Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[TLCOhio]

A women threw her baby from the ninth or tenth floor and it was caught.

 

Sounds like a true "MIRACLE" in saving that baby in London. Amazing and to have it happen from the 9th or 10th floor??!! Let's hope more lives were saved.

 

Having been to Fatima Monday, the phrase "miracle" has more and deeper meaning. That is where Pope Francis just visited for the 100th anniversary last month. Pope John Paul II visited there three times and credits "our Lady" for his recovery from the assassination attempt against his life. The three bullet that struck him were given by this Pope to enshrine there at Fatima that just about an hour plus north of Lisbon. Although we are not Roman Catholic, this site was very moving and inspirational. A few pictures to share below.

 

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 225,420 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

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

 

The first two visuals are from Fatima with its older church, plus the newer Cathedral that seats 8600+ for mass, etc. Third is Our Lady of Victory at Batalha. It is considered the best example of gothic architecture in Portugal. Fourth is fish stew for two while dining overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Nazaré. The last two pictures are from Óbidos, the medieval town surrounded by walls. With my wife are Julie and Bruce who will be on our upcoming Silversea cruise, plus super expert guide Suzana. All wonderful history and sights to sample Portugal beyond Lisbon.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

 

 

 

 

 

[Camillus112]

Just waking up and reading about the horrific, tragic event in London. My thoughts are with all affected, and with the magnificent city that has so much suffered in recent times.

[MissSophia]

The fire is still blazing in parts of the building now but have just heard that some people have been rescued.....there seems to be some controversy about the plastic cladding recently put up to make the building look better ....six people to date have perished.

 

One feels pretty helpless ......

[MissSophia]

Shots.....brilliant photos of you delish looking food....I sometimes see some of this smoker cooking on the Food Network channel, aways makes my mouth water!

 

S☺️

[UKCruiseJeff]

The fire is still blazing in parts of the building now but have just heard that some people have been rescued.....there seems to be some controversy about the plastic cladding recently put up to make the building look better ....six people to date have perished.

 

One feels pretty helpless ......

 

It sounds like a possible cause was a fridge exploding on a lower floor. Only early stories so cannot be relied on.

[ShotsnCruises]

The news is sad and horrific today. Praying for those who have lost lives and homes in the fire. I'm sure more and more stories will come in as the day goes on.

Here at home we are hearing stories of lawmakers being shot at a baseball game!

Just keeps getting sadder and sadder.

 

 

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[spinnaker2]

The fire looks so horrific in the photos and hearing the reports of witnesses to it is terrifying. I too share in prayers for those hurt and for families and others who lost their lives.

Again news here of senators and congressmen who were practicing baseball about 8 miles outside of DC shot at by a lone shooter with a rifle. Wounded were airlifted or otherwise evacuated.

 

 

 

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[MissSophia]

Oh Lordy Spins and Shots......so sorry to hear of this across the pond.......we haven't any news here of this right now but thoughts with you.

 

S

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terrible news Spins and Shots. Terrible.

[spinnaker2]

 

First course tonight.

Cold cucumber soup with smoked corn, tomato and red onion garnish.

 

Followed by grilled wild caught salmon and fresh green salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Rosemary sour dough bread to accompany.

 

No dessert.

:-(

[jpalbny]

Magnifique! J'espère que le porc est délicieux! It looks tasty from here.

 

Opened the pool today. Later than usual because we're having a sunroom built in the back yard and our fence has been down since mid April. So the pool is greener than usual. Spent today cleaning...more work to do still, but better than it was!

 

Spins, yummy soup. Just the thing for a hot day. Shots, your bbq pictures a few pages back were awesome. So much good food on this thread!

 

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[TLCOhio]

Super enjoyed our first night on the Silver Spirit. Great meal and Portugal wine in the Main Dining Room last night. Amazing sailing out from Lisbon, going under their Golden-Gate-style bridge. Off to do Porto today. Probably start my live/blog tomorrow. Getting used to the ship, the technology, etc.

 

Overall, very impressed by the Silver Spirit. A nice upgrade from the Silver Cloud. Lots to love on this ship. The tips from Spins and others for this ship have been very helpful. For Lois, the towels worked very well when showering. Not too, too thick, but working just fine. Good and large towels. Great, roomy bathrooms on the Silver Spirit that works very well.

 

Trying to avoid CNN and some of the continued news reports from London and Washington, DC. Sorry!!

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 216,262 views.

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

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning Coolers,

 

Terry you and wifey have a great Spirit and the very best wishes for your new Blogg / Thread and may the Count God give you many views! :)

 

Thanks JP, looking forward to the first batch. I'm doing a 221 with the pork ie 2 hours open, 2 hours closed and 1 hour basted to crust, and the lamb will be to 150deg.

 

Today we are smoking! :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

 

 

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[Lois R]

Hi Terry, thanks:D............glad to know the towels are good and the bathrooms are roomy:D

[Camillus112]

Welcome to all delightful foodie pictures! Jeff, your handsome VF seems to be fuming already... Lovely day to all Coolers!!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi all,

 

The first eatings from VF, was a tiddly lamb shank. I made a rub including oregano an thyme garlic salt and olive oil and other stuff, and wifey who wasn't fully on-side with my smoking ambitions is bowled over.

 

We can see for future eatings a nice smoked lamb shoulder because it's nice and fatty with Mediterranean veg and salad and pitta.

 

Not photogenic but was eatogenic.

 

 

 

 

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[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Lots of sunshine today! Hurray!

 

J...that lamb shoulder looks awesome! Congrats on your first go! I'm really looking forward to your future endeavors.

 

Epicurus continues to provide food for thought!

 

Have a great day all!

[jpalbny]

Cool Jeff. Shoulder cuts are great for long slow cooking (à la smoking) because they are fatty, as you mentioned. Your idea for lamb shoulder sounds yummy. Try a pork shoulder some time too!

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks M and JP,

 

All the expertise on smoking seems to come from the US and they don't seem to use lamb so it was a bit of an experiment. But smoked lamb just brought the smell of a very leisrely Greek island taverna or in my vase Cyprus to La Cuccina .....

 

The pork will be ready in half an hour or so for it's sauce baste and final hour. It's great learn something new.

[jpalbny]

Yeah this type of cooking is huge in America. The cynics have a funny way of looking at it which I will paraphrase...

 

People spend thousands of dollars on fancy barbecue equipment, and spend days marinating, cooking, etc - all to make a cheap piece of meat taste like an expensive cut of meat. Why not save time and money, and just buy an expensive, tender cut of meat? [emoji23]

 

Note that I'm not posting this because I agree with it. Just amusing. I love the flavor of a nice BBQ but it is true that they often use cheap cuts of meat.

 

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[spinnaker2]

Yummily looking that lamb!

What fun to have a smoker.

We are all on our way to your abode.

 

 

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Edited June 15, 2017 by spinnaker2

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks JP and Spins ..... just waiting another few BBQ pauses to take out the pork.

 

It has always seemed to me that expensive meat gives soft texture for those that feel that they are either unable or not willing to devote their time to cooking meat and chewing it. All the best flvaoured meats are cheaper cuts and that is why peasant food is the best food. And whilst you can make inexpensive meat taste expensive you cannot add the same degree of character to expensive meats. No fat, no flavour.

 

An insult often used on the internet for people that post and others need to upset was and has been "You need to get yourself a life" or "Do you have nothing more important to do" but in reality isn't it a term of abuse that really indicates a sort of success that you have time to post and do stuff and not work? Being an Idler? If you are lucky enough to no longer need work but can choose then the illness that might overatke you is boredom and a lack of distraction.

 

I think those American BBQ'ers know that when you BBQ, you're doing lots of things we all miss. It is the restablishment relinking with primeval instincts of cooking outside and with traditional methods, flame, wood and smell. (Or in my case substitute electric ....) You are outdoors, there's smells, there's the desire to always make the next smoke better by finding that illusive trick or technique to find the nirvanna of perfection. It is a way to occupy the mind that uses the brain, smell, thinking and eventually eating and I'm not sure that there are many better ways to occupy the time.

 

I've enjoyed my first day and it'd not going to be evry day but I've loved it. :)

[ernieb]

Hello Jeff

Here http://amazingribs.com/ is a very comprehensive website you may enjoy.

It covers about anything you may desire about BBQ, grilling and smoking including many recipes.

Good luck.

[mysty]

So glad you enjoyed your first day of "smoking" J! That is really the key! The enjoyment!

 

If I may wax a little philosophical for the moment.....I have been pondering the whole issue of people feeling the need to jeer and or attempt to discredit those who do not hold the same opinions/likes/dislikes as they do. Why do that? We are all different and yet the same. We do not all share the same views of things. We do not all like or dislike the same things. There is no "right" or "wrong" on things like a person's choice of favourite cruise line or ship or restaurant or city or hobby. With life so very short as recent events have proven, why not just enjoy whatever you can (without hurting anyone else) while you can and allow others the privilege of doing the same without trying to discredit their choices?