Harters

Not easily and not with any certainty. But here goes. It can be used in the same way that a Briton might alternatively use "dessert" or "sweet", as a course in a meal. Or it can describe a particular dish and this is where it gets a bit tricky. There are savoury puddings or sweet puddings. For example, steak & kidney pudding is a favourite of mine. Basically, a suet pastry, enclosing a stew, then steamed. Or, a dessert such as Sussex Pond Pudding (another delicious favourite of mine). What's common to both of those is the use of suet in the pastry and that the cooking method is steaming. That may be the primary definition of "pudding", as opposed to a savoury pie, which uses normal pastry and is baked in the oven, or indeed other sweet dishes with which you end a meal. Or it may be to do with the fact a pudding (sweet or savoury) is usally enclosed by something - a container or a cloth - while it cooks. A version of steak and kidney pudding is very local to me - traditionally coming from one town in my metro area. That's "rag pudding". Still the same suet pastry but traditonally wrapped in cloth to steam, rather than in a pudding basin. Presumably a version from history for poorer people who might not have a pudding basin. But there are exceptions,of course. There's always exceptions. Like Yorkshire Pudding which, originally was served at the beginning of a meal to fill you up, so you wouldnt want so much of the expensive meat - but now served alongside roast beef. Or rice pudding, which is really just sweetened and flavoured rice, simmered in milk. I guess - and it is only a guess - that the difference between a "pudding" and a "dessert" lies in the historical influence of the French over high end British cuisine. Maybe a pudding is a long established traditional food, while dessert is something more refined and influenced by the French, hence using a French word. What I can recommend is steak & kidney pudding, with chips and mushy peas, followed by a traditional dessert such as Spotted Dick, with custard . You'll probably need a siesta afterwards.

Whereas, in the UK, we have two muffins - the little cake and the bread roll. Context is everything. Similarly, we just have coriander - not coriander and cilantro - again context usually indicates whether it's the leaf or seed. We have chips, crisps and French fries. Chips being what you have with fish. Fries being thin chips you have with a fast food burger. And crisps come in a bag, preferably cheese & onion flavour. I play on a food forum, which has mainly American contributors. We once did what proved to be a very long thread detailing the different food words used in American & British English. I know we had Canadian contributors to the thread but, unfortunately, no Australians or New Zealanders or we'd have an even longer thread.

Absolutely. Candians have no need to add "Canadian" to their own bacon description . In similar vein, in the UK, we do not "English muffins", just muffins. But we do have "American pancakes" to distinguish them from normal pancakes. 😀

I've had bacon in Canada more than once. Both with peameal or without. I prefer without - so it's basically just the normal back bacon we have in the UK. I've also had "Canadian bacon" once in the States - a round slice which looked processed like it might have come out of a tin. Once was enough.

We used to get travel insurance through our NatWest current account but a couple of years back, they declined to insure us. A change of policy at their end, rather than any change in our medical circumstances. We then got an annual policy with Staysure who were OK in dealing with a cancellation claim due to us both having Covid. Currently, we cannot get any insurance due to undiagnosed medical issues so are unable to travel. We'll try Staysure again once there's a diagnosis - although we know it won't be at all cheap as, apart from our assorted pre-existing conditions, one of us is waiting for surgery, the waiting list for which is into next year. . Based on how much our last policy was, I'm sure a new annual one will be well over £1000 for the two of us.

I tend to agree. The dissident groups, including the latest bunch of criminals (the "New IRA") are all thought to be quite small in number and seem to have limited caapcity for large attacks. So, most murders/assaults seem to relate to their criminal gang activities with occasional targeted attacks on police officers (such as the attempted murder of DCI Caldwell in February). I think it would be extremely unlikely (and unlucky) for a visiting tourist to become a victim . I'd say the same about terrorist attacks in the rest of the UK. Yes, far right terrorists and Islamist ones are a threat but attacks tend to be of the "lone wolf" variety. In the latter case, lone suicide bombers have been devastating in their attacks but they are, thankfully, few and far between. Which is probably just as well as the Security Service seems to have failed to deal with the Manchester Arena bomber.

With the passage of time, since the OP, is anyone able to suggest where cruise ships actually dock? I'd be hoping to visit the Musee de la Marine, followed by a nice lunch. I've spotted several possible restaurants along the nearby Quai de la Doaune. TIA

You really think that a comment about travel insurance isnt appropriate for a travel discussion board? Ah well, each to their own. I'm pleased that you were able to get a refund. Unfortunately by the time we had to cancel our cruise, our policy had expired.

Let's be blunt here. If they were travelling outside of their home country without travel insurance, then they were fools. And, potentially, most unfair to their family who may have had to cough up thousands to pay for their stupidity. I say this as someone who is unable to travel as we currently cannot get insurance due to undiagnosed medical conditions (and we have had to cancel one cruise that we had paid a deposit on as well as a similar situation with a non-cruise holiday to Spain over last Christmas.).

Interesting list, JPR. I've visited all the east coast states over the years, as well as several adjacent ones, but never been further west.. It's good to see that, as in the UK, regional dishes would feature heavily. I'm very familiar with the New Orleans and Cajun dishes, as well as the Nashville Hot Chicken (although I found it a bit too spicy for me, so only had it once - on the last trip to the city). And roast turkey and fantastic simply cooked seafood in New England. And, of course, great pit BBQ right across the Southern states - as I said upthread, that's a cuisine that simply doesnt travel well - even to other parts of the States.

Comes as absolutely no surprise. Based on playing on an American led food forum, I think many Americans can find Northern European food not to their taste. It must make it difficult for them when they visit. What might be really interesting is if O did an "American Night". I wonder what would be included. And would I recognise it as being American and would it appeal. Perhaps more to the point, would Americans recognise it as being American. 😀

Offal has always been an important part of British home cooking. But, until recent decades, not so much in restaurants. I suppose it's the sort of thing that, if you were having it at home regularly, you wouldnt really want to be ordering in a restaurant. I reckon chef Gary Rhodes was the pioneer who popularised Modern British cuisine, in the late 1980s, although, to foreigners, Fergus Henderson whose Modern British career started a decade later is probably better known. FWIW, this is the menu of one of several bistro type places within a few minutes of home.It's representativeof the sort of food you'd expect in a neighbourhood place. https://no4dineandwine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/March-menu-23-1.pdf

Almost guaranteed to be what foreigners think as British food, rather than what we actually eat. Any foreigner who has visited the UK in recent decades and actually got out of London will have encountered the richness of our cuisine, both traditional and seasonal. I find it genuinely funny that the decades old stereotypes about my country are still trotted out. Like ToxM's husband, I'm a northerner. Fish, chips and mushy peas are hard-wired into our DNA. I live about 30 minutes drive to the small town where there's the first record of fish & chips being served, in 1863.

It's food that doesnt travel well. Just like American BBQ.

Interesting in itself that Tripadvisor, which owns Cruise Critic, allows discussion about cruise travel agents on TA, but not CC. But we digress from helping the OP.

Oh, that's good news for whenever our next cruise might be. I like Lyres, almost as much as Seedlip, for those times when I fancy a non-alcoholic "gin" and tonic.

My advice would be that, if you have the slightest doubt about their reliability, then choose another company. It really isnt worth the worry. From what you say about the lack of internet reviews, the sparse info and seemingly indifferent customer service, I wouldnt touch them with the proverbial bargepole. Search this sub-forum and you'll find many threads which recommend transfer services.

Although CC does it for you with this helpful article: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=3850

A fixed gratuity is included which accounts for cabin and restaurant staff. It's added to drinks as you order them. I also don't drink. I've only cruised once with Oceania and my recollection is that the soft drinks were pretty much just the well known sugary American ones. Certainly nothing as nice as as our local Fentimans, I'm sorry to say.

Faced with a similar dilemma for a cruise we had planned last year *, we opted to go a day early. Apart from the risks of delays with a "same day" flight, it meant an extremely early start from home. Extra cost (mainly the overnight hotel at LHR) was worth it as a "no stress" solution.

Just call me Sherlock.

I had time on my hands this afternoon (the benefit of being retired) so have done a bit of searching on the forum. I find mentions that both Riviera and Marina have berthed in the city centre, so no technical problem there about turning. I've also looked at several cruises this year which go to the city. There is a pattern. Those cruises which are only there for the day seem to berth at "Bordeaux (Le Verdun)", whilst cruises which have an overnight stay berth at "Bordeaux" which I am now sure in my own mind means the city centre. Makes sense - if the cruise schedule only includes for the day, then you don't want to waste what time on what I understand is a four hour sail each way on the river.

Emailing the port authority would be the best way to go. We had planned to be on Sirena last year on its cruise which included Bordeaux(but caught Covid two days before the boarding date so were unable to go). It was an overnight stop which seems to be a regular schedule for O here and I wanted to plan our time, devising our own walking tour and finding somewhere for dinner. Knowing where it would berth was important. Emailed the port authority (writing in English and French) and got a reply within a few days (in English) confirming Sirena would berth right in the city centre (which I assume is O's description of "Bordeaux"). I had previously searched the port authority website to try to find the answer but it only mentions that a ship is berthing, without the detail of exactly where. Might be worth searching this forum for mentions of Bordeaux just to see if there's a pattern for the likes of Riviera. FWIW, Riviera is doing a version of Sirena's cruise last year and is visiting the city on 6/7 June, the schedule only mentioning "Bordeaux". Whilst the river is obviously wide enough for Sirena to turn, I've no idea if it would be OK for a larger ship, such as Riviera. I'd be interested in the answer, as it's possible we may look to book this cruise at the last minute

Would this not depend on what regulations (if any) apply for the country of disembarkation? For example, if leaving the ship at most (all?) European ports, there will be no quarantine requirement. So, in practice, I could fly from here in the UK to, say, Barcelona for the weekend and fly back, having had a lovely couple of days, Covid positive for the whole period and not breach anyone's regulations.

We usually have one or two week-long holidays in the UK each year and, generally speaking, pick June and September for weather that's as good as it gets. No promises though - we came home early from a September 2020 trip to the Sussex coast as heavy rain was forecast for the final two days.