Mom just emailed me the link to her new British friend Kazzie's blog.
http://karen123.wordpress.com/
They took the same tour in Acapulco, but neither of them has written it up yet. I will post a link on the sidebar as well.
The next two days they're at sea, so hopefully we'll get another update soon.
Liz
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Acapulco with Rosie and the Cliff Divers
Acapulco, Mexico
January 26
Eastern Time minus 1 hour
Today in Acapulco we had a small group tour that I set up with some people I met online from Cruise Critic. There were 7 of us in a large 10 person van. Our tour guide was Rosie. I located her from her great reviews on Cruise Critic.
Rosie picked us up first thing in the morning and we were off! She had a route planned out to beat the crowds from the Cruise line tours.
The main thing I discovered about most of Acapulco is that it is all about the views. Everywhere we went the views were outstanding. ( Other than that it seemed to be a city that is past its prime.) Even though the rich and famous were here once, they are no more. The city now has a population of about 1.5 million.
Our first stop was the Los Flamingos Hotel. This was a neat place that was once owned by "The Hollywood Gang". I didn't write down the names on the list, but I know John Wayne and Johnny Weissmiller (sp?) were two of the owners, but can't think of the others. There were about 6 of them. The place was old with a lot of character. Sorry, I have to improve on taking more pictures for the blog. Somehow I didn't take any of the hotel.
The next stop was the Chapel of Peace which featured this huge cross and beautiful views.
On to the market so Stirling could add to his vast bar. This man came rolling down the street with a loaded cart full of the purchases.
Lunch and the Cliff Divers were next on the agenda! The main cliff is 105 feet above sea level. The water they dive into is about 15 feet deep. Notice the man on the top of the cliff on the right. I just couldn't seem to get them in mid-dive.
The people came by land and sea the watch the divers. Do you suppose there is a life jacket for everyone on this boat?
The walls were covered in signatures of people who have been there. They were sort of wood burned into the walls and then painted white. I just took a picture of this very small section. (Fred McMurray, ray Milland, Esther Williams etc.)
Rosie had arranged for us to eat at a table overlooking the divers and it was undercover. This is a big deal because the sun was HOT!!! Liz has asked me to take pictures of the food. I forgot that, but does beer count?
On the way out the divers met us and we gave them tips (of course, this is Mexico).
There was a little boy that met us when we got to the cliff diving place. He took out the stool for the van and helped each of us out. Rosie told us we could tip him on the way out, not in. He helped in reverse when we left. His last comment was "hasta la vista baby! " I should have gotten a picture of him.
Most of the beautiful old hotels in the old section are now run down and falling apart. Stiring and Clare were interested to visit one of the hotels that they had visited about 40 years ago, right after their marriage. The view was spectacular. They said that at that time it was a top hotel. Now it is really bad. We saw a sign that you had to pay a $10 deposit for two towels. It is now for sale for 6 million dollars. Rosie said that it may be sold to someone to build a condo building or time share, but it is now in the wrong part of town. The best hotels have now moved far down the beach to an area called the Gold Coast. Here are two pictures of the view from the hotel named Casablanca.
The next stop was the Mercado (market). Stirling and Rosie went into the city market (Mercado) to buy flowers for Stirling and Clare's cabin. He bought some for me too. He told Jeff he couldn't buy flowers for his wife and not for Jeff's. Works for me!
The rest of us continued to check out the pig heads and chickens hanging in the open air. It was quite an interesting site.
Our last stop was at the Cathedral and the square in front of it. Rosie said this was the heart of Acapulco.
As we returned to the van, there was the "hasta la vista baby!" boy. We can't figure out how he got way to the other side of town and found us. Makes you wonder...
January 26
Eastern Time minus 1 hour
Today in Acapulco we had a small group tour that I set up with some people I met online from Cruise Critic. There were 7 of us in a large 10 person van. Our tour guide was Rosie. I located her from her great reviews on Cruise Critic.
Rosie picked us up first thing in the morning and we were off! She had a route planned out to beat the crowds from the Cruise line tours.
The main thing I discovered about most of Acapulco is that it is all about the views. Everywhere we went the views were outstanding. ( Other than that it seemed to be a city that is past its prime.) Even though the rich and famous were here once, they are no more. The city now has a population of about 1.5 million.
Our first stop was the Los Flamingos Hotel. This was a neat place that was once owned by "The Hollywood Gang". I didn't write down the names on the list, but I know John Wayne and Johnny Weissmiller (sp?) were two of the owners, but can't think of the others. There were about 6 of them. The place was old with a lot of character. Sorry, I have to improve on taking more pictures for the blog. Somehow I didn't take any of the hotel.
The next stop was the Chapel of Peace which featured this huge cross and beautiful views.
On to the market so Stirling could add to his vast bar. This man came rolling down the street with a loaded cart full of the purchases.
Lunch and the Cliff Divers were next on the agenda! The main cliff is 105 feet above sea level. The water they dive into is about 15 feet deep. Notice the man on the top of the cliff on the right. I just couldn't seem to get them in mid-dive.
The people came by land and sea the watch the divers. Do you suppose there is a life jacket for everyone on this boat?
The walls were covered in signatures of people who have been there. They were sort of wood burned into the walls and then painted white. I just took a picture of this very small section. (Fred McMurray, ray Milland, Esther Williams etc.)
Rosie had arranged for us to eat at a table overlooking the divers and it was undercover. This is a big deal because the sun was HOT!!! Liz has asked me to take pictures of the food. I forgot that, but does beer count?
On the way out the divers met us and we gave them tips (of course, this is Mexico).
There was a little boy that met us when we got to the cliff diving place. He took out the stool for the van and helped each of us out. Rosie told us we could tip him on the way out, not in. He helped in reverse when we left. His last comment was "hasta la vista baby! " I should have gotten a picture of him.
Most of the beautiful old hotels in the old section are now run down and falling apart. Stiring and Clare were interested to visit one of the hotels that they had visited about 40 years ago, right after their marriage. The view was spectacular. They said that at that time it was a top hotel. Now it is really bad. We saw a sign that you had to pay a $10 deposit for two towels. It is now for sale for 6 million dollars. Rosie said that it may be sold to someone to build a condo building or time share, but it is now in the wrong part of town. The best hotels have now moved far down the beach to an area called the Gold Coast. Here are two pictures of the view from the hotel named Casablanca.
The next stop was the Mercado (market). Stirling and Rosie went into the city market (Mercado) to buy flowers for Stirling and Clare's cabin. He bought some for me too. He told Jeff he couldn't buy flowers for his wife and not for Jeff's. Works for me!
The rest of us continued to check out the pig heads and chickens hanging in the open air. It was quite an interesting site.
Our last stop was at the Cathedral and the square in front of it. Rosie said this was the heart of Acapulco.
As we returned to the van, there was the "hasta la vista baby!" boy. We can't figure out how he got way to the other side of town and found us. Makes you wonder...
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Pura Vida from Costa Rica!
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
January 23
Eastern Time minus one hour
Pura Vida from Costa Rica!
Pura Vida (pure life) means Wonderful Life here Costa Rica! It is used as a greeting or to say all is right with the world.
My brother Rick and his wife Lori named their boat Pura Vida which made our guide Carla very happy. She knew that meant they loved Cost Rica. Carla was an excellent guide. Tourism is the number one industry here. She has a bachelor degree and a master’s degree in tourism. She was really outstanding.
Our excursion for the day was a 9 ½ hour trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest for a guided walk through the treetops. We also visited a hummingbird garden and an insect museum with over a million specimens. The trip started out on the Pan American Highway
but quickly changed to a very bumpy trip on a very rutted dirt road. The road was so bumpy that it was hard to take pictures.
We did really go into the countryside which made for some interesting viewing like this ox cart pulling water.
As we approached we could see the clouds hanging over the mountain that was our destination.
The forest has been well preserved thanks to the conservation efforts of several Quaker families that emigrated to Costa Rica in the 1950s. We took an approximately 90-minute walk that traveled on eight suspension bridges through the forest canopy and along trails on the forest floor. The suspension bridges were quite long and had some movement.
The trip seemed even longer on the way back than on the way there. The explanation for the bad roads was that they now get 100,000 visitors a year with the road so bad. They feel that if they improve the road the amount of visitors will double and that may wreck the area. I was really happy we took a ship’s tour. I would have been nervous the whole time due to the distance form Puntarenas and the bad roads. We don’t want to miss the ship this early in the trip!
We really enjoyed our day in Monteverde.
When we got back to the ship we went straight up to the hot tub and then had a great dinner at the Todd English Restaurant on the ship.
January 23
Eastern Time minus one hour
Pura Vida from Costa Rica!
Pura Vida (pure life) means Wonderful Life here Costa Rica! It is used as a greeting or to say all is right with the world.
My brother Rick and his wife Lori named their boat Pura Vida which made our guide Carla very happy. She knew that meant they loved Cost Rica. Carla was an excellent guide. Tourism is the number one industry here. She has a bachelor degree and a master’s degree in tourism. She was really outstanding.
Our excursion for the day was a 9 ½ hour trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest for a guided walk through the treetops. We also visited a hummingbird garden and an insect museum with over a million specimens. The trip started out on the Pan American Highway
but quickly changed to a very bumpy trip on a very rutted dirt road. The road was so bumpy that it was hard to take pictures. We did really go into the countryside which made for some interesting viewing like this ox cart pulling water.
As we approached we could see the clouds hanging over the mountain that was our destination.
The forest has been well preserved thanks to the conservation efforts of several Quaker families that emigrated to Costa Rica in the 1950s. We took an approximately 90-minute walk that traveled on eight suspension bridges through the forest canopy and along trails on the forest floor. The suspension bridges were quite long and had some movement.
The trip seemed even longer on the way back than on the way there. The explanation for the bad roads was that they now get 100,000 visitors a year with the road so bad. They feel that if they improve the road the amount of visitors will double and that may wreck the area. I was really happy we took a ship’s tour. I would have been nervous the whole time due to the distance form Puntarenas and the bad roads. We don’t want to miss the ship this early in the trip!
We really enjoyed our day in Monteverde.
When we got back to the ship we went straight up to the hot tub and then had a great dinner at the Todd English Restaurant on the ship.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Panama Canal
Panama Canal: Eastern Time Zone +0 Hours
AM Portion: Gatun Locks
Beautiful day (overcast so we don't roast in the sun)
The Pilots boarded our ship at 6 AM.
The Captain must give up complete control of the ship. This is the only time this happens. Our ship is on its Maiden Voyage so it was its first time transiting the Canal. I also heard it was the first time for our head Pilot. I am not sure if that is true. The Pilots communicate continuously with a control center as well as the linemen, the towing "mule" drivers and the lock engineer.
The Admeasurer also boarded because this was our first passage. It is his job to measure the ship, define its Panama Canal tonnage and from that calculate the toll for each transit. The anticipated toll is in excess of $275,000. (The Suez Canal transit will cost twice that).
We arrived at Gatun Locks at 7:30 AM and began our transit.
Notice the little vehicles next to the building. These are the "mules" that guide us through the canal. If ships drift into the side, the "mule" on the other side will pull its lines tight and pull it
into the center.
The Coral Princess left Aruba about six hours ahead of us. She is in the set of locks next to us. We can't really see what is happening to us, but we can watch her transit which is very interesting. We will have 2 feet of clearance on each side. Look what a tight fit she has.
We are passing from the Atlantic Ocean into Gatun Lake in this portion of
the transit. Gatun Lake is 85 feet above sea level. The principle involved
is simply letting the water run downhill and filling up the next lowest
lock. Every time a ship makes a transit about 52 million gallons of fresh
water is spilled into the sea.
Here is the Coral Princess entering Gatun Lake after leaving the first 3
locks.
We entered Gatun Lake and anchored to wait for the Northbound traffic to pass before the Southbound had their turn. We were surrounded by 17 other ships from cruise ships to freighters.
Around one o'clock we were on the move through the rest of the canal. We ordered a great lunch and had some wine and watched the world go by.
People lined the shores to watch our first transit. About 1000 people were on shore when we cleared the last lock. As the sun set and the moon rose, we passed Panama City and headed into the Pacific Ocean.
AM Portion: Gatun Locks
Beautiful day (overcast so we don't roast in the sun)
The Pilots boarded our ship at 6 AM.
The Captain must give up complete control of the ship. This is the only time this happens. Our ship is on its Maiden Voyage so it was its first time transiting the Canal. I also heard it was the first time for our head Pilot. I am not sure if that is true. The Pilots communicate continuously with a control center as well as the linemen, the towing "mule" drivers and the lock engineer.The Admeasurer also boarded because this was our first passage. It is his job to measure the ship, define its Panama Canal tonnage and from that calculate the toll for each transit. The anticipated toll is in excess of $275,000. (The Suez Canal transit will cost twice that).
We arrived at Gatun Locks at 7:30 AM and began our transit.
Notice the little vehicles next to the building. These are the "mules" that guide us through the canal. If ships drift into the side, the "mule" on the other side will pull its lines tight and pull itinto the center.
The Coral Princess left Aruba about six hours ahead of us. She is in the set of locks next to us. We can't really see what is happening to us, but we can watch her transit which is very interesting. We will have 2 feet of clearance on each side. Look what a tight fit she has.
We are passing from the Atlantic Ocean into Gatun Lake in this portion of
the transit. Gatun Lake is 85 feet above sea level. The principle involved
is simply letting the water run downhill and filling up the next lowest
lock. Every time a ship makes a transit about 52 million gallons of fresh
water is spilled into the sea.
Here is the Coral Princess entering Gatun Lake after leaving the first 3
locks.
We entered Gatun Lake and anchored to wait for the Northbound traffic to pass before the Southbound had their turn. We were surrounded by 17 other ships from cruise ships to freighters.
Around one o'clock we were on the move through the rest of the canal. We ordered a great lunch and had some wine and watched the world go by.
People lined the shores to watch our first transit. About 1000 people were on shore when we cleared the last lock. As the sun set and the moon rose, we passed Panama City and headed into the Pacific Ocean.
"The Cave" (Our Cabin)
Here are some pictures of our cabin. We feel it is a good size and very comfortable. If you are in a cabin other than a suite, this is quite large.
Please note the new drawers! (Sharon, here are my shoes that you are wondering about. I brought 15 pair and I've worn 7.)
The closets are ample, but you need to stay organized. I have several of the multi-tiered hangers that hold 5 jackets or tops and 5 tiered pants hangers that hold about 8 or 10 pair.
Please note the new drawers! (Sharon, here are my shoes that you are wondering about. I brought 15 pair and I've worn 7.)
The closets are ample, but you need to stay organized. I have several of the multi-tiered hangers that hold 5 jackets or tops and 5 tiered pants hangers that hold about 8 or 10 pair.
Shipboard Life
Living aboard the Queen Victoria is a lot like being at a sleep away camp for adults. Every day is jam-packed with things to do.
We have each taken several computer classes and are really enjoying them. Jeff is taking a PowerPoint class right now.
The gym is really nice and they have many classes there each day as well. Lots of variety and also some that repeat, like ZUMBA. Jeff’s fencing classes begin the day after the Panama Canal.
There are also have great discussion groups. Jeff participated in one yesterday for Classic Car enthusiasts with an emphasis on Rolls Royces. He really enjoyed it.
I have also joined the onboard Book Club. Our first book is The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. She is from Brisbane, Australia. I will ask Sandra about her when she returns from Antarctica.
There are also speakers everyday on a variety of subjects. Everything from Theater to Forensic Science to Maritime History for this segment. New Speakers will join us for each segment and give about 5 lectures or so. The Forensic Science speaker is also a Mystery Writer. The lecture I went to had to do with The O. J. Simpson and JFK cases. Very interesting. The day I went to his first lecture he and his wife ate dinner with us. We had a great time.
The entertainment has been fine, some better than others. We were surprised to hear that we will have different entertainment every night for all 105 nights. That is really unbelievable. It is really a huge undertaking.
Last night we were at Stirling and Clare’s for Sail away. We were yucking it up, having our champagne and watching the Aruba Harbor. Suddenly a face peered around the corner of the balcony from the one next door. That cabin had been empty until now. The woman introduced herself as Theresa and said she boarded in Aruba. She is a freelance travel writer and has come to write abut the ship. We preceded to tell her everything we knew and thought we knew. The whole time she was straining to see around the corner to talk. Finally she started to wave a bare arm around the corner to emphasize what she was saying. Stirling asked her if she had any clothes on because she could come over to have some champagne with us if she did. She didn’t really answer, just said she had to be to a meeting an disappeared. We are curious about her. Hmmm…..
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Aruba "Aloe," Anyone?
Oranjestad, Aruba 1/19/2008
Time Zone: Eastern plus one hour
We had a leisurely breakfast and then went into town. Jeff spent his first time working on email since we left New York. We took my laptop, but they didn't have WiFi, so Jeff just worked in the Internet cafe. I didn't get much done.
Then off to Palm Beach and the Riu Resort. We took a taxi and wandered around the resort and then headed out to the beach.
It was pretty windy, 26 MPH, so we didn't go into the water. We just sat and read and soon a colorful character walked past selling "Aruba Aloe." I didn't see him get any takers.
We went back the ship and enjoyed the pool before sail away.
While we were in town the crew started to prepare for the Panama Canal Transit. The preparations included removing all of the window washing machines from the side of the boat and putting them on the promenade deck until we reach Costa Rica. The also adjusted the position of the tenders that are hanging somewhat outside of the edge of the ship. The ship must be close to the maximum size that can make the transit if this is necessary. The transit starts at 7 AM on Monday with the boarding of the Pilots.
Time Zone: Eastern plus one hour
We had a leisurely breakfast and then went into town. Jeff spent his first time working on email since we left New York. We took my laptop, but they didn't have WiFi, so Jeff just worked in the Internet cafe. I didn't get much done.
Then off to Palm Beach and the Riu Resort. We took a taxi and wandered around the resort and then headed out to the beach.
It was pretty windy, 26 MPH, so we didn't go into the water. We just sat and read and soon a colorful character walked past selling "Aruba Aloe." I didn't see him get any takers.We went back the ship and enjoyed the pool before sail away.
While we were in town the crew started to prepare for the Panama Canal Transit. The preparations included removing all of the window washing machines from the side of the boat and putting them on the promenade deck until we reach Costa Rica. The also adjusted the position of the tenders that are hanging somewhat outside of the edge of the ship. The ship must be close to the maximum size that can make the transit if this is necessary. The transit starts at 7 AM on Monday with the boarding of the Pilots.
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