Vacation!

Warning the next few posts are going to be absolute photo bombs for vacation pictures!

Timing due to a variety of schedules, including my time off request at work,  meant an early vacation for us this year. We much prefer an end of the summer trip, but someone will not be home at the end of the summer, and we had to plan accordingly. As well as, not knowing for sure when orientations and such would be scheduled, we opted to get it out early to be sure we were ok. 

We opted for a special “treat” this year to celebrate, Princess Textsalot graduation, and 18th birthday, as well as my graduating grad school. We banged our heads together, came up with some options ,and the birthday girl decided “something we haven’t done before” was in order – so a cruise it was.

I had the dates messed up and thought we were cruising Saturday to Saturday, and planned an overnight when we got back in Baltimore at the aquarium and such, to pull every day possible out of the week off. Once I determined our travel window, I left the rest up to Sir Fartsalot. I have learned over the years, that he is choosey about travelling, and when he is in control, he feels much better about it, and less inclined to complain if something is not “just so” – he informed me just a few weeks before that we were indeed cruising Sunday to Sunday. Oopss.

Turns out it worked tremendously in our favor. We simply added the over night in Baltimore to the front of our trip, and it meant we did not have to travel the morning we were going to embark.

So Day 1 of our trip , was actually in Baltimore. Sir Fartsalot treated us to a room right on the harbor, so once we parked we walked, which was great.

Instead of the aquarium, we opted for the American Visionary Art Museum, on the other side of the harbor.

 

This was a huge “weather vane” standing three stories tall outside the entrance.

No photos were allowed indoors…so I settled for some of the outdoor displays.

This is a school bus covered completely by mosaic mirrored tiles and ceramic tiles. It really was quite interesting.

This picture also shows the mosaic wall on the outside of the building, and this um, “woman” was on the light pole.

 

These guys were constructed from old fashioned repurposed lamp posts.

Everything in the museum used some interesting mediums to create “art” – some of which Princess Textsalot insisted were NOT art, just junk – and to her credit, yes , some was just piles of junk – literally glued together – but in such an interesting way and with some of the most interesting pieces. Toothpicks, bottle caps, yarn – you name it.

This was a giant bird out side between two of the buildings, constructed from scrap metal with a body shaped like a violin. The “nest” is the second floor balcony.

 

Baby bird.

There was also a garden between the buildings…..the heads were water falls, and lots of carved wooden animals.

As well as “milkcan pigs” guarding the bike rack.

We then retreated to out hotel, and because they were out of the cots in the hotel and we were “guaranteed” a cot – no one can sleep with The Dude – we were given a second room, free! Score!!

Mom and Dad’s room!! Niiiice.

The view from our “balcony” – 6 inch deep railing…but we could open the door and stand, so technically a “balcony” I suppose. I did not pack my sneakers in my over night bag and was kicking myself in the nice crisp morning when I could have walked/jogged around the harbor.

The lobby was open, very nice.

View from the kid’s room – this is the back of the aquarium.

We spent the evening shopping – since my kids do not have enough clothing for an entire week of vacation, we needed to pick up a few things, plus we bought Sir Fartsalot some t-shirts, and had a great dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company at the teenager’s request.

(insert phone pictures here – someday!) Teeeheee

It was SO nice to wake up in the morning, spy the fin of the cruise ship across the harbor (on the other side of Fort McHenry) and just hop in the car and head over. No sweat, no traffic jams, no worries.

Home away from home for the next week!! Ironically without knowing it, we were on the starboard side of the ship and our cabins were actually behind the kids in this photo!

In less than 15 minutes we were parked and boarded!!

Stay tuned…….

Hi Neena and Pappa, we love you and miss you!