Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
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lifting my face and gazing intently into the heavensโฆAnd giving thanks! ย ๐พ๐๐ ย ย ย
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โ๏ธ #24 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “The Model Ship”๐
May 2, 2020 
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ย After a fantastic 2 days in the Azores we found this new folded towel creature on our table. โHow do they do thatโ i said just staring and touching it? ย
โYeah i knowโ said Sarah โitโs amazing how they get the towels to do that and stay in positionโ.ย
Just then i had a brain waveโฆto show our appreciation for the great work our cabin steward has shown us, i will show our gratitude with a model of my own!!! ๐ย
I thought rather than using a towel i will go larger and use the whole bed, quilt, pillows and towels! As the towels are blueโฆthey can be the sea. The quilt can be the Thomson Dream and the pillows can be the big pointy thingy on top! ย
Having never attempted anything like this before, i knew it would be the thought that counts. I said to Sarah โYouโre going to have to wait outside until iโve finished, then you can open the door and see it as the cabin steward will see itโ.ย
Here Goesโฆ..are you ready???ย
ย After Sarah stopped laughing ๐คฃ , she said โItโs massive! I didnโt know you were going to use the whole king size bed?!โ I said โWell ships are big, and i didnโt want him to miss itโ. She was actually impressed with my first ever attempt. lol. ๐ช๐ผ ย
Now everything is set, itโs time to head out and relax with a nice latte at the Coffee Port. We also ventured out on deck being ensconced by blue sea.
We did meet up with the cabin steward that night and Sarah asked him โDid you like the big ship Steve had made for you?โ He said he didnโt see anything and just thought the bed was left in a mess!! ๐ย
Well at least WE all know what happened, and i hope my model ship will put a smile on your face instead!! ย ๐ย ย
Just 2 days at sea now until we reach Gibraltar!! ย ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 31 – “What is that??”
May 2, 2020 4 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
What is that??ย
Please comment below with your thoughts of what you think iโm looking at?! ๐พย
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โ๏ธ #23 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Sao Miguel, Azores”๐ฌ
May 1, 2020 0 Comments
ย After more wild blood sugar readings, no sleep and seriously nasty coughs, i was really looking forward to our excursion today. If you remember onย Day 7 Antiguaย we had 1 horse power each, but now i was hoping for lots more horse power in our 4×4! ๐ ย
4×4 Tour of the Western Edge, Azores(Excursion details)
If you want to get up close to Sรฃo Miguelโs dramatic landscapes, a 4×4 is the way to go. Once weโre all strapped in, weโll head off to the west side of the island. Our first stop is Vista do Rei. Translated, it means โKingโs Viewโ โ it was named after King D Carlos, who visited back in 1901 โ and the vista from here is definitely fit for a monarch. It pans across Sete Cidades, a massive volcanic crater thatโs glazed in greenery and, at the right time of year, baby-blue hydrangeas. Covering its base is a huge lake, split in two by the small bridge that crosses it, plus a picturesque waterside village. Weโll drive along the Pequena ridge to Sete Cidades village, stopping at Lomba do Vasco viewpoint along the way for a few snaps. Weโll have some free time to explore the village, before continuing our drive past Blue and Empadadas lakes. Weโll have one last photo op โ at Pico do Ferro viewpoint โ before making our way back to the ship.
With the excursion details in mind(seeย above), we navigated down the gangway and onto the dock. We quickly realised that the day wasnโt going to be as hot as every other day on the cruiseโฆas we were getting wet, and colder by the second! lol ๐ ย ย
Our 4×4 driver and tour guide met us off the boat(which was fantastic) and helped us into our Land Rover. Back when i was a panel beater my friend used to race custom Land Rovers with monster V8โs, and as usual i was letting my imagination get ahead of me, especially when the driver cranked up the engine and it was the disappointing sound of a diesel tractor! ๐ฆ Since iโve been blind and i use my ears to see cars, the engine noises are all i focus on! Sarah is quick to remind me as we walk into town back in Epsom that she really doesnโt want me to comment on every engine that drives by! lol, but she did acknowledge my disappointment with a gentle stroke on my arm. ๐ ย
โง Sarah and the 4×4 โง
Our first stop was Kingโs View which was really high upon the island, as we stopped and the driver asked us to wait in the car as it was chucking it down with rain, and the fog/mist was like a blankett covering all of the beautiful landscapes he had brought us to see, he left to talk the the other driver in the Toyota Land cruiser behind. He came back, apologised and said โWe will try and head as low as we can to see if we can go under the fog/mist and see if itโs any clearer down there. But we have a few minutes here so if you want to get out in the rain, you canโ.ย
โง Kingโs View โง
ย On a clear day there is a stunning volcanic crater with 2 lakes, 1 is blue and 1 is green! There were alot of disappointed sighs etc and some people were complainingโฆi just thought welcome to my world, and you can still see more than me even with the fog. lol ๐ I almost felt equal for the first time on an excursion. ๐ย
We then headed off on a drive to the lowest point of the island which was beautiful and when we got to walk around by the river and volcanic hills it was like stepping onto the film set of Jurassic park.
The fog did lift a little and the rain slowed down enough for us to enjoy 15 minutes in this fantastic place.ย
When i found this photo which Sarah had taken, we both started laughing and thought this was probably the best photo of me ever! ๐ ย Donโt ask me what i was up to, i can only imagine that i heard a T-Rex or a volcano erupt!! ๐ย
Please let me know in the comments below if you have any great captions to add to this photo??!! I look forward to hearing what you come up with! ๐ย
โง This place really does remind me of Jurassic Park โง ย ย
We all climbed aboard our 4×4 and headed of to a small village to stop and have another rest and look around. On the way Sarah saw a huge black Bull chasing a local who was running for his life right close to the Land RoverโฆCrazy! Lol. We stopped at a small cafe where the driver(to Sarahโs delight) started talking about the locally made Portuguese custard tarts. I said โNo way, theyโre Sarahโs favourites, and we have never had a locally made one before! It will be like when i had a slice ofย Pizza in Pisa!” ๐ As usual… no body laughed so i asked “Do they sell them in this Cafe?โIf they do could you get 3 and have one yourself!โ He said โyeah sureโ and we sat and enjoyed this special food moment! ๐
Most of the people stayed in the cafe as it was raining outside, but Sarah & i were already soaked so didnโt mind a little more rain to try and see as many things as possible in this tiny village.
We were now coming to the end of our fantastic 4×4 drive, but not before he drove us off road and up some really steep rocky terrain, Yay!! ๐ We were rocking side to side and bouncing up and down, i said โYeah this is more like it!โ. We then stopped and the driver who had his window down as all the windows were steaming up from our drenched clothesโฆpicked up ย a small piece of ย Sphagnum moss from the towering hillside. As usual i was the only one who didnโt know what it is(i blame going to the worst school in Derbyshire) He then squose it and we were all amazed by how much water was running out of something so small, fantastic! ๐ ย
Just one more stop and it was to see a tunnel drilled through the mountain that goes out to the sea so that the rain water does not flood the volcanic crater when there is, from time to time heavy rainfall on the island.
The tunnel is around 80 years old and almost 2 kilometers long and itยดs actually large enough to walk through and that is also safe enough as long as you donยดt go during heavy rainfall. As you know it was raining but thatโs not enough to stop Super Sarah having a look! ๐ ย
Back on the ship…
Having got changed out of our wet clothes, we decided to try and get a bite to eat at the buffet restaurant on deck 9. We sat down with an assortment of food and enjoyed talking about what weโd just experienced. We were about half way through when Alan Davidson(the piano entertainer) came and sat down with us. He had seen us the day before in Horta taking photos and had admired my big Nikon DSLR. Sarah said โYeah itโs a nice camera and Steve gets some lovely photos even though heโs blindโ. โWowโ said Alan โI didnโt realiseโ. I never know if thatโs a compliment or not? ๐ He continued โBack home in Scotland i visit a blind friend and help him with life skills etc, and telling him(using a clock face) where his food is on his plateโ. I said โFantastic, Sarah has just done that with me which is why iโm eating more confidently(and a lot less messy) as normalโ.ย
Sarah mentioned that she hadnโt got chance to see much of the town nearest to the dock and we still have a couple of hours left before we sail away. Alan kindly replied โIโll take you guys, there is a bus on the dock that goes into town, and i can guide you and make sure you get back safely tooโ. โFantastic, letโs goโ Sarah and i replied. ๐ย
We found the market place overlooked by this Cathedral where Me, Sarah & Alan stopped to find a table out of the rain to have coffeeโs and a chat. Alan was also a keen photographer and he found a local who took a few photos of the 3 of us, but sadly i havnโt managed to get the photos of Alan yet, maybe one day iโll get to see them and share them with you. ๐ย
Back on board again Thomson Dream sailed away as Sarah and i listened to Alan with our favourite cocktails. Sarahs is a special sugar free Mojito and mine is a Baileyโs Banana Colada! ๐ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 30 – “Mayday”
May 1, 2020 2 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
Did somebody shout โMayday?? Stupendous Hyper Hound to the rescue!!”โ ๐พ
Oh wait thereโฆsomebody said โItโs May todayโ, anyway lets have a treat to celebrate! ๐คฃย
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โ๏ธ #22 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Horta, Azores”๐ฌ
April 30, 2020 3 Comments
welcome to Horta!!! ๐ ย
โง Sarah welcoming you all to Horta! โง
Wowโฆwhat an adventurous Atlantic crossing! Both Sarah and i didnโt expect that roller coaster journey. But it was great to be off the ship and once we mastered walking on land that doesnโt move constantly, we headed out to see what we could find. ๐ย
We couldnโt book an excursion in Horta as they were all sold out, but we were first taken aback with the stunning bay, and the beautiful sea front with itโs incredibly ornate pavement.
After following the pavement around the sea front we came to what we thought was the end of the bayโฆbut as we were going to turn back Sarah saw a steep alleyway ย between some buildings which really didnโt look inviting, but she was determined not to miss anything while we were here. And after what sheโs just been through the last 5 days i wasnโt going to say no! ๐ย
ย The narrow path became really steep but we finally reached the top. There were high buildings either side of s and i could hear what i thought were Portuguese gangsters. I said โDo you think we should turn back and head back?โ Sarah said โNo weโve made it this far and itโs downhill from here, i think i can see the end of the path and it looks like it opens out againโ โOkโ i said nervously and we pushed on.
As usual Sarah was dead right! The path ended and we were treated with a stunning view of the bay on the other side of the island! ๐ย
We both were silenced and stood in awe as we tried to take in more of Godโs beautiful creation. No matter how bad the last few days were Sarah said “Wow, this was worth the wait!” God never fails to show up and when he does we are always left speechless. ๐ ย
Warningโฆone of Sarahโs breathtaking panoramas…
ย We were stood for around 10 minutes when 2 people approached us from our left, the woman said โWeโve been all around here and there is nothing worth seeing here! So were going over the other side to see if we can find anything worth seeing over there!โ They walked on past us before we could even say hello. I was stunned, then said to Sarah โI canโt see that much but i still know how beautiful this place is!! They must be in a different dimention to usโ. Sarah chuckled and quickly ran over to check out all of the amazing black sand! ๐
We stayed here for about 20 minutes and went over to our left to explore the green hills!ย
Getting towards the top of the first hill, we stopped to take in the bay from a different viewing point! ๐ย
Sarah says a big hello to all of you who are still with us on our adventure!! ๐
On the other side of the green hills another bay opened out for usโฆWow this place is beautiful and just keeps giving! ๐ย
We thought if we stayed with the sea on our right we would eventually find our way back to the shipโฆwe did but before we headed back on board we stopped to look in the local shops, and stop for a well deserved drink.
Also on the way back we found these interesting photos and paintings along the sea front, by this time it was getting late in the afternoon so we didnโt have much time left in this lovely place.
Sarah had just enough time for one more pose! lol ๐ย
Weโve had a lovely day exploring Horta and we hope youโve enjoyed it too?ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 29 – “Catch”
April 30, 2020 0 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
I’m filled with trepidationโฆThis is the 143rd time Sarah has thrown the ball and i want to make sure i keep a 100% record of catching it before it stops bouncing! “Paw Powerโ ๐พ ย ย
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โ๏ธ #21 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Relaxing, Reflecting & Coughing!!”๐
April 29, 2020 0 Comments
Sarah & i were feeling really run down, tired and a little concerned about what the rest of our dream holiday had in store for us. But now we had a few days at sea, so we decided to get out there and enjoy the time we had left. ๐ย
โง Sarah relaxing and reflecting โงย
During our time at sea, Sarah & i loved standing and looking out over the vast ocean. It seemed to put perspective on how majestic and awesome our God is. Also how small we were in comparison and yet he loves each one of us…amazing! ๐ย
Shopping…ย
Thereโs nothing like being surrounded by handbags to put a smile on Sarahโs face! ๐ย
Of all the placesโฆi never thought iโd be in a handbag store, on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. But we have just spent the night in a hospital in the middle of the Atlantic ocean! ๐ ย Sarah seems to find these shops wherever we go… and if it helps her relax, iโll be right there with her!ย
Another fave spot…
Each day weโd find our way up to this spot and just look out over the pool deck and take in the full panoramic view of blue. There was always a live band playing, giving a great atmosphere and a hot-plate thingy where i could get a fresh burger…Mmmm burgers! ๐๐ย
Hair salon…
After Sarahs last trip to the hair salon she was really pleased with the way the stylist had cut and styled her hair around her eyeโฆ. but the hospital adventure had kind of ruined it. So i thought she might like to relax and get it done again. Whilst waiting in the waiting room i took this shot through the window โฆ.Thatโs the best view iโve ever seen from a hair salon! ๐ย
The evening restaurants…
So far i havnโt said much about our evening meals. For the first few days we really struggled with the buffet restaurants, as the food was placed in big trays under a glass cover with really long fork/tongs to pick up the food. Sarah had no idea what she was picking up as it was just too far away for her to focus and the waiters didnโt understand we couldnโt see properly, which caused a few problems!
At home we try to stay away from self service/buffet style places …not because we are too snooty, lol …but because we simply canโt find anything e.g plates, food, cutlery, where to pay, which causes too much stress and makes us wish we hadnโt gone out at all!ย
After a few days we decided to try the โOrion Restaurantโ which was waiter service. On entrance the waiter asked if weโd like to share a table or sit by yourselves. Sarah said โSharing is fine with usโ (I thought is it really… ๐ฆ The waiter then escorted us to an empty 8 seater table. After he passed us our menus (which we had no chance of reading) our table soon filled up with people. After friendly helloโs Sarah said to the lady next to her โI donโt want to be a nuisanceโฆbut we are both registered blind and so canโt read the menus. Would you be able to read it to us?โ After the confused look on all of their faces (my imagination from the body language) the lady said โOf course, but iโd never have guessed that either of you had sight problemsโ. (My thought was โYou need to be on this side of my eyes to understand the problem :(โ) After weโd heard the menu, Sarah whispered โThis works perfectly for usโฆwe get the menu read out, and we get to meet lots of different lovely people” ๐ย
Shortly afterโฆwe heard the people sitting opposite us say โDid you hear the โCode Alphaโ last night?โ The others replied โYes we did, it woke us upโฆit was after 1am!!โ โYeah i know and there was no need to call it around the whole shipโ.
I said โSorryโฆthat was us.” ย โIt was you two! what happened?โ Sarah showed her bruised and bandaged wrists (from where the drips had been attached) and explained everything that happened. We heard this same complaint for the next few eveningsโฆ. and even some different, elaborate explanations of what had happened (even one story where Sarah was said to have died and been taken off the boat by helicopter in a silver bullet coffin????.) ย
We also heard that quite a few people had complained to reception about the 1am code alpha (because they thought it was a call to abandon ship) and how they felt they shouldn’t have been disturbed in the middle of the night!!
The Cough…
If you can rememberโฆonย Day 8ย there were a couple of people in the hospital waiting room with deep growly coughs. Well todayโฆSarah’s got it too !! ๐ฆ This deep booming growly cough (reminds me of the Rockford Fosgate subs in the boot of my old custom Nova) is giving Sarah lots of ย chest pain, a sore throat and a pounding head. Weโve noticed the unique sound of this cough around the ship as weโve been exploring! โฆ.As if Sarah didnโt have enough on her plate with no sleep, uncontrollable blood sugar, one eye closed and exhaustionโฆshe now has this nasty cough ๐ฆ
Keep smilingโฆย ๐ย
I have no idea how she does it. But no matter whatโs going onโฆSarah has ย a lovely beaming/contagiousย smile on her face that blesses all who see herย ๐ย
ย The Azores…
After about 4 (or is it 5?) sleepless nights (iโve lost count) we were looking forwards to arriving at the Azores. Sarah was especially looking forwards to getting off the ship and onto solid ground and having the freedom to explore another fantastic island! You just canโt keep this warrior princess down! ๐ ย ย
Yippee land ahoy!!!
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 28 – “Puppy Love” โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
April 29, 2020 0 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
Just in case you were thinking iโm not cute enough?! โฅ๏ธ
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โ๏ธ #20 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “CODE ALPHA!!”๐
April 28, 2020 4 Comments
Awww i told myself not to cry this time whilst reading thisโฆI failed, my face is soaking!ย
After enjoying a lovely coffee, we decided to explore the ship to try and familiurise ourselves a little more, and find things to do. Bingo, getting drunk and burned on sun loungers were not something Sarah & i found entertaining.ย
The hair salon…
We found a hair salon and booked Sarah to get her hair done, and see if they had some ideas to cover her closed eye. I thought โBeing pampered and relaxed is just what Sarah needs after a traumatic day yesterday! ๐ I managed to find my way back to the coffee port on my own to wait for Sarah, which should be at least an hour depending what she chooses to have done. It sounds feeble, but finding the coffee port, and the door handle, and even a spare seat without anyone sitting on it, is a massive achievement for me! ๐ย
Sarah returned looking beautiful, but i noticed she was having another hypo, standing up i said โQuick, lets try and get back to the cabin as we know that Lucozade or hypo stop works for youโ. โOkโ Sarah said whilst struggling to stay on her feet. We were only 1 deck above our cabin, but after only a short walk Sarah really started to drop. I thought “There is no way iโm trying to navigate the stairs, and i canโt see to use the lifts”. Luckily we were at the entrance to a bar/lounge. We were greeted by a nice Filipino waitress. I said “My wife needs the sweetest drink you have as sheโs diabetic and having a hypoโ. She was confused, but showed us to some seats(as Sarahโs legs were really starting to give way) and disappeared. I prayed that she understood and would bring something before Sarah lost consciousness.ย
The waitress returned (having told the bar man our situation) with a bright coloured drink. She said it was the sweetest cocktail they did with a lot of syrup in. I thought โa little unorthodox, but we have no choice, Sarah needs sugar nowโ.ย
Having been a gamer my whole life and played some nerve racking, suspense filled and tense computer games over the years, nothing compares to this real life game of trying to encourage Sarah to drink something she doesnโt want, to absorb sugar into her body before passing out!ย
Within the next half hour, Sarah was back with us again (phew), but feeling sick from the hypo, We needed to get back to the cabin as we didnโt know if her blood would start to shoot up again, as we didnโt have any idea what was in the drink, which is why we try to always use the lucozade etc. as we know the effects. Sarah also now had the bone chill that only comes from a hypo.
Back in the cabin…
Yay, we found the cabin! ๐ Iโm starting to remember how many doors to count from both sides depending which set of stairs we go down. Once Sarah had checked her blood sugar again and realised it was starting to rocket, it was back in the fridge for the crossbow boltsโฆi mean syringes. Even with our video magnifier it was really hard to make out the measurements on the needle, but after another big bruised, and big holed injection, it was time for Sarahโs hot bath to try and get rid of that freezing cold bone chill!
A while later Sarah said โDiabetes has already ruined one evening, night and most of today. Iโm not going to let it ruin the rest of my holiday. Lets get dressed up and search for some nice live musicโ โFantastic idea, we both need cheering upโ.
Sunset…
Instead of walking down endless boring corridors, we walked outside to stroll along the deck down to the rear of the ship and look out over the huge ocean. This evening we were gifted with a beautiful sunset.
As we were out on deck 9, we walked all the way to the rear (non technical name) and entered the ‘Lido restaurant’. We were both a little hungry and as this is the buffet place, itโs fantastic for Sarah as she can have vegetables or salad etc without having any of the carbs, or sugar rich sauces which raise her blood sugar. ๐
We became a little disheartened after hearing a couple of the live bands playing some popular rubbish on deck 8, but we walked on past the reception and hair salon and walked into a dark elegant room. Sarah said โOh greatโฆitโs the casino :(โ. I said โIt looks like the Ultralux from Fallout New Vegas (PS3 game)โ Sarah replied โIt feels like fallout to me, a shiny, depraved wasteland – just what Iโve come to expect of the entertainment on this boat ๐ฆ lolโ. But then a classical piano started playing, just audible over the noise of the casino. โWhereโs that lovely piano coming from?โ I said knowing that Sarah would love it. โThrough there, but iโm not sure what it is as itโs too darkโ โLetโs go find out anywayโ. i said as i took her arm.ย
The Delo piano lounge and cocktail bar…
We stood taking in the gentle atmosphere and fantastic piano playing and both said together โThis is more like it ๐ โ We found Sarah a seat at the bar right next to the piano, Sarah loves watching pianists as they play with professional ease and elegance. It brings back lots of her childhood memories of the classical piano lessons she enjoyed! ๐ย
โง Keith the pianist โงย
After about an hour, we were so happy that we’d found another fave place, especially after the last 24 hours, we headed back to the cabin. Sarah did another blood test โSteve, my bloodโs still going up!โ I said โThatโs impossible, youโve not had any sugar or carbs, and youโve already had insulin before we leftโ โI know, and now iโve got to take some more to try and bring it downโ โOk, take a little more and weโll keep an eye on itโ.ย
ย Sarah sat on the sofa with the magnifier reading the excursion options for the Azores. I opened Spotify on my iPhone and started playing my “โ Acoustic Worshipโ playlist knowing itโs Sarahโs fave. I thought โTime for us to relax and reflect for a while on a lovely end to a hectic dayโ.ย
CODE ALPHA…
Sarahโs next words were โI think my bloodโs droppingโ โOh no, I thought, your voice is slurry again, your blood canโt be that low already. Can you manage a test?โ Sarahโs test confirmed a huge drop in a short time. I jumped into survival mode and grabbed the lucozade and hypo stop. Sarah was fading fast โNo, no ,no, not the big oneโ i said wondering if this would result in a diabetic coma. I didnโt have to wait long before Sarah lost consciousness!!
I now switched from survival mode, to what will Sarah need if she goes to hospital mode.ย
Sarah was sat upright on the sofa, and as i balanced to hold her head upright (there were no pillows in reach) i grabbed the cabin phone and dialled 999! A man answered and asked โHow can we help?” I said โMy wife is diabetic and she’s having a hypoglycaemic episode and is unconscious but still breathingโ He said โSheโs unconscious now? Whatโs your cabin number iโm on my way!”
He arrived in about 60 seconds. I told him what had happened as he was frantically inserting needles etc. He then called the bridge to tell the captain and his team, and a few seconds later i heard โCODE ALPHA, CODE ALPHA cabin 7062โ. I thought โThatโs blasting out of the tannoy system that goes around the whole ship, and within minutes our cabin was full of people, and a wheelchair. After a few minutes Sarah slowly started to respond, but only groans. The female doctor was now in the room and after checking everything, she said theyโd take Sarah to the hospital to try and stabilise her.
The hospital…
After grabbing Sarahโs bag and a few things i thought might help, i was kindly guided down behind Sarah to the hospital waiting room. Sarah was in a private room next door.
A woman sat me down and read through a couple of papers that made sure we had health insurance etc, she then said to my surprise โYou really seem to love and care for Sarahโ I said โI really donโt deserve her, she is amazing. I lay down my life for herโฆand give her my all. Iโm so blessed to share my life with my best friend, sheโs beautiful inside and out. Isnโt that what love is?โ It seemed like sheโd never heard a response like that, and just said โWow, thatโs lovelyโ and went quiet for what seemed like minutes!ย
I was then able to see my lovely wife. Sarah was still not conscious yet but was in what seemed like a peaceful sleep. I sat down and the doctors and nurses were coming in and out, checking drips, machines and Sarahs breathing etc.ย
Sarah then moved and slowly started to come round, she said โOh noโ her usual response after realising where she is, i said โItโs ok my love, we are just making some nice new friends, just relax and enjoy being pamperedโ. After another hour of checks from nurses and the doctor, suddenly the nurse panicked and said something to the doctor. All 3 of them surrounded Sarahโs bed frantically adjusting and checking, The doctor kept shaking Sarah and shouting her name but got no response. I thought โIt canโt be another hypo as sheโs being monitored closely, so what is this?โ Soon after i was told by the concerned doctor to wait in the waiting room next door.ย
The waiting room…
Now i was worriedโฆ. i sat here alone in a hospital thatโs swaying side to side in the middle of the atlantic ocean. My thoughts started to get the better of me..
โWhat if this is it, and i donโt get to speak to Sarah again”
โWhat if i never hear her amazing laugh, or feel the warmth of her hug again”
โWhat if iโm now on my own struggling to face the rest of life (never mind the holiday) without my lovely wife”
ENOUGH!! i thought and desperately gave it to God in prayer.
โOh Lord please help, if this is Sarahโs passing to paradise, then i want to say iโm not happy about it, and iโd like to spend more time with her on earth BUT thank you so much for blessing me with such a priceless gift, i canโt express how much i love her and iโve tried to be the husband you commanded me to be. Sarah has shown me such love, happiness, forgiveness, acceptance and a life i simply didnโt know was possible BUT if itโs not her time, please comfort her and bring her back to me, Amenโ.
A short while later the nurse said i could come back and sit with Sarah again. Sarah was awake and fighting with the oxygen mask. She said โWhereโve you been? I told them that my diabetes was unstable which is why i have the pump but they didnโt believe me, they never do, and now theyโve given me a second hypo after pumping me full of insulin againโ. I said while kissing her forehead โOh my lovely, iโm glad to have you backโ. ๐ย
Weโd been in the hospital for about 2 hours, it was just coming to 3am. Sarah kept asking if i was alright and did i need anything. โI bet youโre hungry and need a coffeeโ โItโs ok, iโm enjoying being here with you, please get some sleep as youโve had a rough couple of days, iโll be right hereโ.ย
It was 6:30am when Sarah was allowed to leave. She was given more supplies to last for the rest of the holiday. Then the doctor explained about how fast acting insulin is absorbed into the body with the syringes, and how it differs and works a lot slower than the insulin pump. She said โOnce youโve had the injection, the insulin will not start to work for 1ยฝ hours and it will be completely out of your system in 3 hours. And as you donโt have the pump giving you little bits all of the time, your blood sugar will rise on itโs own, so you need to give bigger (and overlapping) doses to compensate.
Sarah had never been instructed on any of this over the years because everything had ben controlled by the pump and i certainly didnโt know anything about insulin absorption, as with the pump it pretty much works straight away. We also wondered why she hadnโt explained this to us yesterday, which wouldโve helped.
We now headed back to the cabin to try and set up another plan of action, we knew this was going to be a difficult task, never mind adding things like food etc. lol ๐ ย
Wow, what a night! Thatโs 2 nights without sleep already, and itโs time to set up the alarms for every 2 hours on my phone. Sleep is not going to come easy from now onโฆis the coffee port open yet? Might as well have a nice coffee if iโm awake! ๐
Only 3 more days at sea (iโll merge into one post) until we reach Horta, Azores, where we can hopefully do some more excursions! ๐ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 27 – “Lap Of Honour”
April 28, 2020 0 Comments
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Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ย
Yay it’s ‘Tug Oโ Warโ time again! This is my face during my lap of honour.โฆNo stopping me now! ๐ย ย
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โ๏ธ #19 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Goodbye Caribbeanโฆhello massive ocean…”๐
April 27, 2020 0 Comments
Goodbye Caribbeanโฆhello massive ocean…
After another amazing day in the Caribbean(which was now about an hour away), we thought weโd try and relax with a spot of sunbathing. This meant trying the almost impossible task of finding not 1โฆbut 2, empty sun loungers.
Fantastic! We found 2 together, no way. Butโฆpretty much after placing our towels onto the sun loungers, Sarahโs โParadigmโ insulin pump started alarming!!
โThatโs not the usual alarmโ I said as Sarah was trying to read the tiny screen in the super bright sun. โI canโt quite make out what itโs saying, but itโs not something iโve seen before, i need to go back to the cabin and use the magnifierโ. The pump continued itโs piercing alarm all the way to the cabin!
Back in the cabin..
Once back, and using our video magnifier, the error message on the screen said “A button has been continually pressed for more than three minutes. to clear press ESC, then ACTโ.
Sarah said โThatโs weird, my pumpโs been nowhere near anything that would press the buttons, but it sounds easy enough, i can finally stop this annoying alarmโ. After hearing a few clicks, then a few more, the pump was still alarming. โItโs not workingโ โWhat do you mean, are the buttons not responding?โ. โNo, it wonโt clear the error message, can you have a goโ. I tried, and still nothing except the error message and the alarm!
We both knew we didnโt have long as the pump has now stopped delivering insulin, as Sarah needs a continual small dose, as not only does Sarah have type 1, but a brittle form, and she is also slightly allergic to insulin!ย
After taking the battery out, waiting 10 minutes before replacing…the alarm and message were still there! After trying it again, I said โShould we take it to the doctors in the hospital on Deck 3?โ โThey wonโt know anything about insulin pumps, itโs specialised equipment, which is why itโs carefully monitored, and finely tuned by the diabetic clinicโ. After a few more desperate tries to cancel the alarm, and running out of options, we had no choice, and headed down to deck 3.
The Hospital…
Reaching the bottom of the stairs to Deck 3, we were greeted with a couple of corridors and lots of doors. We could hear voices coming from an open door on the right, so we headed there. We found the doctor who was sounding very concerned whilst talking to a couple of very poorly sounding people, who had deep growly coughs. I said โLetโs wait out hereโ. A man dressed in a white suit approached us and asked if we were ok? After explaining what had happened, he looked at the pump, took it, and asked us to wait in the waiting room.
He returned with the doctor(a female with quite an aggressive manner), she explained that the pump was broken, and we needed to get a new one. But for now she needed to work out how much insulin Sarahโs body ran on. We said the pump gives a small amount of Humalog every 1-2 hours continuously, but all of the information is programmed in the pump that has now locked itself. This didnโt impress her! Between us, we had to try and calculate how much insulin Sarah took each day, by adding up the dosage at meal times, and adding a little more to compensate for the pumps continuous injections in the background.ย
After a couple more hours of stressful calculations, the doctor gave Sarah some old school syringes and told us to keep a record of insulin taken, time of insulin taken and food eaten etc. We returned to our cabin worried about how we were going to cope for the rest of the holiday, and did we have enough Humalog insulin in the fridge, as the hospital on-board didnโt use it, or stock it.
The Phone Call…
We went up to reception on Deck 8(lots of stairs, lol) ย to see if we could phone Medtronic(the makers of the insulin pump) as they are an American company, and would still be open. We couldnโt phone the UK diabetic clinic as they were 5 hours in front, and it would be about midnight!ย
After a long drawn out discussion with the receptionist, asking if there was a way to call out from a ship, as we have a medical disaster, as Sarah knows her body reacts badly to injections etc, and really does need the continued small amounts 24 hours a day. ย So we really needed to call Medtronic to see if there is any way of saving the pump! Eventually we managed to phone Medtronic, and after a ยฃ52 phone callโฆhe told us “the pump was broken!!โ. Sarah has been on an insulin pump for about 15 years, and they have never broken. But 1 hour from Antigua, sailing at sea for 5 daysโฆit breaks! ๐ฆย
Trying to relax…
As the realisation was setting in of trying to manage with injections, and Sarahโs blood sugar was still on the rise after the first injection. We were getting a little worried on how this was all going to play out. We decided to stay in the room and just figure out a game plan for the rest of the holiday. We then managed to figure out how to turn on the TV, i thought a film might help Sarah try and relax after the trauma of the day.ย
After a while when Sarah spoke again, i instantly knew we were in trouble! The slightly slurring sound of Sarahโs voice told me her blood sugar had suddenly shot down and it was very low! โOh no,โ i said as i jumped into survival mode. Sarah was still conscious so i knew i had a little time. I went straight to the fridge and got the bottle of orange lucozade that usually works if Sarah is still able to drink.ย
After about 10 minutes Sarah was slipping away, so i ran to my bag and got the Gluco Gel and squirted it into Sarahs mouth. Gluco gel is fantastic and absorbs into gums etc, and after a while(a nervous while) Sarah was back with us. โPhewโ i said as relief was pulling me out of survival mode. Sarah said โIโve had a hypo havnโt i?! These injections really arenโt going to work, my body just goes erratic and messes upโ.ย
After a sleepless night of trying to stabilise a yo-yoing blood sugar, we were not really enjoying our first day at sea. But we decided to go and have a nice strong coffee at our fave place, as weโve probably got another sleepless night tonight too. I said โItโs hard to imagine that not even a day ago we were riding on horseback across that beautiful beachโ. ๐ย
Sarah has to check her blood sugar every 2 hours, day and night, for the rest of the holiday, as without the pumps continuous feed, we are left with just fast acting insulin, and lots of prayers.
This is becoming quite an adventure!!!ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 26 – “Motivation”
April 27, 2020 3 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Maybe iโve pushed too far this time?!
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โ๏ธ #18 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “St Johns, Antigua”๐ฆ๐ฌ
April 26, 2020 0 Comments
After another early start(and youโve guessed it) a bacon roll, we headed off the ship. The shore excursion lady was at the bottom of the gangway steps, and she showed us where to join the queue. Well i say queue, there were only about 8 of us in total. I thought โI think we may have over reached on this one. Maybe itโs going to be too difficult, and really not suited for the blindโ.ย
We were then led towards the minibus. We were told theyโd saved us the 2 seats in the front next to the driver, i said โSweetโ, and climbed aboard. I really didnโt expect what happened nextโฆthe driver turned on his CD player which started playing Ed Sheeran โThinking out loudโ and he started singing as i tapped away on my legs to the beat. His voice was incredible, it was like we were having our own concert in the front of the minibus, whilst driving around paradise. ย Quite a surreal moment. After more fantastic singing toย Tarrus Rileyโs ย “She’s Royalโ, he pulled up at Fort James Beach where we were to start our horse ride.
Welcome to Paradise…
We left the minibus and were instantly greeted with a stunning view of porcelain palm fringed sands, and stilted turquoise waters of Fort James beach, also we received a further warm welcome by the โHorseman(sorry, i forgot his name)โ. ๐ย
ย โง The horseman strolling along the beautiful beach โง ย
โง Horses being led to the sea to cool off โง ย
The Horse Ride…
Once everyone was fitted with a protective hat, it was time to line up and meet the horses. He asked for experienced riders first, then one at a time they mounted the horses. It was about this time i started to get a little nervous. I was saying to Sarah โHow do we get up there? Are there steps? Which foot do i put forward first? Are the horses big enough to carry me?โ
The horseman was out of earshot, but i think he could see my face, he said โDonโt worry, i have a couple of special horses for you twoโ. This put my mind a little more at ease. Sarah mounted first on the horse named โSunshineโ, what a perfect horse for her! ๐ Then i mounted easily with the excellent help from horseman onto the horse named โLittle Manโ,ย
After a short tutorial on how to hold(and use) the reins, it was time to move on out! We had only walked along next to a road for about a minute, and iโd just got used to the weird motion of rocking side to side whilst not being able to see the ground or the horse in front. When…a huge commotionโฆLots of shouting from horseman, and the horses. I thought(at first) it sounded like a car had hit one of the horses. I pulled back on the reins as i saw Sarah(who was in front of me) appear at my side, Yay my horse stopped! ๐ We found out at the end, that a car got too close and spooked a few of the horses, so no one(or horses) were hurt.
My plan was to take my Samsung WB550 compact camera with me to take photos & video whilst on the horse, but that was soon foiled when i got onto the horse, and my shorts were pulled tight around my pocket, so it had seal it shut. I didnโt want to try and move, as i thought the horse might mistaken my movements and start galloping off!. I did eventually get an opportunity when my foot suddenly got smacked out of the stirrup by an aloe vera plant(it got a few of us), and as my leg was free i quickly grabbed my camera! ๐ Note to self, next time take my other camera with a neck strap! ๐ย
The horseman who was overseeing us said โWelcome to Sandhaven Beachโ…
โง โLittle Manโ taking me on a beautiful journey ๐ โงย
โง Sarah on โSunshineโ & in sunshine, along Sandhaven beach โงย
โง Sarah ensconced in Sunshine! ๐ โงย
Words completely fail me when i try and describe the feeling of riding in paradise. The sound of the waves, the feel of the hot sun with the cool breeze, the movement(and sound) of the horse, topped off with the amazing panorama. We really didnโt want to leave our new fave place on earth!! ๐ย
We left Sandhaven beach and headed back to Fort James beach. Weโd been riding for around 1ยฝ hours, and just before we finished, the man asked for my cameras so he could take a photo of us on our horses.
My horse โlittle Manโ was busy eating grass, i think he had my appetite! ๐ย
ย โง โLittle Man & โSunshineโ โงย
Once off the horses, we were given a bottle of water each as they prepared for stage 2. Stage 2 gave the chance for the experienced riders to ride faster(or gallop as iโm told), and the chance to ride bareback into the water. Sarah and another lady paired up together to do this.ย
Sarah said โI was sat trying to balance without a saddle, when suddenly i was thrown back as one of my legs was pulled up. I looked down to see that the horse had taken a liking to one of my bright yellow laces, and was pulling on it as though it was spaghetti! ๐ย
Once stage 2 was over, we had about 45 minutes before the singing taxi arrived. โNo way, does this mean you get to swim in paradise again?!โ i said as Sarah was already half way down the beach!! ๐ย
The Swim…
โง Sarah excited to be the only one in the beautiful sea โง ย
โง What a way to relax! ๐ โง ย
ย โง I think Sarah enjoyed her swim! ๐ โงย
The taxi ride was just as fun. The drivers stunning voice carried us all the way back to the ship.
ย Back on the ship…
We now had to say goodbye to the Caribbean. ๐ฆ We took our usual sofaโs in the coffee port, and with coffeeโs in hand, we watched the island slowly disappear.ย We both agreed that this was our fave place of the trip, and the horse ride was our best experience so far!!
Our new friend…
On returning to our cabin, the steward had created a folded towel turtle, and used my hat as the shell, fantastic!! ย ๐ย
Our Route 4 2day…
This afternoon Thomson Dream sails to Horta, Portugal, weโll arrive on Sunday late morning, after 5 leisurely days at sea. having travelled 2,173 nautical miles, at an average speed of 16 knots.
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 25 – “Rest Again”
April 26, 2020 0 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
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Wow yet another week in lockdown has passed alreadyโฆTime flies when your boxercised!
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Itโs time to rest yet again, and we can spend this time pampering, sleeping, eating, playing and most of all posing for a good portraitโฆVery important and it keeps the treats rolling in from the humans who now have some nice photos of their stupendous furry angel! ๐ย
Also letโs think once again about rest and sleep. Itโs vitally important to take a day of rest to give your body a chance to heal, it helps toย de-stress, and also helps our minds focusโฆOn FOOD, lol! ๐ย
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Fun Quote…โA well trained dog will make no attempt to share your lunch. He will just make you feel so guilty that you cannot enjoy it.โ
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๐ถ Remember our happy singalongโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โย
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โ๏ธ #17 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Basseterre, St Kitts”๐ฐ๐ณ
April 26, 2020 2 Comments
Our excursion today “St Kitts Scenic Railwayโ didnโt start until 11am, so we had a more relaxed breakfast at Lidoโs on Deck 9. Then another lovely coffee at the Coffee Port on Deck 8. Now we had sustenance, it was down to Deck 4 and off the ship to enjoy what today had in store for us?! ๐ ย ย
Welcome to St Kitts…ย
Once an illustrious sugar colony, it now focusses its efforts on being a tropical paradise. A seductive blend of blonde sandss, and duck egg blue seas.ย
Once we slowly navigated down the gangway steps, we looked up to see a view of the beautiful bay.ย
The Caribbean never failed to surprise us, even when we thought we had seen the most beautiful places, the next place would leave us awe-struck with itโs breathtaking landscapes!ย
โง Sarahโs Panorama of St Kitts โงย
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As i was taking a photo of Sarah, a nice lady came over and asked if we would like her to take one of us both together? โOh yes please, that would be so kind of youโ. The photo she took is probably my fave photo of the trip! ๐ย
โง Sarah & i at St Kitts โง
Showing my excitement, and love for the Caribbean. Sarah chose(and bought) me an amazingly bright and colourful Caribbean shirt, ๐
Excursion Details – St Kitts Scenic Railway…
First up, board a tour bus for a drive along the south coast. Important landmarks lie around every corner here.
Second, hop on a train at the โNeeds-Must” station, and St Kitts light railway takes you on a 3 hour tour of the islands best bits. Youโll chug over ravines over 300 feet deep, circle mount Liamuga volcano, take a sneak peak at the islands black sand beaches, and soak up the jaw dropping views over lush sugar cain fields,
The Bus…
Another soothing air conditioned bus ride. Our tour guide was fantastic, and told us all about the Economy, history(some grusome battles), and the monkeys! She said “Around 100,000 monkeys live in the tree covered hills, and they steal our fruit etc. So if you want to take one with you, it will help us greatly!โ.
โง A view from the bus window โงย
The Train…
We got off the bus at the “Needs-Mustโ station. The hot sun felt lovely as we waited for the train. We had no idea what to expect, and looking at the small narrow train tracks, we expected a little open top fun train, or something like.ย
Thenโฆthis large double decker monster pulled up. โWow, i didnโt expect that! Itโs really tall, and doesnโt look wide enough to take the heightโ. I said as we climbed the stairs to the upper deck of the 1st carriage. โYes! We get to sit at the front too! Unbelievableโ.
As the train pulled away, the tour guide told us that the train will sway(strongly) side to side, so itโs best to stay seated, but if you want to stand then keep hold of the rail above the seats. She wasnโt joking!! It was the craziest train iโd ever been on, and i thought there is no way i can take photos whilst being violently thrown around!ย
Butโฆas usual, i didnโt let that stop me! My Nikkor lens has VR(Vibration Reduction) on it, so iโll test it out. I really didnโt expect to have any photos from this amazing, unforgettable train ride, but was surprised when a few turned out not too blurry! ย
We started off travelling through vivid green fields flanked by volcanos.
Then just as a lady asked us if we wanted a “Pina Colada”, we saw the first of many beautiful curved bays, with the sea crashing into the shore.
Sarah & i just kept saying โWow, this is Amazing! How did we get here, itโs like a dreamโ. The beautiful hot sun shining down, a lovely cool breeze flowing through the train, and a Pina Colada in hand. Some of my fave things are Coconut, Banana and Pineapple, and this drink had them all! Mmmmm. ๐ ย
Then as the train curled its way through the lush landscape, a 3 part harmony choir started singing. The ladies would come up to our deck and sing some beautiful songs as part of the trip. The voices were fantastic, and brought even more sunshine to this incredible journey. ๐ย
As the singers finished, we heard a horn next to us, so we all started waving at the people on the fun bus! ๐ย
We were then treated to another stunning bay!
After passing through more sugarcane fields, the lady brought us a piece of sugarcane with spices. Wow, it was the nicest sweet thing iโd ever tasted! I always talk about this sugarcane everywhere i go.
โง Sarah sat at the front of the train! โง ย
The tour guide then said โOn your left you will make out the bridge we will be travelling over shortlyโ. I heard Sarah say โNo way, the train isnโt going to make it over that, it looks too small and rickety. Steve, if you could see it, youโd be saying the same!!โ.ย
Yes i would! After seeing this photo, i could tell exactly why Sarah was getting worried! ๐
After the bridge, we travelled back towards the end of the journey. But not before we were blessed, by what is now my favourite church building.
This fantastic train ride came to an end back at โNeeds-Mustโ station, where the bus was ready to take us back to the ship. But before we boarded, we still had a short time to look around the shops at the dock.
I bought another Caribbean shirt(blue one) so i could keep up with the vibrant colours surrounding us from all angles! Sarah even plaited my hair too! ๐ ย ย ย
โง My quiet blue shirt โงย
ย Tomorrow will be our last Caribbean island, before we are at sea for 5 days crossing the atlantic for the Azores.ย
Weโve booked a horse ride across the beach etc, so iโm a little nervous. But at least the horse isnโt blind(i hope) and will lead the way! Either way, iโm sure itโll be another unforgettable experience! This holiday has been full of them! ๐ย
ย Our Route 4 2day…
This evening Thomson Dream travels to St Johns, Antigua. Weโll arrive tomorrow morning having travelled 61 nautical miles, at an average speed of 4 knots.
Wow, Did you enjoy this trip as much as we did? Did you have a fave part?ย ย
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โ๏ธ #16 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Philipsburg, St Maarten”๐ธ๐ฝ
April 25, 2020 0 Comments
After a quick bacon roll from Lidoโs on Deck 9, Sarah & i found our way off the ship, and to the shore excursion point.ย
St Maarten Island Tourโฆ(excursion details)
Flying under two flags, St Maarten has got something of a split personality. But despite being one half Dutch and the other French, its whole is as Caribbean as it gets. And on this trip youโll get to see both sides of this two-faced island, with your guide giving you snippets of history as you go
Youโll travel from Philipsburg(Dutch capital) to Marigot(French capital) passing through dinky villages hardly touched by time. Once you reach Marigot, you have some free time to explore this four street-wide city. All patisseries, pavement cafรฉs and designer boutiques, itโs easy to see why itโs known as the French Riviera of the Caribbean.
The Dutch Side…
Our tour started with a drive around the beautiful Dutch side of the island, the air conditioned bus was perfect on this hot day. The guide pretty much told us that this was the place for the profligates. Casinos, night clubs, fast food outlets etc. ย I instantly thought of ย Mathew 23 โYou are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything uncleanโ. Not quite in context, but you get the idea! ๐
I know i keep going on about the vivid colours, i still canโt put into words how stunning they are, i couldnโt get my camera to do them justice! The Colours will be the main thing i remember about the caribbean! ๐ ย
Lookout Point, Simpson Bay Lagoon…
The driver/tour guide said heโd stop the bus for about 5 minutes so we could take some photos of the bay. โExcellent”, i thought as Sarah & i followed a man with a DSLR who was leaving in a hurry off the bus. I thought “if he is so keen to get off, then it must be a beautiful bay”. But as soon as he had moved to the edge of the cliff, he started saying โWhy did he stop here? This is horrible, and a building site! There were much nicer places where he shouldโve stoppedโ.
I ignored his complaining and started taking photos of the scenery i couldnโt see anyway, as i wanted to see what he was talking about when i zoomed in at home after the holiday. I still canโt make out the detail, but what i can see looks beautiful!, and well worth stopping for! ๐
โง Lookout Point – Simpson Bay Lagoon โง
The French Side…
Moving seamlessly from the Dutch side of the island to the French side, Sarah started to feel a little more at home as the guide said โYou wonโt find any Burger King, KFC, casinoโs etc. Youโll find cafe’s, restaurants, small independent market stores etc”.
After more fascinating history of the island, we pulled into Marigot(French capital), and now had 45 minutes to have a look around!ย
Marigotโฆ
ย After leaving the bus, we headed straight for the open space where we found another lovely bayย
โง Marigot bay โงย
After standing a moment to absorb the beauty, it was over to the market to see what we could find.
The smell of the locals cooking on the market was amazing, but Sarah had found a sweet little craft stall. The lady created items from the coral found off the shores St Maarten. โOooooh, i could have a necklace made from St Maartenโ. I knew that to mean “iโm getting one, i just donโt know which one yet?!” ๐ย
โง Sarahโs St Maartens Coral Necklace โง ย
Sarah really was starting to feel at home here, ย but we had to get back to the bus! We enjoyed our stop in Marigot, and we said weโd love to spend a week here to investigate more! ๐
Back On The Ship…
After finishing the island tour, we went back to the ship to get some lunch. We had a few hours before the ship sails away, so we decided to see if we could find a beach!
Sarah always says โThe holiday hasnโt properly started until our feet are standing on the sand!!” ๐ย
After a frustrating hour walking from one end of the dock to the other, trying to find transport to take us to a beach. We started heading back to the ship defeated. When.. suddenly a โWater Taxiโ sign appeared! Fantastic, lets go! Eventually we got on-board a very busy(yet cool) boat that took us a short distance across the bay.ย
After just stepping out of the boat, i heard โHi Steve and Sarahโ. It was Martin, a kind man i sat next too on the plane over to Jamaica. Weโd got chatting on the plane about sight loss and coping etc, and he has a Nephew who is suffering at the moment, so i was giving him some resources that may help etc. We Sadi โHi Martin, are we anywhere near a beach?โ He chuckled a little and said โYeah itโs right here, just walk down this short pier and you wonโt miss itโ โFantastic!โ โDonโt be long though, you donโt want to miss the shipโ Martin said, as he boarded the water taxi.ย
Great Bay Beach…
โง View of the cruise ships from Great Bay Beach โงย
The afternoon sun was getting hot now, which must have been why most of the people were inside the bars. But we had been in air conditioning all morning so didnโt mind a bit of sun.ย
It also meant that, not only did we get to walk on the powder white sands, but Sarah got to swim in the turquoise waters with hardly anyone around! An amazing experience! ๐ ย
Sarah couldnโt believe she was swimming in paradise, and couldnโt stop smiling for the rest of the day! ๐ย
โง Sarah relaxing in paradise โง ย ย
โง Beautiful! โงย
It really was getting hot now, so we nipped into a small bar for a cold soothing drink. I thought iโd try a Rum & Coke(though i didnโt taste much coke), and Sarah had her fave Mojito.ย
We had a last walk up and down the beach before boarding the water taxi back to the ship. What an amazing day! This whole holiday has been simply breathtaking for us, and Sarah still canโt believe she got to swim in the beautiful, warm Caribbean sea! ๐
Towel Folding & Beyond…
Youโve already seen the fantastic towel folded Elephant onย Day 1, and each night the cabin steward folded our bed in amazingly straight lines, but he went one step further. We found Sarahโs nightie folded in this fantastic pattern.
โง Folded nightie and bed, with chocolate mints on pillows โง ย ย
Our Route 4 2day…
This evening Thomson Dream sails to Basseterre, St Kitts. Weโll arrive tomorrow morning having travelled 59 nautical miles at an average of 4 knots.
Wow, Did you enjoy this trip as much as we did? Did you have a fave part?ย ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 24 – “Long Jumps”
April 25, 2020 0 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโLong Jumps”
Letโs paws for a moment (before you start your long jumps) to have anย informed discussion about safety. When weย ย prepare to explode into take off, we shift weight back into the large muscles of our back legs and onto the back-leg joints.
This activates our muscles and propels us up and forward like a coiled cobra, the action requires a full range of motion in the back leg joints including the stifle and the hip and tarsal (hock), and of course, activation in all the supporting muscles. When we come to land, our front legs are mobilised, flexing and extending to brake and steady us.
These actions are perfectly natural and it takes more out of our joints than walking or running around on level ground. So the lesson isโฆBe careful with all of the increased load on your bodies! ๐พ
๐ฌย โWhat counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; itโs the size of the fight in the dog.โย Dwight D Eisenhower
๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
โฌ
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๐ป Sarah’s 2.6 Sunflower Challenge! ๐ป
April 25, 2020 0 Comments
Hi wordpress family! My lovely wife Sarah is planning to test her individualistic gardening style & love of sunflowers to raise money for charity. ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย She really needs your loving encouragement and support for this floricultural challenge! Please read all about it below and join me in showing her the wordpress love. ๐
๐ป The 2.6 Sunflower challenge ๐ป
As there is no London marathon this year in the UK due to the COVID19 lockdown many charities across the UK have decided to hold the 2.6 challenge to raise much needed funds.
The challenge celebrates the 26 miles that would have been covered by runners in the London marathon on the 26th April this year and Iโve decided to participate to support the amazing work of World Cancer Research Fund by planting 26 sunflower seeds. Iโm hoping to grow 26 giant sunflowers to a staggering height of 2.6 metres eachโฆ. I will actually be happy if I manage to grow one over 2.6 feet with my unpredictable gardening skillsโฆ so this really is a challenge for me.
I will donate ยฃ26 to start the event (ยฃ1 per sunflower) and ask if you would like to join me by sponsoring a sunflower for yourself and naming it – I will add a label with your chosen name to your sunflower and will give weekly video updates so you can see just how quickly your sunflower is growing.
The first one to reach 2.6 metres will get a special prizeโฆ and remember all your kind donations will be going to support World Cancer Research Fund, who fund cancer prevention research to help more people live cancer free lives.
If youโd like to be part of my challenge and have your own sunflower, please click or scan the QR code below and let me know what name you want to give your sunflower in the message box, along with the donation you’d like to makeย
Together we can grow cancer prevention awarenessโฆ.. and sunflowers! ๐ป
Just open up the camera on your smart phone and point it at the QR code and itโll take you directly to my fundraising page. Alternatively just click the QR code and it will link through too.
Please give me the incentive to look after the sunflowers properly by sponsoring and naming them….let the growing begin ๐ป
โ๏ธ #15 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Road Town, Tortola BVI”๐ป๐ฌ
April 25, 2020 3 Comments
Absorbing ย The Landscapes…
As we were at anchor during our visit to Road Town, with local shipโs tender boats transferring us to, and from the shore. We had a little time to take some photos before we left the ship. It was so calm and peaceful as we stood in front of this beautiful landscape.
โง Sorryโฆi couldnโt resist the overkill blue filter effect! ๐ โง ย
โง The beautiful coastline of Road Town โง ย
ย โง I listened patiently until the boat that i couldnโt see was hopefully on the right of my shot! ๐ โงย
โง The rolling green hills of Road Town โง ย
After having a fun(bobbing up and down) tender boat ride, we were driven along the coastal road covered in vivid green trees which stroked the tops of brightly coloured bungalows.
The Dolphin Encounter…
We had now arrived at the Prospect Reef Resort where Sarah got into the water to splash around with dolphins that call this place home.
As Sarahโs eye had been closed to keep out infections, we thought it was best to choose the โDolphin Encounterโ instead of the fully immersed ย โSwim with Dolphinsโ. We just couldnโt risk it!ย
I booked the โDolphin Observerโ which didnโt turn out well. Sarah & i were separated and i had no way of knowing which pool she was entering, so i waited on the nearest seats i could find, quietly listening for her name to be called out. Then as i’d hear it, iโd whip out my camera and get some shots. I didnโt hear her name as i was sat at completely the wrong pool. ๐ฆ
But all is not lostโฆi bought the fantastic photos taken by their photographer. Yay! ๐ย
ย โง Sarah stood in front of the surf board logo sign โงย
ย Sarah had never done anything like this before, she was excited and apprehensive at the same time. But as soon as she got into the water and met her new friend, she was blown away! ๐
Step 1: Meeting the dolphin…ย
ย โง Sarahโs first touch of the dolphin โงย
Step 2: Dancing with the dolphin…ย
Sarah said as she took hold of both flippers, the dolphin started a funky wiggle dance! ๐ย
ย โง Sarah dancing with her new friend โง ย
Step 3: The Kiss…ย
ย โง Sarah receiving a kiss on the cheek from the dolphin โงย
โง Dolphin showing its excitement after meeting Sarah! ๐ ย โง ย
Once Sarah was dried off and changed, and we collected the photo CD, it was time to catch the bus back and head for Road Towns pretty main street and market.ย
We had one place in mind(if we could find it) โSunny Caribbeeโ. Everybody was talking about this place and the incredible local spices, sauces, coffee, artworkโฆeverything! ๐ย
We got off the bus and walked into town. We walked for a while longer, then we did(what we always did) when we got lost on our tripโฆlisten for a broad northern accent! It was only seconds until we found some people from our ship who pointed us in the right direction! ๐ย
Sunny Caribbee…
โง Photo of the shop front of Sunny Caribbee โง ย ย
โง Bottled sauces with fantastic hats! ๐ โง
Once inside the shop we were amazed by the variety and beauty of the products, and how lovely and helpful the ladies were, We just wanted to take everything! Once we saw the sauce bottles with the hats, we just had to get them as presents! ๐ ย
We were sad to leave Sunny Caribbee, but it was time to head off to the main street market as Sarah had seen some beautifully coloured dresses!
Sarah bought a lovely bright dress, but no photos yet. ๐ฆ ย
After getting lost again in the town, we managed to find directions (yes another northern couple) back to the tender boats. It was another bobbing boat ride back to the ship.
We then took our usual seats in the Coffee Port, while drinking our favourite double espresso macchiatoโs, we watched the islands disappear as the ship sailed away.
Our Route 4 2day…
This afternoon Thomson Dream sails to Philipsburg, St Maarten. Weโll arrive tomorrow morning having travelled 92 nautical miles at an average speed of 8 knots.
Wow, Did you enjoy this trip as much as we did? Did you have a fave part?ย ย
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โ๏ธ #14 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: La Romana, “Dominican Republic”๐ฉ๐ด
April 24, 2020 0 Comments
Sarah & i were excited to arrive at La Romana, Dominican Republic, and we were really looking forwards to our shore excursion. After applying strong suntan lotion, deet bands to our wrists and ankles and finishing off with our hats, we went to see if we could find where the excursion actually starts!ย
Using my knees as suspention, i slowly navigated down the treacherous gangway steps until i reached land. yay! The hot sun was shining, I could hear a local band playing, and then i heard Joโs voice, she is part of the excursion team. We homed in on her voice and she said that she was coming on the same excursion so we could wait for her and sheโll take us to the coach. Fantastic, we can now relax! ๐
โง My lovely wifeย Sarahโs beautiful Caribbean outfit! ๐ย โงย
After a short coach trip, and hearing about the history of the island by the tour guide, we arrived atย Casa de Campo,
Roman-styled 5,000-seat amphitheater…
โงย Sarah relaxing in the sun, sat on the amazing steps.ย โงย
โงย My new hat kept my head nice and cool, thanks Suzanneย โง
ย After briefly taking in this fantasticย amphitheater, it was a short walk to the lovely fountain.
I had no idea that Sarah had stopped sitting down and was now walking towards me, but itโs made a lovely photo! lol. ๐ย
ย Another short walk around this beautiful place until we reached the church and river.
St. Stanislaus Church…ย
โงย Me walking around wondering what to shoot next!ย โง ย
Whilst looking at the stunning church, at my 6 oโ clock was the stunningย Chavรณn River. What a beautiful place, and such a blessing to be able to be here.
ย The Chavรณn River…ย
ย 
Just as i finished taking this photo, Sarah said โquick, take a photo of those ladies wearing the beautiful red dressesโ. I span round and said โWhere are they?โ They were about 10 feet directly in front of me(i told you i was blind! lol). But just then they stood either side of Sarah and posed for the photo…
Some of you more experienced travellers will probably know what iโm about to say?!!
After the photo the ladies said โTipโฆtipโ, i was about to say โNo, itโs ok you donโt need to tip me for the photo, iโm not that good!โ. But then as we realised it was they who wanted a tip for posing for the shot, Jo(our Thomson excursion leader) quickly gave them a tip as we had no change at all. That was a lesson learned for Sarah & i, and we will be a little more discerning next time! I still think it was worth the mix up as the photos are lovely. ๐ย
At the bottom left of the photo aboveโฆyou can just make out the paddle boat. Thatโs where we are heading next! ๐ย
ย Paddle Boats & Palm Trees…
ย โงย Me reflecting on Godโs beautiful creationย โงย
ย โงย Sarah feeling relaxed in the sunย โงย
The whole excursion was amazing. Iโve never seen such vibrant colours, breathtaking scenery and a chance to travel along the โRambo Riverโ.ย
Back on-board the ship…
We went straight to the ice cold water machine, and then out on deck to get some last shots before we sailed away.ย
ย Wow,what a day! The south east corner of the Dominican Republic. was labelled โThe fairest land under heaven” by Columbus. I don’t disasociate myself from his opinion!! ๐ย
Our Route 4 2day…
This afternoon the Thomson Dream sails to Road Town, Tortola. Weโll arrive tomorrow afternoon having travelled 277 nautical miles, at an average speed of 14 knots.ย
Wow, Did you enjoy this trip as much as we did? Did you have a fave part?ย ย
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โ๏ธย Start From #1ย ๐ Or join the adventure at:
๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 23 – “Guess The Face”
April 24, 2020 6 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโGuess The Face”
This is a great teachable momentโฆBeing the best of the best and the complete stupendous Dog that you are, takes time and effort. However one of the most important aspects(the glue that holds it all together) isโฆLaughter! One of our main tasks is to make the humans cry with laughter and this can be done by pulling a silly face!ย ๐ย
If you are a human reading thisโฆPlease look again at the photo of me pulling a silly face and then comment below with what you think iโm thinking? Or what makes you laugh about my face?ย
Iโllย be chewing on aย โJumbone” and waiting for theย โย bbrrrriinnggg” of the humans WordPress iPhone apps notification alert sound to read your comments!ย ๐ย
๐ฌย โWhat counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; itโs the size of the fight in the dog.โย Dwight D Eisenhower
๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
โฌ
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โ๏ธ #12 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Hello Jamaica!”๐ฏ๐ฒ
April 23, 2020 0 Comments
YayโฆCaribbean here we come!!!
All our bags are packed and ready to go, and itโs only 5:30am! Thomson included a chauffeur to take us to(and from) Gatwick airport, โcool” i said โIโve never used a chauffeur beforeโ. She promptly arrived at 5:50, put the bags in the boot and off we went! Really hope we havnโt forgotten anything, but too late now! ๐ย
The driving was the smoothest iโve ever witnessed, the acceleration and the cornering were like silk. didnโt move a inch in my seat, well impressed! lol.
London Gatwick Airport…
After a slightly less smooth check in, Sarah bought a fantastically colourful Swatch watch(pic coming soon), then we drank a nice coffee and waited to board the 787 Dreamliner! Sorry i couldnโt take the photo below, but i couldnโt get the window open! ๐ย
โงย The Thomson 787 Dreamlinerย –ย image from Google imagesย โงย
ย As iโve only been abroad once(Tuscany Tourย 5 months ago) and only been in an Airbus A320, i was interested in this 787 monster, as our flight is 9 hours. It was huge inside, plenty of seating space and legroom, and had remote dimmers on the windows, instead of a plastic pull down blind! Impressed again! lol. The Air conditioning was fantastic and the time just seemed to fly by! ๐ย
ย Montego Bay, Jamaica…
Who turned on the massive hair dryer?! It was hot, but we managed to get through the airport and get on the bright yellow bus that will take us to the ship. The bus was fantastic, super soft suspension bouncing us along to loud reggae music, with stunning vividly saturated colours painting the landscapes.ย
Wow thatโs a big ship…
After having our photos taken and registering for our on board payment cards, it was time to board. Again iโd only ever been in small speed boats when i was little, so this was another huge 1st for me! ๐ ย
โงย The Thomson Dream Cruise Shipย โงย
ย As it will be my 40th birthday tomorrow(15th April), and we needed a fridge in the room for Sarahโs insulin, we booked a suite which we eventually located on Deck 7.ย
โง A folded towel Elephant โงย
ย We were welcomed by a fantastic folded towel elephant, and a bottle of Champagne chillin in an ice bucket, fantastic! ๐ย
The cabin crew said that we had beaten our suitcases to the ship, so we went for a little exploring.
Well i said exploringโฆwe found the fantastic “Coffee Portโ on Deck 8, a quiet oasis with stunning views overlooking the Jamaican coastline. Oh and it has sofaโs too!ย
โงย Sarah relaxing in the coffee Port with views of Montego Bayย โง
ย After beautiful and strong coffees we waited for the emergency drill at 6pm up on Deck 9.ย
โง Me on left wearing a life jacket โง
ย Once out on deck we were guided to our posts and shown how to put on our life jackets. It took me longer to squeeze my head through the tiny hole of the jacket than it took for the whole drill. lol.:)
It was really hot and humid out there, and after hearing a bit of a shuffling panic, a person had passed out near us and was stretchered away, I heard the person was fine shortly after and it was due to heat etc.
ย Returning to the cabin, our suitcases had arrived, so we spent the remainder of the extra long day(as Jamaica is 5 hours behind the UK) unpacking. Sarah was pleased to find a huge walk-in wardrobe and promptly started filling it. ๐ย
Iโd hoped to get more photos of the day, but as we were always on the move, being hustled to and from transport, i had to concentrate on walking instead of taking photos. ๐ฆย
Tomorrow will be my 40th and a full day at sea as we head towards La Romana, Dominican Republic. We have booked an excurtion aroundย Altos de Chavรณn(mediterranean style European village) and a paddle boat ride along theย Chavรณn Riverย where they filmed scenes from Rambo pt 1 & 2, and Jurassic Park.
Hope you enjoyed Day 1? Hope to see you at sea on my 40th!ย ๐ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 22 – “Noses”
April 23, 2020 8 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโNoses”
I forgot to mention in postย โSeek & Destroyโ that whilst you are running with a large ball in your mouthโฆAlways make sure your nose is clear so you can still breathe and not pass out!ย
Here are a few factoids…
- Dogsโ olfactory abilities are anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times more powerful than humansโ. In fact, we have roughly 50 smell receptors compared to the humans measly one.
- Our nose can breathe air in and out at the same time.
- We have a special scent-detecting organ, called the vomeronasal organ that humans donโt have. This organ helps us detect pheromones secreted by other animals.
- Each of our nose prints are unique, like each humanโs fingerprint.Flat-faced, short-nosed dogs, such as the Boxer, Pekingese, and Pug, have fewer scent-detecting cells than dogs with longer snouts, like Bloodhounds and German Shepherds. But what we lack in scent-detectors, we gain jaw power and can grip for hours without our big nose getting in the way, lol.
๐ฌย โWhat counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; itโs the size of the fight in the dog.โย Dwight D Eisenhower
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๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
ย
โฌ
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โ๏ธ #11 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Farewell Firenze!”๐ฎ๐น
April 23, 2020 7 Comments
Up bright and early, packed and ready to go (well weโd like to stay another week) we found the right bus to Pisa (phew) and got our favourite seats right at the front, Yes! ๐
Arriving at Pisa airport, Francesca (our assistance person) was great. She sorted everything out, then kindly took this photo of Sarah & i in front of the plane as we were first on-board again! ๐
The takeoff was stupendous! I love the acceleration, and i was just as excited throughout the whole journey! The Captain said โWe are at 28,000ft, doing 480mph and its -52degrees outsideโ Wow! ๐ย
I think God just smiled at me! ๐
Sarah & i canโt thank you enough for joining us as we travel back through our memories. Itโs been fantastic for us as we sit down(with a coffee) and read back through our incredible tripsโฆAnd to know you are with us(and enjoying) on our journey warms our hearts! ๐
ButโฆThis tour of Tuscany was just the beginning!! The fun doesnโt stop here. So grab your coffee(or tea) as the next stop is the Caribbean!! ๐ดโ๏ธ๐ย
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โ๏ธ #10 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Firenze Extra!”๐ฎ๐น
April 22, 2020 1 Comment
Sarah & i started our final full day with the legendary amazing breakfast, then headed out to make the most of our last full day in this beautiful city.
Our plan today was to head East, then travel anti-clockwise until we reach our favourite place (South, by the river Arno) to try and take photos of things we may have missed so far, or from angles different from the norm. Right letโs Go!
East…
Wow, another bell tower, how did i miss this!ย
North…
Heading North of our hotel, we stopped once again to gaze upon the stunning architecture of the Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Medici Ricardi…
West…
As we were heading west, i found another statue, but thought iโd take it from a random angle! ๐
Sarah found a shop with sunflowers (her favourite flowers)…
South…
Gold anyone!! ๐
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After spending a while around the river, we headed to probably the most famous and popular square (Piazza della Signoria) to capture some more statues! ๐
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I wasnโt one of the statues, lol. But i was being very still!ย
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Now for probably the most famous statue of allโฆMichelangeloโs David. Everyone was crowding round and getting the obvious and boring shot of David. So i decided to get a different angle! ๐
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Both Sarah and i had our own favourite statues. Iโll start with Sarahโs.
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Sarahโs favourite is “Perseus with the Head of Medusaโ.
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My favourite is of Cosimo Medici on his horse…
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Do you have a favourite statue??
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For the final evening we had booked one of only 7 tables at the amazing “Santa Elisabettaโ restaurant in the old 6th century tower at our hotel.
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I didnโt take anymore photos as i was too excited, and i forgot! ๐
The experience was sublime. Everything was fantastic and itโll be a meal weโll never forget! ย
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We then had a final walk out to see the Florence Cathedral at night, it really stood out against the dark night.
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Hope you’ve enjoyed being on our little tour today around Florence?!
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We have been so blessed this week, not only to be here in this stunning city thatโs so rich in history. But being part of an exhibition in the Medici palace still leaves me speechless.ย
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Whoโd of thought that after being registered blind 14 years ago, iโd be here in a photography exhibition?!! Thank you Lord for always surprising me, and giving me a gift i just canโt explain!ย
โ๏ธย Start From #1ย ๐ Or join the adventure at:
๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 21 – “Long Runs”
April 22, 2020 9 Comments
โงย Bruce demonstrating a long run โง ย ย
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโLong Runs”
Since weโve already gotย โShort Sprintsโ in our arsenal, itโs time to stretch out that drill into aย โLong Run.”
This can be really difficult during lockdown and itโs vital to keep social distancing as youโll be running for a long timeโฆSo be vigilant, and most of all safe!ย
I hope you find a place where you can practise this drill because…
A long run burns calories, strengthens/hardens muscles, and tones the body, but more importantly ย a long run really pushes you to discover your full athletic potential!
ย ๐ถ โDonโt let nobody drag your spirit down” –ย Eric Bibb
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โ๏ธ #9 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “The Photographic Exhibition Pt 2″๐ฎ๐น
April 22, 2020 0 Comments
Oh did i mentionโฆ. iโm actually in Italy,Yay!!ย
Well iโm not actually in Italy as i write this, iโm at home on my iMac! But Sarah kept on catching me opening the maps app and taking a screenshot of our location!
Today we thought weโd head south towards the river, then curl round and end up North of the hotel at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi to see if last night really was a dream.
The Vasari Corridorโฆ.
Sarah & i really liked theย “Vasari Corridorโ, but now Sarah wonโt let me through as i’m a commoner, lol. Eventually i managed to negotiate a deal, but it meant looking round more shops! ๐
Sarah looking fluent in Florin! (Italian gold coin) ย
Sarah at Tiffanyโs! ๐
After a while we decided to rest a little and get refreshed ready for more exciting touring. Mmmmmm coffee and cake! ๐ย
ย ย 
Wow, now that was fantastic! Anyway better get back to it! ๐ย
It wasnโt long before Sarah found another friend, in the form of a statue.ย
As we walked past the amazing Florence Cathedral, Sarah noticed and got excited that there was now a Christmas tree & nativity scene.
After being wowed, we took lots of photos to try and get one good enough to possibly make Christmas cards for loved ones.
Now on to the Palazzo Medici Riccardi…
We arrived at the palace (left in photo above) and found the exhibition, yay i didnโt dream it! ๐
As the majority of the artwork displayed was created by blind & partially sighted people, it was really tactile so we got to touch the creations. Iโm so used to going to museums etc and not being able to see or touch the art. Thanks artists! ๐
ย ย 
As i mentioned yesterday (see Day 5) i was 1 of 3 artists (still not used to being called that)ย from the UK who exhibited, so iโd like to introduce to youโฆAnn and her paintings…
And Christinaโs photos…
After a long walk around looking and touching the art, we went out of the back exit where i found an archway, and a huge ring that we kept finding on the outside of buildings, i think for the horses.
Weโd had another fantastic day in Florence, and if you remembered onย Day 4, i’d topped the evening off with an amazing cherry topped cakeโฆWell this evening it got better stillโฆ..
Bistecca alla fiorentinaโฆ..
Just when you thought the evening couldnโt get any betterโฆSarah & i shared the amazingย Florentine steak! We had been told by Grace from our favourite restaurant in the world (Sicily Restaurant) that we couldnโt leave without trying one. Wow, she was right. It was truly magnificent and everything weโd hoped for, although i think Sarah got arm ache from sawing the never ending extra thick meat!! ๐
Weโve had such a memorable and unbelievable time in Italy, and as this was Thursday, we still had a full day Friday, before we headed home on Saturday. ๐ย
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โ๏ธ #8 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “The Photographic Exhibition”๐ฎ๐น
April 21, 2020 6 Comments
Well this is it, the actual reason we came, lol! I know i mentioned i only had my iPhone 5s & Sarahโs iPhone 6 Plus to take photos, the main reason (apart from weight, lenses & tiny viewfinders) was the GPS map pins, i love them! ๐
It was now Wednesday and it was time for the sun to make way for the rain. The hotel room even had itโs own umbrella with โBrunelleschiโ as the logo, i like this hotel! The exhibition didnโt start until 4pm, so we decided to explore (now we knew where we were going after our fantasticย walking tour)ย for a couple of hours with our new umbrella! ๐
It turned out that the streets were much quieter which is great for us, so we could relax a little more too after a couple of hectic days. OOoooo another coffee shop! ๐
ย The Exhibitionโฆ..
We left the hotel with posh clothes on and fancy umbrella in hand and headed to the Palazzo Medici Riccardi hoping there actually was an exhibition even though we had still seen no signs at all, not even a hint that thereโd be one.
Then we turned into the main entranceโฆ..
Sarah said โWow, now this is a lot of people, the posters are up all around us and look great, and itโs in the beautiful, main part of the palaceโ. I started to feel a little out of my depth all of a sudden.
Sarah then found Ann, who has also travelled from England, UK (thats โ of the UK representatives, lol) so i had a chat with her as iโd never met her before, sheโs an enormously talented artist and has a few paintings in the exhibition.ย
We hadnโt noticed, but the crowd had started making their way to the large area in the centre where the president of the blind union was talking (in Italian)ย through a PA system. By the time we had arrived we were at the back wondering what was going on, and none of us were able to see anything (even the sighted ones) as we were just too far away.ย
Thenโฆ..
Costanza, who organised the whole thing (with her husband) cut through the crowd, took my had and led me right to the front next to the president and a few of the other artists.
Then after about 5 minutes, she put the microphone into my hand and said โSpeak one wordโ.ย
The place went silent, i could feel there were lots of people around, i had no idea if any of them spoke english. So i ย said “ciao a tutti (Hello everyone),ย iโm Steve Rebus from Londonโ. It seemed to go across well, but i was so terrified i didnโt have a clue what to say next. Constanza gently took the mic and passed it along, aaaghhh i could now relax a little. ๐
After a few more people spoke we were given a glass ofย Proseccoย and Costanza took me to see what theyโd done with my photos. I had only sent the prints and they had mounted, framed and hung them beautifully, i canโt thank them enough, they looked great and very professional!
It wasnโt long before people started crowding round as they viewed each of our works.
Everyone kept telling me how fantastic the photos were and that i was a โProvider of ย inspirationโ (now thatโs a title, lol. , all i could say is thanks. I was completely overwhelmed by the whole evening. I never knew it was going to be this big, professionally done and not held in a dark attic somewhere! Iโm not good at playing the artist game and kept thinking that i better start taking some better photos, lol. ๐
After a couple of hours walking round the exhibition, i was amazed at the level of talent. I enjoyed the paintings (a lot were tactile too), sculptures and other photography, simply brilliant!
Iโll post more photos tomorrow when we returned to see if we were just dreaming!ย
Sarah got me to stand next to one of the Art Senses posters while holding the amazingly professional catalogue/book of all the works and artists bio etc. Costanza really worked hard to put everything together, and i thank God that she found Sarah to ask for blind artists from the UK.
I heard Art Senses are holding a similar exhibition next year in Rome!! I better get taking some photos, if i want to be invited as an artist again. Wow to do all this in Rome, unbelievable!ย ๐ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 20 – “Pawly”
April 21, 2020 8 Comments
โงย Bruce feeling sad after his ear operation โ ย
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโPawly”
I wanted to paws and take a little time to talk about accidents, or if you are pushing too hard on your drills…
If you have been to the vets(no idea why they are called this, theyย havenโt spent anytime in combat) and they have forced you into theย โHelmet Of ShameโโฆDO NOT be cast down, but keep your chops held high!
There are other drills and exercises we can do e.g…
Dancing, Yay! Like yesterdays drillย โBust A Moveโ donโt beย afraid to dance through the storms of life!!ย ๐ย
โงย Bruce dancing in the storm! ๐ โง
๐ถ โDonโt let nobody drag your spirit down – Eric Bibb
ย
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โ๏ธ #7 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Firenze Walking Tour”๐ฎ๐น
April 21, 2020 12 Comments
During another sublime breakfast, Sarah & i wondered if there was a walking tour around Firenze?! We now have a love of walking tours after our hugely successful one yesterday.ย Itโs much easier for us to just follow a group instead of getting lost and wondering around aimlessly, and itโs a great way to learn the history and culture of the area.
They did do a tour and it started just after lunch. We booked on it and then decided to go for a walk to see if we could find the starting point by ourselves. It was in an area we hadnโt covered yet so we knew it was going to be a challengeโฆ..We failed, but we found a lovely cafe! We sat outside with the sun blazing down, it was fantastic! ๐
The image below shows me staring at the sun. Since being registered blind and having no central vision at all, i can now stare at the sun without squinting or blinking. Didnโt know it made me look this weird though, lol. ๐
We then spent a couple of hours enjoying finding new and wonderful shops, before heading back to the hotel. The reception had arranged for someone to walk us to the walking tour meeting point, fantastic! ๐
Firenze Walking Tourโฆ
The group met up in a different square than the one we found earlier, and gave us another one of those radio thingyโs, Yay! As the guide was talking about the square, i captured some shots!
ย 
Moving from the square and through some little side streets, we stopped at the “Basilica of Santa Croceโ founded byย Saint Francis. Sarah said โWow, it looks like someone has iced it like a cake! It doesnโt look realโ.ย
Walking through the streets we were told of a local artist whoโs adding figures to road signs.ย
ย Continuing with more fantastic Medici family history we found ourselves in a familiar square (Piazza della Signoria).
As we didnโt have lots of time to walk around and take photos, Sarah & i revisited on Day 7 to get some more interesting shots. Now itโs onwards to the river. ๐
When we accidentally found the river Arno during the Firenze marathon, Sarah had said that the river looks dirty, like brown sludge. But today with the sun shining bright, it glowed gold like nothing iโd seen before! ๐
ย 
ย 
We continued our tour by walking through the “Piazza della Repubblicaโ ahh, the place with the sparkling building (see Day 1).
Then finishing our tour at the Florence Cathedral (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore).ย Yay another amazing bell tower! ๐
ย Iโve heard of โKnockingโ on Heavenโs doorโ but now i was stood at โThe Gates of Paradiseโ.
ย Sarah then said โGo and stand in front of the doors of the Cathedral, we need more photos with you in them so people will know you were hereโ. I really donโt like this side of the lens, but this is for you guys! ๐
Wow! Were these doors made for theย Nephilim?!! ๐
After this amazing tour, we felt that we could now spend a few days exploring with a little more confidence, starting with a trip to our fave coffee (and cake) place which is right next to our hotel. The cherry on top of the cake below really sums up our day. Itโs been another unbelievable day that always leaves me saying โHow am i here? This is like a dream! I still canโt believe iโm here?!โย
ย Youโll be very pleased to know that my next post is the opening day of the exhibition!ย
Iโm so blessed that youโve stuck with me on this incredible journey. God bless you. ๐ย
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โ๏ธ #6 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “San Gimig nano”๐ฎ๐น
April 20, 2020 0 Comments
The dark cloak of night consumed us, light had escaped the dungeon of darkness but had vanished..โฆSorry, just trying to set the mood for the final destination on our amazing Tuscany in a day tour.
Chiara had been telling us of the year 1348 when the black death had wiped out over โ of the walled medieval town of San Gimignano, the majority of the people who survived the terror had left. Continuing on this theme, and the fact that it was totally dark outside (due to this time of year) set the scene for what we were about to experience!
Welcome to San Gimignano…
After a short walk uphill, the group arrived at the main entrance of the walled town. We then had about 45 minutes free time to explore, then meet back here. Afterr the group dispersed, Sarah & i entered…ย
No amount of photos could ever get across the feeling of this place! The black windows towering over you from each side, the silence and the shadows following you everywhere, generated a smothering atmosphere that had flavours of Fear, Death, Sorrow for the people of old, Aweย and a weird taste of Joy and amazement. You really can only experience San Gimignano by physically being here!ย
As Sarah was checking out the few little shops on the main walkway, iโd stay outside and just stand, soaking up the atmosphere that my words canโt describe. Sarah says โThey only sell pottery or Knivesโ.
As i was stood (see above) it was completely silent. Then all of a sudden i heard heavy footsteps from behind sounding like they were headed straight for me. I expected to see a blade sticking out of the front of my chest as an assassin wearing a monks tunic (from the video game (assassins creed) shot out of the shadows sending me to paradise.
As i turned though it was just a person leaving the church behind me, although i’m still not sure how they managed the booming footstep thing. My imagination really doesnโt help my heart at times like these! ๐
As we met back up with the group having felt weโd been to probably the most special place of the trip. We were so grateful we hadnโt decided to stay in the coach as it was just too dark to risk having accidents.ย
I really hope youโve enjoyed joining us on the โTuscany in a dayโ tour?! ๐
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 19 – “Bust A Move”
April 20, 2020 7 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโBust A Move”ย
All of us dogs have a very individualistic personality, just like the humans do.ย While this varies from breed to breed, a lot of us respond to music based on the genre. You all know what i mean, when that songs starts playing and you just have toย โBust A Move!”
Depending on your groove, and how funky your routineโฆThis will leave your human in stitches, they will laugh their heads off! ๐ย
At this point, i should tell you some benefits of busting a move…
Dancing is a great way to stay combat ready for dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes. It has a wide range of physical and mental benefits including:
- Improves condition of your heart and lungs
- Increases muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness
- Increases aerobic fitness
- Improves muscle tone and strength
- Helps weight management
- Stronger bones(thatโs our bones and not the bones you normally chew.)
- Better coordination, agility and flexibility
- Improved balance and spatial awareness
- Greater self-confidence and self-esteem
- Better social skills.
๐ฌย โHit the floor with those groovy paws!โย ๐ถ
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โ๏ธ #5 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Sienna”๐ฎ๐น
April 20, 2020 2 Comments
While approaching Sienna, we were given a fantastic little radio thingy that you put around your neck. It has a single earphone so you can still hear the tour guide within a large radius,or if it gets noisy. We then met the new Siena tour guide who would guide the group and share interesting stories and history of this stunning place.
Welcome to Siena…
We were very happy to meet in a little square around a huge Christmas tree (see above). I am now only wearing a thin shirt as it is like a summers day and itโs December!! ย ๐
Walking through the narrow streets and hearing more about how the Medici family slaughtered and captured Siena, we arrived at the famous medieval square (Piazza del Campo). Yay another tower! ๐ย
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After a walk around the banked curves of the square (feeling like an Indy 500 car), the group then left the square and headed towards (what has now become my favourite bell tower of all time) Siena Cathedral!
Siena Cathedral…
Walking under a narrow archway, the group made a collective sound, it went something like (wooaaahhhhooww), Sarah said โWow! A humbug tower!โ I said understatedly โOh rightโ as i could only look at the ground to try and navigate, and i canโt see the tower or any of itโs detail anyway. But when i got back, and was able to zoom into my photos to see what i was pointing my camera atโฆ..”Wow, Wow Wowโ.ย
ย Sarah was very happy when we went inside and found more humbugs! ๐
ย The group then sat down to hear the final part of the tour guides history. Just after i said to Sarah โWow, isnโt it amazing to think that all of this unbelievable place was done for Jesus?! It all points to Him!โ. The tour guide said โAnd this was all done for Mary!โ. I was not amused at all!ย
We then had some free time and was told to meet back at the medieval square, now which way was that??ย
We did eventually find it, and we met back up with the group. to then return back to the coach, but on the way we passed the Christmas tree where we had first started and it looked beautiful! It finished Siena off nicely! ๐
After quite a scare of nearly getting lost and left behind as the group disappeared into the darkness, Sarah and i boarded what we hoped was our coach (it was). ย Now itโs off towards our final destination of the day! ๐ย
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โ๏ธ #4 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Vinci & Chianti”๐ฎ๐น
April 19, 2020 5 Comments
ย As we left the amazing Pisa, Chiara (our tour guide) gave us some more interesting yet gruesome Tuscany history about the Medici family killing everyone again and taking over more villages and cities. She also mentioned a man calledย Leonardo Da Vinci, “no wayโ i said to Sarah โI thought he was a ninja turtle, not a real man!โ She gave me a swift elbow in the ribs, and Chiara continued.
Welcome to Vinci…
The image below is of the landscape that greeted us from the coach. ย
After taking in the amazing scenery, we headed off on foot to the Museum of Leonardo Da Vinci.
I really like bell towers!!ย ๐
Sarah & i found inside the museum much too dark, so we struggled to see any of the fantastic creations on display. Sarah was using her iPhone 6 Plus with itโs wide aperture of f2.2 to view each design as it showed much brighter on her screen, rather than the dark blob in front of her (sheโs a genius).
We did find a cool bike though!!
Now it was back outside to have a wonder around and see what we can find. It wasnโt long before we found a familiar object!ย
Sarah wasnโt happy with the “Vitruvian Manโ and thought Leonardo had missed something out. So we added something extraโฆโฆTheย Vitruvian Man & Woman! ๐
Now for Chianti…
After another trip on the coach through amazing rolling hills, olive grows and vinyards, the coach parked right up at the top in Chianti where we were to do a little wine & local Tuscan food tasting.
I didnโt have time to take any photos as we were guided straight to our table and greeted with a lovely plate of local baked bread, olive oil, cheese and spicy meat.
The lady first pour a little Chianti Simple (table wine) into the huge glass and as she was going into great detail of how to hold the glass etc, i continued on the food (i couldnโt see anything she was doing, so her over complicated directions were wasted on me, lol). As i donโt really drink alcohol except a very full bodied glass of red wine on special occasions (normally 1 bottle a year and thatโs usually Chรขteauneuf-du-Pape i receive as a Christmas gift). My thought is that if iโm only going to have one glass on rare occasions, then i would like one that i enjoy! ๐
I really know nothing about wines, only that some are red and some are white, and some are watery and some are thick (like coffee, lol) and i only like the thick ones, which now i know are called full bodied! ๐
Then she poured a little of the Chianti Classico (full bodied..Yay!) and that was much better!ย
But probably my favourite taste of the day was the 30 year old Balsamic Vinegar we got to taste! Wow, now thatโs amazing, but expensive so didnโt get any to bring home! ๐ฆ
As we finished there was a mad rush to the little shop area. I stayed at the table as Sarah went to have a look and take a few photos for us!
I hope youโve enjoyed the trip so far?! Next stop Siena!!ย ๐ย
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 18 – “Parrot Rest”
April 19, 2020 1 Comment
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by BruceโฆYour fave Boxercise instructor!ย ๐ย
Wow yet another week in lockdown has passed alreadyโฆTime flies when your boxercised!
Please meet my good friendย โParrot”ย
Itโs time to rest yet again, so go and grab your favourite toy of the moment and take a day of well earned rest..With plenty of sleeping! ๐ย
Also letโs think once again about rest and sleep. Itโs vitally important to take a day of rest to give your body a chance to heal, it helps toย de-stress, and also helps our minds focusโฆOn FOOD, lol! ๐ย
Fun Quote…โA well trained dog will make no attempt to share your lunch. He will just make you feel so guilty that you cannot enjoy it.โ
๐ถ Remember our happy singalongโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โย
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โ๏ธ #3 The Blind Sightseers Visit: Pisa ๐ฎ๐น
April 19, 2020 0 Comments
I forgot to mention in my older 2 posts in this Tuscany Tour series, that i didnโt take any of my DSLRโs with me to Italy (youโve probably already noticed, lol). All of the photos taken were using my iPhone 5s or Sarahโs iPhone 6 Plus.
Iโd like to split Day 3 into 4 separate posts, as i donโt want them to get too long, and dare i say boring!
Sarah & i were up bright and early, excited yet anxious for todayโs big adventure. As we were in the reception area admiring the beautiful Christmas tree (see image above), the entrance doors opened as our taxi driver entered and escorted us to his taxi. It was still very dark (especially down the narrow side street) and already raining, and when i noticed the black minivan with blacked out windows (which only appear on episodes of 24) and the voice of the driver say โGet inโ, i had a funny feeling that this could be anyone and we were in some kind of movie (this didnโt do my slight anxiety any good at all, lol).
The driver was very friendly and nothing like the man i was imagining, he dropped us off at the exact collection point for the ‘My Tour’ coach stop where we were met by Chiara, the tour guide. She already knew we were blind & partially sighted and said it would be easier for us if we sat on the front 2 seats of the coach. โYes!โ i said as theyโre our fave seats too, good start! ๐
It took about an hour until we arrived at Pisa, Chiara was telling us lots of interesting facts and history of the Tuscany regions we were passing through, this (and my excitement) made the journey seem really quick. The coach parked right near theย Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) and after a short walk in the group Chiara said โNow you have one hour free time, then meet back hereโ. This was just perfect for Sarah & i as we now have a point of reference to go from and to return.
Welcome to Pisa!
First for my tourist pose! ๐
And now itโs Sarahโs turn! ๐
Everyone was rushing straight for the tower, so we hung back and got a few photos of the Baptistry and the Cathedral.
Sarah sneakily snapped me tower gazing and trying to soak up the atmosphere, and the fact that i was actually in Pisa, looking at probably the most famous bell tower in the world! ๐
There was only one small cafe opposite the tower, so Sarah & i went to check it out. We ordered 2 Cappachinoโs and to my delight, a slice of pizza. I know you might laugh, but i just had to try the Pizza at Pisa! ๐
The image above is the view from the open windows at our table, it was just amazing being sat with the leaning tower of Pisa as the backdrop. ๐
After this final panoramic photo, we met up with the group and headed back to the coach.
This visit already made my day and iโd of been happy if that was the end, but this was only the beginning!!
Oh by the wayโฆ..The pizza was fantastic!! ๐
Hope youโve enjoyed the first stop of this โTuscany in a day tourโ. Pleaseย remain in yourย โย tranquility Loungerโ and see whatโs coming on day 4!ย ๐ย
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โ๏ธ #2 The Blind Sightseers Visit: Florence, Italy ๐ฎ๐น
April 18, 2020 5 Comments
As Sarah & i were about to leave the room to try our first breakfast, we suddenly heard a faint sound of bells. We quickly rushed to the window and opened the inner windows and the outer shutters, and the sound was immense! I wanted to record the sound but the video below doesnโt do it justice.
The Breakfast…
The breakfast, i can only describe as an amazing taste sensation. The chef must have only had one knife though, as everything was sliced about an inch thick! What seemed like a block of cheese to us, was a slice to them. lol, but i didnโt want to seem rude and waste any! ๐
The search for the Palace…
After filling up with breakfast, we started out on our primary objective for the dayโฆto find the Palazzo Medici Riccardi where my photos will be exhibited in a few days time.
Once out on the main street, i stood facing north (towards the Cathedral) and opened the Blindsquare app on my iPhone. I had save 2 locations to the favourites – the hotel and the palace, so they would b read out instantly and hopefully tell me (if the cellular network is good) where the locations are using a clock face description. It said โPalazzo Medici Riccardi is at 11โo clock at 350 yardsโ. Right letโs go! After passing the Florence Cathedral it was just a straight road until the Palace was on our left. Now to find the entrance which was another mammoth task for usย …
We started walking around the outside of the whole building finding everything including a cash machine (very useful, clothes store & even a McDonalds (the poshest one weโve ever seen). Finally we found it but we couldnโt see any sign of the Art Senses posters anywhere. We went inside anyway to have a look around where we’d maybe stumble across a tiny room being set up for the exhibition.
Inside the Palace…
As we were walking around, we both kept saying โI think weโre in the wrong building, there is no way the exhibition will be in here somewhere. But this place is amazing so weโll keep lookingโ.
โง We totally need to get door frames like these!! ๐ โง
Then a few minutes later i found a ceiling design for our home too!! lol.
As we entered the next couple of rooms, Sarah was oooing quite a lot, and now as i’m looking back over the photos to see what i was actually looking at, i shouldโve known there were shoes!
After being amazed for a while longer, we decided to double check outside to see if this really was the Palazzo Medici Riccardiโฆ.It was!
I said โThere is no way my photos are being exhibited in there, just no wayโ.
Then as we turned to find our way back to the hotel, we suddenly realised there was a marathon going on!!
Yes a marathon, actually the 31st annual โFlorence Marathonย (Maratona di Firenze)โ. Now the streets were not only packed, but worse still for us, blocked off so we couldnโt get back the way we came.
After a few hours of getting lost, trying different coffee shops and of course the clothes and shoe shops, we found ourselves by the river. Sarah said โoh, this is the river!!โ I said โBut isnโt the river south, way past the hotel in the other direction?โ
We both realised we had no idea which way to go and we were both really tired from dodging people and with all of the noise, so we just decided to pick a street and walk up it. Then to our complete surprise as we were getting really fed up, Sarah said โThatโs the sign to our hotelโ, โNo way, i had no idea we were here, now letโs get a takeaway coffee from our new local and rest for a whileโ.
After an eventful and tiring day, we decided to try heading east but only down one street as itโs dark now and we really donโt want to get lost again. The hanging street lights were beautiful and we found lots of clothes shops and a nice little sandwich/coffee bar to relax in for a while.
As we returned to the hotel we booked a โTuscany in a dayโ tour for the morning. We knew it was a lot in one day but it will be ideal for us. Now we were getting even more excited. I could be stood next to the leaning tower of Pisa!! No way!! ๐
To be continued…
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 17 – “Posture”
April 18, 2020 1 Comment
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโPosture”ย
It’s normal for us to instinctively guard the resources that are important to us. This may includeย our food, our toys, our beds, our humans and our territory!
‘Territorial aggressionโย is important ย
First exhibit warning, then perform defensive and offensive behaviorsโฆYourย โWar Faceโ is essential at this point!
ย If the enemyย proceedsโฆContinue barking, Growling, doing your โShort Sprints” up and down the perimeter…
If they move even closerโฆCharge, bite, gnaw, rip, twist whoever or whatever is invading your territory, until the threat is neutralised!! ย
ย This is why the correct posture is vitalโฆLook harmlessโฆSpring with power!
Here are some benefits of good Posture:
- It keeps bones and joints correctly aligned so our muscles are being used properly.
- Stopsย excessive wearing of joints.
- Decreases the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together.
- Prevents the spine fixing in abnormal positions.
- Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently, allowing us to use less energy.
- Prevents backache and muscular pain.ย
- Contributes to a good appearance.
Awareness of your own posture is key, you can even practise in front of theย mirror if you likeโฆPractise makes better!ย
๐ฌย โWhat counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; itโs the size of the fight in the dog.โย Dwight D Eisenhower
๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
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โ๏ธ #1 The Blind Sightseers Visit: Tuscany ๐ฎ๐น
April 18, 2020 4 Comments
Wow, wow, wow!! What a fantastic and surreal experience!!ย
Here goesโฆThis New Endeavour is going to bring back some amazing memories for me and Sarah, and i hope it brings lots of smiles, laughter and interest during your lockdown, as we look back on the places we have been so blessed to visit.
After spending 1 week in Italy pretending to be a photographer, and being blown away by the beauty and simply magnificent sculptures, architecture & History of this amazing part of the world. Iโll try and bore you to death with my day to day experiences. ๐
First iโd like to give a big thanks to our brother Ben who kindly managed to wake up at 4:15am and drive us to the airport, guide us into the airport, check in our case and take us to the assistance desk, thanks Ben, we’d still be wondering round the airport now! if it wasnโt for you! ๐
The airport assistance was fantastic and couldnโt of made it any easier for us. We even got to ride on the buggy that takes us all the way to the gate! I was the first to board the plane, and i couldnโt wait to finally enable โAirplane Modeโ on my iPhone whilst sat on the plane! This may seem like a small thing, but remember this is my first time out of the country! ๐
I think my wide eyes and silly grin throughout the whole plane journey was getting tiresome for Sarah (she has been on planes lots of times). But it was fantastic! The best part is when the pilot โGives it the beansโ and accelerates down the runway when taking off, iโve felt acceleration simular to this in different cars that iโve driven(before i went blind lol), but when you think just how big and heavy this plane is, itโs just amazing! ๐
Once we landed at Pisa airport, the assistance were already there and waiting to escort us from the plane. They also sorted out our passports and picked up our suitcase. Now it was time to get our first Italian coffee while we wait for the bus to Florence.
Sarah described the beautiful panoramic landscapes from the bus (i couldnโt see them until i got back home to zoom in on my large screen) as it took about an hour to get to Firenze. We then got a taxi to our hotel, as i read on trip advisor that although itโs only about half a mile, itโs tucked away in a small courtyard.
Wow, the hotel was fantastic, and the staff were unbelievably helpful. ย Once we were settled in to our amazing room, and logged onto their WiFi. We decided to venture out a little and try and figure out where we were in relation to the duomo and the palace where my photos were being exhibited. We knew we were close but as Sarah & i canโt see enough to read a map, we could easily get lost and never find anything! ๐
Shortly after leaving the hotel and finding the main street, we heard the thunderous sound of the bells from the north (i think) coming from the Cathedral of Florence (Il Duomo di Firenze),ย The bells would make our navigation much easier for the rest of our holiday as the Cathedral was only about 300 yards away from our hotel, thank you bells! ๐ We then headed back to our starting point and headed west, where we found an ever better point of reference!! (see below)
The twinkling lights on this department store were simply amazing to just stand and look at, but it was dark now and we didnโt want to get lost on our first day! All of the streets were decorated beautifully with illuminated stars, borbals & bells so after one more photo (see below), we headed back to the hotel. What an amazing, exciting and tiring first day. ๐
I hope youโve enjoyed being with me and Sarah on my first ever trip abroad? Hope to see you on Day 2 as weย explore a little more…!!!
To be continued…
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๐ Precious Proverbs: He Who Finds
April 18, 2020 3 Comments
Proverbs 18:22ย (ESV)
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
My Thoughts ๐ญย
Amen! Wow this jumps out at me every time i read Proverbs 18. For you who know about my lovely wife Sarah and have read “My Testimony“, will understand why i wrap this around my heart and thank God every day for Sarah! Although Sarah found me, lol. ๐ย
๐ง๐ง Our Barbados Birthdays ๐
April 17, 2020 16 Comments
Wow, thanks Facebook Memories for this reminder from 1 year ago today!!! Iโve had another lockdown ideaโฆWould you guys like to come on tour with the blind sightseers each day during this lockdown? I could start by posting our day trips and then post some of my best snaps from random places around the world? What do you think? Or have you been bored enough by my multiple posts a day and need this lockdown to be finished quickly so i go back to normal, lol?! ๐ย
‘Steve Rebus is feeling blessed with Sarah Rebus at Southern Palms Beach Club and Resort Hotel Barbados’.
17 April 2019 at 14:08 ยท Saint Lawrence, Barbados ยท
“Wow we can really get used to this stunning view from our terrace to celebrate our birthdays!” ๐ง๐ง๐๐ธโค๏ธ๐ช๐ป
๐ Precious Proverbs: The Crucible
April 17, 2020 0 Comments
Proverbs 17:3ย (ESV)
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
๐ถ “Blind Lockdown Rag!”” Me Playing Baby Taylor
April 16, 2020 20 Comments
This was recorded by my lovely wife Sarah whilst on holiday in Pembrokeshire with Sarahโs family on 18th Jan 2020. It was before the lockdown happenedโฆBut it looks like we were trapped inside and i was finding a way to entertain Sarahโs dad and brother Marshall, lol!
I also had no idea Sarah was recording thisโฆBut i hope it can shine into your homes and bring a little smile. ๐
๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 15 – “Eyeballing”
April 16, 2020 12 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโEyeballing”ย
โAre you eyeballing me?! Donโt eyeball me! Never eyeball me!! Keep your eyes front and donโt move them until i call them!โย
You may have thought iโve been going soft on you as the last few posts have been a little squishyโฆBut that ends nowโฆGo hard or be soft! ๐
The burning pain of discipline is nothing to theย anguish ofย disappointment!ย
๐ฌย โWhat counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; itโs the size of the fight in the dog.โ Dwight D Eisenhower
๐ค “A lean dog shames its master.”ย Japanese Proverb!ย
๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
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๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 14 – “Steve’s Birthday”
April 15, 2020 2 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโSteveโs Birthday”ย
As it’s Steve’s birthday today i think we should all take a little time to grab one of our fave treats(as he wonโt share any cake) and sing out loud on his special day! ๐ต
Remember: Humans are fragileโฆSo itโs important for us to give them love that they can onlyย receive from us! โฅ๏ธ
๐ฌย โI have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.โ Doris Day
๐ถ Birthday singalongโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake. Every bite you take, even your birthday cake Iโll be watching you.โ
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Yay It’s My Birthday! โ๏ธ๐๐ถ๐
April 15, 2020 74 Comments
Hi WordPress family! As itโs my birthday today…I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to raise a coffee and take a little time to thank you for your continued love, encouragement, inspiration and fantastic comments between all of you on this blog.
Iโm sure youโre dying to find out what my fave coffee is by now, lolโฆmy fave is a double Espresso or a Cappuccino! What about you?ย
I always talk to Sarah about all of you guys and how amazing it is to have ย this blog read and commented on from all around the world. But iโd love to know which country/state etc to put to your faces? I have a flag counter in the bottom right of this blog and it says iโve reached 192 countries, but i have no idea where most of my fave bloggers are from?
So what iโm trying to say isโฆAs my birthday gift could you please comment below with your country and fave coffee etc? It would be a fantastic present for meโฆIโll make another coffee here in Surrey, England, UK and look forwards to seeing you guys!ย ๐ย
I Am Free! ๐
April 14, 2020 15 Comments
Hi WordPress family! I just wanted to update you on the WordPress app and how i can now use it properly on my iPhone!
In case youโre wondering why all of a sudden youโve started seeing my likes and little picture thingy on your postsโฆItโs because i can now use the reader on my iPhone using voiceover screenreader. I have waited ages(years i think) to be able to do this as i canโt use the website reader very well at all. So now i am free to go crazy and read all of the blogs iโve missed spending time on! ๐ย
Iโm trying to catch up on as many posts and blogs that i can, and iโm also finding lots of new onesโฆItโs fantastic for me and i have finally been set free on this app!
๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 13 – “Ears”
April 14, 2020 0 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโEars”ย
Letโs paws for a moment to talk about ear placement. Some of you will be aware that whilst running really fast during your drills, your ears flop around like crazyโฆThis will not apply to some breeds, and will definitely not apply to those of you who are too lazy to hit full speed. It is vital to keep your ears disciplined!ย
Iโm only mentioning this as some of us(like me) have owners that are obsessed about capturing our photo to keep for sentimental purposes or something even more soppy like posting on WordPress etcโฆIf youโre going to spend all of this time training, you might as well give them a nice photo! ๐ย
So just be awareโฆThe cameras are out there and theyโre pointed at you!!
๐ฌย โIf you think us dogs canโt count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving us only two of them.โย
๐ค “A lean dog shames its master.”ย Japanese Proverb!ย
๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
ย
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ย ๐พย Begin Boxercise class fromย Day 1ย ย ๐พ
๐พ Pawing Away The COVID-19 Lockdown Blues With “Bruce THE Boxer” Day 12 – “Choir Of Cadence”
April 13, 2020 2 Comments
Welcome back to your daily lockdown drill brought to you by Bruce…your fave Boxercise instructor!ย
Attention!! Todayโs DrillโฆโChoir Of Cadence”ย
Letโs paws for a moment to talk about singing. Many humans are uneducated on this topic and say that we howlโฆwhat a vulgar display of ignorance!ย
Our choir of cadence can also be used when we train and that is exactly what i want you to do during all of our drills. Please revert to singing your fave songs on Sundays which is your day of rest.ย ๐ย
Here is a shortย cadence to help with your PT…
1, 2, 3, 4, let me run with every pawโฆ.1, 2, 3, 4, let me run with every paw
1, 2, 3, 4, I wonโt quit give me some moreโฆ.1, 2, 3, 4, I wonโt quit give me some more
I wonโt slouch until iโm illโฆI wonโt slouch until iโm ill
I just want myย favourite drillโฆI just want my favourite drillย
If you can extend this cadence please leave some suggestions in the comments, iโd love to hear your ideasโฆAnd it will help extend your PT!ย ๐ย
Here are some physicalย Benefits of Singing…
- Singingย strengthens the immune system. …ย
- Singingย is a workout. …ย
- Singingย improves your posture. …ย
- Singingย helps with sleep. …ย
- Singingย is a natural anti-depressant. …ย
- Singingย lowers stress levels. …ย
- Singingย improves mental alertness. …ย
- Singingย can widen your circle of friends.
๐ค “A lean dog shames its master.”ย Japanese Proverb!ย
ย ๐ถ singalong with meโฆ”Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, chocolate or cake, Iโll be watching you.โ
ย
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