Traveling the world with me for 119 days with World Cruise 2019
My biggest adventure began in December of 2016 with me receiving an email about a Cruise ship that will travel around the world. The company that sent that email was MSCruise. The starting/ending point of this journey was in Europe which was a big advantage for the tourists from the old continent. The price looked acceptable /as I was convinced later on/, the season was well thought out /again/ and the route featured world-famous landmarks.
For the first time in my life the Christmas Miracle had got to me and had hit my heart!/on the Christmas lunch there were pieces of paper with wishes on them and I got the one that said that me and a special partner would go together on a water trip,/well i went alone but that's just details!/there isn't a kid in this world that doesnt want to travel, to go through incredible adventures and to exotic places. And that what happened to me, although very late in my life, and with a bit of Christmas magic. They say that God has plans for everyone. If so, and why not, for me his plan was to fulfill my original desire to travel, to get to know distant lands and people, customs and manners, to visit famous historical and natural landmarks, to share foreign culture, to enjoy unforgettable experiences. And for that to happen, I received the support of my family in every way - morally, materially, emotionally. I bow to them for what they did for me !!!!!!!!
And almost 2 years of preparation began - visas, insurance, plane tickets, transfers to and from the airport and port in Civitavecchia, accommodation reservations, exploring places to visit along the route, etc. All this happened with the active assistance of the travel company Contitrans - M, for which I am very grateful. Their help for many years proved invaluable, I did not have any difficulties and troubles, everything is perfectly judged and professionally done. Once again - thousands of thanks !!!
I can't even imagine what the cruise company did to organize and carry out this trip and realize this trip so successfully - crew, local travel agencies, refueling and provisions to have everything on board, entertainment, medical care, especially considering the age range - from babies and children to the elderly of decent age / according to my observations the average age of guests is between 70-80 years !!!!! / Subsequently, I had the opportunity to convince myself that the good preparation is the basis of any successfully completed work, in this case a trip around the world.
DAY 1 - January 3, 2019 -Deprture
Departure from Sofia early in the morning with a Bulgaria-Air flight to Rome. I can hardly describe my state of mind - joyful excitement, a little worry about the unknown of my sea adventure, doubts about whether, I will be healthy and strong enough to survive these 4 months alone, the thrill of the great challenge / it's not like traveling alone for 10-15 days, another for this long period /. I hope for God's blessing and protection and I believe in my lucky star. Well, there was a slight discrepancy with the excess luggage, but it is not a surprise considering that I have to have clothes for at least 2 seasons / then it turned out that I had a good idea of what I would need !!! /.
The plane was crowded - passengers returning from the Christmas and New Year holidays - Bulgarians, Italians and many others. My location was very convenient for observing the world from above, especially above the Alps. The flight was normal with a slight turbulence, I was a little worried about the winter season in Europe, but the start was quite favorable.
According to the plan of the airport, the transfer to the Farnese Hotel was waiting for me - I spread out in a van alone and after 40 minutes I was already there. For my convenience, I was able to settle into the room almost immediately to rest, because the last few weeks have been quite busy and filled with excitement rather than final clarifications. / I even managed to take off the Christmas decorations so that he wouldn't wait for me until Easter !!!!! /.
In the early afternoon I walked near the hotel for a late lunch / early dinner in a trattoria - spaghetti bolognese and a small draft beer. Honestly, I was not impressed by their quality - I do not like half-cooked spaghetti, the minced meat was probably beef and quite firm, but I managed the beer more successfully. I found a nice gelateria nearby, ordered yogurt ice cream, but it turned out to be yogurt, something very useful and healthy. I also bought water, because in the 4-star hotel there is not even a glass of water as a compliment !!!, not to mention such pampering as coffee or tea, I even had to pay extra for breakfast. In most of the hotels I've been to, breakfast is included in the price per night, well, it's Italy after all. / You may be impressed by the many amazing and questionable characters in my story, but really most of the events deserved my surprise and exclamations, you will be convinced of this if you get to the end of this story /
And here's a surprise - I listened to the conversation of 2 Bulgarian women, who later turned out to be part of the 11-member Bulgarian presence on the ship ..... Just imagine what it is - in a million-strong Rome to meet compatriots with whom to travel to the end the world for so long. / I was exposed only after 2 months in Western Australia!?!?! But a sequel follows.
Hotel Farnese - a member of a rich and influential family, the residence of Pope Paul III / in the middle of the 16th century after he was elected pope he adopted this name / is located in a relatively quiet area of Rome, with large trees, romantic streets, the Tiber flows nearby/ true with a fairly lowered river level /, there were not even tourist boats. Once upon a time, the river was navigable - this is where ships with grain from Syracuse and Africa came in, which politicians used for their own purposes and to prevent famine riots. / reference historical novels about the Roman Empire and its prominent statesmen - emperors and dictators before and after Christ/. During heavy rains, its exit from the riverbed caused great floods, sometimes with human casualties.
It seemed very, very dirty to me - piles of rubbish, overflowing containers, fallen leaves and all the dirt left over from the Christmas and New Year holidays. / Don't they have unemployed people to do this job ????? /
The hotel itself is quiet, a bit dilapidated, but retains its charm, on 5 floors, upstairs is the restaurant with a beautiful view of the Vatican, still decorated for the holidays, with a traditional buffet, freshly squeezed fruit juice, sausages and cheese, pastries, friendly service.
It's time for a shower and sleep, the next day will be tense, and as they say, the BEST IS COMING !!!
Day 2 - January 4, 2019 - Rome /Italy/
I have been to Rome before, but every time I marvel at its nearly 3,000-year history, the preserved monuments, the spirit of many generations, democracy and dictatorship, a united Europe (from Scotland to India) for centuries, in one language / Latin. /, one currency / sesterce mostly /, unified judicial system, unified commercial practice, large-scale conspiracy that survived for hundreds of years. Reference to the novel Imperium by Robert Harris.
It is right to remember how this happened - military and political battles, conspiracies and murders, envy and corruption / every new thing is a well-forgotten old /, don't you think that we have found hot water ?????
After an hour's journey (again in a van and again alone in it) I arrived on time in Civitavecchia. I registered very quickly / thanks to the gold card from my previous trips with this cruise company / I use Prioritycheking. I successfully settled in the cabin / internal, private /, unpacked luggage. For one person the cabin is completely sufficient, there are inconveniences such as being completely alone, there is no one to share the emotion and excitement, experiences and observations, but I keep a diary, thanks to which every time I read some pages, I experience this unforgettable travel. I came across the Bulgarian women from the gelateria again, but I completely consciously avoid them / later I congratulated myself many times for my decision, I will share it later /.
At the reception I made the necessary credit card registration for payments on board, bought a package for mobile services, later thanks to them I could connect with my family, send photos / especially in WI-FI areas of ports, malls, restaurants, etc. . places, especially when I was able to cope on my own, which made me feel very proud of myself /. I dealt with the information from the tourist office to confirm the prepaid coastal excursions.
The obligatory safety briefing follows and is conducted for all passengers / this is done for all who board consecutively from different points along the route /.
I decided to eat in the cafeteria on the 13th floor, mainly to avoid accommodating a table with the Bulgarians / this is the practice of the ship on a table in the restaurants to gather relatives - much later I realized that in vain they wondered where the 11th Bulgarian got lost !!! /. Well, let me admit, I have no remorse and it turned out that I was absolutely right !!!
I have been traveling this way for 10 years / with a sea cruise / and I will not stop wondering the same thing - whether the passengers are poor / taking into account that the price of the cruise is not low for us - the Bulgarians / to they fill their plates with the top, and then piles of food are thrown away !!! For me, this is a complete lack of respect for products, for the work of kitchen workers. It is true that the food is almost the same for so many years, but do you eat gourmet food at home every day! Maybe the price threshold / this cruise company is of the mass type with relatively affordable prices for most people / determines the property status of passengers or is it a matter of education?
Another thing that impresses me again and again - babies in strollers, children aged 1-3, strollers and baby accessories - what responsibility their parents take, what they and their children are subjected to. There are families with more than 2 children, I can't imagine how they fit in the small cabins, where do they put their luggage? Subsequently, I met families with students / French, Germans, etc./ who study on the days when we are at sea and in the ocean. Don't they have a Child Protection Agency in these countries to ask these adventurous parents how they imagine a 4-month trip, what they and their young heirs are subjected to. And yet these are my questions and who am I to give opinions and advice!
Day 3 - January 5, 2019 - Genoa /Italy/
Genoa - I'm not going down here, I've been here before, so I'll keep the ship. For a change, I will pay more attention to the liner, I will attend the educational lecture for the next stop in Marseille.
A little more information about the ship and the cabin:
- The ship was built in 2010. It is 293 m long, 32.2 m wide, 16 floors, many elevators. Passengers are accommodated from the 5th floor upwards, all compartments are located there - machine, ventilation and others, ensuring its safe movement. There are also balancers that protect it from great excitement - I was convinced of this during the great storm in Western Australia. The crew quarters are also located here. Impeccable discipline and observance of internal rules reigns, another way to realize a sea voyage could not happen - everyone knows his place and duties, strict performance of official duties is observed. Very often training situations are held - incl. to ensure safe departure of the ship for mothers with young children !!!!! We learn about all these events from the daily newsletter we receive every night in the cabin.
The inner cabin is 10.76 sq.m., bathroom. 2.1 sq.m., incl. shower cabin, yes-no 14 sq.m. It has a double bed, with the option of one extra. I shudder at the thought of sharing this box with 1-2 more people, not to mention luggage?!?!?
Hot and cold water is constantly flowing, only once it was stopped for prevention, and for this purpose we were warned in advance with a message in the daily bulletin. I respect the expressed care for the passengers!
I do not comment on the quality of the food - it does not matter so much to me, so I eat the same way here and at home. I don't have any pretensions or pampering, it's good that I don't have allergies that require another regimen. Each food display shows a warning in basic languages for allergens for people with such problems.
I attended the first of a series of talks given by one of the company's owners - Tim Skinner told us about the history of the cruise company, which began its activities in merchant shipping, which was later expanded with cruises and shared the prospects for building new ships. until 2030 / then still no one could have predicted what would happen worldwide just a few months later !!!!!!!!!!
To return to the passengers - of 48 nationalities, very noisy / Asians, Italians, Spaniards /, restrained / Germans, Scandinavians / and everyone else. I think that most of them are from the middle class, who also want to live the life of the rich - travel, yachts, leisurely days and nights / the dream of most people in the world! /, And the sights are by the way. I hope I'm not wrong! There was a Turkish family that got off the ship in Dubai ????? I don't understand that, to pour car money for such a cruise and not visit anything on your way?!?!?
For me, the important question remains which coastal excursions to join, apart from the prepaid ones. Since many people have applied for them and paid in advance for some, there were no seats, well, no drama - I will choose others.
And today many new passengers boarded / probably to Malaga it will be the same for most Europeans / - suitcases, bags, extra mattresses near my cabin, how do people feel in these small spaces. / is it a joke or true, but they say that the most expensive cabin is empty !!! /
Day 4 - 06.01.2019 Jordan's Day / Epiphany / -Today we are in Marseille
Cold, wind, sun / let's not forget that it is winter in Europe, after all / - excuses for not leaving the ship, and I have come here before. I will attend an educational lecture, I will go to the library to look for a book / maybe an atlas for the stops along the route /, and tonight I will watch a fun program in the theater. This time the organizers have surpassed themselves - so many, different and lavish costumes, various performances - songs, dances, tricks, variety performances, opera, operetta, ballet, beauty .....
When leaving the port late in the evening I saw and photographed a beautiful Ferris wheel - a local attraction, enchanting, constantly changing its colors, a fairy tale !!!
Everyone knows themselves, has motives and worries / a significant hindrance is the ignorance of English, which is used everywhere /, I can not and should not give an opinion and give qualifications, and as they say - a matter of personal choice!
Stretching, sudoko, puzzles, needlework and weaving of different types of knots, dances - salsa, bachata, tango, mazurka, etc., have no end to all activities for everyone. It is thought out in depth, and for the little ones - kinder garden.
Today, my observations are focused on the staff - Asians mainly / much cheaper / because in their countries they are doomed to starve, but have to support large families / hardworking, respect the hierarchy, everyone knows their place and responsibilities /. Well-trained, at times even embarrassing with their attention to the passengers - everywhere they greet you, smile at you, as if they were just waiting for you to show up to serve you with something. Eg. my Cabin Attendant is Abdul Rohim from the Philippines is a small man about 45-50 years old, agile, always smiling, Muslim / I tried to treat him to champagne much later, but he politely apologized for the requirements of his religion, which I respected flashes. Men predominate, probably because the cruise is long, washing, polishing, washing away rainwater, firefighting activities, at each port the hull of the ship is painted !!!!!!The senior staff is quite restrained (not to say bloated), slightly bored or tired, but is always on duty from morning to night (especially the ship's officers, led by the captain, as well as for each of the other areas providing us this comfort and security that I expect. Later I will share about the work of the security authorities.
Some time ago I was told the story of a Bulgarian from the highest positions on one of the ships, who shared his labor growth in the hierarchy, quite difficult and painful, not always secured by the circumstances. You even have to start over a few times to establish yourself. It requires perseverance, perseverance, but in the first place good qualification and confidence in their own abilities. No one caresses you with a feather and does not provide you with career growth without having to work tirelessly for many years.
Many passengers boarded in Marseilles, mostly French. Especially for them, the tables in the cafeteria were covered with white tablecloths, and the utensils were shaped like packets with ribbons!?!?! Probably a compliment to them, because it hadn't happened at that moment, there were a few more such surprises later. Later I found out that France has the most guests and this is a compliment to them!?!?!
On the way I saw a brightly lit island / is it really an island? /, Probably a floating casino in international waters, where the law on gambling does not apply / with so much electricity to supply !!! / There must be some scheme that works to satisfy the gambling passions of some people. Once there is a demand, there will be a corresponding form of supply at a certain price, every pleasure is paid !!!Today on board I came across an interesting couple - a blind man / with a cane with a white tip / and his companion - a man of indefinite age, probably traveling together. I also asked myself the question about how strong is your desire to travel / even with this disability /? It is said that nature has strengthened the other senses when one of the others is not working properly, perhaps by smell, touch or otherwise this person will perceive everything in his path. Later I saw another similar couple - a young man and a woman of indefinite age.!
Day 5 - January 7, 2019 - Barcelona /Spain
Another day with a strong wind, a cold but sunny day. Lots of new passengers again. Last night we sailed earlier than announced, but we did not miss the strong excitement and wind. The ship creaked, cracked, a "wave" (from a sea term) rose, which hit our hull. I don't care what awaits us next - my fears were confirmed much later in Western Australia, but I will explain further.
Another lazy day in gathering strength and doing nothing / how much I like this term! /. I was very impressed by a few brave people who attacked the sunbeds, the pool and the jacuzzis on the open deck. Maybe they are Scandinavians who are not afraid of the winter temperatures in Barcelona. On the run, I crossed them to the cafeteria and was just shivering when I looked at them / I'm so cold that the very sight of the "walruses" made me sick! / / to swim in the ocean / I did this in Muscat /.
I attended a flamenco performance at the theater - the most popular show in Spain. Spectacular, dynamic, sensual dance, full of passion, emblematic of this culture and highly valued all over the world. Two women and two men, with and without music, with castanets and clapping, loud tapping of special shoes caused a storm of applause from the audience! I have watched such a performance before, but every time I admire this art, to convey with your body the whole range of feelings that excite lovers, but it takes a lot of work to absorb and convey it properly!
Day 6 - January 8, 2019 - in the Mediterranean Sea to Malaga
It is a very busy day, reading the daily bulletin.
Before I socialize today, I want to describe how I witnessed the birth of the new day. The sunrise was expected at 8.16 am and I greeted him by shooting a 2-minute video !!! And when I imagine that this has been happening for thousands of years and will continue after me, I get goosebumps !!! I can only feel great gratitude to God for giving me this opportunity to experience it, that I was part of this natural wonder / I was not alone, there were a few more enthusiasts on the 16th deck /.This emotion is not described in words, it has no material value, but in a spiritual aspect it is a flight of thought, of the soul to the infinite, the eternal. I do not want to share this moment with anyone, it is only mine, to keep it in my heart, because everyone thinks and thinks differently and will probably not understand me. It's good that I'm alone, really !!!
I start socializing as early as 10 am. I will gradually add my impressions of the various activities I will visit and I hope they will be interesting / I have to orient myself correctly, because I have many more such days ahead /.
1. We start with a demonstration of a massage, followed by 10% SpaCredit, not that I will undergo such, but the approach itself is purely commercial and probably someone will take advantage of this credit / even if it is 1%, the thrill is that they give you a discount.
2. Knitting / braiding knots - sailors and others / some more skilled made jewelry ??? with this technique /. There were many who wanted to learn this skill, which was offered during the whole trip. There was a demonstration board with 11 types of nodes, I didn't even think there were that many, and maybe even more.
3. The other interesting activity for me is embroidery - needlework, handicrafts from my school years. It was run by a colorful Italian woman, Livia. The source materials and samples were prepared in advance - fabric, panama, canvas, fiber models, needles, threads, scissors, glues and more. facilities.Today we had to make a small purse of different colors, 5 different embroidery motifs. The raw materials are packaged in single packages - in this case Italian, not of Chinese origin / surprise?!?!?! /. I will finish it in yellow / the favorite color of the great granddaughter /. The event was attended by many women / later joined by several men! /, French, German, Canadian of all ages. I add another red dot to the cruise company to diversify the sailing days.
4. I listened with great attention / because I had decided to join the coastal excursions / educational lecture about Malaga. I have not visited the city itself in my previous trips, I have checked the other offers - the Alhambra and Gibraltar - in the must-see sights. The lecturer was an Englishwoman, whose speech was quite difficult for me to understand / when later someone else took her place, whose English was not native, I was much more successful /. Picasso and Antonio Banderas were born in Malaga. The rich historical past and cultural heritage of the city from past eras have attracted many tourists, incl. and me?!?!From here the ships from the time of the great geographical discoveries set out with the financial help and support of the Spanish crown, as a result of which the newly discovered lands were declared the property of the Spanish rulers. That is why Spain was a great naval power and a very rich country !!! The next lecture was in Spanish, from which I learned that it was about religion and its place in the art of Spanish artists, but that's it.
5. The series of captain's dinners starts today. Whether to join them, which requires a dress code, or to save this experience / just remembering that I have to join the Bulgarian group, I have obsessive thoughts?!?!? /.
6. To share my impressions from the first gala evening, where the captain Marco Massa / about 40-45 years old man / presented the management team. To my joy, there are two Bulgarians present / I mentioned them before /, young people who have found their place in the nearly 1000 staff, which is worthy of my respect.
The captain's speech to all the guests was very emotional and exciting. The guest of honor is Tim Skinner / whom I mentioned before /. The captain thanks all of us / incl. and to me !!! / for the fact that we trusted the cruise company in its first trip around the world / My God, how does that sound !!! /. I was very impressed, but seen from another angle, what would this trip be without us - the passengers, its customers?!?!? The benefits are mutual and this is quite natural. If this cruise ends successfully, which it did, each of us will be inscribed in the annals of MSCruise forever !!! I am convinced for myself, as long as I am completely healthy, that this will become my lifelong experience, even called an adventure, as well as the realization of my long-term dream. Hopefully the equipment - telephone, internet, viber - will help me to reflect, store and illustrate the unforgettable journey / reading these notes, maybe you agree with me? /
The gala evening continued with songs and dances of the peoples. It's nice, but also a little sad to watch old girls and boys who want to return to their youth - gray hair, loose flesh, not very well covered by evening dresses, stiff dance floor movements, stiff backs and unsteady steps .... .. The desire of the turbulent youth to take the lead in the race against time prevails !!! Still, it is commendable for the diligence and confidence that they can and do not give up the small pleasures of life. I give them my admiration.
Day 7 - January 9, 2019 - Malaga / Spain
Today's coastal trip to Malaga is included in the price of the cruise and the weather is favorable for my inclusion in it. The guide introduced us to the most general geographical information about the location and importance of the city for Spain and its history. It reminds me a lot of Cadiz. The architecture of the buildings, especially in the old part, the narrow streets, the cathedral, the fortress and its walls, erected for protective purposes over the centuries. The city was the seat of the reign of Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand.They fought to strengthen the kingdoms of Leon and Castile, fought endless battles with the Moors. The influence of the latter is strongly felt in the summer residence Alhabra - a real green oasis for relaxation and enjoyment of body and soul / I was there at 39 degrees, but today's 16 degrees in January!?!?! are a real gift for the season.
We visited the second oldest church / after the one in Santiago de Compostela /. Amazing splendor / especially after the Christmas holidays / of the religious buildings, built for centuries, some of them are built on mosques / the heritage of the Moors /.The mixture of Gothic, Classicism, Baroque and others. styles trace their history through time and testify to their construction when they did not have modern materials and technologies.
Having a basis for comparison / Notre Dame in Paris, St. Peter in Rome, Santiago de Compostela, etc./ I developed the feeling that they all make a person feel small, almost insignificant, to be amazed by their majesty, by the decoration. , and from the church services to forget who you are, why you are here, what path to take. The Church has also used the atavic fear of the common man of the unknown, the inexplicable, and has instilled fear and thus kept him in subjection.We have all read that countless crimes have been committed in the name of religion /e.g. The Inquisition /, and the Bible teaches the exact opposite - the church to serve the people. The Bulgarian proverb "Don't look at me what I'm doing, but listen to what I'm telling you" is obviously drawn from life experience over the years. After reading the Bible and trying to make sense of what is written (and according to Peter Deunov you have to read it at least 99 times to understand it)
I am of the opinion that the Church has deviated greatly from its mission in the Bible - to serve as a mediator between God and the individual. She has appropriated the right to judge in the name of God and is doing her best not to be displaced from this position, as it brings many benefits. She has appropriated the right to judge in the name of God and is doing her best not to be displaced from this position, as it brings many benefits. It is here that the emergence of many heresies is rooted - Bogomils, Cathars, Lutherans, Protestants and others. As long as these thoughts go beyond the subject of these notes, there are people more learned than me who have been dealing with this subject for centuries. If they have not equalized their differences, what is left for me to explain the inexplicable!
The tour ended with a visit to Castillo de Gibralfaro - the city fortress that resisted enemies over the years. It reveals a magnificent view, which I illustrated with many photos.
In Malaga in the middle of winter there are many, many flowers - bougainvillea, hibiscus, strelitzia, poinsettia, probably due to the climate. Cycads, palms and Mediterranean trees and shrubs make the atmosphere pleasing to the eye. This is good for warm countries - lush greenery at all times. However, summer temperatures are difficult for northern peoples to bear. Today during the tour I met a couple / probably Scandinavians / - with short shorts and flip flops! / in the middle of winter on the calendar?!?!? /
There was a Spanish evening in the cafeteria - typical decorations, music, paella and traditional dishes. The captain personally inspected it.
The highlight of the day was the concert in the theater - classical music. The composition is increased - 2 violins / the man is the conductor and leads the ensemble very attractively as a temperamental Italian /, viola, cello, flutist, 2 women soprano, tenor / Bulgarian /, bass. The audience did not stop with applause and for good reason. I hope they have prepared well, because there are many, many days to come. At the end of the trip I was convinced that there were no repetitions, each time was different, but for that - later.
Day 8 - January 10, 2019 - in the Atlantic Ocean / already !!! / on the way to Madeira
So far there is no excitement, the weather is quiet, slightly cloudy. I made a video of the fairway / the trace that the ship leaves behind /, roaring, foaming, raging, shivering to beat you.
Funchal / the capital of Madeira / comes from the name of the plant fennel / a type of spice /, which is still used today as a traditional, also known as rebucados de funcho / whatever that means / and is found everywhere on the island / I hope to find it shoot for proof.
Today is the first day in the ocean and there are quiet activities - embroidery, lectures, there is an option for stained glass, but due to the small hall, the number of attendees is very limited / I must admit I'm not very skillful and will probably be very difficult, along with the above circumstances. But I still have about 400 pcs. word-finding puzzles / arranged in a forward and reverse order, diagonally in both directions /, difficult enough to solve. I've been carrying it with me for 5 years and I still can't find the time, so now is the time to finish it. I booked and paid for the coastal excursions to the Panama Canal inclusive. As I guessed, one of my favorite trips to the island of Saint Martin turned out to be sold entirely on the Internet, I was put on the list of a new group / possibly? /, Which turned out to be impossible, no drama - I will join another.
In the theater, an English band dedicated their 45th minute show to the Beatles. So many years after its cessation, this group enjoys great interest.The audience went crazy - singing, dancing, applauding - apparently this generation knows their repertoire, grew up with their songs in adolescence and youth, which for us was unthinkable and punishable. There was an enthusiast who gave his whole being to the show. Even a lady threw her bra at the performers / she must have done it live in her youth?!?!? /.
Day 9 - January 11, 2019, the island of Madeira / the capital Funchal
I hasten to share my impressions of this volcanic island - bordering Morocco to the east, Portugal to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west. / if I have made a mistake in the geographical location, I will correct myself via the Internet /.
Amazing island - the temperature in January is 16-18 degrees, the average annual is 20, and even in the hottest summer they are a maximum of 27-28 and for a very short time.
Everything is very green, clean, tidy, more flowers bloom than my acquaintances (and strangers) - bougainvillea, Latin, hibiscus, strelitzia, gramophones, roses, trombones. The climate is favorable for all types of plants. 80% of the banana harvest goes to Portugal, as well as the above-mentioned fennel plant / unfortunately I did not meet it for a photo /. Sugar cane is used to make white rum, in contrast to the dark - Caribbean, rum and is famous around the world, as well as Madeira wine - emblematic of the island.The relief is heavily rugged - steep slopes, terraced and cultivated areas, even in these months the hard work does not stop. I was very impressed by the bunches of bananas stuffed in blue sacks - they protect them from pests, and for faster ripening. It can be clearly seen from the photo above.
I was amazed by the construction equipment on this site, as the roads and irrigation systems are made by the municipality. The attractiveness of Madeira each year increases the number of tourists, the proceeds of which are invested in the development of the island. Nature has formed the famous Cabo Girao and Ribeira Brava, probably many others, but human intervention to preserve the data is the concern of the locals to turn this piece of volcanic rock into an attractive tourist product. I noticed many schools, sports grounds and young people on them.
A museum of the famous Cristiano Ronaldo / pictured above / - the most famous person from the island - has been built on the promenade. The idol of many fans /most men, probably women) was born here and the locals are very proud of him. Surely there is a reason? Will he ever be removed when he retires from active sports, or for some other reason? /The collapse of the mausoleum of G. Dimitrov in Sofia in 1990 is the closest in historical terms example of such an approach /.
In Madeira is the tomb of the last Austrian emperor Carl Franz Joseph. The Austrian Empress Sisi has come here many times to be treated.
From the top of the glass platform of Cabo Girao I watched the cut slope from a height of 589 m above sea level /the second in Europe/ - shivers to beat you, I was afraid to drop the phone, because the end of the evidence from this trip!
The tour of the island ended with a visit to the parish church of the village near the sea, richly decorated for the Christmas holidays - the cave with the Madonna and Child, the Star of Bethlehem, the three wise men.
From everything seen and analyzed, my conclusion is that nature has given its own, and the rest has been done by man - a brilliant and dreamy corner in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Days 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 - 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.01.2019 - Atlantic Ocean
The first 5 days in the ocean are coming - full of rich cultural, educational, sports, entertaining activities - sudoko, cards, puzzles to make sense of them, and everyone decides where, how and when to join them.
Life for the crew follows its own rhythm - training and education - with helmets, vests, safety equipment, and all passengers are notified in writing about what is happening on deck /what they do outside of our observations is another matter/. In order to be in shape and ready for any situation, they must constantly improve and consolidate their skills /we know the importance of adequate action in times of crisis - much later this was confirmed in the Gulf of Aden, but that's another topic, which I will touch when the time comes/. Sea conditions - winds, storms, strong waves - and the vagaries of the weather require an adequate response depending on the situation.
I can only express my admiration and gratitude to the entire crew for their efforts to stay safe and secure.
During the Portuguese evening in the cafeteria, Tim Skinner personally observed its course - decorations, dishes, drinks. Again white tablecloths, the Portuguese flag in all sizes, carving products.
Unfortunately, I did not buy any alcohol from Madeira - the remarkable wines and liqueurs, as there is a ban on board the import of food and drinks (especially for New Zealand and Australia, but for them - later). Just imagining, if I buy alcohol from everywhere, with how much luggage I will return home !!! Moreover, we already have almost everything.
I initially had difficulty adjusting the clock according to local time / we missed a whole day in West Samoa with the time difference and that, notice, March 3 !!!!! /. But with the help of an employee of the Internet service /several times/ I deal with this obstacle. It is amazing how the trip affects the time, and since it will take 4 months, I will not suffer from the time difference on my return to Bulgaria.
We cross the Atlantic from northeast to southwest. In the daily bulletin, among other things, there is geographical, marine, climatic information, which is especially interesting for me. All night the ship creaked, crackled, I had the feeling that the doors would open. I was expecting the most stormy ocean. In the morning it turned out that /as is our proverb - "the eyes of fear are big" / - stormy sea, relatively quiet, no wind. In this regard, the two indoor pools are covered with a net, as the excitement is reflected in them, and for the safety of passengers they will not be used / at the expense of fill the Jacuzzi /.On the covered deck on the 13th floor I see the French family with the two student boys, to whom the father dictates something, they were later joined by the mother with the little girl, who is much younger. They probably did their online training, because I met them many times later.
The connection of the captain and his assistants with the passengers is evident in his direct communication with them everywhere and at any time /I wonder when this person sleeps?/ - the theater, the halls, the restaurants, the decks. And since he speaks 5 languages fluently (his German is a bit difficult - according to his confessions) expressing a personal attitude towards us - the passengers is of particular importance.To make you feel like the most welcome guest, at least that's how I want it to be!
There were many events on the 6th floor, as there are many halls - it was interesting to look at the maps and atlases of the Captian corner, where passengers received answers to many questions. I could not explain the difference between an island and an atoll, to answer why the moon fills from left to right in the Southern Hemisphere - the opposite in our country, tides and many others. These dependencies were clearly explained here, of course most of the interviewers were men. Competitions, demonstrations, dances /Irish dance training started today/, quizzes, bingo, and during this time the technical staff conducted another training - the topic was how to take care of children.
In the theater I watched the musical West Side Story. I've seen it before, I don't even like, more precisely I don't understand, jazz, but the dances, the costumes, the young participants are a delight for the eye and the hearing.
I started reading Middlemarch by George Elliott (a pseudonym for Mary Ann Evans, who could only publish her book this way because of her scandalous plot and personal life), one of the 10 must-read books by English adults. 19th century. /it's good that I have enough time to force myself to finish it, because it is so descriptive and unnecessary/ in my opinion wasteful and typical for text writing in this period.
We continue to cross the Atlantic as we are daily informed of the weather - temperature, humidity, speed, depth of the ocean, and other sea details. This is done in order to feel involved in traveling 2,600 nautical miles in ever-changing climatic conditions. Each passenger can ask the questions of interest and will receive a comprehensive and competent answer.
There are organized language courses - in Italian and Spanish, I have already mentioned the problematic stained glass and calligraphy, and those wishing to play sports can attend classes, aerobics mania, incl. and water, stretching, educational lectures on upcoming countries and attractions.
Finally, they returned my passport, which they took with them on board /later the procedure was repeated several times - USA, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, India, Oman, Sri Lanka, Saint Thomas, Maldives, Jordan, Abu Dhabi/, no I have arranged them chronologically, but this is not so important.
We continue to turn the clocks back - the difference with Sofia is already minus 5 hours.
I will add to what Tim Skinner said earlier about the development of the cruise company MSCruise, which launched its first passenger ship in 1970, with its 300-year history beginning in Sorrento as a family affair. The prospects for its development did not include what happened to us at the end of 2019 and confused the whole world. But as they say, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." The lecture was varied with many photos and videos tracing all aspects of its activities, incl. and congratulations from the various offices, which employ more than 6,000 people in more than 50. The competition in the guarded sphere is fierce and everyone is fighting for a bigger market share, and innovations like this round-the-world cruise, for example.
From the beginning of the journey I intend to describe the color of the water - as in the Mediterranean, and now - the Atlantic. They are turquoise blue, maybe Turkish blue. Probably this is due to the depth, which yesterday the captain announced was 500 m. Shivers to beat you !!! As we left Europe, we often encountered ships, mostly tankers, but so far I have not noticed a single one here - only water, sun, clouds and nothing else, not counting the nearly 3,000 people in our floating city. Can't believe that this happens in the middle of winter at home?!?!? When I get tired of the worldly noise, I retire either to the cabin or to the library to read in peace, to solve puzzles, to watch TV.
The educational lecture is dedicated to the 7 wonders of the ancient world /they were updated a few years ago/. Petra, which I will visit, the Great Wall of China - I can only dream of it, the Colosseum - I saw it live, the Taj Mahal - which also enters my list, as some of them have been destroyed by time for one reason or another - e.g. The colossus of Rhodes destroyed by an earthquake; The Library of Alexandria - destroyed by fire, the hanging gardens of Semiramis have disappeared from onlymyself. It is understandable that they were all declared wonders of the hitherto known world - Greece, Egypt, Syria. It is perfectly normal for this ranking to now include many, many more miracles - created by nature or created by people. Probably in the near or distant future the planets and galaxies discovered in space will take the place of the current wonders, so we can only guess and regret that we will not have the physical ability to visit /not overdo our demands, still again, let's not forget our PIN, right!?!?!/.
And tonight the performance in the theater really excited me. I'm a bit of a music lover, arias from famous operas by Verdi, Rossini, Bellini, Offenbach, Mozart in the wonderful performance of musicians and singers brought me to tears. The unusual presentation of some of the arias - from the two side balconies of the soprano singers - provoked a storm of applause from the audience. The last aria from La Traviata was sung among the guests, which shook the theater to our applause. For me personally, the operas created more than 200 years ago, which still sound relevant today, are a higher art form. I've always wondered what those people must have been who composed eternal music that makes you goosebumps and cry with emotion! Whether their contemporaries appreciated their achievements, but if you read the biographies of Puccini, Verdi, Bellini, you will see that the beginning of their work was quite difficult and underestimated. Time worked for them and years later the world was at their feet. Remember that the whole of 2013 was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi and was filled with many events in honor of his work. Perhaps, their updating today is done in order to attract more audiences, they are not always in harmony with the idea of the libretto /e.g. Salome, which I watched at the Sydney Opera House, presented in an avant - garde style, embarrassed me a lot, but I will tell you about it when the time comes/.
Day 15 - January 17, 2019 / Anton's Day - congratulations to all the namesakes / - Saint Martin
The first day of land since we crossed the Atlantic from East to West is coming. So far, the weather and the ocean have been kind to us - there was no excitement, temperatures were constantly rising, even on the open decks it's nice. Many of the passengers were swimming, others were soaking in the jacuzzis, others were toasting, although it was quite windy for me, drinking something in different glasses from the bars, licking ice cream, reading books and kindels, getting involved in all kinds of sports events organized by entertainment. -Teams.
In the morning in the cafeteria I noticed a strange French couple - about 55-60 years old, who from large jars /I've seen such in the shops for supplements for fitness maniacs/ and generously poured them into their orange juice, which was their breakfast?!? !? Is this their diet ?????
Today I met the sunrise again, my soul was filled. This is called beauty, how not to get goosebumps, not to cry with emotions and gratitude for the opportunity to be involved in this natural wonder - the birth of a new day !!!!!!!
During the night it was raining like a bucket, the staff was collecting water from the open decks, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the sunrise, the thick clouds to the north showed that it was still raining there, it was eerily beautiful! /I can't publish all my photos, otherwise the description of this trip will have no end!/
We dock at the port of Saint Martin, part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. There were already 5 ships from different cruise companies - from MSC - Divina and Magnifica, Oasis of the sea of Royal Caribien, Selebrity Eage, Rotterdam from Holland America.
The driver of the open-air bus, /instead of an air conditioner/, who combines the position of a guide, explained that the presence of liners is everyday, with a record number of 11 visits per day !!! The main income of the island is tourism, fishing and making children /joke ... /, but the presence of many children does not suggest such a thing. My impressions of the island are very contradictory. Nature has poured a handful of fertile climate with positive temperatures all year round, endless beaches, warm waters with rich fish diversity, which leads to understandable laziness of the locals - just reach out and bend down to drink - everything is easily accessible. They don't have to fight with nature /as in Scandinavia/ for a handful of potatoes and dig tunnels by hand to go to church on Sunday!?!?! /.
On the way to the coast we stopped at a bistro /hut. The passing iguana, which is kept as a pet, often enters the pot for a delicious soup, which is considered a special delicacy here?!?!?
The guide said that in September 2017 a storm, typhoon or hurricane passed over the island, which destroyed 75-80% of it. The damage is still visible - most of the homes are dilapidated, others - slightly patched, others are still being restored. The vegetation has not yet risen, the abandoned buildings are overgrown with greenery. Quite depressing! /Let me share here that one of the reasons for not visiting Porto Fino on the Italian coast is the sea storm in November 2018, which destroyed this beauty of the Amalfi region in the Mediterranean /.
Let me mention again the vegetation of the island - lush, bright, colorful, enveloping everything around. Bougainvillea in all colors, hibiscus, zokumi and many others, most of which I do not know. Everything is left to self-cultivation, except for the port, where care is visible.
The wind is constantly /there is nothing to stop the wind, south-east, maybe, the trees and bushes are like lying down/, the good thing is that this makes the high temperatures more bearable. Adding the high humidity, the picture becomes quite clear - that's because the clothing of the locals is light, insanely colorful and quite naked /for women, despite the fact that it can not hide a little in most flesh/.
Black people predominate (whether they are African American, as they are called in America, or they are black). They speak English with a strong accent and quickly, with hair-growing, ogroooooomnti d-women of women, accentuated with tank tops, shorts skirts !!! It is said that obese people tolerate the cold climate better, so in these heats I wonder how these people feel / they have probably adapted over the years /.
And how long do they need to be serviced?!?!? Slowly, sparingly, without tension and blowing with fans !!! The air conditioners work at max, the fans don't stop, current from everywhere, it's good that I don't work here, because I would be stuck all the time.Outdoor food and beverage outlets are full of people, visitors are having fun, music is blaring, what will our Food Agency do if it sees how local delicacies and drinks are sold on the sidewalk?!?!?
It is more tidy at the gate, where the tourist can embark on the purchase of local trinkets and typical products - alcohol, embroidered tablecloths /Dutch type/, booths, stalls. There were all kinds of goods - typical local and Chinese production. I bought double-sided dolls for the girls /completely identical, of course/.
For a long time I watched and swallowed the temptation - my favorite mojito, but I did not dare to buy /I did not eat or drink anything outside the ship and where food is included in the coastal trip, usually in restaurants/, their doubts about hygiene and cleanliness deterred I wanted to try local specialties /many of the passengers did not suffer from such prejudices - they ate and drank without hesitation, to be alive and healthy/.
I never imagined that the seabed is full of life - all kinds of fish / large, small, colorful /, rocky bottom, swaying grasses, sea mushrooms and other formations. The water is very clean, the depth is not more than 5 m, the visibility is high due to the sunlight. The boat we took from the shore had a transparent bottom, thanks to which we were able to enjoy this experience. A diver appeared, sprinkling some food, and in an instant a multitude of fish gathered around him, following him like the ducklings, their mother.
I was surprised by the lack of bathers (I just melted my feet), although all the promotional materials claimed that the water temperature was suitable for bathing all year round. Tongue for my compatriots who went to the beach, I hope they are lucky in this endeavor! Personally, I prefer group tours, I think I can see and feel the most important with them /I'm alone, I need peace and security /. In the materials before leaving the ship are written the telephone numbers for contact with the relevant institutions in case of extreme situations / this is another reason to be part of a larger community and not to strive for independent performance! /.
Day 16 - January 18, 2019 / Athanasius Day - congratulations to all namesakes / - Saint Thomas
Today we are in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. For this purpose, the very strict border check is tidy, filling in special forms /as if they don't know who is who, after so many studies in issuing American visas?!?!?/. Border authorities, I guess local - black, powerful, with growth hairstyles, they look suspiciously and with such attention, as if expecting us at any moment to appear a terrorist ....... Several times they ask about whether you visited the island or another American territory before, will you return to the ship /as if there is a place to go, to be unknown ....../. Later I saw them eating sweets in the cafeteria, nothing hindered their appetite, they did their job !!!
I forgot to mention that entering and exiting the ship is done by presenting each time on the boarding pass, and at the entrance luggage, even a handbag, pass through a scanner /before I mentioned the ban on bringing food and drinks on board/.The island is located northwest of the former Saint Martin. It seems that the hurricane /typhoon did not pass here, because everything is very clean and tidy/. The vegetation is not inferior to that of yesterday, lush bright colors and huge sizes, known and unknown species, complemented by palms and philadendrons and more. Scattered around the house again, as if sprinkled with sugar - white and well maintained. /after all, it's about American property, isn't it?/ There are a lot of slopes, so I wonder how the construction machines reached, how they are supplied with water and electricity, and about sewerage - I dare not think.
It was a whole experience with the open buses /at these temperatures another option is those with air conditioners/. I was well prepared /intuitively with clothes, otherwise I would go to a massage quickly/. The road wound along the steep slope, now to the left, now to the right, accompanied by our choral shouts - oh, ah, ex and the like. We met the same buses with local passengers who cheerfully greeted us, ie. your money is welcome in our budget /I may not be right, but here too tourism is the main source of income/.
The first stop of the day was next to Mountain top, a beautiful hill, which reveals a magnificent view of the city, the port and the sea. Here they have built /to my surprise/ something that looks like the Sofia Ilientsi /a large store and full of goods/ - local and Chinese production. The prices are high /for the local standard/, but they are abundant. It occurred to me to buy shells and mussels /this is my passion for collecting, as a result of which I have a lot of vessels at home, full of such riches from nowhere/. I didn't take it because I thought of their Chinese origin, so I gathered, and then continued, from the beach, where we spent 2 hours.
Magens bay is the name of the bay in the northeastern part of the island. I did not believe the guide that the length of the beach is almost 2 km, but when I went to walk around it I saw even more. Clean, fine, golden sand, emerald blue water, but I didn't find it warm enough to take a bath - I just dipped my feet. There were families with small children, although it was the end of their season. A large part of the group allowed themselves the pleasure of swimming, baking, there were tables and benches /wooden, changing rooms, quite civilized/. At the eastern end of the beach I saw a separate area with sunbeds, umbrellas and staff /paid area, of course, which is worth visiting if you are for a long time/.
Almost in the middle of the beach I saw something very interesting for me - mangrove bushes /I met them much later in Greece/, which are located in something like a swamp - with reddish-brown water and a terrible smell. The sign shows that these are specific species of plants that have adapted to both salt and fresh water. The color of water is due to microscopic organisms that cover its surface and find oxygen for their development. When algae die, they settle to the bottom, decompose and emit a specific odor. There is no wastewater leakage here, as can be seen from the information board. Twice a week surveys are conducted and published in the local press.This is probably the working approach to environmental protection. /later in Puerto Rico I saw similar plantations used to strengthen the coast/ - unfortunately in our country such a model is not applied and the sea takes its toll every year. What works or not, I'm not an expert to judge, but the results speak for themselves - we lose hundreds of meters each year from landslides, erosion, abrasion or as they are called. For those who are interested in details - there are relevant statistics.
The exotic open-air bus landed us on a playground, where a representative from a tourist office was waiting for us and directed us to the nearby pier. We boarded a rather dubious ship ???, which against the background of our liner looked like an ant in front of an elephant. 5 minutes continued our movement to the ship and I asked myself why this is done? But as I tracked Friday lunch traffic - left-hand traffic, narrow roads, one-way streets, steep terrain, pickups, trucks, the local fire truck realized that this was the most successful way to get around in these conditions. I probably won't dare drive here! Speed, although regulated with appropriate restrictions, is hardly observed.The open buses - the mass local transport for the locals, the heat, the humidity are challenges for the drivers, but apparently they are used /where will they go?!?!?/ And the traffic don't stops.
Tonight's concert was performed by a young Irishman - Jamie Foxx, who played the piano /accompanied by a synthesizer, replacing an orchestra/ performed some of the most famous songs of Tom Jones, Paul McCarthy, Elton John and others. Once again, the audience experienced their youth by singing, clapping, dancing.
Filled with emotions and excitement, I withdrew with dignity to gather strength for the next stop - Puerto Rico.
Day 17 - January 19, 2019 Puerto Rico / rich port in translation /
The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World aboard Santa Maria, a replica of which is anchored in the port as an attraction. It is small, located east of Dominica, much flatter than the islands visited, stretched in all directions. Its location in the Caribbean makes it a center of trade routes, and ships passing through it have paid customs duties and charges for refueling and turned it into a Rich Port. On the other hand, he has been subjected to pirate and enemy attacks repeatedly over the years. The fortress built by the Spaniards provided protection, and today it has been turned into a museum.
The buildings are painted in soft, pastel colors, typical of the area, mainly two-storey, but also with 10-15 in the new part of the city.
Today, the local San Sebastian Festival is held here, traditionally colorful, noisy, with lots of entertainment. I was very impressed by the black umbrellas /as big as tents/, which the locals wore to protect themselves from the sun /at 9 o'clock in the morning the temperature was 25 degrees/, the police regulated the traffic, drinking, eating people everywhere, regattas for young sailors. Unlike the area around the port, the working-class neighborhoods we passed through were rather neglected - dirt, moldy buildings, rubbish. The guide said that the government is taking the necessary care to renovate them, but is not committed to the duration of this activity, and could not do so! But the promenade, where the ships dock, is ennobled - benches, fountains, greenery, various sculptures. And here a lot of large figures - men, women, children, tank tops, pants, skirts !!! I'm starting to think that this is some kind of genetic deformation or the result of improper nutrition - with this abundance of fresh products /later the guide said that many products are imported here, as arable land is not enough to produce the goods needed by the population/. Production is boomingof rum /dozens of species/, as well as the pharmaceutical industry.
I noticed a lot of wind turbines - quite logical in the constantly blowing wind. The vegetation is again rich, colorful, probably also pleasantly fragrant /I don't even think to smell it, because I don't need any allergenic reaction, I just don't wear such a preparation!/
And now it's my turn to reflect on my impressions of visiting Bacardi's distillery. My favorite summer cocktail I've ever drunk - mojito, prepared with skill, dexterity, appliances and offered as a show /free drink is included in the price of the tour, of course, but it was worth it everywhere!/. I have never, never, but never drunk mojito with such quality, I think it will not happen to me again !!!
Upon arrival, we received souvenir glasses /I still keep it/, pagers, with the help of which we were invited to visit the distillery itself - initially in the patio /courtyard of the Spanish house/ with exhibited vessels and paintings depicting the initial stage of the company; then in the introductory lecture hall; museum halls tracing the path of the famous brand and the stages of obtaining different types of drinks; shop /of course/, where you can buy all kinds of goods with the Bacardi logo; replica of restaurants for consumption of products in Cuba /where the history of the company/. They got acquainted in detail with the different types /I didn't even try to remember them/ - when and how they are drunk, exactly in what glasses, with what accessory ... Not to mention their prices, not that I would buy because of the ship's limitations. The other goods - purely with the advertising character of the brand, in my opinion are only for avid connoisseurs, especially since this distillery is visited by many tourists /only today we were 5 buses, I guess it's everyday/. I remember again the maxim "whoever tells you anything, know that it's about money", why not after there is demand, there will be supply - one of the basic economic laws!
Bacardi's background originated in Spain, specifically Andalusia, as a family business, and then moved to Cuba due to its proximity to the source of raw materials /sugar cane/ - Jamaica, Dominica, Cuba and others. The socialist revolution in the 1960s confiscated a number of businesses, incl. and Bacardi and for this reason the company moved to Puerto Rico.
Do not forget to mention that here the buses are wider, more comfortable /maybe for the large size of the locals, I have already mentioned them /, with constantly working air conditioners /otherwise you can not breathe/, with a special chair to upload.
The guide did not fail to remind us that Ricky Martin was born here, we passed through the street where his home is located /when he is here/.
I will take home a big emotion - visiting some of the Caribbean islands and the photos from those days will not be forgotten for long, but there are more to come - Curacao, Aruba before we move on. What else awaits me ???, we'll see!
Day 18 - January 20, 2019 - in the Caribbean Sea
Today is a day to relax after three days of visits to the beautiful islands of the Greater Antilles, which enchanted me with their lush nature, spring and summer temperatures /in the middle of the harsh winter at home/, the variety of colors and flavors. I learned a lot of interesting facts, got acquainted with the way of life (partly, of course) of the locals, made some conclusions about the way of life and the differences between us. Will I be able to fit into the conditions here /not that this will happen/?
I filled the day with the usual activities - needlework, a lecture on the next island /you do not associate it with Curacao liqueur, which with its blue color gives a special color to summer cocktails/ - a pirate gathering in the past; crossword puzzles and kindel. After the three-day island marathon, I have to free my mind from impressions and prepare it for new ones.
I received the necessary information about the prepaid trips, I filled in my favorite dish /fish / in Las Vegas/ but then there was a lot of confusion for the whole tour, as we were reimbursed a certain amount of money from the prepayment, but for that - later /.
Tonight is the first of a total of 4 full moons, the captain informed us that tonight it will be colorful /probably due to our geographical location/ and if there are no clouds, we will be able to enjoy it /of course I did not miss it/. There is no such experience - in the middle of the Caribbean, a full moon, a light breeze, a lunar path /only the one running on the waves was missing, why didn't I take a bottle to put a letter in a bottle ???, I didn't think about it at all/. Well, I didn't even dream of this happening to me !!! And to make the picture even richer, two guitarists (maybe locals) played Caribbean music, how happy does a person need to be?
Tomorrow is a Caribbean evening on the open decks /in case of rain - it is possible, it will be held indoors/ with typical dances, songs and of course - cocktails! I will not miss it for anything in the world /as usually the interest is great, the seats on the first line - limited, I will park early to fully enjoy the experience/ when performers of Caribbean folklore will come to me from here, that I should not pay my attention to him?
Otherwise, the performance in the theater included a pantomime, an acrobat with a big hoop, dancing, jugglers. I remind myself again that we will travel long, long and the organizers have tried to be different every time. For the first time (later - very often and in different places on the ship) a member of the entertainment team appeared - disguised quite provocatively and accompanied by other members of the same team played various sketches to lift our spirits.
Day 19 - January 21, 2019, Curacao
Once again I met the sun, but this time as a bonus I sent the moon! Where else could this have happened to me ???
Here I am in Curacao /I call it Curaso!/. Another island that involved Portuguese, Spanish, French, Americans and, of course, pirates. To this day (turned into a museum), the military garrison that defended Wilenschand (the capital of the island) tells of the numerous battles and military attacks in an attempt to declare it someone's property. I mentioned before that during the Great Geographical Discoveries all the famous sailors - Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Amerigo Vespucci and many, many others, who reached unknown territories, immediately declared them the property of the respective crown - Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, etc., baptized them to their rulers and sent to the Dominion countless riches /for more details reference on the Internet and numerous historical chronicles/ .
Traces of the long colonial presence /mostly Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch/ are found at every step - especially in architecture. And here the wind does not subside - 25 degrees at 8 o'clock in the morning, it's good that it's blowing, otherwise we'll boil! Newly discovered buses with which we move around.
The terrain is more hilly, the buildings around the gate strongly remind me of Copenhagen or Amsterdam with the buildings painted in pastel colors - reseda, blue, pink, cream.What are you just connecting it with ???
Most are 2-storey, state and public buildings - court, tax, maritime administration, stock exchange are higher. The state archive, for example, is located in a house bought by the former owner /he built it as a wedding gift to his beloved!?!?!/. The state has preserved this beauty and maintains it in a decent condition. It also renovated other buildings (as well as those seen so far on the previous islands), moved its institutions or sold them /leased them to foreign missions/.
On the way to the distillery of the famous liqueur Curaço, we crossed a pontoon bridge connecting the east with the west of the island /naturally dedicated to the Dutch queen - Emma/. It retracts and unfolds depending on the passage of vessels and pedestrians. I managed to take advantage of the attraction, which for the locals is the only way to move from one shore to the other - whether for work, walk or other occasion.To continue on schedule - a visit to the distillery /as I can not buy alcohol as a souvenir, at least to try it on the spot, when will I be given such an opportunity !!!/.
A small factory /obviously a must-see for tourists - locals and foreigners, I counted 7 buses in half an hour !!!/, a museum with many photos and a facility tracking its production. I saw only 4 women putting labels on small bottles, probably the other activities are carried out in other rooms /probably from the point of view of security we were allowed only here/.We tried one foxglove of the main ingredients of the liqueur - orange, tamarisk and chocolate, I liked the orange the most, tamarisk is very strong as a flavor. A special variety of orange is an important raw material, which is used only for this purpose, add cane sugar, cardamom and others. to acquire the different taste, color and aroma of the final product. Of course, there is also a store that is pointless to visit for the reasons listed before.
I was very impressed by the presence of many gated homes with lush vegetation - trees, shrubs, coconut palms and the waterways on them, lots of flowers and strong security. The pleasure of living in them must be quite expensive, or there is a high crime rate, perhaps both reasons are equally important. I also saw abandoned and half-destroyed buildings, some are being renovated, ie. a bit of everything.
We visited a handcraft workshop and a shop for local handmade souvenirs. Probably there is also Chinese production, but I did not go deeper to look at their origin and traditionally. I took a few as a souvenir /the so-called dust collectors from me, but they are beautiful/. And since these are all tourist destinations, they don't have the money for anything - $ 1 for a supplier with a picture of one of the landmarks on it, for example, it's understandable, you have to eat every day, right? In addition to ours, 2 more ships had stopped, every day during the seasons when tropical storms, typhoons, hurricanes, etc. do not break out natural disasters. Near the gate they built something like the Samovod Bazaar in Tarnovo in the form of a fortress from the Spanish presence, where there is something for everyone - souvenirs, drinks and food, clothes, jewelry, etc.
The guide briefly introduced us to the local language - papiamento, a mixture of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English and Afrikaans /because of the African slaves who worked on the sugar plantations/. It sounds quite exotic, I would learn it if I have to move to live here /yes, yes, there is no way this can happen!/. Moving here involves a bunch of bureaucratic requirements, it takes 1 or more years, it's another matter if more money is found. Reference the case of Poli Pantev on the island of Aruba, which we will visit tomorrow.
For dessert, I let you talk about the show dedicated to Curacao. The crew warmed us up by preparing several types of cocktails - I will not describe their names and ingredients so that you don't get bored /but I can't add the atmosphere of the open deck!/. This was followed by the sculpting of an ice sculpture from a large piece of ice by the carving masters.
There was a rich buffet (note - after dinner) with various delicacies, Caribbean rhythms sounded, and the audience rushed to the dance floor, showing what they learned during dance lessons - rumba, bachata, salsa, mambo, cha-cha and others.
The highlight of the evening was the performance of a group of 3 women and 3 men, who performed typical dances of the island. As I watched them, I mentally compared them to our folk dances to their rhythms and steps, the richness of the costumes that make you stamp your feet and blow up audiences all over the world. The influence of different cultures and traditions over the centuries have left their mark and to this day are reflected in many areas of local life.
Day 20 - January 22, 2019, Aruba
There is no one to ask, and I have long since rejected it. I must accept this version or agree unconditionally. I will bet on the latter.
The capital is Orangestad /Orange City/. However, I did not notice that this color dominates. The terrain is mostly flat. According to history, the island was formed 6 million years ago after the eruption of a powerful volcano. Why does it remind me strongly of Iceland /without taking into account the temperature differences and the specific smell of the faults/ - very rocky, constant wind, low prickly vegetation and many, many cacti /it is claimed that they occupy about 70% of the territory, there was no time to count them !!!/
The guide said that the locals use them for fences and alarm systems /laughs, of course/ to protect them from thieves and animals, as well as to "keep women at home" /I did not hear any funny note in this statement/. Here, too, the guide is a driver at the same time, apparently in this Caribbean region they save a lot from social and health insurance by combining several positions /where does their NSSI look for observance of working hours, workload and necessary breaks ???/. So the guide constantly talks about the local gems - housing, food, alcohol. Foreign tourists accept as an attraction everything that is served selectively - colorful beaches, local attractions, traditional folklore. But life on the streets is different, scarcity, urban and rural poverty, unbearable daily work, natural disasters. The economy needs our money to make life easier for the locals to some extent and therefore stimulates tourism in every way, but it is not easy at all!
A mass protest is scheduled for today against Venezuelan President Maduro, who has cut off oil supplies, resulting in refineries not working, locals not receiving income and making their lives difficult. Ie dependence on other countries affects both directly and indirectly the island's economy. Maybe the guide is somewhat right, because the soil is infertile and almost nothing is produced here, except for aloe (and it is imported from Indonesia, Yemen, etc.). has its own sources of fresh water /unlike Puerto Rico or Malta, where they process seawater/. The guide claims that it is very difficult to live here and that is why many people emigrate. According to him, politicians who pay nothing - electricity, water, gas, just have to look good and convincingly lie /"don't look at what I'm doing, but listen to what I'm telling you" - this Bulgarian proverb thousands of kilometers away, we are valid here in full force/. I did not perceive the difference between the joke and the truth in this statement.
As on the other islands, here around the public buildings - town hall, police, maritime administration, court and others. There are sidewalks and greenery. Dust and ash on the side, care of the owners of the respective properties is the laying of tiles and landscaping. And because it is expensive, only the ashes that the wind blows away remain. And if it rains? you can only imagine how far the mud will go. If they do not have money, the owners plant cacti for fences up to 3-4 m in height. It is a pity that they did not bloom, otherwise it is beauty.
We started as a start on the 5 km long. coastal beach EagleBeach, which bears this name because of the habitat for long years of eagles. It should be noted that all beaches are public /no private territories !!!/, nets are placed in the sea that do not allow SHARKS, should I not take a risk and swim with them ??? There are separate places for diving, sailing /in this part I did not see a single sailboat/, nudist beaches are prohibited /perhaps because of public opinion/.
This particular species of tree is called umbrelatrees because of its umbrella-like appearance, the shade of which saves from the heat.
Many hotels and casinos have been built /gambling is a big problem for the locals!/, alcohol - also, especially on holidays /and such will always be found!/. After the Second World War, many Germans settled here, today American retirees do the same, probably with their pensions life is quite decent, along with the sun, the sea, the beaches, the cocktails. Evidently by the appearance of the houses we can judge the social and property status of their occupants.
As for the other islands, tourism is a leading sector of the economy. Only today at the gate I listed 2 more /besides ours/ ships. If we calculate, at least 5,000 people come down here, spending at least 100-200 dollars, not counting the gambling contingent. So the bill shows a solid income, not insignificant and the fame of a paradise in the Caribbean, which attracts hundreds of tourists.
The first stop on today's tour is the California Coast Lighthouse, built in memory of those killed in a shipwreck in the early 20th century. Today it does not function, but it has become a tourist attraction. The road to it is in good condition, but there was a merchant there too, a stall with drinks, freshly squeezed coconut milk /with questionable hygiene my thirst stopped!/. Cacti, low prickly vegetation, unstoppable wind, heat.
The next stop is the Alto Vista chapel, built in the middle of the 18th century. It was built as a symbol for the baptism of local cannibals in the true faith! The current species dates from the mid-20th century.
The factory for the production of various aloe vera products is the third in a row to visit. Its cultivation in industrial conditions dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Here I count 6 buses with local and foreign tourists /especially attractive are the open buses again/ - flags, fringe, colorful, use without restrictions horns and create mood. We start with a demonstration of a large leaf of the plant, which is thick and peels /much larger than those grown in our country in pots/. Peel a squash, grate it and squeeze the juice. It contains 12 vitamins and 23 of the 27 essential amino acids. Most of the group rubbed this part of their aloe on their hands and claimed that their skin was very soft. Aloe grows extremely slowly - between 10-12 years until it grows for industrial purposes. That is why areas have been built at the factory and young plants have been planted, which are constantly renewed /watered as I have already said/.
Inside the workshop, the workers wore masks, gloves, hairpins /ie. high hygiene is observed/.We monitored the yield of the substance in the individual rooms, which is then used in the individual products - gels, creams, soaps. To my amazement, the factory is ISO certified, probably due to the export nature of the goods. In the store /why was I not surprised by its existence?!?!?/ You could see many different packets, bottles, balls, storing the priceless products for cosmetics (and maybe for health) needs.
The last stop of the day was at the Natural Bridge, a natural formation formed as a result of volcanic activity (as everywhere in the Caribbean) hundreds of years ago, and again I remembered Iceland, where I observed similar things.The ocean is constantly flooding the coast and deforming it over time. The strong northeast wind forms large waves and pushes them with all its force towards the land. Beauty and grandeur !!!!!
And here we talk about papimento /I mentioned and explained about it before/, with the characteristic endings in Portuguese -ash, -ish, -ush. It looks like minestrone soup to me, or a road like our tulle-casserole - a little bit of everything.
Contrary to my character /I don't like to waste my time in empty talk/ today I found out that gossip is not foreign to me either /remember Chudomir's story - "I'm not one of them"/.There was a split in the small female Bulgarian group - a specimen appeared, which he found out that he did not know English and needed help. I had met him before in another company, but obviously he will find the necessary support here, I hope he doesn't break the cohesion of the dolls from Rome !!!
Day 21 - January 23, 2019 - Santa Monica / Colombia /
The first day in South America is in Santa Monica (Colombia) and I am greeted by a very strong wind. Later, Eduardo /our guide for the day/ explained that from December to March the wind strongly, non-stop, carries all kinds of garbage /from human activity, natural waste/. The rainy season is from September to November, it rains constantly, especially in the afternoon. I don't care what kind of mud flows on the streets then!
The population of Colombia is 50 million, and watching, I was left with the impression that everyone lives outdoors /probably because of the temperatures?/. The working hours of the administration are until 11 am, followed by a fiesta until 3 pm /lunch, shower, gossip/, and then the working day continues /strongly reminds me of Greece in the summer/ and therefore I noted many closed buildings, shops and shops. But on the other hand, everything is sold on the street - newspapers, books, friction coupons (obviously it is not our patent to hope for quick profits), fruit and fruit salad, juices, water, ice. It didn't even occur to me to buy anything /questionable origin and even more questionable hygiene !!!/. The sellers are very insistent, very aggressive, they put their goods under your nose, I think they would run to the ship to sell something!
We passed through a stream /here they call it a river!/, In comparison with it the Perlovska and Vladayska rivers in Sofia are crystal clear, like mountain streams.
It seems that the crime rate is very high /have we all heard and read about the Colombian mafia and the drug wars?/. Everywhere there are 2.5-3-meter fences, bars on doors and windows up to 2-3 floors.The architectural styles - colonial, republican /? /, Baroque are mixed, different colors of the walls, various shapes, ie. eclecticism /a little of everything/. Noisy, dusty, dirty, with people squatting everywhere - young, old, families with many children of all ages, I will think long and hard about whether to come back here again !.
Mostly locals travel by motorcycles and mopeds /I saw people wearing face masks so as not to inhale the fumes, they were ahead of the COVID pandemic - by accident?!?!?/. Buses and taxis are open, young men are hanging at the doors to prevent the boarding of freebies, the seats are wide /I wonder why?/.The streets are narrow and crowded - people, stalls, carts, bags, sacks, goods displayed directly on the ground?!?!? /Where is the Food Agency?/.
According to the guide, many people from the interior of the country constantly come in an attempt to secure a better life. No education, no profession and craft, and I wonder what they hope for? Municipal authorities provide them with housing - my amazement is complete and I am sure of one thing - there is no better place to live than Bulgaria !!!!!!!!!! Now I explain to myself why Europe and our country are like a magnet for these countries - this world seems exotic, but it is extremely difficult for their people. I can't imagine that these problems will be solved in 20-25 years, as predicted by the local authorities /the enthusiasm of the guide is visible /.
We first visited the San Pedro Alessandrino National Park, founded in the 17th century. Here is the museum of Simon Bolivar, the most famous revolutionary of the past, who fought for the liberation of this part of South America from Spanish presence and rule. He lived a very ascetic life, but he had 35 girlfriends?!?!? A short 8-month family life, as his wife died recently. He grew up an orphan at a very young age and embraced the idea of liberating Latin American countries from Spanish rule. Photos, belongings, personal correspondence tell about his difficult life, about the struggles for the unification of the colonial peoples, the opposition within the liberation movement. It is no coincidence that the national currency of Colombia is the bolivar /for those who want to learn more, turn to Uncle Google/.
Unfortunately, the freedom of small countries has always been in the hands of large countries, which have imposed their rules, used their natural resources unprecedentedly and kept them in subjection - examples are all over the world!
Here, too, we did not miss the iguana, which is widespread in these latitudes. There is no way to try the soup from it /not that I would dare !!!/.
The vegetation is lush, as everywhere in the region, colorful, fragrant, very well maintained /well, it is still a national park/.
Immediately after that we visited the Hotel Estelar-Santamar, considered quite sophisticated /unfortunately in my eyes it was a complete disappointment, probably here the criteria are as follows /. It looked like a campsite with bungalows, swimming pools, bathing guests, noise, children playing and chasing. They put us on plastic chairs, very close to each other, gave us 1 ticket, for which you can get a drink /very suitable for the heat/ and then the folklore program began. 3 girls and 3 boys performed 3 typical dances, one involving many borrowings from Europe, the others - from Africa, due to the different influence of these cultures over the years. The mass application of slave labor on sugar plantations and other industries, the sadness of the homeland, find expression in these dances. I was very impressed by the rhythms, the choreography, the role of the girls dominated them, while the boys expressed through sharp movements.
A visit to the oldest cathedral in Colombia, Santa Ana, founded in the 17th century, impressed me especially with its statues, altars, confessionals, stained glass windows. It functioned daily and there were many worshipers.
The Golden Museum presents the development of the city and the region from the pre-Columbian period to the present day. It is located in a house in colonial style, on two floors and has a rich exhibition for the individual stages - photos, graphics, artifacts. A rich past, a sad one (in my opinion the present), and perhaps an uncertain future. What we can learn about the history of this city and its population is probably not much different from ours, with the difference in location and climate.
I continue to follow with interest the development of the intrigue in the small Bulgarian group, in which certain twists occur, a small piquancy is emerging!
The concert tonight was dedicated to Whitney Houston, Eliza Brunch, a singer from Las Vegas sang 6-7 songs and ended with the iconic song by Bodyguard. I don't know Whitney and her repertoire well enough, but this mulatto has a superb voice and is perfectly suitable (in my opinion) for this style.
Tomorrow we are in Colombia again, I hope this time I have a richer impression.
Day 22 - January 24, 2019 - Cartagena / Colombia /
It is with great pleasure that I leave here! The new part of the city and around the gate are quite decent - offices, hotels, restaurants, well-maintained promenade. From now on, the picture from Santa Marta does not change significantly from what was seen in the old part of the city, it seems that this is typical for this region /where are you, dear Europe?/
The tour began with a stop in front of the city fortress of San Felipe de Barajas, built by the Spaniards in the 16th century to protect the city (founded in 1533) from pirates and other invaders. Healthy (and to this day) she protected it, unfortunately we could not look at her /there were many military at the moment, there is probably a problem/, we only photographed her from a distance. We were warned not to leave anything on the bus, because as soon as it opened its door, we were attacked by modern pirates - traders in countless goods, who constantly repeated the promotion, the promotion. What was not there - glasses, bags, belts, magnets, hats "Panama" /made in Ecuador/,I would say that poverty and misery make these people so persistent (even insolent). According to the guide, these are Venezuelan migrants, but I think they are Colombians, probably the guides want to soften what we see - dust, dirt, ashes, crowds of people trying to earn some other money, loaded with goods themselves, carts, stalls, on the ground. Women dressed in typical regional clothes carry trays of items for sale on their heads so that they can carry their children in their arms . I have never seen prams - children or are carried in their arms, the older ones - to the mothers' skirts , fathers did not meet with children !!!!!!
We walked through the historic colonial part of the city.
And, oh, horror, again crowds of vendors chasing you every step of the way. I notice a lot of policemen and I wonder why they don't do what is necessary to limit this creep to the tourists . I don't think anyone will be happy to have anything under their noses - along with the listed gadgets I add more water, carbonated drinks, fruits, juices /should I sacrifice or not?/. I keep wondering if they have our Food Agency to bring order to sales.
I was unusually impressed by a group of iron (and of course - rusty) sculptures, recreating various professions and activities for entertainment as well, which are exhibited in a large area and attract the attention of tourists.
Interesting, colorful, unusual for the European eye, small, narrow and dirty streets, high wooden gates, behind which in depth /when they happen to be open/ you can see the interior of the houses - children, dogs, cats, bicycles, dirt , broken sidewalks, cafes, barbershops, shops. The buildings from the colonial period are interesting - painted in different colors, many flowers - mostly bougainvillea, graffiti on the walls; high and barred doors and windows. With the doors of the houses open, the view from the inside strongly reminds me of Arab homes /there the high fences prevent a passer-by from seeing the Arab woman !!!/.
There are, of course, renovated buildings - mainly public and downtown, places visited by foreign tourists. Many of them were owned by wealthy merchants (coffee, jewels) who sold them when they emigrated from Cartagena.
Let me mention the traffic /to reassure the Bulgarian drivers/, which at 10 o'clock in the morning was unimaginable!
We also visited the Emerald Museum, which with its system /photos, diagrams, reconstructions of the main processes/ shows the way of the precious stone to the shop windows - its extraction from mines, hard mining work, grinding it to the appropriate jewelry in the desired size and shape. I didn't even look at the prices of the exhibited items /dozens of different necklaces, earrings, bracelets combined with gold, silver, which shine on the tables/. The sellers /quite assertive/ are ready for anything, just to do what is necessary to satisfy customers. /I think that from every sale some money enters the pocket of the travel agency, only at this hour we were tourists from 2 ships !!!!!/.
On the way back to the ship we passed through Bocagrande - the new part of town. The contrast between it and the old one is staggering - modern buildings along the coast, hotels and restaurants, dressed business employees, cleanliness and maintained green areas. The beaches are public (and quite dirty), wide, with unusual awnings and umbrellas. The sand looks like ash, unlike Golden Sands and some of the beaches of Greece. In 100 meters there are observation posts and lifeguards, today the red color / probably bathing is forbidden was raised. There was no shortage of sellers of various things - water, fruit, juices. Good thing we went through transit !!!!!
I was in complete shock /very pleasant surprise/ when I suddenly came across a separate corner for birds - parrots, FLAMINGO - the long-awaited by my daughter-in-law, peacocks and others, unknown to me. I'm not sure, but I saw a sloth. The noise was deafening, the vegetation (if artificially created) resembling a jungle.
I was shooting, shooting from all angles, I was so happy that my disappointment with Colombia faded slightly.
The fun on board does not stop - Italy-amoreto, pirate night, Italian canzonettes, Latin rhythms, evergreen performances, wild dances under the sky and the moon, night extravaganza and a lot of mood. The good thing about these moments is the opportunity to enjoy your freedom and fill your soul with pleasant emotions! Quite different from the usual way of life at home, right? Red dot again for the entertainment team!
Day 23 - January 25, 2019 Colon Cristobal / Panama /
I'm about to make one of my dreams come true - to cross the Panama Canal, quite bravely, right? Since I was a child I have always wondered what it is, I had read a lot about the implementation of this project, the difficulties to solve and overcome, the victims of diseases and accidents, but in the end the result is there - shortening the sea route, employment of locals, huge revenues in the treasury of Panama. I will illustrate it later with many photos.
Another civilizational shock from the gate to the Panama Canal Railway Company's starting station - extreme traffic at 10 a.m. - no (at least I didn't see) road signs, traffic lights, noise, dust, ashes, dirt, but many, many cops? !?!? Grilles on windows, doors, colorful vehicles, open buses with wide open doors and men hanging on them, playing the role of "turn signals"!?!?! I wondered if they had a Road Traffic Act and who was monitoring whether it was actually being implemented? I strongly doubt it, but then the question of what the police are doing on the street remains unanswered. Not to mention the buildings - peeled, moldy, poorly maintained /perhaps due to moisture from the ocean/, often two-story. The guide explained that life in this area is very cheap, but the people were not poor?!?!? It was inhabited mainly by migrants from Venezuela and Bolivia, yes, yes, and in Colombia they make excuses with the Venezuelans, but this time the guide has no mention of the government or the municipality having any projects in an attempt to help the population.
We get off at the train station, which will take us by land to Panama City, during which time we will cross the Panama Canal. Getting off the bus, we were accommodated in wagons /something like first class - with wide leather single chairs and sofas, and tables between them, sconces on the wooden paneling, carpets, like those in the BDZ from the social years!/, Stewards and stewardesses . They stocked us with cookies /with the logo of the railway. the company/, cafe /free ..... /, wait a minute, we paid for them with the price of the tour ???, local beer and soft drinks /for an additional fee, of course! A Mexican (whom I named Pedro and later we often joked with him when we met at various events) came up to me; in my opinion, an old bachelor, judging by his behavior - took scissors out of his bag to cut the bag of cream, constantly sweetening his trip /with supplies from the ship / not to accidentally weaken !!!!/ I never saw him without a hat on!
The journey lasted more than part, I moved from window to window to take pictures and did not stop until the end. Now I realize that the implementation of this project was extremely difficult - vegetation like in the jungle, continuous rains /especially during the rainy season - from March to June, lakes and ponds /somewhere with lilies/, landslides, accidents - labor and natural , diseases - yellow fever and malaria /mainly/. As early as the middle of the 19th century the built railway line was the first transcontinental and played a significant role in supporting the construction of the Canal. Wetlands, mangrove trees and shrubs, palms of all kinds, reddish soil /where visible from the vegetation/. Statistics report nearly 20,000 human casualties during that time (perhaps more). The RioCharge River, Lake Gatun (artificially created and fed with fresh water, enters it mainly during the rainy season, separating the East Pacific Gulf of Panama City and ending near Balboa), by the way, the local currency is balboa and, notice, only in coins !!!!!
The road is about 80-85 km, I admit that I did not hear much of the explanation of the guide, busy to photograph, photograph, photograph - Barro Colorado /whatever that means/, Gamboa Bridge, Summit /again whatever it means when I get home I will check with Google/, Pedro Miguel Gateway, Miraflores Gateway, Balboa, Panama City from northeast to southwest. Crossing and seeing 2 oceans within 1 hour is an experience that cannot be translated into ordinary language - it must be felt and understood with all the heart. Not for a moment I'm sorry, especially since there are people in the group from everywhere - England, South Africa, Mexico, Scandinavia, and notice - only I am a Bulgarian?!?!?
From the station, we headed for Panama City in its coastal part, without entering its center, because we would have dawned on the traffic, well, we touched it a little. They supported us with a sandwich and a bottle of ice-cold water, the air conditioner was constantly vomiting, no wonder I later caught a slight cold, but I missed only that. We passed through the US Air Force military airport (the vital interests of America are located all over the world) /understand resources that should be drained as much as possible/, the headquarters of the Channel administration, areas for walks and entertainment - local show groups were preparing for performances, the homes of American employees during his reign in America / until 1999 /.
We stopped for souvenirs in a shopping center /wehre without trade?/, Bougainvillea, zokumi and other flowers unknown to me. Handmade blouses, skirts, sandals, knitted trinkets, colorful bags / like for the shepherd Kalitko / and oh, heavens, free ice cold water?!?!?
Day 24 - January 26, 2019. Transit through the Panama Canal
The day is dedicated to the passage of this modern marvel of technology, engineering thought, the commercial interest of America /and where else without it, for reference "The Silent History of America" by Oliver Stone/. In my cabin I found a brochure with many facts and details of the history and implementation of the project.
Yesterday, the guide shared that the management of the Channel accumulates $ 50 million daily /how did America experience the loss of this income?/.The canal is 82 km long and connects the Atlantic and the Pacific, has 3 locks, with 3 cells each. They are different in length - from 980 to 1200 m /Lake Gatum, Pedro Miguel, Miraflores/, 36 m wide, 26 m deep. The water level in each of these 3 cells /they themselves are 305 m long / is differently and is regulated by opening and closing metal doors - first open to level the level, the vessel/ ship, tanker, yacht, catamaran, etc./ passes, then closes, the water is leveled and the procedure is repeated in this order through all cells of the three gateways. The leveling itself - filling and draining is done through special holes in which water with a huge flow rate is added or drained. And this is repeated for every vessel !!!!! The transition takes a long time and is expensive. At the beginning of each lock there are 2 ordinary boats, in which sit two workers, with the necessary protective equipment. They take the lowered ropes from the passing vessel and attach them to two handcars /on one of the two sides of the vessel/, which begin to pull it along the cages of each sluice. The difference in water level between the two oceans is 30 m !!!!!, which I did not feel in any way, thanks to the description above, what a technical achievement it really is !!!!! I did not move from the upper deck all day /without the night, as the transition lasted 24 hours with waiting for the turn line/. Several times I heard the scraping of the ship on the walls of the canal /then at the first pier part of the crew painted its hull/.
I watched with great curiosity what was happening. Impressive, exciting, impressive !!!!!!! My vocabulary is not rich enough to express my admiration for this facility. In 2016, an extension of the cargo line was put into operation /understand - for more money!/. After all - whoever and whatever tells you, know that it's about money. We passed under a newly built bridge connecting Panama City and facilitating the transport of the city, the same was put into operation in 2020.
I also want to share the photo material / a small part of it / as a proof of what I saw and told.
Day 25 - January 27, 2019 - in the Pacific
I keep scrolling through the tape from yesterday and I don't stop thinking about what I saw and learned. What a grandiose plan, what courage Ferdinand Lesseps (who also built the Suez Canal) had to decide to overcome nature and the difficulties of accelerating the passage from one ocean to another with the available equipment and technology from those years! All historical novels from the era of The great geographical discoveries trace the difficulties in crossing Cape of Good Hope (its very name bears a slight hint of irony) and its terrible storms and winds, the victims of people and ships. The route through the Panama Canal shortens navigation, facilitates vessels and ultimately leads to huge economic benefits.
Nothing special happened during the casual everyday life - a lecture on the treasury of humanity of Alison /the lecturer I mentioned earlier/. It was interesting for me to recall some of the achievements that led to facilitation human life - the wheel, the glasses, the vaccines /unfortunately there is still no such thing against COVID-19/, the penicillin of Al. Fleming, the steam engine, the various vehicles, the more modern "flying doctors" /Flydoctors /hard-to-reach areas/ deserts, glaciers, high mountain settlements and many others/, blood transfusion and blood pressure measurement, sewing machine, braille, escalators, spiral gutter, etc. Just thinking that some of them were discovered only 100-150 years ago?!?!? How did man survive without these discoveries over the centuries ?????
I continue to follow with interest the discord in the Bulgarian group and I am waiting for the tension to escalate !!!
The performances in the theater are especially interesting - mimes, acrobats, glowing hoops. Attractive, fun, and in some of the tricks they included part of the audience. Congratulations again to the entertainment team for their efforts to diversify the cultural program.
Day 26 - January 28, 2019 Costa Rica / also called the Switzerland of the Pacific /
If I had chosen another tour, maybe this name would have been justified, but in this case I can not confirm it. I should have chosen this one next to the capital, maybe next time?!?
We visited Punta Arenas, which is located in the southwestern part of the country /. I think it was a famous resort?! ??/. The Spaniards gave this name /rich coast/ when they visited it in the 17th century.
It really is 8 km long beach, which in places is up to 400 m wide, dark brown sand, here and there people /almost no bathers/, very, very windy, warm, humid, dust, ash, !!! Numerous properties for sale, bars everywhere. The guide explained that with a population of 5 million locals, there are 1.5 million migrants. He may be right, because only people who are not impressed by such dirt can live in it - sitting among the rubbish on chairs, armchairs, sofas, without worrying much. We cross a part of the Trans-American Highway № 1, which starts from Alaska and ends at the southernmost point of Argentina. I read somewhere that its length is over 80 thousand km. Probably for this reason the road is in excellent condition /strongly contrasting with the one described before/, there are checkpoints built, guarded by military ?????
The usual lush greenery, different types of palm trees, tree trunks instead of property fences scattered here and there. The main exports are bananas, pineapple, coffee /the most famous brand GrandeOro/, mango. Bananas and pineapples are grown in the east, where there is more rainfall, precipitation is higher. I saw a lot of cows, horses, donkeys. Why are the houses so scattered on the hills /I asked myself again how the locals receive their correspondence - without streets, house numbers ???/. They are divided into something like neighborhoods, necessarily with cars in the yard. We did not meet the usual vehicles, and I did not understand if there is public transport, when and how the locals move, if I do not count the cars in front of the houses.
We visited Esperza, a neighborhood of Punta Arenas and its ancient and well-maintained church with many stained glass windows. In the square in front of the church, a small group of students in traditional clothes greeted us with a program that embodies simple human activities and relationships - harvesting coffee, bullfighting, mummers.
I don't want to sound like a chauvinist, but the difference between our folklore with its dynamics and rhythms, richly colored costumes ignites the blood of the spectators, and here I note only the fluttering of the skirts, yes, very lavish, but only that much. Returning to the gate, we stopped at a souvenir shop. For the first time I saw a live mango tree /unfortunately the season was over and there were no mangoes/.
Shock and horror - there was no electricity and water in the store, how to choose a souvenir?
Day 27 - January 29, 2019 - Nicaragua
I'll start from the back, because the sugar cane juice /prepared on the spot in something like the one-time washing machines for squeezing the laundry/, which turned out to be surprisingly sweet /still made from sugar cane/, slightly greenish in color, very refreshing after the daytime heat /and the only thing I allowed myself to consume outside the board was very tasty /I not miss to try other delicacies, avoiding eating or drinking in the exotic places we passed?!?!?/.
During the day we saw many sugar plantations with the main raw material for making different types of rum. Next to them are built the homes of those working there /locals and migrants/ - shocking living conditions - barracks, slums, copts, as you call them, you will not go wrong. Now I explain to myself why the folklore of these countries sounds sad, long, melancholic. Negro slaves once worked here, cut off from their native places, forced to live in this way, and this has penetrated the traditions and customs to this day, and will probably continue in the future.
I wonder why the arriving foreign tourists /the main source of income/ require filling in special declarations for their health status, given that here people live in homes /if they can be called so/, made almost from handy materials. Again, I almost cried when I thought about the conditions in which we live and we have not appreciated them with dignity. Do we have to face such a reality in order to recognize the favorable environment called our home, homeland, fatherland !!! Tents were built on the quay, where local souvenirs were sold, incl. and the making of cigars. An interesting show, I could not resist the temptation to buy cigars for my men /in what condition will they arrive in Bulgaria in 3 months ???/, as a bonus I received one for myself /nothing that I do not smoke, here it is customary for women to smoke cigars, as in Cuba/.
The last stop of the day was at the second largest active volcano in the country - San Jacinto. It smells strongly of sulfur, constantly smokes, bubbles, bubbles, whistles, a thin mud comes out of it. This releases the tension that causes the lava to erupt during pumping. We saw him on his right, on the other in 1992 he last erupted. Leaving the place, we saw smoke rising from this side.
Information boards, directions, observation and rest points /at 30 degrees absolutely mandatory, the temperature is felt even more than the activity of the volcano/. The guide explained that the countries of Central America, incl. and Nicaragua are of volcanic origin and for this reason earthquakes and volcanic eruptions often occur, the smell of sulfur and smoke is strongly felt. Of course, there is no lack of stalls, where the locals offer various products from volcanic mud, bags with it /recommended for face and skin masks ???/. I didn't take any chances, although some of the tourists didn't hesitate. I was very impressed by the behavior of the locals - extremely insistent, incl. and children who constantly accompanied us around the area - offered whistles, pots, pebbles, one of them fascinated me to buy a parrot ????? A way to survive in these harsh conditions. A group of girls dressed in their costumes waved the skirts of the dresses to the rhythm of their melodies and dances, if you like the unusual, it takes a few minutes of attention. I do not like such performances and I missed them.
The guide (very well-read and in understandable English) showed us the fruits of an exotic tree. At first glance, it looks /for me/ like a papaya, but it turned out to be Jicara Calabash /whatever that means/.
Various souvenirs are made from them, incl. maracas, which I bought for my grandson. Once ripe and dry, they are carved and decorated /look like our gourds/. There are all sizes - large, medium, small, round, oblong. Soups are prepared from the seeds.
We started the tour with a visit to the city of Leon, founded by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Insane heat, constant wind /well, if it could cool down/, carrying garbage, again crowds of assertive sellers who want to push their goods into your hands.
We visited the second largest cathedral in South America, after the one in Lima, Asuncion. Extremely well maintained, with many beautiful frescoes, exquisite altar, numerous statues and chapels. We climbed a narrow staircase about 80 cm to the roof, from where you can see the city, the mountains and the volcanoes above it.
The guide constantly explained (as in other countries in the region) that this or that are the biggest, most famous and revered landmarks. Isn't it typical for the small countries (and ours too) to point out the possession of something significant /they say that Bulgaria is Switzerland in the Balkans, Costa Rica - Switzerland of the Pacific, etc./. Nicaragua was the largest country in Central America with a population of 7 million, 2 million of whom live in the capital Managua /similar to Bulgaria and Sofia/. Main industry /understandable/ - tourism, agriculture - cocoa, sugar cane /understand rum/, coffee, bananas, avocado, papaya, mango.
It was interesting for me to learn that education is free - initially with a duration of 6 years, on average - 5 years of higher education - 7 years depending on the specialty, and some of them are paid - between 700-1000 dollars a month. Young people are learning foreign languages en masse. Students must wear uniforms - white blouses and shirts, dark skirts and pants, 3/4 socks and the school logo. Healthcare is also free, the retirement age is 65 years.
I was very impressed by the houses with hammocks, armchairs, tables around which men are located, some of them are lying on the sidewalks /probably the heat is to blame for their proverbial laziness ???/ - drink, eat, talk, and about the wind blows dirt, dust, ashes, papers, barefoot children and dogs, cows, pigs and slop into something like ditches - complete misery. I guess that during the rainy season /May-June/ they overflow. Exceptions are the rich well-maintained houses - surrounded by high walls, lush greenery. Cables and wires twist, protrude, intertwine /where is their CEM; later I encountered a similar problem of Phuket again !!!/. I saw only the police /with machine guns/ and the workers at the gas stations to work !!! I don't want you to misunderstand me - just because I don't like it doesn't mean I don't understand it, I just think our way of life is radically different from the one I face these days. If the conditions change (which would be extremely difficult), the mentality will reach it much, very much later, right?
Day 28 - January 30, 2019 Guatemala /Uanamala - as it is pronounced here, I saw great pain until I found out what it was about/. Let's see what she will offer us?!?!?
Traditionally, we are greeted at the gate by a folklore group with lavish costumes and typical music /I will repeat again that the movements of the dancers are reduced to swinging the skirts, and the maracas set their rhythm/. Marimba is the national instrument that sounds monotonous /in my ears/, long, boring /I look, I listen, I observe, I judge, I accept as facts, but I don't have to like everything, do I?/ Well, there is something to see if you fall in love only with ruins, dilapidated buildings, high fences with barbed wire or glued glass debris, dust, ashes, insolent traders who are trying to sell you their goods !!! I have seen ruins in the British Isles, but there they are well maintained, clean and flowers around them. And here there are flowers - clivia, bougainvillea, strelitzia, many unknown to me /I even saw one that stuck in the bark of a nearby tree - they are called lithophytes or parasites/.
The local people are extremely short - women - up to 150 cm, men - a little taller, stocky, with big bellies /even young/ and strong asses.There is probably some dependence on climate, diet and lifestyle. There are no baby strollers /Bulgarian mothers should see this, children are carried in their arms even 3-4 year olds/. In addition, the woman made a barrel for the goods - scarves, woven products, knitted ones, strung and many others in bright colors. In my opinion, this is the cultural heritage of the Mayan ancestors.
Leaving the area of the commercial port the countless containers with ChicittaBanana, the world-famous bananas - small in size/are obvious/, we pass successively through residential neighborhoods that were not as dirty and neglected as those in Colombia and Nicaragua, for example. A little tidier, especially around state and municipal institutions and gas stations /most of the famous brands Shell, Texaco, etc./. Private estates from the colonial period were bought /sold for resorts, universities and schools, hospitals/. I noticed many rivers, which according to the guide come from active volcanoes /30 in number - 4 of them permanent/ in the mountains. On both sides of the road to Antigua we noticed 2 of them /Fuego and Auga volcanoes/, but I could not see the smoke above them because they were surrounded by clouds.
Guatemala has a population of 17 million, living in the largest country (again) in Central America. The sugar cane refineries (about 30 in number) provide livelihoods for the locals, mainly men. And here, as in our country, the stubble is burning (although this is forbidden) and preparing for the next season. Coffee and cocoa plantations accompany us, and young plants are planted between the old ones. The main export product is cocoa
Antigua was founded in the 16th century by the Spaniards (again), despite the difficult living conditions - volcanic eruptions, frequent earthquakes, they settled here, probably for commercial purposes. Volcanic activity brings to the surface precious and semi-precious stones, which answers the above question /at the end of the tour we visited one of the workshops for their processing/.Everything I know is very, very different. The map of the city shows the local landmarks, mainly buildings from the colonial period /why is there no surprise, I was left with the impression that there is no new construction?!?/. The houses are surrounded by 3-4 meter high fences, stable wooden gates. Where they were open /shops, hotels, restaurants, banks, institutions/ it can be seen that under this open space life flows - either private or public. The buildings are at most 2-3 storeys. To my amazement, in the central square I noticed something long forgotten in our country - waxers, whose clients were only men.
I was shocked and numb with horror after seeing the damage from the last eruption in June 2016. The consequences are still being removed, the gutters through which the lava passed are visible, I did not understand if there were human casualties /I just watched without listening/ . The scale of the disaster at this time is appalling, the accumulated equipment and workers are constantly trying to fix what nature has caused. At the same time, the volcano was smoking, the other - also, how do you live in this constant expectation that the earth will shake, that the hot lava will sweep everything in its path? Once again, I thank God that he does not threaten us with such cataclysms !!!
Antigua was declared a city of special valuable historical heritage in 1979 by UNESCO, probably because of the preservation of the original art and culture of the ancient civilizations that have left their mark here. In the center of the city, the access to which is carefully specified /we were transported by small buses, after the big ones were left in a buffer parking lot/. The pavement is made of rough granite blocks, with 80-100 cm wide sidewalks, without traffic lights /not that there was much traffic in 80-100 cm wide sidewalks, without traffic lights/ not that there was much traffic at that moment!/, regulated as one-way streets, limited to 30-40 km/h speed and very, very police. The traffic at noon is busy, buses with students, mopeds, loaded the whole family - the father - in front, the mother - in the back, and between them - 1, 2 and even 3 children /where is the traffic police ???/.
We visited the city cathedral of San Jose, passing through renovated, and not quite, buildings from the colonial period. Here are the so-called Corner Windows - on every corner of the house /especially on the main streets/ large windows are placed, necessarily with wrought iron bars and lots of flowers. The perfect place for direct observation of what is happening outside, I wonder when they have time to discuss and gossip? The rich historical and cultural heritage attracts many tourists and for this reason tourism is a leading sector in the economy. Quetzual is the local currency /it gets its name from a special kind of cat/.
From the guide I learned a very strange feature - the formation of names - own, paternal, then the mother, then other relatives, and their number can reach 10-12.
Guatemala cannot touch my heart, despite its enumerated virtues. I do not explain why this happened, probably my impressions of the effects of volcanic activity had obsessed me and I did not appreciate what deserved to be remembered and preserved. The differences in life and values are so great that they prevented me from noticing the merits. Maybe from the standpoint of time I will change my mind. One thing I can say - I prefer Europe historically, everything here is very distant and foreign, I probably had to prepare more carefully at home for what I was about to visit to respect him. Unfortunately, nothing can change, and please, if there are people from Guatemala who read this blog, accept my apologies for the missed chance to share their way of life, to understand that regardless of their location, everyone deserves respect and esteem.
Days 29 and 30 - 31.01-01.02.2019 - in the ocean
These days are for relaxation after the cultural and civilized clash with Central America. I deserve time to recover and relax, indulging in hobby activities - needlework, educational lecture, singing /yes, yes, don't laugh, I started singing lessons with the ship's orchestra, but later/, trying to organize my thoughts and impressions from these days and to describe everything I saw.
At the needlework classes I made my next creation - a girl's body like a needle, which I will keep as a souvenir. If I give it to a friend, will she be happy, who today appreciates the handmade souvenir? I will think about it when the time comes. From Alison's lecture, I recalled a lot of details from the history of Mexico (Mechico with their pronunciation, quite unusual, isn't it?) that we were about to visit. The wars they have waged in the southern states of America and the atrocities against the native Indians are so shocking that I shudder with terror. Not that the Indians gave up so easily.
The singing lesson was given by the tenor Victor /I still think he is Bulgarian, especially in his pronunciation, but I did not have the courage to ask him, there is time, right?/.There were about 20 enthusiasts, whom I hesitated to join for a long time, but I did it much later. Naturally, it began with singing (it looked like a student choir), during which Victor explained with which part of the body this happens - in the chest, diaphragm, why one or another tone is performed in one way or another, breathing techniques and etc. details. It was useful to understand that you can't become a singer, even in 3-4 months, after professional singers have been learning about it for many, many years! An interesting lesson, given in English and Italian /later the other 3 singers led the next lessons/.
So far, I have mentioned that everything that happens or is about to happen has been notified to us in writing - either through the daily bulletin or a special brochure, letter or other form of notification. So you have no excuse that you did not hear, did not understand, did not attend /except that we did not sign that we received it, but if you leave it on the desk in the cabin, there is no way someone else can take it from you!/ This time the description contained instructions on how and from where we would cross the tropics of Cancer, especially important data on shipping. During our cruise we will cross this mental line 4 times across the width of the globe, can you imagine my excitement from this perspective?!?!?!
The first time was when we left Madeira in the direction of the Caribbean (I have already mentioned them before). Second time, heading from Cabo San Lucas in Mexico to the United States. Third time - when we go to Hawaii and the last 4th time - when we will head north from the Maldives to Dubai. Wow, wow, wow, how it just sounds, and what it looks like, I don't even dare to imagine. I will tell you and show in photos this event. I can't help but admit to the cruise company that they have organized themselves so that in addition to the fun on this trip, there is also an informative part . For those who are really interested in this - not accidentally at the captain's corner on the 6th floor always there were many passengers, even I got involved with questions in Australia, only then did I dare to ask something. Personally, I prefer the second part, because I think that a person always has something new to learn that will broaden his horizons and knowledge of things around him. It is no coincidence that it took them 2 years to prepare for this trip. I hope there are more passengers to share my interests /only when I dared to communicate more freely, I found such, but I will tell about them later/.
The end of these leisurely days took place in the theater with the performance of the orchestra and Vivaldi's Four Seasons. My music lover was filled with enthusiasm and almost brought me to tears with the performance of the small group. I will not stop admiring Italian artists, not only music, and I am increasingly gaining the opinion that Italy with its artists, sculptures, architects, composers, writers is the cradle of world culture. I may not know the achievements of other nations well enough and I would not belittle them, but Italy is Italy and it is no coincidence that many celebrities have lived and studied there. Giving them my admiration and respect is the least I can do!
Day 31 - 02.02.2019 Porto Vallarta / Mexico /
Forward to civilization, at least more acceptable - clean, tidy, well-maintained urban areas, lots of flowers, lush vegetation /where we were taken - ie. for tourists, there is probably a downside here as well, but we did not have access to it. Freshly painted buildings, decorative wrought iron grilles. The Mexican Riviera /according to the guide compared to the French!?!?!/. I don't know French, but this one is good here, as long as it's not that far away. Americans visit Mechiko (with their pronunciation) because it is close to them and extremely cheap. Once the world's hotel chains Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, etc. have set foot, it is clearly worth it. In my opinion, it would be better to be a little lower - eg 3-4 storeys, and they have risen to 10-15, which against the background of the hilly terrain /Sierra Madre is the name of the surrounding hills around the port/ slightly violate balance, but are immersed in lush greenery and flowers, constantly sweeping, washing, cleaning, trimming, painting and ........ building!?!?! Obviously, tourism is a leading industry (as in the countries visited so far).
We stop at the promenade, the popular Malecon. The morning is fresh, the breeze brings the smell of the sea and algae, neat buildings in predominantly white, many flowers in all sorts of places. The sidewalks are decorated with differently colored stones in all shapes - plants, animals, geometric shapes. The surf reminds us where we are, it's a pity it's early morning and quite rocky, otherwise I will try the Mexican Riviera.
Tourists have not yet invaded /for today only our ship is at the port - for now, later probably others will arrive/, only locals have gone about their business. Here Rafael Zamaripa, the local cultural celebrity, has placed several of his sculptures, which give a cheerful mood and diversify the landscape. The whole alley is "furnished" with bronze sculptures, here is the maritime museum /not yet open for visits/, the coastal lighthouse /present only as an attraction/.We shoot constantly in the hope of preserving what we see and enjoy it later at home.
Following is an introduction to the center of the old town - wide sidewalks /the guide explained that this is due to its use by locals during the many holidays and festivals/. The road is paved with cobblestones (as in other Central American countries), it may be resistant to traffic and weather. And, oh, shock - there are traffic lights, a regulator /which gives way to pedestrians?!?!?/. The traffic is quite busy /it's Saturday/. But there is also a surprise - the students are at school?!?!?
We passed a book bazaar /something like Slaveykov Square in Sofia, before they rebuilt it/, I just didn't know if it was permanent or only for the weekend. All kinds of books, textbooks, teaching aids, smiling salesmen, curious locals and tourists.
Here I will insert a critical remark to our guide - English with a strong accent that makes it incomprehensible, the air conditioner roars and mutes it. At the end of the tour, an employee of the ship's tour office told us in abbreviated form where we had been, what we had seen, what we had learned. I don't know if Jesus (the name of the guide) made his salary for the day, but he ate sweetly at the restaurant at the Oscars, where we were served a small breakfast.
We visited Our Lady of Guadeloupe - the local cathedral with beautiful decorations, sculptures, chapels, confessionals, a magnificent altar full of flowers. The red facade and dome can be seen in the distance, worshipers waiting for the service, delicacies sellers, children, neat shops offering local handmade goods.
Then we continued to a jewelry store - why do I think that some of the money of tourists goes into someone's pocket from the local travel agency ??? Opals, emeralds and unknown stones in various products in various forms - rings, necklaces, earrings, etc. I like fine little jewelry and for that reason I didn't even put on my glasses to see the price. I leave the others to shop, I go to take pictures to have something to remember, looking at the documented places and landmarks.
Along the Kuali River we headed southeast to Gringo Gulch, an area known for having many celebrities (local and foreign) own property. Jesus repeated several times that Kevin Costner had a house here (perhaps someone hadn't heard and understood his English?!?!?).
With the exception of the large hotels of the famous chains along the coast, the buildings above the road are terraced depending on the hilly terrain. Olas Atlas - one of the most popular beaches in Puerto Vallarta /be sure to check who this Vallarta was, that the city bears his name, as in some other places/ is a must stop for photos - of course, the most rational use of this option. I watched the seagulls with interest and comparing them with those seen so far, I found that these here are quite large and with a wide wingspan. Going down to the water for food, they make a real geyser /unfortunately the video did not work, but the view is in front of my eyes now!/. We had a wonderful clear day and the photos are great.
On the way back to the gate we stopped at an Oscar shopping and entertainment center. Guava ice lemonade (quite tasteless, but refreshing for the heat) is a traditional drink.There were many shops for what not. I was most impressed by the glass and ceramic products - they are not shapes, they are not colors, they are not their different purposes. Unfortunately, I only have one suitcase /later they became 2/ and I can't fill it with everything I liked.
At the end of the day, I experienced another culture shock in the theater. The show, featuring songs from the 60's and 70's entitled It is my life, literally shocked me.The world-famous (unknown to me) singer Sandra and a Mexican band stunned me. I didn't like her behavior at all, but it didn't seem to bother us (obviously that's her style). At the end of the concert, the guests hurried out, obviously not only I did not like the performance. We met her art again, unfortunately it was the same manner again, this time I was prepared and endured it stoically.
Day 32 - February 3, 2019 Cabo San Lucas / Mexico /
We continue to turn the clock back hours and to date the difference between me and Bulgaria is minus 10 hours. I have never imagined such a thing and to my surprise I am so used to moving the hands that it no longer impresses me. The only thing that worries me is that it will be difficult for me to write to my relatives /when it is possible, of course/, not to talk and to hear each other I was reprimanded for waking them up at 6 o'clock in the morning when I was in Auckland - Nova Zealand, and my watch showed 5 o'clock in the afternoon !!!
In the morning at breakfast I witnessed the fun of a group of dolphins, at first I thought of them as sharks, because they seemed huge, shiny bodies. Later in the day I watched them again, obviously the warm waters of the bay are a convenient place for such games, without being particularly startled by people.
We were again accompanied by the huge seagulls, which are currently at some serious stage of their migration, circling high in the sky / nfortunately I could not take a close look at their size, but obviously these are native species/. Herman /the guide/ and Guillermo /the driver/ spoke more understandable English and for this reason I received from me the maximum number of points in the survey, which they gave us to fill out. Perhaps this is how their work is evaluated, on which the remuneration for the day depends.
My thesis about tourism as a state policy has once again found its definite confirmation, not only in words but also in deeds. 90% of the revenues in the treasury are due to tourists - local and foreign. Clean, tidy, painted, watered /although there was not a drop of water under the bridges of the perfectly maintained highway?!?!?/,Cacti predominate - many varieties, different sizes, with and without flowering. Unlike those seen so far, these here are lower and massive, strongly branched and with rounded leaves. Palms and trees are painted over 2 m on the trunk with white paint /rather agro-preparation probably for protection against pests/. I did not understand clearly in which season we are currently - dry or rainy, rather dry as I saw the background outside the irrigated areas.
I was struck by the many golf courses to the big hotels, obviously this is how golfers are attracted, for whom all the amenities are provided. Just imagining that behind the hilly terrain /with poor, low, wind-blown vegetation/ a desert begins, /so at least it is written in the daily bulletin/, I realize that the state has really taken care of this lucrative industry. I have always said that state intervention (in most cases) works, especially when it comes to a revenue item in the budget.
In the morning we went to San Jose del Cabo /the oldest part of the area/ and the Catholic mission, founded in 1730 by the Spaniards /again, their presence in these regions has lasted for centuries and has left its mark mostly on religion/. The building itself is in the process of renovation and for this reason - closed to visitors. To continue with the legacy of the Spaniards.
On Sunday the local church was crowded (there were people in the yard) and everyone took an active part in the service - men, women, children sang a psalm with such a fervor and flame that they amazed me. Of course, I didn't understand the content, but from the melody - cheerful and optimistic, I likened it to praise God and his deeds /something similar sounds to me the gospel performances of the Americans/. Whether Church Slavonic music affects foreign listeners, as I have just heard, I can not know /like the performances of church choirs, but their content is in Old Slavonic and I do not understand/.Everyone here sang, that's what's important to me - empathy with the service. In Bulgaria for many years we were cut off from religion during the years of socialism and we were spiritually crippled. Later I felt it again when the Easter service was held on the ship, I will tell you about it in detail .
There were a lot of trees, bushes and flowers in front of the church, and one of them impressed me a lot - it turned out to be an African tulip /nothing, but it didn't look like a familiar tulip to grow on a tree, it obviously adapted to the local vegetation and feels wonderful!/. I spent my free time shopping. There were enough places to visit - shops, boutiques, bars, the locals had occupied the tables in front of them /it was Sunday/ and they ate sweetly /even my stomach tightened, imagining the spicy dishes that even children ate with pleasure, well, yes , they are thus industries/. I fulfilled my grandson's order to buy a sombrero /not that he wears it !!!/, but if I had bought from the huge size used in the shows, I had toto carry it to Bulgaria on my head!
I forgot to mention that we were transported to and from the gate by tenders, due to the small depth of the bay, which is an additional extra and emotion /to be cooled by water splashes is a bonus to the ferver/.
Today's bulletin announced that fans of the National Football League of American Football are provided with direct monitoring of the so-called Super Bowl /I don't understand this sport, it must be attractive and very profitable and that's why there are fans - let them enjoy it/. It was something like a national holiday and is traditionally held on the first Sunday of February /if it really was, it wouldn't be on a Sunday, right?/. Once again, congratulations to the cruise company, which in its quest to make our trip full and varied, had provided this for fans.
For the finale of today, I suggest you enjoy together the fabulous clouds in the Mexican sky that accompanied us during the entire trip around the Mexican Riviera. It is a pity that it is so far away, but what I saw is worth it, and the photos will always take me back there whenever I want!
Day 33 - February 4, 2019 - in the ocean
Who would have thought that in just 24 hours the temperatures would drop by 20 degrees! The crossing of the Tropic of Capricorn and the cold current of the Pacific led to this. Cabo San Lucas is located at the top of the peninsula, inland after which the Gulf of California begins. The Tropic of Capricorn is the line across the globe at 45 degrees. Until the winter solstice in December, the sun directly on it and this is the reason for the large temperature differences. On our way we cross it for the first time, then we will cross it again from Tahiti to New Zealand. New Zealand, Tasmania and half of Australia lie south of the Tropic of Capricorn and have a temperate climate, while French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, which are north of it, have a tropical climate. Its next crossing will be from Australia to Singapore. Between the two tropics - Cancer and Capricorn, lies the equator, which we will cross only once when we leave The Antipodes, /antipode or opposite in English, but I do not associate it with any geographical concept and forgot to ask someone on the captain's corner what this means, but it 's not a problem. If someone more learned than me reads this blog and understands what it is about, I will be grateful to let him know about it/. I learned all this from the daily newsletter, another confirmation of the good preparation for this cruise.
We're done with Livya, she's transferring to another ship in Dubai. In her course I made several souvenirs that will delight relatives and friends.
The concert in the theater is under the motto Cleopatra, gorgeous outfits, dancing, acrobatics, youth, extravaganza and wonderful mood.
It is time to prepare for the United States. I expect customs and strict passport checks /didn't they know who we were after we were issued entry visas?/
Day 34 - February 5, 2019, San Diego / USA / and Lacho's birthday
Surprise - from 30 degrees in Mexico, it's only 10 here and it's raining /we're in the Northern Hemisphere after all, aren't we?/. I have to dress very warm, because my acclimatization will be painful. On board, I observe that everyone has taken off warm clothes, and I expect many of us to sneeze, cough and other "extras" after that.
Today is Chinese New Year, I wonder why so much attention is paid to this fact, probably because there are 1.4 billion people and the world's main producer and creditor. Later, I enjoyed the hotel decorations in Las Vegas on this occasion.
It rains, it stops, it rains, it stops, it rains again and it stops again and so on all day. Today's guide is a woman - Maggie, I enjoyed her story all the time - as if I was listening to a children's story /with intonation, gestures, smile/, accompanied by her explanations - sometimes in English, sometimes in Italian /we were a mixed group/. So she shared that since living here, such rainy weather has not happened. And we who come from 30-degree heat, what can we say? Everything around - pots, pots, boxes with spring flowers are full to the brim with water. For this reason, it is fresh, green, clean ...... I did not see a single bag flying, bottles rolling /much later in Hawaii I was not deprived of this view!/. No smoking anywhere in public, there are signs with all kinds of prohibitions - no skates, bicycles, scooters, dogs. This is how I understand the observance of rules of public order! This is achieved by conscious parental care from the earliest childhood - the institutions must be respected, as prescribed and point. /Unfortunately, we often hear: Yes, yes, he will tell me, this does not apply to me/. Public sense of responsibility is formed with perseverance, personal example and patience to give effect after many, many years.
View of the city from the gate - cleanliness, order, maintained areas. How could there not be a single leaf from the palm trees /well-formed/, no rubbish, only here and there scales from the bark of the trees? I welcome such an order and I am ready to abide by it strictly everywhere and at any time.
Hotels such as Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt, corporate buildings and banks initially accompany us on the wet boulevards. We notice the airport, which is located near the city and separated by a branch of the Pacific. On the other side of the sleeve is located on a suitable aircraft carrier military history museum.
The idea of today's tour is to go from here to the heart of the city to reach the Gas Lamp district - in the past it was in the city center /and of course the fuel used is gas, whence the name is preserved/, and today it is a place for the entertainment of the locals with numerous bars, restaurants, galleries, museums, schools, gyms and playgrounds.
The rainbow at the end of the tour, which I managed to catch at the last moment.
The famous sculpture dedicated to the end of World War II and the reception of American soldiers returning from the front, with which the citizens of San Diego /I did not know that the city was bought by the US government after The Mexican War - I must find out at home about the history of the city/ pay tribute to the victory of the Allies over fascist Germany. The sculpture is perceived as a symbol of world peace and an iconic place for photos /well, I'm not left behind/. Behind it is the Midway Military History Museum, located on a retired (in my opinion) aircraft carrier with permanent exhibits and many visitors. Unfortunately, I was not able to harm myself during his working hours, but even from the outside it looked very impressive and I saw a lot of people. In the immediate vicinity, hangars for the production and repair of aircraft were built immediately after the Second World War, which still function today.
For a start, we stopped at the public park Balboa - a tale of greenery, purity, flowers, the smell of spring and earth. I don't know if 1 month will be enough to visit all the corners, to visit all the museums, exhibitions, gardens, the bells of the local church sang, fountains, water lilies, tulips, flowering trees and shrubs. This time locals predominated - families, students, tourists were a minority /surprise, right?/. Due to our limited time and photos, I was the last to get on the bus, which was repeated at the next stop /ha-ha-ha, a joke/. Even I was ashamed of myself, but in that short time, what can you do next - listen, watch, take pictures, or something else? I focused on the photos, I will catch up with the other details with Uncle Google, don't you agree with me?
La Hoya followed - part of the coast and home to sea lions, cormorants, pelicans and more kites, aquatic and amphibians. I have never seen or heard such a thing! Sea lions are now raising their offspring, and parental care is an example of human care. Groups of families sleep, dive, look for food, supervise the young and communicate with each other through specific sounds (I have nothing to compare them with, I don't know any, maybe like dolphins?). Instructions to visitors to stay away from animals are constantly heard on the radio.There are signposts that explain the duties of the spectators, and they are many - of all ages, students who came to conduct a lesson in biology/zoology, tourists. They wonder how the hotels around survive, because there is no beach, only rocks, stones and huge waves.
Last on the list for today was Old Town San Diego, with old but well-maintained houses, some of them converted into hotels, cafes, shops, galleries, art workshops, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and again carefully grown grass, shrubs, flowers, old trees. Hop-off-Hop-on buses are like candies - in all pastel colors.
Have you seen such cacti? And such, I'm not sure, but I think it's agave?!?!?
The day ended with the wonderful La Traviata by Verdi /in an abbreviated version, of course/. In my own way I celebrated my son's birthday /very far away, but with all my heart thinking with him and my family - I received photos from the sweet celebration/. Enjoying Verdi's timeless music is the greatest gift I can give myself. Let me emphasize that with the support of my children, this trip has become a fact for which I will never be able to thank them!
Days 35 and 36 - 06-07.02.2019 - Los Angeles and the Grand Canyon
I wonder where to start to describe all my emotions and impressions?
At 9.30 in the morning we set off from the LA gate to Las Vegas and for almost an hour we left the city limits, the 17th in the world from the port cities in the world. The guide John and the driver Carlos /from El Salvador/ were with us during these 2 unforgettable days - the trip itself, stopping for lunch and breaks, accommodation in the MGM hotel /the biggest in LV - yes, yes, there was no shampoo in the bathroom ?!?!?/ with over 5000 rooms, visiting the show of the Cirque de Soleil and the Grand Canyon West - all landmarks for tourists.
After leaving LA we took the legendary 66 route with a length of 3200 km. - from Chicago to the Pacific from northeast to southwest. At the time, Eisenhower declared it free, as there were also toll roads. For this reason, it is very, very busy - trucks of all calibers, buses, cars, caravans and whatever you can think of /without motorcycles, mopeds and wheels, of course/. The highway has 5 lanes + one emergency. The next night, when we returned to LA, the road was a necklace of white and red lights, what a spectacle! The guide said that there are many people who travel for several hours in both directions every day for work, because they can not afford the luxury of living in LA, where it is very expensive. Bythis is the reason why the traffic is a nightmare /not to shout Bulgarian drivers, right?/
All passengers from the ship gathered in 4 buses, as I said before, the tour was sold in advance and did not appear in the proposals of the tourist office - only 4 Bulgarians, Japanese, French, South Africans and others. We crossed the 2 km long St. Thomas Bridge and on the way back late in the evening we saw it spectacularly lit in blue. Our road passed by small towns, as it happens on the highways of the world.
A railway line was built parallel to the road with so many carriages in the trains that I lost their number - I counted them to 100 /there were locomotives not only at the beginning and end of the trains, but also in the middle/, and there were also double carriages !!! The guide explained that it was used very intensively because it carried out trade links between the East and West Coasts of America - usually to the LA wagons are empty, and in the opposite direction - full.
The famous suburb of Santa Monica - home to many celebrities, is located west of the gate. There was a tour up there, but I chose to visit the Grand Canyon - one of the modern wonders of the world created by nature.
We cross the mountains of San Gabriel and San Bernadino, with their lush peaks that I observed in the morning. The roads are maintained in perfect condition because they are very important for the country's economy. Lawns (where available) are in very good condition, facilities for drainage of rainwater and those from snowmelt have been built - such clean deep ravines, I have not seen. Floods have occurred over the years and now these facilities drain the incoming water when necessary (it must have been scary to take such measures). Road signs alternated constantly, mostly those to limit the speed of vehicles, soundproof 3-meter walls /mainly concrete/, here and there a solar park /near LV/, but I was surprised by the lack of wind turbines /obviously not enough winds to make them profitable/. At the end of January it rained heavily and the facilities did their job, but now the weather is perfect, as for us - clear skies, bright sun, but quite cold.
John (the guide) replicates our grumbling from the long journey - whether it's not Monaco or San Marino, the distances are great and it takes time. And in fact we traveled from LA to LV almost all working day! I noticed that the cars do not drive on headlights, as in our country, but only on the dimensions.
For lunch we stop in Barstow, a small town /for american standarts/, an aircraft repair center. They have everything - state and municipal institutions, schools, sports fields and many, many American flags. In the saloon /in my imagination tavern/, from my "favorite" type of restaurant - souvenirs, decorations, masks, photos, guitars, tables and chairs, so tight that we push on the elbows - did not reorganize it in the era of the current pandemic? There was total confusion!!! We were about 200 people, for whom I think they were not ready to serve us at the same time - only 2-3 waiters, how could this happen in such a short time ??? Delayed service, confused orders, some food ran out suddenly?!?!?, we didn't even have time to see our dessert! /as I wrote before, as a result of this misunderstanding we were deducted 20% from the price of the tour, which I evaluate as a gesture of apology for what happened/. Well, we didn't starve, but the commotion was total. I was seated at a table with French and Italian non-English speakers and no exchange of views took place. I was very impressed by the waitresses - fat, bored, they served us with such annoyance that it was like watching a live movie about the life of a small American town, where I stopped for a drink, but we were nervous and hungry tourists, well, at least the wine had a decent color and taste !!!
Crossing the Summit canyon we enter the desert Muhabe /Mujabe, Muhabe, we meet it written in different ways/. I've seen the desert near Dubai, but this one here has nothing to do with it. The low vegetation is noticeable, many cacti of different types and sizes, with rising in height, the bushes become lower and lower. The tops of the hills are like sprinkled with powdered sugar, is it snow? Their height varies from 3000-4000 feet /you can calculate them for greater reliability, bearing in mind that one step is 33 cm./ Probably in early February we are still. On several occasions I saw signs "for sale" and I sincerely wondered who and for what would buy land here, unless there are any deposits - oil, ore, gold? Gas stations are quite rare, here and there rest stops. I saw a sign indicating the direction to Death Valley with its 57 degrees, won't Carlos bend over it and test our endurance in this extreme and extremely inhospitable part of the world? We came across a sign for Solt Lake Sity, I did not pay attention to the distance to it, but to add that they are written in miles, which requires their calculation in kilometers.
The descent to LV surprised me again - as in my childhood notions of the desert - flat and smooth as a casserole, endless as if a highway, railway. line and a lot of movement /around 5 pm, understandable /.
I barely managed to change and we ran to the Bellagio Hotel, where we attended the Circle de Soleil's and O show. The whole 90-minute show took place in an aqueous medium. Lots of acrobats, fantasy, a huge amount of technique, perfect performance. Live music and singers, water was also pouring from some balconies, the splashes reached me /this was repeated almost in Dubai, but at the end of the trip/. I also watched the play Allegria in a film version, the troupe also visited Sofia, but the live experience is worth every penny. It is understandable why photography is not allowed, there is no CD /there is a new production after all/, but there are plenty of souvenirs and at high enough prices. I didn't get more expensive, I took enough, I won't have the pleasure to meet this art every day, will I?
To introduce you to the atmosphere of this hotel, I photographed the ceiling with Murano glass /in my opinio / from colorful umbrellas. There is no such beauty!
Several halls of the hotel are decorated on the occasion of the Chinese New Year /I have already mentioned it above/ and the upcoming Year of the Pig. Let the piglets think of him!
Belladgio is a cult hotel in LV, among other things and with the singing fountains /those in Singapore are one class above them, but for that later/. Accompanied by a famous Cher song (I don't remember its title exactly), the water jets rose above the surface, writing exquisite shapes.
I returned on foot to my hotel, although it was quite late, but when will I have the opportunity to come to LV and feel its typical atmosphere? - it's not lights and ads, a lot of people and oh, horror, strollers in the middle night, at 5 degrees girlsin scanty clothes /in thongs and feathers/ they crossed the streets, inviting tourists to take pictures in them for ridiculous money. Well, in order to make a living in a difficult way, they have to make an effort to study, and this is not for everyone - it takes perseverance and a lot, a lot of work for years. I wonder what will happen to them in 5-10 years, when they grow old - they will be replaced by others, and how will they cope with life?
On my way back to the hotel, I witnessed something curious that I had some doubts about. A German family, the man from whom walks with a cane when he wants to get some advantage - boarding, accommodation, and rushing like a young man when no one is watching him. Shameful, funny and sad, to speculate on your health is like a boomerang, it will definitely turn to you someday and give you what you deserve.
I almost got lost in this labyrinth of gambling halls and gambling corners ....... there is no end, it is played around the clock, music, smoke, bets, winnings and losses, each with his luck.
In the morning at 4.30 we were built in the lobby on the way to the big day - the meeting with GKW /Grand Canyon West/, received breakfast and lunch in boxes. Meeting the sunrise and the new day in the desert /this time Arizona/ is an experience that is not forgotten for life. We sent him back to the desert /John is right - big country, long distance, hours of travel, but I'm not sorry for anything/.
The traffic at 6-6.30 is quite heavy, so I wondered when people here sleep after all. The center of LV is one thing, and the accompanying neighborhoods /according to the guide with these buildings the mafia laundered the money from gambling / - something else /and life in them - quite different - refer to the novel The Goldfinch by Donna Tart/. Before and after the visit to GK, I was impressed that, unlike Muhabe, here in the Arizona desert life is bustling - small houses with fenced yards, flags, grouped or individually, horse farms, cows and bison, plantations with young plantations, adapted to the climate , gas stations in the middle of nowhere, even boats. The guide shared that many people fleeing from the law find their place here, and I saw a police station, schools, social services. Obviously, life is arranged so that everyone feels good.
Arizona has a different time than Nevada and LV (I didn't remember exactly, but I can check later). The terrain strongly reminds me of Iceland, low vegetation, screes, cut peaks and rocks descending steeply to the road. At the bottom is the Colorado River, which runs the length of the entire canyon.
A simple road sign indicates that we are entering Arizona. Mailboxes (as in the movies) are neatly arranged along the road. The canyon itself is over 400 km long, but we will visit its western part. It is managed and ruled by the Hulapai Indian tribe. And indeed - everything from entrance to exit is controlled by them. You only step where it is safe, there are two separate viewing areas - eagl and guano points, where the view is most magnificent. With the glass platform you leave in lockers everything you take pictures - phone, camera, tablet and you are satisfied with the transition to the surface /understandably, the investment is huge and should pay off/. While waiting for our turn, we get acquainted with the exhibited exposition about the life of this tribe. Accompanying us is a woman from this ethnic group - nice and smiling, dressed in typical clothes.
The view is stunning, the ravines make your hair stand on end and your skin itches!
The Colorado River flows at the bottom.Goodness!
What greatness, what effort and how long it took nature to create this miracle! From the observation posts to the bottom of the canyon, where the water flashes, there is almost a kilometer. Special tours are organized for people with appropriate physical training to go down to the bottom, rafting tours, helicopter flights over it. Opportunities abound, but no matter how you see it, it's still touching. One cannot do this even with modern technology and it is not necessary. There is no greater artist than nature. We must bow to her for giving us such miracles.
For the first time in my life I saw an eagle, many eagles that inhabit the area. There is also vegetation, low and blown by the wind. Fight for life!
To summarize for the finale - roads /many/, traffic /busy/, LV /replica of world landmarks/ with its gambling biases, the O-spectacle of the Cirque de Soleil and the spectacle of nature Grand Canyon. Whatever epithets I use, they will not be enough to capture and convey the impressions and emotions that accompanied me during those two days. I didn't even feel the lack of sleep, obviously my adrenaline was high, it's good that the next day I will go sailing to San Francisco, where new challenges await me again. I hope I will be ready to meet them.
Day 37 - February 8, 2019 - in the ocean
The good thing about this day is that I will indulge in relaxation, because there is no schedule, no tour, flying from object to object. I will describe the experiences of yesterday, I will look at the photos, I will take a well-deserved rest. My head is full of impressions and views, I learned many new things, I saw unsuspected beauties. However, I guess there are problems hidden from the tourist's eye, so it can't be just flowers and roses. I attended an educational lecture, attended as a spectator a dance lesson / typical American country dances / - many steps, turns, change of partners, colorful skirts of the girls in bright colors. I like country music, it is very cheerful and cheerful.The performance in the theater surprised me again with the richness of the costumes, the sets, the skills of the acrobats / this time the performances were with wheels in three sizes /, juggling with bats - and all this against the background of popular music.
This leisurely day was very necessary, given that we have 3 days ahead of us in San Francisco and my dream attractions - Golden Gate and Napa Valley. Expect a sequel! / Isn't that how some movies end? /.
Days 38, 39 and 40 - 09-11.02.2019 San Francisco
And the sinister Alcatraz - the last resort of criminals, the main protagonist of a number of articles, books, movies.
We are greeted by a coastal ship performing a traditional sea salute! Water extravaganza. Days full of climatic surprises in SF - rain, sun, wind, fog /only snow was missing!/. As the guide says, global warming has its say - only a few days ago it snowed, which is not typical here. And many of us think that the topic of this warming is overexposed, but we feel it everywhere.
Saturday is a holy day for American families. I watched a lot of running people, some even pushing strollers, with bicycles, segui and scooters, football and volleyball, there were even brave people who had dipped their feet in the ocean - the waves were huge !!! Students had been brought to the museum of the California Academy of Sciences, and there were families with several /3-5/ children. On our way to Golden Gate Park - a gorgeous huge park with lush, rain-soaked vegetation, with blooming magnolias and some fruit trees in pink, tulips, daffodils again dominated families with children /although it was early in the morning/.
The traffic allowed us to quickly and easily cross the distance from the gate /we had stopped at the legendary 39 pier/ to the Palace of Fine Arts. All the way, I watched carefully the neighborhoods we passed through - freshly painted candy-colored two-story houses with small (like handkerchiefs) courtyards, re-blooming shrubs and flowers. I didn't see any rubbish, there were no bars on the windows and doors, I didn't meet homeless people /later in the center I noticed kitchens for homeless people and huge queues, somewhere the police dispersed them, I didn't see their ethnicity or age, but the attitude of the police towards their hostility them/.
The complex consists of 3 pavilions in Baroque style, with beautiful ornaments and statues, colonnades and roofs, a simple park, pond, fountains, swans. Unfortunately, out of desire to take enough pictures, I missed the guide's explanations, not that she spoke clearly and articulately /she didn't even bother to accept that we don't speak American English, she even made us tear up the ticket segments ourselves - and , the covid virus had not yet appeared, I wonder how it survives now ???/. The good thing nowadays is that the information is easily accessible, so if someone is keenly interested in this object, they can always check it in Google. It was important for me to feel the spirit of the place, the atmosphere, the order and the cleanliness that I meet in the big American city /according to the guide SF has 8 million inhabitants/.
Obviously the pastoral view has a place in the more expensive neighborhoods, the center is designated for skyscrapers and corporate buildings, hotels, banks - cold glass-concrete buildings in which the sun reflects /when there is/ and the rain washes it, winding streets and famous trams , with countless vehicles of all types and calibers, art galleries, restaurants, cafes. In the latter, the family Saturday ends with plenty of food and drink and so everyone is happy! Not to mention the existence of schools, schools, gyms and playgrounds, hotels, hospitals /how are they doing now in this monstrous pandemic ???/ Imperceptibly we arrive at the Golden Gate /with a length of nearly 3 km./ - and, suddenly - there is no gold /joke/, the whole is painted red /to prevent corrosion/. Probably when it was built - in the 30s of the 20th century it cost a lot of gold - in money, resources - material and human, time and obstacles. The goal was and remains the connection of the different parts of the city, facilitating the transport and for this reason they call it golden /who is interested in the technical characteristics, please turn to the Internet/. Characteristic is the fog that often covers it, as happened several times during our stay here, the surf in the distance, which makes shipping very difficult. Many tourists (and I, of course, when will I come again?) used it as a background for their photos.
This monument touched me - I had never seen such sad eyes before. The sailor has prepared his bag, probably to set off again, leaving everything behind - home, family, children. It's just that duty calls it, such is the fate of those who are doomed at sea. And indeed, the monument is dedicated to the thousands of nameless men who gave their lives to the difficult profession.
I'll be back to tell you a little more about the California Academy of Sciences. It is located in a not very large park, where the new art museum is about to open an exhibition of Monet /there is no time to visit current exhibitions, we are in a hurry for the next site!/. A large stage has been built for concerts in the open air, there are tents for renting bicycles and segui, statues, fountains. Here, too, families, students, athletes (Eastern martial arts), young people, but the torrential rain drove them away. I noticed a gilded statue of Giuseppe Verdi, Beethoven and many other famous people.
We climb Twin Peaks /but not according to the movie/ - the highest 500 m. part of SF. Rain, rain, how did it not stop, but that did not stop me from taking pictures, which show where the storm comes from. Indescribable beauty - sunlit neighborhoods, bay at the bottom, rain clouds, and so on for hours.
We stopped in front of City Hall - a majestic building and a large square in front of it. The monument at one end /from 1848/ mentions all the neighborhoods that make up the city and their historical contribution to its development.
Followed by the area of Chinatown /where without it?/, The city /this view of towering buildings strongly depresses me, well they are concentrated in the center/, trams /famous/, trolleybuses, subway, passenger ships ensure the movement of these millions residents - working, studying, living here, not counting the tourists!
Near our moored ship is the famous 39 quay /I already mentioned it/ - shopping and entertainment center, place for art installations, to my surprise many of the sites were closed /on Saturday?/. Shops, booths, stalls, lots of spring flowers and again rain, rain, rain. Fast shopping for souvenirs and raincoat !, music, many young people who are not afraid of the rain. Tired, bored, rude sellers, most migrants who can barely stand tourists?!?!?, why is there no surprise, but still their salaries and insurances come from us, if they have any !!!!!!
It turned out that today's tour /10.02/ is in the evening, so I have the whole morning for individual activities. I decided to go Hop-OF-Hop-Off, bought a ticket and hop - here I am. The driver is a very big African-American /it is here is forbidden here to say nigger - you will be separated, be it discrimination, oh, times, oh, dramas, what is offensive to a nigger, I do not know, but the modern term sounds very pretentious. She herself is very rude and unforgiving, well I don't know the swear words, otherwise I would sink into the ground out of shame, but the tone is eloquent enough what it's about!
The cold continues - a thick coat, scarf, gloves, raincoat, all the time I woke up /and only a week ago I was frying in the heat of 30 degrees !!!/.
The route along this line almost repeated the path from yesterday, but this time I could spend more time on the things that interest me, listening to the audio lecture. Since it was Sunday, many shops were closed, traffic was loose, but there were many more athletes. I noticed that the bicycles were moving in a special lane on the road.
The evening tour turned out to be very interesting. From the gate we were taken to quay 43 1/2, from where we boarded a decent two-story tourist boat Red and White fleet, with which we walked for almost 2 hours in the bay of SF. First we went to the sunset and the Golden Gate - the depth of the water below it is 100 meters, which explains the large waves formed. It was not pictures from all angles, it was not running from one end of the ship to the other, there is no such beauty, no such emotion. In the opposite direction to the more modern SFBayBridge bridge, we bypassed the famous Alcatraz Island. I didn't even look at this sinister place, so gloomy and depressing. Last night challenged me to create a series of photos titled SFbynight. I do not claim high quality, but the emotion that accompanies their making filled me with satisfaction. Let him think Instagram!
On the ship we were served a buffet with their sandwiches and salads, wine - white and red, Coca-Cola. A young man from the staff with a guitar was creating a mood, to be honest, I didn't even listen to him, I was busy watching, watching, shooting, shooting .....And today, when I write in this blog, all the views are in front of my eyes, and my thoughts and heart are where I experienced wonderful moments and experienced unforgettable emotions!
The last day in SF also left a lot of photos, experiences and feelings that should be experienced by everyone /if you have this opportunity, of course/. On the way to Napavalley, Sonoma, Sausolito, I felt like the heroine of Jack London from "The Little Mistress of the Big House." Leaving the SF, we head north. Endless vineyards, hills, horses and cows, workers and machines in the field, lots of water. The proximity of the sea, lakes and micro-dams, the hilly terrain, the straight rows of grape plantations and the mild climate create particularly favorable conditions for wine production. Many small wineries /about 400 in number according to the local association/ create the world-famous California wines /I tried some of them in the 2 wineries designated for our visit - they deserve my attention!/. According to Fran (guide for the day), 90% of US wine production is concentrated in the Sacramento area. The view strongly reminds me of the one in Medoc /southwestern France/ with the difference that it is more hilly here.The Spaniards were the first to produce wine here /reference to the novel The First American by K. Keram/.
In today's program we will visit 2 wineries - Madonna /small family, founded in 1913/ and Robert Mondavi /much larger, founded in 1966/. The season is just beginning, but almost everywhere there is equipment and workers /in our country at that time the vineyards are being cut down, maybe this is done here too, but I did not see it/. Throughout the tour, the guide explained that they do not use pesticides and the production was eco-friendly, right?
We found reservoirs around the vineyards in many places, probably for possible droughts in the summer.
The famous Napa Valley is a small town with a small river /like the Perlovskaya in Sofia/, a baptist church, many flowers, flowering trees and bushes /I noticed covered roses, maybe because of the frosts early in the morning?/, A memorial dedicated to the victims of 11.9.
Neat houses, neat yards /I saw signs stating that the water used for irrigation is not drinkable!/, schools, sports grounds, local administration. To my surprise, only something like our Halls worked - shops, buffets, food and industrial goods and, of course, a stand for the upcoming February 14 St. Valentine's Day.
Local landmark - traveling NapaValleyWineTour. It's no coincidence that Americans are a nation for making money from everything - you buy discarded railroad cars, renovate them and hop - the money rains by itself! Yes, but you need a winning idea, a little capital, a lot of work and a pinch of luck. You sit on the train, eat, drink, listen to the lecturer's story about the path of your drink in the glass from the vineyard next to it. In summer, the windows are open for coolness. What does a person need, the price was not high, the important thing is more guests, the profit comes from the turnover, not from the high prices - economic logic!
On the way back we stopped in Sansolito /they call it Porto Fino of the Pacific/, neat houses, hotels, restaurants /closed - the season has not come yet/. At the bottom of the second photo you can see the center of the SF. Exotic birds, lots of greenery and flowers, an ideal place to relax at any time of the year.
My farewell to SF ended with many photos, impressions waiting to be shared, excitement from the experience. Just imagining that I have visited places described by the great Jack London makes me proud of myself for the courage to take this journey on my own. I hope she endures completely healthy and strong!
Days 41, 42, 43 and 44 - 12, 13, 14 and 15.02.2019 - in the ocean
There are 4 consecutive days for relaxation and summarizing what is seen and experienced. It is not easy to recover everything from your memory, especially if you do not keep notes during what is happening, there is no way this can happen. Just imagine taking notes, as writers do when inspired by them !!! Well, I don't have such abilities yet, so I count on remembering the events and places from the USA, because I will hardly ever come here again.
The ocean is very angry - stormy wind, huge waves, rain, cold, in the corridors are placed bags for ... vomiting /if you feel calls for this/. And that's why the ship's management took care of it !!! All night the ship did not stop swaying, creaking, bending, groaning and shooting, even the concert at the theater was postponed. I have not experienced such a sea storm in all my travels (it turned out that I still had no idea about what happened in Western Australia, but for her - later). For security reasons, the pools were almost drained, but even the water left in them splashed from one end to the other and sprayed everything and everyone around it. It seems that the storm had also interrupted the work of the post-payment terminals.
Activities of interest for me follow the usual order - needlework, lecture, musical afternoon, performance in the theater. Not a moment of inactivity and so time flows imperceptibly. I made an impressive bracelet from copper wire!?!?! We have a new team for these activities - father Joe Magic /I guess a pseudonym/ - very colorful commanded the team, his wife, son and daughter-in-law - helped with materials and advice /later helped us in the disguise for the party in case of crossing the equator, expect details ....... / The lecture was dedicated to the volcanic triangle with Mount Hawaii, which we are about to visit. This time the lecturer was Claudia /German/ and her English was completely understandable to me /it's different when English is not born to you, you try harder to speak correctly and others understand you !!!/. The lecture ended very excitingly - with the performance of the eternal hit of Israel Kamikavivo'ole "Somewhere over the rainbow" accompanied by a ukulele. There are some singers who stay in time with a single song - a timeless hit that sounds relevant today, and perhaps - in the future.The afternoon concert at the theater Music season World Cruise 19 - Baroque meeting of the ladies - the 2 sopranos, violin and piano. Despite the excitement, the band did well /women are, after all, the durable sex, right?/. Gentle and beautiful, melodic and touching, each tone radiated eternal human feelings - love, fidelity, hope! And in the evening the world /not/ the famous Paul Kuduris /of Greek origin, in my opinion, evident from the family/ from Texas on 3 types of guitars and synthesizer performed some evergreens, and the finale /guess for the first time/ - sirtaki. I often repeat about the cruise company's meaningful preparation for filling the days at sea/ocean. There are suggestions for every taste - sports /yoga, aerobics, stretching,/ art - singing, stained glass, photography , dancing /whatever you can think of/, educational lectures, crafts /embroidery, knitting knots/. I may have missed something, and if so, I apologize. In the art workshop I painted a plaster cast of a heart - preparation for Valentine's Day.
This "holiday" was brought to Bulgarian culture, I consider it purely commercial, encouraging frantic shopping. I think that love does not need such ostentation, these are such intimate feelings that cannot be tolerated by another's eye. But this is my personal opinion and I do not oblige anyone to agree with me. This is my attitude to March 8 - they perceive the whole year as part of the furniture, and on this day they report with one flower /maybe there are women who are in the role of the March 8 flower all year round, but I am not one of them , as Siike! - a character from work of the famous Bulgarian writer Chudomir /.The educational lecture was dedicated to the Big Island of Hilo, which we are going to visit. I was amazed by Claudia's statement that it has 11 climatic zones and constant rain. The volcanoes there are not like Mount Etna - conical, but caldera, ie. holes with bubbling, simmering, hissing lava.
The afternoon cocktail of the captain /the invitation is valid by nations - here we were almost the whole Bulgarian group, I am still the missing 11th/ - champagne, orange juice, chips, handshake with the captain personally. Much later such again took place onon the occasion of handing over a symbol from the visited port and placing it in a special corner, along with many others - one for each visited country. Such is the tradition here, which is an honor to visit, it does not happen every day, right?
In the evening in the theater, a fan Christ performed a show, which was greeted with joy by the audience, even I swallowed it.
Going back the clock again - the difference with Bulgaria is already 12 o'clock !!!
On the last day in the ocean, to my surprise, it turned out that I was not so clumsy - I made a necklace! From a simple aluminum differently colored wire, spirally twisted and a string, a beautiful piece of jewelry was obtained, which will make one of my friends happy. Today's educational lecture is dedicated to Honolulu, a "safe harbor" is translated into the local language. The first settlers on the island came from Polynesia and remain lasting traces in culture and life to this day. If we visit /whether?/ The Polynesian Cultural Institute we will see in photos and artifacts confirmation of this statement. In the 1920s, Hawaii became the 50th American state with local government, a local parliament (the building has a constant presence in each of the Hawaii-5 series). English is one officially recognized language, and my native language is so difficult to pronounce - there are many vowels in the words that I can't say them. In the other lecture, a young biologist from Belgium introduced us to whales - species, differences in the appearance of the sexes, migration /more than 9000 km. - from Alaska to the warm waters of Central America/ and habitat /CA for the birth of the young and then back to Alaska and all this 2 times a year/. It was interesting for me to learn that the pregnancy lasts 11 months, the weight of the newborn - 300 kg, and the length - more than 3 m !!! It turned out that only males "sing" to attract females.
I am curious what the 50th state of Hawaii will offer us, we will see, evaluate, photograph, observe and analyze. Are you looking forward too ???
Day 45 - February 16, 2019 - Hawaii / Hilo /
Beautiful, fresh, lavish, clean, multicolored like in the movies. John (the guide for today - Canadian) speaks so fast, chewing on the words that I don't bother to listen to him, I catch something for a while, but I generally ignore him /he himself admits to his American English, which sounds like slang, my excuse not to reflect it/.
I focus on the views around me, the wonderful weather /after the cold in SF/, stepping on the grass I have the feeling that I am walking on a very thick carpet. In the afternoon it rained profusely, as expected, and this explains the special construction of the local homes. Something like pile dwellings /mostly one-storey/ - the upper part is located on columns /1.5-2 m high/, probably to drain the water after the torrential rains. With the exception of government buildings and hotels, all others are wooden (due to frequent tropical storms, hurricanes and typhoons, perhaps?). According to John, tsunamis hit the island - from the north (from Japan) and from the south (from Chile). Another reason is the permanent volcanoes - 5 in number, the frequent earthquakes associated with their eruption. And the roads are perfectly maintained, do you wonder how they achieve this ??? The shore is rocky, lava fragments serve as fences. Many sports grounds and playgrounds, baseball stadiums, golf courses and mass sports /Saturday morning /. Playgrounds, ponds in beautifully maintained parks, romantic bridges and places for solitude, romance !!! Yachts here and there, a few surfers after the surf.
I have already mentioned the lithophytes /parasitic plants/, here I came across them in the form of the amazing orchid. Exotic vegetation - trees and shrubs, flowers and parked big cars - mainly pickups in the front yard. There are plenty of coffee trees, papaya, macadamia with rhizomes, so huge, as if they came from fairy tales about monsters. The soil is black, which is due to the volcanic origin, even the beaches /I was shocked when they see beachgoers on the black sand, I'm used to its yellow color at home!/. Daily rainfall provides the necessary moisture, high temperatures - enough for lush vegetation - known and unknown, in pots and planters, right in the ground. I got acquainted with the fruits of the breadfruit /quite tasteless, by the way, if it does not undergo heat treatment and does not taste/.
We visited the most famous confectionery shop BigIsland /with a shop next to it, of course/, which overflowed with pastries - candy, sweets, dragees, fondants and what not, temptingly packed with ribbons, coffee, juices and everything to satisfy head and thirst. The pleasant impression was complemented by the arrangement - mirrors, vases, bottles, ribbons in different colors, such a spectacle that you can get lost and get drunk without drinking alcohol.
Then we visited a local farmers market - a small but locally produced goods, fruits and vegetables, a live lamb for sale, an amateur troupe with specific musical instruments and many coffee bushes and trees. For the first time, I saw live what a coffee bean looked like before the coffee maker filled my cup with morning coffee. You won't believe it - it's red in color, more or less like a cranberry !!!A long process of its processing follows until the final packaging of the finished product. Do we realize how many people work around the world to afford the luxury of morning coffee, to even indulge in additional extras - milk, cream, sugar, various flavors, etc.!?!?! It is right to think about this sometimes.
The next site is a macadamia plantation /another exotic product in our country/. I missed the tour line /a gross mistake on my part/ just to take a series of photos. I guess that here too people work tirelessly /it is still a conveyor belt/, every day for at least 8 hours, months and years to put a bowl of macadamia on the table for their drink. Another topic for reflection!
The most impressive visit of the day for me was Rainbowl park, here they are called rainforests. And there is a reason - centuries-old trees with huge rhizomes, exotic flowers and aromas, a simple waterfall and a pond under something, eco-trails and many, many tourists.
The day ended properly in the theater with the performance The Wizard of Oz, lavish scenery, rich costumes, captivating music. Tomorrow we will visit the capital Honolulu, where there is a very rich program, we will see!
Days 46 and 47 - 17-18.02.2019 - Honululu
As can be expected here, the vegetation is the first thing that catches your eye - lush, fresh, lush, multicolored /I repeat, right, but this is the reality !!!/, pleasant temperatures, rain - you see the leaden clouds, which on sectors flood the neighborhoods, lots of fruits and vegetables (quite expensive in my opinion - $ 3.5 for 1 pineapple, given that Hawaii is one of the largest producers and exporters of pineapples in the world). Hibiscus, bougainvillea, cyclamen and others that I do not know, and in front of the big hotels /Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc./ must be added to the fountain. Heavy traffic and extremely well maintained road network - 4-5 lanes in one direction, viaducts and continuous construction. Skyscrapers again, I've already shared their impact on me. They are concentrated in the city center, while most administrative buildings, schools, universities, hospitals, museums are two-floors, located in gardens and parks. Playgrounds - for golf, baseball, American football, basketball are common, as well as playgrounds.
The beach, from where we boarded the boat and then the submarine, is very wide, publicly accessible, but everyone provides a chair, deck chair, umbrella?!?!? Only near the hotels there are straw umbrellas - probably for their guests.
Later, when we stopped in front of Waikiki at the shopping therapy center, we met whole families with beach accessories on their way back or going to the beach. Exactly 45 minutes continued my therapy, with a very successful end - I provided a large suitcase for the Armagans /a turkish word meaning gift/, and when at the end of the cruise in Crete I met families shopping for suitcases, I laughed for a long time /internally/, because I had already solved the problem.
The underwater part of the tour was a bit of a disappointment - the long-dreamed corals slipped away from me again. The boat took us quite inland /maybe 500 meters, and maybe more, I have no idea how much/, from there I saw the accumulating clouds pouring torrents on the shore and the sea.
Suddenly, a submarine emerged from the water (just like in a James Bond movie), from which passengers got out - they boarded the ship, and we took their places in the submarine. A well-trained procedure, isn't it? The descent to the bottom /depth gauge indicatedor 36 m. and lasted about 45 minutes/.
Due to the depth it was quite gloomy unlike St. Thomas, coral - no, sea anemones - no, underwater grass - no, only the remains of World War II aircraft /for her and Pearl Harbor - later/, here and there on some deluded fish. Unfortunately, even the Great Barrier Reef in Northeast Australia is gradually disappearing, and I have complained. Well, there is no complete happiness, I hope somewhere on the islands of French Polynesia I will be lucky enough to touch another coral on the shore /as it happened/.
Now attention - the evening tour included a visit to Germaine's luau famous restaurant complex, which we traveled to about 1 hour. I expect when I'm at a restaurant to meet a certain amount of luxury, and this was one of my "favorites" - sand for the floor /yes, beach/, wooden benches without backs and steps on which to put your feet, wooden tables with tarpaulins, utensils and dishes - plastic. It's like I'm on a picnic in the company of teenagers! /all that was left was to put us on the very sand !!! /. It gets cold in the evening, not to say cold and windy, it's good that I was dressed warmer /in Hawaii ???, I even put on a raincoat because of the wind /, otherwise I would have quickly found myself in the medical center of the ship/. The Romanian man - that's how I didn't learn his name until the end of the cruise - I called him Shopping, because he was always shopping, he drank his drink and made such a fuss to return to the ship, but it didn't work out that way. And when I watched whole families /Sunday night/, dressed in the summer with naked and barefoot children - I was goosebumps. The locals enjoyed the show, we didn't understand it, there were songs, dances, quizzes, competitions, a party at all. Even the Mai-tai drink doesn't excite me.Three young men brought the meat, prepared according to an old haidushka /bulgarian/ recipe - a pit full of embers, lamb (maybe the meat was of a different kind, I didn't even try it), covered with hot stones and covered with palm leaves /well, we didn't they really served on them!?!?/ The salads /generously topped with mayonnaise/ and the dessert were piled in a plate - have fun !!!
Our visit to Pearl Harbor went awry at first - we were very late (for reasons unknown to me, the police diverted our bus on detours near the city stadium) and from there began such a crazy race that we just touched the memorial without looking in detail there.
The guide for the day - Rob /he called himself Captain, I wonder why, after even admitting that he was not a former soldier, which is typical for the staff here ???/ spoke "barking" or "croaking" the words /as novels use this mode of expression - loud, torn, emphasizing the greatness of the Americannation of every word and parasitic insertions that mean nothing but are widely used/. I felt greatly underestimated /I guess not only me/, as if we were some kind of nothingness !!!. /it is not by chance that the money for this tour was returned to us later, so not only I felt offended and crushed by this ruthlessness !!!/. He handed us a map of the place, without any additional information, as if we had to meet in advance with her, he told us where and when the bus will be waiting for us ...... and disappeared, we never saw him again !!!!!! The other unpleasant surprise /but a rule/ is the requirement to leave all your personal luggage in the closet /for 5 dollars/, as if you can take a torpedo in your handbag ..... Passport, money, credit card, phone - all in hand to save yourself trouble and ensure peace of mind during the tour.
Visitors are numerous - students who came for a history lesson, whole families, tourists travel for hours to learn or accept the facts about the attack of Japanese aircraft during World War II on 07.12.1941 and the damage done to America - human and material. Of course, the memorial is maintained in perfect order - clean alleys, lots of flowers, exhibitions with educational signs, volunteers who give the necessary explanations. A documentary about the events of that day is screened in a separate cinema every half hour /for an additional fee, of course!/. I had neither the time nor the desire to watch it! The place is touching with its history, instructive for teenagers, and not only for them. Just thinking about what politicians around the world have done to achieve these results - human casualties and material damage, I am once again convinced that there is no dirtier craft than politics!
The good end of the day was due to the performance in the theater - the show Lights of Vienna. The music of Mozart, Strauss, Lehar, the performers - singers and dancers, the carefully selected repertoire, especially the Picicato regiment only from the stringed instruments under the direction of the attractive conductor, the sets calmed my heart and soul. The boisterous applause to the band !!!
Days 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 - 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.02.2019 - in the ocean
We have 5 days ahead in the Pacific - days for rest and strength for the next batch of experiences. We are expected to cross the equator through them, which I will find out from the daily program. Handicrafts, educational lectures, music lessons, theater and musical performances. Do not think that during this time I do not read or solve puzzles, they just accompany me every day.
In the class on "manual" work /I don't know what name to use/ I drew on the model plate Home, sweet home for the front door. Well, it didn't turn out exactly like the pattern, but I tried very hard to do it /I don't like painting at all, but my desire is great /. From the educational lecture I learned quite interesting facts about the archipelago of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia /island groups that appeared as a result of volcanic activity, erosion, rising of the ocean floor millions of years ago/. So these island groups have many similarities, as well as significant differences in terms of folklore, customs, language. The scientific side can always be read in Google, for me it is essential to feel on the spot the peculiarities of the local way of life and culture as another, very different from the world I know.
The music lesson was very pleasant during the day - we study 2 songs /Spanish and Italian/, where we sing with full throat and wholeheartedly. The pianist and the first violin (I still don't remember their names) gave us the pages whit words of these songs Canta y llores, Volar-Cantare. Extremely fun - line by line, verse by verse with the appropriate pronunciation 30 people try to sound like one. It is important for me to translate their content so that I finally know what the meaning is /my attitude from time immemorial is to understand the essence of the question - in this case the text, and then to fulfill it/. I will turn for help to Maria /the Italian/, with whom I became friends and a Spaniard Pedro /with whom we shared a table on the train to the Panama Canal, if you remember/. I hadn't sung in a choir since my school years, but this also happened here on the ship /in the end I sang with everyone and on the stage in the theater !!!!!!!! Thanks to the cruise company and for my amazing experience, among other things.
I missed a large part of Paul Cadouris' concert in the theater - indescribable noise !!! It's time to share some personal observations I've been making for a long time - Mimi, an elderly 75-year-old Frenchwoman /she was beautiful in her youth/, withered, old-fashioned, loose flesh, but dressed in youthful dresses and blouses with fallen shoulders, countless jewelry, always shoes with heels /even on the dance floor/, strong evening make-up, blunt hairstyle resembling a clothes brush/ and necessarily with a flower in it. In my opinion, her main concern in life was to look dazzling /did she work?/. And her husband (very dignified and elegant) revolved around her like a pump. I have already told about the French family with 3 children, there was also a German one /with 2, I will tell about their father later during the celebration of Neptune/. In the first case, both parents dealt with the students consecutively, and in the second - only the mother! The father was constantly hanging on his phone when they were together, waving his long hair, large /about 40 years old?/, eating alone, also having fun alone at various sporting events !!! From the side, his behavior looked like this: The children are yours /maybe it really was!!/, the care for them - too !!! My observations are from the many joint tours, you can't help but read these manifestations, and I am quite critical - both to one and the other parent, and the children involuntarily absorb the relationships in their families and years later repeat the actions of their mothers and fathers.
Our passports were taken away again, this time to Tahiti, probably for entry and exit visas (this procedure was applied several times during the cruise).
Rhythm of icons show is based on the songs of the Beatles, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley - rock, ballads, lots of dancing, enchanting costumes, evergreens, amateur dancing and singing, going back to the youth of the audience who probably met these singers live /in our closed societies - these songs were not played on the radio, not to mrntion TV/!
I had a slight clash on the subject of etiquette - wearing a performance hat by men, which is not a manifestation of good behavior. Well, the German didn't know it, he didn't speak English, so his wife had to remind him. On the way out of the theater, he looked at me so fiercely, as if I had violated the sacred right to wear his hat anywhere. Yes, but no, the rules are for everyone, not just everyone else, right?
Today, February 2.2019, is the DAY FOR CROSSING THE EQUATOR !!!!!!
I didn't even think that this could happen to me - more than 15,000 km from home, in the middle of the Pacific, together with 2,000 people to cross the line of thought dividing the globe into 2 parts - the Northern and Southern Hemispheres! It must have been God's account of me to allow me to experience this too !!!!!!!
Our preparations for the party started early in the morning. On the 14th floor, the entertainment team has prepared paints, brushes, T-shirts, balloons, foil for the crowns. Everyones are rushed to paint /and I, of course/, to dress for the cut T-shirts, faces, hands, feet were painted, balloons were inflated, Joe Magic helped us to make crowns.
The colorful German (about whom I have already written) was named Neptune - the god of the seas and oceans. Properly painted, clothed, and furnished with a scepter, he was seated on a suitable throne, and he was bursting with pride for the honor bestowed upon him. When the preparations were over, we all marched in line, waving flags, marching and loud music to the outdoor pool, where passengers had been accommodated and the crew released from their duties for the time being. I parked on the stairs to be able to take pictures. I could follow the baptism ritual of those present:
'Neptune handed the captain the key to the sea to use in his work;
- one of the crew was holding a large fish, which those wishing to receive the blessing of Neptune had to kiss;
- the desires for baptism kiss the hand of Neptune /if this had to happen during the current pandemic, no chance to happen !!!/;
- at the same time another member of the crew waters their heads with a ladle of champagne;
- so baptized passengers line up in several rows around the pool with their feet stuck in it and receive on their heads successively tomatoes, flour, cocoa, milk, eggs, until finally Neptune approves the result of the procedure.
Finally, everyone, led by Neptune, plunged together into the pool, which resembled amud puddle /in the interest of truth, at the end of the day nothing was evident from the bacchanalia of the party/. Later I received a certificate for crossing the equator, personally signed by Neptune - Captain, proof of the authenticity of my story. In honor of this extraordinary event, I allowed myself a cocktail Mango tropic trooper, based on bacardi /my favorite/, peachschnaps, cointrean, mangojuice, fresh mint /wow, how it just sounds/, and how much tasty ... when another time in my life I will cross the Equator so as not to celebrate it !!!/ And there were people who played cards all the time, it didn't matter their equator is in the backyard and it's not worth empathizing with others and immersing yourself in the party?!?!? For myself, I would say that they lack imagination and interest.
The next day, in the "handicraft" class, I colored a plaster Polynesian /rather Venetian/ mask, and from embossed paper - cup holders. It turned out that I do not lack skills, it is more true that I had to focus on these skills, it is enough for someone to give me an idea and slightly push me to implement it.
The miracles on this day do not stop. I have received confirmation that I will be able to attend an opera performance at the Sydney Opera House, Australia. Will I be able to fall asleep tonight after the emotions from the party, and also from the opportunity to make another dream come true?!?!? As a music lover, the very thought of entering one of the most famous buildings in the world will keep me awake for hours. It doesn't matter that pleasure costs a lot of money, money is won, money is lost, but to share this emotion with many people is not bought with anything. I prefer to invest my money in emotions and memories than the latest phone model for example. Others think differently, so the world offers many opportunities and everyone uses them from their own point of view. I hope the plane from Queenstown to New Zealand arrives on time, because the show is only on this day and from 18.30. Wish me luck!
The last days in the ocean have been relatively calm, apparently the characters are tired of the party for crossing the Equator, lying down and baking on the open decks, I don't even think to stay here, so the spirit will take me away. I follow my program and expect to be pampered with pleasant emotions.
The show in the theater tonight was performed by a magician who snatched anything from the invited guests from the audience - watches, ties, phones, wallets, and finally even the shirt from the back of one of them. All the time he kept talking, in my opinion, about their distraction, professionalism, dexterity, psychological approach - all methods for a successful end to the show.
In the music class we continue to rehearse the two songs, and on the last day in the ocean the rehearsal is scheduled to take place on stage /I just hope I don't get stage fever, how will I overcome it?/.
The afternoon concert was performed by the flutist - gentle, ear-pleasing music, precise performance. I will not stop wondering - how good they are !!!
The last performance in the theater of those days was dedicated to the French chanson, which ended with a universal performance /with a full throat and a whole heart/ of the eternal hit of Edit Piaf- No, rien de rien, no je ne regret de rien. Just imagine about 300 people (and maybe more) singing as one in French .......
Days 53 and 54 - 24-25.02.2019 Papaete / the capital of Tahiti - from the island group French Polynesia
We will stay here, in the capital of Tahiti - Papeete, which translated from Tahitian"water basket". In the book The Last American, which I have already mentioned, this expression is also found, ie. the basket, processed in a special way, and used for everything, incl. and for cooking, and why not for water in this case?
We will visit first the western and then the eastern end of the island. All the islands and atolls of the archipelago are small but colorful. In essence, they are very similar to Hawaii, the homes are again on stilts - 50-70 cm above the ground, for the aforementioned cause of floods. Personally, I am surprised because the coral reef around it protects it from big waves or tsunamis /today's guide did not mention anything like that/.
The vegetation is no different from what is seen in this area - lush, colorful, I would even say extravagant - colors, shapes, size, water, a lot of water that comes from the mountains and flows into the ocean. Known and unknown plants many times larger than those of this species in our country. Purple water lilies - huge in size, ferns, hibiscus, something like our zokum, but many times taller, with different colors.
A huge mimosa tree, a wreath of Jesus with such huge flowers, is unbelievable. Clearly, climate plays the most important role in this plant wealth.
Wooden houses predominate, the homes of the rich differ from them in architecture and maintenance. I noticed 6-7 churches and many worshipers at the Sunday service.
The guide explained that after it, a general lunch is traditionally served /why weren't we invited to it?/. Golf courses, schools /even on Sundays they have lessons in full school uniform/, sports grounds, but without athletes /at 28 degrees it is hard to believe that someone will run, this is not America and your mania for a healthy life !!!/. The education is based on the French model and many of the young people go to France after graduating. Why is this part of the world declared a paradise and they leave it?
The guide told the local legend about the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise. When God banished them, Eve wept and her abundant tears formed white pearls, and those of Adam - fewer in number - black, so they are less common and more valuable.
Is it true or a trade trick, but here it abounds in pearls - white and black, in various ornaments and only as pearls. Since it was a Sunday, most shops were closed, so I left shopping for Monday and stocked up on black pearls /yesdid not forget to brag about his acquisition at home, telling about the legend/. It's a pity that I forgot to take pearl mussel shells from the store /they were left in a basket !!!/, because I collect mussels, snails, shells as souvenirs, and luckily I found corals later, I also add black sand to complete the collection.
The beach Site de Taharuu is covered with black /volcanic/ sand, the bottom - rocky /you can not enter without special shoes, the beach - with all amenities/ umbrella, deck chair, table /only if you provide them yourself, in front of the hotels - this is another job/, but you pay for the pleasure! The locals had laid sheets, blankets, played music, enjoyed the Sunday rest, around them - leaves, fallen flowers, coconuts rolling, but no one pays attention to them. They swim, surf, children splash in the stream coming from the mountain, an idyll !!!
The first place for visiting was the Society Island Marae - a religious shrine /temple where certain rituals are performed that are very important in their culture/. Volcanic stones of different sizes /even smell of lava still!/, the sacred sculptures of it, which are the center of the ceremonies. Obviously, the importance of this place is great, because there were also local people. Despite the heat, here in the mountains, there was a feeling of coolness, mainly from the water streams and the tall trees /and their rhizomes are impressive - dense, intertwined, centuries-old!/.
Water Garden is a wonderful tropical paradise - flowers, shrubs, trees, aromas, water, water, water, amazing shapes and colors, streams, bridges, if I could I would stay there all week. I didn't hear anything from the guide's story in my quest to see and photograph as much as possible - but I didn't notice any animals, why?
Grottes de Marea is a cave in which a pond is located, fedfrom the water flowing down the slope. Water, a lot of water, high temperatures and respectively rainfall, what do the flowers need to compete to bloom in these huge colors and shapes /not to let your small pots, even large pots in our country !!!/. Tahiti is the largest producer and exporter of vanilla, the aroma is familiar to every respectable housewife, but in its natural form it is incomparable !!!
In the afternoon I visited the city cathedral on my own, the first on the island since 1875. Stained glass windows, a beautiful altar and! homeless people who sleep in it, even here in this earthly paradise there are such fates!
In the evening, a Tahitian evening was held on the open deck on the 13th floor - a local folk group heated up the already festive atmosphere. It wasn't dancing, it wasn't a miracle !!! Before, I described some of the main characters /Mimi, for example, Pedro from the tour to Panama, who otherwise uses a cane, but did not stop whirling on the dance floor/. I do not accept such hypocritical behavior, you are what you are - always and everywhere, why do you need to speculate on health, sooner or later it will come back like a boomerang and you will wonder what happened to you?!?!?
I accept, but I don't like this folklore - deafening drum beats, the clothes very reminiscent of Hawaii - reed skirts, anklets and cane bracelets, the songs (because I don't understand the lyrics - it's in Tahitian, after all) are like endings, dancing - as if fighting /probably because of the struggle for survival against the wild animals of the past?/. How many times will I repeat that our folklore (perhaps because it is known and we grew up with it) is beautiful, dynamic, multicolored and liked all over the world.
The last tour of the day included a visit to Belvedere TaHaRa, which offers a magnificent view of Pepeete. I have the feeling that the island is inhabited by many small villages neighborhoods, so scattered it seems to me.
Point Venus - the beach I have already mentioned is the place where James Cook landed on October 27, 1788. In the park is the lighthouse, built by the father of Robert Lewis Stevenson /the author of Treasure Island/ in 1866 /. In the distance you can see Muroa, who is we will visit tomorrow, about whom I dedicate the next story.
Day 55 - February 26, 2019, Muroa Island
The most curious thing about the history of this island is that one of its bays is named after James Cook, although he never stopped here!
At the quay we are traditionally greeted by a local folklore group, which welcomes us /after all, we bring them income !!!/.
The island is small with a heart shape and we went around it in almost 4 hours, almost the whole./ What would I do here if I had to spend my honeymoon ???/. Due to the shallow depth of the bay we were "landed" at the port of Papetoai with tenders, and the local boats are very specific.
The view is breathtaking - scary jagged and steep mountain slopes with lush vegetation. The highest peak is 1207 m. Tohiea rises, shrouded in clouds. The two opposite bays D'Opunohu and de Cook contribute to its specific shape. It is no coincidence that the world hotel chains Sofitel, Hilton, Intercontinental and others have settled here. The destination, like the other islands of the archipelago, is preferred by newlywed couples for their honeymoon.
For a start, we climbed the hill Oponohu Belvedere, which reveals a magnificent view of the two bays, there is no such beauty! We visited the local sanctuary again, which the locals call Marae. Here religion is especially revered, as so far in this area I have seen many churches - Methodist, Protestant, Catholic, Mormon and others subject to mutual respect. Sunday is dedicated to God and the family, and everyone follows the established tradition.The place is very swampy and mystical, with centuries-old trees, moss-covered stones of volcanic origin and ... surprise - many chickens /claim to be lucky?!?/.
We visited a pineapple plantation. Until now I thought that pineapples grow on trees /sacred simplicity !!!/, and they grow in something like a nest, from there they grow, as I know it.
Everywhere the question of our expensive life was emphasized by all the guides. Apparently this is a painful topic for the locals, who obviously live hard, and foreign tourists are seen as a walking ATM !!!
The topic of healthcare is painful. Medicinal plants are used for some ordinary cases, the local hospital has a limited capacity /something like an infirmary/, and for more severe cases it flies /sails to Tahiti/, where French doctors work.
Finally, the rain caught up with us during the whole tour, it was good that we were on the bus and I could see the traces of it on the huge puddles, the mud formed. Here is the explanation for the houses on stilts or pile dwellings, otherwise everything in them will soak up and make them uninhabitable.
For the end of today's story, I'm showing you a fabulous sunset for you to enjoy.
Day 56 - February 27, 2019 - Bora Bora
The guide for the day - Maya /perfect and understandable English, once again I am convinced that everyone who has learned this language and is not their mother tongue, use it to be understood, not to think that everyone is willing to do it know !!!/, told us about the hibiscus plant - a particularly valuable raw material for the pharmaceutical industry and local medicine - from the leaves and flowers are made ointments, the colors change during the day - from yellow, through orange, to red at the end. In this area they are the crowns of huge trees, among other plant species - lush, fragrant, succulent. I don't want to remember the public beach, it's good that I didn't record this tour, I would be tormented - without a deck chair, without an umbrella in heat over 30 degrees, without running clean water for rinsing !!! Paid beaches are another matter, but we don't have time for them.
And to say goodbye to Bora-Bora - part of the promotional photos for the newlyweds.
Days 57 and 58 - 28.02-01.03.2019 - in the ocean / here I met 1th March, a holiday completely unknown for these latitudes. On this day we celebrate the spring/
The consecutive days in the ocean followed the usual schedule for such leisurely days - manual labor /this time I made the same tiaras for my two granddaughters/, educational lecture /for American Samoa/, singing lesson /we continue and improve both songs/, crossword puzzles, kindel, library , concerts - a boy band from Australia, music from favorite movies - Flashdance, instrumental performance of Musika in Maschera under the title Tango and More - virtuoso, sensual, passionate - exactly in the style of tango. /if they had included a dancing tango couple, the picture would have been perfect !!!/
I kept marveling at the stubbornness of many of the passengers, basking in the hot sun. Some of them have sunbathed too much and looked like raisins, they are scary to watch. Then they wonder how and where they got skin cancer?!?!? I prefer the cool lobbies of the ship for complete relaxation and strength for the next portion of exotics.
Day 59 - March 2, 2019 - Pago-Pago / American Samoa /
Very, very hot and humid - as can be expected in this area!
Entering the fjord /so the locals call the bay where we stopped/ confronts me with steep peaks, no beach, just a road. It turned out that we landed on the east coast, from the west - a flatter terrain, on which the pile dwellings were rebuilt. The sand is black again, shining in the sun, without beachgoers.
The houses are one-storey, wooden /as I described above the reasons lie in the peculiarities of the climate and natural elements/. I was shocked to see fresh graves in the courtyards of the houses. It turned out to be a tradition for the deceased members to find their eternal peace with their families and this is observed all over the island !!! I don't think about the quality of the water from the infiltration ...
Government offices, American homes, and the military are well maintained, painted, with pretty courtyards. I noticed many, many abandoned buildings as a result of the tsunami and others natural disasters, scattered construction and other waste. I explain my view with the natural resources and the frequent disasters that require the use of cheap materials for easy home restoration.
There is a golf course /where the newlyweds are without it/, an airport, sports grounds. On Saturday, there are many people who practice their favorite sports /in this heat?!?!?/. Cricket is seriously played here at the expense of American football and baseball. Again, many churches, even a Calvinist I had never met before. The only road that goes around the island is surrounded by volcanic stones, and the steep peaks - covered with lush and lush greenery. The roads are maintained in good condition, but are very narrow and steep. On the open bus, branches often welcomed us! The island is small, we toured it for 4 hours, and the population is 10.5 thousand, not counting foreign tourists who visit it all year round. There is a university, a college, several schools. Medical care is provided by a health center, for more complex cases patients are transported to Australia, New Zealand /if they can afford it, of course, because it is very expensive, it is everywhere!/. Local methods of treatment are also applied - herbs, resins, medicinal plants.
The local pride - Talofa Village, offers tourists acquaintance with the local way of life and culture. The demonstration included: preparing their food, coffee drink, folk songs and dances. They squeeze the coconut juice, pour it on a spinach leaf, then wrap it in a banana leaf, and then in a coconut leaf - the filling includes a banana, breadfruit, chicken or fish and wrap it like our sarma /typical bulgarian dish/. In a pre-prepared fire, kindled with coconut shells and wood and hot stones, our packets are placed, and on top - palm leaves are placed /I remind you of the barbecue of our outlaws from the past!/. All this undergoes heat treatment for 30-40 minutes. During this time, the girls present local dances. One of them is the daughter of the local guide for the day.
The movements are very frugal /understandably, given that the temperatures were well above 30, they would melt like ice cream if they played a handkerchief, for example/. I still can't explain why they are soooo thick - some gene, burdens, way of nutrition - with this abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, it is massive !!!!! Making the cocoa drink on the spot bothered me so much that I didn't even dare try it. The well-ripened fruit - with a pronounced yellow color, breaks /I only licked the nut and it really tasted like cocoa !!!/, the nuts are dried and baked on an open hearth. In a mortar they are crushed to dust /of course there is no coffee grinder, there is no mechanical one, after all we are talking about old traditions/. A weak, tattooed man was the master of the so-called chocolate, his assistant was a little girl with a nut-stained snout.
Children are their children all over the world - awake, curious, smiling, charming in their innocence. It is the duty of the great to provide them with the right living conditions and to keep their hearts pure and their faces smiling, I hope they have a chance in the future.
Samoa's evening on the open deck was very similar to that of Tahiti - the hula dance of the girls with the reed skirts, followed by the warlike dances of the half-naked boys, who burst in with such loud screams that I was frightened /probably so frightened by the wild animals in the past?!?!?/. They performed 4-5 different themed dances /at least from the music and the steps I make such a conclusion/ - others only accompanied by some percussion instrument. Whether the men were hunting, fighting, or robbing, I never found out. In my opinion, the omission was that in a few words we were not explained what the local folklore says and what these dances express. I hope the other viewers have understood it better than me, but this exotic is definitely not to my taste.
For the end of the description of the day I left a photo of a special kind of palm tree, which fascinated me, I hope you like it too.
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