Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[jpalbny]

MLeh, sorry to see you go! Great story; your parents sound like how my mother would have turned out, were she still around. She always talked about living out in the woods somewhere. 

 

I saw the nun joke a few days ago. I haven't heard the Socrates story, though.

 

All checked in for tomorrow's flight. Bag packed to dash and run right after work tonight. Happy Halloween all!

[Bill B]

What do get when you take all the meat and fillers out of a wiener?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A hollow weenie.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Bill B

[Lois R]

LOL Bill, that was funny

 

JP, you around? Another medical question please...…...you know I go to the Dr every month to have my blood tested for the Luekemia? (I am ok with it) but you probably know they take all my vitals every month and for the past 2 months my blood pressure is high....I got myself a monitor now...…..my Hematologist said the best thing would be to go see my GP...….would you agree? I have NEVER had high BP before. Actually it was always on the low side....now it is high...…..geeezzz…….I have no clue why it all of a sudden went up...….any thoughts?

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lois, I'm not in any way medically qualified but you haven't said what your average readings are when at the docs and when you are relaxed and at home. 

 

Many people - I suspect you may be one - are anxious when going to the docs and this is called "white coat" syndrome where readings at the doctor are "normally" higher as a result of that anxiety than when taken at home.  That is why it is sensible for you to get an idea of your "normal" readings when relaxed ie at home.    Your readings should also be considered alongside other associated factors like your cholesterol levels, etc ie it should be seen as one risk factor of many.

 

Also the implication is that it has been "normal" until now.  So that means that you haven't suffered any long-term conseuquences so far, so it is no reason to be in any way alarmed and anxious about it at the moment.  It is either consistently sufficiently high now that you in consultation with your doc should do something about it, firstly without resorting to medications ie exercise and weigh-loss and then if that doesn't work whether it is high enough for you both to decide that medications are the route.  My personal advice is only resort to medications as a very last resort and do not be too keen to take them s they are not without possible side effects.

 

Anyway ... there is no reason for you to panic about this it is relatively easily manageable if it needs to be unlike many other health challenges.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great day all!

[jpalbny]

Lois, a little busy today with getting ready for our flight but I agree with what Jeff said. There is a lot of debate in medicine currently about how "high" is actually high. There are two camps; one which sets a very low number as abnormal, which diagnoses more than half of us with hypertension, and another camp that is more relaxed about it. It is well-known that BP rises with age, but some of us accept that as normal and others think that it must be treated. Not sure who is right, and a more thorough explanation would take more time than I have right now. Have to get the pool ready for closing in the next hour or so, before we go to the airport.

[brumagin1]

On 10/25/2018 at 5:20 PM, Lois R said:

Welcome back Mysty

 

I have been reading some threads on the River Cruise forum and I am getting concerned. Seems 2 years in a row there were water issues on the Douro....too high, too low......and I am really, REALLY not wanting to spend this kind of $$$$ and have a chance of problems with the cruise....it is giving me some serious food for thought. 

Lois,

 

A friend recently returned from an AMA Duoro River cruise.   They had traveled with AMA several times before.  They were disappointed in this cruise.    River level was fine, but tours were all long bus rides away, 1-2 hours.   She said that because the river is in a deep gorge, the towns did not develop on the river banks.   Just wanted to share the info with you as you are considering.

[Lois R]

Hi, thanks for the input about the cruise.

 

JP and Jeff, thank you for the kind words about the BP...….

 

Long day for me as we had month end close...…..I could use a drink but have nothing in the house so it is just tea...….

 

[Lois R]

Good morning,   after several days of thought, I have decided to cancel that Uniworld Cruise. This itinerary (as good as it looks), well, I just don't want to have to take a bus every day.   I will continue to search and book something that I know is right for me.

Too much $$$ to spend to still have doubts.  They keep 200.00 of the deposit but it is good for up to 5 years.

 

I will now find something else and feel better about this decision.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[jillyf]

We have been in Venice for nearly 4 weeks and we have been lucky with the weather until last Monday.  

Our apartment was flooded in the nearly record high of the aqua alta. We were feeling smug as we had the water barriers on both doors and watched the water riseand rise!!

It started to come in through the cracks in the floor, then poured from around the pipes in the laundry and bathroom. There are 3 sumps with pumps but at first they didn’t work, then my husband with handy tool ( broomstick handle) got them to start. 

There was about 5 inches of water all over the tiled floor so the pumps helped a lot. 

We eventually decided to let the pumps do the work as mops and brooms didn’t make a difference. 

The agency we rented through had another apartment we could use for the night so we packed a small case, donned the orange plastic boots and headed out. 

The water was so high it came over the boots and filled them with water. By the time we got to the new apartment ( 3rd floor) only 250 metres away,  we felt exhausted. 

 

We needed food, and more importantly WINE, but it was back in our apartment!

Off we went, this time not bothering with the boots as our slacks and shoes were already soaking, and rescued the wine and some food. 

The next day the cleaner did an amazing job and we were back "home". 

We leave on Sunday for a week in Bologna on a wine and food tour.  Looking forward to seeing this area as it is new to us. 

Then it’s time for home!   At the end of May we moved into our new home in a retirement village and are keen to join in the many activities and get to know more people. 

[mysty]

Jill...it sounds like you had a wonderful time in Venice (except for the flooded apartment obviously).  Enjoy Bologna, safe travels home and best wishes for settling into your new home!

[TLCOhio]

Knowing about Jeff's upcoming trip back to Singapore, I thought I would share this link and story highlights from the New York Times Travel Section in late October headlined as: “36 Hours in Singapore”.  Here was their sub headline: "Yes, there are futuristic mega malls and skyscrapers. But you’ll also find a rich cultural heritage reflected in traditional temples and shrines, street food and homegrown art."

 

Am sure Jeff already is an expert on Singapore, but maybe there is something new in their reporting.  Here are some more of their story highlights: “Singapore’s main island is sometimes described as diamond-shaped — fitting, perhaps, since the sparkling city, which had a starring role in the movie 'Crazy Rich Asians,' is known for its materialistic pursuits. But look past Singapore’s shiny veneer and you’ll find a compression of Chinese, Indian, Malay and other heritages reaching back far beyond the city state’s half-century history as an independent nation. And thanks to the superb street food and efficient public transit, you don’t have to be crazy rich to enjoy this cinematic city, which is now more accessible than ever with Singapore Airlines’ new nonstop service from Newark.”.

 

Earlier this year we were able to do Hong Kong and much in SE Asia for the first time.  We have been to Australia and New Zealand earlier.  We want to make it to Singapore, but we have not yet been able to finalize that timing.  From this profile and what others have shared, it is definitely on our top priority, future to-do list.  Feel free to offer your reactions, ideas, tips, suggestions, etc.  In this article, there are a number of ideas for places to dine, drink, involving in culture activities, etc.  Also interesting pictures, maps, etc., are included.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/travel/what-to-do-in-singapore.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 38,200 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

Here is one of the interesting visuals featured in this NY Times profile on Singapore, its options, activities, etc.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this picture larger/better!)

[frantic36]

Terry I visit Singapore frequently though for anything from 1-7 days, though Jeff's longer holidays there are sounding like a good idea. There is still so much that we haven't seen which is amazing for such a small island. Some of it is because we keep revisiting our favourite places like Gardens By the Bay when we introduce cruise friends to Singapore.

 

The food, the architecture both modern and old, hiking trails, art and cultural museums. It has so much there. We are hoping to get to Palau Ubin next January but as it is the rainy season might not make it. Wish us luck .

 

Julie

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning All ...

 

Jill been watching the water in Venice - it certainly is an adventure.  I  guess too much water is a bad thing.

 

Julie, we may bump into you in January as we are there for around three weeks.  I think we'd be tempted to move there if we could but they are very choosy about who they let live there.  One spends so much of one's life making ill-informed presumptions about cultures and perhaps the feeling of sort of historical superiority that a well established ex-Empire history confers, but places like Singapore teach you how much you still have to learn and how our long history can be more a millstone around the neck of progress.  It is an extraordinary country that is so well-ordered when one scratches and sees what is below the surface.  Most of the adverse comment I hear or read about is from people who know nothing of the place. I read Straits Time each day and I am envious of what I see during the time we spend there and what I read daily. 

 

I'm looking forward to our next trip. 🙂

[UpstateJan]

Oh.... do go to the Botanical Garden, in particular the Orchid Garden (UNESCO World heritage site, and drop dead gorgeous).  We were fortunate enough to do the Orchid Garden and Gardens by the Bay, along with Jurong Bird Park, walk the Kampong Glam and Little India, Chili Crab at an amazing Chinese restaurant, as well as a few other sites in April.  It was our end port (in port over night), and needless to say, the airport itself is pretty amazing.    We opted for a private tour guide on the first day, so we could see as much as we could, and Jon was probably the best guide we've had (have his contact info if anyone is interested).  Honestly, if time is short, Jon is the way to go, he has a car, is a great guide, and one of the sweetest people I've had the luxury of spending a day with.  Singapore is a really beautiful place, and we hope to get back there someday.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Jan,

 

We love Botanical ... in fact when we "live" in Singapore we basically decamp and have a daily routine there instead of here and every morning is a walk around Botanical and every other day the Orchid Garden were people of a certain age get a rather geneorus discount on entry!  😉

 

We are all different and I'm sure Jon was perfect but a personal guide really isn't needed for Singapore.  It is so easy and cheap to get around and a lot of the best things aren't a part of the normal tourist lists .... but people who love the place will point you to.  Hope you return.

 

Next time you pass through the new terminal at Changi might be open an I think that one day Changi might actually be destination in itslef.

 

This is what T5 will look like.

 

 

This was a Heritage video Changi did for T4

 

 

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

WOW J...that new airport looks spectacular!  Thanks for sharing that!

 

Our turn to turn the clocks back early tomorrow.  I am the charge person in this house for that task.  Since I go to bed earlier than Myster he will have to use his watch to keep track of the time.  The clocks will go back around 9:00 pm.

 

Today's funny on the subject.....

 

 

Have a great day all!

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny offers helpful hints for dealing with adjusting clocks for Standard Time..........

 

 

Have a great day all!

[Lois R]

Hi friends, I had the STRANGEST thing happen yesterday where I could not post on here...…….my activity stream would not work either and I couldn't reply to anything..not sure what was going on....

 

Mysty, I wish it would be daylight savings time all year round......and I also hate it getting dark so early.

 

And for all those who are eligible to vote......PLEASE DO IT...….I voted yesterday.....30 minute wait but oh so worth it (hopefully).  

[mysty]

Lois, I think the site was having issues yesterday.  I don't think anyone was able to post.   And I agree with DST all year around.

[Lois R]

Hi Mysty, oh wow, glad to know it wasn't just me then!!!  I thought I was losing my mind or something......when I tried to post and I was going to post "asking for help"...….it kept asking me about doing a poll......how weird! 

[jpalbny]

So, this is the post I wanted to submit yesterday. I was not able to; the site crashed when I hit submit, and then as everyone else noted, no more posting was possible. So it's about yesterday.

 

Ugh, the end of daylight. I really hate coming home from work in the dark, with no time to walk outside after work. Yuck. As soon as the clocks turn back I start counting the weeks until winter solstice so that we can have light again.

 

Jilly, that's a crazy adventure you're having in Venice! Hope it stays dry for your remaining time.

 

Enjoying our time here in Williamsburg. The food is insanely rich though, as Southern cooking is known to be. If I stay here much longer they will have to roll me down the jetway to fly home. Biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast every morning is a killer! And shrimp with grits for dinner last night...you can't go hungry here.

 

Chris is in conference all morning so I'm off to Newport News, about 20 minutes east of here, down I-64 near where the James River meets the Chesapeake. One of my many second cousins lives there and we'll meet up for coffee and second breakfast. Then I'll be back here in time to pick up Chris after her conference, and meet up with my 92-year-old Great Uncle (the one I mentioned earlier, the last remaining sibling of any of my grandparents) for lunch and hopefully lots of funny family anecdotes. Wish my stomach luck with all this eating!

 

Addendum from today:

 

Lunch with my Uncle was incredibly fun. He is spry as ever, and actually still flying (he took his jet out last week). Due to FAA regulations he has to have a pilot and copilot with him but he hires them any flies himself just the same. We had a great time reminiscing about old family stories. He is a treasure. Lunch lasted until about 4PM and lots of good food and wine were shared too.

 

Off to see another cousin this morning (he's coming here for coffee) so all for now.

[Lois R]

Hi JP, I went to Williamsburg once...…..many years ago.....In the early 2000.'s or late 90s......it was my first time there and I will never forget how really neat the Old place is...….everyone dressed in the original outfits......

Enjoy your visit.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Our calendar has National holidays on it from around the world.  Tomorrow (later today for the folks down under) will be Melbourne Cup Day in Australia.  A very interesting holiday.  According to Wikipedia......

 

"The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most prestigious annual Thoroughbred horse race. It is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races. The event starts at 3pm on the first Tuesday in November and is known locally as "the race that stops a nation".

The Melbourne Cup has a long tradition, with the first race held in 1861. It was originally over two miles (3.219 km) but was shortened to 3,200 metres (1.988 mi) in 1972 when Australia adopted the metric system. This reduced the distance by 18.688 metres (61.312 ft), and Rain Lover's 1968 race record of 3:19.1 was accordingly adjusted to 3:17.9. The present record holder is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule with a time of 3:16.3.

Melbourne Cup day is a public holiday for all working within metropolitan Melbourne and some parts of regional Victoria, but not for some country Victorian cities and towns which hold their own spring carnivals. For federal public servants it is also observed as a holiday in the entire state of Victoria, and from 2007 to 2009 also in the Australian Capital Territory known as Family and Community Day replacing Picnic Day. The Melbourne cup captures the public's imagination to the extent that people, whether at work, home, school, or out and about, usually stop to watch or listen to the race. Many people from outside of Melbourne take a half or full day off work to celebrate the occasion. Many people feel that the day should be a national public holiday as sick leave is said to increase on the day and productivity wanes."

 

Happy Melbourne Cup Day!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great day all!

[turtlemichael]

What's wrong with a holiday for a horse race - seems perfectly natural to me!  Sadly it is going to be rather wet, at least the forecast says so.  We need the rain. Therefore the damsels in their finery and haute couture hats may be rather sodden by the end of the day.  From my experience going to the track a few times many years ago most people are sodden on the inside whatever the weather!