John Edward Cooper’s Notes

[i] Meet at the end of the pier 10 minutes before tour departure.

Cruise News, Sunday 24th January 2016








Because of the early start, Janet had set the alarm clock for 4.30am, but I was awake at 4am, so got up…. I’ve got some mosquito bites: two on the left hand (one on the wrist, one on the little finger); and three or four on the back of my neck from yesterday. I’m not overly concerned about the Zika virus, mentioned in Cruise News — because I’m unlikely to be pregnant! — but the lumps are unsightly and annoying, and getting worse. Janet got up at 4.30am. Breakfast was normally available from 6.30am; but today, because of early starts of excursions, in the Lido Restaurant the breakfast buffet was served from 5.00am; and that’s when we went there. It was dark, and we were still at sea.


Yucatan Peninsula showing today’s excursion, from San Miguel, Cozumel, via Playa del Carmen, to Chichén Itzá — also previous days’ from Costa Maya and Belize City

Shortly after we berthed, we went down to deck 4, and out along the gangway into the cold, dark morning. The moon over the western horizon was just about full. We turned left at the end of the pier along which the ship was moored on to another pier, at the end of which was the ferry boat to the mainland.


Sunday 24 January 2016 06:12:30
Leaving the Thomson Dream in the moonlight


Sunday 24 January 2016 06:12:44
Leaving the Thomson Dream in the moonlight


Sunday 24 January 2016 06:16:18
Boarding the ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen

The trip to Playa del Carmen took some 45 minutes. We were the last off because Janet had had to wait for the “rest room”.

CHICHEN ITZA MAYAN RUINS
The pyramid of El Castillo was built to stop people in their tracks. And, almost 20 centuries after it was built, it’s still doing its job. You’ll get to experience the effect yourself on this guided tour around Chichén Itzá. This Mayan city was built between 750 and 1200 AD. And El Castillo is just one of the ruined buildings that still stand strong here. You’ll also see the Temple of Warriors, which is gilded with statues and symbolism. And you’ll see the Great Ball Court, where the Mayans used to host spectator sports. As you walk around, your guide will explain the meanings hidden in the architecture and layout of the ancient city. Then you’ll have some time to explore for yourself. Once you’re familiar with the site, you’ll head to a local restaurant for lunch. Mexican food hasn’t changed that much since Mayan times. Rice, beans, tortillas and spice were eaten then as they are now. Your lunch will feature a few modern additions, though, like cochinita-styie pork, lime soup and Yucatan barbecued chicken. Just so you know— The walk around the site involves uneven surfaces. There will a charge of $8.00 for videos at the archaeological site. Journey time by bus is approximately 3hrs each way & 45 mins by hydrofoil. If you suffer from sea sickness we recommend to take sea sickness tablets.

We joined our guide and group at the ferry terminal and were led through the “touristy” bit to the coach park. In contrast to yesterday, the coach today was new — and comfortable, both seating-wise and temperature-wise. The highway took us first through a sprawling business district, with car dealerships, supermarkets, and various commercial concerns. The length of the journey was the same as yesterday’s — 115 miles — and took about the same time: 2½ hours.


Sunday 24 January 2016 07:52:44
On the coach with Juan our guide

On the journey, much of what Juan our guide told us was similar to what we’d already learned on previous days. His mention of Mayan “pre-classical”, “classical” and “post-classical” periods was already familiar to me. In the beginning, he told us, the Mayans did not practice human sacrifice; it was under the influence of the Toltecs that it started sometime in the “classical” period. We were given stickers to wear with our coach number (“3”) and guide’s name (“Juan”), before he led us into the site. There we stopped at various places and he explained things. He made a distinction between the Old Chichén area and the more central area.




Sunday 24 January 2016 10:18:08
Entering the Chichén Itzá archaeological site


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:18:48
Chichén Itzá archaeological site


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:20:34
Sign at the entrance


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:20:34 (detail)
The Great Ball Court, a player, and the wall-mounted circular goal

He took us to the edge of a cliff and pointed out water quite a long way below. He took us past one or two Old Chichén structures, heading approximately west till we got to a pyramid which looked like a smaller version of the one that appears in all the pictures of Chichén Itzá.




Sunday 24 January 2016 10:23:20
Cenote Xtoloc (“Iguana”)

The Yucatán Peninsula is a limestone plain, with no rivers or streams. The region is pockmarked with natural sinkholes, called cenotes, which expose the water table to the surface.… —Wikipedia

Sunday 24 January 2016 10:27:44
The nearby Xtoloc (“Iguana”) Temple


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:28:42


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:28:52
Sacbé (“white way”) leading to the Observatory


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:32:20


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:32:02
Funerary structure


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:33:14
Small Platform of Venus


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:33:14 (detail)


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:33:22
Small Platform of Venus


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:34:40
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:34:48
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:34:54
The Osario

From there we turned south, passing “El Caracol” (“the snail”), so called in Spanish because of a stone spiral staircase inside. It was probably an observatory, for some of its structures are aligned to the path of Venus as it traverses the sky, and there are sight lines to other astronomical events.


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:41:48


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:40:08
The Observatory


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:40:52
The Observatory


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:42:38
The Observatory

We continued more or less southwards to look at buildings that the Spanish named “Las Monjas” (“The Nuns” or “The Nunnery”) — actually a governmental palace in its day. On the model of calling this “The Nunnery”, a relatively small rectangular building nearby was called “La Iglesia” (“The Church”). This was elaborately adorned with masks.


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:43:36
The Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:44:24
Part of the Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:44:24 (detail)
Part of the Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:48


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22 (detail 1)
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22 (detail 2)
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22 (detail 3)
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22 (detail 4)
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:50:22 (detail 5)
The Church


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:10
The Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:18
The Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:18 (detail 1)
The Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:18 (detail 2)
The Nunnery


Sunday 24 January 2016 10:53:34
The Church

Then we went north, passing “El Castillo”, as far as the Great Ball Court. This was huge, compared with the ball courts we’d seen so far.


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:01:20
Sacbé


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:04:18
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:04:18 (detail 1)
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:04:18 (detail 2)
El Castillo

I can’t remember what the following structure was. Within a recess, the colours of red and yellow ochre could still be seen.

Sunday 24 January 2016 11:14:50
Chichén Itzá archaeological site


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:15:00
Chichén Itzá archaeological site


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:15:12
Chichén Itzá archaeological site


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:19:08
Chichén Itzá archaeological site

After looking at the Great Ball Court, we were given free time, but only half an hour, not really sufficient. I hurriedly took photos around the Great Ball Court, before proceeding past El Castillo. I wanted to see something we’d passed on the way in, but we couldn’t find it now. We found ourselves back at the Osario, then didn’t search any further because we didn’t want to be late at the rendezvous point.


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:31:00
North Temple (or Temple of the Bearded Man) at the north end of the Great Ball Court


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:31:00 (detail)
North Temple


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:28:26
Bearded Man


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:31:22
Great Ball Court, seen from the north end


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:31:30
Great Ball Court, seen from the north end


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:32:26
Serpent


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:32:38
Stone ring on the wall


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:34:16
Temple at the south end of the Great Ball Court


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:33:48
Upper Temple of the Jaguar overlooking the Great Ball Court


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:35:06
Upper Temple of the Jaguar overlooking the Great Ball Court (El Castillo in the background)


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:35:40
Upper Temple of the Jaguar


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:36:36
Upper and Lower Temples of the Jaguar


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:37:00
Bas-relief carvings within the Lower Temple of the Jaguar

Sunday 24 January 2016 11:37:00 (detail)


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:37:40
Platform of the Eagles and the Jaguars


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:38:40
Platform of Venus


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:39:22
Temple of the Warriors


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:39:34
Temple of the Warriors


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:39:50
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:40:30
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:41:06
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:41:32
(Foreground:) El Castillo; (background:) Temple of the Warriors


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:42:04
Great Ball Court and Jaguar Temples


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:43:08
El Castillo


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:46:48
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:47:24
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:47:46
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:47:46 (detail)
The Osario


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:48:10
Nearby structure


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:50:04
Small Platform of Venus


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:52:06
Remains of the boundary wall


Sunday 24 January 2016 11:52:14
Remains of the boundary wall

Just by the entrance is the Hotel Mayaland, and that’s where our party was taken, with tables reserved, for a buffet lunch. There was a drink included — I chose a bottle of beer — but we bought another round of drinks. We wanted to pay by debit card, but there was some problem and I had to dip into my precious US dollars. There was music, and a man and a woman started dancing each with a bottle on his head. Then they came round begging cash. We didn’t have any to spare.


Sunday 24 January 2016 12:39:16
Lunch at Hotel Mayaland


Sunday 24 January 2016 12:41:14
Lunch at Hotel Mayaland

Before we went back to the coach, Janet and I looked in the next-door gift and souvenir shop, and bought a book on several Mayan archaeological sites, with transparent overlays to convey the impression of “now” and then”. We were able to use a debit card there. The entrance to Hotel Mayaland was right opposite the Observatory.


Sunday 24 January 2016 13:10:06
The Observatory, seen from the entrance of Hotel Mayaland


Sunday 24 January 2016 13:11:24
The Observatory


Sunday 24 January 2016 13:12:32
The top of El Castillo

We went back to the coach and left at 1.20pm.


Sunday 24 January 2016 16:02:40
Boarding the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel


Sunday 24 January 2016 16:12:34
Aboard the ferry


Sunday 24 January 2016 17:01:26
Returning to the Thomson Dream

I took the following photo because of the deep, varied blue colours of the sea.


Sunday 24 January 2016 17:03:42
Returning to the Thomson Dream

I think a “towel sculpture” that greeted us in the cabin was a rabbit.


Sunday 24 January 2016 17:25:06
In the cabin

A few days ago, we received a form to complete, asking what cruises we’d been on previously on which ships, and an invitation from “Captain John Westgarth-Pratt… to a Repeaters’ Reception” tomorrow was the result. Neither Janet nor I had any intention or inclination to go.



There was also a circular letter, which I glanced over, saying that because of “a small number of passengers experiencing symptoms consistent with Novovirus” there would be “enhanced sanitation measures” put in place.



We didn’t stay long in the cabin, but went to the Lido Pool Bar where I had a pint of Strongbow cider and Janet a Fanta Zero (17:36:19). I hadn’t read the letter properly, about “a few changes onboard, such as assisted service at our buffet restaurants”, and wasn’t prepared to find no serving spoons, ladles and tongs available when the buffet started in the Lido Restaurant. I felt like walking out, with the impulse to remain hungry rather than be denied being able as whim dictated to select this or that item myself. I didn’t leave, though, and after initially feeling awkward, resigned myself to being served. I had two glasses of house red wine, and Janet had another Fanta Zero (18:15:18, 18:28:25). If Janet had felt “chilled” yesterday, this evening she felt downright cold. She had her denim jacket on, but went back to the cabin for the winter coat she’d worn on the outward journey to Manchester. And back again for her scarf! Anyway, we had a rapid turn of the promenade deck, where it was warmer, braving the strong wind at the bow. Back in the cabin, I [did this and that]…. Then it was time to go to the Broadway Show Lounge to bag our seats for the 8.30pm show.

Styled By Rock
Tonight we revisit those days when rock was
king. Listen again to all those anthems and
bring a leather jacket!

Again we sat on the front row, this time centre-stage. Janet had her winter coat and scarf on again. I had a Campari and soda and Janet a Diet Coke (20:04:13), and because I finished my drink before the show started I had another one (20:20:45). Again, we enjoyed the show immensely. …We went to bed ca.10.15pm. According to Janet, I “fell asleep instantly.” As for herself, she wrote: “Bad night. …I could hear singing in the Medusa Lounge. These ‘upgraded’ cabins are in a bad place. I’ve heard singing every night but managed to ‘rise above’ the noise. Last night [she wrote this the following morning] I simply couldn’t. I stuffed my ears with tissue to no avail.” As I wrote in 20 January 2016’s diary entry: “Unfortunately, our cabin is directly above the Medusa Lounge and the resident rock band’s cacophonous wailing, drum banging and tuneless bass was intrusive.”

[Monday 25 January 2016]