A much needed vacation.

Life has been busy... Working nights, going to college full-time, juggling whatever it is that you juggle in 4th grade, and trying to maintain a semi-functional home life, starts to take it's toll after a while. Eventually you just need a few days to get away and take an adventure, which coincidentally, is one of the central themes to this blog!

Last week, we finally took those few days of much needed (and well deserved) R&R. Aedan went to spend some quality time with grandma, and Tricia and I - along with some amazing friends - boarded the Carnival Imagination for a 3-day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico.

The Carnival Imagination.

They had a drink ready for us the minute we boarded!

Our Home away from Home.

Goodbye Long Beach!

The boat, and all of it's amenities, were fantastic. Carnival does a wonderful job of making lavish-feeling vacations accessible to people, while keeping them budget-friendly. They provide good food, clean, well-kept accommodations, plenty of activities and entertainment, and a staff that functions like a well-oiled machine. From the moment you step onboard, they do all the "thinking" for you, so you really can't go wrong!

Ensenada was interesting. I am glad to be able to say I have been there, but I don't know if I would rush right back.

The port was interesting. Fishing boats, commercial vessels, and small private boats were in and out all day.

The Port of Ensenada.

Driving through town, it became apparent how heavily the area relies on the cruise industry, economically.

Naturally, the first thing to do in Mexico, is find some authentic Mexican food, right? Well... yes, and no. The tacos were great. Flavorful, cheap, and brimming with the "gritty" authenticity that worldly travelers crave. There are two types of people in the world. Some people think Olive Garden is Italian food, and then there are those of us who want nothing more than to eat like locals. You get the idea!

The evil taco shop... More on that later.

After lunch, it's time to hit up the local 'watering hole.' THIS experience, I'm certain, was much less authentic than the previous. This was the kind of place where your High school graduate goes on Spring break with friends, and winds up on "Girls Gone Wild 13." Loud music, strong drinks, a sea of glossy-eyed, scantily clad twenty-somethings, and all the international debauchery that Mom & Dad's secured line of credit can provide.

Papas & Beer. Your average Spring Break party-bar.

After an afternoon of food, tequila, souvenirs, and nearly being robbed by a crowd of angry children (No joke, if you make the mistake of giving one of them a dollar, you WILL have 5 to 10 Elementary School-aged children grabbing for your wallet!), we were ready to retreat back to the comforts of our floating vacation resort.

Ready to get back on the boat!

After returning to our room, we pored over our collection of "Mexican treasures" and relaxed for a while before dinner. This is when it all went wrong... Remember that taco stand earlier? They didn't exactly have the latest-and-greatest in the way of modern commercial refrigeration. Turns out Pico de gallo doesn't fare so well when it has been sitting in the sun all day. When my stomach first started rolling, I assumed it was just dehydration and too much tequila. Turns out I was wrong... Night #2 was spent in our room. It wasn't pretty, and I'm sure you get the idea, so I will spare you the details!

By the next morning, I was able to once again be "among the living", and we started off on our beautiful day at sea. 

Gorgeous weather, and water in all directions.

Most of the day was just spent relaxing. Soaking up the sun, enjoying drinks, talking with our friends, talking with strangers, and just enjoying this last day with zero responsibilities.

The pool/Lido deck.

Dinner was fantastic, as usual. Filet and lobster tail was the many choices, though everyone else's dinner looked equally phenomenal.

Surf & Turf

Towel Frog

Pre-dinner entertainment.

Oh... and THIS happened! On our last night, as we were walking around before dinner, all dressed up, we decided to take some photos with the photographers that were set up around various parts of the ship. At our last photo stop, I FINALLY asked the question that everyone has been waiting for, and made it official. She claims that she had no idea that it was coming, which is good, considering I had the ring for nearly 2 months prior!

There are SOOO many parts of our trip that I had to leave out, primarily for lack of space, but all-in-all it was truly an amazing get-away! I lost my girlfriend (and my lunch), but gained a fiancé and another adventure filled with memories that will last a lifetime!