Site Title

SYNOPSIS PART 2 Started Tuesday 27/8/24. Niagara Falls to SYRACUSE To begin with, I did doubt the wisdom of three nights here. A very heavy and prolonged shower scuppered any exploration of this seemingly dull place during the first morning. Also, the much taken-for-granted temperatures of the mid to high 20s Celsius had given way…

Washington DC  to Niagara Falls This is the life! Today is the 26th of this “unplanned” and unexpected return to North America primarily to attend the marriage my great nephew Reuben to his partner Ainsley both of whom I had the great pleasure of meeting in Washington D.C. during a “planned and expected” vacation two…

I’m writing this in the early hours of 25th August. Outside, it has been beautiful with immensely calm seas.  My energy levels felt sapped, so I took  this this opportunity to catch up on blogs, which I had difficulty putting together presumably because I overloaded one of the pages. The 400th crossing was marked today…

Written 24/8/24 It all feels like a dream.  As arranged by my travel agent, a chauffeur driven car was to take me to the Cruise Terminal at Red Hook, Brooklyn, where, as I was expecting, Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 was berthed having arrived in the early hours, and most, if not all inbound passengers…

START SPREADING THE NEWS Re-written 24/8/24 on board Queen Mary 2. Technical issues prevented me from being able to continue Blog 149 two days ago.  Possibly, I had overloaded the page with pictures.  I started that day exploring just prior to noon.  Having seen the Empire State Building after arrival the previous night, I determined…

Already, I feel like I am on my way home.  Business Class on the New York bound Maple Leaf has quite a contingent of Queen Mary 2 passengers who, like me, are spending one final day (2 nights) in the Big Apple.  Core!  I have left Syracuse behind, the nice hotel right in the heart…

In 2013 and 2019, I had the very good fortune to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Southampton on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. In 2013, I spent the 5 days before the return crossing travelling to Toronto to visit cruise friends I have known since  1997.  At the ungodly hour of (I think) 07.15 hrs, I…

Today feels “written off.”   I had thought about walking around this morning to try and familiarise myself with this part of my itinerary.  If I have interpreted the weather website correctly.  I may be able to venture out without getting drenched, later today.  As it happens, an extra two days at Niagara Falls would have…

Last night at Niagara Falls was something of a grand finale.  It was my final night at the hotel with that fabulous view.  And, this morning, I took several longing glances and not a few photographs and videos in an effort to create that perfect image.  Many people visit Niagara Falls for the day or…

Rarely would I welcome being awakened (after a late night) at around 06.30 hrs by the piercing beep of a reversing refuse truck doing the rounds of hotels around here.  The intermittent disturbance continued for around half an hour.   Peeking through my window to curse the source of my disturbed sleep, I was again astounded…