Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Mackdogmolly]

17 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

Quarantine works . . . as long as people do the right thing.

 

Unfortunately it only takes a few to do the wrong thing to escalate numbers.

 

Stay safe! 🙂

Thanks Baynanno1, you too. And agreed.

Betsey

[nordski]

Since we need a dose of serenity in these times, here is a picture of a woman out for her morning workout on our lake. Now, I know she is training and pushing her capabilities, but for me...serenity.

 

And the loons were singing as well.

 

And since we are celebrating Canada’s birthday I am out in my special face mask. The most decorated house in our neighbourhood is inhabited by Dutch immigrants (1950’s) who have embraced their new country,

 

And since the EU has opened up entry by Canadians, perhaps it’s time to think again of visiting the Netherlands!

[Mackdogmolly]

3 hours ago, nordski said:

Since we need a dose of serenity in these times, here is a picture of a woman out for her morning workout on our lake. Now, I know she is training and pushing her capabilities, but for me...serenity.

 

And the loons were singing as well.

 

And since we are celebrating Canada’s birthday I am out in my special face mask. The most decorated house in our neighbourhood is inhabited by Dutch immigrants (1950’s) who have embraced their new country,

 

And since the EU has opened up entry by Canadians, perhaps it’s time to think again of visiting the Netherlands!

Nice pics! No EU for we here in the US! And who can blame them! 😟

[nordski]

5 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Nice pics! No EU for we here in the US! And who can blame them! 😟

Well, of course our freedom to travel to the EU is  a purely hypothetical one at this point. At our age we won’t be going,

 

Air Canada has announced that they will “fill” their planes now. That’s not an attractive thought.

 

And the border to the USA is still closed for casual travellers.

 

So, like you, our horizons are very limited. But that may be a blessing. 

[Mackdogmolly]

22 minutes ago, nordski said:

Well, of course our freedom to travel to the EU is  a purely hypothetical one at this point. At our age we won’t be going,

 

Air Canada has announced that they will “fill” their planes now. That’s not an attractive thought.

 

And the border to the USA is still closed for casual travellers.

 

So, like you, our horizons are very limited. But that may be a blessing. 

We are so sad that we can’t travel to Canada! We have been subscribers to the Montreal Opera for over 30 years and can’t really renew for next season given not knowing if we will even be able to cross the border. We also really have our doubts that they will even be able to proceed with their season . I think I heard that Broadway is now dark until January 

Edited July 1, 2020 by Mackdogmolly

[Host Jazzbeau]

We have made it to Maine for our annual vacation.  Got tested for Covid [negative, as expected] but NYers were exempted from the test requirement right as we were having our nasal passages probed.  We had the lightest traffic ever on the way up, and every motel has its Vacancy sign out.  Went to dinner last night at a restaurant with lots of outdoor tables (full) and about half as many indoor tables as in prior years (also all full).  Hiked in Acadia National Park – more hikers than we expected, but we were on a 'baby' trail for our warm-up hike.  Here's a picture from the deck of our cottage:

[Ithikan]

Very nice!  But, please be safe.

[Grandma Cruising]

Wonderful view.  Glad you got away OK, have a great time!

[Mackdogmolly]

Where we usually like to go in Maine is still off limits to we Vermonters, according to our own guidance, unless we quarantine when we get back. No thanks.

[Bloodaxe]

Loved Maine, we visited Arcadia in October many years ago., everything was about to close down for the Winter.

Went on a late-night  Beaver Watch in the park and it was freezing, also hiked on Cadillac Mountain.

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[Host Jazzbeau]

The picture is of Sargent Mountain (center) and Norumbega Mountain (just rising off the right edge) in Acadia National Park.  Our cottage is on the other side of Somes Sound [the only fjord on the eastern seaboard) near Acadia Mountain.

[nordski]

For the posters who are resident in Yorkshire, we are actually having some discussion here  about Parliament moving to York, or Boris’s plan to “decant” it in the phrase of a writer in the Sun.

 

I have to share that one commentator was impressed by the history that infused the region, but was worried about possible flooding of the site.

 

And another cheekily suggested that the government be transferred to Glasgow!

[Grandma Cruising]

56 minutes ago, nordski said:

For the posters who are resident in Yorkshire, we are actually having some discussion here  about Parliament moving to York, or Boris’s plan to “decant” it in the phrase of a writer in the Sun.

 

I have to share that one commentator was impressed by the history that infused the region, but was worried about possible flooding of the site.

 

And another cheekily suggested that the government be transferred to Glasgow!

Glasgow’s not likely - I don’t think Nicola Sturgeon would approve - but other northern towns could be looked at such as Leeds. Not sure anyone has mentioned any particular site in York yet, but a lot of it is prone to flooding. Putting Parliament there might guarantee some money is spent on flood defences there.

We take it with a pinch of salt. Discussions about moving Parliament take place every few years, but nothing has happened yet. Maybe this time will be different!

[Bloodaxe]

37 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Glasgow’s not likely - I don’t think Nicola Sturgeon would approve - but other northern towns could be looked at such as Leeds. Not sure anyone has mentioned any particular site in York yet, but a lot of it is prone to flooding. Putting Parliament there might guarantee some money is spent on flood defences there.

We take it with a pinch of salt. Discussions about moving Parliament take place every few years, but nothing has happened yet. Maybe this time will be different!

 

The flood defences in York worked very well this year,, the main problems are now further down stream.

The main A19 road just to the South of us is still closed for repairs to flood damage that occurred in February.

No matter how many defences are built the rivers will always find the weakest point if they are high enough.

 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[Grandma Cruising]

3 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

The flood defences in York worked very well this year,, the main problems are now further down stream.

The main A19 road just to the South of us is still closed for repairs to flood damage that occurred in February.

No matter how many defences are built the rivers will always find the weakest point if they are high enough.

 

 

Good to hear that York itself is defended.

[nordski]

On 6/4/2020 at 11:12 AM, Bloodaxe said:

 

I have a CD called Loon Eco Lake that I purchased in Canada , it has the calls of the Loon and other birds and animals set to music.

I also remember the Loons in the film On Golden Pond, we have actually visited the lake in New England where it was filmed.

 

In Scotland and Scandinavia there is a very similar bird the Great Northern Diver, I am no expert but I believe they are related, they look and sound almost the same.

 

On BBC 4’s “Tweet of the Day” this morning they had an extended show devoted to the Great Northern Diver. 
 

Indeed, its calls are very similar to those of our Northern Loons.

 

Amazing what I learn on this forum.

 

In this case, thanks Bloodaxe!

[Bloodaxe]

2 hours ago, nordski said:

 

On BBC 4’s “Tweet of the Day” this morning they had an extended show devoted to the Great Northern Diver. 
 

Indeed, its calls are very similar to those of our Northern Loons.

 

Amazing what I learn on this forum.

 

In this case, thanks Bloodaxe!

 

You are welcome, I will have to start listening to BBC 4 more often and I might learn something new.

[nordski]

2 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

You are welcome, I will have to start listening to BBC 4 more often and I might learn something new.

Since the Archers have become hard for me to follow, the interior monologues reflect the need for social distancing, the Tweet of the Day on BBC 4 now grabs my interest. 😄

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

Since the Archers have become hard for me to follow, the interior monologues reflect the need for social distancing, the Tweet of the Day on BBC 4 now grabs my interest. 😄

Awful, isn’t it. I’m really struggling with it!

[nordski]

39 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Awful, isn’t it. I’m really struggling with it!

I’m certain you understand what’s going on better than I!

 

Since I am not all that familiar with the characters, I listen in confusion and then my attention drifts.

 

But at least it’s in the tradition of “the show must go on”.

[Grandma Cruising]

Today’s walk was up the hill north from our village towards the next one - called Swanland because it has a pond that has had swans, though none there at present.

The walk gave us a lovely view across the River Humber including the bridge.

[nordski]

On 7/1/2020 at 6:51 PM, Mackdogmolly said:

We are so sad that we can’t travel to Canada! We have been subscribers to the Montreal Opera for over 30 years and can’t really renew for next season given not knowing if we will even be able to cross the border. We also really have our doubts that they will even be able to proceed with their season . I think I heard that Broadway is now dark until January 

 

Some real plaudits here for Vermont and its collective response to Covid.

 

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/what-vermont-and-its-history-might-teach-the-nation-about-handling-the-coronavirus

[Mackdogmolly]

3 hours ago, nordski said:

 

Some real plaudits here for Vermont and its collective response to Covid.

 

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/what-vermont-and-its-history-might-teach-the-nation-about-handling-the-coronavirus

Yes, Nordski, 

thanks for posting this. I did see it. We have a great team of our governor and health commissioner. I happen to work for the Health Department and my boss is the best. The article rings very true.

Betsey

[nordski]

In local and personal news, our valued Travel Agent is taking a break from her duties. She undertook this career when she sold her successful business and she has been amazing in dealing with her less-than-knowledgeable clients such as us.

 

Her career was bookended by the Iceland volcano of 2010 that disrupted air travel and, through her efforts,  meant that we were able to arrive at the very last minute for our cruise out of Rome, and has now ended with the Covid crisis.

 

During this recent crisis she devoted hours to making certain that her clients were well cared for and could return home.

 

I hope that in this anxious time everyone takes a deep breath and realizes that the people working in customer service for agencies and cruise lines are usually doing their best to make things work out as best as possible. 
 

If their answer isn’t what we wished to hear, it may well be beyond their power to change that response.

[Mackdogmolly]

53 minutes ago, nordski said:

In local and personal news, our valued Travel Agent is taking a break from her duties. She undertook this career when she sold her successful business and she has been amazing in dealing with her less-than-knowledgeable clients such as us.

 

Her career was bookended by the Iceland volcano of 2010 that disrupted air travel and, through her efforts,  meant that we were able to arrive at the very last minute for our cruise out of Rome, and has now ended with the Covid crisis.

 

During this recent crisis she devoted hours to making certain that her clients were well cared for and could return home.

 

I hope that in this anxious time everyone takes a deep breath and realizes that the people working in customer service for agencies and cruise lines are usually doing their best to make things work out as best as possible. 
 

If their answer isn’t what we wished to hear, it may well be beyond their power to change that response.

Yes, this pandemic has been a blow to many in every sector of the travel industry and many have been responding in in kind and responsible ways