Today is a travel day and another pretty day. We have breakfast at the hotel and head for the airport. Our flight is at 11:10AM. It is a 30 minute drive to the airport where we drop the car, transfer to the airport and get checked in. Carolyn looks so much like a terrorist they nearly do a strip search going through the x-ray. How we hate flying!! We get to the gate about five minutes before they start the early boarding.
We are flying first class on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner thanks to points. It is a very comfortable 3 ½ hour flight into Houston. At 4:30PM Dick finds our daughter waiting for us at baggage claim and we are soon on our way to her home where we take the family out to dinner and then head home, about an hour’s drive away.
We are safely home by 9PM, very ready to sleep in our own bed after 140 days!
Dick's Birthday is May 28th and our 53rd Anniversary is May 29th. Our sweet daughter left us a welcome home surprise. It is good to be HOME!
We will do one more post on our thoughts about this wonderful journey and it was a journey, our third around the world. Carolyn loved every minute and Dick enjoyed it, but would rather have more freedom than 137 days on a ship allows. We also have some comments about Regent and our experiences on the Navigator, the good and the bad....there was both. In fairness to Regent, we need to get a little past the AC situation and weigh the whole of the cruise without the discomfort of the last six weeks so fresh in our minds.
When we wake we are docked in San Pedro, Pier 93. Doesn’t seem possible the cruise is over!!! But we are ready to move on. We are going to spend the night in LA so as not to have to rush this morning to catch our flight. There are afternoon flights, but we still have a two plus hour drive when we get to Houston and we have no desire to drive after dark on a long travel day.
Breakfast is 7:30AM to 9AM and we are scheduled to get off in the last group at 9AM. We are up at 7AM and get the last of the bags closed and locked before heading to breakfast about 8AM, but they have not started off-loading the luggage yet so there may be some delay getting off. We have a nice breakfast and say goodby to our wait staff. As we leave the dining room at 8:45AM everyone is jammed up around the gangway exit on Deck 6. No one is getting off yet.
We left our little bit of luggage in the room so we go to get it. The girls are not working anywhere near us so we just wait in the room until they start calling people and the log jam at the elevators clears a bit. They soon start calling tag colors. When they get to Black #1 we gather our stuff and head out. By the time we get to the end of the hall they call our Black #2 and we head off for the last time.
If we ever do a trip like this again we will need to rethink the luggage situation as we can no longer handle the two carry-on cases, the camera and computer bag on the multi-layer, tilted ramps used to get on and off cruise ships. The weight is just too much for us to haul anymore.
Since we are already cleared there is no line to get through the terminal. Dick had checked with Enterprise yesterday to confirm our car reservation and pick up details. They have a shuttle that takes us to the office from the port. The pick up point is just down from where the ships buses are loading. When we get to the pick up point there is a couple off the Bliss there also. They say they have been there about 20 minutes with no shuttle so Dick calls and is told they will be there shortly. About 10 minutes later a shuttle shows up and we are on our way.
It is a clear, beautiful, cool day, so is a great day for our plan to drive along the coast up to Santa Monica. With the 4,000 passenger Bliss in today there is a parade of people picking up cars at both Enterprise and Hertz across the street. We wind up with an upgrade to a truck, since the type of car reserved wasn’t ready and we are eager to get on the road.
We don’t have an area map or GPS so Carolyn figures out how to get to maps on her phone and we get over to the mouth of the bay. From there we drive north through the beach communities of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Marina del Rey and Venice stopping for lunch on the pier in Hermosa. It is really a beautiful area, not at all what we think of as LA. The homes have stunning views and the yards are in full bloom.
We check into the Hilton Doubletree about 4PM; just four blocks from the Santa Monica Pier. There is a free shuttle to the pier until 9PM, so we call for it and head to the pier. Our plan is to find a margarita and maybe some snacks. Since it is a holiday, Saturday afternoon, the pier is full of families out for the afternoon. We walk to the end of the pier enjoying all the activity and find Mariasol Cocina where we grab a table and have margaritas, guacamole made table side and some tacos. After a pleasant visit we head back to the hotel. It has been a nice way to get back to reality after 137 days in a wonderful cocoon, but tomorrow we go back to the real world!
San Diego seems to be ever changing focus, and each change adds to the city’s complexity and attractiveness. The city began as a remote Spanish mission and later came to be dominated by Navy and Marine bases. More recently, San Diego has established itself as a leader in scientific research and as a near perfect place to live, retire, conduct business or visit as a tourist. Its year-round perfect climate also helps lure people to its historic attractions. We spent time here before as we sailed round trip from San Diego on our first trip to the South Pacific in 2011.
We have seen most of the attractions on our previous visits and since this is our last day we spend some time packing the last of our six bags before we head out to enjoy a ride around this pretty city on the “Tour San Diego by Trolley,” one of the ships free tours.
Oh, the last day! How can that be....didn’t we just leave LA? We go to breakfast and then head to the theater for the Grand Farewell. It is a combination of video clips from the cruise and song and dance routines by the Regent performers. But the best part is Terry and his farewell performance of which there is a 40 verse song he has written about our trip. He does this in his wonderful sing along style. He sings the verses and we sing along on the chorus. It is a great song with lots of fun poked at the good and not so good of the trip. We are all laughing and crying at the same time when he is done!!
We finish up the packing back in the room and watch sail in from our balcony. We are escorted in by two Coast Guard patrol boats with manned machine guns on the bow....hummmmm!
It takes until nearly 3:30PM to get the people disembarking in San Diego and the people going on tours cleared through US Immigration and Customs. As we clear we head directly to the dock where we meet our trolley for the 2 ½ hour ride. We sit back and relax as we take in the historic sites of San Diego on the narrated, open-air trolley tour. Along the way, we hear about the city's history, pass by the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, Seaport Village, Convention Center and Horton Plaza. We ride through the historic Gas Lamp Quarter and on to the Coronado Bay Bridge, which offers spectacular views of the city.
We cross over to Coronado Island, and learn about the unique history of the Hotel Del Coronado. We drive by the famous zoo and Balboa Park. Leaving Balboa Park we go on to the neighborhood of Little Italy and Old Town's State Historic Park, California's birth place. At Old Town we have about 30 minutes to walk around. It is getting late and a bit cool as we head back to the ship. Along the way we enjoy tales of San Diego's past, which dates back to 1542. It is the perfect tour to end our time on the ship. It gets us out for awhile to see the sites without too much effort or the dreaded bus ride.
It is after 6PM when we get back on board. We decide to go to the dining room and have our cocktails with our dinner. We are sitting at the table enjoying our drinks and thinking about dinner when Jean walks by looking for someone to share a table with on this last night. We ask her to join us and get Vishnu to set an extra place and pull up an extra chair. She is a delightful, 92 year old lady traveling alone and we have enjoyed eating with her off and on over these 137 days. She leaves us about 8:30PM to go hear Clive while we stay and linger over dessert one last time.
Back in the room Dick closes and tags the four pieces we are shipping and sets them outside. Carolyn will close up the two carry-ons in the morning. The boys climb into the “Jack Sack” to sleep. Jack has a huge fear of being left!
The weather is a little cooler this morning and it looks like it is going to be a nice Day. It is a day of lasts....last lecture with Terry, last quilling class with Sarah.
At noon the Captain tells us we are going to be at least an hour late getting into San Diego due to fighting a strong current since leaving Acapulco. We should arrive about 2:30PM then we will have a face to face with US Immigration before we can go ashore. A number of people are getting off in San Diego.
We spend the afternoon doing the dreaded packing. Carolyn had packed two of the suitcases we will ship a few days ago, but now it is serious packing to get everything corralled and back into the luggage so we can get off.
We are having our last special dinner tonight. The Chef is fixing us a tempura dinner. We go to dinner about 6:45PM and find the dining room empty. We suddenly remember that it was the Krew Kapers program tonight. We intended to go, but got so caught up in packing we forgot all about the program. Oh well, we are able to get some pictures with some of our favorite crew and get started on our special dinner before the crowd hits. After starters Teghu brings out a platter piled high with vegetables and shrimp tempura and two bowls of dipping sauce. It is so good!!! We will really miss this special dish!
It has been a really long day struggling with all the luggage everywhere and we are tired. Fortunately, the room finally cooled down late yesterday and has actually stayed cool more than just a few hours. It has stayed around 70 now for 24 hours and we are much more comfortable! Not sure why it took so long to fix whatever has been the problem. We have learned in the last two days from two different staff members that there is a recurring AC problem and it affects deck six forward the most. It is a part in each of the two air chillers that goes down often and they don’t always have the parts needed to fix it. So again our suggestion is not to book suites on Deck 6 if you need a cool room. And be prepared for warm public areas in case too much of the system goes down.
Cabo San Lucas, at the southernmost tip of Baja was, twenty years ago, little more than a fishing village occasionally visited by itinerant Californian surfers and sport fishermen with the means to sail in or fly down. In recent years, however, it has rapidly become the focal point of Los Cabos, the catch-all term for the beaches and resorts ringing the toe of the peninsula. Condos have sprung up, palms transplanted, water piped in and everything is kept pristine. We were here for the first and only time in 2002 on a HAL ship with our oldest son and his wife. We were doing a cruise from Florida to Seattle. We did a dive trip and then walked around and had lunch in town at Carlos and Charlie’s. Today we’re doing a free ship's tour. We first signed up for a 4x4 Beach Ride and Snorkeling, but it was a long day and at the beginning of this segment they added a two hour "Tequila Tasting" tour so we changed to that one. As it turns out it is a great choice!!
We do not get set for tender operations until about 9AM so we have plenty of time for breakfast. Our tour, “Tequila Tasting,” is not due to meet until 11:10AM. We get our tickets and are soon called and proceed to the tender dock on Deck 4. It is a beautiful day, a cool breeze at this time but a little hazy.
Once ashore, we are met by our tour guide otherwise known as the Mexican Comandante. She wants us to line up in two lines and “hold onto the rope.” Dick is past tired of demanding tour guides and, as he walks by her, he says, “You are walking too slow. I am going ahead.” He does not see her face but hopes he pissed her off. He has gotten a bit testy with bus tours! After a short walk, past innumerable Pharmacies, T-shirt shops and jewelry shops, we board a very nice bus and head out for the 20 minute ride to the restaurant where the tasting will take place.
Our group are the only customers in the open-air restaurant. It is cool inside and there is a private, air-conditioned room with tables set up with four champagne flutes at each place plus there are ample servings of guacamole, chips, salsa and pico de gallo for each table. There is a video about the production of Tequila playing and our instructor, dressed as a vaquero, soon begins his talk about the history of Tequila production and the various types of Tequila. He quickly instructs us that we should only drink 100% Blue Agave Tequila as any other is adulterated with corn and/or sugar cane syrup. He specifically rails against the Jose Cuervo brand as being not 100% but does not specifically recommend any particular brand.
He also said do not buy Tequila Gold - Joven or Oro as these are mixes with colors and flavoring added before bottling. He cautioned that there are exceptions to this as a “Gold” or “Joven” Tequila can also be the result of blending a Silver Tequila with a Reposado and/or Anejo Tequila while keeping the 100% Agave classification.
In addition to the guacamole, etc. we are served a small tasting of food to go with each of the three types of Tequila being served. The first, Tequila Blanco, Plata, White or Silver is paired with some very good Tequila marinated shrimp in a Tequila cream sauce with bits of carrot and onion in the sauce. This Tequila is the Blue Agave spirit in its purest form, has not usually been aged and where the true flavors and intensity of the Agave are present. It is bottled directly after distillation and is very strong; a/k/a “White Lightening.” It has its place but is not for the weak of heart. Put bluntly, "it knocks our socks off!” Some Blanco products are aged up to two months to provide a smoother “Suave” product.
Next is Tequila Reposado. This Tequila is the first stage of “rested and aged.” The Tequila is aged in wooden barrels (French or American oak) between two and 11 months. It takes on a golden hue and becomes a good balance between the Agave and wood flavors. This one is paired with a small pastry containing shredded pork on top of smooth, refried beans with a BBQ flavor.
Finally, we are given Tequila Anejo (old, aged or extra aged) paired with a small portion of a white chocolate cake or pastel. After aging for at least one year, ours has been aged 25 months, Tequila can be classified as Anejo. The aging process darkens the Tequila to an amber color and the flavor becomes smoother, richer and more complex.
Next we have a bit of fun and are encouraged to mix a blend of the three different Tequilas to find a mixture that suits our own taste. We are offered more Tequila if needed or wanted. At this point several people have had the equivalent of three or more shots and are feeling no pain!
While we are not offered any, there is, since 2006, a classification called Tequila Extra
Anejo (ultra aged); a Tequila that is aged a minimum of three years in wooden barrels. With this extended amount of aging, the Tequila becomes much darker, more a Mahogany color, and is so much richer that it becomes difficult to distinguish it from other quality aged spirits. After this extra aging, the alcohol content must be diluted by adding distilled water. These Extra Anejos are extremely smooth and complex.
We are writing like experts here and we are as we have a certificate to prove it! We really enjoyed this presentation and got a lot out of it. Dick can’t wait to start reading the labels on Tequila bottles when he gets home.
We head back into town and walk back toward the dock area. After some text messaging with our son for advice we purchase some Rx meds we use that seem to be doled out very sparingly and very expensively at home. This is a first for us as we have not been taking any medicine to speak of when here before.
We want a Mexican lunch but there is only one place near us, Senor Frogs, and the music is blaring from their speakers. They even have a sign saying, “If the music is too loud, your are too old.” We told the waiter, he shrugged and we walked off.
Returning to the area some time later, the music is still loud but not as much and we have a serving of guacamole, chips, a Tecate for Dick and a coke for Carolyn. While sitting there, at least one other group sit down and then leave complaining of the noise. Seems to me, since we are the only customers, they ought to turn the music down when the old folks are in town and there are no 20-somethings to “enjoy” the music. Just saying.
Returning to the tender, we try to get on but cannot access the available empty seating on the opposite side since the area in the middle, reserved for “the halt, the lame and the blind,” had been taken over by the more able bodied and one wheel chair. We get off and board one of the local tender boats and enjoyed the breeze while it fills up. The funny thing is we catch up with the ship’s tender. We are back at the ship around 3PM.
We do a little packing and organizing and promise ourselves to finish tomorrow afternoon. We won’t have any choice by then! But right now sitting on the balcony watching our sail away is much more interesting.
We go to Compass Rose for dinner and order a hamburger and fries! Vishnu accommodates us with a smile and they arrive promptly from the room service kitchen. It is a treat and much appreciated.
For reasons known only to the AC gods, our room is pleasantly cool (71F). We will see if this comfort last. A time or two over the last six weeks the temperature has briefly come down to this but it only lasted a few hours. We turn the clocks back an hour and are now on Pacific time. Carolyn lays down to read and, you guessed it, is promptly asleep. Dick is not far behind and we are both asleep by 8PM tomorrow time.
