dani negreanu

Thank you. Yes, they are. The cake was voted "outstanding" in a cheese cake survey by dairy producers. It is one third cream cheese 30% fat, and 2/3 yogurt 10% fat. Very fluffy and easy to bake.

Thank you, Graham, for the special wishes in Hebrew, and Bonnie, for "saving" me the "explanation". Arzeena, look what you're missing 😉 We celebrated "Shavuot" with our kids, grands and our in-laws (since their other 2 "kids" took the opportunity of the long WE and flew abroad). Inaugurated our balcony for the season, and were lucky to find a very tasty water melon. I've baked a cheese cake, as is the tradition. It was a very pleasant and lovely evening, with the time flying by.

@George C + 2 + 4 👍 Thank you for sharing those beautiful pics. Glad you had a wonderful cruise 🌹 @Ocean Boy OB, + 2 @Arzeena and the proximity to cruise ports + 2 😉

@bobmacliberty Bob, what can u tell "us" about your daughter's wedding preparations? 😉

Maryann, congratulations to your granddaughter on her achievement 🌹 + 1 @aussielozzie18

Yes, we do. BUT, since booking last November, our flights have been changed 3 times already.... I'll tell you about it only AFTER we get there....

Ellen, how do u feel? It was "just a cold"? 😘

+ 1, and thanks for sharing 😘 @jagsfan Looks delicious, Bonnie. So glad you've enjoyed your time with family and Luca 😘 We were in Modi'in today, celebrating an early birthday of our grandson2 (the whole our DIL's family are traveling to Turkey next Wednesday for a very long "Shavu'ot" WE, when the "real" b'day takes place), and every time I pass your SIL "abode", I think about you 🌹

+ 1 Sue, and congratulations 🌹 @Lionesss

It was closed... Major disappointment for DH. See below. Queen Sophia was closed -- May 1st. Had now idea it is so thoroughly celebrated in Spain. Since we had to postpone our original trip, I had trouble finding new dates which will work for us. When I've booked last October, the flight from Marrakech to Madrid was 62$ pp and now, the cheapest was 250$ pp, the hotel in Madrid was 861 Euro and now 1375, not to mention the flight from Tel Aviv to Marrakech which "jumped" from 909$ to more than 1600$ pp. So I managed to find the Tel Aviv to Marrakech at the original rate just for April 25th, and adjusted accordingly... Turns out that we arrived in Madrid in time for May 1st celebrations, "bridged" to May 2nd, a very long WE and the city was packed. You practically couldn't move on Gran Via... At least, it left us with a taste to return 😉

DH very much wanted to sample a "local" paella, keen to know what are his "competitors" up to... So we went to a very hipped paella place, reservations ahead required, and touted as "made to order", 40 mins wait. At the beginning we thought he would order his paella and I'll order another dish, since rice doesn't agree with me. Well, the minimum order was for 2 persons, so I've sampled some of the langoustines. He was quite disappointed with the quantity and variety. The rice was very good. That's the "made to order sea food paella" (52 Euro) -- and that's DW version, with plenty of sea food, including stuffed calamari 😉 I rest DH's case ...

Last pics from Madrid -- Mercado de San Miguel (Food market), so many kinds of sea food mainly. Porta de Sol - Wide pedestrian street leading to Porta del Sol - Nice buildings (The Four Season hotel, on the pedestrian street above) -- A lively square near our hotel -- Had a nice meal and cheap at one of the restaurants there -- Dali's "Dream". One of the hundreds of amazing pics we enjoyed at the Thyssen museum. A huge collection of impressionists, and also American painters like Copley, John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer (the museum in Portland, in our cruise stop, also has a nice collection of Homer).

We took the train which is adjacent to the terminal into Cobn. Walked, as Jim said, about 10 mins to the English Market and enjoyed it very much. We had more time than you in port and after the English Market took the local bus to Kinsale and back. Took the train back to ship. Had enough time to walk up to the cathedral too. I think that with your time in port, Cork by train is very doable.

Wishing you a wonderful cruise 🌹

The "Memorial Table" seems like a very moving gesture and so nice of them to include Dan in it. I don't see the bride's face (all brides are beautiful 😘), but the dress looks amazing. Ellen, get well soon. Sometimes it takes Covid even 4-5 days to make an appearance (as was in my case), so.... there is "hope" 😉

We were amazed at the huge amount of sandals sold at the Marakkech market.... And a few pics from Toledo. Beautiful city. I didn't do my homework as I usually do, fearing another disappointment, and found it too hilly given the hot weather we were experiencing. Luckily, inside the stunning cathedral it was very pleasant -- Toledo's train station -- So many shops were selling swords in different shapes and forms Random pics

@DaniDanielle Marietta, sorry for the multiple posts. The site was down when I hit "submit" and after an hour or so.... turns out there were several of them. I've asked the mods to delete the additional ones, but they're taking their sweet time... 😘 @TravelGirlinDallas Bethany, you should be so proud of your handsome son's accomplishments. And a very happy birthday to him. [In Israel he should have been given a very big party, since 13 is "bar-mitzva" / aka grown man 😉 ]

Marietta + 1 @DaniDanielle

+ 1 🌹 🥂

Madrid was so very different from Marrakech. I felt immediately at home. I appreciated the lively atmosphere on the streets. Our room in Catalonia Las Cortes hotel. The hotel is situated in an old 18th century small palace whose interior has maintained all of the original frescos, as well as the main staircase and coving. We saw many buildings which were renovated, leaving out only the facade. We immediately set to know the neighborhood. Plaza Mayor Another nice building along the way And a nice girl who attracted the photographer's eye....

+ 1 🌹 Karen @Keksie

Chris, wishing you a very enjoyable cruise. After reading your post, I was also intrigued about your quite special itinerary, and went to check out cruises. Found one which really interest me (October 21st), but, how shall I say it politely, the reviews about Infinity aren't quite "appealing"... I hope that the itinerary more than makes up for it.

@grapau27 Love it too, G & P + 1 Karen, I couldn't agree more @Keksie The best place to celebrate

It seems we have a cease fire, even though rockets were fired after the official time.... I hope to be back tomorrow with the "regular" program, just wanted to congratulate Jennifer @jmh2006 on her birthday with my heartfelt wishes 🌹 and Warren @Que Sera Sera for being such a compassionate human being. Hugs to the cutie 😘

Thank you, Graham and Maryann, and thanks ALL the others for their prayers and their thoughts. So far, we're OK. I'm just very frustrated and very angry at the endless circle of violence in our region, where absolutely no one on both sides values life and is looking for a "modus vivendi".... Tomorrow we had a reservation to celebrate our DS2 40th anniversary. It will have to wait. I really hope that this "circle" will end soon, and I'll be back continuing my pics from our last trip. ((((((( ))))))