Part 11: Magic moments

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <script type="text/javascript"> //OwnerIQ var __oiq_pct = 50; if( __oiq_pct>=100 || Math.floor(Math.random()*100/(100-__oiq_pct)) > 0 ) { var _oiqq = _oiqq || []; _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageBrand','Lycos']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageCat','Internet > Websites']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageLifecycle','Intend']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_doTag']); (function() { var oiq = document.createElement('script'); oiq.type = 'text/javascript'; oiq.async = true; oiq.src = document.location.protocol + '//px.owneriq.net/stas/s/lycosn.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(oiq, s); })(); } //Google Analytics var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount','UA-21402695-19']); _gaq.push(['_setDomainName','tripod.com']); _gaq.push(['_setCustomVar',1,'member_name','benschuetz',3]); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); //Lycos Init function getReferrer() { var all= this.document.cookie; if (all== '') return false; var cookie_name = 'REFERRER='; var start = all.lastIndexOf(cookie_name); if (start == -1) return false; start += cookie_name.length; var end = all.indexOf(';', start); if (end == -1) end = all.length; return all.substring(start, end); } function getQuery() { var rfr = getReferrer(); if (rfr == '') return false; var q = extractQuery(rfr, 'yahoo.com', 'p='); if (q) return q; q = extractQuery(rfr, '', 'q='); return q ? q : ""; } function extractQuery(full, site, q_param) { var start = full.lastIndexOf(site); if (start == -1) return false; start = full.lastIndexOf(q_param); if (start == -1) return false; start += q_param.length; var end = full.indexOf('&', start); if (end == -1) end = full.length; return unescape(full.substring(start, end)).split(" ").join("+"); } function generateHref(atag, template){ atag.href=template.replace('_MYURL_', window.location.href.replace('http://', '')).replace('_MYTITLE_','Check%20out%20this%20Tripod%20Member%20site!'); } var lycos_ad = Array(); var lycos_onload_timer; var cm_role = "live"; var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com"; var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded"; var tripod_member_name = "benschuetz"; var tripod_member_page = "benschuetz/id111.htm"; var tripod_ratings_hash = "1734786021:104b122632fb98de0e80af9f0e61d92f"; var lycos_ad_category = {"dmoz":"regional\/south_america","ontarget":"&CAT=travel&L2CAT=destinations","find_what":"cruises AND bahamas"}; var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "209.202.244.9"; var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com"; var lycos_ad_track_small = ""; var lycos_ad_track_served = ""; var lycos_search_query = getQuery(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type='text/javascript'> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; (function() { var gads = document.createElement('script'); gads.async = true; gads.type = 'text/javascript'; var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol; gads.src = (useSSL ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js'; var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; node.parentNode.insertBefore(gads, node); })(); </script> <script type='text/javascript'> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_300X250_dfp', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_above_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-1').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_below_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-2').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(isV) { if( !isV ) { return; } var adMgr = new AdManager(); var lycos_prod_set = adMgr.chooseProductSet(); var slots = ["leaderboard", "leaderboard2", "toolbar_image", "toolbar_text", "smallbox", "top_promo", "footer2", "slider"]; var adCat = this.lycos_ad_category; adMgr.setForcedParam('page', (adCat && adCat.dmoz) ? adCat.dmoz : 'member'); if (this.lycos_search_query) { adMgr.setForcedParam("keyword", this.lycos_search_query); } else if(adCat && adCat.find_what) { adMgr.setForcedParam('keyword', adCat.find_what); } for (var s in slots) { var slot = slots[s]; if (adMgr.isSlotAvailable(slot)) { this.lycos_ad[slot] = adMgr.getSlot(slot); } } adMgr.renderHeader(); adMgr.renderFooter(); }((function() { var w = 0, h = 0, minimumThreshold = 300; if (top == self) { return true; } if (typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number' ) { w = window.innerWidth; h = window.innerHeight; } else if (document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.documentElement.clientHeight)) { w = document.documentElement.clientWidth; h = document.documentElement.clientHeight; } else if (document.body && (document.body.clientWidth || document.body.clientHeight)) { w = document.body.clientWidth; h = document.body.clientHeight; } return ((w > minimumThreshold) && (h > minimumThreshold)); }()))); window.onload = function() { var f = document.getElementById("FooterAd"); var b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]; b.appendChild(f); f.style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('lycosFooterAdiFrame').src = '/adm/ad/footerAd.iframe.html'; // DOM Inj Ad (function(isTrellix) { var e = document.createElement('iframe'); e.style.border = '0'; e.style.margin = 0; e.style.display = 'block'; e.style.cssFloat = 'right'; e.style.height = '254px'; e.style.overflow = 'hidden'; e.style.padding = 0; e.style.width = '300px'; var isBlokedByDomain = function( href ) { var blockedDomains = [ "ananyaporn13000.tripod.com", "xxxpornxxx.tripod.com" ]; var flag = false; for( var i=0; i<blockedDomains.length; i++ ) { if( href.search( blockedDomains[ i ] ) >= 0 ) { flag = true; } } return flag; } var getMetaContent = function( metaName ) { var metas = document.getElementsByTagName('meta'); for (i=0; i<metas.length; i++) { if( metas[i].getAttribute("name") == metaName ) { return metas[i].getAttribute("content"); } } return false; } var getCommentNodes = function(regexPattern) { var nodes = {}; var nodesA = []; var preferredNodesList = ['a', 'c', 'b']; (function getNodesThatHaveComments(n, pattern) { if (n.hasChildNodes()) { if (n.tagName === 'IFRAME') { return false; } for (var i = 0; i < n.childNodes.length; i++) { if ((n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 8) && (pattern.test(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue))) { var areaName = pattern.exec(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)[1]; nodes[areaName] = n; } else if (n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 1) { getNodesThatHaveComments(n.childNodes[i], pattern); } } } }(document.body, regexPattern)); for (var i in preferredNodesList) { if (nodes[preferredNodesList[i]]) { if( isTrellix && nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode ) { nodesA.push(nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode); } else { nodesA.push( nodes[preferredNodesList[i]] ); } } } return nodesA; } var properNode = null; var areaNodes = getCommentNodes( new RegExp( '^area Type="area_(\\w+)"' ) ); for (var i = 0; i < areaNodes.length; i++) { var a = parseInt(getComputedStyle(areaNodes[i]).width); if ((a >= 300) && (a <= 400)) { properNode = areaNodes[i]; break; } } var propertyName = getMetaContent("property") || false; if( isTrellix && (properNode) ) { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; properNode.insertBefore(e, properNode.firstChild); } else if( isTrellix && !( properNode ) ) // Slap the ad eventhought there is no alocated slot { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; e.style.cssFloat = 'none'; var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( e ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } else if( !isBlokedByDomain( location.href ) ) { var injF = document.createElement('iframe'); injF.style.border = '0'; injF.style.margin = 0; injF.style.display = 'block'; injF.style.cssFloat = 'none'; injF.style.height = '254px'; injF.style.overflow = 'hidden'; injF.style.padding = 0; injF.style.width = '300px'; injF.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; if( b && ( !isTrellix || ( typeof isTrellix == "undefined" ) ) ) // All other tripod props { var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( injF ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } } }( document.isTrellix )); } </script> <div id="tb_container" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-bottom:1px solid #393939; position:relative; z-index:999999999!important">  <style> .adCenterClass{margin:0 auto} </style> <div id="tb_ad" class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="ad_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px "> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "leaderboard" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['leaderboard']); } </script> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['slider']); } </script>  <div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> <div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px"> <iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="09c8e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="09e95810.gif" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="326b88d0.jpg" border=0 width="184" height="141" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Frank and Joan on</div> <div> Fantasy Island </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="3289d880.jpg" border=0 width="157" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  Special Maria with Tiby</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="32ba0cb0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="203" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Peter and Angelica </div> <div> Awab</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="09d00c82eoxkoh.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Cruising Adventures of Joan & Ben Schuetz aboard  </b></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>   |     <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Cruising Adventures of Joan Ben Sch"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 1: Spectacularly uneventful"><U>Part 1:  Spectacularly uneventful</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 2: A very nice week"><U>Part 2: A very nice week</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 3: The Mexican coastal leg"><U>Part 3:  The Mexican coastal leg</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 4: Peaks and valleys"><U>Part 4:  Peaks and valleys</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 5: A very merry Christmas"><U>Part 5:  A very merry Christmas</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 6: What a difference a day (cold f"><U>Part 6:  What a difference a day (cold front) makes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 7: Just a bunch of stuff"><U>Part 7:  Just a bunch of stuff</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 8: Back to the Rio"><U>Part 8:  Back to the Rio</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 9: Return to a trap"><U>Part 9:  Return to a trap</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 10: The stressless life"><U>Part 10:  The stressless life</U></A>   |   Part 11:  Magic moments   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 12: A night not to remember"><U>Part 12:  A night not to remember</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 13: Yawn, its about time"><U>Part 13:  Yawn, it's about time</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 14: Northbound"><U>Part 14:  Northbound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Part 15: Fantastic voyage"><U>Part 15:  Fantastic voyage</U></A></div> <div> Part 11:  Magic moments</div> <div> After having spent about 5 weeks in the Rio, we are underway again. But, first . .  </div> <div> The Rio was wonderful and we enjoyed every minute of being there. Joan worked with Maria in the village about a week helping to organize the clinic. It was a wonderful experience for her and she made many friends there.  Pedro, a village boy of around 10 or 12 carved a small cayuca for Joan. I know I've droned on about how wonderful the Mayans are, but they really are. No screaming, bawling kids, no yelling, but certainly lots of love and caring. </div> <div>  </div> <div> A little addendum to the malaria thing. The information that we received on the Net regarding the cure was almost right. No, I didn't have any more episodes, but Maria checked her medical books and told us that we didn't receive the proper medication. So, when we visited the farmacia, the druggist gave us the real deal.  It was, day one - 4 cloroquina plus one premaquin (spelling?), day two - 3 cloroquina, one premaquin, day three - 3 cloroquina, on premaquin, and then one premaquin for the next 11 days.  Well, the first time through, the cure was almost as bad as the disease. The second time, with increased dosage of poisons, it was even less fun.  We have stocked up on both the preventive and cure and hope not to repeat this foolishness.  Cruisers, take heed, prevention costs only pennies a day.</div> <div>  </div> <div> During our stay on the Rio, there were no unhappy incidents of thefts.  Peace and tranquility prevailed and we were grateful for it.  During the last few days, we stocked up on fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs for the next leg of our journey. </div> <div> That which we know can't be consumed before it spoils will be packaged and frozen.  But, who can resist overdoing it when bananas are only 2 1/2 cents each. </div> <div>  </div> <div> We left Mario's Marina at about 6:00 AM yesterday and headed down river. It took 3 hours to get to Livingston at the mouth.  Another hour and a half to put the dinghy in the water, go to town, check out, return, raise the dinghy, haul the anchor and we were underway again. This was the third time we have checked out from the Rio and while we know the routine well, it is hard to say goodbye to that place. </div> <div>  </div> <div> The weather was perfect. Ten knots, puffy scattered clouds, 85 degrees and a flat sea. After leaving the Port, we crossed the Bay of Honduras and found a pleasant anchorage in the lee of Cabo Tres Puntas (cape three points), Guatemala.  To avoid any bugs, we anchored about 1/2 miles offshore. The seas remained calm all day and all night. It was as if we were anchored in the river. There are a number of Indian's cane houses on the shore, but only a few oil lamps showed last night.  This morning, we awoke to hear a troop of howler monkeys in the jungle canopy nearby.   There is a heavy dew and a gently breeze. Magic moments.</div> <div>  </div> <div> Today, we will leave Guatemala and cruise the north coast of Honduras. The three day forecast is excellent. Our next stop is to be Bahia Escondido on the coast where we will remain until Monday morning. Then, a 25 or 30 mile crossing to the island of Utila where we will check into Honduras.  We have cruiser friends somewhere in the Bay Islands and look forward to seeing them again. </div> <div>  </div> <div> Today's newsletter is a short one, but more to follow soon.</div> <div>  </div> <div> Joan, Ben & Maggie</div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>    </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>