Valencia and San Diego

Sunday, Sep 21: We left home after dropping Tony off with Julie and picking up the rental car. We met our friends from the Bucharest to Budapest River Cruise for dinner. That was lots of fun to see them and catch up!

Monday, Sep 22: It seemed like a long drive to San Diego today. We stopped for Panda Express along the way.  The traffic wasn't that bad but I really dislike the multiple freeways. Before going to the timeshare, we first made a stop at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. Both of Stuart’s parents are buried there. It was an emotional and touching visit. We checked into WorldMark for our 1 week stay. We unpacked what was needed and relaxed. We ate our leftover Panda Express for dinner, watched some TV, and called it a night.

Tuesday, Sep 23: Today we went to lunch and then to Trader Joe’s for a few groceries for the week. In the late afternoon we headed to Eric and Kathe’s (Stuart’s brother and wife) home to meet them for dinner. We enjoyed dinner and a nice visit. Kathe just had hip replacement surgery 4 days ago and she was eager to go out to dinner. I think that is amazing!

Wednesday, Sep 24: Today we went to the Coronado Del Rey Hotel. I had never been there before, only viewing it from the mainland. Stuart took us to Nobu for lunch and it was amazing! The weather was perfect. The hotel is historic and so beautiful. We played cards and watched a little TV in the evening. A lovely and memorable day.

Thursday, Sep 25: We both worked on our laptops for most of the. We left to meet Eric and Kathe at Jake’s Delmar by 4:45p. It was a nice dinner, but quite the lively place, so it was a little bit hard to visit. It is a nice place directly on the beach. If it weren’t foggy, we would have had a nice sunset! The food was flavorful, but the steak was a bit over for me and the entire meal could have been warmer. Still it was an enjoyable visit spending time with Eric and Kathe. 

Friday, Sep 26: Today we are just going to rest here at WorldMark. I’ve been dealing with a lot of leg swelling so I want to keep my feet up as much as possible. I have also been working daily on my album, which I enjoy. Stuart always has something to keep him busy on his laptop.

Saturday, Sep 27: Another restful day. We made meals and did laundry. We are set to pack. We are watching posts of the Facebook group. It certainly piques the excitement we are feeling. The Zaandam had a stop in San Francisco. We did a few small efforts in packing.

Sunday, Sep 28: We had a lovely brunch and visit with Eric and Kathe today. After that it was time to seriously think about packing. It didn’t take very long to organize and put everything back in our suitcases. We filled up the gas tank for a speedy return of the car at the airport tomorrow morning.

Monday, Sep 29: The day as come!!! Checking out of WorldMark was a breeze. Drive to the ship airport to return the car and then a quick taxi ride to the ship. I believe we were to our cabin around noon. Boarding was efficient.