Sail Away Gang - in living Colour - a photo review

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The cafe must have been aware of the numbers that would show up for lunch as they had a presentation to a member of each guide's group and then a show.

 

 

 

The cafe was full to brimming!

 

 

Once finished eating we were back on the sidewalk. Here are some street views of Leon:

 

 

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On our way back to the port the guide had our driver pull over to show us one of the active volcanoes in the area.

 

Told you I was feeling the heat! DD and DS wouldn't leave the air conditioned van.

 

Ah no, DH and I do not make a habit of wearing matching clothes. This was a fluke!

 

Back at the port there was a group playing music.

 

 

Eventhough this was an industrial port the building behind the men above had free WiFi at the other end and a small craft market set up. Many crew members and passengers were in there with their devices. We had signed up for the unlimited WiFi on the ship for $149 for the first 16 days for the mid level service.

 

We were exhausted from the heat but it was a wonderful day. Time to shower and get ready for dinner. We were in time to take in happy hour at the Ocean Bar. DD and DS really liked trying the different Mocktails.

 

[ger_77]

Your photographs are wonderful; each one is just so full of colour and character. As much as I love seeing your surroundings, I adore the pictures of your children - I'm sure we would have loved to be with them as much as the others did.

 

Hope you are feeling better, and that you, too, had a very special Mother's Day.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

PS: Please tell me you brought home some fabric . . . I can't think of a better souvenir for a quilter!

[Lizzie68]

Wonderful photos, Gail, and I especially enjoyed these as I didn't do this tour (the heat finally got to me) and I love the photos of the church.

[CowPrincess]

As ger_77 mentioned, the colours are so vibrant. Really breathtaking. Will this trip be an inspiration for a quilt? ;)

[1of4]

Your photographs are wonderful; each one is just so full of colour and character. As much as I love seeing your surroundings, I adore the pictures of your children - I'm sure we would have loved to be with them as much as the others did.

 

Hope you are feeling better, and that you, too, had a very special Mother's Day.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

PS: Please tell me you brought home some fabric . . . I can't think of a better souvenir for a quilter!

 

Thank you so much! :) I did not stop in any of the fabric stores we passed as it was only me that was interested....BUT that won't be the case WHEN we get to Bali - then it is bring an empty suitcase and everyone clear the decks!!!

 

As ger_77 mentioned, the colours are so vibrant. Really breathtaking. Will this trip be an inspiration for a quilt? ;)

 

I am glad you are enjoying it. Nice to hear. I have a few idea mulling about my brain but I must admit that since I am still working out of the house 12 hours a day time for quilting is very limited...that doesn't stop me, just limits what I can do. I always make quilts for babies at the local hospital and I promised DS I would finish this one I started in the fall.

 

The lines and keeping them straight is very tricky but I thrive on the challenge. When it is done I will see what happens. A quilt representing the sunrise and sunsets is what I am thinking....

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Wonderful photos, Gail, and I especially enjoyed these as I didn't do this tour (the heat finally got to me) and I love the photos of the church.

 

Thanks Lizzie! I will be working on Guatemala when I get home today and hopefully will start loading those. I was so sorry you weren't with us for the tour of the school. I will load an extra batch of photos!

 

PS - DS is missing all the step grandma attention. Believe it or not, I think he grew while we were away! :eek: :)

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Update: I just had to share...

 

We had many comments about having the children with us for this cruise. They started out being mostly negative but as the voyage progressed they turned into positive comments about both children and the experience. DS is moderate to severely dyslexic (like me). DH just had a meeting with the school about needs for next year. This meeting was scheduled with less than 48 hours' notice and I work 1.5 hours away so I could not attend.

 

Anyway I just thought I would share that his teacher said as soon as the meeting began that the cruise taught him more than she could ever teach him and the experience was invaluable. She said he has shared with the whole class his experience of going to the children's school in Guatemala and seeing a huge yacht in Cabo San Lucas that turned out to be the smallest of 4 yachts owned by the same person. This one had a "shrink wrapped" helicopter on it.

 

Ian is expressing that he saw two ends of the spectrum and that if that man sold that yacht that he doesn't need because he has 3 others, imagine how many schools he could build.

 

All his teachers and the principal reinforced that travel is a fantastic learning opportunity and non of them had an issue with DS missing 2.5 weeks of school.

 

Just thought I would share this as DS had a very strong interest in continuing to support the school.

[Lizzie68]

Update: I just had to share...

 

We had many comments about having the children with us for this cruise. They started out being mostly negative but as the voyage progressed they turned into positive comments about both children and the experience. DS is moderate to severely dyslexic (like me). DH just had a meeting with the school about needs for next year. This meeting was scheduled with less than 48 hours' notice and I work 1.5 hours away so I could not attend.

 

Anyway I just thought I would share that his teacher said as soon as the meeting began that the cruise taught him more than she could ever teach him and the experience was invaluable. She said he has shared with the whole class his experience of going to the children's school in Guatemala and seeing a huge yacht in Cabo San Lucas that turned out to be the smallest of 4 yachts owned by the same person. This one had a "shrink wrapped" helicopter on it.

 

Ian is expressing that he saw two ends of the spectrum and that if that man sold that yacht that he doesn't need because he has 3 others, imagine how many schools he could build.

 

All his teachers and the principal reinforced that travel is a fantastic learning opportunity and non of them had an issue with DS missing 2.5 weeks of school.

 

Just thought I would share this as DS had a very strong interest in continuing to support the school.

 

 

That is so good to hear and validates everything we were saying.

 

I'm not surprised he grew - it seemed he was shooting up before our eyes! I do miss the hugs.

 

As to the school, yes so sad I missed it, but by 10:30 am that day day it was evident that I made the right choice in not getting on the bus.:o

[kazu]

Update: I just had to share...

 

We had many comments about having the children with us for this cruise. They started out being mostly negative but as the voyage progressed they turned into positive comments about both children and the experience. DS is moderate to severely dyslexic (like me). DH just had a meeting with the school about needs for next year. This meeting was scheduled with less than 48 hours' notice and I work 1.5 hours away so I could not attend.

 

Anyway I just thought I would share that his teacher said as soon as the meeting began that the cruise taught him more than she could ever teach him and the experience was invaluable. She said he has shared with the whole class his experience of going to the children's school in Guatemala and seeing a huge yacht in Cabo San Lucas that turned out to be the smallest of 4 yachts owned by the same person. This one had a "shrink wrapped" helicopter on it.

 

Ian is expressing that he saw two ends of the spectrum and that if that man sold that yacht that he doesn't need because he has 3 others, imagine how many schools he could build.

All his teachers and the principal reinforced that travel is a fantastic learning opportunity and non of them had an issue with DS missing 2.5 weeks of school.

 

Just thought I would share this as DS had a very strong interest in continuing to support the school.

 

how very nice (bolding is mine, hope it is ok).

 

It was a moving time and I can understand why many would still want to help.

 

It is truly touching that a child wants to help other children.

 

Your children were gems on the cruise 1of4. I know everyone on the roll call enjoyed them :)

[LandlockedColorado]

I have so enjoyed keeping up with all of you on the Sail Away Gang threads. Thanks to all of you for all the postings, and to you, 10f4, for your great pics.

 

I see that you are wearing the neck cooling scarf---did you find them helpful?

 

All of you seem to be so much fun--would love to meet you some day. :)

 

LC

[nana51]

I guess sometimes even a small world is too big! :rolleyes: Very strange as our dining table was #38. Okay, next time is a deal!

 

Were you at a table for 4? I saw a big table with a couple of cute little kids a few tables ahead, but they were much too young to be yours.

[nana51]

I am a retired elementary school librarian and do miss talking to children about their favorite books. I would love to have met your children. They look so British/Canadian and therefore very intelligent (born and bred Canadian living in San Diego now).:D

[Lizzie68]

I am a retired elementary school librarian and do miss talking to children about their favorite books. I would love to have met your children. They look so British/Canadian and therefore very intelligent (born and bred Canadian living in San Diego now).:D

 

Wow, glad I'm British/Canadian and therefore very intelligent:D Hope that comment didn't offend any other North Americans, LOL.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just catching up.

Wonderful review and great pictures.

[sail7seas]

Wonderful photos, Gail.

Thanks for sharing them with us.

Your children are beautiful and I enjoyed their photos. :)

[Vict0riann]

We all enjoyed your children. They make us feel younger!

 

That was such a hot day! As we went in to that Cathedral, a woman sitting on the doorstep (a tourist, I mean) looking very uncomfortable offered me $1,000 for my umbrella. I didn't take it, that's how hot it was!:eek:

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Were you at a table for 4? I saw a big table with a couple of cute little kids a few tables ahead, but they were much too young to be yours.

 

Lizzie reminded me of my dyslexic slip. We were at table 83, not 38 as I stated earlier! Sorry.

 

Yes we were at a table for 4 along the railing directly opposite of the dining room doors (the furthest point away from the doors). But when you boarded my DH disembarked so there was only 3 at the table.

 

As an aside...DH must be scary as more people talked to me with him gone! LOL.

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Monday April 20. We arrived at the dock at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala at 8 in the morning. The predicted weather was for 31 (88) degrees. After two days of intense heat we were happy to be "heading for the hills" on our tour organized by Kazu. This was the day we would visit the school. We were very excited.

 

It was a different, but beautiful, sunrise:

 

 

 

 

 

We could see from our starboard side verandah that there was quite a shopping area set up at the port.

 

 

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We were all carrying a HAL blue tote bag with sun hats and water bottles on the top so to disguise what was really in the bags...all the school supplies. We did not attract any attention so it was a good plan. After stuffing the pencil cases with supplies on our second sea day, Kazu had organized all the other supplies into the bags and we each took one. Some roll call members who were not on the tour walked out with us carrying a bag. A great team effort!

 

Here we were in Kazu's cabin to organize the pencil cases and other supplies

 

 

 

 

 

In no time we were in our vans and heading towards Antigua just over an hour into the mountains.

 

 

I saw my first coffee plantation. The trees are planted between the vines to shade the beans:

 

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Antigua is in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque influenced architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches. It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala but through the centuries suffered from repeated earthquakes which ultimately lead to the capital being moved. There were six major earthquakes in the sixteenth century alone. Our guide was very knowledgeable and obviously loves his home town as he took the opportunity to explain the interesting history. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

I was fascinated from the moment I stepped out of the van. So different from Canada; so beautiful. Our guide told us that many people still wear their native costumes but when the younger go to the city to work they usually change into Western clothes as people treat them like they are ignorant if they keep their native dress.

 

 

 

 

 

Look at that precious baby (in green hat) on its mother's back:

 

[Himself]

Thanks for the photo update. You make me feel like I was on the Cruise with you.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Thank you for sharing about how the school reacted. I am a teacher and a proponent of travel being the best education! My parents took me on my first cruise when I was 8, and I've been hooked ever since. Seeing history and geography come alive is just incredible! Keep up that great work showing your children the world!

[1of4]

 

I see that you are wearing the neck cooling scarf---did you find them helpful?

 

 

LC

 

Sorry I missed this question yesterday. :o

 

The neck cooling scarves worked...to a point. It was so very hot that they really didn't have a chance and once they warmed up around your neck they were done as there was no way to cool them back down unless you put them in more cold water...but then the gel would soak up more moisture....

 

The better option, in my opinion anyway, are the cooling cloths that you can put around your neck, on your head, around your wrists....they look just like a spongy fabric that is long like a scarf but get it wet and snap it and it goes cold. When it isn't cold anymore a bit more water and a new snap and they are cold again.

 

next time this is what I will bring. The neck scarves with the gel inside would work better in our summers in the north woods. ;)