Quartzsite Cruiser

We visited Buenos Aires twice. The first time in 1999 on Noordam III. We had an afternoon and a full day there. We took a ship tour of the city, including Recoleta Cemetery the first day. The next day, we took a train to Tigre on the Lujan River. All my pictures of that visit are pre-digital. In 2015, on Ruby Princess, we took the shuttle into town, and got a Ho-Ho tour. Downtown Buenos Aires in the distance as the ship docked. Scenes of town from the Ho-Ho A monument to commemorate the 25 May 1810 revolution, a week-long series of revolutionary events that took place from May 18 to May 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires. It started the Argentine War of Independence, and it is considered the birth of modern Argentina. Casa Rosada (Pink House) is the seat of the Argentine national government and houses the president's office. It was the scene of much of the city's history, and it was from the balconies of the Casa Rosada that Juan and “Evita” Perón addressed the masses during the late 1940s and early 1950s. The balcony scene in "Evita" was filmed at the Casa Rosada. Guards outside the Casa Rosada A neighborhood street More pictures of La Boca After the Ho-Ho, we walked over to this shopping mall, but did not stay long. We took a taxi to San Telmo district to wander through some of the antique stores. Since it was Saturday afternoon, most of the stores were closed. We did find some street vendors and Plaza Doreggo. The Buenos Aires skyline and moon as we sailed toward Montevideo. Lenda

Good morning from a clear Quartzsite where the sun is just making an appearance. It was 43F when I got up, and we are expecting a high of 74F this afternoon. The main thing on the agenda today is packing. We also need to run into the PO and hope our mail is there. The mail was sent on January 19, and spent a week at the Livingston, TX, PO. Saturday it was in Shreveport, LA, Sunday in Dallas, and it arrived at the Phoenix sorting facility at 4:41 this morning. It is supposed to on the way to Quartzsite, but who knows if we'll get it today. We've know a few curmudgeons, and somehow, managed to become friends with them. If DH was not a free thinker and thought outside the box, he would never have be able to write his software program in 1982. As far as we know, it has not been duplicated. Bubble wrap is a very useful invention. As @Mr. Boston said, it is fun to pop, and that is a good stress reliever. I like today's quote especially seeing the entire quote and the name of the person quoted. The meal looks interesting, but we're having hamburgers tonight to finish cleaning out the refrigerator. We'll pass on the drink, but wine sounds like it's worth trying, but not the price of the expensive one. We have been to Buenos Aires twice. The first time was in 1999 on Noordam III in the pre-digital age. The second time was in 2015 on Ruby Princess along with Sandi @StLouisCruisers. Three good days in history including the theater, automotive industry and soft drinks. @kazu Jacqui, I agree with Ann @cat shepard. We need to wrap you in bubble wrap. Please continue to be careful. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for the pictures of Ren. I'm glad he scored and the team won. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad you made it home safely. How nice of Tana's friend to stay with her so you could go to NH. I hope DD and DSIL continue to test negative and feel better soon. @grapau27 As usual, thanks for the explanations, Graham. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope your DH's doctor is pleased with his progress. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I hope your DH has a good report from the endocrinologist today. @Seasick Sailor Joy, you have a busy day today. The meal sounds good. @marshhawk Annie, thanks for the final pictures of Rome. These are the last memes for a while, since they are stored on my computer which is not going with us one the cruise. I'm not sure if I'll have time to post tomorrow before we leave for San Diego, but if I do, it will be brief. Lenda

@HAL Sailer Melisa, wishing you a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Lenda

@0106 Tina, I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise. Lenda

Good evening. We're making progress for our cruise. The suitcases are in the house waiting to be packed tomorrow. This afternoon, I practiced for our cruise and time on our balcony by sitting on our patio with my book. Cruising with Dailyites is like cruising with friends even if you've not met in person. It makes the cruise even better. Glad you are enjoying your cruise with Dailyites. Terri, I'm glad you are in Jacksonville. Have a safe flight tomorrow. I'm sorry yesterday was difficult. Rest and enjoy a relaxing cruise. Debbie, the lobster taco sounds good. You're braver than I am with the cucumber jalapeño margarita. Lenda

Our sunny day turned into a cloudy day with a north wind. It's still not too bad outside if you're not in the wind. Since it was not humid and we had the wind, the clothes dried quickly, and now the laundry is folded and put away. Only chore left is getting the suitcases into the house so we can pack tomorrow. The rest of the afternoon, I plan to sit outside with my book. I'm glad you arrived safely. Enjoy your cruise. Eva, @superoma is making sure none of us starve, and the four of us on the Koningsdam, will definitely not starve. Brenda, I would love to meet you, but we have an afternoon tour that begins at 1:15 pm and is 3 1/3 hours, Sadly, we will miss the happy hour time Lenda.

I found a few more pictures of Costa Rica. We have been Costa Rica many times docking at both Puntarenas and Puerto Caldera. Some of our first visits were pre-digital, and there were a few post digital, with most docking at Puerto Caldera. Since the tours to the interior of Costa Rica are the same, I thought I'd share some pictures from various tours. In 2009 on Statendam, we visited the rain forest and did the aerial tram. We could hear the people on the zip line as they passed overhead. These are a few pictures of the tram and the rain forest. We did see a few mynah birds and a couple of toucans, but pictures were difficult to get. In 2015, again on Statendam, we took a tour to San Jose along with stops in Grecia and Sochi. But first, this pictures shows why along with road work tours are sometimes late returning to the ship. San Jose The National Theater A reception room in the theater. Grecia and the "iron church", Iglesia de la Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, which built using sheet of Belgium metal that were riveted together. Another church, but I'm not sure if it is Grecia or Sarchi. The factory in Sarchi where they make the painted wagons and other decorations. We've also gone to the cloud forest, where it poured, a coffee plantation. and taken the train along with a boat on a river to see crocodiles. All these were pre-digital tours. Lenda

Thanks for the pictures, Bruce. It looks like the weather and the seas cooperated for a nice al fresco dinner. Lenda

We have been to Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas) many times. It is the port for the interior of Costa Rica, and we've done many tours there. Our last cruise in January 2020 on the Rotterdam, stopped there on both legs of the b2b Panama Canal cruise. Since we'd been to San Jose, etc., several times, we just took the shuttle into Puntarenas and walked around. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny Quartzsite where it is 45F. The predicted high is 71F, so the laundry should dry nicely on the line. The first load is about ready to go go outside, and the second is in the washer. The sheets have already be changed, too. The only other thing on the agenda today is getting the suitcases out of the storage trailer and into the house. Because of the immigration mess, immigration lawyers are more important than ever. I remember exactly where we were when we heard the news of the Challenger explosion and the death of Christa McAuliffe and the crew. Daisy are nice flowers. An interesting quote by Marie Curie, and I hope I understand more every day. We'll pass on the meal (kale), the drink and the wine because of the price. I might try the meal with one of the substitutions mentioned. We have been to Puntarenas many times, and I'll look for my pictures in a bit. Two days in history to remember, one good and the other very sad. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I'm glad your reaction to the vaccine wasn't too bad. @superoma Eva, thanks for taking over for Debbie, and doing a great job. @dfish Debbie, glad you are on your final flight to San Diego. @summer slope Dixie, glad you are on your way after that long line for security. Hope the layover in Denver goes well. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, there was widespread flooding in Houston and even as far north as Conroe from the rains last week. Houston was built on a swamp, so it is prone to flooding. Also the underpasses on the freeways flood during a heavy rain. I'm glad they moved the soccer match to College Station where my guess is they will be playing at Texas A&M. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope there is not problem getting to the doctor tomorrow. @marshhawk Annie, the Pantheon is an amazing building. Thanks for the pictures. @grapau27 Welcome home, Graham and Pauline. I'm sorry your are losing your Marks and Spencer store. We've enjoyed wandering through several, and buying wine at the one in Hong Kong. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, the opening of skiing on Mt. Lemmon made the Phoenix news last night. HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY to Amaya. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope you can land on Pitcairn as very few can go ashore. My DFIL took two freighter cruises that stopped there, but they were not allowed to go ashore. Lenda

A late good evening. It turned into an eventful and fun afternoon. The weather was good, even if it could have been five degrees warmer. We took the RZRs out for an hour or so, and it was as much fun as ever. Quartzsite is in the Sonoran Desert which is ever changing and always interestimg. We covered quite a bit of territory. After we got home, I had time to sit outside enjoying the peace and my book. We topped the day off by splitting a ribeye, along with loaded baked potatoes, a tossed salad and of course, wine. DH has a nack for grilling the best steaks, and today was no exception. Paul, that was what I was thinking, and in most cases, you don't need a lawyer. Ann, I hope the specialist can find the cause of Pat's nosebleeds, and a way to prevent more. Save travels home tomorrow, Terry. I hope you beat the bad weather. Carolyn, please wish your DD a HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY for us. Our youngest turned 46 earlier this month, and the oldst will be 48 the end of April. Yikes! Jacqui, what a wonderful and difficult thing for your uncle to do. I can't imagine how hard it was to open up to strangers about his experiences, and to follow it up with the fund raising for verterans. Debbie, safe travels to you and Sue tomorrow. We'll see you Tueday. Eva, I know you will do a great job filling in for Debbie, juat as you did when you filled in for Vanessa @JazzyV. Lenda

We have cruised HAL long enough to have seen the old piano bars and the Mix with one performer, and also Billboard on Board. We have also enjoyed some very good piano bar performers and some we couldn't listen to. The same can be said about the performers in Billboard on Board, but on our cruises that have that venue, we've seen more good duos than not good ones. The good ones interaction with each other added to the performance. That is the music venue we have enjoyed the most, and I hope they keep Billboard on Board.

Good morning. I'm surprised that I can still say good morning after cleaning the house. I did get a slightly earlier start than normal, and did not take as long a breakfast break. It's such a nice day with a light wind, I was able to hang the towels outside, and the cleaning towels are just about ready to hang out. Eva, the Gordie Howe Bridge is stunning in it's design. Thanks for the links. Bruce, I'm glad the cruise is going so well. Pennie, I'm glad you have an appointment for the second injection. Maureen, that is good news your DH is doing so well, and is able to cut down on one eye drop and the Benadryl. Karen, you do have a busy day today. Enjoy your late Christmas with your DH's family tomorrow. Dixie, safe travels tomorrow. See you Tuesday. Vanessa, I'm glad you got 5 hours of sleep even if it was disjointed. That tree sounds like a lot of work. Could you get BFF to help take it down? Lenda

We have been to Argostoli twice pm a BHB. Our first visit was in 2008 on the Prinsendam. That day, we took a tour to Lake of Melissani and the cave. It's a long walk down to the lake and the cave, and seems like a longer walk back up to the bus. Once at the lake, you board a large row boat for a tour of the lake and the cave. I'm glad we did this tour when we did, as the lake and cave have become very popular, with long lines even for tour buses. From the cave, we drove to a fishing village whose name I don't remember. On the way, we stopped at an overlook to see one of the prettiest beaches on the island. The bus driver did not attempt the windy road down to the beach. The fishing village, which was also our shopping stop. Argostoli from the Prinsendam as we sailed to the next port. Eleven years later, the Veendam took us back to Argostoli. This time we just walked around the town. The main tourist/shopping area is flat and easy walking. This was a nice relaxing day. Lenda

Good morning from a clear and cool,45F, Quartzsite. The moon shadows were pretty when I got up this morning. Our predicted high for today is 68F with less wind today. This morning, I'll be doing a light house cleaning so hopefully all we'll come home to in February will be a little dust, if we aren't too messy the next two days. We should never forget the Holocaust, and we should remember all who died in the Holocaust. I wish humans could stop treating others so badly. Yeah to chocolate cake, but we'll have to wait until after the cruise to make one. The Hunter S. Thompson quote is amusing. The meal sounds good for another day, but we'll pass on the drink. We've had the wine, and really enjoyed it. We have been to today's port twice, and I'll retrieve my pictures shortly. The liberation of the concentration camps by Russian troops should also be celebrated. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I hope a sore arm is the only side effect you have from your shot yesterday. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope your DH is doing all right. Enjoy your dinner with your friends. I'm sorry you had to cancel your cruise, but I'm glad your friend Wayne is well enough to cruise. @marshhawk Thanks for more pictures from Rome, Annie. Enjoy your dinner out tonight, and the concert tomorrow. Lenda

Sandi, thanks for the offer. That will make things easier, especially since I have not been able to copy and repost posts from my tablet for several months after an update. At least if a port is a new one, then I should be able to post some pictures. We will be heading out about 8 am, early for us, on Tuesday morning. We'll be back in Quartzsite late afternoon on Saturday, February 17. BTW, I bet the driver is not the first one to knock down a mailbox. Amazon would probably lose a lot of money if the did the right thing when there was no video proof. Lenda

Good afternoon from a sunny but windy Quartzsite. It is 64F. It's been a busy day, partly with getting more things organized for our cruise. I hope this will make the actual packing go quickly Monday. After our drive-thru breakfast, I did a bit of straightening and weeding of things in one of the closets. Hopefully, I can now find things more easily. This afternoon, I'm heading into town to get a haircut. I had planned to wait until Monday when town is not as crowded, but decided I didn't want to chance not being able to get the haircut. I just printed one of the potato soup recipes. It was the simplest one of all the ones I've looked at over the years. Maybe we'll have one day cool enough to have it in February. Also, sorry about posting one meme twice. I don't know how I missed that. CC was not being quite as cooperative as normal when I was working on the memes. Vanessa, I'm glad you finally have a date to get the cyst drained. Relieving the pressure on the nerves should help. I just wish it was sooner so you can be pain free and sleep better. Sandi, I was really surprised about Amazon's attitude. Is there any way they can identify the driver and that your neighbor could go after him individually? Could he take Amazon or the driver to small claims court? On advantage of living in the boonies is all our Amazon deliveries are either by USPS or UPS. Roy, I'm glad you are feeling better and feel like returning to the livestreaming rotation for your church. Lenda

We have been to Punta Arenas twice. The first time was in 1999 on Noordam III. We did not see much of the town because we did a flight over Antarctica which was wonderful. The airplane was a very old 737 with no doors on the overhead bins, just elastic cords. All we saw was the drive to and from the airport and the airport. I did get a t-shirt at a shop in the airport. This was also in pre-digital days. We were back in 2015 on Ruby Princess with @StLouisCruisers Sandi and her DH. I'll post my photos in another post, but be warned, there will be repeats. These are the pictures I took in 2015 when we stopped in Punta Arenas on Ruby Princess. We had planned to take an excursion to see the penguins, but we were told they had left the rookery two weeks before, which was much earlier than normal. Instead, we walked around town to see what we'd missed in 1999. We also visited Shackleton Bar, but those pictures I will not repeat. The first two our Punta Arenas as we sailed to the anchorage. This whale tail was near the end of the pier as we walked toward town. When we reached Sacred Heart Cathedral, there was not a service in progress, and we were able to walk around the church. Palacio Sara Braun The statue of Magellan with a different dog napping. The legend is anyone who rubs the feet on the statue will have good luck. You can see how shiny the foot is in the second picture. The demonstration was either just breaking up or was just getting organized when we reached the site. Below are various scenes of the town as we wandered around. This was an interesting display, but I don't remember what it was about. On the way back to the tender, we walked to the waterfront and came across this new hotel. Back at the pier, we saw this clock. We also saw the street vendors on our walk. Lenda

Good morning from a beautiful, sunny day in Quartzsite. It is 52F and will reach 65F this afternoon. The full moon was beautiful last night. DH is showing no after affects from our visit to the big tent and UTV ride yesterday. As soon as I finish here, we're heading out for a drive-thru breakfast. I prefer to appreciate dental drills from a great distant, but my wonderful dentist makes using a drill very tolerable. I too thought of the different customs from different cultures, which are always good to celebrate. I wish more people would become educated on the environment. Today's quote made me smile. Loaded potato soup is good, and I'll check out the recipes later. We'll probably not have the soup before we leave. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We visited Punta Arenas Chile twice, but the first time in 1999 was in the pre-digital age. Two more interesting days in history that affected the world. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad your ribs are healing and that you are taking it easy. @Nickelpenny Pennie, sending best wishes for your teacher friend and her new baby. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad the floors are fixed - again, and I hope that is the last time. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad your DH had a restful night and is taking it easy. I hope the cardiologist can make things happen quickly. @smitty34877 Terry, enjoy your grand kid time and puppy sitting. The dog looks so cute in his winter coat. @marshhawk Annie, thanks for more great pictures of Rome. Lenda

@tupper10 Debbie, I hope you have a wonderful time. Lenda

Good afternoon. We got out of our rut this afternoon and had some fun. First we decided to walk through the big tent. We were there a little earlier than the other day, all the handicapped places were taken. In fact, we had to drive around for a while before we found a place. It was a bit farther than we'd hoped, but DH did fine with his walker, and we saw just about everything there was to see. DH got in a longer walk than normal, too. There wasn't too much new, so we managed to keep our money in our wallets. When we got home, we took the Polaris RZRs side by side out for a ride. It had been way to long since we'd done that, and it is still fun. We even wound up on a less groomed trail, but it did not bother DH. We'll see how he does in the morning. Terry, I'm glad you were able to get away and go to NH to see your grandson play basketball. I hope they win. We are seeing more and more nurse practioners and physician assistants, and have been utilizing their services for about 15+ years. Our PCP has a very busy practice, so it's hard to get an appointment with him. Since my visits are basically routine, I see the PA, who got his training at the same medical school where our PCP got his training. The PA also works some days in the ER of one of the big hospitals in Waco. One thing I like, is they've picked up on things the specialists missed, and also, they know their limits and are not hesitant to refer you to a specialist. Carolyn, I'm glad your birthday dinner was a success, but sorry about the Pinnacle mess. Thanks for the pictures of such a great group. Annie, we've been to the Trevi Fountain when it was not crowded, but that was in the months and years following 9/11. We've also been there when you couldn't see most of the fountain for the tourists. Thanks for the pictures. I hope you can get back to your business. Our condolences on the death of your son. Ann, that is encouraging news for Pat from the cardiologist. I hope he continues to do well and stays asymptomatic. Too bad you can't join us on the Koningsdam Tuesday. Carolyn, thanks for the update. I'm glad the cardiologist is taking this seriously and ordering more tests. I hope your DH can stay comfortable and rest until there is a plan in place to address the issue. And I hope that is very soon. Lenda

Gerry, I'm glad things are moving in the right direction and you have a appointment with the cardiologist this afternoon, and an echocardiogram before hand. Sending positive thoughts for a good outcome. @kazu Jacqui, the urgent care centers in the US are walk-in clinics where you can be seen by someone when you can't into see your PCP but don't need an emergency room. There can be a wait if it's busy, but not the long wait as at an ER.

Thanks for the wonderful pictures. Sandi, I wouldn't want to be a mailbox on your street. 😁 Glad you let your neighbor know what happened. This our sunrise this morning. Lenda

We were in Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles, on the Ides of March in 2000. I have a few pictures that DH took with his new digital camera, but since he was driving the rental car, the pictures are from a couple of stops along the road. I'll check to see if any of my old fashioned pictures are worth scanning. In the meantime, here are some of DH's pictures. We walked into town before deciding to rent a car. A nice looking beach. We were looking for a place to go snorkeling, but did not find one where we could park the car for a while and go in the water. There is a nearby island with good snorkeling, that several people we knew took the ferry to and spent the day at the beach. We stopped at a hotel for something to drink and to look around. There was an enclosure where we found these guys. They loved to have the underside of their necks rubbed and scratched. One even followed me to the gate when we left so he could get more neck rubs. I was surprised at how fast he would walk. The views from the hotel A beach on the other side of the island From our balcony as we sailed toward Durban, SA. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy and chilly Quartzsite. It is 53F and we should reach 65F this afternoon. The clouds are supposed to disappear this afternoon beginning about 2 pm. Sometimes a room of one's own is nice. I always try to not have clashing clothes on. I will honor those astronauts who died in furthering our knowledge of space. The quote is sometimes true. Today is a red letter day in the F&B department. We like the meal, drink and wine. However, I won't be roasting a chicken until after our cruise. We visited the Seychelles in 2000 on P&O Oriana's world cruise. Pictures to come shortly. We also celebrated Burns Night while on Oriana including the Presentation of the Haggis at dinner. And, no we did not eat any haggis. A good day in history for Sao Paulo and for Antarctica. @rafinmd Roy, I like your additions to the maps. On the computer, the green is easy to see. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, your DD's tree is elegant. @seagarsmoker Congratulations on passing the background check and drug test. There was never any doubt here. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm sorry your DH's condition is getting worse so quickly. I hope the cardiologist will get him help asap. If not, then calling the ambulance might be your best choice. @dfish Debbie, I hope the parents compromise on a name that won't cause problems for the grandson in school. @tupper10 Safe travels to FLL tomorrow. @aliaschief Thanks for the great pictures of Easter Island, Bruce. @marshhawk Annie, the area around the Trevi Fountain is almost always crowded and a haven for pickpockets. @HAL Sailer Melisa, thank you for sharing all the good news. I'm glad your DH is doing better, and I hope the gel injection in his left knee helps. Glad you found a solution to your washer problem. Ironically, we had to do the same thing last week. @RMLincoln Maureen, sending positive thoughts your way for a smooth healing process for your DH. @kochleffel Paul, thanks for the explanation of A Room of Your Own. An interesting thing about the Korbel. When our DD and DSIL were married on a Princess ship, we ordered a good champagne for the reception. After the first round, DSIL's aunt who had been a bartender, told DH to switch to Korbel as it was just as good, less expensive, and no one would know the difference. I just found this when I was looking for my pictures. I posted it on October 1, 2023, but thought it was fitting for today. Lenda