Finally! Sunday football...

Today was the first time since returning to the boat that I've been able to catch an entire Sunday game - albiet a horrible game.  It was shared with some of the best and funniest company; Sue and Jessica.  A terrifici breakfast as well...hey Molley and Eddie, check out the bloody marys!  Thanks for a great day ladies!

No need to order food!

Fabulous!

naam, naam, naam

Me, Ed, Sue and Jessica

Sue getting angry at her team

Sue REALLY angry at her team

The jersey now on the floor,
Sue is disgusted with her team
 

Coronado Island

Today we visited Coronado Island.  It's across the water from San Diego and it's own city.  It's biggest tourist spot is the Hotel del Coronado built in the 1880s, all wood Victorian architecture and a playground for the rich and famous.  It was a beautiful day and very warm, so am glad we were at the beach.  Ed's feeling a bit fluish this evening.  Hope he's better by morning, we've got a date with Jessica and Sue!

Slow day so back tracking a bit

We pulled anchor two days ago and moved to a marina.  Good for us because its just a walk away from showers and ice, bad for us because Mao will be trying to escape each night.  Our dock location happens to be in a VERY 'social' spot.  Just down the ramp from the marina office.  A ramp everyone uses to see and be seen.  A popular marina for live-a-boards.  Because we're a new boat and Ed has the boat outfitted for off-shore sailing, we were the talk of the local community.  The first person to visit, Roy, was described to us as one of the 'local characters'.  Nice guy really and very knowledgeable but he barely takes a breath.  He's sailed all over the south pacific and to Mexico many times, so a wealth of information.  He also has an ice maker on board which I would love to talk Ed in to (for mamas cocktails.)  That be a losing battle for sure, with a guy who thrives on minimalism.
Later Ed and I were below being techies for the first time in a while and people would stop by the boat and speak loud about her to draw one of us out.  After Roy, nothing could have gotten us out!  That evening, after dark, Mao was on her 'docked' look-out (top step of the ladder to the cockpit.)  Mind you because the lights were on inside, I couldn't see outside through the screening on the porthole above the galley where I'm doing dishes.  I heard this guy talking; 'I really like your cat.  Shes so cute' and so on.  I finally took a step up the ladder to see there was a guy talking to me through the porthole!  Turned out he was nice - but holy cow, that was creepy.  Needless to say, not much privacy.  AND we're going to be here at least two weeks! Time to take a trip to the home depot for window covers.

We did a neighborhood walk figuring our surroundings, which we must do at every location.  SeaWorld is 'just across the street' and it took us upwards of an hour to get there.  What a chore!  Did I mention the street is I-5?  I think I've mentioned it before, pedistrians are not a high priority in California.  We didn't go in, just checked to see if we could get there on foot.  We've also been downtown San Diego a couple of times; Gaslamp district and the Embarcado (I have no idea what that means having not cracked open the Rosetta Stone yet, but I'm guessing it means boardwalk with big ships.)  Pictures of the big ships will have to come later.  A couple of more places to visit on my must see list, the zoo, Balboa Park and Coronado Island.  If you know of a hot spot we mustn't miss, let us know.

When we were in Oceanside (our stop just before San Diego) we took the coaster (very nice light rail system) to the San Diego Botanical Gardens and San Luis Rey de Francia.  I've been to many gardens and was disappointed with this one.  On a 5 star rating system, would only give this a 2 or 3.  But kudos on the succulent garden simulating an underwater coral reef -- gorgeous (no pic damn-it.)  Loved all the fruit trees also and can't understand why someone would live in California and not have any!
Because the mission is was still a working facility and much of it under construction, we were unable to walk much of the grounds. We did however go through their active cemetery (Ed made me add this; it was in their pamphlet and Ed kept saying he didn't see much activity, nor had he ever in any cemetery...yuk, yuk, yuk.)



Ed unable to resist fallen fruit splits open a grapefruit



Trumpet tree

Going banannas.

Entrance to cemetery

Pictures!

Here are some pics from the San Juan Capistrano Mission. But I've gotta tell you a quick story.  Back in the 1800s the priest that founded the mission (Serra, I believe) was walking down the main street of the town and saw a merchant knocking down the mud swallow nests around his shop.  The priest asked why he was doing it and the man replied that they were noisy and made a horrible mess. The priest asked where would the birds go now that he has knocked their nests down? The merchant said he didn't care as long as they didn't come back to his shop. The priest said they would always be welcomed at the Capistrano Mission.  Years later a love song was written about the swallows return from Argentina every year and the place became famous for it.  As Ed and I were strolling through the mission a children's guided tour came up behind us. The tour guide was telling the story and one of the children asked to see a nest and the tour guide said 'we don't let them nest here anymore because they were ruining the walls.  I had to leave the area because I was laughing so hard....

Last US stop...San Diego

Left Newport Beach 6 days ago, stopping at Dana Point then Oceanside.  We are now in our last US city before entering Mexico, San Diego.  Arrived last night and have anchored in Mission Bay.

Exploring our surroundings today, trying to find necessities.  So far we zeroed in on Ghirardelli chocolate shop.  Like I said, necessities.  Good transit system-otherwise we'd have a hard time getting around.  They don't cater to transient voyagers on this side of town.  We'll move closer to downtown in a couple of days.

More on our last couple of stops later as well as pictures.  Ed had to go to the post office and I found the library to get on-line.

Love to all.

Newport Beach, CA

Made it to Newport Beach.  Wow, there are boats and homes crammed into every nook and cranny imaginable!  It just goes on and on.  Checking out things on the first day, we walked the promenade along the beach.  The first Ruby's Diner is here on the pier.  Lots of people as we're getting another heat wave this week.  Ed is loving every minute of this trip with comments like --man, I'm spending all my time living it up I'm not getting much else done!

Day 2 was beach day after schleping groceries.  They've got an area of beach down here called the 'wedge'.  Naturally we had to go and swim it.  Big waves to surf.  Following are pics of the man coin his thing...needless to say I was busting a gut with laughter.

Look closely at what his groceries are...

Dark meat, light meat

He's got a great start....

Uh oh, the wave is catching up....

I'd give this 8.5.... looks like he's a bit over extended....

OH NO!  He got the wedge!

Happy Birthday today to mother Doris and nephew Jon!  Miss you guys much.