pacmom

Question best answered by the cruise line or TA.  No one can predict what will be happening in a week or so never mind next summer,  With the size of river cruisers, you are in much closer contact than on ocean liners.

Would your friend really want to expose themselves to the possibility of getting covid in a foreign country--something to think about.

We have just booked our 5th AMA cruise, a charter with the American Wine Society for next April. It will be good to get back on the rivers.

Good luck, stay well.  Pat

so excited, we are booked on a charter on Amaprima. It is the America Wine Society trip, Nuremberg to Luxembourg in April next year.  Just finished 2 ocean ruises and can't wait to be on a river cruise again.

This vinter on this cruise is Barbara Frank. About 45 years ago, DH and I were on  trip to the Finger Lakes region of NY. We stopped to see Dr. Konstantin Frank who had just started a winery.  What a treat to be with one of his descendants on a river cruise. This will be4 our 5th AMA cruise.  Pat

Drat  auto correct!!!!!!!!!! Should have read day we board. Guess  haven't typed much lately either.  Pat

It has been a few years since we have cruised(lol).  Is afternoon tea served on embankment day?  Hoping to meet our friends there.

Thanks, Pat

Have not posted in months.  As I sit here I can hear the sleet against the window,  Weather people are telling us it might be over by Friday afternoon.  Started yesterday as rain all day,  During the night turned to freezing rain and sleet.  Supposed to turn to snow any time now.  Everything is closed, even the restaurant my son manages.  Roads here are terrible.

We did get to two Christmas markets this past Advent--in Indiana. The one in Nashville IN  was the first the town has hosted, very small, but delightful.  The second in Carmel, IN  has been around for years.  We went on a beautiful Saturday, very crowded, but the atmosphere was that of Germany--food, drink ans stalls.  All in all a lovely break before omicron hit.

We are still quiet here, but not hovering in fear.  All of our family is well and safe.

We finally got to meet the newest great grand.  Austin brought his family.  He is already 8 mos. old and a super happy baby.  And we did pay some attention to the rest of the family.

Must go beck to making my onion soup a la Julia Childs.  It will be a wonderful dinner.  Stay safe. and warm.  Thanks for all the wonderful posts that I have been reading. Remember spring will come and bring lovely flowers.  Pat

We are content with our decision to stay home this year, as are our friends. We will see them in March before we sail Istanbul to Barcelona in may.

DH and i have made arrangements to go to brown county, Indiana the first weekend in December. They are having their Christ kindle market.

Again thanks for all the helpful advice. Pat

After much research, thanks to steamboat and notamermaid, we have decided to cancel our trip to Germany. The couple we are traveling with have health issues. I have some mobility problems. Hopefully next year.

We are so blessed to have such a great forum  and such wonderful peop!e who contribute. Again many many thanks.😊💝💐

Thank you all for your so prompt and good replies. DH will spend the afternoon going over the suggestions. My afternoon will be spent at our local university enjoying Mama Mia.  Both audience and cast will be masked.

Again, thanks so much Pat

Good afternoon,

First let me say thank you for all the help you give on this board.enjoy reading about your short trips.

We are still hoping to travel at the end of the mobthto the markets in Berlin and Dresden. Having a hard time finding out what we need as entry requirements for germany. We are flying US to Heathrow and then on to Berlin. Return the reverse. We keep on finding conflicting reports. Is there a site that might help us figure it out.

Again many thanks for your past help. Pat

Good afternoon,

Notamermaid suggested I ask you about the markets in Berlin and Dresden this year.  We are planning on going with another couple at the end of November..  Are there any precautions we need to be aware of besides masks indoors.  We all have been vaccinated and will probably have booster shots by them.

Looking for any info you are able to share about those two sites.  This is not in connection to a river cruise.

Thanks for any help you can provide.  Pat

Dear Notamermaid,

Thanks  so much for the reply to my question.  It has helped.  We will go ahead with our plans unless the ugly virus gets nasty again. Will send a query to Anhalter. 

again thanks so much.  Pat.

good evening,

A few months I mentioned we were hoping to do Berlin and Dresden Christmas markets as a land trip. Do you this they will still be going this year.  We have flights and hotels booked along with another couple.  They fly thru Paris and we thru Heathrow.  Any thoughts about what it is like in BErlin and Dresden now? Thanks, Pat

Thanks for all the good wishes.  Yes he is a big boy, but both parents are over 6ft. tall.  His big sister is also tall for her age.  Can't wait to see him in person.  They live 600 miles away.  Pictures are wonderful. Be safe all.  Pat

Things are opening here in Ohio.  But the neatest thing is the arrival of great grand number 4.  Austin Melo arrived at 5:32 this morning.  We joke he is almost full grown at 22.5 inches long and weighing 9bs 13oz.  Good thing the blanket I'm knitting is quite large.

Lets enjoy the openings and return to work for many people.  Be well, Pat

Each market is unique.  Amsterdam really doesn't have any markets that we found.  Plan to take a canal ride in the evening.  There are lighted displays all along the route.

Best advice about shopping the markets.  Use cash and if you see something buy it.  Just might not find it anyplace else.  One of my favorites are the prune people in Nuremberg.  Have one from our first of four market cruises. They are only found at that market.

Mainz had the most remarkable mushroom stroganoff and of course the sausages and gingerbread cookies.

Vienna and Budapest have multiple markets and public transport is easy.

Our ocean cruise for Sept. was cancelled AGAIN, so we are doing a land trip to the markets in Berlin and Dresden. we have made 4 Christmas market cruises and now want to stay put in one place for about 6 days.

Many of us have our favorite trip, but the Christmas markets are magical.  Enjoy. Pat

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!  Happy Passover! Happy spring!  It is a beautiful day here in southwest Ohio, daffodils survived the cold nights, seeing them all over the front of the house and transplants in new places makes me smile. 

DH was cleaning up some large pots by the front door and out popped some bunnies. He tried to return them, wearing gloves--didn't work.  They are so cute.

Am so looking forward to traveling again, hopefully in the fall.

Stay safe and well. Pat

Good morning,

A bit of normal yesterday was greatgrandson  Sam's 8th birthday.  We got to celebrate in person!!!!!! Some mask wearing, but who cares.  A lovely afternoon. Hadn't seen them since July.

Now it is time to give back.  Need to sign up to help in the vaccine clinics.  Retired nurse, need to give these hardworking people a short respite.

Take care, stay safe and well.  Enjoy the coming Spring with the change to DST tonight.  Par

Have looked at FAQs, cannot figure out if we can use our OBC for gratuities. Help please. Thanks, Pat

CA, Happy 50th. Hope you are enjoying all the timed deliveries.  We will celebrate 55 years in November.

We are 2 weeks past our second vaccine shot.  On Friday we get to see 2 of our greatgrans to celebrate a birthday we have not seen them in person since last June.  Really miss being with family.  We are blessed to have them all but one living close.

Can't wait to start cruising again. our rescheduled barge trip in France was cancelled, so no France in May.  Once again Road Scholar promptly refunded all our monies.  Hoping our ocean trip from Athens to Barcelona takes place in Sept.  Starting to get cabin fever.

Stay safe everyone and be well, Pat

Yesterday was our turn.  DH and I got our first dose.  Our county health dept. here in Ohio was soooo organized. From leaving home to returning was about an hour.  They used a vocational school that has recently been replaced.  Plenty of parking and good storage for the Pfizer vaccine.

No side effects except for sore arm. Received my shot from a retired oral surgeon.  Hopefully after the end of February we should be able to see our great grands who live about 5 miles from here.  Haven't seen them since last June.  Better days coming.  Stay safe and well. Pat

Wholeheartedly agree with the above poster!!!!!!  We were on a Christmas Market cruise with another couple.  Their was a very large (40) from a very large state. They tried to dominate everything that went on in the lounge to the point of loud talking over the entertainment.  Many of the rest of us would just leave.  We SHOULD treat others as we would like to be treated--a smile and a hello are so nice.

When we travel with friends we say see you for dinner definitely and if we cross paths during the day so be it.  We have been friends for more than fifty years, so it must be working.

Stay safe and well.  Get that vaccine as soon as you can.  Pat

Happy new year to all!  Have been lurking and enjoying reading the threads for quite a while.  Found out that we in Ohio can start to get our vaccine on 25 Jan.  DH and I will definitely get it.  It seems like each day another that we know has become covid positive.

It is another grey Ohio winter day.  One would think that after living here for 30 plus years I would be used to it.  Not.

We have had our May barge trip in southern France cancelled.  DH has a very bad case of cabin fever. Will have to find some fix it jobs for next week.  Right now it is just church and the grocery store.  We are blessed to have a pastor who sees that we social distance, wear masks and has the church sprayed after each service. 

Take care all, stay safe and well. Pat

We had only put down a deposit. It has been refunded.  Have thoroughly enjoyed all our trips with them and were looking forward to barging in France.  As we often say these days.  This too shall pass, hopefully not as painful as a kidney stone.

Pat

Just received information yesterday that Road Scholar is cancelling our May barge trip in Southern France.  We had rebooked after it was cancelled this year,  We are going to see what Croisi Europe is offering.  Road Scholar was chartering the barge from Croisi.  Or maybe we will try the Mississippi here at home. At least we have time to make plans.  Still taking things one day at a time.  Right now it is time for more Christmas baking.  Be safe and stay well.  Pat

Just returned from a long grocery shopping, mainly because of the weather prediction for the next two days.  Last stop was my local (Dayton OH are) Aldi.  They had Racine almond kringle, there are now two waiting to go in my freezer after I have some for breakfast tomorrow. They also had half of a roasted duck.

Fresh Thyme if any of you are lucky enough to have one close by had frozen duck breasts as well as the half of  a duck. It was a bountiful shopping, mostly for groceries, along with the elusive toilet paper. Found some, ready for what Mother Nature sends our way.  This is a thread that I hope keeps on even after we are able to travel again.  Now for Thanksgiving revisited for dinner tonight.