Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the Amsterdam's 2016 Grand World Voyage - 114 days +

[WCB]

Report # 124 Sailing Towards Cartagena, Colombia May 3, 2016 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees

 

The Amsterdam sailed directly south ever since we sailed around the north-eastern part of the island of Cuba. Sometime after dinnertime, the seas began to get deep swells, making us rock and roll somewhat. In fact, we thought we may be heading into rain, but when we woke up this morning, the sun was shining brightly in our room. And it was warming up.

 

We saw a funny thing when we did our walk this morning. A fairly young couple were hanging some wet clothes on hangars on the wall railing on the promenade deck. We have seen people do this on their private balconies, but never on the lower deck. Guess they don’t know there are dryers in the laundry room, or the fact that your shower has a cord to dry clothing.

 

Many things were happening this morning with the live port and shopping show with our port shopping ambassador, Nancy. She took the stage in the Queens Lounge to talk about shopping in Cartagena, Puerto Quetzal, and Puerto Chiapas. She was handing out maps, practical port info, and options for transportation. Later in the afternoon, there was an emerald and colored gemstone talk in the Wajang Theater. We have attended many of these talks in the past and have learned one important thing……….unless you know your gemstones well, don’t buy them on shore.

 

The new future cruise consultant, Megan, offered tips and tricks on getting the most out of your next cruise vacation. There are so many more incentives to book on board, that a lot of people do it.

 

We have one guest speaker now, Valerie Mock, who dealt with the history of the Panama Canal. Sure hope this is televised, because the transit will be coming up soon. You can never learn enough about the Canal, giving you a chance to enjoy transiting it so much more.

 

For a change, we decided to get some sun time and book reading time at the aft pool. Expecting a crowd, we were surprised to see there was none. Perhaps most of the folks have gotten too much sun the last few days. We’re talking sunburn. So we had no problem getting our usual lounges at the back end. A couple of hours out there was enough, since the wind was blowing strongly across the decks. We had to use all of our clamps to keep the towels down.

 

At 2pm, we were invited to a wine tasting in the La Fontaine Dining Room. This is one of the 5 star perks, but if you wish to attend and are not a 5 star Mariner, it would cost $15. per person. Wish we liked wine more, but we don’t, so we did not go to the tasting. Actually at 1:30pm, a good movie was on TV, so we went without lunch to watch it. The flick was A Bridge of Spies, and was very good.

 

Even though it was not a gala night, the photographers had a stand set up for photos. The two guys were set up outside the liquor store on deck five, stopping folks as they walked by, or tried to walk by. Not many people stopped for a photo the whole time we sat there.

 

We had reservations this evening in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant, the first one this particular cruise. We shared a Caesar salad, then ordered the ribeye steaks. We had sides of French fires, grilled asparagus, and sauteed mushrooms. All cooked perfectly. Even though we had a very light lunch of crackers and salsa, it was difficult to finish the meat. Dessert was a small soufflé and some rocky road ice cream. We will have to squeeze in some walking tomorrow to work off the French fries. The service continued to be excellent in this specialty restaurant, as always.

 

Showtime featured Buzz Sutherland, a comedian who has been on board for some time now. We were so full and sleepy, we did not go to see him. Better to have a walk outside, where we found the temperatures still high. With the humidity staying high, we will appreciate it when we get to the Canal and into the Pacific Ocean, where the temperature should cool down.

 

Tomorrow…………..Colombia!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #125 Cartagena, Colombia May 4, 2016 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees Part #1 of 2 86 Pictures

 

Colombia…………that is the country of the day. The total area is 439,620 square miles and the capital is Bogota. The total population is 45,644,023 Spanish speaking people. Colombia was once the “bad boy” of South America, but the civil war is now in the distant past. Foreign travelers are re-discovering its diverse geography, Andean peaks, rainforests, and savannahs. Their greatest asset is their hospitality.

 

When is the best time to visit? January through March, but not October, when it rains the heaviest. Even today, the temperatures were not extremely high, but the humidity made it seems much hotter.

 

The best things to see are the cobbled lanes of Cartagena, the romantic colonial city. The coffee-growing region in the volcano regions are nice. Bogota is a vibrant and style-conscience city with a growing art scene. Visit the old-fashioned settlements on the Caribbean coastline. And see the beautiful subterranean salt cathedral in Zipaquira.

 

What is there to do? Seek adventure with rafting, caving, horseback riding, or mountain biking. Visit Colombia’s Amazonian wilderness. Trek through rainforest and mountains to see ruins. In San Augustin, explore archaeological sites in the rolling hills. Take a mud bath inside a crater at Volcan de Lodo El Tatumo.

 

How about the food? Corn cakes served with cheese, pork, and other spicy toppings are good (arepas). A hearty soup made with meat, yucca, and veggies (sancocho).

 

How about their drink? World’s best coffee, tinto, black espresso size. Pintado, a small coffee with milk, or café con leche, a latte-size more milk than coffee.

 

Trademarks: Coffee, emeralds, lost cities, Shakira (the singer), football, and unfortunately….cocaine.

 

Random fact: The first commercial airline was founded in the Americas called Avianca, Colombia’s flagship airline.

 

So our port for today was Cartagena, called the Pearl of the Caribbean. Founded in 1553, it was named after Cartagena, Spain. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was the commercial gateway to South America for exporting gold to Spain, and importing slaves from Africa.

 

Famous pirates came here to plunder, the most famous being Sir Francis Drake. He reportedly sacked the city in 1586, but accepted a pricey ransom for not burning it to the ground. The fortifications were built much stronger, so much so, that when England attacked in 1741 with 24,000 men and 186 ships, they failed.

 

The 18th century was the Silver Age, when Cartagena became the political power for the rich and powerful. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

 

Sites to see: The Old Walled City, the Fort of San Felipe, built in the 17th century, La Popa Hill with the Covent, Bocagrande Peninsula, Palacio de la Inquisition, Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, built in the 16th century, The Cathedral, Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the Navy Museum, and Las Bovedas – the Dungeons, now a handicraft center.

 

Tours offered here today were fairly short, since our visit was from 7am to 1pm. City highlights was $70, Site, seeing was $55, Land and Sea was $90, less shopping tour was $65, while more shopping was $60. Strolling the Old City was $60, or a drive-by of the Old City was $40. A new tour took folks to the National Aviary for $90, a possibility for our next visit, and an emerald jewelry making tour for $80. Wifi was available for a small price in the terminal, although we heard it was not that great.

 

We enjoyed a nice breakfast in the coolness of the dining room this morning. Since we have been here countless times, and been on all of the tours but one, we chose to stay “close to home”. Even though Captain Fred mentioned that there was a 40% chance of rain, it did appear that it might rain later in the afternoon. The morning would remain hot and hotter.

 

By the way, while we are thinking about it, there are no more little port info cards with the money conversion on them. Now we have the Port Shopping Ambassador flyer with the port info, emergency names and numbers, the shopping info, and currency info (not the conversion rate).

 

Busses lined up on the dock, and it appeared many people had booked the 2 ½ to 4 hour tours. A complimentary shuttle bus took the folks to the terminal a matter of yards away from the ship, perhaps a quarter of a mile. We did appreciate the ride several years ago when it rained buckets here, and we were caught off guard without umbrellas.

 

We walked to the terminal shops and little zoo there. Entering under a newly-built overhang, we found the park area full of pink flamingoes, black swans, peacocks, ducks, and some iguanas. The gardens were very green and lush. And we don’t remember seeing the waterfall and pond below it, where the birds were cooling off. Really looked nice and inviting. There is an area with tables and chairs for coffee and snacks….all under the shade of mature trees.

 

Inside the shops, it took just a few minutes to spot some treasures we would purchase. The first was a bag of delicious hard coffee candies we like. Also, they sell a line of jewelry that is locally-made from gourds. The gourd trees grow in hot areas in South America, and produce a fruit that has a hard skin. It is extracted and dried, then processed for multiple uses and designing. Anyway, we spotted a set of a necklace with earrings in shades of yellow and orange. So they got added to the collection. A small leather purse with four zippers was also a good buy.

 

Going outside the back doors, we were surprised to see how much the area had been re-modeled and cleaned up. Entering around the side, we walked through the air-conditioned Emerald Cave, where a display of emeralds were behind glass, magnified for us to see how they are cut and polished. There were no other people walking through here, because it is out of the way.

 

Out back, we took many photos of the various birds which included beautiful macaws and Amazon parrots. Peacocks strutted around loose, but the little toucans were locked up in an aviary. Last time we were here, there was a toucan who liked to follow you and untie your shoelaces, when you were not looking.

 

Overhead, we spotted many sizes of red howler monkeys. They were the best show in town as they slid down a pole to snatch over-ripe bananas from the bird food tray. Once they grabbed their treasure, they flew up the pole to the safety of the mature ficus trees. Every now and then, a large male let out his signature yell, reminding of why they are called “howler” monkeys.

 

On the far end of this zoo, was a quarantined area where we saw some hawks and a large bird that might be a type of condor. There were no signs identifying the caged birds, so we could not find what type of raptor he was. If you wandered outside of this wooded area, you would be in contact with the taxi guys. Needless to say, we did not go outside the park. If we had more time in this port, we may have ventured somewhere.

 

All aboard time was 12:30pm, so we walked back to the ship and the absolutely wonderful air-conditioning. The good thing was that we walked right onboard. Later on, all of the tour busses came back and the line of folks never seemed to move. Bet they were not happy because they were in the direct hot sun at this point.

 

Sail away was at the back deck, but there were no flags, no live music, no food, but some drinks of the day were being offered. The name of the drink today? The Emerald for $6.50. Appropriate. Of course, it was lunchtime in the Lido, so food would not be served outside. We ran into Brooke, Captain Fred’s lovely lady, who we have known for a long time as she has been with the shore ex team for many years. She will be onboard for most of the Alaska runs, then will come back for the Tales of the South Pacific in the fall.

 

Very close to the city, massive thunder clouds gathered. It sure looked like rain was coming, especially when we saw the lightning strikes and roaring thunder. Probably dangerous, it sure was exciting as we seldom get this type of weather at home in California. Although we could see the sheets of rain in the distance, it never did reach us. The ship left the harbor by 1:15pm, and sailed slowly around the buoys and islands on the way out to the ocean.

 

We headed west towards the Panama Canal, which we will reach sometime early tomorrow morning. We received a letter describing the intensity of the sun and humidity and precautions we should take to avoid heat stroke and exhaustion. All good info if the folks take the time to read the letter. Another letter we got yesterday outlined the Zika virus health advisory which has been in the news for quite a while now. This notice was signed by Grant Tarling, MD, MPH, who is the chief medical officer onboard now.

 

There were a few things going on this afternoon like a talk about Mayan chocolate and coffee in the Queens Lounge. That was followed by a virtual tour of the Panama Canal with location guide Wallis. Hope it is on TV later.

 

We always forget about the tea time at 3pm, which for today was a Royal Dutch Tea Time. But since we did not go to the dining room for lunch, we needed to find something to eat around 2pm. That would be a stop at the Dive In Grill. One of us stayed and ordered two burgers (no sauce), and the wait was only 15 minutes. Not bad, but so, so hot while sitting at the table nearest to the taco bar. I asked the waiter how far these beepers worked distance-wise. He said anywhere in the Lido pool area. Asked if it would work in our stateroom, he said no, but would be happy to phone me when the order was ready. Thought that was nice, but I said no thanks. As always, the burgers were worth the wait, and enjoyed even more while sitting in our own cool room.

 

There seems to be a blip in the internet on the ship in regards to getting our complimentary minutes put on our account. Staying onboard for this following cruise has not seen the transition for our internet minutes, although they did carry over from the world cruise. We cannot seem to add the new package. Not all of the front desk staffers understand our predicament, and Christel has gone home. The only one left that we trusts knows how to help is Jennifer. As of this afternoon, she is working on it. Our friends that have back-to-back cruises like us, have run into the same glitch.

 

Dinner consisted of soups, salads, and a shared entrée. Back bean soup and French onion soup were great as always. They could have been hotter, so tomorrow we will have to request “hot” soup. We suspect the soup starts out hot, but the larger bowl drain the heat immediately.

 

The entrees of cobb salads topped with sliced chicken breasts were really a good choice tonight. Definitely not as heavy as last night’s ribeye steaks. While we are on the subject of our dinner last night, we forgot to mention that we saw a couple come into the Pinnacle Grill in jeans. The fellow even had on a baseball cap. Guess it is OK to dress this way, as nothing was said to this couple. Come to think of it, we don’t know if a dress code is suggested for the Pinnace Grill Restaurant. We have always assumed it was no shorts or t-shirts at mealtime (even lunch). Heard some passengers dressed that way recently. Again, nothing was said as far as we know. Not sure how the rest of the “old-timers” feel about these changes?

 

Showtime was a repeat for us……harmonica virtuoso Bernie Fields entertained everyone with his skills. We have to admit that he plays a mean harmonica. Nice to see the showroom filled with more guests this cruise.

 

Tomorrow……..transiting the Panama Canal………again.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[I&J Cruisers]

Bill and Mary Ann, I've enjoyed reading your blog as I always do. Sometimes I wish I had these when I'm researching Ports for much shorter cruises. You write so beautifully and pack so much info into every entry. Several years ago you wrote that you'd like to. Are these into coffee table books. Have you ever done that? What great memories you have. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures with us.

Irene

[WCB]

Report #126 Transiting the Panama Canal May 5, 2016 Thursday Chance of rain & 95 degrees Part # 1 of 72 Pictures

 

Well, here we go once again……..transiting the Panama Canal with one exception. Once through to the Pacific Ocean, we will turn right and not left. Of course, the first transit was in early January, and today, it is May 5th, Cinco De Mayo. We have put on a lot of miles since January by going full circle around the world. As always, it almost seems like a dream since the time went by so quickly.

 

No doubt in our minds that today was going to be hot one, much hotter than back in January. If there was a chance of rain, we sure did not see any evidence of that early in the morning. By the time we got up, we had already begun our transit well after the pilots came onboard. We understand there may have been three Panamanian pilots…..two on the navigation deck and one in the stern. We also had a narrator, Antonio Grenald, who would comment all day on all outer decks as well as channel 41 on our room TV’s.

 

At breakfast, Yitmo brought us each a Panama Roll he had personally gotten on the promenade deck. Glad he did, because by the time we went outside, they were long gone.

 

The actual transit times had been listed in the daily newsletter, but were exactly correct. But before we begin, here is a reminder of the info for the country of Panama. The area of Panama is 29,112 square miles, with the capital being Panama City. That happened to be on the itinerary on the world cruise….technically, Fuerte Amador. The capital of Panama is Panama City, and the population of the country is 3,360,474 Spanish-speaking citizens. Panama is famous for the “world’s most famous short cut”…….the Panama Canal, a 50 mile waterway with locks that raise and lower ships from one coast to another. Sure saved a whole lot of time for the ships that used to sail around the dangerous tip of South America heading eastbound, and visa-versa.

 

When is the best time to visit here? From mid-December to mid-April, the drier season. A random fact? The Panama Canal makes almost 4 million dollars daily.

 

A must read for those who appreciate the details, is The Path Between the Seas, by David McCollough. This book contains excellent info and the complete story surrounding this huge undertaking. Never realized how complicated the true story behind the making of this canal was.

 

 

Only ships called “Panamax” will fit into the locks. These measurements are up to 965 feet long, and 106 feet wide. All ships weighing under 90,000 gross tons are allowed to sail through the canal. When the new sets of locks on both the Caribbean side and the Pacific side open, much larger vessels will be able to transit. The date for this grand opening is June 26th of this year. Wonder if this will really happen?

 

Once the Amsterdam went through the first set of locks at Gatun, we entered the Gatun Lake, sailing slowly for most of the morning. There was barely a breeze when we went to the bow to watch for a while. At this point, around 10:30am, most all of the guests had retreated to some shade and AC. So when we spotted what appeared to be a floating log, few people up on deck six forward payed attention when we pointed at this “log”. Nope it was not a log, but an alligator. It had surfaced enough to spot the head, and there was no doubt when we saw the tail swish slowly. We did get a quick photo or two of the critter before he suddenly turned and dove out of sight. That was a first for us. Years ago, we did see an alligator on the shoreline near Colon, but never while in the lake area. Other animals frequently seen are the white-throated capuchin monkeys. We looked for them, but never saw any. The only other wildlife we saw were a few birds. Guess it was simply too hot.

 

We had a nice lunch in the dining room. One of us had the hamburger and fries, while the other tried the macaroni and cheese entrée. It was really good for a change. Probably full of calories, but you gotta try different things sometimes. The chocolate profiterole we each tried was really good, a small serving, but just right.

 

We continued watching the progress during the rest of the day, either on the bow, the lower promenade deck, the back of deck eight, and even from our room. By 1:15pm, the Amsterdam was nearing the Gaillard Cut on the way towards the Pedro Miguel Locks. We sailed under the new Centenniel Bridge, and eventually, the final set of locks at Miraflores. We were greeted by many Panamanians who love to cheer on the cruise ship folks.

 

Although it never did rain, the clouds covered the sun, and really helped to cool things off. Do you know how many people got toasted today?Lots……boy are they going to be sorry tonight. No matter how much we are warned, some folks don’t pay attention to the details. Even with tons of sunblock, you cannot stay out all day, and not expect to get burned. Oh well, there will be a lot of room around the pools tomorrow. Folks will be too sunburnt to go outside.

 

The activities around the ship were kept to a minimum today. One event did take place at the aft pool, and that was a Panama Canal Crocodile Swim, or jump in the pool where a bucket of canal water was added. The signed-up guests were invite one-by-one to take the dip. One lady did a fine dive, while one big guy did a cannonball. They all got an achievement certificate.

 

Also at 10:30am and 3pm, fruit skewers were passed around the outside decks. There is something about extreme heat and ice-cold fruit chunks that make them taste even better. Our favorite waiters made at least two passes by us. Lemonade was also distributed. Much appreciated.

 

We stayed outside until almost 6pm, watching the very last of the sailing to the Pacific Ocean. The good news was it had cooled down a lot.

 

The rest of the afternoon, we down-loaded photos. By the way, we had problems all day with the internet. It was down for most of the day, and we also had problems bringing up the sign-in page. We tried all day to create new passwords to get our 100 minute complimentary package per person for the President’s Club members. The internet system here has a memory, as they list every name we have used, making it difficult to navigate. Guess we have confused their system.

 

Dinnertime for us was in the Pinnacle Grill this evening. We ordered appetizers of crab cakes and shrimp cocktail. Only one of us had a Caesar salad, because our waitress did not get the order right. Both of us had the lamb chops, and both of us were happy with the choice. Dessert was the cheesecake and the berry tower with a scoop of macadamia nut ice cream. Great way to end a meal in here.

 

The show time featured Terry Davies, the Piano Man, with a tribute to the music of Billy Joel and Elton John. Way too tired to go, since the heat and humidity took its toll on us today.

 

A big help was setting the clocks back one hour again. One more hour to go, and we will be back on Pacific Time.

 

Looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[KirkNC]

I am about 1/2 way through The Path Between The Sea, it is a pretty good read, kind of wordy. I knew the French had struggled and failed in the first canal attempt but did not realize the whole extent of their undertaking and failure. I am at the part where the US has taken over (thanks to Teddy R).

[WCB]

Report # 127 Sailing Towards Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica May 6, 2016 Friday Partly cloudy & 91 degrees

 

Sure was nice to have that extra hour of sleep last night. Now we are only one hour off of Pacific Time, a reminder we are closer to home. Probably a good time to start thinking about packing, because there is nothing worse than saving it to the last minute.

 

Today started off with a nice breakfast in the dining room of course. Being that today is a sea day, the room was almost as full as dinnertime. Many more folks are taking advantage of the pleasures of fine dining, as opposed to going to the self-serve Lido. For us, it is the perfect place to touch base with our favorite head waiters, who keep us informed of current events.

 

One event we could have done without has to do with the internet onboard. At the moment, we have been experiencing problems with being recognized on some regular accounts. We are not alone, as many of our buddies have been having problems since we left Ft. Lauderdale a week ago. We discovered that it is an internal problem, caused more than likely by someone who pushed a wrong button somewhere. Even the staff is experiencing difficulties as well. Hopefully this will be resolved one way or another, because spending hours trying to figure it out is not the way we want to spend the rest of the cruise. Our new guest relations manager, Michelle, was most helpful in working with us trying to consolidate the accounts, but she also was not totally successful. But she did promise to work on it further.

 

Two talks took place in the Queens Lounge today. The first was one with Captain Eversen with a virtual presentation of the Amsterdam. The title, “Ask the Captain” we assumed referred to guests being able to ask questions. We searched the TV channels, but could not find the talk repeated. The other lecture was delivered by Valerie Mock and was all about the profitability of sugar cane plantations and the slaves that were imported to work the fields.

 

The rest of the daily newsletter was filled with shopping. First was shopping in Mexican ports, shopping for tours, a $10 madness sale (buy 4 get the 5th free), buying tanzanite, rapid fire art auction, perfumes, diamonds and gemstone sales. Then there is the everyday buy 1 drink, get one for $1 in two bars between 4 and 5pm. And we can say, people are buying much more on this cruise, than on the World Voyage. Great for the company.

 

The more we thought about it, the better the idea sounded of packing. At least, we wanted to start the duffel with the “breakables”….mostly the gifts we received on the grand voyage. We always bring an ice chest for that purpose, and we had plenty of room for the delicate items. Guess we can thank HAL for not giving us too many gifts on this cruise. It was easier to pack this time.

 

After four months, we could not remember what we had stashed under the bed, so everything had to come out from there. All of the space bags and convenient smaller baggies were in a suitcase, and we needed all of those to begin the packing. Would you believe it took the better part of the morning and early afternoon to pack two duffels? Believe us, it is not easy to spread things out like you can do at home. The good thing is that most all of the toiletries are gone, making room for some of the souvenirs we bought. Got to admit, we are getting better at selective buying. There are few things we found we could not live without on this trip. Anyway, we have started and if we do a little every day, it won’t be so bad. And to make it easier for us to fly home, all of our luggage will be shipped.

 

Taking several walking breaks kept us sane during the day. The weather remained warm and very muggy as we headed northwest along the coast of Panama today. A real treat came when we least expected it…….dolphin sightings after lunch. There have been very few days that we have seen these displays of jumping dolphins, we began to think their numbers must be declining. We can always depend on seeing more wildlife in the Pacific Ocean, and today was our day. The ship must have cut right through a huge pod, because they continued to jump for as far back as we could see. Now we will be on the lookout daily. The birds are also back. They appear to be boobys, and have stayed with the ship all day. They are a joy to watch as they like to dive for the unsuspecting flying fish.

 

Tonight was another Gala evening. We were more than curious to see how the folks were dressing. This morning, one older fellow showed up in the dining room for breakfast in a tank top, suitable for the swimming pool. He was given a warning we heard, but was not asked to go change into something proper. We are sure the dress code that was written in the daily newsletter back in Ft. Lauderdale spelled out the details quite fully. But not everyone reads those, or they choose to ignore the rules. Sure would not want to be embarrassed in that way, but you never know if people are pushing the envelope on purpose. Of course, we will be watching tomorrow to see if the same fellow shows up.

 

Captain Eversen and Brooke walked into the dining room, and spotted us all sitting at the first table on the left. He came right over to say hello to us, which is always nice to know he remembers us. They ended up sitting at the railing in Ellen and Aart’s regular table. Nice spot for a private dinner for two.

 

Instead of having our table for two, we were escorted to a table set for seven, hosted by Peter, the purser. Friends Ellen and Aart arranged to include us and Allen and Sandra at a larger table this evening. Our meal was excellent, especially the soups. Most of us ordered either the cream asparagus or the chicken and rice soup. When the bowls arrived, the veggies and meats were in the bottom, with the broth served afterwards from a large cup with a spout. First time the soup was actually hot in these new bigger bowls. Wonder if this was special for us, or will the waiters continue to do this every night? We ordered the beef Wellington and it was tender and tasty. The evening ended with desserts and coffee at 10:15pm.

 

We took our usual walk on the promenade deck, and were surprised to discover how warm it still was outside. Little did we know that shortly, it would be raining heavily as we went through a powerful thunder and lightning storm. Watching the action from our window, it was thrilling to see the lightning strike the water so near the ship. Hearing the roar of the thunder was scary. The seas remained fairly smooth despite the storm. Sure hope the worst of it is gone by tomorrow. And we are also glad we are not on any tours to the mountains. Could be a very wet day for the folks heading towards San Jose.

 

The good news is that Captain Fred informed us that we will be docking in Puntarenas, and not the commercial port of Puerto Caldera. We knew he could do it.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[naomi's meme]

Bill and Maryann, back to the World cruise. Can you comment on the passenger make-up for this cruise. Nationalities that were on the ship. Interested in make-up of ho takes worls cruises.

Thanks

[naomi's meme]

Sorry for the typos

[Theredofshaw]

Bill and Maryann' date=' back to the World cruise. Can you comment on the passenger make-up for this cruise. Nationalities that were on the ship. Interested in make-up of ho takes worls cruises.

Thanks[/quote']

 

I'm curious about this too, as well as age demographics.

[caltnl]

Many thanks, Have followed you from the start.

 

Have enjoyed your pictures. Most recently your pictures of Herman the German. Used to see the crane when it worked for the US Navy in Long Beach. It was reparations to the US from Germany after WWII. Then we enjoyed seeing it when we transited the Canal several years ao. It is sure Big.

 

Sincerely,

[WCB]

Report #128 Puntarenas, Costa Rica May 7, 216 Saturday Chance of rain & 84 degrees Part #1 of 2 87 Pictures

 

Today’s port of call was Puntarenas, Costa Rica, home to 4,253,877 Spanish-speaking people. They live in 19,725 square miles, with the capital being San Jose. Costa Rica is tourist “gold” these days, with numerous national parks, and an array of creatures from gorgeous butterflies to howler monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, and some of the most spectacular birds in nature. The ones we have seen are egrets, herons, kingfishers, pelicans, iguanas, hawks and kites.

 

The top things to see are the most diverse place on earth – Parque National, Corcovado, and the wilderness beaches at the tip of Nicoya Peninsula. Monkeys having fun raiding picnics, and the thousand year migration of leatherback turtles to Playa Grande are worth seeing.

 

Top things to do are go on a zipline ride in the canopy of a cloud forest (at your own risk……), or take a night hike out to Arenal Volcano to see luminescent lava flows. Or try soaking in a local hot spring. Attend a surf school, riding the first wave at Witch’s Rock. Boat through a maze of jungle canals loaded with wildlife.

 

What is there to eat? Try casado – a plate of meat, beans, rice, and fried plantains. What is there to drink? Palm wine called fire water by the local farmers. Try coffee everywhere and anywhere.

 

A statement heard everywhere is Pura Vida - the pure life.

 

Trademarks are dripping rainforests, active volcanoes, soccer, and foaming waterfalls.

 

A random fact: Costa Rica proudly tops the list for ranking the happiest nation. Current news has it that the locals rank the happiest of all nations. The civilians outlive all of their North American counterparts.

 

The Amsterdam arrived to the sheltered harbor by 7am. Although the original port was scheduled for Puerto Caldera, we were happy to hear Captain Fred announce that we were going to dock at Puntarenas. So much better for the crew as well as the guests. The commercial port, Puerto Caldera, is 14 miles away, costing about $30 for a round trip ride to Puntarenas.

 

Even though Costa Rica is one of the smallest countries in Central America, it is the most naturally diverse. The country has been smart to focus on eco tourism with their rainforests and beaches. Thousands of visitors come here annually seeking adventure. This democratic country has been without an army since the 1940’s. The people have been quoted as being the happiest folks in the world for the last two years.

 

They also have the highest level of education and excellent health care compared to neighboring countries. The main shopping and dining area of Puntarenas is on the Paseo de los Touristas. This walkway is filled with souvenir and craft vendors, which leads to shoreline bars with fast food type cuisine.

 

To really see this part of Costa Rica, you need to get outside the town, and head inland or to the mountains. Tours offered today included some long ones which included lunch. There was a visit to San Jose, the Capital for $80, Costa Rica favorites for $200, Discover Costa Rica $90, a zip line and aerial tram for $140, original canopy zip line for $100, or a walk in the clouds for $100. We have not gone on the zip line tours, but we have seen the gardens, the butterfly sanctuary, and walked in the clouds and canopy. All fun, but very long days and at least 4 hours of driving coming and going.

 

Shorter tours were 5 hours on an eco tropical mangrove river cruise for $70, or tropical train ride and mangrove cruise for $90. We have done both more than once, and highly recommend doing either of these.

 

Back to today…..it was going to be one hot and sticky one. Although rain had been forecasted, it never did happen, at least not down on the coastline. Would have felt good, but since it was a Saturday, the beaches were filling with local families enjoying the surf.

 

We had breakfast, did some packing, then waited until the many buses filled with guests going on the tours. There were a few independent guides offering excursions for smaller groups, van-size for 8 or 10 folks. Their prices were not as reasonable as we thought they would be. One fellow tried to entice us with a 4 hour tour for $135 for both of us, but we said no thanks.

 

Not too many other passengers were walking today, so we had the beach to ourselves. Mostly families with small kids were setting up their spots for the day. One mom had brought a plastic blow-up kiddie pool, filled it with some water, and let her little ones play in it. Smart idea, and the kids stayed out of the dark brown sand. This beach is not exactly white sand, but typical Pacific Ocean dirty-looking sand. It was cleaner than the last time we were here two years ago. With several bars along the roadside, there tends to be broken glass from beer bottles in the sand. So we hiked from one end near the ship to the very tip of the spit. There were a few hotels with casinos and many bars that probably look better at night.

 

Food trucks were setting up on the roadside, where groups of young locals were lingering under the shade of some trees. We saw chunks of pork cracklings, chicken skewers, fruit, and lots of drinks. One big trailer was blasting marimba music, drawing a crowd. It was fun checking out the numerous colorful souvenirs along the way. One of us collects sun visors, and there was about one stand that had some. A light blue visor with an embroidered frog on it worked fine. And as with all of their souvenirs, it says “Pura Vida” – a good life. We had been searching for a leather eyeglass case, but none exist here. Shall continue the search tomorrow in Nicaragua.

 

We were out of our bottled water, so found it was a good time to head back to the ship. The heat had taken its toll on one of us, and we can say that we found no suitable place for lunch. The most “normal” restaurant was a Pizza Hut, and they were not opened until later.

 

Saved by the air-conditioning and several ice cold sodas, we stayed in our room working on photos and continued packing. A good movie, The Help, popped up, so we ended up finally watching the entire movie. Yes, it was a repeat, as are most all of the movies now. If they were good, we don’t mind watching them again. One day, if they see fit to provide on-demand movies, we can watch a film from the beginning, pause it if we want, and continue when we want. But these new perks come with a price, which would be passed down to the guests.

 

All aboard was 4:30pm, but it did not happen. As always, several buses were arriving late, as were some crew members, on the run from shore. Around 5pm, Captain Fred came on the speakers with his departure talk, then fired up the engines, spewing black smoke into the already hazy air. We watched the sail away with friends from the aft deck, enjoying the antics of the diving pelicans all around the ship. At least, it had cooled down somewhat as the sun slipped behind the grey clouds and mountain tops at 5:51pm.

 

This evening, we had an invite to an exclusive Officer’s Reception in the Crow’s Nest from 7 to 8pm. Curious as to who was invited, we attended. We were greeted by Gene, our cruise director who has stayed on from the world cruise. He in turn introduced us to the newly-boarded hotel director, Craig Oakes. Then we were escorted into the room and offered drinks of our choice. The only place that is comfortable to sit for one of us is the bar chairs. So we took a couple of them near the cordoned-off section.

 

That turned out to be a good move, because Craig decided to join us for the entire hour. Gave us a chance to get to know him, and share info we have gathered on this long voyage. There are so many angles in the cruising industry, and Craig seemed very up-to-date with the changing industry and how it is affecting the HAL group. Explains why the cruise experience on HAL trips will be conforming to a different standard in the future. Just hope these changes will still fit our needs.

 

Dinnertime came quickly, and for us, that was in the Pinnacle Grill this evening. Last time we ate here, Tina promised we could order the veal chop, and we were pleased to find it worked. The meat was cooked perfectly, seasoned just right, and one of the best we have had on this trip. Maybe we can do this one more time before we leave next week. We suggested that the veal chop should be back on their menu, replacing the pork chop. Tina said it has been suggested and they are thinking about doing it.

 

We missed the show, running late eating dinner. But we have seen it before, and it was excellent……Dance, the Amsterdam singers and dancers doing their thing, and doing it well.

 

Tomorrow’s port is Corinto, Nicaragua. Hope it is not as hot as today’s port.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Theredofshaw]

 

Tomorrow’s port is Corinto, Nicaragua. Hope it is not as hot as today’s port.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

my wife is from a town about 50km from there. I like it down there, we've considered retirement either there or costa rica.

[KirkNC]

I will be interested in your take on Corinto, most reviews are not very good. We will be there on the 2017 WC.

[lidojohnny]

Bill: What are the changes affecting the HAL group, as told by Craig?

[WCB]

Report #129 Corinto, Nicaragua May 8, 2016 Sunday Partly cloudy & 89 degrees Part #1 of 2 89 Pictures

 

Gosh, these ports are coming up too quick, as we are in Corinto, Nicaragua this morning. Looking outside our window, we realized it was going to be another hot, humid, and smoky day. No sign of rain however, so that was good.

 

The capital of Nicaragua is Managua with 50,323 square miles. The Spanish-speaking citizens number 5,891,199.

 

Nicaragua has had a rollercoaster of dictatorships, revolutions, civil wars, and economic collapse. But that describes the past however. Fast forward to today, the “Nicas” as they are known, consider their country among the safest in Central America. Far from being settled, outside travelers are coming in large numbers. Filled with colonial settings, and big beach breaks, Nicaragua has become a regional hotspot. Dollars go far here in this warm, tropical climate. Just don’t say Nicaragua is the next Costa Rica, or you will insult your hosts.

 

The best time to visit is June to March to avoid the dusty, dry season. The top things to see could be the moonrise over the cathedral in Granada. Or one island and two volcanoes on the biggest lake, Lago de Nicaragua in Central America. Spanish fortresses, bright handicrafts in Viejo marketplace and giant papier-mache people in Leon’s Carnaval.

 

What is there to do? Lay on a beach in the surf of San Juan del Sur, or climb up Cerro Negro and sand-board down steep hillsides. You can dive with hammerheads (not us), or swim with rays off Little Corn Island. Paddle the mangroves of Reserva Natural Estero Padre Ramos.

 

What can you eat here? Nacatamales – a mix of cornmeal, potato, pork, tomato, onion, and sweet chilies packed in a banana leaf. What do you drink? Flor de cana rum called pinol, or toasted corn powder sweetened with sugar or cacao (chocolate).

 

Trademarks are Sandinistas and Contras, both renegade bands, dusty farms and chicken buses, earthquakes and hurricanes. Hmmm, perhaps the smoky appearance in the air is due to the farming dust, like we see in the valleys of California. Might be harmful to their health as well.

 

A random fact is Nicaragua is the least densely populated country in Central America and 72% of the population is under 30 years old.

 

A few of the tours offered here today included lunch. They were Cortijo El Rosario Estate and Horse Show for $120. Colonial Leon and Folk Show was $100.

 

Three to five hour tours were a banana plantation and hacienda for $100, Traditions of Nicaragua was $90. Three more tours went to the colonial city of Leon and cost $70. The ride there was 1 ¼ hours. A visit to the Flor de Cana Distillery for $70 sounded like fun, as well as a drive to nearby El Viejo and Chinandega for $55. We have done this tour, finding the excursion OK, but the narrative from the tour guide was really informative. He spoke more about the political atmosphere, as well as the impact of the rebel forces of the Sandinistas from the past and also the present.

 

Having been here many times, we always enjoy a stroll through the city, mixing with the locals, and perusing the many stalls selling treasures…..all quite affordable. Corinto is a sleepy little town, where life seems slow and relaxed. It was built in the 19th century, and really has not progressed with the times that much. It is, however, Nicaragua’s largest port on the Pacific Ocean, and keeps many locals working with the ship traffic and dock work.

 

Today, being a Sunday, the town was for the most part, closed up. A few produce markets were selling fresh veggies and fruit, The hardware shop and a pharmacy were opened. The area that was alive with people was the main square. All of the souvenir stands were set up on the outside and inside the square. Some vendors were selling the wooden bowls that we saw yesterday in Costa Rica, but for much less. One item that was not really being promoted was a wooden earring holder with three tiers. It worked like a lazy-susan, and could be dismantled. After some serious bargaining, we ended up buying one. The lady selling the earrings had to take all of her earrings out of the display, which took time. We guess there were perhaps 80 pairs of earrings to remove. Anyway, it will be put to excellent use at home. We also picked up a nice covered wooden bowl with a spoon, and one sunflower with a hummingbird, all made out of carved wood. They are so well-made, and terribly hard to resist. The last purchase we made was one pair of blue beaded earrings to match a necklace that we bought in Petra last year. Oddly enough, it was a perfect match in color.

 

After a two hour walk through town, and a visit to the local cathedral we went back to the ship before the dining room closed for lunch. It was very warm today, so the dining room was a perfect place to cool off. Two large glasses of ice tea also helped to the job. We both had the melted three cheese sandwiches with potato salad, and a small dessert.

 

The rest of the afternoon, we watched a movie about a ship sinking in the New England area many years ago, and a rescue, a true story. Then we worked on photos and reports until it was time to watch the sun go down. All aboard time was 6:30pm, so we needed to get some sail away photos before we lost the light. Of course, we had not left by then, but at least we did get some good sunset pictures.

 

Sometimes around 6:45pm, Gene came on the speakers asking for two guests to call the front desk. Guess they were the only ones not back on the ship, and we could not leave yet. Usually it is a failure of the kiosk to register the room cards, but obviously, after three calls for these folks, something else must have prevented their return to the ship. We did leave about 7:15pm, and we do not know if the guests ever got back onboard. Will try to find out more tomorrow.

 

The dinner items were good tonight. The soups are now being served with the broth added to the meat and veggies separately. Tonight one of our soups was not really hot, even with the new method. But the problem was that the waiter had brought five soups, and they sat on the serving tables for 15 minutes at least. They will never stay hot that way. The chicken noodle soup was much hotter at lunch, because it came directly from the kitchen. Guess they will have to figure this problem out soon, because the new soup bowls are here to stay. Dessert of lemon tart and frozen coffee yogurt were really tasty.

 

The entertainer this evening was a Latin America virtuoso pianist by the name of Juan Pablo Subirana. Always a pleasure listening to fine music by talented local artists.

 

Tomorrow’s port will be Puerto Quetzel in Guatemala.

 

By the way, we had a question regarding coffee table books from our trips. We have never followed up with one as such, but friends have collected every report with photos on some previous world cruises, and had them bound and made into books. One trip consisted of three booklets the size of phone books. We have enjoyed looking at them, and reminiscing over the photos. We do have cruise buddies who carefully choose two photos from each port, and create a real coffee table book. They feel that any more photos than that will be overwhelming for most guests to look at, so keep it simple. We like that idea.

 

The second question dealt with the make-up of the nationalities of the world cruisers this year. We don’t think there was any foreign crowd that stood out in large numbers, except for the North Americans, the largest group of all. The average age may have been in the late sixties, but that is us guessing. We did have over half a dozen or more kids onboard as well. Helped drop the age averages.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #130 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala May 9, 2016 Monday Partly cloudy & 94 degrees Part # 1 of 2 86 Pictures

 

The strangest thing happened at 4am today. Who in their right mind would be waking up that early? Well one of us did, and looked out the window, where the drapes were left opened. There were hundreds of small white birds flying in all directions everywhere we could see. The lights on the lower promenade deck must have attracted them. Such an odd sight, we thought we were dreaming. Will have to ask if anyone in the bridge saw them too. Pretty hard to miss.

 

The good news today was that the temperatures were not going to reach 94 degrees. The bad news was that the overcast was heavy, humid, and suspiciously smoggy-looking. And it never did lift enough to see the sun clearly.

 

The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City. The total area is 42,035 square miles with a Spanish-speaking population of 13,276,517 people. Speaking 20 separate languages, Mayans make up 60% of the population, making Guatemala Central America’s most indigenous nation.

 

Unfortunately, the modern political situation of Guatemala has been one of corruption, violence, and injustice. Yet despite this, the local citizens remain mostly open and accessible to visitors. There are world-class markets with diverse landscapes and huge coffee estates. Rumbling volcanoes, colonial towns, and Mayan ruins are there to discover.

 

The best time to visit is November through May, which is the dry season.

 

Things to see are lost temples in the jungle canopy at Tikal, the country’s most famous Mayan ruins. The only way to get there in one day is to fly, which is what our host Tom M did a few years ago. He did not take into consideration that it could rain up that high, and he would be walking in ankle-deep mud in his better dress shoes. He always wears dress shoes, but they were NOT when he came back to the ship. Live and learn we say, although he did say the tour was terrific.

 

Antigua is the chic city with Spanish-era convents, ruins, and sushi bars. A visit here would give you the chance to see the Cathedral of Santiago, built in 1542, the Church and Convent of Our Lady of Mercy, Parque Central, the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, also 1542. It is the largest and richest monastery in Antigua. Many of the restored colonial buildings are now hotels, cafes, shops, and art galleries. Although much of the old city was destroyed in a series of earthquakes back in 1773, much of it has been restored. Now the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Several years ago we drove through the colonial city after touring at the coffee estate, but all of the sites were closed for the day. All we saw was a huge craft market, of course. They are always opened.

 

Seeing a sunrise from Volcan Tajumulco, the highest point in Central America must be a thrill. Riding the rugged roads to highland coffee plantations is also a good bet.

 

Things to do are bargain for Mayan textiles (woven fabric) at the Chichicastenango market. Or you can boat on the Rio Dulce. How about study Spanish in an Antiguan school, or soak in cool emerald pools at Semuc Champey. Surf at Sipacate, the undiscovered surf capital.

 

Looking for local cuisine? Try a hearty Chapin breakfast of eggs, corn tortillas, beans, fried plantains, an coffee. Drink velvety hot chocolate with Zacapa rum. And lots of coffee, of course.

 

Trademarks are old Mayan gods and ruins, wild masks, and bright, beautiful textiles. Also front and foremost are brooding volcanoes, rainforests, corn fields, Mayan trouble dolls and ornate iron crucifixes.

 

Random fact: The Mayans thought the night sky was the theater of all supernatural doings. Seasonal movement of constellations was a narrative from the gods. Who knows? Maybe they were right………..

 

So, our port of call today was Puerto Quetzal, strictly a jumping off point for tours to Antigua, the Mayan ruins, and coffee and banana plantations. The drive to Antigua, 4500 feet above sea level, was 90 minutes one way, and there were four lunch tours offered today. The longest duration was 9 hours, with the shortest 5 hours. Mayan cosmology and ruins was $120, best of Antigua was $140, past and present colonial Antigua was $100, and finally a coffee estate and Antigua was $110. This was an excursion we did the first time we stopped in Guatemala, and it was really a nice day. A long ride, but a great lunch and tour of the coffee plantation.

 

The rest of the excursions were a country drive and coffee plantation for $90, panoramic Antigua for $70, and lastly Antigua on your own for $60. These were all about 5 ½ hours.

 

We decided to stick around the shops of the Pez Vela Terminal, where there is a welcoming palapa, which leads into a couple of acres of park and souvenir stalls. There are three restaurants, one of which faces the small boat harbor. As far as souvenirs go, this is a shopper’s paradise. Many of the beaded jewelry creations are unique to here. There are no two pieces that are identical. Over the years, we have collected an assortment of these creations. And today was no exception, as much as we say we probably won’t buy anything. A different type of necklace seemed to be popular with several vendors. And these locals were quite willing to bargain. We seem to remember that we are here towards the end of the tourist season, so everyone is discounting deeply just to move their inventory.

 

The colors of their purses, bags, table runners, placemats, and quilts are vibrant. Many of the ladies were having a swell time shopping for household items as well as the typical t-shirts, hats, and blouses and skirts. They are hard to resist when the prices are so good. That’s what happened when one of us saw two wooden giraffes that just happened to match a much larger one we bought here two years ago. They are not exactly the typical giraffe you might find in Africa, but more of a whimsically –painted animal. The good thing is that they come apart for easy packing. So they have a new home now as they are decorating our windowsill along with the remainder of the potted plants.

 

Our final purchase was a woven water bottle holder with a strap for a mere $5. Will be convenient for our walks at home, and a reminder of the good time we had on this trip.

 

At the nicest of the restaurants, we went to Pez Vela and shared a delicious serving of a chicken and beef cheese nachos. The local beer, Gallo, was perfect…..cold and wet. It was nowhere near as hot as yesterday, but the humidity was still making us uncomfortable and warm. The only dessert offering on the menu was cheesecake, so we tried it. What a nice surprise, when the waitress brought it split on two plates. The best thing was how good it was…….close to the cheesecake I make at home. Better than what we have tasted on the ship.

 

After lingering for an hour at the restaurant with a view, we walked the little harborfront, watching for iguanas……large and small. There is a boulder-lined harbor here, where the lizards like to alternately hide and sun themselves. While we were snapping a few photos, one of the diners tossed out some small pieces of bread to the iguanas. They came running like little dogs to snatch up the snacks. Thought they ate insects and frogs, but not bread. Now we know they will eat practically anything. We did get some good pictures, even if they are not the most handsome of creatures. They have such a prehistoric look about them. And do you know in Ecuador, they eat them? Tastes like chicken we heard………We will never know.

 

There wasn’t much more we could do here, and we would never attempt to leave the area, since we had been warned it was not the safest place to be off on your own. So we went back to the ship, watched a movie, while working on the computer. One of us continued the packing, stashing clothes, shoes, and purses in space bags, and left-over toiletries in smaller ziplocks. When the stack got high enough, the master packer (not me) distributed them among the six suitcases and duffels. It’s not so bad when you do a little every day.

 

We took a walk outside to deck nine to get the last of the sunset, which really was non-existent tonight. The smoky haze totally hid the sun going down. Everyone we know has been complaining about the pollution in the air for the last three days. Today was the worst as far as the smog goes. No matter how much breeze came from the ocean, the air never cleared up.

 

All aboard was 7:30pm, and apparently everyone made it back today, as there were no announcements for missing people. Speaking of that, we have not heard if the two missing passengers were ever found yesterday. Will have to do some investigating tomorrow. The Amsterdam left the pier around 8pm, and we were soon sailing towards Mexico and Puerto Chiapas, where we will dock tomorrow.

 

Dinner was good with a tomato/zucchini cream soup, one entrée of oxtail stew and another of the vegetarian stuffed manicotti. Both were very tasty, although could have been hotter. We are enjoying our last final days with dessert, which will cease once we get home. It is going to be a hard habit to kick.

 

Tonight the entertainment was a ventriloquist show featuring Dan Horn. His claim to fame is that he has been on the Late Show with David Letterman. His show is always a hoot as are his dummies. Too bad the clocks had to go forward one hour tonight. Now it is almost 1am, and definitely time to end this report. Don’t like the clocks going forward…………..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #131 Puerto Chiapas, Mexico May 10, 2016 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 86 degrees Part #1 of 2 87 Pictures

 

Well, here we are, in the final foreign country of our long trip around the world. Mexico has an area of 1.9 million square kilometers with a population of 111,211,789 Spanish-speaking people. The capital is Mexico City.

 

Mexico, like its food, is colorful, spicy, over-commercialized, and often under-appreciated. (We love Mexican cuisine, and sure have missed it for the last four months. Every so often, something close to Mexican appears on the menu, but not often enough for us.) No doubt, relations with its neighbors are uneasy due to border violence and drug traffic.

 

Getting beyond the borders, you can find a nation of a cultural mix of Europe, native American, and lost civilizations. People here fill the public squares showing their flamboyant love of life. It’s a good idea for travelers to find a great salsa, and enjoy the scenery.

 

The best time to visit is October through May to avoid extreme temperatures. Things to see are Mexico City….bigger than life and heaving at the seams. Mayan temples in deep green jungles of Palenque, and the stately old-world charm of colonial Oaxaca are also places to see. The abyss of the Copper Canyon, and the beach resort of Playa del Carmen are a must. Cancun is for the young ones, or the young at heart.

 

Top things to do are surf the waves at Puerto Escondido, or go on a road trip down Baja California. Savor the delicious food sold for a few pesos, or climb the steaming peaks of Pico de Orizaba. How about seeing a billion butterflies at the winter refuge at Reserva Mariposa Monarca.

 

What is there to eat? Chocolate mole, sweet tamales, nopales, cactus leaves and so much more. We did taste prickly pear cactus cooked in scrambled eggs a few years back while in Huatulco. Wasn’t bad with a lot of salsa.

 

How about the drink? Jugos naturales or vampire fruit juice from beets and carrots. Tequila, mescal, and pulque. Doesn’t mescal have a worm in it? Yuch!

 

Random fact: Old civilzations of Olmecs and Aztecs had achievements and cultures well beyond what is thought possible today.

 

The port we are docked in today, Puerto Chiapas, is in the southern state of Chiapas, near the Guatemala border. It is an important commercial port for Mexico. German immigrants brought the coffee cultivation here in the mid to late 1800’s. Other indigenous crops include cacao, which was actually the local form of currency between the Maya and chocolate-loving Aztecs.

 

The city of Tapachula is a regional center of trade between Mexico and Central America. It is 30 minutes from this port, and a $10 round trip shuttle ride. The population is 190,000 people.

 

There was one lunch tour to Argovia Estate and Flower Plantation for 7 hours for $200. It was a 1 ½ hour ride each way to the Sierra Madre Mountains on this tour.

 

Shorter tours went to Izapa ruins and Tapachula for 4 ½ hours for $100, or a visit to a banana plantation for $90, also 4 ½ hours. The Mayan Tree of Life and Chocolate Discovery was $70, while a more fun adventure was the mangrove boat ride and bird watching for 3 ½ hours for $90. We did that one the first time we visited here.

 

Another traveler’s tip was printed in the daily newsletter warning folks of pick pockets and con artists. Wonder if there are traveler warnings coming from the US? This is the second printed warning in the last two days.

 

So today we chose to stay close to home, so to speak. Going off the ship around 11am, we strolled through the palapa with several small shops filled with souvenirs. A marimba band greeted us as we walked through the wide doorway. A tourist info desk was set up with some brochures for Tapachula, the nearest town. The treasures sold here today were not as nice as yesterday’s, so not too many folks were buying yet. Perhaps when they comeback from the tours, the shops will get busier.

 

It was very hot outside, so we made our way through the garden of palm trees to the opposite palapa and the restaurant. It was a perfect time for some nacho chips with salsa and ice cold beers. Many of the crew members were having fun in the swimming pool, which was open to anyone who wanted to use it. Since the ship is on the way to the Alaska season, this will be the last time the crew will enjoy the heat for a while.

 

By 1pm, we went back to the ship, resumed some packing, and cleaned up the window garden. All that is left now are the geraniums and anthryums. Perhaps we can find them a new home. Caught up with the photos and reports, then headed off to the aft pool to take some sail away pictures.

 

The sail aways are not special anymore, since all they advertise are drinks for sale, and there is no food. For that reason, they are not well-attended from what we have noticed. Of course, the high heat and humidity have a lot to do with that. The Amsterdam left the small harbor around 5pm with several blasts of the horn as we passed many local onlookers. They had the right idea, as they were swimming on a beach on the inside of the bay. There was a long stretch of beach on the Pacific Ocean side, but absolutely no swimmers. That tells us that there is a rip tide and a strong undertow.

 

We are now headed towards Huatulco, but only for a short stay….darn.

 

There was a special cocktail party in the Crow’s Nest tonight at 7:15pm, hosted by Captain Fred and hotel director, Craig Oakes. It was strictly for the Collectors’ Voyage Guests who had been on the world cruise. We had intended to attend, but since we had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill, we decided not to go.

 

Dinner was a nice surprise, because Tina, the manager, had given us the option of having the veal chops once again. Just in case, she had the chef take them out for us. So, of course, that is what we had. Gosh they were good. Even better than the best steaks they serve in here. We will be dining here again on the 14th, so we ordered them for that evening as well. We do have a dinner date on the 12th, but that will be with the Captain and Craig, and the other President’s Club members.

 

For dessert, we had one soufflé, ice cream, and coffee. The special French-pressed coffee comes with a small biscotti cookie. One of the nicest waiters here knows we like them, so he brought 4 more on a dish. When we ate those, he brought four more. Instead of consuming them, he wrapped them in foil made into a bird for us to take back to our room. Nice way to end the day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS Regarding the question about changes in the HAL Grand Voyage, we intend to do a follow-up of our observances on this trip. But we will wait until we get home to complete the list.

[WCB]

Report # 132 Huatulco, Mexico May 11, 2016 Wednesday Sunny (partly cloudy) & a steamy 86 degrees Part #1 of 2 87 Pictures

 

Huatulco, in the state of Oaxaca, is a subdued tourist destination since being developed in the early 1990’s. It is located 425 miles south of Acapulco and has a population of 23,000 people. Spanish galleons sailed these waters under Cortes, and were often attacked by pirates that resided in these hidden bays. What we see today is a series of villages and towns that span 20 miles of Mexico’s Pacific Ocean coastline. Thirty-six beaches are in this area, and are never crowded because the area is so small and remote. If you are looking for a laid-back vacation, nine bays, a myriad of activities, and pretty good food, then Huatulco is the place for you. Out of town and into the mountains, the coffee industry has taken off. And nearby La Crucesita has a quaint church, many shops, and plenty of restaurants. We read in a tourist booklet that La Crucesita is THE place for the nightlife….music, dancing, food and drink.

 

Our stay here was only from 8am to 2pm, with the all aboard time at 1:30pm. Not fair….as it is a very nice place to relax on the nearby beach with some ice cold margaritas or beers.

 

Obviously all of the tours were 3 ½ to 5 hours in duration, with a rather long walk on a hot pier. The shore excursion booklet has been very detailed with every aspect that might affect getting to the buses or tour boats in this ports. Good idea, so no one is blind-sided when booking an excursion.

 

Some examples of tours today were La Crucesita & scenic drive for $60, Huatulco – land and sea for $70, or Rural Communities for $90. We did this tour several years ago, and found it interesting. We learned how the locals grow their food, and cook cactus. We even tasted prickly pear cactus in a salsa and also in a scrambled eggs. Not bad with the thorns removed of course.

 

Continuing on, Tropical flowers and fruit was $70, Sail, swim, or snorkel ran from $60 to $75, while you could go on a hike in Copalita Archaelogical Park for $60. We did that also a few years ago. A fun tour if you like boating and swimming was Five bays by Catamaran for $60. We also went on the Bird watch Eco Adventure for $70, but saw only a few doves as the season for bird watching was over….duh. Deep sea fishing was $190 (catch and release), or you could go to Las Brisas Resort with a lunch and water sports with the price of your ticket - $70. Not a bad idea…….

 

From the looks of it, it was going to be one hot and steamy day. Cruise director Gene announced we were cleared by the local authorities by 8am, and we should all be careful because it was going to be a sunny day. Going outside, we discovered big black clouds hanging over the nearby mountain ranges. At least that horrible smoky haze was gone from the skies, like we saw in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and even in Puerto Chiapas. Just a guess, but since this area is not heavily agricultural, there is no burning of the fields, thus no smoky haze. Fine with us. By the way, the clouds did go away later in the morning.

 

We were in no hurry to go ashore, so we had a nice breakfast in the dining room. Not a big one, as we are trying to cut back. Since most of the shore excursions left early, the dining room was not crowded. Service as always speedy with the best waiters.

 

Leaving the ship by 10:30am got us to town when the shops were mostly opening up. At this point, we are just about “shopped out”, which is a good thing, since our bags will have little room left for any more treasures. But it is always a pleasure to window-shop, seeing what is new in the Mexican marketplace. Not much from what we saw.

 

We walked around the marina, where dozens of boats were moored. Several local guys were trying to sell boat trips for swimming, snorkeling, glass-bottom boats, or sport fishing. We might have considered doing an independent water tour, but there simply was not enough time to do it right today.

 

There is a general market with many stalls with assorted stuff like clothing, beach toys for the kids, ceramics, and jewelry….lots of silver and turquoise stones. One vendor was very pushy, as they are sometimes, although the majority are welcoming. We inquired to the price of a cotton top, which we knew cost $5 in Phuket, Thailand. He wanted something like $30, and would not settle for even $10. When we said no thanks, he yelled out…..what do you think you are buying…a tomato? With that attitude, we would not even buy a tomato from him. Guess you could consider this guy a modern day “pirate”. His mistake, as there are dozens of other vendors who were a lot more friendly, without attitude.

 

From here, we strolled through the central plaza, full of mature trees which provided wonderful shade on such a warm and humid day like this one. Not many folks were out and about, with the exception of a couple of ladies selling an assortment of beaded jewelry and some clothes. One gal had a beaded necklace quite similar to one we bought in Guatemala. The big difference was she wanted $33, where we had paid $10. That tells us a whole lot of tourists stop here and spend money easily without bargaining.

 

It was a good place to stop, sit on one of the benches, and drink some of the water we brought with us. It was way too early for beer, although the hawkers for the beach cafes were trying to drum up business. They must have been somewhat successful, because they had many customers. Looked to us like they were sipping sweet drinks like pina coladas or margaritas. Those work for the morning time right? Hey, anything that is cold would work today.

 

The beach was not too crowded yet. Appears that many folks took advantage of the ship’s tours, which is good for business. The turquoise water at this beach was crystal-clear and very inviting. Such a contrast to the brown sand and murky waters we encountered since we left the Panama Canal. Again, if we had more time, we may have stayed for a swim. Maybe next time.

 

We did take the time to look over the menus at each restaurant or beach café. Most all of the menus had typical Mexican fare, of course. But we were looking for pizza, and guess what? We found the perfect place with a wood-fired oven even. The bad news was they did not open for business until much later in the day. Figures…….

 

We made one more sweep past the street vendors, the little church, and past the dozen or so shops on the way back to the pier. One embroidered poncho-style pareo in lime green caught our attention. It was a perfect match for one of the Guatemalan necklaces we found a couple of days ago. So it got added to the collection.

 

If we planned it right, we could still make it back onboard in time for lunch in the dining room. It has been closed while the ship was in port for several days, so we were happy to see they were opened today. We must have drank three glasses if ice water and ice tea before our most delicious mixed salads and cordon bleu hamburgers arrived. For dessert there was a special chocolate pudding on the menu, so we both ordered one. It sure was good….creamy and rich, the one that our buddy Barb likes. We sure miss her, and we know she misses being here.

 

Sail away was after 1:30pm, although we think a tour was a bit late in getting back. A breeze had popped up at the aft deck, making the sail out of the harbor more bearable. The Captain backed the Amsterdam all the way out of the bay, then turned her around to head northwesterly towards our next port of Puerto Vallarta in a couple of days.

 

The rest of the afternoon, we spent in the coolness of our room working photos. Before we knew it, it was dinnertime once again. And it was good. The minestrone soup was as hot as could be only because our waiter had to bring a heated bowl with some of the soup in it. Then he adds the hot broth and more of the ingredients. All because the new soup bowls are wider and thinner. Wonder whose brain storm that was to switch to this style?

 

Anyway, the rest of the meal was fine. One of us had the ribeye steak, which was as good as it gets in this dining room, and the other ordered KFC-style chicken. That was also tasty. Sure it going to be hard going home and creating meals like this every day.

 

The entertainer this evening was a young lady by the name of Shayma Tash. She headlines comedy clubs across the United States, including going overseas to entertain American troops in Afghanistan, Japan, Hawaii, Bosnia, Korea, Guam, Singapore, and even the Marshall Islands. She gets a “thumbs up” from us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 133 Sailing Towards Puerto Vallarta, Mexico May 12, 2016 Thursday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees 12 Pictures

 

Today was a day of celebration and food. Of course, every day is about food on this trip, but we were invited to two very special events of the Panama Canal repositioning journey.

 

We tried to keep breakfast on the light side, which is difficult here. Our “muffin man”, Yitno, keeps trying to sell us on more than one pastry. He knows we usually share a blueberry muffin, but he is most happy if we both have one plus a cinnamon roll or apple tart. That is a hard habit to give up, but we have resisted the last few weeks. At home, there will not be a muffin within 10 miles of us, by choice.

 

At 10:30am, we changed from shorts and t-shirts to long slacks and a blouse and shirt, as suggested on our invitation to the Mariner Society Reception in the Queens Lounge. We had been advised that there was going to be no special seating, so we planned on taking seats towards the back of the room. It was not to be, because we were escorted with Allan and Sandra to the “corral” in the center of the lounge. Scott and Karen joined us for a total of six of us President’s Club members. We think this is set up by Willie, the beverage manager, and Jacques, the cellar master. Once again, we were served the best champagne and offered some tasty treats while we waited for the ceremony to begin.

 

Gene took the microphone to welcome us all, then introduced Captain Eversen and Craig Oakes once again to the room of about 200 or 300 of us. We figured the passengers were split between the higher number of days and those who would be leaving the ship in San Diego.

 

Before the medals were handed out, Gene called each PC couple up for a photo with the Captain and Hotel Director. Suppose we will get these as gifts tomorrow.

 

Medallions were awarded to the 300 to 700 day guests who reached their level. There were more than we thought would be getting those medals. Those who got their copper medallions stood up as a group for applause. Short and sweet.

 

We were then escorted to deck five, where the four of us entered the dining room, avoiding the line that had formed on deck four. Scott and Karen took a short cut across deck three, but got stuck in the back of the line. Once again, we were told there were no reserved tables, but they were wrong. Even though there were no tables being hosted by officers, the six of us were together at a reserved table.

 

More champagne was served and cocktails were offered, but we declined. The menu was similar to the one on the world cruise. The starter was a seafood cocktail, followed by a cold fruit soup. We had a choice of beef ribs, fillet of sole, or quiche. As for us, we chose the beef, and it was delicious. Dessert was a very sweet caramel slice of pie. As the lunch wound down, Aart and Ellen and another Scottish couple joined us for a little while. We had hoped to include them with our small group, but it did not work. We chatted until we realized that the staff was setting up the room for another brunch to follow at 1pm.

 

Drinking champagne is not our normal way of spending the early afternoon, because we felt like doing nothing. We ended up watching a movie in our room after taking a long walk outside. It is still steamy, although not quite as hot as yesterday. We were following the coast of Mexico most all day, and on the lookout for dolphins. All we saw were a few of flying fish.

 

Once again, it was time for the special event at 7pm. This evening, we were invited to the President’s Club Dinner with the same four we had lunch with, at the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant with the Hotel Director, Craig, Jennifer from the front desk, Jody and Gene, the Cruise Director. It was a very unusual menu, custom done by Craig and Tina, the PG manager. Each course was something we have not had before, with the exception of the filet mignon entrée.

 

We had a chocolate-coated foie gras (a Ferrero Rocher look-alike), a bacon-flavored cream corn soup with crab or cod, and a “smoking” bowl with scallops or chicken with bacon broth. The next course was a surprise. We were served one of the new covered pots that a stew would come in at dinner. Instead, there appeared to be a sunny-side up egg in the bottom. Nope, it was a white frozen sorbet with a look-alike egg yolk in the center. Someone was clever in the kitchen today. Finally, the entrée was the steak with a potato slice, zucchini, and a croquette of breaded shredded beef. Dessert was a snifter glass with a hint of black forest brownie cake with cherry and cream concoction and chocolate chunks in the cream. Wines were served throughout dinner, although we only had a few sips of champagne and a little white wine. They were as follows: Veuve Clicuot Yellow Label, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon from where else, but California. The dinner ended before 10pm, when Gene had to leave for the third time to introduce the show for the evening, which was a variety show of Juan Pablo Subirana and Dan Horn, the ventriloquist.

 

The chefs paraded into the room to take a bow, which was well-deserved.

 

With the champagne and wine, as little as it was, we were ready to call it a night. This was our final gala evening, so now the formal clothes can be packed tomorrow.

 

Puerto Vallarta will be the port of call for tomorrow, and will be an extended visit to 11pm.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[BlackJack2]

That turned out to be a good move, because Craig decided to join us for the entire hour. Gave us a chance to get to know him, and share info we have gathered on this long voyage. There are so many angles in the cruising industry, and Craig seemed very up-to-date with the changing industry and how it is affecting the HAL group. Explains why the cruise experience on HAL trips will be conforming to a different standard in the future. Just hope these changes will still fit our needs.

Bill & Mary Ann

 

What are the changes that HAL will be making in the future?

[SilvertoGold]

I was wondering how many Pinnacle Dinners you get as President's Club, first on the WC, then on this Panama cruise.

 

Great posts and wonderful photos on your blog! Enjoying this thread immensely!

[WCB]

Report #134 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico May 13, 2016 Friday Partly cloudy & a hot and muggy 84 degrees Part # 1 of 3 88 Pictures

 

Well, today is our final stop in Mexico at a most famous place on the Mexican Riviera…..Puerto Vallarta. Located in the state of Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta is built in the heart of Banderos Bay, and has a population of 250,000 people. At one time, it was rated the friendliest seaside ports in the world, as recent as 2003 and 2010. But some isolated incidences have deemed it not as safe as it should be. More than once, this port has been cancelled at the last minute, due to violent crimes aimed at locals as well as cruise ship passengers. We have even seen signs in restaurants saying “no cartels here”, enticing the folks to come inside to dine.

 

Way back in the 1970’s, Puerto Vallarta was a relaxing vacation spot with a few activities. A tour we did back then was a ride up the river, going past the area where the classic movie “The Night of the Iguana” was filmed starring legendary Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Funny there is no mention of this on tours anymore, because the younger crowd doesn’t even remember the actors or the movie anymore. But the “hot” news of those days was the romance between Taylor and Burton at Casa Kimberley – now a bed and breakfast inn. The film was set in Mismalaya near Los Arcos, six miles south of town. Now it is a favorite spot for diving and snorkeling. Anyway, time marches on, doesn’t it?

 

Today there is a wealth of things to do and see with pleasant temperatures in the 80’s most of the year. Except today, when the humidity made things seem twice as hot. Some of the tours offered here today included five ones with a lunch. They were between 3 to 5 hours and were swimming with dolphins or sea lions from $109 to $170. You could tag along without swimming for $40. You can go to a Mexican fiesta with a PV tour for $90. Tours of the town, country, and tequila tasting was $45, while a taste of Mexico and city tour was $60.

 

If you wanted adventure, an excursion for 5 hours called Canopy Adventure was $109, or Flyboard for 2 hours was $200. Outdoor challenge was 6 hours with a boat ride, off road drive, a mule ride, a rappel down waterfalls, and a zip line 250 feet above the ground. All this for $135.

 

Finally, since we would be staying until 11pm, a tour was added called Rhythms of the Night for 4¾ hours for $100. It started with a cruise to a cove at Las Caletas to beachside tables for a grilled fish, chicken or steak dinner. Music and dance was included as well as an open bar on the boat ride back.

 

We left the ship around 10:30pm, and decided to take the long walk to Old Town, perhaps about a 4 mile hike. We have to say the town has shaped up nicely the last couple of years since we were here last. The entire way to Old Town is now completely lined with 5 star hotels and resorts, with a brand new shopping mall being constructed fairly close to the ship’s terminal. The weather was unusually hot today, so we brought along several bottles of water with us. Had to stop in the shade along the way to try to catch a breeze. The palm trees have finally gotten tall and dense enough to provide some of that needed shade.

 

Eventually, we reached Old Town where the streets are criss-crossed with cobblestone paths with the historic Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in its center. The crown-shaped bell tower makes this church a distinctive landmark. The Town Square below the church hosts art and cultural demonstrations frequently, but not today.

 

The Malecon begins here, Puerto Vallarta’s boardwalk, closed to traffic. It has wonderful views of the sea with shops, restaurants, and souvenir stands galore. It is here where Sunday nights are the big socializing evenings in town. The bands and street artists gather to entertain the locals and tourists alike. And if you are looking for those high end stores? You will find them all here……diamonds, tanzanite, watches, opal, and silver shops are on every corner.

 

Across the street is Banderos Bay with the famous beach called Playa de los Muertos, named for the legendary pirate raids in the old days. With the backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains, this bay is where you can see giant manta rays, tropical fish, humpback whales, and sea turtles. Only this is not the right time of year to see the wildlife, as far as we can see.

 

For the foodies among the crowd, you’ll find plenty of hot spots in town. Try Cheeky Monkey, Senor Frogs, Joe Jack’s Fish Shack, The Blue Shrimp, si Senor, or Chez Elena. What you will not find is a Hard Rock Café, because they pulled out of town a few years ago.

 

We headed beyond Old Town to the Cuale River. In the middle of the split river, is Cuale Island, a peaceful spot with gardens, shops, riverside cafes, and a museum (which was closed for repairs). We learned that a lot of damage occurred when floods devastated this area last year, actually destroying the stairway that led to our favorite restaurant.

 

And that was our next destination…..the Rivercafe, located right on one side of the Cuale River. We were seated on their patio at a table for two, where the kind waiter aimed a pedestal fan towards us. It was such a perfect table to see the many large and small iguanas climbing in the tree branches, munching away at the leaves. We thought of Barbara H, our location guide, who usually eats lunch here with other staff members. Although she adores the food, like us, she is totally afraid of the lizards. Give her the creeps, she says, like snakes. We love to tease her as we see these lizards crawling around the banks of the river, then up the trees. Too bad she had to go home in Ft. Lauderdale this year, as she missed some pretty good Mexican cuisine.

 

As for us, we ordered several cold beers with beef nachos and a chicken quesadilla to share. They had a good cheesecake too, so we split one of those…….the last of our lunch treats for a while. Sitting in the shade of the patio for a long time was priceless.

 

But it was time to go, because in this heat, we knew it may take hours to get back to the ship. Re-considering, we ended up taking a taxi back, which we usually don’t do. No doubt, we would have had to stop a couple of times in the resorts on the way back for cold drinks. With all of the traffic, it still took about ½ hour to get back to the pier. And it was unbelievably hot in the taxi even with all the windows down. Not sure the driver had air-conditioning, and if he did, his car may have over-heated. Funny observation: at every intersection, our young driver blew his horn repeatedly. Every taxi driver did the same thing. We call it “blow and go”. Guess it works here, but we feel sorry for the folks that live on these corners.

 

We got back onboard by 3pm, where we saw a table for the guests to check in their booze purchases. Many bottles of tequila were being tagged for later delivery. It is convenient for the folks getting off in Vancouver with no flights. We headed right for our cool room. Perfect place to work on photos and drink the last of our soda and water stash. Sure has been nice to have a steady supply of free drinks for the duration of our trip, a very much appreciated President’s Club perk.

 

Did we mention that all of the news stations were shut down today when we got into the port? When we inquired this afternoon about it, we were advised that the channels were shut down because they were working on the system. Made no sense, because ESPN was still on. Eventually the channels came back, but not until well after midnight. So we ended up watching one of the older movies,” Like Water for Chocolate”, all about life in Mexico years ago and old traditions that may still be true today.

 

There was a BBQ on the Lido deck from 5:30 to 8pm this evening. A Mariachi Band was brought onboard to entertain the diners, and from what we could see, they were having a lot of fun. The usual BBQ fare was offered with grilled steaks, chicken, and roasted pork. There were many customers enjoying the special drinks and buckets of beer.

 

We ate in the dining room, and glad we did. Not too many folks were present tonight, so we had personal service from our waiters. The dos frijoles soup was excellent and hot, and our entrees of Kolbi beef ribs was equally as good. Dinner was done by 9:30pm. And we had an extra hour added by putting our clocks back tonight. One more hour to go, and we be back where we began on January 2nd.

 

There was no live entertainment in the Queens Lounge, but they did show a fairly new movie, “Truth”. The ship pulled out of the harbor by 11pm, and we were on our way towards San Diego.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Copper10-8]

Enjoy the City of the Padres! Will this combo of voyages be a record for you two, as far as time spent continuously on one ship? ;)

[WCB]

Report # 135 Sailing Towards San Diego, California May 14, 2016 Saturday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees…but not for long…..

 

Today was a reminder that eventually everything has to come to an end. Especially when it involves packing……not our most favorite of activities. Thank goodness, we began doing this over a week ago, as it is a pain. But it could be worse, we understand. If we lived in Canada for instance, we would be restricted to the size and weight of our luggage needed to be shipped. Every single thing put in each suitcase has to be itemized on a form for customs and immigrations. In one respect, we would definitely bring far less stuff, especially clothes. This is not a bad idea to keep in mind for our next trip. We know, we say that every time, but less is better.

 

Boy, did the temperature change or what this morning? Looking out the dining room windows at breakfast, we expected hot and steamy like yesterday. But once outside on the promenade deck, we found the worst of the humidity had disappeared. It was much more pleasant. Too bad we did not have the time to enjoy any outside time, because we needed to do the final packing.

 

It would have been great to be able to watch some news on the TV, but the reception has been spotty much of the day. For some unknown reason, this seems to be a pattern in this part of the Pacific Ocean. Good time to go to lunch in the dining room.

 

There was a special “Fresh Fish on Deck” lunch in the Lido pool area at 11:30 to 1:30pm. The chefs prepared fresh red snapper along with refreshing Caesar salad. Now that is different from the occasional Mongolian Cookouts that they had on the world cruise. And considering the BBQ set up they successfully held just yesterday, we appreciate the effort into today’s special meal.

 

But it was the dining room for us as they offered a hero sandwich on a sourdough roll with chips or fries. We both had small salads with green goddess dressing first, then ended the meal with sweet desserts of ice cream. Always a treat to dine in here as the waiters are all wonderful.

 

Around 2pm, we went up to deck nine to see if we were close to Cabo San Lucas, our missed port of the day. The Captain had brought the ship within five miles of the Baja Peninsula, and right past Cabo. And as we had expected, the seas became rougher with swells and white caps. The temperature had dropped another 10 degrees at least. And the wind had a chill in it. Every time we leave Cabo, we hit winds that have always blown towels and hats overboard. Quite a contrast from the sheltered bay in Cabo. Sure would have been nice to have stopped here, but with the tender landings inoperable, they had no choice but to skip it.

 

Shipboard life went on with the usual activities which included one lecture from Valerie Mock who spoke about the exchange of plants and animals between the Old World and the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries. Interesting how lives could be changed with the introduction of new species. We have searched for these talks to be televised, but so far we have not found them repeated during the day. Too bad, we hate when these talks are not broadcasted for everyone to enjoy. We sure are going to have a lot of suggestions when we get the survey for this cruise when we get home. Some of these changes do not make sense to us.

 

This afternoon, we thought it might be a good idea to get a copy of our shipboard account. We did find one discrepancy with a charge for a Pinnacle Grill dinner. This happens sometimes, when someone other than the manager does the accounting. Yes, we were given the half-off discount, but for us, it should have been for free. Every cruise as President’s Club members give us 10 complimentary dinners each, so we had 10 dinners this cruise of 16 days. We had 10 dinners for the 115 day world cruise, and managed to use every one of them. Now we could have used one free dinner for two lunches in the Pinnacle Grill, but it seemed that the restaurant was closed many afternoons. So we did not go there for lunch on this shorter cruise. Anyway, it is always a good idea to go over your account, because small mistakes do happen, and they are always corrected when they are brought to their attention.

 

Dinner for us tonight was in the Pinnacle Grill, our last chance to savor their wonderful grilled veal chop that Tina promised to have for our entrees. Sure enough, when we went to order, the chops were ready to go, seasoned and salted perfectly. We thanked Tina when she came by to check on our meal. Since these chops are not on the menu, we would not have known we could order them.

 

We watched a movie after dinner called The Perfect Man, we think. Far from perfect, it turned out to be a stalker film, very well acted with a theme that could have been like the Michael Douglas movie years ago that sent chills up your spine (the title escapes us). No wonder one of us stays up past midnight.

 

We had another hour back on the clock tonight, so now we are back where we started……Pacific Time. One more day at sea, and we will be pulling into the harbor at San Diego.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks very much for explaining the President's Club Pinnacle set-up. Very generous, as it should be.

 

I wonder if 5 stars can use one of their complimentary Pinnacle Dinners for the 2 lunches?

 

Looking forward to you wrap-up post. Your thread is a daily treat and will be missed.

Edited May 15, 2016 by SilvertoGold