Arizona at Sea: Cruisin' to Ensenada

Aah, there's nothing like a sea cruise to escape the everyday grind! You don't have to wait until your vacation time rolls around to enjoy some time on the water, either. There are lots of shorter cruise options that take place over the course of what you would call a long weekend---departing on Friday and returning on the following Monday. I put on my sailin' shoes for one such adventure aboard the Royal Caribbean Monarch of the Seas as it left Los Angeles and headed for Ensenada, Mexico. Of course I was looking forward to all of the usual delights that a cruise ship provides like food, food and more food. But this particular sailing offered a little something extra for dessert; live music from a bunch of Arizona-based musicians!

For many cruisers the whole idea is to relax; take a dip in the pool then dry off in the nearest chaise lounge while sipping on a cocktail. Head to the spa a bit later for a massage; decide which restaurant you want to hit for dinner. But if you want to go-go-go, most cruise ships offer tons of stuff to do and the Monarch of the Seas is no exception. There's a rock-climbing wall, a casino, bingo, karaoke and trivia contests. There are a dozen bars and a cigar bar. Want a tattoo? Have one airbrushed on. If you brought your checkbook or your gold card you might want to check out the champagne art auction. Music is always a big part of the cruising social scene and the Monarch of the Seas features a wide variety of entertainment---sensuous Latin grooves, dueling pianos, ballroom music and a pulsating disco. And when Arizona is at sea, rock'n'roll! Yes, the bands actually hauled their gear onboard and took over a couple of the ship's lounges for a little rockin' on the water. 

The fun started off with a show on Friday night from Rosebud, a Scottsdale-based group that turned out to be a crowd favorite. The band got so many encores that they had to play some songs from their self-titled CD several times and singer Edmund made it clear to his female fans that he was "available" later. The rock'n'roll craziness continued with a performance from Tucson group the Zsa Zsas and the Loveblisters out of Tempe. In the morning the ship would pull into the harbor at Ensenada.
 

Kate of the Zsa Zsa's and Norm from the Mojo Farmers

Rosebud

Back around 1870 the ships that visited Ensenada had one thing on their mind and one thing in their holds---gold! The precious metal had been discovered inland and Ensenada was where all the stuff headed for distribution. Nowadays the port accommodates fishing boats, commercial shipping companies of all kinds, and of course tourist-laden cruise ships. Visitors are more likely to be offered silver for sale than gold these days as this area is where the renowned Taxco sterling silver comes from. Some of the other goodies that you can find on the streets here are onyx and wood carvings, leather goods, pottery, stained glass and hand-blown glass items. If you intend to dicker on the price, which is pretty much standard operating procedure, cut the asking price in half and then work back up to a happy medium from there. Or just move on---unless you have your eye on an extremely collectible piece you are sure to find something similar elsewhere in town. 

On this trip I wasn't interested in shopping so I caught a tour bus that was headed out to a place I had wanted to see for a long time---La Bufadora! La Bufadora is a seaside "blow hole" located at the bottom of some steep cliffs outside of town. Over the years the ocean has eroded a passage through the rocks so that when waves roll in the water here is forced straight up through the passage to burst forth into the air like a giant fountain. This is great fun standing at the overlook and watching the gusher go off every minute or so. When a really forceful wave hits the water blows like Old Faithful and the crowd gets a complimentary shower. The walk out to the site is almost as interesting as La Bufadora itself as you have to navigate a street lined with anxious vendors on each side. They are most definitely aggressive; handing out flyers and discount coupons and trying to lure you into their shops. Lots of the same stuff you can buy in town is available here and there are also many pharmacies that sell discount meds without a prescription should you be in need. I found a way to get the hawkers to basically leave me alone---I bought a big ol' Mexican beer and just raised it in toast and kept on going every time someone gave me their sales pitch. That way the vendors get acknowledged in a friendly way and they can see that I've purchased what I want. At any rate, it's a good excuse to drink cerveza! If you're lucky you'll also run into a street performer or two near La Bufadora; I met a very talented Indian dancer and musician who played the conch shell and danced like he was summoning the god of the sea.

Back on the ship another couple nights of rockin' saw performances from the Mojo Farmers, Greyhound Soul and jam band Gelatinous Groove. David Lowery was on board too and he played sets with both of his bands, Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker. When all was said and done a whole lot of fun had been packed into a mere three days. The ship even pulls into the pier at San Pedro very early on Monday morning so, alas, you'll be on time to start the working week with lots of interesting stories to tell around the water cooler.

www.royalcaribbean.com

Visit Hot in the City to read more about music that's made in Arizona.

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