ADIOS MEXICO – SWINE FLU BRINGS NEW ITINERARY:
Our Tuesday at sea included an assortment of activities including poolside lounging, raising money to fight breast cancer, a cocktail party and a formal dinner. But the question on everyone’s mine is “will the Swine Flu keep us from visiting Mexico?”
We get our answer during cocktail hour (which may have softened the blow for our passengers). Nope, for our safety, the captain announces no Mexico. It’s adios Acapulco, hello Guatemala.
We land Wednesday morning in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, which is the country’s largest Pacific Ocean port. It is important for both cargo traffic and a stop-off point for cruise ships. Today, we share the port with the “school ship” Explorer and “condominium ship” The World. On our portside shuttle ride we meet a group of students from University of Virginia in Richmond. They are just wrapping up their floating education aboard Explorer. What a great way to learn and see the world at the same time. The girls are obviously saddened to see their seafaring education come to a close.
At the next berth is docked The World, where passengers shell out at least $2 million to purchase an 800-square-foot stateroom to call their floating home. Looks like the good life, indeed, but even with $1,000 a month condo fees, The World lacks a Lido buffet, so it’s back to the Westerdam for us.
Puerto Quetzal serves as a gateway to Guatemala’s inland attractions such as Mayan antiquities, colonial cities, rain forests and volcanoes, but we’re discouraged by the high taxi fares, and opt to check out the Guatemalan vendors, and share some laughs with shipmates over a Gallo, Guatemala’s answer to Molson Canadian.
Tomorrow, our last impromptu port of call, we will make history for Holland America Line. This is the first time a HAL ship will dock in Nicaragua.
