November 10, 2011

Our cruise got off to an interesting start on Tuesday evening – with a trip to the Emergency Room.  Bonnie had carpel tunnel surgery last week, the medicos took the stitches out Tuesday afternoon, and Tuesday evening while I was packing, she looked down at her hand and said, “I’m bleeding!”

Being an Eagle Scout with a First Aid Merit Badge, I knew exactly what to do!  I put my head between my legs and did not faint.

I helped her wash her hand, and then, using band-aids, pulled the wound together and off to Doctor’s Hospital.  The ER doc said, “All is well, just pulled loose on top (well, due).”  He put steri-strips on and we returned to packing.

We drove to Miami yesterday, singing “Happy Birthday” to Jennifer on the way.  Happy 41st to our first born.  Does that make me old?

The Florida Turnpike is not user friendly.  Here are some of the signs: “There are no cash ticket booths in Miami. Use Sun Pass.”  “Penalty for not stopping – $100.”  Liars!  There are cash booths, so they stressed my co-pilot out for nothing!

Dinner at Denny’s was less than satisfactory.  No apples for the chicken apple salad. Green beans that were overcooked and underflavored.  A waitress who never came back.  May I see the manager, please.  And the price of our bill was reduced.  Yipee!



11 – 11 – 11

Me and Danny Glover!

We pooped out early.  Again.  But not before we had supper with a delightful gathering of folk.  Among them Jenna, and her daughter Cornelia (from Atlanta) celebrating their birthdays – Mom’s tomorrow, daughter’s today.

We rolled out of bed around 7 a.m., to a gently rocking ship.  As rough a sea as we’ve ever sailed, but still quite comfortable.  Coming back from breakfast, we stopped at Guest Relations so we could get another map of the ship, and as we walked away I heard a young man ask for sea-sick pills for his very sea-sick wife.  Laugh at our Trans Dermal patches will you!  Ha!

Our table mates for breakfast were Jack and Phyllis from the Holy City, home of PNC Park and Heinz Field.  Conversation was filled with references to the Pirates and the Steelers.  They, like your humble scribe, follow the Bucs more closely than we do Big Ben and the boys.  All together now, a few bars of “It’s A Small World.”

I met last night with the cruise director, Rich, and his associate, Caissie.  We did an interview for broadcast on ship’s TV, and then my first talk will be at 12:30 today – “Cozumel, Land of Swallows.”  “Pirates of the Caribbean” will be offered on our return day at sea.  When we dock at Cozumel, Bonnie and I will be escorts for an 8 hour trip to the ruins at Tulum.

First talk over.  Bonnie pronounced it as well done.  Perceptive woman!  The rolling of the sea that I mentioned above had intensified by the time I did my talk.  I tried to walk across the stage as the ship was rolling, and I almost fell upon my derriere.  That would have been great for the shipboard entertainment, as they record the talks and replay them throughout the cruise.  So I stayed by the podium.  Your our not-so-humble cruise talker received a warm ovation.

November 12, 2011

An early start today, after we did the “Fall Back” maneuver – Cozumel is in a different time zone.

From breakfast up on the Resort Deck, we returned to our stateroom to pick up our going ashore documents. We passed young couple who were dragging their suit cases.  I asked, “You’re not leaving us, are you?”  The lady said, “Just as soon as we can get off of this ship!”  Bonnie said, “Well, I hope you had a good time.”  The lady said, “It’s been a terrible time!”  A few minutes later, we walked through the Grand Foyer, seeking our disembarkation, and there were the two unhappy sailors.

Parenthetical remark: I really dislike the phrase Happy Camper or Not A Happy Camper – let’s apply for a new tired, worn out cliche.  But then, it wouldn’t be a cliche, would it?

The two had multiplied and now there were four.  No idea what it was all about.  We guessed extreme sea sickens (we did see one woman with her head in a trash can).  But whatever the cause, I’m glad I won’t be paying their airfare back to the U. S. of A.

Bonnie and I escorted a group of tourists to the Maya ruins at Tulum.  Basically, our job was to help keep the group organized, and see that they followed our guide’s instructions.  Several people in our group had seen my earlier performance and asked me questions about the Maya’s and Tulum.  That was neat.

Tulum was as magnificent as we remembered it from an earlier trip to Cozumel.  The last Maya site built, it continued to be populated by local citizens.  Until the Spanish came in, and what they did not kill with the sword, they killed with plague and disease.  By the end of the 16th century, Tulum was an empty site.

Parenthetical remark number 2: The Maya’s had their revenge, after a fashion, sending tuberculosis and a particularly nasty version of syphilis.

I got some great pictures, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  The only downer was the ride from the dock to the mainland.  “Bumpy” and “chopping” do not do the waters justice.  I saw another bucket head lady on the tender that took us to Playa del Carmen. 

One of the folks who went with us to Tulum had a bit part in a movie directed by Robert Redford.  The film was “The Dark Wind,” based on a Tony Hillerman book with the same name.  Hillerman is one of my favorite authors and it was great meeting someone familiar with his work.

We ended the day a great dinner, and a really super show. 

November 13, 2011

“The best laid plans of man oft times go astray” William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2.

Well, if the Bard didn’t say that, he should have.   And if Hamlet didn’t say it, some sure did.

The nightly entertainment has been good.  Except for a professional comedian flown in last night for the occasion, all performers are members of Millennium’s crew.  And what a talented bunch they are.  Last night they did “I-Broadway” which featured music from “Wicked,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “West Side Story,” “ Superstar,” “Lion King,” “Tommy,” “Mamma Mia,” “Cats,” “Jersey Boys,” and “Hairspray.” 

They only did one song from “Cats.”  Can anyone tell me what song it was?  Oh, now let’s not always see the same hands!  Of course it was “Memory,” and like it does in the Broadway show, it was a show stopper here.

When we got back to our stateroom last night, we picked up our copy of “Celebrity Today,” and learned that my final talk would be today at one o’clock.  Opposite the Steelers-Bengals ball game. 

They talk went well.  As I talked about “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” I slipped in a few modern Pirates – Roberto Clemente, Danny Murtaugh, and Bill Mazeroski.  The crowd was bigger than the one at my first talk.  The cruise director apologized, saying these week-end cruises are largely beer and beach.  Oh well, as the Bros say.

And to all you Macedonian’s reading this, I can put people to sleep in several countries.  Bonnie said one of the attendees was snoring up a storm.