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Grandma Cruising

By Grandma Cruising,
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Grandma Cruising

Grandma Cruising

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We were doing a different sort of cruising yesterday. We’re in Norfolk for a week with our two daughters and their families. We hired a boat for a few hours on the Broads. Everyone had a go at steeering - with more or less success   (I was hopeless).670FB983-0BBB-4BAB-85AD-D3BCC46676AF.thumb.jpeg.c3c30e8e7aec9dcc16baa460ecdbf5ed.jpeg

Saw lots of swans, cygnets & ducks

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Yes, we did take the dog - little Dora was nervous at first but settled down & enjoyed looking at the water.

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We passed some beautiful waterside properties.

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and saw a paddle propelled excursion boat.

Edited by Grandma Cruising
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nordski

nordski

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On 8/31/2021 at 9:10 AM, Mackdogmolly said:

It's a real treat, for sure. Actually surprised they do so well in northern Vermont!


Surprising indeed, and why I wondered about the variety.

 

But if you can grow peaches, then grapes should be even easier and you can have a second harvest in the fall following maple syrup in the spring.  😄

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Grandma Cruising

Grandma Cruising

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On 9/5/2021 at 2:57 PM, MNgardens said:

Which gardens are your top 3 for the UK? Is there a website that you use for finding ones new to you? I was an avid gardener and like to visit gardens and look at what really good design is versus my sad efforts.

The Old Vicarage is certainly one of my top 3 and I’d also add Levens Hall in Cumbria because of its topiary, and of course, Kew Gardens in London. I don’t use a website, I just do a Google search for gardens for any area that we are visiting. We also watch a lot of gardening programmes (especially Gardeners World) and often see gardens mentioned there. 

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nordski

nordski

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15 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

The Old Vicarage is certainly one of my top 3 and I’d also add Levens Hall in Cumbria because of its topiary, and of course, Kew Gardens in London. I don’t use a website, I just do a Google search for gardens for any area that we are visiting. We also watch a lot of gardening programmes (especially Gardeners World) and often see gardens mentioned there. 


On its website I see that The Old Vicarage is in a microclimate. Are the plants typical of Norfolk or more exotic than those found in other areas of that county?

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  • 2 weeks later...
the mice

the mice

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We had our first "on the water" experience in a long time - a short boat trip on the Hudson River to Pollepel Island with the ruins of Bannerman Castle, a former military supply warehouse, on Saturday, September 11.   It was a glorious day, just as that fateful day in 2001 when the hijackers used the river as their navigation aid.   

Today the castle is a ruin, but the guide showed us a photo she took in 2009 prior to the collapse.  I only wish we had realized there were tours back then.   Still, a great day out.   And a surprise garden, too.  Hopefully, these photos are OK - need a new phone.....

 

Sadly, last night I finally cancelled all our hotel ressies for that trip to Canada.   C'est la vie.  

 

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the mice

the mice

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2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

@the mice, great photos! We have abandoned Canada plans right now too. In Vermont, there have been a lot of delays getting test results, so wouldn’t day risk a hotel reservation until that improves. Just hoping we won’t need a test in advance of arriving at the pier in Miami in December.

@Mackdogmolly. The testing was part of it, aside from DH's reluctance.  We plan to get our Pfizer boosters next month.  Sometimes age plays in your  favor 😁 .  Hopefully you have no issues for your cruise. 

 

Our first planned trip is a land one to Italy late April-May - 2 separate tours, first in Puglia with a private guide, and the 2nd in Calabria with a very small group, with 2 days in Naples in between and 2 in Rome at the end.  I am ever hopeful that it all comes to pass and that travel won't be as onerous by then.🤞

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Mackdogmolly

Mackdogmolly

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32 minutes ago, the mice said:

@Mackdogmolly. The testing was part of it, aside from DH's reluctance.  We plan to get our Pfizer boosters next month.  Sometimes age plays in your  favor 😁 .  Hopefully you have no issues for your cruise. 

 

Our first planned trip is a land one to Italy late April-May - 2 separate tours, first in Puglia with a private guide, and the 2nd in Calabria with a very small group, with 2 days in Naples in between and 2 in Rome at the end.  I am ever hopeful that it all comes to pass and that travel won't be as onerous by then.🤞

I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Your trip sounds lovely. We will (hopefully) also be on a Baltic cruise in June 2022. Hoping to get our boosters in November.

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the mice

the mice

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2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Your trip sounds lovely. We will (hopefully) also be on a Baltic cruise in June 2022. Hoping to get our boosters in November.

We did the Baltics on Azamara Journey in August 2018 with 3 hectic, jam-packed days in St. Petersburg.   Spent 3 days in Copenhagen prior and was supposed to spend 3 in Stockholm at the end, but I caught my foot on either the carpet or chair leg getting up from dinner the evening we sailed out of St. P.  At least it was after St. P!!!   Broke a metatarsal.   Az crew/med team were FANTASTIC!!  Saw Helsinki from the HOHO (after hobbling on crutches to get to it), but had to fly home directly after cruise.  One day I'll get back to Stockholm.   It's a fantastic trip (no pun intended and may you not follow in my footsteps 😁) - excited for you.   

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Mackdogmolly

Mackdogmolly

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45 minutes ago, the mice said:

We did the Baltics on Azamara Journey in August 2018 with 3 hectic, jam-packed days in St. Petersburg.   Spent 3 days in Copenhagen prior and was supposed to spend 3 in Stockholm at the end, but I caught my foot on either the carpet or chair leg getting up from dinner the evening we sailed out of St. P.  At least it was after St. P!!!   Broke a metatarsal.   Az crew/med team were FANTASTIC!!  Saw Helsinki from the HOHO (after hobbling on crutches to get to it), but had to fly home directly after cruise.  One day I'll get back to Stockholm.   It's a fantastic trip (no pun intended and may you not follow in my footsteps 😁) - excited for you.   

OMG, what an unfortunate end to your cruise! Our cruise doesn’t go to St P, but is Lisbon to Copenhagen and includes an overnight in Amsterdam. We are planning a couple of extra days in Lisbon and Copenhagen, so really excited!

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the mice

the mice

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24 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

OMG, what an unfortunate end to your cruise! Our cruise doesn’t go to St P, but is Lisbon to Copenhagen and includes an overnight in Amsterdam. We are planning a couple of extra days in Lisbon and Copenhagen, so really excited!

Over the years I've learned to roll with the punches.   It didn't turn out too badly - the last day was an overnight in Stockholm, so we stayed on the ship and got all the laundry done since our home laundry is 2 flights down in our townhouse.   We were scheduled to fly home in economy (award ticket), connecting in Heathrow (nightmarish long walks) but United opened up 2 business class seats that day at saver level (happy dance!) and Guest Relations patched a call through to them and they switched me - luckily I had the extra miles.   So, it worked out fine.   And, thanks to the orthopedist's recommendation, I ended up with great sneakers (Hoka's).

Lisbon and Copenhagen - 2 wonderful places.   In Copenhagen we stayed in the Radisson SAS and had a room overlooking Tivoli. Lots of walking in both, and lots of fond memories, too.  And so much to see in Amsterdam as well.    This is all making me so nostalgic!   Very excited for you!!!

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the mice

the mice

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14 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Thank you for the photos, mice. I’d never heard of Bannerman Castle and have looked it up - what an amazing building and interesting history too. Sounds as if you had a lovely day!

 

 

Yes, it was a very nice day.  For those of us who lived through 9-11 and lived near the river, it was nice to experience the Hudson River in a more pleasant way.

 

For anyone who plans a trip to NYC, they should really plan to visit the Hudson Valley.   It is a wonderful area, filled with so much history.   The village of Sleepy Hollow is near to us - made famous by Washington Irving (think Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman).   Many activities celebrating Halloween - they go on for weeks.  Check out Historic Hudson Valley - the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze and more.   But any time of year, there are the historic properties - Sunnyside, Philipsburg Manor and Van Cortlandt Manor, the Old Dutch Church, Union Church with its Chagall windows.   Plus there is Kykuit.  And the Rockefeller Preserve has wonderful carriage road trails.   And the new bridge across the Hudson at the Tappan Zee has a pedestrian path.    And there is West Point, too.

So, we might not be as old as the UK, but we've got our fair share of history (lots of it from the Revolutionary War - sorry😉)

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Mackdogmolly

Mackdogmolly

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1 hour ago, the mice said:

Lisbon and Copenhagen - 2 wonderful places.   In Copenhagen we stayed in the Radisson SAS and had a room overlooking Tivoli. Lots of walking in both, and lots of fond memories, too.  And so much to see in Amsterdam as well.    This is all making me so nostalgic!   Very excited for you!!!

Glad it ended well! I will look into the Radisson hotel. Haven’t booked in either city yet.

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the mice

the mice

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1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Glad it ended well! I will look into the Radisson hotel. Haven’t booked in either city yet.

Betsey, since this is off topic here,  if you want, I can send you some photos from Copenhagen with the view.  You can email themice <at> verizon <dot> net

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