The Daily for Wednesday May 19, 2021

[StLouisCruisers]

For those who haven't been to Iceland yet, one of the best tours you can take is a Circle Iceland tour.  Sometimes they call it Golden Circle tour and other times Grand Circle tour.  The point is they take you outside of Reykjavik to see the geysers, waterfalls, and volcano site.  You will probably also see the Icelandic horses in the countryside.  They take you quite a distance on these tours so it will take a long day in port to achieve it.  We took a private tour with CC roll call members our first time in Iceland.  I recommend it for a good overall look.

 

A photo of the famous Hallgrimskirkja church which I took in 2018.  The weather was perfect for our overnight visit so we saw pretty blue skies which made all our photos better.  You must see this church when you visit Reykjavik! 

 

 

Another place that Reykjavik is famous for is the Blue Lagoon.  I have never had an interest in going there in the past, but if I continue to visit this city I have a feeling I will end up there someday.  I might even find I like it!  

 

A typical street scene.  

 

The second stop on the Golden Circle tour was the Pearl, a dome with stunning views of the city from the panoramic 360 degree platform.  The dome sits atop the huge tanks in which natural hot water is stored for heating the city.  Inside is a rotating restaurant, a cafe and a museum.  At least it did in 2011 when we visited there.

 

 

 

Driving around the island you saw scenery like this.

 

We stopped to see the tectonic plates which divide Europe from North America.  At least I think that's what they told us.  This would be a good thing to do some research on when I have nothing else to do.  Right...

 

 

Heading towards the geyser areas we saw scenery like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then to the Gullfoss waterfall.

 

 

Then we drove to another waterfall, name unknown but I did take a photo of this sign just before we arrived so it could be a clue.

 

 

Last stop was to see this volcanic cauldron.

 

Before we got to the cauldron we were looking at some Icelandic horses in the fields.  In their native country they have few diseases; Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return.  This is a poor photo of them but we had an accident with a farm dog who ran into the road and had to stop and see to him.  The horses were forgotten at that point.  

 

I see there are some other photos posted so I hope these are not too repetitive for you.

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by StLouisCruisers

[StLouisCruisers]

39 minutes ago, smitty34877 said:

@StLouisCruisers, I  am  sorry  your  DS is  in  so  much  pain and  has  had  such  a  long  bout  of  hospitalization. I  hope  she  gets  to  Rehab  soon  even  though  she  is  not  enthused  about  going. I had  40  years  of  PT experience  and  most  of  my  patients  did  not  want  to  be  there.  I  am  sure  she  will  find  caring  staff  that  will  help  her  through   her  recovery.      Terry

 

Thank you for your kind words.  I'm sure she is going to need the help she is going to receive.  She just has to think positively.

[kazu]

17 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

 you're not far off with those images of the May long weekend here on the "frozen tundra".  Yesterday we started with +18 (66F), and topped off at +26, but that has changed overnight.  We woke this morning to a brisk +4 (39F), and are expecting a high of only +11.  And . . . there's a 90% chance of snow on Friday.  Argh. 

 

 

I thought that was pretty accurate for this long weekend for you and most of the Prairies. I have a friend in Calgary and they too are expecting snow 😔 

 

17 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Thank goodness for stocking up over the winter, because I have a whole bunch of "Hot Shots" warming packets that will be placed into the large pots that are too big and heavy to carry into safety.  They'll be covered with old bath sheets and tarps to keep them alive for summer

 

What a clever idea. 👍 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2008 Blount cruise from Warren, RI to Chicago.  On May 19 we were in Troy, NY, preparing the ship to go under the Erie Canal's low bridges:

 

 

Roy

[StLouisCruisers]

A photo taken in 2015 which I've never repeated on my trips there.  Maybe this street no longer has the rainbow on it.  It's a heavily traveled street with lots of shops on it and as you can see, at the top of the hill is the Hallgrimskirkja church.

 

On the 2015 visit DH was under the weather that day so I walked all over town by myself.  I took my umbrella along and at the end it started to pour rain.  Lucky I had it as I walked back to the bus shuttle area to get back to the ship.

 

I took this photo of this waterside sculpture on that rainy day.  Note the rainbow starting behind it.

 

And here it is in 2018.  

 

During the beautiful weather in 2018 we visited a small botanical park in town.

 

 

 

 

 

ahh, the flowers!

 

 

For dinner we went to a restaurant for pizza and a bottle of wine.  Cost was about $70USD.  Not a cheap place to visit but they take credit cards so you don't have to have local currency.

 

 

[seagarsmoker]

Thanks for the Daily Report!

FYI - I called HAL yesterday about possibly moving up on our cruise. Well, that was quick call as the price has doubled since it was booked last November.

[mamaofami]

Good morning everyone. Yesterday was a beautiful day here. We ordered in some sushi and ate it on our patio. We have one of the largest and prettiest patios in the condo so it’s really lovely sitting outdoors.

 

Terry, I see you live in Yonkers. Both my DH and I grew up in New Rochelle and we raised our children there. We left 8 years ago this August when we moved to our NJ community.

 

So happy to hear so many are on the mend and prayers for those still recovering and in pain. 
 

Stay safe everyone. My Mohs surgery is healing nicely so only a few more weeks till I can get vaccinated.My friends are going out to dinner in groups, but I will only eat outside with DH until I am protected.

 

Carol

[AncientWanderer]

Good morning and Happy Wednesday!  Many thanks to those who contribute here to the Daily.  Sending prayers for those on the care list, and warm best wishes to those celebrating.

 

Nice mix of days today that hit home.  We have been supporters of Boys & Girls Club for many years, have a great family doctor who makes house calls, and we have a vegetable garden.  Actually, it's an embarrassment of riches growing in Southern California.  We have been eating beautiful golden squash for a few weeks already, and lots of tomatoes are just about ripe. Peppers are blossoming, as are eggplant.    Lettuce, kale, bok choy, many herbs...they're all out there.  🌶️  🍆  🥬  🍅  

 

The photos here of Reykjavik are beautiful.  Never been there, but hopefully some day.  🤞

For today, I'm gonna try to coax DH into driving downtown to see if we can get a glance at the Koningsdam here in San Diego.   If I get any good photos, I'll post them here later on.  I think @DeeniEncinitas mentioned heading down there, too, so you have two ace reporters on the job!  😊

 

Again, wishing a very pleasant day to All.  🌻

[rafinmd]

1 minute ago, mamaofami said:

Stay safe everyone. My Mohs surgery is healing nicely so only a few more weeks till I can get vaccinated.My friends are going out to dinner in groups, but I will only eat outside with DH until I am protected.

Have you been cleared by your doctors to be vaccinated when Mohs is healed?  I hope you mean 2 weeks after your shot.

 

Roy

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing and caring😀.

 

 

Happy Hump day.

[GeorgeCharlie]

Reykjavik was an overnight stop for us on our 2018 Viking Passage cruise on the Zuiderdam. We took two of the most common tours for the area, the Golden Circle tour, and the South Coast tour. We found both tours to be remarkably interesting and the guides to the excellent in presenting information on the various sights.

 

Our pictures and comments from these tours of the countryside are too extensive to include in this post, plus other posters have already posted many great pictures and comments.

 

So, if you are interested in our pictures and comments, you can see them in my cruise review - Review of Visits to Norway/Iceland/Greenland on Fall 2018 Cruise. - Holland America Line - Cruise Critic Community. The review of the South Iceland area starts at post #161 and Reykjavik starts at post #188, which I’ll include a portion of it here.

 

One of the best known landmarks is the Hallgrímskirkja church, which is visible throughout the city.

 

A large portion of the downtown has been refurbished and primarily caters to tourism.

 

 

 

There was a cat laying on one of the displays and we had to actually feel it to confirm it was live. Noticed a number of other people also check and it obviously was used to be handled, because it barely opened an eye.

[jimgev]

Here in South Florida we are coming to the end of the vegetable garden season. (Yes things are screwy here) Interesting chili recipe. I have made lots of different chilis in a slow cooker, it works very well for things like that. The drink of the day souns interesting - I will have to try that.

Happy to hear that Roy is doing well after his surgery.

[Overhead Fred]

We should be at our Kawartha Lakes place by now.

 

I have heard rumors that the border may open by July 1 (Canada Day). Do any of our Canadian (especially Ontario) friends have any insight? When it does finally open, I am inviting all CC Daily-ites within driving distance of Peterborough to come visit! 

 

Living on Lake Phalen in Saint Paul is taking some of the sting out of not getting to Canada. I woke up this morning to the sound of Loon calls! We are so happy to be out of the condo...

[cat shepard]

1 hour ago, Cruise Suzy said:

@summer slope gave us a slightly different recipe on December 29, 2020

 

Champagne Margaritas

 

1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup Cointreau
1 cup silver tequila (I like El Tesoro and Partida)
Superfine sugar, if needed for added sweetness
1 lime, cut in half for serving
Coarse (Kosher) salt, for serving
1 bottle Champagne or other sparkling wine

 

In a pitcher, combine the lime zest, lime juice, Cointreau, tequila and sugar if you are using it. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour).

Just before serving, strain the mixture to remove the zest, and pour enough salt into a saucer to cover the bottom. Rub a lime half over the rim of each champagne glass and upend into the salt to crust it lightly. Pour about 3 ounces of the tequila mixture into each glass, fill the rest of the way with Champagne or sparkling wine.
 

Thank you. This is the recipe I use for my customized version. No sugar though. The Cointreau replaces the pineapple juice, I think.

[ger_77]

[StLouisCruisers]

6 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Thank you. This is the recipe I use for my customized version. No sugar though. The Cointreau replaces the pineapple juice, I think.

 

Ann, were you a bartender in a former life??  😅

[cat shepard]

1 hour ago, StLouisCruisers said:

For those who haven't been to Iceland yet, one of the best tours you can take is a Circle Iceland tour.  Sometimes they call it Golden Circle tour and other times Grand Circle tour.  The point is they take you outside of Reykjavik to see the geysers, waterfalls, and volcano site.  You will probably also see the Icelandic horses in the countryside.  They take you quite a distance on these tours so it will take a long day in port to achieve it.  We took a private tour with CC roll call members our first time in Iceland.  I recommend it for a good overall look.

 

A photo of the famous Hallgrimskirkja church which I took in 2018.  The weather was perfect for our overnight visit so we saw pretty blue skies which made all our photos better.  You must see this church when you visit Reykjavik! 

 

 

Another place that Reykjavik is famous for is the Blue Lagoon.  I have never had an interest in going there in the past, but if I continue to visit this city I have a feeling I will end up there someday.  I might even find I like it!  

 

A typical street scene.  

 

The second stop on the Golden Circle tour was the Pearl, a dome with stunning views of the city from the panoramic 360 degree platform.  The dome sits atop the huge tanks in which natural hot water is stored for heating the city.  Inside is a rotating restaurant, a cafe and a museum.  At least it did in 2011 when we visited there.

 

 

 

Driving around the island you saw scenery like this.

 

We stopped to see the tectonic plates which divide Europe from North America.  At least I think that's what they told us.  This would be a good thing to do some research on when I have nothing else to do.  Right...

 

 

Heading towards the geyser areas we saw scenery like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then to the Gullfoss waterfall.

 

 

Then we drove to another waterfall, name unknown but I did take a photo of this sign just before we arrived so it could be a clue.

 

 

Last stop was to see this volcanic cauldron.

 

Before we got to the cauldron we were looking at some Icelandic horses in the fields.  In their native country they have few diseases; Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return.  This is a poor photo of them but we had an accident with a farm dog who ran into the road and had to stop and see to him.  The horses were forgotten at that point.  

 

I see there are some other photos posted so I hope these are not too repetitive for you.

 

 

Sandi, thank you!  Some of the places you shared are on my itinerary. I hope we have at least one day with blue skies, but am prepared for anything. I am really starting to get excited. 

[Sir PMP]

Why not:

 

[cat shepard]

28 minutes ago, GeorgeCharlie said:

Reykjavik was an overnight stop for us on our 2018 Viking Passage cruise on the Zuiderdam. We took two of the most common tours for the area, the Golden Circle tour, and the South Coast tour. We found both tours to be remarkably interesting and the guides to the excellent in presenting information on the various sights.

 

Our pictures and comments from these tours of the countryside are too extensive to include in this post, plus other posters have already posted many great pictures and comments.

 

So, if you are interested in our pictures and comments, you can see them in my cruise review - Review of Visits to Norway/Iceland/Greenland on Fall 2018 Cruise. - Holland America Line - Cruise Critic Community. The review of the South Iceland area starts at post #161 and Reykjavik starts at post #188, which I’ll include a portion of it here.

 

One of the best known landmarks is the Hallgrímskirkja church, which is visible throughout the city.

 

A large portion of the downtown has been refurbished and primarily caters to tourism.

 

 

 

There was a cat laying on one of the displays and we had to actually feel it to confirm it was live. Noticed a number of other people also check and it obviously was used to be handled, because it barely opened an eye.

I confess to having reread your blog several times & having shared it with my co-travelers.  It was your blog that made me invite myself along on my friend’s mother - daughter trip. I really appreciate all your pictures and info. 

[cat shepard]

8 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Ann, were you a bartender in a former life??  😅

Sandi

 

Maybe that is where all this comes from! I think I am going to start telling people that.😎

[GeorgeCharlie]

1 minute ago, cat shepard said:

I confess to having reread your blog several times & having shared it with my co-travelers.  It was your blog that made me invite myself along on my friend’s mother - daughter trip. I really appreciate all your pictures and info. 

 

Thank you, I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed my rather rambling review.

[cat shepard]

Just now, GeorgeCharlie said:

 

Thank you, I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed my rather rambling review.

Stop fishing for compliments. Though, please tell your wife how much I appreciate her pictures. 😎

[Divi]

@Overhead Fred, we have quite a few American cottagers on our lake who are asking the same question. I would be surprised if the border is open in July,  August seems a  possibility . As everyone knows though, it’s foolish to predict anything. Sorry this really isn’t helpful.

Deen

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

Years ago I had amazing vegetable gardens, but over the years our yards have gotten smaller and smaller. So now I do a few veggies in pots and concentrate more on the flower garden.  I still love picking fresh veggies and eating them immediately though!

 

We love our doctor and will be very sad when she retires next year.  I sure hope we'll like her replacement, whoever that will be. 

Every day is boys club with the grandsons lol.

 

We had 2 days in Reykjavik in 2018 on the VOV.  DH rented a car and we spent the 2 days seeing the sights with @richwmnand another friend.  Since many of my photos would be a duplication of some already posted, I'll just post a few.

 

The first day we drove the Golden Circle, to Pingvellir to see the slow separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, saw Oxararfoss Waterfall, had lunch at a family-run restaurant on a dairy farm recommended by Rick Steves, then to Geysir thermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall.  We're still laughing how the GPS first tried to take us to a retirement home instead of Geysir.  DH and Rich said it must have thought "geezer" not "geysir".  😉  

 

Oxararfoss Waterfall

 

View of the farm animals while eating lunch

 

 

Geysir

 

Gullfoss Waterfall

 

The second day we drove to Seltun Geothermal Field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, then had a fish and chips and Iceland beer lunch -- it was pricey but absolutely the best fish and chips we've ever had.  

 

Seltun Geothermal Fields

 

[Overhead Fred]

7 minutes ago, Divi said:

@Overhead Fred, we have quite a few American cottagers on our lake who are asking the same question. I would be surprised if the border is open in July,  August seems a  possibility . As everyone knows though, it’s foolish to predict anything. Sorry this really isn’t helpful.

Deen

 

Providing a dab of hope is always helpful!