Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Two

[UKCruiseJeff]

Mine with toasted doorsteps and mustard ... hers with Warburtons and HP sauce.

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

I'm just making a couple of sausage sandwiches if you want to take one with you Terry, :) Jeff

 

Appreciate Jeff's nice and kind offer, but I think that Qatar Airways will continue to keep offering us plenty of good, handy food. Plus, no time now to fly to London for picking up that sausage sandwich.

 

Food Name Correction: That dish that I called a "goulash" was actually an "Indian Butter Chicken". Yes, did have curry in it. My wife really liked it, too. Beside the other item shown that was a chicken salad, the other was named Mutto Biryani. All very tasty!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples this city that is so great for "walking around", personally seeing its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 56,785 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[UKCruiseJeff]

It very much looked like a butter chicken to me Terry, but I can understand you mistaking it for a Hungarian Goulash ...... they are so similar ...

 

:eek::eek:

 

:D

 

Might the other one be Mutton with an "n"?

 

Jeff

Edited January 27, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[TLCOhio]

It very much looked like a butter chicken to me Terry, but I can understand you mistaking it for a Hungarian Goulash ...... they are so similar ...Might the other one be Mutton with an "n"? Jeff

 

Yes, Jeff is right again!! Hope this does not make him too over confident with such big praise.

 

Below is the latest forecast for our six different days in Cape Town. Know it is in the "F" temperature standard, but hopefully it is easy to convert and see that things are looking good for our time in this popular and scenic city.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 134,566 views for this posting.

 

 

From AccuWeather for Cape Town, South Africa, here are the details on their forecasts for this famed city, its historic average on these dates, etc. Looking forward to fun in Cape Town.:

 

[jpalbny]

Terry, glad that you are enjoying the journey! Hope you arrive well-rested and ready to explore all that Cape Town has to offer.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, glad that you are enjoying the journey! Hope you arrive well-rested and ready to explore all that Cape Town has to offer.

 

YES, J.P., we arrived in Cape Town just a couple of hours ago. You are correct on one of two of your "hopes". We are ready to explore this great town, but we are hardly "well-rested". Getting here involves lots of long flights with timing that challenges the normal sleep cycles.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 193,283 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here is the view from our mini-balcony at the Cape Royale Hotel that overlooks the Cape Town Stadium at Green Point that was built for the 2010 World Cup. Cool view and nice breeze today towards the water and coastal areas. Yes, we are in Cape Town!:

 

 

 

Here are a few other quick visuals. First, our air routing from Qatar, down the eastern Africa coast to Cape Town. Second is a look at some of the South Africa mountain terrain as we were getting close to Cape Town, plus the big Boeing 787 engine that powers this aircraft. Third was view out my window as we took off from Doha's new mega airport that give a little sample of the town's museum, royal palace, etc., areas.:

 

 

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning Coolers!

 

Lovely sunny crisp spring morning here ..... and we drove to Mottisfont for a wander around the gardens and house.

 

Terry --- nice piccies! My late uncle was a pharmacist in CT and when he was bored or when it was quiet he'd lock up shop and put a sign on his door with an upwards arrow. It was a handwritten sign which simply said " ^ UP THE MOUNTAIN ... BACK IN 4 HOURS". Go "up the Mountain" Terry, that will reinvogorate you!

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited January 28, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

Afternoon/Evening Coolers!

 

Great pics posted here!

 

We actually got off the ship today in Fakarava, French Polynesia. Rainy weather but good to set our feet on terra firma!

 

 

Silver Whisper is in the background.

[spinnaker2]

Feet on earth!

Good thing.

Take care Mysty.

[jpalbny]

Excellent news! Glad to hear from you, and hope you're enjoying yourselves immensely. :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Nice Piccy M!

 

Good to see you on terra firma!

 

Jeff

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

Thank you all! Myster and I are having a ball! We've met some very nice people and our dance card is being filled with interesting dinner companions! I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I am not dreaming! :) I really appreciate all the kind support and encouragement from the coolers! Thank You!

[les37b]

This is weird!

 

Anyone else not able to view the photos above? I couldn't see them at work today - but didn't think anything of it as they block image and social media sites. But Ive got home and unable view on my laptop either. (Images were ok yesterday as I saw Terry's pretend Goulash!) I thought it might just be a browser thing, so I used Edge and Chrome, but still no show. Then I wondered if it was my ISP blocking - so used my phone on 3G - but still nothing.

 

Just me? (Damn weird if that's the case!!)

[spinnaker2]

Yes les.

Lost them.

Also lost my post from yesterday which was completely benign.

[jpalbny]

Must be a database issue with CC. Couldn't read posts a few days ago but no issues today... Pics show up fine for me.

Edited January 30, 2016 by jpalbny

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! We are in Moorea today. I was getting set up to post some pictures but PhotoBucket is down for maintenance. I think that might be why the posted photos have disappeared. Hopefully the issue will be resolved soon!

 

Have a great day/evening! :)

[jpalbny]

That makes sense, Mysty! Enjoy Moorea. It rained buckets when we were there back in 2007. Still, the "mysty" mountains were pretty!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi all,

 

Sad about PB, but it isn't routine maintenance .... possibly an attack. They say unforseen circumstances! Been down for at least 18 hours or so and at the moment there is no published ETA.

 

Jeff

Photobucket

6 mins ·

UPDATE: We underwent a major infrastructure change during low peak hours. A major unforeseen issue occurred that has lasted the better part of the day. Our engineers found and fixed the issue, and they are currently testing the site for stability. Once this is verified we will begin to roll out the changes to the site. We will provide another update in the next 60 minutes.

 

 

 

.

Edited January 30, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[TLCOhio]

Hi all, Sad about PB, but it isn't routine maintenance .... possibly an attack. They say unforseen circumstances! Been down for at least 18 hours or so and at the moment there is no published ETA. Jeff

Photobucket 6 mins ·

UPDATE: We underwent a major infrastructure change during low peak hours. A major unforeseen issue occurred that has lasted the better part of the day. Our engineers found and fixed the issue, and they are currently testing the site for stability. Once this is verified we will begin to roll out the changes to the site. We will provide another update in the next 60 minutes. .

 

Appreciate Jeff's helpful update on PhotoBucket's challenges. Just completed our first full day in Cape Town. Amazingly wonderful weather, people, sights, etc. PLUS, I have captured so many wonderful and varied visuals. Will share more later as PhotoBucket gets fixed and I have more time. Really loving Cape Town. All of the "hype" is true . . . and more!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 134,636 views for this posting.

[TLCOhio]

Must be a database issue with CC. Couldn't read posts a few days ago but no issues today... Pics show up fine for me.

 

Yes, it appears that PhotoBucket has solved their "issues", at least for now. There's no explanation on their website for what happened and/or how they got things "fixed". Appreciate Jeff's figuring out of the problem.

 

Another beautiful day in "paradise" here in Cape Town. Fairly flexible day! Took 424 pictures yesterday. Lots of good and interesting ones!! Just the serious challenge for narrowing down and picking only the "Best of the Best"! Won't start my live/blog for a day or two. BUT, will have lots of visuals to start and reflect our journey leading up to the Feb. 2-12 Silver Cloud sailing.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 193,417 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here are two visuals from our Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight with Qatar Airways. First is my wife in the Business Class single-seat set-up along the window-side of their plane with the pink LED lighting shading. Second was the beef dish served on our flight. Liked the idea that you could have dinner and/or breakfast with our choice of timing at any points during this flight.:

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

For Thursday evening in Cape Town after we arrived late that morning from Doha and our original Tuesday afternoon departure from Columbus, below are a few visuals samples.

 

PLUS, most important, proof that we did not go without enjoying some local beer and great dining delights. Per JP's excellent suggestion, you can see where we dined at Den Anker. AND, with great views for the exciting and interesting harbor action, mountain watching, etc. The best news? The VALUE!! For our beers, dinner, dessert, tip, etc., for the two of us, the total cost was only $29.50. Like the visuals? Many more to come!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 208,454 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here is the first sampling of views from in and around the V&A Waterfront of Cape Town on Thursday, Jan. 28. First, you can see a portion of their busy harbor area, including the perfectly-sited Den Anker, plus the red brick historic Clock Tower, etc. Second is a Nelson Mandela statute with the famed Table Mountain in the background. Third is the signage on our dining location next to one of the older, historic buildings in the area. Fourth is my seafood dining treat!! Look good?? Fifth is the view from where we were seated outside with views of the Cape Grace Hotel, mountain drama, various boats in the harbor and a group of students going by as they were doing their practice sessions. Sixth is a view of one musical group performing outside as we walked around after dinner. Fun!!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Here is just a small, quick sampling for part of our exploring around Cape Town with Clive, our expert guide. He was wonderful in explaining the city, its unique history, seeing the sights in a way that made the "logistic" easy. He was driving in his excellent Land Rover. Earlier in the morning, we had a moving experience visiting Langa, the oldest Township in South Africa. Lots of history, not all good, there. More on that later, plus the full range of info and picture on the live/blog.

 

On PhotoBucket, they had did have this item shown: "Our servers are coming back online You may continue to experience slower than normal load times. Rest assured that there is no data loss and that all of your content is safe. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience and truly thank you for your continued patience."

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 35,518 views for these postings.

 

 

First, are three views from in and around their older parts of the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD), including first the City Hall and the South Africa Parliament Building in the third visual.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From high above Cape Town on Signal Hill, here is the view of the harbor area, including the dock where we will board the Silver Cloud. Bring back memories for those who have visited Cape Town?:

 

 

 

Here is just one of many spectacular views from riding the Cable Car up to the top of Table Mountain. You can see Lion's Head mountain that peaks at 2,195 feet above sea level. This peak forms part of a dramatic backdrop to the city of Cape Town and is part of the Table Mountain National Park. Amazing views all around. Friday was rated as a top 10% viewing day with the clearness and ability to enjoy such sights. The Table Mountain Cableway was Swiss designed and officially opened in 1929. It has been extensively upgraded and new cars now carry 65 instead of 25 passengers. The new cars give a faster journey and rotate through 360 degrees during the ascent and descent. The highest point on Table Mountain is 3,563 feet above sea level.:

 

 

 

Finally, here is one quick view of the multi-colored exteriors of some historic homes near the Central Business District. It is called Bo-Kaap and was formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is quintessentially a Township, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill and known for its brightly colored homes and cobble stoned streets.:

 

[Keith1010]

Terry sounds like you are off to a great start.

 

Keith

[les37b]

Panic over. Photos back again.

 

Nice piccies Terry and Mysty. Loved the TV aerial shot! lol

 

Still weird stuff going on though. I log in, then when clicking to make a post, it bombs me out and I have to log in again. Thats happened for a while now.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Nice piccies Terry ..... looks like you're off to a wonderful start.

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

ps. That dish looks really good, particularly that bisque looking sauce. I can imagine scooping up that sauce with one of those shells.

Edited January 30, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff