Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Terry, I'm sure it will be a lovely experience being shown around by my Glaswegian friend who was born and raised in the city. One always thought of Edinburgh as the main event but having been there l have to confess l wasn't at all impressed, and the tourist areas of Loch Ness, Fort William and Oban left a lot to be desired, albeit my trip some years ago to the Isle Of Mull was quite beautiful. You must be very excited now about your upcoming cruise, you'll im sure have wonderful voyage. Sophia :)

 

Appreciate Sophia's nice follow-up, comments and best wishes for our upcoming "adventure" in the Amazon and Caribbean.

 

We liked Edinburgh much during our one visit there in 1977. Below are a few of my pictures from there. For JP, below is more "evidence" on why you need to spend more time in and around Provence, enjoying its countrysides, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 26,078 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and dropped by.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the fun at a lovely market day in Provence in 1997.:

 

 

 

 

 

From Edinburgh, the historic castles dominates the view as seen from this park area below. Second is picture for one of the castle guards. Then, a nice mountain bagpiper. These 1977 pictures from the days when we did photography with that things called "slides". Very old and dated method to preserve memories. Like digital more today!:

 

 

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

Wow, JP!! Great upcoming trips for a "light" year that only includes southern France, Germany and Africa. Not much time off for vacations??

 

Hopefully you can get a little extra time to see and do Provence when your river boat arrives in Avignon. Below are a couple of my pictures (from 1997) to help build the excitement for being there in this historic, charming and scenic region.

 

Don't drink too much beer before driving your new Audi!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

2015 will not be a light year for travel by any stretch of the imagination; just not as much time in Europe compared to 2014. We made 5 trips to Europe in 2014 which was a "personal best" for us!

 

In 2014 we spent one week cruising the Rhine, one week driving around Bavaria and environs in Chris' new Audi, two weeks on the London to Reykjavik cruise, two weeks divided between Cappadocia and an Istanbul to Athens cruise, and Christmas in Paris. It was an incredible smorgasbord of beautiful places, great memories, and way too much great food to eat...

 

That's a LOT of time spent in different time zones! We're getting good with our strategies on how to deal with jet lag. And the more we travel, the more we like it, so it just keeps getting more addictive.

 

Regarding our upcoming Rhone cruise, March for us is the time of year where our schedules only allow us to make a quick one week trip. No time for anything longer, so no time to linger in Provence this trip, unfortunately. We do have 2 full days of touring in Avignon and Arles to look forward to. We've visited Marseilles, Nice, and Sete previously by cruise ship. At some point we will return to spend a full week there, no doubt; we've looked at it before and it's only a matter of time, I think. But for March, we'll disembark in Avignon on Sunday, fly home from Marseilles that morning, and go to work on Monday.

 

We like to take our longer trips in late spring / early summer - May into June. It's still less crowded (because it's not school vacation), and it makes our colleagues who have kids happier because they can travel during school vacations while we stay home and work. Win-win for everyone. Plus we get to be in exotic locations to celebrate our anniversary, which is in early June. This year, we will be with a group of friends in Zanzibar, celebrating our 20th, as we wrap up the 2+ week Africa journey!

 

We also like to travel in September/October for similar reasons. And we do lots of weekend getaways to nearby cities like Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, New York. Some day I have to add up how many nights we spent away from home in 2014 - but I am a little afraid to do that because it will probably be a frightening number.

 

We are incredibly lucky to have these opportunities, and try very hard not to forget that. I think that is part of the reason why we have such a fun time, and why Chris is always smiling. :) Our parents certainly didn't have these opportunities.

 

Our next mini-break is next weekend - kind of a late getaway for Chris' birthday. We're taking Friday off and making it a 4-day weekend, so we can drive all the way to Quebec City. Meeting some friends there for the weekend, and embracing the cold weather. We will stop over in Montreal to break up the drive in both directions. Love Montreal, but have never had the chance to visit Quebec City - so really looking forward to it. Any suggestions from those who have been there before?

 

No worries about the beer, Terry. I don't start with the liter Steins until I've parked the car for the night!

[TLCOhio]

As semi-requested and then threatened by me, here is some more on that 11 am "show" done on the tower at Munich's City Hall. They also have a dining place below in this building. Hopefully these visuals from my files will either bring back nice memories and/or encourage tourism in this town with great beer history.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 91,810 views for this posting.

 

 

Here is the exterior of the Munich City Hall or "New Town Hall". It was in 1874 that the municipality left their Old Town Hall for this building. It was built between 1867 and 1908 in a Gothic Revival architecture style. It has 400 rooms and is 100 meters in its width facing the Marienplatz. The Rathaus-Glockenspiel performs daily on 11 am, noon and 5 pm. The top half of the Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage of the local Duke Wilhelm V (who founded the Hofbräuhaus). There is also a joust with life-sized knights on horseback representing Bavaria (in white and blue). The Bavarian knight wins every time!.:

 

 

 

 

 

Under Munich City Hall is a large Ratskeller. The second visual, as I recall back to 2002 when there, was this part of that dining area there or maybe it was at another traditional German eating location.:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is one of the outdoor beer/dining locations in Munich. Some of the "guys" at the table have that "local" look.:

 

[PS Caledonia]

Thanks Terry, I'm sure it will be a lovely experience being shown around by my Glaswegian friend who was born and raised in the city. One always thought of Edinburgh as the main event but having been there l have to confess l wasn't at all impressed, and the tourist areas of Loch Ness, Fort William and Oban left a lot to be desired, albeit my trip some years ago to the Isle Of Mull was quite beautiful.

 

You must be very excited now about your upcoming cruise, you'll im sure have wonderful voyage.

 

Sophia :)

 

Thanks S, I rarely post, but frankly, I dislike my home city being rub down by someone who has visited once ... in 1977, really rather offensive.

 

CHEERS, Iain IN LONDON FROM GLASGOW, ENJOY.....JUST DONT OFFEND....

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks S, I rarely post, but frankly, I dislike my home city being rub down by someone who has visited once ... in 1977, really rather offensive.

 

CHEERS, Iain IN LONDON FROM GLASGOW, ENJOY.....JUST DONT OFFEND....

 

I'm clearly not very bright this evening .... for which I apologise. :)

 

Can you point to the specific comment that you found so offensive please?

 

I am genuinely missing it. You previously described Sophie as "Your good friend". Very odd.

 

Jeff

Edited January 11, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Nice piccies Terry! If younreally want to see Munich in the raw ... you must come over for the Octoberfest. :D

 

JP September is also our favourite travel month, particularly for the South of France. It's winding down and the light is low ..., lost of the summer heat ...

 

Do you and Chris work together. Wifey and me had so much fun working together.

 

 

Jeff

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

It's clear to me that PSC was referring to the rather disparaging remark about Glasgow by someone who briefly visited quite sometime ago, and for whom the highlight of Edinburgh is a couple of picture postcard shots of men in kilts......and not to any of Sophia's posts re Glasgow (Who's Sophie?)......

 

I'm a frequent visitor to both cities (town???) - both have much to offer, but Glasgow always wins for me, and is ever evolving....

 

And no, I'm not from Glasgow or anywhere else in Scotland, but that doesn't stop me from finding such throwaway comments condescending.

Edited January 11, 2015 by LaCroisiereS'amuse
runaway autocorrect!

[UKCruiseJeff]

It's clear to me that PSC was referring to the rather disparaging remark about Glasgow by someone who briefly visited quite sometime ago' date=' and for whom the highlight of Edinburgh is a couple of picture postcard shots of men in kilts......and not to any of Sophia's posts re Glasgow (Who's Sophie?)......

 

[/quote']

 

Sophie was the post PSC quoted and was replying to and named in the first line of the reply. The comment was a response to Sophie's post.

 

I'm still completely clueless, because I have reread the other posts and cannot find anything that fits the bill. I'll give up!

 

:)

 

.

Edited January 11, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[TLCOhio]

It's clear to me that PSC was referring to the rather disparaging remark about Glasgow by someone who briefly visited quite sometime ago' date=' and for whom the highlight of Edinburgh is a couple of picture postcard shots of men in kilts......and not to any of Sophia's posts re Glasgow (Who's Sophie?)......I'm a frequent visitor to both cities (town???) - both have much to offer, but Glasgow always wins for me, and is ever evolving.....[/quote']

 

Maybe I am the "guilty party"?? Earlier I had noted: "Understand that town has improve lots since our one and only visit there in 1977." I thought that's positive in noting the statement of "improved lots". Much of that opinion was based on a number of different stories that I have read over the years.

 

This includes the New York Times, August 24, 2014, on page TR4, with the headline: "36 Hours: Glasgow". The opening highlight/summary of the story was: "Since 2008, the year Glasgow gained Unesco status as a “city of music,” this reinvented industrial center in western Scotland has solidified its reputation as a night-life and cultural hub. On any given night, you can wander through the West End near the university or later in the center’s Merchant City, and find lounges pulsing with electronica, pubs with traditional Gaelic music, sleek restaurants, dive bars and fringe theaters, a melting pot for every taste. This year — referendum for Scottish independence aside — Glasgow is stepping further into the spotlight. A few weeks ago, the Commonwealth Games drew thousands of athletes and visitors; next month the Ryder Cup comes to the Gleneagles resort in Perthshire, northeast of town. The vibrant student life that radiates from the gorgeous campus of the centuries-old University of Glasgow, the rich collections of art in the city museums, the concentration of small shops and vintage treasure troves, and unexpected leafy enclaves are only a few of the city’s charms. But ultimately it’s the openhearted, hospitable and occasionally irreverent people who live here that create such a welcoming city."

 

From Wikipedia, not perfect, but decent source, they note in part: "The 20th century witnessed both decline and renewal in the city. By the 1960s, Britain's lack of investment and innovation led to growing overseas competition from countries like Japan and West Germany, which weakened the once pre-eminent position of many of the city's industries. As a result of this, Glasgow entered a lengthy period of relative economic decline and rapid de-industrialisation. There were active attempts at regeneration of the city, when the Glasgow Corporation published its controversial Bruce Report. The report led to a huge and radical programme of rebuilding and regeneration efforts that started in the mid-1950s and lasted into the late 1970s."

 

Please share more if I am reading from the wrong sources to conclude that things have improved.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 191,981 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry,

 

I think it's sweet of you to explain and attempt to justify. I am a simple soul. No one reading the thread and all the others and following your posts will know that you do not have a bone in your body capable of purposeful offence. You're a Gent with a capital G. Lovely man of the old chivalrous school. Unlike me who is learnin'.

 

I have personally never heard of anyone ever being genuinely offended by someone they would know that are not intending to offend. If that is how "Being Offended" works .... heaven protect us all. :rolleyes:

 

Anyway ..... onwards and upwards ........:D

[jpalbny]

JP September is also our favourite travel month, particularly for the South of France. It's winding down and the light is low ..., lost of the summer heat ...

 

Do you and Chris work together. Wifey and me had so much fun working together.

 

 

Jeff

 

Any time that gets us away from school holidays, crowds, and peak season is great with us!

 

Yes, we work in the same hospital. It's nice; we get to see each other a lot. If we still have to work, may as well enjoy some aspects of it.

[lincslady]

Woke too early this morning (now 7 a.m. UK) so filling in time before fruit and croissants time.

 

Completely bemused by some recent postings, but I think I have now sorted it out. Could be some people have had a dram or two before posting?

 

Anyhoo, as Caitlin Moran would say, it was beer I was going to ask about. I am pretty ignorant on the subject (as is my DH, unlike many Englishmen) and our occasional tipples are bitter - usually Old Speckled Hen - with cheese and pickle or a beef sarnie, or Tsing Tao with a Chinese takeaway. We are obviously woefully ignorant on the subject. So apologies for not admiring Jeff's Paulaner - is it a type of lager? The only time we would have a light beer or lager is on a hot day in Southern Europe, sitting at an outdoor cafe. Are we heathens? I am sure Jeff will let me know.

 

LL

[UKCruiseJeff]

Woke too early this morning (now 7 a.m. UK) so filling in time before fruit and croissants time.

 

Completely bemused by some recent postings, but I think I have now sorted it out. Could be some people have had a dram or two before posting?

 

Anyhoo, as Caitlin Moran would say, it was beer I was going to ask about. I am pretty ignorant on the subject (as is my DH, unlike many Englishmen) and our occasional tipples are bitter - usually Old Speckled Hen - with cheese and pickle or a beef sarnie, or Tsing Tao with a Chinese takeaway. We are obviously woefully ignorant on the subject. So apologies for not admiring Jeff's Paulaner - is it a type of lager? The only time we would have a light beer or lager is on a hot day in Southern Europe, sitting at an outdoor cafe. Are we heathens? I am sure Jeff will let me know.

 

LL

 

Good morning all. :)

 

LL,

 

Not at all. The reason why there are all these types of beer is to accommodate all these different tastes. Yes the Paulaner is a type of lager, and the reason I like it so much is that ... yes I like the style of drink ... but it also pours as though it were a perfectly poured cask (draught) lager.

 

No one who drinks beer is a heathen. It's the ones who don't ........:p

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Any time that gets us away from school holidays, crowds, and peak season is great with us!

 

Yes, we work in the same hospital. It's nice; we get to see each other a lot. If we still have to work, may as well enjoy some aspects of it.

 

It's lovely you work together. It can really seal two soul mates.

 

I was quite astonished when my wife saw that I wasn't really a corporate person and although an unwarranted salary was at risk she encouraged me to take the leap. In those early days we had so much fun together. I particularly remember when we starting up and use to send out bags of letters all hand folded and inserted into envelopes ... and we couldn't afford a franking machine. So we stuck stamps on envelopes and made the noise of a franking machine instead. For hours.

 

You travel a lot, and I certainly get that. I had a pathological need to travel and I said to my wife that I wanted us to travel until I hated it. It didn't seem to happen - so we were spending a very high percentage of our year travelling. Luckily our travel was justifiably a part of our business as our relationships with clients were often friendships etc. But now - the actual process of travel isn't quite as much fun ... and you reach a stage where you have seen stuff you MUST see and see no point in trying to find "better" places ... so we just travel more often to the places that we love. We use to have property abroad .... but you end up with obligations to the properties and in the end we just have our places in the UK but end instead in exactly the same suites in the same hotels made to be our home from home ... all laid out in the way we like with the mini-bar with just set up for us etc. I guess we're just getting boring!

 

It's interesting that you and Chris are such good chums. and are with each other through work and play. Many people aren't able to do that.

 

Do each of you look out the window waiting for a return when the other goes off for the day like wifey and me ... :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Carb free day today ....

 

[PS Caledonia]

Terry, when I first read your comment, it seemed to be another typical of the throw away remarks made about my home City, of which I am VERY proud.

 

More often, people focus on the negative and base their opinion on myths and half truths.

 

It is the most perfectly preserved Victorian City in the UK, has the fourth oldest University after Oxbridge and St. Andrews, and yes, poverty just like anywhere else. There are also ssing places as well, just like anywhere else.

 

It has a dynamic arts scene and is home to Scottish Ballet, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Royal Scottish Academy of Arts and Drama.

 

The City Museums are funded by Glasgow Council and are free, they include the magnificent Burrell Collection, in Pollock Park, the Riverside Museum and the beautiful Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to name but a few. The list goes on and includes the Hunterian Museum which houses the largestcollection of Whistler paintings outside North America.

 

The City also houses the finest Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture in the world, including the beautiful Art School. It has more parks and green spaces than any other city and is within reach of the most stunning countrside.

 

The heavy industry may have gone, but with it went the smoke and the grime. The City keeps reinventing itself and has managed to change and adapt with the times. It is a remarkable feet and that is thanks to the peole themselves. More people work in the financial sector than ever worked in the yards. To me, it's cleaner, brighter and more welcoming than any other UK city, but then I am biased...

 

So, yes, one does get offended when people make casual remarks about a City of which they know little apart from a brief visit nearly forty years ago. I love my adopted City, of London but it doesn't come close to Glasgow.

 

Things have improved since 1977, and for the better...

 

I would steer clear of Wikipedia though.. There are more reliable sources from which to start..

 

http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/Pages/home.aspx

 

Finally, Jeff, "Specialcruisegirl", IS a very dear and close friend of mine and I know she is looking forward to her visit, especially dinner at the Anchor Line on St. Vincent Place..

 

Iain

[TLCOhio]

Terry, I think it's sweet of you to explain and attempt to justify. I am a simple soul. No one reading the thread and all the others and following your posts will know that you do not have a bone in your body capable of purposeful offence. You're a Gent with a capital G. Lovely man of the old chivalrous school. Unlike me who is learnin'. I have personally never heard of anyone ever being genuinely offended by someone they would know that are not intending to offend. If that is how "Being Offended" works .... heaven protect us all.

 

PS Caledonia: Putting the Record Straight... Terry' date=' when I first read your comment, it seemed to be another typical of the throw away remarks made about my home City, of which I am VERY proud. More often, people focus on the negative and base their opinion on myths and half truths. It is the most perfectly preserved Victorian City in the UK, has the fourth oldest University after Oxbridge and St. Andrews. The heavy industry may have gone, but with it went the smoke and the grime. [b']The City keeps reinventing itself and has managed to change and adapt[/b] with the times. Iain

 

Appreciate so much the kind, nice comment from Jeff. Me, a "Gent"?? Some who know me better might not agree, but it is nice to know that I have been behaving well enough on these CC Boards. Glad to get the added info/background on Glasgow from Iain. Sounds very nice, as the items I had read earlier also reflected.

 

We have done lots in London and other parts of the UK, but need to go back and do more and more there. Working on the idea of spending more time two or three main places, living/acting like a "real Englishman", per Jeff's excellent suggestion. Many great opportunities in England for places to see. Did the second episode of Downton Abbey last night!! More fun, plot twists and excitement.

 

Below is dinner from last night. Plus, to come, Ohio's Governor gets sworn in for another four years. Then, Ohio State tonight playing for the college football National Championship in the Dallas area. BUT, will watch that "biggie" on TV, not in person.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 91,904 views for this posting.

 

 

More comfort food? Here is last night's fare at the Iron Grill BBQ & Brew, our regular neighborhood place. We did their Sunday night special. First, the salad. Gotta have the greens? Second was the pork loin with mashed potatoes, plus I had an extra helping of gravy added for my flavor needs. Very good!! Only $9.99. Then, the owner brought us out her home-baked apple pie with ice cream. Nice to share dessert for the four of us at our table and it was on the house, too, compliments of the owner. Nice finishing touch!:

 

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry, was that a crouton salad followed by two courses of ice cream with caramel sauce?

 

:)

 

Jeff

[TLCOhio]

Last night after dinner and Downton Abbey, I headed down to our state's historic Statehouse. It was built 1840-60. Not that old by Europe standards, but it still has had lots of history, famous people passing through, etc.

 

Exactly at midnight, a new Governor's term starts. This was the more private, official oath of office last evening. This was done in the State Senate chambers. Then headed to the Governor's ceremonial office that is called the "Lincoln Room". There, the Governor had a smaller group, did a Champagne toast, etc. The bigger, ceremonial oath happens today.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 168,566 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here is the official oath of office ceremony with the Supreme Court Chief Justice on the left. This is in the State Senate chambers last night as the clock was approaching midnight. On the right are the Governor's wife and two daughters.:

 

 

 

Then, it is a small-group Champagne toast in the Lincoln Room of the Ohio Statehouse. This office and the table in the foreground are where in early 1861 that Abraham Lincoln sat with the Ohio Governor when he was on the way to Washington, DC. At this exact location, the telegraph message came through that the Electoral College and House of Representatives had made official and final that Lincoln had been elected as President. This is the same office that William McKinley used as Governor before he become President. Plus many other Presidents, the famous, etc., have visited here. Lots of history in these types of interesting locations. In the second picture, the guy at the right posing with the Governor and his wife is Mark Kvamme, a former partner at Sequoia Capital, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm involved with Apple, PayPal, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry, such interesting photographs of an interesting event! Thanks for posting!

 

Jeff

 

ps I love vaulted ceilings.

Edited January 12, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[TLCOhio]

Terry, was that a crouton salad followed by two courses of ice cream with caramel sauce? :) Jeff

 

Nice, cute try by Jeff!! Picture two was the pork loin, not pie with ice cream. Then, most important, that calorie-rich pie/ice cream was shared/split among four people. Got to watch my figure and be prepared for lots of dining delights on the Silver Cloud.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, you might look at this earlier posting that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 45,892 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[TLCOhio]

Terry, such interesting photographs of an interesting event! Thanks for posting!

Jeff

ps I love vaulted ceilings.

 

Yes, Jeff, the Ohio Statehouse has so many interesting architecture details, including those great vaulted ceilings. Glad you noticed and appreciated. The Statehouse was fully restored in the mid 1980's to regain its mid 19th Century glory. I have done lots of filming in this building over the years. It has lots of "class" and style. Not a boring and/or cookie-cutter structure.

 

This Greek Revival building had its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1839, before they had a final design. It took two decades to complete as there was lots of "politics" and debate on the costs, how it would be done, etc. The floor of the Statehouse Rotunda is composed of almost 5,000 individual pieces of marble, all cut and fitted by hand The Statehouse is located on a 10-acre "square" at the heart of our town. The Statehouse stands upon foundations 18 feet deep, built in part by prisoners sentenced to hard labor. Its design is Greek Doric, built of locally-quarried limestone. See an exterior view below.

 

For a structure of its age, it was built when there was such thing as telephones, electric lights, air conditioning, etc. Took some serious work to update it for the 21st Century world of technology and use.

 

At the ceremonies last night and today, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes was there, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Wonderful Kotor and nearby Montenegro? Check these postings. Have had over 22,529 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

 

 

On a snowy day about four years ago, here is a view of the Ohio Statehouse from my 12th-floor office. There is a 1200-car, three-level underground garage built below the grassy areas. Makes thing handy for those visiting there. Second is a wider view of the downtown buildings around the Statehouse square, plus a "bonus" of some junk on my desktop area. Finally, an example of a celebrity in the Statehouse area. Here it is Jessie Jackson in 2012 while talking with a Fox News correspondent during the Presidential campaign.:

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

It was a super great evening in Columbus, Ohio, last night! Why? Our Ohio State college football team won the National Championship, roasting the Ducks of Oregon, 42-20. Big win on ESPN from AT&T Stadium near Dallas.

 

Below are a few of my summary visuals, including our pre-game dinner. Should have dined on "Duck Soup", but that would be coming later. To start the evening, we had some more good comfort food that is shown below. Another fun evening in Ohio!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 92,003 views for this posting.

 

 

Dinner was from a big local favorite, City Barbeque. Great food, including their side dishes. Shown is their always excellent beef brisket with lots of BBQ sauce, green beans with bacon (got to have that color of food included, right?) and their super-seasoned gumbo. Their carry-out was super busy last night with so many fans getting ready for this big game.:

 

 

 

Here are a few of my iPhone visuals showing the main TV, plus my laptop as we followed the wrap-up to the game. Second shows coach Urban Meyer on the screen and below from the ESPN website with the 42-20 score. This is Ohio-native Meyer's third National Championship. It's Ohio State's sixth big USA title win. The final two shots are of the Columbus Dispatch and New York Times web headlines right after the end of the game. Nice action views and memories!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

Feeling lazy and haven't posted in a few days... Guess this Polar Vortex can do that to you! All systems are a little slow these days.

 

It was below zero this morning and we have apparently taken leave of our senses, as we are planning to drive further north tomorrow so we can spend the weekend in Quebec City. Looks like we will have to bring the parkas from our Silversea expedition to Antarctica, and plan a good deal of indoor activities to cut down on the outdoor exposure!

 

Jeff, back to something you said earlier about the process of traveling not being fun any longer. We are not there yet; we've found that getting there is still fun for us. Though there are a lot of hassles with international travel there are ways to minimize some of them and it does help.

 

We have always figured that we should visit faraway places as much as we can now, while we are able to tolerate it. And once we no longer want to do that, it will be time to take shorter trips.

 

***

 

Was interesting to read the description of all the things to see in Glasgow by PS Caledonia. We had a very brief, drive-through visit back in 2009, during a cruise when we docked in Greenock, and took the train to Edinburgh for the day. On the way back we changed trains in Glasgow, so we took advantage of that and spent an hour wandering the city. The interesting architecture, and the sense of history that we got from just a brief wander about has stuck with me. Some day we hope to visit again.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi JP and Coolers ...

 

I know the feeling of laziness. We're luxuriating in having real heat in the house for a while and it was expensive but great.

 

You mentioned Greenock which I have great affection for. "The Corporation" I worked for, opened a computer plant there and provided employment for many people that had suffered as a result of the loss of ship building. The factory was a source of tremendous pride to us all and I use to have to visit the plant once a month for a while. We use to have a pensioner who worked at the plant as a chauffeur and he use to pick me up at the airport in his black Volvo. He was so proud of that car. On a good day I could have both breakfast and late lunch at home. The factory even has it's own railway station owned by the corporation and operated by the rail company. The plant is currently just hanging on. I was reading that an ex-employee at the plant was gonged for inventing both the ATM and pin number something that changed the world. The area is beautiful but suffers from terrible deprivation. It never recovered from the los of ship building and for a while high technology helped but much of that has moved to China.

 

From a travel fatigue viewpoint, I expected our travels to go on for 10 years or so .. but to be honest it never stopped. And only now have we reached the point where the draw of so few places is insufficient. So it's just really changes of scenery and changing from "home to home" a main couple being hotel suites.

 

Today, wifey abandoned me to "have her hair done" a process that involves travelling to London and spending around 40 times what I spent on my first car. :eek: Not complainin', just sayin'! What is it about women and them having to always have the same people doing their hair. My chap comes around once every eight weeks and we're done!

 

So today I had a lovely pizza. Really finally got the dough perfect, something I'd been applying myself to for some time. Very emotional thing when you get the dough perfect. Poolish, 70% hydration, a 10 minute mix with envelope folds and in the fridge for a week to mature, and it was thin, crispy on the outside and chewy where it should be.

 

Also made some ice-cream I'd been mulling over ... the ingredients are on the Gaggia.