Cruising

Peter surprised me recently with an anniversary cruise to Mexico! My gracious parents took care of our children, while we went to San Diego, CA, Catalina Island, CA, and Ensenada, Mexico. It was the first cruise either of us had taken, and we had such a special time together. Here are a few photos to give you a glimpse...

The sunset on our first night at sea

Our first port to dock in was in San Diego. We toured the USS Midway, a retired Naval aircraft carrier. It was amazing to see. I have a new respect for our military! The amount of engineering involved in making a floating war machine was staggering to me. The men and women who serve on these vessels live in unbelievably tight quarters, with a strict regimen. They don't do it for the fun of it, I'm sure. The bunks were 3 beds high, and I don't think you could even turn over. There were probably 20 people to a room about the size of our master bedroom. Below is a side view as we approached the ship. The part sticking out is an elevator for moving the aircraft from the flight deck to below. It was, like I said, truly amazing...
This is me trying out the cockpit of one of the aircraft. It was tight quarters!

This is me on top of the flight deck. I'm standing in front of one of the types of aircraft that flew off the Midway. I think this one is a Tomcat. My grandpa used to fly something like this off aircraft carriers many years ago. While touring this ship I couldn't help thinking of him, remembering stories I'd heard about his experiences. They say that landing on the ship at night is one of the most stressful experiences. At night there is virtually no light on the deck, and you have about a 40 foot space on which to touch down, in what can basically be called a "controlled crash." There is a hook that the plane has that catches a cable to make it stop, so that it doesn't just go straight into the ocean. The pilot makes the landing at full throttle, so if they miss the cable they can take off again and make another attempt. All this takes place in a matter of seconds. I think they said that they used to have a take off or landing in as little as 4 minutes apart! And...all this on a ship that is going up and down and side to side at the same time. They said that the stress level on the pilots is lower when they encounter enemy combat, than when they have to land at night. Wow.

Me and my one and only! We took walks on the deck every night after dinner. The food was amazing. Not only was it delicious, it was served to me! I didn't have to cut up anyone else's food, Peter and I could carry on a conversation without any interruptions, and someone was standing there all the time refilling my water and offering me more bread! And...I didn't have to do one single dish. Now that's a vacation!!!

Our second stop was Catalina Island. We had planned to go kayaking in the ocean and then take a glass-bottom boat tour, but the wind was too strong for any small vessels to be allowed out of the harbor. Instead we went shopping, and rented a golf cart and toured the island. This is a view looking down on the city of Avalon.

Our third stop was Ensenada, Mexico. We went to this place called La Bucadora. I don't know what it means, but it was an outdoor market right on the cliffs of the ocean. Here is a Mexican "zebra."

Outside the market is something they call "the Blowhole." The tide was too low for us to see its wonders, but I understand that when the tide comes in the waves really kick up the side of the mountain there.

How could I leave out the dancing waiters? Every night they would have something special. On the last night they came out parading with Baked Alaskas on their heads!

Happy Anniversary, Dear! Thank you for a lovely, special vacation. I love you!!!