Travelling to LAX

Thursday, May 18

The hotel shuttle bus took us to SeaTac Airport, and we checked in for our flight to LAX. We were a bit late in departing but it didn't bother us as we had a big lay over in LA before our flight home.

After collecting our bags we walked to the International Terminal and checked in for our Air NZ flight home, which isn't until 10:30pm! However we were able to use the facilities of the Star Alliance lounge which helped the time go quickly, as well as walking around the terminal looking at the shops and getting some exercise before the big flight home!

Seattle - Day 3

Wednesday, May 17

We said goodbye to Danny and his boys, and then Elaine drove us into town and dropped us near the Space Needle. We had some breakfast and then went into the Museum of Pop Culture. There were some special exhibitions on horror movies and science fiction movies, with lots of costumes and models from famous movies of these two genres.

We then moved on to the music side of this museum, with a special area on Jimi Hendrix, Seattle's biggest ever rock star. There was also a great gallery on the development of guitars over the centuries, and how they changed once electricity was readily available. It was fantastic seeing some of the real guitars that different rock stars had used, as well as videos of some of the great American guitar players of the last century.

This museum had lots of interactive displays, some of which were beyond us like "Indie Games"! We weren't as confident as the young kids in attendance who loved the sound booths where they could try different musical instruments, but at least I had a go on the drums!

We walked around the Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens and through the gardens as we headed for the retail area of the city. We couldn't get over how much Seattle is like Melbourne. After lunch we continued our walk and eventually reached the Library where Elaine picked us up. She then drove us to our hotel near the airport in preparation for our flight to LA in the morning.

We've had another great time in Seattle and we look forward to returning as there is still lots to see and do here.

Seattle - Day 2

Tuesday, May 16

We set off this morning with Elaine, surrounded by heavy cloud and steady rain, and drove to the ferry which departs from Edmonds, about 20 minutes from her home. The ferry took us across Puget Sound to Kingston, and from there we had a 45 minute drive to Port Townsend.

The countryside was so green and lush as Seattle has had one of the wettest and cool springs for a long time. This was good for us as all the spring flowers were still in bloom and it was a lovely drive. We arrived in Port Townsend and enjoyed a delicious lunch, and then we set off on foot to explore the town. Its a great place with buildings going back to the late 1800s, and it has a rich maritime history. There were also some lovely shops here as well.

We then drove to a wood worker/designer who Elaine had ordered a table centrepiece from, and it was fascinating seeing the different woods and techniques he uses to create his masterpieces. We were most impressed and thought Elaine had made a really good choice.

 We continued our drive around town, with beautiful homes overlooking the water, and it had a lovely feel to it. We parked back in town and walked around some more before driving back to Kingston to catch the ferry home. We were fortunate as the rain stopped while having lunch and even had some sunshine during the afternoon.

Back at Elaine and Danny's home the new purchase looked fabulous, and Danny prepared a brilliant meal for us, accompanied by top class Washington State wines. It was a very memorable meal and a great way to remember Seattle as our trip is quickly coming to an end!

Seattle, Washington

Monday, May 15

Sadly we finished our cruise today, disembarking in Seattle after 19 fabulous days. We were met by Noelle's cousin Elaine, who dropped us in the city to do some touristy things while she went on to work. The weather was cold and overcast, and we decided to do the Seattle Underground Tour. This was fascinating as it ran through the history of Seattle, which only began in the mid 1800s, and highlighted the problems the young town went through to get established. There were also many amusing stories the guide told us as he lead us around the original streets of Seattle which are now 10-15 feet below the current streets!

After the tour we walked down to Pike Place Market where we had lunch, and then indulged on a Seattle delicacy - donuts with maple syrup icing with bacon bits sprinkled on them. They are delicious, and for a Monday the market was very busy.

We then headed back to the Seattle Public Library where Elaine was to pick us up. We were happy to wait there until she arrived as it was drizzling with rain and cold to us, plus we could use the wifi there!

Elaine and Danny's house is really nice, and as he is a chef we had a delicious meal and some nice wines to go with it. We had a great night catching up with Elaine again and getting to know Danny and his 2 boys who are staying with them this week.

It seems funny being off the ship after 2 cruises but we have to adjust as it won't be long and we'll be home again!

Vancouver, Canada

Sunday, May 14

It was raining and cold when we left the ship this morning, so we found a cafe and hit wifi for a while. The skies were clearing so we walked to the Pacific Centre Mall and checked out the shops - it was another one of those "it could be anywhere in the world" malls that we've been to in many different cities.

The sun came out and we enjoyed walking around looking at all the lovely spring flowers that were blooming, and the trees that were just starting to bud. We saw some nice old buildings around the downtown area and near Canada Place, and enjoyed our short time in Vancouver.

Another 2 Days at Sea

Friday-Saturday, May 12-13

As we left San Francisco the seas got rougher and we've had 2 days of rocking and rolling, with a number of people sick from what we overheard from other passengers, and for the first time on a cruise ship we even saw sick bags provided in the lift wells!

However we did see whales not far from the ship as they make their way to Alaska for the summer there - it's always exciting seeing these beautiful creatures so close and in their natural environment!

For us we continued to relax and read, slept, ate, walked, chatted with friends and were entertained by the variety of shows and talks provided on the ship.

San Francisco

Thursday, May 11

We were up early to watch us sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, past Fisherman's Wharf and into San Francisco. We had to clear US Customs but they know us pretty well by now so that wasn't a problem! We had already booked our tickets to visit Alcatraz today so we just had to walk a few blocks from our dock to Pier 27 where the ferries to Alcatraz depart from.

We enjoyed a coffee and doughnut, and wifi of course while we waited for our 11:30 ferry. The "Rock" as Alcatraz is known is only about a mile offshore, so the ferry journey was about 15 minutes. We were greeted with a short talk by a Ranger, as the island is now a National Park. Then it was into one of the old buildings where a video was shown detailing its history etc. and we found this really interesting.

Next was the walk up the hill to where the cell block was located - talk about location location, and the great views, but it made the prisoners here realise how close freedom was but they couldn't reach it! The walk was equivalent to climbing 14 stories, so it was good that we have been doing lots of walking and using the stairs on the ship!

We picked up an audio guide to walk us through the cells and to describe what it was like being both a prisoner and a guard here. The narration was done by ex prisoners and ex guards and it was very well done. Some of the stories were amazing, and seeing the 5ft x 9ft x 7ft cells and the daily routine made you realise how tough it would have been as a prisoner. There were escape attempts, and a battle after one attempt when a number of guards and prisoners were killed. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent exploring this incredible piece of real estate and its history, but we were glad we were going back to our cabin on the ship at the end of the day!

On our way to do some retail therapy we had a late bite of lunch, and went back to the ship via Fisherman's Wharf, which we had explored on our last trip here 3 years ago.

Our ship departed at 11pm so we had the most fantastic view of San Fran as we sailed away from this city by the bay, back under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Pacific Ocean as we headed north for Vancouver, with another 2 Days at Sea coming up!

Two More Days at Sea

Tuesday-Wednesday, May 9-10

It was more of the same as we relaxed and read, slept, ate, walked, chatted with friends and were entertained by numerous talks and shows, as well as watching some movies.

The weather has got cooler as we head north, so we're out of shorts and t-shirts and into warmer clothes!

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Monday, May 8

It was cool when we docked this morning, but the sun was out and the views of Cabo from the ship were fabulous. We had to be tendered to shore, and then set off on our own walking tour. This place is very party oriented, with lots of shops and markets, and again lots of vendors bugging us to buy from them! We did indulge in some retail therapy and enjoyed meeting some of the locals. We also chilled out over a couple of Bloody Mary's and some tacos at a little cafe, and of course caught up on wifi!

Two Days at Sea

Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7

As our last port was in Mexico the ship picked up a folkloric group who have started to immerse us in the Mexican culture. This consists of a noon performance of songs and dancing in their colourful national costumes, followed by basic Spanish lessons at 2pm. There have also been talks by the location guide on the Mayans and Aztecs, as well as other talks and presentations to attend such as preparing Mexican meals.

Of course there has been sleeping, eating, walking and reading, as well as just lying on a deck chair in the sun! We've also met some nice people on this cruise and so there is always someone to chat to. As I've said before, we love days at sea!

Tonight's show was a tribute band to Buddy Holly and the Crickets called "The Rave-Ons", and they were fabulous. They certainly had the packed theatre bopping along to the fantastic music of Buddy Holly from the 1950s.

Huatulco, Mexico

Friday, May 5

After a night of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds, which made the sea quite rough (although we slept well), we arrived in Huatulco around 1pm. We had a lazy morning attending a talk on the Mayans, and then a walk around the deck until a quick lunch before going ashore.

The port has mainly jewellery and souvenir shops for a couple of streets and that's all, and then the restaurants and cafes line the beach which is either side of where the ships dock. We walked around checking out what was on offer before settling for a beer and some wifi time. Then it was back to the ship to get changed into our bathers before heading to the beach. The water was warm and clear and very refreshing, and cooled us down as it was quite humid today.

Back on board we had a late dinner and a quiet night before our departure at 11pm, but it was another very enjoyable day.

Antigua, Guatemala

Thursday, May 4

We docked in Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, but we didn't spend any time in this port town as we had booked an excursion to Antigua, about 90 minutes drive away. It was overcast as we left at 8:30am, but as we started to climb into the hills it became greyer and rain began to fall. We hadn't planned on this, and as we climbed higher it got even more misty so that the peaks of the volcanic mountain ranges were obscured.

When we arrived in Antigua it looked cold, but as soon as we stepped out of the bus we knew we would be ok in what we had on. In fact there was very little humidity here, which made a nice change from our recent stops. We had to transfer from a big coach to smaller buses, as Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage site with lots of small cobble stoned streets, so the big coaches aren't allowed in the old town.

As we set off on our own for over 3 hours to explore this town, we were amazed at the friendliness of the locals, as well as the lovely old colonial buildings. The place has so much character, as it was founded in 1502 and served as the seat of government for over 200 years. However it was destroyed by a series of earthquakes in 1773, and left a lot of the old churches in ruins which are still visible today.

As we walked along the streets we were again harassed by vendors wanting to sell us their locally made goods, but they were nice and accepted a firm "no thank you". We visited a Jade museum and factory (one of many in town), but spent longer at the very interesting and tasty chocolate museum! From there we visited the San Pedro church before moving onto the San Jose Cathedral. This Cathedral looked over the Central Park, which was abuzz with people and colourful street vendors all going about their business under some beautiful big old shade trees. The Park was surrounded by colonnaded buildings and the whole setting was magical under the now sunny skies.

After making some purchases we set off to see the Santa Catalina Arch, which lead us to the Santa Catalina church. This was one of the nicest looking churches we've seen, with amazing columns, statues, mouldings and relief decorations in white contrasting against the butter yellow render of the building. 

We were running out of time, so we stopped for a local beer while we caught up on wifi. It was then a quick walk back to the meeting point where we were transferred to the bigger coach for the journey back to the ship. It was one of the best tours we've had, and there is plenty more to see and do in Antigua when we return some time in the future.

Leon, Nicaragua

Wednesday, May 3

We arrived at the port of Corinto in Nicaragua about 9am, so it wasn't too early a start for us today. We wanted to visit Leon, one of the previous capitals of this country, which is known for its colonial buildings and Cathedral.

Our tour left at 10am, driving through the town of Corinto on our way to our first stop. We passed mainly fields of sugar cane and corn, with processing plants for the sugar cane dotted along the road. In the distance we could see some of the volcanoes that Nicaragua is famous for, as it has 27 within its borders!

Before reaching Leon we stopped at the San Jacinto Bubbling Mud Pots, where our guide Eddy led us on a walk around this geothermal area of bubbling mud pots and hot springs. We were besieged by children ranging in age from about 4 to 14, either begging or wanting to sell us some pottery or mud from the area. We had been told not to encourage them by giving them money, as schooling is free in Nicaragua and that's where they should have been.

We finally reached Leon, and were impressed with this university town as we made our way to the Park of Heroes and Martyrs. The park was filled with school children, as it was after 12pm and school operates in 2 shifts - 7am to 12pm, and 1pm to 5pm, so it was "changeover" time. We made our way to the Cathedral at the end of the park, and Eddy took us inside to show us its treasures. This is the largest Cathedral in Central America, and it was very nice inside, painted in cream and white, and with reliefs set in grey with charcoal borders. The effect was cooling and visually different to other Cathedrals we have visited.

While some in our group chose to climb to the roof of the Cathedral we set off to find a cold drink and some wifi, and found a local cafe that had a lot of atmosphere and the local beer we tried went down very well. We checked out the market stalls before returning to the coach for the return trip to the ship. 

We arrived about 3pm, and agreed that from what we saw we would be happy to return to Nicaragua to discover more of this country and its friendly people.

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Tuesday, May 2

During the night as we sailed from the Panama Canal to Costa Rica we were awoken by a massive thunderstorm with amazing lightning, loud thunder and pouring rain. We were glad we were tucked up in bed!

On arrival in Puntarenas it was very overcast, still warm but without the humidity. We walked from the ship along the shoreline past lots of market stalls that had been set up. The sand was black as Costa Rica is a volcanic area, with 3 volcanoes in this Central American country, but it was too misty to see them today.

We did some shopping, then stopped at a cafe for a beer while we caught up on wifi, as we've been away for a week without access to it! On our return to the ship for lunch we passed the old cathedral which was built in 1902.

After lunch we walked in the opposite direction and strolled along the tourist walk beside the beach, passing the park and aquarium on our way.

Day at Sea

Monday, May 1

Another lazy, enjoyable day at sea where we got to sleep in, walk around the deck, read a book, attend a presentation by the Captain, and take in a show by a group called Island Magic, who were the best steel band we've seen. We also got to see 2 pods of dolphins jumping out of the water and surfing the ships waves, with the second lot right beside the ship and we were directly above them. There was also the need to eat some lovely food and just enjoy ourselves, which is why we love cruising so much!

The Panama Canal

Sunday, April 30

At 6am this morning the pilot came aboard to guide our ship through the Panama Canal. A narrator also boarded and his commentary began at 6:40, which woke us up! It was very interesting so we got dressed and went out on deck to see this engineering marvel first hand. The ship had opened the doors to the bow so we were able to get to the very front of the ship to observe proceedings. The crew were set up there with juice, coffee and Panama rolls for breakfast, which was very nice.

The first set of locks we arrived at were the Gatun Locks, which took nearly 2 hours to get through. Clearing these locks put us in the Gatun Lake, which is huge and took us nearly 5 hours before we reached the Pedro Miguel Locks. These locks took less than an hour to get through, then it was about 45 minutes before we reached the Miraflores Locks, which took about an hour to get through. At each set of locks it was the same procedure - line the ship up straight, connect to the mules (mini trains that keep the ship in line), enter the lock, be raised or lowered to the height of the next level, and then the reverse before exiting the lock! 

This way the ships can travel from the Caribbean/Atlantic Ocean side over the 85 feet (26 metres) above sea level of the continental divide before being "lowered" to sea level again on the Pacific Ocean side near Panama City (or the reverse direction). The Canal is 80 kilometres long and we didn't exit it until about 5pm, so it was nearly 11 hours to transit through this amazing piece of engineering. Newer, bigger locks were started in 2007 and completed in 2016, so the really big ships use these locks - we could see why when you saw about a foot or two clearance on either side of our ship! Nearly 30,000 people died constructing the original Canal, and when you see the amount of earth and rock moved to build it, and the set up of the locks, it really was an amazing feat but came at a huge human cost.

We had an early dinner and we're amazed at the skyline of Panama City as we passed it - it looked like Hong Kong's skyline! There is obviously a lot of wealth in Panama City as a result of the Canal and the number of ships that go through it each day. We loved transiting the Canal and it was a highlight of the trip.

Cartagena, Colombia

Saturday, April 29

The ship was only spending 6 hours in Cartagena, so we had to be up early to get off the ship and start exploring this fascinating city. It's history goes back to the 16th Century when the Spanish were in charge, and to keep the British and other countries at bay they built some great forts here. The wealth generated by the gold, emeralds and coffee found in Colombia were shipped through this port, so its always been a key port with lots of lovely buildings established here.

Today we were travelling with Harry and Martha Jane, a Canadian couple we've met on this cruise. We negotiated a tour and rounded up 6 other people to keep the cost down! Our first stop was the fort of San Sebastián where we had great views towards Bocagrande, or the new town. Next was the fort of San Felipe, which is one of the most impressive forts we have seen. It even resisted a huge siege by the British in 1741 despite the British having a massive number of men and ships try to take it.

Then it was into the old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, surrounded by massive stone walls, but filled with beautiful old buildings, cathedrals, squares and shops. We wandered around this area with our guide Carmen for nearly an hour, which in the heat and humidity was a good effort! There were lots of hawkers and colourful buskers trying to relieve us of some US dollars, but we didn't need what they were offering. In part of the old wall where they used to store provisions called the dungeons, these have now been converted to tasteful artisan shops with lots of souvenirs on offer.

At the cruise ship terminal there was a free zoo to walk through, with all sorts of very colourful birds including macaws and flamingoes, as well as some little monkeys! We thought this was the best cruise terminal we had been too! We were happy to get back on board and cool down with a shower, and then it was a quiet afternoon before the night's activities begin.

Embarkation and 2 Days at Sea

Wednesday - Friday, April 26-28

Embarkation went smoothly, although we were a bit early and we didn't start boarding until 12pm. This gave us time to drop our carry on bags in the cabin and then enjoy a light lunch in the dining room. We returned to our cabin but found both key cards wouldn't work - as we waited in line at the front desk we found it was a common problem with a lot of people due to a computer glitch! As we've been on a number of cruises on this class of ship we didn't have any problems finding our way around and it felt like being at home! Dinner was followed by a short preview show of the entertainment on board, then we had an early night.

We love our days at sea, especially when they are at the start of a cruise, and we have 2 days to take it easy before our first port of call. We slept late, had a small brunch and then attended a talk on our first 2 parts of call. We chatted with some people we met yesterday before going to the afternoon tea. Today was the King of Holland's birthday so it was themed in orange, even the cakes had orange icing! The ship was decorated with tulips (paper ones) which looked really good on mass. We met some fellow Aussies at our table who were really nice, and organised to have dinner with them to continue our conversation!

After tonight's Dutch themed dinner we went to the show, which again was very good and the theatre on the Amsterdam is the lovely old style and very cosy, which we really like. As we change time zones overnight we get to wind our watches back an hour - a bonus for us!

Today we attended some talks on some future ports of call and learned more about the Central American countries we'll be visiting. There was also time for a walk around the deck as well as some reading time by the pool. Tonight was a Gala night so we got to dress up in our better clothes and enjoyed a lovely meal - again! The show featured the singers and dancers, who were very good and it was a great way to finish the day.

Flying to Fort Lauderdale

Tuesday, April 25

It was an early start as we had peak hour traffic to contend with as we made our way to Austin airport. We did well and arrived about 8am, so we had a couple of hours before our flight.

We took off on time and got into Fort Lauderdale early as we had a tail wind. There was a bit of a wait for the shuttle bus but we finally made it. We then got a shuttle to the nearby shops where we had 2 hours of retail therapy before returning to the hotel. We had dinner in their restaurant and then got ready for the start of tomorrow's cruise.

We'll be at sea for 2 days so will be off the air for a few days. We've loved our time in the south and especially Texas, and a big thank you to the Brooks and Buchanans for taking care of us so well. Thanks for the memories.

Fredericksburg, Texas

Monday, April 24

After a drive to the preserve behind Pat and Burgess' home and a short walk to Lake Pointe, we set off for Fredericksburg. We arrived about 11:30 and started off at the Pacific War Museum. After looking at the beautiful and touching memorial plaques on the walls in the gardens, as well as some of the exhibits in the gardens, we realised there was too much to see in an afternoon! So we walked along the Main Street looking at all the quaint shops and restaurants, and it was 2pm before we sat down for lunch! 

After our lunch in a German restaurant we returned to the Pacific War Museum to look at an exhibit on fashion in the 1940s. This was fantastic, but alas we didn't have time to go through the main rooms in this building, let alone the other 2 buildings that make up this complex.

Our first stop on the way home was in Luckenbach for a beer and to listen to some music. The signs say the population is 3, but the tourists there everyday ensure there is always something happening. It was very old worldly and very quaint!

Back in Austin we visited Pat and Burgess' son Stuart and his beautiful daughter Berkeley, who at 10 months old is very cute. Some drinks and nibbles were enjoyed by all, then we said goodbye and went to a fried chicken restaurant for dinner - this was really good! We finally arrived home after another big day touring the sights of this part of Texas, but as we didn't get to do everything we'll just have to come back!

Austin, TX - Day 2

Sunday, April 23

We attended church with Pat and Burgess at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, their local church, and really enjoyed meeting some of their friends. The service was great too, as it was a special musical program presented by the children - they did a great job along with the musical team who directed them. It was a great way to start the day.

After church we had lunch at the Buchanan's local Italian restaurant, and were joined by Lorraine and Jack. The food was fabulous and we had a great lunch.

We made a quick pit stop at home to get changed and then we headed into Austin for the big adventure - a Segway tour! Apart from Burgess none of us had been on a Segway, so there was some trepidation as Alex our instructor and tour guide showed us the basics. We had a bit of practice as we rode around the grounds of the Capitol building, and then it was time to hit the streets. During the 1.5 hour tour we went from rank amateurs to confident riders, and really enjoyed the experience. We also enjoyed learning about the history of Austin and the downtown area, as well as more about the Capitol.

We were excited about our achievements and the buzz that comes from doing something for the first time. It was good to relax a bit at home before Keith (Pat & Burgess' son) and his 2 daughters dropped in for a visit. It was great meeting them all as we had heard so much about them.

We had a quiet night in just chatting and watching some tv, as there is another big day planned for tomorrow.

Austin, Texas

Saturday, April 22

We awoke to inclement weather, so we had to reschedule today's activities! Burgess did a great job changing the schedule to fit the weather, so we set off for a tour of the Capitol Building in Austin.

The grounds it is in is superb, and the Capitol really stands with its tall dome and its strategic location in the downtown area. The guide gave us all the information we needed, and the workmanship in the building and chambers was amazing. Even the hinges on the doors were impressive, as was all the woodwork in the various rooms.

We then moved on to the Bullock Museum, where we learnt more about the history of Texas. It was good that we'd been to the Alamo yesterday as it gave us a good background for all that we read and learnt in the Museum. Again the exhibits were well presented and informative so we really enjoyed it. We had a quick lunch in the cafe before driving to the University of Texas campus.

Burgess had booked a tour of the UT Tower to get an over view of Austin - it was also the University where his sons went to college. The tour was conducted by students and they did a good job, while we enjoyed the views from the 27th floor of the tower.

Next was our "rest" stop where Noelle and I got our hair cut at Burgess' hairdresser - she also cuts ex governor Rick Perry's hair! 

It was then time to drive to the Hula Hut on Lake Austin for dinner. We were all full after consuming a cocktail, entree and dessert within an hour from when we arrived to when we left! We waddled to the car and headed to the 6th St entertainment district.

Burgess had booked tickets for us to see Esther's Follies, a revue type show that contained magic, jokes and parodies about life in Austin/Texas/USA, as well as local, state and federal politicians! It was very well done and reminded us of Beach Blanket Babylon which we saw in San Francisco. We all had a good laugh and it was a great way to finish and very long but highly enjoyable day.

San Antonio, Texas

Friday, April 21

We were sad as we said goodbye to Bill and Linda, who are such fun and fabulous hosts, as they headed back to Dallas and we headed for San Antonio with Burgess and Pat.

San Antonio is famous as the site of the Alamo, but before we visited it we took a boat ride on the river that runs through San Antonio. The river area has beautiful trees growing beside it and lovely gardens, as well as many bridges, and the whole area is now known as Riverwalk. We enjoyed hearing about the history of this town and the buildings that line the banks of the river as our guide pointed out the many points of interest.

It was a sunny day, and refreshments were required before we hit the Alamo. Prickly Pear Margaritas and guacamole made at our table by the river hit the spot, then we walked back to the Alamo. Our tour guide explained the layout of the Alamo as it was in 1836 and where the Mexicans attacked after a 2 week siege. Unfortunately the defenders were outnumber massively and they were overrun and all 200 of them were killed, including Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie. This is an important event in the history of Texas, and the USA have used the battle cry of "remember the Alamo" ever since. The whole complex and the museums inside the compound are really well done, so we really enjoyed seeing it.

We then had a 2 hour drive back to Austin where we kicked back and had a quiet night after another wonderful day.

Port Aransas, Texas

Thursday, April 20

We slept late and then enjoyed a wonderful brunch to start the day. It was sunny and warm, so after feeding the turtles and birds in the local pond we walked along the beach where they were setting up for Texas Sandfest 2017. This is a huge event and lots of the top sand sculptors from around the world we're setting up for the coming weekends competition. There were lots of RVs parked along the beach, and the road runs along the sand as well!

On our return to the hotel we swam and sat in the sun and chatted the afternoon away - it was so relaxing and enjoyable being with good friends and enjoying a few drinks and nibbles. For dinner we ordered take away and sat around the pool just enjoying the good food and company on a lovely spring night.

This is what travelling is all about!

Drive to Port Aransas, Texas

Wednesday, April 19

We set off from Austin with Pat and Burgess, and arrived at Port Aransas around 2:45pm. We had to wait about 35 minutes before we drove onto the ferry that took us across the water to Padre Island where our hotel was located.

We enjoyed pre dinner drinks around the pool before we set off to Corpus Christi where we had a very enjoyable dinner with Linda's brother Clarence and his wife Susie, along with Linda's cousin Georgina and Rick at their house. It was a great night, a lovely meal and their house was beautiful.

Driving to Austin, Texas

Tuesday, April 18

We left Bill and Linda's house and headed south for the 4 hour drive to Austin, where Pat and Burgess live. Around 1pm we stopped at a rest stop for lunch, and then continued the drive to Austin, reaching the Buchanan's about 2:30pm.

It was time for happy hour while we settled in, and after a few drinks we were ready for dinner. We went to a Texan BBQ place called Saltlicks, and it was really good food and a fun place. We were all full after the meal so took it easy and planned the next few days activities - it's going to be a lot of fun!

Dallas, Texas

Monday, April 17

We drove to the nearby DART station and left the car in the car park. The train came and we headed into downtown Dallas to visit the George W Bush Library. When a President leaves office they set up a Library to document their time in office and their achievements. As his father's Library is in Austin then it made sense for G W's to be in Dallas.

The Library was really well done, and there is even a replica of the Oval Office from his time in the White House. Since his time in office he has taken up painting and supporting injured soldiers and their families, so he set about painting portraits of some of the wounded soldiers he has met. They were very well painted and it was quite moving when you heard the story behind the painting.

After some technical problems with the DART trains getting into downtown Dallas to make our next appointment, we finally made it. We arrived at the 6th Floor Museum from where Lee Harvey Oswald is meant to have shot President Kennedy. Just as we arrived the heavens opened, there was lightning and a double crack of thunder - suddenly the lights went out and the power went off! We waited for about an hour but when they told us the power company didn't know what caused the problem or how long it would take to fix, we decided to leave!

Linda called Uber and before long we were heading back to the car in Plano, as the rain continued to pour down. After a stop to get some wine we finally reached home and kicked back and relaxed. We enjoyed leftovers for dinner, then sat outside and watched a glorious Texan sunset to end another memorable day!

Allen, Texas - Day 2

Sunday, April 16

We attended church with the Brooks' family at the Messiah Lutheran Church. On the way to church we were impressed to see police cars blocking lanes to allow cars to turn into the massive church parking lots, and there are so many churches around here!

The family returned to Bill and Linda's home where we had a beautiful meal and we were made to feel very much a part of the family. After lunch we joined in with games and then sat around chatting and getting to know everyone.

Later in the afternoon when everyone else had left Bill drove us around the Allen area to show us the biggest school in the State, and its magnificent new football stadium that holds about 20,000 people. We couldn't get over the scale of the school and its facilities, and it certainly makes Australian facilities look second rate. We also got to see Southfork Ranch where the "Dallas" tv show from the 1970s was filmed.

We ended a beautiful Easter Sunday sitting on the back porch looking out over the golf course and watching lightning bugs flying around after another lovely sunset.

Allen, Texas

Saturday, April 15

After breakfast we drove straight back to Allen, where Bill and Linda live. We had a drive around the Allen area, and saw some of the beautiful wild flowers growing amongst the grass near the roadside. The famous blue bonnets were so colourful and numerous, along with pink and white buttercups.

The afternoon was scheduled for a tour of the local Nine Bands micro brewery, as well as tasting some of their craft beers. The beers went really well with the pizzas that were ordered in, and we also caught up with Andy (Bill and Linda's son) and his wife Tonya there, and we had a good fun afternoon.

Later in the day we did a 1 hour walk around the Twin Creeks estate and golf course. There was great excitement when I stood on a snake on the path, but it was a harmless one. Next up we saw a turkey in the open, which Bill and Linda had never seen before on the estate in all the time they've lived here! It was a lovely sunset as another fabulous day in Texas came to an end.

Fort Worth, Texas

Friday, April 14

We set off about 9:30am for the 1 hour drive from Bill & Linda's to Fort Worth, the "twin" city with Dallas. We found our way to the historic stockyard area, where there's lots of history connected with the longhorn cattle drives that took place in the late 1800s.

We wandered around on a perfect weather day, and eventually took our positions along the route of the cattle drive. The longhorn cattle can have a span of up to 2 metres for their horns, and they are an impressive breed. They were herded by cowboys in period dress, and it was fun to watch this "mini" cattle drive.

Afterwards we wandered along the old streets, taking in a saloon for a cold beer. There were plenty of cowboy boots and hats in here, and it had a great atmosphere. Billy Bob's, the largest honky tonk in the world was nearby, so we visited there. We were blown away by the size and facilities of this place - it has an arena for live bull riding, a showroom for major concerts, hundreds of pool tables and seating for thousands of people! 

Next we drove to the downtown area where we checked into the Sheraton, as we are staying the night here. We walked to Sundance Square where we had a beautiful lunch, then walked around this lovely town. The Sid Richardson Art Gallery was a highlight, and we checked out lots of the historic markers that were dotted around town and informed you of the history of people, places and buildings.

We were all tired so after some refreshments and snacks we called it a day, but what a fabulous day! Thanks Bill and Linda.

Flying to Dallas, Texas

Thursday, April 13

Today we just had to get the shuttle from the hotel to Orlando Airport, then the usual waiting around before we boarded our Southwest Airlines flight to Dallas (Love Field).

We arrived in Dallas and met up with our friends Bill and Linda, who then drove us for nearly an hour in the peak hour traffic to their beautiful home in Allen. We all sat around on their upstairs balcony looking over a golf course enjoying the views and a drink! Linda's sister Tina arrived and we all headed off to dinner at their local Tex-Mex restaurant. The food was great and it was the best way to end the first day of our visit to Texas.

Drive to Orlando, Fl

Wednesday, April 12

We left St. Augustine and headed for Orlando, a 2 hour drive. About half way near Daytona Beach there was a big Tanger outlet mall beckoning, so we pulled in for some retail therapy. We spent more time here than planned and both of us found some nice bargains.

Our faithful Tom Tom took us to our hotel, where we unpacked before dinner as we had to return the car tonight. After dinner at a Cuban restaurant we found our way to where we had to return the car at Orlando Airport - never an easy feat at these huge airports!

We covered a bit over 1,000 miles (1600 km) in the 10 days we had the car, so it wasn't too bad, although we had 5 driving days where we did most of the miles! The Ford Fusion was a nice car to drive, and had the biggest boot for a car of its size which easily held our 2 big cases and 2 carry on cases!

St. Augustine, Florida

Tuesday, April 11

Today we set off to explore historic St. Augustine, the oldest continually populated town in America. It started with the Spanish in 1565, then alternated between the British and Spanish until the Spanish ceded it to the Colonial government of Florida.

There are a lot of claims of "oldest" this and that, but it does have the old Spanish fort (Castillo de San Marcos) and an original city gate, which was part of the wall that ran around the city. The historical sites were well sign posted and the information on them was very helpful. A lot of the shops on St. George Street, which is a pedestrian only area, were very tasteful and was popular with all the tourists in town.

Some of the other old buildings such as the Lighthouse and the Keepers house, as well as others, have been restored over the years by various organisations and are now run by the National Parks service. They have a strong educational and historic focus which is good for the city.

Another feature we liked here were a couple of luxury hotels that were built over 100 years ago, but were gifted by their owners to the city in their wills. The hotel that railway magnate Henry Flagler built is now the Flagler College - he also built a Memorial Church to honour his wife when she died and gave it to the congregation!

We enjoyed walking around in the warmth of the afternoon checking out the many beautiful homes in the streets of this unique city. Yes it's touristy but it has a lot longer and mixed history than any other American city we've visited.

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Drive to St Augustine, Florida

Monday, April 10

We set off after breakfast and did well for the first 2.5 hours without any traffic holdups. Just before we were going to have lunch we came to a standstill - again all 3 lanes were going nowhere! We crawled along for about 30 minutes, and then once we got in the clear there was hardly any traffic around - it just goes! We stopped for lunch, then had a good run again all the way to St. Augustine, and arrived in time for dinner.

Charleston, SC

Sunday, April 9

We headed into Charleston and went straight to Mt. Pleasant park which is across the river from the downtown area. It was lovely walking in the sunshine although there was a bit of a cool breeze, and the park and views towards Patriots Point were great.

We drove into town, parked the car and walked up and down the 2 main shopping streets, King and Meeting. On the second Sunday of each month the city closes King St to traffic at Calhoun St and turn it into a pedestrian mall. There were lots of people walking along this street, along with many buskers who were very talented, so we had lots of entertainment as we window shopped.

Later in the afternoon we went and got the car to drive to the Battery area, which is where the cannons and mortars were located to protect the harbour during the Revolutionary war as well as the Civil War. These along with Fort Sumter which is in the middle of the harbour provided a great line of defence. There were also lots of magnificent houses in the Battery area, so it was fascinating seeing where most of the wealth is located.

At 6pm we went to one of the nearby old churches where we had seen they have a Jazz Vespers service every second Sunday, so we lucked out on 2 special events on the day we were in town.

Drive to Charleston, South Carolina

Saturday, April 8

After a delicious breakfast we said goodbye to Tom and Sandy - what a marvellous time we had with them. During the drive to Charleston the car beeped and a symbol showed a fault with the tires - we pulled over to the verge of the interstate and all the tyres looked ok. Then I saw a display on the dashboard showing one tyre was down to 27psi, so we turned off at the next exit, put some air in it and set off again.

We encountered a few slow patches during the trip where all 3 lanes just crawled along for no apparent reason! We stopped at the South Carolina welcome centre which was housed in the old Frampton Estate plantation house, and the history of the area and the house was really interesting. 

Dinner tonight was at Boxcar Betty's, where we had southern fried chicken and pecan pie - both were delicious and a good introduction to this southern state.

Savannah Georgia

Friday, April 7

We headed into Savannah this afternoon for a look around, and Sandy was the tour guide who lead us on a walking tour. We immediately loved the period buildings and homes as well as the many beautiful squares that abound in the city. The big old live oaks with the Spanish moss hanging from them is so southern and low country, it really added to the atmosphere of the squares.

We arrived at Telfair House and Museum, which is a gorgeous building and now serves as an art gallery. The Telfairs were interested in art and with the help of advisors built a big collection. When the last heir died she left the house and collection to the city, and they have preserved it as a museum.

On our way to Tom's favourite coffee shop we passed Chippewa square, which is where Forest Gump sat on the bench waiting for the bus and telling his listeners that "life is like a box of chocolates..." From there we visited Colonial Park cemetery, which is now a city park, and the resting place of many patriots from the revolutionary war of the late 1700s. It was really well sign posted as to who was where and what they had done to deserve so much recognition, with many being in public office at city, state and federal level.

It was now dinner time so we made our way to 17 Hundred 90 restaurant, and this was a great choice by Sandy. The food was delicious and it had a fabulous atmosphere, maybe due to the 3 resident ghosts who are meant to frequent the building!

After dinner we strolled to the Trustees Gardens where Sandy had booked tickets for us to go to a zydeco concert as part of the Savannah Music Festival. The band was fantastic and lots of people were dancing, and we all had a great time.

As we were near the Savannah river we walked to it after the concert, and were fortunate to see the Georgia Queen paddle steamer returning to its dock. There is a really nice boardwalk along the river and it was a fabulous way to end another memorable day.

Richmond Hill, Georgia

Thursday, April 6

After a late breakfast we headed off to Kilkenny Creek where Tom & Sandy keep their boat. It was still windy after last night's storm but at least the sun was shining. They took us along the river and explained about the marshes and river system that winds its way to Savannah in one direction and the ocean in the other - we were also hoping to see dolphins but we weren't successful today.

After lunch we went to Fort McAllister, which was built during the Civil War to protect Savannah from the Northern States forces. It was very successful at doing this and was never defeated in a battle with ships trying to get up the river. However it was eventually captured from the land by General Sherman's army who had over whelming superior numbers. The museum and fortifications were great, with most of the original fortifications restored by Henry Ford in the 1930s.

We had dinner at a quirky cafe at McAllister's Marina near the fort, and it was a great way to end another fabulous day in Georgia.

Drive to Richmond Hill, Georgia

Wednesday, April 5

We left Bob and Max's about 11am and set off on the approximately 4 hour drive to Tom and Sandy's home in Richmond Hill. It was a pretty easy drive on I95 North, and we had a few stops for petrol and lunch. There was an unexpected halt on the interstate as all 3 lanes stopped before we crawled along for about 15 minutes until the traffic started flowing again. We were thankful that our GPS was working and it directed us to Tom and Sandys around 5:30pm.

They have a lovely home and made us feel so welcome. Sandy cooked a great meal, which we ate on the enclosed porch while listening to the rain and thunder and watching the lightning - it was quite a storm. Just before we were going to retire to bed an alert sounded on Sandy's phone - it was a tornado warning!! We put the TV on and watched the Weather Channel as it tracked the potential path of the tornado. Luckily it was just going to miss us by about 5 kilometres, but there were a couple behind the first one so we didn't get the all clear to go to bed until about midnight, so it ended up a later night than we had planned. Definitely not something you encounter every day, and a first time experience for us.

Melbourne, Florida (continued)

Monday - Tuesday, April 3-4

We were treated to French toast on the deck overlooking the golf course for brunch, and sat and chatted into the afternoon. Later on Max drove us to an outdoor shopping mall and then onto a nearby one that had a different range of shops. It was fun seeing the different shops compared to what we have at home, but we aren't too far behind in style, there's just a bigger selection to choose from in the US.

As it was getting late for dinner we decided to order Italian and eat in, making it a nice casual night. We also watched a movie about Savannah Georgia, our next stop, called Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - it was a good movie and definitely got us into a "southern" state of mind!

Tuesday - Bob and Max took us on a picnic brunch on the shores of the Indian River where there are nice pavilions to sit in, as well as BBQ facilities. It was a lovely spot and we all enjoyed making our own sandwiches and trying to eat healthily for a change! We also met some other people there and had a good chat with them, as well as watching squirrels trying to get some of the food scraps - they are always cute to watch.

As we were driving home a big thunderstorm struck so we arrived home to flooded streets. Fortunately there were no leaks in the house, so we sat on the patio looking out over the golf course watching the rain. The white herons flew in to feed on the worms and it was cool just watching them as they are local to the area. We were happy to stay in again and watched some more episodes of Perry Mason and Gunsmoke - it's certainly fun to watch these old TV shows.

Melbourne, Florida

Sunday, April 2

We disembarked from the Koningsdam just after 9am, collected our luggage and went to the rental car shuttle area. Unfortunately we had to wait about 40 minutes in the sun before it came and took us to the office. After doing the paperwork we went to the car and turned our GPS on - alas it still had us in Canada from when we last used it in 2015!

We headed down the highway hoping a satellite would pick up our location, and after 5 minutes of driving it hadn't so we pulled into a Dunking Donuts store to give it some more time. Bob and Max had given us directions to their home in Melbourne so all we had to do was find the I95 North! A man gave us directions and we set off for the 2 hour drive, hoping the satellites would find us. 

As we got closer to Melbourne we decided to forget the GPS and just go with the directions we'd been given, and these were all we needed to arrive at Bob and Max's home. It was great to see them again and they made us so welcome. Bobs new toy is a 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible, so to show us around Melbourne we all went for a spin in it - what a great experience and the local area is very pretty with 2 rivers nearby, lots of golf courses and some beautiful homes. This tour was a real highlight for us.

We ate in and talked and talked, and later in the evening we watched old episodes of Perry Mason. We had so much fun and it brought back memories of watching this TV show when we were kids. It was also lovely to have a home cooked meal after 21 days of cruising and to just chill out with friends as we celebrated their 50th anniversary and our 35th!

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Saturday, April 1

Another fun time was had at Half Moon Cay! This is a picture postcard beach when you mention the Caribbean, and Holland America have set it up so everything runs very smoothly. We loved walking along the soft, white sand, swimming in the turquoise coloured water and lying in a deck chair listening to the gentle waves lapping the shore under clear blue skies.

We enjoyed the barbecue on shore before returning to the ship to face the dreaded task of packing as we finish this cruise and prepare to leave this beautiful part of the world.

Day at Sea

Friday, March 31

We attended a Mariner's recognition meeting before being taken to lunch where we caught up with Disney and Robin. After lunch we chatted with them some more, then went for a walk around the Promenade deck until it was time to get ready for dinner!

It was Gala Attire night again so we dressed up for dinner, enjoyed another lovely "surf and turf" meal and then watched the production show with the singers and dancers - they certainly work hard but are very talented. Another great day at sea.

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Thursday, March 30

Our plans for the day changed just before we left the ship when we got a call from new friends Disney and Robin. They had booked an excursion in the afternoon but Robin had hurt her neck so they weren't going to go and asked if we wanted to use their tickets. We said yes and thanked them profusely - the excursion was a catamaran trip to 2 dive sites, one over a shipwreck and the other was with turtles!

We did a quick walk to the shops near the dock so we could use wifi, but the bar we picked had very slow wifi so we didn't achieve what we wanted to. Then it was back to the ship for an early lunch before we met the other passengers at 12:30 for the excursion. The catamaran was the Castaway Girl 3, and it was a lovely cat. We were excited, especially Noelle as it was going to be her first real snorkelling tour, and what a fantastic place they took us to first up over an old wreck.

It was about 40 feet down but the water was so clear you could see all the details clearly from the surface, and the water was so warm! Our guide Sienna told us about the fish and coral we could see, as well as the history of the wreck. We were snorkelling for about 35 minutes before we reboarded the cat and headed to Turtle Cove. The water here was only about 20 feet deep with a sandy bottom which also had some vegetation which the turtles feed on. Immediately we could see 3 turtles beneath us, all happily eating away, and then surfacing for air before returning to their food. We swam around and watched them for about 25 minutes, an absolutely fabulous experience. Thank you so much Disney and Robin.

On our way back to the ship we were provided with either rum punch or champagne, and we enjoyed chatting to some of our fellow snorkellers. We got back just in time before we sailed, a bit sunburnt and tired, but exhilarated by the whole experience.

Dinner in the specialty Asian restaurant Tamarind capped off a wonderful day in the US Virgin Isands.

Basseterre, St Kitts

Wednesday, March 29

Our ship docked a bit out of town today so we took a short taxi ride to reach the town and main port area. This had a Princess and Celebrity ship docked there today and it was very busy in the port shops. In all these islands the shops that cater for the tourists consist of jewellery, watch and clothes shops, and most of the clothes are in the bright Caribbean colours which look good here but "over the top" at home!

We wandered into town to check out the main sights, taking in the local market, the National Museum, St. George's Anglican Church,  a nice old clock (that wasn't working) in the middle of a roundabout called The Circus and Independence Square.

The locals were very friendly, and at St. George's we could climb to the roof to check out the view - Al chose to do this and it was very strenuous! After climbing a twisting stone stairway he then had to climb 4 very steep wooden ladders, with the last one leading directly onto the corrugated tin roof. The view was spectacular, but then the decent was even harder and it really took its toll on his legs.

After some refreshments we returned to the port for some shopping before heading back to the ship. We had planned to sit around the pool until we sailed but the sun disappeared behind some big clouds so we showered and went to early dinner.

Fort-De-France, Martinique

Tuesday, March 28

Fort-De-France was established by the French in the early 17th Century as a naval base. However today it specialises in rum, sugar, fruit and cacao exports, along with tourism of course. 

Today the ship literally docked in the old town area, so it was easy to walk to all the main attractions. We got a map with a walking tour on it and set off, aiming for the local market. This place was alive with colours, smells of cacao, vanilla and cinnamon, and people, so it was a good choice to get to know some locals.

We then checked out the theatre, the Hotel de Ville (or city hall), the Cultural Centre and the Saint-Louis Cathedral - unfortunately this was undergoing renovations so we couldn't see inside it. Nearby was the Schoelcher Library which is housed in an architecturally brilliant building. This building was erected in France for the Paris Exposition of 1889, and then shipped piece by piece to Martinique, and now stands as a monument to slavery abolitionist Victor Schoelcher.

We passed a colonial style pavilion building which is now used for computer studies, then Government House, and then the Museum of Archaeology on our way to the Saint-Louis Fort. On our way back to the ship we walked through La Savane park and then along the waterfront.

We really enjoyed it here as it really felt like a French seaside town but with a Caribbean flavour - the currency used here was even the Euro, so we felt at home. 

Bridgetown, Barbados

Monday, March 27

Today was a lot brighter so we decided to include a beach stop on the tour we did. From the ship we could see a modern looking building, and it turned out to be part of Kensington Oval, the famous cricket ground here. There was a statue of Sir Garfield Sobers in the grounds, and nearby was a museum on the cricketing greats of Barbados but unfortunately we didn't have time to visit it.

Our driver Chico took us past these places and pointed them out, but we were the only ones interested as the rest of our group today were Americans! Barbados was colonised by the British nearly 400 years ago, but has been independent for 50 years. Bridgetown and the nearby Garrison area is UNESCO World Heritage listed, and we passed lots of colourful old houses as well as lots of big, expensive ones. Chico showed us the house where Rhiannon lived, and apparently Oprah interviewed her sitting on the little front porch.

We drove along the east coast of the island and passed lots of magnificent beaches. Chico drove us through the Sandy Lane Golf estate, which is where lots of movie stars have very expensive houses, and it's also where Tiger Woods got married. On one of the little lanes Chico spotted a Green monkey and managed to coax it to move so we could see it - a great experience as these monkeys are unique to Barbados.

From there we visited St James Parish church, which was first established back in the early 1600s after the British came, and lots of politicians and royalty attend church here when visiting. Then it was into the interior of the island and the Highlands area (about 1100 feet above sea level) where we enjoyed rum punch, some wifi and magnificent views over the east coast and the Atlantic Ocean coastline.

On our way back to Bridgetown we passed a flower plantation where there were acres of red ginger lilies in bloom, then some sugar cane plantations as well as spotting some black bellied sheep - again unique to the island. We wanted to swim so Chico dropped us off at a beach on Carlisle Bay where the tropical multi coloured water was so inviting. Again it was a case of "walk right in" and it was so clear with a nice sandy bottom. Both of us swam and enjoyed the sun on this island in paradise.