May 5, 2023 Vancouver, CA

Today we arrive in Vancouver, Canada. End of the cruise. We disembark and stand in line to clear Customs, which takes about an hour.

After clearing Customs we get in the line for a taxi. Finally getting into a taxi that takes us to our hotel. We check in and take a few photos out the window of our room.

Then we take our cameras and head out on a walking tour of the city. The architecture of the city is quite modern. Then we come across the “Steam Clock”, a clock powered by the city’s underground steam vents! Not modern at all! By now it is lunchtime and we get a bite to eat and drinks in the “Steam Works” bar overlooking the seafront.

Bellies full and feeling refreshed, we head back outside. As you can see by the pictures, the weather is cloudy with occasional rain. We find a tower building that has an observation deck on top and up we go!

Back down to the street and we take in more sights as we work our way back to the hotel. The Vancouver Library is interesting as it is designed with the Roman Coliseum in mind!

So we find dinner and go back to our hotel for the night. We get ready to turn in but not before engaging in some night photography from our room!

Goodnight all! See you later!

May 4, 2023 Victoria, Canada

We arrive in Victoria and see an anomaly in the clouds. These crazy clouds that look like a row of crashing waves are known as Kelvin-Helmholz waves. They form when two layers of air or liquid of different densities move past each other at different speeds, creating shearing at the boundary.

We have breakfast on the ship and head out into port. Fellow travelers are going to rent a car for the day and we ride the taxi with them to the rental company in the city. We rent a car of our own and head west to Butchart Gardens. Quite the place and our cameras are happy.

Our eyes and camera lenses are entertained to the max! I have hundreds more photos but I won’t inundate you with all of them! This was quite the place to visit! After three or four hours, we check our clocks and see it is time to return the rental car so we head back into the city. We spot a wine tasting store next to the rental store and we stop in. After, we take a taxi back to our ship.

Back on board, we have dinner and kick back for the evening, taking in the nightly show!

Good night and see you tomorrow!

May 3, 2023, Astoria, Oregon

We wake up to dreary skies and hang out on our patio as we cruise into the Columbia River to Astoria. As we cruise in, I walk around and check out a part of the ship I haven’t yet seen, the Chapel. One of the ministers questions what I want and I tell him I am only checking out the ship and he lets me pass. Interesting dedicated space on the ship! Then we disembark and I take a photo of the photographer hired to take our photos as we get off the ship!

We walk off the ship and start our walking tour. As we walk along the Columbia River, we check out the sights! A museum facade has a sign out telling us the list of Hurricane Names!

And then we find a Maritime Museum and decide to visit! Our tickets include the museum and some locally docked ships. Fun times!

Then we walk out back to visit included ships to visit and find the “Columbia”, a local ship that is retired from service and we walk around and through the ship. Skies stay dreary all day!

Walking off the dock, we visit with a local author… I read his posted write up and purchase a book from him. He has 3 books available but I only purchase one. I will decide later that I purchased one too many. His book had an interesting plot and story, however he is in serious need of a proofreader and editor. He became unemployed during Covid and began writing so I feel for him. But his book left me unimpressed. But I have a signed copy! LOL

So we walk on and find the local trolley that takes you several miles along the river and our feet and ankles thank us! We ride many stops and get off at the end of the line. We look back at our ship and other sights!

After we ride the trolley for most of an hour, we get off and check out the views and walk around a bit again. Including cruise ships that come all the way into the Columbia River!

We find seats on the Trolley to go back to our ship but not before taking shots of some local artwork!

Back on board, tired from the day, we visit the show on stage and Elee retires for the evening. Not ready to sleep, I cruise the bars and have fun with a fun bartender and a couple passenger friends before turning in!

Good night all and see you tomorrow!

At Sea, May 2, 2023

Today, we are At Sea again. A welcome day to relax and gain our strength back from our arduous day trekking all over San Francisco! But the Entertainment Crew onboard has fun and games planned! We find a spot midships in the atrium to watch the Fruit Carving Demonstration.

Some fun times on board and time to kick back. I will admit to one of my weaknesses to have a cocktail or two while relaxing on a cruise ship! So hate me, LOL! And my love with a “Titanic Moment?”

Then it’s off to a show in the ship’s theatre for the evening!

Goodnight All! Tomorrow is a port day!

May 1, 2023 — San Francisco

We wake up in time to step out on our balcony to watch us sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. The skies were calm yet menacing as we approached the city!

Okay, time to walk around and check out the sights of the city! From the docks to cable cars to views of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Then we take a Hop On, Hop Off Bus ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to a small park where there are views of the Bridge and the Bay and The City! It was cold and windy but don’t let that slow us down!

We cross back into the city on the bus and get off at Golden Gate Park. One place that is on our list. Eclectic artwork everywhere. Middle of the streets even! Chef Dog statues that we can’t explain. Walkways. Lawn displays everywhere. An enclosed Botanic Garden that is closed today. A florally painted piano that a local tourist played for me! A floral clock! And a message of love spelled out in large building blocks!

Our legs are exhausted. But we find ourselves only a few blocks from another San Fran Icon, the Haight Asbury neighborhood! So we walk on our tired legs! And we grab the Hop On Hop Off bus for a couple blocks. Famous images we have only seen in history assault our senses!

We wonder where we’ll get the energy to return to our ship. But we find the Hop On Hop Off Bus Stop and board the bus again! We tour through famous old residential neighborhoods! We finally get back to the area near the docks and get off the bus.

Now we have to decide whether to go back to the ship or not. But our internet has suggested a wine tasting store only a few blocks from the docks and it twists our arms. We trudge the few blocks and locate the store. Wow! What a find! We buy a wine tasting for a measly $10 per person and we are treated to a 5, that’s a FIVE Flight tasting! Now here’s the kicker… Wait for it! The youngest wine we taste is 10 YEARS OLD! A few were 20! Tell me you’ve gone wine tasting and had 20 plus year old wines! I’ll wait.. Anyone? I didn’t think so!

Then, on weary legs, we trudge our way back to the ship, but not until we stop at Boudin’s for some Chowder in a fresh Sourdough bread bowl!

Back to the ship on shaky legs and we board. Dinner and a glass of wine and I can’t wait to lay my weary body down! But before I do, I go back up on deck for our departure from this famous City By The Bay! Of course I have to take photos of our departure at night!

See you all tomorrow! This weary body needs to sleep!