The ship didn’t dock until 1:00 PM, so the normal thing to do would have been to have lunch on board and then venture ashore to see Belfast.  But who said we were normal?  Having been to Belfast before, our number one thing to do was to pay a return visit to the little Mourne Seafood Bar for lunch.  The dock is isolated, so we took the shuttle downtown and quickly found the Mourne.  There was a short wait but we got in quick enough.

Elaine wasn’t hungry, having just finished a late morning “French Classics” cooking class with my stand-in, Len.  So she had a Belfast Lager and a Bowl of Seafood Chowder (“The best seafood chowder ever!”).  I had six scrumptious local oysters followed by a delicious seafood casserole (sort of like a bouillabaisse). My beverage was Mourne Oyster Stout.

Then we just walked around.  We had missed Belfast Cathedral (St Anne’s – Anglican) on our last visit here so we made a stop.   Then we walked to the Belfast Clock Tower which has always been the ultimate Belfast sight (at least until the Titanic Museum opened a few years ago – been there, done that).  The clock tower had been shrouded in scaffolding the last time we were here.  The other place we wanted to see was White’s Tavern, Belfast’s oldest bar (1630), but we hadn’t a clue where it was.  As we walked back toward the shuttle bus, I noticed an innocuous little sign pointing to White’s Tavern down an alley.  We stopped in and had pints of Harp.  Elaine made a new friend, Jim Kenner.

Then it was back to the ship in time for 5:00 PM canapés and cocktails.  Dinner tonight will be casual in the Terrace Cafe.  We sail at 11:00 PM for an 8:00 AM arrival in Dublin.

Not much to report.  Food great.  Liquor flowing.

Wednesday

Sailing through fog, calm seas.  Had to clear UK Immigration face-to-face with immigration officers on-board – nice TDY for them!  It was “warm” enough for cocktails on our balcony albeit warmly wrapped up in polar fleece.  Dinner at Red Ginger, Elaine’s favorite specialty restaurant – duck and watermelon salad was as good as remembered.  I had delicious soft shell crab tempura as an appetizer.

Thursday:

Still overcast although relatively clear.  Seas still calm.  We both did workouts (mainly treadmill) in the gym.  In the morning I watched a lecture on the great ships of state:  The SS France; the USS United States; the QE, QM, QE2, and QM2 of Britain’s Cunard, etc.  It was Indian food night at the Terrace Cafe which Elaine was looking forward to with great anticipation.  The choices were endless and enjoyable.

Friday:

No fog this morning.  Back to the gym again.  Mandatory lifeboat drill at 10:00 AM.  At 11:00 Elaine attended her first (of three) culinary classes, this one called “Tasty Little Treats”.  The ship has a full culinary education center where about 20-25 people can take culinary classes.  I finished the books I had on my Kindle so I was off to the library to find something to read.  Dinner tonight was in the last of the specialty restaurants, “Jacques”, named for Jacques Pepin, Oceania’s culinary advisor.  We shared terrine of foie gras, then we both had soups (Vichyssoise for Elaine, classic French onion for me), followed by a massive (and sumptuous) veal chop for me and Coquilles St-Jacques (scallops) for Elaine.  For dessert neither of us could resiste lavender infused crème brulée.

Saturday:

At 6:30 AM we sailed past Malin Head, the northernmost point on the island known as Ireland.  Strangely, if you know your Irish geography, the northernmost part of the island is in the Republic, not in Northern Ireland.  Elaine had her second culinary class at 10:00 – “French Classics”.  In a weak moment I had signed myself up for this one also.  But I knew I wouldn’t enjoy it, so our new friend Len took my spot.  It is 1:00 PM now and we are making fast to the dock in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The camera has been idle at sea.  Pictures will resume in the next post.  After Belfast, it’s on to Dublin, Holyhead, the Isle of Guernsey, and disembarkation in Southampton.

MONDAY IN CHILLY FRANCE

Sunday night we ate at the Terrace Cafe.  Len & Dave joined us.  We had a good time and too much wine.  Aspirin before bed!

Monday was bright and beautiful and cold.  High today:  48^o.  At 8:00 AM we docked in Saint-Pierre & Miquelon (SPM), a self-governing overseas territory of France, situated in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean near Canada. It is the only remnant of the former colonial empire of New France that remains under French control and has a population of 6,080.  The islands are situated at the entrance of Fortune Bay, which extends into the southern coast of Newfoundland.

The dock has no facilities and is located about a mile or so from the town.  Shuttle buses were provided into town and we were on the first bus at about 8:45.  We walked around the downtown area and made several stops, including the thrice-burned-down cathedral and the Musee L’Arche.  At the museum you learn everything you will ever need to know (and more) about SPM (Saint-Pierre & Miquelon).  In the 1700’s and 1800’s it transferred back and forth from British to French control nine times, finally becoming a permanent part of France in 1813.

During World War II there was much concern that the Vichy Government of France (under German control) would use SPM to launch offenses against the US and Canada.  Both Britain and the US considered armed intervention in SPM, but General de Gaulle would hear nothing of that.  He led Free French forces, then headquartered in Britain, in a successful landing on SPM to take control of the government.

Another interesting period in SPM history was during the American Prohibition.  Canadian distilleries could not legally ship alcoholic products to the USA, and the government cracked down hard on illegal shipments.  But the distilleries could ship alcohol to France, and Saint-Pierre & Miquelon was France.  So a huge amount of legal booze regularly found its way into tiny Saint-Pierre. Many gangsters including Al Capone and Bill McCoy set up operations in the islands, using them as a base to smuggle alcohol into the US  using speedy rum runner boats.

We had dinner Monday night in the specialty Italian restaurant on board, La Toscana.  Good eats!  Elaine started with octopus carpaccio followed by veal osso buco.  I had lightly battered and fried calamari to start and delicious rack of lamb.

TUESDAY IN SAINT JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND

We were supposed to land here back in 2009 when we crossed from Southampton to New York on the Grand Princess, but bad weather prevented that huge ship from making port.  Today the weather is good and the much smaller Marina had no trouble docking.  High temperature today was expected to be in the low fifties.  In fact, it seemed much warmer.  Bright sun and almost no wind.  A pleasure.

We walked hilly St John’s, not to be confused with St-John (without the s) in New Brunswick.  It is a bustling town and very pretty.  We hiked up the hill and visited both the Anglican Cathedral and the Catholic Basilica of St John the Baptist.  They were starting a mass just as we left.  Good timing.

Then we went to The Rooms – this is a modern building that is part art gallery, part museum, part cultural center, and part tea room and cafeteria.  It’s very well done.  We enjoyed the art of Christopher Pratt and the museum describing life in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Lots of references to the Irish who helped settle here.  God bless them.

Then we hiked back down the hill to George Street where we enjoyed micro brews in the Yellow Belly Brewery & Public House – Fighting Irish Red for me and seasonal Pale Beer for Elaine.  We also shared an order of short-rib poutine (french fries with gravy and short ribs), a take on traditional Quebecoise poutine which is french fries, gravy, and cheese curds.

All good, and then back on board for our 2:00 PM sailing for Belfast. We will be on the Atlantic all day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before docking in Belfast at 1:00 PM on Saturday.  There will be no more postings until Saturday night.  See you then!

SAINT-JOHN’S PICS (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

SAINT-PIERRE PICS (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Dinner Saturday night was in the Polo Grill, one of four specialty restaurants on Marina, this one noted as a steak house.  Elaine opted for a special, sea bream, thereby violating one of my cardinal rules: in a steak house, eat beef.  She was not overjoyed with her main course.  I had a delicious rib eye with steak fries and asparagus stalks.  Wonderful.

Sydney in Australia has it’s Opera House; Sydney, Nova Scotia has the world’s largest fiddle.  The fiddle is essential to the good Celtic music in this part of Nova Scotia.  It’s sort of like being in Ireland or Brittany in France.

Sydney is more noted as the launching point for trips to Louisburg Fortress or to the Cabot Trail.  Been there, done that, so we just wandered around town which was conveniently located two minutes from the cruise terminal.  And the weather was brilliant: cloudless sunny blue skies and temperatures in the low sixties.  Great for walking around.

We visited St Patrick’s, a church now converted into a mini museum, and both the Cossit House and the Jost House, period houses now serving as museums.  After overloading on museums, we sauntered down to Governor’s Pub & Eatery where we split some coconut shrimp before both indulging in some delicious seafood chowder.  Elaine had the local lager while Joe had two oatmeal stouts.

Then it was back to the ship for rest, relaxation, snacks, drinks, naps, cocktails, and eventually dinner.

Tomorrow we are in France – well, St. Pierre, just off Canada, but technically a part of France.  Then on to St John’s, Newfoundland on Tuesday.  Then it will be three full days on the Atlantic crossing over to our first European port in Belfast, Northern Ireland.  I should be able to post the next two days; then there will be a hiatus while we are on the high seas.

C:LICK ON PICS FOR LARGER VIEWS IN NEW TAB

 

Thursday night we had a casual dinner in the Terrace Buffet.  After dinner we found Len and Dave at another table and joined them for some conversation and drinks.  Len is the guy who graduated from Tufts.

Friday was a day spent cruising the Saint Lawrence Seaway.  We passed the end of the Gaspe Peninsula into the Gulf of St Lawrence, and now only Newfoundland stands between us and the open Atlantic Ocean.  Early on Saturday we docked in Corner Brook on the western side of Newfoundland.

On disembarking we walked into a town, a pleasant 15 minute walk.  The skies were grey and the temperatures were in the forties, but there was no rain.  In town we walked two recommended walking trails, the Three Bear Mountain Trail and the Glynnmill Inn Pond Trail.   After that we walked down Broadway and chatted with a couple of locals (who seemed to be waiting for the bars to open for getting drunk).  We visited the town War Memorial, the Museum, and the Anglican Church.

Then it was back to the boat for lunch and some hangover recovery.

PICTURES (CLICK TO ENLARGE IN NEW WINDOW)

 

 

Wednesday night dinner was in the casual Terrace Cafe which is a wonderful place to eat.  It is where most people eat breakfast or lunch, but at night it is generally fairly empty as people opt for the specialty dining rooms or the Grand Dining Room.  But the Terrace is set with white table clothes, and the buffet choices are endless.  There is always fresh sushi, exotic cold cuts, and fine cheeses for appetizers as well as soups and salads — they serve a great Caesar salad and you can get all the anchovies you want.  Main courses included grilled steaks, grilled fish, lobster, and an endless variety of carved meats.  Vegetables abound.  And the wines are the same as all the other dining rooms.

So in the Terrace we feasted on the daily specials — local Quebecois cheeses and cold cuts to start with a Quebec pork casserole dish for a main (with a few grilled shrimp added on for variety).

Today we dock at Saguenay which is not actually a city but a conglomeration of eight cities/town, the best known of which is probably Chicoutomi.  We dock in the town of La Baie at Baie de Ha!Ha!  That’s the real name of the bay.  Saguenay is located on the Saguaeny River, a tributary of the St Lawrence.

At the cruise terminal we were enthusiastically greeted by locals in period costume and treated to a slice of local blueberry pie (delicious!).  We sawed wood with lumbermen.  The welcome was wonderful.  Kudos to Saguenay!

Then we did the two circuits of the frequent hop-on hop-off buses which all had local people telling about the stops and another local at each stop to provide more information.  All very well done!

We visited the Pulperie Museum where the highlight was the house of slightly eccentric local painter Arthur Villenueve).  The house in entirely within the museum building.  Sadly no pictures allowed, but I copied one from the web to show what it like.  He artistically painted his entire house, inside and out.

 

And we visited the Cathedral, the RAF Bagotville Air Force Museum, and the Pyramid de Ha! Ha!, a monument to the 1996 flood, entirely made out of yield signs.  Weird yet impressive.

I’ll let pictures tell the story.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE)  Tomorrow is a sea-day (well, actually a river day) with no port calls, so the next posting won’t be until Saturday at the earliest.  Ciao for now!

Dinner Tuesday night was in the Marina Grand Dining Room.  We shared a table with a couple from Vancouver.  Elaine had chicken tangine and I had beef tenderloin.

After beach weather in Montreal (mid-80’s), today (Wednesday) was, as Warren Harding would have said, a return to normalcy (mid-50’s).  And it was overcast and windy.

We docked in Quebec City before 7 AM; we were off to explore by 9:00 AM or so.  We walked around the Place Royale for awhile taking pictures of this historic section of Old Quebec.  There are a couple of exceptional wall murals, a pretty church (Notre Dame des Victoires), and quaint old streets.  Then we took the Funicular to the upper town which terminates right at the historic Chateau Frontenac.  A lot of years ago we stayed there for three nights on one of our road trips.

Outside the Chateau Frontenac we boarded the Quebec Hop-On Hop-off (HOHO) bus and rode the 90-minute circuit.  We sat on the open-air second deck and shivered through most of the trip.  The guide was fun, and we enjoyed it.  At the end we went into the Chateau Frontenac to have a look around but mainly to get warm.

Then we re-boarded the HOHO base to ride to the first scheduled stop which just happened to be near MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) to buy a new pair of binoculars for Elaine.  She forgot hers, but she needed a new pair anyway.  She is now the proud owner of a yellow set of Nikon Aculon binoculars.

From there we walked back to the ship, stopping for pictures of bridge support murals, the railroad station, and the poetic chairs.

Pictures tell the story (click on pics to enlarge in a separate window)

It’s Tuesday in Trois-Rivieres, a delightful town about midway between Montreal and Quebec on the St Lawrence Seaway.  Last night we had a casual dinner on the ship in the informal (but very good) Terrace Cafe.  Gimlets and cosmos before dinner in the Martini Bar.  And after dinner Amaretto in Martinis as well.  At dinner we met a man who graduated from Tufts in 1963 – fellow Jumbos forever!

Today after breakfast we were off the ship at 8:15 am for a walkabout the delightful downtown area.  Everything opened at 10 AM, so we walked to our most distant destination first, Borealis, a newly opened and very informative museum about the paper industry.  Trois-Rivieres was the paper capital of Canada for a long time, and it is still a major industry.

Then we walked back downtown for a visit to the small but different Musee Quebecois de Culture Populaire.  This is not a normal museum, and the exhibits are constantly changing.  The highlight at this time is a collection of old toys that bring memories of childhood for us oldies.  The museum is paired with the Old Prison that was in use until the 1980’s.  We got a guided tour of the Prison and quickly learned that it would be a mistake to go to prison in Quebec.

Then it was back to the ship for rest, relaxation, naps, drinks, and preparations for dinner.

Future posting will be spotty depending on wi-fi access in the various ports we will be stopping at.  We sail tonight at 11:59 for an 7:00 AM arrival on Wednesday in Quebec City.

Monday morning weather is absolutely beautiful. Bright sun, no clouds.  It is supposed to be 84 today.  By Wednesday the forecast is for the temperatures to be back to a more seasonal 65.  But we will be gone by then.

Today is embarkation day.  We can board the Marina at noon, and we can actually walk to it from the hotel, schlepping our rolling suitcases.  The ship doesn’t sail until midnight, so we could settle in and then get off and have a little more time in Montreal, should we choose to.

Dinner last night at La Bocata was wonderful.  It is a typical French bistro, and the food was delicious.  Elaine started with an Old Fashioned while I had a Bloody Gobelin.  While that sounds like a tomato-based drink, it was not: gin and other stuff (I forget!) and sort of like a gimlet.  For appetizers Elaine had two Quebec cheeses, tomme (a goat cheese) and douanier (with a signature line of ash running through it), while I had six succulent Quebec oysters.  For mains, Elaine had cabillaud (black cod) and I had canard magret (duck breast).  Oh, and a bottle of wine, of course:  a Côtes du Roussillon Villages.  No desserts. (Oh, the restraint!)

Click on Pics for Larger Views

 

We were regular yearly visitors to Montreal back when we lived in Boston, usually driving up for the long Columbus Day weekend every October. And we always had a good time. It was nice to back once again.  The weather was perfect, almost too warm at 75. We never expected such temperatures here this time of year. And tomorrow it will be in the eighties! As we sail up the St Lawrence the temps will go down and be back in the fifties.

Anyway, over the years we have seen most of the usual Montreal sights, so we decided to take the Metro and visit the rather new Montreal Holocaust Museum. It is small and very well done. After going through the museum we took the Metro back downtown and walked up Rue Crescent. It’s filled with bars and restaurants. One restaurant we had many meals at over the years is gone: La Troika, a Russian themed place. But our favorite watering hole, the Sir Winston Churchill Pub is still going strong. I was going here 45 years ago!  We sat outside on the balcony. Wine for Elaine with her crab cakes; Creemore Springs Premium Lager for me with my chicken Caesar salad. All good!

Then we took a rather long casual walk down Ste Catherine’s Street, Montreal’s main shopping street, back towards the hotel. It was bustling! We stopped to buy some water and wine before nap time. After naps, it was wine and snacks on the balcony.

Dinner tonight will be Bocata, a wine bar specializing in tapas or small plates. It looks excellent. Reports tomorrow.

As always, click the pictures for larger views in a new window.