Since it has been two years since I have taken a Windstar cruise, Ginni and I decided to take the cruise of the French Polynesia Society Islands on the Wind Spirit.

January 26: I was up super early this morning in order to be ready for the shuttle pick up at 4:45 a.m. Snowed had come down the night before on top of ice so it was very slow going to the airport. With having to de-ice and the airport of Cedar Rapids only having one truck for that purpose, I arrived in Minneapolis with just enough time to get to gate and board the plane heading to LAX. Because of de-icing and a medical emergency which required our going back to the departure gate, we arrived at LAX about 35 minutes late. My friend from college, Ann, lives in Los Angeles and she picked me, along with my luggage, up. It was a great afternoon with lunch at a Mexican restaurant, driving by Ann’s place of employment, viewing her residence and having coffee, going to the beach and walking.

Ann had a doctor’s appointment and I killed time at the mall across the street. We then picked Ginni, who had arrived an hour earlier, up at the airport and went to dinner at Second City Bistro. Ann dropped us back at the airport, we checked our bags, and went to the Air Tahiti first class lounge for a few glasses of wine. Boarding the plane went quite smooth; the plane was Airbus 340-300 and seemed huge! Once in the air, we had a nightcap and settled down to sleep; leaving at 11:30 p.m. LAX time guaranteed we were both quite tired.

January 27: Woke up to the airline personnel preparing our breakfast. After eating, we only had an hour before landing at around 5:30 a.m. local time. The landing was smooth; we retrieved our luggage, passed through Customs, and grabbed a taxi for our hotel, Le Meridien. Our room was not ready so explored the grounds and was able to get into our room around 9:30 local time. By the time, both of us were wilting so we took a nap. After showering and getting into clean clothes, we had lunch at one of the hotel’s restaurants. The afternoon was spent relaxing with our walking to a local supermarket for some wine later in the day. We went to happy hour in the bar and ate at the other hotel restaurant; both of us had lamb kabobs and the food was delicious. Back to our room for a nightcap and bed.

January 28: A tour of Tahiti was scheduled so we ate breakfast and waited for the tour operator to arrive. It turns out that operator who was scheduled for our tour did not show up so another operator stepped; since she was excellent, it turned out lucky for us. We drove all the way around the island and was given much history; among all the 118 society islands, there are 300K people with 185K residing on Tahiti alone. Highlights of the tour included viewing black sand beaches, Point Venus, looking at Arahōhō Blowhoe, and walking to three grottos.  During one walk, we came across a family building their own house; it is made out of the palm tree with branches used for the roof, takes approximately 3 full days to build, and lasts about 5 years.

After the tour, we had lunch at the pool restaurant and then walked to a nearby supermarket to purchase wine to take on our cruise. That evening we listened to a couple performing at the pool bar while watching the sunset. After dinner, back to our room for a glass of wine before going to bed.

January 29: This was the boarding day for the Wind Spirit, a 148 passenger sailing vessel; here is the link  Wind Spirit.  Both of us were looking forward to leaving Tahiti and getting the cruise underway. After breakfast, we finalized our packing and left our bags outside our room for pick up by the bell crew. Checked out of the hotel and waited in the lobby for Windstar folks to appear.

Boarded the transport to the pier at 1:00 and was in our cabin by 2:00. Our luggage had not arrived so we went to lunch where we were joined by two other gals from Georgia and South Carolina. After eating, we explored the ship; even though we both had sailed on this ship before, it had been many years and re-design had occurred. That evening we joined two other couples for dinner; John and Mary from St. Louis and Gregg and Chris from Australia. A delightful evening; every Windstar cruise that I have been on, I’ve always experienced the other passengers being congenial and interesting to talk to! After dinner, everyone went their separate ways; Ginni and I went to the pool lounge for a nightcap while listening to a couple play the piano and sing. Their names were Tony and Dana with him from Australia and she Malaysia; they were fair, at best. Retired to bed around 10:30.

January 30: Since we had a tour scheduled at 8:00, we were up by 6:30. Both of us had a great night sleep; the ship had left Tahiti and arrived outside Moorea during the night. Moorea is known as one of the most beautiful of the Polynesian islands. The island is only 11 miles to the northwest of Tahiti and is about 83 square miles with the widest point being 10 miles wide. After having breakfast, we went to the main lounge to meet up with our fellow tourists for the island tour. Our tour guide was called Tom and very informative; great communicator with many detailed facts regarding the island, the environment, and nature.

The first recorded sighting of the island by a foreigner was in 1606 but it was not until the 1760s that the Europeans came. Among those was James Cook in 1769 who first settled the area now known as Cook’s Bay. Copra, the dried white meat of the coconut, and vanilla were once very important crops for Moorea but it is now the pineapple growing center of French Polynesia. We visited Belvedere Point which provided a beautiful view of Cook’s and Opunohu Bays; two symmetrical bays that give the island a very distinctive coastline on the map. We also saw sacred sites known as maras. As an added bonus, our guide stopped at the UC Berkeley’s Gump Research Station which is one of two on the island. This station makes the island as one of the most studied in the world.

Once the tour concluded, we went back to the ship for lunch. Spent the afternoon by the pool updating my notes and reading. Because of the late hour of leaving port the night before, there was no “sail away” gathering so, with a 6:00 p.m. departure time, we had one this evening. Everyone gathered by the pool and watched the sails being hoisted while listening to music; even though I have been on many Windstar cruises, this sight and sound is one that never fails to move me.

We had dinner with four other passengers; Chuck, Eloise, Ed, and Linda. I the fresh tuna caught that day; excellent! After dinner, we went back to our cabin where we got ready for bed and retired around 10:00.

January 31: Today we docked at Taha’a which is known as “The Vanilla Island” because it produces 70% to 80% of all French Polynesia’s vanilla and is of high quality. Current production of vanilla for all of French Polynesia is about 25 tons annually. There are around 6K people living on the island. We went on the “Scenic Exploration of Taha’s” which involved an off-road vehicle for a drive around the island. Our guide talked about the traditional use of local plants and trees. We were given a tour of how vanilla is produced while visiting a family plantation. Another stop was a black pearl farm where we learned how these treasures are cultivated and harvested.

We were to have a BBQ on a motu but, because it rained most of the morning, it was moved to the ship. After a delicious lunch, we went to the pool area for reading and checking emails. At 3:30 we headed to the area where a wine tasting was being held; there were 4 of us participating and we tasted 5 different wines; a rose, sauvignon blanc, burgundy, cabernet/merlot combination, and zinfandel with the zinfandel being the favorite at $70/bottle. Our tasting buddies were Gerald and Mary Sean.

We got ready for dinner and went to the lounge for the talk about tomorrow’s activities by the tour director. Dinner was ate in the main dining room with the company of Eloise, Chuck, Ginni, and Linda. After dinner, we went to the lounge for a nightcap and played music trivia; our group got the lowest score but it was still fun. Then off to bed around 10:30 or so.

February 1: Woke up docked at Uturoa, a town on the island Raiatea; the island is considered the administrative center for the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands. It is 65 square miles making it the second largest of the Society Islands and is considered the second most important economic center of the islands. After breakfast, we met in the lounge to meet other passengers who were going on the tour “Raiatea, the Sacred Island”. Our 78-year old tour guide entertained us with tales of life on Raiatea along with stories that told the listener what his life is like; no job or money because land inherited from his ancestors provide all the food and needs necessary to live. He fathered his first child at age 14 and has 20 children with 4 different wives who live under the same roof. We went through the town, around the Bay of Faaroa, by the Fetuna Crater, and visited the Marae Taputapuatea which is Raiatea most famous landmark. The Marae is an open-air temple comprised of seven sacred sites built of stone and coral, and dedicated to Oro, the bloodthirsty God of war who demanded human sacrifices. Returned to the ship and had lunch.

In the afternoon, sat under the shade at the pool and read current news along with updating my notes. Around 4:00, a local group came on board and played music while dancing to the local traditions. The women showed how to make leis plus how to wrap the local Pareto for various styles of cover.

After the demonstration, Ginni and I went to our cabin to change for the evening. We listened in the lounge as to what the activities for the next day were going to be. We adjoined to the pool deck where the crew had sit up a BBQ; what a feast! Dinner was eaten with Réal, Diane, Ed, And Linda. After dinner, we were entertained by the crew who sang and danced; what a great time.

Around 10:00, we started to sail away and the parting music played while the sails unfurled.

Linda, Ginni, and I went to the main lounge where we had a nightcap before adjourning to our cabin for the evening.

February 2: Overnight we had sailed to Bora Bora so, upon waking, discovered we were anchored outside of the island. After getting dressed, we went to the Veranda for breakfast and then to the lounge where people were gathering for the “Island Discovery” tour. Bora Bora is 142 miles northwest of Tahiti. It is dominated by two peaks at the center of the island, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, which are remnants of an extinct volcano. In 1999, Tom and I came to this island (we stayed at the Le Meridian in an over-the-water bungalow on a motu outside Bora Bora) for our 25th wedding anniversary so this is a very special place for me. For the tour, we boarded an open-air truck with individual cushioned bucket seats. Our guide gave us some history of the Bora Borans, we saw how the Pareto is made, fed tupa crabs fresh flowers, tasted some local fruit, and saw relics left behind by the US military after World War II. Stopped at various scenic areas where we captured the changing colors of their famous lagoon, experienced the prettiest beach of the island at Matira Point, and got close up pictures of Mount Otemanu. Last stop was at the famous Bloody Mary’s restaurant where we were given a drink while we looked around and took pictures.

Tender arrived at the pier and, once on board, we went to our cabin to unload things and then to the veranda for lunch. Updated notes, read latest news, and took a few spins around the deck before going to a lecture on black opals in the main lounge late afternoon. What a lengthy lecture; close to a couple hours! We quickly got ready for the evening and attended the “repeats” reception; a cocktail party honoring those who have been on earlier Windstar cruises. After the reception, we went to the lounge to listen about the next day’s activities. Ginni and I were invited to join the Hotel Manager at his table for dinner which we accepted; it was a very delightful meal with three other fellow passengers plus Henri, the manager. We adjoined to the lounge and were joined by John, Patricia, Linda, and Ed; another evening of music trivia in which we did get a decent score but we did not win. After the game was over, we went to our cabin and bed.

February 3: We had no plans this morning so slept in and had a late breakfast. And then into the town for shopping; Ginni found a beautiful black pearl necklace while I found nothing. After lunch, we spent the afternoon under the shade by the pool reading and relaxing. A private event called Bora Bora: Celbration Festival was in the evening. We took a catamaran to a private island owned by Hilton where the dining room and bar staff had sit up tables of food plus a bar. We were greeted by Amanda, reception manager, and Henri, hotel manager, with fresh leis.

After taking some pictures, we got some wine and settled at our table with Linda, Patricia, and John. Food was gotten based on table number so the lines flowed quite smoothly. After dinner, we were entertained by a local group of dancers and flame throwers; added to the mix was a beautiful sunset. What a delightful evening! We were taken back to the ship and sailed away at 9:00.

We had a nightcap and retired to our cabin to prepare for an early rise up in the morning.

February 4: During the night we sailed to Huahine where I took the Safari Expedition tour. This island is 29 square miles and only 8 miles at its widest point. It is made up of Huahine Nui and Huahine Iti which are joined at low tide by a sandbar. Our guide drove us around the island stopping at vanilla house, took an outrigger to a pearl and pottery farm, drove a sand path to the beach that had large waves due to the reef along, viewed open-air stone temples, got close to the island’s only waterfall which flows only 6 months out of the year, and crossed the bridge which links the Nui and Iti. I was really impressed with this island’s pristine appearance; they value their environment and there are severe penalties for those not abiding to the environmental laws.

We returned to the town center and walked to a shop where local items are made and sold. After searching at every cruise stop, I finally found a cute outfit for my granddaughter. The afternoon was spent reading and packing our luggage in preparation to disembark in the morning. We were heading back to Papeete that evening so we attended the sail away party by the pool bar at 5:30; Réal, Diane, Linda, Ed, Patricia, and John sat with us. After the sails were unfurled, we adjourned to the lounge people and a farewell speech from the captain and the rest of the crew who sang a farewell song to us. We walked to the dining room for dinner with everyone in our group except Patricia and John who were going to another restaurant on the ship. Back to the cabin after eating; we packed last minute items and set our luggage, except for carry on, outside the door for pick up during the night.

February 5: We were part of the group going to the Le Meridien so our departure was scheduled at 8:30 which gave us time for breakfast and one last farewell to the dining crew. There was a bus at the dock were luggage and people were loaded for the trip to the hotel. Arrived at the hotel and quite a check in experience; first room had been assigned to another person in which we were given keys, second Ron had a king bed where we needed two separate beds, and the third one was an upgrade to the 6th floor…it was fine except the air conditioning was not working properly but got fixed later in the evening. After settling into the room, we got a taxi to take us to the city center and the famous Papeete market. What a mass of people and “cheap” items; if a person wanted fresh fruit, vegetables, or flowers the market would be the perfect place for shopping but that was not what I was looking. We did find a couple shops that had items created by local people so I make some purchases. And then we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel; both of us were relieved to get out of the crowded, noisy downtown area. Lunch was along the ocean at the hotel restaurant. After lunch, we retired to our room where I read and Ginni took a nap. Then I took a shower and changed evening attire. Dinner was at the same restaurant as lunch but with very slow, stuck up staff; it took over two hours to bring us our entrée of mahi mahi. Needless to say, I did not leave a tip which is quite unusual for me but I could reward rude, slow staff. Back to the room and preparation for bed.

February 6: Upon waking, I dressed and updated my notes. Ginni woke up and, after she took a shower, we went downstairs for breakfast. On the way, we stopped at the front desk to check with Aimata (wonderful reception clerk) who ordered us a taxi for our departure to the airport that evening and agreed to put us in for a late check out of 8:00 P.M. It was a beautiful day so both of us decided to go swimming; we started in the ocean and then moved the hotel pool which had a sand bottom. Since it was sunny and warm, the water felt very refreshing.

Lunch was at the pool bar; the afternoon was spent reading, typing up notes, and relaxing. We checked out of the hotel around 7:30; our taxi arrived and took us to the airport where we checked in without any problems and adjourned to the first class lounge. Our flight was announced about 11:00 P.M.; we boarded, settled into our seats, and had little an hour before we departed. Since it was so late, I turned my seat into a bed and settled down for a good night’s rest. We were awoken at 6:30 to the sound of breakfast being prepared. Flight arrived in LAX at around 9:30 a.m.; I got through Customs and was on my way to the Delta ticket counter by 10:00 in hopes of being able to catch an earlier flight. But it did not work out so I killed about 2 hours before boarding the plane to Minneapolis. Arrived in Minneapolis and had close to 4 hours to kill before my flight departed to Cedar Rapids. Went to the gate area and watched the Super Bowl on my iPad. Got into Cedar Rapids around 10:30, retrieved my luggage, and got the shuttle for home.

Wednesday, September 16th: We got ready for the day and went to breakfast. Our tour called “Percé, Bonaventure Island & Percé Rock” was not gathering until 11:00 a.m. so we had plenty of time. The ship arrived at Gaspé about 10:30; again, because of larger ships, we used the tender to go ashore. Gaspé is a city at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in eastern Québec, Canada. But we were not touring Gaspé; we boarded the bus and rode along 60 miles of rugged cliffs and sweeping bays. We saw panorama views of the Bay of Gaspé, the cliffs of Forillon National Park, and the legendary rock. We arrived in Percé and boarded a boat for a cruise around both sides of Percé Rock and then on to see the largest gannet colony in the world where thousands of birds nest on the cliffs of Bonaventure Island. Naturalists consider Bonaventure’s colony one of the most important and accessible colony of its kind in the world.

When we returned to shore, we had a couple hours to explore the town on our own. Ginni, Karen, and I had lunch at La Maison du Pêcheur; I had an excellent bowl of vegetable soup. In one of the shops, I found a lightweight, cotton pullover top which will go well with my black slacks. The weather was beautiful with sunny, clear skies so walking was quite enjoyable. We made our way back to the ship where we retired to our suite until dinner time. After looking at our tickets for tomorrow’s tour, we discovered we had signed up for the wrong tour so we went to the Square before heading for dinner at the Colonnade. The woman at the tour desk said she would have to get back to us because it was over the deadline to cancel. We proceeded on to the restaurant where French cuisine was featured. I had French onion soup for my appetizer and we split the seared Black Sea bass fillet and “Châteaubriand” roast beef tenderloin for our main course. The excellent meal was completed by Creme Brûlée for dessert. Upon returning to the Square, we were told we would receive a full refund for the tour which made us both happy because we did not expect to get a full refund. We went to The Club on our deck where Chris Bartlett was playing guitar melodies for our nightcap. Went back to our suite where got ready for bed; lights were out about 11:30.

Thursday, September 17th: I got up around 7:30, showered, dressed, and typed up my notes from yesterday’s activity. By that time, Ginni was up and ready to go. We went to Colonnade for breakfast. Spent the rest of the morning in our suite preparing for our day and reading/sending emails. Since we were exploring Baie-Comeau, Canada on our own we had plenty of time. This town is about 250 miles north of Québec City, and is on the banks of the Mancouagan and St. Lawrence Rivers. The town was founded in 1936; it has over 20,000 people and is a hub for logging in the area. Former Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, spent his childhood here. Because of the low water level by the dock, we had to once again anchor and take tenders to shore. There is a bike path that goes into town and we were going to walk it but it started to drizzle rain when we got to the dock so rode a free bus shuttle. By the time we started to explore downtown, the drizzle had stopped and the sun was shining. We went into all the stores in the area; everything was a good quality but nothing we were looking for except at one place of a local artist where I purchased a gift item. We ran into Ginger, another person from the ship. She was headed to St. Amélie’s Church so we tagged along. This church was built in 1937 by Robert Rutherford McCormick, founder of the town, for his first wife Amélie. She did not live to see it finished. The Church features pink granite of Québec’s North Shore and has 16,000 square feet of fresco paintings, 30 stained-glass windows representing characters from the Bible, and a magnificent Casavant organ. It was a very interesting tour provided by a volunteer with much knowledge. After the tour, I decided to find the bike trail for a walk back to the dock while Ginni and Ginger took the shuttle.

Got to the dock just as the tender was coming in; Ginni joined me and we returned to the ship. Had lunch at the Patio Grill by the pool area. It turned out to by a beautiful day with clear skies and warm temperatures. After talking to Mike and Liz by poolside, I took another couple more turns around Deck 5 in order to get more exercise which I have been quite bad about on this trip. Spent the rest of our afternoon on our veranda reading and updating my notes.  After getting dressed for dinner, we went to the lounge and caught an early performance by the female members of the Seabourn Quest singers.  Because of the lateness of the hour, we were seated at our own table in the Main Restaurant so no new people to meet and converse with.  Went back to our suite and prepared for bed with lights out around 10:30.

Friday, September 18th: We were at Saguenay, Canada today.

The relatively small and concentrated Lac St-Jean area where the city is located can be described as an isolated “oasis” in the middle of the vast remote wilderness of Northern Quebec. This province is most noted for Rivière Saguenay fjord, where a dramatic, towering canyon ploughs northwest from the St Lawrence, ranking it as the province’s most beautiful area. The 100km river, fed by Lac St-Jean, stretches from north of Chicoutimi to the village of Tadoussac. From its dark waters rise majestic cliffs up to 500m high. Formed during the last Ice Age, the fjord is the most southerly one in the northern hemisphere. We signed up for the tour called “The Best of Saguenay” which was 4 hours in length; that proved to be too short of time because we were rushed at every place. We took a scenic drive through La Baie to the Saguenay Fjord Museum where we learned about the importance of the waterway that is deeply chiseled through the Laurentian Mountains. We passed by the Ha Ha Pyramid which was constructed after the great flood of 1996 that devastated the region. The pyramid itself is constructed entirely out of 3000 stacked, triangular “yield” road signs, complete with reflective surface. The interior of the structure features a staircase that leads to a scenic viewing level near the top of the pyramid; however, we did not stop because of time restaints. We visited the Touverre Workshop where the artist demonstrated the art of glass blowing by making us a hummingbird. Glass blowing is one of the oldest form of art and one of the most difficult to master.

At Arthur Villeneuve’s Place we saw the barber/painter’s impressive frescoes that cover almost every square inch of his house. And then we stopped at the Le Chevrier du Nord Goat Farm where a small family farm specializes in the breeding of angora goats and the non-industrial fabrication of mohair garments.

Back to the terminal we went. Ginni and I decided to have lunch ashore so we had a bowl of French Onion soup at Bistro Victoria. After a walk along the trail by the water, we looked at various stalls of merchandise inside the terminal and found a place that makes delicious gelato ice cream.

Boarded the ship and relaxed in our suite until time to attend a conversation by Ambassador Bob Callahan about how terrorists, missionaries, feminists, and environmentalists have changed the world stage. We had dinner in the main restaurant with Karen and Paul.

Listened to the Seabourn Quest Singers in the Grand Salon for about 30 minutes and the returned to our suite where we got ready for bed after a great day/evening. The weather was perfect with sunny skies and 83°. Tomorrow we will dock at Québec City where we will spend two days.

Saturday, September 19th: This morning we docked at Québec City where we spent the next two nights. The historic district of Old Québec is comprised of lower and upper town with fortification walls, gates, and ramparts of the old city. It was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, and served as the capital of New France until the British conquest in 1760. After a leisurely breakfast, we ventured into the town. What a walk straight up some hills in order to get to a shopping area. We went into many stores as we worked our way back down the hills to the shuttle bus area. I did manage to purchase a t-shirt for myself in one shop.

Back to the ship where we had lunch, went to our suite to pick up our stuff, and headed out for a tour called “Historic Walk with Horse & Carriage Ride”. However, due to the warm weather, they discontinued use of the horses so we had walking only. We walked to the heart of the Lower Town, site of the first settlement of Québec, the Place Royal which is a beautifully restored market square typical 17th and 18th century stone architecture. Once home to wealthy merchants, the square is also home to North America’s oldest standing Catholic Church, Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. Next we took a funicular ride to the Upper Town where we saw the castle-like Le Château Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace, one of the best known landmarks in Québec. At this stage, we were at a high point and had a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River, the Île d’Orléans, and the Laurentian Mountains. Next we discovered Artists Alley, Basilique Notre-Dame, Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the Québec Seminary.

Because of the draw bridge being up for most of the afternoon, the shuttle buses were not on regular schedule so we ended up walking back to the ship instead of riding.

Overall, Ginni and I have walked over 14K steps today so our feet were ready for a rest. We decided we needed a “veg out” night so we stayed on our veranda and had room service bring our evening meal to us. Temperature was warm and it was neat to see the skyline of Québec light up as the sun disappeared below the horizon.

Because of having an early tour in the morning, we ordered our breakfast to be delivered to the room. Lights out about 11:00 pm.

Sunday, September 20th: Got up before 7:00; while Ginni was in the shower, our breakfast was delivered. Once both of us was ready for the day, we sat down for our meal. After our meal, we got all the stuff we wanted to take on the tour gathered and headed for the bus. The tour was labeled “Countryside of Québec & the Sugar Shack” with guide Richard. We enjoyed the French Canada’s spectacular countryside as we drove into the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains to the Lac-Beauport area. First stop was at the shoreline of the lake for a photo opportunity.

Next we arrived at Montmorency Falls which is 1 1/2 times as high as Niagara Falls as it cascades down a 272-foot cliff. Before experiencing the falls, we had morning coffee and pastries at the elegant Montmorency Manor which is perched at the top of the falls. Before taking a cable ride to the bottom of the falls, Ginni and I shopped in the gift shop and walked the wooden platform to the falls where I took some pictures. At the bottom, it was clear where the water of the Montmorency River roars down the cliff to eventually meet the St. Lawrence River.

As we left the area, we stopped briefly at the little fall known as Bridal Falls named for a woman who was to be married but lost her fiancé to battle so she went over the falls in her wedding dress. Next we drove across the bridge to the Île d’Orléans (Island of Orleans) with its picturesque villages, and farmland. As we passed the tip of the island, we saw the beautiful 19-century resort homes of Québec’s merchant class and the fantastic views of Québec City skyline. We visited an authentic sugar shack where we learned about the production of maple products and were able to sample the sweet maple taffy.

Of course, there was enough time to visit their gift shop before loading the bus and heading back to the ship. Once we arrived at the pier, Ginni and I took our stuff to our suite and then had lunch at the Colonnade. After lunch, we checked our emails and while Ginni took a nap, I went for a walk and read. Since this is our last day on board, we got our luggage packed and ready for pick up.

We had a glass of wine in one of the bars before heading for dinner. We had packed all our dress clothes so we were meeting Mike and Liz for dinner in a more casual environment at the Colonnade. Dinner was filled with great food and constant conversation; an excellent way to spend our last dinner on board. Headed back to our suite, set the alarm for early rise, and went to bed.

Monday, September 21^st:  Got dressed for the day; we headed to the Colonnade for breakfast and lingered over coffee until our group was called for departure from the ship.

Disembarked, found our luggage in the terminal, and got in line for a taxi to take us to our home for the next two nights, the Hilton Garden Inn in central Montréal. Arrived at the hotel; it was too early to get into our room so we had our luggage stored, and talked to the consignee about possible tours. Signed up for a Gray Line motor coach tour “Heart of Montréal” for the afternoon. We also arranged for a limo and driver to take us outside of Montréal the next day. By the time we received and sent back the form with credit card information for the limo company, it was getting close to the time the bus was to pick us up for the afternoon tour so we journeyed down the street to a cafe that fixed us a panini and salad to go. Bus picked us up and we headed to the tour company office where we paid for the tour. Our driver/tour guide was known as Richard and he provided us with information on all the areas of Montréal; it is the largest city in Québec. Predominantly French-speaking, it’s set on an island in the Saint Lawrence River and named after Mt. Royal, the triple-peaked hill at its heart. Its 19 boroughs, many of which were once independent cities; we drove by such places as Bank of Montréal, Biosphere, Saint Helen’s Island, City Hall, and went into many of the boroughs. We had photo stops at Old Montréal and Notre Dame Basillica, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Olympic Stadium, and Mont Royal lookout for a magnificant view of Montréal.

The bus delivered us back to our hotel and we were able to get into our room. Minimal unpacking was completed and we set out to find a restaurant close by for dinner. Upon the recommendation at the front desk, we walked to Caffe E Cucina which is a bistro located a couple doors down from the hotel. The food was excellent and the owners very friendly. At the hotel, we stopped in the bar for a night cap and were appalled at the what we had to pay for a very minimal quantity. One thing we discovered quite quickly was the prices in the restaurant and bar of this hotel were double those of the surrounding facilities. Up to our room where we had lights out by 11:00.

Tuesday, September 22^nd: Our limo and driver were going to pick us up at 9:30 so we had time for a leisurely breakfast. We found La Crêpe 2 Go, a snug spot right around the corner from our hotel where the owner whipped up crêpes for breakfast. Moe, our driver for the day, picked us up and we were off. Our destination was Mont-Tremblant which is a year-round resort in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, about 80 miles northwest of Montréal. It is best known as a ski destination, but also features Lake Tremblant suitable for swimming and two golf courses in the summer months. The name of the mountain, Mont Tremblant, was derived from the local Algonquin natives, who called it the “trembling mountain.” The summit is at an elevation of 2,871 feet which makes it one of the tallest peaks in the Laurentians. We had spectacular views as we drove through country lanes that criss-cross the scenic landscape.

After spending time at the resort, we got back into the limo and headed for Saint-Sauveur; it turned out that our driver was taking us to an outlet mall for shopping. This was not something Ginni and I wanted to do so we found a place for lunch called Cage Aux Sports where we  split a sandwich and salad. Upon completion of lunch, we located our driver and asked him to drop us off at Old Montréal, a part of downtown Montréal that has been preserved in much of its original state, with the oldest buildings dating back to the 1600’s. We walked the boulevards and went through some of their stores but everything came across as junk and touristy so we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel. Since we had to get up quite early in the morning for departure to the airport, I took a shower before we went to dinner. Dinner was at Bellagio Ristorante, which served classic Italian veal, seafood & pasta dishes, and was located a couple blocks from our lodging. Both of us ordered one of the veal dishes and it was excellent!

Returned to the hotel where we packed our bags and got ready for bed.

Wednesday, September 23^rd: Because we go through US Customs at Montréal’s airport, we wanted to be there two hours early. Got up, dressed, checked out, and grabbed a taxi to the airport at 4:30 a.m. our time. There was no problem with checking in, going through security, and Customs. Did some shopping at the tax-free store conveniently located after Customs; every person had to walk through this area. There was no United lounge so we found a place to get a cup of coffee while waiting for our plane to board. No problem with the flight into Chicago; upon arrival there, we found a United lounge where we had a bowl of vegetable soup and cheese/crackers for lunch. My flight was scheduled to leave about a half hour before Ginni’s so we said our “good byes” and I headed to my departure gate. Got at the gate just as they were boarding first class so there was no waiting around. Flight into Cedar Rapids got in about 15 minutes early but Joe and Mary were there to pick me up. Retrieved my luggage, loaded it into their car, and we headed to Target so I could purchase some grocery items for home. Arrived home and was greeted at the door by Beauty and Cutie.

In summary, it was a good trip and I saw some beautiful country. The only negative is we should of departed on the adventure two weeks later in order to see the leaves change their colors but that did not take away from my overall opinion of a great trip!

I’ve always wanted to tour New England in early fall and my friend, Ginni, suggested we do a cruise around New England into Canada so we signed up for a 10-day adventure on the Seabourn Quest. We were leaving out of Boston and decided to go a couple days early to tour that area. The whole adventure was from September 9th until late afternoon September 23rd.

Wednesday, the 9th: I had a late flight in the morning which gave me time to take a long walk, do some chores outside, and last minutes tasks before Joe and Mary picked me up. No problem with check in and flight to Chicago. I was to call Ginni once I arrived in Chicago but had typed her cell phone number wrong so proceeded to the gate for the last leg of the trip to Boston. Met up with Ginni, settled on board, and had uneventful trip into Boston. Retrieved our luggage, grabbed a taxi, and went to the Westin Copley hotel which is located downtown Boston. Checked into our room, which was nice, and went down to the consignee desk to ask where there was a good local restaurant and he recommended Legal Sea Food which was within walking distance. Great atmosphere, excellent food, and expensive wine by the glass. Returned to the hotel and their bar where we had a nightcap among lots of noise.  Returned to the room, got ready for bed, and lights out around 11:00.

Thursday, the 10th: After sleeping in this morning, we got ready and walked to a local restaurant called Thornton’s for breakfast. We had gotten many high praises of this place but we did not see anything exceptional about it with okay food and slow service. We went to the hotel and purchased tickets from the consignee for the trolley Hop On/Hop Off tour. Number 8 stop was where we picked it up and rode the whole way around; it took about four hours. Places we saw: Trinity Church, Boston Public Library, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Fenway Park, Cambridge area with M.I.T. And Harvard, Beacon Hill/Boston Common and beginning of Freedom Trail, Boston Tea Party Ships, Boston Harbor, Paul Revere House and Old North Church, USS Constitution, Boston Bruins stadium, Faneuil House, Old State House, Boston Public Garden and Swan Boats, and the original Cheers bar.

It started to cool down and drizzle so Ginni and I decided to wander through the shops in an attached mall. Did not find anything we felt like buying so went back to the hotel to ask the consignee where we could go for glass of wine for under $10. We ended up at Clerys Bar and Grill; good service, good wine, great atmosphere.

Walked to Stephanie’s for an early dinner. We decided to order Lobster Pot Pie plus seared cod which we had each dish split in half so we could taste each one. Delicious food but too much! Went back to hotel and had some wine in the room while watching the NFL opening game between Pittsburgh and New England. Needless to say, the local folks were excited about this game because it was the opening game of the NFL season and Tom Bradley’s 4-game suspension thrown out of the court system. Settled in for the night; the Lobster Pot Pie did not like being in my stomach so I had a very unpleasant night.  Because we acquired free tickets, we plan on going to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum tomorrow before checking out around 1:00.

Friday, the 11th: Had coffee in our room before taking a taxi to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum where we had a scone and cup of coffee before taking the first tour. We were given a card with a name of someone associated with the dumping of the tea. Some interesting facts were stated but the play acting and length took away from the history telling and turned it into a tour suited for children.

Got a taxi back to the hotel where we packed, took our luggage down for holding while we went to lunch, and checked out. Had lunch at Au Bon Pain which was good. Returned to the hotel, retrieved our luggage, and grabbed a taxi which took us to the Black Falcon terminal where we registered and boarded our ship, the Seabourn Quest. Our stateroom is a suite and huge in comparison to the other ships I have been on.

There was a “pull away” party on two of the decks so we went for drinks and snacks. Came down to our room to dress for dinner. I was out on the veranda when an announcement was made that something was spotted in the water and we were going to turn around and take a look. It was starting to get dark; all of a sudden, we saw a light with a plume of smoke.

By this time, it was closing in on 8:00 so we headed to dinner. We were seated with a couple from London, Mike and Liz.  Wonderful company and food made for two hours of eating delight. Then we headed to one of the lounges where a group of singers were performing Bee Gees songs. During the performance, the caption announced over the intercom that a woman had fallen over board, was retrieved but did not survive. What a solemn moment! How her husband must of felt. After a nightcap, we went back to our room where we prepared for bed and a good night’s sleep.

Saturday, the 12th: Woke up and wondered where the coffee was that we had ordered from room service the night before only to discover our clocks had been changed by an hour the night before instead of this evening. Anyhow, coffee came which we drank and then prepared for the day. Overnight, we cruised to Bar Harbor and arrived there before we woke up.

Had breakfast and then took the tender into Bar Harbor. A little history: Bar Harbor was discovered in the 19th century by vacationers who had found the northeast coast. Summer mansions, known as “cottages”, were built by the ultra rich like Astors and Vanderbilts. Most of them were destroyed by fire in 1947 and the ones that survived became inns. There was an arts festival going on so we walked through it, went through many downtown shops which stocked all of the same thing, and grabbed the tender back to the ship.

Had lunch and, afterwards, talked to our room steward and found out the “overboard” situation the night before was a woman who was drunk and argued with her husband so she decided to end it and jumped off their balcony. This is the first time, after going on many cruises, this has happened so it made for much solemn thought. Rest of the afternoon was spent reading. Went up to Deck 8 to have a drink while we sailed away but the departure was delayed. This evening was formal night but we did not go because neither of us wanted to pack formal wear for one evening so we went to the casual dining room where we had dinner with Roger and Marsha, a couple from Baton Rouge, LA. Decided not to listen to the entertainment so went back to the room, had a nightcap, and lights out around 11:00.

Sunday, the 13th: Got up around 8:30, took a shower, and headed to The Colonnade for breakfast. A gentleman named Bob joined us. This is a difficult cruise for him since his wife of 61 years passed away in January and this is the first cruise he has taken without her.  Knowing what he was going through, I felt bad for him but understood his wanting to prove he could handle the trip on his own.  Since it was late by the time we finished breakfast, we did not have lunch. The ship arrived in Halifax before noon and it was interesting watching what the crew does in order to secure the ship to dock and get the gangway prepared for the guests to descend onto the dock. The local authorities came on board to give us clearance while two local artists greeted us with the playing of bagpipes.

Ginni continued to have problems with her iPad so we took it up to the specialists who got it to charge, we think. We signed up for the 3-hour tour called “Halifax: Past and Present”. Scots were given land rights to Nova Scotia in 1621 but they arrived in force in the early 19th century…some 50,000 Scots highlanders bringing their language, kilts, bagpipes,and place names with them. Halifax is known for its harbor with more than 20,000 people are employed on the shore front. There are 147 cruise ships that visit each year. Interesting note is Halifax is built on a bedrock of granite.  It also was very involved with the Titanic disaster because, after the sinking, the White Star Line dispatched the first of four Canadian vessels to search for bodies. The first two vessels to carry out this grim task were the Halifax-based Cable Ships Mackay-Bennett and Minia, which recovered 306 and 17 victims respectively. In all, 150 unclaimed victims were laid to rest in Halifax, forever linking the city to the vessel’s tragic tale.

We drove past the Pleasant Point Park which has many walking trails. As the ride continued, the tour guide gave us more details about the town and surrounding area. We arrived at the Public Gardens; very beautiful with flowers, statues, and large pond area. It is private land but the city maintains it for public use. After our walk through, we had about 30 minutes to explore Spring Garden Road which is known for the best shopping east of Montreal. Personally, I felt it was a very dirty, congested, and rundown area.

Got back on the bus and drove to the Halifax Citadel which is a National Historic Site. We arrived in time to see the changing of the guard, similar to the ones I’ve seen in France and London but not as big of scale. There was an hour given for us to wander around and view museum and video displays of what life was like for British troops who lived here in the year 1869 when Queen Victoria reigned and Canada was just two years old. The Citadel was active for two hundred years with it being founded in 1749 as a strategic base for the British Royal Navy.

More information about the Town Clock can be found at this link  Town Clock  The hour passed quickly and we boarded the bus for another 30 minutes of driving around with the guide pointing out various points of interest. Arrived back at the ship, boarded, went to our room to drop off items, and back to the IT folks because Ginni’s iPad still had not charged. They gave her a cable and charger belonging to them to try and told her to leave it on charge for the night. Got a small sandwich, cookie, and glass of wine at Seabourn Square. Once we arrived back in the room, we changed for the evening and rushed to the Grand Salon so we could watch the Amethysts Scottish Dancers, a local group which perform traditional Scottish Highland and National dances. Went to dinner around 7:15 at the Main Restaurant and were seated with another couple, Karen and Paul, from San Francisco. Very interesting couple; Karen has a MD in psychiatry while Paul has a PhD in the chemical field.  The meal was lamb chops and VERY delicious.

After dinner, we went to the room and decided not to go to any of the lounges for entertainment. Tomorrow we are at sea all day so no worry about when we have to wake up.

Monday, the 14th: Woke up about 8:30, got dressed, and went to breakfast. Once we returned to our cabin, I changed shoes and took off walking. After about 45 minutes, got back to the room and we went to Seabourn Square where Ginni returned the cable/charger ( her iPad still did not work) and we signed up for a tour at Gaspe, Canada. While walking, I discovered the Observation Bar on the 10th level so we went up there with our books and news sheet. Today we will be cruising all day on the Atlantic so time will be spent reading, updating my notes from yesterday’s activities, and relaxing. About 1:00, we went to the Main Restaurant for the Galley Market lunch where the entire food and beverage staff presented a culinary feast that was remarkable! Hot food was set up at various points in the kitchen so all passengers could get a behind the scene look of the kitchen area; all breads, salads, cold entrees, and desserts were placed in the center of the main dining room in colorful, unique displays.

What a feast! And we enjoyed it with Karen and Paul, Matt and Ginger from New Hampshire, and Chris (lecturer on the ship) and her husband Frank from Newport Beach.  Fun, wonderful conversation. Came back to the cabin where we plan to relax the rest of the afternoon. Both of us read and took an afternoon nap. At 6:00 pm, we stepped outside our door for the Seabourn Quest Block Party; we met our neighbors from around and down the hall while crew and staff passed by with canapés and champagne. It was a good time! We then proceeded to the Main Restaurant for dinner; we were seated with two other couples. They were only interested in themselves so it made for a long meal.  When it was over, we had a nightcap at the bar where a singer with guitar was entertaining everyone. Went to our suite and  prepared for the next day’s early tour on Prince Edward’s Island.

Tuesday, the 15th: Woke up early, took a shower, and headed to breakfast around 7:30. Took items from the buffet and had coffee before heading to the area where tenders departed. Arrived on shore at Charlottetown, Canada and boarded the bus for “The Best of Prince Edwards Island” tour which lasted all day. Charlottetown is the seaside capital of Prince Edwards Island and residents take great pride in their city with well-kept flower beds, manicured lawns, tree lined streets, and tastefully painted historic homes. It is known as the Birthplace of the Confederation. The island’s top industry is agricultural with tourism coming in third. There are 67 total lighthouses with 39 still active; it is famous for its landscape of red cliffs plus sandy beaches so the island is a popular vacation destination. Our first stop was at Confederation Bridge; an engineering marvel of over 8 miles opened in 1997 and known as the longest in the world. This bridge crosses the Northumberland Strait and connects PEI with New Brunswick. Potatoes are one of the top agricultural products so we were given a sample of the PEI chips. There was time for a little shopping and I found a Christmas gift for a friend. Next stop was Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silver Brush where the descendants of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the book, invited us into the old family farmhouse.  Lunch was served at PEI Preserve Company; an excellent lunch of chicken/broccoli crepe, lettuce salad, and raspberry cheesecake pie for dessert. After lunch, we stopped at a harbor where there is lobster trapping. Our guide showed us a trap and explained how the lobsters are trapped and brought to surface. This is a big industry for the area. We enjoyed the vistas of the North Shore and Prince Edward Island National Park.

Back to the harbor where we had to contend with people returning to board two big cruise ships through security. Because of these two big ships, we had to anchor and use the tenders instead of being able to walk directly onto the dock from the ship. Ginni and I went to the Caviar Sail Away party on Deck 8 where a band plus singer performed. Returned to our suite to dress for dinner and then attended the greeting for first time Seabourn cruisers. Met up with Mike and Liz; had a drink and the four of us decided to have dinner together in the main restaurant.

Another fantastic evening made up of excellent food and great conversation in a wonderful environment. We decided to return to the suite instead of joining folks for the evening entertainment. More great conversation between Ginni and I…then off to bed for a good night’s sleep.