Formal Evening On Board The Grandeur Of The Seas

Thursday evening was the second of two formal attire dinners on our current cruise. Our party of eight enjoyed lobster night, although not everyone ordered lobster since we dined extensively on lobster in Maine and Canada. Friday we're at sea until we end the cruise Saturday morning in Baltimore.

Halifax, Nova Scotia & Peggy's Cove

Wednesday morning Jim and I saw the Halifax Harbor Walk and ate lunch at a fine restaurant, The Bicycle Thief (photo shows Jim with his butterscotch cake and a glass of desert wine.) In the afternoon we took an excursion to the nearby famed natural scenic site, the fishing village called Peggy's Cove. With a lighthouse near slippery rocks, lobster boats and shacks, all set against a booming surf, Peggy's Cove is a photogenic wonderland. Upon returning to Halifax our guide showed us some of the graves of the "Titanic" victims of 1912 located in Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The rows upon rows of graves evoke sadness and the realization of mortality. Back on board our ship, we looked forward to dinner with our friends before the two-day return voyage at sea back to Baltimore Thursday and Friday. - Dan

St John Zip Line Adventure

Fun In St. John, New Brunswick

After the ship docked, the fog cleared, we did our customary two mile walk around deck ten. Then Dan played the piano in the main dining room. Jim enjoyed his very first zip line adventure near the famous St. John reversing rapids. This is a unique phenomenon created by the collision of the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River. At low tide the river empties into the bay causing a series of rapids and whirlpools. As tides rise they slow the river current for a brief period called slack tide. The Bay's tides continue to rise, gradually reversing the flow of the river, and rapids form again, peaking at high tide. Tide cycles take about 12.5 hours. Jim joined 12 other shipmates as they suited up into full body harnesses complete with camera-equipped helmets which enabled each participant to make a video of the exciting experience. They then climbed four or five story high towers where each in turn was attached to safety lines and to the zip lines for the thrilling rides toward the rapids. While Jim was zip lining Dan joined our Baltimore friends and their pals for a visit to the New Brunswick Museum, which houses everything from Canadian art to whale skeletons and a huge preserved sunfish, stuffed birds and animals, to industrial exhibits and ship models. Later, Dan and Jim enjoyed a tasty seafood lunch at Billy's Seafood Company on King's Square. - written by Dan and Jim

Visiting Bar Harbor, Maine

The ship arrived in heavy fog at this beautiful former enclave of the wealthy. We took a tender to the town on Mt. Desert Island as the fog cleared. Jim found a great restaurant for lunch: Galyn's, where we enjoyed lobster, salads and Jim ordered a delicious Indian Pudding, a concoction made from corn meal and molasses and served with vanilla ice cream. The restaurant also features a collection of interesting art lining its walls. After, we shopped a bit and enjoyed the quaint town and its fall foliage before taking another boat back to the ship. A cool but scenically rewarding walk on one of the top decks preceded dinner. - Dan

A Visit To Picturesque Portland, Maine

On Sunday we arrived in Portland for a sunny day. We'd never been to this lovely coastal city before, and old mooring posts, as well as warehouses, line the harbor. A morning excursion with only nine people, took us to Prout's Neck, to visit the studio of the great artist Winslow Homer. The site, with its cliff walks, is one of the most spectacular on the entire East Coast of the USA. The visit let us connect the life of the great genius to one of his favorite places. After returning to the city we toured the Portland Museum Of Art, (see photos below of paintings by Bierstadt and Homer,) and we enjoyed a fresh seafood lunch at famous DiMillo's. Then Jim took a short ride on the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, and visited the railroad museum, while Dan met some of our shipmates at the art museum, to walk through the McClellan house. - Dan