7/18/10 Mickey's Baltic Ballyhoo Part 6

[justmestace]

WOO HOO!!!! We get to have a mini-DIS meet on Saturday! And it's even with an honorary Ballyhooer!
Stacey (justmestace) and family are going to be in Seattle this weekend to go on an Alaskan cruise! We're going to do lunch and at least the Space Needle!
Try not to be too jealous, Barb! I'm promise we'll take pictures and think about you! Probably even talk about you!

I'm excited too!!! We won't talk about Barb too much.....
I decided today to go through everything I've already packed and take out half. Seriously! Besides, it gives me a better excuse to BUY stuff there!!

 

[justmestace]

...I completed the half moon walk in London the week-end before last. This half marathon took in the following sites:
Hyde Park
Wellington Arch
Buckingham Palace
The Mall
Treasury
Big Ben
Embankment - Somerset House etc.
St Pauls
London Bridge
The Clink
The Golden Hyde
THe Globe
Imax
Festival Hall
London Eye
County Hall
Lambeth Bridge
Parliament Square

Unfortunately as the event starts at 11pm everything was in the dark

Celestine

I have a question for you.....all of these places that you get to see everyday (almost) are so fascinating to those of us here, who have never seen them. There's so much more history there than there is in the U.S.
For example, we live in a small western tourist town. People come here all the time and just love seeing all the western stuff that we basically ignore....we just don't even "see" it any more. It's hard to have visitors come and think of places to take them, because it's the same thing we see every day, and to us, it's really no big deal.
So...question is....do you ever feel that way? Or is it just as interesting every time you see it?

 

[Marla Hellwig]

broke down and bought some new luggage today - lighter weight and fits international flying measurements

 

[mstinson14]

Just finished putting together all the fish extender gifts. Now, I have to make the actual fish extender

 

[Celestine]

I think you pretty much answered your own question....How old is the United States 1788 by the current constitution, I believe. The Kingdom of England goes back to roughly 927, 1083 years to catch up on at least.

You are right I work central London, but never even walk further than 100m from my office (park at work, as I commute by motorcycle).

Although you are getting there with Football (soccer) today on the radio I heard that 26 million americans play soccer, compared to 4 million in the UK although you did take a beating last night from Croatia. First game for England in the World Cup next month is against the USA and everyone here thinks that will be our hardest game. Great time for the game in the USA 19:30 GMT on Sat 12th will allow both coasts to watch you get beat. Ciders on me if USA beat us.........

I know loads of boring useless facts about London, for example when you look at Nelson's Column, his good eye is looking down the mall towards the little palace with the birthday cake outside (Buckingham) watching his ships. But where are the ships you ask.......look at the lampposts that line the mall and you will find them! Theres plenty more where that came from.

Celestine was born & brought up in North London and the strange thing is that she has been helping fellow Dissers, get tickets for the keys ceremony at the Tower of London. In the 30ish years she has been around, she has never been there herself!!!

There is some fantastic stuff in London and most of it like Washington DC is free (been 4 times work & pleasure) museums, parks etc...reading on here sometimes I wonder why people are doing certain things, but then each to their own. Example being Stonehenge, to me a pile of dead rocks standing up in a field near a major road, the more interesting story is how they got there?. Moved from Wales by the druids I believe, how they stood them up has been covered in many documentary. You cannot get anywhere near the stones anyway, I went there as a child with the school and was just as unimpressed then as I am now. Amesbury is a lot more interesting, Maybe I am just not cultured enough. Give me the Science or natural history museum any day, event the building is an amazing structure alone.

Paul DH of Celestine

I have a question for you.....all of these places that you get to see everyday (almost) are so fascinating to those of us here, who have never seen them. There's so much more history there than there is in the U.S.
For example, we live in a small western tourist town. People come here all the time and just love seeing all the western stuff that we basically ignore....we just don't even "see" it any more. It's hard to have visitors come and think of places to take them, because it's the same thing we see every day, and to us, it's really no big deal.
So...question is....do you ever feel that way? Or is it just as interesting every time you see it?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Firstly limited to one post tonight, rather unwell, we have had a nightmare of a week, and its still going South, now laid up with massive pains that came on directly at 5pm no warning at all, (then had a two hour trip home on the Tube).

Andrew I could feel your desire for a good indian meal throught the computer!

My wife & I both enjoy some good Chicken Tika Masala & Nan with Basmati rice not to mention appetizer's & desserts!

Sounds a good idea

Welcome aboard



Hope you are doing well too Andrew


I had Lasik done back in 2004. No pain for me, but my friend had some pain the first day and then it was gone.
Hope Celestine is feeling better soon
So glad I had it done


Wow, sounds great


thanks for the advice
Not a term we use in Virginia, but
Please let us know of any other terms we need to be careful of.


Wow, hope you get that passport soon



I would have loved to do that as well-but don't have the vacation time or the bank account for that.
Plus I have my hands full just planning this one


ouch
We're on bus 2...
What does he like for breakfast

Thank you Laurie

Ditto! Would love to have you on this trip Stace


Our hotel includes breakfast...so what kind of muffins?




Wish I had the patience to do a blog, let alone a live one. Looking forward to reading it as well Andrew


I'm reputable




Wow, hope everything goes well for your brother:


Thanks


I think that was me I found it on the top of a list of places that were close to the Tower of London. The menu looked good-definitely not the typical burger place. We might be there Saturday evening after the Tower closes.


Can't wait:



Gonna get the Oslo Pass as I pretty much know what we want to see-Viking museum, Kon Tiki museum, Fram, Akershus Fortress and Norwegian Resistance museum.
From what I heard it isn't too hard to find your way around

Good choice, I knew it was here that the question was asked.

Do you have signed affidavits to support that position?


OOOOH & I thought I was special!

On the subject of special (UK) ANDREW (though the US version is invited as well) anyone up for an Indian food dinner meet on Friday or Saturday?

This came to me this morning whilst talking with DW! (She loves Chicken Tika Masala!) said let the kids eat nuggets as Andrew suggests! then oldest DD chimed in she would give it a go!

Good Morning All!

Yes in.

Just finished putting together all the fish extender gifts. Now, I have to make the actual fish extender

Creative work. Well done.

 

[caven553]

Hope you get feeling better Andrew! Thanks to you and Celestine for the restaraunt suggestions.

 

[RJAYL]

Yes in.

On a different note Caro I just got spammed by someone claiming to be alanpapa & he is stranded in scotland looking for me to sent him some dough!

Do you know where Andrew is?

 

[RJAYL]

Hope you get feeling better Andrew! Thanks to you and Celestine for the restaraunt suggestions.

Yes feel better!

 

[mstinson14]

Feel better Andrew!!

 

[scrapycruiser]

Sorry you're ailing, Andrew ! Better now than July ! Feel better soon !!

 

[scrapycruiser]

broke down and bought some new luggage today - lighter weight and fits international flying measurements

We just purchased the Eagle Creek cubes and folders from backcountry.com

So excited...my OCD is coming out !!

 

[scrapycruiser]

Can somebody who is DIY in Oslo tell me which of the two sightseeing options you decided on? I am looking at either purchasing the HOHO pass which has a set circuit of stops, but no venue admission included OR the Oslo Pass? It looks like the Oslo pass gets you on all public transportation plus admission to a number of museums and other venues?
The advantage I see to HOHO is having a guided explanation of what you are seeing. With the Oslo Pass, you are on your own to get on the correct transportation to take you where you want to go, but your entry into that venue might be included. It also offers dining discounts as well.

What are some of you doing who opted for DIY?

We bought the Oslo Pass 2 yrs ago when we were in the Baltic. And did the same this cruise. It's so easy. The ferry to take you to the Viking Museum ,etc is right there ! We also used the city bus. Everyone spoke English. I personally have had bad luck with the HO HO's. Too full, one time the bus was full and it just passed us up. Waited almost an hour for another one.

 

[mstinson14]

Andrew or Celestine,
What are your reccommendations for transportation getting to Park Plaza Victoria from the airport on the 17th?

 

[Caropooh]

On a different note Caro I just got spammed by someone claiming to be alanpapa & he is stranded in scotland looking for me to sent him some dough!

Do you know where Andrew is?

I promise you that he isn't in Scotland. Yep, he got hacked, virused or whatever BIG time! Not sure what he's going to do, but I've got emails, phone call, FB messages all day. What a pain in the behind this is going to be.

 

[RJAYL]

I promise you that he isn't in Scotland. Yep, he got hacked, virused or whatever BIG time! Not sure what he's going to do, but I've got emails, phone call, FB messages all day. What a pain in the behind this is going to be.

Sorry to hear give him my regards tell him that I am glad to hear that he is not broke in Scotland without a passport!

 

[jilljill]

Andrew or Celestine,
What are your reccommendations for transportation getting to Park Plaza Victoria from the airport on the 17th?

Which airport are you flying into?
Last time we stayed there we took the tube from Heathrow. We've done that almost everytime we've stayed in London and don't mind schlepping our luggage.
This time we are flying into Gatwick and will use the Gatwick Express into VS.

 

[jilljill]

I promise you that he isn't in Scotland. Yep, he got hacked, virused or whatever BIG time! Not sure what he's going to do, but I've got emails, phone call, FB messages all day. What a pain in the behind this is going to be.

Sorry to hear give him my regards tell him that I am glad to hear that he is not broke in Scotland without a passport!

I was almost hoping he was stranded in Scotland as I was going to fly over there and help him out in person. Darn...missed out on a trip.

 

[jilljill]

My whiney brother's surgery went well yesterday. They kept him overnight since surgery was early afternoon and the doc felt it best for him to spend the night.


Tomorrow is DD's 16th b'day. We are heading up to NYC late morning for lunch at John's Pizza and then we are going to Peter Max's studio and to dinner with him and his wife. It's going to be a long, fun and busy day.

 

[MrsScooby]

Do you have signed affidavits to support that position?
Ummm, yes Where do I send them




On the subject of special (UK) ANDREW (though the US version is invited as well) anyone up for an Indian food dinner meet on Friday or Saturday?

This came to me this morning whilst talking with DW! (She loves Chicken Tika Masala!) said let the kids eat nuggets as Andrew suggests! then oldest DD chimed in she would give it a go!

That sounds like fun, but I think I'm the only one in my family that likes Indian food
Take pictures and hopefully I'll get there on my next trip.

Hi Marla

WOO HOO!!!! We get to have a mini-DIS meet on Saturday! And it's even with an honorary Ballyhooer!
Stacey (justmestace) and family are going to be in Seattle this weekend to go on an Alaskan cruise! We're going to do lunch and at least the Space Needle!
Try not to be too jealous, Barb! I'm promise we'll take pictures and think about you! Probably even talk about you!

Sounds like fun

...I completed the half moon walk in London the week-end before last. This half marathon took in the following sites:
Hyde Park
Wellington Arch
Buckingham Palace
The Mall
Treasury
Big Ben
Embankment - Somerset House etc.
St Pauls
London Bridge
The Clink
The Golden Hyde
THe Globe
Imax
Festival Hall
London Eye
County Hall
Lambeth Bridge
Parliament Square

Unfortunately as the event starts at 11pm everything was in the dark

Celestine

Wow
How long did it take you?
ok, gonna ask..why not the full moon?

broke down and bought some new luggage today - lighter weight and fits international flying measurements

What brand? I didn't even think to check the measurements of our luggage

Just finished putting together all the fish extender gifts. Now, I have to make the actual fish extender

cool
Not really the crafty type (I'm always last to finish in scrapbook class)-so I bought my FE on ebay.