(Almost) Live from the Whisper - Southampton to Montreal

[Tothesunset]

 

Dinner tonight in the MDR, then off to Belfast.

Ah! My home town.

 

If you are at all familiar with or interested in the recent ''Troubles'' then you could do little better than take a black taxi tour (or similar) of the city which should include all the more notorious areas of the city (which, inevitably, include the Shankill from which I had the good fortune to escape many years ago!). Just beware that your guide/driver might not be a wholly disinterested party and events are subject to various degrees of interpretation. The Crumlin Road Gaol is worth a visit if you'd rather see something other than the Titanic Museum and is a very easy journey from the docks,

 

One unrecognised gem near Belfast is Stormont, the seat of the NI Assembly (and historically the seat of the Unionist hegemony). Not only is the building itself quite arrestingly grand, the estate grounds are beautifully maintained and the views from the hill on which Stormont sits are pretty impressive. If Stormont were on the mainland it would be a major tourist draw. The Assembly is currently in a state of flux but that means that tours of Stormont are possible.

 

I'm sure you will have your day in the City planned already, but if not it really is a good place to wander taking in City Hall, Queens University and Methodist College as well as the usual British shopping experience.

 

It's a city I admire and despise in equal measure! You can take the boy out of Belfast....

Edited August 25, 2017 by Tothesunset

[RosseauGirl]

Tothesunset

Thanks so much for all the suggestions - we have been before but are always up for some new experiences! This darn cold is dragging on, so I'm not sure exactly where we will go tomorrow, but I'm sure some Guinness will be involved!

M

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Emtbsam]

Cheers Rosseau Girl!

[joe_90]

Hi RosseauGirl

 

I too would recommend a visit to the Jail if you have not been take a free guided tour of City Hall. As for the black stiff look in the tourist centre for a card with a lot pubs with in walking distance,

 

if you see two lost souls causing mayhem in the bars or mdr come and say hello (thats if Sergio lets us into mdr)

 

Joe

[AirWaves1065]

So sorry your cold hangs on. Maybe our 2 nights at sea on our way to Iceland once we depart Belfast will do the trick!

[RosseauGirl]

Darn cold has dragged on so I spent most of the day sleeping. Sent my DH to town for pharmaceuticals, but I think the sleep has helped the most. Dinner tonight with the lovely Sofia followed by hilarious karaoke.

 

I am going to kick this darn cold before Iceland and it may involve a lot of wine!

 

Cheers!

 

M

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[rpfarris]

...I am going to kick this darn cold before Iceland and it may involve a lot of wine!...

You could try whiskey with honey, lemon and hot water... :halo:

[Camillus112]

You could try whiskey with honey, lemon and hot water... :halo:

 

Substitute the whiskey with rum, and this was my my family's recipe for us kids with a bad cold!

[CruisinPashmina]

I am SO sorry about your cold. I know you to be a great sport, but this is really bad luck! Your "sisters" all send you love.❤️

[joe_90]

I would like to say sorry if the noise in the mdr or the bar was too loud.

 

A note was waiting for us when we boarded requesting us to have dinner with the Hotel Director Henry D'Roza and some friends. What followed was a lovely meal and great fun.

 

The Whisper is in fine shape and true to form many of the crew made a detour just to hello they are the backbone of Silversea's wonderful.

 

Joe

[RosseauGirl]

A day at sea - cooking demonstrations, lectures, food and wine.....and we get back to the room to discover that the staff have taken all the breakables off the tables and counters because of the projected 5 meter waves tomorrow. Dinner at La Terrazza was wonderful, and we sang along with our fellow Canadian Steve in the lounge after dinner. But now I'm back at the room with my seasickness bands, waiting for the waves.

 

Sigh.

 

I think I need more wine.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TLCOhio]

we get back to the room to discover that the staff have taken all the breakables off the tables and counters because of the projected 5 meter waves tomorrow. Dinner at La Terrazza was wonderful, and we sang along with our fellow Canadian Steve in the lounge after dinner. But now I'm back at the room with my seasickness bands, waiting for the waves. Sigh. I think I need more wine.

 

Good luck in battling the rough, challenging seas. Appreciate your postings and the many wonderful details. Keep up the great sharing. Need to explore some of these interesting areas in the future. Seems like fun and unique parts of the world.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.):

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

Now at 52,621 views for these postings.

[RosseauGirl]

And another day at sea - but nowhere near as rough as predicted. Cooking demo in the morning, followed by a pub lunch. Totally dominated the scavenger hunt, did ok at trivia, and had a great time at Name that tune. Another show by Ian Conner before dinner, the man is a virtuoso with a violin. Tomorrow is Iceland and the Blue Lagoon [emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[RosseauGirl]

But the best part is that we booked next years cruise today! Stockholm to Copenhagen on the Wind next August [emoji16]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[spinnaker2]

Rousseau

Sounds like you are better.

I hope so.

A scavenger hunt?

What silly fun!

Love it.

[CruisinPashmina]

OMG! This is fabulous news. I will be going on the Wind, with three pals, from Stockholm to Copenhagen next August. Could we possibly be on the same cruise?? I can't tell you how thrilled I am with this possibility. I'll be shooting off some encouraging email invitations to my "girls" ASAP...Hang on T...THIS TIME....it'll absolutely be "Starring T!"

[RosseauGirl]

OMG! This is fabulous news. I will be going on the Wind, with three pals, from Stockholm to Copenhagen next August. Could we possibly be on the same cruise?? I can't tell you how thrilled I am with this possibility. I'll be shooting off some encouraging email invitations to my "girls" ASAP...Hang on T...THIS TIME....it'll absolutely be "Starring T!"

 

 

That is amazing!! Sooooo looking forward to seeing you again!

[RosseauGirl]

Good morning, Iceland!

A gorgeous sunny warm day here. Just getting ready for our trek to the Blue Lagoon . Will try and post about our experience.

Have a great day!

M

[RosseauGirl]

Had a lovely trip yesterday to the Blue Lagoon, with the best weather of the trip so far in Iceland, go figure. The crew also had an outing to the Lagoon, it was wonderful to see all of these hard-working people having fun and letting loose. Today we are at sea en route to Greenland. The seas are actually fairly calm, although it is a bit rainy, windy and cloudy. Attended a wine tasting at 11, and busy reading the Chronicles for trivia at 445.

 

I have to comment on the food. We have never had a bad trip on SS, gastronomically speaking, but the food on this trip has just been consistently excellent, in all venues. Kudos to the Chef and his staff.

 

 

Tonight is the Venetian Society formal night, followed by dinner in La Terrazza. Tomorrow we continue to cruise towards Naursaursuk (sp?) as we reach the halfway point of our trip.

 

Michele

[Orange County Murphy]

Hi, RosseauGirl,

I have read that Canada has issued restrictions on ships this month to protect the right whales, many of whom have been injured or killed from collisions with ships. Some cruise lines have altered itineraries. Has Silversea altered your schedule?

[RosseauGirl]

Hi, RosseauGirl,

I have read that Canada has issued restrictions on ships this month to protect the right whales, many of whom have been injured or killed from collisions with ships. Some cruise lines have altered itineraries. Has Silversea altered your schedule?

 

 

 

We thought about the same thing but have not had any info from SS yet? We head to Gaspe after Nfld, then Quebec City so the only difference may be in arrival and departure times. If I hear anything, I will post.

 

M

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Orange County Murphy]

Thank you.

[jollyjones]

I have asked a number of officers and no one will give me any answer other than that the Captain will let us know in due course, although they do admit that the schedule wasn't planned with us cruising at 10 knots up the St Lawrence (the new speed limit) so it seems inevitable that something has to give.

I hope we leave Gaspe earlier, it'll be a nuisance if our 7pm arrival to Quebec is delayed, I'm sure I'm not the only one with dinner reservations in Old town Quebec that evening.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[spinnaker2]

Hello jolly.

Hope all good and you are enjoying.

:-)

[rpfarris]

Hi, RosseauGirl,

I have read that Canada has issued restrictions on ships this month to protect the right whales, many of whom have been injured or killed from collisions with ships. Some cruise lines have altered itineraries. Has Silversea altered your schedule?

What's the difference between a right whale and a wrong whale?