The Daily for Saturday September 18, 2021

[richwmn]

 

Today is International Red Panda Bear Day, National Cheeseburger Day, and Oktoberfest

Weather forecast for tonight: dark. - George Carlin

Meal suggestion for today - Skillet Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

Drink of the Day - Hurricane

Wine of the day - Ruffino Modus - Italy - Red

Destination of the Day - Willemstad Curacao

Ships with Passengers

Seattle, WA
Nieuw Amsterdam 07:00 - 16:00

Souda(Chania), Greece
Eurodam 08:00 - 17:00

Ships without Passengers

At Sea Pacific
Westerdam Destination Los Angeles eta 9/19

Corfu GR
Volendam
Zaandam

Ensenada MX
Noordam Anchorage
Zuiderdam

Long Beach
Koningsdam Anchorage

San Diego
Zuiderdam California 07:00 - 17:00

Scheveningen NL
Oosterdam Anchorage
Rotterdam Anchorage

Stirrup Cay
Nieuw Statendam Anchorage

 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Daily Report.

Interesting collection of days.  Love cheeseburgers.  Red pandas are cute.  I've never been to Oktoberfest in Munich.

Love the quote.  Some of George Carlin's stuff was very funny.

The meal sounds good - looking forward to seeing the recipe.

The drink of the day and wine sound good too.

We were in Curacao many years ago, maybe someday we'll go back.

Prayers for everyone.

Stay safe.

[HAL4NOW]

Up early, doing some last minute packing for Alaska. 

I just might have "The High-Dive" later this afternoon at the Dive-In to commemorate National Cheeseburger Day.

Also, I am afraid George Carlin's quote is right. We are expecting dark and cloudy pretty much all week and not much chance of enjoying the Northern Lights or the full moon.

[rafinmd]

Thank you for the Saturday Daily, Rich.  Seems early for Octoberfest.  I love cheesburgers but they are a bet heavy for my current diet.  A salute to Red Pandas.  The meal sounds nice.  Curacao is wonderful but as often as not I've been relegated to a berth next to an oil storage facility.  Carlin quote sounds kind of strange.  I'm not sure here if we've had rain overnight or just a heavy dew.

 

Today’s care list:

Welfare of furloughed crews
Western wildfires
cat shepard’s friend undergoing chemo for stage four cancer
StLouisSal’s friend
Lady Hudson’s BIL awaiting rehab
Seasick Sailor fighting ecoli
Bruno (Atexsix) in hospital
Mrs Vmax recovering from infusion
Sam in rehab an hour away from home
From the rotation:
Scout Jamie C recovering from major surgery
NextOne DDIL with long haul Covid

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts

Welcome aboard tompeter
2 BHB with passengers
Front Line Health Care Workers
Overhead Fred at the Cottage and negative
Getaway for segarsmoker
Welcome home dfish and Sue
kplady back home
lindaler visiting Alabama son
Icand9223 away on river cruise
Irishjim back home recovering
SusieKislandGirl in Colorado with grandsons
Easier procedure than expected for Mamaofami
my negative test and high school reunion
and Staff Captain Sabine, HAL’s likely first female Captain(I know this is a repeat but she’s worth it)

 

Roy

 

   

[jimgev]

Good Morning. Thanks for the daily and for the lists.

Red Pandas are an endangered species so it is good to have a day for them. Nice to celebrate cheesburgers and Octoberfest together. A burger and a brew sounds like a nice combination for today.

We visited Curacao a few years ago and loved it. We rented a car and drove around a bit. It was our favorite port of call on that cruise.

Stay safe everyone. 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is the last from my storm-beset 2012 Crystal Symphony Transatlantic.  It was the last day before our arrival in New York:

 

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Today's alternate menu suggestion is the last from my Crystal Serenity Northwest Passage cruise.  It comes from a menu that exists but I never saw.  One of my tablemates virtually lived on the ship and found that elegant eating every day got a bit old for her, and occasionally went to the Children's menu.  I know it included chicken fingers, mac & cheese, hot dogs, but the one that intrigued me was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as served at seaL

 

 

Roy

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning everyone, thanks for today’s report Rich.  Red pandas are very cute, hooray for cheeseburgers and the start of Oktoberfest 🍻.  Funny quote today.  We’ll be having bunless cheeseburgers for dinner although the suggestion sounds delicious.  We’ve been to Willemstad several times and always enjoy our time there.  God willing, we will return in March. Prayers for everyone on our prayer list today and cheers to everyone celebrating a happy event.

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s Daily, Rich!

 

Roy, thank you for taking us along on your trip & keeping our lists! Morning Dailyite family.  The sun is just breaking through the marine layer, and storms are expected to roll in later. Yesterday’s onshore breeze kept most of the storms to our West, so we were able to eat outside at the restaurant. It was a lovely night and meal.  Today I am baking the King Arthur Icelandic bread recipe to see if we like it better. The same “test group” that tried the first recipe will compare the two. I will report their findings. 
 

PT homework, Bindi walks and perhaps some gardening round out the day, before heading over to my friend’s to join the rest of the test group. 
 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone!
 

*******

Ruffino Modus - Italy

All released vintages of this Tuscan red share the same excellent ratings and very reasonable prices. I used the the 2017 reviews to share today. Many online distributors with prices starting at $19.94.

Winemaker Notes

Ruby red. Intense and intriguing on the nose, initial aromas of mature red and black fruits, such as cherries, plums, and small black berries, typical of Sangiovese, are complemented by hints of spices, sweet tobacco, and refined balsamic notes.Tasting profile: Full bodied with a modern Super Tuscan style, this wine is rich with silky tannins and flavors of mature blackberry fruit and cocoa. Vibrant fresh fruit flavors from the Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot weave together with finesse, each adding its own distinctive character.

Modus is wonderful on its own, or serve it with bold dishes such as duck with olives and pancetta, beef-stuffed manicotti with Bolognese sauce, and aged cheeses including taleggio, pecorino and gouda.

Blend: 34% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot

JS92 James Suckling: A rich, layered red with lots of plum, chocolate and walnut character. It’s full-bodied with chewy yet soft tannins. Flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (almost in equal parts), the barrique-aged Ruffino 2017 Modus is soft, rich, modern and fruit-forward. The wine adopts a familiar blueprint as a blended red from sunny Tuscany that joins the forces of its indigenous and international grapes. You get terrific value and a fundamentally versatile Italian wine that could pair with local or international dishes. This is the ultimate all-rounder.

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Daily Report.

[Heartgrove]

Good Morning everyone! Thank you Rich for the Daily Report, and thank you Roy for the Cares and Celebrations Report. And thank you everyone for caring and sharing!

 

George Carlin's weather forecast was correct last night. Sounds like a drive to our Five Guys might be in order today. And in February we are booked to visit Willemstad while aboard the Rotterdam.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info.

[JAM37]

Good morning, Friends. Thank you for the Daily, the Lists and the Recipes.

 

Pandas have always been one of my favorite animals. Cheeseburgers are great. I also thought it was a little early for Oktoberfest, but then again all of the stores seem to put out holiday stuff three months in advance.

 

I have made cheeseburger Mac and cheese many times in my life and do enjoy it. It's a great comfort food.

 

Welcome back to those who have been away.

 

Bon Voyage to those embarking today.

 

🙏 and 🎉 for those on our lists.

[cat shepard]

52 minutes ago, HAL4NOW said:

Up early, doing some last minute packing for Alaska. 

I just might have "The High-Dive" later this afternoon at the Dive-In to commemorate National Cheeseburger Day.

Also, I am afraid George Carlin's quote is right. We are expecting dark and cloudy pretty much all week and not much chance of enjoying the Northern Lights or the full moon.

Bon voyage!

[summer slope]

Happy Saturday.  Red Panda's are beautiful animals.  I don't care for cheeseburgers, just plain ones.  and I've been to Oktoberfest's in various places..just a really fun time.  This was one of Carlin's funny quotes...some of his were really bad.  Love to make Mac and Cheese.  One of our families favorites.  We've been to Curacao many times, will be there again in January on the Rotterdam, but can't seem to find any photo's.

Prayers for all of us and toasts as well. 

Please continue to stay safe, social distance, and wear your mask.

Hurricane:

Ingredients
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce passion fruit puree
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 teaspoon grenadine
Garnish: orange half-wheel
Garnish: preserved cherry

Steps
Add the light and dark rums, lime and orange juices, passion fruit puree, simple syrup and grenadine into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a large Hurricane glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with an orange half-wheel and a preserved cherry.

[Sir PMP]

Port of Willemstad, Curacao:

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Thanks for the Daily, Rich and our Saturday smile 🙂 

 

Great collection of days!  Love Red Pandas and we were in Germany for Oktoberfest once.  What a lot of fun!  I envy @HAL4NOWwho can celebrate National Cheeseburger day on a BHB.  Bon Voyage!

 

LOL on the George Carlin quote - that’s one weather report that will be accurate 😄 

 

@summer slopethat drink sounds good.  I might have to try on a BHB when and if the day comes 😉 

 

Skillet Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese - the meal certainly goes with National Cheeseburger day.  Both of the best recipes I could find are basically recipes with homemade hamburger helper.  An easy meal and definitely comfort food

 

 

https://bestrecipebox.com/cheeseburger-mac-and-cheese/

 

 

 

https://houseofnasheats.com/homemade-hamburger-helper-cheeseburger-pasta-skillet/

 

My tolerance is low for stupid people today.  So tired of people protesting instead of protecting their community.  This just about sums it up:

 

 

We’ve been to Curaçao and really love that spot.  The restaurant we found had some of the best calamari we’ve ever tasted 👍 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them and 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

Have a great Saturday everyone !!!!!

 

 

Stay safe & please don’t forget your 😷 

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning everyone!  Very nice days to celebrate but let's not forget it is the U.S. Air Force 74th Anniversary.  Cheers to them!  What a silly guy George Carlin was.  Funny quote!  Not a bad menu suggestion either.  Like others said - comfort food.

 

Today is a rest day from the gym but still did the treadmill.  Then I bent over to turn off a fan by the treadmill and got a "crick" in my lower back.  Hopefully it's not long lasting or I will have to try a heating pad.  

 

Prayers for the Care list today and congrats to all celebrating.  Bon voyage and welcome back to our cruisers.  

 

We've only been to Willemstad, Curacao twice, 2016 on our Westerdam Panama Canal cruise and in 2019 on our Rotterdam Western and Southern Caribbean cruise.  Such a pretty and interesting place!  

 

From our 2016 stop I took photos from the ship just before our late departure.  They really know how to highlight their unique city.

 

The Queen Emma pedestrian Bridge, also known as "The Swinging Old Lady".

 

Known for its colorful buildings of course

 

This was my favorite color building and I had to compliment the man working on it.

 

 

This was the view from our docking spot on the Rotterdam in February, 2019.  

 

 

 

We walked across the pedestrian bridge and then it began to swing to the side to make way for a ship coming through.  It went under the taller bridge behind it first.

 

And there it goes past the Queen Emma bridge.  That's the Rotterdam in the background.

 

More COLOR!

 

 

 

Here's the local Love Locks.  Trying to keep them off the swinging bridge I would suppose.

 

Heading back across the pedestrian bridge to our ship.

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by StLouisCruisers

[1ANGELCAT]

NA is back in Seattle 

[mamaofami]

Good morning everyone. Ive never had a cheeseburger and have no desire to try it. On the other hand, mac and cheese was my favorite childhood meal and I couldn't wait till my parents went out so I could make it for myself from the original packaged meal. One of my grandsons started making it at 12, but he's a purist and makes his own mac and adds his own fresh cheese. 

 

We've been to Curacao several times. Once we were with our CC friends, Innlady1, known as Sheila and Fred. Sheila and I were both using travelscoots. We went into one store and the owner screamed at us to leave because he was afraid we would knock something over. It still remains one of my favorite ports.

 

The rehab Sam is in has a great staff and everyone is smiling, unlike the last one where the aides and nurses were not a happy bunch. He's doing well and after video chatting everyday, tomorrow I get to go visit and celebrate our 62nd anniversary. Must say, this isn't exactly the celebration I had imagined but am so grateful that he continues to make progress and has survived his ordeal.

 

Take care and stay safe everyone,

Carol

 

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing and caring😀.

 

 

Have a great day.

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Daily!  Red pandas are adorable, I like cheeseburgers, and would love to be in Germany for Oktoberfest.

 

I had a 1 day break from the computer yesterday - both DH and I were feeling sorry for ourselves that our latest trans-Atlantic cruise had been cancelled and we hadn't been anywhere in so long, that late Thursday night we decided the next morning we'd head to my home town about 250 miles away.  We hadn't been there for nearly 10 years, and figured it was time to "visit the folks" (the cemetery).  

 

We had a great day, but first we had to scrape a hard frost off the windows of my car.  Yes, I said frost - and it wasn't the light, scrape-with-your-credit-card type of frost, it took 5 minutes with the heater on high to be able to get through it.  Fortunately, we'd covered all the plants the night before, so didn't have to worry about losing them.  The trip there and back was uneventful, very little traffic, bright sunshine, and we were able to enjoy the changing colours on the trees along the way.  After wandering through the cemetery, dropping flowers off at several graves, we spent a couple of hours going down my memory lane -  driving past friends houses, my old house, my school, you get the idea.  LOL  We stopped at one of the 4 restaurants in town for lunch, turned the car around and made our way home.  Exactly 12 hours after leaving the house, I was unlocking the front door - much to Sochi's delight, as she was about 6 hours overdue for her lunch!  

I said that yesterday we had to scrape frost from the car windows - well, today we're expecting a high of 30C (86F); we truly are a land of contrasts when it comes to weather.

 

I'm happy to see that those in hospital are on the mend, and wish them well.  Bon Voyage to everyone sailing today (our day will come, I'm sure!).  We've been to Willemstad a number of times, and love going there - the colours of the buildings are so cheerful, and we always have to cross the swinging bridge at least once or twice per stop.  

 

Because it's going to be so warm today, I've already taken out a package of ground beef that will be made into cheeseburgers on the grill for dinner tonight.  We'll head to the farmer's market later this morning where we'll pick up some freshly picked corn and with a tossed salad, that's what will be on our dinner table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do.  Raising the glasses together to celebrate all on the happy list.  Stay safe, wash your hands, be well, wear your masks, and hydrate!

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

 

[StLouisCruisers]

17 minutes ago, mamaofami said:

Good morning everyone. Ive never had a cheeseburger and have no desire to try it. On the other hand, mac and cheese was my favorite childhood meal and I couldn't wait till my parents went out so I could make it for myself from the original packaged meal. One of my grandsons started making it at 12, but he's a purist and makes his own mac and adds his own fresh cheese. 

 

We've been to Curacao several times. Once we were with our CC friends, Innlady1, known as Sheila and Fred. Sheila and I were both using travelscoots. We went into one store and the owner screamed at us to leave because he was afraid we would knock something over. It still remains one of my favorite ports.

 

The rehab Sam is in has a great staff and everyone is smiling, unlike the last one where the aides and nurses were not a happy bunch. He's doing well and after video chatting everyday, tomorrow I get to go visit and celebrate our 62nd anniversary. Must say, this isn't exactly the celebration I had imagined but am so grateful that he continues to make progress and has survived his ordeal.

 

Take care and stay safe everyone,

Carol

 

 

Congratulations tomorrow on your 62nd anniversary!!  That's wonderful!  I'm happy to hear Sam is in a great rehab facility.  Hope he's home very soon.

[puppycanducruise]

@HAL4NOW   Bon Voyage!

[kb4683]

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, great photos!