back..

Sorry for the delay but being retired does cause scheduling problems
. Working in vital activities like naps, eating out, naps, and travel
are harder than you think when you no longer do the 9 to 5 routine.

After years of avoiding cruising, age has pushed us back into
that slower travel form. We are Holland America fans and
will be going on our third with them this summer and our 4th
this winter.


New Years was spent aboard the Eurodam

We started the adventure the 26th of December in Knoxville, TN.
The plan was to leave our local airport at 6 AM, be in Miami two hours later,
shuttle to Ft. Lauderdale and board the Eurodam around lunchtime.

Our American Airline pilot modified that schedule by
showing up a half hour late for the flight and then
driving our jet off the runway and into the soft grass and
heavy snow. An HOUR later we were evacuated from the American
jet by a very professional and efficient "Local" firefighting crew, carried by
bus back to the terminal and in general abandoned by American. In
short, thirty hours later American Airlines flew us to Miami. After
demanding they send us on to Belize (the first stop for the ship that
they had caused us to miss)
we took the first tender out to the Eurodam two days into
the cruise.


Our travel agent told us American was
the worst when it came to correcting
mistakes and we agreed.

Once on board the Eurodam things improved
greatly. Joining a ship is much different than
embarking on the first day of a cruise.
The crew of the Eurodam went out of their way
to welcome us and although we were required
to leave our passports with the front desk for the duration,
the service and general attitude of the
ships crew was light years ahead of what
we experienced with American Airlines.


Our first day (third for the cruise) was spent in
Guatemala visiting a large Mayan village featuring
many ruins.
The country has a per-capita income of less than
$300 dollars a month but is very
rich in history and tradition. The Eurodam
docked at a container port secured by
a private police force sporting fully
automatic weapons. The small town at the port
was third world with hungry dogs and horses
wandering the streets.


The following day we were in Roatan, an
island off the coast of Honduras.
The port was built specifically for
cruise ships and featured a new shopping village
and a great beach, accessed by a chair lift from the
dock. Shopping was normal island prices and
the products were mostly imported.


New Years Eve was spent
on the Yucatan Peninsula
touring the ruins of Tulum
all day followed by a
really great Mexican late lunch and beach
walk before we took the 7 PM ferry ride back to the
Eurodam that evening.


One more day at sea,
enjoying the Eurodam
before
reaching Ft. Lauderdale..then an over night
stay in Miami
before heading back to
Knoxville...on American.

Next stop is Alaska!