2024 Transatlantic Adventure

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Wed, 22 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

A nice lie in on our last day yet still up early to catch breakfast in the hotel, we were then off in an uber to the University of Glasgow. This 500+ year old campus (established in 1451) is jaw-droppingly beautiful with its fabulous architecture. So, many things I could say about its grandeur. It does have a bit of modern history assigned to it as well given that parts of the Harry Potter series were filmed on campus. And, you can see why with its Gothic and ancient appearance. Honestly, as we strolled the campus I think we were both in awe of the history imagining if only walls could talk... seriously, I would listen for days to all they might say. On campus there is the Hunterian Museum which has a long history and is filled with amazing facets of history from an Egyptian mummy to Darwin's first beetle he collected to dinosaurs. I don't know how long we were there but we did have to sit and rest halfway through our exploration. We don't realize how things were acquired, traded, and sold to build collections and today none of this would be considered PC at all. Once upon a time it was a daring free for all for those entitled people whose wealth allowed them to take advantage of the history, culture, and circumstances of others. What drew my attention to this fact was the presentation at several of the exhibits where the museum itself asks the guest - what do you think? (Making the guest think about past behaviours and how this impacted culture.) For example, the marble statue of James Watt (who was employed by the university) at the entrance to the museum acknowledges his contribution to history but at the same time it identifies his participation in the slave trade of which there was nothing to be proud. After about 90 minutes of exploring history - and it was fascinating - we headed outdoors to stroll the campus and admire the architecture. We entered the Memorial Chapel which was beautiful and peaceful. We sat for a short period just to take in the history of the space and admire the beauty before us. Both the ancient stained glass and the modern were rich in details and beauty. On we went and had a coffee in the Ghilcrest Graduate Student Cafe to burn away a bit of time before we were scheduled to meet cousin Franca and husband Sam at the Counting House in downtown Glasgow. Once downtown, we were still nearly an hour early so we popped into the Citizen Bar and had a drink. The Citizen, once upon a time, had unknown initial origins but then became the Citizen newspaper offices followed by several turns as banks before becoming a restaurant and finally the Citizen Bar. I had a tasty gin cocktail (recipe in the pictures) called a Rosebud. M had a lager and black currant. We took in the grandeur of the pub (very pleasant service, I might add) and then put our feet back to work to get to our lunch date! We had a very nice lunch with Franca and Sam but the internet would not cooperate so that we could do some genealogy updates. So, when we were done we all agreed to taxi back to our hotel where we could spend some time updating our family tree. Sam and M had a great chat while Franca and I made some additions and corrections to the tree. So much work to do but she has put me on to the right cousins who likely will be able to help me further elaborate on the tree. This is an exciting possibility for all of us to be able see more clearly our relationships and connections! Soon Franca and Sam were on their way -- but not without having some pictures taken to remember our visit by! M and I went back to our room and played "what fits where" with our suitcases and then it was time for supper. So, on our cab driver's earlier recommendation we popped across the street in the rain to the Radisson Red and took the elevator up to the Red Sky Bar. What a view!! I'll bet on a clear day you can see Glasgow forever. Now, a most curious situation was playing out behind where Marilyn sat. I watched over her shoulder as a handsome young man with a beautiful smile (he reminded me of a young Eddie Redmayne) was being photographed and interviewed. And, for a brief few minutes he pulled out a guitar and sang a song -- what a beautiful voice he had. Marilyn and I had wrapped up our drinks and the curious group of three: the singer, photographer, and friend, started to get ready to leave. I thought, well we are done let's catch the elevator with them. Ever curious, I said to him in the elevator "are you launching a career?" To which he said yes and his friend turned to say, "do you know the Hydro building? He opened for 14,000 people the other night." I asked his name. "Daniel Rooney." The elevator landed and I wished him much success in his career. He thanked me and wished us a lovely time in Scotland. Once back in our hotel, we did a google search. Turns out this bright young man was playing at the Red Sky Bar one night recently when the opening act for a show at the Hydro (similar to Roger's Arena in Vancouver) couldn't make it. So, the promoter saw Daniel and said "come on, you can open for us..." and the rest is history. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1_DCQquuk8) He has a single coming out now on Spotify called "Old Ways" -- I dare you to support him in his career launch. He has a lovely voice and I don't think you will regret it. We bought it! We can now say "I knew him when!" Time to do the final pack and travel prep. This has been a wonderful 30-day adventure. From New York to the high seas, leap-frogging through parts of Europe with our dear friends, Bill and Clemente, and finishing in the United Kingdom with WONDERFUL times with family. We have been safe, healthy, and oh so happy on this journey. All our gratitude goes to my dear friend Eileen for this gift. Tens of thousands of steps have carried us through these many adventures from Zoos to museums fulfilling many bucket list items. We could not be more blessed. Well, that's a wrap on the 2024 Transatlantic Adventure. Thanks for reading!! Harley, pup, we are on our way home little one!!

the way, the truth, the life - UofG motto

entrance to the museum

duckies are everywhere these days!

John Watt - as history continues to reveal itself, many heroes show their tarnish as their behaviour is further revealed

Inside the Hunterian

Hunterian Museum - fascinating

Darwin's first beetle

the early Roman exhibit at the Hunterian

Entry to the Business Administration Building

Memorial Chapel stained glass

Memorial Chapel seating

Memorial chapel

St Christopher in the Chapel - over a doorway

More of the campus

striking campus buildings

a covered walkway area

if only the walls could talk

beautiful architecture

A nice bar with armslength of history

caught our attention... makes you want to have a pint

a nice gin cocktail menue

tasty Rosebud

a sturdy bar

cheers

Rosebud and a lager/black

the dome within the Counting House where we had lunch - a former Bank of Scotland

The Counting House

In the dining room at our hotel with Franca and Sam

posing with a dear cousin

view from our room

view from Red Sky Bar

on the right is the Hydro

known as the Armadillo

The Rotunda

Daniel Rooney - in the Red Sky Bar from which he was 'plucked'!!

Daniel Rooney - launching a career! Much luck to him! He seems VERY sweet

Marilyn listens as Daniel sings for the photographer

A red lamp is shining down on me with M, view from the Red Sky Bar

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Tue, 21 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Southampton, United Kingdom

Mon, 20 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Monday, Victoria Day in Canada but not a holiday here in England. We are picked up at our AirBnB in Hayling Island for another special outing today. Off we go, dropping Zara off at the train - it's exam week and this young lady has a tough week ahead of her. We wish her well (she's a smart young woman, she'll do great!) and we are on our way, Martine, Mark, Marilyn and me. Today's adventure is a trip into Southampton (where our ship dropped us off) to see the Titanic Museum. A little back story here - I am a long time (since I was a young girl) Titantic enthusiast. I honestly don't know how it started but it sure has continued. I have seen exhibits in Victoria, BC; Newfoundland; Liverpool, England; Cobh, Ireland; Las Vegas, Nevada and now Southampton. This leaves two remaining that I know of: Halifax (we were supposed to see it and that was an unfortunate mix up - another time) and then the grand museum of the Titanic in Belfast where the ship was built. So, this is a special visit for me. Each exhibit has a unique theme or focus with many artifacts and stories. This one is no stranger to the unique story. Southampton is the city from which the ship departed on its maiden and fateful journey on April 10, 1912. The majority of the crew were from surrounding towns making up the full complement of nearly 900 crew. Of the crew only 212 (24%) survived the tragedy. Violet Jessop, 24, a young Irish Stewardess on the ship has been one crew I have read extensively about. She had been on the Olympic when Captain Smith crashed it into the American ship the Hawke. She was later convinced to join the Titanic crew by a friend who thought it would be fun. Later in her life, after surviving this wreck, she also survived the wreck of the other White Star Line sister ship the Britannic. If you think about the smaller districts of Southampton - Northam, for example - the impact of the loss of crew becomes clearer. Northam lost 400 community members: brothers, sons, fathers, husbands in the wreck. (The population of Southampton in 1912 was 119,000. Not clear what Northam's was.) It is said that 125 school children became orphans on that day. So, the Southampton exhibit given its important place in the history of the Titanic tells the unique perspective of the launch and the losses. As it happens, many crew and passengers were never intended to be on the Titanic. But a lengthy coal strike at the time set the story up. The coal needs for a ship the size of the Titanic were great. So, coal was taken from other ships rendering them useless. Thus crew and passengers were switched over to travel via the Titanic instead. There were 17,000 unemployed in Southampton at the time, so many signed on to the ship for gainful employment. However, Captain Smith who was to retire after this passage, who had a reputation from a past collision between the Olympic and the Hawke was not so well thought of according to several accounts I have read. And, when he commanded the ship to throttle forward the draw from the ship as it passed the docked New York ship caused it to pull away from the dock snapping its mooring lines. Smith quickly called 'full astern' to reverse the wash and push the New York back towards the dock to avoid a collision. This prompted at least one guest to feel superstitious and disembark at the very first port in Cherbourg! (There is an additional story about Jenny the cat who had a litter of kittens on the ship. A crew member who cared for them saw her carry her kittens off the ship. He apparently saw this as an omen and he too disembarked before the departure.) So many stories - I just find it fascinating. So, it was with much gratitude that we attended this museum to see and hear yet another perspective on this tragedy. And, I think it created a new group of curious folks interested in the Titanic! After this fascinating exploration, we strolled over to the Westquay shopping center where we went to Zizzi's for pizza. So, fresh and tasty. We shared a delicious meal together exchanging yet more stories and visiting together. It is remarkable to me to be able to meet family just a few days ago and to feel so close and comfortable so quickly and easily. I know I am repetitive, but, what a gift. From there we walked back to the town hall where we were parked, beside the SeaCity museum. It was time to say goodbye. Like any good good-bye, we stood in a circle visiting for some time. It is difficult to make that first move to close the conversation but Martine found the moment and we had a round of hugs. With farewell waves we were off to the Leonardo Royal Grand Harbour Hotel for the night. On arrival, as we unloaded our ridiculous luggage, Martine slipped inside and arranged for us to be upgraded to a wonderful room with a view of the harbour - so very kind. Final hugs - so hard to say farewell - but we will meet again and the contact and relationship built is a present that will not fade away. Our gratitude is from deep in our hearts to the whole family for their warmth, friendship, kindness, and all the time they gave us from Friday through Monday. We are indebted to you all with love. After checking in, Marilyn and I went for a walk then back to the hotel for a mouth-watering meal then back upstairs to blog and organize our bags for our flight out in the late afternoon - Glasgow here we come! Post Script: Well, darn. I just discovered there is another Titanic Museum in Cherbourg, Normandy, France. I guess a visit there too will be in order! So, three museums to go and that bucket list item will be fulfilled! https://www.citedelamer.com/en/exhibitions/titanic-return-cherbourg/titanic-the-webserie-with-evan-de-bretagne/

a highly detailed lego construction of the ship

Captain Smith, what was to be his retirement voyage turned out to be his final as he went down with the ship

challenging times for people of Southampton

a second class cabin. apparently the heat was not working in second class, so it was cold

this was his watch found on his body

A crew member whose body was recovered

the diverse crew, mostly from Southampton, is memorialized on the walls

So much changed after the tragedy: 24-hour wireless operator requirements and lifeboat capacity were just two of the changes

An important story to be told

the town hall clock tower in Southampton

Another Titanic Museum checked off my list -- much gratitude!

Me, Marilyn and Joseph - we've arrived!

lunch all together at Zizzi's pizza - a happy time

Arundel, United Kingdom

Sun, 19 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Hayling Island, United Kingdom

Sat, 18 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

My goodness what a lovely day we've had on Hayling Island and surrounding areas. Martine, Mark, and Zara arrived to pick us up to go to Pook Lane Stables for a beach horseback ride for Marilyn and Zara. On arrival, everyone was mounted and ready to go - so off Marilyn went to be sized for a helmet and the next thing we knew she was up on her mount. Albie was a cob horse. A cob is traditionally a draft type pony. Typically of a stout build, with strong bones, large joints, and steady disposition, it is a body type of horse rather than a specific breed. Historically, in the United Kingdom, a 'cob' may be a common horse used for everyday riding but in the past was used for driving carts. I believe Zara's mount was Molly - as I noted when she was returned to her stable after. The riders were on leads and guided off the property, down a back road and out on to the beach. A dream come true for Marilyn! The tide was out, the path was stony and covered in lovely shades of green seaweed. Martine, Mark, and I strolled along with the riders, horses, and guides - it was a perfect scenic location with amazing fresh salt-sea air and a precious calm that was revitalizing. Exactly what the doctor ordered, as they say! Following this magical experience, we drove along to drop Zara off to bus home to do some prep work for her studies - it's that time of year. A positive young woman, it was a delight to share this morning experience with her. Onward we went to Sports Direct where we found a deeply discounted suitcase to help with our return home. It turns out I have no idea how to pack for a month long journey and we needed a bit of help to balance our bags for our return. Thank you Martine and Mark for this pit stop. So very helpful. From here we embarked on the alpaca experience of a lifetime. Martine and Mark and family are friends with the proprieters of the Our Back Garden farm (https://ourbg.co.uk/). This lovely neck of the woods in Westbourne is a very special 25 acre family run farm with cows, sheep, and a herd of alpacas with much personality! We sat and visited with John, the owner, and met Perry and Laura (his daughter) who are major contributors to the operation. (Forgive me OBG, I know I don't have all my details spot on.) They offer up close and personal visits with the alpacas as well as fun activities for children and walks about the acreage. It is a growing business that is thriving as it continues to be inspired to grow and expand to creatively unite people with a farm experience. They are on to something very special here. Marilyn, as usual, has found a place that touches her heart. Of course any place that provides opportunity to engage with animals is magical for her without question. Martine was brilliant in thinking of this excursion. We began our visit with coffees and dessert from the custom cafe wagon and observed the herd and visitors having a lovely time with them. Once the guests had departed and they were closed for the day, we had the great honour of being taken closer to the herd for a feeding encounter. Such gentle creatures - we met Savannah, Ebony, Bounty, Sade, Theo, and so many others. I'm embarrassed not to remember their names. I can tell you that Ebony is a VERY assertive alpaca and we were cautioned that she is a bit dominant and unpredictable. So, we tiptoed around her a bit. It was Bounty who really pulled the heartstrings. Dear Bounty (named for a chocolate bar, I believe) is unusual because she seeks cuddles and comfort from people. Not a typical alpaca trait. This was the gift of gifts for Marilyn as Bounty cuddled and nudged her beyond our wildest expectations. It was game on for Marilyn in this little lovefest. Kisses exchanged. Check - day a notable success! We strolled back to the gate feeling rather chuffed about the treat that John had presented us with in this private feeding visit. Huge gratitude to Martine for the brilliant idea and to John and family for their generous hospitality. After our hugs and goodbyes, we were off on the road again with our tour guide, Mark, sharing all sorts of details of the historical buildings along the way. It still blows my mind to hear and learn of the age of the community and the buildings - some over a thousand years old. It is difficult to wrap my head around this. Thatched roofed cottages and manor houses that go back to the 1400s or churches that date back nearly a thousand years. But really what knocked our socks off was the stop at St. Mary's Church. There we saw the oldest yew tree on Hayling Island. The ancient yew tree in the churchyard is believed to be the oldest yew in the county, with a girth of some nine metres (30 feet). Estimates of its age range from over a thousand to nearly two thousand years old. Just think about that - it may predate Christ. It was a sight to behold. Sadly, the church itself was not open so we missed entering this thirteenth century house of worship. We also drove past St. Peter's church which is actually at the highest point of the Island being three feet above sea level! The monks of Jumièges Abbey, Normandy, began to build Northwode Chapel about 1140; this became the site of the present St Peter's Church, now the oldest surviving church on the island. The following details of Hayling Island are excerpted from Tim Lambert's history (https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-hayling-island/) Until the early 20th century Hayling Island remained a place of farmers and fishermen. In the year 1824 when a wooden bridge was built across the channel to Langstone. Before you could wade across at low tide or you could pay to use a ferry. Building Hayling Bridge required an Act of Parliament, which received royal assent on 2 May 1823. You had to pay a toll to use the bridge which was privately owned. In the 1830s a guide to Hayling said ‘Such is the health of this sweet island that although a medical man resides here, his services are seldom in request’. The guide also said: ‘The watering-place of Hayling is rather a quiet retreat’. The guide also mentioned the salt industry in Hayling, which it said, had been carried on for centuries. Henry VIII closed the priories in England and he took Hayling Island. Henry exchanged it for some other lands owned by Holy Trinity College in Arundel. Later in the 16th century, Hayling became the property of the Dukes of Norfolk (aka the Fitzalan-Howard family). They held Hayling until 1825 when it was sold to a man named William Padwick. Meanwhile, Hayling Manor House was built in 1777. In 1801, at the time of the first census, Hayling Island had a population of 578 divided between small villages. Today, it has a population of 17,000. There was an attempt, in the 1820s to turn Hayling Island into a seaside resort. This never got off the ground. It wasn't until 1956 that a toll bridge was built to the Island. The toll came off in 1960. Hayling is a lovely community with terrific beachfront locations, complete with traditional beach huts - roughly 150 square foot change rooms that are highly sought after - to enjoy the coastal views - even a glance over to Portsmouth. After our informative drive about, Mark and Martine brought us for dinner at the Ferry Boat Pub on the waterfront looking over to Portsmouth! M and Martine had burgers, Mark and I indulged in fish and chips (when in England, I say!) A couple rounds of drinks at a picnic table and stimulating conversation - a wonderful way to wrap up a terrific day.

this pretty creature is expecting in 2 months - they carry for 12 months total!

Meeting Albie

Mark and I strolling with the horses

grinning from ear to ear - such joy!

riding English for the first time

in awe of this great yew tree

perhaps 2000+ years old!

at St. Mary's church

Zara enjoying a magical ride

Martine capturing Marilyn's dream come true

a beautiful beach on which to take a ride

Pook Lane. Stables

Marilyn, Zara, and Martine post-ride

alpaca gingerbread, of cours

Ebony, in for a penny, in for a pound

John invites Marilyn to feed the crew

a kiss is just a kiss unless it is an alpaca, then it is HIGHLY unusual

Theo nudges in for some love and nibbles

stop all this cuteness

Bounty and Marilyn cuddling

expectant mum

part of the alpaca herd

16th century, Old Fleet Manor - a beautiful example of a thatched roof. Buttress on the end for stability

a remarkable building on Hayling, Old Fleet Manor

Hello Mark!! A wonderful tour guide.

Mark, me, and Martine

Martine and I in the shade of the ancient yew tree

in the shade of history

strong beams support this fantastically old yew tree

St. Mary's Church

a beautiful cemetery tribute

our watering hole and site for dinner this evening

no greater suggested truth

tasty fish and chips... they just keep getting better!

Hayling Island, United Kingdom

Fri, 17 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Isle of Jersey, Jersey

Thu, 16 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Hmmm... this post was never supposed to happen. But circumstances du jour prompt my fingers to walk the keyboard. We had a leisurely morning at the hotel and then headed to the airport on schedule. WE were on schedule. Emphasis on us. Arriving at the Jersey airport, we checked in, passed through security and went to wait for our flight to be called. We waited, and waited, and then it appeared - delayed. Our 1:50 flight delayed to 5:15. Harumph. Then an announcement to go to the "flight disruption" counter to pick up a food voucher. M saunters off with our boarding passes and picks up two, wait for it... five pound vouchers. Well done, says I, five pounds - maybe a sandwich or a drink but not both. So, I decide to pick up some diet coke on sale at WH Smith and a candy bar which cost me the change in my pocket. Fine by me. I emptied the coin from my pocket and the absolutely LOVELY young man behind the till is now apologizing profusely for the inconvenience of our delay. He was so kind and sincere about it. I thanked him and returned to our seating area and M went off to get her treats with her new found five pound wealth. The departures board now says "more details pending at 1635" Why, I wonder. This doesn't bode well. Ah yes, we are waiting to determine our gate. So, the time rolls around and gate 3 is announced and everybody and their brother on this flight scrambles to check in at tiny, eensy, weensy gate 3. As a comparison, I am thinking this is about the size of a lifeboat on our cruise ship and it said it held 355 souls. There were at least 100 people crowded in this space and it was getting very warm. So, tarmac crew are in and out and it is clear as the late plane arrives that things are suspect. The flight is now past due it is after 5:20 our boarding time was 5:15 and a young man braves the now testy crowd stating "there is a further mechanical delay and we will get back to you shortly." People ask what's going on and he says he doesn't know. He disappears for 20 or so minutes. Everyone is watching through the windows for the activity on the tarmac. People are climbing all over the plane. Hmmmm... He returns to say "thank you everyone but we are now going to ask you all to return to the departure lounge to wait until we have more information." I ask him, can we not wait here if we prefer? He says no. Up we all get and march back out down the corridor to the departure area. Stores begin to close as the departure board which now reads "more details at 1800" then it says "details at 1830" ...nothing... then our flight disappears off the board at 6:45ish. This does not bode well at all. I get up to move closer to the "flight disruption" counter wanting to be first in line for instructions as a gentleman comes down from the observation deck announcing "I just saw them taking our luggage off the plane." As I stand and wait at the counter, people's phones start pinging - sure enough, I can hear people saying "what? our flight's been cancelled!" I signal to M who had popped away for a minute, 'let's move' - I'm offline so no email - I'm eavesdropping on every conversation I can... I overhear "go over to arrivals and pick up your luggage and then come back to departures to rebook your flights for tomorrow. SERIOUSLY??? So, off we zip and catch our luggage immediately off the carousel and just like an episode of The Amazing Race we hustle our buns to get out ahead of the crowd and back over to the other side of the airport to be first in line to book our new flight. We are third! Young bucks beat us. Now, we have a French sim card in the phone and don't know how to dial a local call. So, calling a hotel to book for the night is not easy. Marilyn insists, after receiving our boarding passes for the 7am flight out in the morning (sigh) that he assist her in booking a hotel. By this time the line behind us has grown to at least 20 and others are sitting waiting for the line to die down. Now, I pushed for us to get in line quickly because I had no idea how many flights there were on Friday and because I had no idea who was urgently trying to get on an early flight. Task complete, the next challenge was getting a taxi. Remember, the airport was shutting down. This is not a 24-hour operation and there is no staying over in the airport! It ain't Vancouver International. I went in two directions with this experience - first in awe that this was actually happening (a couple curse words) And then anger as we learned our cheesy airline, Blue Islands, does not reimburse for cancellations. Under 'compensation' on their brochure, which they smile happily as they hand it out, it clearly states that Jersey is a non-EU jurisdiction and not within the UK and they are not an EU/UK carrier therefore the laws do not apply to them. (Sounds very Trump-like) Therefore cancellations and delays mean no eligibility for compensation. It recommends applying to your travel insurance for compensation. Nice out. Nice out. What was remarkable to me was that as their representative stood in front of the crowd making this announcement everyone was soooooooo polite about it. I was less polite and more peeved but sucked it up and moved on to find a taxi before the crowd joined that queue. Off I went to get in the taxi queue where everyone was happy and cheerful as they accepted their situation. I don't know, is this a British sort of thing? Pip, pip, chin up and all that mate? Okay, I'll subscribe. So, off we go in our taxi to the Biarritz Hotel in St. Brelade's Bay. We sought the hotel closest to the airport. The hotel is a 60 year old feature on the beachfront. It reminds me of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose that goes on and on forever -- the hall to get to our room took many twists and turns, up ramps and down steps to finally end up in the very far corner of the hotel! The carpet is thick and the hall is so narrow you can only push one suitcase at a time as you go and then there are all the doors to open along this route as well. Oh my goodness what a chore. Note that we have three suitcases between us plus our carry-on bags... so no easy feat. At last we arrive to our tiny room. We are followed by the housekeeper as the beds were bare. So, he kindly made our beds as we set off to finally have a meal. I apologize to our dear cousins from Hayling Island all organized and set to make our arrival in Southampton special. We would so much rather have spent the day with you -- so very much! It does make us appreciate you all the more and our anticipation is growing! So, now we are settled for the evening - one more day in Jersey though not the way we would have liked it to have been had we had any say in the matter. But, I suppose, in spite of the poor communication and the absence of responsibility on the part of the airline, it is better to be on course to arrive safely on this final leg of our journey through the UK! Good night, sweet dreams, we are back on the proverbial road tomorrow!

view from the Biarritz hotel

too bad we don't get to enjoy the beach... up at 5am to catch our new flight! No beach stroll tonight

would love to know this story of this house as seen from our hotel

the sun sets on St Brelade's Bay

our wee room

fixing two cups of hot chocolate to relax in our room

Isle of Jersey, Jersey

Wed, 15 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Our final day in Jersey. The plan was to venture out to the Jersey War Tunnels also known as Ho8 - abbreviated from the German 'Hohlgangsanlage 8'. Ho8 ended the war as an underground hospital. It had the capacity to care for 500 wounded but never served as a hospital because of the arrival of Liberation on the 9th of May, 1945. It was a long trek to the tunnels located in the parish of St. Lawrence. We arrived 30 minutes prior to opening at 10am but this was a good thing. We had been told the morning is the busiest time of day for the Tunnels, so to be there ahead of the crowd was excellent. On opening, we purchased a guide and the audio guide as well. The guide is a comprehensive summary of everything we saw in the Tunnels, so I was glad to have it to read and reflect this evening. There is so much to see and to hear as you make your way down the tunnels approximately one kilometre and at its deepest you reach 33.5 meters underground. During the construction approximately 14,000 tons of rock were excavated and dumped elsewhere. Approximately 4,000 tons of concrete were used to line the tunnels. It primarily served as a munitions barracks until 1943-45 when it was converted to a hospital or 'casualty receiving station' for which it was never actually used. 23,000 of the 50,000 Jersey inhabitants applied to evacuate from Jersey early on. But, once people saw the conditions of the evacuation boats - terrible boats with people packed on like sardines many people changed their minds. In the end only 6,000 people evacuated. On the other end of the story was the tragedy of the slave and foreign workers who were brought to the Island to construct the tunnels, dig trenches, widen roads, build anti-tank walls, bunkers, and gun emplacements. 5,000 workers from multiple countries were brought. The greatest tragedy was the peril of the Russian prisoners. These men were treated brutally and many died horrible deaths from malnutrition, starvation, accidents, and other horrible means. The construction of the tunnels was a precise process that involved drilling circles of holes that represented the space they wanted to clear and explosives were inserted into the concentric circles and blown up. The thing is, no hard hats were provided - no safety equipment at all. Many accidents occurred and a total of 22 workers died and remain buried within the tunnel structure to this day. A tribute to these men is found at the end of the tour. Hitler's goal was that by capturing the undefended Channel Islands he would soon take over Britain. Fearing the British might try to take back the Island he called for them to be turned into an 'impregnable fortress' and thus all of the construction work that was done over the first two years. He was determined that the Island would never be returned to the British but remain as holiday islands for the German people as 'Strength through Joy' holiday camps. He was very much attached to the Channel Islands. It is said that his 'Insewahn' - Island madness - proved itself excessive. After D-Day occurred, Jersey thought they too would be freed but it took awhile longer before they were the beneficiaries of liberation and the arrival of British Forces to free them. This finally took place on May 9, 1945 and joy was everywhere! That's a long and detailed summary of something far more complex than I can describe in a blog. Suffice it to say, by the end of the tour (and at significant points in between) I was in tears. (Do you know that over 6,000 cats and dogs were destroyed at the beginning of the occupation as no one could care for them. And many that were not were set loose to fend for themselves.) As we returned our audio sets to the cashier, I was overcome. All I could utter was "deeply moving" and tap my hand over my heart as tears came once more. The strength and stamina of the people of Jersey through the German occupation is worthy of a good read to understand exactly what they experienced and how they survived. I am profoundly grateful to have had the opportunity to tour the tunnels and learn of their plight and their will to survive. After this deeply moving experience, we sat in the cafe to have a bacon bun while we collected our thoughts. Next, a return to the Zoo to see all that we missed when the clouds opened up on us on Monday! Back at the Zoo, we still had our Camp bracelets on - Adam advised us we could return over a couple of days - and so we whisked through the gates and headed to Kirindy Forest to have a look at the other lemurs who reside at the Zoo. It was just after noon, so the sun was high and this was a post-lunch lazy period for most animals (me too, had I had time!) Still, we strolled about taking pictures and taking in the lovely sights of animals of all shapes and sizes. We went on to see the orangutans, gibbons, and gorillas - what a beautiful sight to see these glorious creatures. We even saw the geladas again but they were all in a smaller enclosure this day as there were men out working on building a fence within their enclosure. Looking a little crowded and impatient, within moments of our arrival to see them a fight broke out and it was a sight to behold. The alpha impatiently went after the initiator, grabbed him by the tail and pulled him down. He then screamed at him, the smaller one fought back but was no match for the alpha. He then escaped into a small entrance and the alpha turned away. I guess he made his point. M got quite the video of this occurrence!! Message: don't mess with an alpha gelada. We then strolled past the gorillas where we observed two of them - one in particular having a feast tearing leaves off branches. After which we saw a lovely little Golden Lion Tamarin who was as curious about us as we were him/her! A stop to rest our feet and then out to catch the bus back to our hotel. Once back in St. Helier, we realized we were close to the Pomme d'Or Hotel which, as noted before, had been the headquarters of the Germans throughout the occupation. So, to touch a bit of history, we went in to have a drink in the bar. M had a pepsi and I indulged in a local beer from Liberation Brewing - a Liberation Waverunner. The brewery has survived through everything that has been thrown at it for 150 years. Now that is impressive. We set out again to find it raining, so a taxi it is back to our hotel and now we pack. Tomorrow we move on to fly back to Southampton where we are so incredibly excited to meet the Walling family of Hayling Island and surrounding areas... Dunne cousins! So excited for this near final leg of the journey.

Ho8 - sign greeting you on arrival at the tunnels

the official entrance to the Jersey War Tunnel

A quote representing Hitler's determination

Churchill's 'free again' speech

a gun found buried in a field in 1971

on entry to the tunnels each guest is provided an ID card of a Jersey resident

... at the end you find out if they survived or not and what role they played

entering the main tunnel within

the surgery as it likely was

this entrance was actually where the started digging the tunnel, not the one we entered through

they had a unique air filtration system within that protected everyone

example of an incomplete tunnel - the map shows while there were many completed, there remain many that were incomplete

Liberation Day!!! (Note location outside the Pomme d'Or Hotel)

Letter from the King to the people of Jersey

Memorial to those who died in the tunnel. Note the bowler hat. Many tunnel workers sought these hats from merchants as the minimal protection they could get their hands on - no hard hats provided at all.

our first bacon bap

entering the Kirindy Forest at the Zoo

a black and white ruffed lemur

taken through a fine mesh so not as clear as other shots, sadly

they are known for their ability to hang upside down enabling them to reach for fruit others cannot reach

the very pretty, playful, yet shy red brown lemur

the Madagasgar Crested Ibis

ferroginous duck... rarest duck in the world

Sumatran Orangutan

Oh how I wish I had caught his full body in this leap! AIRBORNE!!!

the White Handed Gibbon

all three together... amiable critters!

Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon

the Golden Lion Tamarin

Final stop at the Jersey Zoo -- thank you for a wonderful experience

the pint that went down just right!

enjoying a moment of relaxation

the Pomme d'Or pre-liberation. Note the nazi flag

a bunker built on the side of the hotel during occupation. now a cafe

at the tunnel entrance

outside the Jersey War Tunnels

Gerald Durrell photobombs us on our final trip to the Jersey Zoo

a pint of Liberation Waverunner

Isle of Jersey, Jersey

Tue, 14 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Jersey, Jersey

Mon, 13 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

A rare treat was today - our guided lemur experience at the Jersey Zoo. We had no idea how many people would be part of our excursion, so imagine our sheer delight when we were greeted and told it was just the two of us. So very special after our private zoo tour the night before. To have such good fortune twice - a gift! We met Chris at the Discovery Centre where she began with a safety presentation and some basic, common sense rules to follow. Simply put: do what the Keeper says. We are in and ready to go! Chris then hands us each a pair of secateurs and off we go to clip camelia and rose blooms to feed the lemurs. What a lovely thought that they delight on feeding from these pretty blooms. As it happens the camelias are past their prime and the blooms have been a regular treat. So, we see some pretty roses freshly in bloom and Chris, excited, says 'let's get a few of these too - they will probably take to them better because they are just in season now!' Clip, clip, clip, we fill the bucket halfway. Before we carry on, she asks us if we wish to see the kitchen. Sure enough, she takes us in to see where food is prepared for many of the animals. There we meet several volunteers cutting and measuring an array of vegetables. What we see before us in the moment is 27kg of mixed veg - red, green, yellow peppers, carrots, cucumber and some I didn't recognize. It is a colourful clear bin that is loaded for the bats mostly. There are Aye Aye logs - wood logs on chains with holes drilled into them - which are stuffed with meal worms and then the openings stuffed with purple tissue to stop them from wiggling out. Don't worry, the Aye Ayes know how to dig them out with their claws! On we go then to meet with Leila the lemur keeper. Excitement is building!! Chris introduces us to a lovely young woman filled with happy energy - but who wouldn't be if they cared for lemurs! Next stop the back gate to the enclosure. Up the stairs we go, through a locked gate and we walk around the back of the enclosure to another locked gate where she warns us not to touch the fence. It's electrified. No worries of that! It's just a reminder jolt, nothing serious, but who needs it! Leila then pulls out the small container of peanuts and begins to shake them while calling for her boys. No sign of them in the wood enclosure. She's puzzled. It's raining at the moment so the thought was they would be inside. But nope - she turned around in time to see them running down the branches of the trees to seek their peanut fortune! There are four boys. Sadly, the brother of Derek passed 9 months ago. But Stumpy (quite famous and named for his shorter tail due to an accident years ago) took him under his care and they are well bonded. The other two are Tigger and, sadly, the name of the fourth absolutely escapes both of us. (How rude!) Tigger is truly the leader of the little group, also known as a conspiracy, and he dominates in the quest for peanuts. Derek is the shy one and approaches but then darts away for the first few minutes. He gains courage and returns to feed with the others. They are all keen on the peanuts and it is an absolute delight to be able to feed them. They are so gentle - they reach out rather politely to take the peanuts and then chew away on the delectable treat. At one point, Derek reached out to gently grasp Marilyn's finger to pull her hand closer in order to better reach the peanut she was offering. A delicate, gentle touch. These absolutely beautiful animals have a sort of a purr or meow when they want something and we heard it a few times. Delightful! Tigger mostly stayed forward with us and the other three moved from branch to branch as they decided what they wanted to eat. We switched from peanuts to blossoms. The camelias, just as Chris had predicted, were not as appealing. When a rose bloom was presented Tigger was most appreciative and gobbled it up. Derek rushed over and stole one rose bloom from Tigger not making a good impression. Tigger and Derek had a little set-to and Derek was away for a minute or so. More blooms, everyone was happy and gobbled them up. They seem unflappable, seemingly knowing they are safe with us strangers having Leila their trusted keeper close by. Leila is lovely sharing tidbits about their life at the zoo. The lemur is not endangered and are well known to zoo visitors because they are in zoos everywhere. Not to mention thanks to a little film called Madagascar - children adore them. Well, I'm not far behind on that sentiment. It is tempting, oh so tempting, to reach out to pet them or run ones hand down their tail but this is a no touching zoo. They try to keep the habitat as natural as possible so this is a practice we wholly respect but let me tell you being this close to these beautiful creatures the temptation is certainly overwhelming to want to cuddle them! Some lemur facts for you - there are 13 rings on their tails alternating black and white. The tails run from 56-63cm in length. So, while I mentioned that a group is called a conspiracy they are also known as a troop and sometimes a mob. Their way of defending from predators is to conspire together to form a mob and scare off the predator - thus the names all make sense. Lemurs are generally the most social of the strepsirrhine primates. They evolved from monkeys and apes and there are 100 species of lemurs. The most well known, of course, is the ring-tailed lemur. Most species have nails instead of claws. They use their long tails for balance. When we saw them jump from branch to branch I noted that their tails tend to be down below rather than following behind, if that makes sense! Sadly, I was unable to catch a leaping photo. After an hour with Leila and the lovely lemurs, we reconnected with Chris and returned to the Discovery Centre where she presented us each with a special edition mug and a certificate. WHAT AN AMAZING TREAT this experience was. I am still searching for the perfect word to describe the experience but remain at a loss. Imagine that, words fail me. Perhaps that is the best summary of this wonderful, once in a lifetime, dream come true experience. Thank you Jersey Zoo! It began to pour after our visit (well timed!) and so we went back to the Firefly Cafe for a shared ploughman's lunch. From there we strolled back to camp where we waited for Adam who was waiting for two guests to arrive. They too would have the entire camp to themselves for their visit! Once Adam was free he very kindly drove us to our hotel. He didn't just drive us there but he drove around the Island to show it off to us and pointed out many great sites along the way. We could not have been more royally treated on this visit. Adam truly cares about what he does and he showed us amazing hospitality and kindness. We were immensely grateful and will never forget how he went out of his way to make our experience special. Checked in, pause for a breather and then down to the bar for dinner. All is well in the world as we take in the wonderful world of Jersey! PS - sorry for all the lemur pictures but you would include all these too if you were inches away from these glorious creatures! (These are a few of over 300 shots!)

camelia bush from which we clipped

Layla shakes the peanut container calling the boys. Note, these are different from The Boys - they are in London now!!

here they come!

such a glorious tail!

the shy one, took a beat to be sure we were okay

making a connection with the shy one- I feel bad we don't recall his name

Tigger takes a peanut from M

a rose by any other name is still delicious

Derek reaches in and steals Tigger's rose... just before the wee set-to

we can all get along!

delicious rose!

rose petal delight

everyone is happy with their own rose after the fight!

Layla offers Tigger a selection of gustatory delights

the joy of proximity

by gum, I caught a small leap!

looking up to see the little shy one above my head

note the little nails, not claws, on these delicate paws... so very gentle!

a little grooming time

that's a long tail to groom!

cuddling in the cold rain after filling their tummies

more cuddles

loving care of one another

everybody squish to get warm and comfy!

volunteers hard at work with a 27kg container of foods

Aye Aye logs

menu board so volunteers prepare the correct foods as prescribed

lucky fellow!

the last peanut!

joyful moments

a wonderful shared experience

Marilyn with our lemur experience hosts Chris and Layla... so much gratitude for a phenomenal and memorable experience!

Isle of Jersey, Jersey

Sun, 12 May 2024 15:50:00 +0100

Dreams do come true. I'll explain later. Off the ship, shuttle to the airport and a short little flight to Jersey and here we are. This stop is at the TOP of Marilyn's bucket list! A lifelong fan and reader of Gerald Durrell's amazing writings (My Family and Other Animals, Bafut Beagles, Birds, Beasts and Relatives, A Zoo in My Luggage, Menagerie Manor, and her favourite Aye Aye and I) Marilyn dreamed of experiencing the Jersey Zoo, Gerald Durrell's legacy of love inspired by his years of collecting to protect endangered species. So, here we are - first Jersey stop - at the Jersey Zoo glamping. We stayed our first night in the geodesic dome campsite. We had the place entirely to ourselves - a wonderful, peaceful experience. We were greeted by Adam who runs the camp and he proudly toured us about. Adam's kindness and attention to detail was abundant. In the kitchen he had thoughtfully picked a selection of pink rhododendrons and ferns to set out in a lovely vase display on the table. He continued to show us about with details of the site and the sounds we would be hearing. Then he shared with us the final lovely detail - the sleeping tent. He ushered us in to see his fine handiwork where he had creatively shaped the towels, with some rhodo buds, to resemble two swans face to face. Such a thoughtful and creative gesture. This is a gentleman who truly cares about what he does and is a credit to the organization. What a GREAT start to our visit!! It is a well laid out site where you really don't know there are other pods until you look around the trees. There is one main pod for sleeping and then a double pod on one side of which is the kitchen and the other is your private bathroom. It is a perfect set up with a little patio on which to relax should you wish. And ours is located right along the path that is the Lemur enclosure at Lemur Lake. Once settled, we ventured out to the Zoo itself, we are on one corner of the 32 acre property (a farm dating back to the early 1700s), and wave our magic blue wristbands where the staff smile and invite us through. Our wristbands give us unlimited access to the Zoo, a discount in the shop and discount in the tea shops as well. We stroll about to see the various creatures but they are shy - the weather is starting to cool and so they are moving inside their enclosures. We toured a bird enclosure with birds we've never seen before. They were certainly shy and quick! Then off to see the two-toed sloths. They were not quick and allowed some time for capturing photos. From there I had hoped to see their marvelous new giant anteater. But she is still quite shy and didn't not make her presence known at all. A touch disappointing. Off next to the reptile room. Some fascinating frogs, skinks, and turtles there. And a glance at how they manage their breeding program. Then a little stroll off to see the meerkats - a long time favourite of mine from my Calgary Zoo photography days (I would spend hours there with my camera back in the day, they were such fun critters). Today did not disappoint as we saw them scurry about observing staff whom they mistook for their waiters. No food at that moment but they all stood at attention eagerly hoping these uniformed passers by were bringing them their next repast. Stomachs sending messages, we then strolled back to the Firefly Cafe for a hot bite. A delish tuna melt for me and traditional Toad in the Hole for M. Both hit the spot. A stroll through the shop and back to camp for a wee rest. Our After Dusk Tour was scheduled for six. We met Abbie at 6pm and after introductions she punched in her gate code and the Zoo opened up to us for an after hours private tour. WOW! She walked us around showing us the Manor House where Dr. Lee Durrell (Gerald's wife) resides when not in Corfu. Passing this beautiful old building -- the original stone farmhouse -- we then proceeded to the Lemur Lake where we saw, at a distance, the four ring-tailed lemurs. An exciting start for us. Then we next passed by the geladas, a type of monkey. They have a scream that sounds like a child having a massive temper tantrum. It's quite off putting at first but then, I admit, when I heard it before we went to bed I did find myself giggling. It was mostly the thought that here we were in a camp at a zoo and the geladas are screaming! Now, Abbie, did her specialization in ornithology in her degree in zoology. She knows every bird and all their feathers! So, she next took us to her very favourite bird the Chilean Flamingo. There are 77 in this flock and they are a sight to behold. So beautiful. They share their long enclosure with a particular goose, the red breasted goose, but it is so pretty - brown, reddish, and white. About the size of a Canada Goose. They get along perfectly apparently. When Abbie first came to the Zoo as a student she had the opportunity to help hand raise a baby flamingo which she named Senna. She knows Senna on sight and keeps a watchful eye out for him always. She has his baby ID band that she made into an anklet and wears on her right ankle - the right ankle is where the flamingos wear their adult tags. She also has a tattoo of her beloved Senna. In fact, their relationship is such that she was handed the egg and told to talk to it. The baby had just started to hatch. As she sang, it continued to hatch to her great delight. Imagine that, being the one that hatched the egg! Just prior to the wonderful time we spent learning about the flamingos (who, by the way have not had any more new hatches in the past five years) we stopped at the geladas. They are found only in the wild in the Ethiopian highlands, geladas are accustomed to heights and live up to 4,000m above sea level. They are the last surviving species of grass-eating primates and spend a lot of time grazing. They’re known as ‘shuffle-feeders’ as they often don’t even stand up to eat, instead they shuffle along on their bottoms. They have a red patch on their chest that landed them the nickname "bleeding heart" monkey. Our day ended as wonderfully as it started! We were taken care of by the 'A Team' of Adam and Abbie and couldn't have been happier. Dreams do come true. We slept beautifully in the pod and I awoke with a smile on my face hearing the call of lemurs in the morning. What a LOVELY gift to start the day. Up at 7am to take in the beauty of the day with a hot cup of English tea. Read on to share in our Lemur Experience -- another gift of a lifetime!

our kind host Adam welcomed us with this lovely bouquet

kicking back in the kitchen

Lemur Lodge. The hub of Durrell Wildlife Camp

Dreams do come true!

The proof is in the picture - we're here!

Marilyn meets Gerald!

one of the fancy birds in the zoo

our two-toed sloth friend

slowly ambling through

the mission golden-eye tree frog

the blue poison frog

an emerald tree boa from South America

In the reptile habitat, examples of how they promote their breeding program

a meerkat sunning

is that dinner you bring us?

I just wonder

traditional toad in a hole... tasty and fresh!

scrumptuous tuna melt

inside the wee kitchen

the sleeping pod

the dual kitchen with bathroom beside

our platform

Adam's creative swans... LOVED IT!!

sleeping quarters

the WC

shower stall beside the toilet

the original farmhouse - now the Manor House. Dr. Lee Durrell resides in apartments upstairs when on-site

beautiful archway entering the Manor House area

leaving the Manor House entrance, the arch is resplendent with beautiful wisteria

beautiful wisteria

our little lemur friends

geladas

a contemplative gelada from Ethiopia

small males sit together

grooming the alpha

small male geladas

their colony of flamingos

flamingo reflection

evening feeding

M listens intently to Abby who passionately shares her knowledge of the Chilean Flamingo

a little breaky in the kitchen

the English Robin - known as the gardener's friend. Apparently they are brave and friendly little ones who follow digging gardeners to see what treats they may turn up!

Rosie at the Wildlife camp

Made it!

a well loved red squirrel - very popular here!

outside the Gerald Durrell Story - all about his life and career

a lovely representation

so many great stories!

Glad to have spent some time here learning more and seeing his talents and his humour on display so well

A rose between two thorns or... us with our passionate guide, Abby! So grateful.

Marilyn, Adam, and me! Such a phenomenal host

Rouen, France

Sat, 11 May 2024 15:50:00 +0200

Today, for me, was a day of joy! We got up very early to leave the ship and boarded a train in Le Havre to go to Rouen. An hour long journey worth every minute because we met up at the station with my cherished niece Annabella who lives in Paris. I was overcome as I laid eyes on her in the Rouen train station and embraced her with a long hug. She is my girl - a gift in my life - I was present when she was born and she will be my girl always. But, I digress. Love will do that! With introductions taken care of, we began our stroll to find a cup of coffee/tea and set out our course for the day! In short order, we found ourselves in cafe creme and ordered lattes, chais, and AnnaB, as she is known, and I ordered chocolat viennois which was hot chocolate with chantilly cream. Rich and delicious. At this point, we decided that with similar yet slightly different agendas we would split for the day and The Boys set out to find the church in which Bill's 10x great grandfather was baptised in (and I think also married). With a gift for geneology this was a very important experience for our Bill. This day in Rouen happens to be Joan of Arc Day. So amazing things are happening all over town. In particular, most every local is dressed in medieval costume which, surrounded by buildings of the period adds an amazing air of authenticity. Streets are shut down to allow for pop up markets selling ancient potions, hand crafted jewellery, costumes of the period, and wooden swords and helmets for children who seek to play in theme. The plaza in front of the cathedral is filled with performers and tents with all sorts of demonstrations and products for sale. Fancy knives, more potions, and unique what knots of the period -- and in the centre a tiny carousel for the weest of ones to ride. As a carousel buff, I was sad to be an adult for the moment! But a picture sufficed and on we went. Now, on our way to the cathedral we passed a significant landmark in the city. The Gros Horlage. This is the great clock. This 14th century clock is installed in a Renaissance arch crossing the Rue du Gros-Horloge. The mechanism is one of the oldest in France, the movement having been made in 1389. We stood in the crowds and listened to it chime. Apparently, the time is not accurate but the bell rings always on the 1/4 hour. I guess that means on whatever quarter hour it thinks it is! To be honest, we were so enthralled with its location and the beauty, we didn't even notice the time on the clock! Continuing our stroll, this road leads to the cathedral, one of the four unique towers is in view before us with a commanding presence. The cathedral and what historically came before it (in fact may be partially beneath it) has been through many rebuilds and restorations over the centuries starting in 395. From the period of 1876 to 1880 it was actually the tallest building in the world. Having stood outside and within the overwhelming size leaves one in complete awe of its magnitude. During WWII, stained glass windows were removed and stored at a distance to protect them. It was actually the allies, both British and American, who ended up causing some damage from bombings on D-Day. Otherwise, it had done well to survive as it did. (When you walk by the immense Justice Building on nearby streets you can see the remains of the shelling and bullet damage on the exterior walls of the structure.) The Rouen Cathedral is a remarkable structure with fascinating history - it is worth a read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen_Cathedral. From there we turned back to seek the Joan of Arc Church. Now that was an experience! Across the city we strolled to find the very modern church but it was inaccessible - so much so that not only were the police surrounding the church but also the military fully armed with machine guns. On gazing over at the church, there was a full service going on outside with the flags held by a group of veterans. The bishop was there amongst the many. We sat and waited for it to possibly end and were glad we did. As the military marched away and the veterans packed up their flags, we wended our way through the crowd to find ourselves within the walls of the church. A unique design - pictures, not words, can only tell the tale. There near the altar was a glass cabinet with two relics in it. First was an 18" statue of Joan of Arc. Beside it a beautiful cross. At first glance, I thought it was a sword, perhaps hers? Then a lovely priest with a delightful sense of humour came to tell us the story. He told us how fortunate we were that this relic was here this day. In fact, it was on loan for three days only to him. He joked about the irony that for his church to access a Catholic relic he had to seek permission from the government (they have strange rules that govern church and state separation here). The items were then released from a safe for three days for the celebrations of Joan of Arc. According to legend, this is the cross that Joan of Arc kissed a minute before she died. Legend, history - up to you. Oh, the priest also suggested that we delay the ships from leaving to stay and participate in the river ceremony at 4pm. He told us there is no grave for St Jeanne d'Arc because she was burned. So, each year they commemorate her with flower petals thrown into the river Seine. Alas, no can do padre - we can't miss our ship! (Incidentally, not only was he a very handsome priest, but he was also very funny!) The site of the church is right beside a garden where a perpetual flame burns in her memory - the sign reads that this is the site where Joan of Arc was burned to death. This too is an interesting read as part of history or legend! But to be able to say we were here on such an auspicious day was meaningful to say the least. From there we sought a cafe for lunch. Not an easy feat. The men were not that friendly, those who worked in the cafes. On our second attempt, we were moved from a reserved table (no one ever sat there) to a partially shaded table. Dear Annabella sat in the sun and just kept applying sunscreen! We all ordered the same item: avocado toast with chopped beets and topped with salmon ---- soooooo tasty! Did I mention it was delicious? Then, refreshed and rested, we stepped back out to the hot sun of the day and just began our walking tour again. Back and forth, we wended our way through the historical town marvelling at the ancient buildings. We tried to go to the Joan of Arc museum but the tour was 90 minutes and we knew we couldn't do it and meet The Boys at the appropriate time at the train station. So, we continued our walk taking in all the sites and began our journey back to the train station. An Uber was in order though - the heat had sapped our energy. Back near the station, we entered Cafe Victor and sat to have a beer, an aperol spritz, and a latte for M. A perfect end to a perfect day. Back to the train station in good time to meet The Boys who had an equally successful day - we had bumped into them in the Cathedral - accomplishing all they sought to do as well. A heartfelt, emotional good-bye to dear Annabella knowing we would be seeing her soon in Canada for her UBC graduation - brava dear niece! She has worked hard for this accomplishment. On the train, back to the ship, dinner in the buffet (won't miss those crowds - people can be so rude) and then down to our cabin to pack. A 15-day cruise with a broad sampling of towns and countries with two of our dearest friends. The weather held, the drinks (thank you crew) were mostly free, and all in all we had a lovely time. It's hard to believe it is over. Next stop? A flight to Jersey where the adventure will continue at the Jersey Zoo. Marilyn's lifelong bucket list item will receive a golden checkmark! Stay tuned.

Brugge, Belgium

Fri, 10 May 2024 15:50:00 +0200

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Thu, 09 May 2024 15:50:00 +0200

Reykjavík, Iceland

Sun, 05 May 2024 15:50:00 +0000

It's always good to start the day with a trip to the spa. That's what I've learned on this trip. And, if you can, you should. So, we did. Given this is a port day everyone is up with the birds and out as soon as the gangway is set. Our tour was not scheduled until 3:15 so we had time to relax. Off to the spa the two of us went and it was basically empty - LA! That made me very happy. Except that the one nutter in the pool was holding her phone up in front of her playing videos off and on. (It's supposed to be a quiet space.) Sooooo annoying. I thought about drowning her. I elected not to do so however. Probably a wise decision. Anyway, beyond that it was a delightful soak - we switched to the ocean water pool and she left. All's well that ends well. Then off to the usual - charcoal sauna, experiential shower, and I am liking finishing in the ice sauna. Followed by time in the quiet room reading book six, another cozy mystery. The view from the spa was indescribably stunning. There are not a lot of trees to speak of but the shoreline and rock formations are truly beautiful. Words fail me in seeking to describe the scene. Suffice it to say that the way the light hits the land can stop your breath. Reykjavik is said to be the first permanent settlement in Iceland established in AD 874. The city was officially founded in 1786 and the trade expanded gradually over the next decades forming a center of commerce and government. Reykjavik is said to be the greenest, cleanest, and safest city in the world. A casual day, we took our time getting ready, went to the buffet for lunch and then the nightmare began. (One person's nightmare is anothers annoyance.) Granted, we arrived in the theatre early for the pre-board for tours but that just made what was going on all the more clear. The longer we were there the more it became evident that in spite of doing this routine over and over they have yet to land on a system that works. This crew member would repeatedly say "I'm not going to call any more tours until you all sit down." So, get more staff in here to actually direct people to seats. They don't want to sit because they want to be able to get down to the line up quickly. Duh. We sat and watched as people disregarded instructions and did their own thing over and over again. And then he would say, "now enjoy listening to the dulcet tones of this South African voice. Tada!" (or something VERY close to that.) Over and over again, tour after tour was called and they in a most disorganized fashion filtered down and out to the gangway to their tour buses. Of course, ours was the very last tour called. This must've been an omen. Worst tour EVER. "Scenic Reykjavik" - a city tour to enjoy the highlights of this fair city. Surprisingly, we managed to leave almost on time. Then the passengers started complaining about the temperature. Our guide, heaven knows her name, it was a complicated Icelandic pronunciation, says, "are we boiling you?" The group responded "no." Then she says something about us freezing, to which the answer was also no. So, basically, she infers what are you complaining about? Then she reveals it's a new bus and the driver doesn't know it yet. So, I ask you...if a pilot flew a plane would he not have to know how everything operates before taking off? I figure the same should apply here!! Sigh. The tour is off and we are driving round and round learning about all the football sites and pools. I guess this is important because EVERYONE apparently in Iceland swims before or after work or both. And, you usually go to the same pool, see the same people, and get all the good gossip there. While I did find that interesting, it wasn't the stuff I wanted to learn. Next we learned that when Costco arrived in Reykjavik (important stuff here, pay attention) the traffic was CRAZY and lines lasted for weeks. It was very controversial. There is no Starbucks or McDonald's in Iceland because people are very loyal to their small, local businesses. So how Costco got here eludes me. The island of Iceland is mostly basalt. Everywhere you can see many volcanic rocks that have not been moved or displaced to build housing. This is to protect the elves. Elves live in the volcanic rock. This is why it is difficult to determine the true population in areas because they don't know how many elves there actually are. Elves are said to be smarter and more beautiful than the Icelandic people. And, when in the past children 'disappeared' (likely passed away) it was thought better to believe that they had gone to be with or were taken by the elves - they would have a better life with them. This belief helped with the grieving process. Also, interesting facts - there are no mosquitoes in Iceland (too cold) and having pet snakes is illegal. Just inserting important facts to keep focus! Finally our driver brought us to a remote location where the President resides. There appears to be a small church in front of the vast house and a small cemetery. (Don't cross the lawn and look in the windows please - not allowed! Yet, people have done it.) We later learn that there are no security or bullet proof windows and such like in Iceland for the leaders. The current president has served the past 8 years and there is a pending election. The recent long-serving prime minister has resigned her post to run as president. The longest serving president was a woman who was elected in the early '80s and served for 16 years. She is now in her 90's and is, in the words of our guide, "regarded like a god." Returning to the comment about security, she noted that the only building with armed security, bullet proof glass and the like is the US Embassy. Hmmmm. Our tour continued and took us to a 360 degree observation deck which is a tourist destination called Perlan - Wonders of Iceland. It is similar in some ways to Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver where the building sits on a water reservoir. Though there are no gardens to enjoy here. But the view is definitely quite spectacular. Sadly, as was lacking the whole tour - she did not describe it well and left us with many questions. From there the drive continued with the worst commentary "that building over there... short description...on your right [we passed it, too late]...is the..." ---- never mind - too late. nine o'clock, eleven o'clock, three o'clock, to the left, the right, this is here and that is there. She just never timed her alerts to match so we could see what was out there. Argh! But then we came to the most remarkable building in Reykjavik (missed half of her history of it) but it started construction in the 1940's and finished in the 1980's. It is the Hallgrimskirja Protestant (Lutheran) Church. The largest church in Iceland, it is 74.5 meters tall (244 ft) and is the tallest building in Iceland. The church is named after the Icelandic poet and cleric Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674), author of the Passion Hymns which are still used today, mostly for funerals she stated. I would call this building the jewel in the Icelandic crown. We parted from the tour almost immediately after this stop so we could explore the downtown area on our own. Wise move. We walked 8,935 steps (5.76km) exploring the lovely, shall I say quaint, shopping area and wound up walking back down via the Rainbow Street (you've seen rainbow sidewalks, this is a whole block) which was a lovely sentiment. The whole city seems very gay positive. In the middle of the walk, we stopped at - get this - the Lebowski Bar. Yup, all Big Lebowski themes within. Very entertaining. We ordered the themed burgers and drinks and it was a refreshing, flavourful meal. Of course, we were hungry by the time we ate at 6:43pm. So, I forgot all about what I was food-searching for which was an Icelandic Hot Dog (never did get my NYC street hot dog!) and the Icelandic lobster soup. Durn it. We bumped into these foods AFTER I was sated. We strolled back down to the main thoroughfare and it was time to call a taxi. $3420 Krona (about $25USD) for a cab back to the ship. Curious to see what our driver knew, I asked him the population of Iceland - 380,000 citizens. He didn't even hesitate. He continued and described all sorts of buildings to us and pointed out the building where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986. He even told us that as they met the media just stood outside taking pictures of the door. The door was featured on the news, no pictures of the two leaders!! The point of sharing that is that our lovely cab driver knew more interesting things and pointed out with great clarity more buildings and sites for us in one short cab ride than our costly tour guide provided for us. There must be a lesson in this somewhere. Some Iceland facts... Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland. 80% of the land mass is uninhabited. 10% is glacier, 11% is lava, 18% is water. Most of the country is inhabited along the coast. Due to prohibition, beer was illegal here until 1989. Craft breweries are taking off here now. So, now having dropped the no-snake bomb earlier, you are probably wondering why? Well, it also includes no turtles or lizards. This is because someone got sick with salmonella in the 1990s so they did this to protect humans from infection. So, there you have it. This is Iceland and that was Reykjavik. Now for two more days at sea as we travel on to Amsterdam... UNO here we come!

Welcome!

...'cattle' ...you can do better NCL

couldn't resist a pic of this shared opinion!

this church looked like a viking mask to me. no details found about it though!

lava rock in a neighborhood - elf homes

a remote coastal church - mostly Lutheran population the second largest church in Iceland is the Catholic church

church and state!

view of the president's house

Perlan - Wonders of Iceland

panoramic views from Perlan

panoramic views from Perlan - see our ship in the distance

panoramic views from Perlan

local hospital

Hallgrimskirkja Church

Leifr Eiricsson

Hallgrimskirkja Church

doors of the Hallgrimskirkja Church

city hall

scenic Reykjavik

1924 touching bronze

colour and character

stein caps for beer bottles... love it!

another lovely building

some of the great buildings

our pit stop

amen Lebowski!

Lebowski Bar menu

them

a local drink - just like Fanta

yum burger

more amazing art work

actually just one of several

the local gay bar

this norseman is full of hot air

Remember Reykjavik

if you didn't know before - three ways to tie a cravate

M and the giant polar bears - a new band

he was dancing and I couldn't resist him

passed up on this, would need its own suitcase to travel

pretty birds

a colourful side street

Icelandic Hot Dog... missed again!

hello there!

so much lovely art around town

just sweet

Puffins cute as buttons

aptly named gift shop at the top of the street

Rainbow Street

lobster soup... darn, missed out

Reykjavik's rainbow street

11:00pm in Reykjavik - a lovely evening!

Iceland, Iceland

Sat, 04 May 2024 15:50:00 +0000

Halifax, Canada

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:50:00 -0300

New York, United States

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:50:00 -0400

Another lovely, bright day in New York city. This is our last day here as we board the ship tomorrow - Saturday at noon we board the NCL Prima. Today we did 13,002 (odd, same as yesterday) steps and 8.13 kms. Much less ground covered today but a sombre one as we went to the 9-11 Memorial. We did our final trip to the bank - wallets all set now for the rest of the trip. Then Bill, who is our highly, well researched and capable tour guide, directed our wanderings to the subway system where we boarded an 'E' train to the World Trade Centre. NYC is not foreign to the Boys and so they are terrific guides both architecturally and directionally. First stop, the Oculus. ‘The Oculus NYC’ showing the true spirit of New York is the new and improved transportation hub in the lower Manhattan area built on the site of the fallen World Trade Centre by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava is known for his international feats of architecture including the Harp bridge in Dublin (the only other of his works I had seen in the past). Today, we learned that the Greek Orthodox Church across from the WTC site - which was completely destroyed in 9-11 was also designed by Calatrava. But I am getting ahead of myself. So, we arrive at the Oculus which in its all white presentation is very Space Odyssey and futuristic in appearance. It is hard to take the vastness of the structure and the design in at first glance. But, pause and breath, and you will be captivated by the beauty of the design. The structure itself is the portrayal of a bird about to take a flight from the hands of a young boy to show that no matter what obstacle the city faces it will always be hopeful. The form comes from a model the architect made 15 years before the project’s completion called Mother and child. The project started shortly after 9-11 but took 14 years to complete. It was budgeted at 2 billion dollars but actually ended up costing 4 billion - making it the most expensive train station in the world. It took 11,500 tons of steel to construct. There are only 4 places in the world that make this type of steel so it was imported from Italy. The 365,000 square foot building features a skylight down the centre of the building's roof. During the day it is meant to allow sufficient light in for daylight inside and at night is intended to serve as a lantern. 225,000 square feet of the structure is a major economic hub with shops and restaurants throughout. This is where we headed first - Eataly in the Oculus. It was 11:45 and time for lunch. Well, we walked and rode escalators until we found Eataly which is on the 3rd floor. It is a VAST store featuring Italian food and wares. WOW... even a mozzarella lab where they make fresh mutz every day. 160 pounds of it to be precise. They use or sell it all either in the shops or in their restaurants. After a brief jaw-dropping stroll through this fresh slice of Italy, we found our way to the back where the restaurant was. Our timing was perfect and we got a window table for four which could not have been better located. We looked directly out at the 9-11 memorial. What a view. What a touching moment. I found that moment an emotional one looking over the site and seeing the south memorial pool. The water flows and appears to move sideways as it also flows down. Again, I am ahead of myself. The Boys ordered a wonderful antipasto platter that was soooo fresh --- the cheeses --- I swear they were made that morning. OMG... melt in your mouth freshness. After sharing this delight, we ordered two pizzas, equally fresh and delicious. Bill had an amazing drink with a hint of pineapple and I tasted cinnamon... If I made a mistake today, it was that I did not order my own. Durn it all anyway!! My dad used to say "now that I have reached the ultimate state of satiety, deglutition admonishes me to continue." When asked what that meant, he would smile and say "I'm full." Well, we were. So, it was time to pay our respects and tour the grounds below. We passed by some remarkable bronzes by the artists Gillie and Marc Schattner (“Gillie and Marc” a British Australian couple) called 'A Wild Life for Wildlife'. An interesting art installation and rather a bit of fun! Then over to the north memorial pool - currently under renovation so no water flowing. A stroll through the trees and over to the south pool which we had photographed from the restaurant. A deeply moving experience. An older gentleman in a suit appeared at my side and began telling me all the symbolism and features of the pools. He was softspoken and kind and this clearly had great meaning to him. I just stood and listened feeling the emotion welling up inside me. I wanted to ask, 'did you lose someone?' but felt that would be too invasive. He then pointed to the Greek Orthodox Church - all in white, like the Oculus, and revealed the history of its destruction and rebirth. He said, it is beautiful inside. If you have time you must go in there. I thanked him for his time and for the information. We began our stroll towards the Church. Up the stairs and around the corner into the church we went. And there he was again. Sitting peacefully, prayerfully, respectfully. I couldn't help myself - I took his picture. We didn't go into the museum. We didn't actually discuss it. But, I don't think I could have gone in if we had. I found the emotion of the experience of just being there as much as I could handle. A bit about the memorial site... In January 2004, the design submitted by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker, Reflecting Absence, was chosen as the winning entry from 5,201 submissions from over 63 countries. Their design features twin waterfall pools surrounded by bronze parapets that list the names of the victims of the 9-11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The pools are set within a plaza where more than 400 swamp white oak trees grow. The Memorial plaza also includes one Callery pear tree. In October 2001, recovery workers discovered the severely damaged tree at Ground Zero. Members of the New York City Parks and Recreation Department removed it from the site and nursed it back to health. Having survived the events of 9-11, the tree became known as the Survivor Tree. It was returned to the World Trade Center site in 2010 and now stands on the plaza as a symbol of resilience and perseverance. The Memorial opened on September 11, 2011, 10 years after the 9-11 attacks. Following this very moving experience, we paused and rested in Battery Park. Then coaxed our feet into carrying us over a few blocks to see the Trinity Episcopal Church which, unlike St. Patrick's, required the line up of people to put bags through a security screener and pass through a metal detector. Perhaps because of its proximity to the Stock Exchange (a block over with much security and no traffic allowed). It is in the tiny cemetery that surrounds the church where we find the grave of Alexander Hamilton! There is also the grave of Robert Fulton who invented the steam ship. It is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture and not as big as St. Patrick's by any means. It is actually the third Trinity church on the site as the first two burned down. From there we strolled, rather losing our momentum, through the NYSE district looking for Stone Street - the only remaining cobble stone/brick street in the city. A little wander about and we stumble upon it. Mission accomplished, now we search for the subway to get us home. The subway lets us out near the Moynihan Train Station right near the Madison Square Gardens and we pop in (well, we are anything but popping at this point) to the Moynihan Food Hall to pick up some dinner to bring back to the hotel. Tonight is laundry and packing night in preparation for the ship. It is a slow slog, walking the six blocks back to the hotel but we are in it to win it. We make it and park it. That's enough for today!! Another full day experiencing life in New York City. Two and a half days here and I think we did a pretty good job of tearing up the town in fast fashion fitting all our bucket list items in in short order. Good times, great company. The next step of our adventure awaits... one more sleep!

Getting ready to launch - in the subway!

Cool, calm, and collected on the subway

In the Oculus

Together we explore the Oculus

Heading up to Eataly

A photo moment in Eataly

Outside of the Oculus

Posing at the first part of the art installation Wild Life for the Wildlife

a respectful moment at the north memorial pool

Look who we found!! "To the moon, Alice!"

riding the NYC subway

Inside the belly of the Oculus

The futuristic Oculus

Perfect ad for Eataly!

Another Oculus angle

Here's the gang

Heading up to Eataly

Oh the cheeses!!!!

Making their daily mutz

Aperol Spritz anyone?

view from our table of the memorial pool (south)

World Trade Centre Tower

Across from WTC - the new Greek Orthodox Church on the left, old site to the right where the sculpture is

WTC Memorial Museum building

fresh and delicious pizza

Canoli filled to order! FRESH! Holy canoli!!

Oculus exterior

Wild Life for Wildlife art installation

elephant and dog playing chess, part of the installation

recognizing the artists

memorial museum

WTC tower

Wild Life for Wildlife installation feature

opposite end of the Oculus - looking futuristic yet prehistoric at the same time

the edge of the memorial pool - 2,979 edges that the water runs through on each side representing all those lost

The Greek Orthodox Church - Saint Nicholas

interior of the Grk Orthodox church

beautiful ceiling within

small but exquisite church interior

a candle we lit for all those lost

my mysterious, kind gentleman

The Koenig Sphere - previously located out front of the WTC. It was recovered from the rubble after and relocated here. Ironically, it was originally placed at the original WTC to represent world peace.

The Koenig Sphere

another angle of the church

cemetery at Trinity Church

Alexander Hamilton grave

such an old resting place

reflection of the Trinity Church in its offices across the street

A little church history

Remarkable raised bronze door to the church

inside Trinity church

The altar

beautiful votives

George Washington. First president. Had his inauguration on these steps

NYSE

lovely cobbled Stone Street

The gang on Stone Street

more of Stone Street

Strolling through Stone Street on our way to the Subway

I love the idea of a 'happier hour'... why not!

Del Monico's... who hasn't heard of it. Now we've seen it!

a simple bit of poetry on the subway

Madison Square Garden

The rest of the gang on the subway!

New York, United States

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:50:00 -0400

New York

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:50:00 -0400

We've landed in the Big Apple!! What a journey. The red eye was just that. I have no idea how much sleep I got and Marilyn isn't that much clearer on her journey! A flight with no entertainment (no TVs or plugs to charge) was a strange affair. I suppose it makes sense -- why watch TV/movies when you should be sleeping! Anyway, after a long layover in Toronto we were off to our connector to New York and here we are! Robin was our transfer driver, he's been here since 1977 and originates from Trindad and Tobago. He was full of advice and warnings for our safety. He laughed when I said I wanted to try a notorious NYC 'dirty water hot dog'. 'Nope,' he said, 'they really are in dirty water and the ratings for them are terrible. You don't want to risk your health,' he said. Lots of other things and places recommended instead - Gallagher's for a good steak ($29 lunch deal - but make a reservation)or Clementines... reservation also required. Well, we will connect with the boys soon enough and our plans will be solidified! So, up we go to our room to get settled and put our money and passports in the safe...when, uhoh, we realize we are missing one of our two money belts. This has our American travel cash for NYC and the ship in it. We begin tearing everything apart looking for it. Marilyn's gut is turning... she thinks it was lost in Toronto. Impossible, couldn't be... on a whim she looks up YYZ lost and found and calls. She gets a lovely young man by the name of Eugene on the phone. She tells him her story and what is missing. He goes away and comes back to say "I have some really good news for you ma'am. We have it." WHAT????? Someone was so completely honest, they found our cash and turned it in. It's almost impossible to believe. Truly. So, Marilyn works with Eugene, he walks her through the lost item reporting procedure and gives her a reference code to the found item to create a link for her. It's not quite a "bing, bang, boom, Bob's your uncle it's all fixed resolution" no, they will process the report... blah, blah, blah... it takes about a week. We will have the money shipped home given we board the ship in three days and then don't get home till late May!! So, off we went to the bank, sadly, to take a cash advance to tied us over on the trip.The folks at Chase were AMAZING as they helped us sort out our cash situation. Well, if we have to look at it some way -- it is with extreme gratitude that some kind soul knew the importance of turning in our travel funds to lost and found to bring us peace of mind. WOW. Thank you to whomever you are -- may you receive many kindnesses and good fortune yourself for your goodness and honesty. So, with that taken care of in a manner of speaking, we were off to distract our traumatized selves with our bucket list item: a carriage ride in Central Park. On arrival at the park we met Christina and her horse Sherman. They packed us in and off we went to tour the park. Christina was a bundle of fascinating facts... here we go... Central Park is 843 acres, 18,000 trees, 9000 benches, 51 bronze and marble statues, and 21 playgrounds spread throughout the park. There are 8 lakes and ponds in the park and the Mall is the only straight line road/path in the park. Everything else curves around. It was designed for the wealthy to take carriage rides initially. Mostly people worked six days a week back in the day, taking Sundays off, and if they could afford to they would head out on Wednesdays as well to show off their carriages in Central Park! (This is also why there are matinees on Wednesdays!) After the lovely tour where we learned about the Dakota, John Lennon and the Strawberry Fields garden in the park -- so named in his honour after his death. In fact, Yoko Ono actually wanted it named the Int'l Peace Garden but the Conservancy wouldn't go for it. However, she was quite instrumental in reaching out and gathering many different species of plants and flowers from sources around the world to make it an International garden regardless. In the middle of the garden there is a beautiful round mosaic tile art piece with the word "imagine" in the center. A very popular spot for photos. Yoko Ono, now 91 years of age, can look out from her Dakota condominium and see the garden from there. (She's lived there for over 50 years) One spot we had to go back to after our carriage ride was the carousel building in the park. I love a carousel ride! So, we walked back through the park and paid $4.00 each to spend maybe 5 minutes on an old carousel. Everywhere we go, if there is a carousel - must ride! This is the third carousel to exist in the park. The previous two burned down. This third one is housed in a beautiful brick and wood building to protect it. It truly had character. But, I must admit, the people working there did not see the magic in a carousel... sigh! From there we strolled back, hopped a cab and returned to our hotel. We stopped at the Joyce Pub just down the block and had dinner while catching our breath. Now we were just killing time while we wait the arrival of our lovely boys! They did not disappoint. 7:30-ish they rolled into the hotel where we were waiting in the lobby for them. Hugs all around! We are together again and the adventure is JUST beginning. Hip, hip, hooray!

Marilyn works with Eugene at YYZ lost and found, phew!

Marilyn meets Sherman (named for civil war general Sherman - who was a carriage fancier

carriages and cherry blossoms - a lovely mix

lead on Sherman!

at internationally famous Bethesda fountain in the park

Bethesda fountain

Angel of the Water statue - the only one specifically commissioned for the park (oh, and Marilyn!)

a lovely little balerina shows off for all

part of the sandstone masterpiece representing the four seasons at the fountain

our bucket list carriage ride!

a lovely ride and a pause at the carriage resting spot

Imagine mosaic at Strawberry Fields in the park in honour of John Lennon

the Dakota

a busker entertains the children

carousel details

lovely and amazing classic carousel horse