Picto Diary - 16 September 2017 - Antigua, Guatamala

Note: TIMDT and Mwah (sic) cruising south on the eastern Pacific Ocean towards the Panama Canal. Four weeks and four days post surgery (Bishop) to repair a tibial plateau fracture suffered in a motorcycle incident on 08 August 2017 near Buena Vista, CO. Regent Seven Seas Mariner.

Above: Wheel Chairs in Compass Rose Restaurant, Regent Seven Seas Mariner. 16 September 2017.

Bishop is not the only invalid on this ship! Most "impaired" are men being pushed/squired around by their spouses. I'm guessing there are 12 to 15 in this "requiring assistance" category (I've seen only one woman in a chair) on this ship.

We (TIMDT, SpaGo, Montage and Mwah [sic]), discussed possible reasons for the predominance of men, and not women, in the invalid category. Reasons given were: 1. Shorter life span of men relative to women ergo. men start to deteriorate before their wives. 2. In most marriages, men are older than women. This amplifies reason #1. 3. Men are less likely/prone/able to be care givers. 4. Women/wives, are more eager to keep their husbands vital by being out and about, than are men vis a vis their wives.

On the Regent Seven Seas Voyager cruise in April of this year, from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi, I rolled my eyeballs a few times when witnessing slow poke, "impaired" passengers. "Why don't they stay home?," I might have selfishly and thoughtlessly mused. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I celebrate these people for reaching beyond their infirmities to obtain new levels of enjoyment.

Lottsa Sea Days

From San Francisco we've been out cruising south for six days and have had only one stop: Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico.

We were due to make a call on Acapulco, but were thwarted in this because of having to sail, west, around category 1 Hurricane Max. Max hit Acapulco the day we went by and did a fair amount of damage.

It is interesting how US centric American media coverage is ( or so it seems to me) relative to weather conditions around the globe. While the US has experienced hurricanes Harvey and Irma, there have been two or three Pacific storms strike Mexico. Mumbai is inundated because of greater than normal monsoon rains.

Next stop, tomorrow, is Port of San Jose, Guatamala. I don't plan on getting off the ship. TIMDT and SpaGo have reservations to go visit a Guatamalan colonial town.

Above: Panama Canal. File image. 16 September 2017.

(note: not at Canal yet.... but, reading up before arrival).

Great.

New, larger, canal locks suffused with poor workmanship, engineering flaws, and unwanted porous concrete.

Overall builder incompetence. Spanish led consortium, which notwithstanding their questionable work, is asking for $5 billion of cost overruns from the Panama Canal Authority.

Wonder who got rich off of this one?

Maybe we should turn the Regent Seven Seas Mariner around?

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/22/world/americas/panama-canal.html?smid=fb-share

Above: Our cabin. Regent Seven Seas Mariner. Docked at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. 16 September 2017.

Bishop holds down the fort in the cabin as TIMDT joins SpaGo on a tour excursion to Antigua, Guatemala.

Out this port window is the only part of Guatemala I'll see.... on this trip.

Above: Antigua, Guatemala. 16 September 2017. Image by TIMDT.

The city is in the central highlands of Guatemala. It is known for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture as well as a number of ruins of colonial churches. It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gimpy legged Bishop was unable to join SpaGo and TIMDT on this excursion. Just as the Bishop channeled his kids' families' early August 2017 Riverton, WY visits to see the total eclipse, he also channeled the Antigua visit through the reports of TIMDT and SpaGo.

Above: Beyond Antigua, Guatemala: Volcan di Agua. File image. 16 September 2017.

Volcan di Agua rises over six thousand feet above the elevation of Antigua and has a total elevation of about 11 thousand feet. It has a climbing path for those with the time to do it.

Guatemala's central cordillera has a couple of dozen volcanoes, several of which are still active. The highest of the volcanoes clear 12K feet.

Guatemala is ground zero for the Mayan Civilization which died out (as a great civilization) around 900 AD, purportedly due to climate change (drought).

TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have a friend who started a foundation in Guatamala to provide native peoples, used to using brush and fire wood for open cooking fires, with stoves. The stoves conserve fuel and reduce deforestation as the population grows.

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with 16 million souls. Panama, by contrast, has four million people.

TIMDT reported seeing a number of American women, in lacy clothing, working in some of the stores. According to her guide, she said, there are quite a few American families living in retirement in Antigua.

Above: Tropical Depression 15 in the eastern Caribbean Ocean. 16 September 2017.

Storm will be named "Maria" if and when it becomes a Tropical Storm. It appears to be headed on a similar path to Irma which devastated Florida a few days ago.

A lot of storm activity in the Caribbean and the Atlantic probably has the captain of the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, and his crew, on their toes as, after passing through the Panama Canal, they must negotiate a pathway to New York City through this storm riddled area.

Addendum:


Craig, my race mechanic, says he can put a small block Chevy
on the back of your wheelchair to help out TIMDT on the hills……

The Commodore,
Park City, UT


What a great blog! Love to you and to Margaret!

ZIB
New York City, NY


Sounds like a great way to recover. I got another Coritzone treatment for my hip - the reason I was not riding in the Big Dog. This one seems to be working. I am reading Elisapeth Beard's book Lone Rider about a MC trip round the world. Seems good but I only started. I also have been watching DVD's of a British drama called Foyle's War. Fantastic if you can find em. Got mine in the library.

Burning Man,
Reno, NV

Thanks for the book recommendations. I've seen a dozen episodes of Foyle's War. Second your recommendation.


Great entertaining book. Glad cruise is going well. I thought it made sense to go. Just arrived in nyc and it is booming w traffic and construction. Enjoy yourself.

Comic Mom,
New York City, NY

Above: FeeBee and Bud. Park City Balloon Festival. 16 September 2017.