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| From Bayonne Panorama |
This was the view from our veranda as we waited to leave Bayonne -- New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn all in one panoramic view.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Now that I'm Home
I can do stuff like fuss with editing software.
This was the view from our veranda as we waited to leave Bayonne -- New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn all in one panoramic view.
This was the view from our veranda as we waited to leave Bayonne -- New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn all in one panoramic view.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Last Day
24th July
At Sea
Best not to think about business. Why? Because.
We slept late and missed the main breakfast which is fine with me – a banana (required for my health) and coffee (required for my psyche) is all I need. The banana is conveniently located in our stateroom’s fruit bowl. The coffee has to wait while Fran does her morning ablutions. I’m not as addicted to coffee as I used to be; I don’t crazy having to wait.
I am not looking forward to the upcoming week. Because we come home on Sunday, I just kind of get thrown into things sort of like being tossed into the driver’s seat of a car already in motion on a highway. And of course, the reality of Tony’s not being there will be a hard shock to the system, especially since we will pay our respects to the family asap. The memorial is today, and we are both sorry to miss that.
Anyway, Monday will be get back to bills and work that might have piled up in my absence. Tuesday is what Tuesday always is – run from one appointment to the other. But Lu is throwing me a family birthday dinner at her house Tuesday night and it will be good to see Ed and the cousins and of course the kids and Gloria. She’s growing by leaps and bounds. They keep telling me on the phone that she is like a teenager now, but I can tell she is still my sweet little Glo with no inhibitions about telling me she has to say good-bye because she is watching something on tv. I suppose that could be a teenager as well. No matter. Everything she does is perfect.
Then the rest of week is all business—John business Friday and Workout business Thursday and actual business Wednesday.
Well, gather ye rosebuds while ye may…today the plans are to win the mega jackpot at bingo, to win the shoppers’ bonus at the shops on the ship and win the big jackpot in the slot machines. I mean – it has to be someone why not us? Because the odds are against us. Unlike in business.
At Sea
Best not to think about business. Why? Because.
We slept late and missed the main breakfast which is fine with me – a banana (required for my health) and coffee (required for my psyche) is all I need. The banana is conveniently located in our stateroom’s fruit bowl. The coffee has to wait while Fran does her morning ablutions. I’m not as addicted to coffee as I used to be; I don’t crazy having to wait.
I am not looking forward to the upcoming week. Because we come home on Sunday, I just kind of get thrown into things sort of like being tossed into the driver’s seat of a car already in motion on a highway. And of course, the reality of Tony’s not being there will be a hard shock to the system, especially since we will pay our respects to the family asap. The memorial is today, and we are both sorry to miss that.
Anyway, Monday will be get back to bills and work that might have piled up in my absence. Tuesday is what Tuesday always is – run from one appointment to the other. But Lu is throwing me a family birthday dinner at her house Tuesday night and it will be good to see Ed and the cousins and of course the kids and Gloria. She’s growing by leaps and bounds. They keep telling me on the phone that she is like a teenager now, but I can tell she is still my sweet little Glo with no inhibitions about telling me she has to say good-bye because she is watching something on tv. I suppose that could be a teenager as well. No matter. Everything she does is perfect.
Then the rest of week is all business—John business Friday and Workout business Thursday and actual business Wednesday.
Well, gather ye rosebuds while ye may…today the plans are to win the mega jackpot at bingo, to win the shoppers’ bonus at the shops on the ship and win the big jackpot in the slot machines. I mean – it has to be someone why not us? Because the odds are against us. Unlike in business.
Friday, July 23, 2010
22 July Halifax, NS
En route now to Peggy's Cove, a fishing and lobster village of 38 year round souls preserved by the provincial trust. I can't really get past the shock of Tony's death -- I just expected him to recover and was caught totally unprepared. What a contrast with the beautiful scenery that is all around us as we leave Halifax.
Later: We just finished lunch at a place called the Shore Club in Hubbard's Cove; the best lobster I ever had, cooked to perfection and clearly fresh as if just off the boat and into the pot and onto the plate. The Shore Club is 75 years old and was an old dance/nightclub. It still has that early 20th century country feel. I can imagine my parents dining and dancing there back in the 1940s. They were a glamorous couple and both good-looking and great dancers.
On the road to Peggy's Cove I was reminded of Cape Cod, not so much Ptown as Orleans and Wellfleet. But not so commercial or more understatedly commercialized -- there were plenty of gift shops, etc. but no large displays of inflatable water toys. The weather was so unusually beautiful today that people were jamming the small beaches but only children and dogs braved the water passed their knees. It must be very cold or refreshing depending on your point of view.
Nova Scotia seems like a nice place to return to for a quiet summer vacation. Plenty of history, decent food, and 4600 miles of Altantic seacoast with lots of beautiful coves for mooring the sailboat. Ah but I digress.
The shopping sadly for Fran and me was less than spectacular. I did manage to find the "perfect" gift for my difficult son-in-law. So that I have completely the family gift shopping.
Fran seemed disappointed at the limited selection of things in the souvenir category and I was tired and grumpy by the time we boarded the ship. But that's what vacations are about...right?
Photo of a member of the 87th Highlanders Regiment who man the Citadel to prevent invasion by the rebellious colonials and the French and Indians. Nice work if you can get it.
Later: We just finished lunch at a place called the Shore Club in Hubbard's Cove; the best lobster I ever had, cooked to perfection and clearly fresh as if just off the boat and into the pot and onto the plate. The Shore Club is 75 years old and was an old dance/nightclub. It still has that early 20th century country feel. I can imagine my parents dining and dancing there back in the 1940s. They were a glamorous couple and both good-looking and great dancers.
On the road to Peggy's Cove I was reminded of Cape Cod, not so much Ptown as Orleans and Wellfleet. But not so commercial or more understatedly commercialized -- there were plenty of gift shops, etc. but no large displays of inflatable water toys. The weather was so unusually beautiful today that people were jamming the small beaches but only children and dogs braved the water passed their knees. It must be very cold or refreshing depending on your point of view.
Nova Scotia seems like a nice place to return to for a quiet summer vacation. Plenty of history, decent food, and 4600 miles of Altantic seacoast with lots of beautiful coves for mooring the sailboat. Ah but I digress.
The shopping sadly for Fran and me was less than spectacular. I did manage to find the "perfect" gift for my difficult son-in-law. So that I have completely the family gift shopping.
Fran seemed disappointed at the limited selection of things in the souvenir category and I was tired and grumpy by the time we boarded the ship. But that's what vacations are about...right?
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| From Nova Scotia |
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| From Nova Scotia |
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| From Nova Scotia |
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| From Nova Scotia |
Halifax and Peggy's Cove
Today we took the trip to Peggy's Cove. A picture postcard of a place. Not much to say --- the weather was beautiful (amazingly) with puffy clouds and pleasant temperatures. I got all excited about a restaurant that served hot gingerbread with whipped cream. It was not in the top ten gingerbreads (too cakey) and now I have heartburn. But I did get some nice photos. You can check them out at picasaweb.google.com/askhoudari or below if you have Flash
Sunset
We had a beautifu l sunset last night. I took these pictures through the aft window in the dining
room.
And then the sun was all gone. But with the promise of a beautiful day to come.
Later I lost $85.00 in the casino -- but my heart wasn't in the fun of gambling. All the losses of the past weeks and years were piling up and I just wanted to read and go to sleep. And that is what I did.
Today, we are in Nova Scotia and the weather is beautiful. A fresh start perhaps?
room.
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| From Sunset after New Brunswick |
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| From Sunset after New Brunswick |
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| From Sunset after New Brunswick |
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| From Sunset after New Brunswick |
And then the sun was all gone. But with the promise of a beautiful day to come.
Later I lost $85.00 in the casino -- but my heart wasn't in the fun of gambling. All the losses of the past weeks and years were piling up and I just wanted to read and go to sleep. And that is what I did.
Today, we are in Nova Scotia and the weather is beautiful. A fresh start perhaps?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
For Mac users
Since you don't have flash...you can see my photos on picasa at picasaweb.google.com/askhoudari
Thoughts on today
22 July
St. John's, New Brunswick
St. Martin's New Brunswick
The Bay of Fundy
I remember as a child my mother talking about the tides in the Bay of Fundy. Today I got to see both high and low tides. Maybe because my mother was such a good storyteller or maybe because of my summers on Cape Cod, the tides did not impress overly much. I did enjoy the Reversing Rapids where the ducks and geese could not make progress. The geology of St. John's is very interesting. I do like the red limestone limned with quartz. I picked up several samples from the rocky beach. The area is picturesque and the rapids are amazing. The kayaking in the rapids was certainly exciting even if no one could seem to win the fight against the whitewater.
But,I found myself bored by the trip and had forgotten to take along my book. I was reduced to taking macro shots of my fingers on my denim shorts. Nice texture.
My mind kept going back to Tony who died early yesterday morning. It seems as though there have been so many deaths since my neighbor John died alone and home as he sat in his easy chair unmissed by anyone for 2 weeks. No one knew he was gone until the smell of death became so overpowering that the police were called.
Then Flaquita. Then Susan Kleckner. Then another neighbor, a lovely and gracious woman. And now Tony. A man ten years younger than I am with teenaged sons. It was so totally unpredictable and unexpected. I thought about my own experience as a teenager who lost her father so suddenly when Dad and I were both young. I don't believe that I have ever gotten passed that experience. It was life-changing and not in a good way.
I thought about being a mother like Marie and what a tragedy losing child must be. I don't think that I could ever go on after that kind of an experience. But for Marie, there are her other son and daughter and of course all the grandchildren. Of course people do go on, but life is forever changed.
When I saw the Bay of Fundy and thought about my mother telling her stories about that trip to Canada with my father in the 1940's...about boats stranded on the mud or hanging from ropes as the tide went out at amazing speed and in such volume...about the pre-teen brother and sister who caddied for them at a golf course in Nova Scotia and who could already play golf like pros even in a major wind...I realized that some things are so good in the telling that the reality pales by comparison.
I liked what we saw today. I am glad we came here. But the memory of life is sometimes more appealing than the real thing.
"twilight and an evening bell and after that the dark/and may there be no moaning of farewell when I embark."
My father used to quote that often, and now I thought of it as a tug pushed the Summit back out to sea and as the buoys rang their farewell. Sadly there is always moaning at the bar because while the sleep of death brings peace to the man or woman or child or animal that passes on, it does not do that for those of us left behind. Everything that goes on after seems colored by that which has gone on before. Sometimes that's to the good, and often it's not.
St. John's, New Brunswick
St. Martin's New Brunswick
The Bay of Fundy
I remember as a child my mother talking about the tides in the Bay of Fundy. Today I got to see both high and low tides. Maybe because my mother was such a good storyteller or maybe because of my summers on Cape Cod, the tides did not impress overly much. I did enjoy the Reversing Rapids where the ducks and geese could not make progress. The geology of St. John's is very interesting. I do like the red limestone limned with quartz. I picked up several samples from the rocky beach. The area is picturesque and the rapids are amazing. The kayaking in the rapids was certainly exciting even if no one could seem to win the fight against the whitewater.
But,I found myself bored by the trip and had forgotten to take along my book. I was reduced to taking macro shots of my fingers on my denim shorts. Nice texture.
My mind kept going back to Tony who died early yesterday morning. It seems as though there have been so many deaths since my neighbor John died alone and home as he sat in his easy chair unmissed by anyone for 2 weeks. No one knew he was gone until the smell of death became so overpowering that the police were called.
Then Flaquita. Then Susan Kleckner. Then another neighbor, a lovely and gracious woman. And now Tony. A man ten years younger than I am with teenaged sons. It was so totally unpredictable and unexpected. I thought about my own experience as a teenager who lost her father so suddenly when Dad and I were both young. I don't believe that I have ever gotten passed that experience. It was life-changing and not in a good way.
I thought about being a mother like Marie and what a tragedy losing child must be. I don't think that I could ever go on after that kind of an experience. But for Marie, there are her other son and daughter and of course all the grandchildren. Of course people do go on, but life is forever changed.
When I saw the Bay of Fundy and thought about my mother telling her stories about that trip to Canada with my father in the 1940's...about boats stranded on the mud or hanging from ropes as the tide went out at amazing speed and in such volume...about the pre-teen brother and sister who caddied for them at a golf course in Nova Scotia and who could already play golf like pros even in a major wind...I realized that some things are so good in the telling that the reality pales by comparison.
I liked what we saw today. I am glad we came here. But the memory of life is sometimes more appealing than the real thing.
"twilight and an evening bell and after that the dark/and may there be no moaning of farewell when I embark."
My father used to quote that often, and now I thought of it as a tug pushed the Summit back out to sea and as the buoys rang their farewell. Sadly there is always moaning at the bar because while the sleep of death brings peace to the man or woman or child or animal that passes on, it does not do that for those of us left behind. Everything that goes on after seems colored by that which has gone on before. Sometimes that's to the good, and often it's not.
New Brunswick
No not New Jersey. The one in Canada. Saw the Bay of Fundy, the reversing rapids and ate seafood chowder. I bought a stuffed moose with a RCMP uniform on and an umbrella with a maple leaf and Canada printed on it. It's cold and rainy. Here are the pictures:
My My!!!
Fran and I are particularly fond of this work of art that we pass each night on the way to dinner.
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| From On the Ship |
Working Backwards Now
This was the sunset as we left Portland. I new the day in Bar Harbor would be sunny and pleasant. And it was. Last night we had rain and lightning after leaving Bar Harbor, and this morning the weather is also perfect if by perfect you mean chilly (59 degrees F) and drizzly. Very Bay of Fundy I suppose. Anyway enjoy the pictures of the gorgeous sunset between Portland and Bar Harbor.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What More Could I Want?
July 21 2010
Bar Harbor, ME
As we left Portland last night, the sun came out, and there was a beautiful sunset. So it was obvious that today would be perfectly lovely.
When I went out on the veranda this morning, my first thought was "Alaska" but the air, while cool, was not as sweet as the Inside Passage's air was in 1994. Who knows if it's still as sweet. But it was nice to see Maine from the water. Even the tender ride was fun, and I got some nice photos. I love sweep panorama.
The Acadia National Park is, I'm sure a wonderful park to explore, but the bus trip was very rushed. The stops, only 2 of them, were limited to 15 minutes. Time to grab a few pictures of today's hazy view, pee, and buy a bottle of water. I'd like to come back to Bar Harbor some time with more time to explore.
I saw a man coasting down the steep access road on his bike and was envious. I envied him not only his exciting descent, but what I knew was his hard work climbing to the summit. Basically, it was simple bike envy...I know I'm not in the kind of shape to make that sort of ascent. Maybe some day?
What would a vacation day be without shopping? So we browsed the Main Street of Bar Harbor and found what we were looking for...even a Nipper for John.
Lunch at Rupununui...Brazilian/Maine cuisine. We looked around some more and realized that as beautiful as Bar Harbor is, it's just another tourist town. I suppose the truth is that there is nothing that I really want except 24/7/365(6) high speed Internet so that I can post my thoughts and pictures. How very solipsistic of me.
As I sit back on the boat detached from that umbilical Internet cord, I realize that the slap of the water on the still anchored ship is blissful and the cool shady air is a delight for a New Yorker who is used to hot, sticky,humid July afternoons. There's a small rocky outcrop covered in evergreens off to my right. Small boats pass by. Ferries hum along. What do I really need at this moment? Certainly not a high speed Internet connection, or a cell phone, or email or Facebook or a blog. I don't need anything except the peace I have at this moment.
Bar Harbor, ME
As we left Portland last night, the sun came out, and there was a beautiful sunset. So it was obvious that today would be perfectly lovely.
When I went out on the veranda this morning, my first thought was "Alaska" but the air, while cool, was not as sweet as the Inside Passage's air was in 1994. Who knows if it's still as sweet. But it was nice to see Maine from the water. Even the tender ride was fun, and I got some nice photos. I love sweep panorama.
The Acadia National Park is, I'm sure a wonderful park to explore, but the bus trip was very rushed. The stops, only 2 of them, were limited to 15 minutes. Time to grab a few pictures of today's hazy view, pee, and buy a bottle of water. I'd like to come back to Bar Harbor some time with more time to explore.
I saw a man coasting down the steep access road on his bike and was envious. I envied him not only his exciting descent, but what I knew was his hard work climbing to the summit. Basically, it was simple bike envy...I know I'm not in the kind of shape to make that sort of ascent. Maybe some day?
What would a vacation day be without shopping? So we browsed the Main Street of Bar Harbor and found what we were looking for...even a Nipper for John.
Lunch at Rupununui...Brazilian/Maine cuisine. We looked around some more and realized that as beautiful as Bar Harbor is, it's just another tourist town. I suppose the truth is that there is nothing that I really want except 24/7/365(6) high speed Internet so that I can post my thoughts and pictures. How very solipsistic of me.
As I sit back on the boat detached from that umbilical Internet cord, I realize that the slap of the water on the still anchored ship is blissful and the cool shady air is a delight for a New Yorker who is used to hot, sticky,humid July afternoons. There's a small rocky outcrop covered in evergreens off to my right. Small boats pass by. Ferries hum along. What do I really need at this moment? Certainly not a high speed Internet connection, or a cell phone, or email or Facebook or a blog. I don't need anything except the peace I have at this moment.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Okay One Last Comment on Portland
As the sun slowly began to sink in the west, the clouds parted and if I turned my back on downtown, the bay was quite lovely. Looking back toward the city I noticed a mass of apparent garbage atop a thingie that's used for the gangway. The garbage turned out to be a nest with some chicks in it. One posed for me as he (she?) thought about attempting flight.
No Sightseeing. Just Shopping
Okay so I'm not much of a sightseer, and I'm not even much of shopper, but I do love LL Bean. And well, I'm here in Portland. So I was up early and took a few perfunctory photos of the docking and the ferries. A long shot of the ship from the pier and that was about it. Off to Freeport. Anyone who tells you the economy is on the way back is just plain lying. Back in the 1990s Freeport was so busy with shoppers you could barely move on the street. No more. The shoppers are there in smaller numbers, much smaller numbers. The number of commercial vacancies is high. It was kind of sad to see this basically large outlet mall town down on its luck.
That of course didn't stop me from stimulating the economy to the best of my abilities. Some things for Glo. Some things for Fran. Some things for me. Laurie got what she asked for. Dave, is just not a Bean type guy so maybe I'll find something later for him. I don't know that I won't regret not having bought him that wind up flashlight. But no looking back now.
Back at the ship for cookies and canapes. Maybe I'll get a few shots of the sailaway? Probably not. Sadly Portland doesn't have the glamor of New York's harbor or the exoticism of say Istanbul. (Who can forget that Turkish band that played when we arrived there?)
Anyway, these are my pictures today. A sad collection...
That of course didn't stop me from stimulating the economy to the best of my abilities. Some things for Glo. Some things for Fran. Some things for me. Laurie got what she asked for. Dave, is just not a Bean type guy so maybe I'll find something later for him. I don't know that I won't regret not having bought him that wind up flashlight. But no looking back now.
Back at the ship for cookies and canapes. Maybe I'll get a few shots of the sailaway? Probably not. Sadly Portland doesn't have the glamor of New York's harbor or the exoticism of say Istanbul. (Who can forget that Turkish band that played when we arrived there?)
Anyway, these are my pictures today. A sad collection...
Foggy Day at Sea
Finally, a day to relax and do nothing which means -- I read my very good book, "Spies of the Balkans," lost money at bingo, walked a mile around the ship with Fran, stopped into the very nice flower shop with real and silk flowers, read my book, ate a little (no really), won and lost and won at the casino, (I'm up 3 bucks) and read my book. The fog lifted a bit a sunset.
I am almost refreshed.
I am almost refreshed.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Touch and Go But We're Gone
19 July 2010
Day At Sea
Yesterday felt a bit confusing because I had felt sick since the previous Monday. Crazy stomach bug, headache, fever…the works. Up all night, sleeping all day. Couldn’t even read. Wednesday, I thought I’d have to cancel, but I made it.
We did get away from home by 11:30 AM as planned and the ride to Bayonne was simple. The check-in was smooth and by 1pm we were in our suite, which is quite nice. Our luggage came immediately, and in my usual organized way I had unpacked in 5 minutes. Now it was Fran’s turn and so I had plenty of time to post to Facebook and to Picasa and to say bye to my fans (i.e. my family). We had indeed gotten off. Happy Birthday to me.
The sail away was breathe-taking. The lower harbor never ceases to amaze and because we left from Bayonne we were out in faster than a Manhattan departure. Looking astern, we could see New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Staten Island Ferry came quite close. There were plenty of freighters and container ships, but also private boats and gorgeous large and small sailboats. Amazingly, several jet skis kept up along side us for quite a bit. It was a hot and hazy Sunday in New York and people made the most of its fantastic location on the water at the entry to the Atlantic Ocean.
We passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and then I got a good look at the old parachute jump. I knew we were out to sea. One last fishing boat heading in after a day fishing with seagulls surrounding it hoping for scraps. In the distance some more freighters. The sound of the buoy bells faded away. And then it was: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”
At last.
Day At Sea
Yesterday felt a bit confusing because I had felt sick since the previous Monday. Crazy stomach bug, headache, fever…the works. Up all night, sleeping all day. Couldn’t even read. Wednesday, I thought I’d have to cancel, but I made it.
We did get away from home by 11:30 AM as planned and the ride to Bayonne was simple. The check-in was smooth and by 1pm we were in our suite, which is quite nice. Our luggage came immediately, and in my usual organized way I had unpacked in 5 minutes. Now it was Fran’s turn and so I had plenty of time to post to Facebook and to Picasa and to say bye to my fans (i.e. my family). We had indeed gotten off. Happy Birthday to me.
The sail away was breathe-taking. The lower harbor never ceases to amaze and because we left from Bayonne we were out in faster than a Manhattan departure. Looking astern, we could see New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Staten Island Ferry came quite close. There were plenty of freighters and container ships, but also private boats and gorgeous large and small sailboats. Amazingly, several jet skis kept up along side us for quite a bit. It was a hot and hazy Sunday in New York and people made the most of its fantastic location on the water at the entry to the Atlantic Ocean.
We passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and then I got a good look at the old parachute jump. I knew we were out to sea. One last fishing boat heading in after a day fishing with seagulls surrounding it hoping for scraps. In the distance some more freighters. The sound of the buoy bells faded away. And then it was: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”
At last.
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