Traveling via cruise ship and train in 2010 - October 9

10-9-10 Day One

If you want to see the pictures better click on them and they will get larger. They do not move the way I want them to so they are not all in the proper places.

Today Jalil and I are going on a Princess cruise from San Francisco to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, via Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama Canal, Cartagena, Columbia, and Aruba. It will last for 16 days. After that we will spend 2 days in Ft. Lauderdale, then take the Amtrak train to Washington, DC where we will spend three nights; then on to Chicago for one night before taking the train to Reno, where Steven will pick us up and drive us home after the Breeders’ Cup Race on November 6, 2010. Steven and Jalil have a tradition to go to Reno to watch this race on the big screen.

Steven, Laura, and Elliana (3) picked us up in their van (Honda Odyssey) at ll AM. It happened to be Fleet Week with military ships in town. The Blue Angels (acrobatic pilots from the Navy) were to show their stuff that afternoon. This meant that an enormous amount of people were also going in the same direction as we were. By the Embarcadero it was STOP. People were walking by us in droves. Military men (young boys!) - Navy and Marine Corps - were sprinkled here and there. Laura liked the officers’ uniforms which made Elliana keep on eye out for the “uniforms”. She kept asking about the officers. There was a long line of people waiting to step on board the aircraft carrier. Laura sat in the back and kept texting to somebody. Then she announced that our ship was not at the scheduled Pier 35 but at 27. How did she know? She had been texting Susu who was waiting at the pier with Dylan (7). It was supposed to be a surprise for us. Dylan had spent the night with Susu and David. By the time we finally reached Pier 27, Susu and Dylan were sitting on some equipment on the sidewalk. They were waving vigorously. Steven turned in to the drop off and we were finally there. All our luggage was unloaded quickly. How did we end up with so much stuff? A quick hug goodbye for everybody and we were on our way. The porter loaded the baggage on his cart and looked at us and stated: “You won’t see me again.” That was our hint that we were supposed to tip him, which Jalil got faster than I did. We had just shown our passports before checking in when the phone rang. It was Dylan, crying “I am going to miss you. You are going to be gone for a whole month”. I almost felt like crying myself. He is such a sweet child! I told him that he could come to spend time with us as soon as we returned and he could then play on the computer. That made him feel better and we said goodbye.


We were quickly checked in and got our cards after showing our credit card. They look like a credit card and you use it for everything - drinks, entering and leaving the ship, shopping - anything you spend money on. All food is included but if you want soda, alcohol or special coffee you have to use your card.

We found our cabin easily on the 5th deck and met our steward Renee. We did not bother unpacking but rushed up to the 14th deck where we had lunch in the cafeteria Horizon - not very exiting food. - as we were starving from sitting in traffic so long. Afterwards, we went outside to look for the Blue Angels. We saw one plane flying down in spirals and under the Golden Gate Bridge and then straight up again leaving a contrail. Very difficult to catch with the camera. The San Francisco Bay was full of small sailboats waiting to see the Blue Angels. We had a Hawaiian drink there.






At 3.15 we had to go downstairs for our safety
instructions and trying out the life vests. We sat next to a couple from Manchester, England - Jean and Gordon - very cheerful. Afterwards, we rushed up to the 14th deck again to catch the Blue Angels but all the little boats were now returning to the city. We had missed it!!!! Had looked forward to sitting on deck to watch the performance. It was now time to leave port but the Sea Princess could not move as there were so many small vessels everywhere. The captain announced that we needed to wait 10 minutes.

The new Bay Bridge is coming along.




Later he announced that a container ship had to pass first. Steven with family and Susu were waiting at the shore to see us leave. We called to update them of our delay. They had started to walk and were now at Ft. Mason. A while after the container ship had passed, the Coastguard started to move the boat traffic further out so we could move out from the pier.
It is always exiting to see the City from the Bay. The weather was fantastic - warm and clear - no fog at all. Once we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, everybody disappeared. By the time we passed Point Bonita I was the only one left. I had carried around a jacket all afternoon and was now toasty warm in spite of the fog and wind. Point Bonita

Once inside the Horizon cafeteria, we had tea/coffee. Started to talk to the couple next to us - very friendly, from southern England. They introduced themselves and Jalil decided then that he was now going to be Jack - too much trouble to explain his name. The man said that it is strange that you do not meet the same people twice very often. I have not found that to be correct. But it gets a little tiresome to talk to strangers all the time.
As soon as we passed under the bridge, I became aware of my stomach and head - just like on the Alaska cruise. I took ½ meclizine as I do not like to take too much but the discomfort continued and got worse so I took the other half later. All I wanted to do was to lie down in bed. Jalil who was just fine and went somewhere exploring and I did not notice him returning. Slept well.