dani negreanu

I never thought I'll read those words... In ALL the other "episodes" of conflict, we were convinced that we can rely on the army/government to take care of us. Therefore, we didn't "stock" water & food. Not anymore.... Just 2 days ago, when we were notified to do that "you have to stock food and water that will suffice for 72 hours while being enclosed in a shelter...", we filled 2 empty bottles of mineral water with tap water and put some crackers in our shelter. You cannot find mineral water in all the stores, and, if you find, you cannot buy more than a dozen bottles. Same with just a dozen eggs. So many men were called to active/reserve duty with an emergency note, that drivers [with their trucks] and other service people are thoroughly missing. Add to that that the settlements most afflicted/wiped out near Gaza strip supplied at lot of agricultural produce, which is now lost, and more than 15% of the milk [many cows died since the terrorists destroyed the automatic feeding machine/or milking machines] and there is nobody left ... First time also that I went and bought a natural tranquilizer for my soul. It helped. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE KIND WORDS AND FOR THE MORAL SUPPORT 🌹 + 1 @Sea Dog Greg

Another vote for this company -- http://www.thenfordgreytours.com/

Yes, his first wife passed away, and, after a while, he met Judith, married her, and they cruised together until his illness.

@Sheal Thank you, much appreciated. I was wondering why you stopped posting, glad you're OK, just taking "time out".

@HBE4 and those who expressed sympathy for our plight -- You have no idea how much your thoughts and prayers are keeping me sane. Thank you, ALL, again, from the bottom of my heart.

Just from Israel's point of view -- Our family, our friends, our neighbors and all our acquaintances are very thankful to President Biden for standing by Israel and saying that we have to right to defend ourselves. This declaration gives us a lot of strength and a very much needed moral boost.

Sadly, the Jazz was fully booked for our stay last month, and the H10 Catalunya Plaza came highly recommended on the "Spanish ports" forum, mainly because its awesome location. I've booked on their official site and got a nice discount (B&B). We were very pleased with our stay. The location cannot be beaten, right in the middle of "everything", we took the Aerobus from the airport (13.5 Euro for two) and there is a taxi station in front of the hotel (18 Euro to the cruise port). Hotel 1898 was a bit pricey for us. https://www.h10hotels.com/en/barcelona-hotels/h10-catalunya-plaza?&utm_source=Tripadvisor&utm_medium=BusinessList&utm_campaign=HCP&tc_alt=32594 @mo&fran + 1 👍

No, you don't !!! You're very mistaken.

Thank you, I really hope so. Living on a "powder keg" one can only hope that his plans will go ahead...

So happy your daughter and SIL will join you. Glad you booked the best located cabins too 👍

Jewel is supposed to be homeported in Haifa only for 2.5 months (part of August, Sept-Oct). I recommended Jewel to many of my friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Some of its sailings are already fully booked. It is quite a feat to have such a nice ship as Jewel homeporting here. Let's hope that the "situation" will be better until next summer. It cannot get worse than now 😢

Living here, and seeing the situation right now, sadly, it would not be resolved in the next couple of weeks... I feel for all who had the Holy Land on their bucket list 😢

@helen haywood Yes, Marian, that's my "silver lining" too, keeping me in a modicum of sanity... Thanks. @taznremmy No, Pat, you're not. I'm also seeing a baby frog, after magnifying the pic 😉

They're very forthcoming at Hotel Jazz. I wrote to them, asking, if possible, for a very early check in after our cruise last year, and it was graciously granted. It is so much better to "settle down" in your room before going out again to explore. Don't forget Kasa Ramen just around the corner if you fancy a "comfort meal" 😘

"Somewhere" is not good enough... 😉 Here's the link again, saving you some "finding" time https://www.hotelfontana.it/en/#/ ... and the brownies not only look scrumptious, they taste same too 😎 The news are so depressing, that I'm glad I have this thread and trip reports on CC to "divert" my mind of all that's happening....😢

Thank you, Raye. So far, we're OK.... I especially appreciate you coming over from Bella's to post this 🙏

@grapau27 @Coralc @h20skibum Graham, Patti & Mark, Thank you. We're OK for now, and I'm glad that our grands are not in Israel anymore.... Woke up at 6.30AM to the "tune" of sirens alerting missile attack. DH, who doesn't wear his hearing aids when sleeping, was blissfully unaware. Woke him up and we rushed to our shelter room. Having a "deja vu" -- 50 years and one day ago, a Saturday, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.... The Yom Kippur war started. DH, as a reservist, was drafted for 6 months !!! We were married less than 9 months. I moved back to my parents. The worst scenario all over again, but 50 years ago we had the "buffer" of the Sinai Peninsula, and the first victims were soldiers. Now "they" crossed the frontier straight into civilian cities and settlements....

@helen haywood Marian, I wish... No much cattle for meat raised here. Mostly imported, and if imported, it has to be "kosher". The "kosher" process is not "conducive" to a tender meat.... Kuddos for DH for the pictures... I take the whole "responsibility" for the yummi brownies, and, YES, vanilla ice cream is a MUST 😉 @FromSea2ShiningSea Helen, + 1 , agree in both counts, thanks 🌹 @Luckynana Maryann, Definitely go to "our" hotel in Venice 😎 @grapau27 Graham, + 1 💐 + 1, Charlie @DaniDanielle & Greg @Sea Dog

Thank you. We've used them from Civi to FCO. The price went down from 85 to 80 Euros when the shuttle was full (3 couples). They were on time, thank you for the recommendation 🌺

After such a compliment, I couldn't resist to "show off".... Since our allergic to wall nuts, etc. grands are far away, DS1 asked for my [according to his HO] "delicious brownies". Asked DH to take a pic, and, as usual, he doesn't "just" take a pic, he has to "stage" it. "Pls. bring me a plate..." I obliged. "Not this one, I've used it last time...", "Oh, this one too...", "Yes, it will do..." ☹️

Crystal, A bit late.... heartfelt thanks for such an interesting and riveting review 😘

Not Sue 😉, but yes, it is. This round structure is very distinctive.

Thanks, Bonnie. My back pain is much better to the point that it let me sleep at night... As for DH, he's still weak due to low hemoglobin, started to eat chicken liver to boost his iron levels. As an aside, we traveled to be with DS2 for Rosh Hashana, and DH wanted to cook at least 2-3 traditional meals. With the "gefilte fish" DS2 didn't succeed in finding a "suitable" replacement to the carp we're using in Israel, so that dish was a complete failure. We were happy to find chicken liver, but it turns out the taste of the chicken in Holland is so very different from the taste here. We were ready to "blame the chef", but when I tried to do schnitzel, or just baked chicken breast, the grands were not keen... The meat was tough to the point that you couldn't chew it. Back here, it's another "world".... So happy. We'll have to rethink the meals we're going to prepare to the grands next time we'll visit.... They so longed for "Savta Dani's schnitzel" 😉

Saving the best for the end.... The grands very much enjoyed the visit to "Ripley's believe it or not" museum, especially impressed by the highest and the tiniest man, and the one with the longest nails.... Our "Israeli" son has very limited time off, and we offered to foot the bill for a short flight (4 days) during the long Yom Kippur WE. It was a huge surprise for the grands, who were rooting for him to visit. Here's where he suddenly appeared by the back door.... The expense was so worth it, just to see their sheer joy. During his short visit, he managed to teach the youngest one to ride the bicycle, a feat his own father didn't manage to accomplish....

The very moving and very impressive monument in the memory of the Dutch Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Every brick represents a name, Anne Frank included -- As it happens, the tiny village of Ouderkerk (where DS2 lives, for now) is home to a very old Jewish cemetery (from year 1614). Turns out Amsterdam was considered "prime [real estate] location" and the Jews were not allowed to bury their dead there. There are many interesting graves there. Just one example -- there is some link between the drawings and the person resting there. For example, Abraham, Isaac &.... [on the left side], "Akedat Yitzhak" [Binding of Isaac]. Right side - Mozes van Mordechai -- Moses and the burning bush, Moses receiving the 10 commandments and the Book of Esther [Mordechai, "Megillah"]. I admit there is another scene [2nd from the bottom] which, with my very limited knowledge of the Old Testament, I don't recognize...