Welcome 2014

Christmas Greeting

The wish for everyone:

Teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!

Merry Christmas

Thanksgiving Cruise Pictures

Here are a few more photos from the cruise - modes of transportation seen along the way

This was a school bus given to Dominica. It got squished by a tree in a hurricane before it could ever be put to use. 

 Connie & Ed went for a walk on Dominica - vehicle traffic not allowed.

 Back on mainland, flying over Pompano Beach.

 Fishing boat made from a hollowed tree trunk, on the beach in St. Lucia.

 Watching a plane landing from a famous beach bar in St. Maarten.

 Oasis of the Seas - in port in St. Thomas.  A helluva lot of people.

 MS Noordam - our ship - in port in Dominica.

Connie back from the morning run visiting with our new acquaintances, 

Jerry & Merry from Winnipeg.

Barbados Boats

Here are a few pictures from the harbor/port in Barbados taken November 2013.  It's amazing these vessels all in one spot. Some technical and other information has been downloaded from various sources, I take credit for the pictures - they're originals.  Oh, our ship, the MS Noordam was also in the port.

Tug in harbor @ Bridgetown, Barbados

Star Clipper

Royal Clipper

Inspired by the tall ship Preussen (the fastest sailing ship in the world in 1902), the Royal Clipper has the proud distinction of being the largest and only five-masted full-rigged sailing ship. With her complement of 42 sails, Royal Clipper is a splendid sight to behold.

Royal Clipper boasts state-of-the-art navigation systems and every comfort and luxury one could wish for. For connoisseurs of sail cruising, the 439 foot Royal Clipper offers the ultimate sea-going experience, balancing the grandeur, adventure and tradition of sailing with the superb service, amenities and accommodations of the finest modern yacht. Royal Clipper carries just 227 guests in luxurious style. A full 19,000 square feet of open deck and three swimming pools create a wonderfully spacious and expansive outdoor environment.

Seabourn Spirit

Seabourn Spirit is the second of Seabourn’s intimate, all-suite vessels, It was launched in November, 1989.  Seabourn Spirit has 104 ocean-view suites. Complimentary service of fine wines and spirits contributes to a convivial, club-like atmosphere both here and on the open teak decks, where guests find plenty of comfortable seating both in the sun and shade, and ever-attentive service including full bar service, fresh fruit smoothies and sherbets, mineral water spritzes, frozen towels and even sun lotion and sunglass cleaning. A pair of large whirlpool spas grace the sun deck, and a third one is set all the way forward on Deck 5, perfect for watching the world go by . 

SY Fryderyck Chopin is a fully rigged brig whose two masts tower over 100 feet above the water. She spreads almost 13 thousand square feet of sail in 21 sails. Built in 1992, her home port is Szczecin, Poland.  Well-equipped with modern navigation and safety equipment she meets all applicable SOLAS, flag state, and Polish Registry of shipping standards for unrestricted worldwide trade. Designed specifically for the Class Afloat program, her design represents more than 25 years of Class Afloat's experience in leading sea education programs. The vessel is equipped with classroom facilities and accommodation well-suited to her primary purpose as a floating campus. The professional crew members operating the ship and supervising students at sea are selected on the basis of their experience with sailing vessels and projects like Class Afloat. Class Afloat students sail from the Baltic to Scandinavia, Western Europe to the Mediterranean, from Northern and Western Africa to South America, from the Caribbean to North America, forging new standards in leadership, personal development and academic excellence.

In November 2010 the ship suffered severe damage when it was caught in gale force winds. Both of the masts were destroyed and it had to be towed to a European port for repairs.   



HMS Lancaster is a 'Duke' class Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 May 1990 and is known as "The Queen's Frigate", the Duke Of Lancaster being an honorary title of the Sovereign. 

HMS Lancaster called into Bridgetown, Barbados, for a four day visit that also marked the island’s Independence Day.

A squad of 15 sailors were sent along to participate in the 47th Independence Day celebrations; dressed in their tropical ceremonial uniforms they marched alongside the country’s police, fire brigade and defence force.

HMS Lancaster’s Commanding Officer, Commander Peter Laughton MBE, said,

“It has been a great honour and privilege for me to bring Lancaster to Barbados, not only to help mark their 47th Independence Day but also as this marked my first port visit as the Commanding Officer of HMS Lancaster.

“Barbados and the Royal Navy have strong ties that go back centuries and I hope this visit has been able to strengthen those ties and build on new ones, ensuring they go on for many more years to come.”

Now headed home to Portsmouth, HMS Lancaster, has been on drug smuggling and law enforcement details for several months.      Edited from navaltoday.com.

Selling Taos Ski Valley

Okay, it's one of those...I remember when...moments!

This memory sparked by the news that the Blake family and other investors in Taos Ski Valley have sold to a billionaire.  Here's hoping it's good for all.

While growing up in Taos and attending the Taos Municipal Schools - if the grades were good - we could take off on a Wednesday afternoon for a ski trip - it was either Taos, Red River, or SiPaPu.

SiPaPu was more of my ability.  The Texans had invaded Red River.  So that left Taos as our cherished "ski area".

Our instructor, I think, was Ernie Blake - the founder of the area. We were taking lessons only four or five years after the area opened.

Those were the days, my friend, when ski wear, bindings, shoes and skis as we know it today didn't exist.

The trip to ski on Wednesday meant, to me, an afternoon of standing and falling in the snow.  And those Levi's we wore got wet, and froze.  Oh, what fun!  My skiing "career" ended on those slopes, in those days.

And, in those days, Ernie Blake personally called all the radio stations to report the skiing conditions.   To this day, I can hear his Austrian accent - which was much more pronounced during the winter on the radio (marketing) than it was during the summer just talking to him -

"This is Ernie Blake calling from Taos Ski Valley - the snow today is beautiful - however getting here will be kind of difficult because the roads haven't been cleared by the highway department."

Ernie did that for years and then finally the road up Hondo Canyon was paved and getting there is no problem.

There was a time when TSV didn't welcome the daily skiers from Albuquerque. TSV wanted people to come from Chicago on the train to Lamy or Raton and stay for a week (be held captive) in the few hotels that existed.

Those times changed as the family recognized the money to be made by the day skiers.   Then there were the snowboarders. The Blake's resisted for a long time, but recognized the financial gain from boarders, so they are now welcome.

With new owners, I'm confident TSV will grow and prosper - meeting the dreams of the Blake family - and helping New Mexico's ski industry grow.

That means more folks will get there, stand at the base - look at Al's Run - and not know the history behind the name.

Dr. Al Rosen was one of the few doc's in Taos - he was our family doctor - and he used to ski with an oxygen tank on his back.

Ah, the memories  -

Cruisin' Barbados -

 Here's a map of the cruise from which we just returned:

While on Barbados we went by Mick Jagger's place.  He must not have gotten the message we were coming.  The gate was open, but nobody around.

More in the coming days

Christmas in Florida

How many Lauderdale-By-The-Beach workers does it take to set up Christmas lights?

Here's the answer:

Any other questions?