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A long trip with some adventures
We just returned from a long trip, first to visit our son in California for a few days, then boarding a cruise ship in Los Angeles for 16 days down the coast of Mexico, stopping at Cabo San Lucas; Acapulco; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; through the Panama Canal; then Cartagena, Columbia; Georgetown, Grand Cayman and our last stop in Miami where the trip ended.
Naturally, there were days when we sailed all day and all night scattered between ports. But our ship, the Oceania Regatta, was wonderful. The service was incredible and we loved sitting on our terrace as we plowed through the waves. The ship provided very interesting speakers, one who was an expert on the Panama Canal and showed old photos of the digging, and the workers who built the canal, many of whom died from yellow fever carried by mosquitos.
Another was an art dealer with a riveting personality who called himself Tiny Tim (he was at least 6 feet 6 inches tall) and who actually made talking about art fascinating. There were many experts on different subjects who filled the seats when we were at sea.
The canal and its locks were worth the 10 hours it took. We found out that the ship pays $100,000 to make a one-way trip. I never realized that the canal included two large lakes and lots of small islands. I also found it interesting that the Pacific was actually that – very calm. The Atlantic, on the other hand, was choppy and one night we rocked and rolled through a lightning storm.
Earlier, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, we decided to get a water taxi to a place on the beautiful beach our son recommended. It was a very long walk and we figured this would be the answer. The man with the boat took our money and we took our seats and then he disappeared. I spotted him on the pier sauntering along.
We waited. And waited. “Here he comes,” I said. Then he put the hose into the gas pump. It turned itself off when it was full and we sat waiting again. When he came back, we took off and expected to be let off on a pier. But we passed by anything that looked like a pier. All of a sudden he said, “OK, you can get out.”
We were in two- to three-foot waves breaking on the beach. We had shoes on. Don jumped out and the man motioned for me to climb up on the prow and jump. Don grabbed my hand and pulled me off and into the waves. Let me tell you that the Margarita we had at the place on the beach was the best I’ve ever tasted.
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