At Sea Monday 30th Jan

I made a mistake – we have three days at sea before arriving at Cabo San Lucas on 1^st Feb.  Just as well as Keith and I both seem to have caught colds – we’re dining in our room tonight to avoid spreading it to the others on our table – also missing the Captain’s cocktail party but there’ll be another one no doubt. 

Surprisingly there is no time to get bored when we are at sea – particularly in this climate (still 29 degrees though we are heading north now so it will get colder till we reach San Francisco)  Typical day goes like this:

Up at 6.30 to go to gym – followed by breakfast then sunbathing or swimming. At 10.00 and 11.00 we usually go to the Cunard Insights lectures – these have generally been really good –  there are other activities but have avoided the bingo!  Also demonstrations by chefs and the shops trying to sell art, jewellery and clothes.  Today the first lecture was about the dolphins and whales we can hope to see in these waters (gray, sperm and humpbacks – very rarely a blue whale)  and the second was another from Gerald Scarfe talking about his work with films, theatre  and Pink Floyd – he designed the video that goes with The Wall.  This is followed by lunch, sitting on deck with coffee then the watercolour painting class – I am getting really into this but Keith is not quite so keen.  We then usually have a cup of tea (could be accompanied by scones cream and jam but we are trying to avoid it!) then walk around the promenade deck or play shuffleboard.  Time then to go back to our cabin, read for a bit have a drink and get ready for evening meal at 8.30.  After dinner there is a choice of entertainment – in the theatre they have had singers, comedians (Mike Doyle was brilliant), ventriloquist and variety shows, also there are various bars and live music – we went to a great deck party on Saturday - or ballroom dancing but we can’t do that – failed at the first waltz lesson.

We did see lots of dolphins out of the cabin window this afternoon – apparently they like to play in the wake of the ship – there were some mothers and babies leaping about.  We’re going to spend a lot of time looking for whales tomorrow, would be magical to see one of the big ones close up. The next stop is on 1^st Feb.

Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Saturday 28th January

Tame Toucan

On the Forest Skyway

Costa Rica is a small country – half the size of Scotland with 4.5 million population.  It is reputed to have 5% of the plant and animal species of the world – attributed to its position between the Americas and its volcanoes and jungle.  It is also supposed to have 850 species of bird – but we only saw three.  Amazingly they disbanded their armed forces in the 60s and used the money to build more schools and libraries etc.  They have free education, including universities, and free health care.

We took a trip to the Forest Sky Walk and Pura Vida Gardens.  Pura Vida- literally ‘pure life’ is a greeting used by the residents – can mean hello, goodbye or anything in between apparently.  The skywalk took us on a series of suspended cable bridges (up to 330 ft long and 126 ft. high)  across the jungle canopy  - it was fascinating and the guide gave us a comprehensive commentary on the trees and plants – we discovered that nuts from the massive wild cashew trees are poisonous and contain cyanide – and even the cultivated ones have to be boiled and treated before they are edible – won’t taste the same to me now!  We saw lots of leaf-cutter ants, one hummingbird and someone said they saw a Macaw (national bird of Costa Rica) but we only heard it – apparently you have to get there at dawn to see birds and monkeys.  We did see large crocodiles though  - on the river bank – National Geographic did a survey and estimated there are 25 in every kilometre of the river!  The gardens were 1500 feet up the hill and gave superb views over the surrounding jungle – they are privately owned and have been planted with all sorts of exotic and indigenous plants – very impressive.  We had lunch there – very tasty fish with black beans and plantains and were entertained by a tame toucan who seemed to delight in singing to us and having his photo taken.

We would love to go back and visit more of the country – lots of it is designated as national park – and there are several impressive volcanoes – it had a good feeling about it (i.e. didn’t seem to have to have armed police on every corner and not too many locals trying to part us from our money).

We are at sea again tomorrow – heading north for Cabo San Lucas in Mexico on Monday.

Crossing the Panama Canal

Entrance to Panama Canal with large container ship in front

A wonderful day crossing the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.  The canal will be 100 years old in 2014 (work began in 1880) – it is 50 miles long and the locks raise ships up 85 feet above sea level.  It is reputed to be one of the longest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken – the French started an earlier canal at sea level but the project was abandoned and the equipment sold to the Americans who decided on a lock system. The current locks are just about big enough for the Queen Elizabeth with 2 ft. clearance on either side and 30 ft. on the length (she is 965 ft and they are 1000)

Parrots drawn on the Panama Canal

We were up early  (6 am) to watch the ship enter the first of three locks on the Atlantic side – each one takes about 40 minutes – we then sailed, accompanied by frigate birds and pelicans,  through the Gatun lake,  which was created by flooding a valley – amazingly only one dam was needed – the lake  goes on for about 20 miles -  superb views of dense jungle in steamy jungle heat  and lots of islands created by flooded hill tops, with the sailing route marked out by bouys -  before we entered the second part of the canal and finally came back down to sea level through three more locks.  Out under the new Bridge of the Americas which connects north and south America and final tantalising views of the city of Panama and large numbers of moored ships – maybe waiting their turn at the canal – there are time slots for going each way and the canal operates over 24 hours.   Our ship paid 400,000 dollars for the crossing!

Looking Back on Panama

We were on deck for most of the day up to 6pm, but we needed a few breaks to get out of the heat and we did find time to attend a painting class and create the macaws shown in the picture – we say them yesterday at Cartagena!  We are now sailing north towards San Francisco – next stop is 28^th Jan in Costa Rica.

Cartagena de Indias

                                      

Cartagena de Indias is billed as Colombia’s principal tourist attraction.  The city was founded by the Spanish Conquistador Don Pedro de Heredia in 1533 and was one of the important ports for the collection and shipping of treasure (mostly gold and silver) collected from the native tribes back to Spain.  The galleons used to meet up in Cuba and travel back together once a year – up to 1000 at a time.  The port was frequently raided by pirates and adventurers including Sir Francis Drake, so in the 17^th Century fortifications were built and today the walled city still exists – reminiscent of Cadiz but not painted white.  It is full of colourful buildings with lots of tourist shops and churches and museums – we visited the small Gold museum which has some of the few remains of the beautiful native gold dating back 2000 years – shame most of it was stolen and melted down.  We bought a ‘Panama’ hat each – though they are made in Colombia they seem to be of good quality and can be folded flat for travel (time will tell!)

Tonight we are looking forward to a Burns night dinner and are expecting the many Scots on board to dress up – we will be addressing the Haggis and toasting the lads and lasses!

Up early tomorrow for the transit of the Panama Canal.

Grand Cayman

Arrived at Grand Cayman early in the morning alongside the Sea Princess and Oceana.  The Cayman Islands were linked with Jamaica until 1962 when Jamaica became independent and they became a separate Crown Colony with the Queen as Head of State.  Grand Cayman is 500 miles south of Miami and 180 miles west of Cuba.  It is only 22 miles long and 8 miles wide.  Its speciality seems to be shops selling diamonds and jewellery to cruise ship passengers but as we didn’t want to buy anything we headed for Seven Mile Beach and were swimming in the warm sea by 9.00 am. It was great to be on a Caribbean beach again but too hot  to stay for more than a couple of hours.  After  a drink in the beach bar we headed back for a wander round the small town then made our way back on the ship’s tender and had our first (and absolutely delicious) ship’s hamburger for lunch.   We have started to play shuffleboard on deck  but will need quite a bit of practice before we enter any competitions,

We have another day at sea tomorrow then we dock at Cartagena, Colombia.

Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale

Moored in Fort Lauderdale with 5 other cruise ships including one of the world’s largest – the Oasis of the Seas (4500 passengers and 2000 crew) – she was parked right next to us and made us look small!  Air temperature was 25 C and sea was 23 – wonderful to be warm again!  

Spent the morning in the Everglades looking for alligators – had a noisy but exciting ride on an airboat zipping across one of the largest expanses of low- lying water in the world (really a very slow river about 2 foot deep).  We saw a couple of alligators from the boat but even bigger ones when we returned to dry land!  Fort Lauderdale is impressive with a fantastic beach area and lots of inland waterways  - would be good for a winter holiday.  We had a great sailaway party with a Caribbean band and were able to watch the other ships go out in line before us – hope they don’t all turn up at Grand Cayman or we might not get in!

Heading South

 The second day out from New York heading south towards Miami.  We passed through the Sargasso Sea and have met up with the Gulf Stream – finally finding summer weather.  The sea is calm and air temperature 21.5 C – sitting out on deck was a joy this morning.  We attended our second art class today – still room for lots of improvement but it is fun.  Have been to some great lectures - the best was Gerald Scarfe the political cartoonist talking through his work - he is married to Jane Asher who also gave two interesting lectures.    Looking forward to visiting the Everglades tomorrow.

New York, New York

New York Skyline

We arrived in New York late on Tuesday afternoon due to the treachorous Atlantic seas and to top that it was a bit miserable because it was raining.  However once we got ashore we fell under New York’s spell as usual and headed straight to the Metro to see the 9/11 Memorial – this was one of our most important aims as we were on top of the Twin Towers three weeks prior to the terrorist attack.  

Part of the 9/11 Memorial

After that Keith convinced me to go into an Irish Bar for a Guinness – served by a genuine Irish man!  We hot-footed it up to Macy’s to look for bargains and did some shopping around Broadway – admired the Grand Central Station and stopped by Rockefeller’s building for a Chilli Dog and watched the Ice Skating.  We arrived back on the ship with 10 minutes to get dressed for dinner and much needed refreshments.

Off on a shopping spree

Delicious Chilli Dogs bought here

The next day it was sunny and cold and we were up early and on top of the Rockefeller building by 8.30 am – the views from there are absolutely superb – particularly over Central Park  - possibly better than from the Empire State.  Then we made our way to the Metropolitan Museum by Central Park – mainly to view Jill’s favourite painting – the Parc de Monceau – and the Egyptian Temple (a whole real Egyptian Temple complete with moat- donated by the Egyptians following a gift from USA of 16 million dollars to save 3 temples from the flooding of the Aswan Dam).  

We  then  visited Battery Park at the south of Manhattan to view the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and finished up in Times Square before stocking up on beer wine and mixers to take back to the ship.  Next stop Fort Lauderdale, Florida 1000 miles to the south.

Nearly at New York

We're nearly there!  Should arrive tomorrow lunchtime.  It seems a long way but we have been keeping fit at the gym and by walking round the Promenade Deck.  Looking forward to getting onto dry land, though we hear it has been snowing in New York - and there was some snow on deck last night!

On our way to New York

Now in our fifth day and getting used to the ship - we don't get to New York until Tuesday midday - not exactly Blue Riband speed!.  Experienced 18 hours of Force10 Gale on Friday 13th but otherwise it has been OK.  Saw dolphins and a Mincke whale - have been to the captain's cocktail party and had dinner with the food and drink manager.  I have taken up watercolour painting - Keith will buy his set in New York.


We are struggling to upload any photos at the moment!

We Arrived!

Left home at 10.00 in a taxi and after a fantastic run were on board at 13.00 We did manage to store all the luggage eventually but there was too much!  We sailed out  with the Queen Mary and were treated to an impressive firework display in Southampton Water.  Weather is fantastic so far and sea calm, ship all new and shiny – no complaints!

Cruise Day Minus 2

Packing finally finished!  So much for 'just packing for two weeks' which was my boast!!  Hope the "stateroom" (cruise parlance for cabin)  has lots of storage or we'll be tripping over suitcases for the next 15 weeks.  Bet we've forgotten something vital, but we did remember the corkscrew, the gin and the vodka.

Getting Prepared

Mammoth packing Exercise underway on 5th January.  How many cases will fit into our cabin?

This is just a start!