The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[Keith1010]

Boarded Symphony in San Pedro five year ago today for a wonderful Los Angeles to Vancouver cruise.

 

First time to experience open dining and the makeover of The Crystal Dining Room to Waterside and had an amazing time. Also first time in their Seabreeze equivalent to a PS and loved it including the combo washer/dryer.  As some know I do prefer this Seabreeze to the ones on Serenity.  Similarly, I preferred the Classic PH on Serenity to the Classic on on Symphony.

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2010 Blount Small Ship Adventures cruise from Nashville to Chicago on their smallest ship.  On May 18 we visited Joliet, Illinois:

 

 

Roy

[fancy britches]

7 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

 

OMG. This!

[Texas Tillie]

20 minutes ago, fancy britches said:

 

OMG. This!

 

Just so those not as familiar with OC understand, the washer/dryer combo is available on the Symphony ONLY in the 2018 remodel to what they called the Seabreeze Penthouse Suite. No washer/dryer on the Serenity remodel.

 

Patty

[May B]

4 hours ago, fancy britches said:

 

OMG. This!

So you can wash your britches with similar colors only? Or perhaps all by themselves!

[Keith1010]

One of the special special appeals of cruising for us is being out on the open deck to enjoy the views and to dream of the sailers of years ago who sailed around the world to discover new places.

 

Keith

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2013 Blount Cruise from New Orleans to Saint Petersburg.  I boarded on May 19 but woke earlier that morning on Amtrak's City of New Orleans:

 

 

On that trip I had planned a stopover in Peoria to catch Mark Farris' dad at his place but the connection did not work out.

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Sydney, Australia;.

 

The time we saw Serenity but were not on the cruise and the only time we boarded as a visitor

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2015 cruise on MS Prinsendam.  On May 20 I was in Amsterdam and boarded Prinsendam in Ijmuiden that afternoon:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

When in Barcelona,Spain walk this way.

 

 

Last time we were in Barcelona was four years ago today.

 

We have visited this city many times starting in 1997.

 

Something I learned 10+ years ago is this city also provides a great opportunity to pick up a Paddle Tennis Racquet for those who enjoy playing this game as I do when sailing Crystal. Selection is terrific and good pricing so on this visit I picked up another racquet; second time I've done this after touring around the city and surrounding area.

 

\\\\

 

Keith

[Lord Haw Haw]

Always found a wider selection of paddles in Copenhagen.

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2013 Blount Small Ship Adventures cruise from New Orleans to Saint Petersburg.  May 21 was a port day in New Orleans:

 

 

Roy

[ctjon]

The first regular size cruise ship is here in Portland, ME - we've had a couple of the very small ones in the last couple of weeks but nice to see the real season starting

[BEAV]

The massive Sierra snowmelt is in full swing along the Truckee River through downtown Reno, Nv. 
 

 

[KenzSailing]

2 hours ago, BEAV said:

The massive Sierra snowmelt is in full swing along the Truckee River through downtown Reno, Nv. 
 

 

IMG_0303.mov

 

Feast or famine: water in the American west is a story older than the American west.  I'm just glad to see an agreement looms on the apportioning of the Colorado river.  This story gets covered back here and while it doesn't make much of a dent with the general public a lot of things that river feeds are impactful to keeping the whole economy running.

 

Side note: I find it interesting that Las Vegas, for all its PR campaigns valorizing excess, is a very responsible and forward thinking steward of its water resources. Seven-come-eleven and I'll take my Scotch neat, thank you very much.  I'm doing my part.

[Keith1010]

Eight years ago, we were anchored off  St. Tropez and enjoyed a visit.  

 

It was a fun day.  Oui Oui.  Not wee wee.  🤫

 

I did take French in Junior and Senior Hight School.  So I do know Oui Oui from wee wee.  🤣

 

I remember seeing many yachts as we made our way from Serenity to the Tender drop off area and several nice looking restaurants.  I'm still a traditionalist appreciating white table cloths and at table nicely set for a special meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Au revoir.

 

Keith 

[rafinmd]

Not sure exactly what's happening but Serenity is backing out of the berth in Trieste.  Post update sea trials perhaps.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

55 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Not sure exactly what's happening but Serenity is backing out of the berth in Trieste.  Post update sea trials perhaps.

 

Roy

Apparently only turning around bow facing the dock rather than bow towards the sea.

 

Today's sunrise is another from my 2013 Blount cruise from New Orleans to Saint Petersburg.  On May 22 we left New Orleans for Biloxi.

 

 

Roy

 

[Keith1010]

Eight years ago the day before we saw the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2019 Queen Mary 2 transatlantic.   May 23 was our last sea day before arriving in New York:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Eight years ago we attended the Monaco Grand Prix on a Crystal Excursion.  On a couple of prior visits, we had been in Monaco while they were setting up the bleachers for the event but this was the first time we were there for the actual race.  Special day and one we will always remember.

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

I have a sunset today rather than a sunrise.  It's from my second cruise on Enchantment of the Seas out of Baltimore.  May 24, 2012 was a sea day enroute from Newport back to Baltimore.

 

 

Roy

[Leejnd4]

Something got me thinking about my 2009 Baltics cruise aboard Symphony, so I pulled up these photos. AAAAHHHH the memories! I think this was my favorite cruise of all time. I did this cruise with my mother, who was absolutely gobsmacked that she actually got to stand in Red Square in Moscow. It was something she never thought was even in the realm of possibilities, given that she'd grown up with the Cold War, and her only exposure to Red Square had been in spy movies.

 

Mom is now 87 and on hospice. I'm so happy I got to give her the trip of a lifetime with this cruise, back when she was still able to travel.

 

First pic: Mom and our guide standing in Red Square.

Second pic: Mom at dinner on Formal Night, sitting between the two Gentleman Hosts (is that what they were called?) She'd been a widow for many years at this point, and she was thoroughly enjoying having two handsome gents showering her with attention!

Third pic: Me in the Connoisseur Club, enjoying the one and only cigar I have ever smoked in my life.

Fourth pic: the midnight sun while at sea. Not sure if this qualifies as a sunrise or sunset...this is as low as it got!

[TER777]

51 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

 

Second pic: Mom at dinner on Formal Night, sitting between the two Gentleman Hosts (is that what they were called?)

Crystal called them Ambassador Hosts.

[Leejnd4]

37 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Crystal called them Ambassador Hosts.

That's right! I almost posted that but I couldn't remember if that was what Crystal called them, or Regent. If I recall correctly, Regent called the "Distinguished Gentleman"...or something like that, but it's been many years since my last Regent cruise so I could be wrong.