Navy Ships in puddletown

ships bw
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

the white shirts are here! the white shirts are here! yep, it's "fleet week" in pdx. i blogged a bit about it yesterday, but today got to take it all in from the lower deck of the steel bridge. i'm not a flag waver or one to really talk up the military. i generally disagree with what they are doing. i also know, by design, the military is only doing what thier leaders tell them to do, so i get angry at the leaders mostly. the guy/gal on the ship or at thier security post should not be the victim of my disdain or frustration about the administration's current policy.
today, i did something that would probably shock most of my peers. i walked up to the marines guarding the boats and just said thanks. i felt that they were doing thier jobs and in thier own way protecting my ability to hang out with friends and drinking beer. so, thanks guys.
i walked down along the seawall to check it all out and take it in. i'm a sucker for machinery and anything big. i love that show on cable called mega machines. if i could go out to a mine and just walk up to a huge dumptruck, i would probably faint. well, when i see these big ships, i get a bit childlike. i take pictures and look all touristy. i love it. i hope all those sailors are enjoying the city.