SLO Live/SLO Jam 5/10/2018 Bliss

[skierjj]

 

 

 

 

So our excursion today was through NCL: “Guatemalan rum aged in the clouds”

This time we got to theater early and yes they called our excursion about 8 minutes early than scheduled meeting time of 8:10. Lesson learned.

 

We got in a smaller air conditioned bus, held about 20 I’d say. Our guide was Pablo, driver was Diego.

 

We drove about 1 1/2 hours to our first stop in the ancient city of Antiqua. We went by sugar cane, rubber trees and coffee fields, some rivers, some traffic. We saw huge mountains and great Volcanos. Many homes in poverty, and also beautiful resorts and Spanish style houses. As we went further inland where we gained elevation and the weather was very pleasant.

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

Our first stop was a genuine Jade artisan crafts, jewelry and museum. The archeologists were featured in National Geographic in 1987.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=TdpWJvuU&id=608ABCB81CAD435165F5D2DBE36471FCA4C6026A&thid=OIP.TdpWJvuUM7WROejb-wztHgHaKq&q=national+geographic+article+jade+in+guatemala&simid=608018142764139556&selectedIndex=0&PC=APPL

 

Also a trip advisor post about this place:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g295366-d3220157-i244323085-Jade_Maya_The_Original_Jade_factory_and_Museum-Antigua_Sacatepequez_Depa.html

 

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is a huge retirement boulder for the archeologists:

 

 

We shopped for some things for kids for Christmas. So I didn’t get too many pics.

Next was our rum tasting at Casa Ron:

 

 

 

 

 

Our rum taster helper/educator was Ana. Very informative. Rums were yummy and flavorful

We enjoy rums and bought one of each.

 

 

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[skierjj]

The grounds were pretty too:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

Just a warning after leaving the Rum tasting we were “assaulted” by street venders. I liked a handmade table runner. She said it was $40 and I offered $30. She took that. Later these same ladies were selling the same size for $5!!! So I got ripped off, but I felt I was contributing to the indigenous culture and way of life. Had I known that we would later visit a textile museum (that had looms right there, and prices in US dollars) at the end of the day, I would of waited to purchase. The street vendors are everywhere in the plaza square. “No gracias” will eventually get them to leave you alone.

We also went into a pleasant cafe in the square.

 

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

I have lots of pics of the cute cafe:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Guatemala currency is the quetzal. Our coffee was 18 quetzals and the beer was 100 quetzals.

 

 

 

Back in square to meet Pablo:

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

Next stop was lunch at hotel Antigua. Beautiful grounds! I can’t believe I forgot to take pictures of buffet and of our meal, I guess I was hungry, (famished actually). And we were busy chatting with our lunch table people.

Here are pics of the beautiful hotel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Leaving square, one last shot of church, this one includes part of the typical bus we were in.

 

 

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Now off to textile museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

Now I got a little bit of a glance of the volcano on the drive home. It was raining now. But rain stopped by the time we got to port.

 

 

 

 

Once onboard, Mike slept I went to spa.

Nice sunset.

 

Hit a mini jackpot on the way to sgt. pepper Beatles in Cavern:

 

 

 

 

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Off to sgt. pepper:

 

 

Now off to mark Leven comedy/magic:

No pics.

Local for dinner: wings and sandwiches. Yum.

No pics

There was a 90s party out at spiceh20. It got rained out and moved to social. I walked in and back out. Just too tired.

 

Got some sleep, but I wanted to see Royal wedding. Woke up around 3:00am to see that. Our group was doing a royal wedding party wearing their tiaras in Atrium, but I was too tired to get dressed and just watched BBC from bed.

 

 

 

 

 

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[skierjj]

Dailies Day 10:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Caught up! Back to Live review today!

 

 

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[skierjj]

The Guatemala currency is the quetzal. Our coffee was 18 quetzals and the beer was 100 quetzals.

 

 

 

Back in square to meet Pablo:

 

 

 

 

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Wait I think Mike had 2 beers for 100 quetzals!

[LdyMags]

Wait I think Mike had 2 beers for 100 quetzals!

 

I was like whoa you are getting ripped off on the beer!

[skierjj]

So today a nice day at Sea. We slept in, ate a banana in room. Hung out in our nice room, used jacuzzi. Hung out on balcony, read books etc. I love sea days.

We went to lunch at Haven:

I had a cheese platter as appetizer and also a chefs special: cold pumpkin soup. Then we each had a salad with chicken for lunch: Cobb and Caesars:

 

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Mike had a seafood appetizer:

 

 

 

 

We still need to figure out when to eat dinner, because we have a martini party at 5:00 - 5:45 at Haven observation lounge.

Then we have the show ‘prohibition’ tonight which includes 5 strong cocktails.

 

 

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More relaxing in our pretty room:

(Don’t you just love coming back from lunch to a freshly cleaned room)?

 

 

 

 

 

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We are trying Deal or no Deal for first time. We got there around 3:30 to get our D or no D cards and a seat for 4:00 show it was already pretty packed.

 

 

 

It is $25 per card. We each got one:

 

You also get 5 raffle tickets for 2 of us into the chance to win a free cruise on winners bingo (probably the next to last day?)

 

 

 

Ok wish us luck!

 

 

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[skierjj]

Deal or no deal was entertaining. $50 entertainment for an hour for 2 people? Maybe. We enjoyed the show on TV years ago.

 

Martini cocktail party from our concierge was ok. We are not socializers by nature more of introverts but Amir was making amazing martinis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is this the captain shot into the light? Can’t tell.

 

 

 

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We needed to get food in us for a heavy night of drinking. Taste MDR it is. What a lovely room. Nice to see ocean go by. Here is tonight’s menu:

 

 

 

Mike had bruschetta:

 

I had a small Greek salad:

I had ziti to hopefully absorb all of the alcohol.

 

 

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Mike had the rotisserie chicken

Desert menu:

 

 

Getting ready for prohibition the musical:

 

 

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I took lots of Pics of prohibition show. Three of our cruise critic people were chosen to be in the show too! How fun!

Mike and I loved this show. (For adults). Just good fun; music signing, dancing and drinking. The drinks are good too. They encourage photos too.

 

 

 

 

 

Ed and Janet all decked out in their 20s dress:

 

 

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