Posted by: gardner310 | May 1, 2010

Mexico Wrap Up Continued

I love Zorro.  I was in love with Guy Williams when I was 12 and I accepted his replacement in Antonio Banderas.  I remember when Annette Funicello was in one of the old Zorro episodes and I was insanely jealous.  This week when we docked in Topolobampo I went to visit the birthplace of the real

El Fuerte Fort

Zorro, El Fuerte.  A two hour bus ride took us to the to the colonial town where the de la Vega family owned a gorgeous hacienda in town.  Mr. Alejandro de la Vega was in the mining business there and was definitely a premier resident.  Diego, the future Zorro, lived there until he as 9 until the family business tanked and they moved to Alta California (now our US state).

The town has a very nice fort and museum right on the El Fuerte River.  We took a 45- minute float trip on the river that was a welcome break from the

Riverfloat

confinement of the ship.  It is a bird sanctuary and we saw hundreds of nesting birds of varying kinds- lots of herons, both white and great blues.

Michael took the coveted 18- hour shore excursion to Copper Canyon.  It’s a two- hour bus ride to the train, which is a five- hour ride to the Canyon.  The canyon is the second largest canyon after the Grand Canyon and quite something to behold.  Because it is so remote, the native residents are somewhat able to hold on to their culture.  However, the sight of denim is intruding on a more regular basis.  I was very jealous when I had to stay for office hours as I don’t see me getting there at this point.

From the port of Loreto I took the trip to the mountains and the San Javier Mission, established by the Jesuits.  It is a two-hour ride in a van over mostly unpaved roads through the desert.  I love the dramatic desert landscape so it was a fascinating ride for me.  San Javier is a very small town, isolated in the mountains, with only a few ranches and oases in the area.  The Jesuits built the mission, built the dams and made agriculture a major industry.  It remains so today after 300 hundred years.

I was able to buy fresh home made goat cheese from one of the ranches on the way back.  59 pesos got me about 3 pounds of cheese.  That’s about $5.00!  I love Mexico!

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Posted by: gardner310 | May 1, 2010

Mexico Wrap Up

It has been a very busy end of the season on board. Sales have been excellent and activities abound. Michael and I were photographed as the new models for our high- end jewelry store, Merabella. They said we fit the demographics. I am still not sure that is a compliment but the pictures came out great. I’ve decided that I do like black diamonds.

Black Diamonds

I started tutoring a few of the crew in English. Don’t laugh. If anyone has taught ESL, I would be grateful for any good suggestions. I have to admit I cannot remember gerunds.

In Mazatlan last week I went on an excursion called Salsa y Salsa. A company called the Dancing Chefs, two lovely ladies who really know how to provide a good time to their guests, operates it. We learned how to make several salsas and guacamole, plus two margaritas dressed in professional aprons and chefs’ hats.

Dancing Chefs

We also learned how to salsa dance. It was the first time I was drunk before lunch in many years. Absolutely a delightful time.

This week in Mazatlan I went out for lunch with my friend, Pauline the travel guide. We walked to the market and Restaurant Claudia and consumed some marvelous camerones de ajo or garlic shrimp. There were easily 12-14 shrimp of decent size with rice and beans, too much food. Add a diet Pepsi and the total with tip came to $6.00. I love Mexico. We were the only gringos in the place that seated no more than 30, a great find. I have one more port, Puerto Vallarta, tomorrow which just happens to be Cinco de Mayo. I am hoping for a good afternoon in town.

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Posted by: gardner310 | April 21, 2010

Extreme Zip Lining

I like zip lines.   There is something about speeding between trees knowing you are not going to crash or fall that makes me smile.  In my younger years I read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novels – he authored the Tarzen series and John Carter of Mars series.  I think I have seen every Tarzen movie made from Johnny Weissmuller to Greystoke.  Just call me Jane.

Flying by enjoying the view

Today I was in Puerto Vallarta on the Canopy Tour with Vallarta Adventures.   When I started zipping  10 years ago the routes were just the cables and platforms.  Over the years things like rappelling, Tarzan ropes, 60 foot ladders and suspension bridges have been added.  All of them were there today.

As usual, I was the oldest one in our group of 12.  What is interesting is that this activity attracts all kinds and ages of people.   An 8 year old girl was the youngest with the rest falling in between us.  This was the most strenuous circuit I have done, the long skinny metal ladders and skinny shaky bridges giving me the most pause.  Think it was the skinny part?  However, I was not about to be shown up by an 8 year old.

Scary Skinny Ladder

One of the guides met the group at the ship and got us heading to the site in an open sided covered truck.  The 12 of us fit perfectly, seating 6 on a side.  It is an hour ride and with the wind I felt like I got a facelift on each side of my face, going and coming.  The entire side of my face tingled for a good while after we got out of the truck – side benefit.

There is plenty of hiking, climbing, zipping, rappelling and swinging to suit anyone looking for a good workout.  Snacks and photo shopping ended the activity before the windy ride back to the ship.  This is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and return home with a good travel story, feeling mighty proud of yourself.

Rappeling, the easy part

Vallarta Adventures do a wonderful job with their tours.  Their guides speak great English and they meet the highest safety standards.  Whether you are the adventurous type or if you just want to cross something off your bucket list, take a look at their excursions and know you are going to be in good hands.

For more photos click on the sidebar.

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Posted by: gardner310 | March 27, 2010

Moss Landing, California

Phil's Fish Market

We saw a sign that said Moss Landing and decided that perhaps we could find a local joint for lunch.  As it turns out, we found Phil’s Fish Market, about as local as you can get.  It is located right on the beach across the street from the power plant, about as unique a site you can imagine.

Grilled Artichoke

Moss Landing Power Plant

Turned out to be the perfect lunch spot.  The front of the place is a fish market with a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The back of the place is the restaurant.  They had artichokes prepared 6 different ways.  My choice was grilled with aioli sauce and it was wonderful.  The main item on the menu, no surprise, was fish, all kinds.   I love finding eating establishments off the beaten track like Phil’s.  That’s what road trips are all about.

On the Way to Moss Landing

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Posted by: gardner310 | March 27, 2010

Cooking Class? in Puerto Vallarta

I took a shore excursion that was named as a cooking class.  We started the tour in the center of town on the Malecon or boardwalk.  Puerto Vallarta has a wonderful array of sculpture along the beach walk.   Strolling the Malecon is a delightful way to spend a few hours discovering the art and shopping the local arts and crafts.

City Mascot

We crossed the river on the motor coach and drove through the old town where there are some interesting galleries and restaurants.  My goal is to take one day and just head on there on the local bus.

The church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is only about 150 + yrs old and a total mishmash of building materials but it is an impressive centerpiece for the town, which has grown up around it.

Town Square, Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our last stop was at Punto right on the ocean road.  The restaurant is unique because the entire front of it is open to the ocean.  Inside hangs a fantastic crystal chandelier that is just massive.  The restaurant sets us up in the back at bar stools, about 3 to a table.  We are supposed to be cooking several dishes – pico de gallo, guacamole, and chicken mole.  The tables were set with a small cutting board with half an avocado, some red onion, half a tomato and cilantro plus a table knife.  What I thought to be a cooking class turned out to be a chopping and assembling session.  I did have fun though, talking to some of the guests.

Punto Restaurant

I was disappointed in the cooking class but all in all it was a peasant afternoon and the margaritas were very good.

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Posted by: gardner310 | March 24, 2010

Todos Santos, Think Hotel California

A charming town, small and not close to Cabo San Lucas but worth the trip.  It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to get there from the ship.  The ride shows the true geography of the area – arid desert that runs straight to the sea.  It is most undeveloped or ranching land with some agriculture.  The guide was very engaging while giving us the history

Baja Desert

and economics of the peninsula.  Baja California means lower California  The US California was originally called Upper California but somewhere along the line the “upper” was dropped.

The town itself is the site of the THE Hotel California of the band Eagles fame.  We  ended up there for lunch, which was a tasting of Mexican food  and a beer.  Pacifica beer is the state of Sinaloa largest brewery, the brewery residing in Mazatlan.

Hotel California

Before lunch we were shown the Cathedral, which is actually not very old and rather small for what we think of as a cathedral.  Mission sand color on the outside, it is brightly painted inside and has lots of light.  It really is lovely.

My favorite time was our free time to wander the town.  It is an art town with many vendors of original wares, some very expensive and some nicely priced.  I bought a beautiful hand hammered copper vase that is hand painted with gold and flowers.  It just jumped off the shelf at me.  What was even more interesting was the bag the owner used.   It is made from local newspapers and twine for a handle.  She said she tries to be as green as possible.  I

Green Shopping Bag

think this is a wonderful idea.  I am thinking of using the idea for document delivery.  It would be fun to get newspapers from different countries and use them as packaging.  Tell me what you think.

The streets of the commercial Todos Santos are colorful and dotted with gorgeous foliage.  There are some delightful restaurants that are always a draw to me.  But I had the Hotel California to get to for lunch with the group.  I am showing you the most original and LARGEST bathroom signs I have ever seen.  It took a minute to read them as I was heading there but I had to stop and laugh when I realized what I was seeing.

Restroom Signs, Hotel California

If you like seeing the countryside of places you visit and enjoy poking into galleries with original art and crafts, then do visit Todos Santos.  I am sure you, too, will return with a treasure.

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Posted by: gardner310 | March 6, 2010

Coast Drive

Scenic viewpoint Hwy 1

You know we were off the ship for a few weeks while the ship was in Vancouver for the Olympics.  We traveled in Florida and California.

Highway 1.  What images does that summon for anyone who knows California?  A twisting road with a view?  Yep, that’s it.

We left LA and decided to drive as far as Morrow Bay or Cambria the first night.  Started off dry, ended up wet finally clearing up in Cambria about 5pm as we walked around the town.  The road is not to be trifled with, that is for sure.  It runs along the coast,  cut into the side of the mountains and is not for the faint of heart.  But the views and twists are amazing.  I will tell you that there are a lot of dead zones for cell service enroute, at least with AT&T.  That surprised me.

We stopped in Santa Barbara to look for Oprah’s house. Just kidding.  We went to the mission and drove out on to the pier but it was raining so our touring was kept to a minimum.  We did find a delightful little place, Andersen’s Bakery, for lunch.  The city has a very upscale downtown that I would have loved to shop but I am not a rainy day shopper, much to Michael’s relief.

We drove on past Hearst Castle and through Morro Bay.  Did the tourist thing and headed out to Morro Rock for photos.  Still raining so the photos? Not so hot.  Stopped for the night in Cambria a delightful town with two sections, east and west, full of artisan shops, bed and breakfast inns and cafes.  Moonstone Beach across the highway provides a row of small hotels across the street from the beach.  The town built a great boardwalk along the cliff side that provides spectacular views and a lovely place for a good walk.  By 5pm the sun was out and we enjoyed some good bar food and a glass of wine at Moustachio Petes.  By all means consider a weekend stay in Cambria.

Downtown Cambria

Cambria Coast

Net morning the sun was still shining – yeah!  Got a couple of nice shots of the area before we left.  Back on route 1 we started north again and had some spectacular scenery to gape at while negotiating the curves.  Fog settled in and we lost our view and our road on occasion.

We stopped at Big Sur, which has a history of being a place for those looking to find themselves.  Esalen Institute is located there, devoted to the exploration of human potential.  There are also some 5* resorts there like the Post Ranch Resort.  Our coffee stop was River Inn, a complex that includes a pub, gift shop, restaurant and the inn.  I was reading the bulletin board and just started laughing.  Whew s the last time you were looking for a yurt rental?  See the photo.  I thought, how appropriate for Big Sur.

Cruised through San Francisco on 19th Avenue easily and over the Golden Gate Bridge to San Rafael and our friends’ home.  It was a couple of long days in the car but the coast road is a winner.  Just do it.

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Posted by: gardner310 | March 6, 2010

Getty Villa, California

View from the Villa with Joanne and Ruth Ann

I had my first visit to the Getty Villa because the big Getty Museum is closed on Mondays.  As it turned out that was fortuitous because I absolutely loved the Villa.  It is in Pacific Palisades near Malibu right with a fabulous view of the ocean.  Mr. Getty had the villa built as an exact replica of an Italian villa in Herculaneum, Italy that was destroyed with the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius along with Pompeii.

Backyard at the Getty Villa

The villa belonged to a Roman senator who just happened to be Caesar’s father-in-law so the home was very impressive.    The Getty Villa has wonderful marble work on walls and floors along with marvelous mosaic work.  The garden pool has a view of the ocean and you can just picture the guests at the roman garden party thrown by the senator.

Inside, of course, there is an impressive collection of artifacts from sculpture to coins and jewelry.  There are 5 bronze maidens in the inner courtyard garden that are rare because bronze does not last.  These maidens happened to be crated by the senator while they were working on the house when the eruption happened, thus preserving them for the Getty Villa.

Bronze Maidens , Inner Courtyard

The grounds are immaculately landscaped with the Italian cypresses and other native flora.  Mr. Getty is buried on the grounds where he has a commanding view of the Pacific Ocean from his favorite house.  If you are looking for a delightful day of culture, history and scenery this is the spot.  Enjoy the sunshine while eating at the café.  Admission is free but you must reserve a time and parking is $15.00.  Molto bene.

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Posted by: gardner310 | January 12, 2010

Puerto Vallarta by bus

On the Bus, PV

Today in Puerto Vallarta Michael and I took the bus into the city.  We found the blue and white bus and hopped on for 6 pesos, about $.50.  If you take a cab it runs about $5.00 each.  The route takes you along the beach and past many of the hotels on the beach.  These are not the all –inclusive resorts many tourists prefer but they are the closest to the town itself, if you like to eat locally.

We got off at the river, which is at the south end of town and walked back toward the ship.  Puerto Vallarta has a wide malecon (boardwalk) with a lot of sculpture and tons of stores.  The town itself is very crowded with winter tourists so it is not easy to navigate the narrow sidewalks, back off the

Huichole Beading

malecon, but the streets have some great restaurants and shops.  Several artisanal markets occupy corners but I was more drawn to the individual boutiques along the street.  Again I need to return alone so I can spend some time delving into them.

The cathedral is smack dab in the center of the city, surrounded by commercial real estate of all kinds.  It is one of those things were you can’t see it until you are in front of it.  We have received several restaurants and we probably won’t be able to get to more than a couple but the Blue Shrimp and Oscars are 2 on the list.  I will report on the tasting experiences when they happen.

Local Lunch in PV

Hoping to do some horseback riding and a few more active excursions as time goes on.  Ciao for now.

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Posted by: gardner310 | January 12, 2010

Mazatlan on Foot

Third cruise over and almost up to date on the reporting.  This week I managed to get off and see some of Mexico on a walking tour.

The old town of Mazatlan is actually quite interesting.  The streets are narrow and lined with iron balconies and flowers.  The city has a malecon or sea walk that is one of the longest anywhere.  It is delightful to walk along it and

Boardwalk in Mazatlan

enjoy all the sculpture and the gorgeous sea views.  The cliff divers here dive from about 45 meters up.  The Acapulco divers dive from about 98 meters but these Mazatlan guys are impressive.

We visited the oldest bakery in Mazatlan and met Betty the baker.  Of course, I purchased a few goodies for Michael (did try a bite of each).  The place is tiny and is stuffed with antique furniture,

Elena, tour guide with Betty the Baker

photos and cooking equipment.  Quite a find.

There is an old home that is now a museum right on the plaza we visited and I could pretend I was living in the days of Zorro.   Beautiful verandahs and high ceilings and great views for the Mardi Gras

MZT Plaza

parades. Make this prime real estate still.  There are lots of small restaurants along the plaza, all al fresco, my favorite way to dine.

The cathedral is the second largest in Mexico and is stunning.  There was a mass in progress so I did not get to wander around as much as I would have liked   I’ll plan to revisit it another Tuesday.

Last week Michael and I went to visit the Zona Dorado (Golden Zone) which means lots of jewelry stores and shopping.  I happen to love jewelry stores but with Michael along, I was not allowed to stop.  So another visit to that area is in order –alone.

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