Friday 25 March 2016

Nicaragua. 

George went on the tour alone today - yesterday was enough for me and feeling ordinary with a cold and sore throat meant I could turn over and go back to sleep as the tour was leaving very early.  After a late breakfast I decided to take the tender boat to the port - walked along the street beside the beach and checked out the various souvenier shops.  I then found a nice hotel with a beachside bar and had a cold drink while using their free wifi. Was nice not having to hurry on the internet like on the ship. The town was alive - Good Friday in Melbourne is NOTHING like Good Friday in San Juan, Nicaragua!!!  Everybody was out & about, some dressed in costume, others more or less dancing to the macarena and other loud Latin American beat and of course there were thousands on the beach and in the water.  Was very tempting not to paddle but not sure how clean that water was!!! 

Back on the ship I sat in the laundromat reading for an hour.  George was back at around 4.30 having really enjoyed his day & then we met up with Joy & Ken for a drink before dinner.  

The easter egg display on the ship is amazing as you will see by the pics.  

Thursday 24 March 2016

 I woke with a sore throat, lots of people coughing and spluttering!  But since we had a tour booked had to be up early.  We docked at Punterenas, Costa Rica at 8 am and were cleared to disembark shortly afterwards.  But we were on a Princess tour so had to wait longer as 4 buses going on the same route.  

This tour was a scenic train ride and river cruise of approximately 5 1/2 hours but we didn't get back until well after 3pm - dirty, tired and for me, wishing we'd saved our money!  Drove to the train, about 40 minutes from the port.  The train is antique and used to bring coffee down to the port years ago.  Enjoyed the countryside, passed many fields with cantaloupes and honey dews (melons are in huge production here), trees dripping with mangoes, cows, small shanty towns, monkeys in trees, iguanas etc.  And because it is Easter Thursday and the start of holidays many children along the way fwaving to us.  Back on the bus we hit a huge traffic jam - everyone heading to the beach apparently. So instead of taking an hour  to the river boat it took us about 2 hours - initially along the highway and then on the worst, most corrugated road I've ever been on!  Was soooo dusty it went through the air-con & didn't help my sore throat!  So, we finally arrived at this godforsaken place, hot as hell, but they did  have cold drinks and huge bowls of freshly cut pineapple for us.  That was delicious. 

Our turn to get on the little boat to view crocodiles, snakes, birdlife, monkeys.  Saw some macaws, a hawk, 3 or 4 kingfishers, some white and blue herons.  Monkeys, crocodiles and snakes all out of town today!!!!! 

What goes up must come down and that applied to our route back - yes, back on that dusty road again, 45 minutes before we hit the highway!  I'm sure Costa Rica is a fabulous place but this port of Puntarenas did nothing for me - maybe on the Carribbean side it is better.  

People are watching a movie and munching popcorn under the stars but it is unbearably hot outside, not sure how they can bear it.  

Below, a white heron, the river boat, monkey in a tree and melons growing all along the way

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Another sea day, nice and relaxing really.  Walked the 2 miles with Joy at 7am as any later would be far too hot.  There is a group of bird watchers on board - every morning we see them on our walk, tripods with cameras at the ready and all their equipment handy.  Heard lots of oohs and aahhs as one solitary bird flew overhead!!

I went to my third art auction after lunch - have enjoyed them but kept my hand below the table!!!   

The Captain's Circle Cocktail party tonight - black tie of course.  Four of us got a table in one of the lounges and really enjoyed people watching - some pretty strange people and fashions as well as some elegance. Then the cocktails were served, all very pretty but not much alchoholic content!  Went to dinner then the show which was good.  

Monday 21 March and Tuesday 22 March 2016

MONDAY - Combining two days at sea - another one tomorrow.  Took it easy yesterday, a nice long sleep in & not much happening.  I did go to the port lecture for Costa Rica on Thursday, it should be a nice place to visit but I fear it will be very hot. Am hoping I won't run out of books to read - the library on this ship is not as good as the one at the Hallmark!!!  The ship itself is looking a bit tired - I guess we have been spoilt by Regent  and Silver Seas.  

One of the dining rooms became a shop for a few hours  - looked like the bargain basement at Dimmeys!!!  Princess trying to get rid of all the poor quality stuff they've tried to sell  for years!!!  But all a bit of fun and we found a couple of treasures!!!  

Each night at around 5.30 we go to a particular lounge where canapes and cocktails are served to Elite passengers, (past cruisers), drinks at a slightly reduced cost.  It's not about the food and drink so much as meeting up with new friends and then gliding into the dining room for dinner!!!! We enjoyed dinner last night with Joy and Ken from Richmond, Virginia.  Joy & I have had a couple of early morning walks around the deck and will do so again tomorrow.  

TUESDAY - wow, was it hot walking today!  Everyone was anxious to see the Machu Picchu passengers meet the ship - we arrived at the Ecquadorian port of Manta at 1 pm but no one was permitted to leave the ship. The first 6 or 7 passengers arrived at about 2pm and I think they were those who had travelled independently.  We were obviously going to be here until at least 6.30 so after lunch I went to see the film 'The Danish Girl'. What else to do on a free day in Ecquador??  One bus arrived mid afternoon and two more at around 5pm.  There was great excitement - officers, crew, waiters, all lined up with cold towels, drinks, etc and a great cheer from all of us standing on our balconies or decks.  They were like heroes returning from the war!!!  It will be very interesting hearing their stories.  Apparently quite a few have burns from the aircraft slide but are otherwise in good shape.  

Tonight we ate in the Horizon Court Buffet - was advertised as a Bierfest night.  Actually the food was quite delicious particularly the roast pork with crackling.  We went to the show at 8.15 - a full house to see 'Master Gaucho', Rythm of Argentina.  A husband and wife act who've been playing in Las Vegas for years & now on the Princess circuit.  They did a bit of everything, whip cracking, tango, rope twirling etc. 

Joy and I then went on to Skywalkers to hear Abba music.  The husbands disappeared to bed!!!  Nothing like Silver Whisper, Anne Lamont - no paid gentlemen waiting to snap up a couple of seniors to dance haha!!!

We finally left Ecquador at around 8 pm.  And we crossed the equator at 10.15 pm.  Celebrations for that tomorrow!  

Sunday 20 March 2016

Well, another day in Lima - very hot again.  We took a shuttle to a Mall and wandered around for a bit, but not much happening until after 10 am, being Sunday.  Would have been nice to go to a Cathedral for Palm Sunday but all a bit hard and I had already decided I didn't need any more sightseeing in Lima.  Did sit for half an hour in a nice cafe to enjoy probably our last pisco sour (on this tour) though! 

Back on the ship for a late lunch and a couple of hours reading before canapes & cocktails at 5.30.  Met up there with Jeanie & Jeff, new friends from California & dined with them later on. Noticed at around 7.30 ish that we still hadn't set sail -   I might have mentioned earlier that some people left the ship in San Martin, Peru, in order to fly to Machu Picchu and to return to the ship today in Lima - well, the Captain made an announcement at 8pm to say that 124 passengers were still in Cuzco!  Apparently their aircraft hid a bird and had an aborted takeoff, overshooting the runway and being evacuated immediately.  It seems there were no bad injuries but several were bruised and shaken!  Early arrangements are that we will sail as soon as possible tonight and the others will be flown to Ecquador - we are not scheduled to go to Ecquador but will have permission to pick them up there.  All in a day's sailing!!!  

Saturday 19 March 2016

Well, at home it is 20 March, Molly's birthday - would have been 104 today.  

This morning we are in Callao, the port for Lima, Peru.  Callao is a working port, grain ships and container ships everywhere so shuttle busses are taking passengers into a choice of two different Malls in Lima, the travelling time is about 45 minutes.  When we were here in 1988 I think I vowed never to come back to Lima as it was a dirty, very run-down city.  On that basis, I opted to stay on the ship as we are here overnight and we have a tour this evening.  George went into town but for me it was nice to read for a couple of hours, have lunch on deck  (no queue!) and generally relax.  

On the bus at 6 pm for a dinner at Casa De Aliaga - we booked this months ago as it sounded so interesting. On the way we were driven around the city plazas with all the beautiful buildings which looked amazing at night - funny how most South American cities look so much better at night - and eventually we left the bus (as a group) and walked a few blocks, in and amongst the crowds gathering for Palm Sunday  celebrations tomorrow.  Never thought I'd be walking in down town Lima in heels!!!!! 

Casa de Aliago has been in the same family since 1535, seventeen generations have lived here ever since the day Lima was founded on 18 January, 1535.  They are the descendants of the Peruvian conqueror, Jeronimo de Aliaga y Ramirez!  A little bit of history!  The house is unique, the furniture is heavy and dark and the walls covered in family portraits and beautiful paintings.  We were greeted at the top of a very impressive marble staircase, waiters stood offering pisco sours or wine and canapes were served.   120 people sat at tables of 10, the service was silver, white glove, and, while it would have been great to try some local food such as the national dish, guinea pig!!! it was still delicious.  First course was artichoke mousse followed by fillet of beef and several vegetables.  Dessert a bit disappointing, another mousse and not sure what the flavour was, probably hazelnut.  After a quick look around the lower floor of this beautiful casa we walked back to the bus, about 3 or 4 blocks.  The locals were all abuzz with excitement, fireworks were going off everywhere and it was a most enjoyable atmosphere.  

We were then driven through town to the coastal region of Miraflores - absolutely fantastic at night, restaurants, parks, views to rival anywhere in the world.   Overall, a great night.