Despite – or in spite of – the current ‘credit crunch’, my wife and I have been away on another cruise … this time to the Adriatic. The problem of connecting to the Internet from our ship – P&O’s MV AURORA – was the same as on our previous cruise, and yet again I have used my small laptop to create this blog ‘as it happened’
Day 1 – 14th August 2009 – Southampton
We boarded MV AURORA soon after one o’clock in the afternoon, and after having a drink and eating a small lunch we were able to go to our cabin to unpack. Unfortunately our luggage had not arrived, and we spent a rather fretful hour or so waiting for it to be delivered. It eventually arrived just before the safety briefing was due to take place, and we finally managed to unpack after ‘sail away’. The latter took place to the accompaniment of a small jazz band that played ANCHORS AWEIGH as we cast off.
Day 2 – 15th August 2009 – At sea
Most of the day was spent transiting the Bay of Biscay, which was very smooth. In fact it was so calm that we were able to ‘spot’ a large pod of dolphins that accompanied the ship for over an hour.
This morning I began reading a detective novel set in 1911. It is DEATH ON A BRANCH LINE (by Andrew Martin) and is the fifth in a series of novels about Jim Stringer, who works as a detective for the Railway Police in Yorkshire. I have already read the first four books, which are:
Day 1 – 14th August 2009 – Southampton
We boarded MV AURORA soon after one o’clock in the afternoon, and after having a drink and eating a small lunch we were able to go to our cabin to unpack. Unfortunately our luggage had not arrived, and we spent a rather fretful hour or so waiting for it to be delivered. It eventually arrived just before the safety briefing was due to take place, and we finally managed to unpack after ‘sail away’. The latter took place to the accompaniment of a small jazz band that played ANCHORS AWEIGH as we cast off.
Day 2 – 15th August 2009 – At sea
Most of the day was spent transiting the Bay of Biscay, which was very smooth. In fact it was so calm that we were able to ‘spot’ a large pod of dolphins that accompanied the ship for over an hour.
This morning I began reading a detective novel set in 1911. It is DEATH ON A BRANCH LINE (by Andrew Martin) and is the fifth in a series of novels about Jim Stringer, who works as a detective for the Railway Police in Yorkshire. I have already read the first four books, which are:
- THE NECROPOLIS RAILWAY
- THE BLACKPOOL HIGHFLYER
- THE LOST LUGGAGE PORTER
- MURDER AT DEVIATION JUNCTION
I liked your building purchases a lot . . . however when I buy things like that I often buy doubles because turned at a different angle (especially if a bit distant from its twin) they aren't recognizable as the same building.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless you made some good buys. Thanks for the travelogue.
-- Jeff
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI actually bought quite a few such buildings last year (about 60 in all) ... and could not remember which ones I already had, so I do have several doubles ... and trebles!
Because the buildings are painted by different painters, each has a few variations as well, so even next to each other they are not always obviously the same.
The Adriatic area had much less of obvious interest to the wargamer than the Baltic. I had hoped to visit the War Photo Museum in Dubrovnik and the museum dedicated to the defenders of Dubrovnik, but it was so hot and crowded when we were there neither my wife or I felt like joining the long queues at both locations.
Similarly, the fort in Corfu was open when we were there, but the humidity and heat were both very high, and there was little or no shade inside the fort. We both decided that we would visit the fort if and when we ever return to Corfu, but on that day it would have been so unpleasant that we would not have enjoyed the experience.
On the other hand, Gibraltar has so much to see that the time we had there was insufficient to visit more than a fraction of what is on offer. We will probably be going back there next year, and we hope to visit part of the tunnel complex if we do.
All the best,
Bob
For 25mm gaming, I have a bunch of those inexpensive ceramic "Christmas Village" type buildings.
ReplyDeleteI just repaint the roofs to cover the "snow" and they work great for 18th century games. And, by painting two of the same building's roofs different colors (and placing them at a different angle) they become different buildings.
Your Adriatic finds can actually serve in many different Mediterranean locals.
Good stuff!
-- Jeff
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI hope to catalogue exactly what I have sometime this weekend as I suspect that over the past two years I have bought a lot more than I realised!
I have seen the ceramic houses you mention, and very nice they look. I have not, however, found anywhere in the UK that sells them.
All the best,
Bob