Jim_Iain – Silhouette Live Post April 8, 21, 30 - B3B - TransAtlantic, Portugal Spain, France and the Norwegian Fjords

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Von & John said:

Jim & Iain - wishing you a peaceful night tonight w/ great food & beverage & safe travels to Scotland tomorrow!!!

 

On the side topic - scones & clotted cream...
I printed both scone recipes last night & will bake those soon.
We do not have access to clotted cream - imagine that in Talkeetna 🙂

However, a friend brought back some imported lemon curd from Trader Joe's.

Now, I also need to determine how I'd like to use the lemon curd.

Spread it on the stones.  I bet it would be great. 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

My goodness the Scones have gone viral.    Orange Cranberry sounds wonderful.   Hope you enjoyed them. 

could you use another word?  I guess that this new variant may just be the best. 

[Jim_Iain]

Another day and another adventure.   We got up to tidy up as we had to be out by 10AM.  Check in at hotel was not until 3 PM.  
 

out of the blue I looked at the map and asked Iain if he had ever been to Oxford.   He responded Never.  So stuck it into the Mapping programs with a parameter of avoid highway.  
 

what an adventure 

 

Busy City and signs suggested the park and ride lot.  So we did just that.  
 

 

 

 

 

we hopped off bus at City  Center and just wandered around. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Next up the botanic gardens

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

About 2:00 we were famished and stopped at Keepers.  We decided on just a ham and cheese toastie.   Ugh.  The things were a huge triple decker and a huge helping of fries. 
 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

A quick 1 hour 15 minute trip to Heathrow Airport Hilton Terminal 5.  Actually about a mile from airport 

 

Pretty wild bathroom

 

 

 

We booked an Executive room so access to lounge for drinks and finger food for dinner 

 

 

[Daneenm]

On 5/4/2022 at 10:13 AM, Jim_Iain said:

We live near an areal called Gilroy which grows about 80% of U.S. production of Garlic.   Each year they have a Garlic Festival with every garlic product including garlic ice cream.   Unfortunatly many of you may remember July 28, 2019, when a gunman opened fire on the crowd killing 3 and wounding 19. 

 

It has dampened the spirit of the festival ever since. 

Sadly, it was just announced that the Gilroy Garlic Festival will not return.  

[lostatsea200]

For your information if flying in or out of terminal 5 Stofitel Hotel is attached to the

terminal 5.  Easy walkway to the British Airways check in.  The have lovely exective

floor rooms.   We can't wait until we read on .  Safe flight.  

[hcat]

Oxford  pics are great.

Favs for me are the Botanic Garden!

Wishing you safe and happy travels! 

[upwarduk]

Strangely, I don’t recognise much of Oxford, and certainly not the Botanic gardens, but students found alternative things to do and it was 60 years ago.😱

[bunnyette]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

About 2:00 we were famished and stopped at Keepers.  We decided on just a ham and cheese toastie.   Ugh.  The things were a huge triple decker and a huge helping of fries. 
 

 

 

What no photo of the toastie?

[pd7277]

On 4/24/2022 at 11:59 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Captain George just came on and said we are leaving shortly after the final few passengers get back to the ship.    He also said more Covid cases had been reported and they were quarantined.    What a terrible way to spend the remainder of a cruise in lock down on deck 3 in an Ocean View Room.

 

By the way, I discovered on my walk today that deck 6 is again open and all cabins are filled.  

OMG, is that where Celebrity quarantines?  I thought the CDC frowned on that...but you are not sailing from the US now.  I would not be happy.

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, lostatsea200 said:

For your information if flying in or out of terminal 5 Stofitel Hotel is attached to the

terminal 5.  Easy walkway to the British Airways check in.  The have lovely exective

floor rooms.   We can't wait until we read on .  Safe flight.  

Thanks -- that would have been good to know.   Oh.well... we have plenty of time.   We have to check out by noon and our flight isn't until 2:30.  

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, pd7277 said:

OMG, is that where Celebrity quarantines?  I thought the CDC frowned on that...but you are not sailing from the US now.  I would not be happy.

 

CDC no longer has any bearing on Silhouette as it is no longer in U.S. waters.   On Silhouette they were quarantining on deck 3 OV cabins until they ran out then people were either moved to a cabin on deck 6 if only one person in room tested positive or as in our case being the last day remained in our room on 11.  

 

The decision on where to quarantine is at the discretion of the Captain and varies by ship. 

[Jim_Iain]

11 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Strangely, I don’t recognise much of Oxford, and certainly not the Botanic gardens, but students found alternative things to do and it was 60 years ago.😱

 

I can only imagine.   I went back to my old college town awhile back and like you it was so different I barely recognized.   

[Jim_Iain]

10 hours ago, bunnyette said:

What no photo of the toastie?

 

I took a bite before I thought about it.   Thank god for all the readers I will never post a picture with a bite out of it.  

[sgmn]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Thanks -- that would have been good to know.   Oh.well... we have plenty of time.   We have to check out by noon and our flight isn't until 2:30.  

There should be bus shuttles to take you to the terminal 

[Jim_Iain]

What a day.     We still had our car to use during the evening.   Since we had plenty of time we left early to refuel the car and return it to Avis. 

 

Our contract said to return it to Terminal 5 Avis Return -  No problem we THOUGHT.. 

 

We followed the signs for Avis Return and then the signs stopped.   I got in the wrong lane and was stuck in the parking garage so had to pay 5 Pounds to get out.    OK.....Next we made another round and back to the garage and saw a sign point to the Avis Return again and took the other lane in the Garage.    We were on the top floor and for the life of us couldn't find where to return.   I pulled over and Iain asked an attendant and He said.... oh sorry they permanently closed the Avis Return.   You need to take you car to Holiday Inn on Bath Road. ... OK... Paid another 5 pounds to get out and off to Holiday Inn. 

 

We found Holiday Inn at Bath road without a problem but couldn't find the entrance as there was a barricade up.   Iain got out and pressed a buzzer and the person inside said -  Sorry the Hotel has been closed and there is no one there.

 

OK... Enough is enough -    I called Avis to ask exactly where I was to return the car.   The agent was clueless and asked me if Heathrow was in England.   I was a little curt and let her know that yes it was and the Largest Airport in the world before hanging up on her.

 

I recalled from my days working in London that there was an Avis near Terminal 3 so of we went.   Luckily it was still there and open.    They checked us in quickly and had a driver zip us over to Terminal 5.  

[Jim_Iain]

We got to Glasgow around 3:00 PM but it took over an hour for the luggage to come out.  

 

Avis in Glasgow was really efficient and they processed our paperwork in less than 3 minutes and we were on our way.

 

So as not to be a bother for Iain's sister I booked another AirBnB in Prestwick.    It's no where as nice as the flat we left behind it is nice, clean and right on the seafront. 

 

It was a little strange on check-in as the host wanted to drop off the keys at Iain's Sisters -- OK.. fine with us.   We stopped buy and picked up the keys only to find the host at the property to welcome us.   Oh Well.... it was a nice reception.

 

Iain's Sister gave us some lovely Tulips and some provision to get started.

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

We had some comfort food -  Shepard Pie for dinner. 

 

beautiful views of the sea 

 

[chemmo]

Pleased to see you both settled in your new abode…We frequently also look  for apartment or villa type accommodation over hotels now for stays longer than two nights. It is so nice to have the additional space and extra freedom to dine where and when you want…We have been pleasantly surprised how relatively inexpensive it can be too.

 

Enjoy your family time! I hope your neeps, tatties, haggis and whisky are all up to standard!

[purduemom1]

On 5/6/2022 at 12:24 PM, Daneenm said:

Sadly, it was just announced that the Gilroy Garlic Festival will not return.  

The National Garlic Festival will be held in Fresno May 13, 14, 15.  Apparently Fresno County grows 77 % of all garlic grown in the US. Who knew? Anyone interested can google National Garlic Festival for more info. 
 

Jim, I am so enjoying your adventures and wish you and Iain many more happy days. 

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, chemmo said:

Pleased to see you both settled in your new abode…We frequently also look  for apartment or villa type accommodation over hotels now for stays longer than two nights. It is so nice to have the additional space and extra freedom to dine where and when you want…We have been pleasantly surprised how relatively inexpensive it can be too.

 

Enjoy your family time! I hope your neeps, tatties, haggis and whisky are all up to standard!

 

We are much the same.   It is so nice to have the extra room and the ability to have a home cooked meal on occasion when you just don't feel like going out for a sit down meal.

 

The extra bedroom is also a benefit when you have a spouse that snores. LOL  Most of the time I can use my Bose Sleep Buds but on occasion it is nice to escape to another bedroom or even a sofa.

[Jim_Iain]

5/8/22

 

Last night we took a long walk along the beach.  Beautiful night and the sunset did not disappoint. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[sunlover33]

On 5/5/2022 at 4:09 PM, Jim_Iain said:

 

I really don't think I would have thought I had Covid, especially after testing negative.   I would have thought I had allergies to all the trees in bloom.     From others I thought a Temperature was the number one indicator.   Even the nurse, the only thing she did at our door was take our temperatures.  Both us were normal. 

I agree completely, I thought I had an allergy to tree pollen. Ionly tested as visiting my 92 year old mum in hospital and surprisingly tested positive this morning. Hopefully that gives me an immune boost for our upcoming cruise in July. Just need DH to catch it now!  Really enjoying your thread and wonderful pictures. It’s really interesting to see views from someone else’s lens.