Come sail with me on a virtual cruise to Hawaii on Ruby Princess

[ellie1145]

🎶    All I wanna do is have some fun

         I got a feeling I’m not the only one

         Until the sun comes up over

         Santa Monica Boulevard. 🎶

 

           Sunday April 8th, 2019

 

 

Once again, we both wake early, around 2.30 am but manage to sleep again until about 4.30 am, when we sit up and watch TV for a while.

 

We decide to make an early start as it’s our final full day in LA, and tomorrow we will be on our way to board Ruby Princess. Our plan today is to visit Santa Monica, and then do a bit of last minute shopping, before returning to the hotel to pack.

 

But first, breakfast, and today we drive, not walk, down to our nearest watering hole, as afterwards we are going straight to the coast. Thank goodness, Denny’s is not as busy as yesterday as we are much earlier. It’s a good breakfast and we particularly enjoy the hash browns. There seems to be a lack of Waffle Houses here in California, so Denny’s comes a close second.

 

Breakfast over we take the local road to Santa Monica. It’s another lovely sunny morning and we enjoy the drive. I did some research last night and found a car park on 4th St, where we leave the car.

 

 

It’s a real town, something which you don’t see much of in Florida, with wide pavements and streets, and shops and restaurants galore. 

 

There can’t be many people who haven’t heard of Santa Monica. It was the setting for that iconic show, Bay Watch (in which I was Pamela Anderson’s double ) and it attracts many celebrities to its shores. There are some magnificent beach front homes on Roosevelt Highway.

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, ringers0815 said:

We also are worried about one of our daugthers who is expecting her first child (our second grandchild). We live in Canada but she lives in Prague, Czech Republic, where covid cases are growing very fast in this second wave. 

 

I do hope that all goes well with your daughter and the baby. It is a real worry as nobody yet knows the effect Covid has on a foetus, and sometimes people don’t even know they have had coronavirus, or are spreading it around.

 

We just hope against hope that they both keep safe.

[ellie1145]

3 hours ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

This post reminds me of many moons ago when surfing was the most important part of the day each and every day!!  Then life happened and 4 decades later I only surf in my memories!  LOL!  Thanks for sharing those pictures.

 

Those were the days! What memories to keep. 🏄‍♂️

[ellie1145]

42 minutes ago, CruzinNoony said:

I am really enjoying your visit to the LA area.  When we leave out of San Pedro, we drive directly to the hotel by the pier because of the awful traffic in LA.  

 

I have a question about the new CC format.  I can't seem to find where they have a post number.  I like to make a note of where I leave off so I can go right to the next post when I return, but I think they have eliminated it.

 

It is really reassuring that we aren’t  the only ones to find traffic in LA scary. 

 

So glad you are enjoying our days in LA. I’m afraid that we didn’t ‘do’ all the usual touristy things, but we enjoyed it nevertheless. 

 

They seem to have removed the numbers of posts, unfortunately. I miss it too. 

[ellie1145]

52 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Good day Ellie,

 

You have shown me places that I have not been to, although I live right here in So Cal.  Thanks for the tour.  Beautiful  photos.

 

Good day, cr8tiv1.

 

Am so glad you are enjoying the tour. We loved it there once we came to terms with not being able to see the more touristy attractions. The coast is beautiful and I only wish we’d had time to explore further. But one day, maybe! 🤞

Edited November 9, 2020 by ellie1145

[dickinson]

1 hour ago, CruzinNoony said:

I am really enjoying your visit to the LA area.  When we leave out of San Pedro, we drive directly to the hotel by the pier because of the awful traffic in LA.  

 

I have a question about the new CC format.  I can't seem to find where they have a post number.  I like to make a note of where I leave off so I can go right to the next post when I return, but I think they have eliminated it.

 

No post numbers although hopefully they will add them back.  If you are logged in to CC when you are on the Princess forum page and see all the threads, you will see a bold blue dot (or a star if you have posted on that thread).  Just click on it and it will take you to where you left off.  This was also the case the last time they changed CC.

[ellie1145]

🎶  Remember Santa Monica nights

      Just you and me

      And the hazy moonlight

      All the palm trees were swaying

      To our sweet melody. 🎶

 

(Written and sung for me by David H, when I was Pamela Andersons’ double.... of course I am unable to say more about David and me....)

 

 

 

Santa Monica was home to the Douglas Aircraft Company until the 1960s, and Donald Willis Douglas, Sr. first built a plant there in 1922. Two years later, four Douglas-built planes took off from here to attempt the first aerial circumnavigation of the world. Two of the planes returned home successfully, having covered 27,553 miles. What an achievement!

 

Of course, the Douglas factory was important during World War II, when it employed 44,000 people. Fascinatingly, in order to protect it against air attack, the set designers from Warner Brothers Studios were asked to design elaborate camouflage to disguise the airfield and factory.

 

It is believed that beach volleyball was developed in Santa Monica during the 1920s. The city also hosts the Santa Monica Film Festival.

 

Although morning fog is common in May - August we did not experience this phenomenon. Indeed, Santa Monica has very little  rainfall during the summer, and it never experiences snow or frost. No wonder it is such a popular place to live and visit.

 

As with many places along the coast, Santa Monica has been used as the backdrop for many television series and movies. In Rocky III, Sylvester Stallone is seen running along Santa Monica Beach. Other movies which have been filmed in whole or part in Santa Monica include The Sting (1973), Forrest Gump, Beverley Hills Cop III, and Hannah Montana: the Movie. Of course, one of the most popular TV series made here is Baywatch (in which I appeared as Pamela Anderson’s double...).

 

Tennessee Williams lived in a hotel on Ocean Avenue in the 1940s, and wrote the play ‘The Glass Menagerie’ there.

 

Santa Monica Place - three level outdoor shopping mall Entertainment and dining complex. It has the anchor stores of Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, and also has a cinema. The shops are predominantly upscale, such as Burberry, Tiffany and Co and Louis Vuitton.

 

 

 

But the one thing we find really fascinating is that Route 66, that most famous and iconic road in the USA, actually finishes in Santa Monica. Originally running from Chicago, Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, it covers a total of 2,448 miles. It is our dream to drive along it one day.

[ellie1145]

10 minutes ago, dickinson said:

 

No post numbers although hopefully they will add them back.  If you are logged in to CC when you are on the Princess forum page and see all the threads, you will see a bold blue dot (or a star if you have posted on that thread).  Just click on it and it will take you to where you left off.  This was also the case the last time they changed CC.

 

Well, I never knew about that little blue dot! Amazing. Thank you for letting us know.👏

[ellie1145]

🎶  Just remembering that we once shared

       Santa Monica nights

       Don't you know that we will always share

       Santa Monica nights.. 🎶

 

We make our way out of the car park and walk down towards the beach area.

 

 

We pass shops and cafes, and there is a lovely tree lined shopping precinct, the Third St Promenade, which has topiary sculptures, fountains and ‘The Dinosaurs of Santa Monica.’

 

 

We pass a topiary sculpture of a triceratops, made of foliage, stainless steel and copper, with a fountain cascading out of its mouth into a pool. 

 

 

Designed by Claude and Francois LaLanne, there are actually six such sculptures, which were completed in 1989, and renovated in 2016.   

 

 

This beautiful Art Deco building is called the Clock Tower Building, and it was built between 1929 and 1930. For over 40 years it was the tallest building in the area.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by ellie1145

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

🎶  Remember Santa Monica nights

      Just you and me

      And the hazy moonlight

      All the palm trees were swaying

   

But the one thing we find really fascinating is that Route 66, that most famous and iconic road in the USA, actually finishes in Santa Monica. Originally running from Chicago, Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, it covers a total of 2,448 miles. It is our dream to drive along it one day.

You'd better hurry! There are parts that are no longer there or inaccessible.

[ellie1145]

29 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

You'd better hurry! There are parts that are no longer there or inaccessible.

I can remember watching the TV series Route 66 in the 60s, in black and white.

 

It was one of many American TV series we had in the UK (Bilko,  I love Lucy, The Beverley Hillbillies, Dr Kildare, to name but a few!)

 

I am sorry to hear that Route 66 is fast disappearing. Thank you for the information. 

[cr8tiv1]

I am sure you will return to California for another cruise.  Store this for your future trip:  Santa Monica Seafood Restaurant. Amazing that your photos show such blue skies.  Lucky you.

 

https://santamonicaseafood.com

[cr8tiv1]

And to HighJack your thread....Hello to my cruising buddies.  Amazing what attracts them to this thread.  I'm on a Hawaii cruise in 2022....Joining me in a Window Suite?????  Too bad.  F311 is already booked for a b2b.

[ellie1145]

Just now, cr8tiv1 said:

I am sure you will return to California for another cruise.  Store this for your future trip:  Santa Monica Seafood Restaurant. Amazing that your photos show such blue skies.  Lucky you.

 

https://santamonicaseafood.com

 

We really hope so. There is still so much to see and do.

 

Yes, we were very lucky that, although it was chilly at times, the sun shone and the sky was blue for most of the time.

 

Thank you for that recommendation. The food looks amazing. 

[dickinson]

3 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

I can remember watching the TV series Route 66 in the 60s, in black and white.

 

It was one of many American TV series we had in the UK (Bilko,  I love Lucy, The Beverley Hillbillies, Dr Kildare, to name but a few!)

 

I am sorry to hear that Route 66 is fast disappearing. Thank you for the information. 

 

A lot of Route 66 disappeared when the interstate highways were built as people drove the highways instead of local roads.  There are parts still accessible in Arizona.  

 

We have done two cruises (Hawaii and another to the South Pacific) where the lecturer did a presentation on route 66.  The first one took two days while the second cruise he had added a third day.  Lots of slides and 60s music.  It was a great presentation!

[TeaBag]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

And to HighJack your thread....Hello to my cruising buddies.  Amazing what attracts them to this thread.  I'm on a Hawaii cruise in 2022....Joining me in a Window Suite?????  Too bad.  F311 is already booked for a b2b.

Me too, but er.......it's not on Princess.

[ellie1145]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Me too, but er.......it's not on Princess.

🙀🙀🤣

Edited November 10, 2020 by ellie1145

[cnd crsr]

16 hours ago, dickinson said:

 

A lot of Route 66 disappeared when the interstate highways were built as people drove the highways instead of local roads.  There are parts still accessible in Arizona.  

 

We have done two cruises (Hawaii and another to the South Pacific) where the lecturer did a presentation on route 66.  The first one took two days while the second cruise he had added a third day.  Lots of slides and 60s music.  It was a great presentation!

 

I might have been on the same cruise. The lecturer was a retired prof (if I remember correctly). The theatre was always full to overflowing for his spectacular presentations.

[cnd crsr]

Hi Ellie,

Looks like you are having a great precruise visit in California. Wish I had been at the beach  when your DH was surfing!

Gail

[ellie1145]

15 minutes ago, cnd crsr said:

Hi Ellie,

Looks like you are having a great precruise visit in California. Wish I had been at the beach  when your DH was surfing!

Gail

 

Hi Gail

 

We certainly are. It’s been great. 

 

I wish I’d seen him surfing too........🤣

[ellie1145]

17 hours ago, dickinson said:

We have done two cruises (Hawaii and another to the South Pacific) where the lecturer did a presentation on route 66.  The first one took two days while the second cruise he had added a third day.  Lots of slides and 60s music.  It was a great presentation!

 

That must have been really interesting. Would love to hear those presentations. 

[ellie1145]

15 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Me too, but er.......it's not on Princess.

 

Which islands are you going to, TeaBag? And give us a clue as to what ship....😉

[ellie1145]

Santa Monica Pier

 

 

 

 

We stroll along Ocean Avenue, parallel to the sea, and through Palisades Park, an attractive area with seating, trees and flower beds.

 

 

 

 

We are surprised and saddened to see the amount of vagrants sleeping rough everywhere. They find a seat and doss down for the night, with their trappings in carrier bags or on luggage carts.

 

 

I know there are vagrants in London, but you don't really expect it in a highly affluent area like Santa Monica. It is amazing that they allow them to congregate along the promenade in groups, or on the grass lying asleep. There is even one with a notice asking you to give him money for pot (it’s legal over here it seems!).

 

 

 

 

There’s a huge wide stretch of sand, with the Pacific rollers coming in, which attract lots of youngsters to surf. However, the water is very cold as it has currents coming down from Alaska, and this keeps the temperatures down in the 60s, so they have to wear wetsuits.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

Arlington West

 

 

As we walk towards the pier a most amazing sight greets us. A sea of red and white crosses stretch out across the beach. Some bear the Cross of David, a few carry the Islamic Crescent. It’s an awesome scene, and one which we investigate. Apparently, this is a project by the Veterans for Peace, who each Sunday install this temporary memorial for those killed in action, in such wars as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

 

Called ‘Arlington West,’ it reflects the name of the famous Arlington National Cemetery, where fallen heroes are buried, and which is the final resting place of John F Kennedy. Who cannot forget those poignant images of a black-veiled Jackie Kennedy leading her two children by the hand at the graveside, where a solemn three year old John salutes his dead father?

 

It was a local peace activist, Stephen Sherrill, who first started this memorial in 2003, and every Sunday an army of volunteers gather in the early hours of the morning to place each and every one of the more than 3,000 wooden crosses in the sand. It is a place where people can come to reflect and contemplate, to mourn and grieve, to honour and acknowledge those who lost their lives in conflict. It is also a poignant illustration of the human cost of war.

 

 

Each Red Cross represents ten dead American soldiers, whilst the white crosses represent individual men and women. People come and place flowers or photos, to leave a dedication or a memento, on some of the crosses, in order to remember their loved ones. All of these mementoes are stored and cared for after the crosses are dismantled.

 

Whatever your personal feelings about the rights or wrongs of these two wars, it certainly is a sight to remember.

                 

Edited November 10, 2020 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

🎶    All I wanna do is have some fun

        Until the sun comes up over

        Santa Monica Boulevard  🎶

                (any idea who sings this?)

 

Santa Monica Pier

 

 

We walk through the iconic Santa Monica Pier entrance and make our way along the pier which has various attractions on it, many of which seem to be closed, and we stand in the sunshine and watch the surfers.

 

 

The sun is warm but it is still a bit chilly. The pier is made up of two piers, the Municipal pier built in 1909, and the wider Pleasure Pier which was built in 1916.

 

 

There is an attractive building called the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome which was built in 1916.

 

 

This building was used to film scenes from the 1973 movie, The Sting. Designed by Charles I.D. Looff, an amusement park pioneer, it housed a carousel. Although this carousel was later sold it was replaced by one which was moved from the Ocean Park Pier, featuring 44 hand-carved horses and music provided by a steam organ.

 

There used to be the La Monica Ballroom on the pier, which was once the largest ballroom in the USA, and where 5,000 dancers could strut their stuff on the 15,000 square foot hard maple floor. Before being demolished in 1963, it was used as a Roller Skating Rink.

 

There is an amusement park perched on the pier with roller coasters, including a solar powered Ferris wheel. The Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster was purchased from a now defunct amusement park in San Diego.

 

 

If you are hungry or thirsty there are plenty of eateries along the pier. There are also plenty of souvenir stalls.

 

Or maybe you prefer to catch your own dinner, as the pier is also very popular with local anglers who fish from the west end.

 

Below the pier is the ‘Heal the Bay Aquarium,‘ home to over 100 local species of fish and aquatic creatures. With its Touch Tanks and Rocky Reef it is a good place to take children, as there are educational programmes and activities which are dedicated to marine conservancy.

 

Over 100,000 people a year visit this aquarium. Amongst other creatures you can see the Californian moray eel, and the California two spot octopus as well as sharks, stingrays, crabs, the Californian spiny Lobster, starfish, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, anemones and the sand dollar. The entrance fee is just $7 for all those over the age of 12.

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by ellie1145