dani negreanu

The only time I had to totally "relinquish" my sea pass was when inter porting on Allure in the Med [2 embarkation ports -- Barcelona and Roma]....😢

@reallyitsmema I don't know if it is -- "really" its me, ma.... or really its mema... Anyhow, me, ma, mema -- we "really" miss your posts and are hoping you're doing lots of SBS2B3B cruises ☹️

@derorim + 1, very frightening 😲

Try Hotel Fontana -- affordable in excellent location (we'll be there again in 3 weeks time for the Carnival). Also on the route of Alilaguna Blu from the airport - https://www.hotelfontana.it/en/

Thank you. I find the color "scheme" quite depressing.... Red carpet? Really?

I would like some water, please ...

@George C +1, take care, dentists are not fun....☹️

@BonTexasNY, Bonnie, 💐 + 1 😉 הרבה מזל טוב ויום הולדת שמח לג'אק, עד מאה ועשרים שנה, עם אופציה להארכה על התנהגות טובה

Just to give you an idea of costs with GTI -- The cost of our tours this October from Ashdod with GTI were as follows: Jerusalem and Bethlehem were $99. Lunch was on your own and we spent about $20 each. Masada and Dead Sea were $115 and $25 for Masada and $15 for Dead Sea. Again we spent about $20 for lunch. Another recommendation -- Yuval https://www.tour-guide-israel.co.il/about-me

It seems that the tours you've chosen cover it ALL. Excellent that you get 3 days in Israel, and you have the south (Massada + Dead Sea), center (Jerusalem and Bethlehem) and north (Sea of Galilee and Nazareth). May I suggest checking this company, the reviews on TripAdvisor are constantly 5* and so are the cruisers who have used it -- https://www.guidedtoursisrael.com/

Could you please describe your itinerary while in Israel? Stands to reason to travel from Ashdod to Masada [and then only if you have an overnight there, better yet, spend the night in Jerusalem, and then travel back to ship via Masada]... but from Haifa??? The traffic here is horrendous.

@h20skibum Mark, what Marietta said 😘

It is a place full of art galleries. I was so happy to see many tourists meandering there. Those galleries were very hard hit during Covid, they're based mostly on foreign travel... Here's another example of the interesting "art" there --

Actually, I never went in, and the only visit I've done there was in January 2004, when it was too cold to float. The original plan for our golden anniversary was to spend there 2 nights, but our friends like to float and enjoy the Sea, so there were no "buyers".... I've asked DH, though -- basically, all that was included in the link Jim @Jimbo provided. Very very salty, beware of your eyes, no cuts from shaving, water shoes, sun screen, etc. Wearing an old bathing suit relates to stains when "schmearing" yourself with mud (very recommended, that is, the mud....). Enjoy !!

Well, it was a double anniversary 😉

+ 1 @DaniDanielle 😘

We're back after a night spent in a hotel near Old Jaffa, celebrating our golden wedding anniversary (and DH's b'day BTW) with a dinner with dear old friends. After a lot of time spent on researching for the right hotel, we decided to remain "locally". The hotels I've researched in Jerusalem were in the range of 700-800$ per night, with a check in at 3PM and check out at 11AM. Or, as DH said, every breath we'll take will cost us a dollar... Especially, we wanted an historic hotel, like the King David, where all the US presidents visiting are booked. And King David wasn't even the costliest one. My BFF and her DH [on the right side] celebrated theirs a year and a half ago at an 5* hotel [paid for by their kids] and suggested to check the rates, even if we knew they're over the top.... and we were pleasantly surprised to find a "winter mid-week deal" for a "mere" 342$ a night [the cheapest basic room], with a check out at noon!!! Hurray !!! Their stay included a meal at the hotel restaurant, which we decided to enjoy too. My BFF, her DH and my BFF's 3rd cousin, who was actually "responsible" for our meeting, were to join us for dinner. With the cousin I go back to my early days at the new immigrants school, and he took my under his wings. We started the celebrations with an Eggs Benedict b'fast at our "to go to" establishment right on the Med beach. We were really blessed with wonderful weather. You can see old Jaffa in the background. Christmas and Hanukka are still on.... Then, after a few mins drive, we arrived at our hotel. Pleasantly surprised that we were upgraded to their best room, with a balcony and with a sea view [I might have mentioned our golden ann. when I've booked by phone directly with the hotel...] It is a very old neighborhood, and the building (150 years old) was completely renovated. We strolled around, DH took lots of pics, and... it was time for dinner. The meal itself was quite disappointing, I really can't understand all the mixing of weird ingredients one with another. Some of our dishes were quickly replaced, and the crew were very attentive to the 6 of us. We stayed over 3 hours, and the time went by quickly. At the evening end, I've told hubby that I should be disappointed and a bit sad that the meal was sub-par, but I was not, since the ambiance and dialogue between us, so old friends, was amazing. OTOH, the b'fast this morning [supplied by the same in-site restaurant] was excellent, and, again, we choose Eggs Benedict. We checked out, left our trolley, and took a leisurely stroll through the Old lanes of Jaffa, enjoying the sunshine. A suspended tree -- Just look at the sea.... I want to thank you again to for the good wishes on the occasion of our double celebration 🙏

I'll quote some of the series in the list compiled awhile ago [my personal marked in red] -- JD Robb "In death" Georges Simenon Series Gideon Oliver -Aaron Elkins series Louise Penny’s Gamache series. The Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series. Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. Any books by Tana French Any books by P. D. James JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the Cormoran Strike series. Helen Fields -- the Perfect series. Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series. Fox and Hare series. Ian Rankin’s Rebus series Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series Nevada Barr’s National Parks series Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

At the time, it was not accepted as a research tool. She had to go through several "hoops", including an authorization of the Helsinki committee... since it was deemed "trials on human beings"...

My advice is to contact them directly.... hjazz at nnhotels dot com I've originally booked one Thursday to Friday night for mid-June [I should think it can be also considered "high season"]. Then, one month after, our airline cancelled our Friday morning flight home, leaving us no choice but to remain 2 additional nights there (our airline doesn't fly on Saturdays/Shabbat.........). I immediately emailed Jazz, explaining the situation, and asking for another 2 nights. Meanwhile, the rate has gone up... They were super gracious, added the 2 nights, and also noted that they let us have the 3 nights for the same rate as the original one night rate. Might worth the try, I've found them (when I recommended to friends/family) very helpful and responsive. Good luck!!

We're also using the Tube from Heathrow, and book a hotel walkable from Victoria Station. Premier Inn is a good mid range. From London to Southampton we used Smiths for airports, but, sadly, they went out of business during Covid. Much more expensive options now out there....

Lovely. I like the design. That's one of the expenses you get to enjoy on a daily basis 😎

+2 Patti @Coralc

Alas, the catch is that he is constantly experimenting... No "fixed" recipes for him. So today he tried his hands on ramen. But, if you look closely, this one includes the "classics", like noodles, broth, grilled chicken breast, one egg, green onion, BUT also his interpretation with potatoes, carrots, grilled tofu and... grilled shiitake mushroom. Lately, in a Bolognese sauce, he added finely minced "roasted peeled chestnuts". Delicious. It constantly amaze me how such a technical mind, with US patents in "inkjet printing", "apparatus" and other names which elude me, can so successfully make the "switch" to inventive and tasty cooking...☹️

It really was. The "kids" were of course skeptical, they don't like to be their dad "guinea pigs", and inquired if there was an "alternative" to the suspicious looking ramen. He said: "Nope, that's it for today"... And it was amazing. Of course, he has always individual interpretations to everything he cooks, this time he added shiitake mushrooms (grilled after spending time in a soya cum honey "concoction"). We both like ramen. Even when in Barcelona, last summer, we went for ramen ... twice 😉 He says he never thought it's so easy, and making a huge difference in taste...