Coolin' It In Cabo

Sunday was a stop and some beach time in Cabo San Lucas.  

But, before we get there, let's cover a few things from the evening before.  As we were preparing to leave Puerto Vallarta, an announcement was made that they were looking for a certain crew member.  (As a side note, the Walmart in Puerto Vallarta is very close to the pier, so the crew did lots of shopping while we were in port).  As departure time neared, she had still not returned.  As you might be able to see in the photo, the port agent is holding the crew member's passport and we were close to leaving without her.  Finally, we heard a shout that she was on her way and she came running.  Close call for her!  We later heard that it was her first contract and she apparently missed the message that crew has to return one hour before departure.

That evening was a Mexican dinner at Terrace so we opted to sit out on the veranda.  It was a beautiful evening and the moon rose with Jupiter below.

As we were eating, one of the guest performers, Andy Hackbarth, came by and we asked him to join us.  Andy is a terrific guitarist, singer-songwriter who we have sailed with before.  His repertoire is much more to my liking than the usual singers they bring on board who cater to the older crowd.  As we talked, it became clear that Andy and I were in sync with our likes of "Americana" music and the artists who create it.

Now, back to Cabo.  The sail in past the iconic rocks was beautiful.

We've been there before, maybe two other times.  In the past, we've gone to the "tourist"beach where it is usually very crowded.  This time, we decided to try a small beach that is closer to the tender pier, about a 10 minute walk.  On the way (and on our return), we were greeted by sea lions and pelicans.

It was a nice beach filled with locals.  We might have been the only tourists there.  We spent almost 2 hours sitting in the shade of the rocks and enjoyed the water.

In the past, we have enjoyed lunch in Cabo, but, this time, we chose to return to the ship and have fish tacos at Aquamar Kitchen.  The rest of the day was filled with a soak at the spa and simple relaxation.

One last highlight of the day.  As we were snacking on nuts in our room, I found this very special peanut.  I won't make claims as to whose face it is.  I'll let you, Dear Reader, to make your own judgement.

Now it is one more sea day and a stop in Ensenada before we arrive home on Wednesday.

Peace, blessings, and crookedness,

Linda and Larry

Puerto Vallarta Hot, Hot, Hot!

Friday was a much calmer sea day than the previous day.  It culminated with a dinner in Red Ginger, the Asian restaurant which is our favorite.  There is a small private room in the back where the maitre d', Joan, typically seats us.  It's a nice, quiet spot in an otherwise noisy restaurant.  We've asked Joan to install a plaque designating it as our room😉.

After dinner, we crashed the shooting and became extras in the Cruise Director's show which airs the following morning.

Today, Saturday, we are in Puerto Vallarta, the substitute port for Acapulco.  

The day started with my morning jog at sunrise and docking with the usual greeting by birds.

It was hot!  We decided to take a walk on the beach and got off of the ship at about 10:15 am hoping that it wouldn't be too hot.  It was too late.  We toughed it out and walked for over an hour.  It was a busy Saturday morning on the beach for both people and birds.

On the way back, we made a very quick stop at the flea market at the port.  Different port - same crap!  No purchases again.

Initially, we thought we might spend some time sitting on the beach but the heat killed that idea.  By the time we returned to the ship, it was 90 degrees.

Tomorrow we'll be in Cabo San Lucas.  Here's hoping for cooler beach weather!

Peace, blessings, and crookedness,

Linda and Larry

A Sea Day Of Wining and Dining

Thursday was a sea day that was far from relaxing, but in a good way.  The morning was easy as we watched the birds soaring alongside the ship.  They seem to prey on flying fish, those poor creatures who fly in order to avoid predators in the water only to fall victim to the birds.

The afternoon and evening then became literally filled with wine and food.  It all started with the Sommelier's Choice lunch, a new event on Vista.  It was a six course lunch that started with champagne followed by each wine paired with fabulous food.  

Truffle Scrambled Eggs and Poached Scallops & Lobster - it doesn't get better than that!  And, as another example of how splendidly we get treated on board, without our asking, the chef substituted grilled sea bass for the beef dish just for us.  So, by the end of the meal, we had sampled 7 different wines.  It was time for a rest (and a nap for me) before the next event.

Four PM - must be time for a cooking class.  The class called Lovers Forever which paired wine with four courses that we made.  That's right - four more wines to add to our list for the day.

As the sun set on the cooking class, we made a quick drop in at the Oceania Club party (no wine!) before getting ready for the next agenda item.

We had a lovely celebratory dinner with Bryn Jenke (soon to be Cruise Director on Regatta) and Ray Carr (current Cruise Director on Vista).  So it was another 2 wines, bringing our total to 13 for the day!

Oh, what a day!  Surprisingly, when we got up this morning, neither of us were very hungry for breakfast.  Perhaps we'll be ready to eat by dinner time!  And today will be a much more relaxing day at sea.

Peace, blessings, and crookedness,

Linda and Larry