The Fleet Report and Daily for Friday August 25th, 2023

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Here are a few pictures of Keelung when we got back from Taipei.  We walked from the train station to the night market and then back to the ship.  Asian night markets are always interesting. 

 

The street outside the train station.

 

There were food vendors even before we got to the night market.  We can't remember what the lady was making, but IIFC the filling was chocolate or vanilla, but don't hold me to that.

 

 

A store along the way

 

A big intersection just before the night market area. 

 

 

The night market

 

One of many "restaurants" in the market.  We stopped at one and had a coke and fried vegetables, which we thought was safer.

 

We came across this building on a side area of the night market.  When we went inside, it looked like some kind of temple or shrine.

 

 

You can find just about everything in the Keelung night market.

 

 

 

Keelung from the ship as we sailed to the next port.

 

Lenda

Interesting photos Lenda.

Thanks for posting them.

 

[durangoscots]

Good morning a bit late. Cool here - 62F right now with a high in the mid-70's and possibly more rain showers. We had some nice ones yesterday with a little thunder. Just hope the lightening strikes were all harmless. Would love the lasagna rollups. And am enjoying the pictures since that would be new territory for me. Don't think I will get there.

 

@kazuI need to train Bandit better. He has always been a runner - I suspect that was how his first family lost him since he had been very well taken care of before he turned up a the shelter as a stray. I think he may have bolted from an RV since he loves to ride in the car and no one ever claimed him although the shelter had him for over a month. However, we are now working on "drop" and also on recalls. I don't need that kind of excitement. My terriers were all trained for competition obedience and did well off leash. One took off after a neighbors cat one time, I called "come" and he turned around and came right back to me .... the ultimate test. Even then, when we walked away from the condo they were on leash.... too many critters around here. Coyotes, foxes, deer, bears, and mountain lions come to mind.

 

Take care all ... I am off to do little things around the house and make a quick trip to the thrift store. I spent yesterday evening trying on shoes from the back of my closet and found there are a significant number that I can no longer wear due to foot issues which are not going to be resolved. So off they go......

 

Susan

[grapau27]

Interesting to see Nieuw Statendam are planning cruises from Dover England in 2025.

It was 2015 when HAL last had a UK base.

[puppycanducruise]

@Haljo1935 Good luck with the surgery, I hope you can enjoy your cruises.

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

Good collection of days, I'll pass on the drink but would like the white wine and meal. A big thank you to Tina @0106for the fantastic job of filling in for Debbie while she was on her cruise. 

Have never been to China, thank you for all photos!

 

I'll be taking it easy today, other than the usual cruise planning.  Yesterday we were with the DGSs at their house while DD had an in-city meeting.  She ran late getting home and DSIL never gets home before 7:30, so I made dinner for the boys and us...that's always an interesting task because I never know where she keeps things in the kitchen!  I never did find the vegetable peeler 😉  The boys ate every bite, so that was good.  I also brought brownies for their treat.  We had fascinating entertainment while there -- a mother deer and her fawn spent nearly the whole afternoon in DD's wooded back yard napping and chewing on the English Ivy.  Much better that then the flowers and veggies in the front yard, which they also nibbled on (I thought of you Jacqui @kazu)!!  They were so cute, but had no fear when DH tried to shoo them away from DD's tomatoes.  

 

I learned that the bugs eating my pepper plants are the dreaded stink bugs -- something I've never seen in our yard before now. 😞  I've been killing them off one by one with soapy water, I just hope the peppers ripen before they eat them instead of the leaves.  I read that they'll eat pretty much anything.  Thankfully (so far) they're leaving my tomatoes alone.

 

The deer in DD's back yard, where they're welcome to eat the Ivy.  

 

 

[rafinmd]

39 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Interesting to see Nieuw Statendam are planning cruises from Dover England in 2025.

It was 2015 when HAL last had a UK base.

Sounds like it could be a good fit for you.

 

Roy

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks all! 
@marshhawk such wise words,  it’s such a tough journey for both the person needing treatment and their love ones.  Good ideas to ask about alternatives and weigh risks and benefits. It’s tough to make these decisions.  I agree joy is so important, for all of us.  I wish you and Chuck and Terry and Lou,  Hope and joy!  Agree on the masking, things are not looking good. 
@Haljo1935 hoping you get loosen things to prepare for your cruises and surgery!  I have found walking with hiking poles has helped my shoulder. Something to ask about perhaps. 
Welcome back Debbie! @dfish

And @StLouisCruisers

Many thanks @0106, that cocktail sauce sounds interesting! 
@ger_77 yay, on the good test results,  we should never take them for granted.  Good to celebrate!  
@kazu cheers to Ivan and you!  

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Today's sunrise is from the Panama segment of my 2018 Grand Alaska/Panama trip.  August 25 was Crystal's maiden call to Bimini, back before there was a dock there:

 

 

Roy

Wow!  Love this photo! 
 

Well DD and family made it safely home, they had to travel through the area of wildfires, so very grateful! 

my foxglove have been very happy this year.

Edited August 25, 2023 by bennybear

[sailingdutchy]

Good morning all readers and contributors of the Cruise Critic Fleet report and Daily News , with a special thanks to Rich @richwmn

 

Some pictures from our cruise while on the Volendam from Vancouver , Canada to Hong Kong  ( Sept 2017 - Nov 2017 ) 

 

Oops bad start ......... but it says Welcome to Keelung .........

 

 

Sights we saw after docking in Keelung in November of 2017 on Mount Keelung 

 

 

 

Lets start our tour with a very nice lunch after we reached Taipei the capital of Taiwan  

 

 

 

Entering the grounds where the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall stands in memory of the Generalissimo and former President of the Republic of China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived exactly on time to witness the change of the guards 

 

 

 

The guide we had positioned us right in the centre just behind the red carpet so we had the best place to watch the change of the guards which was amazingly precise .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving the Memorial Hall 

 

 

 

Officially this square behind the palace is called Liberty Square .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t know the game they were playing , don't think it is Mexican Train .......but it was intense …...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting one of the most famous temple in Taipei .

 

 

A sample of some of the integrate and ornate decorative art in the temples 

 

 

 

 

 

Offerings on a special day in this temple on display 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I will end with our visit of the market on the ground floor of this 

Yes this is that same tower , Taipei 101 , you saw earlier today ……...maybe a slightly different angle 

 

 

 

Hope I did not take up too much space today ....have a great weekend everybody .

Have to help DW make a great big pot of spaghetti sauce with our beautiful tomatoes .

 

Tony 😄😁

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by sailingdutchy

[HAL4NOW]

And a nice bagpipe send off from Saint John. The rain held off until the end.

 

[kazu]

22 minutes ago, HAL4NOW said:

And a nice bagpipe send off from Saint John. The rain held off until the end.

 

 

So glad the weather co-operated.

 

Port of Saint John is pretty good at welcoming and bidding farewell, normally 👍 

[USN59-79]

Hope I don't sound nit picky, but this is a serious subject for me.  There is no country called Taiwan, China, just as there is no country called Ukraine, Russia.  Taiwan is a free country, coveted by China, but not a part of China.  It is a democracy, not a communist state like China.

Ray

[RedneckBob]

3 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Not everyone will get this. The one person you don’t want to see in your hometown during Hurricane season.

 

He had lunch at my house today ! 😳😳😳😳😳😳

Sorry, a little late today preparing house for possible impact to the Tampa Bay Area.

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info from all contributors.

 

Kiss and make up day. I might kiss someone but I will never put make up on my face after the kiss.

Banana Split Day. Where do you learn to make a banana split? Sundae school.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, rafinmd said:

Sounds like it could be a good fit for you.

 

Roy

Looks very interesting for us sailing from the UK.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, sailingdutchy said:

Good morning all readers and contributors of the Cruise Critic Fleet report and Daily News , with a special thanks to Rich @richwmn

 

Some pictures from our cruise while on the Volendam from Vancouver , Canada to Hong Kong  ( Sept 2017 - Nov 2017 ) 

 

Oops bad start ......... but it says Welcome to Keelung .........

 

 

Sights we saw after docking in Keelung in November of 2017 on Mount Keelung 

 

 

 

Lets start our tour with a very nice lunch after we reached Taipei the capital of Taiwan  

 

 

 

Entering the grounds where the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall stands in memory of the Generalissimo and former President of the Republic of China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived exactly on time to witness the change of the guards 

 

 

 

The guide we had positioned us right in the centre just behind the red carpet so we had the best place to watch the change of the guards which was amazingly precise .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving the Memorial Hall 

 

 

 

Officially this square behind the palace is called Liberty Square .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t know the game they were playing , don't think it is Mexican Train .......but it was intense …...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting one of the most famous temple in Taipei .

 

 

A sample of some of the integrate and ornate decorative art in the temples 

 

 

 

 

 

Offerings on a special day in this temple on display 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I will end with our visit of the market on the ground floor of this 

Yes this is that same tower , Taipei 101 , you saw earlier today ……...maybe a slightly different angle 

 

 

 

Hope I did not take up too much space today ....have a great weekend everybody .

Have to help DW make a great big pot of spaghetti sauce with our beautiful tomatoes .

 

Tony 😄😁

 

 

 

Great collection of photos Tony.

[grapau27]

We went out for dinner.

[StLouisCruisers]

48 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

Hope I don't sound nit picky, but this is a serious subject for me.  There is no country called Taiwan, China, just as there is no country called Ukraine, Russia.  Taiwan is a free country, coveted by China, but not a part of China.  It is a democracy, not a communist state like China.

Ray

 

I was thinking the same thing Ray.  Let's hope Taiwan stays a free country too.

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Looks very interesting for us sailing from the UK.

 

How exciting Graham!  Maybe now you can find a nice itinerary on Holland America and try them out.  🤞

[grapau27]

44 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

I was thinking the same thing Ray.  Let's hope Taiwan stays a free country too.

 

 

 

 

How exciting Graham!  Maybe now you can find a nice itinerary on Holland America and try them out.  🤞

Definitely Sandi.

[Live4cruises]

Please add me to the list of Dailyites whose DH has health concerns. Mine fell on Sunday, and is now the host to four broken ribs and a gash on the forehead. We’re still in the hospital, but expecting to go home today or tomorrow. Fortunately no concussion, but he had a chest tube for several days, and is quite bruised. As others, he has displayed a dramatic streak, but is generally a cooperative and motivated patient. 
it has been an experience - one that I didn’t think we really needed. 
Thank you all

[quilty964]

@Live4cruisesSo sorry to hear about your DH.  Prayers that he heals quickly with minimal pain, and can come home soon.  @marshhawk@smitty34877Also prayers for Lou and Chuck.  I don't have much experience, or words of wisdom, but I can pray for you caregivers also.  

 

I might try a banana split, but I'd rather have the root beer float we talked about last week!  The food suggestions sound good also, thanks to @0106.  I have a lot of tomatoes that are ripe, and might try to make some spaghetti sauce for the lasagna rollups!  

 

We're dog sitting tonite for our dear grand-dog!  He was barking at me for 5 minutes....i figured out he wanted his dinner, but it was 2 hours early.  I guess he gets a snack later!  He's snoring now.  

 

 @grapau27Maybe you can check out those cruises from England!  We'll be on the Nieuw Statendam in February, I'm sure you'll hear lots of info here!  

 

Have a great weekend everyone!  Karen

[smitty34877]

@Live4cruises, I am so sorry to hear of your husband's  injury. It sounds very painful and I hope that he can recover at home soon.

 

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

Please add me to the list of Dailyites whose DH has health concerns. Mine fell on Sunday, and is now the host to four broken ribs and a gash on the forehead. We’re still in the hospital, but expecting to go home today or tomorrow. Fortunately no concussion, but he had a chest tube for several days, and is quite bruised. As others, he has displayed a dramatic streak, but is generally a cooperative and motivated patient. 
it has been an experience - one that I didn’t think we really needed. 
Thank you all

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's fall and his 4 broken ribs and head gash.

I wish him all the best in his recovery.

I'm sure most of the DHs of the ladies on here take injuries and illness in their stride and don't want to make a big deal about it.

 

[Seasick Sailor]

Dear Daily-ites, 

It has been another crazy day but want to let you know I've included everyone in prayer today and am adding @Live4cruises DH to my prayer book. 

 

Blessings, 

Joy

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good afternoon from a hot central Texas.  When I came in to check on the daily about about 30 minutes ago, the thermometer said it was 107F, and it's not even the hotest part of the afternoon yet. 

 

I got ambitious today and decided to tackle a job I've been putting off for months, cleaning the oven and the air fryer.  The oven had never been cleaned, but until 2020, I'd always cooked things that splattered in the roaster, so it wasn't too bad.  While I always wipe out the air fryer with hot water after using it, quite a bit of grease had built up in three years, mostly from the Cornish game hens I cook using the rotisserie.  I found a spray cleaner which foams and dissolves the grease.  It's a little messy, but works pretty well except for the really baked on grease.  Both the air fryer and the oven look much better, and the racks in the air fryer are shinny again, so I'm pleased.  However, it was a bigger job than I expected.  We do have a self-cleaning oven here and in Quartzsite, but it is too hot to use that feature now.  Besides, the smell can be quite intense.

 

4 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good morning to all.

I am happy to be back.  We had two days of no communication service.  It appears that the equipment in our house decided to die.  It was supposed to be replaced on Wednesday but did not happen until yesterday.  More things to aggravate me.  

 

Meanwhile, I finally heard from the floor guy.  He wanted to come on the exact day that i have an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.  How did i know that was going to happen!  Anyway, we settled on next Thursday, August 31.  I really hope he shows up this time.

 

Thank you Rich for the Daily, and to Vanessa for the Cares and Celebration list.  Tina, you did a wonderful job subbing for Debbie.  Three cheers!   Thank you also to Ann and Dixie on the Beverage front.

 

Today i will see if I can get a few things done in trying to clean out the garage.  I have been trying to do this by myself but it has been so hot that it is next to impossible.

 

There are just so many things to do and my arms and shoulders are not cooperating at this time.

Hopefully the doc will have some solutions when I see him on Tuesday.

 

I am late with a few things.

@smitty34877 You and your family are in my daily prayers.  I hope that somehow there is another treatment for Lou so that he can get past this hard time.  

@marshhawk I hope your DH is in less pain today.

@Denise T Congratulations on getting though your orals to get your thesis project approved.  All the best on that.  Also congrats on the blood sugar results.

@Haljo1935Welcome to our group.  You will be remembered in my prayers.  I hope you can have your surgery soon.  Please keep us informed on how you are doing.

 

I hope everyone is having a good day.  i hope you all are out of harms way with the brewing storms.

 

God Bless,

Terri

 

Terri, I'm glad your internet is back, and that you have a date to have the floors replaced.  Let's hope that is the end of the problems.

 

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Interesting to see Nieuw Statendam are planning cruises from Dover England in 2025.

It was 2015 when HAL last had a UK base.

 

Graham, I'm glad  you will have a chance to try a BHB beauty in a couple of years.  

 

3 hours ago, bennybear said:

Good morning and thanks all! 
@marshhawk such wise words,  it’s such a tough journey for both the person needing treatment and their love ones.  Good ideas to ask about alternatives and weigh risks and benefits. It’s tough to make these decisions.  I agree joy is so important, for all of us.  I wish you and Chuck and Terry and Lou,  Hope and joy!  Agree on the masking, things are not looking good. 
@Haljo1935 hoping you get loosen things to prepare for your cruises and surgery!  I have found walking with hiking poles has helped my shoulder. Something to ask about perhaps. 
Welcome back Debbie! @dfish

And @StLouisCruisers

Many thanks @0106, that cocktail sauce sounds interesting! 
@ger_77 yay, on the good test results,  we should never take them for granted.  Good to celebrate!  
@kazu cheers to Ivan and you!  

Wow!  Love this photo! 
 

Well DD and family made it safely home, they had to travel through the area of wildfires, so very grateful! 

my foxglove have been very happy this year.

 

Brenda, I'm glad your DD and her family made it back home safely.

 

2 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

He had lunch at my house today ! 😳😳😳😳😳😳

Sorry, a little late today preparing house for possible impact to the Tampa Bay Area.

 

RNB, I hope you are spared impact from the storm, but glad you have the house ready just in case.  Stay safe.

 

39 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

Please add me to the list of Dailyites whose DH has health concerns. Mine fell on Sunday, and is now the host to four broken ribs and a gash on the forehead. We’re still in the hospital, but expecting to go home today or tomorrow. Fortunately no concussion, but he had a chest tube for several days, and is quite bruised. As others, he has displayed a dramatic streak, but is generally a cooperative and motivated patient. 
it has been an experience - one that I didn’t think we really needed. 
Thank you all

 

I am sorry your DH fell and broke four ribs and got a gash on his head.  I hope he can come home soon, and that he has a quick recovery and as pain free as possible with broken ribs.

 

@USN59-79  Ray, I don't think you are being nit picky on the incorrect names for Taiwan and Ukraine.  Just because China and Russia want to claim them, doesn't mean they are part of those countries. 

 

BTW, today is Ukraine's Independence Day.  The got their independence from Russia 31 years ago in 1991.  

 

Lenda

Edited August 25, 2023 by Quartzsite Cruiser

[kazu]

42 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

Please add me to the list of Dailyites whose DH has health concerns. Mine fell on Sunday, and is now the host to four broken ribs and a gash on the forehead. We’re still in the hospital, but expecting to go home today or tomorrow. Fortunately no concussion, but he had a chest tube for several days, and is quite bruised. As others, he has displayed a dramatic streak, but is generally a cooperative and motivated patient. 
it has been an experience - one that I didn’t think we really needed. 
Thank you all

 

Oh no!  😱. I am so very sorry to hear this 😢 

 

You two didn’t need this for sure 😔. You are both in my prayers 🙏 

 

 

3 hours ago, bennybear said:

Well DD and family made it safely home, they had to travel through the area of wildfires, so very grateful! 

 

that must have been scary for them.  So glad they are safely home ♥️ 

 

 

3 hours ago, bennybear said:

my foxglove have been very happy this year.

 

Gorgeous!  Such a pretty colour 👍 

 

 

3 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

I learned that the bugs eating my pepper plants are the dreaded stink bugs -- something I've never seen in our yard before now. 😞  I've been killing them off one by one with soapy water, I just hope the peppers ripen before they eat them instead of the leaves.  I read that they'll eat pretty much anything.  Thankfully (so far) they're leaving my tomatoes alone.

 

Oh dam and double dam.  Those things are awful.  I believe your technique is the only one that works to get rid of those awful things.  Keep at it and may your peppers be very flavourful after all this work.

 

 

3 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

 

The deer in DD's back yard, where they're welcome to eat the Ivy.  

 

 

 

Ivan and I say you can have them all.  Dam things.  He barks at them when he sees them beyond our fence.

Stupid things destroyed my liatris out front.  It’s the one plant that has always been deer proof.  Not this year 😡 

 

 

4 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good morning to all.

I am happy to be back.  We had two days of no communication service.  It appears that the equipment in our house decided to die.  It was supposed to be replaced on Wednesday but did not happen until yesterday.  More things to aggravate me.  

 

Meanwhile, I finally heard from the floor guy.  He wanted to come on the exact day that i have an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.  How did i know that was going to happen!  Anyway, we settled on next Thursday, August 31.  I really hope he shows up this time.

 

So glad you got your connection back.

 

Glad your floor guy connected.  I sure hope he shows up on the new date 🤞