Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Arzeena]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:32 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

If my memory is correct, you live in bucks county?  If yes, how is your area.  

In Princeton.

Overall our area was fine. Some flooding and some parts of major roads closed. Power outage that was not too prolonged.

[jagsfan]

Today has been my turn to be totally screwed up on CC. 
Nothing would post, I couldn’t click on the like button, and I was told I had to open an account or sign in. 
Couldn't sign in, but I could look at my profile. Which said I was signed in. 
Maybe this will post, and maybe it won’t!!

At least I could read everyone else’s!!

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

It is all cleared out, we were lucky.  I used to use the pail method, very tiring.  CC has kept me off for awhile so I will see how long I get to stay.

We need you here,Marietta

[Ozark_Kid]

We visited the lighthouse today at Marblehead Ohio. A nice you man standing by took our family photo for us.

 

Then we got one with the Grandkids.

 

Then most climbed to the top.

 

 

 

[Bailey & Sophie]

6 hours ago, cruisingpeople said:

 

Ida definitely took her toll on the Northeast as well as Louisiana.

In N.Y. between 13 & 18 people drowned in their basement apartments due to rapidly rising waters.

Here in CT, a State Trooper's vehicle was swept away so fast by a rising river, that he just barely had time to issue a MAYDAY over his radio. His cruiser was found almost completely submerged entangled in rocks and tree branches. He wasn't found until hours later, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.

God Bless all Law Enforcement Agencies and First Responders.

 

God bless all these brave responders.

[harryfat1]

Final segment of the Disney trip report:

 

OK, enough info about the burger places.  Time to eat the In N Out Burger

 

 

"Animal Style" from the Not-So-Secret-Menu

 

 

Besides good tasting food (not that burgers are good for you), it’s decent priced compared to other higher end fast food like 5 Guys or The Habit

 

 

Forgot to mention that in CA, along the central valley corridor between SF bay area and southern CA, the area gets HOT in the summer months. It was already a toasty 98 degrees by 2 PM when we ate lunch yet there were a lot of people rather sit outside than inside (with AC) to eat their lunch due to covid concerns

 

 

When it's 98 outside, tough choice to be outside instead of AC inside

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by harryfat1

[harryfat1]

The central valley is known for its agriculture production.  Many of the fruits you might have eaten comes from the central valley. I grew up in the central valley so I am keenly aware of the importance of agriculture to the state of CA.

 

If you had to guess what state in the US sell the most agricultural product, what would you say?  Iowa? Nebraska? Nope. How about California?  Yeap! 

 

In fact, CA sells more than those 2 states combined. You can win a lot of bets against people with this knowledge…

 

https://beef2live.com/story-states-produce-food-value-0-107252

 

When people think of CA, they think high glamour places like Silicon Valley (Apple/Facebook) and Hollywood, but hardly anyone thinks of farm production in association with the state.

 

Lots of fruit trees all along central valley

 

 

About half way between bay area and southern CA, you will see cows along the freeway or more correctly stated - you will SMELL cows before you see them. 

 

With the 100+ degree heat and with up to 250,000 heads of cows next to the freeway, yeah, they produce tons and tons of cow poop that you can smell in your car even at 75 MPH

 

 

 

Here's info on the cow ranch

 

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-harris-ranch-sold-20190415-story.html

 

Oh, yeah, with the cow smell, you must really be having an emergency to pull over here…

 

 

Long traffic jam to on one portion of the freeway as one semi flipped over

 

 

Ohhhh, it’s HOT outside at 102.  Yeah, it’s only DRY heat but it’s still HEAT with the sun beating down on you.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by harryfat1

[harryfat1]

As the afternoon comes to an end and we are 100 miles from home (25% left).  Time for another potty break. More windmill façade building

 

 

This restaurant has couple of locations.  One is by Solvang on day 1 and another one here.  We stop by here for the rest rooms and the interesting gift shops. They are famous for their pea soups

 

 

Even Wikipedia mentions them:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea_Soup_Andersen%27s

 

Or you can buy their famous canned pea soup from Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Andersens-Split-Soup-Ounce-Pack/dp/B001SB4DTE

 

I like this one inside the gift shop

 

 

 

Final 2 road pictures – as my bay area cruisers know, this is the famous Altamont Pass where thousands of wind turbines – actual real working ones, not the display types at Solvang– produces wind energy. When you see this coming back from southern CA, that means you are at the edge of Bay Area and back home. 

 

 

 

Toto – I don’t think we are on vacation anymore as we are back to the cool 62 degrees from the natural AC of ocean breeze.  Compared to the 102 earlier, we experienced a range of 40 degrees in the drive today so that shows the diversity of climate in CA in going from 102 to 62

 

 

So this concludes the Disney trip report.  Thanks to all who have been following along these past few weeks.  As with all my cruise trip reports, this on ran longer than anticipated as I get distracted easily and goes off track few times (the ADHD in me).

 

Not exactly “live” trip reporting but given how detailed I get and how I add in different vacation pictures into the mix, it’s highly unlikely I can successfully do a live report.    

 

[h20skibum]

6 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

. A nice you man standing by took our family photo for us.

Wonderful family photos.  Something I wish we had more of.

 

Whenever I see a a group taking a photo, I ask if they would like me to take the photo so their designated photographer isn’t left out of the photo.

[Momof3gurlz]

9 hours ago, jagsfan said:

Today has been my turn to be totally screwed up on CC. 
Nothing would post, I couldn’t click on the like button, and I was told I had to open an account or sign in. 
Couldn't sign in, but I could look at my profile. Which said I was signed in. 
Maybe this will post, and maybe it won’t!!

At least I could read everyone else’s!!

These are the exact issues I’ve been experiencing.  The latest is the one where I’m already signed in (I know this because at the top of the screen it says “signed in as Momof3gurlz”, but if I try to post, the site says I need to create an account or sign in. If I try to sign out, I can’t!  

[aussielozzie18]

 Hello all.  Newbie here.  Very very late to your lovely long running thread.  Trying madly to catch up.  Up to page 795 (June). Got a while  to go but thought I’d pop on and say hi.  We are in our 11th week of lockdown here  so it’s been a pleasure to find this thread which I hope runs a bit longer despite cruising restarting in the US and other countries getting back to normal. 
Here is a photo from my last cruise sailing out of my home port of the OPT Circular Quay, Sydney.  My first photo posted to cc.  I hope it works.

[dani negreanu]

3 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

 My first photo posted to cc.  I hope it works.

 

It worked, and it brought back fond memories of our pre-cruise stay in Sydney (HI Old Sydney, the Rocks).

 

A warm welcome to you 🌷

 

[h20skibum]

1 minute ago, dani negreanu said:

A warm welcome to you 🌷

+1

 

We are awaiting the day we can visit that beautiful part of the world. 

[aussielozzie18]

Last photo was not a Royal ship so thought I’d better add in a sunset departure from Sydney Harbour on a Royal ship since this is a RCI forum. Sadly we have long way to go before cruising resumes here.

[aussielozzie18]

4 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

It worked, and it brought back fond memories of our pre-cruise stay in Sydney (HI Old Sydney, the Rocks).

 

A warm welcome to you 🌷

 

Thank you Dani and thank you for starting this thread.  Wish I found it much much earlier.  Glad you had the experience of sailing out of Sydney, I am biased but I think it’s pretty special.

[aussielozzie18]

4 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

+1

 

We are awaiting the day we can visit that beautiful part of the world. 

Look forward to the day we open up again to overseas visitors.

[aussielozzie18]

We have not been permitted to travel overseas and our state borders have been opening and closing at a drop of a hat due to Covid outbreaks so that has made domestic travel within our country extremely difficult this year.  However, my daughter and I were fortunate enough to manage a trip to the Northern Territory in late May, so I thought you might be interested in seeing some photos…

[dani negreanu]

15 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Glad you had the experience of sailing out of Sydney, I am biased but I think it’s pretty special.

 

So am I. Well worth the very long flights.

 

We felt very welcomed and the people were so friendly and so easy going.

 

I've never felt more relaxed and more safe abroad.

 

Those were 4 magical days in Sydney.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by dani negreanu

[aussielozzie18]

We flew into Darwin.  On Thursdays and Sundays Darwin has the Mindil Markets on the beachfront which is famous for its sunsets so that is where we headed on our first night.

[aussielozzie18]

Just now, dani negreanu said:

 

So am I. Well worth the very long flights.

 

We felt very welcomed and the people were so friendly and so easy going.

 

I've never felt more relaxed and more safe abroad.

 

Those were 4 magical days in Sydney.

 

 

Lovely photos Dani.  Glad you had nice weather. What month did you visit?

[dani negreanu]

4 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

However, my daughter and I were fortunate enough to manage a trip to the Northern Territory in late May, so I thought you might be interested in seeing some photos…

 

Sure !!! 👍

[aussielozzie18]

In Darwin we hired a hire care and drove out to Kakadu.  On the way stopping to do a Jumping Croc Cruise.  My first time seeing crocodiles.

[dani negreanu]

2 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

What month did you visit?

 

Just after Australian Day, 2018.

[aussielozzie18]

Once we arrived at Kakadu National Park, we did a few bush walks to view the Aboriginal rock art.

[aussielozzie18]

6 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Just after Australian Day, 2018.

Late January, nice time of year to be in Sydney.  Glad you found us locals friendly.  Before Covid, my daughter worked in tourism and loved chatting to the overseas visitors who arrived in Sydney on the cruise ships.