Jan 29, 2020 - Tikal

After an overnight FDN (Fuente Del Norte) bus from Antigua to Santa Elena and a taxi ride at 5.30a just as the sun announced a new day, we arrived in Flores. We paid an extra 100 quetzals to gain early entry to our room at Villa de Lago, had a nap and went exploring. Flores is on an island connected by causeway to Santa Elena. It is small and easily walked around. We stopped for lunch at Cool Beans, a small restaurant in a hostal. Cheap like borsch and excellent typico food. Restaurants and hotels line the waterfront with small travel...

Jan 25, 2020 - Lake Atitlan

After spending a quiet a.m. in Copan, we boarded a sprinter van for the shuttle back to Antigua. At this time I must coment on the drive through Guatemala City....almost 2 1/2 hours it took on the tail end of rush hour. Chicken buses...highly colored old Bluebird schoolbuses with flashing LED colored lights drive along the shoulders of traffic lanes and just inch over into the traffic regardless of whom is beside them....and traffic stops to let them in! They are so much bigger. Motorcycles whiz past between lanes. Cars creep along ever...

Jan 18, 2020 - Antigua

Yesterday we were up at 4a to catch a 5.30a bus that left at 6a. Grace, Villa del Angel, had left a little breakfast and ordered a taxi. Christian was on time and deposited us in front of the Tica bus station at 5.15a. After checking in we met Dan a British chap who was adding El Salvador to his list of 74 countries. For us it was 88. It seemed no time at all till we were at the El Salvador border. Just before we stopped for a tortilla and cornbread breakfast. At the border (a river separates the 2 countries) the agent asked one passenger...

Jan 27, 2019 - Jan 27 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Sunday, January 27 Today was Guatemala day. We ordered room service for 6:30-7:00 since we had to meet our excursion at 8:20. Neither of us heard the alarm, and were awakened by the waiter knocking on the door at 6:45! I think I need to use the wake up call or my phone from now on—the little travel alarm doesn’t do the job for me anymore (remembering oversleeping on the day to visit Valley of the Kings in Egypt). We thought we’d have to shuttle to the cruise port (the regular dock has been damaged, so we are in the industrial area). The...

Dec 8, 2018 - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Our travel agent booked us on a coffee plantation tour in the Guatemala. So when we got off the boat, there was no bus to pick us up. Seems that another cruise ship took out the cruise dock, so we were at a commercial dock which private tour buses were not allowed. We were told to ride a local bus to the cruise dock. Well we all made it on different vehicles and walk through the shopping areas at the cruise dock, but no bus to meet us. Again Oralia Keeme who speaks Spanish and saved us at the airport in Miami got the info we needed. Our...

Sep 18, 2018 - Day 4 - Guatemala - Cultural Immersion

Today started off with another early morning at work in back to back meetings and putting out fires everywhere ;-) To top it all off I have been fighting a cold since last Wednesday and today it finally hit me hard and I could not get my nose to stop running. However, I refuse to allow a cold to keep me from exploring while I'm in another country. After finishing up meetings Aida took Shauna and I out to explore more of Guatemala City. We first stopped to get gas where apparently every gas station has someone who fills your car for you. The...

Sep 17, 2018 - Day 3 - Guatemala - Work, work, & work

Well folks not much to say here other than today was focused all around work. I launched my 20th line of business today in both Guatemala and Winnipeg. It was a super busy day with lots of things keeping me on my toes. Biggest plus was being able to enjoy the sunset over the mountains as the day ended. Then it was back to hotel for a quiet evening of room service and TV. Looking to explore some more of Guatemala tomorrow after work!

Sep 16, 2018 - Day 2- Guatemala - Lazy Sunday

The day started with Shauna and I checking out our site in Guatemala City and seeing the beautiful site within the 4 grand towers. The view from the towers is amazing and the agents get to see all the beautiful mountains around them while working. It was then back to our hotel to enjoy a traditional Guatemalan buffet and when I say buffet it was a MASSIVE buffet. There were so many amazing foods to try it was impossible to enjoy everything. We even got to enjoy live music while enjoying our lunch. Music is a huge part of the Guatemalan...

Sep 15, 2018 - Day 1 - Guatemala Independence Day

Today was an amazing first day in Guatemala. I landed and was greeted by a driver who took me to my hotel. The Westin Casino Real is top notch and I love all the decor. After checking out the hotel and settling in to my room, I hopped in an Uber (yes they have Uber) and headed to Antigua to meet up with a coworker who lives here, Aida. The hour long ride took me up and down mountains and near the volcanoes. It was so cool seeing all the shops and small villages along the way. Plus today was Guatemala Independence Day from Spain and people...

Feb 28, 2018 - Tom’s Birthday, Guatemala

Tom’s Birthday, Guatemala Feb 28 The stewards decorated our stateroom with a Happy Birthday sign and pompoms hanging from the ceiling. Quite festive for Tom’s 77th birthday. The ship was docked in an unusual place due to a tanker that had an oil spill. Not easy to get to shore. We just lazed around and didn’t even go into Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala since we were in port for a short time. Dinner was at Prime C with wonderful lamb chops and veal fillet. A birthday cake accompanied our dessert. Tom had a wonderful day.

Jan 19, 2018 - Sea day

Jan 19 Sea day today. The temperature was warm but the sun was very hot. It felt like it was burning on my skin. I went to the gym as usual and did a lot of walking on the ship. Later the hot tub felt so good. We read for awhile on the balcony. We played bean bag toss but were eliminated on the first round again. There are a lot of good, or at least lucky, players this cruise. It was windy, but the boat was steady. Tonite, the show was Getaway Island, 60s beach party. Music of the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett and others. It was pretty good,...

Jan 18, 2018 - Puerto Quetzel, Guatemala

Jan 18 We were late getting in to Puerto Quetzal Guatemala today. Puerto Quetzal is named after Guatemala’s national bird, the resplendent quetzal. The word comes from the Nahuatl “quetzalli”, meaning large, brilliant tail feather. Last night's winds slowed us down a lot. There is not much in the port area. There was a small area with souvenir shops and restaurants (as there is a marina right there too). It was mostly under a canopy of trees so you could barely tell anything was there. As we walked through, we were bombarded with the local...