Lots to tell since last post. First and foremost, the tale of the scale. Thursday morning weigh-in says 209.8, cumulative total -2.2 pounds. I immediately went to the Lido for pancakes, bacon, fried eggs and waffles with whipped cream! I mean you can’t have a sixteen week project and meet the goal too early, can you????
Friday, we arrived in Callao, the port for Lima, Peru. The ship provided a free shuttle to Lima, about 8 miles. Ships do not always provide free shuttles so the savings generated by not having to pay for transportation to and from the ports, as I understand they will be doing throughout the cruise, will be significant. We hadn’t been to Lima since 1977 and even thought there is very little new construction, we didn’t recognize anything. Gone are the street vendors who sold Indian handicrafts at ridiculously low prices. They’ve all been moved to a section of town called Indian Market, storefronts that have seen better days and are being put to use rather than remain empty. Also gone are the American cars I remember from 1977. Every vehicle on the traffic clogged streets was a 20 year old American car, ‘54 Fords, ‘56 Chevys and even a Studebaker or two. All now replaced with 95% Japanese/Korean vehicles. Gas is $5.10 a gallon!
WE grabbed a cab and went to Baranco for lunch. Sundays at home are a ritual. Gina makes poached eggs in the morning, then we go to Shaw’s for fresh fish (Whole Food’s fish is about double) which I prepare for dinner. Lunch is on our own, mine usually two beers and a bowl of popcorn. Soledad is the lady who sells us our fish on Sundays. She is a native of Lima and recommended a restaurant in Baranco for lunch, Rustica, and this is where we went. Buffet style, all Peruvian, lots of rice and sauces but not enough veggies for Gina’s taste. I thought it was great.
Day two in Lima brought the first of our four escorted tours. As hosts, we must arrange a meeting place on the ship, pass out tour stickers identifying which coach they will be assigned to, and escort them to the coaches. This part was a minor disaster as the cruise line gave us a place to meet that held 40 people at best and our count was 87. We hurried the process along but the passengers arrived dockside before the coaches were in place. Confusion ruled but we were able to straighten it out with no help from the ship’s shore excursion staff (more on that in a later post). The tour was excellent and included a Peruvian lunch in the shadow of an ancient step-pyramid. One gentleman did take a tumble in the restaurant. The passengers were great, helped him back to the coach and we had a wheelchair waiting for him upon arrival at the ship. Whisked him off to the medical center where he was seen and sent home (his cabin).
Four days at sea until Easter Island, then five days at sea before the next port.
Joe Wagg
I remember Peru in 1977. Lots of hand-painted canvases "one of a kind!" until sold and replaced by a near duplicate. Carved gourds, dancing men on sticks, and burnt French peanuts - which I still have a taste for. But the most memorable item would have to be Inka Kola, which is now available in the US as Inca Kola. Coca Cola bought them years ago.
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