <br>themselves ready for yet another show. On the very top of where they <br>dive from are two little places for them to pray before taking the <br>leap... and they all use those tiny chapels.<p>And then it was time for them to jump........... oh boy. They pray <br>first, then go to the dive spot, stretch again, wave and then turn and <br>look at the water, watching the waves, timing the waves... They have to <br>jump exactly at the right time when the water is at its deepest of <br>around 24 foot. Not much at all. Then up go the arms, head down and <br>the slow and graceful arc starts. All of us watching held our breath as <br>they jump, one by one, hitting the water and then clamoring back up that <br>wall. 5 jumped from about 120 feet up the cliff face, then two jumped <br>together, sailing down gracefully together and the last one jumped from <br>the top - a height of around 150 foot up...... What an incredible jump <br>that was - it went on forever and was over in just a couple of seconds. <br>So beautiful. So insane.<p>These guys train from around 13 years old and the divers of today were <br>all between 18 and 25 years old. Right after watching the cliff divers, <br>there was a show of some dancers in some very beautiful costumes. I <br>stood up on a balcony and got some really good photos of them and their <br>shadows...... They were all very beautiful, very lithe and very fit - <br>the guys very handsome and well built and the ladies just perfect. But <br>my mind was still on the cliff divers....... and then we got to meet <br>them too - there they stood, still dripping wet from another successful <br>jump. They are so young! Quite amazing.....but I guess those are the <br>years to do something as crazy as this. They have become so successful <br>that they apparently have unionized! They get paid ok, after about 5 <br>years of training, but really need any tips, so we gladly obliged.<p>Then off to see the rest of the city - again. But this guide was fun <br>and funny and we did see a good many other things too..... We stopped at <br>view points that we were not able to earlier in the day and although <br>much of the time after the cliff divers was spend on the bus with only <br>short breaks - our feet were happy and we really enjoyed it. We had met <br>up with another couple we have seen many times on board - Nina and Hal. <br>She clicks away just about like I do and just 'gets' why i take photos <br>of crazy things. Both Hal and Frank just quietly shook their heads as <br>we got chatting. We were going to meet up tonight, but that did not work <br>out - maybe sometime tomorrow :)<p>And so we got back to the ship about an hour before sailing time. We <br>were really hungry as we had missed lunch because of the combination of <br>tours - only snacking on guavas and jerky/biltong. As good as they both <br>were, it was just not enough...... so we hustled ourselves on board, <br>grabbed a beer and headed up to eat and then to stand on deck as we left <br>port - again at sunset. This time we had a really big crowd of wavers <br>and for some reason it choked me up just watching those flashes going <br>off, the enthusiasm of the waving, listening to the yelling and the <br>goodbye's - just lovely. Some smaller boats came closer to yell and <br>wave goodbye and for a good long while after we were off the jetty, we <br>could see camera flashes popping. The lights of Acapulco glistened like <br>gems almost all around us as we headed out to sea - really pretty.<p>Its late again now, and its been a really good day. I can hear that <br>lovely bow wave crashing and the ship has almost a wobble in it tonight <br>- not quite a shudder like the other night, but getting closer it <br>seems. Time to close today..... Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have a day at <br>sea - lovely time to rest up. The next stop is Puerto Vallarta where we <br>go way up into the mountains again to the mining town of San <br>Sebastian... This is a town that was originally settled in 1605 and <br>still has the original cobbled streets...... more about it later. This <br>chapter has become a book all in itself...... till next time<p>Love and light<br>AnnieAnnie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-21301294397147262782010-12-29T18:47:00.000-05:002010-12-29T19:02:16.222-05:00Dolphins - small photo<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP_Ze6FMAC0OC3QYD9MrUxJOal4ruM2iDgcV-G2r5Z7O-_nHx0-pKNciJsqs-Kt3ctobit_X7_IKYdp-YHO0XVTOU_nFkVIdWAFQhLMyKZNrl655evP2in_Vx6WscVy-eMNP5yn9UIbXO/s1600/DOLPHINS+%2528Small%2529-736223.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP_Ze6FMAC0OC3QYD9MrUxJOal4ruM2iDgcV-G2r5Z7O-_nHx0-pKNciJsqs-Kt3ctobit_X7_IKYdp-YHO0XVTOU_nFkVIdWAFQhLMyKZNrl655evP2in_Vx6WscVy-eMNP5yn9UIbXO/s400/DOLPHINS+%2528Small%2529-736223.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556258902146212610" /></a></p>And here is one of those dolphins the other day...... I have to make <br>them small in order to send, but will have the bigger photos online soon <br>after we get home again<br>xAnnie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-56558198671973379092010-12-29T18:19:00.000-05:002010-12-29T18:59:21.967-05:00Cliff diver Photo<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtO5vkqK_B9dA_G-b49epzPBhqC3zHN4y8ErFezymTH0I75EC42Qnvdkm0MAqsDBmm5CQVCY-rfebdrBHCP-3nnKPkAs1pN9Tdf9lcujJvYDLuwuTAfqXIBxk13vjIDqg6CpZBWGXeTTM/s1600/Cliff+Diver-761968.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtO5vkqK_B9dA_G-b49epzPBhqC3zHN4y8ErFezymTH0I75EC42Qnvdkm0MAqsDBmm5CQVCY-rfebdrBHCP-3nnKPkAs1pN9Tdf9lcujJvYDLuwuTAfqXIBxk13vjIDqg6CpZBWGXeTTM/s400/Cliff+Diver-761968.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556258153227748562" /></a></p>Hi - here is a one photograph of a Cliff Diver.... Here he has just <br>pushed off from the cliff and is about to head down..<br>xAnnie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-32837801905678786522010-12-29T11:17:00.000-05:002010-12-29T11:18:01.763-05:00k - Acapulco and the Cliff divers.Last night we were both very tired and I think I had the earliest night <br>yet - lights out by 10.30pm! Maybe it had something to do with the <br>margarita's ? It was probably a combination of those, the rocking night <br>before and a long day in Hautalco....... And so we woke up a tad more <br>rested this morning.... early, but rested. I just love being up on the <br>top deck when coming into port - its a whole adventure in of itself. So <br>with the sun rising and Acapulco waking up, we eased into the bay - and <br>then turned around and went in backwards! We glided past some <br>incredible scenery, watching the night lights slowly flickering out as <br>the sun lit the sky and Acapulco showed us her colors. The hills are <br>filled with houses all painted different colors, on the left of the bay <br>are the 'normal' size housing and on the right the hills were splattered <br>with huge, sprawling homes of the rich and famous. On this side, right <br>at the top of the tallest hill, stands a huge cross - towering way about <br>everything - very impressive. I much preferred the older part. And <br>yes, we came in backwards. As the ropes landed on the jetty, the <br>traffic was already picking up and we could hear the city starting to <br>roar. And it did all day long.<p>We headed off the boat to find our tour guide - and ended up on a mini <br>bus with only five of us. One guy was from Croatia, but lived in <br>California but did not speak English well at all - he smiled a lot. The <br>other couple had done this cruise before, done Acapulco before and were <br>not impressed by anything at all. They had words with the tour guide <br>really early on which really did not help matters. From the start we <br>all felt that the guide was.......well, otherwise occupied. He was slow <br>and sort of rude and short and so on...but there was no need to be rude <br>to him.<p>Anyway - first we headed to the Pacific side to the Flamingo Hotel where <br>some famous films were made, Elvis and Rambo and ...... well, I bet you <br>all know better than I do who made their movies there - Tarzan maybe? <br>Evidently I was not listening too well, but then the "rich and famous" <br>never really impressed me at all. But that hotel was all pink, with <br>coconut hulls hanging everywhere, the most incredible views of the ocean <br>and the cliffs........ no wonder it was a popular place.<p>And then, after being left there for too long by the guide, which <br>further irritated the 'been there done that' couple, and totally put the <br>Croatian into a flap, we left there and headed to the shopping part of <br>the tour - all jewelry that none of us were interested in, but the guide <br>had to take us there for a while. Unfortunately the guide left us there <br>too long again which did not help the vibe at all. Soon after we all <br>mutinously stood together at the mini bus, we headed to the other side <br>of town - right to that cross that is way up on the hill towering over <br>the rich and famous people and places. But first we passed the beaches <br>- all along the main drag where everyone and their brothers went to <br>visit, seeing as it is one of the busiest weeks in Acapulco! The <br>traffic is incredible....... no, replace that word with 'ridiculous'. I <br>would never drive here. It's not quite as bad as Ecuador, but still <br>totally crazy. Cars squeak through openings that I did not think a <br>bicycle could get through. The beaches looked good but were thickly <br>packed even by 9.30am. For a good many miles there are no buildings <br>along the beach - it is free to everyone and no building is allowed <br>along this stretch - and then the hotels start and the ocean is lost to <br>view apart from little slits between buildings.<p>And so up we went, up yet another steep road with incredible views. The <br>guide, Larry, kept on talking and asking questions and no one answered <br>and I was in the front seat - or was that 'the hot seat'. I just could <br>not let his questions go unanswered, or sit silently as he tried to get <br>the group moving, and there we a good few times when it seemed easier to <br>walk up that road than to keep the conversation going in that van. But <br>the views were amazing - there is a tall ship in port too - she is sleek <br>and white and looked stunning this evening with all her lights lit up <br>all the way up those masts. The houses on this end of town seem to be <br>built with money itself. One guy build a house, sold it a short while <br>later...... the guy that bought it loved the house so much that he had <br>it demolished - only to rebuild it exactly as it was - just so that he <br>could say he built his own dream house. Now THAT should be an illegal <br>waste of money! This area is being built as the "diamond class' of <br>everything - this is way above the 5 star class hotel. One place here <br>is famous for honeymooners and each room has its own indoor swimming <br>pool, as well as an outside one.<p>Anyway - the place where we were headed to is called the Chapel of Peace <br>and it consists of that huge cross thats on the top of the hill and a <br>Chapel and masauleum - dont know how to spell that...... It was <br>privately owned by the parents of two boys who died at the same time in <br>some or other of the wars of the country. They vowed to build something <br>in honor of their sons - and they did. The view from there is beautiful <br>and it really is beautifully peaceful and quiet. The Chapel is stark in <br>its plain-ness, but its soothing, with a very light and airy feel - <br>along with ......well, everyone went quiet as they walked in there. And <br>there is a statue of two hands - the boys' hands - a huge statue.<p>After that, we headed back down again to the Fuerto de San Diego - a <br>fortress that was right opposite where the ship lay waiting for us. By <br>now the 'btdt' couple was almost mutinous and the Croatian disappeared <br>at every turn, absolutely irritating the peace out of poor Larry who was <br>by now at his wits end. We had an afternoon tour to meet up with and <br>Larry kept on saying that 'all going well, we will make it in time'. <br>Well, that sort of played on Frank and my nerves too, and we were all <br>really ready to leave the fort and get back . And Larry made that <br>happen too. Frankly, the tour was not the best by a long way, but I <br>really felt sorry for Larry when, at the very end and after the other <br>three had stalked off, he asked us if we thought he did an ok job <br>because he felt a 'vibe from de odder peeple". Poor man - we just did <br>not have the heart to tell him that we hoped he had better days, or at <br>least a night job......so we told him that he was fine, gave him a tip, <br>told him not to worry about the others and trotted off to meet the other <br>tour.<p>I thought I had booked the boat ride to see the cliff divers. Not. I <br>looked at the tickets and read "City tour and Cliff Divers". Oh heck oh <br>heck - another city tour?? But after being greeted by the new guide we <br>hopped on the much bigger bus and headed out again - straight back to <br>the shop we were nearly held a mutiny on poor Larry.... Sigh. But this <br>time we headed to the Cliff Divers first.<p>Oh boy were they just amazing. There you have cliffs of about 160 foot <br>tall with these young men standing on the sides and top getting ready to <br>dive off. They only have a narrow strip of water to dive into and when <br>they start their dive they cannot even see the water - they have to push <br>off hard from where they stand to hit the water - but not too hard or <br>they will hit the other cliff on the other side! I am going to try to <br>put a photo in with this email to show you what I mean. Anyway, as we <br>found a place to get the best view, these young men, about eight of <br>them, scrambled up and down the cliff, stretched, waved and got <br>themselves ready for yet another show. On the very top of where they <br>dive from are two little places for them to pray before taking the <br>leap... and they all use those tiny chapels.<p>And then it was time for them to jump........... oh boy. They pray <br>first, then go to the dive spot, stretch again, wave and then turn and <br>look at the water, watching the waves, timing the waves... They have to <br>jump exactly at the right time when the water is at its deepest of <br>around 24 foot. Not much at all. Then up go the arms, head down and <br>the slow and graceful arc starts. All of us watching held our breath as <br>they jump, one by one, hitting the water and then clamoring back up that <br>wall. 5 jumped from about 120 feet up the cliff face, then two jumped <br>together, sailing down gracefully together and the last one jumped from <br>the top - a height of around 150 foot up...... What an incredible jump <br>that was - it went on forever and was over in just a couple of seconds. <br>So beautiful. So insane.<p>These guys train from around 13 years old and the divers of today were <br>all between 18 and 25 years old. Right after watching the cliff divers, <br>there was a show of some dancers in some very beautiful costumes. I <br>stood up on a balcony and got some really good photos of them and their <br>shadows...... They were all very beautiful, very lithe and very fit - <br>the guys very handsome and well built and the ladies just perfect. But <br>my mind was still on the cliff divers....... and then we got to meet <br>them too - there they stood, still dripping wet from another successful <br>jump. They are so young! Quite amazing.....but I guess those are the <br>years to do something as crazy as this. They have become so successful <br>that they apparently have unionized! They get paid ok, after about 5 <br>years of training, but really need any tips, so we gladly obliged.<p>Then off to see the rest of the city - again. But this guide was fun <br>and funny and we did see a good many other things too..... We stopped at <br>view points that we were not able to earlier in the day and although <br>much of the time after the cliff divers was spend on the bus with only <br>short breaks - our feet were happy and we really enjoyed it. We had met <br>up with another couple we have seen many times on board - Nina and Hal. <br>She clicks away just about like I do and just 'gets' why i take photos <br>of crazy things. Both Hal and Frank just quietly shook their heads as <br>we got chatting. We were going to meet up tonight, but that did not work <br>out - maybe sometime tomorrow :)<p>And so we got back to the ship about an hour before sailing time. We <br>were really hungry as we had missed lunch because of the combination of <br>tours - only snacking on guavas and jerky/biltong. As good as they both <br>were, it was just not enough...... so we hustled ourselves on board, <br>grabbed a beer and headed up to eat and then to stand on deck as we left <br>port - again at sunset. This time we had a really big crowd of wavers <br>and for some reason it choked me up just watching those flashes going <br>off, the enthusiasm of the waving, listening to the yelling and the <br>goodbye's - just lovely. Some smaller boats came closer to yell and <br>wave goodbye and for a good long while after we were off the jetty, we <br>could see camera flashes popping. The lights of Acapulco glistened like <br>gems almost all around us as we headed out to sea - really pretty.<p>Its late again now, and its been a really good day. I can hear that <br>lovely bow wave crashing and the ship has almost a wobble in it tonight <br>- not quite a shudder like the other night, but getting closer it <br>seems. Time to close today..... Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have a day at <br>sea - lovely time to rest up. The next stop is Puerto Vallarta where we <br>go way up into the mountains again to the mining town of San <br>Sebastian... This is a town that was originally settled in 1605 and <br>still has the original cobbled streets...... more about it later. This <br>chapter has become a book all in itself...... till next time<p>Love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-53451363145691903592010-12-28T23:12:00.000-05:002010-12-29T11:17:40.167-05:00j - Huatulco, Mexico and the Oaxaca VillagesOh boy was last night something else!! From soon after dark the wind <br>kept building, the waves got perkier and white caps became cooks hats <br>all over the ocean. When I was typing my email up last night, I was <br>sitting in the bet with my foot hooked around the edge of the mattress <br>and the other one spread out to help balance me. We had to move a few <br>things off the table and onto the ground and scrapped any idea of going <br>out on the balcony - the spray was pounding the windows of the sliding <br>door. From around midnight to just before sunrise, the ship shuddered, <br>pounded into the waves, took more than just spray way up on the decks, <br>even as high as we are on deck 6. There are glass dividers between the <br>decks on each cabin and it seemed as if they were just ready to break <br>loose and fly, it was almost impossible to open the doors and, well we <br>really were not keen to do that. As I lay in bed I could see the white <br>foam flushing up on our balcony and feel the deep shuddering on the <br>ship... it felt as if I were back on a little 60 foot sailboat pounding <br>through the waves. No one slept very well at all and this morning there <br>were many very bleary eyes around. When we went up on deck everything <br>was coated, literally, with a layer of salt - the decks were white with <br>it, the railings sticky and rough from it - everywhere.<p>Anyway - we were up at around 6.30am again, but it took us a tad longer <br>to get ready this morning. And then up on deck we went. The internet <br>had been down for just over a day already and apparently most of the tv <br>stations were too. The coast line of(pronounced wah-tul-co) Huatulco, <br>Mexico greeted us on the top deck - a hazy coastline that stretched for <br>miles. I really do enjoy coming into a port - its like unwrapping a <br>gift in many ways. So there we were, standing on the top deck with the <br>sun freshly risen and a whole new adventure ahead of us. There was no <br>one to greet us on the pier - but after a few minutes we could see a few <br>people running towards the ship, ready to catch the huge big blue ropes <br>to tie us up. And so our day got started. We grabbed a quick bite for <br>breakfast and headed out.<p>At first they could not clock me off the ship - my sea pass had smudged <br>it barcode, but she did it manually and let me off.... I had to get it <br>replaced after we got back on. We met up with the group going up to the <br>mountains with us and were soon happily chatting away with numerous <br>people. Its as if we share a little snippet of our lives, hear a rag of <br>theirs and a gentle tie is formed. Nothing permanent, but something <br>good nevertheless. We were shown to a minivan - eight of us in the <br>group with one tour guide who really was very good. We took a drive to <br>the top of a hill that gave us the most glorious view of the bay, the <br>marina, town and our ship.... A really stunning view. And then he told <br>us some history. A mere 20 years ago, the marina was a fresh water <br>lake, supplied by a river that ran off the mountains.... the locals <br>fished and hunted and it was a tough life, but the land was theirs. Then <br>one of the presidents decided to make this his project, a tourist <br>attraction like Cancun.... but it never really took off that much at <br>all. But in the process, all the people had to give up their land, <br>their space and their lifestyle. Many of them moved away and started <br>little villages a few miles away, but it was not the same. Our guide <br>was one of those that moved away and once he grew up, he saw the <br>opportunity in becoming a guide over trying to fish and farm through <br>life. There is a lot of studying to do on many fronts in order to <br>become a guide, but one that we have found the most important is <br>passion. A passion for their country and their job. Oscar had it!<p>After the view point, we headed to a little town...... ok, I could go <br>and look up the name of the town and tell you, but......... thats not <br>going to happen. Suffice to say that it is in Oaxaca, Huatulco, Mexico, <br>it had the word 'Cruz' in it somewhere. Maybe I will come across some <br>names while I type........ dont think so though. Anyway - we headed to <br>this little town and its market place..... of course I spied guavas and <br>as soon as we could get out of the van, we broke away from the group and <br>headed to buy some of them.......... ooooooooooh were they goooood! <br>Most people looked at us as if we were mad..... firstly they did not <br>know what guava's are (tropical fruit) and secondly, they were horrified <br>that we were eating fruit from Mexico! We would be Montazuma's Revenge, <br>they said.... (tummy issues, to say the least), but we had had no <br>problems in Baja or in South America before. Hopefully its the same this <br>time - but those quavas were worth even that :)<p>The fruit in the market was just beautiful - huge fruit, natural colors <br>and the taste was just perfect. They sold all sorts of stuff there <br>although it was not a huge market by any means. One of the ladies on <br>the tour with us wanted me to see the 'animals' and dragged me off to <br>take pictures of the butcher cleaning off a cow....There were little <br>bright eyed, barefoot kids running around with happy smiles on their <br>faces and Mama's and Papa's working hard at trying to make a few pennies.<p>And on we went to some or other official place where we saw beautiful <br>wall paintings and heard a bit of the history of the town. Mostly the <br>smaller towns are build around and sustained by, coffee. The coffee <br>grows on very steep mountainside and not neatly in rows on even ground <br>at all. The berries, when they are red and ripe, are hand picked and <br>then walked down the mountain to the collection points. It's really a <br>very hard life and we could tell it in the faces of the people in both <br>the little towns we visited. And then up a long steep narrow winding <br>road into the Cloud Forest of the Sierra Madre Mountains and anotehr <br>Oaxaca village called Pluma Hidalgo. The climb up the mountain we quite <br>interesting - in a few places there was nothing but a hole on the edge, <br>no barricades or anything at all - be everyone got around safely. <br>Hairpin bends, one after the other and the views were incredible. And <br>all of a sudden, there we were, in town. There was a huge tent, <br>festooned with hundreds of white balloons, pretty things and we started <br>hearing what we first thought were gunshots but turned out to be <br>fireworks being sent off in celebration of the wedding that was <br>happening. Big pinwheels had been made out of reeds, weeds and leaves <br>and the fire crackers attached to them and then fired off - they sure <br>made a noise as well as a lot of smoke. The roads in this town were <br>very very narrow and the town was FULL up with everyone attending the <br>wedding. The town square was at the top of the town. Literally. Every <br>road from that center statue, went down, very steeply down. There was <br>one road only that went up from there and I am not sure what vehicle <br>would be able to make it to the top. A very strange place. Of course <br>we could not go into the huge Catholic church with the wedding going on, <br>and apparently its very beautiful inside.<p>We did walk around a little, but just were not too keen to go down those <br>roads - it seemed almost as if everything could just fall off the <br>mountain at any time, as if its perched on the top of an incredible <br>mountain, which it is. Many people bought coffee and we wandered around <br>the different shops looking to see what they were offering. There are <br>no toy stores, no chocolate or candy stores, but every now and again <br>there is a dusty box with a toy tractor or baby doll in its pink finery, <br>just waiting to be dusted off and loved. Life up there is so absolutely <br>basic and yet we saw no unhappy children, no screaming, shouting, <br>disrespectful children...... They all had a twinkle in their eyes and a <br>ready wave with a glorious smile to match.<p>The hour drive down the mountain was interesting.... the guy drove <br>fairly fast and I just refused to look at the road at all. This time my <br>seat was on the outside of the road - lovely views, but oh so close to <br>the edge many many times. But I had a bag full of guavas and was happy :)<p>Because our visit to the Church on the mountain was cut short, our guide <br>took us to the Catholic Cathedral of the Virgin of Guadaloupe. There is <br>the most beautiful roof painting of the Virgin - it takes up almost the <br>whole length of the church roof. There were a good many other <br>paintings, but that one really kept the main attention. Yup, plenty <br>photos :) The Church benches were lovely solid, dark wood, standing <br>like every attentive soldiers in precisely spaced rows and they all <br>gleamed from the care they had been given. People dotted the benches, <br>gently singing or praying or just sitting there....it was really very <br>peaceful. Unfortunately by now we were running out of time and we moved <br>on all too soon. We went shopping before boarding again, then dropped <br>goodies and headed to the beach to get my feet in the water. lovely! We <br>found a seaside bar and ordered a margarita - good golly what an <br>absolutely un-utterably horrible drink that was! We drank it simply <br>because it was $6.50 each and the view was good.... The people <br>watching is fabulous :) We wandered around some more - down some <br>narrow streets and into some less tourist shops - its always nice to see <br>the less crowded places. And then it was time to head to the ship <br>again. Its kind of strange, there sits the Constellation, taking up the <br>horizon, filling the town with its presence and people and it seems so <br>casual to wander slowly back on board. There is always a band or <br>something playing as we walk the length of the ship and then we are <br>handed a juice to drink and a facecloth wet with ice water and little <br>blocks of ice. As our first foot hits the gangplank, we have some <br>disinfectant squirted into our hands and we quickly rub it in before <br>having to put everything we are carrying through the scanners again. <br>People wander up to the ship, barely making it before the 'all aboard' <br>time, which is usually about 30 minutes before we leave the dock. It <br>seems so casual and there really is no fuss or bother at all.<p>We headed out of Hautulco at sunset with the sky a lovely light pink - <br>just beautiful. We had to reverse off the jetty and all the way out to <br>sea, before the captain turned us around on a dime/tickie and off we <br>went again. There were many people yelling and waving and hundreds of <br>flashes going off as we left - its a really nice feeling to see so many <br>people saying goodbye . We decided to cancel out the bad margarita with <br>a good one out on deck under the night sky. We were both very tired and <br>I could not even finish writing this email. The internet finally <br>started working again as well, we heard - but I was just trying to <br>remember everything of the day.<p> It was another good one<p>Acapulco tomorrow. Double tours - its going to be a long day. :)<p>love and light<br>Annie<p><br>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-60888326431735679352010-12-26T22:10:00.000-05:002010-12-27T20:19:10.946-05:00i - Two Sea Days.....Two days at sea............ and we are forced to kick back and <br>relax...... its nice in a way, but oh so difficult to do. Yesterday we <br>woke up quite late, but this morning we were both up and showered and <br>ready for breakfast by 8.30am! Strange.<p>Yesterday we slothed around the top deck, the lounge one deck below, the <br>shady deck on level 4, the food and beer courts and the balcony, and <br>ended the day at the show for the day. It was very very well done, only <br>an hour, but really good. Yes, I got lots of photos of that too.<p>There was not much sea life at all yesterday, but today we have seen <br>about 7 turtles and many dolphins and other fish - both big and long and <br>thin. The weather is just beautiful, almost too hot - definitely too <br>hot for us to lay out in. Many people are out on deck in the glaring <br>sun all day long, and they vary in shades of red -from light pink to a <br>deep fried brown. One lady was almost white from a very thick layer of <br>sunscreen all over her - even on her lips and eyelids, over her very <br>very bronzed body. Her husband lay just out of reach. I am constantly <br>amazed at how people dress in public. The walking track on the top deck <br>is filled with serious walkers at times, I guess I really should do that <br>too - but this is a vacation, so any serious exercising will wait till <br>we get home again. Maybe we will also get laid up in a snowstorm for a <br>few days - the weather on the east coast looks horrible, and then we can <br>delay that a bit longer.<p>The Christmas music has stopped playing and even though the Christmas <br>trees still dot the halls everywhere, there is a different feel on board <br>now. Every time we leave the cabin, someone comes in and straightens it <br>all up again, we get new ice and they make sure we have a few beers in <br>the fridge... We are going to have to buy an extra suitcase to bring <br>home some of the things we have bought - and we still have 4 more stops <br>along the way and then San Diego!<p>The food on board is delicious........we change between eating at the <br>main restaurant and just picking our food from the almost constant <br>buffet. I really love the big chunks of fruit they have and the milk <br>and the bread is just beyond fair. There is everything from huge roasts <br>of any kind all the way to hot dogs.<p>Tomorrow we will be in Huatulco Mexico. We have a trip by bus up into <br>the Sierra Madre Mountains and a visit to two of the little towns up <br>there - it sounds like a wonderful day waiting. We are going to be <br>ready to see something other than the ship for a change... I have this <br>feeling that we are going to wish for these "there is nothing to do" <br>days once we are home again!<p>Oh wow, what a wonder filled end to the day we had! After typing the <br>above and seeing as Frank was enjoying the quiet of the cabin and <br>snoozing, I decided to walk around up on deck again to see what I could <br>see... Within three minutes of getting up there, we saw some dolphin <br>come around the bow of the boat, churning up the waters. And then more <br>and more and more!! There must have been at least a couple of hundred <br>of them and they were putting on one incredible display - the white <br>water of their splashes everywhere and those sleek black bodies arcing <br>through the air! I got a gooood many photos and have just looked at <br>them and cannot wait to get some printed out - they came out <br>beautifully! Oh it was lovely..... I stood with Gypsy pointed at them <br>happily doing her job and looked at them with my real eye.. Everyone <br>was almost breathless watching them - it was really a beautiful <br>experience. After wards another turtle plodded on by followed a string <br>of birds flying in a straight stripe along the waves. Each time they <br>got to the top of a wave, the sun lit them all up into brilliant white <br>sparkles as they cruised on to the next wave.<p>A little while after that I called down to the cabin and asked Frank if <br>he wanted to meet "the lady of his dreams" on the top deck for a <br>drink...Well, sheesh, those elevators must have worked at super speed <br>and we sat happily on the very front of the top deck people watching, <br>ocean watching and just enjoying. Soon it was time for the sun to set, <br>so we tootled over to the other side of the ship - yup, the Port <br>side.... and were given yet another beautiful sunset. The gold sun-road <br>glittered all the way across the water, to be met by the whitewater from <br>the bow wave. As they met, the tips of the waves were all painted with <br>a thin gold line.<p>Time for dinner and a show - roast, baked potatoes, veggies and <br>something that was very delicious, very chocolaty and rounded off the <br>meal very well. Then it was time to head to the Celebrity Theater for a <br>show of singing, band playing and a comedian again.... oh, and that <br>crushed ice margarita :)<p>And the wind and waves have picked up beautifully! We are pitching and <br>rolling and rocking so much that I think I will give up my lone nightly <br>walk on the top deck.......but not the quiet minutes on our own balcony, <br>well maybe that too - its very very windy out there. When we looked out <br>over the balcony just a few minutes ago, we first took our glasses off - <br>don't want to lose those now... its lovely, everything is creaking and <br>groaning, squeaking and the ship gives a huge shudder with almost every <br>wave she meets up with - love it!<p>And so today was in a good many ways a perfect ending to two days at <br>sea... and I know we will both sleep very well with this rocking.......<p>Love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-37382120601048173102010-12-24T22:18:00.000-05:002010-12-25T11:18:10.167-05:00h - The Panama Canal - what a lovely day!After a very very long and hot day, I am on the balcony again, with the <br>ocean all to myself once more....<p>Just before 5am - yes, 5am!, I woke up and immediately saw lights all <br>around us outside. Frank was already in the shower and I quickly <br>grabbed Gypsy and headed outside. We really could save some time by <br>dragging the mattress outside!.. There I was met by a gazillion gold, <br>white, green and red lights everywhere I looked. It looked as if <br>someone has sprinkled my world with gems and made them all sparkle. <br>Just beautiful. As the sun slowly stuck its head above the horizon, we <br>could see the shapes of the ships that owned those lights....... and boy <br>were we surrounded. Right as I first grabbed the camera, Frank pointed <br>outside with big eyes as a container ship filled our view - totally! I <br>was absolutely surprised at how incredibly close we were. The crew were <br>yelling Felis Navidad over to us and I swear that one big swell would <br>have had us connected! No one seemed unduly worried, but no ship came <br>near as close to us after that either.<p>Anyway - there we were, plugging along at a fair clip, totally <br>surrounded by ships and boats of all sizes and shapes, the sun rising <br>and its not even a decent time of the day by far yet. But, off we half <br>ran to the top deck and....yes, we clicked away happily for the rest of <br>the day, for a total of 1397 photos for the day! Yup.... At one point <br>I tried to count the ships milling around but they all kept moving and <br>we agreed that it was lots more than we would have been comfortable with <br>in any other setting..<p>We got to the first lock a whole lot earlier than originally thought - <br>there were 42 boats/ships passing through the canal today and we lined <br>up right behind a huge yellow tanker. Its very strange to see a huge <br>ship 85 foot higher than we are and that view really put it all in <br>proportion for us The first of the locks is the Gutan Locks. This is a <br>series of three different locks that takes us up to 85 feet about <br>Caribbean Sea level and basically over the Continental Divide and its <br>mountains. We fitted very snugly into the lock - one foot space on each <br>side and about two feet open at the rear, with her bows kissing the <br>front gates. It was tight. The mechanical mules tied up to us with <br>huge lines to make sure we did not swing side to side - they are not <br>strong enough to pull this ship at all, and we entered the lock under <br>Constellation Power. The locks are really huge, I mean the whole <br>support structure and everything around it. After locking up to the <br>third level, it was a short way to the Gutan Lake where many of the <br>cruise ships turn around and go back to Florida. We were really glad to <br>be able to go on forward...... I would have been terribly inquisitive <br>about the rest of the lock if we had not. Did you know that the ocean <br>is higher on the Pacific side than on the Caribbean side of the Panama <br>Canal? If I remember correctly there is about 17 foot difference. Also, <br>we noticed that the water is blue on the Caribbean side and green on the <br>Pacific... I am going to check that out closer tomorrow.<p>All along the sides is forest, thick dense incredibly green forest. We <br>could hear bird calls and I think I heard the howler monkeys at one <br>point, but wont bet my bottom dollar on that one. The water is still <br>very high from the recent flooding and closing of the Canal and the <br>water is very muddy, a medium, murky, swirling brown..<p>And so we happily tootled along the fairly wide Canal, me walking from <br>one side of the ship to the other and bow to stern trying not to miss a <br>thing.... that was all but impossible. The Canal is dotted with <br>islands, lighthouses and all sorts of things to see, not a dull moment <br>at all. Through the Gutan Lakes we went, under the Millenium Bridge <br>which is a road used by the locals to cross over the Canal. Its <br>huuuuge! Getting pictures often entailed leaning waaaay over the <br>railings trying to snap photos that did not include peoples hands or <br>hats they were dangling over the side. I always had one foot entwined <br>in the railings - just in case.<p>There is an area that they had to blast huge amounts of the mountain <br>away and the ships still go through there single file to prevent <br>accidents. Its commonly known as "the Cut" and also has two much more <br>official names that I will have to look up again. I would not be <br>comfortable if there was another ship coming towards us in that narrow <br>section. This is a hugely impressive project and just fantastic to <br>see. We also saw quite a bit of the construction for the new set of <br>locks for even bigger ships. As we watched a dredger do its job, it <br>occurred to me that we had literally just seen history in the <br>making..... the new construction. One day there will be old photos of <br>this too and people will wonder about how it was done.. Watching this <br>reminded me of some road construction we saw being done in Costa Rica - <br>the guys were using wheel barrows and spades to build the road! And <br>here they had the very best of everything - quite amazing. This whole <br>project is going to be mind blowing by the time its done, its already <br>totally fascinating.<p>The second set of locks was.....well, it was only one lock with a drop <br>of around 30 foot. I spotted the live cam there and waved to anyone who <br>was watching.....remember that link I sent you? Yeah, I know, should <br>have sent it again. That lock did not take too long to go through but <br>what was interesting was watching the ship in the lock right next to us, <br>how they got all connected to the mules and were pulled or guided in, <br>made to slow down and stop before crashing through the gates in the <br>front. Its just brilliantly orchestrated.<p>And then the third set of locks was right there and we could also see <br>the Bridge of the Americas...... This bridge is just beautiful and it <br>literally joins the north and south American Continents. Its also a <br>part of the Pan American Highway that runs from Alaska to way down south <br>in South America. We have been on it in various places both in North <br>America and South America - and now we have been under it as well. The <br>final lock set when smoothly and also gave us plenty time to enjoy the <br>incredible skyline of Panama City. Well first, as we passed through the <br>last lock, there was the Canal Tourist building, all four stories of it, <br>almost filled with people watching us go through the lock. Apparently <br>its quite a thing to get to see a cruise ship go by and there was much <br>waving, yelling, of good wishes flying both ways. I wonder how many <br>photos there are of us picturizing them while they picturized us :) <br>The flashing of cameras was almost continuous - generally a lovely <br>moment that made both sides happy.<p>So now we were on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal and I was almost <br>disappointed - we had got through about and hour and a half faster than <br>anticipated, but that was probably good too. My arms and face are bright <br>red, I did not stop for breakfast and had only an apple and half a <br>banana and Gypsy and Nomad (Franks camera) were bursting at the seams. <br>Frank spent much more time in the shade, but I was too busy trying to <br>make sure I captured every possible thing. The Canal is really <br>beautiful with the greenery, the quiet as we slowly snaked our way south <br>through it and it kept us up and awake all day long.<p>The cost for this cruise ship to pass through the Panama Canal is just <br>under $290 000,00. Yup , you read that right.... The price is based on <br>how many passengers the ship can carry -not how many are actually on <br>board. The container ships are also rated like that - on how many <br>containers they can carry, not how many they actually have.... so all <br>the ships seem to be as full and loaded as possible.<p>After soaking up the Bridge of the Americas, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the <br>Panama City skyline, we headed into the bay and all the other ships just <br>seemed to melt away.... Suddenly the ocean was ours again. It was <br>almost silvery and difficult to discern where the horizon was - it all <br>sort of melted into a gentle blur. By now I was starting to come down <br>from all the excitement and my feet were killing me after standing all <br>day long in the hot sunshine. So we headed home to a shower and then to <br>try to connect with the kids while they were all together for Christmas <br>Eve. No luck at all really. Earlier today I had discovered that we <br>cannot connect to Skype from the ship and had a little pity party of <br>about 10 minutes. Actually, I was really sad - I was so looking forward <br>to seeing them all! Anyway - we did have brief contact over Yahoo mail <br>talk thingy and managed to get happy wishes flying both ways..... Made <br>me smile again.<p>So off to dinner, more pics of a lovely sunset and then back to the <br>cabin to put my feet up with a cuppa coffee for a while. We sat on the <br>balcony jsut watching the sky - it is so clear tonight with the stars <br>just hanging in there like diamonds floating around. There is a lovely <br>breeze and the sound of the bow wave.......well, it put Frank to sleep. <br>I had words tumbling around in my mind all day trying to describe the <br>awe and beauty of what we had seen so I carried a glass of wine out here <br>on the balcony and am sitting here in a little cocoon of darkness <br>absolutely loving the down time.<p>There are a good many shows on all around the ship tonight, and I might <br>pop in to one or two of them when I go and send this, but maybe not. <br>Today was a day filled with people, every time we turned, there was <br>somebody bumping into one, all jostling for the best possible place, the <br>best possible view. Even when they opened up the Helipad so that we <br>could stand up there - well, it was so full up that I came back down <br>again. So its really nice to just sit and be quiet and not hear a <br>single voice. Its been about an hour now of voiceless time - beautiful :)<p>The people watching was prime time today! Some people came on deck this <br>morning at 5am in ball gowns - seriously!...... and there they stood <br>next to those that chose to view the Panama Canal in their bath robes - <br>also serious! We had a good few 'little black dresses' on deck too, <br>which always had a following of menfolk behind them wherever they <br>walked. Today the kids on board were a lot roudier than the other days, <br>music blaring from a good few places and the smaller kids playing hide <br>and seek in one of the dining rooms..... I think someone put a stop to <br>that because it did not last too long but I also think that the kids are <br>getting cabin fever and they have all been fantastic so far.<p>I just noticed a beautiful orange moon and tried to get photos of it <br>too, but Gypsy did not want to wake up properly. Ah well. She will be <br>all ready again in the morning, like I will. This is about the quietest <br>Christmas Eve we have had but its good. The day has been wonder filled <br>and interesting and fascinating and it was lovely chatting to everyone <br>on board.<p>There are many South Africans on board, but one newbie. Her 6 month <br>contract just started with this trip and all her luggage got lost! Her <br>mom had packed her a good amount of biltong (beef jerky) and she is <br>hoping that its vacuum packed or all of it will be rotten by now. She <br>is already home sick and we were talking about out favorite places in <br>Cape Town and her little baby blues were just overflowing with tears. I <br>had made some beef jerky, vacuum packed it and brought a few bags along <br>with us and it was great to be able to part with some and make her day.<p>And so we are now about to turn and head north again... we have two days <br>at sea and then we stop at Puerto Something or other.... I don't <br>remember which place we stop at first, but its somewhere in Mexico. I <br>will let you know next time.<p>Ok - that's enough rambling for a Christmas Eve.............It's time to <br>grab more ice and enjoy the moonlight...<p>Here's wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and may the new year bring <br>all things in good proportion........ along with oodles of love, light <br>and laughter.<p>Annie<p><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-45570978910197613632010-12-23T23:37:00.000-05:002010-12-23T23:47:17.431-05:00g - Limon, Costa RicaWhen I look to my right there is a total pitch blackness....... not even <br>a pinprick of light pierces the night.... To the left are the fast<br>receding red, green, white and gold lights of Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. <br>It looks like a huge cross all lit up on the top of a hill, standing<br>alone in the darkness and creating its own path of light across the <br>water right to my balcony floor.. The bow wave is creating a bright<br>white wake and a beautiful sloosh sloosh sound and the lights from the <br>cabins create almost an eerie light on the water surrounding the hull.<br>The black is solid and the lights over Limon have created an orange glow <br>in the clouds over the town. It almost makes me cry to be able to see<br>all this - its just beautiful! We stood on the balcony, glass of wine <br>in hand feeling very very thankful, grateful and blessed.<p>When we went into Cartegena on Tuesday, we came away feeling as if we <br>had a 'hamburger day' - not the 'gormet meal day' we expected. We<br>still left happy, satisfied and amazed at much of what we saw, but <br>still. But today - oh today was the gormet meal day, with desert, and<br>cherries and ice cream all piled up really high!<p>Oh - we had great success last night with the rolled up towel in front <br>of the door that allowed the balcony door to stay open all night long -<br>just glorious! Two things happen without that towel there - the <br>temperature gets very cold in the cabin and a continuous whistling sound<br>pierces the air continuously as the cold air sneaks under that door. <br>Every now and again I would wake up, smell the sea air, hear the bow<br>wave and gently float back to sleep with a huge smile on my face and in <br>my heart. Oh boy - I am getting soppy! We were both awake at around<br>5am this morning, ready to watch us come into Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. <br>The sunset was watered down by the clouds, but when I first got on deck<br>there was not a single soul out there! No one in the corridor, elevator <br>or on the deck - quite weird for a minute - but totally wonderful. I<br>watched as the sun's rays poked holes in the clouds and created bright <br>silvery sunlight puddles on the ocean surface. Limon got closer and <br>closer and I found<br>myself breathing deeply. I never thought I would say it or think it - <br>but I just love these so called third world countries....... They smell<br>good, the fruit is just amazing and people smile and make eye contact. <br>Everyone seems to use common sense in huge dollops and there are very<br>very few signs telling people not to do stupid things like jump into the <br>water or something.<p>(Going to watch a show - back later ) Oh the show was hilarious! It <br>was comedy and I laughed till I cried and almost could not breathe - lovely.<p>And so we oh-so-gently nestled up against the pier here in Costa Rica.. <br>the huge blue ropes dragged by about three big men and dropped over the <br>...... oh the name has gone! That big solid thing they tie the ropes <br>to! And out came the cattle gates to try to make sure that people like <br>me wont walk the wrong way and take photos of the jetty from a different <br>angle.... It works mostly. It does not take us long to get off the <br>ship - we have to clock in and out with our 'sea pass', that credit card <br>thingy they issued us with at Fort Lauderdale. Wow, that feels like a <br>lifetime ago already! But in just a few minutes we were walking up the <br>jetty and were met with a huge, totally rediculous parrot waiting to <br>pose for a picture with us.... yes, we did. And yes, we now have that <br>one too.<p>So we find our tour group, join the line and head for the bus, the <br>Constellation (commonly known as "the Connie") hovering on our right <br>side looking very elegant indeed. We hopped on the bus and off we <br>went.... around town for a few minutes and then we headed up to Veragua <br>Rainforest. Those roads were just glorious - a few people were <br>complaining that the road was rough, but it was just a narrow dirt road <br>full of potholes and we did not miss any of them - nothing much wrong <br>with it by Costa Rican standards..... I really do enjoy driving through <br>the countryside like that - makes it a slower ride and we are able to <br>see more and if it had been a good road.<p>The countryside is incredibly green and lush and there are so many <br>different types of flowers all over the place, toucans in the trees, <br>small little houses with kids tumbling out of them waving with <br>everything they have at us. We even got shown 'the finger' by one <br>little boy of about 8 years old - he looked as if he really enjoyed that <br>:) The fences are all growing - anything stuck in the ground either <br>grows or has something on it that grows. Huge dead trees just filled <br>with bromelia plants is a common and weird sight. We crossed over some <br>'religeous bridges' - those are ones that you pray to get to the other <br>side - they are only just big enough for the bus to go over.<p>The driver was great in spotting interesting things and stopped at the <br>top of many hills so that we could fill our cameras. The guide on the <br>bus was really good and kept us interested with all his information. <br>Soon we turned off onto an even worse road and then we were there - <br>Veragua Rainforest. This is a privately owned project that aims to <br>educate as many as possible, kids especially, to the benefits of keeping <br>wildlife and the forests thriving. It is also privately funded and <br>totally by Costa Ricans. What a beautiful place it is. The forests are <br>thick and filled with everything one can imagine in a forest... huge <br>towering trees, vines of all types and sizes, greens of every shade, <br>little red and green and brown frogs - I got some lovely photos of the <br>tiny red frog with black spots - apparently very poisonous.<p>There are butterflies flitting everywhere and they have the most <br>gorgeous bright colors, the plants and flowers pop through the thick <br>foliage, showing off their colors and everything is damp and its humid <br>in the forest. Just recently a butterfly that had been thought to be <br>extinct for over 100 years, was rediscovered. Some of the butterflies <br>are just indescribably beautiful. Unfortunately we saw more of them <br>mounted on pins than out in the forest... much easier to get a <br>photograph of them this way though.<p>After seeing some frogs and toads, snakes and insects we headed for the <br>sky tram. It seats 8 at a time and took us down to the waterfall...... <br>well, it took us a good way down and then we had a mere 250 steps to <br>climb -each way. But it was SO worth it! The water thundered over the <br>rocks, draping itself in all directions as it headed further down the <br>mountain. Lovely. Then back up those steps we went. We did have a <br>good break while the mama of a 6 year old took a minute or three pulling <br>out a huge ant from her daughter's foot. Little Mia screamed blue <br>murder and was very tired after that scare. Apparently it stings like <br>heck to be bitten by them. We saw a good solid string of army ants <br>marching their way across the forest floor, we saw huge huge trees and <br>owls and oropendula birds, more frogs and absolutely stunning scenery. <br>The weather was perfect, around 77 degrees and it did not rain a drop <br>while we were out.<p>And then we headed back to the ship and we got to see what was on the <br>other side of the road. When we go in those big buses, I hate just <br>seeing one side of everything and feel much better after seeing it all :)<p>Instead of going back to the ship, we headed to the nearby park and some <br>regular shops..... most of them turned out to be tourist shops but we <br>did find some interesting things. One guy was begging and when Frank <br>gave him some money, in coins, he hobbled after us and gave them back <br>saying that he did not want them. Oh did we laugh.... I guess beggars <br>can be choosers. We wandered around the shops for a while and then <br>noticed that the rain was coming our way, so we headed back home again. <br>Its a really amazing feeling walking up to the ship, and then all the <br>way down her length, with people hanging over thier balconies yelling <br>hello and watching it all going on.<p>Each time we get back on board, everything goes through security again <br>and we are given a cold soda or water, welcomed back with smiles and <br>given some more hand sanitizer. No one is complaining - we want <br>everyone healthy as possible on board. And so we found ourselves <br>unpacking all the treasures of the day. I really did enjoy the shopping <br>spree. We are going to have to throw away some clothes to get it all <br>home! My main find of the day was a very long legged, very rediculous <br>giraffe, covered with designs and dots.. She is just beautiful.<p>Gypsy (camera) performed beautifully and filled herself up with almost <br>800 photos and some video too. Frank did a pretty good job too with <br>around 150 photos - he takes way too many of me from behind!! Gonna <br>have to talk to him about that :)<p>Back in the cabin, we sat on deck with a glass of wine, watching us <br>leave Costa Rica again.... The boat moves so slowly and its almost <br>impossible to tell that we are on the go again - well apart from right <br>now - we are rocking and rolling beautifully! Everyone is walking as if <br>they are looped..... weaving dramatically from side to side and <br>clutching at whatever or whoever is closest. We grabbed a seat at the <br>casino for a few minutes, but came away empty handed, literally. Ah <br>well. Its raining, which put a damper on our plans of an upper deck <br>walk, so we sat and had a bit of curry and a samoosa..... and a beer.<p>I have just been outside and its solid black out there, wind howling, <br>ship pitching. I had to take my glasses off for fear of losing them <br>overboard. Now that would not be a good thing at all. We now even have <br>a shuddering happening which is really nice - makes this feel like an <br>adventure. Maybe we will be able to leave the door open again tonight.<p>Today really was a good one - I have this 'aaaaaaaah' feeling about it <br>all, a smile on my face and happily tired.<p>Tomorrow morning, Friday, we will be at the entrance channel to the <br>Panama Canal at 6.30am... so its up early for everyone. The pilot will <br>board the ship at that time and we should be going through the Gatun <br>Locks - three stages, between then and 8am. Then through the lakes and <br>canal and into the other locks - not sure what time. I am going to try <br>to make contact with my three totally wonderful kids via skype at around <br>5pm their time. Oh I hope we can get the connection! It wont be for <br>long, but long enough to wish them all happy Christmas!<p>And........... here's wishing all of you a really great Christmas and a <br>wish that 2011 is your best year yet.. only to be outdone by all the <br>rest of them just waiting to happen.<p>I never thought that I would enjoy a cruise, but after the first two <br>days of feeling antsy and finding our way around here, we love it! Even <br>the full days at sea - its lovely, relaxing and I think we might just <br>have a problem getting motivated to start working again when we get home!<p>A lovely, wonderful, rich in experiences day......<p>love and light<br>Annie<p><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-19778994661143313192010-12-22T23:20:00.000-05:002010-12-22T23:31:44.916-05:00f - On the way to Costa Rica again<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_qfblPyiGJmfFNNrocLnmDZmEfNdNiOlwzJXBYQ0gn0SHtABh-2H-V01pae0HWizExjpv0Msluhkd9OVYTnJ5mDrRjzIdIWsO-q24-jxeByRKMDUQmHrpeYzUahyRXnppIoMCvO88V36/s1600/AnnieSloth-704917.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_qfblPyiGJmfFNNrocLnmDZmEfNdNiOlwzJXBYQ0gn0SHtABh-2H-V01pae0HWizExjpv0Msluhkd9OVYTnJ5mDrRjzIdIWsO-q24-jxeByRKMDUQmHrpeYzUahyRXnppIoMCvO88V36/s400/AnnieSloth-704917.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553730756671224498" /></a></p>After a wonderful wonderful end to last night, sitting in the very back of the boat, listening to some lovely music and really loving the moon road over the water, we headed back to the cabin to end the night watching the bow wave and the blackness over the ocean. And it was pitch black with only a dot of light every now and again that showed a passing ship. The wind was gently blowing and it was totally balmy and absolutely peaceful out there.<br> <br> I so wanted to sleep with the balcony door open, but when its open, cold, air-conditioned air screams in under the door, whistling as it wiggles its way in. So although it was fabulous outside, we started to freeze inside. So we closed the door but leave the curtains drawn all the way back and I can still see the ocean swishing by as I lay my head down. This morning I discovered that if I simply put a towel in front of the door, all is back to normal, so tonight we will try again.<br> <br> So after breakfast, up we headed to the top deck where a thick red line circles the deck and is always dotted with people trying desperately to work off the pounds we all put on at each meal. It's the start to another day just filled to the brim with people watching. What a selection there is here... all types of all sorts of people. On the very very top deck, right in the bows of the boat, up a separate set of steps is the topless bathing area and its hilarious to see some of the youngsters sneaking up there and coming down with very rosy cheeks just a minute or two later...... They all try to look totally cool, but we just look at their mouths and that smile is just waiting to break loose. And not a day has gone by that we have not seen this..... Can you tell where one of my favorite places on the ship is?? No no - not up those stairs! Definitely near the bottom though. :)<br> <br> Food is everywhere, as are drinks and soda's. And its all way too good. The bread is killing me and I have developed a liking of Brie Cheese smeared on a fresh multi grain bread roll. Oh dear. I have promised to swear off all things chocolate, all bread (except my home made whole wheat) and all ice cream till end of April, but only once we get home! We are taking the stairs most times - yup even all the way up to the 11th floor....... well, we do live on the 6th floor, but still. Its something. <br> <br> One set of elevators is glass all around and its just lovely to ride, which we do about once a day just to get the effect of falling into the water........ It screams downward and the water rushes upward and it looks as if it will never stop in time -just lovely! We always hope that no one has pressed the button and that we get a 'free ride' all the way down. When you get into the elevators - yes, yes, I know - just finished telling how we use the stairs and now all these elevator stories......... anyway, as you step into the elevator, a mechanical voice says 'going down'.. Well really! They could have picked a different way of saying that on a ship, don't you think?<br> <br> Around 10.30am we went to a talk about the Panama Canal... it was really interesting. We will go in at around 7am on Friday and about an hour later we get to the first lock - I think they are the Gutan Locks. All in all we will be taken up to 85 feet above sea level to go over the Continental Divide, and then back down through more locks on the other side. I was really hoping to remember all the names so that I could write them here, but...... well. I do remember that the Canal is the number one modern made made wonder of the world, that it was finished 2 years ahead of schedule and cost a huge amount of money. The French has first shot at building it, but apparently they royally messed up on it and the USA took over from there. The lock we will be going through is the same length as this ship and only one foot wider. We will be attached to mechanical mule so that the ship does not hit the sides - really close all around, I would say. It will take all day to get through the Canal and at the end is The Bridge of The Americas which is part of the PanAmerican Highway that runs from Alaska to South America. We have been on part of this road in a number of different places, Peru and Ecuador as well. So many interesting things to learn.<br> <br> After the talk, we decided to play bingo....... yup, bingo. We paid way too much for the tickets, spent a slow and funny hour in a darkened auditorium checking numbers that were huge on the screen, won nothing, but were allowed to keep our pens! Whoo hoooo. So for better luck we headed to the casino...... our luck stayed the same. ( Kate, there was a few of those machines that we played and I took a pic just for you! Made me laugh after our second $10 went into it and nothing came out).<br> <br> Off to lunch out on deck again, wandered around the deck, came back home to sort out stuff for tomorrow, made sure we changed our watch back one hour for Costa Rica and so that we will not miss our tour tomorrow morning! We were way too full for dinner, so we gave that a skip, walking a few rounds on the red road on the top deck and then headed off for the show of the night.... It was not really what we were in the mood for, although he had a great voice - Riggens, was his name and apparently he has sung for the White House too, but.. well, we headed back up to get some outside time again. The wind has picked up and the white caps dot the water everywhere around - no storms yet. We are sort of hoping for a storm, but only when we are at sea and definitely not on Friday while going through the Canal.<br> <br> Tomorrow we are heading back into the Rain Forest of Costa Rica.... I really am excited and the camera is all ready to roll again. And she now has a name! "Gypsy".........I loved the suggestion, Bea, as well as your reasoning :) We also changed one of the tours we had booked - one for Cabo San Lucas - now we will get to go in the glass almost-submarine and also have plenty time to walk around by ourselves and maybe even have time for a long beach walk. We also booked two additional tours in Acapulco - one to see the Cliff Divers - more about them later, and another that willt ake us to see a good few of the old town of Acapulco. So now we are all set and I swear Gypsey is smiling bigger than that sloth of yesterday! I meant to attach a photo of us hugging yesterday, but forgot, so here it is now.<br> <br> Time to call it a day, get some rest for tomorrow and test my 'open door' theory.<br> <br> love, light and laughter<br> Annie<br> <br> <img src="cid:part1.06030109.04080203@gmail.com" alt=""><br> <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br> <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">PHOTOS: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a></pre> Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-16671043382295662732010-12-21T20:42:00.000-05:002010-12-21T20:53:16.242-05:00Cartegena, ColombiaWe hopped out of bed early this morning right after the wake up call.... <br>I wanted to be on deck when we docked in Colombia and it was time to see <br>a sunrise too.... so I happily got up and found myself waking up while <br>looking at myself in the mirror in the elevator on the way to the top <br>deck... oh hell, I had my top on inside out!! Instinct said to rip it <br>off, turn it around and pop it back on. Thank goodness I dont always <br>listen to the voices in my head! :) I would have been caught out <br>topless in the elevator - not a position I would like to be in. So I <br>just tucked the label into my jeans and enjoyed the morning.<p>Colombia is totally different from what I expected........ I should have <br>learned by now not to have expectations, good or bad. At first there <br>were little islands, but nothing that looked very inviting and then some <br>buildings appeared on them and then I went to the other side of the <br>ship,and Bingo! There they were - tall tall buildings, kissing the <br>clouds and packed tighter than sardines in a tin can. The beach is a <br>very thin strip lining all this and in the middle of all this, there sat <br>a huge three master tall ship. There is a floating buoy in the middle <br>of the bay with a statue of the Virgin on it...... I dont think its the <br>Virgin Mary - but one of the others. This place is full of them. And <br>kids. I heard this evening while on deck that its a statue of the Lady <br>of Guadaloupe, and a baby.<p>Anyway - the sun came up, casting her path to my feet on the top deck <br>and the camera was almost smiling as she clicked away happily. I really <br>should name the thing..... any suggestions? And so we slowly headed to <br>the jetty that was our home for the day - it is right next to a huge <br>shipping container dispatch place, most of the containers are red with <br>"Hamburg Sud" stenciled boldly all over them. I really do wonder at <br>what is in them all.<p>After getting a camera full of photos, I headed back down to meet Frank <br>on the balcony of our suite where he was enjoying the view much more <br>gently. We headed off for a quick breakfast and then down to get our <br>feet on solid ground for the day. We had a tour booked through the Old <br>City of Cartegena, the dungeons and also a Cathedral or two.<p>Looking over the deck we saw probably 30 buses waiting for passengers to <br>cart them off to different places of Cartegena. We hopped into the <br>first and off we went. I loved the old city - narrow streets, balconies <br>overflowing with mulitcolor bouganvilla and a non stop bustle of people, <br>and the colors everywhere - just beautiful. The doors are something <br>that really grab my attention too - they are huge, solid wood and have <br>smaller doors for normal use. They are very beautiful and each one is <br>different - yes, the camera clicked happily. The roads were littered <br>with people trying to make some money - and of course a ship full of <br>money carrying tourists is not an opportunity to miss. And they <br>didn't. At one point it got very irritating, we could not walk without <br>being blocked by someone selling something - they shove it right up into <br>your face and keep on, no matter how much you say no. Then I <br>remembered, dont say no, dont look at them, dont respond in any way. Do <br>you know how hard that is?? It feels plain rude and wrong, but we would <br>still be there if we did not revert to this. A really nice thing here <br>is when we made eye contact with the locals, the ones not selling <br>anything, they always smiled and waved if we were in the bus - that was <br>nice.<p>Anyway - we watched a young man do the most incredible painting on a <br>mirror in about 4 minutes flat!! And then we bought it. It was totally <br>amazing to see how he turned some dabs of paint into my painting in such <br>a short time. And on we went with two of his paintings beautifully <br>wrapped with about five feet of tape holding the paper over them. We <br>walked through the center courtyard and tried to fit the beautiful old <br>buildings and church spires and ......well, everything, into my camera. <br>Into the Cathedral we went and as I just got started with taking photos, <br>I noticed that everyone was gone! Way too little time was given in all <br>the places we visited. What a pity. We saw the dungeons which are now <br>all shops that the cruise lines drop the passengers off at to shop. <br>There is SO much to see here and it was sad that we were mostly just <br>taken to shopping places. We did stop for an incredible display of <br>street dancing - those young boys hopped and flipped and balanced in <br>ways I never even thought of. All traffic stops for the shop - even the <br>police cars and they just carried on until done - and then the hat was <br>passed around. Oh, this was funny. While we were walking along there <br>were two statues that looked like solid black metal. They were perched <br>on top of , well, I dont know how to describe it, but it was a thing <br>about two foot high, made of concrete and rounded on the top - the kind <br>of thing that often has chains between them to keep traffic out or <br>walkers in. Anyway, there are the two statues up on there - and boy <br>were they beautiful - the work gone into making those was exquisite - <br>they were incredibly life like..... and yes, I happily clicked away, <br>getting a great angle against the white building behind them. And then <br>I nearly fell over flat - THEY MOVED! and yes, pointed to the <br>collection hats on the ground. I was laughing so much that I was crying <br>and Frank popped a tip in the hats - and back the were to statues. I <br>have to admit to turning around the check and see if that really did <br>happen ;)<p>We did see the Inquisition place, the Cathedral, the Monastary and some <br>other places. The Old City is surrounded by an old old old wall that <br>took ages to build. This is right on the coast line and another wall, <br>much smaller, had to be built to keep the sea water out of the town. In <br>many places, they obviously did not succeed. The Old CIty is very very <br>different from the new Cartegena - no cars are allowed in there, only <br>horse drawn carriages and buses - pity about the buses. We were wanting <br>to take a horse drawn tour as well, but they would not have got us back <br>to the ship on time. Ah well.<p>At the second place we were dropped off to shop, Frank and I escaped! <br>We headed on down the road, around the corner, up a steep incline and <br>had a beautiful view of the city, the ocean and also the bay. It was <br>good to be away from the others, even though our group was small and <br>nice people, but we were not into shopping much at all and enjoyed the <br>views. There are all sorts of old buildings sticking way up into the <br>skyline, contrasting starkly with the new skyscrapers that seem to be <br>taking over everywhere.<p>And then I got to hold a three toed sloth!! Yup - a sloth and me :) He <br>wrapped his arms around my shoulders and waist and clung on tight and <br>tucked his head up under my chin. I do mean tight! His very hard, very <br>strong, ivory colored claws digging into me, but not enough to make me <br>want to let him go quite yet. He was soft and snuggly and seemed to <br>have a permanent smile on his face. He was only five years old..... <br>what a treat that was!<p>We went to the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas, a 17th century building <br>that is just incredible...... it has tunnels and stairs and lookout <br>places and so many little nooks and crannies to explore. Its huge too <br>and is purely used as a tourist attraction these days. Nothing is sold <br>inside there, so it was a blessed escape from the street vendors. The <br>San Pedro Claver church was really lovely too and I think the guide said <br>that San Pedro himself was laying in that glass encasement on the alter, <br>but I will have to read up to make sure. It did look like it, but......<p>We did find some knick knacks that we will be bringing home and about <br>800 photos too.....<p>My favorite of the day was those beautiful doors, balconies, narrow <br>streets and that sloth!! He was so loopy....<p>At 5pm we left Cartegena, Colombia......... with a loud toot toot, she <br>pushed away from the dock, no tugs helping at all, turned around and we <br>headed out to sea. The horn blasting was just lovely! I missed it when <br>we left Ft Lauderdale.. It took about an hour to get from the jetty to <br>open ocean again and the sun was setting and the photos were beautiful! <br>The other boats, smaller day cruises etc, all honked their horns, <br>yelled and waved. It was a very festive mood on deck - and the weather <br>was perfect.<p>So off to dinner we went - casual again tonight. We have a booked <br>seating at 6pm, but that is in a more snazzy setting... Not formal, just <br>no shorts allowed..... so we prefer to go to the casual food bar that <br>really has many more choices. We do go and join our dinner partners <br>every second evening though, but often find that the ones we chat to at <br>the casual section are much easier to chat to. After dinner we headed <br>out to the back deck with a beer and watched the full moon rise, casting <br>her silver slivery road all the way to our table......... the multicolor <br>glittering lights of Cartegena fading into the distance. Just perfect.<p>Tonight we are heading up to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. This is one <br>place we did not get to visit when we were in Costa Rica earlier this <br>year and if I remember correctly, we have a treetop adventure in the <br>rain forest waiting for us there. The weather is still perfect so we <br>will be sleeping with the door to the balcony open - we are swinging and <br>swaying a bit more tonight which is just perfect and that bow wave <br>sounds like sleep.<p>And I hugged and held a freaking SLOTH!<p>love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS:<a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-78939236721974590802010-12-21T15:00:00.000-05:002010-12-21T15:01:53.965-05:00.....Our back yard.....The moon has a beautiful glittering road that stretches all the way to <br>our balcony suite. I think it's just magical how, no matter where one <br>stands, the moon road leads right to your feet.... lovely. The stars <br>are bright and glittering and the ocean rushes by at least six stories <br>below my feet. Our cabin is right in the bows of the boat where the <br>wake is first born before heading down the length of the ship, so we <br>have this constant roaring of water which is just lovely. Makes us use <br>the bathroom often too :)<p>Earlier we spotted what we thought were little birds..... I thought is <br>strange that they were this far out but Frank took a closer look and <br>discovered that they are flying fish....... they come in groups, always <br>off the bow and fly for a good while before diving straight into a wave, <br>sometimes just skimming through the very tip of a whitecap and on to the <br>next one - and then they are gone. Yes, I tried catching them with the <br>camera - but that did not work, not with the boat and the fish <br>moving.... but I did give it a good few, no - a good many, tries .<p>Right now its pitch dark outside, the moon's road is just beautiful and <br>way in the distance on the horizon, I can see a ship. Other than that - <br>nothing. Its glorious! There is a tv channel that tells us where we <br>are and we are about to head between Cuba and Haiti - I might just go to <br>the top deck to see what I can see.<p>This morning feels so long ago already...... after breakfast we went to <br>the auditorium to listen to a talk on the different tours one can take <br>in the ports we will be stopping at... and I am happy with what I picked <br>:) Then we walked through the casino, the shopping area and found some <br>more favorite places to sit and and enjoy the people watching and the <br>ocean. In the one restaurant there are big round glass holes in the <br>floor and we can see the ocean going by about 8 stories down..... This <br>part of the boat hangs out over the water and the views are just <br>wonderful from all angles.<p>One one of our walks around the lower deck, an elderly gentleman asked <br>whether we would like our photo taken together.... that was sweet of <br>him. And after wards we got chatting. He has been on many many cruises, <br>but was not enjoying this one much at all. His name was also Frank and <br>he had lost his wife just a few years ago..... And he told us this <br>story - after she closed her eyes, he says, and after the cremation, he <br>took her ashes out East and though some carbon process had her ashes <br>turned into a diamond... He now wears the diamond in a ring on his <br>finger and has the ring set so that it is impossible to get it off. She <br>was his dancing partner through 60 years of marriage and we could tell <br>that he was lost without her. Recently he had found a letter from her <br>in a drawer at home that said that he was to keep cruising - and so he <br>was. But we could tell that it was not the same. I hope we meet up <br>with him again sometime.<p>Every time we leave the room, someone goes in and straightens up after <br>us..... wow, I could get used to this! We have a little fridge stocked <br>with all sorts of drinks, but had them changed out for some beers - we <br>are too easy to please sometimes. Its lovely sitting on the balcony at <br>the end of a day, beer in hand and just relaxing.<p>The water was turquoise blue today - see? I can still spell after a few <br>glasses of wine! :) We have spent a good amount of time just watching <br>the water. The ship does not move much at all, well apart from forward, <br>of course! But there is just a gentle swaying and every now and again <br>we can feel that she dug into a wave a bit harder. I love the motion, <br>the gentle sway and every now and again, even the bow wave stops and <br>everything goes quiet - just amazing.... that quiet moment always makes <br>me smile. Waves are only around 3 foot now, but the spray still reaches <br>the balcony and my computer screen is dotted with seawater. It's <br>probably not the greatest idea to sit out here and type - but is just so <br>incredible. I can see no one, just the stars and the moon, can hear <br>nothing other than the ocean breaking against the bows and smell only <br>the ocean spray (ok and the wine in my glass). I feel absolutely alone <br>and its not a bad feeling at all......just measured the smile on my face <br>- its great! Every now and again I put the computer down and lean look <br>out over the balcony into the darkness....... oh boy, how fortunate I <br>am! The white caps dot the darkness for miles around - its a different <br>kind of silence - not quiet at all, but peaceful. Different.<p>The food on board is good, and everywhere, and all the time. Tonight <br>was "fancy dress" night - no, not costumes - but tuxedo's, dresses and <br>heels. Well, we don't own any of those, so we headed out to the back <br>deck to the casual eatery and filled up there and enjoyed a really good <br>margarita too. I really love the wake from the propellers that stretch <br>for miles behind the ship like roads into the past. We have no birds out <br>here and I missed seeing them wheeling around the back as the do closer <br>to shore - but that did not take away from the enjoyment at all. Most <br>people were inside, squished into their fancies while we sat barefoot on <br>the back deck feeling really spoiled and really really happy.<p>There is almost any type of food here and its all really good - trying <br>to stay under 100 words here, Esther :). The different breads are <br>wonderful, and my downfall too....... but we are walking a lot during <br>the day. Deck 10 has a walking path all marked out and is in the open <br>air which is just great and more often than not, we climb the stairs <br>from floor to floor. There is so much to see and we are just starting <br>to figure out the layout of the ship.... I am sure there are places we <br>have not yet discovered.<p>Anyway - time to stop for the day - tomorrow is another whole day at sea <br>and then .....what day is it now? The day after tomorrow we will be in <br>Cartegena Colombia - pronounced Cart - a - heina. But more about that <br>later.<p>ok - just got back from the top deck. I went for a walk and to listen <br>to some of the music playing. Oh it was glorious! Its almost deserted <br>up there.<p>love and light<br>Annie<p>And now its today - Monday the 20th, according to my computer..... and <br>its almost over already. We had another absolutely amazing day weather <br>wise, with slightly bigger swells. It is funny when walking down a <br>corridor and the person in front of us is slightly self conscious and <br>then the boat sways and theeere they go, gently sliding from one side to <br>the other. When we were waiting this evening for the dinner room to <br>open, it was weird seeing all the heads swishing slowly back and <br>forth... No one looked green, so all was fine. Apparently the last <br>cruise about 3 weeks ago, had some 12 foot waves that put a good few <br>people in their cabins, very unhappily heaving, for the day :(<p>Today we learned to be still. We spent the day savoring our back yard - <br>its huge and goes on for miles in all directions almost un-endingly. :) <br>After a late breakfast, a sit on the balcony, our walk around and <br>discovery of even more new places on the ship, we found ourselves <br>following the food smells again. Somehow almost 5 hours had passed by <br>already - so we gave in and had some delicious salads and stuff as we <br>ploughed happily through the Caribbean Sea. I like knowing where I am <br>and the tv really helps...... we could see that after leaving Fort <br>Lauderdale, we headed south through the Florida Straights, past Bermuda, <br>between Cuba and Haiti, then past Jamaica and right now we are closing <br>in on Colombia. We should dock at around 7am, but I think we might get <br>there earlier by the looks of it.<p>We have our tickets, passports and are ready to spend the day on solid <br>ground again. One of the guys at out table at dinner time knows <br>Cartegena well and says its lovely. My camera is rearing to go, all <br>charged and all.<p>Tonight we went to see the Cabaret show - it was really great fun. Greg <br>Bonham was the guy that entertained and he was good! He has a new song <br>out, "I am here to love" and it about moved me to tears.... so when I <br>get home, please remind me to download it! We really did have fun <br>singing along and yes, I got photos. One of the ladies he got to sing <br>and dance along with him, was from Tennessee too, and after the show I <br>told her to contact me to get the photos I took of her up there. It was <br>fun. There is a show on every night - and one even later - but to start <br>something at 11pm is a bit late - even for me.<p>We have met a few South Africans on board. Generally everyone is <br>friendly and people watching is something else. There are very few kids <br>on the ship and I think they are really well entertained and kept out of <br>the general population. When we do see them, they are very well <br>mannered mostly, so no problems there at all. One guy was telling us <br>that they had a screaming kid on a 4 hour flight - I think I would have <br>stuck gum in my ears if that was me!<p>Ok - so its very late, it was another lovely lovely day - the ship is <br>gently swaying and I need to get sleep for another lovely long day in <br>Cart-a-heina tomorrow.<p>Hey everyone - send happy, relaxing thoughts to Steven, Lisa and Laura <br>who are keeping our shop running while we are out here having fun! This <br>is amazing - and our back yard is beautiful!<p>love and light and much laughter too<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-48456139518862216052010-12-18T22:23:00.000-05:002010-12-19T10:09:43.017-05:00c - Day One on the ConstellationThe black sky is almost clear now, the moon is shining bright and we are <br>plowing through the waves somewhere between Miami and Bermuda - what a <br>feeling!<p>Strangely, I did not even dream of missing the boat last night. After a <br>slow start to the day we packed the bags again - how come do the bags <br>feel heavier already? And then we sat and waited for the time to go <br>by..... and it did, quicker than I thought. We grabbed a taxi from the <br>airport - a 10 minute drive for $14, but hey - that's what it takes :) <br>As we crossed over the inter-coastal waterways, there she was - the <br>Celebrity Constellation!! And my gut churned and I was in love! She is <br>sleek and neat, not as tall or block looking as the other cruise ships <br>all around. She has style and her brightly colored life boats dot her <br>sides, measuring her length from bow to stern. And best of all? There <br>was a room waiting just for us!<p>After making sure we had our passports, the taxi driver left us standing <br>in a group of people all looking as if they knew what to do.... and they <br>did. Soon our luggage was wheeled away from us - me sort of nervous of <br>letting my laptop and all my camera parts, not the main camera's <br>though!, head off into the bowels of the workings of 'the system'. I <br>knew they were all going to be scanned for stuff that we were not <br>allowed to take on board, and hoped that the bottles of wine made it <br>through ok. And we were shown where to go to book in. All I had were <br>two pieces of paper with bar codes printed on them and our names.... it <br>was hard to believe that we were going to be allowed onto this vessel <br>with just those papers, and our passports, of course. The process did <br>not take long and soon we found ourselves standing in front of the <br>counter with a woman looking at me, then at my passport and then at my <br>Green Card/Permanent Resident Card........ and she said. "you have <br>definitely had a good few different hairstyles.... you should go back to <br>*this* one." she says, pointing at a photo of me taken 9 years ago, 15 <br>pounds lighter and with no gray hair. Well, hell.... sure lady - find <br>me the flippen magic wand and I will go back! I think. But only if its <br>only the hair that changes.... :)<p>Before we got onto the boat we were posed in front of a huge poster, <br>told to smile and click went the camera. We thought it was some <br>security thing... but no - it was our 'boarding photo'. Why did no one <br>tell me that? Sigh... I would at least have tried to look like I was <br>already having fun... ah well. Again. And on we went following the <br>people walking in front of us. It was not crowded at all and everything <br>was very calm and relaxed with many smiling faces everywhere. We were <br>each issued with a credit card size piece of plastic that will serve as <br>the key to our door and its also to be used to buy anything on the ship <br>as well as to clock in and out of the ship when we go on shore <br>excursions. I bet it could be quite an issue if we lose it. After a <br>short walk through one of those things you walk through to get on an <br>airplane, there we were..... on board finally!<p>We were met with many more smiling faces and champagne being offered at <br>every angle.... Just looking around brought back memories of when I was <br>a very small child and my aunt was going on a cruise, we all walked into <br>the boat with her on a red carpet, to be met by a total sensory <br>overload. I remember being wide eyed and very excited way back then, <br>and this was similar to the feeling of seeing all this now. We have <br>been on much smaller ships in the Amazon Jungle and at the Galapagos <br>Islands, but neither of those boats was anything like this in size nor <br>in opulence. There are Christmas trees everywhere, hugs snowflakes and <br>other decorations everywhere... Its not as glitzy and shiny as I thought <br>it would be and we spent a good while just walking around soaking it all <br>in. Champagne done, we headed to the elevator to check out our <br>cabin..... but first found a place with ice cream, coffee and other <br>snacks and just had to try them out. Then we found the upper deck and <br>another deck, a bar with great beers..... it took us a while to get to <br>the cabin :)<p>The balcony is much bigger than I thought it would be and its already <br>one of my favorite places.. The room is small, but absolutely fine - we <br>don't plan to spend much time inside at all. There are huge mirrors 3 <br>feet away from the bottom of the bed and.......well, I just saw myself <br>and notice that I really should get some sleep! (and yes, I found myself <br>trying to find my 'thin face' for future photos) The mirrors make the <br>room look and feel much bigger than what it is. In the bathroom they <br>have those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner and so on, and I <br>wondered why they put out so much - until I realized that there was only <br>half of what I thought there was - the brilliantly clean mirror ...well, <br>you know. There is a tv, fridge and plenty cupboard space and a couch <br>and little table too. So its very comfy in here.<p>After finding where we would be living for the next two weeks, and not <br>yet having our luggage brought up, we headed out to explore a bit more. <br>Oh, this is going to take a while to get it all figured out. I get <br>myself totally lost in a heartbeat, and Frank takes half a heartbeat to <br>get turned around too...and then just when I think we are in for yet <br>another mile of walking, we find something interesting and it does not <br>matter that we are lost - there is only so far one can go on this boat. <br> Just finding the restaurant tonight was an adventure in itself! <br>There are shops, a spa, theater, dance floors.........ach, so much, <br>probably everything.... and I know we have not seen it all at all. Our <br>cabin is almost right at the front of the ship which is great, we get to <br>feel the rocking and rolling as we head out... every now and again there <br>is a little jerk or pitch - we love it! Looking out over the balcony a <br>few minutes ago (again - I am like a kid in a candy store with that <br>balcony!), I can see the shining white wake all the way down the length <br>of the boat - lovely! The moon is bright and high in the sky and the <br>stars are shining brightly as well. It's a tad cool outside but if I <br>stand just a foot back from the railing, its beautifully balmy. But <br>wait, before we got here, we first had to leave the dockside. We were <br>supposed to leave at 5pm, but some people had their flights delayed and <br>the captain waited for them. This put us in the back of the line to get <br>out of here and 6 other cruise ships left before us.... It was lovely <br>watching them, all lined with people on the decks like tiny little <br>dolls, slowly turning around, catching the beautiful sunset red and <br>heading out to sea with no hassles at all. There are little boats all <br>around with blue flashing lights that stop all other traffic when one of <br>the ships leave port - they run around like matadors dodging the bows of <br>these ships as they dash across to the other side to tell yet another <br>little boat to stop.<p>We laughed...... yesterday we were looking slack-jawed at all the huge <br>boats as we cruised the intercoastal waterways in our cheapo taxi..... <br>tonight as we were leaving port, there was one of those huge, expensive <br>boats having to wait on us to pass on by...... only yesterday that boat <br>looked huge, today it lost that all - it was just a tiny thing from way <br>up on our deck. What a view we had from the deck. We could see the <br>ocean, the white beaches one one side, airplanes flying in in a constant <br>stream almost overhead, and the lights of Ft Lauderdale blinking on as <br>the sun set. Just lovely. It had rained a really good rain for about <br>an hour before and of course everything was wet and giving beautiful <br>reflections in all my photos. Yes, I took a few. Unfortunately it was <br>already dark by the time we left the port, but it was beautiful with all <br>the flickering lights of the early dark lining the city and beaches. <br>People in the hotel right at the port entrance, yelled and whistled and <br>waved as we went out - the modern day equivalent of throwing streamers, <br>I guess :)<p>And so we headed out to sea, the ocean dotted all over with the other <br>ships that had left before us, all brightly lit up by thousands of lights.<p>I bought internet access, but cannot get it in the cabin, which is a <br>good thing, I recon, and the closest place to get it, is about 3 miles <br>down the ship! Well, ok, maybe not three miles, but we are just a few <br>doors from the bows and the internet cafe is aaaaalll the way at the <br>back end. There are other places on board to get connected, but hey - I <br>will send and check emails once a day at least. That's plenty.<p>It's SO good to feel the boat moving and I am about to head out onto the <br>balcony again... or maybe I will get an early night and be ready for a <br>full day at sea tomorrow. This is good.. this is really good. We <br>decided on an early night tonight and tomorrow we will join in on the <br>doings of the boat..... and there is a lot to choose from.<p>So, for now - till next time<br>love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-73837971035910274332010-12-17T23:57:00.001-05:002010-12-17T23:57:37.011-05:00b - Water Taxis and reflections in Ft Lauderdale<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbKqembOGyIkzjdZyEKU57xU1xzdadwCUjqrs0jsQ5Pvn84tudWmFgvZ5Y2Pb_hlcEqAntsUCt7gYcQkhVhm7AP17nbcOIYZxbHyuXK21HbU2Rxuf1wmRCuTKsTIWr64bXJao6Q24CTk8/s1600/Reflections-757012.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbKqembOGyIkzjdZyEKU57xU1xzdadwCUjqrs0jsQ5Pvn84tudWmFgvZ5Y2Pb_hlcEqAntsUCt7gYcQkhVhm7AP17nbcOIYZxbHyuXK21HbU2Rxuf1wmRCuTKsTIWr64bXJao6Q24CTk8/s400/Reflections-757012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551881990882057058" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnmRfGxSZqnYnI2T3wx5NaLCph7bCShXFbSv0UlN8Fw7KxyY1-9ruN4RGlLpvdUtjo4Id1hiTArNr6fUi0pSnWpGU815JyOoj6n-1HpjxsAcH_W9SdYBFd7J653d1QSuYEtUR3p_AZluv/s1600/One+house-757842.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnmRfGxSZqnYnI2T3wx5NaLCph7bCShXFbSv0UlN8Fw7KxyY1-9ruN4RGlLpvdUtjo4Id1hiTArNr6fUi0pSnWpGU815JyOoj6n-1HpjxsAcH_W9SdYBFd7J653d1QSuYEtUR3p_AZluv/s400/One+house-757842.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551881993341519410" /></a></p>Today delivered perfect weather.... not hot enough for a hat, not bright <br>enough to blind us while on the water and .. well, just perfect - <br>t-shirts and shoes kicked off most of the day. We started by waking up <br>late and heading to the Water Taxi after a good breakfast. We hopped on <br>board, paid our fee of $31 for both of us for the full day and spent a <br>good many glorious hours tootling up and down the intercoastal waterways <br>here, seeing the most incredible houses and boats there are. One of the <br>guys who works near the water taxi station was saying that after <br>spending time looking at all those places, that we would feel very very <br>poor. Well, I am not so sure at all. Tonight I feel very very rich.<p>We are both tired from almost a full day looking at those huge and very <br>expensive places. Most of the houses look empty, every here and there <br>we would see life in the gardens, but they were mostly the maintenance <br>people. Many of the houses look like hotels and only a few looked like <br>homes. They all have perfect gardens, palm trees, boats of varying <br>sizes parked in front of them and ......well, its all so glitzy. The <br>boats are all highly polished too and those that we could see into are <br>all of showcase ilk. The taxes on one of the houses is $185 thousand <br>per year! The biggest USA built motor boat has a hole in the water here <br>too - she cost a whopping $285 million and looks like......well, more <br>than a cruise ship.<p>We hopped off the water taxi in a couple of places to wander around and <br>see what there is to see......around here it is mostly very rich shops, <br>restaurants, and tourist shops. but we wandered around a bit - went into <br>Macy's for the first time for either of us and bought Frank a watch. I <br>swear we could have got it at a quarter of the price at Walmart in <br>Soddy, but hey - we are not there and we needed at least one watch <br>between us but we left ours at home. We found some wine to take along <br>with us at another store, walked over a bridge and had a beautiful view <br>of the river below filled with boats of all sizes going in all <br>directions. One particularly huge one was being pulled along the river <br>by a small little tugboat - and one attached to the back too. Another <br>one of the really big one recently had underwater lights put in at a <br>cost of $5000 per light..... 36 were installed. It sure looks beautiful <br>at night - but geez, thats a huge tab!<p>Anyway, after we had oohed and aaahed at all the buildings and boats, we <br>headed home to the hotel with our wine and other goodies, quickly <br>changed and tootled back to the waterways for a night time tour of the <br>waterways to see the lights. We were a bit disappointed, not too many <br>were decorated at all. With it being dark we could see just how many of <br>the houses were not being lived in and could also see into the houses <br>that were! This is very interesting to see - they all look glitzy, <br>shiny and like hotels inside! A few places had barbeques going on <br>outside with people around fires and beers in hand, but this was not as <br>often as I expected. It's almost as if this place is on hold... Oh the <br>eateries are busy, the bars are busy, but the people somehow dont look <br>like the locals. All tourists.<p>And so after filling up at least one camera with some lovely evening <br>photos of the lights reflecting on the water and so on, we landed back <br>at the hotel feeling very rich and very fortunate and very happy with <br>our lives. The houses and boats are incredibly impressive looking, very <br>fancy and most are very beautiful too...... but they just dont seem real <br>and some of the stories about how the owners got their money is mind <br>blowing.<p>And so we come to the end of this time of waiting for the 'real <br>vacation' to start..... tomorrow around midday we board the Celebrity <br>Constellation for our trip.. we did see one of the Celebrity ships <br>leaving today and I fervently hoped that I had my days right! So I took <br>a photograph and zoomed in to read the name........ phew - not us. I <br>would hate to miss the boat!<p>I am hoping to buy some online time while onboard, but its going to be <br>very limited and I am not sure how reliable, so if you dont hear from <br>me, know that I am still writing all this stuff down and you will be <br>wolloped with it the first time we get a connection. I will try to <br>remember to label the 'subject' line alphabetically which will make it <br>easier to follow if I do have to send a few at a time.<p>Oh - I have been reading the Celebrity bulletin board and see that some <br>people are bringing 13 pairs of shoes, 2 x 50lb bags of clothing and so <br>much more! Oh boy, I think of my meager 39lb bag of clothing and <br>shudder.....I dont even have stockings packed, let alone shoes with <br>heels! One lady said she had packed extra shoes with heels in case one <br>breaks.... well, if my heels break, I am going to need a doctor, not <br>another pair of shoes. This is going to be interesting but we are going <br>to be comfortable dressed and quite decent for dinnertime.....<p>The ship leaves port at 5pm tomorrow and our first stop will be Colombia <br>on Monday... :) See ya there!<p>love and light<br>Annie<br>ps - I believe that the ocean gods listen to all things and so many <br>thoughts of you all will be floating out to sea tomorrow as we head out, <br>and all along the way too.<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a><br>PHOTOS: <a href="http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs">http://s992.photobucket.com/home/travelbaggs</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-42402998429787872262010-12-16T21:35:00.001-05:002010-12-16T21:35:09.023-05:00a - From Sunny Ft Lauderdale :)Last night, still in Soddy, we were running around finishing up all <br>sorts of things between the shop and the house. We took the doglets to <br>Steven's house where they will be staying while we are away, finished up <br>the packing, sorted out a few more sick computers, wrapped the final <br>Christmas presents, left notes everywhere and just generally tried to <br>tie up a gazillion loose ends. Frank went out to the shop at one point <br>and slipped down the concrete steps that were totally frozen over.... <br>That could so easily have been the end of this trip and we were, once <br>again, very fortunate that he was not hurt.<p>I had some things I needed to do last night online and was a tad worried <br>when I could not get online. My Macbook was already asleep in the safe <br>and I wondered whether this little computer would actually work. It <br>does, but there were a few bad moments there. I know that I would also <br>be a good thing for me to get away from the computer for a while, but <br>this is the way I do things, write my memories and experiences down at <br>the end of the day after the lights are off and Frank is gently snoring. <br>:) Besides, I need somewhere to dump the few photos I take...<p>We were lucky that we did not latch the gate last night as everything <br>was frozen solid this morning - we would have had trouble getting out of <br>the yard, let alone down the road... but we did, and with icicles <br>dripping off many places of the car we carefully headed down the road to <br>the airport. What a lovely time of the day that is, especially in this <br>weather.. almost no cars at all, and those that are out are all driving <br>slowly and carefully. The bridges were salted and the roads just fine. <br>The airport was still asleep apart from one short line of people on a <br>different airline. After about an hour of waiting, a guy who had <br>obviously forgotten to check his hair in the mirror and who did not look <br>fully awake, opened up the Delta line and we started the process.<p>We were late in taking off, wings got all iced up and we had to get <br>de-iced again, three people were taken off the airplane and their <br>luggage had to be taken off too... we never did find out why. But after <br>about an hour delay off we went into the night sky. I firmly believe <br>that I will not suffer from any menopausal hot flushes........ i get <br>enough of them each time we take off in an airplane! My palms go all <br>sweaty and even though I am not hungry at all, my stomach grumbles and <br>groans. My brain tells me its all ok and even the worst scenario <br>is....well, out of my control - but that message does not go any further <br>than the neurons that created them. When it was time to get off the <br>plane we were very surprised to see that we had to climb down a very <br>narrow steep set of stairs, straight on to the tarmac and then walked a <br>way and up some more steep metal steps into the airport. Hmmm -had not <br>seen that for a while.<p>The airplane from Atlanta to Ft Lauderdale was a jitterbug! It sort of <br>wiggled around as if it had a soft spot in the middle like one of those <br>airport buses that have a concertina middle..... That plane jiggled <br>around on the ground like a kid who needs to go to the bathroom - one <br>foot to the other, non stop. Everyone was sort of looking at everyone <br>else with an unasked question in their eyes. No one got off though and <br>the flight was smooth and good once we got off the ground. It was <br>greatly improved when they announced that Delta was giving free wifi <br>connections on all flights till 2 Jan.... I just could not resist! Out <br>came the laptop and yes, I sent a couple of emails from 38000 ft up in <br>the sky :)<p>The clouds looked like something from Disneyland - all fairytale like <br>and a very pretty clean cotton-wooley white with a lovely pink and <br>orange glow and the sun woke up. Pretty. After landing we jitterbugged <br>for a good way to the gate, grabbed our luggage (the only turquoise <br>color in there), found a taxi and headed to the hotel. It is beautiful <br>and warm here - and before long we found ourselves sitting outside at a <br>dockside restaurant, beers in hand, smiles firmly planted on our faces, <br>squinting against.........yes, the sunshine!! Everything felt so good <br>right then and so its been for today. After a delicious lunch, a couple <br>of beers, a beach walk we headed back to the hotel to catch up on some <br>of the missed sleep from last night.<p>And so the first day of our time away has come to an end. Tomorrow we <br>will be exploring Ft Lauderdale by Water Taxi - $15 per person for a <br>full day of coming and going with stops all over Ft Lauderdale... sounds <br>lovely and the weather is going to be just great too - 78 degrees!!<p>Here is a link to a few live camera's of the Panama Canal.... we go <br>through there on the 24th December - starting at the first lock around <br>6am and out the other side at around 6pm... <br>.<a href="http://www.panamacanallivecam.com/gatun-lock-cam/">http://www.panamacanallivecam.com/gatun-lock-cam/</a>. Maybe you would see <br>us going through there too. We are on the Celebrity Constellation <br>cruise ship.<p>I will try to put up some photos, but think that the connection on the <br>ship will just not allow it - so will probably only get that right once <br>its all over.<p>Ok- enough rambling out of a 'nothing much' day :)<p>love and light<br>Annie<p>-- <br><a href="http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com">http://cruisebaggs.blogspot.com</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-25407098259181946372010-12-13T21:06:00.001-05:002010-12-13T21:06:38.420-05:00Heading out again..........Hello everyone<p>We are leaving here very very early on this Thursday morning for, two <br>days in Ft Lauderdale, Florida and then on to our balcony room on the <br>Celebrity Constellation cruise ship for 15 nights at sea..... We will be <br>stopping along the way at Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - one of the places <br>we missed when we were there earlier this year; on to Cartagena, <br>Columbia; through the Panama Canal and on to three different places in <br>Mexico - one being the tip of Baja - Cabo San Lucas.. This is another <br>place we did not stop at when we were in Baja a couple of years ago now. <br>Our final stop is San Diego, on the 2nd January 2011, where we get to <br>meet my spunky email friend Esther.<p>It's going to be wonderful to get away from the cold, wonderful to <br>relax, to explore the places we have not yet seen and to meet a friend <br>as well.....<p>So - this is the 'we are about to head out' email..... if any of you <br>don't want to get the emails I send out when we are away, please do say <br>so. I have not had the time to go through my address book too carefully <br>(ran out of time) and might even have some of you in there twice..... <br>so, please just let me know.<p> While we are away, we cannot get any attachments, funnies, forwards, <br>photos, pictures - no attachments of any type, please. But emails, <br>news and updates from all of you are very welcome. The connection from <br>the ship is very expensive and I will literally only have enough time <br>online to download any emails and then to send the updates.<p>Hopefully its going to be one heck of a ride, not quite like the other <br>ships we have seen limping into port lately, but lots of fun.<p>Love and light<br>AnnieAnnie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-36957900493417466662009-09-29T00:23:00.000-04:002009-09-29T00:24:14.628-04:00d - Sunrises and butterflies<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The music gently woke us up at 5.30am again this morning and we were quickly all ready to head out for the next few hours...... but first came the most glorious sunrise..... Sunrise in the Jungle! Oh that almost brings tears to my eyes just thinking about where we are and how awesome it is! By now, everyone seems to know that I will take a bunch of photos and one guy kinda 'guess-tamates' and then asks me later with a grin all over his face.... cheecky sod he is, I will have to set him straight somewhere along the way.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are 4 tour guides on the boat... Ian, the cheeky sod, is only on his second run but the others have been doing this for years. They have so much knowledge and are so keen to share it in a way that makes it all seem real and touchable. They really are a great group of guys and all come along on our trips each day, so we all get the benefit of their combined knowledge. We are not divided into groups at all, it all just flows naturally when we walk around places and when we are in the motorized canoe we all take different seats each day so there is no clique-forming like that. It's good to see how everyone on here gets on well together - no nonsense and no drama at all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Every night after supper we have a 'briefing' where one of the guides will go over what we have done that day, shows us on a map where we have been and where we will go the next day. Some days require wellies/rubber boots and others, just casual shoes - so we get all this information every evening. And thats when they tell us what time is wake up call. I really would not mind a 4am wake up call if it is so that we could see more of this place - and that really says something :) Tomorrow we are going to visit a school and in the briefing we are told things like not to take photos of the people or their kids until specifically told that its ok to do so. I can imagine that it must be quite horrible to get a group of people coming into your community, happily snapping photos as if you are in a zoo. So this meeting each night is important to retain the dignity of the people as well as the fauna and flora of the area.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yesterday we walked at the eastern most point of Ecuador......the Peruvian border was just across the river - and today we passed a place where the flagpoles of the two countries stand side by side, guide ropes even overlapping, on the same side of one of the tributaries. Of course, according to the guides, the Ecuadorian Flag was prettier and in much better conditon - it definately was! We are still really close to Peru and despite what we were warned about by a few people before coming here, there are absolutely no safety issues here any different from at home. Be aware, be careful and be sensible and most of all, respect the inhabitants.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We went into the Yasuni National Park today which is on a small river - the Yasuni river, that runs off the Napo river. Again we had to check in with them, give our passport numbers and get permission to go on through. The smaller rivers, the tributaries off the Napo River, are just glorious. There we sit in this long canoe, four people wide, but only two on each bench, slowly and gently winding our way down these awesome places. Around each corner the view changes, the trees and shrubs are different and the reflections are just stunning. There is much gentle talking amongst everyone and the guides have a phenomenal way of spotting birds and other wildlife. I have to say that we dont see much other than birds here - its too thick to walk far into the jungle apart from on set paths and the birds even are pretty shy about sticking around to be photographed. But sitting there in that canoe, gently bobbing around while listening to the monkeys and birds chatter away and very often spotting them up in the trees, is just beyond anything I have known. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Today there were thousands of butterflies and dragonflies all around - my favorite is still that Blue Morpho that wafts its way magically across the greenery - there is no way to miss it at all. There were a good many places along the Yasuni River that the butterflies collected in huge flocks, seeming to bounce around in a delegated area. Apparently they feed of the moisture of the eyes of the terrapins, but they - the terrapins - quickly disappear when they hear us, leaving the butterflies bouncing around not sure what the heck happened! It was quite amazing to see that time and time again. For all of this morning we could look in any direction and we would see a good many butterflies, some seeming to race us in the canoe, other just wafting across to see who and what we were and then heading off again - but all very beautiful.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And at the end of this river is a lake - its official name is something that I cannot begin to spell but it means "Big Lake", and it was. We were fortunate enough that the floating islands did not block our path to the lake as it apparently does - but we had enough space to squeeze through. These floating islands move quite a bit apparently and there are a few newly growing ones around there too. Anyway, so in we squeezed and were almost instantly met by more pink dolphins.....they can manoever all up and down these rivers with no problem, but tend to stay in the lakes - cant say I blame them at all. We meandered around this huge open space, almost stunned as to just how fast the thick jungle growth and tall trees had been replaced by green floating grass, the occasional tree dotted here and there and water everywhere..... We also saw some rare bird that is near extinction and it has a horn on it head - and not a short one either - a good many inches apparently.. I must look at it again tomorrow,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We pulled off again to a solid ground spot and the guys got the poop-tent out again and in a short time the little blue house was ready. I just could not bring myself to use it and had to laugh at even the fact that I would feel uncomfortable using it. I did not go wandering off in the wrong direction again today but stayed near the river's edge and then noticed a clump of butterflies bouncing around an old fireplace....... so I got a good many photos of those - alone with that screamingly funny little blue poop house...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The level of the water had fallen in the lake and it was only 6 foot deep and we were told that it was not a good idea to swim as there would be a lot of the muck kicked up from the bottom and that was not good.... so we headed back to the Manatee again. I really love being out and seeing the new places, but there is also something about it when that canoe is kicked into a higher gear, when that glorious smile appears on the drivers face and the spray from the bow reaches high as we lean this way and that way, zigzagging across the river on our way back home. It's cooler, its fun and its really great. There is no straight path on the river as there are way too many trees and shallow areas, so its a constant zigzagging across all the rivers we go on - big and small. I love it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We got back to the boat to an absolutely glorious lunch today - out on the upper deck outside with a totally open view of the river.... the food was delicious and the weather played along just perfectly. The captain came to sit at our table - its really very casual and he does the rounds, or just grabs a chair wherever there is a spare one. We had true Ecuadorian food and a good and cold Pilsner beer to go along with it. And then back to the cabin where we each snoozed for almost two hours! Now that was fantastic and also the first time that I have not been outside with my camera while it has been light.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Then off we went to a river island for a walkaround on the sandy beaches there. This was a good sized island with very young vegetation. The capybaras apparently come across to feed on the tender plants and there are some birds that only live on these islands and not in the 'old forests''. We saw a good many footprints of deer and capybara and probably some pigs too, but not much in the way of wildlife at all. The bird-people saw a few birds but not too many and will try again tomorrow on a different island down the river somewhere. It was lovely to walk barefoot in the sand and Frank headed out to find a stick to walk with - funny how he always does that, often picking up, trying, discarding and trying other sticks until the right one just fits. I dont know that he even realises that he is looking for the perfect one until it just happens along... then off he goes with that ever present smile. And so it was today. We walked in the water but were told to be careful of the stingrays, so we headed to the grassed section to see what we could see and then back on the sandy parts. There were tadpoles in the river - bunches of them! Its been ages since I have seen tadpoles and these were really good and healthy looking ones too.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>All the while, the storm clouds were buiding, giving a beautiful thunderous blue to the sky and a richness and light to the green everywhere that just lit it all up - absolutely lovely for photos. Just beautiful. the quiet on that island was total. We could hear just the water as it brushed up against the edge of the sand.... And then we were given a beautiful full rainbow, all the way across the sky. We could even see where it stopped right in the water! I wished aloud that the Manatee Amazon Explorer would catch up with us and head right through that rainbow...... but everyone agreed that Photoshop would have to work its magic and that I would have to 'make it happen' on the computer instead. Well - the rainbow got stronger, and yes! There came the Manatee around the corner! There was this collection of gasps as everyone realized what I was doing as I set off at a run to get the right angle and a few joined in, trying to get there first..... a good moment. And so it all came together.... the rainbow, the river and the Manatee..... By then, everyone had found their place and the cameras clicked away so much that there was much laughter. My camera and lens setup is a baby by comparison to some of these here and there are some truly magnificant photos being born around here. That was really one of the lovely moments of the trip.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Right before all this came together, the rain set in so everyone hauled out their standard black issued ponchos with hoods, and quickly covered themselves and their camera and telescopes up. I had a special plastic bag for my camera and Frank and I had decided that we would not carry the ponchos with us as it was a short excusion and they are heavy, so we yanked out our standard jackets, me holding mine over the camera, even with the plastic bag and we walked in the rain! Oh it was just wonderful and we got totally soaked by a genuine Ecuadorian Amazonian Rainstorm.. does that not just sound awesome or what??....And then I looked up and saw this crowd of about 20 people, all with black cloaks and pointy hoods on, milling around in one spot a good way away from us..... they looked like huge bats! More pictures, more laughs.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And then it was time to catch up with the Manatee again for supper and some relaxing time... I just love reconnecting with the Manatee - its kind of like refuelling in the air for airplanes - no need to stop, just hook up, watch you step and go on your way to a cleaned cabin, cooked food, cold beer, good company and a continual great view.....The day ended with another totally beautiful sunset over the jungle, with us tied up to a tree alongside the banks again, a small tug boat behind us - thats another story - and the sounds of the jungle nightlife right ourside our window - I mean literally about 8 feet away! Its just awesome..</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tomorrow is the school and community visit and an optional river island visit again... I know where we are going :)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Till then</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>love and light</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Annie</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://galapagobaggs.blogspot.com">http://galapagobaggs.blogspot.com</A><BR><A href="http://s761.photobucket.com/albums/xx257/GalapagoBaggs/">http://s761.photobucket.com/albums/xx257/GalapagoBaggs/</A></FONT></DIV>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-51796007898020400972009-09-16T23:02:00.001-04:002009-09-16T23:02:34.924-04:00From Annie re Amazon and Galapagos trip<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is a test email. If anyone wants off the list, please let me know - if you know anyone that wants on - email to this address. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In one week from today, this exact hour, we will be in Quito, Ecuador! :) I bet I can find some beautiful butterflies a-hatching in my stomach already! For the first two nights, we should have email contact, then nothing for 8 days. After the Amazon cruise we should have email contact again for another two days days and then none while we are on the Galapagos Islands. They say there is internet, but I am not sure we will be able to get it much at all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But I know me............ each night I will type up the days doings and have it ready to pop off as soon as a connection is found. I will label each email alphabetically so that there will be some order. Hopefully I will be able to get a good few emails to you, as well as photos. Pray for my cameras!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The blog is: <A href="http://GalapagoBaggs.blogspot.com">http://GalapagoBaggs.blogspot.com</A>. If I can only send to limited emails, this blog will be where I would send to..... so check there in case.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Please do not send me any forwards, or attachments, funnies or photos while we are away... it will block my email up and .........well, please dont - thanks! Any and all other emails are very welcome. To my regular emailers - please keep writing, and U3 (my kids), please keep me updated on you all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thats it for now... see you next week</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Annie</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-62388595927284866132008-09-12T22:55:00.000-04:002008-09-12T22:56:07.589-04:00m - The Wheelie House has landed............Is there a difference between 300 miles and 300 miles? Definitely! <br>The last 300 miles home were very different from the 300 or so miles <br>over the Icefield Parkway or those up on the quiet roads up in <br>Canada. It's always like this, once we reach the point of saying <br>"enough, time to go home" it seems to take ages to actually get <br>there. The interstates are not really camera friendly and so my hand <br>has, for the first time in 3 weeks, not been clutched and ready to <br>snap away and it sat and sulked on the floor for a good many miles.<p>I cannot make up my mind whether its "only been three weeks" or "it's <br>been three weeks already!". We have seen so much in a short time and <br>the trip was initially only to see the northern lights, if we were <br>lucky......... I try to sit and remember everything we saw in the <br>Badlands - that beautiful pink and white mixture of ground, arranged <br>in a way that could only bring oohs and aahs, then everything in <br>Yellowstone National Park.......... now that was truly amazing! We <br>knew it was a special place, but wow - we were really bowled over by <br>just how much there was to see. Just driving around that side of the <br>country is wonderful and special too without having to be in an <br>official park of any kind. It is beautiful in a way that really is <br>indescribable. The feeling of going into Canada, leaving the USA is <br>always a good one too - still makes my palms sweat when having to <br>deal with the INS but I find myself wanting to thum my nose at the <br>immigration officer. After all the years I fought to stay in this <br>country, its good to be able to leave and come back when I want to.<p>We were on new roads going into Canada this time which was really <br>great and we passed through some really lovely little towns where we <br>could just see that the people there are very special. Cardston was <br>definitely one of those. You can see by the type of businesses, how <br>they are dressed up and generally the care of the main road of town. <br>Heading up onto that Icefield Parkway was...........well, there is no <br>other way to say it but - crazily exciting! I found myself sitting <br>forward in my chair, extra camera batteries ready and having to force <br>my mouth closed at times. That is really one beautiful place and one <br>that I could visit again - even after going through twice in three <br>weeks! Maybe some day we will catch it on a sunny day.<p>And we watched the weather - rain, cloudy, rain, cold, cloudy and <br>added to that was the natural tiredness of driving all day long...... <br>and sometimes I would wonder if we even had a chance to see those <br>northern lights at all! And when they happened, yes - that orchestra <br>plays over and over in my mind. I simply loved it and apart from all <br>the other feelings and wishes and dreams that I sent out on those <br>lights, seeing them again has made me want to see them again! Yup - I <br>will be watching for a good solar storm and then we will head north <br>again. They really worked a number on my soul. We were so incredibly <br>fortunate that everything worked out the way it did - the weather, the <br>lights and the time. If we had not seen them in Dawson Creek, we <br>would probably have driven further north, but the weather was not <br>going to play along and our chances were almost nil from then on. The <br>next day, about 200 miles south of Dawson Creek someone there said <br>they had also seen the lights, but that they were only the white, <br>whispy, cloudy type..... How fortunate we we!<p>The opal mines - now that was a disappointment - but even if we had <br>found the road to go there, there was no way we could have done it. <br>We could not have left the doglets in that place, even for 10 minutes, <br>let alone a few hours while we mined, and we did not know if they <br>could come with us either. So, maybe thats something for another <br>time. But I am really not sure if I want to camp where people look <br>like droids with no emotions...........<p>Driving west to east across Kansas yesterday seemed to go on forever <br>and the wind played havoc with the motor home causing Frank to <br>literally wrestle with the wheel all day long. The wind also has an <br>effect on Sophie - she just will not walk in it! She gets outside, <br>and plops her tiny behind firmly on the ground and literally has to be <br>dragged along, leaving long ruts in anything but grass. After a <br>little while she will lift herself enough to pee, but only just. <br>Allie does not give a hoot and stands there, almost vibrating with <br>readiness to go walking. So most of the time we each have one doglet, <br>one of us trying to get Allie to slow down and the other trying to get <br>Sophie to take a single step - it gets interesting when we hook them <br>on the same leash and let them go!<p>Yesterday morning we decided to take the interstates home........... <br>through Kansas City and St Louis. And then the rain got heavier, the <br>wind blew harder and my resolve got weaker and right at the last road <br>south, I told Frank to turn right! Right? Yup - off the <br>interstate.......... No Kansas City or St Louis for me! Not this <br>time. Not ever, if I can help it. Yup - I am a wuss, a chicken and <br>all that - but...........even narrow, winding farm roads in the rain <br>are better than the insanity of rush hour city driving. So after <br>screaming through Kansas as fast as we could, on both interstates and <br>small roads, with the only really memorable thing being a turn sign in <br>the middle of a cornfield, we spent the night in Missouri last night. <br>The wind howled and it was lovely to have all the windows open and <br>hear the wind swish through the mosquito blinds, such a change from <br>the nights of cold feet and heaters not so long ago.<p>In our minds we have been headed home since not being able to get to <br>the opal mine. We had wanted to head south but Hurricane Ike put that <br>in the box for us. Looking at the weather all around - well, it just <br>seemed to be the right time to head home again. A few weeks back we <br>saw a sign that read: "Act your Wage". Well, maybe it's time for us <br>to do just that for a little while again and save up for another trip <br>somewhere. As we tootle down this interstate we are already talking <br>about 'where to' next.<p>Every day has been an adventure - something to see, something to smile <br>about and something to cause me to think and dream and love even <br>deeper than I did the day before. In ordinary days, in ordinary times <br>we let so much slip by unnoticed. I know I do this all the time. And <br>after each trip, I try to hold on to the magic, the different type of <br>seeing things for as long as I can. Typing these emails to you all <br>has definitely given me reason to look at things differently too - in <br>more detail and almost like taking a visual photograph. I do write <br>down little reminders in a book I have right next to me, but then I <br>have trouble reading my scrawl later.<p>There are so many places that I am incredibly grateful not to have <br>grown up in, so many towns that have seen better times and so many <br>different ways of living. Its interesting that the further west we <br>were, it seemed as if people are more willing to be adventerous with <br>their houses and gardens, not always succeeding to my taste, but <br>always interesting and fun. I loved looking at the gardens, the <br>decorations and the different personalities displayed on the outside <br>of people's homes. I am again stunned at the number of rusted, old, <br>broken, unused derelict cars and motor homes and houses around the <br>country.... This is all just another reminder of just how fortunate I <br>feel we are.<p>So, after 7300 miles, about the same number of photographs, through <br>some of the most beautiful places on the continent, with numerous <br>lovely Frank cooked meals, chilled wine, very well behaved doglets and <br>three wonder filled weeks, the Wheelie House has stopped for a while. <br>We cruised gently past Soddy Lake, with the lights glistening in dead <br>calm waters, the sun just set behind the hillside and really happy to <br>be home for a while again.<p>The doglets are thrilled too - they screamed around the house like two <br>insane gremlins, then Allie found our bed and curled up with a grin. <br>Sophie still has not stopped running and playing and its been 3 hours <br>now!<p>A word on Blondie......... she put us on tiny roads, took us places we <br>should not have seen, frustrated the heck out of me, made us laugh and <br>shake our heads and even as we were coming over the mountain on the <br>last stretch home, she tried to put us over the edge at every <br>opportunity. Even though she did great through Nashville this <br>evening, I have decided to store her in a cupboard with a big bottle <br>of brown hair color!<p>A really big thank you to you all - your comments and information <br>along the way was great :) You all made me see things I might not <br>have noticed before and through this helped make this trip really <br>wonderful and yes, wonder-filled.<p>One day closer to the next adventure ................<br>love and light<br>Annie<p>I will put the final photographs in the albums tomorrow.<p>Picture link: <a href="http://photobucket.com/annieb">http://photobucket.com/annieb</a><br><a href="http://livingwithcml.blogspot.com">http://livingwithcml.blogspot.com</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-54339804891951695472008-09-11T00:44:00.000-04:002008-09-11T00:45:25.524-04:00l - Just tootling alongDid I feel a tad smug today! I studied that map better than I studied <br>anything I ever did in school - I looked, and paged backward and <br>forward and scribbled and plotted and then we sucked in our sides and <br>scooted through that thin slot between Cheyenne and Denver! Yup - it <br>took some little roads and more farmlands but boy it was good to scoot <br>down the middle of them both! Sorry Gloria - but nope - no way with a <br>wheelie house in Denver - I did wave in your general direction which <br>was on my right for much of this morning! We had planned to head <br>south to Texas to surprise Bea there, but Hurricane Ike decided to <br>come that way, which put a stop to that and any potential beach walks <br>we might have been thinking about. So now we find ourselves on roads <br>we had not been on before which is good.<p>We have been doing some country road riding and some interstate <br>cruising and I have discovered that both of them are interesting in <br>their own way. Even though the welcome board to Colorado says <br>"Welcome to Colorful Colorado", its not really all that colorful - not <br>where we were driving, but what is lacking in the countryside is made <br>up in the color of the trucks, trains and billboards. The countryside <br>rolls easy here and its very gentle and inviting. There are fields <br>with little yellow flowers sprinkled in them and the sunflowers are <br>always a surprise.... We drive along and see a yellow tinge in the <br>fields, then the road takes you around the corner and boom! there is <br>a brilliant, canary (or should I say sunflower?) yellow carpet for as <br>far as you can see! All the sunflowers were bowing eastward this <br>morning and as the sun headed overhead, it literally lit up the fields <br>as all the flower heads lifted upwards. And in quite a few places <br>there was a red ground covering that glistened in the sunlight. On <br>many of the huge roadside rocks there was a definite green on them - <br>it seemed to be more than moss and almost looked like paint, but we <br>knew it was not. Some of the hills had little fluffy plants growing <br>on them that glistened in the sun and at times seemed to be almost <br>white and other times, yellow. Ok - so now I see - it really IS <br>Colorful Colorado! Hmmm, that was interesting...<p>Its strange to see gates on the interstates that can be closed if <br>there is snow on the road or other dangerous conditions, I guess. Its <br>not something we have around Chattanooga at all. All along these <br>highways there are houses, or trailers, in places that make us wonder <br>why there? Most often they are not lonely little houses but rather <br>almost surrounded with many, many dead cars, rv's farm equipment and <br>an incredible array of what looks to be rusting junk. And there are <br>many of these places! Some rather nice looking houses have farm <br>equipment just parked in their yards, seeming with no design or <br>pattern, just as if they had gone that far and were going to be there <br>till they were also just a little pile of rusted dust.<p>We drove through one area that was obviously an upper class area and <br>all the houses on the hill were the same dull brown. I bet that was <br>to try to blend the houses with the hill, but it just made me think of <br>dog poop on the hill! See the picture........ Sometimes trying too <br>hard to blend in just does not work and this is definitely one of <br>those times. And then we went over another Continental Divide at 7000 <br>feet. There are lots of wind fences around here and in some places <br>the wind fence wood was obviously taken down and used to fix the <br>ordinary fences..<p>There are big black bugs all over here and they smash dramatically <br>into the windshield leaving a very unpleasant mess that just refuses <br>to get cleaned off with water and the wipers. We stopped at a gas <br>station and Frank cleaned all the windows, but a mere two miles down <br>the road - it was a mess again. I could no longer dodge the splats on <br>the glass and you will see many of the photos have the <br>evidence.......... Ah well - its all part of the story.<p>First thing this morning as we headed out, Blondie (who is being given <br>her 7th chance now!) told us to turn right..... "Does she mean it? Is <br>she right?" says Frank? Yessssssss! She got it right! And she was <br>really good all day long - but then its not too difficult to go badly <br>wrong on a really straight road! We drove through the town of Fort <br>Collins, Colorado and found gas at 'only' $3.46/gal so quickly filled <br>up. That is a lovely little town - gorgeous old houses - just gentle <br>and a nice feeling. Well, for the main part. Right outside of town <br>there was a big wall around a new sub-division with a huuuuge banner <br>advertising that this was an "Active Adult Community". Well, that <br>started a long conversation that took up a few miles and caused a good <br>few laughs and we both decided that we would not want to live behind <br>an advertisement like that :)<p>Oh yes, I keep forgetting - what with all the driving through the <br>wheat fields, we did not see any crop circles - but we did see crop <br>squares!! Yup - and I even got pictures! And they are in the album. <br>There were lots of really long trains snaking through the hillsides <br>and some of the artwork on the sides is beautiful and most definitely <br>colorful. And then at one place we drove past a sheep farm. This <br>type of sheep farm I had never seen nor smelled before. It stank so <br>badly that it took about 10 miles before it all blew out of the rv! <br>These sheep were not roaming the gentle hillsides - they were all <br>penned inside fences, standing and lying around in some seriously deep <br>brown muck that I don't even know what to call it! That stink was <br>much, much worse than the many dead skunks we have driven past. We <br>learned really quickly on our first trip to never ever ever drive over <br>a dead skunk - always drive a-r-o-u-n-d it, then it only takes a few <br>minutes till you can breathe again. If your wheels touch it - you <br>will not like yourself for many many miles..... But that sheep farm <br>was almost worse than that!<p>And just a last thought for this time............. all these oil wells <br>pumping out here? I would have to paint mine if I had one on my farm <br>- paint it like a toucan, a rabbit, a woodpecker - give us poor, half <br>bored tourists driving past something to look at! Actually, its quite <br>amazing just how much there is to see along the way and each evening <br>when I download the photos onto the computer, I am surprised at just <br>how many photographs I have taken in a day that seemed to go on <br>forever without much to see and its fun going through them to see <br>which ones actually worked well.<p>So here we are again, level, with all the hookups we need, the wind <br>howling outside and lovely and cool inside. And its my bedtime. <br>Another good day.<p>Love and light<br>Annie<p>Picture link: <a href="http://photobucket.com/annieb">http://photobucket.com/annieb</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590622031095679979.post-59392998179713888692008-09-09T00:37:00.001-04:002008-09-09T00:37:47.604-04:00k - We did not sleep well on Friday night in Skookumchuck, Canada. The rv <br>was not level and no matter what we did, it just seemed to slowly sink <br>back into an angle again. So we left it like that and went to sleep. <br>The park advertised wi-fi, but nope - none there. Anyway, after a <br>restless night of snoring and dreams of the immigration people not <br>allowing the doglets back into the USA (my nightmare), we packed up <br>early and headed further south. When we came into Canada we were <br>asked for the rabies papers for both dogs...... Allie has her tag, but <br>Sophie has not yet got hers. We had no paperwork for either of the <br>dogs with us - did not even think about it, so my night was filled <br>with plans of sneaking them back across the border. I have no idea <br>why this plagued me so much - but it did. We found the duty free shop <br>right before the border again and loaded up on some more chocolates - <br>with a bit of luck there will be some left for the kids by the time we <br>get home again :) Then we headed to the border - Kingsport Crossing. <br>My hands have always got really clammy when having to deal with the <br>Immigration Department, ever since that very first time we arrived <br>here in the USA. So, with sweaty palms and a determination to be cool <br>and calm and collected, we pulled up to the window to be met with a <br>guy that was very po-faced, no smiles but he did not even have our <br>potatoes taken away - no agricultural search or confiscation this <br>time! I bet that if I had a blood pressure meter on my arm while <br>going through these border crossings, that I would be off the chart <br>and I always heave a big sigh of relief when we pull away from those <br>little windows. Somehow just the idea of dealing with immigration <br>makes me feel guilty of something! Weird.<p>Leaving Canada always has a sad feeling to it. The scenery <br>immediately changes and all wildness, or impression of it, is gone. <br>The fences are back in full force and the overhead powerlines litter <br>the sky everywhere. We arrived back in the very northern panhandle of <br>Idaho - potato land and saw everything but potatoes........ There are <br>long hills of wheat fields , cattle, small towns, tiny winding roads <br>that all go to the top of the hills and way down those long gentle <br>hills to a tiny little stream, only to head right back up again. It <br>was a very quiet ride and quite a let down after the open roads in <br>Canada. But gas is much cheaper here - just an example: It takes <br>around $200 to fill the gas tank in Canada and 'only' about $120 here <br>in USA.<p>We drove for hours and hours through these wheat fields feeling quite <br>awed at the amount of time the farmers have to put in to reaping the <br>crop of the land. There are a good many wooden barns, big and small, <br>that are precariously leaning and obviously not in use any more, but <br>there they stay, I guess until they just gently collapse. The wheat <br>grows all around them - it's as if they have some sacred or secret <br>meaning and no one want to tear them down and use the land.....very <br>strange and quite amazing just how far they can lean over and still <br>stay standing!<p>We had decided to do a bit of Opal mining so were screaming down, <br>directly south into Northern Nevada to the Rainbow Opal mines. I had <br>dreams of finding an awesome opal - but not quite sure what to do with <br>it once I had it. And we drove and drove, stopped at Walmart to buy <br>some digging tools and buckets and hit the road again...... Then we <br>went on a road that just went on and on, around corner after corner, <br>up and down the hills in a really rocking kind of way, except for the <br>times when the grade was so steep that we could only just get up to 18 <br>miles per hour! On the lower sections of this road, we were joined by <br>a simply beautiful stream with the greenest of green grass growing all <br>along the sides of it. The water was crystal clear and there were <br>really big fish in it, all swimming upstream. I tried to get some <br>photos, but have not had much of a look at them yet. It was very <br>quiet next to that stream but the wildest thing we saw there was a dog <br>trying to catch the fish.....<p>Most of Saturday and Sunday was spend driving these tiny roads and <br>even though they seem to go on and on, there are always strange <br>things to see. We saw a really old airplane parked in someones front <br>yard, many shoes along the road, never in pairs. On almost every <br>corner there is a house stuck in there with barely place for a <br>driveway. Some of them look like a nightmare and others are absolutely <br>brilliant with all the different flowers hanging from pots all over <br>the outside of the house and filling the small space around the <br>house. Mostly these are tiny houses, old and obviously in need of <br>work. Many places have a good many rv's in different stages of <br>disrepair and most often with a tarp over the roof - well, I guess it <br>started off on top of the roof...... Do they collect these from the <br>side of the road, or are they just a story of their journeys? Some <br>places have all their junk piled up in huge piles and a good many had <br>everything just lined up in what looked like a scrap metal dealers <br>dream. Quite amazing!<p>The hillsides all had plants with beautiful orange and yellow and red <br>leaves that just lit up as the sunshine hit them - they covered the <br>ground between the trees and made each turn in the road into another <br>beautiful expectation, especially when they reflected in that little <br>stream. At one point we stopped to walk the doglets and ourselves <br>and found a box of pistol shells and 26c just lying in the middle of <br>the pull off. There was also a deer carcass - there is definately a <br>story there but we did not stick around to figure it out either.<p>And then we saw a snake in the road, my window was open and Frank <br>slowed down as much as possible but could not pullover to let me get a <br>closer look - but it looked like a diamond back rattlesnake and I <br>could hear his rattle as we went past him! Unfortunately we could <br>not stop to look, there was a blind curve behind us and no side of the <br>road either. He was a good size and had a good strong rattle too... <br>We saw one other snake, a pitch black one that just looked like a <br>shadow as it whizzed over the road in front of us. And that was all <br>as far as wildlife around here went - unless you count the little <br>donkey that was in the back of the pickup that passed us. Seriously! <br>There it stood, as calm as can be, as he was driven down the road and <br>around those corners........ we just had to laugh.<p>And so, after a really long day of driving, Frank really tired from <br>wrestling and shoving and pushing and encouraging the rv all around <br>those little roads, well, then we arrived in Denio - the little 'town' <br>that was supposed to lead us to the opal mine. We saw no signs about <br>the mines, blinked and we had passed it! So we thought that we needed <br>to go to Denio Junction, just three miles down the road..... There was <br>a gas station, a bar and an rv park. Well....... Anyway, Frank went <br>into what we thought was the shop and came out a minute later just <br>wanting to get the heck out of town. No one spoke to us. Three <br>people sat at the front of the building on a small porch place, just <br>looking with no expression. It was quite nerve-wracking. We drove <br>through the rv park and decided that we would not leave a dead shoe <br>there, let alone the doglets if we were going to mine. So, with a bit <br>of discussion of "what now", we picked a road. We were not wanting to <br>go back along the way we had just come - we knew there was nothing <br>there.....and the next place was 95 miles away on the only good <br>looking road.... so, with a glance at the now fast setting sun, off we <br>headed. We landed in Winnamucca just as the last of the shadows <br>disappeared and the darkness set in for real. It was a looooooooooong <br>disappointing day.<p>So now we found ourselves back on an interstate - rather welcome after <br>so many days of tiny roads, but - we had been to most places south of <br>us, west of us and to go north again is just not an option on these <br>roads - so we headed east again on the interstate to Salt Lake City. <br>The interstates normally don't go through anything awesome and this <br>one was no different at all. Shrubs, hills, bland scenery only <br>brightened by all the different colors of the passing trucks and <br>cars. Many miles of small scrub, prettily lit up by the sunshine <br>again, a few interesting hills that looked as if a huge cat had clawed <br>it, leaving big gashes in them and a good many gas stations trying to <br>get $4.35 per gallon......... we found some at $3.89 which felt much <br>better, especially after getting to well below a quarter tank of gas!<p>The radio had been searching for a station for hours and hours and <br>right when we were going through a busy little town it came alive! <br>Full blaring volume - we both jumped and reached to kill it quickly! <br>Then we came to The Great Salt Lake Desert. All that salt! The <br>little fences bravely tried standing, but the wire was all eaten off <br>and mostly broken and there were big clumps of salt crystals around <br>all the wooden fence posts. It's weird to see all this whiteness and <br>it's bright on the eyes too. It's terribly flat around there too so <br>very difficult to get a good photo that really captures what it looks <br>like. Some of the hills look as if they are floating because of the <br>mirages. People have written their names and messages in the sand <br>with rocks and there are many places where we could see that people <br>had just driven off the road, done some circles in the salt and come <br>back onto the freeway......... it was tempting, for about a tenth of a <br>second!<p>And then I found out what menopause is going to be like. I sweated in <br>places that I did not even know sweated! Did you know that ears and <br>behind your knees sweat?? We went through Salt Lake City at rush <br>hour!! We were well ahead of time until a car wreck about 30 minutes <br>from it, closed the interstate for nearly an hour. So there we sat <br>just waiting and me imagining what was ahead. I could not have been <br>more wrong - it was worse. All the roads were being worked <br>on........and they had crunched three lanes of traffic into an area <br>that should have only housed two lanes and doubled the speed limit. I <br>swear that our rear view mirrors nearly kissed a good many cars and <br>trucks going by! I could feel that full-on menopausal hot flush <br>spreading from my toes, up my legs, through my gut - churning it all <br>over again, dumping a bucket under each armpit and out of the top of <br>my head each freakin time a car came passed us or we passed one. <br>Thank goodness that we did not have to drive near any tractor-trailers <br>in that 1000 mile stretch! I know, I know - it was only about 20 <br>minutes, but I swear I lost 10 pounds and blondie (whom I had switched <br>off!) even slipped from my very wet hands! After we got out of the <br>other side onto more sane roads, I switched the fan to blow on my feet <br>to dry them off. Yes, it's crazy. Frank sits there, cool as a <br>cucumber and tootles us right through all the insanity, glancing at me <br>occasionally and quietly snickering at my squeaks and low animal <br>groans.......ok - so he laughed properly when we were all safe and <br>sound. I really think big town traffic should be banned and I am <br>going to navigate us around all and any places that are even one tenth <br>the size of this place.<p>So here we are in the small town of Coaltown, or something, scrunched <br>up into the smallest rv park we have come across - but its level, have <br>internet, tv and power too - no complaints! :) Tomorrow we will pull <br>out the map to see which way from here...... there is rain coming in <br>behind us and Ike the hurricane coming into the Gulf of Mexico below <br>us which has blown away any idea of beach walking. We will head back <br>into Wyoming for starters and go from there - who knows what we come <br>across - there's a lot of lovely country between us and home.........<p>love and light<br>Annie<p>Picture link: <a href="http://photobucket.com/annieb">http://photobucket.com/annieb</a>Annie - Steven's momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09686206651106377099noreply@blogger.com0