January, 2017 we took our first cruise – a Jazz Cruise in the Caribbean.  It was decided another cruise would be in the future IF it was through the Panama Canal or to St. Petersburg.  Within months of this decision, friends Jim & Rebecca emailed saying a cruise through the Panama was on their radar.  No grass grows under our feet – so we were signed up within minutes of that first email!!  It seems that friends Debby & Richard were also enamored with the suggestion – so we had a merry band of six aboard the Oceania Marina on April 6th bound for a voyage down the west side of Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, through the Panama Canal, Columbia and Grand Cayman;-)

April 5th we rented a car and drove to Long Beach, CA, where we would board our ‘floating Magic’!  The harbor was beautiful that evening and Long Beach was very busy preparing for the Grand Prix that was to be held the following weekend – –

Our hotel overlooked the Queen Mary and the harbor.

Some of the Grand Prix of Long Beach race course.

April 6th we boarded the Marina and were on our way;-)  Our first night took us a long way down the west coast from Long Beach to San Diego – a VERY exotic port (ha ha!!).

See our room just below the BIG forward ball?!?!

A beautiful sunrise on day 2.

Past Point Loma.

Toured the fabulous San Diego via a hop on-hop off bus;-)

The ‘at sea days’ were often spent getting massages (sorry – no pics of that little exercise) or in cooking classes.  The best part of those was eating what we cooked.  Especially the Mayan Cocoa Pots;-)

Do we look the part??

We had a great time with our friends Jim and Rebecca Malone and Richard and Debby Giss – AND ROCKY PALOMAS!!

Chicken, goat cheese and apple tacos AND a Rocky Paloma – YUM YUM.

Egg class included galettes, frittatas and the Mayan Cocoa Pots with a Mojito;-)

In another evening we will be in Mexico – see you then.

Cruising the Pacific – E & G on another new adventure with friends;-)