Like many people, I am a lover of sherry. Sherry comes exclusively from the Jerez de la Frontera region of Spain, and lucky for me Rotterdam called nearby at the port of Cadiz. With the help of Cellar Master Frank, I arranged a trip from Cadiz to the Jerez region, about 45 minutes away. The… read more of “Education Takes…”
This summer I sailed on the Maasdam’s Voyage of the Vikings — a 35-day cruise which left Boston in late July and sailed to Rotterdam via Greenland and Iceland, then returned to Boston, visiting different ports each direction. Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though… read more of “Postcards from…”
They sometimes say “boys and their toys” — as the boys get older, the toys become more expensive. Well, here on the ms Zuiderdam we do it differently — it was girls and boys with toys, and these toys were definitely expensive. It was time for the crew of the ms Zuiderdam to head off… read more of “An Off-Road…”
On a recent visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the ms Maasdam, one of our shore excursions took us for a visit to Fairview Lawn Cemetery where 121 victims of the April 15, 1912, tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic are buried. As you see in the photo, the plots are aligned similar… read more of “Halifax Shore…”
Anyone heard of zipline? Have you “zipped” yourself? A friend signed me up not knowing what to expect. But since I am with other crew members, it will be so much fun so I never bothered to ask what it’s all about. I excitedly prepared myself and while going through the orientation I slowly started… read more of “Tarzan … Jane ……”
Jo Ann Taylor, manager for Holland America Line’s Mariner Society, sent in these photos and note from a recent cruise on Eurodam that coincided with Edinburgh’s famous Military Tattoo. Edinburgh’s Tattoo has nothing to do with the tattoo’s you put on your skin, its a pageant of bands from the world over. This year’s Tattoo… read more of “Postcards from…”
This week at Flam, Norway, the crew went on a very special shore excursion. It’s called the Flam Fjord Safari. I had arranged this as a special crew-only experience. The tour consists of an hour-and-a-half journey in what’s called a RIB, or Rigid Inflatable Boat. The boat is large enough to fit 20, luckily we… read more of “Exploring Flam on a…”
Zaandam called at Sitka, Alaska yesterday. This year is an anomaly economically and weather-wise. It is July in Alaska and the weather we had in May was both brighter and warmer. I am guessing mid to high 50’s today with gray skies and drizzle. The touring goes on regardless of weather and we are in… read more of “Kayaking in Sitka,…”
