When we first traveled to Zimbabwe, I was surprised by the names people gave to their children. Names like “Honesty”, “Musical”, “Bravery” and a plethora of other positive attributes. All of the names were admirable, but the West doesn’t seem to concentrate most names on what one wishes the person to be (though translating a person’s name into its source language may display the tendency), but rather frequently as an ancestor worshiping media.
Our ship employs a large number of Philippine women as dining room assistants on the buffet deck and, for the first time, I’ve noticed a variety of “sparkling” names. Names like “Wowy”, “Jazz” and “Princess” now grace the nametags they wear. I am told these are not self-chosen or nicknames, but the names their families have given them at birth. The Earth is a brighter place because of them.
The small number of passengers – a bit over 250 (many of whom don’t come to the shows) – gives shows by guest entertainers in the theatre the feel of a cabaret. For most of the entertainers, this is their first “post” COVID gig and their quality has, in general, been excellent.
Even our modest sized ship eats food at an awesome rate, On the average two week cruise, guests consume more than 36,000 eggs, 6,428 pounds of beef, 2,720 pounds of shrimp, 28 tons of fruits and vegetables and 800 pounds of chocolate. Food orders are prepared about two months before a cruise. There is enough storage space for about two months of provisions, but fresh food is generally loaded every two weeks and items like fresh fish and local produce more frequently.
Some demographic stats:
The ship has a theoretical maximum capacity of 684 passengers and a crew of about 450. Today we have 268 passengers from 14 different countries. Ages: 19-94 (the 94 year old is living “permanently” on the ship) with about 2/3 of the passengers above 70 years old.
5 in their 90’s
47 in their 80’s
123 are in their 70’s
74 in their 60’s
11 in their 50’s
6 in their 40’s
1 in their 30’s
1 teenager
Back to the story:
At both of our stops at the Dominican Republic – Catalina Island and Santo Domingo – there was apparently zero attention towards mitigating the spread of COVID. No masks, no thermometers, no disinfectant spray when entering a store or social distancing. According to the CDC, they have had over 500K cases and around 4,500 deaths. On the other hand, 8 million out of their 11 million population have been vaccinated, so their “herd immunity” level is much higher, on average, than either other Caribbean islands or the US.
On the other hand, Jamaica is pretty much locked toward keeping tourists in a “bubble” which does not intermix with the general population.
Guatemala seemed to pay a bit of lip service to COVID protection, but nothing seemed to be enforced.
Catalina Island, Dominican Republic
This island was baptized “Santa Catalina” by Christopher Columbus, who visited it in May 1494. Catalina Island or Isla Catalina is a tropical island located 1.5 miles from the mainland on the south-east corner of the Dominican Republic, near La Altagracia and La Romana. It is an occasional destination for cruise ships on Caribbean routes. In particular, Costa Cruises has a private beach on the island. Ships anchor offshore and transport passengers to shore via tender.
Formed out of coral stone, the island itself is only 9.6 square kilometers in size, and is a diverse preserve of eco-systems including sand dunes, mangroves, and reefs. The highest elevation on the island is only 60 feet above sea level. There are large areas where natural sandbars offshore bring the depth to just a few feet.
I had a minimal expectation for our shift (due to weather) from the port of Punta Cana to here, a sort of artificial beach scaled to take multiple simultaneous large cruise ships. It turned out to be a lovely beach day for the hundred (+/-) of us who occupied the resort. The major cautionary note is that the slope up the beach from the water is a bit steep and some of the elderly passengers had some difficulty getting out of the water. There is a nature walk which starts at the toilet facilities and extends about 450 meters along the coast.
A few people went scuba diving at a site called “The Wall” which was a coral wall extending down to about 145 feet and reported that it was the most incredible place they could remember diving at.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic capital, is the oldest city in the New World. The Old Town, or Zona Colonial, remains partially enclosed by remnants of the original city wall.
The denizens of the city act as if COVID doesn’t exist. There is no masking, no taking of temperature – in fact no semblance of anything different – other than the number of stores which seemed permanently shut.
We are docked at the don Diego Terminal, across from the old colonial city (in fact, the highway in front of the ship cuts through what used to be the walls of the fortress).
We took an unexpectedly interesting visit to the 3 Eyes National Park (about $4USD 15 minute drive by Uber from the cruise dock, with an entrance fee of about $4USD). This is in the eastern part of Santo Domingo across the Ozama river. 3 Eyes refers to 3 small underground lakes (cenotes) in caves/grottoes with stalagmites and stalactites. There’s a fourth lake which you can access by a small roping boat with extra minimal fee (50 pesos, so $1USD for three people, but they will try to ask for a buck a piece). For those who can’t make the decent, it can be viewed from above as well. This fourth cenote I found the most beautiful so I suggest taking the boat (2 min ride) as the views from down there are much better than from above. Contrary to the cenotes in Mexico, here you cannot swim in them. Count on around 1-1,5 hrs for a visit. CAUTION: There are many flights of stone steps involved in this site, so it is not for anyone with a mobility issue or bum knees.
You can combine your national park visit with the Columbus lighthouse which is 5 minute away. This monstrous structure, with a lamp on its roof, is said to allegedly contain the bones of Christopher Columbus (they are actually, proven by DNA analysis, buried in Seville, Spain’s Cathedral) as well as containing a hodgepodge of small exhibits around the world.
It’s fun to explore the old stone buildings and narrow streets of the Zona Colonial, a 12-block area from which Spain launched its conquest of the New World. Columbus, Ponce de León and Cortés all walked these cobblestones. We visited the Calle Las Damas (the “Street of the Ladies” where the autocratic women of the Spanish Empire used to parade in their fancy clothes, the Alcázar de Colón, the palace constructed for Columbus’s son, Diego, in 1517, the Cathedral Primada de America (the oldest in the Americas – built in 1540), the Capilla de Nuesra de los Remedios (a 16th Century gothic building), the Museo de las Atarazanas (which is a museum filled with treasures rescued from Spanish wrecks), the Panteon Nacional (where the tombs of many former leaders are located and so on.
My wife was intrigued by the idea of El Mercado Modelo where, supposedly, all items were interesting and available. This is where all things souvenir come to rest. Aggressive haggling is expected here. The good (very little of it), the bad and the ugly – some of it possibly even made in the Dominican Republic fill the booths which were open – many seemed to be closed (due to loss of tourism or by COVID deaths, I don’t know).
El Conde is a pedestrian street which is known for stores selling basic necessities (food, clothing, cleaning supplies), electronic goods, and luxury items within a street that’s peppered with fast-food joints, cafes, and bars. In the colonial section, La Atarazana, a Zona Colonial neighborhood of art galleries and gift and jewelry stores, is more geared for foreign visitors. La Atarazana has a higher concentration than El Conde of art galleries and gift and jewelry stores. Be prepared to haggle in La Atarazana.
Amber and larimar (Dominican turquoise) jewelry are the top handicrafts on sale. Dominican amber comes in a range of colors, from bright yellow to black, some with encased insects. Hand-wrapped cigars are sold virtually everywhere.
The temperature has been hot and we enjoyed good beer and ale (I had a very nice dark beer called “Chocolate” and our friends had IPA’s) at the Cacata Artisanal microbrewery at Calle Arzobispo Merino 1.
Santo Domingo has a modern side as well, making this one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant cities. Its Botanic Gardens are the largest in the Caribbean and well worth a visit (about $4USD by Uber from the cruise pier).
Many Dominicans consider dining out a formal experience and dress to impress. The locals recommended El Mesón de la Cava, for fine-dining on seafood specialties. Another popular place, La Résidence is set in a former 16th-century mansion. Spit-roasted lamb served with bacon, garlic, and vinegar sauce and rabbit stuffed with bacon and mushrooms are dishes which were mentioned.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic capital, is the oldest city in the New World. The Old Town, or Zona Colonial, remains partially enclosed by remnants of the original city wall.
The denizens of the city act as if COVID doesn’t exist. There is no masking, no taking of temperature – in fact no semblance of anything different – other than the number of stores which seemed permanently shut.
We are docked at the don Diego Terminal, across from the old colonial city (in fact, the highway in front of the ship cuts through what used to be the walls of the fortress).
We took an unexpectedly interesting visit to the 3 Eyes National Park (about $4USD 15 minute drive by Uber from the cruise dock, with an entrance fee of about $4USD). This is in the eastern part of Santo Domingo across the Ozama river. 3 Eyes refers to 3 small underground lakes (cenotes) in caves/grottoes with stalagmites and stalactites. There’s a fourth lake which you can access by a small roping boat with extra minimal fee (50 pesos, so $1USD for three people, but they will try to ask for a buck a piece). For those who can’t make the decent, it can be viewed from above as well. This fourth cenote I found the most beautiful so I suggest taking the boat (2 min ride) as the views from down there are much better than from above. Contrary to the cenotes in Mexico, here you cannot swim in them. Count on around 1-1,5 hrs for a visit. CAUTION: There are many flights of stone steps involved in this site, so it is not for anyone with a mobility issue or bum knees.
You can combine your national park visit with the Columbus lighthouse which is 5 minute away. This monstrous structure, with a lamp on its roof, is said to allegedly contain the bones of Christopher Columbus (they are actually, proven by DNA analysis, buried in Seville, Spain’s Cathedral) as well as containing a hodgepodge of small exhibits around the world.
It’s fun to explore the old stone buildings and narrow streets of the Zona Colonial, a 12-block area from which Spain launched its conquest of the New World. Columbus, Ponce de León and Cortés all walked these cobblestones. We visited the Calle Las Damas (the “Street of the Ladies” where the autocratic women of the Spanish Empire used to parade in their fancy clothes, the Alcázar de Colón, the palace constructed for Columbus’s son, Diego, in 1517, the Cathedral Primada de America (the oldest in the Americas – built in 1540), the Capilla de Nuesra de los Remedios (a 16th Century gothic building), the Museo de las Atarazanas (which is a museum filled with treasures rescued from Spanish wrecks), the Panteon Nacional (where the tombs of many former leaders are located and so on.
My wife was intrigued by the idea of El Mercado Modelo where, supposedly, all items were interesting and available. This is where all things souvenir come to rest. Aggressive haggling is expected here. The good (very little of it), the bad and the ugly – some of it possibly even made in the Dominican Republic fill the booths which were open – many seemed to be closed (due to loss of tourism or by COVID deaths, I don’t know).
El Conde is a pedestrian street which is known for stores selling basic necessities (food, clothing, cleaning supplies), electronic goods, and luxury items within a street that’s peppered with fast-food joints, cafes, and bars. In the colonial section, La Atarazana, a Zona Colonial neighborhood of art galleries and gift and jewelry stores, is more geared for foreign visitors. La Atarazana has a higher concentration than El Conde of art galleries and gift and jewelry stores. Be prepared to haggle in La Atarazana.
Amber and larimar (Dominican turquoise) jewelry are the top handicrafts on sale. Dominican amber comes in a range of colors, from bright yellow to black, some with encased insects. Hand-wrapped cigars are sold virtually everywhere.
The temperature has been hot and we enjoyed good beer and ale (I had a very nice dark beer called “Chocolate” and our friends had IPA’s) at the Cacata Artisanal microbrewery at Calle Arzobispo Merino 1.
Santo Domingo has a modern side as well, making this one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant cities. Its Botanic Gardens are the largest in the Caribbean and well worth a visit (about $4USD by Uber from the cruise pier).
Many Dominicans consider dining out a formal experience and dress to impress. The locals recommended El Mesón de la Cava, for fine-dining on seafood specialties. Another popular place, La Résidence is set in a former 16th-century mansion. Spit-roasted lamb served with bacon, garlic, and vinegar sauce and rabbit stuffed with bacon and mushrooms are dishes which were mentioned.
Port Antonio, Jamaica
At the time of our visit, Jamaica is maintaining a COVID mitigation policy of keeping cruise ship tourists in “bubbles” of only ship’s tours and approved local tours and taxis which only bring passengers to special tourist sites.
Situated in the parish of Portland on the coast just north of the Blue Mountains, the town is surrounded by some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery in Jamaica.
It’s the rainiest, greenest parish in Jamaica, known for its many rivers and waterfalls. Once the cradle of Jamaican tourism, the region has since been eclipsed by Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril. It remains a preferred hideaway, however, for a chic and elegant crowd that comes for a handful of posh hotels.
Port Antonio, quite frankly, is perhaps the most staid of the major Jamaican resort towns.
Its sidewalks surrounding a market filled with vendors, people playing dominoes, tin-roofed shacks compete with old Georgian and modern brick and concrete buildings.
It also has some of the finest beaches in Jamaica, and has long been a center for some of the Caribbean’s best deep-sea fishing.
Most activity centers around Musgrave Market, on West Street, in the center of town. The sprawling Fort George Village Shopping Arcade is an ugly, but useful shopping venue as well.
Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala
Cruise ship passengers visit Guatemala chiefly for its Mayan culture, which sites are located throughout the country.
This is a container port with a large building for souvenir vendors. After evaluating our options here, we simply called it a pseudo sea-day, took a walk to town and back in the humid heat and then spent time in the large crafts market in the building near the ship.
Turn embroideries over to see if they are handmade or machine made (stiches which are too good to be true generally means they are not hand-made). Some of the hand embroidered woman’s blouses showed fantastic artistic ability, but the sizing was for the typical Mayan proportioned body shape (short and wide) and most would require significant retailoring to fit other body shapes.
Our favorite purchase in Guatemalan markets like this are colorful hummingbird Christmas tree ornaments made out of glass beads ($3-$4) which we use to decorate birthday presents (in the same concept as we used small embroidered and mirrored pouches we picked up in India on a previous trip). Prices should be negotiated to about 1/3 of the original asking price in this market.
A taxi to the town, about a mile or so away, is about $3.
Within range, Quiriguá is an ancient Maya archaeological site about an hour or two drive from the port (based on the usual heavy traffic found on the route). It is a medium-sized site covering approximately 3 square kilometers (1.2 sq mi) along the lower Motagua River, with the ceremonial center about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the north bank. During the Maya Classic Period (AD 200–900), Quiriguá was situated at the intersection of several important trade routes. The site was occupied by 200, but most of the major construction started in the 8th century. Frankly, while large, the major “sights” are a tall stile, a long set of stone steps and large areas which were ball courts and so on. Tikal, Tulum and Chechen Itza are all offer superior experiences.
Other nearby options include the Rio Dulce, Lake Izabal, the towns of Puerto Barrios ($5 by taxi), Livingston and San Felipe.