Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Bloodaxe]

Nordski, your mention of the Icelandic volcano brought back memories.

We were due to fly out to Florida to join a Celebrity Caribbean cruise followed by a Transatlantic back to Europe.

We could not fly but our Australian friends who we had planned to meet made it Ok.

Luckily we had booked the complete package with Celebrity and our full refund came back to us promptly.

We had been planning to purchase a Summer House for the garden so our refund was used for that.

That was named Equinox after the ship we should have been on, for the past 10 years we have made good use of it.

Has I write am am sat in the Summer House with a beer befoe cooking our barbecue dinner.

 

 

 

 

[Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, Bloodaxe said:

Nordski, your mention of the Icelandic volcano brought back memories.

We were due to fly out to Florida to join a Celebrity Caribbean cruise followed by a Transatlantic back to Europe.

We could not fly but our Australian friends who we had planned to meet made it Ok.

Luckily we had booked the complete package with Celebrity and our full refund came back to us promptly.

We had been planning to purchase a Summer House for the garden so our refund was used for that.

That was named Equinox after the ship we should have been on, for the past 10 years we have made good use of it.

Has I write am am sat in the Summer House with a beer befoe cooking our barbecue dinner.

 

 

 

 

Nordski, your mention of the Icelandic volcano brought back memories.

We were due to fly out to Florida to join a Celebrity Caribbean cruise followed by a Transatlantic back to Europe.

We could not fly but our Australian friends who we had planned to meet made it Ok.

Luckily we had booked the complete package with Celebrity and our full refund came back to us promptly.

We had been planning to purchase a Summer House for the garden so our refund was used for that.

That was named Equinox after the ship we should have been on, for the past 10 years we have made good use of it.

Has I write am am sat in the Summer House with a beer before cooking our barbecue dinner.

 

I meant to add there is more to life than cruising, at least for us.

Today is the official Yorkshire Day, the coastal resorts and beauty spots will be heaving and social distancing will go out of the window.

We will be spending it at home in the garden,, parts of the county have had partial lock down reinstated due to a spike in the virus.

It is far from over but many people seem to think that it is almost back to normal, very worrying times.

 

 

 

[nordski]

7 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

Nordski, your mention of the Icelandic volcano brought back memories.

We were due to fly out to Florida to join a Celebrity Caribbean cruise followed by a Transatlantic back to Europe.

We could not fly but our Australian friends who we had planned to meet made it Ok.

Luckily we had booked the complete package with Celebrity and our full refund came back to us promptly.

We had been planning to purchase a Summer House for the garden so our refund was used for that.

That was named Equinox after the ship we should have been on, for the past 10 years we have made good use of it.

Has I write am am sat in the Summer House with a beer before cooking our barbecue dinner.

 

I meant to add there is more to life than cruising, at least for us.

Today is the official Yorkshire Day, the coastal resorts and beauty spots will be heaving and social distancing will go out of the window.

We will be spending it at home in the garden,, parts of the county have had partial lock down reinstated due to a spike in the virus.

It is far from over but many people seem to think that it is almost back to normal, very worrying times.

 

 

 

Thanks for posting these interesting details.

 

In our case, on the night before our cruise our enterprising TA surprised us by grabbing the last tickets on a not regularly scheduled direct flight that crossed to Rome directly over the Atlantic. Air Canada  promised that we would be avoiding the plumes of volcanic ash.

 

Apparently we did!

 

She also sent a message to HAL’s Eurodam that we were on our way but it would be tight. HAL had already kept the Eurodam at Civitavecchia an extra day as they waited for North Americans to arrive.

 

As RomeCabs took us to the port, I was mentally plotting a route that would eventually have us meet the ship, since I was certain we would miss the departure.

 

As we arrived, they were in the process of closing the boarding gate.

 

I have to ask what is Yorkshire Day, and what does it entail?

 

Monday is an official holiday for us. In Toronto it is called Simcoe Day in honour of John Graves Simcoe who was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, the approximate area that is now known as Ontario.
 

After visiting the grandkids at a distance today, despite the holiday by choice we too will be mostly isolating.

 

 

[Bloodaxe]

August 1st is designated Yorkshire Day, a celebration of everything about the county.

Many special events are usually taking place but probably not this year.

The Yorkshire flag, a white rose on a blue background will be flown everywhere.

Edited August 1, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[Mackdogmolly]

Thanks Nordski and Bloodaxe for your postings! I was moved to research both Simcoe Day and Yorkshire Day to learn a little more. Fascinating what we learn on these boards! Now, any guesses what holiday unique to the state of Vermont is celebrated on August 16th?

Betsey

Edited August 2, 2020 by Mackdogmolly

[Bloodaxe]

24 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Thanks Nordski and Bloodaxe for your postings! I was moved to research both Simcoe Day and Yorkshire Day to learn a little more. Fascinating what we learn on these boards! Now, any guesses what holiday unique to the state of Vermont is celebrated on August 16th?

Betsey

 

Bennington Battle Day, I guessed but admit to checking on Google.

We visited the monument in the early 1990s and I have photos taken from the top, film camera images before the digital age.

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

Bennington Battle Day, I guessed but admit to checking on Google.

We visited the monument in the early 1990s and I have photos taken from the top, film camera images before the digital age.

@Bloodaxe, I’m impressed! We who work for the State get the day off (or the closest working day) and it always mystifies anyone from out of state. 
Betsey

[nordski]

6 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Thanks Nordski and Bloodaxe for your postings! I was moved to research both Simcoe Day and Yorkshire Day to learn a little more. Fascinating what we learn on these boards! Now, any guesses what holiday unique to the state of Vermont is celebrated on August 16th?

Betsey

Bloodaxe beat me to Bennington Battle Day so, if I may, I’d like to recommend a recently published book that is partially set close to your locale, at least in my thinking, and takes us back to the Seventeenth Century when the Iroquois controlled much of the area around Schenectady and Albany.

 

It is Mark Bourie’s “Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson”. Yes, the hotel chain uses his name. Radisson led a remarkably peripatetic life connected to major power centres. He was sort of a much more intelligent and craftier Forrest Gump.

 

There is a connection to cruising as several 

times he crossed the Atlantic between France, England and the New World.

 

The book was awarded one of our most prestigious non-fiction awards. The only caveat is that once he leaves upstate New York much time is spent near Lake Superior and the making contact with indigenous tribes near Hudson Bay.

[Mackdogmolly]

44 minutes ago, nordski said:

Bloodaxe beat me to Bennington Battle Day so, if I may, I’d like to recommend a recently published book that is partially set close to your locale, at least in my thinking, and takes us back to the Seventeenth Century when the Iroquois controlled much of the area around Schenectady and Albany.

 

It is Mark Bourie’s “Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson”. Yes, the hotel chain uses his name. Radisson led a remarkably peripatetic life connected to major power centres. He was sort of a much more intelligent and craftier Forrest Gump.

 

There is a connection to cruising as several 

times he crossed the Atlantic between France, England and the New World.

 

The book was awarded one of our most prestigious non-fiction awards. The only caveat is that once he leaves upstate New York much time is spent near Lake Superior and the making contact with indigenous tribes near Hudson Bay.

Thanks again! I’ll have to check it out!

[Bloodaxe]

23 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Thanks again! I’ll have to check it out!

 

I will also, our first trips to the states were to visit friends in upstate New York near Albany.

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

I will also, our first trips to the states were to visit friends in upstate New York near Albany.

 

I want to emphasize that only early in his career did Radisson spend time in the Fort Albany area.

 

However, remarkably after being welcome to the court of the French King- he was of course from France initially- he managed to eventually ingratiate himself to the Court of King Charles II of England. His entree was a promise to create a financially successful fur trade using contacts with indigenous bands in Hudson Bay.

 

After this trade was established it became, of course, the monopoly of The Hudson Bay Company, a corporation still very much in existence.

 

Radisson was bitter about his treatment by that company.

 

His is really a remarkable story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

13 minutes ago, nordski said:

 

I want to emphasize that only early in his career did Radisson spend time in the Fort Albany area.

 

However, remarkably after being welcome to the court of the French King- he was of course from France initially- he managed to eventually ingratiate himself to the Court of King Charles II of England. His entree was a promise to create a financially successful fur trade using contacts with indigenous bands in Hudson Bay.

 

After this trade was established it became, of course, the monopoly of The Hudson Bay Company, a corporation still very much in existence.

 

Radisson was bitter about his treatment by that company.

 

His is really a remarkable story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, nordski said:

 

I want to emphasize that only early in his career did Radisson spend time in the Fort Albany area.

 

However, remarkably after being welcome to the court of the French King- he was of course from France initially- he managed to eventually ingratiate himself to the Court of King Charles II of England. His entree was a promise to create a financially successful fur trade using contacts with indigenous bands in Hudson Bay.

 

After this trade was established it became, of course, the monopoly of The Hudson Bay Company, a corporation still very much in existence.

 

Radisson was bitter about his treatment by that company.

 

His is really a remarkable story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m sold! I’m sold! And I have been the HBC many times when in Montreal- lol

Betsey

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

Radisson was bitter about his treatment by that company.

 

Imagine how he must feel about NCL!!!

[Etta1213]

On 8/2/2020 at 4:40 PM, Bloodaxe said:

 

BLOODAXE, What is the significance of this BLOODAXE name ?  It makes me think of costs of arms and knights.

[Bloodaxe]

2 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

BLOODAXE, What is the significance of this BLOODAXE name ?  It makes me think of costs of arms and knights.

It's a nickname I was given by workmates, my name is Eric.

Erik Bloodaxe was the Viking King of York, the say he never took any prisoners and they seemed to think it suited me.

Can't think why.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[nordski]

Under the heading that there is always a useful German word for it, today’s word is: “fernweh”.

 

Fernweh (fern-far; weh-pain, misery, or woe).

 

So it can be translated as “farsickness”, a longing for far-off places, especially those not yet visited.

 

One can suffer from “fernweh” the same way one can suffer from its opposite “homesickness”.

 

I think ”fernweh” has a significant presence on this forum.

 

 

 

 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

That’s certainly how we’re feeling - thanks for giving us a word for it!

[Baynanno1]

Snowing at lower than usual altitudes in Tasmania.

Part of the video in the first of these ABC news clips was shot by one of my daughters from the passenger seat as her work team returned (very slowly and safely) to Hobart in the south from Launceston in the north of the state two days ago.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-04/tasmania-weather-snow-falls-across-state/12520262

 

And New South Wales where we live is braced for another weekend of wild weather :
https://www.facebook.com/EurobodallaCouncil

 

Feeling "fernweh" and longing for an end to Covid-19!

[Mackdogmolly]

21 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

Snowing at lower than usual altitudes in Tasmania.

Part of the video in the first of these ABC news clips was shot by one of my daughters from the passenger seat as her work team returned (very slowly and safely) to Hobart in the south from Launceston in the north of the state two days ago.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-04/tasmania-weather-snow-falls-across-state/12520262

 

And New South Wales where we live is braced for another weekend of wild weather :
https://www.facebook.com/EurobodallaCouncil

 

Feeling "fernweh" and longing for an end to Covid-19!

Wild weather everywhere, I guess. You’re having a freakishly snowy winter and we (at least here in the Northeast) have had a record breakingly hot summer! Since our summers here in Vermont are so short though, I’m not complaining!

Feeling “Fernweh” too though!

Betsey

[Baynanno1]

3 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Wild weather everywhere, I guess. You’re having a freakishly snowy winter and we (at least here in the Northeast) have had a record breakingly hot summer! Since our summers here in Vermont are so short though, I’m not complaining!

Feeling “Fernweh” too though!

Betsey

 

Betsey, in the days before we discovered the joys of cruising, we enjoyed a number of bus trips in various parts of USA as well as Canada & Europe.

In the fall of 1997 we were not too far from Vermont. A memorable trip over about three weeks with a couple of nights at most stops along the way, taking us from New York, across Pennsylvania, into Canada via Niagara Falls, then across to Quebec, from where we traveled via Bar Harbor to Boston. From the photos I have just revisited, the weather was warm, with the exception of Quebec which was both cold & wet.

 

Stay well - hope to meet after cruising resumes safely!

Trish

[Mackdogmolly]

7 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Betsey, in the days before we discovered the joys of cruising, we enjoyed a number of bus trips in various parts of USA as well as Canada & Europe.

In the fall of 1997 we were not too far from Vermont. A memorable trip over about three weeks with a couple of nights at most stops along the way, taking us from New York, across Pennsylvania, into Canada via Niagara Falls, then across to Quebec, from where we traveled via Bar Harbor to Boston. From the photos I have just revisited, the weather was warm, with the exception of Quebec which was both cold & wet.

 

Stay well - hope to meet after cruising resumes safely!

Trish

I sincerely hope so too, Trish! My husband grew up in the Niagara Falls area of NY, and we had a wonderful trip there not too many years ago. We have family in Boston and before the pandemic got to visit them frequently and Maine is a favorite vacation destination. We have never been to Australia, but never say never! 

[Grandma Cruising]

We’ve been having exceptionally hot weather here too. Yesterday it was 36C (97F) in the south of the UK. Where we are it was well over 30C. Overall we’ve had a good late spring/summer, tho’ we had some cooler & damp weather in July. We’ve just bought a couple of outdoor sofas and a large cantilever parasol, so it’s been lovely to sit out in the garden in the hot weather.

[Baynanno1]

22 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I sincerely hope so too, Trish! My husband grew up in the Niagara Falls area of NY, and we had a wonderful trip there not too many years ago. We have family in Boston and before the pandemic got to visit them frequently and Maine is a favorite vacation destination. We have never been to Australia, but never say never! 

 

Never say never indeed!

We had many trips across the pond from east coast Australia to west coast USA.

It was quite a while before we decided to go further . . east coast USA and Europe.

It's not so difficult if you can break the trip as we did with a few days on the west coast en route to New York.

Even between Sydney & LA or SFO we have stopped a few times in Hawaii en route one way or the other.

Hope you make it one day when we have a Covid-19 vaccine.

[Baynanno1]

16 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

We’ve been having exceptionally hot weather here too. Yesterday it was 36C (97F) in the south of the UK. Where we are it was well over 30C. Overall we’ve had a good late spring/summer, tho’ we had some cooler & damp weather in July. We’ve just bought a couple of outdoor sofas and a large cantilever parasol, so it’s been lovely to sit out in the garden in the hot weather.

 

Denise, I am green with envy!

But seriously - enjoy your beautiful weather - our turn will come - hopefully without last Summer's fires!

[AllisonJames]

Here in Texas it is just about 100 degrees day after day and we are truly missing our summer trips to the U.K. to enjoy the cooler weather and the gloriously green landscape! Hopefully we will be back next year!