Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[jollyjones]

 

We still have 135 days before boarding the Whisper for our Panama canal cruise, but I do have a question for any coolers who might be familiar with Fort Lauderdale hotels. We're planning to fly in a couple of days early (winter, caution due to storms etc.), and I've read about some water taxi tours that we might take on our extra day there to fill the day. Does anyone have any recommendations for hotels that are close to where we'll embark onto the Whisper, that might also have easy access to these water taxi tours? My husband is a 'foodie', so access to good restaurants would also be a bonus. Thanks for any insights anyone can offer.

 

 

The hotels I'd recommend for proximity to the water taxi stop are the Hilton Marina, then the Renaissance, then the Embassy Suites 17th St - all walkable with the Hilton the closest. I've stayed at them all (and several others in the area) pre-cruise. They get booked up fast as they are also close to Port Everglades, and are expensive in peak cruise season so book early.

The water taxi is fun, I've done it and enjoyed the day - it's more a hoho boat than a taxi but watch the schedule, it isn't that frequent.

https://watertaxi.com

The Sun Trolleys are fun too and are more useful for getting around:

https://www.suntrolley.com/routes-schedules-fares/

Fort Lauderdale isn't exactly a foodies mecca so don't get too excited. The Boatyard isn't bad and is situated on the small Seminole River so the outside tables are pleasant enough.

http://boatyard.restaurant

[spinnaker2]

Mleh,

I live in South Florida and my office was in Ft Lauderdale.

A very good restaurant is Il Mulino, at 1800 sunrise Blvd.

http://Www.ilmulino.com

It's right across the street from my old office.

They make their own pasta, everything is good.

 

Another restaurant is Canyon,at 1818 sunrise Blvd. great prickly pear drinks! Food also very good.

 

Las olas Blvd is very over priced, but many people still go there to be seen and enjoy the scene. Personally, once is enough.

There are lots of trendy bars and places to eat. The Riverside Hotel is right there, and nice central location.

 

As far as hotels, I would stay away from 17 street.

 

Take a look at the doubletree suites at galleria, for more of the feeling of old ft lauderdale try the Victoria park hotel.

 

There are a ton of hotels on the beach.

 

I think the Marriott is fairly nice.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[MLeh]

Wow, thank you to Lois, and Perfectionistcruiser, and jollyjones, and spinnakers for the excellent advice and insights. I'll take it all on board.

 

(I only get on the computer once a day, which is why the aggregate response.)

 

Enjoyed your funny as usual, Mysty. It would be interesting to hear how the various members of the cooler pronounce 'Saskatchewan'. It reminds me of a joke:

 

Two old farmers were sitting around in the middle of winter one year, and one turned to the other and said "I'm pretty sick of winter. Let's go to the airport and just get on the first plane going someplace warm."

 

The other farmer said "Yep."

 

So, off they went to the airport, and got on a flight which was going to Australia. They got to Australia, and went into the first bar they could find.

 

An Aussie, sitting at the bar, looked over at the two strangers - dressed in heavy coats and with toques on their heads - and went over to them and said "G'day, mate. Where are you from?"

 

"Saskatoon, Saskatchewan," came the terse reply.

 

The Aussie went back to the bar, where the bartender asked him "Where are they from?"

 

"Don't know," answered the aussie, "They don't speak English."

 

----

 

(My DH tells me I shouldn't quit my day job.)

 

Hope everyone is having a great Friday.

[mysty]

MLeh...your joke is hilarious! Myster and I are both in tears! Thanks for that!

[mysty]

For curious Coolers....an audio link for help pronouncing Saskatchewan....

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

It is funny you should pick on that place.

 

A cousin of mine emigrated from Dublin to Saskatoon as a surgeon having qualified at Trinity. He was also active at University of Saskatchewan. He now lives in Rock Rapids, Iowa. He obviously came from the more talented side of the family .... :D

[mysty]

I'm curious about what he thought of Saskatchewan J. Both of Myster's parents were at the University of Saskatchewan in the mid to late 1930's (his dad as a prof and his mom as a student). That's where they met and married. Myster was born in Saskatoon. :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

I have emailed ......;)

[mysty]

:)

:) :) :) :)

[Bill B]

My grandfather and his brother moved from Norwich, England to homestead in Saskatchewan in the early 1900s. My dad was born in 1926 and grew up on the farm during the great depression and 'dust bowl'. He never wanted to go back... and always referred to Saskatchewan as "That God damned, bald-headed prairie".

[mysty]

Bill...I think many people shared your dad's opinion in those years. "Bald-headed prairie" is a very descriptive way to put it! I'm sure your current location is much more lush!

 

Myster's family was in Qu'Appelle Valley, Canora/Kamsack, Maple Creek, North Battleford. Anything sound familiar? :)

[Lois R]

Mleh,

I live in South Florida and my office was in Ft Lauderdale.

A very good restaurant is Il Mulino, at 1800 sunrise Blvd.

Www.ilmulino.com

It's right across the street from my old office.

They make their own pasta, everything is good.

 

Another restaurant is Canyon,at 1818 sunrise Blvd. great prickly pear drinks! Food also very good.

 

Las olas Blvd is very over priced, but many people still go there to be seen and enjoy the scene. Personally, once is enough.

There are lots of trendy bars and places to eat. The Riverside Hotel is right there, and nice central location.

 

As far as hotels, I would stay away from 17 street.

 

Take a look at the doubletree suites at galleria, for more of the feeling of old ft lauderdale try the Victoria park hotel.

 

There are a ton of hotels on the beach.

 

I think the Marriott is fairly nice.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

HI Spins:) I guess you have a different point of reference since you live there......but personally, I enjoy the 17th Street area as well as Las Olas….yes, some of the restaurants are pricey but I just love that Blvd.:D

It is nice to have choices:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

BumBum.

 

Today’s Trivia.

 

On the subject of the rather odd relationship between The Lone Ranger and Tonto, people have never really got to the bottom of what exactly Tonto meant when he called LR “Kemosabe”. Evidendtly in Navajo it means something like “soggy bush”. Not endearing, or easy to understand until you go to a Spanish to English translation tool enter the name LR calls him ..... ”Tonto” .......

 

:)

[mysty]

J...obviously lots of digs in both directions! Of course in those days there was no google translate.

[spinnaker2]

Lois

Yes good to have choices and different perspectives.

Hope you try il mulino next time you are in lauderdale.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Lois R]

Lois

Yes good to have choices and different perspectives.

Hope you try il mulino next time you are in lauderdale.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

Hi, I have heard of that restaurant but never ate there. I will keep it in mind for sure:D

[Bill B]

Myster's family was in Qu'Appelle Valley, Canora/Kamsack, Maple Creek, North Battleford. Anything sound familiar? :)

 

No... the closest place to the farm was Rosetown.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

 

Have a great day all!

[Daveywavey70]

Morning all,

That’s a great post M.

[mysty]

Ha Ha Ha! DW...you are a wit! :)

[Bill B]

This is a post, post post.

[mysty]

:) Good one Bill! The Cooler bar is brimming with wits!

[UKCruiseJeff]

.... and this I hope isn't the last post .....

 

Today's winning opportunity from Nigeria ....

 

Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting and Investigations Division

From Mrs.Inga-Britt Ahlenius.

UNITED NATIONS SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATIONS PAYMENTS.

From Mrs.Inga-Britt Ahlenius.

Attn:

 

This is to bring to your notice that After i was Retired from this office i was appointed again and I am delegated from the United Nations To Central Bank to pay 150 scam victims $5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLAR) each. You are listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid this amount, get back to me as soon as possible for the immediate payments of your $5,000,000.00 compensations funds.

 

On this faithful recommendations,we want you to know that during the last U.N. meetings held at Abuja, Nigeria, it was alarmed so much by the world in the meetings on the lose of funds by various individuals to the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today.

 

In other to compensate victims, the U.N Body in conjunction with the Nigerian Government is now paying 150 victims of this operators $5,000,000.00 each in accordance with the U.N. recommendations. Due to the corrupt and inefficient Banking Systems in Nigeria, the payments are to be supervised by the United Nations' Officials and the Central Bank of Nigeria as the corresponding paying treasury department United Bank of Africa. According to the number of applicants at hand, 114 Beneficiaries has been paid,half of the victims are from the United States, we still have more 36 left to be paid the compensations of $5,000,000.00 each.

 

Your particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him for any reason what so ever as the U.S. secret service is already on trace of the other criminals.

 

Other victims who have not been contacted can submit their application as well for scrutiny and possible consideration.

 

You are thereby advised to contact the private officer of the treasury department United Bank of Africa through the following information.

 

Name........................Alex Ugo

Email:.......................... alex.ugo1878@xxxx.com

 

You will receive your compensations payments through which the options You will be detailed with the modalities as you contact the private officer of the treasury department United Bank of Africa

 

Sincerely yours,

Mrs.Inga-Britt Ahlenius

[mysty]

I also hope your post is not the Last Post signalling the end of the day's activities or something even sadder!

[MLeh]

Morning all. I feel the need to respond to the Saskatchewan posts from yesterday, and then we can all move on to the last post. (Which, technically, each new post becomes ...)

 

My grandfather and his brother moved from Norwich, England to homestead in Saskatchewan in the early 1900s. My dad was born in 1926 and grew up on the farm during the great depression and 'dust bowl'. He never wanted to go back... and always referred to Saskatchewan as "That God damned, bald-headed prairie".

 

Bill: my grandfather and his many brothers moved from Shropshire, England to homestead in southern Saskatchewan in the early 1900's. (Their first home was a soddie, and they spent the winters working the mines in Fernie, BC.) My mom was born in 1927 and grew up on the farm during the great depression and 'dust bowl'. She left when she could, moving to BC. She'd go back occasionally, to visit relatives & friends. Last week she got a phone call from one of her childhood friends, who had just moved into the 'home' in the local town - Assiniboia. In relating the story of the phone call to me she said "Imagine, spending your entire life in that god-forsaken place." Ah, the Palliser triangle: Wasteland of hopes, dreams, and where the water is alkaline.

 

Saskatchewan: a good place to be from.

 

I've been through Rosetown. Matter of fact, I was going up highway 4, heading from Speedy Creek to Unity, when somehow I found myself on highway 7 heading toward Saskatoon. I knew then that I'd been through Rosetown. Ever since then I've insisted my vehicles have built-in compasses.

 

Saskatchewan: so flat you can watch your dog run away for 3 days.

 

That's it for me for today!

 

Hope everyone is having a good day!