Red Bay, Labrador, August 7, 2017
As we approached Red Bay we spotted some icebergs making their way through the Labrador straights. These bergs break off glaciers in Greenland and then float south until the warmer water and air melt them. The straight is known as Iceberg Alley. You might have seen pictures earlier this summer of some monster bergs floating down past Nova Scotia. The captain told us that chunks break off of these bergs as they travel with the Labrador Current, so ships give them a respectful, wide berth. (Titanic, anyone?)
Now we're getting up and away from the big cities. Labrador: the size of France but a population of just 28,000 people. Population of Red Bay? 150. The ship anchored a ways off shore (we later learned that the captain was wary of predicted afternoon winds and decided that a longer tender ride was much preferable to a ship drifting onto the rocks.) and we tendered in. It had been foggy on and off en route to Red Bay. When we left the tenders it was raining a bit. I was in long pants with a vest and rain coat. Jim was wearing a jacket but it being August was, of course, still wearing shorts.
This time we decided to take the Lighthouse Journey--a drive along the coast, through little seaside villages, past the Pinware River (a popular spot for salmon and river trout fishing) to Point Amour, sight of the Point Amour lighthouse, the tallest in Atlantic Canada. Once again we were in a school bus, driven by Colleen who drives the children to and from school in said bus. Also along was John, part-time guide, semi-retired chef at a hotel on the coast. As he described himself, an Essex boy from England who's lived in Labrador for 30+ years and was happy to share stories about living in such a remote place, Most incredible? There is virtually no crime. He said he never locks his front door and when he parked his car at the pier that morning he left the keys in it in case someone needed to move it. A native, Colleen knew every pothole on the roads (all two lane) and did a masterful job dodging the deep ones. We did ride a bit on a section of newly resurfaced road and passed the lads and equipment that were supposed to be working on some more roads. It's an hour and a half from Red Bay to the ferry terminal for the three hour ride to Corner Brook and the nearest traffic light!
Alas, the weather did not cooperate very much vis a vis the scenic coastal drive. We were in and out of fog, mostly in, the entire way. However, the lighthouse was quite impressive. It's automated now, but the exterior of the lighthouse and surrounding buildings (where the lighthouse keeper and family lived plus signal operators who received and sent telegraph messages overseas) have been restored to the 1850s look. One could climb up 128 steps to the top for a panoramic view but this one opted to stay behind and look through the buildings and little gift shop and enjoy a slice of Partridge Berry (Lingonberry) Bread baked by the host's wife. It was a bit rainy but it was a beautiful site. The wild flowers were in full bloom and a good sized iceberg had grounded itself right in front of the compound. Small chunks had broken off and come ashore. I asked the host with the bread if they ever took the ice to use and he said, "Oh, yes. It's very pure, thousands of years old and the tourists get a big kick out of cocktails poured over ancient ice." One of the guides there told us that when they had first arrived that morning to open everything up an active pod of humpback whales was also right out front putting on quite a show of breaching and fin slapping. One of our group claimed to have seen a whale while we were there but I can't confirm. The water was pretty choppy with white caps at that point making it very hard to spot them.
It was a good hour each way, but we enjoyed the experience. We wished we had had a bit longer to visit the whaling museum at the harbor and have fish and chips at the neighboring cafe but the last tender was at 2:30. Do not want to miss that! Riding back to the ship we bumped along, splashing through the seas but nothing too bad. The tenders land on the leeward side of the ship, which protects from the wind but not so much the up and down motion of the sea. Still when we arrived back the ship's engines were working to hold her in place.
We did learn later that the captain had stopped the tender service TO shore earlier when the winds had started to kick up. He wanted to get everyone who was already ashore back aboard rather than send more to shore and then have to get them all back, too. He constantly must make these game-time decisions for safety's sake. Needless to say, this is a boat load of intrepid travelers who take these changes in stride. It gives everyone a chance to tell about the ports they came close to visiting but not quite.
As is our custom we go to the Crow's Nest up top (on deck 9) and forward for a cocktail and then down to Deck 4 and the dining room for dinner at 8. Usually there would be a lot of people up in the Crow's Nest doing likewise and a lot of people eating 8-ish, but the staff outnumbers the customers at the bar at 7 and nearly the same in the dining room at 8. We asked our waiter what was up and he explained that on shorter cruises there is a balance between young and old passengers. The older ones like to eat earlier (at 5:30!) and the younger ones later. However, on the long trips, there are a lot more seniors than juniors if you will and they all want to eat early and then go to the early show (8 pm) in the showroom. This means the kitchen and dining room staffs are running in circles for the early birds. It also means that the showroom can't handle the demand for the early show soooooo they are going to shift the show times from 8 and 10 to 6 and 8. Old people don't like change so this should make for an interesting experiment! It also means that I will have to cut short my afternoon nap and be dressed and ready to roll at 6 instead of 7. (Refer back to Old people don't like change.) Jim, of course, is always ready an hour early so this means nothing to him.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Corner Brook, Newfoundland, August 6, 2017
Corner Brook, Newfoundland, August 6, 2017
First things first: Newfoundland/Labrador (considered one province) set their clocks ahead 30 minutes from Eastern Time. I have made a note to Google why. One Canadian said that as announcements for US TV shows are "8 Eastern, 7 Central," in Canada they say, "8 Eastern, 8:30 Newfoundland." He thought it was a PR stunt to distinguish N/L from the rest of the country. Dunno.
It's another lovely day; still warm enough for short pants and short sleeves. And our last docking port until Iceland. There wasn't the big, fancy terminal as in Sydney, but there were plenty of locals there to greet us with baskets of candy, luggage tags and the school buses commandeered to use as shuttles into town.
Corner Brook with a population of 22,000 is Newfoundland's second largest city and gateway to hiking and skiing just outside of town.
As we made the short drive to the main square in the spotless school bus a very nice lady (OMG, Canadians really are so nice) gave us a quick overview of what was in and around the city. A local band set up in the square to provide entertainment while we bought various items from crafters. There is a lot of knitting done hereabouts!
Jim and I visited the local historical museum which looked like everyone in town had emptied their attics and brought over stuff. Our favorite thing was a wheel of cheese cutter made by IBM! Yes, that IBM. Who knew? The best display was a wall featuring photos and anecdotes of the various war brides who'd married Canadians stationed in the UK during WWII and then came to their new home in Corner Brook. A Corner Brook that looked much like a Gold Rush town--dirt (mud) streets, wooden sidewalks, no indoor plumbing and snow. Most of the women commented about the shock of the winter cold and the snow, so different from England. And so many stories that read, "I met him at a dance, the movies, a pub while he was on leave and then we got married." I'm guessing a combination of a shortage of eligible men in Britain and lonely, scared Canadians passing through. Some of the women said that they returned to England but most stayed in Corner Brook, welcomed by the locals. And, once again, there are those nice Canadians.
Some of the passengers went off on various adventures, most of which involved hiking, while a others chose to walk the short distance to the local mall to stock up on bug spray, whatever they forgot and snacks (and if ever there was a case of coals to Newcastle it is buying chips at the grocery store to bring back to the ship cuz somewhere in that kitchen is a pantry of snacks that magically appear. You have but to ask.) Jim and I walked up to the Newfoundland Emporium in search of "locally made items" only to find more stuff from more attics. However, when we left the store we spotted a lady walking a Newfoundland. She was delighted to introduce us to Shawna who was a good sport about head patting and posing for pictures and drooling. Gotta meet a Newfie in Newfoundland!
We sat with yet another Australian couple who were also going to be away from home for just ever. From Boston they were going to sail up the St. Lawrence Seaway, then fly to Vancouver and then another boat to Sydney. We're starting to feel like real weaklings being gone JUST 40 days.
Great show: Not Really 3 Tenors. Two tenors and a baritone from Texas who could really sing but also interacted, quite funnily, with the audience. I'd been expecting the usual Three Tenors knock off but, surprise!
First things first: Newfoundland/Labrador (considered one province) set their clocks ahead 30 minutes from Eastern Time. I have made a note to Google why. One Canadian said that as announcements for US TV shows are "8 Eastern, 7 Central," in Canada they say, "8 Eastern, 8:30 Newfoundland." He thought it was a PR stunt to distinguish N/L from the rest of the country. Dunno.
It's another lovely day; still warm enough for short pants and short sleeves. And our last docking port until Iceland. There wasn't the big, fancy terminal as in Sydney, but there were plenty of locals there to greet us with baskets of candy, luggage tags and the school buses commandeered to use as shuttles into town.
Corner Brook with a population of 22,000 is Newfoundland's second largest city and gateway to hiking and skiing just outside of town.
As we made the short drive to the main square in the spotless school bus a very nice lady (OMG, Canadians really are so nice) gave us a quick overview of what was in and around the city. A local band set up in the square to provide entertainment while we bought various items from crafters. There is a lot of knitting done hereabouts!
Jim and I visited the local historical museum which looked like everyone in town had emptied their attics and brought over stuff. Our favorite thing was a wheel of cheese cutter made by IBM! Yes, that IBM. Who knew? The best display was a wall featuring photos and anecdotes of the various war brides who'd married Canadians stationed in the UK during WWII and then came to their new home in Corner Brook. A Corner Brook that looked much like a Gold Rush town--dirt (mud) streets, wooden sidewalks, no indoor plumbing and snow. Most of the women commented about the shock of the winter cold and the snow, so different from England. And so many stories that read, "I met him at a dance, the movies, a pub while he was on leave and then we got married." I'm guessing a combination of a shortage of eligible men in Britain and lonely, scared Canadians passing through. Some of the women said that they returned to England but most stayed in Corner Brook, welcomed by the locals. And, once again, there are those nice Canadians.
Some of the passengers went off on various adventures, most of which involved hiking, while a others chose to walk the short distance to the local mall to stock up on bug spray, whatever they forgot and snacks (and if ever there was a case of coals to Newcastle it is buying chips at the grocery store to bring back to the ship cuz somewhere in that kitchen is a pantry of snacks that magically appear. You have but to ask.) Jim and I walked up to the Newfoundland Emporium in search of "locally made items" only to find more stuff from more attics. However, when we left the store we spotted a lady walking a Newfoundland. She was delighted to introduce us to Shawna who was a good sport about head patting and posing for pictures and drooling. Gotta meet a Newfie in Newfoundland!
We sat with yet another Australian couple who were also going to be away from home for just ever. From Boston they were going to sail up the St. Lawrence Seaway, then fly to Vancouver and then another boat to Sydney. We're starting to feel like real weaklings being gone JUST 40 days.
Great show: Not Really 3 Tenors. Two tenors and a baritone from Texas who could really sing but also interacted, quite funnily, with the audience. I'd been expecting the usual Three Tenors knock off but, surprise!
Sydney, NS, August 5, 2017
Sydney, Nova Scotia, August 5, 2017
At each port preview presentation, Barbara, the aforementioned Location Guide, urges her flock to disembark and experience the smaller ports even though we might have heard, "There's nothing to do there." This cruise lasts 38 days. Why not take a couple of hours to see what IS there? This morning we shared our breakfast table with a delightful 80-year-old retired linguistics professor. His wife somehow became involved in a project to track down Canadian military who had died and were buried on foreign soil. All the information will go in a data bank that will fill in a lot of gaps in military and personal histories. They've traveled all over the world gathering information. We told him we didn't have any firm plans in Sydney other than to find a yarn shop I'd located online. He joked that although Sydney wasn't a tourist Mecca, we would find the warmest and most welcoming people anywhere.
The professor was so right. This little port has one of the best cruise terminals in the world. It's packed with shops, information, a local craft boutique, a cafe, auditorium AND free wifi! There is also this HUGE fiddle out front in honor of Cape Breton (Once again we're on an island and my knowledge of Canadian geography is embarrassingly non-existent) music. We also got to enjoy an unexpected bonus: three Tall Ships tied up just behind us for a week end open house with free tours. Loads of locals and tourists taking advantage of that. It's Canada's 150th birthday so there were special banners on all the lampposts. Great logo, too. If I could include pictures with this post you would now be able to see that logo. If, If, If.
We'd been warned that Sydney had fallen on hard times when the mines closed so expect empty storefronts. With much effort, tourism is providing an economic boost to the area. Jim and I walked the few blocks into the commercial district and quickly found The Bobbin Tree, the yarn shop I learned about online. Two ladies were out front weaving on small looms and inside the small shop had supplies for spinning, weaving, knitting and wool needlework and a most welcoming owner. I told her I wanted yarn Made in Canada and she quickly showed me a fun beaded lace knit scarf kit she'd packaged with Canadian fiber. Sold! We walked back to the ship on a wide boardwalk on the waterfront lined with more hydrangeas. Oh, and did I mention it was barely 70 degrees with a refreshing light breeze? Midday. On August 5th. We sat on a bench overlooking the water just enjoying it all.
Oh, and we found the pizza outpost on board. Hand tossed, thin crust pies made to order and then cooked in a real pizza oven. I had the Wall Street: white sauce, multiple cheeses, prosciutto and arugula (does that make it count as a health food?) Crispy and delicious.
Last night we joined two wonderfully entertaining Australian women (I'm sure there must be some pills in that country but they must not be allowed out in the world), Jude and Margaret. 60-ish BFFs who travel for three months at a time while Margaret's husband stays home to water the plants and feed the dog. They have been everywhere, thoroughly enjoying every minute. They flew to Boston to join this cruise and then will cruise through the canal to San Diego, from there they'll drive to Nashville and back and then I forget the last leg before they go back Down Under. But to show that not everyone should be on a 38 day cruise, I asked the couple sitting next to me on shore using the wifi if they were on the Oceania ship that was also in port. "No, We're on the Rotterdam and it's just horrible." Uh oh. I ask you, how can anything be "just horrible" when you have a towel animal (lobster in Maine) on your bed and a chocolate on your pillow every night? They were from Las Vegas (by way of New York it sounded) so maybe they were cold and cranky
We're leaving Sydney as I write this, 5 pm local time. Tonight we move the clocks 30 minutes to Newfoundland time. Should make for an interesting day. We'll be either 30 minutes early or 30 minutes late for everything. The pilot boat just pulled up right below our cabin to pick up the local pilot (always an interesting maneuver as the ship does not slow down a knot). I was sort of hoping to see the Vegas couple in a heap with their luggage on the deck of the pilot boat as it sped away. No such luck.
Jim just came in after a chat with the future cruise representative on board with a printout of the itinerary for the Grand Voyage around South America in 2019...January 19 to March 19..
At each port preview presentation, Barbara, the aforementioned Location Guide, urges her flock to disembark and experience the smaller ports even though we might have heard, "There's nothing to do there." This cruise lasts 38 days. Why not take a couple of hours to see what IS there? This morning we shared our breakfast table with a delightful 80-year-old retired linguistics professor. His wife somehow became involved in a project to track down Canadian military who had died and were buried on foreign soil. All the information will go in a data bank that will fill in a lot of gaps in military and personal histories. They've traveled all over the world gathering information. We told him we didn't have any firm plans in Sydney other than to find a yarn shop I'd located online. He joked that although Sydney wasn't a tourist Mecca, we would find the warmest and most welcoming people anywhere.
The professor was so right. This little port has one of the best cruise terminals in the world. It's packed with shops, information, a local craft boutique, a cafe, auditorium AND free wifi! There is also this HUGE fiddle out front in honor of Cape Breton (Once again we're on an island and my knowledge of Canadian geography is embarrassingly non-existent) music. We also got to enjoy an unexpected bonus: three Tall Ships tied up just behind us for a week end open house with free tours. Loads of locals and tourists taking advantage of that. It's Canada's 150th birthday so there were special banners on all the lampposts. Great logo, too. If I could include pictures with this post you would now be able to see that logo. If, If, If.
We'd been warned that Sydney had fallen on hard times when the mines closed so expect empty storefronts. With much effort, tourism is providing an economic boost to the area. Jim and I walked the few blocks into the commercial district and quickly found The Bobbin Tree, the yarn shop I learned about online. Two ladies were out front weaving on small looms and inside the small shop had supplies for spinning, weaving, knitting and wool needlework and a most welcoming owner. I told her I wanted yarn Made in Canada and she quickly showed me a fun beaded lace knit scarf kit she'd packaged with Canadian fiber. Sold! We walked back to the ship on a wide boardwalk on the waterfront lined with more hydrangeas. Oh, and did I mention it was barely 70 degrees with a refreshing light breeze? Midday. On August 5th. We sat on a bench overlooking the water just enjoying it all.
Oh, and we found the pizza outpost on board. Hand tossed, thin crust pies made to order and then cooked in a real pizza oven. I had the Wall Street: white sauce, multiple cheeses, prosciutto and arugula (does that make it count as a health food?) Crispy and delicious.
Last night we joined two wonderfully entertaining Australian women (I'm sure there must be some pills in that country but they must not be allowed out in the world), Jude and Margaret. 60-ish BFFs who travel for three months at a time while Margaret's husband stays home to water the plants and feed the dog. They have been everywhere, thoroughly enjoying every minute. They flew to Boston to join this cruise and then will cruise through the canal to San Diego, from there they'll drive to Nashville and back and then I forget the last leg before they go back Down Under. But to show that not everyone should be on a 38 day cruise, I asked the couple sitting next to me on shore using the wifi if they were on the Oceania ship that was also in port. "No, We're on the Rotterdam and it's just horrible." Uh oh. I ask you, how can anything be "just horrible" when you have a towel animal (lobster in Maine) on your bed and a chocolate on your pillow every night? They were from Las Vegas (by way of New York it sounded) so maybe they were cold and cranky
We're leaving Sydney as I write this, 5 pm local time. Tonight we move the clocks 30 minutes to Newfoundland time. Should make for an interesting day. We'll be either 30 minutes early or 30 minutes late for everything. The pilot boat just pulled up right below our cabin to pick up the local pilot (always an interesting maneuver as the ship does not slow down a knot). I was sort of hoping to see the Vegas couple in a heap with their luggage on the deck of the pilot boat as it sped away. No such luck.
Jim just came in after a chat with the future cruise representative on board with a printout of the itinerary for the Grand Voyage around South America in 2019...January 19 to March 19..
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Voyage of the Vikings, Boston July 31-August 2
Voyage of the Vikings
Boston, July 31- August 2, 2017
We arrived in Boston by plane on the 31st just about the same time that Jay and Claire arrived via Amtrak. It was so nice to see them for the first time since last Christmas. They're quite patient with their elders with their crumbling knees. We spent a very busy Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday morning seeing this and that along the Freedom Trail plus the JFK Presidential Library and the Adams HIstorical Park. We did take the transit train out to Adams and then back into town but mostly relied on Uber with no problems at all. You'd have to be nuts to drive a car in Boston and then where to park when you get to wherever you're going?! An unexpected surprise on Wednesday morning when we went to the Bunker Hill monument. Jim and I took in the museum while the kids climbed the 294 steps up and 294 steps down of the tower. While up there they could see the USS Constitution being maneuvered by a tugboat. A local guy who runs up and down those stairs three times every morning told them this was the first time the ship had been floating since going into dry dock two years ago. We followed the brick path of the Freedom Trail (Whoever came up with that in Boston was brilliant!) down to the Charlestown Navy Yard on the waterfront in time to see a WWII destroyer being moved to one side of a permanent dock and then the Constitution to the other side. They'll both re-open to visitors in September. A fun fact, the Consitution (aka Old Ironsides) is the oldest continuously commissioned ship in the US Navy and is still manned by active Navy personnel. Now that would be interesting duty!
Wednesday afternoon they left to Amtrak back to Philly while Jim and I Ubered to the ship. The cruise terminal is being remodeled so it wasn't exactly a pretty spot. When the driver's GPS announced that "you have arrived at your destination" the three of us just looked around and said "huh?" But then we spotted an army of porters in neon vests ready to move luggage from car to trolley. I will never, ever understand why people choose to wrestle GIANT pieces of luggage on board by themselves. In San Francisco the Princess team wouldn't allow it. Geez people. You've spent thousands on a cruise. Ten bucks to the porter to schlep your stuff is a bargain. Although the Rotterdam wasn't sailing until 10 pm, passengers were allowed on after 11 am. We did learn that the early birds (don't want to miss lunch!) had to cool their heels while the health department did a surprise (I guess this is SOP which makes sense) inspection. No letter grades, just pass or fail so we were happy to learn that the Rotterdam passed with flying colors. An interesting note---absolutely no security to approach the dock.
The late departure makes the first day loosey-goosey. The mandatory passenger muster drill was at 4, but thanks to some delayed flights many passengers were boarding afterwards and rushing to make their 5:30 early dining. (Don't want to miss dinner!) I couldn't face changing into "Smart Casual" for the dining room so we decided to have a drink in the Crow's Nest, hit the Lido Buffet "as is," and then listen to the welcome spiel from the (very young) cruise director and (very experienced) location guide. It is the location guide's job to tell you that everything is "just a short walk" from the pier in every port. We've learned over the years that "an easy 15 minute walk" usually translates to a good mile-long trek over cobblestones, brick or gravel so we take everything he or she says with a big ole grain of salt. The Voyage of the Vikings only sails once a year on Holland America with just 1400 passengers. We signed up just because going to Iceland or Greenland in August sounded cool (temperature not hipness). Sort of like going to Antarctica because we'd see penguins. Jim and I are such simple souls.
Two thirds of the passengers are cruising veterans with four and five star mariner status. Besides free laundry and discounts on booze and lattes, this group is used to going to the front of the line for everything. Needless to say, ain't gonna happen which should make for some entertaining drama along the way.
About 5 pm as we were up in the Crow's Nest sipping our drinks and chatting with a fun couple from Philly the storm that had been threatening all day hit with a vengeance. We had a front row seat to the cloud to ground lightning and then the deluge. The rain was over by the time the ship started to leave the dock, backing up for a good mile or so before swinging around and heading out of the harbor. Logan Airport is also on the waterfront so as the ship maneuvered we were right at the end of the runway with a non-stop show of arriving and departing flights. Quite the send off.
Boston, July 31- August 2, 2017
We arrived in Boston by plane on the 31st just about the same time that Jay and Claire arrived via Amtrak. It was so nice to see them for the first time since last Christmas. They're quite patient with their elders with their crumbling knees. We spent a very busy Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday morning seeing this and that along the Freedom Trail plus the JFK Presidential Library and the Adams HIstorical Park. We did take the transit train out to Adams and then back into town but mostly relied on Uber with no problems at all. You'd have to be nuts to drive a car in Boston and then where to park when you get to wherever you're going?! An unexpected surprise on Wednesday morning when we went to the Bunker Hill monument. Jim and I took in the museum while the kids climbed the 294 steps up and 294 steps down of the tower. While up there they could see the USS Constitution being maneuvered by a tugboat. A local guy who runs up and down those stairs three times every morning told them this was the first time the ship had been floating since going into dry dock two years ago. We followed the brick path of the Freedom Trail (Whoever came up with that in Boston was brilliant!) down to the Charlestown Navy Yard on the waterfront in time to see a WWII destroyer being moved to one side of a permanent dock and then the Constitution to the other side. They'll both re-open to visitors in September. A fun fact, the Consitution (aka Old Ironsides) is the oldest continuously commissioned ship in the US Navy and is still manned by active Navy personnel. Now that would be interesting duty!
Wednesday afternoon they left to Amtrak back to Philly while Jim and I Ubered to the ship. The cruise terminal is being remodeled so it wasn't exactly a pretty spot. When the driver's GPS announced that "you have arrived at your destination" the three of us just looked around and said "huh?" But then we spotted an army of porters in neon vests ready to move luggage from car to trolley. I will never, ever understand why people choose to wrestle GIANT pieces of luggage on board by themselves. In San Francisco the Princess team wouldn't allow it. Geez people. You've spent thousands on a cruise. Ten bucks to the porter to schlep your stuff is a bargain. Although the Rotterdam wasn't sailing until 10 pm, passengers were allowed on after 11 am. We did learn that the early birds (don't want to miss lunch!) had to cool their heels while the health department did a surprise (I guess this is SOP which makes sense) inspection. No letter grades, just pass or fail so we were happy to learn that the Rotterdam passed with flying colors. An interesting note---absolutely no security to approach the dock.
The late departure makes the first day loosey-goosey. The mandatory passenger muster drill was at 4, but thanks to some delayed flights many passengers were boarding afterwards and rushing to make their 5:30 early dining. (Don't want to miss dinner!) I couldn't face changing into "Smart Casual" for the dining room so we decided to have a drink in the Crow's Nest, hit the Lido Buffet "as is," and then listen to the welcome spiel from the (very young) cruise director and (very experienced) location guide. It is the location guide's job to tell you that everything is "just a short walk" from the pier in every port. We've learned over the years that "an easy 15 minute walk" usually translates to a good mile-long trek over cobblestones, brick or gravel so we take everything he or she says with a big ole grain of salt. The Voyage of the Vikings only sails once a year on Holland America with just 1400 passengers. We signed up just because going to Iceland or Greenland in August sounded cool (temperature not hipness). Sort of like going to Antarctica because we'd see penguins. Jim and I are such simple souls.
Two thirds of the passengers are cruising veterans with four and five star mariner status. Besides free laundry and discounts on booze and lattes, this group is used to going to the front of the line for everything. Needless to say, ain't gonna happen which should make for some entertaining drama along the way.
About 5 pm as we were up in the Crow's Nest sipping our drinks and chatting with a fun couple from Philly the storm that had been threatening all day hit with a vengeance. We had a front row seat to the cloud to ground lightning and then the deluge. The rain was over by the time the ship started to leave the dock, backing up for a good mile or so before swinging around and heading out of the harbor. Logan Airport is also on the waterfront so as the ship maneuvered we were right at the end of the runway with a non-stop show of arriving and departing flights. Quite the send off.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Trans Atlantic, Italy photos
Thanks to my dear friend Cassie, I finally conquered uploading pictures to Shutterfly! I emailed a share invitation to many of you or they are available at Shutterfly Share Site Fishertravel. I think. Contact me if you have any trouble accessing them.
We leave a week from Monday on the Voyage of the Vikings. 38 days of blogging!
We leave a week from Monday on the Voyage of the Vikings. 38 days of blogging!
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Wrapping it all up, June 2017
Wrapping it all up, June 2017
The flight from Rome to Atlanta was uneventful, always the best kind. We left at 12:20 pm and arrived (early) at 4:45 pm making a valiant effort to stay awake during the crossing so we'd avoid major jet lag.
Remember the 4,000+ steps to get from curb to gate at FCO in Rome? Well, when we got off the plane at ATL we were greeted with a snazzy electric sign telling us it was an eleven to thirteen minute walk to immigration control. Every so often an airport employee was there to say "Welcome home" and urge us on or another snazzy sign telling us we only had another nine minutes to walk. But God bless Global Entry! When we got to Immigration the line was endless except for Global Entry--maybe ten people ahead of us. We figured we saved at least an hour. Luggage was on the carousel when we got there and our car service at the curb. Despite the rush hour traffic we were home by 6:45. And in bed at 8!
All in all the trip was a great success. We enjoyed the trans Atlantic crossing and will definitely try to do that again whether to or from Europe. I'd also go back to Bermuda for a longer stay. Even though it's no where near the Caribbean for some reason I thought it would be like the islands there, not at all my cup of tea. Serendipity took us to Brittany and quaint Quimper. I'm so glad we opted to go to Mont St Michel and Brussels. And Italy....
Dr. Howard Shealy was a wonderful guide, escort, problem solver and travel companion. We all said over and over, "If only I'd had a teacher/professor like Howard..." So knowledgeable without being pedantic. And when he wasn't sharing nuggets of history he'd regale us with stories revolving around "my roommate, Rusty." The dream date for any college guy is a cute blonde whose dad owns a Budweiser distributorship. And the dream roommate? Rusty who kept a sailboat in Key West where his grandfather owned a bar. And thus the Rusty stories. With a set up like that how could there NOT be Rusty stories?!
Howard arranged for us to learn about Italian history and culture through Tuscan food and wines and even better, enjoy said food and wine. While the restaurants are available to anyone, our very special wine tastings were once-in-a-lifetime experiences thanks to Howard. Our last one was in a palace next to a castle at Nipizzano outside of Florence. Before the tasting we followed our host, Giacomo from the Frescobaldi group again, who suggested we "walk just a few steps to the castle." I managed the long uphill drive way to the castle and 29 of the 30 old, uneven, high stone steps up to the parapet to enjoy the view. I didn't quite clear that last one and ended up face down on the view site. Nothing hurt other than my dignity but I did return home with a special souvenir of Italy, a big ole bruise on my knee and shin. The view was magnificent as it seems all views in Tuscany are.
Montepulciano was so special. It's small and friendly, especially when compared to Florence and Rome. Florence was crowded but Rome was packed. It seems that half the world is traveling and visiting the same places at the same time.
Photos to come...
The flight from Rome to Atlanta was uneventful, always the best kind. We left at 12:20 pm and arrived (early) at 4:45 pm making a valiant effort to stay awake during the crossing so we'd avoid major jet lag.
Remember the 4,000+ steps to get from curb to gate at FCO in Rome? Well, when we got off the plane at ATL we were greeted with a snazzy electric sign telling us it was an eleven to thirteen minute walk to immigration control. Every so often an airport employee was there to say "Welcome home" and urge us on or another snazzy sign telling us we only had another nine minutes to walk. But God bless Global Entry! When we got to Immigration the line was endless except for Global Entry--maybe ten people ahead of us. We figured we saved at least an hour. Luggage was on the carousel when we got there and our car service at the curb. Despite the rush hour traffic we were home by 6:45. And in bed at 8!
All in all the trip was a great success. We enjoyed the trans Atlantic crossing and will definitely try to do that again whether to or from Europe. I'd also go back to Bermuda for a longer stay. Even though it's no where near the Caribbean for some reason I thought it would be like the islands there, not at all my cup of tea. Serendipity took us to Brittany and quaint Quimper. I'm so glad we opted to go to Mont St Michel and Brussels. And Italy....
Dr. Howard Shealy was a wonderful guide, escort, problem solver and travel companion. We all said over and over, "If only I'd had a teacher/professor like Howard..." So knowledgeable without being pedantic. And when he wasn't sharing nuggets of history he'd regale us with stories revolving around "my roommate, Rusty." The dream date for any college guy is a cute blonde whose dad owns a Budweiser distributorship. And the dream roommate? Rusty who kept a sailboat in Key West where his grandfather owned a bar. And thus the Rusty stories. With a set up like that how could there NOT be Rusty stories?!
Howard arranged for us to learn about Italian history and culture through Tuscan food and wines and even better, enjoy said food and wine. While the restaurants are available to anyone, our very special wine tastings were once-in-a-lifetime experiences thanks to Howard. Our last one was in a palace next to a castle at Nipizzano outside of Florence. Before the tasting we followed our host, Giacomo from the Frescobaldi group again, who suggested we "walk just a few steps to the castle." I managed the long uphill drive way to the castle and 29 of the 30 old, uneven, high stone steps up to the parapet to enjoy the view. I didn't quite clear that last one and ended up face down on the view site. Nothing hurt other than my dignity but I did return home with a special souvenir of Italy, a big ole bruise on my knee and shin. The view was magnificent as it seems all views in Tuscany are.
Montepulciano was so special. It's small and friendly, especially when compared to Florence and Rome. Florence was crowded but Rome was packed. It seems that half the world is traveling and visiting the same places at the same time.
Photos to come...
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Alitalia Lounge, somewhere on the E Concourse at FCO, June 1,2017 First of all I must take everything back about arriving at the airport too early. The drive to the hotel was 45+ minutes and gave us one more time to enjoy the thrill of riding in a car in Italy. We shared the ride with another from our group which meant too much luggage for a car so the hotel booked a van for us. They are posh, comfortable and at 60 Euros for the three of us, not that expensive. Good driver, too. My favorite traffic maneuver is the Vespa (of course) quick pass in the oncoming lane. Signor (or signora in dress and heels no less) on Vespa wishes to pass car in front of him. He ALways wishes to pass car(s) in front of him. If the oncoming traffic is five meters away, give or take, he zips over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic, passes offending car(s) and then zips back right in front of said car causing it to slam on the brakes. Annnnnnnnd repeat. I could watch that all day. FCO, the major airport serving Rome.... I've always thought the ATL was well arranged with plenty of signage, big enough to accommodate the millions that pass through every year. FCO is a combination of the fall of Saigon, the running of the bulls and the start of any marathon. They do have free luggage carts, though, so big points for that. Terminal T-1 is overseas international as opposed to "domestic" which is any destination within Europe. The curbside arrival is semi-organized thanks to a small army of uniformed guys with white hats and whistles. And then you push the cart through the doors and Yowza! Thousands of people commandeering carts aiming for the dozens of check in counters for Alitalia. And then an angel in a red jacket appears announcing "For Delta flights go past Alitalia to the end of the room." Easy check in. Passport check #1. Then to the gate leading to security. Passport check #2. Once again Global Entry and TSA Precheck means squat outside of the US of A. The usual routine there and then onto Immigration and passport check #3. If you'll remember our passports were never stamped when we entered the EU but the guy just compared us to our passport pictures (me with fingers crossed as my hair color is a tad different than my passport photo from 2013), stamped them and sent us on our way. And then we tried to find the Delta Skyclub Lounge. And we walked, and we walked and then I saw the VAT refund window (if you spend over a certain amount buying goods you can get a refund of the tax with a loooooooong form that has to be stamped by a customs official and then mailed to some place in the supplied prepaid envelope. I'd already gotten my 50 Euro refund so just needed the stamp. Silly me, I went to the window marked "Customs" with signs in many languages taped to the window saying "This is not an information desk." The official behind the glass yelled at the guy in front of me and pointed him to the long blue line. Undaunted, I showed him my paperwork and was gruffly ( at least he didn't yell, Italian men are gracious to women) pointed to the orange window with no line. Score! And passport check #4. Form stamped and now I don't have to look over my shoulder for Italian Customs ready to haul me away. And we walked, past food courts, past dozens of shops from newsstands to Gucci, Bulgari and that ilk, asking anyone with an employee badge for the lounge. The directions were always the same, straight ahead to the end. Huh. Eventually we did find it, 4,271 steps from the airport entrance. It's run by Alitalia, a Delta Skypartner, and it's pitiful. I know this is the ultimate First World problem, but it's a bit scruffy, with limited seating and refreshments. Step up your game, Alitalia. Oh well, it's quiet and has the NY Times. Time to go from curbside drop off to this point: 1 hour 15 minutes. We have some Euros left so it's time to roll through a souvenir shop/news stand and see what we can get. Coming next the trip reviews and a few more anecdotes including "My roommate, Rusty," "And now we'll walk a few steps to the castle" and my face plant at said castle.
Alitalia Lounge, somewhere on the E Concourse at FCO, June 1,2017
First of all I must take everything back about arriving at the airport too early. The drive to the hotel was 45+ minutes and gave us one more time to enjoy the thrill of riding in a car in Italy. We shared the ride with another from our group which meant too much luggage for a car so the hotel booked a van for us. They are posh, comfortable and at 60 Euros for the three of us, not that expensive. Good driver, too.
My favorite traffic maneuver is the Vespa (of course) quick pass in the oncoming lane. Signor (or signora in dress and heels no less) on Vespa wishes to pass car in front of him. He ALways wishes to pass car(s) in front of him. If the oncoming traffic is five meters away, give or take, he zips over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic, passes offending car(s) and then zips back right in front of said car causing it to slam on the brakes. Annnnnnnnd repeat. I could watch that all day.
FCO, the major airport serving Rome.... I've always thought the ATL was well arranged with plenty of signage, big enough to accommodate the millions that pass through every year. FCO is a combination of the fall of Saigon, the running of the bulls and the start of any marathon. They do have free luggage carts, though, so big points for that. Terminal T-1 is overseas international as opposed to "domestic" which is any destination within Europe. The curbside arrival is semi-organized thanks to a small army of uniformed guys with white hats and whistles. And then you push the cart through the doors and Yowza! Thousands of people commandeering carts aiming for the dozens of check in counters for Alitalia. And then an angel in a red jacket appears announcing "For Delta flights go past Alitalia to the end of the room." Easy check in. Passport check #1. Then to the gate leading to security. Passport check #2. Once again Global Entry and TSA Precheck means squat outside of the US of A. The usual routine there and then onto Immigration and passport check #3. If you'll remember our passports were never stamped when we entered the EU but the guy just compared us to our passport pictures (me with fingers crossed as my hair color is a tad different than my passport photo from 2013), stamped them and sent us on our way. And then we tried to find the Delta Skyclub Lounge.
And we walked, and we walked and then I saw the VAT refund window (if you spend over a certain amount buying goods you can get a refund of the tax with a loooooooong form that has to be stamped by a customs official and then mailed to some place in the supplied prepaid envelope. I'd already gotten my 50 Euro refund so just needed the stamp. Silly me, I went to the window marked "Customs" with signs in many languages taped to the window saying "This is not an information desk." The official behind the glass yelled at the guy in front of me and pointed him to the long blue line. Undaunted, I showed him my paperwork and was gruffly ( at least he didn't yell, Italian men are gracious to women) pointed to the orange window with no line. Score! And passport check #4. Form stamped and now I don't have to look over my shoulder for Italian Customs ready to haul me away.
And we walked, past food courts, past dozens of shops from newsstands to Gucci, Bulgari and that ilk, asking anyone with an employee badge for the lounge. The directions were always the same, straight ahead to the end. Huh. Eventually we did find it, 4,271 steps from the airport entrance. It's run by Alitalia, a Delta Skypartner, and it's pitiful. I know this is the ultimate First World problem, but it's a bit scruffy, with limited seating and refreshments. Step up your game, Alitalia. Oh well, it's quiet and has the NY Times. Time to go from curbside drop off to this point: 1 hour 15 minutes.
We have some Euros left so it's time to roll through a souvenir shop/news stand and see what we can get.
Coming next the trip reviews and a few more anecdotes including "My roommate, Rusty,"
"And now we'll walk a few steps to the castle" and my face plant at said castle.
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