Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to explore

[love_the_life]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Our problem is we don't feel we have enough travelling years left to us to do it slowly and go back again. We have a list of "hard" things we want to do like the Gorillas in Rwanda etc and it is a bit of a race to do it all before our knees give out. We have put cruises on the back burner for later on - food does look very nice and it all sounds much more relaxing than what we normally do.

Mr LtL is very particular when it comes to cruising. He is generally happy (well not complaining) on larger ships (not the mammoth ones like Oasis but the size of Solstice for example). He does quite enjoy a port intensive itinerary as you would find in the Mediterranean, but gets a bit stir crazy if there are more than 2 sea days in a row. He also does not do Main Dining Room well - and we tend to eat in the smaller specialty restaurants or like Pushka in Blu on Celebrity. What he does like though is an adventure cruise with zodiacs for landings and close up wildlife viewing. My avatar comes from Svalbard - from a bobbing zodiac. The arctic was amazing. We keep looking at Antarctica but just not quite got organised yet. He is happy on on small ship for this type of cruise, with a full expedition crew and lecturers. In the Arctic there were some quite mature, well to be honest, they were elderly. passengers on a Captain's Choice tour on the ship. Some of them coped quite well but there was one who was nicknamed 'Miss Marple'. She did keep getting lost and found the agility needed to get into the zodiacs beyond her if it was at all rough.
In response FM, not all cruising is relaxing or for the oldies. There are some itineraries that you need to be younger and fitter to manage.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Showed Mr FM the food photos and he was as rather taken with them as well

Don't weaken, FM! Hold the line (and not the one at the bow).

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Mr LtL is very particular when it comes to cruising. He is generally happy (well not complaining) on larger ships (not the mammoth ones like Oasis but the size of Solstice for example). He does quite enjoy a port intensive itinerary as you would find in the Mediterranean, but gets a bit stir crazy if there are more than 2 sea days in a row. He also does not do Main Dining Room well - and we tend to eat in the smaller specialty restaurants or like Pushka in Blu on Celebrity. What he does like though is an adventure cruise with zodiacs for landings and close up wildlife viewing. My avatar comes from Svalbard - from a bobbing zodiac. The arctic was amazing. We keep looking at Antarctica but just not quite got organised yet. He is happy on on small ship for this type of cruise, with a full expedition crew and lecturers. In the Arctic there were some quite mature, well to be honest, they were elderly. passengers on a Captain's Choice tour on the ship. Some of them coped quite well but there was one who was nicknamed 'Miss Marple'. She did keep getting lost and found the agility needed to get into the zodiacs beyond her if it was at all rough.
In response FM, not all cruising is relaxing or for the oldies. There are some itineraries that you need to be younger and fitter to manage.

Yes this thread sparked me to do some research today - some of the Artic, Antartic and galapagos cruises all look like they could be quite challenging .

The Silversea ones look nice have you used them at all?

 

[drron]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Most of our cruises have been on Silverseas including 6 on the Silver Explorer their first expedition ship.Yes you do need some agility but I was able to do everything before having my knee replacement.
And talking of oldies when we went to the Antarctic on Orion we had a couple of 90 year olds on the boat.They needed help but they managed the zodiacs so as to set foot on the continent.

 

[love_the_life]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

We were on Silversea in the Arctic. Fabulous! All inclusive was very convenient. They asked what drinks we wanted in the cabin - scotch and gin we said, and duly received a 700 ml bottle of Sapphire and a single malt. It was also pretty good food considering they were out in the middle of nowhere! I remember the chef buying fresh fish somewhere in Iceland for dinner that night. We are looking at them for Antarctica or one of Boreal ships maybe.

drron is an expert on Silversea based on his TRs.

We were on Celebrity Xpedition in the Galapagos - one of the biggest with 96 passengers. Many people prefer to do the islands on a much smaller vessel but we thought it was fine. I think Silversea does the Galapagos now as well.
It's fun looking!

 

[love_the_life]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

drron beat me to post! I said you were the expert

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Thanks both of you - so I now have more things to add to my list! 90 years old - hmm maybe we have more time than I thought!

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Messina Sicily today. Home of the Mafia.
A new trick I learnt at gym yesterday.

A fantastic Cirque show last night

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

And formal night - Lobster and Baked Alaska


With a view

Ending with Dame's fav - Cosmopolitan for me

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

According to MrP the Lobster was better in Blu than in Murano. Waiting for the Captain to let us go onshore. Mt Etna here we come.

 

[love_the_life]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Don't fall in a volcano!
You forgot to point out that the only reason I drink Cosmos is to get my dose of vitamin C from the Cranberry juice.
Interesting about the lobsters - I don't remember having lobster in Blu before though so he is pretty lucky maybe.

Err, I should point out for you in the heat, it was snowing in Canberra today!

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Actually stuck in a restaurant in huge thunderstorm. Blacked out restaurant with direct hit!

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Just posting pics on free wifi. Explanation later.




Freezing one minute then warm the next.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Taormina very pretty

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Sicily is the home of the mafia and the first two Godfather movies were filmed there. The mafia is still active here and operates the drug trade into Europe from Colombia. They have investments in the US, Russia and surprisingly Canada. The US 5th most wanted lives on Sicily but after 25 years he continues to avoid arrest. He was the 6th most wanted until they killed Bin Laden.

Italy mainland is just 2 kms offshore. The currents are too strong and they were considering a bridge.

Volcanic eruptions occur frequently - 25 last year. Etna was smoking yesterday. Satellite measurements are regular and when Etna increases around 2 metres they know another eruption is imminent. But lava is a slow ooze so plenty of time to prepare.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Currently in a mercedes benz on a private tour on the Amalfi Coast. It has wifi. Sweet. Photos later.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Beautiful everything here.


View attachment 54080

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp







The quality of pix posted is carp but this new app wont let me paste the real jpgs.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

 

[Pushka]

Re: Chasing the lads in Lycra down the Champs Elysees - and other fancy places to exp

Nope.

I am in the moment...