Manzanillo, Mexico

Click Here for Manzanilla Video

Friday, April 27 - Manzanillo

The day began as most other port days…waking up earlier than I would like, gathering the essentials (and being thankful that Bob is willing to carry a backpack so I don’t have to) and finally having breakfast at the Lido buffet. 

Our view as we arrived in Manzanillo.

The ship was slightly late getting cleared and by that point, people were lined up trying to get off. At least the lines were orderly…not the pushing and shoving that we have encountered on other ships.

Orderly chaos.

Our tour met at the end of the dock which was a little bit of a hike. There were 2 buses doing the tour and we were some of the first to board the second one. Yay! No back seats this time!

Our tour was called “Magical Pueblos” with a tour guide named Chito (which he emphasized was NOT spelled Cheeto.) The description said the tour was scheduled to last 7 hours with 3.5 hours of travel time and we spent every bit that much time on the bus…possibly more. Here is the tour description:

Head out to Nogueras, where you will feel as if you have stepped back in time. Start with a visit to the Nogueras Museum that is housed in an old, colonial style Mexican hacienda. At an old, local coffeehouse, watch a demonstration of the roasting process and enjoy some tasting. Enjoy a Mexican botana (snack lunch) at the State of Colima, a declared Historical Monument in 1988 and became part of the Magical Pueblos in 2002 initiative led by the Federal and State Tourism Offices.

Manzanillo is one of the busiest ports in Mexico and responsible for handling Pacific Ocean cargo for the Mexico City area. This was quite evident, with massive shipping facilities surrounding the cruise ship dock.

We drove past miles and miles…and more miles of coconut plantations. Chito also pointed out EVERY other type of agriculture product growing along our route…tamarind, mango, coffee, sugar cane, bananas, melons, papaya, etc. In fact, Chito talked nonstop about many things, but his accent and the poor sound system prevented me from understanding about half of what he said.

Not long after we left the city, the bus pulled over at a toll booth for everyone to use the baños. I sort of felt like we were on a school field trip and the teacher was saying…”now everyone go potty!” There weren’t going to be restrooms at the next stop and I guess they have learned from experience that this was necessary. Chito pointed out a plum tree there and Bob managed to get a sample from the few fruits that were left.

The first official stop on the tour was at the Nogueras Museum. The museum was in a historic setting and had artwork and pottery on display by artist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo. There was also a room filled with UNICEF Christmas cards for which the artist is remembered.

Chito tried to keep the group together and kept saying “look at this…look at this” but the group slowly spread out. Bob was somewhat interested in the ceramics collection, but I admit I didn’t spend much time looking at the displays.

Instead, I wandered around outside admiring the historic architecture, the beautiful flowers and just enjoying the most beautiful, blue sky day.

As we were walking, we discovered an art class for children in one of the buildings. We popped in for a couple of minutes to see what they were doing.

Before reaching our next planned stop, the bus pulled off on a small section of outer road and stopped. The driver put the bus in neutral and we watched as the bus appeared to be rolling backwards and UPHILL! This was a “gravity hill” as explained on Wikipedia…

A gravity hill is a place where a slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope due to the layout of the surrounding land, creating the optical illusion that water flows uphill or that a car left out of gear will roll uphill. Many of these sites have no specific name and are often called just "Gravity Hill", "Magnetic Hill", "Magic Road" or something similar.

From there we traveled on to a small coffee shop. We were given small cups of coffee to sample and Bob bought a brownie. Chito guided us through the very small coffee roasting facility on the property but work was not being done so we were basically looking at idle machinery.

Comala was our next stop…a 500-year-old community that sits in the shadow of two volcanoes. 

We were given some time to shop and then Chito walked us to a local bakery where he had arranged a deal where we could purchase 3 pastries for a dollar (which most everyone did.) It was interesting to see them working and the aroma from the freshly baked breads was delicious! We have a Mexican bakery in our hometown that makes the same type of breads and rolls so we knew what to expect, but these were all still warm…hot even…and so fresh!

In one of the shops...

Cobblestone streets.

Yummm...fresh, hot pastries!

Chito led the group on a walk to an open-air restaurant where he said we would have Mexican tapas…or as the tour description said, a Mexican "botana." The uneven sidewalk went up a hill with a steep drop off straight down to the highway below…and no railing. It was easy to envision someone trying to text while they were walking, tumbling down the embankment and being run over by a car. A liability nightmare for sure if it were in the U.S.

Once seated, the waiter took our drink orders. We had the choice of water, pop, or beer and we chose the pop. It was served in a small bottle with a glass of ice to pour it over. I crossed my fingers and hoped the ice was made from purified water.

The first plates that arrived contained sliced fruit garnished with a tropical flower. The waiter also brought us a plate of guacamole with a few chips and I assumed that would be it for our “snack”. But then…plate after plate of tacos, tostados, etc. arrived and by the time we were finished we were well satisfied.

Our feast! (And you can see the grease-soaked bag with our bakery goods as well!)

The long drive back to the port turned into a siesta for most people. Shortly before we reached the ship, we passed by a construction zone where a mile-long tunnel was being built through a mountain.

Colima (near Manzanillo) is known for these dog scuptures.
Also had to get a photo of the ambulance for paramedic husband!)

Before showering for dinner, I took some photos of the city from the promenade deck while Bob did some walking. 

Sail away happened while we were at dinner, but we had a pretty good view right from our table.

Turkey Roast & Cranberries

Prior to the cruise, we had gotten an email from Holland America saying they would be celebrating “King’s Day” on the ship on April 27^th. The holiday is celebrated in the Netherlands in honor of King Willem-Alexander’s birthday and it is customary to wear the color orange which is the national color of the Netherlands and the Dutch Royal Family.

Many dressed in orange for dinner!

The entertainment in the main theater was Fantastick Patrick. The When & Where described him as a: "jaw-dropping, gut-bursting act that combines breathtaking circus tricks and ridiculous humor." My comment? Patrick was not fantastik and the breathtaking circus tricks were pretty pathetic. The humor was the main part of his show and as predicted it was ridiculous (as in "not funny".) I was not a fan.

We had missed the King’s Day afternoon tea at 3 pm that was highlighted in the When & Where but it is just as well. Our friends attended and said it was a bit of a fiasco. They hadn’t planned on a large crowd so there wasn’t enough food or seating available. We did, however, make it to the Lido for the King’s Day Orange Deck Party by the pool at 9:00 pm. When we arrived (a few minutes after 9:00) all of the tables were taken and most everyone was wearing either an orange ball cap or an orange wig in addition to all of the orange clothing. (They were all gone by the time we got there.) The officers were all in attendance, but otherwise it didn’t seem like there was much to the party. Some thought free drinks would be offered, but that wasn’t the case. With another busy port day coming up, we didn’t stay long.

Sea Day #6

Thursday, April 26

I had been pretty faithful in doing a rough draft of my daily blog posts before going to bed each night, but this was one night where I failed. So…that leaves me to try and remember details of what made up our day as I write this a month later. I have my copy of the “When & Where” to jog my memory but I make no promises as to accuracy. I have so much respect for the cruise bloggers who post live reports day after day on their cruises…especially those on extended voyages such as a world cruise! After a long, busy day it is so much easier to crawl into bed with good intentions of catching up the next day…but then there are two posts to do and one usually gets neglected (and that was exactly what happend!)

But let me go back and see what I can remember for the day! I took my iPad and went to the Crow’s Nest after breakfast. I was still trying to finish the blog post from the previous day in Hualtulco and thought that would be a pleasant place to sit and work. Guest speaker, Tim Calvert, was giving a lecture on yachts in the main theater but that was not of interest to me.

The morning coffee chat was taking place in the Crow’s Nest and featured the engineering department. I half listened to what they were saying, but I was more fascinated with the birds circling around the bow of the ship. One fact I did hear was that due to the fuzz from all the new carpet throughout the ship, they had to replace all of the AC filters…all 6,000 of them!

Pickleball was on the schedule for 10 am so while Bob went to that, I went to the Wajang Theater for the America’s Test Kitchen presentation on “Flavors of the Mediterranean.” This time the monitors were working and the closeup cameras made it so much easier to see the dishes being prepared. At each presentation, large color recipe cards were available for the dishes being prepared.

Recipes demonstrated all featured olive oil...garlic pasta, tapenade, and a vinaigrette.

An invitation to the Mariner’s Luncheon had been delivered to our cabin a few days prior and we met up with Danny and Stan who were also attending. Taylor, the cruise director, said just a few words prior to the meal, but that and a glass of champagne were really the only things that differed from any other lunch in the dining room. Oh…and we were each given a blue Delft tile with a picture of the Zaandam. During this cruise we “graduated” from being one-star Mariners to the two-star level. From looking at the schedule of benefits, the higher status won’t really offer anything to get excited about. The only perk I would really like to achieve is free laundry, but we have many, many more days at sea before we even come close.

Bob’s afternoon consisted of walking on the promenade deck, a workout in the gym and finally the BBC Earth movie, “Inside Earth: Innovation and Ingenuity.” All of the BBC movies shown during the cruise were ones we had seen on our fall cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam so I opted to enjoy the sunshine and a dip in the pool instead. I am always concerned about getting sunburned…so much so that I probably over-do the sunblock. However, I was finding out the thick layer of goo was making me feel so hot and sticky that I had started putting on less and less and realized that I was actually getting a little bit of a tan!

I could tell we were nearly two weeks into the cruise because when I looked at the evening menu at dinner time it was hard to find anything that I really wanted to order. That was a sign that my body was starting to tire of the rich foods and was craving plain, ordinary stuff. I do have to say that I enjoyed the potato and leek soup (all the soups are SO yummy) and the chili relleno that I ordered was also tasty.

SOUPS, SALADS, and STARTERS

The singer and dancers were the evening entertainment in the theater doing a production show called “Rock Legends.” A couple of the male dancers were dealing with injuries and other health issues so the one remaining male dancer had been performing alone with the three females. A couple of times we have had a chance to visit with the dancer (Jason). This was first contract on a ship so it was interesting to talk with him about the experience.

Huatulco, Mexico

Click Here for Huatulco Video

Wednesday, April 25

I was vaguely aware of Bob getting up and leaving the cabin, but I snuggled in for a bit longer. Today’s tour meeting time wasn’t until 10:20 so there was no hurry. The clock said 7:30 when I got out of bed and when I pulled back the curtains, I realized the ship had already docked.

Once dressed, I left a note for Bob and headed to the buffet. Poached eggs on an English muffin and 2 strips of bacon was my choice. And of course,…coffee. I was just starting to eat when Bob showed up and joined me.

Our tour tickets had specified that we were to wear long sleeves and long pants, but knowing that the heat and humidity would be unbearable, I wore shorts and a t-shirt. My reasoning was that my chance of getting yellow fever, Zika, or malaria from a mosquito bite was far less than me having a heat stroke from being overdressed. Bob agreed and dressed similarly. Danny and Stan, on the other hand, took the directions more as a warning than a suggestion and wore the recommended long sleeves and long pants.  Stan would have dressed like that regardless because he was always cool, but Danny was suffering by the end of the day.

The tour (Rural Communities & Traditions) met right by the gangplank, but then we had a very long walk to reach the bus. 

Our route took us out of town and onto a portion of the Pan American Highway before turning off to head to the rural areas we were to visit. The paved road led up into the mountains and eventually became a dirt road. Our guide joked that we were getting a free Mexican massage…the ride was very rough and bumpy.

At our first stop, we saw how several generations of women from one family made beautiful woven goods…fans, baskets, etc. from palm leaves and exquisite and woven shawls. These were for sale and I couldn’t resist purchasing one of the shawls as a gift for a close friend.

Our tour guide demonstrating how the women would carry the baskets on their heads while making a sling out of the shawl to carry their baby. 

The girl whom I purchased the shawl from.

At the next village, we stopped at the home of one family...a typical dwelling for the area. There were covered outdoor areas and the kitchen was separate from the house. 

The wife had prepared (from scratch) tortillas and several dishes made from prickly pear cactus (nopal in Spanish) for us to sample. These had been cooked over an open fire in the “kitchen.” There were a couple of different hot sauces as well. After we finished eating, Bob and I walked back to the kitchen to thank the woman for her work. Using Google Translate on my phone, we were able to ask her a few questions on how she prepared the cactus.

Demonstrating how to remove the spines from the cactus.

The third place we stopped at gave us a chance to see how woolen rugs were woven, beginning with the spinning and dying of the yarn using all-natural dyes. The rugs were vivid colors and so beautiful. The prices on the rugs were not cheap, but they were willing to bargain a little. I was tempted but wasn’t sure where I could display one in my home even if I could mange to fit it into my luggage.

Explaining how the dyes are created from natural materials.

Showing the red dye.

Continuing on, we arrived at another home where we watched as the 79-year old grandmother made tortillas…again over an open fire in a small outdoor kitchen constructed of adobe. We sampled these along with delicious homemade tamales.

Looking through the kitchen window.

Using a tortilla press.

Cooking the tortillas over a wood fire.

In our travels, I don’t think we have ever seen the level of poverty that we witnessed on this tour. The families we visited depended on the income they received from the cruise ship visitors, but our guide said that usually only one ship a week comes to Huatulco for nine months out of the year.

I was reaching my limit on how much heat and humidity I could tolerate by the time we made our last stop. This was at a garden with many different native flowers and plants…many which were used for medicinal purposes. It was tempting to stay in the air-conditioned bus as some did, but I was afraid I would miss something, so I wiped the sweat from my face and kept going. The reward to doing so was seeing all the beautiful plants and getting to sample some fresh mango!

Normally we don’t take ship tours but have been very pleased with the ones we have done on this cruise. (And having a large sum of onboard credit to pay for he tours made them even better!) I do prefer smaller tours because so much time is spent getting on and off large buses, but this was the type of tour that probably would not have been done for just a few people because of the time it took to prepare the food. Bob made sure to leave a tip at each place we visited.

Back on the ship, Bob walked while I went to the Lido for an ice cream cone. I wish I was more motivated when it comes to exercise, but I really did enjoy that ice cream! When Bob finished walking, he joined me in the teak loungers on the promenade deck right outside our cabin and it wasn’t long before we both fell asleep! I’m sure we looked like the stereotypical senior citizens on a cruise.

At dinner we saw that some of the menu items were starting to repeat. The wiener schnitzel and shrimp/chorizo jambalaya were both main dishes that I had previously ordered. To try something new, I ordered the sword fish but honestly the wiener schnitzel would have been a better choice. Each night Bob and Danny ordered the crisp and so far, it hasn’t repeated flavors. Tonight’s version was blueberry-mango.

STARTERS, SOUPS, SALADS

MAINS

The main show tonight was singer and multi-instrumentalist, Salvatore Hasard. At the beginning I wasn’t sure the guy was going to be well received, but by the end he got a standing ovation! It is getting harder and harder to get a seat for the 8 pm show without arriving 45 minutes early. Tonight we arrived at 7:30 and there were no seats left in the balcony.

Bob and I popped out onto the promenade deck before returning to the cabin. Just before we sailed, the captain had announced that there might be a lightening show over the mountains tonight and sure enough…there was. The flashes didn’t come frequently, but when they did it was impressive.

Off to bed with a relaxing sea day tomorrow.