For some reason, it was a jammie day. (a short post)

Again, I didn't have much energy today.  I stayed in my jammies almost all day, and watched YouTube videos to relieve the boredom.  Although I woke up early, I had no energy, and fell asleep on the couch in the afternoon, losing my chance to do things in the daytime.

Why have I been so tired lately?  God knows, I don't.  I have a feeling that I'm suffering from the effects of depression.  Yet, I don't feel down.  So, around 7 pm, I finally started to get ready to go out for dinner.  Unlike yesterday, I decided to get dressed as Marian and go to the local buffet. 

Now, I have some of my winter wardrobe available to me, but I didn't want to deal with putting on tights to be worn with a dress.  So, I found a pair of leggings and tried on a dress that I bought from Target.  One problem - it was a size too small for me.  Now, I had to figure out what to wear.  And I decided to wear a summer dress with the leggings, and go out wearing a denim jacket over the dress.

When I finally went outside, I was glad to be wearing the leggings and the denim jacket.  It was too cool for the dress alone.  Then I drove to the buffet and chowed down for an hour.  (I'll pay for this when I get on the scale in the morning.)  Eventually, it was time to go home for the evening - a short evening out, but one I needed as Marian.

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Halifax, NS (09/10/25)

 

I knew that I was going to hate waking up today, as I knew that I wouldn't get enough sleep before our scheduled shore excursion.

But first....

RQS and I had to get up at 6, so that we'd be ready for our shore excursion to Lunenburg by 7:30.  With neither of us having enough sleep the night before, I knew that we'd both be exhausted by the time we got back to the ship.  I was up early enough to get some shots of Port Halifax before we docked at Pier 20.  (All my previous cruises to this port docked at pier 21.)  

The first thing we did after showering and dressing was to go to the buffet. Being up at 7 made it so easy for us to both find a vacant table and find something to eat.  Too bad we're not early birds.  Around 7:30, we made it to one of the staging stations (a ship restaurant) to await our group number to be called.  After a short walk to an awaiting bus, we were on our way to Lunenburg.

 

 

 

Our first stop along the way was to Amos Pewter in Mahone Bay.  We saw the "Soup to Nuts" presentation on how pewter is made, and participated in using the skills needed to make a pewter ornament.  It was a nice demonstration, and made us appreciate the work the artisans do at this studio.

From Mahone Bay, it was off to nearby Lunenburg.  Old town Lunenburg was a planned colonial settlement, and a Nova Scotia treasure.  All of the buildings in this district reek of history, even if they are post colonial in style.  It was here where we decided to have lunch and enjoy our day away from the ship.  
 

After lunch, we explored the old town a little, but didn't have that much time or energy to do this place justice.  Hopefully, we may be able to find the time and money to visit this part of Canada by land and explore it as my parents once did 55 years ago, when I was a child.

All too soon, we were on our way back to the ship.  After a stop at a Maple Syrup store (a stop geared to generate money for both the store and the tour company), we were on our way back to the ship.  Sadly, we had no time to find a place selling needle and thread (I wanted to secure a button to a jacket), so this task will be put off to our next port stop.  And then, it was time for both of us to take a much needed nap before dinner.

Dinnertime came, and we went to the main dining room for dinner.  We were seated at a shared table with 5 other people, and had a nice time.  However, we noticed one thing: Service was so slow for a 7 pm seating, that we could not make it to the theater in time for the nightly entertainment. 

 

 

Alaska Cruise 2025 - Glacier Bay - Scenic Cruising Day (08/16/25)

 

Glacier Bay.  It's a national park where only two cruise ships are allowed to enter it on any one day, and we are on one of those ships.  It's a place where nature has been allowed to run wild, and I am grateful that I have the chance to see it before global warming ruins it.

- - - - - -

One thing I've noticed where RQS and I differ greatly is in our sleeping habits.  If I wake up, I tend to stay awake.  If she wakes up, it's easy for her to stay asleep.  This is not usually a big problem, as I will often go into another room and do my thing.  But when it's in a cabin, it's something else.  I have to find ways of doing my thing without disturbing her. And that can be tricky when we have an inside cabin.  Luckily, we have a balcony cabin for this cruise, and we'll be able to see glaciers without leaving the cabin if we want to do that.

Around 9:15, we went to the buffet for breakfast.  Not much to say about that, save we were on the opposite end of the ship from where the Park Ranger was scheduled to give a talk about Glacier bay.  By the time we reached the theater, there were almost no seats left, and we had to walk to the front row to find seats.  Of the 2 presentations we have seen this cruise, the park ranger's presentation was the best. After the presentation, we walked back to our cabin and watched Alaska glide by from the comfort of our balcony for a while. 

 
After lunch, we moseyed up to the lounge where the park ranger was talking.  She noted several things about Glacier Bay park that made the cruise a little bit more interesting: Why the color of the water can be a shade of aqua, how fine glacial silt can be, what causes icebergs to calve from glaciers, etc. Even though what she said was interesting, I found it relaxing to see Mother Nature in her majesty.  All too soon, the park rangers were dropped off at the entrance to the park, and our ship started on its way to Juneau.

- - - - - -

Dinnertime came, and we sat at our usual table with some people we ate with before. Although it was noisy, we were able to enjoy a good meal and good conversation.  Unfortunately, I took a chance with another Indian chicken dish and struck out.  Such is the life of someone who gambles with food.  At least, the creme brulee was good. 

Later on was the stage show.  It was a 30-minute song and dance extravaganza, where the performers sang (and danced to) music from around the world.  One problem: more than half the numbers stunk. One of the decent tunes was an abbreviated version of Iz's "Somewhere over the Rainbow" / "It's a Wonderful World" medley. The men performing "Nessun dorma" and the woman doing Alicia Keys' "New York" did a great job on their tunes.  However, the show was ruined for me because the cast ruined "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Mas Que Nada", both tunes I've loved from childhood.

With that being said, it was another good day in the great white north.

 

I was dehydrated and didn't know it.

 

Last night, RQS and I went to dinner with my brother at an Oriental Buffet.  We ate enough food to feed an army, and my digestive system paid the price overnight.  I didn't notice that I had needed to drink some water when I woke up, and wasn't thinking of food or drink throughout the day.  This was my mistake, and I almost paid dearly for it when I went into the shower.

Around 3:00 pm, I stripped and went into the shower to freshen myself up to go outside.  In the middle of showering, I got a little dizzy and took extra care to keep my balance, finish my shower, and dry off before rushing to the kitchen to get a glass of orange juice.  While I was waiting for my metabolism to process the OJ, RQS got showered and dressed.  Then, I finished with my "morning" routine, got dressed, and prepared to go out to the supermarket for our evening meal. 

Today would be a day where I'd be going outside as Marian.  And the weather was perfect for wearing a casual summer dress.  It was nice to get out of my trousers and back into a dress again. I didn't choose any of my new dresses to wear.  I was in the mood to wear something plain and functional.  Maybe tomorrow, I'll break out one of my new dresses if the weather is right.   

Before going to the supermarket, we stopped for a burger at a local fast food joint, and that did the trick for me.  Within a half hour, I no longer was concerned about how I felt earlier in the day.  Both the liquids I consumed and the food I ate restored me to a state of normalcy.  After another 20 minute drive, we reached the supermarket and picked up some dinner. 

Did we eat the salmon we bought for dinner?  No.  We were still full from our lunch.  So, we had a little nibble, and decided to cook the salmon for tomorrow's dinner. 

This past weekend was too short

 

Laffing Sal.  RQS and I will likely be visiting her when we next visit San Francisco.  Although she is a simple, decades old animatron, she is the best symbol of San Francisco's Musee Mechanique at Pier 45. For me, seeing her in person says I am really in "Fog City" and am ready for a great adventure.

Why do I mention his mechanical wonder?

RQS and I are counting down the days until our next two cruises (the first to Canada and the second to Alaska.) This limits the time I can help my brother with work that has to be done on the family homestead before we can rent it out.  This past weekend, I cut a weekend with RQS short, so I could help my brother with the house.

I knew I would have one problem.  Not doing any dirty work around the apartment, I don't have any clothes I can sacrifice for painting the basement.  And I'm glad my brother gave me an out, saying that I can keep him company while he finishes applying "mud" to the drywall, so that he can paint it during the week.  Hopefully, we can get the work finished before mid June, so that we may have someone renting the place by August.

After my brother was done with the work on the house, we drove to a buffet and enjoyed a good meal.  I rarely go to buffets, as I eat too much.  But here, the food was worth it - including the Asian Snails.  This visit, I skipped the sushi in favor of hot food.  Yet, I knew I'd pay for the indulgence later on.  

All too soon, the day ended, and it was time to go home.  Tomorrow, I'll go to my first meetup in a while.

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Port Day #3 / Departing Bermuda (05/01/25)

 

This would be a short, last day in Bermuda for us.  Due to GI-Tract issues I have, I decided to stay near the ship while RQS went to the Clocktower Mall to do some last minute shopping.  This would prove to be the best thing we could have done, as I barely had any warning before my GI Tract demanded attention.

But first....

I woke up at 4:00, and took care of my GI Tract's first attack on my body - and I survived.  But I knew it would be back for another round later on in the day.  So, I tried to go back to sleep for as long as I could before the two of us decamped for breakfast.

Buffet breakfasts are rarely memorable, and this one was far from worth remembering.  I had rushed to get showered and dressed in order to get some hot food from the buffet trays.  This time, I picked up some hash browns, sausage, and some hard boiled eggs - and had as enjoyable a breakfast that could be had in the buffet.  After this, I went back to the cabin, while RQS went for one last visit onshore to do some shopping.

When RQS returned, it was back to the buffet for a late lunch.  While there, a lady sat next to us, and we started discussing cruising, shifting over to politics.  This woman was a rare breed in Florida - a passionate liberal.  And this allowed us to talk about politics.  Later on, I felt safe in showing her how I looked as Marian - and she didn't flinch.  

A couple of hours later, we went to dinner and had a nice meal.  As much as I liked the octopus dish, there wasn't enough octopus and too much stewed vegetables to have me order it again.  The salmon I had for the main course was good, but I was glad to have a plate of Pasta Alfredo in front of me - RQS's lamb shank wasn't done right, and she had to wait to get one from the kitchen.

Although we had reservations to see the comedian again, we passed on it to let our food digest.  This was a good day, and we'll hate to be back in New York this weekend.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Port Day (01/28/25 - Charlotte Amalie, USVI)

 

Unlike the other days so far on this ship, we finally made it to the buffet for breakfast.  It wasn't what either of us would have wanted, but it was something to ease any hunger pains we had.

- - - - - -

Breakfast at the buffet is always a hunt for something interesting to eat, something which doesn't seem to industrial for one's taste.  Today, I found some scrambled eggs (yecch), bacon, and some chocolate cheese blintzes which weren't that objectionable.  So, around 1 pm, we finally made it to land to walk around a bit, and get some lunch.

RQS bought some costume jewelry, while I sat outside in the shade. And then, we decided to get a bite to eat off the ship, at a restaurant called the Smoking Rooster.  We ordered a sampler plate, a dish which had more than enough meat for the two of us.  Once done, it was back to the ship - it was way too warm to walk around, then be fresh enough for dinner at 5:30 pm.

Sadly, our friends are no longer going to dinner, so we took their seats in the restaurant.  (We believe they might be going to the buffet, where one of them can more easily find vegan grub.)  It seems like the service is getting much more attentive in the dining room the longer we are there.  I guess they really want us to give them a good review after we leave the ship.

After dinner, it was time to go to the buffet to pick up some fresh fruit for the morning.  I asked a uniformed staff member where we could get some uncut apples, and an assistant brought us 3.  What more could you ask of these people?  I'll be sure to give them a good write up as well.  And, finally, it was back to our cabin for the night.  We'll sleep well....

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #1 - Sea Day #1 (09/30/24)

 

RQS and I started the day by going to the main dining room (MDR) for breakfast.  Service was slow, but the food was as good as we'd get from our local diner.  This was more than acceptable to us, as we'd eat more responsibly than if we went to the buffet.

Now that we were fed, we explored the ship a little before going back to our room to rest.  After the chaos of yesterday, we knew to pay attention to our bodies and sit on the balcony while the room steward cleaned up the room.  Both of us were able to start reading some books we brought with us, and we chilled out until it was time to get a snack from the buffet.

For those who haven't cruised before, the buffet can be a madhouse during prime breakfast, lunch and dinner hours. We went for our snack about an hour and a half before dinner, and found the place mostly empty.  So we grabbed some pizza, sat down by the window, and proceeded to eat.  Unlike the list time on MSC, the pizza was very doughy - but very filling.  It was a tasty treat, but not one to enjoy when going to a specialty dinner 2 hours later.

Around 6, we went downstairs to have the first of our 3 specialty dinners.  This dinner was at the Ocean Cay seafood restaurant.  There were 5 main course choices for us to choose from.  Anything else on the menu would be half price.  Both of us chose the crab cake for a starter, and it was very good - one could both taste the crab and feel the texture of the crab.  Yum!  Next was the main course.  RQS had the Dover Sole, while I had the Cockerel.  The waiter made a mistake and delivered Tuna to our table instead of my Cockerel.  Seeing the dish, I should have ordered that, even though I enjoyed what I ate.  Neither of us could finish our main courses, but we left enough room for dinner.  RQS had the Tiramisu, while I had the Creme Brulee.   Again, both were very good.

RQS noted that the atmosphere of the ship reminded her of a shopping mall, and that the restaurant felt like a nice shopping mall restaurant.  She pegged it better than I could.  Would we eat there again?  Yes, but only on the dinner package.  I'd rather spend more money and treat her to dinner at NYC's Oyster Bar.

After another chance to rest and digest our food, it was off to see Rock Circus at the ship's Carousel theater.  The best way I could find to describe this show is a group of circus gymnastic performers doing their acts while another group performs a rock tune.  Was it good?  RQS felt that it could be better if much of the acrobatics were kept out of the way of the main performers doing their songs.

By the end of the show, we retired to the cabin for the night.  On the way, we again encountered a musty smell in the hallway.  But once in the room, we didn't notice it and were able to have a deep and restful sleep.

One thing of note that I'm mentioning out of sequence is that RQS is thinking of taking another cruise on this line, but not bothering to get off the ship.  This, of course, would be a cruise taken as Marian, and would be done in an inside cabin.  Like my first cruise on MSC, we'd be able to spend a week away from home in an inside cabin for under $1,000.  Not a bad deal, if I do say myself....

2023 Bermuda Cruise - Day 3 (Port Day)

 

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

As we were getting up, RQS had something important to say. Due to her ankle injury, whe probably would not be able to visit the Crystal Caves on this trip. I didn’t mind too much, as we can always visit them on a future trip. As usual, we didn’t get up until it was lunch time, and we went to the buffet - a big mistake. Normally, I won’t make a big deal about buffets. But I often eat too much at buffets, and today, I did just that. RQS, on the other hand, ate light, as she had GI Tract issues of her own. Once done with lunch, we left the ship and started our exploration of the Bermuda Dockyard area.

The Bermuda Dockyard area has been transformed into a multi use area. Yes, there is the old fort. But many of the old buildings have been repurposed into stores, restaurants, and even a museum area. Since RQS was unable to see the ship’s doctor while the clinic was open, we went to the local pharmacy so that RQS could purchase a cane. Since Bermuda is an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, prices here would be more expensive than on the mainland - and we both had sticker shock when she told me the price of her cane.

After leaving the pharmacy, we decided to visit the Clocktower mall and walk around a little. Thankfully, the cane was helping RQS a bit, as she wasn’t in much pain walking while using the cane. Soon, we decided to go back to the ship, and got caught up in the rain. So we took the free shuttle back to the ship and decided to relax. When we arrived at the pier, RQS almost misplaced her ID, and Bermudan authorities were expecting her to show it when we went back to the ship. Luckily, she had kept it with her cell phone, and we were soon onboard the ship. 

Once onboard, we made the mistake of going to the ship’s version of a restaurant serving pub food, and we suffered with mediocre service. Sadly, when we went to one of the ship’s main dining rooms later on, we also suffered mediocre service. This time, in both settings, the food was underwhelming - a significant drop in quality from the last time we cruised NCL.
 

Since we walked over 2 miles today, we both thought that taking the time to rest was a good thing, so we called it an evening after dinner. Hopefully, we will get to see Hamilton (Bermuda’s capital) tomorrow, and have the time to enjoy it….