Jump to content

**Near-Live Blog of Zaandam Inca and South America Cruise 24 Sep - 3 Nov 2018**


0bnxshs
 Share

Recommended Posts

Day 5 (9/27)

 

 

 

 

 

What sound could be better than the vague sound of a foghorn blowing... this was how I awoke during the night. It took a few times for it to sound until I was sure it was the foghorn, it was that soft. Being reassured it was real and not a dream, I fell back to sleep hoping to continue enjoying it. Although we are forward, being on deck 3 has us a good distance from the horn so it was not invasively loud. We had fallen asleep to the show last night in the lounge. It's not so bad as to be annoying here and Roger can't hear it much at all. Especially over the TV. :rolleyes: So we again had breakfast in the Lido. Service there has been consistently good with lots of stewards keeping tables clear and providing water, coffee and juices. One thing I have noticed is they don't drag a cart through the seating area any more. That was always a bother to people trying to get to tables; much like an airplane flight where the flight attendants spend more time moving their carts out of the way for people to pass. The food in the Lido has been quite acceptable to us and there's been nothing so far we've found we didn't like. Well, I say that and then remember that Roger had gotten a piece of fried chicken that had blood in the meat at the bone; he didn't care for that much. He did turn it back in to show the line chefs. We went on to the 2 PM performance of Adagio again. I know I sound hooked on them but I am. Roger even goes and sits too. He said that Yegor makes listening to classical music enjoyable. That's an extreme compliment coming from him. But to watch the rapture in both of their faces as they play..... it's incredible. It stayed foggy all day and the captain even had to sound it during part of the day as it suddenly got thicker for a while again. Very smooth seas, nearly glass-like most all day. Captain Friso did explain the type of fog to us but I couldn't hear much of his report at noon. I did catch that it was rather rare for being 50 miles out to sea from shore. We have found that the organ in the atrium plays at noon on sea days too. Not sure yet about port days. It's a short rendition of a couple of songs and the lady statues on the thing hit their bells in time with the music while the conductor waves his baton around. We attended another lecture by Jim about the San Andreas, learning all about fault lines, plate tectonics, subduction, volcanoes and earthquakes. Very informative and interesting; lots of photos of various earthquake damage from the late 1800s on to present times. He also showed us where to find "Earthquake Park" in San Diego so we could see the actual fault line and how it's changed and moved just since it was built. Dinner in the Lido (and I assume the MDR) was an "Alaska Frontier" themed dinner. The stewards on the Lido were all dressed as Alaska Lumberjacks in black and red checkered flannel shirts with suspenders and jeans. At Adagio later I again enjoyed their performance. After one of them, a passenger who had been conversing with Yegor complained bitterly at the prospect of HAL replacing Adagio and the Explorers Lounge with Lincoln Center Stage and their performers. She wanted her Adagio. I had a flashback to about 10 years earlier when I was on my first cruise ever on ms Amsterdam. A passenger there was complaining that HAL had started cutting Adagio from 4 to 2 performers. Now they complain that the 2 performers are becoming 5. :rolleyes: I hope to see Julian and Yegor in a future Lincoln Center Stage group as they told me they will try to get on with them. So after another relaxing day at sea, we finally shut down for the night during the finale of the second Main Stage show.

 

 

 

The Atrium Organ:

 

cl6kpCV41CTxVKcKXkcmHFo1eQTsHjnZfSzvB7YwmKrp75vtDXZSnKQtg_H1Uakn0RLJ_9v_2vnF4lwYO_4gpsHdYFC0BqTkIDBnddo9CQLGvPb7nJr1AwRWbwHvjFxYSByI7GwQOG0lnZGjJ1JFfCccaY_4b8YHquL3LkiI3W5TU8fdevOS8S8jr7ioS1nzgbSHkNNTE_nsXWUK_n2PCMwzLJMFYufORoOeUcgUT2Uc7b6o7GK6iJdopF2w2LYImvBgAmdRIan68_OejNUsdXwVX11MWtiPKmbdcWxqNOVVyokgMVFaZIA7EFciRL3yB6R-e4Tpa9OsUAy2n7VqTX1WKJns2y9F6yZSYBxqskmM_RPxZB2GXOg4oDZOt0v7641t46S6NOoP78_Ky-ix8AE0UmlRQ__NiX-DMhf6n3xLQLOc7nD3XSpLc91fOBAiEoDed3dacUQxjODGLxZjE35RnnSUf0o4nEQNE_ASqNL5S6UqEkBZFP6ebkxe408n_bNklTXZrRVyq0lXbiixpMsSyE15HmgwMzVcErTTYfL-Ps-96pBKSbOCveyfJvWZqYN45vvlq6k1iWHHmec_Cp31Hn2ckkqd_WLbdCUQdMMxovGAVbakgQ0oLlwrTpi3Yweka-tdmUWiwxRcRi-dZquxz1lDakbSa7HO8uXMv7c3FGjH9yt7C9Yf8g=w1667-h1250-no

 

 

 

No more Park West or Peter Maxx:

 

H6fb9xpkoxCavW8HWTKRanmzx3Jeo1e4n5Ln5V2CtCfo3nsb0QLn1QY7wMtB6RPURKm7MhP1J_ZmClOxtywGCSmHg9rClaMvhnaJxOubGDvOgz-70SrAxAcV48FFf9odDkiNNeMz4NlzTknfcLnMWamSoPJFsuji1BC-hIiCJmErN0TtTPahiPZMz3oi_4unVH95Qa0wzJgLF2DrZdJETAW7pMFyTaAHBDYeTccBL9tyQ45eKKGt-6NoIzYTUrWEt_DIiPvivFgebUf66MkDA6LWTd560Gbpx8r4wRXUe2IQivYWkfhL8oFvicNK0Ykx3vW1UtahHTFNw9ag3splFELMhfNiwJ_g-JOK7yYB3IBvjKEVLzu0KSM0qfpricnVc3RLVCIXcyyAVE7L38BFOeKiwCXAz2IQrxskh5K4YyAD6H4fO_45ZvkieRzMZMswz6QfqRrIAgNW6uPd1qQAVmWjzKY_QOOAilpF8aLn2rA85qeaYDGpQ_PGc7X0QecLE0JFyNSR70o8h41P2EOd8iI2Kb3oV55EraU6ZflvSg-qonjCgllNz7QF6DW-766oz8cYyXI9yAoLz7t-wvIBbArhoFvyXk_He8J4L3mGOIPO-qLTozK-SL5qfiMU-7oL_TRx7LWet14WfpVCAkXR0tznt5gwZhzx5XAmNlDFTJ2GpMoJMDU9BKAOSQ=w2013-h1133-no

 

 

 

View from our Ocean Bar Happy Hour station (and they start early!):

 

Kz1Rl5eshrSJqITilJBvAkmH4kXHxYG0eJ90z9FLqA_O-rYLTrnTZDzt9HAFaU9kjbGqC9aAOg2h3azXMARtcIyhe4INdBo3tN_UxiEKOukLp39UYqmm2RttAGwN7O19pEYlRahjQy_OboS40IteetumwM2w9bqb4zNpP2MuyfTcdEp9H3c9KX8e6cu6Mdr-53ywTpm5IHXZ80qsi6LCuGVV1_AH26GUl_brchlRQq2TOYKdEbZq8XzHM3QvXLe_x-ODiiU2mHQW1OxjqwtHdqcz7MWLVBFbbKA1cZAttQXW2QEm9UW1N8WGjWTGU9g_m9Px2hTZAWTdHBC4wYjxhI0rozgHFW875wXnQ8QypODyZBbQBlQfcBbYPuun6UxJkjzes88J7q8RNTILZfUqfE7X7RWgAom02C-vNsyFhLlXNjtEjvDS-jqoVcI7IeWtm_75P4l3R6V10EKj8zHJ3siqRUb7E_KPTzqZbg9ozsuVtFk2uRQITRtjmxF4T4LbnbQ-DKIcRd-dg4X6iUnI922i1RI34fe9TUvTZK36Fclo2aceJJYRO_SsdD7qywje_QsvXV-zrPDXOZPnzOLHxgoCmiqrywUo7tr87XFTwJfn9_ZNiB2EnOhdWri2c4SeM03UhGNiPfV2qEDFE8D1hNwZ9JgRVtkEplEBonnupiQ3Rt-z_C-N_Aq4uQ=w2013-h1133-no

 

 

 

Am loving your blog! Re the much appreciated absence of Park West, we had a chance to look at the new emerging artist artwork for sale on the Nieuw Amsterdam this summer in Alaska. We really liked a lot of the pieces, most of which were reasonably priced, and for the first time ever considered buying something. We didn’t, but maybe in the future!

 

Although some people might like it, or regard it as charmingly quirky, we weren’t fans of that atrium organ when we cruised on the Zandaam last February. Was hoping they’d get rid of it in the refurb, put in a cool chandelier, and open the entire space up. Am quite surprised its actually operational. We never heard it in 34 days in South America. For us, it looked like a dusty prop left over from some ancient production of The Phantom Of The Opera!

 

Overall, we really enjoyed our time on the Zandaam. Glad your are too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rich,

Are you guys heading into the path of hurricane Rosa? It is expected to hit Baja California this weekend.

 

She's not been mentioned in any of the Captain's daily reports but I'm sure they are warily eyeing each other. I'm thinking Captain Friso will either wait her out or make a dash for it and pass the area she's expected to hit on Baja California. I enjoy a good ride on some nice waves but I have all confidence we'll be kept safe. Thanks for mentioning her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am loving your blog! Re the much appreciated absence of Park West, we had a chance to look at the new emerging artist artwork for sale on the Nieuw Amsterdam this summer in Alaska. We really liked a lot of the pieces, most of which were reasonably priced, and for the first time ever considered buying something. We didn’t, but maybe in the future!

 

Although some people might like it, or regard it as charmingly quirky, we weren’t fans of that atrium organ when we cruised on the Zandaam last February. Was hoping they’d get rid of it in the refurb, put in a cool chandelier, and open the entire space up. Am quite surprised its actually operational. We never heard it in 34 days in South America. For us, it looked like a dusty prop left over from some ancient production of The Phantom Of The Opera!

 

Overall, we really enjoyed our time on the Zandaam. Glad your are too!

 

Thanks Paul. The organ sure is an oddity. I like your comparison to something from Phantom! ;p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Paul. The organ sure is an oddity. I like your comparison to something from Phantom! ;p

 

Love your pics of the organ, Rich and...

 

I love Phantom of the Opera so I think I will enjoy the organ. Hope they keep it ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 6 (9/28)

 

Land Ho! Santa Barbara appeared out of the overcast and fog a little at a time as we crept closer to it from the sea. If one hadn't known better, it appeared to be a flat and featureless landscape simply because the hills were shrouded in mist and low clouds until mid-afternoon but did eventually reveal themselves. "The American Riviera" is the nickname the city has given itself and it is a beautiful and sleepy place where you might expect to see someone famous or nearly so lounging at the beach or having breakfast in one of the many restaurants on the wharf. But having walked along its pathways and wharf we decided to call it a different nickname: "City of Plaques". Every building, structure, shack, fence and nearly every tree had a plaque on it or in front of it, some of them more than one, designating whatever it was stuck to as some sort of tribute or another to the person or group who made or financed or saw to the financing of whatever it was. Trees included.

 

This is a tender port. We sat between a mile and a mile and a half offshore and, in plenty of time to allow open tendering before calling for tours and tickets, there were 5 tender boats in the water and Roger and I were on the first one, which was only half full of passengers. The trip in was a bit bumpy until we got inside the breakwater of the marina. A few seals greeted us from a buoy in the bay, lazily looking us over to see whether we had anything edible and after deciding we didn't, ignoring us entirely. We walked along the sandy beachfront and marveled at the pop-up wishing wells dug into the sand along the wharf. Old sheets with painted words like "Make a Wish", "How Hot of a Lover are You?" and other inane sayings lined the holes or defined the winning toss of a coin. Didn't see any prizes nearby so we passed on trying. Besides, I doubt anyone wanted the old 100 peso Chilean coin I have brought for our couple of stops there. There were also the beginnings of some sand scuptures appearing too. The weather was chilly and a fine mist occasionally wet our faces and my glasses. It was cooler in town than out on the water.

 

We had a tender to ourselves heading back to Zaandam. We had spent about 2 and half hours just walking and watching people fishing off the end of the wharf and talking to loved ones on our cell phones. A few photos will follow. The ship was not quite deserted when we had lunch and watched as the oil platforms loomed out of the bright fog to our west as it cleared. Glad we don't have those off our coast in Florida.... yet. Departure was held up for a short time by a stubborn spool for one of the tender boat cranes that refused to unroll the last 10 or so feet of cable to the tender. 2 deckhands finally unspooled it by hand with a huge wrench after half the ship's deck department came along to push the button that only produced the hissing sound of compressed air escaping someplace it shouldn't have been escaping from. A couple of dolphins, a few other passengers and I were entertained by the whole episode. I captured it all on a long time-lapse photo series but had to sacrifice most of happy hour to do it! Oh, the pain!.... or lack of the pain of a later headache. By the way, happy hour remains buy 1 drink, get the 2d for $2 and it's from 4-5 PM in both the Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest and again at 9 PM in the Crow's Nest.

 

Internet has been pretty good so far, but being that we are southbound to the equator, I expected that. I bought the longest term package they were selling: $330 for 31 days that provides the highest throughput (it says it supports video/audio two way traffic but I haven't tried it) with a 500 mb data limit daily. I guess I haven't pushed that yet as I've not yet been cut off in mid....

 

Gotcha! There were 2 lesser packages costing a bit less but neither supported the video/audio conference calling, so it said. I'll get the details from someplace, I promise.

 

Last night for Yegor. Julian continues on until Santiago. All I'll say is thank you both for your final performances last night; they were a treasure I'll remember always.

 

Went to sleep to what sounded like a heavy metal cover band thumping and banging away. Turns out it's Claire Gobin whose show is described as "... a performance of sophistication, culture & lots of glamour." I'd add, and lots of bass too!

 

The landing in Santa Barbara:

mBeHYEWyEphOkvadyf7XSMeEHzcUnBIgklJ5osqp9vLb7PkcBQLzWua2N9Mkz4vhVd7Ts9UF8A8YmvLVycXErovX4zPOqZwak9Ozv3_GZmjPFF8xwkUCYz--H202AvOd-ZPwugM2euynCR5CFSZCZQ2mmYeIpp4UqRcXZRMzvVXa-YpfayZO2m6D90M-drSEPzb42ZkCwo-ZtQf_eKMS-GEL15c3sxd4rOVusBppOogwY3oKCaaqkD3itbn5O03fBxA-t060wnCGjbfwJZRPLlpt4_nJVAf_Zh_FbIhUwq5CrGzd6X_b-ac7vx_Lzq4EtNJi9owYaUbYLZoJNmEB4fT_Wc9P8_p-H6kKwNyyMjIdxqHH1fWwUoKMNhvoHzFzAkYb3dgIaw9k_kPjPeCnohimunjnIWNuvZV8qziLpf2PsaJr6S7F5XcAgikz0xGasi-N7-fxlKfRjRA1iUyVinYBVW7YgL5CaQFbRV8RXHakQDo2-H9Lob1c5VjvZzn9XO7Ct0Sf5xNH2H9uMzD4LKoqLBM_Y_S9aUYpcClpwaNJe7tBrLaIIKbWcC_z81MGTVw8byps1zW6bB4vdDJKi_bkAQ5hsUsJPChfVs3_W855-vKk9XFVhxf9CyqJNUDRELZJvZDVyqmUjptztq1oLDHh5wGj7yWfmcWccLx5vUGGNPN-hw1210AFkg=w2033-h1145-no

 

Along the wharf (this is Roger):

jighDlOWMyHc4qK9CAaKVxLVntN02AhAy3S6Dxq5cLq_HtA_t4zo4KJP-BRf0Id6LmcKR3mrFuVyw07trXXBo-vi5UzvyBDKX-T17So-Rjrj2zOeNVlA86ZtpJPruGe_lvnTtsJw0iDbf6buEx50A9Fz-XxQklKbYGXvq6Fm9C-ZUAlrD-wOnIXLUw4BUUQsbbuSFq9oyEOH6o9sYPzUXqd0hpuF4rkV8rgY62l99cKJxNk2c6jE8vg8joeEUJj-xOvRjWQhkwDBPht0qdLTdd-SFf1b37gorfF2Mi7r7Ky82Lp23NXEF6uoNQH82MoD8OyHNEq1Ixk0CxZZ1bVCFPYyg4ViddxkzNFKfgwlEAlao6vgIMBXZiUEDVizDkNA8jg3uVNWgowAO-V1SdFCiqDN-QOIZLg6xwVOgW0V3VFKKAa1tHM22hMCZapOJmyiNk5EfH3eRGDUMweOaXlU_ADVQ4ryeakIRnLrj8TSaWnw7uolQ8tqyOaXt6u0ZoQGSD_Czo3alW2XrYD8Paf5THQ5lqqI7LZFphH7X3F7c9Docbus-IB8nUWs1dHoeXSu0fYHkrdlunYnc_ZnYGnh1uOnpPEazVJoNZ_OehPmSIiMQgTXobJ4R_hcM4MVQzmFJD_wv6yIZChRQDKyoiC4U8wZh70eZP3kgLeY62aoIEbjIZeaPzapL632CA=w2033-h1145-no

 

Not sure what "Ahhnold" had in mind with this name (but I wouldn't swim here...):

LQw2-YNLFPfKROsxmwAEf2X6C-08jAcS0ave_LmN-O57i7tHGLNUXbe7dC9tNyL2HfTf9qQ-ACg2fu9jGPVQFswyvlaIyM7MKqCzhsT0oEfymxtV-7IcgI2Zr6zBMnBKQyV8R_oU_8wuZxCBoKCC5I_V6vzSh9NWr8ywBXOgOnk2IktD2forcYrnKUgdHGBpzYu4eBLw4WfuTTEUroR17i_mYKI6DGM8ihkDWPoTFmUot64CEO9dda1yfknZDNrEKYCS3sEh3-ZgUyjbCdHS6eSkZsUwzrqZXRJ35AH23_8jAQjXi9STAyK3AFH_zreT-pOTJSL-5Da_yo5BFn47ftXv3Dq0S4ZvNabCa-A_SDx723mdgzC70oEi-NZf9eannMTaKmKJj7fgs-pd00-UcGTI45EKO_i2ciUzEVnz8zGZpaD1gGh2iqtC0ViH341hMrjUHtAxlQipuxsMj1_K6kjwyNsEbaf51lM2EJU6UbYr3tXJ74488_bNKpwPRYZl55dipgvwxlRj1uJi20jjPRz7T_-EvYuQ3za7i16R-LxvOWzm3PgUf-YMv2IeaL89IKIdkldzOu6bofglv_Uzu8zCQqtfjqH3EoTLUM9Cb9R27oUnMyIX4zI71ZjTWHjZmlojmHuCnwUfheFSMNN9phlDutuh3k5cxQ6zLmm-wexg-6qcWurZCLPxwQ=w2033-h1145-no

 

I would, however, go here:

Qy_uBFFefAM_X4A2-xWLz7ZhY0unwiZOkTYdpEd3a18o_8skh-2dFSnz-h1sbVa-S3_QQ95kf-pvA-j35juHsT5S0gCxJR4povShNp0Y3qReVZ6zDM89rkxZCu7AjQp65xJ6Sp5esB2KUF4XULscrbFP0FA78AQOXk9ZS4Ph7U8OFnztFx7E5gVilkQRXBnF9i01xcLA_nOQVOsZWbIl7nuc7esPUL7U-N9eZS4O10VAmgV6ZGfKfydOrz3DfbVj3rLqaM68nR2rHsf9_OCk0gLkWvayNxaRg60XIB3uBLXccx3wpCxWn1Ewza_LbuIcjYx04INQ9HLeyR2dyCh4VKQu9VolK-n018oHBE2C-ABRgVbRo8acwHPb8OTCWy7A2ADqQLmRgk2ODsGyShrsUN6pgcLWXu4lnWNlKPWU88rLlOyDwHKcSTaaDVE2Uv41QUOf7TSaWFgkcFt_S2h2wFLCq6l9vh4BRpki6sc2cUCH9Tf9hH5UB-eDH_PoJfqdhBC8HPS8fiT_4nTjkBA5Gr6OPCdmKD9rPvmTD5uw6iqoj9NgHtMXXIiXCGZ73YvY1Iopu3dwJoMj0n5SZk3CBiPg4-o7lXxldyR5esrV0t545CKI_CV_0RnJNoXONyCfwdYoZDs481ZRZfxOJIQncGM2FHRv6jerMq5MfBQVXFDXU5BSYZHSTGKlNg=w2033-h1145-no

 

The marina:

asDeemX7jn1r_LgGsr8xPy2UOF-3gSP9qaJ1yWvAha74Kb212vfa6FvxTW83P6p5mXmrYBlOCpHHvMX-dZLzjzY9bOLmCsWPLxyU4aKMcz1Xd0DCs-lzG09snKqn8uCBl5CY_rkbaIoib9zXJhbViRTWRydAvxjBWuaYmkB5TAZ3OiROwM6UY00LpS0QImHc4qjEgcH4xwJcZAuFenwf13a_6_yBuBS31BBCmPBXHFYcsPmZj0u6747xhGYpXrJbMgFYiRPylEXwiUuoFvVTQ3GPPPoPTx5dYyUcuaZM1coIqH4RXbj6UKRGbRHSeTdiXboGuJmcRq3aCvWiq9LPObqq5hACNdAm5vuqpmSRNwju6HLkSYpH6GoIDwabvgafjdlEvHD8a1Nz_YdaCEh7-Lo82oMNMDMmU-WTb2WZJpScwvFs-dqtss4f7hCYoaI8L0Tv0mzDjMVjK3v4kBvTSDrhgRuj4GvZfizeJ75evSOukswZs3D6Mae5il7z8wqe4OrmTW0ww7ntkALJsvJ6voyqBuAiOp1qvvskI_DL-C_tXCrlzz8DMDooxpkrJcvey0KwIJsMxG4dGKPL59qFAwE69TRUXrQsaiw4Ag_yMTKLCbMHvOpj6SNT_7hSULVyJrLnql_Y2FgwnoK7Vgid6fnI3uiN9Y9VNpVesEjJhWa4Ev3AFzVD2_dkZA=w2033-h1145-no

 

Dolphins enjoying life (and the tender boat lift drama}:

Z_oV_4SvwGv0p1avgVLCSIab0wAg-blPotGnu2Ubc_JnhJWhjjekRVGwdPRhuUUNocT9Ls4EphVfVZGiFn7wNn07xWiloy_fhD6mxyqY-7X4K_jLMN2mCcr9CMg_Xhb2xBXnWxH3Tfev71vsR8rphbnvbiei3-kCaTh7TeH5FVbNhOI2Iwz_weJVI0ZP3lyTqlJC2B0P7Ghygt5Lkgzd8xKnYJ7oa9RyNd02cge5kslrP-dcjXmONxeQUdLY-9qF83GIefIkstvAuZLd4CdqORWDwhdCW68ou2eto6b3NIH7MuCv8ou8qOsp10XuCMzd8lZGi3NXvuVDWhjhe7KaOuSxU7jVIGF3GD3DRhbZWpG4LLuDhAufIA7nPvvabbJlWicWPXvi3P7L0dtri8H1-aZ_C8XJaUYAIcsIoqUhMa4NcekyZwhVe25Vh-PyHHpRFixnYRlj5VKhfvjDWhd_mcnK02DOaP7joBJKMxye2e4ED8Nl3VA66WSD1xeJXNdyzQJxfJjiRX3At0YWhJ0H6jtIclnujemM7NDMrYN9-K9yVZGFjmawLg_IKRRGUUumwT1LHSOGaAU6j62i6kpXxqdZolkVXlPEhuxPCiXPDb_bVlAwIy6_-YX7j2nx_YtjP9aSryniDt6Jz7f9VlWr37I5VdAK0W9IGQlu7eLh-uJ4qGJZiYl1cgnXeg=w182-h322-no

 

 

Seals on a buoy:

SoJ9xsLCnYk

Edited by 0bnxshs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. You are mastering that new photo gadget! We are reaping the benefits. Thanks so much.

 

I checked windy.com. As of Saturday 4:00 your time the max wave height off the Baka is 4.1 meters ( 1 meter = 39”). By Monday it is greatly dissipated.

 

Keep enjoying the music!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 6 (9/28)

 

Land Ho! Santa Barbara appeared out of the overcast and fog a little at a time as we crept closer to it from the sea. If one hadn't known better, it appeared to be a flat and featureless landscape simply because the hills were shrouded in mist and low clouds until mid-afternoon but did eventually reveal themselves. "The American Riviera" is the nickname the city has given itself and it is a beautiful and sleepy place where you might expect to see someone famous or nearly so lounging at the beach or having breakfast in one of the many restaurants on the wharf. But having walked along its pathways and wharf we decided to call it a different nickname: "City of Plaques". Every building, structure, shack, fence and nearly every tree had a plaque on it or in front of it, some of them more than one, designating whatever it was stuck to as some sort of tribute or another to the person or group who made or financed or saw to the financing of whatever it was. Trees included.

 

This is a tender port. We sat between a mile and a mile and a half offshore and, in plenty of time to allow open tendering before calling for tours and tickets, there were 5 tender boats in the water and Roger and I were on the first one, which was only half full of passengers. The trip in was a bit bumpy until we got inside the breakwater of the marina. A few seals greeted us from a buoy in the bay, lazily looking us over to see whether we had anything edible and after deciding we didn't, ignoring us entirely. We walked along the sandy beachfront and marveled at the pop-up wishing wells dug into the sand along the wharf. Old sheets with painted words like "Make a Wish", "How Hot of a Lover are You?" and other inane sayings lined the holes or defined the winning toss of a coin. Didn't see any prizes nearby so we passed on trying. Besides, I doubt anyone wanted the old 100 peso Chilean coin I have brought for our couple of stops there. There were also the beginnings of some sand scuptures appearing too. The weather was chilly and a fine mist occasionally wet our faces and my glasses. It was cooler in town than out on the water.

 

We had a tender to ourselves heading back to Zaandam. We had spent about 2 and half hours just walking and watching people fishing off the end of the wharf and talking to loved ones on our cell phones. A few photos will follow. The ship was not quite deserted when we had lunch and watched as the oil platforms loomed out of the bright fog to our west as it cleared. Glad we don't have those off our coast in Florida.... yet. Departure was held up for a short time by a stubborn spool for one of the tender boat cranes that refused to unroll the last 10 or so feet of cable to the tender. 2 deckhands finally unspooled it by hand with a huge wrench after half the ship's deck department came along to push the button that only produced the hissing sound of compressed air escaping someplace it shouldn't have been escaping from. A couple of dolphins, a few other passengers and I were entertained by the whole episode. I captured it all on a long time-lapse photo series but had to sacrifice most of happy hour to do it! Oh, the pain!.... or lack of the pain of a later headache. By the way, happy hour remains buy 1 drink, get the 2d for $2 and it's from 4-5 PM in both the Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest and again at 9 PM in the Crow's Nest.

 

Internet has been pretty good so far, but being that we are southbound to the equator, I expected that. I bought the longest term package they were selling: $330 for 31 days that provides the highest throughput (it says it supports video/audio two way traffic but I haven't tried it) with a 500 mb data limit daily. I guess I haven't pushed that yet as I've not yet been cut off in mid....

 

Gotcha! There were 2 lesser packages costing a bit less but neither supported the video/audio conference calling, so it said. I'll get the details from someplace, I promise.

 

Last night for Yegor. Julian continues on until Santiago. All I'll say is thank you both for your final performances last night; they were a treasure I'll remember always.

 

Went to sleep to what sounded like a heavy metal cover band thumping and banging away. Turns out it's Claire Gobin whose show is described as "... a performance of sophistication, culture & lots of glamour." I'd add, and lots of bass too!

 

The landing in Santa Barbara:

mBeHYEWyEphOkvadyf7XSMeEHzcUnBIgklJ5osqp9vLb7PkcBQLzWua2N9Mkz4vhVd7Ts9UF8A8YmvLVycXErovX4zPOqZwak9Ozv3_GZmjPFF8xwkUCYz--H202AvOd-ZPwugM2euynCR5CFSZCZQ2mmYeIpp4UqRcXZRMzvVXa-YpfayZO2m6D90M-drSEPzb42ZkCwo-ZtQf_eKMS-GEL15c3sxd4rOVusBppOogwY3oKCaaqkD3itbn5O03fBxA-t060wnCGjbfwJZRPLlpt4_nJVAf_Zh_FbIhUwq5CrGzd6X_b-ac7vx_Lzq4EtNJi9owYaUbYLZoJNmEB4fT_Wc9P8_p-H6kKwNyyMjIdxqHH1fWwUoKMNhvoHzFzAkYb3dgIaw9k_kPjPeCnohimunjnIWNuvZV8qziLpf2PsaJr6S7F5XcAgikz0xGasi-N7-fxlKfRjRA1iUyVinYBVW7YgL5CaQFbRV8RXHakQDo2-H9Lob1c5VjvZzn9XO7Ct0Sf5xNH2H9uMzD4LKoqLBM_Y_S9aUYpcClpwaNJe7tBrLaIIKbWcC_z81MGTVw8byps1zW6bB4vdDJKi_bkAQ5hsUsJPChfVs3_W855-vKk9XFVhxf9CyqJNUDRELZJvZDVyqmUjptztq1oLDHh5wGj7yWfmcWccLx5vUGGNPN-hw1210AFkg=w2033-h1145-no

 

Along the wharf (this is Roger):

jighDlOWMyHc4qK9CAaKVxLVntN02AhAy3S6Dxq5cLq_HtA_t4zo4KJP-BRf0Id6LmcKR3mrFuVyw07trXXBo-vi5UzvyBDKX-T17So-Rjrj2zOeNVlA86ZtpJPruGe_lvnTtsJw0iDbf6buEx50A9Fz-XxQklKbYGXvq6Fm9C-ZUAlrD-wOnIXLUw4BUUQsbbuSFq9oyEOH6o9sYPzUXqd0hpuF4rkV8rgY62l99cKJxNk2c6jE8vg8joeEUJj-xOvRjWQhkwDBPht0qdLTdd-SFf1b37gorfF2Mi7r7Ky82Lp23NXEF6uoNQH82MoD8OyHNEq1Ixk0CxZZ1bVCFPYyg4ViddxkzNFKfgwlEAlao6vgIMBXZiUEDVizDkNA8jg3uVNWgowAO-V1SdFCiqDN-QOIZLg6xwVOgW0V3VFKKAa1tHM22hMCZapOJmyiNk5EfH3eRGDUMweOaXlU_ADVQ4ryeakIRnLrj8TSaWnw7uolQ8tqyOaXt6u0ZoQGSD_Czo3alW2XrYD8Paf5THQ5lqqI7LZFphH7X3F7c9Docbus-IB8nUWs1dHoeXSu0fYHkrdlunYnc_ZnYGnh1uOnpPEazVJoNZ_OehPmSIiMQgTXobJ4R_hcM4MVQzmFJD_wv6yIZChRQDKyoiC4U8wZh70eZP3kgLeY62aoIEbjIZeaPzapL632CA=w2033-h1145-no

 

Not sure what "Ahhnold" had in mind with this name (but I wouldn't swim here...):

LQw2-YNLFPfKROsxmwAEf2X6C-08jAcS0ave_LmN-O57i7tHGLNUXbe7dC9tNyL2HfTf9qQ-ACg2fu9jGPVQFswyvlaIyM7MKqCzhsT0oEfymxtV-7IcgI2Zr6zBMnBKQyV8R_oU_8wuZxCBoKCC5I_V6vzSh9NWr8ywBXOgOnk2IktD2forcYrnKUgdHGBpzYu4eBLw4WfuTTEUroR17i_mYKI6DGM8ihkDWPoTFmUot64CEO9dda1yfknZDNrEKYCS3sEh3-ZgUyjbCdHS6eSkZsUwzrqZXRJ35AH23_8jAQjXi9STAyK3AFH_zreT-pOTJSL-5Da_yo5BFn47ftXv3Dq0S4ZvNabCa-A_SDx723mdgzC70oEi-NZf9eannMTaKmKJj7fgs-pd00-UcGTI45EKO_i2ciUzEVnz8zGZpaD1gGh2iqtC0ViH341hMrjUHtAxlQipuxsMj1_K6kjwyNsEbaf51lM2EJU6UbYr3tXJ74488_bNKpwPRYZl55dipgvwxlRj1uJi20jjPRz7T_-EvYuQ3za7i16R-LxvOWzm3PgUf-YMv2IeaL89IKIdkldzOu6bofglv_Uzu8zCQqtfjqH3EoTLUM9Cb9R27oUnMyIX4zI71ZjTWHjZmlojmHuCnwUfheFSMNN9phlDutuh3k5cxQ6zLmm-wexg-6qcWurZCLPxwQ=w2033-h1145-no

 

I would, however, go here:

Qy_uBFFefAM_X4A2-xWLz7ZhY0unwiZOkTYdpEd3a18o_8skh-2dFSnz-h1sbVa-S3_QQ95kf-pvA-j35juHsT5S0gCxJR4povShNp0Y3qReVZ6zDM89rkxZCu7AjQp65xJ6Sp5esB2KUF4XULscrbFP0FA78AQOXk9ZS4Ph7U8OFnztFx7E5gVilkQRXBnF9i01xcLA_nOQVOsZWbIl7nuc7esPUL7U-N9eZS4O10VAmgV6ZGfKfydOrz3DfbVj3rLqaM68nR2rHsf9_OCk0gLkWvayNxaRg60XIB3uBLXccx3wpCxWn1Ewza_LbuIcjYx04INQ9HLeyR2dyCh4VKQu9VolK-n018oHBE2C-ABRgVbRo8acwHPb8OTCWy7A2ADqQLmRgk2ODsGyShrsUN6pgcLWXu4lnWNlKPWU88rLlOyDwHKcSTaaDVE2Uv41QUOf7TSaWFgkcFt_S2h2wFLCq6l9vh4BRpki6sc2cUCH9Tf9hH5UB-eDH_PoJfqdhBC8HPS8fiT_4nTjkBA5Gr6OPCdmKD9rPvmTD5uw6iqoj9NgHtMXXIiXCGZ73YvY1Iopu3dwJoMj0n5SZk3CBiPg4-o7lXxldyR5esrV0t545CKI_CV_0RnJNoXONyCfwdYoZDs481ZRZfxOJIQncGM2FHRv6jerMq5MfBQVXFDXU5BSYZHSTGKlNg=w2033-h1145-no

 

The marina:

asDeemX7jn1r_LgGsr8xPy2UOF-3gSP9qaJ1yWvAha74Kb212vfa6FvxTW83P6p5mXmrYBlOCpHHvMX-dZLzjzY9bOLmCsWPLxyU4aKMcz1Xd0DCs-lzG09snKqn8uCBl5CY_rkbaIoib9zXJhbViRTWRydAvxjBWuaYmkB5TAZ3OiROwM6UY00LpS0QImHc4qjEgcH4xwJcZAuFenwf13a_6_yBuBS31BBCmPBXHFYcsPmZj0u6747xhGYpXrJbMgFYiRPylEXwiUuoFvVTQ3GPPPoPTx5dYyUcuaZM1coIqH4RXbj6UKRGbRHSeTdiXboGuJmcRq3aCvWiq9LPObqq5hACNdAm5vuqpmSRNwju6HLkSYpH6GoIDwabvgafjdlEvHD8a1Nz_YdaCEh7-Lo82oMNMDMmU-WTb2WZJpScwvFs-dqtss4f7hCYoaI8L0Tv0mzDjMVjK3v4kBvTSDrhgRuj4GvZfizeJ75evSOukswZs3D6Mae5il7z8wqe4OrmTW0ww7ntkALJsvJ6voyqBuAiOp1qvvskI_DL-C_tXCrlzz8DMDooxpkrJcvey0KwIJsMxG4dGKPL59qFAwE69TRUXrQsaiw4Ag_yMTKLCbMHvOpj6SNT_7hSULVyJrLnql_Y2FgwnoK7Vgid6fnI3uiN9Y9VNpVesEjJhWa4Ev3AFzVD2_dkZA=w2033-h1145-no

 

Dolphins enjoying life (and the tender boat lift drama}:

Z_oV_4SvwGv0p1avgVLCSIab0wAg-blPotGnu2Ubc_JnhJWhjjekRVGwdPRhuUUNocT9Ls4EphVfVZGiFn7wNn07xWiloy_fhD6mxyqY-7X4K_jLMN2mCcr9CMg_Xhb2xBXnWxH3Tfev71vsR8rphbnvbiei3-kCaTh7TeH5FVbNhOI2Iwz_weJVI0ZP3lyTqlJC2B0P7Ghygt5Lkgzd8xKnYJ7oa9RyNd02cge5kslrP-dcjXmONxeQUdLY-9qF83GIefIkstvAuZLd4CdqORWDwhdCW68ou2eto6b3NIH7MuCv8ou8qOsp10XuCMzd8lZGi3NXvuVDWhjhe7KaOuSxU7jVIGF3GD3DRhbZWpG4LLuDhAufIA7nPvvabbJlWicWPXvi3P7L0dtri8H1-aZ_C8XJaUYAIcsIoqUhMa4NcekyZwhVe25Vh-PyHHpRFixnYRlj5VKhfvjDWhd_mcnK02DOaP7joBJKMxye2e4ED8Nl3VA66WSD1xeJXNdyzQJxfJjiRX3At0YWhJ0H6jtIclnujemM7NDMrYN9-K9yVZGFjmawLg_IKRRGUUumwT1LHSOGaAU6j62i6kpXxqdZolkVXlPEhuxPCiXPDb_bVlAwIy6_-YX7j2nx_YtjP9aSryniDt6Jz7f9VlWr37I5VdAK0W9IGQlu7eLh-uJ4qGJZiYl1cgnXeg=w182-h322-no

 

 

Seals on a buoy:

SoJ9xsLCnYk

 

 

 

Another great report! We live in Los Angeles, and every few months make the 90 minute drive up to Santa Barbara to have lunch, explore the shopping district on State Street, and maybe see a movie. Such a fun place.

 

In a couple weeks we’ll be on the Westerdam for a 28 day journey throughout Asia from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Am hoping they too will have an unlimited internet package. When we were on the Zandaam last winter, HA was still selling them by the number of minutes. Happy to see they’ve changed. I think the internet speed can get a quite slow in South America, at least it did for us.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fabulous report and pics, Rich! Thanks :D

 

Sounds like a very interesting experience with that tender!

 

It was good entertainment watching as first other deckhands and then cadet deck officers and later deck officers up to a 3 striper appeared, usually one or two at a time, beckoned by their mates or their radios, to show the others how the button must be pressed. All received an unsatisfactory "hiss" in return for their efforts. :o:rolleyes::confused::mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another great report! We live in Los Angeles, and every few months make the 90 minute drive up to Santa Barbara to have lunch, explore the shopping district on State Street, and maybe see a movie. Such a fun place.

 

In a couple weeks we’ll be on the Westerdam for a 28 day journey throughout Asia from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Am hoping they too will have an unlimited internet package. When we were on the Zandaam last winter, HA was still selling them by the number of minutes. Happy to see they’ve changed. I think the internet speed can get a quite slow in South America, at least it did for us.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Thanks again Paul! Santa Barbara really is a pretty place, even in the fog and mist. Roger and I enjoyed our time there and can well understand your attraction.

 

Hope they have the same internet package for you. We were on Westerdam in April and it was the same 3 tiered setup as Zaandam has now. It says the premium plan is limited to 500 mb daily for downloading (maybe uploading too?) and does support video/audio but I've not hit it yet with all the photos and videos I'm backing up to the cloud. I can listen to Pandora with no interruptions even in the cabin. I'm sure it'll get sketchy from place to place. At just over $10 a day it is a bargain (for HAL internet anyways.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 7 (9/29)

 

San Diego today! Another day of debarking and embarking and in-transit comings and goings. We heard that roughly 350 passengers were debarking today and that a similar amount were embarking. So, at least until San Antonio (Santiago, Chile) we should have about 1350 passengers total, at least that's the scuttlebutt.

 

Our plans today were made months ago when I bought admission tickets for the USS Midway Museum at their online site (www.midway.org). USS Midway (CV-41) was an US Navy aircraft carrier that was commissioned as the largest ship in the world 1 week after WWII ended and held that title until 1955. She was the first US aircraft carrier that was too big to transit the Panama Canal. While she didn't see action in either WWII or the Korean Conflict, she did serve in the Vietnam War and was the flagship during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 before being decommissioned in 1992 in San Diego where she lives on as a wonderfully informative and interesting floating museum. As she sits only a short walk away from the cruise pier, it's an easy choice for something inexpensive yet fun to do. Along with the Midway Museum there is the Maritime Museum of San Diego on the other side of the cruise pier. We heard it called the "derelict dock" but it actually plays host to some unique ships including a Soviet-era "Foxtrot" class submarine, a Vietnam War Swift Boat and the world's deepest diving submarine, the USS Dolphin, among other ships. All of this is within nearly a stone's throw away from the cruise pier.

 

We could have gotten off the ship as early as 7:45 AM when it was announced that the ship had been cleared and expedited disembarkation could begin, which was 15 minutes earlier than published. However, we waited until about 9:20 AM to go ashore with our in-transit tickets. We walked down to the Maritime Museum and looked at the different ships there before deciding to head over to the Midway. As it is Saturday there was a large local crowd but having pre-purchased our tickets we only had to wait in 1 line to get aboard. We were on board by just after 10 AM and spent the next few hours touring through the open spaces of Midway. Along the way, docents of the museum, most of them veterans, some of them previous crew on Midway, awaited guests and spoke of their particular location with great knowledge and enthusiam. We toured the open forward spaces of enlisted crew quarters and workspaces, junior officers country, ready rooms of embarked aircraft squadrons, the ship's CIC and air traffic control center before wandering the cavernous hangar deck where there were a few static aircraft displays, simulation rides, a theater, a gift shop and snack bar, then went topside to the flight deck. We finished up with a tour of the "island", the superstructure containing the ship's bridge, navigation and flight deck control spaces where the CO, "Air Boss", "Mini Boss" and "Gator" live. Also aboard are found the "Big Dog" and a place everyone visits from time to time, the "Geedunk". Had we more time to spend we would have attended some of the presentations on "shooting" and "trapping" or gone way down and toured the engine room, mess, medical and other spaces or watched the "Battle of Midway" documentary in the theater. But, alas, we had gotten hungry and didn't want to pay $5 for a bald hotdog when we could get one for free that had been walked through the garden on our our own ship. (Free in the literary sense as it cost a small fortune to be on this ship.) But we did pick up new challenge coins from the Midway to add to our growing collections. And yes, we paid for them.

.

Back on the ship there is a lot of new entertainment aboard. The Ocean Quartet performs in the Ocean Bar 4 times tonight. It turns out they all perform together and not one at a time. The Mainstage has Derek Floyd at 8 PM performing the hits of Lionel Ritchie. Stryker is in the Piano Bar from 8:45 PM on and Liam is performing in the Explorers Lounge. A few Mexican Ambassadors have also joined the cruise to immerse us in Mexican heritage and culture while we visit there over the next few days. After mustard, the Captain also acknowledged the presence of Hurricane Rosa and announced his decision to outrun her at full speed down the coast before she makes landfall in Baja California. Glad he's going for it! Sail away was again done under a clear sky with lovely temperatures and the Blue Angels provided a show for us during their afternoon practice nearby. Whoever is responible for scheduling these has done a great job.

 

Chicken in the Lido Market. Roger's choice of meat for dinner most nights. For the 3d time he's been disappointed. Tonight he tried the fried chicken, again. Remember, the first time he'd gotten some it had blood in the meat near the bone. Well, tonight's fried chicken looked like chicken wings that had been overcooked and dried out and were inedible. We'll see if he keeps trying chicken in the future.

 

Our toilet has developed a sound like that of a stubborn donkey that's been kicked in the butt. So far it's working as expected with no surprises. On the other hand, the shower has surprised Roger with a one-two combination of scaldingly hot water followed by freezing cold water before returning to something more agreeable in temperature. I haven't experienced this yet myself but am wary I'm its next victim.

 

So far, it's been a great cruise.

 

A beautiful sunset winked over the Pacific at us just before 7 PM. I saw the green flash. I was happy.

 

USS Midway Museum from Zaandam:

ibntSKKc40UEhKeJIQ_LV3RPAJSKUkxSDRwX25WnmGd1JyGEtQwt7eQwTE1i0Fz0w05Gg2cGv_M0Rp8YZtF5o3-32k_93Y845sZxi3zxRkg9U79hZAzrVfbi3u2UX16O8YYmY55G5sfHdkRS5CwjyIavrr4rJRyFqxXg_uB62_2adcmD4VcQxdgj3kAHLkkd29dB-7jxY-bT7fTytEBnNPQZ2LhesBZ7EB3RaWFrfb5gecduLuKsOHJiOqaa59UyI93D7J7mRsAJXD2oh2Fr7jQXivzGGSBNpRWDOQyvCUeZqqCDNIzb36J8_-BCpcz8bJw0AbDumwMwvO9EA9Z27mSOL3OvqFxTwBf_B1qfnq3mvNPr1HfOr5OYjqEo1RVz6vc9lq8lF6Oc96Z8j3YjpzQ0WM1k0csUw15f7rF1Zih3AIBMhknpCJR9K0KuKcsc0-e9YNAEGGZuTXygh28Zvsx0b0Y_phse7Jkfrl4c3mki7vv_ZooaYA615aG2Mj2LZ3pK_QGCl4MsgihZ4IgDnTsKKu5-wL8XN-87b8nt5m-UgFHa9B2xMR3LLZ-MMdsLvmm9w2U1vYJSG9JkVjBCPwTOl61I4Hp3qI19hdPBQnIIbEdjr__auppX_8D6xIhmkfq_dfrh5M3Bu_K1j-alMdh_tCOnTgz8wLLCJrwwUWQBTavOLFqZjEdcdg=w2034-h1145-no

 

Zaandam in San Diego:

LLCBixdU-t_pHjzz8NG4krqDFxLb71rUjOigXfiv44qdlxfU4B1ZZsA7nf06oGHZW7fr0sGelpssJluTF-GJM9Vp9to0WhN3U3OLJTyChtXRN04ZzgWY6LDlrr1uliI-AHXzlXGqyvmqoGqf_ME9aXuIGIlqKsK7kS4Sw4GPUnDxuEOESRoBBVc2Mk8DpWn0G2mH_X_hQ5EcRj9-tw92ojHlBiEBIvpPbT4jGA4IjVs22ZLwruxUc1LeXkvgAdL63jsJAIOmcI3wydM0gF0fZ4osDu0S5d6rIKzIoRjeh0iMyww-J-wuEsdmtChnw0LJFK7yH9u7RvSPtUCpB8lCYalqDzJuVfsuBYCzDTB_-92Fq9ISO0LdSJ1F8kKZ-D7_C5fhNpHUdPv8akJ4dhjcyaK0H-P35yV4svCPiUmLfYIaAu4wy44NU6xdykgjYL1LETQDQdT7CStqgM-VMzW9uBq3TOhylqsIMEYr-rIhglyV06l4v8_JwWOyvPhu7VGnconpUbrEuhFKsfUYiP0PqOGqLi0zoUHecNNOjlWs5ELOKfgkhGOmUhWWb80j7JZ1C8VYZkB4vqHgQFi39atS8LqtLB2qIBL3mYjFD6rmugpi7R-pFAcM-NQUnVC-TvN5I35TRoVDwFN9oioYM5hqMxiiMaJQRC-c8ubiAC33w_WOrMj30-hwyXLYAw=w704-h1250-no

 

Midway's stern:

937A7eyOZnT7P2ZweXy_MRl01lMF6Tl4kQpZvsffFBSaJJHA2WfRwCgh0m1e8xjoycgNevlTxuRQk3bdFzX_lo7cXrGdqzHoPxy-37yej1YdpOYBUJ3aDLWJ3LI3vqqXPxvjVkOjXZzjpiJXHTXJaMM6Km7nS1gs_t09aHs9EY3zLUQxVyQh3R0b_0lyWohBOkHW4HaNCP9m_WqSbxJWfJU-LFARvACkH8l3zCSuWg4unFKC8ImCJotp6toctphe4oBdITZTRU91eA0h3JBaToL0aQWiEp-SAIEizr9FQNV4N_xYowQCFsn6axAs53MZLXeYAP5Mmvg0bG8ualhsUAtFiDSTRyFU33xckO9ygjyNe4iNKSG0BDrmDyzgLAS-e-4nFv6DK45OldQccMOH8pzl5FUJT7ai4UJoKYmla_eGPQ0KvOsd2kbCri6FxQRUiBM9YLezV77FMeQBdEEcxl-LIqFoykhMqvV3Q_i4S17mqCyoXUxeCA8yw71Vyg5q71jFF3BM7-kCnZApuLHKBPzy6_dr1JOXg2fuqGPxkCCQQ4JEwZiIQ-wMVakgDpd8-60iLGAm0BrNfkDVZ_GLFj3VutEV3GMXoTlhi0D4AzOtSxi0lCyStNqoqVZnloAYaYPIUU3TBPBf7LWVxvx9Qo9kZW2tD3NQNS2XTxClgXXpwqmzTS2w5bjnag=w643-h362-no

 

Sailing away from San Diego. Unseen to far left are the Blue Angels practicing aerobatics. The warship on the right is CVN-71, the "Big Stick":

IpQEMnAPs_Ytrp0WkePm1CHKCstKiuaie7I3iRlfmtWgpycvFtm1S-QNd2ZTXPCCB0bUJ-fV1h8VxSGUnPalZbP3LF5NPzvlfGbF15jFpYHaO-5aSk-OyWVcZa7TW9ZvqFCCwHqWu7-qmeEX3SyEIIplwGk1dn644uXliBZp7gkmO60JAniiWnOuZM-K6NMhvtJ1nMj9BHkLh5dKWu3WsCTjMS5F0n0fC8ypO_4y3x10GATXRKogDuUHmw_0z4UqP5z-NKrERLlq4jz-lKjWmNcAEMLrtFEDbfI1l-yzaXsudEhKcJt5F7cRFVft8-jVIaR5j1mjHFdb9_syW33qfVJ1apbQCQ_cFqZisvThjvW7ZqgX7m1H-YD87y1waqesGQKmvNSfkIgWIAO0RPSd_QGJltxntSvCsa81Ctbj1UP-8GlDGt4ZvdE-OMDtliajkAAkfNZFjZqJ7B458yC0s-7JzYEooIYousyIvgI3sHfvvEd5T4ZgGschD2_VoxgLZodi-sB7k6yskWyhArrt8Sk8Nuyo5xpCp4Bi76vDx4MjAPgCswn3jtgc7ctf8XT9e7qGV4QJbtRBHzpRihHTkCZZxxYh1gCZDKnhI4Mol19-J1RMRivVQNRJO4BQY-QPus_b9yzBu2hX7GE8zJCB-r94xeJ4Jmyuojloo64z4UtMmRswaDQ4bP455A=w2034-h1145-no

 

You can just make out the Blue Angels doing barrel rolls:

EYavKr3YlDw8EtvZWqi-ZIWGb3-Uh8AWz3n4hT_LonQK3Hk5ySPVvTkcPNT6qL-9PQH272wSoh04_-QzPTBk1wFdpVbzJMxYe0dv8T6UEG5zuJM9PtYp25Et9IOmRYdMGqThxLk3-0RbJTUr_0RhxKgveWU3QnmpjadCxWODcpFXgIciI3ujrwEJII1sMX6F155ROu5he15qHTCc6_Iygt-Z17PhP1syWR6ocOw0_AwLMUmQcUxQ8KNX3_BOQ2DeA2kA3svRdhztMbMAQhA9lAFFA33wbZuahO135KapdLsW0puB6f6M_bdZo6y2OdUmy5LZoO-mnzFFDP72TYsNm9XDXJudCT4xWuD5Ty_C6jnDfl73ZDWwLd-uqiPXou7JMQTgj827q2nJzzI25OYr5_KmEg-SoJcI_5O5z6q7uBi9ADEMRCsxD2ibVbcBQZZXPpCV9ETq-QOBJgIy6IgML1VYS9Em5pCo-m8PnnY1rQyzhJ3XwA16-d5rE-4WzRCfsyKrjEOR8YB20bfiPcXnjFvNZgDabMOyH_W08QZcpk11Y1IO0f-N88ssjAzj7HEASo4Ae9NBf4OmruUllSXXp-SBYPGFEeLzJGEqddVtyNbJnmtxwAo_YNWIbuiwAskeJARjuOAi9fGTwhRl-IIGZFmyy8t4DxkrYGrPP2iK6zcph6tjjs-ACIHrSQ=w2034-h1145-no

 

Sunset:

wF-c_l57r-Z7aJkj_2jcf4-HpiUEsCXPv3Ik9c4ElAjkZtSaiUGmoaIjW1P09poi__Z3idtOOm0P9Bd0Rnmp0kVsSajPLoC0Wg47MOdEaAc1Ng2esU6rwTcJmXh0a3sg5Hhi7lsz1wTdkwuGxt5dqEheNqHz_RAQXrMjxHEfWNo2Qy2yue4er-mgAlIxpTpyUX0m6iNKwso4Pz3n-Q3p9utkG03GNC7IJWUbia4NV_EiHRIwcaDGCpf56sy1Kp3vkHLVkgMqRJomweXc6wuBFT416IX4XONPyaeq_tXInE85EJxtHCHjZ2HQVgG-2k-BW7CdH52Dw8ELZNa1kCSMUQvY19zwQFRDKZTzsYAcsHof4wJG3k7A1CNXK8DVVR6SJUR_Lul2e7rf_VGQ9Jobrq7i1b1vclR_3hVO3Er7Gv7KaD73oaUhLo2_fGqx9O5gmQCzZcdc54S5ksrpafjqp4NzGCr-64OQsYvct2XctiIJtZALQfwLuzoDIOi65xVz_5cAhVmVnaXONZWhCJdOPBDSRCefk3f35mylwo5jaji9Ex7xaVw2Gxxs8tPcs41_QdxBNffGKTmqWgImKP2qpnOq3mx_nQ3kZmjAq_Fo1ZEBH2apj1qTskam_gMuCxyYAY_DkLzoxzsNUR-2tu8T70GlqcuYdscRZkGD-B01HE_iVOaQ0Y3b782phQ=w2034-h1145-no

Edited by 0bnxshs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A note to those following...

 

We crossed the expected path of Hurricane Rosa about 8 Sunday morning. Per Captain Friso, we currently have moderate to heavy seas, 3.5 meter swells and a 25 knot wind from the SE. Pitched, rolled and shuttered after midnight a bit. All together, a nice ride! :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great pics Rich. :)

 

Sorry Roger is not enjoying his chicken :(. I'm not a fan of chicken in the Lido. The MDR is ok IME, but the Lido is either over done or overdone.

 

We have enough chicken at home that I find other things to eat on the HAL ships many times, but when I do chicken, it's either a test (not dinner) in the Lido or in the MDR.

 

Does Roger like duck? MDR usually has decent duck - you could hit open dining. And if there's a night with roast chicken in the MDR I would be very tempted to break from the Lido and try the MDR and see if he will be happy.

 

A table for two doesn't take that long to serve ;). Just a thought and hope Roger's meals improve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes...perhaps Roger might want to re-think the whole chicken thing. Oh! Here’s a good piece of advice. I believe the Lido has an automatic hand washing machine, not just the ever present hand sanitizer. We used it religiously and avoided getting sick when it seemed like everyone on board was a tad under the weather in the midst of our South America Zandaam cruise. Anyway, just a thought....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great pics Rich. :)

 

Sorry Roger is not enjoying his chicken :(. I'm not a fan of chicken in the Lido. The MDR is ok IME, but the Lido is either over done or overdone.

 

We have enough chicken at home that I find other things to eat on the HAL ships many times, but when I do chicken, it's either a test (not dinner) in the Lido or in the MDR.

 

Does Roger like duck? MDR usually has decent duck - you could hit open dining. And if there's a night with roast chicken in the MDR I would be very tempted to break from the Lido and try the MDR and see if he will be happy.

 

A table for two doesn't take that long to serve ;). Just a thought and hope Roger's meals improve.

 

I'll tell him about the duck. He does like the lamb from the Lido. I've had the oven roasted chicken in the Lido and it's been fine. We'll be at the PG in 2 nights too, so he's managing. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes...perhaps Roger might want to re-think the whole chicken thing. Oh! Here’s a good piece of advice. I believe the Lido has an automatic hand washing machine, not just the ever present hand sanitizer. We used it religiously and avoided getting sick when it seemed like everyone on board was a tad under the weather in the midst of our South America Zandaam cruise. Anyway, just a thought....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We absolutely love the car washes!!! :cool: We first encountered them on the Veendam in 2010 and have used them on Westerdam and either Nieuw Amsterdam or Koningsdam, not sure which or maybe both. I always sing "working at the car wash" to myself when using them, which is whenever we're on the Lido.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We absolutely love the car washes!!! :cool: We first encountered them on the Veendam in 2010 and have used them on Westerdam and either Nieuw Amsterdam or Koningsdam, not sure which or maybe both. I always sing "working at the car wash" to myself when using them, which is whenever we're on the Lido.

 

 

 

Ha! I wish we had them at home!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...