Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
Timothy Lake Journal – More Wildflowers!
As soon as this beautiful groundcover dogwood started to emerge I felt a kinship to this plant. It is so very similar to Cornus canadensis – which I love – or is it Cornus canadensis? Here in the Pacific Northwest I’ve come across massive displays in the forest and along the lake.
Apparently, Cornus x unalaschkensis is thought to be a cross between Cornus canadensis and Cornus suecica. The species can be hard to distinguish and since I’m no botanist I’m not going to guess which one this is! I did look up the range for Cornus x unalaschkensis and it does appear to be present in the Timothy Lake region of the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Whichever species it is – it is lovely as a carpet on the forest floor!
Bear grass is a plant that I am not at all familiar with and discovered growing en mass on the forest floor in the Mt. Hood National Forest. It gets its name due to the fact that bears like to munch on the tender, young flower stems. It has also been observed that grizzly bears will use the grassy parts in their dens!
The plant is fire-resistant and drought-tolerant – needing occasional burns for renewed growth. Another common name for this plant is Indian Basket Grass. Native Americans used this plant in basket-making and also roasted the roots as a source of food.
And, of course, the Pacific Rhododendron is at its peak right now!!
Timothy Lake changes its appearance on a daily basis and sometimes multiple times throughout the day. On a recent walk along the shoreline, the peacefulness of this scene caught my eye!
Timothy Lake Journal – Tamanawas Falls
On one our recent day’s off, we planned a day trip to the small town of Hood River to get supplies. After enjoying a DELICIOUS breakfast at the Huckleberry Inn in Government Camp, our first stop was the trailhead for the Tamanawas Falls.
This was our second attempt to hike back to the Falls!! 😉 Last week, on our way back to camp after a trip to Hood River, we thought we had enough daylight to make it to the Falls and back. In the guidebook, it said the hike was a 2-mile out and back. WRONG! We decided to turn back when we realized the mileage was not accurate and that it would be pushing it to avoid walking back at dusk.
It turns out that the correct mileage is more like 4.5 miles round-trip – still an easy distance – but had we known that the first time we would not have tried to attempt it late in the day. Sometimes, trail descriptions are deceiving! Lesson learned: read more than one review!
The trail starts at a sizable parking lot along the southbound side of Route 35 about 32 miles from Timothy Lake area. We were told that this is a very popular hike and, in the summer, it can be difficult to get a parking space. This time of year, though, it was only about half full when we arrived. I wanted to hike this trail now before the water levels drop in summer so as to get the best effect of the falls with maximum water flow. Be aware that this is a fee-based area and you do need to either self-pay a 5.00 day fee at the pay station or display a federally accepted annual pass.
Just after leaving the parking lot, there is a wooden bridge that crosses the East Fork of the Hood River. I could tell by the construction that the bridge was sturdy but it had a decided lean to the left! The river was rushing underfoot and it felt a tad unsettling crossing the bridge!
I did take the time to stop in the middle of the bridge for a photo shot of the river downstream. But, I did not linger!!
Shortly after crossing the bridge, there is a trail junction where hikers will make a right to head towards the Falls. The first part of the trail is fairly well-packed and easy with a few minor ups and downs. Along this stretch, the trail ascends above Route 35 and the road is visible to the left at times. Eventually, you come to another trail junction and, this time, the Falls trail leads off to the left. Ultimately, you are following trail number 650A towards the Falls.
From here, the path descends to the Cold Spring Creek corridor. Once you reach the creek, another bridge crosses the creek and the trail follows the river for the rest of the hike up to the Falls.
There was a ton of water in the creek this time of year and along the way we saw many “mini” waterfalls as the creek descends towards the East Fork of the Hood River.
Much to my delight, I was able to capture a few wildflowers blooming along the trail and in the forest!
The above plant, Vanilla Leaf, gets its name from the scent of the leaves when they are crushed. It is thought that the leaves can be an effective insect repellent when dried.
About a 1/4 mile before the Falls, there is another trail junction. The route to the Falls veers off to the left and enters the most difficult part of the hike. There is a short but steep rock scramble just after this junction. It’s hard to pick out the actual path of the trail but there is a preferred route if you can find it!
It’s a short jog to the Falls once you negotiate the talus slope. Often, when I hear about an awesome waterfall that is a “must see”, I’m disappointed once I reach the destination – usually the wrong time of the year and there’s just a trickle of water in the falls! Well, let’s just say that this time I was super impressed and the waterfall far exceeded my expectations! I’m so glad we made the second attempt to view this amazing place!
The Tamanawas Falls flows over a 110′ cliff that is about 40 feet wide! Very cool!! There was a significant mist rising off the waterfall while we were there and it created a mystical experience.
It was a beautiful – mostly shaded – walk through the predominantly Douglas Fir forest. I give it a 5 “star” rating as a family friendly relatively moderate hike.
Timothy Lake Journal – Spring Flowering Plants
It’s springtime in the Mt. Hood National Forest and I’m discovering lots of plants coming in and out of bloom. Right now, the Pacific Rhododendron is on full display in the forest at our elevation and is stunning!
Some wildflowers that I observed in mid-May are past their prime but I caught them while they were at their best.
The Oregon Anemone is an uncommon plant found in conifer forests of the Pacific NW up to around 5,000 feet. It’s an unassuming little plant that blooms here in mid-May. This plant is similar to the Western Wood Anemone ( Anemone lyallii) – the main difference being the number of stamens. I’m calling this plant an Oregon Anemone due to the fact that it appears to have more than 35 stamens where as the Western Wood Anemone has fewer than 35 stamens. But who’s counting?! 🙂
The Redwood Violet is a tiny little plant and I only found a few small patches of it in and around the South Shore Trail on Timothy Lake. Such a cutey!! It’s name comes from the fact that it is found in redwood forests but it also inhabits other conifer forests, including the predominant Douglas Fir forest here.
The Pacific Trillium thrives in a Douglas Fir forest so I guess that’s why it is so prolific here. There are some incredible specimens of this plant throughout the Mt. Hood National Forest. I just love this plant!!
Stay tuned for more interesting Pacific NW plants!!
Timothy Lake Journal – Mt. Hood
It has been 4 weeks since our arrival at Timothy Lake to begin our newest workamping adventure. We have settled in nicely and feel lucky to have this view every day!
It’s amazing how different the mountain appears from day to day depending on the weather and cloud cover. The other day we had a particularly nice sunset and the way the color played off the snow-covered peak was remarkable.
Workamping in Oregon
We started our workamping gig in the state of Oregon on May 6 with a weeklong training session held at the facility headquarters in Estacada, Oregon. Our employer, Portland General Electric, operates 14 different day use and overnight camping facilities along the Clackamas River corridor in the Mt. Hood National Forest and in the high desert canyons near Madras.
This year I’m trying something different after spending 5 seasons as a fee ranger for the National Park Service. My husband and I are delving into life as a camp host in one the small campgrounds that line the southern shore of Lake Timothy in the Mt Hood National Forest.
For the first week of employment, we reserved a camp site at Milo McIver State Park while attending training at the Portland General Electric Faraday Plant nearby.
The State Park is named for a Milo K. McIver who was involved in the Oregon State Highway Commission. He had a deep appreciation for nature and was instrumental in advocating for the land near Estacada to be preserved. During the time he served on the highway commission, the Oregon State Parks fell under the umbrella of the Department of Transportation. So, McIver’s work was connected to the state park system during his tenure. According to an article I read in the Estacada News, while working for the highway commission, McIver was instrumental in the acquisition of 40 new areas – bolstering the state park system and increasing its popularity among Oregon residents . There is a plaque dedicated to his vision near the Milo McIver Memorial Viewpoint located in the park.
From this viewpoint, it is possible on a clear day to see, not only Mount Hood, but also Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. We could easily see Mt Hood due to its proximity to Estacada and could just barely make out Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.
Milo McIver State Park maintains a few miles of trails that offer opportunities for biking, hiking, and equestrian activities. During our week there, I hiked quite a few of those miles. Spring wildflowers and native shrubs were waking up after a winter’s rest and starting to bloom along the trails and in the forest.
Many of the deciduous trees were starting to leaf out. I love the bright green color of the new leaves as they emerge! The bigleaf maple below is catching the late afternoon light through the dense forest – enchanting!
The park has an area for equestrians to park their trailers and access the horse trails through the park. Many of the horse trails are dual-purpose and also serve as hiking trails. So, I encountered a number of riders as I walked the trails.
Some of the trails offer up a nice view of the Clackamas River as it winds its way towards its junction with the Willamette River near Oregon City.
From the short introduction that I received to the Oregon forest environment here in Milo McIver SP, I know without a doubt that I am going to enjoy exploring the Mt. Hood National Forest and all the diversity of flora and fauna that it has to offer up!
Panama Canal Cruise Day 14-15
February 9, 2024 – Port of Cabo San Lucas – On Board Ship
As I mentioned in my last post, due to illness, we all stayed on board the ship today. And, it was okay. The day started off with an amazing sunrise that really lit up the sky.
I spent part of the day wandering around the ship taking pictures of some of the amenities on board. I wanted to make sure I documented some of the highlights of the ship and some of the activities available. It also gave me some exercise without overdoing it!
There are a number of different specialty bars throughout the ship and we tried our best to hit most of them! 🙂 I believe that the total number of bars serving alcoholic drinks is somewhere north of 14. Along with those pictured below, we indulged our thirst at the District Brewhouse, The Cellars Wine Bar, the “Q” Texas Smokehouse and the Skyline Bar. I’m not really a “bar-hopper” so it was fun to enjoy the variety of venues and drinks.
Our final “specialty dinner” on this day was at the Italian La Cucina restaurant – which translates to The Kitchen. It was magnifique!! Specialty dinners are an additional fee and we paid for three of these during our cruise – which we reserved prior to departure. I started my meal with an Insalata Mista, followed by the main course of Wild Mushroom Risotto. For dessert, what else?? Tira misu – YUM!
The other two specialty dining venues we reserved were Le Bistro (French cuisine) and the Teppanyaki (Japanese cuisine). We ended up switching these and ate both remaining specials at the Food Republic (Asian). Our reservations at Le Bistro were just too late at night and we preferred the Food Republic over the Teppanyaki because they served sushi.
For our complimentary meals, we had a choice of six different restaurants that varies from buffet-style to more up-scale sit-down service. We managed to visit everyone of these multiple times and they were all good. The Garden Cafe and the Observation Lounge were both buffet-style.
Some of the many dining spots in the Garden Cafe which offer views out to sea and shore.
The Observation Deck food service was more continental in style with the only hot option being oatmeal in the morning. It was a large open area filled with comfortable seating and was a popular spot! It was so much nicer to enjoy this space when everyone else was off the ship on an excursion! Window seats were coveted!!
More views from around the ship – from the pool deck to the speedway.
For the kids and “kids at heart”, there is an electric car speedway on the upper deck.
And let’s not forget – for those runners and walkers out there – a jogging track.
There is also a giant water slide on board. We did not give it a try but our friend from the Panama Canal Transit day said he indulged and it was not as scary as it looks. No thanks anyway!
Cabo San Lucas was the only port that we could not dock right at the port. We anchored off shore and the passengers were escorted to land via “tenders.” I managed to get a picture of them as they were dropping off and picking up passengers.
On our Deck 8, the back part of the ship had what is called The Waterfront and it had an outside promenade that went in a u-shape from mid-ship to mid-ship around the aft. It was fun to stroll along here and look out at sea or stop and just sit and relax in one of the many seating areas near the outside bars.
Besides wandering around taking photographs, we sat in the Atrium and participated in some trivia games – at which we were horrible!! But, we had fun! I also took in the Jersey Boys musical in The Bliss Theater since I had missed the show earlier in the cruise. It was FANTASTIC! Loved every minute of the show!! Afterwards, I met Mom and Vicki in The District Brewhouse to hear Juci Do Carmo one more time.
As we left Cabo San Lucas and started heading north, I grabbed some photographs of the shoreline from the starboard side of the ship.
An interesting thing happened after we left port that evening. We had traveled north out of Cabo San Lucas up the coast for about 2 hours when I looked out and noticed that “land” seemed to be on the wrong side of the ship?? We should have been viewing wide open seas from our stateroom on the port side of the ship and I was seeing “land.” I mentioned this to my stateroom mates and just as I made this observation, an announcement came over the loudspeaker from the captain of the ship.
Apparently, we had turned around and were hightailing it back to Cabo San Lucas. There was a passenger on board who was having a medical emergency and needed additional care beyond the capabilities of the ship medical staff. It was reassuring to know that the Norwegian staff were doing everything possible to help alleviate this situation.
On our way back, we had a great view of the rock formations from our stateroom balcony so I got some closer photographs of them. We arrived back in Cabo in record time and anchored while we waited for a boat to arrive to transport the passenger.
February 10-11, 2024 At sea and Port of Los Angeles
Our detour back to Cabo meant we were now behind schedule for our early morning arrival time in LA on 2/11/24. Our captain made up time overnight and our next day at sea by “putting the pedal to the metal” so to speak. We were still traveling under the legal limit but it was obvious we were moving faster. Along with the very rough seas for our last day, it made for a little bit more of a “bumpy” ride – not enough to really be bothered but noticeable. It brought everyone in from outside as the temperatures, occasional rain and wind were not conducive to lounging on the pool deck!
We spent much of the day packing as we had to have our baggage placed outside our stateroom by early evening. We would pick it up the next day off ship in a staging area at the port of Los Angeles. We needed to keep just a small backpack with necessary items for overnight and morning with us.
We enjoyed our last dinner at Savor Restaurant and caught the last Beatles show in The Bliss Theater that night.
The next day we waited in The Local restaurant to disembark because we had requested wheelchair assistance for Mom. We were put on a waiting list according to our scheduled, color-coded departure time. Things went smoothly and, while it was a bit of a wait, it all worked and we picked up our baggage and walked to the bus that would take us to the airport. Since our flights were not leaving until later that night, we reserved a “day stay” at an airport hotel, so we would not have to sit in the airport for hours and hours.
The bus to the airport was arranged through the cruise package and we had paid for that so we went to the airport via the bus and then grabbed the free hotel shuttle to our hotel. It was a great way to pass the day and perfect timing as we could watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of the hotel suite! 🙂
So now that the trip is over, the BIG question is whether I will ever go on another cruise! It was my first cruise and I embraced the “cruise atmosphere” with enthusiasm. The Norwegian Bliss is one of the largest ships in their fleet and, while it came with many venues and activities, the crowds in the elevators and popular seating areas could be a bit overwhelming. It was an experience and I am so grateful to my sister and Mom for inviting me along and being able to spend such quality time together. In the end, that was more important to me than the size of the ship or any of the minor inconveniences we might have experienced with crowd control.
Would I venture forward on another cruise?? Yeah – I probably will. I might choose a smaller ship than The Bliss however. And, I would most likely stay with Norwegian – hey, I’m only 5 points away from Silver status on the Latitudes Rewards program in just one cruise! Just think about all the exclusive benefits I’ll unlock during my next cruise! 🙂
Panama Canal Cruise Day 13
February 8, 2024 – Mazatlán
After an anxiety-filled night visiting the medical center on board the ship and a restless night’s sleep , I saw some improvement in the morning once the meds started kicking in. I made the decision to go on the excursion tour and see how I fared.
Today’s tour was titled Mexican Show, Sightseeing & Shopping. Like the Puerto Vallarta excursion, it was a lot packed into about 4 hours. Mazatlán was conquered by the Spanish in the 1500’s and in the mid-19th century there was a large influx of immigrants from Germany. The Germans brought their knowledge of beer brewing and the company Pacifico Brewery was established in 1900.
I read that the name Mazatlán derives from the indigenous language Nahuatl and translates to “Land of Deer”. That explains the significance of the statue I photographed below.
Our first stop on the tour was at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It is an enormous Catholic Church that dates back to the end of the 19th century – when construction was complete. There are two stories regarding this church that I remember from our tour. Our tour guide pointed out the Jewish star that adorns the top of the interior stained-glass windows. The leading theory as to why the Star of David appears in these windows is that the Jewish community in Mazatlán gave the church a large donation during a time when the church was struggling to raise enough money to complete construction. There is no concrete documentation supporting this idea but it appears to be well-accepted. An historian of the church claims that the Star of David windows serve as a reminder that the Catholic Church was founded by a Jew and that the inclusion of the Star of David pays tribute to the Spanish Jewish population who were forced to either be exiled or convert to Catholicism in the 1400’s. Many of the Spanish Jews who did convert also chose to leave Spain and settle in Mexico due to continued persecution during the Inquisition. It’s possible that the windows symbolize their history with the church.
The other interesting story revolves around the statue that sits to one side of the exterior of the church. It is the Statue of Saint Juan Diego and Friar Juan de Zumárraga.
Juan Diego was an indigenous Mexican peasant who had converted to Christianity in the 1500’s after the Spanish conquest in Mexico. He had several visions of Our Lady of Guadalupe and she instructed him to go to the bishop to request a shrine be built in her honor on Tepeyac Hill (now on the outskirts of Mexico City). It took a couple of visions and the imprint of the Virgin Mary on his cloak (the proof the bishop asked for) before the bishop approved the building of the shrine. Legend states that Juan Diego resided next to the new church in her honor and cared for the pilgrims who came to the shrine. The statue depicts Juan Diego showing the bishop the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on this cloak. I had heard reference to Our Lady of Guadalupe in my travels along the GR65 (Le Puy Camino) in France but never really understood the history of this reference to the Virgin Mary. It is more clear now.
Mazatlán’s proximity to gold and silver mines made it an important coastal port for exporting these two valuable mineral resources back in the 1800’s. Today, it is known for it’s silver jewelry and one of the places we stopped was a shop that specialized in crafting silver jewelry and other items. I could not resist purchasing another souvenir here since this was authentic silver – hand-crafted locally. I looked around and settled on a pinky ring that suited my taste perfectly! I read an article that you have to be careful when buying silver in Mazatlán as there are many “fake” jewelers who do not sell the real deal. You can check to see if your piece is authentic by noticing if it is stamped with the number 925. This proves the silver is 92.5% silver which is typical. I had not known this in advance so now I was curious if my ring was indeed silver. I’m happy to report that my ring does have a stamp on the inside with the number 925!! 🙂
While we waited for the ring to be fitted, we took a short walk from the shop to the beach just so we could actually stand on the sand!!
On our way to our next tour stop – the Mexican Show – I tried to capture some photos from the bus. The city was getting ready for it Mardi Gras carnival and there were indications of the preparations everywhere. Apparently, there is a huge parade that follows the boardwalk and people start reserving their spots days in advance – leaving someone there 24/7.
The Malecón of Mazatlán is a 5.3-mile boardwalk that is considered to be one of the longest ocean boardwalks in the world.
The Mexican Show took place in a theater and we were seated at round tables that held up to 8 people. Before the show commenced, we could order drinks and food. The show itself featured dancers in traditional clothing performing cultural and historic dances. It was lively and very entertaining. The lighting was a bit challenging and we were far from the stage but I could use my telephoto lens and capture enough to give a sense of the performance.
We made a brief stop before heading back to the ship along the ocean to see Mazatlán’s version of cliff divers. It was very anti-climatic and did not compare in scale to the Acapulco divers. But, it’s a way to make a few dollars and draw in tourists I suppose.
On our way back to the ship, I was hoping to get a photograph (from the bus) of the Beatles monument that is located in the renamed Liverpool Alley in the historic district of Mazatlán. This alley is a tribute to the Beatles and was inspired by a desire to increase European tourism to the city. There is no evidence that the Beatles actually ever set foot in Mexico. Across the entrance to the alley, the monument mimics the cover of the Abbey Road album.
After two days of taking medication for the nasty germ I contracted, I was feeling better but not sure I should do the tour excursion that we had planned at our last port of call – Cabo San Lucas. The excursion was to be a kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling adventure and I was really looking forward to this one. But, given the state of my health and resultant low level of energy, and the fact that it’s not a good idea to have too much sun exposure while on antibiotics, I opted to cancel this tour. I was able to get a full refund for the tour for medical reasons – so I was thankful for that. As it ends up, my sister was also feeling a bit under the weather and, in the end, we all decided to just stay on board the ship! More about that next time!
Panama Canal Cruise Day 12
February 7, 2024 Puerto Vallarta
It seems our favorite breakfast spot before an excursion tour has been The Local – good food, convenient to our stateroom and the meeting place for the excursions – and friendly, fast service!
Our tour started with a short bus trip outside of the city of Puerto Vallarta to a tequila distillery called Hacienda Doña Engracia. The current business is run by the descendants of Señor Jesus Ramirez who started crafting tequila in 1927 from 100% of the Blue Agave plant found in the mountainous region of Jalisco near Puerto Vallarta. His granddaughter, Engracia married into a French family who had immigrated to Mexico many years before and, with her husband Carlos Gerald, now runs the family business. Their tequila recipes have been passed down through the generations.
We were given a short tour of the facility that included a little history of the tequila distilling process and then escorted to the tasting room where we sampled at least 6 different tequila recipes!
The Blue Agave plant can take up to ten years to mature and produce a piña bulb that can then be used to make tequila. Once the plant has matured, it is harvested and the leaves are removed to leave the piña bulb. Nowadays, the piña bulb is baked in brick-lined ovens. Once baked, the bulb is shredded so that the juice can be extracted. Distillers now use mechanical shredders for this purpose, but traditionally this was accomplished using a stone wheel.
The juice extracted from the pi̱a bulb is called mosoto. It then needs to go through a fermentation process and is placed in wooden barrels along with yeast. The fermentation process can last anywhere from 2 Р12 days.
After the fermentation process is complete, the tequila usually goes through two distilling processes that increases the alcohol content and clarifies the liquid. The tequila is then aged for 2-3 weeks before it is ready for consumption and sale.
After we got the low down on how tequila was produced, it was time for the tasting! I’ve really had very little experience with “hard liquor” so I was somewhat apprehensive to do too much of this tasting – but I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and it was quite good! There are different types of tequila – from less expensive to more pricey depending on the level of processing, I guess, and additives – and we enjoyed a taste of them all. The tasting samples were very generous I might add! I had to start requesting “just a little.” 🙂
What we needed after all that tequila tasting was some food!! This tour came with lunch and we were treated to authentic Mexican tacos. We also had the option to purchase drinks and, while I declined because I was still not feeling very chipper, Mom and Vicki indulged in margaritas that came in a painted clay container that they could keep as a memento.
We drove into the heart of Puerto Vallarta after visiting the tequila factory and had an opportunity to visity a small “touristy” shopping area and then walk along the seaside promenade and explore some on our own.
One shop sold beaded Huichol Art. The indigenous Huichol people live in the surrounding Sierra Madre Mountains and call several Mexican states their home. They have a long history of bead-making and their craft is considered of very good quality and value.
There was another shop that sold hand-crafted sheepskin leather products and I could not resist purchasing a small leather purse to add to my souvenir collection!
We boarded the tour bus at the shopping mall and headed to the seaside promenade for some unguided walking along the coast. It was really pretty along the beach and there were a number of interesting sculptures along the walkway.
At one park area along the promenade, there were a number of “rocking horses”. It was a rite of passage for all tourists to take a ride!
From the promenade, it was a short walk to the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe – the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This church was built in the 1930’s on the original foundation of a chapel that was dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is a beautiful church with its unique “crown” tower and is said to reflect the vibe of Puerto Vallarta in regards to its architecture which does not follow any one style but is a combination of different ones including neoclassicism.
Our final stop on the tour of Puerto Vallarta was to a local tile factory and store called Mundo de Azulejos. They are a family-run shop that crafts and sells Talavera pottery. Talavera pottery originated in a region in Spain called Talavera de la Reina and was brought to Mexico by the Spanish. The pottery is made by mixing minerals with different clays. It was originally produced in the Mexican State of Puebla due to the abundance of high quality clay found naturally there. What a feast for the eyes to view the many ways this pottery is crafted with each piece a marvel of artistic work. According to their website, this shop ships internationally and claims to have some of its pieces in the Vatican and the White House!
I did allow myself to indulge in several small tiles that I hope to use in some artistic way. I was concerned about how to travel with them in my small carry-on luggage but the staff wrapped them up into a small, insulated package and I managed to stuff them into my carry-on bag. Interesting though – going through airport security my bag was pulled aside and searched. I guess the package looked somewhat suspicious going through the x-ray machine! 🙂
As we traveled back to the ship, I was able to grab some photographs from the bus – just random scenes and a look at what was the home of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
This was by far my favorite tour excursion of the trip and Puerto Vallarta is my favorite city so far. It’s location with the Sierra Madre Mountains as a backdrop and seemingly vibrant community makes it very appealing. I can see why this city is such a popular tourist destination.
It was a busy day and once again by the end of the day my cough/laryngitis/sore throat affliction had come back on me. I opted out of dinner and any nighttime entertainment and tried to get some rest in the stateroom. But, I ended up feeling so bad that I called the onboard medical center and went to see the doctor there. I felt like after several days it might be time for some medical intervention. The doctor ran some tests to rule out covid, flu, and strep throat – all of these tests came back negative. He was concerned that it was a bacterial infection of some sort and prescribed for me a 5-day course of antibiotics, some prednisone to reduce the swelling in my throat and larynx, Mucinex to help with congestion and some throat lozenges. I started the meds right away hoping that they would kick in and not prevent me from our tour the next day in Mazatlán. The bill was a whopping $842.00 which was a shock but fortunately our cruise included medical insurance and, while I had to pay this up front, I did get a total refund once I got home and submitted the paperwork.
Panama Canal Cruise Days 9-11
February 4, 2024 – At Sea
It was another day at sea for The Norwegian Bliss as we made our way from Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala to Acapulco, Mexico. I was thankful for that as it gave me a chance to rest and recover from this bug that I seemed to have picked up. I slept a good part of the day and even missed dinner and the musical Jersey Boys – which we had reserved for this night. I was worried about having a coughing attack during the performance and disturbing those around me! I was bummed to miss the show but discovered there was another performance the last night of our cruise and I reserved a spot for myself in advance.
I went to bed that night convinced that I was feeling better and would be up for our Acapulco excursion the next day.
February 5, 2024 – Acapulco
On October 25, 2023, Hurricane Otis hit the city of Acapulco full on as a Category 5 hurricane. According to the NOAA, it had sustained winds of 165 mph. The news outlets reported catastrophic damage. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the destruction, I welcome you to access NOAA at this website. It was noted on other websites that the cost to repair and rebuild is in the many, many billions of dollars.
I was curious how the city has rebounded from this catastrophe 3 months later. It was clear from the moment we boarded our tour bus and started towards our first excursion destination that hardly any buildings escaped the rampages of the hurricane. The widespread destruction was jaw-dropping and the city clearly has years of work ahead to complete a rebuild and restore the resort town to its former self.
Our excursion titled Historical, Picturesque and Cliff Divers of Acapulco started off with a stop at the Fuerte de San Diego – Fort of San Diego. Dating to the 17th-cenury, the fort was built by the Spanish empire as a fortification to protect Acapulco from invasions by pirates. After suffering damage from an earthquake in the 1700’s, it was rebuilt and remained an active military installation into the 19th century. In recent years, the fort has become a popular historic landmark and houses an extensive museum that outlines the history of Acapulco. Unfortunately, we visited Acapulco on a Monday and the museum is closed on Mondays! So, we walked around the perimeter of the site but could not enjoy the museum. Bummer!!
Our next tourist stop was the famous Los Flamingos Hotel. Built in the 1930’s, the hotel was purchased later on by several Hollywood actors and became their “home away from home” for many years. Some of the members of this “Hollywood Gang” were Johnny Weissmuller, John Wayne, Red Skelton, Richard Widmark and Cary Grant. Along the walls of the hotel are many historical photographs depicting life during its Hollywood era.
We were afforded an opportunity to walk around the grounds and get a feel for what this place must have been like way back then. It seemed to be in a state of disrepair but perhaps that was due to the destruction caused by the hurricane.
Before heading over to view two other highlights of the day – the famous Acapulco Cliff Divers and the hillside Capilla de la Paz – we made a stop at a open air market. I was not impressed with the quality of the merchandise – mostly tourist-type cheap souvenirs – but we wandered around and stretched our legs.
Our next stop was an interesting landmark called the Capilla de la Paz – the Ecumenical Chapel of Peace. Located in an exclusive neighborhood high on the El Guitarrón hill, the chapel was commissioned by renowned Mexican businessman Carlos Trouyet as a memorial to honor his wife – who had the initial vision for this Chapel of Peace – and his two sons who were killed in a private plane crash in 1967. Architect Gabriel Chavez de la Mora led the way in bringing the current chapel to fruition. The Trouyet family’s remains are interred in a tomb on the lower level of the chapel.
The Chapel of Peace was designed to be interdenominational and is open to all regardless of their religion or creed. It really is a peaceful place.
Also on the grounds is a sculpture designed by Claudio Favier called The Hands of the Brotherhood. It represents a hand of each brother reaching to the heavens in prayer and is said to symbolize the fraternity between the two brothers. It is very moving.
On the way down the hill from the chapel, we drove through an exclusive neighborhood and I tried to take some photos from the bus. We were told by the tour guide that the house in the photo below belongs to Sylvester Stallone – not sure how I would verify that! I did do an internet search and found that he did indeed stay in this house during the filming of Rambo but did he own it?? Who knows??
On our way to our final destination – the Cliff Divers! – I grabbed some more photographs from the bus of some of the scenes along the way.
We arrived near the area where the La Quebrada Cliff Divers performed and to my dismay it was very crowded. I did not think we would get a good spot to watch – let alone take pictures. We followed the crowd however and I kept walking down the many flights of stairs until I reached a point where I could get a decent view. I was not able to see the divers when they entered the water but I could get pictures of them in mid-air and on the cliffs.
The La Quebrada Cliff Divers are professional divers paid by the city of Acapulco (or so we were told). They put on daily shows for the public and dive from heights up to 135 feet. The water they dive into is actually a narrow channel that is affected by the tides so they must time their dives to land in the water when the depth is at its greatest.
The divers walk down the lengthy staircase past the crowd of onlookers, swim across the narrow channel and climb the cliffs on the far side until they reach their diving spot. They dive from several different points on the cliff – with the more experienced divers climber higher and diving at greater heights.
We fit quite a bit into this tour and it was very hot – especially while watching the cliff divers. I had climbed down a few flights of stairs to get the vantage point I had and, of course, then had to climb back up! I was glad to get back into the air-conditioned tour bus!
Back at the ship, we got ready for dinner and chose to eat in the “fancy” Manhattan Room – one of the places considered “complimentary dining.” My choice for dinner included Seafood Croquettes, a Spinach Salad, and Kahlua Cream Cake for dessert. Oh yeah – mouth-watering!
After dinner, we enjoyed a comedy act in the Bliss Theater – Dan Bennett – who embellished his comedic conversation with juggling acts. He was very entertaining. I returned to our stateroom after the show to rest up – as the long, hot tour today took its toll on me because of this evil bug I was fighting off! Tomorrow, our port of call is Manzanillo. It is the one port that we opted out of an excursion and decided to stay on board the ship. I would be able to recover more from this nasty infection.
February 6, 2024 – On Board Ship
When I saw the town of Manzanillo from the ship, I was a little disappointed that we had not booked an excursion. It looked like a small, colorful little village compared to the skyscrapers of Acapulco and Panama City – a place I might like to explore. But, this sore throat/laryngitis/achiness that I was still feeling made me realize that it was best to relax on board ship. And, with many other passengers off the ship on excursions, it meant we had the place “almost” all to ourselves! I did take a few photographs of the town from various places on the ship.
We spent the day “hot tub hopping” and lounging around! We were able to convince Mom to join us in the Deck 17 hot tub area and afterwards grabbed a couple of lounge chairs to dry off.
After we got dried off from our hot tub soak, we decided to try the American Diner venue for lunch. We had not explored this eatery as yet. It was set up to resemble a typical “diner-style” restaurant with a menu that reflected what is often available in American diners.
Since we were still on Deck 17, we decided to check out the Spice H20 Bar area which spans the entire
VERY back of the ship on this deck. It is a very cool space and not crowded today so a great time to hang out here. We ordered some drinks from the bar and Vicki and I took another dip in the hot tub here while Mom hung out in the shade enjoying the view and reading her book.
In the evening, we watched the comedy act at The Social Club. It was good but I have to admit that I enjoyed the two comedians who started the cruise with us more than the two who came on board mid-way through the trip. I can’t explain why – just a different style of humor, I guess.
Tomorrow, we would be calling at Puerto Vallarta and we had what appeared to be a busy tour day ahead of us. Hoping for a good night’s sleep with minimal coughing episodes…
Panama Canal Cruise Days 7-8
February 2, 2024 At Sea
We spent 2 nights and 1 day at sea enroute from Panama City to our next port of call – Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. It was a busy day of activities on board the ship!
I woke up around 7:30am and headed up to the Observation Deck for the continental breakfast – hot oatmeal embellished with granola, cinnamon and raisins complemented with coffee, a fruit bowl and – my weakness – a chocolate croissant. Have I said this already? There is NO shortage of good food on a Norwegian cruise ship!
After breakfast, I worked out in the fitness center. We were passing along the coast of Costa Rica today and from my treadmill I spotted a whole pod of dolphins! How exciting!! Afterwards, I joined in on another line-dancing session! Following a light lunch, my sister and I sat in on the Art Auction. I was curious about how it worked – the bidding process, the artwork and the price points.
To start the auction, participants are given sticky notes and asked to move around the art offerings and mark the ones they might be interested in. There is no obligation here but it allows the staff to choose which pieces to auction based on interest among the crowd.
There was definitely something for everyone – from pieces in the low-hundreds to many thousands. The “mystery” category offered the most value but you were bidding on the unknown. You did have the option once you could view the artwork in the mystery category to back out – so it was low risk.
We had fun watching others bid on the many pieces. I had never been to an art auction so I learned a bit and came away a tad more knowledgeable! 🙂
We chose to have Happy Hour in the Wine Bar this day and then returned to our stateroom for a shower before enjoying a light dinner.
There are some shows in the Bliss Theater that must be reserved in advance. One of the shows we reserved is the British musical comedy “Six.” It was a wildly lively and exotic interpretation of the lives of the six wives of Henry the VIII. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
To end the night, we popped into The District Brew House to listen to the talented singer/guitar player who frequented this venue – Juci Do Carmo. He had a popular following among the crowd and played a fair amount of songs from our era.
February 3, 2024 – Puerto Quetzal and Antigua
The title of our excursion today is “Easy Antigua” and it was a tour that all three of us – Mom, Vicki and I – could take together. We once again chose to eat breakfast at The Local since it was so convenient to our stateroom and also to the Bliss Theater where most of our tours met before disembarking the ship.
We crossed over this bridge from the ship to our tour busses and started this tour with a very lengthy bus ride to the interior of Guatemala to the ancient city of Antigua high in the mountains.
We passed through the rural countryside of Guatemala and miles of sugar cane fields that were being burned. Our tour guide was afraid that the smoke might obscure our views of the picturesque volcanos on the way but that was not the case. Many of my photos before reaching Antigua were taken through the bus window – so less than ideal – but you get the idea!
Burning sugar cane fields is a practice that has been declining due to the negative impacts it has on the environment and on the health of locals who live near the sugar cane fields. However, in some places, it is still practiced just before harvest as a means of removing the parts of the plant that are not needed so that harvesting the sugar-laden stalks is rendered easier. Our guide was definitely in the camp that disapproved of continuing this practice.
As we got closer to Antigua, we started to climb into the mountains and the sugar cane fields disappeared to be replaced with coffee plants at the higher elevation. Antigua is at an elevation of just over 5,000 feet and is surrounded by volcanos. It is quite a picturesque setting. Antigua held the distinction of being the capital of Guatemala for over 200 years between 1543 and 1773. After a series of devastating earthquakes, the capital was moved to the current location of Guatemala City.
Today, the town enjoys the distinction of being designated in 1979 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the World Heritage Convention website, the following criteria in particular supported this designation:
Criterion (ii): Antigua Guatemala contains living traces of Spanish culture with its principal monuments, built in the Baroque style of the 18th century preserved today as ruins. Antigua Guatemala was a centre for the exportation of religious images and statues to the rest of the American continent and to Spain during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Criterion (iii): Antigua Guatemala is one the earliest and outstanding examples of city planning in Latin America in which the basic grid plan, dating from 1543, has been maintained. Its religious, private and government buildings are outstanding evidences of Spanish colonial architecture in Antigua.
Criterion (iv) The many churches and monasteries in Antigua Guatemala testify to the influence of the Christian church, during the colonial period, on every aspect of daily life in the city. Barroco antigueño developed in this area, a regional adaptation of the Baroque style designed to withstand the earthquakes common in the region. (From: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/65/)
Because the main part of the historic center of Antigua is relatively small and contains very narrow streets, large tour busses are not permitted in the town. We drove to a location just outside this historic district and transferred to smaller “mini-busses”.
Much of our view of the town was while riding in the mini-bus but we did have a couple of opportunities to leave the bus for short excursions via foot.
We visited a jade museum where we could tour the factory and, of course, visit the gift shop. We also got an opportunity to use the restroom facilities here. What was interesting was that they had lost electricity prior to our arrival, so using the restroom was a particular challenge! Thank goodness for cell phone flashlights!! The museum was also without power but the natural daylight was sufficient for us to walk through and see some of the artifacts. There was a person giving a talk on the history of the jade industry here but it was so crowded and we could not get close enough to hear what she was saying.
From my own research, I learned that Guatemalan Jade is actually rather rare. It is a form of the mineral called Jadeite that is found in Guatemala and it was highly revered by the Mayan culture. They considered jade to represent eternity and it was a symbol of wealth and prestige.
Jadeite is found in only one other place in the world – Myanmar. The jadeite mined in Guatemala is quite diverse in color – from light to dark green and also shades of lavender, yellow and white. When the Mayan society was under threat by the Spanish invaders, they did not want to expose where they mined the jade and kept it hidden from the conquerors. Since the Spanish did not really value jade, the locations where jade was mined remained lost for centuries. I was surprised to learn that it has only been in the last 50 years that the jade industry has been revitalized in Guatemala.
Several jade enthusiasts – geologists and researchers – began to study jade in Guatemala in the 1940’s and located some in the Motagua River Valley. It was not until 1974, however, that an American ex-patriate couple located more in the same valley – Jay and Mary Lou Ridinger – and began to seriously invest in revitalizing the industry. They set up shop in Antigua – and were the original owners of the shop we visited.
After visiting the jade museum, we toured through the town and eventually came to the Parque Central (Plaza Mayor) in Antigua – a popular hang-out with lots of benches and food vendors and eateries.
We had the opportunity to exit the bus and explore on our own for awhile. Mom chose to find a seat and people-watch! 🙂
My sister, Vicki, and I walked around the perimeter of the plaza and explored the Catedral San Jose.
On a side street behind the church, I noticed a old ruin that intrigued me and I went to explore. It was the Ruinas de La Antigua Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala. Originally constructed in 1545, it suffered at the hands of several earthquakes over the years.
As we ended our self-guided walk around the plaza and headed back to our tour bus via the “mini-bus”, I tried to capture some more of the town from the bus window.
We got back to The Bliss at dusk. I must admit that this excursion was my least favorite of the entire cruise. It was so very crowded in Antigua and the drive to the town was long – too much sitting. I suspect my view of this tour is also somewhat skewed as well due to the onset of a nasty bug that hit me today. As the day wore on, I started to experience a sore throat and completely lost my voice by the time we returned to the ship. I was pretty much worn out at the end of the day as the germ sapped my energy and trying my best to hide it. I was the third in our party of three to finally succumb to illness. 😦 I hoped that it would not persist. When I got back to the ship, I retired to the stateroom for an early night. Our next day was to be a day at sea so I thought perhaps I would have the opportunity to rest and recover.
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 