Infinity 9-3-25

 

Today we got into port about 12:30 .  We went to the dining room for breakfast and I ordered French Toast, Bacon and coffee. I got the bacon at the end of my meal.  The coffee here leaves something to be desired.  The French Toast was good.  

We had had reservations at the Blue Lagoon Spa and it was cancelled and our money refunded, so Claire found a trip to the Sky Lagoon on Viator.  While a bit confusing, and apparently very confusing for some as one lady bellyached so much about it that I was craving some masking tape.  

The spa was lovely, we had to take off our shoes, then put on our suite, shower without bathing suits  and then put them back on again .  That was a feat.  Then we entered a rock tunnel, down steps into lovely warm water.  It is hard to describe, but there was an infinity pool lookin out over a lake and mountains in the background.  IT was lovely.  The spa itself has also a Cold Plunge (I passed), a sauna, a cool mist room (I hoofed it through!) a salt scrub, a steam room, a shower and then an « elixir » .  It was a shot glass size of something refreshing the attendant said lemon and herbs. We spent some more time in the hot pool.  

Claire had brought her phone to the pool to take a few pics and then ran it back to the locker and stubbed her toe on the way back.  We stopped for coffee ( me) and a goodie and then took a taxi to the city center.  Can you say sticker shock?   Take a wild guess __________( Not sure what it is).

  We walked around for a bit shopping, but shopping was so expensive that we were having serious sticker shock here too.  Sweatshirts were around $70-90.  Tee Shirts about $25.  We were afraid to even look at the menus of a restaurant so when we were done shopping, we were tired, my old ankle was telling the weather and Claires toes were beginning to throb, so we cravenly  took another taxi back to the ship.  

Dinner was so-so Salad, Foccacia, olives and cheese.  We were too late for the Show so tried to find the northern lights to no avail and we went to bed.

Ate the World, But Adored the Wine

 Today we just sort of poked about, We went to the dining room for breakfast, I had a breakfast burrito but it was mostly potato, coffee (the coffee here leaves a lot to be desired), and OJ which was pretty watery.  After we went to the back of the boat to a bar area that is full of windows and has great light.  We painted through a art educational offering, a trivia game and then listened to a seminar on ( all the while painting) on the northern lights and how to capture them with your camera.  It needed up being a sales call to purchase a GoPro.  Regardless the painting was fun  and we enjoyed that.  Lunch was in the Windjammer, a buffet, I had asparagus soup, ( mine is better). And a roll and some meat and cheese.  Just something light as we were going to the Chefs Table in the evening.   

After I went to a French Class, pretty basic stuff and then we went to a cocktail making class that was pretty fun, one of them is surely a do over.

We sat and people watched while claire tried a Peanut Butter Whiskey and Baileys drink that she said was delish. We piddled some more and got ready for dinner.  

The Chef’s Table  was fun, the people were interesting (One couple had been on the bus behind us going to Edinburgh) and the food was fun.

We started with a Scallop Carpaccio, which (each course) was paired with wine, 

followed by a roasted Tomatoe soup that I am still dreaming about. 

 It showed up as a tomatoe in a bowl with a bruchetta on the side, and I thought, how is this soup?

That was followed by a Lobster salad and another wine.  

The chef is Asian so lots of Asian inspired elements, for example the veggies under the lobster and the dressing.

  Then was a Sea Bass course that I had little trouble passing up as I was getting full ( I did try it, but….)  This was followed by a filet that was prepared SO to my likeing that I had to eat almost every bite, and it was accompanied by a wine that also hit my hot button.  Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. 

 One of our dinners guests raved about Napa wine, and while it is good I often prefer Sonoma.  But this one ticks off the list, a good nose, nice color, awesome taste and a goof finish.  Now can I find it at home?  

The finale was a chocolate globe filled with a peanut butter ganache, Valrhona chocolate mousse & salted caramel gelato.  But the piece de la resistance was the hot Carmel sauce that was poured over it.  It was accompanied by a espresso

martini which was good but mostly left un loved because i had had enough wine and food for a while!  It was a very fun though! Nice not to have to worry about getting home safely, just back to the room.

I got up several times to look for the Northern lights, but alas nothing did I see. 

Écossé - No Haggis Pizza for me!

 No Haggis Pizza for me!

So today we got in bus 11 and were shepherded to Edinburgh on a lovely bus where we snoozed,  gazed and I tried to knit but (note to self- tiny projects take up less space, but are hard to do on a bumpy road!)

We were dropped off on the west side of Charolette Square, nearish to Edinburgh Castle.  I know enough about Mary Queen of Scotts to be dangerous and I was eager to see this castle.  

It was a serious climb and this trek is not for the handicapped!  Well, there were a couple of folks dropped off writhin the castle in cars, so MAYBE but I wouldn’t begin to know how.      I did wish i had taken my walking stick. 

Scotts Tower from a distance 

 Regardless we got to the castle and were early and they are relatively strict about that! So we had to stand and wait for a bit.  

AND entrance was seriously crapped up, which diminished the experience for me.

These Guys are Robert the Bruce

And Wallace, a nearby guide said in a lovely Scotch’s accent « this is Mel, I mean Wallace ».  I had to laugh.

He does look a bit like Mel, dosent he?

The castle was a smaller than I expected.  And I happen to know old ( Who was not ever really old tanks to her cousin Elizabeth and Politics in general). Mary was not a small woman, I think 5’11.  It was hard to imaging her riding in on horseback let alone in a carriage.  

There was a cemetary for military Dogs, which considering the amount of real estate available in this castle, was charming!  

It Certainly spoke to the value of dogs.   The St Margaret Chapel was SMALL!

  We did not really get to see much of the rooms in the castle, one room was only visible via a couple or mirrors.  

We left the castle and began to walk the Royal mile,

but my dogs were barking along with all the dogs spirits in the cemetery so we stopped for coffee and a goodie, Well for me as I has spied bake well tart and I had not experienced that before, SO….

I rounded the corner and about gasped as I thought Claire was sitting with this person until I realized.    

We wandered, spent money and enjoyed most of the buskers.

I am just going to have to return as I really wanted to see St Giles Cathedral and we just did not have time.  

The ride back was a little « dosey » too, Claire slept more than I .  The driver played some Scotch music for us and that was lovely.

At dinner we were blessed by Bob and Cuthbert, but also another couple that was plesant though she wears about 7-8 rings and that always worries me…….After dinner we went to the show again, tonight was a medley of stuff but it was all Claire and I could do not to laugh as this very lovely couple beside ( Seriously he was hot and she was pretty) sang along with every song.   He wasn’t bad, but still……. I have memories of another person in another time who did this as well.  

Enlightening 8-31-25

The first day at sea was enlightening.  The boat rocks much more than people told me,  I feel like a drunk rocking around (and then today on dry land my world was rocking too).  Our room is cute a bit bigger than I expected,  plenty of room for us and the shelves, drawers and cubbies are amazing.  I could have packed more! (Though my suitcase was 50lbs on the dot). 

The food is ok good though our table mates….  There are seats for 10 and one guy seems to be alone.  (And I know why). Another couple,  well let’s just say we named him Bob as he reminds me of a Bob I used to know that knew it all,  did it all and better and his kids were the best, smartest most accomplished….  He is a doozie and his wife pretty much ignores him.  Unless…….

He needs to be interrupted, what a pair.  And the solo guy,  well I want to like him because me of a guy I know named Max,  but while he looks like Max,  he definitely is NOT!

The entertainment was fun a bunch of guys called The Barricade Boys from Le Miz singing some of that music and other stuff.  I really enjoyed them.

Royal Virgin Cruising 8-30-25

The Pig was an absolutely lovely B&B everything was birdsong  and flowers, until…….

I got up and made myself a cup of coffee after a lovely nights sleep in an extremely comfortable bed after a warm soak in a lovely deep tub., accompanied by  wonderfully fragrant rosemary bath salts and soap.  There was mild for my coffee, Perruche Sugar in individual packets, brown and white, all was well in my world.  I was marveling at how lovely this place is. And Claire decided to take her shower.  Auck!!!#(#$*%)(*$&

There was not any cold water.  I felt pretty guilty after the lovely bath I had experienced and she had to have a cold shower.  

Breakfast was not cheap but petty good, white cheddar, ham, a cinnamon (sort of a contradiction as the French don’t care for cinnamon) Kougan Amman (croissant dough rolled up  and baked in a muffin tin) yogurt with granola &  berry compote and coffee.

  We went up and messed around getting ready to leave and playing on our phones and before we knew it it was time to go and make our way for the boat.  

I was amazed at the size of the ship, I had seen them in port before but still…..That process went smoothly enough and before we knew it we were on the boat, our luggage to come later.  We had a class of champagne to toast and celebrate the voyage.  Our fellow passengers are an interesting group.  I sort of feel like I am in Fairland on Thursday.

We had a good dinner,  I had shrimp cocktail Prime RIb (beautifully rare) mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrots; All nicely proportioned.  THe waiter mixed up my dessert order but it was sort of a chocolate pudding and it was o.k.  We got put at the wrong table and boy did we get put at the wrong table!  This guy…… reminded me of someone from my past, actually my Dads past.  His kids are the best, he knows more than the Doctors he worked with and on and on, he even had the gall to disrespect Paris! I was seriously considering telling Claire that I was ill just to get away and then he said something really stupid and Claire got on her “VOICE”. And I thought, boy have you ever pissed in your Wheaties!

After we went to a show and it was cute, the amazing part were a husband and wife team that performed together. 

 The shower was not terrible, not a bath but…….. No sexual overtures from the shower curtain yet.

By The Sea

Breakfast this morning was my own creation: a croissant, scrambled eggs and Hollandaise sauce, yum!  Claire had scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns. 

 We had pretty much packed last night and I had bathed so all I had to do was TRY to do something with my hair as my rollers were not working and I did not have a styling brush.  I managed and don’t think I have terrified anyone today, I hope.  

Our car was there on the spot, this  company, BlackBerry, had been a good thing.  The driver was sporting a Tesla and he did not think my comment about being able to “auto drive” and knit very funny.  He also had opinions on some things, but we were of the same mind so it was an amicable trip. 

 We got to Southampton around noon and left our bags with the hotel.  

The Pig in the Wall, is officially a B & B but has food and they have all the amenities of a hotel.  It is literally built in the wall of the ald city wall.  History says Henry IV marched troups through the adjacent  passageway on his way agincourt to fight.  We tooled around the city center all afternoon, stoping for coffee and a goodie and later another’s cup of coffee.  

We had to laugh at all of the American clothing here.  New York, Nevada and Texas, the buyers did not foresee….

 

There is so much history here Stone Walls

Half Timbered Houses and Ships that have left from here.  

So, scream Titanic at me all you want, the Mayflower also left from here!

We shopped a bit and when we got tired we wandered back to the hotel for a rest.  

The room is amazing!

Dinner was amazing appetizers of pork belly in a chili sauce, (both our favorites) Sausages in mustard and onion, and  Pork Rinds in Applesauce ( Neither of us cared for)  

Our main was Gnocchi in a sauce with leeks and Charred Broccoli. 

 Delish, we went for a walk and then came back to cake, Lemon and Blackberry and a carrot with coffee icing.  Both had great flavors, BUT both cakes were rather dry and we have found that other than at tea the cake is rather dry here.  It is a England thing or ………..