Seeing friends

 

 
It's been a long time since the above group held a meeting, and I've grown a lot as a person since then.  Yet, I yearn a little for the innocence and ignorance I had back then, as I was in a period of rapid social growth as Marian.

- - - - - -

Lately, I've been trying to catch up with friends I've made over the years: friends I've made at work, friends I've made through meetups, and friends I've made in the general course of life.  It isn't always easy finding the time or money to get together with these people.  But I try to do so.

As I write this, I will be lunching with a friend from where I last worked.  Next week, I'll be meeting with one of my transgender acquaintances, and with a woman I once dated.  It's not always easy planning things 2+ weeks ahead, as I've found that most people are only able to plan for social engagements that are 1 or 2 weeks ahead.

Now that I'm seeing RQS, I have even less time to get together with people, as most of them are unattached.  However, I do not intend to make the mistake I made when I was married.  Losing friends is easy when one is coupled.  Keeping them is much harder.  And I intend to do my best to keep them.

Dealing with screwups!

 

I've been in the position where I've royally screwed up, and deserved to get laid off from my job.  Today's post covers a screw up that I have to deal with for an upcoming cruise, and a vendor's representative who does nothing but screw up.

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When I booked my Hawaii cruise, I noticed that the cruise line didn't have a place where I could enter my middle name.  Normally, this would not be an issue, as TSA does not get involved (much) in who can (or can't) go on cruise ships.  However, since the cruise line booked my air, I found that they screwed up the booking of my flights.

Sometime toward the middle of the year, NCL sent out an email to inform those people who are using the cruise line to book their air travel that they would need to have their complete legal name on file for their flight booking.  I contacted NCL, and gave them my full name: Marian Ann Johnson.  Well, I found out that NCL sent the name "Marian Johnson" to United Airlines, and not "Marian Ann Johnson." This prompted a call to United, where I needed to get past their unfriendly chatbot to reach a human who could fix my problem.  And even then, they may have created an error, as my name now reads "Marianann Johnson".  When I called United for a second time, their chatbot threw up a gauntlet that got in the way of reaching a human to fix the problem the first agent may have caused.  When I finally reached an agent, she said that TSA should accept this.  I am very skeptical, so I will soon be contacting TSA to verify this claim.  AARGH!!!!

- - - - - - 

Just after dealing with my plane ticketing issue, I had to attend a co-op board meeting.  Although I can't say too much about went on at the meeting, we made the site representative of our management company very uncomfortable - his performance does not meet the standards I'd want to see in someone with whom I'd do business.  I asked him about an issue regarding a light that illuminates a sign, and he reported that the light was fixed - the electrician had worked on the light the day before.  Well, I was upset.  He is responsible for verifying that all contractors complete their work to our satisfaction before paying these vendors.  So I said that I'd check this light when I went out later.  And, of course, it was not lit.

At this point, I was livid.  This man had left our meeting early, as he was not up to the criticisms we had about his performance. And now, I had proof that he didn't bother to check that the work was done properly.  I'd bet that he'd pay the bill for work not done if I didn't call him out.  So I wrote a polite letter (with photographic evidence) that the work was not done, that the light was not on, and asked him to get this fixed ASAP.  Of course, I made sure to copy the full board on this issue, and blind copied his boss.  24 hours later, he still have not replied to my email.  So, sometime tomorrow, I will send an email to his boss, saying that I (as an individual, and not as a board member) have no confidence in this man being able to take care of requests in a prompt manner, and that I intend to write to the boss from now on for any services that I might need.

- - - - - -

Please remember that I have screwed up big time in my career, and have paid the price for it - I was dismissed from my job.  Since I have a responsibility to the co-op's shareholders, I will exercise the same kind of responsible decision making that others have had to make when dealing with careers like mine....

Preparing for a Hawaiian Cruise

Thank god for Amazon!  Over the last few weeks, I've been ordering things I'll need for my upcoming Hawaii cruise.  In addition to buying new luggage, I've been buying little things such as water shoes for the time I may be at a beach.  In the above picture, I am showing some of the things I've bought for my upcoming cruise.

There are several minor issues one must be aware of when traveling to Hawaii.  Due to the fragile nature of its habitat, they require that only "Reef Safe" Sunscreens are used. In addition, when I go to Pearl Harbor, I'll need the clear "stadium backpack" to hold personal goods, as they do not allow civilians to carry normal purses on the base.  Given that I'll be in an inside cabin, I bought an inexpensive motion sensitive night light for use in the room, and I've bought a plastic luggage tag to help the baggage smashers route my suitcase to my cabin.  And, in case the suitcase gets lost, I will have a Tile Tracker attached to help in locating the bag.  

There are so many things left to be taken care of before the cruise.  For example, I have to schedule a hotel room with 13 day parking with an airport shuttle.  My flight leaves Newark at an ungodly time of the day, and I won't be able to get to the airport in time if I were to drive to the parking lot from home the day I start my travels.  Hopefully, I won't forget anything.  But I know I'll be writing about my trip in this blog....

I'm counting the days until my next trip.

 

As much as I'd like to be taking my next trip in female presentation, I'll take it as a male because RQS is traveling with me.  This is not the trip I would have made for a first choice, as I would have preferred to go somewhere new.  However, RQS saw a bargain, and we jumped on it.

Going somewhere at the end of a season often means that many attractions, stores and restaurants that cater to tourists will be closed.  It can also mean that one gets a chance to see what a town is like when most tourists are gone and only locals remain.  To me, I've found that going somewhere off-season can be just as enjoyable as going to a place in-season.

Years ago, my late wife and I stayed at her boss' oceanfront house in Bridgehampton.  It was Thanksgiving week, and we had the place to ourselves.  All the rich people were gone, having vacated their summer digs for places in warmer climes. This left us enjoying the area, interacting with the locals.  This was much more enjoyable than had we been there during the busy season.  The year before XGFJ and I broke up, we traveled to Lake George and Bolton Landing for a weekend away from home.  When we left Lake George for the Sagamore, we were able to spend a romantic weekend in the "North Country" unencumbered by throngs of tourists.  These are the types of trips I enjoy most - trips where I can get away from the world and chill out.

Soon, I'll be on my next trip and I expect that RQS and I will be able to chill.  Hopefully, she's enjoying it as much as I do....

I find it hard to believe, but I applied for a job

 

The other day, I saw an email from indeed.com suggesting that I apply for a job I have the skills to do.  No, this would not be a technology related position, but that of an office worker.  And I sent in the application for a job which I would go to work in my female presentation.

- - - - - -

Ever since I quit the job at the document imaging firm, I have very little incentive to get up in the morning.  Getting up early in the morning is even harder for me.  I realize that I need a little incentive to get moving, and work can be that incentive. Do I really want to go back to work?  Well, with inflation rearing its ugly head, I could use a few extra dollars coming in.  Now is not the time to start draining the 401k when the market is going South.  Instead, it's the time to add money to the nest egg while I'm healthy enough to be able to do so. 

If I were to go back to work, I wouldn't be able to take vacations where and when I want to do so.  This would cramp my style as I go further into my "golden years".  At least, I'd again be able to present as a female in an office setting, and be able to get more use out of my female business wardrobe.

Taking care of some items found in the mess on my desk

 

This will likely be one of my shorter posts.  

Recently, I mentioned that I had to file some paperwork so that I can get $100 cruise credit on each of two cruises, simply for being a cruise line shareholder.  To do this, I had to wade through the mess of papers found on (and near) my desk to find a recent brokerage statement.  Most of the time, I don't bother to print this statement.  Nor do I always file the ones I receive in the mail when I receive them.  So, it took me a while to find September's statement amidst all the clutter.

However, I have a simple procedure for dealing with my bills.  I pay several at the beginning of the month (one/two is/are on auto pay), some more as they come in, and then the rest at month end.  By handling the bulk as they come in, I don't have to worry much about finding the bills when I get around to paying them.  (I use an oversize clip to hold bills, and then pay them in batches.)  If I were to ever get my desk straightened out, I'd likely use a different method.  But until then, I'll continue to do what has been working for me so far.

Yet, even essential things have been known to go missing for a while.  Ever misplace a wallet on a messy desk?  I have.  What about glasses?  Yup, I have done that too.  Even house keys have gotten lost in my desk's mess.  Luckily, I've learned how to deal with the mess and use boxes to hold things while I conduct my searches.

Aren't glad you don't have me for a bookkeeper?

A last minute dinner with a friend

 

I found the above Garfield comic on the internet today, and felt it captured the spirit of today's dinner with a friend.  But first....

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Last night, I found that the scanner on my "all-in-one" scanner/printer stopped working when I tried to scan documents needed to be given a $100 cruise credit by the cruise line's shareholder relations department. Today, I started tearing apart boxes of stuff I stashed behind my loveseat to find the single purpose scanner I used to use.  After making a total mess in my living room, I found the scanner and tried to install it on my computer.  Unfortunately, there were no Windows 10 drivers for the scanner, and I ended up tossing the scanner in the trash.  

Once I was done with scanning futility, I decided to get showered and dressed to have dinner with my friend from the meetup group, MAR.  This woman is young enough to be my daughter, and works in a services field.  (I don't want to say too much more about what she does for a living here.)  We discussed many a thing, including my upcoming cruises.  And she surprised me by asking if she could come along with me on one of my less expensive trips.  (This woman has never traveled.)  There is no way I'd do this while seeing RQS, and I wouldn't ruin my relationship with RQS to do so.  (I wonder if my cruising with FCP negatively affected my relationship with XGFJ.  If so, I don't want to make that mistake again.)  I told MAR that if we were to do so, she'd find out much more about me than I think she'd like. (I've never mentioned that I am transgender to her, and I think that she believes that I am a cisgender female. Why ruin that image?)

So why did I mention Garfield and lasagna?  Like the cartoon cat, I love lasagna, and polished off a large portion at dinner.  Yum!  We may have lost a good pizza shop in town, where one could get a quick slice.  But we have a good Italian joint in its place, where I have never had a bad sit down dinner.

Thinking of a street in Portland, ME.

 

About a week and a half ago, we were exploring the shore front in Portland, ME, and we came across the above sign.  Unlike my past trips to Portland with my former cruise partner (FCP), I was able to take the lead with RQS and found a street which time left alone enough to have a pleasant, unique character.

You'll note that the street is unevenly paved with cobblestones, and that there are old buildings with an excess of character on both sides of the street.  I'd never have gotten to explore this street had I been with FCP.  But, with RQS, we had a great time exploring this street on our way back to the ship.

 

 

One can easily tell that the above is an old building left from the days when Portland was a major seafaring town.  This street is way too short.  But for its length, it has more character than many old streets in NYC.

 
I didn't bother taking too many pictures here, as I'd have needed more time to plan my shots, and we wanted to get off of our feet.  There was a "coffee shop" on this street near the above establishment that RQS captured on her camera.  (The "coffee shop" is a hybrid of a coffee shop and a "medicinal" cannabis dispensary.)  I didn't think the place was too interesting, and I didn't want to disturb the privacy of people wanting to enjoy their time at the shop.

Hopefully, we'll be able to go back to this street soon.  There were several places where we could get a good lobster at a reasonable price.  Who knows, maybe we'll get a prescription at the coffee shop the next time we visit.

Game night

 

I didn't feel like looking for a picture of people playing games today.  Instead, I picked a vacation photo to appear with this entry...

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It's been a while since I've gone to game night with the folk in Yonkers.  So I was glad to have the excuse to leave the house in Marian Mode and get together with people again.

Before I left, I found that a recent Microsoft Windows update trashed the scanner functions on my all-in-one printer.  This was very annoying, as I needed to scan 3 documents needed to be filed by Friday to allow me to claim a $100 cruise credit for being an owner of 100 shares in the cruise line holding company.  Luckily, Google, in my phone's Android OS, provided the ability to scan pages into a file.  So, by the use of my cell phone and of Google Drive, I was able to get these documents scanned and sent out before the 15 day advance window came to a close.

Driving to Yonkers was not a pleasure due to the rain.  As I have gotten older, I have found that I enjoy driving less than I once did - my eyes are not what they used to be, and I no longer have the reflexes I had when I was a young adult.  Once there, I had a good time, and left when everyone else was leaving for a change.

An internet meme with some of my thoughts.

 

The other day, I saw this meme on my Facebook feed.  Having friends who own cats, and having had cats myself, I figured that it would be the perfect post to share.

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I've said before that my life does not revolve around being transgender.  Instead, this is only one aspect to who I am.  As I've gotten older, I have broadened my interests to include photography, painting, travel, and performing arts such as music and the theater.  However, I have no developed much of an interest in things that are typically masculine in nature, such as sports.  I couldn't give much of a hoot about who wins the World Series or Super Bowl unless one of my home teams is playing in the event.  Although I understand much about what makes a car tick, I don't have to suffer through someone "Mansplaining" things to me, as I am always in male mode when I bring my car in for service.

Today, I had two events which necessitated my appearance as Mario.  First, I went for my third booster shot for Covid, and had a flu shot at the same time. After a couple of hours, I then had to appear at a co-op board meeting where we discussed some issues (which I won't discuss here) with the owner of our managing agency. If it weren't for these two things, I would have gotten dressed as Marian and done some serious window shopping at a few stores.

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Returning to the cat at the top of this entry...

Anyone who has had cats will appreciate the above image.  Most cats have a habit of using their claws against furniture and other objects.  As much as I'm glad that my apartment no longer houses fur babies, I still miss the cat that attached itself to me for 17 years.  However, without someone who could take care of a cat when I'm away, I will avoid adopting new fur babies to keep me company.

Things seem to be conspiring against me.

No, don't think that I feel that I'm being paranoid.  It's simply the random rolls of the dice that are getting to me today.

- - - - - -

Lately, I've been reserving Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to be with RQS.  Unfortunately, she was sick last weekend, and will likely be sick this coming weekend.  (She's playing it safe, keeping away from people for a minimum of five days, as per CDC recommendations.)  So, that leaves me with a Friday I can spend with others.  One problem - I'm already booked to see one person for lunch, and two other people want my time as well.

A week ago, FH suggested that we get together on a Friday for a leaf peeping trip in the Hudson Valley.  This is the type of trip I want to do with RQS before all the leaves are off the trees.  Another woman (from a meetup group) wants to change our dinner night from a Monday to a Friday, as her work schedule has changed.  If I were unattached, I'd have no problems seeing either of these women.  But I am attached, and do not want to risk what I have with RQS for a "distant" friendship.

I don't mind putting off Friday's lunch date for a week to see one of these two women, but I don't like making anyone unhappy.  So, I might have to let FH go, since she's the higher maintenance one of the two women.  (The other two know me, and see me as Marian.  FH only sees Mario.  This becomes a simple choice for me, but one that will sadden me a little.)

Baseball has been very, very good to me?

 

About 45 years ago, Saturday Night Live had a fictional ex-baseball player (Chico Escuela, played by Garrett Morris) who used a simple phrase as part of the gag: "Beisbol has been berry berry good to me."  Well, I can't say that the sport has been very very good in taking care of itself.

- - - - - -

The other day, I decided to watch some baseball on TV, and found it hard to find out who is playing and where the games are being played.  "Why?" you might ask.  Well, MLB has tinkered with the playoff format for 2022, and we now have 3 game wild card playoffs, followed by two more rounds of playoffs before reaching the World Series.  Gone are the days where the world series was determined simply by who is at the top of the AL and NL.  There is now a much greater element of chance that allows for a merely decent team to make it to the world series.  And this is part of what has disillusioned me about baseball as a sport.

Luckily, I am still interested in the history of the game.  Instead of putting an asterisk next to Roger Maris's name, as they once did for his 61 season home runs, they should put asterisks next to the names or McGuire, Sosa, and Bonds because they achieved their records in the "juicing" era.  No, I am not trying to deny these players their rightful places in the record books.  Instead, I want the asterisk to be used as an indictment of MLB as a whole, because they turned a blind eye to "juicing" to improve ratings for the sport.  One day, I hope, Aaron Judge and Hank Aaron will be considered the true record holders for MLB, as they played without juice.

Yet, I can still find humor in baseball.  Players such as Phil Niekro and Gaylord Perry were well known for their ways of doctoring a baseball before it was pitched.  It's too bad that I couldn't have gotten the two of them to do ads for Brylcream touting the advantages of this product, closing the ads with: "Oh, and it's good for your hair too."  They would have brought a smile to people with this type of ad once they were safely retired from the game.

All too soon, the baseball season will have to end.  I hope to hear Yankee Stadium's PA system take a break from playing Sinatra's rendition of "New York, New York", and again play a tune by Queen after the last game of the World Series - "We are the champions (of the world).".

 

Finally, a day back in Marian Mode

 

Since RQS was sick today, I decided to spend the day in Marian mode and do things I wouldn't likely be doing with her - such as going to church on a Sunday morning.  And it was a refreshing break from the routine weekend that I enjoyed, but won't say much about to her.  (I don't want to have her feel that I'd rather be doing things alone than to be with her.  XGFJ and I did too much alone for our own good, and I don't want to make the same mistakes in this relationship than I did in my past one.)

- - - - - -

My alarm was set for 8 am, and that gave me enough time to regain consciousness and make a simple decision - do I want to get dressed and go to church.  For me, going to church means getting dressed in my Sunday best.  So, it was on with my bra, etc., and I put on my stockings like a traditional woman would before going to church.  It was nice to see some familiar faces at the church, as I haven't been to any services since I dated XGFJ about 3 years ago.

Shortly after church (and coffee), I drove to a local diner for breakfast, and then went home for a nap.  Vicki was next on my schedule, and I knew I needed to rest before dinner.  (I was surprised to find that I fell out for a couple of hours before waking up again.)  Then, it was a chance to watch some videos before meeting Vicki for dinner.

I was on-time, while Vicki was late.  This is the opposite of what usually happens, and I was glad that our usual scenario didn't play out today.  We met at a hole in the wall place called Brothers Fish and Chips, and proceeded to order dinner.  I had a big bowl of soup, followed by salmon over a black bean sauce.  Vicki had the fish and chips.  Both of us felt the same way about the meal - the quality was very good, but the price was excessive for what one gets.  Next time, we'll try another place at the other end of Ossining.

After dinner, it was time for me to pick up some goods from Wegman's.  I was lucky to be driving through Briarcliff Manor when I did - it looked like some construction work would soon start on the overpass that connects Route 117 to Phelps Memorial Hospital.  Shopping at the supermarket was a non issue, and I had the chance to chat with RQS on the way home.  She said that she wouldn't be surprised to find out if what she has is a mild case of Covid.  If so, then I was luckier than her, as I felt better than I usually do when I have the flu and was only weak for 3 days or so.

Willie Nelson must be very happy...

 

I usually write this blog several days in advance, so this post will be relating to old news for most of us. President Biden has issued a blanket pardon for all those people convicted of the federal crime of possessing cannabis.  Our president has also urged congress to change the laws regarding cannabis, and has encouraged governors at the state level to do the same thing for their jurisdictions.  I can only imagine Willie Nelson lighting up a spliff to celebrate this event.

- - - - - -

When I was in college, I was one of the few people who didn't have a connection to buy my own weed. Therefore, I only smoked if a friend would pass me his or her joint.  For the most part, cannabis had little effect on me at the time, as it only made me sleepy.  I can still remember one of the few times that I did get high, and I was tasked to drive from Flushing to Fresh Meadows (Queens county, NY).  Instead of making a left turn onto the Long Island Expressway's service road, I continued South until I reached the outskirts of Jamaica.  Let's just say that my my then girlfriend was more affected than I was, and that the only way to see the movie Logan's Run is well under the influence.

Over the years, I have had some interesting experiences with weed, but not in the way you might expect.  For example, I was engaged once, and the woman who I was engaged to didn't think I would smoke.  She lit up a joint, shared it with her friend, and didn't even think I'd enjoy a smoke.  (You can easily guess that I didn't get married to that woman.) Another time, I was with a friend who was recovering from cancer, and he shared some of his stash.  While smoking, "The House of the Rising Sun" came on the radio, and I did an impromptu translation of the first verse into (my long forgotten) German. Lastly, I visited some friends (documented in my previous blog) to watch some old cartoons, and enjoyed some of their stash - and had to wait a while before I was safe to drive.  (People needed to be fully alert to drive to/from their home.)  There are more stories, but these are the ones that first come to mind.

Now that cannabis is legal in New York, I don't find that it will influence how I live my life.  Although recreational cannabis is not officially available in my state, it is available in at least one nearby state. I have no urge to go to a dispensary to buy any weed.  Yet, I will continue to advocate for complete legalization, as I consider cannabis to deliver a safer high than that from other legal substances.

Day 11 - Debarkation and a Possible Disaster

 

The cruise ship arrived in New York Harbor much earlier than expected. And today was a day where I made many mistakes due to being tired and exhausted from walking an average of 3 miles per day.

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Both of us woke up early, and became alert as the ship cruised under the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.  This is where RQS spent the last bit of charge in her camera, trying to get shots of the New York Harbor at night.  Only one problem - it is hard to get a stable picture when the ship is moving and one is barely awake.  

Around 7:30, we went to the restaurant and had a leisurely breakfast.  And then, it was off to the terminal to claim our luggage before heading home.  As now being usual, the luggage handlers put my bag in the wrong area, and I had to look in a different area to find it.  Unlike past trips, there was no one at the customs desks - we could walk right out of the terminal without having our passports inspected again.  And then it was time to go home....

RQS summoned an Uber, and had a second rate driver take her home.  As for me, Cabbies only wanted to take people to the airport.  And after about an hour of waiting, I joined a couple from England walking East to hail a cab.  All 3 of us got in the cab, and we headed for the East Side.  And there my trouble began.  When I reached Grand Central, I forgot my big bag in the car.  I was going a little bit crazy until I received a call on my cell phone.  The English couple was only a block away, and I could pick up my bag.  Will miracles never cease?  So, after retrieving my bag, it was back to Grand Central where I could take the train home.

Day 10 - A Last Sea Day

 

This was the last day of our cruise. Not only were we sad because the cruise was almost over, but we also knew that we'd be dealing with the problems of the real world upon our arrival.

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We decided to wake up late, as it was the last full day of the cruise. Our first thing to do was to ask for a couple of “attaboy” cards from Guest Services, so that we could extend our thanks to the two crew members (our room steward and a waitress at a restaurant) who went above and beyond the call of duty. Then it was off to breakfast.

After breakfast, we went to the ship's theater for by a presentation from the ship’s captain on how the ship is run, coupled with a Q&A session.. It was nice to hear the audience applaud him for safely getting us to Corner Brook instead of assuming we could port at any of the Canadian ports we were scheduled to use. Afterwards, it was back to our cabin, where we were able to hand our steward his gratuity - and found another towel animal hanging in the room. That was a nice touch that we didn’t expect on the last day of our cruise.

Packing for debarkation is always a pain in the neck, as there are always some things that can easily be forgotten. I also now worry about my bag being misplaced by the baggage handlers, and RQS understood where I was coming from. (And yes, they did misplace this bag the next morning. But I digress.) We were able to get our bags out in the hallway by 11 pm, and then get a little rest before coming into New York Harbor.

Day 09 - Boston, MA

 

Boston. Today, we'd meet RQS's friend and go to see "Old Ironsides".

- - - - - -

We’re supposed to see one of RQS's friends, and I don’t know what to expect from this friend. RQS mentioned things about this friend that might bother me in other circumstances. Luckily, we would have a short time with her, and have the rest of the day for ourselves.

Around 9:15, we met up with her friend and toured “Old Ironsides” in a drizzling rain. We found a subtle way to get her friend to drive us back to our ship before taking a nap. Shortly after reaching our room, we had a knock on the door - my laundry had arrived. $15 for a full bag wasn’t bad ($29 with a 50% discount for my Gold Latitudes level.) But I’d never pay $5.00 to get a T-shirt laundered on board, so I was simply being careful to combine discounts where possible. RQS and I are now seriously talking about where to cruise next. However, we both realize that her cats will be a complication for us when we decide to cruise again.

Day 08 - Portland, ME

 

One of these days, I'll get the chance to take this tourist train. Like most of these trains, the ride is overpriced. But the money goes for a good purpose - to keep the history of passenger railroading alive.

- - - - - -

Neither of us wanted to get up early enough for the "sit down" breakfast. We ended up heading to the buffet for another large breakfast. (We’ll both need to diet after this trip!) While at breakfast, I decided to send a bag to the ship’s laundry, as I didn’t want to wash both a load of whites and a load of colors when I returned home. After breakfast, we ordered some photos of the two of us, and returned to the cabin to wait until we reached Portland. While in the cabin, I stuffed a bit of dirty laundry into the paper bag and asked the room steward to take care of it.

When we reached Portland, we did the compulsory meeting with US Immigration Service before leaving the ship to explore the shore front. We walked along the main drag and found a tolerable place to have some clam chowder. (We should have skipped the nachos we ordered with the chowder bowls.) Then, we walked back to the ship to rest.

After our nap, it was off to the Hibachi Specialty restaurant on the ship. This was a mistake, as we've had better Hibachi on land. If we had thought about things, we would have visited this place one night later, as both of us were too full from lunch to enjoy this meal properly. 

Day 07 - St. John, NB

 

St. John, NB. This is a port that I'd skip for St. Johns, NL. There are only two things worth seeing when in St. John, and one of them will almost always be unavailable to cruise ship passengers - a visit to a park on the Bay of Fundy, where one can walk on the ocean floor at low tide.

- - - - - -

Both of us found it hard to get moving when we woke up. But we were able to make it to one of the main dining rooms in time for breakfast, and sat with a couple from England. (This was RQS's first experience sharing a table with other cruiser for a meal.) We had a nice chat with this couple, and wouldn’t mind dining with them again.

After breakfast, it was out and about in St. John. Since I visited the place before, I knew that this wasn’t a place for shore excursions. Instead, we walked to a coffee shop for some free Wi-Fi, then to an empty shopping mall to see if we could find an electronic gizmo we could use to transfer photos from her camera to her Chromebook. Once we were done with the mall, we wnt across the street to the local farmer’s market. There was not really much to see here, so Sue and I went back to the ship to rest before having dinner at the ship’s French restaurant.

Given NCL's penchant for nickel-diming, we were surprised to find that the specialty restaurant staff did us a solid by not charging us for an extra appetizer. Once done with dinner, we went to get our pictures taken, and then back to our cabin to end the day.

Day 06 - Halifax, At Last!

 

To me, the only Canadian port on the Atlantic (for most cruises) that I think is a must visit is Halifax. Not only is it a reasonably sized city, but it is close to Peggy's Cove - site of one of the most photographed light houses in North America.

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Halifax, at last! Finally, a port that I expected to be a highlight of our trip. The ship took its leisurely time getting into port, and we docked at the expected time. After a while, both of us got moving, getting showered, dressed, fed, and ready for the bus to Peggy's Cove.

Today would be the day that RQS would finally get to take some picturesque photos, as Peggy’s Cove is the one place worth using up the remaining charge in the camera.. As for me, I’d be happy to get a couple of good photos on my cell phone, as I’ve gotten good shots in Peggy’s Cove on my prior visits. (And I did get those good shots.) It was hard to get RQS to stop taking photos long enough to get to even more picturesque locations, but it was worth the effort. She loved the place, and wished that our tour could have spent more time in town.

Next, we were off to the cemetery where over 100 victims of the Titanic disaster were buried. It was a fittingly somber end to a nice shore excursion on a day that started out gloomy. Why do I say fitting? We found out that the survivors of the Titanic were taken to New York where their survival could be "celebrated". But the dead were taken to Halifax, where the work of the registrar of deaths could take place unimpeded by the press.

After dinner, we went to see a Beatles tribute band on the ship’s main stage. Although they were decent performers, they left me wanting something better. I'll always wish I could have been in Vegas when Cheap Trick performed the whole of the Sgt. Pepper album, followed by the Abbey Road side 2 medley to close out their show. For a fleeting moment, Cheap Trick became a better group than the Beatles, as the "Fab Four" never intended to ever have these songs performed in concert.