Little Lolly's Small Adventures: May 2018

In transit at Toronto Airport.

We arrived at Toronto Airport without any hassles. The wind speed helped our flight and we arrived 15 minutes earlier than expected. The problem was... our aeroplane had to wait in a holding area, waiting for a bay to become available. The internal flight bays seemed to all be full. In the end we got to a bay 20 minutes later. Now we are waiting for our next flight to be called - about half an hour to go!

Flying to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.

Arrival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a flight back to the Netherlands.

Route from Sydney to Halifax

The Maasdam was supposed to have docked in Sydney yesterday but strong currents and wind made docking unsafe. There are no tugboats in Sydney to help ships, in need, so in the end the cruise ship was turned around and we headed back out to sea, sailing slowly to Halifax.

Judy from Shore Excursions gave me a call to ask me to help with tour brochure collation and folding. Two others came to help but poor Karen (one of the band member's wives) was not feeling quite herself but after taking a Meclizine tablet for sea-sickness, she started to feel better and was soon back in fine form, helping with the folding. Judy did the stapling in the print room and the brochures were done very quickly.

In the afternoon I packed and then helped Paul, who has been extremely busy, to pack. We had dinner later than usual because he kept getting calls.

Mike, one of the doctors, organised 'Games Against Humanity' (a card game) in the Officers' Bar and Marizaan and Linda (nurses) had some nibbles organised. As the evening went on people came and joined in the game. It was a lovely evening which ended fairly late, when all the cards had run out.

We didn't expect to sleep in this morning because Paul is usually up early anyway. The telephone rang around 8.30am but only one ring and then cut off. We ended up getting up, opening the curtains to bright sunny skies. We had arrived in Halifax.

Paul had a few things to do things this morning, tying up a few loose ends. We said our goodbyes to the on board medical team and anyone else we bumped into. We had a late lunch after which we disembarked from the ship and waited for the transport to the airport.

Flying to Toronto from Halifax soon!

We eventually made it safely to the airport but it was sod's law that we got stopped at every single red traffic light on the way! We have checked in now and are waiting for our flight to Toronto.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Shelling a lobster & excursion: Island’s Finest: Anne, Lobster & Scenic Drive.

Friends joining us in our cabin for a game of "Werewolf"

Yesterday was a sea day. In between writing my blog I was able to help Paul with a bit of admin work. He's not only tidying up but also trying to sort out the filing system in his office which, in turn, will make things easier to look for as and when they are needed.

Last night we had a game of Werewolf and had a nice mixed group of people around to our cabin. We decided to make it more fun and asked them to come in their pyjamas or onesies. The medical team came in uniform because they had just clocked off for the evening but the rest came either in casual wear or in pyjamas. It was a fun evening with a few surprises during the game.

Arriving in Charlottetown, pier in the distance. Picture taken from
the Maasdam's on board camera.

Today when we arrived in Charlottetown it was cool with a threat of rain but nature took a surprising turn and later on the afternoon became bright and sunny again.

The Maasdam was late arriving in port so all the tours ran a bit late. It also meant that the cruise ship had to leave later than originally scheduled as well.

'The Bluff' within the national park. The red soil is beautiful, rich
in iron.

It was good to be back on lovely Prince Edward Island again and see a bit more of what the island has to offer. The tour I was assigned to was taken on a scenic drive through Charlottetown and into the countryside, passing amongst other places Rustico Port and Cavendish (which is situated within the Prince Edward Island National Park and where Lucy Montgomery - writer of Ann of Green Gables - grew up).

Green Gables House

We eventually ended up at Green Gables House. The Green Gables farm was owned by the MacNeill family who were cousins of Lucy Montgomery and Lucy visited the farm as a young girl which, in turn, inspired her to write about in her book "Ann of Green Gables". We had a bit of time to wander around the house and property, including the "Haunted Woods"and "Lovers' Lane" which were mentioned in Lucy's books.

It was getting on for lunch time and so we headed off in our tour bus to the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company which is owned by a Scotsman. The company's building is a former 1913 Creamery and has been turned into a preserve company. Initially it started off with making low sugar preserves and speciality food but it also now sells tea and spice. The property also has a restaurant and which is where we had lunch.

Lobster for lunch was one of the main highlights of the tour. Some people opted out and had something equally delicious instead. Instead of sitting with the guests I sat with the tour guide (Sandy) and driver (Cliff) - both of whom decided not to have lobster for lunch. And you will find out why in a minute.

Making and packing preserves

Lobster, not a lobster roll which is a bun with a bit of lobster meat in it. The lobster, the 'thingumy' with a hard shell, pincers, long feelers and tail. That was what I was presented with on my plate. The lobster stared at me from my plate, her tail curled underneath her as if she was resting a bit. I love animals and if she was alive I would have been ok with it perhaps holding her briefly before releasing her back into the water. But I cringed - I had to eat the poor thing. I know she was dead, cooked and ready to eat but I had to somehow get at the meat. How the hell was I going to get the shell off. I had been given what looked like a nut cracker and a long fork-like object. Again I cringed - I know she was dead but it was almost as if I could feel the lobster's pain if I were to peel her shell off.

(I remember when I was a young girl mum and dad took the family on holiday to Mombassa, Kenya, and whilst there, one day we had crab for lunch, The restaurant served the crab whole on a wooden breadboard, and we were given a small wooden 'club' to crack open the shell. The crab wasn't the problem because we were used to catching them and holding them by their carapace before letting them go. The problem was taking the shell off - because of thinking that the dead crab maybe could feel pain. Mum and dad ended up having to get the meat out of the shell for me. And I have had issues with peeling seafood ever since however I am slowly overcoming that problem. Except now I was presented with something a helluva lot larger!)

Sandy and Cliff both looked at me rather bemused. It was difficult for them to understand how I felt,but they tried to. They seemed to have a gut feeling that I was a novice at shelling a lobster so they talked me through it: which part to break off first and what to do next. Piece by piece, under the tuition of our guide and driver, I managed to dismantle the lobster's shell and retrieve the meat - including sucking it out from the legs. How do I know that the lobster was a female? She had eggs/roe underneath the back part of her carapace when I opened her up.

Charlottetown - lobster greeting near the pier

The meal was delicious but the whole process was very messy. However, it was well worth it in the end. We had been given plastic aprons/bibs to put on to keep our clothes relatively clean - depending on where sauce and juices splattered. I certainly made a good job of getting stuff all over me and the table - and that is why Sandy and Cliff had something else to eat instead. They did't want to make a mess of their uniforms!

After lunch it was a very happy group who boarded the tour bus back to the pier. Sandy kept the guests entertained with stories and history about Prince Edward Island and the places we passed. He even had photographs to show us - what the island looks like in different seasons. There was also an album of pictures from snowfall during the awful 2014/15 winter.

Route to Sydney, Nova Scotia

By the time we arrived back at the pier I was very tired so ended up having a nap. We had been due to meet up with Karen and Nick for dinner in the Canaletto Restaurant but the later departure threw our arrangements around a bit. So we all ended up ordering from the main dining room menu and having it delivered to our cabin, having a lap dinner instead. Karen and Nick didn't mind - as long as it filled hungry stomachs. And we enjoyed their company.

Tomorrow we arrive in Sydney, Nova Scotia, if all goes well!

PHOTOGRAPHS

'The Bluff' in the national park

House of Green Gables

Montreal & Québec, Canada.

Luggage traffic jam below the decks.

Yesterday in Montreal it was a turn-around port day for the Maasdam. So it was a busy day for staff having to see to disembarking guests, new guests coming on board, and the usual stocking up of provisions and getting the ship ready for the next cruise which is down to Boston, being a 7 day cruise.

Guests' luggage being dealt with - below decks.

The Maasdam is back in Québec City again after sailing up to Montreal and back again.

Montreal

Ongoing ship maintenance

Today I made arrangements to meet up with a friend. I had met Stacy last year when she had taken a group of guests on a walking tour, and I had gone with the group. We have remained in touch ever since so it was nice to meet up again under informal circumstances. With Paul's permission Stacy came on board the ship for lunch and I took her around the ship afterwards, giving her a chance to have a look around and get a feel of what it could be like to be a passenger. I also took her into some areas that passengers don't get to see - the laundry department, tailor's shop and more. It was nice to have a catch up session and see her again. Unfortunately I don't particularly like goodbyes but with about 10 minutes to go before the 'all aboard' time - well in this case 'all guests depart' time, we went down to the pier where we parted company. I know that the Maasdam won't be back in Québec City next year but hope I will bump into Stacy at some stage whether it be in Québec or somewhere else. Keeping in touch with friends, though, is important too!

The Maasdam's route to Charlottetown.

The Maasdam is now on her way to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and Paul will have to be up late to let the pilot off the ship. Tomorrow will be a cruising day - along the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I would like to say 'scenic cruising' but if fog sets in - it won't! At least guests can put their feet up and relax for the day, making most of what the ship has to offer in the way of entertainment, food, spa, gym, etc.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Montreal