Dec
30
Costa Rica
Filed Under Panama Canal 2009
9:41PM
At Sea
Our ship met Puntarenas, Costa Rica today. We were in port from 7am to 8pm, our longest docking by far on this trip (in all previous ports, we have been back out to see by noon or 1pm). Approximately 1,400 passengers aboard the Coral were gone on shore excursions today, but we hung back. For breakfast, I had my first bowl of cereal on this cruise. Previously, I’ve consumed full breakfasts consisting of sausage, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, juice and milk; I think that maybe I’m starting to get sick of food, or at least food in large quantities, so the cereal provided a nice break. After breakfast, we went ashore and browsed the local vendors along the beach. We happened upon some unique items that I’ve never seen before. The vendors here were much easier to deal with. Rather than getting in your face, they let you browse on your own which I prefer. I ended up purchasing a necklace for $2 and some pretty, wooden coasters for $13. Dad is the only one of us who brought cash on this trip, so he has been serving his duty as The Bank (more withdrawals than deposits). Although we have been hopping to different foreign countries, we have been able to do business with American currency.
We hit 90-degree weather today. The beach is very nice, and I thought about going back after lunch, but I then remembered that sand and salt water the funnest elements to deal with after. Instead, I parked myself on a lounge chair by the ship’s outdoor pool and hot tubs. The pool area is usually flocked with people, but since everyone was on land today, the place was practically vacant. I made first-time use of the swimming facilities during breaks from my book and later napped. At 4:15, the three of us attending afternoon trivia and came one question away from winning. We actually attended morning trivia today, too, where we each one luggage tags. Oooooh. Speaking of trivia, the answers are Stu ??? (oops, I already forgot the last name), Chile, and “The Lion King.”
Tonight’s headline entertainment featured a juggler whom the kids in the audience liked very much. We are at sea tomorrow, but the ship has many activities and celebration events planned for bringing in the New Year. I would like to stay up for the countdown, but I also want to be fully awake when we reach the first lock of the Panama Canal on New Year’s Day. We’re almost there!
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Today: At home in EP
Yesterday: Wild NY Eve Party at friends in Bloomington. Took 3rd in Wii Bowling tournament
Just don’t say Green Bay to me without getting a funny look on my face.
Sound like you are having fun on your trip.
Eric, hopefully you came in 3rd out of more than three teams? The ship has offered some Wii@Sea activities but I haven’t made it to any of them. Too much to do on here!
See you and Tracy in a few weeks. Happy New Year!
Katherine mentioned about the food. It was available ’round the clock! With that in mind, I weighed myself early part of cruise and happy to note that my dining self-discipline paid off. Jack and I (referred to by Katherine as “the parents”) did a 30-min. walk on the Promenade in Deck 7, as regularly as time permitted; we also attended a yoga session. But kudos to Jack for doing his “Salute to the Sun” tai chi warm-up every morning before breakfast.
Puntarenas offered us (I should say ‘me’)another leisurely shopping spree ashore. Our last purchase was a bag of authentic Costan Rican coffee beans.