| Me: Did nothing at all the first full day at home. I did rename my Blogger blog “Postcards.” Yesterday laundry and errands were alleviated by a brief visit to Amvets. No sweater sets, but I found a medium strength Chinese made quilt to warm us up at night. This morning I woke nice and toasty. My body was cranky heading off to Mexico, and I came home to more crankiness with two days of nausea. I’m not impressed. G: Gaming that first day. Games, laundry, errands, shopping on the second day. Today he begins a new schedule powering through a number of files at work from 5am to 4pm. My goal is to get him to sleep eight hours a night. Work: Padre’s 2008 Schedule. Game Weather schedule. |
Day five was Ensenada. Last time we were there, I stayed on board and let G go off adventuring. This time I came along on a “Taste Of Mexico” tour.
The Roundies at the Port of Ensenada.
Our tour guide, Brenda, took us through the heart of the city, past several restored architectural treasures, and stopped briefly at the flag plaza by the bay.
Left to Right: The side of the Elation, our handmade tamales, The Abeille Magellan which was not needed to assist, Raft of old ships.
On our way to the restaurant, we passed ship yards….one with a Disney pirate ship readying to be packed off to Florida for the next episode. Up steep roads into the newer home area of Ensenada then down into the business district again for lunch and shopping.
The Chef at Mango Mango was a comedian……delightful. He talked, joked, and cajoled us into making guacamole, tamales, and a tostada giving every detail we needed to make them at home. He even reminded us several times that it all would taste better if we used lard.
Shop windows filled with not tempting goodies.
Shopping. We looked but saw little we liked in our tight-wadded price bracket. Duck had always bought himself one good art item each time he traveled…an enamel from Arizona, a carved ceramic bowl from Mexico, a delightful wooden animal from Africa were some of the pieces we found after his death. I had decided to see if I too could find one thing each trip within my budget.
The Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, mementos have always amused me no end. As we left the ship, a Frida Kahlo icon, with her name in tiny metal bubbles over her head, caught my eye. At twenty-eight dollars, I walked away thinking I could do better in town. We walked the whole of Ensenada’s main street and didn’t see one like it. I found wall plaques of food and dishes to be laid out on the graves, I found hundreds of other things almost good enough to buy also. In the end I bought a small Frida Kahlo piece…one with not quite the same pizzazz but in wood so it wouldn’t rust. I stopped to buy the bubbled Frida piece as we headed back aboard the ship, but the price had gone from twenty-eight to fifty-one dollars.
Back aboard, it didn’t take long to head out past the new breakwater and unloading container ship. On our left was the remains of the SS Catalina. In one year, there has been much more damage to the hull and superstructure. What was straight in 2007 is twisted or missing in 2008. We would have dearly loved to see her salvaged, but the damage we saw this trip seems to lessen her chances of survival.
Now we were heading home. There was a bit more movement to the ship. G continued to do fine with his new patch, and we spent an hour or so taking more ship pictures, packing, then going to a few game shows in the Mikado lounge.
Home was sunshine. Home was the Ryndam tied up next to us as we disembarked. Home was watching the offloading of the baggage, the food and stores being stacked and inspected before being brought on board. Home was disembarking easily with a number 11 tag. Home was arrival at our house and the discovery that we left our hanging bag in the baggage claim area at the terminal.
Nothing like a little excitement to stir up the imagination.
Home was also viewing the Ryndam and the Elation depart on their next cruises while we ate a picnic dinner on Shelter Island. Home too was seeing the Elation from a viewpoint past the Midway during the Red Bull Air Races.
Midway in the foreground and past her masts is the Elation taken an hour or so after we disembarked by Zimmy. Photo used by permission. Copyright 2008: Zimmy2n2
Links:
YouTube SS Catalina
Maritime Matters: SS Catalina
SS Avalon and the SS Catalina The story behind the postcard
wow! thanks. these are great fotos and it seems like a fantastic trip.
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