Mar 2

 Mar 2

Our next three scheduled ports are in Mexico, but there is currently a lot of civil unrest, so whether we stop in each port is on a case-by-case basis.  Our first port today is Acapulco, and the visit was approved.  The cruise terminal is right on the promenade with a wonderful view from our balcony and, once again, a very professional band to welcome us. 

Acapulco is a historic, formerly glamorous "Pearl of the Pacific" renowned for its dramatic bay, high-rise hotels, and iconic La Quebrada cliff divers. Population approaching 1 million.  Despite challenges with crime and hurricanes, it remains a popular spot for sunbathing, nightlife, and dining, with efforts underway to restore its tourism prominence.  Acapulco was hit by a Category 5 hurricane in 2023 and a Category 3 hurricane in 2024, devastating the city.  It is currently in the rebuilding phase.

We have visited Acapulco twice before, and we needed some personal supplies, so we just took a taxi to the local Walmart, about 5 miles along the bay.  The taxi driver insisted on waiting in the parking structure while we did our shopping.  One item I was looking for was some new shirts.  Some of my shirts seem to have shrunk.  Unfortunately, it was not a very large store with only limited supplies and nothing in my size. 

 

Back at the taxi, the driver suggested we try a downtown flea market for shirts.  We headed to the flea market just past the ship, and again the driver insisted on waiting.  Most of the shirts available in the stalls were very Mexican-style, which I am not keen on, but I did find one at a fair price.  Job done, and the driver took us back to the ship.

Most of the time, the ship sets sail around 6 or 7pm, while we are dining and often after dark, but today we left port at 4pm, making a delicious sail away across the harbor and out into the Pacific, in the delicious sunshine and a gentle breeze to keep us from overheating. (I was on this trip too, Merry talking, and as often happens, my word gets lost in the shuffle!!!!!)

Mar 3 Seaday

 

Mar 4

We anchored in the bay of Cabo San Lucas, sailing past the famous arch as we entered, too early to get a photo.  We took the tender to the pier, and our group walked a little way to our bus. 

We traveled slowly through the city traffic, then north along the Baja Peninsula coast into the desert of cactus and very dry brush, for about an hour.   The bus did not have a tour guide to provide information; it had only a driver.  We arrived at an adventure resort.  Our primary task was to ride the camels.  We were given a briefing and then fitted with a crash helmet, which was covered by a white head dress. 

  

      

The guide assisted us, two by two, up a stairway and on to a camel.  It was a dromedary that only has one hump, fitted with a double harness.  It was quite a challenge to get comfy in a very wide-leg position, and we made sure to grasp the metal handlebars firmly.  Once everyone was seated, the caravan of camels set off at a leisurely pace, swaying left and right with each stride.  We worked our way onto the beach and spent a good 20 minutes walking on the beach before returning to the stairway and gingerly and not very dignified dismount.

We were told not to take photos while riding, as they would be providing photos at the end for purchase.  I managed to take some photos, which meant letting go of the handlebars with one hand.  I managed it without dropping my phone.  The view was very pleasant, about eight feet above the beach, and the experience was quite enjoyable.  For some reason, the concept of camels on the beach seems strange.  My father, who spent time in Egypt during the war, referred to camels as the “ships of the desert”.

After our ride, we got a talk about the camels and how they are treated at this resort.  They have 57 camels on the property, but they need to be at least 7 years old to give rides.  They can drink up to 40 gallons of water in 30 minutes.  We each got a turn petting the camel, then it was time for a very nice buffet lunch and drinks.  During lunch, they gave a demonstration of how tortillas were made in the olden days and gave samples of local tequilas [for those who wanted]. (I, Merry, did NOT WANT!)

We got to walk through the very interesting cactus garden!!  We were told all sorts of facts about the many different types of cactus that they have, but we don’t remember any of it, sorry!

    

The ride back to the ship was quite merry, and we were enchanted by the whole experience.  We sailed off into the sunset and got the obligatory photo of the arch.

In the evening, we had another time change, one hour back gives us an extra hour in bed with a quiet sea day to follow.

Mar 26 Seaday

Mar 27

We docked in Ensenada, our last port in Mexico.  It is known as “The Cinderella of the Pacific” for its coastal beauty, warm climate, and vibrant culture, with a population of over 400,000 according to Google.  Our one and only time in this area was over forty years ago, and it is not quite what we remember, so we are looking forward to this visit.

Our tour took us south down the coast and on to the Puerto Banda peninsula to the La Bufadora Blow Hole, a natural phenomenon caused by the wave action being trapped by the converging rock formation, forcing the water to shoot dozens of feet into the air, delighting the large crowd that had come to see it. 

 

To get to it, we must walk along a long, narrow avenue lined with eager souvenir merchants on either side and eager salespeople tempting the never-ending sightseers to stop and purchase their goods.  We were instructed to follow our guide directly to the end to view the mind-blowing blowhole performance, giving us plenty of time to peruse the vendors on the way back.

  

  

 We enjoyed the mesmerizing show of nature before starting the trip back. 

Unfortunately, Merry slipped on the loose gravel on the walkway and fell, badly scraping her elbow, knee, one finger, and one toe.  I got Merry to a seat in a little shade to evaluate her condition. 

A merchant suggested I go to the pharmacy, just a block away, while she stayed with her.  I got something to clean the wounds, gauze pads, and two bandages.  I got her bandaged up, and we headed back on foot, but Merry was in pain.  A golf cart appeared and transported us back to the bus, passing the stalls Merry was looking forward to perusing.

Once back on the bus, she rested until the rest of the group returned.  The bus took us back to Ensenada to visit a historic hotel for a short visit.  Merry stayed on the bus and had lots of thinking time, so she planned the route back to the ship with an extra stop at a pharmacy to get cleaning fluids and an antiseptic medication ‘ just to ward off evil spirits’.  The tour guide had no problems with the stop and made arrangements for it.  She also called the pharmacy and made arrangements for a pharmacist to come on the bus so there would be no wasted time.  Mighty nice for an unusual stop!!!

A passenger, a retired doctor, stopped by to offer suggestions and was pleased with most of them. She recommended an antibiotic, so the bus stopped at a pharmacy, and the pharmacist talked to her and then went to get a supply of antibiotics.  We returned to the ship and eventually waited about 20 minutes!!  A wheelchair appeared to take her to the ship and up to our room.  There, I got her cleaned up and settled on the bed.  We had our dinner in our stateroom, and Merry decided to ‘stay put’  for an early retirement.   Stuffed full of pills, she dropped off quite early. 

Mar 7

San Diego, USA.  We were moored right on the Embarcadero next to the USS Midway museum.  It is the end of a segment and the start of a new one, heading to Hawaii and then to French Polynesia, with plenty of sea days.  About 400 passengers were staying on the ship for the next segment, but being a US port, everyone was required to exit the ship, go through passport control, and customs.  100% had to complete this chore before anyone was allowed to re-enter the ship.

Merry was feeling much better and was able to walk slowly.  She could not put her shoes on.  I called reception about a wheelchair, but they said they were only available for medical emergencies, so we slowly exited the ship, [with Merry in her stocking feet]. Thankfully, immigration was processed very quickly, and we went to the holding area and sat waiting for the zero count to be completed. 

We have been planning this stop for a while.  Merry's daughter michelle lives in LA and drove down to see us.  We managed to get permission for her to come on the ship for the day.  I went ashore, found her daughter, and brought her to Merry for the reunion.

After the hugging was over, we were authorized to enter the ship, and we started our day by going to our stateroom.

Michele was surprised and impressed by the space and way we had decorated, and we spent some time visiting on the balcony, which overlooked the seaside of our room.  Soon we began the tour of the ship, and to our surprise, discovered mimosas and snacks in the Horizons lounge, a large room where the captain’s cocktail party is held for each new group to join our ship.  The dance floor is here with room for the band.   Soon it was time for our luncheon; we had arranged a large table for us, which included room for a couple of friends who were also day visitors and two other couples from the ship.  9 in all with a special hostess to serve us.  Even I was impressed!!!  We sat and ate and ate until we all decided it was time to finish our tour with Michele. 

The day slipped by too quickly, and again it was time to say our goodbyes.  

We went back to the mad dash around the ship. Getting our signups done for the new artistic classes and getting ready for another dinner AND another shared table with a couple of women from upstate New York and her stepdaughter.  We will leave it that we had a wonderful evening with them instead of going on with their story.

Tonight was a time change, which got rather complicated.  Officially, it was a one-hour back, preparing for Hawaii time.  Then they realized Pacific time was also doing a spring forward, so at the last minute the ship decided to change two hours back, which created confusion the next morning.  Eventually, we figured it all out.