Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[spinnaker2]

Penny

We pax dressed up too.

I remember those Delta planes with tables and you could smoke.

Yikes,

I had a friend who was a pilot for national. Didn't you all merge with northeast, or am I wrong...

[spinnaker2]

Did you live in the gardens?

Do you remember the brothers two or any ott brothers bars?

[UKCruiseJeff]

I love US air travel, it broadens the mind. :D

 

I was once on a Delta flight to Atlanta, and the stewardess came up to me and asked "Oliver Twist?" I looked at her blankly trying to work out why on earth she thought I was a dickensian charecter - when she asked again - slightly more assertively "Oliver Twist?" I looked at my travel companion - I looked at the stewardess. Clearly I hadn't asked for more food - so I knew I couldn't be Oliver Twist. I gave her my name and she blurted out at the top of her voice "Olive or Twist - for the Gin and Tonic sir!

Two great nations divided by a common language. :)

[mysty]

Lovely story J! We do speak English and sometimes accents do make it sound like something completely different. Some of the folks I have spoken to from your wonderful land have been offput by my insistence on pronouncing the ends of my words. :)

 

I am now asking for advice from my fellow Coolers and Cooler lurkers. On November 11 of this year (Remembrance Day here in Canada) I will turn 65. Not a big deal really except that neither of my parents made it to that age. If I do I would like to mark the day somehow. Travel won't work for the time being. You lot are very imaginative and creative so I am hoping you can suggest an interesting way to mark the milestone. Don't worry if you don't want to play at this. I just thought there may be some interesting suggestions forthcoming.

Thank You!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning All,

 

M, we really don't celebrate birthdays at all, but perhaps a slightly better meal ....... I prefer to forget .... although we do sort of celebrate our anniversary. I guess we feel that is something to celebrate because it was a choice we made and one we both feel was a decent decision! :)

 

So my idea of a perfect day (birthday or not) would be a Birthday Brunch ..... ie fairly late at around lunch time with sausage, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms, hash browns, eggs, mushrooms, heinz spaghetti (you can have beans ...!) and some bought in freshly squeezed orange and champagne.

[MissSophia]

Hi All......

 

Back and very tired from all the gaiety of travel....very enjoyable voyage.

 

Whilst on board all the pool deck furniture was changed including outside the panorama so all the cabana style seating and wicker chairs have gone and have been replaced with Muse style sofas and chairs...in fact identical to the Muse.

Many what l call 'Big Wigs' on board deliberating et al.....all to do with the refurb...at least on this occasion they didn't annoy any pax by taking over dining venues!

 

For Lois....we dined with HD Petros and l gave him your good wishes....he did indeed remember you well and sent his kindest wishes back and well remembers you telling the obnoxious guest off!

 

Spins.....we missed you but so glad you have a voyage to look forward to soon....l think you'll like the Muse now the initial hiccups have been addressed......

 

Mysty.....I shall look forward to seeing you in Montreal next year...I've booked the back to back so a nice twenty one day voyage.

 

Right now l have just eight weeks to organise Xmas before my next voyage on the Spirit in December......the last time I'll see her as she currently is....a bit sad in a way...........

 

Wishing all a great day......😊

[Lois R]

Hi Sophia, welcome back and glad you had fun:)

 

Been raining here all night:eek:

[Solo mi!]

Did you live in the gardens?

Do you remember the brothers two or any ott brothers bars?

 

I lived in Coral Gables. We used to frequent a bar (can't remember the name) on Key Biscayne.

National did not merge, rather closed down. I believe Northwest merged with Delta. My cousin flew for Northwest and became a Captain with Delta.

[Solo mi!]

I love US air travel, it broadens the mind. :D

 

I was once on a Delta flight to Atlanta, and the stewardess came up to me and asked "Oliver Twist?" I looked at her blankly trying to work out why on earth she thought I was a dickensian charecter - when she asked again - slightly more assertively "Oliver Twist?" I looked at my travel companion - I looked at the stewardess. Clearly I hadn't asked for more food - so I knew I couldn't be Oliver Twist. I gave her my name and she blurted out at the top of her voice "Olive or Twist - for the Gin and Tonic sir!

Two great nations divided by a common language. :)

 

Cute story!

[Solo mi!]

Anxiously watching the Referendum in Catalonia today. The TTS's and I embark in 40 days in Barcelona.

[Solo mi!]

Lovely story J! We do speak English and sometimes accents do make it sound like something completely different. Some of the folks I have spoken to from your wonderful land have been offput by my insistence on pronouncing the ends of my words. :)

 

I am now asking for advice from my fellow Coolers and Cooler lurkers. On November 11 of this year (Remembrance Day here in Canada) I will turn 65. Not a big deal really except that neither of my parents made it to that age. If I do I would like to mark the day somehow. Travel won't work for the time being. You lot are very imaginative and creative so I am hoping you can suggest an interesting way to mark the milestone. Don't worry if you don't want to play at this. I just thought there may be some interesting suggestions forthcoming.

Thank You!

 

As it will be Remembrance Day, a lunch or brunch with family and friends. On the invitation, ask them to share bring a memory about you to share.

[Tothesunset]

Anxiously watching the Referendum in Catalonia today. The TTS's and I embark in 40 days in Barcelona.

At least we arrive 2 days before embarking and you, one day. If there is any need for SS to use another port at least we have time to get there. However, I'm hopeful that normality will have returned by then.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry,

 

Emergency response is about shipping in water, food and shelter without delay. That is a humanitarian issue not a complex investment issue. Secondly, there has been virtually no news specifically about PR in the UK. I had to google it to try and understand what other Coolers were concerned about earlier in the thread. Having done so, I now understand their concern and sympathise. However, almost all of UK and EU news is on greater suffering and terrorism in the wider world and I see (for example) nothing in today's press about the hurricanes and continued relief progress which will of course have more coverage on your side of the Atlantic. Further, I cannot recall reading a single item about PR specifically over here since the hurricane without searching for it, but I pefectly accept the possibility that I simply may have missed them. If you were posting solely on the complexities of long-term investment and PR's political status rather than what most other posts have been energised about ie emergency humanitarian relief then perhaps as you clearly say, as a professional highly trained and educated communicator you might have made it clearer to avoid any misunderstanding? :)

 

I still do not understand the relevance of an assasination attempt in 1950 to PR''s current discussions about status, but clearly you believe it sufficiently relevant to mention it.

 

I have no idea what the French or Dutch have to do with Trumps or British response, but so far as the UK is concerned The Royal Navy keeps an almost permanent pre-positioned presence as a part of it's tri-service response to the hurricanes in the Carribean to offer relief as quickly as possible to British territories. This item was posted three weeks ago on 10th September and explains some of the UK's planning and early response.

 

 

Naval assets were already pre-positioned in the region for just such an eventuality and are now part of a considerable tri-service effort by the UK armed forces and other agencies.

 

The RN has maintained a presence in the Caribbean in support of British interests, almost continuously since the second World War. The number of ships stationed in the West Indies has declined in proportion to size of the navy. Despite the shortage of available vessels, the Naval Service has still managed to maintain this commitment, officially known as Atlantic Patrol – North (APT(N)) right up till now. These vessels are a sign of tangible government support for the region and in case of disaster, are ideal on-scene first-responders. In recent years APT(N) has unusually been undertaken by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship although the much smaller OPVs HMS Severn and HMS Mersey were sent in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Ships on this task conduct counter-narcotics patrols and provide welcome reassurance to UK territories. They regularly plan and exercise disaster relief work with local officials in an area notorious for its hurricanes.

 

RFA Mounts Bay arrived in the area in July 2017, replacing RFA Wave Knight. Of all the ships available for disaster relief, RFA Mounts Bay is especially well suited to the role. With a helicopter and a floodable dock, she can unload heavy stores directly onto the beach using her Mexflote (A modular self-propelled raft that is lashed to the side of the ship when underway).

 

The UK military response has now been designated “Operation RUMAN”. On 7th September it was decided that HMS Ocean would be re-assigned from leading Standing NATO maritime Group 1 in the Mediterranean to join RUMAN. She arrives in Gibraltar today for a 24-hour stopover to embark stores and more helicopters. HMS Ocean, not known for her great speed, will have to cross the Atlantic and is unlikely to arrive in the Carribean before 22nd September. Her aircraft and stores will provide a much greater impact than RFA Mounts Bay but underlines how useful it is to have a ship already in the region. Ocean’s role is more likely to be focused on helping in the reconstruction efforts after the hurricanes have passed.

 

[Camillus112]

Jeff, thanks for your response to Terry...I am not in the state of mind to do so right now. His last paragraph referring to Penny was quite hurtful to me. He could have stated his position in a more civilized way.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Emergency response is about shipping in water, food and shelter without delay. That is a humanitarian issue not a complex investment issue. Secondly, there has been virtually no news specifically about PR in the UK. I had to google it to try and understand what other Coolers were concerned about earlier in the thread. Having done so, I now understand their concern and sympathise. However, almost all of UK and EU news is on greater suffering and terrorism in the wider world and I see (for example) nothing in today's press about the hurricanes and continued relief progress which will of course have more coverage on your side of the Atlantic. Further, I cannot recall reading a single item about PR specifically over here since the hurricane without searching for it, but I pefectly accept the possibility that I simply may have missed them. I have no idea what the French or Dutch have to do with Trumps or British response, but so far as the UK is concerned The Royal Navy keeps an almost permanent pre-positioned presence as a part of it's tri-service response to the hurricanes in the Carribean to offer relief as quickly as possible. This item was posted on 10th September and explains some of the UK's planning and early response.

 

Appreciate from Jeff this additional background and helpful perspective. Agree 100% for the difficulty in getting good, detailed reporting from these various, affected sites. Not just Puerto Rico, but from locations that we visited in early 2015, including Dominica, St. Barts and St Maarteen. It's hard for reporters to get there AND be able to file these details and visuals.

 

This morning, NBC news had a reporter (who was fortunately very experienced from covering many of these previous hurricanes disaster sites), saying that the truth was somewhat between what the President and San Juan Mayor were each saying/claiming. Distribution of the water, food, etc., seems to be the main challenge there, plus getting electricity back, etc. Sadly, as I have stated, it's a going to be long, difficult recovery for Puerto Rico and these affected areas.

 

THANKS! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

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

Now at 53,677 views for these postings.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, thanks for your response to Terry...I am not in the state of mind to do so right now. His last paragraph referring to Penny was quite hurtful to me. He could have stated his position in a more civilized way.

 

C, I felt I had to reply and did so with a somewhat heavy heart as I do not wish to disrupt the normal sunny ambience of the cooler and hopefully we will now move on.

 

I certainly was not attempting as accused of any "mind reading" as I was simply reading the post as posted and solely in the context of the posts generally and in particular yours and other posts about the lack of immediate relief and lack of positive US response and Trumps unbelievable comments.

 

If Terry was wanting to start a completley fresh and new debate about long-term investment and renewal then I clearly failed as accused at mind-reading and perhaps it could have been clearer. :) Terry obviously seems to feel that I was the only person to "misinterpret" his post and I was the one singled out for a bit of Terryisation!

 

Hope the news from your family and friends improves.

.

Edited October 1, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[Camillus112]

Let's all sit back in our Cooler barstools and drink it all away.

[TLCOhio]

Let's all sit back in our Cooler barstools and drink it all away.

 

YES, enjoying the day is important, especially if we are in a good area and situation. Below for Central Ohio is our weather for this upcoming week. Nice and ideal!!! Sadly in San Juan, it was yesterday BOTH very hot and raining. They have all of these issues, plus less than ideal weather.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved visiting many different parts of the Caribbean. See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples for historic San Juan, etc., at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2264847

 

From AccuWeather, here is our upcoming forecast for this week in Central Ohio. Almost perfect and ideal!! Just could use a little more rain, but we don't need too much of the wet stuff as hit Florida, Texas and the Caribbean last month.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Well, I come into the Cooler Bar for a bit of respite after chasing down the dreaded dust bunnies and find spilled beer, broken bar stools a weather forecast for Central Ohio! What??????

 

Re-reading the various posts it occurs to me that people are "talking at cross purposes". A few posters seem to realize that but it's not clear to me that all the posters do. It seems like some are saying 'this apple is red" and having someone reply "NO, this banana is yellow!"

 

Anyway, thank you J and Penny for your suggestions! It is not so much a "birthday" celebration for me. It's more like running a victory lap having made it to 65 (unless of course I get hit by a bus before November).

 

Welcome back Miss S. So very glad you enjoyed your cruise! Please don't mind the mess in the bar. We'll clean it up shortly. :)

 

Enjoy your afternoon/evening all!

[Solo mi!]

As it will be Remembrance Day, a lunch or brunch with family and friends. On the invitation, ask them to share bring a memory about you to share.

 

 

First, it is nice to think about something happy like giving suggestions for your birthday celebration!

What about poppyseed birthday cake and a toast to "the fallen" as a way of honouring the NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE?

[mysty]

OOOOOH Penny! Brilliant! I love poppy seeds! It would make a wonderful finale for the J-inspired brunch! Thank you!

[UKCruiseJeff]

M,

 

 

Have a bowl of pasta to join Stanley Tucci and some prohibition hooch to join Lucky Luciano who both share your birthday.

 

 

:D

[mysty]

Thank you J!

[mysty]

I do resemble a cross between these two men. I do have a little more hair on my head than Tucci and a little less jowl than Luciano. :)

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Every day gets better ....... :(

 

 

“I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man…,” the president tweeted on Sunday morning, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by a nickname.

 

On Saturday, Tillerson told the press, “We ask, ‘Would you like to talk?’ We have lines of communications to Pyongyang — we’re not in a dark situation, a blackout,” according to the New York Times. “We have a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang,” Tillerson added about the rare instance of direct communication between the two nations. It is unknown what, if anything, the communication has yielded. A State Department spokesperson said on Saturday that, “North Korean officials have shown no indication that they are interested in or ready for talks regarding denuclearization.”