We spent the day today traveling from Glasgow to Invergordon (the port for Inverness). It was a leisurely day at sea. We spent a great deal of time playing pooch with Vicky and Herb. The seas have been rough. We traveled on a northerly course rounding the tip of Scotland before heading south. The Capt. said we could expect rough seas until we got a little closer to Invergordon.
Tonight was formal night. Had a very nice cocktail party and then dinner. The cocktail party rewards the couple with the most days at sea with Princess. This cruise, a couple from Houston are sailing and they have 858 sea days!!! Guess they get more than free laundry. My goal and I need to have 150. I am a few cruises away from that - more like 6 or 7. Oh well. Think that couple must have found oil in their Houston backyard!!!
Busy tour day tomorrow followed by the Chef's Table dinner. So won't write until after that.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Aug. 28, Glasgow
Saturday dawned cold and windy with a chance of rain. Somehow our Irish or Scottish luck continues to hold out - we are still dry. Many of our friends from Cruise Critic have chosen to go to the Tattoo from Glasgow. Since we saw that pre-cruise, we have booked a private tour for 6 with George Martin. What a great guide. I highly recommend him. He met us dockside with gifts a plenty. He had maps, pamphlets and articles on Robert Burns in prep for our visit to Burns Cottage. We left the port and headed south down the coast via the town of Largs. George is from there and very proud of his city he is. The city was in the middle of the Viking festival celebrating their defeat of the Vikings many a long year ago.
Our first stop after Largs was at the famous Scottish golf course, Royal Troon. Beautiful seaside links course. Of course, no time to play, but they did not mind us spending our money in the pro shop!!
Then we proceeded on to Burns country with a stop at the cottage where he was born. This was a let down - not much to see or do here. Think it could have been skipped.
Our journey continued to the Culzean castle - home of the Scottish Kennedy clan. The castle is in remarkable condition. It was built in two different centuries - 1500's and then refurbished in the 1700's. In 1945 it was given to the National Trust for Scotland. The castle itself sits atop a cliff overlooking the Firth of Clyde.
No photos were allowed indoors. But the castle is fully furnished in period decor. It is most famous for its 3 floor oval staircase. Another interesting room was the armory room with very old muskets and swords. And just before we exited, we came to the surprising Eisenhower room. This is dedicated to Ike for his service as the Supreme commander in WWII. The Kennedy clan gave him his own suite of rooms and Ike returned 4 times to relax in this beautiful setting post WWII.
After leaving the castle we went to our last stop - a visit to Turnberry Golf course. Another stop in a pro shop. If any of you are wondering - you can play either of these courses for the cheap price of 190 GBP!!! (150 if you are a guest in the adjacent hotel to Turnberry) For our friends who are from HS who think we play in a lot of wind, it was blowing at 30 mph with gusts up to 45 the day we visited. One of the pros informed me they have to suspend play all the time due to high winds and the balls on the greens just don't want to stay still.
We had a leisurely drive back to the city. It was a great day!!!
Our first stop after Largs was at the famous Scottish golf course, Royal Troon. Beautiful seaside links course. Of course, no time to play, but they did not mind us spending our money in the pro shop!!
Then we proceeded on to Burns country with a stop at the cottage where he was born. This was a let down - not much to see or do here. Think it could have been skipped.
Our journey continued to the Culzean castle - home of the Scottish Kennedy clan. The castle is in remarkable condition. It was built in two different centuries - 1500's and then refurbished in the 1700's. In 1945 it was given to the National Trust for Scotland. The castle itself sits atop a cliff overlooking the Firth of Clyde.
No photos were allowed indoors. But the castle is fully furnished in period decor. It is most famous for its 3 floor oval staircase. Another interesting room was the armory room with very old muskets and swords. And just before we exited, we came to the surprising Eisenhower room. This is dedicated to Ike for his service as the Supreme commander in WWII. The Kennedy clan gave him his own suite of rooms and Ike returned 4 times to relax in this beautiful setting post WWII.
After leaving the castle we went to our last stop - a visit to Turnberry Golf course. Another stop in a pro shop. If any of you are wondering - you can play either of these courses for the cheap price of 190 GBP!!! (150 if you are a guest in the adjacent hotel to Turnberry) For our friends who are from HS who think we play in a lot of wind, it was blowing at 30 mph with gusts up to 45 the day we visited. One of the pros informed me they have to suspend play all the time due to high winds and the balls on the greens just don't want to stay still.
We had a leisurely drive back to the city. It was a great day!!!
Belfast Aug. 27
We arrived in the port of Belfast to an absolutely beautiful sunny day. This is a first for me to be in No. Ireland. So much history and some of it very sad and troubled. More on that later. We were on another Cruise Critic tour. This one was out of the ordinary for me since it was on a bus with 50 others. A little too large for my liking. OUr primary tourist attraction for today was the Giant's Causeway on the north Antrim coast - approximately a 90 min. ride. I booked this tour because I thought it would cut the cost. We paid approximately 60 GBP for both of us. (footnote: met a couple who booked a private taxi for 4 for 50 GBP each!!! oops, goof on my part,)
Our goal for the day was a trip to the Giant's Causeway with intermittent stops along the way. The giant's causeway was probably formed millions of years ago when lava erupted and was cooled by the ocean. But local myth has it that two giants, Finn MacCool and another from a neighnboring land. The other giant arrived via the causeway to do battle with MacCool. MacCool sees him approaching and flees home to his wife, Oonagh. Oonah has the idea of dressing MacCool as a baby and putting him in the cradle. When the giant arrives at his house and asks for MacCool, Oonah says to please be quiet and not wake their sleeping son. The giant takes one look at the size of the "son" and fleas the country in fear of the size the father will be if the son is that big!!! The giant destroyed his causeway on his way home in fear Finn would follow.
The causeway is so breathtaking - words and photos just cannot describe its beauty and magnitude.
The day didn't end with the causeway. We did have lunch at the delightful Smugglers Cave, then a stop at Bushmill's Distillery (had a taste and bought a bottle - um, good), on to a rope bridge (yours truly did not hike up there for that).
The way back to the city found us in divided Belfast. This was a very sad and sobering experience. So many reminders of the fighting between the Catholics and Protestants.
Check out this clock tower in Belfast - their version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa!!
We arrived back at the ship very late - 15 mins. before we sailed!! Way too long and ambitious of a day. Very nerve wracking on the drive back, hoping we did not miss the ship.
Our goal for the day was a trip to the Giant's Causeway with intermittent stops along the way. The giant's causeway was probably formed millions of years ago when lava erupted and was cooled by the ocean. But local myth has it that two giants, Finn MacCool and another from a neighnboring land. The other giant arrived via the causeway to do battle with MacCool. MacCool sees him approaching and flees home to his wife, Oonagh. Oonah has the idea of dressing MacCool as a baby and putting him in the cradle. When the giant arrives at his house and asks for MacCool, Oonah says to please be quiet and not wake their sleeping son. The giant takes one look at the size of the "son" and fleas the country in fear of the size the father will be if the son is that big!!! The giant destroyed his causeway on his way home in fear Finn would follow.
The causeway is so breathtaking - words and photos just cannot describe its beauty and magnitude.
The day didn't end with the causeway. We did have lunch at the delightful Smugglers Cave, then a stop at Bushmill's Distillery (had a taste and bought a bottle - um, good), on to a rope bridge (yours truly did not hike up there for that).
The way back to the city found us in divided Belfast. This was a very sad and sobering experience. So many reminders of the fighting between the Catholics and Protestants.
Check out this clock tower in Belfast - their version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa!!
We arrived back at the ship very late - 15 mins. before we sailed!! Way too long and ambitious of a day. Very nerve wracking on the drive back, hoping we did not miss the ship.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Liverpool Aug. 26
Boy, have I fallen behind again. So I have to go back a few days to our port call in Liverpool on Aug. 26. For those of you who are too young, that is the birthplace of the Beatles. You remember...Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields!!! Now that I have mentioned that, I have to confess,we didn't go there!! We arrived in Liverpool in the morning, but did not have a tour until 2 p.m. because our guide was busy with another Cruise Critic tour in the a.m. So I caught up on some housekeeping chores - like stand in line to use the 2
washers on our deck!! Finally got through that around 11 a.m. By that time it was too late to head ashore in search of Strawberry Fields.
They even boast the smallest house in the U.K.!!
The castle dates back to 1272 and is remarkably preserved. It was originally built by King Edward I as a stronghold to invade and conquer Wales. The castle walls are still intack.
We were able to tour the many rooms of the castle including the King's hall as well as his chamber. I could see King Arthur at his round table and Geneviere running through the castle!!! The chimney was still structurally safe after 700+ years and you could see daylight when looking up it!!
All in all it was a great afternoon tour. We did not see any of the sights of Liverpool. We will have to save that for another visit.
washers on our deck!! Finally got through that around 11 a.m. By that time it was too late to head ashore in search of Strawberry Fields.
We were on a Cruise Critic tour with 14 of our new friends. Vicky and Herb went along. And he is feeling better each day. The plan was to head into the country side in search of Conwy Castle (it is Conway in England, but Conwy in Wales!!) - or what use to be the castle. It was a nice 1.5 hr drive into the Welsh countryside. Oh how beautiful in spite of the cooler weather and overcast skies. (still no rain, am I ginxing myself?) My first sight of the castle took my breath away.
We first toured the little seaside town of Conwy. It is primarily a fishing village and they had marvelous fish and chips!!!
They even boast the smallest house in the U.K.!!
The castle dates back to 1272 and is remarkably preserved. It was originally built by King Edward I as a stronghold to invade and conquer Wales. The castle walls are still intack.
We were able to tour the many rooms of the castle including the King's hall as well as his chamber. I could see King Arthur at his round table and Geneviere running through the castle!!! The chimney was still structurally safe after 700+ years and you could see daylight when looking up it!!
All in all it was a great afternoon tour. We did not see any of the sights of Liverpool. We will have to save that for another visit.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Aug. 24 and 25 - Cork and Dublin
Oops, been away for two days. Let me see, where did I leave off? On my last post we had skipped Guernsey and were cruising in heavy seas to Cork. The seas actually got worse - winds, according to the Captain, were Gale force winds.
Herb still not well, so he skipped this tour and went back to sick bay for more drugs and an injection. He know knows the medical staff by first name!!
We arrived in Cobh (the port city for Cork) on schedule on Aug. 24, They told us on the dock we brought good weather with us. It was sunny and warmish (high's around 72). This day we had planned a private tour with 12 others from Cruise Critic. I booked it because I love the little city of Kinsale. But before going to Kinsale, I survived a trip to Blarney castle. Once there, no need to go back to kiss the Blarney stone. While the others on the bus hiked up 120 steps, Carlos and I had coffee with the driver and guide in the Blarney
Woolen Factory. Nice shop - but I did not help the Irish economy by making any purchases! On to Kinsale, the pretty little port town in the S.W. of Ireland. It has lovely narrow streets with different colors of houses and lots of flower pots on the walls. We wandered around the little shops without purchasing anything. Hooray for the Alvarez Future-cruise-fund! Did stop in a little restaurant called Fishy-Fishy for a light lunch. The other stop we made was to Charles Fort. This is a beautifully sited fort guarding the harbor of Kinsale.
If any of you wonder will Princess wait for you if you are on a private tour - I have the pictures to prove THEY DO! The announcements kept coming over the loud speakers of the ship looking for one couple. Finally the Captain did come on saying they were going to sail and the couple would have to take a train to the next port of Dublin. He did wait though - and we finally sailed about 15 mins behind schedule.
We had an easy sail from Cobh to Dublin, docking at 3 a.m. on the 25th. However, we were told the time in port was shortened hy 90 mins due to tides. So adjustments to the day's tour stops had to be made. We were on another private tour arranged through friends of Cruise Critic, this one a double-decker bus ride into town with multiple stops. Herb was feeling much better, so he decided to head into town with us today.
We drove into the city with a great tour guide pointing out so many landmarks finally stopping at Trinity College. Since I had purchased tickets to the Guinness brewery on line before departing the U.S., we decided we had to skip this stop. Off we went to the brewery.
It is a facinating story how Albert Guinness started the brewery in 1759. He signed a lease with the city for 9,000 years (yes, I said 9,000 not 900) at a whopping 45 Euros per year. However, no one seems to mind this since a job with Guinness is a very coveted position to this day. The best part of all for those who know me was the tasting room. I do not drink beer and Guinness is not the place to acquire the taste.
We are now sailing to Liverpool. It is just across the channel from Dublin, so we are going slowly. The weather prediction for tomorrow are highs in the mid 60's and sunshine.
Herb still not well, so he skipped this tour and went back to sick bay for more drugs and an injection. He know knows the medical staff by first name!!
We arrived in Cobh (the port city for Cork) on schedule on Aug. 24, They told us on the dock we brought good weather with us. It was sunny and warmish (high's around 72). This day we had planned a private tour with 12 others from Cruise Critic. I booked it because I love the little city of Kinsale. But before going to Kinsale, I survived a trip to Blarney castle. Once there, no need to go back to kiss the Blarney stone. While the others on the bus hiked up 120 steps, Carlos and I had coffee with the driver and guide in the Blarney
Woolen Factory. Nice shop - but I did not help the Irish economy by making any purchases! On to Kinsale, the pretty little port town in the S.W. of Ireland. It has lovely narrow streets with different colors of houses and lots of flower pots on the walls. We wandered around the little shops without purchasing anything. Hooray for the Alvarez Future-cruise-fund! Did stop in a little restaurant called Fishy-Fishy for a light lunch. The other stop we made was to Charles Fort. This is a beautifully sited fort guarding the harbor of Kinsale.
If any of you wonder will Princess wait for you if you are on a private tour - I have the pictures to prove THEY DO! The announcements kept coming over the loud speakers of the ship looking for one couple. Finally the Captain did come on saying they were going to sail and the couple would have to take a train to the next port of Dublin. He did wait though - and we finally sailed about 15 mins behind schedule.
We drove into the city with a great tour guide pointing out so many landmarks finally stopping at Trinity College. Since I had purchased tickets to the Guinness brewery on line before departing the U.S., we decided we had to skip this stop. Off we went to the brewery.
It is a facinating story how Albert Guinness started the brewery in 1759. He signed a lease with the city for 9,000 years (yes, I said 9,000 not 900) at a whopping 45 Euros per year. However, no one seems to mind this since a job with Guinness is a very coveted position to this day. The best part of all for those who know me was the tasting room. I do not drink beer and Guinness is not the place to acquire the taste.
We are now sailing to Liverpool. It is just across the channel from Dublin, so we are going slowly. The weather prediction for tomorrow are highs in the mid 60's and sunshine.
Monday, August 23, 2010
in the English Channel and the Captain announced it was too dangerous to to tender into
Guernsey. So port #1 kaput. Since this cruise has Normandy as our final port, I had to
wonder if the storm from last night was what our brave fighting soldiers experienced when
heading to Normandy many a long year ago?
The Captain did warn us we were heading into a storm. Well around 2 a.m. I awoke and turned
on the TV to see that we only had 4 ft. waves but 48 knot winds!! Guess I slept through the
better part of the storm since this morning the Captain said "at times we had 53 knot
winds!! According to my trusty rusty engineer, that is about 60 mph. Then I heard Carlos
get up around 3 a.m. I mentioned he should turn on the light since I was awake and we were
in new surroundings. As usual, he did not listen and crash, down he went. He has a nice
knot on his forehead after he and the sliding glass door collided. The door won. He is a
little wobbly today and he thinks, for the first time in his life, he has motion sickness.
If it keeps up, he will be in sick bay tonight instead of a formal dinner.
Herb continues to feel awful. I saw Vicky this a.m. doing laundry. She said Herb was on
the flat of his back, unable to move. Right now, that may be the best place for him - complete bedrest to allow the back to heal.
Just went on deck for photo. Winds right now are 34 knots and seas running at 5 - 7 feet. Air pressure dropping, so more bad weather in store for us.
Tonight is formal night. Not sure if we will make it. Will play it by ear. Tomorrow we are
scheduled to dock in Cobh, the port in Ireland for Cork. No reason to miss this since we are docking, not tendering.
For the first time in a long time I had the feeling of the ship being crowded. Usually so much is going on that you don't run into a lot of people. No so today. Areas are full, people milling about etc. The crew has done a good job of rescheduling activities throughout the day. Carlos wants to attend the Merengue lessons at 12:15, so he is probably feeling better!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Aug. 22
I really don't have much to report today. We left Edinburgh early in the morning for our flight to Heathrow and then on to Southampton by taxi. Everything went flawlessly. Herb was not feeling too well and went to sick bay when they opened after we sailed. Doc said he has a pinched nerve in his back. On some new drugs so hopefully by tomorrow he will be like new. Fortunately we have a quiet day tomorrow.
The Crown sailed at 5 p.m. - on time. We head to our first port of call - St. Peter's Port, Guernsey Island. It is one of the channel islands. The captain came on over the loudspeaker to let us know we could be in for a rough ride tonight. So far, we have a little rolling, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Guernsey is a tender port, so we plan to take it easy in the morning and then head ashore after all those on tours leave the ship. Will post more tomorrow along with some photos.
The Crown sailed at 5 p.m. - on time. We head to our first port of call - St. Peter's Port, Guernsey Island. It is one of the channel islands. The captain came on over the loudspeaker to let us know we could be in for a rough ride tonight. So far, we have a little rolling, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Guernsey is a tender port, so we plan to take it easy in the morning and then head ashore after all those on tours leave the ship. Will post more tomorrow along with some photos.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Aug. 21 - Edinburgh to St. Andrews.....
Footnote to the Tattoo: glad we went last night instead of today. Raining and chilly. Would not want to be sitting in those seats in the rain. Definitely purchase the seat cushions for 1#. Will keep your tush high and dry!!
Well, check another one off the ole "bucket list". Walked the Swilken Bridge today. Heard the ghosts of golfers past. Could "see": Bobby Jones, Slamming Sam, Arnie, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus (for all you Tiger fans, he still holds the record of most majors!!) Seve and yes, Tiger too.
Well, check another one off the ole "bucket list". Walked the Swilken Bridge today. Heard the ghosts of golfers past. Could "see": Bobby Jones, Slamming Sam, Arnie, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus (for all you Tiger fans, he still holds the record of most majors!!) Seve and yes, Tiger too.
Let's back up to the start of the day. We left the hotel by 8 in a taxi to the railroad station. We went to Waverly downtown but could have gone to Haymarket. I was hoping to catch one of the non-stops instead of a local train. No luck. Our round trip ride cost us 37 GBP. This included the bus ride from the train station in Leuchars to downtown St. Andrews. The ride took us across the Forth bridge (could see the Forth of Firth bridge in the distance). We also saw one of the HAL ships with dropped anchor and tenders on the move). Our ride took us through many quiet little towns. Some farmland areas. A lot of baled hay.
We arrived in St. Andrews after an 80 min. train ride - with about 8 stops along the way!!! My first glimpse:
After a short walk we arrived at the R&A clubhouse. Tried to get in - but not to happen. Members only. But we did walk down the "road Hole" to the Swilken bridge. In between golf groups, we got out there for our photo opts:
We wandered the town, did a little golf shopping, had lunch in the Champions Grill across from R&A with a view overlooking the R&A and coastline.
We took a late afternoon train back to the city in the hopes of wandering the Royal Mile for what is called the "Fringe" festivals. Actually there were more people walking the Royal Mile than I have seen on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. It did not take any time at all for the 4 of us to decide we were heading back to the hotel - pronto.
It was just not quite our speed. We spent the afternoon doing housekeeping chores getting ready to travel to London tomorrow to board the ship. Herb is not feeling well. He pulled something in his back, so Vicky is doctoring him up in prep for the flight tomorrow. Hopefully a little rest and using a porter willl fix him in no time. Until after we board......will write from the beautiful Crown Princess tomorrow after our sail-a-way.
Here it is 8 p.m. and raining cats and dogs. I feel for those watching the Tattoo tonight and of course, all those performers. They say a show is never canceled.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Aug.21
Good morning, all.
Dawn came just a little too soon for me. Still pretty tired. But what a beautiful day we have. Sunny (yep, it can be sunny in Scotland). Coolish - high's will only get to 64 according to our trusty newsmen of the BBC. But true to form it will be windy. Can't wait to walk the Swilken bridge today!! More later after our day has ended. Vicky and Herb will meet us at 8:00 a.m. and yours truly is moving slowly.
Dawn came just a little too soon for me. Still pretty tired. But what a beautiful day we have. Sunny (yep, it can be sunny in Scotland). Coolish - high's will only get to 64 according to our trusty newsmen of the BBC. But true to form it will be windy. Can't wait to walk the Swilken bridge today!! More later after our day has ended. Vicky and Herb will meet us at 8:00 a.m. and yours truly is moving slowly.
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo Aug. 20, 2010
Tonight we had the great pleasure of going to the Tattoo!! What a show. Words can hardly
explain the many bands, acts etc. that make up the Tattoo. There were bagpipers, gymnasts,
cyclist, horses and of course bands. The U.S. was represented by our very own Citadel
marching band and bagpipers. They did us proud. Vicky liked the Polish band because they
used so many different instruments. Herb liked the way current history of troops from the
U.K. could be superimposed over the castle walls. Carlos liked the gymnasts. And these were
not ordinary gymnasts, but rather precision ones who did the vault from high off the ground.
And their runs were so close together you thought they were going to hit each other. And
yours truly liked the surreal way they used lighting to change the appearance of the castle
walls. I could not capture that on a photo. And I also liked the Highland Dancers. Some
thoughts about the night: we used Brian who we hired through the Marriott - he was
fantastic, giving us a play by play while driving (and walking) to the castle. He got us to
the entrance and then said he would be there at the end of the performance to take us back
to the Marriott. He was true to his word. The weather started out fine - just light weight
shirts to start. Then the wind picked up and the temps dropped. By 10:30 we were very
cold. Temp might have been sixty but the wind chill must have put the temp in the mid 50's.
We were fortunate, we had no rain. Everything they say about the seating is true, plus
some. That had to be the most uncomfortable 90 minutes of my life, but well worth it. We
were in the East section, row ZF. Nose bleed seats, but what a sight from that high up.
One of the ushers said the higher up, the better. I would highly recommend a trip to The
Tattoo. Word has it these bleachers were used for the last time. One can hope the seating
in future years will be more comfortable.
Tonight we had the great pleasure of going to the Tattoo!! What a show. Words can hardly
explain the many bands, acts etc. that make up the Tattoo. There were bagpipers, gymnasts,
cyclist, horses and of course bands. The U.S. was represented by our very own Citadel
marching band and bagpipers. They did us proud. Vicky liked the Polish band because they
used so many different instruments. Herb liked the way current history of troops from the
U.K. could be superimposed over the castle walls. Carlos liked the gymnasts. And these were
not ordinary gymnasts, but rather precision ones who did the vault from high off the ground.
And their runs were so close together you thought they were going to hit each other. And
yours truly liked the surreal way they used lighting to change the appearance of the castle
walls. I could not capture that on a photo. And I also liked the Highland Dancers. Some
thoughts about the night: we used Brian who we hired through the Marriott - he was
fantastic, giving us a play by play while driving (and walking) to the castle. He got us to
the entrance and then said he would be there at the end of the performance to take us back
to the Marriott. He was true to his word. The weather started out fine - just light weight
shirts to start. Then the wind picked up and the temps dropped. By 10:30 we were very
cold. Temp might have been sixty but the wind chill must have put the temp in the mid 50's.
We were fortunate, we had no rain. Everything they say about the seating is true, plus
some. That had to be the most uncomfortable 90 minutes of my life, but well worth it. We
were in the East section, row ZF. Nose bleed seats, but what a sight from that high up.
One of the ushers said the higher up, the better. I would highly recommend a trip to The
Tattoo. Word has it these bleachers were used for the last time. One can hope the seating
in future years will be more comfortable.
our first look at the castle from the side. What a fortress!!
Vicky, Herb, Carlos & Kathleen in front of the entrance to the castle.
Yep, cold and cramped!
Way to go, Citadel!!!
Off to St. Andrews tomorrow. Off to bed right now. Have no idea what time zone my body is on so will retire.!!
Aug. 19 flight over the pond
We left Brideville loaded down to the hilt with 4 large suitcases packed in the Gray's car along with numerous hand luggage. The flight over the pond was pretty uneventful. It was a large plane and almost every seat was taken. Herb ended up with 2 seats open next to him, so he moved over and Vicky sat on the other aisle. Nice, since they ended up with an open seat between them. Actually, I found the British Airways plane to be larger than most trans Atlantic flights I have been on in the past. We landed at Heathrow 30 mins. ahead of schedule with a total flight time of just 6 hours and change. We managed to get a little sleep. Sat at Heathrow over 2.5 hours waiting for our flight to Edinburgh. Just arrived and are set up in our room at the Marriott. Plan to nap, shower then get something to eat before heading to town for tonight's Tattoo performance. Weather is overcast and about 68 degrees. Humid with showers predicted. The Marriott reception clerk said to have a coat and rain gear, "just in case".
We have not see Vicky and Herb since we arrived at the airport nearly 5 hours ago. Could they still be sleeping? Doubt it, since the hotel decided to have a fire alarm testing at 2 that woke us up!!
More later about our adventures at The Tattoo on my next post. But first some meal - not sure what it is since we haven't had anything since 5 a.m. when B.A. gave us a muffin and coffee.
We have not see Vicky and Herb since we arrived at the airport nearly 5 hours ago. Could they still be sleeping? Doubt it, since the hotel decided to have a fire alarm testing at 2 that woke us up!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Aug. 16 Packing Day!! D-day minus 4
Four more days until we depart!! Everything is laid out on the bed and ready to go. See the bag in the forefront of the bed?? That is what the Cruise Critic crowd I am meeting have nicknamed our group. What a crowd. You will be hearing and seeing more of them.
My dream is soon to be a reality. I keep hoping that BAA does not go on strike. They are the group that runs the major airports in GB. There is a labor meeting tomorrow so should know something by then. But we know we will get there. 
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Countdown - 11 days until we sail
Carlos and I will sail on the Crown Princess on Aug. 22. We are traveling with our friends, Vicky & Herb, from Heritage Shores. But first we need to get there. We fly out from Philadelphia on Aug. 19 to Heathrow. We plan 2 days pre-cruise in Edinburgh. Neither of us have been to Scotland. We are looking forward to these two days since we have tickets to the world-renowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo. And of course, a trip to Scotland would not be complete without an outing to the home of golf - St. Andrews!! No time to play there. But I do plan to walk the Swilken Bridge.
We sail from Southampton on Aug. 22. Our ports of call are: Guernsey, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and finally, Normandy on Sept. 2 - the reason for booking this cruise. This beautiful trip will end on Sept. 3 when we fly home directly from London.
We sail from Southampton on Aug. 22. Our ports of call are: Guernsey, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and finally, Normandy on Sept. 2 - the reason for booking this cruise. This beautiful trip will end on Sept. 3 when we fly home directly from London.
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