San Francisco

San Francisco is the end of the cruise. How depressing. At the beginning, we wondered if cabin fever from being cooped up in a ship for so long would be a problem. It wasn’t. We are ready to turn around and do it all over again, right now, please.

We didn’t do much in SF, just headed for the hotel and checked email. It is nice to have a free and fast internet again. After a long nap it was lunch time so we went next door to the Elephant Bay restaurant which was cheaper than it looked. Libby got the best Pad Thai she ever had.

Now it is back to the real world.

Long Beach where I danced ballet with a sealion

In Long Beach everybody had to get off the ship for about three hours for customs and immigration – nobody gets back on until everybody is cleared.

The ship was using the foghorn all night long as we were coming in to port. The Splendor docked right behind the Queen Mary. That was some comparison. The QM is quite a bit smaller than the Splendor, but the old style elegance of the interior was said to be better.

The day started cold and foggy. We were not too excited about trying to be tourists in a cold and foggy LA, but there was an aquarium fairly close by. After a late breakfast we walked over to the Queen Mary Hotel – that is what the ship is now – and caught the free shuttle to the aquarium. Long Beach has free shuttle service to many of the major tourist areas – very nice, if not all that frequent.

The aquariun is not all that large, but it is very well laid out and the volunteer staff was amazing in number and quality. We got there just in time for shark feeding. Then we went to the lorikeet cage. Lorikeets are colorful parrotlike birds. Libby bought a little cup of nectar and the lorikeets went crazy to get at it. At one time she had three of them on one arm. The greedy little critters drank up all the nectar right away. Then they weren’t so interested in sitting on you, fickle little devils.

Walking through one of the underground viewing areas, I noticed a sealion looking very closely through the glass at a kid’s shoes. When the kid moved on, the sealion took up looking at another kid’s shoes. When that kid moved on, I stepped up and let it look at my “havaiianas” (that is the correct word for flip-flops). I took the shoe off to see if the sealion wanted to see my foot. Not at all, it wanted the shoe, so I started moving the shoe around. The sealion followed it like it was a magnet. I really started getting into it, moving the shoe around and round, up and down, and in circles. The sealion was on it like it was the only thing in the world. I threw in every ballet move I could remember from Mrs. Hayden’s after-school ballet class that I took way back in 3rd grade. We were covering the entire 8 ft tall and 12 ft wide window, just dancing and having a ball.

After a long time, I was getting tired and I figured I was hogging the window so I stopped. A crowd of about 50 had gathered to watch. They gave us a standing ovation. OK, they were already standing, but they did clap and cheer. That was as much fun as I have ever had playing with an animal. Really really cool. The only picture that got any of it is the blue one with the silhouette of my shoe.

We finished the aquarium and went back to the ship.

Whales in Puerto Vallarta

We went on a whale photo shoot in PV. The season is from early December to March in Banderas Bay. Our trip was a little late in the season. The boat was a big hardshell inflatable, an Avon, which is like a big Zodiak. We spotted a mother and calf fairly quickly and followed them for a long time – lots of pictures of humped backs. The guide was an Aussie who called it an “oombaa-“ That last is a glottal stop. There is a proper way to show it, but I don’t remember now. The sound is almost like a soft cough. So “oombaa(cough)”

The calf breached and I was the only one that got the picture. Actually it was pure luck. A woman jumped up in front of me, so I had to put the camera out to the side and push the button and hope. As you see, I got the picture with every drop of water in focus. Wow.

The ride was rough, wet, and in the open sun the whole day. I felt like I had lost 7 rounds with a mule by the time it was over. But I got the picture.

Acapulco

We surprised ourselves when we decided that of all the places we have visited, Acapulco is the one to which we will surely return. The last time we were here was fifteen years ago. We loved it just as much today as before. I would like to spend a month down here – or two. We could fly into Acapulco then drive up the coast and go back to Troncones Beach, visiting other towns along the way.

Acapulco's bay is beautiful. The colors are stunning. It is a lovely place. My eyes were sore from looking at the azure sea and sky. I guess that is why this has been a resort area since before the time of the Aztecs.

English is widely spoken and even though set up for tourists, there is a real Mexican community too. It is just a very nice place to be.

Our plan for the day was to get to Wal-Mart to stock up on cold medicines. We mentioned that plan at dinner and Bob and Jane and Freddy and Gordie decided to go with us. We met at 10 am in the lobby. After getting off the ship we stopped for pesos at the Casa de Cambio and walked to the local city bus. It was a direct ride to the end of the way to Wal-Mart. Our friends stocked up on Amoxicyllin and Cipro. The cost for the Amox was just $1 per box. At home it is at least $15. Why? We just got some Actifed and Dr Mom look-alikes.

The last time we were here, we stayed at the Hyatt across the street from Wall-Mart so we walked over there after we finished our shopping. It was just as I remembered. The place was full of young people arriving for Spring Break. You could feel PARTY in the air...... Oh to be 20 again!!! We walked out around the pool and to the beach. The hotel changed hands two months ago and is now called Five Star
Grand Resort.

Freddy was ready for lunch and set out on a venture to find Red Snapper. Jack and I had just eaten so we split off from the group and set out on our own. We caught the bus back toward the ship. Got off in old town and walked awhile. We found an Internet Cafe with internet for 60 cents an hour. We went in for a while then continued our walk, stopping for a cervesa and soda along the way.

Back at the ship we sat by the pool for an hour or so before dinner. It was a nice relaxed day. It was HOT though and the cool pool water felt good.

I slept through the night with no cold medications. Finally I am getting better. Jack not so much. He is full force into his cold. I was sick for 5 weeks!!!!

General Thoughts

We crossed the Equator last night. That means we are getting close to home. 1000 miles left to go. Puerto Vallarta is in just three days. Having been so far, Mexico almost seems like home. I have mixed feeling about getting off the ship. Of course I want to see my home and family and I want to go somewhere to get over this cold but otherwise, I could do this for a lot longer time. Jack seems to be ready to get home. You guess he is looking forward to doing our taxes? I wish I could be home for Keller's birthday. At the end of our cruise we will have sailed 16,146 miles.

The trip has been amazing. The only complaints I have are the length of time it took for embarkation in Fort Lauderdale, not enough movies for in room viewing and running out of cold medications. My favorite part of the trip has been visiting the ports, even the museums. My favorite port was Puerto Montt and the Chilean horses. Next I liked the penguins in Puerto Madryn.

Some of the entertainment on board is outstanding. The best we have experienced on any cruise.
* The singers and dancers are superb and very energetic.
* The Elite Band is OUTSTANDING. I love it when they play in the lobby.
* Comedians, jugglers, singers and ventriloquist are the normal average sort. Some really bad and others good.
* The entertainment in the bars and lounges is good too. Goose has been creative by bringing some of the house acts into the showroom for performances. We especially enjoyed a piano concert.
* The naturalist Dirk is fun, approachable and interesting. The ports would never have been as much fun without having first listened to his talks. He loves birds and so do I. He has been a highlight.
* There are drawing lessons, picture taking and Photoshop seminars and crafts classes. They even give you all the materials for the crafts. Lots of people are working on needlepoint/crossstitch. Even the men.
* We went to Spanish and Portuguese classes. They were entry level but we always learned something.
* Jack likes to go to the Writer's Workshop where they share their writing and coach each other.
* Bridge lessons and Duplicate Bridge sessions have been well attended.
* They have been creative in order to keep us entertained. All of this in addition to the usual cruise activities like trivia, art auctions, Bingo (about once a week... not everyday.), games and of course the Casino.
* Mickey Live gives photography and computer lessons. He is a passenger just like me but has volunteered his skills. Carnival would be smart to add an act like his to the fleet. We are learning a lot and enjoying it.
* Unfortunately there hasn't been enough variety to the movies on board. We have been watching the same ones over and over. Goose says these are all he was given. He has finally gotten more but US TV is back and it doesn't much matter any more.
* We went to the library and liked reading the blog and put a piece in the puzzle but there weren't many books and it is small so we don't go often.
* They made the Piano Bar non-smoking but the player in the piano bar has carpal tunnel.
* People say the casino takes and NEVER gives. What else would they expect?
* We see the cruise director, Goose, on the morning show on TV each sea day. He and his staff tell us about all the events scheduled for the day and answer questions for us. Some people don't like him. "They" say he does not speak when you happen to walk past him. We have never interacted with a CD on any previous cruises so I couldn't say. I don't understand wanting a personal relationship with the entertainment manager. The entertainment has been outstanding and the entertainment staff delightful. I would have liked more movies onboard though.

We are three sea days to our next port. I hope to sit on the balcony and finish my book. Sometimes concentrating on the pages is difficult.I like sitting out there and just looking at the sea. You have to look closely but once your eyes adjust you can see all sorts of sea life.
* Birds of all kinds are flying, floating and diving.
* There are whale's spouts and whales breaching.
* The dolphins travel in groups and look like a cluster of white caps at first.
* The sea lions swim along under water and then lift their heads to look around.
* The fish mostly stay under water but some move across the top of the water by propelling themselves with their fins.
* When we see kelp floating, we know other wild life is close by.
* We can sit out there for hours just watching the water go by.

The sun rising and setting has been another treat. I will never forget how brilliant the orange in the sky as the sun set as we were leaving Puerto Madyrn and Arica. Or the way the sun burst out over the horizon arriving in Ecuador.

Our dinner table is delightful and interesting. The same eight of us will have spent 49 days together at the end. Our four couples could have broken up but chose to sit together the entire time.
* Bob and Jane live in Laramie WY where he is a semi retired professor. He has been at The U of W for over 30 years. Jane is a retired nurse.
* Freddy and Gordie live in Fl now. He is a retired teacher too. He taught at U of Maryland and was a contract teacher for the US Army. She has done lots of things..... dental hygienist and running a pre-school for handicapped children being the ones she talks about the most.
* Bill and Sue Ann live in Calif. He is a retired dentist who spent some time as an investment counselor. She seems to have been in real estate and raised her children. She now helps her husband in property speculation. They spent most of their life in New York.
They all like Jack but not me as much. I have been sick and really not up to conversation.

I think the staff on the ship must have been hand picked. They are way above expectations in efficiency, friendliness and willingness to serve. Our wait staff has been the same through out. Bianca and Gil have learned each person's individual tastes. They really anticipate our needs. Our cabin steward from the first leg stopped us in the hall this morning to ask how our trip had been. You see that same attitude in all areas... not just waiters and cabin stewards but even the purser's desk and Infirmary!!

Anyway it will be a sad day when we disembark in San Francisco om March 21.

Ecuador

The museum was brand new and air conditioned. Lots of pre-Columbian artifacts but no mummies..... skulls and bones though. We only stayed about an hour!! The museum is in the former national bank building. Ecuador has converted to using the US Dollar as their national currency because inflation made theirs worthless. Somebody said they still use their coins though, probably for vending machines and small change. I don't know how they value them.

We drove all around Manta and out from town to a small local house where we were shown how paja toquilla is transformed into Panama Hats. Hats were there for sale but we settled on a picture of the hats instead. Jack did buy a bag of organic local coffee. It is suppose to be “award winning”. The coffee is called “El Aromo.”

The next little town we visited was El Aromo. We saw the church and wandered around the square and found the pharmacy but it was closed for siesta. I am completely out of drugs.

Half the passengers, or more, have a very persistent cough. Sudafed and Robitussin were controlling the symptoms. The ship is out, has been out since before Arica, and will not be restocked until we get to Long Beach. Bleeping ridiculous. Have they never heard of FedEx? I hope we can find something in Mexico in two days. I have been sick for five weeks.

Here we are on the equator in high summer and the temperature got up to 90 today. Moderate humidity, so it is really quite comfortable. This is still due to the influence of the Humboldt Current of cold water from down at Cape Horn. Inland a little, it does get very hot and they grow bananas.

Manta has a huge Tuna industry. A Chinese freezer ship was parked right across from us at the pier. They off loaded fish all day from the ships freezer to trucks. The trucks then proceeded in convoy to the processing plants, accompanied by masked armed guards on every truck The tour guide said the guards are not allowed to shoot first. Before I saw how many fish were transported in one day, I had no idea how many fish we kill daily...... and this is just one port.

Lima

Lima is another big city. Latest count is 10 million, ranging from super rich to super poor. After a drive through Lima we visited the National Museum of Anthropology and Archeology. Now I enjoyed the museum, but how many pots and mummies can you really look at? The museum was in a lovely setting with lots of green all around. Lima, like Arica, is desert.

We had a little time when we were leaving and sat on a bench in the garden. One of the police came over and started a conversation with us. He was about 25 and saw a time to practice his English. Many in Peru are studying English as a way to get ahead. With only a years study this young man was on his way to fluency. He and everyone we met were warm and friendly.

The hour and ½ drive down the pacific coast was cool. We saw the beaches and several areas of Lima on our way to the Pachacamac Ruins. I told Jack that once you have been to Teotihuacan near Mexico City, all the rest are just ruins. Anyway, I made it all the way up to the top of the pyramid and enjoyed the view. You could see the sea, the desert and Lima from the top. The city is inching its way out more and more as the city grows. The desert is brown and dusty. The ruins, dating back to 700 A.D. consist of adobe buildings and temples. The highlight was seeing the Peruvian hairless dog outside the small snack shop and museum. I skipped the museum and visited with the dog instead. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Finally, we were on our way to the Tres Cañas ranch to see the Peruvian Paso. We were met at the hacienda with a Pisco Sour and some snacks of deep-fried yucca and dip. We wandered around the gardens and stables as we waited for lunch to be ready. The horses were pretty. They had big eyes and a dished face like the Arabian. I made friends with a gray mare and her month old filly. She was the souvenir I wanted to take home but Jack said, “No.”

Lunch started with wine and bread. Then we were offered water, soda, beer and more wine. They had cooked potatoes, beans and tamales in a fire pit (earthen oven). Jack thought his tamale was the best thing on the plate. There was also chicken, pork and beef. Dessert was some sort of jelly custard.

And then the horse show..... I don't know the difference between the Peruvian Paso we saw and the Paso Fino in the states. They looked the same and did the same four beat gait. There were four horses exhibited and the prettiest paso mule I've ever seen. After the show it was back to the ship.

Before going in the ship, we took time to visit with the vendors lined up in the port. Ah... shopping.

Next stop.... can you believe we are going to another museum. @#$%^&*@#$.