The Time's They are a Changing

[clo]

55 minutes ago, ORV said:

I can't stand lettuce, or tomatoes

Oh my, we just got our first local tomatoes at our farmers market. That BLT would be sad at your house 🙂

[clo]

51 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Frequently in Terrace Cafe, when I am walking back to my table with a plate of food, a worker will quickly come over to carry it for me. Hapensxat breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Seems rather common practice. 

[clo]

3 hours ago, maxamize said:

Thats why I mentioned the turkey. But it may have touched the pork. 

Do you think those same people don't like their foods to touch in restaurants? Or someone's home?

[Kay S]

41 minutes ago, clo said:

Do you think those same people don't like their foods to touch in restaurants? Or someone's home?

Yes.

[clo]

41 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Yes.

Oh, lordy, another thing to consider when hosting dinner parties 🙂

[iowananny]

He was not rejecting the sandwich because things were touching.  There are religions do not eat pork.  He just didn't want his turkey touching something which he doesn't eat which was the ham.  I'm sure he doesn't mind if his potatoes touch his vegetables in the dining room but he has the right to not eat something which goes against his religious beliefs.

[no1talks]

3 hours ago, clo said:

"That BLT would be sad at your house."

I enjoy a BLT as much as the next person. However, like Miracle Max, I'm a big fan of the Mutton Lettuce Tomato sandwich, especially when the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. 🏴‍☠️

[clo]

1 minute ago, no1talks said:

I enjoy a BLT as much as the next person. However, like Miracle Max, I'm a big fan of the Mutton Lettuce Tomato sandwich, especially when the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. 🏴‍☠️

Ooh, that sounds GREAT! So is it cut and cured like bacon?

[no1talks]

2 minutes ago, clo said:

"Ooh, that sounds GREAT! So is it cut and cured like bacon?"

You would have to ask Rob Reiner. He directed the film. 😉

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, iowananny said:

He was not rejecting the sandwich because things were touching.  There are religions do not eat pork.  He just didn't want his turkey touching something which he doesn't eat which was the ham.  I'm sure he doesn't mind if his potatoes touch his vegetables in the dining room but he has the right to not eat something which goes against his religious beliefs.

This gave me a giggle. You have been spared encountering the food-neurotic. As a child, my food could not touch other food on the plate (heaven forbid the meat sauce/juice ran into the veggies). Each item was eaten one at a time (like courses even though on same plate). I now try to be more flexible, but I still have the tendency to eat one thing, then the others (e.g., meat, then veg, etc.).

[clo]

15 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

This gave me a giggle. You have been spared encountering the food-neurotic. As a child, my food could not touch other food on the plate (heaven forbid the meat sauce/juice ran into the veggies). Each item was eaten one at a time (like courses even though on same plate). I now try to be more flexible, but I still have the tendency to eat one thing, then the others (e.g., meat, then veg, etc.).

The "food neurotic" is what I was thinking of.

 

[no1talks]

4 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

"Each item was eaten one at a time (like courses even though on same plate)."

Well, it looks like I'm busted.

Even though I outgrew that idiosyncrasy, it lives on in my favored style of cruise dining.

We prefer to have an old-fashioned, soup-to-nuts dinner: sorbet intermezzo, mignardise, and the whole lot. The downside to this bygone style of dining is trying to find other passengers with whom to share a table.

[Harters]

10 hours ago, iowananny said:

He just didn't want his turkey touching something which he doesn't eat which was the ham.

I have a family member who, of the many meats available, chooses only to eat chicken or turkey. I also have other members who choose not to eat particular meats - one doesnt eat lamb, another doesnt eat pork. It makes catering for family gatherings a complete pain in the arse - and pretty much guarantees we'll be eating chicken or fish. And even there it's restricted, as yet another member generally doesnt like spices used in Asian dishes. 

[Kay S]

7 hours ago, Harters said:

I have a family member who, of the many meats available, chooses only to eat chicken or turkey. I also have other members who choose not to eat particular meats - one doesnt eat lamb, another doesnt eat pork. It makes catering for family gatherings a complete pain in the arse - and pretty much guarantees we'll be eating chicken or fish.

Tell me about it!  I have vegetarians, vegans, fish-haters, no-red-meat eaters and one chicken-allergic.  Salads.  Lots of salads. 🙂  On a more serious note, there are people who do not eat pork for religious reasons, and the ham even touching the turkey will make the turkey "unclean."  I can see how a club sandwich could be a real problem.

[iowananny]

We do not regularly use room service.  Until we were quarantined for Covid a couple of years ago we had never ordered a meal just some snacks.  We had to be tested in Israel for covid to enter the country and we both came back positive.  I was totally asymptomatic, and my husband just had a slight cough.  We could smell, we could taste, we felt just fine so eating, drinking, watching TV and reading is what we did all day for six days.  And believe me we did eat and drink.

 

We could use the room service menu and the dining room menu although after a couple of days they let us order from the specialty restaurants also.  The big problem was a communication problem with the people who took our orders.  They had a hard time understanding us.  I know when talking to those when English is their second language and we are speaking English it is much more difficult for them to understand us, especially on the phone.  Talking to someone in person is much easier.  We encountered several mistakes with our orders or someone else had to call us who's English was better to confirm our order.

 

I wish O would come up with an app so room service orders could be processed electronically.  It is so much easier for someone for whom English is a second language to read an order than to listen to it.  Then there could even be someplace for a person to write if someone does have some special instructions.  I know many people have a butler who can order for them but not everyone on the ship does.

 

If someone doesn't want to set up an app, phone service could also be available.  I think an app would help with a more accurate order and it would be easier for the order taker and the cruiser too.

 

[clo]

20 hours ago, iowananny said:

He was not rejecting the sandwich because things were touching.  There are religions do not eat pork.  He just didn't want his turkey touching something which he doesn't eat which was the ham.  I'm sure he doesn't mind if his potatoes touch his vegetables in the dining room but he has the right to not eat something which goes against his religious beliefs.

Oops, sorry. Didn't realize that they CAN'T eat but would rather not.

[clo]

50 minutes ago, iowananny said:

I know when talking to those when English is their second language and we are speaking English it is much more difficult for them to understand us, especially on the phone. 

I'm in my 70s now and have been dealing with ESL-friends since high school with Cuban refugees. And all the rest of the time. I speak slowly and use simple sentences. I apologize that I'm not doing it better. And then say "did you understand me?" And they will usually repeat it back to you. Works for me anyway.

[Jim_Iain]

On 5/23/2024 at 3:52 PM, takemewithyou said:

Hi Jim, 

We were avid Celebrity cruisers, then mixed in some HAL, interspersed with Azamara.  We did one O cruise in 2015.  It was good, but a bit repetitive for us…17 days.  We still love Azamara, but there have been some hiccups since separating from RCCL.  We have a Christmas cruise on the books with them.

We tried O again in Nov., Marina TA Lisbon to MIA in a PH.  We were blown away!!  It was fabulous.  We booked another while onboard.  
Having read many, many of your LIVE Reports on X, I think you and Iain are going to love it.  I hope you do a LIVE report on your first O cruise! 

 

 

Thanks.... I have to admit I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos of both ship tours as well as specific videos on the ship and Room we booked.     I can't wait.

 

I was searching for something special for 2026, as we are pretty much booked though 2025.   I want to do the West Coast of Africa --- Or just South Africa.     I did find an interesting one on Regency Seven Seas.   They have one B2B -  Capetown to Lisbon and Lisbon to Miami.  

 

Now have to talk Iain into it.   I may have to dial it back to just the Capetown to Lisbon.  

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I'm in my 70s now and have been dealing with ESL-friends since high school with Cuban refugees. And all the rest of the time. I speak slowly and use simple sentences. I apologize that I'm not doing it better. And then say "did you understand me?" And they will usually repeat it back to you. Works for me anyway.

 

You have me laughing.    We have a housekeeper who barely speaks English.   Somehow we manage in SpanGlish.     Lots of sign language goes a long way.  

 

My hardest task recently was trying to tell her were going to be away for 5 weeks but would she come and clean our house while away.    I eventually drew a calendar with RED No and Green Yes. dates circled.    A big smile and Comprende!

 

While she may not speak English she is beyond the best housekeeper we have ever had.  I can't imagine not having her and have studied some Spanish over the past 6 years  and she has been studying English which is helping.

[clo]

27 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

You have me laughing.    We have a housekeeper who barely speaks English.   Somehow we manage in SpanGlish.     Lots of sign language goes a long way.  

 

My hardest task recently was trying to tell her were going to be away for 5 weeks but would she come and clean our house while away.    I eventually drew a calendar with RED No and Green Yes. dates circled.    A big smile and Comprende!

 

While she may not speak English she is beyond the best housekeeper we have ever had.  I can't imagine not having her and have studied some Spanish over the past 6 years  and she has been studying English which is helping.

Great story. We used to have an apartment in Rio. I developed a very specialized Portuguese vocabulary, I.e., double electrical outlet, ceiling fan 🙂 It makes a difference, doesn't it? Plus it's respectful. Good for you.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks.... I have to admit I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos of both ship tours as well as specific videos on the ship and Room we booked.     I can't wait.

 

I was searching for something special for 2026, as we are pretty much booked though 2025.   I want to do the West Coast of Africa --- Or just South Africa.     I did find an interesting one on Regency Seven Seas.   They have one B2B -  Capetown to Lisbon and Lisbon to Miami.  

 

Now have to talk Iain into it.   I may have to dial it back to just the Capetown to Lisbon.  

Not a cruise but have you been to Kenya and Tanzania? You will see animals --- ALL the animals --- ALL DAY LONG. We went some years ago and it was incredible.

[LuAnn]

23 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks.... I have to admit I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos of both ship tours as well as specific videos on the ship and Room we booked.     I can't wait.

 

I was searching for something special for 2026, as we are pretty much booked though 2025.   I want to do the West Coast of Africa --- Or just South Africa.     I did find an interesting one on Regency Seven Seas.   They have one B2B -  Capetown to Lisbon and Lisbon to Miami.  

 

Now have to talk Iain into it.   I may have to dial it back to just the Capetown to Lisbon.  

Somehow I think you'll talk him into it!! 🙂 😉

[Harters]

On 5/26/2024 at 9:58 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Or just South Africa. 

We've been to South Africa twice, doing land tours. We stayed at safari lodges for a couple of days, both trips. Fantastic getting so close to the animals. In most national parks, the vehicles have to stay on the road but, the first trip, we stayed at a privately owned game reserve which meant  the vehicles could go off road to follow the wildlife. On our last morning, we stopped to watch a cheetah. In due course, it walked past the jeep - so close I could literally have put my hand over the side to touch it. an amazing country in spite of its many problems. 

[clo]

6 hours ago, Harters said:

cheetah

We had a mom and her cub right by our jeep. I understand that people have different goals but we saw pretty much all animals the entire time and it was perfect.

Here's what was by our bed after we took a nap and left the window open 🙂
 

[Harters]

11 hours ago, clo said:

Here's what was by our bed after we took a nap and left the window open

On the second trip, we woke up on the first morning at out hotel near Durban and there were monkeys on the balcony. I could swear they were looking through the window at us. Later in the trip, another hotel and another balcony - this time with monkey eating Pringles.