Waiting for the Stall

Getting used to the French practice of restrooms is taking...well, some getting used to. I have NO problem paying 70 euro cents (to which they frequently refer as “centimes”, which I find really delightful... before we left, my mother sweetly produced French francs for us, in case we needed to piddle, forgetting about the euros... … Continue reading Waiting for the Stall →

Watching Soccer the French Way

I think I've been spoiled by the American stadiums, because Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris is...um... well... The best part was I was using a cane due to knee problems and wow, they hustled us straight through the disabled line, no wait for me there. We figured we’d eat dinner there, being used to, … Continue reading Watching Soccer the French Way →

Dealing with Sadistic Elevators while Mildly Intoxicated

I’ve got torn meniscus on both sides of my left knee, so it only puts up with so many stairs before it starts seriously objecting. The French Metro, on the other hand, is a miracle of ups and downs to get to the various platforms and, being constructed in 1900, it’s not what you’d consider … Continue reading Dealing with Sadistic Elevators while Mildly Intoxicated →

Kayaking in the Azores

We got caught in a cowjam. It’s quite common, as our tour guide explained, and delighted me, because as a kid in England I would help herd cows from one field to the other. Really, the cows don’t need herding, they know full well where they’re going. Having a human along is more to … Continue reading Kayaking in the Azores →

Male Cats Giving Birth under a Field of Stars

So the cathedral of Compostela de Santiago is at the end of the great pilgrimages leading across Spain to Galicia, the little knobby bit north of Portugal. It’s insanely beautiful. Whatever you’ve heard…not enough. They just finished a six year renovation of the facade, removing centuries of lichen, moss, pollution and other crud and it … Continue reading Male Cats Giving Birth under a Field of Stars →

When in Rome…or Vigo…

Well, there’s a storm comin’ in. Dammit. Hurricane Helene, unmentioned in any of the news we’ve been getting on our cruise ship TV, is heading for Ireland. In addition, there’s a low pressure system gathering over the North Sea. Well, I took astronomy at university so that means jack all to me. Until the captain … Continue reading When in Rome…or Vigo… →

Rotterdam

Angry Sounds like the Dutch are pissed off. I couldn’t figure out why, for our first stop the morning after we got on this ship (Royal Princess), we didn’t arrive into Rotterdam until noon. Southampton to The Netherlands is a rollicking 293 nautical miles... cross the English Channel, hang a left, boom! You’re there. But...we’re … Continue reading Rotterdam →

Norwegian, LAX and Gatwick

I spent the last month trolling departures and reviews of Norwegian to see how they performed...kind of a mixed bag, really. When they messed up, it was spectacular, and don’t expect a whole lot of help on the ground from the sound of things - or from their phone lines. But when they perform, which … Continue reading Norwegian, LAX and Gatwick →

A Brief History of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal was amazing. For those not in the know, the French first attempted it in the 1880s and by 1888, and millions and millions of francs or whatever, decided cutting a flat canal through the 50 miles of jungle and the 400+ ft elevation was a fool's errand. Hell, I coulda told them … Continue reading A Brief History of the Panama Canal →

Amtrak in a Sleeper Roomette

Showering on Amtrak should be an Olympic sport. The requisite coordination, athletic ability and agility needed is astonishing. It’s not so much like a cruise ship, although I’ll grant you, the swaying is very similar to being in a bad storm. Ships, with their stabilizers, just sorta swish a bit. On Amtrak you’re in gale … Continue reading Amtrak in a Sleeper Roomette →