Carinval Glory - NYC to New England... A Memoir

[australian_girl]

Ouch. I hope Delta's hand mends quickly and isn't too painful!

[ShakyBeef]

Ouch. I hope Delta's hand mends quickly and isn't too painful!

 

Thanks.:) We do, too. It's pretty sore, but he's been through worse. He is posting the next installment right now.

 

Stand by....

[Delta Hotel]

The port building is relatively small, with lots of windows. Only 20 feet away from our glass wall is the door to the outside. The outdoor area is fenced in, and is approximately 50 feet by 50 feet. From this courtyard, you can either go out to the street, or you can go into the large, white tent which serves as the ticky-tacky shopping area for this port. We went into the tent to see what was inside and found some nice vendor tables and booths.

 

 

About half-way around the tent, I see a vendor which has taken a large corner and seems to have a large assortment of crap – way more crap than most of the other vendors. I walk over to their area and see Canadian flags, Canadian buses, key chains, shot glasses, bottle-openers, pillows, toys, bottles of maple syrup, water bottles, bottled water, and just about anything that you can imagine with a Canadian flag on it.

 

On one of the racks, I see nail clippers, a nail file, and a flashlight… all of which are practical tools. These practical tools really stand out when placed with aisles and aisles of useless junk (commonly known as souvenirs). However, I don’t see anything that would work well as a screwdriver. Remember? I still need a screwdriver for the camera. I examine the nail file closely to see if the flat pointy end of it would work. It looks a little flimsy, but it might work if I had nothing else. The nail clippers have a square-ended handle instead of the pointy end, so those won’t work.

 

By now, Wifey and the kids are wondering where I am since I didn’t bother to tell anyone that I was walking off in another direction. When we entered the tent, we were all together. As the group (Mom, Dad, Wifey, kids, and me) came into the tent, they all began to tour the tent in a counter-clockwise fashion. When I see this vendor in the corner, I just walk off without saying anything to anyone. This corner vendor is pretty much the equivalent of a ticky-tacky-touristy-tent convenience store… like a 7-11.

 

I walk up to the counter of the “corner convenience store” where you’d normally pay for stuff, and I’m greeted by a very nice woman and a teenage girl who was probably her daughter. I smile and ask them if they have any screwdrivers. I had meant the question as, “Do you have any screwdrivers for sale that I could purchase?” But from the woman’s reaction, she heard, “Do you have a screwdriver that I could borrow?”

 

Either way, she went behind the counter, brought up an old metal coffee can with various tools in it like screwdrivers, slip-joint pliers, an adjustable wrench, and some other miscellaneous things. She pulled out three screwdrivers of different sizes and held them out flat. I thanked her and reached for the middle one.

 

As she turns to put the other two away, she says, “You’re going to bring it back, right?”

“Yes, of course. I just need to borrow it for a minute. I’m sorry I didn’t explain that earlier.”

 

She smiles and turns to do something else. I take the screwdriver and walk quickly into the middle of the tent area, looking for Wifey and the kids. I spot them on the other side of the tent and walk over to them. I tell Wifey that I’ve found a screwdriver, and I need the camera. Wifey reaches down and pulls the camera out of her bag and hands it to me.

 

“Where did you find a screwdriver?”

“Over there, at that corner booth. Oh, I need you to go over there and buy stuff. Just whatever.”

“Ok. Right… for the screwdriver.”

 

We head back to the corner booth with the camera, screwdriver, stroller, and batteries. We don’t have the kids with us because they’re walking around with Mom and Dad in the tent. I locate an out-of-the-way spot near the counter to change the batteries while Wifey browses through their Canadian flag-covered collection of tourist junk.

 

By the way, if you happen to be Canadian, I want you to know that I don’t believe that your Canadian flag-covered junk is any better or worse than our American flag-covered junk… it’s just all neutral flag-covered junk to me.

 

Wifey finds some stuff to buy, and also picks up a few bottles of water. I finish changing the batteries in the camera and place the screwdriver back on the counter and thank the lady again. Wifey’s still trying to find more stuff to buy, so I turn on the camera and test it – good to go. Now I just need to wait for Wifey to finish shopping.

 

In one of the aisles on the bottom shelf, this tent vendor had two different toy yellow school buses. Neither of them had a Canadian flag on them, and both were made out of metal. Wifey looks up at the woman behind the counter and says with a chuckle, “Is there something special about these school buses?”

“No, that’s just what our school buses look like here” replies the woman.

“Oh, OK. Our school buses look like that, too.”

 

Wifey and the woman both smiled, gave a little laugh, and that was the end of it. It seemed a little strange that in such a small space, a single vendor would bother to have two types of yellow school buses instead of just one… and there were several of each type, too.

 

Wifey finishes shopping and pays for her loot. I triumphantly deliver the working camera back to Daughter #1. As Daughter #1 turns on her camera and starts to take pictures, I glance around to see what Wifey, Mom, and Dad are doing.

 

Dad has found the Canadian maple syrup stand right across from the corner booth with the screwdriver. He’s in the process of trying to figure out how much maple syrup he can buy and carry back onto the ship. He takes off his backpack and begins to carefully pack small jugs of syrup into it, trying to ensure that he’s getting as many bottles as he can. He then puts the backpack on, and lifts two jugs (which appear to be about two liters each), one in each hand. Once he’s satisfied that he can comfortably carry all of this back onto the ship, he puts the two big jugs onto the counter and pays for all of them.

 

While waiting for this transaction, I notice that right next to the corner booth with the screwdriver, there’s a stand selling roasted nuts of all different kinds. The nut booth is at the very back of the tent. I love roasted nuts. I had originally written that last sentence as, “I LOVE NUTS!” and then decided to change it to avoid any awkward thoughts or feelings. I’m much happier with the feeling of this paragraph now that I’ve decided not to use that particular wording.

 

I had noticed the smell of the nuts, but didn’t really see the stand until just now. While the rest of the family waits for Dad to pay for his syrup, I slip away to the stand selling nuts. I look through the glass partition like a dog on a chain looks at a rabbit. I’m staring so hard at the nuts on the other side of the glass with anticipation and excitement that you’d think that I was trying to burn them with my laser vision. Realizing this, I suddenly jerk back, close my mouth, and put on a straight face. You know, I need to try to keep the appearance of being a grown-up.

 

The woman behind the counter informs me that one bag of nuts is $6, but I can have TWO bags for just $10! Wow! Only $10 for two bags of nuts – that’s the best deal I’ve heard since setting foot in Saint John. Honestly, the woman could’ve told me that one bag was $6, or I could have two for $15 and I would still buy it. I am so mesmerized by the bags of roasted nuts that I would’ve paid almost anything.

 

I quickly pull out my wallet and find a $10 bill. I keep my back turned to Wifey the whole time so that she doesn’t see me buying nuts. I’m not at all sure why I do this, because it wouldn’t have mattered if she saw me buying nuts… it’s not like we have some kind of marital agreement about roasted nuts.

 

I go to hand the $10 bill over the glass and stop a little short of reaching the woman’s hand. She looks at me with a surprised face as if wondering what’s wrong. I look at the $10 bill, then look up at her and say, “Do you take American cash?”

“Yes, we do. We treat them equally here”, she says while slightly tilting her head and smiling.

“Well, that’s very kind of you”, I respond.

 

I’ve only been to Canada a couple of times. Each time, it really stands out to me that Canadians take American and Canadian money in every place that I’ve tried to buy something. It makes me feel a little awkward inside because of my obvious hypocrisy. If I had ever been handed Canadian money in the States for a purchase, I’m 100% sure that I would have refused it. I suppose that I would have refused it for two reasons:

 

Reason #1 – growing up, and during my early adulthood, I was completely unfamiliar with Canadian (or any foreign) currency. I had no idea what it looked like, the exchange rate, or even how to tell a real Canadian dollar from a fake one.

 

Reason #2 – what would I do with it after I accepted it? Since I had never seen anyone use foreign currency in the States, I was pretty sure that I couldn’t turn around and spend it elsewhere, which made it pretty useless… and before I started traveling, I had no idea where to go to get US dollars for it.

 

Back to the nuts. The bags of roasted nuts come in different assortments or you can get bags full of a single type of nut. The roasted coating on the nuts is really quite good. I don’t like too much sugar on mine. I don’t want to feel like I’m eating “nut-flavored candy”. I prefer to eat the “nuts which have been wonderfully enhanced with a light, flavorful coating which complements the nut without disguising the original nut flavor” kind of nuts.

 

 

I requested a bag of almonds and a bag of cashews. I immediately open the almonds and pop a few in my mouth before taking a single step away from the booth. I let the first few crunchy bites sink in, then start walking back to Wifey and the family.

 

Wifey sees me coming back with the bags and says, “Hey, watcha got there?”

“My nuts.”

“Nice.”

 

We continue walking around the tent. It’s funny, the tent is large (for a tent), but it’s not large for a shopping area. It feels like we make three full counter-clockwise laps around this tent, and each time I see a booth that I didn’t see the last time. Of course, I’m occasionally busy stuffing my squirrel cheeks with nuts, but I was still trying to pay attention to my surroundings.

 

Every minute or two, a squishy little kid hand would pop out from under the stroller awning and just wait (fingers spread, palm up) for almonds to be dropped into it. As I walk and chew, I drop a few almonds into the little palm and it would disappear under the stroller awning with a tiny, barely audible, “Thank you, Daddy.”

[nbsjcruiser]

You are doing such a great job with this review. I get up every morning and get my coffee and go right to my computer with great anticipation to read your next installment. You really should take up writing books you are such a great story teller. I feel like I am on this cruise with you.

I hope you hand get better soon.

[pe4all]

Thank you for my morning "fix." I'll be away for a few days - already going thru withdrawal from no computer access to read your thread! Take care of that hand - don't want an infection setting in.

Edited July 29, 2011 by pe4all

[suchaclassylady]

I am enjoying this waaaay too much. I don’t know if the small victory of borrowing a screwdriver instead of buying one, or the fist pump and “yeah” I shouted thus winning the attention of my co-workers and hopefully not my boss as I carelessly throw away another morning perusing CC. Was it the innuendo about the nuts, or the coffee shooting out of my nose possibly ruining my not-so-casual Friday silk blouse as I LOL like an adolescent? Could it be the reference to children begging for nuts making me say “awwww” as it reminds me of my 17-month-old with a lisp who says “peathhhh” and forces her tiny, chubby hand in my personal space, which in Toddlerese means “pleeeeeease” when she thinks there may be goodies nearby to procure? It makes me wonder what I’m going to do when this memoir is over…I don’t know…work?

[GamerMom64]

I would download it in a heartbeat, love they way you guys use and play with languages :) English, exotics, accents, aviation alphabet, and so on.

 

Hope DH's hand heals quickly, he must type another installment!

[pyropoodle]

I am not really sure why I started reading this thread as I hate the cold weather and I will absolutely never take a cruise (or even another trip) to Canada if I can help it. But I'm so glad, after seeing the title flash by me for days and days and days, that I finally decided to open it and read the review. It has been such a treat!

 

disclaimer: no offense to Canadians, I am sure it is a wonderful, shining, and clean country, but after my trip there back in January when there was a hugemongous blizzard that kept me stuck on a random highway for 12 hours trying to make what should have been a 4 hour MAX drive, I just don't want to go back. In my head it's all frozen tundra. But, I digress...this thread has been so wonderful and I look forward to reading the rest of the story. thank you both for keeping me entertained and for making me laugh.

 

Incidentally, when I was in Canada in January, I had to go through customs at the border and they didn't stamp my passport either. I wonder if that is something they only do at the airport.

[Pee-ah]

Thank you for sharing the latest post! I loved that tent when i was there in Sept 2010. It had the friendliest people in there! I went way over budget because of this!

 

I have even thought that i could live there.. NB not the tent :)

[binajack]

Thank you, and everyone else here who has been so complimentary of this beast of a "review". I'm sorry y'all - I know I'm being lazy here by not responding to each poster. But we really do want to thank all of you. It's still surprising and flattering how much so many seem to be enjoying this.:o

Delta is typing the next installment at this moment. But I have to warn you: there may not be much produced tonight. His right hand is heavily blistered from burns he got at work today, touching wireless equipment on which eggs could have been cooked (no joke).:(

 

Thank you sooooo much for sharing this with us and inviting us into your little world. Kinda makes me feel like I was "there".....and it's getting me even more excited (wasn't sure that was possible) for our trip (me & my DH) on the Glory in Sept. It will be the DH's first cruise ever and my first on CCL since 1991 (pretty sure I'll remember more of this cruise then that one since that one was over spring break when I was in graduate school and there were several very large bar bills on the "sign and sink" cards in our group :p).

 

Love the wit, observations and sarcasm.

 

Hope your hand feels better and heals well (not just because I want the next post but cause I'm really a nice person...just ask me).

 

Bina!

[nbsjcruiser]

I am not really sure why I started reading this thread as I hate the cold weather and I will absolutely never take a cruise (or even another trip) to Canada if I can help it. But I'm so glad, after seeing the title flash by me for days and days and days, that I finally decided to open it and read the review. It has been such a treat!

 

disclaimer: no offense to Canadians, I am sure it is a wonderful, shining, and clean country, but after my trip there back in January when there was a hugemongous blizzard that kept me stuck on a random highway for 12 hours trying to make what should have been a 4 hour MAX drive, I just don't want to go back. In my head it's all frozen tundra. But, I digress...this thread has been so wonderful and I look forward to reading the rest of the story. thank you both for keeping me entertained and for making me laugh.

 

Incidentally, when I was in Canada in January, I had to go through customs at the border and they didn't stamp my passport either. I wonder if that is something they only do at the airport.

 

I am from New Brunswick and I understand what you are saying so no offense taken. I hate being here in January also that is why we go south. Where you on the highway between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick? If so I would never drive that when they are calling for light snow. Please give us another chance in July (our best month). It can really be nice up here.

 

I am not sure what it is about the passport stamps lately. I think they do not stamp them anymore because they just run them through the electronic machines so no need to stamp them any more. I heard that if you ask them they will stamp them.

[Prairie_Gal]

Thanks for another great installment DH. I hope your hand isn't too bad, and that it gets better soon.

 

I think American money is so readily accepted here because it has historically always been a higher exchange rate. Right now our currency is slightly higher, but not enough to make much difference. It can easily be exchanged or deposited at any bank, or I just keep it until my next trip to the States.

[hockeyluver]

 

disclaimer: no offense to Canadians, I am sure it is a wonderful, shining, and clean country, but after my trip there back in January when there was a hugemongous blizzard that kept me stuck on a random highway for 12 hours trying to make what should have been a 4 hour MAX drive, I just don't want to go back. In my head it's all frozen tundra. But, I digress...this thread has been so wonderful and I look forward to reading the rest of the story. thank you both for keeping me entertained and for making me laugh.

 

Incidentally, when I was in Canada in January, I had to go through customs at the border and they didn't stamp my passport either. I wonder if that is something they only do at the airport.

 

LMAO no offence taken, this last winter was HORRID!! but looking back to that and the last 3 1/2 weeks of 90+ weather..... I'll take the heat. Were you stuck on the 402 in Ontario? I hear that was a very bad situation. Please come back to Canada...... :p

 

If you want your passport stamped you have to ask for it, unfortunatly like everywhere else they dont automatically stamp them anymore.

 

 

DH hope your and is healing.... silly boy, my coffee and me miss you!! :p

[binajack]

I am from New Brunswick .....

 

So Nbsjcruiser....if I happen to be coming to your fair city on a large ship the first week in September, what would the typical temperature be? Like sweatshirt and jeans weather or more like shorts and sweatshirt weather?

 

Thanks!

Bina ;)

[Delta Hotel]

Thank you to everyone that sent "get well" wishes for my hand. It's not that bad, and it barely hurts anymore. Now there's just a few patches of skin flopping around on my fingers... I can't even feel it, really. I do notice the sore spots when I temporarily forget about my little incident, and go to pick up something with my right hand... and put pressure on the raw parts.

 

As my grandmother used to say, [loosely translated] "NO PAIN, NO DINNER." I think she meant something like, "No pain, No gain." But that couldn've been a language barrier thing.

 

Anyway, my hand is doing well, and you should hopefully have some more of my Saint John memories soon!

 

DH

Edited July 30, 2011 by Delta Hotel

[nbsjcruiser]

So Nbsjcruiser....if I happen to be coming to your fair city on a large ship the first week in September, what would the typical temperature be? Like sweatshirt and jeans weather or more like shorts and sweatshirt weather?

 

Thanks!

Bina ;)

 

I would suggest sweatshirt and jeans for that time of year but we have been known to have some really nice weather than. If you are from down south you will find it chilly. On a nice day I would say the temps would be high 60's to low 70's and on a bad day low 60's.

[Delta Hotel]

Once everyone is done looking through the tent for now, we all walk out of the tent together and stop in the middle of the courtyard. Mom and Dad tell us that they’re going back to the ship so they can drop off their gallons of syrup. We say our temporary goodbyes and part ways. They head back toward the port building and we turn left, go through the gates to the street, and then stop on the sidewalk just outside of the gate. We pause, wondering which way we should go and looking all around with smiles and taking deep breaths of the fresh, non-re-circulated air.

 

As we’re trying to decide where to go, there’s a gap in the traffic immediately in front of us, and other people begin to cross the street. We decide to follow them with no particular reason other than, “Hey, that’s over there and we haven’t been there yet. Let’s go over there and then decide where to go… and all of these people are going there, too.”

 

On the other side of the street, people are splitting in mainly two directions – left and right. There’s an option of going straight forward up the hill, but almost no one seems to take this option. We turn left and head toward the guy standing on the sidewalk in a big red lobster suit. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that there’s a guy in a big red lobster suit standing on the sidewalk. Now that I’ve told you about the guy in the lobster suit – we walk toward him. He’s just waving at cars and pedestrians. It’s really hard to tell who or what he’s waving at since he’s… in a big red lobster suit.

 

The girls walk by the lobster-guy cautiously, only slowing down a little and turning their heads to the side as they pass him, like they’re making sure that he doesn’t suddenly turn around and bite them.

 

 

Once we’re safely past the lobster-guy, we find ourselves standing in front of an outdoor patio area with tables, chairs and umbrellas. A quick glance made it obvious that this was the outdoor seating area for Steamers restaurant. Steamers had music coming from speakers on either side of the outdoor area. It had the sound of live music. Wifey and I both stop and look around for where the live music might be coming from.

 

Wifey and I both love live music. Wifey seems to like live music for the “liveness” of it and seeing the performers, instruments, and the feeling of being in the vicinity of the music source. I however, don’t care so much about the performers, or the “liveness” of it. I really enjoy hearing live music for the sake of the music. I like to hear a singer’s voice without a microphone. I like to hear a guitar without an amplifier. I like to hear percussion instruments without them being reproduced by an amplifier or speakers.

 

I’m not entirely sure where or when this started for me, but around my early teenage years, I began to notice that I really liked listening to music. I know… I know… what teenage kid doesn’t love listening to music. The difference between me and all of my friends was that they listened to a song as “lyrics with a musical background”. I’ve always listened to music as “sounds being arranged to invoke a feeling”.

 

A constantly recurring example of this would be the fact that I know many, many songs, but I couldn’t tell you the artist, the song name, or what the song is about. I may even know some or all of the lyrics, but have never listened to the “story” within the song.

 

I don’t like listening to “live” music when the music involves the person singing into a microphone, which then gets cut up into tiny bits of information, then sent to the pre-amp, then the amp, then the speaker, and then gets reproduced by metal wires and cones of paper or plastic for your ears to hear. Really? The guy is standing or sitting right in front of you – but you’re listening to what equates to a fancy, vibrating paper cup.

 

From a purely technical standpoint – the music that you hear coming from an acoustic guitar, a piano, drums, saxophone, flute, bongos, or even a simple tambourine is infinitely more complex than any recording equipment could capture or reproduce. Many have argued for decades that “the human hear can’t hear the difference”, but they’re proven wrong every time… it does, however, require a very discerning ear to do it.

 

One of my first jobs was designing, selling, and installing high-end car stereo systems. I started doing this as a hobby, then applied for a job one day with a local high-end audio dealer. I had gone to school for electrical engineering, and two of my better subjects in high school were math and physics… so with my passion for music, getting into the audio world was easy.

 

Sometime later, I moved into the home audio division of the same company, where I learned to be a true audiophile. I’m still mildly obsessed with it, but with little kids and cruise lines stealing my money every year, a nice home audio/home theater setup hasn’t been practical. The reason I say “home audio/home theater” instead of “home audio/theater” is a technical difference. For anyone who cares, a home audio system and a home theater system are different, and often in different rooms. Sometimes, they’re in the same room and serve a dual purpose, but I like to differentiate between the two.

 

Back to the point here – we stop in front of Steamers to look for the live music (if there is any). The song coming from the speakers is “Rockin’ Robin”, but is clearly not a studio recording. After looking around for a second or two, the obvious smacks me in the face! The guy standing right in front of us has a microphone, and he’s singing! The live music was coming from only two or three feet in front of us! That may sound unbelievable, but it’s true. The music coming from the speakers was loud enough that I couldn’t hear his voice right in front of me.

 

I mean, he wasn’t singing loudly or anything, just in a “normal” singing voice… and with all of the people talking and walking around us on the sidewalk, his voice got lost in the crowd. Immediately after realizing that he was the one singing, the small portion of my mental energy devoted to finding the music source was able to relax. Then I started listening… and then quickly decided that we should move on and not linger.

 

I don’t remember who it was, but someone once (or more than once) told me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t make eye contact and maybe they’ll go away.” That’s a sage piece of advice. I also heard someone else say, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Well, I don’t really have anything nice to say about the guy singing in front of Steamers… so I won’t say anything at all. I suppose that I could say something nice, like, “He definitely sings better than I do.” There… that’s nice.

 

We all move along with traffic toward the next street corner. I had noticed it before this point, but didn’t think anything of it. Saint John (or at least this part of it) has really elaborately designed cross-walk patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

These crosswalks were so interesting to look at that I had two thoughts about them. My first thought was while walking across the street – “These designs are so pretty that I don’t want to contribute to the degradation of the pattern, so I’ll try to walk alongside the crosswalk instead of on it.” I immediately realize that walking alongside the crosswalk is actually walking in the street – so I don’t.

 

My second thought occurred just after reaching the other side of the street – “Wow, I walked all the way across that street looking straight down at the pattern in the crosswalk… I have no idea what happened around me. I could’ve been hit by a car or something, eh?”

 

I make a small mental note for future use, “Don’t stare at the crosswalk pattern when crossing the street, and don’t take anymore pictures of ground while walking in front of cars.”

[Utopian]

DH, I heard about your memoir at a Roll Call for the same cruise in September. I am enjoying your comments very much, and you are sharing good information. Did I read correctly that between putting family first and the cruise lines stealing your money that you have not taken care of one of the most basic needs in life? By that I mean a decent sound system. Let me argue that a system is needed for your kids to be well rounded. How amazing can life be without some Bruce Springsteen, some of the spirituality of Yes, some Cold Play to fix them when they are down, the span of Elton John, or Heaven forbid they are not exposed to the Beatles. Remember, a system is not just for you. Instead, it is for, you know, the kids. So, rush right out and get that system. Wait a minute, that might mean we would have to wait for the next installment. Nevermind!

[terri-eddie]

I could’ve been hit by a car or something, eh?”

 

 

Good job of blending with the natives by speaking their language, EH?

 

I

 

And before someone growls at me for poking fun at Canadians, let me just say.....I'm from Nova Scotia, eh?

Edited July 30, 2011 by terri-eddie

[cv322]

I could’ve been hit by a car or something, eh?”

 

Good job of blending with the natives by speaking their language, EH?

 

And before someone growls at me for poking fun at Canadians, let me just say.....I'm from Nova Scotia, eh?

 

Too funny, eh?

 

Hahahaha ...I have a very good friend who is from Ontario (we met originally on our Roll Call & then, in person, on the Miracle last year & we still keep in touch). Everytime she messages me...at one point or other in the message, I'll read an "EH". Love it. :D.

 

DH...I'm happy your hand is healing & welcome back!

[BettyPC]

I started this memior this morning & have really enjoyed it. Don't want to go to Canada... but love reviews that are long! You and Miss Shakey have done a great job getting this one going! Thanks for sharing with us!

[pyropoodle]

I am from New Brunswick and I understand what you are saying so no offense taken.

I'm so glad. I have some Canadian friends and they are fantastic people, so I'm glad you took no offense :)

 

I hate being here in January also that is why we go south. Where you on the highway between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick?

I honestly don't know exactly where i was, on some interstate in Alberta. It was during that blizzard in early January if heard anything about it. I'm not sure how common blizzards are there. In my mind, they are a daily occurrence. I was actually on a tour bus with my choir and I had joked with our choir director (who is Canadian) that he was crazy planning a trip to Canada in January. He assured us for months that it would be fine....and then WHAM, Blizzard. I still haven't let him live it down.

 

Please give us another chance in July (our best month).

I promise, I will give Canada another try, when it's not sooooo cold. *shiver*

[CruzintheSeas]

I would suggest sweatshirt and jeans for that time of year but we have been known to have some really nice weather than. If you are from down south you will find it chilly. On a nice day I would say the temps would be high 60's to low 70's and on a bad day low 60's.

 

Thank you for the clothing suggestions!! We will be on the Glory mid-September and my hubby thinks it is going to be really, really cold. (I think he mentioned snow once, which I think is funny) Have not been to Canada for a long time and really looking forward to it!!!

[pyropoodle]

LMAO no offence taken,Were you stuck on the 402 in Ontario?

I have no idea. i know we were in Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec.....nowhere near Alberta as i previously stated. I just glanced at a map. you know us Americans, we have no concept of anything outside of our own huge island (that would be called the island of USA, even though, not technically an island, but you get the point. )

 

luckily, our bus driver was Russian. He said, in his best russian accent "thees snow nothink...thees like driving during regular Russian rush hour"

 

i was so glad he was not intimidated by all the snow because i was scared, especially when kept passing all of the wrecks and cars trapped on the side of the road.

Edited July 30, 2011 by pyropoodle

[ShakyBeef]

DH, I heard about your memoir at a Roll Call for the same cruise in September. I am enjoying your comments very much, and you are sharing good information. Did I read correctly that between putting family first and the cruise lines stealing your money that you have not taken care of one of the most basic needs in life? By that I mean a decent sound system. Let me argue that a system is needed for your kids to be well rounded. How amazing can life be without some Bruce Springsteen, some of the spirituality of Yes, some Cold Play to fix them when they are down, the span of Elton John, or Heaven forbid they are not exposed to the Beatles. Remember, a system is not just for you. Instead, it is for, you know, the kids. So, rush right out and get that system. Wait a minute, that might mean we would have to wait for the next installment. Nevermind!

 

 

Don't worry - although his home audio, home theatre, and car stereo systems are not all that he would like them to be (probably missing that mark by many thousands of dollars and hundreds of square feet of living room space devoted to large, loud equipment with controls that I would never be able to understand:rolleyes:), what he has is pretty darn loud and clear and rich and crisp and thumpy and impressive, IMHO. The kids have been exposed to all of those artists and many more. They even play and sing as the Beatles on Beatles Rock Band for Wii.

 

The poor dear isn't as audio-deprived as he makes himself out to be.:rolleyes:;)