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Brief
Recap Transatlantic Cruise toThe British Isles and Western Mediterranean
On 9
April 2010, we left home for a 29-day cruise on the Grand
Princess. We had two lazy days at sea before our first port, the West End Royal Naval
Dockyard in Bermuda. This was our first cruise where we had booked no shore excursions,
preferring to nose around on our own. So in Bermuda, we bought two all-day bus passes and
saw the entire country.
Six
more days at sea as we head to Scotland. Unfortunately, the ship was getting progressively
colder, allegedly to keep the germs down. Men were wearing spring jackets zipped up inside
the ship, so you know it was cold.
At
the stop in Greenock, Scotland, we got up late,
off the ship late, and just walked through this clean little town. Not really hard to do
since it's relatively small. The local people are friendly and the buildings all old. The
weather is cold (we each leave the ship with five layers of clothes on), but the sun is
out (surprising in view of our location to the volcano eruption) and there's no wind.
Shortly before we left the port, a fifteen-man drum and bagpipe group came to the pier to
play for us tourists. They were, of course, in full kilt regalia.
The
sun was shining in Dublin, Ireland, but it was
cold and a tad windy. We were very pleasantly surprised at how clean, busy and expensive
Dublin is. The old and new architectures blend together in harmony. We walked a lot, and
then got on a city hop on-hop off bus that makes a loop through the city and stops at most
of the important buildings and/or areas.
It
was another frigid, windy day in Cobh (Cove), Ireland.
We're here because it's close to Cork, one of the large cities in Ireland, and because
this is the largest natural harbor in Europe. Cove is a quaint little town that was the
last port-of-call for the Titanic (1912); home to Annie Moore, the first emigrant on Ellis
Island; the Lusitania is shipwrecked (1915) near here -- and all three are commemorated
with memorials. We got off the ship and walked about 3-4 miles total, most of it uphill
through the little town, up the hill (and on many unmarked cul-du-sacs), across the top of
the hill and back to the ship.
Our
next stop was Falmouth, England, which is
alleged to be the third largest deep water harbor in the world. Then why are we anchored a
half hour away from town if it's so deep? We tendered to town and just walked the narrow
main street. It's sunny, but low 40s and very windy and not enjoyable to walk. We spent
our last few pounds on a book and two coffees and muffins. We paid more because we chose
to eat inside rather than 'take away' our treat.
The
next day we were docked in LeHarve, France. We
were here two years ago and were just going to take the shuttle to town to see whatever
and come back. Well, today somebody decided to strike and the folks going on tours at
their 6AM, 6:15AM and 6:30AM meeting places were sorely discouraged, I'm sure, when they
heard this news at 8AM. The problem was the possibility of not getting off the ship. We
dismissed the idea of a shuttle to town and just stayed on the ship. The good news was it
was sunny and warm and we were able to enjoy the good weather on our verandah.
Next
stop was Southampton, England, where most of
the passengers got off and were replaced by new passengers
two of them our online
friends, Ed & Liz Hooper, who we were happy to meet in person for the first time. This
is a major stop for the ship to unload trash, take on fuel, and resupply the food
pantry
quite a job since we left later than planned. We had dinner with Ed & Liz
and chatted at the table not knowing there were people waiting to be seated. Ooops; but
there are other dining venues.
Two
more days at sea. More time playing Keno, spending time with Ed & Liz, and going to a
talk about two ports of call. While having cookies and coffee in our cabin and watching
the water go by, we saw some whales just below the surface of the water. We knew they were
there because every 10-15 seconds we saw them expel water through their blow hole. Then,
to our surprise, we saw one very close to the ship. The good news this second leg of the
trip is that the temps on the ship are a bit warmer.
Thankfully,
it's comfortably warm today in Cadiz, Spain.
The four of us got off the ship and started walking. We went through part of the old town,
out to the wall at the water, into the new town and back into the old town. We walked
narrow cobblestone streets, crowded with throngs of people, watching out for cars and
trucks as we went. We stopped for coffee and treat at an outdoor café. This was the port-of-call for Seville, but
obviously we didn't want to sit on a bus all day.
After
another lazy day at sea, we were happy to have a mostly sunny day anchored at Alghero
(al-GER-o) Sardinia. This is an island on the
west side of Italy. We four tendered into the town and I was soon ready to strangle
someone for their dis-information and alleged ignorance of English. Long story
short
we went to the bus ticket booth and asked for a route map. The crabby lady
pointed where to get it (not at the ticket booth?). We found the place and the nice lady
told us which bus to get and where it was. Got to the bus and the driver says no tickets
on bus and points to the booth where we encountered the crab. Back to her, ask for four
(quarto) tickets and she gives me two. Back for two more and then wait for the next bus.
After this run-around, we finally got local bus tickets and had a ride out of town and
around town. Then, of course, coffee and treats at a local café.
Civitavecchia
(civ-e-te-VETCH-i-a) Italy is billed at the
gateway to Rome. Trust us, that is its only claim to fame, since it's the only way to Rome
from the sea. But it's a sunny, pleasant day and Ed led us on a walk
.much further
than he thought since the last time they were here they were docked closest to town; our
ship is now at the far end of the pier. Anyway, we walked around Fort Michelangelo, a
square fort with a tower at each corner and completed by Michelangelo in 1557, into town,
around here and there, and what would a walk be without coffee at an outdoor café? American coffee is interesting in Italy
we
each get a regular size cup with a shot of espresso in it along with a pot of hot water so
we can make it as strong or as weak as we want.
It's
partly sunny/partly cloudy the next day in Livorno, Italy. We're here for the folks who want to go
to Pisa and/or Florence. We wasted 10 Euros on the shuttle bus to the town only to find
it's a holiday so there are no buses running and the train is on a limited schedule. Our
overall opinion of Italy is: unorganized, untidy, unfriendly and NEVER AGAIN. Italians do
NOTHING to encourage tourism. Livorno, like Civitavecchia, only exists because it's the
only way to get the Florence and Pisa from a ship. Both towns should be friendlier and do
more for tourism than be snotty to tourists.
If
it's Sunday, we must be in Cannes, France. Bob
& I tendered off the ship. Getting to the pier was quite something since the tender
captain had to weave his way through the mega-yacht 'parking lot'. For the many, many
millions of Euros these toys cost, they're packed in like sardines
the fat bumpers on
each touching. Once ashore, we got a map and rode buses, drank coffee, and tried to find
bathrooms
all with success.
Bummer
Barcelona, Spain! This was one stop we were
looking forward to, but it's about 50 degrees, overcast and raining. We turned in our
shuttle tickets, got our money back, and stayed on the ship all day. Neither of us has
gotten sick yet, and we sure don't want to head home with a cold. This was to be a very
interesting stop.
Another
sea day and, of course, it's a dry sunny day. Bob & I went to a talk about Gibraltar,
our last stop tomorrow. We're kind of looking forward to the stop and nosing around the
tiny city/country. However, we don't plan to take the cable car to the top or get involved
with all the Barbary apes. Spain is visible from the starboard side of the ship and Africa
is somewhere off our port side.
Here
we are in Gibraltar. The harbor is an upside
down horseshoe shape and our cabin faces Spain. Bob & I got off the ship and walked to
town, then bought all day bus passes and toured the city/country. The whole city is built
on a giant rock
narrow streets and high rise apartments/condos everywhere. It was a small miracle the buses could
get through the narrow streets with cars and scooters parked at or on the curb like
sardines. Fortunately it's another dry, sunny day. This tiny country is 2.75 miles long,
3/4 mile wide, 1,396 feet high, and about 30,000 people call it home. Africa is just 8
miles across the Strait. Oh, this is just wonderful
.shortly before we set sail
again, the Captain came on the ship's loud speaker and announced that there were some
cases of Norovirus on board. We wondered why everything at the buffet was different when
we came back from town. We assume some folks got too wet and tired that soggy day in
Barcelona. Sad to say, it will be good to get home. We just hope we can make it without
any sickness.
These
last two days at sea are less than delightful, to say the least. With the Norovirus on
board, the buffet was total chaos at all times. Crew with gloved hands were passing out
the food and pouring the coffees, teas, etc. You would not believe how many different ways
the Europeans/English want their tea fixed! So naturally that line was endless.
Saturday,
8 May, was a travel day from hell. We did eventually make it home safely, but Ill
tell you about our travels anyway.We got to Heathrow about 10AM, but couldn't check our
bags 'til noon or later. Finally got them checked and tried to find our gate. Restrooms
are not handy. They don't post the gate 'til an hour before departure. Finally get to the
gate, only to find there's five A10's. Found the right one, and more security checks.
We're finally packed into a bus and traveled half way back to Southampton to a plane. Off
the bus and walk up steps to a transatlantic flight. I was seething at the modern but
totally crappy job at Heathrow. After everyone is on and we want to go, we sit there
for 15 minutes 'til the captain comes on and says volcanic ash has changed the routing for
all carriers and we have to wait our turn to get into the air space...it will only be an
hour or so. We finally left about two hours later
and flew straight north, then a hard left to Iceland, Greenland, eastern Canada, etc.
We, of course, got to Atlanta long after our connecting flight left. The good news:
our luggage made it with us! Small miracles are always welcome. Finally a nice British
Airways guy called for those on BA...he had gotten us rebooked on a flight on Sunday.
Thank you. We spent the night in a $349 room at the Westin compliments of British Airways
and got $18 towards our breakfast the next day.
Grand Princess is not the least bit grand. Most everything was
grungy or dirty; our verandah was in bad shape. The ship was in dry dock two years ago and
needs to go there right now, but isnt scheduled to go til 2011 or 2012. God
forbid the company lose money; but they will if clients dont return. This is the
worst ship weve been on. Add to that, the cold weather the first two weeks as well
as the cold temps inside the ship. Most women feel colder than men, but men walking around
inside in layers topped with zipped up spring jackets was a surprise. Food was typical
cruise ship food. Shows we went to were merely OK; Ed & Liz went to some other shows
that they left before the show was over. However, we did get one little perk...free
internet minutes. We will sail again.
--May 2010
CHRISTMAS TRAIN TO NYC
After our Christmas train trip two years ago,
Bob said no more train trips because AmTrak service was heading downhill at lightning
speed. So on December 25, 2009, we boarded AmTraks Silver Meteor for the 1367 mile
trip to New York City.
We werent disappointed by AmTrak,
thats for sure. That day it was in the 70s outside, about 60 in our roomette
and colder still in the dining car. When they turned the heat on, you could roast a
turkey. Food service is still pre-packaged, microwavable cuisine
some half way good,
some not. Coffee is awful; I drank hot tea all the time because the coffee was so bad.
Paper tablecloths, but cloth napkins; paper or plastic plates and cups, but real
silverware. Guess the geniuses in the front office still think filling a landfill is
better than paying a person to wash dishes.
The train filled up as we traveled north; three
sleeper cars were full as well as five coach cars. We got fresh air breaks at the Orlando
and Jacksonville stops. We slept sort of OK and woke to snow on the ground in the Carolinas.
We arrived in Washington DC early (very unusual for AmTrak) and somehow lost time between
there and NYC where we arrived 2 1/2 hours late (very usual for AmTrak). All of last
weekends snow had melted and there was a light rain when we arrived. We grabbed a
bite to eat in Penn Station, then headed across the street and got our room. The hotel is
a better than the train, but well definitely appreciate home when we get there.
The night of the 26th, we walked to Radio
City Music Hall in a light rain to see the Rockettes Christmas show. I was impressed by
their total uniformity at all times. The staging was impressive, including live animals
for the nativity number. We caught a cab back to the hotel since it was raining too hard
to walk back.
The morning of the 27th dawned
sunny, warm and dry. We walked to the Gray Line office for our all-day Comprehensive
Manhattan tour. First stop was a quick walk through Strawberry Fields in Central Park
across the street from The Dakota. The Dakota looks rather dumpy; if John Lennon
hadnt lived and died there, it might be an abandoned building today. However, we
were a surprised there is little or no security now at The Dakota or any of the ritzy
apartments along Central Park. Bob asked the tour guide about it and he said no security.
Id need my head examined to pay $20,000,000 or more for a place on Central Park with
window ACs and no security. Then north along the west side of Central Park to a
Conservatory that didnt look dead in the dead of winter. Tour continued til we
stopped at an Italian restaurant in a mixed cultural neighborhood for a pretty good
dinner. More touring and finally ended up at Battery Park and boarded a sightseeing boat.
The BWM bridges up the Hudson (Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg), Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The Statue has been
refurbished as well as Ellis Island. We couldnt believe the literally miles long
line waiting for the boats to visit the Island. Governors Island has been given back
to the State, but they have to keep it as is. Back to midtown and a stop at Grand Central
Station (what a waste of time). By this time its getting on to late afternoon, and
hoards of people and cars are in town. We were supposed to go to the Top of the Rock but
foot and car traffic was unbelievable. We finally got off the bus, lost the tour guide in
the crowd and walked back to the hotel. I thought Florida was bad with just concrete and
people, but Manhattan has Florida beat. The mass of people and cars was unbelievable and
totally crazy. Weather was good all day and tour guide knowledgeable, but way too gabby.
But one tidbit we didnt know was that a Broadway show seats 500 or more people; an
off-Broadway show seats less than 500 people. It has nothing to do with where the theater
is located. We also learned Ground Zero is now a politically incorrect term
its
now the World Trade Center since rebuilding is underway.
The 28th was another sunny, warm dry
day. We walked back to Rockefeller Center to take the NBC tour we had booked. With several
million fewer people on the sidewalks, I was able to take pictures of Times Square and the Rockefeller Christmas tree.
Preparations were already underway at Times Square for New Years Eve. At NBC, they took us
to the Brian Williams nightly news studio; next to it Morning Joe was in progress on
MSNBC. Then to Jimmy Fallons show studio (never watched it), and ended with the SNL
studio which is smaller than youd think. We then used our Top of the Rock tickets
from yesterday and enjoyed the views without the crowds.
We tried three different times to change our
return ticket to a deluxe (an AmTrak joke) ticket, but not for $689
a sick joke by
AmTrak.
Its the 29th, and weve
defied the weather gods again. After two great days, its frigid with gale force
winds. We were practically blown across the street to the station. We left NYC about 15
minutes late on the Silver Star back to Fort Lauderdale; hope we get home nearly on time.
Perhaps I didnt let the water run long enough, but it turned out we had no hot water
in our car
thank you, AmTrak. God forbid anyone check it before leaving and getting
it fixed. Same crappy cuisine on the way home. But I did get a few pictures as we pulled
into and out of Washington DC.
We made it home
safely on 30 December. The car was still in the parking lot in one piece. Traffic
wasnt even too bad driving home. We truly appreciate our warm showers and good bed
even more after this trip. Bob agrees no more AmTrak; perhaps a Rocky Mountaineer trip, or
other trains where you dont spend the night on the train and do get tasty food. --December 2009
BRIEF RECAP OF OUR 2009 RV TRIP
We left home on April 19th, possibly
headed to Alaska, possibly to parts unknown. We traveled through Florida, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi and Arkansas. We stopped in Branson MO for two nights and took in a show
there. Then onward through southern Kansas into Colorado.
In Colorado, we stopped at Black Canyon of the Gunnison
National Park. We would have stayed at the campground there, but it offered absolutely no
service for $20, not even a dump station. How
sanitary and healthy is that? We went down route 550 and stayed at the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk
campground in Ridgway State Park for three nights. The way a state park should be--first
class. Then we stopped in Silverton for a backcountry Jeep ride. In Durango, we took the
steam train back to Silverton. It was fun going, but a little boring coming back. Should
have ridden the bus back. After that, we stopped at Mesa Verde National Park.
In Utah, we visited Arches and Canyonlands National
Parks
both very interesting with totally different features. Outside of Moab we took
a road along the Colorado River and then off into the wilderness with really hair-raising
twists and turns. After leaving Moab, we stopped at a truly unusual campground and took a
long hike looking for wildlife.
In Wyoming, we stayed in Jackson for three
nights. We took a morning float trip on the Snake River where we saw fresh water pelicans
and pairs of eagles, and an evening wildlife tour where we saw grizzly and black bears,
bison and tons of elk. The next night we did a chuck wagon dinner and show. Believe it or
not, the wagon ride was fun and the dinner was really good.
In Montana, we visited Big Hole National
Battlefield where some Nez Perce Indians put up a big fight against the Army. Further down
the road, we stopped at Bannack Ghost Town which was truly interesting. We could walk
through many of the buildings which were in disrepair, but the intent is to keep it as a
ghost town, not a tourist attraction.
We traveled into British Columbia and did a
circle tour in southern BC; nothing super interesting except I did buy a case of
Jackson-Trigg wine since we cant get it in the US. Saw some wildlife in Jasper and
headed south out of Edmonton back to the US and cheaper gas. In Montana, we went to East
Glacier and took one of the first Red Bus tours of the season.
Then we started for home
east through Montana
and North Dakota into Minnesota. We stayed outside Itasca State Park and then stayed at Sibley
State Park for a nice hike and great wildlife. South through Iowa to western Illinois
where we saw friends.
We made it home safely on June 11th,
having driven back through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. By June 12th,
the RV was clean inside and out and up for sale.
Some general observations: We had a great time in the smaller RV
that could go everywhere. Lumber and mining towns are the pits. We were among the very few
RVers who did NOT have one or more dogs along for the ride. In Colorado, there are serious
bicyclists on the twisting, turning highways. State parks are in much better shape than
National Parks
thanks, George. --June 2009
OUR ASIAN/AUSTRALIAN/NEW
ZEALAND ODYESSY
We left home at 4:45AM on 21 November 2008 to
fly to Dallas to Tokyo to Bangkok. With all the time changes and crossing the
International Date Line (we'll cross the Equator on the ship), we got to bed about 3AM on
22 November. Yes, we were pooped and fell asleep right away
even after taking several
catnaps on the planes. It was a long, tedious day(s?), but all flights were uneventful and
our luggage arrived in Bangkok with us. Wonders never cease. The best flight was on Japan
Airlines from Tokyo to Bangkok. Excellent servicelike US airlines provided many
years agoincluding a free small bottle of wine with din-din. The best part was
watching ourselves land on the many screens throughout the cabin and the pilot's
unbelievably soft landing. Yes, it felt like we missed parts of some day, but we were safe
and that's all that matters.
After about five hours of sleep, we got up
Sunday morning and went for a walk 'around the block' after breakfast. On the later bus to
the pier, it was apparent that Bangkok is a huge sprawling city that seems to never end.
We got checked in, found our cabin, and explored the ship. By the time we got back to the
stateroom, the luggage had been delivered so we unpacked and took it easy. We're glad our
first day out is a day at sea so we can sleep in and rest up to face the world as the trip
progresses.
After one day at sea, we arrived in Phu My (FOO
my) Vietnam on 25 November. Our scheduled tour was to Ho Chi Minh City (a/k/a/ Saigon
until 1975). It was more of a long bus ride than a sightseeing tour. Run down buildings
and shacks, all selling something, line the road from the pier into the city. Motor
scooters zip around and dare bigger vehicles to hit them. In Saigon proper, the traffic is
wall-to-wall and street vendors pester everyone
very annoying. The city is dirty and
crowded. Bob wasn't impressed with it 40 years ago and didn't feel it had changed much
since then. I would have preferred a tour to the countryside to see the beauty of the
country Bob has told me about. Actually I had the silly idea that the trip from the pier
to the city might have been through some of the countryside. Bob had tried his best to
talk me out of this excursion, but I thought I might get to see something
interesting
and I dida zillion motor scooters and a dirty city. We stopped at a
lacquer factory, drove by the Rex Hotel, Notre Dame, the old US Embassy (now a library),
the Reunification Hall and met in front of the Post Office
which is not like any PO
in the US. The Ben Thanh Market was supposed to be a highlight, but it reminded me of a
Mexican market with tons of fake stuff and sellers literally hanging on Bob to buy
something. So we went across the street to the Pho (foe) 2000 restaurant which the guide
had said was a safe place to eat
after all, Bill Clinton ate there, too. The weather
was hot and humid; the tour overrated as usual.
Thoughts about this ship thus far: Hotspots in
every room! Every ship should be so well equipped. However, had we not brought the laptop,
the Internet Café on this ship is very large and complete with a self-serve coffee bar.
This ship is much larger than the smaller ship we were on earlier this year (2900+
passengers vs. 650 or so). This larger ship has a small library, locked bookcases, and
just a few games on two shelves in one of the bookcases. The smaller ship had a much
larger library with open bookshelves plus a separate large game room with tons of games.
Go figure.
NEWS FLASH
26 November 2008 Bangkok Thailand: The
rebels took over the control tower at the international airport and many airlines
cancelled all flights into Bangkok. We have no clue what would have happened to us if this
had occurred just a few days earlier. We're very grateful to have made it into and out of Bangkok
safely.
After another leisurely day at sea, we docked
in Singapore on Thanksgiving Day, 27 November. It's overcast but warm. We're at the
commercial dock where all we can see is miles of cargo containers and the big cranes that
load them. We had a half day excursion to see the city highlights stopping at Mt. Faber, a
highpoint in the city to see the city on one side the seaport on the other side; the
Botanical Center which is mainly a giant orchid garden; then a stop to go through a
Buddhist Temple and shop if we wanted to in Chinatown. Facts learned from the tour guide:
There is no agriculture in Singapore; everything is imported. Water is imported from Malaysia
and then purified. There are four nationalities in SingaporeChinese, Malay, Indian
and a minority group. The airport has been one of the best in the world for 25 years. This
was the first country to run the Gran Prix at night so Europeans could watch it on TV live
during the day. There is one-party government control. English is the communication
language, Malay is the national language, and you have the mother tongue of your
nationality. You'd never know buying a car was such an ordeal and so expensive with all
the cars on the road, but there are no rust buckets or beaters here. You pay big bucks for
a certificate of entitlement to get a car; take that to the dealer to pay big bucks to buy
your car plus a 200% tax; have it inspected every three years and keep it for only ten
years or be taxed to death to keep it longer. Singapore is an island and city; it's
extremely clean and modern. The traffic is orderly; the streets and medians filled with
blooming trees, shrubs and plants. What a contrast to Saigon. We had hoped for a somewhat
traditional turkey dinner, but got OK turkey, awful dressing, cranberry chutney; but the
pumpkin pie was super.
On Friday, the 28th, we decided to
do something different on this day at sea and made a reservation at the Sterling
Steakhouse restaurant. Even though there's a modest cover charge, jumbo shrimp cocktail
were huge, the filet mignon was outstanding, the wine very good, and the dessert tasty. A
nice treat to us after the disappointing turkey dinner yesterday.
Saturday morning, the 29th, finds us
slowly approaching the port at Kota Kinabalu (KO ta kin a BA lu). Surprisingly, we see no
fish or shore birds although there are shrimp boats everywhere. It's a sunny warm day.
Kota Kinabalu is on Borneo Island which is made up of Malaysia, Sabah and Brunei. Malaysia
is Muslim, but Sabah is 50/50 Christianity and Muslim. The nationalities are Malay,
Chinese, Indian and natives. Mt. Kinabalu is the highest in Asia at over 4,000 meters.
Palm oil plantations are the biggest industry, followed by rubber and tourism. There are
still neighborhoods of homes (shacks) on stilts. The government is gradually moving people
out of these places into better homes for free. All of the above was compliments of the
tour guide on our short tour of the city highlights (or lowlights). Stopped for a photo at
the Tun Mustapha Tower which is a cylinder of glass polygon of 72 sides supported by high
tensile steel rods
allegedly this is the only column-free structure in Asia. Next
photo stop was at the State Mosque with its tall minaret and big gold dome
allegedly
the world's largest to use the honeycomb design. The third stop was at the Sabah Museum
where outside there is a replica of bygone longhouses on stilts where several families
lived at one time. In the main building, there were several displays of the history of the
island and the people. The last stop was like all other tours
at the local crappy
marketplace with fruits (no thank you) in one area and the other area cheap trinkets in
crowded stalls. Why do fine cruise lines have to include this kind of stop at every port?
To make matters worse, the marketplace is by a fishing dock that an open sewer empties
into. This was a disappointing stop
we had expected a smallish fishing village and
got a barely semi-clean big city.
Sunday, the 30th, begins our four
days at sea. This morning we took in a lecture on oceanic life and learned that we won't
see much marine wildlife here because this is not on the migratory route of any birds. The
birds fish for the little fish and the big fish feed on the little fish. We left Kota
Kinabalu and went around the north end of Borneo, then headed southeast (?) zigzagging
through large (the Philippines) and little islands all day. Earlier this morning, I
watched a flower demonstration. One guy put together two huge beautiful arrangements in
about 20 minutes. This afternoon we did see something off in the distance flop or breach
out of the water, but too far away to know what it was. The day is warm and the seas are
very calm. The only problem is all the debris in the sea
unbelievable.
Tuesday, December 2nd, is our third
day at sea. Yesterday and today the seas continue to be calm and we're passing islands all
the time
New Guinea? Indonesia? What other islands? This morning I watched a
chocolate and marzipan demonstration. One guy for each medium and beholdedible
creations in no time at all! We crossed the equator about 6AM
no speed bumps, rumble
strips or stop sign to note it. However, this afternoon was the crossing-the-equator
ceremony. King Neptune, Queen Nephritite, their guards, nymphs, and evil barbers and
surgeons did nasty stuff to those found guilty of whatever. Kiss the real dead fish
(yuck), be subjected to chocolate, honey, eggs, whipped cream, spaghetti and/or tomato
sauce and then be thrown in the pool. Yes,
that pool was closed for a while after the ceremony. On the 3rd, there was an
ice carving demo at the same pool as yesterday's mess. The two guys each carved a
200-pound block of ice in ten minutes or less with just two tools.
Thursday, 4 December, Darwin, Northern
Territory, Australia -- We had a half day tour planned and things were looking good 'til
we got on the bus and the mike didn't work. Long story short, turned out the guide was a
dud and the driver did his very best to make it a good tour. Darwin was named after
Charles Darwin and is the capital of the Northern Territory. In 1974 a cyclone pretty much
leveled the city, as well as many Japanese raids in WWII. Our first stop was in Cullen Bay
to board a harbor cruise boat. Darwin Harbor is huge and almost a circle. The gentle
two-hour cruise took in several points of interest such as Doctors Gully where medical
personnel came to relax by the sea during the war. There are many pretty beaches here and
we're told the water is warm, but no swimming is allowed because of saltwater crocs, box
jellyfish, sharks; but then there's friendly dolphins and edible snapper, just to name a
few of the critters in the sea here. So the citizens built a lake to swim in across from
the beach. The city is clean; tropical plants, shrubs and trees are everywhere in the city
of about 250,000 people. There are many nice homes; and not many cars to congest traffic
or pollute the air. This is the hottest day of the cruise so far and we chose not to stay
in town to shop and take a shuttle back. Good thing we didn't stay
about 2:30 the
black sky opened up and drenched everything.
Just a few facts about the country we're
currently visiting: Australia is the world's
smallest and oldest continent, but its sixth largest country
it's just a tad smaller
than our 48 contiguous states. Captain Cook did a lot of exploring and running aground in Australia
so there are monuments to him or stuff named after him all over. It became a country in
1901. The country produces 95% of the world's precious opal. Did you know Australia is
much younger than the US? Route1 goes all the way around the country 26,500
kilometers total. Australia's population total population is about 21 million; 80-85% of
the population lives within 100 miles of a beach. A cheery fact is the two-thirds of the
country is arid and unlivable. Koala (aboriginal for animal that does not drink water)
only eats 13 of the 36 types of eucalyptus trees; all they do is eat, sleep, eat, sleep.
Unfortunately, man is the koala's main predator. Allegedly, kangaroo is aboriginal for I
don't know
not sure I believe that one. Do you know why the kangaroo and emu are on
the country emblem? Because neither can move backwards; and like these animals, Australia
will only move forward as well, not backwards.
It's Saturday, the 6th, and this is
our second day at sea between Darwin and Port Douglas. The Princess Patter tells us we began our transit of
the Great Barrier Reef early this morning and have local pilots on board to assist the
entire way through the reef. There are small, medium and large islands all around us. We
thought that going through the reef we'd see marine life, but no such luck. Well, Bob did
spot a soft-shelled turtle.
Sunday, 7 December, Port Arthur, Queensland, Australia
Tendering was a long, royal pain this morning. But the cute beagle sniffing bags as
we got off the ship made things a little better. Port Douglas, where the tenders docked,
is a resorty, modern little town complete with mini-mall right at the dock. We started our
half-day tour 35 minutes late and went downhill from there. It was about an hour's drive
on a windy, hilly road to the Skyrail Rainforest where most of our time was spent. Three
separate gondola rides to the top of the mountain. First stop was a short boardwalk
through the treetops. The second had another boardwalk to Barron Falls viewing sites.
Since this is the end of the dry season here, the waterfall wasn't much to see. The bus
was at the top to greet us and take us back down the mountain. Kuranda is an aboriginal
town just outside the park that would have been great to investigate
artsy, homey,
just all sorts of different shops. Poinciana trees are in full bloom everywhere. Our guide
picked up two who got lost from another group and took them back to the Skyrail which
lessened our time sightseeing in Cairns (CANS). Cairns has a population of 150,000 and
another 40,000 tourists on any given day. It's a small city, but clean and modern. The
city was named after Sr. William Wellington Cairns, the Irish governor when the city was
established in late 1870's. In 1891 the first railroad was built from the coast to the
gold mines and still runs today. Cairns population was one-third Chinese in the late
1800's; they were here to help build the railroad. They were eventually forced back to China,
but opium dens remained in Cairns until the 1970's. After gold fever died, the settlers
tried farmingrice and tobacco didn't do well, but sugar cane and bananas are still a
livelihood today. Another early industry was sea cucumbers that the locals smoked in mango
wood and sold in Asia. The Botanical Garden was started by some guy with a vision shortly
after the early settlers arrived. In 1941 everyone was told to move south of the Brisbane
Line since the Aussies were willing to give anything north to the Japanese but would keep
everything in the south. The Japanese were defeated in the Battle of the Coral Sea and
people eventually returned to Cairns. There are lots of natural sandy beaches, but locals
must swim in the netted areas that allegedly keep out the jellyfish and saltwater crocs.
The coral reef reproduces just once a year. The rainy season is approaching and it's
nothing for this area to get a meter of rain in one day. There are no koalas or kangaroos
in this area, but they have wallabies, cassowaries, frogs and poisonous snakes
plus
the nasty critters in the water. All of the tidbits above are complements of the guide. We
made it back to the ship by 3:30 or later and, since we hadn't had anything to eat since
breakfast, headed for the buffet for an early supper
no dining room tonight. Seas
have continued to be calm and weather continues to be warm and wonderful
and all the
debris we saw in the water in Asia is nowhere to be seen now.
Monday, 8 December, Airlie (AIR lee) Beach, Queensland,
Australia Fortunately, no shore excursion planned for today. We took a late morning
tender to shore, got on a shuttle bus to the center of town, and just walked and nosed
around the shops. Couldn't even spend the $20AUD I've been carrying. Saw a pair of unset
opals I probably would have bought if the guy had taken a credit card
his loss, not
mine. After covering most of the commercial territory, we took the beach walk back to the
pier and tendered back to the ship shortly before 1PM. It was hot and sunny; too hot to
sit on the balcony and read since the sun had been beating on our balcony all day. We've
pretty much decided that we won't pre-book any shore excursions on our next
cruise
whenever that might be. We'll take our chances on shuttles or our feet and do
our own thing which is usually much cheaper and much more fun. Took in the so-so show
tonight; sure glad it was free.
It's the 9th and another day on calm
seas, but a bit cooler than it's been. This morning I went to a culinary demo in the
theater. The Executive Chef and Maitre d'Hotel bantered back and forth while making
farfalle with smoked salmon, sea scallops with ratatouille, and tiramisu. I have the
recipes for all of these if anyone wants to spend time at the specialty grocery store and
hours in your kitchen. Bob has lost a few hundred in the casino on sea days, but doesn't
seem to care. I guess if you're going to gamble, that's the way to be. I've lost a few
dollars on Keno; played a few scratch cards and seemed to win enough to get more cards,
but lost on those.
Wednesday, 10 December, Brisbane (BRIZ bin), Queensland,
Australia Brisbane is the capital of Queensland with a population of 1.6 million
souls. The Brisbane River divides the city in two. It was originally founded as a penal
colony. It now is the most livable city in Australia, with an average temp of 25C, and the
fastest growing city in this country. What little we actually Brisbane seemed to be rather
sprawling but clean. We road about 1 ˝ hours to the Gold Coast area where we boarded a
scenic cruiser on the Narang (aboriginal for place of the little shark) River for a hot
two-hour cruise past all the fancy homes out to where the ocean enters the channel. It
sure reminded be of the New River boat ride in Ft. Lauderdale without the stop at the
alligator farm. Our next stop was to be Mt. Tamborine (another aboriginal word) and the
Cedar Creek Vineyard for lunch, wine tasting and a look in the glow-worm cave.
Unfortunately, the bus overheated four times on the way up the mountain. We finally made
it a bit late, went through the ridiculous glow-worm cave, inhaled lunch, and gulped a
sample of wine. Then another brief stop at an alleged artsy, crafty, pottery area that was
nothing special in my humble opinion. The AC on the bus didn't work on the long ride back
to the pier. More money down the drain on a shore excursion when we could have taken the
shuttle bus to town. Once again, we've promised ourselves no shore excursions on the next
cruise.
It's Thursday, the 11th, and the
last cruise day for some. Tomorrow is Sydney and many passengers will be disembarking for
good. Today there were thick clouds all around, the roughest seas we've had this trip, and
cool temps. Christmas trees and decorations are going up all over the three atrium floors.
Took in another so-so show tonight
comedian wasn't funny; vocalist was OK.
Friday, 12 December, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
This was a good and bad day. It was cool and drizzly when we got up about 4:30AM as
we were approaching the city. What a spectacular sight with all the lights. And to be
docked literally right across from the Opera House is a real treat. Sydney was founded in
1788 as a penal colony; today there's over 4 million people in this the country's largest
city. Then came our shore excursion which was really a harbor cruise. We followed a guy
off the ship and were told we could just walk over to the harbor cruise boat and someone
would be there. No one was there; we asked at the ticket counter for the cruise boats and
the woman told us which boat; we went to that boat and asked a guy who said he didn't know
where we were supposed to go. All this was in the drizzle. After getting no straight
answer from anyone and considering returning to the ship for a refund, a guy from the ship
showed up. Long story short, we eventually got on the boat and had a decent
cruise
complete with the rain stopping for a while. Got way too many pictures of the
Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge, but that's what's great about digital cameras.
There are sharks in the harbor; kayakers and lots of sail boats out there in the rain.
There's an island in the middle of the harbor that was originally for convicts who
couldn't behave; later it was a fort to defend the city. There are no private beaches
here; your private property ends at the high water line. South Gap Bay, where ships enter
the harbor, was the site many years ago of a ship running aground. 122 people died, but
one guy clung to the rocks for 36 hours before he was found. After the harbor tour, we
bought a bus ticket for the Sydney Explorer bus which plowed through the city traffic and
narrow streets and gave us a tour of the downtown and immediate surrounding area. We got
off that bus, grabbed a bite to eat, and got on the Bondi (BON die) Explorer bus that took
us in a different direction. Saw the street side of some of the mansions we saw from the
harbor cruise this morning and, of course, the famous Bondi Beach. Bondi is aboriginal for
breaking water. All this time, the drizzle has become a downpour. We walked back to the
ship after getting off the bus and were wet by the time we got back here. Sydney is a
huge, sprawling city, the streets are narrow and clogged with traffic, but it's a clean
city. We wouldn't mind spending a week here to see more of the sights. We had a good time
on our own for a rainy day; in fact, this was our best stop so far.
It's Saturday, the 13th, and another
day on choppy seas. We had the sun on our balcony; when it passed to the north, it got
cooler, foggier and it started raining again. The good news items for the day: Bob won
back all he had lost at Keno and more! The other good news is that we cancelled all our
future shore excursions except for tomorrow's which couldn't be cancelled. We seem to have
more fun on our own, so we shall see what we shall see. Since it is summer here and the
kids are out of school, a lot of the new passengers that got on in Sydney are
kids
strollers to teens. This entire trip has been ship of varied homelands and
ethnicities
more than on previous cruises. The ship is rockin' and rollin' again
tonight.
Sunday, 14 December, Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia We both took a seasick pill last night; that's why we're a bit groggy
this morning and really don't care about the shore excursion. For being summer here, it's
raining and only 56. They've had 2 1/2" of rain in the past two days, so guess we
shouldn't complain too much. Another cruise on another river, the Yarra, but it wasn't
very scenic and no pictures were taken. Back on land, a tour of the city and a few of the
sites in the downtown and suburban areas. Quite a varied architecture in this city. John
Batman, a Tasmanian, travelled here in 1835 and thought he found the perfect place. He
named it in honor of Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister at that time. Today, Melbourne has
a population of 3.3 million; it hosted the 1956 Olympics (many of the venues are still in
use today); and it's the busiest container port in Australia. Gold was discovered here in
1851 and the gold rush lasted for ten years. There are many ethnicities in this city and
it's allegedly the largest Greek community outside of Greece. We didn't really care too
much for Melbourne.
The only thing momentous about the 15th
was that I went to a sushi demo
yucky with all the raw fish but the finished product
was picturesque.
Tuesday, 16 December, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
This is the smallest and only island state in Australia. It's known as the apple
isle because of its shape and a major export. Tasmania was originally part of the
mainland, but it broke off in the last ice age, leaving the aborigines here stranded; so
they developed different cultures and habits from those on the mainland. Hobart was
established as a city in 1804 as the second city in Australia. The first convicts came to Tasmania
from Sydney in 1803; in 1812 the first convicts came from England. At one time, convicts
outnumbered settlers for more than ten years. In 1822, the worst convicts were sent to Sarah
Island on the rugged west coast. Port Arthur opened in 1830 on an isthmus near Hobart.
Today Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, has a bustling downtown area; then the residential
areas spread up the mountains. The homes range from small to large, old to new; but all
are well-kept. We took no shore excursion today, but had an $8 (for two) bus ride to
various areas, including Mt. Nelson with its views of the harbor. The city is very clean
and there are parks and green spaces around. There are blooming plants, shrubs and trees
everywhere. The weather wasn't the greatest today, but we had another good time on our
own. As we were heading back to sea, it started raining again but we were treated to a
full double rainbow.
Wednesday, the 17th, was our first
of two days crossing the Tasman Sea. I watched a turkey carving demo, so now I'll have to
get a turkey breast when we get home and see if I can carve it properly. You're supposed
to make the first cut lengthwise on one side of the breastbone; then, starting at the
narrow end, cut slices at an angle. Repeat for the other side. I was also given a cold by
someone, so today, the 18th, I'm staying in our stateroom most of the time so
as not to infect too many others.
Australia is very security conscious
a
face-to-face meeting with immigration officials on board before we even got to Australia.
When disembarking, a dog, human or X-ray machine checked all bags leaving the ship. Some
people didn't understand that 'no food from the ship goes ashore' means nothing but
bottled water goes ashore. The trash cans were, of course, full. New Zealand may be the
same way since we've already done the face-to-face with its immigration officials.
More ship facts: The executive chef has 211
other chefs working for him; they use over 360 recipes; they serve 16,000 meals a day (and
I have trouble with one or two meals a day). There are lots of stairs on this ship and we
take the stairs 99% of the time; have to stay in shape somehow. Four diesel engines
produce 65 megawatts of power. 1,000 tons of purified and heated marine fuel oil is used
every week. 220 tons of sea water is treated and sterilized to safe standards every day.
The maximum cruising speed of this ship is 22 knots.
It's Friday, the 19th, and our
cruise is almost over. But today was a super day in spite of the fog, low clouds and cold
temps. We cruised the Fjordland National Park today. What a spectacular sight to enjoy
bundled up on our balcony! Milford Sound was the first Sound we went into. After seeing so
many islands up 'til now that were low and sometimes barren, the mountains shooting
straight up out of the water to over 4000 feet high covered with lush green vegetation was
a truly awesome sight. Milford has many waterfalls, although they weren't the Niagara
type; nonetheless, quite a sight. And we saw lots of small noses sticking up out of the
water
fur seals. Back to the Tasman Sea and into Thompson Sound to Doubtful Sound. It
had started drizzling by then, and there weren't as many waterfalls, but beautiful anyway.
Dusky Sound was the last one and it was just too cold and rainy to get any pictures. Not a
port of call, but a good place to cruise; therefore, a good day. However, if this is
summer here, I'd hate to see what winter is like.
We'll soon be in the Pacific Ocean, named El
Pacifico by Magellan in 1520 when he found sailing in this sea so placid after weather
extremes in the Atlantic. Little did he know this ocean covered one third of the earth's
surface and produced nastier storms than any other body of water.
Saturday, 20 December, Port Chalmers, New
Zealand We're docked in this small town to take in whatever Dunedin (da NE din),
NZ's fourth largest city (population about 105,000), has to offer. Even saw some more
seals as we made our way to the dock. The hillsides are lush shades of green dotted with
white sheep. NZ is even fussier about security than Australia was--another cute beagle
sniffed bags going off the ship, but Security personnel got on the returning shuttle bus
to check for cruise cards and photo IDs. We took the shuttle from the pier to the city,
walked around, got on the double-deck bus for a tour of the city and surrounding area.
Back to town and a little more walking. Dunedin became a city in 1865 and was settled by
Scottish pioneers. It's a clean city built up the hills from the water. Guinness Book of
World Records has proclaimed a street here as the steepest street in the world. Cadbury
Candy is the largest manufacturer here in NZ. Dunedin is home to the University of Otago,
NZ's oldest university; the southern-most Gothic church; and the Otago Boys School,
founded in 1848 and today has 700 boys enrolled. It was the first primary school in 1848.
In 1881 the first cable car route outside the US was built on High Street; it stopped
running in 1957. Another cold, cloudy summer day, but no wind or rain. We're glad we each
got a vest on sale in one of the ship's shops since this is definitely not summer weather.
We did see a seal fairly close to the ship as we were leaving Port Chalmers.
Another news flash:
Although it's been two weeks since we were there, Darwin is having nasty lightning storms
as well as tropical storms nearing cyclone proportions. Sure glad we missed that.
Sunday, 21 December, Lyttelton (LITTLE ton), New
Zealand We're docked at this little village to view the sites in Christchurch which
is about 8 miles inland. Again we took the shuttle bus into the center of town and tried
to understand what the bus driving was telling us as he drove. The pines that grow in Monterrey
CA grow well here, too, and faster, so lumber is a big business here. Of course, Captain
Cook stopped here in his travels. Christchurch is built on a swamp; it was settled in
1840--the plan for the city was mapped out in Britain and laid out here; and currently it
has a population of 350,000. Again, it's always nice to visit clean cities. Once in town,
we started walking the tram route because $15 each seemed too pricey for the short hop
on-hop off route. We stopped at the magnificent old University of Canterbury which is now
the city's Art Centre. They have preserved a portion of the old interior as it was when
Ernest Rutherford attended. He's NZ's most famous scientist; he's often described as the
man who split the atom. His accomplishments include explaining radioactivity; working out
the structure of the atom; identifying and naming alpha beta and gamma rays; developing a
method of electrically detecting nuclear particles. He won the 1908 Nobel prize for
Chemistry. The old lecture room still has the original desks, complete with students names
from many years carved in them. Unfortunately not all of the old U has been as well
preserved but turned into shops and artists' workplaces. Then we stopped at the Canterbury
Museum which was rather interesting. A walk through the Botanical Gardens would have been
more pleasant if it had been another cold, cloudy day. In Cathedral Square there's a huge
metal sculpture simply entitled 2000 Sculpture. Thank you, Sun, for coming out after we're
back on the ship. But it's good to see you and hope you'll be with us for a few more days.
Some seals even popped their heads above water as we left the harbor.
Tuesday, 23 December, Tauranga, New Zealand
We docked here early this morning. It's in the Bay of Plenty and there's certainly
plenty of jellyfish in the water
the first marine life weve seen up close and
personal. The weather has warmed up as we've headed north and it's finally a nice day to
be out and about. We headed to Mt. Maunganui (mang an NEW e), walked around it (partly on
the beach), walked the beach on the Pacific side, then walked a bit through the village.
Nice residential areas and not many tourist trap shops. It was a good place for our last
stop, especially since we saw the sun for a change.
By 6AM on Christmas Eve we were docked in Auckland,
New Zealand. Since we were staying in Auckland, we were among the last to disembark. We
could have walked to the hotel with just the carryon, but didnt. Got to the hotel
and just walked through the downtown and took it easy. New Zealanders sure dont make
the same big deal out of Christmas as Americans do. No street or store decorations; a few
decorations in the hotel.
Merry Christmas from Auckland, New Zealand. We
actually get two December 25s this year. Too bad we didnt get much sleep last night.
It was thanks to the Singapore Airlines crew in their lounge across the hall from us. Loud
and noisy doesnt come close to describing their behavior. Bob called Security and
two guys came to tell them they had to be quiet. They did, but made up for it when leaving
by slamming the door a lot. We wanted some compensation from the hotel; all we got was a
free breakfast. We rode the bus most of the day
city buses to anywhere were free that
day. By this time we knew the downtown area sort of, so we went north, south along the
water, and inland a bit. Auckland is really just another big city, but its pretty
clean and well kept. Killed enough time until it was time to get the bus to the airport
which wasnt too crowded and check-in was a breeze. About two hours after leaving Auckland
we crossed the International Date Line and its very early December 25 again. We got
to LAX after some sleep on the plane. LAX is really old and dirty these days. Left LA an
hour late so we missed our scheduled flight out of Houston, but did make it home on the
last flight to Ft. Lauderdale. We got home about 1:15AM and were in bed by 1:30.
Overall, we definitely like larger ships better
than smaller ships. There are more self-service laundromats with better equipment. Anytime
dining can't be beat. Food was always varied; we enjoyed cold soups almost every night and
most were very tasty. Desserts were sinfully good...especially the chocolate ones I had.
The open closets are super; it's nice to not fight the doors that never want to stay open.
Bob rates this cruise a 5; I give it a 6.5; the ship was fine; buffet meals nothing
special; tours poor. Weve made a list of stuff to do differently on any next cruise.
We had a good time, but were happy to be home. --December 2008
OUR ATLANTIC
ADVENTURE
On 28 April 2008, we boarded the Royal
Princess in Port Everglades for a repositioning cruise to northern Europe. The Royal is a
small ship, only 592 long (compared to newer ships up to 965 long), and old.
It was bought whenever from whomever, refurbished, and put into the Princess line in 2007.
Its not our favorite ship, but our stateroom was clean, comfortable and our home for
the next 23 days. The balcony was smaller, of course, but had just rails and not plexiglas
under the railing so we could get an unobstructed view of the water and aquatic critters.
The total of nine or ten days at sea passed
fairly well. With games, movies in the lounge, and CNN, BBC, SkyNews and five movie
channels on TV, it was hard to get too bored. Bob even taught me how to play chess.
Weather was good for the most part and we enjoyed the sun when it was on our side of the
ship. But our first day at sea was a tad rough, so we each took a little pill and slept
the day away. We always took the steps on the ship, never setting foot in an elevator the
whole time. There was a small circular track on deck 10, but we never used it
too
many times around to make even one mile.
By 5 May, we had made it to Horta, Faial in the Azores, a volcanic island
chain thats part of Portugal. Our shore excursion was nothing to write home about.
Foggy and windy at top of the island and we had absolutely no view of the caldera. It was
interesting to see the volcano at the sea and how it has changed the landscape there. The
local tour guide whos lived there since 1980 did give some interesting facts, such
as: 16,000 is the island population; beef, dairy, agriculture and fishing are the main
industries; cows are out all year long and many farmers go the fields twice a day to milk
them; theres no central heat in the houses. Japanese cedar trees are abundant on the
island, and it was great to see NO franchise of any kind on the island.
On 8 May, the ship docked in Lisbon, Portugal,
just east of the 25th of April Bridge (yes, thats really the name of the
bridge) on the Tagus River. The bridge was designed by the same guy who designed the Golden
Gate Bridge (but this one is longer) and was named that in 1976 when Portugals
dictatorship ended. First stops on our afternoon excursion were at the Belem Tower, an old
fort, and Monument to Discoveries, honoring many from the country for their discoveries.
Then it was on to the Gulbenkian Art Museum. Not quite my cup of tea, but Bob enjoyed it.
And the tour guide explained everything we were looking at
and I do mean everything.
Gulbenkian, an Armenian, made his fortune in oil; had four homes around the world, and
collected Chinese and Egyptian art, the masters, and Lelique. Supposedly, he only bought
the real thing and especially if it had a story behind it. The guide also mentioned that
theres not a lot of crime, gangs, etc. as in larger older countries, but its
all on an increase because the legislators and the people dont learn from
others mistakes and just let it happen. Sad.
A few more days at sea and we arrived at Cobh (Cove in Irish) Ireland. An early morning tour took us to Cork;
the drive through the countryside was lush and green, but the city is a mix of old and new
and not very clean. Corks main industries are computers (Apple has a big plant here)
and pharmaceuticals (Viagra is made here). Then on to the Blarney Castle. Big oops by
someone since we got there at 8:45 and it didnt open til 9:30. We killed some
time with $8 cups of lousy coffee and went through the woolen mill just when it opened and
there werent any others around. Then we walked to the castle and I walked up to the
top, but wasnt about to kiss the grungy Blarney stone that millions have touched.
We left Cobh at full speed ahead and were
still doing that speed at 5:30 the next morning. We went up the Dart River as far as
possible, turned around, then moored in the river and were tendered to shore in Dartmouth, England.
This is a clean, small, picturesque town with the Britannia Royal Naval College proudly
set at the top of the hill for all to see. No scheduled tour here; we just got off and
walked through the town. Then we got a cab to take us for an hours ride to see
whatever. We saw some of the countryside, the Normandy practice beach, and two-lane roads
that really are only one lane. Had we known, we would have gotten off the ship sooner and
taken a bus to Plymouth.
Its a good thing we had a tour planned
in LeHarve, France, since we were docked in a very
industrial area. This port was a deep water port as early at the 1500s, and today is
used mainly for freighters; Marseilles in the south is used for crude oil. Most of Le
Harve was bombed out in 1944. Reconstruction was done by a French architect big on
concrete, so many buildings in the main part of town are gray and blah. The city and
highway to Rouen, as well as Rouen, were all remarkably clean. In Rouen, a street sweeper
was cleaning the cobblestone streets. In Rouen, we were supposed to be awed by the
miniature Norte Dame Cathedral (actually grossly big) and the alleged site of Joan of
Arcs burning. Bob made his usual endearing comments about the church.
Our next port of call was Harwich (pronounced hair-itch) England. Again, no tour scheduled so we took the
train to Harwich Town
what a bummer place. We walked to Dovercourt which was
certainly livelier. Then another train to Colchester, along with another couple from the
ship who didnt know quite what to do either. Then we found out we have to take
another train to the actual town. We split up and walked the town, had more expensive, but
super, coffee and treat and met the other couple to go back to the ship. But we got on the
wrong train which was the only train a conductor came for the tickets. Good thing he was
there; he told us how to get where we wanted to go, but we missed the train to ship by 2
minutes. So we sat on wooden benches for an hour chit-chatting. Had we known there was a
train to London at the port, we would have made a point to get the 8AM train and have a
few hours in London. But we had a pretty good adventure as it was.
The next day we were in Amsterdam, Netherlands where we were docked in a commercial
area. There was a Nissan factory close by and an acre of cars to be shipped out. Here we
took a walking tour and canal cruise. The walking tour was mostly on former waterways as
60% of the city is below sea level. A few hundred years ago, someone came up with the idea
of building dikes; good thing since now the North Sea is kept out of Amsterdam and the Rhine
River flows into the country. There are zillions of bikes everywhere
and they have
precedence over pedestrians and cars
making for quite a walking tour. The bikes are
old and battered, but the multi-level bike garage was full. Unfortunately, some canals
were full of trash as well as the streets. After leaving the North Sea Canal, we spotted
quite a windmill farm on the starboard side, and then the oil rigs came into view.
On 16 May, we slowly cruised through the Kiel Canal in Germany. Who knew more ships pass through this
canal than the Panama or Suez canals? At the lock at the west end, a German brass band was
on the shore to welcome us. They boarded the ship and played occasionally as we went
through the canal; then disembarked at the eastern lock and played til we left. The
cruise was slow and pleasant since it was a sunny, warm day. On both sides of the canal
theres a walking/bike path used by many cyclists and walkers. Modern windmills were
everywhere. Foliage was lush and green; many flowering trees in bloom; colorful
agricultural fields; ferry crossings here and there.
What a contrast the next day
dense fog
in the Baltic Sea. Lots of ships were blowing their horns all day
no crashes. We
tried our hand at Keno, but didnt come away big winners.
It was still foggy in the Bay of Finland, but we could see land as we neared Helsinki, a city of a half million people. We were
docked at the Olympic terminal that was built for the 1952 Olympics. Its a cold (in
the 40s) and overcast day. The city highlights tour was OK since we got to see the
landmarks important to the Finns. Senate Square (home to the huge Lutheran St. Nicholas
Cathedral and the University of Helsinki); the Market Square (where only Finnish products
are allowed to be sold}; the Temppeliaukio Rock Church (carved into the bedrock); and the Sibelius
Monument (an unusual sculpture).
The St.
Petersburg, Russia port on the Neva River
is huge and ugly
cranes dot the scene in every direction. We had a morning tour to
the Hermitage Museum. The good news was that it was closed to the public that day, so it
was just our busload in there. The bad news was that it was two hours+ of shuffling
through the winter palace, small, old and new Hermitage filled with picture after picture,
artist after artist. Much of the place was destroyed in the war, so most is not even real.
We felt they should have left the palace furnished as it was when it was Elizabeths
home. There was still plenty of space for all the artwork. It was a bummer
tour, and we sure have no desire to ever return to the depressing city.
Estonia has been ruled by several countries over the
years and is once again independent since 1991. Tallin
was bigger than I expected, has a population of 400,000, and is the capital of the
country. Tourism, forestry and textiles are the main industries. We had a walking tour of
the upper town and then on to Rocca Al Mare,
an open air museum that exhibits traditional Estonian buildings from the 18th
and 19th centuries. I wouldnt have made it there in the olden
days
too cold and too uncomfortable.
It was a beautiful, scenic cruise through the 28,000 island archipelago to the clean
dock in Stockholm, Sweden. A 40-minute drive
to the airport; then total chaos. Two busloads of oldsters HAD to get boarding passes from
a kiosk of six or eight computers. Then stand in line to get baggage tags. I did the
computer thing while Bob stood in line with the bags, and we found each other when Bob was
at the front of the line. European security is a lax compared to the hoops we jump through
in the US. We had been sitting near the gate for over an hour when shipmates were just
getting to the gate. No one missed the flight. Three flights and twenty-eight hours later
we were safely home
with our luggage!
We had a good, relaxing time, and dont
regret taking the trip. We even got our choice of two complimentary photos. But as usual,
shore excursions are over-rated. The two English ports where we did stuff on our own were
better and we didnt even make the best of those stops. We didnt care too much
for the small ship
everything is smaller or less than on a larger ship; and service
was not more personal or better. We only went to one show since the entertainment
wasnt great anyway and the venue small. But the oatmeal was good; pineapple
plentiful and tasty; chocolate éclairs wonderful; and the coffee hot and strong. We had
good weather the whole trip and seemed to miss all the bad weather as we went along.
Were home now for the hurricane season and to plan our next trip to ?. -- May
2008
THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN
For Christmas 2007, we decided wed take a train ride around
the country and enjoy the snow from the train. On December 18th, we flew to
Chicago and boarded the California Zephyr to California.
AmTrak has never been known for great service and we werent
disappointed. No shampoo or lotion in the rooms now. The dining car was a real
shock
plastic plates, cups, bowls; but real silverware and cloth tablecloths and
napkins (quite a contrast). Firing the dishwasher on each train to save money to line
executive pockets even more is apparently better than filling the landfill with all the
plastic dinnerware. Definitely not the first class operation theyd like you to think
it is. The only good thing was a slightly updated room with better sink faucet and better
shower.
We slipped into Chicago between storms. Saw a few bald eagles as
we crossed the Mississippi. Didnt see much snow until we got to Colorado. We got off
in Denver and Glenwood Springs for fresh air breaks. Then got into snowy areas where we
saw a few deer and a herd of elk. By noon the second day we were in Reno, NV. What a
depressing place! Lots of closed businesses and boarded up buildings. What are we going to
do here for 2˝ days? We walked around a bit and Bob played Keno in a few places. We could
take a 10-hour tour the next day, but why? Early the next morning we went to the AmTrak
station and a VERY kind man helped us change our plans
just takes a credit card. We
hurried back to the hotel, packed up and were out of Reno 24 hours after we arrived.
By the first morning on the train, Bob announced no more train
trips. Fine with me. The beds are not that comfortable and the menu is the
same on every train. Apparently another Einstein in the front office thinks the same menu
on every train will save money and never thought that some passengers might actually be
touring the country and dont want to eat the same so-so food for two weeks.
Around the Truckee, CA area, there was a lot of snow
and
great to see it from the train. It was a short day trip to Emeryville, just outside of San
Francisco. We took a cab to a hotel that turned out to be a mini-suite and very nice.
Since we were up early again, we got a load of laundry done and checked our email. Back on
the Coast Starlight down to Santa Barbara
Bob wanted me to see some of the coast.
Another short ride and an even more super hotel. But we deserved two nights in two super
places. The next morning, we walked the wharf and around town a bit before getting on the
northbound Coast Starlight to Seattle. It was good to see the same scenery in daylight and
at night. The off-shore oil rigs that were big blocks of light at night were quite visible
in daylight
looked like giant erector sets. The Coast Starlight offers free wine
tasting and cheese in the afternoon and we indulged.
The next morning we woke to lots of snow in northern California
and southern Oregon
a very pretty sight. We got a fresh air break in Klamath Falls.
After that stop the snow got heavier
virgin snow all around, no animal tracks at all.
With smooth tracks, we just glided through natures winter wonderland. Merry
Christmas Eve.
Out of the Cascades and snow, we arrived in Seattle a few minutes
early. Took a cab to the hotel and crashed. Between the very dry air on the trains and the
cold weather, we are dried prunes. Weve been using all the lotion we can get from
hotels since were going through it very fast.
Merry Christmas! We had a good breakfast and went for a long
walk
all along, weve tried to walk as much as we could to counter the effects
of sitting on our butts a lot. We had arranged for a late checkout since the Empire
Builder didnt leave til 4:45 Christmas afternoon. We walked 18 blocks to the
train station in the falling snow! Used the restroom dryers a lot once we got to the
station. Once on board, the car attendant brought us two little bottles of
champagne
nice treat! Must be the first time for these dining car guys since none of
them seem to know which end is up.
Today were going through Glacier; its snowing and the
mountain tops are barely visible in the snow-filled clouds. Again, a smooth track as we
glided through the mountainous winter wonderland. But once over the Continental Divide,
flat land, no scenery, scant snow. Bright spots were deer in the fields and on frozen
rivers and a few pheasants.
Lots of snow in the Minneapolis area and more eagles along the
Mississippi. Lots of people got on at Minneapolis and the next few stops and by lunch, the
kitchen was out of a lot of food. Another AmTrak fiasco. These people didnt just
decide to ride the train. AmTrak knew all these people would be on board and Minneapolis
was a service stop
throw more food on the train! We finally made it to Chicago an
hour late, but caught the next train to Washington DC with no problem.
Rough track and high speeds made for a really scary night of
little sleep. But once we were showered, dressed and fed, we were following the scenic
Youghiogheny River for quite awhile. We arrived in Washington DC early and walked two
blocks to our hotel. DCs Union Station is unreal. It was designed by Daniel Burnham,
the same guy that laid out the city of Chicago. Union Station is huge and once inside,
youd think you were in a mall with all the stores, shops and restaurants. Quite a
place.
Of course, the room wasnt ready, so we left our bags and
started walking. We were close to the Capital building and all of a sudden an officer is
pointing a shotgun at us, sirens were blaring everywhere, and other cops with shotguns
were all over a bus we had just passed. Turned out the bus driver was in an area he
wasnt supposed to be in, and the cops decided to go nuts over it. Never saw anything
about it on the news.
We saw a good deal of Washington DC over the next 2˝ days on
foot and by tour bus and city bus. The first night we took a night tour to see the
monuments lit up
our guide was Abdul!! Is that a sorry state of affairs to have an
Arab leading tours of our nations capital? It was a good tour til it started
raining too hard to get out of the little bus. But got good pictures of the White House
and Capital Christmas trees lit. The Engraving building was closed; long line at the
Holocaust Museum; got into Air and Space OK; waited way too long in security and inside
lines at the National Archives. We walked from beyond the Washington monument to the
Lincoln and back. We hit the Natural History Museum and the east and west Art Galleries;
but the American History building was closed. The Georgetown area seemed really nice. The
Postal Museum was across the street from the hotel, so we hit that our last morning.
Security to get in everything was a nuisance and overrated. The
weather in DC while we were there was good for the most part. We hit all the monuments and
Smithsonian stuff we wanted to see
and learned the Smithsonian was founded by an
Englishman, James Smithson.
After an endless ride to Dulles Airport (the most ill-planned
airport Ive been in), we boarded our plane and had a safe New Years Eve flight
home. Overall, it was a good trip, we missed a lot of nasty weather, saw a lot of the
country, and have some good memories. January 2008
SHORT VERSION OF OUR RV TRIP
Late
last fall, Bob bought an RV. We meticulously planned a route and picked RV parks from
various websites. On May 2, 2007 we set out on our adventure. Murphy (as in Murphys
Law) tried to hitch a ride, but we soon got rid of him after a few RV repairs.
We left from Leesburg, FL where the RV was
stored. We headed west on I-10 to Texas where we picked up US 90 and headed to Big Bend National
Park. We stayed in the Park for two nights and a friendly roadrunner kept us company as
did the turkey vultures and a javelina. We hiked here and there and relaxed. Then to
Terlingua just west of the west entrance to the Park for three nights. We took an all-day
canoe trip on the Santa Elena River and managed to tip the canoe twice
good thing the
water was warm. The half day Jeep trip the next day was pretty tame by comparison. We then
moved on to Carlsbad Caverns
greatly changed since the 50s. One night we
stopped at an RV park in the boonies just west of Magdalena, NM where a lynx walked by
the RV. Outside of Alpine, AZ, we took US 191 south
DONT ever try this road,
even in a car! Its very dangerous and Bob admitted he was scared driving it later
that day. Had a nice stay in Benson, AZ, and then on to a day in Tombstone and a mine
tour. Back to I-10 to I-8 and Borrego Springs, CA. Spent three days in a resort, played
tennis, went through the Park, and relaxed.
After leaving Borrego Springs, we thought
wed head up US 395. Fine, but first we had to fight the wind on I-10 through the
Palm Springs area and couldnt wait to get out of windmill alley and the
ugly windmills on all the hillsides. Of course the smog made it look like 7PM dusk even
though it was mid-morning. We had hoped to get to the Bodie Ghost Town site, but the
Miller Mobile wasnt quite up to the last three miles of the gravel and dust road.
After a night in a crummy RV park, we wanted out of expensive California ASAP, so we
thought wed stay in Reno. Wrong again. After another less-than-delightful RV park in
Winnemucca, NV we took the scenic route into Oregon. We gradually made our way over to the
coast, but did make stops at the High Desert Museum and a Lewis & Clark fort. On the
coast, we stayed in Pacific City just a block off the beach. We bundled up and walked it a
few times for exercise. In a weeks time we had gone from 101 in the desert to 50-55
on the coast.
After a two-day stop in Portland, OR,
including a tour of the Columbia Gorge (awesome!) and a stop at Camping World, we headed
into Washington. We found a super state park on a lake and were happy to stay there for
two or three nights. We walked the lake trail and Daniel Boone took us on a walk/hike to
wherever. It was beautiful in the woods, the half-mile straight up hill was not so nice,
but we eventually made it back to the RV. The Grand Coulee Dam tour was interesting as was
running into (almost literally) two herds of cattle being moved from pasture to pasture on
the highway in Washington and Idaho.
Three nights in West Glacier were enough. We
rented a car, but couldnt get through Glacier NP because the Going-To-The-Sun road
was under repair from a flood last fall. So onward to Yellowstone. That was a major
disaster, but Old Faithful did blow her cork for us shortly after we got there. OK,
well stay in Jackson for a few days and raft, see wildlife, etc. Wrong again! With a
film festival in town that weekend, there was no room at the inn, out or anywhere. We
ended up in a crappy town about 20 miles south in a crappy park. Guess that was it for
Bob, since he then announced we were heading home.
We got to I-80 east and barreled towards Moline
where we stayed for three nights. I/we visited with friends and Bob listed the RV for sale
online. It took two more nights to make it back to Leesburg where we cleaned out
everything and cleaned the RV. Although Murphy tried to hop a ride back to Florida, I
kicked his butt off and wouldnt allow him to hassle us anymore.
We had an overall good time, but were happy
to get home. The icing on cake turned out to be the sale of the RV just two weeks and two
days after it was listed.
Trip statistics: gone 47 days; stopped at 33
places, only 8 of which we had chosen ahead of time; spent $3,240 on gas for the RV;
traveled through 22 states, not including FL. -- June 2007
HAWAII 2007
Day 1 was a travel day.
Flights were blah and dull; however, I believe thats how flights should be. Seeing
the southwest from 38,000 feet was the only point of interest. A Princess representative
met us right outside the secure area at LAX
a good sign. Got our luggage (another
good sign), and boarded a bus along with several other arrivals for the Island Princess.
LA weather was very windy and cold (60 maybe?).The boarding procedure at the ship was
rather annoying, but we sure liked our stateroom. Dumped the carry-on bag and the laptop
and searched for food. It was about 1:30 CA time (4:30 FL time) and our tummies were
screaming for food since all wed had up til then was a muffin at the Fort
Lauderdale airport and a turkey wrap we grabbed in Atlanta to enjoy on the
flight to LA. Our checked bags finally found their way to our stateroom; we got unpacked
and tried not to nap too seriously. But getting up at 4AM and losing 3 hours to get to LA
had taken its toll and we were tired.
The four days at sea
were lackluster. We rocked and rolled the first twenty-four hours in rough seas. The seas
were so rough those first two days it was hard to walk anywhere. The weather remained very
cool, warmed up a tad by the third day and the fourth day it was in the low 70s. We
were finally able to sit on the verandah and walk around deck 7. We both had headaches
that were hard to get rid of, so we sure werent the life of any party.
Land Ho! Sun and 80! We
saw a whale while anchored at Kona and saw dolphins while tendering to and from the pier.
First wildlife weve seen. We had chosen a short shore excursion that was OK. The
driver never stopped talking about the area. Such facts as: 1) The Kona coffee industry
will soon be extinct because the school board changed the school year. Yes, really. Plantation
owners relied on their entire family to help harvest the coffee and the kids could help
during the summer break--August to November. But summer vacation was changed to May to
August so the kids could play football in the fall. 100,000 acres of coffee plants are now
down to 2,000 thanks to football. A sorry statement of priorities. 2) Most homeowners in
Kona have cisterns to catch rainwater; otherwise, they have to have water trucked in.
Thats living in paradise? 3) A 1 BR home on lava starts at $400,000, and an
earthquake any time will cause a tsunami up to at least 500 in elevation- why live
there? 4) Kona is the site of the annual Iron Man competition every October
whoopee.
Around the island to Hilo
and its overcast, cool and rainy most of the day. But at least we didnt have
to tender like yesterday. Todays excursion was a bus ride to a 4-wheel drive van
pick-up point which took us down the steepest road in the US into Waipio valley
where we boarded a mule-driven wagon for a ride in the valley. The valley was wiped out by
a tsunami in 1945
the concrete steps to a long-gone church are all that remain of
that era. But people are actually back and living in this valley that can be wiped out
again. Why? Who wants to drive up and down that road every day? And you must only drive it
in a 4-wheel drive vehicle or kiss yourself goodbye. This is the rainy side of the Big Island,
the least visited by tourists, has cheaper housing and no beaches. Todays fountain
of knowledge (a/k/a the bus driver) passed along info like 1) There are no more sugar cane
fields on the island because of increased costs
it takes 2,000 gallons of water to
clean one pound of sugar. 2) Mongooses were introduced to get rid of the rats. Little did
the early settlers know that mongooses hunt during the day, the rats at night, and never
the twain shall meet. So theyre overrun with both. The highlight of the day was
going into Hilo and seeing a whale breach twice and dolphins or young whales breaking the
water.
Today we were docked in
Honolulu at a nice area to get out and walk around. No guided tours today, just our own
self-guided, $8, see-a good-portion-of-Oahu-by-city-bus tour. We walked for a while,
got on a bus and ended up at Waikiki Beach. We walked around the so-so zoo and got on
another bus that zipped right along the coast, giving us great views. We transferred to
another bus to return via another route. We saw about a third of the island this way, and
I was surprised to see its all inhabited
no countryside at this end of the
island. Diamond Head is kind of puny now that its extinct. The mountains
are a lush green and pretty in their own way. Weather today was back to sunny and 80.
Next stop was
Nawiliwili on Kauai. Its cool again and partly sunny on east side of this lush
island. Its so very different from the other islands weve stopped at so
far
very green, small population, beaches, and agricultural fields. Unfortunately,
the sugar cane industry has almost died on this island. We had pre-booked an excursion to Waimea
Valley which was quite colorful and pretty. At a stop to see Spouting Rocka geyser
in the lavawe saw two whales breaching off in the distance. Again we had a very
informative bus driver
this tour company obviously trains their employees well.
The humpback whale
season is almost over, but we saw several while approaching Lahina this morning. Since we
anchored on the west side of Maui, its sunny and warm again. Todays shore
excursion was a bust. We were supposed to go to Iao Valley and stop at a tropical
plantation. The plantation was the first stop and much too long. Iao Valley wasnt
much after seeing Waimea yesterday and the Needle wasnt terribly impressive. Of
course, we had another informative bus driver, but most of the info is repetitive by now.
This island isnt as lush as Kauai; but there is some open space for the moment,
unlike Oahu. Sadly, there is only one working sugar processing plant left in operation; Kauai
has the only other plant in the state. Everywhere it seems agriculture is giving way to
real estatevery expensive real estatethat people from around the world are
buying. The end-of-the-day treat was seeing a young whale play as we were leaving Lahina
and a short distance later an adult whale repeatedly slapping its tail in the water.
Calling the kid home?
For the most part, the
sea days returning to the mainland were much better than going to Hawaii. Sun and warmer
temps were a big help. We sat on the verandah a lot and I walked deck 7 a few times
3
times around made a mile, so I tried to do 3 miles. One day was a little cool, but our
last day at sea with a winner. Thanks to a stupid immigration law, we had to go to Ensenada,
Mexico before returning to LA because any ship sailing within the US has to anchor in a
foreign port before entering the US. Guess this is just another bureaucratic way of
employing a few people and annoying many. The travel day home was long and dull once
again; but we were safely home by 1AM.
Overall, this was a
good trip. We like the Princess atmosphere, service and their excellent organization of
tours, disembarkationeverything. We used the steps almost all the time to get a
little exercise; we were five decks above the dining room, so we got a lot of steps in. We
didnt hit too many evening shows because the entertainment wasnt too great,
except for one comedian who had everyone laughing constantly all three nights he was on
with his Relationships I, II and III monologues. And ladies, we cant complain about
kitchen duty any more. How would you like to cook 3,000 eggs, peel 1,500 pounds of
potatoes, bake 5,000 cookies, and wash 13,000 dishes every single day? If youd like
to do that, just go to work on a cruise ship. If you prefer other housework, you could
change a thousand or more beds every day, clean umpteen bathrooms, or wash all the sheets,
towels, and table linen every day.
With the exception of
Lahina, every port of call had a person from WalMart offering free shuttles to the local
store. Its a sad state of affairs if you have to spend big bucks to travel several
thousand miles just to go to a WalMart. Fortunately, we were the only cruise ship in each
port of call except Lahina where a smaller ship was in a different port. In fact, we never
saw another ship on the sea until we were headed back to LA when we saw a freighter fairly
close
must be a narrow ship lane out there.
After we and our
checking accounts recover from our big RV trip, we may consider another cruise. And
Princess will be our first choice based on this excellent experience. However, Holland America
still wins the best chocolate chip cookie award.
-- April 2007
OUR
SELF-GUIDED CANADIAN MISADVENTURE
It
really wasn't all bad. Just a lot of little things that went wrong or just weren't what we
expected and they added up to a big, expensive disappointment since we had paid for first
class service all the way. However, we stayed in some very nice $400-$800 hotel rooms that
we normally wouldn't stay in and saw wildlife from the bus and train a few bears,
deer, mountain goats, sheep, lots of elk and bald eagles. And the weather was sunny most
days, but cold at Lake Louise.
We
were under the silly notion that this was a guided trip. Arriving at the Halifax airport
with no one to say "Hi" was the bad start. The hotel was nice and we would have
liked to spend more time in the historic town than spend the next day on a dumb bus going
to a frigid, windy cove with a lighthouse. Again, we remind ourselves: no more all-day
tours.
The
VIA Rail train ride to Montreal was pure hell
and it was allegedly a 'new' train. The
cramped quarters passing for a deluxe room were a downer, as was riding backwards unless
we went to the dome (doom?) car. The food was absolutely awful; after the lunch and
dinner, we skipped the breakfast. Of course, arriving in Montreal at 8:30AM meant no room
available yet. The desk clerk gave us directions to a great place for breakfast, so off we
went
good food was definitely needed by now.
Montreal
was a good stop after the lousy train
even though it cost us $83 CAD to get some
laundry done. The big surprise here was the complete underground city
yes, shops
galore UNDER the whole downtown area and buildings. This is because winters are so harsh
and long; people can get off the commuter trains underground, do their shopping, etc. In
fact, our hotel (the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth) is on top of the underground VIA Rail
station.
The
coach train ride to Toronto wasn't too bad. The wine never stopped flowing and the food
was actually tasty. Another Fairmont hotel, but like all franchises, not all of the hotels
are created equal. Overall, we didn't care for Toronto as much as Montreal, and the city
tour wasnt as good either. We did go up in the CN Tower and got a few pics and a
good view.
Finally,
some beautiful fall foliage as we head west on a VIA Rail train again (yuk). Kind of neat
as the train snaked its way through the colorful trees. Two days of eat, sit, eat, sit,
watch the scenery, eat, sit.
Next
stop was Just Another
Silly Place Extracting
Revenue,
arriving two hours late. Of course, we expected to be met at the station since we had a
voucher for the cab. Wrong. Called for a cab that eventually showed up and
were told they take care of the locals before the tourists! This from a tourist town cab
driver. Are there really that many locals that use a cab?! Only one night here; then on
the bus for the day sightseeing on the way to Lake Louise, stopping at the Athabasca
Glacier for the ride onto the glacier
too cold out there!
Fortunately
we had a room in the new wing at Chateau Lake Louise, but the first night's dinner was
rather bad, especially since is was $125.00 (we were on the food plan, fortunately). The
Fairmont breakfasts have been $25/each for the buffet or order off the menu. Here we both
ordered off the menu (much to the waiter's disgust) and then he tells Bob his oatmeal
might put him over the limit. Excuse me! We can have two $25 buffets, but a $20 item and
$18 item off the menu means his oatmeal is over $12?! The waiter sure back-pedaled when
presented with that argument, but this was the kind of crap we had to put up with the
whole time. Dinner was in a different restaurant that night and much better than the
previous night...and only $98. It's cold here, but we bundled up and took a few walks. We
should have stayed two nights in Jasper and only one night here since there's not much to
do.
On the
bus ride to Be Aware Nothing
For Free,
we were told there are only 120 bears in Banff National Park 60 brown and 60
grizzlies. Fences are now up on the highways to keep the animals from getting killed
crossing the road to greet the love of their life. Now they use culverts or overpasses
made just for them. The Banff Springs Hotel is truly a castle. We wandered all over it,
kind of creepy in some spots and grandiose in others. A morning bus tour included a
gondola ride for views of the area; then we just walked around town for a while.
The
departure was absolutely a nightmare. Rocky Mountaineer had only two representatives
outside (in just above freezing weather) to handle three busloads of people going on to
Vancouver. Then we're told to find our bags, put these new tags on them, and take them to
the driver for loading. (This is first class?) A kindergarten kid could have organized
this better and I rated it poor on the RM form.
The
Rocky Mountaineer train ride was quite nice and service was excellent. It only runs during
the day (to enjoy the scenery), so that night we were in Kamloops, at a non-Fairmont
hotel. The next day it was back on Rocky Mountaineer, on to Vancouver and the end of the
unorganized trip. Bob's bag wasn't in the room with mine, but it did arrive shortly
thereafter. And we were actually able to change the dinner plan from Friday night to
Saturday night without too much hassle.
The
day on our own in Vancouver was pleasant. We were at the waterfront and took a long walk
and a half-day tour. The crowning event of this day was the notice when we got back to the
room that the power would be off from 12:30AM to 5:30AM.
Wonderful
we have to get up at 4 to leave at 5 for our 7AM flight home.
Bob's
comment the next morning was to wonder what American Airlines could do to mess up our day.
He had bought our plane tickets and used some of his miles to upgrade us to first class.
From Vancouver to Dallas we were crammed behind the on-board luggage compartment with less
legroom than the coach passengers. Not all the first class seats were taken, so we moved.
From Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale we weren't so lucky.
Needless
to say, we're so glad to be home and rid of the group effect and trip problems. So glad, in fact, that we've booked a cruise to
Hawaii next spring. --
October 2006
MOVING - Part 2
I
spent the winter of 2005-06 in my new Florida condo and we did more rehab
work
and played tennis almost every day. I did go to the monthly condo meetings that
were nothing but shouting matches since no one can hear. Then throw in the after effects
of hurricane Wilma and the shouting increased. Its a very political association;
its amazing anything gets taken care of.
Anyway,
back to Illinois in early April to put that condo up for sale. Little did I know at the
time that the market had taken a dive since I had been gone. After two open houses,
appointments to show the place and people just showing up out of nowhere to see it (do you
have a phone and know how to use it?), it finally sold in late June. Hallelujah!! Movers
came July 19th and we were on our way to FL on the 20th. Cleaning
out what was left after my major cleanout in fall 2005 wasnt too bad. I was very
fortunate that good friends had bought most everything. Only needed a few trips to
Goodwill, the Discovery Shop and the new womens shelter.
A
three-day drive to FL, unload the car, unpack the boxes and suitcases, and re-arrange
cupboards and closets in anticipation of the movers' arrival. Since it would be a week
before the movers delivered my stuff, I ran around to get driver's license, tags,
registration, and title. Jumped through more hoops to get that stuff than any illegal
immigrant would have to go through. But I was officially a Floridian by the time the
movers arrived July 31st. By the evening of Aug 1st, 97% of the
boxes were ready for the trash and the contents put away. Now to get ready for our
celebratory trip! - August 2006
MOVING - Part 1
In
April 2005, I went through trauma of buying a condo in Florida. I own a condo in Illinois
and had no clue about the totally insane condo association rules and regulations in
Florida. Suffice it to say that I did not comply with their ridiculous demands, but was
granted a Certificate of Approval to buy the place and move in. Yes, a Certificate of
Approval
as though I were a used car ready to be put on the lot. I didnt give
it much credence til my realtor called me in IL needing that silly piece of paper.
She was representing me at the closing, so I told her where to find it. Turns out it was
actually recorded by the County Recorder!
Then
came the major rehab of the place, ably supervised by my Significant Other, Bob. The
seller was not Ms. Neat & Clean and left some of her stuff for us to get rid of
(another Florida tradition). The before pictures Bob took were scary; the
after pictures I took when I returned in May looked much better. Theres
still some work to be done, and well get those projects taken care of
eventually
at least the place is CLEAN now from top to bottom.
Of
course, I had to go through everything in my Illinois home and clean out really well
because I cant move everything to Florida. Fortunately, almost everything was spoken
for by friends. Yea me! Now I just need a buyer.
And
then theres all the financial and personal stuff to take care of here and
there
drivers license (hope I dont have to take a test in Florida), car
title and license, checking accounts, direct deposits, finding assorted new doctors,
attorney, accountant
it goes on and on. The
good news: This summer I found a stylist to color and trim my hair! Hey, we women have our
priorities.
Stay
tuned for part 2 - December 2005
HOW I SPENT MY
AUTUMN VACATION
My
dear friend, Bob Miller, and I just returned from an 18-day cruise through the Panama
Canal. We flew to Los Angeles to board the ms Oosterdam and cruise back to Fort
Lauderdale. It was a fun, enjoyable trip and getting back to real life is not something we
want to do. Eighteen days was not too long or boring and definitely makes a seven-day
cruise seem not worth the trouble of packing or hassle of getting to your embarkation
point.
We had
a great stateroom with our own balcony, of course (the only way to cruise). Some mornings,
we had room service; other mornings Bob brought coffee, muffins, fruit and cereal to our
room (several gold stars for my guy!). Lunch offered many choices
the grill, the
sandwich bar, or a full course meal. For dinner, we preferred the buffet to the dining
room. The coffee was rich and strong, exactly as we like it. We ate tons of fresh
fruit
why not, when someone else has done all the work? And it was all so very fresh
and tasty. My only downfall was the chocolate chunk (not chip) cookies; but I did restrain
myself some of the time. Spa treatments caused nasty blemishes, so no more money down that
drain. I used the gym regularly to keep up with some weight workouts and jogging on the
treadmill. Bob enjoyed the golf simulator.
For
me, water is somewhat mesmerizing. I could stand or sit on our balcony for hours just
watching the world go by. We had requested a port side room to see land most of the time.
We watched for fish for hours it seems. Saw lots of flying fish and dolphins. Bob saw a
shark (we werent together at the time, darn). But I did see some big fish jump out
of the water. We couldnt get over the small turtles we were seeing so far from land;
we later learned they feed on jellyfish, but its still a long way from a beach to
where we saw them. The best sight was a seagull standing on a turtle (really!) watching
the ship go by.
Four
stops in Mexico equaled plenty of Mexico. We got off in Guatemala for a short walk while
everyone else spent time and money on excursions. Missed the planned stop in Nicaragua
because of ocean swells that made tendering unsafe. The Costa Rica stop made us swear to
never take an all-day excursion again. Curacao, a Dutch island, was a welcome sight after
the Pacific ports
very European. Tortola, a British island, was another
once-is-enough Atlantic stop. The last stop was HALs private island in the Bahamas
where the long white sand beach was quite nice (why pay for a beach excursion when this is
free?).
The
highlight of the trip, of course, was going through the Panama Canal. We arrived at the
southeast entrance (yes, the Pacific entrance is east of the Atlantic entrance) very early
in the morning. Juice, coffee and rolls were offered on decks that never see food served
on them. By 9 AM, those carts were replaced with the booze carts. 1800+ passengers
couldnt all get a good view heading into the locks, but I managed. How can a ship
106 wide fit in that skinny little lock? We were behind another HAL ship and in
front of a Celebrity ship, so we could see close up just what was happening to our ship as
we watched the other ships. After going through the first lock, no one cared about the
other two locks. Traveling through the canal was pretty in its own way with many
islands and jungle growth down to the water. At both the Pacific and Atlantic entrances,
cruise ships and freighters were patiently waiting for their turn to go through.
Apparently cruise ships have priority during daylight hours
after all, thats
what we paid for. It cost the Oosterdam $200,000 to get through
so Panama must be
making a good buck on the Canal these days.
Weather
was beautiful the entire cruise; it rained only at night. The stop in Zihuatenajo was
fine. We tendered back to the ship, washed up and went to the special BBQ dinner out on
the Lido deck. I looked up and realized I couldnt see out either side of the
ship
just a wall of water. Then it dawned on me
duh
why it smelled like
chlorine when we walked out there
the rolling dome roof had been closed because of
the rain. The cloudburst came out of nowhere in just a short time.
So now
its back to the real world
darn. Fixing our own meals
yuk. Making our own
bed
blah
and no one to turn it down at night
bummer. But Ill do
laundry
all of ours eventually made it back to our stateroom
only one pair of
socks lost. Once the laundry is caught up, well be ready to go sail away again.
- October 2004
MOTHER NATURE VS.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY
As a
resident of the Midwest, I have to live with Mother Natures nasty sense of humor
year round, or at least get out of Dodge for the winter. Were now
in the season of tornadoes, heavy rains, flooding, hail and whatever else She can come up
with.
Today
is Monday and apparently wash day in Mothers opinion. About 6:15 this morning, She
got the urge to unleash Her fury. Thunder that would wake the dead, lightening, a
heavy-duty rainstorm and hail. The crowning glory was a power outage. Gee, thanks Ma. OK,
so You washed the streets again for us and added to the flooding Mississippi.
The
biggest inconvenience for me or any other human being is being without power. I chose not
to shower in the dark; I could have washed my hair, but couldnt blow it dry;
couldnt use the computer; couldnt get in the fridge; and the worst insult of
all: NO COFFEE!! I wasnt about to leave with unwashed hair, but even if I did look
presentable, I couldnt open the garage door (105 lbs. lifting a double wide
insulated door?).
How
dependent we mortals have become on something like electricity that we take for granted.
The two-hour+ outage made me realize and be thankful once again for my many, many
blessings. But you have to wonder: If we can send people to the moon and space stations,
why cant the locals keep the power running 24/7 indefinitely? Were definitely
a spoiled society.
By
noon the sun was out, Mothers way of saying, Moi?! I didnt do anything
wrong this morning. You must have a lousy power company. - June
2004
CANCER IS A BUMMER
Ive
watched two people very close to me suffer through cancer
the anger, denial,
frustration, and sickness. Of course, I know of other friends and family members
whove fought cancer, but these two are the dearest to my heart.
Sixteen
years ago my husband died of cancer; we lived with the death sentence for thirteen months.
We werent given much hope right from the start, but the good doctors did all they
could to make him comfortable. However, chemo made him deathly ill and radiation burned
his chest. When the end came, I selfishly felt fortunate that he died quickly and
peacefully.
Now my
very dear friend in Florida has been diagnosed with cancer. Im so glad I was there
for him during the early days of doctor appointments, tests and outpatient surgeries.
Unfortunately, I had to return home the day before he started his chemo/radiation
treatments. The good news: hes been given a 90+% chance for full recovery. Im
grateful to see the advancements that have been made in the last sixteen years in the
treatment of cancer. However, the treatments still make the patient ill in so many ways
other than just the pain at the cancer site. It must be hell on earth enduring the
treatments, feeling totally lousy day after day, and hoping that someday this will all be
just a bad memory.
I
personally give donations to the local oncology center where my husband received his care.
And I will happily donate to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York for
anyone else. We learned so much just from their website; theyre definitely on the
leading edge of cancer research and care. I would strongly urge anyone else to contribute
to Memorial Sloan-Kettering as well. - June 2004
THE
JOYS (?) OF AIR TRAVEL
Ive been flying back and forth to
Florida a lot in the past year and a half. Air travel to anywhere is a major hassle but
the only way to get around the country or world somewhat easily.
Since Ive been taking AirTran to
Ft. Lauderdale, Im become way too acquainted with the Atlanta airport. Travel tip:
Do NOT take any four-digit AirTran flight number in or out of Atlanta unless you want a
long walk or marathon run to get to your connecting flight
been there, done that;
once was enough. The good news is that on the C concourse theres an Atlanta Bread
Company restaurant (similar to the Panera Bread stores around the country). Real
food
breakfast, sweets, lunch, soup or salad and you wont feel like youve
inhaled junk food.
Going through OHare is another
story. United has screwed its customers by moving the arriving/departing feeder flights to
a distant concourse from where its other flights (a/k/a big planes) are located.
Therefore, you need at least an hour (which may or may not allow you to include a restroom
stop) to get to your connecting flight. If youve flown into OHare to catch an
international flight, allow forever to get to the international terminal.
Online check-in is great
if the
airline really honors what youve printed and presented at the counter. AirTran is
good about this. I just select the seats for my two flights and print the boarding passes.
I do the same for United flights and the person at the counter just takes the paper and
throws it away. Hello!? Why do you have online check-in if you wont accept what
Ive printed? Of course, they have no answer. At major airports, you just use a
credit card to check in and a person miraculously appears with baggage tags.
Then theres the security joke. This
is a federal program, yet it seems every airport handles it a bit differently. At some
airports, you check your bag and leave it in a sea of other bags to be run through the
X-ray machine, and you hope you might see it again
preferably at your destination,
not next year. At other airports, you have to stick with your checked luggage like glue
until you get through the line to be searched or just X-rayed. Ive never been called
back to the sea of bags. However, when having to stay with my bag, Ive
been asked to open my checked bag because the agents cant figure out how to open the
strap I put around my bag. They hate having to ask me to open it and then, of course, I
demand to re-secure it.
As if this isnt enough,
theres more fun to come (but at 4:30AM this isnt the least bit fun). You show
your boarding pass and picture ID just to get into the secure area. (Shoot, maybe
youve already shown it two or three times just to get into the airport.)
Fortunately, I havent been strip searched, and I sure hope I never am. And I hardly
resemble a terrorist or fit any terrorist profile. Now Im at the security check
line. Shoes on or off? Seemingly no set rule about that. Show the boarding pass and
picture ID again. Go thru the machine with no beeps. Then, thinking all is well, I still
have been stopped many times for the wand routine while my eyes are glued to another agent
pawing through my carry-on bag. Of course, nothing has ever been found.
On to the gate area. In major airports,
this can sure shock your nose
assorted aromas (odors?) from McDonalds, pizza,
popcorn, coffee, Mexican food, oriental food, whatever. Unfortunately these smells can
creep on board along with the passengers. Combine that with a screaming child and a
coughing/sneezing nut behind you, youll have a great flight! - April 2004
LETS
GO TO THE MOVIES
A good friend of mine, Bob Miller, (this
websites sponsor) has written a mostly autobiographical manuscript that Ive
helped him with quite a bit. If he gets it published, hed also like it to be
considered for a screenplay.
So off we go
we install Movie Magic
Screenwriter on each of our PCs. And yes, the software came with a three-pound how-to
manual. But I noticed the local college was offering an online class called "My
Screenwriting Career". OK, for only $85, Ill take the course. Two
lessons a week for six weeks shouldnt be any big deal. Silly me, I thought
Id learn how to actually write a screenplay. Turned out that that wasnt
touched on until the ninth and tenth lessons.
This instructor has built the course on
the premise that the students should be writing a Hollywood blockbuster movie, not an
independent film. Sure, Ill do that right away. And Ill order my gown for
the Academy Awards next year, too.
Little did I know Id get a history
of Hollywood, movies, Shakespeare, and assorted other tidbits of info that didnt
really interest me. By the second week of the class, I found it hard to believe that 90%
of the movies out there ever made it to the silver screen. I thought Id probably
never be able to sit and watch a movie again and enjoy it. Ill be picking it
apart
Is the conflict created early enough? Who is the protagonist? What kind of
antagonist is he/she/it? What is the shaping force? Do we know what the movie is about at
the end of Act I? Is the greatest test of the hero/ine at the end of Act II? Does Act III
bring a resolution to the story? Unfortunately, I thought of all those things while
watching "The Passion of the Christ." Do I really care about any of this stuff
since Im not creating a screenplay from scratch; Im just trying to adapt a
screenplay from a written manuscript? Yes, Id better care about all these things if
I want to write a professional screenplay.
I did learn of some interesting websites
and can now download just about any screenplay I want. One assignment was to do just that,
rent the movie and watch it with script in hand. All I learned was: Why write a screenplay
when the producer, director or whomever is only going to change it anyway and you may or
may not recognize it as your screenplay?
The instructor provides plenty of links
for resource materials and readings. Oh my God! The really good screenwriters must read
from dawn til dusk. Of course, the instructor would also have us rent hundreds of
movies and watch them to get a better feel for the structure of a good movie. Sure
thing
in my next life.
I dont regret taking this course.
Other than enjoying words and writing, this was totally out of my realm of interests, but
I actually did learn a lot. You never know when something new and unexpected might
actually interest you.
Who knows? Some day you might read on Mr.
Millers home page that his movie is premiering! - March 2004
SPA ADVENTURE
I
recently met two friends at the airport in Guadalajara for a week of fun and pampering (we
hoped) at a spa in the mountains about an hour outside of Guadalajara.
Perhaps if I hadnt had a nasty
24-hour bug that totally cleaned me out five days before I left, I might have enjoyed the
food and trying a vegetarian diet. I really dont know how anyone can be a full
time vegetarian. We lived on (or tried to) a grain-based, complex carb, low fat, no
salt diet for a week. That diet continued to clean me (and my friends) out
..by
the time I got home, I had lost LOTS of weight. I hate beans, so that narrowed my
few food choices at each meal even more. I truly got tired of rice
.if I
dont see it for a while, I wont care. Whenever they served something
sort of tasty, I indulged in second and third helpings (never knew when thered be
another opportunity to fill up). My tummy was growling most of the week.
I did enjoy the fresh fruit
..however, I didnt eat it according to
the rules. This was a restorative spa
to detox your body, you
should eat fresh fruit first because its easy to digest, then wait 20-30 minutes to
have the rest of your breakfast (yea, right).
The back of the dining room building is
enclosed in glass, so we ate in that area most of the time. It was especially
delightful at breakfast when lots of birds came to the feeders strategically placed in the
trees behind the dining room building. Various species of orioles, a mot-mot, and
other pretty, but unidentifiable, birds came to feed. What we could never figure out
was why the birds got the watermelon, but we never did.
Being 1000+ miles south of home, I was
hoping for warmer weather. However, the brochures (and website) said pleasant days,
cool evenings and mornings (we were at 5100 elevation). They didnt lie!
After the sun went down, it was cool; mornings were downright cold.
There is no central heat
each room has a fireplace. Fortunately,
we didnt have to gather our own wood
there was a good supply right outside the
door and they provided matches. I built more fires in that weeks time than I
ever have at home. Of course, getting out of a warm, cozy bed in the morning was not
pleasant. What to do first? Get a fire going or put on warm clothes?
Guess people in some parts of the world have that problem every day,
but Im spoiled and I know it. Once the sun was up and shining, the days were
pleasantly comfortable.
We quickly discovered the only time to
take a shower was approximately 4-5:30PM
thats when the tap water would be the
warmest it was ever going to be
.which isnt saying much.
We did indulge in various pampering
treatments, but I did take a pass on the mud wrap. The thought of being coated in
therapeutic mud and put in the sun to bake was not appealing.
I had two good massages, considering the circumstances. The facial was
a waste of my time and money
the woman never shut up and wanted to sell me 8 or 9
products to take home (sure thing). The fun treatment was a manicure and pedicure
out by the pool. I think everyone enjoyed having that done.
The pool was filled with water from the
Rio Caliente (yes, very hot!). Very soothing and relaxing to just float around in
the pool. They use no chemicals to keep it clean. Once a week they drain a
pool, scrub it out and refill it with the hot water. Then it takes a day for the
water to cool down to a usable temperature. There are two pools together, so one is
always available for use. I never participated in the water aerobics as I had
planned to because that was always scheduled for 4:30 every day. It was getting too
cool then
.nice in the water, but pure torture to get out. Besides, that was
the only time to shower.
The Rio flows in a big arc in this area,
and the spa is built on the hillside in the U of the Rio. The dining
room, palapa, office and patio rooms were at the top of the hill. The pools, gym,
exercise room, treatment rooms, and pool rooms were at the bottom of the hill.
Guess who had to walk UP to three less-than-delightful meals every day?
The first night there, it was a real struggle
a rather steep incline, and we
werent used to the higher altitude yet. We did get exercise every day.
Its nice now just to walk into the kitchen at home for food.
Hiking in the volcanic area (with guides)
was not the best. Trails were not groomed or well marked; some were just animal
paths. Walking in the forest areas wasnt bad, but there were some very steep
ups and downs in narrow gullies on loose, powdery volcanic material. This was NOT
the place for a twisted ankle or a broken something. Fortunately, I did have my
trusty hiking stick with me. They tried to have an easy, intermediate and advanced
hike each day, depending on the number of guides any given day and number of participants.
Hikes lasted 2 4 hours, depending which one you took and if the guide
got lost along the way. Being in a volcanic area, there was a lot of
obsidian everywhere. On the last hike, the (best) guide broke some big chunks of it,
and I came away with a nice specimen.
We were very isolated and had no car.
To get anywhere was $30 one way by cab. So after supper (cant
come close to calling it dinner) was a real down time. The only TV was in the
palapa, but that was where the evening program was always held. Wed catch
world news after supper and maybe wait for the program (depending on what it was), or
return to the room to read by the fire. Yes, we could have also played board games
in the dining room.
The star-filled sky was a treat to behold
on the walk back to the room each night.
We did leave the spa one day in the
middle of our stay. One of the women who had visited the spa several times,
suggested a safe place to eat and recommended a certain dish. Needless to say, we
made sure we found that restaurant, were seated on the patio, and enjoyed garlic shrimp to
the max. I could have eaten two portions at least. Real food!!!! And
definitely worth the $60 cab fare!
We were among the minority of first
timers; most guests were repeat visitors. We quickly learned that a lot of the
people took the holistic medicine, restorative waters, bio-resonance stuff very seriously.
One of the evening programs was "Quality of Life" using animal
medicine cards (oh, please). But the woman allegedly makes a living at it!
By the time we left, we were still dying
for real food, though. My friend and I checked in at the airport and went through
security to the gate area. We immediately spotted a rack of snack
bags
.grease!!!!! We both bought a bag of potato chips and a can of Coke,
and tried not to look too desperate as we practically inhaled the junk food.
The airline food was even tasty!!!!!
Dont get me wrong. This was
an interesting trip, and I have no regrets. We had hoped this would be a place
wed like to return to each year, but we wont. It was an adventure, and
we had some good laughs. However, it was great to get home to real food, central
heat and a hot shower. I should learn not to take these little things for granted.
This trip did something (what?) to the
three of us. Weve talked since returning home, and none of us wants to even
think about future travel at the moment. What did the restorative diet and waters
restore (or delete)??????
Hopefully its not a permanent
disability, and well eventually hit the trails again. December 1999
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