Trip report

[C James]

I've been back since Sunday, but haven't been online much... Thye main reason is I came back with an unwanted souvenir; a bad head cold. I'm finally almost over it.

 

When I was getting ready to go, I left a bit of a teaser; I said I was going out to sea, and on a ship with the first letters of its name being A-t-l-a-n-t...

 

That was quite true. Unfortunatly though, it wasn't Atlantis, it was the Atlantica, of the Costa cruise line (An Italian line). I had a blast.

 

The trip was a bit of a change of pace for me; it wasn't overseas. It left from Ft. Lauderdale, stopping in Port Canaveral, Charlston, Baltimore, Norfolk, New York, Boston, Sydney (Nova Scotia) and Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) and ending in Quebec City.

 

The flight out was a redeye (overnight) and put me in Fort Lauderdale Airport an hour before boarding time. Checkin at the ship was a nightmare (pretty much always is).

 

Port Canaveral was fun... The port is due south of the space center, so from the ship I had a great view of the launch pads at Canaveral and, further north, Cape Kennedy. No launches that day, but it was a fun view.

 

I went eight miles down the coast on the beach, to Cocoa Beach (and I didn't stop in to say hi to Jim!). Cocoa beach is a town I spent several weeks in when I was in college, and for old time's sake I rented a board and spent a few hours surfing, even though the conditions weren't great (blown out and choppy).

 

At Baltimore, I couught the MARC train to DC and spend a day on the national mall, including a few hours in the national air and space museum. Loved it!!!

 

In Norfolk, Virginia, we were docked literally right next to the USS Wisconsin, an Iowa class battleship that's not open as a museum. Needless to say, I spent quite a few hours aboard. (I have an interest in military hardware, so it was a blast for me)

 

As we sailed away from Norfolk, we went right by the naval base, where I got some great shots of two Nimitz-class carries and a bumch of 'phibs and other Navy ships.

 

New York was great... I've been there before, but only for a few hours. This time was different. The ship docks in midtown Manhatten, so at dawn we sailed in under the Verrazano narrows bridge and up the Hudson. If you've seen the video of the jetliner that had to land in the Hudson last year, the security cam pics were taken from that dock, which is also right next to the USS Intrepid museum. It's a great location to dock; Broadway is about a ten miniute walk through Hell's Kitchen, and from there, it's maybe ten more miniutes down Broadway to Times Square. I had a blast sightseeing, and unlike most cruise stops, this wasn't just for 10 to 12 hours, the ship stayed for two days. I spent most of the time sightseeing (including at night... walking through Hell's Kitchen at 3am was... interesting) did some jogging in Central park, the whole tourist bit... I loved it. I usually dislike cities, but New York was fun to see.

 

I'll carry on with this later.. Right now, I need some sleep.

[rknapp]

You were in Times Square? Shit, that means they got the wrong guy! I had a feeling, but I didn't want it to be true...

 

*sigh* LAdies and Gents, I think the evidence is incontrovertible... CJAMES IS THE ATTEMPTED TIMES SQUARE BOMBER!

 

Also, you're a bastard. I was in the Air and Space Museum with John the weekend you started the cruise. You were a week too late! I liked it. He hated it, lol. I think the only thing he like was the display for the Ford Tri-Motor, where you stand on a vibrating platform, which simulates the ride of the aircraft.

[C James]

You were in Times Square? Shit, that means they got the wrong guy! I had a feeling, but I didn't want it to be true...

 

*sigh* LAdies and Gents, I think the evidence is incontrovertible... CJAMES IS THE ATTEMPTED TIMES SQUARE BOMBER!

 

Also, you're a bastard. I was in the Air and Space Museum with John the weekend you started the cruise. You were a week too late! I liked it. He hated it, lol. I think the only thing he like was the display for the Ford Tri-Motor, where you stand on a vibrating platform, which simulates the ride of the aircraft.

 

I was indeed in Times Square! However, as for the bomb... I have a perfect alibi: That bombmaker had utterly no clue how to build a bomb. Take a look at the equipment list or a bomb diagram; he had firecrackers as the detonators... nothing wrong there, but he had two alarm clocks as well, and guess what? he reportedly didn't have electrically triggered detonators, without which the alarm clocks are utterly useless. He also used fertilizer, still in the bag (and the wrong kind) as if just having it there would make AMFO explosive (normally made by mixing deisil oil or a similar long-chain hydrocarbon with amonium nitrate) Sweet, innocent me, on the other hand, knows how to make explosives and build bombs. I'd also know that, when using a disposable cell phone to purchase the vehicle, to, um, you know, actually dispose of the thing...

 

And BTW, shame on you for trying to blame me for something I didn't do! Isn't it enough that you sank the Ares!?!?!?

 

Besides, none of the security cameras noticed a goat with sunglasses in Times Square?

 

I didn't see that tri-motor display... and you might have some fun at John's expense by pointing out that the only thing he liked was the giant vibrator. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

 

I wanted to see the museum of natural history, too.. but that was closed for renovations. It was just fun to walk down the mall from the capitol to the Lincoln memorial, seeing all the sights... I was in DC on April 14th, which was a Wednesday, so it wasn't too bad for crowds. Unfortunately, due to the need to catch trains in and out from Baltimore, plus get to and from Baltimore's Penn station to the cruise port, I only had about six hours in DC. It was worth it though; I hadn't been there in years.

 

BTW, if you're ever in the area, check out the Nautica museum in Norfolk, VA. That's where the battleship Wisconsin is, and its well worth it IMHO. However, if you go, be sure to talk to one of the experts who volunteer there. I had a very enjoyable hourlong chat with a former crewman, regarding Tomahawk missiles.

[rknapp]

Funny how you happen to have such a detailed alibi at the ready. As we all know, you (the goat) are a master of misdirection. It's quite clear you used the chintzy bomb to distract local officials and the public while you planted one of your more sophisticated creations elsewhere.

 

Naturally you had on one of your disguises. Obviously you got your hands on the sunglasses Sonny gave to Frankenstein in "Big Daddy", in NYC, which made him invisible.

 

 

He was also interested in the carrier exhibit, where they had a video game type setup that allowed you to try to land on a carrier. He failed... miserably... poor baby.

[wildone]

Hmmm, I bet you are going to blame the cold on Canada (shhhhhh Linxe ).

 

Well I'm glad to see you haven't been implicated in the Time Square incident, or else we wouldn't have got the rest of Circumnavigation.

 

Before CJ comments on his next leg of the trip, I have it on good authority (my Quebecois spies) that he was spotted looking over some cliffs overlooking the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Don't believe any lies from the goat .

 

BTW, Welcome back

[JamesSavik]

The Times Square bomber road the short bus to terror camp.

[Drewbie]

I haven't been to the one in dc yet, but they built one in dulles six or so years ago. there's a bus service that takes you back and forth between the one in dc and here.

 

http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A19920072000

 

pretty big

 

cjames hooves got in the way of setting it up right.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Drewbie

[C James]

Funny how you happen to have such a detailed alibi at the ready. As we all know, you (the goat) are a master of misdirection. It's quite clear you used the chintzy bomb to distract local officials and the public while you planted one of your more sophisticated creations elsewhere.

 

Naturally you had on one of your disguises. Obviously you got your hands on the sunglasses Sonny gave to Frankenstein in "Big Daddy", in NYC, which made him invisible.

 

 

He was also interested in the carrier exhibit, where they had a video game type setup that allowed you to try to land on a carrier. He failed... miserably... poor baby.

 

Me? A master of misdirection? But, but, but... I'm almost as adverse to misdirection as I am to cliffhangers!

 

The carrier exhibit was cool... I loved it. My favorite things in the museum were the various missiles (the Soviet one with the three exposed warheads, to the left of the entrance, was of particular interest; I'd never seen that configuration before). The drones and other gear were great too.

 

And shame on you for trying to pin nefarious actions on me!

 

Hmmm, I bet you are going to blame the cold on Canada (shhhhhh Linxe ).

 

Well I'm glad to see you haven't been implicated in the Time Square incident, or else we wouldn't have got the rest of Circumnavigation.

 

Before CJ comments on his next leg of the trip, I have it on good authority (my Quebecois spies) that he was spotted looking over some cliffs overlooking the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Don't believe any lies from the goat .

 

BTW, Welcome back

 

Well, I will admit, there were a few cliffs along the St. Lawrence! That made it scary and nerve-wracking for the cliff-adverse (such as me) but it was very scenic!

 

After leaving Boston, the next stop was Sydeny, at the norther tip of Nova Scotia. The landscape and town reminded me of a larger version of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands; isolated and somewhat small, but comfortable and scenic. Charlotteville Charlottetown, Birthplace of the Confederation. (Original goof corrected by me, after receiving dire threats from the Great White North) was great too; a beutiful harbor, and a very nice city; not too big, and like most everywhere in Canada, very clean and well done. The people were very friendly, and I had fun talking to the locals.

 

I spent a day in Quebec City, and then drove from Quebec city to the Thousand Islands, mainly taking my time and sticking to the coast road (south of the river for the first half).

 

The Thousand Islands were great (and entirely cliff-free!). Some of the islands had houses on, in many cases just one to a tiny island (the islands were often as small as a small building lot). They had garages too; for boats; covered mooring slips.

 

From there, I headed for Toronto, where I spent some time in Eaton center, and then on to Niagara falls.

 

Niagara falls are spectacular... But also, sadly, partially ruined IMHO. They aren't in a natural setting; there are buildings all around. Also, some of the development is downright cheesy; Clifton hill (an area on the Canadian side, near the Rainbow Bridge) has the same kind of tacky, garish tourist traps (Ripley's exhibits, haunted houses, etc) you'd expect at Blackpool, UK. It looks right at the falls, too. Some of the high rises are casinos, and it adds up, on both sides of the falls, to a real eyesore IMHO. So too are some of the hotels on the US side, which have seen fit to turn their entire height into a huge digital light show and billboard, orientated so you see them when looking at the falls.

 

On the plus side, the riverfront on the Canadian side is park like in places, very nice.

 

I'm probably spoiled; I've been to Iguazu falls in South America, which is about a hundred feet higher. But it's not just the height, it's the setting; Iguazu is in a rain forest, with little development except for the walkways. IMHO, Iguazu is the most spectacular falls remaining on the planet. Niagra's Horshoe falls, on the other hand, are massive, and so powerful that they make the ground shake. Awesome sight... They aren't the largest uninterrupted curtain of water in a great fall (Victoria falls in Africa beat them) but Victoria is a long cascade into a narrow canyon' there is no way, other than from the air, to see it all. Horeshoe falls, on the other hand, can be seen spectacuarly from the Canadian or American side from a variety of angles. They can also be seen from the Maid of the Mist boats, which go right into the center of the maelstrom, so you're surrounded on three sides by the fury and power. (I highly recommend that ride.. if you do nothing else there, do that... )

 

Basically, if Niagara wasn't so built up, I'd say it's the most spectacular on earth. As is, I'd rank it second, and still well worth a visit.

 

However, Niagara has one glaring problem; misnamed island!

 

The two main falls of Niagra are the American and Horeshoe (Canadian). They are separated by an island, which is misnamed Goat Island. Why is it misnamed? Easy! Between the falls, the island has a vertical drop to the river below, just like the rest of the canyon. That is, of course, a cliff. And, as we all know, a goat would NEVER have anything to do with a cliff, so therefor it's just plain wrong to name an island that's half cliff "Goat Island".

 

Oh, and regarding geography; from Washington on north, I was confronted, time and again, with the utter devastation wrought by Canada on the United States. Devastation is an understatement; most of the northeastern US was bulldozed, right down to bedrock. Not even mountains were spared... It was horrific, even after all this time...

 

The entire landscape, everywhere you look, shows the signs of being flattened and scoured by the mile-thick bulldozer of ice, which originated in east-central Canada (it's name was the Laurentine ice sheet). It was a sneak attack, too... the Canadian government gave us no warning. I also suspect that they might do this again one day...

 

Also, when I was in New York, I was docked in the Hudson, right next to where the US Airways A320 had to ditch... I'll mention that that airliner was bought down by Canadians.. Canadians who were, in fact, flying in controlled airspace, and without pilot's licenses!!!

 

 

The Times Square bomber road the short bus to terror camp.

 

And attendees of terror camps are already in the not-so-smart bomb category. We can be thankful that he was stupid, but we dare not count on all attacks to be so inept.

 

I haven't been to the one in dc yet, but they built one in dulles six or so years ago. there's a bus service that takes you back and forth between the one in dc and here.

 

http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A19920072000

 

pretty big

 

cjames hooves got in the way of setting it up right.

 

I'd love to visit that one!!!

 

And blaming my hooves? For shame!

[wildone]

Well, I will admit, there were a few cliffs along the St. Lawrence! That made it scary and nerve-wracking for the cliff-adverse (such as me) but it was very scenic!

 

Oh my gosh, CJ has finally admitted that he was on the edge of a cliff even though it may have scared him After sooooo many years of him telling us that he'd never have anything to do or be near a cliff, he finally admits the truth

 

I think I have a new signature line

 

After leaving Boston, the next stop was Sydeny, at the norther tip of Nova Scotia. The landscape and town reminded me of a larger version of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands; isolated and somewhat small, but comfortable and scenic. Charlotteville Charlottetown, Birthplace of the Confederation. (Original goof corrected by me, after receiving dire threats from the Great White North) was great too; a beutiful harbor, and a very nice city; not too big, and like most everywhere in Canada, very clean and well done. The people were very friendly, and I had fun talking to the locals.

 

Lucky you made the correction, or the RCMP would have been filing a extradition petition for your fury little butt . I didn't know the locals in Charlottetown spoke goat . Oh and if it wasn't bad enough to misspell the birthplace of Confederation, it is Sydney, Nova Scotia

 

I spent a day in Quebec City, and then drove from Quebec city to the Thousand Islands, mainly taking my time and sticking to the coast road (south of the river for the first half).

 

The Thousand Islands were great (and entirely cliff-free!). Some of the islands had houses on, in many cases just one to a tiny island (the islands were often as small as a small building lot). They had garages too; for boats; covered mooring slips.

 

From there, I headed for Toronto, where I spent some time in Eaton center, and then on to Niagara falls.

 

How rude, Jack Frost stood out by the side of the river awaiting you for a week to take you on a tour of Montreal

However, Niagara has one glaring problem; misnamed island!

 

The two main falls of Niagra are the American and Horeshoe (Canadian). They are separated by an island, which is misnamed Goat Island. Why is it misnamed? Easy! Between the falls, the island has a vertical drop to the river below, just like the rest of the canyon. That is, of course, a cliff. And, as we all know, a goat would NEVER have anything to do with a cliff, so therefor it's just plain wrong to name an island that's half cliff "Goat Island".

 

Misnamed island??? See above reference where a goat admitted to hanging around cliffs. What better name for an island that ends with a giant precipice over the falls.

 

Oh, and regarding geography; from Washington on north, I was confronted, time and again, with the utter devastation wrought by Canada on the United States. Devastation is an understatement; most of the northeastern US was bulldozed, right down to bedrock. Not even mountains were spared... It was horrific, even after all this time...

 

The entire landscape, everywhere you look, shows the signs of being flattened and scoured by the mile-thick bulldozer of ice, which originated in east-central Canada (it's name was the Laurentine ice sheet). It was a sneak attack, too... the Canadian government gave us no warning. I also suspect that they might do this again one day...

 

You know us and our 20000 year sneak attacks . You never know when we'll start or even stop

 

Also, when I was in New York, I was docked in the Hudson, right next to where the US Airways A320 had to ditch... I'll mention that that airliner was bought down by Canadians.. Canadians who were, in fact, flying in controlled airspace, and without pilot's licenses!!!

 

Pardon me but that unlicensed pilot had full access air space at the point of impact. In fact, due to the murder of another Canadian (much like Instinct did in LTMP), we have lobbied the UN to file charges against the pilot of A320 of murder in The Hague.

Edited May 14, 2010 by wildone

[C James]

Oh my gosh, CJ has finally admitted that he was on the edge of a cliff even though it may have scared him After sooooo many years of him telling us that he'd never have anything to do or be near a cliff, he finally admits the truth

 

I think I have a new signature line

 

ACK! I didn't admit going near a cliff!!!! I said I saw them... and I did, from the river. I wasn't near them... as we know, a goat would never have anything to do with a cliff!

 

Lucky you made the correction, or the RCMP would have been filing a extradition petition for your fury little butt . I didn't know the locals in Charlottetown spoke goat . Oh and if it wasn't bad enough to misspell the birthplace of Confederation, it is Sydney, Nova Scotia

 

I thought it was Sidney, like the one in Australia... Yes, yes, i know they often misspell it "Sydney", but they are Australian, so one expects these things... (They even think July comes in winter, so go figure)

 

How rude, Jack Frost stood out by the side of the river awaiting you for a week to take you on a tour of Montreal

 

I didn't have chance to stop, but at least I have nasty things to say about the Montreal traffic.

 

Misnamed island??? See above reference where a goat admitted to hanging around cliffs. What better name for an island that ends with a giant precipice over the falls.

 

But, but, but! A goat would never have anything to do with a cliff, so surely naming an island that sits between two giant waterfalls and is half cliff "Goat Island" is a misnomer??

 

I think I should add some pictures I took, to prove my point!

 

Here's the Horseshoe falls, (Canadian falls), showing a Maid of the Mist boat heading for the heart of the maelstrom. To give a sense of scale, that's a big boat! Okay, the land to the left of the shot is the island misnamed Goat Island. As you can see that's a CLIFF!!!

 

Here's another perspective, this time from across the river instead of on it.

 

And here's a pic of Horseshoe falls, showing the rainbow in the mist.

 

I took all three pics, and let me tell you, I am 100% positive that there is a cliff on that island, and therefor, it cannot be truthfully named Goat Island!

 

You know us and our 20000 year sneak attacks . You never know when we'll start or even stop

 

Yes, it was dastardly! I'll point out that the Canadian government didn't even object!!!

 

Pardon me but that unlicensed pilot had full access air space at the point of impact. In fact, due to the murder of another Canadian (much like Instinct did in LTMP), we have lobbied the UN to file charges against the pilot of A320 of murder in The Hague.

 

AHHEM!

 

I'm afraid you are mistaken as to the facts of the matter; those Canadians were flying in controlled airspace. An active control zone (all major airports are surrounded by active control zones), to be specific. To fly in an active control zone, you need to hold a current pilot's license (they didn't), you must be certified to operate, and be flying, an aircraft with full IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) equipment (they weren't) and lastly, you must have filed a flight plan, activate it in the air via departure control, and be in contact with air traffic control, and finally, you must have a mode 2 transponder! They did NONE of these things, and as a result, a jet airliner had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson river!

 

I've flown, as pilot in command, in positive control airspace many times, including near some massive airports. I followed the above rules, and had I not, the FAA would have had my hide! Yet, your Canadian aviators utterly ignored all of the above regulations, and as a result brought down an airliner! How can you defend such actions? for shame!