Bit of a blog - Ambience - Grand Canada Sept 2022

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 23 / 34 Montréal (2 days before yesterday)

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Good morning and thanks for following and being out there. It's really encouraging to see the view numbers rising despite the difficulties I've been experiencing logging in, uploading etc.

 

We are late to berth due to the poor weather/sea conditions deemed unsafe by the pilot. We are berthed quite a distance from where originally planned. This has caused a massive headache for those responsible in communications and logistics.

 

We join a very long line to disembark at which point we're told not to join the line. It's 0841 on photo timestamp and we have to meet on the pier at 0845.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

This is a quay. Use of the word terminal is a stretch of the imagination. There are excursions buses. Some people had been turned back on board as the area would have been dangerous had all those independent travellers been allowed to disembark. Not an officer to be seen. It was chaos for those with no bus. Boarded ours and eventually set off.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

We had a great guide, Carl. More about him later. We drove through a very heavy industrialised area. Once we hit open countryside..... wow!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

After an hour of stunning countryside we arrive at a very pretty small town / village for a comfort break, coffee, croissant etc.

 

I go off in search of a pharmacy. These are not easy to locate in Canada! Just my experience. I eventually locate one hidden in a medical centre. 

 

Heads up. There are NO over the counter meds whatsoever in the shop on board. Reception have seasick pills. 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

10 minutes Carl said to the pharmacy he'd googled. Took me somewhat longer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Were you able to spot the pharmacy? Even locals I approached had difficulty directing me! By the time I'd found it, made my purchase and got back to the bus there was no time for coffee/croissant/gateaux 😭

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Approaching the resort.... another hour on the road. Other pics not uploading atm.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

We arrive at the resort which has a Disney feel about it.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

I think I'm online!! Here's a video of the free ride up from the reception area to the base of the mountain 🤞

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

There are people walking up!! 💪

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Walkabout at the top. My camera doesn't do the view justice. It's spectacular! The colour intensity, the field of vision, quite awe inspiring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

We make our way down in the cable car.

 

Uploading grinding to a halt.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Instead of taking the cabriolet down to reception I walk down. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

We head back to the ship. 2 hours with a comfort stop. We got back around 630pm, 200 passengers still ashore.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

A walk around the ship with a view of the Montréal Olympics 1976 venue. Really can't see much of Montréal 😢

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 24 / 34 cruising St Lawrence River 

 

That morning we were treated to an unexpected delight, a sail by of Québec. We'd have missed this had we left Montréal on time! Sailaway was around 2200.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Amazing to see where we'd been but from the water!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Treated to an unexpected fjord trip. Interrupted by a ukelele lesson!

 

MADONNA OF SAGUENAY STATUE IN BRIEF :

Height of the statue :

7.5 m without the base

9 m with base

Weight : 3 tons

Material: carved in three blocks of white pine and covered with thin sheets of lead

Inauguration: September 15, 1881

Altitude : 180 m

 

Please follow the link to the amazing story of this statue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

These guys have made my cruise, Pam and Steve Smith, A Band on Ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

We go to Saffron to enjoy a truly delicious Goan meal inspired by Executive Chef Sydney Dias.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Random pics from then until now. We travel slowly, around 9kns, to preserve and protect the many species of marine life that lives in this sectiin of the St Lawrence River  

 

 

 

I enjoy a superb show by the incomparable Lisa Jane Kelsey 💚

 

 

Name that soup.....

 

I lasted 4 minutes watching Martn Daniels show. Toilet humour and jokes about fat women just won't cut it for me. 😡

 

Loving the hot alcoholic drinks!!

 

 

 

Health and safety.... that door was open!!

 

 

Songs learnt on uke!

 

 

There was a question elsewhere about tea/coffee in the room. Pic attached.

 

On a more serious note I've decided to broach the subject of air conditioning. The ship is either cold or not cold. Our room, on the other hand, is warm enough to dry my short air naturally in minutes sans hair dryer. So warm it verges on stuffy. The dial is permanently on the coldest setting. Engineers are continually and persistently called to other rooms with apparently little effect. We open the balcony door. Hardly surprising the amount of coughing around with the dry room air.

 

Guest went to the doctor for some paracetamol. Charged more for one pill than a packet of 16 in Tesco's. Why on earth they don't dispense simple meds in the shop is beyond me.

 

 

 

Geoff won trivia after a tie breaker!

 

Where we are now

Edited October 9, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 30 / 34 still at sea

 

Clocks went forward one hour last night.

 

Current location.

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Geoff saw a whale!

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Just back from this. Eyes streaming. Wonderful rendition with lovely background movieclips and pics. Told the musical story of my life. Really surprised me, my reaction not his sparkly winkle pickers 💝