JOHN AND DIANE ARE AT IT AGAIN!

[Johnny B]

Thursday, January 18, 2024

At Sea - in the Atlantic Ocean

 

After a week of adventure, we’ve now left the Amazon basin and have entered the Atlantic Ocean.  Even if we hadn’t listened to the captain tell us what to expect, we would have known.  How?  From the “motion of the ocean” in the middle of the night.  I was awakened by the ship’s rolling, something we hadn’t experienced since we entered the enormous but calm Amazon.  This morning the ocean looked not quite angry, with whitecaps and wind, but at least a little annoyed.  John went up to the pickle ball court to check out the  possibilities, and he came back to report that there would be no racket sports this morning.  When it’s relatively calm, they play pickle ball, and when the wind comes up they play paddle tennis.  The latter is played with heavier paddles and a tennis-like ball.  This allows the ball to easily carry through the wind, unlike pickle ball, which is played with a plastic “wiffle-like” ball.  Because of its lightness, the pickle ball itself will fly through the air and possibly into the ocean. The wind went down a bit this afternoon, so the usual suspects (Alex, John, Marina and Rich) played a couple of hours of paddle tennis.

 

Another difference about leaving the Amazon is that we no longer have to worry about cutting back on water, so I sent our our first laundry order in a week.  It was a good thing, too, because the underwear was getting ready to run out.  I really don’t understand why, but apparently when we’re at sea or in port we have access to pretty much unlimited water for all our needs, but in the muddy brown Amazon, the amount of water is limited.  If anyone knows more about this, please let me know.

 

Since our ship, because of its smaller size, has fewer specialty restaurants, the Pinnacle Grill hosts many “pop-up” dining opportunities, including Cellar Master dinners, Taste of Tamarind, and dinners to celebrate the cuisine of many of our destinations.  Last evening, with Martha and Bob, we enjoyed our first Taste of Tamarind dinner. In November, while we were on the

Koningsdam for seven nights, we enjoyed dining at their Tamarind restaurant twice, sitting at a table overlooking the aft pool.  During the day that view is fairly mundane, but in the dark, with the pool lighted from within, it really is quite magical.

 

Last night’s dinner was excellent, and we’ve enjoyed their menu so many times that we almost know it by heart.  First they pour green tea into tiny little cups and follow that with a basket of shrimp crackers with dips that range from mild to “Oh My!”  I could make a whole meal out of the those crackers.

 

For starters, we had a choice of five wonderful treats.  We could have had seasoned baby back ribs, sushi-like dragon roll,  satay sampler with various meats, tempura shrimp, and one more, which I can’t remember.  John chose the ribs, which for me would have been the whole meal, butI really enjoyed the tempura shrimp with dipping sauce.  For our main course, there were also five choices:  barramundi in curry sauce, Penang red curry chicken, Sechuan shrimp, a wasabi-crusted filet steak, and a vegetarian noodle dish.  As much as I like noodles, I opted for the barramundi and John, as always, had the red curry.  They were, as usual, delicious.  Martha and Bob both chose the filet, and Martha reported that it was the best steak on the ship.  Desserts were just as good, with a choice of three:  a mango posset, a trio of sorbets, and an Asian-inspired cheesecake.

 

Overall, we had a wonderful dinner, and because of its popularity, the Taste of Tamarind is the most popular of the specialty dinners, occurring twenty times during the course of our 128-day cruise.  There are dinners which do not fit any of the other categories, and they are some of our favorites.  While there are four cellar master dinners, the highlight for us, at least last year, was the “Jellicle Dinner,” held on April 1.  In honor of that special day (April  Fool’s), we were served a wonderful dinner made up of strangely named individual dishes.  For example, one course was “Dirt on a Plate,” which turned out to be sautéed mushrooms with little vegetables scattered across it, making it look for all the world like a garden.

 

While we really enjoy the specialty dinners (which incur a surcharge), we have been very pleased with the meals in the Main Dining Room.  Last year they were pretty good, but this year their quality has improved remarkably.  There are really interesting choices and whatever we’ve chosen, we’ve commented, “This is so much better than last year.”  During last year’s

Q & A with Gus Antorcha, HAL’s president, he answered questions, listened to comments and even took notes for more than three hours.  That’s something we’ve never seen before, and this year we have the benefit of his attention to improvements.  Again, thanks, Gus.

 

While we are always asked about “all that food” on the ship, we find that those of us who are on for 128 days tend to be fairly conservative in our choices.  In fact, after the feeding frenzy that was called “The Holidays,” we boarded the ship with a goal of weighing less when we get off than we did when we got on.  Strange, I’m sure, but true.

 

Now it’s off to our second formal night of the cruise with the theme of Casino Royale.  We’ll  get out the fancy duds and enjoy the evening, which includes an hour and a half after dinner in the casino, where there will be playful table games, a free slot tournament, or a game of poker with the officers.  At 9:00 there will be a champagne tower with the Captain.  It should be a glamorous evening and we’re looking forward to it.

 

[seachef318]

6 hours ago, Johnny B said:

.  I really don’t understand why, but apparently when we’re at sea or in port we have access to pretty much unlimited water for all our needs, but in the muddy brown Amazon, the amount of water is limited.

The way it was described to me by the ship’s engineers was the silt in the Amazon recks havoc on the ships reverse osmosis system that turns sea water to fresh water.  This was like 10 years ago on a much smaller ship, but I’m guessing similar reasons.  

[Johnny B]

Friday, January 19, 2024

At Sea en route to Grenada

 

We’ve now left the excitement of the incredibly active Atlantic waves and are peacefully sailing through the relatively calm Caribbean waters on our way to Grenada, where we’re looking forward to enjoying our first HAL shore excursion, called Rhum Runner Pleasure Cruise, which, as you might guess, includes rum punch (I don’t know why they added the “H”), and time at the beach, which was our first consideration.

 

The activities never cease around the ship.  Last evening was Casino Royale, most of which took place, of course, in the ship’s casino.  It was the second formal night of the cruise, and Daru, our waiter told us that we would have two formal nights a month, unlike last year, when there was only a total of four.  We got ourselves all fancied up in tuxedo and white glamor dress and headed out.  The fun began at 8:30, so we headed straight to the casino when we finished dinner and saw more folks than ever at the slots.  When we were on the Koningsdam in November, there were occasionally people in line to use a slot machine, but on the world cruise, it’s unusual to see more than three or four people gambling at a time.  For 90 minutes, however, the slots were free, and the prizes, instead of money, were raffle tickets for small and medium-sized prizes.

 

The highlight of the evening occurred at 9:00, when the Captain picked up a bottle of Champagne and created a Champagne waterfall.  You’ve probably seen one of those, when glasses are built into a pyramid, causing the champagne to spill over and fill all of the glasses.  After the “pyramid” was filled, more flutes were filled, and everyone in the immediate area was served from a try of sparkly.  We were sitting at the nearby bar with our friends Lydia and Sheryl, and the bartender decided that each of us needed TWO glasses, so we didn’t argue with her!

 

That was followed by last evening’s show by  The Flyrights. a group consisting of three young Englishmen who sang and danced and involved the entire audience who clapped along.  At the end of the show, several people were still dancing in the aisles.  They were incredibly entertaining, but unfortunately, this was their only performance onboard ship.

 

Today was our King Neptune ceremony, something that takes place whenever a ship crosses the equator.  There was a “King Neptune” and his queen sitting alongside the Lido pool while the “judge” introduced the activities.  At the other end of the pool sat the five members of the “jury,” including the Captain (he’s been a busy fellow), Henk, the Hotel Manager, and three Captain’s staff.  Traditionally, this ceremony is to welcome those crew members who’ve never crossed the equator in a “Kiss the Fish” event.  For our purposes, about 25 crew members were introduced in small groups, and the “jury” was to decide whether it was thumbs up or thumbs down.  Up and they only had to be covered in “fish guts” (colored meringue-like gooey stuff) or “into the drink (the pool).  In the middle of each “trial,” each of the accused had to kiss the fish.  In the past, this has been a real fish, huge in size and pretty smelly.  However, according to Henk later on, the fish failed to arrive, so a papier-mâché substitute was used.

 

All of it was great fun, and almost all the passengers were gathered around the pool or up on Deck 10 to see the activities.  In 2020, since it was his retirement cruise, Captain Jonathan jumped into the pool at the end.  Now everything has calmed down, but those passengers who thought they were going to be in the pool this afternoon must have been pretty disappointed.  The pastel-colored goop was floating in clumps and the poor maintenance crew had to drain and scrub the pool before it opens tomorrow.

 

We’re back to our nice quiet calm afternoon and casual dress for dinner.  The Zuiderdam singers and dancers are on the stage, and we’ll probably get an early night in anticipation of Grenada tomorrow.

 

Edited January 19 by Johnny B

[0106]

21 minutes ago, Johnny B said:

Rhum Runner Pleasure Cruise, which, as you might guess, includes rum punch (I don’t know why they added the “H”),

Rum encompasses a range of global spirits produced from sugar cane by products including molasses, while rhum or rhum agricole (a French term) is uniquely distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice, often in French Caribbean territories

 

Grenada was a French island until 1762.

 

Thank you for your wonderful posts!

Edited January 19 by 0106

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Johnny B said:

In the past, this has been a real fish, huge in size and pretty smelly.  However, according to Henk later on, the fish failed to arrive, so a papier-mâché substitute was used.

What a shame! It should absolutely be a real fish, with all the smell and slime. After all, you only cross the Equator for the first time once. 

I'll always remember the ceremony the first time I crossed the Equator, and kissed the fish. Such a neat 'souvenir' of that cruise, and one I don't have to find a place at home for, or dust or polish. 
It was great fun, that brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. 

[Bookited]

On 1/19/2024 at 3:45 PM, RuthC said:

What a shame! It should absolutely be a real fish, with all the smell and slime. After all, you only cross the Equator for the first time once. 

I'll always remember the ceremony the first time I crossed the Equator, and kissed the fish. Such a neat 'souvenir' of that cruise, and one I don't have to find a place at home for, or dust or polish. 
It was great fun, that brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. 

Yes, but that was back in the day that we, as polywog passengers, actually got to partake in the festivities, swimming across the pool and kissing the fish.  A fond memory. I think it is only crew now in the brink.

[cruzingnut]

1 hour ago, Bookited said:

Yes, but that was back in the day that we, as polywog passengers, actually got to partake in the festivities, swimming across the pool and kissing the fish.  A fond memory. I think it is only crew now in the brink.

 

How far back WAS that?  On our first Grand (and first Equator crossing), early 2000's we thought we'd get slimed so we dressed in our bathing suits and sat in the front row of chairs.  Nope, no dice BUT, we did kiss the fish.  To this day, you can still do that at least.

 

Linda R.

[Johnny B]

Sunday, January 21, 2024

At Sea en route to Willamstad, Curacao

 

If you’ve been on an HAL cruise, you know that the crew is just wonderful.  Every time we’re on board we decide that our room stewards and our dining room servers are just the best, only to be topped by those on the next cruise.  Yesterday we had a great example of why we feel this way.  On our way back to the ship in the afternoon, we stopped in the local “super” market to buy some fruit punch.  (Was rum to be involved?  Who knows?)  At the checkout, we began talking to a room steward named Putu from Bali as he paid for his chips, chips and more chips.  He paid for his purchase in dollars and was given change in local currency.  When we checked out, I asked how much it would be in dollars (1 USD=2.5 Grenadaian) and as we were discussing it with the checker, Putu took some of his local change and paid for our purchase.  Here we were, two people on a world cruise being “treated” by someone whose salary probably goes straight home to his family.  When we tried to repay him, he absolutely refused and at first wouldn’t even tell us his name so we couldn’t hunt him down.  We followed him out of the store and tried again, to no avail.  Are HAL crew members the best in the business?  We think they are.

 

What great fun it is to board a boat called Rhum Runner, drink rum punch, and try the limbo!  Well, it was great fun to WATCH the limbo, with our friend Karen getting into the spirit and going under that limbo stick.

 

We had talked about going to the beach on Grenada, and then John saw that there was an HAL excursion including a rum-drinking boat ride to Grand Anse, the most beautiful beach on the island and we were sold, especially because the cost was so reasonable (for HAL tours).

We were actually going to become “sticker people,” and sure enough, when we checked in, our sticker read “24”, and we were ready to go.  We saw that our friends Karen, Pam, and Peggy were on the same tour, so it was good to have familiar company.

 

At 10:00 we boarded the Rhum Runner, accompanied by a steel band playing island music (and even a few Elvis hits) and continued during the whole cruise, both coming and going.  Before we knew it, a lovely young lady was circulating among the 40 of us, distributing cups of pretty  powerful rum punch.  Refills were frequently available as we sailed through the bays of the island, learning some history and geography of Grenada.  The captain of our boat told us that this was the only British colony ever to receive its independence without  firing a single shot.  Instead, the residents simply closed down all essential businesses:  post office, banks, markets, etc. and left them closed until the UK agreed to grant independence.  In reading about this time period, I can’t find any reference to such a strike, but it’s a great story.

 

Once arrived at the beach, we grabbed our towels and spread them out on the soft white sand, then taking turns going into the lovely warm water.  As much as I love Hawaii, more specifically Kauai, I admit that the water temperature in the  Caribbean is much better for swimming, especially in those winter months when Hawaii’s water chills up a bit - at least for this weather wimp.  John took long walks to either end of Grand Anse and took some great photos.  Since I still am suffering from a torn meniscus, I couldn’t join him because I have to keep my mileage to a minimum, so the best alternative was a peaceful nap on the beach.  Lying in the sun always puts me to sleep, but he didn’t have too much trouble waking me on his return.

 

After a great hour and a half on the beach, it was time to return to our rum-soaked vessel, where the punch was again available, along with beer or soft drinks for those who preferred them.  I have a sweet tooth, so the rum punch was fine by me.

 

Then the real fun started.  The young woman who had been responsible for distributing the punch began a conga line, and most of us joined it.  It wasn’t the best thing for my knee, but it certainly was fun and the music was great.  It seems that every time we’ve been in the Caribbean, usually on a cruise ship, the song “Hot, Hot, Hot” is played, and that’s what we danced to.

 

Next was the highlight of the cruise:  the limbo.  The limbo stick was set fairly high, and some of the crew as well as a few passengers (including our friend Karen) joined in.  I can only imagine what that would have done to my knee, so I was an appreciative spectator.  The fun really began as they lowered the limbo stick, and when it went just too low, Karen just got on all fours and crawled under.  It was great fun to watch.

 

Finally we were back in St George’s (the correct spelling of the capital) and wandered through the “mall” which had everything a tourist might want.  All we wanted was a postcard, and that was quickly accomplished.  Returning to the ship, a short shower was necessary to wash off the remaining sand, followed by a visit to the aft deck to join the sailaway party.  Promptly at 5:00, our ship’s whistle blew, we waved goodbye to the P & O Britannia in the next berth (holding 3,600 passengers - yikes!) and we were off into the Caribbean for a restful sea day before arriving in Curacao on the 22nd.

 

[Sea42]

17 minutes ago, Johnny B said:

Sunday, January 21, 2024

At Sea en route to Willamstad, Curacao

 

If you’ve been on an HAL cruise, you know that the crew is just wonderful.  Every time we’re on board we decide that our room stewards and our dining room servers are just the best, only to be topped by those on the next cruise.  Yesterday we had a great example of why we feel this way.  On our way back to the ship in the afternoon, we stopped in the local “super” market to buy some fruit punch.  (Was rum to be involved?  Who knows?)  At the checkout, we began talking to a room steward named Putu from Bali as he paid for his chips, chips and more chips.  He paid for his purchase in dollars and was given change in local currency.  When we checked out, I asked how much it would be in dollars (1 USD=2.5 Grenadaian) and as we were discussing it with the checker, Putu took some of his local change and paid for our purchase.  Here we were, two people on a world cruise being “treated” by someone whose salary probably goes straight home to his family.  When we tried to repay him, he absolutely refused and at first wouldn’t even tell us his name so we couldn’t hunt him down.  We followed him out of the store and tried again, to no avail.  Are HAL crew members the best in the business?  We think they are.

 

What great fun it is to board a boat called Rhum Runner, drink rum punch, and try the limbo!  Well, it was great fun to WATCH the limbo, with our friend Karen getting into the spirit and going under that limbo stick.

 

We had talked about going to the beach on Grenada, and then John saw that there was an HAL excursion including a rum-drinking boat ride to Grand Anse, the most beautiful beach on the island and we were sold, especially because the cost was so reasonable (for HAL tours).

We were actually going to become “sticker people,” and sure enough, when we checked in, our sticker read “24”, and we were ready to go.  We saw that our friends Karen, Pam, and Peggy were on the same tour, so it was good to have familiar company.

 

At 10:00 we boarded the Rhum Runner, accompanied by a steel band playing island music (and even a few Elvis hits) and continued during the whole cruise, both coming and going.  Before we knew it, a lovely young lady was circulating among the 40 of us, distributing cups of pretty  powerful rum punch.  Refills were frequently available as we sailed through the bays of the island, learning some history and geography of Grenada.  The captain of our boat told us that this was the only British colony ever to receive its independence without  firing a single shot.  Instead, the residents simply closed down all essential businesses:  post office, banks, markets, etc. and left them closed until the UK agreed to grant independence.  In reading about this time period, I can’t find any reference to such a strike, but it’s a great story.

 

Once arrived at the beach, we grabbed our towels and spread them out on the soft white sand, then taking turns going into the lovely warm water.  As much as I love Hawaii, more specifically Kauai, I admit that the water temperature in the  Caribbean is much better for swimming, especially in those winter months when Hawaii’s water chills up a bit - at least for this weather wimp.  John took long walks to either end of Grand Anse and took some great photos.  Since I still am suffering from a torn meniscus, I couldn’t join him because I have to keep my mileage to a minimum, so the best alternative was a peaceful nap on the beach.  Lying in the sun always puts me to sleep, but he didn’t have too much trouble waking me on his return.

 

After a great hour and a half on the beach, it was time to return to our rum-soaked vessel, where the punch was again available, along with beer or soft drinks for those who preferred them.  I have a sweet tooth, so the rum punch was fine by me.

 

Then the real fun started.  The young woman who had been responsible for distributing the punch began a conga line, and most of us joined it.  It wasn’t the best thing for my knee, but it certainly was fun and the music was great.  It seems that every time we’ve been in the Caribbean, usually on a cruise ship, the song “Hot, Hot, Hot” is played, and that’s what we danced to.

 

Next was the highlight of the cruise:  the limbo.  The limbo stick was set fairly high, and some of the crew as well as a few passengers (including our friend Karen) joined in.  I can only imagine what that would have done to my knee, so I was an appreciative spectator.  The fun really began as they lowered the limbo stick, and when it went just too low, Karen just got on all fours and crawled under.  It was great fun to watch.

 

Finally we were back in St George’s (the correct spelling of the capital) and wandered through the “mall” which had everything a tourist might want.  All we wanted was a postcard, and that was quickly accomplished.  Returning to the ship, a short shower was necessary to wash off the remaining sand, followed by a visit to the aft deck to join the sailaway party.  Promptly at 5:00, our ship’s whistle blew, we waved goodbye to the P & O Britannia in the next berth (holding 3,600 passengers - yikes!) and we were off into the Caribbean for a restful sea day before arriving in Curacao on the 22nd.

 

What a fun day!

[westcoastsue]

It’s raining here in So. Cal so your day sounds amazing! Aah the memories of “Hot, Hot, Hot”.

[Bookited]

14 hours ago, cruzingnut said:

 

How far back WAS that?  On our first Grand (and first Equator crossing), early 2000's we thought we'd get slimed so we dressed in our bathing suits and sat in the front row of chairs.  Nope, no dice BUT, we did kiss the fish.  To this day, you can still do that at least.

 

Linda R.

It was in 2018 on the Noordam. Guests signed up to swim across the Lido pool, climb out, and kiss the fish.  It was so well received that there were two lines going. Prior to and after the ceremony 

anyone could kiss the fish.

 

 

 

[Johnny B]

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

At  Sea en route to the Panama Canal

 

It’s been a busy couple of days on board, even though one of them was a sea day.  The only thing better than a sea day is one on which we turn the clocks back, so even though it was busy, it was a good day.

 

One of the things I’ve noticed about this cruise is the increase in numbers of special events.  On our sea day, the special event was called “Island Dream,” and it was an evening of tropical delight.  The crew had been busy decorating the area around the Lido pool with palm fronds and conch shells, with a large area left open for the frivolities.  One of the biggest hits of the evening was the special drink, a pina colada served in a whole pineapple.  From personal experience, I can tell you it was delicious - and that  pineapple left a lot of room for the beverage.

 

Instead of serving appetizers, the Lido was open for dinner at 5:30 (as usual) with all kinds of tropical dishes.  We had fully intended to spend time at the Lido, enjoying the activities, but we ended up skipping dinner in the dining room and eating upstairs.  The highlight for me was the jambalaya, full of shrimp and scallops.  There were even more dessert choices than usual, including the Caribbean’s famous rum cake.  Plates were piled high with salads, coconut shrimp, and all kinds of delectable dishes,  and we knew that the kitchen crew had gone all out in their culinary efforts.

 

After dinner, and after many of the guests had finished their pineapple pina coladas, the games started.  One was “pineapple bowling,” in which six pineapples were arranged like bowling pins, allowing players to use a nerf ball to try to knock them over.  It looked like fun, but I couldn’t figure out the scoring nor the prizes, if any.  A conga line was, of course, a necessity, and Thomas, one of the entertainment directors, led it with great flair.

 

We stayed until all the excitement was over and headed for the World Stage’s early show - something we’ve never done before.  Each evening the shows are at 7:30 and 9:30, and we always go to the later one because of our 7:30 dinner.  For the show we usually attend, one has one’s choice of seats, since attendance is less than the first show.  Walking into the 7:30 show, however, amazed me.  We had to actually hunt for two seats together, partially because the time is more convenient for most but also because the entertainers, The Flyrights, had already performed once and were absolutely amazing.  The three of them sang and danced and had the audience singing along, with even a few in the first row dancing up a storm.  Their performance did not disappoint tonight, with more singing and dancing throughout the theatre.

The audience was not happy to be told that they’d be getting off in Curacao.

 

* * * * *

 

Our visit to Curacao was our first, and it lived up to our high expectations.  It’s an autonomous country within the Kingdom of The Netherlands, famous for beautiful beaches and the  pastel-colored buildings in Willemstad, its capital.  Our cruise company, Cruise and Travel Experts, treated us to a tour of the island during which we saw a great deal of beauty.  The most interesting stop was the first one.  When we saw “Cathedral of Thorns” on the tour description, we (secretly) thought, “Oh no, another huge church.”  We could not have been more wrong.  When we arrived, we saw a building unlike any we’ve ever experienced.  It was constructed of large bales of cuttings from the acacia tortuosa.  If that second word sounds like “torture,” there’s a reason for it.  That particular plant, a scourge on the land with its incredibly sharp thorns, has been used by Herman Van Bergen, a famed artist on the island, to illustrate that all of nature can be beautiful. The  thorns also represent the harm that the Europeans did to the indigenous people of the island.   Another beauty of the building is that the sunlight shines through each building block.  My only regret is that we couldn’t return to see it at night when light shines through the structure.

 

The building itself, which is definitely not what one thinks of as a church. It is almost more an art gallery, with the thoughtful works of various artists hung in niches within the “building blocks.”  There are tall “doors,” one of which resembles something one might see in a mosque and another in a Christian church.  It truly was a memorable visit and it was especially an honor to have Mr. Van Bergen be our personal tour guide.

 

After visiting such an amazing place, we came back to earth with a drive to the Curacao distillery, home and only producer of the famous blue liqueur, which we learned comes in several colors, including clear.  After touring the manufacturing facility, we had tiny tasting cups of three of the flavors (original, orange, and chocolate (!)).  Then we had some free time in a beautifully shaded patio with two bars selling absolutely delicious frozen concoctions (thank you Jimmy Buffet) flavored with various types of Curacao and local fruit.  Mine was mango, and it was very tasty.

 

The day wasn’t over yet, for our cruise agent hosted us at the Restaurant & Cafe Gouverneur DeRouville, where we sat on a beautiful terrace overlooking the harbor and the Queen Emma swinging bridge.  This bridge, which must open for shipping traffic, is unlike I’ve ever seen.  It’s basically a very long pedestrian crossing, but when it must open, one end unattaches itself and the entire bridge swings to the edge of the bay.  We watched that happen to make way for a freighter, and it was fun to see.  Unfortunately, those pedestrians who wanted to cross the bridge must wait for the ship to pass through and the bridge to re-attach itself.

 

Lunch was a buffet with something to please everyone, and we spent a happy hour and a half visiting with old friends and meeting new ones.  Once everyone was done, the restaurant brought each couple or single a little box containing a small bottle of the original blue liqueur.

 

Then it was time for the short walk back to the ship, but of course we took the long way around, wandering the old and colorful streets of the downtown area.  It really is quite a beautiful city and we’d come back here in a flash.  Since the evening’s show was the movie “The Little Mermaid,” we had an early evening, watched some Australian Open tennis, and then hit the pillow, or, as the crew members call it, “visiting pillow island.”

 

 

[Johnny B]

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The Panama Canal

 

For many people, today is probably the most exciting day of the entire cruise.  We’ve spoken to folks who have taken a cruise just to transit the Panama Canal.  Although we’ve been through it several times, we always find it absolutely fascinating, both because of the surrounding jungle and especially in admiration of the engineering wonder in which we spend the day.

 

As you may know, there are now two Panama Canals, the original which we’ve always used as well as the newer, wider canal built in 2016 to accommodate much larger ships, including some of the new mega cruise ships as well as ships with more than 14,000 containers to  pass through.  Although the price for transiting the canal (in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars) seems high, it’s still less expensive than sailing all the way around South America and shortens the voyage by 7,800 miles and several weeks.    

 

The history of this marvel of construction was begun by the French in the late 1800’s, but malaria, yellow fever and corporate mismanagement proved to be greater enemies than the construction itself, and the French gave up the effort.  Afterward, however, the United States took on the challenge, completing it in 1914, at a cost of more than 300million dollars (8 billion today) and 25,000 lives.  Disease had run rampant during construction, resulting in a total of ten years for its creation.

 

One thing that surprises many people is that the Canal doesn’t go east to west; it actually runs north to south.  Only portions of the canal at each end contain the three locks (of which we’ve now gone through only one)  while the largest part of the canal is Gatun Lake, which contains more than 100 species each of mammals and reptiles as well as 500 different birds.  It’s always exciting to see a crocodile, so we wait on our verandah when we’re close to land to search for them.  All of these animals are part of an extensive nature preserve in the middle of the lake and along its edges.

 

The Culebra Cut is an artificial channel which covers more than eight miles across the Continental Divide.  While we pass under the Atlantic Bridge as we enter the Canal, it isn’t until the end of our transit that we pass under the spectacular Bridge of the Americas.  If you take it in your head to drive from North America to South America, this is the bridge which used to take you from one continent to another.  The Centennial Bridge, however, has now replaced the Bridge of Americas as the route of the Pan-American Highway.

 

As I write, we’ve now passed through Gatun Locks to Gatun Lake and soon we’ll transit the Pedro Miguel Locks to enter Miraflores Lake, leading to Miraflores Locks.  It’s a rather relaxing day (except for the heat and humidity) especially while we’re sailing through Gatun Lake, but everything about the transit is simply fascinating, from the engineering to the operation to the wildlife and surrounding jungle.  If you’ve been through, you know what I mean; if you haven’t, I can’t recommend it enough.  It’s such a popular transit that there are now cruises that enter the canal from the Caribbean side, go through the first locks into Gatun Lake, and then turn around and exit the same way they entered.  For us, since we’re going all the way through the Canal, it’s an adventure that began about 6:30 this morning and will take us to the Pacific Ocean at about 7:00 this evening.  This morning we saw a double-decker ferry boat full of day-trippers, probably beginning at the Caribbean side, seeing part of the canal, and then returning the passengers to whence they began.

 

One of the highlights of the transit is the morning treat, Panama Rolls.  They are sugary donut-like buns filled with apricot puree.  They are absolutely delicious.  On our first HAL world cruise, we were so excited to try them, and then were puzzled when we also had Sydney Rolls, Hong Kong Rolls, and a few other variations.  It still makes me laugh to think about it.

 

Our last highlight of the Canal is the Bridge of the Americas, and then we’ll be fully in the Pacific and headed to Costa Rica and Mexico.  It’s always  a memorable day and we hope to be doing the same thing next year at this time.

 

[Sir PMP]

2 hours ago, Johnny B said:

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The Panama Canal

 

For many people, today is probably the most exciting day of the entire cruise.  We’ve spoken to folks who have taken a cruise just to transit the Panama Canal.  Although we’ve been through it several times, we always find it absolutely fascinating, both because of the surrounding jungle and especially in admiration of the engineering wonder in which we spend the day.

 

As you may know, there are now two Panama Canals, the original which we’ve always used as well as the newer, wider canal built in 2016 to accommodate much larger ships, including some of the new mega cruise ships as well as ships with more than 14,000 containers to  pass through.  Although the price for transiting the canal (in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars) seems high, it’s still less expensive than sailing all the way around South America and shortens the voyage by 7,800 miles and several weeks.    

 

The history of this marvel of construction was begun by the French in the late 1800’s, but malaria, yellow fever and corporate mismanagement proved to be greater enemies than the construction itself, and the French gave up the effort.  Afterward, however, the United States took on the challenge, completing it in 1914, at a cost of more than 300million dollars (8 billion today) and 25,000 lives.  Disease had run rampant during construction, resulting in a total of ten years for its creation.

 

One thing that surprises many people is that the Canal doesn’t go east to west; it actually runs north to south.  Only portions of the canal at each end contain the three locks (of which we’ve now gone through only one)  while the largest part of the canal is Gatun Lake, which contains more than 100 species each of mammals and reptiles as well as 500 different birds.  It’s always exciting to see a crocodile, so we wait on our verandah when we’re close to land to search for them.  All of these animals are part of an extensive nature preserve in the middle of the lake and along its edges.

 

The Culebra Cut is an artificial channel which covers more than eight miles across the Continental Divide.  While we pass under the Atlantic Bridge as we enter the Canal, it isn’t until the end of our transit that we pass under the spectacular Bridge of the Americas.  If you take it in your head to drive from North America to South America, this is the bridge which used to take you from one continent to another.  The Centennial Bridge, however, has now replaced the Bridge of Americas as the route of the Pan-American Highway.

 

As I write, we’ve now passed through Gatun Locks to Gatun Lake and soon we’ll transit the Pedro Miguel Locks to enter Miraflores Lake, leading to Miraflores Locks.  It’s a rather relaxing day (except for the heat and humidity) especially while we’re sailing through Gatun Lake, but everything about the transit is simply fascinating, from the engineering to the operation to the wildlife and surrounding jungle.  If you’ve been through, you know what I mean; if you haven’t, I can’t recommend it enough.  It’s such a popular transit that there are now cruises that enter the canal from the Caribbean side, go through the first locks into Gatun Lake, and then turn around and exit the same way they entered.  For us, since we’re going all the way through the Canal, it’s an adventure that began about 6:30 this morning and will take us to the Pacific Ocean at about 7:00 this evening.  This morning we saw a double-decker ferry boat full of day-trippers, probably beginning at the Caribbean side, seeing part of the canal, and then returning the passengers to whence they began.

 

One of the highlights of the transit is the morning treat, Panama Rolls.  They are sugary donut-like buns filled with apricot puree.  They are absolutely delicious.  On our first HAL world cruise, we were so excited to try them, and then were puzzled when we also had Sydney Rolls, Hong Kong Rolls, and a few other variations.  It still makes me laugh to think about it.

 

Our last highlight of the Canal is the Bridge of the Americas, and then we’ll be fully in the Pacific and headed to Costa Rica and Mexico.  It’s always  a memorable day and we hope to be doing the same thing next year at this time.

 

And Suez rolls:

[CruisinTexans]

Thanks, Diane. Just got caught up with your writings this morning and really enjoyed it. Saw John's photos of the Cathedral of Thorns and found it very interesting. Glad you gave a little more details here. I'm pretty jealous that HAL has upped their game on Special Events and Gala Nights. I hadn't expected much in 2023 because of finances, but glad to see they are getting back on track to make the WC more like it used to be. Keep reporting about all you see and do. Love it!

 

[OzarkCruisers]

Loving your blog.  Thanks for taking us along.    

[Johnny B]

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

At Sea en route to Quepos, Costa Rica

 

After something as spectacular as transiting the Panama Canal, how could something else even compare?  Well, it’s like comparing apples and hand grenades, but the evening was just as good.  It was “Burgers and Beer by the Pool”. and it was not only fun, but absolutely delicious  One great addition we’ve noticed this year are the events around the Lido pool.  Each one is distinctive, but what they have in common is that they’re creative and just plain lots of fun.

 

Last night’s event used the Dive-In burger kitchen and boy, did they put on a good evening.

We decided we’d go and just take a look, but we ended up staying for some of the most impressive burgers we’ve seen as well as half-priced beers.  I think beer is OK, but I much  prefer hard cider, so when I asked if Blackthorn was also half-price, they said, “Sure.”  Each of the burgers had its own name.  John’s choice was “Chef Neil’s Dirty Challenge, consisting of two beef patties, a fried egg, pulled pork lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon jam, and it was topped by two onion rings.  The burger must have been about 7 inches in height and, as John said, “It’s delicious, but there’s no way I can finish that thing!”  I opted for Chef Tushar’s Chix Magnet”, and I did indeed finish it.  The other choices were Chef Tiff’s Scorpion Sting, Ronald’s Veg-olution, and Chef Dante’s Fishy Plan.  Cute, huh?  Did I mention that every burger came accompanied by HAL’s delicious fries?  Oh yes.

 

In addition to the food, the Zuiderdam band played during the event’s two hours, and, to top it off, most of the 2 and 3 star officers participated as servers.  All of it was just great fun.

 

In his announcement yesterday, the captain told us that we would be refueled by bunkering, which means a barge-like structure comes up beside us as we stay at anchor and our fuel tanks are refilled.  He also told us it would take about six hours during the evening and night.  However, this morning he gave us the rest of the story.  First, the refueling ship was two hours late, and then the hoses were attached incorrectly, causing our six-hour refueling to take  twelve hours.  I guess it was just another example of Murphy’s Law.

 

Today has been another relaxing sea day.  After that massive burger last evening, John had almost nothing for breakfast, but by lunch he was ready for a couple of tacos.  Strangely enough, the section of the Lido where pizza is available is also where passengers can have custom tacos made.  I had my usual egg salad sandwich and they’re always nice enough to put a few dill pickle slices on the side.

 

After skipping yesterday, John’s back to double pickleball today, once this morning and once in the afternoon.  Since I’ve had enough of inactivity, I decided that, torn meniscus or not, I was going to get in three laps around Deck 3 for a mile.  My doctor even said that walking was OK.  However, after two laps my knee was telling me I’d done enough, so I gave it up.  Since tomorrow’s we’re in port, I’m sure we’ll make my knee angry all over again.

 

This evening is full of good things.  Our cruise agent is hosting a cocktail party in The Crow’s Nest before dinner, and then we’re going to the Pinnacle with Martha and Bob for the guest chef’s Costa Rican dinner.  I don’t think tomorrow will be a good day for a weigh-in!

 

 

 

[Johnny B]

Friday, January 26, 2024

Quepos, Costa Rica

 

Not only are we getting a port that’s new for us, but we had a “taste” of it last evening.  What was great about the afternoon and evening was that we only had to get all “gussied up” once, instead of one evening for our cruise agent’s cocktail party and another for a chef’s dinner in the Pinnacle.  Of course I had to try on several different outfits to see which one was the best, and after deciding on my lovely little Calvin Klein (thank you Nordstrom Rack) black dress, we were off to the Crow’s Nest for cocktails.  Last year’s cruise agent cocktail parties were in the Rolling Stone Lounge, which we think is great for dancing after dinner, but the decision to have it in the Crow’s Nest was a big improvement.  I love light, and in a space surrounded by windows and a view of the Pacific, I couldn’t have been happier.  I imagine the margarita might have helped, too.

 

While we usually attend the second cocktail party (for late dinner seating), we had 6:00 reservations for our special dinner, so at 4:15, we began our evening.  Even though our first event ended at 5:15, we stayed around with friends and killed time until it was time to show up for the evening’s main event, the Costa Rican Guest Chef’s dinner.  Chef Maria Laura Zamora doesn’t look old enough to be such a prominent individual, but having studied in New York, Paris, and a few other spots, she is excellent at her craft.

 

We began dinner with two green plantain croquettes, using a fruit which is common in Latin America.  It was accompanied by La Fontana Albarino Rias Baixas in Spain, my favorite wine of the evening.  Next we moved to the Two Colors  Soup, a clever side-by-side blend of pumpkin (orange, of course), and palm heart soups.  Then we had the fish course and John’s favorite, scallops served with a sweet potato sauce for a wonderful combination.

 

The second wine made its appearance at this part of the meal:  Solar Viejo Rioja from Spain.  From what I saw, it was a popular choice, but I stuck with the white.   

 

When we saw that the main course was Costa Rican Pozole, we knew what it would be like, since it’s a somewhat common dish in Southern California.  Guess what?  It was nothing like what we expected.  Traditionally, pozole is a soup or stew which originated in Mexico and features either chicken or pork with hominy.  Maria Laura’s dish was her extremely creative alternative, in which she deconstructed the pozole and our plates included three braised and boneless pork ribs along with corn puree, and white beans in a sauce, Consuming it one part at a time was really delicious.

 

Then it was time for dessert which was called Latin Tres Leches.  It consisted of a very moist sponge cake (reminiscent of Caribbean rum cake) with meringue and peaches on the side.  It was absolutely wonderful, but by that point I was so full that I couldn’t even finish it.

 

Overall, the dinner was a “10” for creativity and taste, and we’d sign up for another Maria Laura’s dinners in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately, she disembarked in Quepos and was anxious to get home to her 3-year-old daughter.

 

* * * * *

 

Today was, as expected, hot and humid, but we found Quepos to be a great port to visit.  For a town of fewer than 20,000, it’s visited by thousands more each year and is said to be one of the best places in the world for big game sport fishing.  If we didn’t believe that, the number of shiny white yacht-like fishing boats in the harbor would have convinced us.  It’s also famous for being the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park, which contains mangroves, lagoons and beach-lined rainforests which shelter howler, white-faced, and squirrel monkeys.  Even in town, there’s wildlife to see.  We walked past several people looking as though they were taking photos of the ground, but we then realized the attraction was the 1-2 foot iguanas sunning themselves on the rocks.  Just passing by, we probably counted at least a dozen of the pre-historic looking critters.  Unlike the plain grey iguanas we’ve seen in the past, these had really nice stripe patterns on their backs.  Of course they wanted to look their best for all those cameras.

 

After wandering up and down the streets of the town and finding grandparent gifts for Jessica, we settled into an open air cafe to enjoy our first off-the-ship lunch of the cruise.  We had been advised against it on the  Amazon, but Costa Rica is a place in which we felt safe at restaurants.  John’s fish tacos and my shrimp fried rice were really filling, and afterward we knew knew it was time to head back to the ship since a nap was calling our names.

 

We’ve now visited Costa Rican ports on both oceans, and cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed them.  Like any city, it’s important to stay alert and use common sense while traveling, but we’d recommend a visit to anyone.  Costa Rica, we believe, is a country in which anyone would feel comfortable.

[LouChamp]

Aloha. So enjoying your reviews and descriptions. Between you and Pete your styles of writing are comfortable and exquisite at the same time.  We too have been blessed to visit Costa Rica and I am now craving Tres Leches which has become extremely popular in NY recently.  I have enjoyed it for years but have taken it for granted like tiramisu.  I am now on the hunt for it for a dessert choice in the next few days! All the best.

[cunnorl]

 Havent seen any of your posts  which I enjoy very much for awhile. Hope all is Ok. 

 

[sppunk]

7 hours ago, cunnorl said:

 Havent seen any of your posts  which I enjoy very much for awhile. Hope all is Ok. 

 

They took off a few days to visit family and will reboard when the ship is on the west coast. 

[Se4deb]

Have they made it back to their cruise yet.  I love Diane's writing. It has been almost a month now.  I sure hope all is well. 
 

[sue1898]

24 minutes ago, Se4deb said:

Have they made it back to their cruise yet.  I love Diane's writing. It has been almost a month now.  I sure hope all is well. 
 

They won’t be rejoining the cruise…details on their Facebook page.

[Wehwalt]

4 hours ago, sue1898 said:

They won’t be rejoining the cruise…details on their Facebook page.

Can someone post a few words? Not everyone facebooks.

[RuthC]

14 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

Can someone post a few words? Not everyone facebooks.

Diane got sick on the ship. They were put ashore in Puerto Vallarta, where they were going to disembark for a quick trip home anyway, and was approved to go home for the medical treatment. 

As far as I know she is recovering. All their things left on the ship were packed up and sent home to them.