Quartzsite Cruiser

We have done several TAs going both ways, and have enjoyed all of them. About 20 years ago, on a eastbound few TAs, HAL moved the clock forward at 2pm. Most passengers seemed to like the idea since they did not lose an hour of sleep, but there were some who complained they lost an hour of the daily activities. @DCThunder I imagine on the westbound TA, the clocks will be changed at 2 am to give everyone an extra hour of sleep. I've never seen the clocks changed during the day on westbound TA and trans Pacific cruises. We like TAs for the sea days and a chance to relax before or after a busy port intensive cruise.

You beat me to the answer while I was reading the Daily. I like the original movie with Ricki Lake. Lenda

When we were on the Koningsdam in March and April, early seating was 5:15, but the doors opened for open seating at 5pm. I walked by the lower MDR doors about 4:45 one day, and people were lined up going up the stairs waiting for the door to open. With so many waiting, they opened the doors early.

Good afternoon. DD and DSIL left about 45 minutes ago after a nice afternoon visit. DSIL was nice enough to replace the kitchen sink faucet in the motorhome. We need a part to join the supply line to the faucet since the motorhome lines are a different size. The local hardware store did not have the correct part, so once the part arrives, I'll finish hooking up the lines. After lunch, we watched some of the home movies of the DDs growing up. DH had transferred to memory chips earlier this year. Boy did they bring back a lot of good memories. Thank you everyone for your pi tures of the various lighthouses. It is always interesting to see the different designs. I've also enjoyed all the pictures feom Ponto Delgada. I'm afraid if I tried to name everyone, I'd forget some. Lenda

In 2004, again on Noordam III, we rented a car and toured the country side. To honor lighthouses, this is the ruin of what appears to be an old lighthouse. Some scenes from our day in the country. Town from a scenic view point. Another small town An old volcano crater Blue and Green lakes Sete Cidades and the church Noodram at anchor Our final visit was in 2019 on Veendam. By then, the new dock had been built with cafes along the waterfront. Veendam at the new dock Lenda

Good morning from sunny, breezy central Texas. During June and July, I was dreading August because it is usually our hottest month. I looked at the ten day forecast last night, and while it will still be hot, our highs for most of the days will be in the upper 90sF. The triple digit days will be in the low 100s. There is a new "normal" for our weather, and I have to remember the forecasts are still a guesstimate. Friendship day is good, and I treasure my to BFFs from my very young days and my friends on the Fleet/Daily. I agree we should forgive, but sometimes it is difficult, and almost impossible to forget some things. We have enjoyed seeing lighthouses all over the world. The ones on PEI and the Oregon coast come to mind, along with the Tower of Hercules in A Coruna Spain. I like today's quote, and also @rafinmd Roy's suggestion to @RedneckBob. We have salmon fairly regularly, but I do not like cooked spinach unless it is wilted as part of a pasta dish. I do like raw spinach in a salad. We'll pass on the drink, but I would like to try the wine. We have been to Ponta Delgada four times, three of which were on BHBs. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad to see the executive chef feels well enough to resume her duties. I'm also gild your are letting the teenager continue the dog walking duties for a while longer as you regain your strength. @cunnorl Charlene, I'm sorry your former neighbor has lost her spark. It was nice of you to visit and do her nails and hair. @ger_77 Gerry, I wished we'd known about the lighthouse on the prairie when we drove through Saskatoon in 2017 on our way to Alaska. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, it sounds like you are having fun and keeping busy. Thanks for the pictures of Ponta Delgada. @HAL Sailer Melisa, that is an interesting story about your DH's sons accepting you. I can relate as it took me too many years to accept my stepmother even though I was grown and married when they married. We had a wonderful relation ship after that. @mamaofami Carol, sending positive thoughts for the safety of your family still in Israel. Our first time in Ponta Delgada was on October 4, 2001, on Golden Princess' maiden crossing. That day we walked around town. Absit 90 ,minutes after we sallied, DH was on the balcony and noticed we'd turned around. A few minutes later, the captain announced we were turning back because a couple had suddenly left the ship with the luggage 30 minutes before we sailed. The ship was returning until they could determine what was happening. We made it back to Ponta Delgada in 45 minutes, and dinner was very quiet that night. We hung out off the port for a while, then sailed toward the USA. We later learned they knew the couple was disembarking and used their departure as a cover story. A member of the Cruise Staff as a joke had called in a bomb threat. He spent the rest of the cruise confined to his cabin. Remember this was less than a month after 9/11. Our pictures from our first stop. Igreja de Sao Sebastiao Portas da Cidade Igreja ds Sao Jose In 2019, I took these pictures inside the church. We were back in 2002 on Noordam III, and we walked around town. The harbor with Noordam docked at the far end. Lenda

Thank you for the update. I think rainy, dismal weather is more the norm there. We experienced the worst rain the day we were in Kirkwall. It was coming down horizontally and our pants from the knees down were soaked by the time we were back on the Prinsendam. Hope your weather improves for the rest of your stay. Lenda

While I'm not a coffee drinker, I know many Dailyites can't start the day without a cup of coffee. After looking on FB today, I now know where your morning coffee comes from. 🤣 ☕ Lenda

Woo Hoo! That is great news. Lenda

Well, bummer. DD mentioned a hair appointment today, but somehow we thought it was a different time, and they were coming today. We just talked to her, and the appointment is this afternoon, so they will be here tomorrow not today. At least, the salad and pie are ready, and the chicken will definitely be thawed by the time I start cooking it. Now, I just need to come up with something for supper today. Lenda

In 2016 on our last Baltic cruise on Prinsendam, we were in Warnemunde on August 1. Since we had been to Berlin, we decided to rent a car and visit some of the towns to the west. The weather that day was a mixed bag of sun, heavy clouds and rain. Most of the rain was while we were on the autobahn. That day we visited Lubeck, Schwerin, Wismir, Bad Doberan, and Rostock. Our first stop was Lubeck, the furthest west we drove. It is an old walled city known for its gothic style red brick buildings. In Medieval times it was the capital of the Hanseatic League. Only the city gate remains of the wall, and it has a decided list as one side is sinking. The back side of the city gate The first building you see after passing the city gate. It might have been the building above, but somewhere nearby, we were at a high point and these are pictures of Lubeck and the Trave River. This picture was probably taken in Wismir. Schwerin Castle We could not find a parking place, so we did not tour the castle. The area cross from the bridge to the castle. I believe these were taken in Bad Doberan, and we just made it back to the car before it stated raining again. On the way back to the ship, we drove around Rostock, but did not find anything interesting to stop to see. We also drove around Warnemunde, and this is the church. Lenda

Good morning from another hot day in central Texas. Everything is about ready for DD and DSIL's visit. The red, white and blue salad and lemonade pie are made, and the chicken I'll roast for dinner is thawing. I even blew all the debris that blows in when we have south winds out of the port . Hiroshima and Nagasaki are worth remembering. We have visited Hiroshima twice and were moved by the memorials and their peace museum. I like blues in moderation, but I'm really a rock n roll girl. Farmworkers deserve their own day as they do so much so we can eat fresh food. The Rick Riordan quote is interesting. He is mainly known for writing children's books, but he wrote a series of books for adults featuring a detective from San Antonio, which I enjoyed. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds nice, but pricey. We were in Warnemunde in 2016 on Prinsendam, and at the end of a Marco Polo cruise in 2005. After the cruise, we took the train to Berlin as part of the cruise package and spent two nights there. @MISTER 67 and @rafinmd Roy, I like the new avatars. @smitty34877 Terry, that is good news that Tana is now negative and has improved. Take it easy until your stamina returns. @1ANGELCAT That fire and loss of lives is terrible, and I feel for the fireman who lost family. @bennybear Thanks for the pictures of Hiroshima. @kb4683 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DH! These are my pictures from Berlin taken on August 28 and 29, 2005. At the end of the Marcel Polo cruise, the passengers boarded a private train to a station in what was east Berlin. We were traveling with friends, and the four of us managed to get one of the private rooms for the trip. Once we were in Berlin, there was a bus tour of Berlin and a riverboat tour on the River Spree. The next day, three of us took a bus to the Brandenburg Gate. Our friend left us there, and we continued to the Holocaust Memorial, and a self tour of the city. We saw this part of the wall in the former East Berlin. This section was in west Berlin, IIRC. The next three pictures were taken from the bus at various points on our tour, so the quality is not great. Checkpoint Charlie. The bus stopped there for a photo op, and we returned the next day to visit the museum shown in the picture right behind the picture of the US GI. It was a very interesting museum and there were a lot of displays about escapes from East Berlin. These pictures are from our second day in Berlin. The Brandenburg Gate and a plaque in the line that marks the location of the Berlin Wall. The line runs along any part of the wall where the actual wall was torn down. The Holocaust Memorial One of the big intersections in Berlin and the rooftop garden area of a department store's buffet. The shell of this bombed out church was left as a reminder of the war, and the very modern new church beside it. We took a tram out to the 1936 Olympic Stadium. It was closed, so we could not go inside. Looking from one of the museums on an island in the River Spree between East and West Berlin. We visited the museum and saw Nefertiti. For being several millenniums old, she is in good shape. They also have many other Egyptian artifacts. The River Spree Lenda

UT Southwestern uses a screening process with the NP, and it would have been the end of September before we could see a doctor. We'd hoped by going this route, he could get the MRI sooner and then see a doctor sooner.. We just found out the MRI is a week from Monday with the next visit with the NP on the 23rd. This will give them time to get the MRI and review it. This should have been caught last fall when DH saw the neurologist at Baylor, Scott and White in Temple, but he did not think a cat scan was needed. The neurosurgeon in Waco who referred DH to UT Southwestern told us that in his opinion, the shunt and back surgery would help DH, but he was not expecting him to get 100 percent results, after so long. We wouldn't be as far along as we are if our PCP's PA hadn't orfered the cat scan tge doctors failed to order. Lenda

Good afternoon. We survived the drive to Dallas and back on I-35E. It was certainly a lot busier today than on Tuesday. The nurse practioner was pretty through with her questions and exam. After looking at the CT scan from last month and doing some tests, she ordered and MRI. Fortunately, we can have it done closer to home at the same place that did the CT scan. Even though our PCP thought DH's symptoms all matched those of NPH, she wasn't so sure. However, DH did some research on line while I was in W-M on the way home. It turns out, the medical sites have what she was seeing as symptoms. I guess we'll see what they find on the MRI which will give a more detailed view of the brain. DH has a follow up with the nurse practioner on August 23, a Tuesday. For now, we are still in the wait and see mode. @Tbay 🎂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU AND YOUR DGD! 🎈 Sorry your DH has tested positive and I hope he feels better soon. Also, hope your DGS feels better soon too. @JazzyV 😱 Yikes, Vanessa that the Covid levels in your area are now high. Glad you are masking and taking precautions. Everyone at the clinic, including the people at the valet parking, were masked, and all patients were required to mask. @cruzn single Mary Kay, I'm sorry your lung problems have progressed and become pulmonary fibrosis, but it is good it has not changed in the past year. Stay healthy and active. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad you arrived safely at your DD;s. I agree that drivers are getting crazier and crazier. @NextOne It's good you tried again. Persistence can pay off. Whatever, you and your DS decided, enjoy the planning and the cruise. Lenda

Terry, that's good news that almost all of you tested negative. I wish Tana was in the negative group and hope she feels better soon. @cunnorl 🥂 🍾 HAPPY 44TH ANNIVERSARY! 🌹 ♥️ Lenda

Ann, my guess is your very smart, agile creature is a racoon. Lenda

In 2011, we were in Bordeaux for a full day without an overnight. This allowed us to take a tour to Cognac and to Hennessey. Before the pictures of Cognac, here is one more of the pilot being lifted off the Prinsendam. He had a harness that went under his arms. He did not hold onto the harness, but kept his arms straigt. Our tour to Cognac took us to the Hennessey Distillery. The bus dropped us off at the visitor center where we boarded a boat to take us across the river to the distillery. We then went back to the visitor center for a tasting where DH got my sample. Follwing that we had lunch at this restaurant, and as the name says, we had chicken. After lunch, we had some free time to wander around Cognac. We found the flower market, which was basically closed by the time we got there. On the way back to Bordeaux, we crossed the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, where a monument to the pilgrims had been erected in the roundabout.

A very early good morning from a breezy central Texas. The sun is not even up yet. We will be leaving for Dallas and DH's appointment about 8:30. On our dry run Tuesday, it took us about 1 1/2 hours, but since we have to be there by 11 am, we are planning on allowing extra time since there was construction on I-35E and it is Friday. I used to like beer on hot days, but in the last few years, I've lost my taste for beer. Underwear is good and clean underwear is better. I like fried oysters and oysters Rockefeller, but not raw oysters. The quote is interesting. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. I'm would like to taste the wine, but I would not pay that much for it. @kazu Jacqui, I hope today is a better day for you. Celebrate how far Shadow has come since she arrived at your loving home. @StLouisCruisers Safe travels today, Sandi. We have been to Bordeaux three times on the Prinsendam, and we docked in Bordeaux. We have only sailed by Le Verdon entering and leaving the river. This is what I posted on July 11, 2021. We have been lucky enough to visit Bordeaux three times on the Prinsendam, in 2011, 2016 and 2017. In 2011, we were there for a full day and took a tour to Cognac. We did get a few pictures of Bordeaux after the tour. In 2016 and 2017, because of the tides, we arrived mid-day and sailed mid-day the next day. On those visits, we toured the town on our own walking and taking the tram. Place de la Bourse with and without the mist both daytime and evening. The wine museum, Maison du Vin de Bordeaux The remnants of the German sub pens The Basilica of St. Michael The Sunday market next to the basilica. They had just about everything you could want. Various street scenes from our three visits The Prinsendam sailing toward her next port in 2017 In 2011, the Prinsendam reached the pilot station early the morning after leaving Bordeaux. Because the station is so far from where the pilots board and disembark the ships, it is done by helicopter. Lenda

Good afternoon. The house is clean, the motorhome is ready for DD and DSIL Saturday, and the last load of towels is about ready to come out of the dryer. Not a bad day's work, and it will be leftovers tonight for supper. @StLouisCruisers Safe travels tomorrow and have a good visit with the faily, Sandi. @cat shepard Ann, thanks for the info on the wine. It sounds lovely, but the price. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I'm sorry about yur plants, but in this heat, I'm not surprised. That's why be have only drought tolerant plants here. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad everyone except Tana is feeling better and that you are back in the kitchen. I wish this isn't so hard on Tana, and that the nurse can help her. It's good the resident teen is back to being a teen. @bennybear Thanks for the pictures of today's port. @durangoscots Susan, glad the leak is fixed. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm glad you got a good night's sleep. @HAL Sailer So glad you enjoyed your vacation respite and that DH got to spend time with his son. Hope the confusion is from the traveling and it is better soon. @cruzn single Mary Kay, I hope the doctor's appointment went well. And I hope there is not flooding. @Vict0riann Welcome home Ann and Pat. Glad you luggage stayed with you. Ann, I hope your legs and feet are better soon. @AncientWanderer Maxine, hope the little one arrives soon and that mother and baby are healthy. @Horizon chaser 1957 Laura, also don't get downwind of a skunk in a spraying match. 🤣 @Cruising Terri Terri, that's good news you made it home safely. Sorry you may need a knee replacement, but glad the hand might not need surgery. Best wishes for a good visit to Mayo next week.

A very early good morning from central Texas. This will be a quick post before I start cleaning the house and giving the motorhome a quick once-over since it's our guest bedroom, it was thoroughly cleaned when we got back from Arizona, but I also need to straighten up somethings we've just dimped in there. I"ll celebrate Chinese Valentine's/Daughters day since I celebrate my DDs everyday. We enjoy chocolate chip cookies 🍪, but it's too hot here to bake anything. A salute to the Coast Gaurds of the world and the amazing job they do. An interesting quote today. It made me thing of the old saying that a lady only has her name in the newspaper two times -- when she marries and when she dies. I will check out the recipes. We're looking for a good way to cook steaks inside. It's too hot to cook them outside on the infrared grill in our very hot weather. We'll pass on the drink, but might like the wine. When I looked at Google maps, I realized that we've been to Otaru in 2000 on the old Regal Princess. It was our port for Sapporo. Unfortunately, that was before I had a digital camera. DH might have some digital pictures on his computer. @cat shepard Ann, I understood the meme, but still need a little more info about the wine before deciding whether or not to give it a try. 🤣 😉 @dfish Debbie, a step in the right direction that HAL is now looking for a suitcase. Good that you and Sue are still testing negative, and I hope Donna is better soon. @Heartgrove Liked the picture. @aliaschief Thanks for more pictures from Scotland. Hope the seas are smooth for your ferry ride. @Rowsby Sue, even though they are bigger, I recommend an air fryer with racks not a basket even for one person. They make it easier to cook several different things at one time. Last night, I cooked salmon, aspargus and sweet potato fries at the same time. I won't mention my brand and model since they no longer sell that one I have, but there are many very similar ones. It took me awhle to find the one I wanted and for the way I cook. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, how nice that channel 7 recognized the Tiger's win. Lenda

🎂 🎈HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE! 🥂 🍾 Lenda

Glad you got good reports from the dermatologist. When my father asked his doctor about a place on his ear, the reply was, "Process aging." It's now working on me, but I try to ignore it as much as possible and hide the results if possible. Lenda

Thanks for the pictures of today's port. It's another Japanese port I wouldn't mind visiting. Terri, I'm glad you made it safely, but sorry you had to fight the rain. They say great minds thing alike! 😉 Lenda

Sure, I can give it a try. Just try reading it more slowly. 🤣 Lenda

Good afternoon. It's been a busy on the Fleet/Daily. I hope I have not forgotten anyone or anything. On my grocery run, I wound up having to go to both stores since the good deal I was looking for had been printed in the store flyer by mistake. The actual price was almost twice the flyer price. 😬 By going to the other store, I found the same thing for only 25 cents more than the incorrect price. At least, I got out and back before it got hot as usual. @aliaschief Thank you for today's pictures. We noticed the different colored strips on the sheep the last time we were in Scotland. We were told that each farmer spray painted the back of his sheep a different color or combination of colors. The sheep are great escape artists, and will join other flocks when they get loose. The paint is the best way to prove that the extra sheep in the flock is yours. @RedneckBob Welcome to the Fleet/Daily Report. I've also enjoyed your posts over the years. If you want to save time in responding to all the welcoming posts, you can either multi-quote by clicking on the + in the quote box of each post you want to quote. When you are ready to post, there will be a box to the lower right of the quote box, and it will show how many posts you're responding to. Just click on that box, and the quotes will appear in the quote box. The other way is what we call the blue bubble. Your get that by typing the @ sign, and then the CC user name. There will be a drop box under what you typed with the user name or a list of names. Just click on the name, and the blue bubble will appear -- that is if things are working correctly. Sometimes, CC gets ornery. 😉 @Overhead Fred Safe travels tomorrow, and enjoy your time at the cottage. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry Tana and your DH are still having such bad symptoms. I hope they improve quickly and feel better soon. I'm glad the rest of the family is slowly improving. Hope it turns into improving quickly. @1ANGELCAT I'm glad you finally have a plan for the hand pain. I hope this fixes things, and you don't need surgery later. @Mtn2Sea Hopefully, by now you are on the ship and ready to have an amazing cruise. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm glad the hand is better, and I hope it keeps improving. Glad yo got the computer updated. I always say that computers are great -- when they work. 🤣 I hope the Benadryl helps again this week. Enjoy you dinner with your BFF, and not having to cook tonight will be an added benefit. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, we have done TA''s in both directions, and each has it's advantages and disadvantages.. Going west to east, you will lose five to six hours over the course of the cruise, but you will arrive rested and not jet lagged. Coming back, east to west, you will gain the hours back and arrive home rested from the cruise. I know I didn't exactly answer the question as to winch is better, but that's up to the individual. Lenda