10/30/15 - Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with 4 ladies from New York.  One of the ladies is a friend of my sister Rachel's.  I met them at Balboa park and then we drove to a cafe for lunch.  After lunch they wanted to go to Cabrillo National Monument so we parked the car at a Staples parking lot and I went with them since I have a card that will get us into national parks for free.  We also drove down to the tide pools and the waves where pretty high because of a storm brewing in the pacific.

After that, we went back to the car and headed for the beach since they wanted to put their feet in the pacific and also we saw a beautiful sunset.  I had some extra chairs so we could sit on the beach.  I found it a little chilly but of course they were quite comfortable.  They are busy today and leave really early tomorrow morning so it was a great time.

10/27/15 - Well, this morning I moved from one location to the permanent location in the campground.  I have almost everything set up but needed to get some lunch and get the TV up and running since I had been on cable instead of satellite.  I need to put some things away yet and cover the tires.  Tonight have plans to go out for dinner with Louise.

10/26/15 - I need to make some correction regarding the trip.  We cruised all day on 10/13 and we went thru the canal on 10/14.  Therefore, the 10/15 date at Cartagena is correct

10/16 and 10/17 were both sailing dates headed for Miami, Florida where we disembarked.

10/18 - we got up and out of the cabin in time to have some breakfast before heading to the airport.  Aunt Esther was scheduled out at around 5:00pm and I was scheduled out at 2:00pm.  We got to the airport about 10:15am so Esther went to Delta to see if she could get out earlier we were successful.  She left at 11:30am on standby.  I then walked over to American to see if I could do the same thing but everything was completely booked and they would not even let me go standby.  I traveled from Miami to Orlando and then had a long lay over there.  I finally left the east coast at 5:40pm.  I got to San Diego around 8:00pm.  Louise picked me up and I stayed at her house for the night since the RV was in for repair.

10/19 - I called in the morning to see when I could pick up the RV to learn that there was a problem with the new awning but they thought they would have everything done by late afternoon.  In the afternoon, I learned the more piece was sent and they were not able to use it and therefore I still did not have an awning. It was promised to be delivered overnight and I should have the RV by Wednesday afternoon.  Thank goodness for a good friend.  She let me stay with her during all of this misfortune.

10/22 - I finally got the RV back and came to the campground to learn that the space I had been paying for was not available until Tuesday morning (10/27) because there was a dead tree that was scheduled to come down on 10/26.  So I am in a pull through for the last 5 days and plan to walk over to make sure that things are on schedule for tomorrow's move!!

10/26/15 - On 10/15 we docked at Cartagena, Colombia.  Aunt Esther had been fighting a cold and decided not to go on the tour we had scheduled so I did the tour by myself.  Part of it was a walking tour and several of us were slower walkers so that was good for me.  We toured an old monastery that was remodeled and housed six priests.  It sat way up on a hill and we had an excellent view of the city.  At one time it was a walled city and the wall is still there but the city is just built are it.  It is a very modern city with lots of high rise buildings.  Our next stop was an old fort but we only had ten minutes so none of us could really walk up the hill to the fort.  We stopped to rest in a beautiful city square and then the tour ended with some shopping at an expensive jewelry store.

                                             The courtyard at the monastery

                                                                     The Fort

10/25/15 - On 10/13 we started to get ready to go thru the Panama Canal.  The day before Aunt Esther and I checked many different areas to see where we wanted to spend out day.  I learned that the front of the ship which was opened for the day would not work for me.  It was recommended that I set up shop at the Spinnaker Lounge which was on the very top and front of the ship.  We were scheduled to sit at the beginning of the channel waiting for our turn at around 6:00am.  I got up a little after 5:00am and Aunt Esther had ordered some coffee to be delivered at 6:30am so I headed up to the lounge at around 5:40am to learn that all of the very front was already taken and that some passengers had been there since 4:00am!!  I was a little disappointed but we did get a good table and chairs on the side up front.  The complete process took 14 hours since we had some delays but it is a long process to complete the over 50 mile trek across the canal. It was extremely interesting and I have attached a few pictures:

                                         All of us waiting for our turn to start thru the canal

                                          The locomotives waiting to tie up with us.  They
                                           will guide us thru the locks ahead

                                           Finally the gates are opening up!

10/23/15 - 10/11 - we are at sea and headed for Costa Rica.  It was great to have a relaxing day.

10/12 - We docked in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and we had a toured that involved a bus ride, boat ride and train ride.  It was really interesting.  On the boat ride we saw a lot of various types of birds and we actually saw two crocodiles.  The train was a restored old train but it took us into neighborhood and we were able to see how some the natives lives. We got a surprise and saw a black monkey in the tree.  I was quite excited.

                                           The crocodile in the river

                                                              The monkey in the tree

10/23/15 - On 10/10, we docked at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.  We booked a tour that took us to the old town of Antigua.  It was a long tour since we had a distance to drive to get to the town.  When we arrived we took a tour of a jade museum and could watch them refine the stone.  We then walked a little and toured a cathedral, central plaza, government complex that had two beautiful painted windows of the circle of life in the region.  We also stopped off at a restaurant and had a typical Guatemalan meal.  I have attached pictures:

                                            The Cathedral - there was a wedding in process

                                                            Statue in Central Plaza

10/21/15 - On 10/7 we were at sea all day.

10/8 - We docked at Huatulco, Mexico and Aunt Esther and I had a tour including a mexican cooking class and then of course ate the the food that was cooked.  It was really interesting.

10/9 - We docked at Puerto Chiapas, Mexico.  We had a tour involving Maya ruins at Izapa.  We traveled to Tapachula by bus and enjoyed a tour of a planetarium and learned about the astronomy of the Maya Indians.  We then were entertained by a group of Maya Indian dances and that was really interesting.  Pictures attached:

                                           The Maya ruins at Izapa

                                                          The Maya Indian Dancers

10/20/2015 - On 10/5 we docked at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was our first port to explore. Aunt Esther took a tour of the rock formations and I got off the ship to see if the program that Verizon told me about was going to work in Mexico and if I can make or receive phone calls and of course like anything else it did not work.  I then got a Pepsi for me and water for Aunt Esther.  I then sat on the edge of a store to watch people.  Soon I heard my name and it was Aunt Esther so we headed back to the ship.

10/6 - We are now docked at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  There we took a tour of the city and a tequila factory.  We then had a typical Mexican Fiesta and a traditional Mexican folkloric ballet.  We did see the Cathedral from a distance.  Picture attached:

                                                            Cathedral in background

10/19/15 - I am not sure where to start so I think I will write a little each day and date it so I know where I left off.  I got back to San Diego last night at 8:00pm.

10/3/15 - Louise took me to the trolley station in El Cajon at 6:35am for a departure at 6:48am.  I got to the Amtrak station and took a bus to Oceanside at 8:00am.  Amtrak closed the track from Oceanside to San Diego for repairs. We got to Oceanside on schedule.  The train was scheduled at 9:25am.  We soon learned that the earlier train had broken down on the track and our train was going to push the broken down train and so now we had 12 passenger cars going to Union Station in Los Angeles.  By the time they got all that done, we were an hour and half late!!  Then at every stop on the way up, we had to stop twice since the train was longer than the platform!!  We fnally got to Union Station at 1:05pm.  Now almost two hours late.  I then had to take a 45 minute bus ride to LAX airport to meet up with Aunt Esther who had been there since around 11:00am.  We finally met up at 2:10pm.  We then had a shuttle to take us to the ship and that was another 1/2 hour drive.  Well, we fnally got to the cruise terminal at 3:15pm and the ship was suppose to depart at 4:00pm.  We were the last ones on the ship!!  They were having a safety drill so we could not even go to the cabin. What a mess!!  We finally did depart the terminal at 5:00pm because they had some problems getting the international papers correct.

10/4/15 - Today is a sailing day and it was good to just relax and not do much at all.

10/02/15 -  On 9/29, I went back to check blood pressure and soon learned that the low dose of HCTZ was not working and so then she added Metroprol.  Now I have to good back tonight yet and see if that has worked for the last 2/1/2 days.  I don't feel any different so I am not sure.

10/1/15 - went to campground office to get things taken care while I am gone.  I learned that they did have a standard space available for $70 less than what I was paying per month.  It is even 40 feet long and will have room for my car so that will take care of the monthly $25 fee!!  I am able to park the car in the spot already.  I then got some things put away to get ready to move the RV to the repair shop while I am gone.

10/2/15 - first thing today, I went to a truck place so that I could get a DOT sticker for next year since New York requires it.  I learned I had a small leak around a gasket so that will be repaired while at the repair shop.  I have put all my request in for repairs and they will keep the RV the two weeks that I am gone which is great.  At the present time, I am waiting for Louise who will be picking me up.  We then will head to the doctor's office and then stop off for some dinner.  I will stay at her house tonight and she will take me to the trolley station in the morning which I will head for the Amtrak stations to meet Aunt Esther at the LA airport and head out to the ship.  Therefore, there will be no blogs until I return in the evening on 10/18.