World Cruise - Salaverry, Peru

[As I post this, we are between Easter Island and Pitcairn and have just gotten internet back after two days of being "in the footprint" where the satellite the ship uses for internet has no signal. Bear with me FaceBook friends and regular readers. It will probably happen again.] 

Salaverry is the port for the city of Trujillo, the third largest city in Peru. As our ship’s Reflections noted, it is a portal to the past. As we ate breakfast outside the Lido in back, we watched the morning mist begin to clear and reveal a beautiful mountain in the distance. 

Before us was a fleet of small fishing boats, their colorful hulls bobbing in the water waiting for the call to go fishing. As we were finishing our coffee one of our dinner partners saw us and asked if we were interested in an adventure. He wanted us to join him and his wife in securing a taxi for a tour to the ruins in the area. It sounded like fun so we agreed to meet and set off on our own excursion.

On the dock we were greeted by a costumed Peruvian who quickly assured us he knew a good English speaking driver who would give us a good deal, of course. He led us to a nice van and the driver assured us that he knew English by telling us he’d spent several years in the USA. For $30 each he agreed to be our driver for the day and we set off to the first ruins called Chan Chan, a UNESCO site.

Chan Chan was established sometime between 850 and 1300 AD by the Chimu Nation (predating the Incas). The city once held about 60,000 people and is made of mud. Yes, mud. The walls are very thick and the substance made from the clay in the area included sea shells, sand and other materials that have lasted quite well over the years. There is a lot of restoration that has been done but it seems the parts that were original have faired better than the newer portions which are already showing the wear of wind and sand and sun.

A guide took us through the ruins and gave us a great description of what we were seeing and how they imagined life to be back then. Each time a new ruler came to power, a new palace would be built and the remains of the old ruler would be sealed off in the area where he’d lived. Of course all his precious gems and gold trinkets were buried with him which was incentive enough for the Spaniards to excavate when they arrived.

There were about nine rulers they figured and so the major part of where we were visiting expanded quite a bit. The area we were in took up about 11 acres but they were sure that the city stretched quite a bit further than that. Monies that come in now are keeping the site preserved but there is little left over for more excavation.

It is always amazing to me how early people knew so much and were able to understand much of what we now know from our enlightened sciences. There was a mural of sorts depicting the two types of currents that affect the seas in that area. We know one of them now as the Humboldt current.

Several temple areas I assumed to different gods were present. Our guide explained that there were areas where idols must have been displayed but they were all destroyed by the Spaniards who wanted to be sure that the Christian religion prevailed. I can’t help but wonder if the people who were normally sacrificed (probably those virgins) were relieved.

Other squared-off sections were said to be storage areas for grains and other foods. Everything though was built from the same mud substance. The designs were exquisite and included pelicans, standing or flying, several kinds of fish and other animals but most having to do with the sea which was all important to them.

Water was supplied by wells that were shallow in comparison to what they are today. A reservoir was in the middle of the city and still has some water trickling into it from below. It is the only place where you find green plants. Our guide pointed out the reedy plants and said those were what the horse boats were made of. That reminded us to tell our driver that we wanted to see those as well.

After some back roads that took us through some strange housing developments, we finally got back to a main street and found ourselves in Huanchaco at the beach. There, lined up probably more for the tourists to see, were the boats known as caballitos de totora which means little horse of the totora reed. They are also known as the horse boats since the boater must straddle it much like riding a horse. A split rod of bamboo is used for the paddle. If this is what they used to go fishing on, I wonder how many survived. Imagine casting your line into the water with bait on the hook while your feet dangle in the water as well. No thanks. I’d be afraid I was shark bait.

From the beach we drove back toward Salaverry to stop for a few minutes in the town square. The church was beautiful on the outside and we were amazed at how even more beautiful inside. The paintings on the ceiling looked as if they had recently been restored. The brilliant colors and artistry reminded me of the Sistine Chapel.

After our short stop in the center of Salaverry, we visited another famous area of ruins called the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna, the temples of the sun and the moon. They are two large temples which cradled a city called Moche between them. It is said they pre-date the Chan Chan area. They are built mostly of adobe brick and are a pyramid shape. The temple of the sun is comparable in size to the pyramids in Egypt.

The temple of the moon survived the Spaniards better than the temple of the sun and it reveals a lot of layers of beautiful murals. Still it had a dark history in that, here too as in Chan Chan, human sacrifices were made to appease the gods.

A museum sits nearby and houses many of the ceramic pieces that were excavated from the temple. Many are in extraordinary shape and have amazing detail sculpted into them. Each piece seemed to be a portrait of someone from that era.

It was an amazing day and an enjoyable time with our new friends and it cost us half of what a ship excursion would have been. Hopefully we will be that fortunate in other ports as well.

The evening was capped with special entertainment from the singers and dancers on board. They did a program in association with iLuminate called The Tourist. The dancers were all dressed in black costumes that were wired with lights controlled electronically. Everything else was dark as well and when they danced or moved they appeared to transport across the stage at times. It’s hard to describe but it was fascinating to watch as lights went on and off and dancers appeared to float or move across the stage like the Flash.

The days are passing way too quickly. Our next port, Callao (Lima) is the end of the first segment of our cruise. Some will be leaving us and new faces will be coming on board. The adventure continues.

Wordless Wednesday

Through My Lens - Guayaquil, Ecuador

Cocoa beans

 

Coffee beans

Crab-eating raccoon

World Cruise - Guayaquil, Ecuador

There is no way an English speaking person can pronounce the name of this city and make it sound as beautiful as it does rolling off the tongue of an Ecuadorian. The night before our arrival, we did our turns around the Promenade Deck and watched the lights on the shore and the green and red buoys pass by as we made our way down a river and canal to the port area of Guayaquil. We arrived at 3AM in order for many who had booked all-day excursions or the overnight that was offered to be on their way. Some were traveling to Galapagos and I wondered how in the world they could possibly see enough in one day. Others were going to an overnight adventure at a lodge and rejoining the ship in Callao (Lima).

Our excursion was under way by 9AM and we were introduced to the city by a very personable tour guide who spoke excellent English and was quite knowledgeable. He was very proud of the way his city has come back from some very hard times and is beginning to look truly beautiful now that there is good city management. Some of what he said and what we saw reminded me of home and the comeback that Cleveland has made.

We passed a beautiful area by the river that had a boardwalk with lots of gardens, shops and restaurants. I was almost wishing we had opted for a shuttle ride to town and a walk in that area but our guide assured us that the natural park we were going to was as beautiful and even more interesting.

It took almost an hour in traffic to get to the park and rained a bit along the way. We were packing parkas and umbrellas but I hoped it would stop so I didn’t have to worry about the camera. It did make taking pictures out the bus window a bit tricky.

Mangos were in season and dotted most of the trees we saw along the way. While all the homes still had bars at the windows and fences with sharp pointy tops, some of them were quite lovely to look at. A couple of hills we passed had poorer housing but it was very colorful with hues of pink, blue, green and yellow.

We arrived at the park behind a group of school children eager to see the animals. The park was a bit like a zoo with otters, parrots, deer, an ocelot, tapirs, sloths and some warthogs. It was a more natural setting to show what the area looked like before settlement. I found it interesting that the exhibits had signs explaining what we were looking at in printed form as well as braille in several different languages.

Along the way our guide pointed out the palm plant that is used in the making of Panama hats. The leaves are not used but rather the stems are cut and shredded to make the material that is then woven into the hats that are so popular.

Palm used for Panama hats.

The cultural part of the park showed homes restored from the 1800s and a beautiful old church that was reconstructed. It took us about two hours to explore the whole park and then we were on our way. Oh, and none of the exploring was in the rain or a hot steamy sun. We couldn’t have asked for more.

The drive back through town was much of the same as we retraced our route. Our guide pointed out the drop place for the shuttle from the ship but when I timed our return from there, a half hour, I decided it wasn’t worth hurrying back again since it wouldn’t allow enough time to explore before the last shuttle returned to the ship. Perhaps we’ll visit Guayaquil again sometime.

Sail away was not scheduled to take place until 9PM to allow time for the return of the Galapagos people. The evening had no main show but the lounges were open with the band, piano, and the quartet playing. There was a movie showing in the theater but we didn’t recognize it and opted to get a DVD from the library and watch one ourselves. We spent the evening watching Fool’s Gold in our room and breaking for a short intermission to watch the sail away when we heard Louis Armstrong singing.

It was a relaxing evening and we were ready to hit the open sea again the next day.

World Cruise - Manta, Ecuador

Panama hats do not come from Panama. Perhaps that is a shock to some but they actually come from Ecuador. Apparently they were popular with those working on the Panama Canal and so were dubbed Panama hats. The real name is Sombrero de Paja Toquilla after the Paja, the straw used to weave them which comes from a specific palm—not the leaves but actually the stems.

We had no excursion planned for Manta, Ecuador, so we had a leisurely breakfast in the Lido Buffet and sat by a window to watch the unloading of a tuna boat on the opposite side of the dock from our ship. Huge nets of tuna were lifted by a crane and transferred to a waiting truck to receive the frozen cargo. One tuna was so large and the truck so full that the men had to wiggle it and stick their foot into the fish pile to rearrange the smaller fish in order to get it to fit.

After breakfast, I hurried to our room to get my camera. I was sure that they would be done unloading soon. But no, more trucks lined up and were filled. I can’t imagine how many fish were in the belly of that boat or how long and how much work it took to catch them all.

We decided that we would rely on exploring the area where the ship’s shuttle bus would drop us off so after a few pictures of the tuna boat, we went down and out onto the dock to find our ride into town. It was an interesting morning to say the least. The shuttle dropped us at a square along the waterfront and in the middle of a business area that had a lot of banks. We figured the tuna business must be good.

The square had free WiFi which was a draw for many but by the time so many visitors logged on, it slowed down—a lot. The WiFi was a good way to keep people in the area though while the merchants tried to attract shoppers. And yes, almost every booth had panama hats. One lady was bent over a stand demonstrating the weaving of a hat. We put a dollar in the basket and I took a picture for the blog—Bob took another to send to his brother. ‘Nuf said.

I found an artist who painted, or claimed he did, on feathers. I saw this once before in Costa Rica. They were very nicely done and I purchased one for myself and one for a lady who is confined to the ship in ports where it’s not easy to get around. Her husband is going to Galapagos for a day trip and she’s hoping he brings back pictures of blue footed boobies. The feather I bought has a great painting of a blue footed boobie on it just in case he doesn’t succeed.

The shuttle was also said to make a stop at a mall and since we saw nothing we wanted to walk around to look at where we were, we got on the next bus and went on to the mall. It was still early by Ecuador time, 10 AM, and the little mall where we were dropped off had few shops, most of which were not even open yet. We did a quick walk around, opted not to go through the grocery store (although those can be very interesting sometimes) and hopped on the next shuttle that arrived to go back to the ship.

All in all, we spent almost two hours in Manta but that was okay. There was plenty to do on the ship and we were casting off for bluer waters at 1 PM. We speculated that there would be tuna for dinner. 

World Cruise - A Sunday at Sea

It was a Sunday to remember for sure. We began the day with church services after breakfast. We’ve become Lutherans for the cruise but Ed Voorsen is very personable and makes all faiths feel welcome. He’s a great guitarist, amazing historian for hymns and has a wife, Ruth, who plays a beautiful flute to accompany his guitar while we sing. We’re also getting together whenever we can for singing and Bible study. Pastor Ed has to compete with the Rabbi on board for the space in the Saloon where we meet. Bob’s been to one of the Rapping With The Rabbi sessions and enjoyed that too.

As a celebration of our World Cruise, Crystal arranged for a themed day. At midday there was a Paris-themed brunch buffet in the main atrium with all sorts of decorations including the Ark De Triumph and the Eiffel Tower. Cabaret singers belted French songs while guests filled their plates with all sorts of food. We went as light as possible knowing that dinner would be special as well.

Our afternoon was spent with paddle tennis, writing, reading and getting some walking in and the day passed quickly. All the days seem to be passing quickly which was exactly what I feared. We waited two years for this cruise and it seems to be flying by all ready. 

We took time out for tea in the afternoon since we were told of a special visit from King Neptune and his wife. They proclaimed safe passage for all Pollywogs on board the ship. A Pollywog is someone who has never crossed the equator before. It was estimated that we would cross around 2 AM. We weren’t staying up for it.

Dinner was excellent. Anytime Bob and I can enjoy perfectly cooked rack of lamb it is a treat. But the biggest treat was yet to come. Crystal had prepared a special evening of music by the artist Edith Piaf. Her music was performed mainly by Christine Andreas and Martin Silvestri. The orchestra and string quartet were combined to accompany the songs. The staging was spectacular and the bits of history that were presented all lent to a perfect combination of song, dance, and music. Let me tell you, Christine Andreas has a glorious voice. While we felt privileged to hear this special evening’s presentation, it was sad to know that it will not be continued as a regular production for Crystal. It was a wonderful show and will not be forgotten.

A couple of turns around the Promenade Deck finished our day and we turned in for the night eager to see what the next day would hold.

World Cruise - Panama Canal

Many guests aboard the Crystal Serenity were up and about by 6 AM on Saturday, January 24. The ship was awaiting its turn to enter the Gatun Locks and begin its journey through the Panama Canal from the Caribbean to the Pacific. Those in stateroom 7057 were not. Our alarm was not due to go off until 7:30. We’d been through the canal three times already and while it is always a treat, we weren’t going to get up early and worry about prime seating (or standing) for the best view.

Much to our chagrin, we could hear the canal commentator start up his talk just a little before seven even though it was only being piped to the outside decks and common areas. Our cabin is on the Promenade Deck so the speakers were right outside our window. We gave up and decided to start the day.

We could watch the progress on our room’s television as the ship neared the locks and the TV channel with the camera view also had the commentary running so it was almost like being outside only without the heat and humidity. The morning air wasn’t too bad yet so we ventured out on the back of the Lido Deck with our plates of food from the morning buffet. We had a prime view albeit from the back and not the front of the ship. Actually it is just as fascinating no matter what side you are on.

There are few places where gravity is truly appreciated. One of those is in the operation of the canal locks. We watched the locks close and saw the perspective of the landscape change as our ship was raised by the water that was gravity-fed into the lock where our ship was held in place by the “mules” on either side. The mules are mechanical train-like critters that hold the lines from the ship and move it from one lock to the other and finally out. There are several on each side of the ship and they follow a railroad track up and down the locks as the ship goes through each.

The Gatun Lake is 85 feet higher than the Caribbean or the Pacific so in order to cross the area ships need to be raised as they enter and then lowered as they exit. The area of Panama that is crossed while on the lake is a lush green jungle—a tribute to the challenges that were presented when the canal was originally built in the early 1900s. It is a fascinating story and well worth looking into if you are at all interested. Did you know that in the process they discovered how to get rid of malaria? And because of the way Panama is situated, to travel west to the Pacific you actually go southeast?

Once through the Gatun Locks, we went on about the business of enjoying the ship’s venues during the day including tea time in the Palm Court which was probably the best attended tea that there will be the rest of the voyage since the Palm Court was prime seating to view the passage through the canal.

Something we hadn't noticed on our other trips through the canal was that there is a one lane road attached to the outside of the lock somehow. We didn't see it coming in but wondered why all the buses and cars were lining up. When the doors had closed as we were into the second lock, we saw the traffic coming up from the opposite side as if they'd gone through a tunnel and then realized that somehow there was a road behind the lock doors. Ah, next time we'll be more observant.

One of the things we were most interested in was the progress being made on the new locks that will hold larger ships. We could see some new structures near the Gatun Locks and as we neared the Mariflores Locks at the Pacific end, we could see lots of construction vehicles moving back and forth in the distance. It was difficult to actually see what was there but the commentator said they expected the new locks to be done in 2016.

It is always amazing to pass the visitors’ center and see the hundreds of people on the outside balconies waving and cheering as you pass by. It never gets old. Once through the Mariflores Locks in late afternoon, we stayed in the Palm Court as others began ending their long day and returning to their staterooms to dress for the evening. Even though it was beginning to rain it was still spectacular to view the huge skyscrapers of Panama City in the distance and pass under the Bridge of the Americas. Once through, we too ended our Canal Day and returned to our stateroom to get ready for an evening of dining and entertainment. Ah, tough life but someone’s gotta do it. Right?

 

[Note: For you American Idol fans, our night’s entertainment was Lou Gazzara, one of the youngest contestants to make it to the TV finals. I think he said it was the second season. Wow! What a voice! Who beat him?]

Through My Lens - Columbia

Wordless Wednesday

World Cruise - Cartagena, Columbia

When we began to book our excursions, we had to make some choices based on saving money. Since we’d been to Cartagena several times before, we opted out of any excursions. We had hoped that there might be a shuttle to the entrance to the old town area but there was no such luck. The shuttle took passengers to the cruise terminal gate which was a short distance from the ship. The reason for the shuttle was merely a matter of safety as we were docked in a container shipping area and it would have been hazardous to walk any distance from the ship.

We were comfortable with staying on the ship for the day. Somehow our first week just seemed really too busy. Too many people to meet, too many welcome parties, too many activities to do. It reminded me a lot of the first time we cruised and tried to do everything on the schedule. We came home exhausted.

Statue of Virgin Mary in harbor.

Instead of touring, we enjoyed the paddle tennis, the pool, and the lounge chairs and relaxed. We met up for lunch (Oh, did you think we were together all day?) and returned to our activities for the afternoon, paddle tennis and reading.

Three in the afternoon was sail away time and we enjoyed standing out on the Promenade Deck and watching the ship move away from the dock to the strains of “It’s a Wonderful World.” I think by the end of three months, we’ll know all the words.

Our evening began early and we enjoyed a beverage in the Palm Court which is at the front and near top deck of the ship. The sun was getting lower in the sky and shimmering on the water. I turned to Bob and smiled. “This is what I signed on for.”

A little later, we were in the Pulse Lounge (the disco on board which we’ll probably never enter for dancing) to watch a magic show. The Magic Castle in Los Angeles has provided a magician for each segment of the cruise and the shows are only for 25 people at a time. It is close up slight of hand and is fascinating. In deference to our grandson who says there is no such thing as magic, we can only call this slight of hand. But very entertaining.

World Cruise - Santa Marta, Columbia

The Sierra Mountains are a beautiful backdrop to Santa Marta

Blow the horn! Step on the gas! 

Blow the horn! Step on the gas! 

So went our bus tour of Santa Marta, Columbia. This was a new port for Crystal Cruise Lines so we were pioneering in a sense. The town was much larger than I expected from the information I’d gained online but it was still Columbia and all that goes with a Latino culture.

The hotel area of Santa Marta

Many of my pictures of the town itself had to be taken through the window of the bus which wasn’t always a clear shot through a window that may have been clean earlier in the morning but now was a bit spattered with dust. Everything looked dusty in Santa Marta. It was their dry season. The only thing really green was the cactus growing plentifully on the hillsides.

We passed several large churches and a beautiful cathedral that would have been fun to look at from the inside if there had been time and if we had been brave enough to venture out on our own.  I had to chuckle as the guide explained that the bars on the windows were there so that they could open the windows and allow the homes to “refresh with clean air.” There was nothing mentioned about safety and the bars certainly wouldn’t have kept out birds or smaller animals.

Lots of stands selling all sorts of things from shoes to drinks dotted the streets. We drove past a nice boardwalk area that bordered the beach front and it looked like lots of people were enjoying themselves in the sun and surf.

Blow the horn! Step on the gas! Okay, the brakes worked too! ‘Nuf said.

About five miles up a small mountain to the other side, we found the hotel area where a whole new community had sprung up according to our guide. From a distance they looked very nice and once we were among them, we could see that they were busy with people who were obviously on holiday. Another nice beachfront area bordered the sea here and was full of all sorts of cabanas for those who could afford to pay $10 or so to keep out of the sun.

Originally our tour was to take us to a fishng village but for some reason our itinerary was changed. I’m guessing perhaps there were too many who were going to invade the little village and it would have been overwhelmed. So instead, we were taken to the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino. It is the place where Simon Bolivar, the great liberator, died on December 17, 1830.

Simon Bolivar was instrumental in winning freedom for Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia from the Spanish Empire and is credited with helping to lay a foundation for democracy in much of Latin America.

The Hacienda has been made into a beautiful park area and furnishings and memorabilia can be seen in the rooms. It is also home to some good looking iguanas that scurried up trees to get a better view of us. 

One of the interesting pieces we saw in a large room was a press that at first I thought was for grapes. Our guide informed us it was used to squeeze juice from sugar cane and then the juice would be made into rum.

Blow the horn! Step on the gas! By the time we got back to the ship I felt like my neck had gotten a good workout. We opted to stay on the ship for the afternoon. There really wasn’t much we wanted to go back to see and our comfort zone along with the heat of the afternoon said “no.” 

World Cruise - Entertainment And Education

Michael Bacala

One of the best things about cruising is the nightly entertainment and it has been outstanding during our first week. It has included a violinist, Michael Bacala from Poland, who can make the most beautiful sounds come from his violin--notes I never knew a violin could make. Elio Pace, a pianist from Great Britain, woke things up with quite an energetic night of popular music. Marc Paul, a magician and mind reader from Great Britain, blew minds with the amazing act of mind reading he did. And believe it or not, I actually was able to sit through a whole evening of a comedian's performance and eagerly go back for a second night. John Joseph, from NYC, was a tremendous talent. He has the intelligence and quick wit to work an audience and be funny in his delivery without being crude. I'm sorry that he won't be on the whole cruise with us. Of course there was also a show of Billy Joel's music accompanied by the band and ship's singers and dancers. We saw the show a couple of years ago as they had just put it together and performed it for the first time during that cruise. I didn't like it back then but they have really updated it and made it much more entertaining than it first was.

Owen Ullman

The mornings and afternoons at sea are filled with the opportunity to listen to the guest lecturers on board. Jack McManus is giving several talks on social media, what it is and its role in our lives. Owen Ullman, a reporter with USA Today, is speaking on a variety of world affairs topics. Bill Miller, who we have heard speak before, is lecturing again on the history of cruise liners. Jay Wolfe is the destinations lecturer and after speaking about the history of the Caribbean, he has begun to talk about the history of the Panama Canal.

Add to all of this all the other activities associated with the spa (nutrition, skin care, exercise programs), the needlework/knitting classes, the bridge classes, the computer classes, the music classes. . .the list goes on. It can be overwhelming but we learned long ago that it's not a good idea to try to do it all. Pick and choose is the rule and leave time to relax and enjoy the views. As I write this, I'm in the Palm Court looking out at the harbor of Santa Marta in Columbia. It's peaceful and cool--outside is very hot and humid. I will have to put the computer away soon though. They're getting ready for tea time. Don't want to miss the scones.