Day 9

 

Tuesday (February 3)



Early docking at Puerto Quetzal Guatemala. Much activity on the dock and surrounding area. An early breakfast and boarding our bus with a group to tour a sugar mill and Mayan musium. With ambush of the college students several weeks ago, our thoughts were to get this over with and get back on the boat and out of town.



..The Band was out to greet us





Our Guide at least had a radio and explained the local political situation and the ambush last month. Our bus ride took us thru the countryside of sugarcane fields at various degrees of developement. Passed along side of two active volcanos venting some steam from their tops. We passed thru a village that housed many of the workers in the sugarcane mills and fields. It appears that the way of life lends itself to the political turmoil that exist in this area. Need I say more.

...To the Countryside we go





We arrived at the museum located amongst a small cluster of homes at a sugar plantation. Again poverty beyond belief. Very tiny native children sitting in clusters hoping for a handout from us. The museum housed stone from Mayan ruins one thousand years old. The stones were dug from the adjacent farm.

...Our Guide ..A Family

 

 

..More Kids ..Contrast (Satellite Dish)


Look closely at the "Contrast" above and you can see steam coming from a volcano in the distant.


..Brothers

We then visited the sugar mill first watching the manual cutting of the sugar cane. Next trucks came streaming in from the fields washing the cane down before entering the crushing plant. The cane had previous been burned in the fields to rid the cane of snakes and leaves. The mill itself was off limits to the tourist but a video was presented describing the milling of the cane. Heat generated from the process generated electricity back into the grid. The final product was bagged and loaded aboard truck for shipping. Total milling cost is two cents per pound.



..Cutting the Cane



A Cane Truck..

..The Mill



We returned to the ship and strolled thru some stands next to the ship. Rest of the day did some exercise, dinner and show. Heavy seas overnight 30-40 feet depending on the source and how sick one got. Had breakfast at the main pool and the water was splashing fifteen feet over the dolphin at the end of the pool. Hope the picture below shows the affect.



Bev Marches Out of Guatemala.

...A Heavy Sea Next Morning

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