sjcubedofct said:
Capt, a family excursion to Europe would be great fun! Having been to Europe several times, I can't imagine visiting it on a cruise. In my opinion, Europe is best experienced on land, travelling to all the small towns, winding your way through the mountains- alps, really, and seeing what there is to see. Venice is a much prettier city when the cruise ships aren't in town.
But, I can understand also those who prefer to pop in for a day, since that is how I enjoy the carribbean. Either way, nothing beats seeing God's creation with the ones you love!!
Heck, we're taking the repo cruise to spend the SEVEN DAYS at sea on the Magic!
And then to wrap up with a visit to
Castaway Cay.... I'm smiling already!
Your reasoning and opinions seem sound. We've been to Europe a few times but never Italy or Greece yet. Never on a cruise yet - and rarely through the back country. We have toured by car, coach and rail getting exposure to smaller out of the way regions in France, Spain and the UK. As such this was enjoiable for the intimacy and unhurried pace. And I couldn't agree more about sharing a travel adventure with family and friends. The only rub is the extreme complexity in coordinating with more than one other family... let alone FIVE for Europe. We've done Europe and Asia with one or even two of the five for lots of trips but only once before have we had all five plus us on international trips. Sometimes I think what we need is someone to assert dictator powers in forcing coordinated action and committments. Our situation has too many would be chiefs among the indians!
And your approach to the repo is well founded. I was looking at this with our "group" and we felt the shore side activities were the primary focus.
DCL to me is a destination itself as opposed to the ports. Hence - our guaranteed satisfaction with sailing almost anywhere at prices that are easy considerations to us. To be candid, the Med prices are a bit stiff but worth the price for their "1st to do" uniqueness if nothing less. I would be doing it too if we were not already in the midst of a larger family plans founded on compromise for europe.
Yeah... 7 days at sea on the Magic crossing the pond will be memorable. That is another thing we have yet to do.... a transatlantic crossing on the right ship. Cunard sounds classic except I could do without the caste-like experience. LOL!
princessh:
Oh... I get it now.... on the massage thing.... so, now the loyal spouses and loving kids are viewed as baggage and train cars behind you ladies as the locomotives, eh? Heh-hee-hee... Well I guess from another persons' perspective "I" could be viewed as more maintenance than benefactor
sometimes.... and the kids can get to being a "handful" gone NUTS sometimes too. So - am I to presume this means all the guys get a chance to drop the kids off so we can all do what we want to do too? Not that we'd know
what to do without our dear spouses TELLING us what needs doing or what should be done! LOL! See? That's what happens to a nice guy after 22 years of brain washing from my spouse. She has me thinking "I know it all" .... only when she lets me! Yeah... I know counselor... I'm
pandering to the
jury. Clerk ... I move that we "strike" those last statements from the record!!!! LOL!
Well now.... enuf of that. We're in San Luis now safe and sound as usual
... and yesterday was punctuated with heavy rains and high winds but no thunder, lightening or near impacts with barely controlled cars bouncing off the guard rails. The return home should be a clear weather drive
this afternoon.
BTW... does anyone know anything about log homes by any chance? I've been looking at these charming things and just musing over what the likely real world advantages and disadvantages are. You know... it's a fair bit of change to committ to something without any fore-knowledge or heresay on whats good or bad from someone with impartial credentials. I have been casting about for forums and blogs of merit and found none so far. I've found many sitess but nothing of what I'm seeking yet.
Here are some pix...
the naturalistic details impart a fairy tale quality to these homes....
Note the carved bear's head beam... it's about 2' in diameter!
Thats a tree trunk post complete with the base of roots to the left in the foreground!
Another angle of the same room.
Out where we are we've watched a couple of these log homes (one was 9,000 feet with 3 bedrooms!) go up and they are (IMHO) nothing short of spectactular. I used to stay at a log mansion converted into a bed and breakfast in NorCal on business trips to one particular area and used to think it was really cool and relaxing. A good thing to help live a little longer it seemed. The advantages of these homes seemed obvious to me. The only thing was... what sort of problems are unique to these kind of homes? What of termite resistance (with cedar)? And in particular... what of durability against moisture and mold, etc. in a tropical area like the upcountry in Hawaii?
Oh well... I bet THAT pretty much qualifies as off topic - and unexpeected here!
TTFN....
most of the week. I wish I were cruising in 8 weeks, I guess I will have to plan some more weekend get away's to keep me satisfied 
