Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bad Seas on the Way to Blarney Castle
Tuesday April 28
Day at sea: Well, we wanted to taste everything a world cruise could offer and we got big ocean seas in spades. Captain said the seas were from 15-18ft. Some events were cancelled and others moved to lower decks to minimize the effects of the ships movement. I took some video thru a clean window, pretty cool. Great day to put on our last choir concert!! They put small tables around on stage for some to hang on to while singing. One fellow Lou in the back row took a fall but came up singing. Sue did pretty well thru it all. A special HI to Clint Johnson I forgot to acknowledge his watching the blog. If things are bad in the Twin Ports for electrical work they aren’t any better anyplace else either. So setting up an international branch of Electric Systems probably isn’t a good idea.
Wednesday April 29
Cobh Ireland: Weather is my stereotype of Ireland and England. Foggy and drizzly. The bus takes us thru town to see the various statues and buildings representing important aspects of the town’s history. This was the last port the Titanic sailed from before she sank. What stood out in my mind as unique to this area is the preservation of the stone and dirt fences made hundreds of years ago as a dividing up of the lands that the feudal kings owned. Many of these parcels were only an acre in size; that is the amount left to each landowner when the feudal lords took over. The resulting view of the countryside is like a patchwork quilt of fields with the large brushy rocky fences. We were serenaded by a great Irish band during lunch. They were rockin. A few Irish beers and 5 young Irish lasses doing their fling had everybody hooting and hollering. Then off to Blarney castle. Even with the light fog, the brightness of the day was enough to really highlight the magnolias, rhododendrons, and azaleas against the bright green lawns of the castle yard. The castle was complete with winding little staircases that led to the top where you could walk around the perimeter and pretend you had a bow and arrow or a pot of boiling oil to pour down on a would-be attacker. My wife kissed the Blarney stone--like she needed any more blarney. Then on to the Blarney wool outlet. Some nice leisure time for shopping and relaxing. Spent some time in a turn of the century railroad station next to the ship. Bob Bender would have enjoyed it.
Day at sea: Well, we wanted to taste everything a world cruise could offer and we got big ocean seas in spades. Captain said the seas were from 15-18ft. Some events were cancelled and others moved to lower decks to minimize the effects of the ships movement. I took some video thru a clean window, pretty cool. Great day to put on our last choir concert!! They put small tables around on stage for some to hang on to while singing. One fellow Lou in the back row took a fall but came up singing. Sue did pretty well thru it all. A special HI to Clint Johnson I forgot to acknowledge his watching the blog. If things are bad in the Twin Ports for electrical work they aren’t any better anyplace else either. So setting up an international branch of Electric Systems probably isn’t a good idea.
Wednesday April 29
Cobh Ireland: Weather is my stereotype of Ireland and England. Foggy and drizzly. The bus takes us thru town to see the various statues and buildings representing important aspects of the town’s history. This was the last port the Titanic sailed from before she sank. What stood out in my mind as unique to this area is the preservation of the stone and dirt fences made hundreds of years ago as a dividing up of the lands that the feudal kings owned. Many of these parcels were only an acre in size; that is the amount left to each landowner when the feudal lords took over. The resulting view of the countryside is like a patchwork quilt of fields with the large brushy rocky fences. We were serenaded by a great Irish band during lunch. They were rockin. A few Irish beers and 5 young Irish lasses doing their fling had everybody hooting and hollering. Then off to Blarney castle. Even with the light fog, the brightness of the day was enough to really highlight the magnolias, rhododendrons, and azaleas against the bright green lawns of the castle yard. The castle was complete with winding little staircases that led to the top where you could walk around the perimeter and pretend you had a bow and arrow or a pot of boiling oil to pour down on a would-be attacker. My wife kissed the Blarney stone--like she needed any more blarney. Then on to the Blarney wool outlet. Some nice leisure time for shopping and relaxing. Spent some time in a turn of the century railroad station next to the ship. Bob Bender would have enjoyed it.
Beautiful Lisbon
Sunday, April 26
Lisbon Portugal. I’m feeling a cold coming on so I bundle up and we head out at noon for a bus ride thru the countryside and seaside to the north. On the way thru Lisbon we pass by the Sana Estoril Hotel, the home of WWII espionage that spawned the James Bond stories. Again the amazing sea coast vistas and remnants of 2000 years of history. It’s nothing to see a high speed form of mass transit with a Roman aqueduct in the background. Sue seems to have found some things while making Portugal green {that’s husband talk for spontaneous consumption} she has been looking for for years. {wink-wink} {nod-nod}. Anybody out there got an extra charge card? Had another quaint outdoor lunch and beer in Cascais. In Sintra we stroll a cute little mountaintop village and Sue finally gets some popcorn from a street vendor. There was a lesson for life--the popcorn man was as happy as a clam and probably will live to 100. He was so happy he was giving away some of his popcorn to tourists who only had US dollars and not Euros. Not us –well maybe. It was sweet kettle corn but really hit the spot. Sue also experienced a very European custom that was recommended by a local couple. If you have to go to the bathroom and can’t find one just go behind a car on a side street. Which she did. That’s my girl. Bye the bye, here I was thinking no one was reading the blog and we finally stumbled onto where the comments are showing up so a belated thank you for enjoying our trip with us. To Ginger and Jill and their families, Gram and Barb, Uncle Vern, Cousins Helen-Mickey-John, Ben and Andrea, Erica, Mark Wick, Bob Bender, Darlene and John, Marv and Marie, Donna and Stan, Sharon Johnson, Jeff and Terry, Beth Good, Chris and Carrie, Dan Maki, Rick Lange, Mark Smith, Wendy Kroll, The Treadler???, Susan, and all those reading but not signed in. Since this travelogue is free and from around the whole world a 50 dollar donation to the Ron and Sue Charitable Trust would be greatly appreciated in small unmarked bills would be best. Now, I take some Airborne and hit the sheets.
Monday April 27
Day at sea: Cold and windy, everybody is taking whatever they take for motion sickness. Buckle up the hatches boys we’re in for a blow. Finally finished my second book ; Sue, her 6th. Trying to get some pictures of the storm but all the outside decks are closed. So I take some thru salt streaked Plexiglas. Yuk.
Lisbon Portugal. I’m feeling a cold coming on so I bundle up and we head out at noon for a bus ride thru the countryside and seaside to the north. On the way thru Lisbon we pass by the Sana Estoril Hotel, the home of WWII espionage that spawned the James Bond stories. Again the amazing sea coast vistas and remnants of 2000 years of history. It’s nothing to see a high speed form of mass transit with a Roman aqueduct in the background. Sue seems to have found some things while making Portugal green {that’s husband talk for spontaneous consumption} she has been looking for for years. {wink-wink} {nod-nod}. Anybody out there got an extra charge card? Had another quaint outdoor lunch and beer in Cascais. In Sintra we stroll a cute little mountaintop village and Sue finally gets some popcorn from a street vendor. There was a lesson for life--the popcorn man was as happy as a clam and probably will live to 100. He was so happy he was giving away some of his popcorn to tourists who only had US dollars and not Euros. Not us –well maybe. It was sweet kettle corn but really hit the spot. Sue also experienced a very European custom that was recommended by a local couple. If you have to go to the bathroom and can’t find one just go behind a car on a side street. Which she did. That’s my girl. Bye the bye, here I was thinking no one was reading the blog and we finally stumbled onto where the comments are showing up so a belated thank you for enjoying our trip with us. To Ginger and Jill and their families, Gram and Barb, Uncle Vern, Cousins Helen-Mickey-John, Ben and Andrea, Erica, Mark Wick, Bob Bender, Darlene and John, Marv and Marie, Donna and Stan, Sharon Johnson, Jeff and Terry, Beth Good, Chris and Carrie, Dan Maki, Rick Lange, Mark Smith, Wendy Kroll, The Treadler???, Susan, and all those reading but not signed in. Since this travelogue is free and from around the whole world a 50 dollar donation to the Ron and Sue Charitable Trust would be greatly appreciated in small unmarked bills would be best. Now, I take some Airborne and hit the sheets.
Monday April 27
Day at sea: Cold and windy, everybody is taking whatever they take for motion sickness. Buckle up the hatches boys we’re in for a blow. Finally finished my second book ; Sue, her 6th. Trying to get some pictures of the storm but all the outside decks are closed. So I take some thru salt streaked Plexiglas. Yuk.
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