MEAT LOAF AND BAKED ALASKA

December 19, 2015

Yup.  That was the menu tonight.  Or at least among the offerings.  I chose the meat loaf.  She Who Must Be Obeyed had a Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce and other stuff.  And she had deep dish apple pie.

Bonnie’s most remarkable thing about her lunch was the Ginger Ale.  She didn’t like the vegetable curry pot pie, nor the lemon meringue pie.  I don’t remember what I had, but I liked it.

We played a couple games of Rummy.  I won one and am trailing badly in the second, but there is always another cruise!

The old ship is rocking and rolling tonight.  The Captain said we would have 10 foot waves, but I think they may be a tad bit higher.

We packed our luggage after watching the movie, “The Martian.”  A very good movie.  We had to carry our three suitcases up to Deck 8, which is a passenger deck, to put them out with everyone else’s.  As we walked back to our room tonight we noticed that the hall was empty, so we should all be on our way to luggage control and customs in the morning.

The evening’s main entertainment was the ship’s version of The Voice.  I’ve never seen the real one, although I am told it is broadcast in 165 countries around the world.  A fellow my age sang an knock out rendition of “New York, New York,” and had our votes for the winner, but a cute, wiggly thing in a short skirt did either an Adele song or one by Celine Dion, and won.  We didn’t know either song, and it is only by chance I’ve heard of those two singers, but cute and wiggly wins over old and bald any day, I reckon.

Well this is the last entry from the Royal Princess for this outing.  Talk to you tomorrow from Florida.

TTFN

TO BLOG TO BLOG SAID SLEEPY HEAD

December 18, 2015

This is the last formal night, and the last day at sea, and my last talk, and perhaps the last blog.  Tomorrow is Princess Cay, the cruise line’s private island.  We will take our Coppertone Ultra Guard Broad Spectrum SPF 70 and go ashore for an hour or so, have lunch on the beach and splash in the water.  Then back on board to pack and get ready for disembarkation.

These ships get more and more electronic.  Today I found a machine that prints out a copy of your bill, so you don’t have to stand in line at Passenger Services to get it.  A pleasant surprise awaited when I found that my $29 coffee card was discounted $17.40, and our $2 cokes are discounted $1.20.  They never tell us these things.  Next time I will print earlier and see what is up.  After all the aggravation getting to our room on the first day, Princess is doing right by us.  And we are glad.

We went to several musical productions tonight – the production show by the ship’s singers and dancers, a musical set by a 50s band, and an tango night featuring songs from Argentina.  Yours truly was nodding off during the tangos, so we came back to our cabin for a couple of snacks, drinks, and bedtime.  Exciting we are!

Tonight for supper Bonnie had tomato bisque soup, bib lettuce salad and short ribs.  I had escargot (I wanted snails, but they were all out), a crab and scallop salad with caviar, and lobster tail with giant prawns.  We chose a table for two with one of our favorite waiters, an older gentleman named Jose (who can see).  We went to the Gelato stand for dessert where Bonnie had a banana split and I had a brownie blast.

A man at the table beside us was evidently hungry tonight.  He ordered two plates of escargot, beef wellington, and lobster tail.  His wife (and neither of them are large people) had two lobster tails.  That’s a lot of groceries!

Bonnie did not go to see Jurassic World for the third time, instead she spent the evening with me.  I wanted her to go, so the dancing girls could stop by 71018, but she saw through my plan.

And now to bed.  If there’s no blog up tomorrow, we’ll text you from Fort Lauderdale on Sunday.

TTFN

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

December 17, 2015

Or as Star Trek fans used to say, “May DeForest be with you.”  That’s DeForest Kelley, otherwise known as Dr. McCoy.

Guess what movie is playing tonight in St. Thomas?  Yes, you are right.  In the U.S. Virgin Islands they are showing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”  I asked the captain if he could delay our departure, but he said not even for me.  Oh well.  Small bit of shipboard humor.

We went ashore for maybe 90 minutes and walked around.  We thought about going to Blackbeard’s Castle, but it was close to a mile away from downtown center, and up the hill 99 steps (actually 103 – I think I’ve told you that before).  So since we’ve already been there and done that, we passed.  Bought a few souvenirs and caught a cab back to the ship.  There was a spot where the crew were hanging out to use the wifi, but you could only secure a connection with a password, and there was limited capacity (so they said) and I chose not to wait in a long line.  Hence, no email today.

Bonnie’s afternoon movie was “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” which she described as excellent.  Tomorrow night is “Jurassic World.”  It will be her fourth viewing.

Tonight I had a shrimp cocktail, a garden salad with ranch dressing, and Orange Roughy accompanied by unknown vegetables.  Orange Roughy is a great fish that is hard to find because of restrictions on its taking.  Evidently this was farm grown in New Zealand.  Thanks, Kiwis!  Bonnie had a double-baked goat cheese souffle, and a salad of mixed greens, both of which she enjoyed.  Her main course was fried chicken which she described as being Banquet Frozen Fried Chicken – the worst main she’s had.  My dessert was Chocolate Lover’s Delight – three different chocolate confections.  My companion had sugar free coconut cake which she described as “tasty.”

A 20 piece orchestra was the main performance for the night.  It was put together from all the musicians in all the venues around the ship.  Tonight was their first performance and it was well done.

My last talk and our last formal night is tomorrow.  We will go tomorrow also to see about our luggage tags for disembarkation Sunday.  Until then ...

TTFN

EARLY TO BED, EARLY TO RISE, IS FOR THE BIRDS

December 16, 2015

We did go to bed rather early last night, around 10 p.m., but we slept in until after 8 a.m.  I am getting to enjoy this!  Of course the next time I am up against a deadline to get a new cruise talk written, I’ll be back to my 4 a.m. rising and shining.

After my Barbary Pirate talk yesterday, one old cruiser, in a pink dress – that looked like she cut it off of a couch – came up to me after the talk and in a hostile voice said, “I thought this was to be about Pirates of the Caribbean!”  I gently assured her that she had missed two of those, but there will be one more.  She was assuaged.

Tonight after the show, an incredible magic and illusion act, we were wandering through one of the shops when we were attacked by Pink Lady’s sister.  At least she was an old battle ax pushing a three-wheeled walker, demanding that we get out of her way.  Now you know sometimes I exaggerate things in these bloggings (yes, alas, it is true) but this old gal was demanding that we move.  I pulled Bonnie close (the demolition driver was behind her) and motioned her to go around.  I am pretty sure she said something ugly as she passed.

We wandered ashore on St. Kitts today and visited some spots we had seen when we were here a couple years ago (when we were here last month, we took a train ride – this time we rode Shank’s Mare).  There is a beautiful park where the citizenry used to play “Pall Mall.”  Pall Mall is from the Latin for “ball and mallet” and was played like croquet (to which it is the forerunner) but with only one ball and one wicket.  Sometimes the playing field was 500 yards long – one in London was 800 yards long.  We walked out there and enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere under some rather large trees, and took a photograph of one of the Christmas trees which are set up in the park.  Since 1983 Pall Mall Square has been known as Independence Square.

And we took a selfie (you can call a photograph of two people taken by themselves of themselves an “usie” if you wish, we call it a selfie – so there!) in front of the Berkeley Memorial Clock Tower and Drinking Fountain erected in the last century and dedicated to the memory of the Honorable Thomas Berkeley, a legislator known for having a clock and drinking fountain named for him.

It was a rather hot morning, so we did not stop in the St. Kitts Historical Museum.  We’ve seen it before, and it is a splendid example of some folks who are proud of their heritage and have made a collection of things and events from their past.  It is worth the $3 admission fee (or $8 ECD – East Caribbean Dollar).

Bonnie bought a few souvenirs.  I trolled for emails at a free WiFi spot.  And then we came back on board and ate hamburgers at The Grill, and had soft ice cream cones for dessert.
While I napped Bonnie went to watch “Ant Man.”  She pronounced it an enjoyable super hero movie where the good guy wins and the bad guy loses.  As it should be.

For supper tonight I had a sea food dish that is the best meal I’ve eaten on this cruise – scallops, shrimp and a pastry that was baked mashed potatoes.  I chose tirimisu for dessert.  Bonnie had spaghetti with tomato sauce (that tasted once again like Ragu – Princess must shop at the same store as Royal Caribbean).  Her dessert was a trio of ice cream.  A good dinner at a table shared with two couples who have come to my talks – I have groupies!

After supper we sat in the Piazza for an hour or so and listened to one of the live musicians who play in that arena (no dead musicians play there, at least none that we are aware of).  A Beatles tribute group played the main show last night and were set up in the Piazza to play at 10:30 tonight, but your humble scribe declared it was time to go to bed (it will be 10 until I get this posted).

Tomorrow we will go ashore in St. Thomas, walk the 99 steps (which are really 103 steps) and gaze once again out of Blackbeard’s Castle.  But that’s a story for another time.

And to those of you who will go tomorrow night to see “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” – NO SPOILERS!

Until then ...

TTFN

FIVE DAYS, FIVE DEWS

December 14, 2015


After tonight there are five more days, and I have five more bottles of Mountain Dew.  Just enough!

Today we wandered ashore into Castries, capital of St. Lucia, and wandered around with the eventual goal of visiting Derek Walcott Square.  Walcott is a Nobel Laureate from St. Lucia, having won the prize for literature in the late 1990s.  The square which honors him was closed, as was most of St. Lucia, in celebration of their independence day.  We passed a huge old cathedral, that is under repair, which took up most of a city block.  I jiggled several doors, but the cathedral too must have been in on the celebration.

Your favorite cruisers stopped at several places along the walk to sip cold water while sitting under shady trees.  We passed three cruise ships in port – and a small docking area it is – a C&O and an MSC, and ours.  We’ve sailed on neither, and I can’t tell you what the initials stand for, although I was booked on back to back sailings on an MSC which were cancelled – one sailing was bought out by a company for its annual meeting, and I don’t remember why the second one was cancelled – I may have told my agent that not doing back to back made little sense (7 days each).  Oh well.

We sauntered through the tourist trap just off of the ship where I found free wi-fi (I learned that the Pirates traded Charlie Morton for a prospect – I learned it by reading DkonPittsburghSports, not by being informed by any Pirates fans I know) and Bonnie went souvenir shopping, and secured one souvenir for herself – a carved coconut that features a bowl and two birds feeding at it.  She says it is a bird feeder and she will put it out for the enjoyment of the feathered creatures at 233.

Speaking of birds, Bonnie had jerk chicken with black beans, rice, and pineapple salsa for supper, and Black Forest Cake for dessert.  I had Chateau Briand (WordPerfect says that is misspelled, but offers no alternatives, so we’ll go with it – a very delicious cut of beef), medium rare, with assorted high falooting veggies, and Grand Marnier Souffle for dessert.

While I was napping (before supper) Bonnie went to the movies – “Fred Claus.”  She pronounced it humorous.  The funniest thing was that a theater which seats a thousand had about 10 people in the seats.

Tonight’s show was “Sweet Soul Music,” featuring classics from Motown.  An excellent production.  Then we went to the Piazza where we listened to Latin music for a while, before adjourning to 71018 for the night.

Tomorrow is Barbados, but since I have a talk at 4, after we sail, I don’t think we are going ashore.  If we do, it will just be a brief taxi ride into town, stay an hour or so and come back so I can rehearse.

Until tomorrow night ...

TTFN

AND ON THE MENU TONIGHT

December 13, 2015

Today we took a tour of Antigua (you don’t pronounce the “u” unless you are Pat Sajak, host of America’s game).  I had booked it online and we were treated to a five hour excursion around the island, complete with several neat photo stops.  The tour was offered with beach or without beach, and of course, we chose without.  Our guide, Sean, was excellent.  A very good day, indeed.

Oh, there was free wi-fi on the bus, and I got to check my email.  All who had written were answered.

We got back on board around 1:30 and went to Deck 16 where we had hamburgers and French fries for lunch.  We took seats in the shade, in front of the giant screen TV and watched the first half of the Pittsburgh Steelers game.  They were ahead when I went for naptime – I hope you other Steeler fans held on to the lead.  I did think for a while that I was watching an NBA game, with all of the thuggery – on both sides.  Holy cow!

We choose to share a table tonight with two other couples and had an enjoyable dinner.  For her appetizers Bonnie chose plantain chips with dipping sauce (which she did not enjoy) and a salad with cucumber strips (which she did enjoy – except for the cucumbers).  Her main course was Turkey Pot Pie, a very generous portion of turkey, peas and carrots in a nice gravy, all cooked in a flaky crust.  She had apple cider sorbet for dessert.  Your humble scribe chose the afore mentioned salad with ranch dressing, and did enjoy the cucumbers, plus a roasted garlic soup – very good.  My main course was a large bone-in pork chop, with appropriate garnish and a mashed Paleo vegetable which was good, but whose name I forget.  I had New York Cheese Cake for dessert, followed by a double espresso.  A very good dinner, and very good companionship (one couple flew in from Maui to take the cruise and the other drove down from Huntsville, Alabama – near to Greenbow, Alabama).

I spoke to Lisa, our cruise director, last night for the first time, and realized it was not the first time.  She had been the C.D. on the Crown Princess a couple of years ago when we did back to back sailings in the Caribbean, and I did a series of destination lectures.  When I introduced myself to her, she said, “I know you.  We’ve sailed together before.”  When Bonnie read her bio to me later, I figured it out.

The show tonight was “What the World Needs is Love.”  It included a lot of golden oldies that we knew and could hum along with.  Bonnie thinks their choreography is strange.

Later we sat and listened to a quartet ensemble with an incredible female vocalist, and watched couples dance who were more interested in showing off their dancing skills, or lack thereof, instead of enjoying each other.

St. Lucia tomorrow.  Our plans are to just wander around.  Until then ...

TTFN!

ALL’S WELL THAT STARTS CRAPPY

December 10, 2015

Oh my goodness!

It started so good.  Sort of.  They did not have a manifest at baggage drop off, so they put our names on the tags, and assured us they would be scanned inside the terminal and brought to us.  Fortunately I found a manifest, got our room number, added it to our luggage, and headed for the Pier Coordinator.  There was already a long line of the great unwashed waiting to go through security, and we went to the front of the line, explained who we were and what we needed, and were sent directly to security and to the pier coordinator.  Would you believe it – unlike the last time on Princess they did have both of us on the list, and keys ready for us, and were admitted to the ship?  Not bad so far.

Then it started downhill.  We knew from our cabin number, and from previous sailings on Princess, that we were in crew quarters, and asked two different crew members how to get there.  Go all the way forward to Princess Theater (Deck 7).  Walk down to Deck 4.  Go all the way forward (more forward than forward – see above) into the crew quarters.  Climb metal stairs up to Deck 7.

That is not as simple as it seems because Deck 4 is like a West Virginia highway, snaking around and back and forth.  Then we climb to Deck 7.  4.  5.  6.  7.  Right? Nope.  4.  5.  6.  6-1.  7.  Now which hall way.  Doesn’t matter because it is a horseshoe and if we choose wrong we’ll circle right around.  And there we were.

I do not remember how many trips we made, but if I was tired – and I was – Bonnie, with her bionic parts was worn out!

After lifeboat drill, I met with Holly from the Cruise Director’s staff to go over my assignment.  Then she asked me if there was anything else she could help me with.  I asked, “Is there a short cut to our cabin?”  She said, “As a matter of fact!”  And she showed me two ways, almost direct to our cabin, cutting out Decks 4, 5, 6, and 6.1.  Easily found.  Easily repeated.  I told her if we had any more grand kids, she, or he, would be named Holly (you have to work on the masculine spelling).

Since that time, things have been much smoother, and the cruise more enjoyable.

My talks are in a venue called “Princess Live!”  They have two television cameras (there are a variety of screens and monitors around the room for the audience) and each talk is recorded for broadcast on the ship’s closed circuit TV.  I’ve had some folks tell me they saw me on TV.  Pretty cool.  The room seats 300 and there has been standing room only for each of the talks so far.

So far Bonnie has seen the “Minions” movie, and the second half of “The Man From Uncle” (which she pronounced as strange).  I bought a coffee card and it entitles her to free hot chocolate which she has pronounced very good.  She has not found the ice cream station yet, but she continues to look.

Most of the dining on this ship is “Any Time” dining and we just walk up and ask for a table.  The first night we asked for a table for two, but they are set close to other tables for two, so you can visit with your neighbors if you want, or just stay at your own table.  The next two nights we asked for sharing and had enjoyable table mates.  And great food at each occasion.

Tonight was the first Best Bib and Tucker night, and we donned our glad rags, and joined the festivities.  A lot more folks were dressed up on this ship than on our last two cruises.

Well, tomorrow is Antigua and we are doing “Island Experience without Beach.”

I’m going to buy Internet for 79 cents a minute and see if I can get this up.  You’ll know if I did.

TTFN

And Still More Photos from the Anthem of the Seas

That Yoda Guy on St. Maarten

Still More Photos from the Anthem of the Seas

Scenic Train Ride on St. Kitts

More Photos from the Anthem of the Seas

The North Star

Views from the North Star

Photos from the Anthem of the Seas

Two70 Lounge where David did sevreral talks

Gun Hill Station lookout on Barbados

Sail Away from Barbados

BLOG THE THIRD

November 17, 2015

The Streak is over!  No, the Pirates have not yet won a World Series – that is coming in 2016.  Your favorite cruisers went to an event that was actually happening.  We scheduled one and it took place.  But it almost didn’t!

We scheduled the St. Kitts Scenic Railroad Tour.  Our tickets told us to meet in the Royal Theater on board at 12:15.  There were a half dozen or so of us there at 12:00, and the theater was closed and no Royal Caribbean person in sight.  A crewman came by to take his lunch break, asked us if we needed help, and he stepped in.  He called the excursion office and learned that we were supposed to be on the pier to meet our tour – in spite of what was printed on our tickets.

That was the only bump.  The ride was a lot of fun.  The scenery is gorgeous.  The narrator was knowledgeable.  And our hostess served an unlimited supply of complimentary drinks.  We each had a virgin Pina Colada.  Some of the riders took advantage of the word “complimentary” and loaded up on free booze.

The train ride hides nothing of the way many people live.  Just two blocks from the main square, were houses in run-down condition.  Out in the country side it was worse.  In many places we saw houses that had pipes and posts sticking out of a flat roof.  Those folks have run out of money to add a planned second story.  They hope they will be able to finish some day.  With the sugar industry closed down in 2005 and the planned restart not yet any where close to happening, we did not see very many economic opportunities – stores, shops, gas stations, but not much industry.  They definitely depend on tourism to survive.

And speaking of gasoline, it is $5.75 per gallon.

You know by now that I found a wifi spot to post the second blog.  May we be as successful tomorrow in St. Maarten.

We went to supper early, in the Chic, so we could get to the 7 p.m. outdoor movie.  Tonight’s offering was “Minions.”  What a funny movie!  And we stayed through all the credits, singing “Mellow Yellow” with Donovan.

The movie got over in time for us to be only a few minutes late for “Name That Tune.”  It was a recreation of an old game show, spiced up by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers punctuating the songs.  There were ten contestants on stage to start, and they worked down by stages to 2 and then the winner.  We actually knew a few of the songs and hollered them out.

The message light was flashing on the phone when we got back to the room.  My talk from Day 11 has been moved to Day 12.  I now have two talks on Day 10 – back to back – and two talks on Day 12 with a two hour break in between – and that cuts into my nap time!

Well that’s all for now.  If this doesn’t get up in St. Maarten, it will be posted from Edgewater.

TTFN

November 18, 2015

Yoda!  We sought Yoda!

There is a shop/museum on St. Maarten called “That Yoda Guy.”  Nick Maley assembled the original Yoda for Star Wars.  That’s what he says, and he has a museum which he lets you see for free if you buy something from his shop for $40, or $10 each if you don’t buy anything.  We wanted to see it last time we were here,  never found it, but we made that our first stop today.  There are a couple of models of Yoda that we posed with (they are in the free room), but saw nothing inviting about the museum, and left – it was small and you could see into several of the exhibits.  Disappointed in the museum we were, but glad to find it we were. 

Sometime ago we saw an episode of “American Pickers” where Mike and Frank met the guy who made Yoda for Star Wars, and he was in California, not St. Maarten.  I guess he could have two places.  I guess two guys could have worked on Yoda.  Heck, maybe three.  But Nick has a museum and we saw it.  One item off the bucket list.

We only stayed out two hours, but enjoyed walking around on Front Street.  We did not go to Back Street.  Those, really, are the two streets in Philipsburg.  And they are full of jewelry stores, t-shirt and other souvenir shops, and That Yoda Guy.

We did look in a store that sells bamboo sheets, pillow cases, under wear, socks, etc.  We’ve heard Port Lecturers tell us how great they are, even softer than 1,000 count Egyptian Cotton, so we checked them out.  They are soft.  Don’t know if they are softer than said Egyptian Cotton.  But they are expensive.  $175 for queen sheets.  Pillow cases extra.  Shipping is free.  We passed.

We had lunch back on board in the Two70, and supper in The Grande.  We dressed in our formals for supper and had a good meal.  Pasta Alfredo for me and Beef Tenderloin for Bonnie.  The dessert was awesome: Volcanic Molten Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream.  I want that again!

Well, here I am in Stateroom 10207, all alone.  Bonnie went up to Deck 14 to sit under the stars and watch “Jurassic World” again.  I am not a Jurassic fan, so I bid her adieu at the Royal Theater where we had enjoyed “Savannah Jack,” a five piece band from Nashville.  One of the coolest parts of the show was where the audience hollered out the name of a performer and the band played a selection from that entertainer.  I think I’ve been hanging out with Bonnie too long, because I think they just listen to the roar of the audience, pick out an entertainer who may or may not have been named, and do a prepared song.  I mean, after Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers, who hollers out “Prince!”  But “someone” did, and we heard “Purple Rain.”  It was good, regardless, and a top rated show for us.

Bonnie saw the movie as only Bonnie can.  She got a seat theater side and watched the last half of the movie, stayed an hour and watched the first half of the movie.  When the projection got to where she came in, she left.

And as I said, I am all alone writing this blog, so I can say whatever I want!  Ha ha!  Take that!

Okay.

Thinking.

I don’t know what to say!

As I think I told you earlier, I have two talks back to back tomorrow (1:30-2:15 and 3:00-3:45).  So I’m going to say toodles, and do some rehearsing.

TTFN!

November 19, 2015

A busy day at sea.  I had a talk at 1:30 and another one at 3:00.  The morning was spent in rehearsal for “Philipsburg: Four Nation Escape,” and “Tempest in the Atlantic.”  A last minute concert has been scheduled for tomorrow when I had been scheduled to do a talk, so I’ll have two on Saturday, and then it will be dry land.

Bonnie walked on the track on Deck 15 and the 40 miles an hour wind tried to blow her off the ship, she said.  She did a mile in spite of the opposition.

We had supper in the Silk and asked for our new friend Gisele.  It was a pleasant supper, and she entertained us with stories about vacationing with her boyfriend on another Royal Caribbean ship.  They charge the workers $10 a day to sail on another RC vessel, which makes for a very great vacation (if they ask soon enough, and there is space available they get to stay in a regular guest cabin).

Then we went to the Two70 for a Virtual Symphony.  Through impressive technology the American Philharmonic Orchestra was filmed and shown on the back window of the ship.  The picture was very good and the sound was great – and the music was pieces we knew or had at least heard of: compositions by Aaron Copeland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and John Williams.  It was strange applauding a movie screen, but most folks seemed to get into it.

I am tired.  I worked hard today, so this is short, and I am off to bed.

TTFN

November 20, 2015

The highlight of our day was riding the Bumper Cars again.  I missed her this time.  There was a film crew on hand filming a commercial for Royal Caribbean.  We were in our cars at 12:30.  They weren’t going to start filming until 1:30, and by the time our ride was finished the end of the line was some where near 3:00, and thus we missed our chance at stardom.

I forgot to tell you last night, Bonnie ordered a garden salad.  We’d each had them before and maybe more than once, but last night was the last night garden salad was on the menu.  A supply of fresh fruits and vegetables was to have come on at Martinique and 2 of the 10 trailer loads never made it.  Evidently the lettuce was on one of those trailers.  Her salad was wilty spinach and lots of Parmesan cheese.  Looked bad, tasted no better and she pushed it aside.  Tonight someone sitting beside us ordered garden salad (it’s still printed, you just can’t have it) and Shenelle, our waitress, told the lady it wasn’t available anymore.  The Captain explained, in his Captain’s Talk this afternoon, that the storage rooms on the ship are built for 7 day cruises, necessitating taking on supplies somewhere in a 12 day cruise.  Ooops!

Bonnie wants you to know that she walked a mile.  I did not.

We sat in the show tonight (“The Gift” – a special production written just for Royal Caribbean about a man who loses his wife and his way in life and finds it again in time to save his children from a similar fate – good show) beside of a couple from Georgia.  From Atlanta, Georgia.  From Canton, Georgia.  Where Bonnie’s best friend, Karen Utsch, lives.  And the couple’s nephew married Robert Symms’  daughter (Robert was a friend of ours – and of many, many people).  Now that’s one for the small world department.

The ship sets its clocks back one hour tonight as we head back to Bayonne, so we can play one hour longer before turning in, or just turn in and get an extra hour of sleep.  Guess which one we chose!

Last day at sea tomorrow with yours truly doing two talks.

TTFN

November 23, 2015

I will post pictures tomorrow.

BLOG THE SECOND

November 14, 2015


Well, where were we?  Oh yes.  Roberto Clemente’s home town.  And I wore my Clemente shirt ashore and received several kind remarks in remembrance of “The Great One.”  Our Puerto Rican excursion lasted long enough to walk to CVS and pick up a few things, then two blocks to a little place we found last time that sells Snickers Ice Cream Bars, and then back to the ship.  We might have been out 40 minutes.

The night before we stood in line for standing in line tickets to the worst show we’ve ever seen.  Did I tell you that?  Raise your hand if I did. 

Last night we went to a show called “We Will Rock You.”  Did Queen do that song?  My rockology is lacking, but I think they did.  I know they did “Flash! Ah ah! Savior of the Universe!”  The show was set on iPlanet.  Everything was controlled by Globalsoft.  And rock and roll was history.  Gone.  Vanished.  Fineto.  A small group of malcontents called the Bohemians longed for the days of live music and were in search of “The Axe” and several other memorabilia.  A decent show was made a super show by the incredible voices of the female and male leads.  Just incredible!  Did I say, “Incredible”?

Tonight at supper in the Silk we sat beside a couple who had reservations for “Spectra” (see paragraph two above).  They asked us how we liked it, after they told us they walked out of “We Will Rock You.”  I said, “Well, if every other show we see on board for the rest of this cruise is low down lousy and stinking, they will still rank higher than ‘Spectra.’” We discussed the merits or lack thereof of the two shows and they went off to catch “Spectra.”  I hope we see them again to learn what they thought.  They left with low expectations to be sure, so anything will be an improvement.

For the first time while cruising I was served something I did not like and did not eat.  It was an Oriental something – supposed to be schezhuan, but it was sadly lacking.  I ate two bites and pushed it aside.  Bonnie liked both of her appetizers, but not her main course.  I was one out of two on the appetizers and did like the main course.  We both like dessert.  I had a Ginger Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream, and Bonnie got her favorite trio – vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.  Still not a serving of Creme Brulee in sight!

Tonight’s show was entertainer Finis Henderson – a musical impressionist.  He did Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., Johnny Cash, Johnny Matthais, Stevie Wonder, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, Elvis, the Beatles (all four of them) and the Bee Gees.  Bonnie says he did Nat King Cole, but I think it was someone else I can’t remember.  Regardless, it was a great show.

Back to the Silk.  One of our waiters tonight was Gisel, a sweet young lady from Brazil.  She waited on us at breakfast a couple days ago.  That morning I asked her how many contracts she had done and she said this was her second.  Her first was sailing on a Disney ship.  She told us about coming off work one night and walking down the main corridor which they the I-95 Corridor, and coming towards her was Mickey Mouse.  She was startled to see him there and he reacted by coming over to her and giving her a hug.  She was still glowing when she told her roommate and got teased for it.  She told us that it was so special because he stopped and hugged her and she was “just a crewman.”  Bonnie and I commented later that Mickey was just a crewman, too, but he made her night!  Gisel asked us to ask to be seated at her table when we come back to Silk.

Today we booked the North Star for one afternoon next week.  That’s the big arm that swings around in a circle and takes you out over the ocean.  Bonnie said she’d do it, so listen for the sounds of discomfort.

And I booked a session on the iFlight (I think that’s the name) – the Anthem’s on board, enclosed sky diving booth.  I will have my personal photographer record the event for you.

Tomorrow we meet Sarah ashore in Barbados and do a tour with her.  Then it is three more islands in a row: Martinique, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.  I hope to find wireless some place or else this will be posted in about a week.

TTFN!

November 15, 2015

Our friend Sarah was in the office today trying to get ready for the tourist season, so her head guide, Quamby, met us.  We have gone out with Quamby before, and set out to first see the Jewish Synagogue and Museum.  The Synagogue on Barbados is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere.  You know that the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday, so you would expect the Synagogue to be open on Sunday.  We did, too.  It was not.

We drove to Oistens, the fishing village that each Friday hosts a fish fry, and each Monday after Easter hosts a fish boning contest.  We saw the brother of the man who won this year’s event, but the winner was not at the market.  I guess that’s the prize for winning – Sunday off.  Quamby took us to Surfer’s Point, a beautiful spot with great blue water and crashing waves and four fishermen plus a group of wind surfers, more like kite flyers – my photographs would have been good if my lens had been clean.  Rule number one – be sure your lens is clean.  Argghhh!

Bonnie collected some beautiful sea shells.  When we got back to our stateroom, she discovered one of them had a creature in it.  The creature would not relinquish his home, so we flushed him down the toilet (why is it never flushed up the toilet?).  In so disposing of the indigenous life form, I am sure we violated some law.  Please keep it a secret.

We went to Sudberry Plantation and then to Gun Hill Point.  The plantation we’ve seen before, but Gun Hill Point was a new stop.  In the days before electronic communication, 5 signal towers were built on the 5 highest places on Barbados so warning signals and other news could be transmitted around the island.

The Lord willing we will be back on Barbados on December 15th.  We talked to Sarah on the phone and she is planning a trip for us.  One stop will be North Point – one of the most beautiful spots on the island.  Depending on the tides, we may go into Sea Flower Cave.  We will definitely have lunch there.

Back on board we had pizza for lunch, then took the required afternoon naps.  We watched the sail away from Deck 14 and then went to Devinly Decadence for supper.  This was my first and last time there.  Bonnie said she could go again.  I ordered crab cakes and filet mignon.  The crab cakes were fair and my medium steak came out Amy’d – sanctified, burnt, over well done.  The manager came by with that smile all restaurant managers display and asked if we were enjoying our supper.  I said, “No!” (Michael and Matthew do you remember, “It’s cold.  It’s cold!”?).  He apologized profusely and brought me another steak.  It was good.  But the damage was done. 

The show tonight was an in house production featuring the ship’s singers and orchestra.  Because we got out of dinner early we made the first show, and now will turn in for an early evening before getting ready to explore Martinique tomorrow.

TTFN

November 16, 2015

The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray.  We take that as an axiom.  But two days in a row?

We set off to see St. Louis Cathedral, but walked right past it – it was cleverly disguised, wrapped in construction netting.  By the time we found the cathedral, it was 11:45.  It closed at 11:30.

We walked on to the Musee d’Archeologie Precolombienne and found it with no trouble.  But the Museum of Pre-Columbian Archeology doesn’t open on Monday until 1 p.m.  It was 11:30.

We walked over to see Fort de France.  We saw the outside of it, but the inside is closed until December 15 for renovations. 

Maybe one of our next trips will bring us back and we can see what we missed.

The flag at the Fort is flying at half mast in honor of those killed in Paris in the recent terrorist attacks.  There is also a French warship in the harbor.  Mr. President, if that was the work of the Junior Varsity, you had better hope you never face their First Team!

So we walked back to McDonald’s and had Snickers McFlurrys.  Dairy Queen, you have no competition.  Your Blizzard exceeds the McFlurry by leaps and bounds.  But we have Euros left from our trip to Rome, so we spent some with Ronald and picked up a few souvenirs, paying in the local currency.

While walking around on Martinique today I worked on my farmer’s tan.  My neck and shoulders, where they stuck out of my t-shirt are bright red.  There is a spot of red on my arms as well.  I’d tell you that tomorrow I’ll grease up with SPF 3,795, but we didn’t bring any.

Tonight at supper in the American Icon we sat beside a couple of Diamond Members – meaning they have sailed almost as much as Christopher Columbus.  But they were jovial and made for a pleasant evening.  He is a travel agent, and he is not thrilled with the Anthem of the Seas.  I encouraged him by asking, “Really?  What don’t you like?”  He allowed as how he had a list of 50 items, but would only bore me with the first 10.  His long-suffering wife just shook her head.

The list?  Ah, let’s see.  I will only bore you with his first three.  He doesn’t like the food.  They are Diamond Members after all and entitled to a free glass of wine each evening, but each evening he has to pay for it and then go to guest services to get a credit for his free glass of wine.  Second, other than the comedian, he hasn’t liked a single show.  We shared his opinion of “Spectra” (as noted earlier).  Third, he doesn’t like his room.  His wife uses a wheel chair and the bed is by the balcony, not by the bathroom.

We passed them on our way into tonight’s show – Aerialists Donovan and Rebecca – as they were leaving the first performance.  He pronounced it good.  I agreed with him.  Bonnie did not.  Check them out on YouTube.  Incredible acrobats!

For supper tonight, Bonnie finally had spaghetti.  She said it tasted like Ragu, but it was spaghetti.  I had baked scallops with asparagus, and I enjoyed it very much.  It did not taste like Ragu.

This afternoon we rode the North Star, a boom with a glass enclosed passenger cab attached.  It takes you 300 feet off the surface of the ocean (150 feet off the pool deck) and then rotates you 75 degrees to port and then 75 degrees to starboard and then back to the center.  Fantastic views.  We are going to try to get reservations to do it again at another stop, or even at a day at sea.

And we stood in the que for bumper cars.  My traveling companion pronounced it great fun and wants to do it again.  We stood in line for about 20 minutes to ride for 4 minutes, but it was great fun.  I rammed her twice, and missed once.  She bumped me once, and prided herself that I was her only hit, remaining unmaimed for the duration of the ride.

We also qued up to get two free charms of the ship.  We were subjected to a sales pitch by the sales staff at the port shopping office to get the free charms, but we got them without agreeing to buy anything.  When you’ve worked at Taber’s: Your jeweler with the 100 day money back guarantee, you can fend off any salesman’s stiff arm (some of you will remember the car salesman who jumped in front of Mahettabelle and wouldn’t move – it was not even a contest – Mahettabelle won).

Tomorrow we take a Scenic Train Ride in St. Kitts.  Hopefully I can find WiFi in the morning (our tour is at 12:30) and post this.

TTFN

BLOG THE FIRST

Stateroom 10207 with virtual balacony

Looking towards the door

November 10, 2015

It rained all day, but that was the worst of the day.  No delays on the road.  Waited maybe 10 minutes for the shuttle from the parking lot to the port and we were on board by 11:30 and in our stateroom by 12:30, with our luggage waiting outside our door.

This is the maiden voyage of the Anthem of the Seas from its American port.  The ship launched in April and sailed in Europe until coming here last week.  They did 3 two day cruises with travel agents on board, and we are the first “real” passengers.

Our state room is, of course, and inside passenger cabin, but there is a new feature on this class of ship – virtual balconies.  It is a Sharp TV monitor that goes from floor to ceiling and about 4 feet wide.  A TV camera shows what is going on on that side of the ship, and it even picks up the roll of the ship.  We just watched the sunset from the comfort of our stateroom.

I met the assistant cruise director to get my schedule, and it is a crazy one.  We have two days at sea and reach San Juan on Friday afternoon.  I have a talk tomorrow and none on the next sea day with one before we dock Friday.  Then my talks start back up the day we sail for home – with three sea days and four talks.  Not sure why they skipped tomorrow, but it is their ship, and they can do what they want, I reckon.

We had dinner in the Silk Restaurant – an oriental eatery.  One of us enjoyed the food.  One of us said it wasn’t very tasty.  I will give you more about our dining experience tomorrow after we reserve our seatings.

There do not seem to be as many places to just sit and relax as we’ve had on other ships, but we’ve found one that may be our hangout.  The only problem is, it’s Scandinavian furniture, and those folks must be short.  The cushions are only 18 inches off the floor.  We plop into them and then struggle out.  Maybe there are some places we haven’t discovered.

The opening show was “Beatle Maniacs” – a Beatles tribute band that was excellent.  Bonnie and I agreed that it was the best opening show we’ve seen.  Here’s hoping for more of the same.

And now to bed (every one repeat the rhyme, please).

November 11, 2015

We had breakfast in the American Icon restaurant.  We were at a table for two in a section of four tables for two.  The folks beside of us are a retired Mennonite pastor and his wife.  We swapped war stories.  It was an enjoyable breakfast.  Although ... the service was very spotted (and it was the same last night at supper).  Someone brought me coffee and served us rolls, but no one gave us menus.  Then someone took our order, but no one asked if wanted breakfast juices.  We got our food in widely scattered spurts, but it all came – eventually – and it was tasty.

Next we made reservations for supper for the rest of the cruise.  There are four main complimentary restaurants, each with a different theme.  Last night, as I said last night, was Silk.  Tonight we are going to American Icon.  Thursday will be Chic, and Friday is The Grande.  There is another one called “Devinly Decadance” that was featured on America’s Greatest Loser.  We are doing that one only once.  I will report nightly on the cuisine.

This ship does not have traditional dining arrangements.  You must reserve your seating for every evening meal.  There is a computerized program that helps you do it from any where on board, including your stateroom, but someone had entered times and restaurants for us – all late times – and the system wouldn’t let us change.  A young hostess named Joann worked it out for us and we will rotate through the restaurants at 6 p.m. each evening.  There is no formal night on the Anthem, but the dress code for the Grande is formal, so we will wear our best big and tucker on those nights.

Then we made arrangements for the three special shows that they have, working around our dining arrangements.  These are evidently quite spectacular and booked into smaller venues, hence the need for reservations.  Our first one is Friday at 9 p.m. and it is called “We Will Rock You.”  I’ll let you know.

We had lunch at the Café Two70.  They serve a variety of sandwiches, soups and salads, and you may sit in a large deck area that encompasses the entire stern of the ship, and is 3 decks high.  The rear walls are glass – giving a beautiful view of the sea and where you’ve been.  I will have three of my talks there – don’t know how that will work, but I guess they do.

We explored Decks 4 and 5, checking out the various shops and restaurants along the way.  The shops seem very high end, and the restaurants run from complimentary to a la carte.  We haven’t yet found the bumper cars or the sky diving venues, but since I don’t have a talk tomorrow we will check those out as well.

One disappointment.  We tried to reserve an excursion on the St. Kitts Railroad, but both times are booked up.  We got on a waiting list – 3 couples ahead of us – but we are not hopeful.  It is perhaps the most popular excursion on this cruise.  At $100 a person, it better be good (and I researched it for my St. Kitts talk, so we’ll get a little flavor even if we don’t get on the train).  Toot!  Toot!

My first talk today was in the Royal Theater and was attended by about 150 folks.   And glory be!  The ship’s projector talks to my new laptop!  I added a new video to the San Juan talk that I think went very well, and Bonnie and I agree that another video needs shortened.  I think I am going to redo that section altogether – it is about El Yunque National Park – the only rain forest in the U.S. National Forestry Department (I’d like to see it. We won’t make it on this cruise, but maybe we in January).

November 12, 2015

So ...

Do you wanna build a snow man?

At 10 a.m. this morning your favorite cruisers went to see “Frozen” in 3D in the Royal Theater.  Very enjoyable.  The Mickey Mouse cartoon which began the program had my cruising partner in stitches, laughing out loud, and stamping her feet.  She did all of that, and the cartoon was very good, but she had taken 4 oxycodone pills by the time we had reached the theater (her back had gone out, and needed a strong does of drugs – she is much improved this evening, and back to being sober as well).

We took our lunch from Café Two70 and went into the Two70 lounge to enjoy potato and leek soup and a variety of sandwiches, followed by a brownie for her and a strawberry scone for me.  Very good indeed.

Bonnie went to a jewelry making class and completed a bracelet and a necklace.  They are very nice.  A young man from England, Daniel, led the class, and we talked to him later and he told us about upcoming classes which she will take.

Dinner was at the Chic, and the usual confusion ensued – these people really need to work on service in their four complimentary restaurants!  We were on the que on time for our 6 p.m. seating, and were directed to follow Jose to table 225.  We followed him to table 226, because someone was already seated at 225.  The meal was good – prime rib for her, onion crusted chicken breast for me – but service was once again spotty.  Nevertheless we got everything we ordered and enjoyed a companionable evening with the folks at 225 and 227 – only our second opportunity to fellowship at a meal (and that is one of the really fun parts about cruising).

Then we stood on line to see if stand by seats were available for “Spectra Cabaret,” one of three shows for which you must make reservations.  Our reservation for Spectra was tomorrow night at 6:30, and our dinner reservations are at 6, so we weren’t going to make one, and we decided we’d rather eat.  About an hour before show time we went to the theater to see if there were seats available and after standing in line for 45 minutes we learned (sadly, it turns out) there were seats available.  Sadly, because we were very disappointed in the show – we later said, the reason you have to make reservations is so you’ll think it is good, otherwise folks won’t come.  We set in the privileged section because there weren’t enough of the “which of which there is no whicher” in attendance.  The show was loud and disjointed and I napped through much of it.  No matter what the remaining shows produce, they will rank higher in our estimation than “Spectra Cabaret.”

When we got back to our stateroom we learned that we had gone to the front of another stand by line – this one to get shore excursion tickets to ride the St. Kitts Railroad.  When we tried first, we were told it was sold out, but we asked to be put on standby.  Imagine my surprise when I picked up the tickets and learned that we had received two tickets for the 8:30 excursion and two tickets for the 12:30 excursion!  So I toodled off to Customer Service where someone who had worked at Chick Fil A told us it would his pleasure to make the correction.  I forget what day is St. Kitts, but this is our only booked excursion for this cruise – and from all we’ve learned, it will be a good afternoon.

And now to bed.  Hopefully I’ll get this posted tomorrow.  What I have written, I have written.

TTFN!

UNTIL NOVEMBER

Disembarking from the Liberty of the Seas was as smooth as we've ever experienced. And the ride back to Edgewater and Augusta was uneventful.  We are off to the Caribbean in November.  Until then, take a look at some pictures.  And as Amy says, "Happy sails!"

It's called "Bug Light" because it's cute as a bug. So is she!

One of more than 300 along the Maine coast.

Monument to the Liberty Ships which took troops to Europe in WW2.

Portland, ME coastline.

It was National Lighthouse Day -- the one day a year when visitors are allowed inside.

No selfie here. Or usie.

At 2nd Avenue.

In Halifax Public Gardens.

Taken in a misty rain, but still beautiful.

Guard at the Citadel in Halifax, commemorating the day Canada's first troops went to Europe in WW1.

Every trip must have one cannon!

Bonnie serenaded by Elvis Parsley

Thank you! Thank you very much!

ROBERT B. PARKER IS DEAD AND I DON’T FEEL TOO GOOD MYSELF

September 17, 2015


Boston, the home of the bean and the cod.  Where the Lowells speak only to the Cabots, and the Cabots speak only to God.  A poem by Ogden Nash.

Because we were coming back into the United States from a foreign nation – legal immigrants all – we had to go through immigration.  Everyone one on board had to have their passport examined by a U. S. Immigration Officer.  We didn’t go to the opening night show, so I don’t know how many of us are on ship, but approximately 3,500 had to gather for the ritual.  The first call was at 7:10, and we went through about 9.  Then we headed off ship.

We booked a $20 shuttle to ride a $33 trolley bus, and had great fun.  We rode past revolutionary war sites, into Cambridge, saw the buildings of MIT and Harvard, the Green Monster of Fenway Park, and spent an enjoyable couple hours.  We passed several Duck Boats and I was the only one to salute them.  Quack.  Quack.  Quack.

Then we went back to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market and had Italian sausages with onions and peppers for lunch, and waffle cones for desert – orange sherbert dipped in chocolate for Bonnie and Blackberry Crunch and Peanut Butter Swirl for me.

We walked back to Clinton Square to catch a shuttle where we joined a couple hundred of our fellow passengers qued up and waiting.  The lady on duty said she had ordered 3 extra buses and within 10 minutes we were on our way back to the Liberty of the Seas and nap time.

The only distressing part of the day was speaking to two Boston residents – one a 20 something who sold us the trolley tickets and the other a 50 something who was our bus driver and tour guide.  Neither of these men knew who Robert B. Parker was.  For those of you who just said, “Who is that?” I’ll tell you.  Robert B. Parker was a life long resident of Boston and the author of the Spenser detective series, along with two other detective series, and one cowboy series.  Spenser, Parker’s fictional hero with no known first name, had his office on Boylston Street, and when I asked the ticket taker if we would see it, he allowed as how he had no ideal who Spenser was, and the driver gave the same reply.  Sadness!  I know it’s fiction, but Parker was one of Boston’s favorite sons for pity sake.

Oh, and I did see a t-shirt display I wanted to hop out of the trolley, push over and hop back on.  It had shirts with Tom Bradey’s picture prominently displayed and the words “Free at Last.”  Looked like an Obozo campaign poster.  But what do you expect in Beantown?  And the Cheatriots were up to their old tricks in their win against the hapless Steelers – for the first quarter Steeler coaches couldn’t talk to their players from the sidelines to the field, and are you surprised, the Boston coaches had no trouble at all.  Did the league make the Boston coaches take off their headsets?  Sure, and I have a bridge to sell you!

We stopped in a bookstore called “Make Way For Ducklings” and bought a couple souvenirs.  Some how I got to talking about trivia with Diedre, the proprietress, a real trivia fan.  She allowed as how she likes to cruise and goes to all the trivias, and met her husband on land at a trivia contest.  I asked if she watches Jeopardy! and she does.  I said, “Do you yell at Alex Trebek?”  “Yes,” she said, “it’s the answer and question show!  Not the clue and question show!”  So watch out Trebek!  We are everywhere!

Diedre said she had a friend who was on Jeopardy! and I told her I have a daughter who was on Wheel of Fortune.  He got third place.

And now when Bonnie wakes up from her nap, I will post this, and fill in tonight and the last day at sea when we reach Kyle’s, as well as add photos then.

TTFN!

TO HALIFAX AND BEYOND

September 16, 2015


Dawn dawned in Halifax like it does everywhere.  The sun came up, and people went about their business.  Of course, yesterday morning it dawned overcast and misty (and when we were walking back on board several hours later, the sun came out – oh well).

After breakfast in the Rembrandt dining room, we went ashore and walked to the Halifax Public Gardens, stopping along the way at a news stand so Bonnie could buy a local newspaper, and Canada’s national newspaper.  How refreshing!  Neither Obozo or the Donald were in either paper!  The nice ladies in the shop let me use their wi-fi so I could check email and Pirates scores.  Then we toodled off to the Gardens.

It took us about an hour total to walk there – and it was up hill all the way.  But there was no snow, and no baby sister to carry.  Speaking of snow, they got 180 inches of the white stuff last year, and the ground was green through Christmas – once it started in January it got down to serious business.  Snow was shoveled and plowed off the streets, loaded onto trucks and dumped in the harbor where the last of it melted in July.

The Halifax Public Gardens are an old fashioned Victorian-style field of green and color which opened in 1875.  Paths are laid out, and flowers are arranged in great vistas.  Bonnie posed in front of the statue of Aphrodite – I don’t remember why she was there (Aphrodite, not Bonnie).  We saw less than a quarter of it because the rain came up again, and we headed towards the Citadel.

Walking down Sackville Street we passed fast food row.  McDonald’s advertised “McLobster is back.”  It looked good – a roll with chunks of lobster, but we kept on walking to the historic fort which has protected the city since 1749.  The last time we were here the guards who were on duty were dressed in Scottish uniforms complete with kilts.  This time they were in World War I uniforms in commemoration of the day the first Canadian troops left Halifax to go to Europe to fight in the “War to End All Wars” (whoever named it sure got it wrong!).

The Citadel has seen four versions, but although troops were housed there and naval squadrons stationed in the harbor, there was never a shot fired in anger from the fort or towards it.  May all forts everywhere be able to say that!

One of the major exhibits is a large scale reproduction of the memorial to Canadian soldiers in Vimy, France.  Many Canadians died in the area, and their bodies were later relocated with honor and the French gave the property to Canada, so it is now Canadian sacred soil.  Very powerful indeed.  I took no photographs, it was too moving an exhibit to take snapshots – google it; it is worth the view.

Not all of the guards were in WWI garb.  A few were in kilts and a particularly handsome young man with a very fetching uniform walked by and Bonnie uttered, none too quietly, “He’s cute!”  He turned around and smiled at her and said, “Thank you!”  One of his buddies heard her and stopped to tell us that for the rest of his life, the unsuspecting soldier will be called “Cutie.”

After toodling around for a while, my leg was saying, “No mas!” and we hired a taxi cab to take us back to the ship (stopping in a shopping arcade first for Bonnie to buy some souvenirs).

At supper that night, Linda, one of our table mates, told us about getting up early in the morning to get a shower before her excursion ashore.  After she showered, put on her make up and dressed, she looked at the clock and it was 3:30.  She thought it was 6:30.  So she got undressed and went back to bed.  We appreciated the story which she shared at her own expense.

I did my talk this morning on “Revolutionary Boston” at 9 a.m.  There were about 100 heart souls in attendance.  My last two talks will be at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Friday, after we have sailed from Boston.

Because we are coming back into the United States from Canada we have to go through U.S. immigration.  Officers will come on board and we will be herded into the Michelangelo dining room where our papers will be checked before we go ashore.  Foreigners will go to the Botticelli dining room.  We’ll report on that tomorrow.

TTFN!

BAH HABAH

September 13, 2015


A cool, misty day in Bar Harbor.  We tendered off at 10 o’clock and wandered around town.  We went into a very museum that concentrated on First People culture (Christopher Columbus called them Indians).  I bought a couple of books with creation stories from several of the tribes to use in future talks.  The highlight of the day was stopping at C.J.s ice cream – absolutely fantastic – in fact, that was lunch.  We picked up a couple of souveniers and came back on board.  I napped.  She Who Must Be Obeyed sat on Deck 4 and crocheted.  Now it’s blog posting time.  We’ll try for an exciting blog tomorrow.

TTFN!

A DAY WITH FRIENDS

September 12, 2015


We got up this morning and had breakfast in the Windjammer before going off on our “Tour of Maine Lighthouses.”  Then it was off to the Platinum Theater to await the call of our group.  We got on bus # 5 (after some confusion – theirs, not ours) and headed out to see 3 local lighthouses.

Ed, who led our tour gave an excellent history talk throughout and did a credible job of communication, after we asked him to turn his microphone up.  Tim, the driver, was never able to get the airconditioner working, but since it was only 67 degrees outside, it wasn’t too bad.

After stopping at our second lighthouse (where we had only 20 minutes – same time limit as the first one) Bonnie said, “You are going to have dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour, arent’ you?”  If you seen Jurasic Park, you know the reference.  We thought that we would get to go inside and climb up the lighthouses to look around, but we couldn’t even walk out to the second one, even though lots of other tourists were doing so.  Must keep to the schedule you know (sounds better pronounced as shed-ule, rather than sked-ule).

At the third light house, low and behold, the door is open and a uniformed guard said, “You need a ticket to go up.  We are calling groups every 15 minutes.”

So I went to get a ticket.  It was 11 a.m., and I was told that the next tickets were for 1:15.  And we were shed-uled to leave for the ship at 11:25.  We were not pleased.  It turns out that today is Maine Lighthouse Day or something – the second Saturday of September, all of the lighthouses are open and folk are invited to visit them.  But not if you were on Tour PW03LB from the Liberty of the Seas.

But the scenery was beautiful and in spite of not seeing any dinosarus, we had a good time.

Back at the ship, we waited for Danielle and Jess, two great ladies we met last October on our re-routed Bermuda Tour.  Faithful readers will remember we came to Canada when a hurricane closed Bermuda.  We ate at Danielle and Jess’s table, and have kept in touch since then.  They drove an hour and half from near Boston to visit us, and we treated them to lunch.  Great time!

In a few minutes, it’s off to supper.  Then we will get tender tickets to go ashore in Bah Habah tomorrow.  And then it’s movie under the stars tonight instead of the show in the Theater.  We’ve seen the commedian and we haven’t seen “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Addendum: It was too frazzling cold.  Maybe they’ll show Avengers on our Caribbean run in November.

I’ll try to make a post after supper, and add a few pictures.

See you tomorrow from Bar Harbor.

TTFN!