Jan 30 Cabo San Lucas

We return to Cabo San Lucas, home to deep sea fishing, whale watching, tequila, and pharmaceuticals of all types.  We were here at the end of our 2016 ATW and had taken the excursion to all of the high spots (http://drdavebradley.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-18-san-lucas-first-time-ever-to.html), so we decided to walk about this afternoon.

We approached from the north for an afternoon arrival.  We were supposed to start tendering at 1pm.

 But on arrival, our spot was occupied by a Princess Cruise ship.  They were running late, so we waited.  Then they had a medical emergency, so we waited some more.  They finally left, we moved into position, lowered the tenders, then waited for the authorities to clear our ship.  Finally, nearly 2 hours late tendering began.  All of the excursions went off first, of course, so we didn't get ashore until nearly 4pm.

 Fortunately, during our wait the locals staged an impromptu show with a humpback whale sounding near our ship,

 Which drew a large crowd of land mammals for the event.

 We were met at the dock by the locals.  The male was loudly defending his territory and harem.

 We just walked about.

 We passed some friends near the harbor.  They were looking for a pharmacy for some medicine he had forgotten to bring.  I assured him that he could find a pharmacy unless he was blind and deaf.  Here's an example -- bikinis, sunscreen and drugs.  You had to go next door to get the tequila. (cyn: to get all needs met- bummed it didn't say "bait shop" at bottom!)

 Sunset in Cabo

 At dinner Chef Mario was out on the Terrace grilling fresh fish.

 Taking advantage of the late scheduled departure (11pm) Insignia brought aboard the Cabo Mariachis for local flavor entertainment.  We think this is really great, and wish there were more late departures that could allow for things like this around the world.

 A good sized crowd on the pool deck.  And even through we're in the tropics, it was cold.  Parkas and long pants were the evening attire.

Jan 28 San Diego California

We entered San Diego early in the morning, just as the military was waking up and getting to work.  It was a beautiful morning coming around Coronado Island and berthing just up from the Midway Museum.

The night before had been yet another wonderful sunset.  There might even have been a tiny green flash.

 People beginning to wander around the helicopters.

 CVN 72 Abraham Lincoln in port.  Abe had just returned from a long deployment in the Middle East.

 Off the ship as soon as we could and walked around the area.  We headed for a section called the Gaslamp District, largely residential, commercial and tourist.

 As we walked along the harbor side there was a display for the light cruise San Diego.  This is very much a Navy town.

 There's a shopping/tourist area called Seaport Village

 This could have been in Maine rather than Southern California

 Gaslamp District

 Definitely a Best Picture contender

 Back near the Midway Museum is a memorial to Taffy 3.  This was one of the great heroic battles of World War 2 with US destroyers taking on Japanese battleships, and sending them in retreat -- at great personal cost.

 The famous Eisenstaedt photo from Times Square on VJ day reproduced as a twenty foot statue.

 We also visited the Midway, now appearing as a museum about aircraft carriers.

 As we walked below decks to see the "City At Sea" there is no wasted space, nothing done for art or comfort.  Panels like this appeared everywhere.  Machines and pipes filled the overhead and side aisles.

 The foc'sle and anchor chains.

 A fighter squadron ready room

 Up on the flight deck there were lots of airplanes that formerly served on carriers.

 The most famous picture of the Midway Museum, the "shooter" launching planes on the catapult.

 Sneaking in silently during the day, the Abraham Lincoln is joined by CVN 68 Nimitz, the oldest active aircraft carrier in the fleet.

 As we departed in the evening, the military did not put on the same level of entertainment as they did 4 years ago http://drdavebradley.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-16-san-diego-sailaway-san-diego.html  but they did fly a couple of helicopters into the airport.

Jan 27 Santa Barbara California

We arrive at noon in the bay with 3-4 foot swells.  Since this is a tender port, it makes things just a little sporty.  But Insignia's skilled crew gets everyone off the ship and into town.

 The city

 A squadron of pelicans

 Nice public beach, although pedestrians need to heed the approach of bicycles along the path

 We didn't

 Stearns Wharf is a major feature of the beach

 Street art

 More street art.  This is sheets of the steel mesh used as concrete reinforcement, painted pink and formed into a geometric shape.  Although the signs say "No Climbing", a squadron of preschoolers unencumbered by literacy were quickly approaching.

 Bird of Paradise

 My kind of city

 Super realistic street art. 

 This one required a double take to figure out that it was art and not real.

 Hotel California

 A pretty little city and an opportunity to walk for an hour or so.