Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[Lirio]

Sunday concert at Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro).

 

 

[mysty]

7 minutes ago, Lirio said:

Sunday concert at Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro).

 

 

 

Gorgeous!!!!

[QueSeraSera]

37 minutes ago, mysty said:

Gorgeous!!!!

took the words right out of my mouth 🙂 meat loaf song...

Lirio, it really is gorgeous!

& cat empire really is fun

[jpalbny]

Hi from Dorado, Puerto Rico! It may come as a surprise to some of you, but we have a timeshare here that we bought over 20 years ago. We used to come here every year but haven't been back since 2007. We've been exchanging our points for various other trips since then.

 

We had been thinking about coming down for a while to see how the place was doing. Major damage a few years back with the hurricane. The rebuild sounded nice.

 

Suddenly we found ourselves empty nesters after our last cat crossed the rainbow bridge a week ago Friday. So on Sunday we checked availability and found a points exchange for this weekend. I got plane tickets stat, and we came down yesterday. 

 

It's a nice resort. The Hyatt Hotel next door closed some years back and is still being demolished but our part of the grounds is beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

There just may be a picture of Chris in that shell fountain from way back. She is dressed so it's not a genuine Botticelli, but I like it anyway. 

 

We left Albany at 6AM so it was an early wake-up call. But we were in San Juan before 2PM and at the resort around 3. A brief wait and we were checked in. We secured a dinner reservation at our favorite place in town, El Ladrillo. So atmospheric. Glazed terrazzo floors, no wine list (twenty questions about what you like), and amazing food. But weird lighting so the colors are off for the pictures.

 

Chorizo al vino

 

 

Angus Lascas de Filete al Jerez. Sliced tenderloin in a Sherry wine sauce. The meat was dry-aged and so flavorful! 

 

 

Chuletón de Ternera. A veal rib chop smothered in a sauce of peppers, onions, balsamic, and more Sherry wine. Unbelievably good.

 

 

No room for dessert.

 

Today we were up with the sun at 6AM but managed to not set out until a little before 9. Our first stop was at a nature reserve for some hiking. Nice and flat!

 

Then we drove by an amazing Columbus statue, but the roadway up to the statue was barricaded shut! So no good pictures. You'll have to come see it in person. 

 

From there we stopped off for an adventure,  La Cueva del Indio. It's a DIY adventure. No good directions or signage, just wander the coast and don't fall into the cave.

 

Beautiful sea arches. The hiking was over an expanse of sharp volcanic rock, which looked very unforgiving. We crested this arch first...

 

 

To see more beautiful coastline! The sun was brutal. But the scenery was worth the sweat.

 

 

 

This looks like a daredevil jump. No way.

 

 

We found the cave entrance but it was a bit more than we were interested in. So we enjoyed the view. 

 

 

 

 

Off to the next stop at the Aricebo lighthouse. 

 

 

Nice beach here. If we were into that. We'd rather climb rocks!

 

 

Now we turned inland. There's a waterfall to hike to. Anyone who knows Chris can understand that she would go to almost any extreme to find a waterfall. So we did.

[Emtbsam]

1 hour ago, Lirio said:

Sunday concert at Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro).

 

 

I went to the Carnival ball there back in 1967.  It was a wonderful event in a beautiful setting.

[Emtbsam]

JP and Chris - so sorry to hear about your cat.  Our new to us 15 year old is doing well.  Hope you enjoy your time in PR.

[jillyf]

JP and Chris. Very sorry to hear about your cat. Our Trev is nearly 18 and has had diabetes for 10 years with insulin twice a day.  We have never had a cat live this long and didn’t expect him to still be here.  We are lucky that there is a wonderful cattery where he is very happy and they will give him his insulin.

Enjoy your break away. I love the way you travel and take advantage of every minute you have in a day as well as enjoying the food and wine of a region.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[rojaan19]

That is exactly how I am  feeling at the moment  Mysty  !!!  🙄

[jpalbny]

Yesterday, continued...

 

We turned inland, and set course for Cascada Gozalandia. A pretty hairy drive! Narrow and twisty forest roads. Lots of breath holding and hoping that nobody was coming the other way. It made the Road to Hana look like a cakewalk. 

 

We made it through the worst 10km and then the road opened up a little. Soon we arrived at a large parking lot and walked down a bunch of stairs to the first falls.

 

A spectacular setting! Worth the trouble to get there.

 

 

Lots of spots for pictures. 

 

 

 

 

Oops. A photo bomb from Chris's cell phone!

 

 

Now we climbed out and back to the pathway. Always fun when it's 90 degrees amd 100% humidity. You could hike upstream to more cascades. Some reviews said not to bother but FOMO won out.

 

There were a few little cascades which were pretty but after another climb the trail ended here. This was definitely worth the effort though we were completely soaked from the heat and humidity. 

 

 

Should have taken a cue from the others and hiked up in our suits. Next time.

 

 

We rested up for the hike back down.

 

 

Luckily the direct route back to Dorado was different. Not as narrow, but this time the challenge was some heavy rain storms. No flooding, and the showers were brief, so onward. And better now, than while we were hiking. 

 

There was a traffic jam for a mile or two on one of the main routes back towards the coast. We saw that there was a vintage car show. So this car was on the road with us. 

 

 

@Rocchi, this reminds me of the car we saw in Lima! My Dad says this is a 1960 model.

 

We made it back by 4PM and got ready for a late lunch. A Mexican-Caribbean place on the edge of town fit the bill.

 

First a mojito and a margarita to rehydrate. 

 

 

Some croquetas with Jamon Serrano, and cod fritters (Bacalaítos) to start.

 

 

Chris had garlic shrimp and I had suckling pig. Both dishes were delicious. 

 

 

 

This very brave Pollo walked right past the restaurant with her chicks. Luckily she couldn't read the menu. 

 

 

We got dessert to go and retreated to our balcony where we enjoyed the evening scenery. 

 

 

Glad we got away this weekend. It's going to make work challenging as we get home after midnight.

 

And we have to start packing since we leave for Helsinki on Friday. Next stop, Silver Wind! 

Edited May 29, 2023 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

11 hours ago, Emtbsam said:

JP and Chris - so sorry to hear about your cat.  Our new to us 15 year old is doing well.  Hope you enjoy your time in PR.

 

9 hours ago, jillyf said:

JP and Chris. Very sorry to hear about your cat. Our Trev is nearly 18 and has had diabetes for 10 years with insulin twice a day.  We have never had a cat live this long and didn’t expect him to still be here.  We are lucky that there is a wonderful cattery where he is very happy and they will give him his insulin.

Enjoy your break away. I love the way you travel and take advantage of every minute you have in a day as well as enjoying the food and wine of a region.

 

Thanks everyone. She was almost 22 years old. We adopted her as a 9 month old in June of 2002 so we had a very long time with her. Still we miss her a lot and it's very strange without her around. 

 

2 hours ago, mysty said:

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

 

Yes, after that feast yesterday, I resemble this photo way too much! 

[mysty]

49 minutes ago, rojaan19 said:

That is exactly how I am  feeling at the moment  Mysty  !!!  🙄

 

We all "feel " that way!  But you don't look that way rojaan!  There is photo evidence to support my claim! 🥰

[Dolcevita Diva]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

 

 

Thanks everyone. She was almost 22 years old. We adopted her as a 9 month old in June of 2002 so we had a very long time with her. Still we miss her a lot and it's very strange without her around. 

JP - So very sorry to hear about your dear cat.  But in awe that she lived to almost 22 years old!  

[Camillus112]

13 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Hi from Dorado, Puerto Rico! It may come as a surprise to some of you, but we have a timeshare here that we bought over 20 years ago. We used to come here every year but haven't been back since 2007. We've been exchanging our points for various other trips since then.

 

We had been thinking about coming down for a while to see how the place was doing. Major damage a few years back with the hurricane. The rebuild sounded nice.

 

Suddenly we found ourselves empty nesters after our last cat crossed the rainbow bridge a week ago Friday. So on Sunday we checked availability and found a points exchange for this weekend. I got plane tickets stat, and we came down yesterday. 

 

It's a nice resort. The Hyatt Hotel next door closed some years back and is still being demolished but our part of the grounds is beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

There just may be a picture of Chris in that shell fountain from way back. She is dressed so it's not a genuine Botticelli, but I like it anyway. 

 

We left Albany at 6AM so it was an early wake-up call. But we were in San Juan before 2PM and at the resort around 3. A brief wait and we were checked in. We secured a dinner reservation at our favorite place in town, El Ladrillo. So atmospheric. Glazed terrazzo floors, no wine list (twenty questions about what you like), and amazing food. But weird lighting so the colors are off for the pictures.

 

Chorizo al vino

 

 

Angus Lascas de Filete al Jerez. Sliced tenderloin in a Sherry wine sauce. The meat was dry-aged and so flavorful! 

 

 

Chuletón de Ternera. A veal rib chop smothered in a sauce of peppers, onions, balsamic, and more Sherry wine. Unbelievably good.

 

 

No room for dessert.

 

Today we were up with the sun at 6AM but managed to not set out until a little before 9. Our first stop was at a nature reserve for some hiking. Nice and flat!

 

Then we drove by an amazing Columbus statue, but the roadway up to the statue was barricaded shut! So no good pictures. You'll have to come see it in person. 

 

From there we stopped off for an adventure,  La Cueva del Indio. It's a DIY adventure. No good directions or signage, just wander the coast and don't fall into the cave.

 

Beautiful sea arches. The hiking was over an expanse of sharp volcanic rock, which looked very unforgiving. We crested this arch first...

 

 

To see more beautiful coastline! The sun was brutal. But the scenery was worth the sweat.

 

 

 

This looks like a daredevil jump. No way.

 

 

We found the cave entrance but it was a bit more than we were interested in. So we enjoyed the view. 

 

 

 

 

Off to the next stop at the Aricebo lighthouse. 

 

 

Nice beach here. If we were into that. We'd rather climb rocks!

 

 

Now we turned inland. There's a waterfall to hike to. Anyone who knows Chris can understand that she would go to almost any extreme to find a waterfall. So we did.

 

Hi JP, I am so glad you enjoyed PR.  Due mostly to DH's engagements, we don't get the opportunity to travel back as much as we like (love) to be back.  Next month, however...back!!  We will definitely try El Ladrillo; thanks for the recommendation.

[chrism23]

These picture are inspiring and gorgeous.  It makes me want to go to PR  next winter.  Missed this one, we were on the Moon, among the many stops was Buenos Aries which was 108 degrees.  We had looked at PR, one of my friends has a condo there, but they got clobbered by the hurricanes and were still without power 6 months after the fact.  We looked at the Dorado Beach and it was about $1600 a night with all sorts of add ons, that brought it up to over $2000 a night, especially if I played golf which I would do.   So now we are looking at a SS cruise next winter, which believe or not will be cheaper than the Dorado Beach. Thanks for the pics/   

[Mr Luxury]

8 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Yesterday, continued...

 

We turned inland, and set course for Cascada Gozalandia. A pretty hairy drive! Narrow and twisty forest roads. Lots of breath holding and hoping that nobody was coming the other way. It made the Road to Hana look like a cakewalk. 

 

We made it through the worst 10km and then the road opened up a little. Soon we arrived at a large parking lot and walked down a bunch of stairs to the first falls.

 

A spectacular setting! Worth the trouble to get there.

 

 

Lots of spots for pictures. 

 

 

 

 

Oops. A photo bomb from Chris's cell phone!

 

 

Now we climbed out and back to the pathway. Always fun when it's 90 degrees amd 100% humidity. You could hike upstream to more cascades. Some reviews said not to bother but FOMO won out.

 

There were a few little cascades which were pretty but after another climb the trail ended here. This was definitely worth the effort though we were completely soaked from the heat and humidity. 

 

 

Should have taken a cue from the others and hiked up in our suits. Next time.

 

 

We rested up for the hike back down.

 

 

Luckily the direct route back to Dorado was different. Not as narrow, but this time the challenge was some heavy rain storms. No flooding, and the showers were brief, so onward. And better now, than while we were hiking. 

 

There was a traffic jam for a mile or two on one of the main routes back towards the coast. We saw that there was a vintage car show. So this car was on the road with us. 

 

 

@Rocchi, this reminds me of the car we saw in Lima! My Dad says this is a 1960 model.

 

We made it back by 4PM and got ready for a late lunch. A Mexican-Caribbean place on the edge of town fit the bill.

 

First a mojito and a margarita to rehydrate. 

 

 

Some croquetas with Jamon Serrano, and cod fritters (Bacalaítos) to start.

 

 

Chris had garlic shrimp and I had suckling pig. Both dishes were delicious. 

 

 

 

This very brave Pollo walked right past the restaurant with her chicks. Luckily she couldn't read the menu. 

 

 

We got dessert to go and retreated to our balcony where we enjoyed the evening scenery. 

 

 

Glad we got away this weekend. It's going to make work challenging as we get home after midnight.

 

And we have to start packing since we leave for Helsinki on Friday. Next stop, Silver Wind! 

I can still feel that hangover from 2018 now.

Chris looking good and the food.

[Lvshack]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:53 PM, jpalbny said:

Sunday afternoon. Mid 70s, sunny, and not humid. Perfect weather for a leisurely stroll somewhere, so we went 15 minutes away to Peebles Island.

 

This island sits in the Mohawk River, just before it converges with the the Hudson. A nice 2+ mile loop through the wilderness, but within sight of civilization. 

 

We walked the perimeter of the island. Here's Waterford on the other bank.

 

 

This tree is somehow hanging on. Looks like it could walk away.

 

 

A spillway in the Mohawk. 

 

 

Yes, that's a Great Blue Heron!

 

 

Further along, a pair of geese with at least three little ones. They are on the river bank in this photo.

 

 

On the other side of the island, the world-renowned Cohoes Falls. Not Victoria, but closer.

 

 

Not all wilderness. This is some kind of six-cylinder engine. Rusting away.

 

 

Back to the spillway for another view of the herons. There are two now.

 

 

A nice afternoon. Hope everyone else is enjoying it too.

Fabulous photos as always from your travels.. my friend here in the UK is a cancer consultant and can't believe how much holiday  time you get (or should I say vacation) .. but good on you happy travels..

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, chrism23 said:

These picture are inspiring and gorgeous.  It makes me want to go to PR  next winter.  Missed this one, we were on the Moon, among the many stops was Buenos Aries which was 108 degrees.  We had looked at PR, one of my friends has a condo there, but they got clobbered by the hurricanes and were still without power 6 months after the fact.  We looked at the Dorado Beach and it was about $1600 a night with all sorts of add ons, that brought it up to over $2000 a night, especially if I played golf which I would do.   So now we are looking at a SS cruise next winter, which believe or not will be cheaper than the Dorado Beach. Thanks for the pics/   

 

Dorado Beach is crazy expensive. Back in the day it was a Rock Resort, then an upscale Hyatt until they sold it off, maybe 20 uears ago?

 

Our timeshare is a mile or two further out from town at Cerromar Beach. There used to be another huge Hyatt Hotel there but they closed that too, and sold the property. It's been (almost completely) demolished but the plans for that property are seemingly in limbo.

 

As Hyatt timeshare owners we used to have access to both properties and their great restaurants but sadly, no longer.

 

The Dorado Beach property is now a Ritz-Carlton and as you're finding out, it's really pricey. 

Edited May 29, 2023 by jpalbny

[Lois R]

Hi JP, thanks for sharing the photos🙂 lovely, as always.  I am guessing yo are home? Or almost home? Hope you both had a good time🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

How Children perceive their grandparents.

 

1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, “But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!” I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye....

 

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. 

He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 68. 

My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, “Did you start at 1?”

 

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, “Who was THAT?”

 

4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like. “We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods.” The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, “I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!”

 

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, “Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?” I mentally polished my halo and I said, “No, how are we alike?'' “You're both old,” he replied.

 

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story.

“What's it about?” he asked.

“I don't know,” she replied. “I can't read.”

 

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, “Grandma, I really think you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!”

 

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, “It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights.”

 

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, “I'm not sure.” “Look in your underwear, Grandpa,” he advised “Mine says I'm 4 to 6.” (WOW! I really like this one – it says I'm only '38'!)

 

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, “Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today.” 

The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. 

“That's interesting.” she said. “How do you make babies?” 

“It's simple,” replied the girl. “You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'.”

 

11. Children's Logic: “Give me a sentence about a public servant,” said a teacher. The small boy wrote: “The fireman came down the ladder pregnant.” The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. “Don't you know what pregnant means?” she asked. “Sure,” said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child.”

 

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.

“They use him to keep crowds back,” said one child.

“No,” said another. “He's just for good luck.”

A third child brought the argument to a close. “They use the dogs,” she said firmly, “to find the fire hydrants.”

 

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. “Oh,” he said, “she lives at the airport, and whenever we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport.”

 

14. “Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!”

 

15. “My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.”

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[TLCOhio]

18 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Dorado Beach is crazy expensive. Back in the day it was a Rock Resort, then an upscale Hyatt until they sold it off, maybe 20 uears ago?   The Dorado Beach property is now a Ritz-Carlton and as you're finding out, it's really pricey. 

 

YES, lovely pictures and updates from PR.  Sorry about your cat.  Ritz prices are normally high, HIGH!!  Great, scenic rocks and water down there.  Glad you are enjoying.  Nice "food porn"!!

 

Super fun and wonderful grandchildren items from Host Jazzbeau.  Personally, I like most this one: "Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!"

 

Love from Lirio about "Sunday concert at Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro)."  Brings back memories from the famed Opera House in Manaus, Brazil.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

[Mr Luxury]

21 minutes ago, softly darlene said:

 

I agree that your photos are lovely, but what's that thing on the statue's head?

 

My first thought was that it looked like a newbie flag on a Cruise Critic profile.

That's a facinater 

It's what some women wear to a wedding 😀

[Daveywavey70]

4 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

That's a facinater 

It's what some women wear to a wedding 😀

You can't beat a big at though.

[mysty]

35 minutes ago, softly darlene said:

 

I agree that your photos are lovely, but what's that thing on the statue's head?

 

My first thought was that it looked like a newbie flag on a Cruise Critic profile.

 

I think it's a 3 feather indigenous headress.