We arrived bright eyes and bushy tailed in San Diego after an uneventful flight (I will not get into the hoops Air Canada made me jump through to get on the plane!). Again I was joined by my friend David on this trip. As this was Grey Cup Sunday and we were in a US city we decided to explore if there was a possibility of seeing the game anywhere. We ended up at the Tilted Kilt a fine establishment with great “views” and even though they tried to find the game for us there was no joy in San Diego for us, well except the “views” at the Tilted Kilt. After spending some quality time at the Kilt we headed out to explore downtown San Diego and see what there was to see. After a day of exploring and enjoying the “views” we headed back to our hotel in preparation for the next day and our cruise.

On Monday we boarded the Carnival Elation and after a buffet lunch I enjoyed my first umbrella drink a Cozumel. The ship sailed a little late due to a medical incident (we later found out) but once you are on board you really do not care. The pampering begins as soon as you are aboard and does not stop till you are kicked off. Day one on board was very relaxing and after a very delicious dinner we went to the show and wandered around the ship. As this was the week right after US Thanksgiving the crowds were a little thin so the late night activities did not have as many people as we experienced in the past.

Tuesday, Day Two was a Day at Sea where there are tons of activities to keep you busy. When I say a ton I maybe exaggerating a bit but there are so many things going on you have to choose what you want to do or you can just lay around and relax. We decided to check out the on board Art Auction conducted by Park West to see what was happening, and there was free champagne (not that I like champagne but it was free!) I had not planned on making any purchases but there was an Alexander Chen which I really liked and it was reasonably priced so I figured what the heck. First time I think I have ever purchased anything at an Art Auction. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and preparing for the formal dinner and on the menu, Prime Rib, very tasty. We had a great time interacting with our table mates and after dinner we attended the show. Most nights there is a Vegas style show or comedian to entertain. After a long day at sea we were looking forward to a day in Catalina Island.

Wednesday, Day Three found us off shore of Catalina Island which is off the coast of California and is a nice little spot for a quick getaway. Once ashore we rented a golf cart and drove around the main town of Avalon and into the hills overlooking the town and the bay. A nice little drive with some incredible views. I took lots of pictures which I will upload very soon (it takes a while to go through 650 pictures) After a day on Catalina Island it was back aboard for more good food and good company as we spent some time with our dinner companions at the show and afterwards over drinks we got to know each other.

Thursday, Day 4, found us docked in Ensenada where we had booked a winery tour which would take us to two local wineries. Our group was quite small with 8 people total but this made it much more enjoyable as we got to know each other. The two wineries were quite good I enjoyed the wine from the first winery L.A. Cetto  but I enjoyed the tour from the second Casa Pedro Domecq much more. There was a lot more history at Casa Pedro Domecq and the ambiance was very appealing. We were given a bottle of wine from Casa Pedro Domecq, a white wine Calafia, which I have yet to try. After the wine tours we headed to downtown Ensenada for some shopping, food and local culture. As the ship was staying in port until 10pm it allowed us to take our time and explore. While Ensenada is interesting it is definitely a tourist town and as it is so close to the border I do not believe it gives you a true feeling that you are in Mexico. For that I think for that you would have to go further south.

Friday, our last morning aboard ship, we had to be up extremely early to go through US Customs and Immigration at 6:30am. As the ship sails again later in the day the crew’s primary focus is getting us off the ship in as quick and orderly fashion as possible. The process is like herding cattle and the crew are expert at moving the livestock off the ship. As soon as we were ashore we headed to our hotel across the street and after a short rest we took the ferry to Coronado Island for some exploration.  On Coronado we visited the Hotel Del Coronado made famous by the movie Some Like it Hot. After a nice lunch in a small bistro (I had a Strawberry Crepe) we headed downtown towards Horton Plaza. After a visit to Horton Plaza we found an outdoor skating rink outside the NBC building. Now this is the first week of December but it is 15 degrees Celsius and we are dressed in shorts. There was a local family skating on the rink and David could not resist a spin on the ice. As I watched I started up a conversation with a lady and she immediately  had us pegged as tourists. Must have been the shorts I guess After our skating adventure we headed for Balboa Park to check out some of the museums which have free entry after 5 pm on this Friday. After arriving at the park we discovered a lot of tents and what was starting to look the gathering of a very large crowd. We had stumbled upon the opening of the December Nights event which is a big event. As we continued to explore the park we found all kinds of interesting places to see and all kinds of different ethnic foods to enjoy. We did eventually get to the Air and Space Museum along with the Car Museum, both quite interesting. Also as I mentioned we were wearing shorts and while it was around 10 degrees at the coldest point it was fascinating to see a large number of people wearing Parkas, scarves and mittens as we walked around in shorts. I was told on several occasions that it was winter. I guess it is all in how you look at things.

After a somewhat uneventful flight (Again another interesting incident as Air Canada showed why I despise them so much, did I say Air Canada Sucks!) we arrived back home and back to reality. The shocking part of arriving home was just how cold the weather had turned in our absence. The pictures will be up shortly and I am looking at another cruise for the spring, maybe the Caribbean this time.