January 30th, 31st, February 1st Acapulco, February 2nd.
Tuesday 30th January. The temperature rose to 31 degrees throughout the day and we were warned not to spend too much time in the sun. Alan went to listen to another lecture and I went swimming in the open air pool for half an hour before the gym and came in with sun burn marks on my shoulders and back, some folks had certainly over done it and looked quite red at dinner. 
It was a formal evening and the theme was Mexican Fiesta so the ballroom was decked out in sombreros and the like. We went with Jill and Geoffrey and had a really fun time; I was dancing with Jill whilst Alan and Geoff looked on and took photos of us collecting balloons and making the most of the occasion. We put the clocks back and were 5 hours behind the UK, but this will continue for a day or two more yet.
It was a formal evening and the theme was Mexican Fiesta so the ballroom was decked out in sombreros and the like. We went with Jill and Geoffrey and had a really fun time; I was dancing with Jill whilst Alan and Geoff looked on and took photos of us collecting balloons and making the most of the occasion. We put the clocks back and were 5 hours behind the UK, but this will continue for a day or two more yet. Wednesday, 31st January. In the early hours we passed west of Isla Del Coco, the only island in this region that receives sufficient rainfall to support a tropical rain forest. The island also has a rich folklore of buried treasure and 300 expeditions have failed to locate it! I spent the morning dealing with our Indian visa applications before going to the lecture on Acapulco with Alan. After lunch I went to the Body Blast session in the exercise room, not knowing what it was! Well, I spent 90 minutes working out with weights ending up with kick boxing exercises (I will match Thomas when I get home!) and then I had an hour relaxing in the Jacuzzi before dinner! Our day at sea was on a north westerly heading through the Guatemalan Basin towards Mexico with temperatures in the 30’s again. I spent an enjoyable hour in the casino playing ‘craps’ with advantageous results before joining friends at the bar. The clocks went back an hour so at this stage we were 6 hours behind the UK. It’s nice to keep getting the extra hour lay in!!!
Thursday, 1st February. We arrived in Acapulco at 7.00am and I was on the balcony taking photos at 8.00am whilst Alan was scooting around the deck somewhere.
It was another humid day and temperatures rose into the 30’s again making hats a necessity. We caught a tender to shore at 10.00am and had just a five minute ride to the pier. The air conditioned port shopping mall was a treat, but we decided to stroll into old Acapulco to see the sights. It was about twenty minutes walk along a dusty hot dual carriageway being pestered by so called ‘official tour guides’ that we hastily left behind. However, we were pleased to accept the help from another further along the way as we needed to cross the wide and busy roads - he stopped the traffic and found a ramp for Alan to use before leading us safely across. We rewarded him of course so he led us around the shopping area and waited outside each shop we visited before taking us back the way we came. We were grateful in the end as it would have been a difficult few hours without him
. The old fort on the hillside stood proudly before us but we didn’t feel like the hike up to see it! By 1.30pm we were back on the pier boarding a tender back for our lunch on the ship – no suitable eating places in port. After twenty five years, although the place has grown in size since my last visit, it is still not one of my favourite places and the mothers with children are still sitting on the pavements begging. We looked at some wonderful Mexican silver and their fire opal jewellery, which was in abundance. Lunch was delicious as usual and I had Maoi Maoi, a white steaky fish (I have had very little meat throughout.) I snoozed on the balcony during the afternoon while Alan watched the tenders on their round trips. We left Acapulco at 5.20pm and within half an hour we were able to film three hump backed whales as they played off our starboard side, it was a fitting end to our day in Acapulco. There are now 1830 nautical miles ahead of us to San Francisco. We are expecting a great welcome there and being escorted in from the Golden Gate Bridge by one of the two remaining Liberty ships (The last of 2000 US World War II battle ships.) This volunteer crew’s average age is 75! You must try to watch this from the ships web camera on 4th February, as we are going to be surrounded by water sprays and helicopters reporting for the CNN News. The sun set at 6.35pm and we prepared for our ‘elegant casual attire’ evening dinner starting of course with canapés and G & T on the balcony. Our fellow diners were sad that this was to be their last port of call before disembarking at San Francisco – we are sad that we only have two more segments left - time is passing too quickly!
Friday, 2nd February. I put our watches back an hour last evening by mistake! This morning I went to post my blog but was informed that we were between satellites and that Internet connection would not be available for at least 12 hours! Today we sailed approx. 14 miles off the Mexican Coast in a north westerly direction, the air was cooler at 25 degrees and accompanied by a stronger breeze. The sea is still very calm and we have been very lucky all the way to date. We went to a cookery demonstration by two of the executive chefs, which was most interesting and Alan will no doubt be attempting these recipes when we get home! After lunch Alan went to a film about the ‘Bridge’ on this ship and I went to the gym to try and loosen off my aching legs since the ‘Body Blast’ exercises! Quite a lazy day really because I then went to the cinema to see Robin Williams in ‘RV’, which I would recommend as being very amusing. It was a formal night tonight and we chose the New Zealand Roughy from our very extensive dinner menu. We did put our watches back this evening so tomorrow we will be 7 hours behind the UK. (We will lose February 15th when we cross the International Date Line and compensate for all our backward changes.) I am now going to post this blog and attempt to pick up any emails so I will reply as soon as I can.
Thursday, 1st February. We arrived in Acapulco at 7.00am and I was on the balcony taking photos at 8.00am whilst Alan was scooting around the deck somewhere.
It was another humid day and temperatures rose into the 30’s again making hats a necessity. We caught a tender to shore at 10.00am and had just a five minute ride to the pier. The air conditioned port shopping mall was a treat, but we decided to stroll into old Acapulco to see the sights. It was about twenty minutes walk along a dusty hot dual carriageway being pestered by so called ‘official tour guides’ that we hastily left behind. However, we were pleased to accept the help from another further along the way as we needed to cross the wide and busy roads - he stopped the traffic and found a ramp for Alan to use before leading us safely across. We rewarded him of course so he led us around the shopping area and waited outside each shop we visited before taking us back the way we came. We were grateful in the end as it would have been a difficult few hours without him
. The old fort on the hillside stood proudly before us but we didn’t feel like the hike up to see it! By 1.30pm we were back on the pier boarding a tender back for our lunch on the ship – no suitable eating places in port. After twenty five years, although the place has grown in size since my last visit, it is still not one of my favourite places and the mothers with children are still sitting on the pavements begging. We looked at some wonderful Mexican silver and their fire opal jewellery, which was in abundance. Lunch was delicious as usual and I had Maoi Maoi, a white steaky fish (I have had very little meat throughout.) I snoozed on the balcony during the afternoon while Alan watched the tenders on their round trips. We left Acapulco at 5.20pm and within half an hour we were able to film three hump backed whales as they played off our starboard side, it was a fitting end to our day in Acapulco. There are now 1830 nautical miles ahead of us to San Francisco. We are expecting a great welcome there and being escorted in from the Golden Gate Bridge by one of the two remaining Liberty ships (The last of 2000 US World War II battle ships.) This volunteer crew’s average age is 75! You must try to watch this from the ships web camera on 4th February, as we are going to be surrounded by water sprays and helicopters reporting for the CNN News. The sun set at 6.35pm and we prepared for our ‘elegant casual attire’ evening dinner starting of course with canapés and G & T on the balcony. Our fellow diners were sad that this was to be their last port of call before disembarking at San Francisco – we are sad that we only have two more segments left - time is passing too quickly!Friday, 2nd February. I put our watches back an hour last evening by mistake! This morning I went to post my blog but was informed that we were between satellites and that Internet connection would not be available for at least 12 hours! Today we sailed approx. 14 miles off the Mexican Coast in a north westerly direction, the air was cooler at 25 degrees and accompanied by a stronger breeze. The sea is still very calm and we have been very lucky all the way to date. We went to a cookery demonstration by two of the executive chefs, which was most interesting and Alan will no doubt be attempting these recipes when we get home! After lunch Alan went to a film about the ‘Bridge’ on this ship and I went to the gym to try and loosen off my aching legs since the ‘Body Blast’ exercises! Quite a lazy day really because I then went to the cinema to see Robin Williams in ‘RV’, which I would recommend as being very amusing. It was a formal night tonight and we chose the New Zealand Roughy from our very extensive dinner menu. We did put our watches back this evening so tomorrow we will be 7 hours behind the UK. (We will lose February 15th when we cross the International Date Line and compensate for all our backward changes.) I am now going to post this blog and attempt to pick up any emails so I will reply as soon as I can.
posted by Alan & Marion @ 4:21 AM
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After dinner we went to the theatre and it was a terrific show both for scenery, pyrotechnics, dancing, singing and costume, we really loved it. It was Rock @ the Opera from Freddie Mercury to Madame Butterfly and Pinball Wizard – it was breathtaking.
