DAY TWO IN OCEAN CITY

Well, friends, my idea of getting some sunrise pictures was a bust.  By the time I got down there the sun had already risen, and I couldn't get anywhere near the beach because of the construction.  This was the best I could do for a "sunrise" picture.

I did get some nice pictures of the beach, though, shooting around all the equipment.

 

A lot of the boards on the boardwalk have been replaced.  The wood has not had time to weather yet.

 

 Here is where we are staying.  It has a nice pool, but it isn't open yet.  They are still sprucing it up for the season.  If we had come down here two weeks later, everything would have been open and the beach should have been done.

Joe and I get up earlier than our friends Karen and Bud.  So we went to the restaurant attached to the hotel for breakfast.  It is under new management and the food is so good.  I cleaned my plate which is very unusual for me.

It has a Mexican theme and is decorated so cute.

The sign says: Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate.

Grapes hanging from the ceiling at the windows.

 After breakfast we walked across the street to the bike shop to see what they had.  When we left, we saw Ocean City Barber Shop.  Joe needed a haircut badly, so we went in.  The guy there was great and gave Joe the best haircut he has had a long time.  And friendly too.  He told us all these great places to eat.  He had a purple heart medal displayed on a table.  I asked him if it was his and he said it was his father's from when he served in the Korean War.  It was a great experience.  Joe said he's going back there every time we come down here.

By this time Karen and Bud were up and had gone to get breakfast.  So Joe and I walked the boards.  My back and hip are bothering me a LOT so we stopped every block and sat down.  While we were resting Mr. Verizon came out, started waving to everyone (including us) and dancing around.  It was so funny.  I had to get a shot.

Mr. Verizon...

... and Joe.

 We watched the guys still trying to restore the beach.  It is a big job.  Hurricane Sandy did a number on it, that's for sure.

Further down the boardwalk we stopped and got a couple of waters and a container of sweet potato fries to share.  I always want to stop at "Curly Fries" and never have.  Now I did!  They were good!!!  They gave you toothpicks to eat them with.

We stopped in the dollar store for a couple of things.  Yes, there is a dollar store on the boardwalk.  Across from it was a building with this sign on it.

It says Ocean City Church Development 1911: Lots for sale -- Ocean $750, Bay $500, Inland $100, Ready to build up to a 100 x 100 property.

I told Joe we had enough money to buy ocean front property and we should jump right on that.  Ha, ha!

Look how much more crowded the boardwalk was today.

The beach was really crowded too.  It must have been high tide because usually there's a much bigger beach than this!

On the way back to the room we stopped for some mango Polish Water Ice.  It was yummy.  We sat on a bench facing the ocean, watched the waves, soaked up the salt air and sunshine and ate the water ice.  Does life get better than this?

We met up with Karen and Bud.  They were going to the beach for awhile.  We wanted to, but I was beat and I could tell by looking at Joe's face that he was exhausted.  So we opted to go back to the room and take a nap.  I slept about an hour, then got on the internet and looked at some stuff.  Joe slept for over three hours.  The guy is not used to walking around so much.

My brother Henry lives down here at the shore in Egg Harbor township which is nearby.  Every time we come down he comes over and we hang out.  So he called that he was out of work and was on his way.  We met up on the boardwalk.

Bud, Karen, Joe and I were eating in this great new restaurant called Botto's Sausage Express.  (Yes, I know it sounds like we are always eating.  It's that good salt air -- makes you hungry!)  Henry and his girlfriend Lena met us there and had dinner with us.  Let me tell you, if you are anywhere near Ocean City, eat at this place.  It's at 10th and the Boardwalk.  The place is brand new and so extremely clean.  The service is outstanding.  And the food is good.  They are having their grand opening on May 24.  All the news media and some politicians will be there.  We had our picture taken to be part of the ceremony!  Cool!

Lena and Henry.  No, that's not a crown she is wearing, it's the lamp post behind her.  We all got a good laugh from it though.

Me and Henry

We, of course, ended up at our favorite place -- Jilly's Arcade.

My brother, the pinball wizard, won so many free games.  He is the only one I know that can play one ball for 20 minutes.  He gets his money's worth out of that quarter.  I played pinball and skee ball.  Joe bought 11 games for $1.  So did Bud and Karen.  I played most of Joe's games.  But my back started hurting.  Like Karen said, "Eleven games is a LOT of skee ball.  You don't realize it until you actually play it."  Her back was hurting her too.  I ended up giving my last game to a guy who was waiting for us to finish so he could play with his wife in the next lane.  He tried to pay me the 10 cents for the game.  NO!  I told him don't be ridiculous, it's a dime!

We all came back to the hotel afterwards.  Bud, Karen and Joe ordered Mexican food from the hotel restaurant and we sat out in the courtyard and ate.  Well, they ate.  I couldn't eat another thing!  It was really nice.  They put candles on the table.  Aren't these pretty?  I'm going to steal this idea for home.  It's sea glass with a little tea light.

We all sat around eating and talking.  It was getting cold so I ordered a cup of hot tea.  And I did steal a little piece of Bud's flan.  I love flan, but I just couldn't eat any more.  These pictures are a little dark, but they show just how nice and relaxing it was.

Bud and Karen

Joe

Henry and Lena

Joe and me

So that was the end of another fun filled day.  One more day to go.  We have enjoyed being here so much.  I had no idea how much I needed a vacation.  On to day three and home later today.  Lots more to do before we leave.