lyndarra

I do like Moroccan flavours. Had a few Tajine meals which I really enjoyed but for some untintended reason didn't have any cous-cous but I've had that before. I couldn't understand why some (quite a few actually) members of our tour group would order pizza or pasta when having lunch or dinner in a restaurant. Heck, you don't go to Morocco for pizza, you can have pizza anytime at home. Some years ago there was a show here on TV called "Burke's Backyard" where they did a Moroccan dish. It was a boned out lamb shoulder, a cheap cut at the time, slow cooked using Moroccan spices. You could write to the TV show for the recipe - pre internet message days. We got the recipe and tried it it- it was delicious. For weeks after that show aired it was almost impossible to buy a lamb shoulder!

Thanks Lyle. The abrasions have all but healed however I have an underlying issue with my right shoulder which has apparently suffered some impact damage and is still quite sore. Found it difficult to do the hands over the head for airport x-ray machine. Started aching when I was putting washing out yesterday so I need to keep my arm below shoulder level.

After six weeks away I'm back and longing for a pie and some bacon. Why bacon? The final week of my tour was in Morocco, a Muslim country, so no bacon or any pork product at brekky. Will have to restock the the fridge, freezer and pantry. Aldi visit coming soon.

I've been absent for a few days. I killed my computer (dropped it on a stone floor so now it has power but no screen imaging, nothing, nada, zilch) and now borrowed my BF's. Was going to post a little of our experience in Bordeaux but BF has priority. Tomorrow morning we leave Bordeaux for Barcelona. Barcelona is a wonderful place for a visit. Yesterday we saw Viking Forseti, Scenic Diamond and Uniworld Bon Voyage tied up. Visited Le Bissons de Lumierres music light show in the old WW2 submarine base. Almost no one is wearing masks, perhaps 1/100. Lots of cafes and restaurants of varying sizes. We are staying at Best Western Superior which is directly across the street, about 5 metres away from a tiny Thai restaurant. Have to watch out for a miriad of bicycles and electric scooters - mostly rentals. Not eating much at the moment due to our friends' hospitality. Will try and update as time and computer availability permits.

Going well thanks Les. Still stiff and sore from bike prang. We are leaving our friends house today as they are returning to Oz. We will be taking a train to Bordeaux this arvo where we will spend three nights before flying to Barcelona to commence our tour. Have a great cruise, mate.

An 18 year old who kills five friends with a four wheeled lethal weapon will get how long?

Thanks Lyle. Latest is I crashed a mountain bike on the road near our digs. The rear view mirror of a parked car was protruding a little to far into the road. To tell the truth I was looking at the front sprocket set shifter and not where I was going. Left chunks of skin all over the road. Busted the seat off the bike too. Now I have a great case of raspberry rash, a sore shoulder and ribs and a possible haematoma on my left leg below the knee. I had a stack hat on but there's not a scratch on it. We went to a shopping centre this arvo and found a pharmacy with a resident nurse and she did a great patch-up job. Merci beaucoup Madam. No charge. Walked out with a bag full of plasters and tape. It will be tricky having a shower tonight or maybe I'll give myself a sponge bath instead because no one here is willing to volunteer. My first bicycle prang since I was about 17.

You got it.😉

Do ships still go to Acapulco?

I am getting more confident with my limited high school French (which I failed) of 50+ years ago. I can go to the local shop each morning and buy bread, order coffee etc. Still having some trouble reading menus. BTW, for those interested in country, folk and blues music, Miss A and the Country Man have a Face plant page. I don't do FB so I can't see it.

Plus one essential breakfast item. Did you spot it?

Typical breakfast. Local bread. Home grown figs, fig jam and raspberries. Good coffee too

Something different? I spent last Thursday replacing the ignition switch in our host's 1988 Ford Sierra 2.0i S. It had been at a local Ford dealership for about a year and they said it was the wrong part and gave up. When I checked the new part against the old one I found a very slight difference and, making a simple 5 minute modification it was good to go. The owner was over the moon but really ticked off with Ford.

It's close to two weeks now since we arrived in South of France. We are not touring but instead enjoying the life style of this unique, to us, area. The weather has been fine, warm to hot but since we arrived we have felt things are starting to cool off. We are in a rural area and our friends house, where we are staying, was once part of a tobacco farm. It started as a two room house and has grown and also merged with a tobacco "hanger" (a barn like structure used for drying tobacco leaf). Since our friends bought it 20+ years ago they have added to it and it is now a substantial three three level building with seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, a pool, gardens and has a huge carport which would cover my house back home. It was once a "hanger" but now has only three walls and a small workshop. It is built mostly of oak. Since arriving we have not eaten any meals indoors. We have breakfast and lunch in a small, covered, courtyard and dinners on an outside terrace, usually between 8 and 9pm when it is still light. Very relaxed and laid back. We have had some dinners at outdoor community events. Usually in a community space where there are food concessions and we et at trestle table and on long forms for seating. There is also music entertainment included. Last night at one venue, a picturesque spot by the Garonne canal, we were entertained by a fabulous duet - Miss A and the Country Man- playing country rock and blues.

Thanks for the kind offer Lyle however there will be four of us and we will most likely get a rental car.

Planning to get ferry from Seattle to Victoria.

@Blackduck59 I've been checking out hotels in Vancouver and found they are real OTT expensive. I looked at some in Victoria and the prices appear more reasonable for early June next year. Do you have any local knowledge on recommendations? ATM moment we are looking at 3 nights before boarding New Amsterdam on 4/6. Thanks in advance.

Seems to have ignored, for comparison, the number of cargo ships cruising the oceans of the world taking NZ produce to buyers.

I have used Go car rental in Jan 2020. Non of the rental firms are close to dock. Go IIRC is about 1k from the dock but it was close to our hotel. Their airport drop off is about 500m from airport and they run a free shuttle to and from terminal. I found them cheaper than the big names and service was excellent. Some rental companies offer pick ups or drop offs.

Fully vaxed.

That explains it. Thank you so much. I wonder how cruisers without email will get on or if they are at sea with no wi-fi. 48hours seems tough.

I am sure it will indicate what she has to do. She is aware of what she had to do when she booked but it seemed strange to her to suddenly receive this demand with 48 hour deadline when cruise is not until Christmas.

Depends on the cruise line. Holland America do not include gratuities. I have a cruise booked next January Singapore/Sydney. Also have done New Guinea and NZ cruises with HAL and grats were not included in fare.

A cruising friend, whom I am staying with in France, has a Pacific Christmas cruise booked for this year. Today she received an email from Carnival saying that she has 48 hours in which to complete a vaccination attestation form. Has anyone come across this before?

Work which you prefer, sunrises or sunsets.