alexandriacardinals

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 . . .

New Year’s Eve

December 31

[This was Rita’s 75th birthday, the day before the Super’s.  We were hoping for a big birthday double header . . . ]

[By now you should have gotten the hint that it was another beautiful sunrise . . . ]

[It’s a holiday, so the ship was in full PAR-TAY mode . . . ]

[Party central for the afternoon was the Main Pool and Wintergarden . . . ]

[Shooting from Wintergarden out to the Main Pool . . . ]

[Sometimes there are just too many choices . . . ]

[Maybe I saw it out there?]

[The Super’s probably looking for ice . . . ]

[Oh my!!!!!!]

[Oh my!!!!!!]

[Let’s go to class to find out what this New Year’s celebration thing is all about . . . ]

[You may have seen Dr. Lori on TV?  She was a hoot . . . ]

[Joined by Heather for a toast . . . ]

[And so on with the show . . . ]

[Nothing for “commando”?]

[Checking the Atrium before dinner . . . ]

[A toast to the Trio . . . ]

[Happy New Year!!]

[And now for fine dining in Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant . . . ]

[The Viking Bar in the Atrium.  That’s Ibe May on the right.  We had never seen nor met her before this photo.  We advised her she was in the photo – she said she photo-bombed us, identified herself in the photo, and requested to be Facebook friends.  We still hear from her in that mode because she continued on the world cruise – she’s still on the ship, somewhere past India now, eventually ending in London.  I can’t imagine still being on the ship, now three months since we disembarked!  I mean, don’t you eventually run out of underwear?  (Side note, and it’s true:  When I stood up here, my pants fell down.)]

You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.  ~  Yogi Berra

Up Next:  Still cruising . . .

At Sea

December 29

And now three days at sea as we begin the long trek to our final two destinations:  Cabo San Lucas and Los Angeles.

[These are actually welcome days from the hustle and bustle of daily port visits . . . ]

[Hard to beat a hot dog by the pool . . . ]

[With a pro basketball game on TV – from Turkey . . . ]

[Then on to fine dining . . . ]

[Dinner?  Already?  It appears this was our first time at the “special” The Chef’s Table restaurant.  Reservations and pearl necklaces required . . . ]

[Something tasty . . . ]

[Something funny . . . ]

[A different wine for every course . . . ]

[The wines are stacking up – I was having trouble keeping up . . . ]

[Then up to the Explorers’ Lounge for a little late evening entertainment with . . . ]

[Yup, you guessed it!]

December 30

[Day 2 at sea – we’re here because this fellow’s T-shirt read “Follow me I know where the wine is” . . . ]

[A much calmer day . . . ]

[How about a class?]

I much prefer travelling in non-British ships.  There’s none of that nonsense about women and children first.  ~  Somerset Maugham

Up Next:  The next place the ship stops . . .