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R. Linda:
Saturday last I found meself once again enjoying an Odyssey dinner cruise around Boston Harbour. I say I enjoyed the cruise, but I can't say I enjoyed the food, unfortunately.
I had the pleasure of Tonya's company (no Aunt Jemima hair products in sight - see 10/11/09 Got Frizzies? Get Aunt Jemina to the Rescue) along with her brother and his wife (see 28/11/11 - How I Spent My Thanksgiving AKA The Home Invaders) who were up for a short stay. As a way of thanks for taking care of the boyos while we were in Ireland, Tonya and I thought the harbour cruise would be a nice gesture. So off we went Saturday evening.
It was a warm but not too unpleasant breeze that met us at the harbour. As around the 4th of July, the place was hopping. Lots of people and the harbour sightseeing boats, the cruise yachts, and the ferries were packed. The economy in Boston Harbour certainly wasn't lacking in the heart of the revolution.
Because we were on the cruise we had to "dress" it up and so we hardly fit in with the t-shirt, shorts-wearing crowd that milled about the outside tables and dockside. We were early so we went to the Odyssey desk and got our tickets. We were asked if we'd like the mojito shrimp cocktail (a special they were running) upon boarding. Yes, we agreed, sounded interesting, so tickets in hand we had some time so we went to the Boston Harbour Hotel for . . . what else -- mojitos!
The drinks were strong and minty, but it was the snacks at the bar that could have come with a warning. I took a bite of what looked like snack mix, you know the cheesy sticks with small nugget-like things. As I bit down, my mouth instantly was on fire. It was a spicy mix of cajun cheesy sticks, wasabi peas, tiny pretzels and heaven knows what else that was dipped in some kind of fiery powder. I took a gulp of my mojito and the strength of it was such that I felt like a rocket ready for lift off! I tell ya, how to add fuel to a fire. I tried to contain myself from yelling out, by holding onto the bar top and focusing on the telly (which the sound was switched off but the pictures were of lots of smoke and fire, then it switched to twisted trees and crushed cars, and the sight of such destruction, especially the fires was much like me throat), on top of the fire and the strong drink, the images took one's breath away. I had been news blacked out most of the two days the in-laws were up so I had no clue what was going on . . . or where. The telly had this red map of most of the United States with temperature degrees that looked like we were living on the sun instead of the earth. Being a newsie I was trying to figure out where the destruction was when I was interrupted by a champagne cork that went flying into me drink, splashing me a tad. The couple sitting next to me (the woman anyway) was feigning covering her eye like she had got hit with the cork. I tell ya. For a minute the barman was afraid the cork had really hit her, I could see a lawsuit written all over his concerned face. But no, there it was bobbing in me mojito. There was no time for replacement, we had to go, and to be quite honest the heat of the snack mix with the mojito, mixed with the heat that hit us as we exited the air-conditioned hotel on an empty stomach, made me quite light-headed and I found myself lurching to keep upright.
It got worse because as we got to the boat the platform was going up and down from the water and well . . . I must have looked like I was way in me cups. While we were waiting our turn to get on, we noticed that we were with a group of nicely dressed people, but the shorts and t-shirt crowd was milling onto another boat, smaller and not so nice as this:
The t-shirt crowd were looking over at us and being general arses but we didn't care, we were thinking of dinner in an air-conditioned luxury cruiser while the packed-like sardines party crowd held on to anything they could to stay on board their open-air party boat. I didn't take a picture, unfortunately, of the mass of humanity jammed on some of those party boats, but I'll tell you I was wondering how they were able to pack them on like that without someone falling into the harbour. Anyway, we got ourselves on board and down to the lower deck where our table and mojito shrimp cocktails awaited. Now I've been on this cruise three times, so this be me fourth, and I must say the shrimp cocktail was way overpriced and the mojito sauce (looked like cat food, tasted like cat food), was nothing to write home about and for the price, way too pricey. Add to that Tonya and her sister-in-law complained there were no cocktail forks.
There were a couple of young women who were serving appetisers who looked resentful of the ritzy people on board. They'd ask if we needed anything and if you did, there was an attitude like don't say yes. I am not a ritzy person, but one evening of pretend was rather lovely, but the attitude from these two just spoiled it.
We were distracted by a couple in their forties (obviously dating), who came into the room. She was dressed in a black cocktail dress with a sparkly belt and he . . . not so much. He was in shorts and a faded T-shirt. They were seated and she was not happy with him. I think she told him what the dress code was but being a typical male he said something like, "Aw it's summer no need to get all dressed I do that at the office." Well, they weren't seated but five minutes, she looked around and everyone stared at her "date." So she threw the napkin down and told him to come on, and they left. Just like that. I was amazed. It was very quiet in the dining room until they were gone for a few minutes and then the buzz started. I tell ya, it seemed like snob central!
The buffet, while the food was good, I thought it was a small assortment and not the gourmet fare one usually expects from Odyssey. Tonya's sister-in-law is a foodie and by the size of her bum that is where it all goes. She has this uncanny ability to sound like a food critic and to be honest after a while it gets old. On the wine, it was: "Its light, crisp, has a fruity flavour with just the hint of chill . . ." OH YEAH it did, can we shut up now and just drink it?
There was a tacky chocolate fountain where we drowned strawberries and with generous cups of coffee, we sat down to a pretty lacklustre dessert except for this: "The chocolate is sweet but not overpowering and the strawberries have that rush of juicy flavour you expect in ripe berries." OI!!!
I was like WHO ARE YOU? Food critic of the month? She and he decided to have seconds, so Tonya and I decided to go up on the observation deck. It was a beautiful evening. The first thing we saw was the schooner, Roseway from St. Croix in full sail taking sightseers for a ride to the outer islands and back.
R. Linda:
Saturday last I found meself once again enjoying an Odyssey dinner cruise around Boston Harbour. I say I enjoyed the cruise, but I can't say I enjoyed the food, unfortunately.
I had the pleasure of Tonya's company (no Aunt Jemima hair products in sight - see 10/11/09 Got Frizzies? Get Aunt Jemina to the Rescue) along with her brother and his wife (see 28/11/11 - How I Spent My Thanksgiving AKA The Home Invaders) who were up for a short stay. As a way of thanks for taking care of the boyos while we were in Ireland, Tonya and I thought the harbour cruise would be a nice gesture. So off we went Saturday evening.
It was a warm but not too unpleasant breeze that met us at the harbour. As around the 4th of July, the place was hopping. Lots of people and the harbour sightseeing boats, the cruise yachts, and the ferries were packed. The economy in Boston Harbour certainly wasn't lacking in the heart of the revolution.
Because we were on the cruise we had to "dress" it up and so we hardly fit in with the t-shirt, shorts-wearing crowd that milled about the outside tables and dockside. We were early so we went to the Odyssey desk and got our tickets. We were asked if we'd like the mojito shrimp cocktail (a special they were running) upon boarding. Yes, we agreed, sounded interesting, so tickets in hand we had some time so we went to the Boston Harbour Hotel for . . . what else -- mojitos!
The drinks were strong and minty, but it was the snacks at the bar that could have come with a warning. I took a bite of what looked like snack mix, you know the cheesy sticks with small nugget-like things. As I bit down, my mouth instantly was on fire. It was a spicy mix of cajun cheesy sticks, wasabi peas, tiny pretzels and heaven knows what else that was dipped in some kind of fiery powder. I took a gulp of my mojito and the strength of it was such that I felt like a rocket ready for lift off! I tell ya, how to add fuel to a fire. I tried to contain myself from yelling out, by holding onto the bar top and focusing on the telly (which the sound was switched off but the pictures were of lots of smoke and fire, then it switched to twisted trees and crushed cars, and the sight of such destruction, especially the fires was much like me throat), on top of the fire and the strong drink, the images took one's breath away. I had been news blacked out most of the two days the in-laws were up so I had no clue what was going on . . . or where. The telly had this red map of most of the United States with temperature degrees that looked like we were living on the sun instead of the earth. Being a newsie I was trying to figure out where the destruction was when I was interrupted by a champagne cork that went flying into me drink, splashing me a tad. The couple sitting next to me (the woman anyway) was feigning covering her eye like she had got hit with the cork. I tell ya. For a minute the barman was afraid the cork had really hit her, I could see a lawsuit written all over his concerned face. But no, there it was bobbing in me mojito. There was no time for replacement, we had to go, and to be quite honest the heat of the snack mix with the mojito, mixed with the heat that hit us as we exited the air-conditioned hotel on an empty stomach, made me quite light-headed and I found myself lurching to keep upright.
It got worse because as we got to the boat the platform was going up and down from the water and well . . . I must have looked like I was way in me cups. While we were waiting our turn to get on, we noticed that we were with a group of nicely dressed people, but the shorts and t-shirt crowd was milling onto another boat, smaller and not so nice as this:
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| Our ride for the night (picture courtesy Odyssey Cruises) |
The t-shirt crowd were looking over at us and being general arses but we didn't care, we were thinking of dinner in an air-conditioned luxury cruiser while the packed-like sardines party crowd held on to anything they could to stay on board their open-air party boat. I didn't take a picture, unfortunately, of the mass of humanity jammed on some of those party boats, but I'll tell you I was wondering how they were able to pack them on like that without someone falling into the harbour. Anyway, we got ourselves on board and down to the lower deck where our table and mojito shrimp cocktails awaited. Now I've been on this cruise three times, so this be me fourth, and I must say the shrimp cocktail was way overpriced and the mojito sauce (looked like cat food, tasted like cat food), was nothing to write home about and for the price, way too pricey. Add to that Tonya and her sister-in-law complained there were no cocktail forks.
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| The infamous and yucky-tasting Mojito Cocktail |
There were a couple of young women who were serving appetisers who looked resentful of the ritzy people on board. They'd ask if we needed anything and if you did, there was an attitude like don't say yes. I am not a ritzy person, but one evening of pretend was rather lovely, but the attitude from these two just spoiled it.
We were distracted by a couple in their forties (obviously dating), who came into the room. She was dressed in a black cocktail dress with a sparkly belt and he . . . not so much. He was in shorts and a faded T-shirt. They were seated and she was not happy with him. I think she told him what the dress code was but being a typical male he said something like, "Aw it's summer no need to get all dressed I do that at the office." Well, they weren't seated but five minutes, she looked around and everyone stared at her "date." So she threw the napkin down and told him to come on, and they left. Just like that. I was amazed. It was very quiet in the dining room until they were gone for a few minutes and then the buzz started. I tell ya, it seemed like snob central!
The buffet, while the food was good, I thought it was a small assortment and not the gourmet fare one usually expects from Odyssey. Tonya's sister-in-law is a foodie and by the size of her bum that is where it all goes. She has this uncanny ability to sound like a food critic and to be honest after a while it gets old. On the wine, it was: "Its light, crisp, has a fruity flavour with just the hint of chill . . ." OH YEAH it did, can we shut up now and just drink it?
There was a tacky chocolate fountain where we drowned strawberries and with generous cups of coffee, we sat down to a pretty lacklustre dessert except for this: "The chocolate is sweet but not overpowering and the strawberries have that rush of juicy flavour you expect in ripe berries." OI!!!
I was like WHO ARE YOU? Food critic of the month? She and he decided to have seconds, so Tonya and I decided to go up on the observation deck. It was a beautiful evening. The first thing we saw was the schooner, Roseway from St. Croix in full sail taking sightseers for a ride to the outer islands and back.
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| The Roseway out of St. Croix setting sail from Boston Harbour -- notice the number of sightseers onboard |
We were near the warships (it was Navy Week as well as the tall ship parade) and they were awesome for me at least, the wife was more interested in the sailors waving from the decks. Friendly lot they were.
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| HDMS Ebern Snare (Royal Danish Navy on left) & HNOMS Thor Heyerdahl (Norwegian Frigate on right) |
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| U.S. Coast Guard in harbour as we moved out |
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| Leaving Boston Harbour |
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| RA Argus is a British floating hospital ship. As we passed her and her friendly crew we began our tour of the tall ships |
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| USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) at twilight with the Bunker Hill Monument in the background |
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| USCG Barque Eagle (this Coast Guard ship has the honour of leading the Parade of Sail) |
As we were coming out from the Eagle, we could hear calypso music and general noise and there they were the party boat, in full drunken swing. Then there was us, up on deck with glasses of wine or champagne and it was such a contrast, but I did notice as the party boat went passed some of the navy ships, it didn't matter what nationality they were, but the sailors where animated and having a good time watching the idiots in the open party boat quite literally sail by.
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| The Guayas from Ecuador |
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| Gloria from Colombia (Official flagship of the Colombian Navy) |
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| Dawaruci from Indonesia |
Just as it was quiet and it felt like we were in Disney World at Pirates of the Caribbean, what should appear, yup that neon twinkle lighted and now VERY rowdy party boat with rap music going full blare. I don't know how many times we met up with that thing, but each time it was louder, brighter and more crazy.
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| The Cisne Branco from Brazil |
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| Arc Gloria |
As we pulled into port, we could see and hear the lit-up (passengers were lit as well as the lights) party boat junket still out there and blasting music. For all I know they are still out there.
Gabe
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6 comments:
wow! what great pictures. the tall ships look almost ghostly at night. you are a lucky ducky lol. did you see our canadian ships? they're supposed to be there.
Yes, I did. There was the Goose Bay, the Preserver, Iroquois, Moncton and the Kingston. You guys were well represented. All those maple leaves, LOL. I have a picture of the Moncton if you want it.
I think Weas be driving the party boat. The lad is stalking you! LOL
You've got great shots of the ships, Cappy. You need to go in when they are in full sail next time, give a seafaring man like yourself goose bumps. HAR!
Har -- back at ya Captain! I didn't see YOU there. I'd a thought the Chipped Pearl would be right in with those ships.
Yar Cappy Gabe! That was me in the party boat! I waved, but you weren't looking, you were too busy drinking your grog.
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