Manta, Equador

Here I am, sitting in an internet cafe in the middle of basically nowhere. Manta, Equador is a commercial fishing village on the coast of Equador, which is practically on the equator. Thieir claim to fame is that they make Panama hats here. Yes, here, not in Panama. They are very nice and of course, Jerry bought one and he looks just like a high-class pimp!

We hired a driver and, along with Ruth and Bert, went around this very poor city and we are now in the center of the city in what I think is the only internet cafe for hundreds of miles. The ship basically has nowhere else to go because of the swine flu epidemic. The captain said we are being treated like a plague ship! It is true. They all wear masks at the port. Actually, it is quite funny. We are going with the flow and still having a good time. The other night I made a complete ass out of myself during seventies night, dancing all the seventies dances with the crew members in front of all 1800 passengers!

Our table is still a bit surreal. Ruth and Bert are my saviors. If we did not have them to laugh with we would have changed tables long ago. The ditz and her husband are still driving us crazy with their idiotic comments. I now cannot keep a straight face any longer and just start laughing. When the ship had to change itinerary the comments of some of these people were beyond reality. It is truly a ship of fools!

I miss my grandson so much I can hardly stand it. We got some photos on the email today and I cried. I cannot post any photos right now because the internet is so primitive so I will do it when we get to a more modern port. In the meantime, there is a local market calling my name.