We reserved a tandem bike from our hotel room. By the time we got to the beach, it was raining and only 54º F. Determined to try riding a bike built for two, we decided to try if for at least one hour. As we peddled, the rain stopped and we had an enjoyable ride. As… Continue reading Day 6: Tandem biking along the Pacific coast
Day 4: Visiting the LA Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum (NHM) in Los Angeles is the largest natural and historical museum in the western United States, It started in 1913 as the Museum of History, Science, and Art. The main building alone is worth seeing It has massive marble-walled rooms and a domed and colonnaded rotunda, We started with the Gem and Mineral… Continue reading Day 4: Visiting the LA Natural History Museum
Day 3: Catalina Island
We left Long Beach on the Catalina Express for Avalon on the Catalina Island. In the background are snow-capped mountains. We passed the Queen Mary on our left and several cruise ships. Soon the ferry motors picked up speed for the remaining hour-long ride. The weather was ideal with cloudless skies and warm enough for… Continue reading Day 3: Catalina Island
Day 2: Touring downtown LA
This morning we met our son Tom at his place of work. After checking out the place and meeting some of his fellow artisans, we went to Cafe 50 for lunch. This is a quaint retro eatery that has walls covered in 50s memorabilia. The menu was typical of 50’s dinner, but the back page listed about 40… Continue reading Day 2: Touring downtown LA
Day 1 in LA
Our predawn departure for LA meant traveling without coffee. I was surprised to get a delicious cup of Starbucks coffee on the leg from Sarasota to Atlanta. It tasted great with the biscotti they served. The plane flew lower than normal to evade the headwinds, but from my window, I could only see clouds until… Continue reading Day 1 in LA
California Dreaming—exploring LA, the City of Flowers and Sunshine
My wanderlust has been in full bloom for months and I am finally going to scratch that itch with a trip to LA. Los Angeles has several nicknames: The Big Orange, The City of Angels, La La Land, and the City of Flowers and Sunshine. I’m not interested in the glitz of stardom, so I… Continue reading California Dreaming—exploring LA, the City of Flowers and Sunshine
Snorkling in Nassau
Day 7, Friday, September 16, 2016 Last port of call on this voyage, Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. We arrived midday. Fortunately, we docked with our room on the shady side so mom was able to enjoy the balcony while I went on shore. I had to stand in the hot afternoon sun for… Continue reading Snorkling in Nassau
Catch the Fever while out at sea
Day 6, Thursday, September 15, 2016 On our last day at sea, we sat in the hot tub talking with a man who was enjoying his fourth mimosa of the day—and it wasn’t even 10 A.M. He told us that he had taken The Ultimate Beverage Package as a perk and was enjoying the free drinks. According… Continue reading Catch the Fever while out at sea
Tortola and the rope course
Day 5, Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Mom and I had both been to Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands. Since none of the excursions tempted us, we stayed on the ship and enjoyed sitting alone on the 17th deck forward hot spa while admiring the beautify vista of contrasting white sand and green mountains. Tortola… Continue reading Tortola and the rope course
SNUBA in St. Thomas
Day 4, Tuesday, September 13, 2016 I was on the dock in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas by 8:20 and on my way to a SNUBA adventure at Coral World Ocean Park. This was a first for me, and I looked forward to it. I was not disappointed. Except for being tethered to the oxygen, SNUBA… Continue reading SNUBA in St. Thomas