Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Two

[lincslady]

S - with other things going on, I forgot to ask you what you thought about the Queen's dresses exhibition; would have loved to have seen it. Did you dine well while in the Smoke?

 

Lola

[TLCOhio]

But describing Greeks as dishonest is simply wrong and I felt unable to leave that comment unchallenged.

 

tgh: Hm .. I really enjoyed Athens' date='wonderful place ; perhaps [b']Terry needs to go back for a second look[/b]. Otoh , I didn't find Terry's opinions particularly offensive and suggest that Jeff is being a tad sensitive .. :-)

 

If you look carefully and specifically, I said: "for honesty and good management, the Greeks are not exactly in first or second place in the world." Among all of the countries in the world, including the Swiss, Singapore, etc., would Jeff rank them up, UP there in the top two in the world for honesty and good government management? Doubt it!! I did not claim that all Greeks are dishonest. I also noted and clearly stated: "The Greek people and history are wonderful." True! Much of the challenge (among many different factors internally and externally) is that the skill and honesty of the tangled, twisted collection of recent Greek governments has not been the best or ideal. Yes, there was "guilt" leading up to the 2004 Athens Olympics when either the Greeks took too much in foreign loans and/or those outsiders pushed too hard for billions in spending on a new airport, subways, super highways, unsustainable stadiums and arenas, etc. Those are sad, but true facts.

 

If Jeff and others go back and read the many articles by major and respected news sources over the recent years, there have been many, many details and reports as to how "tax cheating" is a bit of a "sport" in Greece. These media sources have researched regarding tax reporting on property taxes being paid (or not) versus satellite views over key neighborhoods for unreported features such as swimming pools in the backyards. The differences? Things have not been well managed by their tangled governments and economic managers. If Jeff can prove otherwise, I am happy to hear and learn more.

 

As an American medical doctor from Louisville, Ky. explained to be from his many, many trips to Greece, the city of Athens was down to a very small population of only 4,000–5,000 people, located in what today covers the Plaka district in the mid 1800's. That was when the capital was moved out of this town and the Turks imposed their strong and unpleasant control on this country and its people. Athens experienced a huge period of explosive growth following the terrible war with Turkey in 1921. That is when more than a million Greek refugees from Asia Minor were resettled in Greece. Suburbs such as Nea Ionia and Nea Smyrni began as refugee settlements on the Athens outskirts. This person, who is of Greek background and knows its history very well, noted that this city grew very fast and somewhat haphazard during the recent decades to its present size of about 3.8 million. That is why, sadly, certain parts of current Athens have a "third-world" look and condition. Sad, but true.

 

This experienced and smart Greek M.D., plus others of that background, have also proudly and correctly noted to me that no nation in the world has survived hundreds of years of foreign rule (by Rome, Venice, the Turks, the Germans, etc.) and still kept/saved their language, religion, culture, etc. Much like a "Tale of Two Cities", there is so much both positive and negative in the history and situations facing Greece. Yes, I would very much like to return to Greece and will continue to follow closely its economic developments and challenges as a part (for now) of the E.U.

 

We could "push on", but I first thought it would be helpful to share more specific details and background for those interested.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, 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 many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 152,014 views for this posting.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry,

 

You said what you said and readers will make up their own minds about what impression you sought to convey about the Greek people and Athens whatever rehashing you wish to make of it.

 

I am not going to comment further on any of the other generlisations you made as it neither helps the topic or the thread.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

 

[TLCOhio]

Terry, You said what you said and readers will make up their own minds about what impression you sought to convey about the Greek people and Athens whatever rehashing you wish to make of it. I am not going to comment further on any of the other generlisations you made as it neither helps the topic or the thread. Jeff

 

Appreciate Jeff's follow-up. Agreed. Let's move on!! I am sure in the coming months and years, Greece and their challenges will be back in the news. BUT, we will hope for the best for them, the E.U., etc.

 

Great food pictures and fun enjoyment by Jeff. Looks very tasty!!

 

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 201,774 views.

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

[UKCruiseJeff]

Appreciate Jeff's follow-up. Agreed. Let's move on!! I am sure in the coming months and years, Greece and their challenges will be back in the news. BUT, we will hope for the best for them, the E.U., etc.

 

Great food pictures and fun enjoyment by Jeff. Looks very tasty!!

 

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 201,774 views.

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

 

Thanks Terry,

 

For the removal of all doubt, this is not a disagreement you and I will fall out over. It is simply a difference of opinion on how views should be epxressed. That is all.

 

I am sorry if you felt as though I over-reacted. Many of us who "feel" for the Greeks feel that they have been the worst casualty of all of the EU experiment. The ordinary people were not respinsible for what they are now largely suffering. The people who avoided taxes were not the poorly paid, because they had no earnings which could be taxed or swimming pools to declare. But it is their reduced pensions that are paying, It is their grandchildren who have not avoided taxes that cannot find work. You cannot casually and over simply tar the innocents with guilt. That is my issue.

 

Of course from the safety of Australia or US, if you wish to be simplistic you can say it was a democratcially elected government, but that over simplifies a highly complex issue. You are immersed in your local politics so you understand the illusion of unfulfillable cynical political promises. Whatever else the Greeks are not currently governed by a government they have elected but are governed by Mrs Merkel. That flavour of "democracy" is at the core of why the UK are now suffering the exiting pains from the EU, and if I react emotively to what I feel are unfair generalities or criticisms of Greece it is because they need our empathy and not our blame.

 

Your comments to me seemed to unfairly concat and smash the innocent in with the guilty. Those that had yachts, and swimming pools, and mansions, and took bribes and avoided taxes are still largely rich and untouched by the severe austerity measures inflicted on Greece. Those Greeks that are largely paying and suffering are the Greeks that have done no wrong. It is the grandparents on vastly reduced pensions supporting, housing, feeding and clothing their children and grandchildren and not the other way around. That is what I object to in the seemingly unthoughtful generalisations about honesty and management. I feel excruiatingly pained at what the EU has inflicted on Greece. I am amongst the few that hold the lenders more to blame than the borrowers.

 

You need to return to Athens and explore some of the areas outside the main tourist run and away from expensive reastaurants and the bubble of tour groups. Some of the neighbourhoods where people eat during quiet evenings in what are still vey much neighbourhood tavernas. The character of many Mediterranean cities has sleepy run down areas but in many ways they are the simplicities that many seek out.

 

Jeff

Edited August 10, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[BayouDoc]

Perhaps the "how" is partly a cultural difference between you 2 gentlemen. Terry's brash American plain spokenness versus the reserved sense of British propriety. I enjoy both of your comments although I do agree with only one of you. I don't see any reason, however, to say with whom it is I agree.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Perhaps the "how" is partly a cultural difference between you 2 gentlemen. Terry's brash American plain spokenness versus the reserved sense of British propriety. I enjoy both of your comments although I do agree with only one of you. I don't see any reason, however, to say with whom it is I agree.

 

Fair enough ..... although by Brit standards I'm classed as plainly spoken! ;)

 

I fully understand that you don't want to say who you agree with. So instead, why not say which of us you disagreed with ......:D

 

Oh no .... I've just realised that I'm not American .....:eek:

 

:)

 

Jeff

[specialcruisegirl]

S - with other things going on, I forgot to ask you what you thought about the Queen's dresses exhibition; would have loved to have seen it. Did you dine well while in the Smoke?

 

Lola

 

 

Hi Lola....the exhibition was excellent with a vast amount on display......it was however very very busy which made it quite awkward to see things clearly......far busier than the last time l went some years ago!

 

We ate at The Wolseley and The Ivy....both very enjoyable for late lunches with The Ivy having the edge even though the sommelier got on his high horse because I questioned the quality of the Montrachet which they serve by the glass.....not a good idea IMHO!

 

The Ritz was delightful apart from the conveyor belt afternoon tea runs for which they have now relaxed the dress code......we avoided much of this by enjoying drinks at The Ritz Club where one can enjoy the cool air of the terrace.

 

Virgin Trains First experience is a disgrace....but that's another story! [emoji15]

 

S[emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[UKCruiseJeff]

Churros for supper because I wanted us to have something decadent, fattening and plainly wrong! :) She had icing sugar and I had thick dark choccy ..... think of Barcelona JP!

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

Jeff, I've gained a stone just looking at those tasty treats. And I just ate lunch so there is no way that I'm really hungry. But yum, yum! If I could reach through the screen and eat them, I would!

 

**

 

I feel bad because I think Terry misinterpreted my comments, which in retrospect seemed to be unclear, and they started this whole discussion. My comment about "not sure how far the less commercial, more honest part would fly" was meant to refer to the IOC, not the Greeks. You get the sense, watching all the (expensive) pomp and circumstance surrounding the games, that they (the IOC) feed on all the ceremony, and relish all the money that's spent to achieve it. And that money could be so much better spent...

 

Everybody wants to make their $ referred to (1) the TV networks, who make tons of money from televising the pomp and circumstance, and (2) other nations who still suffer from the illusion that hosting the Olympic games will produce revenue, and therefore will feel left out of "their share" of the profits, or the glory, etc. I'm sure that the USA would be at the front of the line, whinging about how unfair this is... :rolleyes:

 

Anyway Jeff, I read Terry's comments through the lens of what we here in the USA hear - rightly or wrongly - about the corruption and fiscal irresponsibility of the Greek government. As if we in New York have the moral standing to call anyone else corrupt...

 

One of the really great things about the Cooler is that we're a multinational group whose members bring a different perspective to these complex issues. If I had time to read all the foreign news sources for a balanced perspective I would, but instead I have the Cooler! More fun.

 

Had I never visited Greece, or had I never gotten to know my Greek colleagues, and visited their parents in Greece, my perspective would be limited by what I see in the news. But, Jeff describes what I have seen from Anastasia's family - her parents, proud and hard-working but struggling to get by on pensions, and forced into a degree of self-sufficiency that would dispel any thought that they were lazy. Her siblings, all living abroad so as to find work. And their sense of hopelessness as they wonder what will come next.

 

Blaming these people for the decisions that their government made on their behalf is not really fair...

 

**

 

A few nights ago I pounded some chicken thighs flat, and grilled them until the skin was extra crispy. Then I sliced them into strips and tossed them in a salad with cucumbers, radishes, onions, hot peppers (from the garden) and fresh mint (from the garden). A nice vinaigrette dressing tied it together, and some chopped roasted almonds added crunch. Delicious on a hot night with some cold white wine, and quinoa on the side.

 

 

We had leftover meat the past two days to make wraps for lunch. Chicken thighs are our favorite. I haven't bought boneless breasts in several years. Compared to the thighs, there isn't much flavor, and they dry out too easily.

Edited August 10, 2016 by jpalbny

[TLCOhio]

One of the really great things about the Cooler is that we're a multinational group whose members bring a different perspective to these complex issues. If I had time to read all the foreign news sources for a balanced perspective I would, but instead I have the Cooler! More fun.

Blaming these people for the decisions that their government made on their behalf is not really fair...

 

Appreciate these great and additional discussions and sharing. Yes, good additional comments regarding the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and their "greed" and lavish lifestyles. On complex, involved issues, it is hard to summarize such challenging areas in short phrases. All of us can glance at a headline, when reading the full context of the story and substance is more informed.

 

J.P. bring up an excellent question/point as to . . . how much responsibility do citizens have when their government do (or do not) do certain reckless and irresponsible actions??? When our U.S. government mismanages things, like on public pensions, wasted spending or bonded debt, to whom do we blame or credit? Or, should we look in the mirror and realize who elected these people?

 

When we travel, such as recently in South Africa, we like to see and discover more than just the usual tourist places. Plus, it is important for us to talk with "regular people", research ahead the issues, discover the economic factors at work in each of the countries, etc.

 

THANKS for the added comments! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, 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 215,176 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]

Thanks JP,

 

Fear not, I perfectly understood you were referring to the IOC. I was startled to hear a few days ago, not just the degree of luxury and travel they enjoy, but they are actually being paid a diem for every day they attend the games. I understand your point perfectly that the IOC are not going to be the turkies that vote for Christmas, and my point really was a part of that.

 

My view remains that if the Olympics simply became static in Athens then a metropolitan area which is not too dissimilar to Greater Atlanta could build an all year around industry around the games. The main reason for it being four-yearly ("Quadrennial") is because of the time needed to fund and prepare different sites which rarely bear the fruit promised afterwards..

 

As another slant to this. The biggest health epidemic facing us is the obesity one particularly amongst youngsters who have gotten out of the habit of anything physical. The add-ons are, hypertension, high poor cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. If an all year Olympic village based in Athens existed, there could be a sort of weekly Young Olympics where kids from all around the world go for say a two weekly coaching and compeitive event period at least once in their school careers, perhaps get a chance to be coached by the very people they see gaining medals on TV and perhaps this would be at least an attempt at an international solution to the epidimeic. And how many kids would it ignite sports in? Sort of combining camping with athleticism and international fraternity. Perhaps they would even learn to cook over a camp fire.

 

I'd also like to see the paralympics un-segregated and smashed into a single parallel Olympic event. And the all round year long weekly Youth Olympics, will see "paras" mixing with able-bodied to increase mutual empathy and understanding. The spin off of kids meeting kids from so many other countries just once in their school lives would have enormous "peace" advantages. People that meet will keep in touch probably for the rest of their lives. There is so much to say about this ...

 

Greece could do a great job and for such a small country the Olympic industry, rightly their birthright in my opinion should be wrestled from the clutches of over-big business and be a source of a new induistry for Greece.

 

I have talked myself into this being a decent idea even if I fail miserably to convince anyone else. :D

 

Jeff

[jpalbny]

Sure would be a nice thing, Jeff. Lots of good consequences!

 

I know that Lake Placid (New York), a village of 2500, has managed to leverage the 1932 and 1980 winter games into a year-round industry, with a permanent Olympic training center, world-class facilities, and ongoing investment in the athletic facilities to update and keep them that way. They still benefit from the tourism that accompanies this. We will be back there in a few weeks ourselves. :)

 

But it seems to me that this kind of success is the exception rather than the rule. I remember hearing in 2006 that Montreal just finished paying off their debt from the 1976 games - 30 years later. And that was back in the day when the games were not the expensive spectacle that they are now.

[TLCOhio]

I remember hearing in 2006 that Montreal just finished paying off their debt from the 1976 games - 30 years later. And that was back in the day when the games were not the expensive spectacle that they are now.

 

Great above point by J.P. about the financial mess that nearly sank Montreal!! Part of the "honest truth" is that International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs new "suckers" for each different Olympic staging to get excited and be drawn into spending billions and billions more than what they can afford. Or, building and spending much more than from which that community/nation can gain any type of reasonable financial return. The only question for a host city? How much can you afford to lose for a temporary "fix" of world attention?

 

It's all about the money!! Especially for the IOC and their lavish lifestyles!! Plus, the IOC finding those new "boosters" wanting an image-enhancer and thinking that they can control the costs from getting out of hand. World Cup soccer has had such similar issues, questions, corruption and/or challenges. It's all been well documented over the years.

 

TV Ratings??: So far in the U.S., NBC-TV has seen major ratings drops compared to the results from London in 2012. Long-term, the TV money will slow down and then it will harder and harder to get governments such as Russia with their 2014 Winter Games to waste $50 billion on building facilities that get abandoned immediately after the games are over. Much of these trends were detailed on the HBO documentary earlier this week.

 

Sadly, if the Olympics were held in the exact same location every four years, the "buzz" over having a new, different, interesting, exotic location would dampening down the willingness for hosts to over-spend and get caught up in the "hype". And lower the levels of TV ratings and sponsors willing to spend billions and billions for ads. The hype and money and ratings are all tied together. Over time, the Olympics just being in only Athens would not "feed" the "cash machine"!! Am I too negative or missing something major?

 

As much as hosting the Olympics can be a "financial dead-end", it has been fun to watch some of the Olympic Gold action as some top U.S. athletes and those from other nations do great swimming competitions, score high gymnastics marks, etc.

 

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 201,824 views.

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

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afdternoon Coolers from a nice sunny Blighty!

 

Terry, you are far cleverer and much more knowledgeable than me, but I believe you are missing a couple of things.

 

Firstly with respect to the cost of mounting the Olympics, I believe that you have missed that Athens have already hosted them as recently as 2004 and so the facilities are not that old. They spent $US9bn on staging it and it was one of the seeds of their current problems. Re-staging on a permanent basis would invlolve some renovation costs but nothing like starting from scratch. I also can't get out of my mind that accomodation not there could be more "camping" like perhaps for kids. Also hotel groups for example will be far mor anxious to invest in hotels and resorts for an all year round trade. Who wants to build a hotel for two weeks? Other infrastructure, likewise eg restaurants, cafes. shops etc etc.

 

Secondly you are applying financial considerations for the current arrangements but applying them for what I suggested and have missed they would change if there were a permanent base and the whole thing would be much less about the cash and all around less commercial. But the revenue would be spread more throughout the year and much would come from accomodation and training costs. TV could in fact involve for example permanent world-wide feeds producing 52 weeks of lesser revenue rather than two weeks of higher revenue. There would probably be more revenue generated.

 

Thirdly, you may have missed that it is the opening and closing events that are the major draws and what Rio has proved is that the event can be dissapointing if too little is spent. So Rio has the suffered the worst of two issues; they spent too much cash but not enough and are therefore deriving too few of the normal benefits. It will I predict be a financial disaster overall and not rated as one of the better Olympics.

 

Finally, I think there is a popular feeling amongst ordinary people that the Olympics are now far too bloated and over the top, involve too much cash and too many fat cats and too few ordinary people benefit and if the IOC put forward (better than me) the suggestion I outlined I believe it would capture the imagination of the ordinary man on the Clapham omnibus - and just might fly.

 

Anyway, I'll leave the rest of the points because I think the major ones are above.

 

:)

 

Today was the stacking of the winter wood stores - lovely kiln dried beech and birch - followed by rustic salmon fish cakes and parsley sauce and specially for spins and others ...... PEAS!!!

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[jpalbny]

Yum...parsley sauce! I found a recipe for that and tried it once, a few months ago. It was delicious.

 

Parsley is underappreciated IMO. It can have lots of flavor, but too often it's just relegated to being a garnish. Or a sprinkle of dried green flavorless leaf fragments from a 10-year-old spice jar. Fresh flat-leaf parsley is quite tasty, though.

 

Last night's dinner was simple. Penne pasta tossed with grilled eggplant and grilled tomatoes. A little grated garlic, parsley, fresh thyme, and olive oil for flavor, and grated Pecorino Romano to finish. The smoky flavor from the grilled vegetables, and the intense flavor of fresh garlic, really made the dish. It stood up to a light New York red - Lemberger.

 

 

It's a good thing that both Chris and I really like fresh garlic... :D

Edited August 11, 2016 by jpalbny

[UKCruiseJeff]

JP, I love flat leaf parsley ... but hate coriander. Tastes of soap!

 

That penne looks wonderful! It has made me hungry!

 

I'm currently hoping to grow a fairly largish area of horseradish. I use to dig it up from verges but don't see any anymore. I put i around 30 roots a few weeks back ... but no sign. All the wild blackberries are taking over. Looking forward to them ... before the birds!

 

Jeff

Edited August 11, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[jpalbny]

JP, I love flat leaf parsley ... but hate coriander. Tastes of soap!

 

That penne looks wonderful! It has made me hungry!

 

I'm currently hoping to grow a fairly largish area of horseradish. I use to dig it up from verges but don't see any anymore. I put i around 30 roots a few weeks back ... but no sign. All the wild blackberries are taking over. Looking forward to them ... before the birds!

 

Jeff

 

Whether you like cilantro, as we call it over here, (which I do) or whether you hate it because it tastes like soap, is genetic - we think. Here... https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2044-7248-1-22

 

Apparently there is a specific gene that we think is responsible for whether or not you "taste" this flavor as pleasant or not.

 

Love fresh horseradish too - though too much of it makes my eyes water. We got a root once and prepared it ourselbes. Chris can chow it down like it's inert, but I am a bit of a wimp with it. Odd, because I can eat really hot peppers much better than she can. Funny how two different hot substances are tolerated so differently.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Yes, ...... as you'd expect there is a bit of a ritual. Either a lovely grilled Bratty or Vienna or some other wurst or Furter .... which is dipped into the senf first and then into raw kren! With a lovely greasy kartoffelpuffer or latke to accompany. It has reminded me of tafelspitz which I could easily murder at the moment. With some nice dill cucumber salad. I'm now very hungry.

 

When your at home you yearn for such things hence the horseradish farm.

 

Jeff

[TLCOhio]

Terry, you are far cleverer and much more knowledgeable than me, but I believe you are missing a couple of things. Firstly with respect to the cost of mounting the Olympics, I believe that you have missed that Athens have already hosted them as recently as 2004 and so the facilities are not that old. They spent $US9bn on staging it and it was one of the seeds of their current problems. Re-staging on a permanent basis would invlolve some renovation costs but nothing like starting from scratch.

 

Appreciate the wonderful food pix's from both Jeff and J.P. That stacked wood is really great and so precisely laid up!! Who did all of that hard, smart work?

 

Yes, Jeff, you must have been talking with my wife who thinks that I miss lots all of the time. In theory, Athens would just have to "renovate" its stadiums and arenas from 2004. BUT, if you saw the visuals from the HBO documentary, it is very sad as to how poor are now the conditions of those facilities. Really bad and sad!!

 

Good point on the Rio opening ceremonies being a little on the "light" side. That's a big part of the challenge. The Olympics have become a "TV show" that requires more and more to attract and keep people's interest and attention. If it is always in the same location every time, then there is a major lack of "new" and surprise on the entertainment side.

 

Agree 100% with Jeff on "I think there is a popular feeling amongst ordinary people that the Olympics are now far too bloated and over the top, involve too much cash and too many fat cats and too few ordinary people benefit." Wonderful that smart minds can agree!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 40,981 views for these postings.

[jpalbny]

Terry and Jeff inspired me... Keep the facilities in one place. Rotate the responsibility for the opening and closing ceremony among participating nations. Groups of nations could even collaborate to "guest host" the ceremonies. So the show would change every time.

 

Best of both worlds - we get the entertainment of seeing different countries do the opening ceremony without each of them having to build a new stadium every 4 years.

[UKCruiseJeff]

JP, ...great idea .... (I missed the bit where Terry say this was a good idea ........;) ) .... and this would give a chance for much smaller nations to showcase their country at comparatively smaller costs.

 

Apart from the ancient history, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896. It has had a chequered history. Perhaps the worst was when Emperor Nero entered himself into the Olympics in the chariot race, and promptly fell off the chariot but declared himself the winner. It was actually the French that proposed the 1896 Olympics at Athens ..... which sadly was a "men only" event.

 

I'd love to see the Olympics become the vehicle to help start to negate the unhealthy lifestyles that have been the generated by electronic games and pads d phones ... and get kids back into sports and competing and exercising. Perhaps even more of them worshipping athletes rather than the rather shallow instant celebrity culture they now have.

 

Ah well ...... dreams .....

 

Jeff

[Ex-derivativeTrader]

Hi, .... welcome to the cooler. I genuinely suggest you are a bit circumspect with how you feel about the response to your post.

 

I'm making no excuse for anyone else and only speak for myself. I didn't respond simply because it seemed to be an exact copy of your original post where I think you started a thread for the purpose of posting and I'd exchanged some banter with you in that thread so it just seemed odd to me if I simply reposted and repeated what I'd previously said as though we hadn't chatted before.

 

I guess many of us who have been lucky enough to have what will seem to others to be extreme experiences or "an interesting life" often choose not to share them simply because they are sometimes received as boasting instead of someone simply sharing their memories or their own delight and joy in a wonderful or interesting or unusual set of experiences. I know that many of the better experiences in life when discussed with others even invokes doubt or perhaps just envy and you feel you are being accused of telling fibs .... so that's why many don't share their best experiences. What's the point? I had a pretty odd early life when I stumbled into the entertainment industry from sleeping rough in London - quite a transition - and whilst my family all know the stories to be true because they were either around for it or have seen a fair amount of the legacy to it all, others wouldn't believe a word so experiences just aren't shared. They also actually often feel mundane to those experieincing them because it was simply a normal day even though it might be abnormal to others. Perhaps when repeated as you did, it sometimesconfuses and invokes a more acute reaction whether the reaction is right or wrong - don't take it to heart.

 

I loved hearing about the wonderful set of experiences you had, and I'm glad you shared it.

 

My response to you hasn't been very concise and is a bit contorted, but in a clumsy way I'm offering my regrets for any slight you felt - I don't think anything was intentional - and asking you to give us a second chance and join in. I'd like to hear more fo your experiences.

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

Not necessary, Jeff!

 

I see your point, and agree many perceive some stories as either "bragging" or "made up".. I have NOTHING to prove. I shoot from the hip, and tell it like it is. Funny, my wife says I sometimes to do not have a "filter", which I make NO excuse for! As I say, if you can't take the heat, stay the *@#$ out of the kitchen! I LOVE hearing stories, experiences others have had, and gladly share in the enthusiasm as they tell it! There was one person who commented on my threat about "posting a picture" of my home. Well, for their benefit, here is a shot of the new kitchen in the new house. A picture is worth a thousand words......

[UKCruiseJeff]

Great kitchen.

 

Do you cook?

 

Jeff