Sunday, December 31, 2006

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Jan 1, 2007 1:58 AM
Subject: Sunday, December 31, 2006

Sunday, December 31, 2006

HAPPY

NEW YEAR

If it's Sunday this must be Progresso, Mexico. By golly it is.

We docked at about 7:00 this morning. Central time that is. Last night we had to turn the clocks back one hour. We had been to Progresso before, about four years ago. Nothing looks the same.

Last time we docked right in town. Now they built a new pier and a 7 mile bridge / roadway. It had been a dusty little town with no tourist amenities or services. We couldn't even get a cab.

I thought it was just a small town of about 5,000 but they tell me it is 50,000. They have people from the upper Midwest buying homes to retire. Much cheaper then the US.

We had signed up for an off road, drive it yourself, dune buggy tour. It turned out to be so popular that they canceled it due to the fact I was the only one signed up for it. So we took a walk to the end of the ship pier and saw the new area of tourist shops. There was a guy hawking tours to Merida. The ship listed it as 45 minutes each way. The cab guy said only about 25. Its only 20 miles.

Merida is the state capital. It has about one million people and was started in the 1500s. It was supposed to copy the town of Merida in Spain. We got in a Nissan Sentra that they had some other name for. Big mistake. Now there is no question. I am not Tinkerbell. Even with the front seat all the way forward, I do not fit. My feet kept falling asleep. Bobbi said so did I for most of the way there. The part they call the downtown was all blocked off for New Years parades. We drove around and saw some old very nice buildings. Most of which were huge houses. Almost all had been bought up by US companies and they were being used for offices and or service. As you drove along you could see buildings in all kinds of disrepair or just poorly kept. Almost everything is dirty and in need of paint.

Here is another city you don't want to see. I have known people that have been going there for many years. There is a nice beach and some tourist bars right across from the beach but the main reason to be there is, it is cheap. Popular brands of beer are $1.00 a bottle.

The other reason to stop here is it is the dropping off point for many of the Pyramids. Some close and others a long way. The most famous is Chichen Itza (Cich en It za). It is amazing to see but a tour takes 8 hours and it is very hot and dusty with very limited facilities. Most of the others we have seen.

Tonight we are invited to the staff captains table for New Years dinner. The captain is not Dag, the captain from last year and the only full time captain of the Seven Seas Voyager, ever. I will have to find out if Dag is just on vacation or what. The staff captain chose us before captain Knute could. That is the new captain. The k is pronounced (Kn oot). The staff captain is new also.

Knute was gang plank to welcome us back from our tour. He asked where we had been. Knute is very soft spoken and sometimes hard to hear. He is also very sarcastic. He said it must have been very exciting. Upon which Bobbi replied, "Oh yes. He slept most of the way there."

I am sure that by now everyone has heard about the bombings in Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand. We are supposed to be there on March 16 for an overnight stay. This was one of my favorite places we visited last year and we looked forward to going back. They put us up at the Peninsula Hotel. The hotel, food and service was outstanding. The sites were amazing. The shopping was unbelievable. You could find most anything in the world at ridiculously low prices. We went to many places and always found the people friendly. It would be a shame to miss this. I know of no place they could substitute that would be equal.

Dinner was great again. That's lobster two nights in a row. They are just small ones but delicious and you can have all you want. The sugar free desserts are the best I have ever had anywhere. Last year they were not too good. The new chef is great.

There were only five of us at the staff captains table. The other couple are the entertainers in the observation lounge tonight. She sings and he plays piano. I think we may join them for the New Years celebration rather then the main show in the theater. Teo Srdelic is the staff captain. He is from Split Croatia. His English is excellent and he is very nice. Everyone seemed to enjoy listening to me or they were very polite. I don't think I ever shut up, but that happens a lot. What the heck. For the kind of money I'm paying the hired help better pretend they like listening to me. We did exchange some very interesting information though. I recently read that cruise ships are no longer allowed to have fire arms. The article said that even the traditional Capitan's pistol is no longer allowed. Teo's answer was, welllllllllll, you will have to ask the captain about that. Then he said not true after the other couple left. The lowest open deck at the rear of the ship is all fenced in now. Pirates are for real but no big threat to cruise ships. It would be stupid to attack a large cruise ship now. In possible danger areas they go at full speed. They do all kinds of drills to ward off possible attack and if you were a pirate, who would you want to attack. A slow freighter you can possibly sneak up on with a maximum of 30 to 40 people or a cruise ship with well over a thousand. He told us that Dag is coming back on the 9th of January when the world cruise starts. Teo leaves about the 19th but returns in March.

The main celebration was in the atrium on the 4th floor. There was good music and lots of noise but we chose to go up to the observation lounge at the front of the ship on the 11 th floor. There the lady we had dinner with was singing poorly. We had only walked in at 11:30 and it was almost midnight so we stayed for New Years. Right after we said hello to the singer lady and quickly departed to the atrium where they were playing good music and the singer was very good. While there we ran into the Rabbi and his wife. He said he would like to see us at the services on Friday evening. I said I used to be Jewish. We might come not. They didn't hear the not. Then we ran into the girl, from last year, that guided us from the Picasso Museum to the bus in a terrible down pour in Barcelona. Then Bobbi got tired (drank too much) so we went back to the room so I could send this.

Party Guys Out

Saturday, December 30, 2006

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Dec 30, 2006 11:29 PM
Subject: Saturday, December 30, 2006

Saturday, December 30, 2006

I guess slave Vicki was very happy for letting everyone know about her jump, scream episode. In fact, she was so happy she wrote me about it. In that note she even mentions a cell phone call she made to me just after I arrived in our room on the ship. This is an excerpt from
it:

Oh, and thanks for sharing our laughter with the immediate world! I didn't tell anyone that you flushed while on the phone with me!

I might have just fixed my Internet problem. Marco, their computer guy, was just up here. He was here for most of the cruise last year. He is very good. He is going to have them move the broadcast point on this floor to right outside my door. Mean time, there is a big difference in signal strength if I just open my door. Even if I just leave it cracked a drop, I get enough signal to up or download, so far.

We slept well last night. They have installed new very good mattresses. Nice thick ones. Not those skinny cot things they pass off for mattresses on many of the lines. I remember hurting my posterior by sitting down to fast on one on a Carnival ship. Did tell you I have a very delicate posterior? Never mind.

This is a sea day so there will not be much excitement. The lecture today was on Myan stuff. We never made it. I was still too tired. Maybe I'll watch the recording of the lecture later on TV. I told you it was a lot of work watching Bobbi unpack. Today was another tiring one. I had to press all my jackets. They get wrinkled from being packed in suitcases. So I had to ask Bobbi to give them all to the butler. That was a lot of work but someone had to do it.

We went to the Verandah restaurant for dinner. It is on the 11th floor and is an Italian steak house at night. It is also the buffet at breakfast and lunch. Food was excellent. I wish there was
something like this at home.

Good Night

Friday, December 29, 2006

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Dec 29, 2006 10:29 PM
Subject: Friday, December 29, 2006

Friday, December 29, 2006

Almost everything went well so far today. I just wish I could get use to this laptop computer. It hung up on me twice and then refused to go on saying it was out of memory when I know it has plenty. On top of which it keeps misspelling words ande typing wrong sletters.

My slave, travel agent, house sitter, friend Vicki showed up at about 11:30 this morning. She was loading a large cooler with food from our fridge that would go to waste if she did not take it. I had walked into the kitchen and was standing right next to the cooler. Obviously
she must not have seen me walk up. It is probably because I am so petite, much like tinker bell. While loading and babbling away, as usual, she must have finally seen me out of the corner of her eye. At first glance I must look like the boogieman. At least I did to her. She lets out this blood curdling scream while jumping half way across the kitchen. I guess you had to be there but Bobbi got so hysterical laughing that she almost peed herself. She stood there laughing, red
in the face, with her legs crossed for the longest time before running to the bathroom.

Forty five minutes early, at about 12:15, the limo shows up. I take a look and see a stretch Lincoln sitting on the drive. I tell the driver there is no way all our luggage will fit. Just then a 15 passenger van shows up. They sent both. Unbelievable. We didn't really need all the room this year. As promised, Bobbi cut way down on her packing. There are only 11 suitcases instead of the usual 12.

It was pretty empty at the dock. They took our luggage and a lady named Rose came up to us and asked if we were Mr and Mrs Rootberg. She then introduced us to Ferd who took our two carry ons with the PC and medicines. He walked us right to x-ray and on to the show lounge on the ship. On the way a young lady came over and took one piece of our luggage. After looking for a bit, they discovered we were special and should have been to the main desk. They then called our butler to take us to our suite. His name is Girish. He is about 7 feet tall and was our friends, the Kapels, butler last year. He was very good.

The PC connected up to the ships internet very easily but AOL does not get along with it very well. It takes a while to get on. All but one of our bags are here so far. While in the lobby we saw two men walking by with a badly torn up, coffee colored, Hartman suitcase with the clothes hanging out. I thought I saw an airline tag on it, I hope. That is the kind of bag I am missing. But all it had was mostly my pants. I don't really need those. We are only going to
mostly warm places.

All of our luggage finally did get here. I am really tired from all the unpacking I watched Bobbi doing. It got to be too much for me so I had to stop watching.

At dinner we found many of the staff from last year. Some I did not remember came up to us saying welcome back Mr and Mrs Rootberg. We asked for a table for four and asked for another couple to join us. Again a small world. He had recently done business with a good friend of ours, Bob Kramer. Their names were Mary and Brian Presley. The food was excellent, the wine outstanding, and a sugar free pineapple cake was unbelievable. Last year they did not make good sugar free deserts.

After dinner we went to the show in the main show lounge. The singers and dancers were better then ever if that is possible. Pam wrote us again. She has got to be a very nice person to like dogs so much. Her letter follows.

Hi there,

Spike is doing well. Maybe it's just my imagination, but, I could swear he turns his lips upwards to smile! He is very cute and seems happy and content. He loves to eat, and enjoys treats. Spreads out on his little bed and munches away on a chicken jerky strip.

Question: besides the arthritis medicine, do you give Spike a pain pill every day or just if he seems to be in pain?

He's very easy going -- spends most of the day and night on the couch, laying on one side or the other. He likes to sit outside next to Stella and just enjoy the sun and fresh air. Then he comes back inside after an hour or so and goes back to lay on the couch. Last night I took him into the bedroom with us, and he cuddled up to me and gave me kisses, and we all went to sleep.

Casper, the Bichon, went home this morning, and a new friend just came over for him this afternoon. It was the first time I heard your Spike barking like crazy. He got all excited to meet a new buddy! His name is Rusty and he is also a poodle... a miniature poodle. They seem to like each other a lot.

That's it. Good night and A Happy Saddam Hanging to all.

Fwd: (no subject)

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Dec 28, 2006 6:23 PM
Subject: (no subject)
12/28/2006

Our 2007 world cruise is starting a little early this year. We don't leave until December 29^th but events are starting a little earlier. Anyone not wanting to be on the list of those I am sending to, please let me know and I will remove you.

To those who do not know, Spike is our 11 pound white toy poodle. He is 10 years old and is really very sweet to everyone. He is really Bobbi's baby. At least he thinks so. It is always very sad to leave him. This time we found a lady that will watch him in her own home and he will never be put in a cage.

We brought Spike to the lady that will take care of him for the next four months. She lives in a cottage that is behind a house in the old nice part of Hollywood. It must be the original guest house. There is a large very nicely landscaped yard.

Spike had been there once before with Bobbi. He came into the yard and made himself right at home. There were three other cute little dogs including her own black toy poodle. Spike is very sociable and they were all friends right away. He then walked into the house and ate the food out of all the other dog's bowls.

We brought in all of his stuff from the car and talked to Pam, who is the lady watching him. After a while it seemed he was happy and we left. We never knew he cries when we leave him. Following is the note Pam sent us this evening.

Hi Bobbi,

Just wanted to write to let you know that Spike is being a very good boy. He acclimates incredibly quick. He cried for five minutes right after you left, scratching at the baby gate, and then when I was sure you were gone, I opened it, and he went running to the front to look for you. The others went following him, and brought him back. It was too cute... like come join us and hang out. Realizing he was here now, he just walked around the yard enjoying the company of Casper. After they walked around the yard together, then they just sat next to one another on my landlord's porch taking in the sun and fresh air.

I went out for lunch and he found himself a comfy place on the couch. That seems to be his favorite spot in the house. I can see that will be his area. He seems to like the privacy of being in the living room, yet within site of me here in the office.

We spent the day outside, because it was just gorgeous out. I did my laundry and they all followed me from one side of the yard to the other. He seems to enjoy being around all the other dogs. Then we came in and I gave everybody a chicken jerky treat and he and Stella were laying on his bed eating them. I thought that was very sweet of him to share his bed with her.

Anyway, he has a nice hearty appetite... I fed everybody a little while ago, and he was ready to eat again! I see I'll have to keep him in check, so he doesn't get pudgey!

Enjoy your vacation... write or call anytime.

Sincerely, Pamela

Coming soon

The World Cruise starts January 9th 2007