A Day In San Pedro

We are staying at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro, close to the ship.  We love the area.  It is certainly changing.  Lots more fancy condos.  Really cute shops, cafes, restaurants.  Every weekend they have a market and the first Thursday of the month they have the art walk which is great.  It feels like a city I would live in.  Eclectic, families, very new age, healthy and cool.

We wake feeling so rested.  We needed it.  Our room isn't cooling down much so a quick stop at the front desk and when we return early afternoon it is fixed.

We first head up to a great spot for breakfast The Brite Spot Mexican Cafe on Pacific Street.  

Hasn't changed much but the food is amazing, 

Bernie's huevos ranchers

The servings are so huge, actually I find all over the US servings are huge.  But ask for a doggy bag to take some home.  We didn't finish it!

We head up toward the Rite Aide to pick up some things but omg the store is half empty.  We head to get shampoo and conditioner and there maybe was 10 bottles in total.   So we just walked out.  Does anyone know if this store is closing?  Sure looks like it.

We then walk over to CVS on Pacific and their shelves are stocked.  We get some shampoo and conditioner and a small bottle of laundry detergent.  

We wander around for another 2 hours but decide we still want to rest.  

Back in the room we both relax and we each have a short nap.  

At 5 we meet up with our friends and they ran into a group who were part of a roll call for the cruise and were invited to join them.  It was a huge group.  Well run, very organized, and they all were very nice.

Later we were getting hungry so we head to a restaurant I have never been to, but really enjoyed.   The restaurant is called Think Cafe.  

Very nice menu and the ambiance is nice too.  We order cocktails and our meals.  

I got the chicken picante and Bernie got the roast chicken.

Again we are full.  It is a lovely evening and tomorrow we board the ship.

I am happy to say I am feeling good.  So far I haven't had a flare up from my fibromyalgia.  Rest has been key and the hot bath has helped too.  Even with all the walking I have done!  

Thanks for following.

Flying To Los Angeles

The Cruise leaves from San Pedro.  

I am one who really loves San Pedro.  It feels like a working class place.  I love it's vibe and trendy shops, bars and restaurants.

We booked Bernie's flight ages ago since it was a good price.  He flew to LA via Montreal.  I will be on the same flight.

We flew in two days prior.  Mainly because it is a long flight, a four time change, and I am not taking any chances.  Also I need to rest and recover after flying now or I will set up the next week for disaster.

We booked the Crown Plaza San Pedro once again.  We love the location.  The price was right especially because I booked via Hotwire.com which saved us over $150 compared to any other booking site.  Hotwire is easy for San Pedro as there are really only 2 hotels in that star class.  So you are either getting Crown Plaza or the Doubletree and we would of been happy with either.

Our friends Lori and Andy are travelling with us and they flew with us and are also staying at the Crown Plaza.

Day of travel.  We caught the shuttle from the hotel at 315 am!  No one got much sleep.  

First flight to Montreal was quick and then with a 1.5 hour layover and needing to clear US customs first we wasted no time once we arrived in Montreal.

We joined the queue to go thru connecting flights security. And guess what my boarding pass had the dreaded SSSS on it meaning i had been randomly selected for full security screening!

Oh well.  Full pat down, everything in my carryon was checked.  Phone, tablet, computer all had to get checked.  Even my runners were swabbed.   But all good.

Then thankfully we had nexus (Global Entry) and got to front of line to see customs agent, which was quick and easy.  Our friends took a bit longer but still maybe 10 minute wait.

Thankfully our flight to LA was a little delayed as we got to the gate just as we should of been boarding.  But was delayed around 15 min.  

Flight is just over 5 hours!  Watched some shows I downloaded and read.  But with a full plane, and squished in, and little sleep we are glad the flying is done.

Bags arrived quickly and we grabbed the shuttle to the taxi/ride share stand.  We jumped in a van that could accommodate all 4 of us and our bags and a fast trip to the hotel.  Thankfully it is Sunday.  Taxi cost was $85 which included the tip.

Once at the hotel I asked about an upgrade and he gave us one to a huge room with sitting area on the corner with a view of the water.  Doesn't hurt to ask, plus being part of their loyalty program helps.

We will rest in the room for a bit and meet up at 3 and have an early meal and crash early.  

We are heading to one of our favourite Mexican restaurants Kalveras.  

Flying to Los Angeles

We pack our small carry on bag for the 3 days and then got in the car for the drive to the Vancouver Airport.  Bernie still is not allowed to drive because of his eyes so I had to drive and listen to how hard it was for him to be a passenger.

Once at the airport we quickly checked in and then proceeded thru security.

It sure helps to have Nexus (Global Entry) and in all it took about 5 minutes.

Our flight is 2:15 and we board easily and even secured the emergency exit seat.  We were lucky to secure space in the overhead with a bit of maneuvering to store our carry on our bags.

The flight was fine, it isn't that long a flight - under 3 hours!

I love flying Air Canada with their entertainment in seat in front of you with a plug in for your devices.

Once we land we log on to the free wifi at LAX and request an Uber.

Seven minutes later our Uber is there and we hit the LA traffic running.  It takes about 45 minutes to get ot the hotel.  

The Crowne Plaza San Pedro is our go to hotel when coming to LA for a cruise.  The staff are great and we get a nice room on the 8th floor that even has a view of the harbour.

We are going to rest for a bit and then we will head out for dinner and then to Rite Aide for some items we need.

Day One at Disneyland

After a restless night I wake around 7:30 am.  How odd to wake and wonder where the heck am I?  Worst is when I went to the washroom once and came out and bumped into every piece of furniture. I think I have bruises everywhere! And Bernie didn’t even wake throughout the whole episode.

After we both woke we showered and went to breakfast downstairs.  It was quite good and reasonably priced.

To get to Disneyland Park we are a bit far to walk (well we could but we are conserving our energy). The Anaheim Resort Transport ART has a stop right outside the hotel and a kiosk to buy passes. We buy a three day pas for $12 each – single rides are $3 so after four rides it has paid for itself. 

We board and it takes around ten minutes to get to the resort.

It is only 9:30 and the park only opens at 10 so we head to Starbucks to get caffeinated – a requirement today.

We enter the park at 10:15 and it is lovely – oh what a great feeling! We focus on a section of the park today – mainly Tomorrowland. 

The weather is rather cool for LA but we are okay with it but we did require a few layers.  The park is not too busy (according to the workers) but it is busy for us. We didn’t require fast passes at any ride and when we did later in the day it was too late to get passes before we wanted to head out.

After six hours at the park we decide we have had our fill. 
We decide to catch the bus to the Target on Harbour Boulevard to pick up some essential for our stay here and on the ship.

We cross the street to head to Joe’s Crab Shack but they have a large party of around 50 there at that time and the only table available is right beside the party so we decide to not stay.  We then opt to head right next store to Oggie’s which serves pizza and craft beers. 

The pizza we had was a Polish one and it was very very good. Our server was outstanding.

To head home we opt to not take the bus as it would require two buses and a long time. Instead we order an Uber and for just $5 and ten minutes we are at our hotel.

It is only 7:30 but we are tired and are snug in our beds watching tv.

Today was a GREAT day -- Tomorrow is going to be a great day too.

Arrived in Los Angeles

Touched down at Los Angeles airport around 1900 after a very long day of flying.

Left Lima Peru at 10 am with a stop in El Salvador.  So after flying for 10 hours we arrived and requested our Uber. Within minutes our driver Richard was there!

Nothing beats Uber – get the app – our ride to Disneyland area was $51 and took about 40 minutes.  Robert was very professional, helpful (even told us what the weather would be like tomorrow), enjoyed our conversation all the way too.

We had pre reserved the Holiday Inn Anaheim Resort for five nights.  It was a good price with great reviews although a bit further away from the park than we were last time. But it is on the ART line. We were greeted by two very professional women at the front desk.  I dealt with Jessica who was so helpful with providing the best room for us.

Jessica gave us details about the hotel and was so nice about making sure to contact them if we had any questions.  

Probably one of the best check ins we have had in a while. Especially after being in Peru where it was very sterile and basic.

Boy entering a hotel room never felt so good.  We have a nice big room with such comfy beds and four pillows!  I immediately started the bath!  Oh consistent hot water.  Of course Bernie’s first thing was to turn on the tv.  Not that he really needs it but after not having English TV for a while he is ready for it.

Bernie just asked what the plans are for tomorrow and well we know we are off to Disneyland for four days but we are in no rush to head there.  Sleep, a good meal and getting settled then we will venture to the park.

Our Day In LA

We made a reservation online thru Enterprise’s website a long time ago for pick up around 10 for a intermediate car.  When we arrive Joe (he actually introduced himself and shook our hands) took down all the necessary info.   We are the second people here but soon the shuttle from the ship arrives and at least three different groups arrive.

One couple that arrives has a woman who is fuming!  Apparently she had been waiting at the pier forever waiting for the shuttle.  She thinks that screaming in the office will get results, when actually her husband is covering in the corner (don’t blame him) and the staff are just trying to calm her down but she doesn’t want to listen.  Oh and now when she finds out that we have to wait a bit for cars to return she is fuming… threatening the staff with her loyal business (somehow that may be a positive for the company).  She storms out on her phone, now screaming to someone on the phone about the problem. 

We are told that they are waiting for cars to return and for some cars to be delivered from another location.  There are six different couples waiting for a car, we are number in two in the queue.  I sit there and chat with two other couples there and after about 40 minutes I ask the manager what they can do to compensate us because of the unexpected delay.  He says I will discount your daily fee by $10 and will give you free gas credit (so we don’t have to fill up the car upon return).  I confirm that he will do it for all of us, he agrees (thankfully the screaming woman was not there, plus I think they are going somewhere else).  I pass the message on to the other people waiting.

Sure it was an annoyance but they handled it the best they could.  It is not too much of an inconvenience for us as we don’t have any set plans.  But for others who need to get somewhere it could be an issue.  Unfortunately the Enterprise office (which is located at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro) is the only car rental agency in the area, so you are kind of limited unless you go to Long Beach.

So we are in our car – GPS is hooked up and we are heading North to Santa Monica.  You see Bernie and I are huge foodies, we love the Food Network and all the cooking shows.  One of our favorites is Master Chef and we absolutely love Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken who have both been on Master Chef, as well as many other cooking shows.  We decided when we had some time in LA we would make a point of visiting one of their local restaurants called Border Grill.  They have one in Santa Monica so that is where we are heading.

We arrive (all in once piece, boy LA traffic is crazy and everyone uses their phones while driving) about 40 minutes later and park at the mall.  Gee even that parkade is impressive…. Lights overhead identify where a free parking spot is with a green light.  There are cameras on every car and so if you can’t remember where you are parked just enter your license plate and it will tell you.  And it wasn’t even that expensive, we were gone three hours and it cost only $2.50!

We arrive at the restaurant around 1 pm and we are sat right away.  Oh we are excited to be here, and I start with a special margarita a jalapeno cucumber margarita… apparently they infuse the tequila in a jalapeno and cucumbers for over a week.  It is spicy but pickly/sweet too – too hard to describe.

Amelia our server senses our excitement, ahhh who am I kidding we tell her how excited we are to be there.  She brings over a complimentary appetizer of grilled corn tamales and even though tamales are not one of our favorites usually because they are too dry for our liking, these are moist, flavourful and to die for.

I ordered these tacos that were filled with a mashed potato and aioli – the flavors burst in my mouth.  OMG even the two types of rice and the beans are amazing.  Bernie ordered a pork mole with pomegranates…. Again is too hard to describe… the spicy/sweet sensation with the burst of juice from the pomegranates.

We are getting full but I can’t resist trying some dessert…. Heck I am coming down for a cruise I can find room.  Bernie orders a souffléd key lime cheesecake and I order  and a special coffee.  Again we are not disappointed -  oh I wish I lived closer so I could here more often. 

I ask Amelia if we can get the Mary Sue and Susan’s Cookbook City Cuisine, but she says they don’t have anymore… oh well my first disappointment and I will survive, maybe I can find it online.  But a few minutes she comes by and hands me one!  It is like Christmas!  And it is signed by both chefs!  Happy Happy! 

We waddle out of the restaurant – we definitely don’t need dinner tonight.

We decide to head down to the Santa Monica Pier for a stroll and to see the sights.  The weather is lovely and there are so many people, even considering it is a Wednesday.  We head down the beach a bit and then back up to get the car.

We head South down to Venice Beach…. Now I have seen Venice Beach on shows/movies etc but I think it may have changed.  Sure there are some sights/people that sure are interesting but really I don’t need any of the stuff they are selling.  It was cool to see the Muscle Beach and the other sports happening along the beach. 

The beach is stunning too and so wide!  There are quite a few people surfing and the sun is about to set and the sky looks beautiful.  I am enjoying all the entertainers along the boardwalk, and there are all types of singers.

We decide to start to make our way back to the car and then the hotel.  Traffic is heavy and it takes almost twice as long to get back to the hotel as it did earlier. 

It has been a fun day, but we are tired, full and excited about getting on the Golden tomorrow.  

November Trip to California and Booking the Three Day Back to Back

I have already posted how we will be doing a 10 day Mexican cruise on the Grand in November.  But since we have two weeks of holidays at this time we thought we should add on to the trip.  

At first we thought about just staying in California.  We checked out hotels and seeing that there was not much under $200 a night that was half decent, then add on transportation, food and the such we changed our minds.

The Golden Princess is doing three day cruises at this time that go from LA to Ensenada with one sea day put in for good measure.  So why not just book that?  All meals, entertainment, and great accommodations are all thrown in.  So we were looking at the November 20 and 23rd sailing as a back to back.

Prices were quite reasonable at $200 for an inside and a bit more for an oceanview.  

At first I thought I will just wait to see if it will come down and one cruise did come down but the other one didn't. Then the other came down but the first one did not. Today I log in and take a peak at the second cruise and I see all inside cabins are sold out!  Price has not changed but now I don't have the option of even booking an inside (of course I could go on a waitlist if I wanted).  

What to do?  

My options are book an inside on one leg and an outside on the second leg, book both in an outside, or splurge on a balcony, or hey why not go crazy and book a suite. Okay I held back on the last two options. Costs wouldn't justify us doing two in an inside for the price of one cruise in a balcony.  

So in the end I booked the highest oceanview guarantee I could get for a great price.  I made sure to link both sailings and now the waiting game begins. If I get the category I booked, fine, but there is a good chance we should get an upgrade.

In the end with tax we are looking at $100 a day for the cruise per person.  $200 total per day, and that is what we would of paid for a hotel on land including taxes. Plus we still would have to pay for entertainment and food and transportation.  

But you can see that even I, with all my travel experience made a mistake in waiting.  If I would of booked a month ago I would of had more options and in fact would of saved a little bit of money too.  

This voyage is not so much about seeing sights as it will be about relaxing before going back to work. 

Plus while we are gone on this voyage my bathroom at home will be under renovations so there will be no rush to come back and deal with that.

Stay tuned.