Report #54 San Diego, California Homeward Bound December 18, 2019 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 62 degrees

An appropriate title for today's report is going to be DOD, or Day of Delays.  As many of you know by now, we are able to debark the ship at any time we wish.  That is, of course, after the US Customs and Border officials completed their job of clearing the guests that were from foreign countries, intransit  guests, and the crew members.  Since so many passengers were from Canada that were on this sailing, that group was large enough to have 17 numbers assigned to them.  And as always, there were at least 6 guests who failed to show up for this mandatory face-to-face inspection.  So instead of beginning the debarkation process at 8:30am, it was delayed until 9am.  Those who were expedited, first in line, were not allowed to leave as expected, and believe us, the tempers began to flare. 

We were up very early and ready to get breakfast in the dining room at 6:30am.  The waiters were ready, but the cooks were called to the inspection, so we had to wait quite a while before our meal arrived.  At least our flight was short and after 1pm, so we were in no particular hurry.  But the more we thought about it, we knew it would be wiser to get ourselves to the airport in case something changed with the flight.

So off we went, down to deck two, and squeezed in with the rest of the guests who thought they were going somewhere.  That was about the time, the missing people were summoned.  You know, that's when you see some folks who lose it with anger issues.  Especially when the elevator doors opened and there was no place to go.   Deck two and much of the stairwell was jammed.  The poor people trying to get back to their rooms were more than upset, but at least the crowd let them through as they had no luggage with them.

So it was around 9:30am or so, when they let us go, which looking back was not all that late.  That is one good reason not to book flights in the morning if you can avoid it.  No guarantee you will make it to the airport early enough.  Now the good news, was that the San Diego airport is only 3 miles away, and there are always plenty of taxis and vans to get you there.   We had no problem getting a driver to take us to the airport within minutes. 

Thinking we had plenty of time to make our flight which was scheduled to leave around 1:15pm, we soon discovered that the flight was grounded, and we had to switch to another flight.  The agent muttered something about poor weather in San Francisco.  But now, we were on a plane that was leaving within 20 minutes.  Good thing we had TSA pre-approved, and that line was moving quickly for a change.

What we did not know at the time, was that this flight was also delayed.  We found this out when we got to gate 43.  They also muttered something about weather conditions, and now the plane would depart at 12:15pm.  Still not bad, although we did begin to get concerned that this could go on all day.  That did happen to us once in India, where our flight out of New Delhi was delayed for over 8 hours.  Boy, was that a long day.

OK, so we boarded the plane finally, only to get settled in our seats, then get asked to debark.  Oh come on……We did think it was strange that this plane was only half filled, giving us the impression that perhaps they were combining flights to have a full plane.  Who really knows?   The end result was that back in the terminal, we discovered we would be leaving at 1:45pm.  This better be the final answer, we thought. 

And it was, and guess what?  The plane was almost completely filled.  The good thing was that it was a short flight and smooth as glass.  We ended up coming into SFO by 3:30pm to a very wet tarmac from recent rains.  But now we had to contact our driver, who had followed what he thought was our progress on a different flight.  Long story short, we do not own a cell phone, and once we got to the terminal in San Diego, there were no courtesy phones. And going online at the airport did not give us access to emailing. We only hoped our driver had a way to track our change of planes.

Nope, he did not, so once we landed, we called and he said our flight was due in at 5:15pm.  Only it was the wrong flight.  He had sent his driver elsewhere for our original time at 3pm, but at least there was a ride coming by 5:15pm.  Thank goodness, there are still courtesy phones in SFO.  So we passed the time with goodies from Starbucks, and writing this report.

So the saga continued from the time our driver came around 5:30pm.  We were very happy to see him, as he had been here much earlier according to our original flight plans, but had to leave.  Anyway, we loaded into his SUV and were off to stop and go commute traffic, as was expected.  Making matters worse was the wet weather, and the excess holiday travelers.  Our driver said the rush to get to holiday destinations began in earnest today, naturally. 

There are a few ways to get to the Bay Bridge, and at any given time, it can be a gamble as to the right one to choose.  Today's choice of leaving the freeway was not the best one, since traffic came to a halt using the side streets downtown.  Then, when we finally got to the bridge onramp, a motor home stalled, blocking the way.  Geeze Louise……what's next?  The CHP showed up and maybe ½ hour later, they moved the motor home.  From there on, the traffic flowed, getting us to our door shortly after 8pm.  What a sweet surprise we had, when we spotted several candy cane street decorations in front of our house.  A kind neighbor had put them there. If our flight back and the drive went OK, we should have been home by 5pm.   Last word of advice?  Always expect the unexpected, and be prepared to go with the flow.  And would we ever plan a trip so close to the holidays again?  Probably would think twice about it.

As we usually do, we shall follow up with one wrap up report, then resume the travels on January 1^st.  In the meantime, happy holidays to everyone and a most wonderful New Year too.  We will be back, so stayed tuned…….

Bill & Mary Ann    

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Report # 53 Day at Sea December 17, 2019 Tuesday Partly cloudy and sunny & 61 degrees Part #1 of 1 15 Pictures

At his noontime talk, the Captain said that we had sailed a total of 13,548 nautical miles so far, and we have about 260 more to go to reach our final destination of San Diego.   The ship was currently doing a speed of 15 knots or 17.3 mph, slowing down to get to the pick-up stop for the pilot tomorrow.  At the moment we were 150 miles off of the coast of Mexico, and finally the seas have calmed down.   The swells have not stopped, keeping us rolling and pitching somewhat.  Compared to the last three or four days, we will take this any day.  It was mostly sunny later in the morning, but the breeze began having a chill to it.  Sure starting to feel like southern California in the winter……between 57 and 61 degrees.  The Captain added that we will be docked by 6:30am, and with the US  Customs and Border Protection Officials coming onboard to clear some select passengers, the debarkation should begin by 8:30am, give or take a few minutes.  That is……if everyone understands this process, and does not decide to sleep late.  Yes, that has happened on previous cruises, delaying the entire process.  Time will tell……

The final packing took place this morning, and was accomplished without any problems.  The usual activities were taking place, but we doubt many folks participated, as this would be the final day to get ready to leave.  People also needed to cash out on their casino accounts (if there was anything left), and take the time to buy stuff in the shops.

One thing we have noticed in comparing this cruise to the world voyage, is that many events that took place during the trip were not shown on the TV later in the day.  This would be the Coffee Chat with the cruise director, the Indonesian and Filipino shows in the Mainstage, and also the Passenger Talent Show.  By the time we remembered that guest talent show was on yesterday, it was mostly over.  Another aspect we missed was the Arts and Crafts sessions in the Lido at 2:30pm, which ceased sometime after we left Tonga perhaps.  It seemed to be so popular, but it stopped halfway through the trip.  Having these seven days at sea coming back, would have been a good time to keep people busy during the afternoon. 

The On Deck for a Cause, the 5k walk for charity took place beginning  at 1:30pm.  For the first time we remember, the sign-up sheets were not delivered to our rooms.  At least we did not get one.  Early on we did get a request for donations to the Bahama survivors of the hurricane several months ago.   That was a first.

Since a small period of sun actually was shining on our deck, we took advantage of the veranda, probably for the final time this trip.  We did enjoy the outdoor space whenever we wished to get fresh air, but we also missed our room on Dolphin deck.  Frankly, there is more space for the clothes, and with a very long cruise, that becomes more important.  In a matter of a few weeks, we will be back "home", so to speak.

Dinner was fun, but also sad for many who will be leaving tomorrow.  Since we will be coming back so soon, it almost feels like we are doing an overland trip. Anyway, our choice for the entrees this evening was fish and chips, made with halibut.  Sure was good, even for the almost non-fish eater among us.  There were no bones, and that made us both happy.  Desserts were a lingonberry chocolate layer cake, and one scoop of vanilla ice cream with a touch of chocolate sauce.  These will be the last desserts for us for at least 12 days. 

Saying good bye to our waiters was not so hard, since they know we will be back.  They will be at another station on the grand voyage, and are promised to long time clients.  We are learning that many of the world cruise guests have their favorites, and Philip is happy to assign the waiters accordingly. 

So the Log of the Cruise was waiting for us when we got back from dinner.  In 51 days, the fuel consumption was over 874,000 gallons, and  122,400 eggs were consumed.  That always makes us laugh to know how many eggs people ate, in one form or another.   And another interesting fact is that there were 33 nationalities of crew members.

By this time tomorrow, we should be home, and enjoying the holidays with friends and family.  But we will be back, so stay tuned…….. and Happy Holidays to all!

Bill & Mary Ann 

Pictures 

Report #52 Day at Sea December 16, 2019 Monday Mostly cloudy & 59 degrees

Perhaps with the wind chill, and there is a whole lot of wind, the temperature was 59 degrees.  However, we are still wearing our shorts, and walking with sweatshirts.  And with the swells we have been experiencing all night and into the morning, walking a straight line is next to impossible.  We have done this particular sailing many times, but never this part in December.  We have to keep reminding ourselves that we are voyaging back into winter, and that means storms.  For those who are staying onward and those that are joining in San Diego, we do hope they have better weather in the Mexican and Central American ports on their way to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Today was packing day, although compared to the world cruise, this was fairly easy.  Even at that, it took all morning and into the early afternoon.  With the majority of the shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, and mouthwash gone, that made room for the few items we purchased.  Good thing we resisted the exotic masks and carvings, because those end up weighing quite a bit more than you think.  For that reason, the shop was selling clever bags to take it home.

 

The second job we had was using the last of the shipboard credit which was under $18.  One white visor and a ship's magnet…both on sale, took care of that.  With the change left, we suspect it will be credited to our card.  Even if it is under $1, they have to refund it, as it is still part of the returned port charges for Niue.  

 

Shipboard life went on as normal with all sorts of activities.  Since it was so chilly and cloudy outside, most of the folks stayed inside.  Sales took up most the activities, with Hawaiian clothing, souvenirs up to 15% off, fine jewelry clearance, future cruise bookings, and photo specials.  It was the photo shop that was busy.  While we were sitting in our special chairs, we noticed several different couples taking folders of large photos, and spreading them out on the desk across from the front desk. We surmised they were sorting through them, and picking out the best.  One couple must have had 100 pictures to go through.  Suppose they would make a good Christmas present for family.

 

Recently, we read that Tonga and Fiji have refused entry for cruise ship passengers, due to the outbreak of measles.  Now we are wondering if there will be the same thing happening while on the world cruise?  We are scheduled to stop in Nuku alofa, Tonga, and our question is how do you prove you had measles as a child?  We know that we both have had those childhood bouts, and never had a vaccination for it.  But we all consider ourselves lucky to have made those stops in Fiji and Tonga, as these places may be off limits for a while. 

 

We enjoyed our meal in the Pinnacle Grill this evening.  It was not as crowded as we expected, although we have heard that it is impossible to get reservations for lunch.  Also heard that some folks had gotten complimentary vouchers for a Pinnacle Grill lunch, but did not make their reservations soon enough.  Guess you cannot assume there will be space.  Unfortunately, these vouchers will go unused with no refund.  Always good to remember to make those dates well ahead of time.  Even on the grand voyage, we go the first or second day, and secure all of our dinner dates.  Next year, making these plans will be far easier, because there will not be any Captain's dinners in that restaurant.  The rumor is that it took away too much revenue with so many full cruisers to accommodate.

 

One more full day at sea, and we will be in San Diego.  The good news is that the rocking and rolling will cease.  However, for one of us, the motion of the ocean stays for quite a while, even though we are landlubbers once again. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Report #51 Day at Sea December 15,2019 Sunday Cloudy, sprinkles, & 65 degrees

Another day at sea, and a carbon copy of yesterday's weather and rolling seas.  Guess this will follow us for the remainder of the cruise.  It could be worse, but we hope not.  There is no doubt about it, the ride is much more stable on dolphin deck compared to the veranda deck.  And there is no doubt that having the balcony with the extended lounge chairs has been convenient, but it might not be the best in rough seas. 

 

In between walks on the windy and wet promenade deck, we did watch one movie, The Peanut Butter Wrestler.  Really good for a change.  We even dined on Dive In food for the first time this cruise.  We had one Cannonball burger and one Nathan's hot dog. We did add one order of the Naked Fries, even though they are not our favorite style of fry.  A bit too heavy with oil, we think.  The best ones for us are the skinny fries in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

Another special performance by the Filipino crew members this time, was held in the Mainstage at 3pm.  And once again, the room was packed to the brim.  The performers wore the traditional costumes from their country as they danced to many styles of Filipino acts.  The second half was more of a modern day show, with some of the better singers and musicians among the group of bar staff, wine stewards, and front desk people.  The crew deserved the round of applause they got at the end.

 

Since it was close to the Ocean Bar band time, we snuck behind the set-up for the photos curtain on deck five.  We do this often, and one of the nicer photographers always comes around for a quick chat.  Actually, we had an invitation for a re-do on the Mariner Awards photo, which went awry that day.  Between 5 and 5:45pm, the Captain and hotel director would be posing with those guests who missed their picture taken.  A line formed by 4:45pm, so when the line of folks was gone, we jokingly said it was our turn, even though we were not dressed in gala outfits this early.  They were most welcoming, and said they did not mind in the least.  So we did.  Both of these officers are easy going, and not all stiff or formal.

 

Right before dinner, we did attend some of the entertainment in the show lounge.  It had been recommended to us to be sure to catch Naki Ataman's performance.  And we were glad we did.  The only description of tonight's show in today's newsletter was Somewhere in Time.  Now this told us absolutely nothing about what type of show to expect.  So when we walked in, and heard Naki playing the grand piano, we were most happy.  That man has talent, and we wished we could have stayed longer, but we were already late for dinner.  If Mr. Ataman returns on the grand voyage, we will go to both shows for sure.

 

This was the last gala evening, which in total, numbered seven.  One gala a week is about right.  The menu had the usual suspects like escargot, shrimp cocktails (which we ordered), and surf & turf or rack of lamb for the mains.  One of us ordered the non-meat  tortellini, while the other had the fish entree…sea bass.  It was just as our waiter Tama said…moist, no smell, and no bones.  Desserts were flourless chocolate cake and one bosshe boll, a Dutch word for chocolate éclair.  Both good, of course.  Decadent, but small in size.

 

There was a chocolate surprise at 9:45pm, but we missed it.  Having seen the goodies given out on deck five on other trips, we know it is chocolate overload.  And the surprise for one of us would be staying awake for most of the night with all of that chocolate.

 

Tomorrow we need to start packing.  Not so bad with only three suitcases.  This trip we really did well with the minimum of clothing, although we did add a few shirts along the way, as well as some seashell jewelry.

 

Lastly, there was a question regarding the printing and delivery of the New York Times on the ship.  We understand this will stop in the beginning of the year on all of the HAL ships. It is available on the computer though, and you do not need to be online to get it.  And it may be on the smart phones as well.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Report #50 Day at Sea December 14,2019 Saturday Very cloudy, rain & 72 degrees

Deteriorating.  That was the word the Captain had used yesterday to describe the conditions of the weather and also the sea.  And he was right on, we are afraid.  Hoping to see a little sun, the skies were not giving up the dense clouds with occasional rain. 

 

Walking on the promenade deck was challenging, as the ship was rolling and pitching quite a bit.  The fun part was stopping long enough to watch waves connect with the bow, sending explosions of water several feet high and away from the ship.  You had to be careful which side you chose to witness the spray, because you wanted to be where the water did not blow back into the ship.   And yes, that has happened more than once.  At least the doors to the outside have remained opened, and there have been no warnings to lash everything down in our rooms. 

 

It basically turned out to be a two-movie day, as well as watching the Indonesian Crew Show at 3pm.  The public areas of the ship looked like a ghost ship, because most all 1261 passengers must have gone to see the crew sing and dance.  Standing at the extreme back of the show lounge on deck five, we caught somewhat of the festivities.  We learned later, that Tama, our dinner waiter, was the black monkey in their main skit.  He admitted that they only had one chance to practice their routines, but they do it so often, they have it down pat.

 

At lunchtime in the Lido, we suggested to our two favorite Thai waitresses that they will need to also do a cultural dance to compete with the rest of the crew.  We think that frightened them, since there are only a very few of the Thai crew here right now.  And these girls are too shy to be in front of a huge crowd.  Given time, they may be up to it.  

 

Right now there is a photo contest happening in the photo department.  Several categories were open to folks submitting their best shots.  The sunset in Kauai had a dozen entries, Denise's among them.  Of course, her's was the best.  But the cutest one we saw, was the resident service dog, a small cocker spaniel, we think.  She was standing on a surf board somewhere on a beach.  Every time we have seen her here and there around the ship, we have not heard one bark from her.  Unlike the ones that boarded at the end of the world cruise this year.  Guess some pooches are better behaved than others.

 

Around 4:30pm, we went to our favorite chairs in the atrium to listen to the music in the Ocean Bar.  Even though the ship was rolling, many couples were still dancing.  Maybe not really fast, but they still looked good.  The buy one, get one drink for $2 at happy hour really is a big draw in the bars.  At least on this trip, there have been at least two sessions of BOGO, and even a third time in the Crow's Nest occasionally.  Twinkle indicated that this really only takes place on the longer voyages.  By the way, we noticed something really funny a few nights ago, while at the cocktail party in the Crow's Nest.  Our drinks came with a swizzle stick made of spaghetti.  Yes, raw, uncooked spaghetti.  No more plastic or bamboo sticks.  They have gone organic by using one piece of spaghetti as the stirrer.  Naturally, one of us immediately broke it in half by accident, with the piece of pasta sinking to the bottom of the glass.  Guess this may not be the best idea they have ever had.

 

Back in the dining room, we had another relaxing dinner.  Appetizers of breaded shrimp and chicken soup, and a salad were the starters.  Entrees were turbot, another new fish plate, and the country fried chicken, like the Colonel's.  A good home-cooked meal is always welcome sometimes.  Of course, if our buddy Barb were here, she would have ordered the liver and onions….one of her most favorite dishes.  Dessert was one slice of milk chocolate cheesecake, which was great, but sure looked like a frozen product.  Could be, it was.  The other dessert was one scoop of coffee ice cream with a touch of chocolate sauce. It really was not on the menu, but our waiters will make most anything possible when we ask nicely.

 

The show was a comedian by the name of Frank King.  We did take a few minutes to listen to the jokes, but did not stay very long.

 

And today, we also received our disembarkation package than contained the luggage tags we need to go home.  Oh boy, it is time to start packing……..

We do have a few more days at sea to do the job.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

Report #49 Day at Sea December 13, 2019 Friday Cloudy & 76 degrees

Another day, and more activities kept us busy today.  Except there was one big difference.   In a word…..the weather was not the best.  We have been a bit premature in reporting that the humidity has gone, because as the night advanced, so did the heat, humidity and the ocean swells.  The Captain was right, we were in for a change.  There was little or no sun all day, and the clouds brought some rain with it.  When we went for breakfast, our waiters assumed it was cooler outside.  Nope, it looks like Alaska out there, but it was warm and muggy once again.  Considering the length of this voyage, we have been most lucky to have had such good weather so far.  It is the movement of the ship that is giving some folks a problem with a touch of seasickness.

We had an invite to the Mariner's Reception at 10:15am in the Mainstage.  Our group of 12 President's Club members had been requested to enter on the left side of the lounge, as we always do.  However, the entire area was full of guests waiting to get in, and we did not have a pathway to get through the crowd.  This seems to happen at every one of these affairs.  Anyway, we did eventually have an escort from the front desk, and she did lead us to the door.  But on the way, one very rude lady made remarks to us as we passed. She said she had 300 days and told us to get in line.  Her mistake, one of us told her once she earns the 1400 day pin, she will also be among the first ones taken in.  One other member had the same rude person grab her arm to stop her from going forward.  She was quite upset by this and rightly so.  We need to come up with an alternate plan for avoiding this in the future, like using one of the magic inside stairwells.

After passing the receiving line, we were seated in the center of the lounge, and offered champagne or mimosas.  We probably could have ordered any beverage, but we did not feel like the hard stuff this early in the day.  Three-tiered plates of canopies had some nice treats on them, as well as jars of mixed nuts.  Seems like we just ate breakfast….oh wait, we did…..

The ceremony was much longer than usual.  We counted about 102 medallions to be awarded, and these were all silver, gold, and platinum.  The bronze medals had been delivered to the rooms of those recipients yesterday.  They stood as a group for their applause.  This has to be the first ceremony with so many high number awards given, even compared to the grand voyage.  They saved our group for last, which was the smallest.  However, because the time had gotten so short, they called us up as a group for one photo.  It came as a disappointment, since for some, it was their first time to be acknowledged at this gathering.  As for us, we have many  of these photos, that we did not take offense.  Not so sure that was true for some others in our group.

Brunch followed, and we were seated at two reserved tables in the center of the dining room.  The Captain and hotel director hosted these tables. Champagne was poured, but we did not see wine. The food choices were a crab cocktail and a cold apple soup.  The mains were short ribs, cod, or cheese raviolis, and three were excellent, especially the fish.  A small slice of Key lime pie finished the meal nicely.  Two guests were missing from our table, so with only four of us, we had a nice conversation with Captain Jeroen.    He shared several personal photos of one of his recent trips to South Georgia in Antarctica.  Not many ships are allowed to go there anymore, including the HAL vessels.  That would be one port on our bucket list for sure., although his photos sure looked mighty cold.  By 12:30pm, he realized that he was late for his noon talk, so he excused himself.  The four of us stayed and chatted even longer.  Usually there is another brunch seating at 1pm, but not today.  There will be a repeat brunch for the remainder of the guests tomorrow.  And we all received the free ship tile of course. 

Back at our room, we found the certificates for crossing the Equator yesterday.  We have been lucky enough to have crossed this line so many times, we are rock-hard shellbacks by now.  With the afternoon bubbly, we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon on the veranda.  The weather had improved briefly, letting some sun through the clouds.  Later in the afternoon, it did begin to rain, and the seas became rougher as well.

At 4pm, we went down to the Ocean Bar to listen to some music.  It would take our minds off of the ship's motion.  Remember, the higher you are, the more motion you get.  Unfortunately, the band was not playing.  So when Twinkle, the assistant beverage manager stopped by to visit, she explained that they had played well into the night in the Crow's Nest.  The Orange Party had drawn quite a crowd.  So with the overtime, they earned this early session off.

Dinnertime was special, because we shared a table with friends Denise and Howie in the Pinnacle Grill.  Spending a couple of hours in deep conversation was good for all of us.  We all agreed the wedge salads were great.  Adding an order of the clothesline bacon per couple was our plan, but the waitress showed up with four sets of the bacon treats.  Not wanting to embarrass her, we said thanks, and cut the pieces of savory bacon and put them on our salads.  Truthfully, that was already a meal in itself.  But we added one steak, two halibuts, and one pork chop standing on end.  Three of us had just the Cherry Garcia ice cream, and one of us had a slice of Key lime pie.  Thoroughly full, we said good night. 

The last part of the entertainment was still happening, so we ducked in to listen.  Annie Gong had already performed, but we did watch the magic show of Naathan Phan.  It was the first time we ever saw a singing magician….and he was funny also.

The clocks went forward for the final hour this evening, so now we are on home time….. Pacific Standard Time.  Ready or not, we are heading for home.

Bill & Mary Ann 

Pictures 

Report #48 Day at Sea Crossing the Equator December 12, 2019 Thursday Sunny & 80 degrees

Today was another day at sea, but also one with many things happening.  Sometime around 8:30am, we heard one long blow of the ship's horn, indicating that we had crossed the Equator.  We have left the Southern Hemisphere, and are now sailing in the Northern Hemisphere. 

So to commemorate this event, a King Neptune Ceremony was held at 10am under the Lido Dome poolside.  If you have ever had the chance to cross the Equator on a ship, this is something you need to see at least once. We have gone to these events many times, so today, we chose to enjoy the aft pool while it was quiet for a while.  Denise did attend the show, with the intent on taking photos from deck nine.  However, the roof was mostly closed, claiming the wind was too strong.  Well, many other folks showed up, and they succeeded in getting the crew to open the dome up.  We did hear that the ceremony was well done by the cruise director, Justin, and the "kiss the fish" part was funny as always.  Of course, when the party was over, the Seaview Pool was totally full of sunbathers.

There was something happening back there we have never seen before.  Some people had dragged the umbrellas and the stands to the back section of the deck.  When the wind blew hard enough, these umbrellas were falling over.  In our humble opinion, this is an accident waiting to happen.  Someone is going to lose an eye or worse.  When the couples left for an hour for lunch, leaving these umbrellas unattended, they blew over, so we asked the attendant to remove it.  He did, but when the couple returned, they brought it back.  Now all of the tables where the umbrellas belonged had no shade.  There is always plenty of room under the overhang to sit at a table in the shade, so why drag the umbrellas out in the sun?  Go figure.

This day was also dubbed "Orange Day" to point out the link between HAL and the Netherlands.  The history dates back 150 years, and because orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family, it has always be worn on special occasions.  So this evening, the guests were asked to don the color orange.  To help those who did not bring anything orange, the shop onboard was selling orange t-shirts with the HAL logo printed on them.  And these were reasonably priced as well.  We did see a few of them being worn all day.

At 7pm, we had another party in the Crow's Nest with the Captain and hotel director, Craig Oakes, and other staff officers.  It was titled "King Neptune's Trident Dunkin' Drinks Fest" for the shellback members of the President's Club.  It was held in the Captain's Corner with the foldable wall drawn separating us from the bar area.  Thomas, the food and beverage manager, the beverage manager, and also Philip joined our small group.  Cocktails of our choice were served, along with canapies on three-tiered plates.  As many of our group had already eaten dinner, little of the food was consumed.  But the company was good as always.  Captain Jeroen is very easy to converse with, and he moved between the groups to be fair with all.  We stayed until almost 8pm, then left for dinner, arriving a bit late.  Tama and Dede knew we were at a party, and promised to save the table for us. 

The dining room was decked out with orange seat covers and orange lights on the serving tables. And dinner was really good with the best avocado tacos for appetizers.  They were crispy and tasty with salsa and shredded lettuce.  Honestly, we could have ordered doubles, and called it a night.  But we added crab cakes with grits, and one order of the barbeque ribs.  Both were good, but the ribs would have taken the prize.  Sometimes they are dry and chewy, but tonight, they were tender and very meaty…..full of sauce too.  And there were enough ribs to share.  It is really interesting how these menus are so diverse, with few repeats, except for the alternates.  It is a tough act to follow when we go home.

Then at 9:30am, there was an Orange Party in the Crow's Nest, celebrating the Dutch heritage in a festive sea of orange, of course.  Bet more people went to that instead of the singers and dancers with the show Amour. 

The Captain mentioned that tomorrow might bring some rain, but more important, he hinted that the sea conditions might be changing.  Guess we will find out soon enough…….

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #47 Day at Sea December 11, 2019 Wednesday Mostly sunny & 79 degrees

Today begins the start of a seven day run from French Polynesia to San Diego, California.  The weather could not have been better too.  Even though we are still south of the Equator, there was a noticeable difference with the humidity.   It was mostly gone, and the breeze was most pleasant without it.  We are so used to the California heat, but humidity is something we have a hard time getting accustomed to. 

 

The ship's itinerary was full of things to do, except for us.  We had plenty of catching up to do with the internet work.  The connection today was up and down, and we think it has something to do with the direction we are headed, which is mostly north at the moment.  We are afraid in attempting to send the photos, they may have repeated over and over.  Sorry about that, but it was out of our control. 

 

There was a kitchen tour once again for those who may have missed the first one.  It is always nice to see what goes on behind the scenes.  We guarantee it is a whole lot of organized work for many crew members on this ship.  And with the right direction, it has gone off like clockwork.  Serving so many meals a day has to be the greatest challenge on this ship.

 

Group games continue to be popular during the day.  Trivia is held at 1pm, and again at 4pm.  Another fun activity has to be the game Call My Bluff at 8:30pm in the Explorer's Lounge.  When we left the dining room after dinner, people were hooting and hollering with laughter as the cruise director, Justin, led the questions.

 

Speaking of dinner, we had simple entrees tonight.  One was a spaghetti dish with pancetta, and the other was the alternate salmon with dill and capers.  The time has really arrived to begin cutting down, even though we did leave a bit of room for desserts of a tiny cake and one peach cobbler.  They are just too tempting.

 

Philip introduced us to our new waiter for the world cruise tonight also.  He will be taking over where Slam left off.  His name is Wira, and is definitely familiar, and although he never waited on us, he seems to know our entire group that will be here in January.  

 

The entertainer for this evening was a sax virtuoso, Akos Laki.  He played some really smooth melodies that the crowd enjoyed.

 

And the clocks went ahead one half hour tonight.  Now we only have one hour left to go ahead to be on Pacific time.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Report # 46 Taiohae, Nuku Hiva Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia December 10, 2019 Tuesday Mostly sunny & 85 degrees

Today we are visiting the most remote archipelago on the planet……The Marquesas Islands. The Marquesas consists of 12 islands, however, only 6 are inhabited. These 12 islands are spread over 271 miles, therefore, giving each island its own personality. And this archipelago is about 900 miles northeast of Tahiti.

Nuku Hiva is our port of call, which happens to be the second largest island of Polynesia, next to Tahiti. With 127 square miles, this island rises out of the ocean with stunning peaks and deep lush valleys. It has been called the "Land of Men" in the Marquesan language. And the scenery getting to the administrative capital of Taoihae is spectacular. The population of this pleasant village is about 2950, while the total population of all six islands is 9200.

High above this village are basaltic ridges planted with sandalwood trees. On some of the ridges, they have planted pinus caribaea hondurensis trees. These mountains are full of ancient temples or maraes, petroglyphs, sculptures, tikis, as well as decorative arts like tattoo and tapa cloth. There is a waterfall here called Hakaui that is 1148 feet from top to bottom. It is said that the falls are so long that the water actually evaporates before it reaches the bottom. Also notable is the valley in Taipivai, where the novelist, Herman Melville, resided as a captive with his young friend, both of whom jumped ship and hid out on the island. They lived with the natives for about three weeks in the late 1800's, and this is the experience that he wrote in the book Typee.

The soaring spire-like peaks are best accessed by 4 wheel drive vehicles or by horseback. In town, there is a post office, a hospital, city hall, banks, a school, and an airport (out of town). Stores are few, and there is limited shopping. There are wild horses, goats, and wild boar. Locals hunt these wild pigs for meat. The seafront in Taiohae has sculptures carved by artists from different archipelagos. Really reminded us of the moais we have seen on Easter Island.

Lastly, there was only one ship tour here for three hours, which took the guests in 4x4 vehicles to tour the island and the valleys. There was a stop at the church, a beach, and some souvenir stands. The Taipivai valley was visited where the TV show The Survivor was filmed in 2002. The cost of the tour was $130 per person, although we have seen it offered locally for around $50 (no insurance included).

We were not in a big hurry to get to shore today, even though the weather was next to perfect. It was a mostly sunny day with a few clouds drifting over. But no rain, so we were happy about that. Around the same time, the Captain was conducting yet another crew drill, and it would take 45 minutes. These have been occurring on almost every port recently. The Captain did announce at sail away, that they are due for their yearly safety check when we reach San Diego, so everything has to shipshape. This means the following week will be full of more testing and sprucing up. 

There were a couple of kayakers from the village following in the wake of the tender boats. They must do it for exercise we guess, but they are fun to watch. Once safely onshore, we checked for signs of sharks where the local fishermen were cleaning their morning catch. But we must have missed the action, and did not see them baiting for the black tip sharks today.

There were the same souvenir shacks and a small café near the tender landing, but there was also a new building, which looked like restrooms. This area has grown so much since we first came here in the early 2000's. Up at the produce market, we noticed that that restaurant had expanded, and by now, it was loaded with passengers drinking beer and doing internet. We are not sure if it was free, but everyone was doing something with their phones or tablets.

We continued on to pass through three small buildings that offered souvenirs and tours. Looking for a new t-shirt from here, all we could find were 3x. All of the smaller sizes were totally gone. Of course, checking out many of the local men, 3x would be a conservative size for them.

Walking the seaside road with little traffic was pleasant, as a nice breeze came up along the water. Some of the small shops and convenience stores were opened, and some folks were already buying beer and drinking it under the shade of the big trees. We decided to hold off on the beer, since it was too early, and we had a long walk ahead of us.

The Notre Dame Des Marquises was about halfway on the hike, and up a small incline. But when we saw at least six 4x4 vehicles convoy to the church, we decided to come here on our way back. Hard to get good photos with 50 or 60 people crowding into the church.

We passed by the many volcanic carvings that have been placed here. Around the same place, was a Monument to the Dead, dedicated to the deceased French colonial sailors from the 19th and 20th centuries.

School was in session, and the kids of all ages were just having lunch. Guess there is no vacation time here yet. In fact, we saw no signs of Christmas here at all. Boy, they really are remote. Or they are not overwhelmed with the commercialization of this holiday. Not a bad thing, is it?

Right next to the Paahatea Cemetery with the old grave markers, we found the wood-carved monument, a tribute to Herman Melville and the book he wrote. He helped put this island on the map. We also saw two Marquesan horses tied to trees, small in size, and the cutest puppies with their mama dog.

Eventually, we reached the end of the road…the cul-de-sac so to speak. From here, we made our way up the steep road to the Keikahanui Pearl Lodge, that sits up high above the Taiohae Bay. The views up here are really impressive, especially with the Amsterdam anchored in the middle of it. This is the first time we have found the restaurant to be full of guests….most all from the ship. And most all of them doing…..internet, what else?

It was obvious that they were a bit overwhelmed with the crowd, but we were in no hurry. We ordered Hinano beers (in cans), and one chicken panini with fries to share. With two more beers and one banana split, we were ready to leave. They never bring a printed bill to the tables, so you have to go to the register and pay there. That's when something strange occurred. The food and drinks we ordered were not adding up just right. But it was in the ball park, so we paid with our credit card. As we were leaving, the waitress said she made a mistake, and forgot the dessert. We knew something was not right, so when we asked to see the itemized bill, there were items we never ordered. Like a cheeseburger, wine, sodas, and wifi. Yes, they were charging for wifi here. We had none of the above, so she refunded the charge for the dessert, and we called it even. Note to everyone – keep track of what you order, add it up, and be prepared to catch any mistakes before you pay. Too bad, we cannot always assume they always get it right. But the wifi mistake (or not) was obvious, since we did not use it, and never asked to use it.

On the way back, we did see the church and we had it almost to ourselves. The wooden carvings outside and inside the church are carved from trees throughout the archipelago. The old mango trees in front were full of fruit and also filled with the white terns. One green parrot flew overhead as well.

Checking out the souvenir stands, we decided we already had enough treasures from here. But the produce market did have one thing we did want. A bunch of the small bananas was the only purchase we made for 100 CFP francs or $1.00 US. We were back to the ship by 3pm with a short tender ride, and the last ride for this cruise

Then we had another pleasant surprise when we went out on our veranda. Directly below us in the water was a giant manta ray, feeding with its wide mouth opened as big as it gets. They seem to be gentle creatures as they glide effortlessly near the surface. Even the officers on the navigation deck were watching it, and taking some photos. It stayed in the immediate area long enough to get plenty of pictures, then it left. Had it not been for the veranda room, we never would have seen the Fakarava shark or this manta ray. Lucky, we guess.

The last tender boat was hauled up and we were on our way by 5pm. The Captain cruised the island for almost two hours, before he turned and headed northeast. We now have 2824 miles to reach San Diego in seven days. By 6:03pm, the sun went down on the horizon, and we got the last photo of an island sunset.

Dinner found monkfish on the menu once again, so one of us was game to try it. Have to agree, it had the texture of lobster, and tasted all right with seasoning and a tomato-based sauce on it. As a backup, we shared a plate of kolbi beef ribs….. very tender. The chicken kiev was really tasty also. Desserts were one scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a small plate of sliced watermelon with fresh blueberries. Also very refreshing.

Six days of ports have caught up with us, so we passed on the show of a magician, Naathan Phan. He will return later in the week, so we can catch the show then.

Bill & Mary Ann 

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Report # 45 Day at Sea December 9, 2019 Monday Mostly sunny & 83 degrees

The Amsterdam is now sailing in one of those areas of the world that requires one half hour difference in a time zone.  That means that the Marquesas are on a different time that the rest of Polynesia.  Perhaps it is the distance between the rest of the archipelagos that makes this necessary.  We will be gaining another half hour once we leave the island of Nuku Hiva tomorrow. 

 

The dining room seemed fuller this morning with more guests than usual.  Maybe these passengers have been dining in the Lido, and want to try it before the trip is over.  As for us, we have always preferred the meals here, and even more so, the excellent waiters we have.  It is almost like assigned seating for the six of us that have been sitting at these same tables for at least three years now. 

 

There is a new guest speaker by the name of Captain Paul Eschenfelder, and his subject is paradise undiscovered or Polynesia before Captain Cook.  And the follow up lecture on the final port of call, Nuku Hiva, was discussed by EXC Guide Helena.  We have visited this island so many times, we have lost count.  It is another laid back village where you can walk and explore the few sites right in town.  The best we can hope for is that it does not rain like in Fakarava.  As exciting as it was, coming back soaked to the bone was not the best experience for some folks.

 

Another guest chef joined us recently.  Her name is Nina Curtis and she demonstrated how to make Vietnamese salad rolls and sunbutter sauce.  We have not attended any of the classes, but Denise has enjoyed most all of them.  There is no more "hands on" cooking classes like we used to have.  And we have not seen the four star perk with getting the America's Test Kitchen aprons either.  Glad we got them when the getting was good.

 

Ship sales went on in every shop, including a wines of the world festival with unlimited wine tasting for $25 plus 15% service charge.  This will take place December 11^th at 1pm.  Bet this would appeal to many of our friends that love wine.  Sip and savor with the guest chef still happens for $7.  That was popular on the grand voyage this year as well.

 

Yesterday we received the last of the President's Club amenity of sodas.  Usually we get a bouquet of flowers, but the ones we bought in Polynesia will last until we leave. Then today, we got an invite to a President's Club cocktail gathering in the Crow's Nest on Thursday.  It will be hosted by the new hotel director, Craig Oakes, who replaced Henk in Papeete.  We met him a few years ago, and found him to be delightful.

 

We spent the majority of the day at the pool, and really were glad that the weather has eased up on the humidity.  Even the temperature seemed more tolerable, because there was a nice breeze.  Not sure how long this will last as we travel further north.  It is difficult to wrap our heads around the fact that this is the month of December, and here we are baking in the tropical sun. 

 

After lunch in the Lido, we caught up on internet work.  It has been taking a lot of time to send emails, especially those with photos.  It could be the area in which we are sailing, but with the megabyte plan, we do not worry about the time it takes to complete sending or receiving.  If we were still relying on the minute plan, we would have used them up in a hurry. What we really like is having the freedom to research things we need to know, just like we do when we're at home.

 

One of the mysteries has been solved, thanks to the help of our friend Richard.  That netted ball that was being dropped on the flag pole of the bow was actually the signal to those who need to know that we were at anchor, and not on engine power.  Normally, we would be at the sail away festivities in the Seaview pool area, so we have never seen that ball dropped on the bow.  Learned something new once again.

 

This evening was gala night # 6.  There was a big turnout for tonight dinner in the dining room.  The majority of people did dress for it, although some did not.  The choices for entrees were the usual, but we both ordered the halibut, which was cooked with a panko topping with a sour cream sauce on the side.  Smashed red potatoes were under the fish, keeping it moist.  Truthfully, the fish was way better than in the Pinnace Grill last night.  We think that while the lamb chops were grilling, the cooked halibut was put on hold, then microwaved to keep it hot.  That tends to toughen up the flaky fish and dry it out. So in the future, we decided it is wiser to order the same entrée, so it is cooked together.

 

Dessert was good…..a slice of lemon meringue cheesecake with blueberry compote.  The texture of the cheesecake was firm and really rich.  We suspect it may have been a frozen product, and we were correct.  But with the quality of the dessert, it was even better than the gelatin-like cheesecake that is made here, in our humble opinion. 

 

Tama brought the menu out for tomorrow, as he usually does.  Once again, monkfish is one of the entrees, but we are still not sure if we will try it.  Hard to get that imagine of that ugly fish out of our minds. 

 

The show this evening was oddly named….Atlantic Crossing – Cool Britannia.  Should re-name it Pacific Crossing. Anyway, the singers and dancers did another fine job as did the lighting crew with the stage's back round dancing as much as the performers.

 

Ready for one more port, then a lot of days at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

Report # 44 Fakarava, French Polynesia December 8, 2019 Sunday Thunderstorms & 82 degrees

The old name for Fakarava used to be Havaiki, and we are not sure why they changed it.  Fakarava used to be the capital of the Tuamotu Archipelago, but they changed it to Rangiroa.  This atoll is the second largest atoll in Polynesia, and it is  located southeast of Rangiroa, our port of call yesterday.  This ring of coral is 37 miles long, and 16 miles wide, shaped like a rectangle.  There are two main villages of Tetamanu with a population of 12.  The other village of Rotoava has the majority of people at 750. 

There are two passes to enter their lagoon.  On the north end is Garuae, the largest pass of French Polynesia, and at the south end is Tamakohua or Tetamanu.

Fakarava is part of the six atolls that were named the Natural Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1971.  This area is known for its idyllic dive sites and emerald waters.  Although with today's clouds, the waters were not as brilliant as they usually are when the sun is out.  They still ran tours that took the folks to see the many rays, hammerhead, tiger, nurse, and black tip sharks.  The ship did offer one excursion to snorkel the coral gardens for 1 ½ hours for $120 per person.  There were four start times.  With this deep water swimming, they should have seen barracudas, groupers, sting rays, and other smaller tropical fish.  The north passage of Garuae reportedly has waters that are 98 to 131 feet deep, and that's where you can spot the silhouettes of the large predators such as the hammerheads.  We feel it would be much better to see this from the safety of a boat. There is no worse feeling than seeing a large shark, then you don't see them, knowing they are still lurking nearby.  Guess we have watched way too many movies and educational shows on the species to know fear when we see it.

Other things to see here are the pearl farms, pearl shops, and the laid-back feeling of being on an isolated atoll.  Being that today was a Sunday, many places were not opened for business.  Going over on the tender by 11am was a good idea, mostly because the weather looked like rain would arrive at any time.  Of course, we did pack the umbrellas, and yes, we did use them.  It was obvious by the deep puddles in the coral-based road that it had been raining here last night. 

We headed right past a few tables of souvenirs, and a new mini market that was built since we were here last.  All we saw were dozens of guests wrapped with the blue and white striped beach towels heading towards a beach along the road.  Funny thing, we noticed that a line of folks were already waiting to go back to the ship at 11am.  Even though the sun was not out, it was still plenty warm and humid.  A little sprinkle would feel wonderful.

In this area were various bikes to rent.  A few folks did just that and took their time riding up and down the road.  There was little car traffic here, so it was fairly safe to ride or walk.

Near the tender landing was a group of young local fellows feeding chunks of fish to some nurse sharks.  These six foot sharks came right up to the edge of the water, and everyone had a chance to take a lot of pictures as they did.  They seemed almost tame, and we are certain they are for the most part.  One black tip shark tried to sneak in with the nurse sharks, but the guys shooed it away.  These might be more aggressive.  Some men were actually walking in the surf with their aqua shoes, but the local guys made them get out. They did not need to do that, but there are always some folks that need to get the perfect shot.  As the group of onlookers got bigger, we left.

Many swimmers were in the water, unaware of the half dozen sharks a hundred feet away from them.  We did see some smaller fish, like the needle nose long and skinny fish, but not much else.  Guess you have to be where the coral reefs are to see the majority of the 700 varieties. And for those who just wanted to relax, there were many coconut palms to sit under. 

A few local shops were opened in the morning to sell pearls, sarongs, and t-shirts.  The Catholic church was opened to see, but the mass was long over.  The interior is painted a cool blue with a vaulted ceiling.  Quite cozy, it even had a sizable cemetery in the rear.  We would come back later to explore it. 

The other church on this atoll is the Tetamanu Coral Church made from coral in 1874.  It is located at the southern pass, and way too far to walk.

Every 20 feet we walked turned out to be a photo op.  The water of this lagoon is so transparent that the horizon seems to blend with the sky.  And with the blackness of the rain clouds, the photos were quite dramatic.  Eventually we reached the end of the coral road, and the beginning of the sandy road to the  Pearl Havaiki Resort.  This is where we have always been able to find some good food from a beach shack on the property. The only problem today was that it was closed.  In fact, the entire resort was closed for 10 days, we were told.  Right near the entrance, a group of locals were cooking ribs over a fire, and selling a meal deal to the guests from the ship.  Hinano beers were only $5.  We were not so sure about trying the food, so we walked back to the tender pier to see what was opened there.

It had begun to rain by now, but not too bad.  Meeting up with Denise and Howie, we all agreed it felt good.  They went up to the BBQ, and we headed back to the church to check out the cemetery in the back.  Seems like a strange thing to  do, but it is part of island life.

At the pier area, we did see a small café opened with many people drinking Hinanos.  The seating area was covered, and there was room for us.  And just in time.  We no sooner sat down, when the rain really came down in buckets.  It literally flooded the surrounding grounds, but we were dry, and already enjoying the cold bottles of beer and an order of French fries.  Their idea of catsup is BBQ sauce, and it really was good. 

The driving rain did not let up much by the time another tender boat arrived.  We seemed to be the only ones with umbrellas today.  People that had come over to swim, were wrapped in wet towels and complaining about being cold.  Oh well, this is really the first stop that we got rain like this, so we considered ourselves lucky. 

Back on the ship by 3pm, we went to put our things away in the room, then headed for a Lido lunch.  Salads and one slice of pizza would be just enough to tide us over till dinnertime.  Then back in the room, one of us went out on the veranda and spotted a big black tip shark right below us in the water next to the ship.  Wow, yelling SHARK, Bill ran out with the camera, and got some shots before it dove under the ship.  Never seen that before, except for the whale that came alongside in Antarctica in 2010.  That was a thrill too.  Looking up at the navigation deck, we saw the officers had also spotted the shark.

Working on the computer, we stayed in the room during the sail away back out through the pass.  There was a lot of turbulence, but with the help of a pilot, we went right through it with ease.  As the pilot dropped back into the waiting boat, the Captain blew his horn four times, saying thanks and goodbye.  Even with the rain storm, it had been a fun day for us.

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill with wedge salads, clothesline bacon, and entrees of halibut and lamb chops.  One of us ordered basmati rice, but got beets.  Oh well, there was so much food, we did not change it.  Actually the beets were good for a change.  They went well with the mushrooms and French fries.  Key lime pie and two little scoops of Cherry Garcia ice cream finished the meal.  Keeping dinner light in this restaurant is next to impossible.

Annie Gong and her magical orchestra was the entertainer tonight.  We have gone to her shows on several world cruises, and have enjoyed her style of music. 

And finally….we have a day at sea tomorrow.  Want to bet that a lot of people will sleep in late?  And by the way, the clocks had to go ahead ½ hour tonight.  If we remember right, the next ½ hour ahead will be when we leave Nuku Hiva two days from now.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #43 Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia December 7, 2019 Saturday mostly cloudy & thunderstorms 84 degrees

Rangiroa in Tahitian means "immense sky".  What it should mean is immense coral atoll with an equally impressive lagoon.  The atoll is 174 miles in circumference, with a lagoon measuring 48 miles by 16 miles wide.  The interior lagoon is so massive that you cannot see the land of the atoll on the opposite side.  It is the largest atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and the second largest in the world. 

Rangiroa consists of 250 islets separated by shallow channels between the ocean and the lagoon.  The biggest passes are located at the Tiputa and Avatoru villages.  And these two places are where most of the 2500 inhabitants live.  They are mostly employed by the airport, wharves, and hotel facilities.  We do think that Rangiroa is the seat of the government for the Tuamotu Archipelago too. 

The Dutch navigators found this coral-ringed island in 1616, but it was not until the Catholic missionaries arrived in 1860, that their economy was boosted by the introduction of the coconut trees.  Today the industries are tourism, copra harvesting, and fishing. Pearl farms are also a big business here. This area is also renowned for the flourishing marine life, which attracts divers worldwide. 

Tiputa is the  only pass deep enough to accommodate cruise ships, as well as local freighters from Tahiti.  Early in the morning and later in the afternoon, you can see the spectacle of dolphins playing in the rapids of the pass.  Later in the day, we were witness to this activity.

Dreamy beaches and coral reefs are ranked among the best in the world.  Glass bottom boats, snorkeling in coral gardens, swimming with dolphins and deep sea fishing are among the most sought after things to see and do here.  There are reportedly over 700 species of fish in this area, among them are huge concentrations of gray sharks, tame dolphins, and sometimes the hammerhead sharks.  Avatora pass has the white tip sharks and manta rays. 

What is there to buy here?  Pearls, honey, and wine.  Yes, they grow and produce their own wine on this atoll.  Can you imagine growing vines on a coral island with no soil with temperatures in the mid 80's?   For the last 10 or more years, these vineyards have been successfully planted under the shade of coconut palms.  The grapes of red and white vines are then processed in a winery in Avatoru.  So if you see a Wine of Tahiti, this is where it originates.  

There are many types of lodgings here,  and most are hard to find, as they are buried in the coconut trees and lush vegetation.  They are referred to as harmonious with the environment.   

The modest airport has a 984 foot wide land tongue where we saw an Air Tahiti plane take off.  They have regular flights from Tahiti, and this airport terminal only opens for a short duration.  No flights?  They lock it up and go home.

One attraction here is the Pearl Farm, where they offer a free tour if you are vacationing here.  They will even send a free shuttle to get you there.  However, when a cruise ship is in port,  the ship offers a tour for 1 ½ hours for $30 per person. We found it to be a very interesting tour where we learned the process of grafting to harvesting, as well as grading and sorting.  Naturally, there is a showroom where you can purchase some of their stunning but expensive creations.  By the way, on our first visit to Rangiroa, we happened to walk here, and were invited inside for a "free" tour.  Not intending to stop here, we had some time to spare since the restaurant we wanted to lunch at was not opened yet. 

We left the ship around 11am, and saw that two small freighters were unloading supplies to the islanders.  These ships come from Tahiti we read. Many of the tours started here with the glass bottom boat ride ($80 for 1 hour) and the snorkeling tour ($90 for 1 hour) leaving right from the same pier.  Van after van passed us along the main road on their way to the Pearl Farm.  Lots of folks arranged independent dive expeditions today a well.

Taking our time, we eventually walked over 4 miles to reach our lunch destination – the Mai Tai Resort. Beginning our hike, right near the tender landing spot, were rows of souvenir tents with rather pricey items that we have seen in most all of the Polynesian ports so far.  Right where the road took a left turn at the end of the Tiputa Pass, was an area well known for dolphin-watching.  We would stop here on the way back.  Thats about where we ran into Denise and Howie, who were in awe of the amount of coral piled everywhere here.  It really is pretty with streaks of pink within the bleached white rocks.

It was also around here that the partly sunny skies turned cloudy and with it came some rain.  Since it was so warm and muggy, it actually felt good.  One thing we did remember was how things can turn on a dime, and sun goes to sudden downpours within minutes.  For that reason, we did pack the umbrellas today and did use them periodically.

One of the nicest and nearest resorts is the Kia Ora Resort and Spa.  If you follow the signs off of the road, and go down a sandy driveway, you will find this resort facing the lagoon.  And this is where the majority of guests end up for beers and wifi, of course.  Crossing over a few more small passages, we were mesmerized by the action of the lagoon with the ocean.  The tide was up, so the ocean water was rushing into the lagoon.  This is the way the lagoon is flushed with fresh water.  When the tide goes out, so does some of the lagoon water, sort of like a filter system.  Cement bridges cross over these passes, so you can watch the fish coming in and out with the flow of rushing water.  

Passing the school area, we finally came upon the airport runway.  At the terminal, they were opened because a plane was due to land.  On the roadside, there are several spots to sit, so we did for a few minutes, enjoying the breeze here.  About another mile up the road, we arrived to the Mai Tai, which also is built right on the lagoon.  The nice thing about going here is the fact that no one from the ship comes here.  We had the entire bar restaurant to ourselves with the best service from the friendly staff.  One thing we can say about Polynesia, is that we have never been rushed for any meal.  Everything here is done on a much slower and relaxed pace, which is nice.  However, once we savored our shared ham and cheese panini with skinny fries, downed a few Hinano beers, followed by a shared dessert of profiteroles, we had to leave in order to make it back to the pier on time.  All was aboard was 4:30pm, and we figured it would take over an hour to get back.  We did have one question for our waitress.  The menu had a fruit name we were not familiar with.  The word was "ananas", and we were surprised when she translated that into pineapple.  Come to think of it, pineapples do not come from a pine tree or an apple tree.  So ananas is probably a better name for the much loved fruit.  See, we can learn something new almost every day.

There was one last stop we wanted to make, and that was at the dolphin-watching corner.  Not expecting to see anything there, we were quite pleased to see the big dolphins swimming and jumping in the turbulent passage.  We stayed as long as we could, but had to move on to make one of the last tender boats.

Making it back to the ship by 4:15pm, we made our way to deck six forward to watch our exit.  This should be the best place to watch for dolphins.  Denise and Howie had the same idea, and we joined them to watch the show of dolphins as we left.  A handful of guests had made their way to the bow, leaning over the railing and even standing where it is normally not allowed.  It surprised us that not one security officer was out there telling them to stay away from the edges.  This would not fly on the world cruise, as the security officers really adhere to the rules.  After all, it is for our safety.  Once the ship gained some speed and the winds picked up, all of the decks cleared quickly. We could watch the rest from our veranda and be out of the wind.

Darkness came swiftly with a fairly decent sunset.  Dinner had yet another fish entrée called papeo, which turned out to be a white fish sautéed in a frying pan perhaps. And delicious again.  The veal cordon bleu was equally as good tonight. Thinking we may stump our waiter Tama with the "ananas" question, he answered…..pineapples.  Guess this word is also used in Indonesia as well, but spelled nana.  Who knew?  Tama was most pleased he knew the correct answer.

Philip stopped by with two possible candidates for our world cruise dinner waiters.  We left the decision up to him, and we are certain none of us will be disappointed.  Our only request was that we have two waiters that will be on for the entire 128 days.  Sometimes their contracts end halfway through the trip, and we have to start all over again. 

It had been one long day with a lot of exercise, so we missed the show of Naki Ataman tonight.  He will be back one more time, so we should be able to catch his act then. 

We will sleep really good tonight for sure…….

Bill & Mary Ann

     

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Report #42 Opunohu Bay, Moorea December 6, 2019 Friday Mostly cloudy & thunderstorms & 84 degrees

Last night, we had a special delivery from St. Nicholas of the Netherlands.  A card was handed to us from St. Nick (one of the dining room staff), the patron saint of children, and it was for St. Nicholas' Eve, December 5^th.  This feast is celebrated annually with the giving of a gift, such as the chocolate letter S and one chocolate chip cookie we were given.  The card was signed Sinterklaas 2019.  This was a new one for us.

The name Moorea means yellow lizard and it is or port of call for today.  A mere 10 miles from Tahiti, Moorea was formed by a volcano millions of years ago.  It is known as the magical island or Tahiti's little sister.  About sixteen thousand people live here, and that number increases with visitors from all over the world. The island is shaped like a heart with two quite scenic bays on the top.  One is Cook's Bay, and the other is Opunohu Bay, where we would drop anchor today. The island is located about 30 minutes by boat from Papeete, and has a total of 37 miles of road around the coastline.

The fast ferries we saw yesterday bring many locals from the hustle and bustle of Tahiti for rest and relaxation on weekends.  Every day at the arrival of the ferries, two island buses leave to the little village of Haapiti, one on the east coast, and one on the west coast.  The fare is 300 Pacific French francs or $3. per person.

Shore excursions offered six site-seeing, water, and culture tours with snorkeling, picnic and ray feeding, or a 4x4 safari adventure, an island drive, dolphin watching, and finally a photography expedition.  Adventure and more water tours included a catamaran escapade, jet ski, ATV tour, or a CATA jet boat.  And we saved the best for last….a dolphin encounter at the Intercontinental Hotel Lagoon, which was $240 each. 

One of us was up with the crack of dawn, and filmed our sailing around the entire island of Moorea.  It was finally decided we would be tendering from Opunohu Bay, and not Cook's Bay as it was written on our itinerary.  And we soon found the reason why.  The Paul Gauguin ship was taking Cook's Bay this morning.  Both bays are scenic, but we really prefer Opunohu for its location and tender landing shopping.  

We left the ship around 11am to a very warm and cloudy day.  Thunderstorms were in the forecast, so we packed umbrellas.  It was a smooth ride over, and we discovered that the landing spot had gotten better since we were here last.  Back on the world cruise earlier this year, we had to scrap this port due to an extremely bad storm.  That meant stranding some folks that had done the overnight tour in the huts over the water.  They had to fly to the next port of Bora Bora.  So we were happy to be going there today.

Once ashore, we located the really nice local lady vendor that has supplied us with her shell jewelry for several years now.  Even though she speaks little English, she did remember us.  And of course, we found a suitable set of a necklace and earrings.  She always loved to pose for photos, and we took another one today.  From here, we walked to the main road, and ran right into Denise and Howie.  Both of them shared stories of their trip in Tahiti with us, saying they saw everything that was promised on their all day private tour.  The only thing they missed was the Marketplace, since it had closed at 5pm.  They will be back on another cruise, and so will we.

Continuing up the road, we made it to the Intercontinental Resort and Spa about 12:30pm.  We happened to run into a couple from the ship, who directed us to the opposite side of the resort.  What a surprise we had to discover that there was a dolphin exhibit here, as well as a turtle recovery area in their lagoon.  The majority of the bungalows were here, built with a manmade lagoon in the center.  Just gorgeous.  Following the signs, we located the turtle enclosure, where a couple of fellows were swimming with their "patients".  Some of these green turtles were full grown adults, and some smaller ones too.  Then we found the dolphin area, where three adult dolphins were swimming in their private quarters.  Apparently, they have a tour that lets you swim with the dolphins, as well as watch them doing acrobatics and water ballet.  This happened to be one of the ship's tours, and it ran about $240 a person for a 2 hour visit.  Although we did not see the actual show, we did get to see the dolphins swimming…..and for free.  The two males and one female were 8 feet in length and weighed well over 450 pounds.  Recently, a young girl was attacked by the same type of dolphins while vacationing in Mexico, and just by watching them, we could see how that could happen.  A person, especially a kid, would not be a match for such strength and speed.  We did recall learning that these dolphins are capable of ramming sharks and killing them.  Of course, we got a million photos of them.

Moving on, we were in search of lunch and beer.  Beer first since it was a long and hot walk from the pier.  Making our way back through the lobby, we were seated in the Beach Bar, where lunch was being served.  The Hinano beers were ice cold and the breeze cooled us off.  Guess what we ordered?  Well, a ham and cheese pizza naturally.  And it was tasty, just like we remembered. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream finished the meal perfectly. By the time we were ready to go, there was lightning and thunder so close, we knew it would rain soon.  Asking our waitress if they had rain yesterday, she said yes, and it was heavy.  It had rained all night, but cleared up this morning. 

We began our walk back, when it did begin to sprinkle.  Not enough to open the umbrella, it barely got us wet.  Truthfully, it would have felt good.  The rain held off for the rest of our stay.  And as we have been doing, we stayed on our balcony during the sailing out of the bay.  It was just as scenic from our side of the ship.  Before we knew it, the sun was going down, and the picture-taker had only done half of the photos by 7pm.  But then, over 600 had been taken.   

Dinnertime found us ordering mains of a moonfish entrée and one sweet and sour pork.  Again, both were excellent.  Testing every fish entrée has been a success this trip for one of us.  No fishy smell and no bones is what our waiter, Tama, has advised.  Now we trust his opinion. 

Tonight's entertainment was a BBC Earth footage accompanied by music from the orchestra.  This seems to be the way many of the cruises are going with the shows at night.  And perhaps it is a good thing.  We missed this show, because tomorrow is another Polynesian port – Rangiroa.  Got to rest up for this one.

Bill & Mary Ann        

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Report #41 Papeete, Tahiti French Polynesia December 5, 2019 Thursday Thunderstorms & 85 degrees

Today's port was Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, situated on the island of Tahiti, and the largest of the islands.  Papeete is the seat of government, as well as the commercial, industrial, and financial businesses and services for the country.  The residence of the French High Commissioner lives here.

Over 30,000 years ago, migrants arrived from Southeast Asia and settled in Polynesia.  They remained isolated until the British arrived in 1767, followed by captains Cook and Bligh, and French explorer Bougainville.  The British brought missionaries, and that is when everything changed with the introduction of Christianity. 

The best way to get to know this city is by visiting their Marche Municipal, or the Marketplace.  Spread over 7000 square meters, you can find a full range of authentic Polynesian products and get the feel of their way of living.  You can buy uru (breadfruit), sweet potatoes, bananas, pineapples, limes, and mangoes to name a few.  Deep sea fish, lagoon fish, tuna, mahi mahi, swordfish, and parrot fish….some of the largest we have ever seen.  Tropical flowers are also sold here as well, and at a reasonable price. Handicrafts from the Austral  islands include woven hats and baskets, while stone and wood carvings can be found from the Marquesas.  Other sale items are monoi, the coconut oil, and a wide array of shell jewelry.  Pearl items can be bought on the outside tables, and island clothing is available on the second level.

There were 13 ship tours here with site-seeing, culture, and water activities.  There were a few island bus tours with lunch, a 4x4 ATV ride to see cascading waterfalls, tropical vegetation, exotic flowers and killer views.  There was a guided tour through downtown, which we always do on or own.  Or you could book a swimming and snorkeling excursion, sailing in a catamaran, or enjoy a sunset sail and cocktail on a 65 foot boat.  The most expensive tour were a choice between an overnight in a bungalow or a bungalow over the water in Moorea.   That cost from $800 to $950 a person, and the transfer there was by ferry.  We have participated in them all, except for the bungalow.

And this was the first port that we encountered heavy rain.  Once the sun came up, we could see the heavy black clouds coming our way as the ship entered the sheltered harbor at Papeete.  While we were having breakfast in the dining room, we could see sheets of water running down the back windows.  Recalling that this is fairly normal for this time of year, we all hoped it was passing, and it would clear up.  And it did just that.  There were showers off and on most the early morning, but the afternoon was rain-free, at least in town.  No matter what, we took the umbrellas and did use them.

Before we left the ship, we hunted down Henk  (Christel), the hotel director, and Shiv, the executive housekeeper.  They were all leaving today for a short vacation, then will return in Cartagena in early January.  The Mensinks will be able to spend Christmas off of the ship, but Shiv has the longest flight home to India. 

Our job for the morning was to make or way to Marche Municipal, or the Marketplace.  Remember the information building that used to be right across from the pier?  Well, it is no longer there.  All that is left is a tent with tables of souvenirs and clothing.  No more welcome dancers.  By the way, we were handed an ad for pre-booking tours for Moorea tomorrow.  Three excursions offered were island tours from $40 to $50 per person. 

Then we made our way towards the marketplace via the fabric shop street.  Had to stop by the shop where we purchase the floral fabrics for blouses.  The owner immediately recognized the print I had on today, as we bought the fabric last year.  Originally, we had decided not to buy more, but knowing that might be a bad decision, we did come back on our way back to the ship.  Hard to resist some of their new prints and the fabric is a blend with rayon, not just cotton, which can fade.

The traffic was stopped dead all around the market. The locals were out and about early today to get the best buys.  The stop was really for photo-taking only, since we would stop here on or way back to the ship.  We did go up the escalator to stroll around the upper shops.  The nicer jewelry shops are on the second level, but it also extremely hot up there.  It was necessary to use the stairs down, because the escalator was broken again.

From here, we made our way to the Cathedral and the French Polynesian Assembly building.  Both were open for inspection, as well as the Assembly Garden.  Formally named Queen Pomare IV Garden, this pond was used to fill canteens because the water was believed to be pure.  It was kept a secret for many years, but it was also mosquito-laden back in the 1800's.  Examples of many tropical plants and trees are labeled in this secret garden.  It is dotted with some interesting tikis too.

Across the street, we entered Bougainville Park, which was started in 1934.  The highlight of the park is a huge breadfruit tree.  The bust of Louis Antoine de Bougainville stands tall at the entrance.  He is flanked by two cannons from old ships. 

From here, we back-tracked to the market to purchase some beautiful flowers for our room.  They are heavy and buying them after our first walk was a good idea.  And the bouquet of ginger, bird of paradise, and proteas will last until the end of the cruise.  Many guests thought we could not bring the bouquet onboard, but we know that you cannot bring them off, but you can take them onboard.   

With a quick clean-up and re-trimming, the bouquet lit up or room with color.  Then we were off and running again.  Time for lunch.  By now, most of the showers had ended, and the sun was peeking out.  The streets here have been undergoing renovations, which has made walking much more pleasant on the wider sidewalks.  Sort of reminded us of the fancy streets in Rio.  Initially, we were going to hike the Pomare Boulevard along the harbor, but it was closed in the center section.  We had to go back in order to cross the street.  It appeared that the center section of harbor park was being remodeled.

So we had to negotiate the street getting to the restaurant L Apizzeria.  We had to trust that the cars would avoid the deep puddles on the side of the street, and they did.  In fact, cars will stop and let you cross when you step into the street.  That does not happen in most big cities, as they would sooner run you over than stop. 

Finally at the restaurant, we discovered the door was open, and we were seated right away.   We were the only tourists in there, as many of the business folks dine here at lunchtime.  Of course, we ordered pizza, this time a Hawaii one, and two large Hinano beers.  Delicious as always, we ended the meal with a dessert of profiteroles.  So good.  With the heat, rain, and humidity of the day, relaxing here under a nice ceiling fan, we appreciated the stop even more. 

Back to the ship, we did make the one stop at the fabric shop, then took advantage of the rest of the afternoon cooling off in our room.  Directly across from our veranda was the that tall-masted sailing vessel with a lot of activity happening there.  Has to be a training boat, we assume.   Around sunset, they played the French National Anthem, and lowered their flags for the evening.  We could also watch the roulettes being set up for tonight's dinner onshore.

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill, which was not crowded.  Both of us had the wedge salads with the special clothesline bacon on the side.  The small steak was perfect with fries and ½ of a baked potato.  Dessert was one slice of Key lime pie and three scoop of Cherry Garcia ice cream.  On or way to the elevators, we did stop in the show lounge to watch the local show, Mana, the Spirit of Tahiti.  It was outstanding as always, drawing the biggest crowd so far.

Since we stayed until the wee hours of the night, there was no sail away.  Tomorrow, the ship would silently leave the harbor, and float over to the sister island of Moorea.  

Bill & Mary Ann  

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