Monterey in July is so Cool!

This is going to be a unique entry in our blog --- Shirley is driving so she is dictating her blog entry while Kay types it into Microsoft Word.  Kay loves doing this because she is adding her own editorial comments!  LOL

After a flurry of packing we headed out to cooler Monterey to arrive in the nick of time to watch the World Cup Finals – 
Germany vs. Argentina.
 Drew hosted us in his new, lovely apartment where anxious minutes were spent in overtime waiting for Germany to score and WIN! 

 To celebrate their win, we went to Fisherman’s Wharf with Drew and a friend and ate at Fisherman’s Grotto where I am told they have the best clam chowder ever! (Shirley loved our Grandfather Harrison so much that she inherited his allergy to shell fish.)  Our table overlooked the Monterey Bay where we watched seals, sea otters and a few humans in the cold water.  Our discussion was lively and the view was breathtaking.  

Kay had hunted and hunted for a hotel room that was less than $400/night since we were there in “high season”.  She convinced me that it would be ok to stay in something called a Ramada Ltd.  We were anxious to see what this was because we had images of pushing furniture against the door.  We were delighted to find a small, old motel with about twenty rooms.  Instead of a pool, it had a serenity garden where the Innkeeper urged us to relax in the Rubbermaid lounge chairs.  Boxed flowers adorned our parking space and we had a fireplace with a duralog ready to go!  By the way, we did push the chair in front of the door!

 

The next morning (Monday, July 14) I chose to experience the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the first time.  I got to experience what my husband, Paul, does scuba diving but I didn’t have to wear a wetsuit!  The highlights were the feeding times of the octopi and the sea otters with a relaxing lunch at Cindy’s Café where we shared fish and chips along with deconstructed tamales with mushrooms and cheese grits.  

Time was spent on Cannery Row where I purchased a Hairy Otter shirt for me to wear to school.  

The kids will love it.  I also found a fabulous coat for Madison Drew to show where her Uncle Drew lives.

Drew arrived to visit after a day of work at NorthstarBiofuels where he is the laboratory supervisor.  This is a startup company in Watsonville, California which has started producing biofuels from  recycled biologics including beef tallow, oils used in frying, etc.  He was proud to show us the crystal clear product they are now producing for sale.

Dinner was spent at Baan Thai in Seaside where we feasted on yellow curry, mussaman nua, an spicy fried rice.

It was hard to tell him goodbye but I knew I would see him on Friday in Denver when he will meet his namesake, Madison Drew, for the first time.