Anvils and Stones

Sorry for no report the past couple of days. But I seek to avoid another $100 telecommunications fee if it all possible and therefore am limiting my time on line.

Now where were we? Ah yes, in Veracruz. The most amazing send-off from port. I estimate somewhere between two and three thousand locals crowded the pier in the hours preceding our departure, drinking cerveza, eating food from the vendors, and enjoying the entertainment organized for our visit. We pulled out around sunset with much tooting of the ship’s horn and clapping and waving from the assembled masses on the pier.

The following day in Dos Bocas was similar in terms of a community reception. We were docked in an industrial area – a big Pemex staging area – and the locals were confined to a roped-off area immediately adjacent to the ship.

The local hospitality committee had constructed a dozen or so “grass shacks” and set-up tents filled with peddlers of local arts and crafts. There was the obligatory folk dancing. On the beach on the other side of the ship – no more than a few hundred yards distant there was an all day party for the locals. A large plastic bottle of Corona dominated the beach scene and as we pulled-out of the harbor the folk dancers and entrepreneurs on the one side, and the local beach party goers on the other side all wished us bon voyage with much clapping and general whooping-it-up. Fireworks were discharged. The Captain again went ship’s horn crazy.

As a resident of a community that is much more ambivalent about the cruise industry – it was all quite interesting. It appears that several of these communities are making a big play to bring ships into port on a regular basis.

Yesterday’s stop in Progreso was much more low-key. We were tied-up far away from anyone or anything, were only in port for six hours, and had no welcoming or bon voyage committee. All of the organized tours involved long bus rides. I spent the day getting a sunburn on the Lido deck.

We’re now en route to Cartegena, Columbia. Two sea days. More tough duty. Got up this morning, had coffee, a good long workout, and then a massage at the spa. A whole hour being rubbed with oil and hot rocks by an attractive young woman. The hot rocks may sound like something from the Spanish Inquisition; but trust me…it’s GREAT! After the massage I went up to the Crow’s Nest and promptly fell asleep in a recliner. Like I said – another day at the salt mines.

I continue to pal around with my new found Canadian friends. Night before last my dinner partners included a couple from New Westminster – relative youngsters in their 50’s. The gentleman spent a good portion of the time we spent at table describing his participation in a rather quaint custom that has apparently been practiced in New Westminster for almost 150 years. The ritual involves firing a salute every year on Her Majesty’s birthday.

What’s unusual is that instead of firing cannons or muskets as one might expect, the black powder charge is somehow attached to pairs of anvils. Apparently at some point 150 years or so ago the British withdrew all their cannon from the Vancouver area for service elsewhere. It was left to an enterprising Welsh blacksmith to devise a substitute for the Queen’s salute. The details of exactly how this is accomplished remain a tad murky to me…but I was assured that the end result is quite satisfactory – dogs and cats panic for miles around. And they get to play dress-up and wear redcoats. And they drink a lot of beer. The missus spent most of the meal rolling her eyes…

It is a tad rough today…gale force winds with significant seas and swells. The ship doesn’t really roll or pitch much…just kinda lurches. Although I expect there will be fewer folks at supper tonight than of late. It’s a “formal” night so I’ll have to put on a monkey suit.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been on board for almost a week. The time does fly. I am confident I will endure the next two weeks without stress OR boredom. I think I will work my way down the spa menu…