DAY 28---LA PAZ, MEXICO

 

Our position today is docked at Puerto de Pichilingue serving La Paz, Mexico.  Absolutely beautiful day with sunny skies, 83 degrees and only 50% humidity.

LAST NIGHT:

Shrimp cocktail the Siva brought for our cocktail hour.  Way too much as there are actually 12 pieces and they were big ones.  Very good however.

Cedric, the Food & Beverage director, was waiting for us when we arrived at 7pm for dinner in Prime 7.  

Cedric is only 31 years old and came from Oceania cruise line earlier this year.  Originally from Holland, he is one of the nicest and sharpest young men you will ever meet.  I predict he will be moving on up to General Manager and then corporate in future years.  As you might expect our service last night was exceptional since he is their boss.  We did not leave Prime 7 until after 9:30 as we enjoyed very lively conversations getting to know each other.

Melissa was very attentive in serving the special Flora Springs "Trilogy" red wine I had requested.  Arthur brought it to our table and was the perfect temperature for a red.  Cedric and I drank most of the wine but there was still a glass or two left in the bottle so I gave it to Rommel, maitre'd, to enjoy later.

All three of us ordered filets for our entrees.  Again they were perfectly cooked medium rare as we requested.  I had to have this popcorn sundae for dessert but could only eat half of it.

                                                          Cedric ordered the key lime pie.

Chef Keegan, chef in Prime 7, came out to see us.  We were also visited by Roberto, corporate guy responsible for all Regent ships' food and beverage service.  We had an amazing evening!!!

TODAY:

                                     This was our view this morning when I opened our drapes.

We are docked at the port of Pichilingue which is 10 miles from downtown La Paz.  There are a few souvenir stands pictured here.  Siva said there will also be a free shuttle into town.

                                                        Really nice looking buses for tours.

                                      Gangplank for today is just below our balcony.

        I was up doing my fast walk on deck 12 at 8:30am.  I walked 4 miles in an hour.  After that I changed and decided I would take the free shuttle to downtown La Paz.  

There is an eagle nest with eagle sitting by it on this post.  I later asked a local on my way to catch the shuttle what kind it was.  He said it was a "fish eagle".  Guess they eat fish.

This is a cement loading company, Centex.  They bring the cement here by ship and unload it.  Then trucks load it in bulk or bagged and take it to construction sites.  There is a ship unloading today.

                                            Walking down pier heading to catch the shuttle.

        They are using these vans that depart every half hour.  My van was nearly full with crew members.  I don't think they will be able to handle the demand as the day progresses.  I caught the 10am van.  The internet says it is a 10 mile ride to downtown but it seemed longer as the road snaked along the coast line.  It was a very scenic ride and the Sea of Cortez is an incredible blue color.  The van made a stop for anyone who wanted to go to the beach.  No one on my van did but some hopped on to fill it up.  The stop downtown was at the bus station which is in central part right along the water front malecon.  This is a really nice walk and bike way along the coast.  Restaurants line the other side of the street from the malecon.  

        I wanted to come right back to the ship so stayed on the van.  I didn't realize it was going to sit there for 15 minutes or I would have got out and taken some photos.  The ride to downtown was 30 minutes so the van finally departed at 10:45 to head back to the ship.  I sat in the front seat opposite the driver with my mask on the entire trip.  I was the only one wearing a mask.

Along the malecon heading back to the ship.  This was our first time to call on this port.  I was impressed with La Paz as it is a quite town and clean.

                  The countryside is arid with cacti as the main plants.  It is also very rocky.

                   This photo shows the rocky dirt which runs very deep under the surface.

                                                               Back from my trip. 

                                    Baby chicken wings with some fries for lunch in La Veranda.

        This is the first time a Regent ship has called on this port.  I like it.  Not your usual Mexican tourist trap port.  We will be sailing at 3pm and heading across the Sea of Cortez to arrive at Mazatlan, Mexico, tomorrow morning at 8:00.  This will be our second visit here and coming back again on our next segment.

        We have been invited to the Seven Seas Society "top tier" cocktail party in the theater at 6pm but like last segment we shall not be going.  Trying to be safe and not around a lot of people as our son is arriving on our next segment beginning on the 25th.  We do plan on going to the Seven Seas Society cocktail party tomorrow evening however.  Will sit by ourselves.

        So Siva will be bringing our pigs and my Manhattan to the suite at 6pm.  We will be dining in Compass Rose this evening.  There is another production show tonight at 9:30, "Broadway in Concert", but we will not attend.  We've seen all these shows many times on other cruises.  We plan to see all the shows with Jeff next segment however.

                                                        Tonight's Compass Rose menu.