There and back again with Bob, Anna, Shirley & Paul

  9/04/2023 New York City and Home               In the predawn hours we passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.  Paul was able to get a video and picture from the veranda.  He had wanted to be on the Explorer’s veranda to video the approach, but it snuck up on him.  Then the excitement began.  Sailing into New York Harbor is the stuff of legend.  Paul and Ann thought of our German and Swedish ancestors sailing in and stopping at Ellis Island before continuing to Minnesota.  (Shirley and Bob’s folks predated the USA, but it was awesome to think about nonetheless.)          Then the Manhattan skyline took center stage as the Viking Sky slowly made its way up the Hudson Diver to Pier 90, the New York Cruise terminal.  Since Paul worked in NYC in 2008, there have been many new additions to the skyline.  We, along with many guests and crew ...

  9/3/2023 Sea day     The last day is full of goodbyes, of packing, of last-minute arrangements, of enrichment and fun.  Like learning the Celidh (Kay-lee) as Shirley and Cheryl are pictured above.  (Paul did the line dance, Jazz dance and Salsa dance lessons, but those spent all the dance in Paul.)   Dr. Beth’s lecture on Washington Irving was very good.  She spent some time on the Dutch settling on Manhattan (where Bob’s ancestor, John Pederson Van Deusen, came to the new world).  As well as the life and works of Washington Irving.  We recalled last year when we went to the Alhambra in Granada, seeing a plaque commemorating his stay there.  Now we know the rest of the story.  It inspires us to re-read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.   Aoibhin (Aye-Vee) was in her element as when taught the Irish dance.  Paul took videos and pictures as Shirley and her friend Cheryl...

9/2/2023 Halifax, Nova Scotia                                                                                  Sunrise on Saturday 9/2   Arrived in Halifax at 7:30 AM, ready to leave ship at 9.  Our tour was to Peggy’s Cove, a very scenic lighthouse area a bit south of the city.  The bus we rode was a double decker and we managed the front 4 seats on the second level.            The trip took about 45 minutes and we wound through city streets, took a freeway for a few miles to the “Lighthouse Trail” Nova Scotia’s scenic byway along the coast of Margaret’s inlet.  Fishing boats, Lobster boats, grand houses and a few shacks dotted the area as we drove along.  As we approache...

  9/1/2023 Sydney Nova Scotia               The world biggest fiddle (Is it really a fiddle if it can’t be played?  Or is it merely the world’s biggest statue of a fiddle?  Pondering thought that.)   We docked at Sydney, Nova Scotia and were cleared to disembark @ 8:30 AM.  After a leisurely breakfast and such we left to explore @ 10 AM.  The ship is docked at the Cadillac parking spot right next to the statue of the fiddle.  Where, by coincidence, is a pavilion housing shops, restaurant, a craft fair, the Odditorium with an alien and a very big Adirondack chair.                    Sydney Dock Shirley in the big red chair   Paul in the big red chair Bob and Ann in the big red chair                                     ...