Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[spinnaker2]

Sophia, Terrific that you have found a place to recycle your treasures!
I often look around at all of the stuff I have accumulated and wonder who is going to want it. For example, which grown child will want an 18th century sideboard, with locking bottle drawers...it certainly not contemporary and does require some dusting and oiling now and again.
Sophia when is the big MOVE?
Jeff we miss your food pictures and banter, are you miffed at me?
what did you all think of the elections in the USA? Or did you think better not to think of it?
I started serious packing of the duffle bags yesterday. I am overpacked, and today need to repack. The dogs are freaking out and are watching the frenzy of clothes being assembled and then disappearing into large bags with woebegone eyes. We leave for Barcelona tomorrow.
Flight is from ft lauderdale with connections, regrettably through CDG, and a very tight connection. If I recall correctly we have to go thru some check in point there, which always has long lines. Can anyone enlighten me about that procedure? I think my connection is way too tight.
Enjoy the day.

[UKCruiseJeff]

[quote name='specialcruisegirl']Good Day Coolers-

Still a bit hectic here so trying to catch up. Still wading through the stuff that needs throwing out and hating the now bare shelves and emptiness.

I'm however happy to have found a local animal shelter who desperately needs anything and everything to sell to ensure the welfare and care of their pooches who are all in need of medication, having been abandoned by their owners.
It's something very close to my heart and I'm so pleased to help. They've collected a load of stuff this morning.....unlike the 'usual' charity shops who appear to be so very selective these days.

Happy Day

Sophia [/quote]

Hello Sudsy Gal! Thought we'd lost you there. I sent out search parties around all those places "up Norf" but they all back empty handed.

The upside of empty shelves is not attempting to take with you stuff that should be let go of. If you get my drift. And those doggies and other animals may not understand the thoughtfulness of your donations and "you" but they do understand the enjoyment of what you gave!

Jeff


[quote name='spinnaker2']Sophia, Terrific that you have found a place to recycle your treasures!
I often look around at all of the stuff I have accumulated and wonder who is going to want it. For example, which grown child will want an 18th century sideboard, with locking bottle drawers...it certainly not contemporary and does require some dusting and oiling now and again.
Sophia when is the big MOVE?
Jeff we miss your food pictures and banter, are you miffed at me?
what did you all think of the elections in the USA? Or did you think better not to think of it?
I started serious packing of the duffle bags yesterday. I am overpacked, and today need to repack. The dogs are freaking out and are watching the frenzy of clothes being assembled and then disappearing into large bags with woebegone eyes. We leave for Barcelona tomorrow.
Flight is from ft lauderdale with connections, regrettably through CDG, and a very tight connection. If I recall correctly we have to go thru some check in point there, which always has long lines. Can anyone enlighten me about that procedure? I think my connection is way too tight.
Enjoy the day.[/quote]

Hello Spin, I really apologise if you thought incorrectly that some umbrage had been taken. I guess in all honesty I feel that the thread should be the product of a more of us ... and if it dies ... no problem .. but it should float or sink based on more than just my daft pictures of the square route of bugger all.

I do so hope you enjoy your trip. Tight connection. Oh dear. Just push in. Everyone else does. Barcelona. I'll be completely honest. The only good thing about Barcelona is the odd tapas bar away from the main drifts .... and finding seafood, fresh and at real prices. Otherwise in my well balanced and overly Barcelona exposed belief it is a place to pass through. Come to London and we'll show you a good time ....

Food wise, as you know I get all obsessive about perfecting something terribly unimportant. I went through a pizza stage some years ago and got it all right. The key thing with all these things is not presentation, it is what is put in the mouth. I missed pizza, and so got back into it again. But very narrow really. Largely authentic Neapolitan pizza. The issue and challenge with Neopolitan pizza is the simplicity of the base. Flour, water and yeast ... but firstly with 00 flour and with a poolish/biga ie matured sort of sourdough starter. So a section of a fridge needs to be devoted so slowly maturing pizza bases. And Neapolitan pizza requires a total of no more than 90 seconds or so in a heat of somewhere between 450 to 500 degrees of intense heat. It all sounds easy.

Yesterday she went off to London to have her hair "done" and so I was left to my own pizza shenanighans ... I was eating this at 10:30 yesterday morning with a bottle of rioja. I always think of "The Odd Coup0le" when I'm left on my own. And such is the life of Oscar when Felix leaves him alone in the "appartment". Older people will understand.


[IMG]http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/sparkyguts/Mobile%20Uploads/Daily/6D52F257-F768-49C5-B5AB-885E92CCB0AD.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/sparkyguts/Mobile%20Uploads/Daily/50321D5B-1641-4EFF-A13C-D497B2D05EE8_1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/sparkyguts/Mobile%20Uploads/Daily/F355B54A-C7F7-48A5-8D02-1D0F2D9703B8.jpg[/IMG]


.... and todays lamb ....


[IMG]http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/sparkyguts/Mobile%20Uploads/Daily/1A86BB93-2A04-47F1-909F-038DCFBAC2E7.jpg[/IMG]

[spinnaker2]

hooray...there are PEAS!
Glad to see the food pics. It is a continuing saga..for some reason EVERYONE wants to see what you cooked Jeff. You have created a Culinary Saga.
We all check in for the photos.
As for BCN, I will try and check out the restaurant you suggested and report back.
The cruise leaves the 9th so we will be tired. Even sleeping on those cocoon like flat seats is not restful, I daren't complain because it's way better than sleeping sitting up or in "semi recline".
We will probably go directly to the hotel and sleep.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Spin ... apologies .... I had overlooked you question about the hokey pokey of current American politics ... in the excitement of talking about pizza. And where else would the castration of pigs by spunky ambitious females become a topic of hot political debate. :p

I do follow American politics but in a mind frame of absolute despair. But this is true of all politics. The rest of the world is terribly impacted by America and what it does. And America is the great influence on the rest of the world with a disharminous combination of benevolance and vested internal US political driven actions. Nothing happens abroad that has adverse domestic repurcussions.

Whenever you get a system driven by billions of dollars to achieve "democratic" office and it's resulting power you inevitably end up with ordinary citizens being denied the politicians that put the best interest of them at the core of what they do. And so you have American politics.

I don't just feel sorry for Americans. I feel sorry for all of us as we're all in the same boat. It's just that Americans are better at it and had longer at it and have more cash.

What has trashed the world of peace is nationalism and religion. Without it ordinary people would have got on well together becasue that is what they all want. The simple reality is that we are all completely the same. We want to live harmoniously and enjoy happy unmolested and peaceful lives. What trashes this simple idea is the completely arbitrary differences created by politics, nationalism and religion.

Listen Spin ... enjoy the trip and keep us updated.

Jeff

:) Edited November 6, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[spinnaker2]

Jeff, thanks for the opinion on the elections. I recall being in a taxi in Rome and the driver wanted to talk about American politics. He said he followed the politics and found it interesting because there was so much corruption but that Americans pretended there wasn't any, in sharp contrast, he said, to Italian politics, where everyone knows there is corruption and payoffs. I thought about he comments

[spinnaker2]

Sorry hit send by mistake, what I was saying is that I thought about his comments for a long time. I am no expert in politics, but I wondered if the reason we seem so provincial is that we are still a "young" country as coated to a country with such a long and rich history as Italy.
I share in your feelings of despair but I am of the belief that we cannot totally give up in apathy. While our country went from red to blue, it's more like we are bruised and black and blue, and there is no double entendre there. I keep hope alive.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Italian politics is on a planet of it's own. Almost none of it is untainted.

that is why it is important we concentrate on the important things in life, For example, what should be put on a Neapolitan pizza.

:D

[spinnaker2]

Agree!

[UKCruiseJeff]

[quote name='spinnaker2']Sorry hit send by mistake, what I was saying is that I thought about his comments for a long time. I am no expert in politics, but I wondered if the reason we seem so provincial is that we are still a "young" country as coated to a country with such a long and rich history as Italy.
I share in your feelings of despair but I am of the belief that we cannot totally give up in apathy. While our country went from red to blue, it's more like we are bruised and black and blue, and there is no double entendre there. I keep hope alive.[/QUOTE]

Our posts are crossing, :)

It is nicer and more Christian to not give up hope, but it is more realistic to shrug, accept reality and put the blinkers on and get on with what you have rather than hope naively for what you would prefer to have.

It isn't cynicism it is pragmatic realism. Once you understand that the whole meaning of life is that there is no meaning you learn to get on with today which is exactly the gift we have been given.

:D

[spinnaker2]

Ok concentrate on world peas.

[UKCruiseJeff]

[quote name='spinnaker2']Ok concentrate on world peas.[/QUOTE]

And human beans.

[spinnaker2]

Zactly.
Getting on with the day.

[specialcruisegirl]

Spin.....crikey your voyage has come about so quickly....I would have been disembarking Whisper today, so glad l don't have that task! ;)

I hope you have a wonderful time on the Spirit and safe travels over. I'm sure there must be fast track at CDG for your transit....as Jeff said, just push in like everyone else does!! Bon Voyage :)

The move takes place three weeks tomorrow ...IF...the solicitors get their act together this end, mine are way ahead and it's currently most frustrating.

I didn't see any search party Jeffers.....you sure you sent em to the right place.....I've been here suffering virus and housemoving syndrome....:eek:
Great to see your foodie pics again....l could demolish that pizza!!
Galley still on slow time here......:rolleyes:

S:)

[mrlevin]

Jeff, thanks for the info!

BTW, how early do shops open on Boxing Day? Are there good deals? Flight not until 1500 so figure we have time to get some shopping in.

Again, thanks,

Marc

[spinnaker2]

Sgirl, Jeff et al,
Car pick up at 1 pm. It's almost 9:30 am here. Last minute whirling dervish activities.
Dogs depressed and at our heels.
Excited to be leaving on my first trip of retirement!
Getting my flak jacket out to run between terminals at CDG, also learned must do a similar run at JFK. They supposedly have a shuttle, we will see. On our trip back from alaska we were told there was a shuttle as well at LAX and we waited for it. It never materialized so we ran to the next terminal and went through security all over again. I do not mind the extra security, just the running to get to go thru it.[emoji188]
Soon we will be in Barcelona and on Sunday it's off to the Spirit!

[UKCruiseJeff]

This is so exciting!

 

You have everything. A trip, dogs, and retirement. :D

 

I feel the sense of excitement through the ether.

 

:)

[spinnaker2]

Ok mr sarcastic. Was i being obnoxious? you will be happy to know I am stuck here at CDG having missed my connection due to the incoming flight being delayed, which happened because an unruly pax and his wife had to be removed from the plane, the door was opened a total of four times for late pax, which was amazing. They generally don't accommodate late pax.

However air France closes its doors fifteen minutes early, so you miss the flight if you are not there way in advance.

The jaunt between the terminals was long and one must go thru security again, as well as passport control.

So we wait until the next available flight.

[specialcruisegirl]

Ok mr sarcastic. Was i being obnoxious? you will be happy to know I am stuck here at CDG having missed my connection due to the incoming flight being delayed, which happened because an unruly pax and his wife had to be removed from the plane, the door was opened a total of four times for late pax, which was amazing. They generally don't accommodate late pax.

However air France closes its doors fifteen minutes early, so you miss the flight if you are not there way in advance.

The jaunt between the terminals was long and one must go thru security again, as well as passport control.

So we wait until the next available flight.

 

Oh Spin.....what a bugger and so damn annoying....I'm sorry you have to suffer this and do hope you'll get a flight out soon....hopefully you have the comfort of a lounge while you wait.

If it's any consolation l hate the French airports.....:eek:

 

S:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Spin, how terrible. I had a sort of sense of forboding about this .... simply because you seemed to predict the issue yourself! Basically, you knew this was going to be problematic, didn't you. :(

 

You made the point that the connection was tight and you were concerned and sadly ... being a cynic ... I know what can go wrong will go wrong. Whenever i allow generous time it isn't needed. When I don't I suffer. Superstitious? Moi? :mad:

 

Anyway, you are where you are and hopefully you will make progress and be on your way.

 

I think what surprises Americans but is something us Europeans are use to is that whilst Europe is really small, the characteristics of each nation are so completely different. People hate generalisations but basically most are pretty accurate. Traveling through some airports like CDG is always generally a trauma. The last time I was through, BA opened the Business Checkin for group travel. 100 Japanese speaking group before premium passengers. Anyway. An hour wasted.

 

Let us know how things develop.

 

:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lincslady,

 

Re "boasting". In my experience there has always been an inverse relationship between how much noise someone makes about their success and how successful they really are. As a generalisation, Americans seem to admire success and therefore discuss it much more openly than brits. However, as they are also often fiercely competitive, there often seems to me to be a need for many I meet to quickly and firmly establish themselves in a pecking order when they meet others. So whilst you do not get the resentment and envy of success we seem to suffer from in the UK, you still need to often underplay yourself if you want a quiet life. Let them get on with it.

 

I concluded some time ago that there was a lot of similarities with competitiveness and pond life. Competitive people like being in a pond where they are the biggest fish. If they are not, they move away and look for a different pond. Competitive people often do not like being in a pond where there are bigger fish. None of this bothers me. I just want to chat about anything un-business or un-politics or un-religion orientated.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

When I said I wasn't competitive ... I was fibbing. I want to be better than me. Or what I was last time! :D

 

Today, I just bit the bullet and ordered a larger commercial pizza oven which is going to be made in Rimini and shipped over at the end of the month. Until then I still have my small one.

 

Today we had lasagne and a small flatbread .... oh alright it's a pizza. Ish. It was gorgeous. A smear of tomato, sugar, oregano, black pepper, garlic and oil. In the end, we weren't bothered about the lasagne and ploughed into the bread ..... and she has asked me to make her pizza tonight. She use to hate pizza. :)

 

 

[specialcruisegirl]

Moi aussi, Spin - CDG is a horrible airport, and encapsulates all the foul qualities the French can have when they want to. Hoping you are now on your way to Barcelona - a city I actually like, and we were there very recently having lunch, organised by Seabourn, (just got off one of their ships) at the Casa Fuster hotel; absolutely gorgeous building with the most gracious staff and lovely food as well. I don't think anyone has noticed, but this is why I have been off CC for a couple of weeks. We had a lovely Med. trip, with really lovely weather for late Oct., and still love Seabourn.

 

However, on return one gets an online questionnaire to fill in, and the last question refers to your income. I have mentioned this on the SB board, to see if anyone there thinks this is offensive, and await replies. Thought the coolers might have an opinion - obviously you do not have to put a tick on anything, but as a perhaps stuffy Brit. I find it offensive to be asked. What does anyone else think - and does it happen on Silversea? I am sure you will have a view Jeff. I can understand why there might be good business reasons for knowing, but even now most Brits do not discuss how well off they are - or do they?

 

It would be nice to be back if it was not suddenly so cold. Glad to hear Sophia that your move looks like happening soon - I now have two children trying to sell their houses! Luckily they are more laid back than I would be.

 

LL:)

 

So good to hear you've had a lovely cruise LL and the weather was good....maybe just as well l couldn't go on my Caribbean as the weather there hasn't been good and is raining again today in Barbados!

 

I find it very offensive to be asked what my income is on such questionnaires...and l refuse to divulge.....good business reasons or not ...it's my business!

 

Hope your children sell soon, I'm pretty laid back with it all as l feel I'm making good progress and I'm having the removal packing service which is making life a tad easier.....having said that,I'm sure there will be a few last minute hitches!

 

S:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

However, on return one gets an online questionnaire to fill in, and the last question refers to your income. I have mentioned this on the SB board, to see if anyone there thinks this is offensive, and await replies. Thought the coolers might have an opinion - obviously you do not have to put a tick on anything, but as a perhaps stuffy Brit. I find it offensive to be asked. What does anyone else think - and does it happen on Silversea? I am sure you will have a view Jeff.

LL:)

 

 

Forgot to say "WELCOME BACK"!

 

To follow on S-Gals comment re the questionnaire.

 

I totally agree with your comments. I wouldn't use the word offensive exactly, more "rude". And it is totally unecessary and a sign of a rather poor marketing department. It has irritated you so is counter productive and unless they are seeking to somehow sell their customer database to someone else then the information is rather unuseful, particularly when such a large and unusual proportion of their customer base may be living off of capital or income from capital or pensions. Many people see the word "income" as synonymous with employment, and as I clumsily alluded to in my last comment, some cultures are far more forthcoming and less affronted when asked.

 

In any event, why on earth someone would complete that information on a survey form completely perplexes me. If that were the last question on a survey form that I had completed up until that point, then I'd screw the survey up and bin it.

 

So what is your next travel plan LL?

[specialcruisegirl]

Rememberence Day.

 

Wonderful service from our Royal Albert Hall last night, very moving.

 

I am watching the Cenotaph live now from London.

 

We Will Remember Them.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Me too.

 

Very moving. Except Blair. His attendance is an insult.

 

We are so lucky to have a Royal Family.