August 21 -- We sailed into San Diego Harbor this morning at 7:15am and docked about 8am. The hills of San Diego were a beautiful sight! The Customs officers came aboard, and the ship cleared Customs about 10am, and then they started calling us to disembark. It was an emotional scene, with everyone suddenly realizing that they had to leave all of these new friends with whom they had spent the past two months. There were tears and lots of hugging.
Mom and I disembarked with the Faculty, Staff, and Lifelong Learners, and picked up our 6 duffle bags and 5 boxes. We immediately took most of this luggage to UPS, and shipped it home in three batches (Mom's home, my home, and my office).
Then we took a taxi to the Hampton Inn Airport/Sea World, which I chose because of Erin's hearty recommendation. I have to say, she was right! It is a beautiful hotel, a little far from the center of town, but near the airport. The rooms are huge after the close quarters in which we have lived for 65 days, and there are two (count 'em, TWO!) queen-sized beds with luxury duvets and lots of pillows on each bed. I must confess we got into the room about 1:30pm, and fell asleep about 1:35.
We're flying to Charlotte, NC tomorrow ...
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
WebCam of San Diego Dock
If you are up about 7 or 8 am (Pacific Daylight Time), you will be able to see the arrival of the MV Explorer on this webcam of San Diego Harbor.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Winding Down and Wrapping Up
August 16-20 -- These last few days are devoted to the last classes, turning in papers, evaluating classes, studying, and taking final exams. The staff and faculty are completing evaluations, grades, writing reports, etc. In the library, we are taking reserve materials off reserve, getting books that are charged out back, and packing up materials that will be shipped to Better World Books.
We've completed the majority of pulling reserve materials for the next voyage, marked them with yellow Reserve tape, and updated the sublocations and circulation types in Destiny. All Kathy will have to do for these items is add the Categories to the copy records.
[to be continued ...]
We've completed the majority of pulling reserve materials for the next voyage, marked them with yellow Reserve tape, and updated the sublocations and circulation types in Destiny. All Kathy will have to do for these items is add the Categories to the copy records.
[to be continued ...]
Guatemala
August 11-15 -- Guatemala was supposed to be a "difficult" port. The presidential and congressional elections take place in early September, and so far, this has been the bloodiest election campaign to take place here. At last count, I believe there were 42 election-related killings this summer. The candidates campaign with bodyguards. Part of the problem is that the drug cartels are trying to get their hands into the government, because Guatemala is a very convienent thoroughfare to Mexico and the United States for drugs.
Secondly, there is a great deal of suspicion about the motives of Americans coming to Guatemala, since adoption of Guatemalan children is relatively frequent. There have been cases of Americans innocently taking pictures of or talking to children, and then being attacked because it was thought they might be preparing to steal them.
Finally, three days before we arrived, the Pacayo volcano erupted, resulting in the cancellation of two field trips, and while we were here, the Fuego volcano erupted. Whew! However, as far as I know, there were no problems while we were in Guatemala, and everyone got back onto the ship OK.
The ship was docked here for five days, and I took field trips for the first three of those days. One difficulty is that the port of Puerto Quetzal is out of reach of everything - the closest city (Antigua) is a 2-hour drive by bus. And all of the field trips I went on centered around Antigua. First, I went to the Filadelfia Coffee Finca or plantation, where we got to see their operation from beginning to end. This was a much more realistic tour than the Britt Coffee Plantation in Costa Rica.
The next day, I was on a tour called "Textiles, Traditions, and Tortillas." We went to "La Casa de Artes," where the owner talked to us about the history of textiles in Guatemala. This is a truly fascinating topic, since each village weaves a specific design. The speaker was very knowledgeable and I enjoyed listening to her. We also got to see a presentation of two traditional dances by a professional dance troop. We ate at a lovely restaurant (heavy on the red meat), and spent the afternoon at a Master Weaver marketplace in a nearby town, San Antonio Aguas Calientes. Yes, there's a hot spring there. We saw the women weaving, then had the opportunity to buy their products. For textile lovers, it was a perfect day!
Finally, on Aug. 13, I went on a trip to a place called the Open Windows Library, in the town of San Miguel Dueñas, where they provide a place for children ages 3-18 to study before or after school, and provide a library and computers for them (public schools do not have libraries here). We brought study materials and books to donate to the library, and we spent a couple of hours interacting with the children.
I should mention that in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, we had thunderstorms on a daily basis, any time from 5pm to late at night, since this is the rainy season. The lightning and thunder were truly impressive!
Secondly, there is a great deal of suspicion about the motives of Americans coming to Guatemala, since adoption of Guatemalan children is relatively frequent. There have been cases of Americans innocently taking pictures of or talking to children, and then being attacked because it was thought they might be preparing to steal them.
Finally, three days before we arrived, the Pacayo volcano erupted, resulting in the cancellation of two field trips, and while we were here, the Fuego volcano erupted. Whew! However, as far as I know, there were no problems while we were in Guatemala, and everyone got back onto the ship OK.
The ship was docked here for five days, and I took field trips for the first three of those days. One difficulty is that the port of Puerto Quetzal is out of reach of everything - the closest city (Antigua) is a 2-hour drive by bus. And all of the field trips I went on centered around Antigua. First, I went to the Filadelfia Coffee Finca or plantation, where we got to see their operation from beginning to end. This was a much more realistic tour than the Britt Coffee Plantation in Costa Rica.
The next day, I was on a tour called "Textiles, Traditions, and Tortillas." We went to "La Casa de Artes," where the owner talked to us about the history of textiles in Guatemala. This is a truly fascinating topic, since each village weaves a specific design. The speaker was very knowledgeable and I enjoyed listening to her. We also got to see a presentation of two traditional dances by a professional dance troop. We ate at a lovely restaurant (heavy on the red meat), and spent the afternoon at a Master Weaver marketplace in a nearby town, San Antonio Aguas Calientes. Yes, there's a hot spring there. We saw the women weaving, then had the opportunity to buy their products. For textile lovers, it was a perfect day!
Finally, on Aug. 13, I went on a trip to a place called the Open Windows Library, in the town of San Miguel Dueñas, where they provide a place for children ages 3-18 to study before or after school, and provide a library and computers for them (public schools do not have libraries here). We brought study materials and books to donate to the library, and we spent a couple of hours interacting with the children.
I should mention that in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, we had thunderstorms on a daily basis, any time from 5pm to late at night, since this is the rainy season. The lightning and thunder were truly impressive!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Nicaragua
August 6-9 -- We docked in Corinto, the only Pacific port in Nicaragua. There is a small town here, but not very big.
Nicaragua is a very poor place. They are barely recovering from a long war. In fact, we could see no middle class, only a lot of poor people and a very few very rich people living in beautiful houses protected by barbed wire and guards. 40% of the people are unemployed. The Ortega government, elected in Dec. 2006, has only had about 8 months to work on the problems here, and so far, according to some people we talked to, not much has changed.
It was very hot and humid in Nicaragua. My first trip was to León, a city that is called the cultural center of Nicaragua. It was bombed by the Samosa faction during the war, and evidence of the destruction is still apparent. I, and several of the other people on the trip, thought it was a sad place. The "beautiful central plaza" was a concrete slab with a few trees scattered about. The Cathedral in León was lovely and peaceful inside, but desperately needing cleaning and repair outside. It is in this Cathedral that the great Latin American author, Rubén Darío, is buried.
We also visited Darío's childhood home here in León, about four blocks east of the Cathedral. Typical of most of the other buildings we saw in Nicaragua, the house is situated right on the street; the exterior walls have a minimum of windows. The entrance takes you into an inner courtyard or garden, and the interior rooms are placed around the garden, each a door to the next room and a door to the courtyard. This home is preserved as a Darío museum, but there is no air conditioning or climate control to protect the books and papers on display. (It made the librarian in me shudder!)
The third place we visited in León was an art gallery of the
Fundación Ortiz Gurdián. This museum (also not air conditioned! -- in fact, many of the galleries have open air gardens in the center of the room with the art displayed on the walls of the walkways) displays art by Latin Americans, both ancient and modern. This was the highlight of this trip. The first couple of rooms housed Baroque and later-style religious art "in the style of" or "from the school of." I'm told this demonstrates that the indigenous artists were learning the European styles of art even from the very earliest times. There were madonnas (La Virgen de Guadalupe and La Virgen de Carmen) with so much gilding that they looked like Greek Orthodox icons.
The most impressive works to me, however, were the modern Latin American works, which were creative and skillfully done. My favorite was a large canvas that had as a background Picasso's "Guernica" in greys. The foreground was a copy of Velasquez's famous painting, "Las Meninas," done as if the figures were in a museum standing in front of "Guernica," with small changes that put them in a Latin American context. I was most impressed. Unfortunately, this gallery did not have a gift shop with reproductions of any of their paintings.
Another trip I went on in Nicaragua was to the Flor de Caña Rum Distillery in San Antonio, Nicaragua. This particular trip had the potential for disaster, in that we were to have a rum tasting after the tour. However, all of the participants, even the lifelong learners, were well-behaved, and I think we all had a great time. Flor de Caña's claim to fame is that their rums are 100% barrel aged, so that when you see a bottle that says "aged 18 years" on it, it really means the rum is as old as a college first-year. Apparently this is not the case for some other rums, in which only a percentage of the rum in such a bottle is actually that old. Flor de Caña is trying to expand into the United States, so we will probably see it being sold all over the U.S. in a couple of years.
Nicaragua is a very poor place. They are barely recovering from a long war. In fact, we could see no middle class, only a lot of poor people and a very few very rich people living in beautiful houses protected by barbed wire and guards. 40% of the people are unemployed. The Ortega government, elected in Dec. 2006, has only had about 8 months to work on the problems here, and so far, according to some people we talked to, not much has changed.
It was very hot and humid in Nicaragua. My first trip was to León, a city that is called the cultural center of Nicaragua. It was bombed by the Samosa faction during the war, and evidence of the destruction is still apparent. I, and several of the other people on the trip, thought it was a sad place. The "beautiful central plaza" was a concrete slab with a few trees scattered about. The Cathedral in León was lovely and peaceful inside, but desperately needing cleaning and repair outside. It is in this Cathedral that the great Latin American author, Rubén Darío, is buried.
We also visited Darío's childhood home here in León, about four blocks east of the Cathedral. Typical of most of the other buildings we saw in Nicaragua, the house is situated right on the street; the exterior walls have a minimum of windows. The entrance takes you into an inner courtyard or garden, and the interior rooms are placed around the garden, each a door to the next room and a door to the courtyard. This home is preserved as a Darío museum, but there is no air conditioning or climate control to protect the books and papers on display. (It made the librarian in me shudder!)
The third place we visited in León was an art gallery of the
Fundación Ortiz Gurdián. This museum (also not air conditioned! -- in fact, many of the galleries have open air gardens in the center of the room with the art displayed on the walls of the walkways) displays art by Latin Americans, both ancient and modern. This was the highlight of this trip. The first couple of rooms housed Baroque and later-style religious art "in the style of" or "from the school of." I'm told this demonstrates that the indigenous artists were learning the European styles of art even from the very earliest times. There were madonnas (La Virgen de Guadalupe and La Virgen de Carmen) with so much gilding that they looked like Greek Orthodox icons.
The most impressive works to me, however, were the modern Latin American works, which were creative and skillfully done. My favorite was a large canvas that had as a background Picasso's "Guernica" in greys. The foreground was a copy of Velasquez's famous painting, "Las Meninas," done as if the figures were in a museum standing in front of "Guernica," with small changes that put them in a Latin American context. I was most impressed. Unfortunately, this gallery did not have a gift shop with reproductions of any of their paintings.
Another trip I went on in Nicaragua was to the Flor de Caña Rum Distillery in San Antonio, Nicaragua. This particular trip had the potential for disaster, in that we were to have a rum tasting after the tour. However, all of the participants, even the lifelong learners, were well-behaved, and I think we all had a great time. Flor de Caña's claim to fame is that their rums are 100% barrel aged, so that when you see a bottle that says "aged 18 years" on it, it really means the rum is as old as a college first-year. Apparently this is not the case for some other rums, in which only a percentage of the rum in such a bottle is actually that old. Flor de Caña is trying to expand into the United States, so we will probably see it being sold all over the U.S. in a couple of years.
Costa Rica
August 1-4 -- After Peru, Costa Rica seemed very "United States-ized." I understand that many American retirees want to retire there, because the pension goes further, and that has to have a significant affect on the social structure of the country. From what I could gather, housing is very expensive. Developers are building condos and homes for the American retirees flooding into the country, which cost $100K to $250K. That sounds very familiar.... Based on that, Costa Rica seems not to be the place to retire to any more. Instead, our guide suggested Panama or Nicaragua.
In Costa Rica, the roads are fairly good, but they are in the mountains, so everything is measured in travel time rather than distance. San José, the capital, is about an hour from Puntarenas on the coast, where we are docked. Puntarenas is a small town of about 20,000 people, without many things going on there. Most of the S@S field trips take place at least an hour away from Puntarenas, so all trips begin with a long bus ride. However, many of the students really enjoyed the beaches and other outdoor trips.
The one trip I took here was to the Britt Coffee Plantation, where they have a very well-developed tourist attraction, complete with re-enactors, movies, etc., all staged to move everyone to the very large and well-stocked gift shop. (You can get all these products by mail from www.cafebritt.com. First an actor took us into a "plantation" area to show us the coffee bushes and to explain about the bean and how they process it. Then they quickly showed us a simulated processing plant. I didn't realize how complex the processing of coffee was. Then we had a lesson in how to evaluate and taste coffee, followed by a movie about the history of coffee. The movie was interesting, and it was made funnier by the actors who presented little scenes on stage in front of it. Finally, we went to the restaurant for lunch, which was a delicious buffet. After that, we had some time to shop in the gift shop, and our group was buying quite a bit.
I will confess that I spent much of my time in Costa Rica relaxing on the ship. That was really nice, and the pool deck was gloriously empty for four days.
In Costa Rica, the roads are fairly good, but they are in the mountains, so everything is measured in travel time rather than distance. San José, the capital, is about an hour from Puntarenas on the coast, where we are docked. Puntarenas is a small town of about 20,000 people, without many things going on there. Most of the S@S field trips take place at least an hour away from Puntarenas, so all trips begin with a long bus ride. However, many of the students really enjoyed the beaches and other outdoor trips.
The one trip I took here was to the Britt Coffee Plantation, where they have a very well-developed tourist attraction, complete with re-enactors, movies, etc., all staged to move everyone to the very large and well-stocked gift shop. (You can get all these products by mail from www.cafebritt.com. First an actor took us into a "plantation" area to show us the coffee bushes and to explain about the bean and how they process it. Then they quickly showed us a simulated processing plant. I didn't realize how complex the processing of coffee was. Then we had a lesson in how to evaluate and taste coffee, followed by a movie about the history of coffee. The movie was interesting, and it was made funnier by the actors who presented little scenes on stage in front of it. Finally, we went to the restaurant for lunch, which was a delicious buffet. After that, we had some time to shop in the gift shop, and our group was buying quite a bit.
I will confess that I spent much of my time in Costa Rica relaxing on the ship. That was really nice, and the pool deck was gloriously empty for four days.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Callao and Lima, Peru
July 22-28 -- We were told that this would be the "most difficult" port of our entire itinerary, because 1) we were here over the Independence Day holidays (July 28th is the Peruvian Fiestas Patriotas, 2) strikes and demonstrations have been occurring over the past month (the teachers went on strike, then the transportation workers went on strike ...), and 3) the U.S. Embassy considers this a "dangerous" posting because of all the crime. The embassy employees are advised not to carry their passports, but only to carry photocopies of the pertinent pages, and the service the embassy performs the most is to replaces stolen passports for traveling Americans.
This was a trying time for me personally because I finally caught the bug that has been going around the ship for a month. Ick. Also, the sun never comes out in Lima (where we were) in the winter time (now) -- In spite of it's tropical geographical location, Peru is overcast and cool with a constant fine mist at this time of year. No wonder they have a well-developed industry of making warm clothing from alpaca and other wools. The artesanal markets are very nice here, and much shopping occurred ...
Since I wasn't going to Machu Picchu with 90% of the voyagers, I took three trips here. The first was a city orientation of Lima, during which we saw Casa Aliega, a house built in 1535, that has been lived in by the same family for 16 generations. We also saw the Plaza Mayor, the Presidential Palace, the outside of the Cathedral, and the Monastery of San Francisco, which has catacombs, complete with bones. Lots and lots of bones.
The next day, I went on a service visit to a home for children who are at risk in the home. This is run by the ANAR Foundation. They had 14 girls from ages 6 or 7 to 14 living there. This is not a "safe house" -- I asked -- and they allow their parents to visit them. The risk involves other problems at home including divorce, money problems, etc. 25 students went on this visit, and they seemed to have a great time playing with the kids. The kids really went wild over the student's digital cameras and were running around like little paparazzi, taking pictures. The money that was part of the cost of this field program was used to buy new mattresses for the children.
The third day, Mom and I went with a friend to Miraflores, one of the "safer" neighborhoods of Lima. It is very upscale, with a J. W. Marriott Hotel and very expensive malls and shops. We found a yarn shop, and although it didn't have any natural fibers (wool, alpaca, cotton) we bought a couple of big bags of yarns for various projects. Mom is teaching a number of the children how to crochet, and she made an afghan for the Students of Service auction.
I should mention that Students of Service is an organization that raises money on each voyage which is donated at the end of the voyage to a charity active in a part of the world the voyage has visited.
The fourth day, I was trip leader for a field trip to Pachacamac, an ancient oracle site for the Incas (and three previous cultures on that spot). After Pachacamac, we visited an hacienda where we saw the beautiful Paso horses that they breed there, and had a catered lunch. (The family that owns the hacienda also owns one of the nicer restaurants in Lima, called La Rosa Nautica.) The Paso breed is a gaited breed, similar to the American Saddlebred and the Tennessee Walker, but has a more compact conformation. That was a lot of fun. The students enjoyed riding the horses.
On the fifth day, I rested ...
This was a trying time for me personally because I finally caught the bug that has been going around the ship for a month. Ick. Also, the sun never comes out in Lima (where we were) in the winter time (now) -- In spite of it's tropical geographical location, Peru is overcast and cool with a constant fine mist at this time of year. No wonder they have a well-developed industry of making warm clothing from alpaca and other wools. The artesanal markets are very nice here, and much shopping occurred ...
Since I wasn't going to Machu Picchu with 90% of the voyagers, I took three trips here. The first was a city orientation of Lima, during which we saw Casa Aliega, a house built in 1535, that has been lived in by the same family for 16 generations. We also saw the Plaza Mayor, the Presidential Palace, the outside of the Cathedral, and the Monastery of San Francisco, which has catacombs, complete with bones. Lots and lots of bones.
The next day, I went on a service visit to a home for children who are at risk in the home. This is run by the ANAR Foundation. They had 14 girls from ages 6 or 7 to 14 living there. This is not a "safe house" -- I asked -- and they allow their parents to visit them. The risk involves other problems at home including divorce, money problems, etc. 25 students went on this visit, and they seemed to have a great time playing with the kids. The kids really went wild over the student's digital cameras and were running around like little paparazzi, taking pictures. The money that was part of the cost of this field program was used to buy new mattresses for the children.
The third day, Mom and I went with a friend to Miraflores, one of the "safer" neighborhoods of Lima. It is very upscale, with a J. W. Marriott Hotel and very expensive malls and shops. We found a yarn shop, and although it didn't have any natural fibers (wool, alpaca, cotton) we bought a couple of big bags of yarns for various projects. Mom is teaching a number of the children how to crochet, and she made an afghan for the Students of Service auction.
I should mention that Students of Service is an organization that raises money on each voyage which is donated at the end of the voyage to a charity active in a part of the world the voyage has visited.
The fourth day, I was trip leader for a field trip to Pachacamac, an ancient oracle site for the Incas (and three previous cultures on that spot). After Pachacamac, we visited an hacienda where we saw the beautiful Paso horses that they breed there, and had a catered lunch. (The family that owns the hacienda also owns one of the nicer restaurants in Lima, called La Rosa Nautica.) The Paso breed is a gaited breed, similar to the American Saddlebred and the Tennessee Walker, but has a more compact conformation. That was a lot of fun. The students enjoyed riding the horses.
On the fifth day, I rested ...
Do You Know the Way to Callao, Peru?
July 21-23 -- It takes three days to get from Chile to Peru by sea. This was a relatively quiet passage, although the ship was rocking quite a bit. We are told the seas are always rough the closer one is to Valparaiso. In fact, we sailed at 2315 last night, just missing the 45-mph winds and 5-foot waves that hit Valparaiso. It has been overcast for days -- I don't know if we will know what the sun is when it reappears!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Chile and Easter Island
July 16-20 -- We arrived in Valparaiso, Chile on the morning of the 16th. In contrast to Guayaquil, where we were docked at the port a half-hour away from the metropolitan area, in Chile we docked right downtown. (Well, not actually downtown ... we were maybe 100 meters (the length of the pier) from downtown, but they wouldn't let us walk it, we had to take a shuttle, for some reason.)
However, in another way, Chile was like Equador in that we had to disembark on deck 5 and walk down a long set of stairs in both places. It had to do with the height of the pier and the height of the tides. That stairway sure seemed endless when we were coming back to the ship after a long day on a field trip.
The first day in Valparaiso, mom and I took a city orientation tour that showed us the steep mountain roads in the Valparaiso (Valpo) area. They have 45 hills, and many of the hills have staircases or ascensores (funiculars) to help people climb the hills. The houses and apartments are all built on the hills. Many of the houses are original Victorians, which were brought in pieces from Great Britain in the late 1800s and put together here. These houses are being restored, and are painted in various bright colors.
(The Andes -- Photo by Karen)
On this same orientation tour, we visited Viña del Mar, Valaparaiso's rich cousin. Viña is where the rich people have their condominiums, and where there are wonderful shopping malls and museums. Valpo is where the normal people live. Though it is winter in Chile, it was not very cold on the coast -- more like 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Valpo and Viña. However, the Andes were covered with snow, and many of our folks spent a day or two at various ski resorts in the mountains.
Easter Island
My big trip was Easter Island, or, as the idigenous people call it, Rapa Nui. For reasons unknown to us, LAN Chile bumped 20 of our people at the last minute, leaving only 45 spaces for our people on the trip to Easter Island. This caused a great deal of trouble, because the cancellations were made at random. In any case, I was one of 39 people to go on this trip and it was enjoyable.
We flew on the 17th, and landed about 1 pm. There were some difficulties with the travel agent on the island, but Wade and the field program staff quickly resolved the schedule difficulties. We stayed at two different hotels. Mine was the Hotel Oceania. One thing you need to know if you plan to go to Easter Island is that as far as I know, there really aren't actual four-star hotels on the island.
I had written a long description of the various sites and sights we saw on Eastern Island, but Blogger ate it ... Suffice it to say, we saw a lot of ahu and moai (the statues), stumbled over a lot of volcanic rocks, and climbed a lot of mountains. It was a fascinating trip. Apparently Thor Heyerdahl, while inciting interest in the history of Easter Island in the 1940s and 1950s, didn't get it right. The general concensus now is that the Rapa Nui people originally came from the Marquesas Islands, not from Peru, as Heyerdahl had proposed.
One interesting thing about the moai is that their features are different, each representing actual features of a specific king. These statues were set up near each village so that the king could protect the village in death as he had in life. (Oh, yes, all the moai are male, except for one that is in the island's museum.)
However, in another way, Chile was like Equador in that we had to disembark on deck 5 and walk down a long set of stairs in both places. It had to do with the height of the pier and the height of the tides. That stairway sure seemed endless when we were coming back to the ship after a long day on a field trip.
The first day in Valparaiso, mom and I took a city orientation tour that showed us the steep mountain roads in the Valparaiso (Valpo) area. They have 45 hills, and many of the hills have staircases or ascensores (funiculars) to help people climb the hills. The houses and apartments are all built on the hills. Many of the houses are original Victorians, which were brought in pieces from Great Britain in the late 1800s and put together here. These houses are being restored, and are painted in various bright colors.
(The Andes -- Photo by Karen)On this same orientation tour, we visited Viña del Mar, Valaparaiso's rich cousin. Viña is where the rich people have their condominiums, and where there are wonderful shopping malls and museums. Valpo is where the normal people live. Though it is winter in Chile, it was not very cold on the coast -- more like 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Valpo and Viña. However, the Andes were covered with snow, and many of our folks spent a day or two at various ski resorts in the mountains.
Easter Island
My big trip was Easter Island, or, as the idigenous people call it, Rapa Nui. For reasons unknown to us, LAN Chile bumped 20 of our people at the last minute, leaving only 45 spaces for our people on the trip to Easter Island. This caused a great deal of trouble, because the cancellations were made at random. In any case, I was one of 39 people to go on this trip and it was enjoyable.
We flew on the 17th, and landed about 1 pm. There were some difficulties with the travel agent on the island, but Wade and the field program staff quickly resolved the schedule difficulties. We stayed at two different hotels. Mine was the Hotel Oceania. One thing you need to know if you plan to go to Easter Island is that as far as I know, there really aren't actual four-star hotels on the island.
I had written a long description of the various sites and sights we saw on Eastern Island, but Blogger ate it ... Suffice it to say, we saw a lot of ahu and moai (the statues), stumbled over a lot of volcanic rocks, and climbed a lot of mountains. It was a fascinating trip. Apparently Thor Heyerdahl, while inciting interest in the history of Easter Island in the 1940s and 1950s, didn't get it right. The general concensus now is that the Rapa Nui people originally came from the Marquesas Islands, not from Peru, as Heyerdahl had proposed.
One interesting thing about the moai is that their features are different, each representing actual features of a specific king. These statues were set up near each village so that the king could protect the village in death as he had in life. (Oh, yes, all the moai are male, except for one that is in the island's museum.)
Going South
July 10-15 -- This is the longest at sea period we will have on this voyage. (As I mentioned before, everything on this voyage is compressed into 65 days, so everything happens bing-bing-bing.) This particular six days were difficult in several ways, as I will explain.
First off, the students are very tired when they get back from their days in port -- they either go on the field programs sponsored by the ship, or they travel independently, and tend to be exhausted when they get back. Then, the seas were rough this entire six-day period, and many people were frequently cranky and seasick.
On the 11th, they were given an assignment for a five-page essay based on the readings they'd done for the core course, which was due in 48 hours. Some resentment on the amount of reading required for the course had been simmering, and this seemed to set it off, leading some students to circulate a petition with some complaints about the core course. Basically the complaint was that the core course was a history course rather than a current events course, there was too much reading for the course, and the course was harder than previous core courses had been. (I will note that the UVa students seemed to have no trouble or complaints with the readings or assignments.) This whole thing stirred up and subsided within 3 days.
Anyway, Dean David had left the ship when we arrived in Guayaquil, on a previously scheduled trip to Paris for a conference, leaving Ricardo Padron as the Acting Academic Dean. Dean Ricardo did a great job in finding a consensus among the faculty on this issue, and addressed the students directly on the issues they had identified. While there was still some grumbling, the problems seemed to die down by the 13th.
(Synchronized water ballet by Dean Ricardo and Dean John -- Photographer unknown.)
The Sea Olympics were held on the 14th. No classes were held and all day the various seas competed for the honor of being the first off the ship when we return to San Diego. Events included Team Spirit, the Obstacle Course, Twister, Limbo, Lip Syncing, and of course, the Synchronized Swimming Competition, held in the ship's pool, some 10 feet by 8 feet. The highlights were the Arabian Sea swim team, and the special synchronized swimming ballet performed by Acting Academic Dean Ricardo and Executive Dean John. It was quite cold, and Dean John performed in a wet suit. The next evening, the winning Arabian Sea swim team posed for pictures to benefit the Students of Service; they demanded a picture with the librarian, so who was I to say them nay!?
The next couple of days were very quiet - everyone was busy studying for midterm exams and getting their plans set up for five days in Chile. On the 15th, Brian Owensby gave a great current events lecture in the core course in preparation for Chile, about the U.S. plot to overthrow Salvador Allende in the 1970s. That bit of current events was a big surprise to many of the students, I'm sure.
First off, the students are very tired when they get back from their days in port -- they either go on the field programs sponsored by the ship, or they travel independently, and tend to be exhausted when they get back. Then, the seas were rough this entire six-day period, and many people were frequently cranky and seasick.
On the 11th, they were given an assignment for a five-page essay based on the readings they'd done for the core course, which was due in 48 hours. Some resentment on the amount of reading required for the course had been simmering, and this seemed to set it off, leading some students to circulate a petition with some complaints about the core course. Basically the complaint was that the core course was a history course rather than a current events course, there was too much reading for the course, and the course was harder than previous core courses had been. (I will note that the UVa students seemed to have no trouble or complaints with the readings or assignments.) This whole thing stirred up and subsided within 3 days.
Anyway, Dean David had left the ship when we arrived in Guayaquil, on a previously scheduled trip to Paris for a conference, leaving Ricardo Padron as the Acting Academic Dean. Dean Ricardo did a great job in finding a consensus among the faculty on this issue, and addressed the students directly on the issues they had identified. While there was still some grumbling, the problems seemed to die down by the 13th.
(Synchronized water ballet by Dean Ricardo and Dean John -- Photographer unknown.)
The Sea Olympics were held on the 14th. No classes were held and all day the various seas competed for the honor of being the first off the ship when we return to San Diego. Events included Team Spirit, the Obstacle Course, Twister, Limbo, Lip Syncing, and of course, the Synchronized Swimming Competition, held in the ship's pool, some 10 feet by 8 feet. The highlights were the Arabian Sea swim team, and the special synchronized swimming ballet performed by Acting Academic Dean Ricardo and Executive Dean John. It was quite cold, and Dean John performed in a wet suit. The next evening, the winning Arabian Sea swim team posed for pictures to benefit the Students of Service; they demanded a picture with the librarian, so who was I to say them nay!?
The next couple of days were very quiet - everyone was busy studying for midterm exams and getting their plans set up for five days in Chile. On the 15th, Brian Owensby gave a great current events lecture in the core course in preparation for Chile, about the U.S. plot to overthrow Salvador Allende in the 1970s. That bit of current events was a big surprise to many of the students, I'm sure.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
An Article from Diario El Universo, Guayaquil's main newspaper
For those who are interested, El Universo printed a long article about the arrival of the MV Explorer in Guayaquil on July 6th.
Here's the link: "350 universitarios de EE.UU. de visita en la ciudad".
Here's the link: "350 universitarios de EE.UU. de visita en la ciudad".
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Ecuador
July 5-9 -- In Guayaquil, we were docked at the farthest berth in the Puerto Maritimo (Maritime Port), so the travel agency at this stop arranged for a shuttle to take us into the city of Guayaquil and back on the hour from 9am to 6pm every day. Guayaquil is the economic center of Ecuador, as Quito is the governmental and cultural center. As recently as 10 years ago, it was dangerous to walk around in Guayaquil for fear of being mugged, but the efforts of two successive mayors have revived and rebuilt sections of the city to make them safer and more welcoming for visitors. The Malecon 2000, the waterfront, has been renovated into a lovely 2km promenade, with conference buildings, restaurants, monuments, and museums. On the other hand, the city seems very poor, although there is a lot of construction going on, and we were warned about "express kidnappings" and impromptu shakedowns that happen on the city buses.
We were in this port for five days. For many of our viajeros (voyagers), Guayaquil was merely a jumping off point for other trips. Many people went on trips to the Galapagos Islands and to Quito and Cuenca, the other large cities in Ecuador. Quito is the capital and cultural center of the country, and Cuenca is the center of the Panama hat-making trade. Did you know that most of the Panama hats sold in Panama come from Ecuador?
However, those of us who stayed in Guayaquil had plenty to do, too. I took two organized field trips. One was a city orientation (which is always helpful). First, we went to el Parque del Semenario (also called Iguana Park for the large number of iguanas that live there). Here's a factoid: the collective noun for iguanas is "mess," as in "a mess of iguanas." Those of us who visited this park know just how messy a mess of iguanas can be! After Iguana Park, we drove along the Malecon 2000, and stopped at the monument to Los Liberadores, Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. (When I went back on the last day in port, there was a ceremony with a military band and the placing of a wreath. We were later told that this ceremony is held every Monday to honor "Ecuador's fallen" from all wars.) I should mention that the only meeting between Bolívar, the liberator of northern South America, and San Martín, the liberator of Peru, Chile, and Argentina, took place in Guayaquil. (Ask Jared for more details about this meeting.)
After viewing the rest of the Malecon from the bus, we drove out to the airport past the cemetery. This particular cemetery has over one million burials in it, all of them in crypts instead of buried in the ground. I've never seen a cemetery so big!
Then, we were taken to a Historic Guayaquil Park, which was very nice. It was arranged in three sections, the first a zoo of local animals, the second contained several historic buildings that had been moved and rebuilt on the site, and the third a botanical garden of plants native to Ecuador.
The other field trip I took was Whale Watching in Salinas, a beach town about 90 miles west of Guayaquil. Now, the first thing I will say is that we should have had sea-sickness medication with us. The description said that we would take motorboats along the coast and follow the whales. The boat we were in was not a motorboat, per se, but was a cruiser that wasn't much bigger. The ocean was a bit choppy, and we felt every wave. Luckily, I didn't get seasick, but several people did. However, we saw whales! We followed a pod of three humpback whales, a mother and calf and a female companion, for about 90 minutes.
After the whale watching, we had dinner on the rooftop of a restaurant called The Amazon, where we had a local dish called ceviche (a very good cold shrimp soup) among other items. Unfortunately, the day was overcast, so we were unable to spend any time on the beach as we had planned.
On the last day in port, a group of us took the shuttle to the Malecon and simply walked along the promenade to enjoy the sites and sounds. To my surprise, there was a book fair being held in the Crystal Palace on the Malecon, which I attended. It was billed as an international book fair, but most of the publications were from Ecuador.
Having achieved sunburn, I went back to the ship. We undocked at 11 pm, leaving Guayaquil behind. There are a few places I didn't have time for on this trip that I'd love to visit the next time I am in Ecuador.
We were in this port for five days. For many of our viajeros (voyagers), Guayaquil was merely a jumping off point for other trips. Many people went on trips to the Galapagos Islands and to Quito and Cuenca, the other large cities in Ecuador. Quito is the capital and cultural center of the country, and Cuenca is the center of the Panama hat-making trade. Did you know that most of the Panama hats sold in Panama come from Ecuador?
However, those of us who stayed in Guayaquil had plenty to do, too. I took two organized field trips. One was a city orientation (which is always helpful). First, we went to el Parque del Semenario (also called Iguana Park for the large number of iguanas that live there). Here's a factoid: the collective noun for iguanas is "mess," as in "a mess of iguanas." Those of us who visited this park know just how messy a mess of iguanas can be! After Iguana Park, we drove along the Malecon 2000, and stopped at the monument to Los Liberadores, Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. (When I went back on the last day in port, there was a ceremony with a military band and the placing of a wreath. We were later told that this ceremony is held every Monday to honor "Ecuador's fallen" from all wars.) I should mention that the only meeting between Bolívar, the liberator of northern South America, and San Martín, the liberator of Peru, Chile, and Argentina, took place in Guayaquil. (Ask Jared for more details about this meeting.)
After viewing the rest of the Malecon from the bus, we drove out to the airport past the cemetery. This particular cemetery has over one million burials in it, all of them in crypts instead of buried in the ground. I've never seen a cemetery so big!
Then, we were taken to a Historic Guayaquil Park, which was very nice. It was arranged in three sections, the first a zoo of local animals, the second contained several historic buildings that had been moved and rebuilt on the site, and the third a botanical garden of plants native to Ecuador.
The other field trip I took was Whale Watching in Salinas, a beach town about 90 miles west of Guayaquil. Now, the first thing I will say is that we should have had sea-sickness medication with us. The description said that we would take motorboats along the coast and follow the whales. The boat we were in was not a motorboat, per se, but was a cruiser that wasn't much bigger. The ocean was a bit choppy, and we felt every wave. Luckily, I didn't get seasick, but several people did. However, we saw whales! We followed a pod of three humpback whales, a mother and calf and a female companion, for about 90 minutes.
After the whale watching, we had dinner on the rooftop of a restaurant called The Amazon, where we had a local dish called ceviche (a very good cold shrimp soup) among other items. Unfortunately, the day was overcast, so we were unable to spend any time on the beach as we had planned.
On the last day in port, a group of us took the shuttle to the Malecon and simply walked along the promenade to enjoy the sites and sounds. To my surprise, there was a book fair being held in the Crystal Palace on the Malecon, which I attended. It was billed as an international book fair, but most of the publications were from Ecuador.
Having achieved sunburn, I went back to the ship. We undocked at 11 pm, leaving Guayaquil behind. There are a few places I didn't have time for on this trip that I'd love to visit the next time I am in Ecuador.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Neptune Day and the Fourth of July
July 3-4 -- At Sea -- On the 3rd, we celebrated Neptune Day. It's an old maritime custom that the first time one crosses the equator, one changes from a polywog to a shellback. There's a ceremony that you go through to commemorate this change (although I have been assured that one becomes a shellback in any case, even if one doesn't kiss a fish!). My Navy-veteran brother-in-law tells me that his crossing involved crawling through fish guts and other offal, and kissing King Neptune's belly. Needless to say, the ceremonies aboard the MV Explorer were modified, and our Neptune ceremonies were slightly abbreviated because of the short time we have between ports. The students went to class all day, and the ceremonies started at 1730 (5:30 p.m.) that evening.
(The fish. Photo by Carol Walker.)
The Executive Dean, John Burkoff, was King Neptune, and Nancy Burkoff, his wife, was Neptune's wife. The Academic Dean, David Gies, was the herald who did all of the talking for the court. There were a bunch of crew, staff and faculty members in King Neptune's court. The polywogs were invited to show their worthiness to become shellbacks by 1) having some green gunk poured over their heads, 2) diving into the swimming pool, 3) kissing a fish (yes, a real, scaly, dead fish), and 4) kissing King Neptune's ring. Then, those who wanted to had their heads shaved. A surprising number of people did this, men and women alike. (Many people got Mohawks rather than a buzzcut. This was a bit of a problem in Ecuador. For some reason, the Mohawk haircut seems to cause a cultural problem in this country, so those who had them were encouraged to get them shaved.)
On July 4th, we also had classes all day. Dinner that evening was a special barbecue on the pool deck. The cooks prepared hamburgers, hot dogs, bbq beef ribs, baked beans, French fries, salads, and other goodies typically eaten at a Fourth of July barbecue. We also had ice cream and cake to celebrate. After the BBQ, we had our logistical preport.
This might be a good time to talk about the food on the ship. It's not 5-star cuisine, but it's not bad, either. At breakfast, we have fried potatoes, eggs in various configurations, a meat, and biscuits and gravy. There are also options for cold and hot cereals, and toast. For lunch and dinner, we generally have salad fixings, potatoes of some sort, a fish dish, a meat dish, and a vegetable or two. There is always a vegetarian option or two, and a soup and sandwich option. The dining room staff is exceptional! Within 3 days of boarding, I didn't have to tell them that I took cream in my coffee; they just added it automatically.
Around 3 am that night, the pilot boarded the ship. When we stopped to allow the pilot to board, the ship underwent some turbulence. I was woken up by a really strong side to side rocking motion, but it only lasted an hour. We were safely docked in Guayaquil, Ecuador at 7am on the 5th, where we welcomed two diplomats from the American consulate here. The American consulate in Guayaquil is one of two U.S. consulates in Latin America and it is the oldest U.S. Consulate in this hemisphere, having been established in the mid-nineteenth century.
(The fish. Photo by Carol Walker.) The Executive Dean, John Burkoff, was King Neptune, and Nancy Burkoff, his wife, was Neptune's wife. The Academic Dean, David Gies, was the herald who did all of the talking for the court. There were a bunch of crew, staff and faculty members in King Neptune's court. The polywogs were invited to show their worthiness to become shellbacks by 1) having some green gunk poured over their heads, 2) diving into the swimming pool, 3) kissing a fish (yes, a real, scaly, dead fish), and 4) kissing King Neptune's ring. Then, those who wanted to had their heads shaved. A surprising number of people did this, men and women alike. (Many people got Mohawks rather than a buzzcut. This was a bit of a problem in Ecuador. For some reason, the Mohawk haircut seems to cause a cultural problem in this country, so those who had them were encouraged to get them shaved.)
On July 4th, we also had classes all day. Dinner that evening was a special barbecue on the pool deck. The cooks prepared hamburgers, hot dogs, bbq beef ribs, baked beans, French fries, salads, and other goodies typically eaten at a Fourth of July barbecue. We also had ice cream and cake to celebrate. After the BBQ, we had our logistical preport.
This might be a good time to talk about the food on the ship. It's not 5-star cuisine, but it's not bad, either. At breakfast, we have fried potatoes, eggs in various configurations, a meat, and biscuits and gravy. There are also options for cold and hot cereals, and toast. For lunch and dinner, we generally have salad fixings, potatoes of some sort, a fish dish, a meat dish, and a vegetable or two. There is always a vegetarian option or two, and a soup and sandwich option. The dining room staff is exceptional! Within 3 days of boarding, I didn't have to tell them that I took cream in my coffee; they just added it automatically.
Around 3 am that night, the pilot boarded the ship. When we stopped to allow the pilot to board, the ship underwent some turbulence. I was woken up by a really strong side to side rocking motion, but it only lasted an hour. We were safely docked in Guayaquil, Ecuador at 7am on the 5th, where we welcomed two diplomats from the American consulate here. The American consulate in Guayaquil is one of two U.S. consulates in Latin America and it is the oldest U.S. Consulate in this hemisphere, having been established in the mid-nineteenth century.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Panamá
June 29-July 2 -- We arrived in Panamá on the morning of June 29. We didn't actually dock. Instead, we anchored in the bay and tendered in for four days. This means we took power boats into shore; the boats are the lifeboats that also serve as transportation in cases such as this. The crew ran tenders from 7am to 1am every day for four days, which is a strenuous job.
(Photo by Ken Mueller)
The biggest problem was the rough seas in this area. When we first arrived in the bay, the ocean currents had the boat rocking pretty hard, more so than we had even on the high seas. This made tendering difficult, because it is hard to line up a platform on a rocking ship with a tender that is also rocking. There was a lot of bouncing involved. Getting out of the boat at the dock was ok, but getting into the tender when leaving the ship and out of it upon return were sometimes very difficult.
I should note that the climate of this country is usually hot and humid. We were told that they have three months of "cool" weather (Nov., Dec., and January), and the rest of the year, it's hot and rains all the time. The environmental sciences professor, José Fuentes, tells us that the central area of Panamá gets the most rainfall of any place on earth. It was quite stormy the day we arrived, and it took from 7am to almost noon to get the people going on the first field trips off the ship and to shore. They had to stop a couple of times because the weather was making it impossible to get onto the tenders. A couple of times (that I saw - I think it happened fairly frequently) the boat got under the tendering platform and bounced the platform into the air on the next wave, along with any passengers and crew that happened to be standing there. Luckily, as far as I know, no one fell into the water.
(Photo by Kerri Gatti)
The most famous feature of Panamá is the Panamá Canal. On my field trips, I visited the Miraflores Locks and the Gatún Locks, and watched ships move through them. Very impressive. I also took a trip to Portobello, which was a Spanish town in the 16th century. This was where the Spanish sent all their gold to wait for the annual treasure ship that took it all back to Spain. Of course, it was attacked many times by pirates and privateers, so there were 3 forts to protect it (not always successfully); we toured two of those forts' remains. Then we went to Colon on the Atlantic coast and boarded the Panamá Railway to go back to Panamá City. This railway is on the same route that the Americans put it in 1914 to help finish the canal and goes over Gatún Lake and through the tropical rainforest as it crosses the Isthmus. It only takes 50 minutes to cross from the Atlantic to Pacific at this spot.
I'm sure most of the students enjoyed the country. A lot of them seem to like to travel independently, and a lot of them travel on the ISE-arranged field trips. They are learning a lot about what it means to be in another country and how to be self-sufficient.
We were told that ships are charged varying rates to go through the canal (the largest ships pay upwards of $230,000 for one transit), which is payable no later than 48 hours before the transit in cash or electronic bank transfer. As you may guess, this generates a lot of income for Panamá. Last year the Canal brought in more than $500 million, but much of it goes to pay down international government debts incurred in the 1940s and 1950s. (This, we were told, is the reason more money doesn't go toward the infrastructure of the country.)
We were also told about the "new canal" which was just approved by national referendum and is planned to be completed by 2014 (the 100th anniversary of the completion of the first Canal). This new construction will add a third set of channels and locks that will be large enough to accommodate the "post-PanaMax" ships, i.e., the ones that will not fit in the current locks. More information about the future of the Canal can be found at the official website www.pancanal.com.
(Photo by Ken Mueller)
However, the Canal, though it is the most lucrative business in Panamá, is not the only business in Panamá. We were informed that Panamá is fast becoming a center of international banking, with 129 banks in Panamá City alone. The business center of the City is full of skyscrapers, right on the beach, and although it is a little smaller, it looks much like Miami from a distance.
We left Panamá on the evening of July 2nd, although when we got up the next morning, we discovered that we hadn't really left. The captain decided to refuel (or bunker) at the last minute, so we sat in the harbor and waited for a fuel ship to deliver and load the fuel. We finally left Panamá about ten a.m. on the 3rd.
(Photo by Ken Mueller)The biggest problem was the rough seas in this area. When we first arrived in the bay, the ocean currents had the boat rocking pretty hard, more so than we had even on the high seas. This made tendering difficult, because it is hard to line up a platform on a rocking ship with a tender that is also rocking. There was a lot of bouncing involved. Getting out of the boat at the dock was ok, but getting into the tender when leaving the ship and out of it upon return were sometimes very difficult.
I should note that the climate of this country is usually hot and humid. We were told that they have three months of "cool" weather (Nov., Dec., and January), and the rest of the year, it's hot and rains all the time. The environmental sciences professor, José Fuentes, tells us that the central area of Panamá gets the most rainfall of any place on earth. It was quite stormy the day we arrived, and it took from 7am to almost noon to get the people going on the first field trips off the ship and to shore. They had to stop a couple of times because the weather was making it impossible to get onto the tenders. A couple of times (that I saw - I think it happened fairly frequently) the boat got under the tendering platform and bounced the platform into the air on the next wave, along with any passengers and crew that happened to be standing there. Luckily, as far as I know, no one fell into the water.
(Photo by Kerri Gatti)The most famous feature of Panamá is the Panamá Canal. On my field trips, I visited the Miraflores Locks and the Gatún Locks, and watched ships move through them. Very impressive. I also took a trip to Portobello, which was a Spanish town in the 16th century. This was where the Spanish sent all their gold to wait for the annual treasure ship that took it all back to Spain. Of course, it was attacked many times by pirates and privateers, so there were 3 forts to protect it (not always successfully); we toured two of those forts' remains. Then we went to Colon on the Atlantic coast and boarded the Panamá Railway to go back to Panamá City. This railway is on the same route that the Americans put it in 1914 to help finish the canal and goes over Gatún Lake and through the tropical rainforest as it crosses the Isthmus. It only takes 50 minutes to cross from the Atlantic to Pacific at this spot.
I'm sure most of the students enjoyed the country. A lot of them seem to like to travel independently, and a lot of them travel on the ISE-arranged field trips. They are learning a lot about what it means to be in another country and how to be self-sufficient.
We were told that ships are charged varying rates to go through the canal (the largest ships pay upwards of $230,000 for one transit), which is payable no later than 48 hours before the transit in cash or electronic bank transfer. As you may guess, this generates a lot of income for Panamá. Last year the Canal brought in more than $500 million, but much of it goes to pay down international government debts incurred in the 1940s and 1950s. (This, we were told, is the reason more money doesn't go toward the infrastructure of the country.)
We were also told about the "new canal" which was just approved by national referendum and is planned to be completed by 2014 (the 100th anniversary of the completion of the first Canal). This new construction will add a third set of channels and locks that will be large enough to accommodate the "post-PanaMax" ships, i.e., the ones that will not fit in the current locks. More information about the future of the Canal can be found at the official website www.pancanal.com.
(Photo by Ken Mueller)However, the Canal, though it is the most lucrative business in Panamá, is not the only business in Panamá. We were informed that Panamá is fast becoming a center of international banking, with 129 banks in Panamá City alone. The business center of the City is full of skyscrapers, right on the beach, and although it is a little smaller, it looks much like Miami from a distance.
We left Panamá on the evening of July 2nd, although when we got up the next morning, we discovered that we hadn't really left. The captain decided to refuel (or bunker) at the last minute, so we sat in the harbor and waited for a fuel ship to deliver and load the fuel. We finally left Panamá about ten a.m. on the 3rd.
On the way to Panama
June 25-28 -- On the high seas, sailing from Acapulco to Panama.
The students finally got into their class schedules, only to be shaken loose when we arrived at Panama City. I'm wondering if they will ever have a chance to set up a schedule of studying for themselves with the ports so close together. I know that we are having trouble setting up a schedule for the work study students in the library for that very reason.
Perhaps I should introduce the dramatis personae in the library. First, there is the assistant librarian, Janna Gies, who is working half time in the library. Janna tells me that she is having a great time, and enjoys working in the library. Our schedule seems to be that she opens the library at 8 am, and I come in about 8:30-8:45. We split the lunch period so we both get a chance to eat, and we do the same at dinner. Then I work parts of the evening, helping the students.
And we have four student workers, Adriana, Ashley, Brandon, and Sabrina. They are work study, and work 3 hours each day. Unfortunately, because of the heavy class schedule that everyone has, none of them can work in the morning, and only one in the afternoon. Everyone else works at night. They are all trained so they can perform basic circulation functions and close the library at night. They can help someone set up their browser for the proxy server. However, I'm doing most of the reference work.
One interesting development is that these particular students seem to have many friends, so the library is hoppin' at night.
The students finally got into their class schedules, only to be shaken loose when we arrived at Panama City. I'm wondering if they will ever have a chance to set up a schedule of studying for themselves with the ports so close together. I know that we are having trouble setting up a schedule for the work study students in the library for that very reason.
Perhaps I should introduce the dramatis personae in the library. First, there is the assistant librarian, Janna Gies, who is working half time in the library. Janna tells me that she is having a great time, and enjoys working in the library. Our schedule seems to be that she opens the library at 8 am, and I come in about 8:30-8:45. We split the lunch period so we both get a chance to eat, and we do the same at dinner. Then I work parts of the evening, helping the students.
And we have four student workers, Adriana, Ashley, Brandon, and Sabrina. They are work study, and work 3 hours each day. Unfortunately, because of the heavy class schedule that everyone has, none of them can work in the morning, and only one in the afternoon. Everyone else works at night. They are all trained so they can perform basic circulation functions and close the library at night. They can help someone set up their browser for the proxy server. However, I'm doing most of the reference work.
One interesting development is that these particular students seem to have many friends, so the library is hoppin' at night.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Acapulco
June 21-24 -- We are in Acapulco. It is extremely hot and humid. (I hate to think how hot it will be when we reach the equator.)
The first day here, Mom and I took a city orientation tour during which we rode a bus around all the neighborhoods. This used to be a fishing village, but was then "discovered" by Johnny Weismuller and all the Hollywood bigwigs. Now they have an area (called "Diamond Acapulco") where they sell condos for $1.5 million or more each. The Mirador Hotel (where the cliff divers are) is in the old-fashioned section. To be honest, it looks more like a motel until you get to the water side of the hotel. The rooms are all built on the cliff so that you can look straight down to the water. The Mirador was built by Teddy Stauffer. Stauffer was an actor who married Hedy Lamarr here in 1951 -- the marriage only lasted one year. Lamarr went back to Hollywood, but Stauffer stayed in Acapulco for the rest of his life. We also got to see the cliff divers. When Stauffer and Lamarr were married, some of the fishermen of the area were asked to dive from the cliff at the wedding as a celebration of their marriage. Realizing that they could make more money diving than fishing, the cliff divers have been performing ever since. Not as spectacular as on the Wide World of Sports, but impressive. I sure wouldn't want to dive off a hundred-foot cliff into a 12- to 15-foot deep pool in the rocks.
On the 22nd, I was the trip leader for "Encounters with Ancient Times." Basically I had to be responsible for making sure everyone was on the bus, etc., take care of any trouble that might arise, and act as intermediary with the guide if necessary. The reward is that I get to sit in the front seat of the bus. Anyway, we took the superhighway (a divided 4-lane toll road) to a place called Xochicalco, which is the "House of the Flowers." This was a long ride, taking us 4 hours to get there.) Xochicalco was a ceremonial center between the 7th and 9th centuries (CE) for the Olmecs and other related groups. They have a nice museum with items that have been discovered in archaeological digs on the site. Then we went up to the pyramid complex itself, and walked around. The guide was good and took the group all around -- it is a huge site, but the guide explained it well. It was beautiful (on one of the highest mountaintops) and so quiet -- until the school groups got there! (There were a number of school tours on the 22nd. It was the last day of school for the children in the area, so there were a number of school groups on a field trip.)
After we left the pyramids, we went to the Hacienda Vista Hermosa (the House of the Beautiful View). It was called Vista Hermosa by Hernan Cortez, who built the original hacienda about 1530. It's built like a medieval fortress, with a crenelated outer wall protecting rooms surrounding an inner courtyard and garden. Now it is a hotel, and the rates are quite reasonable. The American Plan, with 3 meals a day, is only about $250/day for a double. We ate at the restaurant there, a wonderful buffet. Everyone was extremely sleepy when they finally got back on the bus.
On the third day, I rested. I had to recover from all that climbing and walking in the hot sun at Xochicalco, and the huge meal at Vista Hermosa.
On the 24th, I went to a Mexican cooking class, where one person demonstrated the way to make classic Mexican dishes, such as tampico beef and chicken enchiladas. The food was quite good, but it was difficult to see the cook working, and what, exactly, he did as he was cooking, so I didn't enjoy that part as much. Later on that day, Mom and I took a walk, and had a last Mexican meal at a restaurant near the port terminal - La Canasta. The food was very good, but the portions were huge, so we ended up leaving a lot on our plates. Dean David (Gies) says that the way to enjoy food in Latin America is to eat only dishes that are cooked and piping hot, bottled beverages that you see opened, and fruit that you can peel. No unbottled water or ice, and no cold dishes, such as salads or ice cream. These rules are the key to avoiding gastric distress!
We said "adios!" to Acapulco about 11 pm on the 24th. It was dark when we weighed anchor, and the lights of the houses on the mountains surrounding Acapulco twinkled like fairy lights as we left Acapulco Bay. Everyone had gotten back to the ship by 9pm, which was "on-ship time." Following Erin's lead, I opened the library from 9-11 pm that night, so that folks could start their studying and finish their trip reports, etc. I had an amazing amount of business considering how tired all of them seemed to be.
On to Balboa, Panama!
The first day here, Mom and I took a city orientation tour during which we rode a bus around all the neighborhoods. This used to be a fishing village, but was then "discovered" by Johnny Weismuller and all the Hollywood bigwigs. Now they have an area (called "Diamond Acapulco") where they sell condos for $1.5 million or more each. The Mirador Hotel (where the cliff divers are) is in the old-fashioned section. To be honest, it looks more like a motel until you get to the water side of the hotel. The rooms are all built on the cliff so that you can look straight down to the water. The Mirador was built by Teddy Stauffer. Stauffer was an actor who married Hedy Lamarr here in 1951 -- the marriage only lasted one year. Lamarr went back to Hollywood, but Stauffer stayed in Acapulco for the rest of his life. We also got to see the cliff divers. When Stauffer and Lamarr were married, some of the fishermen of the area were asked to dive from the cliff at the wedding as a celebration of their marriage. Realizing that they could make more money diving than fishing, the cliff divers have been performing ever since. Not as spectacular as on the Wide World of Sports, but impressive. I sure wouldn't want to dive off a hundred-foot cliff into a 12- to 15-foot deep pool in the rocks.
On the 22nd, I was the trip leader for "Encounters with Ancient Times." Basically I had to be responsible for making sure everyone was on the bus, etc., take care of any trouble that might arise, and act as intermediary with the guide if necessary. The reward is that I get to sit in the front seat of the bus. Anyway, we took the superhighway (a divided 4-lane toll road) to a place called Xochicalco, which is the "House of the Flowers." This was a long ride, taking us 4 hours to get there.) Xochicalco was a ceremonial center between the 7th and 9th centuries (CE) for the Olmecs and other related groups. They have a nice museum with items that have been discovered in archaeological digs on the site. Then we went up to the pyramid complex itself, and walked around. The guide was good and took the group all around -- it is a huge site, but the guide explained it well. It was beautiful (on one of the highest mountaintops) and so quiet -- until the school groups got there! (There were a number of school tours on the 22nd. It was the last day of school for the children in the area, so there were a number of school groups on a field trip.)
After we left the pyramids, we went to the Hacienda Vista Hermosa (the House of the Beautiful View). It was called Vista Hermosa by Hernan Cortez, who built the original hacienda about 1530. It's built like a medieval fortress, with a crenelated outer wall protecting rooms surrounding an inner courtyard and garden. Now it is a hotel, and the rates are quite reasonable. The American Plan, with 3 meals a day, is only about $250/day for a double. We ate at the restaurant there, a wonderful buffet. Everyone was extremely sleepy when they finally got back on the bus.On the third day, I rested. I had to recover from all that climbing and walking in the hot sun at Xochicalco, and the huge meal at Vista Hermosa.
On the 24th, I went to a Mexican cooking class, where one person demonstrated the way to make classic Mexican dishes, such as tampico beef and chicken enchiladas. The food was quite good, but it was difficult to see the cook working, and what, exactly, he did as he was cooking, so I didn't enjoy that part as much. Later on that day, Mom and I took a walk, and had a last Mexican meal at a restaurant near the port terminal - La Canasta. The food was very good, but the portions were huge, so we ended up leaving a lot on our plates. Dean David (Gies) says that the way to enjoy food in Latin America is to eat only dishes that are cooked and piping hot, bottled beverages that you see opened, and fruit that you can peel. No unbottled water or ice, and no cold dishes, such as salads or ice cream. These rules are the key to avoiding gastric distress!
We said "adios!" to Acapulco about 11 pm on the 24th. It was dark when we weighed anchor, and the lights of the houses on the mountains surrounding Acapulco twinkled like fairy lights as we left Acapulco Bay. Everyone had gotten back to the ship by 9pm, which was "on-ship time." Following Erin's lead, I opened the library from 9-11 pm that night, so that folks could start their studying and finish their trip reports, etc. I had an amazing amount of business considering how tired all of them seemed to be.
On to Balboa, Panama!
First three days of classes
June 20 – Drop/Add Day – Today we have experienced the vagaries of internet connections via satellite. We’ve been without a connection all day, and the estimate is that it won’t come back up until 1 a.m. this morning. (Note: The ship's internet connection was out for two days. - JLC) Luckily, the library catalog mostly works (for some reason, it, too, has been slow), and we’ve had a fairly busy time checking out reserve books, especially the Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico. (We dock tomorrow in Acapulco.) Unfortunately, one of the two copies of that guide disappeared early this week, so we’ve been running on one copy for everyone on the ship. I expect to see it back on Sunday when the ship leaves Acapulco.
June 18-19 - The 18th was Orientation day, during which there are introductions and welcomes, as well as a lot of lectures about the ship, and what the faculty expects of the students. The 19th is the first day of class, and all the students are running around trying to find their classes. This is made more complicated because the classes have been moved around quite a bit, so there is no up-to-date map of where the classrooms are. Also, tomorrow is Add/Drop day, so enrollment is still in flux.
There hasn't been a lot of seasickness among the "voyagers," because we've had fairly mild seas. In fact, at least once today, I saw the ocean literally "as smooth as glass," which must be where the old saying comes from.
One of the challenges of the summer voyage is the compressed time frame (65 days) we have to accomplish many of the goals that the fall and spring voyages accomplish in 100 days. We rarely have more than 4 days between ports, and in several cases, we have two days between ports -- in one case, only one day. So, I think there's going to be some difficulty keeping continuity of the classes, with such frequent interruptions by ports. But everyone is aware of that and are working specifically on those issues.
June 18-19 - The 18th was Orientation day, during which there are introductions and welcomes, as well as a lot of lectures about the ship, and what the faculty expects of the students. The 19th is the first day of class, and all the students are running around trying to find their classes. This is made more complicated because the classes have been moved around quite a bit, so there is no up-to-date map of where the classrooms are. Also, tomorrow is Add/Drop day, so enrollment is still in flux.
There hasn't been a lot of seasickness among the "voyagers," because we've had fairly mild seas. In fact, at least once today, I saw the ocean literally "as smooth as glass," which must be where the old saying comes from.
One of the challenges of the summer voyage is the compressed time frame (65 days) we have to accomplish many of the goals that the fall and spring voyages accomplish in 100 days. We rarely have more than 4 days between ports, and in several cases, we have two days between ports -- in one case, only one day. So, I think there's going to be some difficulty keeping continuity of the classes, with such frequent interruptions by ports. But everyone is aware of that and are working specifically on those issues.
Monday, June 18, 2007
We sail away ...
June 17 – We woke up docked in Ensenada this morning. Many of the dependents (spouses and children and others connected to the faculty and staff) had been talking for several days about going shopping in order to pick up items they’d overlooked in their packing. For instance, who knew that we’d need beach towels and marzipan for this voyage? Anyway, Mom and I got up early and caught a taxi to the Walmart of Ensenada – a Supercenter – to pick up these little odds and ends. We spent MX$777 pesos (about US$77) in this Walmart.
The students and life-long learners began to arrive about 1pm on the 17th. You would not believe how much luggage was transferred to the ship! By about 3:30 pm, all voyagers were present and accounted for, and at 4 pm the captain called a life boat drill. Once everyone found their appropriate station, and the captain had reviewed all participants, we were dismissed, and the ship began preparations for departure. We finally cast off about 5:30pm, and sailed away toward the sunset. While we were exiting Ensenada’s harbor, the cry of “whale spout” went up, and everyone rushed over to the starboard side to see the whale. However, the whale was very canny, and we only saw the spout a few times and just a couple of glimpses of the whale’s back.
Some statistics for this voyage: In his introductory address, Executive Dean John Burkhoff said that the ages of the voyagers run from 3 months to 85 years, including 302 students, 47 life-long learners, and 18 children between 3 months and 17 years old. The students are from 143 colleges and universities, and 7 different countries are represented on the ship. The statistic that most interested the student body, however, was that their group was composed of 67% females and 33% males.
Comments on the library: This first week has been really intense. It's very hard to describe just how busy and frantic these past days have been. I haven't had time to stop and think or write. I've spent most of my time reacting to a variety of "emergencies" that needed answers immediately. As Barbie, Erika, and Erin mentioned, there were some problems with the 24Online ids, and a great deal of confusion about the difference betweeen 24Online and UVa Proxy server ids, and which one to use to get onto the internet. As you might expect, some folks were frantic to get to their email after several days. I expect things to settle down after classes really get started, though.
The students and life-long learners began to arrive about 1pm on the 17th. You would not believe how much luggage was transferred to the ship! By about 3:30 pm, all voyagers were present and accounted for, and at 4 pm the captain called a life boat drill. Once everyone found their appropriate station, and the captain had reviewed all participants, we were dismissed, and the ship began preparations for departure. We finally cast off about 5:30pm, and sailed away toward the sunset. While we were exiting Ensenada’s harbor, the cry of “whale spout” went up, and everyone rushed over to the starboard side to see the whale. However, the whale was very canny, and we only saw the spout a few times and just a couple of glimpses of the whale’s back.
Some statistics for this voyage: In his introductory address, Executive Dean John Burkhoff said that the ages of the voyagers run from 3 months to 85 years, including 302 students, 47 life-long learners, and 18 children between 3 months and 17 years old. The students are from 143 colleges and universities, and 7 different countries are represented on the ship. The statistic that most interested the student body, however, was that their group was composed of 67% females and 33% males.
Comments on the library: This first week has been really intense. It's very hard to describe just how busy and frantic these past days have been. I haven't had time to stop and think or write. I've spent most of my time reacting to a variety of "emergencies" that needed answers immediately. As Barbie, Erika, and Erin mentioned, there were some problems with the 24Online ids, and a great deal of confusion about the difference betweeen 24Online and UVa Proxy server ids, and which one to use to get onto the internet. As you might expect, some folks were frantic to get to their email after several days. I expect things to settle down after classes really get started, though.
Meetings, meetings, and more meetings
June 12-16 – The rest of the faculty boarded on the 13th with their families. These days were full of meetings of the faculty and administrative staff. We left San Diego at midnight on the 13th, and sailed to Ensenada, arriving at 7 am. In and around the meetings, I unpacked the library boxes (with help from some volunteers) and sorted them by reserve, reference, and general collection. (I carefully flattened the boxes and set them aside to save, but the crew, with their usual cleaning efficiency, wafted them away before I could take them to my room!) Later that day, after all meetings were finished, Mom and I walked into town and looked around. Mom did some shopping – she’s big on shopping!
The next morning (the 15th), the ship undocked at noon, and anchored in the harbor until the next evening. There was a lot of coming and going by big ships, so they needed the docking spaces – we saw the Monarch of the Seas and a Carnival ship, whose name I don’t remember. On the 16th, we docked at Ensenada again in the early evening.
Many of these meetings took place in the Union (a big amphitheater-type room where musical shows were performed when this ship was a cruise ship). Now, I'm not prone to being cold, but that room is COLD! Otherwise, I find the environment and temperature on the ship quite comfortable. However, everyone else is complaining about the cold.
The next morning (the 15th), the ship undocked at noon, and anchored in the harbor until the next evening. There was a lot of coming and going by big ships, so they needed the docking spaces – we saw the Monarch of the Seas and a Carnival ship, whose name I don’t remember. On the 16th, we docked at Ensenada again in the early evening.
Many of these meetings took place in the Union (a big amphitheater-type room where musical shows were performed when this ship was a cruise ship). Now, I'm not prone to being cold, but that room is COLD! Otherwise, I find the environment and temperature on the ship quite comfortable. However, everyone else is complaining about the cold.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
We're on the ship!
June 11 - We arrived on the ship about 1:30pm. Mom and I are in a cabin on Deck 5, one of the Jr. Suites. Very nice. It has a sitting area with a big picture window - I think it's the same sort of room that Barbie had last year.
The 7 boxes we sent first have arrived, and I believe the other three boxes must be here as well. As soon as I can get them moved, I'll start unpacking the books and videos. Sal is waiting for the final roster before giving me the db to load into Destiny.The ship was in drydock last week, and they were still doing repair and renovation to the water system when we embarked.
The 7 boxes we sent first have arrived, and I believe the other three boxes must be here as well. As soon as I can get them moved, I'll start unpacking the books and videos. Sal is waiting for the final roster before giving me the db to load into Destiny.The ship was in drydock last week, and they were still doing repair and renovation to the water system when we embarked.
Arriving in San Diego
We arrived in San Diego in the morning on June 10th. We stayed at La Pensione Hotel, a European-style hotel in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. (I think “European-style” refers to the small rooms.) The hotel is on Date Street, about 3 blocks from the waterfront and a short cab ride from the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal where the MV Explorer is currently moored. For those considering using this hotel, you need to know that it has a checkout time of noon, and checkin at 3PM. This is pretty inflexible, so be prepared to wait for a time if you arrive early. Luckily, the lobby has comfortable chairs and is relatively quiet. The lobby and reception area are done in purple, mustard, and grey marble/masonry; it’s a very modern look. The owners have a dog named Penny who has the run of the place. The price is good, $90/night for a room with a queen-size bed and a fairly large bathroom (a great price for San Diego!), and it’s recommended by Frommer’s Budget Travel for that reason.
After getting into our room, and having a nap, we decided to have some authentic pizza in the neighborhood. We went to Fillippi’s Pizza Grotto across from the hotel, a local institution since 1950. The pizza was pretty good.
After getting into our room, and having a nap, we decided to have some authentic pizza in the neighborhood. We went to Fillippi’s Pizza Grotto across from the hotel, a local institution since 1950. The pizza was pretty good.
Introduction
Perhaps I should begin by introducing myself and my mother, who is traveling with me.
I've been a librarian at the University of Virginia for 24 years, first as the Technical Services Librarian at the Science & Engineering Library, then as the Systems Librarian responsible for the NOTIS online catalog, then as the Assistant Director of Interlibrary Services. Now I'm the Library Grants Office and Genealogical Resources Specialist for the UVA Library. I've done a lot of traveling, including several cruises, but this is the first time I've been on a Semester At Sea voyage.
Eddith, my mother, finds it amusing to be called my "dependent." Mom is an RN who retired once in the 1990s, but then got bored and went back to work. She went on her first cruise when she was 75. Now we can't keep her off ships! She is very excited to have the opportunity to join this voyage and is looking forward to the adventure.
I've been a librarian at the University of Virginia for 24 years, first as the Technical Services Librarian at the Science & Engineering Library, then as the Systems Librarian responsible for the NOTIS online catalog, then as the Assistant Director of Interlibrary Services. Now I'm the Library Grants Office and Genealogical Resources Specialist for the UVA Library. I've done a lot of traveling, including several cruises, but this is the first time I've been on a Semester At Sea voyage.
Eddith, my mother, finds it amusing to be called my "dependent." Mom is an RN who retired once in the 1990s, but then got bored and went back to work. She went on her first cruise when she was 75. Now we can't keep her off ships! She is very excited to have the opportunity to join this voyage and is looking forward to the adventure.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Semester At Sea, Summer 2007 - Itinerary
Here's the link to the website for Semester At Sea, Summer 2007 Voyage: http://www.semesteratsea.com/voyages/summer2007/index.html
Itinerary:
Ensenada, Mexico
Acapulco, Mexico
Balboa, Panama (Panama City)
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Valparaiso, Chile
Callao, Peru
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Corinto, Nicaragua
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
San Diego, CA
Itinerary:
Ensenada, Mexico
Acapulco, Mexico
Balboa, Panama (Panama City)
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Valparaiso, Chile
Callao, Peru
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Corinto, Nicaragua
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
San Diego, CA
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