Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, nordski said:

I think this must really be a painting by John Constable.

 

Did you encounter a cottage and a haywain further along the stream?

No, but we did come to an old mill house that is now a cottage, called Paper Mill Cottage.

[Grandma Cruising]

Somewhere new again today. We saw a lovely garden on a TV programme called Gardeners World. It was at a stately home called Brodsworth Hall which is less than an hours drive away, so we decided to book to go today, 

The gardens were beautiful - lots of lovely trees and beautifully cut shrubs.

View of the hall across the gardens and croquet lawn.

 

People playing croquet on the croquet lawn.

 

 

Archery lawn and the Archery hut (with DH having a rest).

 

Magnificent borders - we loved the colour scheme.

 

 

 Family church.

 

Beautiful tree which stands close to the Hall entrance.

 

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Grandma Cruising

[Mackdogmolly]

4 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Somewhere new again today. We saw a lovely garden on a TV programme called Gardeners World. It was at a stately home called Brodsworth Hall which is less than an hours drive away, so we decided to book to go today, 

The gardens were beautiful - lots of lovely trees and beautifully cut shrubs.

View of the hall across the gardens and croquet lawn.

 

People playing croquet on the croquet lawn.

 

 

Archery lawn and the Archery hut (with DH having a rest).

 

Magnificent borders - we loved the colour scheme.

 

 

 Family church.

 

Beautiful tree which stands close to the Hall entrance.

 

 

So lovely!

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

So lovely!

I agree! I have a friend who spends about a month hiking in England each year and he is waiting impatiently for a chance to do so again. It’s easy to see why.

 

By the way, your lovely  city of Burlington, Vermont, is in a national news report today (CNN) because a group of “Lindyhoppers” are permitted to enjoy themselves again on the hardwood dancing floor at The Champlain Club.

 

Two years ago I was in several clubs in New Orleans watching “swing” dancers (Canadian synonym) exercise that same freedom.

 

Progress is being made!
 

And now I am trying to remember if that style of dancing has ever had much presence on Azamara ships.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

12 hours ago, nordski said:

By the way, your lovely  city of Burlington, Vermont, is in a national news report today (CNN) because a group of “Lindyhoppers” are permitted to enjoy themselves again on the hardwood dancing floor at The Champlain Club.

 

Two years ago I was in several clubs in New Orleans watching “swing” dancers (Canadian synonym) exercise that same freedom.

That is very cool.  BTW, we are capable of calling them Lindy Hoppers here too. We used to go and watch them dance in downtown Toronto because we had friends who were into this particular dance form.

[Aardvaark]

Last week we took the Lake Express catamaran ferry across Lake Michigan from Muskegon to Milwaukee.  Highly recommended, saves going through Chicago.  Capacity 44 automobiles.

 

[Mackdogmolly]

15 hours ago, nordski said:

I agree! I have a friend who spends about a month hiking in England each year and he is waiting impatiently for a chance to do so again. It’s easy to see why.

 

By the way, your lovely  city of Burlington, Vermont, is in a national news report today (CNN) because a group of “Lindyhoppers” are permitted to enjoy themselves again on the hardwood dancing floor at The Champlain Club.

 

Two years ago I was in several clubs in New Orleans watching “swing” dancers (Canadian synonym) exercise that same freedom.

 

Progress is being made!
 

And now I am trying to remember if that style of dancing has ever had much presence on Azamara ships.

 

I saw that article! I have no idea what the Lindy Hops is though. As for all that unmasked bopping around though? I, for one, have resumed my mask wearing in indoor settings (with vaccinated people or not). We are doing fairly well against the Delta variant (Vermont is almost 84% vaccinated), but not taking chances.

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I saw that article! I have no idea what the Lindy Hops is though. As for all that unmasked bopping around though? I, for one, have resumed my mask wearing in indoor settings (with vaccinated people or not). We are doing fairly well against the Delta variant (Vermont is almost 84% vaccinated), but not taking chances.

This will be more than you will ever care to know on the topic.

Roughly speaking, the Lindy Hop developed at the Savoy Theatre in Harlem in the 1920’s and it’s name reflects the folk-hero status of Lindbergh who “hopped” across the Atlantic.
But your use of “bopping” is apropos as its style is reflected in what we might call “jiving” in the 50’s and 60’s. 

 

“Swing” was less inventive than the Lindy Hop (which can use different beats) and could be taught to those of us with less creativity in our bodies. Or, as an aunt once told me, we who have a “Methodist foot”. 😢

 

The dancers who are good at the “Hop” are amazing and the atmosphere is infectiously good natured. It can be a real tonic for times like this although, as you suggest, the amount of respiration is an issue concerning Covid.

 

So I am wondering why I have never suggested it in post-cruise surveys. I am certain the entertainment crew could produce a pretty good show based on the style, and the band has, at times, tackled the “swing” style of music.

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

Or, as an aunt once told me, we who have a “Methodist foot”. 😢

Thanks for the history lesson! And I love that Methodist foot expression! 😅

[Wendy The Wanderer]

20 hours ago, nordski said:

But your use of “bopping” is apropos as its style is reflected in what we might call “jiving” in the 50’s and 60’s. 

And perhaps a little akin to the jitterbug.  It's a great deal of fun to watch, very stylized now, but devilishly difficult to do right.

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

And perhaps a little akin to the jitterbug.  It's a great deal of fun to watch, very stylized now, but devilishly difficult to do right.

“Devilish difficult” is a good description and explains why I am a spectator not a participant.

 

It’s rather fascinating to see how this form of dance keeps being “rediscovered” by each generation.

 

I know a lot of of British cruisers love the dancing shows on Azamara (and are “Strictly” fans). Perhaps this form could provide some enjoyment.

[nordski]

Note for Grandmacruising.

 

This morning I learned that in Anglo-Saxon England “Northumbria” referred to North of the Humber River. This makes obvious sense but I had never realized it.

 

And when the Humber was mentioned, I immediately thought of the delightful photos you have posted on this thread.

 

Thanks again!

[Bloodaxe]

29 minutes ago, nordski said:

Note for Grandmacruising.

 

This morning I learned that in Anglo-Saxon England “Northumbria” referred to North of the Humber River. This makes obvious sense but I had never realized it.

 

And when the Humber was mentioned, I immediately thought of the delightful photos you have posted on this thread.

 

Thanks again!

 

If  you are interested look up the book series, The Last Kingdom by Bernard Corrnwall, fictional characters but based on factual events,.

Brilliant books set in the period of Alfred the Great through to Athelstan, the uniting of the kingdom's of England

[nordski]

5 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

If  you are interested look up the book series, The Last Kingdom by Bernard Corrnwall, fictional characters but based on factual events,.

Brilliant books set in the period of Alfred the Great through to Athelstan, the uniting of the kingdom's of England

Thanks for that suggestion!

 

I have heard of that series.

 

Clearly I have a lot to learn about your area of England.

[Mackdogmolly]

“Volunteer” sunflowers in our raised bed vegetable garden!

[Tom47]

I have been reading Bernard Cornwell's books for 30 years and enjoyed every one.  Here is a review of a Last Kingdom book  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3486999396

  It is now a tv mini series, on amazon Prime and I enjoyed that also.  i suggest reading them in order.

[Bloodaxe]

11 hours ago, Tom47 said:

I have been reading Bernard Cornwell's books for 30 years and enjoyed every one.  Here is a review of a Last Kingdom book  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3486999396

  It is now a tv mini series, on amazon Prime and I enjoyed that also.  i suggest reading them in order.

 

Great writer, I have also been reading his books for years.

 

[nordski]

This will probably only be understandable and relevant to some of the North American posters on this board.

 

This is a photo I took of a building a few kilometres from us, a building that, despite its humble design and surroundings, has become part of many people’s pop cultural landscape. When it went on the market this spring, it was even given a story in Architectural Digest. 

 

So, as we wait for our cruising to resume, we revisit episodes of the award-winning TV series set in this motel. A motel that suggests happier times than the one managed by the notorious Norman Bates.

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

On 8/13/2021 at 2:57 PM, nordski said:

This will probably only be understandable and relevant to some of the North American posters on this board.

 

This is a photo I took of a building a few kilometres from us, a building that, despite its humble design and surroundings, has become part of many people’s pop cultural landscape. When it went on the market this spring, it was even given a story in Architectural Digest. 

 

So, as we wait for our cruising to resume, we revisit episodes of the award-winning TV series set in this motel. A motel that suggests happier times than the one managed by the notorious Norman Bates.

 

 

Yikes! The Bates Motel!

[nordski]

31 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Yikes! The Bates Motel!

My apologies.

 

I think my post may have been unclear. This is The Rosebud Motel of the popular comedy series which I won’t name because autocorrect will go crazy😱.

 

But perhaps, although it won 9 Emmys this year, I’ve overestimated the popularity of said series about the Rose family and their efforts to recover from financial loss.

 

I must brag a bit that I used to see Eugene Levy, one of the show’s creators, walking through my university’s library. And that’s a close as I’ve come to stardom.

I must say that I can’t really understand the rules as to Americans entering Canada now. A good number seem to be crossing now at the Niagara River, but they may be largely those who own property in Ontario.

 

I do hope that you are soon able to visit Montreal.

 

[Tom47]

9 minutes ago, nordski said:

My apologies.

 

I think my post may have been unclear. This is The Rosebud Motel of the popular comedy series which I won’t name because autocorrect will go crazy😱.

 

But perhaps, although it won 9 Emmys this year, I’ve overestimated the popularity of said series about the Rose family and their efforts to recover from financial loss.

 

I must brag a bit that I used to see Eugene Levy, one of the show’s creators, walking through my university’s library. And that’s a close as I’ve come to stardom.

I must say that I can’t really understand the rules as to Americans entering Canada now. A good number seem to be crossing now at the Niagara River, but they may be largely those who own property in Ontario.

 

I do hope that you are soon able to visit Montreal.

 

DW watches Sch### Creek and enjoys  it. I don't.  Buffalo News paid a reporter to cross into Canada.  Process is doable, but expensive.

[the mice]

Paging Mackdogmolly,

 

Could this be another wrinkle in us crossing the border into Canada?  

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/canada-vaccine-passport?

 

DH is very reluctant to consider our trip, scheduled for late September.   I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude, since all hotels booked with free night certificates.   And there are the logistics of getting the 72 hour Covid test because plans are to leave home 2.5 days before crossing the border.    I remember when my biggest travel stress was forgetting to pack something.... 

[Mackdogmolly]

16 hours ago, the mice said:

Paging Mackdogmolly,

 

Could this be another wrinkle in us crossing the border into Canada?  

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/canada-vaccine-passport?

 

DH is very reluctant to consider our trip, scheduled for late September.   I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude, since all hotels booked with free night certificates.   And there are the logistics of getting the 72 hour Covid test because plans are to leave home 2.5 days before crossing the border.    I remember when my biggest travel stress was forgetting to pack something.... 

There are just too many hoops to jump through at this time, I think, including the requirement to have a two week quarantine plan in place, just in case. We have decided to forgo our planned September trip and see how things develop. If you do proceed with yours, please report back on your experience.

[the mice]

4 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

There are just too many hoops to jump through at this time, I think, including the requirement to have a two week quarantine plan in place, just in case. We have decided to forgo our planned September trip and see how things develop. If you do proceed with yours, please report back on your experience.

If we do go, I sure will.   But I agree that right now it looks like too much of a hassle to deal with (both with Canada and DH - LOL!)

Sorry you will miss your opera.  

[Mackdogmolly]

4 hours ago, the mice said:

If we do go, I sure will.   But I agree that right now it looks like too much of a hassle to deal with (both with Canada and DH - LOL!)

Sorry you will miss your opera.  

Well, the next opera is in January, so hopefully these restrictions will have been lifted by then! If not, we have made a big contribution to the arts in Montreal 🥴