Memories on this Date

[Cruising-along]

Nine years ago we were in Rome with my sister and BIL.  We were staying in the city post-cruise and went to the Colosseum (plus the underground tour), Mamertine Prison, the Forum and Palatine Hill.  

[whogo]

October 30, 2016, Valetta, Malta, Cubs down 3 games to 1 in the World Series. The sail in to Malta is one of the best. We took a tour to the megalithic structure Hagar Qim, a fellow tourist was surprised humans were admitted.

 

 

Impressive structure, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids, the tent protects the stones from weathering.

 

[bennybear]

Wow,  two separate memories from my favourite Greek island Crete!  We’ve visited three times and have spent six weeks here😎.  

Roy, glad you made it our of Shanghai!  

@Cruising-alongso much to see and do in Naples!   Paestum  is breathtaking and love that buffalo mozzarella!   Some other ideas,  the amazing palace in Caserta where they filmed part of Star Wars.   Or Ischia.   Or Villa Oplontis.....

@whogowe visited Hagar Qim last fall too,  so blown away by these ancient structures!  

Thanks for sharing everyone!  

 

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by bennybear

[kb4683]

October 31, 2019 - Cannoli in Messina (a must have every time we are in Sicily).

[whogo]

On Monday, October 31, 2016 we remained in Valletta, Malta as our Gozo stop was cancelled due to stormy weather. We paid  €1 to ride the elevator from sea level up to visit the Co-Cathedral of St. John elbow to elbow with tourists sheltering from heavy rain. The co-cathedral was overwhelmingly baroque, the Caravaggio was worth the €10 admission. The rain let up, we dined outside. I chose the braised rabbit and a Hopleaf Pale Ale. The elevator:

 

Overwhelmingly baroque:

 

 

Took a photo from the heights down to our good ship Prinsendam:

[Cruising-along]

A year ago tonight we were on the Koningsdam sailing through a thunder and lightening storm.  We watched Hocus Pocus by the pool, great atmosphere for Halloween!  Also that day we bought new flowers at the market in Civitavecchia for our cabin.

[NextOne]

Halloween in Venice last year.

[bennybear]

3 hours ago, kb4683 said:

October 31, 2019 - Cannoli in Messina (a must have every time we are in Sicily).

Wow!  DH is drooling! 

 

That Caravaggio is stunning!   

 

And I never thought about Halloween in Venice!  

Edited October 31, 2020 by bennybear

[1ANGELCAT]

Halloween 2017

[rafinmd]

October 31, 2017 on the Amsterdam was actually a pretty routine sea day so I will try to put together a few Halloween photos over the years   In 2010 I was in Rome (Civatevecchia) and came in on the Crystal Serenity and left on the Wind Surf.  I don't think Windstar had any decorations up but there were some on the Serenity by the time I left in the late morning.

 

I have vivid memories but no photos from 2012.  I was due to board the Crystal Symphony in New York October 31.  I should have but when Superstorm Sandy hit the port was closed and the ship sailed directly from New York to Charleston and I was left stranded.  My TA's rescue plan had me renting a car (LaGuardia had closed but the rental area was operating), driving home, and flying to Charleston November 1.  Of course I was completely unprepared for Halloween.  I had a very small number of treats but the last kids to show up got what Crystal was then using for pillow chocolates.  Chocolinis were chocolate covered dried apples but they  had the texture and taste of coated kitty litter.  I got out of town before I could be hauled in for child abuse.

 

In 2014 I was on a Queen Mary 2 on the way to a Wind Star transatlantic:

 

 

In 2015 I was on an Allure of the Seas Transatlantic.  Haloween was a big deal but a little late for me so I just caught the preliminaries:

 

 

2017 was the Grand Asia on the Amsterdam:

 

Finally, last year I was on a river cruise on the Crystal Bach:

Roy

[RuthC]

In 1995 I was on the Rotterdam in the South Pacific, and October 31 didn't happen---it was the day we crossed the International Date Line. 
Somehow, though, I managed to generate a bar bill for that day! 😁 You see, the time officially changes at 2:00 AM, and in those days the last bar didn't close until that very time. I was in it. 

[kb4683]

November 1, 2019 -- Napoli 😍.  Just around the corner from da Michele (which we have also tried).  Another must-have -- pizza in Napoli!

[Cruising-along]

One year ago we were in Cartagena, Spain -- the 3rd and last time of our long anniversary cruise.  We did something different each visit, this day we walked to the Punic Wall and to the House of Fortune.  Some of these photos would have been more appropriate for yesterday (Halloween)! 

[bennybear]

TOh you guys have me giggling!  

@rafinmd, kitty litter candy!    Oh you have the adventures!  

@RuthClove the bar bill on a day you missed, lol!  

@Cruising-alonglove the peek a boo skull.  Where were the frescos?

@kb4683 we could do a pizza competition.  One of our favourite things to do in Naples!  I can’t remember if we ate at Trianon or Michele’s,  but we hit the number one a few years ago but preferred the lesser known.  

Edited November 1, 2020 by bennybear

[iflyrc5]

This was our pizza at Brandi's in Naples on 1 Nov 2019.  This is supposed to be the oldest pizza place in Italy - opened in 1790.

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, bennybear said:

Where were the frescos?

That was in the House of Fortune, not far from the Punic Wall.  

I love pizza in Naples too!!

[rafinmd]

November 1, 2017 was a LONG travel day, flying from the Amsterdam in Hong Kong to Rome to board the Prinsendam November 2.  I had originally booked KLM premium economy for the 13 adn 2 hour combination of flights.  When I did my online checkin October 31 I was offered a cheap upgrade to Business but was chagrined to to notice when the boarding passes that it was only for the 2-hour flight. 

 

Disembarkation went smoothly.  My vary partial business class ticket had some real unsuspected benefits including access to the priority checkin line and priority tags on my bags.

 

The 747 had 3 classes which were quite different.  Coach seemed quite crowded.

I thought the premium economy was quite a substantial improvement.

There were 2 somewhat decent meals served on the flight.

 

 

As I left the plane I got a look at business class which was very nice.

I only had time for a short sojourn at the Business lounge in Amsterdam but it was a definite blessing.   Business class on the European flight was not really much better than coach but when we landed my bags were among the first out.  It was 11PM in Rome and the airport was largely closed, making it difficult to get to my on airport taking pretty much an hour.  It was 12:40 when I finally got to bed, making it a very long but successful

 

Roy

[ski ww]

Today we were in Messina.

 

[rafinmd]

I boarded the Prinsendam November 2, 2017 but for these memories I will go to the Crystal Symphony in 2013 for a string of cruises that ended near Christmas on the Prinsendam.  One of my favorite places in New York is the High Line Trail, an old railroad track that runs along the west side by the Hudson and was converted to a trail beginning around 2010.

 

 

I then reminisced that I had been in New York a year earlier when Superstorm Sandy hit and the Intrepid had been in very rough shape, especially the area around the space shuttle prototype Enterprise.

 

By 2013 not only had the damage been repaired but the Enterprise had a beautiful permanent structure.

 

 

Roy

 

[bennybear]

@ski ww we need to check out Messina, looks beautiful! 

@rafinmdthe Highline trail is so cool, love the views!

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, bennybear said:

@ski ww we need to check out Messina, looks beautiful! 

@rafinmdthe Highline trail is so cool, love the views!

 

If you get to Messina, check your arrival time.  If you arrive early enough you could be present in front of the Cathedral for the 12 noon clock tower "performance".  It lasts about 12 minutes.  I especially like the lion roar and the rooster crow.

[iflyrc5]

6 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

If you get to Messina, check your arrival time.  If you arrive early enough you could be present in front of the Cathedral for the 12 noon clock tower "performance".  It lasts about 12 minutes.  I especially like the lion roar and the rooster crow.

Yes - the clock tower is amazing.  Crowd stated forming about 11:30.

[ski ww]

In Naples on the Prinsendam doing a TA. An all day tour to Amalfi & others.

 

[whogo]

I spent election day 2012, 2016, and 2018 on cruises and away from robocalls, election mailings, and radio and tv advertising. I used a hand towel as a bath towel for three days leading up to the 2016 election, save the environment and all, but switched to two bath towels per day with the election results.

 

In Civitavecchia on turn around day on November 3, 2016, Mrs. Whogo enjoyed a HAL excursion to Etruscan sites.

[Cruising-along]

One year ago we were in Malaga, Spain.  Home of Picasso and Antonio Banderas (what a combination).  We took the hop on hop off bus and caught a Flamenco show during our wanderings.  I have no idea if it was authentic flamenco, but we enjoyed it and the venue was standing room only.  Sorry about the quality of the flamenco photo!