Disembarkation and Flight Home

16 November, 2024

The port in Bayonne may not be much to look at, but it is one of the best ports we've sailed in and out of. We were up, dressed, and in line for the dining room by 7:30. A significant number of dining room staff were scheduled to rotate off and return home for their between-contract break, so staffing was a bit thin in some areas. I rolled the dice on one final order of Eggs Benedict, and hit a winner.

Our driver sent a text at 8:00 indicating he was on his way, and at 8:30 he was at the port. By 8:45 we were in line to disembark, and by 9:00 we were waiting by the curb with our luggage. Our driver arrived just a few minutes afterwards, which was somewhat miraculous based on the number of people waiting for rides. We loaded up and headed to LaGuardia. Traffic was nearly non-existent on a Sunday morning, so we made it across Manhattan to Queens in record time and were checked in for our flight and on the way through security by 10:15. Other than a small glitch when my belt was swept out of the bin in the x-ray machine our transit through the TSA checkpoint was perfectly seamless.

We strolled across the walkway over the ramp and arrived at the American Airlines Admiral's Club only to be turned away because our First Class tickets were for a domestic flight. Given that American doesn't operate any international flights from LaGuardia this stipulation is just an excuse to pry $85 per person out of travelers for use of the lounge. Perhaps one day the airlines will focus their attention on customer service again, but apparently that isn't a concern for them today. Oh well, just another reason to look at other carriers for our air travel needs. Why bother with loyalty when it gets you nothing?

Next year we'll likely take advantage of one of the direct flights to Newark for our New Year's cruise, which puts American out of consideration, anyway.

We found a convenient spot to hang out for the two or so hours before our flight was scheduled to board and have no complaints other than the lady down the way who insisted on blaring a streaming church service at full volume. My noise-cancelling headphones muted her public broadcast quite well, so I passed the time in peace. Our incoming flight was slightly delayed, but an efficient cabin crew made up a bit of time on the turnaround and our arrival home was only a few minutes later than originally scheduled. All in all a smooth trip from door-to-door.

Back Up North

13 November, 2024

Today was warm, but gloomy. As a result of the rain and gloom Two70 ended up being a reincarnation of Romper Room. Young kids were bouncing all over the furniture while their parents sat at tables outside the venue and played cards in their blissful ignorance. One of the gentlemen they kept bouncing off of eventually corralled them and escorted them out to their parents, relieving the venue of the annoyance. 

For our part, we were far enough removed from the chaos that our activities were not impacted. With headphones in-place we sat and sipped beverages while we knitted, read, blogged, and investigated potential future travel plans. Our Viking River Cruise last spring was a big hit, so we're giving strong consideration to a Viking Ocean Cruise. (I'd love to take the Viking Adventure cruise to Antarctica, but that's not a viable choice until I win the lottery.)

The Book had several new cast members, so we had the opportunity to watch assorted rehearsals of the production. The energy that we enjoyed when we saw the show earlier in the week was evident in the interaction among the cast, everyone just appeared to be having fun. Lourie had the opportunity to speak to the actor in the lead role and extend her congratulations on a job well done.

We had our last specialty dining experience, dinner at Giovanni's. Unfortunately we couldn't locate our appetites, but that isn't a reflection on the amazing meal we shared. The caprese salad was spectacular again, thanks to amazing sun-dried tomatoes and very nice grape tomatoes (the fresh tomatoes were better than earlier in the week, but still a bit unimpressive; November is a challenging time of year for fresh tomatoes in the northern hemisphere.) We selected  chicken parmigiana for an entree, not earth-shattering for anyone who has been to Italy, but very good by any measure. The evening was made even better thanks to the thoughtful service of Navneet. For dessert we chose the nutella & banana calzone, which never fails to satisfy.

We finished up the evening with a drink in Boleros, mixed perfectly by the cheerful and attentive Tricia.

14 November, 2024

The day before the last day at sea. I wasn't about to miss breakfast (another win with perfectly poached eggs) which was followed by some preliminary packing. With a strong move towards packing things up (mostly dirty laundry and items we knew wouldn't be used for the remainder of the trip) we took a walk around the ship to gather photographs to share with the family in advance of our trip on Odyssey in December, 2026.

After a nice walk in the fresh air, watching some pickleball, and discussing the pros and cons of the arcade with a few youngsters, we returned to the cabin and collected our devices and distractions. With our movement north and cooling temperatures Two70 was becoming increasingly crowded, but we still managed to claim our usual seats for the afternoon. Large groups of children were present again, but with much better behavior than the day prior.

We stopped by NextCruise to get a few questions answered, visited Guest Services for WOW Bands (a good concept, but still needs a lot of work to be viable, IMHO.)  The RoboBar was exceptionally popular this afternoon, with larger crowds than I've ever seen. It was lobster night in the main dining room, and the lobster was spectacular. The last several times we've had lobster on a cruise the meat has been chewy with an excessively, overly-sweet flavor. 

The entertainment tonight was MO5AIC (Mosaic) - a group of five instrument-free performers who use nothing but their voices to make music. We chose seats for the show based on the ease of escape, in case we weren't inclined to stay for the entire show.

Boy, did we ever miss that mark! Their show was one of the best guest performances we've seen on a cruise ship. The arrangements, their vocal range, and the incredible instrumentation they produce from their mouths is nothing short of incredible. They blend musical talent with humor to provide a unique and entertaining production.

15 November, 2024

Our last day at sea. 

Of course there was breakfast in the main dining room, and yes – I had Eggs Benedict, with perfectly poached eggs. Lots of coffee (it was exceptionally good this morning) and some extra bacon to take the edge off of my protein craving.

We put most of the finishing touches on packing and (you guessed it) made our way back to Two70 for a final day of quiet relaxation and doing whatever we wanted to do.  As we sat I did some research on the New York theater schedule for next spring and started working on plans for an anniversary trip. There isn't a traditional gift for the 36th wedding anniversary, so I'm making it theater tickets. I think they are more practical than the rather dull modern gift of bone china.

We distributed a few tips to people who were particularly helpful during the cruise, and had a drink or two. As the afternoon wound down we changed for dinner and stopped in at Boleros for a couple of pre-dinner cocktails. After dinner we were pretty well tapped out, so we returned to the cabin, finished off the remaining bit of packing, and watched a movie before making sure we had an alarm (BLECH!) set for Sunday morning.

San Juan

12 November, 2024

The morning dawned bright and warm in San Juan, with a promise of getting hotter as the day went on. After breakfast I surveyed our location from deck 14 and plotted out our next move, hoping to avoid any aimless walking in the coming heat.

We arranged a private Golf CartTour of Old San Juan with San Juan Scene Hopper using ViaTor. We've used ViaTor many times over the past 15 years without experiencing even the slightest glitch. This trip things were a bit different. It started when I made the reservation. The app double-booked us for Sunday (9 November) as well as today (Wednesday.) A message to the tour operator had this sorted in short order and we received immediate confirmation of the cancellation. But ViaTor appears to be having some issues of-late and we're still working on getting the charges sorted out. Stay tuned on that matter.

We arrived at the designated location a few minutes before our scheduled tour time of 11:00. We met the owner of San Juan Scene Hopper, Luis, who was surprised to see us, since he didn't have anything from Viator about our booking. I produced my documentation, Luis called Viator, who proceeded to confirm that everything was fine on their end, but couldn't explain why it wasn't appearing in his dashboard. (Appears that the Viator technical issues aren't isolated to the customer-facing side of their operation.)

As soon as everything was confirmed Luis had a cart on the way for us. It was a beautiful day, we were in a shady spot enjoying a nice breeze, we were under no time pressure, and none of the problems we had to deal with were the creation of anyone present, so we enjoyed the time and took a few photos. 

Chris arrived after a short wait and after introductions were made we climbed aboard the large, comfortable cart and secured our seatbelts. Chris donned his headset and we rolled off through the streets of San Juan. We started with the current political state of the Territory and rewound all the way to the "discovery" of the island by Christopher Columbus, before moving back to the present as we wound our way through the streets of the city, past the forts, neighborhoods, and historical residences. Chris discussed the political changes over the centuries, the architectural choices and street design, fort layouts and enhancements, and points of historic interest (such as the site of the invention of the Piña Colada) as well as current day tourist hot-spots.

Our tour was relaxed, but incredibly informative. Imagine participating in a university lecture as you sit on the beach sipping beers with the instructor. That's the best way I can describe the vibe. Chris kept a steady flow of information going without ever overwhelming us, all while commenting on things in the moment. There are few tours that I'd ever repeat, but our experience with San Juan Scene Hopper places it on that list. Chris left us yearning to experience more of San Juan, which will likely result in a dedicated visit in the future. Getting here is simple and there is plenty to see.

At the conclusion of our tour Chris dropped us off adjacent to the ship and bid us farewell. We made our way aboard and made a quick stop at the cabin to change to swimsuits, then headed to the Solarium.  It took a bit to find seats that weren't in a sun-drenched or breeze-squelched area, but after a bit of maneuvering we dropped our towels, grabbed fruity drinks, and headed to soak in the pool. After the heat of San Juan the pool was invigorating and became increasingly popular as the afternoon wore on. We exited the pool for our chairs and enjoyed more drinks as we sat in the breeze and read our books.

We rounded out the evening with dinner and the shipboard production of Showgirls – another solid performance by the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers. We've seen it on prior sailings, but this was one of the better executions we've had the opportunity to see.

St Kitts & Nevis

11 November, 2024

Welcome to Saint "Me!"

This morning we docked in Basseterre, St Kitts. (pronounced "bass-tear" – as in the fish and a droplet that runs down your cheek) I've enjoyed making bad jokes about the "misspelling" of the island name (I told them there was only ONE "t!") and, of course, I've been roasted over the "Saint" designation.

Other than a misprint on our excursion tickets (the meeting point was not the pink building, as indicated) and rather warm temperatures,  the beginning of the tour was reasonably well organized and managed. A bit more shade would have been nice, as well as a more complete understanding of what was to follow, but overall it was one of the smoother transitions we've experienced. We were divided among a fleet of mini-buses for the drive to the boarding area for the Scenic Railway Tour.

Our driver kept us entertained and informed with a steady dialogue covering the history of the island and the transition from sugar plantations to tourism and education, as well as the current state of affairs. This small island-nation boasts a pair of Medical Schools as well as a Veterinary School, a university, and a technical college. One end of the island is home to several resorts with familiar names while the opposite end remains largely untouched and covered with derelict sugar cane fields. Goats, sheep, donkeys, and chickens roam freely, helping to keep vegetation manicured and bugs nearly non-existent.

We arrived at the La Valée Transfer Station, at the distant end of the railroad route and enjoyed a patch of shade while we waited for the train to arrive and unload the outbound passengers. Everyone got a spritz of hand sanitizer as we boarded the train, and most of us made our way to the upper level by way of stairs reminiscent of what you would find on a double-decker bus in London. The seating was ample and nicely padded, and thanks to the high angle of the sun the shade was more than sufficient. As the train began to move we all wondered if we were on a scenic train or a scenic boat, and perhaps some motion-sickness medication may be in order.

As the train swayed from left to right the narration began, some of which was barely intelligible due to
static in the speaker system. At first I thought the swaying might dampen out as our forward momentum built, but that was not the case. Everyone was fairly amazed that the train remained upright, especially as we crossed several bridges that were no wider than the track gauge. 

The staff on the train was excellent, keeping us supplied with beverages and small snacks throughout the journey. Communication could be challenging at times, due to the clanking of the running gear and the volume of the narration, but they kept things running smoothly on board, even if the undercarriage was a bit rough. We wound through the countryside, around the western end of the island and the northern coast, with Mount Liamuiga peeking in and out of cloud cover as we circled. On the north side of the island we crossed Hermitage Bridge and then passed several natural bat caves surrounding the quarry, but didn't see any bats due to the time of day.  

We continued along, through Canada, to the Needsmust Train Station, where we disembarked and re-boarded our buses, just a few minutes before the announced "All Aboard" time of 5:30. The beauty of being on a cruise-sponsored excursion (especially with 100 of your friends) is that the ship won't depart without you.  Everyone unloaded from the busses, where we discovered Luis from the Shore Excursion Team waiting for us, communicating updates back to the ship via radio. We were treated to a beautiful sunset as we hurried back to the ship. Everyone was quickly swiped-in with their seapass cards, and the ship pulled away from the pier as the last of the guests were cleared through security. I haven't been one of the "last on" a cruise in a long time, and this was the first time I've ever been on an excursion that was late to return.

This evening we had reservations in Wonderland - of Alice in Wonderland theming, so we were able to take our time getting ready for dinner. If you enjoy inventive presentations and interesting food combinations and preparations, we highly suggest a visit to Wonderland when you're on a ship that features this venue. The menu items are whimsical in both name and presentation, and nearly everything on the menu falls in to the category of "I'd eat this until I made myself sick."

From the playful cocktails to the full-production hidden desert revealed beneath a globe of chocolate that melts away under a stream of hot caramel, the staff injects fun and enthusiasm into a tasty dining experience.

The Captain informed us that there were several ships due to dock in San Juan tomorrow morning, so in order to improve our chances of claiming a premium mooring he plans to make good speed overnight.

Antigua

 10 November, 2024

St John, Antigua

We had every intent of participating in the Betty's Hope, Devil's Bridge & Parham excursion offered by the cruise, but some changes in medication doses tossed a monkey wrench in the works and we opted for  a low-key day focused on relaxing and recharging. We were within the cancellation deadline, so I went to the Shore Excursions Desk to plead my case. When I explained the situation to Luis he was happy to accommodate us and sent me away as a satisfied cruiser. Don't misconstrue this as an indication that we've been disappointed in the past, because we haven't – it speaks more as an affirmation that our choice to spend most of our cruise budget with Royal Caribbean is the correct decision.

I did venture out into St John for a while, to see what it was like and pick up a couple of items. Walking with purpose with eyes up and forward will keep the local solicitors from picking you out as a likely customer. If you're meandering slowly and give the impression that you're not quite sure where you're going or what you're doing then you'll be offered everything under the sun from a sightseeing tour to a beach shuttle. I'm sure the folks offering these services are completely polite and reasonable (they'd likely lose their tourism credentials if they weren't) I'm happy to avoid repeating myself multiple times on my way to my destination. I'm better than the average bear when it comes to maps and navigation, so I can usually make it several blocks without referring to directions, adding to the illusion that I actually know what I'm doing.

Overall I found the area intriguing. It's rough around the edges from an architectural and infrastructure standpoint, but the people were pleasant and (after escaping the immediate port area) un-intrusive. One or two ladies politely invited me to examine their souvenirs, but didn't press when I offered a polite excuse and stayed the course. I'm not sure how mature the cruise industry is in Antigua, but I suspect that we will see overall improvement in the coming years as more tourist dollars augment the economy. I'm not ready to go home and plan a trip to Antigua, but it is on my list of places I'd like to visit again should the opportunity present itself.

For dinner I made a rare visit to the Windjammer, which we usually reserve for late breakfast or midday snacks. I took advantage of the "roll your own" pasta station – a dinner version of an omelette station. Choose your "enhancements" (garlic, onion, tomato, zucchini, mushroom, etc) to be lightly sautéd, then select your pasta (spaghetti or penne) and sauce (pesto, marinara, Alfredo, bolognese – or a combination, if you like) which are added to the pan and warmed through. Then any "finishes" (cheese, chives, crushed red pepper...) are added. Despite my best efforts at restraint I ended up with a sizable portion that I could not stop eating. By some stroke of luck, the assortment of ingredients I chose produced a balanced and flavorful finished product. Armed with inspiration, I now have another recipe concept to explore.

St. Maarten

 9 November, 2024

We've been to St Maarten several times on previous cruises and have always enjoyed our visits. We've been to the Delft shop on the island on prior visits and have been fortunate enough to acquire a combination of large (~11x14 inch) tiles, tile mosaics, and antique tiles dating back to the late 1600's from a cache that was discovered in the corner of a warehouse in the 1990's. 

As previously mentioned we're not "beach people" these days, so we thought we'd give the Small Group Foodie Tour "Flavors of St Maarten" a go. We tend to arrange our own excursions as much as we book through the cruise, and this time we went with the cruise as a matter of convenience. Our guide from Rising Sun Tours, Natasha, met us on the pier and we took a short walk to our mini-bus, where we met our driver for the day, Leroy. 

It was a short ride to our first stop at the Amsterdam Cheese & Liquor store. We were directed to a room set up with cheese boards and glasses of sangria – an ambitious start to our morning! We were treated to samples of five varieties of Gouda; young, mature, aged, and two flavored selections. If you're a cheese fan (and especially if you like Gouda) you can't help but love this place. The gentleman leading our tasting was informative and thoroughly explained the differences between each type as well as describing the variations commonly found in Gouda made from different milks (primarily cow, sheep, and goat.) We purchased an almost unreasonable amount of cheese, which we justified by planning to have it for both Christmas and New Year's.

Our second stop was on the French side of the island, at Chez Fernand, where we enjoyed a LARGE plate consisting of four different pastries. The croissants were as light as air and perfectly buttery. The chocolate lava cake (which wasn't warm) was flavorful, but incredibly dense and macaroons were classic perfection. A fourth item, lost in translation, was a small yellow cake bite filled/covered with a caramel/vanilla cream. While the flavor was nice, it was quite chewy and also very dense. The quantity and quality of the food provided was excellent, but no one in our group of 20 even came close to consuming everything. A macaroon each, and a half-serving of all the other items would have been a generous amount. My best advice – bring an appetite! There's a large local market just across the street from the bakery, and the rocks at the waterfront are crawling (literally) with iguanas who will readily pose for photos.

After eating a nearly uncomfortable amount of baked delights Leroy drove us to the town of Grand Case, on the opposite side of the island from Phillipsburg, where you'll find a bastion of "lolos" (local bar & grills) along the waterfront.  Our destination was Sky's The Limit, one of six or eight establishments that are all clustered together in a flea-market-meets-food-truck amalgamation of olfactory overload. Emile, the proprietor, has won multiple awards in his category at BBQ competitions in the USA (most recently in Atlanta, as I understand) and after enjoying his chicken and ribs I have no difficulty believing this claim. Sauce? Not needed. The meat is perfectly cooked and the smoke and spices bring an amazing flavor with the slightest hint of heat. The fresh johnnycakes are the perfect sweetish-savory sidekick to the meats, but give them a moment to cool to avoid burns from the steam trapped inside. The potato salad has a well-rounded flavor, without "too much" of anything. I'm not a big fan of coleslaw, but I found their's to be light and tasty (I tend to eat more coleslaw with pulled pork than any other dish.) I enjoyed an SXM Lager with my light lunch-sized portion, which was amazing.

I had an opportunity to speak with Emile, who is the consummate restauranteur, and complement him on the quality of his BBQ. As a southern man, cooking meats over fire is a religion, and good work should be recognized and celebrated. In that spirit, being able to express thanks for his hospitality and delicious food wasn't just being nice, it was a moral imperative. There's also the chance that at some point in the future I could return, with a bit of elevated status from my initial visit. 

The north shore of St Martin faces the island of Anguilla, just across a ~9 mile channel. Some children take a ferry from Anguilla to St Martin to attend school, giving rise to "rough sea days" – in contrast to our "snow days" and "hurricane days" experienced in regions of the United States. Natasha came to the island as an adolescent, and Leroy as a young adult, so they were able to share a variety of insights and experiences about life on the island. During peak season (fall to spring) "rush hour" can result in hours-long traffic jams in some parts of the island, turning what would be a 15-20 minute drive into a 2+ hour ordeal. It's not uncommon for locals to sit out the traffic jam in a nearby bar. The impact of this behavior on traffic accidents wasn't mentioned, so I'm left to assume that responsible moderation is the rule rather than the exception in these situations.

Our last stop for the day was at Rum Gouverneur, a traditional Caribbean producer gathering select rums from across the island, then blending and aging them for a premium product. After a discussion and tasting of their hallmark spirit a few of us were invited to participate as guest mixologists to prepare Mai Tais for the group. Apparently I was the only one familiar with a cocktail shaker, and the only one who had ever mixed a Mai Tai. After filling my share of cups for the group, and discovering that no one wanted seconds (they were waiting for the flavored rum portion of the tasting) I enjoyed a rather healthy "tasting" of one of the better Mai Tais I've ever made. Their pre-made orgeat was surprisingly good, and the use of Cointreau instead of a basic Triple Sec when added to their aged rum was exceptionally rewarding. When we packed for this trip we didn't plan to purchase any alcohol, so none of our bottle protectors made the trip. There were so many rums to choose from I'm telling myself that I avoided angst and stress – choosing a single bottle, or even two, would have been challenging.

We returned to the ship with ample time to change into our swimsuits and take a dip in the solarium pool and enjoy a frozen beverage. Last year, on our transatlantic crossing, the solarium was stuffy and humid. This trip the windows and overhead vents have been open most of the time and the atmosphere is much more comfortable with the additional air flow.

Our dinner reservations were at Chops this evening, which was a bit sad after a day of constant nibbling. When we arrived the restaurant was nearly at capacity, but things appeared to be running well. We both defaulted to our "usual" appetizers (shrimp cocktail for her, tuna tartare for me) and they were just as we expected them to be. I know wedge salads are simple and far from elegant, but good bleu cheese and properly crispy bacon, all topped with fresh ground pepper, creates a sublime combination of flavors and textures I find irresistible. The lobster bisque was over-salted, which was disappointing. Our filets were perfectly cooked, and I did manage to finish an entire petite filet, but not by much. The baked potato (again, simple but satisfying) was the perfect combination of fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Creamed spinach was good, but not great, and the sautéd mushrooms were cooked to perfection and delicately seasoned. We finished it all off with a shared slice of red velvet cake – which was an odd choice for me, being a pie and ice-cream person, but it just looked good (and it was as good as it looked.)

Changes in Latitudes (Sea Days 2 & 3)

 

November 7 Sea Day #2 

Today I switched up my breakfast to poached eggs on toast and the streak continued. Once again, we gathered our bags and headed to Two70 for the Alaska cruise presentation offered by the NextCruise staff. We made a few notes that will help us plan more effectively for our trip next July on Ovation of the Seas. 

Our reservations for The Book weren’t showing up in the Royal Caribbean app, so I spent a few minutes standing in line at Guest Services to get that sorted out, then had to go back to shuffle some of our dinner reservations. The app is a wonderful tool, in concept, but needs significant work to make it convenient and effective for guests. Some screens overload the user with information while others force you to dig a rabbit hole to figure out the information you want to see. I should be able to filter by time, venue, or type of event. (But what makes Karaoke entertainment and a dance class an activity?) I shouldn’t have to scroll through four of the same item in an hour just because it happens every 15 minutes. I should also see all of my reservations on “my” page instead of having to scroll through hours and hours of empty time to find my dinner or show reservations. I should be able to exclude those things that don’t interest me (Volleyball tournament? No thanks – let me filter it out, please.) 

My issue with our reservation is that I made one as soon as we got on board, but the app crashed in the middle of the process. A flag was set, somewhere, so I couldn’t make another reservation, but I couldn’t see our reservation, either – nor could I cancel it and start over. So, back to Guest Services to stand in line where they had to first cancel my "nonexistent" reservation before they could re-book a new reservation later in the week. The Quantum class ships have a spectacular reservations system when it comes to making multiple reservations in-person, or reviewing reservations, but changing them is a bit clunky.

We were booted from Two70 while they set up for The Book, so we relocated to Boleros, where we enjoyed a few frozen Mojitos before heading to the room to change for dinner. If you like a good Mojito then I strongly suggest you give the frozen variant a try. They are incredibly refreshing and well-balanced. Other bars will make them for you as well, but Boleros seems to have a more consistent supply of fresh mint leaves. I'm still searching the ship for a proper Mai Tai. So far they've been an assortment of overly-sweet juice-based concoctions that are better suited for inducing diabetic ketoacidosis than anything else. Rum, orange liqueur, orgeat, and fresh lime juice are all you need. No pineapple juice needed, and grenadine should be applied sparingly, not gratuitously! 

We enjoyed another good dinner in the dining room, thanks to our convivial service team. In our early cruising days on Celebrity dinner was often spectacular. For the last 15-20 years the food on most cruises has been good, with an occasional "great" and a rare "awful." I still drool over the seeded rolls (pepita, sunflower, sesame – I'm a fan of all) with butter, and enjoy trying new ingredients and dishes, but at the base level the cruise industry food lost the "wow" factor a long time ago.

Tony Tillman was scheduled in the Royal Theater this evening, and he is a consummate showman. His combination of singing, dancing, and comedy has a bit of something for everyone. I suggest sitting back and allowing yourself to take the show as it comes, without projecting expectations. He'll take you on a foot-tapping, belly-laughing, sing-along journey that you didn't know you needed. 

November 8 

Sea Day #3 

The poached egg streak was absolutely shattered today. This morning my “poached” eggs were “hard-boiled without a shell” – an absolute disappointment. Taking it as an opportunity to try something a bit different (I’ve never been a boiled egg eater, other than in the form of deviled eggs.) I gave them a try. A misguided try. I learned that hard-boiled yolks are just too dry for my taste. The flavor was acceptable, but the texture just isn’t something I can handle. 

The Royal Caribbean Fleet

This morning a fleet talk was scheduled, outlining the various classes of ships in the Royal Caribbean lineup, the varying features between classes, and the fundamental types of itineraries offered by each. There is a shift towards shorter itineraries (3-4 day) for the larger ships sailing from the “Big 3” Florida ports these days (specifically the Oasis class) with new ships (Icon class) making the “traditional” eastern and western seven day runs to the Caribbean. Quantum and Radiance ships appear to be covering the more unusual itineraries, with the Vision and Voyager classes servicing the regularly scheduled service from Gulf and East-coast ports. Freedom class ships appear to be popular for some European itineraries and filling niches on an as-needed basis. All if this is based on my extremely casual and highly unscientific analysis and may have no bearing on reality or be readily refuted by a more considered approach. 

As I was making notes, working on this blog, and scanning email I began having a few glitches with internet connectivity. The new VOOM system has been designed for the least-savvy users on board, and it serves them well. You connect with your device (a smartphone, more often than not) and away you go. If you have a multi-device plan you can share a code with another device to allow it to connect – but your primary device stays connected. Again, not an issue for most, but if you want to juggle multiple devices on the same account it can be annoying. 

Unless you go old-school and set up a username and PIN under the legacy system. This is still available, and it works well with minimal effort. The “secret” is that you must first connect using a browser, not the Royal app, and set up your account. As long as you remember to terminate your session by entering the proper URL before shutting down your device everything runs quite well. Shout out to Zak on the VOOM team for helping me sort this quickly. 

We had lunch in Giovanni’s, which was a first for us. They open up with garlic knots and sauce that would inspire you to disrespect your grandmother. Don’t over-indulge on these, because you’ll only regret it as you move through the meal. We shared a burrata appetizer, which was delectable, despite the sad state of the November tomatoes. There were a few nice cherry/grape tomatoes on the dish, but the larger tomato was more reminiscent of a pale hunk of watermelon than a tomato. But, for November, we didn’t expect too much in the first place. For entrees we shared pizzas. Their crust is thin (so you’re not going to stuff yourself with an abundance of baked dough) and the cheese and sauce are nicely balanced. I like more basil than what our pizza was dressed with, but it was still tasty. We also had the Mamma Italia, with prosciutto, arugula, tomatoes, parmesan, and mozzarella – drizzled with EVOO. The prosciutto was amazing, and there was ample arugula (I would prefer less, but it was easy enough to pick off a few leaves.) The tomatoes were (again) unimpressive, but didn’t detract from the pizza. The same crunchy, slightly charred crust made for one of the better pizzas I’ve ever eaten. Yes, Sorrentos has free pizza just a deck away that is “useful,” but if you want something special, I suggest giving strong consideration to pizza at Giovanni’s. Any comparison between the two isn’t reasonable, as they’re as different as the filet from Chops when compared to the hamburger in the Windjammer – they both have their place. 

The remainder of the afternoon was spent lounging around with adult beverages, followed by another perfectly nice dinner in the main dining room – made better by our team of waiters, Surachai from Thailand and Steve (his actual name) from India. These two gentlemen haven’t missed a beat and are attentive without being overbearing. They tolerate my bad puns, dry wit, and sarcasm.

After dinner we enjoyed an excellent performance by The Diva of the Seas, Stephani Parker, in the Royal Theater. If you’re a fan of strong, soulful lyricists (think Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick) then this show is for you. I’ve seen all of the above in concert, and at any given time during Stephani’s performance I could close my eyes and be transported back in time and space to previous concerts. In the world of shipboard entertainers she ranks in the upper echelon.

Everything Goes South (Sea Day #1)

 6 November, 2024

Sea Day #1 

As regular readers will know, our sea days are wildly uneventful. We wind down, enjoy a drink, chat with random people, and keep ourselves busy doing things that are absolutely not required in daily life. Thursday we started with breakfast, continuing our poached egg marathon in the form of Eggs Benedict. The chef came out fighting and delivered four of the most perfectly poached eggs I’ve ever seen (Lourie had poached eggs on toast.) I was absolutely giddy, but had no one to share my excitement with as the head waiter from our previous cruise is not aboard this cruise. 

After lunch we gathered our bags and headed to Two70 to find a comfortable spot to begin full-scale decompression, fueled by Goombay Smashes, Rum Punches, Blue Hawaiians, and Chocolate Martinis. The dress code for the evening was changed up at the last minute, so it turned out to be a formal 70’s night. Lots of tie-dye and suits, but no tie-dye suits and a disappointing lack of leisure suits and wide lapels. Perhaps I need a leisure suite with a wild-colored ruffled shirt so I can channel Mike Brady on the next cruise. We were entertained by line dancing classes and met several people and chatted about all things travel and life-related. (A pair of sisters who emigrated from Cuba in the late 1960's were absolutely delightful.) A T-Rex made an appearance, but there were no unicorns or frogs to be found. (Apparently ICE agents and pepper spray only appear in the presence of frogs these days, but my sample size is admittedly restrictively small.

T-Rex at sea! 

The evening production show was The Effectors – a band of superheroes who possess the powers of digital effects who work together to thwart the evil villain Crash. My summary review is that the show exceeded my expectations by a significant measure. I started with expectations so low that they might not even be classified as expectations at all. We met a couple just before the show who attended the earlier production, and they reported that it was much better than they anticipated. The husband (who originally didn’t even want to see the show) confessed that as an avionics/simulation engineer he was impressed – which intrigued me. Lourie wanted to see the show as a scouting exercise for our upcoming 2026-2027 New Year’s cruise, to gauge what our grandson might think. I find myself generally of two minds when watching production shows. I often end up in a bit of an anxious state, ready for things to come to an end. This happens any time my brain detects a familiar rhythm to the production and starts predicting the ultimate outcome. The show has already concluded in my brain at that point, so my subconscious is ready to move on. I’ve only become aware of this in the past few months, not realizing that it was unusual. This show has excellent effects, strong talent, a narrative that flows well (it is thankfully devoid of gratuitous redundancy) and well-executed costumes. It’s just juvenile enough to keep the kids engaged, but with talent to keep the adults entertained – and the length is perfect. It was unpredictable in that it didn’t follow the usual tug-of-war battle between good and evil, which I enjoyed. Definitely worth seeing, pretty much mandatory if you have children between the ages of 5-12. 

We wrapped up the evening with a chocolate martini in the Schooner Bar as we listened to piano tunes, which is always a good way to close things out as far as we’re concerned.

Odyssey of the Seas - Caribbean Embarkation

 5 November, 2025

We had tentative plans to rise early and find a proper deli for a real New York breakfast. In years past Carnegie Deli was our destination, but they have fallen to the complexities of landlord-tenant friction and the pressure of the COVID pandemic, so we find ourselves adrift. Frankly, after our amazing dinner the previous evening neither of us were particularly hungry, so we opted to sleep in a bit. (The consistent twilight in the room thanks to our proximity to Times Square was certainly a contributing factor in this decision.) I completed our pre-boarding health questionnaires, and we went through the online safety briefing in the Royal Caribbean app. My daughter-in-law texted, requesting a newspaper to commemorate the historic election of the day before, so I ventured out for what I thought would certainly be a simple task. 

I could not have been more wrong. 

In days past you couldn’t walk 50 feet down Broadway or any of the major Avenues in Manhattan without passing a newsstand. This morning I walked nearly a mile, covering a four square block area (48th Street to 50th Street, 7th Ave to 5th Ave) – hitting everything Google THOUGHT was a newsstand, as well as a bookstore and a pharmacy, and the best I got was a chuckle and a suggestion that Grand Central or a subway hub was probably my best bet. 

Oh, well. At least I got my steps in. 

The elevator was significantly more guest-friendly this morning, so getting down with our luggage was easy, and our driver (again from NYC Airports Limo) was a few minutes early, so we wheeled from elevator to sidewalk and were on our way to the cruise pier in Bayonne in a matter of minutes. Again, traffic was much lighter than what I’ve come to expect over the years. Only a few obnoxious horn-blares were heard all the way from midtown to lower Manhattan. Traffic flowed well through the tunnel and all the way down Interstate 78 to Highway 440. We didn’t experience a slowdown until we reached the drop-off queue at the port. 

The ship arrived from Europe this morning, which meant that every member of the staff and crew had to present themselves to US Customs and Immigration, and the US Coast Guard conducted a thorough inspection of the ship. Despite the additional effort demanded by these efforts behind the scenes, the passenger-facing port experience was exceptionally smooth. Our designated arrival time was 13:00, and we exited our car with our luggage at 12:45. From the time our luggage was unloaded it look us less than twenty minutes to walk to the terminal, navigate the security line (the magnetic closures on my jacket pockets raised some concern for the screener, requiring a second pass through the x-ray) check-in, and make our way up the escalator for the short (~100 yd) walk onto the ship. The Bayonne port may not be glamorous or flashy, but it runs with Swiss-watch efficiency. 

Upon boarding we immediately completed the required safety briefing by reporting to our Muster Station (if you’re not a frequent cruiser, please don’t be one of the 200-300 people that they call out mid-afternoon because you haven’t done this. It takes about two or three minutes, and once it’s done you have nothing else to do the rest of the cruise that you don’t explicitly choose to do.) By 13:05 we were headed to our stateroom to drop our carry-on bags, only to discover that our cabin wasn’t going to be ready until 13:30. Rather than schlep anything around we opted to wait for a few minutes so we could enjoy lunch without our bags. 

Manhattan Skyline

The Windjammer was busy, not packed, and we managed to find a seat with relative ease to enjoy a light lunch/heavy snack. Afterwards we returned to the cabin and did a bit of unpacking before finding a bar for a compulsory Goombay Smash and watch a dance class led by the activity staff. The Captain made his initial "Welcome Aboard" announcement, and included birthday wishes for approximately 25 guests and crew celebrating on the day. He calls out the first name of each person, which I find to be a nice touch. (He has continued this each day during his noon announcement.)

We spent the rest of the afternoon completing our unpacking before heading to dinner. We have a delightful team whom we quickly let know that we're not ones to get terribly wound up over anything short of a life-threatening situation. Feeling the desire for a bit of comfort food we both opted for the spaghetti, which isn't elegant or exotic by any means, but it is presented with precise consistency year after year, cruise after cruise, and it is quite tasty (and never seems to hit me with the dreaded "red sauce" heartburn that some sauces produce.) 

We spent the evening back in Two70, enjoying music and drinks as the smooth rolling of the ship put us at ease. We returned to our well-chilled cabin and crashed into a blissful slumber.

Goombay Smash for two

Heading to New York

This is my first attempt at blogging a trip in (nearly) real-time, so we'll see how it goes!

November 4, 2025

The vagaries of advanced purchase tickets once again resulted in a change in our flight time the day before departure. The change probably happened long before, but American didn't alert us until about 36 hours before departure. Yet another reason to allow yourself a bit of extra time, our schedule for the day should remain intact. I notified the transfer service of the ~30 minute delay when they sent their confirmation text in case they hadn't yet reviewed the airline schedule. Our eldest picked us up at the appointed time and, other than navigating the extensive construction project at our local airport (new parking deck, terminal curb expansion, hotel, and rental car facility, among who knows what else) everything ran smoothly. Check-in was seamless, as was our TSA experience (we're thankful that they're still working during the shutdown.)

Once again we boarded a flight with seats up-front and no room in the overhead bins. Our carry-ons all fit comfortably in a any overhead, but it seems that many have transitioned to bags that only fit sideways on regional jets, leaving about 1/3 of the space un-usable. Between crew using this space and the ill-fitting bags of others it's a bit annoying. The weather was windy in New York, forcing LaGuardia down to a single runway, forcing us to be held on the ground for departure.

Our flight took off exactly on-time and, after an uneventful trip with excellent cabin service, arrived on-time. Our driver was waiting, and I kept him informed of our progress as the trek from the gate to baggage claim in Terminal B was a bit longer than anticipated. Years ago the chaos of construction at LGA was a constant inconvenience as I flew in and out on a regular basis. I’ll be the first to say that the benefits were definitely worth the hassle. If you ever experienced the low ceilings, poor lighting, and cold-war era décor of the previous incarnation, the new version will leave you in awe. The natural light (even on an overcast day) with ceilings so high they don’t seem to exist, complemented by organic curves, provide a (dare I say) soothing experience that reduces the general stress of travel. Flow through the terminal is smooth and logical, and the transition from baggage claim to the arrivals curb and parking deck continues the theme. I can’t remember a more pleasant arrival in any airport, and I’ve been traveling by air for over 45 years. If Viktor Navorski had arrived at Terminal B, instead of JFK, on his quest to procure the autograph of Benny Golson he may have lost all desire to leave. When we made it to our luggage carousel the crowds had dispersed and our bags were the only ones remaining, making retrieval simple! We wheeled them out the door, where our driver was waiting less than 50 feet away. 

 Our driver from NYC Airports Limo was polite, helpful, and efficient – meeting expectations based on previous experience. The midafternoon trip to our Times Square hotel was uneventful, save one aggressive bicycle messenger who took exception to the bike lane transition from one side of the street to the other at an intersection. Arrival and unloading at the Home2Suites Times Square was smooth, quick, and effortless. Vehicle movement in Manhattan seems to have become smoother and less congested over the years. Perhaps the advent of ride share and pedi-cabs have reduced the number of vehicles on the streets, but that’s just a guess. 

Check in at the hotel (a property split between two Hilton brands, Home2Suites and Hampton Inn) was quick and painless, despite our anticipation based on the crowded lobby. Front desk staff were friendly while doing their utmost to keep things moving, given the afternoon rush of arrivals. We tapped our key, selected our floor, and waited at the appropriate elevator as directed by the digital keypad. While the efficiency of these systems for getting the lobby cleared is hard to refute, the return can be frustrating. Our room was clean and in immaculate repair, with a view of the Hard Rock just across 48th Street. I applied a well-known hack to the guest-hostile motion sensing thermostat to bring the room to a comfortable temperature as we performed our minimal unpacking before heading out for the evening. 

Leaving the hotel was a challenge. As efficient as the digital elevators are for clearing the lobby, they are exponentially worse at moving people from the floors to the lobby. We waited for over 15 minutes (and countless requests) as elevator after elevator arrived at our floor filled with housekeeping staff headed to the basement at the end of their shift. In the absence of dedicated staff/freight elevators for the property perhaps they should dedicate a single elevator (of the five or so) to staff use during shift change. This issue alone is enough to keep me from recommending the property, or from ever staying at this property in the future. The hotel is nice, the staff is convivial, but the inconvenience of the elevators at peak times is so outrageous as to erase everything positive that the hotel offers. 

Since we had tickets for the theater we searched for a dinner option that was convenient and likely to be predictable in length. (As much as we would have loved to indulge in an absolutely extravagant restaurant experience, it just wasn’t in the cards this trip.) If you’re a regular reader you know we’re fans of Burger & Lobster, having eaten at multiple locations in London over the years. We were excited to discover a location in Manhattan, and it was only a block from our theater! We had a reservation (which didn’t appear to be necessary at 5:00pm on a Tuesday) and were seated immediately. (At the risk of being redundant, allow me to reiterate how people react to simple politeness – the host was a bit stressed by the overly-demanding people in front of us, so we introduced ourselves with a smile, which immediately impacted his demeanor and put a smile on his face.) Our waiter introduced himself in fairly short order. Graham was friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable – yes, that’s his job, but he absolutely owned the job, he wasn’t just phoning it in by going through the motions. He didn’t talk to us, he conversed with us and made it a dining experience and not just eating a meal in a restaurant. If you visit and have the good fortune of being served by Graham you should have a great experience. On his suggestion we opted for the Connecticut Lobster Roll (warm) instead of the Traditional Lobster Roll (chilled) - and we were not disappointed! I’m an absolute sucker for the B&L fries, and thankfully Graham offered both salad and fries – saving me from an over-indulgence in fried carbs (yes, I ate the entire salad before starting on the fries or lobster roll.) The roll was delightful – with just a little extra garlic butter, of course. In an act of unprecedented willpower, I managed to leave about half of my fries – preventing future digestive discomfort. We departed in ample time to take a leisurely walk to the theater. 

With one evening to go to the theater we chose to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. My comments will be abbreviated and focused in order to avoid spoilers. A co-worker saw the production last year on his annual Broadway pilgrimage and gave it high marks without spoiling it for me, and I appreciate his efforts to be enthusiastic while preserving the mystery of the story for me. This is the first non-musical I’ve seen in many years, forcing me to re-focus my point of view. The acting was solid across the board. Some performers were excellent, the effects were amazing (rising to the level of shocking at some points) costuming was spot-on and the stagecraft and transitions were a combination of innovative and elegant. The storyline is intricately woven with the original series of books/movies, and I suggest that you have more than a passing familiarity with them before seeing the play. Simply knowing who Harry Potter is won’t provide the degree of understanding required for maximum enjoyment. The theater itself is an immersive experience, from the lobby to the stage. Theater staff are friendly and engaging, just put your cell phones away when asked. I purchased tickets using the TodayTix app and found the process to be seamless. Our orchestra seats were just at $100 each, which I considered fair based on an advanced purchase. (You can find seats for a fraction of that if you are flexible in your timing and seat preference.) The last Broadway show we attended was about 12 years ago, and tickets in the balcony for that production were not significantly less expensive. 

As we exited the theater we checked our phones and discovered that Zohran Mamdani had been elected Mayor of NYC. As we strolled through Times Square we didn’t see a single inflatable frog, dinosaur, nor unicorn. So much for the downfall of civilization previously predicted by his opponents.

We enjoyed our brief stay in the city, and it has fueled our desire to return for a longer visit sooner rather than later.

Home from Munich

8 April, 2025

We were told to expect someone from passenger assistance to meet us at the front desk of the hotel at 7:00 for our 9:20 flight, so we were checked-out and waiting at 6:55, anticipating the usual German punctuality. By 7:10 no one had arrived, so we started towards the terminal and didn't pass anyone with a wheelchair headed towards our hotel at any point.

Check-in with American Airlines for our flight was seamless and we had no issues getting through security. However, it appeared that our gate was only slightly closer than Nuremberg. We stopped on the way to the gate to pick up a "backup croissant" because we had been up for two hours and food service on the flight was probably at least a couple of hours distant.

We trekked on.

Ready to hop the pond.

When we arrived at the gate we were informed that passenger assistance did go to the hotel to collect us, but based on our wait and the trek to the terminal from the hotel (only one route, as direct as they come) there's no way they arrived in a timely fashion. We were directed to a waiting area with no seats for those needing assistance – but when Group 1 was called I decided we would just do without and we boarded the bus that would take us to the gate.

Fortunately the gate had an escalator from ground level to a jetway, so the only real hassle from that point were the steps on and off the bus. By 8:35 we were on the plane and in our seats.

MUC departure

I think this was the fifth seat configuration we have experienced in as many business class flights on American, and only one of them has offered reasonable storage space and one offered fully functional electrical service. In the world of "do more with less and do it now" the small touches are falling by the wayside.

Cabin service was excellent, the temperature was comfortable, and the flight was mostly smooth. Lunch was "useful" but far from exciting or crave-worthy, which made the ice cream sundae dessert all the better.

We passed the time with a combination of reading, watching movies, listening to music, and napping. The most daunting problem was making sure our bluetooth headsets transferred from one device to another when we swapped around.

Upon arrival in Charlotte we were met on the jetway by a young man from passenger assistance and made our way to immigration. The area was more chaotic than it has been in past trips, I'm not sure if that's a reflection upon the current state of affairs concerning immigrants or if there are other factors at play. After a short wait we presented our passports, answered some perfunctory questions, and were on our way to baggage claim.

Where we waited.

And waited, and waited some more, until our 1.5 hour connection was whittled down to just over 30 minutes. Fortunately our next gate was moderately close, only halfway down the E concourse instead of at the distant reaches of the B concourse.

CLT arrival

As we passed through security the TSA agent pulled our carry-on (filled primarily with fragile/delicate items) and took exception to a jar of mustard, claiming it was a liquid. A jar of fine German Riesling mustard. Amazing mustard. Delicious mustard. Food to me, a liquid to them. (Technically a paste, somewhere in the nebulous range between liquid and solid, but I wasn't going to win that argument and, frankly, didn't even have time to make the argument.)

It wasn't a liquid when we cleared security in Amsterdam, nor was it a liquid when we cleared security in Munich.

But in Charlotte, the TSA declared it was a liquid. 

The TSA agent gruffly offered to let me return to the airline counter and check the bag (not a helpful suggestion under the circumstances based on timing as well as the contents of the bag.) I replied that checking the bag wasn't an option, and my other bags had already been re-checked in customs, at which point they unceremoniously tossed it in the garbage with a blank stare and a shrug. As if I should have known after two security screenings that the TSA couldn't differentiate between a paste and a liquid.

Next time I'll pack more carefully.

We scurried down the concourse and boarded our final flight of the expedition, only to discover that there was no more overhead bin space available, despite our First Class seats, so I had to gate check the mustard-less carryon bag. At this point we were at the "just get us home" stage of travel and surrendered to the chaos.

An hour later we touched down, home after three weeks and a day of some of the most amazing experiences we've ever had. An incredible vacation shared with dear friends who made everything better. If you have friends that you can enjoy quiet emptiness with – friends that you don't feel that you have to talk and entertain each other constantly – those are your travel companions. They're almost always the friends that know your inner thoughts and deepest struggles, the friends who have your back and look out for you even when you don't realize you need to be looked out for.

Our luggage did not make the connection with us, but thanks to the American Airlines phone app I knew they were on the next flight from Charlotte and would be delivered to our house.

We were picked up by our grandson and his chauffeur, which re-energized us. We got home, cleaned up, found something to eat, and it wasn't long before I was notified that our luggage was on the way. WOW!  It wasn't long before a delightful lady pulled up the driveway and handed off our bags.

Home at last, thinking about the next trip...

Amsterdam to Munich

7 April, 2025

Our driver picked us up as scheduled for our transfer to the airport and delivered us in plenty of time for our flights. We had a bit of a struggle with the KLM self-check  in and automatic bag check system. First, there is a lack of signage to direct you from the kiosks to the luggage check area, and you're likely to elicit an admonishment from the KLM gatekeeper. The bag check system is inflexible and intolerant of any variation from what it expects to encounter (much like a human KLM agent might be when you don't follow the signs that aren't posted.) When checking bags it is imperative that you maintain the correlation between boarding pass and bag, as it segregates passengers and their bags despite being on the same reservation. We were directed to a human luggage check agent who was most pleasant and had things sorted in no time flat.

We then reported to the traveler assistance desk, checked in with them, and waited to be collected and taken to our gate.

View from the van.

A young gentleman came for us after a short wait and introduced himself. As we say in the south, he was "a fine young man" – he was polite, respectful, and a proficient conversationalist. He directed us through security without even a hint of difficulty and delivered us to the gate and made sure we were squared away. I made sure that his management was informed of the level of service he delivered and certainly hope he is recognized accordingly.

As the gate agents began preparing for boarding we were contemplating the process for getting from gate
to airplane in the absence of a jet bridge, not uncommon for European airports. Given the level of service provided to this point we couldn't imagine being left to fend for ourselves, and within moments a gentleman and his co-worker introduced themselves and escorted us down an elevator and to a van to take us to the aircraft for early boarding.

The KLM cabin crew matched the level of service delivered by the Schipol staff. The seat pitch in our Airbus Economy seats exceeded the pitch for British Air Club Europe, and the beverage and snack service (a sandwich with chips) was above any domestic economy experience with a U.S. carrier. If KLM were to expand service to the states they would own the market in a matter of months, if not weeks. Our flight to Munich was entirely uneventful.

We were met on the jetway by a gentleman from passenger assistance who continued the theme of excellent service we experienced throughout the day. After collecting our luggage he delivered us all the way to our room in the airport Hilton. He said he would have someone meet us at 7:00 the next morning for our 9:10 departure.

After dropping our luggage we made our way to the S-Bahn to meet our friend at Marienplatz. When we arrived on the platform a train was about to depart. I purchased tickets from a kiosk, careful to select "2 adults" on the first screen and accepting the defaults to get to the payment screen. Ticket and receipt in-hand we  jumped through the closing doors.

Then, for the first time ever, our tickets were checked. I was informed that I only had a ticket for one person, despite selecting "2 adults" on the initial screen. The gentleman standing next to us  had the same issue. We were advised to get off at the next stop and purchase an additional ticket, so we did – adding a few more minutes to our journey (but avoiding a €100 fine.) The wait for the next train was rather chilly, but we were rewarded with a less crowded train than the one we were originally on.

I was in touch with our friend during the journey, coordinating our exact meeting place.

We emerged from the S-Bahn station on Marienplatz immediately in front of the Neues Rathaus and started scanning for Bjoern. We've known him for almost twenty years, when he was in North Carolina. We've had the good fortune to visit him three times over the past dozen or so years and it's always as if we just saw each other a couple of months ago. 

After circling around each other among the crowd for a few minutes we finally located each other and made our way to Wolle Rödel München Rosental for a bit of yarn shopping. Lourie discovered this shop on our last visit to Munich, when we came with our son during spring break from his graduate studies in London. Bjoern and I stood near the front door chatting while Lourie shopped. She overheard the ladies running the shop wondering what we were doing, and informed them that we were with her. This led to a conversation about her previous visit, which astonished the shopkeepers. They all bonded over their repeat American customer.

Then we headed to Augustiner!

My favorite Bavarian beer, good food, and a lively atmosphere. (We went to Augustiner Stammhaus on Neuhauser Strasse, a frequent destination for us in Munich.) We ate entirely too much, but I did moderate my beer consumption since we had a long day of travel in front of us with an early wake-up.

Apparently the largest agricultural trade show in Europe was in town, so there we weren't the only non-Germans having dinner. We did have the advantage of our very own "Germanator" to make sure things ran smoothly. Dinner was exactly what we wanted and the beer was perfection. We talked as much as we ate and caught up on the details that hadn't been shared previously via text and social media.

There's nothing quite like catching up with good friends, especially when they live on another continent.

After dinner we headed back to the S-Bahn, and this time I paid CLOSE attention to the process and discovered that it didn't matter what you entered on the first screen, because on the third (payment) screen it defaulted back to a single ticket! I corrected the payment screen from "1" to "2" and we were good to go. The train was nearly deserted for the return trip and we made it back to our room for a reasonably early turn-in.