Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[bobmacliberty]

12 minutes ago, canucks4 said:

Excuse me, but can I butt in - I've been scrolling through websites since my golf game booked for today was cancelled thanks to our latest "covid-19 emergency lockdown" here in Ontario....anyway, I was checking for a hotel room for our night before cruise next February and I'm shocked to see the price tag for our usual  Holiday Inn is $451 CDN  - yikes!   

 

 

Seems REALLY high.  Maybe something else happening in the area at that time??

[bobmacliberty]

A couple of things of interest from our normal beach walk this morning.  First, to get to the beach from our neighborhood, we need to cut through the Ritz Carlton property.  Found this in the driveway leading up to the Ritz.  The cobra emblem in the back is the giveaway (although a GT350, not a GT500).  Needs a bath.

 

 

Second, the beach was littered with jellyfish.  Not sure why.  Any jellyfish experts out there?

 

[dani negreanu]

12 hours ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

Gorgeous orchids. Loved each one.

 

+ 1.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

I have grey fingers....😢

Edited April 20, 2021 by dani negreanu

[dani negreanu]

Today we took a day off the "routine" and spent the day with friends, who booked a room for 2 nights in an artists village.

 

We agreed to join them in the morning, tour some galleries and museums, and then have lunch at the tourist trap in the village.

 

Alas, our friends didn't do their home work and many of the galleries and museums were closed, or only opened on week ends.... Covid 😢

 

The village itself is beautiful, high in the mountains, with an amazing view. Pity that the weather was too hot, and you can't see the sea, only a blurred blue "entity".

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by dani negreanu

[Sea Dog]

@dani negreanu Beautiful !

[Sheal]

Dani,

That's too bad about the museums being closed.  Here, most museums are open everyday but I learned (almost the hard way) that in Europe many are closed on Mondays or sometimes Tuesdays.  Now I know to check before finalizing my plans. 

 

John,

I know orchids will drop the flowers eventually but it does look like the roots might be getting too much water.  They only need a slight amount each week, like I really know.  I have two I am trying to rehab now.  Not sure which way it will go. 

 

Renee, 

I wish you had mentioned you were a master Orchid gardener earlier.  I would have posted a picture of the roots on my two plants before I did surgery on them.  Maybe I'll pull them out of the pot and you can tell me if they are goners.  The only healthy roots are the aerials and I read earlier you could get them to become underground roots.  I just read now that is not the case so say a prayer for my two.

 

 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

Today we took a day off the "routine" and spent the day with friends, who booked a room for 2 nights in an artists village.

 

We agreed to join them in the morning, tour some galleries and museums, and then have lunch at the tourist trap in the village.

 

Alas, our friends didn't do their home work and many of the galleries and museums were closed, or only opened on week ends.... Covid 😢

 

The village itself is beautiful, high in the mountains, with an amazing view. Pity that the weather was too hot, and you can't see the sea, only a blurred blue "entity".

 

 

 

 

Nice pictures Dani.

[island lady]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Butter or Mayo

 

Mayo on Grilled cheese???   😮   

 

 

Reminds of being in Maine and listening to the true locals talk about the traditional lobster roll.  They gross out when the tourists put Mayo on them!  Correct original way:

Warm cooked lobster meat chunks dripping in butter, stuffed into traditional NE style "hot dog" roll  (also seared on both side with butter).  Stuff lobster in roll...eat!   That is how I make my homemade Lobster rolls as well.  😋🦞

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by island lady

[helen haywood]

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

A couple of things of interest from our normal beach walk this morning.  First, to get to the beach from our neighborhood, we need to cut through the Ritz Carlton property.  Found this in the driveway leading up to the Ritz.  The cobra emblem in the back is the giveaway (although a GT350, not a GT500).  Needs a bath.

 

 

Second, the beach was littered with jellyfish.  Not sure why.  Any jellyfish experts out there?

 

Bob, apologies to Dani for going off topic, I’ve been reading about the Amelia beach renourishment project.  It sounds as though it will be going on in the areas (Sea Dunes and Turtle Dunes) that we’re visiting this May and July.  Do you have any idea how this affects beach access or noise etc?

[Coralc]

2 hours ago, canucks4 said:

Excuse me, but can I butt in - I've been scrolling through websites since my golf game booked for today was cancelled thanks to our latest "covid-19 emergency lockdown" here in Ontario....anyway, I was checking for a hotel room for our night before cruise next February and I'm shocked to see the price tag for our usual  Holiday Inn is $451 CDN  - yikes!   

 

 

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Seems REALLY high.  Maybe something else happening in the area at that time??

 

I wondered that too. Cruise out of Tampa in February and the Embassy Suites where we usually stay is $337/night. It is not usually that expensive. We booked at the Hampton Inn instead. 

[island lady]

18 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Mayo is a Food Network thing.  Butter is the only way to go!  Grape jelly is just nasty on anything!

 

I agree there...ewww...can't even stand the smell of grape jelly. 😝  Ever wonder why the dining rooms always seem to have plenty of those little packs of grape jelly, but hardly any strawberry!  😉 

 

Grapes were designed for one thing only...to be fermented and put in a bottle.  😁🍷

[island lady]

18 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Mayo is a Food Network thing.  Butter is the only way to go!  Grape jelly is just nasty on anything!

 

I agree there...ewww...can't even stand the smell of grape jelly. 😝  Ever wonder why the dining rooms always seem to have plenty of those little packs of grape jelly, but hardly any strawberry!  😉 

 

Grapes were designed for one thing only...to be fermented and put in a bottle.  😁🍷

[island lady]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

You ever hear of a Monte Cristo🤔

 

Mmmm...love Monte Cristos!   Big egg fan anyway.  😉   But please hold the jelly.  😣

[island lady]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Seriously though, have you tried it?

 

And when you say butter, do you really mean margarine?

 

Margarine???   Ugh...Julia Child is rolling in her grave when you say that.  😄 

 

Julia Child famously said “With enough butter, anything is good”. And she lived by her word. Butter was an essential part of practically everything she cooked.Dec 10, 2019

[island lady]

16 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Peppers sound good. If I was to add anything it would be ketchup. I like ketchup on a lot of things. 😀

 

Me I am into Peanut Butter.  😉 

[island lady]

15 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I can’t believe all this talk about how to make a proper grilled cheese, and no one has mentioned bacon!!  That is the best thing for them.

 

Now THAT I could get into.  Bacon definitely good with everything.  😄 

[island lady]

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

A couple of things of interest from our normal beach walk this morning.  First, to get to the beach from our neighborhood, we need to cut through the Ritz Carlton property.  Found this in the driveway leading up to the Ritz.  The cobra emblem in the back is the giveaway (although a GT350, not a GT500).  Needs a bath.

 

 

Second, the beach was littered with jellyfish.  Not sure why.  Any jellyfish experts out there?

 

 

Those are "Cannon Ball" Jelly Fish.  Almost totally  harmless (mild irritation at most).  It's the "Man of War" that will give the real sting.  

 

The Cannon Balls are prone to cold weather, and big storms.  They can't survive being washed up on shore, as they are mostly water.  Huge food choice for Sea Turtles.  
 

[island lady]

Sorry about the duplicate back there.  Not sure why some posts show up later as duplicates.  Couldn't catch that one in time to erase most of it. 

[bobmacliberty]

21 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Bob, apologies to Dani for going off topic, I’ve been reading about the Amelia beach renourishment project.  It sounds as though it will be going on in the areas (Sea Dunes and Turtle Dunes) that we’re visiting this May and July.  Do you have any idea how this affects beach access or noise etc?

 

My only knowledge is from the SAISSA web site.  Their FAQ says that they will start on the southern end of the affected beach area and work their way north.  The area where they are actively placing sand will be closed for safety for a few days, but the rest of the beach will be open.  They claim that noise will only be a problem where active work is happening.  You're about 1/3 of the way up from their starting point to their end point, they are supposed to start in May/June, and expect the entire process to last 3-4 months.  If you're lucky, they will not have reached you in May and will be past you in July. 🤞  I'll see if I can learn more.

 

Worst case, you can use the public beaches that are in the northern half of the island...probably a 10-20 minute drive from your villas depending on the beach.  The renourishment work is only on the southern third of the island.  The rest of the island is not included and other beaches should not be affected at all.  Not nearly as convenient though as walking right onto the beach from your villa.

 

If you've not used the Sea Dunes and Turtle Dunes villas before, they look very nice.  Our golf course has 2 par 3s along the ocean in front of your villas, so I drive by them frequently.  Happy to help if you have any other Amelia Island questions.

 

 

[George C]

59 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Mayo on Grilled cheese???   😮   

 

 

Reminds of being in Maine and listening to the true locals talk about the traditional lobster roll.  They gross out when the tourists put Mayo on them!  Correct original way:

Warm cooked lobster meat chunks dripping in butter, stuffed into traditional NE style "hot dog" roll  (also seared on both side with butter).  Stuff lobster in roll...eat!   That is how I make my homemade Lobster rolls as well.  😋🦞

 

 

 

 

 

Love lobster rolls , will have one on July on my celebrity cruise in Luminae.

[island lady]

7 minutes ago, George C said:

Love lobster rolls , will have one on July on my celebrity cruise in Luminae.

 

Mmm..yes!  And Jonah crab too!  I make rolls of them also, and will actually prefer them sometimes to the lobster roll.  (Sometimes get Lobstered out 😉 ).   

 

Will have our fill of fresh steamed Maine Lobster, the rolls, and the crab rolls this summer in Maine.  👍

[helen haywood]

22 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

My only knowledge is from the SAISSA web site.  Their FAQ says that they will start on the southern end of the affected beach area and work their way north.  The area where they are actively placing sand will be closed for safety for a few days, but the rest of the beach will be open.  They claim that noise will only be a problem where active work is happening.  You're about 1/3 of the way up from their starting point to their end point, they are supposed to start in May/June, and expect the entire process to last 3-4 months.  If you're lucky, they will not have reached you in May and will be past you in July. 🤞  I'll see if I can learn more.

 

Worst case, you can use the public beaches that are in the northern half of the island...probably a 10-20 minute drive from your villas depending on the beach.  The renourishment work is only on the southern third of the island.  The rest of the island is not included and other beaches should not be affected at all.  Not nearly as convenient though as walking right onto the beach from your villa.

 

If you've not used the Sea Dunes and Turtle Dunes villas before, they look very nice.  Our golf course has 2 par 3s along the ocean in front of your villas, so I drive by them frequently.  Happy to help if you have any other Amelia Island questions.

 

 

Thanks.  Guess I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed!  In a million years it never occurred to me such a project would be done in the peak tourist season.  Nor 24/7 !!  Each time I’m only staying 3-4 nights and chose condos specifically for a beach view.  I’ll hope for the best!  Appreciate your quick response.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

Sorry about the duplicate back there.  Not sure why some posts show up later as duplicates.  Couldn't catch that one in time to erase most of it. 

I thought maybe you started HH first thing this morning. 😉🍷 

 

Agree, no mayo or grape jelly (and I like grape jelly) on my grilled cheese sandwich. Bacon on the grilled cheese sandwich sounds good, but I'll pass on that also. Sticking with the traditional style I grew up eating which was made with extra sharp cheese, buttered(real butter) and cooked in a cast iron skillet. 

[island lady]

40 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I thought maybe you started HH first thing this morning. 😉🍷 

 

Agree, no mayo or grape jelly (and I like grape jelly) on my grilled cheese sandwich. Bacon on the grilled cheese sandwich sounds good, but I'll pass on that also. Sticking with the traditional style I grew up eating which was made with extra sharp cheese, buttered(real butter) and cooked in a cast iron skillet. 

 

Yup, that is what we grew up on also.  Cheese and butter on a bread...what's not to like?  😉   Now, I like it with a creamy thick bowl of tomato soup...but didn't like it as a kid. 

 

Nope, HH is in 12.5 minutes...12.3....12.1...11.8.....  😉 

Edited April 20, 2021 by island lady

[ollienbertsmum]

On 4/19/2021 at 8:31 PM, dani negreanu said:

The vaccines WORK. We went from 10.000 new cases a day, to 35-140 cases a day..

 

No scientifically data regarding above. Only the numbers speak. 

 

 

I hope to be wrong.

 

 

 

 

This seems to be exactly what our small country has seen.  There are still a small number of folk who are against vaccination but I think the numbers speak for themselves.   I am glad to hear that the same outcome is being seen in Israel.