No Sea Legs, No Sea Stomach

We've been spending a ton of time down at the beach. This is the view from our room.

Bruce is triumphant since he is the one who made the reservation here.

We roasted hot dogs on a fire at the beach.

Today we went on a whale watching boat ride.
Life jackets weren't required, but Kiki is a little unpredictable, so we outfitted her anyway.

Depoe Bay is behind us.

The mist in this picture is actually the spout from a whale.

We saw quite a few of them, but it is hard to get pictures. The best sighting was mine alone: Everyone had gone to the front of the boat, only I was nauseous, so I was sitting on the benches on the back of the boat, making small talk with the captain while he loaded fishing poles for a later fishing trip. A whale surfaced so close that I actually heard it before I could see it, and then he flipped his huge tail up and was gone. I'm just glad the captain was there or everyone would have thought I was making it up. I was happy to be back on dry land.

Kiki has been so funny on this trip. She has been saying, "I want go home" since Tremonton (an hour and a half from home). On the bright side, though, whenever you ask her what she wants to be doing, she'll say "Go to the beach." She was sing-songing in the back seat some nonsense, "I not know, I not know..." and Bruce asked her, "What do you know?" and she quickly replied, "I know I want a quesadilla." She brought a stuffed manatee from Sea World, which she has recently named "Shamu" but she pronounces it "Sham-pu." Both girls have been great little travelers.

I have to memorialize a delicious meal we ate tonight at a place called Richens by the Sea. It's a homecooking place, and Bruce has asked to be buried with a coffin full of their clam chowder. We finished up with the most incredible bread pudding I have ever eaten. If you are ever in the area, do not pass up the chance to eat there.

Bruce and I have decided this could be our favorite vacation ever- the Oregon Coast is a gem- beautiful scenery, not too crowded, fabulous beaches (all public), great weather. We will definitely be returning here. Only a couple of things have been a little odd- first, I pictured the whole state of Oregon with weathered shingle cottages, and that IS true- on the coast. But the drive here was more trailer homes than I have ever seen in my whole life. Second, Oregonians have been incredibly friendly, but also incredibly funny-looking. Could someone explain?