Home

We docked in Ft. Lauderdale this morning and got ready to disembark the ship.  We had a quick breakfast and then headed back to the cabin to finish packing and wait for our color and number to be called.  We are lime 1.  At around 8:30 we were off the ship, gathering our luggage, through customs, and out to take a shuttle to the airport.  One of the best disembarkations we have ever had.  We checked in and then waited for the Jacksonville flight.  We flew Southwest which is great.  No luggage fees. 

We are now home and unpacked.  Loads of laundry to be done.  Even though we have free laundry on the ship, I elect not to send most of my stuff as I am afraid they might shrink if they put them in the dryer.  But it is good to be home.  We love to travel but really love getting home and enjoying our life here in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Sea Days

I was not going to write anything as sea days are quiet and not much of interest to anyone.  But yesterday turned out to be one I would like to share.  In the morning they had a Mariners get together.  For those who do not know, a Mariner is someone who has sailed with Holland America at least once.  You will find that that almost always is the entire ship.  So they have these receptions and brunch on several days.  Well Bob and I entered the show lounge and spoke with Barry the cruise director, the Captain and the Hotel Manager.  We sat down and noticed that the room was not full but again, I just thought they were spreading out the receptions so as not to over crowd the room.

First they gave out the bronxze Madallions to those who have sailed with HAL for over 100 days.  We have over 100 days but when we reached that level they had stopped giving out the Madallions.  So we never got one.  No matter.  They had decided to go with the star pins and we were 4star which is the highest.  That gives us free laundry which we love.  Anyway, they gave out the bronze and then the silver which is 300 days.  Next they called up those who already have the Platnium which is 700 days and they had their pictures taken with the Captain and Hotel Manager.  Next the gold which is 500 days and then the Silver which is 300 days.  And guess who got called up.  You guessed it, Bob and I.  Talk about surprised.  Who knew?  At any rate, we went up and had the picture taken and then later that day I talked to the front desk to tell them we had no Madallions.  So now we each have two.  One bronze and one silver. 

Later we all attended a lovely brunch where we sat with three other couples and had a really enjoyable brunch.  Then back to the cabin for a nap and then up to do our water exercises.  And another surprise greeted us.  The pools were closed as there was too much motion of the ocean and the water was all over the place. 

Dinner was good and we headed back to the cabin to watch old Bones episodes.  Gosh are we getting old.  But the shows start at 8 and 10 and at 8 we are still at dinner and 10 is too late.  See I told you we were getting too old. 

Today the weather is wonderful.  Seas are calm and it is sunny and warm.  I walked 2 miles on the deck and now am headed to the pool.  Dinner tonight is in the Pinicale Grill.  Last formal night.  Tomorrow we pack to come home. 

Sailing for Ft. Lauderdale

Today is our first of three days at sea.  We are sailing off the coast of the USA but too far from the land to even know where we are.  I have added pictures to some of the earlier blogs so if anyone is interested, they can go back to see the pictures.  This will probably be the last entry as there is not much to say about sea days.

Today we have a Mariners brunch and tomorrow we are eating in the Pinnical Grill.  We tried to change our reservation as it is the last formal night, but tonight they are having some kind of fixed dinner and we were not interested in that.  But in reality, I have had so  much lobster this trip that I don't think I will miss it if that is what is served in the main dining room. 

This has been a good trip but we are ready for the sea days as we have been on the go since the 12th.  Need time to relax and get ready for our weekend with the kiddos.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Today we are here in Bar Harbor, Maine. We are taking Oli's Trolley up to Acadia National Park. This is our last stop before Ft. Lauderdale. We have three sea days and arrive there on the 28th. Will try and add lots
of pictures during those days. Till then.

We took Oli's Trolley up through Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain. There are still some leaves with color left. All very pretty. After the trolley ride we had lunch at a local spot where I enjoyed another lobster roll and a Moose Breath beer. All very good.

We also stopped at the post office to mail some of our stuff home. Just a way to lighten the luggage.

St. John's, New Brunswick

Today is Sunday and we docked here in St. John's at about 11 am.  After we were given the go ahead to exit, we headed through the town.  Because today is Sunday, not much is open and the two churches we visited were having services.  So we walked up and down the hills of this town until it was time for lunch.  We stopped at a seafood place and sat outside as the day was bright and sunny.  And as long as the sun was out, really very nice.  It did get cool when the sun went under the clouds.  The shore excursion we were to take was cancelled.  And the town did not seem that big that we needed the Hop On Hop Off bus.  So we did get a fair amount of walking in.  All these towns in Canada are delightful.  I had not heard of most of them before this trip but this area is well worth returning to. 

This afternoon we were able to do our water exercises.  The pool was warmer today and so it was enjoyable.  Tomorrow is our last stop until Ft. Lauderdale.  We will be in Bar Harbor Maine.  This is our first US port so we need to clear customs before we get off. 

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Saturday we docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  We arrived in the morning and decided to do the Hop On Hop Off bus.  These buses are painted either pink or blue and part of the profits go to Breast Cancer or Children's Wish.  We took the C route first as that was the bus that was first to the port.  This takes you up to St. Mary's Basilica, the Citadel, the Public Gardens and St. Pauls Cemetery.  We then got on the B route which does the boardwalk and waterfront loop.  And the a route is all about town.  When we finished with the rides, we walked the boardwalk and stopped for lunch at a local eatery where we enjoyed the local seafood dishes.  Plus the local beers. 

Back to the ship where we napped and then up to the pool for our water exercises.  They open the roof while the sun is shining but it cools the water so that it was fairly cool for me.  And once the ship gets underway, lots of waves in the pool which is fun but hard work. 

Dinner was in the dining room at our table 176.  The food has been pretty good but I was full yesterday, so I did not eat much for dinner.  We have elected not to go to the shows, so we watched some of the college football game and read and lights out.

Charlottetwon, Prince Edward Island

Wednesday we were docked in Charlottetown.  The weather was terrible.  Raining and windy.  But we did decide to brave the weather and do a walking tour of the town.  Again as before, a lovely little town.  We visited the Catholic Church St. Dunstan's Basilica.  This is one of Canada's largest Catholic Church.  Its three spires are Charlottetown landmarks, pointing the way to the city center.  We also tried to visit the Anglican Church of St. Paul's but it was locked.  We continued walking through the town and stopped for a bite to eat at the Lobster on the Wharf.  I had lobster bisque and Bob had the ferrymans chowder.  All very good. 

This was a short day here as we headed back to the ship due to the weather.

Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Thursday we are in Sydney.  We took a shore excursion today and rode to the small lakeside town of Baddeck.  There we boarded a scooner and sailed aroung the lake.  We were able to see bald eagles and the seasonal home of Alexander Graham Bell.  His descendants still own the private family summer home.  Baddeck is on the northern shore of the inland Bras d'Or (Golden Arm) Lake and was named for the Micmac phrase abadak (place near the island).  The town retains a strong Scottish heritage.  It was a sunny day and we enjoyed our time on the water. 

After the boat ride we headed to the Lynwood Inn and enjoyed a bowl of seafood chowder.  We sat with Jane and Wally from Wisconsin.  It was nice and then we headed back to Sydney to reboard our ship.  Later I'll add pictures as Bob has not uploaded them yet.

Gaspe, Quebec

Yesterday we were in Gaspe, Quebec which is pretty far north.  We took a shore excursion to Perce.  It is about an hour and half south of Gaspe.  The ride down is through beautiful countryside.  Once in Perce, we boarded a boat and sailed around Bonaventure Island.  We were able to see lots of seals and of course, the gannet as this is one of the most important gannet rookery around.   We also saw Perce Rock which is one of Quebec's most Photographed natural attractions. 

We returned to Gaspe and took a short ride through the town and then back to the tender dock.  We sailed from here at 2pm.  After a short nap, Bob and I headed up to the pool to do our exercises.  Dinner was again at table 176.  They have arranged for this to be a table for two.  We sat at the same table when we took the Maasdan last year. 

The picture I am now including is for my grandchildren to see silly Mom Mom.

Baie-Comeau

Today we are docked here in Baie-Comeau. It is a delightful small town. We took the shuttle to the down town and did our own walking tour. First stop was at Sainte-Amelie. This is a beautiful Catholic Church. Next we walked yo Saint-Andrew Church. This is the Anglican Church where we spoke with several ladies from the area and enjoyed coffee and fudge with them. We stopped for a light lunch at The Grand Hotel where I am writing all this. The weather today is sunny but cool. But it is great to see the sun. Will post pictures later.

Saguenay

Today we are docked in Saguenay, Canada.  To arrive here you must travel from the St. Lawrence via the River Saguenay and the fjords.  You arrive in Ha Ha Bay and dock where we were greeted with a dance crew and the locals with blueberry juice, lumberjack for a day etc.  What a great welcome.

We took a bus out to Saguenay National Park for a stroll through the park.  It was low tide and so not much wild life to be seen.  The walk took about an hour and during the walk a man fell and Bob had to help him up and give him first aid.  Bob carries  a first aid kit with him so he was prepared.  Good thing Bob was there to help.

We returned to the ship and grabbed a light lunch and then did our water exercises for 45 minutes.  More people are finding the pool but it still is not crowded. 

This was a good day.  This is a beautiful part of the world but too cold for this Florida gal.  But great to visit and see.

Quebec City

Sunday we were in Quebec City. The weather was cool and raining off and on. We walked to the old city and took the Funicula up to the Hotel Chateau Frontenac. We arranged for a tour of the Hotel which was lead by a young woman dressed in period dress. It was interesting but the rooms in the hotel are rather small for the price.

Later we walked through the town to the Basilica of Notre Dame which is the oldest Catholic Church in North America. We continued through the old town and back to the ship. The Celebrity Summit is also here.   Yesterday the Crown Princess was here but I think this is the end of the season for ships in this part of the world. 

Lunch on the ship and then back to the cabin for a nap. Tonight is formal night and we dressed and headed to the Explorers Lounge and listened to the strings. This is a quiet lounge and very relaxing. Dinner was good but they do not have the open dining down yet. We thought we had a reservation but did not but was able to get a table for two. We have met one of our former waiters who is now a dining room head waiter and arranged with him to get us a good table. The food is pretty good.

We did not go to the show but decided to walk one lap on the deck to get some exercise. We did get to do our water exercises this afternoon. Spent 45 minutes in the pool. Water is heated slightly so not so bad and the pool is under cover.

Today were docking in Saguenay.  The ride to the town is through the fjords which is quite peaceful.  We don't arrive until 10 am so able to enjoy the view.  We are taking a shore excursion here so will tell about it later when we return.  Weather today is sunny but cool.  Hope it doesn't rain.

Sail away

We got a taxi about 11am for the short ride to the ship. When we arrived the check in was not ready so we had Rostand in the warehouse and wait about half hour before they started to check people in. There was no special line for the 4star or suite passengers so it took a while to get on board. But once on the ship, our cabin was ready and we unpacked our carry on and then headed to the Lido for a light lunch. When we returned to the cabin, our luggage had arrived so we unpacked and then to the muster drill. At the sail away I sat with several of the cruise critic persons and then watched us sail up the river. I am writing this on Sunday on Bob's phone so I will insert pictures later.

Today we are in Quebec City and sitting in Starbucks for a rest. Will tell more later.

Montreal Day Three/Embarkation

Last night we probably had the best dinner we could remember.  Everything about the evening was terrific.  Everything was so good we had to have dessert too.  The resturant was just around the corner from our hotel so we walked both ways.  Still raining but not so bad.  We both used umbrellas.  Mine from home and Bob had to buy one here in Montreal since he did not pack one and getting both of us under these small compact ones is difficult.  That is if we both want to stay dry. 

Today we pack up and head to the ship.  The port is not far from the hotel, but lugging our luggage up and down the streets here in Montreal is not the best. So we will taxi the short distance.   The weather is strill raining also.  So we will pack up now and head over at around 11 am.  I will post later on to tell of our embarkation and sail away.

Day Two in Montreal

This morning we woke up to rain.  But it was off and on sort of day.  Did not stop us from walking back to the downtown area.  We first stopped at the Basilique of the Queen of the World.  This is a beautiful church in the Grecco Romanesque style.  We then continued to MaGill University and a visit to its bookstore.  On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Cathedrale Christ Church which is the Anglican cathedral.  And later we stopped at St. Patrick's.  Seemed  like a church day. 

We walked down to the port where the Crystal Symphony was docked.  Our ship arrives tomorrow.  We came back to the hotel and shared a beer and some chips.  Lots of walking. 

Tonight we are having dinner at Aix Cuisine du Terroir.  This is a Contemporary Quebecos place.  Will let you know how it goes.

Because of the rain, Bob did not take his camera.  So this one is from yesterday.  This is from Victoria Square. 

Montreal

We are here in Montreal. Flights up went well and we arrived at about 4 ish. But ride to hotel was during rush hour so it took a little longer than usual. We checked in at the Embassy Suites and then headed to the managers reception. This is a free cocktail two hours. We met a man from North Carolina but he grew up in Coca beach and worked for NASA. And a couple from Toronto up to celebrate the man's 70th birthday.

This morning we had breakfast here in the hotel where we bumped into two Drs. From Nemours. Small world. We then headed out for a walking tour of Old Montreal. We visited the Notre Dame Cathredral and then to the port where the Regent Navigator is docked. We continued with the walk and stopped for tea and chocolate croissant. Back to hotel to refresh.

Well we finally decided to walk up to the Plateau Mont-Royal for lunch. I really think Bob is trying to do me in. What a walk. But I made it and we had lunch at the local favorite Schwartz's. We had to stand in line to enter but that gave me time to catch my breath from the walk. But we indulged in the guilty treat of viande fumee -smoked meat. Okn the way back to the hotel we stopped at the local IGA and picked up the necessary things like Pringles, cashews etc.

After a nap for Bob, we headed to the managers reception and then to dinner at Ferreira's. What a wonderful dinner. This is a Portuguese restaurant with a seafood menu. We shared a grilled calamari and then grilled bass from NC. We had taken a taxi to the restaurant but we walked back to the hotel.

I will try to add pictures but the lap top is not connected to the Internet and I am doing this on the iPad.

This picture is of the front  inside the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  The picture at the beginning is of the organ.  And the beautiful color of the changing leaves here in Montreal.

Travel Day

Well, today we head to Montreal.  We are flying on Continental and let me tell you, this will be the last time if I have anything to say about it.  First the changed our flights and we had an eight hour lay over in Newark, NJ.  I would not want an eight hour lay over anywhere but especially in Newark.  So I was able to change that and then yesterday when I checked our flights, the one from Newark to Montreal was not there.  Talk about panic mode.  Well, a call was able to locate our flight but then we were sitting all over the plane.  I fixed that too but just think if you did not check. 

Hope the weather is great.  It is calling for rain so I am prepared this trip.  Have all my weather gear packed.  Only taking one checked bag each so it will have to do.  Keeping the weight of the luggage is the hard part.  It is amazing how heavy clothes get.  

Will continue this after we get to Montreal.  Stay safe out there.

Well we got through security but it was the most crowded as we have ever seen it. Lots of people flying out of Jacksonville today. Flight is ontime so next stop is Newark, NJ.

At the Wedding

Well I am a little late in reporting about the wedding, but here goes.  The flights out to Milwaukee were fine.  We connected in Chicago and were on the plane with several New Orleans Saints fans.  So I was able to get some beads from them for our cruise later this month.  We are wearing the beads so we know who was on Cruise Critic. 

We drove to the Dells and it reminds us of the Jersey Shore.  Lots of the same kinds of shops.  Our room was ready and we helped Mary Alice bring in lots of stuff for the wedding.  The wedding was held outside and the weather was perfect.  It was great to see all the family from Wisconsin that we do not see that often. 

This was taken at the rehersal dinner and is of Rich, Jim's brother and me.

This picture is of Mary Alice and Jim walking into wedding.

This is Scott and Mary Alice at the wedding

This is bride and Dad.

Drew's Wedding

Next week we are traveling to Wisconsin for the wedding of Drew, Mary Alice's oldest son.,  Mary Alice is Bob's younger sister and she lives in Marshfield, Wisconsin.  The wedding will be in Wisconsin Dells.  We have never been to this area and are looking forward to seeing everyone.  When we get home we will start to get ready for our next cruise which is in October.  We will fly up to Montreal and sail all the way back to Ft. Lauderdale.  We don't know if Irene has made the leaf looking worth it but time will tell.

Getting Started

Today I am creating a new blog site.  Hope this one is easier to use and add pictures to it.