Jump to content

Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five


CCHelp
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hello, everyone!

 

The fourth part of this thread reached over 5000 posts, so it's time to close it and start a new one. Part 4 is now closed, but remains available for review and reading at this link

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559429

 

Please be reminded of the purpose of this thread:

 

 

 

Hi folks!

 

 

In order that we are able to continue to provide this special Watercooler opportunity the original reason for creating it must be adhered to....that is, it is for OFF TOPIC and conversational discussion not related to Silversea cruises.

 

 

Therefore, any and all discussion about Silversea -- no matter what it is -- needs to be posted on the main cruise line forum.

 

 

Of course the exception is ROLL CALLs and TOUR SHARES, which belong on the specific roll call for your sailing.

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

Laura

 

 

PS: I've subscribed to the thread and I'm enjoying the funnies and mostly all the food pics!

 

 

 

Please continue your water cooler discussion in this thread. :)

Edited by CC Help Jenn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, everyone!

 

The fourth part of this thread reached over 5000 posts, so it's time to close it and start a new one. Part 4 is now closed, but remains available for review and reading at this link

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559429

 

 

Please be reminded of the purpose of this thread:

 

Please continue your water cooler discussion in this thread. :)

 

Hi,

 

Thanks ..... but the link above is linking me to part 3 not 4 ........ :)

 

This is the link to part 4.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559429

 

I wish I understood why the same thread number appears to invoke two different threads. Weird.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is what I call a proper meal M!

 

My insatiable appetite for all things social history particularly the unusual has turned up some interesting facts I was completely unaware of.

 

Quite a lot of modern history is taken with the history of slavery from Africa to the US and other places, but a lessor known slave trade was the reverse of that when during the 1600s Barbary pirates use to raid the channel and the “UK” and take hundreds of “Brits” into slavery – in effect Africans taking Brits for slaves. Who would have thought! :)

 

For example in 1640'ish it was believed that there were between 3000 and 5000 English holed up in Algiers having been sold as - or ready to be sold as slaves. Charities were set up in England in order to “buy them back” and repatriate the slaves back to their English villages and towns. It was so bad that in December 1640 a Committee for Algiers was set up by Parliament to oversee the ransoming back to the homeland of captives.

 

In 1645, another raid by Barbary pirates on the Cornish coast saw 240 men, women and children kidnapped. The following year Parliament sent Edmund Cason to Algiers to negotiate the ransom and release of English captives. He paid on average £30 per man (women were more expensive to ransom) and managed to free some 250 people before he ran out of money. Cason spent the last 8 years of his life trying to arrange the release of a further 400.

 

By the 1650s the attacks were so frequent that they threatened England’s fishing industry with fishermen reluctant to put to sea, leaving their families unprotected ashore.

 

Oliver Cromwell decided to take action and decreed that any captured corsairs should be taken to Bristol and slowly drowned. Lundy Island, where pirates from the Republic of Salé had made their base, was attacked and bombarded, but despite this, the corsairs continued to mount raids on the coastal towns and villages in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

 

Those kidnapped would be sent to the slave markets of the Ottoman Empire to be bought as labourers or concubines, or pressed into the galleys where they would man the oars. The Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes, author of ‘Don Quixote’, was a captive in Algiers between 1575 and 1580, when he was ransomed by his parents and the Trinitarians, a Catholic religious order.

 

The Barbary slave trade even features in Samuel Pepys’ diary, in an entry from 8th February 1661:

 

‘…went to the Fleece Tavern to drink; and there we spent till four o’clock, telling stories of Algiers, and the manner of the life of slaves there! And truly Captn. Mootham and Mr. Dawes (who have been both slaves there) did make me fully acquainted with their condition there: as, how they eat nothing but bread and water.

 

… How they are beat upon the soles of their feet and bellies at the liberty of their padron. How they are all, at night, called into their master’s Bagnard; and there they lie. How the poorest men do use their slaves best. How some rogues do live well, if they do invent to bring their masters in so much a week by their industry or theft; and then they are put to no other work at all. And theft there is counted no great crime at all…’

 

Something had to be done. In 1675 Sir John Narborough, backed by a Royal Navy squadron, managed to negotiate a peace with Tunis. A heavy naval bombardment by the British then brought about a similar peace with Tripoli.

 

barbaryslaves.jpg?1462797466
Link to comment
Share on other sites

J...I'm not much of a history buff so this was an eye-opener! Thanks for the history lesson!

 

I suppose the inevitable consequence of this is that there must be descendants of white slaves currently living in Africa in the same way that there are currently the descendants of black slaves living in the US and the Caribbean.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite a lot of modern history is taken with the history of slavery from Africa to the US and other places, but a lessor known slave trade was the reverse of that when during the 1600s Barbary pirates use to raid the channel and the “UK” and take hundreds of “Brits” into slavery – in effect Africans taking Brits for slaves. Who would have thought! :) For example in 1640'ish it was believed that there were between 3000 and 5000 English holed up in Algiers having been sold as - or ready to be sold as slaves.

 

Personally, I am very interested in history and appreciate this posting from Jeff. Lots of unique twists and turns are found in our various histories. Just recently signed up for Netflix and have been loving it in watching The Crown series. Not sure all for the "facts" are 100% correct for the Royal family, but it is a well-crafted series with great production values, excellent staging, nice costuming, wonderful classic cars, etc.

 

Congrats for starting Part Five at the Cooler.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, 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 more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 209,566 views for this posting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reminds me of my recipe for filthy fries.

Caramelised onions, smoked bacon lardons and fries, topped with BBQ sauce then grated cheese and finished under the grill. Absolute filth!

Will take a piccy next time I make it!

Oh, that sounds lovely. Pure food porn!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the bacon fries sound insanely good.

 

next, bit of advice seeking any ideas for a good hotel in Athens.

Sorted out the long lay over at Heathrow, now whittled down to a few hours!

(which is entirely manageable and no need for a place to sleep)

thanks all for the help with the suggested airport hotel, now if anyone knows of a good place to stay in Athens...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the bacon fries sound insanely good.

next, bit of advice seeking any ideas for a good hotel in Athens.

thanks all for the help with the suggested airport hotel, now if anyone knows of a good place to stay in Athens...

 

YES, bacon fries sound wonderful.

 

For Athens, look at the AVA Hotel and Suites that is very handy and close to the Plaka, Acropolis Museum, historic locations, etc. We stayed here in 2006 for three nights and loved both its location and service/style. This small, boutique hotel still gets super high ratings from TripAdvisor and other sources. Need more info on this hotel? Want any visuals to prove its excellent location?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 58,652 views for these postings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reminds me a little of one of our favourite winter brunch meals ... or Vienna lunch ..... Gröstl.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Gr%C3%B6stl&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjrytn4v9vcAhUBSxoKHS6lDmAQ_AUICigB&biw=2293&bih=819

 

 

Hi Jeff, WOW.....WOW.....:D those photos look DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Spins,

 

Most Americans seem to reccomend and gravitate to The Grande Bretagne. The main advantage is it’s perfect location.

 

We still always use The Intercontinental. The main reason is obviously firstly our affinity to the brand but in particular our travel rarely involves much evening or night activities and the Club Lounge has a glorious view from it’s outside eating and drinking area towards The Acropolis and we always use a suite that also has an outside terrace that overlooks it as well.

 

This means that after a days walking we relax with a glass or three and some nibbles with that unique view ...The hotel also has a shuttle to the main square just by The Grande Bretagne and I think they have an airport shuttle as well.

 

Views from the Club Lounge and suite terrace ..... it is gorgeous and relaxing at night ....

 

ca687a3468dc4770af0de357e037f960.jpg

 

78f476c7c15971830ad928f41557eb13.jpg

 

... some of our piccies ....

 

8156287ddb06765cd8c6b21fbdcf395d.jpg

 

b0082f2ee80442358d92107a1d3c844d.jpg

 

682338744852d114d21226771a11ebf2.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited by UKCruiseJeff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oooo lovely Jeff,

When I did my work experience from college I worked at the Chester Grosvenor and they wouldn’t let ladies order the Choucroute Alsacienne. They were advised that it wasn’t a dish suitable for ladies. Not sure you could do that now!

 

Now that really was food porn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • 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...