The Hermitage......A Must See

We made it to the Hermitage and with the help of our guide, Melishka, we had a most enthralling
experience.  We walked for almost three hours through magnificent rooms and corridors viewing
many of the world's priceless objects, portraits and sculptures.  This note is for granddaughter, Amber,
if you have the chance visit this Museum in St. Petersburg.

It was an exhausting trip on this day, August 2, and although we often had to navigate many marble
staircases, Annabelle was up to the task.  She probably did as well as other folks half her age.

It is clear that the Russian Tsars had expensive tastes because money was no object as they scoured
all of Europe for the art treasures in this collection.  The collection is so vast that they tell you it would
take almost 11 years to see everything if you spent just one minute looking at each object.  We
walked at a rather brisk pace to keep up with Melishka who kept on speaking about the objects
in front of her.  Fortunately, we had an electronic device on our ear to listen as she broadcast her
information on a microphone.

This will be my last blog from the ship.  We sail this evening to Estonia where, in Tallin, we're
scheduled for a lunch and tour, then on to Gothenberg, Sweden for a visit to the Volvo museum..
Back to Harwich, where we will have transportation to Heathrow and a flight to New York.
We should be back at the homestead on August 8 if all goes well and we don't get caught in
the Olympic crush around London.

Goodbye to all you patient readers.  This was a great journey and glad you came along.

Duz vidania or Hasta Lavista!

St. Petersburg....We made it

We will spend two days in this town.  This morning we took a panoramic tour of the highlights and tomorrow The Hermitage Museum.

Our guide, Yanna, opened up with the statement that if you want to get things done here you have to bribe the officials.  All during our ride, she kept describing the bad conditions in Russia; the low
salaries, poor housing, etc. I began to wonder how she ever obtained a job as a tourist guide.  When
I was here 50 + years ago as a guest of the Russian gov't everything was milk and honey.  Of course,
that was under the Soviet Union.  Nevertheless, St. Petersburg is a remarkable city, filled with history
of the early Tsars, founded by Peter the Great in the 1700s after his visits to Western Europe where
he was enchanted by its culture and buildings.

I tried to get a picture of the last tsar of the Russians but I could only find one of the early monarchs
and his royal family. (Please note that this photo was taken many years ago)

I'll try to write tomorrow after our visit to the Hermitage.

Helsinki....few people can speak Finnish

The program at the Coral Theater last night, Tango in Buenos Aires was excellent with a troupe of
Argentinians on deck.

Today we toured Helsinki, a small country with very cold winters and pleasant the rest of the year.
Population 5.4 mil.
Our guide, Cynika, struggled with her English but was diligent in getting people back on the bus
when it was time to leave for the next venue.  She kept on advising us that it was dark and gloomy
in the winter so Finns always celebrated too much when the warm summer months arrived.

Two famous Finns, Paavo Nurmi, the flying Finn of Olympic fame years ago and Sibelius their
famous composer.  I remembered Nurmi from my youth and Sibelius from his Finlandia Symphony.

The Finns have a long history of being overrun by their neighbors, Swedes and Russians.  Both
of these countries have left some cultural vestiges of their occupations.

As for the economics in 2012, the Finns have a type of socialistic system with a tinge of capitalism.

They have a long tradition of shipbuilding and manufacture many of the world's cruise liners.

To show the complexity of their language check out Annabelle below a hair emporium sign.

The memorial to Sibelius is constructed of stainless steel pipes to portray an organ.

Tomorrow, at last, St. Petersburg and the object of our long journey.

Monday, It must be Sweden

We arrived early in Stockholm and the good weather is still with us.  The temp. is a cool 65F.
Took a panoramic tour of the city with a tall Swedish gal, Amanda as our guide.  The walk to
the terminal was quite long but fortunately, a cart pulled along side and we hopped aboard for
ride to our bus.

I'm impressed with Stockholm.  It is a beautiful city. many flowers in bloom, trees everywhere.
The city is situated on 14 islands and everyone here seems to have some type of boat.  We were
told that there are more than 600,000 boats in the country that has a population of about 9 1/2
million population.  City was founded in 1252 and is famous for Alfred Nobel, he of the Peace
Prize, etc. and Greta Garbo, she of "I want to be alone" fame.  Annabelle also informs me that
she had tea with the great Garbo while in Vermont where Garbo was visiting the author,
John Gunther.
By the way the Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway while the other prizes are given in
Stockholm.  Taxes average about 31% but all Swedes are entitled to free education as well as
universal health care for all under 18.

Onward to Copenhagen

To the tooting of a brass band and beating of drums, the graceful Jewel of the Sea left its berth at Harwich.  It was 5PM and after the passengers' muster in the Schooner Bar on deck 7, we gazed
from our balcony, enthralled once again at our good fortune in beginning another sea voyage.

This vessel is not as ample as QM2 but the service is good.  Most of the waiting staff appears to
be Indian which is the case among Cruising personnel.  The Manager is Indian and probably brings
his group with him.  Our waiter, Mishela hails from Mumbai.

We spotted the tower of our hotel off to starboard as we left and although we had a pleasant respite
at Harwich, it was good to be leaving.
Annabelle as usual, is scanning the horizon with her binocs as we plow Northeast.  "I can actually see the window of our room at the Tower Hotel, she bellowed."  I responded with a grunt, "check out
the bar."  We then passed The Pier where we gorged on fish and chips a few times.  The sky is clear
and the temperature, a comfortable 68 degrees F.

The dress code for the evening is casual, not even elegant casual as per QM2.  Back at our stateroom,
Katcha, our gal attendant from Trinidad was busy getting things set for our first night at sea but no
chocolates on our pillow this trip.

Saw the movie, My Fair Lady and thought that Aubrey and Walter would find it better to understand
since they had their first experience in England.  A great musical based on a GB Shaw story.
Also attended The Capt'.s welcome on board party.  Captain Stig Nielson is a Norwegian with many
year's experience in the Baltic.  There were a few Scotsmen in kilts which also added more color
to the celebration as well as caviar goodies and champaign to wash them down.

Saturday, our first city tour and we started in the Windjammer Restaurant early in the morning.
The Windjammer is a food court with different stations where you run about to locate the items you
want.
Elizabeth, our tour guide, a Danish gal with a perfect command of American English spouted off
a string of statistics about Copenhagen...1.2 mil people out of a total Danish population of 5.4 mil.

Of course, Hans Christian Anderson of fairy tales fame is their famous son and we stopped to see
where he grew up.  Remember the story of the Little Mermaid well her statue is sitting on a rock
offshore.  Just a bit of trivia, Harold Bluetooth was an early Danish king.

Meearsk Lines is one of their largest employers along with Carlsberg, our favorite brew.

One Last Goodbye to Harwich

We took our final walk to Harwich Town and on our way sat down on a bench to rest when a man
with two dogs sat down beside us and said, "Welcome foreigners, what brings you to Harwich."
I replied, "Your fine city, my good man".  He countered with, "No one ever comes to visit our town".
He went on, "I've lived here all my life and have been trying to leave".  All the while his pooches were
growling at all the passersby.  He did visit the USA once and visited the Grand Canyon and he thought,
New Mexico, but wasn't sure where it was.  We conversed for almost a half hour when he finally
arose and reached in his pocket and handed me a pointed bit of black plastic, I thought.  He said it
was a shark's tooth that was a million years old.  People in this area roam over the seafront for these
relics and sell them to collectors.  He gave it to us as a gift and remembrance of our visit to Harwich.
Before I could express my thanks, he dashed off and yelled, "Goodbye foreigners" as he dragged
his dogs along.

We then headed to the Seafront opposite The Pier, where we ate our final meal and took a taxi back

to our hotel.  I'm back at the hotel bar this morning, July 26, where I've been doing my blog since
this place is where WiFi connects and where all the locals can be found from early morn to late at
night.  Fortunately, I can also keep my eye on the stock market in case something comes up that
I might fancy.

Annabelle is back in the room putting our gear together for checkout in a couple of hours.  We are
able to see The Jewel Of The Sea from our window and she looks majestic.  The weather is still
sunny and it looks perfect for tomorrow's Olympic Games opening session.

Harwich.....The Cliff Road

Today we had an English breakfast at The Muppets, a small breakfast nook not far from the Tower.
It gave us a different view of the town, sitting alongside the locals having their morning coffee.
Since it was early Monday morning, the streets were alive with people either going to work or
women doing their daily chores.  Today was also trash day and the trucks were banging and clanging
as the garbage boys were doing their thing, all the while stopping to chat with their friends along
the route.  Another nice day in Harwich and after our rubbery English bacon and strange tasting
sausage, we headed to Cliff Road to the seacoast walk.  Both of us are still foot sore from yesterday's
long hike so we sought out the nearest bench , unhooked the binoculars and scanned the horizon.
We also strolled to the park at the end of the road a came across a few enormous oak trees for which
this isle is noted.  The photos show your's truly nestled in one of the largest.  The house is on the

corner of Cliff Road and is typical of structures in this part of Harwich. Tomorrow is our final day here
and I'm getting ready to put our boarding papers in order and tagging the luggage.  So far, I haven't
screwed up on the paper work or connections.  Here's hoping the good weather holds out for sailing.
The first stop is Copenhagen and a morning tour.

Wednesday, July, 25 and the weather is still looking good.  This is our last day in Harwich and we
had an early breakfast in the bar which is covered with photos of the Beatles.

Harwich and still going strong

Another bright sunny day on the east coast, of England that is.  We had our breakfast in the bar this
morning.  A bright and cheerful place until a family arrived with a 3 year old who was bent on
crawling over and under tables while his parents were busy chomping on their Wheatabix.  After
he nearly tripped up a scowling waitress, the little one was brought up short, screaming aloud while
Mum, dragged him to her side and lectured him on proper manners which he couldn't understand.

Although our room service is quite good, the restaurant staff needs some concentrated training.
Today, the mid-point of our stay in Harwich we plan to take another stroll along the seacoast
and, if possible, stop for fish and chips at the hotel where we had our Carlsberg yesterday.
The Tower is beginning to fill up with guests probably joining the Baltic cruise.  The bar was getting
a little lively last night but fortunately, we are out of range.

The weather is still excellent, not a cloud in sight for July 23 and we hiked the seacoast trail to Harwich
Town.  This time we strolled in the old section of town and checked out some of the historic structures
such as Sam Pepyes house as well as the place where the Capt. of The Mayflower spent his youth
and finally sailed to Plymouth, England for the voyage across the Atlantic.

Then we had our fish and chips at The Pier overlooking the waterfront.  This time instead of getting a
taxi ride back to the Tower, we hoofed it.  Boy were we pooped.  Today's walk was more than 5 miles
a bit too much for us.  Getting old is no fun but according to Somerset Maughn, "Don't complain about
getting old, many folks don't get the privilege".

The Electric Company was the first building that was used exclusively to show movies in England
and probably, the world.

The Harwich Lifeboat Festival

Sunday morning and we headed to Harwich Town along the seacoast.  The weather was good and the
sea, calm.  There is a long winding walking and biking path a short distance from the hotel that winds
it way northeast by the beaches where the locals and their dogs romp in the surf.  Nearby ocean going
ships and passenger ferries leave for the continent, Netherlands and Germany.  Today, there were
crowds of people going to Harwich for the annual festival that raises money for the lifeboat crews
which patrol the ocean areas to keep the sailors safe.

The festival is like an American County Fair.  Lots of food stalls, music groups and boating activities.
We had to fight our way through the bustling crowds including little children on bicycles, dogs of all
sizes and breeds.  We finally sat down at a local eatery and downed a Carlsberg and thought of having
a fish and chips lunch but the service wasn't ready so we just roamed about looking at the sights.
A few Scotsmen in full regalia strolled by and then a fellow with bagpipes followed.  Unlike London
there aren't many ethnic groups in Harwich, mostly Brits and white.

We happened to pass a life boat group who were booking a cruise around the harbor and we signed
up for the 1PM cruise.  It was somewhat difficult for us to wend our way down boarding ladders to
board the old lifeboat that was used for the tour, however, the crew was helpful and managed to
help Annabelle on board.  Not like the old days when we jumped on board the Amber or Marandi, raised sail and headed out to sea.  It's hard to get used to the impediments of old age when you want
to do things that were simple in earlier years.

The Festival included a great display of old Rolls Royces and some kind soul offered to take a picture

of us together among some of these treasures.

Walking to Town

After this morning's continental breakfast, we walked to the small shopping area not far from the hotel.
Since this community is very close to the water, I expect that the locals here make their living from
the seagoing travelers who leave for foreign ports.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped to rest at a bench nearby and get some exposure to the sun
which so far has been fleeting during our trip to England.  Not long after we sat down, a middle aged
chap and his wife came over to talk.  He sat down and began telling us about his recent trip to the US.
He went on nonstop for at least 1/2 hour covering a variety of topics about America, including WW2,
the prevalence of guns in the States and how friendly people were to them while visiting New York
and California.  His poor wife remained standing throughout the conversation and when she complained that the sun was getting too hot on her face, he replied, "Just turn about and get suntan
on the other side."  I finally had to cut through the one man conversation and let him know that we
had to leave for a meeting.  I was afraid that he might follow us back to renew his talk so we slowly
diverted our journey to  cover our tracks.

Tomorrow, we plan to attend some type of sea festival in Harwich Town, that is if we can get a ride.

The Grand Staircase & Garden

AA

The Tower Hotel..... Harwich

We said are final goodbyes to the Trapps early this morning as they left Nell Gwynn for Heathrow and the long flight back to Austin. We grabbed a taxi for Liverpool Station and the rail trip to Harwich.

It was a long ride through London, made even more difficult by the new lane set aside for the Olympic

participants that were beginning to invade London.  We managed to find our way through the mob at Liverpool, dragging our luggage behind us.  We must have made a funny pair, a 90 year old following

an 87 year old with a baseball style cap huffing and puffing until we reached the train about a mile from the gate.  Nowhere was a porter to be found.  Glad we have been walking up the mountain all these years.  The ride was pleasant enough and quite short until we got off at Harwich International Station.

We did have to make a change at Mannington and, fortunately, a couple of friendly chaps helped us with the bags while we trudged down, then up long flights of concrete stairs to board the train on the opposite platform.  A final taxi ride brought us to The Tower Hotel, a structure from the 19th century that once was the residence of a former stalwart of the community.  It has been kept in its former elegance and is beautifully furnished.  We had a brief lunch in the restaurant and quickly headed to our room which is bright and cheerful, overlooking a flower garden.  Glad we arrived, tired, but happy to collapse on the bed, where Annabelle is now watching to British Open while I'm studiously punching out this blog.  

The photos above will give you some idea of the style of this place.

The Birthday Gal at the Swan

Today, January 19, the actual date for the Birthday Gal, we headed back to Billy's for another go at their fish and chips.  We even had 2 Carlsberg beers to wash it down.  The weather was quite good.
Tomorrow, we leave London for Harwich and see the Trapps off to Heathrow, that maze of turmoil.

We plan on taking a train from Liverpool Station and an hour + ride to our destination.  Hopefully,
the crowds at the station won't be too challenging.  This will be our first opportunity to venture on
Brit public transportation this trip.

Tower Hotel is our destination.  It's an old fashioned hotel, built about 1895 and has an Italian
flavor.  They have a restaurant and large gardens surrounding the building.  There are also extensive
walking areas along the shore front.  Since we are staying there for 6 days until embarkation, we
may do some kind of touring about the area.

Tonight we're having dinner at Barri's flat.  Aubrey and Walter have been walking around the Chelsea
main streets.  They have taken to London in a big way and seem comfortable in this milieu.  Where
so many young folks, dressed in bright youthful fashion abound.  They visited the Tower today as
a final goodbye to London.

Goodbye to all until we get to our next destination.  They have WiFi there so I can keep you informed.

Richard 3rd........The cad

Onward we drove to the Globe through the intricate traffic of London, over the Tower Bridge.
We had a 12NOON reservation at the Swan and just made it on time.  They placed all six of us
at a good table overlooking the Thames.  The lunch was excellent.  Walter ordered salted beef which
turned out to be corned beef.  We had a variety of courses and traded the items, from one to the
other until dessert.  Then, it arrived, a beautiful chocolate layer cake served to the strains of Happy
Birthday, Annabelle.  The surrounding luncheonites who were in hearing range clapped in joyous
delight. The chef cut the cake in six healthy slices and we chomped in unison, small succulent
pieces falling gracefully to the immaculate table below.  I detected a small tear of happiness in
Annabelle's right eye as she gazed fondly at me.  I reciprocated with a large tear dripping from my somewhat bloodshot left eye.  Oh, the mushiness of it all! Two old people in merry ole England
sharing this moment of happiness.

The performance of Richard 3rd was superb.  An almost 3 hour performance of high powered
acting.  Barri, John and the kids were entranced with the language.  Barri, of course saw Richard
as someone who was bullied in his youth because of his deformities and responded to the world
as a murderous character.  I suggested that she incorporate this Shakespearian epic as an early
example of bullying.  This suggestion, I believe fell on deaf ears since I received dull stares for
this suggestion.

Back at the Nell Gwynn, we joined the Trapps for a round of tea and discussed the day's events.
Tomorrow, The Trapps head for home while we wend our way to Harwich and a 6 day respite

                                  Oh,London

I've seen you, dirty and clean. I've seen you friendly and mean, But most of all, raucous and never serene

until we join the Jewel of the Sea for our Baltic sojourn.

Nell Gwynn House

Thought you'd like to see our pad in Chelsea.  It's close to Kensington Station and near to many

of the museums, etc. Yesterday we finally had our fish & chips at a pub near Kensington Station
to the strains of Kenny Rogers' The Gambler.  How about that.  In the evening, we enjoyed a
Thai dinner the Trapps.  Aubrey and Walter are having a great time mixing with so many ethnic
groups in London, especially here for the games.

Today we are scheduled to see Richard 3 at the Globe and a luncheon in the Swan Restaurant.
Don't tell Annabelle but they're going to surprise her with a 90th birthday cake.  I hope they get
it right since I made these arrangements on-line.

We leave on Friday AM for Harwich while the Trapps head for home and back to the grind.

The Birthday Gal & Her Escort

I hope you are tuned in to my blog and will receive these photos.  I'm not sure that my computer is
doing what it should.
Annabelle received this bouquet from her offspring yesterday and we will be enjoying it until we
head out to Harwich on Friday morn.  My picture was taken in Stateroom 8049, our former home
when we sailed on previous voyages.
London is tres hectic, many people crowded into this little isle, especially this year for the Olympics.
Quite a few of them sailed on the QM2.
Today, we went to the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and had to struggle our way
through the mob to get a peek through the outer railing.  Just when we made it, some little old lady
pushed us out of the way to steal our place.  Can't trust these little old ladies.  We've given up taking
the Underground and are using the ubiquitous taxis.  Easy on the body but murder on the pocketbook.

Barri, John and the kids are having a wonderful time and are leaving the Nell Gwynne early in the
morning.  Just the way we used to do, many years ago.  Last night we supped at a delightful Lebannese
Restaurant and had authentic dinners.  The couple opposite me here in a London Starbucks is from
Uganda, wearing their native outfits.  They are here for the Olympics, a bit early to see the sights.

I hope you are tuning into Aubrey's blog since she is alot quicker on the technology than I.  She is
excited about London and claims that she wants to live here with all of it's foreign flavor.  Ah! youth.

In case you want to contact me, I plan to conjure up my e-mail occasionally.  See you again soon, I hope.

Monday July 16, and we hailed a taxi to the Churchill Museum in the War Rooms.  The town is
beginning to hum, lots of new visitors.  The main highways now have special lanes for the
Olympic participants so they won't get delayed in the traffic while going to their events.  Occasional
rains and somewhat chilly.  Doesn't feel like july.
The Churchill Museum is excellent.  Not many oldsters like us in there who were familiar with the
great man's long career.

We returned to Nell Gwynn for lunch since we had a few items still in the fridge from Sainsburys.
I no longer keep track of my English pounds, I just shovel them out when required.  Just glad
that we are able to get about in this city.  Barri and family are up and at em early in the AM while
our pace is slow and easy.  The flowers are bright and cheery and make the day pleasant to start.
Tonight for dinner, we plan to try an Indian restaurant near Kensington Station just a 7 minute walk
from our flat.  I'm still thinking about the easy life aboard the QM2 where all our meals were
served so well and the stateroom steward took care of the housekeeping.  At Nell Gwynn, the
housekeeping seems rather sketchy.  They're getting busy with the demands of the swelling crowd,
I guess.

We're fortunate to have this Starbuck's across the street from the NG which makes their WiFi
available to all, free of charge without the requirement to buy coffee, etc.

London....We're Here

I'm having a hard time getting on to my blog so if you get the chance read Aubrey's Put The Kettle On.
We had a great trip on the QM2 and after a lengthy disembarkation we made contact with our driver
who drove us pronto the Chelsea.  Rainy on and off but we're doing OK.  If you get the chance you
can get e-mail to us.  Hopefully, I'll try to make contact with you before long.

Three Days and Counting

The sailing is rather calm since the sea is slight, waves no higher than 2 feet.  Listened to a lecture on
spies in WW2.  The topic was interesting but the speaker was dull.  There was a heavy fog on our
way past Newfoundland and the ship's horn sounded every 15 minutes. Today we're guests for lunch
at The Todd English restaurant courtesy of our Diamond membership.

We've lost track of the Trapps, who are roaming all over the ship.  Aubrey and Walter are rooming
together and seem to be comfortable doing their thing.  We usually meet in the dining room for
breakfast and at dinner. Our cabin steward Jake, is efficient and pleasant.  Tonight, we're sailing
near the spot where the Titanic struck the iceberg 100 years ago in 1912.  No icebergs here in
July.

From The Marriott to the QM2

We stayed at the Marriott La Guardia on July5, then left with Barri, John and the kids for the QM2
Our limousine was right on time and Labac, the driver, wound his way through Queens to the
Brooklyn Port Terminal .  There she stood, large and proud, the QM2, our home for the next week.

Fortunately, our Diamond Club membership kicked in and we scooted to the head of the lines to
expedite the boarding process including our whole entourage.  The British system of classes holds
sway on their ships and we took advantage of our exalted status of top class thanks to the 180 days
we sailed with Cunard.  I'm not in favor of their system but at this stage, I don't plan to change it.

The ocean is calm with cool breezes and no bumpiness.  All six of us have a table at the lower level
in the Britannia Dining Room.  Our head waiter is Chandra,  from Mauritius who is very
competent and cheerful, but since Dario, our former waiter is now working the Princess Grill we
will have to break in this new chap.

So far, we have attended a lecture on early voyages to the new world, attended a musical last
night and listened to a classical concert by Gordona Kostic, Soprano who sang beautifully,
especially the aria, "Mi chiamono Mimi" from La Boheme, a favorite of mine.

It's wonderful to have Barri, John, and the children with us at this time of our waning years.  The
planning was worth every minute.  To see Aubrey and Walter's eyes light up at every new sight
on this great ship is a joy to behold.  I know that Barri and John are now hooked on cruising
with Cunard and will take many voyages in future years.  They will always remember their first
Transatlantic trip on the QM2.

Lilies of the Field

Remember that movie, if not, try to get it. Our flowers have blossomed out in all their glory.  However, tomorrow, we leave for the big Apple and the journey on the Queen Mary to Southampton, UK. It will be great to see the Statue of Liberty
from the deck on our starboard side and even more exciting to see that Lady in the company of grandkids, Aubrey and Walter.  We're very fortunate to be around
for this event since not too many old timers are frisky enough to make this journey with their children and grandchildren.  Twelve years back we did travel
on the QE2 to England with Jenny, Peter and Anna but we were mere youngsters in
our 70s.  Hopefully, we'll be able to keep up with our companions this trip.

Everything seems to be in order this July 4th.  We have been eating all the leftovers for several days in order to empty out the fridge.  I don't know why
we follow this routine, habit, I guess.  Annabelle has been receiving birthday
greetings from all points of the compass, family and friends.  Also, our Iphone
has been jumping with bon voyages.  We saw Pam and Rob take off on Sunday for a two month's vacation jaunt to Alaska.  After Pam's long struggle writing her
dissertation and graduating, they both were eager to  head for the hills.

We're planning to leave for the airport at 7AM tomorrow.  Roy, is on duty for
getting us there.  I'll try to haul the bags to the 4Runner this evening after
the sun goes down in order to expedite the departure but I'm almost sure that
we will have forgotten to take some necessary object or toss something out.
That reminds me, I need to dump the kitchen container into the compost bin.
Now to print the boarding passes.

90 and Perky as Ever

Although the lady in today's blog is still a few weeks short of the magic number,
I decided to mention the occasion because we attended a surprise party for her
at Pam's place.  It was a surprise to me as well.  Pam was at her best, constructing a luscious cheesecake topped by a single candle.  Best of all, we
were joined by a few of our good friends who turned out to wish the birthday girl
a cheerful happy, happy.  Amy and Casey, the newlyweds, were there as well as Anthony, Melanie and, of course, Rob, stalwart spouse of the hostess.  Birthday cards were in abundance all cleverly inscribed to add a few chuckles to the festivities.

From left to right, Casey, Amy, Anthony with Melanie in front then Pam with Rob

in front.  Of course, every party has balloons and this one was no exception.

I'm also giving Amy a special mention in today's posting not only because she is
such a dear person to Annabelle and I but also because she actually wanted to be
included as a blog reader of Despicable Tours.  I'll try to meet her expectations
for our coming travels to England and the Baltic cruise to St Petersburg.  Welcome aboard, Amy.  In the meantime,  I'm still in the process of putting all the pieces of this complicated journey in place.  Fortunately, I was able to order our luggage tags for the Royal Caribbean International Cruise that leaves
from Harwich, UK on July 26.  I completely forgot about that task up to this point.  My travel folder is now bulging with documents of all kinds and will
probably add 10 lbs to the baggage.  Now if I can only keep track of the money
I have hidden in all sorts of places.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

We have another hot and dry day here in the Land of Enchantment.  Right now the
temp is a challenging 90 degrees, and that's at our altitude of 7000.  It doesn't
allow for much activity in the afternoon.  Fortunately, The temp cools off in the
evening which is great for sleeping.  The humidity is hovering around 10% which helps somewhat but we do need some rain to help things grow.  The warm start to
our growing season has given us an abundant apricot crop and we are enjoying every bit since we usually loose apricots to our late freeze date most years.

The hot weather has caused me to think about the days to come on the QM2 when we
can pace the deck and feel the ocean breeze.  There is less than two weeks until
D Day and the excitement is beginning to build.  Our first stop is the Marriott
near LaGuardia where we join up with Barri, John and the kids.  We have scheduled a going away evening meal that evening to include Darrell and Rhoda, Norma's sister.  The following day, July 6, we head for the Brooklyn Sea Terminal where
the QM2 should be waiting.  Hopefully, the embarkation procedure will be brief,
however, they always find some new security step to make boarding a bigger task
than need be.

I think I have all the different trip steps under control and hope the schedule
will not be to difficult for Annabelle to manage.  We have been trying to keep in
as reasonable shape as possible, walking early in the morning before the hot sun
bakes the trail we take.

These apricots are smaller than you get at Whole Foods but they are very tasty.

Packed and Ready To Go

We have three weeks before our adventure begins and I have been slowly getting
my things packed.  Everything is in the west room out of sight so Annabelle won't
be disturbed by the gear lying about.  My coming home arrangements have been made
and we are flying American Airlines out of Heathrow on August 7 and taking Southwest the following morning from New York to Albuquerque.  My file of activities is several inches thick but all is in order so I won't have to chase
around looking for the next item.  Of course, like all plans in travel, things
could go awry at one point and I usually have a Plan B in place to pick up a new
direction.  The only thing I'm concerned about is a surprise Israeli attack on

Iran during our month away from home.  This would create a big problem especially if the US or Britain get involved.  All other matters will have to wait until we return.  Roy will be on duty back at the ranch to take care of house related activities; watering the vast array of plants inside as well as the outside gardens. Although it is mucho dry, the roses are doing well and Roy will be kept
busy while we're gone.

The Graduate

We had a great time at Aubrey's graduation from Bowie High School.  She looked
mahhvelous and I was happy to attend.  It isn't always possible for a grandfather
to be able to be at a grandchild's high school graduation.  It was even more exciting for me since she is such an excellent scholar, athlete and exemplar of
what a student should be.  I'm sure that she will carry the banner high when she
starts UT in the Fall.  Now, if I can only make it to her next graduation just like
we did at Anna's college commencement or to be around as when Amber obtained her Ph.D.

Our desire to see these milestones in the family series of successes certainly provides a great incentive for life.  That's why we keep on walking up the mountain.

Not to leave out Walter's band accomplishment and performance a Aubrey's event.
This must be a FIRST, Aubrey's marching into the arena while her brother, playing
Pomp and Circumstance.

I finally booked flights home from Heathrow.  We will be arriving on August 7 at
JFK and will have until August 10to leave for New Mexico.  If we have some energy
to spare we'll make a few plans to do things in NYC during that 2 day stay.

Ian, his wife Anne and their three children have been visiting Pam for two weeks.
Last night, Ian stopped over to say goodbye and we had a delightful conversation
about his work at Baylor.  It's hard to believe that he was a preteen when we
first met.  He was a promising youngster in his teens. Annabelle and I always
felt that he would be successful in all endeavors; his life has borne this
out.

Memorial Day Memory

Memorial day 2012 seemed like any other day, however, we took our walk up the
mountain and then I called Lauren.  I told her a story about a Decoration day,
which preceded what we now call Memorial day.  On that day, people decorated graves of men who died in the early wars, starting with the American Civil War. It was
in 1935 and I was age 10.  I remember that day because my father took us to wave
flags along the route to Greenfield Cemetery located off Greenwich St. Hempstead
where we lived at that time.  My father was appointed Deputy Sheriff, a political
plum and he was assigned to help maintain order at such events. When the parade
was passing in front of us, he opened a space where I could get a good view of the
main marchers coming into view.  Along the route came an open touring car with a
number of blue clad uniformed men. They were old soldiers of the Union Army who
were part of the day's celebration. Veterans, just about as old as I am now.  My father wanted me to get a good look at these men because they were the
few remaining survivors of the bitter war between the North and South.  I can almost see them now with their quaint blue caps and uniforms that are only pictures
in American History books. They were sitting upright, waving American flags at the
bystanders and smiling.  These old timers who fought the terrible battles of a war

between the States just about 70 years before and while a small ten year old holding on to his father's hand looked wide-eyed and somewhat mystified not realizing he was watching living history in the flesh, not actors in a play but real, live people who were the last of an Age.

Big Day in Texas

Aubrey deserves a mention in today's posting since she is taking one big step for woman and one small step for womankind.  However, it remains to be seen whether
or not she can keep her eye on the ball at the University of Texas and keep the

pace that she set at Bowie High School. Of course, I couldn't resist getting into the act with a picture of yours truly in the 1942 Colonial yearbook at Hempstead High just 70 years

back albeit a trifle fuzzy. Times have changed in dress codes.  In 1942, all the
boys were required to wear ties and jackets for their yearbook pictures.  I'm not
sure what Bowie will require, but I'd bet 4 to 1 that everything goes.  We'll have to wait and see.  My father was a stickler for proper dress and even required me to wear a shirt and tie during the regular school year.  Of course, the teaching staff had to be dressed properly, no jeans or way out clothes either
for males or females. The School Board at Mineola was also very restrictive in
dress and that was a mere 50 years ago when I joined the staff.  Perhaps it made
a difference in school deportment when everyone was dressed up rather than shod in sandals, shorts and unkempt hair.  We'll have to let the researchers work on that aspect of academic achievement. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark (what's his name) didn't seem too fussy about proper dress and look at their accomplishments
but you might also add, they never made a great social or academic splash while
at school.

Big weekend for Amy and Casey plus all the Gravagne fans.  Steven and his wife, Liz, are staying with us for a few days for the wedding on Saturday.  This afternoon, we're attending a big before wedding BAR-B-QUE at the Romeros, Casey's
parents, in fact I hear Annabelle calling me to leave the computer and get going.
So, a fond farewell to all of my readers.

When Iris Eyes Are Smiling

I thought I would give all my readers a real treat by including a photo I took with my Iphone this afternoon.  The iris smells even better than it looks and we've placed a vase full in our bedroom.
I received a 17 page booklet from CIBT the visa company to help me navigate through
the application for a Russian visa.  However, here's the good news.  I don't have to get a Russian visa if I use the ship's tourist agents to see the sights of all
the ports we visit, including St. Petersburg.  This will save me a great amount of time and rubles as well.  Now all I have to do is contact the tour planners and make arrangements for the individual tours.  Our experience has shown that it is best to take the morning short tours when everyone is fresh and friendly rather than grumpy after a long day of sightseeing.  Fortunately the Royal Caribbean can make arrangements for small groups in vans or even vehicles for two people and a

guide.  I plan to check this out before we leave the States. Gradually everything is falling into place.  Of course I'll have to look under all the mattresses for
whatever loose change I can muster to pay the freight for this journey, but as in all our recent voyages, the tooth fairy comes through and every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven.(from the movie of the same name)

I finally made contact with the RC Tour Planning Department, which wasn't too helpful since the planner had a difficult time describing the tours in English so
I politely thanked her and turned to the online program for Tours.  I was able to sign up for 6 Tours for the ports we will visit during our Baltic Adventure.
We stop at the following ports; Copenhagen (we visited before), Helsinki, Stockholm ( I stopped at 50 years ago on the way to Russia) Tallinn, Gothenburg,
and 2 days in St. Petersburg with one day devoted to the Hermitage Museum.  It is
quite an ambitious schedule but I eliminated all of the walking tours that might be too hectic for Annabelle.  Now my remaining task is to schedule a flight back
from England when we return from the Baltic.

Commencement 2012

Just returned from Commencement ceremonies at The Pit, UNM basketball arena which
also serves as the venue for other activities.  We took Steve, Anthony and Jeron to
watch Pam get her Doctorate.  It brought back memories of a date 50 years back when I walked the walk at Columbia to get my doctorate.  When the band struck up Pomp
and Circumstance, I couldn't help reacting to the moment with a surge of excitement
with a few tears along the way.  The keynote speaker was Sam Donaldson who is a native New Mexican and who broadcast news on ABC for more than 4 decades.  Although
it was difficult to hear most of his talk because of the noise in this arena which was primarily used for sports activities, I did catch one thing that seemed to
encompass the theme of his presentation, " Don't seek a career that you love, but
seek a career that you are good at. The field that you are good at will lead to a
career you will certainly love.  I thought that advice was appropriate for the
individual at commencement. Later in the day, we joined a celebration at Pam and Rob's place.  Casey was back from Kuwait, big Amy, little Amy. Steve, Anthony, Jeron were all there to celebrate the big event, including my 87th birthday.  After a long and sometimes painful journey, Pam made it in style and now she can

continue her normal life.  Hurrah! Drs. Gravagne and Rosenbluth in the kitchen.

The Pit at the University of New Mexico, May 12, 2012

A Horse, A Horse, My Kingdom For a Horse

The Forest Service opened the Cieniga Trail this week and today we joined the parade of hikers and horsemen testing out the paths.  Since we haven't trod this trail for at least two years, it was quite a challenge.  The upward grade seemed much more difficult than before but now that we're a few years older, that's probably the reason.  We made the hike with not too much energy to spare and after dodging piles of horse poop here and there we struggled back to the Toyota and

made a beeline to the ranch for a much needed rest. Although the weather was cloudy today and the temperature a trifle cooler, there was no rain in the forecast which makes it for a very dry Spring.  On the way back from Costco this afternoon we played one of our Hawaiian CDs that we usually listened to in Maui.  I thought of our wonderful times there, the snorkeling and hiking on the Maui Meadows and our friends 

Kerry and Paul Ramm.  We certainly miss their company.  Perhaps, one of these days, we'll get to see them again.

Go Aubrey! Just received word from Austin that granddaughter Aubrey was awarded the prestigious St. David's scholarship for a student who plans to major in a health service career.  She is very interested in BioChemistry.  The scholarship provides the student with $6,000 per year for 6 years to include two years of graduate study.  We are very proud of Aubrey's achievement in school, especially her upper 2% standing in the graduating class at Bowie HS of 800 strong.  Speaking of graduations, Pam (Gravagne) White is getting her Ph.D from UNM this

coming Saturday (May 12) after a long hard road.  Pam stayed the course and completed her requirements in style and we'll be there to cheer her all the way to the stage.  Despite many obstacles, including her age (65), she reached her objectives by due diligence and sheer determination.  I can vouch for her hard work because we were on site to witness her steps to the degree.  

Wildflowers Abound

Although we're still waiting for a decent rainfall to help our flowers thrive, when we awoke this morning, a blanket of Indian Paintbrush was spread over the dry
and parched front yard.  It's amazing how well some of the desert flowers bloom
with little or no moisture.

Gathering of the Clan

The photo was taken during a hike in the mountains.  We had a wonderful time with
Jenny, John and Peter from April 25 through April 30.  The weather was delightful
and we were able to enjoy a number of activities including several walks, trips
to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.  Along with some excellent meals at Monroe's and Maria's, Annabelle was at her culinary best at the ranch. Hopefully, we will be
able to repeat this event in the not so distant future.

In case you want to watch a great DVD movie, check out this one " The "Grandfather", a Spanish film with English subtitles. It has an excellent theme
as well as very good acting.  Somehow, our movie productions have relied more on
special effects than a good, solid story supported by actors who are convincing.
This movie will keep you interested throughout and leave you with a feeling that
the time spent was very worthwhile.

Remember this tune?

I'll be with you in apple blossom time. I'll be with you to change your name to mine. Of course you won't remember this song because they were singing it in the 1940's after WW2 began. Here I am in front of one of our apple trees in full regalia.(the apple tree, not me)

Spoke with daughter Lauren this morning. Both she and Chuck have arrived in California at their rustic cottage in Monte Rio, a small town in the Russian River area of Sonoma County where they plan to remain until October. Hopefully, we'll get together in Austin at Aubrey's graduation sometime in June.
John,Jenny and Peter have been visiting us since Wednesday April 24 to celebrate Mother's Day

and my 87th birthday to be. So far we have hiked part of Cienega and the Sulphur Canyon Trail.

Of course, we ate lunch at Monroe's in Albuquerque and today after a visit to the Georgia O'Keefe

Museum we lunched at Maria's in Santa Fe. Rember, it is there where you can eat real New Mexico cuisine while watching the talented ladies manufacture the house tortillas.

The Crest Road

I hope you can see the lady in the picture. Naturally, it's dynamic Annabelle Rosenbluth posing in front of

the 3 mile sign on the road up the mountain. This is our turn around point before heading back to our

car near mile marker 2. We try to hike 1 mile up and struggle to make it back in decent shape. All along the

way people in their cars shout out words of encouragement such as " Get a horse" or" Do you need a ride

back?". We bravely wave them on and with our teeth gritted, trek cautiously ahead, fully determined to

reach our goal and prove to all that we're not weaklings.

March winds in April

The southern view of our

Pine Ridge house and a

forsythia shrub in bloom

on the westside.

We have to forego our walk

this morning due to high winds. Fortunately, the temperature is moderate so maybe the fruit trees will have

a better chance to produce this year. In the meantime we

bottled the 2011 wine crop which was meager , about 15

bottles, when we usually get

50 to 75. However, since both

of us have a hard time getting down on our knees to cork the bottles, I'm not sorry for the

small amount. Looks like this will be the final edition of Rougeon Wine after 28 years of harvesting.

The time for the cruise to England and beyond is fast approaching. After we leave Barri, John, Aubrey and Walter in Chelsea, we head to Harwich on the east coast for 6 days to await the ship that will take us through

the Baltic passage, stopping at several ports along the way with a final destination of St. Petersburg. Russia

requires a visa for entry even for our two day visit but we have to wait at least 45 days before departure to

apply.

On this evening's news, one item caught my attention. It was a report that a photo was taken of several

US soldiers posing in front of dismembered Taliban fighters. Everyone including the Secretary of Defense

are now falling all over each other apologizing for the incident. All this uproar is amazing to me since we are

fighting this war against a vicious foe who have few qualms about beheading our soldiers when they get their

hands on them. Our leaders seem to think that we should fight an antiseptic war and expect our men to be

polite before as well as after we kill the enemy. I wonder why we ever get involved in these scrapes when

we don't want to do the dirty work of war. That's one reason we can't finish these wars and have to run off

before the job is done. This didn't happen in WW2. We did everything possible to the enemy including

their families. I vividly recall a big marine, who I met after Iwo Jima, proudly sporting a long string of ears

he sliced off the Japanese soldiers after he killed them. Everyone around, including the officers in charge,

were all over him, shaking his hand for the job well done. Harry Truman didn't hesitate a minute before

giving the go signal for the atomic bombing of Japan which ended WW2 quickly. He never apologized for

this act that killed 100,00 Japanese. He wanted to end the war and most of all he felt that we should be

victorious. I think war is a terrible condition but if we choose that route then we ought to take the gloves off

and go all the way. Perhaps we should bring back conscription which would require all young people to be

subject to military service. It would make our leaders think carefully before they embark on these military

adventures.

I think it must be Spring

Hyacinths poking out below while some daffodils who weathered the snowstorm the other day are trying to revive. Today was back to Spring and we took our two mile walk up the mountain road. It was our first attempt at making the full trek since returning from Austin which is practically at sea level and quite easy after hiking at 7000 feet

for almost 30 years. During our rest time while listening to a Chopin

waltz played by Arturo Rubenstein I drifted back almost 50 years

when we lived in Levittown and Darrell, age 7 or 8 and quite a gifted

pianist at that time, joined us in the living room while we were watching Rubenstein on the TV live, actually performing. Although,

I can't recall the piece, I do remember Darrell running up to the TV

and exclaiming that the great Arturo was not following the score as it

was written. I commented, " Dar, if you think you are right on this,

why don't you write him a letter about his performance." Darrell did

and promptly received a response from the great man himself also

inviting us to a concert he was giving in New York in the near future.

We attended the concert and Darrell was escorted behind the stage

curtain to meet with Rubenstein who said that Darrell's perception of

the piece was accurate, however, sometimes the artist is allowed to

inject certain phrases, if he feels the urge, which does not follow the composer's score to the note. He also commented to Norma and I, his proud parents, that Darrell had a wonderful future ahead of him in classical piano.

We have to get a visa for our voyage from Harwich to St. Petersburg, Russia. Although we will be stopping at

different ports on the way through the Baltic, Russia is the only country which requires a visa, despite our

short two day stay in St. Petersburg. During my last trip to the then Soviet Union in the 60s with the Principal'sAssociation the requirements were overwhelming and involved close supervision by the Soviet Intourist group which was an arm of secret police. Hopefully, our visit this summer will spare us from the scrutiny I received under the Soviet state.

April Fool........sort of

26 Pine Ridge Road, Sandia

Park, New Mexico. We should have stayed in Austin for another month. In the

meantime, I'm hauling in

logs to feed the wood stove.

However,the temperature is

not much above freezing and

when the sun breaks through

tomorrow as predicted the

snow will be just another memory. Unfortunately, some of our fruit trees were

in bloom so we may not get

a good harvest.

On the Trail Again

You probably heard this old Texan, Willie Nelson, singing his classic refrain, On the Road Again. Well this

morning with the weather a delightful 65 temp, we headed to the mountain for a short stroll. It's difficult

getting used to the altitude and upward hiking but we managed to do a mile. Annabelle also got behind the

wheel for the first time in 4 months and did just fine since we returned home with our 4Runner in one piece.

The photo is a rose amongst apricot blossoms. We decided

to enjoy our apricot tree before old man frost kills the fruit,

a very common occurrence in the East Mountains where

the last frost date is May 31. However, the weather may

surprise us this year and grant us a few apricots.

Welcome to Emma Scoon, new baby girl, daughter to Max and Megan,

who arrived Thursday. We are proud great grandparents and wish

the new Scoon a long, happy and healthy life. I guess she is probably

part of the new Y generation.

Growing old has its pitfalls, one of which, is forgetting where you put things. Case in point. As usual, I couldn't

find my reading glasses this morning and, as usual, Annabelle began her lecture about my keeping them in one place where I would always find them. Since I had been to the hardware store and the Triangle Grocery yesterday, I might have left them there so I called , to no avail. Then, the search began, both of us scoured

inside and outside the house and in every conceivable nook and cranny but with no luck. Despair set in and

I promised myself that I would never let go of the next pair of glasses. It then dawned on me that the one

place we failed to look, Annabelle's purse. You guessed it, there at the bottom, was my missing specs and I

let out a Whoopee! and rushed to Annabelle who was now busy baking bread. She looked at me and with

a look that spelled out relief and a touch of disbelief, said that I probably put my glasses near her purse so

she dropped them in thinking it was hers. We looked at each other, gradually smiled, then began to laugh

louder and louder until we embraced and shook our heads. Growing old has its pitfalls but humorous moments as well.

I received notice from Cunard that our final payment for the July 6 cruise is due by April 7. I still have several

other tasks to complete before the trip plans are finalized. I am thinking about leaving London Heathrow on

August 8 with a short layover in Iceland before heading for New York and on to New Mexico.

Back at the Ranch

We left Austin before the crack of dawn without breakfast since we expected to eat at Mama's in LLano.

No luck here because Mama had closed shop so we continued on our way. Our goal was Brownfield, Texas about 350 miles down the road. The weather was kind to us and the road was clear all the way. At Brown field we stayed in a Holiday Inn Express which turned out to be an excellent choice. The room was clean and quiet and the service, very good. The hotel is operated by an Iranian group tied to the former Shah and settled in the

US after the Iranian Revolution about two decades back. We've found out in our travels that many Iranian

exiles went into the hotel operations and have become very successful. After breakfast on March 16 and drove

into a heavy morning fog which tested our nerves. I started out the day thinking that the weather would clear

as soon as the sun came out. No luck, the fog remained with us for the entire morning with less than 50 feet

visibility on a narrow 2 lane road. Large trucks were moving in great speed on the oncoming lane which made

the journey quite scary. Needless to say, both of us were sitting on the edge of our seats straining to see what

was coming next. If we take this trip by car next time I think we'll divide it in three days. The day cleared up

and the rest of our journey was uneventful to our relief and we sat back and watched the miles skip by though

New Mexico where the landscape on the way is moonlike. We arrived home at 3pm and promptly collapsed.k

Getting home was nice, however, there was so much to do here that I began to feel that our lifestyle in Austin

at the condo was so simple that we have to make a sea change in our lives to keep happy and healthy.

Keeping track of all our things and obligations as well as the maintenance of a large home is too much for

our age and although we're still in reasonably good condition, the strain is beginning to show and it is clear

that our plan to divest ourselves of many things including our place in New Mexico should take place this

year. Even Annabelle, who loves the garden and rural living realizes that she can no longer keep up with the

demands of running a complicated household. Now, back to the taxes, car registration, piles of unread mail,

remaining bills, etc., etc. tasks that we used to take in stride, seem so overwhelming at this stage. To readers

of Despicable Tours, listen carefully, don't wait for old age to do the things you always dreamed of, although

it is wonderful to reach the 80s, you soon discover that even simple tasks become difficult,and

memory, a burden.

Father,Son and Wholly Spirit

Just received some photos from Pat who

took them at Barri's and John's BBQ last

weekend and couldn't resist the pun.

Today, Monday, March 12 it was foggy

all morning and we could hardly make out

the Frost Bank building which is directly

opposite our apartment.

We exercised at the gym for an hour until the fog cleared then headed to Costco for a final

Austin hot dog and a walk around the Arbor Trail. Today, Tuesday March 13, and Granddaughter, Aubrey stopped by to say goodbye. Spent a delightful hour talking

about many things including her next steps in school. We are so proud of Aubrey, her

success in school not only in academics but also in athletics. College should be a breeze

for her since she has already developed the routine for study and the skill to use time to

her advantage. Go Aubrey!

Today, March 14, our final day in Austin and I guess we couldn't resist a trip to Costco

for a slice of combination pizza and a walk around the Arbor Trail. What do you know,

received a call from Barri who wanted to meet us for one last goodbye. She brought

Walter and while they munched on pizza and hot dog we slobbered our farewells.

Walter has matured since we saw him last year. He's much taller and leaner but not

meaner. As a proud grandfather, I am so pleased to have been on the scene to see both

grandkids grow up so well, polite and well behaved just the way most kids used to be

when I was young so many years ago. Hasta La Vista Austin!

Yellow Rose of Texas

Roses on the Pfluger walking bridge with 360 Condos

in the background on the left.

All Texans wear this color

Spring is in the air in Austin with flowering trees and and plants beginning to show their

color. It's going to be difficult getting back to Sandia Park where Roy tells us that there

are two feet of snow on our driveway at home. Despite the great time we've had in Texas

this winter, it's time to head for New Mexico. Our return date is on March 15, next week.

It rained today (March 9) but we went to Barton Creek Mall where Annabelle had her hair

cut while I shopped at Penny's. Bought a windbreaker for the upcoming trip to England

and the Baltic. The jacket has the UT color with the Longhorn symbol.(above right)

When we returned from the Mall, during rest time at the condo, I turned on the iPad

and we listened to Sinatra belting out some of his old tunes. Somehow, I always get

to thinking of the ole days when Frankie does his thing. He's gone now but he generates

so many memories of our past experiences. This time it was our adventures in sailing

on the Annabelle 1, 2 and the Amber on the Sea of Cortes. Those ten years of sailing

near our casa on the Caracol Peninsula were great. The time that a pod of Humpback

Whales surfaced near the Amber, no more than 20 feet away on all sides or the large

shark circling our boat several times checking us out. Great adventures in our younger

years. Of course, the bare boat chartering around the Virgin Islands and off the coast

of Vancouver when we were followed by a large group of Orcas and the time we were

sailing with our friends the Rices' off the San Diego Coast when a Nuclear Sub surfaced

off our bow on its return to its base in the San Diego Naval Base.

The South by Southwest Festival began friday and Austin is alive with people and music.

This event will last until next week but we plan to sneak out of town on Thursday morn.

So far I've managed to pack most of the essentials for the 2 day journey under the stare

of Annabelle who thinks my early planning efforts are off the wall. Maybe she is right,

however, despite her cold stare as I move things down to the car, I rarely leave things

behind or miss an appointment. I guess this is part of my concern about getting things

right and on time.

Just discovered a new ap for my Ipad, No Fear Shakespeare, which allows you to follow

a play in today's English on one page while reading the old English script on the other.

This will be a great help when we watch Richard 3rd on our trip to the Globe in July.