Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[UKCruiseJeff]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/29/petition-calling-donald-trumps-state-visit-uk-cancelled-gets/

[Joc123]

JP sorry to say I can't get your photo

[specialcruisegirl]

Hi All....[emoji4]

 

Spins....do hope your son is recovering well and Dr Spins enjoys retirement....I'm guessing it's the Spirit crossing you're doing again this year.

You were quite correct, l have been in Spain for a long weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Did a low cost flight into Alicante and stayed in an old favourite hotel right on the beach and only fifteen minutes from the airport....sea view from my balcony was so beautiful and lovely to hear the ocean.

I also found an old favourite restaurant which hadn't changed a bit ..still run by father and son with Mama cooking.....we enjoyed the most delicious sizzling garlic prawns followed by Paella on one day and next time had the grilled squid and pork medallions served with Mediterranean roasted vegetables and simple boiled potatoes....all washed down with a superb wine at just two euros for a large glass........chose by the glass as l had red and my friend white!

The city itself is so great to explore and we walked miles each day just enjoying the ambience.....it was also very clean and safe with friendly locals....we were the only english folk in the restaurant which made for the most pleasant experience!

So all in all a very relaxing break and great value for money......

 

Back to reality again this week but only ten weeks until the first cruise of the year so lots to look forward to.....[emoji16]

 

Also looking forward to following JP on the upcoming travels......

 

Happy Day

S [emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jpalbny]

I gave up on Google Photos, as I'm reading that they no longer support embedding images into non-Google websites. That is insane. I've been using a backdoor which they have apparently figured out how to close. So I'm trying to post pictures from Flickr now. It seems a little clunky. Hopefully I'll figure out an easier way to do it when it's time for the trip review.

 

***

 

Last night we did some preliminary packing for India. Looks like we'll be fine with just two rollaboard suitcases and our (small) carryons. Most of our clothing is light and it doesn't take up too much space. I'm bringing an old pair of shoes that I'll probably throw away at the end of the trip - and yes, I'm bringing a second pair so I'll have something to wear home... :rolleyes:

 

***

 

Here is another go at the picture from the previous post.

 

Speaking of food, yesterday we were stumped for dinner, and looked through some recipes that we'd cut out of Food and Wine magazine. Lo and behold, we found a simple one for which we had all the ingredients!

 

It was a sausage and potato roast. Cut up some potatoes, Italian sausage, and shallots. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast the whole mess in the oven on a baking sheet. When done, toss the hot stuff with chopped arugula and lemon juice. Simple. And it was tasty, just what we were looking for on a cold winter's night.

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon all ......

 

Welcome home Soapy .... sounds like you had a great time.

 

Spins, hope son is progressing well and do wish Mr Spins all the very best for a healthy and long and happy retirement. I'm sure it will be full of fun.

 

JP, lovely pics ..... particularly those spuds. You must be getting excited. We use Photobucket because it's the only site that also takes ftp uploads which is what our secuirty cameras use. If you ever consider them to protect home when you're away PB is the way to go although they claim that they do not support ftp and it has the odd period when the facility is down. It is strange how badly configured some of these sites are. Enjoy your last minute preps.

 

Today was lasagne.

 

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Jeff

[Travelcat2]

Good afternoon coolers ..... and thanks Jane.

 

Last nights Chinese delivery and today's lunch was lamb brochettes/kebabs .... I'm on a bread and water diet for a while to get me down to a mere 5 months pregnant look rather than the 18 mentioned elsewhere ....

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

 

The Chinese food did not look appetizing but your kabobs look exceptionally good (and your salad does as well - even though I'm not a salad person).

 

Glad that you are home for a while as I miss your food posts when you are away (meaning food that you cook - not food that you are served by others;) )

[spinnaker2]

Home from the infirmary. I know son is better because he told me my car needs a good wash and wax.

He provided me with a bottle of wax to use, and instructions.

 

Jeff your pasta looked ambrosial!

 

JP your food description (and later the photo)made my mouth water.

Hope your cat continues to enjoy it's nine lives. I am eager to hear about your foray to India!

 

I am obviously depleted.

 

Waiting for DH to get home to describe what I believe will be an ambivalent set of emotions. Today is the last day. He already texted that he received a bunch of balloons. :-) in the past days and weeks he had been given lovely cards and lots of champagne. Truly his devotion to his practice is laudatory.

 

Sophia, yes we are on the crossing from FT Lauderdale to Lisbon and then the next segment to Barcelona.

 

Tonight the temps will drop quite low, and frost warnings are out for some parts of Florida. Brrrr...

 

Enjoy what is left of this day all.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Spins and TC ......

 

I love kebabs. It took me a long time to work out something so simple. I really enjoy donner/gyros and also marinaded lamb kebabs. So I worked out a sort of hybrid. I simply slice the lamb neck very thinkly and marinade them and then concertina and twist them on to steel kebab skewers.

 

I also enjoy making flatbreads when there's time ..... and making Balkan and Croation kebabs and pide and lahmacun ....

 

Some piccies of my kebab versions ....

 

Jeff

 

ps .... sorry about the gaps ....."Mind the Gap"!

 

 

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[jpalbny]

Tasty, even with the gap!

 

Tonight was "use the random veggies in the refrigerator" night. Tomatillos got charred and chopped into a salsa with tomatoes. Poblano peppers sizzled with onions. Add steak and we had some tasty fajitas. Four more dinners to go...

 

 

 

 

First night in over two weeks that one of us isn't on call. So lots of wine, of course! Enjoying a nice Finger Lakes dry Riesling now, for dessert!

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Edited January 31, 2017 by jpalbny

[tgh]

Vstrong endorsement for the Leela Palace in Delhi, if you are looking for a bed JP

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1676917-rtw-3-vietnam-maldives-tackling-india-s-golden-triangle-ac-oz-sq-ai-tk-5.html

[UKCruiseJeff]

Out of interest ..... how long do Coolers believe it will be before enough in both houses constitutes a potentially viable effort to impeach Trump on the basis that provable previous "wrongdoing(s)" in his business affairs has brought his position as President into disrepute?

 

Jeff

[ShotsnCruises]

Out of interest ..... how long do Coolers believe it will be before enough in both houses constitutes a potentially viable effort to impeach Trump on the basis that provable previous "wrongdoing(s)" in his business affairs has brought his position as President into disrepute?

 

Jeff

 

They won't. First of all, both houses are Republican. Second, he has done nothing unconstitutional.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Second, he has done nothing unconstitutional.

 

Unconsitutional? :confused:

 

You obviously will be better informed than a mere Brit, but I understood that impeachment can be started because of provable perjury or bribery - not just treason - during his business career before becoming president that might cause his tenure as president to be viewed as bringing the office into disrepute.

 

With over 4000 cases having been fought by him and a few dozen still current it seems inconceivable with what we know about his behaviour that he hasn't at some point bribed or perjured.

 

Aren't Republicans wishing to dump him on an upward trejectory or are you suggesting they will support him for a full term or two?

 

Jeff

[Travelcat2]

Jeff, while I do not like getting political, I will say that the majority of the people in the U.S. cannot stand Pence (even if they don't like Trump). So, it is doubtful that anyone would want Trump to be impeached lest they be left with Pence.

 

On another note, your onions look so good. The ones we get in the U.S. don't have the strong flavor that they used to have. Are the ones you use strong or mild in flavor?

 

Okay - you made me hungry - time for lunch!

 

Jackie

Edited January 31, 2017 by Travelcat2

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Jackie,

 

Yes, I'd understood how unpopular Pence is, but I sort of figured that the worst Trump progressed and the more dangerous and risky he was seen as being, the less unatractive Pence might seem ie the lessor of two evils if you get my drift.

 

Yes, the red onions are supposed to be sweeter and milder and mostly they are. I like to buy bags of smaller red onions and I love them in sandwiches and salads although wifey cannot stand them.

 

Soapy has sent me some Alicante food pictures to post if I could but I use to be able to upload them to Photobucket, but not since the latest ipad updates. I'll try and figure it.

 

Today was a one bowl dish, an improvement on what wifey liked a few days back of chicken with vegetables in a Noily and Provencale herb sauce. Boring piccy but she loved it and it was ready for her return from her raid of the shops in our local town. The chicken I think is hiding but it is certainly there ...

 

Talk about bleedin' role reversal.

 

:D

 

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Jeff

 

.... can't get rid of these spaces. Something PB is doing with the links I guess.

Edited January 31, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[spinnaker2]

Jeff

We are living in some altered parallel universe. Every day is an adventure and a tumultuous, hazardous undertaking rife with risk. Our "leader" is not some dauntless, gritty hero who is brave, but someone who preys on fear and falsehoods.

 

I am not sure he can be impeached, yet. But remember that bill was impeached and stayed in office.

 

Interesting take on the impeachment issue at salon.com

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Spins,

 

Genuinely appreciate the posts so far on this issue as it is an intriguing steep learning curve for a Brit who has an appetite to learn.

 

I understood that there have been only two impeachments in total US history ignoring Nixon's resignation and that Bill was found not guilty. So I guess looking for precedents is not going to be helpful because I think this water is totally unchartered.

 

It seemed to me that there are so many potential skeletons in Trumps history particularly with respect to potential bribery and/or perjury that it seems inconceivable that there is none that could carry a successful outcome if one were sought for impeachment purposes, that is with the proviso that I have understood the potential grounds for impeachment that are available.

 

It seemed to me simplistically that Clinton wasn't impeached because it wasn't "the sentiment" of either house to do so on such a silly "crime" as what many might think were certainly lies under oath but perhaps they felt - or more accurately self-justified - that they could live with the argument that the context lacked sufficient importance to throw him out?

 

Jeff

[spinnaker2]

Jeff

Take a look at a commentary piece by rosa brooks from January 30 in the Chicago tribune.

I tried to copy it and paste to no avail...

[spinnaker2]

Also there's the 25 th amendment which provides for a way for an impaired president to be removed from office....

 

And already 400,000 people have signed a petition for impeachment

[Stumblefoot]

Out of interest ..... how long do Coolers believe it will be before enough in both houses constitutes a potentially viable effort to impeach Trump on the basis that provable previous "wrongdoing(s)" in his business affairs has brought his position as President into disrepute?

 

Jeff

How long? Probably as long as it takes the U.K. to not implement Brexit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UKCruiseJeff]

Fascinating article. Thanks.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-impeach-trump-president-mike-pence-20170130-story.html

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

How long? Probably as long as it takes the U.K. to not implement Brexit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thankfully, it is highly unlikely that anyone is in danger of losing their lives with a long Brexit.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Also there's the 25 th amendment which provides for a way for an impaired president to be removed from office....

 

And already 400,000 people have signed a petition for impeachment

 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928

[Stumblefoot]

Thankfully, it is highly unlikely that anyone is in danger of losing their lives with a long Brexit.

 

Jeff

I'm confused as I thought the question was in regards to impeachment. Are you asking if Americans are fearful for their lives because of President Trump?

 

I may not agree with some of his policies, but I can't think of a single instance that I've read or heard on television where us Yanks are worried about losing our lives because of the new President.

 

 

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[ernieb]

As a strong Trump supporter, I agree with almost everything the man is attempting to accomplish. I think the cabinet he has nominated is excellent and that the Dems are being obstructive to the detriment of the country.

Also had Trump not prevailed I think there would be a much better case for a second Clinton impeachment than ever will be the case for Trump.