Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Tuesday, March 12 evening to Wednesday, March 13

Since we missed the Nicaragua port, the ship travelled very slowly up the coast of Central America and Mexico and arrived at Cabo San Lucas late afternoon today.  We will stay here overnight and then leave on schedule Wednesday evening.

As we approach the harbor, it was fun to be out on deck and watch for whales.  We saw several of them just breaking the surface of the water and blowing water up through the blowhole.  The boat is anchored just off the famous El Arco rock formation.

We had no real plans for this port.  A popular activity is to go out on a whale watching boat.  We did that last time we were in Cabo so thought we would just spend some time walking around the harbor area.  The tenders were running as soon as we anchored and people were anxious to get off the ship and go to restaurants/bars and that endless browsing in the shops.  We decided to stay on board and just enjoy the quiet while looking at the lights of Cabo in the distance.

Then, just as we were getting ready for bed, the phone rings and it’s our Aussie friends that went to Iguazu with us.  They had gone ashore and booked a tour for Wednesday and wanted to know if we could join them to round out the group of 8.  So without knowing what we were going to do, we said yes and quickly got the backpack ready for an early departure in the morning.

We all met to get on one of the first tenders after 7:00 am and off we went.  The tour was a little road trip up the west coast of the Baja and then back to Cabo and then up the east coast of the Baja peninsula.

Landscape filled with cacti--looked like AZ to us

We drove about 25 miles to a little town of Todos Santos, first stopping at Ranchera, a lovely resort on the oceanfront.  The grounds and facilities were beautiful and it would be a very restful vacation to spend some time there.

Ranchera Resort

Then it was back on the road to Todos Santos, where the highlight seemed to be the Hotel California.  Now I thought the Hotel California was in Hollywood, but here’s another one.  Appropriately named as the east coast of the Baja borders California Bay.  If the song “Hotel California” was not running through your mind before arriving, you certainly mastered it while strolling through the gift shop, which was basically all we saw.

Gramae and Marion enjoying coconut milk

The town's mission

After a little walk through the town, which is very nice, we headed back to Cabo San Lucas so we could drive up the east coast.  The town we arrived at was Los Cabos and again was very nice, clean, and well set up for the tourist industry with lots of restaurants and hotels.

Beautiful pottery but very expensive

On the way back to the port, our driver almost hit a donkey that suddenly jumped down onto the highway. I’m sure I could see the donkey’s eyeballs as we narrowly missed it—and we were sitting in the back of the van!  We made a stop at the local Wal-Mart as our Aussie friends needed to buy a suitcase to haul home all the treasures they have collected over the past 3 months they have been travelling.  They started just after Christmas by flying to LAX, then taking a train to San Diego to board a cruise ship that took them through the Panama Canal and then to Fort Lauderdale.  Then they boarded the Grand Princess and sailed the Caribbean for a week before we all met up on this cruise.  They came a long way for this vacation and they certainly made the most of it, including side trips from this ship to both Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Macchu Pichu in Peru.  They needed an extra suitcase for all their souveniers.

Cute little girl playing the marimba with her father

Back on the ship, we were up on deck as the ship pulled away from the harbor.  We spotted several whales and one in particular gave us a good farewell wave as he flipped his tail up about 5 times in succession.

Well, that’s the last port before arriving to our final destination, San Francisco on Saturday.  It has been the most wonderful vacation.  We met lots of great people and hope to cruise again with some of them in the future.  South America was never even in our radar before booking this cruise 2 years ago.  We’re glad we did, though, and feel that even though our time at the ports was brief, we left with the satisfaction of getting a pretty good overall exposure to cultures and sites a bit different from our own.

It is an adventure we would enthusiastically recommend!

Goodbye for now.  Our next adventure is planned for August when we visit London, cruise the British Isles and then do a transatlantic cruise across the ocean stopping in Iceland and Greenland along the way.

Nicaragua

Saturday, March 9

It didn’t happen!  This was to be a tender port and our tour group was to meet at just before 7 am to collect our tender tickets .  While in line, the captain came on and announced that while still ½ mile out from where the ship was to anchor, the port’s pilot (to guide the ship into port) was unable to board the ship due to the high winds.  We would be aborting our scheduled stay in Nicaragua and would continue north.  Evidently this is an area that receives very high winds, which makes it dangerous to use the tender boats.  There were 5 foot waves but they didn’t make this big ship bounce, but they sure would make a wild ride in one of the tender boats.

 

So onward we sailed, and within an hour’s time, we were out of the windy area and sailing smoothly across the seas.  So now we have several sea days prior to ending the cruise in San Francisco this Saturday.  Originally Acapulco was a scheduled port, but due to unsafe conditions in the city, the cruiseline cancelled that stop months ago.  So next stop is now Cabo San Lucas, Mexico  where we will overnight instead of just being there for the day.

The ship is traveling very slow and the seas are as calm as I have ever seen them.  Hardly a ripple out there!

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Costa Rica was on Friday, but the internet has been toooooo slow to even check email let alone post and most often no connection at all.

To Spanish explorers, the rumors of gold and vast riches could only mean that this section of Central America was the costa rica - the "Rich Coast."

Hailed as the Switzerland of the Americas, Costa Rica occupies a unique position, lying between two oceans and two continents. On both coasts, tropical rainforests rise to the mountains of the interior, many of which soar over 13,000 feet above sea level. In the west, a seemingly endless succession of brown-sand beaches forms the nation's Pacific coast.

Our scheduled activity for Costa Rica is to have fun on a zipline.  We have been to this port before and felt we covered the highlights pretty well so several months ago while researching things to do, I came across this particular zipline company that sounded really good….25 ziplines over 11 waterfalls, including 2 rappelings over waterfalls, and a walk across a suspended bridge.  From participating in the ship’s Cruise Critic rollcall, I knew there was another couple interested in doing ziplines.  So I emailed them with the information and they were interested and before too long we were a group of 4 couples making reservations for today.

The group of 8 of us had dinner together twice before reaching Costa Rica, and occasionally were on the same tours in other ports so we knew each other pretty well and were really looking forward to having fun on the ziplines.

Unfortunately, today was Terry’s turn to second guess whether he should participate as he was coming down with a cold and knew how my cold progressed .  At the last minute he decided it would be best for him to stay on the ship so I headed down to meet the group by myself. 

We met the guide at the end of the pier and along with 4 others from the ship that we didn’t know, we headed up the mountain to zipline reception area.  After getting fitted with a harness, we climbed into a special off-road truck and headed up the mountain on a rocky, very narrow road.  The views were spectacular.

We stopped at about the 3,000 foot elevation to start the ziplines.  With a little instruction, and a gentle push, each one of us zipped away.

By the time we had done 8 ziplines we were feeling pretty confident and then we came to the first rappel.  The guides were terrific (and very patient) as we all inched our way down over a  cliff and waterfall in a pretty steep rappel.

It took about 4 hours to do the 25 ziplines and 2 rappels.  We dropped in elevation about 1,500 feet over the course.  We were rewarded with a Costa Rican lunch afterwards before heading back down the mountain to the port. 

Port at end of pier

Sandcastings on pier beach

I expected to find Terry in a fetal position covered in blankets when I returned to the cabin, but he was upstairs on the deck enjoying reading a book.  I tried to tell him it was an awful day and he didn’t miss anything, but, I can’t lie and he saw right through it.  One of our zipline couples said this was the BEST zipline they have ever done (and they do them all over the world on their travels.)  It was great.  We had only ziplined once before (in Maui) and that was really pretty lame.  I was glad that everyone liked the choice of zipline companies as I was the one who had found it on the internet…..and you never know…even with reviews…what something is really like.

Anyway, Terry hasn’t gotten as sick with the cold as I did and had he come along on this adventure, he wouldn’t have been the only one on the bus coughing and potentially sharing the virus.  But we feel it’s best to stay away from close encounters with others when sick.  If only others would do the same, eh?

Terry felt well enough to enjoy the beautiful sunset on deck as we sailed away from Costa Rica and up the coast of Central America.

Manta (Quito), Ecuador

Ecuador is the Spanish word for Equator and while in the port of Manta, we are only a short distance away from it.  Quito, a short drive northeast from the port is the country’s capital, just 15 miles south of the equator.

Today’s tour is another one organized by a Cruise Critic member.  It involves driving from Manta to Puerto Lopez and then taking a boat to Isla de la Plata. We would then have a local naturist guide to walk us among the Blue and Red Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies, frigate birds and albatrosses, etc. and swim with the turtles. This is known as “the poor man’s Galapagos!”  Hey, sounded great.  Some day we would like to visit the Galapagos Islands, which lie just west of the Ecuador coast.  The ship offered an 80-hour side trip to Galapagos  for $2900 per person but we opted for this $70 per person taste of ‘the poor man’s Galapagos”.

This was a tour I was really looking forward to, but as fate would have it, on Day 39 of the cruise (the day before Ecuador) I came down with a nasty cold.  People have been coughing and hacking, and sneezing this whole trip and we have been so careful to avoid them on the ship, but when sitting in a bus for full-day tours with those same people, it was impossible to avoid.  So I opted out of going on this tour so I wouldn’t be adding to the people sneezing and coughing and sent Terry on his way with instructions to TAKE PHOTOS!  I have tried to arm him with our second camera so that we have photos from a different perspective and he takes just a few now and then.  Today I was hoping he would remember to get the camera out and start snapping.

Well, I was most interested to hear about his day when he returned after a full day of seeing all these wonderful creatures.  He described the 2 hour bus ride to Puerto Lopez as quite comfortable, but long.  The houses along the way looked very poor, some with no doors or windows.  In one he could see inside the house…there was a mother, a child, a chicken, and a pig…all inside the house.

Anyway, after a 2-hour drive, they reached Puerto Lopez and boarded a boat for a 1-hour ride to the island.

 

After reaching the island, they met up with the naturalist guide and hiked up over a steep hill to the other side of the island, about ½ mile away.  This was a difficult hike for many on the tour, adding to it that the temps and humidity were so high.

Our Aussie friends were with on this tour.  Nice company for Terry.

 

Here it is....a Blue Footed Boobie

Total bird count:  2 blue footed boobies and a few small birds.  They also saw 2 iguana type animals.  There were turtles but since time was running out, only 5 minutes could be spared for anyone wanting to swim with the turtles.  Terry said he wasn’t going to get wet for 5 minutes but one guy on the tour did swim.

Then it was back over the island trail, back on the boat for 1 hour and back on the bus for 2 hours. 

Terry said it was an interesting day but not a tour that he would recommend doing.  Guess you get what you pay for!

A motorcyle "rickshaw".  A popular means of getting around

Next port is Costa Rica and we plan to go on a zipline.  After 3 days of laying low in the stateroom, I’m feeling much better and should be good to go.

Callao/Lima, Peru

Callao is the port for the city of Lima, Peru’s capital, but the two cities have merged and the area is now basically one huge metropolis of over 8 million occupants. 

  It was founded by Francisco Pizarro, the conquistador who defeated the forces of the Inca Empire and delivered South America into the hands of Spain. 

In 1535, Francisco Pizarro labeled the open plains where Lima now stands as inhospitable. Despite the verdict of the great conquistador, Lima became the center of imperial Spanish power, a "City of Kings" where 40 viceroys would rule as the direct representatives of the King of Spain. With independence in 1821, Lima became Peru's capital.

We are in the port overnight so we have a tour booked with Peru Inca Wonders for both days.  The first day started out a bit sketchy due to confusion of where our small group of 20 people were to meet our tour guide and bus.  But with a little help from the port authorities, our group leader, Anne, found the guide and on our way we went to explore the city of Lima.

Our first stop was at Larco Mar where we stopped for an overlook of the beach and cliffs.  The city is built on top of the rocky cliffs. 

 

Since we didn’t port until 12:00 noon, we were well into the afternoon when we stopped at a local restaurant in the Miraflores district for a buffet lunch of local specialties.  The locals in line with us as we looked over the food helped us by explaining what some of the dishes were and which ones they especially liked.  The food was good and plentiful, with lots of potato dishes and stews (with mystery meat!).  It was a good experience and one where we definitely stepped out of our box and tried new tastes.

Next up was a little time for shopping in an Indian Market.  There are many of these markets all over town; we stopped at just one and wandered through the many aisles of vendors.  Much of it is the same items over and over again and all the vendors tried to lure you into their booth.

 

Indian Market

 

Convent of St.Francis

Then it was on to the Lima Main Square and a walking tour through the historical center.  We toured inside the Convent of Saint Francis, which was very interesting.  No photos were allowed inside but we saw the biggest collection of religious art in South America, a beautiful library with 25,000 books dating back centuries, and a choir room with ornately carved seats.  The Main Cloister patio is decorated with sevillan tiles from the 16^th century and has beautiful Moorish arches. Very interesting was the subterranean crypts known as the Catacombs where we saw thousands of bones.

Our guide, Vanessa, was fantastic.  Her passion is archeology and she provided us with a narrative along the way that explained all that we saw.

A surprise for the day was next when we walked over to the Cathedral Basilica and the Municipal Palace.  There was a parade taking place to mark the end of Carnival celebration.  Dancers from all over the country were present to represent the many cultures of Peru.  It was great fun to watch. 

It was a bit crowded!

To end the day, we went to the Magical Circuit of the Waters.  These are water fountains in a large park.  It’s very special for the people of Lima and the park was crowded with thousands of people from babies to seniors.  The highlight was the show of lights, music, and dancing fountains when it became dark.  This was similar to the fountain shows seen in Las Vegas but a bit more grand.  No photos of that as my camera doesn’t take night photos well. 

Terry 'playing' in the fountain with the kids.  They sprayed him!

Back on the ship we were able to attend the Peruvian Cultural Show put on by local dancers.  It was an excellent presentation.

Next day we were up and out early to meet our guide.  We only had the morning to tour as the ship sailed at 2:00 pm.

We headed toward Lima and stopped at the beach for a couple photos.  The beach is actually covered with small stones.  Yesterday we saw beachgoers laid out on beach towels right on top of the rocks.  The water is quite cold here, too, but a few surfers were taking advantage of the waves today.

Next stop was at Parc La Amour, which has a mosaic wall built to resemble Barcelona’s Parc Guell by Gaudi. 

Parc La Amour--the park of love

Gaudi inspired mosaics

Then it was on to the Huaca Pucliana ruins, which date back to 700 AD.  Our guide took us through the ruins explaining life back in pre-Columbian civilization, before the Incas.  The adobe bricks were all hand formed from mud and sun dried.  They are spaced a little apart to withstand earthquakes, which happen frequently in this part of the world. 

Last stop for the day was at Peru’s Gold Museum.  No photos allowed at this place.  But our guide fascinated us with stories about the collection of gold artifacts from various pre-Columbian civilizations, some more than 3,000 years old. 

Back on ship, we watched the sail away from the port.  One of the tug boat captains did a good job of showing off his donut spinning skills.

 

We now have a day at sea and then it’s time for Ecuador!

Coquimbo (LaSerena) Chile

The port of Coquimbo is the gateway to La Serena, founded in 1544. Located in the transition zone between Chile's Atacama Desert and the country's fertile central valley, La Serena is a popular holiday resort. The nearby Elqui Valley is an agricultural center famed for grapes, papaya and cherimoya. Fed by 3 major rivers, the area’s land is perfect for agriculture and its fruit is shipped from Coquimbo throughout the country and elsewhere.

Our tour for today took us to LaSerena and to the Elqui Valley to visit a pisco distillery.  As usual the early morning hours met us with fog in the port city.  Within an hour, we were out in the countryside and the fog was lifting.  The temperatures turned hot once again.

We drove over an hour to reach the Elqui Valley.  It is in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.  This area is sunny for about 347 days a year.  I believe our guide said that it only rains about 3 days a year.  Well, the grapes love this weather.  There are miles and miles of vineyards.  Most of the grapes are used for making Pisco, the most popular Chilean drink.  It is a type of brandy that is distilled from wine.  Only 5% of the pisco is exported; the rest stays in Chile and they make a lot of it!  We stopped at the largest pisco distillery in the area for a tour and learned how it is made, and then, of course, we were offered a sample.  We thought the very popular Pisco Sour drink tasted a lot like a Margarita with the lemon/lime sour.

Photos at the distillery

We stopped in the city of Vicuna, the birthplace of Gabriela Mistral who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945.  She was the first Latin American to receive a Nobel Prize and there is a museum to honor her. 

Our next stop was at a nearby restaurant that uses solar ovens to bake breads, cook local dishes, and heat water.  The sun bakes the food at a temperature of 185 degrees.  It takes about 2 hours to bake a loaf of bread and 11 minutes to heat a liter of water.

The houses in this area away from the city are nothing to brag about.  The outsides have corrugated metal roofs and they all look very run down.  However, we did see some houses that have a satellite dish on the roof!

It was a long drive down the mountains back to La Serena where we stopped at the central Plaza de Armas.  It is a busy marketplace filled with vendors selling all sorts of junque for souveniers and artisans featuring copper and silver jewelry, glass works and ceramics.

Elqui Valley view

Raisens drying in the sun

The Marketplace

Typical houses in LaSerena

Back in port a couple hours before sailing away.  We have two sea days before we arrive in Lima, Peru on Sunday.  The seas are calm and the weather is warm; I’m sure we’ll be enjoying the days.