Little girl cooling off in a commons pool in Curacao. Cute little girl.
Photo taken in the Pacific from the top deck of the ship looking down at a stateroom balcony below.
It was a rainy, windy day in the rain forest of Costa Rica. While on the bus I was able to capture a farmer chasing a stray animal across the terrain.
The main staircase in the center of the ship was transparent. Some type of stone, probably quartz, was used. Made for a few neat photos and also interesting to walk on.
Our room was about 30 degrees cooler than outside air temperature since we were near the equator. Whenever I left the room with my camera, I would have to wait about 10 minutes to use it so the condensation would clear. This was taken off our stateroom balcony as soon as I exited the room. Glowing results.
From the back of the ship, the waves continue on into infinity.
Hey Cisco. Even the sombreros are colorful in Mexico. Boots, belts, etc. all are decorative in Mexico.
Photo was taken at a dessert buffet in Costa Rica. Even desserts are colorful while on vacation.
This photo was taken when we returned one day from one of our side trips. Daily maintenance, even on the outside of the ship, is important.
This is a spot on the ship that most people did not find. I never saw anyone here during my journeys around the ship to find interesting items to photograph. Deck 11.
It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Photo taken in the Pacific from the top deck of the ship looking down at a stateroom balcony below.
It was a rainy, windy day in the rain forest of Costa Rica. While on the bus I was able to capture a farmer chasing a stray animal across the terrain.
The main staircase in the center of the ship was transparent. Some type of stone, probably quartz, was used. Made for a few neat photos and also interesting to walk on.
Our room was about 30 degrees cooler than outside air temperature since we were near the equator. Whenever I left the room with my camera, I would have to wait about 10 minutes to use it so the condensation would clear. This was taken off our stateroom balcony as soon as I exited the room. Glowing results.
From the back of the ship, the waves continue on into infinity.
Hey Cisco. Even the sombreros are colorful in Mexico. Boots, belts, etc. all are decorative in Mexico.
Photo was taken at a dessert buffet in Costa Rica. Even desserts are colorful while on vacation.
This photo was taken when we returned one day from one of our side trips. Daily maintenance, even on the outside of the ship, is important.
This is a spot on the ship that most people did not find. I never saw anyone here during my journeys around the ship to find interesting items to photograph. Deck 11.
It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
stad, Curacao won the World Series in 2004. As we pull into the dock early in the morning, the first thing I see is a huge baseball complex. Lights a
Bridge. The St. Anna Bay (a small river) lies between them. The city is a rainbow of color, since an early mayor of the city suffered from migraines from the glaring white buildings and ordered all buildings painted in pastel colors. I could 
e found a taxi and told "Wendell" the driver, our plans. "What is the charge for the round trip if you wait for us?" I asked him. He told me he could do it for $90. "What? $90!!" Isaid. "That is the fee that everyone wi
hey raise the birds, which grow to about 400 pounds, for mea
m the Netherlands today and the son of the
in bright Caribbean colors with sayings all over the walls. The windows have been removed and extra doors have been cut into the sides of the bus for easy entry into each row of seats. QUITE UNIQUE!! Our driver for the day calls himself "The Dutch Boy." He passes out the maracas and tells us to hold on. He loves island music and he loves it loud! Off we go with the music playing as loud as he can get it and him honking on the horn. Do you get the picture? A group of mostly white 60 year olds shaking their maracas in a brightly painted red bus with a 30 something black bus driver, all sing
ing at the top of our lungs to Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild." Quite a scene, but I'm sure the locals are used to it by now. Next comes "Tequila" by The Champs. And the beat goes on .... and on. But, we have our suits on and we're ready for the beach! We finally arrive at ..... the Chapel of Our Lady of Alto Vista. A neat little chapel which sits overlooking the Caribbean. Our driver said it was on the way and he thought we may like to see it. OK, let's get to the beach. But wait, our next stop is The California Lighthouse. The only lighthouse on the island and named in honor of the ship that sunk off shore about 2 years before it was built. "The Dutch Boy" thought we would enjoy seeing it before we went swimming. The 60 year olds are getting impatient now. Finally we arrive at the beach. "I know it says otherwise, but this is really Palm Beach," Dutch Boy tells us. Hey, if the water is aqua and wet and the sand is white, who cares what the beach is called. Before we leave
the red school bus, he tells us that he will be back in an hour and a half to pick us up. WHAT? Jeez, we just got here and we have to leave soon? He agreed on an extra 15 minutes. Big deal! And that's why when you go on a cruise you better like being on a boat, because you no sooner leave it and you have to be back on it. Not the type of vacation for people who enjoy relaxing with a col
d drink, a beach chair and umbrella and a good book. Certainly don't have time for a relaxing nap on your beach chair. We spent most of our hour and 45 minutes in the water. Very hot today and the bus has no air conditioning, reme
mber. Carol and I were the last two people back on the bus. Upon our return to the dock, Carol and I head for a light lunch and walk around the town of Oranjestad. Picked up a few souvenirs and snap a few photos of the brightly painted buildings. Very interesting and colorful city. A cold shower and evening meal await us on board. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: the Kukoo Kunuka Bus, the colorful inside of the bus, everyone shaking their maracas while singing, the Chapel of Our Lady of Alto Vista, Palm Beach (allegedly) and a building in Oranjestad, Aruba.
I had scouted out my spot a few days ago and found only a few people there. It is overcast, but not raining. Maybe 25 ships with all their lights shining created a carnival atmosphere. Everyone waiting to get through the canal. Cruise ships always go first, since they pay the biggest fees. The fee is $100 a stateroom and with 2,000 tourists and about 1,000 workers, the ship had a hefty fee to go through the canal. The Harbor Pilot is already on board and taking the ship towards the 
anal's three locks, each with two lanes, operates as water lifts to elevate ships 26 meters above sea level to the level of the Gatun lake, and then lower them back to sea level on the opposite side of the isthmus. Water is obtained from the lake in order to raise and lower the vessels as they go through the locks. Expansion of the locks to add a third lane in the future will allow for longer, wider ships to pass. The new locks will be 427 meters long and 55 meters wide, the size of four football fields. We pass under the Bridge of the Americas which crosses the canal on the Pacific side and can see the first lock ahead. As we enter the first lock, the gate behind us closes and water starts to life the ship. Four electric train en
gines, two on either side of the ship with heavy steel cables connecting the ship to the engines, keep the ship moving and in the center of the canal. They are using both lanes this morning to transport from the west to the east. Our sister ship, the Inifinity, is on the right of us and already heading into the second lock. There is at most, 8 to 10 inches of clearance on either side of the ship. Unbelievable to watch! We pass the Miraflores locks and head to the Pedro Miguel lock. Another passenger tells me that I can sit in comfort in the 11th floor viewing area, since it is almost empty. I head to the elevator and find a front row se
at in air-conditioned comfort. Wow, they didn't tell us about this place. An hour later we have passed that lock and head into the Gatun Lake. We travel slowly through the lake and by mid-afternoon have reached the Gatun Locks which will take us through to the Caribbean Sea. Throughout the day I kept a check on Carol and she manages to sit with me for some time on the balcony of our state
room so she can see the canal crossing also. As we depart the canal on the Caribbean side the sun is setting behind us and casts a long shadow on all the ships lined up to pass through from the east to the west. The day has been remarkable and I have survived. Carol is back in bed and I am glad we have another day at sea tomorrow so that we both can recover from our journey through the canal. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Panama Canal photos from the top are: getting ready to pass under the Bridge of the Americas, entering the first of the Miraflores locks with the Infinity to our right, watching as our lock fills with water and the ships in front of us are exiting into the next lock, one of the electric engines that guide the ship through the locks, a view of the closed lock gate and the water levels on either side of it, and a freighter on our right is exiting the final Gatun lock into the Caribbean Sea.
e and scheduled the trip as soon as the show was over. We docked before daybreak this morning and will remain in Puntarenas Port, Costa Rica until 7:00 PM this evening. Boarded the tour bus about 8:30 AM for our cross-country trip to our destination. Carol made sure I sat by the window in the bus, since I have already taken about 800 photos and she knew I would try to add a few more during our journey. Hey, isn’t it neat having a digital camera and being able to delete all the crap you take and don’t like. Beaches in this area are strewn with driftwood and are a dirty brown color. Our tour guide, JP, who is young and handsome and noticed by my wife, gives us a history lesson as we drive. Costa Rica, which is situated below Nicarauga and above Panama and is 10 degrees above the equator, lies on two tatonic plates.
He told us that they have, on the average, 400 earthquakes a MONTH! Yikes! Most small, luckily. I guess I believe him! He holds a Masters Degree in Science. And, he demonstrates it with his presentation and answers to our questions. They average six feet of rain a year with October being the wettest month. And .... today is October 4th. And .... it rained for part of the trip. And .... they had so much rain yesterday that it caused mudslides on many parts of the road that we will take today. Four million people live in Costa Rica with their economy based on: #1 - production of microchips, #2 - silicone for cosmetic use, #3 - tourism, #4 - coffee production, and #5 - production of bananas, pineapples and mangoes for export. They do raise cattle, pri
marily Brahma cattle and were up to a few years ago the main supplier of beef to McDonald's in Central America. One of their biggest exports is Tiliapa which is farm raised. They have had no military since 1958, when they decided that it was too expensive to maintain one. They have a property tax on everyone who has a home valued over $350,000, and they pay a 33% income tax which helps fund their socialized medicine program. JP was all in favor of the program. Medical costs are inexpensive in the country and he told us he just gave his niece a two year program of braces for her teeth which costs $800 for her birthday. It has been two hours of scary travel over winding and steep roads, but we have reached our first stop at Grecia. We are visiting a Catholic Church (the country is over 90% Catholic) which is entirely metal. Yep, metal. First two which were made from wood burnt to the ground so in 1956 they built the church out of metal. Pretty neat! Now here is the problem that comes from being o
n a cruise and having to get back at a specific time - we have 15 minutes to see the church and get back on the bus. And ... our time starts now. Hey, we’re sitting near the back of the bus and it takes 5 of those 15 minutes to get off the bus. Old, fat, handicapped people take time to maneuver while getting off a bus. Funny how I don’t picture myself in that category. Really not much else to see except the church so I guess the time allotment worked. Off we head for Sarchi which is another 20 minutes away. As we pull
into the Oxcart Factory, the artistry is evident. Beautiful oxcarts fill the property. The hand-painted oxcart, which is used for transporting a variety of things, dates back to the late 1800s. We have 1:45 minutes for this stop. Starting now! Skilled craftsman sit with their paints and decorate everyone by hand. Acrylic paints are used primarily for the artwork. A few of my fellow travelers shelled out the $500+ for an oxcart plus shipping. Not sure what I would use one for, so I opted for a t-shirt and a bird feather painted by one of the artists. We head to the restaurant for a burger which I don’t get finished before we have to rush to the bus. Rainy return trip to sea level with concern for more mudslides. Both sides of the road are covered with coffee and sugarcane. Afte
r the return to the dock, we walk along the beach watching a soccer game and looking at the cruise ships in the distance. Finally, we head for the ship and our evening meal. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: beach in Costa Rica on the Pacific side, all metal church in Grecia, hills covered in coffee, oxcart factory, artist at work, artist painting an umbrella, and the cruise ships at the pier.
h. What a difference from our trip to Acapulco which was a major city. We are taking the “Ocean Discovery and Beach Snorkel” tour which will make a few stops for photos and then to the beach Playa La Entrega for snorkeling. The ship is able to dock at the pier, therefore eliminating the need for tenders to take us to shore. 
Have my bathing suit on for the first time today. Usually our trips consist of being in a bathing suit for most of the vacation. As we exit the ship and head to the pier, we are once again greeted by armed military and policia. They constantly look in all directions and help direct us to our meeting area. Carol, Just Sue, Jerry and I are first equipped with snorkel, goggles, and flippers, then leave about 9:00 AM on an open air “bus” for our trip which will last about four hours today. On the side of the bus it says “Machito Bananas” which I’m not sure what that means. Have to grab hold of a rope wit
h knots in it and pull yourself up the stairs into the bus. Not easy for some of the passengers in our group to do. A helper is there to push you up if you need help. Our guide today informs us that this is his second day on the job, but he will do everything he can to answer our questions. We travel on nicely paved, uncrowded roads to the top of a small mountain overlooking the harbor. Hey, now would be the time to grab a few tourists, since all the guards are back at the dock! The only lighthouse in the city is located here. We spend a few minutes taking photos and hop back on the bus again. Make a second photo stop at a lookout area from where we can see our cruise ship. To our left is a local Marine Base and we are asked not to take photos of it for security reasons. Not sure
what they would do if you did take photos of it. We were allowed to walk right to the edge of the cliff overlooking the harbor. About a 100 foot drop greeted you when you looked down. Never, ever could you do this in the USA. Back in the bus for our final stop, snorkeling. We arrived at Playa La Entrega to be greeted by a soft, white sand beach with small shops and quite a few restaurants. Wasn’t long before we were in the 80 degree water with our mask and fins. A very large area was roped off to keep the boats away from the snorkelers. To our left was a wall of rock that dropped into the water. This was where we had the best sighting of fish. Since we were required to wear life vests, we couldn’t do any diving for items on the bottom, so our tour guide would dive and br
ing back an assortment of fish for us to see. A blowfish, fully inflated, made neat photos for those of us who had underwater cameras. Carol got to hold a starfish, sponge as well as check out an sea urchin. After about an hour and a half of water adventure, we grabbed our towels to dry off. At this time we were all asked if we would like a complimentary drink before we boarded the bus. I could see it coming. Yep! The drinks complimented the day, but were $5 in price. Just like on the Chevy Chase commercial. Whoa! No takers when
they found this out, especially since we had real complimentary drinks, for free, on the bus. Back at the cruise dock, Carol and I walked in and out of the small shops looking for souvenirs to take home. Beautiful little beachfront village. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: security at the dock, our "bus" ride for the day, view from the top of the cruise ship at the pier, beach Playa La Entrega, the beach bums, and wares for sale along the pier.
ad not met before. Phyllis and Sharon from California. Phyllis selected the seat next to me. She just celebrated her birthday yesterday. 90 YEARS OLD!! Wow! A very modern 90 years old with designer glasses. We start to question the two of them about what they have been doing. Phyllis takes the lead and before long we are hearing a running commentary on her life. Born in England in 1920, survived the war and moved to the USA in her 20s. During the war she said that at nighttime they would have to turn out all the lights in the town she lived in so the enemy wouldn’t know where to bomb. After moving to the states, she worked in a textile mill, training people to run the looms and after marriage became a housewife. Other stories filled the conversation and then she told us that her second husband had just recently died. She met Sharon, who is about the age as the rest of us at the table, and convinced her that she needed a traveling companion. Our guess is that she has financed many a trip in the past few years for the two of them. For her 80th birthday, she jumped out of an airplane. Most exhilarating thing she had ever done she told us. Since then she has done zip-lining and riding in a hot air balloon. She is sharp as a whip. And ..... she was having the best time giving us a history lesson of her life as she ate her “tippers.” Great conversationalist. Looked each one of us in the eye as she talked with us. Only thing that gave away her age were the wrinkles in her face, gnarled fingers from working on the looms, and stains on her yellowed, flowered blouse which she must have had for years and years. Hey, I have clothes that I love and have a hard time giving them up. We all finished eating and they excused themselves from the table. We just sat there staring at one another in disbelief after having one of the most interesting breakfasts on our cruise. Saw her later in the evening at the show in the theatre when they sat right behind us. And she was still going strong, and ..... had still had on the same blouse! It was an ordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo is of me and my new friend Phyllis.
was “Fun In Acapulco” with Elvis. And then, two nights ago we were watching a lecture on our stateroom TV about the history of the island and the professor spoiled the trip for her. Told us that Elvis was never on the island. He filmed all the scenes in Hollywood. I told her the guy was full of crap and there was no way he wasn’t on location. Well one way or another, it was exciting yesterday m
orning as we docked at the pier in Acapulco. We were going on the “Acapulco City Tour and Cliff Divers” tour with about eight other bus loads of tourists. Had my camera and my telephoto lens along for the tour. We waited in line to get on the bus and as they were counting people for each bus they stopped Carol and I and Jerry and Just Sue, our traveling companions. Seems we were going to be the first people on the last bus of the day. Great! We could sit in the front seat. When the bus pulled up and the door opened, we were told not to sit in the front seats on either side, since they were reserved for handicapped. I told Carol I need to buy a cane somewhere in town today so we can have front row seats on our next tour we take. Our tour guide was Ezy and he was a native Acapulcian (I think that is how you spell it). Toured the city first with a few stops for “Kodak Moments”. The city is huge and the population is over 2 million! I had
pictured this city on the coast of the Pacific Ocean as a quaint little town. Boy was I wrong, and disappointed. Traffic was terrible. One neat thing was all the VW Bug taxicabs. All painted blue and white. Seems they made VWs in Mexico until a few years ago so they were relatively inexpensive for the taxi drivers to purchase. And their small size made it easy to maneuver around in the traffic. Well, we have just finished our last stop at another jewelry store featuring Mexican silver pieces. We were all offered drinks while at 
this stop. Complimentary drinks. Seems when they hand them to you they tell you they are $5. Complimentary? Yea, they compliment the tour stop. They didn’t say they were free I guess. Our final stop is up in the hills of Acapulco at the “Mirador Hotel” which is where the world famous cliff divers perform. Remember, Elvis was a cliff diver in his movie. We were not disappointed!! We got to sit in the front row of the restaurant and watch the divers climb the walls of the cliffs and eventually dive into the waters which were 80 to 100 feet below. They had to time their dive to catch the swells of water in the canyon below at it’s highest point, since the water below wasn’t very deep. Spectacular performance. Then we were herded, or I should say ushered to the entrance of the restaurant to meet with the divers and give them tips for their dives. M
ost were very young. I guess the older they got, the wiser they got and stopped the diving. My disappointment throughout the day was taken away by these young daredevils of the sea. It was really “Fun in Acapulco.” And .... It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: skyline of Acapulco, VW Bug taxi, some of the unusual items the taxi can carry, armed officer showing some of the hand carved items for sale at his favorite store, duo of cliff divers and two of the divers posing with me for a pix.
pecies of cacti that were on display. Now I can do without this type of stop most times, but this was great. Some of