Cruise! Catalina Fun

Sunday was the big day, one I'd been anticipating for over a year - my 40th Birthday Cruise!

We took a four-day trip with family and a few close friends to Catalina and Ensenada, and enjoyed all the fun activities (and food!) on the Carnival Imagination.

The fun started when we entered our room and found it decorated with birthday goodies from Aunt Patty and Uncle Bill, who also sent a bottle of wine and glasses. We also enjoyed a plate of truffles from our friend Lynnette, who helped us as our travel agent for the trip.

That night, we changed and enjoyed our first of several yummy dinners. Traveling with us included my parents, Melanie and Nick, John and Linda, my cousin Lucy and friend Christina. 

 We woke up Monday morning anchored near Catalina, the beautiful island "26 miles across the sea" from the SoCal coast.

We boarded a shuttle boat and braved the mist and fog, getting a bit wet on our way to the harbor. Thankfully, the misty rain died away and we were able to enjoy a day of walking around the sweet town of Avalon.

 I hadn't been to Catalina since I was 9, and obviously Stace and the girls had never visited the island. The main drag had shops and restaurants, while side streets had colorful wooden houses and churches, businesses and civic buildings.

 The large building behind us is the Casino, which in Italian means gathering place. It was not a gambling hall, but a theater and performing arts center, dating from 1929.

We looked at the shops and then stopped in at Luau Larry's, a tiki bar that Melanie wanted to take us to. 

She bought me a classic drink that included a hat and bumper sticker.

Meanwhile, Grandma and Grandpa treated the girls to a trip on a semi-submersible watercraft. Catalina is known for its sea life, particularly the orange Garibaldi fish, which is California's state fish.