Friday, 29 November 2024

Tucson

Will and I are finally getting everything together for our upcoming trip--which begins in five days. We start with a two-day visit with my brother and his wife in Austin, Texas, and then move to Miami for our Oceania cruise to Peru.

As a reminder, here is the complete itinerary, with some changes and additions since I first posted it about a month ago.

Oceania Cruise:  Maya & Inca Discovery

Wed   04 Dec  08:00am  lv Tucson (MVRV) 

                        09:45am  av Phoenix (PHX)

                        12:40pm  lv Phoenix (PHX) / Southwest #0554  

                        03:45pm  av Austin (AUS) / Steve & Akiko Laban

Thu   05 Dec                   Austin

Fri    06 Dec    12:15pm  lv Austin (AUS) / Southwest #0510

                        03:50pm  av Miami (MIA) / Regency Miami Airport by Sonesta

Sat    07 Dec    11:00am  E-Life Car to Cruiseport

                         11:30am  Embark Oceania ms Marina (14 nights) / "Maya & Inca Discovery" / Concierge Veranda Stateroom 9057

                         06:00pm  ms Marina Sails from Miami    

 

Sun   08 Dec                    Day at Sea

Mon  09 Dec  09:00am  Av Costa Maya, Mexico

         10:00am  Viator Excursion: Chacchoben Day Trip

         06:00pm  Lv Costa Maya

         08:00pm  Dinner: Red Ginger (Specialty Restaurant)

Tue  10 Dec  08:00am  Av Harvest Caye, Belize

                         09:30am  Shore Excursion: Placencia Lagoon Wildlife & Mangrove

                         06:00pm  Lv Harvest Caye

Wed 11 Dec  07:00am  Av Roatan, Honduras

                         09:00am  Shore Excursion: The Best of the West in Roatan

                         05:00pm  Lv Roatan

Thu 12 Dec                       Day at Sea

                         08:00pm  Dinner: Jacque's (Specialty Restaurant)

Fri   13 Dec     08:00am  Av Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

        08:30am Shore Excursion: Veragua Rain Forest and Aerial Tram

                        05:00pm  Lv Puerto Limon

Sat    14 Dec                    Panama Canal Transit

                        08:00pm  Av Panama City (overnight)

Sun   15 Dec   07:00am  Shore Excursion (L): Highlights of Panama City

                        08:00am  Shore Excursion (W): Two Oceans by Railroad

Mon   16 Dec                   Day at Sea

Tue    17 Dec  08:00am   Av Manta, Ecuador      

        08:30am  Viator Excursion: Manta's highlights and Montecristi Hats

                        08:00pm   Dinner: Toscana (Specialty Restaurant)

Wed  18 Dec                   Day at Sea

        08:00pm Dinner:  Polo Grill (Specialty Restaurant)

Thu  19 Dec    07:00am  Av Salaverry, Peru

                        11:00am  Shore Excursion: Colonial Houses

                        05:00pm  Lv Salaverry

Fri    20 Dec    10:00am  Av Lima, Peru

                        11:00am  Shore Excursion: Lima Highlights

Sa     21 Dec    06:00am Disembark ms Marina

         09:55am Lv Lima (LIM) / Lantam #2037

                         11:15am  Av Cusco, Peru (CUS) / Hilton Garden Inn 

                                       

Sun   22 Dec                   Cusco

Mon  23 Dec                   Cusco

                        05:00am  Viator (L): Machu Picchu Day Trip  

Tue    24 Dec  10:30am  Lv Cusco (CUS) / Lantam #2018

                        12:00nn   Av Lima (LIM) / Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

                        09:00pm  Andean Royalty Taxi to Airport  

Wed  25 Dec   12:50am  Lv Lima (LIM) / Lantam-Delta #6549, Premium Business Class

                        06:55am  Av Los Angeles (LAX)

                        11:20am  Lv Los Angeles / Delta #3951, 1st Class

                        12:53pm  Av Phoenix (PHX)

                        02:45pm  Lv Phoenix (PHX) / Groome Shuttle       

                        04:15pm  Av Tucson (Tiffany Loop)

Oceania ms Marina

Guests: 1,250 / Staff: 800

Built: 2011 / Refurbished: 2024

Tonnage: 66,084 / Length: 784.95 feet

Concierge Veranda Stateroom Amenities

Veranda Stateroom Amenities

•  Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises exclusive, with 1,000-thread-count linens
• Complimentary soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
• Complimentary still & sparkling Vero Water
• Private teak veranda
• Luxury bath amenities
• Room service menu 24 hours a day
• Twice-daily maid service
• Gourmet chocolates with turndown service
• Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
• Wireless Internet access and cellular service
• Writing desk and stationery
• Plush cotton towels
• Thick cotton robes and slippers
• Handheld hair dryer
• Security safe

Additional Concierge Veranda Stateroom Amenities

• Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from The Grand Dining Room
• Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom 
• Exclusive card-only access to private Concierge Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
• Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
• Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
• Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
• Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
• Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
• Complimentary pressing of garmets upon embarkation 
• Complimentary shoeshine service

This will be my 34th ocean cruise since 2007, and Will's 15th. I previously sailed through the Panama Canal in April 2013 on Holland America's ms Veendam. That 18-day cruise took me from Valparaiso, Chile, to Ft Lauderdale, sailing through the canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic. This will be Will's first sailing through the canal; it will take the opposite direction, sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Additionally, in 2013 the new, larger locks of the canal were still under construction; today the old and new locks are fully operational. Because the ms Marina is a smaller ship, we will sail through the old locks, hopefully with good views of the new ones.

We have both sailed on ms Marina once before, a 14-day Mediterranean cruise in 2014. This will be my eighth cruise on Oceania, and Will's fourth.

Monday, 11 November 2024

Los Angeles

Today is my last full day in LA and there is only one thing on my agenda, besides packing for tomorrow's flight home, my scheduled visit to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. I purchased my 11am ticket on-line as soon as I knew when I would be here. I had originally thought I would drive from the hotel, but since the LA transit system works so well and is very inexpensive, I decide to avoid the traffic and save the money that would otherwise go to parking.

I walk the three short blocks to the Metro Center Station, where all the downtown lines converge. The trains come pretty rapidly since this is a work day. I take the "D" line west four stops to the end of the line (there is a plan to extend this line all the way to Santa Monica), but as of now the "D" is the shortest of the seven underground Metro lines. When I exit the station I immediately catch a westbound bus that takes me all the way to the museum on Wilshire Avenue. Total time: about 40 minutes; total cost: $1.75. I arrive well before eleven, but there aren't many visitors today, so I get immediate admission.

The Museum is located in a restored department store building, with a brand-new domed Dolby Theatre attached. The exhibits range over four floors and cover film history, all aspects of film technology, and close examination of individual films (Casablanca and The Godfather trilogy, for example).  Although I spend almost three hours, there is too much to absorb in one visit. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are also special temporary exhibits, such as the current one on the Jewish founders of the major Hollywood studios. There is also a gift shop, restaurant, and coffee bar.

Dolby Family Terrace

Full-Scale Model of "Bruce," from Jaws

Sidney Poitier Lobby

Judy Garland's Ruby Red Slippers

Poster Collection of the Films of Pedro Almodovar

To return to my downtown hotel I just follow the same transit route in reverse. That gives me enough time for a nap and to get all my gear together for tomorrow's travels.

Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Los Angeles to Tucson

There isn't much to report about traveling home. I retrieve my rental Kia and leave the hotel at 9am. It takes three freeways to reach LAX, but even with morning traffic I arrive at the car rental return facility in about 45 minutes. Although the return area functions for several different companies, the process is quick and efficient, and in almost no time I am on the free shuttle to Southwest Airlines terminal. I am most pleasantly surprised that at this time in late morning there are very few travelers. In fact, the security check area is literally empty and I have never gotten through so fast.

My flight leaves on time at 1:05pm and arrives in Tucson at 3:30 (there is now a one hour time difference between Arizona and California). My friend Anita meets me at the airport and we stop at Dominick's Italian Restaurant for dinner. Since I am not really sure what is going on with the lockdown at Mountain View, I decide to spend the night at Anita's at Tangerine Crossing.

On Wednesday morning we have breakfast at First Watch in Oro Valley and then I am at home, finally, around 11am.

So ends a quick California trip. LFLatSea will return very soon with more details about the trip Will and I are taking to Peru from 4-25 December. I hope my readers will join us on the journey.

Sunday, 10 November 2024

Los Angeles--Part 2

Another day has passed in Tucson, but LFLatSea goes back to continue with Sunday in Los Angeles

Just one block north of the Disney Music Hall is the more traditional Music Center's collection of theatres. Jerry Moss Plaza, a 35,000 square foot outdoor space, connects the three major buildings:  the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (the first theatre, completed in 1964), the Ahmanson Theatre, and the Mark Taper Forum. The plaza is centered by a low-level fountain and the Jacques Lipchitz-designed sculpture, “Peace on Earth.” 

Low-Level Fountain in Front of Lipchitz's "Peace on Earth"

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

View of LA's Iconic City Hall Tower from the Music Center

From the Music Center it is a downhill walk to visit the sights of the second tour:  "El Pueblo," starting at Los Angeles Plaza, the center of this historic district and the birthplace of the city. On the south side of the plaza stands Pico House, a hotel built in 1870.

The Old Plaza Firehouse (1884), is next door.

On the north side of the plaza is La Plaza Methodist Church (1926), 

which houses the Museum of Social Justice.

Olvera Street, a pedestrianized passage that is the commercial center of the barrio, starts to the left of the Methodist Church and stretches for several blocks. Popular with locals and tourists, the street offers many opportunities for drinking and dining, as well as myriad souvenirs.

And finally, just down the street is historic Union Station. Like the station in San Diego this one has also been restored to its original grandeur and serves Amtrak, local trains, and the Metro which will take me back to my hotel.

The Metro Center station is just a few blocks from the Westin Hotel. Across the street from the station is a multi-level shopping mall where I see, in spite of the sunshine and warm temperature, a small reminder that the holiday season is upon us.

Tomorrow's blog will take me to the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum on my last day in LA.