Monday, 25-12-23: Christmas Day

 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Cruise day 4

 Morning, everyone, and a Merry Christmas to you.  Thankfully, the choppiness had ceased by Christmas Eve morning and there's just that gentle rocking that I guess is an essential part of a cruise.  No bumps, no surprises.  Phew.

Yesterday (Christmas Eve) was the first day when we had something else as well as cruise life.  As we sailed along Hjorundfjord, the choppiness ceased and we could see stunning snow capped mountains.  Sadly, these views didn't translate into stunning photos because very rapidly mists descended and below is the best I could manage.  They weren't taken in black and white but that is all the colour there was.  A shame but there you go!

I took this through my cabin window, hence the mucky sort of overlay.

I didn't stay out long - it was bloomin' cold!

It was a good morning's entertainment. 
First was a talk about camera settings for Northern Lights photography.  Hopefully helpful and I took notes.
Then we went to a talk about the science of the Northern Lights.  I learnt a lot.
And then Senior Officers had a Gingerbread House Competition - the Captain, the Chief Security Officer, the Chief Electrician, the Entertainment officer and one other who I forget (sorry) all went head to head and it was hysterically funny.

Captain and Chief Security

The Entertainments Officer had his chef's hat taped to his forehead because it kept falling off!

and the Chief Electrician sneaked backstage and returned with an extension cable and some fairy lights for his effort.

Yes - he won for his sheer bare faced cheek!

We recovered from all this over lunch and then I went to a Name That Christmas Tune quiz before we both had some down time in our cabins.  

I took a few photos of the afternoon tea we didn't have (because we were still stuffed from lunch) but must have deleted them by mistake.  Their afternoon teas are amazing and I must try to catch one on photo.

Life seems to be to-ing and fro-ing from cabin to event . . . we went back to the cabin (again) to change for dinner.

A house salad with honey and mustard dressing followed by . . .

. . . veal done some sort of way that was delicious.

Dessert was mango panna cotta.

We missed the reading of 'The Night Before Christmas' but the show was great - a comedian who was genuinely very funny indeed.

Then as many of the ship's crew who could make it gathered to lead us in a good old singsong of Christmas music before Diane and I decided we couldn't stay awake much longer and returned to our respective cabins for the night.

Now it is Christmas Morning and still dark.  The days are short - light dawns around nine o'clock and by four o'clock it is pretty much dark again but there's a moon shining a pathway to the ship which means that finally the skies are clearing and we just might get some sunshine.  Fingers crossed.
(It also probably means it's going to be a lot colder so I'm digging out my gloves, hat and scarf!)

There's plenty of festive stuff going on today (I gather we have a Very Special Visitor landing on deck at some point - we have no chimneys but that's doesn't seem to be stopping him) but also we're cruising Torghatten this morning, which is a granite dome on the island of Torget with a hole right through it.  In the afternoon we pass the Seven Sisters, a chain of snow covered mountains.

So very much hoping the sun does shine and I get a few nice photos.

And we cross the Arctic Circle at around eleven thirty this morning

And then, tomorrow - Boxing Day - we are off ship for the first expedition.  Very exciting.

Have a wonderful Christmas Day, everyone, with loads of lovely things to remember with happiness.  xx

Sunday, 24-12-23: Blogmas 24 and day 3

Morning, everyone.  Thank you for your lovely comments.  I can only see them via the side tab and, even then, only the first part if it's a bit longer but it's lovely to see them.

Day three was another cruising day - the actual expeditions don't begin until < checks info sheets > day six with a ride on the Arctic railway from Narvik (Norway) to Riksgransen in Sweden - and back by coach.
Today we cruise up Hjorundfjord and back again - lots of wonderful scenery, they say.  Photo opportunities!

Then, on Christmas Day we cruise Torghatten and past the Seven Sisters.

And there's plenty to do on board - talks, quizzes and the usual stuff like the gym.

Just to avoid confusion (mine as well as yours), when it says Day 3 or whatever, it means it is about cruise day three which is the day before.

OK, so about yesterday - day three.  It was another cruising day that started with breakfast at nine.  

We went to the Observatory (that's where the above clip was taken) for a talk - sorry, spa seminar - in the morning entitled Understand Your Metabolism.  I guess I didn't learn anything new but it was interesting and Diane and I had a good discussion about it all afterwards, the gist of it being how lucky we were to have a Lindsey in our lives!

We located the library which is a nice, quiet space, and I borrowed a book.  

Lunch came all too soon (this is a corner table in the café we go to from a choice of, I think, three)

. . . and straight after that we went to a talk on 'Our Victorian Christmas'.  I'm afraid we might possibly have dozed off for a short time.  Ooops.

Then it was straight back to the Observatory for a One Traveller afternoon tea.  Such a hard life.  

After a quick change for the evening, it was back up to the observatory for pre dinner drinks and canapes (no, I didn't have any canapes - I couldn't possibly) before going back down for dinner.

I had the house salad starter, as did Diane.  As SW girls, we both needed some nice, crunchy veg and it was lovely.  Then I had a beetroot and something or other tarte tatin with a raspberry vinaigrette and it was absolutely delicious!

(I'm afraid you're going to see a lot of food in the next couple of weeks!)

The day finished off in the Neptune Lounge (the theatre) for a fab show with the singers and dancers giving us a sing-along (I did) and dance-along (not a chance) show of Rock and Roll numbers.  Great fun.

It's now Sunday morning and this is the final edit before it goes live at eight o'clock.  Christmas Eve and there are so many things I want to do, I can't see how I can fit them all in.  I'll do my best!

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, however you spend it.  xx

The last day of Advent, both in the Church and in here and the music has to be the beautiful 'Once in Royal David's City' with its solo first verse.

And here's a slightly early Christmas gift from me to you.  A playlist of all the music I have posted this month plus a few extras that didn't make it (including one that, if bad words offend, please just skip, OK?)

Fingers crossed it works.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjBnYixEZmReHyc2Qe6BIQpg8ERY09vOg

Saturday, 23-12-23: Blogmas 23 and rest of day 2

 Good morning, everyone!   I think I know what I can and can't do, assuming a connection.
I can:
open a draft/scheduled post and add to it - which is what I'm doing here
open a sent message as a draft
create and send a new message
include photos and video clips 
view your comments (thank you) via the side link
read the blogs of others and comment on theirs.  I just can't read or reply on mine - weird.

I can't:
open a sent post except as draft and therefore . . .
read or reply to your comments directly, sorry

Still - better than hoped.  And no problems with the actual connection - yet.

They've decorated the ship beautifully.  Here's just a few photos.

The rest of yesterday remained pretty choppy but, however those acupuncture bands work, they do a good job.  I didn't feel at all unwell.  

Yesterday evening was a 'formal' occasions so I wore my pretty Seasalt dress (anyone remember me getting it on a trip to Bury St Edmunds?) and a sparkly jacket.  Diane and I both agreed we really weren't interested in the Captain's cocktails and canapes thingybobbidoo beforehand so we didn't go.  I don't think we missed much really.

Dinner was so good.  

Smoked salmon pillow for starters.

Mains was fillet mignon with celeriac crisp, some sort of layered potatoes, spinach and truffle gravy.  Plus some roasted parsnips they brought round as well.  The fillet melted in the mouth!

I didn't photo dessert which was Bailey cream parfait (so good) followed by coffee and petit fours.

After that, I was only fit for bed.   Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Have a lovely day before the day before Christmas, everyone.  xxx

Not long to go now and today's musical offering is a great favourite, O Little Town of Bethlehem, given their own inimitable twist by the King's Singers.

And here's the traditional version from the Birmingham University Singers.

Interesting . . . and day 1 and 2

 I don't seem to be able to get into my sent posts to read comments but I do seem to be able to create new posts.  Hopefully, anyway!

Yesterday morning, the car came early for Diane and then me and I was very glad of Diane's text letting me know so I could get the cases closed.  A bit touch and go but I managed.
It was a very smooth drive to Southampton although that driver was a right lane hopper!!  I would never have dared find the spaces he managed to find without being hooted at.
Once there, the cases were whisked off to magically reappear in our cabins later and we, plus hand luggage were ushered through security to registration and onto the ship.

Me getting ready for Christmas!  Some people have decorated their cabin doors - I never thought of that!  It looks lovely and festive.

Here's the view from the window.  It's not a huge space, of course, but it is very comfortable, plenty of storage, more coat hangers than I know what to do with and the bed is so comfortable.

Diane and I wandered around to get our bearings and to find somewhere to eat, serenaded by a musical trio and a father Christmas hatted tree!

I could go on for ages but suffice it to say we had a nice lunch, unpacked and turned our cabins into our homes, joined the rest of the First Traveller group for pre dinner drinks and generally started to relax!

The food is amazing!  Portions are just right, not too much, thank goodness, and beautifully cooked and served.  I had avocado for starter . . .

. . . and gammon for mains.  This looks loads but the gammon was thin and tender, there were six chips and how they got the egg so perfect, I have no idea - I regularly overcook my eggs at home!

There was a huge variety of breakfast food today but I went for fresh fruit, nuts, seeds and some Greek yogurt.  Lunch was fish and chips - the fish was small pieces in the lightest, crunchiest batter you ever did see.

Slimming world?  What's Slimming World.

 First thing this morning I had my nails done.  I don't usually so it was a bit of a pamper treat.  Mind you, I've already managed to smudge one a bit which is why I generally don't fuss about my nails as long as they are clean and straight!

A couple of hours ago we went to a talk on tanzanite, a precious stone only found in Tanzania.  It was jolly interesting and the chap did a good sales spiel too (he has one of the boutique shops on board) but no way - not at those prices!

It's now 15:20 (14:20 for the UK) and we're both having down time in our cabins before dressing up for formal dinner.  Ooooh, posh.

It's pretty choppy!  I'm sitting beside the window typing  and keep stopping to watch the waves.  I'll try to post a video clip below.  There's a lot of side to side movement with some sudden bumps and everyone has adopted a sort of wide legged way of walking to keep their valance.  Generally, people are 'senior' - my age or older - and I think many are finding it a bit of a challenge.
I've invested in a couple of anti-nausea wrist bands and I have to say they do seem to be working (so far).

Here's the clip - it's got a bit rougher since I filmed it and it has started raining too.  Lovely North Sea weather!  All very exciting and feels adventurous!

Anyway, that's me so far.  With any luck, I can keep posting but don't worry if I go quiet.   I will do what I can.
Now to send this and then go back to see if I can open my sent messages and reply to comments.

Bye, all.  xxx

Friday, 22-12-23: Blogmas 22

 

Today's Blogmas music is the wonderful version of the story of 'The Three Kings' by Peter Cornelius, such by King's College choir.

Thursday, 21-12-23: Blogmas 21

Morning!  First scheduled post and I'm hoping very hard that it all works.  If not, blame Google!!
However, as I was awake ridiculously early (typical!!), I'm editing it  and, hopefully, I will be able to do the same when on board.

Everything is pretty much ready, nearly everything on the list has been crossed off, the fridge is as clear as it is going to be, the dishwasher is empty, the cases are ready to close at around ten o'clock - and I can't sleep!

I had an email from my brother, John, yesterday that gave me a bit of a jolt at first glance but, on reading properly, I realised he wasn't saying he was coming down from Scotland this Christmas, he was explaining why he wasn't coming down.  I didn't expect he would anyway.  Apart from the fact that it would have all been organised by now, I wouldn't like to make that long journey at this time of year either.

And then I got a parcel from him.  It was one of those lovely boxes of flowers.  Oh, dear - but when I explained, he was chilled and said not to worry, there were two more boxes coming around a month apart.  What a super gift from him.
I took the box over to Chris and gave them to her as a thank you as she's keeping a close eye on the house for me.  So that worked fine.  And in the New Year, I will treat myself to a nice bunch of something from Morrisons and enjoy them then.
I obviously hadn't mentioned my jolly to him, had I?  Doh!

Today's Blogmas music is three songs, all of which were in the charts at some point in my past.

The first is 'When a Child is Born', sung by Johnny Mathis.  Some of the clips I choose do show their ages, sorry!

Next up is 'Mary's Boy Child' with Boney M doing the honours.

Finally, a real blast from my past, 'Little Donkey' performed by Nina and Frederik.  The number of times I taught this one at school!!!