CROSSING THE EQUATOR 1-13-11

King Neptune, his assistant and me.
The kissing of the fish is part of the ceremony.
Captain Zander being escorted to the pool where he will be thrown in! What a good sport!!
Some of the first time participant in the crossing ready to get smothered with goop.
King Neptune and his entourage.
The Equator crosses 3 continents-South America, Africa and Asia.

CRYSTAL SOCIETY COCKTAIL PARTY AND FORMAL FRENCH DINNER NIGHT

Don having a jolly good time with Patricia Kent. (She and her brother are Dance performers on ship)
Nancy with John Parris, the Master Photographer from Scotland on board.
Nancy with the Officers @ the cocktail party.

COSTA RICA-CENTRAL AMERICA'S "RICH COAST"-January 11, 2011

Don on jet ski.
Don with Coca Cola.
Our break from the ride.




Nancy with Crystal's Manny.
Don on his ATV.
Our group of 8 getting ready to get on the ATV.

Costa Rica is a completely different world when compared to its sister Central America nations. The country has a lower infant mortality rate, a lower suicide rate, longer average life span and a higher rate of literacy than the United States. It has no army or military force of any kind, and universal health care has been in place for over three decades. It is the second smallest country in Central America and is just about the size as West Virginia. There are 50,00 US citizens living in CR.
Our destination was the GOLFO DE PAPAGAYO (The Gulf of the Parrot). We opted to do a JET SKI & ATV ADVENTURE and what an adventure it was!!!. I am glad that we lived to tell about it!

View of Symphony from tender.
Passenger on tender going to ship. (After 5 tequilla shots)
After the "Dolphin Swim".
Harbor of Cabo San Lucas.
The" signature" rock archway of Cabo San Lucas.

Don getting a kiss from Freda.
Don swimming with Freda.
Kiss from Freda.
Don and Nancy with Freda.

CABO SAN LUCAS 1-7-11

Lowering of the tender for transport to town.
This once dusty town now hosts a burgeoning number of major resorts. At the southernmost tip of the 1,000-mile-long Baja California peninsula, the land ends with a great natural wonder called El Arco (The Arch), the beautiful landmark of this sleepy desert town. We took a tender from the ship into the town and then went swimming with the dolphins. Dolphins are as curious about us as we are about them and they will offer their sleek, graceful bodies to be stroked and gently petted. We both got to ride this fascinating marine mammal.