We are cruising right along. The weather is still really cool but the seas of gotten a lot calmer. Today has been relatively uneventful. Vicki and I both had a doctors appointment after which we went to Starbucks. We enjoyed having breakfast and seen our servers. We made friends with a little boy named Brian
We enjoyed being at coffee the two of us with our mini iPads! Irwin and Sandi were leaving as we arrived and we waved and took their parking place! lol! They had to go to a special meeting in Sun Lakes!
After leaving Starbucks we did our usual tour to QT and for a small amount of time I debated about whether or not to go to the gym and exercise. It seemed to me that clunking around the ship and around the ports that we get plenty of exercise! lol! The little voice in my mind told me to go! go! go! go! Don't pass go...just do it! So onto the ship and off to Curves! Okay I am good for 1 time around and then I am DONE, DONE, DONE.
It is freezing cold here and it is not fun jumping in and out of this ship to go to these different tours! We went through the drive-through at Arby's and bought a sandwich for our lunch. It was good and it met our expectations.
Off we go to pick up Rosine to take her to the doctors....I am tired of the doctors...this is our 6th trip this week! Enough is enough....I am over it and I am going back to my room and calling room service...YES AGAIN! I am tired now, no more tours today!
Where we did not go today.....but the Amsterdam did narrative from Bill and Mary Ann's blog and photos from the internet!
Manta Ecuador is a tuna fishing port, a 30 minute flight from Quito. Ecuador. Ecuador has only 13 million people (most of whom seem to be street beggars.
Also important in this part of the world is the fact that since 1999, Manta has been used as a military location for the US Air Force. They have joined with Ecuador in supporting anti-narcotics military operations. Surveillance flights are flown from here to track Colombian drug trafficking cartels. Finally, Manta serves as a lookout point for the US for any warcraft heading north from the Middle East and Asia. And if we recall, that is about the time that Ecuador adopted the US dollar as their currency. Sure makes things much easier for us cruisers.
We walked to the local hotel down the hill from the mall. It faces the ocean and a nicestretch of beach, and the staff welcomes the cruisers to visit and perhaps enjoy a beer or lunch in their bar and restaurant. We were more interested in taking pictures of the pool and gardens. As we strolled down the landscaped walkways to the pool, we heard some people saying, "Hola". Looking around, we spotted a tableful of friends who were dining on a balcony overlooking the grounds. This particular group seeks out the best places to lunch in almost every port, much the same as we do nowadays. It's really relaxing watching the world go by.
Tomorrow is a sea day!
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