10 day Alaska Inside Passage on the Grand Princess

Monday, May 6, 2019

Oh hello.  Here I am aboard the Grand Princess, my first cruise experience.  The Boyfriend dropped me off. I had to hop out of his car since the traffic was horrendous, so, no teary eyed farewell.  I will be traveling alone (hmm, all by myself -- time to party!!) from San Francisco to Alaska's Inside Passage and back.  My captain John Harry Smith from Cheltenham, England informed us that the total distance traveled is:  3,193 nautical miles or 3,675 statute miles.

A view of San Francisco.  Boarding was incredibly well organized.  I had lunch with a widow from Vacaville whose husband was, wait, wait for it, yes, a fireman!  After lunch I proceeded to my stateroom, Emerald Deck 8 where I was greeted by my steward.  Each evening, he places chocolates on my pillow.  What can I say....

We all gathered around 4pm to set sail.  Already, the party has begun.  I'm dancing with a woman to "North to Alaska."  It's quite chilly but my belly is full of some alcoholic beverage that warms me up.  I have already forgotten my life outside this cruise.

The Golden Gate Bridge looms in the distance.  We had a delay to due to a freighter.  No worries, we continued dancing and drinking.

Whew, we made it under the bridge.  Into choppy weather the next few days.  I didn't need sea sickness pills after all. In the evening, I went to the Botticelli dining room to meet my companions. Several of them had done this cruise multiple times.  One woman fascinated me -- she was a retired police officer from the U.K. on holiday for 3 months.  She was 6'2 and was present for Princess Diana's wedding and funeral.  She only flies Quantas first class.  She bought us wine.  Many people bought me alcoholic beverages on the trip.  Nice.  I only went 3 times as I preferred doing the buffet and I quickly got over my fear of eating alone.  The food is frigging delicious and healthy -- seafood, vegetables, salads, poultry, and more.  Our crew is represented by 46 nationalities.  Wow.  They often work 9 months at a time.  I learned later that when we returned, they turned around and did the cruise again.  Omg.  There are approximately 2500 passengers, majority being Californians. However, I met people from New Jersey, Nevada, Minnesota, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, etc.  Until tomorrow....

A Ride with a View

Time again for the annual (okay it's been 2 years) Caltran excursion with S&P leading an ACTC ride that had us climbing San Bruno Mtn. before making our way down the Peninsula.

The train conductors took a shine to me. One escorted me to the restroom. The other held the train for The Boyfriend --

Me: That's him, that's him!
Conductor: He's at the wrong end of the platform.
Me: Would you mind holding up the train to make sure he boards with us.
Conductor: Well.
Me: Oh please. It's his first time and he's from another country.
Conductor: How about you dump him and I take you for a ride in the conductor's seat.
Me: Tempting... but ....
Conductor: If only I had a woman like you.
Me: I know, I know, I hear that all the time.

I tell you I felt positively pampered by the two train conductors!

On the train ---

Me: My car's whining. 140,000 miles.
The BF: That's what happens with things as they age and get old.
A stranger next to us: Oh, are you talking about dogs.
Me: No, men.





Lookey, The BF enjoying the view atop San Bruno Mountain.

We snaked our way along Oyster Point, through SFO and onward to Coyote Point Park (pictured above) or as Dr. G says, "Newsflash: There are no coyotes." We continued along the breathtaking Baylands Park Trail making our way over to Alameda de las Pulgas and back to the California Avenue train station. What an adventure. A ride with a view. Thank you S&P.

Just the Stats:

46 miles

28 mph descent

12 mph avg

3 hr 50 min.

Hot Child in the City

Danger Will Robinson, Danger! 70+ plus librarians, myself included, on the loose in the city Friday for a workshop on next generation libraries. I'm taking the bullet train along with some colleagues to San Francisco. The workshop is being held at the swanky hi tech AT&T Executive Briefing Center. I am the designated photographer for the event. Side note. I love trains and train stations ever since I lived near the tracks by our house in Israel. I used to travel between Munich and Brussels by train while in college. I've also traveled by train in Kyoto, St. Louis, Paris, and Italy. I arrived in California by train from Chicago in 1989. Now, where I live, there just happens to be train tracks and every once in awhile on the way to work, I must stop for the train. Saturday I'm off for another day trip. Til then.

The Heat is On

To escape the heat, The Boyfriend and I went to the Marin Headlands and Sausalito for a bike ride. He was climbing that road when I took the shot. We enjoyed the fog from afar.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.

I panicked on the descent that leads to Point Bonita Lighthouse and had to walk some of it. Too steep for me. Of course this afforded me the opportunity to meet three male cyclists who asked if they could be of service. Hmmm.... The Boyfriend is probably rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

Too hot to continue this blog entry. Til next time....