Shoboat

The Crossing-The End

2010-04-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

We hustled our way out of Marseille making another 6PM departure for Monte Carlo just 142 nautical miles up the Mediterranean coast line. We arrived in Monaco the next morning (Wednesday April 7) at 6AM. We had traversed six time zones and 4860 nautical miles in 16 days.

Our bags had been placed outside our suite the night before and were all organized on the dock for our assorted bus departures. After 16 days of shipboard coddling we were now facing the cold reality of modern air travel! Passengers scattered to many destinations. Sixty one of us bussed to the nearby Nice airport to catch an 11AM flight for Frankfurt where we then caught a Lufthansa flight to Denver. A final connection brought us to Phoenix. Much to our astonishment all flights were on time and we arrived in Phoenix at 8PM for a two hour drive back to Tucson.

I've said it all by now other than recognizing what an opportunity it is to do such trips. If you are a reader of these posts I hope you are inspired to do your own explorations.

Lee

The Crossing-Marseille and the Pope's Palace

2010-04-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

Our departure from Malaga came at 6PM with Marseille, France our destination some 668 nautical miles east. This is more or less another 36 hours at sea with arrival in Marseille scheduled for 9AM. During our entire crossing the clock was advancing an hour every other day or so. In total we lost 6 hours between Fort Lauderdale and Marseille. That is damaging to all of us doing the late night lounge shows. In addition to all the entertainment I outlined earlier in the trip the "World Famous Platters" joined the cruise in Funchal. If you know Sally you know music of the 60's ranks high on her priorities!

The Platters were fabulous. They preformed a standing room only show the first night out of Funchal and were very interactive throughout the cruise. We were dancing late one night to the tunes of the Private Reserve rock band in the small Horizon lounge and the Platters joined the band on the stage for a genuine jam fest. They could not be stopped until we old folks finally signaled for substitution and left the floor! Sadly I did not have the camera. They do love what they do.

Marseille is undistinguished so we opted to take a coach trip to Avignon in the Provence region. Avignon has a rich history marked by a century in the 1300's when seven popes (nine unofficially) elected to reside there rather than in Rome. During their century of residence they constructed two massive palaces joined at the hip which served as the Catholic church administrative center and residence for the Pope and the hierarchy.

Avignon during this time became a European center for the arts and literature and is still a vibrant culture today. Today the main plaza is home to fashionable shops and a host of street cafes. Ship passengers never pass up a meal so Sally and I enjoyed the local fare.

The first Pope came to Avignon due to the persuasion of the French king (his name escapes me) who feared the Knights of the Templar of Dan Brown fame. The Knights rivaled the Pope in power at that time so the Pope joined the conspiracy to eliminate all 13 Knights. All 13 Knights were murdered on the same night across Europe (might one call that a good knights work) without the aid of Western Union, telephones or the Internet. The night chosen gave rise to the angst surrounding Friday the 13th! The Pope remained in Avignon for a century because each feared harm if they returned to Rome.

The Palaces are known as the "old palace" and the "new palace" since Benedict XII built the first one followed a couple decades later when Clement VI built the second palace. Benedict came from humble origins so his structure is austere but Clement came from privilege so his half came with elegant painted frescoes and soaring architectural features. This is the entrance to the "new" Palace.Our guide for the Palace tour had a Johnny Depp look and was quite funny for a Frenchman.

On our return to Marseille we visited Les Baux a charming hilltop fortress/village from a similar time. Les Baux is perched on a rock outcropping some 800 feet above a fertile valley below. Lord Baux was a favorite of the King of the time and was given this territory to rule. Today it is authentically restored and the ancient alleys house many shops featuring local arts, crafts and foods.

The Pope's Palaces were another interesting insight into middle age history. Although life was brutal by today's standards it is clear the hierarchy enjoyed the pleasures that power and the wealth of the day could provide. The Catholic church was not all cloistered nuns and chanting monks. This photo shows the Pope's banquet hall where the Church hosted guests ranging from European monarchs to Church hierarchy.

It was another 9 hour day and we returned to the Mariner for our own elegant banquet in the Prime 7 steakhouse and to complete packing for our disembarkation the next day from Monaco.

The Crossing-Malaga Spain

2010-04-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

We departed Cadiz, Spain at 8PM on April 3 to make the short trip (154 nautical miles) to Malaga, Spain on the Costa del Sol. Although a short trip it is noteworthy because we pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately this occured at midnight in the dark so we chose to ignore it. We arrived at daybreak around 7AM. Malaga has a completely new harbor for receiving cruise ships and it is much like a new airport including pneumatic gateways that extend out to the ship.

It was Easter Sunday in Malaga and our ship's crew had not overlooked a special gesture in our cabin to commemorate the occasion. It did not match the daily processionals of Cadiz during Holy week but it shows the level of service on the Mariner:

Among the many interesting excursions available in Malaga we chose to make an 80 mile coach trip to visit Alhambra and Granada in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Perhaps ironic on an Easter Sunday to visit Granada which was the capital of Spain during the 11th Century when it was under Muslim rule. Alhambra sits on a high peak overlooking the walled city of Grenada.

Alhambra meaning "the Red One" was built over the four centuries from the 1100's to the 1400's until it was again conquered by the Christian king and queen Isabel and Fernando. (Some religious conflicts just seem to keep repeating). Alhambra served as their favorite court. The Alhambra served as the administrative center as well as the residence for the Muslim regime for their nearly 400 year reign. It is estimated nearly 4000 residents occupied the Alhambra while almost 40,000 lived in the walled city of Granada below the Alhambra.

The complex includes several castles built over the period as well as lavish landscaped gardens. A private retreat for the Sultan and his attendants (some might say harem or concubines) occupies a nearby area known as Generalife. It includes private gardens, reflecting ponds and summer like palace.

All of this sits in a walled complex which served as a fortress for the first Muslim sultan, the Nazarene dynasty, during the 9th Century. Subsequent sultans expanded the Alhambra adding castles and administrative structures. In later additions innovative heating and cooling was added via a small water sluice system and structural elements to capture either heat or cool depending on the seasons.

Carlos V, successor to Isabela and Ferdinand the Catholic rulers who overtook the Muslim Alhambra added a beautiful palace to the complex in the 15th Century but never occupied it or returned to Alhambra to witness its completion.

The structures are elaborately detailed for the time using a stucco and mold system to produce spectacular wall and cupola detailing.

Granada and the Alhambra sit in the foothills just below "White Mountain" in the Sierra Nevada range. You can see in this photo it is snow capped even in the summer and provides the water which was critical to the Muslim era yet in a hospitable year around climate.

It was a provocative sidetrip through some beautiful countryside in modern Spain today filled with olive and fruit orchards.

Our visit left several impressions: the Muslim/Christian conflict is deep rooted; the Muslim dynasties were quite advanced in technology and administration skills for the times; the powerful always live a lifestyle separate from the masses and are the Muslim dynasties of today making the same mistakes of their forbears by walling in their wealth?

Lee

The Crossing-A Pause to Celebrate

2010-04-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

April 2 was a day at sea navigating between Funchal, Madeira and Cadiz, Spain. The distance is 574 nautical miles so we departed Funchal at 6:00PM on April Fools Day and arrived in Cadiz to a full harbor at 8:00AM on April 3.

April 2 is also auspicious because it is our anniversary...this is our 44th year of great moments...including our celebration aboard with our great traveling partners Polly and Carly Defaria. Perhaps the celebration is the reason I posted the Cadiz visit ahead of the Anniversary dinner. We dined at Signatures, a boutique restaurant on the Mariner which features a Cordon Bleu chef. Prior to that we prepared for dinner at the Observation Lounge up top:

Our "one shining moment" came during the dinner in the small Signature's dining room when Carl and Polly both stood up at the table removed a script from a pocket and proceeded to toast us with the

ditty posted below. Our neighboring table thoroughly enjoyed the tribute as did we!

Forty years of wedded bliss, how quickly flies the time,
such an auspicious occasion deserves an auspicious rhyme.

It was pottery buying when we first met, to Casas Grande we bussed,
Carl jumped on the spot, he grabbed the prized pot,
and Lee only made a small fuss.

To Tuscany thence the four of us flew, with Beth and Peter, et. al.
Pecorino was pleasing, wine flowed without ceasing,
we, all of us, had a ball!

Then to New Zealand! What a great trip. We glaciered, cratered and beached.
We celebrated Christmas and New Years Eve with reindeer eared sheep!

And now we're "at sea", the itinerary says sailing across the Atlantic,
Our dinner's divine and so is the wine and the sea breezes...oh so romantic!

So here is our wish (we promised a rhyme that would be truly auspicious),
we wish you both the happiest of days and a life that is incredibly delicious!

Now how can one do any better than that to celebrate an Anniversary?

The Crossing--Cadiz, Spain

2010-04-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

Cadiz turns out to be another wonderful surprise among the places we have not previously visited. A major port city of Spain, it was home to the Spanish fleet when ol' Christopho Colombo was exploring the New World out of here. Founded in 1100BC they claim it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western world! One would not know it today, it doesn't look a day over 400!

During the 18th Century, (the 1700's to those of us who are century challenged) it was the center for European trade with the New World and therefor became the wealthiest port in Western Europe. Cadiz has a plethora of Cathedrals built from that era and is exceptionally Catholic. We arrived on Saturday in Holy Week and it has had incredible all saints "parades" daily through the small passage ways of the old city to individual cathedrals...all lined with viewing stands which carry a steep price for a seat. How Catholic is it?

We were on a walking tour of the old city and stopped in front of the City Hall and a lady asked why all the flags were at half mast? The guide replied quite matter of fact "Jesus Christ died Friday". No separation of city and church in Cadiz.

The old city is quite vibrant with modern boutiques side by side with old style fish mongers. The streets are very clean and exceptionally well maintained by city workers. It is still a residential city with apartments above all the merchants and parks sprinkled in among all the commerce.

It has an amazing central market with small individuals stalls combining to create a huge market featuring fresh (even live) fish, beautiful vegetable displays, meats, cheeses and flowers. On our Saturday morning it was teeming with shoppers. Other individual free lancing vendors crowded the perimeter of the official city market. Quite a scene.

The Seven Seas Mariner docked in the city center so we simply disembarked and immediately walked throughout the old city following one of four lines painted on the streets to mark tours with individual themes for "cathedrals", "forts and bastions", "panoramic sea front" or "historic monuments". Just follow the blue, purple, yellow or red line. Now that is a chamber of commerce at work...and the lines we followed were great! Cadiz has it all: history, charm, good food and clean streets! Click on the photos for a closer look.

Lee

The Crossing-Funchal, Madeira Islands

2010-04-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

Funchal is a definite WOW rising dramatically out of the Atlantic to an elevation of over 6000 feet. Natural ampitheaters, deep ravines, seaside cliffs and lush vegetation are Funchal features. It is a botanical marvel. Or maybe I was awestruck by any sight of land after 5 days at sea! Funchal is the capital city of the Madeiras a chain of six islands of which only two are inhabited. The other four are protected UNESCO nature preserves visited by permit only.

Funchal was "discovered" by Capt Zarco in 1421 when he shipwrecked on what is now Porto Santo, the other inhabited island in the Madeiras. He christened it Porto Santo (the Saints Port ) because it saved his bananas. He declared the Madeiras territory of the Portugese King. Today it is an autonomous region of Portugal. (Would there be any Atlantic resort islands today if there had not been shipwrecks?)

Christopho Columob resided in Funchal while exploring the New World. He and the Santa Maria are still using the Funchal harbor as their home port alongside the assorted cruise ships. The Madeira wine has extended his longevity. "Care for some Madeira, my dear a?"

Funchal is now the capital city (since 1508) with a robust economy and 110,000 of the total 180,000 residents in the Madeiras. The economy is based on tourism and agricultural exports for the most part. It has a high level of development all along the southern coast which stretches roughly 25 miles.

The development is sprinkled precariously up the mountains from the coastal harbors and provides some of the most dramatic vistas of the city and the Atlantic one can find anywhere. The hillsides are covered with a mix of modern condominiums, private homes, small hotels and ancient homes dating back centuries. The city is a beautiful mix of historic and modern and features many wonderful botanical gardens about the city center.

The Portugese defended the original walled city with four forts with the waterfront fort shown here:

Only 5 weeks ago there was a catastrophic storm which created massive flooding and mud and rock slides down the mountain sides into downtown Funchal. There were over 500 homes destroyed and more than 50 deaths. The island has done a heroic and herculean clean up in this short time. While we saw plenty of evidence of the flood (the shops in the old town had mud and water marks at the 6 feet level) the streets were all cleared the sidewalks all cleaned the the island roads all restored to service. There is now a new land fill on the waterfront of about 5 acres where all the rocks and silt that came down into the city was deposited. There was great urgency to do so since the cruise season is now underway. In our 36 hours in Funchal we had 5 other cruise ships enter and depart the harbor.

Our time there was short but it is an enchanting island and a favorite for mountain hiking with many trails traversing the mountain sides. It is one Sally and I want to visit again on our own, much more interesting than Bermuda.

The Crossing-At Sea

2010-03-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

Ok so how does one spend 5 consecutive days on the Atlantic traversing from Bermuda to Funchal, Madiera Islands on a dead 90 degree heading averaging 20.4 mph, 24 hours per day,2800 miles in all? Fortunately we have had moderate weather averaging 62 degrees, some overcast days, some broken cloud days; seas have been moderate averaging 6 to 10 foot swells. Even at that the ship has a slight rocking motion which produces an occasional stagger; a great cover for too much time spent in the cocktail lounges.

The cruise staff maintains excellent communications via a closed circuit telecast in the cabins previewing all the entertainment events, informative lectures, lounge acts, dancing lessons, computer lessons,shore excursions plus video tours of the bridge and engine rooms by the captain for the wrench heads. In addition there is a bulletin on ones' door each morning with an hour by hour description of all the options. No excuse for cabin fever.

Entertainment is provided via several methods. The main acts are provided by a PGT a theatrical production company who recruit and assign all talent to the cruises. We have a company of four singers and four dancers. They provide full musical review acts as well as solo productions by solo singers. I attended a "meet the cast" session and there are three from the US, three from England, and two from the Ukraine. They are all graduates of dance or music conservatories in New York or London.The two Ukrainians had attended dance academy since age 3. They work on a contract to remain aboard for 6-9 months. One fabulous artist has done this for seven year! They take 2-3 months between contracts. Injuries, sea sickness and general boredom result in a high turnover.

In addition to the production company there are performers who are direct hires of the Regent who do lounge acts or solo acts in the main theatre. We have "singing puppeteer", an assistant cruise director who does a singing act, a Polish lounge act and five Napa Valley wine producers on board for this cruise who give wine pairing lectures but also have a cover band called Private Reserve.

They have been a great hit on board for their wine pairings as well as their playing in various informal venues. One is the grandson of Louis Martini, the others are smaller vinters. There wines have also been served on board occasionally.

There are seven public decks on the Mariner reached via two stair cases or two elevator banks...one placed in the open atrium forward in the ship the other aft. Here is the atrium elevator bank:

There are four cocktail lounges, shown below are the Observation Lounge up on the bow on Deck 12 with a panorama view forward and the Horizion Lounge on Deck 6 with a panorama view off the stern. Both feature lounge music and singers at various times of the day.

There are five dining areas on board ranging from the poolside grill to elegant dining in the Compass Rose room or two intimate dining rooms by reservation only. Here is a photo of the Compass Rose for open dining and the Prime 7 steak house by reservation.

Add the fitness center, the Swedish sauna, the pool and the hot tubs to all the above and that is how you spend five days on the Atlantic ocean.

The Crossing-Bermuda

2010-03-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Bermuda around 8:30AM Thursay March 25 for a stay for the day. Bermuda to my surprise is really a chain of islands or archipelago of 138 islands, some no larger than my MINI Cooper. Captain Juan Bermudez discovered Bermuda in 1503 but the action started when Capt George Somers a British mariner suffered damages on the reefs in what is now St. Georges Island and declared Bermuda a British colony. Today it is a British protectorate but fully governed through the Bermuda Parliament and nine parishes at the community level. The Parliament Building sits right on Front St where the S.S. Mariner docked:

Security for the Bermuda government officials was quite relaxed as I was able to walk the grounds and enter the Parliament building without seeing any security guards. I was even able to photograph the VW belonging to the Chief Justice sitting in his personal car port. The Opposition Leader was provided a parking spot out on the lawn! Seems the bipartisan spirit is in tatters everywhere.

If you click on either photo you can read
the parking spot placard. Seems one could leave a pipe bomb message without much effort.

We spent about 4 hours touring the city of Hamilton, St Georges Island where Bermuda was founded and the Island waterfront along 5 parishes. It is a spectacular setting with all the small bays and inlets plus the ocean waterfront.

We lunched on Bermuda chowder at this St. Georges waterfront bistro. One could adjust chowder with either a sweet rum or highly spicy vinegar. It is a beautiful quaint waterfront spot.

Bermuda has an exceptionally high living standard and at last count had the highest GDP per capita of any economy in the world. It creates its wealth by hosting over 4000 financial service and insurance firms based on a favorable tax and legal climate. Bermuda has passed through 5 phases of development since its founding in 1610: salt harvesting, farming, shipbuilding, tourism and now financial services. Our guide claimed they introduced potatoes to the US. So who introduced us to the Bermuda onion?

The two islands are scattered with spectacular homes for such celebrities as H Ross Perot, Michael Bloomberg, Italian Premier Bertolosconi and of course Michael Douglas born in Bermuda. I shot a few waterfront photos as we sailed out of Hamilton Harbor:

Again if you click on either photo you can get a closer look at your future Bermuda home.

Our next stop is Funchal, Madiera Islands. Directions are simple: turn right outside the Harbor, go directly east for 2500 miles and turn left into the Funchal Harbor! Our 90 degree heading has only varied a degree or so for the last two days. We will be at sea for five days before arriving at Funchal at 8AM on March 31.

More from Funchal.

Lee

The Crossing- Seven Seas Mariner

2010-03-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

An avid reader asked about our stateroom so I will give a little info on the Mariner. The ship measures 709 feet long with a 93 foot beam. It displaces 48000 tons which "back in the day" was a normal size ocean liner. No more, as I described in a prior post the latest behemoth "Oasis of the Seas" displaces 220,000 tons and has a passenger capacity of 5400.

The Mariner has capacity for 700 passengers, there are 575 on board now, the crew totals 445 so the ratio is 1 crew per 1.6 passengers. There are eight passenger decks, 5 restaurants ranging from an outdoor grill and bar on the pool deck to Le Cordon Bleu Signatures restaurant and Prime 7 a steakhouse, these require reservations but there are no charges for any. There is a large coffee house and library, the Constellation theater, Stars night club, the Observation bar and lounge, the Mariner bar and lounge, a Casino and two botiques. There are assorted other public rooms for cards, reading, whatever. All the ship is beautifully done in natural stone, teak, glass and chrome.

The Mariner is an all suite, all balcony ship with suites ranging in size from 350 sq ft to 2000 sq ft. We have a standard size suite on deck 7 which includes a granite bath with a walk in full bench shower, a full walk in closet

a king size bed, a sitting area with a sofa, chair, built in desk and TV

and a balcony with two chairs and a table.

Still no boredom on day 2 1/2 at sea. Today started with several fitness class options, then a lecture on using puts and calls for monthly income, a wine class demonstrating how food enhancers impact wines, followed by a lecture "going behind the scenes at White House state dinners by a former military aide to several Presidents, then a choice of a blackjack tourney or a bingo contenst! I opted for the salt water pool and hot tubs on a great sunny day. Sally just returned from her yoga class.

Bermuda tomorrow.

The Crossing

2010-03-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

We are about 500 miles out from Florida with 350 miles or so to go to reach our first stop in Bermuda. So what does one do at sea.

There are many options. The Mariner has a more than adequate fitness center along with a sauna and it offers classes for spinning, pilates, free weights, etc. There is a complete Spa operated by Canyon Ranch. There were classes throughout the day starting with art collecting at 10AM, a cooking class at 11AM a lecture on Bermuda at 3PM and high tea at 4:30PM! Last night at 6PM we had a block party which entails going out in the hallway for wine and cheese to meet our neighbors. This crossing seems to have more Europeans aboard than most Regent cruises. We are mostly old with a few youngsters mixed in. I noticed two small children under 6. Must be hard to entertain them for 18 days.

I spent my time starting at the fitness center then visited the pool and hot tubs on deck 11 while the sun was shining:

There are two personality types around the ships' pool: the readers

and the soakers:

See you in Bermuda!

Lee

The Crossing

2010-03-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well we are aboard the Seven Seas Mariner in Ft Lauderdale awaiting departure for our first stop in Hamilton, Bermuda. Port Everglades where we are moored at the moment is the largest cruise port in the world hosting 14 individual cruise lines and processing over 3 million passengers per year through its piers. It is home to the newest, largest cruise ship in the world Oasis of the Seas a 220,000 ton ship with a 5400 passenger capacity and measuring well over 1000 ft in length! Our little Mariner with around 500 passengers looks like a pilot fish along side the Oasis.

We boarded around 1 pm through a security process much like the airports. Document check followed by x-ray checks and then a health screen prior to ship check in. They only screened for a runny nose or loose bowels! Heart attacks must be acceptable at sea. Interesting to watch the ship being re provisioned for our voyage across the Atlantic. Every pallet brought on board was checked by a sniffing dog...who was hopefully in good form.

Our luggage came aboard after X ray screening via this large basket. It was placed in our room by 4PM just in time for us to "muster" for our lifeboat drill.

We exited via the port channel and dropped our harbor pilot off on his boat while making 20knots... like a grab and go Somalia pirate.

Weather is 69 deg, mostly overcast, but improving and seas are 10 feet. The ship does a slight rock like a baby's cradle.

The Mariner is truly living in the lap of luxury. The Regent line is an all inclusive cruise line covering air fare, all excursions, food, adult beverages and has a no tipping policy. My wallet went into the drawer and will not come out until we reach Monte Carlo.

More later.

Rapid Robert-the Heater from Van Meter!

2009-04-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

Bob Feller has to be the most memorable of all the '48 Indians (it is easy to remember him because he is still making news). Feller is 90 years old and recently announced he would like to be the starting pitcher at the annual Hall of Fame old timers game which will include youngsters like hitting whiz Robin Yount. Feller indicated he has been practicing in his driveway with his grandson and feels he can still bring it. It reminded me of a comment Feller made in Cleveland Plain Dealer interview in 1985: "I can still throw in the seventies and I throw it in the eighties if I don't want to comb my hair for a week"!

It is daunting to try to summarize Bob Feller with words. He is ranked 36th on the list of the 100 best all time major leaguers, he is a decorated war veteran who volunteered for the Navy one day after Pearl Harbor (he was the first major league baseball player to do so), he is outspoken and direct and has created numerous media controversies, he is sentimental about his farm origins and operates several tractors on his Gates Mills farm collected from the '30s era, he is an active learner reading daily and once counseled Condolezza Rice on how to conduct the Iraq war.

Feller was born on a farm near Van Meter Iowa in November 1918. He says he learned to pitch throwing against the barn. His fastball was clocked in the technology of the time at 98 mph but many say it would have topped 102mph with today's methodology. He was signed at age 17 (by our man Cy Slapnika) between his junior and senior year in high school and reported directly to the Indians. In his first start he struck out 15 St Louis Browns. He later struck out 17 the same year and was the first pitcher to strike out his age (17 at 17) until Kerry Wood (an Indian reliever today) struck out 20 at age 20. He was so dominant in his early career he had notched 107 wins by age 23. On December 8, 1941 three weeks after turning 23 and one day after Pearl Harbor he volunteered for the Navy. He reported immediately and spent four years aboard the USS Alabama as an anti aircraft gunner.

Feller spent his entire 18 year major league career with the Indians. He finished with 266 victories and 2581 strikeouts. He is 12th in major league career pitching victories. Most baseball analysts estimate he would have won 350 games and struck out 3500 if he had spent those prime years as a major league pitcher. Feller comments on this simply "you can't saw sawdust"! His pitching achievements include 3 no hitters including the only Opening Day (1940) no hitter to this day. He had 12 career one hitters and pitched 279 complete games. It would take an entire roster of pitchers today to match his complete game record.

A statue of Feller stands at the entrance to Jacobs Field, the Indians ball park in Cleveland. Feller is pleased with it although he made a couple of revisions to it during the sculpting: he had his grip changed from a two seam fastball to a four seamer ("I always threw a four seamer") and he had a tin of snuff removed from his back pocket ("I never used that stuff").

I visited the Indians spring training center in Tucson in the late 80's and Feller was an annual participant. He played catch and roamed the fields engaging fans and regaling anyone within earshot with his commentary on his playing days. I thought at the time he was a bit of a bore but as I have researched more of his post career doings I respect his directness and feel he has earned the right to share his opinions. He does his homework and he lives true to a set of values that formed on the farm in Van Meter. They have not been bent by success or political correctness. He does not make claims that are not based on fact and he has not carried his on the field success over to general invincibility. He may be a bit self absorbed but who among us would not be with this track record!

His Hall of Fame citation is reprinted below:

The Hall of Famers (Cooperstown Hall of Fame)



Robert William Feller: Born: November 3, 1918, Van Meter, IA; Bats: R Throws: R

Played for: Cleveland Indians (1936-1941, 1945-1956)

Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 1962

150 votes of 160 ballots cast (93.75%)

View Pitching Stats

ERA	W	L	PCT	G	IP	SO	BB	SV
3.25	266	162	.621	570	3828.0	2581	1764

Biography

Bob Feller's blazing fastball set the standard against which all of his successors have been judged. Rapid Robert spent his entire 18-year career with Cleveland, amassing 266 victories and 2,581 strikeouts, while leading the league in strikeouts seven times. He missed nearly four full seasons in his prime serving his country during World War II, for which he was decorated with five campaign ribbons studded with eight battle stars. Fresh from high school, Feller struck out 17 Athletics in 1936. The fireballer authored three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters while winning 20 or more games six times.

Quotes

“It wasn't until you hit against him that you knew how fast he really was, until you saw with your own eyes that ball jumping at you.”
— Ted Lyons

Lou Boudreau-Boy Manager!

2009-02-08T07:57:00.000-08:00

A profile of the '48 Indians has to start with Lou Boudreau. Lou's career with the Indians stretched from 1939 to 1950; most remarkably he served as player-manager from November 1941 until he was released by the Indians in 1950. He was known as "Boy Manager" since he was barely 25 when appointed to the position. Player-managers were rather common in the early 1900's but Lou was among a few to fill the role in modern baseball and by far the most successful on the field and as a manager. It is difficult to grasp in today's baseball world how one person could be an All Star shortstop 8 times while making all the roster decisions, pitching rotations and game day decisions on the line up, defensive positioning, pitching changes, offensive maneuvers and baiting he umpires! Lou did this for 9 years leading the Indians to the '48 World Series championship and earning major league MVP for the year!

Boudreau was a high achiever early in life. He graduated from the University of Illinois where he captained the baseball and basketball teams. The Big Ten suspended Boudreau from intercollegiate play in his last two years when it was learned Cy Slapnicka (what a name) the Indians GM of the time had made payments to Boudreau while a student to insure he would become an Indian after graduation. Nevertheless Boudreau finished his schooling while playing professional basketball on the side. Slapnicka's money was well invested though when Boudreau reported in 1938 to Cedar Rapids , an Indians farm team.

Boudreau was a great team leader and shortstop. He was finished in the top 10 or better in MVP voting eight times between 1940 and 1950. He had a lifetime .295 batting average but his greatest season was in 1948 when he batted .355, hit 18 homers and batted in 106 rbis . He led the Indians in batting average, on base %, slugging average, doubles, runs and base on balls! And he did all that while managing the team through a 154 game season, a one game playoff win and a six game World Series championship. As a manager he is credited with inventing the Ted Williams shift in which he positioned himself to the right of second base and challenged Williams to hit through the hole. He was also credited with changing Bob Lemon from a third baseman to an all star Hall of Fame pitcher.

Boudreau had limited range as a shortstop and only an average arm but he knew hitters and positioned himself well to make the plays. His chronic ankle problems resulted in a 4F deferment from service in WWII so some of his career statistics were likely aided by the watered down level of play in those years. This may have slowed his entry into the Hall of Fame. He slipped over the 75% ballot approval required only after his 10th year on the ballot in 1970.

Boudreau's performance declined rather quickly after 1948. By 1950 he was fired as manager and released as a player by Bill Veeck. He signed with the Red Sox for two seasons and became their manager in '52-'54. He managed the Kansas City Royals from '55 to '57. In 1958 he became the Chicago Cubs announcer and filled that role for 29 years retiring in 1989.

Lou's son Jim Boudreau pitched in the minor leagues for five years reaching the AA level. His daughter Sharyn married pitcher Denny McLain who won 31 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1968 but has since served two prison terms for financial missteps.

Lou Boudreau died in 2001 at age 83 of cardiac arrest. Perhaps Bob Feller who always calls it like he sees it summed up Lou Boudreau best: "He was the greatest shortstop I ever saw. He was afraid of nobody. He was a great manager, teammate and friend. Just a great man. There is not a more gracious man than Lou Boudreau."-Bob Feller

Sources: Wikipedia, baseball-reference.com, NY Times, Bob Feller Museum, et. al.

The Hall of Famers:

Louis Boudreau: Born: July 17, 1917, Harvey, IL; Died: August 10, 2001, Olympia Fields, IL; Bats: R Throws: R

Played for: Cleveland Indians (1938-1950), Boston Red Sox (1951-1952)

Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 1970

232 votes of 300 ballots cast (77.33%)

AVG	G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	SLG
.295	1646	6029	861	1779	68	789	51	.415

Cleveland Indians 1948 World Series

2009-01-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Indians finally reached the World Series in 1948, 28 years after their first appearance in the 1920. The Indians entered the World Series only after winning a one game playoff against the Boston Red Sox. Gene Bearden a knuckle ball throwing southpaw was the hero in the playoff pitching a complete game in Fenway winning 8-3 for his 20th victory in his rookie season! (Here is a gripping description of the one game playoff.)

With three games remaining in the season the Indians held a 1 game lead over the Yankees and a 2 game lead over the Red Sox. Unfortunately the Indians dropped 2 out of 3 to the Tigers while the Red Sox swept the Yankees in their three games resulting in a season ending tie between the Indians and Red Sox with the Yankees ending up two games out. The NYTimes referred to the race as "the most exciting flag struggle in the history of the junior circuit".

The Indians had finished 1947 in 4th place, 17 games behind the Yankees although they had a respectable 80-74 won lost record. The 1948 Indians improved to 97 wins and 58 losses primarily due to stronger pitching and a big improvement in power hitting. Bob Lemon and Bearden the rookie each won 20 games and Bob Feller won 19. Lemon won 20 in his first season after being switched from a outfielder to a pitcher in '48. The biggest pitching story of the year though may have been when Bill Veeck the Indians owner signed Satchell Paige, an aging Negro League star to a contract on July 7. Paige at 42 years and 2 days was the oldest rookie ever to appear in the major leagues. Paige finished out the year pitching in front of crowds routinely exceeding 70,000 going 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts and 43 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched.

The Indians improved offense was led by shortstop Lou Boudreau's .355 batting average, 18 home runs and 106 rbis all while acting as player-manager! Joe Gordon the 33 year old second baseman hit 32 homers with 124 rbis and Kenny Keltner the third baseman had 31 homers and 119 rbis. Some production from 4, 5 and 6 on the scorecard!

Larry Doby the new centerfielder was also noteworthy because he was the first black player in the American League following Jackie Robinson in the National League. He proved to be a very fine ceterfielder and productive hitter with a .301 batting average, 14 home runs and 66 rbi in his first full season.

The Indians prevailed against the Braves winning the series in six games. The Braves featured pitching lead by Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain ("Spahn, Sain and pray for rain") Cleveland was a deeper with Lemon, Feller, Bearden and Steve Gromek. Feller the Cleveland ace lost both games despite throwing a 2 hitter in the first game, but Lemon won 2, Bearden 1 and Gromek 1 plus a save from the ever present Bearden. Satchell Paige entered as a reliever in game 5 and was thus the first black pitcher in World Series history. Game 5 also set an all time World Series attendance record in Cleveland with 86,288 in cavernous Municipal Stadium.

Notable reserves for the Indians who went on to productive Indian careers were Al Rosen, Ray Boone, Bob Kennedy and pitcher Mike Garcia. Johnny Berardino was a reserve infielder who played all four positions in 1948 but is most distinctive for being the only person ever to play in a World Series and earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Berardino attended USC and had many movie credits but earned his chops as Dr. Steve Hardy appearing on the soap General Hospital for 33 years from 1963 to 1996!

Now on to profiles of individual Indians and how they moved on after the great 1948 World Series.

Abner & Baseball

2009-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Abner Jones shared a name and the love of the game with the man credited with owning both first: Abner Doubleday. Doubleday lived in the 1800's was a general in the Union Army and has been credited with inventing baseball although that is now disputed. Abner Jones was born in in the late 1800's, lived in Akron Ohio and no one disputes his love for the game. "Ab" was a postal supervisor who worked the night shift his whole career so he could listen to the Cleveland Indians radio broadcast in the afternoon via the voices of Jimmy Dudley and Jack Grainey. Ab was my step grandfather but the only one I knew because the genuine articles either absconded or otherwise moved on before I came on the scene.

My first recollection of Ab and the Cleveland Indians comes from my summer visits to Akron each summer starting at about age 7 (1945). We established a bond sitting in his kitchen listening to the Indians while he played Solitaire...he carried that on for the remaining 32 years he lived. Some things changed: he eventually retired and moved to my home town, and the Indians started playing night games but he was still playing Solitaire at the kitchen table and listening to the Indians.

My connection with the Indians deepened in 1948 when the Indians made the World Series which was big news even in my part of rural Ohio. I had also started playing third base on a rag tag team in our town. (Little League did not exist there so we did a bit of "barnstorming" around other small towns playing teams with a wide array of ages). I mention third base because Ab quickly labeled me "Kenny Keltner" who was the Indians third baseman at the time.

I can still name the Indians starting lineup and most of the pitching staff and reserves. They have a stronger presence in my recollections than some aunts, uncles and second cousins. Going beyond the Indian connection, Ab was what we hope a grandfather would be: a fan who attended all my sporting events, offered a good conversation over a coke, a solid friend who passed on to my parents only the good things I did. Considering these two childhood devotions I have decided to do an ethereal like tribute to "Ab"and the 1948 World Series team by reprising the roles key players filled in that season and how they moved on in their lives after baseball. You would have to be an Indians fan to care!

(TV coverage of the 1948 World Series is an interesting sidebar. The 1947 World Series had been televised in the east but there was no coaxial cable among cities outside the eastern seaboard. Westinghouse Broadcasting joined with Martin Aviation (later Lockheed Martin) for the 1948 World Series to create a connection between the east and the midwest region since it matched Cleveland and the Boston Braves. They did so by retrofitting a B-29 with a receiver and re-transmitter flying 20,000 feet above somewhere near Pittsburgh. It was in essence a satellite creating a network of the two regions. It reportedly worked fairly well other than some electronic interference in the Cleveland area.)

Stay tuned!

Tragic consequence

2009-01-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

During our visit to Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph Glacier in NZ we encountered these signs and warnings about the instability of the terminal end of the glaciers and flooding caused by melting and recent rains. One could only enter such areas with a licensed glacier guide. Although we observed numerous tourists passing through the barrier without guides our NZ guide would not enter because he was not licensed for glacier guiding.

Tragically a few days later two Australian brothers in their 20's visiting NZ with their parents bypassed the barriers and were killed in a glacier collapse at the terminal end of Fox Glacier. One was recovered 6 miles downstream from the glacier.

In an absurd bit of bureaucratic buffoonery their rental car company manager billed the men's parents $990 for the set of rental car keys lost with one of the brothers. Hopefully he did not recover any dignity when he later retracted the billing.

Keeping a sharp eye!

2009-01-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

It has been 10 days since we returned from New Zealand and I am trying to think of a segue for posting a follow up blog. How about a short description of my cataract surgery this Tuesday! Last year I had a vitrectomy to address a macular hole in my right eye which leads to a cataract within a year, hence my surgery this week.

Technology in medical interventions is progressing so rapidly I am convinced one should postpone surgeries as long as possible since tomorrow's procedure will undoubtedly be less invasive, less painful and quicker in recovery than today's. Miniaturization, robotics, visualization techniques and the digital age have all contributed to interventions which are virtually pain free with recovery measured in hours rather than days or weeks.

My cataract surgery and lens implant took 15 minutes! OK, 90 minutes counting prep time and waiting for the surgeon to arrive. In that short time I was given an IV sedative, moved to the surgical theatre, had a micro incision in my eye, the natural lens emulsified and removed and the new folded acrylic lens inserted and unfolded. I walked out the door with a protective shield over the eye 90 minutes later. There was no more discomfort later than a mild poke in the eye. The shield was removed the next day and my vision was immediately restored to near 20/20 with improvements continuing for the next several days. How amazing.

Now that I have improved vision I will have to go back to see the New Zealand I missed the first time. How's that for a segue? I should have taken pictures.

New Zealand: The Whole Enchilada

2009-01-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Nineteen days, eight lodges,seven boat trips, six Air NZ flights, five guide/drivers, two trans NZ trains, two helicopter flights and two bus rides later we are in Auckland awaiting the departure of our flight back to LAX. That’s the analytical but it does not capture the amazing landscapes, seascapes, vistas, flora and fauna, hikes, and gracious hosting we were served up during the last many days. We have been fortunate to see a lot of the world but I cannot think of a “one destination” vacation that has matched the people and places of New Zealand. The land has a “wow” around every corner and the people are straightforward friendly without affectation and it seems to have a mellowing impact on its visitors. I am ready to move here but immigration requires an employable skill! Here is a potpourri of photos:

Winging our way to Bay of Islands

2009-01-03T15:49:00.000-08:00

Winging our way to Bay of Islands

New Year’s Day we were off to Bay of Islands via Air NZ connecting through Auckland. When we arrived at the small Rotorua airport we learned the flight would be overweight so we were asked to identify one bag per person which would be “loaded last” or left behind. Carl won the lottery and his was left behind but it made it to our Bay of Islands remote lodge only a couple of hours after we arrived.

Bay of Islands is just as named near the northern most part of the North Islands so it is the most tropical. Our Cliff’s Edge Lodge is also just as named hanging on the edge of a cliff overlooking a
main passage among the islands.

It is a four accommodation lodge operated by Peter and Glennis Meier. They formerly operated Causarina Restaurant and Inn in Austrailia which was recognized as one of the best by American Express. Our daily highlight while there was a three course dinner prepared for guests each night by Peter.

Bay of Islands is also the site of the treaty signed in 1840 by the Maori’s and Captain Hobson
representing the United Kingdom. The Maoris discovered NZ in 950 arriving from the Polynesian Islands. They settled in and had reached a population estimated at 130,000 by 1750 or so when the Dutch explorer Tasman was the first European to discover NZ. They were tribal often warring among themselves, practiced cannibalism until the 1800’s and were skilled in seamanship and agriculture. When the whalers, miners, timber men and finally the missionaries arrived the Maori’s sought out British to establish law and order. The Maoris did not realize the treaty came with disease, loss of lands and a new lifestyle. The Maoris inter married with the Europeans easily though and today only 3% of the Maori’s are full blooded. The treaty was signed near Paihia about 5 miles from our Cliff’s Edge Inn.

Russell, a village near Paihia,was the center of commerce in 1840 in the Bay of Islands and was known as the “hell hole of the Pacific” due to the mix of criminals jumping ship, the absence of the rule of law and the “hospitality” industry set up to serve the visiting mariners. Today it is a genteel setting akin to Key West or Mackinaw Island.

2009-01-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

On to the North Island

It is time to move on to the North Island after spending 12 great days touring the South Island from Queenstown in the south to Blenheim in the north. We will do so via Air New Zealand connecting through Wellington the capital to Rotorua our next two day stop. Rotorua is famed for its thermal baths and nearby White Island which is an active volcanic island about 30 miles off shore. Rotorua is also an area with strong Maori ties although it is inland.

We are again staying in a boutique hotel with only 8 rooms but very comfortable lounge and dining areas and large private grounds. Our hosts Kathy and Jenny are very gracious and we were invited to join them and another German couple for New Years eve.

Our “adventure” for Rotorua is an early morning helicopter flight out to White Island. It is about 30 miles to the coast and another 30 miles out at sea to the island. White Island last erupted in 2000 but at the moment is just venting and bubbling! On the way out we circled to observe a school of fish and on the way back we circled to watch a pod of dolphins. The island was clouded over on arrival but we found a keyhole in on the seaward side. It was quite a show as these photos show.

We spent over an hour walking among the vents and cauldrons.

Our afternoon was spent at the Rotorua Museum which was built originally as the thermal bath house and clinic. People came here from around the world in the 1920’s-30’s for the “cure” which included a witches brew of “thermals” and electrical wizardry of the day. Dr Jekyl was the resident MD. An equally interesting section in the museum honored the Maori battalion which fought heroically in WWII. When Hitler asked Rommel what he needed to win in North Africa he replied “a division as brave and tough as the Maori battalion” which he had encountered there. Two thirds of the Maori’s died or were wounded in battle.

We spent New Years’ eve in downtown Rotorua enjoying a fine dinner then touring the town park which had live rock bands and a carnival. It was a family affair since the township declares the area alcohol free for the entire New Years weekend. Try that one at home!

The Trans Coastal Train

2009-01-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

Time for another train ride, this time from Christchurch at 7AM up to Blenheim, a 4 plus hour ride. These two train rides are the only passenger trains in NZ. They are not the Japanese bullet trains but are reasonably comfortable with reserved seats and a table between each four seats. The cool thing is they have a live announcer on each train who points out the sights and gives a little history of NZ sprinkled with some satire. The "voice" is also the same person who works the bar car, comes through to pick up garbage and helps load the luggage car at each stop so cross training is big in NZ.

We were met at the depot in Blenheim which is a small town in the heart of wine and mussel country. It looks like a farm trade center but it is also clear the wine boom in the area has brought new construction. Our lodging is known as Mason Grange and has only two guest rooms and an apartment. It is located in a 10 acre pinot noir vineyard and is straight out of Architectural Digest: just incredibly well designed and decorated.
John and Robin are the owner/hosts and are among the most gracious hosts we have encountered anywhere. It is a most unique setting with vineyard serving as a backyard and mountains as a backdrop.

We transferred from the depot directly to a cruise of Marlborough sound for the green "shell" mussel tour. You can see in the photos the floats which hold the "ropes" dangling in the water on which the greenshell mussels attach and grow until the harvester comes along and takes them to their destiny. A "farm" consists of 3.5 acres of these floats and there are 600 farms in the area so it is quite an industry. You see the final product presented on board which had just come from the harvester we were watching. Combine with a glass of local wine and you have a transformational experience.

The next morning we met Sue the proprietor of Marlborough Travel and she escorted us to several vineyards for the day for wine tasting and finished with a stop at a most original air museum which is dedicated to the WWI origins of aerial warfare. My favorite was an old film of a German standing in the aft cockpit of a biplane and reaching down to grasp a 10 pound bomb which he then dropped overboard much like one would drop a water balloon out of a hotel window!

A couple of pictures from the day:

Tomorrow it is a two hop flight from Blenheim to Rotorua with a 2 hour layover in Wellington, capital of NZ. See you there.

Trans Alpine to Christchurch

2008-12-31T13:55:00.000-08:00

Time to move on from Arthur's Pass to Christchurch arriving in the late afternoon via the Trans Alpine Railway. Our agenda here is to travel the following day with Brian out to Akaroa which is a dormant crater and volcanic bay opening to the Pacific. This is a view of the bay from up on the caldera.

Akaroa was a French settlement in the mid 1800's when some adventurer sold about 60 Frenchmen on the idea of coming to Akaroa to set up a French colony. Unfortunately when they arrived they found the British had steamed into the harbor a few days earlier but they stayed on and the place has a definite French stamp on street names and architecture. Here is a colorful jeweler where we dropped a few francs.

After a lunch on the bay we boarded a craft for a cruise out on the bay to the small Hector's Dolphins, fur seals and penguins with a short turnaround in the Pacific.

Akarora is a yet another fabulous panorama in New Zealand and our trip out was via a sheepherders path which was filled with spectacular vistas.

We left Christchurch the next morning to catch our 7AM Trans Coastal train ride up to Blenheim to tour the Marlborough wine region and the Marlborough Sound to witness the harvesting of the famous "greenlip mussel". These are now marketed as the green "shell" mussels since the idea of lips on a mussel did not "go down well"!

Ever onward!

An unusual Christmas Day

2008-12-29T13:57:00.000-08:00

The owners of the Wilderness Lodge, Gerry and Ann McSweeney, promised us a "special walk" on Christmas Day so we all gathered at 10:00 AM for a walk toward Mt. Horrible. Shortly after leaving the lodge we met up with our two guides for the day: one Merino lamb and one black face lamb. They stayed with us for the whole 5 hours going up the mountain and back. The only thing they would not do is cross the river on a 4X12 plank so we portaged them!

After crossing the river we walked up the mountain for another hour or so to a small opening where we built a bonfire and had lunch with tea followed by a marshmallow roast with pink and white marshmallows. Our guides waited patiently nearby!

After a return trip down the mountain to the Lodge I protaged the guide back across the river.

We then prepared for a special Christmas dinner with traditional choices of ham, lamb and turkey and sticky date pudding. Photos all around!

On the road again...

2008-12-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

Glacier Region to Arthur’s Pass

We left the glacier region today…Christmas Eve Day…for an eight hour drive with Brian our Canterbury Trails guide to Arthur’s Pass National Park and a two night stay at the Wilderness Inn. We stopped by Franz Joseph Glacier just up the coast a few miles from our Fox Glacier base for a trek through the rain forest just below the terminal end (snout) of the Glacier.

We made numerous stops for treks and photos but stopped in Hokitika for lunch and shopping since it is a bit of a regional market. Hokitika is on the Tasman sea and was settled in the mid 18th century as a base and port for gold mining supplies. Today it is the center for greenstone (jade) sales with several jewelry centers. Brian continues to amaze us with his breadth of knowledge, passion for guiding and good humor. I could not recommend him more highly for guiding services in the South Island. His 4WD vehicles are pristine and comfortable. They appear new but are actually fully rebuilt vehicles from the mid 90’s…and he runs their turbo charged diesels stoutly.

Departing Hokitika we moved up country into the NZ southern alps driving through winding canyons along braided rivers, waterfalls and wildflower fields. Braided rivers appear to be multiple rivers occupying the same broad plain during calm weather but during major rains they unite to become one raging stream moving rocks and sediment down river from the mountains.

We arrived at our Wilderness Lodge located off the road a few hundred yards back in a heavy beech forest and just in time for a 5PM Christmas Eve farm trek to view the sheep dogs working a flock followed by a trip to the shearing station for a demonstration of hand shearing of a Merino sheep. On this Christmas eve we had everything at hand to make our own Nativity creche!

The Lodge has 20 rooms and and the owners have built trails throughout the surrounding forest fully marked for self guided treks with guides to plants and formations. The lodge is very rustic with a large gathering room and full dining room. They encourage group dining so we met some entertaining English and Danish folks also there for Christmas.

Hereis Ms. Merino with a new outfit for Christmas Eve!

Glacier tromping

2008-12-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

We opted for a helicopter ride up to Fox Glacier and a flyby in front of the face of Mt. Cook the highest mountain on the South Island at 12,500 or so. It rises up from the Tasman Sea with lush rain forests at the sea coast and a full bore glacier ending only another 1000 feet or so above sea level. This is the spot where one can most observe the odd combo of rain forest and glacier within a 30 minute hike. The heli ride was awesome as one might expect. There were several in the air simultaneously flying a prescribed pattern and in radio contact. It is only sunny on occasion and in the morning so there is a mad scramble to get the flights in during any window. The neve' is the area high on the glacier (approx 8000') where the snowfall accumulates and forms the glacier due to snow pressure and that is where we land to walk about. They actually had marked parking posts for the helis! It looked like about 6 spots available.

Following the heli ride we went hiking along the sea coast on the Tasman along Gillespie Beach and then into the rain forest which starts at the beach edge about 50 meters in. This West Coast area was the scene of several great gold rushes in the mid 1800's so there are numerous ghost towns just in from the coast on the glacial rivers.

The photos attached show rain forest and glaciers coverng the Fox and Franz Joseph which are the two main active towns with tourist amenities...small at they are. Our hotel the Te Weheka was very well done with a great host. Overall it was remeniscent of our visits to Alaska.