What's Old is Still Relevant

I found this in a 20-year old file of cartoons I've had stashed away in a filing cabinet... I thought it was appropriate for the long flight on Wednesday....

Fireworks...

We in the South allow fireworks (small ones, not the ones you see at Disneyworld or used by professionals...) to be sold to the public. Last night at 11pm, as I was happily propped up in bed watching the "Twilight Zone" Marathon on the SciFi Channel (my personal little July 4 weekend tradition), Grumpy Guy came charging into the room , grabbed one of his pistols, having heard "gunfire" outside... ready to defend his home turf, if necessary....until I pointed out to him that it was July 3rd, and kids were probably shooting off firecrackers......he stopped in his tracks, having TOTALLY forgotten it was July.....put the Walther back, and retreated back to playing World of Warcraft with the kids........

Happy Independence Day, Everyone!!!

My Little Norway

In honor of our family trip to Norway in ten days, I am giving you a CHARMING blog..

My Little Norway



This photo from a recent post just tickled me no end...yes, it does say "COD"---

I found this site whilst looking for a recipe for REAL Norwegian waffles... (yes, I had been egged on by The Captain, who had threatened to call the Norwegian Waffle Police on me for not eating my Norwegian Waffles in proper Norwegian style...)

A charming couple, she Australian, he Norwegian, living in the northern city of Trømso, raising a family. Wonderful photography, charming stories, Norwegian lessons--just about everything one needs to get excited about the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Go check it out--even if you're not traveling to Norway anytime soon...and if you're stuck in this Gawd-Awful -Southern-Heat right now, they have LOTS of photos of snow.......



both photos from the website MY LITTLE NORWAY....go check them out HERE

Cruise Pics 2

Before we went touring, I caught Suzanne and Bill for breakfast


And then we headed toward the Peace Park.


The monument to Peace


and the marker of the hypocenter of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki August 9, 1945, along with a memorial to the 145,984 men, women and children who died.


The Peace Park is a beautiful and serene place


With sculptures given by many countries and groups


After the Peace Park, we headed up the hill to Glover House


Which Puccini used as inspiration for his great opera "Madama Butterfly".


Looking out from the porch, listening to the beautiful music of Cio-Cio-San's aria "Un Bel Di", seeing the view as she would have, whilst waiting for the ship bringing Lt. Pinkerton back to her, had tears streaming down my face in no time at all.*



We were given an fabulous send off by a local marching band


As we sailed into Osaka, we passed under the longest suspension bridge in the world



and passed close by Asuka II, formerly Crystal Harmony, Serenity's sister ship.



We traveled to Kyoto, visiting the Golden Pavilion


and fabulous gardens.






I had the chance to turn some prayer wheels in the Buddhist temple gardens


have a tea ceremony


and visit a Buddhist cemetery.


Nothing can prepare one for the first sight of Mt. Fuji


or an equally entertaining welcome by some local schoolchildren.


It was hard to leave Serenity behind, but I was anxious to get home to my family after over three weeks away.



* One of the most beautiful arias ever composed- the lyrics of which are.....
"One beautiful day, we will see
Arising a strand of smoke
Over the far horizon on the sea
And then the ship appears
And then the ship is white
It enters into the port....

A man, a little speck
Climbing the hill.
Who is it?
And as he arrives
What will he say?

He will call,
"Little one, dear wife
Blossom of orange"
The names he called me at his last coming.
All this will happen,
I promise you this
Hold back your fears -
I with secure faith wait for him."

If you want a listen, here it is on youtube

Cruise Pics

Well, finally, I'm getting around to sharing the actual cruise from back in April 2009. Compressed though it may be, it will give you some idea of the wonderful things I saw once I was aboard MV Crystal Serenity....

CruiseGran and I ready to go in Hong Kong


Cousin Bill and Cousin Suzanne joined us for a wonderful lunch at the Peninsula Hotel (of James Bond's "Man with the Golden Gun")


Suzanne and I convinced CruiseGran we needed to get ANOTHER foot massage...


Before we enjoyed the night lights of Hong Kong Harbor as we sailed away.


Of course, on a cruise one must have a LifeBoat Muster drill...


Don't I look stunning in orange???


In Xiamen, we traveled by ferry to Gulangyu Island


and saw an amazing puppet show--




In Shanghai, we went up the TV tower


for an incredible view of the city


We had the chance to ride the world's first commercial magnetic levitation, or MagLev train


where I photographed us at top speed

Yes, that's 259 miles per hour!!!!!!!!!!

We went into old town


Visiting some beautiful and peaceful gardens






We visited the Buddhist Temple with its famous white jade Buddhas

which was a wonderful, if short, time for reflection and prayer.

Then, it was back to the ship and some fun with friends, Diane and Graham from the overland trip

(Diane and I were, of course, thrilled at the "singing rooms" all over Serenity.....)

and we trotted off afterwards for a yummy yummy dinner at Prego..


And, before we knew it, we were heading toward Nagasaki!!