DAY 24---PORT OF LOS ANGELES

 

We are back in the Port of Los Angeles today as it is the end of our 2nd segment.  Most passengers disembarking today and new ones arriving.  Overcast and 63 degrees at 8am.

LAST NIGHT:

Grey Goose, La Crema Sonoma chardonnay, pigs in a blanket, and potato chips.  Cocktail hour in our nice suite.

 I enjoyed a double order of this pan seared fole gras with a fig & port wine reduction.  Rebecca had escargot.

This is our special order panko crusted tiger prawns.  They were big and we could not eat them all so I think our waitress, Dara, will enjoy some when she finishes her service.

             Wally, one of our Toronto friends at table next to us, shared this anchovy with me.

For dessert I could only eat half of this warm chocolate hazelnut cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

TODAY:

        The disembarkation process was completed for everyone by 9:30.  Siva delivered Rebecca's fried eggs at 8am as usual.  He returned just before 9am with this bottle of Ketel One vodka.  I had "killed" the bottle of Grey Goose last night.

        He said the ship had no more but he got this unopened bottle from another vacated suite this morning after they had disembarked.  There is a big provisioning today so they should be getting more later today.

                         Bunkering again today.  Filler up!!  Wonder what the bill will be.

        This afternoon we have been watching the Alabama (#3 rated) vs Tennessee (#6 rated) game.  We could stream it on my laptop from CBS on our Paramount + app.  AMAZING game with Tennessee kicking a field goal with 2 seconds left to win 52-49.  Rebecca is sooooo happy.

        So now she has to wash her hair and get ready for our in suite cocktail hour at 6pm.  Dinner tonight will be at 7pm in Prime 7 steakhouse.

        We shall set sail at 6pm for Ensenada, Mexico, again.  Arriving there tomorrow morning by 8am.

DAY 23---SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

 

                                

We anchored off from downtown Santa Barbara at 10:30 this morning.  We will be using tenders (ship's life boats) to go the about 2 miles to shore.  Most of the tours will be departing around 11:30 but they may be delayed while the gangway is set and life boats lowered.  So far it is overcast, hazy skies and 64 degrees.  Hopefully the sun will burn this off later this afternoon.  Well, no sun in afternoon either!

LAST NIGHT:

                                                                      Flight of three

                                                           Shrimp cocktails to start with.

This beef Wellington melted in our mouths.

                                            "Christmas tree" with petit fours after dinner.

                   Pecan pie cheesecake for my dessert.  I could only eat half of it however.

TODAY:

        At 9:15 this morning we ran into a big school of dolphins.  They were right below our balcony and seemed to be swimming along with the ship.  They followed us for a half hour. There were hundreds playing.  I recommend you click on these photos to enlarge them for better viewing of them.

                                                   This is the best photo of one in the air.

      It was difficult to catch them in the air as back in the water before I could click the photo.  Mahi mahi better not be on tomorrow's menu!!!  LOL

        We hit the fitness center this morning.  Lunch in Compass Rose at noon.

                                          Mary Rose served us today.  She is very sweet.

We were surprised to see this young man, Komang.  He just got on in San Francisco.  His wife is also a bar waitress and on board with him.  They were both on our world cruise earlier this year and will be on our world cruise beginning in January next year.

I had this appetizer, roasted and sliced veal loin with a tuna-caper cream sauce.  Ok, but not award winning.

Lasagna bolognese for my entree.  Kind of small so I ran up to La Veranda and grabbed a slice of pizza.

        At 1:30 I went down to take the tender ashore.  It was just a 15 minute ride and not that rocky.  My mission was to get some spiced cherry bitters for my Manhattans.  I prefer and brought half a small bottle of Woodford Reserve spiced cherry bitters on board with me but ran out last night.  I had found two liquor stores on Google Maps so headed for them when on shore.  I walked a total of 2 1/2 miles (I have a walk app on my phone) and returned with this.  Walk took me 45 minutes and I was back on board Mariner at 3pm.

        Not exactly what I wanted but hopefully it will do.  Way too much for just 9 days.  Jeff will be bringing a bottle of WR spiced cherry bitters with him for me.  I will donate the above to Viktoria, our favorite bartender.

        Here are some photos I took in town.

                                    The coastline was lined with small hotels and restaurants.

This is State Street which seemed to be the main one as it was lined with restaurants and bars.

                                                                 Interesting looking tree

           Further down State St it was blocked off for traffic.  Just pedestrians and restaurants.

         Tried to frame our ship between the palm trees but hazy day messed my photo up.

                                                           Beach along the coast.

        I wore a t-shirt with flannel shirt over it this afternoon.  Way too much as I was sweating so now another shower is required.

        Siva will be bringing our pigs at 6pm.  I will have a Grey Goose martini or two, and of course, chardonnay for Rebecca.  I am about to kill the Goose.  Will have Siva bring me another bottle when it is gone.  Dinner in Compass Rose.  Again we call this The Last Supper as this segment ends in LA tomorrow.  Anatoli, our general manager, says 36 of us will be staying on for the next segment.  Rest will be newbies.  We have made a special order for panko coated tiger prawns as our entrees tonight.

        Big game tomorrow on CBS 12:30 west coast time.  Tennessee Vols vs Alabama Crimson Tide.  Alabama is #3 in country and Tennessee is #6.  Rebecca loves both teams but will be routing for the Vols.  We should be able to stream the game with our Paramount + app.

        We sail at 8pm for a short trip down the the Port of Los Angeles where we will be docked by 7am.

DAY 22---DAY TWO IN SAN FRANCISCO

 LAST NIGHT:  

        Yesterday afternoon after I had already posted on the blog I decided to apply for my India evisa online.  We will be calling on Goa, India, on April 10th and Mumbai, India, on April 11th during our world cruise next year.  India is now accepting evisas rather than us having to apply and send our passports to be stamped down to Houston.  Their evisa application is NOT easy and very detailed which took me an hour to complete.  I can't complete Rebecca's until we get back home.  Her previous India visa is on an older passport and I need to list that old visa number on this evisa application.
        We also need an evisa for Australia.  So I completed it for the both of us and it was MUCH easier and less complicated.  It cost $20 each.  I got an email back saying the evisa was "Approved" so we are set for our Australian ports.

We had another GREAT dinner in Sette Mari.  It was packed full last evening.  We both started with the minestrone soup as usual.  Love it!

Chef Siegfried made me another excellent veal parmesan.  HUGE as usual.

                             Rebecca had this very good veal limone with extra capers.

                                         Desserts are at the buffet table.  We did not have any.

TODAY:

        We went to the fitness center for our treadmill workout.  We were the only ones on the treadmills.

After getting cleaned up we vegged out until lunch time.  We headed down to Compass Rose at noon. 

     I enjoyed this honey mustard glazed salmon on 4 asparagus spears.  Very good and filling.

        Alvin was the head waiter at lunch.  I placed a special order with him for tomorrow night's dinner in Compass Rose.  We have not seen tomorrow night's menu yet but it is the same for every last night which we call "The Last Supper".  We don't care for that menu so I ordered some panko crusted tiger prawns for our entrees.  That is our "go to" if we don't find anything on the menu that grabs us.

        Tonight's menu has one of our favorites, beef Wellington.  We're thinking a shrimp cocktail for our appetizer as we don't get much nice shrimp in Durango.

        We departed the pier a half hour late at 3pm.  I went up to deck 12 to get you some photos of our sail out of San Francisco Bay.  I hope you appreciate them as I froze my ass off up there.  A strong cold wind and everyone was very cold.  There were a lot of folks out watching.  I took several photos and will post all of them.

                                                                           Alcratraz

               

                                                                          Downtown SF

                                                         Ocean side of bridge now.

        This evening's plan is basically same-o-same-o.  Cocktail hour at 6 in the suite as Siva will deliver our poppers and my Manhattan.  There is a Krew Kapers show at 6.  I saw it on last segment but Rebecca did not as she was still in isolation then.  It is an EXCELLENT show by 20 of our crew members.  The two male singers are fantastic.  We will have two more opportunities to see the show later on.  Will definitely go to it when Jeff is on with us.

        Dinner in Compass Rose at 7 and as I mentioned it will be beef Wellington tonight.  The last production show of this segment, "Tuxedo", will be at 9:30 in the theater.  May try to catch it.  We'll see.

        We will be arriving in Santa Barbara around 11:30 tomorrow morning.  No dock there so will be using the tenders to take folks ashore.  Not not my favorite way to get ashore for sure.  We will be there until 8pm as it will be a short cruise on to LA.  LA on Saturday will be the end of our second segment.  Most passengers will be disembarking and new ones coming on board.

        At 4pm we finally got our news networks back.  Good to see Fox News again to catch up on what has been happening the past couple of days.  The Captain also made a PA saying there were some whales but must have been on the other side of the ship as we did spot any.  Take that back as we did see some but they did not breach long enough for me to get a good photo.