.......idle jottings

[ho-hum]

Congratulations, HH & Blondie. How truly nice it is that your loyalty to SD has been recognized and appreciated in a tangible manner. Bravo.

 

This is fantastic and, I must say, well deserved. Kudos to SD for the recognition and kudos to the serial cruisers for their loyalty and support of SD over the years. I'm happy to be able to say that we knew them way back when!

 

Well deserved!

 

Congratulations to Ho and Blondie.

 

Quite an achievement and testimony to the extraordinary loyalty you have shown to Sea Dream over the years.

 

Nice that you were able to be among the wonderful crew who made those many

nights aboard so memorable.

 

Regards from the Commander and the First Mate

 

And just who said it was HH and Blondie !!!

 

But yes, it was extremely generous of the Owner and demonstrates the respect he and the company has for ALL returning passengers, not just the lucky few whose retirement years enable more frequent voyages.

[ho-hum]

We won't be seeing pictures of the award ceremony on the blog - there will be no blog.

 

Got this today:

 

Hello,

At this point in time, we have not created blogs for the crossings. I understand some guests were expecting them, and looking forward to it. We are currently working on some changes to our social media andH web policies and those policies will not be ready in time for the spring crossings. Please ahead to the fall crossings.

 

Thank you,

Adrienne d'Annunzio

 

At least Ho-Hum is keeping us up to date!

 

At your service muddleaged.

 

Indeed, the male hen rises early in the morning in Oslo.

 

Adrienne "taking one for the team", je croix.

[ho-hum]

Dearest ho-hom,

gcmv felt so free and wrote down some suplementary notes in the daily (ho-hum) routine ... ;)

 

Btw. Baltic Sea was great - 7 Tdays of sunshine, but 18 C were the maximum there! :)

 

You know HH so well gcmv......so pleased you had a nice break by the Baltic Sea.

[gcmv]

Ye Gods Ralph !

Spandau Ballet !

Frau gcmv must have been just a child in August, 1983 was when their No.1 "Gold" came out

 

Well have a great time in the Baltic (Brrrrrrr) and remember Ralph:

 

"Always believe in your SOUL

You've got the POWER to know

You're INDESTRUCTIBLE, always believe in, because you are GOLD !"

 

Dearest ho-hum,

Frau gcmv called you a flatterer, while reading the 1983-comment (Herr gmcv thinks you are a "lovable rogue") ... ;)

 

The concert was a great start of the vacation week - the mood was fantastic - after three songs, we stood in the first row - see photo attached.

 

"So true

Funny how it seems

Always in time, but never in line for dreams

Head over heels when toe to toe

This is the sound of MY SOUL

This is the sound ..."

 

Congratulations to ho-hum and blondie for being such loyal SD-passengers! :)

Edited April 28, 2015 by gcmv

[ho-hum]

And people don't realize how exhausting it is to have to live through and participate in this routine. It's a wonder you have time to post HH!

 

You don't know the half of it COCOYOTE !

 

You know that "praise" post from Abenaki ?

 

A singalong Sound of Music ....en costume je presume? To think it wasn't recorded on the blog, how very triste. Bookings would be pouring in for the next crossing, wouldn't they?

 

You are a most talented scribe dear Ho, between you numerous naps, that is. Carry on......and Thank You

 

Well there was a sneaky reason for that....private information was what he was after !

And not just a few lines either.

 

And then Raggy and his ruddy "bed extenders" !

 

Ho-hum, if you are lacking things to do, could you possibly track down one of the fabled "bed extenders" and post a photo of it? And I'm refering to the cabin beds, not the bed of a pickup truck :)

 

The SD bed size is the main thing that keeps us from booking SD more often. That, and the likelyhood that Jim may be on board :eek:

 

Right so HH asked the Housekeeping Manager and she advised that a "bed extender" can be provided, so long as you inform your TA or SD at time of booking.

So it can be done.

However there are two regular passengers onboard, one 6'7" and one 6'3" and neither have an issue though the 6'7" Swede's feet do hang out.

Hope that helps Raggy.

Just how tall are you ?

Do you also need oxygen up there amongst the clouds !

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Thanks.

 

Lets put it this way, the lay-flat beds in Business on British Airways are way too small. Figured that would be a good reference for you (assuming you somehow have ended up there rather than in first...).

Edited April 29, 2015 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Ha-ha, these are mildly humorous, but so true!

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/the-absolute-worst-parts-about-being-tall#.urbLgJ52B

 

The good thing about being tall is that I met my beautiful 5'11" wife because our eyes met over the heads of all the normal people in the room :D

Edited April 29, 2015 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Jim Avery]

I think we have similar verticality. Have never been on BA Biz since they went Flat but Delta's flat bed "pods" are what it must be like to be squeezed in a too short, too narrow coffin.:eek: :D

[Jim Avery]

Ha-ha, these are mildly humorous, but so true!

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/the-absolute-worst-parts-about-being-tall#.urbLgJ52B

 

The good thing about being tall is that I met my beautiful 5'11" wife because our eyes met over the heads of all the normal people in the room :D

 

How sweet. What are you angling for?? Good for us that Tall Girls look for tall guys.:D To keep this remotely on track, I have never hit my head on anything on SeaDream. Well, the deck doesn't count, does it??:D:D

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Right you are, if I weren't tall I wouldn't have nutt'n.

 

What's with the new avitar? Find fitty cent in da street?

[ho-hum]

Sea Dream employ 3 members from the same Nepalese family, a father and two sons, who are believed to have been former Gurkha soldiers in the British Army: they work in security mainly (they are the guys who scan your embarkation/disembarkation and cabin cards).

Their family moved to Varanasi in northern India from Nepal many years ago.

The father recently returned home after a knee injury whilst one of the sons fell off a motorbike and injured his head (he is making a recovery).

So the unfortunate injuries in their personal lives were greatly compounded by the earthquake in Nepal between two of Nepal's biggest cities: Katmandu & Pokhara.

Whilst their immediate family is not directly affected, no doubt their extended family has been.

Our thoughts are with them.

A donation to the Red Cross is "on the cards" when we return to "Blighty".

Awful is'nt it ?

[Jim Avery]

Yes, a terrible event. Our hopes are that the Crew members families are ok. They are a tough people.

[Jim Avery]

Right you are, if I weren't tall I wouldn't have nutt'n.

 

What's with the new avitar? Find fitty cent in da street?

 

The new avatar is out of respect for the hoplophobics that might read this board and not appreciate an image of one of Mr. Colt's creations. Why not an image of a fellow Sea Captain holding up a gold coin as it takes many such coins to pacify our favorite ships addictions.:D

[ho-hum]

The new avatar is out of respect for the hoplophobics that might read this board and not appreciate an image of one of Mr. Colt's creations. Why not an image of a fellow Sea Captain holding up a gold coin as it takes many such coins to pacify our favorite ships addictions.:D

 

Errrrr ?

 

Raggy, methinks Butch has changed his medication !

 

Hoplophobic ?

Mr. Colt ?

Coins to pacify ?

 

Help ? Jim, Raggy, anyone ?

[MACT]

Errrrr ?

 

Raggy, methinks Butch has changed his medication !

 

Hoplophobic ?

Mr. Colt ?

Coins to pacify ?

 

Help ? Jim, Raggy, anyone ?

 

Hoplophobia...an irrational aversion to weapons.

 

If a Colt 45, loaded and sprung was pointing in my direction, I don't think my aversion to such a predicament would be too irrational. Point to something behind the gunslinger, shout "look out" and run for your life!

 

Welcome back home to sanity Mr Hum.

[ho-hum]

Hoplophobia...an irrational aversion to weapons.

 

If a Colt 45, loaded and sprung was pointing in my direction, I don't think my aversion to such a predicament would be too irrational. Point to something behind the gunslinger, shout "look out" and run for your life!

 

Welcome back home to sanity Mr Hum.

 

HH is grateful for your obvious greater breadth of knowledge dear MACT.

But really ! what a ludicrous phobia !

How can there really be an irrational fear of weapons ?

OK, HH can accept mechanical design but it is designed to .... well, errr ....... kill.

 

What about a fear of those who love weapons to kill ?

Now that is rational, n'est pas ?

 

HH respects Butch & Sundance and their enjoyment of the "sport" of firing guns and HH says good luck to them... Enjoy.

 

But somethings wrong here.. so HH did a little digging. Here is the true derivation.

 

 

EtymologyEdit

Firearms authority and writer Jeff Cooper said that he coined the word in 1962 to denigrate and anger proponents of gun control by claiming that their thoughts were "aberrant" and unreasoning:

 

"I coined the term "hoplophobia" in 1962 in response to a perceived need for a word to describe a mental aberration consisting of an unreasoning terror of gadgetry, specifically, weapons. The most common manifestation of hoplophobia is the idea that instruments possess a will of their own, apart from that of their user. This is not a reasoned position, but when you point this out to a hoplophobe he is not impressed because his is an unreasonable position. To convince a man that he is not making sense is not to change his viewpoint but rather to make an enemy. Thus hoplophobia is a useful word, but as with all words, it should be used correctly."[1]

The term was constructed from the Greek ὅπλον - hoplon, meaning, amongst other things, "arms," and φόβος - phobos, meaning "fear."[7] Cooper employed the term as just another alternative to other slang terms, stating: "We read of 'gun grabbers' and 'anti-gun nuts' but these slang terms do not [explain this behavior]." Cooper attributed this behavior to an irrational fear of firearms and other forms of weaponry, with no evidence for this attribution. Cooper's conjecture was that "the most common manifestation of hoplophobia is the idea that instruments possess a will of their own, apart from that of their user."[1] Writing in an opinion piece, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist Dimitri Vassilaros said that the term was intended by Cooper as tongue-in-cheek to mock those who think guns have free will.[2]

 

So the question is, was Butch having a joke with us ?

[ho-hum]

08.55: leave SDII meet Hotel Manager SDI (docked alongside in Malaga)

09.00: taxi

09.30: Malaga airport

10.10: Sitting in Lounge with San Miguel (Spanish beer not a chum)

12.00: board plane (champahnes)

13.30: land UK (1 hour behind European time)

14.00: collect by chauffeur

14.30: Home open bottle champagne

 

Allowing for 1 hour time difference: 6 hours 35 minutes.......not too "shabby" ehh ?

[Poppy1966]

Welcome home Ho Hum...

........16.30- consider drafting the 'end of cruise' awards.

 

Only joking, enjoy your champagne. Bad result today!

[ho-hum]

Nice words COCOYOTE, so here is something Ho Hum thinks will put a smile on your face, old friend.

HH loved Cat Stevens and here is something from a time when you would have been just a "slip of a lad" (16: a lovely age).

 

Enjoy both of you:

 

 

And for everyone else too, of course.

 

PS met him several times you know....it was a real surprise he changed course from Buddhism (and before that Greek Orthodox: HH loves / loved both)

Edited May 2, 2015 by ho-hum

[COCOYOTE]

Nice words COCOYOTE, so here is something Ho Hum thinks will put a smile on your face, old friend.

HH loved Cat Stevens and here is something from a time when you would have been just a "slip of a lad" (16: a lovely age).

 

Enjoy both of you:

 

 

And for everyone else too, of course.

 

PS met him several times you know....it was a real surprise he changed course from Buddhism (and before that Greek Orthodox: HH loves / loved both)

 

Thank you HH. You know us well and the song and video were perfect. Still have Cat Stevens records from my youth in storage. Now listen to the CDs. Will have to talk in November about your meeting him. Best to Blondie. Hope you are catching up on rest and recuperation from the crossing.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Ho-hum, thanks to your suggestion we have finalized our trip in September to France. In addition to Normandy and the Loire Valley we have reserved an apartment in Sarlat for four nights, within the pedestian-only area. While there we will take in the Saturday market, the caves with prehistoric art, and kayaking on the Dordogne.

 

We also will take a short train ride to St. Emilion, where a guide will pick us up for a walking tour of the town and then visits to several of the grand cru wine chateaus (do you have a favored one in that area, that does tastings?). Then dinner in St. Emilion, and a late train back to Sarlat. Train or car takes the same amount of time, but I suspect I will be "above the limit" for the return trip to Sarlat :rolleyes: We've decided to leave Bordeaux for another trip.

 

Then off to Lyon for the day before our evening flight to LHR, where we will stay overnight at the Sofitel at Terminal 5 (which we have stayed at many times, and can recommend if anyone needs to catch an early flight).

 

Thanks again for your suggestions.

[ho-hum]

Ho-hum, thanks to your suggestion we have finalized our trip in September to France. In addition to Normandy and the Loire Valley we have reserved an apartment in Sarlat for four nights, within the pedestian-only area. While there we will take in the Saturday market, the caves with prehistoric art, and kayaking on the Dordogne.

 

We also will take a short train ride to St. Emilion, where a guide will pick us up for a walking tour of the town and then visits to several of the grand cru wine chateaus (do you have a favored one in that area, that does tastings?). Then dinner in St. Emilion, and a late train back to Sarlat. Train or car takes the same amount of time, but I suspect I will be "above the limit" for the return trip to Sarlat :rolleyes: We've decided to leave Bordeaux for another trip.

 

Then off to Lyon for the day before our evening flight to LHR, where we will stay overnight at the Sofitel at Terminal 5 (which we have stayed at many times, and can recommend if anyone needs to catch an early flight).

 

Thanks again for your suggestions.

 

Quite brilliant Raggy !!!

Sarlat fantastic and a visit to St.Emilion: the best of Bordeaux region, in terms of ambience that is.

 

Some good Sarlat restaurants:

- Restaurant Le Grand Bleu, 43 Avenue de la Gare, tel 05 53 3108 48

- Le Présidial, 6 Rue Laundry, tel 05 53 28 92 47

- Le Bistro de l'Octroi, 111 Avenue de Selves, 05 53 30 83 40

- Le Quatre Saisons, 2 Cote de Toulouse, tel 05 53 29 48 59

 

Personally "me ol mucker" HH would suggest a half day private wine tour or a tutored tasting of 8 St.Emilions. Doing it "blind" and then seeing the actual wines is fun.

 

There are many that do this kind of thing; here is one:

http://www.bordovino.com/st-emilion-wine-tours

 

These guys have better connections to wineries and wine merchants to arrange such things. You would be surprised how "un-savvy" many of these establishments are and very many do not speaking the "Anglaise".

 

And here is quite a good introduction to the wines of St.Emilion.

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-emilion/

 

St.Emilion wines are the most accessible of Bordeaux (red) wines as they are Merlot based. Now some Americans get a little "sniffy" about Merlot but it is divine in these guys hands.

There are many small producers that only sell their wines locally and an expert will seek these out. They can be great-ish but a lot more affordable.

 

HH's favourites are;

- Cheval Blanc (why not pick up a few of the '47's: they are quite old and you should get them at a bargain).

- Ausone

- Angelus

- Figeac

- Grand Pontet

- Soutard

- Canon La Gaffeliere

- Monbousquet

- La Mondotte

- Pavie

- Tetre Roteboeuf

- Teyssier

- Troplong Mondot

- Valandraud

 

And one final bit of information: vintage charts.

Here's Robert Parker's (he likes his younger than the Brits tho') :

http://www.erobertparker.com/newsearch/vintagechart1.aspx

Edited May 4, 2015 by ho-hum

[gcmv]

Sitting in Lounge with San Miguel

 

UK (1 hour behind European time)

 

Aaaah - San Miguel - the best friend of Pedro Ximenez ... ;)

 

UK is always and at least 1 hour behind the rest of the world ... :D

 

Welcome back home! :)

[gcmv]

@Ho-hum: Perhaps they want to implant a soul? ;)

 

 

Btw. they listen to their customers/guests and did some of the changes because of guests feedback ...

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Wow, great info ho-hum, thanks!

 

Yes our guide will be taking us around to the wineries after a short tour of the town, but asked if we had any in particular that we wanted to visit. So, of course, I had to consult the oracle :D

 

I surely hope we don't get sideways with any &@/(&?% merlot...