Live From Crystal Symphony - A New Adventure - Reykjavik to Dover

[HUNKY]

Keith - you mentioned earlier your ship is visiting Amsterdam.  Is that correct, or are you docking in Ijmuiden?

[Texas Tillie]

17 minutes ago, HUNKY said:

Keith - you mentioned earlier your ship is visiting Amsterdam.  Is that correct, or are you docking in Ijmuiden?

 

Yes, the ship docks at Ijmuidem, but I would imagine most guests will go into Amsterdam. That's no farther away than many ports to city centers.

[Keith1010]

Hunky, Patty has it right. We plan to visit Amsterdam.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Greetings from Reykjavik, Iceland

 

We flew last evening to Reykjavik, Iceland and arrived this morning. Flight was on-time. Yes.

 

We used a service to fast track us through immigration. We did so because when we arrived in 2021 several flights converged at the same time resulting in a very long wait to get through immigration. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we had to go on another line to present certain information including proof that we had a Covid-19 test and proof that we had been vaccinated.

 

We then met up with the driver who took us on a 40-minute drive into the city and dropped us off at the hotel where we stayed at in 2021 before boarding Endeavor.

 

The hotel is unique with several residence buildings.  It is laid out like an apartment which works very well for us.  When we returned from Endeavor in 2021, we stayed at one of the hotels before flying home the next morning. We preferred the apartment over the hotel.

 

I had one little mishap but thankfully I avoided a major fall. Since it was raining, we had the driver drop me to register.  He waited so he could drive us one block to where we would move the car across the street. When I noticed where he was, I ran across the street since cars were coming in both directions.  I looked straight across at the car and not down and started to trip off a curb that I didn’t realize was there.  It was like in slow motion and somehow, I kept my composure and footing together to avoid what might have been a very bad fall.  This is why they call this kind of thing when you fall an "accident".  

 

Some photos from today in one collage.  I went out for a while and revisited some place we went to in 2021. There were periods of rain but after all this is Iceland.  

 

 

We are so happy to be in Reykjavik.  We look forward to the next days here until we board Symphony.

Cheers,

 

Keith

[ctjon]

Glad you are OK - take it easy and enjoy

[USCAdventurer]

yes keith, please watch your step!  you can't afford to fall at our age!

[Keith1010]

Thank you David. I was fortunate and keeping in good shape helped me BUT I was lucky too.  

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Well a few thoughts from our day of travel from Chicago O'Hare to Reykjavik.

 

We preferred the configuration of the Business Class section on the United Airlines flight over the one we took on Delta in 2021. Both were Boeing 757's. Food was better on the United Flight too and we had superb flight attendants. The one strange thing is there is way too much stuff given the size space you have. So if you took of your shoes there was no place for them and storing the blanket which I never used and other "suff" was not easy. Oh well. This is not a third world problem at all.

 

Falls. I am very fortunate.  If this incident happen 10 times I fall some of the time for sure.  It is called not having sleep for many hours, being thrown off because the car moved across the street, not crossing at a cross walk and not thinking. This is why accidents do happen.

 

The irony is in my volunteer role where we live one of the things I mention from time to time at our meeting is that the number one reason why the people in our active adult community call for Emergency Services (911) is due to falls.  And I cover based on what I've learned from people like our Fire Chief steps to minimize falls inside and outside the home.  This happens more with adults 60 and older for many reasons including medications (I don't take any) and not being as stable as they once were. Add onto this other factors such as the ones I mentioned above. A fall for older adults is worse because our bones are more fragile.

 

In addition to knowing people who have fallen and fractured bones I know of some who fell and died from it.

 

So a reminder to think as much as possible and while at home to do things to minimize falling.

 

An example of thinking is when I go up to our attic monthly to put vinegar down the PCC piping for our AC unit when I walk those steps I do not think of anything else. I say to myself step, step, step, step while thinking be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, each step I am on.  We also do not keep anything up there.

 

On a related note, in our community we encourage people to get help. In other words, know your limitations and for those who have no business being on attic stairs stay off them and get someone to do this for you including paying someone.  Same for some goes for changing out smoke detector batteries.  

 

So lesson learned. Apply that focus as much as one can, all of the time.

 

OK back to the regular programming for these live reports.

 

For many of you it is the evening of September 4 and for others including myself it is early morning September 5.

 

Keith

[Txcotn]

Re falls - I was seriously ill this past winter and I'm still working on my strength. Needless to say I have fallen 3 times😱 and DH can't help much due to shoulder issues. So we have been forced to call the Fire Dept. They come within 5 minutes and are so young and adorable I'm going to adopt them. Then we bring them treats to the Fire House. We're very fortunate to have them so close and so responsive, but the actual falling is quite demoralizing!

[Keith1010]

27 minutes ago, Txcotn said:

Re falls - I was seriously ill this past winter and I'm still working on my strength. Needless to say I have fallen 3 times😱 and DH can't help much due to shoulder issues. So we have been forced to call the Fire Dept. They come within 5 minutes and are so young and adorable I'm going to adopt them. Then we bring them treats to the Fire House. We're very fortunate to have them so close and so responsive, but the actual falling is quite demoralizing!

I am so very sorry you have fallen three times. Thank goodness the fire department is nearby.

 

If you are home alone something the fire department recommends is to keep your cell phone with you at all times. I knew someone who fell and it took her hours to reach her cell phone to call for help.

Take care,

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Greetings from Reykjavik, Iceland

 

It was great to begin today in Reykjavik. Our previous pre-cruise stay was in early August of 2021, and we also visited this city on a few prior occasions when we sailed both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.  

 

This city was the first permanent settlement of Iceland. While it is a relatively small, populated city of 135,000 people it began the 20^th century with a population of 6,000 inhabitants.

 

Because of its location to the Arctic Circle in the winter it gets as little of four hours of daylight on its darkest day and in the summer light all night long.

 

Close to two-thirds of all Icelanders live in the city or the surrounding area.

 

With each passing year, tourism to Reykjavik and to Iceland increases with lots of activities for individuals, couples, families, and groups to enjoy.

 

The place that we stay offers a daily basket of goodies for those who select this option and a freshly baked bread from a popular bakery in town. We’ve included a photo of the basket. Each day they change the fruit offering, and the meat offering, include a couple of hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, cheese, and a couple of other goodies.  Cereal is also included in a separate container.  

 

We went on a long walk in the morning. Chilly it was. Windy it was.  Just a few sprinkles of rain which passed quickly.

 

A portion of our walk included revisiting the pier where we sailed the former Crystal Endeavor in 2021.  

 

We went back out in the afternoon and enjoyed another walk.  We love cities and one of the reasons is they are enjoyable to walk and there is so much to do and to see. In addition to lots of restaurants lots of bars and other establishments to drink wherever you look.  

 

I went out again on his own on what he would call a power walk covering a lot of ground.

 

While it was colder on my final power walk it certainly didn't matter to the crowd you will see in the video.

 

You will see a photo of the famous place for hot dogs.  We did try on there in 2021. No french fries. Don't think they had them anyway.  They were good but I would take Nathan's over them and I am sure many of you have your favorites.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dimundsR]

Did you happen to find out the purpose of the procession was in your video?  All dressed in white, but I noticed a person in black.  Wonder what that meant . . . .  Always the curious one . . . 

[Keith1010]

47 minutes ago, dimundsR said:

Did you happen to find out the purpose of the procession was in your video?  All dressed in white, but I noticed a person in black.  Wonder what that meant . . . .  Always the curious one . . . 

I am not sure. The person leading the group was in black. Smoke coming gout of what he was holding.

 

Keith

[2cagain]

Keith, Excited to learn you are on this cruise with us (or we with you and Anne Marie). We started with Harmony, but somehow, you were always on Serenity while we sailed Symphony.  This is our first NC cruise, as we were committed on other lines til now. 

My wife and I would love to meet you and Anne Marie over coffee one of your free times. 
How can we arrange. 
Marc and Esther 

[skybluewaters]

19 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

In addition to knowing people who have fallen and fractured bones I know of some who fell and died from it.

 

Not-so-fun fact: A senior woman who fractures a hip from a fall has a lower five-year survival rate than if she were diagnosed with breast cancer, while a senior man who fractures a hip from a fall has a lower five-year survival rate than if he were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

 

So Keith, your advice is right on, be careful!

[rafinmd]

38 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Not-so-fun fact: A senior woman who fractures a hip from a fall has a lower five-year survival rate than if she were diagnosed with breast cancer, while a senior man who fractures a hip from a fall has a lower five-year survival rate than if he were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

 

So Keith, your advice is right on, be careful!

Although for men that's a pretty low bar as that rate is nearly 100%.  I am very fortunate to have lived for 27 years.

 

But do stay safe, Keith.

 

Roy

[Jinn]

4 hours ago, 2cagain said:

Keith, Excited to learn you are on this cruise with us (or we with you and Anne Marie). We started with Harmony, but somehow, you were always on Serenity while we sailed Symphony.  This is our first NC cruise, as we were committed on other lines til now. 

My wife and I would love to meet you and Anne Marie over coffee one of your free times. 
How can we arrange. 
Marc and Esther 

I'm not Keith but we are having an informal Meet and Mingle on the 11th at 5:15 in the Palm Court, Starboard side side , just as you enter.  Hope to see you. Julia

[Keith1010]

4 hours ago, 2cagain said:

Keith, Excited to learn you are on this cruise with us (or we with you and Anne Marie). We started with Harmony, but somehow, you were always on Serenity while we sailed Symphony.  This is our first NC cruise, as we were committed on other lines til now. 

My wife and I would love to meet you and Anne Marie over coffee one of your free times. 
How can we arrange. 
Marc and Esther 

That is great Marc and Esther.  

 

When we are all on board let's post here and I will try to propose a date/time to meet.I find that meeting in the Lounge is a good place and have done that with others from this board on Serenity so we could do that on Symphony.  

 

Keith

[2cagain]

Keith, sounds great.  Esther and I followed you on these boards and your blog for years, and never stop enjoying them. We look forward to meeting. 
M&E

[Keith1010]

Greetings from Reykjavik, Iceland

 

Although the weather has been chilly, and it is September this is still a busy time of the year in Reykjavik with tourism, including those sailing on cruise ships as the cruising season wraps up later this month.

We try to get out early in the morning, later in the morning and in the afternoon.  

 

The difference this time around is we are in warmer clothing including waterproof jackets versus our first visit. This brings us to the weather.  Weather can change quickly with respect to wind speed and even rain as we have seen not only on this visit but since our first visit here in 2003 when we had a one-day port stop to this city and on a couple of other cruises who stopped here for a day.  You just never know what to expect.  

 

Yesterday was an example of that. No rain forecasted after a very early morning rain yet on each of our walks for a few minutes we had rain ranging from a sprinkle to something more like a downpour.  

 

We are fortunate with the weather.  For the remainder of very little rain is not in the forecast and temperature-wise the weather highs and lows will remain about the same until they get cooler the day, we board Symphony.  Once on board we will have an overnight.
 
For our first walk of the day, we headed into the downtown area over to area where the duck pond is located and the iconic monument to the unknown bureaucrat which is a tribute by Iceland to its thankless civil servants. The monument was sculpted in 1994.

We also visited a few other areas including Harper and Ingolfsgaour. We got in one additional walk in the morning and after lunch went back out again for our third long walk of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Txcotn]

Excellent photos! Brings back memories.

[USCAdventurer]

Thanks for the fabulous pictures, Keith.  Glad you are getting out and about and enjoying the weather.  I'm so jealous for the cool temperatures and rain.  Its not like that here in Scottsdale!

[Keith1010]

Thank you Txcotn and David.

 

David, I am just happy that we are here.  Ideally I would prefer it to be about 10 degrees warmer but being the half glass is fully guy I realize it could be a lot cooler with tremendous downpours made worse if it is windy so it's worked out very well.

 

I always say the experiences can vary in the same location based on the weather. We had mild weather in 2021 but it was very early August.

 

First time we were here in 2023 we were soaked and that taught us how to prepare better for travels in terms of travel gear/clothing.

 

Keith

[Roel94]

On 9/1/2024 at 7:36 AM, loriva said:

While living in London, we discovered a great way to get that iconic Abbey Road Studio zebra crossing photo--take the bus!  If you sit at the front seat (or stand briefly if the seats are all taken) on the top of the double decker, you will get the correct perspective from the album cover.  Takes a bit of timing and coordination (plus at least two people) but it is pretty easy to do.  One person boards a northbound bus a stop or two before the studios with the camera.  The other prepares to cross from the studio to the east and steps out into the crosswalk as the bus is approaching.  The bus needs to stop, the photo is taken, and then the subject continues across the street.  The photographer hops off at the next stop and switches places.  (Of course, if you have someone else with you more people can be in the photo.)  Here's the list of buses that pass Abbey Road Studios:  https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/stop/490007938E/abbey-road

 

We toured Liverpool with Tim during our first visit there.  His tour includes admission to John and Paul's childhood homes (National Trust properties).  A fab experience was had by all:  http://www.pooloflifetours.com/beatlesextravaganza.html.

 

And have a wonderful cruise!

 

 

I went to both homes but I think one is closed now.also includes the land where Ringos home was and more.

[Keith1010]

In London I think it was Ringo's home where he shared it for a period of time with John Lennon and also with Jimi Hendrix but I could be mistaken.  

 

Keith