Iceland is Cold and Beautiful

We arrived in Rekyjavek on Monday evening and checked into our rental apartment. This was a new experience in small and compact. I would guess about 150 square feet for bedroom, sitting room, kitchen, and bath. Well designed and attractive, cozy and warm. What more did we need?

A quick trip to the local supermarket, Bonus, yielded local yogurt (Icelanders eat lots of yogurt), cottage cheese, fruit (very limited selection), cheese, and crackers. Dinner at a local Italian restaurant, a nice walk through the neighborhood, and then an early night.

Tuesday began our adventure with a South Coast tour, small van, 3 passengers, and our guide.

Iceland is a volcanic island that still has 130 active volcanoes, multiple small earthquakes almost daily, a shifting continental divide over the tectonic plates that is expanding the country about 1" a year. The panorama is volcanic, green fields in some areas, small villages, and a few principle cities. Total population of this country, which is the size of Kentucky, is 320,000 people. Few people emigrate or immigrant and the population is very slowly rising. Until the economic downturn of October 2008, a month every Icelander we encountered remembers clearly, Icelanders enjoyed the highest living standards, almost no unemployment, a long work week averaging 46 hours because many held two jobs. Things have changed over these past 3 years and recovery, while it is happening, is slow. A current debate is whether or not to join the European Union. There's many complex issues to consider including the required sharing of its valuable fishing zones which provide over 35% of Iceland's income.

Iceland has socialized medicine for everyone, free education including 13 universities (99.9% literacy, 30% college degrees), high retirement benefits that are a combination of a social security system and some controlled investments. There's virtually no crime, a total of 45 people in prison, and work camps for teen agers during the long summer months. The government taxes cigarettes and alcohol very heavily and there is little smoking or drinking and the ill-effects they cause on a society. Iceland is nearly 100% energy independent. They use geothermal power for heating and most of their electricity; the balance of their electric needs are supplied from hydro electric plants. They import raw materials for making aluminum because aluminum manufacture is heavily dependent on electricity so it is economical to produce it in Iceland and then export the finished products. Iceland has been experimenting with hydrogen cars and already has a hydrogen bus fleet. The air is clear, the water drinkable, average citizen pays $70 a month for heating, electricity, cable, sewage, and other services. The streets are clean, although there is some graffiti in recent years.

Iceland has no army, a small coast guard, and a small police force. The prime minister's offices are open to the public and her phone number is listed in the yellow pages. Parliament is also open for visitors and although there is some security, it is barely noticeable. Iceland is a Lutheran country with some Catholics and others, but not many. Although Caucasians, blonds in particular, prevail, there are other races here and there doesn't appear to be any issues with Black and Whites.

Iceland raises sheep, that outnumber the population about 3 to 1, horses that are particular to the island (shorter legs, thicker coats), and dairy herds. All of these are free range, able to forage over the winter months. Vegetables are hot house grown, hot water is free as is heating, and they manage to export bananas to Europe. However, food is costly and fresh food more scarce and higher priced than we've encountered elsewhere.

These rather ideal conditions are offset, however, by the harsh weather. Although they claim the winter is about the same as other northern European cities, cold, during the summer it never gets very hot. Our 3 day stay in mid-May was colder than average with temperatures hanging around 40 degrees and lower at night, not much warmer, given the wind-chill factor, during the day.

We visited some of the coastal areas, a glacier (there are about 30 in Iceland), the sea shore, a geyser, and hot springs. Iceland is well suited for the adventure tourist as they can hike, walk on glaciers, use ATV's, horseback ride, fish, boat, and some even go surf boarding! For the more sedate traveler, the physical beauty is striking, and the Blue Lagoon for thermal bathing is lovely. The modern country is only about 150 years old so there are few relics of former norse days, and not very interesting places to visit in the capital. On Wednesday we spent the day in town visiting some museums, the national museum of history is outstanding and we spent several hours there, walking about the lovely ponds, riding the buses, and enjoying the language--so different from anything we use or hear on a regular basis.

Thursday morning we went on another tour of the island, saw fish drying for export to Nigeria (we are truly global in all we do), drilling for another geothermal well, a working lighthouse on the coast, a small fishing village, and then the Blue Lagoon where we bathed in the hot thermal waters before departing for the airport.

Iceland was friendly, relatively easy to get around with a good street map, rugged, and worth a stop in our travels.

We bid a fond farewell to Iceland and Europe, boarded our New York bound plane and began our trip home on Thursday afternoon. This concludes nearly 5 weeks of wonderful travel with the final days planned for family visiting in New York.

Stu and Adrienne

Saying goodbye to London--boo hoo

We've had two wonderful, and surprising, last days in London. Sadly we're off tomorrow for a stop over in Iceland.

Saturday, following the suggestion of the lovely policemen we met on Friday, we took off for Portobello Market. Veteran market-goers that we are, we were unprepared for this experience. The market, part permanent shops and part temporary vendor stalls, goes on along Portobello Road for 2 miles. It's quite well organized with antique dealers together, used clothing together, new clothes (mostly funky London young styles), outlets, fresh produce, etc. Much is what we've seen elsewhere in London but the mix was heady and fun and the people watching was great. While we often eat at market stalls, we really needed a seat so went into a surprisingly good Thai restaurant for some yellow curry and pad thai.

Stu found the two items he was searching for, a London Fireman's cap and socks, and I found a lovely scarf and a special gift for a friend. We never tired of the excitement of the thousands of people milling about, very friendly, very comfortable, relatively quiet and surprisingly so. The market goes through several different neighborhoods from lower end to higher end just off the main market street.

We took top seats on the double decker buses there and back, varying our route because we could, there's so many choices, and seeing ever more parts of greater London. We both needed a brief rest once back in our apartment. Dinner at home then out for our last theater experience of this London trip. We changed the pace and saw a drama, a thriller, Woman in Black. Two actors telling a ghost story, acting multiple roles as they spun their tale. We enjoyed it very much, even if it was not the most frightening play we've ever seen--as advertised. We have been talking about the changing nature of theater, from a production like Women in Black that used few props, few special effects primarily limited to sound tracks, to one like War Horse that was dependent upon the elaborate puppeteering and horse-like props. So what is theater? The audience and its imagination? Does it take more imagination to bring this ghost story to life or to create horses on stage from bits of wood and mesh?

We resolved to get an early start on Sunday so we could take some final photographs while London slept. Stu found some phone booths Saturday night and wanted to return with our cameras. We also found a metro station with a lift (elevator for all of you non-Brits) which we'll use on Monday for our trip to Heathrow airport. From Covent Garden we rode the underground (the subway) to Embankment metro station and then hopped the River Bus for a trip east on the Thames, destination Greenwich. This was another spur of the moment adventure, a recommendation by our Stonehenge tour guide, David. We've loved the spontaneity of our travels during this London trip and have benefitted from so many surprising sights and experiences. Greenwich proved to be another pleasant surprise, as was the boat ride.

Greenwich is the birthplace, as we came to learn, of the Meridian line. All points east and west are measured from the Meridian line situated in Greenwich. We have a certificate to prove we were there and a photo to confirm it! We also learned that the clock, that we take for granted, began here as well. It was important for sailors to be able to determine accurately where they were. Longitude and latitude was important, as was time of day so they could tell more about their locations from the stars. In the museum we saw some of the first clocks and were fascinated with the stories. We've not ever thought of this before and don't recall studying in school England's role in developing the longitudinal measure or the accurate clock.

The town of Greenwich is charming, an historical site, houses the Naval Academy, two markets, and several pubs. We had a traditional Sunday pub lunch of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and Pimm's. I'm not sure the Pimm's is so traditional, but it is a lovely drink. The food, as usual, was over cooked, but the experience was everything we hoped for and we were not disappointed. The day passed much too quickly. We reluctantly left Greenwich by boat for our last trip back to our flat. Tomorrow it is Iceland and another brief adventure.

Good bye London,

Stu and Adrienne

Windsor Castle

Another exploration across town. Today we took the metro to Paddington Station where we switched lines to the Windsor Castle Line. In spite of his bad knee, soon to be replaced, Stu was stoic as he climbed or descended the multiple stair cases going up to the trains, then down to the trains, across platforms, up and down stairs again. No wonder the BBC produced a show called Up the Down Staircase--all of London, as was Paris, is uphill, according to Stu! Neither Paris nor London have been very accessible to those with disabilities; we are very fortunate to be in the states with its heightened awareness and accessibility.

Windsor Castle, the Queen's home when she is not at Buckingham Palace in London, is 700 years old and has been a continuous residence of the Monarchy for these past centuries. We enjoyed the grounds, the St. George Chapel, the Round Tower and guarding wall. We got there just in time to see the changing of the guards and watch them march into the Castle grounds from the surrounding town of Windsor-Eaton. Today the Queen was in residence, but still no invitation to high tea or even a shared crumpet! We wandered through the residence that is open for public viewing. The art work and other treasures, including solid silver furniture, were on display. There is one room, Prince Philip's drawing room, that houses 200 pencil sketches by Leonardo d'Vinci among others. We saw the doll house, a 1:12 replica of Windsor Castle, complete with furnishings, electricity, and working plumbing. These are living rooms, used now for state functions including a dining room that seats 150 at one table. The official china collection has 48 sets of plate ware dating back 500 years.

Beyond the Castle walls is a small town, with 500 year old taverns--we had lunch in one--and modern computer stores selling the latest Ipods. The contrasts are a reminder that while history lives here, it doesn't stop the progress. A delightful visit for us and a leisurely afternoon as well.

Back in Paddington Station we exited to take the bus home when we chanced to meet a policeman with his explosive sniffing dog. Before a minute passed we were engaged in conversation with 3 different officers, a half-dozen working dogs, and had exchanged stories about Smudge and her inability to pass a muffin without snatching it. They laughed at that and shared some of their donut stories (London policemen eat donuts also). We happened to catch them on the change of shifts so 20 minutes passed in conversation. They gave us business cards from their dogs, Charlie, Ace, Buddy, and Spencer. We asked if there was a place where we could find a london fireman's hat. We've been seeking one for Mac since we've been here, with no luck. Seems they don't have stores like our CHIPS have, but suggested we go to Notting Hill's Portobello market and have a look. That's tomorrow's destination. It's been wonderful to have the leisure to go where we want, to be spontaneous and to change plans on a whim. We're probably missing some of the London "must sees", but we're doing so much else we're enjoying.

And so our time in London is too quickly coming to an end. We still have so much we want to do--so much to do, so little time.

Stu and Adrienne

Our Neighborhood

We decided that it was time to do some exploring in our neighborhood so Thursday was the day. We began the morning with a visit to Covent Garden (about 5 blocks away) and its Thursday market. The Garden hosts an indoor market, a small fresh food market on Thursday morning, and regular upscale shops, eateries, street entertainment, and attitude. We actually found a Polish vendor selling fried pierogi, but they were not as good as my home made boiled ones.

The entertainment was more upscale than we've seen for street performers. First to perform were 5 classical musicians playing Mozart and Vivaldi--they were marvelous. They perform for the opportunity to sell their CD (10 pounds sterling) and pick up change. The crowd was generous. After them we listened to an opera singer, quite talented and moving, but alas, her voice didn't project very well in this outdoor space. Somewhere between the market and the singers Stu and I separated. I found him 30 minutes later engaged in a deep discussion with one of the street cleaners. Stuart was educating his new friend on the variety of scenery in Arizona and then they shared political views. We are continually finding Londoners friendly, open to conversation, curious about us and our travels, and willing to share their thoughts on life in Britain.

From Covent Garden we walked back to Trafalgar Square to visit the National Gallery. Imagine sitting in a room surrounded by Monet, Manet, Cezanne, and Van Gogh! It is suggested that these are the secondary works of these great impressionists, and that may well be true, but there was something magical about being there, in a free museum that is truly about the people. We're certain there's plenty of security, but you never feel it. No uniformed guards standing at attention, no obvious alarms or wires. Of course the paintings are faced with museum glass to protect them, but you can go within inches of a painting before anyone approaches you. We wondered, sitting and looking at the Van Gogh Sunflowers, if any of these artists would be considered great if they were painting now, if they didn't already have a name that attracted millions for each painting? If Van Gogh's Sunflowers and other paintings, completed while he was in St. Remy (sp?) under psychiatric care, wouldn't have been considered the work of a quack. We loved the atmosphere of the galleries, the majesty of the rooms, the familiar artists, and the many people enjoying the museum. There was an art class, with instructor, copying a Renoir. This is a very lived in museum.

Trafalgar Square continues to enchant us. There's always hundreds of people about. Thursday afternoon an orator was speaking for hours (he was there when we entered the museum, and still talking when we left) about the Bible and its preachings. No one appeared to be listening, but it didn't matter. On another day I saw a falconer with two falcons, the humane way London keeps the pigeon population at bay. This morning it was a man walking his pet ferret, the ferret was on leash. The street entertainment is unending, and ever changing, and undisturbed by the police. While there is security, and a police presence, even a uniformed military presence in a few spots, Britain has been on high alert since 9/11 and more so now since Bin Laden's death, they are always approachable.

Thursday night we saw the new London production of War Horse. It is sold out, every seat was occupied, and we were delighted to be able to find two tickets--last row balcony. It was an amazing production which we are still discussing. The main characters are a horse, Joey, and its young owner, Andrew. The horses in the show are controlled by puppet masters who are always on stage. At first, you notice them, 3 puppeteers per horse, but after a while the horses come to life. We were glad to have seen the show, and were surprisingly touched by the performance, but would not likely see it again. If you have the chance, it just began in New York, do see it. War Horse is worth the price of the tickets.

Stu and Adrienne

Tubes, Buses, Bicycles, Taxis, and Foot Power

Transporting one's self about London is as easy as flipping the Oxi pass, getting on a rental bicycle, or grabbing a taxi. We have been using the bus system to get everywhere and are finding it increasingly easy to find our way, thanks to our handy bus map. Everyone here seems to use either the bus or the metro. There are 500 bus routes within London alone and you never have to wait more than a few minutes for a bus, although Stu and I seem to have a knack for missing the bus by "just that much" and having to wait. Not a problem, more time for people watching.

The double decker buses serve a distinct purpose, holding more passengers. The buses are crowded even when they come by every few minutes. Londoners and tourists alike use them continually. Without even planning it, we are located between two major bus stops--Piccadilly Circus (Circus means Circle) and Trafalgar Square--so there's plenty of choices depending upon the route we're taking.

The metro is much faster, but not as much fun for us as we can't see where we are going as we do when we're sitting on the top deck on one of the famous London double deckers. Besides, the metro is several stories deep and has multiple stairs between platforms. It's common to walk 1/4 mile or more between platforms, changing levels, and traversing rail lines. The stairs are a bit challenging for Stu (he's getting a knee replacement in June) so we stay out of the trains most of the time.

In preparation for the 2012 summer Olympics London is redoing its metro system and there's construction everywhere. The metro is 150 years old and carries 10 million passengers weekly (we may be off on the numbers, but swear they were all in the train with us the day we arrived and had our luggage with us). They are adding more access through escalators, elevators, and ramps. It's quite an undertaking and causing massive "diversions" (British for detours) throughout the city. It's not a wonderful time to be a bus driver, although beginning drivers can earn 13 pounds sterling an hour, about $21.00.

London has a similar bicycle rental system as we found in Paris (but didn't use there and won't use here). You can register and pick up a bike on many streets, then drop it off when you're done with it. We are amazed by the ease with which the bicycle riders maneuver about the roads. There are no bicycle paths, helmets are used but not required. We haven't seen a single accident, although we expect to because the bicycles are maneuvering about through the traffic and they're all on the wrong side of the road!

We love the London taxis, although we haven't used one yet. They are everywhere in the city and easily match the number of cars and buses. We can understand why. Beneath our apartment building parking for 24 hours is 3o pounds, or nearly $50. Besides, why drive when you can leave the driving and parking to the city. London taxis look like our PT cruisers, which were actually copied from the London cabs. Many of them rent their exteriors for billboards and we've seen everything advertised from London theater shows to vodaphones, to travel in Asia and elsewhere. Unlike Paris, you can hail a cab from anywhere as there are few official taxi stands. And, the drivers stop for you.

Of course, it goes without saying that the major means of local transportation is foot power. There's people on the street, moving quickly in every direction, from early morning until late night. We just returned from the show and at 10:45 PM the streets around Piccadilly Circus, near our apartment, are alive and well. We're loving the spectacle and feel perfectly safe. We did have a brief look at the local evening news paper, the Standard, available free every day. There was an article about a Romanian (code for Gypsy) band of 8 that's been picking pockets on the metro, but nothing much in the way of violent crime. The streets are safe. We've read that London has the most surveillance cameras of any major city, and there are cops all about, especially near the attractions and government offices. The cops don't carry guns. In 2010 the police used weapons on only 8 occasions, total. We've passed Whitehall and 10 Downing Street on numerous trips this week and there's always police about and barricades. Still, the city seems very opened and doesn't feel like an armed camp at all. We've felt very comfortable and secure.

Our travels today took us to the Albert and Victoria Museum where we finally got to see a large selection of Rodin statuary (we missed the Rodin museum in Paris), and other fabulous museum finds. No trip would be complete without a stop at Harrods, where we had lunch and did some shopping. We stopped to buy a gift for new granddaughter Ella and selected a lovely Burberry dress. But the price tag was 1869 pounds! That's about $2500 for a size 2 dress. We settled for a Harrod's stuffed animal, the dress will have to wait.

Theater for the evening was a wonderful production of Wicked, followed by a bus ride back to the apartment and a short walk though the neighborhood. Another great day in London.

Adrienne and Stu

PS. Sorry about not adding photos, but the internet is slow and photos are difficult to add. We'll post when we're home in an album everyone can view, if you choose to do so.

London Theater and Pubs

Another glorious day in london. Even the locals are surprised, and not all pleased, with the warm weather.

We've seen our third London musical, Billy Elliott, and thought it was time to make some observations about London theater. Of course, we know that we may see something completely different tomorrow when we see Wicked and then War Horse, but for now.

London theater is different from theater we see at home. The theaters we've been to so far have all seated fewer than 1500, with two at about 1000. There are some very large theaters that hold 2500, but they are not the norm. Tonights theater, the Victoria Palace, will be 100 years old in November and is beautiful with its 3 tears of seats.

London Theater during the week at least, is more casual. No one appears to have changed from whatever they were wearing during the day. Even the live orchestra is dressed in black golf shirts. There's much less pretension about everything. Not every actor is gorgeous or thin. This evening's production actually had dancers who were plus sizes and who moved with the rest of them. It's a refreshing change and takes the pressure off of trying to be perfect.

The theatres have multiple bars and encourage beer drinking. You may bring your beers and champagne or wine glasses into the auditorium but not your coffee cups. During intermission, in addition to having 6 or more open bars spread throughout the various lobbies, there's refreshments sold within the theater. Ice cream cups are a favorite. One night Hagen Das gave away free samples prior to the performance.

You have to earn the standing ovation, it's not automatic. Something we Americans should rethink.

The pubs, which are everywhere, share customs. It is the norm to go to the bar for your drinks, even if you happen to be lucky enough to have a table. Many, perhaps most, of the patrons drink standing up. There's no smoking inside the pubs any longer, but you may bring your beer or wine outside with you. Walk down any street in the evening and there will be crowds outside the pubs standing around, drinking, talking, socializing. It may be that apartments are so small it is not so easy to have friends inside, so you meet at the pub. This was certainly the case when I lived in Belgium and the local cafe/bars were where people hung out (families including dogs were invited). It is actually quite pleasant to see all the people milling about, not drunk and disorderly, just socializing. What amazes me is that there is such a lack of toilets and with all that beer drinking one has to wonder. Most of the pubs are housed in buildings that are 200 plus years old so toilet facilities have been added, generally very small one seaters downstairs somewhere. Today we passed the King George (pub) which was established in 1609 and probably was frequented by Shakespeare, as it is in his old neighborhood by the Thames.

Today we did some more exploring searching for the London Bridge market. We arrived, alas, a bit late but enjoyed the site and had another lovely outdoor market lunch. Stu's paella was cooked in a pan that was at least 3 feet across. We wandered from the market to the Globe theater where Stu had the chance to be a peasant and stand in the open space before the stage for the opening of Hamlet.

We are loving the bus system and are happy to hop on and off the buses using our Oxi pass and its unlimited travel for the week. We've fallen into a routine, touring about in the morning and early afternoon, then home for a power nap before dinner in the apartment and a show in the evening. We are feeling more like Londoners daily as some of the accents no longer sound strange.

Until tomorrow dear friends, Adrienne and Stu

London Sunshine Reigns supreme

We are truly blessed by this wonderful spring weather. Even the Londoners are surprised that the sun is shining. At last, we're doing something right.

We end our days with plans to get up and get out early, but we don't seem to make it out the door before 10 AM. Nevertheless, the days are filled with activity.

Today we began with a trip north to visit the Jewish Museum near Regent's Park. It is situated on a street of genteel attached row houses and blends well into the surroundings. The museum, small, is surprisingly well set up complete with a cafe and gift shop on the ground floor, two security guards at the front door, and lovely ladies at the ticket counter. They were welcoming and friendly, even the security folks.

The museum focuses on the presence of Jews in Great Britain, mostly in London. There have been Jews here since the 11th century, at least. The remains of a mikvah (ritual bath) were found during an excavation for a new building in 2001. These remains date to approximately 1047 CE. There are accounts and artifacts, some quite personal and touching, of Jews who have been dispersed from their native lands and who came to Britain from Morocco, Europe, Israel, etc. Always there are stories of the diaspora, the Jews who created wealth and commerce, were involved in politics and contributed to their countries only to be persecuted and tossed out. But we rise again. There's been a Jewish Prime Minister of Britain in the 19th century.

The second section of the museum addresses the holidays with a focus on Jewish family life. It was a most pleasant part of the museum. I left feeling despondent over the many times the Jews have been persecuted, and proud of the many times that the Jews have risen and been contributors to making society better. We are a good people.

Just north of the Jewish museum we traveled to Camden Lock and Camden Lock Market. That is a happening place. It is the equivalent to Haight Asbury in San Francisco, only larger and more compact. Situated along the lock of the canal, Camden Locks were massive stables in their day and are now home to a hundred or so small shops and boutiques selling food, clothing, offering tattoo services, jewelry, shoes, and many t-shirts and alternative gothic wearables. We were a bit out of our element but loved the atmosphere and the vibrancy. We saw more tattoos than we've seen all together since we left Arizona. We had a taste of Indian food from a stall shop, not bad and we didn't get sick.

We took a long bus ride back to Trafalgar square where Stu headed for ice cream and a rest, and I wandered about for an hour. I discovered China Town, all 2 blocks of it, and we returned there for dinner a few hours later. I also stopped in at the National Gallery, I'd visited before but forgot what a wonderful display of art works including Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, and many of the Italian masters. I recognized a Sargeant immediately. I'll return with Stu on another occasion. The National museum is free for everyone, it is quite a treasure.

On the Square (Trafalgar) there's a constant street fair in play. Jugglers, mimes, break dancers, roller blade tricksters. It's friendly and vibrant, filled with tourists and locals. We've loved being so close and passing through it several times each day as we go about our business.

The evening was special, we saw the London production of Les Miserables which has been running for 25 years. It received the standing ovation it deserved. Even on a Monday night, the place was filled, we were fortunate to get good tickets. The difference from our American productions we've seen was marked. The stage, indeed the entire theater, is quite small. There's a revolving platform center stage and the action moves with this platform which brings performers to center stage and back again seamlessly. The lighting is darker than we are used to and you have to go out and meet the story, it doesn't shout at you. Everything is underplayed until the final scene where the Inn Keeper and his wife dance in outlandish costumes and make up. The performance received the standing ovation it deserved.

Tomorrow we're off to Harrod's, we think, and the Albert Victoria museum. We are finding getting around on the bus and metro lines to be quite easy and efficient and cheap. For the price of an oxy card we can travel wherever all day any day, no restrictions within London. We did score for theater tickets again, we managed to get two tickets (a bit scalped, we'll see if they are worth it) for War Horse on Thursday night. We're loving the theater and the city in general. Definitely our kind of town.

Until tomorrow, Adrienne and Stu

Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath

Today we left the city center and headed out to the country. First stop those amazing stones at Stonehenge. None of the current theories, an astronomical site, a witchcraft scene, a cemetery, seem to hold up for very long. Nevertheless, the stones are amazing to behold set as they are at an apex in the fields surrounded by burial mounds some dating to Roman times and before. We picked an amazing day for this trip as it was raining in London and sunny with moving clouds when we arrived in Stonehenge. We have seen the copy above the Columbia river in Washington state, but they didn't compare to the real thing, although I thought they would. The setting is grandiose and to imagine 1500 years in the making speaks volumes for the persistence and relevance to the makers. There is much in our world that remains a mystery, and Stonehenge is but one.

Then it was back aboard the bus and off to Salisbury and the Abbey for a very brief stop. The Magna Carta began here and there is one of the 9 original manuscripts housed in the Abbey. It was also the site of the first King Edward's coronation and is considered one of the finest midevil churches remaining having been completed in the 13th century in only 55 years--a record considering Westminster Abbey took 800 years to complete to its current state.

Our final stop was Bath and its Roman ruins and picturesque town. We viewed the baths quickly, as we had seen Roman baths in Israel, and so spent our brief time walking about town. The town is alive as a vacation destination sporting over 800 shops, street fairs, musicians, singers, performance artists. The town and its church, every town of any size has a church, were worth viewing, but it was the street performers who caught our attention. There's a playfulness in the air in Bath, a sense of having fun, stopping for tea, but not in a very serious way, that was enchanting. We purchased pastis to take home for dinner. These are the eating kind, not the wearing kind.

Thus far, we are finding London and its environs much more friendly, more casual, a lot more accepting of odd people and types. Paris, we thought, was a bit more about presentation, and London is certainly not--at least not in the Soho areas where we have been spending our time. We will hit the Kensington Area soon, with the museums and Harrods and upscale shops. For now, we're enjoying the "low" life. It fits.

Love to you all, Adrienne and Stu

London is now home

Hello all,

We had a safe and efficient exit from Paris via the Chunnel, a two plus hours train ride to London and then an adventurous trip on the underground tube to Piccadilly Circus, which is a bit of a circus but is only 3 short blocks from our London apartment.

We are very well situated. Pubs on every street, tourists and every language spoken here, and theaters within walking distance in every direction. We are between Mama Mia, Phanton of the Opera, and several other less known productions. Our first night we saw Andrew Lloyd Weber's newest, a continuation of Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies. It is a spectacle, interesting play on two very distinct sets. The Phantom, who escaped from the fire that destroyed the Paris Opera House 10 years earlier, now resides in Coney Island where he operates, from a private spot, the magical, mystical, fantastical show, Phantasma. When Christine comes to New York to perform on opening night at the Metropolitan Opera House, invited by Hammerstein, the Phantom meets up with her. What follows is an haunting opera, not really a musical, where the theme of Love Never Dies plays out in multiple sequences.

Saturday we spent the day sightseeing. First Westminister Abbey, truly magical, but the trees from the wedding are gone. Then off to the Tower of London following the trials of 16th century beautiful Anne Boelyn, wife of Henry until she couldn't produce an heir and was executed (cheap divorce of the time). Then for a spin on the famous London Eye with its overview of Buckingham Palace before we headed home through Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

The area is teeming with people out and about enjoying this beautiful spring London weather. We're pooped. Tomorrow we're taking it easy with a day in the country, Bath, Stonehenge, and Salisbury by bus--we're leaving the driving and thinking to them.

We close the day with wonderful thoughts for each of you and a self-reminder that this trip is a gift.

Love and best, Adrienne and Stu

touring Paris

Finally, it is two days before we leave and Stu and I made it to the Hip-Hop bus. We strongly recommend this as a first day adventure for anyone on their maiden voyage to Paris. We rode the tour bus all day getting on and off to see the venues we wished to see in more depth. Our first stop was Ile de la Cite, the site of Notre Dame Cathedral. We arrived before the crowds and were able to enter, view the magnificent stained glass windows.

Then it was off to Place de la Concord where the beheadings were held with great ceremony during the French revolution. When one sees the lavish palatial homes and the statuary and bridges of the period, one can almost feel the anger the peasants must have felt over the contrast of their near starvation lives and the wealthy government and royalty. It's somewhat akin to how we feel when the bank executives, responsible for so much of the economic downturn, are getting millions of dollars in bonuses while the workers are having salaries cut and taxes raised. The difference is that we take it, we complain and do nothing. Ah, but enough politics.

Our favorite stop today was the Champs Elysees near the Arc du Triompe. Stu and I stopped for lunch on this most famous of streets and sat for nearly 1 1/2 hours enjoying our small meal topped off by a fabulous dish, 3 boules de glace (3 balls of ice cream). This was perhaps the best chocolate ice cream either of us had ever eaten. You wanted to eat it slowly and savor the flavors and texture. Even the strawberry, which Stu normally doesn't eat, was amazing and flavorful. We are finding all of the food to be more flavorful and satisfying, even in small quantities.

We're all getting more comfortable with our area of the city, recognize the streets and the shops---much too expensive for us to buy anything, but we do window shop. Across diagonally is one of the premier boulangeries where the bread and pastries are fresh daily. Directly across is a church whose bells ring every 15 minutes until 9 PM. We've grown so accustomed that we don't pay attention any more. To the left of our apartment is the American University in Paris and the dorms. Young people abound in this neighborhood, but their fees must be paid by their parents because it is a very expensive district.

This is a neighborhood. We begin to recognize the shops, the brasseries where Shirley had her first crepe with nutella. We've eaten at the Cafe Rue Cler. And tonight it was Thai food, very delicious. The waitress of this tiny restaurant helped us with our choices, inquired after our lodgings including what we were spending, etc. She told us about the proprietor who is Thai and retired in Bangkok while she serves at the restaurant and her husband cooks. At 55 he looked 35! The food must have secret ingredients because he looked very young. She, on the other hand, was funny. She rolled our sticky rice into balls and dipped them into curry then put them on our plates. She scrapped the last of the food onto my plate and admonished us to go for a walk after dinner. She was so odd, not offensive, and we just smiled as she touched all of our food. She then regaled us with stories of the young child pickpocket who was working the cafe next door yesterday. We've been warned about pickpockets on multiple occasions. It seems that there are many Romanian Gypsies around and they ply their trade in this neighborhood. We've been very careful and never felt in any danger at all. The streets are safe, everyone walks. Pickpockets just want your money, not your life.

Another wonderful day in Paris.

Adrienne and Stu

Adventures in Paris

Monday was overcast and rainy with bouts of sunshine. We met up with Danielle who is here for 3 months visiting with her mother and brother. We toured the Marais, the Jewish quarter, visiting the Chagall visit at the Jewish Museum. I did not know how religiously dedicated Chagall was and how well he illustrated the bible. We know Chagall from the Hadassah windows and the windows we saw at the Rockefeller church in upstate New York. During the years he worked on the Old Testament, he took commissions from churches and personal commissions but never betrayed his dedicated to Judaism and the Old Testament.

From the museum we visited the area a bit and stopped for a Kosher lunch of falafel, lamb gyros, and Israeli salads. It was wonderful, we all cleaned our plates.

We had a short day because Bob, Shirley, Stu and I had plans for the Paradis Latin show in the evening. We had a meal of left overs, fresh salmon, rillette, salads, wine, cheese, and then took a taxi to the Paradis Latin where we planned to see the follies. The opening numbers were as expected. Lots of bare bosoms, male dancers in tights, everything we wanted. Shirley left for the restroom and never returned. Sadly, she fell and hurt her arm, felt quite dizzy. She gallantly returned to watch the show but it was evident after a few minutes that she needed to leave. That's when our great adventure began.

Shirley and I went to the back of the theatre where the maitre d' said we would have a doctor come to check her out. No doctor arrived, but an ambulance with three non-English speaking young Frenchmen arrived. And off we went. Shirley on the gurney in the ambulance and me sitting on a chair beside her. This was way more attention than we needed. This was not an American ambulance. Shirley wasn't strapped into the gurney and I feared that going over all the cobblestones she might bounce off of the gurney. We laughed more than anything else, although her arm hurt very much where she had twisted it.

Our husbands didn't know where we had gone. We had told the maitre d' to let our husbands know after the show was over and then to give them directions to the hospital and hail them a taxi; which he did. Stu and Bob enjoyed the two hour spectacle. Stu claimed that the best part was the juggler, I know otherwise. He has had visions of young perky boobs ever since, although he swears he only thinks of me!

Two exrays and 4 hours later, the men joined us at the hospital and we all went home. Shirley is fine, a bit sore, but otherwise okay. Home at 2:30 AM was way past our bed time. The next day we were all pretty wasted.

Tuesday was our day for the Eiffel Tower visit. We arrived there early for our 12:30 reservation. Never go to the Eiffel Tower without prior reservations. If you do, you might wait 4-5 hours to enter the Tower by elevator. Stu and I had a lovely visit to the top. The day was clear, the view magnificent. You can see the old and new parts of the city, the plan of the boulevards, the Seine. Well worth the trip.

I did have a funny event. I went to the restroom at the top of the tower, very clean, very tiny. In fact so tiny, that I wasn't able to completely dress afterward. A very nice lady stopped me a few minutes later to tell me that one side of my skirt was pushed up. I laughed along with her and thought, I'm definitely getting older. I didn't even care, I'll never see these people again. And, it could have been worse, at least I didn't have any toilet paper trailing from my shoes!

Dinner was Indian food at a lovely restaurant. We've had some lovely times. We are so fortunate.

Adrienne and Stu

Montmartre -that's the plan

Today, Sunday, is a national holiday, May 1. Museums and most other venues are closed so we all decided to head for Montmartre to see the Sacre D'Coeur and the seedier side of Paris' artistic bohemians. Six of us headed out and were fortunate to find a bus to take us to a second bus. The first ride was great. We had correct change, my minimal French was good enough to get directions from our very nice bus driver, and we enjoyed the passage from our home area to the Louvre where we would catch the next bus. Only, the next bus, number 95, had been detoured due to the holiday closing of the Louvre and the parade that was happening somewhere in the city. And we couldn't find where the detour was. Second choice, a taxi. But no taxi would take the six of us so Shirley, Carol, Stu, and I leapt into the first cab heading to Port Montmartre with instructions to Steve and Bob to follow in the second cab when they got one.

That was the last time we saw them until 5 at night.

Our driver left us at Port Montmarte, which is what I said but not what I wanted. Here's where just a little bit of French gets one in trouble. We were deep in the Arab quarter, facing an open air market very different from the one we went to on Saturday, and completely out of our element. And we were waiting for Steve and Bob thinking that they would go the same place. So we waited. But Steve and Bob were smarter than we were, which I hate to admit, and they headed for the Sacre Coeur (the big church at the top of the hill). We waited where we were, they waited where they were. We finally got to Montmarte and the Sacre d'coeur but by then the guys were gone and Stu had to escort the three ladies. We wandered through the area, which was very crowded. Shirley bought some paintings, Stu and I had our portraits done but we don't recognize the folks in the picture, and Carol window shopped. We had a lovely lunch, plat du jour (chicken or bifsteak, fries, salad, and dessert), and then wandered some more.

Stu walked all 275 steps from the top of Montmarte to the bottom--which may not have been the best idea.

Our second effort was to meet at the Bateaux Moche on the River Seine where we agreed to meet with Linda and Bill (they picnicked at the Eiffel Tour). By our meeting time Stu was wiped, some were cranky because we had never met up with Bob and Steve, and the crowds were everywhere. The group decided to turn around and I went onto the boat down the Seine. My first French words when I was in high school began "Ella roule, roule, roule. . ." referring to the Seine. The ride was beautiful, the buildings amazing. The number of statues on building facades and roof tops is staggering. The French built magnificent buildings in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The stone facades are magnificent, the gilt on statues remains bright and impressive. The few 20th century buildings that are mixed in, and fortunately there are very few, are among the worst architecture that I've ever seen. The contrast is mind-blowing.

After the boat ride I met the magnificent 7 back at our apartment. They were happily playing Mexican Train when I arrived. They'd already eaten the appetizers Shirley prepared the day before. Some had been drinking as well as eating so the game was rowdy, filled with laughter and good fellowship. We shared a wonderful dinner Shirley prepared, I was only the sous-chef, played Mexican train once more and called it a night.

So here is beautiful, warm Paris beckoning us, but we're ready for bed by 10 PM. Yes, we're all old geezers.

There's always tomorrow.

Adrienne and Stu

Paris Open Air Market

Our first day in Paris

What a wonderful day. We began our morning with breakfast in the apartment; fresh bread, local olives, cheese, strong coffee-all things Parisian. Then it was off to the local market about 10 blocks from the apartment. The four of us trudged off with Stu keeping pace most of the time. Poor guy, his knee is giving him lots of problems, but he trudges along anyway. The outdoor market was lively, smelled marvelous with its fresh flowers, fish and shell fish, hundreds of cheeses, straw berries that were red and sweet throughout. We bought bread and quiche, tarte d’apricot, croissants au chocolate, cheese, fresh rillette (duck pate from the country), fresh vegetables and fruits.

Prices here are very high. We wondered how the average Parisian can manage. An American ex-pat couple we met (there are many of them here) said that the young people live with their parents, share very small apartments (less than 100 square meters or 300 square feet), or live in the suburbs. They all seem to be very thin and it’s no wonder. They walk everywhere as the cars are expensive, many Parisians do not own a car, gasoline is costly, parking is worse than in Jerusalem, and food is very pricey.

We brought our goods, including a roasted chicken, home from the market and prepared our lunch. We are eating very well and haven’t yet missed having a waiter and menu with room service, like on the cruise ship.

After lunch the boys napped and Shirley and I went window shopping. French sizes are small so we didn’t buy anything since our sizes have gone up over the last two weeks. Then it was off to les Invalides to see Napolean’s tomb, the beautiful park, and the Army museum. We are walking everywhere on the narrow streets and the wide boulevards. The weather has been lovely so the sidewalk cafes are full. Parisians eat dinner late, about 9 or 9:30, and spend a two hour lunch in casual conversation. It’s lovely to watch the locals and the tourists, hear the languages from around the world.

We are very privileged to be here and have this opportunity to visit France. Wishing you could all join us. With much love and best wishes to you all.

Stu and Adrienne

Cherbourg and the Beaches of Normandie

Cherbourg, and the sky is overcast and cold. We think of the Umbrellas of Cherbourg, but I regress.

Cherbourg is our final travel stop on this cruise. We will spend half the day visiting the American cemetery and Omaha Beach. We drive through the country side for 90 minutes until we reach the American Cemetery. Along the way we pass 16th century stone farm houses and out buildings still in use. Healthy looking cows fill the pastures, small herds, many of them white. The area is knows for a variety of cheeses including Camembert which comes from a town nearby of the same name. There will be very little time for visiting on this short tour, but we are determined to enjoy it the best we can.

We arrive at the beautifully well-kept cemetery overlooking the beach where our brave young men and women fought to liberate France and end the war with Germany. Nearly 10,000 Americans are buried here, their grave sites marked by small marble crosses and Jewish stars. We are surprised by how many Stars we see bearing names like Roth, Kawalsky, and Stern. We are reminded that there are few veterans of this war still alive and wonder if we will erect similar memorial cemeteries to our fallen young men and women in Kabul or Iraq. And if we have cemeteries there, will they be respected and will Americans visit? I think not.

From the cemetery and memorial, which this abbreviated tour doesn’t allow time for visiting, we drive a short distance to Omaha beach. It is difficult not to consider the film footage we have seen in The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan. How odd that we remember those films clearly, but not the history lessons from our high school days when we studied this war. I walked on Omaha beach, imagining how I might feel dropped in the ocean, slogging my way through the surf, only to face machine gun fire from the well-entrenched Germans in the concrete bunkers. One sergeant wrote, “You can manufacture guns, you can purchase ammunition, but you can’t buy the valor that men possess.” (I’m paraphrasing because I don’t recall the exact quote.) This was a war with a purpose, a goal, an end plan. I wish we could say the same of the current wars.

From the American cemetery and Omaha Beach we followed the trail of liberation to the first French town liberated by the Allies in June 1944, St. Mere l’Eglise. It is also the site of the movie The Longest Day. During the invasion one American parachuter caught his shoot in the church steeple. He was clearly visible hanging from the church and a ripe target for the Germans who were occupying the town. HIs only hope was to pretend he was already dead, and so he did, hanging in plain view for several hours, listening to the church bells ringing only feet from his ears. When the Allies arrived en masse and took over the town, he was saved. The town has not forgotten. There are plaques remembering the liberation and thanking the Allied forces.

In addition to the church, we had another treat, the weekly outdoor market. There were fresh vegetables, including organic choices, but also trailers with fresh breaks, caravan pulled grills featuring a variety of grilled to your specifications sausages, several fresh fish vendors, a charcuterie, the typical clothes and what not for sale, local cheeses (we bought some stinky cheese to take back to the ship), and an aromatic creperie on wheels. There were long lines at the grills but Stu and I headed for the creperie. His choice, fresh paper thin crepe with jambon (ham) and fromage (cheese). I went for dessert, nutella and banana on a fresh crepe. We enjoyed the lunch we ate seated on a park bench in front of the old church. This was our kind of travel and we loved it.

Last day at sea

Thursday, April 28

We spent our last day at sea yesterday, and again, it seemed to fly by. We did manage to play Mexican Train for a couple of hours in the morning. I have carried this set, weighs at least 8 pounds, since Arizona and I was determined that we would play it at least once. Amazing to us how little time, other than dinners, we spent together with our lovely group of eight. We each had different priorities, relaxed and roamed in different areas of the ship or in our cabins. The ship is so large (2500 persons) that it was easy not to run into one another.

For our penultimate dinner onboard we went to the speciality restaurant, Tuscan Grille. The trend in the newer cruise ships is to have dining rooms with speciality menus for which you pay extra. Since there is so much food already on the ship, Stu and I didn’t indulge much until this last evening. The dining room food has been mediocre, still good and well served and presented, but mediocre. We have gotten so spoiled. We heard that the best dining on board was at the Tuscan Grille, so off we went on the final formal night on board.

Dinner was wonderful, a bit over the top in the assortment, presentation, number of staff serving us (1 waiter, an assistant waiter, a manager, a wine steward, and another manager who kept checking in). We each ordered filet mignon for our main entree and no one was disappointed. This was unlike two nights before when Linda and Bob returned their steaks to the kitchen three times and finally ate salad for dinner. To top off the dinner Stu arranged for a honeymoon cake for our honey moon couple, Steve and Carol. Our joke since we’ve been on board is that this honeymoon couple has had 6 chaperones. With the singing of Happy Honeymoon to You by the entire wait staff, Steve declared the need for chaperones has come to an end--so we are now officially off the hook and not responsible for Steve and Carol’s behavior any longer.

Another lovely day at sea comes to an end.

Adrienne and Stu

Vigo, Spain

Vigo, Spain Tuesday, April 26th (I think)

We’ve enjoyed beautiful weather on our trip. No need for jackets or scarves, although that will probably happen.

Our ship docked at Vigo, the third largest city in the Spanish province of Gallicia. Well known for its dairy, cheeses, wines, calvados, vegetables and maritime trade. With a population of 300,000 it looks much like any other european port city growing towards modern high rise buildings, but not yet there. The country side is lovely, lush green rolling hills whose hill tops are dotted with windmills as the country moves toward more and more renewable energy, one windmill at a time.

We are on our way to Santiago de Compostela with a guide, unfortunately, who is a devout Catholic and who chooses to spend the 90 minute drive with stories about Saint James, the patron saint of Sanitago whose remains, according to legend and the church, were found 900 years after his death and carried to Compostela where there is a large church, our destination, that bears his name. It is expected that once in one’s Catholic lifetime, you will do a pilgrimage to one of the great Catholic sites, this is the third most visited. Pilgrims are to walk 100 kilometers to the Church, or drive 200 kilometers to receive their certificate of having coming to Saint James Church. The sign of the pilgrim is the backpack and the walking stick with a scallop shell afixed to the top of the staff. We saw plenty of backpackers throughout the city.

Santiago de Compostela is known for the university, (35,000 students at USC) and the church and related shrines. Within the church itself, there are alcoves that have alcoves, seemingly going on forever. Confessional boxes line one wall. The altar, and its very large, ornate angels, are all gilted in gold. The oppulance of the church is splendid, and tragic. There is little of charm for Stu and I and we leave the tour 15 minutes after the guide enters the church.

Once on our own, Stu and I did what we prefer to do when we travel, explore on our own and get surprised. And we did. There were narrow winding streets, cobblestone walkways, tiny shops with quiet shop keepers. It is not the way here to shout about your wares nor to push you to buy. We were free to wander this small city. And what do we find in abundance? Besides the religious souvenirs, the city has multiple small cafes featuring fruits de mer. Large lobsters show off their pincers in cafe aquariums. Nearly every cafe features an octopus ready to serve, mussels in abundance (20% of the world’s muscles come from Vigo area).

These cities last forever because they are built of stone, and more stone. Santiago de Compastelo doesn’t have the charm of Obidas, with its flowered pots and walkways, but it could. This city is split between the university and the historic church buildings and neither has taken over. The center square facing the church is unrelieved by any greenery and the stone is drab. But there is music in Santiago de Compestelo. Our guide hadn’t told us but we learned that the musical instrument of the area is the bagpipe. That explained why there were two bagpipers, young men, one in costume, one not, playing their Spanish bagpipes as an enticement to tourists to drop their change. Had we only known before we left Santiago we would have purchased some of their tunes.

Stu and Adrienne

dancing under the stars

Dancing Under the Stars

Saturday, the night we returned from the Azores adventure, was show time for me. A week’s rehearsals completed, the 18 guests who remained from our original 28 dancers, were ready for the show. We’d been rehearsing all week in an empty lounge to the music recorded on our choreographer’s (Matt) Apple computer. But at 10 PM when we assembled in the Sky Lounge for a final get together, 200 people were already there dancing to the live band. Trust me, there is a big difference between rehearsals in quiet private and a rocking, rolling dance floor with couples jumping and jiving to a live band. We were not quite ready, but at 10:30 the lights were on us and we tapped and shimmied and went Bananas (a featured song).

All my fears of not remembering the steps came true. I was going left when others were going right. I shimmied when they kicked. But, my faithful friends who had stayed awake late to cheer me on, assured me that they couldn’t tell I was out of step because the 18 dancers had about 18 different steps going simultaneously. Just goes to prove that learning to count to eight is not sufficient if you want to dance with the stars. I have new respect for all of those dancers we see on TV and in the movies, especially for Ginger Rogers who danced backwards in high heels.

Stu and Adrienne

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal and the Mid-evil town of Obidas

For this short stop in Lisbon, we took a ship’s tour to the mid-evil town of Obidas. Built by the Moors in the 14th & 15th Century, the town has been held by multiple groups including the Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Spanish, and even invaded by Napolean on three separate occasions.

Obidas is a lovely, preserved town with narrow cobble stone streets, tiny gardens in bloom, multiple churches, and red tiled roof tops. The featured products include a Portugese liqueur made from sour cherries served in chocolate cups. The national bird is the rooster and painted figurines abound. I was delighted with the cork products including purses, jewelry, card holders, pens, and more. Roxanne was in Portugal during her junior year in college (20 years ago!) and returned home with a small black rooster figurine. Those figurines are still featured in every shop, but since I still have mine there was no need to purchase another. Due to the new luggage restrictions, we refrain from buying anything larger than a postcard--which is both a shame and a blessing.

Stu and I finished up our time in Obidas enjoying the local beer and pastry (I had the beer, Stu had the pastry). Then it was back on the bus for the 90 minute drive to the ship.

Tomorrow we land in Vigo, Spain.

Good night, Stu and Adrienne

Ponto delgado, Azores

This was our first day off the ship. The weather cooperated, again. Linda and Bill arranged for a tour guide, Ricardo Amorim, to meet us at the ship. He was there on time and the 8 of us, plus Ricardo, were off for a tour of this island, the largest of 9 islands in the archipelago that belongs to Portugal. The island is small, not much bigger than Manhattan, with 150,000 residents. It is plush, green and tropical. The wildest animal is the rabbit. No snakes, no rats or mice, no spiders even. Fishing, agriculture, and tourism are the principle industries.

It is easy to believe that the US is at the forefront of the environmental wars, if you haven’t traveled elsewhere. Nearly half of the electricity on the island comes from geothermal sources. They expect to have 70% of their electricity from geothermal sources within the next few years. They also use water to generate electricity, drive small cars, have public transportation, and solar and wind energy under development.

The islands are volcanic and date to around 4700 BC, about the same time as the pyramids in Egypt. During our tour we saw crater lakes, nothing as blue as the one in Oregon, but all have fresh water and lush green surroundings.

Ricardo was rather a unique tour guide. Born on the island, and married without children, he’s quite the entrepreneur. His blue tooth was in use throughout the day as he arranged tours for his other drivers and himself. He has traveled away from the island, but this is home where his parents still live, his father operates a grocery store, and his nieces and nephews thrive. Ricardo is also a joke teller. His material comes from the many tourists he drives about the island. With his wonderful ability to mimic their actions and exchanges, he kept us in stitches for hours. I didn’t learn much about the island’s history, but I did learn about his Japanese tourists, the revenge of the tourist on the fly, (ask me about that one after I’ve had at least one drink), and many slightly off color stories. Carol, one of the group, was a fabulous audience. Her laughter filled the van and we couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

Back to the ship in time for a late lunch, another rehearsal for me before the night’s performance, and then rest time until dinner. What a life!

Adrienne and Stu

Ponto delgado, Azores

This was our first day off the ship. The weather cooperated, again. Linda and Bill arranged for a tour guide, Ricardo Amorim, to meet us at the ship. He was there on time and the 8 of us, plus Ricardo, were off for a tour of this island, the largest of 9 islands in the archipelago that belongs to Portugal. The island is small, not much bigger than Manhattan, with 150,000 residents. It is plush, green and tropical. The wildest animal is the rabbit. No snakes, no rats or mice, no spiders even. Fishing, agriculture, and tourism are the principle industries.

It is easy to believe that the US is at the forefront of the environmental wars, if you haven’t traveled elsewhere. Nearly half of the electricity on the island comes from geothermal sources. They expect to have 70% of their electricity from geothermal sources within the next few years. They also use water to generate electricity, drive small cars, have public transportation, and solar and wind energy under development.

The islands are volcanic and date to around 4700 BC, about the same time as the pyramids in Egypt. During our tour we saw crater lakes, nothing as blue as the one in Oregon, but all have fresh water and lush green surroundings.

Ricardo was rather a unique tour guide. Born on the island, and married without children, he’s quite the entrepreneur. His blue tooth was in use throughout the day as he arranged tours for his other drivers and himself. He has traveled away from the island, but this is home where his parents still live, his father operates a grocery store, and his nieces and nephews thrive. Ricardo is also a joke teller. His material comes from the many tourists he drives about the island. With his wonderful ability to mimic their actions and exchanges, he kept us in stitches for hours. I didn’t learn much about the island’s history, but I did learn about his Japanese tourists, the revenge of the tourist on the fly, (ask me about that one after I’ve had at least one drink), and many slightly off color stories. Carol, one of the group, was a fabulous audience. Her laughter filled the van and we couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

Back to the ship in time for a late lunch, another rehearsal for me before the night’s performance, and then rest time until dinner. What a life!

Adrienne and Stu

six days at sea

Six days at sea

Dear Friends and Family,

Although internet access is possible on the ship, it is very expensive ($.42 a minute) so I’ve only been doing my classes and skipping the blog. This is catch up time.

We’ve spent six days at sea, off in the Atlantic, enjoying beautiful weather and mild seas. We’ve been surprisingly busy. Our friends Shirley and Bob are rehearsing with the ship’s choir and have talked me into joining the dancers. Every day since we’ve been on the ship I’ve been trotting off to dance rehearsals. I have new respect for dancers and for their memories. Every rehearsal feels like we are learning a new dance because I can’t remember the steps from one day to another.

We’ve spent surprisingly little time with our friends during the day. Bob and Shirley are rehearsing their two songs, I’m at dance rehearsals or walking the track, Stu is in heaven in the spa enjoying the jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, and hot beds, others are off doing their own thing. And we meet for dinner each evening after enjoying a bottle of wine together in our staterooms. The ship’s entertainment has been enjoyable with an impersonator we enjoyed very much. He sang some old favorites and we actually could remember the words, so we sang along.

We celebrated Linda’s birthday on board ship on Sunday. We wanted to surprise her with flowers in her room, a lovely cake and champagne at dinner. Except for the flowers never arriving until dinner, we sang with the dining room crew and were only a little off-key for happy birthday. The champagne was flat but the chocolate cake was yummy.

And Monday night we celebrated a beautiful seder dinner, led by a retired cantor. Nearly one hundred of us enjoyed the Passover dinner, complete with bone shank, fresh horse radish, matzoh, and Manischewitz wine. I’ve been on a matzoh diet for the past week, no bread or pastry for me, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going without more than enough to eat!

The time has gone very quickly, much too quickly. We weren’t ready for the first day ashore in the Azores where we met Ricardo Amorim, our tour guide. But that’s for another blog.

We never forget how blessed we are to be able to take this journey. Wishing you could all be with us.

Adrienne and Stu

Dear Friends and Family,

Here we are in Miami, at the Hilton Hotel preparing for our short drive to the cruise terminal. We can see the cruise ship, Celebrity Eclipse, from our hotel room window. Miami is spectacular. Lots of high rise buildings overlooking the multiple waterscapes and the dynamic outlines of the performing arts center, opera and ballet concert hall, and museums which dot the downtown landscape.

Our journey here was relatively easy with a few mishaps along the way. We left our Phoenix home at 5 AM on Friday for a quick drive to the airport. Shirley and Bob Keaster squeezed into Lee Harris' SUV alongside us, our collective luggage, and lots of giggles. We were all in vacation mode. And being the Jewish mother I am, I packed freshly made egg salad, low-carb bread, grapefruit slices, and a lone red apple for our snacking pleasure en route. We all made it to the airport and through security and onto our Southwest flight headed for Denver (I know, not the most direct route to Fort Lauderdale airport, but that's the way it is). We planned for a brief layover in Denver before changing plans, but were delayed. Somewhere during the first flight the egg salad container opened and the contents spilled into the bag. We were able to salvage most of the salad but dumped the bag, plastic utensils, napkins and all.

The flight to Ft. Lauderdale was delayed 45 minutes but then took off and headed east, into a few thunderstorms, fasten seat belt signs blinking rapidly, and Shirley and Bob sleeping as soon as the wheels lifted off the ground. As soon as I've figured out how to download the photos, I'll send proof of their all-doze flight. We wondered if this was how our trip together would be--the Keasters sleeping, Stu reading from his newly acquired kindle, and me listening to my Ipod and knitting.

Ft. Lauderdale we rented a car for the 20 mile trip into Miami, checked into the hotel, and then we were off to Linda and Bill's for a much awaited dinner. The Werners rented an apartment on the 52nd floor in a luxury building. The entire apartment was done up in white, couches, furniture, walls, towels, bedspreads, everything. I felt like a spot of dirt walking through all of that cleanliness. The view from the patio was gorgeous--all of downtown Miami, Biscayne Bay, and the cruise ship port. The hum of the surrounding air conditioning units, which sit atop every nearby building was a bit deafening, but not so loud that the visual appeal was wiped out.

Linda and Bill, gracious hostesses that they are, prepared a fine repast, served on elegant matching white dishes, wine served from tumblers, and appetizers out of a plastic bowl and matching paper bag. Okay, the kitchen was not very well equipped, but the 8 of us, Steve and Carol included, had a fine repast, shared some stories, and toasted the trip.

And now it's off to the ship.

Adrienne and Stu

before the trip

It's Thursday noon and we haven't packed yet, but we will. Stu's ready with his eye meds, his new Kindle (which he loves), and a walking stick packed. He's determined to enjoy every bit of this great adventure. I'm packing my Ipod which I've recently learned how to load with audio books and music--that's already an accomplishment. Knitting is in the bag, directions for a complex sweater ready to twist my mind, and my Hebrew practice books on the table.

We consider ourselves so blessed to be able to take this wonderful trip that we've been planning for most of the year.

Friday we fly to Miami with dear friends Shirley and Bob Keaster. There we meet up with Linda and Bill Werner, and Steve and Carol (the newlyweds). We're scheduled for an organic pizza dinner with salad and wine.

Saturday it's down to the pier in Miami to board the Celebrity Eclipse which we take us across the Atlantic for 7 blissful days of nothing but ocean. I'm really looking forward to that. Then it's a one day stop in the Azures, Portugal, Spain, Normandy, France and landing in South Hampton on April 29--the same day as Prince William and Katie's wedding. Since we didn't get invites, we are flying directly to Orly airport in Paris to begin a one week stay.

From Paris we part company with the other 3 couples and Stu and I head, via the Chunnel, for London where we're rented a flat in the theatre district. We haven't made any specific plans, but we will be doing a lot of theater.

On May 16th we fly to Iceland for a three day stop over and some sightseeing before leaving Europe on May 19th for 6 wonderful days in New York with our beloved family. Home to Phoenix on May 24th.

I'll try to update the blog every couple of days, and insert some pictures if we figure out how to do that again--we haven't tried since our Israel trip two years ago.

Blogs are easy. If you want to follow, great, if not, at least you can.

While we are away we have made house sitting arrangements, set up the gardening so we don't come home to dead plants, emptied the refrigerator, taken the cars off the road, and put our phones on vacation mode. You can always reach us via e-mail which we'll be picking up on a regular basis.

Bon Voyage