Dave's Live from Eurodam Transatlantic 24 Aug - 10 Sep 2011

[jbhcw]

okay....is it just ME????

or

does anyone else read the Menu Dave posts and start picking out items you would order??

 

of course, I always pick two desserts to have :D

 

I'm always hungry after I read this thread......

.

 

Always! But I usually go with two apps:D and just one dessert:)

[RuthC]

(I wonder how we will handle the time in St. John’s, which I believe is offset a half hour from other time zones.)

In my many stops there, we have always reset the clocks to local time. There were two changes of 1/2 hour each.

 

Enjoy Prins Christian Sund! And wave for me when you pass that forlorn little village so remote from the rest of the world.

[RuthC]

okay....is it just ME????

or

does anyone else read the Menu Dave posts and start picking out items you would order??

It's not just you. I always make my evening selections, regardless of time of day I read the menu.

[baggal]

okay....is it just ME????

or

does anyone else read the Menu Dave posts and start picking out items you would order??

 

of course, I always pick two desserts to have :D

 

I'm always hungry after I read this thread......

.

 

Actually the menu reads better at home than when you're on the ship - especially when my "real" menu choices for tonight were reheated rotisserie chicken or a tuna sandwich.

[cruz chic]

Thanks for keeping us up to date. I'm enjoying it.

[tright]

I am loving your live review. I had my heart set on taking a TA to Italy but your review is making think twice. Thanks for taking the time to do this live review.

[barante]

I don't think that I have ever read a more comprehensive trip report than yours. Spicing up your observations are various menus!

My thoughts: When I look at the MDR menus you have reprinted, they seem a step up from what we had on a 28-day HAL cruise on the Veendam from Rio to FLL in March. Do bigger ships have more varied menus. Just asking because I wonder whether this applies to the Nieuw Amsterdam when we board it for a TA from Venice to FLL.

My thanks and admiration for your reporting,

[RetiredMustang]

Saturday, Sept. 2, Prins Christian Sund

 

We are making our approach to the Sound. Weather is cold (37 F), but clear and sunny -- it promises to be a gloriuous day. The captain has opened the bow decks. Lots of people up and around, but no whales spotted yet.

 

Here are a few early photos as attachments. I will try to keep posting as the day goes on, connections permitting. Fuller descriptions after the scenic cruising is over.

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

More photos.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

More photos.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

More photos. Glorious sunny day.

 

Dave

[kazu]

Really nice pics Dave - thanks so much:)

[Steirisch]

Amazing photos. I thought icebergs like this were just in the movies. Love your daily report.

[RetiredMustang]

More photos.

 

Dave

[IRL_Joanie]

Wed., Aug 24, Dover

 

Well, we are aboard the Eurodam!

 

Joanie, I have taken many other photos, but will post or email them to you after we get back.

 

Dave

 

Dave, that will be awesome!! Just mail them to me when you get home. I will be leaving on the 9th for my cruise and not returning until the 25th, so wrks perfectly for us both:)

 

Am reading the Live from now and just found this thread, which I'd missed during Irene I guess (duh...)

 

Joanie

[RuthC]

How fortunate you have been to have had such perfect weather today! It's such a gorgeous ride on a day like this.

Thank you for sharing those photos and bringing back the memories.

[Broon]

Amazing photos and almost real-time report. And what wonderful weather.

 

We went through the sound eastbound on the MAASDAM in July 2005....this was the cruise when we met Ruth C. Hi Ruth!!

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Harvey & Marianne

[RuthC]

We went through the sound eastbound on the MAASDAM in July 2005....this was the cruise when we met Ruth C. Hi Ruth!!

Hi, Harvey & Marianne. It was a grand cruise, wasn't it.

[RetiredMustang]

More photos. Connectivity comes and goes.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Another batch of photos.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Pushing my luck with another set of photos.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Saturday, Sept. 3, Prins Christian Sund

I’ve been posting photos all day, as attachments only, feeling lucky that I have been able to get connections inside the Sound and not wanting to push my luck. Later in the cruise or after I get home, I will load higher-resolution ones to the CC photo gallery. I took a couple hundred more than I posted (many of them in focus), but won’t post that many.

This has been a truly amazing day, even better than the transit in 2009. This stark, beautiful land is haunting and amazing.

The day started with pink and golden dawn – the photo I posted did not do it justice. The clear wind keening into every gap in your jacket woke you up and promised of a special day ahead.

The sun rose, burned off the few clouds that were around and shone down on rugged mountains, glittering snow and ice fields, crystal icebergs (some encrusted with sea birds), … and the water, which was at times azure, other times star sapphire, or aquamarine, or dazzling in the golden sun. The waters were incredibly still, and the slopes and peaks seemed to float above themselves, reflected in mirror image.

We ventured up Prins Christian Sund and squeezed through the narrow part into even more rugged territory. After a while, we turned left and sailed around a large island. The mountains got more rugged, but also more green, as they were a bit more sheltered and warm, and so held more plant life. Travel Guide Ian and Jon Sigurdsson, who had been doing commentary all morning, said they had spotted some seals, but I did not get a glimpse of one.

For lunch, the ship set up a BBQ on the Lido deck, and brought out fresh fish they obviously had brought aboard in Iceland. I was torn between that and the day I’ve been waiting for at the Asian section of the Lido – food of the Philippines. Pancit or fish, adobo or chowder, what to choose. I settled on the pancit and adobo, but took photos of the BBQ, and the fish they were preparing (attached).

More in the next post,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Saturday, Sept. 3, Prins Christian Sund (continued)

About lunchtime, the weather changed and became cloudy. Later, mist started forming on the mountain-tops. In mid-afternoon, we came around a fjord and went by the little village of Aappilattoq, the remote village RuthC was talking about. The captain turned the ship and stopped. A boat from the village escorted us as we came near. I waved, on behalf of ourselves, and RuthC, and they seemed happy to see us.

Then, Ian described the action as the ship lowered a rescue boat, and loaded it with Jon Sigurdsson and his wife Unnar, and precious supplies – pizzas for the village’s children. Jon is known in the village, and is friends with many who live there. The rescue boat sped to the protected cove and pier, and about a half hour later came back and was loaded aboard. Ian said that last year, the villagers gave the ship whale meat in thanks.

A photo of the village, a long shot showing its location at the base of the mountains, and a shot of Jon’s Pizza delivery boat are attached.

We then exited via another channel, back to the open sea and our route to Nanortalik.

It was an exciting and wonderful day on the water, among the rugged scenery.

Some information for those who may be interested.

Tonight’s show: “International Award-Winning Vocalist. Don’t miss the 4-Octave Range & Charming Personality of Paul Fredericks.” 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Indonesia Crew Show, 11:15 p.m.

Music/Other:

- Queen’s Lounge: Join DJ Tyler for Pub Trivia, 7:00 p.m. A Line Dance Party, 9:00 p.m.

- Ocean Bar: The Neptunes, 6:30-11:30 p.m. Happy hour 4:00-5:00 p.m.

- Piano Bar: Piano Man Michael 9:00 p.m. – close; Elvis Hour 10:00-11:00 p.m.

- Explorer’s Lounge: Adagio Strings, 6:00-11:00 p.m.

- Crow’s Nest: Solo guitarist Darlyne Cain, 5:30-9:00 p.m. Happy hour 7:00-8:00 p.m.

- Northern Lights: DJ Tyler, Music Mix, 9:00 p.m. – close

Dinner menu in MDR (formal):

Appetizers: Poached Orange and Grapes; Tomato and Salmon Carpaccio; Layered Vegetable Terrine; Greek Moussaka.

Soups and Salad: *****-a-Leekie Soup; Tomato and Zucchini Bisque; Chilled Sour Cherry Soup; Salad Caprese.

Entrees: Linguini Carbonara; Brazilian Shrimp Salad; Seared Cajun Tuna Steak; Three Peppercorn Crusted Top Sirloin Steak; Veal Chop with Creamy Procini Sauce; Grilled Polenta and Eggplant Napoleon.

Desserts: German Chocolate Cake; “Queen of Pudding” (baked lemon custard with meringue); Deep-dish Apple Tart; Passion Fruit Mouse Torte no sugar added; Vanilla ice cream; Banana ice cream; Organe sorbet; Raspberry Frozen Yogurt; No sugar added Fudge Tracks Ice Cream; No sugar added Vanilla ice cream; Apple Sundae.

More later,

Dave

[kazu]

Oh Dave, isn't it nice to know that they do this:) I bet the children were ecstatic;) How very nice - and thank you for sharing - I had no idea about this until you fabulous live thread :D

[RuthC]

Dave, thank you :) for those photos of the village.

The first time I ever saw that remote outpost I could not believe anyone would live there voluntarily---thought it might be a penal colony. Or the modern/humane version of where they send the old folks to die, instead of sending them off on an ice floe, like in the old days. :eek:

With all the times I've seen it since, I still shake my head in disbelief whenever I sail by.