Lirio

1 hour ago, crusinbanjo said:

Two jazz banjo players I know well in New Orleans are Lee Floyd and Don Vappie.  Completely different styles and both unbelievable musicians.  I don’t know how they do it! Yeah, I need to get back there for a visit.

is there any chance to see them? I am here till wenesday.

4 hours ago, Reef Knot said:

I went to New Orleans about 10 years ago and seem to remember that even though gambling was illegal there were a couple of swanky casinos. Obviously I asked the burning question to be told that although gambling was illegal gaming wasn't. Is that true or was that just an amusing story?

there cassinos now and a big one is being built. see the picture taken from my window.

Nola at night.....

On 9/20/2023 at 12:45 PM, jjs217 said:

As a hiker, I would never bring my hiking boots on a cruise - too heavy and take up too much room.  The best thing to bring are hiking tennis shoes.  They are great for city walking, trail walking, or hiking.  All the brands have them.  

Hiking tennis, waterproof should be enough. 

About flies, it is not that much, but I do recommend bringing repellent.

You do not see many big animals in Amazon, you do see birds, flowers, small alligators, sloths, river dolphins, and trees, lot of trees. And yes, the river is so larger that you cannot see the riverbanks in some areas.

And it rains almost every day, but in the end of the day and it lasts maybe 1 to 2 hours, not much than that. Bringing a raincoat is a good idea. And it is always hot and humid.

Po-boy day. I couldnt get even 1/3 of it, but glad I tried!!!

I will try Brennan's!

History of Po-boy, from wikipedia

"A po' boy (also po-boy, po boy derived from the non-rhotic southern accents often heard in the region, or poor boy) is a sandwich originally from Louisiana. It almost always consists of meat, which is usually roast beef, chicken fingers or some sort of fried seafood such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters or crab. The meat is served on New Orleans French bread, known for its crispy crust and fluffy center." Po-boy comes from poor-boy......

I went to greenland in Wind in 2022. We had a great time. The only issue was that 2 days before the end of the cruise the closet in our Veranda Suite got all wet. SS arranged a huge fan to try to dry it. I was told that the water came from our shower which had a clogged drain.

Dining in New Orleans in the same day that Beyonce was in concert! City was full of people dressed up for it.

Fried boiled egg (soft yolk) with pasta.

Gumbo

9 minutes ago, Abuckett said:

Could you tell me which hotel you stayed at

Hotel Papadopoli Venezia - MGallery an Accor hotel.

34 minutes ago, Lirio said:

Friday night at New Orleans.....

I tried to edit the photo but I could not. Anyone knows how to delete a post?

Below a better one.

We were there last August and our hotel was very close to Piazza Roma. We had a porter to help with the luggage and took the People Move. You still need to walk about 300 meters to the terminal. But find Silversea is very easy. There was several indication.

Friday night at New Orleans.....

@  New Orleans.

My first encounter with NOLA was back in the 1980´s when I watched Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and Robert de Niro. Several films after and a lot of music, here I am for a busy week of courses, meetings and conference. Took me 22 hours D2D, but flights were all good, no delay....

After a quick lunch at the hotel (shrimp & grits, always my 1^st option) I went to see the Mississippi river.

I won’t have a lot of time to tourism, but any recommendation is welcomed.

12 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Thx Dr. Ron. It’s good to see a mountain kid, who only started riding a few years ago in college, achieve some early success.  He certainly has a bright future in front of him.

I like cycling and I follow the great Giro, Tour and Vueta! I always dream that when we are retired I would love to follow the stages in a camper van all around Europe......Sepp did a great job!

Spring is coming. My aunt garden.

My apartment "garden"

3 hours ago, drron29 said:

I am well known for getting along with birds and i often talk to them. I have a new little friend who loves coming and sitting alongside of me when I am gardening. I disturb plenty of insects so he has a good feed. today however he decided to join us for drinks and a snack on our patio.

 

 

Turns out he likes a good brie and sweet potato crisps but oat flakes if nothing else available.

Lovely patio!

All my best wishes for all on board.

Newspaper in Brazil is also covering it.

6 hours ago, MJN1 said:

Having been driven away by Silversea's constant cost cutting under its previous owner and happily encamped on Seabourne for many years, we finally returned, tempted by the CPH to CPH itinerary on the Silver Dawn, circling the Baltic Sea.

Here are some first impressions after boarding last Friday, including 'apple to oranges' comparisons with the smaller SS/SB ships.
Boarding was a breeze. We arrived 15min after the scheduled 2p.m. boarding time, with many pax already on board, judging from the crossed out names at the first security control. Check-in was at the Venetian lounge and we were in our suite within 15min after leaving the taxi. Wet towels handed once on board, but no glass of Champagne in sight anywhere.
Lunch at La Terrazza was OK. Wide selection of food, beautiful, spacious lay-out of the buffet area. Less than average quality of sashimi and sushi.
Luggage was at the suite after we returned, fastest delivery we ever had.
Suite: standard Verandah cabin, mid ship; appealing color scheme, sufficient hanging space, manageable drawer space.
Bathroom: tub and separate shower, a major upgrade vs the previous climb into the tub experience on the older ships. First major plus point!
Finally met the Suite attendant just before dinner and the butler next afternoon, i.e. no personal welcome or glass of Champagne while unpacking. First minus point….
Restaurants: we had a great dinner at S.A.L.T the first night, OK lunch at Kaiseki the next day. Two great dinners at Altantide, a below average hamburger at the Grill (while not a big fan of TK, I do miss the Napa burger) and a very good pizza at Spacanapoli. The variety and number of restaurant choices is a huge plus. Atlantide being open (every day) for Breakfast is simply wonderful (and beats breakfast at La Terrazza hands-down)!
Bars: again, a huge choice. Dolce Vita is maybe a bit too large for us, but is was great to see MaryBeth again after so many years. The S.A.L.T. Bar (and staff) is another gem!
And the ship? The Dawn is simply BEAUTIFUL. Spacious, well designed, automatic doors to nearly all outside areas. One does not feel that there is a significantly higher number of guests compared to Whisper/Shadow or the Quest.
Sofar, glad we came back. 🥰

 

MaryBeth was in my 1st SS cruise several years ago. She is great.

Someone asked me about things to do in Rio. So here it is:

1.     Obvious places: Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. For Corcovado I highly recommend the Tram. Sugar Loaf: In fact, there are 2 hills connected by the cable car. The 1st part of the cable car one goes up to the first hill (Morro da Urca) and 2nd part to Sugar Loaf itself. Should you like hiking, there is a beautiful trail to get to the 1st part (Morro da Urca) and from there, take the cable car to the Sugar Loaf.

2.     Historical part of the city: close to the maritime terminal. A guided walk tour is a good suggestion. Somes places I like: 1) Cinelandia where is located Theatro Municipal, Biblioteca Nacional and Museum de Belas Artes. You can visit them all these, but in case you a short on time, the buildings themselves are worth seeing from outside. 2) Praça XV where is located Arco do Teles and some small old streets. 3) Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (hidden gem). 4) Pequena Africa (little Africa) walking tour.

3.     Historical churches: The most beautiful is Mosteiro de São Bento, walking distance from the cruise terminal. Should you have to choose just 1, I recommend choosing this one. Other interesting churches: Convento Santo Antonio that can be reached by a tram that departures from the cruise terminal. Should you like to see more churches: Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Antiga Sé and Outeiro da Gloria. The first one is in the historical neighborhood and the second one a bit further, but still close.

4.     Museums: There is one just very close to the cruise terminal Museu do Amanhã (Tomorrow Museum) and some others in the historical neighborhood. There is lot of specific museums and art and culture centers in the historical area and further away.

5.     Fortress – Due to the war against the French in XVI century and WWI there several fortresses around Rio. 2 are in Copacabana beach, one in each side. Forte do Leme is up in a hill that is reached on foot and a paved road. It is very steep, so if one is not fit, I do not recommend hiking it. The view from the above is very beautiful. The other one is flat and very ease to visit (Forte Copacabana) and the view from the cannons roof top is great. Should you be seriously interested in fortresses, the most interesting are those in a near by city Niteroi on the other side of the bay. But it is necessary 3 hours to visit all the 3 fortress there. One of them you will probably see from the ship while she gest into the Guanabara Bay approaching the maritime terminal. It is Fortaleza de Santa Cruz.

6.     Botanical Garden is beautiful and should one is very interested in flowers and plants, Sitio Burle Marx is a must do, but it will need more time because it about 50km from the maritime terminal.

7.     Rio is a city for jogging, biking and hiking. Should want more information just ask.

Someone asked me about things to do in Rio. So here it is:

1.     Obvious places: Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. For Corcovado I highly recommend the Tram. Sugar Loaf: In fact, there are 2 hills connected by the cable car. The 1st part of the cable car one goes up to the first hill (Morro da Urca) and 2nd part to Sugar Loaf itself. Should you like hiking, there is a beautiful trail to get to the 1st part (Morro da Urca) and from there, take the cable car to the Sugar Loaf.

2.     Historical part of the city: close to the maritime terminal. A guided walk tour is a good suggestion. Somes places I like: 1) Cinelandia where is located Theatro Municipal, Biblioteca Nacional and Museum de Belas Artes. You can visit them all these, but in case you a short on time, the buildings themselves are worth seeing from outside. 2) Praça XV where is located Arco do Teles and some small old streets. 3) Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (hidden gem). 4) Pequena Africa (little Africa) walking tour.

3.     Historical churches: The most beautiful is Mosteiro de São Bento, walking distance from the cruise terminal. Should you have to choose just 1, I recommend choosing this one. Other interesting churches: Convento Santo Antonio that can be reached by a tram that departures from the cruise terminal. Should you like to see more churches: Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Antiga Sé and Outeiro da Gloria. The first one is in the historical neighborhood and the second one a bit further, but still close.

4.     Museums: There is one just very close to the cruise terminal Museu do Amanhã (Tomorrow Museum) and some others in the historical neighborhood. There is lot of specific museums and art and culture centers in the historical area and further away.

5.     Fortress – Due to the war against the French in XVI century and WWI there several fortresses around Rio. 2 are in Copacabana beach, one in each side. Forte do Leme is up in a hill that is reached on foot and a paved road. It is very steep, so if one is not fit, I do not recommend hiking it. The view from the above is very beautiful. The other one is flat and very ease to visit (Forte Copacabana) and the view from the cannons roof top is great. Should you be seriously interested in fortresses, the most interesting are those in a near by city Niteroi on the other side of the bay. But it is necessary 3 hours to visit all the 3 fortress there. One of them you will probably see from the ship while she gest into the Guanabara Bay approaching the maritime terminal. It is Fortaleza de Santa Cruz.

6.     Botanical Garden is beautiful and should one is very interested in flowers and plants, Sitio Burle Marx is a must do, but it will need more time because it about 50km from the maritime terminal.

7.     Rio is a city for jogging, biking and hiking. Should want more information just ask.

Jogging around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas today. Winter has gone away early and temperature is around 30C.

In 2 weeks, I will be in New Orleans (1st time) for a conference. It will be very busy, but I hope I can visit some places.

4 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

The Edition is in the middle of the shot.  This was taken from our verandah. So close and easy to embark.  

I was at the Edition in 2022 and it is a great hotel and almost everyday a new cruise ship arrived.....Should I be in Iceland again (I hope so) that's my firts option! 

3 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

For port-to-port:

Your deposit will be nonrefundable. The initial deposit is 25%, while on some Door-to-Door itineraries there is a reduced deposit of 15%. 

The refundability schedule for the remaining payment balance is different (more restrictive) than that for door-to-door. See Terms and Conditions (link below)

Fare guarantees do not apply - if the price for the cruise goes down or a new offer such as suite upgrades comes out, you will not be able to take advantage of it unless you cancel, forfeit the deposit and rebook

Venetian sailing offers and Venetian Society milestone reward savings cannot be used with port-to-port fares

 

The detailed terms and conditions spell out these differences: 

Terms and Conditions. Silversea Cruises | Silversea

Considering all this we are looking for other options to cruise.

Visiting houses is one of my favourite tour, every where, any type of house. This time I pictured handle/knobs:

Fusina (Venice) to Fusina (Venice) – Silver Spirit 9 to 16 of August

We made our reservation directly with Silversea port to port. For this cruise we did not get the Venetian Society discount or any OBC.

We made our own arrangements for transportations and hotels pre and post cruise.

Our trip started with 2 days in Milano, and from there we took the train to Venice 1 day prior to embarkation.

We booked a hotel in Venice very closed to Piazzale Roma, where all public transportation arrives), just 2 bridges. Very convenient to go from the train station and to access the People Mover.

On the embarkation day we got the People Mover to Maritima Terminal where we met Silversea check in point and where the Silversea bus departed to the pier in Fusina (20-30 minutes ride).

Embarkation was pretty ease. When we arrived at the ship, our cabin was ready. It was a veranda suite close to elevators, stairs, and launderette. More convenient, impossible.

The amenities were from Seba Med that I didn’t know before.

Service can improve. In 2 days, we arrived from lunch and our suite wasn’t service yet and, in the evening, as well, sometimes service was very late.

In the pool bar, on some occasions, we aske for a drink an got another one.

Food was good or very good in all restaurants we visited, and we visited all of them. We only had the house wines and drinks, and we were happy with that.

Included tours: mixed feelings. It saves you from research but sometimes is just staying in a bus. Next cruise I will be more diligent in choosing the tours.

Entertainment is certainly a point to improve. I took my dancing shoes, but DJ started very late. First day at 22:30, 22:45; 22:45; 23:30…..and played a lot of Latin music that I do not like….Shows were not motivating…..

The ports of call were very good to excellent. All new for us.  Trieste (best pastries and ice cream for all trip); Zadar, Hvar (best beaches and trail), Dubrovnik (as crowded as Venice, Game of Thrones, very good street market), Split and Opatija (good beaches).

Disembarkation was easy as well. We got back to the same hotel for more 3 days in Venice. In From there we drove to Milano and have more 4 days around the city and cities nearby. The best one was Bergamo.

In Milano we had the opportunity to visit an exhibition about Amazon in Brazil, very good coincidence.

Now we are back home planning new adventures. 
 

D2D is not offered for all countries, Brazil for instances. One must choose between D2D without flights or P2P with restricted benefits. And the discount for flights in D2D without flights is very low compared to the cost of flights. This means that the difference of D2D without flights and P2P is due to the difference in the restrictions.

Usually, I have a land trip either before or after the cruise that I do on my own. Because of that I always arrange my flights. I consider that D2D is only suitable for those taking only the cruise.