Author: Lisa

Although for this section of the Camino, we “only” walked for four days between resting in León and now in Ponferrada, the four days took us from the flat quiet Meseta to the mountainous varied Cantabrian Range.

A treat for Minke and me:  our friend, Heather, joined us in León!  She’ll be walking the rest of the Camino with us. ❤️

Here are a few of my reflections and thoughts for this section…

Being Jewish on the Camino:  For some, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela can be a Catholic/Christian experience.  For me, it is a Jewish one.  My Judaism is innate in me; it is part of my essence.  There are a few ways I’m personalizing this Camino into my own Jewish experience.  One of these is to find Jewish symbols, stories, or artifacts wherever I can find them.  The opening photo is from León’s Plaza Mayor.  Shaped in the form of the Iberian Peninsula is a small brass plaque with the Hebrew word Sefared, the Jewish name for Spain, marking the original Jewish barrio in León before the Jews were expelled in 1492.

Most welcoming hospitality:  Camino Ways booked us into a beautiful renovated flour mill, Molino Galochas in Villavante.  Mercedes, the hostess, greeted us with a hug, a glass of wine, and a snack.  Her warm welcome, along with her gorgeous home, created a sweet respite.

Story with greatest connection to Martin Sheen and the movie The Way:  Mercedes told us about Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, and Emilio’s son, Taylor.  While they were filming The Way, Taylor met his now wife, Julia.  Julia’s mom is one of Mercedes’ best friends.  The cast and crew from The Way enjoyed their stay at Molina Galochas as much as we did!

Part of me I’m not leaving on the Camino:  The Camino challenges pilgrims to reflect, think, and consider…whatever comes to mind while walking.  It is so much more than just a “walk!”  With the time and space to connect with oneself and one’s Camino community, there are many opportunities for growth.  A part of myself that I cherish and will not leave on the Camino is “Mama Lisa.”  Mama Lisa represents my nurturing, caring, and empathic traits.  I thought of this yesterday at the Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) at one of the highest points between the towns of Foncebadón and Manjarín.  Seeing someone I met at Molina Galochas, a man around my age who was walking with his 28 year old son, I saw the man become quite emotional when he put a stone at the cross.  When he approached where we were standing, he looked tearful and sad.  I said, “May I give you a hug?”  He accepted and thanked me, with another hug, later that day at our lunch cafe.  On the Camino, many people come for the adventure and the allure of walking for many miles over many days.  Others come for some deep personal reason.  I love hearing others’ stories and have many times offered a hug, which has been frequently and warmly accepted.

Best prayer for the Camino:  The Shehecheyanu, a Hebrew blessing recited in Judaism to express gratitude for being alive, for being sustained, and for having reached a special occasion or moment.  At times of joy, surprise, and pleasure, this powerful prayer speaks to me.  I have recited and sang it many times on this journey.

Best hike:  Although long and very challenging, the 32 km hike from Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada amazed me with its flowing creeks, blooming wildflowers, and varied terrain.  We climbed from Rabanal del Camino to the highest point of the Camino, up about 1,200 feet to nearly 5,000 feet. From there, we descended over 3,000 feet to Ponferrada.  The slate and rocks made for a treacherous descent.  Thank goodness the weather cooperated!  No rain and cool temperatures!

Here are my four videos from this section’s stages.

Note:  Our next rest day isn’t until we complete the Camino in Santiago de Compostela.  We only have nine more stages…

Stage 22:  León to Mazarife (15 miles)

 

Stage 23:  Villavante to Astorga (18 miles)

 

Stage 24:  Astorga to Rabanal del Camino (14 miles)

 

Stage 25:  Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada (22.4 miles)

 

The Meseta:  A vast plateau between Burgos and León.  A few pilgrims avoid the Meseta for its lack of trees and shade and often stark vistas.  I, however, LOVED walking the Meseta.  The openness, the springtime beauty of the flowers and fields, the time and space allowing one’s mind to wander and ponder….all of it made this part of the Camino a meaningful and powerful experience for me.

Some of my many thoughts considered while meandering on the Meseta:

Favorite hill climb on the Meseta:  When I first really got into hiking, I HATED hiking up hills.  I consoled myself by thinking that I could stop anywhere at any time to catch my breath before continuing the climb – and that there would be a summit soon.  As I became a stronger hiker, hills weren’t my favorite but I managed to do fine on them.  On this Camino, I ADORE hills!  It began on the final hill heading into Los Arcos.  Now, I become the Energizer Bunny on a hill, smiling the whole way up.  The climb up to Alto de Mostelares, just after Castrojeriz, was dreaded by some – and loved by ME!  Who woulda thunk it??!!

Best blister care:  Compeed and a safety pin!  My legs and body feel very strong and not sore at all.  My feet, though, developed a few blisters after the first week or so of walking.  One day, the blister on my left second toe hurt so much it began annoying my big toe.  The tape in my head kept reminding me that one should never burst a blister as an infection may ensue.  However, I used my safety pin to terrific relief and now firmly believe in the power of Compeed PLUS safety pins to relieve blister pain.

Best hiking shirt:  It’s a tie between Minke’s Patagonia hooded, long-sleeved, thumb-hole shirt and my magic blue breathable, adjustable sleeved hiking shirt!

Sentence completed before it even started: For dinner, we often have the Pilgrim Menu, consisting of a starter, a main dish, a dessert, bread, wine, and water.  Trout is sometimes offered as the fish main course.  I enjoy eating trout, but I don’t like to see its head on my plate.  Minke and I are so in-sync after traveling the Camino together for nearly 400 miles (adding in Paris, rest days, and wandering), that we not only are able to complete each other’s sentences but, when I silently hand her my trout plate and look away, she removes the head and returns my plate.  ❤️

Most bells:  In Carrion de los Condes on May 8 at about 6:10 pm, I was lying on my bed reading a book, when the bells at the church outside our window kept ringing – nonstop.  Curious, I looked at my phone and saw that the smoke was white – a new Pope was chosen!  Minke hopped out of the bathtub (her favorite place to relax after a day’s walk when a tub is available) and threw on some clothes, so we could walk around the village to watch and listen to bells tolling throughout the small village.

Most interesting translation:  According to Google Translate, Calzadilla de la Cueza means “cook’s underpants.”  Perhaps not surprisingly, Calzadilla de la Cueza provides the worst coffee we’ve had so far on the Camino.

Best communal lounging area:  In the sweet town of Castrojeriz, we stayed at La Posada de Castrojeriz, a small hostal with a beautiful covered atrium and comfortable chairs, a  perfect place to read, relax, and/or chat.

Most annoying on the Camino:  Oftentimes, the Camino is shared by both walkers and cyclists.  Annoying and a bit scary are cyclists who quietly sneak up on you without either a verbal or bell warning.

Warmest welcome:  Upon arriving in León, we were cordially greeted at a tent by friendly senior volunteers, wearing neon vests with shirts festooned with official patches.  They stamped our Pilgrim passports, gave us a lollipop, and provided directions on a paper map to our hotel and local attractions.  What a sweet welcome!  

Now, it’s time for a rest day to relax, refresh, and enjoy this beautiful city!

Stage 13: Burgos to Hornillos del Camino (14.3 miles)

 

Stage 14: Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz (14.7 miles)

 

Stage 15: Castrojeriz to Fromista (16.9 miles)

 

Stage 16:  Fromista to Carrion de los Condes (14 miles)

 

Stage 17:  Carrion de los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza (12.8 miles)

 

Stage 18:  Calzadilla de Cueza to Sahagun (14.7 miles)

 

Stage 19:  Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero (12.7 miles)

 

Stage 20:  El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas (15 miles)

 

Stage 21: Mansilla de las Mulas to León (21.3 miles)

 

Camembert Francis de Santiago was born to a French mother, Belle Poulet, who encountered “the love of her life” during a free range vacation in northwest Spain.  Although his mother took the name “de Santiago,” CF de S never met his father.

Camembert, or “Cam” as his friends called him, was a noble rooster – or coq (in French) – and enjoyed a distinguished academic career writing several books, including the well-known masterpiece El Gallo et Coq Galuois:  Rooster Symbolism in Spain and France in the Middle Ages.

While he shunned politics in general, he briefly led the ill-fated campaign to free the caged chickens of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Toward the end of his life, he sought to explore his Spanish roots. In Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, on Monday, April 21, 2025, he began to travel the Camino with two human companions. 

Finding sympathetic ears in these and many other pilgrims, he shared stories of his colorful, at times difficult, youth.  Often following a long and arduous day’s journey on the Camino, Cam’s best stories were enhanced by a drink or two (or three…).

On the morning of his surprising death, he tumbled from a cafe chair, losing his head and his life.  A coroner’s investigation, required due to allegations of nefarious misconduct, determined cause of death as accidental.

CF de S never married.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Belle Poulet, and is survived by his twin brother, Roquefort Leon de Santiago. CF de S  is sorely missed by his Camino family, Lisa, Minke, Stephanie, Lisa #2, Jill, Maggie, and many others.

In lieu of flowers or donations, please consider walking a Camino in his name.

RIP, Camembert Francis de Santiago

(Written primarily by guest author Minke, with photos and a bit of input from Lisa.)

Rest day in Burgos, so I’m blogging about the second part of our AMAZING journey…

Instead of writing about each day individually, here are some general thoughts about the past five days…

  • Most beautiful scenery – I loved the walk from Najera into Santo Domingo!  With varied walking surfaces and captivating views of undulating wheat fields, this was a gorgeous walk!
  • Hardest physical challenge – The walk from Santo Domingo to Belorado was quite challenging as the terrain was uninspiring and the highway noise was disruptive.
  • Strangest church exhibit – In Santo Domingo’s cathedral, a pair of chickens resides to honor the memory of Domingo’s miracle (see Wikipedia).  The chickens are changed every few weeks and enjoy the rest of their lives in a chicken coop at a nearby hostel.
  • Most challenging weather – By far, the most challenging weather was the heavy rain storm, complete with thunder and lightening, for a large part of the 30 km from Belorado to Atapuerca.  Blustering wind and pelting rain drove many pilgrims to remain behind or take a taxi to their next stop.  We, however, continued on – until the sunshine miraculously parted the skies right when we arrived at the monastery’s pub in San Juan de Ortega.  We, of course, revived ourselves with a shot – or two! – of whisky!
  • Most beautiful hotel  – I turned “princess” at our supposedly one-star hotel in Najera.  My very kind sister-princess Minke shared with me her experiences at paradores in Spain. ‘Parador’ is the name given in Spain to luxury hotels managed by a state-run company and usually located in buildings of historical importance such as fortresses, monasteries, and castles.  Wowza!  The parador in Santo Domingo de la Calzada just happened to have an available room for us the next night, so Minke treated me to a luxury experience.  Such a treat!
  • Creepiest animal – Leaving Logroño, we walked over a bridge where we saw groups of people staring down into the river.  What were they looking at?  Creepy yellow mouthed catfish!
  • Saddest event – In Saint Jean Pied de Port, Minke rescued a porcelain rooster… She will, when she feels up to it, write an obituary for him which I will share on this blog.  Until then, please know that we were deeply saddened when Cam (Camembert Francis de Santiago) fell and broke his head in Ventosa.
  • Oddest dinner – Our package with Camino Ways includes most dinners, especially when we are in small villages.  Sometimes, the hotel has its own restaurant.  Other times, we are given a “ticket” for a meal at a nearby restaurant.  In Najera, our hostess directed us to Trece restaurant, where the bartender sat us in the back room and used Google translate to share the menu with us.  As the only back room guests for over an hour, we felt quite out of place until Ernesto and Katherine, two other pilgrims, joined the back room an hour later.  The front bar area, though, was busy with locals drinking and playing card games!
  • Best tapas – At this point, the best tapas with the greatest variety have been in Burgos!

Stage 8:  Logroño to Nájera (19 miles)

 

Stage 9:  Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada (16 miles)

 

Stage 10:  Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado (16 miles)

 

Stage 11:  Belorado to Atapuerca (20 miles) 

Two videos…I accidentally stopped my Fitbit at the top of the hill…

 

 

Stage 12:  Atapuerca to Burgos (16.5 miles)

 

What a rest day it was!

I started the day hanging out in the breakfast room, updating my blog.  With intermittent WiFi, the process took longer than expected.

Next, I grabbed our laundry and headed out to the local laundromat.  Interestingly, the washing machines dispense their own detergent.  This laundromat allowed me to pay tapping with my phone.

Upon returning to our hotel and putting away laundry, Minke and I wandered around Logroño.  When we arrived at the cathedral plaza, we noticed people milling around outside stores…and no lights on in any of the stores.  Power outage!  Throughout Spain and Portugal – and a bit of France!

We headed into a tapas bar to grab a bite and a glass of wine.  The server calmly wrote down our order on a scratch pad, used a calculator to add the total, and accepted our cash.  Everyone was so calm and chill!  We asked the server if the power goes out frequently, and he said “no.” 

Next, we went back to the hotel where our room was, thankfully, on the first floor (ground floor in Europe is Floor Zero).  When I woke up from my nap, I strolled around town on my own for a bit.  I went into a store – and the lights came on!  Five hours after losing electricity, we had power once again.

 

A journey of 500 miles begins with the first step.  😊

This, our first rest day, gives me the opportunity to share the first seven stages of this adventure.  WiFi is a tad sketchy and glitchy, so please excuse typos, errors, etc. 

Stage 1:  Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles (16.4 miles)

This first stage, over the Pyrenees, scared me the most when thinking about walking the Camino.  Over the Pyrenees?  Climbing a total of 5370 feet?  Stories of snow, rain, and wind?

Fortunately, we had fabulous weather!  Windy at times but no rain.  Relatively clear skies creating magnificent views.  The climb was a bit relentless and hard but not impossible.  

Wow!  It was a terrific first day!

 

Stage 2:  Roncesvalles to Zubiri (14.8 miles)

In some ways, Stage 2 was harder than Stage 1!  Although the elevation gain was only 1662 feet, the descent was treacherous.  Not only was there a bit of rain, we descended through deep mud and slippery rocks into Zubiri.  Thank goodness for hiking poles!

 

Stage 3:  Zubiri to Pamplona (15.1 miles)

A beautiful and relaxed walk through the countryside!  When we stopped for lunch – a delicious spinach frittata – my tracker stopped, so there are two shorter videos for Stage 3.

As you view the videos, you may notice a few of the many friends we have made.  Stephanie, Jill, and Lisa…plus many others…have added humor, depth, and fun to our trip.  Most days, we share a refreshing beer and tapas as we transition from walking to relaxing.

 

 

Stage 4:  Pamplona to Puente de la Reina (18 miles)

Since we didn’t see much of Pamplona when we arrived, Minke and I chose to take an early morning stroll around this beautiful walled city.  Following breakfast, we met up with Lisa and Stephanie for our walk through the countryside, observing many fields of yellow rapeseed along the way.  

After climbing Alto de Perdón, we found the Pilgrim statue where we, with other peregrinos, posed for photos.  Near the statue lies a monument to Civil War victims under Franco’s regime.

The descent from the statue and monument was quite relentless…but the views were spectacular!

 

Stage 5:  Puente de la Reina to Estella (17 miles)

A meandering walk through the countryside with views of Roman ruins, red poppies, and cute villages.

 

Stage 6:  Estella to Los Arcos (15.5 miles)

The day started with a bit of wine at the fountain in Irache.  Using my pilgrim shell, we each had a sip of wine.  Then I got stung by a bee!  I was chatting with Jackie, a Brit who now lives near Toronto, when OUCH! I felt a sting!  Jackie pulled out the stinger and gave me a sheet with antiseptic and lidocaine on it to clean the poke and take away the pain.  I now look like a chipmunk with my swollen cheek!

On the final hike up the hill before entering Los Arcos, I had this amazing endorphin rush!  I felt strong and powerful, in full flow, and started laughing while climbing.  It was incredibly cool!

 

Stage 7:  Los Arcos to Logroño (19.3 miles)

A long walk through wheat fields, country trails, and rolling hills.  Some of the climbs were a bit steep; one descent was at 10%!  There were many cute villages along the way, especially Viana where we stopped for lunch.

 

 

Booking our travel to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPP), we realized that it would be wonderful to spend a day in Paris.  This allowed us to not only begin to recover from jet lag but also to explore the City of Lights.

After our uneventful red eye flight from San Francisco to Paris, we took the train from the airport to our terrific hotel in the 5th Arrondissement, the Latin Quarter on the left bank of the Seine just across the river from Notre Dame.

Upon settling into our room, we began our fifteen miles clockwise walking tour of Paris.  Along the way, we viewed:  Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens (with children pushing sailboats in the pond), Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Mont Saint Michel, Sacre Coeur (and a spectacular panoramic view of the city), Moulin Rouge, and Louvre.  In addition to these terrific sites, we ate AMAZING Lebanese organic ice cream rolled in chopped pistachios and shared a liter of wine (one half at lunch and the other at dinner 🙂 ).

Paris in one day?  Sure!  Why not?!

I strung together six mini-videos of our day into one 3:28 video.  Click on this link for the video.  (I tried to embed the video…but the internet is too slow…and I’m too tired!  😘 )

 

A few years ago, my friend Minke asked if I wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago with her.  I, of course, said, “Yes!”

The time has come.  We leave TOMORROW to walk the Camino Frances route, 500 miles from Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  After spending a night in Paris and a couple of days in Saint Jean, we start walking on Monday, April 21.  The first day:  up and over the Pyrenees!

To say I’m excited is an UNDERSTATEMENT.  I am thrilled, eager, and joyful.  I am also a bit anxious and nervous…which is to be expected.

Our plan:  We booked with Camino Ways, so our accommodations, luggage transfers, breakfasts, and most dinners are all pre-arranged.  Our focus will be on putting one foot in front of the other while carrying a daypack with what we need for that day.  Interspersed among our 34 walking days are four rest days.  In Leon, Heather will join us and in Sarria, Kayla and Traci will connect with us. 

My blogging intention:  The purpose of this walk is to immerse myself in the environment, allow my mind to wander and reflect as it so chooses, and enjoy the community on the Camino.  However, I know me.  I know I will want to take photos; I also don’t want to be tied to my camera or to a laptop.  So I will snap photos that interest me with my phone and, on our rest days, perhaps upload them to my blog.  My thought is to minimize technology use by relying on the Relive app to track where I’ve walked while automatically linking my photos to the route itself.  Of course, we shall see!  If and when I post, I will let you know!  🙂

Buen Camino!!!

With a bit of time on my hands and the desire to take Addie and Sheila on a mini-road trip, along with wanting to do some training hikes and enjoying caravanning with Nanine, I explored the Indio area for about four days last week.  During the trip, Nanine and I camped in our rigs at the Indio Elks so we could play cribbage, drink Manhattans, chat with locals, and hike some local trails.

The Cove Trail (La Quinta)
This trail, though, had many sub-trails blocked from dogs so the canines wouldn’t annoy the wildlife.

 

The “City” of Indio
An older city, comprised of just a few streets, decorated with murals.

 

Desert Living Zoo and Gardens (Palm Desert)
Although Sheila and Nanine’s pooch, Bossa, got along fine while Nanine and I played cribbage in her rig, we decided it was best to allow Bossa to have his own space and Sheila hers while we explored the Desert Living Zoo.  Thank you, Uber!

 

 

Wilderness Loop (a five mile hike with the trailhead inside the Desert Living Zoo)

 

 

Miss Sheila Beila carefully watching our cribbage game

 

Indio Canyon Badlands
One of my favorite hikes!  Various desert terrain with gorgeous views and some bouldering challenges.  Sheila, who joined us, loved jumping up on the granite rocks – and didn’t enjoy the sand between her toes.

 

 

View of the snowcapped mountains from the trail.

My camera and me:  reunited!  Today, I climbed Islay Hill and wandered around my neighborhood, capturing images that surprised or delighted me.  Sometimes, I snapped the same photo with my phone for comparison purposes.  For that hike, I left the doggies at home. 

Afterward, I walked Sheila and Arthur (grandkids’ dog), using only my cellphone camera to snap photos.

What did I learn?  Although my phone takes excellent photographs, the ones from my camera surpass the quality of those from my phone.

This is not to say that my phone takes poor images, just that my camera takes better pics. 

On adventures that I don’t want to lug around my camera, laptop, etc., my phone will be more than adequate.  When I want to be more of a photographer than a traveler, I will take my camera.  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t realize how my 366 Day Photo Challenge from last year would affect me.  Once I returned home from my cruise, I set aside my camera and didn’t feel any desire to pick it up.  In addition to getting a new iPhone with a terrific camera function in preparation for my next BIG ADVENTURE, I was burned out on photography.  Ugh!  Picking up my camera.  Uploading photos to Lightroom.  Processing them.  Downloading them to my computer.  Writing my blog.  Yech!

Until now.  I took my camera on my training hike up Sydney and LOVED snapping photos again!  My enjoyment of photography has RETURNED!

 

 

 

This journey comprised not one, not two, but really THREE adventures.

Arabian Sea

This photo of Dubai Creek summarizes quite a bit of what I saw in Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.  The Arabian Peninsula, birthplace of Islam, boasts the world’s largest oil reserves along with the water to transport those reserves throughout the globe.  Qatar and the UAE have so much oil money, they have built up their countries with mega-buildings, expansive museums, and exquisite mosques.  Interestingly, even with so much oil, most of the emirates envision a future without oil money, so they attempt to diversify their economies into tourism, medical tourism, and construction.  One of my favorite tours during this whole adventure took me to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi where I saw a synagogue, mosque, and church.

Indian Ocean

Four African islands in the Indian Ocean – all so very different from each other.  The Seychelles archipelago, the “Hawaii of the Indian Ocean,” has beautiful beaches, compelling snorkeling, and giant tortoises.  Independent from Britain since 1976, it is a playground of the rich and famous.  Madagascar, independent from France since 1960 and the fourth largest island in the world, couples amazing fauna and flora with some of the globe’s worst poverty.  Reunion, a department of France, presents a cosmopolitan ambiance with natural beauty.  Colonial buildings, amazing waterfalls, and mountain vistas highlight some of Reunion’s many intriguing sites.  Mauritius, with nearly 50% of its citizens being Hindu, features a new culture for me.  Economically developed and socially stable, this island became independent from the UK in 1968.

These four islands share similar climates and, to a degree, histories, yet they are incredibly dissimilar.  How one country can overcome colonization, slavery, and dissent and another succumbs to corruption, poverty, and turmoil… I don’t know the answer…

Norwegian Dawn

In my 20s, I went on a weekend cruise from Long Beach to Ensenada with my aunt Bea, my mother’s best friend’s mother who wanted to go on the trip but didn’t want to go alone so she invited me to join her.  In 2022, I did a barge and bike trip out of Amsterdam.  This was, however, my first “big” cruise trip, with a traditional ship and a big itinerary.

I thought it might be fun…and a bit boring and stodgy.

I was right.  It was fun!

I was also wrong.  It was not boring or stodgy!

The Norwegian Dawn, a mid-sized vessel with about 2,300 guests and 1,000 crew members, felt small and approachable. I enjoyed my at-sea days and ship time, while making friends with several other passengers, relaxing in the thermal spa, and indulging in food and beverages.  Surprising to me were those people who complained about the Norwegian Dawn – a little older ship, a bit worn around the edges, not enough deck chairs in quiet areas, monotonous food… Although I could understand, to a degree, how they felt, I disagree with their perceptions.  To me, the ship was warm, comforting, and welcoming.  It was easy to find spaces for peace and rest.  The food was yummy – as were the drinks.  And the crew!  Amazing people!

Will I go on another cruise?  YES!  Will I go with Norwegian Cruise Lines?  YES – if the voyage has an itinerary that fascinates me.

Flight Home

One final thought:  Traveling to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean takes a LONG time!  To get home, we flew six hours from Mauritius to Dubai and then another 16 hours from Dubai to San Francisco.  Afterward, I drove home from the Bay Area.  That’s a lot of travel!  Would I do it again, especially only five weeks after returning from Southern Africa?  Yep.  I sure would!  🤣

Initially, what inspired me most about this cruise was the itinerary.  As a “sampler tour,” I knew I’d be seeing some new and intriguing places, locations it would be difficult to visit if not cruising.

I was less excited, however, about the sea days.  I thought they might be boring.

WRONG!

I loved my time at sea!  We had six full sea days and nine port days – and all were amazing.

A “typical” day, whether at sea or in port, would begin at about 5:30 am or so.  I’d walk the few steps to O’Sheehan’s, located on the same deck as our stateroom.  Bharat, the early morning server, would see me and bring me a cup of coffee, a small pitcher of milk, a glass of orange juice, and a pastry or two.  (Seeing Nanine, he’d substitute the coffee for tea.)

Following coffee/tea, Nanine and I would walk the Deck 7 Promenade for about two miles, greeting our fellow morning walkers.  Nanine and I walked clockwise for the sunrise view, allowing us to get to know those promenaders walking counterclockwise.  (There were, of course, only a handful of early morning walkers.)  For example, we enjoyed chatting with the “Greyhounds,” a tall lean couple from Seattle who were cruising with their two teenagers and Mama Greyhound’s mom.  An Aussie woman, nicknamed Mrs. Yorkie, walked fast and focused.  I would wave, smile, and say “hi” – and get no reaction.  Challenge accepted!  😀 We soon noticed that she was walking quickly, keeping pace with Mr. Yorkie a few yards ahead of her.  By the third morning, she looked up and smiled.  The next day, she started chatting with us.  I told Nanine, “I bet by tomorrow, we’ll be having drinks with her!”  And we did!  That night, the Yorkies joined us during happy hour in Gatsby’s, our favorite bar on board.

After our promenade, we’d head to breakfast at one of three restaurants open in the morning on the ship.

During port days, we would then debark for our excursion.

On sea days, though, we’d climb the stairs to the gym.  (I very seldom rode the elevator during the entire cruise.)  I did another hour of cardio, split between the treadmill and elliptical, and weight machines for my arms, legs, and core.

Next, we went to the Thermal Spa, where I splurged on the pass for the full voyage.  Spa time included the steam room, sauna, hot tub, and, my favorite, thermal chair.  Ah, so nice relaxing in the thermal chair with a view out the stern of the ship!

Following the spa and a shower, it was time to grab a drink and lunch.  Often during a sea day afternoon, I would take my laptop to O’Sheehan’s, plug into power, review photos, and update my blog – my way of relaxing.

By 4:00 pm or so, we would meander to Gatsby’s with a deck of cards, be greeted by Rzki with our happy hour beverages, and play a few games before dinner.  Most often, we would go to the 7:00 pm show at the Stardust Theater, watching singers, dancers, a magician, and a hypnotist.

Although there were some variations, perhaps an afternoon workshop or paint-by-numbers session, I found this general flow of sea day activities relaxing, fun, and active.

Sunrises – a treat of early mornings

Arabian Gulf

 

Seychelles

 

 

 

Reunion

 

 

Mauritius (final morning)

 

Sunset – for our final night, we met the “Greyhounds” for happy hour and to see the sunset as we left Reunion on our way to Mauritius

 

Afternoon relaxation

First lunch – the Venetian – docked in Doha

 

Paint-by-numbers – invited to join by Oksana whom we met with her partner Eric on our flight from San Francisco and really enjoyed their company during this journey

 

Nothing like a book, a drink, and a view

 

Happy hour at Gatsby’s – photo credit Oksana and Eric

 

Dinner at Le Bistro, a specialty restaurant

 

Evening activities

Hannah Stearne – powerful voice, dynamic personality, and vigorous energy – I saw her perform twice!

 

New Year’s Eve:  My only late night!  While Nanine rested, I hung out with some people I had met on an excursion.  Seating was sparse in the atrium, so I was sitting on a ledge.  Seeing me from a deck above, Oksana walked over to me and invited me to join her and Eric since they had an extra seat.  So sweet!  At 11:50, Nanine joined us, so the four of us could celebrate the arrival of 2025.

 

 

Not a clear photo… 🙂