Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Love your photos!    Thank you for sharing.   

I do have to ask - what is this a photo of?    At first glance I thought it was a dead bird (looks like a beak and ey at the top of it)

I thought bird, too.

[island lady]

Dining room...as expected...was eerie empty.   Probably 5 waiters to every pax in there.  There were some waiters that had no one at all in their section.  I think it was actually more empty on the opposite side of the entrance.  We were on that side, and all the way to the back.  That is where most of the waiters hang out.  

 

So being bored, and just 6 of us back there, one of the waiters goaded one of their own to come up to sing.  He was given a salt shaker as a "microphone" and did a rendition of "The greatest love".  Wow...so cool.  To a thunderous applause...all 6 of us, and 20 some waiters/head waiters...we had the most fantastic show!  Brought tears to my eyes....how special was that?  🥰

[Cherful59]

@island lady @pstone1 @CSHS1979 Thank you for all of the wonderful pictures and information.

Patti

[taznremmy]

12 minutes ago, island lady said:

Dining room...as expected...was eerie empty.   Probably 5 waiters to every pax in there.  There were some waiters that had no one at all in their section.  I think it was actually more empty on the opposite side of the entrance.  We were on that side, and all the way to the back.  That is where most of the waiters hang out.  

 

So being bored, and just 6 of us back there, one of the waiters goaded one of their own to come up to sing.  He was given a salt shaker as a "microphone" and did a rendition of "The greatest love".  Wow...so cool.  To a thunderous applause...all 6 of us, and 20 some waiters/head waiters...we had the most fantastic show!  Brought tears to my eyes....how special was that?  🥰

It was awesome!  How lucky were we.

[pstone1]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I thought bird, too.

 

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Love your photos!    Thank you for sharing.   

I do have to ask - what is this a photo of?    At first glance I thought it was a dead bird (looks like a beak and ey at the top of it)

Sorry - it’s a rock with the salt deposits.  Salt is the only thing they mine from the Preserve and only for the roads.

[pstone1]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

I have Haku booked for the second day now in Lima. I did not see your tour listed.  We are being picked up at 8 am at the port entrance.  Market tour and cooking class.  

Ugh!  We found out tonight that “All Aboard” on January 30 will be after the last shuttle bus at 8pm.  The tour we booked did not finish before then, so I had to cancel it.  Rebooked a similar tour with Haku that left earlier and has lunch instead of dinner.

[island lady]

12 hours ago, taznremmy said:

It was awesome!  How lucky were we.

 

Ran into Melissa just now in the WJ....she said our singer is preparing a special song for us tonight.  😁

[island lady]

11 hours ago, pstone1 said:

Ugh!  We found out tonight that “All Aboard” on January 30 will be after the last shuttle bus at 8pm.  The tour we booked did not finish before then, so I had to cancel it.  Rebooked a similar tour with Haku that left earlier and has lunch instead of dinner.

 

I booked with Haku for tomorrow.  They gave me choice of pickup at the port gate of 8 am or 1 pm.  I chose 8 am, since 1 pm would have cut into our happy hour and early dinner by the time that one finished.  😉 

 

4 hour tour with market visit to select ingredients for our cooking class, prep at the restaurant, cooking, then eating our work!  I think some Pisco Sours may be present as well.  😁

[island lady]

Pulled into Lima Peru this morning early.  Once again another freight yard...this one is massive...biggest one yet.  Two shuttle bus choices...one to the port gate (tour pick ups) and one to the Miraflores Casino (smart thinking for the Casino 😉 ).   We will take the Miraflores shuttle since there is where we want to do our self four and find a lunch spot with friends Lee and Adida.  

 

 

[island lady]

Enterprising "craft" vendors again down on the dock setting up temporary shop.  Smart there as well.  😉  

 

 

[island lady]

No word yet as to the status of our fellow pax that were flown to Cusco in hopes of being able to reach Machu Picchu.   Adida has a friend there that she can text.  As of last night...did not look good for today either.  They all went to a horse show yesterday.  Will ask if she knows anything when they come to gather us at 9:30.  

[Ocean Boy]

2 minutes ago, island lady said:

No word yet as to the status of our fellow pax that were flown to Cusco in hopes of being able to reach Machu Picchu.   Adida has a friend there that she can text.  As of last night...did not look good for today either.  They all went to a horse show yesterday.  Will ask if she knows anything when they come to gather us at 9:30.  

A horse show in place of MP. Hmmm.

[orville99]

39 minutes ago, island lady said:

As of last night...did not look good for today either.  They all went to a horse show yesterday. 

I presume the horse show was a scheduled part of their "gala" evening at the hotel?

[island lady]

Took the complimentary shuttle bus to Miraflores...about 40 minutes through heavy traffic.  The neighborhood difference between old downtown Lima and high end Miraflores was night and day.  Obvious wealth in Miraflores with casinos, resorts, condos and a massive two level underground mall with all top brands and nice restaurants.  All perched above the cliffs over the ocean.  

 

 

 

 

[island lady]

On a suggestion from one of Adida's friends we decided on popular Tanta seaside restaurant perched over the ocean with great view.  Picked up a "stray" as Adida called her friend and arranged a "five top" for lunch.  Wow...fantastic food, great wine...wonderful company.  🥰 

 

Bucky had the Taku Taku Pollo (chicken) and I had the Taku Taku Pescado (fish)...yumms.  We all shared Empanadas and the others had a steak dish and sandwich paired with Peruvian wine. 

 

 

 

 

[island lady]

Stopping on the way back at the vendors on the dock...we decided to adopt a girlfriend for my friend.  I have traveled 20 years with my little friend..."George the Bilge rat" on every cruise.  She is made with Alpaca fur...soooooo soft, and is a cute fluffy .......I think perhaps Guinea Pig?   🤔

 

Soooo...the question is...what do we name her?  

 

 

[doghog]

2 minutes ago, island lady said:

Soooo...the question is...what do we name her?  

Miraflores.

 

According to Google, it means "behold the flowers" or "flowers view". 

[island lady]

1 minute ago, doghog said:

Miraflores.

 

According to Google, it means "behold the flowers" or "flowers view". 

 

Yes, the town we went to.  Used to love to visit a favorite winery in northern California also called Miraflores.  They said it meant "many flowers"...and indeed they had beautiful landscaping with a lot of flowers.  

 

George's new girlfriend however...is the one that needs a name.  Hmmm..she is so soft and cute..I think George likes her.  😉 

[pstone1]

15 minutes ago, island lady said:

Stopping on the way back at the vendors on the dock...we decided to adopt a girlfriend for my friend.  I have traveled 20 years with my little friend..."George the Bilge rat" on every cruise.  She is made with Alpaca fur...soooooo soft, and is a cute fluffy .......I think perhaps Guinea Pig?   🤔

 

Soooo...the question is...what do we name her?  

 

 

Miss Piggy!  LOL!  Very cute!

 

We bought our two granddaughters soft llamas/alpacas when we were in La Serena.  So far, we haven’t found something for our grandson!  Still looking!

[orville99]

22 minutes ago, island lady said:

Stopping on the way back at the vendors on the dock...we decided to adopt a girlfriend for my friend.  I have traveled 20 years with my little friend..."George the Bilge rat" on every cruise.  She is made with Alpaca fur...soooooo soft, and is a cute fluffy .......I think perhaps Guinea Pig?   🤔

 

Soooo...the question is...what do we name her?  

 

 

Buffy the Boisterous Barmouse🥃

Edited January 29 by orville99

[Another_Critic]

20 minutes ago, island lady said:

George's new girlfriend however...is the one that needs a name.  Hmmm..she is so soft and cute..I think George likes her.  😉 

 

Amal

[GimmeOcean]

33 minutes ago, island lady said:

George's new girlfriend however...is the one that needs a name.  

Mira

[orville99]

“It’s OK you can call her flower if you want to”

 

Edited January 29 by orville99

[pstone1]

We took a tour around Lima this morning, visiting at least 7 of the 15 “neighborhoods”.  One of our stops was Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas, where the President of Peru lives.  There was a very heavy Police presence everywhere, and the Plaza was closed due to a very loud protest taking place a block or two away.  We walked a few blocks around and were able to take decent pictures of the Plaza buildings, including the Municipal Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace. Buildings with beautifully carved wooden balconies were also around the Plaza.

[DaniDanielle]

Thanks for all the beautiful photos