alexandriacardinals

January 4

Los Angeles

[I don’t now what this is, but it was the first photo taken back in the good ole U. S. of A.]

[Port of Los Angeles, a/k/a America’s Port, in San Pedro . . . ]

[In the wee small hours of the morning . . . ]

[Aboard our bus for the 20-mile ride north from the port to downtown. Our guide, a native New Yorker, of course, loves L.A.!]

[I suspect this is the Banc of California soccer stadium . . . ]

[An exciting look from inside the bus . . . ]

[The stadium, at Exposition Park, was completed this year . . . ]

[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, built in 1923, home of the 1984 Olympics and the University of Southern California football team . . . ]

[I’m not sure how they were able to land this here?]

[California African American Museum . . . ]

[St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church . . . ]

[Los Angeles Convention Center, or so it is claimed . . . ]

[The Staples Center is home for the basketball Sparks, Lakers and Clippers . . . ]

[Why yes, it is my place!]

[Grammy Museum . . . ]

[Shopping on Figueroa Street . . . ]

[Alexander Calder’s “Four Arches,” Bank of America Plaza . . . ]

[The Music Center with . . . ]

[The Walt Disney Concert Hall . . . ]

[The “Dragnet” building . . . ]

[The Broad, the new (2015) L.A. art museum . . . ]

[The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion And Music Center water fountain with City Hall (the “Dragnet” building) in deep background . . . ]

[Federal Court House . . . ]

[The parish church in the Plaza Historic District was founded as La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles (“The Church of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels”) on Aug. 18, 1814. The structure was completed and dedicated on Dec. 8, 1822. A replacement chapel, named La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (“The Church of Our Lady of the Angels”) was rebuilt in 1861 using materials from the original church (discoverlosangeles.com).]

[Olvera Street (Calle Olvera) is a historic district, and a part of  El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Los Angeles was officially founded in 1781, Olvera Street obtained it current name in 1877. Many of the Plaza District’s Historic Buildings are on Olvera Street, as well as some of the oldest Los Angeles monuments including the Avila Adobe built in 1818, Pelanconi House built in 1857, and the Sepulveda House built in 1887. The tree-shaded, pedestrian mall marketplace with craft shops, restaurants and roving troubadours is a popular tourist destination. The street has been described as a “Top Five” in the “Great Streets of America” journal (Wikipedia).  This is the entrance to Olvera Street . . . ]

[This was the only place where we stopped and exited the bus.  It’s L.A. afterall – I think this is the only place where there’s parking!]

[The plaza area . . . ]

[Yup, still the Feliz Navidad season . . . ]

[On my birthday!  I was only 3 at the time!]

[Quite a tree . . . ]

[Quite a bandshell . . . ]

[Leaving the area . . . ]

[Union Station . . . ]

[Los Angeles City Hall . . . ]

[This is the city, Los Angeles, California . . . ]

[Containing such as Sunset Boulevard . . . ]

[And “Hollywood” . . . ]

[How you know you’re in L.A. . . . ]

[Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards . . . ]

[Mann’s (Grauman’s) Chinese Theatre . . . ]

[It really is LaLa Land!]

[The siver ladies “Gateway to Hollywood” . . . ]

[Hop on the bus, Gus . . . ]

[It says Directors Guild of America . . . ]

[The first all nude strip club on Sunset Strip.  I guess that’s worth something . . . ]

[Somebody’s express line . . . ]

[Fred Segal, a big mall guy . . . ]

[Whisky a Go Go opened in 1964 and is now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . . . ]

[Apparently a photo op . . . ]

[On Clampett alert!!]

[Not sure what they do here?]

[Beverly Hills Town Hall . . . ]

[The Super captures the moment . . . ]

[On the lookout for Homer Simpson . . . ]

[The appearance of gantry cranes means we’re heading back to the ship . . . ]

[The Vincent Thomas Bridge crossing Los Angeles Harbor linking San Pedro to Terminal Island . . . ]

[A more closer-upper view of the bridge . . . ]

[USS Iowa ship museum . . . ]

[American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial . . . ]

[Back on board ship for our last night . . . ]

[Saying good-bye to new friends Winston and Sue Shindell, hoping to run into them again some day in Bloomington, Indiana . . . ]

[Our last outdoor deck fine dining . . . ]

[I like this!!  I could do it on a regular basis!]

[Once again playing with fire . . . ]

[Leaning over in direct violation of maritime law . . .]

[New musicians in the Atrium.  The Classical Trio disembarked in L.A. to head back to Hungary . . . ]

[And the piano player, known simply as Grego, is also from Hungary . . . ]

[Say goodnight, Ruthie!]

January 5

This is the day we left the ship for the last time.  It’s now April 25, 110 days later, when I’m finally wrapping up the report of the 22-day trip.  Go figure!  Surprisingly, two-thirds of the travel mates we left on the ship are still on it – at last report they had reached the Mediterranean Sea enroute to the final destination of London.  I cannot imagine staying on the boat that long.

[The Super bids our final adios to the sea . . . ]

[And the Norwegian flag . . . ]

[And the full moon . . . ]

[And Percy, who took care of us and our room!]

Once a year, go somewhere you’ve never been before.  ~  The Dalai Lama

Up Next:  Regular stuff . . .

April 8

We interrupt the final completion of the Panama Canal cruise to include the subject songs and tales from VocalEssence and “Mark Twain” at the high school’s Performing Arts Center.  We had seen this performance a couple of years ago at Theatre L’Homme Dieu and very much enjoyed it again.  Interspersed throughout will be sights of this (unfortunate) spring season . . .  

[The program . . .   ]

[Yes, we did forsake the final round of the Masters . . . ]

[But it was worth it . . . ]

[Although a totally different presentation, this appears to be the most recent YouTube of VocalEssence . . . ]

[And the final bows.  The program started with three songs from our high school choir, and then VocalEssence joined them for a fourth.  I’m always amazed at the talent of the kids . . . ]

[Between songs by VocalEssence, we were treated to the musings of Mark Twain (by Don Shelby) and the barefoot fiddlings of Sara Pajunen . . . ]

[The Super and Patty Wicken enjoy a little post-performance repartee with Mr. Twain (Mr. Shelby and the Super are both native Hoosiers) . . . ]

[Not VocalEssence, but as noted in the program this was the penultimate song.  And while they did it very well, I was thinking it would have been nice to have the high school choir come back out and join them in this.  It’s a BIG sound song!]

I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost — it’s there and then it’s gone.  ~  Maggie Smith

Up Next:  Finally finishing the Panama Canal?

At Sea

January 2 & 3

[Another two days at sea before our final stop in Los Angeles . . . ]

[On the first day, the Super and I just went up on the “roof” to chill . . . ]

[We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves?]

[How ’bout a quick 9 holes?  Here’s the outward . . . ]

[Here’s the inward . . . ]

[Or shuffleboard (curling without ice) . . . ]

[Top o’ the world . . . ]

[I can make this putt with my eyes closed!]

[A spy, to keep an eye on us.  Or is it just Tom Clancy . . . ]

[Did I already use, Top o’ the world?]

[Either a commentary on the state of our republic . . . ]

[Or a report that Twinkies could not be considered a diet food.]

[The next day . . . ]

[3:00 am.  Beat the rush to the laundry room.  Going home in two days . . . ]

[We began the day with a little whale watching . . . ]

[But they were a little far away . . . ]

[None-the-less, the crow’s watch was crowded . . . ]

[Looking around the corner and backwards . . . ]

[The big screen in the atrium was featuring our passage through the Panama Canal . . . ]

[There was a professional photographer on board who took these photos by drone . . . ]

[But then everybody rushed up front again on rumors of whale sightings . . . ]

[And back to the big screen . . . ]

[Can you see me?  Me neither.  But I was on the portside of the observation deck . . . ]

[The photos were terrific – and I was amazed how well I was able to photo them off the big screen . . . ]

[I think I was wearing a shirt . . . ]

[This one catches the lock opening . . . ]

[And the rest of the day was party time.  One third of the passengers would be leaving the ship in L.A., so it was a so long, it’s been good to know ya . . . ]

[This was the Viking Band . . . ]

[Heather charmed with her mezzo soprano voice . . . ]

[This guy was very good (name forgotten) as a singing piano player . . . ]

[Brigi on violin joined the band’s piano player . . . ]

[Elmer, another operatic voice, who I believe was on Heather’s staff . . . ]

[The captain was entertaining . . . and funny, as only Norwegians can be.]

[A toast from the ship’s “officer” class . . . ]

[And then the entire ship’s crew and staff came forward . . . ]

[The guests were represented on all three atrium floors . . . ]

[Yup, the kitchen staff – very important!]

[Guests were planted on the stairs leading up to the big screen.  That’s our friend Jack snapping a shot . . . ]

[A selfie as the stairs begin to clear . . . ]

[Say goodnight folks!]

[The Super gets one last shot . . . ]

[On departure, checking out the big screen . . . ]

[Then back to class.  Dr. Lori was giving a preview about Los Angeles, our next stop . . . ]

[Our last evening with the Viking Classical Trio . . . ]

[Our final thanks to Esza on flute, Brigi on violin, and Szylvia on cello.]

It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression, ‘As pretty as an airport.’  ~  Douglas Adams

Up Next:  I love L.A. . . .

January 1

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

[In the annals of cruising with the Super, this will long be known as the day of the sunrise . . . and of the sunset . . . ]

[It was also New Year’s Day, the Super’s 73rd birthday . . . ]

[And here comes the sunrise . . . ]

[As the first tender heads to shore . . . ]

[Here comes the sunrise . . . ]

[May we have total silence please?]

[No discussion necessary . . . ]

[But there’s Cabo (we’re on a first name basis) . . . ]

[We’re on a tender now . . . ]

[All hail the Viking Sun . . . ]

[And the cloud formation looks like a blue mountain . . . ]

[How much do you think Viking would pay to use this as a promotional photo?]

[Touristas galore . . . ]

[The blue mountain is still there and  lookin’ good . . . ]

[Looks like another ship beat us to the “A list” parking spot . . . ]

[Yes, a major vacation destination . . . ]

[Looks like it’s going to be a nice day . . . ]

[A Viking Sun tender already at the dock . . . ]

[And here we are – our friends Jack and Joanne took this photo from an adjoining tender (obviously) . . . ]

[On shore, a ready supply of Ambien, pain killers, and Viagra & Cialis?]

[This wasn’t our coach . . . ]

[But this is Libby . . . ]

[The Pink Kitty was just a drive by . . . ]

[Our energetic, enthusiastic guide (whose name escapes me) leads us on a 30-minute bus ride up the coast to San Jose del Cabo . . . ]

[And these are the views along the way.  Yes, it’s arid here . . . ]

[As previously noted, this is a vacation destination with lots of upscale new construction underway . . . ]

[San Jose del Cabo is a little slower paced with more original culture stuff . . . ]

[We’re still in the holiday season, of course . . . ]

[Felix Navidad!]

[MIssion de San Jose . . . ]

[There goes the Super, but a service was in session . . . ]

[From the church overlooking the square . . . ]

[A commercial street . . . ]

[An artsy shop . . . ]

[No interpretation necessary . . . ]

[Looking back up the street toward the square . . . ]

[Again, no interpretation necessary . . . ]

[A really neat little hotel . . . ]

[We could stay here with the little outdoor court and pool . . . ]

[It’s an artsy place . . . ]

[In fact, here’s a gallery . . . ]

[And here’s a hotel on the square (being renovated) . . . ]

[Named after my mother . . . ]

[And Feliz Navidad from the Super . . . ]

[Heading back to Cabo San Lucas, which is at the very tip of the Baja California peninsula.  San Jose del Cabo is just north on the eastern side of the peninsula . . . ]

[I must have liked this structure . . . ]

[An indigenous eatery . . . ]

[Newer and upscale – there are several golf courses, hotels and condos, with several under construction, between the two locations . . . ]

[Back in Cabo, the port and the tourist attractions . . . ]

[A known quantity . . . ]

[The Super got a cool beverage . . . ]

[And a shot in the sun . . . ]

[People watching with chow . . . ]

[The boat friends who took this were from Kansas City . . . ]

[Already forgotten their names . . . ]

[Where we noshed – I’d give it an indifferent review . . . ]

[The tenders are lined up . . . ]

[But we’re taking an apres-dining walk around the harbor . . . ]

[Kinda busy . . . ]

[Water fowl . . . ]

[Water fish . . . ]

[A barber pole . . . ]

[The big fish, again . . . ]

[Water boards . . . ]

[I forgot the import of the display . . . ]

[We are obviously tendering back to the ship . . .

[I was glad – it was a hot, sunny day and I was pooped . . . ]

[As we begin approaching the aforementioned sunset . . . ]

[Parasailing between the rocks . . . ]

[Too cool!]

[We’re on board ship, and here comes another one of our tenders . . . ]

[They unloaded, and then hauled it up for storage right under our room . . . ]

[Approaching the highlights of the sunset . . . ]

[The tenders keep coming . . . ]

[Here we go!]

[Such a day!]

[Ending with the Super’s birthday party . . . ]

[In a one-table private room . . . ]

[Thanks to Joanne and Jack for the arrangements . . . ]

I get pretty much all the exercise I need walking down airport concourses carrying bags.  ~  Guy Clark

Up Next:  Close to the end of the cruise . . .