When we left Dublin on Tuesday Jan 16 at 6:15am, the snow was coming down hard and it was -11 wind chill. Despite the weather, our flights to California went smoothly and our luggage arrived safe and sound.

As mentioned earlier, we are visiting our friends Ed and Deanna Fischermann for two days before getting on the ship. We first met Ed and Deanna on a cruise in the Galapagos Islands and then we were together for an extended trip to Machu Picchu. They live in Dana Point, a beautiful community along the ocean between LA and San Diego. The public art in Dana Point is impressive but nothing compares to the beautiful marina and parks nearby. We enjoyed walking and seeing the sights.