WEEK 7

 

05/09/23 NEW YORK

BEGINNING OF OUR ITINERARY TO QUEBEC CITY CANADA

We were docked early this morning; never thought I would be so glad to see New York after our tropical storm encounter! Did not even cross my mind that we could get stuck in Bermuda, after all our visits, this was a first. Just as well hubby stayed behind to meet the boss for, he was called to go and meet him and accompany him aboard. They said it was 33 degrees today but did feel a lot warmer. When I got into the terminal building and saw that only one escalator was working that explained the long rows and slow pace of the disembarkation process today.

My first stop was at my favorite cookie shop Levains Bakery 30 min of brisk walking from the ship terminal, they are open from 8 to 8 and this morning I had the shop to myself and even got 1 cookie for free! Decided to try and go on my horse cart ride for the weather was good, the first guys wanted to charge me way too much and after deciding against it I tried the bikes with a 2 seater but they were even more so, just before giving up I tried once more and got a guy that took me for a 20 minute ride, was not very far but I enjoyed it and was just so good to sit back and enjoy the ride and views of Central Park from a horse-cart, always wanted to do it so, ticked off my bucket list.

The streets were not so busy so think our previous visits on a Sunday make a huge difference. Over weekends hundreds of people visit this busy city or as they say the city that never sleeps. We left on time and the sea looks nice and calm, hope we are in for some better weather this week. Our first stop is going to be Halifax Nova Scotia, then Sydney, Charlottetown, Corner Brook and Quebec City our turn around port. Want to try and go on a tour so we will see.

6/09/23 @SEA

Tried to get tickets for excursions but no luck this week, both tours I would like to go on are fully booked so put my name on the waiting list or will have to try again next cruise.

In Corner Brook (Newfoundland) I wanted to try People of the Sea a visit to Cox Cove a small country coastal community, while you have lunch that includes local food and seafood you listen to storytelling and music of the aboriginal people.

The other one was Beaupre Coast, Canyon & Winery where you experience the splendor of the French Canadas Beaupre Coast and visit the Montmorency Falls on the St Lawrence River visit a local vineyard to discover vandal-Cliché a typical Quebecois variety of grape adapted to the climate here. Learn about their cultivation and production methods and sample the wine.

We left with calm seas and good weather with the most beautiful sunset that we could enjoy from the back of the ship. You never get tired of these views, they are breathtaking. I like to sit on the open deck late afternoon while I listen to music, this week I am lucky for the passengers are older and we have fewer people so lots of space where there is peace and quiet, that I love. During the night I could feel the ship rolling again and was thinking please not again, but luckily it stopped after a while so must have been a bad patch we were sailing through.

7/09/23 HALIFAX CANADA.

I had to be on deck 6 just after 7 this morning to meet the immigration officers from Canada before we could disembark the ship. My goodness thankfully they had something to eat and drink for us while we were waiting for, we sat for 1hour 45 minutes before they arrived, and we could get going.

My Canada visa still has the line through it, a mistake made by an immigration officer on a previous visit but thankfully no problem, he just asked me out about my traveling and said you are a lucky lady to travel the world.

I waited for hubby and then we went to a little café along the waterfront to enjoy a lobster roll and lobster sushi, had the most delicious glass of Chardonay said to hubby how I appreciated each sip and finished with a double espresso.

On my way back I stopped for a few photos and ended up in a hammock for a short swing in the sun. Bought hubby little wooden letters that connect to each other with a magnet, his initials, and how I would have loved to send my dear dad a photo, he made the most beautiful wooden things, it has been 25 years since he left us and still miss him and how he would have loved our children and would have enjoyed playing golf with the men.

Had a good day today, the weather that was a lot cooler than New York so was great to walk around and just enjoy this city. Tomorrow, we go to Sydney.

 

8/09/23 SYDNEY CANADA

Hubby and his team went out for dinner with the big boss, so I went to supper on my own and then sat outside watching a movie Downtown Abby on the open deck under the stars that made me think back when we use to go to the drive inns watching movies in the car, enjoyed that for was a beautiful evening and then went to deck 8 and listened to some music.  I got hubby out of bed this morning and we made it to deck 17 for our walk and gym session. Our sail into Sydney was beautiful with the sea looking like a mirror and land on both sides of the ship with stunning green hills. Went for a walk late morning and can’t believe they are still working on the streets in town, so the place is a mess and upside down. Will be lovely once it is finished.

Popped in at my favorite secondhand book shop to get myself something to read and the one book I chose was Billy Graham’s life story, a big fat book so it will be staying behind and end up in the ship library, bought it for 3$. The shop owner started chatting to me and all he can recall of SA is Gary Player and his black clothing he wears, a nice old chap and not so young .The two big fat kitty cats were also still lying around, think in this part of the world things move slowly and heard them talking about being so glad to see the sun after a lot of fog and cloudy weather and not looking forward to the winter weather.

In Canada the folk seem to make a lot of handmade items, think it keeps them busy in the winter months so when the tourist arrive it is time to sell all your work made during the winter. On our last visit I liked a handmade cloth that you put your bowl into before you put it into the microwave so no burning of fingers when you remove it from the microwave. The people are so creative, and you see so many nice things.

We had a nice afternoon siesta and just after I got to my spot on the observation desk where I sit and type my blog in the afternoons another cold Alpha was announced over the PA system, hope nothing serious but we are in a port every day for the next 3 days so that does help in case it is something serious. Plan is to get us each a lobster roll in Charlottetown tomorrow where they have the best lobster rolls in Canada. Sal seker na die kontrak uitgeet wees aan lobster rolls, wil ook in New York die sjokelade winkel” Laderach chocolatier suise” gaan soek en nog van hulle produkte kry want dit was regtig iets besonders,sy kollega het vir ons gekoop en het nou begin met n ding!! Tot more.

 

09/09/23 CHARLOTTETOWN CANADA

Today has been overcast and 22 degrees outside so was pleasant to walk around but with the humidity it did feel warmer. We went to Dave’s Lobster to have our lobster roll and I wanted to try out some local beer, but beer can only be sold after 12 middays, so we only got stuck into our lobster rolls that were delicious as always, they were stuffed full of lobster, no skimping with that!! Next on the list was Cow’s on our last visit the place was closed due to the hurricane so got us some famous ice-cream but must admit I think Bermuda still takes the top spot with the ice creams.

On our way back strolled through the small-town mall and then it was time to get back to the ship. We had hardly left Charlottetown and it was time for another Code Alpha the pilot had not even left the ship so, we will see.

The pilot boat in this part of the world is a small blue boat and was amazing to see the whole family on the boat that came to pick up the pilot. Oupa, Ouma, Ma en 2 kinders in prams n regte familie affere, is Saterdag so dit is seker hoekom hulle ook saam gekom het en ons het 16h00 vertrek so Saterdag vermaak in so n klein dorpie.

Niks het oorgebly van ons vorige besoek se skade aan die dorp wat laas deur die vreeslike storm getref is nie,alles weer op sy plek asof niks gebeur het nie.Die perde kar wat toeriste deur die dorpie op toere vat word getrek deur 2 reusagtige swart perde nie besef party van hulle kan so groot raak nie. More is ons in Corner Brook dan n see dag voor ons Dinsdag in Quebec City dok. As die nood iets ernstig is wag daarso n onrustige nag vir ons voor.

10/09/23 CORNER BROOK NEWFOUNDLAND CANADA

Thank goodness last nights call out was not too serious and did not get to bed too late. During the sail in this morning the foghorn was going off every few minutes while we were on our morning walk and each time you get a fright with that very loud sound. The weather has changed dramatically and is chilly outside, so out come all the jackets and beanies that have been packed away for a while.

I left late morning and decided to walk into town is about a 15/20-minute walk into downtown. There is a huge papermill factory that was puffing away and sending lots of smoke into the sky. I stopped at the first local church and was great to just go in and have some quiet time for a while, was greeted warmly by the locals and told they have never met someone from SA.

We have been here before so decided to go towards the river and do a walk around the Corner Brook stream and walk in the forest with beautiful views, walkways and birds. Was great to just walk around on my own, enjoy nature and not feel unsafe or scared.

Went back to town for a coffee at a local coffeeshop, they had this written on their black board.

“WORDS CANNOT ESPRESSO HOW MUCH YOU BEAN TO ME

I’LL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT” though that was sweet. Another thing in town that warmed the heart was a big billboard saying:

“Your presence with us is a blessing. Please come again”.

 How nice is that and made you feel welcome. Don’t really understand why but here the ship time and the local time has a 30 min difference so we had to keep that in mind to be back in time. Was cold with the walk back to the ship and the wind came up, thank goodness I always pack in something warm.

Hubby has been busy and just got the news that I have been invited to join the boss and a few other big shots for lunch tomorrow, I was really hoping would miss this, but we are at sea so don’t have an excuse, so will just have to get dressed in my best clothes and go and be on my best behavior! Miskien is dit nie so erg nie en dalk geniet ek dit,sal maar moet sien.Tot more.

 

11/09/23 @SEA

Late yesterday just before we left another patient was disembarked with a possible stroke, she had to go for a MRI scan and just as well hubby sent her to the ER for she did have a stoke and was airlifted to a bigger hospital where there was a neuro surgeon[she did not have the typical signs of a stoke] He seems to have a six sense and with some patient he just gets a feeling something bigger is wrong and most of the times he is right. This also happened when he had women in labor that then ended up with a caesarian section. So, he does listen to that little voice!

 I was up early getting ready for my day and early breakfast after my gym session so that I could get dressed and be ready for our dinner date at 12. Well, was I glad when hubby came looking for me to inform me that the dinner date had been cancelled due to illness. The boss was not feeling well so the dinner date was off, must say I was very relieved, off the hook this time!

The temperature has dropped to 13 degrees, I made I quick turn around after my plan was to sit on the open deck until I felt the cold outside. Think the passengers are also going to start with flu /colds for have heard some coughing and there are some covid cases on board too.

Is weird getting on the ship in New York and 33 degrees then arriving in Quebec and think it is going to be under 10 degrees tomorrow morning! Saw some dolphins this morning swimming next to the ship if I think how many are in our waters, they will go crazy, here I have only seen a few and never a huge pod of them. We have heavy fog /mist outside and you can see nothing, the foghorn is on duty again! Will be sailing up the St Lawrence River to get to Quebec and sound like we will be docking in the area far from downtown, so am not happy about that but what can you do,net mooi niks so dis stap skoene aantrek en daar gaan jy!