The Pollan Post: Cruise

Cruisin to Mexico and Catalina Island

Sat. July 25 - Plane was a smooth flight- boys read books and ate kit-kats and butterfingers bites. Ally did word searches with me. Grabbed a taxi to Sunrise Hotel in San Pedro. Ally provided us with great elevator music. We ordered Dominoes pizza and ate it by the pool. The chocolate lava cakes we ordered were pretty delicious. You get to California and realize just how white we all are. We all took showers and read books for a bit and then headed to bed. We were startled by a loud crashing noise. It took us a while to figure out it was fireworks coming from the Battleship IOWA that is parked across the street from our hotel. That was exciting. We all ran out in our slippers and PJs to see the show but missed most of it.

Sunday- July 26. We enjoyed the small continental breakfast, bagels, apple jacks, juice. We walked over to check out the battleship in the daylight. It was not open yet and the kids didn’t want to wait for a tour. We found a market to buy some sunblock, sunglasses for Ty and a gift for Byron. We got him a flask to put his coconut juice in. He love sit in his diet coke. We called ourselves a Taxi and drove over to the Carnival terminal. We were really early but there was already a long line to check in for the cruise. We played games while we waited and checked in. They took photos and gave us cards. We passed through at least three security screening points. It was a long walk through a large circus tent building. They took our photos getting on the ship hoping to sell us one later. We walked across the gangplank and finally got to board the ship. It took at least an hour to get onboard. We were carrying all our luggage but they said the staterooms weren’t ready yet so we headed to the Lido Deck for lunch. They had a great buffet set out with a great variety of food. All you can eat pizza and ice cream 24-7. The kids were excited. We got a table out on the deck with a view of the city and enjoyed lunch. We managed to find out way down to our estate room. We were on the bottom floor and we walked up and down every time. They had elevators but they were always slow and crowded. We unpacked in our tiny room with two murphy beds, a tinsey bathroom and a micro closet. We all got into swim suits and hit the pool, hot tub, slides, lounge chairs and sunshine. Carter stayed in the room and read for a few hours. He came up and joined us later. We changed for dinner and again ate the all you can eat buffet. The kids are drawn to the fruit, the pizza and the ice cream station. I am loving the watermelon. They ran us through an emergency drill on where to go and what to do in case of a Titanic moment. The drill took FOREVER but it’s good to do. We played mini golf in the wind, found the arcade (disappointing) and attended a Hasboro Game Show. Ty volunteered and got called up during the welcome aboard show. We saw him later on replay on the cruise ship TV channel. He played the part of “The House” in the story of the three little pigs. We headed back to the buffet for a bedtime snack and got some hot chocolate. The ping-pong table called to us as we were heading back to our cabin so we had a little friendly ping-pong match. When we got back to our room our cabin cleaner had folded towels into a lobster. Ally was delighted. Such a fun day.

Monday July 27- We started the day with breakfast of omelettes and cereal. Then we joined the line in the Dynasty Lounge to get to shore. It didn’t take too long to get on a board to Catalina. We ported at Avalon. I enjoyed seeing the orange fish again- Girabaldi. We went on a glass bottom boat ride, fed the fish through the port holes. We saw lobsters, Girbaldi’s, blue fish, abalone shells, lots of seaweed and really had a great ride. We walked back up the turquoise dock and needed ice cream. So yes we had all you can eat ice cream back on board but we bought delicious expensive double scoops from the ice cream store the kids had fond memories of last time we were on Catalina. Carter got strawberry and lemon. Ally got raspberry and lemon and Tyler and I both got Rocky Road and Caramel. It was so much better than the free ice cream on the ship. We spent some time shopping around in town. Carter as always was looking for cool glass items. We spent a good dal of time playing at the little beach. I collected sea shells. They had lots of cool snail shells and I found precious few pieces of sea glass. We tendered back to the mother ship, more security to get back on board. We came home with some good souvenirs, I found a v-w bus t-shirt, a turtle figurine for Ally and I, Ty got a new pair of swim shorts and a pin striped fedora. He is looking pretty slick. Carter found a glass spiral piece that he thinks is awesome. Everyone was happy. We ate lunch on the boat and went swimming/hot tubbing on the Lido deck. We played a little mini golf and walked the track. We gotta walk off this all you can eat buffet. In the evening we went to dinner and a comedy show. The comedy show was great and geared very appropriately for the kids. We went to a Rock and Roll Play but left after a few minutes. It was weird and bizarre and not entirely appropriate for children. The boys headed down to the room but Ally wanted to walk around and have her photo taken at the booths set up all over the ship. She talked me into coming in with her for a few of them. We headed back to the cabin thinking it was time to sleep. Ally wanted to hot tub with the lights at night so we headed back up. She went in by herself and I watched from the lounge chair this time. We stopped in and got a plate of fruit for our bedtime snack. Tom and Jerry put us to sleep- kids and mom are exhausted. Today the towel was a bunny with sunglasses on. Ally was enthralled.

July 28 - Buffet for Breakfast. We ate quickly as it was Ensenada day. We had magically transported to Mexico while we were sleeping soundly in our Murphy beds. We made it through security and onto the ground. Lucky the seas have been calm and no sea sickness problems so far. The ship lets you off at a market full of souvenirs. We skipped this and went straight to the bus which takes you to town and back for $3 each. Sounded safer than walking the ten minutes to the larger market. Along the way they convinced us to do an excursion so we booked the horse riding trip with a stop at the blowhole (Bufadora). This also includes a walk through a mexican flea market. Wow, long bus ride! We drove through farm country, really poor homes, Costco, mcDonald’s, Home Depot, new car dealerships (whose buying those cars?) Jaime our tour guide led us with an umbrella through the market. He boldly told us who to buy from and who to skip. He told us to never pay the price they state at first, you have to bargain. He told us you have to pay for a bathroom in Mexico .50cents a trip and to be back at the bus at 1:00. What? You’re leaving us at the blowhole? We drank lots of virgin pina-colada, did a bit of shopping, spent nearly all of the little money I had left after paying for this “fun” excursion. Enjoyed being harassed and yelled at to come shop in their shop. We ate lots of churos and really did end up enjoying ourselves quite a lot. None of us have died or got diarrhea from the Mexican food so I guess we got lucky. The blowhole is a big ocean spout like in HI. We couldn’t really see the hole but water does rush up and gush out everywhere. It was right by the bathrooms and stunk of pee so we didn’t stay that long at the actual Bufadora. Shopping was the highlight of the day. Ally decided she wanted a soccer ball that said Mexico on it. One for her and eventually one for India. We ended up with two deflated soccer balls so we could get them home. We had an hour and a half to shop and we made the most of it. It was Plenty of time, maybe about a half hour too long. We felt a bit like we were whisked away on a five hour tour we thought would be one. Carter looked for glass the whole time. All he could find were smoking pipes. Yikes! The shopkeepers mistook indecision and shyness for bargaining and would lower the price before we had even decided if we wanted an item. Ally drove the hardest bargain as she couldn’t decide and the price kept dropping and dropping. Tyler like another fedora but ended up buying a cowboy hat with an ensenada scarf wrapped on the brim. I got two skulls painted up in Mexican designs. Carter never did find anything that wasn’t a bong. We were having a money crisis at this point. I did buy a flower wreath from this ancient blind Mexican man who could not speak any English. He held up four fingers to tell us his price of the flower wreath. He was the most tragic thing I saw in mexico. The funniest was the Yellow Toyota Tacoma filled to the brim with cucumbers. Wish I had my camera ready to catch that one. Biggest achievement was to get Ally back on a horse. Ally napped on the bus, she had asked for a dramamine earlier and was sleeping it off. More market- Sensory overload would describe the market well. Apparently a discount is given for being a mormon from Utah. They sold lots of BYU merchandise. The shopkeeper says it sells like hotcakes. We didn’t come home with any. We finally got to the horses. They were a let down. Long hot dusty walk down the top of the dunes. Not through the water or anything. We ducked under bridges with shady looking characters gazing at us through their bloods hot eyes. Glad to see the bus come back to pick us up. I tipped the horse guides, tipped the bus driver, tipped Jaime and was Totally out of money. Glad to be back to the ship. The ATM is onboard and we hit it up quickly. Reloaded with cash we were ready to head back off the ship and shop the little market right there. They had set prices and astonishingly were about the same as we got after all the bargaining in the flea market was done. Ally and Tyler picked out two ponchos. I found a Mexican blanket and a little money pouch. All in all it was a fun day. Sketchy at times but we all made it. I am totally relieved to not be staying in Ensenada for any more time. I am not impressed and will not be porting there again.

We ate in the dining room tonight. My food was terrible and the kids servings were small so after eating we went back to the buffet and ate again.

Tonight we went to the Hasboro game show and Ty was selected to go on stage again. He played in the Operation roll game. It was ike Skee-ball. He did great and is a natural in front of the crowd. He won a prize for participation. It was of course a Hasboro game. Ally and I walked around and took photographs again at their little booths. We bought one from last night that they took of the two of us.

July 29 - Brunch in the morning in the dining room. We classed it up and didn’t eat the buffet. It was delicious! It’s our day at sea so we just get to play on the ship all day!!!

We ate in the dining room tonight. My food was way to spicy hot. Carter ordered a fish pasta. He had muscles, oysters, calamari, etc. He said it was “not bad-a little fishy” Ty shared a bite and said it was “interesting” After eating in the dining room we went back to the buffet and ate again. We get off the ship in the morning. I think in general we have had a great time. Ally certainly has enjoyed herself. Carter is not a fan of cruising though. He pretty much read books the whole time. I think I prefer being on land to being at sea. I did spot a whale spout one day while gazing out into the ocean but other than that not much going on out here. Thankfully!

We disembarked without much incident. Went through customs to get back onto US soil. Found a taxi and had him drop us off at Seal Beach. We had a few hours until our plane left. The kids spent the morning playing in the waves and enjoying the ocean. Carter let Ty do his sunblock and got fried on all the places Ty missed, which turns out were many. We had a great morning and topped it off with a trip to Cold Stone before we grabbed a taxi to the airport. We were sorry to leave behind the all you can eat melons, pizza and ice cream. The bank did merge while we were gone and Byron was able to get lots of work done while we were gone.