Cruising the Pacific

What a glorious day! The sea has calmed and the sun is shining as we continue our journey southward from Ensenada, located on the upper portion of the Baja peninsula to our next stop, Manzanillo. Here my excursion is the "Cuyutlan Turtle Experience". Shortly after docking, will shall board a bus for a short drive inland to visit the El Tortugario Ecological Center for our encounter with the turtles and perhaps be educated on their efforts to protect these creatures. One of my goals on this trip is to take in as many varied experiences, sights, tastes, sounds, and wonders of this beautiful earth as I can possibly fit into 180 days. Another is to learn everything I can possibly absorb along the way.

Today, our second consecutive day at sea, in keeping with my goal to learn as much as possible, I attended both shipboard lectures. You may recall that yesterday I was lamenting the fact that Dr. Sherry, whom I adored listening to on the 2020 trip, was not aboard. Well, as luck would have it, I chose to eat in the Grand Dining Room last evening and since traveling alone eagerly agreed to a shared table. Good decision. What an intriguing assortment of fellow travelers joined me. First was a gentleman now living in Florida who told us about his very personal WWII experience. As a seven year old boy living with his family in Japan, their home as well as their bomb shelter was destroyed by our B59 bombers. The family fortunately all survived the attacks. At the age of 18, he then boarded a cargo vessel to come to the United States. He became a US citizen, earned a degree from the University of Illinois, married and had a son, enjoyed a 40 year career with Time Warner, retired and moved to Florida. Once in Florida, a community newspaper published his life's story. Much to his surprise shortly after its release, he received a telephone call from another resident of the community. He was quite surprised when the gentleman on the other end of the phone said, "I'm the guy who bombed your home." They became fast friends until the elder's death at 96. We all sat spellbound as he related his story. It has been his good fortune to be able to visit Japan and his family remaining there annually. The second and third gentlemen to join us were the shipboard lecturers. Though both are married, they are traveling alone. One for lack of a dog sitter at the last minute, the other's wife still works - developing and testing COVID-19 preventives. I felt obligated to attend their lectures today. They were both very informative and entertaining each in their own areas. Dr. Sherry can be replaced. To complete the table was a couple from Lake Whitney. Good to have fellow Texans around. Their surprise addition to the evening was the revelation that Bob was 90 years old. He is an inspiration to us all. At the conclusion of the meal, which was excellent, we all agreed to meet back aboard The Insignia in twenty years.

Today IS Someday! Open yourself to new experiences!