Tuesday, August 12, 2008

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

If you haven't guessed from the first picture, we went to beautiful San Diego California on our summer vacation. Yes, we visited the home of the orca, Shamu. SeaWorld with Hubby, the girls and 100,000 of our closest friends. We arrived Sunday afternoon. Checked in to our resort on the beach by 2:00. Had my first mojito by 3:00 - and then, after dining at a local restaurant (boo-hiss Rhinocerous Cafe- I hope the food was not a literal translation of the name) Hubby and I were stricken with gastrointestinal distress the likes of which I wish not to detail herein. Suffice it to say - dragging our sorry behinds to Sea World to have (blech) our pre-scheduled breakfast with smelly fish in the 90 degree weather was not a banner way to start our vacation. But we prevailed! And spent Monday at SeaWorld - which was actually really cool. Shamu performed perfectly for us and was a (killer) whale of a show!



Monday night the girls had their first experience with room service. I think they thought it was one of the highlights of the trip. Hubby and I slept it off. Tuesday we were up and running! We played at the pool in the hotel, visited the kids club for some magic lessons (so mom could have a moment or two while daddy was working), and explored the little town of Coronado in the evening. Wednesday we hit the beach. Interesting fun fact: Silver Strand Beach is the last beach in San Diego that still allows public drinking. Not that we were doing that, but if I were a 'hobo' (as Emily calls the downtrodden and domicile challenged) I would hang on Silver Strand Beach, wouldn't you? Thursday we finished at SeaWorld until about 5:00, then headed home.

The shows are totally worth the price of admission. And, they added a Sesame Street kiddie-friendly water park-ish area with smaller rides for the younger kids. There's a climbing structure, and water squirting all over the place...and Elmo, Cookie Monster and Grover. Rachel just loved this part.



I must say - the worst part of being in a public place is ...(wait for it)...the public! Can somebody explain why you come to SeaWorld wearing 4 inch stillettos? Really. I will say this much, if ever I am feeling like a fat lard-ass, I am going back to SeaWorld. I am a hot frickin' babe compared to some of the people we saw there. Second only to say, Pigeon Forge Tennessee (where there are more toes than teeth) for validation of your general "babe-i-tude"... SeaWorld is great family amusement.





Poppin up for a quick hello!







This is quite a spectacle. These animals are massive! And, yes Rachel - that is her 'yaya'. And, this is actually Corky, Shamu's daughter. One of 4 Orcas that perform here. The 'handler' told us that just last week, a seagull mistakenly chose the pool's edge to perch. Gulp! In front of all those little kids, too. So goes the circle of life.


My gorgeous girls enjoying the otters. My dad always loved otters. He loved the way they can do 2 of his favorite things while swimming in the ocean. Eating and lying down! I think if Poppy could come back, he would come back as a Sea Otter. Okay, where do I get one of these mirrors? We look positively svelte! Didn't even have to suck in my gut. Hello, Nordstrom? Is this what you guys use, too? PS- Hubby's hat was a necessity not a fashion statement. It was frickin' hot! I will not let him wear that in public ...again.


While we were enjoying ourselves at the park, the critters were checking out Spectravision and ordering room service for themselves. The little tramps! (the room attendants actually set them up like this - cute huh?



We had a really great vacation despite the first day's food poisening and my coming home with a cold that kicked my ass over the weekend. Sadly, I had to cancel my meet up with Insane Mama and Mrs. R. I feel like a shit for doing so, but we will reschedule. Now we have American Idol week at Emily's last week of Camp. Then, school starts and soccer practices and hip hop lessons and hebrew school and pta and .......the beat goes on!



Rachel flew her first kite on the beach. After about 3 tries, she got it to fly. Big sister was hittin' the waves with her boogie board. "Gimme some fin...Noggin' ....dude" *
*extra points if you can name the movie this line came from

18 comments:

Insane Mama said...

The high heels at Sea World! What is wrong with people? Amazing how kids think roomservice is the bomb

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Food poisoning and a cold? Every once in a while I ponder the merits of living in a bubble :-)

Sounds like you all had a great time. We really need to do Sea World sometime. Just so that sometime is not in the summer.

The SeaWorld in Orlando has Discovery Cove - where you can swim with dolphins. Is there one like that in Cali, too?

Jonara Blu Maui said...

I loved sea world as a kid. I lived in Escondido probably 20 years ago. Man has it been that long? Back then it was probably the original Shamu! I would love to go back and visit that place.

Weith Kick said...

I need a vacation. I could feel your pain when you spoke of gas distress and then the smell of fish in the heat.

Why do some women wear those damn high heels at Sea World. When we visit the sis in Vegas I see that all the time. Crazy bitches walking around the Vegas streets in stilletos when these women are clearly not hookers, but tourists. A hooker I could understand, but not a tourist. Are you sure the women you saw at Sea World weren't hookers?

Tiffany said...

I am so glad you had fun! Last time we went, (this past Spring) it was super windy and they only had 1 Shamu show for the whole day.. which meant we would be seeing it with EVERY other person there.

So, I went to customer service and they gave us our money back. Maybe we will try it again during the summer when more is open.

So bummed we all missed each other.. I ended up with that cold too.

Anonymous said...

Is it from the movie 50 First Dates?

Glad you had a good time, except for the puke and the cold. Hope you feel better now.

Swirl Girl said...

Weith Kick: maybe there was a hooker convention at Sea World. There was quite a line at the Group Educational Entrance

Kat: If you are willing to shell out the big bucks (keep in mind a water is $3), you can swim with Dolphins in San Diego too!


Molly: Finding Nemo, with Crush teaching his 'little squirt' how to jump the EAC. Another oft quoted movie line in our house!

KatBouska said...

Let's face it. Hotel sex is the only sex we're having around here.

Where are the pics of you and insane mama!?! How did that go...or did I miss it??

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great trip well with the exception of getting sick. Seaworld is on my list of places to visit - it always an ego boost to go somewhere and look svelte in comparison to the rest of the "public."

Robin said...

Sorry about the food poisoning. That blows! Stilletos at SeaWorld? What is this world comin to man?

Dude, I want one of those mirrors.

Fannie said...

Oh sweet baby jesus ANY public place these days. Tube tops? Mini skirt on grandma? Bikini on the fat chick? Are just WRONG!

M said...

I LOVE going to the amusement park that's close to the boondocks. I feel like I'm frickin HOT when I head into the water park :)

Glad you guys had such a great time, despite the gastro issues.

Brittany said...

Even i think room service is the bee's knees!

Veronica said...

We've never been to Sea World, but I can say with complete certainty that if we ever do go, I will not be sporting high heels...who did she need impress? Or maybe if we give her the benefit of the doubt her sneakers got lost with her luggage?? Yeah, no.

Cristin said...

Finding Nemo!!! "Don't hurl on the shell dude, just waxed it..."

Looks like a blast!!

Wineplz said...

I still think room service is the best thing in the world. :)

Looks like you guys had an AWESOME time (well, you know minus the food poisoning).

Anonymous said...

We went to Sea World too. My son didn't enjoy the first 15 minutes b/c he was so afraid he wasn't going to get wet. Ooohh, the life of a 7 year old.

Summer said...

Awe! Doesn't it just make you want to move here? =) We have passes to SeaWorld, and after all these years I am still not tired of it!