Photos… And The Dumb Photographer Who Took Them

I spent a good part of the weekend doing the grunt work so I could put some vacation photos here . Take a look if you get a chance. I think they give you a feel for cruising.

That’s the good news… meaning there’s bad news.

I had my laptop on the cruise. So I shot photos each day I’d transfer them to the laptop. Back home I moved them from the laptop to my desktop machine and backed them up to a DVD.

I took enough pictures to fill 90% of a DVD. This is an obsession.

With all the photos moved off the laptop, I proceeded to do a little tweaking. That worked so well, I did some on the desktop machine too. Everything was great.

Last night, as I began to run through the photos one-by-one, I noticed some were missing! Somehow I hadn’t transferred them, erased them at the source and wiped out the Recycle Bin.

Gone, gone, gone.

It could have been worse. It turns out I somehow lost the first day (our trip to Los Angeles – big deal) and the last day, as the ship pulled into Los Angeles and we flew home.

There were some neat photos of the port, which is huge and much busier than any facility I’ve ever seen, but that’s not exactly the meat of the vacation.

The funny thing is, all this happened at an instant when I decided to be organized and actually make a back-up.

Random Cruise Notes

So, we’re back from eight days on the Norwegian Star. We left Los Angeles, sailed to Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was an exceptional vacation.

During the vacation, as you might have noticed, I posted daily blog entries. Of course I couldn’t post everything and there were these oddball things we saw or did or experienced. I’m going to try and add them now.

My sense is, this will be a multipart series. I have over 1,500 photos to go through, and that will help me decide what to write.

Every cruise must have a muster drill within the first 24 hours. We had ours at 4:30 PM the afternoon of our departure. That was two hours before we left, and I assume not everyone was on board by then.

I’ve often worried if I’d remember any of this in the event of a ‘real’ emergency.

Of course normal lifeboats aren’t the only way off. There are some oddball methods which are enumerated on Deck 7.

In this one, we’re all supposed to slide down this fire engine red tube to a boat bobbing 40 feet below. There is even a box with shoe covers located alongside.

I already posted a shot of a device where you lower yourself down in a rope harness.

All I’m asking is, please float!

I can’t begin to tell you how clean this ship was. There were squads of employees constantly patrolling the food areas. No piece of schmutz would stay for long!

What I didn’t expect where these cleaning stations, little orbs with what looked like a saline breast implant inside. If you held your hands underneath, a small spray of disinfecting lotion would shoot down. rub your hands together and it sanitizes you and then evaporates away in a few seconds.

I guess earlier problem with the Norwalk Virus weren’t good for business.

How, in spite of this, I caught a cold is beyond me!

If Mexico to you is Tijuana, you would have been sorely disappointed. There was virtually no sleaze!

Here’s the one exception. In case you can’t read the small type, the club is Splash (across from Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico). It features (or so they claim) Mexico’s Finest Showgirls.

This arch, at Lands End, Cabo San Lucas, is a sight made famous by The Love Boat. I snapped a few shots of it as we passed by. Then, our ship made a u-turn and headed around the other side. I waited with the camera, but the arch never reappeared!

I don’t get it. Shouldn’t I have seen it from both sides?

It was very strange, because I waited diligently for the arch to reappear.

Going to the Colima Volcano was one of my favorite moments. It was reasonably far from Manzanillo (which the ship’s captain constantly pronounced “Man-zan-ill-oh”), which meant a long car drive.

On our way, we passed this typical highway scene. I guess I never thought about it, but speeding tickets are universal.

As we traveled from port-to-port, I began to notice these prehistoric looking birds.

They were very graceful in the sky, but even more noticeable was their incredible formation flying. There was never a bird out of place. I’ve never seen anything like this.

In the beginning, I actually thought I was watching some sort of radio controlled models.

If you know what they are, please let me know.

Is there a Mexican Navy, you might ask? Sure. We saw installations of four or five ships at a few of our port stops.

More importantly, every time we entered or left a port (and that included San Pedro in the United States) we we flanked by a small, fast boat carrying heavily armed sailors.

On one hand it was reassuring. On the other hand it was sobering.

Who would want to harm an innocent ship with 3,000+ passengers and crew? Unfortunately, it’s a long list.

More coming as I go through more photos.

Last Day On Board The Norwegian Star

Aboard the Norwegian Star

This is our last full day at sea. That’s sad. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be pushing a pile of bags eight feet high toward LAX.

I first woke up at 3:30 AM. My throat was killing me. For me, this is often the first symptom of a cold. Better now than a week ago.

I did go back to sleep, but not before noticing the ship is rocking a little more noticeably than before. It’s not rough. It’s not placid either. We’re sailing under partly cloudy skies, but the exposed areas are nowhere near as deep a blue as yesterday or the days before.

It’s winter. In Southern California, that’s the time of year storms sweep across the Pacific. Last week, the Norwegian Star ran into very rough seas as it moved up the coast. This week will be much more docile.

There are white caps on the sea surface, but I think that’s more a short term effect of the wind and not an indication of sea height. Of course, given enough time, wind produces waves.;

I posted an entry last night after the magic show, but that wasn’t the end of our night.

Many cruise ships have nightly ‘midnight buffets’. Not the Norwegian Star. That’s probably because food is available, in quantity, around the clock.

There is one ‘special’ buffet each week, the ‘chocoholic buffet’. Last night was the night.

It is an endless feast of cakes and cookies and mousses (Is mousses actually a word?). All the goodies are flanked by chocolate displays and ice sculptures.

If this was a test of self discipline, I failed miserably.

I sincerely believe a cardiologist, upon seeing the ‘chocoholic buffet,’ would begin weeping uncontrollably.

As Helaine, Steffie and I finished and were getting ready to walk upstairs (actually, for me it is beginning to approach waddle upstairs) we spied the captain! He was standing with another officer near the entrance to the Versailles Dining Room, where the buffet was being held.

I’m not sure why, but I walked over to speak with him. We talked for a few minutes, and though he was cordial, I wasn’t expecting an invitation to the ‘Captain’s Table,’ if such a thing even exists anymore.

Here’s what I learned. This ship is much easier to maneuver than you might expect, especially considering its size.

The Norwegian Star has no rudder! That astounded me. Instead, the rear propellers rotate a full 360&#176, allowing us to pivot or round a sharp corner (as we’ve done getting in and out of ports).

Because of it’s ability to quickly swing around, we don’t need to use a tug boat. I would assume that’s quite a savings for Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Back to today. It’s long sleeve weather, though I’m fighting the tide! We’re leaving the tropics and heading back toward the real world.

You can tell people are preparing to leave. On the in-house TV channel the cruise director (Mike from Niagara Falls, Ontario – no Julie McCoy) is giving the disembarking instructions. What can you bring? What can’t you bring? How much can you bring?

There are more cameras out that on the previous days. Maybe people have discovered they still have room on their flash cards. Who knows?

This afternoon was the crew talent show. I was going to miss it unit Ephren, our cabin steward, made it known he was singing and asked us to attend. How could we not?

Speaking of Ephren, when I walked in the room this afternoon, he and his assistant were cleaning the cabin and arguing (maybe it was a spirited discussion) in Tagalog, the Phillipine language.

No punchline. It was just weird. You seldom get to walk in on a Tagalog argument without traveling to Manila first.

Ephrem was second to perform. He sang, in English, and did a pretty good job.

Actually, much of the crew was reasonably talented, though not enough that you’d want to call Ticketron when “Crew Show” comes to your town.

We’re seeing Dave Heenan again tonight! That will be four times on this cruise.

Meanwhile our room is torn apart. Helaine has started reorganizing to repack our bags. By 1:00 AM they’ll all be outside our door.

It’s so sad.

Well, that’s it for the cruise. We’re still on the ship until tomorrow morning, but I’ll be a little too busy to post. There will be more to say when I get back to Connecticut.

Tomorrow will be a very long day. San Pedro to LAX to Las Vegas to Windsor Locks… get the car… drive home. Yikes!

I wonder if Steffie could be convinced to carry me?

Magic On The Pacific Ocean

Aboard the Norwegian Star

No land in sight. We’re heading north, moving at 21 knots, on schedule for San Pedro/Los Angeles Thursday morning.

I wasn’t going to post tonight, but… well, you’ll see.

In the meantime, as long as I’m writing, I might as well say I was disappointed with my choice of photos from Cabo San Lucas. It’s a little difficult to change things without full time Internet access (I have been writing the blog offline and then uploading the entries and photos all at once). When I get home I will post more from Cabo, which was beautiful.

We had dinner this evening at one of the six theme restaurants on the ship. La Trattoria is the Italian restaurant. Unlike the others, this one has no surcharge. Unlike the others, this is in a converted buffet area.

The buffet lines are hidden behind curtains. The chairs are covered with dark slipcovers. The menu is traditional Italian. The sky was beautiful through the large windows.

I had a meat/cheese/spinach lasagna. As has been the case with nearly all the food, it was excellent. My dessert was an Italian cheesecake.

With dinner over, Helaine and Stef headed to the casino while I headed to our cabin to read… and nap. I played Hold’em the first few days, but I was very disappointed in the rake, quality of dealing and play… and especially disappointed that the Hold’em area was in a room squirreled away from the main casino.

While playing the second day, I was beaten on a large hand by someone who was playing a 9-5 offsuit. That’s a terrible hand, but he had every right to play it. His full house beat my full house. I took this as a sign and stopped playing.

Considering how much I enjoy Hold’em, you can understand my dismay – but it just wasn’t fun, and this bad beat solidified that.

OK – on to the reason for this entry. We decided to see a magic show tonight. The venue was the Spinnaker Lounge, where we saw Dave Heenan last night. This magician, Matt Fallon, was performing some close-up magic.

Let’s pause for a moment. I have a theory about magicians and those who are driven to be one. In high school these are not the most popular nor most athletic. My guess is, when David Copperfield was growing up, he was quite the dweeb. The same goes for most of the magicians I’ve known or seen.

Penn and Teller are dweebs – though they admit it and use it to their advantage. There is little pretense of being mystical bunny pullers.

I make no claim of being anything but a dweeb myself. There was no chance of my being name most popular while a teenager.

I sat in the second row with Helaine and Stef, snapping off photos as I obsessively do. The show was entertaining – the tricks puzzling.

Everything was going fine until he had three people pick cards and then chose someone from the audience to put him in a straitjacket.

That was me!

I tried to do my best to help a fellow performer. That meant I did as I was told and wasn’t too curious or anxious to bust his trick (Not that I could. I just didn’t try).

The trick’s culmination was his stripping off the straighjacket while revealing the three cards. The third was revealed when he pulled off the straitjacket and his shirt! The card was attached to his bare chest.

Thankfully, I was off the stage by then.

Gotta Love Cabo

Aboard the Norwegian Star

I’m on the balcony. It’s around 1:00 PM. The breeze is gentle, the air is warm and moderately dry. We are at anchor in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

If you’d like to find me on a map, it’s easy. Find Los Angeles, then trace the coast south with your finger. Pass San Diego and Tijuana. Keep tracing until you run out of land. I’m there. Simple!

Before I get to more specifics about today, let me wrap up yesterday.

We did decide to see Dave Heenan, the comedian, again. This time he was in the Spinnaker Lounge on Deck 12. It’s a nightclub style venue. I’m guessing it seats 400 or so. The chairs are comfy. The service is excellent.

There’s no doubt, Norwegian Cruise Lines is making money on booze! It’s tough to sit anywhere for any length of time without a waiter or waitress approaching to ask if you’d like a drink. They are everywhere taking orders and delivering drinks.

Dave Heenan’s show was totally different than the one we had seen earlier in the week. He says, and I believe him, that he ad libs everything. He knows enough jokes to keep a stream of consciousness running for 45 minutes at a clip.

Best line of the night. Speaking about the cleanliness of the southern restaurant chain, “Waffle House”: “I saw a cockroach there throwing up.”

When the show ended, we walked downstairs to Aqua. That’s deck 12 to Deck 6 for those counting. It was nearly closing time and the restaurant was emptying out. Once again the meal was great and once again I had a light cooking meal that couldn’t have been light. It was Chicken Parmesan with pasta. The dessert was a souffle.

I could get used to this life, if my arteries would allow it.

We finished dinner and headed back up the six flights of stairs to Deck 12. Steffie wanted to see Dave Heenan again – and he was funny enough that it made sense.

Another 45 minutes with hardly a repeat… and when he did repeat, he’d acknowledge it was something he said earlier.

Our night was done before midnight. We were all tired. There’s just so long you can lead this kind of life without a recharge. Anyway, today’s port call would be very early and with much less time than any of the others.

I’m not really sure whether it was the captain’s announcement or Helaine in the shower that woke me this morning. They happened pretty much simultaneously. We were anchored near the harbor at Cabo.

Everything I know about Cabo, I learned on Love Boat. Everything she knows about Cabo, Steffie learned on MTV. Who has the more liberal knowledge? Captain Stuebing – you’ve let me down!

From the balcony, I immediately made up my mind. This was the most beautiful of the ports we’d seen.

Looking out I could see miles of white beach flanked by five and six story hotel (maybe condo) buildings. Between us and the shore was a huge yacht. Whatever you’re thinking of, it’s bigger. A helicopter sat on an upper deck in the rear of the ship. Attached by lines were a few jet skis and other small boats.

I can’t see the name, but I do have the tail number of the copter. The ship is registered in some British Commonwealth country (based on the flag, which has a Union Jack). The chopper is from the United States (the tail number starts with “N”).

Helaine and I went up to Deck 12 for breakfast while Stef showered. As soon as we had a vantage from the port side of the ship, I saw the rocky outcropping that makes Cabo San Lucas so famous.

There is no harbor here large enough for the Norwegian Star, so we walked down to Deck 4 and got on a tender.

I’ve seen this on cruise ships before. There is actually a dock that swings out from the ship’s hull which is used for boarding.

A few of the lifeboats had been lowered down to the water. They would be used for tendering.

Again, with so much else on this ship, these lifeboats are super sized. I believe they can sit 125 or so in case of emergency! This is not some little dinghy.

The trip to Cabo took five minutes – no more. We landed at a marina full of moderate to large sized fishing boats – most from the states. There was an amazing amount of activity in the harbor and the marina.

When you looked to the water, you saw boats and you saw pelicans. Lots of pelicans.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen Pelicans up close like this. They are not pretty birds. They are substantial. We saw more than one down a fish whole in his beak!

Like I said, Steffie knew this place from MTV – specifically Laguna Beach. She knew where she wanted to go and Helaine already had directions to “Cabo Wabo.”

“Cabo Wabo” is owned by rocker Sammy Hagar. It’s a few blocks off the main drag, up a hill and across the way from a strip club. Inside was set up for small concerts with bar service. My guess is the real money maker is the merchandise stand near the front door.

Steffie now has a t-shirt and I have a hat. Sammy can taste some more Tequila on us.

Cabo is loaded with little shops selling silver and crafts. We went into a store where Helaine got a bracelet and another where I got a silver bookmark (now in Thomas Friedman’s “The World Is Flat,” which I should finish before Ls Angeles).

We headed back to the ship, through the marina area. Every few feet someone wanted to sell you something. There were hats and serapes and little carved toys. If it could be sold… If Heche en Mexico could be stamped on it… it was here!

We didn’t buy anything from these vendors, but we did make one more stop. At a bend in the marina, a Mexican man stood, holding two iguanas. One was wearing a sombrero. Neither seemed particularly mindful that they were the main attraction in this man’s business.

For $2 US, I could have my picture taken with the iguana – and I did! Actually, nimble fingered Stef shot of a half dozen – maybe more.

The mere fact that Stef got this photo is amazing, considering she was laughing herself silly at the time.

We tendered in and were back on the ship by 12:30. Right now, as I type, the last of the tenders are bringing passengers back. A few of the tenders have already been hoisted on their davits and stowed for their real job. We should get underway within 10 – 15 minutes.

This is our last port before returning to San Pedro/Los Angeles. We’ll be at sea all night tonight and all day tomorrow. We dock early Thursday. Los Angeles is the better part of 1,000 miles from here.

With a few blasts of the ship’s horn, we’re underway. Though we’ll be doing 21 knots on the trip north, it takes a long time to accelerate to that point.

We headed south first, then a sharp u-turn around the tip of Baja.

I am surprised, 45 minutes after leaving Cabo, a Mexican Navy patrol boat is keeping pace between the Norwegian Star and the coast. Finally, at 2:48, it makes a clockwise turn and heads home.

We’re all alone in the Pacific.

There is no doubt this was our most beautiful Mexican stop.

Mazatlan and Jorge – Another Great Day

Aboard the Norwegian Star

I’m not a light sleeper, so the captain speaks up when he comes on the P.A. early each morning we’re in port. This morning he addressed us at 7:30 AM.

In spite of being in Mazatlan, the spa will be open. He will be there. Too much information.

I assume the captain is Norwegian. Should I meet him, he will be the first Norwegian I’ve run into! Same thing goes for the United States and Mexico.

The crew is very much like the United Nations with a few critical expulsions.

We are in Mazatlan. I knew there was a city named Mazatlan, but nothing else. Shame on me. It’s too large not to know. This is a city of 700,000 (source – cabdriver).

Looking off the balcony this morning, I saw a small city… until I pierced the haze. There in the distance, tall buildings that usually accompany larger populations (I have enhanced the photo which reduces the haze and lets you better see the distant skyline).

I’m not sure if the haze is a product of pollution or the local geography. Some cities can be naturally hazy (Los Angeles), though pollutants can make it much worse.

Steffie was still tired, so Helaine and I headed up to Deck 12 for breakfast. It is cafeteria style up there, but still tasty. And there was no problem bringing a full plate back to our cabin on Deck 11.

Have I mentioned the stairs? I wish I had a pedometer. We have been walking stairs like crazy. Each of us climbs and descends dozens of floors worth of steps. Sure, I huff and puff when I reach our room, but isn’t that OK after climbing six or seven flights?

Today was going to be a beach day. We stopped at the reception desk to ask where to go. Hotels and shopping were in the Golden Zone, we were told.

Since we’re in an industrial port, with lots of activity, including auto imports, we got on the mandatory, but free, shuttle, which brought us to the main gate. From there we hopped a cab.

The sign said the fare to the Golden Zone was $10, so I never verified it. When we got to our destination, $12! My fault for not asking. Of course I was taken. Was it worth kvetching in a foreign land with limited time?

We got out, walked to the sidewalk, and about three feet later Helaine and Stef walked into a store selling silver and other things you buy in foreign ports. Stef got a few little rings.

We walked down the main drag toward the Casa de Oro, stopping again in an area of small mom and pop shops. Stef bought something else, while Helaine and I bought a ceramic Sun. We have a small collection. This one was 100 pesos – $10.

We had been told on the ship we’d be welcome to use the facilities and beach at the Casa de Oro. We never announced our arrival and they never asked.

Considering this was a mystery resort, what we saw was a pleasant surprise. We walked through the lobby and between hotel buildings, following signs to the “playa/beach.”

The pool was built adjacent to a retaining wall at the beach. It was really beautiful and the people there looked to be relaxed and having a good time. Next to the pool were a bar and restaurant.

We made our way to the beach, to a man sitting in his ‘office’ under an umbrella. Did he have wave runners to rent? You bet!

I rented two, one for me and one for Stef, and we set out to explore the bay. There was just enough wave action and chop to make it an exciting ride.

The bay itself was large and bounded by hilly islands. Criss crossing the water were other wave runners, sail boats and power boats, some towing tourists harnessed into parachutes.

As we began Stef was a little apprehensive and followed me. Before we were done she was leading the way, forcing me to ‘gun it’ to keep up.

I don’t know that much about wave runners, but I do know we went fast and neither of us had the guts to really let them run! I can’t imagine.

As we cut across the bay, our little jets would jump out of the water, throwing spray in our faces. Behind us, a tail of water shot high into the air.

This was very cool.

I know it wasn’t Steffie’s first thought for a good time. That changed by the time we were done.

Helaine, not wanting to ride in the bay, stayed on the shore, looking for shade and clicking away. I had put the longer lens on ‘Clicky’ and Helaine took advantage.

I’m sure there will be more than a few shots worth framing from a day Steffie and I will long remember.

We headed back through the hotel, looking to find a cab. Here in Mazatlan there is a strange looking, open air vehicle, used as a taxi. If you recognize what this was when it started life, let me know. There are no identifying marks – as if the manufacturer wanted to disavow all knowledge of its Mazatlan usage.

I told the girls I wanted to go back in one of those cabs. No sooner did I say that than Jorge pulled up to the curb.

I checked. Jorge wanted $10 to go to the ship, so we jumped in – Helaine and Stef in the back, me in the front passenger seat.

As we drove, I stuck my body to the right, out of the vehicle, and took photos. It didn’t take Jorge long to notice. Before long we were slowing down for anything vaguely resembling a photo op.

We passed the university and headed into the hills. Ships don’t dock above sea level, but we didn’t question Jorge. Up we drove, until we rounded a curve and Jorge slowed to a stop.

We were at the edge of a hill with an unbelievable view of the buildings below and our beautiful ship.

I’m glad I have this shot, because it is really the first time I’ve been able to show the ship in perspective. It is a behemoth – and I think you sense that looking at the size of things in the foreground.

The Norwegian Star is longer than three football fields, has fourteen decks I know of, and is carrying 3,000 souls.

Every time it docks, it is as if a small town had floated into town!

Jorge (note the Red Sox hat) asked for $10, but got $15. He is the kind of good will ambassador any tourist town needs. I speak no Spanish and I think Jorge matches me in English.

Stef was my reluctant translator, feeding me the words to ask Jorge for his name. That was the sum of our communication, except for my ‘muchos gracias’ at the dock.

We’re back on board now. The captain says we’ll be leaving in a few minutes. No word on his spa treatment. I’ll let you know should there be late breaking spa news.

Tonight it’s a slow sail northwest to the tip of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas.

Meanwhile, we still have dinner to eat, and another chance to see Dave Heenan, the comedian. Steffie says we should take in both his shows.

Hey, isn’t that what vacations are for?

Blogger’s note: As I put the finishing touches on this entry, at the computer area, a couple sat down at a nearby terminal. While I typed, he showed her an email – and she went a little nuts.

As far as I can tell their son has accepted an athletic scholarship to Cal Poly. He must have been heavily recruited by more expensive and prestigious schools.

Mom was very upset – very. I will spare you quoting her opinion of her son and Cal Poly. She will not get a humanitarian award based on this evening, and this cruise will not end on a pleasant note for them.

I suppose having access to the outside world is both good and bad.

More Sunshine From Puerto Vallarta

Aboard the Norwegian Star

I just heard the captain’s voice over the P.A. system. We’re about to get underway, leaving the dock at Puerto Vallarta. We were already here when I work up this morning.

I just can’t figure out how this happened – Wal*Mart and Sam’s Club are both, literally, across the street from the marina where we’re docked. There is something terribly wrong with this picture (though I’ll bet there are passengers who’ve come back with discount supplies, now stashed in their staterooms)

I want this cruise to be special. Maybe I’ll be spoiled. Maybe I’ll be pampered. I don’t want to dock across the street from Wal*Mart! Wal*Mart is the antithesis of why I’m cruising (and this has nothing to do with any controversy that already surrounds Wal*Mart).

Helaine and Steffie had a surprise planned for me, so we were awake on a schedule to shower in turn and catch the tour bus. We’d left a continental breakfast order last night, and it was delivered to the room right on time.

We got off the ship and headed into a bus. At the front was Cervander, our guide. He said it was an unusual name… somewhere between Cervantes and Cervesa. He was very personable and pointed out many of the sights along the way.

No one in the states knew Puerto Vallarta until “Night of the Iguana” was filmed there. Richard Burton and Ava Gardner was enough to pique our curiosity.

Puerto Vallarta is loaded with beach front property. Some of it is rugged, with cliffs rising from the water’s edge. In other spots there are white sandy beaches with ‘surfer size’ breakers.

This was to be a tropical jungle tour. On the one hand, that sounds spectacular. On the other hand, it implies a lot of rain! Luckily, we’re in the dry season, so this was a somewhat subdued jungle.

We headed to a restaurant, site of some scenes from “Predator,” with Governors Schwarzenegger and Ventura. Other that the shell of a prop helicopter, you’d never know.

We left the bus, made our lunch orders and, as a group, headed on a nature hike.

This area is lush with all sorts of flora and fauna. Today there was much more flora around. It was interesting to see the unusual vegetation and walk through a narrow, twisty, climbing trail.

Among other trees we saw bamboo growing. That surprised me because I didn’t think bamboo was indigenous to Mexico. Helaine looked for a koala. I’m putting the photo here,in case I’ve totally screwed up and misidentified what I saw.

We returned to the restaurant and I had an OK chicken fajitas. Nothing special, but we weren’t here for the food.

The restaurant was built adjacent to a river, with a waterfall just upstream. Some from the group waded in a flowing pond of cold water.

After lunch it was into Puerto Vallarta proper. The tour was supposed to take a half hour shopping break before continuing back to the docks. We decided we needed more than thirty minutes, so we told Cervander and ventured out.

The shopping area of Puerto Vallarta was a mix of US tourists and local families (this is, after all, Sunday). I have been in foreign ports where I felt unwelcome or even threatened. Not here.

The shopping area is built along a seawall. At the base are large smooth stones, which take the brunt of the Pacific’s waves. Every once in a while, white spray will rise as a particularly vigorous breaker strikes.

I didn’t go into too many stores, but it looked like jewelry and crafts from local artisans were the dominant force. Right along the beach front a few artists had set up paintings for sale.

Between a large church (it had that stately feel of a church that was probably the focal point of the city at one time) and the water was a plaza area. Within that plaza were a few large statues, including one with a mermaid.

Two young Mexican girls – the older might not have been 5 years old, were playing on the statue. When they saw my camera they playfully smiled.

There’s a line when it comes to photographing ‘strange’ children. Normally, I wouldn’t have taken the pictures, but under these circumstances it seemed right. They were so beautiful, in such a beautiful place.

Helaine and Stef were shopping as I continued to snap off some shots. When they came to meet me, there was a problem.

Helaine had tripped on a step and hurt her ankle. The pain was really bad at first, but she was able to walk on the leg. She didn’t want medical assistance.

Tonight, after a few hours, the leg is really hurting. She can still walk on it, but not easily. Even taking weight off the foot doesn’t bring relief. It is swollen, though not enough that I’d worry about a break.

I hope her leg won’t put too much of a damper on the vacation. We’ll have to see what develops over time.

At the moment we’re in the middle of our ‘showering by shift’ routine. We have a 7:30 reservation at Le Bistro, the French restaurant aboard the Norwegian Star.

Though food is included on our cruise, there are a few restaurants that have ‘special’ meals for a moderate surcharge. This is one. Helaine has read lots about their chocolate fondue. We’re all looking forward to trying it.

As further proof it’s not Helaine’s day, while she was in the shower we ran out of soap! Soap is dispensed as a liquid from a device on the shower’s wall. Things have been pushed behind schedule a little.

As she stood, dripping and shivering, we waited for the cabin steward to respond to my call to housekeeping and refill the dispenser.

As I write these entries, I realize there are small tidbits, usually peripheral to the main story, that I can’t include. The same goes for photos – neat, but not part of the written narrative.

When we get back, I’ll figure a way to integrate them into the blog, because I’d rather not leave anything out. Certainly, I’ll be posting dozens of photos in my online gallery.

We will wake tomorrow in Mazatlan, about 215 miles up the coast. Having a (mostly) great time. Wish you were here.

Blogger’s note: Because of the awkward Internet access on the Norwegian Star, some entries refer to the day before they are posted… like this one.

Visiting Colima Volcano

Aboard the Norwegian Star

I woke up early enough to hear the Captain on the P.A. system. The harbor pilot was coming on for our entry into the harbor at Manzanillo. I moved to the balcony.

It certainly was the warmest we’ve felt so far. The humidity was way up too. That’s the way it should be, nearly 1,500 miles south of Los Angeles.

The ship slowed as it moved into the channel. Along side, two tugs watched our every move (though we weren’t using the tugs for guidance).

A small boat with a handful of soldiers moved up and down alongside the ship. This boat was loaded for bear. It looked like everyone onboard was holding an automatic weapon.

After a shower and quick breakfast, I was off to meet Gilles. He would be my guide for Colima Volcano.

Two gangways led of the ship. I went down one, looked, didn’t see Gilles and moved on. I went to the second. He wasn’t there either!

I paced the quay for 20 minutes, looking for a tall, thin man with a volcano t-shirt. Nothing. I asked a guard. Still no positive response.

I borrowed a phone from one of the ship’s officers and called Helaine and Stef. They were gone.

Panic was starting to set in. Stood up, I’d be alone in the ‘crying lane’ on the ship.

Back up in the cabin, I re-read Gilles email. He would meet me at the gate. I hadn’t seen a gate. Oops. I’d stopped too soon.

Long story short, it wasn’t long before I was in Gilles SUV and we were heading out of Manzanillo.

Gilles is around 6′ 2″, thin and looks like the college teacher he is. Though from France, via Canada, he is married to a woman he met here (also at the university). They have a four year old daughter.

After a few minutes of city streets we were on a divided highway heading out-of-town. The ocean was on our right, though not for long.

You’ll be glad to know there are toll roads in Mexico. This was one. Gilles fished out a 100 peso note for the 85 peso toll and we continued.

We began seeing the volcano over 25 miles away. Even then it was a large presence.

As we approached Colima, we left the highway for a more traditional road, then cobblestones through a town and finally onto a winding rutted dirt road running along the edge of a cliff.

It wasn’t long before we came to a substantial gate blocking our progress. There was no lock. We opened it and continued, closing the gate behind us.

There was another gate farther up the path and we repeated the process.

A few minutes later, the path opened up and we were in a meadow. Cows were lazily grazing the short grass on this open space, about 5,000 feet above sea level. East of us, dominating the sky was Colima. It is magnificent.

Even if you’d never seen a volcano, it is immediately obvious. The sides are steep and a light gray, courtesy of the ash which accompanies eruptions.

Gilles took some cloth chairs from the back of the SUV and placed them under a banyon tree. We sat and watched, hoping there would be some activity. The volcano does ‘go off’ a few times a day – though not in a cataclysmic fashion.

As we watched super heated steam escape from the top, another truck pulled up. Inside were three Mexican men, in the forties. They sat down and watched too.

I asked if I could take a photo and then spoke with them. Though from Colima, one admitted he had never been to this spot. But, even with the volcano an ever present part of their lives, they wanted to come and watch. They sat and drank wine.

Even without major activity, Colima was active. The plume’s steam intensity varied with time. Every once in a while a different plume of steam or smoke would rise from one of the mountain’s faces. Gilles said, at night you would often see the glow of molten lava.

After a while we turned to leave. After all, I had a ship to catch.

I think the altitude, or maybe just the excitement and early angst got to me. I became very tired and began to yawn. It was uncontrollable – almost comic, as I kept taking down those huge swigs of air.

I’m back on the ship now. It was quite a day.

This is one of those things you remember forever.

Friday Night With A Clarification

Aboard the Norwegian Star

In the morning we’ll be docking at Manzanillo. We’re under 200 miles away.

I haven’t found anyone to go to the volcano with, so I’ll be on my own – which might actually be better. I’ll let you know.

Earlier today when I looked at this website, I realized it looks like the ship is jammed with people. It’s really not like that. Just an unlucky choice of shots I suppose.

Most of the time, there’s plenty of room to stretch out or go at your own pace. Many areas (and this might be on purpose) seem perfect for introspection.

We went back to Aqua for dinner tonight. Once again, it was excellent. I had a steak with a banana based dessert. In fact we all had the steak.

I like Aqua better than Versailles. They both have the same menu, but Aqua wins on decor. I especially liked the artwork, which from a distance seemed to be ceramic.

I mentioned this to someone at a hold’em tableand he felt just the opposite. I’m not saying it’s the right opinion, just that it’s my opinion.

Each table at Aqua had a small candle flickering away. Nice touch until I noticed someone at an adjacent table playing with his. It was actually a solid state light, programmed to flicker and look like a candle.

Where has the romance gone?

Our table was at the window. That was nice until the Sun went down. It is pitch black outside the ship, especially when there are clouds.

It has since cleared, and I’m on the balcony looking at a sky full of stars. The only thing that breaks the night is the translucent plume of smoke trailing us. The wind must be blowing from port to starboard.

Since Wednesday evening the ship has been moving through the Pacific. With light seas it’s easy to forget you’re moving. There’s no noticable noise when you’re inside.

On the other hand, if you’re on deck it’s unavoidable, as water is rushing by constantly.

Every once in a while, I feel myself swoon and think, “I must be tired.” I guess swooning is something I do when I’m tired, but never think about. On the ship it’s just a reaction to the slight sway we’re constantly under. It’s funny how the mind works with unusual stimuli.

If you watch the wake along the side or rear of the ship you realize our motion is part of a complex interaction with the sea itself. The wake is never quite the same over any stretch of time, though patterns do repeat. It would be interesting to see it plotted out.

Most people think a ship’s rock pivots from the keel. There are actually multiple pivot points and they’re constantly changing. The ship is rocking side-to-side, front-to-back and other ways I haven’t thought of, all at once!

I hope I’m making myself clear. This is a tough concept to try and explain.

The ship itself is quite complex. It seems as if no space is left unused. That’s especially true in the hallways were there are utility closets and storage lockers in the space between cabin.

I noticed a piece of electronics hanging on a wall and came in for a closer look. It’s a cellular telephone site – in the hallway! I saw another one earlier on the side of an open deck.

The ships officers communicate with cell phones in their own mini-network. Passengers can buy in for outrageously expensive calls back home.

Fire is a huge concern. Fire at sea is incredibly dangerous. You can’t go more than a few feet without seeing a smoke detector or sprinkler head. There are also storage lockers with fire fighting equipment. On the water, we’re on our own.

As big as this ship is it’s easy to get lost, so there are flooplans all over the place. I was surprised earlier today, looking to go the stern, to look at the water rushing by the ship and still go the wrong way!

Tonight’s entertainment was Dave Heenan, a comedian from New York though he sounded Irish to me). He is living proof that good stage presence trumps good material, since he was better than his material would indicate.

He is a large man… maybe immense is a better word. He uses that to his own advantage, making fun of himself.

Helaine and Stef laughed a lot. I did too. I was surprised to hear him tell a joke I heard Allan King tell on Ed Sullivan at least 45 years ago.

Later in the week he’ll be performing in a lounge, and I’ll try and see him again. I guess that’s endorsement enough.

By the time I post this, I should be back from the volcano. I do want to keep the blog up-to-date (a labor of love for me), but I also want my vacation.

So far, it’s a ball.

Farther From Shore

Aboard the Norwegian Star

We have cleared Cabo San Lucas, the southern tip of Baja California. With the main coastline farther east, we are a lot farther out to sea, now heading south southeast toward Manzanillo.

As anticipated, dinner last night was at Versailles. We approached, at 7:20 PM only to find a long line leading up the stairs. At the restaurant’s entrance was a crowd of people clustered around a host with clipboard.

Helaine went down the stairs, figuring we’d have to get our names on the list and wait. As she approached, the host asked for any threes or fours… and the rest, as they say, is history.

Did we cut in line? I’m not really sure. If it’s just serendipity, does it count as a bad deed? Hopefully not.

We walked in, and this dining room is magnificent… but in a different way from Aqua. This is very old style elegance. The fixtures and wall coverings all spoke to a distant point in time. Everywhere you looked were waiters, waitresses, busboys, assistants and captains. This is a ‘full’ service restaurant.

Looking around, my first thought was, this reminds me of the Titanic or Poseidon. It had that kind of stately, first class, old school cruising, feel. OK – probably not the analogy you want when you’re already on a ship.

There were four or five choices for entree, but we all had lobster tail. I started with the “light cooking” New England Clam Chowder as my appetizer.

Maybe it is light cooking, but it sure tasted rich. It was smooth enough to use as a lubricant! Something was making it creamy. My guess is… cream. Still they’re saying light cooking, so I’ll just live the fantasy and discard any fears.

On CruiseCritic, Helaine had read comments saying the lobster tail was dry. I have had more succulent, but it was still very good. One of the waitresses bathed it in drawn butter from a gravy boat.

Before I go on, I should mention how grateful we are to CruiseCritic. This is a really valuable resource. We learned a lot before we left home and came prepared. If you’re taking a cruise, this is a must bookmark site.

After dinner there was coffee and dessert. There is one thing I’ve noticed about the coffee onboard, it is strong enough to use as industrial solvent! I’ve seen them make it and they’re using Folgers. This doesn’t taste like the Folgers I’ve made.

After dinner, we headed to the casino. There was a structured hold’em game starting, $3/$6, and I sat down.

Hold’em is in a separate room, away from the main casino. The dealers aren’t poker proficient and neither are the players. I won a few bucks, but it wasn’t the kind of poker action I enjoy. I really wish it was in the main casino.

I will try again. I do enjoy playing poker and feel as a reasonably good player I should do well. There are many fish at sea.

The girls had walked through the karaoke bar earlier. Helaine wanted to burrow her head when she heard some of the off key singing. Now I wanted to try!

Helaine wouldn’t go, but Steffie would. We headed to the Carousel Bar and got the master list of songs. It didn’t take long to find “Jessie’s Girl” and put my name on the list.

I figured “Jessie’s Girl” would be an easy song to sing. I’ve heard it a million times. What I didn’t know was, Rick Springfield doesn’t sing it exactly as he wrote it! Of course that only became obvious while I was singing and looked at he words on he screen.

Two questions: Where did those extra lyrics come from? Where did they go?

As I finished, in walked Helaine. She heard the end of the song as she approached.

Helaine and Steffie were kind as I asked, and asked, and asked again, how I’d done. Of course I’m insecure. How could they not know that?

Rick Springfield does not have to worry for his job… and I won’t be filling in on summer vacations.

That was enough. We were off to bed – another restful night, gently rocked to sleep.

Breakfast this morning was in a buffet type cafe. I actually would have preferred a full service breakfast, but by the time we were up and dressed, breakfast wasn’t served.

It is cloudy today. There have been patches of sun, but mostly it’s gray. The seas are lightly undulating. We are heading into the wind, meaning it’s very breezy on deck (though interestingly, not on our balcony, where I’m typing this).

There are dozens of little activities scheduled every day. Some are of interest, most are not. There was a cooking demonstration scheduled, so we headed down to its location and began to watch. The chef, from Austria, was difficult to understand – but we were trying… and then… the announcement.

Over the PA came the voice of Tommy, the assistant cruise director. A school of dolphins had been spotted on the port side. Bye bye demonstration.

We got to the rail on deck 7 and saw a cluster of people, all trying to see the dolphins. Nothing.

Then, from out of the sea, a cluster of dolphins arched their backs above the water. I tried – and missed catching it on the camera.

Helaine said, this alone was worth the price of the trip! She was right, and with a little luck, we’ll see more.

We decided to head up to the pool to sit and sun ourselves. There were deck chairs on the starboard side, blocked from most of the breeze… and blocked from any sun by the clouds.

It didn’t take long for another voice to ring out over the PA. This time it was an officer, from the bridge. A large whale had been sighted over the port side.

We ran over. Nothing.

We kept watching, along with dozens of others. Still nothing.

Finally, in the distance astern of the ship, I saw a column of spray rising high into the air. Thar she blows!

Wow!

As with the dolphins, I tried but couldn’t catch a good shot. And, as with the dolphins, hopefully this won’t be our last opportunity.

I’m picking this up after a nap. Helaine and Stef are getting their nails done.

A quick step onto the balcony reveals a change in the environment. I’m starting to feel a little tropical humidity. Not much – just enough to notice.

In just a while we’ll be having dinner, then seeing a comedian. Tomorrow I’m going to the Colima volcano.

My plan was to try and find someone to go with me, as there’s a minimum charge. I don’t think I’ve had more than a few words with anyone other than Helaine and Stef. Even if I go myself, I think it will be worth it. How often do you have a chance to see a real volcano up close?

More From The Placid Pacific

Aboard the Norwegian Star

sunset through and inversionThe Sun has just set. I am sitting on our balcony, but the door to the cabin is open. It is comfortably mild (76&#176)with low humidity. There is not a cloud in the sky – OK one, but that’s it.

Our photographers at work refer to this time of day as ‘golden light.’ I know what they mean, and it’s even more obvious at sea. The setting sun created a brilliant cross between copper and gold on the water’s surface. This glistening area moved as the swells moved.

golden light on the Pacific OceanThere is an inversion – an area above us where temperatures rise with height instead of fall. I can tell because I was able to track the smoke trail from the few other ships I have seen over very long distances. Instead of continuing to rise and mix out, they hold steady at one level – a long tail of smoke.

A ship produces a lot of smoke and it’s 24/7. Of course, you can’t judge this smoke against a single car, bus or truck. Our ship is carrying around 3,000 passengers and crew. The ships passing by are carry enough containers to fill hundreds, if not thousands, of trucks.

On my TV, the readout shows 26&#176 38.47″ N 114&#176 37.58″ W. We are somewhere near the southern end of Baja California, holding a course of 140&#176 at 21.4 knots (24.6 mph).

Or cabin is on the starboard side, so we’re facing west as we head toward Manzanillo. No land is visible.

I do hear some conversations from the deck below from time-to-time and, a few minutes ago, a conversation with raised voices in some Scandinavian language, from the folks next door.

I wanted to play Hold’em and did participate in a tournament this afternoon. I was quickly gone. Unfortunately, the way these tournaments are structured, the blinds (forced bets) are so large as to award luck over skill.

I’ll play again later, with reduced expectations.

Norwegian Star pool areaI explored the ship earlier today. Parts of it represent the modern concept of cruising, like the restaurants, casino, theater and pools.

You’re never far from food, even at the pool. I guess that’s old school.

pool bandThough there are other areas as well, the pool is the main location for getting a tan. Through the day, there is a prototypical cruise band. They haven’t played “Red, Red Wine” yet… but they will. I did hear Gene Chandler’s “Groovy Situation,” played Reggae style. Very strange.

One of my favorite spots is the promenade on Deck 7. On this deck you’re walking below the massive lifeboats. Along the side, all manner of lifesaving equipment.

Emergency escape instructionsI have been reading the instructions for some of the evacuation devices. It’s gonna be pretty awful before I slide down a chute or lower myself in a rope harness with a winch!

Deck 7 reminds me of what sea travel must have been like 50-75 years ago. Even the areas of teak deck seem out of time when contrasted with the rest of the ship.

I’ve spent more time than I’d like uploading blog entries and photos. We’ve got Internet access – but barely.

Email is nearly impossible to get going. My mail server isn’t responding at geofffox.com. The ship’s mail server isn’t much better.

Unless it’s really important, it will just have to wait a week. How 20th Century!

Helaine and Stef have decided we’ll have dinner at Versailles tonight. It is the largest of the dining rooms and has huge windows looking directly at where we’ve been.

This really is the good life.

Cruising The Pacific

Aboard the Norwegian Star

Pacific OceanWe are 70 miles West of the Baja California peninsula in the Pacific Ocean, 1037 miles from our first port, Manzanillo, Mexico.

I slept like a baby – really. The ship was gently rocking and it didn’t take long before Helaine could claim I was snoring. Steffie’s in on it too, saying I snore. I’ve certainly never heard it.

It’s probably a good thing you don’t think about the stresses placed on a ship as it sways in the water. There are noises in the cabin, little metallic groans, as the ship pushes and pulls against its rivets and welds.

A view along the rail from our balconyI was going to play Hold’em last night, but was very disappointed. A single table tournament scheduled for 9:30 was canceled when only three of us registered.

Later, a cash game started. I sat through one time around the table without playing a hand. A drunken, obnoxious guy sat in the third seat.

It wasn’t that he cursed, because I curse too. He was just crude and low class.

As much as I enjoy Hold’em, he was still too much!

Hold’em is played in a small room off the casino. You walk though the the High Stakes Baccarat area, through a door, down a small hallway, take a right and through another door.

It would be better if it were in the actual casino.

Stairs on the Norwegian StarWith poker a no go and Helaine and Stef otherwise occupied, I walked around the ship. It is huge, not just in breadth and width, but in height. We have all committed to taking the stairs. As much as we’ll eat, I have a fighting chance of counteracting it.

Who am I kidding?

Walking some of the decks was eerie. I was alone with the wind blowing. To the horizon, it was dark. I felt very alone… and remembered the guy from Greenwich who disappeared on his honeymoon.

Lifeboat sign on the Norwegian StarOn the upper decks there are numerous whip antennas and radomes housing satellite and radar dishes. This ship is totally connected to the mothership 24/7.

Before I go, a little about the Internet service onboard. It is a pain in the butt. It’s workable, but it’s a pain.

I bought 250 minutes worth for $100. In order to use the access I carry my laptop to the Internet Cafe, a few decks down. There is a wireless ‘cloud’ there. It is significantly slower than what I have at home. Of course, every second you spend online, you’re thinking about the meter running.

Sometimes, when I’ve talked about taking cruises, those listening worried about claustrophobia. Yes, everything is downsized. Rooms and corridors are tiny. Still there’s lot of room and lot’s of individual spots to explore.

I have edited some comments which were found offensive by others. That’s never my intention and only showed my lack of sensitivity. – GF

We’re On The High Seas

Aboard the Norwegian Star

A little recap is in order. We spent last night at the Westin at LAX. We must be getting smarter because we knew to put our bags on the movable rack and then keep them with us in the room.

Today was definitely a day of hurry up and wait. First to LAX where we met up with Norwegian Cruise Line’s ground staff. We waited for the bus to the docks. Once we got there we stood in line to register and stood in line again to go through security.

The company Norwegian hires to do their security at San Pedro is very sneaky. I’m very observent, and it was only luck that let me realize these weren’t TSA screeners!

Their uniforms, methods and equipment and all reminiscent of what you’d see at the airport. I thought it was especially funny that all the old men wearing hats had to remove them, briefly.

We got on the ship and went to our cabin on Deck 11. We’re in a mini suite with a balcony. If you’ve never been on a ship, it is so small you’d wonder how they could call it a suite – even prefaced by mini.

I am typing this while on the balcony. Let me say now, a few hours into the trip, I’m going to love this balcony. I love it already.

Leaving San Pedro aboard the Norwegian SunAs we left the pier in San Pedro, I stood outside and watched. At walking speed, we made a sharp right turn and headed into the channel. The bow thrusters swung the rear left as the hsip pivoted. It was awesome as we slowly picked up speed. The Star moves effortlessly.

The night is cool and the ship is gently rocking. The moon is high in the sky directly to my left as I type. Its reflection is lighting the sea surface. Off in the distance, I still see the lights of the California Coast. The won’t be visible much longer.

This is living.

We have done a few things on the ship. We ate – twice.

Aqua dining room aboard the Norwegian SunFirst we had a ‘snack’ right after coming on board. We’ve just finished dinner in Aqua, a very nice restaurant a few decks down.

Norwegian has what’s called “Free Style” cruising, which means you can eat where and when you want. There are a few restaurants that charge a little extra, but mostly everyhting’s included.

Helaine and Stef also made arrangements for at least one shore excursion. They won’t tell me what it is, but they say my camera will be very happy.

Over the next few days I’ll let you know more about the ship. I really don’t know much yet. It’s large – I can tell you that. It’s full of people of every shape, size, color and age. It is beautifully decorated.

I’ve already registered for a poker tournament in the casino. It’s a $50 + $10 sing table sit and go. I am hoping it is a table full of poker neophytes – not that that guarantees success.

Good Morning From Los Angeles

The sun is shining through high, thin clouds, as we begin our day in Los Angeles. The curtains in our hotel room are parted, so we can see plane after plane after plane on final for LAX.

When last I wrote, we were waiting to leave Baltimore. As with our first flight, I had a Southwest “A” boarding pass while Helaine and Stef had “B”s. I got on the plane first to look for three seats together. Usually, I can get close to the front with an “A”, but on this ISP-BWI-LAX-SAC flight, with many Islip passengers already seated, I could get no closer than row 15.

Who cares? A seat is a seat. We got 15 D-E-F. A couple with two small children slid into 15 A-B-C.

He started crying as the gear went up. He cried for much of the flight. As soon as the other babies on board heard him, they too began to cry.

Maybe cry isn’t the right word. They screamed as if being tortured. I can make that analogy because I was being tortured.

BWI to LAX is a long flight in a 737 with no entertainment, no food and really loud babies.

Helaine had bought me “Inside the Richest Poker Game of All Time,” by Michael Craig. I started it as we took off and finished it as the lights of LA showed beneath the plane. It was good, not great.

Much of the flight was fine… until we got to the Rockies. From there until the West Coast it was rough road with the seat belt signs lit.

The ‘best’ didn’t come until we landed.

First, we sat on the runway for 10-15 minutes. They were waiting for the last possible available gate (and found it).

Baggage claim was like a suburb of Hell! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Southwest with a facility like this. There were two baggage carousels and an announcement saying flight numbers would be posted above each. Both monitors were blank.

After a while a voice came on the PA saying the bag would come where the bags would come – honest. Don’t ask us – honest. Just keep looking – honest.

The curb area at LAX was disorganize chaos. Cars, buses and vans were darting in and out. Horns honked. We made our way to the “RED” sign, where hotel courtesy vans stopped.

The hotel was just a few minutes away, and was very nice. Again, we had booked on Hotwire.com and gotten what seemed like a good deal.

This Westin is a step up from last night’s Holiday Inn. There is art work on the wall and a nice desk area. The beds were soft and firm (it is possible to be both). Even with airplanes flying nearby, it was reasonably quiet – somewhat like the sound the volcano makes in your room at the Mirage.

There are barking dogs we’re hearing. It’s possible this industrialized neighborhood is where the animal shelter is located. Most likely they’re working dogs for the TSA, Customs or other governmental agency.

Both Helaine and Steffie say if they ever look the way they look under the bathroom lightning, shoot them.

As soon as we’re all dressed, it’s off to the pier and onto our ship. We are so lucky to be here. So lucky, even with our extra day on the road, it all worked out.

If we would have stuck to our reservations, we’d be in the crying lane right now.

A Day In Baltimore

I am posting this entry from Los Angeles. It was written before we left Baltimore. More on the screaming baby flight from Hell tomorrow.

If we would have stuck to our original reservations, our flight would have gotten to Baltimore 36 minutes after the Los Angeles plane left!

Now the entry:

baggage cart in our holiday inn roomNo need to rush. I’m writing this from Gate B17 at Baltimore – Washington Airport. It’s nearly 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Our flight doesn’t leave until well after 6:00 PM.

Our night at the Holiday Inn – BWI was fine, but I have an admission to make. If you work at that hotel, you probably scrambled around, looking for one of those huge baggage carts on wheels.

It was in our room.

It was a conscious decision. We didn’t want to inconvenience anyone else… and we didn’t want to load and unload. OK, it was a selfish decision. Shoot me.

Helaine's shadow puppetActually, our night at the Holiday Inn was just fine, punctuated by Helaine’s discovery that ‘shadow puppets’ could be projected on the wall. She does the world’s best AFLAC duck. Steffie attempted a worm.

We are currently like a band on the run with a series of one night stands. Hartford yesterday, Baltimore today, Los Angeles tomorrow, our cruise ship in the days beyond that. Each city-to-city move is a series of intertwined coordinated actions. We’re getting pretty good at this.

The same driver who brought us to the hotel last night took us to the airport today. He said he remembered us. Tipping works.

At the terminal’s curb I went and got two luggage carts to move our stuff inside. The Skycaps looked with envy. A potentially big customer was rolling by and they weren’t getting any.

Stef and Helaine pushing baggage carts in the BWI rat mazeWe moved into the rat’s maze that leads to the ticket counter and scanned the agents. Who would we get? Who did we want?

We lose.

It didn’t take more than 15 seconds to see Jnacei&#185 didn’t have the normal Southwest spirit. Maybe she was having a bad day? Maybe she wasn’t feeling well. I would pay.

Our three reservations were considered separate. The bags would have to be split among the three tickets.

One of our bags weight 54.4 pounds. Too much. Unbelievably, Helaine and Stef removed exactly 4.4 pounds. It hit the scale at 50.0.

If it would have been 50.1 pounds, I sense we would have been forced to pull more out! This was not a rule bender we were dealing with.

Signatures were needed to ship our soft sided garment bags. That’s a first.

I’m not saying she did anything wrong – because she probably didn’t. It was just a tooth pulling experience all the way around.

Jnacei did lighten up as our time together was drawing to a close. Or maybe she was just taking pleasure in explaining how far it was to our gate and how much additional time we needed to set aside for that journey.

Did I mention – our flight wasn’t for another four plus hours?

Phillips SeafoodSteffie and Helaine were hungry, so we headed to a ‘real’ restaurant, Phillips Seafood. I must admit, though it cost nearly as much as Steffie bat mitzvah, it was very good.

I had lobster bisque and the premium crab cake as a sandwich. When my food was finished, the girls offered me their leftovers. I’m like Mikey in the cereal commercial. Give it to daddy – he’ll eat anything.

So that brings us to B17. Our flight is on the board as delayed, but Victor at the counter across the hall said it was only delayed by eight minutes. It is coming in from Islip, on Long Island, where it rained all day.

Southwest Hartford flight delayedOur original flight from Hartford is also on the board as delayed. I will watch with interest to see if it is in early enough to allow passengers and baggage to move to the Los Angeles flight.

Blogger’s note. Though there is no Internet access, a few moments ago a little balloon popped up on the bottom of the screen saying a wireless access point had been found. When I tried to connect – no Internet. On further inspection, it was someone else’s computer, “Carolyn.” Luckily for Carolyn, I’m not a hacker.

&#185 – I was going to use her real name, and then I realized she might sue me.