Stopping By Cozumel

 While some people, mostly diving enthusiasts, love Cozumel, us? Not so much. Even when we went diving there, we were not very excited. They do mostly drift diving because of the currents. By that I mean you get dropped off in one spot with one of the dive members holding a buoyant ball by a rope that tracks the groups progress and you just drift along, usually faster than you want to until the dive time is up. I'm someone who likes to explore at my own pace and just linger if I find something interesting. Hard to do when you have a current to fight. On the other hand, people say it's easy diving because you don't expend much energy letting the current carry you. To each his own.

Above sea level doesn't attract us much either. We usually end up at a dock that has a mall area at the end of it. Nice, it you are a shopper and love the hassle of the sales pitches. Sombreros, ponchos and colorful materials are pleasing to look at but I don't care to purchase any. And the jewelry? Everything you could imagine and more if you trust the sellers. I'm not big on jewelry either.

To sum up our walk ashore, it was pleasant weather, terra firma, and for once the mall was not so packed with people that you felt crowded and bumped. The mall also looked a lot cleaner than I remembered from the past. We stopped at a "supermarket" that was mostly stocked with tequila and liquors and found some chocolates to choose from for our stateroom attendant. A lot of the local chocolates were filled with tequila and while I thought that might be appreciated given the situation with the crew's future, we settled on a package of M&Ms that contained six small packets of candy.

Before we went to dinner, we set it on the bed with a note. "When things go badly, a little chocolate sometimes helps. Here is some for you and some to share." She has been a real sweetheart and kept us well stocked in towels and water and the other necessities of room care. When I got sick with my head cold/sinus infection,  she said she would pray for me. She had seen my devotional book in the room and told us she was a Christian too.

Dinner was at Umi Uma, the Japanese restaurant, last night. Melt in the mouth sushi and sashimi. 

Bruce Hammond was back on board ship and did his Frank Sinatra show. Love his voice and as he put it, "real music". 

A day at sea is next. If I can stop sneezing and hacking and blowing my nose, I'll try to get my hair done. We have some onboard credits we need to use up before the journey ends. There may be a shopping trip to the ship's stores ahead.