My Wish for You -

I hope you open up much happiness on Christmas morning. And my wish to the New year ---- may the best day of your 2010 be the worst day of your 2011.

This year as with all years, we are enjoying our time with family and friends. It seems that sometimes we get so caught up in our everyday lives that we don't keep in touch as much as we should to let those we care about truly know that they are special in our lives.

We have been very blessed through the ten + years that we have been together. Our families have grown and our families have blended well. Though we lead separate lives here in San Diego, in Huntington Beach, Monterey, San Francisco and Vancouver, WA, we do our best to get together during the year and enjoy each other.

After losing Jim's Dad this summer, it made me stop and realize how lucky we are to have had him as long as we did. He was 90 yrs. old! What a grand life! And, Jim's Mom, who is also 90, is still with us and going strong. We will drive up to Huntington Beach the day after Christmas to be together with his Mom along with his sister and brother and sister-in-law and their exchange student from Germany, Leoni.

On Christmas Eve, we will enjoy babysitting Katelyn and Ryan during the daym then spending a wonderful family evening together at their house for our Christmas with them. On Christmas Day, we will pick up my parents and bring them back over to the where we will enjoy a good pork roast, with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, apple sauce and cranberry sauce and some good pumpkin pie for dessert!

After we visit the family in Huntington Beach, we will head north to Monterey where we will have Christmas with my daughters and son-in-law and two grandsons, Joseph and Landon.

Our daughter Jennifer will be in Vancouver, WA enjoying a turkey dinner with friends and will notbe able to get down for Christmas this year. But, we have enjoyed several good visits with her during this past year and will definitely do the same in 2011.

I know there is no Santa Claus in reality - but, like Virginia, his spirit lives in me and always will. The spirit of giving and doing for others makes me happy. "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" is one of my favorite books of all time.

And so, this holiday season - I hope that spirit will find a place in your heart as well.

I hope you open up much happiness on Christmas morning. And my wish for you for the New year ----

May the best day of your 2010 be the worst day of your 2011.

December Newsletter

Hello Everyone!

The Holidays are upon us once again! I don’t know about you, but this past year has gone by incredibly fast. We were able to travel a lot this year and visit family and friends along our way. Those moments are really special to us; and, as many of you know, I usually share those times in my Travelogues. Some of you receive them via email and then I post them on my website and on my Blog. I started writing the Travelogues when we were away so that our parents could know what we were doing and seeing.

December greeted me with a wonderful surprise. I have been named one of the “Top 50 Travel Agent Bloggers in the United States”! Here is the link to the website. I am one of the Travel Agents Who Love to Travel - that’s me – Enthusiastic Cruiser! http://www.onlinemarketingdegree.org/the-top-50-travel-agent-bloggers-of-2010
As I often do at the end of the year, I reflect back and think about how lucky I am. Sometimes when the world is so busy around us, we forget to take time to thank those who have made a difference in our lives. This year, Carpenter Travel has grown because of all of you. If I have not told you before, I will tell you now – I realize that you have many choices today when it comes to making your travel plans; and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to help you with yours.

The holidays are a very special time for many of us as we will be traveling near and far to spend time with family and dear friends. Many of us have special traditions; and this month I thought I would share some German family traditions that I’ve learned about from the German exchange student that our brother and sister-in-law have had the pleasure of having join their family for this school year.

Leoni is 16 years old and her family lives in a small village about 200 miles south of Frankfurt. She is quite a talented young lady who not only sings but also plays the flute and the piano. She speaks excellent English and has blended into our family very nicely. She has beautiful rosy cheeks and her eyes seem to light up when she speaks about Germany and her family. Jim and I have been really enjoyed getting to know her and learning more about Germany and their culture and way of life.

In Leoni’s family, their holiday celebrations begin on December 5th when each of them sets one of their boots outside their bedroom door. When they awake in the morning, their parents have filled their boot with special treats including some candy or something sweet. On December 6th, the neighborhood children will walk door-to-door and either say a poem or sing a song and the neighbors will give them a treat (very reminiscent of our Halloween except they do not dress up in costume).

Leoni has told us that her family does decorate for the holidays, but not nearly to the extent that people decorate here with all the lights and festive garlands and trees. Their decorations will be a beautiful table setting that will always include four candles – one to be lit each week during Christmas. They celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve.

We have talked about special foods that her family prepare s for the holidays and she mentioned red cabbage or Rotkraut. My Grandma used to make this for every holiday – and my Mom has continued with that tradition. The recipe we have is over 100 years old from my Great Grandmother Hoffman. So, I thought I would share that recipe with you this month. If you have any recipes you’d like to share with me – I would enjoy receiving them and giving them a try in my kitchen. I know that you will all be cooking some wonderful things in the kitchen – and your holidays would never be the same without them. Those special aromas and flavors are distinctly familiar and make our holidays very special.

Grandmother Hoffman’s Red Cabbage –“Rotkraut”

1 – large head of red cabbage – shredded fine
2 – Tablespoons Crisco shortening
2 - Tablespoons Canola oil
1 – Red apple cored, skinned and shredded
3 – Tablespoons light brown sugar
½ - Teaspoon salt
¼ - Teaspoon pepper
3 – Tablespoons Vinegar

Stir well. Simmer at least 2 hours. Put lid on tight. Stir often. Serve warm.

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May your holidays be filled with special memories.

And, As Always,

Safe Travels

Barbara
Your “Enthusiastic” Excursionist

P. S. Whodunit?

Whodunit?
You all know I LOVE cruising! But did you know that I love a good mystery as well? Ever since my childhood when I read the Nancy Drew books (“The Secret of the Old Clock” – “The Hidden Staircase”), I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery. When I came across a company called Whodunit Mystery Cruises, my curiosity was peaked. In 2011, I am becoming a “Partner in Crime”!

What better way to get the best of both worlds than on a Whodunit Mystery Cruise! Enjoy an elegant experience at sea, while MYSTERY and MAYHEM LURK all around you, and even INVOLVE YOU! As the clues unravel, you try to solve the spectacular mystery of "whodunit" - before it's too late! Whodunit creates a Live Mystery aboard the most beautiful ships in the world that you become a part of ... as well as try and solve. There are times during the mystery cruise that you will be following the deadly saga and other times when you are free to just enjoy the cruise ... They don't want you to have to look over your shoulder for the entire time aboard the ship.

If you book the cruise and choose to be a part of Whodunit, when you board you will be given your own deadly role to play. Don't worry, if you are on the shy side you can just sit back and watch the plot unfold. But if you are not shy, then you can use your character to find out as much as you can. You see, the actors will be mixing among you and in character for the entire mystery cruise!!! The hilarious story begins to unfold on the opening night where you will first meet all of the very M Y S T E R I O U S Characters. Then during the week there are mysterious notes slid under your cabin door, secret rendezvous set up for you ... all kinds of suspicious happenings!

On the days we are in port, nothing will happen aboard the ship at this time, so you won't miss any important clues. But be careful.... Captain's Night is bound to be a beautiful, elegant but- a D E V I L I S H night, for sure!

Just think...mutiny and...mayhem... gambling...all the grub you can handle...intrigue...laughter...star laden skies...and Mystery on the High Seas!!!! On May 20, 2011 Jim and I will be on Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas sailing out of Seattle to – where else? ALASKA of course!! (Now, come on – you knew that was coming didn’t you?)

So - Supersleuths! Grab your magnifying glasses, deerstalker caps, and life vests as Whodunit heads from Seattle to Alaska on a 7-Night Alaska Sawyer Glacier Cruise! There are bound to be clues around every iceberg as we cruise the inside passage to Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm Fjord and Victoria BC.

In addition to the May 20, 2011 sailing on Rhapsody of the Seas for 7 nights from Seattle to Alaska – there are other mystery cruise opportunities for 2011:

1) September 3-8, 2011 on Enchantment of the Seas for 5-nights from Baltimore to the Bahamas

2) October 28-31, 2011 on Monarch of the Seas for 3-nights from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas

3) December 3-10, 2011 on Voyager of the Seas for 7-nights from New Orleans to the Western Caribbean.

Pricing starts from $997.53 including taxes, port fees and Whodunit Murder Mystery per person based on double occupancy.

Silversea Cruise Lines Ship Inspection

Ship Inspection December 4, 2010 – San Pedro, CA

Our ship inspection was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. for the Silversea Silver Cloud in San Pedro, CA. We left San Diego mid-morning under cloudy skies after stopping by Starbucks for a yummy and warm eggnog latte’. Yes, this is one of my favorite holiday indulgences!

Driving up I-5 was an easy commute this morning as the traffic was light with no traffic back-ups at all. After we merged onto the 405 Freeway in Orange County and proceeded north to the Long Beach Freeway, the heavy clouds above us began to drop large rain drops on our windshield. As we drove along the water’s edge, Jim commented that this was where his Dad was stationed and they lived in naval housing. What was once an active Naval Base is now redeveloped and none of the old buildings remain. Now, tall palm trees and landfills and huge cranes for loading cargo stand where the Naval Officers’ Club and other buildings used to be in the 1950’s.

We continued on over the Vincent Thomas Bridge and turned off to get to the port. The Sapphire Princess was in port and majestically took her position at the end of the inland waterway. Up a bit further, we could see the top of the Silver Cloud, but there were several tents in the parking lot that blocked our view of the entire ship. This was disappointing as I only could get a picture of the top insignia on the stack of the Silver Cloud.

It was still raining when we parked the car. We proceeded across the street and through the Port Authority security check-in to an area inside a building where folding chairs were set up in several rows. Our guide for the day, Iona, greeted us and introduced herself as the Cruise Consultant on the Silver Cloud. She guided us to the gangway where we climbed the steep, steel steps and were greeted at the top by several very well dressed crew members. They were dressed in business attire of Navy blue and off-white.

The central lobby of the Silver Cloud is a circular designed area with offices in the area housing Guest Relations, the Silver Shore Concierge available for booking your shore excursions; and the desk of the Cruise Consultant (our Ivonna). A table was set up in one area full of champagne glasses waiting to be filled from the bottles of champagne two young men had waiting on ice for the new guests when they arrived.

The décor is elegant with navy blue and gold carpeting and finished with subtle wallpaper and trimmed in brass. There is a wide variety of art work on board the Silver Cloud ranging from paintings to bronze statues and incredible, intricate tile mosaics.

The Silver Cloud carries approximately 296 guests with a crew of 222. This is a “luxury” liner with all staterooms being “suites” (not cabins or staterooms). This stop in San Pedro today was their only stop in Southern California for the rest of 2010 and 2011; so we were very lucky to have the chance to visit her while she was in port for such a short time.

Ivonna took is to a “Verandah Suite” first. It is 295 sq. ft. including the verandah. I would compare this to the size of a mini-suite on the Sapphire Princess. This suite was beautifully appointed with plush Egyptian linens on the bed and in the bath. There was a bottle of champagne on ice wrapped neatly in a white towel in an ice bucket on the coffee table along with two champagne flutes waiting to be filled. Each suite is also graced with stunning fresh orchid plants. Each bath has a tub and shower and a fabulous walk-in closet with tremendous storage space. The bath is large and had plenty of mirrors above the elegant marble counters and sinks. All suites have internet access and flat screen TV’s. You also have your own personal Butler at your service 24/7. The Butler can arrange your dining reservations as well as make your shore excursion reservations. They are also available to run any errand you may need them to such as picking up your laundry or purchasing a candy bar from the store.
Each suite has a teak verandah with nice patio furniture. The size varies depending on the type of suite you have and your location on the ship. As you can imagine, if you have booked one of the larger suites, you will also have a larger verandah.

Our next visit was to the Owner’s Suite which is mid-size with Bedroom #1 being approximately 829 sq. ft. and Bedroom #2 being approximately 587 sq. ft. With the two separate bedrooms, there is also a living area with a couch and chairs and coffee table with champagne waiting; a writing desk and mini bar with table. Again, the bath was quite large with a larger walk-in closet. This suite bath also had a toilet and bade.
The Grand Suite was the largest suite that we visited with Bedroom #1 is 1019 sq. ft. and Bedroom #2 is 1314 sq. ft. The bath in this suite had a whirlpool tub. There was a very large living room area with couch and chairs along with two other round tables, a mini-bar and an antique looking writing desk in the corner. There were two entrances out to the verandah. Every suite offers the luxurious, plus Egyptian linens in the bedrooms and baths.

We visited the handsome Library furnished with over-stuffed dark brown leather chairs and hard cover books behind the glass doors of the bookcases. There were audio listening stations. You could also find your favorite magazines or newspaper here.
The Card Room had several square tables suitable for playing card games or table games and could also be used for a conference room if necessary.

La Terraza (The Terrace Restaurant) was one of my favorite areas on the ship. It offers an ala carté menu with a buffet breakfast in the morning or al fresco dining on the outdoor patio. In the evenings, La Terraza becomes an ala carté Italian Restaurant. The outdoor patio is on the aft of the ship and would be a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the scenery as you sail along.

Another great gathering place would be The Panorama Lounge where you can enjoy the scenery as well as complimentary cocktails. There is a piano in here along with nice tables and comfortable chairs. At the Pool Bar¸¬ you can enjoy your favorite cocktail by the pool during the day; and in the evening it turns into Dining Under the Stars offering grilled steaks and fish and fresh pizza.

Le Champagne would be an intimate place where you could indulge in a six course meals including fine wines paired with every course.

We passed quickly through the Salon and Spa where you can make arrangements for facials, body wraps or massages and afterwards enjoy some quite time in the men’s or women’s steam and sauna rooms. The Casino is small, but has a roulette wheel, blackjack table and about 15 slot machines neatly placed in cubbies along the port side of the ship. We did not see the Fitness Center, but understand it is equipped with treadmills, elliptical machines and free weights. They also offer aerobics classes, as well as yoga and Pilates – which are all complimentary.

Our tour ended in The Restaurant (dining room) elegantly set with silver and crystal and candlelight. We had a fixed menu with an appetizer of a small crab cake topped with a guacamole and garnish. Our “salad” was a base of steamed spinach topped with sliced artichoke hearts and a nice piece of grilled swordfish. The main course was a serving of Polenta topped with two small slices of veal. Dessert was also served which consisted of a fluted pastry shell filled with fresh blueberries and crème freshe. Two different wines were also served during lunch – both Italian, one white and one red.
The Silver Cloud was the flagship of Silversea Cruise Lines and was launched in 1994. She was renovated in 2004 and again in 2006. This luxury liner offers personal service at every point and being “all inclusive”, a passenger feels they are receiving true value for their vacation experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Silver Cloud and thank Silversea Cruise Lines for giving us the opportunity to visit her.