Activities and perks aboard ship…Faroe Islands photos…A few ship photos…More to come…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 7, 2014 with 0 Comment

As we approached the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic.

With school starting this month in most parts of the world, there are probably less than a dozen children aboard this cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas.

We were amazed by the gorgeous scenery.

Overall, we’ve surmised that 80% of the ship’s passengers are over 60 years old with many, well into their 70’s, 80’s, more. For once, we’re not the oldies of the crowd. Our time will come.

The ship slowly moved past the smaller islands.

This cruise has been one social fest after another with friendly and approachable passengers of all ages. On several occasions, we’ve been approached by couples saying they’ve “heard” of us or read our website. We’re shocked and humbled by this.

Beautiful!

We passed out more business cards on this cruise than any in the past. We’re not newbies as much as we were when we sailed on our first cruise 20 months ago through the Panama Canal.

The sun peeked out.

This is our ninth cruise since January 3, 2013. Based on the frequency of cruising by many people we’ve met, we’re cruising newbies. Many of the more seasoned cruisers of 25 or more cruises have already seen most of the world. We love hearing their stories as well as sharing our own.

There were no trees on any of the islands.

Each cruise line offers perks based on the number of cruises and days at sea. (Please click the link to see benefits). This is only our second Royal Caribbean cruise. With only 15 prior days at sea on the RC’s Mariner of the Seas in May 2013, we’re only in the Gold category in the “Crown and Anchor Society.” At the end of this cruise, we’ll have 29 days logged, one short of moving up to the next category.

The sun cast shadows on the lush green islands.

Some of the perks include free drinks at certain venues during certain periods of time, discounted cruises, robes in cabins, and more than we can mention here. Some perks have little value while others result in substantial savings and benefits.

Love this view of the Faroe Islands.

When we booked our first eight cruises we’d decided to try several cruise lines based on the locations we intended to visit. With the expectation of eventually picking one or two more cruises over time, it would enable us to accumulate additional points to move up the ranks to higher categories.

Numerous waterfalls ran down the hills.

The difficulty of this is our preference for certain cruise itineraries. We try to use a cruise as transportation to or from a location where we’re potentially interested in living for two to three months.

When we returned to our cabin, this cute fellow was sitting on the bed wearing my shades.

Many people have asked us if we’d prefer to cruise constantly. Tom said that he’d love it if it included laundry service. For me, not so much. It’s the restrictive food thing and never being able to cook our meals. As much as I love it, I’d tire of cruising in no time. However, although many believe it is affordable to cruise constantly for us, it isn’t. It simply doesn’t fit into our budget.

This is the area where we lounge in the mornings when not out on tours.

As it turns out, we stay in affordable vacation homes for as long as we do which allows us to cruise from time to time. In essence, the cruise becomes the equivalent of our “vacation/holiday” if there is such a thing for world travelers such as us.

Many lounge areas have complimentary coffee, tea, and juice stations.

We hadn’t been on a cruise since we disembarked the Norwegian Spirit through the northern Mediterranean ending in Venice, Italy on June 16, 2013, after which we spent the summer in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. From this point forward we have four booked cruises ending in April 2016 from Sydney to Perth Australia.

The Windjammer Café is a buffet.

Of course, we have the upcoming cruise from Vancouver, BC to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii beginning on September 23rd, in a mere two weeks with the next in May 2015 from Hawaii to Sydney, Australia.

Particular attention must be paid to handling common items such as salt and pepper shakers and tongs for various items. We wrap a cloth napkin around our hands tossing it when we’re done gathering our food.

The only issue of cruising for us, other than the cost, is the constant problems with WiFi aboard the various ships. The tech guy aboard this ship explained their system was 12 years old being upgraded in a month. That doesn’t help us. I still can’t get online on my laptop and must use Tom’s laptop to upload posts when we’re out to sea, upcoming from September 9th to September 14th, the day we disembark in Boston.

The outdoor dining area off the Windjammer Café where it is too cool to sit most days.

When we’ll be in port on Sunday and Monday, I’ll be able to upload a few posts using our rented MiFi. As mentioned earlier, our goal is to continue posting for any of these upcoming dates. Once in Boston, we’ll also post each day. Hopefully, I won’t have WiFi issues on the next ship to Hawaii, the Celebrity Solstice.

Another view of outdoor dining and lounging areas where it’s too cold to be now.

The food situation has been manageable for me. Tom has been enjoying the options and even trying a few new items. We’ll be sharing food photos in a few days and the joys and perils of eating aboard ship. By the time we prepare that post, we’ll have tried two to three specialty restaurants whereby I’m able to be served higher-quality food specially prepared for my way of eating. The option in the main dining room has been bland and flavorless.

More waterfalls.

As we prepared this post on yet another cloudy day, we’ll be perusing the ship taking photos to upload with overcast skies which may impede the quality. We’ve had a few sunny days since we left Madeira well over a month ago.

Rita’s Mexican Cantina. There’s a US $2 charge for most meals.

Cruising is schmoozing. It’s fun. We’ve met dozens of couples and singles each with their own story to tell, all of which revolve around the love of travel. We’ve yet to meet one person or couple who is on their first cruise.

Bar at Rita’s Cantina. Cocktails are not included in the cruise fare.

Many people we’ve met are curious about our lifestyle and some ask us questions as to how we managed to make it happen. Many women say they couldn’t leave their homes and their stuff. Some can’t leave aging parents unattended for more than short periods. Some won’t leave their families.

Looking down into the center courtyard from the upper level.

It’s all very personal. Many men have said they would love to travel non-stop but their wives won’t do it. It’s all interesting to us. We respect and admire their lives for their choices for happiness. We don’t expect that others would or could do what we’re doing, nor do we speak about it in that context.

The long hallway walk to our cabin.

We speak of living life “on your own terms” for whatever will make one happy. If it’s cuddling with a blanket into a comfy chair with a good book, taking daily long walks with their dogs, or playing cards in their retirement home with their neighbors. One must choose their own path.

Display area of directions to find areas in the ship.

As one enters their 60’s and 70’s it’s a time when we suddenly realize our mortality. Life is short. Health may be precarious. Finances may be limited. However, each one of us must choose the path that speaks to our dreams and our interests. Clearly, we’ve chosen ours. Yes, it’s wrought with a certain amount of sorrow for leaving those we love behind.

But, wherever we go, our loved ones are with us, in our hearts and minds and soon, in a mere three months, we’ll all be together again.

Photo from one year ago today, September 7, 2013:

The road outside our house in Kenya. For details from that date, please click here.

Part 2, Stonehenge…The village of Salisbury…Another historical Cathedral…The world’s first clock! The Magna Carta!

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 7, 2014 with 0 Comment

As we made our way up the walkway to the Salisbury Cathedral.

After leaving Stonehenge, our driver Steven suggested we continue our day long tour to the historic village of Salisbury, England where he was excited for the eight of us to see the Salisbury Cathedral.

The oldest licensed inn is Salisbury. Steven explained this is purported to be the oldest pub in England.

Typical home in the village of Salisbury.

Having seen many churches in our travels, never seeming to have our fill, our own enthusiasm escalated when Steven explained we were in for a big surprise. The drive from Stonehenge to Salisbury was approximately an hour.

A college in the village.

Exterior of the Cathedral.

This is the world’s oldest clock. See below for the full description.

The description of the world’s oldest clock from the year 1386.

With the lively chatter as us girls sat together in the front of the van, while the boys sat in the back, none of us paid much attention to the length of the drive. We certainly were all enjoying each other’s conversation and companionship.

More interesting architecture for the 13th century.

For Tom and I, having spent almost six months without interacting with English speaking companions, we were both in our glory. There’s no doubt we both hogged the conversations, making up for the lost time.

What an exquisite building!

For this, we apologize to our new friends. It’s such fun talking to someone other than each other after spending the past six months in non-English speaking countries. Of course, we thoroughly enjoyed talking to one another but, a new face, a new voice, a varied opinion, and experience, is always refreshing.

Steven, our knowledgeable tour guide.

It was a pleasure to walk through the Cathedral.

This is a decorative pool. Steven explained that a tourist set her handbag atop the water when she thought it was a glass top as opposed to water and the handbag sunk to the bottom.

As we approached the beautiful village of Salisbury we knew that Steven had our best interests in mind, as we oohed and ahh’d over the scenery in the village. After parking on a side street, Steven walked toward the church with us, explaining that once we entered, a donation was “expected.”

Battle flags from centuries ago.

Tribute to Normandy located in the Cathedral.

Luckily, as we entered the church, the two receptionists explained they’d take pounds or credit cards. We were quickly getting down to our last British Pounds Sterling.

The detail in the design in the Cathedral was some of the most impressive we’ve seen.

In every direction, there was a feast for the eyes in design and color.

Since this was to be our last foray in the UK for who-knows-how-long, we were thrilled we’d succeeded in ridding ourselves of any remaining pounds before leaving the country.

Tourists gathered to appreciate the stained glass.

With all of our travels, we tried to use up any remaining currency by the time we leave the country since many countries have currency we may never use again. Have numerous forms of currency in one’s wallet, never to be used is annoying and wasteful. Thus far, all has gone well.

A side altar or memorial.

The Salisbury Cathedral was well worth the US $9.78, six pounds we paid upon entry. With the steady flow of tourists entering the church, we anticipated they’d be able to continue their ongoing renovation, not unlike the Sagrada Familia we’d seen in Barcelona, Spain over a year ago.

We’ve visited dozens of churches in our travels finding each one unique and appealing in its own way. It was no different from the Salisbury Cathedral, eliciting a gasp when we entered with raging curiosity to see as much as we could in the time allotted until once again we’d be on the road, anxious to return to the ship on time.

A memorial. We were unable to read who was buried here. With our WiFi issues at this time, we’re unable to research online to identify each photo.

Again, this was a private tour for the eight of us with the ship not waiting one moment beyond scheduled departure for such. We kept a watchful eye on the time, eventually returning well within the mandatory boarding time frame.

The Salisbury Cathedral originally was two miles to the north of Old Sarum, where the foundations of the great Norman Cathedral can still be seen. Old Sarum was a garrison town and squabbles with the military-led Bishop Richard Poore to decide to rebuild in the valley below

Building commenced in the year 1220 at about the same time the checkered street plan of Salisbury was also laid out. The Cathedral was built under the supervision of one of the canons, Elias de Dereham, assisted by a famous master mason Nicholas of Ely.

By 1258 the choir, transept, and naves were completed and consecration occurred on September 30th.

The spire, 404 feet high, and the highest in England and the third highest in Europe was added 100 years later between 1334 and 1365. Salisbury Cathedral is acknowledged as the most attractive in English Cathedrals in both settings and appearances.

Outside the Cathedral, our group met for beverages from the café.

Rather than stay in the group of eight, Tom and I wandered off on our own with a set time, we’d meet for the walk to the awaiting van.

During our enthusiastic perusing, we were delighted to see one of the three worldwide originals of the Magna Carta on display. Unfortunately, it was one of the few items in the massive church prohibited from photo taking.

Although disappointed we couldn’t take a photo, it was enriching to see it in any case. Its lengthy translation was posted on a wall.

Tom graciously posed for a photo. Thanks, Honey!

Finally, it was time to be on our way and after another great day of touring both Stonehenge and Salisbury, we were content to be back to the ship for yet another enjoyable dinner, sharing a table with a new group of six. The socialization on cruises is always a stupendous source of pleasure for us, thanks to the many fine people we meet.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back sharing some of the events in which we’ve participated on the ship and details of how we spend each day both out to sea and on tour days.

Have a happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 6, 2013:

Two of the goat that lived in the backyard of the property jumped on the fence to entertain us while we lived in Diani Beach, Kenya for three months. For details, please click here.

Part 2, a day in Normandy…Profoundly moving experience…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 6, 2014 with 0 Comment

The grounds at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial are meticulously maintained and a treasure to behold.

As we continue with the photos on Part 2 of our tour of Normandy, France, which was five days ago, the memories of that special day still flow freely through our minds.

Omaha Beach.

Omaha Beach.

Without a doubt, the experience which I’d anticipated would not be of much interest to me other than deep compassion for the brave soldiers that died for our freedom, proved to be an experience we’ll both always remember.

This view toward the land from the beach, that the soldiers had to navigate as the Germans lay in wait in bunkers throughout the area.

Not only were we moved when visiting the beaches and the grounds of the perfectly manicured and landscaped tribute to our fallen soldiers of so long ago, but we were also pleased to see the reverence and respect that have kept this site an important place for Americans and other citizens to visit.

The walkway we took toward the American Cemetery and Memorial.

We walked through the garden and memorial in order the enter the area of the marked and unmarked gravesites.

As we walked in the sand on the almost barren Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, we could easily imagine the sorrowful struggle our soldiers bore as they stormed the beaches continually besieged by well planned German soldiers.

Us, on Omaha Beach, both grateful for the opportunity to visit historic Normandy, France.

The massive Allied assault on the Normandy coastline on June 6, 1944, aimed to liberate France and fight its way into Nazi Germany. Prior to dawn on June 6, three airborne divisions, the US 82nd and 101st and, the British 6th, landed by parachute and glider behind the targeted beaches.

Bronze statue at the cemetery, “The spirit of the American Youth Rising from the Waves”

View of the sea and Omaha Beach from the cemetery.

Allied naval forces including the US Coast Guard, conveyed assault forces across the English Channel. Beginning at 6:30 am six US, British and Canadian divisions landed on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches in history’s greatest amphibious assault.

This was only a small section of the gravesites of almost 10,000 fallen soldiers.

Grave marker for Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, son of former President Theodore Roosevelt.

Over the next three months, the Allies battled German troops throughout Normandy. British and Canadian freed Caen, France, and the Americans liberated Cherbourg staging a dramatic breakout.

Memorial building on the grounds of the cemetery.

There is a wall of names such as shown here in the Garden of the Missing.

Many exquisite roses and plantings highlight the grave plots as they trim the Garden of the Missing.

Allied troops, joined by French and Polish units encircled and annihilated German troops at the Falaise Pocket while surviving units fled eastward. At this point, the way was now open to advance toward Paris and then on to Germany.”

Soldier statue memorial at Omaha Beach.

For more information on Normandy, please click here.

Another bunker.

Machine guns and cannons were hidden in the German bunkers.

Tom at another bunker.

Another bunker at Omaha Beach.

Interior of a bunker.

After we left Normandy, we drove to the nearby village where we stopped to meander through the small village, entering a historic church in St. Mere Eglise built in the 13th century where there was a memorial of a paratrooper who landed and was hanging on the church’s steeple. So sorrowful.

View along Utah Beach.

Cannon on display at Utah Beach.

“The town’s main claim to fame is that it played a significant part in the World War II Normandy landings because this village stood right in the middle of route N13, which the Germans would have most likely used on any significant counterattack on the troops landing on Utah and Omaha Beaches.

Rock formation at Utah Beach.

Path to statues at Utah Beach.

Utah beach was equally pristine as Omaha Beach.

“In the early morning of 6 June 1944 mixed units of the U.S. 82nd Airborne and U.S. 101st Airborne Divisions occupied the town in Operation Boston, giving it the claim to be one of the first towns liberated in the invasion.”

Statue and memorial to officers and seamen of the US Navy who transported all the US troops for the D-Day invasion.

The Pont du Hoc Monument is a granite pylon topping a bunker on a 100-foot cliff eight miles west of the cemetery. It honors soldiers of the 2nd Ranger Battalion who scaled the cliff to disable German guns threatening Utah and Omaha Beaches.

As Tom and I sat on a park bench facing the church, as we looked up at the memorial, once again we were touched by the powerful message and display remaining 70 years later.

St. Mere Eglaise Church with the Paratrooper Memorial which appears on the left of the church in this photo.

As shown in our photos, the historic church stands today as visitors come from all over the world to see the memorial and tribute to the brave men and women throughout the world who fought for freedom.

Alternate view of the Paratrooper Memorial.

Enjoy our photos as we enjoyed taking them, never for a moment forgetting the power of visiting Normandy and its surrounding area which in some manner or another, affected all of our lives.

The 13th-century church is in beautiful condition.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with Part 2, Stonehenge which includes some fabulous photos of more historic sites. Please check back soon.

Photo from one year ago today, September 6, 2013:

Hans and Geri, our landlord and his wife, invited us for happy hour to their third-story veranda in their home next door to us. From this vantage point, we were able to see the Indian Ocean, in Diani Beach, Kenya, a short walk from our house. For details, please click here.

Blarney Castle…We visited the Titanic’s last port of call…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 5, 2014 with 0 Comment

A better view of Cobh, Ireland, and St. Coleman’s Cathedral.

As it turns out with our limited ability to get online, there will only be one post for the Blarney Castle and visits to the towns of Cork and Cobh, Ireland.

The private tour for eight of us left the ship around 10:30 am on Wednesday, with an expected return time of 3:30. The ship was scheduled to leave the port of Cobh, Ireland at 4:30.

Us, in front of the Blarney Castle.

The Blarney Castle.

Many ship’s staff warns cruisers not to take private tours. If an unforeseen incident occurs and the driver doesn’t get the passengers back to the ship on time, the ship won’t wait.

We entered caves on the property walking to the end, requiring we turn around, going back the same way we entered.

If passengers decide on a ship-arranged tour, the ship’s departure will be dependent upon the return of all passengers. We’ve heard nightmarish stories about passengers not making it back in time who’d ventured out on private tours and the ship left without them when they ran into unexpected delays.

Alternate view of the Blarney Castle.

With only five hours for the Blarney Castle and surrounding area tour, we all kept a watchful eye on the clock during the last few hours to ensure we’d depart on time when we’d stopped for lunch and beer in the quaint village of Cobh (pronounced Cove).

As we entered the castle, it was so packed with tourists, our group decided to back out when the narrow rock walkways offered no room to maneuver.

As many are aware, the sinking of the Titanic occurred with a tragic loss of 1500 passengers on April 15, 1912. The Titanic’s last port of call was Queenstown, to be later renamed Cobh.

One would have to climb to the top of the castle, lay on their back, and hyperextend their neck to kiss the Blarney Stone. After the stories we heard, we decided to forgo this event.

Having anchored briefly at the entrance of Cork Harbor to transfer passengers and mail to and from Cobh, the Titanic, a huge ship couldn’t fit in the pier. Passengers were “tendered” on smaller boats to enjoy the charming Irish village.

We wandered through this cute chocolate store but Tom didn’t buy a thing.

The last 123 passengers to board the ship for the intended journey to New York boarded in Queenstown, (Cobh) which we visited on Wednesday. Of those 123 passengers, only 44 survived when the Titanic sank.

Tom had visited the Blarney Castle on two separate trips to Ireland. He was excited to visit the woolen mills store to see the Irish sweaters, one of which he’d purchased years ago. He didn’t bring it with him in his suitcase.

This wool sweater is similar to Tom’s old sweater. I always told him looked like an old man wearing this. Now it was priced at US $189, EU $139. He paid approximately US $49, EU $36 back in the late 1980’s.

Today, the original buildings, streets, and piers of a century ago are still standing with respect and reverence for the tragic story with a museum containing artifacts and memorabilia.

Irish mailbox.

With little time, we had to forgo the museum to ensure we’d return to the ship on time. As we sailed away on the narrow passageway, hundreds of local people waved to us as we watched from our balcony, joyfully returning the enthusiastic waves.

Irish pub.

Tom had visited the Blarney Castle twice on two separate trips to Ireland, the home of his ancestors, once when he took his mother to Ireland and to see the Pope and another with an ex-girlfriend. I appreciated that he was happy for a third visit with me.

The Old Oak pub where our group of eight stopped for lunch and beer.

We didn’t kiss the Blarney Stone which Tom had done on his prior visits. One, it required hyperextending one’s neck which held little appeal to me and, we’d heard stories about certain people entering the castle at night and urinating on the stone.

Here are the boys!

Whether this was a fable or not, with rampant illnesses aboard ships, we opted out entirely. From those who did partake, they said the stone was cleaned with disinfectant from time to time. Surely, not often enough to our liking.

Here are the girls!

Tom is 99% Irish which was recently confirmed by a DNA test he’d ordered through Ancestry.com. As we walked along the streets of Cork, Tom spotted a homeless man begging for money with a liter of beer tucked inside his jacket.

Tom’s peculiar lunch called “tacos.” Actually, it was ground meat and melted cheese atop a bed of fries. He said it was good. I cringed.

Tom reached down and handed him a few dollars, afterward turning to me and saying, “For all I know, he’s a relative of mine.” I chuckled and squeezed his hand as we returned to the awaiting van and our driver.

Tom’s Irish beer.

In no time at all, we returned to the ship, through security, and back to our cabin. With ongoing WiFi problems while out to sea, I hadn’t uploaded a post yesterday other than a short blurb and photo of us at the Blarney Castle.

St. Coleman’s Cathedral in Cobh, Ireland.

Today, with the ship docked in the Faroe Islands we finally have a good connection and the time to post since we’re able to use the rented MiFi. The ship’s WiFi won’t work for my computer when we’re out to sea. Figuring out a major workaround, we’ll be able to post for the remaining time on the ship until we arrive in Boston where we’ll have WiFi in the hotel, continuing to post each day. No post will be missed over the upcoming days.

Actually, we’re having a blast on this ship. We’ve met more fabulous people than we’d ever imagined possible. Tom’s frequent visits to CruiseCritic has provided us with an opportunity to meet many passengers from the site with whom he’s communicated back and forth over the past 18 months.

The ladies of Cobh dress in clothing typical of the days of the Titanic.

With several activities scheduled with CruiseCritic followers orchestrated in advance of the cruise, we found ourselves with a busy schedule, loving every minute of meeting new people every day.

Tonight, we’re trying one of the specialty restaurants with a lovely couple Tom met on CruiseCritic who kindly spent time looking for us at the party.

To review the past few days, we’ve been on tours of the following:

Monday: Normandy, France to the US military cemetery and both Omaha and Utah beaches.
Tuesday: Stonehenge, UK to visit the mysterious rock formation, ending the day in Salisbury, UK to see a charming village on the 13th-century church, the Salisbury Cathedral.
Wednesday: Cork, Ireland, and the Blarney Castle and exquisite ground which photos I’m sharing with you today in Part 1.
Thursday: Sea Day, Meet and Mingle for CruiseCritic, a Cabin Crawl (groups of eight visiting varying classes of cabins), and a Poker Run (receiving a playing card at five of the cabins, the best hand winning at the end of the event). We didn’t win but, had a great time interacting with our group of eight. Tom was the designated leader of our group and did an excellent job of navigating through the ship. As the youngest of 11, Tom said, “I’ve never been at the head of any line. I’ve always been at the tail end.”

Gorgeous flowers on the grounds of the Blarney Castle.

Also, for the remaining days on the cruise, I’d like to review the topics of our future posts at sea:

September 5 – Part 1, Cork and Cobh, Ireland and Blarney Castle
September 6 – Part 2, Normandy, France
September 7 – Part 2, Stonehenge, UK
September 8 – Activities and how we spend time aboard the ship
September 9 – Reykjavik, Iceland and Northern Lights Tour
September 10–Reykjavik, Iceland tour
September 11-Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas photos and review of amenities
September 12-Dining aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas including specialty restaurants and adaptations made for my special diet
September 13-Benefits of booking future cruises while onboard the ship as opposed to later and our total expenses for the cruise
September 14-Disembark the cruise starting at 8 am, our arrival in Boston on US soil for the first time in almost 18 months, picking up a rental car and checking in to the hotel for a three-night stay in Boston. Once we’re checked into our room with WiFi up and running, we’ll post in the afternoon on eastern time prior to 6:00 pm when we’ll excitedly meet my dear cousin for dinner.

Row houses in Cobh, Ireland. (Photo was taken from the van).

While in Boston, we have several activities planned including necessary shopping for the first time on US soil, a trip to the cemetery where my father is buried, visits with my 95-year-old uncle, and hopefully, if time allows, seeing a few historical sites in the area.

View as we drove away from Cork, Ireland.

On September 17th, we’ll fly to Vancouver, British Columbia, where we’ll spend six nights in a hotel with ample time to check out a few sites most of which are readily accessible by the nearby train.

Gorgeous fern in the gardens.

We’re busy, loving every moment as we continue on this exciting leg of our travels. Our only issues are the WiFi problems that continue.

Photo from one year ago today, September 5, 2013:

Hesborn, our wonderful houseman at the house in Diani Beach, Kenya. We couldn’t have appreciated him more during the three months we spent in Kenya. For details from that date, please click here.

No post today…Booked with activities all day…Photo of us…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 4, 2014 with 0 Comment

Here we are in front of the Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland. We had an amazing day with new friends exploring several areas in and around Cork. We’ll share more photos in tomorrow’s post.

Dear Readers,

We’ll be back tomorrow and on all the following days of the cruise. We are having too much fun to allow me time to write a full post. We’ve met some wonderful people and have planned activities that will keep us going all day today.

But, we’ll be back tomorrow as always and each day through the remainder of the cruise. We have some amazing photos we’re excited to share.

Warmest regards to all,

Jess & Tom
__________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2013:

No photo was posted on this date.

Part 1, Stonehenge…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 3, 2014 with 0 Comment

Stonehenge…

After yesterday’s ship WiFi fiasco, I’m still struggling with getting online on the ship’s WiFi. Hopefully, these issues will not impede getting online to post daily as usual. I spent over a half-hour with the ship’s tech guy and he suggested I download Firefox which hopefully will solve the issues. We’ll keep you updated through Tom’s connection.

Here is a link for detailed information about Stonehenge’s history and preservations.

Alternate view of Stonehenge.

As for Tuesday’s tour to Stonehenge, we couldn’t have enjoyed it more. We’d wondered if we’d find a visit to a collection of large rocks as appealing as it proved to be. Stonehenge remains to be a mystery, although, over the past few centuries, many scientists and researchers have speculated as to its origins.

Additional rock was discovered.

However, scientists do know that Stonehenge is an ancient temple aligned with the sun’s movements. Over 4500 years ago, intelligent prehistoric people designed and raised the stones to their present configuration as a memorial to their dead where many remains are buried.

Tom, at Stonehenge.

Me, at Stonehenge.

An “English Heritage” designation exists to protect and promote England’s historic treasures and England makes every effort to ensure that these treasures are researched and revered to the utmost. In the case of Stonehenge, located in North Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, the project has continued for years to maintain a sense of dignity to this wonder of human endeavor.

Birds at Stonehenge.

Stonehenge is surrounded by well maintained green lawns with cordoned off areas to prevent erosion of this mysterious ancient burial ground created as a tribute to the ancestors of the creative designers, builders, and people of the region.

Alternate view.

At first glance, one may easily ascertain that this seeming, unorganized arrangement of ancient rocks is mere folly. But, as we made our way along the long walkway surrounding Stonehenge while listening to the presentations on the headset we each were each given upon entry it was easy to grasp and understand the powerful nature of this unusual display that most of first became aware of in grade school or middle school.

Another view as we walked around the stones on a designated path.

Yearly, over 5 million visitors visit Stonehenge, many seeking healing from its mystical energy and others visiting out of curiosity. We were somewhere in the middle. To our surprise, the hour-long walk around the display was never boring or leaving one feeling as if they’d had enough.

View from the opposite side.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of theories regarding Stonehenge. We don’t profess to have formulated an opinion as to its complex origins. All we can say is that we’re grateful for the opportunity to see Stonehenge by the small eight-person tour meticulously arranged by our tour mates, Carolyn and Ron, each half of a couple that toured along with us with their spouses and another couple.

Large stone recovered from the area to illustrate the massive size of the stones.

One could pull this rope hanging from the left on this stone to determine how many workers it would have taken to move this stone, based on one’s strength.

The eight of us got along tremendously and the conversation was lively and animated during our three-plus hours riding in the comfortable 18 person van. Our tour guide, Steven, was knowledgeable and helpful ensuring we were able to easily navigate the day’s points of interest which also included an unexpected visit to the village of Salisbury to explore the renowned Salisbury Cathedral.

Zoom in to read this text of the skeletal remains of a man found in Stonehenge.

In Part 2, Stonehenge, which we’ll present in a few days, we’ll share our photos of the massive ancient Salisbury Cathedral, built beginning in the year 1220. We had to good fortune to explore this stunning Cathedral which contained one of three worldwide copies of the Magna Carta.

More skeletal remains found in Stonehenge.

Please check back as we continue to share our photos of these enjoyable private day-long small group tours. Having experienced these past two days in eight-person tours, we’re convinced that we’ll have little interest in the 60-people-on-a-bus tours in the future. Today, we’re off to Cork, Ireland, and the Blarney Castle.

Once again, we apologize for missing a few days of posting due to both our tight touring schedule and constant WiFi issues.

Photo from one year ago today, September 3, 2013:

The outdoor living where we spend considerable time during our three months in Kenya. For details, please click here.

Part 1…Stonehenge, England…Available tomorrow…

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Error correction: Yesterday’s post stated we were going to Cork, Ireland to the Blarney Castle today, Tuesday, when in fact we went to Stonehenge. Tomorrow’s post will include Part 1 of Barley Castle in Cork, Ireland. We apologize for the inconvenience.

At the moment, only minutes before the ship sails to Ireland, I’m awaiting a call from the ship’s tech support. Apparently, their system is unable to connect to my newer computer due to its “advanced” technology.

As a result, I am unable to complete a post for today’s tour of the amazing Stonehenge. In moments, our MiFi will lose the signal.

After waiting at guest services desk for a half-hour, the rep asked, “Why can’t you use your husband’s computer?”

When it takes me three to four hours to post, I can expect Tom to sit there with nothing to do while I use his computer. Plus, he always does research for the posts I’m writing at the same time. It’s a two-person operation.

Thus, there’s no post today other than this notice. But, we look forward to being in port early tomorrow morning when I can use the MiFi once again, or hopefully, on the ship’s WiFi if my computer connectivity issues have been resolved.

Frustrating to say the least. Tomorrow morning, we’ll post Part 1 of the extraordinary day in Stonehenge and the village of Salisbury in England. Unbelievable experience!

See you tomorrow with photos!

Photo from one year ago today, September 2, 2013:
There was no photo posted on this date one year ago. We were experiencing a 34-hour travel day.

Part 1…A day in Normandy..Profoundly moving experience…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 1, 2014 with 0 Comment

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Tom has always been the war buff in this family. His knowledge of wars astounds me at times. Having never taken a particular interest in past wars, other than feeling pride and compassion for our loyal soldiers, I didn’t expect I’d find the 10 hour day exploring Normandy interesting.

The region of Normandy is rich in history and charming for its appealing French architecture of the century’s past.

Not only did we both find visiting Normandy interesting, but our hearts were embraced by the way France and the US have maintained a peaceful and respectful tribute to our fallen soldiers from World War II.

Of course, we’re anxious to share some of the many photos taken throughout the day. Unfortunately, we just returned from our small group of eight chartered tour and time is short.

The fog rolled into the Normandy region as shown in our early morning two-hour drive

It’s almost 7:45 pm Monday evening and our dinner reservation is at 8 pm tonight leaving little time to complete today’s post with photos before getting changed and ready for dinner. Most likely, we’ll return to our cabin after 10:00 pm tonight with another early morning chartered tour. Sleep will be the first priority.

As in many other areas of Europe, many of the homes and buildings are attached, each with its own definitive front.

This Thursday will be our first “sea day” and Friday, our second, during which I’ll finally have time to complete Parts 2 for today’s, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays tours. As a result, over the next few days, there will be a short post each day with only a few photos with more following upon completion, each of which will be clearly marked as to the event and part number.

Once these are posted, we’ll be back to our normal daily schedule with many sea days as we sail across the Atlantic Ocean sharing information as to the ship, the wonderful people we’ve met, the activities, and of course, many food photos.

The area is filled with tourists from all over the world.

Please check back tomorrow at about this same time for Part 1 of the short post regarding Tuesday’s chartered tour to the Stonehenge in England. By far, this will be the busiest cruise we’ve ever experienced, and look forward to sharing details with our readers.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 1, 2013:

The final goodbye to the house in Boveglio as we began the drive to Venice to spend the night and begin the 22 hour flight to Kenya. For details of that date, please click here.

Day #161 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Mad about this…Are you, too?

Arrived on the ship…Excited to sail away…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 31, 2014 with 0 Comment

This afternoon’s view from our balcony. It’s good to see the ocean once again.

It’s hard to believe we’re finally aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas for a 14-day cruise from Harwich, England to Boston. Earlier today, we posted the ship’s itinerary.

On our way through London to Harwich, we spotted a number of popular attractions including this church.

As I write this, it’s 3:30 pm and soon we’ll be called for the muster drill, which for those of our readers who’ve never been on a cruise, is a mandatory safety procedures drill during which names are taken to ensure each passenger has attended this drill.

Buckingham Palace.

Several cruises ago, we missed the drill when we were told we didn’t have to attend when we were on a “back to back” cruise. The next day we were required to attend a private session for others like us who hadn’t attended.

Big Ben was to the right in this shot, but I had no way to get the photo in traffic.

Another Ferris Wheel referred to as the “Eye.”

After the muster drill, we’re headed to a party for CruiseCritic participants. Tom is an avid follower and made many new friends on the site, many of whom we’re joining on several private tours. That will be fun, thanks to my socially engaged hubby.

A fast shot of the Tower of London.

Embarking on this cruise feels as if we’re we’re embarking on an entirely new leg of our years-long journey. We’ve had an unbelievable number of experiences in these past almost two years. And, with the next two years almost completely booked, we’re looking forward to the future as well as living every moment as it comes.

Not sure as to the name of this memorial as we zoomed past.

The drive from the hotel in London to the pier in Harwich flew by as we chatted with our driver Tony who was delightful and charming. As soon as we met, he welcomed me with a kiss on the cheek, a common greeting in the UK.

A memorial near Buckingham Palace. With WiFi restrictions, we’re unable to look up the names of these monuments.

Whoever said Brits are stuffy hasn’t been to the UK in a while. They are warm and kind people with big hearts and a great sense of humor. We loved that fact about London more than anything.

At last our ship, Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas.

After the party at 4:45, we’ll return to our cabin to change for dinner, and mosey our way to the main dining room for what we expect will be an enjoyable evening sharing a table with six or more passengers.

We always appreciate having a sofa in the cabin as opposed to lying on the bed when relaxing.

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am, we’re off on our first tour to Le Havre/Normandy, France for an all-day excursion to see WWII Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and American Cemeteries. As mentioned earlier, we’ll post a short update with photos as soon as possible upon our return to our cabin, prior to heading for dinner.

Our balcony cabin. The queen-sized bed seems comfortable.

Our MiFi device is working. The ship’s WiFi is working. We’ll alternate between the two sources depending upon our location; out to sea, we’ll use the ship’s WiFi; in port, we’ll use the MiFi.

Tiny cabin bathroom.

Unfortunately, we both had to spring for the ship’s WiFi service at US $399 each. However, we have several onboard credits we can use toward the final bill which we’ll post as the cruise nears the end.

A roomy safe is also appreciated.

Happy Labor Day tomorrow to our family and friends in the US and thanks to all for joining us as we head out to sea for our second Transatlantic crossing, our first westward.

Photo from one year ago today, August 31, 2013:

There was no post on this date one year ago as we headed to Venice to spend the night in a hotel to prepare for the next day’s very long flight to Kenya.

Leaving London…Heading to Harwich to the pier…We’ll be posting later today…Cruise itinerary here today…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 31, 2014 with 0 Comment

Our usual photo post for today will be online 6 to 8 hours later than usual, which will contain photos of our ship and our cabin. If we spot anything special on the 2.5-hour drive to the pier, we’ll certainly include those photos as well.

We both look forward to sharing our exciting adventures on our upcoming transatlantic cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas over 14 nights.

Over the next several mornings we’ll be leaving the ship on private tours to the following locations with more to follow:

1. Monday: Normandy, France – American beaches and cemeteries from World War II.
2. Tuesday: Portland, England – Stonehenge
3. Wednesday: Cork, Ireland – Blarney Castle

On these three days, we’ll make every effort to post late in the day when we return with photos from the tours. On each of these three days, we’ll be leaving the ship at 8:00 am, not returning until 6:00 or 7:00 pm with a mad rush to the dining room for dinner.

In the worst case, we’ll upload a short post explaining when we’ll be back with full posts on each of these experiences, including photos of our upcoming tour in Iceland to see the Northern Lights. We’ll be out to sea for several days and we’ll have plenty of time to upload complete posts of these experiences.

Here’s the actual ship’s itinerary:

DAY	DATE		PORT	ARRIVE	DEPART
Sun	Aug	31	London (Harwich), England		5:00pm
Mon	Sep	1	Paris (Le Havre), France	7:00am	9:00pm
Tue	Sep	2	Portland, England	7:00am	4:00pm
Wed	Sep	3	Cork (Cobh), Ireland	10:00am	4:30pm
Thu	Sep	4	At Sea
Fri	Sep	5	Klaksvik, Faroe Islands	9:00am	6:00pm
Sat	Sep	6	At Sea
Sun	Sep	7	Reykjavik, Iceland	Noon
Mon	Sep	8	Reykjavik, Iceland		5:00pm
Tue	Sep	9	At Sea
Wed	Sep	10	At Sea
Thu	Sep	11	At Sea
Fri	Sep	12	At Sea
Sat	Sep	13	At Sea
Sun	Sep	14	Boston, MA	6:00am

If for any reason, we don’t have a post later today, it will be due to WiFi connectivity issues. We’ll have access to both the ship’s signal and XCOM Global’s MiFi. Hopefully, we won’t have issues with either.

We look forward to sharing our experiences with you in these exciting locations. Thank you to each and every one of our readers worldwide. We always feel as if you are traveling along with us.

There was no post from one year ago on this date:

Tag: world travel