Let’s Explore the A B C’s – Part I

A few weeks ago I blogged about our trip to Jamaica. That was the first port stop on our Panama Canal Cruise. Today we’re moving on to our second stop. Our itinerary called for us to visit Bonaire next, followed by Aruba. But, because covid numbers were surging in Bonaire, they re-routed us to Curacao instead. No worries for us, we had never been to any of the A B C islands so we were eager to see what all the fuss was about.

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More Observations of an Innkeeper

This is a re-post.

About three years ago I wrote a blog post about some interesting things I had noticed about innkeeping and inn guests from my two years experience in the business. If you’re interested in reading that, here’s the link:  https://jansenschmidt.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/observations-of-an-innkeeper/

While it’s still sometimes hard to believe that we’ve been doing this for five and half years already, I am even more amazed that I continue to notice quirky and interesting things that happen frequently. Therefore, I present to you, Observations of an Innkeeper – Part Two:

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Well, I Can Check That Off My List

Do you have a bucket list? A list of things you’d love to do some day? Places you’d love to visit? I don’t really have an actual list per se, but I do have daydreams of places I wouldn’t mind seeing or things I think would be fun to try. So, I guess I have a bucket list. Sort of. It’s my “some day” list.

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Diversity Is A Good Thing

Times they are a changin’ my friends. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had conversations with people about how things were so different when we were kids. I’m sure this is nothing new. I’m sure my parents probably had these same conversations with their friends and I’m pretty sure the next generation will have these conversations with their friends. And so on.

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An International New Year

One of the things I really like about innkeeping is meeting folks from all over the world. When we first bought the inn, I never imagined that I’d meet people from so many different countries. I truly never imagined there’d be so many people from other parts of the world interested in the deep south.

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Tis the Season

We’re all familiar with the four traditional seasons and most of us have a favorite. I’m partial to summer, because I like it hot. Spring is beautiful, but too short. Autumn is pretty but often too cool for my liking. I love the long hot summers. I know, I’m a weird-o to some of you, but hey, I’m honest. I like it hot.

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Between Two Bridges

San Francisco is not known for it’s sunny days or bikini-riddled beaches. In fact, most days, it’s socked in with fog and you’re lucky if you get a tiny glimpse of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. But, the locals are blessed with a few really warm days every year around the autumnal equinox.

Such was our experience on day one of our 11-day voyage to Alaska. We arrived at the bustling pier with suitcases bursting at the seams and anticipation oozing from our pores.

Once onboard the Star Princess we made our way to the upper decks and breathed in the sea air. We had an amazing view of Alcatraz.

Alcatraz Island. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

The Golden Gate Bridge to the west – our destination

Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

and the new Bay Bridge and Treasure Island from whence we had just come to the east.

Bay Bridge. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

Before long, the band struck up a lively sail away tune, eager cruisers boggied on the Lido deck as bartenders hustled to concoct icy perfection in silver shakers. And then, the captain blew that awesome horn. BON VOYAGE!

I sipped on a Desperado, an amazing mixture of Dos Equis and Don Julio, whilst we inched away from the pier, waving at the tourists arriving back from a day of exploration on Alcatraz Island. We glided past sailors basking in the warm sunshine on the bows of their sleek white boats and and shiny playful seals barking from the wooden planks of the marina.

Pier 35 at the wharf in San Francisco. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

As the city slid past us on the port side, we inched ever closer to the orange monolithic columns of the most famous bridge in California, dwarfing the whale watching vessels coming back to port.

Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

We chugged under the massive steel structure and into the looming fog bank on the other side.

The under belly of the Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

The last dregs of sunlight gleamed off the magnificent towers and swooping spans of the bridge as we steadily made our way toward the open sea.

P. Rickrode and the Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by C. Rickrode 2014.

We were off. Day one!

Stay tuned for port one in Alaska.  Totem poles and all you can eat crab at Ketchikan!!

Have you ever been to San Francisco? Have you ever sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge? What impressive venture have your embarked upon lately. I love it when you share your experiences.

Word of the Day: Gas maser

Fun fact about me: I have never seen a walrus (except in pictures).

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, October 2014. Original photos by P. Rickrode.

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