Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[jpalbny]

Too colloquial for someone who speaks the Queen's English. ;) I understood, though.

 

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[spinnaker2]

And I get when my chain being jerked...

[jillyf]

This is my third attempt to post about the Barossa !!! :mad:

You must try a Sparkling Shiraz. Not to everyone's taste but I love it.

We drink Rochford hand pressed Sparkling Shiraz ( we can only buy 6 bottles a year).

 

Some cellar door suggestions -

Rochford- we belong to their Stonewall Club, and had a wonderful hour or two tasting in their members club.

Grant Burge - we were lucky that they had a $150 Meshach Shiraz on tasting when they were there. All their wine is lovely.

Charles Melton - we like their blend "Nine Popes" - Grenache/ Mourvèdre/ Shiraz.

Seppelsfield (?sp I've lost 2 posts and not leaving this post!!).

This vineyard has a great tasting room ( in a lovely building) and is worth a visit if you would like to try a port or tokay.

 

Too much info? I'm in hospital after bilateral knee replacements and I'm bored. Waiting to watch Le Tour.

Going home after 10 days rehab.

 

My computer ( or CC board) is playing up so I apologise if layout not right.

 

Here is the blog on our South Australian road trip last October.

http://thefletchers.com.au/The_Fletchers/South_Australia_2016/Entries/2016/10/18_A_Day_in_the_barossa_valley.html

[jpalbny]

Thanks Jillyf! Got your suggestions intact. Good luck with the rehab; hope everything goes smoothly. :D

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning all ..... and welcome back Jilly!

 

That hospital treatment sounds painful .. hope all is well and you're on the mend!

 

Waiting here with Helga who has a rather smug look on her face. It was a dud front battery and again she has said "No bat - no start". So a call to Mercedes International Rescue has a Mercedes mobile technician (aren't they the best sort) driving down to Mercedes to pick up a battery to bring it here to replace. And I just pay for the battery. Impressive.

 

Odd conversation though.

 

He: "to double check ... can you look under the bonnet and tell me what battery it has please?"

Me "it is a 35 ah battery - very small"

He "It can't be a 35 ah battery - that is torch battery. It wouldn't start a Merc"

Me "no it is the starter battery"

He "can you look in the boot at that battery

Me "No that is the utility battery and it's much larger. That's a new one"

He "I'll check with Mercedes and call you back"

He "You are right ... it's just 35ah to fire up that monster - I'll go and pick it up and bring it and fit it. You pay nothing for me - you just pay for the battery around £135"

 

I must say that this Mercedes Mobilo Life is a great thing. It was free with the car and lasts for as long as you have the car serviced by Merc to a max of 30 years. So the car is serviced every two years for an arm and a leg but they look after roadside or home assistance.

 

Now having quotes for tyres and thinking of keeping to assymetric for the rear but directional to the front. Reading a lot about Michellin Pilot Super Sports but thinking of staying with the familiar ie Pirelli PZero's. They are 255/40/18 to front and 285/35/18 to rear and Y speed. Currently they are assymetrics all round. Any views appreciated and welcome.

[Randyk47]

Personally I prefer the Michelins but Pirellis are good tires. My preference goes back to my younger days when I had a BMW 635 that I owned in Germany. It initially had Pirellis that literally "melted" off the rims at the high speeds I used to drive. I think my cruise control was set at 200 KPH, that's approximately 120 MPH, so probably not normal or typical. Replaced them with Michelins and those held up much better. Anyhow, Pirellis have generally had the reputation of being a softer rubber and some feel that makes for better handling at lower speeds but meant shorter life. Now I live in the considerably hotter south central Texas I stick with Michelins as the Pirellis are just too soft for our roads that easily reach 130F/54C surface temperatures during the summer. Of course my need for speed days are long gone and I now plod along in my giant air conditioned SUV with its Michelin LTX 275/55R20 tires.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Randy

[UKCruiseJeff]

Home Southern fried chicken for lunch. A belated 4th July bit of solidarity with our American fraternity cousins. :)

 

 

 

 

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[Camillus112]

A favorite meal. Looking yummy!!

[spinnaker2]

Jeff,

That is some beautiful chicken!

 

 

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[MissSophia]

Just popping in to say 'Hello'.....it's been an unusually busy week and I'm still trying to catch up with everything but enjoying all the cooler banter!

 

See that today is Ringo Starr's 77th birthday.....wonderful memories of that era and the Mersey Sound out of Liverpool...time flies....

 

Happy Weekend 😊

[mw8811]

Unlurking for a minute. Time seems to zip by - garden taking up a huge amount of my time what with mowing and weeding and clearing up after hedge trimming man. Why the grass and weeds insist on growing despite the fact they're all brown and crunchy I have no idea.

Our e docs arrived this week. Sadly no Silver Box - that went to TA in Bda and although it has been mailed I doubt it will get here before we leave (in 8 weeks time).

Horror of horrors we have/had a snake in our garden - almost unheard of around here - just my luck with mega snake phobia (can't even look at a pix of one). Just my luck...

Back to chores - have a good weekend everyone

Mary

[spinnaker2]

Oh Mary

Sorry about the slithering one.

We have many here in South Florida.

In our yard I have seen black racers(protected species), baby rattlesnakes( nasty and we had several sneak into the pool, yes poisonous), corn snakes ( huge) and garden snakes. So far no pythons, but they are close by, and no gators, knock wood. Lots of other lizards and toads( Bufo toads are poisonous too), frogs, bugs...

I try and pay attention where I walk!

 

Eight weeks til your cruise is exciting news.

 

 

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[MissSophia]

Oh dear Mary.....I wouldn't be too happy either but l have heard of folk finding them in gardens .....

Spins, my friend in SC has similar problems with the slithery demons....😳

 

Out early this morning to the outlet mall before the crowds descended....rather a pleasant time with DD and a few more cruise bits purchased!

 

Still very warm here which makes a change when Wimbledon is on.....we really could do with a good storm to clear the air.

 

😊

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Cloudy and more rain to come today. :(

 

Mary & Spins....not a fan of slithery things! I grew up on a river where the slithers seemed to thrive. One day my normally docile mother went Rambo with a boat paddle on a large snake at the water's edge that was trying to swallow a carp. Very impressive moves she had! Neither the slither nor the fish survived though.

 

Miss S. happy to hear that you enjoyed your shopping expedition with your daughter! And bonus.....more cruise goodies for the closet! Wish I could bundle up one of the multiple storms we have been having and ship it to you! :)

 

Is Helga back in top form J?

 

Have a great day all!

[MissSophia]

You may send some storms across but not the snakes!

Just over nine weeks until the next cruise...always got to have something new every time M 😀

DD and l are the same size and as she's on holiday soon I'm sure my closet will be raided!!

 

Anybody read any of the latest Lee Child books...?

Loved his first 'Reacher' lot but he seemed to go off the boil a bit.....trying so hard not to read what I've already downloaded on to my kindle for hols but failing miserably....currently tucked into the latest Camilla bio by Penny Junor.....quite a tale....😉

[MLeh]

I have to admit that we like our little harmless 'red racers' and garter snakes. They eat the slugs, which I find much more disgusting.

 

Watching the news about wildfires in the Cariboo region of BC right now. Thousands evacuated (including my sister and her family), and a provincial state of emergency has been declared. Reminds me of the fire last year in Fort Mac.

 

 

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[Camillus112]

Greetings Coolers,

Off we go to New York City tomorrow for a concert at MOMA. I enjoy sight-shopping in 5th Avenue, sitting in the Rockefeller Center square to people-watch, and having the opportunity to dine at Morimoto's restaurant and Guarnichelli's "Butter" restaurant. These are both Iron Chefs and we like their preparations. Any other restaurant recommendation?

[jpalbny]

The NoMad restaurant (at the eponymous hotel in the high 20s, Broadway. DB Bistro Moderne. Further uptown, mid 40s? Just to name a few. Eataly, of course.

 

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[Camillus112]

Thanks, JP!

We like Eataly very much. We will strive to try either of those you recommended. I'll certainly let you know.

[mysty]

Have an awesome trip Cam! I can't help with restaurant suggestions. I have only been to NYC once in my life in 1970 on a school trip. We were a group of 17 year olds from a country high school. It was a real eye-opener for us! We visited the Statue of Liberty (I climbed to the crown), the Empire State Building and the Lincoln Center. We mostly ate at Automats. :( We did get a bit of free time to wander. Unfortunately our wandering ran us into a huge demonstration outside of a theater showing "A Man Called Horse". Crowds of angry people and police on horseback. We felt like we were in another world. I'm sure much has changed since then!

[Camillus112]

Thank you, Mysty!

Your NY experience sounds so exciting, especially for a 17 year old. NYC has changed, but the adrenaline is offers is the same.

 

BTW, Coolers, I found this in the Seabourn board. Now, I'm excited!

 

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/yachts

[MissSophia]

Hi All..... hope Cam is enjoying time in NYC....one of my favourite places ...am looking for another fix there for next year before boarding ship...one of the best sailaways out of liner row.

 

M, l was first there in 1971 so not long after you and for a very young 19yr old straight out of the sticks it was indeed an eye opener for me also......in those days the dock areas where full of old warehouses and diners...first time l ever saw a cop with a gun.....l almost fainted....as crew we always headed up to Sam Goodys record store on 42nd then l think......I still get the same buzz but it'll never match those old days!

 

Quiet day after the busy week.....steak and ale pie for lunch with new potatoes and peas........😊

[Lois R]

Good morning:)

 

Most of you have traveled around Europe waaaayyyy more than I have so I am asking for Barcelona advice........

This is my first time visiting and I keep reading about the Pickpockets and how much the prey on folks.......I normally

carry a small cross body bag when I am sightseeing but from all the threads I have read, this does not seem the way

to go in Barcelona.:eek:.......some folks say use a money belt, some folks say even crossbody bags that have protection

(steel inside the straps) are not even recommended,..........I have 2 days in Barcelona, day 1 on my own, day 2 on a

tour with "Barcelona Day Tours".

ANY advice would be appreciated........I have never even used a money belt before. I looked at REI and they have some

that are very lightweight so it would not feel heavy on the body.......just put some $ and a copy of your passport in it?

Along with the hotel room key? And put it on under my shirt?

 

I have been to Europe before but don't recall having these concerns...........

[MissSophia]

Lois, a cross body bag will be fine, it's what l always use when ashore so l can keep hold of the strap.

Leave your passport and other valuables in the hotel safe whilst you're touring around the city....your hotel room key/card shouldn't have any identification on it.

 

Barcelona does seem to have more concerns than other places but bear in mind if ...you walk around with your passport in your hand or flashing expensive jewellery you'll be a target not just there but in any city so common sense must rule.....and keep your purse close to you all the time.

 

You'll have a great time....😊