Vict0riann

A couple more notes about Port Blair. We had originally booked a HAL shorex, which was a tour of PB, then a ferry to another "resort" island, however that was cancelled a few days before we arrived as the ferry had sunk, with passengers. Eek! It could have been us. The other shorex that HAL put on was to the highlight of PB - the prison, We walked there, but did not enter. The prison

Good morning, Dailyites! I'm wishing for better things for all in 2024. And peace. Am I the only one, again, who has been to Port Blair? I don't recommend it. After our visit there on Volendam, we transited the Straits of Malacca, where we were warned of piracy in the area and what we should do if we were attacked. We were to go to our staterooms, and sit on the floor, leaning against an inside wall. There was special equipment put out on the decks to scare pirates away with loud noises, and crew patrolled the deck watching for approaching small boats. We took a shuttle into the town which was an adventure in itself. The sidewalks in the town were individually constructed by each shopowner and some were dirt, some wood, and some concrete. And some had steps up or down so it was complete chaos. Others on the ship took a cab to a resort far away from the town, and said the beach was lovely. But they were very late back to the ship (couldn't find transport), and caused great confusion. This was the only port where I have ever been physically searched (in a curtained booth, by a woman) before returning to the ship. I don't know what they thought I was going to take from their island! We had had a lot of difficulty getting Indian visas before the cruise, and I think everyone on the ship recommended HAL omit Port Blair from future cruises! Beach on the way into town Local transport The local ladies were colourful RNB might enjoy.... These were on the decks when we left, some sort of pirate deterrent

Good morning, Dailyites! Am I the only one who has visited Malacca? (On Volendam, in 2014 - 10 years ago!) We had 28 days in the Far East with DD, and Pat's DS and DBIL. It was an adventure. Transportation - but mainly we just walked around. DD found a tree to hug It was all very colourful, preparing for New Year celebrations. Very hot!

In early November there was a thread about Stockperks - I don't know if the information still holds true. I'm still thinking about it! Just hope HAL goes back to doing it themselves.

Good morning, Dailyites! Almost to the end of 2023...we made it! We usually do dry January, and I am looking forward to that, also a strict diet, as I need to lose a lot of weight! Pat is still losing, I'm still finding. We had word today that a childhood friend of Pat's in Ireland passed away yesterday. She had been in the hospital in Waterford for 10 weeks, they were just keeping her comfortable. So it's a sad day for Pat. I think he's emailing the family now, or maybe he'll telephone. I am not a soup lover, and I'm not crazy about tomatoes either, so minestrone is not for me. The only two soups I really do enjoy are split pea and ham, and (white) clam chowder. My ham bone is in the freezer waiting for me to find some split peas and get started. Pat would eat soup at every meal if he could, so he suffers with a wife like me! He has a lot of soups on the bhb's. I haven't called a friend today, but a friend in Ontario (actually we met them through Jacqui) called this morning to discuss a cruise to Hawaii, and we had a nice chat. Does that count? We have been to Dubrovnik twice, both times with @sailingdutchy, who is a great organizer of tours, so I imagine he will come up with photos. People are still touching the food! On Rotterdam in the Spring a lady was squeezing the rolls to pick the one she wanted as I waited; a server was watching too, and grabbed the tray as soon as she left. So I didn't get a roll. The weather here has been unseasonably warm. Going up to 12/13 (mid-50's in Fahrenheit) and my tender fuchsia is still trying to bloom. We are threatened with colder weather in the new year, and I will stash it away in the garage, but for now it can stay outside. We need a lot more rain, too, we are having dreary days, but just a few sprinkles.

Oskar in his crown.

Good morning, Dailyites! We survived yesterday! I'm stiff and sore today, as I spent most of the day on my feet. Just glad it's over. Remembering the days when we would have 20 or more for Christmas dinner, now I have difficulty organizing for six..I guess I'm getting old. Oskar got a new toy for Christmas, and ate all his (steak) dinner. He is getting to be a picky eater, too, but always enjoys a bit of rare steak.. He tolerated a crown from one of the Christmas crackers. I don't seen to be able to add the photo on my laptop, will have to do it from my phone,

Good morning Dailyites, and I hope everyone has a happy day, Christmas or otherwise. And Happy Birthday to Gerry! We will be six tonight (with 2 vegans) so I have a busy day ahead of me, and I'd better get on with things. See you tomorrow...

Happy Christmas Eve, Dailyites! I am sort of following Jacqui';s recipe, but I bought the cruit fake, and I'm brousing it with dandy. Having a great time!

Good morning, Dailyites, Thank you, Jacqui ,for stepping in for Rich, and thanks also to the F & B ladies, and all who post. Saying prayers for those who need them! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... we had the neighbours in last night, and I'm happy I have enough leftovers, nuts, etc., to hold on to until Christmas and I can put them out again! That is, if we don't have a nibble between now and then. We are having another really foggy morning, you'd think we were in San Francisco! We were in Avalon in March of 2022, on Koningsdam. We went ashore with a neighbour and just wandered. Next time I think it would be a good idea to rent a golf buggy, to see a little more. It is quite a small town, but probably stretches out if you have transportation. Heading back to the tenders and "home away from home".

Made it in time! Looks like she has Starlink on the sports deck.

We just get surf, and after our discount, I usually figure it costs about $10 a day, so it would go down about $10 each day we wait to buy it... (something like that).

The problem might be that now you can't find a comparable tour - HAL has chartered them all!

Good morning, all. I was going to go grocery shopping this morning, but have put it off until tomorrow, as today is the day i do my nursing duties, and then we have a coffee date with friends, and Pat has an EKG this afternoon at the hospital. I didn't sleep well last night, and am slow getting started. We are entertaining tomorrow, so it will be a rush tomorrow, too. I have been thinking of you all, just never seem to find the time to post. Dreary and grey here, but no flakes to appreciate, and we appreciate that! I have three sets of cousins who are twins, only one set are identical. Pat had an aunt and uncle, twins. So they are around there somewhere. I think it would be neat to be a twin. We went to Quimper/Kemper with Jacqui on a visit to Brest, so all we saw of Brest was as we returned to the port. In Quimper they make Faience pottery, and I bought the number of our house there in a tile. We have pictures like Tony's, and we had lunch in the market, where they made beautiful crepes while we watched. Pottery shop My tile Crepes and beautiful artichokes in the market Returning to Brest port

Bon voyage!

Good evening, Dailyites, we had a busy day today, so I am just here now, although I think I read the first page this morning. Hope things are progressing as they should for everyone, and I will include you all in my prayers tonight as I lie awake! All the chatter about honey-baked hams had my mouth watering, so I had to go out and get a ham. When we first lived in Virginia, you used to have to buy a whole Virginia ham, they were wonderful ! But they were coated in salt and very highly flavoured, so they needed to be soaked for a long time (I think I did it in the bathtub) and eventually, ( skinned?), baked and then baked again with a topping of brown sugar and mustard. Then the spiral-sliced honey-baked hams appeared. The first outlet was halfway to Richmond (we lived in Falls Church), but it was worth every gallon of gas. You had to call the outlet at a certain time, and they gave you a time and weight you could buy. But what deliciousness. And the outlet was only open around Christmastime. Good memories. Here you can find spiral-sliced, but not honey-baked. I just got a regular ham, it was pretty good. Tomorrow we will take it apart, save some for Christmas and freeze portions for future meals. And I'll freeze the bone for the time being, too..

Chairs on Rotterdam are comfy - like the ones on Koningsdam. Only NS has the ones that make you sit up straight! Rotterdam has a different setup altogether, as it was designed as CO, not the America's Test Kitchen.

Yup, that's the way it has worked out. Now, if HAL will reimburse us our Covid expenses, we'll pretty well break even.... (But that's another story.)

Hi, Jacqui, Thanks for handling all our changes - we also have cancelled our 28-day Bermuda, Brittany and Canary Islands Allure on Nieuw Statendam for April 7 next year. Just not going to work with health problems. We have booked a 14-day Great Alaska Explorer on Nieuw Amsterdam for May 4, 2025, as it is out of and returning to, Vancouver. A year later, but something to look forward to!

Our PCC just called to let us know that the HAL Platinum cancellation protection could no longer be sold to BC residents. She was astonished to hear that we already knew about it from CC ! While I had her on the line, I cancelled our Spring cruise, boo hoo.

Good morning, Dailyites! Thanks for all the news. So exciting to be leaving for long cruises. We are about to cancel our next. I keep putting it off, but it must be done. Our cleaning lady is coming today after a break for carpal tunnel surgery, so Pat is vacuuming, I have no idea why. We have a very confused snowdrop blooming in my little flower bed. The sky was really red when I got up at 6:30, but Pat says the rain isn't due until tomorrow. I slept so well last night. I had been a member of the "Sleepless in (you name it)" for so long, I had forgotten how nice it is to wake up rested. I'm not feeling all that energetic, but I did go to exercise this morning. Now I must go and tidy up a bit for the cleaning lady.

Back in the mists of time (on June 2, 2023) , we booked a cruise we are going to have to cancel. I think the deposit must have been non-refundable, because at the same time, we purchased the Standard CPP from HAL. It actually was less than 10% of the fare. (Booking total was $6679 each, insurance was $489 each). On the back of the booking there is the Cancellation Fee Schedule. As of June 1, 2023 (the day before we booked), the cancellation fee was $1160 per person. Who knew? We booked with one FCD plus $1100 each. I'm figuring that this cancellation fee is the price of the insurance, plus Club Orange, plus something else. It will be interesting to see if we get anything back from our deposits when we cancel. I am quite confused.

We went to the "opening night" of Step One's new "Move" on Oosterdam last month. Pat's comment after - "Well, it was energetic..."

Love that crab and artichoke dip, then rack of lamb, then I’d be full. Maybe a scoop of sorbet, depending on what there is. I would have stayed away from the brunch… thanks, Lisa, now I have to go and eat my turkey burger….

I think I would have gone to Tamarind tonight. Nothing on the CO menu appealed to me!