thefouramigosblog

I could barely sleep a wink last night in anticipation of arriving in Hawaii. I woke up before dawn because I had this brilliant idea that I would photograph the sun rising over Hawaii.  The only problem was, Hawaii was to our west and the sun was coming up in the east.  So no sunrise over Hawaii.  But it was great seeing land again and we watched the sun come up.

The Harbor was bustling with activity from large barges to small submarine type watercraft.  Linda was in Hawaii nearly 50 years ago and was amazed at all the changes.  From the pier, I was hard pressed to see this place as a tropical oasis.  It had more the grit of any mainland urban area with the exception of the aqua blue waters.

We ate breakfast in the dining room this morning which was far better for my waistline.  I ordered pancakes, which were about the size of a DVD and they only gave me two.  I also had a half a grapefruit and a tiny pastry.

I’m not much for the ship’s shore excursions.  I had booked tickets to tour the Arizona at the Pearl Harbor War Museum back in August and our scheduled time was at 2:30.  We had plenty of time to kill so we hopped the city bus and headed to Waikiki.

Waikiki was not exactly what I expected.  The water at the beach was beautiful but the avenue was lined with high rises and the streets were crowded with tourists.  I was glad I went to see it but it would not be my idea of a vacation spot.

After a brief walk on the sand, we stopped at a Kona coffee shop for coffee and cake. I had a pumpkin latte and a pumpkin scone.

We needed sustenance for our 1-1/2 hour bus ride to the Arizona tour.  Thank goodness we had plenty of time because that was a really long bus trip through some very colorful neighborhoods on the island.

My father was a WW II Navy veteran who served in the South Pacific.  I think that is why I always wanted to visit the Memorial dedicated to the men who died but also to the men who served.

We spent an hour or two wandering around the Pearl Harbor Visitor Centerprior to our tour of the Arizona.  The history of the attack on Pearl Harbor is detailed on plaques around the park as well as 24 minute film presented prior to boarding the launch to take us to the Arizona.

The USS Arizona Memorial is the resting place of 1,102 sailors and marines who died on December 7, 1941.  The Memorial was designed by Alfred Preis, an Austrian immigrant, who had been a detainee during WWII.  The structure has two peaks, connected by a sag in the midsection.

The Memorial was erected above the submerged USS Arizona, which you can see parts of from the side windows and an opening in its floor above the sunken decks.

This was a memorable experience and although it was 76 years ago, it was a time that should not be forgotten.

Our day ended with a soak in the hot tub, a delicious dinner and me writing this blog while everyone sleeps!

We have been cruising six days and the four of us finally started relaxing.  After the whirlwind trip in Washington State, we all needed some down time but there was always so much fun stuff to do.  Day six we finally chilled out.  We did our usual gym in the morning then headed up to the Windjammer for breakfast.  I’ve decided I need to eat a little healthier because my clothes are getting tight.

I can tell we are traveling south.  Everyday the temperature has risen by a few degrees even when the sun is hidden behind the clouds.  We’ve been enjoying the hot tubs but I heard the pools were quite chilly.

Traveling on a cruise ship is very interesting.  We’ve met people from all over the United States, Canadians, Australians, Japanese, Chinese and several Europeans.   I’m not much into karaoke but there are lots of karaoke contests as well as trivia contests going on around the ship.  Linda and I signed up for several seminars, all different names, but they were the same seminar.  Sort of like an infomercial on steroids.

Today Linda and I went to a stretch and release class.  That was actually very good with the exception that they tried to sell us something at the end.  If I have any objection about cruising, it’s the constant selling of services, goods or whatever.  I must turn down the punch card for alcoholic drinks at least three times a day.

Dinner tonight was excellent.  I keep meaning to take a picture of the escargot but my desire to eat it overrides my desire to photograph it.  Maybe tomorrow!

The ship is quite stunning with its glass, chrome and gold decor.  The workers are continually cleaning, shining and taking excellent care of the ship, while other employees work hard to please the guests.

Tomorrow we land in Honolulu.  We plan to go to the Pearl Harbor Museum and out to the Arizona.  It should be an interesting and informative day.

 

 

When you think of cruises you think food.  From the buffet to the main dining room to all the specialty dining venues if you choose to pay more, eating can become a full time habit.  So after three days of indulging in three meals a day, we decided to forego our midday meal.

We began the day with morning coffee delivered to our cabin and a banana for some energy.  Then we headed to the gym for a morning workout.  I put a little more energy into today’s workout, finally getting into the groove.  The gym is a lovely place on the bow of the boat.  It’s wonderful to workout and look out across the vast sea.

We had breakfast at the Windjammer where I had a fresh made omelet, English muffin and some fruit.  Our table was set against the backdrop of the dark blue ocean waters, where the sun filtered in through the panoramic windows.

In the early afternoon I took a nap.  I never usually take naps but I am learning how to take life a little easier.  Therefore a nap!  We met up with Linda and Stan for a 4:00 ice skating show that was really quite good.  The performers were all top quality skaters and someone told me that Royal Caribbean hires Olympic skaters.

Our dinner was excellent.  I had escargot again and a Thai shrimp dish.  It was delicious.  We ended the evening with a late night show.  It was a really funny comedian named Chris Bliss, who had us all laughing.  It’s been a fun day and I didn’t overindulge in food, worked out at the gym and had over 10,000 steps for the day.

Today was our third day on the ship and our second full day at sea.  The seas were noticeably calmer this morning as I and many others no longer needed to hold on to railings as the ship pitched and rolled.  In the dining room, faces were perkier and a little less green.

Linda, Stan, Bruce and I headed to the gym at 9 am.  It was packed full of sweaty middle to elderly aged individuals trying to turn back the hands of time.  We were still able to get in a fairly good workout although we took it relatively easy so we would be able to go to the gym tomorrow.

Sitting outside by the pool afterward, I could tell it was about 10 degrees warmer.  People were in short sleeved shirts and some were going in the outside jacuzzis.  I am looking forward to balmier weather when I can bring out my shorts and tank tops.

I went to my first art auction today.  Linda and Stan left early and Bruce would have, but he was humoring me.  I even bid on a painting and bought one.  Of course it was one of the real bargains.

Linda, Bruce and I had coffee with some friends in the late afternoon and explored other parts of the ship.  We found Dizzy’s Lounge named after Dizzy Gillespie, the famous jazz musician.

For dinner, I had escargot for an appetizer, crab cakes and a New York strip steak.  It was delicious.  Our waiters were fabulous.

After dinner we went to a late show with singing and dancing.  I loved it but I think Stan fell asleep.

 

It’s been a crazy few days.  We woke atop the mountain and watched the sunrise.  It was going to be another beautiful day.

Judy fixed a delicious pancake breakfast with fruit and then we said our goodbyes with a promise to see each other before we were using walkers.

We took a northern route back to Seattle, and stopped in this quaint northwest town, Winthrop.  The Main Street was bustling with shops and restaurants that maintained the look of the Wild West.

 

It was time for a break so we found a cozy coffee shop and bakery where I had a cinnamon apple walnut pull apart bun and Bruce had a whoopie pie.  The only place he ever had one of those was in Maine.

Back on the road, we drove through the North Cascades National Park.  The mountains were majestic and the aroma of pine was exhilarating.  How wonderous and magnificent the Northwest in all its splendor!

We arrived at Jeff and Ivette’s just in time for a delicious chicken dinner with molle over rice and salad, corn and tortilla.  After an evening of good conversation we all headed to bed since tomorrow was going to be a big day.

In the morning we decided to have breakfast at Gig Harbor.  A wonderful little venue with the most interesting breakfast choices.  I had apple pie waffles and the boys had sour cream and ricotta pancakes.  Actually, it was one pancake the size of a hubcap.  Ivette and Jeff had egg dishes that looked delicious.

After our farewells, we were on our way.  We dropped off the car and found a driver to take us to the ship.  It was an easy check-in which took about 10 minutes from start to finish.  Our cabins are roomy with a lot of storage space.  The bathrooms, however, are quite small.

For our first night, we decided to eat in the Windjammer, which is the buffet.  We really didn’t feel like dressing for dinner and we were all quite tired.  The ship has been rocking and rolling quite a bit and many passengers have been feeling the effects.  Luckily, the four of us don’t suffer from seasickness although we do have to be careful not to fall.

Our first full day at sea has been fun.  Linda and I attended a seminar on health and metabolism, then we all had a buffet lunch at Windjammer.  Our internet is not working well, so I met with the ship’s internet sales person and he gave me a 40% refund on my internet.  It’s been very difficult to write the blog and I’m sorry to say I won’t be including many photos until internet capability improves.

For dinner tonight, we ate in the dining room.  It was formal night.  Our waiter Alroy and assistant waiter Yogi were great.  We’ve already reserved a table in their station for tomorrow night.

 

 

 

 

 

We woke this morning to sunny skies over Puget Sound which is not a very common event.  Generally, this part of Washington State sees plenty of rainfall and more than its fair share of gray, misty days.   So the sunny skies also upped the temperature a bit so it was very comfortable for us southern folk.

We headed out after Jeff and Ivette fixed us a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and bagels.  We faced a four hour drive which I knew would undoubtedly be five after several stops for gas, photo taking and just a leg stretch.

The boys were fooling around at one of the gas stops, thinking about buying a beat up camper.

It was amazing how the topography changed as we passed over the mountain range heading towards Lake Chelan.

After five hours through scenic countryside, we finally reached Lake Chelan.

I met my friend Judy when I was 14 years old in East Hampton, CT where our parents owned cottages on Lake Pocotopaug.  We spent a lot of time together as teens and saw each other at times when we were grown.  Judy came to my weddings; I went to her weddings.  But she moved to the Northwest and I moved South. We figured it must have been almost 20 years since we last saw each other but time has not changed that bond we once had.

Judy and her husband Don run a fabulous winery called “A hard row to Hoe”.  There’s a double meaning to that name and a history behind it.  In the 1930’s a man ran a row boat taxi ferrying miners to a brothel located at Point Lovely on Lake Chelan.

Although I’m not a drinker, I did taste some grapes and also had a gala apple from their apple orchard.  Judy explained the wine making process and some of the differences in the reds and whites.

After an enjoyable afternoon learning about wine making, we followed Judy back to her house.  Thank goodness we were following her and it was still light out.  We went 7 miles up a mountain with some crazy hairpin turns.

Judy and Don’s house, set atop a mountain, had breathtaking views.  The house was a warm and welcoming abode with rustic timber beams.

We had a delicious dinner of ratatouille, steak and corn on the cob along with lively conversation and a great time with an old friend.

And for a few magical moments, I watched the moon rise above the mountains.  What a wonderful day!

The first leg of our travels began in the wee hours before dawn.  I woke to the first jingle of our melodious alarm clock in great anticipation of the journey ahead.  Our friend Joe arrived at 6:15 to take us to the airport.  I was surprised to see that even at that early hour the highway was quite crowded.  But no worries.  We made it to the airport in plenty of time.

After a quick change of planes in Atlanta, we were on our way to the  great Northwest.  Gazing out the window, the mountain ranges were already dotted white as snow had fallen in the higher elevations.   Trekking through the airport was quite difficult.  Since Bruce was not supposed to be lifting more than 10 lbs.  I worried that he might hurt himself with our carry on luggage.

With a little bit of effort, we made it to the the rental car office where we picked up a mini van.  Yes, a mini van.  We needed the space for luggage for four people.  While Bruce and I waited for Linda and Stan to arrive, we ate some pastries and I had a cup of coffee.  I needed an energy boost.

Yay they finally arrived and vacation begins. It was a scenic drive to Fox Island.

We missed a few turns and had to make a turnaround or two but we finally found Fox Island.  Riding the long curving roads to Fox Island and looking at the trees and waterviews, are reminiscent of the holidays we have taken at Acadia.

We arrived at Jeff and Ivette’s home early enough to sit out on their deck overlooking Puget Sound. They have a lovely home that was quite welcoming and the cutest golden doodle that actually rings a bell when she needs to go potty.  Jeff and Ivette prepared a delicious dinner.  Great food, wonderful hosts, fun times.  It was great seeing Jeff again, who I haven’t seen in over 10 years and it was a pleasure to meet Ivette.

The Northwest is beautiful!

 

 

It was a very busy week taking Spanish lessons every day and several days we had two hours of homework.  Carmen was an excellent teacher and I think our Spanish improved greatly.  It was challenging and most days we were pretty tired.

On Wednesday we went for a walk, and had lunch at Senor Pepian.  I had a vegetarian platter which was 30 quetzales, roughly $4 and Bruce had pepian, a traditional Guatemalan dish.  We ordered green iced tea.  The entire meal was less than $15 for the two of us.

On Thursday we did our homework our session with Carmen and then we went to Healing Hands for a massage.  Later we met some friends for coffee.  In the evening we had dinner with our friend Mark, and a woman named Julie who has returned to Antigua after being gone a year.  We ate at Michu’s and Bruce has tuna carpaccio which he had their when we first came to Antigua.  I had fried shrimp.  Julie had fish and Mark had a burger because he said they have the best ones in Antigua.

Friday was our last day of Spanish class.  Yea, no more homework.  Bruce and I went to the supermarket for a few things.  We certainly didn’t want any chickens or bunnies.

It really was sad today thinking this was our last Saturday in Antigua.  We went to Caoba Farms this morning for some veggies.  We met our new neighbors and told them about the organic farm.  Bruce and I had breakfast there and ordered the pancakes with macadamia nuts and bananas.  Very delicious.  After our breakfast we checked out the vendors.  Unfortunately, the ugly tomatoes are now out of season so we had to get some romas.  They are not as good but still pretty tasty.  We saw Deet and a few other people we know.  This is definitely a ex-pat hangout on Saturday morning.

It was a really warm, humid day today and for some reason I was finding my energy level down.  The crowds are becoming quite overwhelming and I am glad we will not be here for Holy Week.  They estimate a million people come to Antigua during this time.  Not good for me since I do have an aversion to crowds.  So walking is slower and crossing streets feels a little more dangerous.  We have to be vigilant of the chaotic traffic and people not being the best of drivers.  I have heard from people who lived here for many years that 20 years ago you rarely saw cars on the streets.

Bruce and I headed to Central Park and when we arrived, we stopped at Cafe Barista for a smoothie and to download some books onto our nooks.  The cafe usually has good wifi.  We spent some time recouping energy before heading out into the crowds.  Walking along Five Avenida, musicians were playing and vendors were setting up.  The road is closed off every Saturday but to me this felt different than other Saturdays.  Carmen, our Spanish teacher told us that the processional tomorrow is supposed to be one of the biggest.  In fact, she told us they will start closing streets tonight so they can make the carpets.

Ruth had asked me to take some picture of her weavings at the market so we worked our way up there.  It’s such a vibrant place.  The weavings are so beautiful and she had so many things to sell.  I did restrain myself today but there were several items that were lovely.  She has lovely pocketbooks, scarves, table runners and jewelry.  I told her I should set up a shop in the US.  Ruth would love that.  She is quite a business woman.  But competition is steep and sometimes people sell so cheap just to feed their families.

 

Bruce and I trekked all over Antigua today taking in the vibe of this fascinating community.  We ultimately ended up in Central Park where we spent some time people watching.  One of the Maya woman and her little daughter, Alexandra, stopped by to chat.  We had met her yesterday with her two sons, Willy and Jefferson, ages 3 and 4 but they were not with her today.  Again, the park was alive with color and activity.  We are going to miss the walks to the park, the socializing with people we meet and of course, all the wonderful food we have consumed during the past two months.  I needed to do all the walking or I would have been as big as a house.  Speaking of which we were ready to move on for afternoon cafe.

Cafe Boheme is one of my favorite cafes and I rated their strawberry tart the number one pastry in Antigua.  We ventured over there for an afternoon cappuccino and pastry.  It’s a lovely little place to hang out.  It sort of reminds me of places I went to in Greenwich Village in the late 60s.  It’s comfortable, the cappuccino is good, the service is great and it’s not a tourist place.

After Cafe Boheme, we wandered along and came across another temporary market by one of the ruins with lively music.  We stopped by to look at some of the handmade goods.  I did find a lovely little basket that I couldn’t resist.

All done browsing it was time to head home.  We stopped in at San Martin for another small Italian Bread.  This evening it’s home and blogging and eating avocado and tomato salad, bread, and pasta.  Life could not be any better.

On Sunday nights at 5:30 women gather on the corner of 6th and 6th in Antigua to dine together and talk about careers, NGOs and anything else that may come up during the hour or two gathering.  Deet is one of the women who began this gathering six years ago and has continued it every Sunday since, rain or shine.  The group can be as little as three or four women to as many as 20.  Many of the women are from the US.  Some I’ve met were from Canada and one I’ve become friends with is from Finland.  All have interesting histories and some are still working while others are retired.

This Sunday night I sat next to Geri from New Jersey who is in Antigua learning Spanish at one of the Spanish schools.  She has written one children’s book and is working on her second.  Several other women were in the Spanish classes and also doing volunteer work.  Adrianna, my friend from Finland, attends Spanish classes and volunteers at the school associated with Casa Jackson, where I volunteer.  It was at one of these dinners where I met Adrianna and found out about Casa Jackson.

After dinner, I met up with Bruce and we went looking for the sawdust and floral carpets that line the streets on the processional routes on Sundays during Lent.  The processional can last 12 hours or more and it still needed to pass near the restaurant I just ate at with the ladies.  I was so happy when two blocks away we came upon the first carpet.  Several people were busy adding the finishing touches.

 

We didn’t stay for the processional since I needed to be up an alert for Spanish classes the next day.

Antigua is known for their Spanish schools and people travel from around the globe to attend one of the reasonably priced, usually one-on-one classes.  We began our classes taught by Carmen, in the convenience of our apartment.  Our first class was Monday morning and it was slightly challenging although the two hours went rather quickly.

Bruce and I had a little bit of homework which we did while I cooked dinner.  After dinner we had coffee with friends and then to bed so we would be perky for our morning class.

Carmen came at 10 and we worked on conjugating verbs after she gave us a little test to see if we did our homework.  Tonight we need to fill out flash cards and memorize many words.  Yikes!

Bruce and I went to Cafe Escalonia for lunch and to rest our weary brains. We had soup and bread which was delicious.

Tonight I met Adrianna for coffee at Cafe Condessa. I’m feeling like this is home because I always run into people I know.  Deet happened to be in the cafe and she stopped by to chat for a minute or two.  Deet’s a big part of the ex-pat community and she has a big heart.  She is very welcoming and brings that warmth to all she meets.  A very active woman, she offers massages at very reasonable rates and also does tours at Caoba Farms on Saturday mornings.  In fact, I’ve had a massage by Deet and a tour by Deet.  Both terrific!

This evening more homework because Carmen will probably test us tomorrow!  Isn’t this fun!

 

 

 

Today was a special day.  Bruce and I had made arrangements to go to our friend, Ruth’s, house for lunch and to see her village and meet her family.  Before we left home Fuego was putting on a show this morning sending up puffs of smoke and some low rumblings.

We began our day by spending some time in Central Park.  The trees are in bloom and they are a vivid lilac color.  Cast against the volcano as backdrop the park is vibrant and colorful.

Our trip by cab to San Antonio Agua Caliente was about 20 minutes.  It is what we would call a suburb in the U.S.  Ruth introduced us to our two sons Mateo and Jose.

We also met Ruth’s daughter but she quickly passed through in her school clothes.  Ruth’s mother set up her backstrap loom and began demonstrating the weaving technique.  Ruth and her mother offer classes in this technique.

Ruth showed me a collection of belts that she made.  Some things are woven.  Some are embroiled.  Ruth showed me the difference between machine made and hand made garments.  The hand made garments can take up to six months to complete.  Some designs are more intricate then others.

Ruth made the top she is holding up.  And now it is mine.  I love the subtle colors in this top and the bottom is a light cotton material.

Many of the tops are colorful.  The birds are a motif used by the weavers from San Antonio Aguas Calientes.

Ruth and her mother also weave beautiful scarves, table runners and blankets.  Weaving is a disappearing art form but in Ruth’s family it has been passed down through the generations.  Ruth helps support her family by  selling these lovely pieces at Central Park during the week and the Weavers Market on Saturdays in Antigua.

We had a delicious Guatemalan lunch, pepian, prepared by Ruth’s mother and aunt.  Ruth and her mother also offer Guatemalan cooking classes at their home.

It was a wonderful afternoon spent at our friend Ruth’s tranquil home surrounded by her loving family.