Day 69 - Lazy Days At Sea

Buenos dias everyone! It’s time to start brushing up on my Espanol, as we are headed for Latin America! Wish me luck, I’ll need it!


Today was another LAZY day! A lovely sleep in, I read a little, typed up the blog posts, downloaded photos from yesterday, visited with Nino, the cabin steward & met a fellow named Doug in the buffet.


Doug is from San Diego & manages a few golf courses north of San Diego. This is his first trip since his wife passed away in March. He has been suffering with severe nerve pains. Since he’s come onboard, he has regained feeling in his hands & feet. He’s very excited about this! We shared a long talk about cancer, as his wife passed away with lung cancer, only 3 months after her diagnosis, aged 71. He is a lovely man with kind, brown eyes & a smile that lights up his entire face when he shows it. A kind heart, I hope to see him again before the cruise ends.


Nino & I visited about music & the Philippines. He told me he can buy a house for $30,000 USD, a new 4-door Toyota car for $5,000 & $20 buys you all your meals & snacks for the day. A tropical climate year round, it’s looking better & better by the second! Maybe if Australia doesn’t work out, the Philippines is next! Although, that would mean making money elsewhere & returning for holidays in the Philippines. Nino told me he used to make $8/DAY working at the Hyatt in Manila. Construction workers make $2.50/DAY! Per DAY people!!! That’s crazy! I knew they didn’t make much money, but really?!? Is that legal?? And to make matters worse, a MAC laptop is double the price over there than it is here! Criminal all the way around!!


I’ve started reading a book called “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper & Cecil Murphey. Jaco’s cupboards are filled with books & I’m a terrible reader. I was feeling like I should read at least one of these books before I leave the ship. I picked this one. To my shock, when I saw it was co-authored by Cecil Murphey, it sent chills down my spine. Cecil was my Grandfather’s name, whom I never met, & Murphy is my Grandmother’s maiden name. Not a very common name, by any means, I was taken aback!


The book is fascinating! I’m not finished it yet, I’m about half way through. The author is in a horrid car crash & pronounced dead at the scene. 90 minutes later he comes alive again. While he was dead, he went to heaven & he tells of his experience in heaven. It’s really an amazing & inspirational story. I haven’t finished it yet, but I would still recommend the first 100 pages! :o)

I forgot to mention - on Boxing Day we went for dinner again... I had more of my mini bread loaf, more of the whole wheat pasta & this time, alfredo sauce! Yummy! For dessert, they tried to make me some 'ice cream'... Agave nectar & coconut milk. It tasted pretty good, actually! As long as I didn't look at it too much! :o) They are doing their best to take care of me!


Anyhow, that’s about all I have to report for today… The next few days could be a little quiet on the blog front, but hold on after that! Isla Ballestas here I come! (I hope!)


Love & healing,
Maria & Jaco
xxxx

Sorry, no photos for today!