"MAY INCLUDE RUM"..14 NIGHTS SAPPHIRE FALLS.. MAY `19 TRIP REPORT

[TwingleMum]

Hi Carole, thanks for the welcome. I am planning on staying on property in August ( I know terrible time to go soooo but the boys have school and can't go any other time. And really is there ever a bad time to go to US & WDW ?? I think not!!) Any hoo , I think I'd like to try Royal Palm Club Level. Can you give me the low down??? Are Club Level rooms in a specific area?? Is the Club and food available all day?? Is it worth it??? Sorry to bother you. Getting that excited planning , I need to know feeling

 

[lebeau]

Finally got to a place where I could catch up with your report. Enjoyable as always.

 

[snowwhite84]

I didn't think anything more until Tom nudged me......I looked over and this guy was rolling up his shirt and began strapping this tape around one arm and it was attached to "something"......now this alarmed me.....what was he strapping on to his body!!!! I shot up and got a clearer image of him.....he began putting what looked like a go pro on his body.....I was fully intruiged now and this arm strapping took ages...….then he began praying and nodding his head and body in full prayer. Now I was a little unsettled and spoke to the security officer.....he looked too as after a period of time the man began to unstrap the item and put his shirt on. He also had a jewish cap on his head now...….I guess he was just praying but not sure strapping something to your body is a good idea in an airport!!!! And at that he was gone......he was on the NY flight!! ​

So, my overactive imagination could simmer down to a panic now.....I`m a worrier and think of almost every type of incident that could occur....

Enjoying the report, thanks for so much info! Wanted to chime in and shed some light on this. This prayer practice is very common for orthodox Jewish men. The item you saw him use is called tefillen. There is a small wooden box that gets strapped to the forehead, inside is pieces of Torah scroll. A strap goes from that box at the forehead and wraps around the arm to the wrist at a pulse point, connecting the mind and heart. It is common to do this before a voyage, to pray for safe travels!

 

[Dynamoliz]

Thanks snowwhite84. I've never heard of this practice before either and would probably have had the same reaction as schumigirl. In my ignorance wouldn't have realized the guy was busy trying to ensure I had a safe flight! Very interesting.

 

[schumigirl]

Have a great Trip Carole. Enjoy the trip with your mother. I know I enjoyed the trip to Mexico with my mom. We had never done anything even remotely like that growing up. But my sisters and I are planning to surprise Mom with a trip to France to visit her sister who lives there for her 70th birthday. We will all go as a family to visit all of them. That's only 2.5 yrs away lol. Guess I better start saving now lol.

Wow...that spice shop> I could have spent a good amount of time and $$$ there. I just love little shops like that. They are little hidden gems that are such great places.

Your Mother's Day looked like it was a glorious day! That would have been a perfect day!!!!

Have a great trip with your Mom, and enjoy all the family time!!!!

Thanks Pumpkin.......we are having a lovely time, weather has been so good so far....and seeing family has been a joy! Glad Mexico was such a success too!

That sounds like a lovely trip for your mother!! France is beautiful, so many different areas and all a little bit different. It’ll be a trip to remember forever that’s for sure........it’s so difficult when family lives so far away......

The spice shop was a real favourite. Not sure how we missed it all the other times we’ve gone there......lol.......but will go back!

 

[schumigirl]

Carole I hope the trip goes smoothly, enjoy the time with your family!

Love, love, love, SF especially the pool area. It’s footprint seems huge compared to the other hotels onsite. Has to be far more loungers and appreciate how shade is not at a premium. The cabana looks very comfy and quite tempting now that I see one since we tend to spend so much time at the pools, especially on HHN nights. Only thing missing in my mind is the FOTL perk, really wish they’d offer it, even if they’d raise the rates a % to cover it.

That MD buffet looks impressive. Am i mistaken or did I see split “king” legs, a true rarity on any buffet these days.

It’s nice to see you have such a connection to the staff there.

Those crab legs were so good!!! And plenty of them.....they were replenished constantly.....that buffet was the best I’ve ever been too....and I’m not a buffet person usually, but the ones at the hotel are so good.....we always enjoy their buffet breakfast, but this was amazing!

Yes, you’d enjoy the cabana, it really was a treat to experience it.......and yes, the pool area at Sapphire is beautiful......I think it may just be my favourite of all the resorts........and yes, we adore the staff we know so well in both hotels......

Thanks, we are having a lovely time here in NY.......

 

[schumigirl]

Enjoying the report, thanks for so much info! Wanted to chime in and shed some light on this. This prayer practice is very common for orthodox Jewish men. The item you saw him use is called tefillen. There is a small wooden box that gets strapped to the forehead, inside is pieces of Torah scroll. A strap goes from that box at the forehead and wraps around the arm to the wrist at a pulse point, connecting the mind and heart. It is common to do this before a voyage, to pray for safe travels!

To the thread snowwhite84........glad to see you here.....

Thank you for the detailed explanation, appreciate that.......and thanks also to expatmama who also explained it a little further back.

For those who know nothing of this, it is alarming to see anyone strapping anything on to their body, especially at an airport, so I’m sure you can understand why it looked strange to those of us not of the faith.

In all my flights and times at airports in many years, I have never seen that before.

And yes, I’ll take anyone praying for safe flights!!!

 

[schumigirl]

Thanks snowwhite84. I've never heard of this practice before either and would probably have had the same reaction as schumigirl. In my ignorance wouldn't have realized the guy was busy trying to ensure I had a safe flight! Very interesting.

It is interesting isn’t it........oh it’s not ignorance, don’t think that way.....it’s just different........even some of the ground crew sitting beside us didn’t know what he was doing.....

And yes, my reaction is common apparently now I know of it......

 

[schumigirl]

Hi Carole, thanks for the welcome. I am planning on staying on property in August ( I know terrible time to go soooo but the boys have school and can't go any other time. And really is there ever a bad time to go to US & WDW ?? I think not!!) Any hoo , I think I'd like to try Royal Palm Club Level. Can you give me the low down??? Are Club Level rooms in a specific area?? Is the Club and food available all day?? Is it worth it??? Sorry to bother you. Getting that excited planning , I need to know feeling

We’ve gone in August......it’s definitely manageable.......and I agree, no bad time for a vacation........

Club Level at RP is very good......Club Lounge is in T3 on the 7th floor and rooms are usually on that level too. We are always in the 6th floor though, as we prefer that. You can be put there too but it’s not usual.......

Breakfast had lots of options, and then snacks at lunch....they are better now than before........but not worth coming back for......then between 4.30 and 6.30 they serve evening apps......one hot meal that’s different every evening, salad, crudités, veg, cheese and crackers.......and complimentary beers and wine. Hard liquor is available for a $5 room charge per shot.

Desserts are served 8pm till 9.

Whether it’s worth it or not is personal. We love the lounge and although we don’t use it for meals as we prefer to eat out around Orlando, it’s ideal for breakfast and relaxing time for us......staff are wonderful and so helpful if you need anything......they offer full concierge service too. I don’t think you’d regret going Club Level.....

Happy to help in any way......it is exciting planning any trip......so ask away......I’m still in New York right, so I apologise for taking longer to answer your post.......always glad to help.

 

[schumigirl]

Finally got to a place where I could catch up with your report. Enjoyable as always.

Glad to hear it........and always glad you are enjoying reading along.....

Will be back on Saturday so will hopefully get it back and running soon after........and can catch up with yours too........

 

[disneyAndi14]

Thank goodness you are on another vacation, I was finally able to catch up!
I love the Cabana and the brunch looked just wonderful and delicious

It was very hot in May!

I hope you are enjoying your trip to NYC with your mom!

GoT was not without much criticism this final season, I got to watch 1 episode with my son, We talked about it constantly, I wished we could have watched all the episodes together! I will miss this series for sure! Glad I took your advice and got all of them on blu-Ray, Can watch whenever the mood strikes!

 

[expatmama]

It is interesting isn’t it........oh it’s not ignorance, don’t think that way.....it’s just different........even some of the ground crew sitting beside us didn’t know what he was doing.....

And yes, my reaction is common apparently now I know of it......

Definitely not ignorance. In most Jewish communities in the states its not a common thing done in public. I wouldnt expect people outside the faith to know about it.

Living in the middle east is a whole different ball game!

 

[luvdisdogs]

I would have spent lots of money in that spice shop! Going to have to check it out.

 

[schumigirl]

Thank goodness you are on another vacation, I was finally able to catch up!
I love the Cabana and the brunch looked just wonderful and delicious

It was very hot in May!

I hope you are enjoying your trip to NYC with your mom!

GoT was not without much criticism this final season, I got to watch 1 episode with my son, We talked about it constantly, I wished we could have watched all the episodes together! I will miss this series for sure! Glad I took your advice and got all of them on blu-Ray, Can watch whenever the mood strikes!

Lol.......I can go on vacation again if you need to catch up again...... Oh my goodness that was a hot May wasn’t it! We loved the cabana and brunch day........it was so relaxing........

We’ve had a lovely time thanks.......but ready to go home and see my two guys now! But I do love Long Island and NY......I’m sure Tom and I will come back soon.......

Oh we plan to watch GoT from the beginning when we get home in October.........binge watch them again and enjoy them more second time around.......yes, there was some criticism but I think whatever they did it wouldn’t have been right for some people........I’m just glad the folks I wanted to survive did indeed survive.......well, except the King Slayer.......I like him!!!

Glad you’re still here Caroline.........

 

[schumigirl]

Definitely not ignorance. In most Jewish communities in the states its not a common thing done in public. I wouldnt expect people outside the faith to know about it.

Living in the middle east is a whole different ball game!

Thank you.......I’m out in LI right now and many folks haven’t heard of it either.......

I can imagine how different it is out there.......have never been there, only been to Saudi a few places that way........not for me.......

Glad to see you though.........

 

[schumigirl]

I would have spent lots of money in that spice shop! Going to have to check it out.

It was amazing!

Strangely we were in Port Jeff in Long Island today, and there was the same store as in Mount Dora, so I popped in and bought some flavoured peppercorns and a couple of spices..........beautiful store!

 

[schumigirl]

So, finally made it back home from New York...….

We had a lovely trip and enjoyed the City twice and various other places in Long Island while spending time with my aunt and two cousins and their families......they always make us so welcome.

Central Park, Rockefeller Centre and ESB were some of the highlights of one day in the City and seeing Come from Away was another.

We had some beautiful weather and a day and a half of rain, one of those days we had originally planned to be in Manhattan, so the weather changed our plans......of course that was the day the helicopter crashed in the City. Cannot imagine how scary that must have been for everyone around. And so thankful we weren't there.

But, think that`ll be enough New York time for a couple of years.....Tom does want to go back one day, but I`ve had 6 visits in the last few years, so it would mainly be to see family.

But, back home and back to normality again...….laundry all done which was difficult as we had to drive down to go to a wedding yesterday......that was beautiful and I was so glad we made it.

Time to start the trip report again...….if you`re still reading along......I`m so glad you`re still here.....it`s been a gap......I much prefer to finish it in a timely manner and not drag it out, but the trip to NY was lovely.........

So, new post up soon...…...

 

[J'aime Paris]

Welcome back Carole! Glad the trip to NY was a success!!!

 

[jump00]

Glad you are back safe and sound Carole! “Come from Away” is so near and dear to our Canadian hearts-glad you loved it! Can’t wait to read the rest of your report

Brenda

 

[angryduck71]

Yay! You’re back. Seeing Come From Away locally this season at home. Too bad we always miss each other by like a month. Going to NYC in a few weeks.