Finally, a shipboard update!

Okay … So I have been a bad blogger! Sorry! I know you all want to know about our travels, but it has been busy here on the Magic. So I will try to get you up to date on our adventures.

Here it is day 9. We are traversing the Panama Canal. It is quite the experience, but I am getting ahead of myself. So far we have had 4 sea days and 3 ports, and of course today, the day we have been waiting for, the crossing.

Our first port was Cabo San Lucas. Kirstyn and I went on a 4x4 Jeep Safari. It was very windy and bumpy, but fun. We drove off road, through what I would call a desert like area. We saw iguanas, cacti and the Mexican version of Poison Ivy. Our tour guide, Juan, was nice to point out what we were to avoid, and what flowers to use for different ailments. After our tour of the desert we stopped at a ranch for lunch. We learned how to make tortillas and also how to drink tequila the Mexican way. Overall, this was a fun tour.

Our second port was Puerto Vallarta. Here we had two tours booked. First we went to a restaurant for a Mexican cooking lesson. We made two different types of salsa, guacamole, tortillas and some deep fried chilis stuffed with cheese. Sorry I can’t remember the name, but I have the recipes. The meal was excellent. Our second tour was the Rhythm of the Nights. It included a boat ride, with dinner and a show. It was pouring as we were about to leave, so we were given the option to get our money refunded. Since Kirstyn and I were both full from the first tour, we chose the option to cancel.

Our third port was Acapulco. This was the most disappointing port yet. First off, it was raining, second, they weren’t organized, third, we only got to see two divers, and finally, the shopping left a lot to be desired. You were followed around constantly while in the stores. I was disappointed in Acapulco. I expected something much more elegant, however, what we saw was dirty and poor. Oh well, I’m sure it was quite something in its heyday!

The sea days have been relaxing. We have had some pretty exciting entertainment. Comedian Ron Pearson joined us, as well as ventriloquist Ronn Lucas and hypnotist Ricky Kalmon. All three shows were superb. Our future entertainment includes Disney on Broadway with Sarah Litzsinger and David DeVries. Sarah Litzsinger is the longest running Belle on Broadway. We are also going to see Magician Darren Rome (from Siegfried and Roy) and Aly and A.J (performers on the Disney Channel). Don ‘Ducky’ Williams was also on board as will as artist John Rowe.

The remaining hours of our days have been filled with watching shows, participating in a shipboard mystery, movies and of course eating. Food has been great as usual. I’m hoping the scales will be kind to me when I return. I have been doing a lot of walking, so this may balance things out.

Anyhow, time for me to go back upstairs to watch the traversing of the canal. Talk to you later, hopefully not too much later!