River Cruising Water Cooler

[jpalbny]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

Anyone else care to show their face?

 

Nice picture and view!

 

Here I am in Honfleur, at a different part of town. We also hiked to that same panoramic viewpoint that you did.

 

 

And with Chris, at the harbor.

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by jpalbny

[notamermaid]

@CPT Trips and @jpalbny Thanks for the lovely photos. I would really like to see Honfleur and the area. I have only been to Normandy for about 48 hours coming from Brittany one year.

 

I am quite a private and protective person. I am actually fully recognizable with name on the internet and someone found me through that (a positive case of recognition thankfully). So, onto more photos from Britain.

 

But first: @Canal archive what is a ringing stone? Did you find it by chance or are these known to be in specific places?

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by notamermaid

[Lois R]

Hi folks🙂, well, it is muggy and warm here.........with rain.  I am going from the 80s to the 90s.  Tomorrow I fly to Athens and on Thursday I cruise for 10 days around the Greek Isles😃.  I have been following the weather and it is going to be HOT for the entire cruise.  Oh well, I will dress accordingly, use sunscreen and wear a hat.  It is 18 months since my last cruise........I think I will pinch myself once I am on board the ship.

[Canal archive]

This is the ringing stone on the road from Ballater to the Lecht ski centre. A couple of years ago we decided to take a guided land rover tour, we’ve had a place in Scotland for many years we did the tour and it was certainly money well spent among the places we discovered was this stone it’s hollow so hit it with a small stone and it rings. It is very close to a bothy.
Ringing Stone

Bothy

We also found this restored Kirk
 

 

 

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

@Lois R I can imagine it will feel weird at first. Athens! Hope you get to see the Acropolis.

 

Have a great time.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Lois R]

1 minute ago, notamermaid said:

@Lois R I can imagine it will feel weird at first. Athens! Hope you get to see the Acropolis.

 

Have a great time.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Thanks so much.......no Acropolis this trip.  I have been there before though. I actually booked a private tour for Wednesday afternoon. It is a Culinary tour😃.

[Coral]

33 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi folks🙂, well, it is muggy and warm here.........with rain.  I am going from the 80s to the 90s.  Tomorrow I fly to Athens and on Thursday I cruise for 10 days around the Greek Isles😃.  I have been following the weather and it is going to be HOT for the entire cruise.  Oh well, I will dress accordingly, use sunscreen and wear a hat.  It is 18 months since my last cruise........I think I will pinch myself once I am on board the ship.

Have a fabulous time!

[Lois R]

20 minutes ago, Coral said:

Have a fabulous time!

Thanks for the good wishes🙂

[Canal archive]

LoisR we will be sailing with you in spirit.

[Lois R]

58 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

LoisR we will be sailing with you in spirit.

🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

Bon voyage Lois.  I'm envious, but I hope to be sailing again in September.

[Lois R]

Hi Jazz, thanks so much😃

[sharkster77]

Are our British friends encouraged by Boris Johnson's comments today about lifting COVID restrictions on July 19, assuming that certain conditions are in place by July 12?  One stat that blew me away was the levels of vaccination in GB---86% have one dose and 66% are fully vaccinated.  Well done!  We Americans have enough vaccine available to match that, but.....................

 

A question for our Canadian brethren--any guesses as to what will happen when the current border closing is up for renewal again on the 19th of the month?  So strange, that last year we were praying that our Canadian Rockies tour would be canceled (of course, it was), but this year we are praying that it runs--vaccination sure changes one's outlook.

[Canal archive]

Sharkster77 how about this

Covid-19: Germany lifts ban on tourists from UK and Portugal https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57730092

 

If it happens as they say it’s a big gamble, maybe make or break one expert says that we will eventually have to bite the bull it and live with it, how many metaphors can I work in here, but the summer is most probably the best time to give it a try. I’m pretty sure many will still be cautious as I will, I don’t think it’s fear I think we’ve learnt to cope with a situation so we will put it into practice. I expect a call for my flue and COVID booster sometime in September. I’m also impressed with how many of our youngsters are getting jabbed.

[Daisi]

10 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

Are our British friends encouraged by Boris Johnson's comments today about lifting COVID restrictions on July 19, assuming that certain conditions are in place by July 12?  One stat that blew me away was the levels of vaccination in GB---86% have one dose and 66% are fully vaccinated.  Well done!  We Americans have enough vaccine available to match that, but.....................

 

A question for our Canadian brethren--any guesses as to what will happen when the current border closing is up for renewal again on the 19th of the month?  So strange, that last year we were praying that our Canadian Rockies tour would be canceled (of course, it was), but this year we are praying that it runs--vaccination sure changes one's outlook.

 

Things change everyday, however last time I checked they wanted 75% with 1 dose, 20% with 2.  According to Our World in Data, we are at 36% with 2 doses, but only 68% with 1.  So it's anyone's guess, but we are getting there.  Since they are now allowing Canadians with 2 vaccines to skip the quarantine, possibly in another month or 2 (beginning of Sept?) the border could open.  But then again...with the variants popping up, you never know.

[sharkster77]

1 hour ago, Daisi said:

 

Things change everyday, however last time I checked they wanted 75% with 1 dose, 20% with 2.  According to Our World in Data, we are at 36% with 2 doses, but only 68% with 1.  So it's anyone's guess, but we are getting there.  Since they are now allowing Canadians with 2 vaccines to skip the quarantine, possibly in another month or 2 (beginning of Sept?) the border could open.  But then again...with the variants popping up, you never know.

Thanks, @Daisi, you have given me hope--I would love to come to your country and spend some of the money I couldn't spend over the last 16 months!!  Last year I wanted no part of wearing a mask while touring, this year it seems like a small price to pay..... if you could open the border by Sept. 9 I would be appreciative   ; )

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, Daisi said:

 

Things change everyday, however last time I checked they wanted 75% with 1 dose, 20% with 2.  According to Our World in Data, we are at 36% with 2 doses, but only 68% with 1.  So it's anyone's guess, but we are getting there.  Since they are now allowing Canadians with 2 vaccines to skip the quarantine, possibly in another month or 2 (beginning of Sept?) the border could open.  But then again...with the variants popping up, you never know.

I still have problems because there are 3 different denominators that are being used in the calculations, and I'm never sure which one is being used. There is the percentage of total population, percentage of the adult population (18+) and now, percentage of the population 12+ (for which vaccines are approved in Canada). I'm never sure whether Doug Ford (premier of Ontario where both Daisi and I live) is talking about the same numbers as Justin Trudeau and the federal public health.

[Daisi]

@gnome12, I think Trudeau talks only about the national figures, which will include 12+, which is the percentage of population as those under 12 aren't eligible for vaccines yet.  The numbers I took from Our World in Data are for the whole population, not just 18+.  To me, if they are vaccinating 12+, the 18+ figures no longer matter, as they are also included in 12+.

 

I'm more concerned about seeing large crowds partying in Toronto & Kingston this week.  We are doing not badly in Ontario, however it wont take much for numbers to jump again, especially with the Delta & Lambda.  Also, with BC and Alberta reporting large increases in cases...we're not out of the woods yet.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 hours ago, Canal archive said:

If it happens as they say it’s a big gamble, maybe make or break one expert says that we will eventually have to bite the bull it and live with it, how many metaphors can I work in here...

As someone with a gift for twisted metaphors once said, "It's time to take the bull by the tail and face the situation!!!"

[acwmom]

21 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi folks🙂, well, it is muggy and warm here.........with rain.  I am going from the 80s to the 90s.  Tomorrow I fly to Athens and on Thursday I cruise for 10 days around the Greek Isles😃.  I have been following the weather and it is going to be HOT for the entire cruise.  Oh well, I will dress accordingly, use sunscreen and wear a hat.  It is 18 months since my last cruise........I think I will pinch myself once I am on board the ship.

Escaping Elsa! Have a great trip!!!!

[ural guy]

19 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Jazz, thanks so much😃

Lois-  Have a great cruise.  Who are you sailing with?  I showed the spouse some of the Greece only sailings and she was really interested.  For the time being, I like the idea of only visiting one country, versus multiple.

 

Thanks

[Canal archive]

Jazzbeau that sounds a bit like a Spanish or Mexican bull fight. I went to a Spanish one many years ago, (before I knew any better) it was an amazing experience. Not to be repeated.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Canal archive

[notamermaid]

Travels through Britain part 3

 

To the Peak District. This is the keep of Peveril Castle:

 

Peveril Castle stands overlooking the small village of Castleton in the Hope Valley. The castle grounds and the keep are bit of a mess of old stones but have been restored for quite some years now to a level that makes it accessible to visitors. But not those who find it difficult to climb a hill! When you have managed you are rewarded with a great view over the village and towards the hills: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Castleton_from_Peveril_Castle.jpg

 

The area is very popular for hiking, so definitely not a hidden gem. Famous is the mountain Mam Tor: https://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/things-to-do/mam-tor-shivering-mountain-p689981

 

I very much like the Peak District. What I find striking is how barren the landscape is and the small places there are, like Castleton with less than 700 citizens. The height of the mountain Mam Tor is 517m. I have been told that the railway journey from Manchester to Sheffield over the Peak District is great and I can believe it. I get this feeling of being at a high elevation in Northern England quite often. The place looks barren and you think you are very high up but it ends up only being at 400m or so (many fells are of course above 600m).

 

What is special about Castleton are the caverns and the stone "Blue John" from which jewellery and other decorative objects are made: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_John_(mineral)

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by notamermaid

[Canal archive]

I haven’t been to the Peak District for years the last time was with a group of Scouts and Guides working towards the Queens Scout and Queens Guide awards as well as their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s awards. Wonderful youngsters fabulous scenery but I do remember the aches and pains could those kids walk. 

[CPT Trips]

Sports talk . . .

For those football fans that were rooting for the Danes, we have these from Twitter.
“That penalty is headed to the British Museum to join the other stolen $#!+.”

And, “haven’t seen Sterling fall that quickly since the Brexit vote.”