California First: Reunion of Joys in the City of Los Angeles

 November 20, 2010 is not only the day I will see my cousin but also marks my 1st month in the United States. A celebration that is really worth looking forward to. 

For weeks, I have been counting the days. As eager as I was to see dear cousin Joy, I was up as early as 5AM. As soon as we were allowed to go out, I left cabin 4312. Taking snapshots of port 91-92 kept me busy while I wait for my lovely cousin. And, there she was riding a  silver BMW (5BKT230) with her husband, Homer Dao, taking care of the wheels.  After a nice long hug and exchanges of cheers, we were headed to explore the city.  

Thanks to the guys who invented freeways, even though, Port San Pedro is far from our destination for the day, we were able to get there in less than an hour. Our 1st stop, Universal Studios. Weather was not on our side today but it didn’t hinder us from pursuing our plans. Yup, we had our Universal Studio City Walk under the rain and with a very cold winter breeze. Luckily, Joy was a girl scout and brought me some clothing to keep me warm. The photographs taken were proofs that the rain was not a hindrance for us. It  was noon when we left the park but we grab some fries and American burgers before we left.

The next part of the day was the most wonderful part. We had an amazing race in Hollywood. In less than an hour, we went, explored  and posed in the different tourist spots in Hollywood. Homer was amazingly patient and talented in capturing kodak moments. We were not able to grab a formal lunch in a Thai restaurant down Hollywood boulevard but our stomach did not mind. It was a race against the clock after the kodak fun. However, Homer was still able to show the streets of Beverly Hills on our way back to San Pedro. 

It was a nerve wrecking last 15 minutes, why wouldn’t it? I will just have to fly to Cabo San Lucas to catch my ship if I wont get back in time. On top of that, I don’t have my passport with me. But, God always provide a way.

Waves to the EASTERN CARIBBEAN

Voyage 13101025 is when for the 1st time we encountered storm while at sea. More than 12 feet waves rocked us on our way to Barbados. Drizzles and big waves painted Star's visit to the Eastern Caribbean. Six stops comprised the weeklong journey.

SAMANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Dominican Republic is the Caribbean of 40 years ago with its lush tropical vegetation and the beauty of Cavo Levantado. Its lush tropical vegetations and rogue coastlines were its main pride. 

TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLAND  British Virgin Island was the 2nd stop for voyage 13101024. British influence is clearly seen in its paved cobblestone pathways and right-hand driven cars  

ST JOHN, ANTIGUA. Holiday and history mixed well in the home of Nelson Dockyard- 1st Gregorian Naval Harbor.   Jen and I were joined by Marlene of IT in finding St John’s Cathedral and in feasting over Chinese foods in a nearby local restaurant. 

ROSEAU, DOMINICA. Drizzle greeted us in Dominica and it stayed all day. The tours were wet and slippery which translates to many accidents that were attended by the medical center. Luckily, minor injuries were only sustained and not enough to ruin the cruise 

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS.  The way to Barbados was filled with 12-ft high waves which made the ship dance and sway all night. The Statue of Lord Nelson, St Michael Cathedral and St Patricks Church were good motivation for a long walk. 

BASETERRE, ST KITTS St Kitts beauty was a mixture of French and British influence.

Huatulco Once

Nhuari (Indian) word  which means “place where people worship the cross” is the root word of Huatulco

Until the area was tagged for development in the 1980’s, this stretch of coast 300 miles (480 km) southeast of Acapulco was cut off from the interior of Mexico by steep mountains. As a result, the original settlers of several indigenous Indian tribes, including the Zapotecs, Mixtecs, and Aztecs, traded goods by sea, traveling between the bays in small boats.

Legend has it that a white, bearded man brought a cross to Santa Cruz many years before the Spanish conquest. The story goes that he converted the Indians to Christianity and then disappeared. When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, they established a trading post, and for a time it was more important than Acapulco. British pirates attacked in the late 1500s, and Thomas Cavendish burned the port. The cross, however, remained undamaged by ax or fire. Numerous miracles have since been attributed to the relic.

After Mexican Independence, Huatulco was largely ignored. Until the 1980s, only about 1,000 farmers and fishermen resided in the small village of Santa Cruz, Huatulco. The only visitors were die-hard surfers who wandered over from Puerto Escondido. Spurred by the success of Cancun, however, government officials recognized great potential for tourism in Huatulco’s nine pristine bays. A road linking the cost to the interior was built in 1984. Water, sewage, electric and phone lines were also installed. The influx of construction workers and service employees swelled the local population to about 8,000.

Located in the state of Oaxaca, the port is at the very southern tip of the Mexican Rivera and covers a 22-mile stretch of coastline carved into nine beautiful bays. The Sierra Madre Mountain provide a backdrop to 30 crescent shaped beaches. Because  of the hilly terrain, many of these are only available by boat. The first year 60,000 tourists came to visit, primarily locals and those staying at Club Med. The goal is to build 20,000 hotel rooms by 2018. The bays of Huatulco are main attractions and the catalyst for tourism. The closest attraction to the pier is the marine at Santa Cruz where several splendid shops have opened. Also, the town square in the village of La Crucesita is worth visiting.

During my 1st visit to Huatulco, I had 60 pieces of shrimp in thick butter sauce, pinacolada, and fajitas with Jennifer Santiago . I almost attended mass that day. However, the mass was celebrated in Latin which I can’t really comprehend. No habla espanyol :(

Huatulco days were Nov 25 and Dec13 in 2010 and in 2011, Jan 6 and  24.

Roatan, Honduras

Leisure walk and Seafood fiesta described my 1 day stay in Roatan. Only once have we visited Honduras and with Nurse Jen, I explored Roatan. We ate in a local seaside restaurant for 15USD. This place reminds you of a far flung rural area in the Philippines. Coxen Hole, capital of Roatan, is the largest city and capital of the Bay Islands. Roatan is 35miles and an average of 3 miles wide and lies 40miles off the north coast of Honduras. Currency is called Lempira with English and Spanish as language. Poverty is evident in its streets and architecture. Nevertheless, its rural charm and beautiful beaches are reasons to include Honduras in your weekend itinerary.