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…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 2, 2014 with 0 Comment

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:

Day #160 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…The frightening reality…

Total expenses for 15 nights in London…Leaving tomorrow morning for long drive to cruise pier in Harwich….Cheerio, London…Hello world…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 30, 2014 with 0 Comment

Its a beautiful area with most of the buildings well maintained in black and white.

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, the private shuttle we’d arranged long ago, picks us up from the hotel for the two and a half hour drive to Harwich, the cruise ship pier in England.

Yesterday, we walked down this road toward Bobo’s Bubbles to do our final two loads of laundry.

It will be wonderful to see the ocean once again after leaving Madeira a month ago. While in both Paris and London we came to the decision that no matter how appealing big cities may be to many travelers, they are not for us. We’re loving the country, the bush, the ocean and anywhere far from the hustle and bustle of city life.

There are numerous old hotels in the Kensington area.

This gave us a new perspective in our travels, that we won’t want to spend a week or two in Sydney or any other big city in Australia or any other parts of the world. We’re certain they are filled with much to see and do. But, that life is not for us. Plain and simple.

Many street lamps and building fronts are decorated with colorful flowers.

Occasionally, we spotted a brick building mixed among the white buildings.

We have three big cities ahead of us soon, one in Boston on September 14th for three nights; two in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 17th for six nights; and lastly, in Waikiki/Honolulu on October 5th, Hawaii for 11 nights. Boston will be a breeze when we’re busy with family. Vancouver is a relatively short stay until we board the ship to Hawaii and Waikiki. Well, it is Hawaii after all.

This was the shortest (height) car either of us has ever seen. I can only imagine that getting out of it would require rolling out the door onto the street and then standing up.

South Kensington consists of one pretty street after another, parking always at a premium.

Today, as I write here, I’ll be flipping back and forth to our comprehensive Excel workbook to finalize our expenses for the 15 nights in London. As we share these expenses, one may assume these totals are realistic for any traveler to London, on a budget.

Tom’s haircut was only US $16.60, 10 pounds including the tip. Not bad.

When we stopped at the market for a few items Tom decided on a haircut before the cruise.

We must admit that our total expenses may be misleading for the following reasons especially when dining out for all meals. Here’s why:
1. We only eat once a day due to our commitment to intermittent fasting for our health (two meals per day while on cruises). A typical tourist dines in restaurants two to three meals each day, as we would have in years past. Please take that into consideration when reviewing the totals. Also, we don’t order starters or desserts which I can’t have, and Tom doesn’t want, never liking the available options.
2. Another factor in regard to restaurant dining: Tom ordered one beer on four separate occasions. Since I don’t drink alcohol I usually have tap water (when its safe to drink) such as in London and Paris. By not adding cocktails and other beverages to our restaurant bill, we’re usually saving as much, if not more, than 40% on the bill. Tom rarely drinks alcohol when we’re dining in making this no sacrifice to him. On the cruises, he’ll enjoy cocktails at the table during dinners (at an additional cost).
3. No extra charges were added to the hotel bill: In the case at the Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate, they’ve waived our entire WiFi bill upon my request this morning based on the daily issues getting online. We don’t order room service, have spa treatments, order cocktails, coffee or tea. We use the complimentary coffee and tea in the room.
4. We save money by walking as opposed to taking taxis when the distances are manageable, using public transportation when possible.
5. Keeping the cost of sightseeing and tours expenses to the budgeted amount.
6. We’re willing to pay a little more for better hotels with at least a four star rating which are in good neighborhoods, such as in South Kensington. The hotel becomes our “home” for a period of time with comfort and convenience most important to us.

The street corner where last night’s restaurant is located.

Here are our expenses for the 15 nights in London:

Hotel:              US $3,312.26, 1,995.40 pounds
Transportation:          455.29,    274.28
Tours:                       451.81,    272.18
Groceries:                 240.34,    144.79
Restaurants:              850.46,    512.34

Grand Total: US $5,310.16, 3,198.99 pounds
Daily Rate: US $354.01, 213.27 pounds

In London, there are no large trash bins for residents in which to place their garbage. Instead, they put the bags on the sidewalk or street where they’re picked up a few times a week from what we’ve seen.

In this particular case, we’re under budget by 7%. Having a budget helps us to curtail spending. Although, we frequently commented as to how expensive dining out is in London, the only reason our daily average was this low was due to the facts above; no beverages, no starters and no desserts.

Last night, we tried a new restaurant, Wildwood several blocks from our hotel.

Wildwood had a comfortable ambiance but, the food and service was mediocre.

Without a doubt, once we’re on the two upcoming cruises, we’ll be having breakfast and Tom will order starters and desserts (few starters will work for me). After all, our meals with multiple courses are included in the cost of the cruises (the actual costs hidden from our view). We’re free to dine as we so choose, (cocktails are extra), although we’ll only do so twice a day, breakfast and dinner.

Tom order Beef Bolognaise which he said was good.

I ordered this chicken Caesar salad, minus crouton adding avocado. The chicken was fatty, poorly trimmed and hard to cut. Had it contained boneless, skinless chicken breasts this would have been a great salad.

Now that our laundry is done at US $33, 20 pounds, to wash and dry two loads, we’ll be packing our bags as soon as we’re done posting. We’ve reconfirmed with our driver for tomorrow’s 10 am pickup. Our hotel bill is completed. Tonight we’ll dine at Byron, one last time (included tonight’s dinner in totals above).

This was the lowest dinner bill we had in London at US $32, 19.30 pounds, plus tip for a total US $35.36, 21.20 pounds

Sunday’s post with new and exciting photos will be available late in the day after we’re checked in and we’re situated on the cruise.

And tomorrow, we’ll be on our way. Once again.
__________________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, August 30, 2013:

This pile contained all the clothing I owned one year ago. Now, the pile is one half this size.
This photo was on the last few days we were in Italy preparing to depart on September 1, 2013 for Kenya. For details from that date, please click here.

Day #158 in lockdown in Mumbai, India Hotel…Cleaning up old posts…

Winding down London…Three days and counting…Post #750 today!…Food photos from last night’s dinner at Daquise…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 28, 2014 with 0 Comment

Various ferns look like marine life.

We’re done sightseeing in London. With the crowds, the daily rain, the waiting in queues (“lines” per British speak), we’ve basically made a decision to stop. Yes, we’re here and yes, we could easily get to other points of interest.

Prehistoric creature.

However, as we’ve often mentioned, we do exactly that which “trips our trigger” and fits our budget, as opposed to doing that which might be “expected” of a traveler in a big city. That’s the nature of our lives. That’s why we’re happily living life as we choose.

Man-made replica.

There’s a price to pay for living life on our terms. We gladly pay it. We pay it in the knowledge that others may be annoyed or disgruntled by our choices. Where are the photos of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and on and on? We never intend to disappoint.

Various reptiles.

But, the difference in our travel writing as opposed to what others may write, is simple, we tell it like it is. This life we live is not a honeymoon or a two-week vacation. This is our day to day lives and the greatest joy we find is when we’re living on our terms.

Prehistoric creature.

With two cruises and several small group (8 to 10 travelers) tours scheduled, we’ll have many exciting photos to share in the next few weeks on the first cruise, including Normandy, Stonehenge, Cork, Ireland (Blarney Castle), Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, and Reykjavik, Iceland. Our readers will be bombarded with photos. Sit tight, dear followers. More will come.

We’d seen a few of these snakes on the road in Africa and one on our veranda in South Africa, the Mozambique Spitting Cobra.

As for London, we’re done spending money other than for the three remaining dinners and the long drive to Harwich to the pier. The cost of everything is at least 70% more than one would expect to pay. With our family coming to Hawaii for Christmas (14 arriving in December), the cost of two houses, airfare, food and incidentals we need to continue to carefully monitor our budget.

A prehistoric Amphibian.

Months ago, we paid for all of the above upcoming tours, the cruises, the hotel in Boston, the flight and hotel in Vancouver. We’ve prepaid in full, the first two months in Hawaii, on Oahu and Maui and also the four months on the island of Kauai.

Fish from lakes and streams.

Soon, we’ll pay the balances on the two houses on the Big Island and the more substantial chunks will be out of the way though May 15, 2015. But, the small stuff when traveling can cut deep into one’s planned budget if not careful.

This is referred to as a Football Fish.

Are we hypocrites when we don’t like crowds and yet we love cruising? I suppose we may appear to be. Sunday’s upcoming cruise holds 2501 passengers.

More fish from rivers, lakes, and streams.

How do we tolerate those crowds? We avoid lines. We find cozy, quiet spots where we feel as if we’re in our own little world. If the theatre at night is booked at the 8 pm show, we’ll choose the 10 pm show.

Fish found in the ocean.

After eight cruises in the past 2o months, we feel we have it fairly well figured out. We love the sea, making new friends at dinners for eight or ten, the gentle rocking of the ship. We even found the storm at sea on the Norwegian Epic commencing on April 20, 2013, to be an adventure.

More ocean fish.

We wandered about the ship for those three stormy days with nary a moment of seasickness with swells as high as 50 feet, 15.24 meters, when many passengers and crew were hunkered down in their cabins for days. We’ve loved it all.

A Lizard that puffs up the frill around the neck to scare off predators. This could be intimidating, to say the least.

In essence, we may contradict ourselves at times. We can avoid a 300 person deep line at a venue and then stand in line 300 deep line to get off the ship for a tour. All of us love what we love whether it’s the award-winning rose in full bloom or the lowly dandelion spewing pollen into the air. One may not be connected to the other.

“Jaws!”

Yesterday, we embarked on our final sightseeing stint by visiting London’s Natural History Museum. Having avoided hour(s) long queues both mornings or midday, we chose to enter around 4 pm. There was no line at all, although it was fairly crowded inside.

Komodo Dragons are found on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Flores. We’ll be spending four months in Bali, Indonesia in 2016, where tourists have spotted Komodo Dragons on occasion. Komodo Dragons are of the species of Monitor Lizards, two of which lived in our yard in Marloth Park, South Africa. Please see this link to see our photos when they made a rare appearance by the pool.

Little did we think how odd it would be for us to see animals in either a state of taxidermy or man-made to look lifelike. Having seen most of today’s animals alive while on safari in Kenya or surrounding our home in Marloth Park, seeing them in these lifelike forms held little interest to us, except when we spotted a Warthog.

More marine life.

We took many photos focusing on the thousands of replications of the live animals that we’ve yet to encounter in our travels. For those that may never see a live lion other than in a zoo, this museum and those like it are an alternative.

Seashells.

After our two hour tour of the museum, we wandered off to try a new restaurant, the popular Polish restaurant, Daquise. My portion of meat consisted of five tiny bites with a side of green beans and a few boiled vegetables.

We saw a smaller version of similar crabs at the beach in Kenya, which is on the eastern coast of Africa. They moved so quickly, we couldn’t get a photo.

Tom’s dinner of veal schnitzel with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and, bread was satisfactory for him. Had I been able to have starch and gluten, I would have enjoyed the food.

Many of us lobster enthusiasts would appreciate a lobster of this size on a platter.

The staff was stumped as to what would work for me so I chose the meal they suggested based on a recommendation by their chef. We’ll write a positive review on TripAdvisor later today. Our dinner with tax and gratuity, without beverages, sides, or desserts was a total of US $66, 40 pounds.

After many visits by Zebras in our yard in South Africa, seeing this lifelike rendition made me miss them. Click this link to see Zebras that visited us in South Africa.

Today, we’ll be working on financial matters, booking vehicles in Hawaii, and taking a walk later in the day if it’s not raining.

Some of the displays of Rhino were taxidermy. There was a sign stating that the horns had been removed and replaced with man-made materials. We saw Rhinos in the wild in Kenya. Please click here for a few of our Rhino photos from Kenya.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the balance of the museum photos and take the long hike to do our final loads of laundry.

This is the actual fossil of a boar as shown.

On Saturday, we’ll wrap up our total expenses for London sharing the details and breakdown of the costs for the 15 nights we spent in this fine area of South Kensington, London.

We weren’t certain if these are actual fossils or man-made representations.

On Sunday, departure day, we’ll post later in the day after we arrive on the ship sharing photos from our 2½ hour drive through the English countryside along with the ship’s boarding process including photos of the ship and our cabin.

These Elephant tusks are the real deal.

Each time we board a ship early in the day, most often the cabins aren’t immediately available. Usually, there’s a few hours wait. As is the case with most passengers waiting to gain access to their cabin, everyone heads to the restaurant for a late lunch, the first inclusive meal.

Ah, my heart did a flip flop when Tom spotted this warthog. The first time either of us had ever seen a warthog was last October in the Masai Mara, Kenya while on safari. Of course, later in South Africa, we joyfully saw them each day. Click here for the first time we saw a live warthog (scroll down the page).

It is during this period, that I’ll upload and prepare Saturday’s post with photos (barring any WiFi issues), which most likely will be available approximately five hours later than usual.

The view from our table last night at Daquise.

The pleasant place setting at Daquise.

Tom’s Veal Schnitzel topped with an egg, mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots. He didn’t eat the egg. He doesn’t eat egg and meat together unless it’s bacon or sausage. He has lots of “food rules.”

Those thin pieces of beef hardly filled me up. The cream sauce was made without flour.

Have a happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 28, 2013:

On this date a year ago, as we busily prepared to further lighten our load, we packed and made a pizza for ease of eating leftovers on the remaining nights, which we now find easy to do at the end of a two or three-month stay in a vacation home. Also, I wrote about the benefits of eating nuts in moderation. While in Paris and London, with small portions at restaurants, nuts have been a much-needed lifesaver for me when I’ve been hungry after a tiny meal.

No photos were posted on that date. Instead, I posted this nutritional chart on various types of nuts. For more on the story, please click here.

Carbohydrates and Fats in Nuts and Seeds (1 Ounce Unshelled)

	Cal	Tot. Carb	Fiber	Net Carb	Sat. Fat	Mono Fat	ω-3 Fat	ω-6 Fat
Almonds	161	6.1	3.4	2.7	1	8.6	0.2	3.4
Brazil Nuts	184	3.4	2.1	1.3	4.2	6.9	0.05	5.8
Cashews	155	9.2	0.9	8.1	2.2	6.7	0.2	2.2
Chestnuts	60	12.8	2.3	10.5	0.1	0.2	0.03	0.22
Chia Seeds	137	12.3	10.6	1.7	0.9	0.6	4.9	1.6
Coconut*	185	6.6	4.6	2	16	0.8	0	0.2
Flax Seeds	150	8.1	7.6	.5	1	2.1	6.3	1.7
Hazelnuts	176	4.7	2.7	2	1.3	12.8	0.24	2.2
Macadamia Nuts	201	4	2.4	1.6	3.4	16.5	0.06	.36
Peanuts	159	4.5	2.4	2.1	1.9	6.8	0	4.4
Pecans	193	3.9	2.7	1.2	1.7	11.4	0.28	5.8
Pine Nuts	188	3.7	1	2.7	1.4	5.3	0.31	9.4
Pistachios	156	7.8	2.9	5.8	1.5	6.5	0.71	3.7
Pumpkin Seeds	151	5	1.1	3.9	2.4	4	0.51	5.8
Sesame Seeds	160	6.6	3.3	3.3	1.9	5.3	0.11	6
Sunflower Seeds	164	5.6	2.4	3.2	1.2	5.2	0.21	6.5
Walnuts	183	3.8	1.9	1.9	1.7	2.5	2.5	10.7

Tag: world travel