Dim Sum in San Francisco

 We have tried so many different and varied cuisines when we were down town San Fran last month but we didn't 

get to eat any Dim Sum.

So our last meal in San Francisco just had to be at the 

Palette Tea House 

   

Trendy decor

Superb lighting details

We had to have our favourite pork and shrimp Siu Mai 

and they my friends did not disappoint these two little travellers. 

Too cute … The Black Swan Taro Puffs … all edible, 

The heads had the texture of a biscuit, the body was

 crackled deep fried puffs and the inside filling a soft ooze of spicy seafood stew.

This one is for you Susan …

We just had to finish with the Portuguese Custard Tarts with a dusting of super tart raspberry dust. 🤤 😋 

But most of all the company 🤩 

San Francicso

 Our day in San Francisco 

It did feel like we were coming home! we did have such a great time here to start our RTW trip.

It was like a big warm hug and at 16 degrees it needed to be a warm hug and a warm 🧥 also. 

We got a great up close look at Alcatraz from our balcony as we floated past this morning so that was cool, 

not that I want to visit it …

 just not my thing!

 

Once docked, I wanted my morning walk to be on land and up to the famous Lombard Street as I didn’t get there last time. 

Lombard street is the crookedest street in the world with 8 hair pin turns and featured in so many movies.

From the ship I headed to Bay Street, which was old stomping grounds as it was near our first hotel Zoe at Fisherman Wharf.

 Followed up several more blocks some flat some NOT SO!! past the tram turntable which was cool to see.

1/2 way up Bay Street … time to stop and enjoy the scenery …  

NOP … I really was just catching my breath!!! 

Gives you a bit of an idea how steep even this section of Bay Street is when you can see a flat croquet green with the angle of the road in front.

Arrived and Survived 

now at the top of Lombard Street with the bay and the 

Shot Tower in the far distance.

Time to turn around and 

walk back down.

Amazing how steep it actually is … 27 degrees.

Certainly burning calf muscles! 

The street is normally a blaze with colour but the spring flower are yet to arrive.

 Not the easiest of driveways to get into as the traffic is only one way and that way is down.

And then they come the next round of tourist driving 

down the street having fun.

Back to the bottom … the pictures don't really show how steep but take it from me it WAS.

Check out this place some $ here thats for sure 

A cute little park to rest my weary bones on the way back down the hill to the ship. 

Would be great to have this as your local park to sit and enjoy daily, the views over San Francisco

Back to the ship and the view we have from our balcony 

Is not to shabby.

First a shower then a calf massage, then throw on some glad rags as we have a restaurant reservation in the city for lunch.

The Golden Gate Bridge

 Its been 40ish days since we were in San Francisco and as I mentioned then that I was unable to get a good picture of the Golden Gate Bridge and this morning we cruised in to San Francisco Bay under her majestic structure.

 So it was a early morning wake up to get to deck 5 out the front of the ship to get a place to view all of the bridge 

BUT REALLY … most of all I was there to get some 

“Golden Gate Bridge Rolls”

Utter disappointment!

WHAT NO soft oozy warm custard and cream ROLLS 

SORRY SIR

That is only in the Panama.

Broken hearted I head back to our veranda with only a cuppa to take in the bridge from the comforts and less crowds.

Some Gorky information before I show you some of our bridge pictures… 

The wires that the bridge is suspended from are made up of 27000 (yes 27000) individual wires twisted together to get a cable that is 450mm in diameter … just to make that in the lengths required blows my little mind. 

So yes, it is a orange / red colour

always looked grey from a distance.

My attempt at a pano shot … truly bad, 

but in fairness it was cold and windy.

By night the shot tower looks stunning and is where I walk too 

when last we were in San Francisco.

So to end our day in San Francisco we had a …

Give me a “F” … give me a “K” and give me a “ing” 

Fabulous freezing night! 🥶 🥶 

Twas truly a stunning evening, both rugged up for a romantic sail away dinner of pizza and red wine floating under the 

Golden Gate Bridge. 

Listening to the Jazz Band playing

I left my heart in San Francisco.

Below is tonights winning picture taken by Sandy.

Cracking shot Sands!

You may have taught me a thing or two about taking a picture but my lovely you are still the master photographer 💚

San Diego - The “Cloud” has given me back MY Blog Pictures

 Today we arrived back under the “cloud” of America, 

into San Diego in California.

Not sure how, or why … so let’s just put it down to magic and not anything “not magic”!

Apparently the “cloud” “here” where my pictures have been “floating in” are somehow different to the “cloud” “they” have over Mexico, go figure 😂 

So today we celebrate the returning pictures and to releasing my poor readers from having to suffer through a fusillade of words I have had to find on the internet!

Sandy's face says it all, relief and happiness … because a blog with out pictures made for a slightly 💩eeee Pete

Check out the buckets of Pina Colada 😃  with real maraschino cherries complete with stem's, but alas t’was not real cream 😞 it’s the stuff in a spray can.

We went to a Mexican restaurant in the old town of San Diego for lunch and I got my fluid ounces and milliliter's mixed up so it was only one drink each with lunch … then a big afternoon siesta.

 

Apparently I should have ordered the small 17oz glass not the medium 27oz and ever so grateful I didn't order the large 32oz. 

That will teach me for ordering on list price only, the 27oz 

at 15.95 AMD + taxes + tips + our percentage sending the staff and their children + their children's children for their yearly medical checkups!

was still cheeper than the prices on the Mother Ship. 

It turns out that 27 oz is 798.485 mls … opps no wonder they needed a bucket to put them in. 

Alcoholism and way too much sugar in just one glass!

So as all good wineo’s know 750 ml is a bottle … so a bottle of Pino Colado each made for a very long and very happy lunch! … well maybe a bit more for Pissy Pete, as my Sandy was good and stop way short of the 🪣 but as I have no will power

 I finished her’s also.

The old town was 15 minutes in a taxi from the cruise port and as we were the first off the ship we had the whole old town to ourselves untill the tour groups started to arrive, so we then walked to, the locals tourist restaurant on the edge of the old town and not the ones for the … tourists, in the touristic restaurant in the old town.

The complementary, non salted freshly deep-fried corn chips and salsa. The salsa with a Mexican hint of chilly and just enough viscosity to coat the edge of the warm corn chips was a great way to start lunch.

We shared a main … the restaurants speciality and well after the drink buckets arrived we were too frighten to over order!

 Rice, beans and guacamole are the staples in all Mexican food.

This rice and these beans were cooked to perfection and full of added Mexican flavours not just the fillers.

The care taken with the cooking of the black bean in a perfectly not to salty veggie stock were served in a chilly taco basket.

Crispy on the edges and the oozing meatiness of the corn taco where the beans juices soaked in to wonderfullness on the bottom. The prawns marinated in tequila and dusted in spices and shallow fried in oil so that they were still retained their own natural sea juices.

If I was giving out  Michelin Stars these guys would get it for traditional food cooked with traditional love.

Now everyone knows that once the meal is over and the stomach has had it’s “Elegance of Sufficiency”, that there is tucked away another little sweet stomach!

 kept aside just waiting for the opportunity of a little sweet treat … 

Not that we partake often, our pallet is alined to the savoury!

But today, we just had to try some Churros, dusted in super fine sugar and cinnamon with chocolate sauce and ice cream,

just over the boarder from Mexico.

Even though Churros are a Spanish creation, naughty Spain did take over Mexico in the 1500’s so I think it is only fair that the Mexicans declare Churros as their own and now it is the

 most iconic desert of Mexico.

Ohh and being a Aussie Tourist 

one can only afford to leave a crumb.

 

Happy Anniversary

 Today marks … (well yesterday did in Australia) 

our 38th Wedding anniversary.

💜 To the Love of my Life 💜

Thank you for 

STILL

Loving Me

Liking Me (most days!!!)

Laughing with Me (lots)

& Laughing at Me! (Essential)

MOST of all for being the AMAZING YOU that you are.

Thank you for Always being there for Me.

💚 💚 💚 💚 💚

38 Years of WONDERFULLNESS.

yep I know it has only one L but to me it will always have TWO

For those of you who have been following the blogs will remember my colouring in class! … well as 38 years is a paper anniversary I went back to the class room and made Sandy a card (yep last of the big spenders there Pete)

So had it on our table in the Pinnacle Grill as a surprise for Sandy.

Our starter was Clothesline Candied Maple Bacon with pickles and preserved lemon. 

Yum

Lump Crab, Cakes cucumbers sheets, a sweet chilli mustard. Yumo

Followed by lobster ravioli in a seafood bisque.

Yummiest

ANZAC Day

 It was lovely this morning for the ship to put on a ANZAC Day service which started at dawn and ended just as Australian was hitting midnight. 

The service was attended by about 50 people and was held under the glass dome roof, pool side and after The Last Post when we were all observing “Two Minutes Of Silence” the only sound to be heard was coming from the pool! 

For me it sounded just like water lapping on a far away beach.

It sure bought a tear to my eye.

Lest We Forget

Sea Days

 We now have 2 sea days to sober up after all the tequila tasting in Mexico and time to emotionally heal after surviving the theatre show 🔥 🙀

The humidity has now gone and the temperature has dropped a good 10 to 15 degrees as we head north up the west coast Mexico and tomorrow we will be back in American waters as we cruise into San Diego.

Today it is 16 degrees but thankfully the pool is still warm from the warming ☀️ of mexico, so for me one last dip as the wind is 🥶 getting out so it will be back to the hot tubs instead.

So today … more book reading Hmmm or card playing.

Now that I have completed my degree in colouring in for adults!!! 

What else can I do today. 

OK lets go for a walk around the ships corridors and check out the old picture as HAL is celebrating 150 year on the sea and the walls are full of great old black & white pictures.

  To cool for school, no socks! so ahead of his time … or was this the start of the time!

Oh and the games to play in very dap-a outfits too!

  When everyone dressed for dinner

Yep can relate to this picture it can be windy on deck.

Our breakfast room is not looking like this any more 

soooooo over to top

Just imagine this picture in colour

 

No madam … you cant do that any more!

Well its almost black and white … 

so lets see if we can get you a place 

on our corridor wall 💚