Caribbean Cruise Day 6: Traveling Again

We rolled out of bed really early this morning so we could grab some breakfast in the Windjammer before hauling our fattened carcasses off the ship.

We picked the "Express Departure" option which means you get to carry your own luggage off the vessel. The express folks get to disembark at 7:30am instead of the 8:30 or 9am for the rest of the passengers. We were concerned about making it through customs and to the airport in enough time for our flight.

Turns out, we had nothing to worry about.

Our plane from Fort Lauderdale had to come in from Tampa. But it had mechanical trouble. So our flight back to Tampa was delayed by more than an hour. Thankfully, we had enough layover scheduled to still make our connection.

We're home again. Sad to see the trip come to an end... but it's nice to be back in our own bed... and we have plenty of photos and memories to share.

Caribbean Cruise Food

Overall the food on this trip was pretty incredible. We stuffed ourselves just about every day (and night).

I gained about three pounds... somehow, Daniel lost two pounds.

We will definitely try to recreate some of these delectable dishes at home!

Caribbean Cruise Day 5: At Sea

Nothing to do today.
Nothing on the agenda.
A totally lazy day at sea.
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.



We slept in (which for us is about 8:30) and grabbed tea on Deck 6 and some breakfast in the Windjammer. Then we headed for the Solarium pool. It's the quiet, grown-up's pool with no music, no rowdy pool games or belly-flopping contests
and an oddly-intriguing South Asian theme.

We picked up towels and plunked down in a couple of deck chairs for the morning. With a cup of tea, a nice book on tape (Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol), and plenty of sunshine, we were ready for the day. Somehow, even sitting in the shade for a few hours, I picked up a pretty good sunburn. Imagine if we'd been in the direct sun that long!

See? A delightfully lazy day.

After a quick lunch at the buffet, we went back to the cabin to chill out and, eventually, get ready for dinner.

Our last dinner on the ship was just as fabulous as the others.





Roasted Peach Soup
Double Duck Consommé
Lobster Tail with Garlic Shrimp
Prime Rib (we made our own "surf and turf")
Thai Chicken
and a whole dessert sampler with a chocolate cake to die for.

Vivek and Jorylin, our waiter and his assistant, actually seemed sad to see us go. I think they had a good time with us. And they were wonderful. Jorylin even asked if she could give us hugs. She was sweet.

The sunset at sea was absolutely gorgeous and we even had some big thunderstorms to watch off in the distance with some spectacular lightning. We will be sad to pack up tonight. It's almost time to leave. It's been really great!

Caribbean Cruise Day 4: Belize

We jumped out of bed early so we'd have time to grab some tea and breakfast. We discovered a coffee house on Deck 6 that was masquerading as a kind of Starbucks. The tea and coffee were much better than anything being served in the Windjammer or the Dining Room. We still had to make it quick.

Our shore excursion group was scheduled to meet in the Orpheum Theatre on Deck 5 by 7:30am. We had to get passes for the tenders to take us to Belize City. Because of the reefs around Belize, the cruise ships have to anchor a couple of miles off the shore and smaller tenders ferry everyone to the docks.

In the theatre, one of the coordinators started handing out round, purple stickers as "passes" for the tenders. A young woman and I were standing in the aisle, waiting for the man to turn toward us so we could get our stickers. Suddenly, an older, red-headed woman who was standing behind us, put her head and shoulders down, almost doubled-over, and rammed between us to get in front of the guy with the stickers. The young woman and I were stunned. We just turned looked at each other. "Wow," was all she could say. We got our stickers moments later. Again... this is the class of people on the ship.

We were on the first tender to the Belize shore. As soon as we got off the boat, we were escorted to an air-conditioned bus and our two-hour journey to Xunantunich began.



Driving through Belize City and into the countryside, you begin to see just how poor this country really is. Shacks line the streets of the city and dot the landscape in the rural areas. They're dilapidated and many look as if they're about the collapse. But there is fresh laundry hanging on the line, sometimes struck across the front door. Someone lives there. This is home. This is life in Belize. It's really kind of depressing. But when it's all you know, maybe it's not quite so bad.

We drove past the capital, Belmopan, but didn't actually drive into the city. It's the world's smallest capital city. The US embassy was recently moved there from Belize City, 53km away.

Our guide was full of information about the country. She is very proud of her homeland. She told us about the country's founding in 1981, its history as British Honduras, all about the different climate zones on our journey and a little bit about the cultures in the area... but nothing about the extreme poverty flying past our windows. She yammered on and on for more than an hour as we trundled down the road.

Eventually, we passed through a little town called San Ignacio. The Xunantunich site is only a few miles past it. Within a few minutes, we arrived at a ferry landing just west of town, surrounded by souvenir vendors hawking their wares. A flat-bottomed, hand-cranked ferry took us across the river to the next set of vans that shuttled us up to the actual site.



Xunantunich (shoo-nahn-TOO-nich) was a center of great wealth and the home of some of the area's Mayan elite. There were huge homes and plazas, areas for trading, and even a court to play ball games. (Usually, the games decided whom to sacrifice or behead.) The largest structure on the mountain is a 130-foot tall pyramid-like tower called El Castillo. Today, it's still the second-tallest manmade structure in Belize. The friezes on the east and west sides are incredible.

Our guide prattled on and on about the mahogany trees before finally turning us loose on the site. She gave us 15 minutes to climb El Castillo and explore the entire site. 15 minutes! We traveled two hours each way to see this place... and we only get 15 minutes?! Are you kidding?!

We practically raced up the steep staircases to the top of the structure. Breathless, at the top, we were able to see the entire Xunantunich site and an incredible panorama. It's less than a mile from the Belize-Guatemala "adjacency zone" (the actual border is in dispute). There are no railings to mar the ruins so everyone going up the sides and visiting the top is taking a bit of a chance. One small misstep and you could tumble more than a hundred feet down the side of the rocky structure. You wouldn't survive. We made of point of not getting too close to the edge and hanging on to anything we could on the way down the steep stairs. It was a little scary... but definitely worth the effort to get up there.



After our guide showed us the "ball court" near the base of El Castillo, she told us we could stop to see the small museum on the grounds and head back to the basecamp for the vans to take us back to the ferry. I broke from the group and raced to the other side of the compound to check out some of the other ruins. Don't think anyone else from our group got to see them. Made a dash up a set of ancient stairs, checked out the smaller structures and still had just enough time to see a little of the museum.

Our bus took us to a tourist trap restaurant near San Ignacio. There were already half a dozen tour buses there by the time we arrived. And the place was much too big for the locals to support on their own. It was a "marimba lunch" just for the tourists. Traditional beans and rice, chicken and plantains served to live marimba music. We had four different kinds of habanero sauce! Outstanding! Then back on the bus for the two-hour ride back to Belize City.



We knew it was going to be a tight schedule. We had no idea just how tight. The ship's captain and crew had warned everyone repeatedly that the last tender would be leaving Belize City at 3:30pm sharp. We left a couple of people behind in Key West and at least one in Cozumel. You don't want to be left behind in Belize. Dan kept an eye on the time as we drove through the countryside. It was going to be really close. We arrived at the docks at 3:27pm. We just barely managed to make it onto the tender before it pulled out. Thank goodness we didn't stop to look in any of the shops or we'd have missed the boat!



Dinner was amazing again. We gorged. Again. And it was all tossed back with a tasty pinot noir.



Potato and jalapeño soup
Cranberry and mango soup
Beef and Veal Tortellacci
Shrimp and crab salad
Beef shoulder medallions
BBB (Bailey's, Bananas and Brulee)
Mango Sorbet and salsa

After dinner, we took a walk around the ship. It was another beautiful night with plenty of stars (if we could block some of the ship's light pollution, it would be even more incredible.) And then stopped by the Schooner Bar for "martini night." We miss Fireball, our personal bartender at home. She makes the best libations ever! The drinks were much better when we stopped at the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 11. It has a great view from high above the ship.

With beverages in hand, we meandered back to the cabin to watch a little E! before drifting off to sleep, ready for tomorrow's Day at Sea.

Caribbean Cruise Day 3: Cozumel

We can feel the ship rocking a lot more today. The seas don't really look any rougher, but you can definitely feel it. We need to develop some sea legs!

Turns out the Windjammer Marketplace buffet is a whole lot better than the main dining room for breakfast. After yesterday's sub-par, early-morning dining experience, we decided to just hit the do-it-yourself smorgasbord. The food was much better and we weren't waiting for unenthused staff to bring out small, cold dishes. The food at the Windjammer was hot, tastier and much more fulfilling. We saw some of the people we had breakfast with yesterday... apparently, they came to the same conclusion.

Our tour left from the end of the pier but it took us a while to find the little Mexican guy with the cowboy boots and a tiny little sign that said, "Horseback Rides." Turns out, his name was Christian, and he made it a really great day.



The ranch, Rancho Buena Vista, was a 20-minute bus ride (thankfully, air conditioned) past some of the beaches to the southeastern part of the island. The Cozumel version of "jungle" is mostly low scrub with plenty of gravel and sand. It's not exactly the lush, high-canopy, tropical version of "jungle" that you usually visualize.

Christian sized us up and loaded us onto horses. I was on Serrito (Sorrito? Cerito? Cerrito? Serito?) and Dan was on a horse named Nemo. After getting all the riders on their horses (you're not allowed to get on or off without the cowboys' help), we set out to see some of the Mayan ruins scattered around the ranch. Most of them are either recreations or have been moved from where they were discovered. But there are a few things out there that might actually be real.



We stopped at a cave that was allegedly used as a temple for the Mayan god of fertility. It was a natural cave that had been carved out of the limestone by the elements. Millions of years of hurricanes and wind-swept sand can do some pretty incredible work.

After visiting the cave, we had the option to gallop back to the ranch's cantina. We gave it a good try... but most of our horses weren't having it. They just weren't interested in a full gallop with a bunch of fat-asses on their backs. Serrito and I managed to get up to a descent trot and Nemo actually put on a good show. Then we loped back to the cantina for some free Coronas.

A few tropical thunderstorms started to bubble up on the north end of the island just as we were leaving the ranch. We drove through them as we headed back to the pier. We never actually got wet... but we hear the folks in town got soaked. Hee hee hee.

We stopped for a late lunch at the Windjammer. And should never have eaten that much that close to dinnertime. Ugh. Still, we were determined not to pass up another amazing dinner!



We had the same servers again tonight, Vivek Chauhan and Jorylin Hudson. We made reservations specifically for one of their tables because they were so great last night. Plus, we just weren't all that interested in having dinner with another set of strangers and trying to make worthless small talk all evening. It was much better to just enjoy a lovely dinner for two.

Jorylin suggested another great bottle of wine. This time a Chilean merlot. Wonderful choice.

Scollops and Risoto
Strawberry Bisque
Lamb Shank/Leg
Garlic Tiger Shrimp
Hot Chocolate Cake
Tiramisu

We were sooooo stuffed. I almost felt sick. So full.

So we took a walk around the upper deck then rolled ourselves back to the cabin to relax.

Caribbean Cruise Day 2: Key West

This is the third time in Key West this year! Yay! Love this place!

The ship pulled into the pier by 7am. We were up early to grab some breakfast before heading off to the island. Breakfast in the main dining room was (a) very slow, (b) served by a less-than-interested staff and (c) just not very good. I've had better (and much faster) Eggs Benedict in mediocre diners in Columbus. Thank goodness we were already planning to have brunch with Jill and Sandy.

One of the things we've noticed after an evening of exploring the Enchantment of the Seas is that, even though it was built in 1997 and stretched 75 feet in 2005, it screams 1989. The decor and the music are at least 20 years behind. And the wear-and-tear is really starting to show. It's time for a full rehab to bring it up to date and make it a little fresher.



We ran into Jeff again on the pier. He was kind enough to snap a few pictures for us. He seems like a nice guy. And he's traveling alone so we kinda feel a little sorry for him. We suspect he thought there were going to be more "opportunities" for singles on this excursion. Unfortunately for him, he says even the "singles mixer" in the Viking Crown Lounge turned into more of a couples mixer.

We bolted from the pier and walked down Duval Street, all the way to the Southernmost Beach. Almost nothing was open. As Dan pointed out, Key West is known for its nightlife, not its breakfast. Why the cruise ships bother to stop here and leave before mid-afternoon is just baffling. You miss some of the best entertainment Key West has to offer!



We ran into Jeff again when we got to Southernmost Beach. He tagged along as we stopped at the Butterfly Museum. And then we all decided it was time for a cool, tasty adult beverage. Sure, it's 9:30am, but this is Key West! Mudslides and bloody marys at La Te Da were just the ticket. The outdoor bar is the perfect place to tie one on before heading off to breakfast. Lushes.


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We made plans, a month ago, to meet Jill and Sandy at Sarabeth's restaurant. It's a wonderful little place run by a New York-transplant named David Case. The food is just phenomenal. As we arrived, we noticed all the patio chairs stacked neatly near the wall. Wouldn't you just know it?! Sarabeth's is closed on Mondays AND Tueadays. Aargh. We actually ran into David and told him we had been looking forward to breakfast for weeks... and he was very flattered... but didn't offer to open for us. LOL

He suggested a place called Azure somewhere near Margaret and Fleming. But we couldn't find it. So, we went to Harpoon Harry's... which is delightful in its own right.



It was great to catch up with the ladies over breakfast. They are just as busy as always. But time flies when you're having fun... and in what seemed like no time, we had to head back to the ship.

We made it back in plenty of time to get through security and relax a little bit before departure time. Not everyone was as fortunate, turns out. Shortly after we set sail, right on the tail of the ship Carnival Imagination, the captain announced we had left two people behind at Key West. "I hope they have a wonderful evening in Key West," he said. The ship sails at 2pm sharp and waits for no one. LOL

While Dan took a nap, I wandered the ship a bit. The $10 sale in The Shops was laughable. The Art Auction was selling crap (and I use the word thoughtfully) for more than $1000. Ugh. There is no accounting for taste (or lack thereof). I ended up in the Deck 6 Centrum with cup of tea, looking out over the vast Caribbean, writing this post on the iPhone. It's actually very relaxing (for everything but my thumbs).



We made reservations for dinner. It's formal night. And we will have a table for two, at the windows, for sunset.

Dinner was wonderful. A table for two, looking out over the open water and the sun setting in the distance. Our beverage hostess suggested a nice Cabernet to go with dinner. (Of course we went through the whole bottle.)

Escargot drenched in garlic butter and smothered in Parmesan cheese
Shrimp cocktail
Beef Filet medallions
Crispy roasted Duck
Strawberry cheesecake
Grand Mariner Soufflé
Coconut cake

The evening production was in the Orpheum Theatre. It was called "Stage to Screen" and was a one-hour medley of songs from Broadway musicals that had later become motion pictures. West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Chicago, etc. The kids were fine. They were energetic and enthusiastic. But they had absolutely no idea what they were singing about. It was just notes and random words with no emotion, no conviction, no passion. They sang about desperation, murder and loneliness with exactly the same beaming smile that accompanied being Hairspray's "nicest kids in town." The show was fine. Look, people who are good enough to be on Broadway are on Broadway; they're not slumming it on a second-rate cruise ship.

And speaking of second-rate... OMG... there are some really uncouth buggers on this boat. Some guy and his out-out-control kids and friends sat right behind us. First of all, the rest of the world doesn't need to know that he had to go "wash the boys 'cause they were stickin' together" after someone spilled wine in his lap. Secondly, we really didn't need the stench from his nasty, gassy ass wafting through the aisles during the performance. Aaargh! Gross! Seriously, the class of people who cruise these days (at least in the Caribbean) has taken a real nosedive.

After the show, we wandered up to the top deck to see the stars... then headed off to bed.

Caribbean Cruise Day 1: Getting There

We are on our way!

Now, to be honest, I really don't like flying Southwest Airlines. But more often than not, Southwest's schedules are better and the prices are far lower than the other "traditional" airlines. Plus, Southwest is making a profit. As far as I know, that makes it fairly unique in the airline industry. Southwest just seems to get it. Our flights from Columbus to Baltimore and Baltimore to Ft. Lauderdale were both full to the brim. Not a single empty seat on either flight. Why don't other airlines learn from Southwest's example?



We made it to the ship with plenty of time to spare... despite an unscrupulous cabbie who took a totally circuitous route from the airport to Port Everglades. Pretty much doubled the cost of the fare... and then had the nerve to be angry when I refused to tip him.

We had lunch on board in the 9th-deck Windjammer Marketplace. The buffet was very nice. As expected. And we were really hungry anyway.

On our way to check out our cabin, I heard someone call my name. It was the fabulous Mary Ellen Hardies! Great to see her, even if it was just briefly. She was traveling with a friend and they were expecting lots of fun ahead of them.

Mary Ellen and friend had a stateroom on Deck 8. We, however, were in Steerage. Deck 2. The lowest passenger deck available. And our "stateroom" was the last door on the port side... all the way aft. Yep. All the way down and all the way to the back. Last. But we didn't feel any of the swaying of the ship... it was very stable down there.



Dinner that evening was in the main dining room. They sat us with a couple of ladies from Scotland, some newlyweds named Brandon and Angela and a single guy named Jeff from Jekyll Island, Georgia. The conversation flowed easily and everyone was very friendly. We were in the center of the room so we saw the sunset from a distance.

The food itself was wonderful. Watermelon Gazpacho, prime rib and a pavlova for dessert. This is going to be a great trip for food!

We spent part of the evening exploring the ship. It may not be the largest ship on the sea, but there's a lot here! The stars were not all that spectacular tonight because there were too many clouds, but we did see a couple of shooting stars. That's cool.



Our cabin steward made a towel sculpture for us... not really sure what it was supposed to be... maybe a stingray? But instead it looked an awful lot like something x-rated. Oy.

There's a very interesting class of people on board. It seems that a lot of these folks just don't know how to behave in polite company. Perhaps cruising has become too affordable? If we do this again, we'll probably try a Mediterranean cruise.

Monday to Montreal

Labor Day turned out to be a grey, dreary day in Ohio; a great day to get out of town. Dan dropped me off at the airport and headed for IKEA in Cincinnati (the bedroom, pantry and kitchen projects continue).

The flight to Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport went smoothly enough. But it didn't get into CVG until after 10am, and I was in the very LAST occupied row of the plane, so it took a while to get out... and the Montreal flight was at the other end of another concourse (surprise, surprise). With instructions to board the international flight at least 45 minutes before departure, I was already late. But hey, at least I got some cardio in as I ran from the end of Concourse A to the end of Concourse B.

Turns out, it was all for naught. They changed equipment. That meant a gate change, too. When I got to the right gate, puffing and panting, there was no plane yet... and they had delayed the departure. Didn't have to rush after all. LOL

And, thankfully, we made it out of the airport before Air Force One arrived. The folks at CVG were preparing for lots of delays and re-routing because of the President's visit. Apparently, they have to divert all the aircraft in the region when Air Force One makes an appearance. We got out just in time!

And I have now discovered why it's so expensive to fly to Montreal. Our CRJ-200 aircraft has 76 seats. Only seven of them were occupied on the trip from CVG to Trudeau. The fabulous part of that is... disregarding the seat assignments and claiming an exit row all your own. The flight itself was sunny and smooth.

Doug picked me up at the airport. He drove up from Connecticut with a stop in Vermont to have lunch with Barb and Tina.

Of course, all of Quebec's road signage is in Quebequois. Yes, you can get by here in English because everyone is bilingual. But they much prefer Canadian French or Quebequois. (The French don't actually call what they speak here "French." The Quebecers vehemently disagree and believe that it is absolutely as pure as the European version.) In either case, it is absolutely impossible for my pigeon Spanish to interpret. I feel guilty every time I say, "Bonjour!" to someone and then can't continue the conversation. They usually smile sympathetically and switch to English with great pity.

After a quick lunch in the mall food court attached to our hotel, Doug and I wandered up Rue Ste. Catherine to the gay district. It's only about a 10-15 minutes walk. Monday was the last day of the Aires Libres festival (http://www.aireslibres.com/). The street is blocked off as a pedestrian mall for the whole summer. The restaurants build decks and patios out into the right-of-way and everyone enjoys the outdoor seating. It's a fun little area... but very similar to every other place's gay district. Old buildings, rainbow flags, lots of homos. Eh.

We met our friend David in the afternoon. He's about finished with his term as president of NLGJA. (I think he'll be really glad when it's over.) We hung out on the terrace at the hotel (with a few adult beverages) for a while because it overlooks the Art Museum. They were having a huge festival to celebrate the opening of a beautiful new park and plaza. Parade, dancers, drummers, fountains, etc. Then we headed back to the gay district for dinner. Italian. Horrible service. Really horrible service. But at least the food was okay.

For the record, this is a really attractive town. There are a lot of really good-looking people here. Maybe it's the European and Mediterranean lineage with beautiful, olive skin. Maybe it's just that so many of them are so impossibly fit, healthy and buff. We overweight Americans really stand out, almost as much as our accents.

Bilingualism in Montreal (and Quebec)

Even the homeless guys are bilingual here.

Canada is officially bilingual. All government documents most be printed in both English and Quebequois. Most Canadians use English as their first language. Quebecers, though, use their version of French as their primary means of communication. So, getting around in Montreal can be a bit of a challenge because all the signs are primarily in Quebequois.

At a restaurant or a store, the clerk or server will greet you in Quebequois and wait to see how you reply. They will instantly adapt to your preferred language. Everyone seems able to effortlessly switch between the two. Including the panhandlers.

David says he was approached by a homeless guy asking for money... in Quebequois. When David didn't respond, the man immediately asked again... in English. Very clever.

Tuesday Touring the Town

Doug, David and I jumped out of bed early today to go on the Grey Line tour of the city. After a quick stop at the always-bilingual Starbucks, we jumped on the bus and headed off for an adventure around Montreal.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame in the Old City was the first stop. We decided not to pay the CAN$5 to walk into the building. Brochure pictures seem really gorgeous, though. In hindsight, perhaps we should have gone in. Instead we enjoyed the plaza outside with the missing statue, the first Bank of Montreal, the first high-rise with an Otis elevator, and a native Quebecer in only his tightly-wrapped underwear, scraping the paint off his third-floor, turn-of-the-previous century windowsills. Yes, we have the pictures. And the tour moved onward.

We passed the original Molson brewery and the Six Flags over Montreal amusement park on our way to the disastrous Olympic Stadium. The guide said the former mayor was in all kinds of trouble for the hundreds of millions of dollars the stadium cost and the hundreds of millions of dollars is cost to replace the roof... twice. We took the funicular (for Pittsburghers, the "incline") to the top of the observation tower. Great views of the entire city.

The Biodome is right next door to the stadium. It's, basically, an indoor zoo. A dozen or so environments and their respective flora and fauna. Laurentian forest, tropical rain forest, woodland, ocean shore, Antarctic and even Madagascar.

A quick lunch at the Botanical Gardens before wandering through the Japanese, Chinese and rose gardens. The Insectarium is kind of interesting. A little creepy, but interesting. David and I managed to get lost in a greenhouse just before the bus was supposed to leave... but we found our way out just in time.

A quick trip to nearly the top of Mount Royale gave us another panoramic view of the city then we headed back to the hotel for a little nap.

Napping was cut short by a knock at the door. Geoff is here! We had some time to catch up a bit whilst he was unpacking. It's great to see him again... especially since we really only get to see each other once a year. David's partner, Gregg, had an arduous trip to get here including a two-hour bus ride from the airport. So he was ready for a Big Girl drink by the time he arrived.

On our way to Chinatown for dinner, we scoped out the IGA around the corner as a good place to pick up some beer and wine for the week... but didn't buy anything... yet. It may become a regular stop.

We found a local Vietnamese place for dinner. Family-style seating at long tables. it was Geoff's first experience with Vietnamese food. The summer rolls were delightful and dinner was a big hit.

Then we were off to the Village again for an evening's worth of entertainment.

Wednesday

We could do a little more touring around town. But, to be honest, what I've seen of the city so far strikes me as very similar to most large cities... except it's all in Quebequois. There are plenty of nightspots, impressive buildings, lots of historical places, etc., etc., etc. But I'm a little more interested in just hanging out with the friends that I only get to see once a year.

So, today has turned into a relaxing day by the pool. Geoff and I decided to hang out poolside and get some work done today while Doug and David are in meetings. Well, we use the word "work," a little loosely. Geoff is actually working on the panel he has to moderate tomorrow; writing the introductory remarks, formulating questions, etc. I'm just being a general sloth and writing what you see here. LOL

The orange mojitos, though, are delightful. Thank goodness the bar opens at 2pm and the adorable bartender speaks English with a charming accent.

Which raises a topic for discussion: Man, things are expensive here. Two mojitos plus tax and a very modest tip were more than CAN$27.00. Granted, there's the exchange rate to consider... but geeeeez! A Sapphire and Tonic runs about $9.50. A trip to the bars in the Village is a rather pricey endeavour. I'm going to have to pick up my own bottle at the liquor store or switch to domestic beers. Ugh. Just not a beer person.

The board had its first meeting this afternoon. Soooooo glad not to be on that schedule any more.

However, we are considering throwing an impromptu reception for the Board tonight. A quick trip to the IGA around the corner to grab some salty snacks, some beer and wine and viola! We have a party to kick off the convention!

Dinner is always a bit of an adventure at these events. It's a project to get folks together and out the door. No one wants to be left out or feel as through they're leaving someone else out. So the dinner excursions tend to be with inordinately large, unwieldy masses of people that restaurants dread to see coming in the door. Tonight, I was hoping to keep the group small and get out the door at 6:30pm. Keyword: hoping.

As usual, it was like herding cats. But we eventually made it out the door and headed for Old Montreal. It's a gorgeous part of the city with a distinctly Old World, European feel. The buildings are mostly stone, the streets are cobblestone and the restaurants are a mix of high-end and affordable.

We settled on a place called Montreal Poutine (poo-TEEN) (website?). We picked it because Poutine is one of those things you just have to try while you're here... and the prices seemed reasonable. It turned out to be a great, little outdoor patio, almost grotto style, nestled between and behind the old buildings.

Poutine is, basically, french fries smothered in a layer of mozzarella and topped with a thick, beef gravy. Combined with a bleu cheese burger, it was absolutely delightful! It's a heart attack on a plate... but it was delightful! You can get versions with smoked meat, mushrooms and onions, etc. Definitely worth trying!

After a lovely dinner and a lively conversation, we headed back to the hotel for a nightcap in David and Gregg's suite. They have the Vice Presidential Suite on the 12th floor. It overlooks the new plaza at the art museum and has a beautiful view of the downtown skyline and Mount Royale. We spent much of the visit mesmerized by the plaza's dancing fountains and light displays.

As an added bonus during dinner and most of the evening, military helicopters buzzed the city. They would fly in from the St. Lawrence, douse their lights, skim the tops of the buildings and then hover over our hotel. Turns out, they were using our hotel as an exercise for rescues from high-rise buildings. Yeah. Really loud during dinner and fairly annoying from the top floor of the Hyatt. They were finished by midnight, thank goodness.

Ahead and Behind

Canada is simultaneously 15 years ahead of and behind the US.

This country has long realized the inequity of marriage and now allows GLBT couples to marry (and divorce) just like their hetero counterparts. Taxes are paid, insurance premiums are calculated and inheritance doled out for gay couples just like straight couples. The US will get there someday.

On the flip side, Canada has nothing like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). No curb cuts. Lots of stairs with no ramps or elevators. Hotel is a perfect example. The locker rooms and sauna for the pool are down a narrow flight of stairs and around a tight corner. A chair won't get down there to the bathrooms.

Thursday Explorations

Geoff and I toured the town on our own today. We leapt up early to get a good start and have plenty of time.

Old Montreal was first on our list again. It's much better in the daylight! We explored some of the old streets with the chapels and markets. The Old Port is kind of cool but a bit run down. It could use some attention and a good sprucing up. A lot of the concrete is crumbling and falling apart, the waterways are dirty and it looks a little unkempt.

A quick walk up to City Hall and a short trip on the Metro took us out to the Isle de Notre Dame and within walking distance of the casino. We had a nice buffet lunch in the casino. On the way out, we asked one of the casino attendants if she would take a photo of us in front of the slot machines... but she said if she did, security would confiscate the camera. We passed on the photo. LOL

The souvenir shopping on the way back to the hotel was a little disappointing... except for the Montreal Poutine t-shirts. Turns out, they don't keep anything in stock. The t-shirt shop makes them on the spot, as you order them. You pick a blank t-shirt in the color and size you want, then they add the silk screen while you wait. Certainly makes sense from a stocking standpoint; they don't have to keep a huge inventory on hand that may or may not sell and don't need a lot of storage space.

We made a quick stop at the IGA to pick up beer and wine for the on-the-fly reception sponsored by "The Vice Presidents of Broadcast." Steinberg thinks that should be the name of a band. LOL

Geoff and I spent a little time just chilling in the room and relaxing after a long day of walking and walking and walking. A costume change was a necessity before we headed off to the Reunion Reception and the Welcome Reception. Both were nice. It's always good to see old friends and meet some new folks.

By the time we adjourned to the 12th-floor suite for the VP reception, we were already exhausted. But the attendance was good, the conversations were good and everyone seemed to appreciate the effort. Glad we did it.

Unfortunately, we never had a chance to actually eat. So, by 10pm, we were sitting in the hotel lounge ordering burgers and poutine. Oh and it's pronounced poo-TEEN. Seems our previous attempts at the pronunciation were actually a bit of a naughty word. LOL

Friday NLGJA

The LGBT Summit and many of the receptions were yesterday and last night. Today was the first full day of the main convention. It starts with breakfast and doesn't stop until well after dinnertime. The first meeting of the day was an opportunity to meet the candidates running for NLGJA's national offices. The breakfast plenary was, more or less, an introduction to Canada with a discussion of the differences between Canada and the US.

ABC News' Jeffery Kofman brought up a fascinating point. Canadians, he said, are much more focused on "peace, order and good government." Americans, though, are focused on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Fundamental differences in the way we approach the very basics of our societies. Americans are inherently more interested in the individual and that is reflected in our legal system, health care system and business community. The Canadian ethos gives much more weight to the good of the people as a whole. Each side certainly has its merits and issues... but perhaps Americans could learn a little something from their northern neighbors!

A panel on social networking and how journalists can use them as reporting tools was fascinating.

The lunch plenary was titled, "Obama: The First Gay President?" It was a discussion of the new administration and how well it has done on gay issues thus far. Candidate Obama made some impressive promises to the LGBT community. As president, not much progress has been made. Several of the panelists seemed to toss their journalist caps aside and take on a purely activist role. They are angry with the administration for not fulfilling all of the promises yet. In my opinion, they seemed whiny and pretty unreasonable. Like many Obama supporters they want all of the issues solved immediately. Their issues must come first. The struggle for LGBT rights has been going on for 40 years. A new administration, of any stripe, is not going to solve the problem in nine months while simultaneously dealing with a financial crisis, a couple of wars and a government left in ruins by the previous administration. Sure, someone needs to keep the issues on the radar, but let's have a reasonable timeframe expectation. If you don't have any progress by the middle of the second year, then perhaps its time to make a little noise to get things moving. But it's just too soon right now.

Afternoon sessions about online journalism and website design were helpful and, appropriately, interactive.

Court Passant led a group of us back into the village to a place called "Food." Sirius Radio's Michaelangelo Signorile was with us, too. And, actually, the food was pretty good. I had a three-course sushi dinner including miso and tempura for just CAN$25. Not bad!

NLGJA was sponoring an evening get-together at Sky, the bar next door to where we had dinner. Doug and I decided we'd had enough of the festivities so we went back to the hotel to hang out in the lounge and play with the computers... writing some of what you're reading now!

Saturday Seminars

The first panel of the morning was a plenary called, bravely, "Is NLGJA Really Necessary?" The general consensus seems to be, "Yes." (Mind you, it's a friendly audience.) We talked about how the financial situation has improved a little bit because of the fiscal responsibility of the board and the new staff. The session was live streaming on the web and at least four people were "live twittering." Comments and questions came in from the floor and from the internet. It was a good discussion. But there will need to be much more talk about how the organization needs to evolve in the very near future in order to maintain its relevance and to simply survive.

The next session, "Are 350 Friends Enough?" was all about growing and building your online community and how to use Twitter and Facebook as tools for reporting and for promotion. They had some really good ideas for blogging, too.

The lunch plenary was a riot. The panelists were all boisterous, plugged-in entertainment-industry types from Broadway, Entertainment Weekly and the Advocate.com. The discussion zigzagged from Adam Lambert's coming out (and how the media covered it) to why the media are "respectful" of Queen Latifah's lesbian partnership.

Unfortunately, the next panel (about writing quickly on deadline) was a little disappointing. A reporter from the New York Times was downright giddy about having called someone who lived near a breaking crime scene. Really? C'mon, this is Journalism 101. I've been using a cross-key to look up nearby addresses and phone numbers since I was an intern 20 years ago. Surely, the great New York Times has better reportorial tips than that.

Geoff and I sat in the room and chatted about the day's events... and a little gossip... before getting ready for the evening's festivities.

The "No-So-Silent Auction" is usually a great fundraiser for NLGJA. Many of this year's bidding items were hotel and B&B stays. The locations were really great but some of them had very narrow windows to sue them... and since I don't know yet how our vacation time will shake out next year, it was best not to bid on anything. In the live auction, a couple of restriction-free tickets on Jet Blue airlines raised about $1000 for NLGJA.

We decided not to follow the crowd out to the village again tonight. Instead, we hit a little pizza shop around the corner from the hotel and picked up a couple of pies to take back to the room. David and Gregg invited us up to the suite to munch... but we found a few dozen people already there by the time we arrived. It took an hour or so for them to disperse so we could drag out the pizzas and finally chow down.

It was great, though, to have some more time to hang out with my boys. Seemed like we downed the pizza in no time. The view from the Suite Vice Presidential is fantastic, looking out over most of downtown Montreal and the north and western sides of the city. But it didn't take long before we were all yawning and ready for a little sleepy time... well... except for a particular Chicagoan who strapped on his Calvin Klein boots for one more night in the Village.

Doug and I were sound asleep by the time he made it home. But told us in the morning that he met up with some other friends and had a really great time!

Sunday Getting Surly

Today was our first day with actual clouds. We've had bright, blue skies up 'til now. Looks like we're getting out of here just in time!

We were up relatively early again today. Doug had to lead a panel about a TV anchor in Miami who claims he was fired because he is gay. They were able to get the guy on the phone to do a live interview (way too expensive to fly him in for just one panel). Geoff and I weren't able to stay long, though, because I needed to get to the airport and Geoff was kind enough to drive me out there.

Being a little early turned out to be a great idea because we had to go through here instead of once we made it back to the US. Thankfully, both customs and security went smoothly. And, yes, Canada's version of the TSA also makes you take your shoes off.

I only had to wait a little while before boarding the plane. And it was MUCH more full than the flight up to Montreal. Turns out, several folks had to take the Cincinnati flight and transfer from there. The downside: I'm stuck next to a young guy who, apparently, doesn't believe in deodorant and there's a tiny baby in the same row. Egad.

I'm a little sad to be leaving Montreal because I've had a good time with friends I only get to see once a year. At the same time, I'm very happy to be heading home to see Dan, sleep in our own bed and stop living out of a suitcase. Montreal is what I'd call a "three-day city." There are plenty of things to do, lots to see, and some really great food. But three days is plenty of time to get the feel of the city and see the highlights. After that, it's either time to explore the surrounding area or move on. Without a car and some good directions, you're kind of stranded in the downtown area. The Metro will only get you so far and the Bixi bikes won't get you much farther.

I'm really ready to get home. And I've really missed my Daniel. A lot.

Air NZ Has Nothing to Hide

It's the greatest airline safety video... ever!

Air New Zealand's "Nothing to Hide Campaign" was, originally, about offering low fares. But the advertisements featuring airline employees wearing only painted-on uniforms caught on... and soon even became the onboard safety video for the 737-300 fleet.

It's called "The Bare Essentials of Safety."

It's worth a look! Kia Ora!

Air NZ's "Nothing to Hide" site includes some of the ads and a look behind-the-scenes: http://www.nothingtohide.co.nz/

"The Bare Essentials of Safety" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Mq9HAE62Y&feature=player_embedded

Pittsburgh - Day 3: IKEA and Interstates

Another sleep-in day! In bed until 8:15am! Woo hoo! Vacation rocks!

We headed over to the Strip District again this morning. We were determined to get into Deluca's. It's been featured on one of those cable-channel food shows (might have been Man vs. Food). The line was down the sidewalk yesterday. Today, we made it early enough to beat the rush. We sat right down and stared at a menu that went on and on and on. The food didn't live up to the hype. The chorizo had no flavor whatsoever. The breakfast burrito for which they are "famous" was bland, tasteless and soggy. Even the egg sandwich was mediocre. Very disappointing.

Today's highlight: IKEA! We made a brief stop at the Starbucks across the street to wait for IKEA to open... and then hit the store! Love that place! We found great ideas for the kitchen, the spare bedroom, the pantry and even the third floor. And at IKEA prices, it's doable. Might even save us the cost of a remodel!

The three-hour drive home was uneventful. Kind of a boring drive, really... not much to see. And glad to be home after a great weekend!

Pittsburgh - Day 2: Museums & Mac 'n' Cheese

It felt so good to sleep in! We didn't drag ourselves out of bed until 7:45am! Aaaaaaaaah!

Since we planned to be touring around town for the day, we decided to grab the car and go find some breakfast.

The Strip District was about ten blocks up the street from our hotel. It's Pittsburgh's old market-and-warehouse area. Many of the buildings have been rehabbed into restaurants and shops. There are some real treasures down there.

A place called Deluca's has a reputation for great diner food. But the line was out the door and down the sidewalk. Might have something to do with its appearance on a cable-TV show. So we ventured around the block and stumbled upon a place called "Pamela's P&G Diner."

It's an old service garage turned restaurant. The big garage doors are still there and it has a 50's-diner theme. The food was incredible! The raisin toast alone is worth going back for! We managed to get there just in time. By the time we left, the line was out the door there, too.

Our first tourist stop was at the Andy Warhol Museum. Actually, it's not far from where Dan used to live. To be honest, it was kind of disappointing. The Marilyns must be on loan somewhere. There were no Campbell's soup displays. The most-famous stuff was missing.

Then we were off to Oakland. It's the home to several of Pittsburgh's most notable museums and the University of Pittsburgh. The hard part is getting there!

Downtown Pittsburgh is very difficult for an out-of-towner to navigate. All the streets are one-way. In the wrong direction. And they're not alternating streets in each direction; three consecutive streets can be one-way in the same direction. It's even worse than downtown Columbus or Cleveland.

But we finally made it to the Carnegie Museums, specifically the Art and Natural History Museums. You can easily recognize them because Dippy the Diplodocus is guarding the corner. He's part of a 2003 museum fundraising program called Dinomite Days. Donors bought dinosaurs and decorated them. Many are still sitting around town.

We lucked out on the way in. A woman offered us her admission tag. She's a member and gets in for free. She had just let some friends in and was leaving. So she saved us a $15 entry fee!

The Gem and Mineral collection is one of the best in the world. Incredible specimens from across the globe. Even a display with a gieger counter showing a bunch of rocks you've never heard of... and how radioactive they are!

The dinosaur exhibit is not to be missed. It's very cool. They've even re-created a battle between a couple of T-Rexes. There's another diplodocus, an allosaurus and a stegosaurus or two.

To be perfectly honest, the Egyptian exhibit is kinda lame. There's plenty of great info. But not a lot to see. Apparently, there used to be a lot more on display... but, for some reason, they've downsized the exhibit.

The Hall of Architecture, though, is a sight to see. With an endowment from the Carnegie Foundation, the museum sent teams of casting artists all over the world. They made life-sized casts of some of the most famous sculptures, landmarks and architectural details on the planet. The front of an entire French chapel is there. They made a mold of the Venus de Milo. Athena. Parts of Notre Dame. Even columns from the Sphinx at Giza. Nothing like them can ever be made again... conservationists would never allow it! It's amazing they'll allowed it to happen in the first place!

Lunch at the Union Grill was yummy! When was the last time you had decent pierogies?!

We made a quick stop through the Heinz Chapel (well, outside 'cause there was a wedding going on inside) and at Pitt's Cathedral of Learning. Wow! It's amazing what some endowment money can get you!

The weather mostly held out for us today. It was beautiful. Just a few sprinkles. Some sunshine. Warm and humid. Not perfect... but a nice summer day. Good for an afternoon nap before heading out on the town in the evening.

Dinner was a "Six Penn," appropriately named for its location at the corner of Sixth and Penn. It's in the cultural district, near several live theatres. We were a little scruffy walking in... and the theatre crowd raised its collective noses at us. Whatever. The scollops melted in your mouth, the wine was delicious and Buffalo Mac 'n' Cheese and Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese were to die for! Yes, that's right, we had gourmet Mac 'n' Cheese! Yummy!

It was another long day. So we turned in kind of early. A good sleep was in order!

Pittsburgh - Day 1: Rain, Memory Lane and Fort Duquesne

Let the vacationing begin! We left at 7am, dropped the dogs off at the kennel, and headed for Pittsburgh.

The rain was intense. Thunder. Lightning. Heavy downpours. By the time we made it to Zanesville, we gave up and stopped at a Denny's for breakfast, hoping some of the rain would let up. By the time we were finished with our mediocre "slams," the downpours had settled to a steady rain and we headed out again.

Just for the record, never stop at "The Shenandoah" truck stop/restaurant/non-casino/motel to use the nasty, nasty bathrooms. Ewww.

The rest of the drive went smoothly and we drove out of the rain by the time we got to West Virginia. The trip through the Fort Pitt Tunnel is always spectacular when the city suddenly appears from the darkness. The bridges are beautiful and the downtown towers gleam in the sunshine.

Thanks to some Priceline dealing, we landed a room at the Westin for only $89 a night. They let us check in at noon and gave us an upgrade to the 21st floor! The view isn't great on our side of the building, but it's high! LOL

A few millennia ago, when the French still occupied Fort Duquesne (how in the world do the French spell anything?!), Dan went to the prestigious Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He hasn't been back since the Brits took over. [And, for that comment, he's now promising that I'm not any for a while. LOL] We went to have a look at the new school. In the past 20 years, the Art Institute has moved to a different building in downtown. It's a beautiful, older skyscraper with lots of character... and a dinosaur out front (it's their version of the concrete goose and they dress it appropriately).

We talked to the woman at the front desk and she gave us Guest passes so we could wander the building a bit. Dan said he felt like he didn't belong any more; it just wasn't his school any more. We bought some logo merchandise and set off to do more exploring.

The PPG headquarters is an enormous, glass, castle-like tower surrounded by a cluster of smaller towers. It's a major part of the Pittsburgh skyline (even though Starbucks didn't feel it was worthy enough to include in a skyline sketch on its souvenir mugs). We stopped to see the dancing fountain perform in the courtyard. But my favorite part was the Disco Dinosaur. Yes, a mirror-ball stegosaurus!

Lunch in the PPG food court was a disaster. Gyros seemed simple enough. Worst we've ever had. Didn't even finish them. They were THAT bad.

Then we found Dan's old school. The original location. He nearly cried. There's a Subway where the art supply store used to be and the upper floors look abandoned and run down. The neighborhood is totally different, too. We left and headed across the river.

Actually, we retraced Dan's old commute to school. Over the Sixth Street Bridge (now the Robert Clamente Bridge), past the new Pirates ball park, and up to what's left of the Allegheny Center. We walked right past the very first Carnegie Free Library, a spectacular stone castle with a beautiful clock tower.

And we found Dan's old apartment. Twenty years later, the puke stains are still visible where he once hung out the window. LOL

We breezed through the Children's Museum thinking it was an easy way to get to the planetarium. Not so much.

Off we went to Point Park, the place you see on all of the promotional shots of PGH. It is, literally, at the point where the Allegheny and the Monongahela join together to form the Ohio River; thus, three rivers. (It's fascinating to see the rivers come together; there's an actual line in the water.) But the park has fallen into severe disrepair. The reflecting pool is empty. The park is mostly fenced off. And the fountain that has become a city symbol... is turned off. Out of commission. And falling apart. Broken pavers and crumbling walkways. It's a mess. And a real shame.

Back to the hotel to get the car. We drove across the river to check out the inclines. The Duquesne Incline is the oldest. It's been in operation since 1877. And we even found Clark bars at the top! When was the last time you had a Clark Bar!? Wow! The view from the top of the hill is amazing.

At the bottom of the hill and down the street is Station Square. It's part tourist trap and part local night spot. We tried to steer clear of the touristy places and chains (the Hard Rock was our last-resort option 'cause it was the only one of the chains we don't have in Columbus) and find a local hangout. We landed at the Steelhouse. It was the best local option we could find down there. The flatbread pizza was okay and Dan's fish-n-chips were marginal. (This hasn't been a great trip for food.) But hey, we weren't starving by the time we left.

Gotta have an adult beverage when you're on vacation. So, on the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a gay bar called Images on Liberty Street. The drinks were electronically measured and really, really weak. At $6 each, you'd expect a little more alcohol in them. We didn't stay long.

After all the day's walking (we figure we did about five or six miles), the bed felt pretty good!

Here are more of the photos: