Category: New England & Canada

Trips taken that include New England and Canada stops.

VOV: Bar Harbor

Sunday, July 10, 2022

After some time at the Ocean’s Bar and the Casino, we were ready for dinner. We were seated at a table for 6 next to the aft windows. We were seated with 3 people from California. We enjoyed the conversation. During a lull in the conversation, I happened to look out the window and I saw a whale emerge – enough that I could see the hump and the tail. It was pretty far away but it was still exciting to see.

I had the clam chowder, tomato slices with mozzarella cheese slices, and the haddock with shrimp and mussels. It was all very good. However, I had actually ordered the seared rainbow trout. I think the man at the end of our table ordered the haddock and got my trout, but he started eating his fish, so I ate mine too. The haddock had been my second choice, so no harm done.

After dinner, we watched the beautiful sunset from the balcony. We then played a few more slots. After a while, we called it a night. We had a very early excursion in Bar Harbor.

I was up before the 5:00 alarm. Got my shower and then roused Chuck so he would be awake before our breakfast was delivered at 6:00. I thought my mix-up in my meal last night was an anomaly but sadly no…..this morning we received 2 plates of bacon and eggs. I only ordered one plate of bacon and eggs. However, I did order 2 fruit plates and 1 bowl of cereal. We also got that food. So much food.

I ate the bacon from the 2nd plate and Chuck ate the eggs. I will have to see what I can do differently the next time I have to order room service breakfast, so we don’t get that extra food. I ordered the same breakfast items on the Hawaii trip, and they always got the order right. I hope the Zaandam crew gets it right the next time.

Our meeting place was the Main Stage at 7:15. We were directed to our tender boat at 7:40. At the pier, we met our tour guide for today’s tour of Acadia National Park.

The HAL tour was “An Intimate Look at Acadia National Park“

Step aboard an executive mini-coach for the ultimate small-group excursion in Acadia National Park. With only 14 guests, this tour will provide maximum interaction with your experienced guide as you observe the wonders of this majestic park.

Your drive will trace the ocean’s edge before stopping at Thunder Hole where, under the right tidal conditions, ocean swells converge with a thunderous roar against the granite coastline. You’ll pause high above the 107-foot Otter Cliffs before winding through lush pine and deciduous forests.

Pass scenic glacial lakes, then continue up the famed summit road of Cadillac Mountain, the Atlantic coast’s highest peak; from the summit, you’ll get breathtaking, 360-degree views of Frenchman Bay (where your ship is anchored) and the Cranberry islands.

At every overlook, your guide will encourage questions from guests and provide personal insights into Acadia. This intimate tour will provide you with a unique look at this gorgeous corner of the United States.

It was a very comfortable van with only 10 other people and the driver/tour guide. The sound system was good so we could hear fine even sitting in the back.

She had a lot of excellent information on the history of the park, how the great fire reshaped the park’s landscape, the rich and famous people who have houses in and around Bar Harbor, and the animals that make the park their home, including bears and moose.

I thought it very interesting about how beavers are allowed to build dams and lodges anywhere they want and cannot be moved or hurt/killed.

Many years ago, beavers built a dam in the creek next to our house and in the process took some of our young trees and flooded part of the yard. Chuck did battle with them by knocking down part of their dam to encourage them to go away. Next day – dam is back bigger and better. He worked all day taking it completely down. Next day – bigger, thicker, and higher. We gave up and called in wildlife control to relocate them. Guess we would have been out of luck if we had lived in Bar Harbor and just had to live with a flooded yard.

Our first stop was the top of Cadillac Mountain (same person who named the mountain also started the car company). The guide said some days the fog is very thick but today it was nothing but blue skies and the views were spectacular for 360 degrees – just like the in the tour description.

Our next photo stop was Thunder Hole. It was a blow hole that is very active during high tide. We were there a little early for high tide, but it was still slightly active. At this stop, we purchased some Old Soaker blueberry soda which is very popular here. I can understand why, it was refreshing and delicious. Blueberries are in abundance in the park but cannot be commercially processed so tourists and animals are encouraged to eat them.

Even though the landscapes were stunning, I also enjoy taking photos of flowers that I might see. Bar Harbor did not disappoint.

Hungry Bee

Once we returned to port, our guide recommended some different restaurants for lunch. We chose the Side Street Cafe. We each got a cup of clam chowder, split a lobster roll, homemade potato chips, and split a warm blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was so good I wanted to lick the plates.

After eating, we walked to the Christmas store, and I bought my typical souvenir- a travel Christmas ornament. He’s cute.

We walked back to the pier and got on a tender boat back to the ship. Very nice day in Bar Harbor. I wouldn’t mind spending more time here on a land vacation.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Sea View bar area enjoying the nice weather. I was disappointed that they didn’t have a sail away party when we left Bar Harbor. We had such fun ones on the South Pacific cruise.

Wasn’t long before it was time to go to dinner.

Travel Trivia

Maine – The Pine Tree State

The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Penobscot, Androscoggin, and Kennebec.

European contact with what is now called Maine may have started around 1200 CE when Vikings are believed to have interacted with the native Penobscot in present-day Hancock County, Maine. The first European confirmed settlement in modern-day Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, led by French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons.

The territory of Maine was confirmed when the United States was formed following the Treaty of Paris ending the revolution.

Maine officially became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820.

In 1873, Chester Greenwood, a 15-year-old resident of Farmington, Maine, invented earmuffs when he was looking for a solution to chilly ears. He patented the first design of his earmuffs in 1877 and later went on to make improvements.

West Quoddy Head, in Lubec, Maine, is the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states.

Maine has more than 60 lighthouses. The Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in the state and was the first lighthouse completed after independence from the British. It was completed in 1791 and was automated in 1989.

Freeport, Maine is the home to the L.L. Bean Company, the first retail clothier to be open 24/7/365, founded in 1912.

Joan Benoit Samuelson from Cape Elizabeth, Maine was the first-ever women’s Olympic Games marathon winner. She won the Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable.

It is the only state bordered on three sides by Canada.

Maine Lobster yield annually is 40 million pounds, nearly 90 percent of the nation’s lobster supply.

Maine produces 90% of the country’s toothpick supply.

Portland, Maine is the birthplace of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Author Steven King is a resident of Bangor, Maine.

Maine’s coastline has so many deep harbors it could provide anchorage for all the Navy fleets in the world.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Bar Harbor is home to the largest parts of Acadia National Park, including Cadillac Mountain, the highest point within twenty-five miles of the coastline of the Eastern United States.

Bar Harbor was also used for naval practices during World War II. More specifically, Bald Porcupine Island was used to fire live torpedoes.

On September 6, 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovered the area when his boat ran aground on a rock as he was sailing towards Otter Creek. 

John D. Rockefeller, Jr., son of John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil Co., donated about one-third of the land in Acadia National Park and built the carriage roads that are today used for hiking and biking.

In the 1880’s, Bar Harbor became a summer retreat for the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors, and other prominent families who built elegant estates, ironically called “cottages”.

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Massachusetts tourist literature

VOV: Embarkation Day

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Neither of us were interested in walking very far to dinner. We also had vouchers to the hotel restaurant for a free cup of Boston clam chowder. I love Boston clam chowder, so we decided to check out the menu. Once Chuck saw that the restaurant offered crab cakes, the decision was made. It was a very nice restaurant, quiet and cool, and the service was very attentive. We each had the clam chowder. I had the vegetarian flatbread. Chuck had the cakes – made with Haddock, Lobster, and Crab. Everything was excellent. Back to the elevator and we were in for the evening.

Beautiful morning for Embarkation! Sunny and the high will only be 72. I had a much better night last night. Tylenol PM and an antacid helped. (Geez, I am old.)

We checked out of the hotel at 10:00 and our UberXL driver arrived 10 minutes later. There was virtually no traffic, so we were at the cruise port in 20 minutes. Since I had taken the time to do the VeriFLY app, we by-passed the otherwise long line. Through security and our picture taken to match our security photo and passport. Handed paperwork to complete for the Canada info. No problem- ArriveCAN app complete so paperwork done. Then we were seated to wait for boarding. And we waited. More and more people streaming in. Saw a bunch of new crew members boarding. I hope they are experienced crew. Saw a number of crew members leaving. They might be going to different ships, or they might be going home for a much-needed rest. Finally, at 11:50 we were boarding.

Had a nice quiet lunch in the dining room. We prefer that venue rather than the hustle bustle of the Lido to start the cruise. Enjoyed talking with 2 other couples. One couple is getting ready to do their 4th world cruise in January.

Our luggage had arrived, and we met our room steward Amir. I like our room. It has a lot of storage, but I did ask Amir if I could have a few more hangers. I like that our balcony is covered so we can be out there even if the weather is not great. We were also provided with lap blankets, slippers, binoculars, and a large golf umbrella.

We had to take a break and go check in for the muster drill. We had already watched the safety video on the television. Ten minutes and done. Finished unpacking and it was time for the sail away party.

I was happy to see that there was a DJ playing music and they were serving appetizers. We took off precisely at 5:00. We were right under the flight path of the airport, so we got to watch the jets go overhead.

We sailed away from Boston and soon it was time to get ready for our first dinner onboard.

VOV: Boston

Friday, July 8, 2022

The Hyatt Regency Boston is located between the Theater District and the Chinatown section. We decided to walk to eat at one of the closer restaurants. First, we tried JJ Foley Bar & Grille- Nope – Standing Room Only. Went across the street to the Good Life – Nope – $20 cover charge each just to come in. Went around the corner to the Back Deck – Nope – 45-minute wait and no seat at the bar. Next – French Quarter – Maybe – 1 hour wait but you can sit at the bar and eat and drink instead. Okay – we’ll take it. Wait – a person whispers in her ear. “Oh, I didn’t know she had come in tonight.” To us – “We can seat you now at a table if you would like. Yes, yes we would.

The service was slow, but the food and drinks were good, and the server was a nice young lady doing her very best. She said it was her first week there. Bless her.

The area was so very busy for a Thursday night. Just couldn’t understand why. But it was made clear when we exited the restaurant and saw the line to get into the iconic Opera House to see the show – Wicked. Lots of excited people.

We walked to a CVS and picked up a few items and made our way back to the hotel. Wasn’t long before lights out.

I slept restlessly. I just couldn’t seem to get the temperature right. I was either kicking off the covers or pulling them back up. Even though I didn’t set an alarm for this morning, I still got up at 6:30.

The day started out with me receiving an email from HAL that construction would be going on in some of the highway tunnels that go between the airport and the cruise port starting this weekend. They wanted to let us know that we should take the HAL shuttle between the two or be sure to leave more travel time since taxis and ride share vehicles would be tied up.

I checked with the hotel concierge to see if the construction would also mess up the ride between here and the cruise port. He said we wouldn’t be going through any tunnels from here to the cruise port so we should be okay. I’ll worry about the construction getting to the airport once we get closer to disembarkation day.

Our only plan for today was to walk the Boston Freedom Trail from beginning to end. I have walked it before, but I never went over the bridge to Charlestown and the USS Constitution. Today we were going to do it.

Neither of us were interested in the hotel buffet breakfast so we walked to the nearest McDonald’s for a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. Met a local police officer walking the beat and he said, “take care on your walk today.” Luckily, we had no problems today although we were approached several times by panhandlers.

We made our way to the Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, and the beginning of the Freedom Trail. Off we go. The path is clearly marked on the sidewalks, so we had no problem following it. However, I should have picked up a map at the Visitor Center just so we could have read more about the different places that we visited.

First stop was the Massachusetts State House. Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the ‘new’ and current State House has served as the seat of Massachusetts government since its opening in 1798. Holding the legislative and executive branches, it sits adjacent to the former site of the historic Hancock mansion. It was under renovation so we couldn’t get closer.

Next, was the Granary Burying Ground. It has approximately 2300 markers. Very somber to look at all these headstones that were so old you couldn’t read the inscription on them.

The Infant’s Tomb, where hundreds of children have been interred, is located near the central obelisk that marks the grave of Benjamin Franklin’s parents. Alongside the far wall, an elaborately embellished obelisk marks John Hancock’s tomb. Paul Revere is buried near the back of the Granary; a large marker placed in the 19th century stands by a smaller, older slate marker. Matching stones in the two front corners of the burial ground commemorate James Otis and Samuel Adams. Next to the stone for Adams is the grave marker for the victims of the Boston Massacre. On the right-hand wall is a plaque marking the tomb of Robert Treat Paine, the third signer of the Declaration of Independence buried in the Granary (the others being John Hancock and Samuel Adams).

Puritan churches did not believe in religious icons or imagery, so the people of Boston used tombstones as an outlet for artistic expression of their beliefs about the afterlife. One of the most popular motifs was the “Soul Effigy,” a skull or “death’s head” with a wing on each side that was a representation of the soul flying to heaven after death. Elaborate scroll work, poetic epitaphs, and depictions of the Grim Reaper and Father Time also adorn many headstones.

Next, was King’s Chapel and the King’s Chapel Burying Ground. It was founded in 1686 as Boston’s first Anglican church. The 1754 granite building still stands on the church’s original site: the corner of Boston’s oldest English burying ground.

Next up was the Old City Hall complete with a donkey for the Democrats and “footsteps in opposition” of the Republicans (I guess a replica Elephant was too expensive). It was home to its city council from 1865 to 1969 and was one of the first buildings in the French Second Empire style to be built in the United States. The Boston Latin School operated on the site from 1704 to 1748, and on the same street until 1844. Thirty-eight Boston mayors, including John F. Fitzgerald, Maurice J. Tobin, and James Michael Curley, served their terms of office at this site.

We then made our way to Faneuil Hall. It is often referred to as “the home of free speech” and the “Cradle of Liberty,” as Faneuil Hall hosted America’s first Town Meeting. Unfortunately, it was not open when we arrived. We did enjoy walking through Quincy Market and looking at all the food and souvenir vendors.

We came to an area that had a number of bars and restaurants including the Union Oyster House and the Bell and Hand Tavern. The Union Oyster House has the distinction of being America’s oldest restaurant. It is housed in a building dating back to Pre-Revolutionary days and started serving food in 1826. It has continued ever since with the stalls and oyster bar, where Daniel Webster was a constant customer, in their original positions. The Bell in Hand Tavern is famous for being the oldest tavern in the US and has been in operation since 1795.

Our feet were tired and hot by the time we made it to one of Boston’s beautiful green spaces. This particular space had some fountains that many children were enjoying. I decided to join them even if it was just to cool off my toes.

Up next was the Italian North End with Paul Revere and the Old North Church. There was a nice park that had plaques dedicated to people who helped America reach its independence.

Now it was time to cross the bridge over the St. Charles to Charlestown. It was at this point that I originally turned back but we crossed. We had a slight detour as they were working on part of the bridge, so they routed us a little differently, but it was not too much out of the way.

We eventually made it to the USS Constitution. Launched in Boston in 1797, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and earned her nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 when she fought the British frigate HMS Guerriere.

We started in the visitor center where we had to go through metal detectors, and I had my purse scanned. We got a restroom break and enjoyed looking at the displays.

We then went outside and were able to walk onto the ship. It had 3 levels and the first thing I noticed was that the ceilings were very low. So low, that Chuck and I had to walk around all bent over. Very claustrophobic.

Once I took Chuck’s picture at the last marker, we turned around to make our way back.

The sun was out in force now and we were certainly ready for lunch when we got back to the Quincy Market area. We ate at the Green Dragon. I felt so sorry for the waitress. She was the only one besides the bartender in the front. She kept working as hard as she could – taking orders, bringing drinks and food, clearing the tables, and checking people out – all with a smile. Bless her. The place was packed. She forgot our place settings. I didn’t even ask her. I just went and got 2 sets out of the basket on the counter. The food was good, the drinks cold, and the air conditioning felt wonderful.

Once we made it back to the hotel, we had walked over 9 miles today according to my Fitbit. I gratefully sank my toes into some warm bathwater for a nice long soak. A good day.

Travel Trivia

Boston, Massachusetts

About 13% of Boston citizens commute by foot, giving it the highest percentage of pedestrian commuters in major cities of the United States.

The first post office in America opened in Boston in 1639.

The Boston Fire Department (1678) is the oldest in the United States.

The Boston Pilgrims won the first World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903.

From May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013, the Boston Red Sox sold out every home game at Fenway Park—a total of 820 games—setting a record in the sport’s world.

The Boston Public Library, the first public library in the United States, was founded in 1849.

Boston is the only state capital in the contiguous United States to have an ocean coastline.

The Big Dig rerouted Boston’s main highway into a 3.5-mile tunnel due to traffic congestion. The Central Artery (I-93)—designed for 75,000 cars—had over 190,000 vehicles pass over it per day. The project cost an estimated $22 billion with interest, making it the most expensive highway project in US history.

Boston Common, established in 1634, is the oldest public park in the United States.

Boston University Bridge is one of the only places in the world that a boat can sail under a train passing under a car driving under an airplane.

The oldest restaurant in continuous service in the United States is Boston’s The Union Oyster House, established in 1826.

On January 15, 1919, a 55-foot steel tank filled with 2,319,525 gallons of molasses ripped apart, releasing a 13,000-ton wave on Boston’s North End that destroyed nearby houses, vehicles, businesses, apartment buildings, and more. It took over six months to clean up and caused over 40 injuries and 21 deaths. Until it finally faded away in 1995, the smell of molasses still permeated through Boston on hot days.

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and other Boston tourist documents.

VOV – Travel Day #2

Thursday, July 7, 2022

After getting back to the hotel, we got organized for today. Some rearranging of the suitcase items, etc. After reading a while, I had a surprisingly restful night. No plane or traffic noise. Another reason I like it here.

I was awake 15 minutes before my alarms. Yes, I said alarms. I know I only need one but the “over-thinking, what-if” part of my brain says, “set two alarms – you never know if one might fail.” Sigh. I didn’t need either one of them.

The shower had good pressure, the hair dryer and in-room coffee maker worked, and there was a nice selection of cold and hot breakfast items. Seemed like it was going to be a good morning.

We were going to catch the 8:00 hotel shuttle but when we got to the lobby, the 7:30 shuttle hadn’t left yet so we got on it. Few minutes later, we were at the airport. Easy bag check at the Delta outside kiosks. Bags weighed less than 50 pounds each, so good to go.

Now we are inside ready to go through security. We are members of CLEAR so we typically can move to the front of the general boarding line very quickly. However, today the CLEAR line was almost as long as general boarding. WTH? The line moved so slowly; I was so glad we had gotten on the 7:30 shuttle.

When we finally got to the front, I saw the issue. There was the new full-body scanner and there was only one scanner for 3 different people lines that were merging into one people line – we were the people version of construction on I-75.

My bags had already gone through the luggage scanner and were just sitting on the conveyor. I was still waiting to get through the body scanner. I was just praying that nobody would deliberately or accidentally take my bags from the conveyor. Stress level high.

I got through the scanner without any alarms going off but then the agent stopped me to wand my arms and waist. Okay. Weird. But, yay! All my stuff was still in their bins. Stress level lowered.

Chuck ended up a few people behind me because they had trouble scanning his eyes at the CLEAR station. His eyes are so pale blue that they had to turn on extra lights on the machine to read them. Then, his backpack went through the naughty line. He had left his e-reader in it, so it had to be taken out and the bag rescanned. We really need to go through the process of getting TSA pre-check to avoid the aggravation of shoes and belts off, electronics out.

We finally made it to the gate. We were still early thankfully. We had time to use the restroom and then boarding started at 9:30. This plane had 3 seats on the left and right side, so we had aisle seats across from each other. Chuck’s aisle mates were already seated. There was a guy at the window seat in my aisle but nobody in the middle. I didn’t put on my seatbelt because I knew eventually there would be a middle seat person and I would have to get up to let him/her in.

Departure to Boston sign

People were still streaming in, and the flight attendants kept announcing that the flight is full please find your seats quickly. I kept waiting for the middle seat person to arrive. Then, they closed the doors. What? No person in the middle seat? Wow.

I took Chuck’s backpack and put it under the middle seat in my aisle so he could have some more legroom at his seat. We took off on time and the Captain announced it would be about a 2-hour flight – 30 minutes less than the flight schedule. Yay again.

I couldn’t find a movie I wanted to watch, so I just watched Simpson episodes until the plane landed. Chuck tried to watch a movie, but he didn’t get to see how it ended since we landed early. Maybe he can catch the ending on the way back.

After retrieving our checked bags, we followed the signs to the Uber/Lyft area and an UberXL was quickly booked. While we were waiting for the UberXL to arrive, I got a notification that our hotel room was ready. More good news.

I chose the Hyatt Regency Boston because of its walking distance location to the start of the Freedom Trail and because I like Hyatt hotels. This particular Hyatt seems to cater to conferences because it has a lot of rooms and meetings spaces. When we arrived, we had to take an elevator up from the street level to the check-in area. Once we got our keys, we used them for access to the elevators up to our room. They told us they only service the rooms every 4 days so we just asked for extra coffee and towels so we should be fine until check-out.

Boston Hyatt Regency entrance

After resting a while, we decided to undertake the dreaded task of the official COVID test. I got the computer connected to my phone’s hotspot. I didn’t want to take the chance that the hotel WIFI might go out. I logged in like I usually do but the welcome page was different. I usually only have to login with my NAVICA credentials but today I had to create an Emed account before it allowed me to go further. Okay. Stress level on the rise again.

Once I created the Emed account, it took me to the NAVICA page. WTH – why didn’t it just take me there in the beginning? I logged into it too with the credentials I always use. Yay, it recognized me. Took the test and got my negative results. Did the whole double login process for Chuck and he took his test with negative results. Great! Stress level lowered.

We really weren’t surprised that we were negative since we had taken non-medically monitored tests earlier in the week and had negative results. But it is always great to get the official results since those results are the only ones that mattered.

Now that we had our negative results, I had to complete the ArriveCAN app which is currently required by anyone who is traveling to Canada by air or sea. It was a pretty easy app to complete because I had already scanned our passports before we left so I just had a few questions to answer. 10 minutes – done.

The VeriFLY app was a little more difficult to complete. Because our negative test results were password protected, they wouldn’t upload. I finally realized that I could take a picture of the results and upload the pictures of the documents. Whew! The VerfiFLY app soon said the magic words – Ready to Sail! – Yes, we are so very ready to sail.

Travel Trivia

Massachusetts – The Bay State

Map of Massachusetts

Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. Early explorers visited the coast of Massachusetts in 1497. The first English settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, arrived on the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620.

On April 19, 1775, the Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Massachusetts became the sixth state to join the United States on February 6, 1788.

James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Also in 1891, Fig Newtons were invented in Cambridge, Massachusetts and named after Newton, Massachusetts. They were almost called “Fig Shrewsbury,” but Newton won.

The chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Graves Wakefield and her husband in 1930 in the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts.

Earl Tupper of Grafton Massachusetts invented Tupperware and marketed his products to the public in 1946 as a giveaway with cigarettes.

Dunkin Donuts was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950 and opened its first franchise restaurant in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1955. It sold 52 varieties of donuts.

Lake Chargogagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg is a lake in the town of Webster, Massachusetts. It is located near the Connecticut border and has a surface area of 1,442 acres. The name derives from the Loup dialect, which is an Algonquian language. The locals call it Webster Lake.

Massachusetts is one of the nation’s leading producers of cranberries.

It is illegal to use tomatoes in clam chowder in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl.

Mount Holyoke College, the first college established for women, was founded in 1837 in South Hadley, Massachusetts, as the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. The founder was Mary Lyon, a pioneer in education for women.

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and various Massachusetts tourist websites.

VOV – Travel Day #1

Tuesday, July 6, 2022

The day has finally arrived. This trip was first booked in 2020 for a 2021 departure which was then pushed back to a 2022 departure. Wasn’t even sure if it wouldn’t get pushed back to 2023. But here we are – our first travel day.

Woke up with the alarm at 6:00. I have a number of worries on a travel day. But my biggest worry is making sure Pumpkin is safe inside. He came in promptly at 6:15 for his breakfast but wanted right back out. I didn’t want to bring him in too early as I knew he’d meow incessantly to go back out. I kept an eye on him throughout the morning. I was worried he would chase something into the woods as he was gone yesterday until 6:00 pm.

Sometimes he comes in voluntarily around 8:00 am and naps all day in the house. Today was not that day.

This morning, he chose to nap on the deck in the shade which was a relief since I could watch him. However, the sun eventually found him, and he was on the move. That’s when I went outside, scooped him up, and brought him inside.

You’d think he would enjoy the nice cool house with plenty of beds and soft chairs to sleep on and a lot of toys to play with at any time. His sitter comes every day to play and take care of him. But he cannot go outside. Too many things can go wrong. But no. He was not a happy kitty. Went under the couch to sulk.

The last time we drove to our airport shuttle place, I caught every red light and there was slow construction traffic, so we barely made the ride. This time we left the house earlier and I sailed through every green light and no traffic. We were there 30 minutes early. Sigh. I can’t seem to time it right.

We left right on time with a full van. Everyone was headed to the airport, so we didn’t have to make any auxiliary stops. One person was flying international but the rest of us were domestic. Of course, we do what we normally do and go down the day before the flight, so we picked up the hotel shuttle at the departure point.

We always stay at the Hyatt Place airport south. It is next door to two restaurants. I had checked in with the app, so I just picked up the key upon arrival. It is a very nice hotel in a great location.

Hyatt Place hotel

It was featuring Wine Down Wednesdays for Hyatt members, so we enjoyed a drink, hot appetizers, and good conversation with others at the bar. Very nice amenity.

We were going to eat dinner at the Burger Bar restaurant, but they were only offering “to go” dinners. We walked over to Ruby Tuesday. I had the salad bar and Chuck ordered the “hot mess.” Because it took so long to cook, they gave him two free large draft beers as an apology for the wait. He was happy.

Burger and brisket sandwich
Salad

VOV: Pre-Cruise Thoughts

Map of Holland America Voyage of Vikings cruise route.

So excited for our upcoming cruise! It is another bucket-list trip that has been postponed since 2020. We were fortunate earlier this year to take another one of our postponed cruises – Hawaii & South Pacific Islands and had a wonderful time. If this one is even half as good as that one was, it will be a great cruise.

We are heading north this time on the Holland America (HAL) Zaandam. Holland America calls this itinerary the Voyage of the Vikings (VOV) cruise, and I have wanted to take this cruise ever since I stumbled across the itinerary many years ago. What makes it so special to me? I don’t really know.

I am not a Viking historian or fanatic, nor have I ever seen any of the popular Vikings TV series. But I do like the Viking character on the TV show “Ghosts” so there’s that. I am also not a huge fan of cold weather but some of my favorite places that we have visited (Alaska; Scotland-Ireland) have been very chilly. So, once again, I am packing the rain gear, layering up, and slipping feet warmers into my tennis shoes – ready to travel.

Maybe it’s the chance to see Puffins again. I love those funny-looking birds. I tried to get a photo of them in both Alaska and in Scotland. They would be floating so perfectly on the water and as soon as I got ready to snap – splash – they dove into the water. I never got a photo of them – just photos of blurry black blobs. On this trip, there are a number of excursions that include bird watching and have specifically mentioned Puffins. I have a good feeling about my chances for success this time.

But, whatever the reason, I am really looking forward to visiting Maine, the east coast of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway for the first time. I think the scenery will be amazing. I’m also excited to be able to re-visit Boston, the Netherlands, Dublin, Ireland and Scrabster, Scotland. I do hope we have more dry days than rainy days but according to the long-range forecast I may be out of luck.

We have cruised on the Zaandam twice before – both times to Alaska. Holland America designates it as an R-class ship, and it can hold approximately 1400 guests. The R-class ships are now the smallest in HAL’s fleet. The cruise line sold all of its S-class ships which held 1200 guests and the Prinsendam which held 900.

Holland America ship Zaandam docked in Alaska
Zaandam in Alaska

I like the small size of the ship as it is very easy to go from one spot on the ship to another. I wonder what types of music venues it will have. I only remember the Ocean Bar band. I don’t know if in the last two years they were able to add the BB King Lounge or not. I hope so. What is kind of disappointing is that I know they won’t have the Rolling Stone Rock & Roll Room that the Rotterdam IV has. It is definitely my favorite music venue on the HAL ships.

We still have COVID protocols that will have to be followed. I have the Verifly app and the ArrivCanada app loaded on my phone so I can enter the required information when it’s time to do so. I will pack masks and hand sanitizers. And, worst-case scenario, I will also bring entertainment items just in case one or both of us gets quarantined. I had the same items with us in Hawaii and thankfully never needed them.

Photo of coloring book, crossword book, and playing cards for use in quarantine if needed.

Packing is my Waterloo. I guess I will do what I did the last time. Pack everything I want to take and then weigh my suitcase. I will then start culling items until my suitcase is under 50 pounds.

A change this trip is that there will be no snorkeling excursions, so I don’t have to dedicate my carry-on to snorkel equipment. I can use it for packing clothes and shoes, if needed. (Who am I kidding, of course they will be needed). Add the backpack for electronics and other essentials and this pack mule is ready to travel.

Boston – ready or not, here we come!