Celebrity Sostice--Day at Sea

Days at sea can be leisurely or they can be hectic depending upon how you spend them. There are a slew of activities to choose from if you are one who needs to be active all day long. Shopping seminars, trivia, wine tastings, art auctions, spa and fitness talks (A Younger Face in 10 Minutes—mine took 20), boat races (pool-sized), ballroom dance lessons, bridge, the ever popular casino and bingo, and the list goes on—including the ever popular WII for adults.
The alternative to hustling from one activity to another is to grab a good book and a lounge chair and find a spot by one of the pools or on the Solstice Deck and try to keep your eyes open as the warmth of the sun combines in a narcotic symbiosis with the gentle roll of the ship.

After our morning mile walk (8 times around this short jogging track—no full promenade deck) Bob went off to exercise and enjoy his time in the thermal suite while I attended a lecture on the Gershwin brothers. The lecture was as much entertainment as education with the husband/wife combo, Marlene and Chet Solender, who sang and played their illustrated songs.

While I’m not much of a shopper, there are lots of shops on decks 4 and 5. I loved the sign as you enter the area, “Retail Therapy.” Tables of specialty items lure you if you have a bent for shopping for a bargain.

Lunch (and breakfast) in the Oceanview Café buffet was a bit uncomfortable for me. I don’t do well with crowds and confusion and the buffet is not organized in (to me) a logical manner. There are “stations” dotted through the middle of the large room and you go from one to another in search of what you might want to eat playing “bumper plate” with the other guests. Toast was across the room from where the bread and rolls were. Several different types of scrambled eggs were to be had in different places. For lunch, salads were spread out in different areas, there was a grill and a place for sandwiches (no paninis). I never did figure out where the soup was. Then there was a section called “Chef’s Surprise.” I gave a cursory glance and decided I didn’t want to guess what was in it.

The most disappointing thing however, was to go all the way back to the Aqua Spa Grill and find that there was a very small selection of unappetizing cold dishes. The last time we cruised with Celebrity aboard the Century, I thoroughly enjoyed the lighter dishes and soups that were cooked in the Aqua Spa Grill. I’ll try again to see if I missed something but warm dishes were not readily apparent when we stopped by there. Our other option is to eat in the main dining room for lunch and breakfast and we will try that as well.

Please keep in mind that everyone has their own taste and what doesn’t appeal to me might be the best food someone else has ever tasted. And I’m not complaining (especially since I don’t have to do the cooking or the cleanup). But I am a bit disappointed since most of my bragging about Celebrity has been about their food.

The evening was full with dinner at the Murano specialty restaurant. We listened to the wonderful A Cappella Group Ocean’s Four in the Ensemble Lounge before going into the restaurant. (Also discovered that there are bird songs in the entryway to the lounge where the “ants” cross the tiled floor.) The Murano was every bit as good as promised. Its French cuisine was a delight. We tasted Dover Wellington (scallop in filo), lobster bisque, pear and Roquefort salad, and duck and rack of lamb. The presentation was wonderful and the taste divine. All of that was followed with flaming strawberry crepes and an assortment of apple desserts.

The evening’s fare in the theater was SOLSTICE: The Show. It was a fantasy-type theme with charactered circus performers much like Cirque du Soleil but they were careful not to draw that analogy. As always it is amazing to see anyone perform on stage when they have to dance or do anything that requires balance on a moving ship at sea. These performers were flawless in their acrobatics and balancing acts often suspended over the heads of the audience.

While the evening was still young, we were not and called it a night while others went on to enjoy the musicians in the lounges around ship as well as the late night comedian. As we opened the door to our room, we were greeted by turned-down sheets with two towel-swans adorned with rose petals and candy. A bud vase of roses sat on our coffee table from the Captain’s Club people. It was a warm touch to end a nice day. Smiling, we set clocks ahead one hour to match the time in San Juan our port of call for the next day.

Tomorrow: San Juan, Puerto Rico and more of the Solstice.

Celebrity Solstice--Setting Sail

After a leisurely breakfast and a quiet morning walk, we took a taxi to Port Everglades to board the Celebrity Solstice. We arrived at noon and fifteen minutes later were beginning our walk around the ship. (If your documents are all in order and you have your passports handy, check-in is very quick and painless.) Celebrity allows you to board early but your stateroom is not available until after 1 p.m.
Our goal was to head immediately for the specialty restaurants to be able to get our choices for reservations since Bob was unable to make them online. For some reason he kept getting the response that nothing was available until 10 p.m. each night. Thus our first impression of the ship was the area where the specialty restaurants are located. It was a mouth-hanging-open beginning. The area is absolutely elegant. The comfortable Ensemble Lounge with its dark wood accents and playful entrance where the walls resemble a garden and the floor tiles have columns of little yellow ants painted on them transitions you to a lobby area where the restaurants are located.
We were able to make reservations for the nights we had chosen and continued on to the spa area where Bob wanted to be sure he could reserve his spot for the thermal suite and to check out the fitness area. We found lots of great machines to help keep the weight from creeping up.
From there it was off to lunch. As is usually the case the first day of the cruise, the buffet was packed with people and carry-ons. Never judge a buffet area by the day of embarkation. We managed to find some nourishment—never difficult on a cruise ship, and before we were finished eating, the announcement was made that our rooms were ready.
Our stateroom was a pleasant surprise. It was not nearly as small as I expected and tastefully done with light colored wood and two toned bed linens. Besides the bed, a vanity, and a couch that can double as another sleeping space I suspect, there was a comfortable sized closet and several drawers, sufficient for our clothes and accessories once they arrived mid-afternoon. The balcony seemed to have a little more leg room as well. The bathroom was a delight to see with a modern raised washbowl and fixtures. There was lots of storage space for toiletries and such. The counter is not very wide but its narrowness lends to a more spacious feeling.
We finished our initial tour of the ship trying to orient ourselves to the layout. It fits the cruise ship basics: food in the back, spa and show in the front, shops and casino mid-deck. But from there, this ship offers several unique venues. On deck 15 is a lawn where you can play bocce ball, crochet, and practice putting. And in the midst of all of that is the glass-blowing arena (more on that later).
There was also something called the Solstice Deck where large padded wicker loungers and comfortable seating areas could be had for a more quiet respite from the outdoor pool which can get noisy. The Solarium also has a pool which I suspect may have been heated or was just warmer from being indoors. It is also a bit quieter than the outside pool where the music is lively and the games are to be had. There are cabana-like loungers that can be angled for views of the pool or hot tub or the ocean.
Life boat drill was at 4 just before our sail-away at 4:30. Everyone met at their muster station and with a new twist, watched a video of what we were to do in an emergency—not unlike the “safe on a plane” movie I blogged about a bit ago.
We sat near the Sunset Bar and watched as the Solstice maneuvered away from the dock, backed up and then headed out to sea. It is always fun to be out when the ship passes the many condos along the entrance to Port Everglades. The residents/guests in the condos all come out on their balconies in the late afternoon when the ships are leaving port to wave flags, blow air horns, and bid bon voyage.
While the main dining room, the Grand Epernay, was a bit more glitzy than elegant, it was all very comfortable and ran smoothly for the first night when waiters are guiding guests to tables and learning their needs and requests. At last the long anticipated breadsticks arrived and were quickly devoured. Celebrity is noted for these crunchy little goodies that wreck havoc with the good-willed dieter. The menu was a bit difficult to read. While the light blue scripted letters looked pretty, in the dimmer lighting the words were harder to make out—at least for those of us with aging eyes.
The night was dedicated to the Super Bowl and in the Solstice Theater amid proper Super Bowl party decorations the giant screen featured the game from 6-10 p.m. For those who couldn’t leave their favorite team for a moment, there was a buffet set up with anything a football fan could imagine. It was a wonderful party except for the Steelers win. But then I’m a Browns fan. The Cardinals gave them a good run though. Tomorrow: Day at Sea and the Murano specialty restaurant.

Solstice--PreCruise

With the chance of bad weather always looming in the winter, we planned to arrive the day before the Solstice sailed from Ft. Lauderdale. There are quite a few choices of hotels near the port but since we had Marriott points, we chose to spend the night at the Marriott Beach Resort.
The Marriott has a beautiful campus with beach access. The pool was large and heated which was welcome since the temperature fell the morning we arrived. Our son and his family drove up from Miami to spend the afternoon and evening with us and our grandkids enjoyed exploring the beach.

Prices for rooms are a little on the high side and our breakfast was out of sight. The buffet was $20 a piece. We ordered ala carte and it still cost the two of us $40 to eat (with tip). I don’t know what dinner prices were like since we had my son’s car and drove around until we settled on a PF Chang’s.

Our room was quite nice on the eleventh floor with a view of the Ft. Lauderdale area that was quite breathtaking at night with all of the city and harbor lights. From our balcony, we could see several cruise ship berths and on the morning of our sail date, we could look across and see the Solstice just waiting for our arrival.

The hotel has a nice spa and a gift shop, fitness center, and hot tub and I’m sure many other amenities we didn’t take advantage of. A nice place to spend a few days but we were eager to get on to our cruise.

Tomorrow: We board the Solstice.

Mrs. Noah's Cruise

As we look forward to our next cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice, I can't help but think of Noah's wife and her cruise. Mrs. Noah was probably very excited when she heard her husband talking about a cruise—a forty day cruise no less! I can see her sitting at her kitchen table, sipping coffee and turning pages of the latest cruise brochure. Dreaming of exotic ports of call, warm sandy beaches, chilled fruit smoothies. . . And then Noah handed her a hammer.

I won't have to help build this ship and hopefully it won't rain for seven days. While Mrs. Noah had to put up with some real animals on her cruise, I find that, for the most part, cruisers are very nice people who only exhibit animalistic habits when looking for their next meal. The only animals to be seen are the ones made out of towels and placed on my bed. And I won't have to clean up a thing. My cabin steward will make my bed. The dining staff will sweep away my dirty dishes and fresh towels (not in the form of an animal) will appear in my bathroom.

Who could ask for anything more?

But wait! Each night I will be entertained in a theater and have the option to listen to several different music venues, watch American Idol wannabes in the Karaoke sessions, and/or take in a movie. If I were a real shopper, I could even do some late night shopping for bargains in the ship's "mall."

If this sounds like a commercial for cruising, it's not. I'm just counting my lucky stars that I'm sailing on a cruise ship and not an ark.

Stay tuned. I'll post some pictures and commentary from the cruise.

In Your Backyard--Halls of Fame

A few years ago, we went out west for a wedding and had some time to kill before the evening ceremony. I think it was on a AAA Triptik or in one of their books that we noticed a Fireman's Hall of Fame and Museum. I don't remember if it was just a local thing or a national place of recognition, but it was an interesting stop where we viewed old fire engines and equipment.

Living in the backyard of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame I guess puts us in the front yard of the National Football Hall of Fame and the Inventors Hall of Fame. Thanks to my son's curiosity, I've been to the Rock N Roll Hall but I've never visited the other two. I guess I need to follow my own "Backyard" advice and check them out.

There are halls of fame stretched from one end of this county to the other. Another that we visited out west was the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahohma City, OK. A great place for those of us who were raised on cowboy movies and the likes of Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Gene Autry and The Lone Ranger. (Roy Rogers, by the way, was a Buckeye--born in Ohio!)

At the Hall of Fame Network site there is an extensive list of places that honor not only the common sports areas but things like bookstores, barbed wire, scrapbooking, toys, quilts, and a host of other surprising interests including a lawyer's hall of fame--or was that infamy?

If there's a group of people with a hobby, occupation, or interest, you can bet there's a hall of fame somewhere near you.

In My Backyard -- Great Lakes Science Center

While we do travel to a lot of exotic places in the world, I often wonder if the people who live there appreciate what a tourist comes to see and do. Have you ever considered what you might show someone who comes to visit the area where you live?

Northeast Ohio offers quite a few things. Among them the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame which has a great museum detailing much of the history of the music. Right next to it however is the Great Lakes Science Center. It was there we spent the better part of a Saturday with our visiting seven year old grandson.

There is always a featured exhibit and we visited it first. The exhibit was about robots. It wasn't as interactive as I thought it would be but we had a lot of fun trying to beat a robot at putting together a puzzle. The robotic arm had quite a personality and sneered at us when we failed.

The other floors of the Science Center are a wonderland for the technically intrigued. Some of it was over the head of a seven year old--which in turn meant it was over my head too. But on the third floor we both came alive with all the hands on exhibits. Even if you couldn't understand the principle behind some of them (although my husband tried hard to explain a few), it was still fun to watch the cause and effect of spinning a wheel to create a vortex in a tube of liquid or the optical illusions you could create with mirrors.

Of course there's always the old static electricity lesson. Nothing like creating a bad hair day!

I think our favorite exhibit though was the space shuttle simulator where you could try to land a space shuttle. The machine was very patient and stopped you when you got into trouble. If you crashed anyway, it just told you that with a little more practice, you would become a pilot. Yeah, right, like the real NASA budget could afford to let you crash one of those babies.

What's in your backyard?
In this economical squeeze, you might want to take another look at what's available to explore. I'll bet you haven't seen it all. For a start, check out the museums or a close by science center like ours.

The "Safe on a Plane" Movie

The last time our three year old grandson came to visit from Florida, he was all excited about his plane ride and told us he got to watch a movie.

"Oh," I said, "was it Mickey Mouse or Over the Hedge?"

"No." He shook his head and then beamed his beautiful smile at me. "It was 'Safe on a Plane' movie."

I looked to his mom for help. She explained that he was quite taken with the safety video that was played before takeoff--the one most of us just brush off if we've ever traveled before. A few weeks later when we flew to Florida for our cruise, we stopped off to see our grandkids for a bit. He was excited to see us and when he realized that we had flown, his first question was, "Did you watch the movie?"

My daughter-in-law found the YouTube version online so here it is for all of you avid airplane safety video viewers. It's actually quite pleasant to watch. And CAN YOU FIND THE "HIDDEN MICKEY?" Pause it at 47 seconds and you'll see it.

Revisiting my blog posts

Yesterday I went through and tightened up the labeling on my posts so that I could list them on the side of my blog as an index. It was interesting looking at some of the posts I've done over the five years I've been at this. Here are some of the things I discovered:

• I do a lot of whining about cold weather and snow.
• I posted a lot of whining about cold weather and snow.
• I'm still whining about cold weather and snow.
• Once in a while I have an intelligent and even somewhat deep thought/observation.
• I can be humorous at times--musing about life's quirks.
• I've visited a lot of unique places in the world--and there's lots more to see.

Well, it didn't get much writing done yesterday but at least it allowed me to watch the inauguration with my laptop perched on my knees and my feet up in the recliner. Hmmm. Maybe that should become my new office chair.

Visiting Washington, DC

Tomorrow, depending upon whose predictions you use, there could be as many as 3 million people descending upon our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. When we were young marrieds, and before having kids, we lived near D.C. and took advantage of many of the free sites and activities that took place there. Later, with our children, we returned and again enjoyed many of the freebies that abound in the city.

The largest and some of the most impressive of the free things to do and see are the Smithsonian Institution Museums. The Institution is composed of 19 museums, 9 research facilities, and the National Zoo. The museums do not charge admission fees and you can spend days trying to see them all. Art, history, culture, and science and technology abound throughout the mall area that is surrounded by the historical museum buildings and their modern counterparts.

When we visited, the things most remembered were the ruby red slippers from Wizard of Oz, the Mercury capsule from early space flights, and of course, the Giant Panda at the zoo. But the exhibit that brought the biggest smile to my face was the one we saw in the American History museum tucked among some of the technical communication products. I recognized it immediately because when it became obsolete, Bob had brought one home to save for posterity. Afterall, he had a hand in designing it. It was a credit card terminal--a very early model that was larger than an old typewriter. Today, it's that little box where you swipe your credit card.

Obama Inauguration--In Legoland

The news is teaming with anticipation of the inauguration Tuesday of Barak Obama as our next president. Meanwhile all the places where presidents are memorialized are also gearing up. I saw a brief news bite of the new wax Obama, a teaser about a painting, and now I have found the ultimate--the inauguration in legos!

Take a look at this link. At first glance it could be Washington D.C. but then you realize there's a man standing in the middle of it.

Australia's Dream Job

There it was, staring me in the face. My Yahoo home page had its teaser news story set on a dream job in Queensland, Australia. While I really needed to get started with my writing for the day, I couldn't resist. I clicked.

Dream job indeed. It involves becoming a "caretaker" on one of the islands near the Great Barrier Reef for six months. The job involves keeping the pool clean at the home you stay in (for free), feeding the fish, and collecting the mail (which involves flying with the aerial postal service a few times and getting an over all view of the other islands). Add to that snorkeling, exploring, and getting a good feel for all the things available for vacationers who visit the area and reporting via blogs, pictiorial diaries and media interviews. Salary? $100,000.

Our first trip to Australia we spent time at Dunk Island which is not far from Hamilton. It was a fantastic experience and was what got us involved in snorkeling and eventually in scuba diving. The resort was beautiful, the food delicious, and the hospitality exceptional--as we've always experienced in Australia. The Aussies are great people.

I was salivating after reading about the dream job on CNN. I went to the website--or rather I tried to go to the website. It wouldn't load and I'm guessing it's because everyone else in the world is going there too as the word spreads. Tourism Queensland has certainly created a buzz. Hope it works out for them. It's a great area of the world to visit--or live even if only for six months.

Snowed In

We were the recipients of about twelve inches of snow this weekend. It's a phenomenon that gets old for some of of us who have to live with it every winter--trudge through it, shovel it, and watch it turn gray and dirty before it melts.

For the folks down South though, it's a real treat. And around Christmas time it's a bit nostalgic. Everyone wants a white Christmas even amidst the palm trees. This year just before our holiday cruise, we attended the breakfast with Santa that is an annual event in Homestead, Florida.

Each year, they turn out hundreds of pancakes and sausage for those who come. Then the kids get to see Santa as well as participate in face painting and crafts.

The biggest treat, however, is the big piles of "snow" that the city provides for the kids to play on. Huge blocks of ice are fed through a big chipper and the result is more like a giant sno-cone. Attendants get out and rake it a little here and there to keep it from packing down too much while the kids play on it. The squeals and smiles are well worth the organizers' efforts.

Ah, if only I could ship them some of this!

White as Snow

"White as Snow" is the theme for a women's retreat coming up in February where I will be the guest speaker. It's a phrase found in the Bible in Isaiah 1:18 and in Psalm 51:7 and refers to how clean God can make us when He cleanses us from sin. If you look out our window about now, it's hard to imagine how clean that could be. Around here the snow is pretty when it first falls, but it doesn't take long for it to get gray-looking and miserable.

Why, I have wondered often in the past, would God use snow for that example?

And then we visited Antarctica.

The snow was the purest white I have ever seen. So white that when the sun shone through it, it actually looked blue. Of course, that was everywhere but where the penguins were. Wherever the colonies of birds made their roost, their mess made a stark contrast with the untouched snow. Not unlike the way our lives can become corrupted and dirtied and unclean.

Coincidently as I was working on what I am going to talk about for the retreat, we spoke with several other passengers on the holiday cruise this past Christmas who had also been to Antarctica. Each time the experience was described as spiritual. Guess God was telling me what kind of example I could use. But should I take all my pictures?

[For any ladies in the area, the retreat is at the Penfield Community Church in Wellington, OH and is February 28]

Flying Fish are Fascinating!

It was on our first cruise that I saw for real what I had only seen and heard about in biology classes: fish that fly!

We were standing on the promenade deck of the ship during our lifeboat drill. It was taking place while we were at sea since the ship had left late at night due to a large group of international travelers being delayed along their way to the port. Normally we would have had the drill before leaving port. As the ship cut through the warm waters off the Florida coast, I saw what looked like silver flashes streak across the top of the waves. I blinked. And looked again. Suddenly a half dozen more were airborne and I realized they were the flying fish I'd heard about in one of my high school biology classes.

Flying fish are actually gliders. They don't have wings but rather large pectoral fins that spread out when they break the surface of the water. It is fascinating to watch them flit across the waves. Reportedly the longest timed flight of one was 42 seconds.

On our way back to Fort Lauderdale on our latest cruise, we saw scores of flying fish through out the day as we steamed home. Unfortunately for the fish, we also were accompanied by a seagull that kept swooping down upon them. Ah, the laws of nature at work.

Books for the Road--Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity

Resting on the seventh day doesn’t fit neatly into our busy lives, but Keri Wyatt Kent provides functional advice to help pause and refresh even the busiest life overrun with demanding jobs, countless kids’ activities and getting dinner on the table. Kent combines her own life experiences as a soccer mom with her study of the ancient practice of resting one day of the week, known as the Sabbath, in her new book Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity (Zondervan, January 2009). She invites readers to rediscover the practice of Sabbath in a practical and accessible format.

Kent bases her study on Jesus’ teachings and actions and explores six aspects of Christian spiritual practice that lead to Sabbath Simplicity: resting, reconnecting, revising, pausing, playing and praying. Practicing these six actions creates space in our lives for rest and renewal.

When asked what is Sabbath, its purpose and what do you mean by Sabbath Simplicity, Kent answered:

"Sabbath, first and foremost, is a gift from our loving God. He invites us to take a day to rest from our labor, so that we might engage in relationship with him and with others. Its purpose is to refresh us physically and spiritually, to celebrate our freedom, to draw us close to God, and yet to remind us that we are not God.

"God commanded us to Sabbath, to stop. But Sabbath-keeping is also a spiritual practice or discipline. All disciplines, (like prayer, solitude, etc.) create some space for God in our lives. Just as we have a lot of latitude in other practices (we can pray any number of ways, for example), we have freedom in how we practice Sabbath. My book offers a lot of ideas, and real-life examples, of how to approach this life-giving practice.

"Sabbath Simplicity is a sanely-paced, God-focused life. It’s a lifestyle that includes the practice of Sabbath-keeping, but goes beyond just taking a day off. In a way, it’s living out what Jesus told us to do in Matthew 6:33: Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Sabbath Simplicity seeks God first."

So if you are looking for a take-along book that will touch your spiritual senses, try Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity.

[Leave a comment for the drawing for a free copy of Kent's book. I'll announce the winner next week.]

For more information about Keri Wyatt Kent go to her website.

Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity can be purchased at Amazon.com or Christianbook.com

A Caribbean New Year's

New Year’s Eve Day can be a noisy one in the Caribbean. December 30 and 31 found us at Aruba and Curacao. In Aruba, we heard lots of fireworks being set off and just before we sailed at 10 p.m., we watched a beautiful fireworks display.

There was no comparison however to the noise of the fireworks in Curacao. At times it was deafening. Our morning was passed somewhat quietly as we took a country drive with a bus full of cruisers to the north end of the island. Along the way we stopped at a former slave’s home, a cave, and a beach to enjoy some of the beauty the island has to offer.

The former slave home was quite interesting—two rooms that housed a couple and their thirteen children. As the story goes, the main room was for the husband and the children and only the mother slept in the small bedroom. The husband was only allowed into the bedroom twice a month which I guess was sufficient enough to produce 13 children. Slavery was quite a business on Curacao at one time and there are more than a dozen plantations as a result of it.

There are numerous beaches on the west side of the island—all very beautiful and well kept. They are run by the government who charges three dollars a head for their use.

The cave area along the shore was interesting for the rugged lava landscape that met the blue of the ocean pounding against it. The island is covered in cactus more than in trees but at the time of our visit, the rainy season, the landscape was quite green.

Willemstad is the port town of Curacao and is divided in two by the harbor. The two parts are connected by a large bridge for vehicular traffic and a floating pontoon bridge for pedestrian traffic that swings open when ships or boats enter the harbor. The town is colorful and delightfully quaint with its gingerbread townhouse look. I’m told the shopping is good but I’m not an expert in that area—no matter what my husband may say.

Back to the noisy celebration: As we walked through the streets of Willemstad, we had to cover our ears. Chains of firecrackers were laid out a block long and lighted in various parts of the city. It would take a good twenty minutes for them to all go off. Meanwhile large clouds of smoke rose and the air smelled of fireworks all day. Larger bottle rockets and, I’m guessing, cherry bombs added to the merrymaking. As the Eurodam pulled out, we saw preparations for what I assume was a spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

Our New Year’s Eve celebration was lively aboard ship that evening. A formal night, we were dressed in tux and gown and sporting the appropriate party hats. In the atrium of the ship hung the ship’s bell and at midnight, amidst balloons and champagne and noise makers and streamers, the bell was rung to welcome in the New Year. Crew and passengers alike celebrated the hope that a new year offers.

Christmas Cruising

Christmas Eve, aboard the Eurodam, we sailed away from St. Maarten about 5 p.m. headed north for the Bahamas. We dressed for dinner at the specialty restaurant, the Tamarind. It is an Asian themed restaurant—very elegant looking and absolutely tasty food. Dinner was followed by a wonderful show in the Main Stage Theater featuring the singers and dancers of the Eurodam and all the exciting technological shenanigans of their new stage.

But the best part of the evening came when the three Christmas choirs of the Eurodam staff sang. The first was made up of 30 different nationalities and they sang in English. The next was Filipino and they sang in their native tongue as well as Spanish when they sang Feliz Navidad! The last choir was the Indonesian group who sang a few lively songs and the beautiful O Holy Night in both English and their language.

At the end, it was almost like being home as they all joined in Silent Night, lit candles and walked up the aisles to form a line out the door and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Day at sea began late with waffles in the Lido Deck buffet followed by caroling in the three story atrium mid-ship. People gathered on all three decks as the cruise director, Shane, along with the singers and dancers of the entertainment crew, led the singing and the string quartet played special Christmas songs. Interspersed throughout were announcements from the captain that a blip had been spotted on the radar. The blip grew to be a sleigh with animals pulling it—one with a red nose, that circled the ship and landed. Santa reportedly slid down the smoke stack and appeared at our gathering. He invited all the kids to follow him to the Main Stage where he handed out gifts.

It even snowed!! Only, aboard the ship, they clean it up with a vacuum.

Niagara On The Lake

On our way back from our trip to Burlington Ontario just before Christmas, we stopped off in Niagara On The Lake and Niagara Falls. Niagara On The Lake was quaint. Shops decorated for the season made it a Currier and Ives scene with a dusting of snow and folks in scarves and caps strolling arm in arm down the street. Occasionally a horse drawn carriage made its way along the main thoroughfare adding to feeling that we had just stepped into a watercolor painting.

We stopped for lunch at Shaw’s and had a wonderful bowl of potato soup and a sandwich. Afterwards, we joined the pedestrian traffic and window shopped, stopping only to buy a candied apple that was decorated like a snowman. Feeling the chill when the wind kicked up, we hustled back to our car before seeing all the shops. If there’s a next time, we’ll be more prepared with warmer clothing.

Down the road at Niagara Falls, we passed the floral clock now brown and still for the winter season. As we passed the Falls, we found the landscape shimmering with a thick coating of ice. The mist from the water pouring over the edge puts layer upon layer of freezing water on the surroundings and gives the trees and buildings a silvery sheen. We observed from the car not wanting to venture out in the cold again.

The rest of Niagara Falls, Canada, looks like a carnival—albeit a deserted carnival in the winter. The casinos and hotels seemed to be busy and were a “sedate” contrast to the garish colors and strange figures that advertise various odd museums, souvenir shops, and entertainment centers.

So, the answer to “Do they turn off the falls in winter?” is: NO.

 

Niagara-on-the-Lake on Dwellable

100 Huntley Street Full Circle

If you are looking for a program with the vibrant interaction of the popular program The View (ABC network) but are more interested in a Christian slant to the world's view, you should tune into the 100 Huntley Street's Full Circle program on Fridays. There are several ways to watch in Canada and the USA and you can find that information on their scheduled programming page at Crossroads.ca.

Last week I had the privilege of being a guest on the show to talk about A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. You can see my TV debut at the Crossroads archives page. The panel of ladies on the couch were wonderful as were the rest of the staff who work behind the cameras.

The Mainse family who began their ministry over 40 years ago has watched it grow to reach viewers across Canada and now into the US. Their state-of-the-art facility in Burlington, Ontario, is a beautiful complex that resembles an quaint English village inside and out. The atrium houses a cafe that offers lunch from 10 to 2 weekdays and a chapel that can be reserved for weddings.

The Crossroads ministry is extensive and includes many missions activities as well with projects in Cambodia, India, Africa, and the Ukraine among many others.

The most important thing I found in meeting the folks I did was that they had a heart for bringing the love of Christ into the lives of others. Check out the Full Circle program. You will find warmth, humor, and the comradery of good friends.

By the way, here's the recipe for the Tangy Tea Mix I also brought to the show:

In a quart sized zip-lock bag, mix 1 cup instant Tang breakfast drink, 1 cup unflavored instant tea, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Close top and mix together. Pour into clean dry jars and close tightly. Add instructions to jar: Put two heaping tsps. of mix in a cup. Add hot water, mix and enjoy. Can be sweetened to taste with a little sugar.

Ontario on Dwellable

Books for the Road

Bob and I exchanged Christmas gifts early so that we could enjoy them as we travel this season. He has an MP3 player to play with and I have a Sony 505 Reader. He started off by buying me the 700 model with all the touch screen bells and whistles but the screen was not as easy on the eyes as the older models. We exchanged it for the 505 which has the technology that makes the page look like actual printed paper.

Why not go with the Kindle? With all the hoopla about the Kindle, it was tempting. The biggest difference I could discern besides the price was the way the books were downloaded. Kindle relies on a service that does not work out of the country. The Sony requires the use of a computer to download and I almost always travel with my computer. You could argue that books could be downloaded before your trip but then the price, at least for the 505, wins out.

So, I have downloaded 3 of my free 100 classics and two books, Your Heart Belongs to Me by Koontz and Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. That's five books that will take up very little space in my computer case as we travel and will take a little weight off my shoulders as well.

I'm a slow learner so I'm still finding my way around the little device. Have to figure out how to play music as I read. Stay tuned. We'll see how I like my virtual books.

Gifts that Travel

I am getting ready to go to Burlington, Ontario, Canada to appear on the 100 Huntley Street Full Circle show Friday, 12/5. They asked that I bring along some crafts from A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. One of my favorite things to do at Christmas is to put together mixes in a jar. You can find recipes all over the Internet for all sorts of muffins, cookies, beverages, and snacks.

The one we included in Scrapbook is a mix of green and red M&Ms, raisins, honey roasted peanuts, and cheerios. You layer them in a jar and then seal the top. I put Mason jar lids on--the kind that have a separate screw on rim. I cut a circle of Christmas material using pinking shears to make a nice edge. Then I set the lid on the jar, center the circle of material over the top and carefully screw on the rim.

These gifts travel well but to reduce the weight if you are taking them on a plane, look for plastic jars or some of the nice plastic containers that they sell in the plastic wrap aisle. You can still spruce them up with curling ribbon and a sprig of holiday decoration. Remember to include the instructions for the mix!

By the way, 100 Huntley Street Full Circle can be seen in the states on Direct TV on Channel 378 at 5 p.m.

La Befana--Italian Christmas Figure

While searching for the different ways Santa Claus is represented around the world, I happened upon this story about a Christmas character in Italy, La Befana. She resembles a witch and is said to be able to do magical tricks but is not a witch. She leaves goodies for good little Italian boys and girls and coal for those who are bad.

As the story goes, she saw the Christmas star in the sky and when the magi passed through her town, she provided them with shelter. They asked if she knew about the Christ Child and where they might find him. She was invited to join them but she declined. Saddened by the loss of her own child, however, she suddenly had a change of heart and wished to see this baby the magi talked of. She filled a bag with bakery and gifts and left to follow after the magi.

Too late to catch up with them, she became lost. Legend says angels gave her a broom so she could fly around searching for the baby Christ Child. She searches to this day and on the eve of Epiphany, she drops in on the children she finds to see if it is the one she seeks. It never is but she still leaves a gift. It is said she realizes that her search is not in vain. That, in a way, the Christ Child can be found in all children.

Christmas in Duluth, MN

Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with Ted Elm of the WWJC program Northland Notebook. It was a great time talking about Christmas, grandparenting, and even SCUBA diving. Here's a link if you'd like a listen:
http://www.wwjc.com/northlandnotebook.html

Scroll down to the archives for my name. I found the MP3 download the easiest to use. Let me know what you think.