Valparaiso to Los Angeles Travel Notes
JAN. 23, 2024 – VALPARAISO, ARGENTINA (Day 45)
We started our day meeting up with Sebastian of Valparaiso Wine Tours. There were 8 of us total with Shannon, Erika, Jodi, and Brenda joining us from Serenade of the Seas. We began the tour with short tour of the city. The overwhelming art in both good and bad forms was on display. There were some of the most beautiful murals on the sides of buildings and along fences. Of course there was a lot of tagging also, but the interesting aspect of all this is the means of stopping the tagging is to have a mural painted. The graffiti artist doing the tagging will not deface another artists work. It gave the city a very “artsy” vibe.
You can’t help but notice all the hills that surround the bay. Sometimes these hills are so steep, they use a funicular to take the residents up and down the hills. Sebastion took us down the hill in a funicular that was extremely steep. I had traveled like this at ski resorts before, but it had never been this steep. After wandering around town some more, we headed out of town to Casablanca Valley to visit a couple of wineries.
Our first stop was a smaller winery that has done some interesting things in experimenting with the processing of wine. Mixing different grapes in the fermentation process and using large clay pots and cement vats, they are able to try smaller batches and experiment with flavor profiles. We very much enjoyed Felipe showing us around at Bodega RE and sampling some very nice wines.
Our next winery (Vinamar)was much bigger in both size and their production. They also differed in that they primarily made sparkling wines. We had a beautiful out door patio with a nice view over the vineyard in which to taste the wines. We all agreed that they were very good as we each picked our favorite of the flight.
It was a great day meeting new friends and seeing more of Chile. We all went home with wine purchases, which is really funny since we all have the beverage package and can have all the free (well…prepaid) wine that we want on the ship. We wanted to support the wineries, and we liked the wines enough to pay a little more to have theirs when we get back on the ship. Also, THANKS, SEBASTIAN, for a great day in Chile!
JAN. 24, 2024 – COQUIMBO, CHILE (Day 46)
Our main thing to see today is the Cruz del Tercer Milenio (Third Millenium Cross). It sits at the top of the hill above the city and is the highest building work erected in South America. We set off on foot as we really wanted to get some exercise in today. We were unaware of the amount of walking and elevation change we would traverse. We made it to the top with a 450 ft elevation increase over a 2 mile trek. We went through some neighborhoods we probably shouldn’t and we changed our route once because of a sketchy character who we knew was watching us closely. We also had 2 people that warned us we were not in safe areas. BUT, we made it!
The cross was very interesting, with many bronze statues depicting scenes from the passion of Christ. Catholicism was on display everywhere with even the doors depicting scenes with the Pope and Cardinals looking on. We tried to get an Uber to take us to our next stop that Gwen had picked out, a cemetery. No one would commit to our ride so we set off on foot again. Thank goodness it was downhill. There are so many dogs, both stray and domestic. You really learned to appreciate that in the U.S. we pick up after dogs and we aren’t constantly having to watch where we step the entire journey. We got down into the city but were never able to fine the cemetery and we finally gave up because we happened on the next thing we wanted to see. Eiffel not only built a tower in France, but he also designed modular churches to withstand the weather since they were made of steel. The one in Coquimbo was in poor condition despite being named a National Heritage site in the 1970’s.
We were finally able to secure an Uber to take us to the English Quarter where there are a lot of shops. We wandered around for a while watching the locals gathering in a plaza on a Wednesday afternoon. We walked into some shops and then headed back to the ship for a late lunch. It was a good morning all in all. We enjoyed the walk and really got a feel for city life in Chile.
JAN. 25, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 47)
We had a nice day to work on our photos and the website. They have an archery activity onboard every once in while and we had the opportunity to try it today. It was fun. I will try to add a photo the next time they have it.
We have moved to a new dinner table for only six. The good news is that the couple joining us are in the suite next door, so we already know them and they are on for the full cruise. We seem to have a lot in common, so the conversation flows easily.
JAN. 26, 2024 – ARICA, CHILE (Day 48)
Gwen and I were going to be visiting some sights alone today, so we asked Andrew and Ale Kenney if they wanted to tag along. We were going to pay for transportation anyway so they could save some money coming with us. What a surprise when we got off the ship! They were having their International Andean Carnival with the Force of the Sun. It is a 3 day event with groups coming from surrounding countries participating in the parade. We spent time walking around taking in the colorful atmosphere and energy from everyone. The grandstand for the parade was the steps of another Eiffel designed church. Unlike Coquimbo, this church was still in use and we got to go inside. We took an Uber, which is very affordable in Chile, to Azapa Valley to visit a museum that claims to have the oldest mummies in the world. We learned about the history of the area, even prior to the Inca’s. We also visited a cemetary near by because Gwen had read online how they build roofs over the graves.
We ate lunch at La Pica del Muertito with roughly translated means “The Pike of the Dead Man”. It was pretty comical as Ale knew the most Spanish and that was very little. Gwen had to try the local pastel de choclo, a kind of shepherd’s pie. We ended up having pretty good food. But getting back to Arica was going to be a challenge. We spent 15 minutes with our waiter trying to get a taxi, but finally gave up and started walking back to the main road. Many of the taxi’s that couldn’t stop, as they already had fares, notified a driver named Priscilla that we were standing on the side of the road and she rescued us from the heat.
We went to see the geoglyphs (Cerro Segrado and another un-named) and made it to the top of Morro del Arica which was a large stone landmark that overlooks the city. It was a great day and we were extremely glad to have Priscilla be so accommodating for our sightseeing! Just such an unexpected fun time!
JAN. 27, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 49)
Another boring sea day, haha! Not really, but it was a lot like the others. We did go to a show tonight that featured a slight of hand magician (Bill Cook) from Chicago. His magic did have us scratching our heads trying to figure out how he accomplished some of his tricks.
Only because it is in Gwen’s diary (that I use to remind myself of daily events), the girls won their first game of Euchre against the guys tonight! I told you Magic and slight of hand was in the air this evening.
JAN. 28, 2024 – PISCO, PERU (DAY 50) FLIGHT TO CUSCO
Early morning getting up to catch a flight in Pisco to get to Cusco, Peru. We got a face to face meeting with Peru Customs and Immigration on the ship and we were off. I have to comment on the landing in Cusco. I know aviation clearances in the U.S. as I took pilot training. We did not adhere to that in Peru. We came in for a landing with changing winds that were circling through the canyons and valleys created by the Andes mountains. Just before landing we were going over houses down to about 150ft. above the sheet metal rooves of many of the poorly constructed homes. I honestly could not believe that “homes” were built that close to the runway. When we exited the terminal, you would have thought we were foreign dignitaries. The path to the buses was lined with dancers and musicians and at the busses we were given tea to help with the altitude change.
Everyone is a little concerned that we might not actually get to Machu Picchu since there is a protest going on with the train operators that are needed to get us to the top. We are assured they are doing everything they can to get it resolved, but even if they can’t, they have a back up plan. It was the topic of the day.
We checked into the Monasterio hotel close to the town square. The original part of the hotel was built as a monastery in 1595 on the site of the Inca palace of Amaru Qhala and made into a hotel in 1965. It was so beautiful! We felt fortunate to have been placed here as we heard about the hotel choices from others who had been to Cusco before. We were met at the door with hot damp hand towels to freshen up and more tea. I really can’t say enough about this place as we loved not only the hotel itself, but its close proximity to the square.
Our guide took us to the very large Cusco Cathedral on the square after lunch. They have mixed so much of their Incan beliefs into this cathedral. So much so that people who worship mother earth will come and worship inside the cathedral at some of the stones that represent their faith. I don’t think God would be pleased. They even have Masonic symbols and Jewish icons (Menorah) are represented at some of the altars. There were so .many alters, we kind of lost count (Looked it up, 10!).
We left there by bus to go see “Sexy Woman” as our guide kept up an ongoing joke. It is really Sacsayhuaman (also spelled Saqsaywaman, Sacsaywaman) and pronounced -more like SAX-EE-WAH-MAN. Built in the 1400’s, this site has both military and religious importance to the Incas. In 1536 a great battle occurred between the Inca’s and the Spanish Conquistidors. It was very impressive.
JAN. 29, 2024 – CUSCO, PERU (Day 51)
Sad to say we were informed last night that Machu Picchu was not going to happen for us. It is just as well for me as I woke up with a stomach bug. I slept till around 11:30 and walked around town in the afternoon and got a massage.
Gwen’s Day: We started our day out going to the Coricancha, Temple of the Sun, one of the most important and sacred of the Inca temples. Santa Domingo Church was built over this temple, but there has been excavations that show some of what was there before.
Since we couldn’t go to Machu Picchu, they took us to another beautiful Inca ruin in Sacred Valley. It was a long and beautiful van ride to Ollantaytambo village and ruins and many of us were feeling the curves and hills by the time we got there, but seeing this village and ruins was worth it. The town had very narrow streets some with a channel of water running beside the walkway. This water came from the mountains and used to be a very good source of fresh water. Across from the village were terraces and ruins of more temples. An important battle took place here between the Inca and Spanish, one of the few where Spain was defeated.
For lunch we headed to a hacienda which had beautiful gardens. The food was delicious and we enjoyed our time there very much! After that we continued the ride back to Cusco with some scenic overview stops.
JAN. 30, 2024 – LIMA, PERU (Day 52)
Uneventful flight back to the ship. I however forgot to get my Seapass card needed for re-entering the port out of my suitcase before putting under the bus. We got stopped at the port entrance and security was not happy with me. The tour guide and I stepped off the bus and I started going through my suitcase as I wasn’t sure exactly where I had placed it. Before I could find it, our tour guide told me to put my suitcase back as they were going to let me in. He had been fervently arguing that I had my passport and it had RCCL stamps with my cabin number, so they finally relented. I got a new card anyway when I came aboard since it was easier for security.
We had a quick lunch, then back on another bus to go explore Lima. This excursion was provided free of charge by RCCL as they wanted to offer something to us for not getting to go to Machu Picchu. We went to a park/shopping mall where we picked up a handmade bell for a Christmas ornament. We also went to Lovers Park. There was art everywhere with mosaic walls and statues of a heart shooting arrows and a couple in “The Kiss”. It was interesting and the views of the beach below were very nice.
We then went to Circuito Magico del Agua to see 13 fountains surrounded by gardens. Every night they have fountain show where they have colors and projections onto the misting fountains. It was fun to see all the families out enjoying the park. It was surprising to learn that Lima is a city of 11 million people. It’s the world’s 2nd largest desert city behind Cairo, Egypt. The traffic bore that out but we enjoyed the sightseeing.
We ended with a late dinner of traditional Peruvian food. We finally ended our very long day back at the ship at 10:30 p.m,
JAN. 31, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 53)
Rested up from an exhausting trip to Cusco because of not only the altitude change, but the tons of stairs and steps we had. We went to the Helipad to watch the sail away and bird watched. It was fun to see the large varieties of birds that hang around the port.
We finished our day doing laundry, working on website and pictures, then went to the pub after dinner to listen to Daniel play music.
FEB. 1, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 54)
We saw dolphins racing our ship this morning. It is nice to stand out on the deck and just watch the ocean. Gwen met up with some women on the ship wanting to start a Woman’s Bible Study. In the evening we played Sticks (card game) with Doug, Margaret, Brian, & Shari Knoll in the 4th floor card room next to a group of people playing a cash poker game. They were pretty intense!
FEB. 2, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 55)
Gwen went to a Crown & Anchor event this morning. Something they have started on this cruise that is unique, is to open up their employee recognition ceremony to some of the loyalty cruisers. It makes sense since we have come to have more personal and lasting relationships with the staff. Both Gwen and I know the names of about 20 or so staff that we see on a daily basis. “Baby”, who is Doug and Margarets room steward won Employee of the Year! It was fun to see a lot of the cruisers calling out “Congratulations!” throughout the day.
I met with Heinrich, a member of our community group, in the gym to learn some back exercises that have helped him over the years. He is a serious workout enthusiast that looks like he is 20 years younger than he is.
Gwen got to relax on a sun deck and watch homemade boat races from cruiser entries. In the evening we went to the Ronn Lucas show (Ventriloquist/Comedian). It was very entertaining.
FEB. 3, 2024 – PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA (Day 56)
THE SAYING OF THE DAY: PURA VIDA! (Basically, don’t worry, be happy!)
We booked a private tour with Chico’s Tours for Costa Rica. We were met at the port by Francisco (Chico) and his daughter, Julia. Our first destination was a private home where Capuchin Monkeys come as the locals feed them bananas. The monkeys are free to come and go, but they are used to visitors and will jump from one guest to the other in hopes that you give them food. It was fun and the monkeys were very interesting to watch.
We then ventured to a river to go on a nature sight-seeing tour with the main attraction being the crocodiles. There were so many birds and other wildlife that you were never bored. Too much to take in, really. Near the end of the ride we were approached by a very large crocodile (Captain Hook, the 3rd largest according to the guide) that came right up to the boat. In years past the tour guides would feed them, but that practice stopped a few years ago. I don’t think they came for food as much as to check out the boats. We were not prepared for how massive this particular crocodile was, as the pictures do not portray the mass very well.
We left the river to go to a small resort area (San Lucia), to see birds and wildlife. We were particularly hoping to see some Scarlet Macaws and we were not disappointed. We had seen some at the river, but could not get any good pictures. We walked around the grounds which has a hotel, restaurant, and Catholic church, where weddings are hosted. Chico was very good at spotting birds and other animals that we would have definitely missed on our own.
On the way to a late lunch, they wanted to take us to a scenic spot for refreshments and the view. We ended up at Ti-Ko’s which had a tremendous view of the valley, river and the bay. We spent quite a bit of our time just enjoying the view and taking in a breath of fresh air.
We had a late lunch at a restaurant that had local cuisine, even though it was connected to souvenir shop. The food was welcome as we were all hungry.
Our tour ended with a quick driving tour of the town to get a feel of where everything was. There were a lot of people in town as it was the weekend. We walked the beach close to pier to end the day. I can see why a lot of Americans want to go to Costa Rica. It is a beautiful country, with quite a bit of charm.
FEB. 4, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 57)
Saw something that looked like a whale smacking the water in the distance. We then stood near the rear of the ship and saw a large sea turtle and a couple of Manta ray’s. Mostly just relaxing today.
This evening our waiter approached us after dinner and said he had seen us praying before dinner every night. He wanted to know if we were Christians. We told him we were, and he said that he was a Christian also. He wanted to sing us a song, and proceeded to sing very well, the song ” The Goodness of God”. Several tables around us clapped for him. It was a great way to end our meal.
FEB. 5, 2024 – PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA (Day 58)
Our plans for Guatemala were very open. We got off the ship with nothing pre-booked. We approached a taxi driver and negotiated a price to see the venues we were interested in. We set off for the nearby (well, 90 minutes away) town of Antigua. Along the way, we planned to visit Valhalla Macadamia Nut farm and a coffee plantation. We saw 3 volcanoes along the way and they were very impressive. Only one was seen with any smoke. It had erupted four to five years ago and had destroyed many of the houses and structures in the surrounding area. We saw many abandoned buildings that had damage.
Arriving at Valhalla before any of the other tour buses allowed us to get a private tour of the grounds. It was very interesting to hear the story of this place and how they created machinery to update harvest processes. We had macadamia flour pancakes and waffles for a late breakfast before setting off for the coffee plantation.
The tour of the coffee plantation did not happen as we had hoped as they tour had already started and we would have to wait 45 minutes for the next. In addition it would cost $100 USD for the 4 of us, which we thought was steep for a 1 hour tour. We passed on the tour, but did get to see the coffee plants and the trees that provide protection for the plants. We moved on to Antigua.
In Antiqua, we had time to visit the Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross) since we had not stopped for the coffee tour. We hiked down the hill to see the picturesque view of the cross overlooking the town. Our guide, Felix, said the cross “protects” the town. One thing we forgot, though! If you walk down a hill to see something, you have to walk back up the hill to get back to the car. We got our workout for the day.
Walking around the square in Antiqua, we got to see a lot of old churches and buildings. There were people everywhere trying to sell you something. I did feel for the needs of the people, but over time, you have to keep saying No Gracias! and keep moving. You couldn’t go a minute without someone else coming up to you and almost everyone had very similar if not the same goods.
Back on board the ship, Gwen and I ended up in the hot tub by the pool with Andrew and Ale. For a couple of hours we had some great conversations on faith and family life.
FEB. 6, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 59)
There is a man on the ship, named Elliot Kalb , who is known as “Mr. Stats” in the sports broadcasting world. He is a writer and is giving several Enrichment Talks on sports. We went to hear him talk about Behind the Scenes at the Super Bowl. It was very interesting to hear stories about his dealings with all the sportscasters and celebrities that attend a Super Bowl. He had the responsibility of providing Dan Patrick with stats and info as they prepared to give the MVP trophy out. Elliot told of the time that the wrong player almost got the trophy by mistake due to communication difficulties. He had lots of video to go with his stories.
FEB. 7, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 60)
Good community group meeting today! Mostly spent time working on pictures, videos, and website.
FEB. 8, 2024 – CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO (Day 61)
At Cabo, we decided to do separate excursions. I wanted to do something active and chose a 4×4 excursion that took us to private beach and dune land about 18 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. What a blast it was and I was glad to just have some fun as opposed to sight seeing. Unfortunately, as it was private land, they did not allow cell phones to be taken on the tours, so there are no real photos for me to share (except one before the ride).
Gwen went on a sail and scenic stop tour. She saw whales, sea lions, pelicans, and other birds. We met up after and went to a late lunch for Mexican food. We saw two of our favorite staff (Earvin and Tiane) having lunch together. We did not know they were a couple. They are both very shy and such a nice couple.
Our food (fish tacos and quesadillas) was very good and there was live music, and of course being a Mexican restaurant, they came around to each table. Gwen got a “happy” song. We did have a great time, just walking around and taking in the sights. We even caught some sea lions at the end of the pier.
FEB. 9, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 62)
Busy day at sea today! We started with a Consecutive Cruiser meeting to get details on Los Angeles, as it is a turnaround port. Gwen started a women’s Bible study group, today. We met up at choir rehearsal where we are making progress on our sea shanty songs. Our performance day has been set after Hawaii.
We worked on photos, then played some Monopoly Deal while we got a scoop or two of strawberry ice cream in the solarium. Gwen went to hear Elliot Kalb give his last talk and picks for the Super Bowl.
We had lobster for dinner tonight, always a welcome treat. But the big treat was from our assistant waiter from China, Yuxin. She gave Chinese New Years cards to the ladies at the table. This is a special year, the year of the dragon. It was such a nice gesture and Gwen really loved it!
We ended the evening at the Tropical Theater watching a new show by the Royal Voices. The show, titled “Club Royale” gave homage to the big band sound of the early 1900’s. They had a club scene with tables set up and the band in the background and as the story played out, the singers would sing old songs that told the story line. It was very well done and enjoyable.
FEB. 10, 2024 – ENSENADA, MEXICO (Day 63)
Another slightly different start to our day in Ensenada. We got released for port at 11:00 a.m. and Gwen and I were the first to walk out of the port. We met our driver and were taken to a local spa for a couples massage. My 90 minute deep tissue massage was one of the best I have ever had. My masseuse, though small in stature, really knew how to use her weight and leverage to give a very good massage. Gwen had a facial in addition to her massage.
We had the spa drop us off at La Guerrerense, a food stop that Gwen had read about online. Anthony Bourdain had once called it the “best street food in the world”. It was tostadas, but the toppings were very unique. We had to try the Erizo con Almejo (sea urchin and clam). We had a total of 3 and 2 of them were great. The sea urchin was palatable, but definitely not our favorite, but we love trying food that are popular in other cultures.
We then decided to walk around through the historic district that was filled with shops. As we made our way toward port, we noticed that most of the people were locals. We passed a fish market right across from a row of small restaurants that will take your purchase and cook it for you. Wow, fresh seafood but only if you can stand the smell!
We realized that it was a Saturday, and there were craft markets and musicians at many of the venues that all the locals were coming to for their weekend festivities. We also found that we had overestimated how many Pesos we needed for our trip. We stopped at a McDonald’s and made a purchase since Gwen needed a restroom and you had to be a customer. We decided we should start making purchases and be generous at the same time. There are so many people with small children sitting on sidewalks, that your heart breaks for their family. You want to help them all, but you can’t. We do have a lot of handmade bracelets and gum in our room now. I also had fun confusing some of the vendors by refusing their price and negotiating the price up. I would then wait for their confused look, and tell them, “O.K., O.K., you drive a hard bargain” and then raise the price again. I just didn’t want to have to exchange money again and let a bank take another cut.
FEB. 11, 2024 – LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (Day 64)
See Leg 4 for comments! Turnaround Day
Got a Question?
Feel free to ask us any travel questions or anything you would like to know about specific pictures.
