Cruising with Brad and Yvonne: 11/14/10

Thursday, November 18, 2010

ALLURE OF THE SEAS IS HERE!

Allure of the Seas entering Miami harbor.

Hiya cruising enthusiasts. You may have seen the arrival of the Allure of the Seas on TV or in the newspaper today. Hoda Kotb and Kathy Lee Gifford will broadcast live from Allure tomorrow (11/19/2010) morning. How cool is that?

We’ll be aboard Allure for pre-inaugural and inaugural cruises from November 29 through December 5th. Watch our blog here or our FaceBook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gilbert-AZ/CruiseOne-Yvonne-and-Brad-Jamieson/171607622849805?ref=sgm for exciting news and views from Allure. Lots to come, Shrek, great new restaurants.

We are so pumped to be on the sister ship of Oasis of the Seas upon which we spent a wonderful New Year’s week earlier this year.

Although we don’t quite understand how, we hear the amenities and facilities on Allure surpass those of Oasis.

Stay tuned!

Brad and Yvonne

PORTS OF CALL

HONFLEUR

One of the most wonderful ports we have visited is the charming French harbor village of Honfleur. Honfleur is a small town in the Normandy area of France which, at one time, was favored by artists such as Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet, who painted its fishing boats and slate-covered houses. The first written mention of Honfleur is a reference by Richard III, duke of Normandy, in 1027. By the middle of the 12th century, the city represented a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England. Located near the beaches at Normandy, Honfleur was one of one of France's first sea ports. We first visited there in 2003 and have been there twice since.

Be sure to take a walking tour of this small town from the former smuggler’s harbor of Vieux Bassin—the most often painted scene in Honfleur where the fishing village backdrop is seemingly unchanged from over 100 years ago—through the pedestrian streets to the medieval town center. You'll see some of the historic old buildings where various maritime support services were housed. One of these is a large salt storage building where tons of salt were stored. In days of old, salt was an essential in preserving foods while they were being transported. Other points of interest are many shops where you can shop and find various articles of interest. You’ll have time to sample French cheeses or Calvados.

Other than the scenic beauty of the town, the most wonderful feature of Honfleur is the food. A myriad of small restaurants circle the small smuggler’s harbor. These restaurants feature many French specialties. The Moules et Frites (Mussels and French Fires) are to die for. They are prepared in many ways but our preference is steamed in white wine, butter and lots of garlic.

Cruising with Brad and Yvonne

Thursday, November 18, 2010

ALLURE OF THE SEAS IS HERE!

The Cruzin Jamiesons

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