We started the New Year with a busy schedule for the day. It was a little after 7AM when we all awoke. The net was on as usual at 7:45AM and as soon as it was over we had a quick breakfast and headed out to the monthly swap meet. As usual, Rick found a couple of things at the meet that were destined to be a future necessity. The idea of the swap meet is to get rid of things but we seem to add a few items after each swap meet.
The next event on our agenda this day was a buffet lunch at Maremares.
At noon, Sharon, Bill (Makai), Lila, Rick (Second Lady) Carol, Rick and I went by dinghy to Maremares. The resort was extremely busy. There weren’t too many empty lounge chairs around the pool. In the pool they had the wave action turned on and later we could see a large group of people doing water aerobics to music. We made our way to the restaurant and found we were about 15 minutes early. We roamed through the hotel lobby to kill some time. The buffet lunch was very good. We were each served a glass of champagne and ate enough food that we had to waddle back to the dinghies afterwards.
It was 3:10PM when we arrived back at Bahia Redonda. There was a Seven
Seas Association GAM at 3PM. I quickly grabbed the appetisers I had
prepared. Rick put a few cold drinks in a bag and we made our way to the
large tent that had been erected for the occasion. We signed in and then
sat down to wait. While waiting Carol and I changed our mind and decided
we would rather be at the pool. We left Rick there to take notes for us
and made our way to the pool. The wind was picking up and the sky was
quite overcast as we were lounging by the pool. Carol and I decided we had
better get in and have our swim before the wind chilled the water and us.
When we returned to the boat we found that Rick was already there. He poured us a drink and we sat in the cockpit gabbed.
None of us could cope with another meal so we skipped dinner.
The winds blew so hard last night that one of our cockpit cushions that was
sitting on top of the cabin roof was found on the deck in the morning. We
leave the cushions up top a lot and they have never moved before. The
winds were good news and bad news. Cloudy weather that had been forecast
for the next couple of days was blown past us. The seas are a little
higher today when we were going out for a sail. Since we were sailing with
Bill and Sharon on Makai (a catamaran) we weren’t going to worry about rough
seas. Susan, Don and little Evan were coming as well. Not being use
to a catamaran we thoroughly enjoyed the sail but found that the vessel pounded
a lot although it was very comfortable. We were going to go in search of
dolphins but would have had to go directly into the wind. Instead we had a
very nice sail over to Chimana Grande where we anchored for lunch. It took
a few tries to get the hook to set but we were
there just in time. It was
less than half an hour later when all of the local boats started streaming in.
We were sitting in the prime spot but that didn’t bother anyone they just
anchored on top of us. Don, Susan and I went in for a swim but the others
wimped out by saying the water was too cold. It was fresh but nice.
It was fun when we started lifting the anchor to leave. Bill asked the
boats that were both rafted and anchored on top of us to swing their boats a
little to starboard so we could raise the anchor. They did and everyone
stood by to push off but Sharon handled the helm beautifully and we missed them
all with at least an inch or more of room.
When we arrived back in the marina we dumped our belongings and went to the pool. There we joined Ralph, Karen (KaraDream) Rick and Lila (Second Lady). I thought the pool water was just as cold as the sea but Carol had no trouble getting in. It was 5:30PM when we started to get a little chilly and returned to the boat. Dinner was onboard. Rick prepared a nice pasta dish with a homemade sauce.
It was 7:50PM when we were all having trouble keeping the eyelids open so we called it a day and went to bed.
We were out of bread and eggs so went to El Ancla Restaurant for breakfast.
I was hoping Carol would try arepas but she followed Rick’s example and had an
omelette.
We dropped some laundry with the laundry lady and then headed
down town. Sharon came along but Bill stayed behind to work on a few
chores. We wanted to show Carol the bustling downtown Puerto La Cruz but
found that many places were still closed for the holidays. Rick dragged us
from downtown around Plaza Bolivar all the way to the market so he could have
lunch at Pollo Costa Azul. After lunch we went to roam through the market
but almost all of the stalls were closed there as well. We grabbed a taxi
and returned to the marina for a siesta.
In the evening it was barbecue night. There was a good crowd but unlike last week when there was a great selection of vegetables, this week there was a great selection of appetisers. It was a fun evening and with a lot of different foods.
Marie Elena was going to make cachapas for breakfast this morning but Roberto
was a little late in arriving with the corn and cheese. We were going on
an out island trip at 10AM and couldn’t wait. We instead had a breakfast
of omelettes and arepas. The boat arrived for us on time and we all piled
in. Marta, Bob and Vivian (Sirena) with their five friends had reserved
the boat for themselves and then invited us to join them. It was fun
touring with them again even though the weather didn’t co-operate. There
were dark clouds hovering over the mountains and we were all hoping they would
stay there but eventually the clouds and rain spread over the water and out
islands. Our first stop was Chimana Segunda where we found the beach
totally packed with people. Almost everyone in Venezuela is still on
Christmas vacation.
Snorkeling was not the greatest with the clouds and
the wind but it was still fun. We roamed the island a little before
heading out in the boat again to Isla Arepos and la Piscina (swimming pool).
The clouds by this time were much darker and we could see rain ahead of us so
everyone voted to stop for lunch until the weather passed. Lunch at the
restaurant on Isla Arepos was good but we were bothered by a lot of flies.
The sky cleared a little and we went moved out to la Piscina. This area is
called la Piscina because the water is so clear that you can see the bottom
clearly, just like in a swimming pool. This day, even here, the water was
a little cloudy due to some large swells that were now rolling in.
We snorkeled anyway but not for too long. It was time to head back to
the marina. On the way back we saw many pods of dolphins. Normally
they would race over to play around the
boat but this time they were busy
fishing so we had to go to them. They swam along side but there were not a
lot of leaps on this day. As usual pictures of dolphins using a digital
camera were almost an impossible thing to capture. After chasing the
dolphins for a while, the skipper said that we should hurry back.
The sky had darkened even more behind us. We had a quick trip back arriving with just enough time for a quick shower before dinner.
Sharon, Bill (Makai) and Steve (Nonesuch) joined us. Before leaving for the day we had ordered paella for dinner. It was wonderful. Sharon couldn’t share it with us because she’s back on her diet. Steve is still eating turkey and will until the restaurant has run out of leftovers.
We left most of the hatches and ports closed on the boat when we went to bed, as it looked like an overnight rain was a sure thing.
The wind howled all night and in the morning the weather did not look at all
promising. The sky was very dark the winds were still howling and it was
raining. At 10AM Rick and Ralph met Susana Paz at the Ancla Restaurant.
She took them to the condo/marina where we are to take the boat tomorrow for the
filming of the commercial. They took the hand held GPS and depth sounder
with them to see whether the marina would accommodate our boats. The guys
informed Susana that if the weather didn’t improve we would not move the boat.
They promised to call her back at 5PM and make a decision based on the weather
at that time.
Meanwhile, back at our marina I went to a Canadian and U.S. Power and Sail Squadron meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to help plan the first Venezuelan Power and Sail Squadron in Puerto La Cruz. Since Rick and I were both busy Carol returned to the boat to relax and read her book for a while.
When (Rick and I) were finished in the morning we all took a taxi first to
Plaza Mayor and then to the Caribbean Mall. It was a good day to roam the
stores. Carol ended up purchasing a new bikini at the very same store that
my niece Heather purchased one when she was here last year. We had a late
lunch early dinner at L’Ancora restaurant across the street from The Caribbean
mall. We returned to the
marina on the local ferry across the canal rather
than taking a taxi. When we arrived, it was just before 5PM and time to
call Susana and let her know our decision. Since the weather had improved
greatly she was told that unless things deteriorated overnight we would be there
in the morning.
Back at the boat, Rick removed the sunshade and secured things on deck so we would be ready to leave in the morning. Carol and I enjoyed our sundowners while we watched him work.
I don’t know where the weather came from but we awoke to a beautiful blue,
sunny sky with almost no wind. We had Arnaldo help us out of our slip and
headed over to Costa de Platao near Punta Palma. The seas
were nice and
flat and we arrived there in less than an hour. Since it is a condo and
not a marina there was no dockmaster to help us into our slip.
We thought we had it all well planned. We would pick up the stern mooring ball from the bow of the boat and walk the line back as we eased toward the wall. Well, the eye on the mooring ball was too small for the boat hook so we couldn’t pick it up. Rick had the helm so I jumped into the dinghy, which we were towing, to take a line through the ball. The dinghy hadn’t been used for a few days and therefore was difficult to start. Rick came to my rescue by leaving Carol at the helm and jumping into the dinghy with me. He quickly started the outboard and then climbed back into the boat. Everything then went smoothly. We were attached to the mooring ball so I took the dinghy to the wall where I climbed out to take the bow lines as Rick pulled up to the dock. Once we were secure, Rick jumped into the dinghy as KaraDream arrived. He attached their mooring line while Carol and I took the bowlines.
It was extremely hot with no wind. So we went up and sat by the pool.
Eventually one of the security guards came by and informed us that the Film
Company (who was not there) had not obtained approval for the use of the pool
area. When we explained that it was too hot to remain on the dock he and a
spokesperson (Maria) for the condo told us that we could remain where we were
but that we should try and keep a low profile.
We had a great day and in the afternoon Karen taught Carol to play dominoes while we spoke to the Film Company (Warm Weather Filmco) as to what they wanted us to do tomorrow. It was extremely interesting. I have never seen a decision change so many times. They wanted our forestays covered with blue fabric but this changed back and forth many times. Eventually they asked if we could cover them with the blue fabric as they didn’t know how to get up the mast to do it. We agreed to do the work for them if we could have the blue fabric when they were finished. Once we had agreed to do that for them they changed their mind again but said we could keep the fabric anyway.
There were a lot of discussions as to whether they wanted us to move the boats. In the end they decided to wait until tomorrow when the art department and the film department were both present.
They finally left for the afternoon and we returned to the pool for a game of dominoes. We couldn’t talk the Film Company into treating us to dinner so we ate on board in the evening.
We had set the alarm last night but it wasn’t required. The equipment
and lighting trucks pulled up on the dock at exactly 6AM. There was
someone hammering props at 6:05AM so we were definitely awake. We had a
quick coffee and breakfast then went ashore to watch the filming. The
Model/Actress/star of the commercial was Caroline Winberg from Sweden. The
product was Vöslauer Mineral Water. It was extremely interesting how many
people there were just to create one commercial. We met the Director,
assistant to the Director and the second assistant to the director. There
were 5 producers from Austria, United States and from Venezuela. We were served
water, ice tea and nibblies all morning. When we wanted to get out of the
sun for a while we sat by the pool and played dominoes. There had to be 35
to 40 extras dressed as sailors. I had to have my picture taken with a
bunch of them. A large buffet lunch was provided for all of us at the
Punta Palma Hotel.
While we were there a large group of tourists were
having their Salsa lessons by the pool. During the afternoon we sat on
board while the shooting took place. Once in a while we would have to go
below or move the dinghy to the other side of the boat. Dark clouds moved
in late in the afternoon and everyone ran for cover but it only lasted a short
time and then they were yelling action again. Caroline was extremely
pleasant and patient. She worked non-stop all day long. No matter
how many retakes the director wanted she just smiled and did everything he
asked. Evidently she is only 19 years old and use to play soccer when she
was younger. You would never know it, she is now one of the top
international models in the world. Finally at about 6PM they
finished the last
shoot. We waited a couple of minutes before we could pick up our roll of
fabric and a couple of our docklines that were used as props before we left.
KaraDream was able to leave quite a while before us as they had finished with
their boat.
It was dark when we arrived back in Bahia Redonda but Bill (Makai) was in his dinghy waiting to help us and Mike and Lynn (Wombat of Sidney) were on the dock to take our lines.
Marie Elena and Roberto were throwing a party to welcome cruisers from all
around the world. As soon as the boat was secured we went up to the
restaurant to join the party. The Polar Beer Company provided a mechanical
bronco so we called the party a rodeo. There was
free beer and rum punch.
We missed seeing the riders because by the time we arrived the food was ready to
be served. The dinner was buffet style with shish kabobs, sausages, baked
potato, salad and a roll. The total price per person was $6 US. Not
only was the price right but the food was great.
After eating we returned to the boat but once in bed we could hear the cheers and laughter as people were again riding the bronco.
The alarm went off at 6AM. I normally wouldn’t have set the alarm but we were all tired and might have overslept. We had to be at the security gate by 9AM for a trip to Los Altos.
Andreas (our favourite driver and tour guide) arrived just before 9AM. He expressed concern that because of the rain we might not be able to make it up the steep, curving roads that takes us to Los Altos. We were lucky and the roads were nice and dry on our way up. Going down was not an issue. There were eight of us on the tour Ralph (KaraDream), Debbie, Steve (Argo), Bill, Sharon (Makai), Rick, Carol and myself.
Our first stop was Hacienda Los Bucares. Hector the owner remembered us
from previous visits. He described the coffee plant and how the coffee
plantation is so dependent upon the Bucare tree. Everyone walked a little
way around the plantation but it had started to rain so we quickly returned to
the house where we tasted some ripe Cacao seeds. There were no beans
processed so he said he would deliver some coffee and coco to the marina for us
on Tuesday.
The next stop was the mosaic tile studio but it was closed. We knew
that a lot of the studios would be closed because the Christmas holidays in
Venezuela run from December 15 to January 15. Chepina’s Restaurant was
nearby and open so we stopped there for a drink. Chepina makes lovely
dolls from banana leaves and corn stocks. While we were there she
demonstrated how to make the dolls and then gave
me one as a gift. We
continued on to Vista Montana There we looked for the monkeys and eventually
found them on the palm roof of the bar/ restaurant. Tímido (shy) is the
monkey that loves to play with people and other animals. I had taken some
dried apricots for lack of any other food he would like. He created havoc
in the restaurant when he grabbed the whole bag. I had taken one fruit out
and set the bag down on a table. While I looked down to find him he jumped
up on the table, grabbed the whole bag and ran through the restaurant spilling
the contents on his way. The other 2 monkeys remained on the roof and just
reached down to take snacks from our hands. After his commotion in the
restaurant, Tímido rode around on the back of his friend the pet dog. They
both play like this frequently. He suddenly jumped off and raced over to a
display table of jams were he knocked a jar on the floor and broke it. We
decided it might be a good time to let him settle down for a while so left to
visit the other
animals. We still had a few pieces of apricot left that
had been salvaged during the melee. Carol and I fed the last few pieces to
a couple of Macaws.
We left Vista Montana to go for lunch at the Restaurante Il Picolit but quickly returned when we found it wasn’t open. Lunch at Vista Montana was a wonderful end to the day.
We slowly made our way down the steep roads and returned to the marina. It was almost dinnertime but no one could even think of more food so we relaxed and read for a while.
We had company today. Brian with his wife Katheryn, son Roark who was
almost 4 years old and daughter Monet-Elisse 2 ½ months, met us at the security
gate at 9AM. We all had breakfast with them in El Ancla Restaurant . They
are Americans who have been staying with a family in Puerto La Cruz while Brian
studies Spanish. He found us through our web site and wanted to meet to
discuss cruising in the Venezuela area. It was very interesting and fun.
The children were extremely well behaved and when we were onboard Wind-Borne,
little Roark wanted to drive the boat. When we explained that the big boat
wasn’t going anywhere today but that he could take the little boat (dinghy) with
Rick and go for a ride, his face lit up. He was a natural sailor. He
stood in the dinghy next to Rick with (almost) full control of the outboard as
he steered his way back and forth a few times in the channel. When he
returned it was obvious that he was ready to cross oceans. It wasn’t long
and again he asked if he could steer the big boat. We told him he could
steer it but it still wasn’t going anywhere today.
While we were spending time with our new guests, our other guest Carol, had
made herself comfortable at the pool. When I found her she was well into a
serious game of dominoes. I made a large bowl of popcorn and took it to
the domino fanatics. Rick made drinks and he and I went in the pool for a
dip.
Later at dinnertime Rick started to get a sore throat and decided to skip dinner. Carol and I went to the restaurant and had a nice meal on our own. Rick was already asleep when we returned to the boat for the evening.
Rick was ill and up during the night. He still felt very poorly in the morning and went back to sleep while Carol and I had breakfast. When he finally did wake up he was feeling well enough to ask for chicken soup.
While I warmed up some soup for him, Carol went to the pool with her book to relax. It was Monday and although the pool was closed for cleaning it is still nice to lounge under the palm trees around the pool and read.
Rick rested again and I went to join Carol at the pool. I dozed off and when I awoke Rick had joined us, and Carol had moved to a table with some other cruisers for another heavy game of dominoes. I think she’s hooked. Rick and I read while she beat the pants off the other players.
It looks as though she will go home a champion.
Although it was potluck barbecue night, I wasn’t sure if Rick would even want to eat so I didn’t prepare anything and instead we ate at the restaurant again. He was feeling much better and joined us for dinner.
This was Carol’s last day and the weather was perfect. She began her day with the aerobic exercise class in the pool and later lounged in the shade reading her book. Hector (the owner of Los Bucares coffee plantation) arrived at the marina with the coffee and cocoa we had ordered.
Eventually the dominoes gang showed up at the pool and challenged Carol to beat them again. She did!
Late in the afternoon we all showered and dressed to go out to dinner. Karen and Ralph (KaraDream) were to join us but we had a difficult time finding Ralph. He was eventually found still lounging in the shade by the pool behind a large bush.
We all squeezed into a small taxi with Karen sitting on Ralph’s lap in a bucket seat up front. We first stopped at a couple of souvenir stores on Paseo Colon where I bought a couple of items. We walked from there to the El Moroco restaurant for dinner. Before going into the restaurant we showed Ralph a nearby store that has a lot of neat things the Bazaar Japanesa. He was in his glory. There were some many little things there that he needed but in the end he purchased one item and decided to return another day.
Dinner at El Moroco was wonderful. We were hungry so we each ordered an
appetiser with our meal. This was a big mistake! The appetisers were
huge. Ralph and Karen shared a Caesar salad that would have fed all of us.
Rick received a completed head of iceberg lettuce cut into 4 wedges and covered
with Roquefort dressing. I had almost a whole cantaloupe with about a
quarter pound of prosciutto. Carol’s was the only appetiser that looked a
reasonable size. She had about a half a avocado cut into slices. If
we thought the appetisers were huge when the main course arrived the dishes we
massive. None of us could finish our meal.
We had the restaurant get a taxi for us to return to Paseo Colon. It was after dark and although it is very safe to walk on Paseo Colon at night, it was not wise to walk along the side streets to get there. Although it was not a weekend there were still a good number of vendors set up along the shore side walkway with their wares.
We were up early and waiting at the security gate for Raphael, who we arranged to drive us to the airport. He arrived a few minutes early and had us to the airport in good time. We said our goodbyes to Carol and saw her through security and headed for her gate. It felt strange returning to the car without her. The two weeks she was with us went extremely fast.
Raphael made a couple of stops on our way back to the marina so Rick could pick up some items to get started on his to-do list items. I arranged for Raphael to take me to the dentist tomorrow. The day before Christmas Eve I broke off the complete side of one of my molars. There was no way I was going to try and go to a dentist then so I used my first aid kit and applied a temporary filling. I can’t believe the tooth and filling have held together all this time with out abscessing. I didn’t want to push my luck so it was number one priority on my to-do list.
We returned to the marina and rested for the remainder of the morning.
In the afternoon we went over to Aqua-Vi to talk to Victor about an estimate for a haulout this year for both our antifouling and maybe a paint job on our maroon stripe. While we were there we also checked to see if he had received an email from our friends Lenora and David on Midnight. He had and he had just responded to it.
We walked from there to the Vemasca where we met Roberto at the bakery next door. Rick started looking at all of the items he needed and realised he hadn’t brought enough cash. It wasn’t a problem, he just gathered everything together and told them he would return and pick it up tomorrow.
We had a quite dinner of hamburgers on board all by ourselves. (Yes Carol, you were missed).
Rick’s cold has moved to his head. He is so stuffed up he hardly slept at all last night.
My dentist appointment was for 9AM. Rick came along in the taxi and we dropped him off at Vemasca to pick up the items he had put on hold yesterday. I went to Raphael’s dentist, Dr. Ernesto Suarez Engelke in the Vista Mar Plaza. Raphael drove me there and took me right into the office before leaving. I think Raphael was a little surprised when the Dr. spoke English to me. I have found that most of the medical professionals here speak at least a little English as many of them studied in either the United States or Canada. I was very pleased with Dr Ernesto. He took an x-ray of my broken tooth and decided it could be salvaged with filling.
This particular tooth already consists of more filling than enamel but as long as it hangs in there I don’t care. The other option was a cap but he felt the filling would be sufficient. We made another appointment for next week when both Rick and I will return to have our teeth cleaned and checked. The total price for this visit, x-rays and a (very large) filling was 60,000 Bs ($25US).
When I returned to the marina Rick and I had a light lunch and then a siesta in the afternoon. It was movie night but he didn’t feel up to watching a movie so we had an early dinner and while I caught up on answering some emails, Rick went to bed for the night.
Rick although still sneezing and coughing stated he was feeling much better today. We left to go see a dermatologist for a spot on Rick’s back. He had Basal Cell cancer removed from this same spot before we left home. I didn’t like the look of it lately and although the general physician said it was ok I wanted it checked properly. Appointments are not normally made to see a doctor in Venezuela. It’s first come first serve. We found the building we were looking for but the guard at the door told us the doctor would not arrive until 11AM. We had 2 hours to kill. We walked around downtown and found a few things we had been looking for. We also found a nice bakery and stopped for a coffee. Eventually it was time to return to the doctor’s office. Dr. Eugenio Pillkahn arrived about half an hour after us. He examined Rick, took a small sample for a biopsy and gave us the sample and form to take across the street to the lab. There are some real cost savings in how the medical system works in Venezuela. As usual, the lab costs were more than the doctor’s but still both were very reasonable. We are to return next week.
We returned to the marina and again had a quick lunch before our afternoon siesta. We stayed onboard for dinner and watched a movie in the evening.
We did almost nothing today. Rick’s cold is much better but he is still sneezing and coughing a lot. He read and rested most of the day. I answered a lot of our emails and cleaned up a lot of files on the computer.
Karen in the mini mart had some over ripe bananas she wanted rid of, so in the afternoon I baked a banana loaf. We had a nice lomito dinner on board and watched a “Mash” video that our friend Carol brought for us. As soon as it finished playing we went to bed.
When we awoke, the sky looked so overcast we thought we were going to be in for one of those rotten days in paradise. It turned out to be the complete opposite. Within the hour the clouds had completely vanished and we had a beautiful sunny day with almost no humidity at all. Rolph (Spice) our next door neighbour called and asked if we would like to join him and Rosetta for coffee in a few minutes. We willing accepted and ended up staying until almost lunchtime. They are great neighbours who are new to sailing and have a wonderful sense of humour. They bought the boat here in Venezuela and although Rolph has sailed many years ago back in Sweden, Rosetta had never been on a sailboat before they purchased Spice. In the (almost) 2 months that we’ve been back they have taken the boat out for 3 test runs. The first time they didn’t know to have their propeller cleaned before leaving.
We have a man clean our thru hulls and prop about once a month while we’re in the marina. There is a quick growing ring coral that can block the thru hulls and seize the prop, Rolph wasn’t aware of this. When he tried to leave the first time, his prop was useless. The second time he remembered to have it cleaned and off they went to anchor at La Borracha. La Borracha is a lovely anchorage with very poor holding. The last time we were there it took us quite a few tries to set the anchor properly. Again Rolph wasn’t aware of this and soon after they anchored they rowed ashore in their dinghy. After walking the beach for a while they returned to find their boat dragging and only a few feet away from ragged sheer cliffs. They raced (rowed) back to the boat arriving just in time to save it from major damage. While we were having coffee, I asked Rolph what exciting adventure they had on their last trip to the out islands. He said the winds were very light, the prop was clean and that nothing exciting happened at all but Rosetta couldn’t sleep through the night. She kept getting up to see if they were dragging. They weren’t. We eventually stopped talking about sailing adventures and invited them back to see our boat. We would have waited until another day to do this but Rick plans to pull it apart either tomorrow or the next day to flush the engine and replace the antifreeze.
When Rosetta and Rolph left our boat we went for a light lunch at the restaurant. We returned to the boat and Rick had just fallen asleep when there was a knock on the bow. Mike and Lynn (Wombat of Sydney) came by. I had promised Mike I would let him check the settings on my email program as he hasn’t been able to get his to work properly. They came onboard and we compared all the settings. Everything appeared to be set the same on both machines but mine worked and his didn’t. We eventually gave up and he decided to check a few more things and try again.
By now it was almost 5PM and we had to be ready to go to Maremares for a
performance by the Anzoátegui Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado
Anzoátegui). I had a quick shower and we called a taxi, which got us there
just after 5:30PM. I’m sure glad we arrived a little early. The
performance began at 6PM and by that time there was standing room only in the
Grand Salon, which was really two large ballrooms with the wall removed to make
one huge room. The 60 piece orchestra lead by Yurl Hung began right on
time. It was obvious even before the music began that there was something
very different about this symphony orchestra from others we have seen. The
audience consisted of many people our age but in addition there were just as
many if not more young people and families present. This
night the
performance was a selection of waltzes by Strauss. Now just imagine
this….after the first piece, Mr Hung invited everyone to enjoy the music by
waltzing while the orchestra was performing. People of all ages
immediately got up to dance.
Boys in their early teens were asking their mothers and grandmothers to
dance. Mothers and fathers with children too young to walk held the
children in their arms and danced around the floor. There were also young
couples and old couples, great dancers and wannabes. Everyone was having a
wonderful time. Every so often a member of the orchestra would leave their
position and invite a friend or family member to dance. A couple of times
the conductor Mr. Hung left the orchestra on it’s own and asked a lady to dance.
This proved to be quite cute later on when a couple of ladies approached him as
he was leading and asked him to dance. During one of these occasions as he
was dancing, his baton suddenly went up into the air as he led the
orchestra
through a difficult passage while dancing. Mr. Yurl Hung is an amazing
conductor who seems to be adored for both his skill and personality by all ages.
I have been to and enjoyed performances by many symphony orchestras but I have
never before left a performance and said, “wasn’t that fun”. We had a
great time and now anxiously await their next performance.
We were on our way down the dock when we ran into Joan (Mainly) and Gary (Calico Clam). After a little conversation with them we learned that they were on their way to the Dr Ernesto Suarez, the same dentist that we were going to see. It was a dental party waiting to happen. We all climbed into the same taxi and had the driver take us to the Vista Mar Plaza in Lecheria. Rick and I had made an appointment just to have our teeth cleaned. The poor receptionist gasped a little when the four of us walked in together but the Dr. had us all in and out before noon.
Gary was craving a coffee so we stopped at the nearby bakery for a light snack. Feeling fully refreshed we all headed out on a shopping spree.
Everyone had something they wanted to purchase and the stores were reasonable close to where we were. Our first stop was the Catalano Butcher shop for me. I wanted something for the potluck tonight. Joan recommended a Punta de Trasero. This is the top of a rump roast. When I said that it was for the barbecue, Denni the butcher went into the back and returned with a beautiful small roast that was perfect for what we wanted. He trimmed it nicely and mixed a marinade for it while I waited.
I then had him marinate a couple of chicken breasts for tomorrow nights dinner as well. We thanked him and left for the next store, which was Tracki, a department store. Here Joan found the exact pair of shorts she had been looking for I found a couple of tops and Rick found an LED flashlight that he had been wanting for a while. Everything in this store was 50% off. Next stop was Ferka a hardware store. Gary needed a grease fitting and was surprised when Rick told him that he should be able to find it at Ferka. Sure enough, they had exactly what he needed.
With every one pleased with their purchases we started back to the marina. We wanted to make one more stop along the way and since we were now a team everyone came along. We took a taxi to the Ferry where we all climbed in and crossed the canal. There we walked to Aqua-Vi to first have a beer and then see Victor, the manager. Victor had an estimate waiting for us to have some work done on the boat. By the time we left there and walked back to the marina it was after 3PM.
I had a very quick nap and then prepared some Bahamian Baked Macaroni and Cheese for my potluck dish. This is a treat that everyone loves because it’s difficult to find cheddar cheese here. In fact, this was the last of my supply from Bonaire so I’ll have to go searching soon. We arrived at the barbecue area a little early and it was good we did. I have never seen so many at one potluck. It was fun. We enjoyed the meat cut that Joan recommended. It was very tasty and tender.
We had places to go today and Rick wanted to flush the engine. We decided it was best to do our running around first and then Rick could work in the engine while everything was closed for siesta. We went first to the North Sails office and checked to see when they were coming to measure and provide an estimate for new canvas. They promised to come later in the afternoon. We also checked in the marina office to ask if they would rattle the chains with the cable TV Company to have our connection fixed. While we were there we made a reservation for Lenora and David (Midnight) who plan to return to Venezuela in March.
We left our marina and walked over to PMO to reserve a haulout for Midnight and their friends on Surprise. When we left PMO we went to Aqua-Vi to see Victor regarding the estimate he gave us for awlgrip. He wasn’t in so we’ll have to return another day. While we were there we walked into the yard and went to Orient Canvas. We asked them to prepare an estimate for new canvas and they said they would be at our boat tomorrow morning.
We walked back to the marina and Rick finally got to work on the engine. While he was doing that, North Sails arrived to measure our canvas so I spent time with them. They wanted the sails taken down but it was a little windy so we told them we would do it in the morning.
El Ancla was having a special rib night so we went for dinner with KaraDream and Makai. There was a good turnout and everyone seemed to be enjoying the ribs. The restaurant is going to have a rib special every Tuesday from now on.
Rick went up to the North Sails office to tell them that it was too windy to remove the sails this morning we would do it another day. I had just finished my shower when Orient Canvas arrived at the boat. It was only 5 minutes later when the cable TV men arrived to fix the cable connection. While they were both there the wind died and 2 guys from the North Sails office arrived to take down the sails themselves. It was chaos for a while but we sure got a lot accomplished before 10AM.
It was 10:30AM when every one left the boat including ourselves. We went to town for Rick’s follow up Doctor’s appointment. When we arrived downtown we both headed off in different directions. He went to the lab to pick up the biopsy report and I went to a nearby internet café that was making us new photocopies of our passports. We met at the doctor’s office. The biopsy indicated that the Basal Cell cancer had returned but the doctor assured us that because it’s located on his back it could easily be removed again. Rick had a choice of having it removed in the office or in a surgical room. In Canada the process was done in the doctor’s office but since this time they want to cut deeper our preference was the surgical room. The doctor will give us all the information when we call him tomorrow.
When we left the doctors office we when down the street a little way to the
same bakery we stopped at during our previous visit. We had a nice lunch
then walked to Paseo Colon for a taxi. While we were looking down the
street, a man getting into his four-wheel jeep asked if we needed a taxi and
once we agreed upon the price we
climbed in. It was not a normal taxi but
many aren’t in Puerto La Cruz. Giving someone a lift is a good way to make
a few extra Bolivars. When we arrived at the security gate the guard who
knows us well looked at us and then the jeep. When I told him it was our
taxi, he laughed and said it was a good taxi.
We returned to the boat and I got ready to go out again. Marie Elena had invited a few ladies back to her house for a baking party this afternoon. When we went to get into the car, which was small, Robert asked if anyone would like to ride on his motorcycle with him. I don’t think he expected anyone to take him up on his offer but I did. Off we went out of the marina and down the road towards his house. I waved and yelled “hola” to many people who I recognised on the street. They all smiled at the crazy gringo, waved and yelled hola back to me.
When we arrived at the house, Nancy (Panache) demonstrated her cooking skills
by making English Muffins. This was a dry run for Eggs Benedict that Marie
Elena wants to serve on Sunday mornings. We had a choice of substituting
arepas for muffins or making them from scratch since they are not available in
Venezuela. Nancy had the best recipe so she got to demonstrate. They
turned out great and just in time. Jeffrey picked Nancy up in the dinghy
at 5:30 while the rest of us climbed back in the car. There was room for
everyone this time.
We returned to the marina but it was a little to late for me to prepare a dinner and it was Frank’s (Distant Drummer) birthday so we went to the restaurant for a nice fish dinner with him and a few other cruisers.
We finally had a day at the boat to catch up with a few things. Rick put the fairleads from both headsails to soak in the bathtub since the sails were up at the sail loft. He started to remove the hot water tank to see if we could find the leak. In the midst of the boat being pulled apart, the cable guys returned and wanted to check our television. The reception was still not good so he changed the cable between the pedestal and the boat. The reception was now perfect. He not only gave us a new coax for the boat he gave us a spare piece to install between the outside connection and the TV inside. While this was happening I was trying to send email but something was wrong with either the modem or the radio. I finally gave up and just sent it out using the Internet connection. Rick finished working outdoors in time to help me barbecue some chicken for lunch. We had a nice lunch in the main salon and watched Cold Case while we were eating.
Rick took the hot water tank on the deck and attached a hose to it. Once it was under pressure we could see many little pinholes on the tank. If there had been only one or two spots that were leaking we were going to ask the guys in the yard to weld it for us. With so many little holes and the fact that it’s 20 years old we might have to splurge and purchase a new one. We’ll take it to the yard first to see what they think. They are pretty good welders and might be able to save us quite a bit of money.
There was one last chore for the day. Rick wanted to change out the macerator pump. He does this so often that I’m starting to think that it’s a job he enjoys.
Finally it was time for a (cold) shower and to stop with boat chores for the day. Rod and Marci (Windmiller) arrived today from Bonaire and we promised to meet them and Cheshire Cat at El Ancla for dinner. Makai showed up as well so we had a mini party. Cheshire Cat is leaving on Saturday so Roberto said he would throw a barbecue party for our group tomorrow night.
Rick woke me just before 7AM and asked if I was going to start power walking again in the morning since I didn’t have any announcements for the net today. I declined and said maybe tomorrow. He left and was gone less than 10 minutes when it started to pour rain. I laughed when he returned in a few minutes totally soaked. The rain didn’t last long and the sky was cloudy but brightened up by breakfast time.
The first thing we did after breakfast was to take the hot water tank into the yard. The welders asked us to return in an hour and they would then be able to give us an estimate for the repairs. We then called around to the marine stores to find a service kit for our macerator pump. Vemasca had the service pump we needed so they put it away until we could get over to pick it up. The welders in the yard said they could fix the hot water tank for us at a fraction of the price of a new one.
We thought we were on a winning streak until we went to talk to Maurizio at North Sails. They had examined our sails and found that the leach and the foot of both headsails had been badly burned by the sun. He explained that at some time the sails must have been wrapped incorrectly on the furlers. A good size panel would have to be removed and replaced on the leach and foot of both sails before the UV protection could be added. We agreed that although Sunbrella is a heavier fabric than basic UV protector it stands up better in the sun and the fact that it is coloured rather than basic white will help us ensure the sails are never wrapped incorrectly again. Meanwhile the sail repairs are going to cost a lot more than we originally thought.
I took the fabric I had purchased last month to the laundry lady. I asked her to please wash and dry it a couple of times to let it shrink before I started sewing with it. Next week I want to start making new covers for the settees. The ones I made before leaving home have been wonderful but they are getting a little thin.
We went up to the restaurant at 6:30PM for Mike and Diedre’s (Cheshire Cat) bon voyage party. Roberto had just lit the barbecue. He had a couple of lovely looking punta trasera (tip of the rump roasts) marinated and ready to barbecue. In the typical Venezuelan fashion, after cooking the roasts on the barbecue they were cut into steaks and served with a guasacaca salsa, sausages, yucca and salad. Roberto also put a couple of bottles of wine on the table for everyone. The meal was wonderful and was a gift to all of us from Roberto. After the meal we danced for a little while and then called it a night.
It was overcast all day we stayed down below and watched TV and read.
I finally joined Rick this morning at 6:45AM for a power walk. He threatened to give my nice walking shoes away if I didn’t start using them again. We walked with Ralph (KaraDream) and saw Karen and Allen (Sylvia K) walking as well.
The sky initially looked like it was going to be another overcast and dull day but the clouds cleared and the sun was shining by 10AM.
After the walk we were slow getting moving but during the afternoon we sat by the pool and played dominoes with Sharon and Bill (Makai) and Lila (Second Lady).
Rick made a nice home made spaghetti sauce so we had pasta for dinner.
Today was my birthday so Rick was being especially nice. He didn’t wake me to go walking in the morning and when I did awake he offered me poached eggs or breakfast at the Ancla. I chose the restaurant because I know that the eggs we have right now are too fresh to poach.
After breakfast Rick and Bill (Makai) went to Vemasca while Marci (Windmiller) and I went to Plaza Mayor to pick up a few items. On our return trip, I left my hip pouch in the taxi. I realised it just before arriving at the boat. I went back to the security gate and one of our regular taxi drivers said he would take me back to the plaza to see if we could find the taxi. When we arrived, our driver told the dispatcher who operates the stand. He remembered me and used his radio to call the car I had taken. The driver said that he had the pouch and he would be back to the plaza in a few minutes. When he arrived with absolutely everything still in the pouch I had him take us back to the marina and paid him 6 times the normal cost of the trip. There wasn’t much in the pouch but it was just a nice feeling to have it returned with the cash still in it.
Back at the boat I prepared Red Sockeye Salmon (delivered by Carol from Canada) sandwiches. We use the salmon as a treat as it’s impossible to get real “Red” salmon here. So it was a special lunch. When we finished eating, Rick informed me that he had booked a massage for me at 2PM. He was being awfully nice to me today.
I went for my massage that lasted for more than 1½ hours. It would have been nice to continue relaxing but I had promised to meet Marie Elena and Sharon at 4PM to go shopping for the ingredients to make spring rolls. It was 3:35PM and I quickly cut up a couple of cauliflowers. I put them to soak and asked Rick to drain the water in 15 minutes.
Everything was prepared so that when I returned it would only take a few minutes to put together a potluck dish of cauliflower with cheese sauce for the barbecue.
We climbed into Mary Elena’s car and headed downtown. She took the ignition key off her key ring because it gets stuck in the ignition. She felt that if she just left the one key there it wasn’t very visible and then she could just use the big lock she has for the gearshift. She took us to a very interesting Chinese food store. When we were finished and left the store we realised a big mistake had been made. It wasn’t just an ignition key, it was the door key as well. The doors were locked and the key was in the ignition. Marie Elena called Roberto on her cell phone. Roberto had Rafael come to help us. He and a buddy arrived on Roberto’s scooter. He climbed on the car roof and pried the top of the car door open while his buddy squeezed his arm in and raised the lock.
Rafael has had to do this a few times now for Marie Elena’s car (not always for Marie Elena, sometimes her daughter) so he has the routine down pat.
It was 5:40PM when I arrived at the boat. Rick was gone so I quickly cooked the cauliflower and made a cheese sauce. I arrived at the barbecue in good time. The coals weren’t even hot yet. Rick barbecued some nice chicken and we had champagne with our meal.
After dinner, Karen (Sylvia K) announced to everyone that it was my birthday so the gang all sang for me. It was a nice ending to a really busy Birthday.
I set the alarm for 6AM so I would have enough time for a cup of coffee before walking this morning. It was hot and muggy at 6:45AM. There had been no wind at all overnight. We made it back to the boat in lots of time for me to make the morning announcements on the net.
After breakfast I went up to the restaurant and had another coffee with Sharon (Makai). It was almost 11AM when we parted. She went to her Spanish lesson and I went for a manicure and pedicure. I haven’t had my nails done in almost a year and yesterday’s massage put me in the mood for a little more pampering. I had an 11AM appointment and it lasted until almost 1PM. The 2-hour treatment cost me 10,000 Bs ($4 U.S.). It would be very easy to make this a habit again.
Rick and I both had a siesta in the afternoon but I had to be at the restaurant for a Rena Ware (pots and pans) demonstration at 4PM. There was a good turn out but I don’t think anyone purchased anything. The pots were very nice but a little too expensive for most cruisers.
We stayed and gabbed after the demonstration and before we knew it dinner was being served. It was rib night at El Ancla and the place was packed.
Rick and I finally said our goodnights just before 8PM.
This morning we had to be downtown by 8AM for Rick’s surgery. Dr. Eugenio Pllkahn and his wife Dr Romelia Pillkahn both met us at their office and walked us around the corner to the medical clinic. There we all waited a short time for a plastic surgeon that assisted with the operation. The whole procedure went very well and we were on our way back to the boat by 10AM. Rick had no pain and didn’t even complain of soreness. The doctors (the 3 of them) were confident that they removed the entire basal cell tumour. Other than taking antibiotics for a week and returning for a few more follow up visits to have the dressing changed and stitches removed he is finished.
We had a snack and read until noon. Neither of us was hungry so we just relaxed until the end of siesta time. It was a good day to go over to PMO and confirm some reservations for haulout and storage that we made for our friends on Midnight and their friends on Surprise. When we left there we walked over Aqua-Vi and confirmed our own haulout and paint job for July.
Dinner was left over pasta sauce which tasted even better than it did a few days ago.
Shortly after breakfast and the net we met Sharon and Bill (Makai) at the Ancla for coffee. I left Rick at the restaurant and went around the corner to the salon where I had my manicure and pedicure the other day.
It’s a very new salon and I know the hairdresser is very new as well because she used to be our laundry lady but I thought I would give her a try. In the past I have let Rick cut my hair so I figured I would be able to cope with the consequences. I was pleasantly surprised. She gave me a really nice style and cut. I was so pleased with it that I suggested to Rick that he have her cut his hair. Well, that was maybe not a wise move. I think it was about the worst cut he has ever had. No problem, he returned to the boat and put on a hat. He has such a thick head of hair and it grows so quickly that within a few weeks he’ll need it cut again (somewhere else).
Rick had a doctor’s appointment at noon to have his dressings changed. When we left the doctors office we walked along the 5th of July for a couple of blocks until we arrived at El Morocco Restaurant. We shared a great seafood casserole for lunch and then made our way back to the boat.
We had time for a nice siesta in the afternoon.
The evening was spent at El Ancla where we watched the movie Spanglish and had Marie Elena’s home-made lasagne for dinner.
I finally started sewing new slip covers for the settee cushions today.
I spent most of the morning sewing while Rick went to the yard to check on the
hot water heater. It was supposed to be ready today but wasn’t. I’m
coping with cold showers but looking forward to warm ones soon. We thought
that they we just going to weld another sheet of stainless steel on top of the
existing sheet, like a laminate, but instead they are rebuilding the whole
thing. If it works it will be a good deal. Rick then went to Vemesca
to pick up antifreeze in preparation for reinstalling the hot water heater that
interfaces with the heat exchanger.
The Ancla had a Venezuelan party in the evening. The dinner special was Pabellón Criollo. Venezuela’s National Dish which consists of shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains and rice. There was a live typical Venezuelan band with the harp, 4 string guitar, bass guitar, maracas and a singer. Last but not least the price of 20,000Bs ($8 US) included all the free beer you wanted. It was an enjoyable evening.
Joan (Mainly), Sharon (Makai) and I left at 7:30AM and went to the fish
market on the shore of Paseo Colon. The fish was extremely fresh. I
bought almost a kilo of huge shrimp, some flounder and robalo (snook). We
ran into Roberto who was purchasing pargo (red snapper) for the restaurant.
We took our time and looked around and we were still back at the boat by 8:30AM.
After cleaning all the shrimp and putting everything in the fridge I tried to
get back into my sewing. I did a little but I wasn’t in the mood today.
In the afternoon I had a siesta while Rick used some CLR on the cut open piece
of our water tank. He
cleaned the calcium build-up off the element so it
looks like new inside. He then polished one of our brass cabin lights.
I think it’s a losing battle with the cabin lights. I’ve put them on the
to-do list for a professional polishing and coating possibly in Trinidad.
It was a big decision as to which of our fresh fish to have for dinner and which to freeze. We decided to have the shrimp tonight. I cooked it with some onions, lots of garlic and green peppers and served it with Rice. We had some toasted butter and garlic coated cassava on the side. It was wonderful but I’m glad we’re not having our cholesterol tested this week.
This was the first Sunday Brunch at El Ancla. Marie Elena had practised making English Muffins, and poached eggs for the last couple of weeks. We arrived just before 10AM and it wasn’t long before the restaurant was full. All of her practise paid off. The breakfast was wonderful and we will try to make it a Sunday morning habit.
It was almost noon when we returned to the boat so I got a chance to sew for a little while. We had to be by the pool at 1:30PM for dominoes. I arrived just before then so I had a chance for a quick dip and swim before the game started. It was a close game but when it was over Bill (Makai) won.
We returned to the boat and had a sundowner before dinner. I cooked the robalo (snook) for dinner. I just coated it with a little corn flour and fried it in olive oil. It was wonderful and I think it has now become my favourite fish.
Rick took off to go shopping first thing in the morning with Karen and Ralph (KaraDream). He returned in time for lunch and then left with them again, this time to go to a small marine store in Lecheria. His being gone made my day much easier. I finally had a chance to do some serious sewing on the new settee covers. I only stopped for one break all day and during that time I phoned an old school friend I hadn’t talked to in many years.
Rick was supposed to return before 3PM so we could go for a swim before happy hour. It was almost 4PM when he actually arrived back at the boat so we skipped the swim and started right into happy hour. Neither he nor I wanted to go to the potluck barbecue this night so we had our own barbecue onboard. It was a quiet evening of reading and relaxing.
