World Tour 2024: Day 123 & 124 - CDG-DFW-HNL.

[WhyNot]

Hey CR, while I don’t comment on every thread I do read and thoroughly enjoy each entry. Thanks again and enjoy enjoy enjoy.

[PerryHall]

Hey CR, while I don’t comment on every thread I do read and thoroughly enjoy each entry. Thanks again and enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Yup. Great travelog.
I can't wait to see pics of your new pool once it's completed.

[Comrade Renski]

Hey CR, while I don’t comment on every thread I do read and thoroughly enjoy each entry. Thanks again and enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Thx. Appreciate that.

[ArtificialStupidity]

Hey CR, while I don’t comment on every thread I do read and thoroughly enjoy each entry. Thanks again and enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Thx. Appreciate that.

What if when you get back it is 1924. You lost 100 years traveling.

It will just be Perry and Rollo posting.

[Comrade Renski]

Ship uses 48,000 gallons of fuel per day X 112 days = 5,376,000 gallons / 3,040 passengers = 1,768 gallons/passenger.

I wonder how many passengers are concerned about climate change.

I dunno how many but I’ve run into them. If they are concerned they’re not showing it.

Last week we got two new table-mates (from Utah) that brow-beated us with ‘white privilege’. They were odd, very judgy. They have not come to dinner since. I see them on occasion, smile, wave. I think that pisses them off.

We got replacements; both are from Belgium. Nice people. Well mannered.

[surfinx]

Ship uses 48,000 gallons of fuel per day X 112 days = 5,376,000 gallons / 3,040 passengers = 1,768 gallons/passenger.

I wonder how many passengers are concerned about climate change.

I dunno how many but I’ve run into them. If they are concerned they’re not showing it.

Last week we got two new table-mates (from Utah) that brow-beated us with ‘white privilege’. They were odd, very judgy. They have not come to dinner since. I see them on occasion, smile, wave. I think that pisses them off.

We got replacements; both are from Belgium. Nice people. Well mannered.

You are supposed to check your white privilege in at the coat check. My guess is you let that freak-flag fly, didn't ya?

[FatMan]

Concerned about "White Privilege"? Boy did they get on the wrong cruise.

[MacCrimmon]

I'm guessing they were also as white as snow. You shoulda referred them for smoe mental health counseling ASAP!

[MacGyver]

Patiently awaiting pics from Quebec City.

You’re seeing more of Eastern Canada than I ever have.

[Comrade Renski]

I'm guessing they were also as white as snow. You shoulda referred them for smoe mental health counseling ASAP!

Yup. I doubt they would have the courage to say smoething similar to the many people of color onboard, e.g. black privilege, brown privilege, Indian privilege, asian privilege, rainbow privilege,...(?)

[Comrade Renski]

Cruising (Humanity) Update.

Many passengers disembarked in New York,...totally unrelated, over 300 MSC blue coffee mugs have gone missing. One room was found with 200 pieces of rotting fruit. It took two cabin attendants two days to clean the room. Other hoarding issues have been cited. Guess who be da perps?

There's major friction between the French and Chinese. One French lady called them "disgusting pigs" and added, "how can you eat like this, you are all a bunch of animals". Just this morning two Chinese were slurping & chewing on their food so loudly and disgustingly that it made Mrs. CR move a few tables over. I was not with her.

My theory - most of the Chinese passengers are my age and up to 20 years older (64 to 84). They lived during Mao's 'dynasty', 1949-1976. I would've been 17 when Mao died had I lived there. Their behavior en masse looks like they lived under extreme stresses of starvation. Hoarding would make sense. The constant rush to grab food, pushing people to get food, taking more than a serving also makes sense. There has been no let up in their behavior; the stress is ingrained.

The 2025 MSC World Cruise is sold out; 1,500 of the 3,000 passengers are Chinese. You couldn't pay me to be on that cruise. We currently have only 200 Chinese passengers. We know two people that have asked for a refund.

[ArtificialStupidity]

[Rollo Tomassi]

I'd like to put up some Russian immigrants against the chinkys for buffet behavior.

[PerryHall]

I'd like to put up some Russian immigrants against the chinkys for buffet behavior.

FOOD FIGHT!!!!!

[Comrade Renski]

Patiently awaiting pics from Quebec City.

You’re seeing more of Eastern Canada than I ever have.

Okay Mac, here ya go. Thx for your patience. We spent a full 3 days here, longer than expected due to an unfortunate event,...but that's for another segment. Instead of doing three separate days I'm gonna combine all three here, Charmy-style.

Day 95, 96, 97 - Quebec, Canada.

Chateau Frontenac, arguably the most photographed hotel in the world. So I was told. I think they are right.

Opened in 1893, the Châteauesque-styled building has 18 floors; its 79.9-metre (262-foot) height is augmented by its 54-metre (177-foot) ground elevation. It is one of the first completed grand railway hotels, and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981.



...so much so that I went out later that first night to take these lit-up shots.










Here again on the second day.


And here with the 800' toboggan slide in the foreground on Dufferin Terrace.




This shot is from atop the Citadelle du Quebec built in the 1800's. The toboggan slide is visible on the right.


This view is in front of the U.S. Embassy.


On our third day we took a short ferry ride to Levis to get a different view of the Old Town.






And a long view of Old Quebec from our ship.


Inside, the lobby.




The bar. They are known for their cosmos but the bar was closed due to a visit from the French PM.



The Montmorency Falls are just outside of town. They are taller than Niagra Falls.


Parliament, a very frenchie-french looking building.



On the second day Mrs. CR extend our walk from the Chateau to the Citadelle, built between 1820-1850.


We walk around the whole fortification looking for an entrance,...instead, we walked the high ground and got smoe great overlooks.


Old Quebec has the only ramparts of this magnitude north of Mexico. Construction began in 1690. They were built for protection from the 'Americans' but it was the British in 1760 that took over Old Quebec. Then it was the American's turn in 1775. The British regained control and expanded the ramparts in the 1800's..


St. Lawrence River in the background.


Samuel Champlain, he founded Quebec.


There are three gates to Old Quebec still in existence. This is Saint John's Gate (1897).




An Artillery Park flanks St. John's Gate.




Beyond the Gate is Rue St-Jean - shopping and restaurants. We pick Chez Murphy's for lunch.




I have the cosmo I couldn't get at the Chateau.





Near the Chateau is a funicular. We rode it once. It begins in a part known as Lower Old Quebec.


Lotsa shops and restaurants down this street, Rue du Petit Champlain.


Another shot on the third day. The rain and cold temps kept the crowds down.


The shops were definitely trying to get one's attention.













At the end of this street, on our final day, I see this sign and it dawns on me that I have not had any poutines while in Canada, eight days now.


So I have smoe. Sooo good!



Smoe street randoms. The rain really made the cobblestone streets pop.










This street was marked as 'The Cutest Street'.

Seen cuter.

This was good. Think maple syrup and whiskey, bam.

[Comrade Renski]

This paper mill on the north side of our ship reminded me of...


...this 1977 album.

[Comrade Renski]

Day 98 - St. Lawrence Seaway...

The unfortunate event that allowed us an extra day in Quebec is the cancellation of Nuuk, Greenland port of call due to numerous icebergs in the Labrador Sea. It's a huge disappointment for all. Many passengers got on in New York and now have two cancellations (Newport & Nuuk) before leaving the Americas. For those of us who embarked at the beginning in Spain, it's another in many cancellations - Israel, Suez Canal, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia (due to Middle East war), Senegal (due to yellow fever), Mozambique (due to winds & swells), Newport R.I. (due to Nor'easter), and now Nuuk (Icebergs).

Of the Top 5 destinations that intrigued us to pick this world cruise, three have been cancelled.

At 10:00 am the Captain briefed us on his decision to cancel Nuuk. He did the presentation five times in five languages. First presentation was to the english speakers (he got applause, which I thought was interesting). The French audience greeted him with boo's. One passenger in the Chinese group yelled out, "You're just a bus driver". Tough crowd, tough crowd.

The presentation was illustrated with maps, agency iceberg charts, predictions, current observations, and conclusion. It was a good presentation. Our new route across the North Atlantic Ocean takes out to sea via the St. Lawrence Seaway south of Newfoundland, not the Belle Isle Strait as initially planned since it's still iced up. We sail east for two days until we are clear of the iceberg safe line then sail north to Iceland. Smoe irony there, hey. Seven days at sea! A third port of call was added in Iceland, a place called Akureyri.

Current conditions are 37 degrees and fog, lotsa fog. The ship's fog horn has been blowing every 90 seconds for 14 hours! Waves are 4 meters high (that's 13'!). I'm impressed by all the old passengers navigating the halls and common areas with such rocking and rolling. Good on 'em. Barkley would have smoe difficulty, no.

[ArtificialStupidity]

At 10:00 am the Captain briefed us on his decision to cancel Nuuk. He did the presentation five times in five languages. First presentation was to the english speakers (he got applause, which I thought was interesting). The French audience greeted him with boo's. One passenger in the Chinese group yelled out, "You're just a bus driver". Tough crowd, tough crowd.

Captain will pilot a container ship on his next voyage.

[Comrade Renski]

At 10:00 am the Captain briefed us on his decision to cancel Nuuk. He did the presentation five times in five languages. First presentation was to the english speakers (he got applause, which I thought was interesting). The French audience greeted him with boo's. One passenger in the Chinese group yelled out, "You're just a bus driver". Tough crowd, tough crowd.

Captain will pilot a container ship on his next voyage.

So now's a good time to mention that this cruise is the Captain's final voyage. He's retiring in May.

[TRx]

Better safe than drowning in freezing water. Great pictures.