Bit Of A Blog : Vision Of The Seas, Nov 29th 2018 : Panama Canal eastbound

[LUVINMYHUBS]

10 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

5a.m the racket started from the rope room. The only downside to this cabin. 

 

Compass day 12.pdf

I think I remember you saying you were inside deck 3, right?  What room #?  We are in room 3327 in 2 weeks....hope it is far enough away to make a difference noise wise.

[NorbertsNiece]

3 hours ago, LUVINMYHUBS said:

I think I remember you saying you were inside deck 3, right?  What room #?  We are in room 3327 in 2 weeks....hope it is far enough away to make a difference noise wise.

Just back on board. Am in #4002 and this morning I grabbed a pic and badly drew an arrow to show where I am.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Colón. What can I say? A city with not one set of traffic lights or painted lines on the roads or give way signs. Remember this for later.....

We are met at the pier by our guide Daniel. He's a lovely guide and took good care of us.

I've never seen a taxi used as a pick-up before....or should that be vice versa?

[NorbertsNiece]

This map sort of shows the location of the Embera Indian Village. Took over an hour by road. Access to the village itself is by water only.....this was an added 40 minutes each way in a motorised dug out canoe that seats 10 with a guide on the front and one aft operating the outboard motor. We pass through teak forests and rolling hills. There is a parked car blocking our way at one point and a sleepy dog has to relocate.

 

We arrivve at the canoe pickup point. 

[NorbertsNiece]

Sorry to briefly change the subject @heatherb1958 hope I've tagged the right heatherb..... look who I just met outside the lounge.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Back to the blog.

Embera men wear little other than a cloth tied with a string around tbeir waists. Embera women wear fabric 'skirts', their hair long, flowers in their hair and jewellery. They cover their breasts when cooking.

 

The canoe arrives. We are given life jackets. I hide my fear of white knuckle rides and gingerly make my way on board

 

 

[heatherb1958]

Linda, you got the right person. I  see Sheenagh is on SEAL duty, copied and sent to her mum Joan . Thank you. 

 

Edited December 10, 2018 by heatherb1958

[Slainte!]

1 hour ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Sorry to briefly change the subject @heatherb1958 hope I've tagged the right heatherb..... look who I just met outside the lounge.

 

 

Aww that lovely Irish girl. 

Cheers!

Joan

[NorbertsNiece]

[NorbertsNiece]

40 minutes later we've arrived at the village. The rest of our group are not far behind.

We are greeted with music inviting us up some steps.

There are crafts for sale, each table is the personal work of one household. 

Edited December 11, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

There are 126 residents of the village; the youngest is 2 months old, the eldest is 86.

There are little people around. School is out now until March. Uniform is worn to the school which is on site but away from the centre. Older children have to go to High School off site.

All homes are above ground as protection against wild animals and flood. We are invited up some very steep steps to a meeting place with a cooking area at one end. Each family home has its own similar area.

The floor appears flimsy but is incredibly strong.

We are free to photograph anyone and anything. 

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

It's been a very rough and bumpy  night. Normal service will resume later. Going on an excursion later today with Carol in Cartagena.

 

 

Compass day 13.pdf

[NorbertsNiece]

To continue at the Embera Village. 

 

We are welcomed by the head of the village, Etira, in their language and then in Spanish. The children are all taught in Spanish in school.

His wife, Fler, demonstrated craft making. There is no formal marriage ceremony, a couple form a relationship.

The ingredients for lunch are being delivered. We are expecting tilapia with plantain.

Edited December 11, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Sat in my room charging up phone  before going ashore.

'Echo echo echo' on PA in corridor. 

Have we been hit by another craft?

 

Informed by a friend that it's a drill ..... didn't hear that bit.....captain just came on the PA and advised crew to stand down.

Edited December 11, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[heatherb1958]

21 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Sat in my room charging up phone  before going ashore.

'Echo echo echo' on PA in corridor. 

Have we been hit by another craft?

 

Informed by a friend that it's a drill ..... didn't hear that bit.....captain just came on the PA and advised crew to stand down.

 

Yes Linda,   Echo, Echo, Echo is the call sign for the ship either going to hit something or vice versa. We were on Serenade when there was an Echo call . The wind was so strong the ship moved and the gangways went in the water hitting the side of the ship.  No one was injured thankfully. 

When we were at breakfast on Vision on our PC cruise there was a Bravo announcement and a cabin number announced. We are seasoned cruisers and know that they always say something to the effect “ This is a drill for crew only, no need for guests to participate “ , there wasn’t anything.  We all looked at each other trying to second guess if it was the real thing. It was a drill in the end but I never heard any announcement to say such, not impressed with the bridge’s lack of communication to guests. First time cruisers could have been nervous !

[NorbertsNiece]

Normal service will resume shortly. Here's today's Compass.

Compass day 14.pdf

[NorbertsNiece]

Not able to upload pics..... we're rocking a bit. Cartagena yesterday was a delight. Such a change when last I was there 9 years ago. Love the port area.  We disembark on Saturday and it's sea days until then. Giovanni's with friends tonight and chef's table tomorrow. Have given up with the MDR for dinner and am happily eating in WJ in the evening. 

 

CC slot pull today.  26 turned up! Thanks to Carol @Merion_Mom for helping to organise the gamers!

[psychokitty]

2 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Not able to upload pics..... we're rocking a bit. Cartagena yesterday was a delight. Such a change when last I was there 9 years ago. Love the port area.  We disembark on Saturday and it's sea days until then. Giovanni's with friends tonight and chef's table tomorrow. Have given up with the MDR for dinner and am happily eating in WJ in the evening. 

 

CC slot pull today.  26 turned up! Thanks to Carol @Merion_Mom for helping to organise the gamers!

Thanks Linda & Carol. Slot pull was FUN!

[PCWalton1]

4 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Not able to upload pics..... we're rocking a bit. Cartagena yesterday was a delight. Such a change when last I was there 9 years ago. Love the port area.  We disembark on Saturday and it's sea days until then. Giovanni's with friends tonight and chef's table tomorrow. Have given up with the MDR for dinner and am happily eating in WJ in the evening. 

 

CC slot pull today.  26 turned up! Thanks to Carol @Merion_Mom for helping to organise the gamers!

What time is Chef's Table tomorrow?

[NorbertsNiece]

Nice to chat with you last night Bill. Still no invite to Chefs Table in my room although there may be something attached to my door outside!

 

I see the boards are down at the weekend. Is that indefinitely? I will do my best to catch up by then. Had no internet in my room yesterday. Two trips to report it. Fixed by the time I returned to my room after Giovanni's last night.

[NorbertsNiece]

Embera Village  contd.

The fibres used are dyed; they are boiled for 2 hours; in turmeric to make yellow or buried in mud to make brown.

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

The sign translates as keep the place tidy..... and there's me thinking it's to do with the nut they use to carve intricate little objects! Or the wood..... the objects are really heavy.

[NorbertsNiece]

We take a tour around the village.

[NorbertsNiece]

Currently stood at Guest Services arguning an erroneous charge on my account.

Walkabout pics. It's a steep walk up to the school. And it's incredibly humid. The last pic in this set is as far up as I got; I was breathless and dripping with humidity.

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

I head back down. It's wet and slippery underfoot. Am scared of falling. Pup asleep in the shade. Leaf cutter ants cross my path. Another pup in full sun. The sign reads 'do not mess up your community'.