Atlantic and Europe

We crossed the Atlantic aboard the Royal Princess, then went with Viking River Cruises along the most historic and beautiful waterways of Europe. もっと詳しく

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旅行の開始
2015年4月25日
Atlantic and Europe
From Raleigh to the Royal Princess
2015年4月25日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
The Southerns took us to the Raleigh airport for the flight to Fort Lauderdale.
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Atlantic and Europe
Boarding the Ship
2015年4月25日, アメリカ ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F
When we arrived at the Fort Lauderdale airport, a shuttle bus took us the short distance to the ship. A twenty-minute bus ride brought us to the cruise ship terminal. Luggage was delayed until after supper, but then we secured all our baggage and got the room squared away.Standing for just a moment in the hot sun before we took the elevator up to check into the ship was merciless. I had brought my hat and a sport coat, and in the sun, the heat was nearly unbearable. However, the discomfort did not last long. Princess showed its usual efficiency in getting us checked in. Once on the ship, they treated us like royalty. When we boarded, our room was not yet ready, so we had to wait in the atrium. There were several couples dancing to recorded music. We did not realize that certain ships are known for certain types of activities. The Royal Princess is known as a ship that welcomes people who enjoy dancing. I had prime rib for supper and Glenda had Mexican.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Getting to Know the Royal Princess
2015年4月26日, North Atlantic Ocean
Sunday morning I awoke at 5:30 am and went around the ship to take photos. I had a small bowl of muesli at the Horizon Court, and checked back to see whether Glenda was awake every hour on the hour. She was up by 8:00 and I went with her to breakfast. We perched at the back of the ship on the Horizon Terrace, enjoying the company of After supper we went to the Wheelhouse Bar to hear a string quartet.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Seaboard Lectures and Leisure
2015年4月27日, North Atlantic Ocean
I rose at 5:30 am and went out to take photos. We had breakfast in Horizon Court. Before attending a lecture on Sir Thomas Cochrane, we passed the time with one Herb from Philadelphia in the piazza, who prided himself on being a liberal. Took photos of Capriccio String Quartet and champagne waterfall in the Piazza. A photo of the elevator shows some of the problems on a ship that holds 6700 passengers. Overcrowding on the elevators was common, and we had to wait in line for most events.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Wine Tasting
2015年4月28日, North Atlantic Ocean
In Horizon Court Had breakfast with Lee and Sandy from northern Virginia, recently moved to Florida. Lee is a big guy I noticed on the track yesterday. Got the email address for Leila, a junior waiter, to whom I will send a photo I took of her yesterday. Attended lecture on northwest passage and John Rae (1813-1893). Frozen in Time by Beattie and Geiger. Fatal Passage by Ken McGoogan. I attended a wine tasting, then I finished reading the field manual for the Canon 60D. Afterwards I took a nap on deck.. Later tonight we will go back to the Wheelhouse Bar to hear classical selection by the string quartet Capriccio.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Photography Class
2015年4月29日, North Atlantic Ocean
Walked for an hour on the track before breakfast. Shot photos on deck. Lee and Sandy Patkus will make dinner reservations for tomorrow night with us. Will attend lecture on John Paul Jones and go to a photography seminar. Cookies in the afternoon preceded more reading about the camera. We had dinner last night with a couple from Ohio. Leila Dinic, with whom I had discussed photography in Horizon Court was our junior waiter, working with Nole Nelo from the Philippines.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Leisure on the Sea
2015年4月30日, North Atlantic Ocean
Another time change caused us to sleep late, so we missed our walk before breakfast. We saw Lee and Sandy at Horizon Court and confirmed supper plans. I spent the morning down at Club 6 reading about camera lenses. We met friends from Canada who are excellent dancers, Keith and Nicole from Toronto several days ago. Yesterday I took some shots of their dancing. I walked on the track this afternoon, then read more in the lens book. I walked on the track for an hour at mid-afternoon, and took a nap before dinner. We dined with Lee and Sandy, had a long conversation afterwards, then watched a little girl dancing alone at the Piazza.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
First Formal Night
2015年5月1日, North Atlantic Ocean
We saw Nole and Leila at breakfast. They did a great job, as did Gretel (strange name for a big guy). Rain today. I shortened my walk because my camera was getting wet. Slept in the afternoon.. Leila shared with us the fact that she comes from a town called Nish (Nis) in Serbia, the birthplace of the Roman Emperor Constantine. More photos of Keith and Nicole dancing.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Azores: Blue and Green Lakes
2015年5月2日, ポルトガル ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
This morning I took my walk and went to breakfast before we had to report to the Princess Theater for our excursion into Ponta Delgada, Azores. Our guide Connie took us to the western part of the island where we saw the green and blue lakes. The scenery was magnificent, and the greenery was simply lush. Anything will grow here. It is noteworthy that there is only one policeman for the whole island. Crime is practically nonexistent.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Ponta Delgada Cheese & Wine
2015年5月2日, ポルトガル ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
When we returned from the volcanic crater to Ponta Delgada, we went to a very nice hotel for a wine tasting. Glenda and I got off the bus at the fifteenth-century Spanish fort and walked in the oldest part of the city. We admired the beautiful architecture and took a few photos. By the time I returned to the ship I had a slight sore throat, but was not running a fever. I took a couple Tylenol capsules and went to sleep. Around 5:00 pm I woke and got dressed for dinner at the Crown Grill. I am really enjoying learning some of the finer points of using the Canon 60-D camera.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Crab Shack
2015年5月3日, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
If I have one impression about the Royal Princess so far, it is that we have to wait in line for everything, from the elevators to the coffee bar. There is not a stairway amidships that allows us to get our stateroom on the eighth deck, so we either have to wait up to ten minutes for a very crowded elevator, or walk to the end of the ship for a stairway. I do appreciate the captain's emphasis on hand-washing, however. This afternoon at the International Cafe we met Vincent and Naomi, and discussed with them our photos of the ice caves in Iceland. A section of the Horizon Court was roped off as "The Crab Shack" for tonight's supper. The waitress brought us eight large Alaskan king crab legs, about eighty boiled shrimp (no exaggeration), and corn and potatoes. We had a feast. Afterwards they brought us the Princess mousse chocolate cake and sang "happy anniversary" to us. Although it's not our anniversary today, we chose to use this cruise as our celebratory event. To top things off, there was a beautiful sunset, which I was able to photograph.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Medical Center
2015年5月4日, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F
I have a cold so I went to the medical center onboard to assure myself that this is not pneumonia. The doc gave me some antihistamines that contain prednisone, and I already am feeling better. The medical center was busy with four critically ill patients, one being evacuated by helicopter this evening. No one is allowed on any of the open decks and no flash photography is permitted during the operation. The helicopter cannot land on the deck; there is no helipad. So the crews will lift the patient in a basket up to the helicopter from the basketball court. We actually saw the helicopter arrive and leave on the bridge-cam. Glenda and I dined alone tonight but happened to sit next to a couple who works for Princess Cruises in Alaska during the summer months. It was interesting to share tips and tricks about traveling abroad. We're looking forward to touring Southern Ireland tomorrow. We will land at Cobh, then go inland.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Arrival in Cobh
2015年5月5日, アイルランド ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F
Today we went through the beautiful port town Cobh (pronounced "Cove") on our way to other sites in Southern Ireland. This town was known as Queenstown before Irish independence, and was the port from which the Titanic sailed on her last voyage.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Lismore
2015年5月5日, アイルランド ⋅ 🌬 48 °F
We stopped in Lismore for about an hour. Glenda and I had scones in the local hotel, and I walked back down to Lismore Castle to get a photo. On the way to the Stone of Cashel we grabbed a few shots of the view from a place called the "V" through the bus window before exiting the bus for photos. From this place one can see five counties in Ireland; the scene is spectacular. Nevertheless, my photos from inside the bus may be better than those taken outside. Just as we emerged, a thick fog bank rolled in and it started to rain.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Rock of Cashel
2015年5月5日, アイルランド ⋅ 🌧 48 °F
We went on the the Rock of Cashel, a castle begun in the fifth century by the O'Bryan clan chiefs in this part of Ireland. A huge chunk of the bishop's tower as large as a Volkswagen was sitting on the ground. It was blown out of the northeastern corner in a single storm one night in the eighteenth century. Some of the wind we felt on top of that hill convinced me that such a catastrophe was entirely possible. However, since the building was abandoned at about the same time when a new bishop wanted a new residence down in the town, there was no need to replace the fallen material. Both the palace and the chapel were beautiful, even in their ruined state. The choir room, on the other hand, has been restored. At a restaurant at the base of the hill we enjoyed a lunch of baked chicken in mustard sauce, carrots and parsnips, and potatoes. The dessert was apple pie. We also got a complimentary Guinness Stout with the meal. Just after we climbed the hill to the castle, Glenda began to feel ill. She returned to the bus and took it easy, while I went on with my photography. Our guide Annie gave a very knowledgeable running commentary on Irish history, language, politics and culture as we rode back to the ship. Returning to the Royal Princess, I got us some pizza and brought it back to our room, where Glenda is resting and trying to recover. As we shoved off from Cobh, the Cobh town band was at the dock to play for our ship. They began with "Georgia On My Mind," and "King of the Road." Just as the lines were slipped, they broke into "Anchors Aweigh." About a hundred people on the dock began swaying their arms to the music, and we waved back. One little girl amused those of us on the port side of the ship by cutting somersaults down the dockside. As we left I got some good shots of the town and the cathedral. I went to the other side of the ship to see the place where the Titanic was docked before her fateful departure. When I tried to come inside, the automatic door for the promenade deck would not open, so I had to enlist help from some other passengers and crew to get the door to open. Finally they pointed me to another door. Coming back to the stateroom, I was engaged in a short conversation with another passenger about the wonderful conditions for photos today. I summarized our adventures, and he mentioned to me that he toured Cobh in a taxi with a driver named Patty O'Roark. Among other places, Patty took him to the Lusitania graveyard, where his grandparents are buried. Glenda just roused and says she thinks she has a slight fever. The captain announced that the voyage tonight may get a bit bouncy. High winds and rough seas are in our path.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Approaching Normandy
2015年5月6日, English Channel ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
I awoke early and, went to breakfast, and took a few photos of a passing container ship. Glenda is still sick. The crew has advanced our U. K. passport check by half an hour. I guess bureaucrats must always find something to do to stay busy. After a light lunch of spaghetti, we got an ice cream cone at Swirls. We passed between Southampton and the beaches of Normandy, and I went up to the sky deck to take some photos just to remind me of D-Day on June 6, 1944. Since we had a late dinner planned, I brought back to the stateroom a fruit and cheese plate around 4:30 pm. We dressed for formal dinner We went down to the piazza to watch the dropping of all the balloons. I wanted to photograph the event, but when one of the entertainers began to drag people out onto the dance floor, I decided it was time for me to leave. So we're ready for bed now. Glenda is feeling much better and we're looking for a good day in Amsterdam tomorrow.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Arrival in Rotterdam
2015年5月7日, オランダ ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
How exciting to be in the city of one of my heroes, Erasmus of Rotterdam. We sailed through a very long canal leading to the city, passing oil refineries, reconstructed windmills and thousands of high rise apartment buildings.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
2015年5月7日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
On the bus from Rotterdam to Amsterdam our guide Bob gave an excellent introduction to Dutch history, language and culture. I was glad to see that my old friend Erasmus is still remembered in Rotterdam in the names of a bridge, a university, and a medical center. Since we were on our own in Amsterdam, he thoroughly described the map, or "plan" as he called it, of the city. Glenda and I dared to take the number 5 streetcar down to the Rijksmuseum, which we found with just a little bit of looking once we passed the National Palace. We found Vermeer, then saw in the hall of honor Rembrandt's large canvas called The Nightwatch. Large crowds surrounded all of the well known paintings, so I just took pictures of the crowd. It was enough for me just to be near the actual paintings made by the masters. Glenda, being a woman, and shorter than I, was able to move in closer to the painting of the Girl With the Pitcher to get a photo. I had already decided that I would resist the temptation to take a picture of a picture, at least on this trip. We looked around at the other sixteenth century art, and made our way out of the crowded building, which has recently been gloriously restored.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Walking Through Amsterdam
2015年5月7日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F
A few photos in the plaza in front of the building preceded our attempt to find lunch. We found a hot dog stand. Glenda made a pylsa dog. We sat on a street side bench beside a guy from New Jersey named Artie Rizzo, who sets up huge pieces of art in museums throughout the world. Then a leisurely walk back to Central Station took us by lovely canals and streets, as well as the floating flower market. Bicycles were aggressively present everywhere. Glenda snatched a photo shot of a "coffee house," the Dutch euphemism for a marijuana store.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Boating in Amsterdam's Canals
2015年5月7日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
We got back to the center of town in time to take a ride through the canals. The beauty and charm of Amsterdam was almost palpable. This beauty was not missed by our camera lenses.
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Atlantic and Europe
Leaving Amsterdam and Rotterdam
2015年5月7日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
I love Amsterdam. It is beautiful and historic. I also appreciate the freedom which the people still have here. We caught the bus at 5:30 pm in front of the NH Barbizon Hotel, a grandly beautiful modern interior in a historic building. We used their rest rooms before leaving to hit a traffic jam that delayed our return to Rotterdam about an hour. Traffic and overpopulation are problems the government is still trying to solve. I went back out on deck to grab a few shots of the sunset as we left Rotterdam.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Bruges
2015年5月8日, ベルギー ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
I would place Bruges as among the three most beautiful cities I have ever seen, along with Venice and Dubrovnik. As soon as one enters the old part of the city, the senses as inundated by architecture, beauty, history and theology. Johann our guide was very restrained yet informative as we walked through the park to the Beguinage, and then into the city's historic center. Then a canal boat ride let us immerse ourselves in some of the sights he had shown us. We grabbed the buffet at Pizza Hut, and I enjoyed a dark Belgian beer. A chocolate shop offered every candy imaginable, and Glenda bought some chocolate-covered orange slices. I had filet mignon with all the trimmings, and ate more than I should have. I can hardly fit into my athletic tailored dress shirt any more. I will really have to reign in the appetite on the river cruise to come.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Farewell, Royal Princess, Southampton
2015年5月9日, イングランド ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
We woke early morning and started packing. At breakfast this morning a woman was standing in front of me at the Horizon Court serving herself cereal and humming a tune. Though she finished serving herself in just a few seconds, she continued to block the line until she had finished humming her tune! We said good-bye to the Royal Princess, then immediately took the bus to Heathrow Airport to fly back to Amsterdam for the Viking River Cruise of the Rhine, Main, and Danube.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Viking Confusion in Amsterdam
2015年5月9日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F
I suppose traveling is always something of an adventure. Our flight from London's Heathrow Airport was delayed almost an hour because of high winds at our destination in Amsterdam. Glenda's suitcase was judged to be oversize by the ticket agent, so she had to pay to have one bag checked for $30. When we finally arrived back in the Netherlands, we met a representative from Viking Cruises right outside the baggage claim area. Our names were not on his list, but he put us on a van that took us to a boat anyhow. It turned out to be the wrong Viking River Cruise Boat. We told the representative that we were to board the Viking Ingvi and we're going down the Rhine and Danube through Vienna to Budapest. He asked us whether we were going to Basle. We said that we were not. He seemed confused, but put us on a van anyhow. I began to get a bit worried and insisted on keeping my luggage with me, since I feared it might get onto the wrong boat. They took us to one of the ports in Amsterdam where we boarded the Viking Kvasir. They were going to put us on a first deck room without a French balcony, and I told them that we had already been assigned room 224, a room with a French balcony. They asked us again what boat we were going on, and we told them again the Viking Ingvi. They asked us if we're were going to Basle, and we said that were were not. We would go to Budapest, then extend to Prague. They apologized profusely for their error and said that they would call us a cab and pay to have us taken to the Viking Ingvi at another nearby Amsterdam dock. Soon the cab came and after trying two other docks unsuccessfully, finally got us to the Viking Ingvi.もっと詳しく
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Atlantic and Europe
Aboard the Viking Ingvi
2015年5月9日, オランダ ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F
Before the cab driver left the registration desk we reminded the receptionist that the folks on the Viking Kvasir had said that they would cover the cab fare to the Ingvi, and the receptionist agreed that they would cover the cost of the cab. The reception team on the Viking Ingvi seemed a bit surprised at the request for reassurance that they would pay for the cab. Apparently the Viking crew on the Kvasir had not called the people on the Viking Ingvi to tell then that they had arranged to pay for the taxi, or even that we were coming. Because he had tried two other docks, I tipped the cab driver €2. We were quickly shown our room, and told that an introductory briefing was being held in the lounge. We attended the briefing, entering the lounge at about 6:20 pm. We must have been a few minutes late, but the cruise director was still just warming up the crowd. We and several of the people around us were a bit surprised at the silliness of his presentation. He was talking to the group as though we were a group of first graders. At 7:00 pm we went to an excellent dinner. Glenda and I had sea bass, and I had a wonderful cheese plate. Our dining companions were Chuck and Cindy from Lake Tahoe, and Bob and Nikki from Vienna, Venice, America and elsewhere. We came back to to our stateroom, which was lovely, clean and comfortable, despite its small size. We put away our luggage, got the room squared away, and got ready for bed.もっと詳しく
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