Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[specialcruisegirl]

Good Day All,

 

It's been rather busy here, but thankfully l have agreed to sell and if all goes to plan l should be on the move before Christmas!

Perfect timing of course...pre cruise...:rolleyes: but l shall take the opportunity to chillax before the mayhem starts!

 

The galley has become redundant in favour of the local pub for now who dish up very good nosh...I do however need to start de-cluttering the freezers ...so let battle commence....:eek:

 

S:)

[spinnaker2]

Congrats on the sale. All good I hope. Where will you move?

Your cruise will be even more exciting, as soon you will be less emcumbered.

[lincslady]

Good Day All,

 

It's been rather busy here, but thankfully l have agreed to sell and if all goes to plan l should be on the move before Christmas!

Perfect timing of course...pre cruise...:rolleyes: but l shall take the opportunity to chillax before the mayhem starts!

 

The galley has become redundant in favour of the local pub for now who dish up very good nosh...I do however need to start de-cluttering the freezers ...so let battle commence....:eek:

 

S:)

 

Absolutely delighted for you, Sophia - hope some of the groundwork can be done by the legal bods while you are away. I imagine you are off in a few days? Just the boost needed for perfect enjoyment of a cruise.:):)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good luck with the shenanigans Soapy Girl. :D

 

 

[spinnaker2]

Hello all...

Jeff

Curry looks good!

I have been busy trying to retire. Way too much to do. My former secretary told me that I can't do anything less than at full speed. I think she is right. I have at least one project a day.

Looking forward to the crossing from Barcelona in November and unless the vessel has " projects" for me, I will be forced to unwind.

We booked our flight for skiing in January, and another expedition cruise for March. We will rent out the ski place in March and then will get home from that just in time to get on another crossing from Miami to Rome.

Life is good, and I can't complain.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hello all...

Jeff

Curry looks good!

I have been busy trying to retire. Way too much to do. My former secretary told me that I can't do anything less than at full speed. I think she is right. I have at least one project a day.

Looking forward to the crossing from Barcelona in November and unless the vessel has " projects" for me, I will be forced to unwind.

We booked our flight for skiing in January, and another expedition cruise for March. We will rent out the ski place in March and then will get home from that just in time to get on another crossing from Miami to Rome.

Life is good, and I can't complain.

 

Spin,

 

That sounds so lovely. People totally underestimate how terrible a transition it is from "being someone" to being retired.

 

If you have time in Barcelona I'll send you to a place with plastic tables and chairs but with great seafood. Spin, it's a struggle but you have joined RA ie Retirees Anonymous. :eek::p

 

I'm very lucky. I only ever get bored when someone wants me to do something. I am quite happy doing the square root of buG8er all. It is my talent! :D

 

I urge you also to do stuff that isn't important.

 

For example, I have always wanted to make good sourdough bread. So I just want to share the absolute joy of giving birth to my very first succesful and completely natural sourdough starter. No shenanigans. No grape peel. No apple peel. A real natural starter with airborne flora after 10 days or so. I owe this to a baker in California who wrote about this. Is there anything less ... or more important than making natural bread?

 

I know this boasting is now going to reward me with a complete flop of a first loaf, but we must always get our joy as and when it first comes! I know it's going to end in tears but let me just have this moment to savour before I fail miserably. :):(

 

Edited October 1, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[specialcruisegirl]

Jeff, you are both brave and patient...hope it turns out well.

 

Thank you all very much for your good wishes, I'm happy with the sale and right now negotiating the purchase of property in a small village south of Chester.

 

I did a lot of clearing out when l placed mine on the market so not a lot to worry about....she says hopefully...;)

 

I still have three weeks before l join the Whisper so all being well most of the essential paper work will be done before l go.

 

S:)

[spinnaker2]

Jeff:

Nice starter.

Looks fermenty. Careful about that airborne flora. San Francisco has a unique flora, so not sure about the transition from city to city, let alone continent to continent.

Tell me about the place in Barcelona. If all goes as planned, we have a day there. We've done most of the touristy things, so looking for other stuff.

Our last flight is a connection thru CDG, and that always is trouble.

Last time we did that we had to spend the night near the airport, accommodations courtesy of air France, towels were see thru!

No air conditioning, BUT the window opened. We laughed because we had no luggage and had to put on the same clothes from the day before. We then boarded our flight to the USA in first class looking disheveled, and of course in the 60's that would have been ok. At our ages we just looked very unkempt.

We made it home safely. This is what air travel has become. I did a fair amount of it in my business. More lost luggage, delay, cancellation, etc. I just learned to build in time for that, and be glad when I arrived safely.

Keep us posted about the bread. I love crusty sourdough and cioppino.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff:

Nice starter.

Looks fermenty. Careful about that airborne flora. San Francisco has a unique flora, so not sure about the transition from city to city, let alone continent to continent.

Tell me about the place in Barcelona. If all goes as planned, we have a day there. We've done most of the touristy things, so looking for other stuff.

Our last flight is a connection thru CDG, and that always is trouble.

Last time we did that we had to spend the night near the airport, accommodations courtesy of air France, towels were see thru!

No air conditioning, BUT the window opened. We laughed because we had no luggage and had to put on the same clothes from the day before. We then boarded our flight to the USA in first class looking disheveled, and of course in the 60's that would have been ok. At our ages we just looked very unkempt.

We made it home safely. This is what air travel has become. I did a fair amount of it in my business. More lost luggage, delay, cancellation, etc. I just learned to build in time for that, and be glad when I arrived safely.

Keep us posted about the bread. I love crusty sourdough and cioppino.

 

 

Hi Spin,

 

Our air is better than California's I promise! You can always tell. It there is moss growing on the roof tiles ie those houses that aren't thatched then the air is pure. We have tons of moss every year. Moss will not grow in anything other than completely pure air.

 

My view about retirement time. If you were successful in work it meant you were both a perfectionist and always took on new challenges and mastered them. So pick stuff in retirement that you can never hope to master because you are a perfectionist. That's why I cook. It is never perfect. Always (nearly) with what I put on a plate.

 

Barcelona! A walk from the ship. We always make a beeline to here.

 

Link to the place and some of google piccies and some of our piccies including my Award Winning Piccy (self described) "Basking in Barcelona" ie office workers taking their lunch break.

 

http://www.monchos.com/es/el-chipiron

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=El+Chipiron+De+Moncho's&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=oT0sVP-3FKLT7QbwyIGgBQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1529&bih=694

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

I enjoy reading other peoples' trip reports, but this one is so genuinely unique I thought I'd share the link to it.

 

Hajj, A Journey of a Lifetime: An Insiders Look

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1617133-hajj-journey-lifetime-insiders-look.html

 

I hope it gives others as much pleasure as it gave me.

 

Jeff

 

:)

[specialcruisegirl]

Hello :)

 

Jeff, read that TR....so interesting and what a journey! Whilst l do respect the culture and can see the peace and calmness the trip brought to the writer, it would have been a nightmare for me personally but lovely to travel vicariously.

 

I've had a busy bitty morning with odd jobs, concluding with the collection of my evening wear from the dressmaker who's been skilfully ensuring a near perfect fit....thankfully achieved!

 

Chilli for luncheon today with garlic bread....l am in need of some spice...:eek:

 

S:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Soaky Gal and others.

 

Glad you enjoyed that trip report. So often they are about premium travel and luxury and this was about hajj ie "effort". So much (in my view almost all) of the world's issues currently emnate from either religion or nationalism, we must be reminded that it is neither of those two but the intolerence of differences and others that causes the hatred and not the differences themselves. I couldn't do that trip either although sometimes my travels feel like it.

 

Today I made the biggest schnitzel that man has ever made - it's edges cannot be seen from outer space due to curvature of the earth and the scnitzel .... and I admit - to give her an injection of a Wiener Stüberl here in warm Hampshire.

 

Yesterday I gave her some Merguez with pitta, fries and salad.

 

And the sourdough starter is blessing us with offspring.

 

Edited October 2, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lynsey de Paul. Sad.

 

:(

[spinnaker2]

Sourdough looks like it has sprouted little bubbly aliens

[TLCOhio]

Wanted to update on a couple of earlier posts. FIRST, a big thanks to Jeff and others for the many great ideas on London for my friend taking her 20-year-old grandson, daughter and son-in-law to the UK capital. Results?? Five great sunny and nice weather days last week during their visit. Loved the sights, including Buckingham Palace, the Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, etc. The exploring of the HMS Belfast as the grandson's favorite.

 

She now thinks that I have "special powers and connections" in London to influence the "GODS" for perfect weather there.

 

SECOND, we did have a nice dinner party at home last Sunday night. Was going to take some food, etc., pictures to share here. Had my camera out and ready. BUT, things got busy and was having too much fun. Sorry!! Will aim for that sharing later. Below are two pictures from dinner on Sept. 20 with the two members of the Serbia parliament staying at our home. You can get a little sampling of the good food on the table for dinner. We've been invited by them to go to visit Serbia, see the sights there, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 159,081 views. Nice to be hitting this high of a level for viewership. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

From Sept. 18-21 in Columbus, Ohio, we had two visiting members of the Parliament of Serbia staying at our home. Here are two of the National Assembly members, including the Vice Speaker on the right side of the first picture, having Saturday night dinner with my wife and me. College football is on in the background. Fun and interesting experience!!! As I mentioned earlier, we have not, yet, been to Serbia, but we visited in June 2011 both neighboring Croatia and Montenegro. Loved both countries and their super historic and scenic areas of Dubrovnik, Kotor, etc. The second picture shows my wife getting an update on family pictures of his children in Serbia from his computer tablet.:

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lovely pictures Terry! So pleased the tips hit the mark. There is so much to London.

 

Two of my favourite pictures of the week!

 

Edited October 3, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[specialcruisegirl]

Afternoon All,

 

Great pictures Terry and Jeff.:)

 

Busy morning starting with the annual Flu injection.... followed by some serious packing...roll on three weeks today!!

 

S:)

[TLCOhio]

Afternoon All, Great pictures Terry and Jeff.:) Busy morning starting with the annual Flu injection.... followed by some serious packing...roll on three weeks today!! S:)

 

Appreciate the nice comments on the pictures. That encourages me to share more. Have lots. Refresh my bad memory!! Where are you headed in three weeks?

 

We are 113 days away from when we fly on Delta from Columbus to Barbados to get on our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo back-to-back sailing over 26 days on the Silversea Silver Cloud. All paid up, have booked our evening dining reservations and made a few preliminary shore excursion picks, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 79,843 views for this fun posting.

[specialcruisegirl]

Appreciate the nice comments on the pictures. That encourages me to share more. Have lots. Refresh my bad memory!! Where are you headed in three weeks?

 

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 79,843 views for this fun posting.

 

Please do share more Terry :)

 

I'm joining Silver Whisper NY to Barbados, having a quick shopping spree in the big apple before l board!

 

Sophia :)

[TLCOhio]

Please do share more Terry :) I'm joining Silver Whisper NY to Barbados, having a quick shopping spree in the big apple before l board! Sophia :)

 

Appreciate Sophia's update and encouragement. Will share more visuals as the "fit" works. Lots of pictures in my files from Europe, USA, Australia-NZ, etc.

 

Enjoy New York City!! Exciting, fun city. Not cheap, but so many options for things to see and do there. And, shopping!!??

 

Going to Barbados? As I re-call the Silver Whisper will be doing its 17-day cruise to and up the Amazon River after your cruise on that ship. Yours is an Oct. 27-Nov. 6 cruise to there. Then, Nov. 25 is when the Silver Whisper will do the same stops on their Amazon adventure as ours will do Jan. 25-Feb. 11, 2015.

 

If you've done Barbados previously, please share more on what you liked most there, best suggest, secret locations, etc. We'll have two different days on that very proper and British-styled island nation. It will be our first visit there and a new experience for most of our stops in the Caribbean and these parts of South America.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 159,238 views. Nice to be hitting this high of a level for viewership. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[specialcruisegirl]

Good Day Coolers:)

 

Terry, the last time I was in Barbados was 1971 so I'm guessing it's changed quite a lot since then! This time I am only there for two nights post voyage but will be happy to report on any good finds.

 

Cruise documents arrived this morning which brings the trip a lot closer..:D

I shall be very happy when l at last board the aircraft and am on my way....but a lot to do before l leave with the house sale.....:eek:

 

Happy Weekend

 

Sophia :)

[TLCOhio]

Terry, the last time I was in Barbados was 1971 so I'm guessing it's changed quite a lot since then! This time I am only there for two nights post voyage but will be happy to report on any good finds. Cruise documents arrived this morning which brings the trip a lot closer.. I shall be very happy when l at last board the aircraft and am on my way....but a lot to do before l leave with the house sale.....:eek: Happy Weekend Sophia :)

 

Appreciate your follow-up for my questions on Barbados. YES, it's been a little time since 1971! I'm certain things have changed there in 43 years. Look forward to hearing your impressions for what has changed, what you liked most from your upcoming visit, etc.

 

Great point about that "relief" when finally on the airplane and headed to your destination/cruise.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, you might look at this earlier posting that I did on the Italy board that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling the great history and architecture. This posting is now at 42,792 views and I appreciate those who have dropped by and tuned in.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good day cooleries!

 

I am so looking forward to Soaky Gal's trip and the box arrival is a landmark day in anyone's life.

 

Terry your meal sounds so interesting. The only thing that worries me a bit was do you find that with such people, do you have to be on your best behaviour? Shirt tucked, Shiny hair. Under-arm deoderised. Clean underwear and that sort of stuff? Does that mean if I were there, I would have probably been a bit of an embarrassment? I sometimes loosen my stays in public. I also often find that when with people that are really really interesting and of status, I sometimess lose the will to live and need a larger glass? ;)

 

I made some more sourdough today and as I've made a loaf without yeast that is good - I feel that's now done, much to the relief of wifey who is fed up with clearing up the gurgling stuff. Back to normal bread! :D

 

I also had something else on the mind which I made today. It isn't an authetic cuisine anywhere I know of. Just on the mind and made up. A Merguez Tabouleh with all the normal stuff in it. It was lovely.

 

Edited October 4, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

[spinnaker2]

Jeff

Qu'est-ce que c'est? Looks decadent!