Halifax cont.

Saint John

Halifax

Bar Harbor, Maine

We are currently enjoying another beautiful fall day,  We started the day with

a walk along the shore path to get to the Village Green.  Once in the village we caught the free bus up to Sandy Beach and did a hike there.  We then took the bus to Jordan's pond and enjoyed another  hike and stopped for lunch. Following lunch we took the bus to the visitor centre and watched a video on Acadia National Park.   After that we took the bus back to the village green.  Coming up next we will explore the town and then squeeze in another hike before heading back to the ship.  Heather will post pictures.

Acadia

Acadia

Fall colours. 

Ship Info

Thought we would post some information about the ship.  The ship's horn plays the first 15 notes of the Love Boat theme song.  We are adjusting to not having a midship staircase (there are elevators midship but the stairs stop at deck 7).  The first few days we ended up walking more because we walked to and took the forward stairs only to discover that our destination was aft.  The staff are incredibly friendly - it is particularly humorous in the dining room at breakfast- we usually arrive when it opens and is quiet and all of the wait staff greet us - so many people we don't have time to respond to each one!  We would estimate that the average age on this voyage is somewhere in the mid sixties -which may explain the popularity of the 5:30 pm dinning time.  The sea walk was unnerving the first time we tried it out - it really feels like you are stepping into thin air!  We have missed having an outside promenade deck that circles the ship - but I discovered when we were docked in Boston that you get a get 360 degree view from the walking/running track 

since it is high up (deck 18).  

Mom/Dad - my photos don't do the ship justice.  If you would like to see photos of the ship I would suggest googling "Royal Princess cruise ship" and then look in the "image" tab.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Crown Grill

I We We dined in one of the premium restaurants- the Crown Grill (there is a $25 up charge for this).

Both Heather and I chose the same appetizer, salad and entrée.

We started with Scallops:

We then had a marinated beet and tomatoe salad with goat cheese:

That was followed by filet mignon and a Maine lobster tail. The sides were served family style and they also included three specialty salts to sample by sprinkling them on the steak;

We did however choose different desserts:

I got the sampler:

Heather got chocolate molten cake:

It was a great tasting meal but the service was much slower compared with the main dining room - so good for a night in which dinning is the main event.

Newport

Hobnobbing with the 1 percent

Today we are in Newport Rhode Island on a perfect fall day.  This morning we did the breathtaking cliff walk and toured 2 of the mansions.  Heather will post some photos.  First formal night tonight do that should be fun.

Underway!

IEmbarkation day was successful - the Royal is stunning and very stable - at times we didn't feel any motion at all.  We were able to purchase a 7 day pass to the enclave - an area that features 2 different types of steam rooms, a sauna and a hydrotherapy pool.  They only sell 40 passes per voyage and there are 3600 passengers - so we are glad this worked out.  It was pouring rain when we arrived at the terminal but it was sunny with blue skies for sail away.  We waved goodbye to Manhattan as well as New Jersey and passed by Lady Liberty.  Here are some photos:

Eating Our Way Across New York City

This morning we took the hotel shuttle to the nearest subway station.  It was different for us to have to go up two escalators and then a steep flight of stairs  to get to a subway train! We got our first good look at NYC from the train platform - not sure if it shows up in the photo but we could see the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

We then did a walking tour of Brooklyn Heights and learned about the long history of this area and saw some very beautiful buildings.  We then stopped at Jacques Torres Chocolate and had their amazing "wicked hot chocolate" which is hot  chocolate  with allspice, cinnamon, ground ancho chili peppers and smoked, ground chipotle chilli peppers  - very tasty!  

We then walked over to Grimaldi's Pizza which is rated the best pizza in NYC!  It is prepared with fresh mozzarella, a great tasting sauce and fresh basil and then cooked in a 1000 degree Fahrenheit coal oven - it was delicious!

We then walked across the Brooklyn bridge.

Once in Manhattan we explored Chinatown and Little Italy.  We walked by a pop-up replica of Central Perk - the coffee house from Friends.

We then enjoyed a chocolate cannoli - also very tasty!

By this point we had worked up a thirst so we stopped for some Bubble tea.

We then had fascinating tour of a section of the New York Tenement museum that focused on immigrant run small businesses from the mid 1800s and onwards. We then stopped and got 5 dumplings for $1!

We had hoped to stop at an iconic pickle shop but unfortunately it was closed.  We did however stop at the Doughnut Plant and had some incredibly scrumptious doughnuts- not sure we will be able to eat at Tim Hortons now that we know what is possible! 

On the way back to the hotel we spotted some wildlife in the subway...

So it was a high calorie day - we did however walk over 15 km!  This may be the city that never sleeps but I'm fairly confident that we will!