PRESIDENTS DAY AND THE LONG RIDE HOME

Monday, February 18, 2013
Cornelius, North Carolina/Sunny and low 60s
After saying good bye to Mary Lou, Scorchy, and their golfing friends Stan and Gene (from Canada and Michigan) about 8 a.m., we got on the road for home. 

As we left Florida we saw many trees (orange trees, saplings, etc.) with individual sprinklers to mitigate the night’s frost. Orange trees faded away and we saw Georgia peanut road side stands. The weather was dry and sunny and we made good time.

We finally finished listening to Lee Childs’ The Enemy, a Jack Reacher prequel about an intriguing story of MPs, his mother who was a French resistance fighter, dead generals, and the fear of change in the military after the fall of the Berlin wall.  

We stopped to eat at Chili’s in Columbia, South Carolina hoping to avoid a traffic jam. Because it was Presidents Day we ended up having no traffic problems and arrived at the Hampton Inn-Lake Norman in Cornelius, South Carolina by 6:30 p.m.

Driving home is not very exciting, and we really aren’t looking forward to snow and ice and 20F weather, but we are looking forward to seeing our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STILL WARMER THAN ERIE, PA!

Sunday, February 17, 2013
Dade City, Florida/sunny and low 50s
Last night was quite cool and we did have a heater on in the cabana. Electricity went out in the night, but we were still warm enough. It came back on eventually. Probably everyone in TRR had their heaters on and blew something out.  In the morning Tim and Scorchy went golfing on the 9 hole golf course on the grounds.

After that we all went to Farmer John’s Key West Café in Brookville—what a delightful little restaurant. Mary Lou had a fruit ambrosia crepe that looked delicious, Tim had a Mexican skillet meal—scrambled eggs and beef over a tostada with salsa and sour cream, chopped tomatoes and green peppers, and skillet potatoes.  I had a very good cheeseburger with coated fries, my favorite. Then we visited nearby Belk’s, Wal-Mart, and H.H. Gregg.

 

We finished our trip with a stop at several Deerfield Estates zero energy model homes (Brookville).  We liked this concept very much. The homes have $0.00 electric bill year round because of solar panels in the roof. The smaller home (1500 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths) was $118,000 with $800/year taxes and the community fee was $180/quarter. A larger one was $142,000 (2300 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a lanai) with the same $180/quarter fee and $1600/year taxes. The solar panels cost extra to add to the home, but there are Federal and local government incentives to build energy efficient homes.  There was a small community center with a pool and exercise room. The realtor said that it was a mixed community, but mostly retired adults live there. I would consider living in a place like this. I am not a fan of huge community fees in addition to taxes. I still do not want to live away from family year round.

Now we are packing for departure tomorrow. We have had a very nice vacation, but we are both ready to go home despite knowing that today it is 20F in Erie.

Janie’s Takes: I forgot to mention that it is strawberry season in Florida. We had strawberry shortcake several times, as well as strawberry pie made with big fresh sweet strawberries from Florida! I don’t think strawberries are in season in Pennsylvania. J

I am going to try to add photos to the various blogs today.

FAMILY FUN!

Thursday, February 14, 2013—Happy Valentine’s Day
Estero, Florida/some rain/70s
On our way to Estero on Wednesday, we stopped in Punta Gorda to see Tim’s niece, Kathleen. After a quick stop there, we proceeded on to Tom and Carol’s and arrived about 6 p.m. After dinner including fabulous Carol-made strawberry pie, we played Trivial Pursuit, a Koenig favorite. The game is challenging, but it is fun for all. We did learn that airbeds are not infallible.

Since it was Valentine’s Day the “girls” chose a trip to Miramar Outlet Mall. There were very good sales and we spent about 3 hours shopping. We enjoyed a late lunch at Miller’s Ale House in the area, fish and chips, burgers, snow crab legs, and shrimp. Very nice celebration for Valentine’s Day!

Back at Tom’s we played another round of Trivial Pursuit and after key lime pie, we watched the cruise ship drama unfold on TV. The Carnival Destiny arrived in Mobile, Alabama about midnight. Passengers were truly relieved to leave nightmare behind, but many acknowledged that despite horrific conditions, the situation was not a tragedy. There are stories of lawyers passing out business cards as passengers disembarked.  We have personally experienced 32 cruises and we will continue to cruise—it is the best value for traveling and we have been to so many countries and exotic places for a lifetime of great memories.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Estero to Dade City, Florida/sunny/70F
We left Tom’s at 9 a.m. and headed for Ft. Myers and the Fleamaster Flea Market. I will take 1 ½ hours of this flea market anytime vs. not stopping at all. I zipped around as fast as I could and even saw an area I had not seen before. One section had a live dance band made up of older men—at least 6 saxophones, plus other horns, a drummer, a viola, etc. playing music from the World War II era and many couples were dancing. I bought reading glasses and Tim bought glasses, a shirt, and a golf ball marker. I do wonder why older people need to take their dogs everywhere they go, including a flea market????  This huge market has women’s clothing made in the U.S.A., tools, Avon, Mary Kay, Fuller Brush, jewelry, hand bags, golf items, hats, scarves, patio furniture, wigs, books, and so much more. On a regular visit it takes me 3 hours to do the market justice.

We decided to eat at River City Grill in Punta Gorda, a very nice choice. Hearty burgers, porta bello and Cuban sandwiches were prepared just for us. The restaurant is very charming in a quaint downtown area---and it became quite crowded by the time we were leaving.

We were back on the highway to Dade City/TRR when Mary Lou said there was a nice mall in Brandon, Westfield Mall. Tim and I really have a handle on quality malls, and this one was a winner with Dillard’s, Macy’s, Chico’s, Penney’s Sears, an Apple Store, a Pandora store, a Tervis kiosk, and many more stores, metal sculptures of aquatic animals like turtles and frogs, Panera Bread inside the mall, and Cheesecake Factory outside. With an hour limit, I had to zip quickly from one end to the other, but mission accomplished. Tim got a great deal on a pair of Ecco golf shoes.

Then, of course, we hit the Tampa traffic on I-75, but Tim skillfully made a path and we got home to TRR safely.

The little family trip was fun and important!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Dade City to Mt. Dora, Florida/sunny, mid 60s
Even though it was a little chilly in the morning, this was a perfect day for wandering around Renninger’s Antiques and Collectibles Extravaganza with Mary Lou and Scorchy. Mt. Dora is an hour and a half drive from Dade City. This extravaganza is held 3 times a year with almost 1400 vendors from across the U.S. After paying the admission of $6/per person, Tim and I headed for the food area for an “arepa,” something I sure do look forward to each year. It is a grilled thick pancake-like corn bread filled with melted mozzarella cheese.  It is a South American specialty.

We allotted ourselves three hours to enjoy antiquing. I am sure it is not as big as Brimfield in Massachusetts, but the Extravaganza covers several acres with all sorts of vendors selling buttons (2 vendors); Coca Cola items; garden urns/baskets/pots, etc.; lamps from Tiffany to  Hubley and everything in between;  fine pottery; Fiesta new and old; architectural items (fixtures, stained glass windows and doors; ephemera (old first edition books, post cards, magazines, newspapers, letters); glassware from Tiffany to Fostoria, Depression, cut glass, etc.; old toys; linens; baskets; maritime collectibles; copper items; iron items; furniture from primitive to Shaker and more; kitchen collectibles; silver items; basically anything imaginable. There are also about 20 permanent vendors in darling cottages on the premises, as well as a large antique mall with permanent vendors. It is fun to see such a variety of items in one place, especially on a nice day. It was a little windy though and we could hear glass items breaking every once in awhile. I mused again about people who insist on bringing their dogs—a brace of Russian Borzois, bassets, labs, golden retrievers, and a variety of small dogs in dog strollers. Amazing.

I bought a 19 inch Franciscan Apple platter. I saw the same platter and vendor at the Webster Flea Market last Monday, but I passed it over then. I thought maybe the same vendor would be at Renninger’s and we made a good deal. I am very pleased to have the large platter—I have never seen the 19 inch size and it was in fine condition with an American back stamp from the 50s. Ham and turkey will taste better served on this platter!

The drive to and from Mt. Dora was enjoyable too. Spring is emerging with many trees fully leaved and others budding, azaleas all over.  We saw many horse and cow pastures, lakes, and wetlands, with small quaint towns in between.

When we got back to Dade City, we did not communicate very well and ended up at a new Mexican restaurant, Del Carmen, for dinner. We did not like the food, although the place was very clean and attractive. The food was not warm, for one thing.  We don’t have to go there again!

 

 

 

 

 

MARDI GRAS SUN AND MORE SUN!

Tuesday, February 13, 2013
Dade City, Florida/80s and sunny

This morning was interesting. Travelers Rest Resort (TRR) had a health fair. There were about 20 vendors, from Meals on Wheels to local hospitals. I decided to get a pneumonia shot. Only people above a certain age could get the shot J and we both wanted to get one. I was eligible. The shot (good for 10 years) was administered by an R.N. from the Florida/Pasco County public health center.  Then I won a free EKG, blood test, and an oxygen level test (through the finger). Since I have small veins, a different R.N. took a little vial of blood from my left forearm. My EKG and oxygen levels were normal, but a little while later I noticed a hard lump at the blood draw site. I went back to the health fair and it turned out to be a hematoma and I was “ordered” to apply pressure, rest, and keep my arm above my heart for the rest of the day. J

That was not a difficult task in this area! This park/resort is in such a lovely setting—and the people are friendly and very active. In the late afternoon two other couples joined us for hors d’oeuvres and refreshment. One couple is from Canada—retired bankers, and the other couple is from Michigan—a retired firefighter and a retired teacher. We had a very entertaining evening because Scorchy and the others are very funny. 

We watched the State of the Union tonight---there is always hope. I agree that we all deserve a vote—to me that meant that Congressmen and Senators need to consider their constituents instead of their own personal interests. It was outrageous that a lady who was 102 years old had to wait for 6 hours to vote in the last Presidential election. People must not be disenfranchised, just one issue that makes me upset.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Dade City to Estero, Florida/sunny/79F

All of us are leaving today to go to visit Tim’s brother, Tom, and Carol in Estero after Scorchy finishes his charity golf tournament (TRR has 9 hole golf course). We took a little ride to a roadside stand for delicious honey bell and Hamlin oranges. On the way back we saw a bald eagle with buzzards along the road. Tim stopped to get a photo and the eagle was very accommodating!

 

 We have heard more about the cruise ship, Carnival Triumph that had an engine fire 90 miles off the coast of Progreso, Mexico, on Sunday, during a 4 day cruise. They decided to tow the ship to Mobile, Alabama (the ship started out in Galveston so we don’t understand this move. Tim says that Galveston port would require much delicate maneuvering and since the ship is undertow, that would be very difficult. Also, Mobile probably has a shipyard capable of repairs) more than 150 miles away. There are over 4200 people on board. The ship has been three days without electricity, no engine power, limited bathroom facilities, and limited food. Some food has been supplied by passing cruise ships. Thankfully, there were no injuries. This extraordinary situation would be very difficult. We have been very lucky with all of our 32 cruises.

We are sitting in the back yard enjoying a soft warm breeze as I type. Thank goodness we are not on that cruise!

DADE CITY, FLORIDA--82F AND SUNNY!

Yesterday we went to Chefs of Napoli in Brooksville, Florida and enjoyed a wonderful Italian dinner—veal Milanese (me), penne pasta with mushrooms, beef, and peas (Tim), fresh baked Italian bread, and spring greens salad. The small restaurant was popular and crowded. Our waitress was fresh from the Amalfi coast—her Uncle Luigi owns the restaurant! Very authentic!

Today we drove to the Webster flea market and antique market----at least FOUR acres of vendors. I should have bought a 19 inch Franciscan Apple platter, but did not. I did buy reading glasses and some paperback books. Tim bought golf balls and kettle corn. Mary Lou bought 5 quarts of fresh Florida strawberries. On the way home we bought Cuban pressed sandwiches (ham, salami, cheese, lettuce, and a light mustard sauce) for lunch/dinner. After eating them, we made strawberry shortcake and ate it outdoors. We could not do that at home today.

This area is very pleasant at this time of year. Spring is just peeking in, trees are budding, and certain flowers are in full bloom. Travelers Rest (the RV resort we are in) has multiple gardens courtesy of a very active garden club. Epiphytes, live oaks, snake plants, all kinds of bromeliads, poinsettias, flowering milkweed, ferns, bamboo, azaleas, all are prevalent. There is a small pond with fish and frogs, and swans, pelicans, and ducks.  Sandhill cranes are prevalent and certainly make noise in the morning—they are worse than roosters!

We looked at a 2009 12 x 40 foot RV, new roof, new golf cart, a share in the RV resort (this resort is member owned), 3 bump outs, full bath, washer and dryer, a covered porch, and a new shed with the asking price of $32,000. It was immaculate on a nice piece of property with a palm tree and holly bushes. There was a lot of storage space, too, and a desk in the bedroom, air conditioning, full kitchen with appliances. But, I think if we were considering something in Florida, it would need two bedrooms and two baths, plus a room for my study. We don’t think an RV is going to be for us. It was fun to look though and the price was sure reasonable. The fee here is $3000/year, which is very reasonable considering the land is owned by the person and that fee of $3000 includes water, sewer, garbage pickup, and cable. The other communities we have looked at have fees that are usually $300-$700/month and you only own your unit/fabricated unit, not the land.

SENSATIONALLY SENSATIONAL CARNIVAL SENSATION

Sunday, February 3, 2013—

Port Canaveral/Sunny and 72F

Because we are now “Platinum” on Carnival, boarding the Sensation was a total breeze. By noon we were having lunch in the Seaview Bistro (TK) and the Lido Grill (JK). Our luggage was delivered early and we were unpacked and organized by 1 p.m. The ship has been updated several times since we were on her 15 years ago. It did not take long to acclimate to the ship. Our cabin (ocean view) is E 59, Empress Deck just steps away from the main atrium, elevators, guest services, and lobby bar with music nightly, a great location. Our Fantasy Dining Room is one deck above us, and the Fantasia Show Lounge is just two decks straight up. We are thankful that our cabin is “normal” compared to the NCL Epic. Our bathroom is normal, too.  There is plenty of space for both of us, with ample closets and drawers, a desk/vanity, good lighting, and a flat screen TV.

 

Janie’s Take: Heavily scented people could eat at a location far far away from me.

TK’s Take: He said that Port Canaveral was a good port to embark from—he would not mind sailing out of that port again.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island
Sunny/mid-70s
We did not hurry off the ship to go to Freeport. These two cruises are about warmth and sun. We teamed up with another couple, Chris and Eva from Florida, and Chris’ mother from Watertown, NY to get a taxi tour of the island. Grand Bahama Island is 96 miles long, but we only saw a small part. The island is “famed for its quiet beaches, dolphins, sharks, and old fishing settlements.” Some Pirates of the Caribbean scenes were filmed here. I particularly wanted to tour “The Perfume Factory” (www.perfumefactory.com).  Even though I am not so fond of heavily perfumed people, I do like small factories with pleasant smells.  This factory was founded about 40 years ago—the owner built the “factory” to look like an island home in the 1800s. All five of us were glad we stopped here—such a delightful atmosphere and many scents to explore!

 

 

We also visited a flea market, the International Bazaar, Port Lucaya Marketplace, and Junkanoo Beach. (A “Junkanoo” festival is held annually on December 26 and January 1 and celebrates the Bahamian culture. It is thought that the word Junkanoo comes from a corruption of John Canoe, the name of a former African king. Revelers are masked and dressed in elaborate costumes.)  The markets were full of colorful beach dresses, beaded jewelry, t-shirts, and straw purses/bags. The beach was soft and sandy, but the blue clear water was quite cold.

 

Tonight was formal night so lobster and prime rib were served. Tonight’s show “Curves,” with dancers, singers, and a live band was very good. I will say that the colorful costumes were the skimpiest we have ever seen in 32 cruises.  There was an announcement before the show that it was PG-13 and that the female performers would be wearing g-strings. No kidding.

 

TK’s Takes: Our driver did not seem too optimistic about the economy in the Bahamas. (They experienced hurricanes back to back in 2004—we saw two 10-14 story hotels empty and abandoned, as well as many other buildings. The oil refineries are gone, but holding tanks full of Venezuelan oil are plentiful. The oil will be shipped to refineries in America.)

Janie’s Takes: As we basked in the total warmth in the Bahamas, we were amused at a vendor at the market who said she was cold!! It’s all about perspective!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Nassau, Bahamas
Sunny/80s

After a leisurely breakfast, we took a very short walk to downtown Nassau. We browsed the jewelry, watch, the Straw Market, and souvenir shops. I especially liked the shop that had soaps and candles made by the local artisans, “My Ocean.” (www.myocean-bahamas.com) I bought a couple things for friends and family.  

Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas, an independent island group formerly a British colony until about 40 years ago. Today that means traffic still stays to the left in the Bahamas. Policemen (Bobbies) wear “white jackets, navy pants with red seams, and pith helmets, a tropical version of their London counterparts.” The buildings in Nassau are predominantly pink-hued. The walk to center city is very short and pleasant.

We returned to the ship about 1:30 p.m. for pool/reading time. Tonight’s dinner featured chilled mango cream, soup, roast turkey, gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. The turkey tasted very traditional without the usual cruise ship spice or herb to give it an odd taste. The pumpkin pie tasted familiar, but had the consistency of jello????

We thought this 4 day cruise would have a lot of young people, but actually the passengers’ median age is probably 70 with a few children and younger couples. We shall see what a 3 day cruise brings.

TK’s Takes: He was amused by the aggressive sea birds at the deck rails coveting leftovers.  He also remarked that we have a good cabin steward, Arvyn and his assistant Supardi.

Janie’s Takes:  An unlimited Coke card for 4 days cost $29.95. To my delight they serve Coke Zero which is light years ahead of Diet Coke as far as taste is concerned.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

At Sea
Sunny/high 70s
We had a fun day at the pool all day long-I’m reading Andy McDermott’s Return to Atlantis, an action story that is a follow up to one I read before about discoveries at a site believed to be Atlantis. Tim is a people watcher. At 6 p.m. we went to “cruise casual” dinner---tomato and mozzarella salad, veal parmesan, and baked Alaska. Excellent. After buying a photo (my 4^th this trip—I can’t help myself), we went to tonight’s show, “Far From Over.” There are 14 very professional dancers onboard and quite frankly, Carnival always has a good show. Tonight the theme was songs of the 80s. Some featured songs/singers included “Sweet Dreams”/Eurhythmics, “Thriller”/Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and more, with pyrotechnics and mostly fabulous costumes. Two extra dancers were really really good at break dancing.

Most of the passengers are leaving tomorrow, but we get to stay on board! Luggage is outside in the hall, but not ours! J

TK’s Takes: This is the smoothest sailing we have ever encountered.

Janie’s Takes: I think one of the reasons I like cruising so much is how I sleep with the gentle rocking of the ship. I didn’t even hear the ship leave Nassau at 1 a.m.

 

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Port Canaveral-Reprise/70s
After breakfast in the dining room (very rare for us) and while other passengers disembarked, we waited with 4 other couples at the atrium bar for a ship’s officer to take us off the ship for customs and then bring us back on for new key cards and more fun!  With only 10 passengers onboard this morning, we enjoyed having the Serenity area (aft--cushioned lounge chairs, adults only) completely to ourselves for two hours.  On this ship, there is no cost so the area is always full.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool reading until we had the safety drill. Shortly after the drill the ship slowly left the port. We tried some silliness and called Randy, Brian’s work, and Tom to tell them to watch the Port Canaveral webcam (on the Internet) to see us waving as the ship went past the restaurant, FishLips. We had to turn our phones off so we don’t know if anyone saw us. I think we should have been on the top deck anyway.

 

Back at our stateroom we made a distinct discovery. Our “passageway” was filled with college age “boys” and “girls.”  The noise was deafening.  Just what we were afraid of. Cabins on down the line, both sides, were full of raucous people. 

On the way to dinner we asked at guest services if there was anything we could do. They said if we heard intolerable noise to contact them and they would send security. That gave us some relief. (in hindsight--ha ha ha. By the time security arrived, the kids were gone again, partying somewhere else)

During the last cruise we requested a certain table for two and so we are enjoying the same dining stewards each night, Savio (India), Christopher (Philippines), and Yustiawan (Indonesia). I think they are enjoying us too, because such short cruises do not foster getting to know diners.

                                Savio, MJ, Yustiawan, Christopher, Tim in the Fantasy Dining Room

We went to two evening comedy shows—both Butch Bradley and Darren D.S. Sanders were funny, even though the shows were “family friendly.”

Our towel animals have been a bunny, a monkey, a turtle, and a dinosaur. Arwyn showed us how to make a turtle when we returned to the cabin.

 

TK’s /Janie’s Takes: We were not sure how the night would turnout, noise-wise, but it was quiet as we turned in.

Friday, February 08, 2013

Nassau/sunny/high 70s
We awoke from a very good night’s sleep. In other words, the young people contained their noise after 11 p.m. thank goodness. When we left the cabin though, we saw new mattresses in the hall for a room down the way. (it turned out that one of the young men in that particular room “sang in the bathroom” and other places, directly quoted from our dear cabin steward).

We actually had breakfast in the dining room again and then I lounged by the pool area while Tim watched the ship pull into Nassau and dock at noon. We did decide walk into go into Nassau for a little while.

Tonight was “elegant” night again and instead of lobster we had prime rib. The nightclubs were not as busy because the ship is not leaving port until 5 a.m. We went to the Punchliner Comedy Club again—some good laughs about flight attendants (getting older and older—like Wal-Mart greeters) and family trips to Disney World cost $700 million, for example.

The news on CNN is focused on a big snow storm in the northeast. It looks like Erie escaped most of it.

The “boys” are in rare form, but we hope they are going to party off the ship in Nassau tonight. 

TK’s Takes: He did not expect to go ashore today, but he accommodated me by going to Diamonds International.  He also said he discovered a 9  hole putt putt course on the 14^th deck.

Saturday, February 09, 2013

At Sea/sunny and warm-70s
We were awakened four times last night, 3 times by our partying neighbors and once by the ship’s leaving Nassau.  We could not expect too much more from a 3 day cruise with at least 4 bachelorette parties and 2 bachelor parties, as well as all the college age people. There are a lot of young families, too, but they are not a problem.

We spent most of the day at the pool and now we have begun the inevitable packing to leave tomorrow.

We were sad to leave Savio, Christopher, and Yustiawan—they were so sweet and attentive. The veal parmesan was fresh and tasty.

Our final show was the comedian Butch Bradley. He was really playing to the children, but we had a few laughs. He asked Tim where we were from and his occupation. He said Erie, Pennsylvania and retired. I piped in that he was a firefighter. Bradley had a quip for wives who speak up, then said he thought firefighters should never have to wait in line for anything. He also said that when firefighters see a fire, they go in.  When he sees a fire he calls a firefighter. Even though that got laughs, he was clear that he respected the profession.

 
We finished packing and hoped for a night’s sleep. Tonight's towel feature was a big heart--so sweet!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Lakeland, Florida/70s/Starbucks of  I-4.
We were off the ship and it our truck in less than an hour, by 8:30 a.m. traveling toward Dade City and Mary Lou and Scorchy. Tim has already observed that gas has gone up. And, we had an email from our Wisconsin friends that they want to do a Mediterranean cruise in 2014. If the cruise goes to Marseilles, we are in!

I hope I have some access to Internet at Mary Lou’s. I really really miss my family! I hope that friend H has been able to take her several trips for Medal of Honor despite the weather, too. Lots to be thankful for.

TK’s Takes: He is glad we are off the ship. The boys were making noise until 5 a.m. this morning. No more 3 or 4 day cruises, ever. Unless we are with family.

Janie’s note:  We only took these two cruises so we would be Platinum. Carnival upped the ante on Platinum and we were so close that they offered two short cruises and we would be upgraded. Otherwise, we would be far away from Platinum.  And the cruises were reasonable and going to warm places!

 

 

 

 

 

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HAS NOTHING ON US!

February 1-2, 2013
Friday, the 1^st
St. Augustine/Fairfield Inn/I-95
The drive to St. Augustine was quite uneventful---we arrived about 3 p.m. and headed straight to the outlet mall and Tommy Bahamas—70% off swim suits was the only bargain this trip and I bought one.  The weather was 60F and sunny. Since we had not stopped to eat all day, we went to St. Augustine’s historic area and settled on The Floridian, advertised as using local beef, seafood, and fruits/vegetables. We did not realize it was an organic restaurant. The atmosphere was quaint and clean, decorated in 50s Florida décor. The burger and Tim’s meatloaf sandwich were tasty, no fries, spinach leaves instead of lettuce, no ranch dressing, sweet pickles-not dill, no pop. We survived.

Saturday, the 2nd/GROUNDHOG DAY

Cape Canaveral/Marriott Residence Inn/A1A—Astronaut Boulevard
The seaside ride to the Cocoa Beach area from St. Augustine is not a long one. We stopped by a flea market (nothing remarkable) and had lunch at our favorite, Dixie Crossroads, in Titusville (shrimp and more shrimp and hush puppies). Now we have such a good memory of Randy, Coleen, and Brooke being with us there last June, as well as at the Marriot and RonJons.

We took a drive almost to Merritt Island. Punxsutawney Phil has nothing on our day. We saw an armadillo on the roadside, munching on grass and scurrying along. I don’t remember seeing an armadillo in the wild before No shadow! We also saw osprey and lots of seabirds.

Now we are preparing for tomorrow’s cruise on the Carnival Sensation!

TK’s takes:  The local Publix had Gibble’s potato chips!!

 

 

 

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA! WE LEFT THE SNOW BEHIND!!

Exploring the World Part IV

January 31, 2013

We left Erie behind in the dark, snow wisping over the roads, just the beginning of another lake effect snowstorm. It was 7:15 a.m. and the snow followed us until we reached mid-Virginia. We made our traditional stop at the New River Gorge National Park area in West Virginia for a photo.

 

We had already eaten the tuna fish sandwiches, our favorite first day fare.  The ride was not extraordinary, a few deer, warmer weather as we drove further south, and traffic jam-ups no matter what time we drive around Charlotte, North Carolina.  We listened to a Jack Reacher book, The Enemy, by Lee Child, on CD  for about 5 hours, making the ride a little less tedious. We arrived at our Rock Hill, South Carolina Hampton Inn just before 6 p.m. At 7 p.m. it is 46F here in Rock Hill, 23F in Erie.

We are on our way to Cocoa Beach/Port Caneveral for two short cruises on Carnival Sensation. Both cruises go to the Bahamas, Nassau and Freeport. We need some SUN!!!

BACK IN THE U.S.A.!!!

Saturday, November 3: Arrive Miami, Florida. Drive to Estero, Florida to visit Tom and Carol

Getting off the ship was fairly easy and we were hailing a cab by 9:20 a.m. The Avalanche was just where we left it at the Homewood Suites by the Miami Airport. Two hours later, phone calls to dear family made, a ride along Alligator Alley, and we were at Tom and Carol’s. I am always in awe at their ability to cook and they had prepared an all American dinner for us: chicken and biscuits, American mashed potatoes, tossed salad, and a homemade wonderful cheesecake a la Carol. 

It is good to be in America again for sure!

 

CARIBBEAN SUN!

Thursday, November 1, Friday, November 2. At sea.

Thursday—another day reading by the pool, sunny and warm. Truthfully TK is looking forward to Miami.  I haven’t done a transatlantic crossing since I was 20 years old, and TK crossed on a U.S. Navy cruiser from 1968-1972, so we did not know what it would be like at a different time in our life. I have enjoyed the Azores and St.Thomas, but I thought I would be happy reading for hours and hours on end.

Tonight we saw Legends in Concert (reservation—no cost). The featured “Legends” were Jimmy Buffet, Donna Summer, and Michael Jackson. The show was entertaining and the performers not only looked like the “Legend,” but they also sounded like them. No lip syncing.

Friday—Since this is our last full day on the Epic (20 days total), we had breakfast in “Taste.” I think we would have liked the passage better if we didn’t have to make reservations for any show we wanted to see. I understand the process because there are 3500-4000 people on the ship, but there is always a line to make the reservations. You can also make reservations on the TV, but the remote batteries are probably 2 years old and that makes for another slow process. TK made our reservations for Cirque Dreams (cost $35/pp) and Blue Man Group (no cost) before we left home, but we did not know what the other shows would be like.

I finished reading Shadow Zone by Iris and Roy Johansen.

Our cruise is certainly winding down. The Mediterranean cruise was exceptionally port intensive, but worth it. The transatlantic cruise was much lazier with endless days of sun and warmth, as well as extra hours (we set our clock back six hours over several days, so we really got extra sleep).  I don’t think we will do a transatlantic again.

We had dinner in the “Taste” dining room to say good bye to our favorite waiters, Kerwin Bucaya and Christian Lee. They are such nice young men.

ST. THOMAS IS FOR SHOPPING

Wednesday, October 31. St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Happy Halloween! I wonder what B1 and B2 wore for Halloween. I also wonder what the weather will be for Trick or Treat!

We had to undergo U.S. Immigration in St.Thomas. In fact, everyone, including the crew had to go through immigration. For us, it was easy—we presented our U.S. passport and room key card and that was it. Our scheduled time was 7 a.m. and since it was so fast, we decided to get off the ship at that time. TK’s version will be different, but we were in downtown Charlotte Amalie by 7:30 a.m. He will say we were the only people there at that time. I told him to enjoy the sunshine, the quietude, and study the architecture. Even a cup of coffee in a small local coffee shop did not placate him. J  Anyway, we learned the shops don’t open until 8:40-9:00 a.m. I enjoyed the sun, the quiet, the architecture, and even the hen and her little brood in a patch of grass near the post office until the shops opened. Tim brooded.

We visit St. Thomas often enough that sales people are familiar to us. I love to visit the jewelry shops and see the depth of styles and the vast selection. Today there were 12,000 people in town from cruise ships. That is a powerful market. I found everything I was looking for and then some!

We had lunch at the Green Parrot restaurant as always. It looks out over the bay and we always get a window seat. Cheeseburgers are very good here!

We were back on the Epic by 4:30 p.m.

At dinner Kerwin Bucaya, our favorite waiter—from the Philippines, told us it took him 2 ½ hours to go through immigration. Since the ship is coming to the Caribbean from Europe, the U.S. checks carefully.

MORE DAYS AT SEA!

Friday, October 26-Tuesday, October 30: At sea

Friday---it was rainy and everyone else seemed restless. We are enjoying the restful days.  We did do the “Cruise Critic Cabin Crawl” and visited six staterooms with different configurations:  Inside cabin (more space to move around in than our previous large balcony), aft balcony, balcony for disabled, spa mini suite (a little bigger than our balcony, but we do not need a high sided bathtub), a studio (NCL is accommodating solo passengers with smaller rooms to meet the needs of a solo traveler and a special area for them to mingle with other solo travelers), and a haven 2 bedroom villa ($2000/pp on this cruise, $4000/pp for the Mediterranean Cruise—nice, with a shower and a separate bathtub overlooking the ocean, lots of room, but beyond our means)

Saturday—today was warm enough to enjoy the sun by the pool. TK has a cold.

Sunday—we spent time enjoying the sun. We are concerned about Hurricane Sandy which is nearing the U.S. Weather reports are sketchy and we decided to buy Internet minutes after all.

Sunday night we went to the “Second City” performance in the Comedy Club (reservation—no cost). We saw their “Overboard” show about cruise ship vacations. We thought the performers were quite funny and they definitely captured some humorous moments on cruise ships.

Monday—another day reading at the pool. Tim usually lounges in the pool.  I finished Pat Conroy’s Beach Music, a sweeping tale of life in the 60s in Charleston, South Carolina. Conroy also wrote Prince of Tides. I did not see the movie, so I think I will read that book!

Tuesday—another day reading at the pool. I finished reading The Good Guy by Dean Koontz. The captain said that the swells we are experiencing are a result of Hurricane Sandy. Because the Epic is so large with sufficient stabilizers, we do not feel the swells much. Tim played in the Cruise Critic Slot Pull. About 25 people paid $15 to participate and each player had 5 turns on a particular slot, the Wheel of Fortune. One man got a hit for $500. Others either hit for $0, $10, or $40. After everybody played, the pool was split between them. Tim got $30 back. Not bad.

We have enjoyed the little Irish pub on board, O’Sheehan’s.  Our favorite dishes are chicken fingers, artichoke dip and nachos appetizer, fried mozzarella sticks, chicken pot pie, fish and chips, meatloaf, and the burgers. Of course we do not eat here all the time, but it is a nice alternative. We never tried any of the restaurants that charge a fee, like Cagney’s (steak), Cucina’s (Italian), or the oriental restaurants. For me it is not about the food anyway.

Janie’s Take: I really don’t like the inability to communicate with family and friends. We decided to buy an Internet package, but the connection is so slow and the process is painful. I finally was able to hear from home though.

B1 and B2 would love the water slides on this ship!!

AZORES: VOLCANO CRATER LAKES, NATURAL BOILING SPRINGS, AND STEAM VENTS GALORE!

Thursday, October 25: Ponta Delgada, Azores. Tour the island.

Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. Populated since 1444, the island has approximately 60,000 inhabitants. Portuguese is the official language.

The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about  930 miles west of Lisbon and about 1200 miles southeast of Newfoundland. São Miguel is 2800 nautical miles from St.Thomas where we are headed and I want to look that distance up.  Mt. Pico (sp?) is the highest mountain, 7700 ft. (not sure if ft. or meters). The whole island was very clean. I also found out that the U.S. military base that uses our Medal of Honor character development program/curriculum is on the island Terceira, which is about 120 miles from São Miguel/30 minutes by airplane (cost $150).

The main industries are agriculture (pineapples, grapes, grain, sugar cane, flowers-particularly carnations), dairy farming (for cheese and butter products primarily), livestock ranching (chickens, rabbits, sheep, goats, hogs), fishing, and tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region.

Today was 68 F and partly cloudy. We were lucky since this lush island gets lots of rain. We did experience fog and wind and a little mist. Carmen, our beautiful port guide, met us outside the ship at 8:30 a.m. We toured with 3 other couples from Florida, Dallas, and Scotland. We really like these tours of 6 to 8 people, so much more personal than the cruise ship buses of 60.

 

We headed up the volcanic mountain to see Lagoa do Fogo (which I think means Fire Lake), a large lake in a volcano crater and many scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean. From there we traveled the countryside to a site where we walked to Caldeira Velha, natural boiling water in a small pool the size of a basketball court. Because of the geothermal properties of the island, this phenomenon is common.  Along the windy drive we saw blue, purple, and pink hydrangeas with flowers as big as soccer balls growing along the roadside. It was like we were in a lush rain forest without the humidity. Unique palm trees, sycamores, pine trees, cedar trees, tall grasses followed our path. We also saw many many fields of Holstein dairy cattle as well as beef cattle. At one point four cows were in our path, although Carmen said that is not common.
 

We stopped at a tea factory for a tour, Cha Porto Formosa. We viewed a video that showed the difference between orange pekoe (the first leaf on the stem—more caffeine, stronger taste), pekoe (the 2^nd leaf—a little less caffeine, still sort of strong taste), and broken leaf (the rest of the leaves—less caffeine, mildest taste). We could see the small tea bushes on the property with delicate white flowers and a yellow center. After the small factory tour, we all sat for a cup of tea. The tea was nicely packaged and I bought the “Broken Leaf” for Mary Lou---the tea is loose and I am sure she has an infuser.

After Logoa das Furnas (another volcanic crater lake), we went to a hot springs (Posa da Beija) where people swim, a charming area. I waded into the pool and the temperature was divine. There are a series of such pools, one deeper than the other as you go further toward the cave that is the source of this spring. Others did swim, but we did not. After this stop, we found out that a small candy “factory” was nearby, so we went to see—it was a tiny kitchen and one employee was indeed making candy: caramels (more like caramel on crème brulee), and lemon, anise, honey drops nicely packaged. We all bought some!

We stopped at Restaurante Vale das Furnas/Buondi Caffe for an amazing lunch! Because of the hot steam that pours out of the earth, the Azoreans have devised a way to capitalize on this situation. Roast beef, pork ribs, blood sausage, pork sausage, carrots, kale, cabbage, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are placed in a pot that is lowered into a stone hole dug over a steam vent, covered, and left for six hours or so. Then the pot is removed and taken to the restaurant. Restaurants that use this method of cooking have their own stone holes in the hot steam area. This “Cozido das Furnas” has an unbelievably fantastic “background” taste because the steam is also infused with sulphur from the earth. Add special fluffy bread made today and mild fresh goat cheese made yesterday and you have the greatest feast! Reminiscent of the New England boiled dinner I am so fond of.

To top it off, Carmen took us to a magical forest where the steam holes are—trees with intertwining roots above ground, soft moss, careful steps, all open up to the barren muddy area of hot steam rolling out from the earth. The sound of the water boiling and bubbling like that is beyond describing.  I bet my brother would like the Azores!

Visiting São Miguel was an enlightening, mystical experience, the serenity, the lush foliage, the flowers, the vistas of crater lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean, all perfect. I asked Carmen about hurricanes in the Azores. She said that for hundreds of years and all the years she was growing up, there were no hurricanes until recently. The climate change has made a difference in the Azores and hurricanes now affect them frequently. 

We arrived back at Ponta Delgada with only a half hour to spare, so yet another fantastic port with barely enough time to buy any souvenirs. That has been a great disappointment for us me.

Back onboard the Epic we settled in again with prime rib extraordinaire.