Ok, first off – we docked in Puerto Caldera at what appears to be the major industrial port for the area. Unless my memory is completely full of holes – always a possibility – this isn’t the same place where I have docked off ships before. OTOH – all previous ventures through here have been on much smaller ships. The size of the NCL Encore I think prohibits it from using any smaller a location. I am also thinking it has been at least 7-8 years since I have stopped here. Time can also bring on changes.
In any case, NCL provided a free shuttle bus service into the nearest major city. The ride was about 30 minutes. We were informed that there would be a shuttle bus every 30 minutes with the last one returning to the ship at 1630. We were dropped off at the edge of what was obviously a tourist market along the sea walk. Ignoring the Pizza Hut and Burger King, there were a number of local stands offering everything from kebabs to ice cream to various fried foods. The souvenir stands featured t-shirts, trinkets, bags, jewelry – the standard things seen everywhere. I wandered the area for about 20 minutes, then hopped back on the bus for the return trip. The only thing of really interesting note was the excellent wall murals and art that graced the area.
Back on the ship, I decided that early lunch, even earlier supper and a good nights sleep were in order.
