From "This is Cozumel":
Punta Langosta cruise pier is just south of downtown, about 5 minutes walk to the main square and downtown tour meeting points. The International and Puerta Maya cruise piers are further south, about 5 minutes taxi ride from the main square and downtown tour meeting points.
We tied up here, by ourselves. There are three large ships at the HA/Norwegian/Celebrity piers south of us. We'll visit the San Gervasio ruins today and do whatever else strikes us.
We broke our fast on the Sunset Veranda then returned to the cabin to get our go-ashore rig. We convened in the Cabaret; when all of our tour were present we moved to the pier. The walk to the bus forces you to walk through the area of shops but we kept moving.
Juan, our leader, made sure all were aboard before we headed east by north on a good road. We stopped for a potty break at something called the Mayan Bee Sanctuary. I saw no bees but a lot of merchandise for sale.
The island is all limestone. No rivers, no wells. What water there was, was captured from the rain and stored away until used. Juan explained at a depression in the earth how the rain was collected and purified by several passes through the limestone.
The buildings and altars and such are carved out of the limestone and piled on top of each other to make walls, pillars and other structural items. The lizard at right is resting on an altar. After we intruded into his space he dropped to the ground, scurried to a tree and climbed up the tree. Speedy little thing.
We went then to a square with ruins on four sides. Annotated stones described the deductions of scientists as to what each segment or building was used for. The photos linked from this text will show some of ruins and the likely purpose.
The Mayans were religious people, worshipping just about everything. Many altars and other religious sites were found. They had no iPads so they observed the natural world around them. They derived their calendar, accurately showing 365 days in the year. They had games, some taken very seriously.
The general period of this set of ruins is thought to be between 1200 and 1550 CE.
Did I mention it was hot out in the jungle? No? Well, it was. So we came to the cabin to shower and clean up. We made up a bag of laundry and sent that in.
We dined in the Dining Room ahead of the evening festivities. There were probably ten couples there, the rest all out on deck doing White Night. O thought the Thai menu items were very nice.
At this point, Captain Thysee addressed the ship to say that Covid mask restrictions are removed. Everyone was happy to remove their mask and return to normal. It felt odd briefly to not have on a mask.
White Night. Tonight is White Night, an Azamara tradition. Everyone dresses in white, tables are set up on the pool deck and on the track above it. All the various bands play in succession, about 45 minutes each, and dancing is encouraged with the dancers leading.
After the pool deck session, the various entertainers go to different parts of the ship and continue entertaining well into the night. We went off early.
Today we'll wander the town after a session on how to make chocolate bars from scratch AND a chocolate margarita.
We arose early this day. The first thing out of the cabin was breakfast on the pool deck. Very pleasant with the nice cool morning breeze. The food stations were arranged all around the band-stand. Breakfast drinks were being served (we passed). A food officer asked what we thought of it - we assessed it as very nice.
We gathered our gear and met in the Cabaret with the people coordinating tours. When ours was called, we walked down the long pier to another coordinating site. At last a person came and led the eight of us to an extended van. We mounted the beast and were driven to Mayan Cacao for our lecture.
We were guided through a series of rooms showing Mayan history & culture. Then into a "workroom".
Link to Photos
In front of each of us was a Margarita glass, a blender, some limes and three bottles, tequila, triple-sec, simple-syrup. A small box full of ice was next to us.
Under direction of the leader we poured 1.5 oz of tequila into the blender. Then we squeezed the limes till we had 1.5 oz and poured that into the blender. We added 1.5 oz of triple-sec orange liqueur into the blender. Then a generous scoop of ice. We put the lid on the blender and ran it for 15 seconds. Salt was brought around to lip the glass. Pour blender into glass. Voila!! Our Margarita.
We congratulated ourselves while drinking our concoction.
Then we went through this again but we used orange juice, lemon juice, and Squirt (a lemon-lime soft drink) in small portions vice the limes in the prior one. We sampled it - not too bad but not as good.
The third manufacturing effort used mangos instead of limes. This one was distinctly different, quite sweet instead of tart.
The fourth drink made was a chocolate Margarita. Same basic ingredients but vice limes we used chocolate bits, a little milk, a drop of lime, and run the blender for 20 seconds. The glass was rimmed with chocolate and had a dollop of it in the bottom. Interesting, sweet, not offending but not O's style.
So, as lambs we were led to the gift shop. The two of us avoided the tequila selections, instead buying little things we can give away easily.
We were driven back to the pier area and again forced to walk through the shops in the mall to get to the pier. We resisted all this.
The Quest had been moved from the pier to an anchorage for some reason. So we rode the tender to the ship, dropped our stuff in the cabin and scurried to the Patio for some lunch. We ate our food, with a glass of wine and returned to the cabin. O started his computer work, D looked at her iPad, then both reclined for a brief nap.
We woke up two hours later, having missed the trivia sessions. Getting up early and having mucho booze will do that.
Show time came along. We scurried to the pool deck and selected seats off to one side, in the same row with Calvin, Lisa, and Lisa's mom. O thought he'd get some good pictures from there, but it turned out to be a bad angle.
The band (from Cozumel) is named "Dia de Muertos Welcome Jam". The idea is that the band starts doing Mexican music that raises the old dead rock stars, who come back and do their songs. The band's stars made their entrance down on stairs from the pool deck to the deck. They were all dressed in black with their faces done in various shades of dead.
Dolores says they're good. O isn't much on rock bands old, new, or dead. But they made the appropriate amount of noise.
At the end we went to the Den to hear Valentyna play the piano and sing. She's good. Then we ran out of steam and returned to the cabin to rest.
Very interesting day.
Ah, yes. Another relaxing day, no schedule demands, just enjoy the food, wine, and entertainment.
And that's what we did. D went off to Jewelry making class and returned with a nice necklace and bracelet. O went to the Captain's Q&A session. Many questions were posed and answered, none of real importance. The Captain feels Azamara is on solid ground with the new owners and that they have plenty of capital to get through this slow period. He had no good words for the CDC.
Lunch was taken in the Dining Room since the Windows people were all out on deck doing a Greek Buffet. Nice tilapia in a minimal crowd. Saw a cruise ship going the other way.
We took part in the Win-A-Cruise Bingo (blackout in 52). D got down to three, O had four left when the winner was called. Justin was his usual funny self. Saw a container ship going the other way.
Then up to the Living Room for trivia. With a score 15/20, we WON. Incredible. We stayed for music trivia (Brit bands) and got 5/20. Boo, hiss.
Back to the cabin after noticing the temperature going lower. Humph.