The Fleet Report and Daily for Tuesday April 25th, 2023

[StLouisCruisers]

ANZAC Day (Australia & New Zealand)

Today is East Meets West Day, National DNA Day, and World Penguin Day
 

The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.--Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

Meal Suggestion for today - Seitan Lomo Saltado
Drink of the Day - Tickled Pink
Wine of the Day - Altocedro Malbec La Consulta Old Vine Reserve 2020
Destination of the Day - Manta, Ecuador

Today in History:
1507 German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller is the first to use the name America on his world map "Universalis Cosmographia"

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

At Sea Destination Victoria BC, Vancouver Island, BC Canada eta 4-27
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Victoria BC, Vancouver Island, BC Canada eta 4-30
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea destination San Diego, California eta 4-26
 

Nieuw Statendam

At Sea Destination Tunis, La Goulette, Tunisia eta 4-26
 

Noordam

Nawiliwili, Lihue, Kauai Island, Hawaii 07:00 - 18:00
 

Oosterdam

Naples, Italy 08:00 - 18:00
 

Rotterdam

At Sea Destination Invergordon, Scotland eta 4-26
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Puerto Vallarta, Mexico eta 4-28
 

Zaandam

Sydney NS, Nova Scotia Canada 09:30 - 17:30
 

Zuiderdam

Eidfjord, Norway Hardangerfjord 08:00 - 17:00

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Westerdam

At Sea Destination Kodiak, Alaska eta 5-02

 

 

 

Sandi for Rich

[grapau27]

Good morning.

Thank you Sandi @StLouisCruisers for today's reports.

Respect for Australia and New Zealand especially on Anzac Day.

3 good days.

Strange quote.

I will give today's food and drink a miss.

Prayers 🙏 for good health to all my friends on the care list.

Graham.

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  It is 48F here with partly cloudy skies and a high of 72 expected later.  Gosh, I almost overslept this morning and my back up alarm wake me up 10 minutes late - an alarm on my phone in the kitchen.  I usually don't get up with an alarm, just wake up naturally.  So I jumped up and sprang into action.  Lots to do before I get on the treadmill at my usual time, however I feel like chucking that today and getting back into my bed.  But let's finish here first.  First thanks to Rich @richwmn for setting up the Daily and Fleet Report for everyone.  Today as you can see is ANZAC Day for our Australia and New Zealand friends.  A solemn day for them.  I just finished watching a series I recorded on the Smithsonian Channel on WWII and it's a shocking look at what actually went on then.  Talk about genocide, from yesterday's discussions.  Everyone today should take a closer look and decided we never want another war. 😢

 

Today we can celebrate East Meets West Day which takes us back to WWII in Germany.  I will let Graham @grapau27 tell you more about that.  Then we have National DNA Day.  So much progress has been made over the last couple of decades on that front.  And a happy day to celebrate, World Penguin Day!🐧  They are certainly fun little creatures to watch waddle around.  The quote today seems pessimistic to me.  I can't for the life of me figure out what Seitan Lomo Saltado is without a search, but will let Debbie @dfish talk about it later.  I can't imagine a man ordering a Tickled Pink in a bar so I guess it's for the ladies. 🍹  And the wine today is a malbec.🍷  Thanks in advance to Debbie, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for their reports today.  😘

 

Thanks to Eva @superoma for handling the Care and Celebration lists for us while Vanessa @JazzyV is enjoying her well deserved cruise/vacation and Roy @rafinmd is on leave.  Prayers for all on the Care list and everyone in need of them.  Hoping things improve for all of you very soon.  Jacqui @kazu is having surgery tomorrow so let's keep her in our thoughts as she prepares for that. 🙏  On the other hand I want to say congrats to all on the Celebration list.  Enjoy those cruises and your happy events.  Special shout out to Gerry's  @ger_77 DH on his birthday today.  Hope you see many more!🎂🎈

 

The port today is Manta, Ecuador which we have had here on Dec. 7, 2021 and Aug. 31, 2022.  Once again I am adding the links to those dates below, and also once again my photos after that.  Yesterday I noticed on my ports spreadsheet that I had been to the last 10 ports in a row, now today makes 11.  That's a record because before then I could only get up to 9 before one came along I hadn't seen.  Rich is keeping me busy!  Anyway, here is Manta, Ecuador for you.

 

 

 

Here are some photos I took while in Manta on Star Princess in 2012.  It seems we took a tour which first stopped at a museum and then went out into the countryside to see the home and work of a Panama hat maker.  Yes, they are made in Ecuador not Panama!  Funny thing is I don't remember the stop at the museum at all, but I have photos of it so I guess it really happened.  🙃

 

 

 

Driving through the city.

 

 

The area near the ship was a boat building area.

 

 

Then we stopped at a nearby fish market because who doesn't love the smell of a fish market?

 

Oh, boy!

 

 

We drove out to the countryside and arrived at the home of the hat maker.  A bus was there ahead of us so we sort of dawdled a bit to wait for them to move along.

 

Preparing the straw to make the hats.

 

It looks like back breaking work.

 

 

 

When we left they gave everyone a tiny hat similar to the ones on the table.  I still have it.

 

On our ride back we ran across some cattle and horses on the road, so had to dodge them all because they seemed to think the road was theirs.

 

Next we stopped at a market area near this pretty church.  Lots of people decided they had to have a Panama hat, so they did their haggling here in this village.  

 

Once back on the Star Princess, we watched the tuna boats unload their frozen catch into the containers on the trucks.  

 

 

Once in a while a huge frozen tuna would miss the opening on the top of the container and fall to the ground.  Clunk!!  Didn't seem to hurt them much, so they just picked them up and tossed them back up there.  What an entertaining way to spend the afternoon.

 

Hoping you have a super Tuesday everyone!  Time to prepare for the treadmill, then breakfast and I should go to the gym since it's Tuesday but we are planning on getting groceries and other errands later so may decide not to.  Stay busy and stay well!

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update, General Info, Photos, SLC and the UK guy too!

[seagarsmoker]

Thanks for the Daily Report and I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Report.

 

Another cool start to the day, but it should warm up to 6°C (43°F). 

 

Anzac Day is an important day, we honour those who served.  Thanks for the explanation of East meets West Day Graham.  It's amazing what is learned from our DNA.  And who doesn't love penguins?  They're charming and amusing.

I don't like the quote.

I'm not sure about the meal, I'll wait until I see recipes.

I hope the drink is tasty and that the wine isn't too expensive.

Thanks for the pictures of today's port.

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care List.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

 

Have a wonderful day.

[superoma]

Tuesday April 25 care and celebration list

 

Roy recovering from pneumonia and getting stronger

Jodiesme1 mother and Her DH with Covid in Guatemala 

Too many shooting victims

Mamaofami’s dh with pneumonia 

Oxygen supply issues for Tana

Hoping for placement closer to home for Luvteaching’s DH

Citizens of Ukraine

Praying for continued healing for cruising sister

Kazu with elbow surgery on Wednesday

Atexsix DD working on getting mobile

Lazey1 getting colitis flair under control before cruise

Marshhawks difficult decision for Irving 

From the rotation:

 

Smitty34877’s DH’s GI Surgery

Dobiemom’s sleeping issues

Grapau27 needing hip surgery for arthritis 

Luvteaching’s DH in rehab 

 

Celebrations

 

Rafinmd’s good report from the Oncologist, Podiatrist and Pulmonologist

Vict0riann’s week in Ireland

Cheers for ladyHudson’s excellent diet results

Safe return of Ichban Nekko from Europe

Mr Boston safely home after a difficult time in Michigan0

Fleet week in Fort Lauderdale

Happy birthday to ger_77 DH

Remembering Anzac Day (Australia & New Zealand)

 

Many Dailyites cruising or with upcoming cruises

 

 5 days Lobsternight anniversary cruise and vow renewal (Nieuw Amsterdam 4/30 to 5/7)

7 days for HAL4NOW (Koningsdam 5/1 to 5/6)

7 days Cruising-along (Koningsdam 5/1 to 5/6)

 

 

 Cruising

 

aliaschief & DWAliaschief (Eurodam to 4/28) 

Kplady (Grand Princess to 4/28), 

Sailingdutchy (Rotterdam to 4/29), 

Oceansaway17 (Vision of the Seas to 5/1)

Lady Hudson (Anthem of the Seas to 5/1)

St Pete Cruiser (Noordam to 5/2), 

TiogaCruiser (Volendam to 5/2), 

Overhead Fred’s Anniversary cruise (Rotterdam to 5/6), AV8rix (Volendam to 5/6), 

Dismomx5 (Volendam to 5/6), 

USN59-79 (Westerdam to 5/7), 

Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12), 

Sharon in AZ (Volendam to 5/17) at sea

Jazzyv cruise (celebrity apex) and vacation to 5/28

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Sandi, Eva, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann.  Another chilly/cold morning here and I leave pretty early to take my car to the shop.  Since those down under are so far ahead of us I hope their ANZAC day was great.  Penguins are amazing animals, birds that can't fly, are slow on land but very nimble in the water.  DNA study is an amazing tool.  East meets West is an interesting sideline in history.  On this date 33 years ago the Hubble Space Telescope was first deployed.  The quote strikes me as strange.  I've made 3 visits to Manta concentrated in a 4 year period, Crystal Symphony in 2016, Zaandam in 2017, and Prinsendam in 2019.  No idea what the meal is.  My alternative is Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts, Rustic Home Made Lasagna, and Vanilla Ice Cream as served on MS Nieuw Statendam April 25, 2019:

 

 

Leaving within the hour to take my car to the shop.

 

Roy

[Denise T]

Good morning and thank you for the Daily and Fleet Report. 

Today is a very busy day with meetings and seeing clients today. 

Above all else, I will be celebrating World Penguin Day because who doesn't love a penguin!

Everyone have a safe and healthy day. 

[summer slope]

Tickled Pink Cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1 1/2 parts Pinnacle® Original Vodka
1/2 part DeKuyper® Triple Sec Liqueur
1/2 part Pomegranate Juice
1/2 part Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 part Simple Syrup
Garnish: Lemon, Orange or Edible Flowers

Instructions
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon peel or wheel, orange peel or wheel, or edible flowers.

 

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning and thank-you for the daily report.  Happy Anzac Day to those who served in the army in Australia and New Zealand.  Nice collection of days, who doesn’t like a cute little penguin.  Funny quote about boys.  Today’s meal sounds good, I would try it.  Haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers to everyone that needs them.  Cheers to all of you celebrating happy events today. 🍻

[kochleffel]

For East Meets West Day, here's Fred Small's "At the Elbe."

 

Teams at Youngstown State University in Ohio are called the Penguins. I think that no other team uses that name.

 

I would probably like the suggested meal, but it wouldn't work for anyone who avoids gluten, because gluten is very concentrated in seitan. I don't know what the cocktail is and I'm not sure that I want to know. I have usually not enjoyed Malbec when it's been served to me. I haven't been to Ecuador.

 

I wanted to take today off and work tomorrow instead, because it's not likely to rain today and it is likely to rain tomorrow, but I received the last things for the newsletter too late yesterday to avoid some work today. But trash and recycling first.

 

 

 

[cat shepard]

Thank you Sandi & Rich for today’s R & D.  It is a lovely day in my neighborhood! We had quite a rainy evening, yesterday. But not a heavy downpour. Even Bindi didn’t mind going out in it. 
 

Eva, thank you for taking care of our lists so diligently. We are such a busy group. 
I need to pull together and pack up tomorrow’s AmVet donation, and finish cleaning my bird bath. Then Bindi walks, one gym class and wrapping up my day at the local wine bar with friends. At least that is my plan. 
 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone!

 

*********

Altocedro Malbec La Consulta Old Vine Reserve 2020

The 2020 vintage is still a bit elusive, though I provided its info below. Luckily all released vintages share the same excellent reviews. It definitely sounds like one I would like to taste. But there are numerous online distributors who ship the 2019 with prices starting at $33.50.

 

Winemaker Notes

#51 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022

A deep ruby red color. Lucid aromas of sweet figs and prunes, as well as cherry compote. Very generous fruit in the middle with firm, lightly chewy tannin and moderate length.

WS93 Wine Spectator

This red harmoniously melds layers of floral, spice, minerality and fruit, showing rich plum and floral blackberry notes up front, with spicy currant and wet stone flavors midpalate that fan out around medium-grained tannins. Ends with a lingering note of cordial.

JS92 James Suckling

Creamy mocha-chocolate notes jump out first, followed by very ripe blackberries and some mulberries. The full-bodied palate garners a bit of dried fruit, too, but not in a jammy way. Rich and concentrated with dense, ripe tannins to seal it all. Good length. Drink or hold.

Edited April 25, 2023 by cat shepard

[kazu]

Thanks for our Tuesday Daily, Sandi.

 

For our friends in Australia & New Zealand:

 

 

Great collection of days.  DNA has become so key over the years.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love penguins, me included - so I’ll happily celebrate them.

 

I’m not sure I “get” today’s quote.  It doesn’t make sense to me.  The meal suggestion is interesting.  I’ll have to wait for Debbie’s great descriptions to form an opinion.

 

 

An unpleasant discovery this morning - the lid of my coffee carafe is broken 😠’sigh’. On the way for my booster yesterday I decided I should do a bit of shopping.  Guess for who?

 

 

For the Garden Club Canadian participants, here is the difference between Brecks and Veseys (the latter a great Maritime company out of PEI).  Veseys sent me an email so I knew when my new plants would arrive and prep.  I discovered my box from Brecks in my community mailbox yesterday with no advance notice.  GRRRR.  I rarely order from Brecks and I just got reminded why.

 

All our snow is gone 👍   I feel for those in the frozen tundra still waiting for it to melt.  May this be the end of it and no more to come (It’s happened before)🤞

 

 

Prayers for those on the Care list & for those that need them and a toast 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

 

Have a great Tuesday everyone !!!!!

[GTVCRUISER]

Good Morning 🙂 from San Diego 

[kochleffel]

14 minutes ago, kazu said:

For the Garden Club Canadian participants, here is the difference between Brecks and Veseys (the latter a great Maritime company out of PEI).  Veseys sent me an email so I knew when my new plants would arrive and prep.  I discovered my box from Brecks in my community mailbox yesterday with no advance notice.  GRRRR.  I rarely order from Brecks and I just got reminded why.

 

Bluestone Perennials notified me yesterday that one plant in my order, Monarda 'Grape Gumball' (a purple-flowered bergamot) probably won't be ready to ship this spring, because a warm fall delayed dormancy and a cold spring delayed breaking dormancy. If they can't ship it during May, they'll hold the order for the fall.

 

Bergamot is the distinctive flavor in Earl Grey tea. The plant is also called Oswego tea, after the Oswego people of New York, who made a tea from the leaves and taught colonists to do the same. The Oswego territory is about a two-hour drive north of here.

[cruising sister]

Good morning,

I love the dog toys!  I hope he does too!  Good luck on your surgery tomorrow Jacqui. I hope it brings you the relief you need. 
 

Funny thing happened at the gas station 2 weeks ago (not really). I dropped the gas nozzle (weak hands) on my right foot hitting the 4th and 5th toe. It bruised a little and hurt for a few days and then I kind of forgot about it until Sunday when the baby toe swelled and turned red and painful. Long story short it is fractured and infected. Oh well, I have a week before I leave and I am sure it will food to go. 
 

I have been to Manta and visited a fish market. It was smelly and creepy. I have attached a few pictures. Have a  great day.

 

[smitty34877]

Good morning. I will salute all three days and pass on the recipe. We have not been to the port.

Thank you Eva @superoma for mentioning Tana’s oxygen issues. We think the problem has been solved and we are better prepared in case it happens again. I appreciate your care and attention doing the lists but that aspect of things is decidedly better now.Thanks.

We have another day of pre op visits but the date is not official yet for DH’s surgery. Yesterday we drove to the supposed appointment only to find out it was for today. It would not be a big problem as we had coverage at home for four days this week,including today. I blame myself because I usually make sure ahead of time that appointments are correct . Oh well.

it remains a little chilly here but the sun is out so I will take it. Enjoy the day everyone.

 

[smitty34877]

@marshhawk, Annie, I just saw yesterday’s post about your Irving. I am sending hugs to all of you and hope the next few days are good for Irving.It is always a difficult decision but it sounds like the best one for him under the circumstances. I was also sorry to see that your hours were cut.

[superoma]

Good morning. Just discovered that today is also the 25th anniversary of the red hat society. We had two groups of red hat ladies in our Clearwater condo complex. 
 

frost overnight so the onions got covered. The lettuce and other plants are undercover anyway. I think we have one more frost forecast for tonight then a gradual warming. Pansies are hardy flowers and mine survived all winter and actually stayed blooming! 

prayers for those that need them and cheers to all celebrating.

 

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone!

 

It is currently sunny here in mid-Michigan.  Let's hope it stays that way for my morning walk.  Otherwise, nothing is on the agenda for today until a Zoom meeting tonight.  Yesterday I did make it out to the big box store that starts with c to replenish some needed paper products and laundry detergent.  We are good to go now. 

 

Today's meal is one I'd eat and I might make with a minor tweak.  Seitan is a meat substitute.  "Wheat meat" has been around for centuries, although the name "seitan" (pronounced SAY-tan) is a much more recent development. Although it is made from wheat, seitan has little in common with flour or bread. Seitan becomes surprisingly similar to the look and texture of meat when it's cooked, making it a popular meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. It is also called gluten, wheat protein, or wheat gluten.  You can find out more about it here:  https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-seitan-3376819

 

Lomo refers to loin, like a pork loin or a beef loin or a chicken loin.  Saltado is sauteed.  So basically today's meal is a version of a stir fry.   Lomo Saltado is a very popular Peruvian dish with origins in chifa cuisine. Chifa is the culinary mashup developed by Chinese-Peruvian immigrants who applied Cantonese techniques and ingredients to Peruvian foods. This dish is the epitome of this amazing fusion of culinary worlds. The recipe takes aji amarillo (Peruvian chiles) and papas fritas (french fries) and prepares them in the style of a Cantonese stir fry. Though typically made using beef, this recipe subs in seitan (or tofu or any vegan protein) to create a delicious, fully vegan meal!   https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a34588919/seitan-recipe/

 

 

Here's another take on it.  You'll have to scroll down through the description of the daughter's choice of colleges according to their vegan menus, but the recipe sounds good.  https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2015/05/seitan-saltado-peruvian-stir-fry-with-potatoes.html

 

 

This last one uses a different type of meat substitute.  I'd substitute actual meat.  I'm not sure you need the rice along with the french fries, but go for it!   https://theyummyvegan.com/blog/lomosaltado

 

 

Here's a picture of the same dish made with meat.   

 

 

Happy Birthday to @ger_77's DH

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

 

[RedneckBob]

National DNA Day!

 

You might be a Redneck if your DNA is an exact match to the other million Rednecks.😀

[ottahand7]

Good morning everyone.  Another gloomy cool day here in Michigan with a freeze coming tonight.  Lately we have dodged the freeze because it has been cloudy.   I will probably cover the plant sale plants with a drop cloth tonight so they continue to look perfect but their growth sure has slowed.   

@StLouisCruisers thanks for doing out Daily and Fleet Reports and thanks to @richwmn for doing all the prep work for us.   Today's dish looked bad until @dfish added the one made with meat.  Kind of looks like the pot roast I am going to be baking today.    @summer slope the drink looks very tasty but it would be one of the ones I drink too fast because it tastes so darn good.  @cat shepard the wine today also looks outstanding.  @superoma thanks for keeping our C&C reports up to date for us.  Prayers for all on our list and the people of Ukraine.   

We were in Manta this year on January 11.   I will try to find some photos from our visit on my phone.  The weather from Sandi's and @cruising sister photos look kind of like the dingy weather we had when there.  Have a nice day!  Nancy 

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Have a great day.