TxTeach79's Pride LIVE 5/28: Post Drydock European Adventure!

[TxTeach79]

Bilbao Bus Shots 

 

 

 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, TxTeach79 said:

Absolutely beautiful town. Loved these weird little trees. 
 

 

What Cities in Europe do is a type of tree pruning that's called Pollarding. Basically it is to keep the tree at a stunted height and size by consistently trimming EVERY branch off of the tree EVERY Fall. What this does is force the tree to grow new shoots every year to create this beautiful full leaf foliage for the Spring and summer season, only to be all chopped off in the Fall. That's why the trees look so ugly in the winter. The beauty of this type of tree trimming is the size of the tree will stay the same year after year for DECADES and even hundreds of years. The problem is you must trim it every Fall for this technique to work. Europe has high taxes which allow municipal governments to consistently devote resources to trimming their cities trees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollarding

Edited June 4, 2023 by kwokpot

[LatinaInTexas]

That was a fancy lunch, chefs table style😋 which I booked yesterday TYVM. I have to hit up Costco today, wonder if there's anyway they will fancy up my hot dog/pizza lunch😂

[TxTeach79]

[kdr69]

On 6/2/2023 at 1:13 PM, TxTeach79 said:

And then down one floor to the new venue! Installed alongside the new ADA cabins below the nightclub

 

 

Cant wait we have it booked for our August Cruise to Iceland.

[Calnev1]

On 5/29/2023 at 7:54 AM, Calnev1 said:

Can you post a picture of the Fun21 Blackjack table?  Would like to know if its dealt from a machine or a shoe.  Thanks!

Bump2.  Fyi, should be easy to grab a pic when the tables are closed!  🙂 I will be on the Glory TA next spring after her European dry dock, and expect whatever they did in the Pride casino they could repeat with the Glory.

Edited June 4, 2023 by Calnev1

[TxTeach79]

16 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

That was a fancy lunch, chefs table style😋 which I booked yesterday TYVM. I have to hit up Costco today, wonder if there's anyway they will fancy up my hot dog/pizza lunch😂

heck yes!!!! So glad you booked it!

[TxTeach79]

Nice new terminal, but the first one with no gift shop inside 

 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Home!

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Seriously, look at those big ol fluffy things 

 

[TxTeach79]

Amsterdam ShoreX are now available, but I can’t get the Hub to load. Some folks grabbed paper copies of the list on the way up. Honestly, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna do our own thing 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

 

[Hogladyrider]

@TxTeach79.....very interesting how following others who are also on your cruise doing "live" have a very different perspective of the ports!

 

Thank you so much for all of your personal time while in port.....your photos are AMAZING and the ports look so inviting, clean and interesting.  I am REALLY enjoying following and your review is definitely the best out there!

 

When I got up this morning with 1st cup of coffee in hand I had 7 pages to catch up on....way to go!

Edited June 4, 2023 by Hogladyrider

[TxTeach79]

Updated itinerary in the casino app 

 

[TxTeach79]

1 minute ago, Hogladyrider said:

@TxTeach79.....very interesting how following others who are also on your cruise doing "live" have a very different perspective of the ports!

 

Thank you so much for all of your personal time while in port.....your photos are AMAZING and the ports look so inviting, clean and interesting.  I am REALLY enjoying following and your review is definitely the best out there!

 

When I got up this morning with 1st cup of coffee in hand I had 7 pages to catch up on....way to go!

thanks!! For sure - everyone has their own likes, dislikes, and travel situations! That’s definitely all part of it. Nothing is perfect, but we’re having a pretty amazing time and have found so much to love in every port so far…. With lots more to go!

[BohJang]

San Sebastian looked so beautiful.  Just put it on my every increasing bucket list.

[TxTeach79]

14 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

Bump2.  Fyi, should be easy to grab a pic when the tables are closed!  🙂

ah! I meant to reply to you last night! Had a conversation with some folks at Alchemy saying it was machine dealt, but I’ll still try to confirm later

[TxTeach79]

1 minute ago, BohJang said:

San Sebastian looked so beautiful.  Just put it on my every increasing bucket list.

it truly was! We loved it. Very pedestrian friendly and so easy to navigate, very chill and relaxed 

[TxTeach79]

Now that we’re back onboard I can add some pics B took of the little spot where we had lunch. Randomly wandered down a side street just off the beach and found this cute little joint, sat at a sidewalk table. Friendly, relaxed, and delicious. 
 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Taking our bottle of Rias Biaxas wine to serenity 

 

 

 

[kwokpot]

19 minutes ago, BohJang said:

San Sebastian looked so beautiful.  Just put it on my every increasing bucket list.

Just as an aside Bilbao itself is a wonderful city and the Guggenheim museum is just amazing. Having said that the ship pier for Bilbao is actually in the town of Getxo. When we were there last year we walked to the local train station in Getxo and took the train into Bilbao. For ME, Bilbao and the Guggenheim was the highlight of this particular itinerary on last years Pride cruise.

 

[SDPadreFan]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

What Cities in Europe do is a type of tree pruning that's called Pollarding. Basically it is to keep the tree at a stunted height and size by consistently trimming EVERY branch off of the tree EVERY Fall. What this does is force the tree to grow new shoots every year to create this beautiful full leaf foliage for the Spring and summer season, only to be all chopped off in the Fall. That's why the trees look so ugly in the winter. The beauty of this type of tree trimming is the size of the tree will stay the same year after year for DECADES and even hundreds of years. The problem is you must trim it every Fall for this technique to work. Europe has high taxes which allow municipal governments to consistently devote resources to trimming their cities trees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollarding

My brother-in-law (a retired landscaper) does the exact same thing with the Jacaranda he has growing in his front yard in San Diego. Although he does keep a few small thin young shoots each time so it's not completely bare. He's in his early 80's now and still trims his trees every year. He also has a couple of Chinese Elm trees. One in the front yard with the jacaranda and another in the backyard.

[TxTeach79]

54 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

Bump2.  Fyi, should be easy to grab a pic when the tables are closed!  🙂 I will be on the Glory TA next spring after her European dry dock, and expect whatever they did in the Pride casino they could repeat with the Glory.

good news is, Glory doesn’t have a bar you can exactly rip out

[TxTeach79]

14 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Just as an aside Bilbao itself is a wonderful city and the Guggenheim museum is just amazing. Having said that the ship pier for Bilbao is actually in the town of Getxo. When we were there last year we walked to the local train station in Getxo and took the train into Bilbao. For ME, Bilbao and the Guggenheim was the highlight of this particular itinerary on last years Pride cruise.

 

Yep, if I get back here I’ll definitely try to get to the Guggenheim…. I’ve heard nothing but effusive praise. B has just had San Sebastián on her radar for a long time (and isn’t really a museum person), so I was more than happy with the compromise on this one. 

[LUVMYGSDOG]

1 hour ago, TxTeach79 said:

San Sebastián was amazing. Def more “resort town” and upscale (prices too) than most places we’ve been 

I loved all the dogs there.

 

Kim

[#55worktoplay]

1 hour ago, TxTeach79 said:

San Sebastián was amazing. Def more “resort town” and upscale (prices too) than most places we’ve been 

It sure got put on my map based on your amazing pics and tour. Just wow!!  Thanks