Keroppi2011

Wow, that's a showstopper! Gorgeous beading.

Add my vote to the NO side. Way too risky and stressful in that time frame. But now you have a good excuse to go back to one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

On the first day of our Alla tour we ate in a beer-hall style restaurant. The borscht, stroganoff and beer were delicious. Good ambiance, too. Second day was a packed box lunch we ate in our mini van, travelling between palaces. Sandwich, fruit, cookies. Not anything special.

BTW, our tour guide, Oksana, was outstanding. Made our visit to SPB very worthwhile. We were more than satisfied with Alla.

The mind-blowing gold mosaic wall and intricately patterned marble floors inside the church make a trip to the tiny island of Torcello more than worthwhile.

My heart hurts for everyone who has been touched by this tragedy. The ripple effect carries far beyond nine.

We enjoyed every minute of our 2 day stay in SP. We booked private tours through Alla and had a fantastic guide, Oksana, who made sure we saw every major site and had every positive experience possible in that short time. From that first "taste", I can hardly wait to go back. Just waiting for the political situation to improve.

Google "Maddy" and her Big Red Jeep. We had a fantastic day with her, including some off-roading in the national park, a look at some caves and petroglyphs, as well as plenty of time at the natural pools. When she was a little concerned about timing for a couple from another ship, she called her husband to meet us mid island to take them back early. A lady with a great attitude and sense of humour. Time with her was a highlight of that trip.

I've been collecting "city mugs" from a well known, worldwide coffee chain. Makes a nice display as they are a standard size and shape, but differ in colour and decorative motif. Always fun to choose one for my morning coffee and reflect on the wonderful time we had in that place. Only downside is the weight of those little puppies. On a short trip I may only get one. On a long trip, I've packed half a dozen!

Sue, who was a wonderful ambassador for his hometown of Surabaya, always greeted us by name and with a smile on that same Rotterdam cruise. Whether he was doling out ginger and mints as the Yum Yum man, or waiting tables in the buffet areas, his attitude and good humour brightened every day.

Piano bar is a good suggestion - and a must-do if it is Stryker or Buddy Mitchell performing.

Many visitors to the Waimea Canyon only see the magnificent view from the first viewpoint. But if you have the opportunity to continue up the road, the midway point gives a nice view of the waterfalls and the last stop (of 5) actually looks out over the remote Na Pali Coast and the ocean. We stopped at the Japanese market across from the Captain Cook monument in the small town of Waimea and picked up cold drinks and excellent sushi for a picnic lunch at the end of the road.

DD made us bread pudding in Hawaii with coconut buns from a local bakery, Malibu rum and coconut syrup topping. Delish!

Oh, I am so envious. On our 49 day Rotterdam, I watched eagerly for Chocolate Purse. Only had one appearance of Pear Purse - tasty, but not in the same league.

We are avid tea drinkers and were disappointed to find that HAL had changed from Bigelow teas to a brand we found had little flavour. So we made a point to purchase a good selection at a large shoreside grocery store to last the rest of a lengthy cruise. Best onboard tea is always the "spice" version served at afternoon Indonesian tea.

On a recent 49 day voyage from Singapore to Rotterdam we thoroughly enjoyed the piano man, Buddy. Seemed like he could pick any tune out of the air and play it well once he'd been given a title. We enjoyed his music and his acerbic sense of humour. But his little band of followers were there to listen, not to drink. So while we considered that experience one of the memorable parts of each day, Seattle would be upset that little extra revenue came from it.

Marie, I think your hats are magnificent. But then, I think you would look stunning even in a paper bag.

Just returned from Britain, where gorgeous hats and fascinators in every colour were readily available in the shops. Wish we had that kind of selection here.

In addition to some day/night cold medication and strong throat lozenges, I've learned a small jar of Vick's Vapour Rub seems to ease the suffering of cold and sinus attacks.

We were more than willing to listen to Stryker play piano in Mix every one of the 49 nights of our HAL cruise.

I heard that the your room steward will be happy to fill the little fruit basket in your stateroom with apples. But he will leave only red apples for rooms on the port side of the ship (red apples - red wine - port) and green ones for rooms on the starboard. That should help everyone remember on which side of the ship their stateroom is located.

If you are a little more adventurous than the average North American tourist you might enjoy the very unique experience of a good hutong hotel. We have stayed in the Courtyard 7 (check out their website) twice, and enjoyed every minute of it. The complex is very well run, clean and nicely renovated to give the flavour of Chinese life centuries ago, but with very modern conveniences. I will admit the bedrooms themselves are quite small, but we loved the old fashioned 4 poster bed and bentwood chairs. The bathroom was beautifully modern. A very extensive breakfast buffet is included and served in the main dining hall. English is spoken at the reception desk and the clerks were very helpful. There is a night market at one end of the block, with plenty of small restaurants and shops - even a Starbucks. If you head down the other way in the morning you'll see a slice of "real" daily life as the fruit and vegetable dealers lay their produce out along the side of the road and the whole neighbourhood comes out to shop. The hotel is within walking distance of the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower and the lake. Close to subway and a only a short taxi ride to many of the main sights. I felt like I was living in one of my historical novels.

Here's another vote for the Savoy, a very reasonably priced hotel in the downtown area - within walking distance of almost everything we wanted to see. We spent a week there in March of this year, flew up to the Falls for 4 days and returned to the Savoy for another 4 days before boarding our ship. The building itself is historic (Albert Einstein, Eva Peron and other famous guests) with beautiful period details in the main public areas. But the guest rooms are all renovated and very modern. Extensive breakfast buffet is included. The very best amenity is Santiago, on duty at the front desk most evenings. He was better than a personal travel guide in helping us make plans and reservations each day. He printed tickets, sent us to his favourite pizza stand, plotted the route for obscure day trips and celebrated the success of each outing when we returned each night. With his help, we took a day trip by ferry to Uruguay, took a local train (for 3 pesos each!!) to the Delta, Rode the subway to Chinatown, toured the Opera house one morning and attended a symphony concert that night, visited a Gaucho ranch for BBQ lunch and horse back riding - and all the regular tourist sights of course. Loved the street markets - one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Plenty of original craft work and interesting jewelry. Don't pass up the chance to tour the Pink Palace if no English tour is scheduled. The interior of the building and the opportunity to stand on the famous balcony was worthwhile in any language. Can hardly wait for an excuse to go back.

I think I expected (hoped) to be following Egon's adventures for many more years - and sending him a card for his 100th birthday! He has certainly been an inspiration for us all. I hope that all the love, good wishes and prayers coming their way make the next months easier for both Egon and Steve.