Europe 2014 - Paris Yard Boat

Ever see a boat with a bona-fide yard, complete with deck and barbeque pit?  The closer look below reveals that the grass is getting a little ragged, which begs the question...How do you mow a lawn on a boat?

Lots of folks own and love boats, including my dad, who always had a boat during my upbringing in Orange, Texas.  He got bold one year and bought a cabin cruiser, on which we took a week-long vacation traveling down the Intercoastal Waterway.  It was big enough to hold the parents, us three boys, and our German Shepherd, Rinnie.  Mom cooked in the little kitchen that it had and we slept on beds that folded out from the couches in the "living room".  The bathroom was up in the bow, which had a hatch on top.  Quite the little operation.

However, we didn't make it all the way to our intended destination, which was Florida.  The thing broke down and we vacationed in Louisiana instead.

Even with extensive exposure to boats and boating throughout my younger childhood, I never got use to being on one, as it always felt unstable...the constant motion, lack of brakes, and the slap of the waves on the bow and undersides were unsettling, especially at higher speeds.  As you may have observed if you've followed this blog at all, I learned that cruise ships is the way to go if you're going to be on the water.