New England Cruise 2018

Needles and I were just aching for a cruise so we picked one that would take us to one of our favorite places to visit, Maine. We choose our usual cruise line Norwegian because for what you get it seems like a nice price as compared to some of the other cruise lines and also we prefer to travel with more of a senior crowd. Our ship would be the Escape the largest in the NCL fleet at the time. We choose to sail out of New York City for a 7 day cruise with a return back into New York City. We flew out of Indianapolis on Sept 15th and arrived at our hotel after a quick a scary taxi ride from the airport. Our room for the night was at the Skyline Hotel and after settling in we needed to grab a bite to eat. We decided to eat at Toto Ramen in Hell's Kitchen.

The food was very good and plentiful. I rarely eat anywhere where I have to leave food on my plate but in this case I only ate about half of my meal. After our meal we decided to take a walk down to the cruise terminal where we would be cruising out in less than 24 hours. The walking made our bellies feel better after such a full meal and we retired to our room. The hotel has an old feeling to it with its winding hallways and stairways but it was in a convenient location for our needs just .6 miles from the terminal. The next morning we walked next door for breakfast at El Original. We had a wonderful breakfast with wonderful coffee probably the best of the trip. We returned to our room to finish packing up our things and make our way to the ship. We blended in with the crowd of other travelers with luggage in tow and made our way to the terminal. We filled our appropriate paperwork and go into the long line with others that we would be cruising with in just a few short hours. The line went very fast and they kept us moving along until we made it to the check in desk where our photos were taken for our I.D.s. Our cruise cards were handed to us and after a quick photo shoot we were walking up the walkway to our ship. As our rooms weren't ready yet we found a place to set in the dinning area where we talked with another couple that we chatted with. They were from New Jersey and had been on several cruises. They had done this itinerary before and enjoyed it some much they decided to do it again. We sat and chatted with them for an hour or so until they announced our rooms were ready. We decided to head to the room to check out where we would be staying for the next seven days.

Our room was on the 15th floor and was the most forward room on the starboard side. It was a spacious room with a balcony and was larger than the rooms on our previous cruises. The one thing we noticed was the spacious bathroom with large shower and a glass shower door, much better than the small shower stall and flimsy shower curtain we had on previous trips.

Before long the ship was backing out of its birth and we were underway. We sailed past the Statue of Liberty and was almost at eye level being on the 15th floor. We cruised along watching the water traffic of sailboats, ferries and jet skis.

We headed out into the ocean and watch the land slip away in the distance. Our first night was calm and peaceful seas which made getting our sea legs very easy. We wanted to go to the opening show in the theater as it would give us a taste of the shows that would be offered to us through the week on board. 

We selected a few to try and see and after the show we made our way to the dining area for supper. After supper we decided to wander the ship and find out where things were and all the offering the ship had to offer. We wandered all over this ship before heading back to the room for the night. The slow sway of the ship rocked us to sleep that night. The next day was a sea day so we slept late and after getting ready we went down for breakfast. Needles was happy to find they offered two levels of beacon, limp and  crispy just like she likes it.We wander the ship and decided to lounge on the deck chairs and enjoy a drink. I had a Crown and Pepsi while Needles enjoyed a virgin strawberry daiquiri. We lounged in the sea wind for a couple of hours before returning to the room to plan what show we were going to attend.

After watching the show and dinner we returned to our room for the night as the next morning would find us in Portland Maine. 

It was down poring and we were escorted off the ship with umbrellas but once we were at the port terminal we were on our own. Our first mission was to secure umbrellas as we didn't bring any. After getting soaked dodging in an out of a few gift shops we secured umbrellas and then decided to slip into Bard Coffee shop to warm up and dry out. After few minutes the rain stopped and the sun popped out to make the rest of the visit pleasant.We decided to eat at a place called Duck Fat which is famous for their homemade vanilla milkshakes and duck fat fries.

The food was very good.We walked around town and visited some of the gift shops before returning to the ship.

The rest of the day was spent attending shows, wandering the ship and of course eating lots of good food.

The next day we arrived in Bar Harbor, Maine. We disembarked and was scheduled for a bus tour up to Cadillac Mountain. Unfortunately it was very foggy and there wasn't much that we could see of the distant scenery but we enjoyed the trip. We stopped off at a couple of rest stops to stretch our legs. When we arrived back to town from our tour we wanted to walk The Bar again that we visited a few years ago. We got to see the sea gulls flying around and the debris of sea life that littered the bar. It was an enjoyable hike to the top of Bar Island.

We made our way back and decided to stop off at Geddy's a really good seafood place where I got a lobster roll and Needles got a sirloin. We enjoyed our meal and visited a few shops for souvenirs before getting on line to tender back to the ship.

 We spent the rest of the day on the ship enjoying shows and eating. Sense a theme?

The next day we found ourselves cruising into Saint John, New Brunswick. We had never been here before so the city was somewhat of a mystery. There was a couple of things on our check list to do but other than that we just wandered town and soaked in the sites. We had a Big Pink Bus trip out to the Bay of Fundy.

The shear amount of water that moves through this bay daily is amazing. The walk way that bordered the area was a nice little hike to different views of the bay. We continued on back into town to explore the downtown area, stop at a Tim Hortins for a coffee, visit the market before we moved on to our next check list item.

Needles had to make a stop at a local yarn shop, Good Fibrations. The owner was there and was very friendly and Needles spent most of a hour chatting with her about the craft before our stomachs were reminding us to find a place to grab our lunch. We stopped in at the Cask & Kettle Irish Gastropub. I had a really good burger and Needle got fish & chips. Before long it was time to return to the ship to relax. 

The next day were to arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This is where our trip be came a little frustrating. This was our shortest time in port to explore. We know we wanted to see the Graves of the Titanic victims and see other things as time allowed. After spending almost an hour of our shore time waiting to catch a bus we headed straight there. We did enjoy the tour of Fairview Lawn Cemetery and hearing the stories of the victims that have been buried in the cemetery and the popularity of the J. Dawson grave following the Titanic movie.

Apparently grass wouldn't grow near the grave for a few years following that movie due to all the visitors. After the tour we again were to again loose time ashore waiting an hour for a bus back downtown. When we did make it back to town we decided to grab a bite to eat in our few remaining hours in Halifax. We stopped by Stayner's Warf  Pub & Grill. I had the fish tacos and Needles again had the fish & chips. The food was very good and the service was great. We headed on to the Maritime Museum only to find that with a hour left of our shore time the Museum was closing in 15 minute. I do not know why a museum would close so early with three cruise ships in port. Needless to say we were very disappointed but did not let this spoil our visit. We spent our last remaining time visiting the huge souvenir market that was located at the dock before returning to the ship.

Our next day was at sea where we could relax and remember all the good time we have had in the North East. Our last morning we were to return to New York. It was nice to cruise into port and see the Freedom Tower lite up as our trip was coming to an end.

The North East and especially Maine holds a special place in our hearts with all of its history and natural beauty. We hope to return very soon. 

21st Anniversary Cabin Southern IL.

Since we have been having some questionable weather lately I decided to wait almost to the last minutes to check the weather and make plans for our anniversary. I had wanted to rent a cabin, one with a hot so that we could relax and get away from the familiar everyday things. I called on Jan 12th for a reservation for the 25th. I was pleasantly surprised that they had a opening and that we also were to get winter rates of 3 nights for the price of 2. On Thursday we left about 10 am and took our time to get to our cabin as check in wasn't until 3 pm.

We stopped in Equality, IL. at The Red Onion for lunch. I had the shrimp platter and Needles had her usual grilled chicken breast salad. They serve you a small loaf of fresh baked bread and strawberry butter as an appetizer.

 After our meal which was very good and more than filling, we made our way West to Harrisburg, IL. to kill some time and do some grocery shopping for our stay at the cabin. Before we left town we stopped off at the local Sonic having stuck out on finding a local cafe and had a couple of Strawberry Limeades right at happy hour. We made our way South East to our destination and after a quick photo shoot with Sassy the Sasquatch we arrived at our cabin just before 3 pm. 

Side stairs to back deck.

Cabin #6
We unloaded our groceries and looked over the cabin. It was a very nice small cabin well equipped for a nice romantic weekend. We settled in and took a few photos to remember the details and relaxed in our home away form home. Later that evening we took a dip in the hot tub before settling down for the night. We were the only people at the cabins that first night. Here are a few pictures of the cabin.

Our first night sleep was not as good as we would have hoped. The mattress was a bit hard for our liking and the heater kicking on and off all night sounded a little like a jet plane taking off which would occasionally shake the cabin when it would shut off. After the first night we learned to turn it off before bed.  On our second day we ventured into Harrisburg again and went to eat at the local Chinese place. This is something we try to do almost every time we get away somewhere new for a few days. I think we started this on our Washington D.C. vacation. As we were pretty well set for groceries we headed back to relax at the cabin. The weather was a little cool so we decided to just stay in the cabin and watch a little TV and surf the inter webs. Saturday we had made plans to stay at the cabin all day and not venture out at all. After some a quick hot tub dip we had a light breakfast of yogurt and granola. We relaxed at the cabin as the weather was to move in that day. We got a dusting of snow and some freezing fog that rolled in which made it feel kinda creepy that night. We managed to brave the crazed killers lerking in the fog for a nice hot tub dip before bed. Sunday morning was time to return home. We packed up our things, said bye to the cabin and headed back home and back to our normal life.

Living room

Kitchen

Dining area

Hot tub

New Orleans Video

New Orleans Vacation 2017

My parents came up on Saturday June 10th and stayed the night as we had a early morning schedule to catch the bus.

Sunday June 11th.

After a good night sleep and a light breakfast we loaded up the car and drove to the local university to board the bus and begin our adventure. We arrived to find a few our fellow travelers standing around the parking area with luggage in tow. We awaited our bus and in just a few minutes our conveyance arrived. We loaded up the luggage and in short order we were heading down the road. Our first stop was at Fort Branch Indiana to pick up a few more travelers. After loading up their luggage we were again back on the road.

Our second stop was at Hanson Kentucky at a gas station/ Subway for restroom breaks and a few people pick up some snacks. After a couple of hours our third stop was in Franklin Tennessee for lunch. We ended up stopping close to several restaurants so we decided to go some place we haven't been before. The winner was Backyard Burger. We all settled on the Classic Burger with fries and a drink. The burger was pretty good but nothing to write home about. We finished our meals and headed back to the bus to continue our journey. Another couple hours down the road and we were done traveling for the day. We ended up at Pelham Alabama at the Sleep Inn our room overlooked a grassy berm with semi trailers in a lot. Very romantic... We walked to a Ruby Tuesdays for supper. I had the salad bar with the bourbon salmon and Needles had the same with the baked salmon.

Monday June 12th.

The next morning we had a nice continental breakfast, probably the best hotel breakfast selection of the whole trip and then the traveling continued.

A few hours later and we were scheduled for another pit stop. This time it was the Mississippi State line. We walked around the welcome center for about 15 minutes and bathroom breaks and then back to the bus to make our way a little closer to our destination. A few more hours and miles down the road found us in Hattiesburg Mississippi for another chance to stretch our legs and restroom visits a quick lunch at Subway and then down the road again to our destination. Our place to stay for the night was the Ramada in Metairie New Orleans. Our room was nice with a nice view of the pool. The evening meal was a trip to Piccadilly Cafeteria. The food was very good with a nice selection. I had the crawfish etouffee and Needles had the ground steak. With our bellies full we were transported back to the hotel for the night. Unfortunately our room faced south and the midday sun so our air conditioner had a hard time keeping our room as cool as we would have liked. We sleep better when it is cool in the room so for the 4 days we were there we didn't sleep very well. The morning continental breakfast were not great either but they satisfied the need for food and energy to make our daily trips into the city.

Tuesday June 13th.

Every morning our bus trip into New Orleans took us by the Super Dome and down into the French Quarter. We first picked up our tour guide for a quick jaunt around town for a tour. After several drive bys of prominent areas of New Orleans we stopped at one of the iconic cemeteries. It was very interesting to hear about the burial practices they have devised to overcome the challenges of the locale.

Once the tour was completed we were dropped off for some free time in the French Quarter namely the French Market. We walked down to the Market Cafe for lunch. Needles had the Muffaletta and I had a shrimp po'boy with chips. The food was very good and after we finished we walked the French Market looking over the sale booths.

Before long it was time to get back on the bus and a trip to the World War II Museum. We walked though the buildings and had to meet up for a movie at 4pm. The movie was Beyond All Boundaries. The movie was intense, gruesome, very loud and blindingly bright at times. The special effects were well done with props being raised for the stage and dropped form the ceiling at times. Light, lasers and snow fall during the the show made for interesting effects.After the show we had a meal at The American Sector in the museum. Needles and I both had the fried fish with mashed potatoes and a few steamed veggies followed by a large red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and red, white and blue sprinkles no less. Very patriotic. We headed back to the bus and noticed we were lucky and missed a down pour while in the museum. We had the option to go back to the French Quarter for some free time but we were ready to go back to the hotel to relax for the evening.

 Wednesday June 14th.

We were taken into town and dropped off near Harrahs Casino. We tried to catch a trolley into the Garden District but the trolley was full and we didn't want to wait for the next one so we walked down to a local weaving and yarn shop per Needles request. Since she was doing all the navigating on the trip I was not going to complain. Needles made her usual vacation yarn purchase and then we headed down to the infamous Bourbon Street. They had Bourbon Street all kinds of torn up from a 7 million dollar renovation of the street that started in May. While making our way down the chain-linked and tarped sideways. we got caught in a downpour and went into PJ's Coffee. We waited out the rain with warm beverages and after about an hour we decided to try and make our way on down the street when the rain let up. We made it about a block until the skies opened up again and we went into a shop to get dry. After 20 or so minutes the rain let up and we headed on down the street,

We circled back to the French Market to Cafe Du Monde and for beignets and cafe ole. I would like to know how many tons and yes I mean tons of powdered sugar they go through in a year. They were very light and tasty. The whole restaurant was serenaded by man singing a capella as more of an annoyance for money to make him go away. The cafe only take cash so be prepared.

We had a cruise on the Mississippi river on the Steam Boat Natchez so we had to meet the group at 4 pm. We had to stand for a while in the dun to embark the boat. The temp was around 90 and with the downpour earlier it made for hot and humid conditions while standing in line. Once boarded and we got underway the cruise was nice and relaxing as we made our way down the river and made the turn back upstream then down to the Crescent City Connection Bridge and back to port.

A little sunburned and sweaty we were ready to get back on the bus to make it to The Praline Connection for supper. We were dropped off and made our way a block to the restaurant. On our way we noticed one of the many homeless people we encountered on this vacation. Many with signs and asking for an handout but this one was just laying on a porch of a old business that had long since been vacated. His shirt pulled up over head head to block out the sun baring his stomach as he slept. Or at least we hoped he was sleeping as a line of what smelled strongly of urine puddled just a few inched from him. It was a sad sight to behold. We boarded our bus and returned to our hotel for the evening.

 Thursday June 15th.

After another lack luster continental breakfast at the hotel we headed out to the Destrehan Plantation. A old indigo plantation that once enslaved around 200 African Americans. I admit that we do need reminders of the atrocities that we inflicted on our fellow man but I couldn't help think the whole time that this tour was "interpretered" by the all Caucasian tour guides, the tour would be a completely different if guided my an African American. We did get to see an interesting demonstration of bousillage and how they used clay mud and Spanish moss to make insulation in the walls. In the gift shop Needles purchase some tasty beverages for us. Needles had a Fest Peach Ginger Ale and I had a Bourbon Cream Soda. After the tour we were dropped off on Decatur Street near the French Market for some last minute souvenir shopping as this was to be our last day in New Orleans. We walked through several shops and made another swing through the French Market. A purchase of a dress and a few ceramic sugar skull later and we were searching for a place for lunch.

We settled on New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. Needles had a hamburger and I had the BBQ shrimp po'boy. They meals also came with cheesy, garlic potato wedges that were awesome. Mine was very goos but I think it was hotter than the surface of the sun. I had trouble eating it because of the heat and I think it would have tasted better if I had given it about 10 minutes to cool. After lunch we visited a couple of more shops and then before long it was time to be taken back to the hotel to gussy ourselves up for our evening meal and entertainment.

Our supper was to be at Boomtown Casino in Harvey Louisiana. We were served roast beef, tilapia, mashed potatoes and a quarter of a head of steamed broccoli.and for dessert room temp apple cobbler. Not the most high brow of meals as we were kind of expecting something nicer but it was OK. The entertainment for the evening started out slow. I was wondering how this was going to go with 3 people on the stage. A guitarist, a keyboardist/singer and a washboard player. Yes you read right a washboard player. They played some older music and also some music with the local flavor. With the majority of the crowd being seniors they asked who was the longest married couple in the room and my Mother and Father ended up being the longest married with 52 years. They played a Fools Rush In by Elvis while my parent and several other couple slow danced. Toward the end of the evening they went into DJ mode and played some audience participation songs that got several out of their seats and on the dance floor. Ditties like The Electric Slide and Wobble Baby had people on the dance floor. One of our group left the party early and went down to the casino and had some luck with a slot machine jackpot of $14,000 in winnings. We wre bused back to our hotel for our last night as the next morning would have us traveling toward home.

Friday June 16th.

With another hum drum continental breakfast in our bellies and loaded luggage we loaded the bus for the trip toward home. After a little over an hour we stopped for the bus driver to get diesel. While fueling we had to disembark the bus so we went in to the gas station to find that they only had one bathroom for men and one for women. Of course practically every one on the bus had to go to the bathroom so after hanging out at the gas station for what felt like forever (40 minutes) we finally got back on the road. We made our way North toward the Mississippi into the town of Meridian for our next pit stop and the Merrehope Estate. An old historic estate home that has been restored to it's former glory. It was interesting to hear the history of the home and to see the antique furniture that had been reclaimed after the house was abandoned and had fallen into a state of ruin and to see old gas fixtures converted to electric lighting. The stories those walls could tell would be fascinating to hear. 

After the tour we made our way on the road toward home. A hour or so down the road found us at the Mississippi/Alabama State Line near Toomsuba, Mississippi. After some leg stretching we once again got on the bus to make it to our hotel for the night.

Our stop for the night was the Hampton Inn in Mountain Brook/Birmingham Alabama. Odd from all of our previous bus trip hotel check ins we had to check in individually instead of just being handed out our room key cards and going to our rooms. This made several in our group growl a bit as we were getting a little road weary. The room was nice and what made Needles and I very happy was that the air condition worked very well. For supper that night we were happy to walk across the parking lot to Wendy's Needles had a fresh mozzarella salad and I had a single burger with fries. We return to our room to relax for our final night on the road as tomorrow we would be home. With the anticipation of being home, neither Needles or I slept well even thought the beds were comfy and to room cool. 

Saturday June 17th.

We got up the next morning excited about being closer to home. We went down for breakfast hoping it would be better than our previous hotel but to no avail. With a small dining area that was crawling with people eating breakfast we decided to take our meager food back to our room. After finishing breakfast we went down to the bus to make our way North. Another pit stop down the road found us at the Tennessee border near Ardmore.

For lunch we stopped at Clarksville, Tennessee and we decided for time sake Shoney's buffet would be just the ticket. So after lunch, you know the routine, back on the bus and on down the road. After a few more hours our next stop would be to drop off the travelers we picked up at Fort Branch with the last stop being where we first boarded the bus and started our adventure. We said our goodbyes to our fellow travelers, grabbed our luggage and headed to home sweet home to a broken cat, a lawn to be mowed and loads of dirty laundry to be done. It's good to be home.

Vacation Summer 2017

Well we finally decided on a vacation. We are going to New Orleans in June. I have wanted to go there for awhile now. Needles was there several years ago with a college trip but she had to keep track of students so she wasn't able to do everything she wanted while there. We will be heading out June 11th and back on the 17th. I am glad we finally decided on a trip.

Southern IL. Vacation

 

SATURDAY October 1st

Needles and I set out on a short getaway in Southern Illinois just South of Anna in Dongola, IL. On our way to the cabin we stopped in Carterville, IL. to attend the Southern Illinois Irish Festival. When we arrived it was threatening rain and before long it started to drizzle. We walked up to the main stage and settled in for a bit to listen to the entertainment.

Needles and I wondered amongst the spars booths and Needles struck up a conversation with a fellow soap maker. We continued over to the second stage and then made our way to the Irish Games of strength.

 

The rain was off and on most of the day and Needles and I decided to grab a bite to eat. Needles had the Irish Stew and a water and I had a Rueben and a Guinness.

We continued to swap between the two stages and the music started and waned and had the pleasure of listening to the Dallahan.

We enjoyed their music so much we picked up both of their CDs. We stayed until they finished their music and then made our way on to our cabin. We arrived in Anna and decide to grab supper at the Wok and Roll and then grabbed some snacks for breakfast.

We arrived at the cabin and did a little exploring of the area. The cabin was well set off the road with little to distract you from the main reason for renting a cabin in the woods, to relax.

 Road to the cabin.

 

 

The cabin was very clean with many amenities with a pool table and a hot tub on the deck. We settled in and unloaded our luggage. We played a few games of pool and noticed a few deer making their way across the field. Before long it was dark and the hot tub was calling our name, after a relaxing soak we reclined in the living room for a movie and then off to bed.

 Pond behind cabin.

SUNDAY October 2nd
The next morning we awoke to wild turkeys in the yard, after breakfast we had adventure on our mind. We traveled over to Sikeston, Mo. to Lamberts Home of the throwed rolls.

We arrived just after they opened and got right in and seated. Needles had a salad as big as a punch bowl and I had the meatloaf. The food was very good and filling and I of course I got to catch a couple of rolls. After Lamberts we headed south and wanted to visit a Pumpkin Hollow in Piggot, AR.

On our way we drove by some cotton fields and decided to pull over for a closer look. We are used to seeing corn and soybeans in the fields and seeing the cotton was a neat thing to see.

 

Pumpkin Hollow was interesting but more catered to kids during the day and unfortunately we would have to head back to the cabin before the scary festivities started up at night.

 

We drove to Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum but unfortunately it was closed on Sundays. We made our way back to Anna we stopped off at Kroger and picked up a few things for a light supper. We settled in to our usual evening routine of playing pool and then a soak in the hot tub before T.V. and then bed.

MONDAY October 3rd.
Today was a day of relaxing. Sleep late followed by a late breakfast and then relaxing in front of the   T.V. until the Blue Boar opened where we wanted to grab supper. Needles had a steak salad and I had the shrimp po'boy. The food was good and the restaurant was a mix of bar and taxidermy shop. We made our way back to the cabin but before that a quick stop at the local coffee shop. Kiki's Coffee House was a nice place to pick up a couple of iced coffees and let our food digest. We got back to the cabin and settled into our evening routine.

 

TUESDAY October 4th.
This was our last full day at the cabin and we continued with the same relaxing trend as the day before. A late breakfast followed by T.V. watching until a light lunch and then supper at The Brick House Restaurant. Needles had a burger and I had a Reuben. Again after our meal we decided to wander down the street to Kiki's Coffee House again and then back to the cabin for pool and our last dip in the hot tub.

WEDNESDAY October 5th.
Check out and time to go home. It was sad to leave our little home away from home but unfortunately there were things waiting on us such as our fur baby Tugger and things we needed to get done before the work week started yet again. We had a great time and hope to get down that way again soon.