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Live from the 2019 Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage


Scrapnana
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10 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

I have just posted some videos on my blog.  There is a portion of the tooting between Veendam and Prinsendam (especially for my "sail-away" friends).  Also, Ann (Vict0riann) had a great seat at the Boi Bumba show and allowed me to use some of her video clips.  Many thanks for her generosity.

 

 

Loved the video of the Veendam and Prinsendam tooting back and forth.  We did that one time from the Westerdam each time we saw the Zaandam -- which was several times on the Pacific coast.

 

Thanks Ann for the great videos of the Boi Bumba show -- they were great.

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March 15, 2019

At Sea

 

Today was a really lazy day most of it spent knitting starting with Knitters and Stitchers.  We had 12 present.

 

Patty, Sherita, and I had lunch in the Lido before afternoon trivia.

 

Our losing streak continued with 14.5 out of 20.5.  Winners had 16.5.

1) Who starred as Trev the elephant seal in Happy Feet.

2) What essential kitchen utensil was patented by Ezra Warner in 1848?

3) How many main islands in the state of Hawaii?

4) What color are cranberries before they turn red?

5) What is trypanophobia?

 

After trivia I checked out the Explorer's Lounge where they were having a silent auction to benefit the Nightingale Children's Home in Barbados.  Items being auctioned included Grand Voyage rugs, charts, etc.  (Later I heard a rumor that the dinner with the Captain in his quarters went for $1000.)  The ship has also been raising money by raffling off the penguins.  $5 for a chance to take home one of them.

 

In arts and crafts they made a St. Patrick’s Day card so Pat and I decided to work on our knitting instead.

 

We had 14 out of 18 in evening trivia with the winning team getting 17.

1) In what decade was the leaf blower invented?

2) What color is the bottom stripe on the Egyptian flag?

3) Which clothing designer’s logo is a stylized Medusa head?

4) What is another word for lexicon?

5) What O. Henry story involves an ironic gift swap?

 

Tonight was our next to the last Gala Night.  Our pillow gift was the Grand Voyage plate. 

 

Tom from the jewelry store hosted our table.  Norvin, our wine steward, was nice enough to bring me Muscato instead of the regular wine.  I had French onion soup, land and sea, and a Bananas Foster sundae for dessert.

 

The show was a Vegas style entertainer.  I skipped it.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) Steve Irwin

2) Can opener

3) 8

4) White

5) Fear of needles

 

Evening trivia

1) 1950s

2) Black

3) Versace

4) Dictionary

5) The Gift of the Magi

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

Edited by Scrapnana
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I used to knit and crochet a lot but for as many hours as you do.  Now with bent fingers from arthritis, can't do any of that.

 

Our yard man also takes care of our snow.  He has a powerful leaf blower that he uses to blow away the snow when we have even up to 2 inches.

 

Hope somebody buys those penguins -- cute reminder of the cruise.

 

 

 

 

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March 16, 2019

Devil’s Island (not really), French Guiana

 

From 1852 until 1953 the Salvation Islands (about 7 miles off the coast of French Guiana) were used as a penal colony.  Ile Royale was the general camp, Devil’s Island (Ile du Diable) was for political prisoners, and Ile Saint Joseph was for solitary confinement.  Probably the two most famous prisoners held on the islands were Alfred Dreyfus (accused of treason) and Henri Charriere who wrote the book Papillon (although there is some question as to whether he was ever really on Devil’s Island) which later became a movie starring Steve McQueen.  Today, you cannot visit Devil’s Island but you can visit the other two.  Our visit was to Ile Royale.

 

Pat, Patty, and I boarded the tender just after 9:00 and reached the island at about 9:20.  The walking was up and down steps and the sides of the hills.  To be honest, if I had gone alone I would have gone quickly back to the ship. 

 

We walked for about an hour in the heat, checking out various buildings, and finally arrived at the hotel at the top of the hill.  We stopped for some expensive soft drinks ($16 for three Cokes) and then visited the equally expensive gift shop.

We finished up our look at the buildings by seeing some of the guard’s homes (which are now rented out by the hotel), the church, and the children’s cemetery (these were the guard’s children).  We found a way through the palm fronds to get on the path that led down to the water without having to use the uneven stone steps.  Along the way we saw some beautiful flowers as well as many animals. 

We were back on the ship shortly after 12:30 and made our way to the Lido for lunch (and two Cokes for me!).  Patty had to go to practice for the Choir which performs tomorrow but Pat and I stayed and knitted (she also took a bit of a snooze).

 

Afternoon trivia was one of our worst with 7 out of 17.  Three teams tied with 11.

1) Which Jane Austen novel has a main character named Fanny Price?

2) What mental illness was the subject of A Beautiful Mind?

3) Which country won the 2006 soccer World Cup?

4) What are “neos” to a concerned astronomer?

5) What pop star claims to be a descendant of Herman Melville?

 

I was really tired after our walk (over a mile and a quarter on uneven terrain) so I decided to eat early with my other table.  I had chicken brochette, beef tip stroganoff, and a butterscotch sundae.

 

Finally we made a comeback in trivia winning with 14 out of 20.

1) What role gave Tom Hanks a chance to star opposite Elvis and John Lennon?

2) Which has had the longest TV run – Hockey Night in Canada, Wide World of Sports, or Monday Night Football?

3) Which sporty car company, based in Northern Ireland, ran out of gas in 1982?

4) What backpack company failed to patent their igloo shaped tent?

5) Which Hogwarts professor sports a left knee scar that looks like the London Underground?

 

We all went to the show which was another good performance by Graffiti Classics.

 

Tonight was a theme night – Prisoners Party.  The dining rooms were decorated and the waiters had on striped uniforms.  At 9 pm there was a dance party in the Ocean Bar.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) Mansfield Park

2) Schizophrenia

3) Italy

4) Near Earth objects

5) Moby

 

Evening trivia

1) Forrest Gump

2) Hockey Night in Canada (debuting on TV in 1952)

3) De Lorean

4) Jansport

5) Dumbledore

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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We toured Devil's Island many year ago.  Very hot and humid day -- especially for the walk uphill.

 

We also had cokes -- weren't as expensive back in the 90's.  Also paid $5 each to get our certificates indicating that we had been there.

 

Glad you won the evening trivia after that bad loss in the afternoon.

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March 17, 2019

At Sea

 

Not my typical sea day although it did start with Knitters and Stitchers.  We had a good-sized group with 13 present.

 

We left just before 11 to go to the Sunday Brunch.  This brunch was different from the last one because you ordered what you wanted rather than getting a sampling of everything.  Pat and Ann, Pat, Patty, Sherita, and I enjoyed ourselves.

 

We had 17.5 out of 21 while the winners had 18.5 in afternoon trivia.

1) What was wrong with the Oscar given to Spencer Tracy for Boy’s Town?

2) Which is lighter – helium or hydrogen?

3) What lake, partly in Uganda, was named as the source of the Nile in the 1800s?

4) Which country does not have a coastline on the Arabian Sea – Oman, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, or India?

5) What are the top four rated breeds of dog for sense of smell?

 

We left trivia to get a seat for the talent show which took place at 3 pm.  There were six individual performers and then the choir performed selections from Les Mis and then Hallelujah.  Patty was in the choir.

 

The show was an hour so I returned to my cabin to get ready for dinner since I was eating early.  On my way to dinner I had to pick up my passport – there were lots of new stamps in it. 

 

We had a special St. Patrick’s Day menu which I did not care for very much.  I had a Caesar salad, corned beef brisket (which was delicious), and plain ice cream for dessert.

 

We won again in evening trivia with 16 out of 20.  It was an Irish themed trivia and it helped that Pat is from Ireland and Patty is currently working there.

1) Why is St. Patrick’s Day celebrated on March 17?

2) In what year did New York City have its first St. Patrick’s Day parade – 1856, 1762, or 1715?

3) What is traditionally done to a loaf of Irish soda bread to ward off the devil?

4) In what century was the first recorded Irish Parliament?

5) How many pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide on St. Patrick’s Day (hint – it is more than the average daily consumption of 5 million but less than 15 million)?

 

As soon as trivia was over Pat and I went to the Ocean Bar to grab seats for the six of us.  While we were waiting for the festivities, Pat received notice that her daughter-in-law was in the hospital and in labor.  I logged into her phone so she could stay on-line in case word came in (but it has not yet).

 

Sherita and Patty came back from the drawing for the penguins and Patty had won one!  He is named Friday and is from Robinson Crusoe Island.  She really wanted to win so we were happy for her.

 

Stevie played a number of Irish songs and Graffiti Classics joined in.  There was a large crowd and it was good we were there early.

 

We gain an hour of sleep tonight.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) It was inscribed to “Dick Tracy”

2) Hydrogen

3) Lake Victoria

4) Afghanistan

5) Bloodhound, basset hound, beagle, German shepherd

 

Evening trivia

1) The day he dies

2) 1762

3) A cross is cut into it

4) 13th

5) 13 million

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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March 18, 2019

Bridgetown, Barbados

 

At 2:32 a.m. I received the call from Pat that her grandchild had been born in Norway (where her son and daughter-in-law live).  His name is William James and he weighed in at 8 lbs, 8.5 ounces.  She was ecstatic!

 

After getting the information that half the ship had been waiting for, I went back to sleep and got up again a few minutes after 7 as we were just getting ready to dock.

 

The tour I took was called “Relaxing Barbados” and it was sponsored by my travel agency.  We were supposed to leave at 8:30 but HAL had set it up for 9:30.  We had to wait awhile before the second bus arrived but were finally off just before 9:00.

 

Our guide, Mona, gave us lots of information about the island as we first traveled along the west side of the island and then across the higher area (1100 feet is the highest point) and then along the Atlantic coast.  Prince Charles is visiting the island tomorrow since Barbados is part of the British Commonwealth even though it became independent in 1966.

 

Our first stop was at Bathsheba on the Atlantic known as the “Soup Bowl” to surfers.  We had time to take pictures before getting back on the bus to go to St. John’s Church.  The current church dates from 1836 but is the fifth one on this site.

 

The final stop was at Sunbury Plantation House.  Sugar Cane has been an important part of the economy since the 1600s and this house was built around 1660.  We had a nice light lunch before touring the house.

 

We returned to the port just before 2 pm.  There are lots of stores in the terminal and I looked around and returned to the ship just before 3.

 

We had 15 out of 19 in afternoon trivia.  We tied one other team for the win.  About half of the questions were making an encore presentation.

1) In 1970, which woman won all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments?

2) Who played Cole Porter in the 1944 movie, “Night and Day “?

3) Brothers Sam, Jack, Harry, and Albert did what in 1923?

4) What came to an end in the U.S. in December 1933?

5) What are the names of Popeye’s four nephews?

 

At 5 pm I had an appointment to meet with Sheryll, the Future Cruise Consultant.  I booked back to back cruises in late summer of 2020.

 

We only had three of our regular team for evening trivia (the rest were at the Cellar Master’s Dinner).  Shiraj (arts and crafts instructor) played with us.  We had 14 out of 19 while the winners had 16.

1) What Film Noire actress starred in movies such as “I Married A Witch”, “The Glass Key”, and “Sullivan’s Travels”?

2) Other than Abraham Lincoln which president or presidents on Mount Rushmore had facial hair?

3) Which animal has the longest lifespan in captivity?

4) What game is played on a lawn called a “crown green”?

5) How many crocus flowers does it take to make a pound of saffron?

 

Only four of us present for dinner.  I had the chilled berry soup, crostini, prime rib, and a blueberry sundae for dessert.

 

I was planning on going to the show (comedian Martin Beaumont) but we finished before 9:30 and I was already tired and still needed to do the blog so I didn’t go.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) Margaret Court

2) Cary Grant

3) Warner Brothers Studio

4) Prohibition

5) Poopeye, Pipeye, Pupeye, and Peepeye (Who knew he even had nephews???)

 

Evening trivia

1) Veronica Lake

2) Teddy Roosevelt

3) Tortoise

4) Bowls

5) 75,000

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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March 19, 2019

Port Elizabeth, Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 

Pat, Patty, Sherita, and I met at 10 to take the tender over to the island.  We walked down along the main street which is right on the harbor until we got to the first beach.  We waded in the beautiful, clear water before heading back into town.  On the way we ran into Pat (Ann had already returned to the ship) and decided to have a cold drink.  We picked one of the many restaurants and ordered drinks – 4 of us ordering a rum punch and one a twist on a pina colada.  As we were drinking we decided to have lunch and everyone tried a different type of roti.  I had a meat and potatoes roti which was seasoned with curry (rotis originated in India).  We all had a second drink before heading off to do some shopping.

 

We returned to the ship and I showered and changed because we were having a busy afternoon.

 

Trivia was held at 3:30 and ended with us in a tie with another team with 13 out of 20 for the win.

1) Who was the famous mother of Mia Farrow?

2) Name the four countries with a “Q” in their name?

3) In what century did Chaucer write “The Canterbury Tales”?

4) For what movie did Denzel Washington win a best actor Oscar?

5) In what decade was the golf tee patented?

 

Instead of coming to trivia, Ann went up to the Lido pool deck to save us a table for our last sail-away party.  Ann and Pat, Pat and Tom, Sherita, Patty, and I sat together and took advantage of the free drinks.  The Ocean Quartet played and the weather was perfect.

 

Evening trivia was held in the Showroom because my travel agency was having a cocktail party in the Crow’s Nest.  We did not do well and we are blaming it on the amount of alcohol consumed today.  The winners had 9 and we only had 6 out of 17.

1) Which was the first rock group to play for nine nights at Madison Square Garden in 1988?

2) Which Yankees legend was known as the “Commerce Comet”?

3) Which actress had four Oscar nominations between 1998 and 2002?

4) Which continent was the first to grow oranges and bananas?

5) Which city is homebase for the “Knights of Malta”?

 

Sherita, Patty, and I went up to the cocktail party after trivia.  Since I had already imbibed about as much alcohol as I do in five years of non-cruising days, I had a Coke.

 

Once again there were only four of us for dinner.  I had “Treasure Chest Celebration of Fruit Cocktail”, “Pirates of the Caribbean Petite Beef Tender”, and Jack Sparrow Chocolate Red Velvet Cake” for dessert.  The dining room was decorated for the Pirate Night and the servers were all dressed accordingly.

 

I then met Pat and Patty and sat at the Pirate Party.  A number of people had dressed for the theme.

 

There was a singer in the Showroom at Sea but I did not go.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) Maureen O’Sullivan

2) Mozambique, Iraq, Equatorial Guinea, and Qatar

3) 14th

4) Training Day

5) 1880s

 

Evening trivia

1) The Grateful Dead

2) Mickey Mantle

3) Judi Dench

4) Asia

5) Rome

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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March 20, 2019

At Sea

 

I awoke at the very early (for me) hour of 8:06.  I wanted to see the deck sale that started at 9.  They advertised “Grand Voyage Souvenirs” but the only things I saw specific to this cruise were tote bags.  Everything seemed really over priced so I did not buy anything.  I was slightly hungry so I stopped by the Lido for juice and a roll before heading upstairs for Knitters and Stitchers.  We had about 12 present.

 

Sherita, Patty, and I had lunch in the Lido.  They had three different cold soups for the first time I’ve seen in the Lido.  I tried the peach and ginger soup and the blueberry.  Both were very good.

 

We had 13 out of 18 correct in afternoon trivia but the winning team had 16.

1) The legendary fragrance Chanel #5 came out in what year?

2) How old was Loretta Lynn when she became a grandmother?

3) In what novel does most of the story take place at Thornfield Hall?

4) What do you do when you “nictate”?

5) Henry David Thoreau said, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet ____.”

 

I heard the end of the EXC guide’s (Heather) talk about our last two ports, Willemstad and Oranjestad while waiting for the Indonesian Crew Show.  It was a very short show (just over 30 minutes) but the performers put their heart into putting on a great show.

 

I had my afternoon ice cream before heading back to my cabin for the inevitable --- packing!  I spent an hour filling one suitcase to the brim and was very pleased with how much I got in it.  Then I looked around my cabin and there is still a ton of stuff to pack ☹.

 

Evening trivia was in the Showroom again although nobody knew why.  We had 16 out of 19 but the winners had a perfect score.

1) What is a “UFO” in needlework terms?

2) The Pyrenees separate which European countries?

3) What element has the atomic number of 26?

4) Fidel Castro became the leader of Cuba in what year?

5) What is the animal symbol of Thailand?

 

Ann and Pat, Sherita, Patty, Pat, and I had another wonderful dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  I had shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, and the lemon brulee tart for dessert.

 

I have an early morning excursion tomorrow so I skipped the show.

 

Afternoon trivia

1) 1921

2) 29

3) Jane Eyre

4) Wink or blink

5) Desperation

 

Evening trivia

1) Unfinished object

2) France and Spain

3) Iron

4) 1959

5) Elephant

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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