Mexican Cruise 2011

Sometimes things just work out.

I really wanted Bob to take a little vacation to celebrate his 32 years in public education.  He said that he'd be happy with the Ohio River Valley vacation.  I believe he would have, too, but I really wanted him to have this special opportunity.  It was looking really doubtful though, since we only had a few days between my summer school and Bob's first day at Columbia College.

I was reading Facebook and saw Marsha's post about her cruise on the QMII.  It got me thinking about going on a cruise with Bob, something we haven't done for ages.  I started looking on the internet for a cruise that would fit into this very small window and then, I found it.

A three day cruise to the wine country in Mexico.  How appropriate!  How perfect!  How timely!

I was able to secure our passage on the cruise and snag some great fares on the airlines.  Bob booked us a hotel to stay at before the cruise left and to stay at the QMI (Queen Mary I) for the fourth of July.  Kind of neat since Marsha and Ron were going to be on the QMII and it was her post that got me thinking!

We spent one night on Long Beach just walking around the beach and looking at the yachts.  We had a quick dinner of pasta and bay scallops (delish) and then did a bit of shopping.  We stayed at the most darling boutique hotel, the Varden.  I have never had such service in a hotel.  Fabulous.







The hotel staff suggested a breakfast place before we boarded on our cruise.  We had a fabulous omelet that had bay scallops, shrimp and crab in it.  Who knew you could have seafood for breakfast!  We went back to the beach, walked around and Bob stopped for some coffee.  That's when it all started to unravel.  Bob dropped his wallet (unaware) and we had walked all the way back to the hotel before he discovered it.  He immediately went downstairs to the hotel staff and they called the shop where Bob used his credit card last.  Yes, a woman had found it but was reluctant to leave it at the shop.  They knew what she looked like and would try to find her.  In the mean time, Bob called a taxi and went back to the shop.  The security at the shopping area could not find her.  Bob calls me and says, call home.  Maybe she called us.  So I did, and SHE did!  She left her cell phone number.  So I give the number to Bob.  She tells Bob she has given his wallet to the Long Beach police.  The hotel staff calls the police department and makes contact with the police officer who has the wallet.  Bob and the officer arrange to meet at a local bar (incidently, a bar that has the most drafts in one place in the world.  Coincidence?)  I pack us up, the hotel staff helps me get a taxi and everything put into it and I meet Bob at the bar.  The officer meets up with Bob and gives him the wallet.  Everything is there.

Amazing.  Good people are left in this world Everyone!

We board our cruise, happy that our vacation wasn't ruined.  We find our cabin and then go and eat lunch and lounge around for three days!  The wine tour was beautiful.  We had not seen such rugged country growing such delicate fruit.  We are really psyched to see the wine field in France now!













We met some wonderful people at our dinner table.  Michelle and Warren Smith were from Rodondo Beach and were delightful.  Michelle is a professor of Chinese Linguistics at Berkeley.  Warren works for Boeing.  Both were so interested in public education.  We were interested in their knowledge of the Chinese culture.  Fabulous dinner couple!

After a day at sea, we were ready to celebrate the Fourth of July in Long Beach!  I was ready to explore our hotel, which is a National Landmark.  We loved all the old stuff!  We went to a fair at the ship, ate some fair food (Thai tacos, funnel cakes and ribbon potatoes) and then secured our place to watch the fireworks.  On Facebook the QMI said there were over 4,000 people on the ship watching them!



We got home just in time to do laundry and pack for Ohio.  Now we are both at home, ready to enjoy the rest of July!

Linking up to   http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/