Moving along, by ship, by plane, by bus, by car
Well deserved price and recognition for Hillman, Butler, between Portugal and Fort Lauderdale in October 2018.
And beautiful entertainment
A young lady that lives in Belgium and shared same BD, date and year as my grandson Michael Raiglot.
And, we are always happy to meet on the stair case before dinner (Jost from the elevator and Anci keeps her promise to only use the stairs). Then, of course a hug with our famous Maitre D : Gilbert
Our speaker’site is so complete, take a look, it will tell you how much fun it was to reach land after 7 days at sea : http://blog.jonfleming.co.uk/2019/01/january-14th-land-ahoy-in-nuku-hiva.html
This was the first French Polynesian island from the group called Marquesas. and to quote Wikipedia : The Marquesas Islands (/mɑːrˈkeɪsəs/; French: Îles Marquises or Archipel des Marquises or Marquises; Marquesan: Te Henua (K)enana (North Marquesan) and Te Fenua ʻEnata (South Marquesan), both meaning “the land of men”) are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia,
I walked around, meeting with Jehovah witness and Mormon missionary in a beautiful environment.
I always knew that the great Belgian singer : Jacques Brel had lived in one of them. Also learned that Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel are both buried in the Marquesas
To feel “Local” I always try to learn a few words of the language. A year and a half ago my daughter and I were visiting The Society islands in French Polynesia and we learned to say, “Good morning”, Hello, “Thank you”. Here in Nuku Hiva it is similar and yet different local language but of course French is the main one, so I learned
Bonjour (Good morning) : KAŌHA in Tahiti it will be : I AORANA
Au Revoir (Goodbye) : ĀPAE in Tahiti it will be : NANA
Merci (Thank you): KO’ŪTAŪ in Tahiti it will be : MAURUURU
So much fun to be able to address people in their language.
Our Silversea singers beautiful entertaiment, the numerous speakers like John Fleming (who writes a beautiful blog that he lets me share with you, see below) and others. And while crossing the equator for some first timers, the fish was waiting to be kissed.
Jon Fleming gives wonderful, clear information on the areas we will visit during our World Cruise; Stacey Fleming is a great photographer and illustrates Jon’s comments.
Our 2019 World cruise itinerary. January 7 we are underway …bye bye U.S.A.
This year’s World Cuise name is ” The Tale of Tales” during our cruise we will be treated with sensational speakers – authors of great books. On the ship for 132 days the Silversea singers will perform and entertain us. Also on each segments we will have many musicians and artists visiting and performing.
While spending 7 days at sea and listening to more speakers, it was time to meet with the captain and the officers at the official first cocktail.
Always fun to reconnect with Captain Cataldo de Stefano, Hotel Director Norman Raffelson and Cruise director Fernando de Oliveira.
A rainy, ugly days. I did managed to go out a little, ran back to the hotel to rest and get warm. Our room view was on the Catholic Church and the Jewish museum where Silversea entertained the World Cruise 240 guests.
The next morning it was time to board the SILVER WHISPER or like our Italian Captain on our first trip on the same ship in 2011 – called :
Sussurro d’argento
Time to squeeze 10 suitcases and 2 golf bags (they went down in the storage area while our 154 bottles of wine went into the wine cellar.
We started under grey sky and rain, not the best view of San Francisco
Then a small accident, a passenger broke a leg and ankle and we returned to San Francisco which gave us a chance to leave AGAIN during day time and go under the Golden Gate in full view.
No time to smell the roses :
San Francisco where we had a warm welcome from Silversea and the World Cruise named this year : THE TALES OF TALES, writers will come on board and talk about their “tales” of traveling , just like we will do for our friends and family.
Our first night in San Francisco, what a pleasure to have dinner with our friends who accumulated all my boxes from Amazon and nicely prep. them in a suitcase. Great memories, great conversations, most of all great home prepared food which we will not have for many months.
And now a day of rest in the beautiful hotel, till our World Cruise Gala. The view from our window : A Catholic church and the Jewish Museum where our Gala will be held.
It had been 24 years since we were all reunited, in 1994 after my first chemotherapy. Some of the grand-children present today weren’t born, some are missing and we had a special thoughts for them, and as a modern family we sent quick messdages to the missing from far away.
All the food and the preparations in the kitchen
THE MAGNUMS OF WINE SERVED FOR DINNER
No soon did we get off the plane, December 21st, that we joined Waldo and Anne for a delicious dinner at L’auberge de la Roseraie in Ohain (A suburb of Brussels).
Around the world again 