What Bucket List Item Failed to Live Up to Expectations?

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, skrufy said:

Freedom

 

Freedom of the Seas?  Carnival Freedom?  

 

22 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

We took a QM 2 Christmas/New Year cruise in December 2019 -- and found it somewhat depressing - seeming that so many were trying so hard to be happy -- although we were fortunate in having a good group of table mates.

 

I am surprised, but, maybe a guest load that preferred a more formal, sedate holiday than what I have found on other ships.  

 

The holiday cruise that surprised me the most was when my traveling companion and I sailed on Prinsendam.  A smaller ship with a few children guests, but, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The guests and the crew were in a happy  holiday mood.  I have previously described my NYE experience when we had two NYE countdowns and parties:  one in the Atlantic Time Zone followed by one in the Eastern Time Zone.  

[skrufy]

Carnival Freedom

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, skrufy said:

Carnival Freedom

 

Thank you for your response.  Now, I am even more surprised that NYE was not a real "happening" on a Fun Ship.  

[SbbquilterUT]

At the Sagrada Familia I spent at least 10 minutes examining the bronze sculpture entry doors - they are amazing.  Then entering the church without crowds (early entry tickets) was magical.  We did re-enter the church at the end of our time and by then the crowds were overwhelming.

[Markanddonna]

I have noted that selfie cruise ship tours are now offered. They provide a selfie stick. One type of tour I would never take!

[ontheweb]

45 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I have noted that selfie cruise ship tours are now offered. They provide a selfie stick. One type of tour I would never take!

I second that. Would never take one of those.

[cruisemom42]

57 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I have noted that selfie cruise ship tours are now offered. They provide a selfie stick. One type of tour I would never take!

 

Well, I think it's brilliant to the extent that it at least will get some of the selfie-takers off whatever other tours are offered. Keep 'em separated. 😈

[Mary229]

My first Amazon cruise was a nightmare from beginning to end.  It was a steamer sailing the upper Amazon of Peru.   The story is too long to recount here as the disasters aboard would take pages of text.   We are trying again 15 years later on a cruise ship. I guess we are forever optimistic.

[mnocket]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

My first Amazon cruise was a nightmare from beginning to end.  It was a steamer sailing the upper Amazon of Peru.   The story is too long to recount here as the disasters aboard would take pages of text.   We are trying again 15 years later on a cruise ship. I guess we are forever optimistic.

I hope the second time is a charm.  I've recently booked our first Amazon cruise for Dec'23.  I sure hope this bucket list item lives up my expectations (which have been reduced somewhat).

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

We are trying again 15 years later on a cruise ship. I guess we are forever optimistic.

 

Sailing to Manaus from the Atlantic?  

 

3 hours ago, mnocket said:

I've recently booked our first Amazon cruise for Dec'23.  I sure hope this bucket list item lives up my expectations

 

It will be a  cruise experience unlike any of the others that I have enjoyed.  And, I say that in a very positive way.  

 

Do your research before your cruise so that you have some ideas of what to anticipate seeing.  

 

It probably will occur very late at night, but, observing the change in the water as the ship crosses the bar and encounters water from the Amazon as she sails from the Atlantic was an experience I won't forget.  

[Mary229]

6 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Sailing to Manaus from the Atlantic?  

Picking up the HAL grand South America at Buenos Aires, Iguazu falls, Carnival in Rio then 5 or so days on the Amazon then on to Fort Lauderdale.  This is DH’s bucket list item

[ontheweb]

7 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Picking up the HAL grand South America at Buenos Aires, Iguazu falls, Carnival in Rio then 5 or so days on the Amazon then on to Fort Lauderdale.  This is DH’s bucket list item

I hope it lives up to the expectations of you and your DH. It does seem like it has to be a better than going on a steamer.

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Picking up the HAL grand South America at Buenos Aires, Iguazu falls, Carnival in Rio then 5 or so days on the Amazon then on to Fort Lauderdale.  This is DH’s bucket list item

 

That ought to be an excellent cruise.  I have visited Buenos Aires for a day at the end of a cruise on the Zaandam.  Rio remains a city on my bucket list.  And, being there at Carnival!  Ought to be a memorable visit.  

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I hope it lives up to the expectations of you and your DH. It does seem like it has to be a better than going on a steamer.

Has to be, if we ever meet have me tell you my story over drinks.  You won’t know whether to laugh or be horrified.  

[ontheweb]

18 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Has to be, if we ever meet have me tell you my story over drinks.  You won’t know whether to laugh or be horrified.  

If we are ever on the same roll call, I will be sure to remind you of this post.

[DarrenM]

This may surprise some, but Florence.

 

Just not my cup of tea. 

 

Nice Pizza though.

 

This year at Pompeii was slightly disappointing, A lot of what we saw last time was closed off.

 

Still an amazing place though.

 

Corfu was a little underwhelming too.

[mnocket]

On 5/20/2022 at 6:20 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm not an art history major by any means but I come from a family that has always appreciated art, enjoyed museum visits, etc. I'd also say that I believe in the idea that peoples' likes, dislikes, ideas, etc. evolve over time if one keeps an open mind.

 

The book in your avatar is a good example. When I read it at age 16 or so, I had a totally different opinion of it than when I read it again around age 40. Why?  At age 16 I was still self-centered and found it difficult to understand and relate to the characters, thinking the whole thing very contrived. Second time I had a much deeper understanding of the world and was able to grasp the nuances I missed the first time.

 

I was about the same age (16) when I first saw the Mona Lisa. Again, it was just a famous picture, hard to relate to. But since then I have understood so much more about it. How the Renaissance painters basically had to rediscover painting techniques like perspective, light and shadow, etc. that were known in antiquity but lost. How masters like Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Raphael studied the Greek and Roman sculpture and frescoes and learned from them. How Da Vinci differed from his colleagues in needing to understand how people's musculature looked, how they moved, in order to paint more realistically. How he arrived at a unique style by avoiding the harder painted outlines most other painters used in portraits in favor of a less defined edge that gives a sense of movement and realism to his portraits. In short I now find Da Vinci's work unrivaled and his (few) paintings to be masterpieces. Yes, I'd hang it on my wall -- I could study it infinitely. (And it's not necessarily even my favorite painting of his, but arguably one of his most finished works...)

Off Topic....

Seems not everyone appreciates the Mona Lisa

 

Actually, it's a climate protestor who for some reason believes that smearing cake on the painting will further the cause of environmentalism. As you know it's protected by glass so no harm done.

Edited May 30, 2022 by mnocket

[DarrenM]

Did it male it any better to look at?

 

Sorry but I dont get it. The mona lisa.

 

 

[mnocket]

41 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

Did it male it any better to look at?

 

Sorry but I dont get it. The mona lisa.

 

 

It wasn't that famous until it got stolen in 1911 by a museum worker.  The papers made a big deal about it  and touted how "famous" it was (click bait in the early 1900's).  When it was recovered a few years later everyone wanted to see it.  Ever since it's been famous for being famous.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, mnocket said:

It wasn't that famous until it got stolen in 1911 by a museum worker.  The papers made a big deal about it  and touted how "famous" it was (click bait in the early 1900's).  When it was recovered a few years later everyone wanted to see it.  Ever since it's been famous for being famous.

 

Sorry, but I have to challenge that. This is one of those internet "tropes" that people read and believe.

 

The truth is that Leonardo's painting was highly regarded even in his lifetime and shortly thereafter. Other artists copied it directly, or copied his approach (the pose, the background).

 

Only 30 years after his death, the pre-eminent art critic and historian (actually he was probably the first modern art historian) Giorgio Vasari wrote in glowing detail about this specific painting. And what's more, he never even saw the painting at first-hand, but read about it in accounts from others praising it. (There is an earlier written source from a Spanish cardinal who visited da Vinci in France before his death, was apparently shown the Mona Lisa and two other paintings and declared them "Bellissimi....perfettissimi!"

 

So, no....not buying it that only its theft made it "famous".

[mnocket]

20 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Giorgio Vasari wrote in glowing detail about this specific painting. And what's more, he never even saw the painting at first-hand, but read about it in accounts from others praising it.

Not to start a prolonged off-topic argument, but even this supports the notion that it is famous for being famous.  However, I have no dog in this hunt and am willing to acknowledge that I have no first hand knowledge of how famous the painting was prior to it being stolen - I'm just repeating what I have read which may be wrong.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, mnocket said:

Not to start a prolonged off-topic argument, but even this supports the notion that it is famous for being famous.  However, I have no dog in this hunt and am willing to acknowledge that I have no first hand knowledge of how famous the painting was prior to it being stolen - I'm just repeating what I have read which may be wrong.

I will second the motion that what you have read was wrong.

 

There were many positive, knowledgeable, highly favorable critiques made public many years before that theft.  So, while it may now be, in the minds of some, "famous for being famous",  it was highly regarded long before our current days of influencers making their living by telling the unthinking what they should think.

[DarrenM]

Yeh but did that fella throwing stuff at it make it any better?

 

I have seen it, and just looked and thought "is that it? What's the fuss about?

 

There again, I do prefer modern art.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, DarrenM said:

Yeh but did that fella throwing stuff at it make it any better?

 

I have seen it, and just looked and thought "is that it? What's the fuss about?

 

There again, I do prefer modern art.

 

We are the reverse!  You would enjoy much of the art that is on HAL's Nieuw Statendam.  

[ldubs]

On 5/30/2022 at 3:39 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

Only 30 years after his death, the pre-eminent art critic and historian (actually he was probably the first modern art historian) Giorgio Vasari wrote in glowing detail about this specific painting. And what's more, he never even saw the painting at first-hand, but read about it in accounts from others praising it. 

 

 

I'm impressed that Sig Vasari could write a glowing review after being dead for 30 years!  😄