Day 7 – Sailing Home Day Two; Tomorrow We Arrive!

Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2025 by Paul

Thank you, Jon and Sarah, for making us feel very special.

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

We popped up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 7:30 am when the doorbell rang. It was our morning coffee, the thing that starts your heart every morning.  We both jumped in the shower and got ready for the expected 8:30 am knock at the door; we were having breakfast with the kids.

Well, we got to the restaurant, which was packed, with a line about 50 feet long.  Needless to say, we opted for the dreaded trough.  It was pretty good, and Jon only went for two helpings.

As the crew danced through the Windjammer, I joined in the parade for a while! My ham and eggs nearly slipped off the table!

From there, we went to the photo studio to select our pictures! That was quite an exercise!  Software designers ought to be made to use their products!

We had a delightful evening; the pictures will remind us!!

Then we went to the “Tribute To The Armed Forces” at the Grand Theater. It was pretty nice as they had the Navigator of the Seas Orchestra doing the honors. The entrance had a giant cake displaying our American Flag!

After last night’s lesson on snacking between meals, we opted to pass it by.

They recognized all the armed forces and played their fight songs.  I picked the US Marines as a tribute to Pete!

On the move again, we went to the Suite Lounge and sat just long enough to decide to split up before taking whiskey at 2:00 pm.

Mary went to our room and packed 90% of our belongings, making it easy tonight.  Yes, before you ask, we left something to wear when we woke in the morning.  Otherwise, we would be walking off the ship in our jammies, a sight no one would want to see and live to tell about it.

At 1:30 p.m., the doorbell went off, and the kids picked us up to head to the Bamboo room again for another round of tasting, this time MacCallum Scottish Whiskey! We will be tasting 12, 15, and 18-year-old products. Below is MacCallum Sixty (hint: add up all the numbers)!

Ookie ookie, Santa was here!

Feast your eyes!  After examining their color and sipping, we downed the shots to hear what everyone tasted.

Someone did not finish theirs!

We had a load of fun teasing the bartenders and making funny sounds as we forced down this foul-tasting stuff (I didn’t think it was foul, but the girl made faces that would scare Godzilla)

The four of them did well!

What time is it? It’s shopping time, and Mary is looking for a bargain sweatshirt outfit. It was funny to see Mary try it on, and both the saleslady and I had to assist her.

Mary needed a fleece-lined outfit, and there it was, 30% off.

We walked for a while and finally ended up in our stateroom, deciding we needed to visit the Bolero Bar before going to dinner at “Hooked,” the seafood restaurant.    I plan to order oysters in honor of Vicky!  Jon said he was going to attack the lobster!

The restaurant was small and very quiet!

We all got oysters in honor of Vicky, but first, we tried taking pictures using the booth mirrors.

Mirror mirror on the wall.

These suckers were huge!

Look at those babies.

Mary was a trooper and tried one, but she expressed her opinion with a ten-minute series of facial expressions that frightened the waitstaff, several of whom scampered out of the restaurant.

Mary expressed her opinion!

Then the lobster arrived; wow!

We ate lobster all evening long!

We wandered by the lounge to say goodbye to our favorite bartender before heading upstairs to crash!

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Day 6 – Sailing Up The Baja Coast Toward Home Day One

Posted on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 by Paul

Today was the fifth anniversary of Sue’s passing.  We especially enjoyed Colleen’s message on her Facebook account!  Sue is indeed missed by all!

But life must go on and Mary and I are doing just that!!

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 –Day 8

Today, we get to relax!  We got up at 7:00 am and piddled around the cabin having a cup of coffee and watching Baja California pass by; we are sailing about twenty miles off shore.

Mary had a brain storm, “Let’s go to the hot tub!”  So we got dressed into our swimming costumes and made our way to the “adults only” hot tubs!  Mary bought me a hollowed-out pineapple that was filled with a gin-martinis!  Slurp and burp and it was gone.  I was ready to jump in!

With the newly added confidence (gin does that to me), I did a high dive into the hot tub sending a wave of water down the stairs and onto the deck. The next sound I heard was Mary exclaiming, “Who is that idiot?”.  I knew I was in trouble when Security showed up.

The only good thing that happened was that I did put my thong on correctly and my little blow-up ducky arm floaters worked well because I did NOT sink!  Later on in the day I pondered whether or not it was the little blow-up duckies for the alcohol that kept me afloat?

I am so lucky! My thing fits no matter which way I put it on!

After my diving exhibition, we went to the trough (called the Winjammer Cafe) and had a quick breakfast before returning to our room to rest before the next meal.   I should me more respectful and not call it “The Piggery”.

Next,  we went to the “Taste Of The Caribbean” with Jon and Sarah.   It was held in the Bamboo Room restaurant in the center of the “mall”.

It was quiet and peaceful inside (until we got there!)

They girls had on the appropriate attire!

Did You Know? Rum is also known as “Nelson’s Blood” because Admiral Lord Nelson’s body was submerged in rum after he died at the Battle of Trafalgar.

We went to the Bamboo Room and found great seats. There was only 14 of us today!

For each of the six  rum drinks, we got a complete recipe plus the history of the drink!  It was fascinating how many drinks one could make with Rum!

They had us make six different rum drinks.

Jon and I checked Wikipedia to make sure we were getting the correct story.  The bar tenders did a good job!!

The history of the drink (as best they knew) was provided to us.

When it came Jon’s turn, he did not need measuring devices!

Jon volunteered.

The drinks were colorful and healthy, full of vitamin C because of all the orange, pineapple, and lime juices that were used.

My little to fisted drinker.

Who needs an electric shaker when you have Jon?  The ladies in the group keep yelling, “Shake your booty”, whatever that means.

Jon and I were putting away the drinks and being good guys, we assisted our ladies in drinking the results.

Here are some trivia facts about rum:

Origin of the word “rum”: The origin of the word “rum” is unclear, but it may come from the word “rumbullion” which means “uproar”.

History: Rum was first purified in the 1620s in the Caribbean and West Indies.

Use as medicine: Rum was used as a medicine.

Use as currency: Rum was used as a trading currency.

Rum and Lord Nelson: After Lord Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar, his body was submerged in a barrel of rum to preserve it.

Rum and the American Revolution: The American colonists didn’t want to pay a tax on molasses to pay for the Seven Years War against the French.

Navy rum: The term “Navy Rum” dates back to the 18th century when sailors celebrated at the end of each day.

Rum and pirates: Many rums are named after pirates, including Captain Morgan, Pirate’s Grog, and Kraken.

Needless to say, we enjoyed our drink making session and in fact we signed up for whiskey tasting tomorrow!

Like grandson; like grandpa.

Now the professional gets her chance to show everybody up.  In addition to the normal ingredients, Sarah brought bat wings, eye of newt, and fish feathers.  She decided not to scare everyone so she did not wear her black pointed hat.

Sarah addd some class to the bar staff.

You go girl!

Mary was enjoying the activity and we all wore our newly found T-shirts.

Like the T-shirts??

I drank everything but the last one which was rum and ginger beer, yuch!

We tasted them all.

We decided to recreate the seen of the crime. Four people and twenty-four glasses of Run, there has to be a song about that somewhere!

Grandpa Paul finished off each one of his creations (except the Ginger Beer).

The girls were able to coax us of of the Bamboo Room and go upstairs so I could grab a burger on the way to the Suite Lounge where a deck of cards were waiting.

The girls made sure we made it to the destination.

We made it, escaped for the Bamboo Room and arrived at  the fourteenth floor  lounge.

Mary had her marked cards we did four rounds of Crazy Eights.  Why is it called Crazy Eights?   The game first appeared as Eights in the 1930s, and the name Crazy Eights dates to the 1940s, derived from the United States military designation for discharge of mentally unstable soldiers, Section 8.

We played Crazy-8s in the l;ounge after downing a hamburger.

After departing the lounge, we rested for a few minutes and then we all headed to the spa for a couples massage!  Oh my, that did me in.  I was out like a lite within 30 seconds.  When they were done, Mary and I wobbled to the room to get fancied up for dinner.

Dinner? Oh my!!

We found a dark booth in the corner of the Grille and had one more glass of wine before the kids arrived.  I was so full from the burger I had three hours ago that I just ordered a salad and some Mac & Cheese!   All four of us were so relaxed after the massage!  Oh my!

The Grille is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the main dining rooms.

We decided tonight was a great night to go to the room and crash.  We did so!

Out the window we could see a Princess Ship heading for San Pedro.  She is supposed to dock on Thursday evening.

A fellow cruse ship began to pass us late in the day!

The last thing I remember is the news showing how things have changed.

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Day 5 – Puerto Vallarta Was Beautiful And Bustling With Activity.

Posted on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 by Paul

Correction: First cruise this year!!

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4– Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

Puerto Vallarta is a resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, in Jalisco state. It is known for its beaches, water sports and nightlife scene. Its cobblestone center is home to the ornate Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church, boutique shops and a range of restaurants and bars. El Malecón is a beachside promenade with contemporary sculptures, as well as bars, lounges and nightclubs.

Happy Eighth Anniversary!

Today we departed the ship at 10:00 am and headed for the area to the west of the city. We caught the bus on the pier and drove for about 40 minute.

We drove along Mazatlán’s Malecón which is one of the longest oceanfront boardwalks in the world, stretching over 21 kilometers. It is perfect for a leisurely walk or bike ride while enjoying breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.

Our first stop was at a cacao plantation.  Mexico only produces about 1% of the worlds cacao.  The government is attempting to raise that percentage.

The Cacao Plantation is relatively new.

They facility provided a detailed history beginning 5000 BC with the Mayans.  Cacao was brought to Europe in the mid 1750’s and they made terrific progress in the use of cacao.  They did unfortunately begin to add processed sugar instead of raw sugar.  We bought some 80% cacao bars.

The history was nicely portrayed on the wall.

Mary and I read every sign and it was quite interesting.

Looking good!

The cacao pod is large and comes from the limbs of the tree.  The tree lasts 50 years.  Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of about 20° to the north and south of the Equator.  The cacao pod need a mot of humidity to grow.

A typical pod contains 30 to 40 beans and about 400 dried beans are required to make one pound (450 g) of chocolate.  Read here for more information.

The Cacao Pods grow all over the tree.

We jumped back on the bus and drove a few miles to a tortilla “factory”.  It was in the heart of a small town complete with dirt roads and stray dogs!  Our tour guide lived in this town for a while and used to get the family’s daily ration of tortillas from this store.

We stopped to get tortillas.

Evarardo Rodríguez Arce and Luis Romero invented the first tortilla machines in 1904.  It was NOT popular because the tortillas were square.   Fausto Celorio Mendoza is credited with inventing the first automatic  round tortilla machine in 1947.

The shop opens early in the morning like a bakery and goes all day.  The bags in the back contain corn.

The tortilla machine was invented in 1950.

We moved on to a honey making facility just a few miles away and tasted several different type of honey.

From there was had a few minutes to kill so the driver stopped at the city plaza which of course had a large church.  We went in and walked around.

The churches are always beautiful while the people live in much less.

In the plaza they had several Jackfruit Trees.  Jackfruit is the largest fruit grown on a tree. It takes 5-7 years before a tree will produce fruit. Jackfruit trees will produce 150- 200 fruits per year. The fruit is picked in the summer and fall before they fall off the tree.
Jackfruit is packed with essential vitamins and minerals you need for good health. It’s a particularly good source of B vitamins, potassium, and vitamin C.  Read more here.

Fruit trees grew in the towns center.

Now we are on way to “The Ranch” which conjures up quite an image.  It was not quite a ranch but it is in process of becoming one slowly but surely.

We took the back roads.

We hit the tables running (after a margarita).  Mary used her surgical talents to tie off the ends of the tamales.

Mary tied the corn husks for everyone.

The vegetable tamales were put on the grill and the chef cooked up some chicken and beef.  The smells were amazing; rub-a-dub-dub, bring on the grub!

Our tour guide was also one of the chefs!

Their lake was full of ducks!  I can see duck tamales in the future.

Ducks everywhere..

We headed home to the ship and went to the Suite Lounge where we had some Indian chicken and cold cuts.  We watched as Mazatlan disappeared.

Goodbye Puerto Vallarta!

Mary decided we needed to go to the shows tonight so we headed to Studio-B for the ice skating show! We were wowed by the drone display; watch the movie and you will see almost 100 drones dancing over the ice.

The skaters were quite good doing their routines in such a relatively small rink.

Amazing skaters in Studio-B

From the ice skating event, we walked quickly to the main theater and watched the juggling act.  We were in the second row and it was so funny, I almost spilled my wine.

We enjoyed the act.

From the theater we met up with Jon and Sarah who were in the Boleros Bar so we could have a nightcap and do a little dancing.  We managed to do some waltzes and cha chas.  We look pretty good considering we had each had two glasses of vino!

It was getting to be Oh Dark Thirty so we headed to the tenth floor.

Good night all and Happy Anniversary Jon and Sarah!

Remember to turn back your clock!!

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4– Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

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Day 4 – Mazatlan And More Cooking Classes!

Posted on Monday, February 17, 2025 by Paul

Room service has arrived.

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

We were up early today to prepare for our cooking class. Since there were no tenders to deal with, we walked off the ship and caught a bus to the hotel.  It was a short drive down the shoreline.

The entrance was quite impressive!

We walked through the lobby and into a large open air room adjacent to the pool!  A table full of margaritas greeted us!

We were greeted with unlimited margaritas!

We examined the table but were warned about the heat from the serano pepper.  I took a bite of one while the girls screamed at me; it was no hotter than a jalapeno!! The serrano pepper is a type of chili pepper that originated in the mountainous regions of the Mexican states of Puebla and Hidalgo. The Scoville rating of the serrano pepper is 10,000 to 25,000. The name of the pepper is a reference to the mountains of these regions. The pepper is commonly used to make hot sauces.

Oh my, we are makiing salsa.

Time to make salsa or should I say magic.  The surgeon went to work.  I chopped and she used the mortar and pestle to mash the ingredients into what looked to be salsa.  A mortar and pestle is a kitchen tool used to grind, smash, and mix ingredients. It’s a versatile tool that can be used for many cooking tasks, including making marinades, sauces, and spice blends.

She is about to use her magic.

Each table had to vote on who would be the table captain whose job it was to keep the table under control after all the margaritas were downed.  I was voted in and had to wear a blue hat!

I was voted “Table Captain”

They made the mistake of asking if any of gthre table captains knew how to dance so I put on my best move and showed my best side.

Go get um big boy.  Mary ran up and put a dollar in my waistband!  She also asked for change!

They needed volunteers and it was based upon how close was your anniversary!  Jon and Sarah won and provided a great demonstration.

Dang, they look good.

It is so easy to make margaritas you can do it blindfolded they said.

This could be a problem.

We made five different salsas during our visit.  It was quite easy and we bought their cookbook so we can do it at home; No more “out of the jar” salsa for senior and senorita Liles!

We lost count of the number of margaritas we downed!

Jon tries the hot peppers and he agreed, they were not hot at all.

Go Jon, Go!

We departed the Royal Villa hotel around 2:45 pm.

The hotel was quite nice.

The kids were watching out for us all day just to make sure Mary does not get into trouble.  I, on the other hand, am a lost cause!  I have decided my middle name is “Trouble”.

The dancrers all yelled “Jon!!!”

We walked through a shopping area and Mary found some treasures.

Going home!

We could see our stateroom on the tenth floor.

We could see our room.

Mary and I headed for the suite lounge and met up with a new friend.  We drank wine and saki the rest of the afternoon.

Time for dinner and we were doing  “Dinner With The Chef”!  We got to meet the chef that prepared each individual course.  We met new friends also.

Mary counted the glasses and got worried.

Oh my!  There were a lot of glasses we had to dirty before dinner was over. Hic!!

Wine with every course including dessert.

The kids are not kids, only in our eyes!  They were delightful dinner partners and great conversationalists with everyone around the table.

They were on their best behaviors.

Each course was like a display of modern art.

Each course was beautiful and delicious.

Everyone was done for the day when dinner was over.  We went VFR to our stateroom and crashed!  Another wonderful day in Mexico.

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

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Day 3 – Cabo San Lucas Here We Come!

Posted on Sunday, February 16, 2025 by Paul

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 –Day 8

We had to change our clocks but alas, we forgot to tell the computers to automatically change them so we were an hour late. Mary had to rush to her 8:30 am appointment when they called at 8:45 am! She went to the spa and I went to the coffee shop and brought her a lattee.  Mary without her coffee is a site you do NOT want to see.

On the way into port, Jon spotted the dolphins who came out to welcome us. He waved enthusiastically, but they just flipped upside down and started doing what looked like synchronized swimming. “I knew they were talented,” Jon joked, “but I didn’t expect a full aquatic performance! Next stop, Dancing with the Dolphins!”

There were hundreds of these critters jumping for joy!

We pulled into port at noon and the weather was perfect! Today we left the ship around noon and headed for our first Mexican cooking class.

72 degrees with a slight breeze.

The ship was too big to dock so we took tenders into the city.  It was a short ride the quite pleasant with the temperature in the mid 70s.

We got a good view of the city

We took a small bus to the METATE CAFE  where the class was taught.  It was about ten minutes from the port along Highway One.

After arriving and settling in, we got a tour of the gardens before the cooking lessons began.  Their property was interesting and well maintained.

We got our sombreros so that we would be in the mood.

We got a drink along with the tour!  As the day progressed, we had several drinks!

The day was perfect in terms of the weather.

They had a tribute to Mexican movie stars.  The bottom left was Cantiflas whi played David Niven’s butler in the movie “80 Days Around The World”.

Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes, known by the stage name Cantinflas, was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely accomplished Mexican comedian and is well known throughout Latin America and Spain.

As he talked, we recognized some of the names!

During our tour, we passed their bar, and the owner pulled out a jar from under the counter of Mezcal, complete with a rattlesnake inside.  Jon and I went for a shot of the Mezcal á la Snake.  Like Grandpa, like Grandson; both goofy!

The snake has been floating in the jar for seven months! Jon and I hissed for two hours afterwords!

“Tequila Con Vibor”, as this potent admixture is known locally, is the result of a live rattlesnake being drowned in a jug of mezcal liquor. Regional lore maintains that the dying serpent releases a cocktail of medicinal chemicals upon it’s expiration, supplementing the strength and charm of the liquor.

Mezcal is made from the heart of the agave plant, called the piña. The Agave genus is a member of the Agavoideae subfamily of the Asparagaceae plant family which has almost 200 species. Mezcal is made from over 30 Agave species, varieties, and subvarieties, in contrast with tequila, which is made only with blue agave. 90% of Mexican mezcal comes from Oaxaca. In Mexico, mezcal is generally consumed straight and has a strong smoky flavor. Though other types of mezcal are not as popular as tequila, Mexico does export the product, mostly to Japan and the United States, and exports are increasing as the liquor grows in popularity.

When Mary saw what we were drinking she just shook her head in disbelief and backed away five steps!

The Robin pose!

We stayed by the bar for a while and everyone was looking at us after we downed the snake ladened Mezcal.   Hissssssss!  Rattle rattle!  We both sounded like 1910 Chevrolets, all we needed was an occasional backfire.  That may have occurred but we didn’t tell anyone!

Jon was busy delivering a drink to a lady who had difficulty standing and walking; he is a good boy!

Back to our table!  Our table was perfect as we could see everything going on. We had Ceviche first and we sent a picture to Vicky.

Ceviche is a lean, healthy dish, high in protein and low in fat. Fresh fish provides omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health. You’ll also find a fair share of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants due to all the veggies featured.

The ceviche was outstanding, rivaling Vicky’s special homemade ceviche.

We got a lesson in rolling corn and Mary really got into the mood.  Corn was flying every which direction!  I knew she was a bit corny!

A metate (or mealing stone) is a type or variety of quern, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, metates are typically used by women who would grind nixtamalized maize and other organic materials during food preparation (e.g., making tortillas).

She sang, “Roll Roll Roll You Corn, Merrily Down The Stream!”

We were served a pork leg and it was humungous.   It tasted wonderful.  Mary had a nibble and I had to eat the rest, I forced myself.  Dang the luck!

We had flan for dessert.  By the end of the day, we were stuffed AND we had dinner reservations at the Italian restaurant on board at 7:00 pm.  Oh my, I may have to wear a robe to dinner.

That pig must have been 600 pounds based upon his leg!!

The trip back to the pier was uneventful.  All four of us needed to go to the staterooms immediately and rest for a bit before dinner!  I could hardly wait to get my girdle off!!

The Navigator Of The Seas was waiting for us.

The small hills surrounded the city were backlit by the dropping Sun.  The temperature dropped a few degrees but was still pleasant to be outside.

The sun was setting as we boarded the ship for the next leg of the adventure.

The view from the tenth floor was amazing and we watched the boats shuffle people back to the ship!

There were some amazing yachts at the harbor!

Jamie’s   Italian Bistro had a delicious looking menu but we all opted for the smallest thing we could find; I even ordered a salad!  As we attempted to finish our dinner, we saw people coming on board at the last minute.  They looked like little ants!  Oops, we were looking under our table and they were ants!

We went to the magic show at 9:00 pm and it was really great!  The ship’s cruise director put on the show himself and it was amazing. After the show, we all took a vote and the outcome was unanimous; head for bed!  We were all pooped out.

Jon and Sarah went to the ice show and they raved about the performances.  While that was going on, Mary and I were sawing logs; mine was a redwood!!

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Day 2 – Sailing Sailng Over The Bounding Main

Posted on Saturday, February 15, 2025 by Paul

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3  – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 –Day 8

Can you believe it? Balloons at breakfast! The kids brought us treasures from last night festivities which we slept through.  The bright colors danced in the light, bringing a cheerful vibe to our cozy room.

We brewed a fresh pot of coffee, its rich aroma wrapping around us like a warm hug. After all, we had a delicious sushi feast to look forward to during our class at 10:00 am! The anticipation of those tasty rolls made our hearts race even faster. What a way to kick off the day!

We are ready to make our masterpieces.

Everything was ready when we got there and the table was all covered in saran wrap so we could use then as a work space!  They should have covered the floor also!!

Ingredients? Check!

Mary always brings her travel purse on cruises, thank you Miss Robin!

Mary loves her “Cruising Purse”

Our first creation was a uramaki and we used all the tools; banboo and our fingers!  Uramaki is a Japanese sushi roll with rice on the outside and nori on the inside. The name translates to “inside out roll”.

Our first creation.

We watched the master at work; Sarah made them perfectly.  The rest of us laughed our way through the process and had items that looked like they were attacked by a herd of wild animals.

The “almost” finished product!

We turned in our dishes to the head chef and with the magic of a touch here and push there, he made them look pretty darned good,

Done with finishing touches added by the staff.

We downed our creations and decided NOT to go to lunch; we spotted Jon and Sarah at an empty bar and the rest is history, what we remember of it.  One of these and one of those made for a super afternoon!  The bartender remembered us!

We found an empty bar!

The girls saw the “mall” and we were off and running.  The windows along the top are actually rooms with windows facing indoors, not a bad idea!  Last night, the crew hung a thousand balloons from the ceiling and at midnight let them drop!  Jon and Sarah stayed up for the balloon drop while Mary and I sawed logs!

Time to shop!

From the mall, we went up ten flights to the private Suite Lounge where it was quiet and we had our saki afternoon drink(s).  Yummy!!!  We watched the world go by and drank saki!  Life does not get better than this!

Fourteen flights up we found solitude from the hustle and bustle of ship-board life!

We had Kikusui Saki. This Junmai Ginjo is the most popular sake loved by many people in America. No other sake can offer the same experience as the Kikusui Junmai Ginjo. It is fun and enjoyable sake to drink at any occasions.
Extremely Clean and Crisp.

Hic! Need we say more?

Now it was time for a quick nap before dinner time arrives.  We went back to Chops Grill and devoured a boggle of wine and several steaks!  We were good and skipped dessert.

Mary, as usual, looked magnificent this evening and again got several complements from various ladies as we waltzed through the hallways.  I even heard one man say to his wife , “Than old man’s daughter is beautiful!”

Time To Dine!!

We had a table by the window and watched the sea go by from our eleventh floor perch.  By the time we were finished it was dark outside and we scanned the sea for any signs of life.  Jon had his maritime app running and it told us where to look but the closest ship was still too far away!

We laughed and giggled for almost two hours!

Since we are Suite guests, we had reserved seating and sat in the second row giving us a great view of the stage!  The dancing was great and they attempted to do ballroom music but the only piece we recognized was “Boogey Woogey Bugle Boy” and the Andrews sisters would have rolled over in their graves.

The show was called “Ballroom”; while the dancing was great it was T ballroom!

Earlier in the day, Mary lost one of her hearing aids.  We looked all over the ship.  We wrote it off as lost.  After the show, we stopped at a bar (duh!)  and mentioned to the bartender that we lost a hearing aid.  I showed him mine and he said, “One of my customers found it and took it to the front desk”.

Below is Mary’s hero, we call him Eagle Eye!  We bought his drinks the rest of the evenng.

Mary and I danced a waltz and cha cha and Mary danced with a gentleman who we had sat next too.  He was crippled so they danced by the bar!  We drank Brandy Alexander’s the rest of the evening.

Mary’s hero!

We headed to the room around 11:00 pm and crashed.   I was sloshing after wine and several Brandy Alexanders.  A Brandy Alexander is a brandy-based dessert cocktail, consisting of cognac, crème de cacao, and cream, that became popular during the early 20th century.  It is a variation of an earlier, gin-based cocktail called simply an Alexander. The cocktail known as Alexander today may contain gin or brandy.  Ice cream can be added for a “frozen Brandy Alexander”.

 

 

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Day 1 – It’s A Big Day! Valentines Day And Departure!

Posted on Friday, February 14, 2025 by Paul

Mexico Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 –  Day 4 – Day 5  – Day 6 –  Day 7 –  Day 8

Mexican Adventure: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

I knew that Mary watching all those Viking TV series while she was recovering would be a problem!

Joe picked us up and took us to the port using the van.  We zipped right along arriving right on time, 11:45 am.  We got our bags checked in and walked to the boarding area.  We bought “The Key” which gave us priority boarding and muster check-in so we were in the special luncheon facilities for Key members by 12:30!

It was a cool but beautiful day; the rain storms are gone.

We passed by the Iowa and although it looks dangerous, it was pretty small compare to the Navigator of the Seas.

This battleship is a fantastic piece of 1940s technology!

Lunch was provided for us in the dining room and of course we started the day with filet mignon… and a glass of vino.  I opted for a gin martini to get into the mood, it worked.  Before lunch I was already battening down the hatches and suggesting that certain people walk the plank.  All I needed was an eye-patch.

We have arrived.

First things first, lunch!!  It was nice to sit down in a quiet area and plan the rest of the day!!  Oh my, we have a special dinner and there is a comedian in the theater.  Deck the hulls with waves of laughter.

Eat hearty mateys!!

We were dressed for the day, we got the memo about wearing red.  Mary got many comments about her outfit as we strolled around the ship!  I thought she was a standout for sure.

We got the memo about wearing red. We are Sailing through life, one wave at a time.

We went to see our room and it was quite nice. We did not have a grand piano this time but I brought the iPhone and a Boom Box so all bases were covered.

We were patient and watched TV.

We explored the room and it was quite nice.  The bowling alley was a little short but we can get used to that!!

The TV does, and you can see it from the bed also! It turns 180 degrees!

As we were sitting in the Suite Lounge on the 12th floor, the ship began to move exactly at the predicted 4:00 pm departure time.  The adventure really begins!  I jumped up to the amazment of Mary, Jon, and Sarah and began singing “Yo Ho, Yo Ho Its’s. A Sailors Life For Me” at the top of my lungs.

I must say that the reaction of the ship’s security team was interesting.  Did I mention that the brig has padded cells?

We headed to our room hoping the bags would have arrived.  We did have all but one and we now know why!  Mary took her heating pad and that is apparently a no-no.  They kept searching to find more contraband  so they delayed that bags arrival for almost an hour.

At 5:36 pm the sun set over Catalina, you could almost hear the hissing of the boiling water!

Down it goes, see you tomorow!

At 6:00 pm, if you look carefully along the bottom about 40% from the left hand side, you can see the lights of the city of Avalon!

Good night Catalina, see you in a week!

For all my friends my age, I expanded the view!

Avalon says “Hello”

We had a Valentines Day Special Dinner in the steak house.  Mary, Jon and I opted for the lamb chops and they were terrific.

We are ready to eat!!

Done to perfection.  I thought to myself (always dangerous to do) that “Mary HAD a little lamb”; she really did!

Oh boy!

The desserts were quite tempting, I had two.  The key lime pie was quite interesting.  I thought of Jeff but it would not keep for a week.  Sorry Jeff!

The mergingue was fabulous.

We are going to depart for the theater; one last gaze into her eyes!  We sipped champagne all through dinner and didn’t even order a drink.

Everyone loved my jacket!

The Valentines Day cake was huge!  We could not eat another bite but Mary managed to get a flower from the top of the cake and chewed on it until I mentioned it was plastic.

Oh my… it could be used as a life boat!

Jon and Sarah took the pictures we had taken to their room and were going to meet us at the theater.  We did not see them so they probably crashed.  We went to the last of the comedian’s show and it was pretty good.  I was advised not to perform my “Naked Comedian” act as a follow on to the show so I stayed clothed; good idea since it was cold outside.

We looked for some live music to dance too but we apparently hit them at shift change and the bands were on a break.  We went to our room instead where to our surprise, two geese were making whoopie on our bed!  I pointed out to Mary that whey were NOT real.

She shared her roses with the geese while we got ready for bed.

Romance is in the air!

We watched TV for about 2.3 minutes before crashing.  It was a good day!

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T-1 And We Are Ready!

Posted on Thursday, February 13, 2025 by Paul

We got a great chance to visit last night and are ready for a busy day!  We had our coffee and then went to Girls Night Out.

We visited for quite a while before getting ready for Girls Night Out at the Elks! There were eight of us today, even though it was raining hard outside.

When we got home, the kids went shopping for shoes for the trip! Mary and I rested and made lists for tomorrow.

Now we get down to business and off to dinner.  We picked up Dianne so she would not have to drive in the rain, and it was raining!!

Time for dinner!

It’s their 46th anniversary, and Donna still ensures Bob is served last!

Looking good! 46 years later!

We ordered, and everything was smelling wonderful!

Dinner is coming.

Standby……SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH!

Get a room!

Yeah, yeah, the gang is all here!

Everyone is here!

Someone is horny this evening?

Someone is horny!

Oh my, this shall go down in the annals of our group!

No, the horns are NOT genuine!

I should have bitten the other end, and we could have done the Lady and the Tramp move!

Slurp!

Oops, this is MY lady!

Just us!

Jon had the fish soup and he loved it!

Jon enjoyed his fish soup!

We went home and soon crashed, for tomorrow is the big day!

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T-2!

Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 by Paul

Oops, that is NOT what I meant, snookums?

I departed the house at 7:00 am to go to the gym because I had an appointment at 8:00 am with the owner.   When I was done, the bearings from the stationary bike were smoking, and the control panel had a blinking light saying, “I give up, name your terms!”

Since I was out by 9:00 am, a visit to the bagel store was planned, and sure enough, they had Mary’s favorite “Energy Bar,” which is defined as a bar-shaped food intended to boost physical energy, typically containing a combination of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

We completed 95% of our packing and got the house ready for the cleaning crew. They showed up around noon, and at the same time, Jon sent a text message stating that they were 30 minutes out!

After Jon and Sarah arrived, we headed to Benji’s for lunch. We sat in the bar area and talked for almost two hours, sharing stories and enjoying a fantastic meal.

When we returned home, the kids hit the sack—it was already 8:00 p.m. their time! We watched some TV and finally crashed. Tomorrow will be wet and busy!

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Serious Packing Underway!

Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 by Paul

Mary completed packing for Days 1 and 2!

It’s the start of a new day, and I’m off like a herd of turtles. Slow and steady wins the race, right? At this rate, I might need a snack break before I even get to the front door!

We packed, repacked, and packed again, attempting to minimize the number of bags.  I got all my things into two Ralph’s Market grocery bags; Mary got her first two days’ clothes in three steamer trunks.

As I fussed at Scout, he reminded me he was a good baby!

Speaking about packing, Mary had to adjust her dresses and needed a dummy!  Guess who she got to be the dummy?  How embarrassing! The safety pins were NOT very safe because she was done, I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, and it poured right out of my legs where she had been working.  Twenty-two bandages, a bottle of disinfectant (I think the name was zJim Beam), and a tetanus shot later I recovered.

Assisting Mary getting ready for the trip!

The hemming session ended, and I reverted to my usual garb, meaning jeans and an appropriate T-shirt.  For brunch, I fixed her nibs steak and eggs (with pastrami).  Now she is ready to paint the world with vibrant colors!  We had a 12:30 departure time for the Senior Citizens Center in Tustin for her weekly painting class.

Returning home, I had a Zoom call with old “Moneybags”, Marshall Eichenauer.   I have been making over 12.5% on the investments for the past several years, which is not too bad!  I was happy.

As I pulled up, Mary ran out waiving her new masterpiece.  It called “The Birds”; sounds like a great name for a movie!?

Love dem birds!

I wonder what they were thinking as Mary painted them (they were sitting right outside the classroom window).   I quickly turned on the Transportable Parrot-Translator Device or TPTD for short (we always keep one handy just in case) and their conversation was revealed!

Luckily, I speak fluent Parrott!

After the painting class, I barely got the first syllable of the name “Benji” out of my mouth when I heard a resounding “YES!” and she began to sing.

We headed to Benji’s, about two miles from the seniors center. We sat in the bar, had a drink, and shared a hamburger-pastrami sandwich complete with French fries. I went out on the ledge and had a “Devils Hand,” a tequila and jalapeno mixed drink!   I should have kn own something was awry when I spilled a drop on the table and it began to smoke!

Oh my, we were smart… we split this humongous burger!

We bought Jeff a pair of hot dogs and delivered them to him on our way home. The rest of the evening, we continued packing and checking everything out. This trip will be my first with my new laptop, so I checked all the necessary software at least twice!

My nebulizer and I have formed an alliance—it’s like the dynamic duo of respiratory relief! I bring the lung power, and it brings the “puff” factor. Together, we’re ready to take on the world—one wheeze at a time! Honestly, I think it just enjoys making me look like a sci-fi character every time I use it. “Fear not, citizens! Your friendly neighborhood asthmatic is here to save the day—one cloud of medicine at a time!”.  I breathed deeply, and he finished dispersing the medications in about twenty minutes.

We crashed at 10:30 pm.  We fell asleep giggling at the series “Resident Alien”. Summary: A crash-landed alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.

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