South America - Pictures

Upper Falls

Devil's Throat

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls

Evita's Mausoleum

Evita's Balcony

Chilean fjord & Andes

Larry's new friends

Linda's new friend

New Pets

San Ignacio

San Ignacio 

Our cabin

Seawolf Island Ushuaia

Penguins

South America 2/26-3/18/2013

February 26, 2013 - Flight First flight from Sacramento to Dallas Fort Worth – on time & uneventful. Except for one panic item Argentina now requires their reciprocity fee ($160pp) paid before leaving the U.S as of 1/22/2013. No emails from American Airlines nor Celebrity. American Airlines does let us use the Admiralty Club to purchase and print the needed voucher. Next flight from DFW to Buenos Aires – one hour late, uneventful, boring.

February 27, 2013 - Buenos Aires – 1st time It’s too sore a subject to elaborate how the taxi driver ripped us off at the airport. Felt like fools. Spent this afternoon walking around Galleria Pacifico, a luxury mall, and eating dinner at an Italian restaurant in its food court. This afternoon we must print our boarding passes for our flights to/from Iguazu; we try. Expedia had put us on cancelled flights. Had to call LANargentina who did a wonderful job of correcting both flights. Would fly LAN anytime. Expedia can go rot in hell. Good night’s sleep at Holiday Inn Express. Appreciate their breakfast buffet, luggage storage and assistance with a taxi to the domestic airport.

February 28, 2013 - Puerto Iguazu Flying to Puerto Iguazu on LAN. Efficient and relaxing. LAN provides lunch: cookies and sodas for our 1.5 hour flight. After the Buenos Aires taxi rip-off, we chose the Iguazu minibus - $30 R/T right to our hotel. We might be suckers, but we do learn. Hotel St. George is just right. Pool, bar, pool-bar, restaurant and ½ block to the bus. Gracious, polite, helpful front desk. We appreciate the enthusiasm, goodwill and unprompted offer all kinds of information. Looking forward to seeing the falls tomorrow. After seeing Niagara, it’s hard to fathom that they are 3 times are high. When Eleanor Roosevelt saw them, her comment was, “Poor Niagara.” A more crude saying: Niagara on Viagara.

March 1, 2013 - The Falls So eager, we board the first bus out and get to the national park 20 minutes before it opens. We have the pleasure of watching the staff finish their maté (a sweet herbal tea) while we stand and wait. We’re a little surprised at the increased price: 170 Argentina peso per person instead of 100 ($35 instead of $20). And they only take pesos, no US dollars; we have enough. Day is heating up as we walk to the train. Most people stay on the train to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), but we’re doing the Upper & Lower Falls walks first. The upper walk skirts the tops of quite a few falls. The lower one climbs down for a more intimate (i.e., wet) appreciation of the falls. After an easy walk, we catch our first view of the falls, and it’s a moment - the type that prevents your body from moving and only allows for one inhaled breath. Paths are flat, well-maintained & mostly elevated over falls and all that rushing, roaring water right below your feet. It’s the middle of summer here (February) and the jungle is luscious, so many varieties of trees, plants, birds, insects. Now the train to the Gargantua del Diablo). From the train it’s at least a ¾ mile hike over more elevated walks over the river from island to island to the end. You can hear the roar and see the mist. Now try to imagine a horseshoe-shaped drain with the water on a mission to go someplace without regard for any physical force. It’s the most spectacular natural wonder we’ve ever seen. On the walk back to the train, we see a suribe, a 4’ long catfish-type river fish. Let’s just say they are tasty and meaty, good either grilled or sautéed. Good with various salsas and sauces, especially chimichurri sauce which is even more excellent on steak. Will have to make or buy some in the States.

March 2, 2013 – San Ignacio and Wanda Mines Going to be a long day. Three hour ride – each way. The stop at Wanda mines would never be as extensive in the U.S. Not only do we get to walk into the mine area, we get to enter the tunnels and see how they mine the various geodes and their precious gems such as amethyst, topaz, etc. Even have a piece of contraband: our guide gives us a piece of quartz. Bought a pretty amethyst necklace. Our main destination: San Ignacio / Jesuit Mission ruins. Construction started about 1697. The missions had several functions: Religious – convert as many pagans (natives) to Christianity. Political – have as many natives under their control to help Spain lay claim to that territory so the Portuguese get it. (Uruguay earned most of its existence as a barrier to keep Brazil (Portuguese) and Argentina (Spanish) from continually battling over the border.) English signage & information available in the museum and at the superbly preserved ruins. Guess we’ll have to do some research to discover the story from the natives’ viewpoint. Like most places and times, the truth belongs to the conqueror. Did the priests really provide the Indians with such a wonderful benefit? And save them from paganism? Also want to learn more about the present day local indigenous people, the Guarani. They still live primitively in the jungle; what else?

March 3, 2013 - Buenos Aires – 2nd time here & 1st time boarding the Celebrity Infinity Having learned our lesson – arrange our taxi before leaving the airport service area to get a fair price, we retrieve our luggage and then head to the cruise port. Boarding is typical of all cruise ships: show our tickets, get our sea pass, go thru immigration, and surrender our passports for the length of the cruise. Free champagne. Explored the ship while waiting for our luggage; would like to change before dinner. But we’re too hungry for those niceties. Have our first dinner at BLU, the exclusive restaurant for the Aqua Class - breakfast and dinner. Have a wonderful filet, French wine and chat with a couple (2 guys) from San Jose. Skipped the show tonight, just too tired. Heard it wasn’t that good – a singer who imitated others, but with a Spanish accent.

March 4, 2013 – Buenos Aires Signed up for a cruise tour of the city. Probably could have done some on our own, but we’re wary of taxis and just a little tired. Our 4-hour tour takes us thru 4 of the city districts. The most famous stop is at the cemetery in Recoleta for Evita’s mausoleum. These art deco marble and concrete shrines to the dead bring back memories of New Orleans’ burial chambers. Really liked La Boca area, colorful and touristy, but fun. Originally for poor immigrant, now for shops, restaurants and street tango. More what I expected from one of the most spectacular cities in the Americas – more color, less gray concrete. Our tour back to our ship takes us thru modern slums under the freeway – broken down cars, skinny dogs. Another tasty dinner at BLU. (Really love BLU – small portions and more healthier) Show at the theatre is a preview of various acts and musicians that will be performing during our trip. Good show. Enjoy our first cocktail (martinis) on board to enjoy during the show. We bought the smaller versus the larger one ($6 each); can’t imagine the larger one – carry me to my stateroom, please.

March 5, 2013 – Montevideo, Uruguay Spending my 64th birthday in Uruguay! What a pleasant city. Like some 1960’s touchy-feely song, this place emanates good ‘vibes’. Have to learn more about the harsh past political troubles all these countries have had, and how the people have survived and are still kind, friendly people. I must write to the Uruguayan tourism minister and express our opinions and appreciation of all we meet – even the cop at Plaza Independencia. Receive a cursory introduction to their past at the Presidential Museum; now want to learn more. A highlight is a tour of the Teatro Solis, the national emblem of the theatre arts of Uruguay. (The theatre only takes Uruguayan peso (about $5 USD) which we get. The exchange rates take their percentage of our $5 and we’re a little short, but they let us in any way and provide an excellent English speaking guide.) He provides both historical and present day insight into the culture of Uruguay. More education needed.

March 6, 2013 – Punta del Este What a sweet little port to do nothing especially this time of year. Walk the paved boardwalk from the Waitemala Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Stroll the streets. This is a late-night party town. Dinner at 10 p.m. Discos start rocking about 2 a.m. Shops don’t open until noon or so. About 10,000 year-round residents; about 500,000 winter escapees from December to February. For money: credit cards and Uruguayan pesos. Had a nice lunch of a delicate grilled fish, potatoes and beer at Kitty’s by the dock. Popular foods which we didn’t try: Pascualino, Choripan & Caruso sauce.

March 7, 2013 – a day at sea There are no goals today, no aspirations, no self-improvement. Light laundry, light reading, light eating (if possible). Today we’re sailing to nowhere, just some spot in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina. We’re on the starboard side facing land, but nothing to view on the horizon, barely even a cloud. No wonder early explorers sailed close to the shore; the empty sea is intimidating, and we even know where we’re going. Another fair balmy day at sea with slight swells. Clouds do gather the further south we sail closer to Cape Horn and ‘the end of the world’,

March 8, 2013 – Puerto Madryn While many passengers opt for long tedious bus rides to see penguins (rumored that penquins have moved on) we opt to see the town. And we weren’t too excited about a 2.5 hour drive over dusty rocky roads to see just a few penguins and then back again. Instead we walked 3 miles to Puerto Madryn Ecocenter. Wonderful whale sensory experience – whale sounds. Puerto Madryn’s main industry is the production of aluminum, presumably thru bauxite ore. More info needed. Found an internet café – Three pesos for 30 minutes (61 cents) as opposed to 75 cents for one minute on board ship. Used one of the perks of Aqua level – not only do we get our own intimate restaurant for breakfast and dinner, we also have access to the spa’s Persian Garden which consists of 3 different saunas (aromatherapy, Turkish & dry); a $100 pp cruise perk.

March 9, 2013 – a day at sea Another day of sailing, on our way to Cape Horn. Since we left Madryn our heading has been almost directly south (181 degrees). Getting closer to the end of the world – slight choppy seas, thin clouds and cooler Mrtemperatures. Good day to wander the ship and try to find a cozy place to read or write. Day to photo ship? Forward lounge is closed for a private party (Captain’s Club) (not on today’s itinerary). Bypass an art lecture on the hack and drunkard, Thomas Kinkade. The other day they celebrated Peter Max. Anyone buying OpArt anymore? Clouds are getting thicker.

March 10, 2013 – Cape Horn Continuing on our way south. Should reach Cape Horn around 4 p.m. If we continued south another 500 mile from there, we would reach Antarctica. But it’s cold enough (48 degrees F) where we are. At one point today we will cross the line between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Heavy grey skies and soft ocean swells. This is considered good weather in the roaring 40’s and furious 50’s. The wind blows east. Though the passage is under 200 miles in actual length, it would take a sailing vessel 30 days in good weather and 1000 miles to tack against the wind and progress. Many died. We’re staying here for about an hour then heading back and into the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia. I always thought Cape Horn was the last solid bit of South America. Never realized it was an island in a bunch of islands. Barren treeless islands. And the end of the Andes. 

March 11, 2013 – Ushuaia, Argentina (formal dress night) At the most southern most city in the world, about 750 miles to Antarctica. In fact, this is one of the jumping off points to the South Pole. So surprised 65,000 persons call this desolate site home. The sea and tourism are the main income sources. Average temperatures – winter-2 Celsius / summer-9 Celsius. Doubt if the sun shines often here, and then only 6 hours in the winter. Glaciers carved the bays and valleys here; water did the rest. Took a catamaran past Sea Wolf Island, feeding ground area for sea lions, king cormorants and penguins out into the Beagle Channel to a penguin rookery. Baby penguin season is over, but we get an idea. Nest on soft ‘diggable’ dirt and stay on the islands in the channel and feed and get fat before migrating north. Overcast and rainy, but still a pleasant day. Found a good internet café. Happy knowing we sailed on the same channel Darwin did. And all the explores from the 15-1600’s. You can almost feel the seriousness of exploring this treacherous area without maps, gps, or diesel driven engines. Tonight we’ll sail thru the Straits of Magellan into the Pacific to Punta Arenas, Chile – 283 nautical miles away. On our way thru the straits spied a glacier. First, saw white along the shore, thought it was a sandy beach. Then as we approached the bend, saw it was actually a glacier that ‘flowed’ down. Wonder what else the darkness will hide from us. Or maybe just more barren rolling hills.

March 12, 2013 – Punta Arenas, Chile Woke up in Chile this morning. Taking the tender to town today. No rush to go ashore; it’s cold (51) & raining. Walkable city. Our port exploration include the Plaza de Armas and the statue of Magellan – kiss the toe for good luck (we did not); Museum of Magellan – fauna, flora, indigenous people anthropology & archaeology, and explorers; and Sara Braun’s* mansion built around 1895 when Punta Arenas was in its golden age, mainly pre-Panama canal. *Sara Braun came from her native Russia to the southern lands in 1874 and, in 1887, she married a Portuguese businessman, enterprising José Nogueira. Amongst other successful business, such as gold exportation, Nogueira was one of the first pioneers in sheep raising & the founder of Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego. In 1886, he was granted pieces of land that reached one million hectares in the area of Magallanes & whose manager was Sara’s brother: Mauricio Braun. With an extraordinary fortune in his possession, Nogueira died of TB at the age of 48 & left his wife a valuable heritage which Doña Sara knew how to care & manage. In 1895, the beautiful widow finished constructing the magnificent house her husband had ordered to be built by French architect Numa Mayer five years before dying. The materials & the furniture as well as the exquisite style details were acquired in Europe & shipped to Magallanes. The palace was finished in 1905 & it features two stories, an elegant façade & a magnificent winter garden made with a metallic structure where an ancient grapevine still grows.

March 13 - 14, 2013 – Straits of Magellan & Chilean Fjords Entered Drakes Passage early today. Captain warned us early that the weather is fickle here; can change in a moment. It did change – from overcast to bright blue skies and flat seas. A starboard cabin is definitely preferable. While the port cabins see islands, we also see islands and the snow topped Andean peaks as they make their final march to the end of South America. Another relaxing day at sea before reaching Puerto Montt. Seas are still quiet and temperatures are rising. Our goal today is the Chilean Fjords; tomorrow we reach Puerto Montt. Goals don’t really matter anymore; just enjoy the journey. Thoughts are turning to responsibilities at home. Starting to notice little irritants: like the elevator voice – “Doors Opening” / “Doors Closing”; somebody shut her up. Would have liked to know before day 12 that there are daily papers printed in 4 languages. After 12 days I must assume that there is very limited sea life – some jelly fish maybe and birds bobbing, but no real fish to be seen. Seafood must be a texturized, flavorized chicken or maybe a fungus.

March 15, 2013 – Puerto Montt Saw our first dolphins at breakfast this morning. Kept watching one thing bobbing in the water until we realized it was just harbor debris. Once again the weather spirit smiles on us and the sun shines on this normally soggy port. Our bus tour to very Germanic towns of Fruitillar, Puerto Varas, & Puerto Montt was well worth the money. What pleasant stops. In Fruitillar we stop at a small recreation of a village (& free wifi). In Puerto Varas, we stop at a little restaurant (after we exchange $20 for local currency) for kuchen (cake) & Pisco Sours. And more free wifi. I knew Larry would be happy with the cake, & I wasn’t leaving Chile with having their local drink. It’s so nice when everyone is happy. Really take pleasure in walking thru the local fish market. Adequate local artisan shops too. Chile has a burgeoning fish farm industry that seems poorly run. I can understand the environmentalists concerns. Although scheduled to leave at 5 p.m., now it’s almost 10:30 p.m., and we haven’t left port yet because of some passenger’s mysterious medical condition. No one understands the situation, now how they can make up the time and get back to Valparaiso in time for everyone’s flight home. We’ve already paid for private transportation and tour of the area. What going to happen with that? Hope we can sleep without waking up and peeking outside all night long. Ship sails at 11 p.m., makes up the time and we will all be ok. Never did find out what happened to the passenger.

March 16, 2013 – Last full day on the Celebrity Infinity A day to pack and ready ourselves for less civilized way of traveling.

 March 17 - 18, 2013 – Flying home A quick tour of Valparaiso and Vin del Mar – working city versus resort. Colorful city. Long drive to Santiago airport. Another long wait for our flights to Dallas and Sacramento. Flew from Santiago on the oldest plane yet; almost as old as the flight attendants. Paid for roomier seats, but still felt cramped. Worth the money? Both flights were uneventful. Glad to be home.

Port Summaries - Our Opinion

• Buenos Aires – Buenos Aires moved their cruise port here from Puerto Madero. Can’t imagine this is an improvement. Don’t feel welcome at all here. Passengers must take bus from terminal thru container cargo. Except for the Recoleta cemetery and La Boca won’t remember too much. Will try to forget cab drivers and poor port facilities. Surprised how few people in the travel industry speak English.
• Montevideo, Uruguay – Smaller city, really feel welcome. They even have a green-line directing passengers to the old town with its shopping, historical buildings and intimate size. Will remember: friendly people, livable city. Not much English here, nor public toilets. Toured the Presidential Museum (free) and Teatro Solis (about $100 Uruguayan peso/no US$ accepted). 
• Punta del Este, Uruguay – Resort European-style town that could be anywhere. Gentle balmy climate. Nice little stopover before sailing to the ends of the earth. Found only one public toilet at Plaza Artigas. Punta Madryn, Argentina – Wish we lived closer to this pleasant area. Friendly people, pleasant atmosphere. Feel so relaxed. The weather is balmy, enjoying our deck, but the aluminum plant is extremely noisy. 
• Ushuaia, Argentina – Satisfying port even with rain and heavy clouds. 
• Punta Arenas, Chile – Comfortable walkable city. No need for organized tours. Just tour the plaza, several museums. Found internet cafes, but no wifi. Weather cleared up a bit, but not their wicked cold sea breeze. Back to the ship after 3 hours of exploring. Took a long nap. 
• Puerto Montt, Chile – Took us 2 sea days to get here. Weather clears, temps rise and we really enjoy this port. 

Celebrity notes:
Restaurants

• BLU, the restaurant for the Aqua Class - breakfast and dinner. This is a wonderful perk. Beats the cafeteria in a heart beat.
• Pool Grill – good burgers.
• Oceanview Café – Used several times for lunch or snacks only. Okay, not inspired. Hard to find bowls.
• Aqua Spa Café – A real plus; get a little midday snack to balance out breakfast & dinner. 
• Qsine; SS United States – did not use. Just never got around to it; food in BLU was so very good. 

Shore Excursions:

• Our tour tickets are delivered to our room with instructions to go to the theatre to organize for the tour. Nowhere does it instruct us to walk all the way to the stage to get our tour #. Watch a few people struggle with the stairs. Don’t understand why they don’t do this before people enter the theatre – stand in line before or after entering the theatre. 
• In Punta del Este we chose the wrong time to return to the ship. Seems like everyone wanted to return at 1:30 p.m. Most uncomfortable crowded tender ride ever. Celebrity should hire one more tender and treat passengers better. Don’t appreciate being treated like a sardine. 
• Had a question of the shore excursion desk. Kind of surly. You would think they would staff the desk with people with a sales personality. Any personality, really. 

Our Stateroom

• Stateroom pluses: Nicely decorated. Strange little bullet holes design on each cabinet door; a little distracting. Good lighting. Lots of storage. Our shower with 5 body jets and one large overhead rain-jet. Why do we have one big yellow towel? We use it to block out the light under the door. Nice to have ear swabs and cotton balls. Don’t really care for bottled shampoos, etc. Prefer wall dispensers.

Stateroom improvements needed:

• Bathroom hooks do not function properly anymore. While fine as cabinet door hooks, they no longer function as towel hooks since they now sag. We would like to keep our towels for more than one day and “Save the Waves”, wet towels often end up on the floor. 
• As for the toilet paper – can’t biodegradable paper be a little softer. 
• Can’t read by the end table lamp. Would prefer a movable wall sconce. No facility to read without disturbing the other person. 
• Choice of pillows: rocks or flat. Finally had to use one of the sofa pillows under a flat one. 
• Noisy air-conditioning.
• Wish our door had indicators for steward, e.g., do no disturb, make up the room, etc., instead of a cheap little ‘do not disturb’ door hanger. 
• Don’t like the TV in the ‘bedroom’; prefer it in the seating area.  
• Emergency drill: In the case of a real emergency, instructions on the back of the door say put on your life vest and proceed to our muster station. Verbal Instructions before the practice drill says to “not put” on your vests. Are we supposed to ‘take’ them with us? Apparently not. Clarity please. 

Officers & Staff

• Captain / Master: This short, rotund man needs a new tailor for his whites, makes him look fatter and sloppy. Daily speech is delivered without any enthusiasm with a strong accent. His volume changes so it’s hard to hear him. Is he bored? We certainly were. 

Other staff:

• Alejandro, cruise director: excellent, enthusiastic, charming, concerned. Good representative. 
• Nash in Cellar Masters – reward him for his attitude, patience and knowledge.  Our stewards (room 9090) – like all room stewards we have had, he takes good care of us. 
• Aqua BLU staff – totally spoil us – pleasant, efficient. Appreciate BLU’s maitre d’, Wlodzimierz Czajka, graciously warm, who takes very good care of us. Has a lovely singing voice too. 
• Tatiana in the Celebrity Theatre: What a fun friendly sweetie. Knows her drinks and how to serve them. Call her our Latina Loca because she’s so much fun and makes us laugh.
• Guest Lecturers – informative & entertaining. 
• All the other behind the scenes employees – ship seems well run.

Performers: -

• Neil Lockwood – knows how to perform and entertain. Not afraid to go over the top. 
• Singer/Dancer troupe – excellent 
• White Magic – His sleight of hand talent suited to a smaller venue. Adequate, but minimal showmanship. Her contortionism is jaw-dropping. Better act for her would be to combine her withn acrobats. 
• Celebrity Orchestra – good musicians who can play anything. And do it well.
• West Side Strings – Enjoy listening to them in Cellar Masters sipping our wine. 
• Rob Ondras – relaxing. Brings back memories of the 60’s & 70’s. Pampas Devils – Tango! Gauchos! Bolos! 
• Samsaya Duo – excellent. Relaxing. 
• Steve Carte – Enjoyed his humor more than I thought we would. 
• Others I can’t recall. Enjoyed the entertainment. 

Miscellaneous:

• Enjoy the added perk of access to the Persian Garden’s saunas. But there is no invitation or information in our stateroom. A hidden perk? Give a perk and then not act graciously and tell you about it.  
• Totally spoiled by our 4 p.m. appetizers delivered right to our room. 
• Nice little gifts along the way including a nice tote bag. - Had a question of the shore excursion desk. Kind of surly. You would think they would staff the desk with people with a sales personality. Any personality, really. 
• Upon initial boarding there is no one to greet us or point us in the right direction. We don’t even what deck we’re on. Which way to the elevators? 
• Free champagne upon boarding. And a bottle in our room! 
• TV menu was useful. Used account summary and ordered an excursion. 
• Nice touch in the pool area: towels when it’s warm and blankets when it’s chilly. 
• Used the self-serve wine dispensers in Cellar Masters – fun and convenient. 
• Our cabin is directly under the pool deck. On this cruise it isn't a problem, just an occasional elephant, but quiet at night. And the view is limited by the overhanging upper deck and it’s supports. But all negatives disappear when balanced by BLU and the Person Spa. 
• Until day 11 did we discover we could buy a bottle of wine and store the other half for another evening. 
• Why can’t the TV voyage info reflect correct daily temperature and weather conditions. If it’s posted cloudy & 51 early, it stays that way even after the sun is up. 
• Would like nautical miles displayed too like airplanes display – zooming maps, miles to go, miles traveled, etc. 
• Every day fresh colored water is brought to our stateroom, supposed to be juice, I think. Sure wish it had more than color. 
• Dessert on the next to last day: Napoleon – after feeding us small light desserts, we get this huge meringue covered pile of ice cream. I can’t believe I ate it; wish I hadn't.

February 2012 - Huatulco Mexico.

Day 4 in Huatulco, Mexico. Six hours of air travel took 2 days (due to airline schedule changes) so missing days 1 to 3. I can recall the experience, but why bother. Area needs better air travel. Aeromexico treated us professionally and efficiently.

Atop a bluff our condo overlooks the little village of Santa Cruz with its beaches, little bars, restaurants and shops. We've taken several walks down the hill to the market and to town. Tomorrow we're going to explore the main town of La Crucecita. Heard there is a better market selling very fresh fruits and vegetables and a fresh meat market.

Today it's 85 degrees; the sky is blue. The morning uniform is swimsuit and flip flops. For the afternoon walk to town it's shorts and tees. Already developing a little tan from carefully monitoring time in the sun. Our only concerns today: beware the sun, what's our next meal, and should we cook or eat out at the many wonderful affordable restaurants. Since we only have tequila, I guess we're drinking margaritas. Such problems to conquer. The pool is right outside our patio.

This afternoon there was delightful giggling from 1.5 year old Leslie. Sounds of primitive joy. After a long time playing in the water, those cute little sounds turned a scream of "Mio". "Mine" sounds the same in any language.

Day 6½. Busy exciting day. Overcast day, but still balmy. Got the internet back after 2 down days (office was closed & they made a mistake). Washed my underwear. Last night's dinner was tasty pulpo ala ajo (octopus in garlic sauce); at a little restaurant by the bay. Watched 2 kids cast a fishing net to haul in some sea creatures. Have to walk to the grocery store for more coffee. Maybe something else to drink other than margaritas; acid too tough on my tummy.

Day 9. Been down here for a little over one week. Today Larry forgot his watch and had no idea what time it was. Have managed to enjoy ourselves even if the weather is pretty much the same every day - sun and balmy breezes. Pool right outside our patio. Soft fine sand beaches at 9 different protected bays with gentle lapping water. How do these people stand it? (The laugh and
smile a lot.)

Found a place that makes the best quesadillas. Smaller fresh tortillas filled with a luxurious local
white cheese. Then topped with a slice of avocado. Delicious. Ceviche is different here too. More used to chopped fresh seafood with a more soupy spicy vinegar sauce served in a bowl. Here they give you a pile of fresh delicate fish in a mild vinegar sauce with chopped tomatoes and onions. Very refreshing.

Have gotten totally tired of fruit drinks. No more margaritas or even bloody Mary's for a while. Too hard on stomach lining. Finally had to tell Larry, "If I want fruit, I'll go eat an apple." Finally, got my martini. Understand why people keep their vodka in the frig. Who puts ice in a
martini? Oh, no. Are olives a fruit?

The condo comes pretty complete, but it needs: *A broom to sweep up the ants killed by the spraying (they come in & totally clean once a week). *More bug spray; Larry smashed a couple of roaches. Used his shoe; hard bug, I thought he was killing an army. *And very efficient, very quiet fans and air conditioners (have good a/c, but not used to sleeping with it on.)

Enjoy seeing various kinds of birds stop by the pool like it was their oasis. Mainly black vultures and a flock of little swifts. Some seabirds that look like mini albatross. Even though we travel to some pretty exotic places, I am totally ignorant on various birds. This evening 2 small birds stopped by. Didn't appreciate their vocalization. Sounded like some cat squeeky toy.

Grocery stores are pretty well stocked with all the comforts of home. Remind me of a mini Walmart stuffed into a 7-11. Takes a little reconnoitering and patience. You tip the bagger here for putting groceries in the bag.

Valentine's Day - Went out for a nice dinner last night in La Crucecita. There was some confusion when Larry thought he could order his dinner in Spanish (wanted a filet). I ended up with my choice of favorful, tender marinated flank steak (here called arrachera), and Larry ended up with a salad. Worked out okay because we have been eating much lighter here, presumably from the heat. We just traded half way thru. Saved us about $6.50. (Dinner cost (flank steak/salad/bottle of Argentine wine/tip/taxi to & fro): $37

Huatulco Mexico-Part 2 We've moved to another condo as was our plan. Feel like our vacation has really started.

We are in the real world now. Today we spent an hour in the ocean, bopping in very light swells. Then walked 5 feet to a beach bar, had 2 Coronas for $3. Served with juicy lime and salt. Hard to put salt in or on a bottle so just did the tequila method – salt on hand, sip, lime. Worked for us. Great place to solve all the world's ills.

Only drawback so far is the manual labor used across the street. They are pulling down a reinforced concrete portico on a hotel – by hand. No jack hammers, not even electric saws to cut thru the steel rebar. Just big hammers. I bet it's harder on the workers than on us.

Tomorrow we're going to do the same thing. Not boring, trust me. Larry promised me dinner in La Crucecita Friday night. Oh, boy. Such a generous guy.

This move couldn't come soon enough. While the view of Santa Cruz Bay was mesmerizing, we were also a bit bored. Only 1 other couple to chat with. Moved to town at the Hacienda Real. Lots of people, lots of city noise; we are among the living. And only 3 blocks to the beach instead of 25 minute walk down the hill. And so close to the restaurants. Unit is a bit smaller square footage wise, but much better usage. And oh so much prettier. A little bit of pride of ownership. Our unit is again right by the pool.

TV here is better too. Direct TV. We get all the new shows. In English. (Other condo had SkyTV; half the shows were in Spanish. And the English shows were mostly old CSI types.

20 days since we left home. Have acclimated to the area. Get up in the morning, eat, shower, put on bathing suit until dinner time. Then decide whether to eat in and leave on swimsuit, or clean up and go out. Either works for me. My skin is brown and my hair bleached to some color I'm not sure what, probably multiple colors. Do have some kind of heat rash on my chest, probably because I sleep on my stomach and heat builds up there. Or I have creeping crud.

Found some wonderful restaurants. Food here is so much better than that stuff we get in the USA. Has subtle spices and fresher ingredients. Even had a hamburger that tasted totally healthy even though they put a Velveeta type cheese on it. Enjoying ourselves here. Larry has stopped wearing his watch and doesn't usually need to be reminded that it's cocktail time. Cocktail time costs a lot less here. $12 for a bottle of Stoli vodka. You should see the fresh vegetables in the little markets. Bought 2.5 pounds of shrimp for $10, lasted us for 4 meals.

Larry slipped by the pool about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Came down hard on one cheek. About 3 days later he developed this really big and dark bruise on his thigh. His butt's a little sore and the bruise is still dark, but he's okay. Glad he didn't land on his tail bone. Still a little worrisome about blood clots, especially on the 3 planes going home.

It's funny. Friday night we strolled the streets where they were having a carnival for Lent. Fireworks, carny games, rides, pizza. Lots of locals. Then Saturday night we went over to the expensive all-inclusive hotel area for a classical concert. Left at intermission. Too boring. Don't know what that says about me that I prefer the hoi polloi to the classical crowd. Who cares?

Walked over to the grocery store, about 1.5 away. And walked back since we only bought a couple of lunch items. I told Larry I'm on vacation too and done with cooking dinners. So we're eating out. Last night had the arabic tacos which were excellent. Don't know why they call them arabic since they were pork and arabs don't eat pork. Wish I know how they cooked the pork. Have a feeling they must have boiled it in spices and such, then baked it some, and then chopped it into small pieces. Very tasty. Really like the soft fresh flour tortillas they use here. Smaller. We do have a Mexican grocery store down the road from us at home; been meaning to investigate. Maybe they have carnitas. When I was single and poor, I get that and some handmade tortillas and that would be a weekend treat. Here's to poor people food. Can be very tasty.

Reminds me: Since this was Ash Wednesday, about 100 pilgrims came to down. Very poor. The town clears out an abandoned building for them. They live there for a couple of days, then go home. Had their little fire pits made from concrete blocks and little pieces of iron rebar for cooking. City even put up a sun shelter for them. They are gone now, but they left the place a mess. No toilets so you can imagine the smell. Old clothes strewn around. Just a dump. City had to come in and clean it up. Can't imagine how they live at home. I'm sure no plumbing or running water. These are very poor people. And the carnival is packing up.

There were a lot of vendors' stalls too at the carnival. Trinkets and jewelry and blue jeans. Also a lot of household products, mainly buckets and bowls. Bet I could have gotten a lot of that stuff for next to nothing. But can't get it into a suitcase.

We have 2 more days in Mexico. Mixed feelings about leaving after 30 days

1) Winter has arrived in Grass Valley - snow & 45 there.. Sun & sand & 90 here.

2) But Larry just poured tonic water into my martini. Maybe too long with no brain activity.

3) The lingo is coming more natural for both of us. Much closer to Spanish as opposed to the Spanglish we hear.

4) I'm looking forward to American TV, even commercials - cuz they'll be in English.

5) I'm considered tall here.

6) I'm tired of Canadians; strange bunch. Much more English-leaning then I would have thought. Have only met 2 Americans and they live here half the year.

7) I want my own bed and pillows.

8) I need to soak in a bath tub, but I'll miss soaking in the ocean.

9) I look forward to not worrying about drinking tap water, but even the locals drink bottled water a lot of the time.

10) Looking forward to American wine, but not American prices.

11) Larry's looking forward to American food, including Tex-Mex Mexican food. I consider the food here superior to our Tex-Mex food; world-class. Wish I could duplicate their sauces and spice combinations.

12) Larry can't wait to play golf.

Things learned so far...

1. Do not sit in the sun with forehead bangs. They block the sun creating a baseball cap
   illusion.
2. Larry can cook a perfectly good dinner with only a few hints. Reminder to self – Don't come and do myself; just give encouragement.
3. White Irish/German skin doesn't tan well, but can burn easily. (Assumption only – not going to prove the point)
4. There is a 2½ inch lizard in the condo. I want one in my bedroom; they eat bugs. Saw him/her racing around the living room at night. Where does he stay during the day?
5. English language movies are close-captioned in Spanish, but when they speak Spanish, there is no close captioning.
6. Larry begrudged me tipping the bag boy at the grocery 75 cents. Thought half that was adequate. Cheap. It's not like I bought him a car. (Tipping the bag boy is expected.)
7. Should have brought some washcloths; would like to sand off skin cells killed off by pool and sun. Maybe I can get the overcompensated bag boy to buy me one.
8. February 5 is Mexican Constitution Day. No parades or celebrations, but they do get Monday off. So, not good days to go to the beach – crowds.
9. Wish the U.S. Media covered more than drug dealers in Mexico. These are hard working people – 6 days a week; long hours.
10. Adaption to this climate is speeded by pool right by the patio. Akin to have a sauna in a cold climate.
11. When Larry asked me if he should put a shirt on I asked what he intended to do with his body. 'Go to the pool.' So? 'I don't want to burn.' Put a shirt on. Someone left his brain in bed today.
12. Flowering trees, bushes and vines sure make a pretty landscape.
13. Give me palapas for shade and a balmy sea breeze anytime.
    
    

December 2011 NCL Mexico Cruise

Took a short cruise from New Orleans to Roatan, Honduras stopping in Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize. Enjoyed the trip especially cave tubing in Belize. And always, always enjoy New Orleans.

NCL Mediterranean Cruise 3/24-4/17/2011 (Story below)

2011 NCL JADE TRIP AND PLACES VISITED SUMMARIES

2011 NCL JADE TRIP AND PLACES VISITED SUMMARIES

Let’s do the summary first - Considering the time of year and this year's perplexing global weather, we enjoyed ourselves and will do yet another cruise. Had the best weather visiting the three islands (Malta, Canary, & Madeira) plus Marrakesh in Morocco. Cruise gave us a taste of 8 countries - Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Morocco, Canary Islands, & Madeira Islands and 10 ports – Barcelona, Malaga, Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Izmir, Casablanca, Agadir, Las Palmas, and Funchal.

Ate our breakfasts and lunches in the Garden Cafe; reliable, plentiful, good quality, and some tasty surprises. Most dinners were eaten in Alizar, the smaller included restaurant. We stuffed ourselves at one meal at Cagney's Steakhouse. Had our best meals in Le Bistro, the French restaurant. Tried to eat several meals in the Blue Lagoon, but only succeeded twice; once we never got any service and left, our only bad experience.

Next cruise we will more carefully select our cabin: never directly under the pool area (chair moving and running elephants). Watch out for the gym, dance floors, pools, and children's areas. Next time we'll try either the stern (not under the aft cafe/bar) or very forward or very aft. Right in the midsection we were also subjected to poor parents letting toddlers run unsupervised through the halls.

We will have to investigate other land tours. NCL's has good tours, but they seem expensive and poorly organized. Plus some of the fellow tour takers are real pigs who may be too ignorant to look at other options to see sights, you know, just sign up for a tour and get all our touring that way.

The crew that was visible to us (housekeeping, food & beverage, etc.) was always friendly and helpful. And they come from all over the world.

We enjoyed the Latitude and 21-day cruisers appreciation parties. Won a bottle of champagne, artwork and a signed map of our trip. Appreciated the free wine and hors d'oeuvres.

The Trip

From Grass Valley to Barcelona - Glad we left earlier than planned; heavy rain and wind all the way to SFO. Finally board our 10-hour KLM flight to Amsterdam. Smooth flight. Flight attendants were attentive and courteous. Amsterdam's airport exudes a negative energy; don't like it here; can't wait to leave. Finished the day with another easy KLM flight.

NCL Jade - Boarding is easy. Our stateroom (11042) is ready at 3 pm.; so we explore the ship.

PORT DETAILS

Barcelona - Only so many cities in the world can draw me back. Fewer still could be my home. Barcelona is one of those special cities. Livable. Sophisticated. Wonderful location. Sociable people. Enjoyed the large extensive market – fresh seafood and meat, vegetables, bread, candy, nuts, and flowers. Also visited the Cathedral, walked Barri Gotic & La Rambla.

La Sagrada Familia. Barcelona's church was designed by Gaudi. Begun in 1883, it's not finished yet! Everything forces the eyes upward. Soaring interior almost shouts, “See this! There must be a God.” Words to describe: genius, magnificent, amazing. Compared to other cathedrals we've entered, this is the most inspiring. Services are held in the crypt where Gaudi is buried. Took the elevator to the top of one of the towers for a view of the city.

Civitavecchio, Italy – a bus tour to Tarquinia, an ancient Etruscan city and a necropolis. We descended into 4 ancient elaborately painted tombs, paint still vivid after 2500 years. Visited the Palazzo Vitelleschi to see objects taken from the tombs. Still want to know more about the Etruscans, but so little is known. (Info note: Etruscan became Truscan which became Tuscany.) The tour continued to Valla del Marta resort for bruschetta, olives, wine and various fruit liqueurs.

Piraeus, Greece – Athens port city. We woke to deep thunder; a rainy day. We should have taken a cab to the train station, but afterall it’s only a 30 minute walk, but in the pouring rain? Ticket agent cheated us on our change by 5 Euro ($7). From the Monastiraki stop it's a quick walk to the Plaka where we enjoyed our Greek salad, lamb gyros, and retsina, before heading to the new Acropolis Museum. We wandered thru little back streets lined with teeny white houses with blue trim before we finally find it. Athens has done a great job establishing this museum. Even has English signage. England has no excuses now not to return the Elgin marbles.

Izmir, Turkey – Since we have already visited Ephesus, we just walk along the waterfront to the bazaar to Konak Square. Enjoyed our pide, doner kabobs & coca-cola before returning to the ship. Originally called Smyrna it was Homer’s birthplace.

Istanbul, Turkey – Sailing thru the Sea of Marmara we woke to small whitecaps, heavy overcast and more rain. Only 46 degrees outside. A quick cab ride to the Grand Bazaar with its 4,400 shops and spend 2-3 wonderful hours exploring the alleys and shops. When it's time to leave, it is still raining heavily. The cost of a cab ride is now 3 times what it was. And back at the ship he wants 4 times, but no go. Could leave us with a bad taste for Istanbul in our mouth. But the next day is not raining, so we walked over the Galata Bridge to the Egyptian Spice Market. Happier, but taxi drivers are now part of the Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves myth.

Istanbul is a gray city, not helped by heavy fog and rain; so different from Greece's white wash and happy blue homes. And with every head turn, there are at least 4-5 ponderously somber mosques. Islam seems to hinder Turkey's emergence from Ottoman rule, even though that empire fell in the 1920's.

Only sea life we've seen has been here in the Bosphorus. Leaping dolphins several times and lots of jellyfish floating by in the current.

The next day we left Istanbul passing thru the Dardanelles and Gallipoli (Turkish: Gelibolu), the 1915 site of a tremendous battle involving the Russians/Turks blockage and the British & Anzacs.

And the sun has come out!

Another day at sea before Malta and the sun is still shining. Everyone is on the deck trying to catch some rays. But it's cold in the wind. And the wind seems everywhere.

Other than the bottom branches of Greece we see no other land, only a very pretty azure sea. Calm seas too. If it weren't for the breeze, the seas would be glassy.

Valleta, Malta – Caught the Malta sightseeing bus traveling to Mosta, Mdina, St. Paul's Bay, Silema and back to Valleta. Learned that water is a scarce commodity. Habitation of Malta dates back to 3,500 BC. Rabbit stew and octopus are major foods. Because of a RAF base, Malta was heavily bombed during WW2. Became a English colony then which explains the English tourist areas, some very nice, but most are totally tacky.

Valleta is a charming city with small streets and crazy drivers. Extensive fortifications tell of its history of being attacked by pirates and Saracens. St. John's Cathedral art and majesty were amazing and included masterpieces by Caravaggio. He was once a member of the St. Johns order, but thrown out after a disagreement with a fellow knight.

Enjoyed our first really good day of weather, sun and warmth. Enjoyed our beer at one of the numerous wharf cafes.

Delightful place to return to and to learn more about it history.

Casablanca, Morocco – Drove thru on our way to Marrakesh. Saw the two draws - a copy of Rick's from the movie Casablanca and the mosque, the 2nd largest one in the world. Not much at all to pull us back.

Marrakesh, Morocco – On our 4½ drive to this desert city, we drove through field after field of various fruits and vegetables. Our hotel, Ryad Mogador, is considered 5-star – Morocco rating. My rating – a Quality Inn – clean, safe, comfortable, but no luxuries and no English TV. But no real time for TV anyway. Entering Marrakesh was a bit disappointing until we realized there are really two cities – the old one behind ancient walls & the new one, really new and modern. After a very tasty buffet lunch at our hotel, we drove through ancient walls to the Medina, a warren of little twisting allies and then to the souk, Jemaa el Fna, the exciting old marketplace full of snake charmers, henna painters, souvenir shops and pathetic chained monkeys being hauled around. Founded in 1070 it has been a cultural and community icon since then. (Explosion on April 28, 2011 killed 15).

In the 16th century the Saadi dynasty ruled Morocco. The royal family tombs are major tourist attractions now. Beautifully tiled, they contain the corpses of 60 members of the royal family. Men, women and children each have their own building. Personal servants and soldiers are buried in the courtyard. Each tomb’s top is different so people could find a particular grave (not many people could read). The tomb entrances were sealed for hundreds of years, probably from superstition, thus protecting them.

Enjoyed seeing the Sultan’s Palace Bahia and its tiles, architecture and scented gardens.

Walked by the Koutoubia Mosque, built in the late 1100’s. Starred curiously at the numerous 3’ pylons beside the Mosque. This was site of an original mosque, but built incorrectly and torn down – it didn’t face Mecca.

Had a dinner and a folk show; lots of dancing, horses and music. Half a lamb, pilaf, zucchini, and wine. Went on too long and too much food.

Personal comments and criticism: Tour to Marrakesh tried our patience, but we do not regret going. I fault NCL for not running it better; cleared short trips long before our 2-day trip. With a 4-hour drive to Marrakesh, we didn't need to sit longer in a theater waiting. And our guide's accent was so heavy; we had a hard time understanding his information. And Morocco may have a more laid-back look at life, but we would have appreciated having times and locations laid out better. Never really knew when we were meeting or where we were going.

Could probably have skipped the tent dinner, folk dance and horse show. Too much wasted food, too much time between courses, and too late (finished by 11 pm). Dinner was literally hands on, but didn’t offer us washing facilities.

Two bumpkins at our table whined and complained the whole evening spoiling the evening. The next day she covered her ears when our guide was talking about Islam, one of the world’s great religions. Just rude. And ignorant. Why spend $400 per person if she hated Islam and didn’t want to learn anything.

Agadir, Morocco – Rebuilt city after 1960 devastating earthquake. Except for a great beach area, not much to draw us back.

Our voyage to Las Palmas is rougher. Seas swells are 7.5 to 12 feet. Winds are 36 knots, near gale force local 8. Ship rocked and rolled and groaned all night.

Las Palmas, Canary Islands – Spent a couple of hours walking around this modern city. Presumed it was going to be like Malta; we were totally surprised by upscale shopping centers and department stores. Prime area for a return visit. Southern part of the island around Maspalmoas is supposed to have a great night life. There are smaller, more secluded resorts such as Barranco la Vera, Patalavaca, Puerto Rico and Mogan. We spent so much time in department stores, we didn't have a chance to visit the cathedral or Christopher Columbus's house. Research needed.

Funchal, Maderia Islands – Let's just say, I didn't want to leave. Have such fond memories of this charming place with its red roofs and white buildings. Checking out the local food fare we toured the produce and fish market, paying particular attention to the islands special fish, espada, a long eel-like scary & ugly fish. After exploring several modern department stores, it's lunch time. We wisely chose Venda da Donna Maria, a delightful restaurant in Old Town serving local fare. With wise foresight we split a tasty plate of espada, vegetables, and sliced crispy potatoes. Everything is tasty with just the correct amount of seasonings; espada is a delicate white fish. Split a papaya pudding for dessert. Our splurge was an entire bottle of local Madeira red wine. A good meal, good wine, warm basking sunshine and a stroll by the Atlantic Ocean; not going to ask for more. Except maybe to hope we get the opportunity to return.

Malaga / Granada, Spain – The Alhambra – We're off today to visit Granada and La Alhambra, the sultan's palace. Had perfect balmy weather.

La Alhambra was a palace, fortress, garden and the sultan’s home built during the Moors 600 year occupation of the area. Even without furnishings and rich tapestries and rugs, you can almost hear the daily workings of this extensive complex – the tiles, delicate plaster, the ornately carved ceilings. The Sultan’s #1 wife’s quarters resembled a cave, not dark and creepy, but bright and airy. Generalife, the gardens built in the 12th & 14th centuries for the Muslim royalty, are restful and walkable.

Also Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, built a palace in there 1527. This large square building contains a large circular patio.

Montserrat, Spain & transfer to Renaissance Airport Hotel – Time of reckoning; our cruise is over. One last tour before the hotel and the air industry takes over. Montserrat is a rocky mountain range rising 4,055’ from the valley floor and site of the monastery where people worship “La Moreneta”, the black Madonna. The monastery is a religious retreat and young people from Barcelona and all over Catalonia make overnight hikes at least once in their lives to the heights of Montserrat. Today is Palm Sunday and the courtyards are filled with people waving fronds and laurel. Wish we had time to take the cable car to the top and to walk some of the trails down the mountain, especially to the chapel built over a cave where a young boy found the black Madonna supposedly hidden by the Moors.

An overnight at the Renaissance Airport hotel and Delta takes us uneventfully home.

Our Cruise Schedule
Sun, Mar 27 - Barcelona, Board at noon, leave port at 7 pm.
Mon, Mar 28 - A day at sea, The Bonifacto Straits, between Corsica &Sardinia
Tue, Mar 29 - Civitavecchio, Italy, Rome's port, we tour Tarquinia
Wed, Mar 30 - A day at sea, The Messina Straits, between Sicily &the Italian main land
Thu, Mar 31 - Piraeus, Greece, Quick train ride to Athens &a Greek lunch & retsina
Fri, Apr 01 - Izmir, Turkey, Port to Ephesus; we stroll to the market &a kebab lunch
Sat, Apr 02 - Istanbul, Turkey, Rainy day tour of the Grand Bazaar
Sun, Apr 03 - Istanbul, Turkey, Chilly tour of Spice market
Mon, Apr 04 - Istanbul, Turkey, Set sail for Malta
Tue, Apr 05 - A day at sea
Wed, Apr 06 - Valletta, Malta, Charming
Thu, Apr 07 - A day at sea
Fri, Apr 08 - Barcelona, Sagrada Familia & the market again
Sat, Apr 09 - A day at Sea
Sun, Apr 10 - Casablanca, Morocco, Board the bus to Marrakesh
Mon, Apr 11 - Agadir, Morocco
Tue, Apr 12 - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Modern
Wed, Apr 13 - Funchal, Madeira Islands
Thu, Apr 14 - A day at sea
Fri, Apr 15 - Granada, Board the bus to tour the Alhambra
Sat, Apr 16 - A day at sea
Sun, Apr 17 - Barcelona & Montserrat, Cruise ends

Starlight Theater Entertainment
The majority of the entertainment is fun and professional, a bonus to the cruise.
Los Lobos Ole – 3 guitarists (describe as Los Amigos meet the 3 stooges)
Nicola Loud – very accomplished English violinist. Technically great, but high notes hurt my ears.
Showdown – Singers. Larry went; I slept.
Michael Goddard – comedian. Funny.
Katy Setterfield – vocalist – we passed.
Anatolian Folkloric Group – belly dancer, 4 musicians, & 8 folk dancers. Entertaining.
Crypton & Renata – Magicians. We left this self serving boring act 15 minutes into the show.
Flash & Fever – Comedy team. Combination of acrobatics and quick change. Fun.
Elements – Indescribable. A fantastic combination of elements (air, wind, fire, water) and of entertainment elements (circus, magic, acrobatics, ballet). Standing ovation.
Showdown – A musical version of American Idol. Fun.

Ship pluses & minuses
Positives
• Glad I brought an extension card. More plugs than NCL Star, but makes for convenience.
• Like the storage and desk arrangement better than NCL Star.
• Food is tasty, good quality, and generous.
• Crew is friendly, helpful.
• Love the nicer bathrobes that come with the mini-suites.
Negatives and wish list
• 21-day cruise is considered one credited trip, but entertain repeats.
• Pillows are too hard & duvet on the bed is too heavy. Pushing it into the middle is like having a 3rd person in bed.
• Sheets are either very nice or so thin I wouldn't use them at home.
• Tour organization from the Star Theater is unorganized to almost insulting. We'll never take another NCL land tour. They should have the president of the company try them anonymously; things might improve.
• Wish they could ban cigarette smoking. Or at least not allow it in cabins. First couple of days had to endure slight smell of smoke, and there's a small burn mark on our sofa. And smoke drifts onto the balcony from other balconies and decks. Disgusting.
• Wish they helped more with cab prices and independent traveling. Think they could have more influence on the cabs. Either too protective of passengers or desire to keep passengers afraid and sell more of their tours.
• Impossible wish they could screen the passengers for tackiness (e.g., the Midwestern who covered her ears at a talk about Islam.)
• Wish people understood that resort casual is not the tee shirt they've worn all day by the pool.
• And who brings small children on a cruise; that's what Disney is for. We had several families on our level with small children who constantly ran up and down the corridor. When asked to control their children, their replies: “They paid too. They are children and it's the middle of the afternoon.”
• Wish all messages to the passengers were only delivered in English, but understand the large number of Spanish and German speakers passengers. But what about all the Australians?
• Our 21-day trip only counts as one trip, but shows repeat.

NCL PANAMA CANAL CRUISE Jan. 15-30, 2010

Miami

Winter is here; we’re ready for our Latin American cruise. We wrongfully anticipate a nightmare of personal intrusiveness and stress at the Sacramento Airport; but it’s a cinch. The true nightmare begins at the Miami airport as we wait over an hour for the hotel shuttle. And another hour to check in.

After dinner we find the shower doesn’t work and can’t be fixed. The front desk: we’re full; no other rooms. I’m not sleeping in a room without a shower, so we insist. Finally the maintenance guy finds us a new room. Fourteen hours after leaving home, we get to go to bed.

The next day we listen while other guests tell there own horror stories: duplicate keys given to occupied rooms, unresponsive front desk, creepy feel, unorganized shuttles, etc. Cannot recommend the Rodeway in Miami for any creature living or dead.

NCL Star Setting Sail

A quick 20 minute, $20 cab ride helps us escape from the nightmare into the daylight as we check-in at the NCL Star. Process includes ID photos, credit establishment, and mini-health questionnaire (any diarrhea or vomiting in the last 48 hours?). We explore the ship for several hours and enjoy our first lunch while our stateroom is readied at 2 p.m. More exploring before a pool BBQ and back to our room to watch the Saints trounce Arizona.

An important activity while cruising is people watching – also known as people critiquing. I wasn’t aware that people could get that fat or that skin could stretch that far. Couldn’t believe the number of really fat people, I mean fat. God help you if you got behind them; you’d be there forever watching this flesh slosh and ripple and undulate.

Since the passengers’ average age must be over 80, it’s amazing how many still have hairdos from the 50’s. And the definition of Resort Casual escapes most. If this is dress-up, I’d hate to see sloppy.

Home for many of the passengers is Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Latinos, Asians, and Sweden, plus the usual U.S. traveler. And since most old people look alike, you couldn’t tell their origin until they opened their mouths to speak. The crew of 1,100 represents 56 countries, 2/3 from the Philippines.

At the end of the first day we give permission to ourselves: Relax. Enjoy.

Today is our first full day at sea. Last night we sailed from Miami and went thru the passage between Haiti and Cuba. The ship established a Haitian donation fund. We mainly roam and familiarize ourselves with this ship; it is 965’ long and has at least 10 decks open to explore.

Our first talk on the next port is disappointing. The ‘talk’ is 50 minutes on how to buy Colombian emeralds and 10 minutes on the port. Cartegena is a beautiful port city. It deserves more than 10 minutes, but they want to sell their tours and have the passengers buy emeralds. We were looking for an educational lecture on Cartegena and we got bling.

The food at Aqua is very good. We shared a table with other people, nice people we never saw again, so we never shared again. We preferred our own company. Sharing tables is the only way NCL promotes meeting other people.

Everyday we have breakfast and lunch in the Market Café buffet. The food is well prepared, fresh and of a good variety. Finding seating can be a challenge; people sit and stay. And some stay for dinner too even though the two-included restaurants (Aqua & Versailles), have excellent food. All we can figure is that they want to eat a lot (and it shows), they don’t want to get dressed (no shorts or tank tops etc allowed), or they feel comfortable in a buffet. Who knows?

Every day we spend several hours in the Spinnaker Lounge working our way thru the ship’s daily crossword, sudokus and progressive trivia. This comfy lounge at the bow of the ship is an excellent place to sit and allow the passing sea to mesmerize us. This is a good place to watch the horizon for pirates and icebergs.

And the horizon is always just sky and water. The sea just goes on and on. It’s vast and deep.

At 10 a.m. the captain’s voice comes over the loudspeaker with daily log entries. His strong Swedish accent can make it hard to understand him sometimes, but we get the idea.

After lunch we can relax on our balcony, lose a few bucks in the casino, hit a few golf balls, toss a basketball, stroll the decks, or have our daily ice cream cone. We skipped playing goofy golf, but it was fun to watch. (Goofy golf is playing golf the stairs.)