Tuesday, July 31, 2012

VOV18

Amsterdam

I know that I have mentioned it before that our stateroom is directly above the hatch that is opened for the pilot to board the ship. This morning the hatch was opened at 4:15 AM  and a short time later the pilot boat bumped heavily into us as I was falling back to sleep. Oh Well. The captain had mentioned that we would be going through a lock to get into the harbour, early in the morning ,so I got up and after a coffee in the Lido I stood on the front deck as we approached. I took some pictures which are on DW’s blog. Because Amsterdam is below sea level we actually lowered down in the lock and the lock gate was unusual as it slid back like a pocket door rather than open out or in.

After breakfast we walked over to the Central Train Station and bought day passes to the Ho Ho canal boats. There were three separate routes and we took one in the morning and the other two after lunch.

By late afternoon I was totally wiped and we headed back to the ship and I had a nap till dinnertime. After dinner we went over to the cruise terminal and logged on to their free wi fi and got caught up on blogs and emails.We could even Skype.

Tomorrow we spend the morning in Amsterdam probably walking through the shopping area. DW warned me that we would not be walking in the Red Light District. Today we got a great overview of the city and will use the information gathered for our trip here next summer.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Life on the Ship!

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And of course we needed our formal wear!

TRAVEL TUESDAY

 

Good afternoon and greetings from Amsterdam.  We have completed the first half of the cruise.  Our day started early as we caught the approach into Amsterdam.

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Everything looks bright at 4:30 am

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This is the approach to the lock which will lower our ship into the harbour.

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The lock slides open.  This is the first lock that we have seen with this action. It is nothing like the Trent Canal or the Welland Canal 

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We are finally lower than the sea.

What a great trip! We are having so much fun.

Monday, July 30, 2012

VOV17

Sea Day

I was looking forward to this sea day.After 4 intensive port days where we rose early and went to bed late it was nice to spend the day in a relaxed pace. It is never boring on  ship because there are so many activities that we can participate in if we so wished and after all the sea days,we have become quite comfortable in our daily patterns.

Today was a little different as we had an appointment with the future cruise consultant.She offered us a deal we could not refuse and we booked a 42 day trans Atlantic cruise  in October 2013.It departs from and returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida with most ports being in Portugal, Spain and Italy.

One of the highlights on sea days is that the staff have special lunches set up by the Lido Pool. We have had Indonesian Day, Dessert Day, Ice Cream Day and today it was Fish Market Day.Grills were set up by the pool where swordfish,salmon and tilapia were cooked and served with a cornucopia of sides.

Scheduled sea days usually also mean Formal Nights and tonight was no exception. Most of the passengers do get dressed up and it is nice to see all the ladies in their finery.

Tomorrow starts a series of port days starting with a day and a half in Amsterdam.

MEET ME ON MONDAY

 

Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me
Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered!
Grab the badge for your post if you like:

Acting Balanced

And now for this weeks Questions (With thanks to my wonderful Hubby - Wayne from Touristic for coming up with this week's questions)

1. What is your favourite Olympic sport?

Swimming in the summer and curling in the winter


2. What is the healthiest meal you've eaten this week?

Breakfast – orange juice, coffee, cream of wheat and french toast

3. What is the unhealthiest meal you've eaten this week?

2 bowls of ice cream with chocolate sauce and sprinkles

4. What jewelry do you wear every day?

As you know by now I have 7 jewelry boxes and just bought more jewellry on this trip.  I wear my wedding ring and engagement ring as well as my birthstone and family ring.  I try to match my necklace earrings and watch to my outfit.  Sometimes I match the outfit to my jewelry

And don't forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

What is your favourite day of the week and Why?

Sunday, July 29, 2012

VOV16

Bergen

Wow, another beautiful city.The ship docked early so we left the ship right after breakfast and headed straight for the funicular that transported us to the top of Mount Floyen for a spectacular view of the city and harbours.

After we descended we strolled through the historical Bryggen area which holds the oldest Hanseatic port buildings. We also strolled through the vibrant fish market where we noted one sign that stated that accepted all currencies,gold and diamonds in payment.

Further on we found the University complex and the arboretum and botanical gardens – quite an interesting place.

Suitably tired and hungry we headed back to the ship and relaxed in the afternoon and then danced in the Crows Nest to Elvis Presley songs.

Tomorrow is a sea day…..ahh to relax

Note: Dear wife’s Fridays Blog apparently has not been successfully posted. I am trying again tonight  but it will not be in chronological order.

SUNDAY IN THE CITY

 

Thanks to Unknown Mami for hosting again this week - check out where in the world everyone else is by clicking here:

Unknown Mami

Our Sunday was spent on board the Holland America ship the “Maasdam”.  Here is the beautiful sunset taken at 10:30 pm from the back of the ship off the coast of Aselund Norway.

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FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY & FOUR FILL-IN

Here are five more things you didn't know about me...  cause it's 5 Question Friday:

1. What is the funniest thing you saw on Facebook/twitter this week?

I do not use either

2. What is your favourite Olympic event?

For the summer it is swimming and hopefully my niece P will make it to the 2016 Olympics in swimming.

For the winter I enjoy the curling.

3. Do your kids to chores around the house? If so, what are they and how old are the children? Do they get paid for them?

When my children were young they had chores and they were paid an allowance.

4. If you get bad service/food do you complain or keep quiet?

I am a rather vocal person and I have been complaining about the coffee on board the ship. The Beverage manager doesn’t drink coffee so I have become his assistant as he checks with me every day too make sure the coffee is up to my standards.


5. If you could pick ONE frivolous item for your home, what would it be? (massive room sized closet? swimming pool? greenhouse? etc...)

If my house could accommodate it I would love an ensuite however sine I consider my house a 6 room closet it would be impossible to have one.

Yep, I'm playing along again with Feeling Beachie and the gang...

Photobucket

  1. I learned how to make kids feel empowered by thinking for themselves and always asking for things because the worst answer they could get was “No”
  2. I  have always wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand and was sad when we cancelled that cruise.
  3. My purse is an over the shoulder wallet that carries my credit cards and a little bit of money.
  4. One day when I am more independently wealthy I am going to take that trip to Australia and New Zealand and stay for 6 months.

 

You know.. you should really play along... come on ... it's easy - just click on the button above!

SATISFACTION SATURDAY–CRUISE EDITION

 

We have completed 15 days of cruising. Unfortunately that means there are only 20 days left.  We missed the ports in Greenland so that we could outrun a major storm.  We also missed one port in Iceland however it was replaced by an extra port in Norway. After 4 straight days at sea we stayed in Reykjavik for 2 nights and then travelled to Molde Norway.

This was a surprise port and we had very little information to go on however the town was beautiful.  It set in fjord which made for some fantastic mountain views.  The town had a stream running through it.  D H and I found a walking path and travelled 3/4 of the way up the mountain. Here is a picture of me coming down the mountain.

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I am doing the cha cha on the way down.  Molde was a rose gardener’s dream.  The had the most beautiful roses and they smelled wonderful. D H has more wonderful pictures of the scenery and the flowers.

After Molde we travelled over to Geiranger. Again the scenery was awesome. We took the Hop on Hop off bus which took us up one side of the town for a view above the water.  We passed farms with sod roofs.  We saw goats and sheep grazing as well. Then we travelled to the other side of town for another spectacular view.  This is one time I am glad I let some else drive around the hair pin turns although I did feel a little green around the edges.

D H took this wonderful picture of a waterfall off the side of the road.

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Today we visited the port of Alesund.  This is city that was rebuilt after a fire in 1904.  There were about 20 architects chosen to design the city.  Wood structures were not allowed.  The design fashion at the time was Art Nouveau.  We had a city tour by a little train.  It took us up the mountain and saved me from climbing 418 steps up for a terrific view.  We also got a little bit of history as well. Of course D H has a picture of me as well.

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This has been a wonderful trip and we are so happy we chose this way to see Norway as well the rest of the countries we will see next week. I hope everyone has a satisfactory week.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

VOV15

Alesund

We were docked early in the morning even before breakfast. As DW and I were traversing the pool area to the Lido for breakfast I pointed out the observation deck that we would be ascending to ( 418 steps ). I received several death threats before I commented that because of the foggy conditions that we might not even attempt it.

After breakfast we did venture out into the city to explore and the first thing we found was a “ city train “ that would show us the city sights and more importantly take us up the mountain to the observation deck. My life was spared.

After the tour we retraced part of the route on foot to explore some of the architecture and a beautiful old church. It was open and they were playing a recording of their choir singing – a real nice touch.

We then returned to the ship for lunch and a nap and then ventured out again to the shopping area. Whoa… sticker shock. We knew things were supposed to be expensive but a simple T shirt saying Norway was about $30.00. so we started anew saying:                  Been There, Done That, Couldn’t Afford The T Shirt.

Tomorrow Bergen

VOV14

Geiranger

I woke up in time to watch our progression up the Geirangerfjord, a 16 km narrow winding passage and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. A large contingent of passengers were also up early oohing and aahing at the spectacular sight before us and of course trying to capture the magnitude on our cameras. After two hours of winding are way in the ship set anchor and we tendered in to the small village.

In the welcome centre we purchased tickets to the local tour bus that took us to the various lookout points and points of interest. Again we were treated to awe inspiring vistas from the mountain vantage points. On the last leg of the tour we got off the tour bus at the museum and trekked on foot the remaining downhill portion. Part way down we passed an old church which was simple but beautiful inside.

We were also basically following a mountain stream on the way down and I was able to get some interesting photos. At one point I met the bass player of the ship’s show band and he asked me to take his picture. He then proceeded to take his shoes and socks off and rolled up his pants and waded into the stream as he thought it would be neat to send the photo to his parents. But as I was fiddling with his camera he urged me to hurry up as his feet were already numb from the cold water.Needless to say he quickly exited the stream soon as I said done.

We made are way back to the ship, had lunch, had a nap and then spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool and hot tub. Man, what a hard life.

Actually we needed the nap in order that we could stay up to watch the Filipino Show at 10:30 PM. These amazing kids had worked all day and then put on an hour long presentation of their nation’s songs and dances. They deservedly received a standing ovation from the audience .

The only downer for the day is that mountains that crowded around us prevented us from accessing the satellite for our internet so todays log will be posted tomorrow.

Tomorrow  Alesund

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY & FOUR FILL-IN

Here are five more things you didn't know about me...  cause it's 5 Question Friday:

1. What is the funniest thing you saw on Facebook/twitter this week?

I do not use either

2. What is your favourite Olympic event?

For the summer it is swimming and hopefully my niece P will make it to the 2016 Olympics in swimming.

For the winter I enjoy the curling.

3. Do your kids to chores around the house? If so, what are they and how old are the children? Do they get paid for them?

When my children were young they had chores and they were paid an allowance.

4. If you get bad service/food do you complain or keep quiet?

I am a rather vocal person and I have been complaining about the coffee on board the ship. The Beverage manager doesn’t drink coffee so I have become his assistant as he checks with me every day too make sure the coffee is up to my standards.


5. If you could pick ONE frivolous item for your home, what would it be? (massive room sized closet? swimming pool? greenhouse? etc...)

If my house could accommodate it I would love an ensuite however sine I consider my house a 6 room closet it would be impossible to have one.

Yep, I'm playing along again with Feeling Beachie and the gang...

Photobucket

  1. I learned how to make kids feel empowered by thinking for themselves and always asking for things because the worst answer they could get was “No”
  2. I  have always wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand and was sad when we cancelled that cruise.
  3. My purse is an over the shoulder wallet that carries my credit cards and a little bit of money.
  4. One day when I am more independently wealthy I am going to take that trip to Australia and New Zealand and stay for 6 months.

 

You know.. you should really play along... come on ... it's easy - just click on the button above!

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY & FOUR FILL-IN

Here are five more things you didn't know about me...  cause it's 5 Question Friday:

1. What is the funniest thing you saw on Facebook/twitter this week?

I do not use either

2. What is your favourite Olympic event?

For the summer it is swimming and hopefully my niece P will make it to the 2016 Olympics in swimming.

For the winter I enjoy the curling.

3. Do your kids to chores around the house? If so, what are they and how old are the children? Do they get paid for them?

When my children were young they had chores and they were paid an allowance.

4. If you get bad service/food do you complain or keep quiet?

I am a rather vocal person and I have been complaining about the coffee on board the ship. The Beverage manager doesn’t drink coffee so I have become his assistant as he checks with me every day too make sure the coffee is up to my standards.


5. If you could pick ONE frivolous item for your home, what would it be? (massive room sized closet? swimming pool? greenhouse? etc...)

If my house could accommodate it I would love an ensuite however sine I consider my house a 6 room closet it would be impossible to have one.

Yep, I'm playing along again with Feeling Beachie and the gang...

Photobucket

  1. I learned how to make kids feel empowered by thinking for themselves and always asking for things because the worst answer they could get was “No”
  2. I  have always wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand and was sad when we cancelled that cruise.
  3. My purse is an over the shoulder wallet that carries my credit cards and a little bit of money.
  4. One day when I am more independently wealthy I am going to take that trip to Australia and New Zealand and stay for 6 months.

 

You know.. you should really play along... come on ... it's easy - just click on the button above!

VOV13

Molde

5:45 in the morning. Clunk Bang Boom. Apparently our stateroom is directly above the hatch used by the harbour pilot and the crew initially had trouble opening it. But what started out as an annoyance turned into good fortune as I realized we were starting a magnificent 30 mile sojourn up the fiord toward our port of call Molde. I guess a lot of other passengers were woken by the disturbance or alarm clocks because the decks were crowded with photographers.

Molde itself is a beautiful city, bright, clean and full of gardens and flowers. Dear wife underwent her shopping therapy in the morning and after lunch we hiked up a path by a mountain stream to enjoy the great views of the city and harbour.

Needless to say the exertion from the hike tired me out and I had a short nap. This turned out to be a good thing as I spent a couple of hours after dinner out on the deck taking more photographs and then DW and I attended the late show presentation at 10:00 PM. It was a musical comedy loosely based on the music of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and I thought DW would fall off her chair from laughing so hard.

I’m off to bed now as the fiord we travel up tomorrow is supposed to be the most scenic and I have to be up by 6:00 AM. Hope they use the same hatch.

Tomorrow Geiranger.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

THRIVING THURSDAY

 

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We were at sea today.  It was very relaxing.  We ate well, walked the Promenade and took a salsa dance lesson.  Our dinner this evening had an Italian flavour and the dining room was decorated with flags and draping.

We will hit only our second port tomorrow.  It is in Norway at a town called Molde. We hope we get some sunshine since we have been in a lot of cloud lately.  We have also crossed time zones in 12 days.  We will lose another hour sleep tonight.

We are also looking into more cruises and talking to our fellow cruisers about places to see.  They all have a great ideas.

It is hard to believe that we are 1/3rd of the way through this wonderful adventure however we are thriving under the care of the staff and crew of the Maasdam.

Happy Birthday D H

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VOV12

Sea Day

Another eat drink and be merry day. Highlights being a tiring Salsa lesson in the afternoon, ballroom dancing in the Ocean Bar after dinner and dancing to rock and roll in the Crows Nest until my legs gave out.

Today was a formal night in the dining room. It was festooned with the flags of Europe and the waiters were dressed as gondoliers which was a little odd as the wait staff is Indonesian ( they joked about the incongruous nature of the garb as much as we did ).

Being a formal night, it presented a great opportunity to take pictures of some of our new friends who were looking pretty spiffy.

Tomorrow Molde, Norway ( HOPE ! )

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY–ACTIVITIES AT SEA

 

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AQUAFIT

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INTERNATIONAL DINNER

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DINNER COMPANIONS

VOV11

Djupivogur

At around 9:00 this morning we glided up the fiord to the village. This was to be a tender port so the fact that the ship remained in the middle  did not seem unusual. Then the dreaded announcement from the captain. The winds from the north were funnelled straight down the fiord at over 45 knots causing high swells and it was too dangerous to transfer from the ship to the tenders.

So it became another sea day.  We  followed the coastline closely for a few hours and  got some magnificent views of the mountains and glaciers.I am going to be busy trying to edit all the pictures I took today.

Other than that we just followed our normal sea day routine.

Monday, July 23, 2012

TRAVEL TUESDAY

 

Today was our last day in Reykjavik.  We spent the first sunny day walking from the ship along the waterfront path.  It was pleasant to be off the ship.  We also appreciated the lovely weather.  We didn’t need our big heavy raincoats.

Here are some pictures of our view while we walked:

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This house belonged to the first resident of Reykjavik

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Walking along and standing by the lava rock

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The meeting house where Reagan and Gorbochof ended the cold war.

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The sculpture of the Viking ship

We are back on the water and sailing to our next port.

VOV10

Reykjavik

We woke to sun!Everyone marvelled that we had blue skies and mild temperatures.DW and I decided to take advantage of the good weather and took a long walk along the sea path. Along with the city skyline we also saw the house that Ronald Regan and Gorbachov had their meetings to end the cold war.

We also saw the light that Yoko Ono installed in honour of John Lennon. It is turned on his birthdate, October 9 and turned off December 12, the anniversary of his death. Apparently she also puts on concerts during this period.

We also passed an art museum which was adorned with strange collection of junk arranged as art in a garden setting. It reminded me of the rusting hulks of metal in High Park in Toronto that was installed as art.

The furthest we got on the walk was the modern metal representation of a Viking ship.From there we dragged ourselves back to the ship in time for sailaway.

After lunch DW inveigled me to help with the laundry which really tired me out so I had an afternoon nap to recover.DW sat up by the pool and read.

After dinner the show staff put on a rousing performance called Roadhouse. It was a little bit country and a lot of rock and roll, energetic and had us jumping in our seats. A great way to end the day.

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Djupivigor.( No one knows how to pronounce it).

MEET ME ON MONDAYS

 

Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me

Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered!
Grab the badge for your post if you like:

Acting Balanced

 
And now for this weeks Questions:

1. What are your favourite pizza toppings?

I really like chicken and broccoli.  My favourite fast pizza place is called Pizza Nova

2. What is the strangest name you've ever heard for a child?

The strangest name I have heard for a child is “Blue” Byonce’s daughter.


3. What is the best vacation you've ever gone on?

Hopefully I am on it since it is 35 days of travel and we are on day 10.


4. What is your favourite quick summer meal?

Ice cream in a bowl with chocolate syrup and sprinkles – does that nake enough food groups?

And don't forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

For my 5th question – What would you do if you were stranded?

SUNDAY OUT OF THE CITY

 

IMG_1153 Stitch     IMG_1192 Stitch

 

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Here are pictures of our Sunday on the Golden Circle Tour in Iceland.  We saw waterfalls, geysers and horses.  What a beautiful country!!!

VOV9

 
Reykjavic  - Golden Circle Tour

Today started on a slightly sour note as the internet service crashed and the person to fix the problem would not be at his desk  until after we left on tour. Consequently,dear wife’s Sunday in the City did not get posted. Also the weather was cool and rainy but we went out dressed for the weather in anticipation of good day.

Jaan our driver and guide arrived right on time and 14 of us piled into the tour van and off we went. ( DW of course got shotgun ). Travelling out the city Jaan kept us entertained with general facts and gentle humour.Of course much of what he talked about related to the volvanic  nature of Iceland. The benefits  being that all houses in Iceland are heated free with hot water and the downside being that earthquakes occur fairly regularly and at times cause serious damage. ( He related that in one town nearly everyone had flat screen tvs because the regular tvs were destroyed in an earthquake and the insurance paid for new ones when flat screens were now available). He also said that generally speaking earthquakes are generally, relatively minor as most of the bedrock is porous volcanic rock that absorbs some of the energy.

Our first stop ( other than a pit stop and jewellery shopping by DW ) was in fact a sunken volcano that is now a beautiful little lake. Then we stopped a small set of rapids and waterfalls as a prelude to stopping at Gullfoss Falls. What a magnificent spot. We were given over an hour to explore the 2 sets of falls from various vantage points.

Our next stop was at a geothermal area. There were several pools of steaming water ranging from very clear to deep blue in colour. The highlight of course was that a geyser spouted from one of the pools and unlike Old Faithful, it erupted more haphazardly . Generally it would erupt every 8 to 12 minutes, sometimes as a single shot sometimes as 2 or 3 shots in a row.  This was also our lunch stop, so although we brought trail mix to eat I did get to sample an Icelandic beer and DW tried Icelandic ice cream.

After lunch we travelled to Thingvellir National Park which straddles an ancient geological fault. Scientists are generally agreed that this fault separates the North American plate from the European plate. I innocently asked where I should stand so that I could have my picture taken with one foot in North and the other in Europe. Jaan ( with a straight face ) said that it would be a bit of a stretch since there was about 500 meters no man’s land between the 2 fault lines.

During the tour Jaan was asked about the beautiful horses we passed. He said that they were introduced not long after Iceland was colonized by the Vikings so that now they are essentially a totally separated breed. He also stated that the horses are totally dependant on man during the winter months  and generally they are comfortable in man’s presence. To prove it he stopped the van at a farms entrance and called to the horses in the field. They all came over to eat some of the more succulent grass that Jaan had pulled or to have their heads scratched by some of the tour group.

Jaan also explained to us that everyone had clean drinking  water. Water slowly seeps through the porous bedrock taking years to filter through to the aquifers used for drinking.As an example he stopped at an area where crystal clear water emerged from the rock into streams and pools.

This should have been the end of our tour but Jaan offered to show us parts of downtown Reykjavik before returning to the ship. As we approached a small park he explained that the park was believed, by the locals, to be inhabited by elves and if you were a true believer you could see them. He asked us if we wanted to stop and of course we said yes. What a delightful little park filled with little grotto like caves, trees and festooned with colourful flowers. Anyone with imagination would probably see elves.

He also stopped by the old dock so that we could get a closer look at an interesting building. It must have been a nightmare to construct because it was a glass walled structure with different coloured glass panels and no two panels the same size or shape.

That unfortunately was our last stop. After travelling through some downtown’s streets  we were let off at the ship . The tour had taken so long that we too late for dinner in the dining room so we ate in the Lido and had a great supper.

Note: tried to post our blog entries tonight but the system is still not working properly. Hopefully, everything will be fixed in the morning and I will publish the posts late.

SUNDAY IN THE CITY

 

This week our city is Reykjavik, Iceland.  We spent 4 days at sea to get here.  When we arrived we had the same misty rain that had been with us.  We were glad to get off the ship and feel terra ferma.

Here is what we saw:

IMG_1094 Stitch    IMG_1108    IMG_1111    IMG_1124

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It has been a great cruise so far.  Tomorrow we have a tour of Iceland.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

VOV8

Land Ho!

After 3 days at sea the Captain’s announcement at 10:00 this morning that Iceland was in sight caused an onrush of passengers to the outside decks even in the fierce wind and rain. Now I know how the early sailors felt when they spent extended periods without sighting land.

Having skipped Nanortalik and Prince Christian Sound in Greenland and cruised at top speed we have arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland 2 days early and ahead of the storm. Unfortunately, the storm will hit us tomorrow while we are on a full day tour.

We did get off the ship today after docking and trekked to the information centre at the cruise dock. ( we were docked a short distance away at the  commercial shipping dock because of date changes ). We were hoping to use their Wi Fi services but the line up to pay was too long so we returned back to the ship and slow internet.

The security guard at the dock’s entrance said that the weather should be much improved on Monday morning so we will head into downtown then as we don’t leave until 1:00PM. Tomorrow we will dress in our warm raingear and go on a full day tour. At one point I should be standing with 1 foot in North America and the other in Europe. I hope DW can take a proper picture.

An interesting note: DW has been constantly wearing her sea bands the last few days in order to avoid sea sickness. ( especially with the ship cruising at full speed and not deploying stabilizers. ). Our table mates asked last night if they are some kind of Canadian fashion trend since she wore them with fancy jewellery.

SATISFACTION SATURDAY–ON LAND AGAIN

 

We  have finally arrived in Iceland.  We are sorry we missed Greenland however we will see it on the way back.  The captain says we are very glad not have been caught in the storm because it was bigger and wilder than even he thought it was.

As we approached Iceland today I finished the book “Arctic Chill” by Arnaldur Indridason.  It is a book recommended by the librarian on board.  It is listed as a Reykjavik thriller.  It was excellent.  The characters were well developed and the story gave an interesting perspective of the life in Reykjavik. While I finished the story D H captured the trek into port.

We are glad to be safe and will stay in Reykjavik for 2 nights.  Tomorrow we are on the Grand Circle Tour around the Island.  We are travelling with our cruise critic pals.  We are also looking at another trip which would be 42 days long next October.  Have I mentioned we really like cruising.

Friday, July 20, 2012

VOV7

Ho Hum. Just another sea day. All we did today was eat, drink and be merry!!

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY &

 

It's time for Five Question Friday ... and it's being hosted by Kate at Kate's World since Mama M. is on vacay! 



1} What do you call them- flip flops, sandals, thongs, or slippers?

Flip Flops if they have a toe separator, sandals if they don’t


2} Are you a "my kids can do no wrong" kind of mom or a "Johnny punched you? Well what did you do to him first?!" kind of mom?

I was a “what did you do first” Mom to my kids because they weren’t always perfect however don’t do something to my children because I will tear you apart.

3} Would you confront a good friend that looked/looks down on your husband/significant other?

Yes I would and I have.

4} Biggest pet peeve?

Driver’s who don’t signal

5} What's your favourite take out meal?

Pizza

Thursday, July 19, 2012

VOV6

Trouble at Sea

Today, I thought there would be nothing to post. It is another sea day and we were going to do normal activities. We did notice that the ship was travelling fairly fast and with the higher wind speeds it was quite an adventure walking on the outdoor deck.

Then the Captain came on the PA with a special announcement. The ship is running at full speed in order to outrun a major storm with extremely high gale force winds and high seas. Because we bypassed Red Bay, Labrador we are ahead of the storm, but if we make our regular stop in Greenland the storm would catch us and we would not have very many happy campers. So we are steaming straight to Reykavik. At this time, it is anticipated that we will arrive on Saturday evening and depart on Monday morning ( for a 2 night stay ) then on to our next port Djupivogur a day early and the add a port in Norway ( Molde ). After that we should be back on schedule.

The Captain presided over a special information session in the Show Lounge and with charts and weather maps showed us what we were up against. The weather maps he showed us were especially compelling and during the question and answer period many passengers expressed their thanks to the captain for taking this action.

After lunch we met up with Ed and Louise  and they introduced to a card game called Hand and Foot ( not Foot and Mouth as DW called it ). Although complicated we managed to muddle through it  and even managed to finish a few games. Since we played the game in the Atrium we drew quite a bit of interest from staff and passers-by.

We just managed to finish our final game in time to attend the dance lesson, which was American Waltz. Although we are fairly competent in waltz we joined the lesson for the fun of it and then to dance after the lesson was over. There will be no dancing for us tonight in the Crows Nest as it is Disco Night, so it is a good thing we got some dancing in this afternoon.

Dinner tonight was formal dress but other than that there was nothing special. We managed to get a couple of dances in the Ocean Bar and tried to see the evenings show but the lounge was already packed so were are going to pack in early ourselves.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

VOV5

Unscheduled Sea Day

 

Everything was white outside when we woke up. Thick, thick fog.The Captain had informed us last evening that we would be bypassing Red Bay Labrador due to the thick fog. He explained that radar would locate large icebergs but he had information that the area around Red Bay had a lot of what he called growlers ( small chunks of ice ) which radar would not detect  and could badly damage the ship.

DW started the day  ( after breakfast ) at Aqua Fit. Apparently she is going to be a star as the class was video taped and will be included on the trip’s DVD. I just took it easy and wrote my little add on blurb. ( I was informed that I mangled it and I am not allowed to post unless edited by DW).

After that we met up with Ed and Louise (another couple on the cruise) and played Rummy Kube. Needless to say I sported the highest score ( Louise won ).

Later we watched the Cha Cha Lesson – we did not want to interfere and only danced when they played a few songs at the end of the lesson.

Dinner was great. The six of us are getting comfortable with each other and the conversation is flowing and the good natured joking has started.

After dinner we went to the Ocean Bar and did a little dancing. Ed and Louise showed up a little later and we had some more good conversation. After they left we went up to the Crow’s Nest and cajoled Brad ( not Bruce – my bad ) to play a few songs for us before his regular program. Then we played Name that Tune  ( trivia contest ) but with our collective bad memories only achieved half the score of the winning team. They are currently line dancing in the Crow’s Nest so I retreated to the library to write my blurb and after I post it, we will go to bed.

THRIVING THURSDAY

 

We are into day 5 of our cruise and we are definitely thriving.  We are on a floating hotel that is all inclusive.  Here are some of our choices for the food that keeps us thriving.

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VOV4

Cornerbrook

 

We woke up to another foggy day but both shores of the Humber fiord were visible as we slowly approached Cornerbrook’s cruise dock. As we tied up to the dock we were serenaded by a solitary musician ensconced in a storage shed . With his preprogramed accompaniment he sounded like a whole band.

DW and I were excited exiting our ship as we were meeting up with Frank a former neighbour and good friend. He almost did not make the trip from Port O Port as he was socked in by very heavy fog. Fortunately,the fog dissipated enough to allow him to meet us in a flurry of hugs and laughter.

The first order of business was a trip to Tim Hortons for “ GOOD COFFEE” and a chance to relive some the hijinx  and special moments on our street and also to catch up on our respective family histories.

After that Frank drove us around to show us some of the special views and treated us to lunch  in Deer  Lake. After that he had to leave us for a doctor’s appointment and we reluctantly said our good byes.

The combination of a fun packed morning and a good lunch led us back to our stateroom for an afternoon nap. ( these are becoming habit forming).

After another fine dinner we danced for a while in the Ocean Bar and then to the Crows Nest for more dancing and great conversations with our DJ Bruce. Amazingly, we actually stayed up past 11:00 PM !.

VOV3

Another sea day:

The whole day was cloudy and sometimes misty so we could only have glimpses of the Nova Scotia coastline. I did manage to get misty images of a small community,lighthouse and the Sydney harbour.

After breakfast and our mile stroll on the promenade DW attended the sit and fit class while I went to the Library to finish yesterday’s journal. Following that I participated in the Tic Tac Toe putting contest while DW cheered everyone on. After an exhausting round my team won, so tiring that I needed a nap after lunch.

Later we attended the 2nd Cha Cha lesson which was a lot of fun and we happily learned that Tango lessons would be added later in the cruise.

The highlight of the day was the performance in the show lounge this evening. Pete Neighbour turned out to be a fantastic clarinet player and an engaging performer.

After the show we finished off the evening in the Crows Nest dancing to some great music.

Tomorrow we visit Cornerbrook, NFLD.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY–FIRST PORT OF CALL

 

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A warm musical welcome:

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Meeting an old friend and former neighbour:

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Losing some passengers:

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Having a wonderful time and wish you were here!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

VOV3

Another sea day:

The whole day was cloudy and sometimes misty so we could only have glimpses of the Nova Scotia coastline. I did manage to get misty images of a small community,lighthouse and the Sydney harbour.

After breakfast and our mile stroll on the promenade DW attended the sit and fit class while I went to the Library to finish yesterday’s journal. Following that I participated in the Tic Tac Toe putting contest while DW cheered everyone on. After an exhausting round my team won, so tiring that I needed a nap after lunch.

Later we attended the 2nd Cha Cha lesson which was a lot of fun and we happily learned that Tango lessons would be added later in the cruise.

The highlight of the day was the performance in the show lounge this evening. Pete Neighbour turned out to be a fantastic clarinet player and an engaging performer.

After the show we finished off the evening in the Crows Nest dancing to some great music.

Tomorrow we visit Cornerbrook, NFLD.

TRAVEL TUESDAY

 

It has been a wonderful few days since we boarded the Maasdam in Boston on Saturday.  We have been at sea and will land in Newfoundland today as our first of many stops.

We arrived on the ship with 7 pieces of luggage which is about average for the people on the ship.  We are here for 35 days and our weather will run from extreme heat to cold arctic air.

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We were welcomed on board by a wonderful band who played as we sailed away from port.

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We have been extremely busy on board our home away from home.  One of the many activities we have participated in is the morning exercise class “aquafit”.

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We had the pleasure of meeting the Captain of the ship.

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DH has won a twist contest and has taken part in the “Tic Tac Toe Golf” and his team also won.  We are racking up the prizes.

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And of course we are maintaining our dancing in the Ocean Bar as well as taking some Cha Cha lessons.

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All in all we are having a wonderful trip and meeting some great people.