Saturday, February 5, 2022 

After yesterday's bouncing around, MA was sore and unsteady on her feet this morning, so we had tea and biscotti from the coffee bar again.  Because of the variety of colorful masks D has worn, he is now called by name even before pre-senting his room card. 

D read while MA caught up on her regular internet sites, spending lots of time on a COSTCO Facebook group.  Played carch-up with his puzzles when she was done.  Because we did not want to walk too far [i.e., the Ocean Bar], we told the cabin stewards to clean the bathroom and bring fresh ice.  One of them also cleaned the verandah which had caught a lot of overflow from the rear pool. 

The cruise port in Puerto Quetzal is really a commercial one.  Despite the sign declaring it the cruise port and lots of crafts booths set up by the pier, we were surrounded by container ships, a container yard and a coal facility.  It was not picturesque. To make up for lost shopping opportunities yesterday, D visited the craft market and made a complete tour of the booths selling table runners, t-shirts, jewelry, chess sets and masks.  He resisted the temptation to add a mask to "the wall," especially because he recognized one he had bought on a cruise in 2008.  He did succumb to several t-shirts.  If we don't have a picture of a country, we'd better have a t-shirt. 

Lunch was early today because we had not has dinner last night unless you count an apple in the middle of the night.  The Lido was empty at 12:30 with most passengers off on HAL tours on the big bus.  We hate the bus and refuse to take ship's tours.  In addition to the crowding and rudeness on the bus, there is the matter of actually getting on and off. 

More computer time on- and off-line led to the SCAN around 2:30 and we regained some of the sleep we lost yesterday, getting up [finally] around 6 p.m.  Drinks, dinner and the casino followed and then it was time for bed. 

Speaking of dinner, we lost formal night last night [and the escargots] and tonight was "smart casual."  We have decided that many of our fellow passengers are do not understand the concept.  In dress and behavior, more and more of them appear to us to be more suited to a Norwegian cruise than a HAL cruise.  Loud and poorly dressed, they seem to have no idea of the standard which the line has set.  We spoke to one of the dining room managers about this and all he could do was shake his head; he's been with the company long enough to see and know the change in standards and behavior. 

NOTE-- Gentle Reader Beryl has written to ask what we have been reading.[Historical fiction, Ken Follett's latest and mid-50s sci-fi short stories among other things]  Suggestions from other readers are welcomed and will be passed on to her.

Tomorrow -- Guess What!  It's a Sea Day!