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Two things you're guaranteed to see when you go on a cruise, delivery trucks and ambulances!
Cruise ships these days are pretty much floating resorts and they need to have all the amenities onboard to keep the passengers and the crew happy. On turn around day you'll see a long, long line of trucks dropping off supplies, everything from your surf and turf dinner to mechanical parts to make repairs to the ship itself. Then there's the Ambulances.
Maybe it's a sprained ankle. Maybe it's an asthma attack. Maybe it's a cardiac event brought on by seeing your final bill. Doesn't matter, someone is getting carted off the ship on a gurney and shuttled off to the local medical facility.
All cruise ships do have a medical department that's pretty well equipped and yes, they do have a special freezer to use as a morgue. They not only need to care for the passengers but the crew as well.
We've seen sprained ankles, we've seen broken hips, and Niccy has tended to a passenger that was having a stroke on a river cruise in Amsterdam. It's something we expect to see and though we hate to see it happen it's a sad fact of life. There's always at least one......and not just on Holland America.
Because you never know when you might get a hankering for some corn and ice!
Came across this place in Preston Georgia, population 453 more or less. We stopped at a small market to get something cool to drink and give the doggos a stretch and this was across from the store. You may have noticed that we went through A LOT of small towns and that was definitely by design!
Did a little research and found out that deer baiting IS legal in Georgia since 2018 which is something I just don't understand.
Much of my misspent youth was in rural Oregon where hunting deer is a way of life. The mill I worked at actually shut down for maintenance the first week of deer season because they knew everyone would be calling out sick if they didn't. It was just something everybody did.
What we didn't do was lay out bait for the deer. Everyone had their own favorite spot and we'd traipse through the woods till we saw a buck, take him and go on about our day. Sometimes we didn't see a buck so we'd have to go out the next day, until we got our buck or the season ended. If you didn't get yours you'd be ridiculed to no end but you always knew that the season would be back next year.
Thinking about it I don't believe I like the idea of baiting deer, it takes away the hunt in hunting. You may disagree and that's your right. You go ahead and set up your bait stations, I'll take my deer the old fashioned way.
Anchors Aweigh, my boys,
Anchors Aweigh.
There's no doubt who these guys are working for, they proudly advertise it!
I would imagine these are some of our special warriors, out doing what they do best which is to keep us safe from the baddies of the world. You're doing a job that not many want to do but a job that has to be done. Thanks guys, the nation appreciates you and all you do.
Niccy and I packed up the family (Tater Tot and Mushi-Mushi) and headed out on our first adventure!
We took the RV on a short shakedown cruise over to San Diego, specifically Point Loma Naval Base.
There's a nice camping spot on the base, right on the water. No electric, no water, but since we're self contained it wasn't a problem We spent a couple of days doing absolutely nothing except watching the world pass us by. Exactly the kind of experience we were looking for.
PS:
For those in the Show Your EXIF group you should note that the actual lens used is a Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC All-in-One Zoom for Canon APS-C Digital SLR. For some crazy reason it always shows up as a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8, a lens I've never owned or used!
And don't let go until they buy something!
Niccy and I found several reasons we don't like Cabo San Lucas and this is one of them.
They were everywhere along the walk, selling cheap (and sometimes offensive) junk that only tourists and drunken fools seem to buy. Just like the "tour guides" and the Lizard Men they were relentless when it came to their pitch, like wolves circling round their prey.
As I said in the previous shot Niccy and I were done with all the tomfoolery so we found a nice shady table and watched as this scenario played itself out over and over. There were way too many of these folks to count and they were working nonstop.
We get it, Cabo is a tourist town and that's how they make their money. We can't fault them for trying to make a buck but when you start getting aggressive for us you've gone too far.
For those who are curious we've decided that the Mexican Riviera is off the table for at least 10 years. By then we'll more than likely forgotten why we didn't like the trip and get the chance to experience it all over again!
Vince Pardo sounds like the kind of guy I wish I'd met.
A riderless horse in the Tucson Rodeo Parade, honoring
Vince Pardo. I would imagine he did a lot of work for many of the cowboys who took part in the rodeo. Repairing shoes is not something you would think about much today in our world of everything being disposable.
The riderless horse has quite a story behind it, if you'd like to learn more you can see this Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riderless_horse
Quite the honor to say the least,
It's that time again, time for the 98th annual Tucson Rodeo Parade!
Our lodge is directly across from the rodeo grounds which means the parade passes right down the street in front of the building!
The Tucson Rodeo Parade is believed to be the nation's longest non-motorized parade dating back to 1925. All the parade entries are horse pulled other than the marching bands and the street sweepers who always end the parade by cleaning up the landmines left by our equine friends.
I bought Niccy a pair of binoculars, they've got to be the best gift ever!
We took a little road trip yesterday, went a couple of hours north up towards San Carlos and wound up at the Apache Gold Casino. Bonus that Niccy was able to walk away $120 ahead of the game!
When we get a chance we like to road trip, we call it prep for when we get our RV. We'll take a nice picnic lunch with us and just enjoy the scenery. About 2/3 of the way there we stopped for a leg stretch and to take a look at the scenery.
She likes to get her binoculars out and look at the scenery, I like to look for the shot. This stop, we both got what we were looking for!
I know she's looking forward to getting on the road as much as I am and it's only a matter of time.
Just a note for those in colder climes this was a pretty typical January day in Arizona. It was a bit cool for Niccy but she's cold in anything less than 75 degrees F. We had clear skies and the temps were in the high 60s (20.5~ C) with no rain in sight!
There's a rumor going around about missing men....
The story going around is that there's been men going out to Catherine Sienko's place for a visit and never making it back home. I was tasked with going out to check things out but I'm not going alone. I'm bringing along some "friends" just in case things should wind up going sideways!
A shot of one of the gentlemen from the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers, riding in the Tucson Rodeo Parade.
The First African American soldiers to arrive in Arizona at Fort Huachuca were the Buffalo Soldiers in the l890’s; the 9th and l0th Cavalries and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. The Fort Huachuca Buffalo Soldiers distinguished themselves in the Spanish American War and the charge up San Juan Hill. They were part of the Punitive Expedition into Mexico and were sent to Camp Naco, Arizona, Camp Little in Nogales and other locations in Arizona to guard the Arizona Borders during the Mexican Revolution.
If you\'d like to visit their webpage I'm sure it would be most appreciated:
These gentlemen come up from Fort Huachuca every year to ride in the Tucson Rodeo Parade. They\'re working hard to keep a part of history alive and I can certainly appreciate their effort!
The Tucson Rodeo Parade is believed to be the nation's longest non-motorized parade dating back to 1925. All the parade entries are horse pulled other than the marching bands and the street sweepers who always end the parade by cleaning up the landmines left by our equine friends.
Some people will go to great lengths not to be a part of the shot!
Some of the folks visiting the Mission San José de Tumacácori. As I said in a previous shot we decided to skip the docent led tour and wander on our own and this is exactly why!
He was intent on getting the perfect Insta shot and she obliged for a couple of them but finally hit her limit and turned away. Hopefully it didn't sour the rest of their looking around!
Definitely not from around here, you can tell because he's wearing a coat. Weather was fantastic today, 65 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze, no need for anything other than a light sweater at most.
If you don't know the "inside" story this seems sort of mean!
Last sea day and I was wandering the ship when I came across this. As you probably know cruise ships are quite well known for serving copious amounts of food 24 hours a day. Doesn't matter what time it is you can always find something to eat and if you're lazy you can have it delivered to your cabin, no charge!
When I came across this i actually stopped for a minute and did a bit of pondering. Was this a cruel joke played by the crew on the guests or was there something else going on?
One of the ship's officers happened to be walking by so I asked him what the deal was. His official story was that there were scales placed around the ship so that passengers could weigh their luggage and avoid a heavy bag surcharge with the airlines. A little investigation with one of the crew revealed that this truly was the case.
I appreciate that Holland America was out to save folks a few dollars but considering the placement of this I still think that somewhere down deep inside that someone had a plan to take the mickey out of all of us!
The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation.
The volunteers served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saint men, led by Mormon company officers commanded by regular U.S. Army officers. During its service, the battalion made a grueling march of nearly 2,100 miles from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to San Diego, California.
Thank you to Wikipedia for the above verbiage:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Battalion
One of the many floats in the parade. I'm not sure but I would imagine that it's sponsored and staffed by the LDS Church.
The Tucson Rodeo Parade is believed to be the nation's longest non-motorized parade dating back to 1925. All the parade entries are horse pulled other than the marching bands and the street sweepers who always end the parade by cleaning up the landmines left by our equine friends.
Yeah, I used a bit of "artistic license" on this shot!
Like so many Caribbean islands St. Vincent is a very colorful place!
We made it back to St Vincent with little time to spare so the only shot I got of the place was from the balcony and this is it.
As I said before St. Vincent is a great place for scuba and snorkeling, not such a great place for gawking tourists so I'm pretty sure we didn't miss anything!
BTW, I happened to do a YouTube search and found 4 different songs with the title "After The Rain". Didn't know it was such a popular phrase!
Boney James:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekWuA9-tPk
The Angels:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wic30jKOlrc
Nelson:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=afkTOe-u_8k
Nickelback:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi2uOOAKJjY
PS:
For those in the Show Your EXIF group you should note that the actual lens used is a Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC All-in-One Zoom for Canon APS-C Digital SLR. For some crazy reason it always shows up as a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8, a lens I've never owned or used!
This is SOOC other than a crop!
I saw this lady taking several selfies and thought I might be able to do something with the shot so I took it. When I saw the picture on my monitor I was quite shocked.
I honestly don't know what happened, I'm thinking some sort of a weird reflection or lens distortion at the edge of the lens because I know this lady did not look this way at all. Maybe it's like the movie They Live:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Live
where the special sunglasses (or special camera lens) let you see the aliens hiding in the human form?
I was a bit torn on whether to upload this or not but I decided to since I don't know exactly what happened. If anyone has any guesses please send them my way.
Repossessing a cruise ship is something I've never thought about before!
In January 2022, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the ship should she reenter US waters. On 4 February 2022, both Crystal Serenity and her sister, Crystal Symphony were arrested while in Bahamian waters. The total amount owed for fuel was reported to be about 4.6 million dollars.
In June 2022 she was sold at auction to CSE Ltd., reported to be a shell corporation for the actual buyer, for $103M USD.
In July 2022, the ship underwent refurbishment in Trieste, Italy. After completion, the ship re-entered service on 31 July 2023.
They say she's back in service and if you look at the website:
www.crystalcruises.com/ship/serenity
you'll see that she's got sailings set for 2024,
She was tied up across from us in St. Lucia and we didn't see any passengers on board but if you zoom in you can spot what appear to be a couple of the crew folks. Looking at MarineTraffic.com:
www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:375062/... she's currently moored in Miami so maybe her owners are just moving her around every now and then, just to keep the machinery oiled up. Don't know and probably won't ever find out, the prices quoted on the website are a bit more than we'd prefer to pay.
PS:
For those in the Show Your EXIF group you should note that the actual lens used is a Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC All-in-One Zoom for Canon APS-C Digital SLR. For some crazy reason it always shows up as a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8, a lens I've never owned or used!
If you want a good spot you'd better get here early!
It's that time again, time for the 98th annual Tucson Rodeo Parade!
Our lodge is directly across from the rodeo grounds which means the parade passes right down the street in front of the building!
Providing parking for the parade and rodeo patrons is our big moneymaker for the year, along with our semi-annual yard sales. Being right across from the rodeo grounds and parade grandstands means we tend to fill up pretty quick. It's nice to put out the lot full signs but you do feel a bit sad for the latecomers that you see circling the blocks trying to find parking!
The Tucson Rodeo Parade is believed to be the nation's longest non-motorized parade dating back to 1925. All the parade entries are horse pulled other than the street sweepers who always end the parade by cleaning up the landmines left by our equine friends.
So many people thing solar or wind is the way of the future, I say Nay Nay to them!
This is from the storm that blew through this last Thursday, 27 July 23. The storm came in from the South and headed North, didn't come close to the city at all, so no nice closeups for me to get!
I'm guessing the Grid was running a little low and needed a recharge. A single lightning bolt is estimated to contain 1 Billion volts of electricity, enough to power a small town for an entire day! Not an easy thing to capture but if we could we'd all see our electric bills drop. Of course, the electric company doesn't want to be giving away electricity so don't expect to see any changes in your bill anytime soon.
This was shot @ f/7.1 with 36 seconds on the clock and ISO 100. I had my lens zoomed out a bit to 46mm since the storm was so far away.
Looks nothing like the ships we had when I served...
This is the USS Canberra (LCS-30) headed out of San Diego and off to some foreign port. Don't know what port but I'm guessing the guys onboard will have some great pictures from the Strait of Hormuz?!
That's the Coronado bridge in the background.
Sounds odd that a US Ship would be named for the Australian Capitol Territory but this might help clear it up a bit:
www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3400496/us...
PS:
For those in the Show Your EXIF group you should note that the actual lens used is a Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC All-in-One Zoom for Canon APS-C Digital SLR. For some crazy reason it always shows up as a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8, a lens I've never owned or used!
The Millenium Maverick was busy this day helping the NYK Joanna to find a berth.
The MILLENIUM MAVERICK (IMO 9159713, MMSI 366998840) is a Tug built in 1996 (29 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of United States (USA).
Niccy and I just got back from a cruise that took us to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Huatulco Mexico, Puerto Chiapas Mexico, Puntarenas Costa Rica, Puerto Amador Panama, through the Panama Canal, on to Aruba and ending up in Fort Lauderdale.
This trip I decided to actually start learning how to use my camera and to wrap my head around the whole exposure triangle thing. If you're curious I can tell you this was shot following the Sunny 16 rule!
If you like ship shots then I've got a bunch of them to post. If you're looking for vacation snaps then you're going to be disappointed!
Brushy Mountain is another Youtube rabbit hole that Niccy and I fell down!
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, last named Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex, (or, unofficially, Brushy) was a maximum-security prison in the community of Petros in Morgan County, Tennessee, operated by the Tennessee Department of Correction. It was established in 1896 and operated until 2009.
Perhaps the best-known escape attempt occurred on June 10, 1977, when James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., escaped with six other inmates by climbing over a fence. Ray was captured less than 58 hours later in rugged mountain terrain 81⁄2 miles from the prison.
Brushy Mountain was another of our stops on the Tennessee portion of our adventure. Thank you Youtube!
One of the things we found interesting is that the prison was actually built by the inmates using stone mined by prisoners from a quarry on the property. Imagine being forced to build the place that's going to be your punishment. That's some real hard labor and hard time.
I shot this with the in-camera B/W, I guess that prisons just don't belong in color? I also added some contrast, wanted to try and convey the dark hard feeling you get when you're inside. Also, after looking at this again I realized I've got some real nice leading lines in here although I don't think the folks who called this home would agree!
Chilling by the ocean sure beats the Tucson heat!
Niccy and I packed up the family (Tater Tot and Mushi-Mushi) and headed out on our first adventure!
We took the RV on a short shakedown cruise over to San Diego, specifically Point Loma Naval Base.
There's a nice camping spot on the base, right on the water. No electric, no water, but since we're self contained it wasn't a problem We spent a couple of days doing absolutely nothing except watching the world pass us by. Exactly the kind of experience we were looking for.....except for the skunks.
We found out there's a family of skunks that live in the area and come out at night. During the day they must be sleeping but around 9-10 PM they come out for an evening stroll. They pretty much avoid the campers but you can certainly tell when they've gone walkabout!
Some people just don't see the forest for the trees....
Walking along the Sacramento River with the doggos when we came upon this scene. There were Canadian Honkers all over the place and this lady didn't notice but was looking out at the river instead. After a couple of river shots she realized she was getting surrounded and started shooting the geese (with her phone).
As I said above, some people just don't see the forest for the trees!
Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby weren't the only ones with a mystery machine!
Our mystery machine, camping next to the Watauga River in Elizabethton Tennessee.
This is our transportation for this wonderful road trip, a 2024 Entegra Ethos 20T Class B van.
www.entegracoach.com/motorhomes/ethos/
With 2 twin beds, cooktop, microwave, AC, heater, refrigerator, and a wet bath shower/toilet combo in the back it's all we need to get out and see all the wonders of the USA.
She's not like a class A or class C RV, it's meant for you to live outside the RV and enjoy your surroundings. We look at it like a hotel room, not a place to live but a place to take a shower and put your head down after you've spent the day exploring.
We found this spot down on the Watauga River in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Not a place that's on anyone's travel bucket list although it should be. Very quiet, peaceful, and a real pretty place altogether!
The storm really wasn't as bad as it seemed!
Out on the deck as we were pulling in to San Diego and I saw these two gentlemen taking a look at the aft pool. I'm sure it was an inspection of some sort, maybe talking about draining and refiling the pool since there were going to be new guests coming aboard?
Holland America (HAL) really does a great job when it comes to keeping the ship free from all the things that have the potential to ruin a cruise like Covid, Norovirus, etc. They clean and sanitize on a regular basis!
We're on the road in the van for a month long trip so new photos from me might be few and far between.
One thing I really enjoy on a cruise is having my breakfast Al Fresco at the back of the ship. I get to enjoy a leisurely nosh with a great view.
As I was enjoying my eggs, bacon, and tea I got a glimpse of this fine fellow practicing his act. Evidently there was a competition between the bartenders coming up called "Bar Wars" and he was making sure his skills were up to par. He was using a rubber bottle, specially made for practicing whiskey bottle acrobatics so no worries about any alcohol abuse should he miss a catch!
This was a good trip in that I really stepped up and out when it came to taking control of my camera. The majority of the shots I got were done in manual (M) and I'm trying to keep any editing down to just a crop or two.
This shot unfortunately was done in the (P)rogram or Auto mode. It was too early in the AM to be thinking about buttons and dials and such. I did do a crop on this to remove some bits and bobs that added nothing to the shot.
This is a real photograph taken with a real camera, and not created by AI.
Niccy and I just got back from a transatlantic cruise so I've finally got some shots to post!
Got on an elevator, heading for the cabin when I saw that beautiful man again. Asked him if I could take a shot and he obliged. Turns out he's a really nice guy, the sort I'd go and drink an adult beverage with!
For those who are interested his shirt says "I walked the walk in dungarees and boondockers, US Navy Veteran. If you know you know, if you don't I can't explain it.
BTW, this was not posted to YCPTPH, Jim's hammer really hurts!
"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can\'t take it..."
Ricky Fitts - American Beauty
www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/?ref_=ttls_li_tt
One could probably make a career out of shooting shots of those who are striving for that moment of FB fame. My thought is that if you want to be famous let me help you along in that journey by posting your shot on Flickr!
I\'m not sure what has caused it but the world seems consumed with "Main Character Syndrome" Everywhere you go you'll see those folks who are chanting the "Look At ME!" mantra. With a little luck (and a fast finger on the trigger) I can be a part of their 15 minutes......
Funky crop on this one, thanks to Jim Frazier for his sage advice of leaving room on the borders to crop!
"On 20 January 1989, during an improperly authorized gunnery experiment off Vieques Island, Iowa fired a 16-inch (406 mm) shell 23.4 nmi (26.9 mi; 43.3 km), setting a record for the longest-ranged 16 in (406 mm) shell ever fired. "!
The USS IOWA represents the largest — and last — class of battleships built by the United States Navy. The IOWA class battleships served in every US conflict from World War II through the Gulf War in 1991.
I knew about the Iowa being a museum and right next door to where we were docked in the port. My plan was to check in on the Coral Princess then jump off and walk over to the Iowa to spend a few hours. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men....
In my planning I forgot to factor in one crucial element, that being we were docked in a working port. Evidently the government doesn't exactly like everyday folks just wandering around on the docks and they put up some BIG fences to prevent it so I had to settle for a couple of photographs.
The Iowa is definitely on our (actually my) list of places we need to visit once we get on the road.
I shot this in AP, wasn't quite using Manual Mode yet so there's some motion blur from us sailing by. At least now I know how to fix it!
According to Google Maps....
A play off of the Jim Frazier shot:
www.flickr.com/photos/jimfrazier/2111061477/in/dateposted/
I'm not sure if they were trying to figure out how to use the camera or figure out where the Canyon is? Hopefully they found what they were looking for!
Seems to me that these are all just common sense things.
Niccy and I went walkabout after our London Eye fiasco and that's where we came upon this. If you live in Britain or Wales this is nothing new to you, if you don't then please let me explain it to you (from an American point of view).
Officially,Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are orders under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 which ban specific acts in a designated geographical area in England and Wales as set out in the act. They replace the earlier designated public place orders, gating orders and dog control orders.
Now to me this sounds a lot like Big Brother telling you what you can and cannot do out in public, something I like to call common sense stuff.
In Salford City there's a PSPO that bans acts including using foul and abusive language. In Peterborough they introduced a PSPO to ban littering, spitting and cycling in specific roads in the centre of Peterborough. In Knightsbridge a PSPO restricts excessive noise and danger caused by motor vehicles to protect public safety. Like I said above, common sense stuff.
Now I know that common sense seems to be lacking in the youth of today but I don't think that it can be legislated. Parents need to be teaching their children on a regular basis and quit letting screen time be their babysitters.
Now if you live in Britain/Wales I'd love to hear your comments on PSPOs, we're all here to learn.
Yes, this is a real photograph taken with a real camera, not a Computer Rendered Artificial Picture!
What can I say, it was lunch time!
I've told her more than once not to be stuffing her gob while we're in the middle of a photoshoot but she just doesn't listen!
Niccy had packed us a wonderful picnic lunch for our trip yesterday. Ham sandwiches and Cheetos with red grapes and watermelon for dessert. The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument has an awful nice picnic area, with ramadas (completely covered vs a pergola) to keep the sun off you.
Unfortunately there was no real sun yesterday but there was plenty of wind and with this being February it was a bit cool (hence the sweater) so we wound up retreating to the car to have our picnic.
I tell you, she's the best sport when it comes to shots, especially ones like this! Not flattering at all but she puts up with my shutter clicking obsession.
I always tell Niccy that she's our wireless doorbell!
I was sitting down and giving all my lenses a good cleaning, getting them ready for our next trip. Tater Tot was sitting on the dog chair, watching with a mixture of sleepiness and boredom. I tested each lens after I cleaned and since she was nice and handy she became my test subject.
Even when its daytime my camera struggles on inside the house shots so I usually use a flash, either the onboard or an external. Well, I figured out how to reduce the power for the onboard flash so that it doesn't overpower the shot but still gives me a tiny bit of catch light. Always learning something new!
If you're curious about story behind the Tater Tot you can learn all about her here:
Looks like it's no picnic baskets for you!
NIccy and went out for a Sunday drive (on a Sunday no less!) and wound up taking a trip down South to Madera Canyon. We'd never been there, it was a freebie with my America The Beautiful Vets Pass, and they had several picnic areas! A win-win all the way around.
Saw a lot of these signs posted and I'm not surprised. Up North of us there was an unprovoked bear attack that killed a guy who way building a cabin. The bear that attacked him was dispatched by one of the neighbors and tested negative for rabies:
www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/06/22/gro...
If you look on youtube you can fall down a rabbit hole that's chocked full of videos with people trying to get close to wildlife. Bears, Bison, Elk, etc. I have to wonder which part of the word "wildlife" don't they understand? People seem to think they live in a Disney world where all the animals can talk and are happy to pose with you for your selfie. Maybe that's the way things are in your second life but in real life animals (who don't have opposable thumbs or an internet connection) don't always go along. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Unfortunately not everyone loves dogs as much as we do.
Our next port was Mazatlan where we took an all day ships's excursion to get out of the city, since one city looks a lot like another. Our excursions main focus was a small village outside of Mazatlan called Copala.
Copala, formerly known as San José de Copala, is a four-century-old silver-mining town in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The town is in the municipality of Concordia. The main focus for the tourists is the San Jose De Copala Church, built in 1748 and Restaurante Alejandro, the only restaurant in town. Lunch was included in our tour and we had a nice meal, after which we were able to do a bit of walking around. This is when we met The Dog Lady Of Copala.
Unfortunately there are a lot of feral dogs in Mexico and in Copala there was no exception. This lady had a table set up and was selling typical Mexico tourist souvenirs like braided bracelets and vanilla, and told us that with the money she makes she buys food to feed the homeless dogs. As she pointed out several large bowls of food and water scattered around she told us that they are God's creatures and she had been directed from above to help care for them.
When you're in a place that has tourists you never really know if the story you're getting is real or just a good sales pitch. In this case we think she might be a bit of an angel, caring for the critters that so many seem to forget.
For those who might be curious Niccy (not pictured here) did buy a boatload of souvenirs for all her office mates.