Last Day - Newport

So, we are steaming along to the west-southwest, along the south coast of Long Island. Seven Seas Navigator will get a scrubbing, reset, and sail out tomorrow with a fresh contingent of guests.  And, we will be in Chelsea, in New York City!

 We've set an early (EARLY) alarm so we can get up to see the Statue of Liberty as we pass by.  We're scheduled to dock by 0800, and indeed, we have to be out of the suite by then.  The hallways are full of luggage, which is gradually being staged for removal in the morning.

We had a fine day in Newport, Rhode Island, as our last full day of the cruise. We took a walking tour of Colonial Newport as our official activity - more on that in a minute. First, I have to write about last night and our trip from Boston to Newport.

I had forgotten about the Cape Cod Canal - we saw it on our driving trip, and it appealed to the transportation/infrastructure geeks within us. I admit, though, I hadn't thought much about how the ship would get from Boston to Newport - I guess I (naively) thought we would swing out to the east of Cape Cod.  Oh, that's silly.  There is a perfectly good shortcut!

I mention all this, because I went to bed wondering why the GPS map on the TV showed us to the west of Cape Cod.  I woke up about 0130, and looked out the window.  I was astonished to see the shoreline only about 100 yards away!  Plenty far if you are in a small boat or seaplane, but in a (somewhat) big ship?  No way!

Well, of course we were in the canal.  I quickly realized that the banks were perfectly straight, and of course whatever waterway we were traveling would be deep enough to accommodate us.  I realized we were in the canal. And, what's better - we were just about to pass under the Bourne Bridge.

 I cannot over-empathize the surprise and bewilderment I felt for a few moments, though.

Newport.  We visited here on the driving trip (described here and here) so it was, again, a place we'd briefly visited before. It is, as you probably know, known for its sailing, and indeed, we saw many boats, and a class or two in small boats, in the bay.  We anchored today, so that meant a ride in the tender to the shore.  I love the rides in the tenders - it's fun to see the ship from that perspective, and there was a good bit of chop in the water, which makes for a fun ride (for some!)

Weather today - sunny, but chilly. Biting wind.  Warm enough in the sun, but really cold in the shade. Cold enough that I bought a scarf (with Nancy's help!) at the Newport Visitors Center, and that made all the difference.

The walking tour - led by a no-nonsense guide, and taking in a number of sites in the immediate "downtown" area of Newport. Honestly, it all kind of ran together (this late in the trip, the dates don't jump out any more) but we saw the Quakers meeting hall, the (reported) oldest continuously-running tavern in the USA (did you know the symbol for a tavern is a White Horse, for those who were illiterate?) And, the Touro Synagogue - the oldest in the US. We had wondered why there would be a synagogue in the middle of "Wasptown, USA" but it makes sense when you consider that Rhode Island was founded on true religious freedom.  Jewish people from Spain and Portugal getting kicked out by the Catholics heard what Roger Williams was up to, and decided it was a good place to go.

In true ecumenical style, I also visited Trinity Episcopal Church, which has seen the likes of George Washington, Queen Elizabeth II, and Bishop Desmond Tutu as visiting worshippers.  Nancy checked out St Mary's Catholic parish where JFK and Jackie were wed, too.

Turns out it is the Seafood Festival this weekend in Newport, so we got our lunch on the run, as it were.  Lobster tacos for me, and a scallop roll for Nancy.  Like the Ballard Seafood fest, except on the water, and without the salmon!

Back to the ship, a last swim in the pool, then sailaway, packing, dinner (where we were escorted to our seats by the maitre'd with great ceremony!  Even funnier when you consider that tonight was "Casual Night".

I checked out the sendoff "Beatles Dance Party" featuring the band and dancers - on a ship this small, that means you end up dancing with the dancers and singing with the Cruise Director (Jamie - great guy)  Great fun!

Now, Navigator is gently rocking us to sleep for the last time (this time)  I probably will not chronicle the rest of the trip so faithfully, so if you've read this far, THANK YOU, Merci Beaucoup, and hope to see you soon! Cheers.

Of Presidents and Friends

Campaign button from JFK's 1960 campaign. It turned out to be true!

Today, Boston.  One of those cities in which a mere twelve hours isn't nearly enough, but we did our best!  Busy, enjoyable day. (and we will most certainly be back again!)

Weather was great, once again - a bit breezy, and apparently it rained this morning before we arrived, but the skies cleared and we were able to see all around very well.

Arrived at sunrise, which sounds early, but was around 8AM. Beautiful golden orange skies to the east. We sailed right past Logan Airport, which I obviously loved very much!  Out on the balcony in my bathrobe, shooting picture after picture (as the passenger ferries scooted by!)  Traffic was arriving & departing to the south, so they came right over the ship as we pulled into the Black Falcon Cruise Ship terminal area.  Yet another area (this was a common theme across our trip) in which there is much urban growth - new buildings springing up among, or in place of, older ones, or over former parking lots.

Our tour today was positively Presidential:  the Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, MA, and the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Just a few notes about both of them, as I can either write loads and loads, or offer observations and hope you, dear reader, will visit them yourself someday.

Adams

• Home to four generations of the family, starting with John and Abigail
• We saw the home and the library (separate building) but there is lots more to see
• No photos allowed inside
• People sure were smaller "back in the day"

Please browse the web site for more details - and please do visit this park if you have any interest in US History.  Plus, it's free!  But be sure to say it is in "Quin-zee, Massachusetts,"  (not Quin-see) That is more local than saying "pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd"

JFK

• Stunning building and location on Columbia Point on the waterfront, in the campus of UMass-Boston
• Your visit starts with a 20-minute film composed of photos and video, and "narrated" by JFK himself (snippets from speeches and interviews
• Exhibits then walk you through his life from the time that he is nominated for President, to Nov 22, 1963 and his legacy beyond.
• Lots of great stuff from campaigns - signs, buttons, etc.
• Lots of great TV footage
• Some of Jackie's dresses and acoutrements
• Numerous drafts of speeches (with handwritten corrections) and White House guest lists, with Jackie's corrections "who are they?"  "need someone who speaks fluent French"  etc.
• Exhibits devoted to space, the Peace Corps, the Cuban missile crisis, and other events 
• Teddy's institute is next door

Well worth a visit, and the view across the water is stunning.  If you take the T to get there, they run a shuttle from the station to the museum (it's a little out of the way otherwise, in amidst the buildings of UMass-Boston)

After being presidential, we met up with friends Janet and Wayne, who live in the Back Bay area of Boston. They thoughtfully came out to meet us at the T station, and shepherded us back into their part of town, very near the John Hancock Center and Copley Square. It's also where the Boston Public Library is located, so of course we had to check that out (see what I did there?)  And of the Library, may I just say "WOW."  Stunning, majestic building, lots of marble, murals, arches, courtyard. Beautiful architecture and artwork inside, including rooms with murals from illustrious artists such as John Singer Sargent.  Well worth a visit, and (again) it's free!

Copley Square is also home to Trinity Cathedral, a weekly (seasonal) Farmers Market, and, of course, the start/finish of the Boston Marathon.  

We spent some time catching up at Janet and Wayne's gorgeous brownstone home (after they took us to their favorite chocolate shop nearby!) And then, they thoughtfully escorted us all the way back to the port, helping us navigate a couple of T-trains, a bus, and a walk through to the entrance to the port secure area.  The T bus dropped us off in between major stops because it would be easier for us to get to the ship. That was nice.

Now, we've been underway for a few hours, and the data on the TV is a little confusing.  It says we've sailed 189 miles since leaving Boston. Something's not quite right <grin>  We have spent a lot of time with this TV channel, too much, in fact.  It plays "soft hits music"  and we have heard Muskrat Love and That's Why I'm Leaving It All Up To You just a few too many times....

Beautiful sailaway in the dark. We went up to deck 11, the only ones up there, and enjoyed the city scape and Logan Airport with all its pretty lights. Aviation nerd alert - FlightRadar24 is a seriously cool app, and it gave us lots of information for the arrivals and departures we were viewing from our front-row seat.

Tomorrow, Newport, Rhode Island, and the last day of the cruise.  What a great trip it's been!

The "other" Portland - and, some general ship observations and catch-ups

Photobombed by the Portland Head Light!

Today (Thursday), we woke up in Portland. Another lovely, sunny, crisp day.  Watched the Nova Scotia ferry, m/v Nova Star, as it arrived in Portland.  Apparently, this ferry, which is a fairly new operation, is losing money (it takes about ten hours to sail from Portland to Yarmouth, N.S., while it takes about 10-12 hours to drive the same distance. So.... not much of a time savings.)

Anyway, I am going to keep this entry somewhat short, owing to energy and time. Maybe it is because we are nearing the end of the cruise, and the fact that last night the Internet went Tango Uniform.  It's all good.

We had a day-long tour today, billed as "The Best of Maine."  This included a trip to Kennebunkport (and its sister, Kennebunk), a short boat ride to see that area from the water, along with how lobstering works, then a lobster roll lunch at a local resort, and finally, a trip to Portland Head Light.  It was all very well done, and the day couldn't have been better.

In Kennebunkport, we got to see where George and Bar hang out in the summers (as well as where Bar insists on taking her beach walk, with dogs and walker, and Secret Service agents.)  We got to swing into the cove next to the compound, because the Bushes left last week for Texas.   There are buoys that mark the security area - when (either) Bush was president and in residence in Maine, lobstermen were given about a day's heads-up to get their traps out of the secure area, because they would have no access when the family was present.  We got the impression from one of the other guides who lives there and has been guiding for many years that some family members are liked much more than other members.  You can figure out which ones. <grin>

Kennebunkport is charming, if a bit precious.  It has been the playground of the very wealthy for many years, after all.  We saw numerous other houses belonging to famous people, including the founder of EHarmony - notable, because we were also told the story that this fellow is currently undergoing a divorce because his wife met someone else on EHarmony.  Not sure if that is true, but it's a good story....

Once we returned to the dock, Nancy and set out to explore Portland a little bit.  In my couple of hours (which is hardly anything,) I found it to be delightful, and about what I expected. I expected it to be: a bit funky, a bit hipster, a little gritty, a lot charming and historic.  Kinda like that other Portland, I suppose.  We wandered the streets, dropped some cash here and there (in stores, mind) and soaked it all up.  Thought we would dine off the ship tonight (late sailing) but neither one of us was hungry at the right time.  Oh well.  We returned to the ship and enjoyed dinner as Portland slipped away.  Had a contingent from the Coast Guard escorting us, and saw the Portland Head Light doing its thing.

So, some somewhat random observations before I forget:

• New Brunswick
• one of the most popular snacks is dulse, the seaweed that tastes like bacon. They were eating it long before it became the new super food
• Our guide passed around on the bus a "moose call" - a big can with a leather string attached to it.  You run your fingers up and down the leather and it makes a funny squeaky sound.  Not sure if that truly duplicates the mating call of the moose, or if we were just being made to look ridiculous <grin>
• Maine
• If you stretched out all the coastline in Maine, it would measure about 3,600 miles
• Most of our tour guides have been retired folks (as compared to most of our guides on our last two summer cruises, where the guides are schoolteachers on summer break)
• If you are not a native Mainer, you are "from away"
• Portland's airport is called the "Jetport"  That's fun
• I forgot to wear my PDX socks today in Portland, Maine, darn it
• On board and in general
• We have yet to see our next door neighbors, and wonder if they ever leave the suite. We hear them all the time (especially on the phone) and they always have a Breakfast order hanging on the door, or else a "Privacy Please" notice. And, they leave their balcony light on all night
• Frat boys are frat boys at any age, even in their sixties-seventies (seeking out the nearest beer in Kennebunkport at 10:30Am, for example, or talking through the dance performances)
• Regent staff are, without exception, absolutely spectacular.  Well, except maybe the I.T. guy. We have been amused by several Windows errors showing up on the in-house TV presentations.

Well, as usual,that wasn't short after all.  And I'm sure I'll think of more stuff that is relevant to us, but not particularly interesting to anyone else, ha ha!  

Tomorrow, Boston.  We're touring the JFK Library, and the Adams (John, and John Quincy) museum.  Then, we're getting together with friends. 

We're in Maine now.....

This is an inside joke of ours - we are both huge fans of William Wegman, and he once did a short for Saturday Night Live, called "Dog Baseball."  I can't link to the video directly, but you can Google it if you want.  It starts out with him saying "Dog baseball is a game we started playing up in Maine.  We're not in Maine now."  Well, we are in Maine at the moment, and it's lovely.

I don't exactly know why, or when it started, but I've long had a "thing" about Maine. My first visit was in May 2013, but for many years prior, I dreamed of visiting. Had a great time in 2013, and am having a great time now!

[previous visits chronicled here and here.]

We arrived in Bar Harbor around 7:30am, gliding in amongst the lobster buoys and the islands.  We knew we'd be anchoring today, and also that we'd have to wait for the US Border Patrol to come on board before we could leave the ship.  Got to watch them lower the tender & zip off to pick up the officers, which was cool.  Regent had it very well organized, calling people to the theater to pick up passports, meet the Border Patrol, then set out on tours. Of course, they've done this kind of thing many, many times, but still, it was good to see it work so efficiently.  Before we knew it, we were on the tender, heading for shore.

Bar Harbor is on Mount Desert Island, which is home to (most of) Acadia National Park. (ANP) It is a very popular town "in the season,"  and with two cruise ships in town, we knew there would be lots of other tourists.  It wasn't so bad, actually and fortunately.  The town will get very quiet in a couple of weeks, after the leaves fade and most of the people go home.

There have been people summering here for a long time - the Rockefellers, to name one prominent family. In fact, it was due to private individuals that ANP came into being, nearly 100 years ago. Ideas such as no vehicular traffic, save horse-drawn carriages, helped carry forward the idea that the park was a natural sanctuary. There are plenty of cars now, but the carriage roads are still there and used daily by horses and carriages (and walkers and bikers.)  Also, Maine's own L.L. Bean company sponsors a bus system that runs through the park now, with propane-powered vehicles. This, too, helps keep the air clean.

When Nancy and I visited in May 2013, we had two strikes against us: (1) the weather was crappy, and (2) the government sequestration had just shut most of the roads in ANP!  We could walk or bike on the highways through the park, but not drive.  Oh well.  There were no people, and we managed to have a lovely walk/hike along the rugged, rocky shoreline, only us. 

Today, the weather was fantastic - perfect fall conditions - and although there were a lot of other people around, we managed to see the highlights of the park in all its autumn glory. We had a good guide (again) who is a MDI native

We have a relatively short distance to travel tonight, a little over 100 nautical miles.  The captain advised that we're taking it slow, and, because he doesn't want to disturb the many thousands of lobster pots along the way, he is not going to use the ship's stabilizers.  Consequently, we're definitely rolling tonight, albeit gently.  You know me - I like the rolling!

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And.... this week in First World Problems, the Internet totally died on board last night, so I couldn't finish the Bar Harbor entry.  Not much more to say, I guess, except it continued to be a beautiful day, we got coffee from our favorite Bar Harbor place, Two Cats, and had a beautiful sailaway at sunset.  Got to see the Princess ship all lit up, as they saw us, too.

On now to Portland....

No longer the only kids in town

Today, Saint John, New Brunswick.  In which we really discover what it's like to not be the "only kids in town...."  Turns out, our pals on Princess are following us through Bar Harbor, but will skip on ahead after that.  However, they are here now in all their behemoth state.  Add a 2,500+ Royal Caribbean to the mix, and there are tour buses EVERYWHERE.

First, though, a link to the blog for our last visit to Saint John.

Enough about that for now, though.  We arrived at midday, which meant we could watch the approach and docking.  And on a ship as small as the Navigator, you can stand right above the flying bridge, watching (and hearing) the Captain and the pilot discuss the maneuvers. Watch the dock handlers move the lines to the right cleats.  The lines are obviously quite heavy and somewhat awkward, but these guys hooked them up to a forklift and drove them over to the proper cleat (except then, they had to move a couple of them anyway.)  We watched the proceedings with one of the entertainers from the ship, which was fun.  He's been in here many times, and was pointing out things to us on the approach.

As the ship was docking, the tour guides began to appear in the parking lot alongside the dock. Most were in period costume for the Loyalist era of the early 1700s.  There was a singer who was entertaining us also,walking round with a mic singing Neil Diamond and Elvis.  Corny, yes, but it was fun to watch a spontaneous dance break out amongst the tour guides in their period garb!

Saint John, it must be said, is not the prettiest of cities.  I mean no disrespect by saying that, but it is true - it is kind of gritty and industrial, sort of like Tacoma, I suppose.  It is home to Canada's largest oil refinery, and a huge paper mill as well.  Its legacy is in shipbuilding, and its many older homes look like they could use a lick or two of fresh paint. That makes it real, though, not something concocted for the sole enjoyment of cruise ship passengers.

What made it more real today also was the weather.  We knew that yesterday's glorious weather would not last, and we were lucky to have a dry (yet cloudy) approach. That deteriorated into rain and mist later on, though, although it is pretty warm out, too.  High humidity of course.  Our guide told us today that Saint John has the distinction of being the second-foggiest place in the world (a location in Newfoundland is, apparently, first)

Saint John is on the Bay of Fundy, which is famous for having the highest tides in the world. In particular, here in town, you can see the famous Reversing Falls.  At low tide, the St John River empties into the Bay, as usual. As the tide rises, however, it causes the sea to flow inland, reversing the current. It is cool to see, although to get the full effect, you really need to see it at both low and high tide, which we were able to do on our tour.

Because of the huge changes in the tides here, today we exited the ship from Deck 5, but reboarded on Deck 6.  It was very noticeable when we arrived back at the ship, how much lower it was in the water.

New Brunswick is sometimes called "the drive-through province," as people make their way to PEI or Nova Scotia.  The ferry to Nova Scotia leaves from Saint John, in fact, that is why Nancy and I traveled through here back in May 2013. I read somewhere that over 85% of NB is unpopulated and undeveloped, and then I thought about it - most of the other Canadian provinces could probably also make that claim, with the exception of Nova Scotia and PEI.  Anyway, there are a lot of trees and small hills here. Moose, too.  We searched all day for Bullwinkle, but he was hiding.  I remember form our driving trip, though, that there are huge signs warning drivers of moose.

Our tour took in a little bit of several sites: the Reversing Falls, the Saint John City Market, and the small village of Saint Martins, up along the Bay a bit.  We already knew that we would be competing with other tours from the other ships at most of these spots.  The tour guide company seemed to have some coordination between them, fortunately, to try to keep all 10-15 buses from converging on the same sites at the same time.  That said, it was still pretty busy, wherever we went.

Our guide came from Alberta, originally, but has lived in New Brunswick for many years. She and her husband live out by St. Martins, actually, so many of the stories she told us throughout the day were personal ones. She also said that several other guides live out that way, and they carpool together to work in Saint John. We thought they must have fun comparing notes at the end of the day.  She did say they usually take a poll to see whose bus would see the first moose.  Well, we didn't win that category today.

I won't write a whole lot about the Reversing Falls, mainly because there are thousands of stories and videos of it (I can't link to videos from the ship, so you have to look it up yourself <grin>)  I will offer some observations, though:
- The paper mill is very prominent behind the Falls
- There's a zipline operation next to the Falls
- It was fun to watch the cormorants flying "upstream", landing, and floating backwards with the current
- Saw a seal, too

After the Falls (morning/high tide edition) we headed into Uptown Saint John, and its City market - kind of like a small version of Pike Place Market, without the flying fish.  Saint John claims to be Canada's oldest city, and the market has been there a long time.  In fact, the aisleway that runs through the center (centre?) of the market is actually a city street, although the whole market is covered.  Also, the market, and many of the businesses in Uptown Saint John, are connected by underground walkways.  This is the Great North, after all.

We got back on the bus for the hour-long drive to St. Martins.  We took the scenic route, although, again, it's a gritty sort of beauty in places.  We saw the Three Sisters Lamp, a symbol of the city, and a form of "VASI" for sailors (ask your friendly local pilot to explain that.)  We also drove by the street & house where Donald Sutherland grew up.  (well, I spend a lot of my professional life pointing out Bill Gates' house, so...)

Other random bits of trivia about former Saint John area residents - the inventor of the foghorn hailed from here. Red Rose tea originated here (the original building now houses financial firms.) The tea bag was invented here.  Also, the guy who figured out how to make motion pictures (Ballardites, you see it every time you go to a movie at the Majestic Bay!  "Welcome to Eltaes Theatres, where the magic begins again... and again.... and again...")

Although it was misty and a bit rainy, we were able to see some good color in the trees.  The bus stopped at one point to let us take photos of a country lane that has great color right now. That's today's blog's picture.

St. Martins features a couple of covered bridges, a retired lighthouse that serves as the visitor center, and of course, a tiny harbor. We were there when the tide was going out, and were able to get some pictures of the boats in water.  About an hour later, though, the boats were on dry land (well, muddy) Such is marine life on the Bay of Fundy!

We were scheduled to have a small lunch at a local seafood restaurant, The Caves (if you've ever been to the Oregon Coast, think of Mo's - this is the local equivalent.)  This place caters to regular customers, of course, but also cranks out chowder and biscuits to hundreds of tour bus occupants every day.  We were but one of many groups for today.  Sounds chaotic (and it was, kind of) but the food was very good, and they were efficient.  Afterwards, we had a chance to "walk on the ocean floor" and look at many, many pretty rocks.  Also, the local caves - accessible in the low tide, but not recommended at other times!

Back on the bus, back to Saint John and the Reversing Falls. And damn if they weren't going the other way. They didn't disappoint!

So, now, we are steaming along for Bar Harbor, and a return to the USA.  We'll get our passports back first thing, and get cleared back into the US.  I love Canada, and I like living in a place where I can travel to Canada quite easily. Back to paying "full price" for things <grin>  We do get an hour back, though, as we travel back into the Eastern time zone (from Atlantic)

Hello, Halifax

Today, Halifax - capital of Nova Scotia.

As I said yesterday, we are now retracing our steps - we were in Halifax in May, 2013. (click here for that blog entry) Loved it then, and loved it today, too.

Woke this morning to find we were no longer the only ship in town - the behemoth Regal Princess, and the stately Maasdam were also docked in Halifax.  We were easily the smallest of the bunch, or in other words, "just right." <grin>

Glorious day in Halifax, weather-wise.  Sunny and warm all day!  We set out with long sleeves and layers, but quickly shed some of those layers in the warmth.  Fabulous.

We signed up for a City Harbour tour, with a ride on an amphibious vehicle. Given what happened recently in Seattle, with the very unfortunate accident involving a Duck vehicle and a charter bus, I'll admit, I looked the vehicle over pretty closely.  (not that I know what I'm looking for, but you know...)  Turns out, these vehicles are a different make and model.  The "Harbour Hopper Tours" in Halifax use LARC 5 vehicles:  Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo, 5 ton capacity.  They were used in the Vietnam War.  The one that had the accident in Seattle was a DUKW, or "duck" from WWII.

Anyway, we had a great, if quick, tour of Halifax and its harbour. Our energetic guide did her job in pointing out all the significant buildings and attractions of the city.  Halifax is quite a significant port and harbour (it just seems better to use the Canadian spelling) for Canada, as it is the major site for the Eastern part of the country.  Roughly half of the Canadian Naval frigates are in Halifax, the rest are in British Columbia. So, we got to see some of those ships, and other naval vehicles, right in the heart of downtown.

We also saw sites such as:
- a floating golf green, occupied by a heron at the time we went by. Apparently, if you hit a ball from the shore and make a hole-in-one, you'll win a car
- curious Harbour Seal popped up to check us out
- The Halifax Citadel, which commands an impressive view of both the harbour and the surrounding countryside (as any good citadel should do)
- Halifax City Hall, with its clock stopped at the precise moment of the Halifax Explosion, a disaster that leveled the city in 1917. Two ships collided in a foggy harbour, and one was filled to the gills with explosives.

Speaking of explosions, our guide apologized in a very Canadian way for the failed efforts of an ancestral Canadian (British at that time) who tried to burn down the White House.  Major General Ross, leader of the pack, is buried in Halifax.

Once our tour finished, Nancy and I pushed our way through all the other cruise traffic (kidding, kind of) and got a bite to eat at the portside Farmers Market.  Fortunately, most of the kiosks were open today, but a lot of shops in town were not open, because it is Canadian Thanksgiving. In fact, one of our guides today said she was happy because her husband was home cooking the turkey, so she would come home from work to Thanksgiving dinner, done! And, she was hoping they would have their dinner outside. Lovely!  I celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving by having my first lobster roll of the trip.  Nancy, who has to avoid the clawed shellfish, enjoyed an Asian lunch of steamed pork roll.

During lunch, we saw one of my favorite sights from a Regent cruise:  staff and crew on the shore, having some down time. Several of the crew were hanging out at the Farmers Market, using the free wifi, probably Skypeing with home. Like most cruise ships, I expect, ours has a staff from all over the world.

After lunch, we set off along the very pretty waterfront boardwalk, watching people fishing (with success!), busking, and mostly just strolling.  Numerous dogs, happy to be in the sunshine, too.

I was happy to see that the "drunken lightposts" of Halifax are still there - I thought it might be a temporary exhibit when we saw it in 2013, but they're still there!  Official name of art: "got drunk, fell down" Party on, Halifax!

We walked to the end of the boardwark and the Halifax branch of Cows Ice Cream. Corny puns, great ice cream. And, closing for the season after today!  You could have chocolate, PEI strawberry, or Bubble gum flavors.  Cows, the business, is based on Prince Edward Island (PEI) so having PEI strawberry was a very locavore thing to do anyway.  But good thing we got there when we did - shortly after we got our ice cream, they were down to just bubble gum flavor.  Ew.

Walked back to the ship, taking a moment to watch the ferry come across from nearby Dartmouth.  The ferry boats are a curious round shape, and are very efficient at docking and undocking - they appear to just latch onto a large clip.

Once on board and set to sail, the port of Halifax (presumably?) offered up a wonderfully Scottish send-off: a piper and drummer, dockside.  I think they do it for all the cruises, which is a nice touch.

The internet is being even more stroppy tonight, so I'm going to wrap it up quickly.  Lovely session in the pool and hot tub (in the sun!), cocktail party for return Regent guests, dinner, and now back in the suite.  Much calmer seas tonight, but still a gentle rocking. Sweet dreams.

Birthplace of Canadian Aviation.... and The World's Largest Ceilidh Fiddle

would that fit on the ship??

Today, Sydney, Nova Scotia.  (yes, it's named for the same Lord Sydney as Sydney, Australia. No relation to Sidney, Montana!) Cape Breton Island - the northern part of the province of Nova Scotia.

From this point onwards in the journey, we are retracing our steps.  That is, we are visiting places we also visited on our big car journey a couple of springs ago. Here is a link to the blog entry from that trip for Sydney. It is going to be fun, comparing notes from that trip.

Our stay in port was shorter than usual today (all by design) Perhaps because it's Canadian Thanksgiving?  Don't know, exactly, but I am glad I have had the chance to visit Cape Breton Island twice, now.  I would really like to come back again to hear lots of music!

Anyway, we pulled in, early in the morning just before sunrise.  Our departure was 3PM, all aboard by 2:30.  We had an excursion scheduled - a visit to the village of Baddeck, and the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada.

Did you know that AGB had a role in the first aeroplane to fly in Canada?  Actually, technically, in the British Empire??  I was vaguely aware that he was a talented and curious inventor of many things, and that his wife was deaf, which encouraged development of systems and strategies for coping?  (early system of manual English, for example.)  Anyway, back to the aeroplanes...

It's true:  Alexander and Mabel (Mrs AGB) helped form a group called the Aerial Experimental Association, "to put a man in the air."  They finally succeeded on February 23, 1909, off the frozen water of Bras d'Or Lake at Baddeck.  Very cool.

(BTW:  Bras d'Or is the largest saltwater "lake" in Canada)

In the development running up to the Silver Dart, Bell figured out things like the concept of ailerons.  Those clever French folk had gotten there first, but it's noteworthy that he figured it out, too.

The museum we visited today has a replica of the Silver Dart, one what was flown in a 100-year commemorative flight.  The museum also includes lots of things related to the telephone, and the many other things Bell envisioned, but we had limited time, so we concentrated on the aviation part.  Big surprise, I know <grin>  We did look at the early hydrofoils on display, too, and the tetrahedron-shaped kites all around the place.

And, did you know that AGB actually used the phrase "greenhouse effect" in 1914, to describe the effects of climate change?  Yeah.

Overheard on the way to the museum:  "Will there be Internet access in the museum?"  ??
Also overheard a lot on this trip (as opposed to our other cruises): Southern accents.  Not leveling any judgement, just commenting.  It must be said, however, that the entire ship knew the score of the Texas-Oklahoma football game.

Sydney, and Cape Breton Island, used to subsist on coal mining and steelworking.  Cape Breton Island (CBI) is a gorgeous place, and has a very rich cultural history.  Very strong Scottish links, as many of those who were sent packing in the infamous Highland Clearances ended up here. Hence, Gaelic appears on most of the road signs, there's a Gaelic College, and there is even a festival for Celtic Music going on right now.  Our guide said that CBI fiddlers are world-famous for their talents, even teaching traditional styles back to fiddlers in Scotland.  Well, anything to keep it all thriving, which it is!

Celtic music is such a big deal here, and tourism is becoming such a big industry (replacing the coal and heavy metals) that it makes sense that The World's Largest Fiddle should be there to greet us tourists!  I have an attachment to the Fiddle - I think it's cool.  As we left, I watched it recede, and promised I would see it again someday.

Random observation from Quebec, and also here:  numerous above-ground swimming pools.  Makes sense, because an outdoor in-ground pool would be a bad idea in these winters, I suppose.

Nancy and I watched the departure from our balcony for about an hour, as we steamed out the mouth of the river back into the Atlantic. It was overcast and a bit windy (nippy in the air today again) but we were able to watch the shore as it slowly wound by.  There is a lighthouse out at the point where we re-entered the Atlantic.  Several wind turbines up on the low horizon.

We got to watch the Pilot Boat pull alongside and scoop up the local pilots.  That is always cool to watch, and reminds us of cousin Dana, who found this part fascinating on our cruise last year.

We set off for dinner later, intending to eat at the cafe/bistro "Sette Mare,"  which is pretty casual, but very good. (hell, it's all good!)  Rather than have us wait a few moments for a table, though, the Maitre'd (I'm sure I didn't spell that correctly) asked if we would be willing to share a table in Prime 7, which is the fancy steakhouse restaurant on the ship.  Note that Regent is all-inclusive: you pay in advance for absolutely everything*, then just get on the ship and enjoy, so it's not that Prime 7 is "more expensive."  One must have a reservation for Prime 7, though, so it's usually quite competitive to get a table.  We reserved far in advance for one night coming up.  The chance to go twice in one cruise, though, was one we couldn't pass up.  Even if we had to share a table.

So....  you know how it can go when you're put into a situation with strangers, no matter how social.  Usually, in my experience, it works out great and you come away as new friends.  Other times, well, it can be Awkward.  We had both in our shared table experience, as we shared with two other couples.  All perfectly friendly, but one couple, (one member of that couple, that is) was just a little more... interesting and challenging.  And in a way that isn't helped by several glasses of wine, you know?  (on their part, not mine or ours,  that is!!  You know, someone who's a bit tipsy when they sit down, and it goes downhill from there. Hint: it wasn't either one of us)

The other couple, Colorado residents and fervent Broncos fans, kept us apprised of the Broncos score, and we could have happily talked Orange and Blue all night.  Well, we did what we could! (and we didn't talk about the Seahawks... sigh)

We did have a lovely meal, all in all, but to be honest, we'll probably vet our dinner companions a little more closely from now on!

Ship is rocking again, just as it did last night.  According to "Report from the Bridge,"  it's blowing about 45 knots out there, but we are steaming along downwind at about 17 kts.

Tomorrow, Halifax.  A harbo(u)r tour in a Duck boat (sigh.....)  and a revisiting of a lovely city we saw on our previous Northeast trip.

And it's still great to be the only cruise in town (and in a small ship, to boot!)

Cheers - Sláinte!




*except super-fancy bottles of wine or spirits.  Rest assured that there is plenty of "free" stuff that's perfectly fine

Day at Sea

The ship is slowly rolling from side to side, making her way through 10-15 ft. swells.  We rounded the corner of the Gaspe peninusla a little while ago, and are now (and for pretty much the rest of the cruise) headed south. It's a long way from Saguenay to Sydney, hence, the day at sea.

We started the day within sight of land, but now I can't see it.  That's ok - the sea itself is captivating.  Green-grey, foamy, slow-rolling.  I am actually glad of the motion - I want to be reminded that we are  on the sea, and not just in a hotel somewhere. Fortunately, neither one of us suffer from motion sickness, and I don't think its that bad anyway.  But it is a day where people are using the handrails as they move around.

Temperature outside is in the mid-30s F, and with the wind, there is a significant wind chill outside.  There are some hardy walkers out, getting in their exercise, but most everyone is inside.  In fact, the pool is shut, and the buffet they'd planned for the pool deck got moved inside.  Great day for staying inside with a cup of something warm, and reading.

Regent has of course organized many activities to while away the hours.  We passed on both the martini sampling event, and the learn-to-gamble lessons <grin>  Will probably check out the chocolate teatime a bit later though (as one does)

I indulged in a massage, while Nancy took a nap.  The wild life!

We are making more friends on the ship - there are several others from Washington State here (who self-identify whenever one of us wears something UW or Seahawks)  We also keep running into a couple from Atlanta when we have evening coffee. On a ship this size, most everyone meets everyone else eventually.  Tonight, it's the famous "meet your neighbors" block party on the ship - we gather in the hallway and share drinks and nibbles with the neighboring suites. Meanwhile, the Captain, Cruise Director, and General Manager run through the hallways, shaking everyone's hand.

Notes I forgot from yesterday:
- the RCAF had a pair of F-18s doing exercises near our port.  Caught just fleeting glimpses, but we sure heard them!
- Our bus guide talked about the American Embassy in La Baie. Sure enough, McDonalds.  However, in all fairness, he also pointed out the Canadian Embassy - Tim Hortons
- The Pacific Yew, prolific in Quebec, is used in medicine that combats breast cancer

Well, its a quiet day, so this is a quiet blog entry.  Til next time.....

A Stroll Through Le Parc

Well, hello there, Fall.  There you are.

Today, we were in Saguenay, Quebec. Ever heard of it?  I admit, I had not, before this cruise, that is.  I am here to tell you, it is worth a trip. The Saguenay Fjord is said to be the longest in North America - it shoots off the Gulf of St Lawrence, stretching westward into a large bay called La Baie du Ha! Ha! (No, seriously, that is its name!)  The region continues on to a large lake to the west,and several rivers interact with each other and the fjord.  It's a place of remarkable beauty that's been pretty quiet for many years, with main industries being aluminum, forestry, agriculture, and now, tourism. (somebody figured out the fjord is deep enough for cruise ships, I guess.) Saguenay is both the name of the region, and the city. The city is actually three formerly separate towns combined into one, but with a very French touch, they are now called arrondissments.

In recent years (since 1971, anyway)  Saguenay had the misfortune of experiencing two natural disasters - an earthquake in 1971, and a torrential flood in 1996.  The flood swept through La Baie's downtown, taking everything in its path.  The people had time to evacuate, but the local bank lost both its vault and its ATM machine - straight into the Bay.  The vault was recovered about two years later, but the ATM machine (and its $75,000 - 100,000) are out there somewhere....  The flood is commemorated by a pyramid on the site that washed away - the pyramid is made of old "Yield" signs donated by the Quebec government.  How environmental of them.

Fall colors!  We found them today. Even in the rain  (what the Aussies would call "stiddy rayne") and overcast conditions, we saw fabulous yellow, orange, and red leaves everywhere.

We'd planned to go on a kayaking excursion, in the Saguenay National Park (er, Parc) but the weather had other ideas.  It was kind of a relief, actually, given the temperature hovering around 45 degrees (around 8 degrees C.) and the wind on the water.  We were lucky to get a chance to switch to the light hike through the forest.

We boarded the bus for the ride to the Parc, approximately 50 minutes.  Had a chatty older fellow as our guide - he lives here part of the time and guides in English, then snowbirds it down to Florida!

The park lines the fjord on both sides, and also the entrance from the Gulf. It is a relatively new park, and its purpose is, of course, to preserve its natural beauty, and the creatures therein.  We found out today that the beluga whales are infrequent visitors now; the protected areas should help them come back.

Also learned today: porcupine meat is recommended if you are lost in the forest and need something to eat.  Apparently, it has no parasites.  Subsequently, porcupines are protected in the park!  We saw a fella wandering next to the road - he puffed his quills at us as he shuffled off into the brush.

Also seen today: the leading edge of the snow geese migration south.  There were perhaps several hundred on the bay, but our guide said soon there would thousands.

We had a short wander through the forest with a guide from Parc Quebec, a young biologist who lives here year-around, and keeps track of the wildlife within.  She told us all about how hard the ice freezes, and how you need your snowmobiles to get around.  (In fact, unless you are a local or have a permit, you cannot ride your snowmobile in the Parc.  Oh well)

Ice fishing is kind of a big deal around here, as it is popular in paces where the ice freezes thick enough to support it.  Our bus guide said it was the largest place in which ice fishing happens in salt water.

Our bus guide's English was very good, but he did have some funny (to my ears) pronunciations.  For example,  WISS-cn-sn  (Wisconsin)  He was also very enthusiastic about all the lakes in the area, most with cottages for summer use.  We saw lots of these on the way.  We did not see any of the moose who frequent the area, however.

The forest - verdant, fecund, all those things.  Our group of about 14 (most sporting rain ponchos) followed our guide through the forest, down along the fjord. Lots of deciduous trees, and a number of evergreens, too. Ferns, roots, moss.  Parts of the trail (lots of it, actually) were covered in a boardwalk, and that safeguarded with mesh for better traction.  Good thing, too, because it was slippery.  In fact, there was a proper "hike" on offer this afternoon, too, but it was deemed "wet, muddy, and slippery" by those who went.  We got a good look at the fjord, forest, and surrounding mountains without all the fuss <grin>  And those of us who have hiked in the Pacific Northwest aren't afraid of a little rain and mud on the trail!

Speaking of the Pac NW, we met a nice woman from Portland, a trauma nurse back there.  That came up in conversation because when we were waiting to depart on our excursion, another woman took a fall in the theater, and our new friend sprang up to be of assistance.  The lady turned out to be fine, and the nurse came with us on the hike.

The hike was really well worth it - it was relaxing, pretty, quiet, and a departure from our city travels (those are perfectly fine, of course, but it's nice to mix it up.)

I realize this entry is probably reading even more disjointed than usual!  I'm going to run with what I have now, and perhaps update it tomorrow. We have a day at sea, as we are leaving behind Quebec and heading to Sydney, Nova Scotia.  Besides, it's late, and we officially enter the Atlantic time zone overnight, so we lose an hour.  Here goes....

Capitale du Québec c'est Magnifique!

Do you think they keep live ammo in these?

(Internet service "va et vient", which may or may not mean "comes and goes", but anyway, if these blogs seem disjointed, I blame the spotty service!)


We left Quebec City about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, about 1940 local time.  According to the "From the Bridge" TV channel, we've traveled about 160 miles total, and about 11 miles tonight. (when I drafted this, that is.  We are now a couple of hours out, and rocking gently like we are in bigger water, but it is still the river.)

Today, Quebec City, and a perfect fall day.  The air was crisp and brisk,but fortunately not windy, and  it felt quite warm in the sun.  We docked right in the Vieux Port, with a great view up the hill to the Chateau Frontenac and the other buildings of Old Quebec City.

It's nice to be the only ship in town. Quebec has an impressive cruise ship terminal, and it's obvious that the local economy benefits greatly from tourism. Still, we had plenty of elbow room (except, oh yeah, there must have been some buses in town from somewhere!)

Quebec City has quite a history of being fought over: the French, English, and Americans all had a go. It was also home of the strident Quebec sovereignty movement. Although there is still a Parti Quebecois, it isn't what it once was.

You don't have to be a military genius to see why the fortifications were built where they were.  The Citadel commands the bluff above the river, with pretty much a 360-degree view.  What really commands the attention, though is the magnificent Chateau Frontenanc, arguably the most-photographed hotel in the world. You've seen it before, surely.  We enjoyed seeing it in all kinds of views around town - but we did not spring for the $6.00 entry fee just to look around inside.

We had lunch in a place that looked a bit like a Quebecois diner - not quite a bistro, not quite a tourist trap. It looked like a lot of locals were catching a bite. We sat next to a couple of women who engaged us in conversation - well, one of them, anyway (perhaps her English was stronger.)  Turns out, she is Quebecois-born, but has lived in Vancouver for many years. It's obvious she is proud to call Quebec home.

To get from the lower to the upper parts of Old Quebec, one can climb hundreds of staggeringly steep stairs, (known as the "Breaknecks") or one can take the Funicularire.  We opted for the funicular, because hey, those are cool.  And we got plenty of climbing in later, as we traversed the Governors Promenade along the Citadel.  Too bad we weren't here in the summer:  they do the whole Changing of the Guard, complete with firing a cannon, and featuring the official mascot of the regiment, a goat.

Quebec City certainly lives up to its reputation as being a bit of Europe in North America. The Old City is a UNESCO site (we seem to collect these on cruises!  See also: Tallin, Dubrovnik, etc.)  Winding cobblestone streets, lots of stone buildings, and, yes, charm. Some of that is probably there for the tourists, but it is well worth a visit anyway.  And even amidst the old world charm, we found a store featuring clothing called "F***amode"  (Trent, Denmark does not have the monopoly on using the F-word, apparently)

Back on board, up to the hot tub, where we met some nice folks from California and Colorado.  It was a bit chilly, which made the hot water all the more inviting.  Compared to other cruises, though, there wasn't exactly competition for pool deck chairs!  Followed the soak by dinner, a coffee, then tonight's entertainment: a multi-instrumentalist playing various bits of jazz, Dixieland, big band, etc.  That was cool. (instruments: trumpet, alto sax, clarinet, and piano.)

Some odds and ends that I forgot to mention in previous blogs:

- We've used no pilot boats on our two departures. My cousin Dana would be so disappointed. (joke from last year)
- We think the youngest passenger on board is not 58 or 56 or 10, but probably about 6 months old! Today, we kept encountering a set of parents, usually when babe was in mom's arms while dad wrestled the stroller up all the stairs to the Citadel! Overheard mom telling someone that they'd figured they'd better travel while Junior could still travel for free!
- Speaking of youngsters, in one of the parks today, a little guy was having a complete meltdown while mom and dad stayed calm nearby.  Looked like older brother got to run around the park, while Junior had to stay put.
- We have great Fitbit numbers so far on the trip!  Average of 15K steps / 6-7 miles / 40+ floors per day

Tomorrow, Saguenay - exploration of North America's only true fjord (so they say!)  We are signed up for a kayaking trip, which sounded like a great idea last summer.  Just hope the fall weather isn't too, too chilly!  (they are giving us wetsuits!)

Au Revoir, Montreal - Bonjour, Navigator!

We've been underway for about three hours now, steaming quietly up the St. Lawerence River.  We've settled into the suite for the evening, and occasionally, the ship rocks a bit. Very relaxing!

This is, of course, Embarkation Day, and having been on four Regent cruises in the last five years, (?!)  it feels pretty familiar.  I was last on the Navigator with my mom, back in 2011, when we went to the Caribbean.  She does look smaller than her sisters, but very familiar and relaxing.

We got up and got organized for the checkout, and luggage pickup, at the Sofitel. Headed down to a bookstore/coffee shop (a branch of Second Cup) for a light breakfast, and then wandered through the McGill campus. It is one of Canada's top universities, in a pretty campus up against the edge of Mont Royal.  We caught it at class cross-over, with lots of students hurrying by (most speaking English.)    The campus combines new buildings with older ones (don't most campuses?) and some new buildings that are designed to look old.  Anyway, its very pleasant.

We headed into the bookstore, of course to buy stuff, but also to check out how they do things.  Nancy is the past COB of the UW Bookstore, after all.  <grin>  Came away with a couple of McGill Tshirts, then a stroll back through campus.  Encountered what appeared to be a couple of the frats riding stationary bikes, music blaring, some kind of fundraiser.  Marching through this were the little guys from a local preschool (thinking of my sister Chris, at Colorado College!)  A fun scene.

I was determined to get a Montreal Canadiens t-shirt, so we asked Google to find us the nearest store. We had to get back to the hotel to catch the bus out to the ship, so time was of the essence!  No worries, managed to procure the t-shirt, and get back with plenty of time to spare.

In the lobby, we had our first official encounter with fellow Regent cruisers.  Not surprisingly, we are on the much-younger end of the spectrum. A fall New England cruise isn't exactly like summer in the Mediterranean, after all!   It turns out we are not, in fact, the youngest on board (saw a 10 year old!)  Range of accents, from all over the US, to Australia, the UK, basically lots of native English speakers.  Pushed our way past all the luggage (not really, it was neatly piled up by the door) and got on board the bus to the port.

We did the usual embarkation routine - pick up our card keys, drop off passports (we'll see them again in Bar Harbor) board the ship, and head upstairs for lunch (our suites were not yet ready)  Lunch on the pool deck made me realize the Navigator looks so much smaller than the other ships!  As a comparison, the Navigator carries 490 passengers - the other ships carry 700.  I certainly wouldn't want any more, and the smaller ship suits me!

I thought I'd be clever and get in a round of laundry while everyone else was unpacking.  Ha - lots of folks had the same idea!  No worries, though. We had the mandatory muster drill to attend, so it wasn't like we had to rush off to the Bridge tournament or anything (sorry, Mom)  I say this every cruise - I really appreciate the attention Regent pays to safety.

The sailaway was pretty magnificent, because the sun was putting on quite a show, and we had the city skyline between us and the western horizon. Deep oranges, pink, and purple throughout the sky, and the spires of Montreal in silhouette. Magnificent.

Our departure gave opportunity to observe up close just how important the St. Lawrence is to Canada's economy.  It is a very busy port city -  we steamed by grain elevators, container yards, and all sorts of industrial and commercial (somewhat gritty) activity.

Honestly, my imagination is kind of failing me at the moment, but there isn't a whole lot else to remark on for now - except the people we saw in the Library/computer lounge.  One at one end, one at the other (about seven machines in a row), with the third in the middle.  All talking to each other, loudly.  One was having problems logging on that may have involved not remembering her name (of course I'm making that up, but it was pretty painful hearing her struggle.)  She gave up fairly quickly though, and left, which was somewhat of a relief to all concerned.

Tomorrow, Quebec City - we had signed up for a helicopter tour, but alas, not enough others did, so it was cancelled.  I am sure we can manage to enjoy the city anyway. <grin>

A day in the old and new

Today, we explored the belle ville that is Montreal.

Started the day with "le petit dejuener" in the hotel, which tempted us with French pastries, oh la la. Oh yeah, we had protein too. And fruit!

Something I forgot yesterday in my notes about New Jersey - we did a great job of "eating Jersey" in our short time there, including meals of: Italian, diner, Friendly's, bagels, Portuguese BBQ, and even a coffee at Dunkin' Donuts.  Well, we are on vacation, after all!

Anyway, back to Montreal!  After breakfast, we hit the streets, winding our way to Vieux Montreal - the old part of the city.  It's down by the river, and, as we are up by Mont Royal, our path was a gradual downhill one.  Saw several more defaced campaign posters along the way -Trudeau is a favo(u)rite target.  Lots of bikes, too, and something I haven't seen before -- metered bicycle lock posts.  They are everywhere, and although they look like they can accommodate up to two bikes, we mostly saw only singles.  There are bike lanes throughout the downtown area (one lane each way, together on one side of the street.)  Helmets are not very popular, apparently.

Torch?

Along the way, we came across what we believe to be the headquarters of the Canadian Olympic Committee.  The building is crowned by the Olympic rings, and features a sculpture resembling a torch out front.  At the base of the torch are the names of every athlete who has won a medal in the Olympics for Canada.


The old part of town is famously charming, and a mix of old and new, European and North American.    Cobblestone streets, old churches, old civic buildings, and a lot of charm.  Not that many of us tourists around at this time of the season, so a bunch of shops are shut.  That's ok.

Along the water in the old port, there are a number of buildings that are no longer being used for their original, industrial purpose.  One of them is an old tower, and we saw people gathered up on top of it.  Turns out that if you want to part with about 100 Canadian dollars, you can "walk" down the side of the building - a reverse rappel, if you will.  We could hear the people shrieking as they returned to terra firma!

Also along the water, we found a welcome friend - the Seven Seas Navigator!  She steamed into port this morning, giving the folks on board a chance to spend their last day of the cruise in Montreal.  We waved to her, and promised to be back tomorrow.

The trees are turning colors, as promised.  We enjoyed a stroll through a couple of small parks with pretty trees.

We resisted the opportunity to take a carriage ride around Vieux Montreal, but enjoyed seeing the horses (and their ID badges!)  waiting patiently.  In fact, even before we got to the cobblestones, I could smell the horses <grin>

We found the Marche Bonsecours, a building that has been, at times, a hotel, the temporary Houses of Parliament, and even a theatre.  It now houses art galleries, shops, and a few restaurants.  (not nearly as precious as that all sounds - tasteful, but understated.)  We were lured in by the Red Canoe shop, which features all kinds of stuff we like, including a lot of aviation-themed clothing.  Yeah, we spent some money.  Followed all that with a tasty lunch in a combo cafe-gallery.  Yum.

Marche Bonsecours

With just a day to spend in Montreal (this trip!), we'd prioritized the things we wanted to see and do.  We are both big fans of the Olympics, and could remember when the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, so we wanted to see those grounds. A quick trip on the Metro out to the site made that easy.  We opted for a trip up the Tour (tower) without the whole tour of the grounds, as it was getting on in the afternoon.  It was cool to see it all laid out, though, and we walked around the grounds a bit before going up the Tower.

We went to the top of the tower

The tower itself is part of the Olympic stadium, and is billed as "the world's tallest inclined structure."  They have a funicular that takes you up to the top, and it's designed to keep you upright (of course) rather than gradually tilting to 45 degrees.  Those who aren't fans of heights probably wouldn't like it, but we both thought it was great!  Once up top, you have fantastic views all around Montreal, and there are pictures helping you understand what you are looking at - local countryside, city streets, even images from the 1976 Games (who remembers Nadia, for example?)

After the tower, we were both a bit bushed, so decided to head back to the hotel (also, it's a straight shot on the Metro from there.)  Stopped at Tim Hortons on the way back - nothing says Canada quite like Timmy's!  I had a "Tim Glace"  or "iced coffee" in English. Lots of students, as we are close to McGill (as previously mentioned.)

After a bit of a rest, we headed out to find dinner, taking a winding route through the neighborhood.  Ended up at a place with the somewhat boring name of Burger Bar, but it was great, nonetheless, and it fit the bill.  I had a quintessentially Montreal dinner of Smoked Meat Poutine - perhaps not very nutritious, but supremely tasty.  Our waiter was extremely friendly (as everyone else has been), and he had visited Seattle this summer, as it happens.  We had a nice chat with him.

Walked home in the dark, intrigued to see and hear a couple of Cessnas flying directly overhead. Wonder what they're up to?

Tomorrow:  up for breakfast, coffee, tagging the luggage so they can whisk it off to the ship, then off for one last tootle around the neighborhood.  We will head to the ship about midday, and we sail at 1800 (that's 6PM EDT)

Bonsoir!

Bonjour, Montreal!

Down the shore!

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

I am writing tonight from the heart of Montreal, with Monday Night Football on les TV, and the Seattle Seahawks in the lead!  Still getting used to watching football "late", ha!

We have been on the East Coast since last Thursday, Oct 1 - why?  Well, Nancy celebrated her 40th high school reunion last weekend in Westfield, New Jersey.  And then, on this coming Wednesday, we will board the Regent Seven Seas Navigator!  We'll sail up the St. Lawrence River, hang a right turn through the Maritime Provinces, make a few stops in Maine, Mass, and R.I., then end up in NYC.  It's a trip to see the famous fall colors, and to celebrate Nancy's retirement.  Good fun!

A few notes about the NJ portion of the trip -- we had a nice, relaxing time (no, really!)  in NJ, and Nancy got to reconnect with some of her best pals. (We got to take a quick tour of WHS, but had to stay quiet because of the SATs going on) We shivered through a WHS football game, the first half at least (the Blue Devils prevailed!)  And, we had a great time at the reunion itself, held at the Echo Lake Country Club.  I got to meet several of the friends who have been with Nancy from early days - including the other two of the famous Three Nancys!

We spent a relaxing day on Sunday with Nancy Lewis Golden and her husband Fred at their home "down the shore" in Brick, NJ. We were able to see some of the results of Hurricane Sandy, (and, I might add, we were lucky that Hurricane Joaquin gave the East Coast a miss this week, too!)

Today, it was an easy trip from EWR - YUL via ExpressJet.  Pretty views of NYC on departure, and of Montreal on the way in. Strange to fly on an airplane that wasn't an Alaska or Horizon flight!

After a busy but efficient arrival Regent had a representative at the airport, as promised, and she helped get us a taxi, sending us off to Le Ville Centre with a cheerful smile. About 30 mins later, there we were!

We are staying near McGill University, and look forward to exploring tomorrow.  Tonight, we had a lovely little bistro dinner nearby.  There are large tubes running alongside the sidewalks which are clearly temporary, except they are paved over at the corners to allow stepping and/or driving over.  Wonder what they're for?  Also, the Canadian elections are Oct 19, so we are seeing lots (and lots) of campaign posters, ads on TV, etc.  The posters all have candidates' pictures, so most are sporting some kind of "addition" (bleeding eyes, Hitler mustache, etc.)  Seems to cut across all parties, too.

Another observation:  there sure are a lot of smokers here!

Anyway, as usual, I'm keeping this blog mostly just to help us remember the trip, and I hope it entertains you, too.

A bientot!