Monday, October 15, 2018

Back in the USA

Greetings from Bar Harbor.  Our soiree' through Canada is now complete and assuming the boat doesn't sink in the next 6 hours, I should be rendezvousing with Sargento de la fuerza aérea muy viejo.  This is an event a long time in the planning.  I spent quite a few months trying to entice him down to warmer climates to no avail, so...."if you can't bring the mountain to juvat, juvat must go to the mountain."

So, Mrs J and I started looking for things we wanted to do/see in the Northeast and we enjoy taking cruises, so we kinda settled on a cruise with additional time on the front or back to make our way to the Mecca of the Northeast, Row Dye-Land.

We've been on several cruises over the years and found that the cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger.  As someone commented here a little while ago, it's just not fun cruising with 5000 of your closest friends (he did also mention something about airplanes taking off and landing on the roof, but that's not an important distinction right now).

So, we settled on a cruise with SilverSeas.  Their largest ship hosts just 600 guests and it's all inclusive, which is nice.  Researching itineraries we came upon this one that has a stop in Providence.

Do I need to cue Yul Brynner? (C'mon...."So it is written.  So let it be")

Unfortunately, reports of sufficient internet bandwidth were somewhat overstated.

So, while I had great intentions of masterful posts on things learned and explored, you will get one more round of tour guide.

When we last we spoke, we were enjoying a bottle of wine in Montreal.  With a little mixup on exactly where in Montreal we'd board the ship and a quick but expensive cab ride, we mounted up and set sail.

First stop was Quebec and we arrived there bright and early.  We decided to see what there is to see.

Found some cannons.

And proceeded to assault the flag in the background of the picture.  Which was where the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was fought.  Given that most defensive positions are well above where the attackers start, this took a bit more effort than was available at the time.

So, no pictures from the top of the battlement.

Walked around a bit, basically making our way down the from the battlements to the shore front, we stumbled upon an auto show which brought Tuna to mind.






Then we made it back to the boat.  Enjoyed an adult libation and a great dinner and called it a night.

Next stop was Baie Comeau.  Got off the boat, it started raining cats and dogs.  Got back on the boat and that was that.

Then we took a trip up the Sanquenay river to a very small town by the same name.  Walked about town and enjoyed a small amount of sunshine.  (Which unbeknownst to us at the time  would be rare on this voyage.)

Back on the boat, back on the St Lawrence and into another charming town named Sidney.  Where we encountered this charming creature.


Which then brought us to Halifax. Fortunately, our parking spot was close in.

The activity for the day was a walking foodie tour of the town.  The first stop was for a bit of Lebanese schwarma, followed by some Indian Curry.  Both quite tasty.

At that point, juvat took a turn on the wild side.

We went to a vegan restaurant. The above dish was served.  It was composed of quinoa, kale, peppers and tofu.  Not wishing to offend,  I partook. 

Not horrible, but was desperately in need of some bacon bits.

The next stop was at a chocolate shop.  Much more to my taste, so good in fact, I forgot to take a picture of the offering. I did however get a picture of something that I could identify with.
We ended the tour at a small bakery with a salted caramel covered chocolate brownie.


Yes....It was good and I'm sure it was good for me.  OK, maybe not,  although we've averaged 10k steps per day.  (Ok it was on my wife's fitbit.  Yes, she takes little steps, so maybe 3K for me, but it's the distance, not the steps, ain't it?)

But we ended up at the Maritime Museum.  Which I'm pretty sure will provide at least two more posts.  But in parting, a couple more photos of interest to some.

For Sarge.

For Tuna


For Beans (It's a Hodgekiss Gun, they didn't have any Swords, Arrows, or Shields.  It was a Maritime Museum, what can I say?)

More to follow when I get more bandwidth.

21 comments:

  1. It is true that civilian cruising is hugely more fun than Navy cruising.

    The only downside to civilian cruising has been the shrinking of my clothing. No I don't mean that I have less clothing at the end of the cruise than I had at the start, I mean the odd effect of the cruise causing my clothing to inexplicably become smaller in circumference and thus tighter.

    We found the Titanic exhibit at the Halifax Maritime Museum to be extremely sobering.

    Weather aside, you look to have had a great time.

    Good post.

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    1. Thanks.
      I've encountered that Cruise phenomenon myself. I blame the moist sea air. Yep, that's the ticket.
      The maritime museum was very well done and highly recommended. Perhaps not surprisingly, we visited quite a few museums on this trip and while a few were quite small, they were all very thought provoking. Thankfully, I've got a few weeks worth of topics which will help with the "what the heck am I going to write about this week"-itis.

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  2. Keep visiting vegan restaurants and you won't have to worry about clothing shrinkage.....heh heh. Those Maritime Museum shots, torpedo, mine and gun?

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    1. Yeah, starvation also works for that. As they say, “but I repeat myself”.
      It was a practice torpedo with a tank of compressed air instead of a warhead. The air would be released and it would float to the surface. The mine was just that. And the gun was off HMS Antrim a 1903 British Cruiser given to the Canadian Navy.

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  3. So Juvat, are you bringing that torpedo with you? Or shipping it under separate cover?

    The big day has arrived, looking forward to seeing you and your Missus.

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    1. I’m taking it in my carry on bag. Im sure it’ll fit in the overhead compartment.

      Heading 308 making 15 knots so about 50 miles out.

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  4. Many nice photos along with droll commentary.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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  5. Only cruise I was on, since AG invented the internets, bandwidth was $9.95/day.
    Wasn’t on the cruise to band with anyway.
    Didn’t take a lot of pictures, either.
    Sounds and looks like a grand adventure, but sure is a roundabout way to meet up with someone [I should talk].
    Is he paying part of your expenses?

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    1. Well, he did buy lunch, so he's got that going for him.

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  6. Ha, finally proof that they are using really thin sheet metal in cars "Hecho en Canada."

    As to vegetarian restaurants, we used to have a used bookstore/vegetarian restaurant in Gainesgrad, DPR Alachuacountystan. I like food. I really like food. But, just like tackle shops, I am not interested in bait no matter how much you try to charge me. Bleh.

    The Hotchkiss gun looks to be about a 6lb-er. I could find a use for that to pot the thumpa-thumpa-thumpa stereos on wheels that roam my neighborhood. I think Cindy the Landlady might even cut me a break on my rent. Hmmm. So now that it's in Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, how are you going to get it past the border guards of the county I live in?

    Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss. Don't know why you'd kiss a Hodges.

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    1. Ve haf Vays! If I can get a 20' torpedo in carryon luggage, a 6lb-er should be no problem whatsoever.

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  7. And, yes, a maritime museum. What? No cutlasses (non-plane version, or the plane version) or boarding pikes? Pikers...

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    1. Most of the cutlery in the museum was of Titanic variety. Or rusted so as to be unuseable. Didn't see any Pikes or Heads on Pikes, Canada is a civilized country, eh?

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  8. When in Halifax, did you see any evidence or talk of the "Big Bang" that happened just shy of 101 years ago? That must have been a heckuva thing to witness (from a distance)!!

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  9. That museum in Halifax is an excellent one!

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    1. Yes. It is. Still waiting on debarkation in NYC. Stockpond isflooded and entry to property blocked. Think its going to be a long day.

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    2. Oh Lord, the tribulations continue. BTW, the weather here is gorgeous today. Of course. Thanks for taking that drizzle with you. ;)

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  10. My very first assignment in the AF in 1972 was to Canadian Force Base Bagotville; very close to Sagueny then called Chicoutimi. I spent four great years at an American detachment of 45 yanks on a very relaxed Canadian base. Boy was I ever surprised when I got to my next assignment (SAC). I sure hope you enjoyed the trip up there; it is some very pretty country with some very friendly people.
    Ed C

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  11. Great pictures! Love that Mustang. Pretty rare one- Mach 2 Cobra I think, in great condition. I was actually at the Mustang Club's annual car show this weekend. I even got to judge! https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdmustangclub/albums/72157702251843764/page5

    I'll count that mine as cleared by the way.

    You're right about those boats getting too big. Same "crew" size now as the ones I sailed on, but the food is much better and you can sleep with your roommate on those.

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