Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

not quite LIVE FROM THE MAASDAM WITH TOMC

tomc

By tomc,
in Holland America Line

Recommended Posts

tomc

tomc

Posted
Posted

I was tired of writing (for the newspaper) and being clever (for the radio), but I did take notes and, by delayed broadcast, here is this year's edition of "Live from the Maasdam with tomc."

 

SATURDAY, MAY 25

I won a smallish amount in the lottery and was able to charter my own chauffered accomodations from NYC to Boston. What the heck, it's only money. I had a few people with me and, although I am a cat person, there was a giant dog on the side.

 

After I arrived in Boston and was hailing a taxi, I heard a teenager say, "Why is that guy saluting Hitler?"

 

At the pier check-in desk, the lady who mans it (hmmm, that doesn't sound right; let's try again). The lady who determines your fate vis-a-vis getting aboard or flunking the health test always recogizes me, which is sort of nice, but can also be scary at the same time. ("Oh, you're the guy with the Noro, the Monkey Virus and the Floogus of the Moogus who tried to get onboard last year. Just how did you do that?" "Remember when I said, 'Look over there, it's Justin Bieber and he's naked!' That's when I slipped aboard while you fished for your camera."

 

We sailed at 4pm, instead of 4:45 or 5:00. I heard (Danger! Rumor!) it was so we could said to Bar Harbor more slowly and save on fuel. Maybe the Captain heard the cops were after us and wanted to beat it out of town while the heat was on.

 

Lots of Orientals on board. I think there were last time, as well, but these people seem to be talking about how many of our industries they can buy, after picking up Smithfield Foods the other day. I noticed the salad forks have been replaced by chopsticks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomc

tomc

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Just a friendly reminder - the term "oriental" refers to things (rugs, etc.), not people.
Ooops... That's right; the term we use now is "Asians." My Oriental rugs; my Asian friends, most of whom were born in the country formerly known as C****.

 

As a side note, pleases ignore and do not click on, anything underlined. CC does that as a link to other sites for which I am not responsible. I take credit or shame only for what is written here and not for any added links.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fatcat04

fatcat04

Posted
Posted

"The Floogus of the Moogus" LOL... nice.

 

As an aside, thousands of Japanese tourist visit Green Gables on PEI every year as Anne of Green Gables is one of the most popular juvenile fiction books of all time in Japan. Since it was published in Japanese in 1952 (one of 36 languages so far), legions of Japanese girls have adopted Anne as a model and heroine of girlhood. On our recent cruise, 3 Japanese families were traveling together and rented vans to visit Green Gables the day we were there and renting our car. Best way to see the Anne sites btw. As a huge LM Montgomery fan, I totally understand their love. PEI is rather a mythical, magical spot for me too. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomc

tomc

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sunday in Bar Harbor

 

The tenders seemed to be running a bit slower; perhaps it's just my imagination, but maybe it's part of the rumored (danger! rumors!) slowdown to conserve $ fuel $. Strangely enough, for those of you who have tendered there, it was quite rough at the ship, but amazingly calm going in and out. I look forward to water over the bow, the tender being tossed around; none of that this time.

 

There is a lovely business I visit every year, the "Opera House," which has classical music playing and pictures of renowned artists of past and present on the walls. I'm there twice a year, actually, as I take a round-trip cruise and, like the woman at the Boston sign-in desk, she lady who runs it recognizes me each time. Something about "stop swiping the scones, ok?" It's the second right as you go uphill on the (only) main street. It has internet access and nice eats (scones, croissants, and other delights).

 

Back on board, in the Lido, I saw there was some chicken roasting. I asked for a fryer and out comes a Franciscan Brother. "Enjoy," the cook said. I told him I wanted a "fryer," and not a "friar." "Oh, sorry Mister Tom."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hpf

hpf

Posted
Posted

Oh wonderful; the next couple of weeks will be anything but boring. I will certainly be tagging along on your cruise. Thank you for keeping us all in stitches (informed).

 

Helen

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Himself

Himself

Posted
Posted

Thomas, you always give a good laugh when you write. You should teach creative writing. By the way who is the priest for this cruise? (If you dont want to publish it out here you can e-mail it to me at jtmcgeean at yahoo dot com.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomc

tomc

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Himself --

 

I don't remember the priest's name on the up trip, but he was from a parish near Fordham Univesity. Nice guy; dry as sand. The fellow on the down cruise was a tad younger, a veteran cruise chaplain who spends his vacation on a HAL ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...