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7 User Reviews of Norwegian Epic Cruise Ship
My family and friends were excited to board the cruise ship. However, things would change for us during the safety drill portion of the cruise. To start, one of the representatives who was designated to show our section the rules of safety, was very rude. We happen to be sitting in the wrong spot as she would scan our card and what she said to us was quite offensive. We stated that we didn't know where to go and she said, as we got up to move to the right area "have some respect". Now both my friend and I promptly informed her that what she had implied was offensive, unnecessary and unprofessional. As we were able to stand in the back of the casino the daughter of my friend who has had some leg issues, was directed by her mom to sit down on the floor and that's when the same crew member approached us again, this time she was told "do not converse with my daughter". From that point forward this crew member and one of her peers began to obviously try to intimidate us by a meansteer down as they talked about us amongst each other, while hundreds of people were waiting to here from the Captain for our next orders.
Now I could go on, as my husband and I would speak to different crew members and they would not part their lips to speak back. It had gotten to the point as our seven day cruise got underway, that we thought it was because we are African Americans and there were not many of us on this particular cruise. Even when venturing off the ship at port, St. Thomas Island the people in the local stores were also not very friendly.
I'll close for now, but I will say this, we have taken many cruises, one of which was the Royal Caribbean and if I had to compare the service with a smile, friendliness, courtesy etc. I would not recommend Norwegian Escape at all. Very let down after spending pretty good money on and for this cruise experience.
a lovely ship, took me four days to finally find my way round. Entertainment good, we booked it all the day after we arrived so it was sorted and booked. Excursions expensive we paid for three and it cost us about 250$ in American dollars. Wegot a;;l inclusive on a drinks package and we were glad we did the drinks were expensive, ok if you only have two a day.......the fidge in the room was expensive so don t touch. All in all we had a good time, would I go again , no, done the Spirit ad the Epic, .......the Spirit was nice but not too much entertainment ....but not as busy......
Subjectectiviry is te name of the game here but for yours truly at least, everything came together to make this by far, the best of the four cruises on which I've ever traveled.
The fact that this was a Crusiemates Cruise had a ton to do with it's success, of course, but we were all so saddedened when our host Trip and her husband Bruse had to leave and fly back because of illness. Thankdfully they are both well along the road to recvery. That being the casew, there remained so many other positive facets.
Let's break it down into sections with my cabin mate being first. I was honored to share a handicappped cabin with Curisemate's famous Patriarch, Ray Boudreaux not to mentntion being a guest in his home. Ray as many of you know, is one in a million and his family, especially daughter Celeste, is not far behind.
Our cabin was as a handicapped cabin; large bright, airy and had a quite large balcony that easily incorporated Ray's scooter which truly surprised me. Additionally, the large shower sported a fold down bench seat if necessary along witn a folddown towel rack. It was significantly larger than the standard "wave" cabin. Heaven knows there was tons of drawer and hanging space.
One of our party had the single supplement cabin and to be quite honest, while being despite being small, still sported a full sized bed and had very interesting mood lighting.
Of course the cruise was made by Chef Matt Sigel of Hell's Kitchen Fame who along wit his lovely wife did not only didn't plate a "nibble" of his creations on several occasions as is de regeur but provided what amounted to a complete meal which was both an unexpected and pleasant change! Not only are Matt and his wife likeable people they hung out with us throughout the cruise.
There is no doubt that Matt will shortly enjoy being a top culinary draw in his own venue. Better yet he is a born instructor and keeps ones interest glued to his entire presentation.
While outwardly (to me at least) probably the ugliest vessel to ever sail the seven seas, one doesn't usually stand and watch a ship pass by. What the ship offers in entertainment and attractions more than makes up for it's outward appearance and is enough to keep one occupied for two or three weeks. While most of the restaurants are "extra charge, the fee is certainly not exorbitant and I well worth it. That being the case, O'Sheehan's and the main dining rooms plate outstanding meals if you're either on a budget or elect not to utilize the almost twenty other restaurants.
Thanks to Matt and Cruisemates own Editor, Paul Motter, complete tours were conducted of both the galley and the bridge replete with introductions to Captain and high ranking staff. Most galley tours are conducted between meals when one can't see what is really going on or "get the feel." The tour Matt and the Head Chef provided were right in the middle of dinner service and that is in and of itself, something not to be believed.
In essence, as the Epic being prologue, Norwegian Cruise Lines will certainly become a future consideration for this cruiser.
And if you truly want an extra special time, you truly must cruise upon a Cruisemates Cruise. You will be certainly glad that you did!
book price 799 inside cabin.
i pre booked it, put in 1 traveller and price came up 1499.
Let me begin by stating that I have been a loyal NCL client for several years traveling in older ships like the Sun and the Sky as well as some of their new ones such as the Pearl the Dawn and the Pride of America, and always enjoyed the entire experience from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the freestyle approach to traditional cruising and their casual and friendly atmosphere. It was with great anticipation that I waited for the chance to sail in their newest and much publicized ship; the Epic. Unfortunately my schedule did not allow me any free time during the year except for the holidays so I decided that a Christmas/New Year cruise would be a great way to spend the holidays, yes it was almost double the price of regular sailing but I thought from previous experience that it would be a special trip.
From the very beginning it seemed that everything went wrong, the check in process was horrendous although we queued behind the line that was marked as "Latitudes Express Check-in" we quickly noticed that the other two lines for regular check in weremoving quite speedier than ours. It then became obvious what the issue was, there were three sets of desks with four agents each; the express line with four agents was handling twice as many number of guests than the regular lines because there seemed to be more latitude members than not, so the express check in became the wait forever check-in. After the hour and a half wait to check in (double the regular line) my wife and I finally were able to board, we could hardly contain our excitement as we almost sprinted to the gang way and onboard. It was as if someone had deflated the tires out of our brand new car, to our surprise and disappointment when we entered the ship there was no great entrance, no beautiful atrium or lavish lobby, whereas most ships would give you the best possible best impression upon first boarding; this ship decided that entering through the Casino was the best possible impression. The air was thick with the stench of cigarettes and it was dark and uninviting. Rows and Rows of Slot Machines and card tables was what we saw for as far as we could see. There was no one welcoming us aboard, in previous trips there was always crew members that with warm smiles welcomed us aboard, offered us a complimentary drink and directed us where to go.
Absolutely no one even acknowledge us, the few crew members we could see were nowhere near the entrance and seemed pre-occupied with other duties. This was a Christmas/New Year's trip, I had paid premium for this because the same cabin at any other date was 40% cheaper than what I paid; and there was nothing to signify that this was in any way special. Because no one directed us where to go we tried to go to our cabin, it was already past 2:00pm and assumed that the cabin was ready but the doors leading to the state rooms were locked so we instinctively went to the pool deck were we knew from experience to congregate until the rooms were ready. A novice passenger would have no idea where to go as there was no directions given upon boarding. At bout 4:00pm the overhead announcement was heard advising that there was going to be a drill in 30 minutes, there was no announcement that the cabins were ready.
Upon entering our balcony stateroom we were pleased, the room was bright, sleek and modern looking. It wasn't until we were all the way in that we noticed how narrow the cabin was, there was very little floor space and noticed we could both barely move about the cabin at the same time; it felt very cramped. The cabin was curved like an S I assume to give it a modern look but it made for a weird bend on the couch that made it very uncomfortable to sit and it added to the feeling of being tightly packed. Later that night we concluded that this stateroom was considerably smaller than any of the other balcony staterooms we had ever been in, it was about the same size as an inside cabin that we had stayed in at an earlier cruise with a smaller ship, on that occasion we paid $299 for it and thus expected to be small and cramped and therefore met our expectations. This definitely did not feel like a $1750.00 per person cabin, when we went to bed that night another discovery was abound when my 5'4' wife laid in bed and found out that her feet dangled over the bed when she laid flat, mine dangled considerably more since I measure 5'10"; we had to curl up in fetus position to fit in the bed. The bathroom was a major problem for us, at first although it was a little different than what we were accustomed to, it looked innovative and we thought it would be a good idea that we could use the shower independent of the toilet. This fact then became embarrassingly painful later on when it was time to use the facilities and we realized that it is basically a very thin plastic see-through door and wall. The feeling was unmistakably uncomfortable even with your wife of more than 16 years. There are things that are just private, going to the bathroom is one of them, it is not glamorous, it is not pleasant but it is natural and as natural as it is it is also the most private act a human should be able to do and to feel that someone can not only tell what is going on, but also hear and forgive me for my bluntness but also smell was disgusting. The worst part was that when the Cabin's door opens the first thing everyone sees is the toilet, we made every effort to make sure we were not in there whenever the other opened the door. As we walked through the hallways I cannot tell you how many times we walked by an open cabin and had to look away in order to avoid uncomfortable situations.
After the mandatory drill which is something we normally dread as it is usually chaotic, but I must admit was very well handled in an organized and expeditious way, we returned to the cabin to freshen up only to discover that the TV was not working. I tried to use the phone and call guest services but the phone touchscreen was also not working, I dialed 0 but it gave an error and would not dial. I checked the room for any type of directory or information on how to contact the guest services but there was nothing other than to use the phone's touchscreen. I went down to the guest services desk where I waited in line for over 30 minutes because there were only Two service representatives actively attending to the guests, there were others but they were so engrossed in their computers that they rarely even looked up or acknowledge the growing line in front of them. I reported the problem and asked for an extension I could call in the future, I was told to dial 00. After dinner we returned to the cabin, the TV and phone still were not working, I called 00 and again reported the problem, they said someone would check it and call me back. We left our Cabin again and came back about an hour later, still no change in the state of the phone or TV. I dialed 00 again and this time the person who answered was able to fix the problem on the spot while I held with them on the phone for a few minutes. The phone took a while longer to get fixed but it was obvious that this was a minor problem that could be fixed remotely and easily yet it took me several hours and three attempts before I reached someone who knew how to fix the problem.
We decided to explore the ship's amenities, this was not very difficult or time consuming as all of them were concentrated in the middle of the ship on floors 6 and 7 directly off the casino. It was definitely crowded; it was hard to get through the mass of bodies to get from the back to the front. Who in the right mind would put most of the public areas right smack in the middle of a ship that holds 6,000 guest and 1800 crew members? Next was the overwhelming cigarette smell; it was always present because as you must very well know most of the guests that frequent the casino are also heavy smokers. In other ships this had never been an issue as the Casino was situated separate from the other public areas and enclosed on its own. Again, why in the world would you put the casino right smack in the middle of everything? It was so bad that we noticed that there were portable air purifiers on the floor every couple of feet on each side of the halls; we tripped on them several times. This was appalling, how can you have a brand new state of the art ship with portable air filters on the floor, how more ghetto can you get? It was a clear sign that the ship had not been designed for the guests it was designed for the profits. In the next few days we began to dread having to go down to the restaurants or bars because we knew we would pass through the cloud as we came to refer to it, of smoke. Our clothes reeked of smoke within a few minutes and no matter where we ate with the exception of the Garden Café upstairs we could at least have the faint aroma of it.
As soon as the ship left port we began to feel the swaying of the waves, it was surprising to us that we were able to feel the strong waves as we did, We had been on smaller ships with rougher seas and not felt it so bad; It was very hard to walk about without holding on to the railings. For the first Two days the boat rocked and swayed uncontrollably and it was causing guest to get sick, we decide to stay in our cabin as much as possible to avoid getting sick ourselves. I would never think of blaming a cruise line or a ship for bad weather, it happens, we understand that and we rolled with it, however the following days the seas were calmer and the weather was clear and mild but to our dismay the ship continued to sway from side to side. When we inquired to the crew as to why the ship was swaying so hard, we were told that it was normal for a ship this size to sway a little. I am not an engineer by any means, but it was clear even to me why this ship swayed this way, it is by all accounts the tallest ship in the sea however it has a relatively narrow base for its height thus causing a pendulum effect when confronted with moderate wind speeds. We also discovered that the thrust engines on the sides of the vessel vibrate violently, we compared it to being on a plane undergoing turbulence. The worst part is that when the ship is docking it is these engines that do the bulk of the work and the vibration was so hard that our cabin rattled and shook feverishly. The noise was deafening as the flimsy shower and bathroom doors hit their respective frames; the first morning it was so startling and scary that we thought there was something wrong happening. We jumped out of bed half asleep and went out to our balcony to see what the whole ruckus was about. It was soon evident what it was and we were relieved when we realized that the ship was attempting to dock. The feeling of relief quickly turned to anger as we now realized that our $1750.00 per person stateroom was louder than a construction site downtown in the middle of rush hour. The docking process took 30 to 40 minutes and thus the shaking continued for that long. I have a recording of this, I knew it would be hard to believe by our friends and family and so I have had to play it numerous times. Since the ship docks very early in the morning we had to endure this on every port of call and consequently had our very own wakeup call complete with special effects.
On the second day of our vacation we had reservations for the Cirque dreams show, which was cancelled due to the weather. We were disappointed but understood why it had to be cancelled, what I do not understand is why when I tried calling the ticket desk to see if I could re-schedule no one answered. I stayed on the line for over 45 minutes being very patient and no one picked up. I decided to go to the box office personally to inquire only to be told that there were no more available shows. Like I said I do understand that unforeseen circumstances arise and it was prudent to cancel the show for safety reasons, however I cannot understand why it could not have been re-scheduled for another day. Certainly all of the evenings were already booked but how about adding a matinée performance or two, again we were met with disappointment it was becoming a pattern. Since we are now speaking of entertainment lets continue, our experiences before had always been that there was always a show or production available every evening, what we discovered was that there were about 4 shows available for free and they had to be reserved way ahead of time, but no longer were shows available if you wanted to see them again or if you missed the reservation. Was it not the concept of freestyle cruising to do whatever whenever you wanted? Now everything has to be reserved and scheduled and if for whatever reason you can't make the reservation then you are out of luck. There are 4 free shows, the Blue Man Group which we saw on the first night, it was very loud and we were not particularly impressed with the show; basically it is Three guys painted in blue paint spitting paint at each other and the audience. The big highlight of the show was when from the back of the theater Toilet paper begins to roll down and the audience must push this paper to the front of the theater until at the end the entire theater is covered in toilet paper. This was to say the least not a very sophisticated production that I would have imagined was worthy of what was called a luxury liner. The only Theater on board was the Epic Theater which was all the way on the front of the ship, it was very small compared to the size of the rest of the ship and it probably only held 600 to 700 people, it was shabby and not very visually appealing, again not what I had imagined a brand new ship would offer. Other shows included a Legends in concert which were Three artist impersonating Rod Stewart, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson. The Michael Jackson impersonator was pretty good but the others especially Britney Spears were amateurish and not very good. There was also the Second City Comedy group that did improve comedy sketches; it was just OK, nothing special. There was also a Comic Magician, this show did not need reservations so anyone could come provided you got there early enough to get a seat. With such a small theater we realized that we probably needed to be there early to get a seat , however there was a performance by the Blue Man Group right before this scheduled performance and although the daily cruise newsletter instructed you to go to deck 6 the actual entrance to this show was on deck 5. Of course no one knew this including the crew members standing outside the door not letting anyone in. When the previous performance let out there was a large crowd waiting to get in and as you can imagine there was a big commotion. By the time we got in the theater it was completely full, apparently some people knew to go to the 5th floor and wait to enter the theater when the previous performance ended. We were not able to attend this show so we had to wait for the next day he was only performing Twice on a seven day cruise so if you miss them, too bad. The next day we aited in the 5th floor but again no one really knew where to go, finally I went to the Guest services and someone came over to guide everyone through a hidden corridor that led to the back of the theater where the performers enter and exit. We waited there for 45 minutes for the other show to end, it was very hot and very uncomfortable. By the time we entered the theater everyone around us including us were very aggravated, I really can't tell you if the show was any good because I was in such a bad mood that it would not have mattered how good the show was the whole experience had left a bad taste in my mouth, my conclusion was that this theater was not designed for the guests comfort. Aside from that there was the Circus dinner show which we did not see but that will cost you an additional $25 per person and the Murder Mystery Lunch which is performed by the Second City Comedy Group, it is just another improve performance that will also cost you $20 per person. There were a few performers playing the piano or the guitar from time to time at different bars or restaurants but again none that I would consider great performers.
The other thing that became painfully obvious was that if you wanted to take advantages of the amenities they will cost you extra. If you wanted to bowl, there was a fee, if you wanted the circus show there was a fee, if you wanted to go to the Ice bar there was a fee. This was such a big hype during previous cruises; this would be the only Ice bar at sea and pictures of a very cool and sophisticated place had been shown and frankly it was something we were dying to see. Well it cost us $20 each to don a furry poncho and walk into a walk-in freezer with a bar on the side. It was not lined with large Ice blocks and ice sculptures as we were led to believe. It was lined with acrylic blocks and acrylic statues made to look like Ice but far from it. This was just another way to get you to spend money and a photographer was there the entire time taking pictures by the statues of everyone in the bar. In other words we paid to get our picture taken and then we would have to pay more if we wanted the picture. Even the specialty restaurants which we were used to paying a little extra for better quality food had an extra fee if you wanted the lobster or the filet mignon. One night we were charged for a hot chocolate, I never felt so nickelled and dimed in my life. Worse yet I never felt so robbed in my life!
One of our favorite things of course is the food, who doesn't gain a few pounds after sampling so many delectable options as you have on a cruise? Normally I would rave, but the truth is that although the food was fine when we went to the specialty restaurants we would often encounter the same appetizer or dessert choices as the regular restaurants. On one occasion I specifically asked for a fried Calamari appetizer at La Cuccina, it was the exact same one I had had the night before at Taste; in fact it was the same chewy and rubbery consistency as the one I had sent back the night before. How can they consciously charge extra for something that is included free to begin with? There were plenty of restaurant choices however most of them were specialty and needed to be reserved well in advance and like I mention earlier the truly specialty dishes will cost more on top of the cover charge. And also at Cagney's Steak House we were told we could only have two sides, pardon me but hasn't it always been that you could eat whatever you wanted even at the specialty restaurants. The Free restaurants were OK, Taste, Manhattan Club, The Garden Café on the pool deck level and an Irish pub style restaurant on level 6. This one was always very crowded and reeked of smoke.
Like I mentioned earlier, most public areas were directly off the Casino on levels 6 and 7, there were several bars but they never felt separate it felt like just one large contiguous space so it was very difficult to feel like you were is a different environment. If music was playing in one of the bars it could be heard from the others and if it was a live performer it was obviously louder but you still heard the ambient music from another location. The main Atrium had a very large Projector screen TV where sports or movies would play from time to time, except they could not be heard over the massive loudness of the people traffic, music from all the bars or the overhead speakers. We tried to watch a movie once because we were so bored but could not hear a single syllable. The entertainment in the room was not better, there were only 5 available channels, 3 were news channels, 1 was the e! network and 1 is a continuous loop of all TV shows. Not to mention that the satellite feed was down most of the time so it was hit or miss.
The Pool area was something else; aside from the water slides which I am sure a big hit with the Children there are only three main pools and 6 hot tubs not including the private Villas which are private. Remember there are over 6000 guests, these pools look and feel miniscule. One of the pools is located on the back of the ship along with 2 hot tubs and a Gigantic TV Screen. This are is called the H20 Spice club and it is advertised as an adult's only section. Since my wife and I are childless we assumed this would be a good place to hang out and take some sun or read; however as we found out adults only is merely a suggestion. When we tried to lay on a deck chair we saw and heard a large number of kids running around. When I asked the bartender, who quickly came to see if I wanted a drink, why there were so many children in this are he gave me a vague response and walked off. The wait staff for the most part was polite and friendly unless for the bar staff and waiters. We had purchased the unlimited soda package as we have done on all of our other trips because we are not big alcohol drinkers; but every time we asked for a soda and shown our card we were met with a frown and at times hostile attitude. Of course they would not be getting the extra tip they would normally get from a premium drink so they were not shy about showing their disappointment. We would end up waiting 20 or 30 minutes for our drinks because they would make it a point not to go to the bar and get our order until they had another order for a premium drink. The service at from the Cabin Stuarts was not much better, our room was not made up until very late in the morning, one day it was 2:00pm and it was still not made up. Turn down hardly ever happened; it was done twice in our entire stay.
Since we had already been to these ports we did not book any excursions thinking that there would be enough activities during the day to keep us busy; that was not the case. During the days at port the ship was basically a ghost town, there was nothing at all to do. The first Two ports we stayed onboard but by the third port at Roatan we were stir crazy and needed to get off even if to just be on firm ground. When we returned later in the day we sat in the atrium on the 5th floor to rest and suddenly the lights went out, we were suddenly sitting in pitch black conditions. We stayed put where we were and the lights came back up within a few minutes but by then there were a great deal of confusion going on as to what happened. There was no explanation offered by any of the crew members nearby or the overhead speaker, it was as this had not happened or it was such a common occurrence that they were not fazed by it; they continued with what they were doing prior to the power outage. After about fifteen minutes the captain came on the overhead speaker to let us know that the elevators were non-operational and they were working on it. The elevators were down for about one hour and a half, it was very difficult to get around. After the elevators were restored there was still not an explanation for what happened, this made the rest of the trip a little uneasy as the question certainly remained as to what would happen if this occurred while at sea?
Given the way the week had gone we were cautiously optimistic about new year's eve, it was one of the main reasons we had booked this trip to be at sea at a great party for New Year's, we were told there would be several parties going on during the night. On New Year's Eve we found out there were Two, one on the Pool at H20 Spice and the other at the atrium. The festivities began at 10:00pm and at that time we went upstairs only to discover that a rock band was setting up to play, we remained optimistic that the music would be enjoyable. The longer we were there the more young adolescent and teenage kids we say gathering and by the time the band began to play it was obvious that this party was not geared to adults so we decided to go to the party being held at the atrium. When we arrived it was actually the other way around the band was playing a very nice selection of old classic standards and the crowd was considerably older. It seemed that the cruise director decided to cater to only two age groups and since we did not fit either we decided to spend the new year in our cabin. I never felt worse than that very moment, I felt robbed not just monetarily but I felt I was robbed emotionally. Instead of enjoying a great vacation I was dreading it, instead of relaxing I was aggravated and that was when I decided I had to write a review and let everyone know what a poor designed ship this is. I only wish someone would have warned me. This is not a ship designed to make guests feel comfortable and happy and relaxed, it was designed to bilk as much money as possible from their captive audience, it was designed as a pretty art project with it's over decorated restaurants and lounges but not for how people would feel or get about or enjoy it. If I was running this company I would seriously consider whether this ship held true to the fundamental concept of free style cruising and therefore belong on this fleet. If it was up to me, I would sell this ship to a budget cruise line, it would suit that style; it belongs with that trashy, tacky and ghetto clientele I would have never thought it belonged to NCL. I don't think I will be cruising NCL again, certainly no time soon but definitely never on this ship again.
We had booked the Epic's maiden voyage across the Atlantic for last June, but the old adage "God willing" popped up and we had to cancel for health reasons. So to finally sail aboard this magnificent ship was a distinct pleasure. As soon as we saw that Captain Hakan Svedung was at the helm (our third cruise with him) we were content. Also on board was our old friend Hotel Director Denis Prguda, who made our cruise a wonderful one. This trip we made a new friend Staff Captain Martin Tobias Akesson whose courtesy was outstanding. He saw a need and he filled it (more on this later).
EMBARKATION Saturday Oct. 10, 2010, I-95 was not congested --- Boca Raton to Miami was a 55 minute ride. Baggage drop off was easy, and we were in line for check-in only10 minutes at 1:00pm. After 15 minutes, we had assistance to Deck 12, but the rooms were not ready until 2:00pm; however, our Steward Richard took our walker and placed it in our room for us.
THE SHIP The Epic is a truly magnificent ship of epic proportions and deserves a back toback booking in order to fully enjoy it all. She was started in 2007 at STX Europe Shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, and sea trials began in Feb. 2010 and were completed in June just before delivery. This ship has 19 passenger decks, many with balconied cabins. Her gross tonnage is 153,000; overall length is 1,080 ft. and beam is 133 ft. Draft is only 28.5 ft. She is powered by Diesel Electric engines and cruises at 22 knots. Her guest capacity is 4,100 double occupancy; her crew numbers 1,730 --- a very nice crew to passenger ratio. The Epic has a series of Studios, inside cabins for one passenger, on Decks 11 and Deck 12, a very innovative idea which allows solo passengers to book at convenient prices. At boarding, we were given a compact pocket guide to the Epic which came in very handy. The major drawback to getting around was the exceptionally high thresholds. They created a problem for the wheelchair and the scooter. The crew was already at work correcting the situation.
Decks 1 through 4 are for crew only.
Deck 5 forward has the Epic Theater with wheelchair access and reserved seating. There is an excellent view of the stage from every seat --- not a pole in the house. Midship is the Photo Gallery and Internet Cafe` starboard. Port side is Le Bistro French cuisine, excellent ($20 fee). Also here are the Guest Service, Shore Excursion and Cruise Consultant Desks. At aft is Taste Restaurant with fine dining, where even shorts are allowed at dinner.
Deck 6 forward is the balcony of the Epic theater. Midship is the Headliners Comedy Show Bar and Spiegel Tent featuring "Cirque Dreams" ($20/30 fee) a dinner show that is very popular --- book it as soon as possible, even before you get on board, or you'll miss it! All the servers and the Maitre D' have entertainment skills and contribute to the fun.
Mid ship is also O'Sheehan's Pub with great food and informal dining (Fish and Chips, Shepherd's pie, pretzel rolls, etc...). This is the largest Pub afloat and there is a great view of the super size screen visible from Decks 5, 6 and 7. Football fans covet the specific barstools where they can watch the games, drink beer and eat the terrific pub food, simultaneously. The atmosphere was FANtastic.
Midship is also the huge Casino. Toward aft is Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant and Noodle Bar with lots of stools. Next, is the "Fat Cats Jazz & Blues Club", one of the many entertainment venues, smooth. All the way aft is the main dining room Manhattan with a small live combo with a great singer and dancing every night.
Deck 7 forward is Bliss Lounge with plush seating and the Bowling Alleys. The Library is also located here with very limited hours and books. This ship is very new and we are sure that some of the odd placement of areas will be corrected swiftly. Getting around in a wheelchair sometimes means going to one floor and then going down by elevator and then going back again; i.e. La cucina is accessible by going to Deck 15 and taking an elevator back to Deck 14. Awkward, but we made it. Then, there is also an escalator midship between Decks 5 & 6, which, for wheelchairs means going the length of the ship and back again to get to Passenger Services. There are only forward and rear elevators, but no central ones. All of these logistics take a bit of time to get use to, not to mention patience.
Midship are the Trade Winds Shops on board. Also located here are "Teppanyaki" and the Sushi Bar "Wasabi." Next are two more bars "Shakers," a martini bar, and "Maltings," a whiskey bar. There are over twenty bars on board so "bar hopping" can be very possible. There is a Barber Shop and the Humidor for fine cigars. Aft are two more alternative restaurants: Cagney's Steakhouse ($25 fee) and Moderno, a South American Churrascaria ($18 fee). Both are excellent dining options among more than 20 venues.
Deck 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13 are mostly staterooms and studios.
Deck 14 has La Cucina Italian Restaurant ($10 fee); midship is "Recess" for kids and toward aft is "Pulse," the fitness center, and all the way aft is "Mandara," the spa and salon.
Deck 15 forward has the Garden Cafe` with buffet dining, then the kids "Aqua Park" with the "Epic Plunge" water slide --- HUGE. Aft are the "Video Arcade" and "Spice H2O" with a small pool, bar and two whirlpools.
Deck 16 forward has the Suites, "Epic Club and Courtyard Grill" for fine dining, the "Courtyards Pool and Spa." Midship there is the "Climbing Wall." Toward aft is "Entourage," the teen club, and all the way aft are the Spice H2O "Pool Grill" and "Pool Bar."
Deck 17 forward are more suites and aft is the sports complex.
Deck 18 has the Courtyard Sundeck, "Posh Beach Club," and the "Public Sundeck."
Deck 19 has the upper levels of the Posh and Freestyle Sundecks.
This is a huge beautiful ship with a sparkling central atrium chandelier three decks high in the configuration of six rings of various sizes of lighted crystals. Very unique and lovely.
FOOD & SERVICE The food is much improved over our last Norwegian cruise, and there are so many more venues to choose from in Freestyle. First night on we went to "Taste" on Deck 5: Vincent didn't even have to change out of his shorts in order to have a sit down meal! Although the menu is sparse, there are enough selections and variety to have a good meal.
We ate at Le Bistro and thoroughly enjoyed the escargot, the pate` fois gras terrine with apples and the frisee salad with duck breast confit. Mary had a delicious coq au vin and Vincent a perfectly broiled filet mignon. French roast coffee, made at the table in a French press percolator, was excellent with the profiteroles. The Bistro is decorated with millions of dollars of 20th century artwork by famous artists.
Our first day on board we discovered that getting around the Epic was difficult. Mary's foot rest on the wheelchair was jammed and bent at the exit to the Garden Cafe`. Maitre D' Boris Kojic was very concerned and he and his staff were extremely helpful as were all the crew members we encountered. We met Staff Captain Akesson and he sent ship's mechanic Herme Tenestrante to our cabin; he took the wheel chair overnight, fixed the foot pedal and returned it the next morning at 9:00am. He and his assistant Bernardo Bautista were a Godsend. Many thanks to Staff Captain Akesson, who made our cruise most enjoyable.
We also met Captain Hakan Svedung and know why service is so great: it is common knowledge that excellent service filters down from the top. He and H.D. Denis Prguda met with us and assured us the the door jambs are a high priority with NCL, since they are already being replaced as fast as possible. Denis' assistant Rashida Faustino took us on a private tour of the "Ice Bar". It was fantastic, like being in an igloo (-17 degrees Fahrenheit)! We met Chief Engineer Tore Johansson who showed us the compressed ice blocks, made in the U.S.A. The pressurized ice is so crystal clear that the designs inside are perfectly visible. There are two larger than life sculptures: a polar bear and a Viking warrior with a horned helmet. We now know why people don't freeze stuck to the seats; they are covered with woolly sheepskin pelts! Very Cool! There is a $20 fee for about a twenty minute stay and two Vodka shots are included.
We dined in "La Cucina" and the Italian food was much improved, but alas the pizza dough tasted like cardboard. The pastas were excellent and so was the osso buco. Dessert was a creamy ricotta cheese pie and panna cotta. We recommend it, the décor is lovely, and the view at the prow of the ship is wonderful.
We found the food much improved, and the service to be excellent.
CABIN Cabin #12267 has a unique design. When entering, on the left is a single sink with wheel chair access, a quadruple armoire with two wardrobes with hangers (one which can be lowered easily with a pull pole) and two with shelves and a personal safe. Next there is a refrigerator, a TV and a long shelf with four large drawers.
When entering on the right, there is a circular bathroom with a 4'x4' shower with a fold away seat and the commode to which our excellent steward Richard Espino added a riser. There were several hooks for clothes appropriately placed, both high and low.
After, there is a desk/vanity with lighted mirror and six drawers. Next, there is a high king sized, very firm bed, with a beige leather roll and tuck head board, flanked by reading lamps and a phone in easy reach. The carpeting simulates sand dunes; the woodwork is dark mahogany. The draperies and coverlet are teal blue. The walls have a series of three plexiglas rectangles with sketched elm leaves, very interesting.
Our steward Richard was terrific, he added a table to the oversized balcony (about 150 sq. ft.), so we could have breakfast and lunch outside, overlooking the ocean. We ordered breakfast from room service where Christopher always handled our order promptly. Our steward's assistant was the excellent Sheran Stewart-Bent. Everyone treated us wonderfully.
ENTERTAINMENT We were truly amazed at the many venues and entertainment possibilities; sports, exercise programs, swimming, trivia (with the bright Aisha from Boston), Casino games and contests and finally the terrific Vegas style shows. We saw the "Blue Men" and laughed ourselves silly. "Legends in Concert" was amazing; the Michael Jackson impersonator was so spot on that the girls next to us were screaming "Michael Lives!" He wowed the crowd with his dancing and costumes. Rod Stewart's "Legs" was a well choreographed production which brought the audience to its feet. The Second City Improvisation Group was on board, and we heard good things about them. All in all we say 4 Stars for entertainment. The children's Nickelodeon at sea program is well organized and popular.
DEBARKATION Considering that over 4,000 passengers were disembarking, it was a very orderly and speedy process. We had assistance with the wheelchair off the ship, to baggage pickup and through passport and customs and were outside on the curb awaiting our son Marcello in less than twenty minutes. Excellent!
CONCLUSION This was our seventh cruise on a NCL ship, but our 87th cruise overall. There have been a lot of changes in cruising since Vincent's first transatlantic sailing in 1956 on the Greek Line's Olympia, a 22,000 gross tons liner carrying 1300 passengers. And changes have occurred not only in the size of the ships, but mainly in the activities and entertainments available to the passengers. The Epic, at 153,000 tons, is about seven times bigger than the Olympia and she offers so many types of activities, dining and entertainment that makes the comparison to the old ship mind-boggling. On the Olympia and other ships of that time, we can recall how the days were spent: Morning walk on the promenade; breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same dining room; during the day, skeet shooting in the rear of the ship, shuffle board and ping-pong on the promenade; sunning, reading a book, or relaxing on a chase lounge on the sun deck; and ending the day listening and dancing to the music and songs by a combo group. By now-a-day standards that might seem boring, but in those days we were happy to enjoy the worry-free life of relaxation and the pleasure of being pampered, as we say in Italian the joy of "dolce far niente" (sweet do nothing)! We can still do this on the Epic and much more: Freestyle Cruising gives the cruisers many choices of activities, entertainments, shore excursions and dining. There is so much to do on this ship that a one week cruise is not enough to do all of the available alternatives, especially in dining (15 or more dining options). Perhaps, a two-week back-to-back cruise will be sufficient to experience all of what this ship offers.
We have already booked a future cruise while aboard the Epic (yet to be selected). Our next cruises will be on the Crown Princess, Nov. 6-13, Western Caribbean, Allure of the Seas, Nov. 23-26, cruise-to-nowhere and Jan. 23-30, Eastern Caribbean. Happy Cruising!
The NCL Epic. The ship itself is quite nice. The shows were very good. Blue man Group and Cirque Dreams are terrific. The Ice Bar is "cool"
However- The staff and service leaves much to be desired. This was my first and last NCL cruise. i have been on 6 cruises prior to this one. Even Carnival puts the service on the Epic to shame. let's start at the top. The cruise director-silas-is a joke-I never saw him except on the ship's tv channel cavorting with other crew members on the Adults Only Spice h20 deck.
The cabin steward was a ghost. Did not even see him for the first three days. Our room keys never worker properly-oh by the way you have to put a key in a slotby the door or nothing works. it would have been nice if some one told us about that. there was no sign.
The freestyle concept works well in theory, however since tips are automatically billed to your room the service personal have ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE to provide anything that even remotely come close to decent service.
If NCL expct customers to pay top dollarand get this level of service, they will be out of business vvery quickly.


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Libya got rid of its dictator months ago. But numerous insurgent groups refuse to hand over their arms. They are trying to wrest special rights from the interim government which is grappling with its hold on power.
For a while, nothing was moving at Tripoli's airport. Not a single flight was able to land, none could take off. Military aircraft were blocking the runway. The passengers in the airport lounges faced armed militia.
For a few hours, air traffic in Libya's capital came to a standstill. Finally, troops from the interim government advanced and were gradually able to get the situation under control again. Some of the insurgents were able to flee, others capitulated.
The occupation of Tripoli airport at the beginning of June throws a glaring light on the difficulties the Libyan interim government is currently battling. Members of the al Awfea brigade, who had fought by Moammar Gadhafi's side during the revolution, were using the airport operation to demand information on the fate of their commander, who had been kidnapped. The government promised to do its utmost to clarify what had happened.
The language of violence
Militia groups like the al Awfea brigade are active in many regions of the country. In Benghazi, Islamist fighters attacked the US Consulate at the beginning of June. Shortly afterwards, religious radical groups took to the streets in a long parade to demonstrate their power. And just a few days after that event, the British ambassador's convoy was attacked in Benghazi, injuring two members of his security team.
The militias in Libya pose a considerable challenge for the interim government, says Mustafa Fetouri, a political scientist and Libyan journalist. They use the weakness of the government in order to squeeze out the most privileges as possible for themselves, he said, a reminder of their active role during the revolution, when most of these groups fought against the Gadhafi regime.
"They derive from that their right to rule the country," Fetouri told DW.
Thriving arms trade
Libya is currently fighting with the consequences of the war. The arms trade is booming and many former fighters refuse to give up their weapons. At the same time, the government is a long way off from controlling the country. This is why the militia groups can successfully push through their demands, Fetouri said. This includes guarantees of immunity for all acts committed during the revolution.
However, the term "militia" should be used cautiously, said Libyan political scientist Ali Algibbeshi, who is currently getting his PhD in Germany and running for parliament in Libya in elections next month. He blames the uncertain security situation in Libya for the existence of armed revolutionaries. The government has called on the militia to join the Libyan national army, but its development is lagging because building up a new army structure is requiring more time than originally assumed.
"In this situation, the revolutionaries have taken up their weapons once again in order to fight the remaining Gadhafi supporters," Algibbeshi told DW. "This has of course given them new confidence, but also a certain legitimation."
Fear of new Islamism
Fetouri said he feared the government's weakness could be the ideal breeding ground for Islamist forces. Some of the militiamen had spent long periods of time - in part up to 20 years - in Gadhafi's prisons and without any form of trial. The interim government has given them in part significant compensation for this injustice. But this has resulted in a new problem.
"I know from reliable sources that there are understandings within the Islamist groups which stipulate that the former prisoners keep 40 percent of the compensation payment, while the remaining 60 percent go to the groups themselves," Fetouri said. "This will enable them to become the most wealthy political groups in Libya."
No less problematic are the ample sums which the interim government paid the militias - as recognition for their actions during the revolution. This money flowed too hastily, Algibbeshi said.
"Nobody knows the whereabouts of this money," he said. "That was certainly a mistake. The government should therefore pay the revolutionaries only once they have joined the army, not though for other actions."
Struggling for stability
But how can the militia be incorporated into state structures? According to Algibbeshi, this depends on restoring the trust between the interim government and the militia groups. Initial steps in this direction have already been taken by both sides.
"A revolutionary council was formed in Libya recently and represents revolutionaries all over Libya," he said. "It could be a potential partner for the government. In this way, militias could be integrated into the army. This should happen as quickly as possible."
Libyans were able to get rid of their dictator. Now they are facing an equally demanding task: stabilizing the state and restoring the government's grip on power. In view of the innumerable weapons circulating the country, this task could require a lot of time.
Author: Kersten Knipp / sac
Editor: Rob Mudge
Gadhafi is gone, but law and order are not guaranteed in Libya. The new authorities have taken representatives from the International Criminal Court into custody, accusing them of espionage. (12.06.2012)
Libya's first national democratic elections are scheduled to take place in June. But the ruling transitional council is hardly functional and the country faces a number of major problems. (11.05.2012)

subset: commoncrawl


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Photographer and filmmaker Chrystel Lebas is working on a collaborative project to observe environmental change in the British landscape using the the Sir Edward James Salisbury Archive.
Chrystel photographed by Kath Castillo (Museum biologist and botanist) on their first research trip together in Culbin Forest in October 2013.
The Museum holds a beguiling collection of unexplored landscape images and field notes taken by British botanist and ecologist Sir Edward James Salisbury, who was Director of Kew Gardens from 1943 to 1956. The collection of over 1,400 works was orphaned – an anonymous assembly of Kodak boxes containing silver gelatine prints and photographic glass plates kept in two large cardboard boxes. The images record natural environments, capturing in particular botanical information in the United Kingdom and Ireland, to which specific annotations on the regions' ecology were added.
Around two years ago photographer and filmmaker Chrystel Lebas was introduced to the collection by Bergit Arends (former Curator of Contempory Art at the Natural History Museum). Chrystel Lebas and Museum botanist Mark Spencer (Curator of the British and Irish Herbarium), began to trace this important collection, which was assembled in the first third of the 20th century.
The images include close-ups of plants and sometimes a foot appearing in the corner of the frame, presumably to indicate the scale of the specimen, or sometimes a subject, a woman standing amongst the forest trees.
Each of the boxes containing glass plates were scrutinised to look for clues that could indicate the author's name or any information that could relocate the collection. And finally one day, and after a couple of months researching the collection, Chrystel found a glass plate negative with a handwritten name on it: E.J Salisbury, and of course this was the moment that made us realise that this particular collection was extremely valuable!
'Edward James Salisbury: Prophet and propagandist of botany' New Scientist, 11 June 1959.
Chrystel began travelling to Scotland on her own, prior to the research being funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. She started her research in the field and recorded the landscapes.
The focus of this project is on the Scottish landscape through Salisbury's images taken between 1925 to 1933 in the following areas:
- Arrochar in Argyll and Bute
- the Trossachs National park
- the Rothiemurchus Estate, a privately owned Highland Estate within the Strathspey, northeast of the river Spey, in the Cairngorms National Park
- Culbin Forest, which sits on the Moray Firth between Nairn and Findhorn
The research contributes to a comparative landscape and botanical study spanning nearly 90 years.


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$32.95 $65.00
It's hard to look at the Air Jordan Flight 45 and not think of the Air Jordan III. But, Jordan Brand did flip the design with a nice strap that wraps ...around the midfoot, and perforations on the toebox and side panels. All in all, the Air Jordan Flight 45 is a fresh balance of new and old with a silhouette that would be loved in any era. Read More
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text: As Governor of Vermont, one of my first priorities was to strengthen and grow our state's centuries-long partnership with the Canadian Province of Quebec. I believed then as I do now that this relationship is critical to the success of our great state. Quebec is our largest trading partner and a significant source of clean, stable and, most importantly, renewable energy from Hydro-Quebec. Not only do we share an international border, but we share a deep cultural and historic connection; indeed many families have relatives on both sides.


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Mags is your minimalist sofa choice where the clean lines are as important as functionality and comfort.
The features that make a sofa durable are all the things that are not directly visible: composition, foam and interior padding. All three elements are in focus in the Mags series, which in addition to a high level comfort also boasts strong functional qualities, as you can build and expand your sofa with a chaise Lounge, a corner module, additional seats or all of the above.
The deep seat and high expression of the sofa depending on the colour and structure of the upholstery you choose, which makes Mags even more versatile.
HAY has enjoyed a rapid rise in popularity since its founding in 2002, with a focus on making premium scandinavian design accessible to the largest audience possible.


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Posts Tagged 'Lori Ritchie'
J. P.'s Christmas Journal – The Gift that Began a Lifetime of Journaling
by Sherry Stocking Kline
published in the Wichita Eagle – August 2007
For Christmas of 1984, J. P. Buellesfeld 's great-great uncle gave him a black, leather-bound journal.
Buellesfeld was so impressed with the gift and the fact that his great-great uncle, head of the history department at Washburn University, had been keeping a journal for 45 years that a few months later he began keeping his own journal.
Every Single Day…
Twenty-four years later, he's still doing it. Every. Single. Day.
In fact, the journal has become so important to him that he keeps notes throughout the day in a notebook at his investment office, then takes the notebook home, and uses it to write in his journal.
For Buellesfeld, it is a matter of documenting the happenings in his life, his family's lives, and those of his close friends. As someone who has taught and is fascinated by history, it's also his way of documenting world happenings.
Writing in a journal can be fun, informative, and according to Buellesfeld, help settle future arguments.
Journaling Can Promote Good Health …
It can also promote good health. According to research conducted at Southern Methodist University writing in a journal for a few minutes each day about what has happened and how we feel about it can help promote emotional well-being, lower blood pressure and boost the immune system.
There's never been a better time to start your own journal. It's easy to find how-to-do-it books, and when you type "journaling" into Google there are 3 million plus "hits" to help you get started.
Every bookstore has a selection of journals, hard-backed, paper-backed, and beautiful leather-bound versions; some have themes, such as nature or inspirational, and many include questions and inspirational quotes to get you started.
To personalize your journal, Lori Ritchie, www.writersdigest.com, suggests that you add your favorite prayers or verses, the lyrics to your favorite songs, share your family history and family tree information, and record important events. Ritchie also suggested you add a table of contents to your journal and devote a page telling how it was acquired.
What Should You Journal About?
You can journal about everything you do or only one area of your life.
Going on a trip? Take along a traveler's journal.
Are you a New Grandma? (Or Grandpa?) Fill out a journal about your life and your hopes and dreams for the new grandbaby.
Want to grow in your faith? There are journals with daily Bible verses and questions to stimulate thought and spiritual growth.
Grieving a loss? A grief journal can help you through your journey of recovery.
Just Remember That it's Your Journal…
It can be anything that you want it to be, a place to document daily happenings, the story of your family's life, or a secret place to write down your emotions, share your goals and dreams, and unload your daily cares.
Journals don't have to be leather bound, and they don't have to be fancy, a simple spiral notebook or a word document on your computer or laptop will do.
Use whatever works for you, and whatever allows you the freedom to express yourself.
What Goes into Buellesfeld's Journal?
"Everything. I put everything in there," Buellesfeld said, adding that "Once you do it everyday for 24 years it becomes an obsession."
Buellesfeld said that his journal is absolutely more about his personal life than his business. While he hasn't decided what provision he will make for his journals after his death, he said that many make provisions to keep their journals private for a number of years.
"Every night, and I mean every night, no matter how tired I am, I write in that journal."


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Well we made short work of that last night, didn't we?
After a lovely anniversary dinner where the girlie only acted up mildly (obviously no nap earlier in the day), we came home and celebrated with a bottle of bubbly while watching Man Vs. Wild with the boy.
It was lovely, really. Because it's what marriage is all about.
As I managed a two week holiday this past month, I'm still trying to get through the dozen or so magazines that I purchased for my downtime. A very timely read for me yesterday was this article I found in Elle, "Till Whatever Do Us Part". I don't know if I was just totally primed for it (hello, anniversary) or if indeed it was one of the best articles about marriage that I had read in a while.
It got me thinking about why our marriage works. So here are 17 reasons why I think we're still going strong:
1/ He knows that my shopping addiction will never go away, and he'll even $upport it from time to time.
2/ He thinks I'm cute.
3/ We laugh about stupid things that no one else gets.
4/ We survived unexplained infertility and made a couple of miracles:
5/ He only borrows my make-up occasionally.
6/ He makes awesome Grey Goose martinis.
7/ We designed and did our own contracting for the following and our relationship remained intact:
8/ He helped me find a career and pushed me to re-charge it 12 years later.
9/ He held me up during the lowest point in my life ... and made me stronger.
10/ He encourages my writing on the blog even if it's taken over my life the odd time.
11/ We respect that we each have a life of our own. We support each others' "nights out" with the girls and boys.
12/ I think he's cute.
13/ The sex is still pretty good when we find the time for it. Still???? You bet, just don't tell the kids.
14/ I'm type A++++ and he's not.
15/ He knows me, he really knows me and still...
16/ He loves me and,
17/ I love him.


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Xiushui Silk Street is one of the most popular destinations to overseas tourists after the Great Wall and the Forbidden City of Beijing; it is very close to Central Business District (Chaoyang district), adjacent to hundreds of embassies and consulates, hundreds of foreign affair hotels and office buildings. It possesses abundant customer resources of foreign residents, foreign visitors, and white-collars. You can reach Xiushui Silk Street by taking the Beijing subway and get off at Yonganli Station. The Northwest Exit of Yonganli Station is accessible to the under-ground market of the new Xiushui.
The Xiushui Silk Street was originated in 1982 when a group of ambitious youth started their business at Silk Eastern Road, Beijing, with very simple stalls at that time. They dealt in silk and foreign-trade apparels. Though simple and crude, the inherent charm of Silk Street then was not glossed over. The silk street got its name in 1985 when more and more vendors began to sell traditional Chinese silk products and crafts. Its repute spread fast, and more and more customers and travelers are attracted by the reasonable prices.
The former Xiushui Silk Street is an outdoor market. Since 1985, Xiushui Silk Street has been popular with overseas tourists who have flocked to buy counterfeit and knock-off luxury clothes and accessories. Fake brands with good quality are what the Xiushui Silk Street was famous for, but measures have been taken to curb that as well.
The New Mall
On 19 March 2005, Beijing Silk Street High-rise, which draws lots of attentions, is open for business officially. New Silk Street is built next to the original market. It has five floors on the ground and three on the underground, with a building area of altogether 28,000 sq. m, and a capacity of thousands of stalls. After more than 20 years development, the two characters "Xiu Shui" have become a famous brand among the sphere of commodity circulation in Beijing.
The Silk Street High-rise is tightly near CBD, the total floorage amount to 28,000 square meters, and there are 1,500 stalls in the market. Though the shopping center's management group promises to weed out counterfeit or poor quality goods in the market, and there are fewer imitation brand name goods sold at Xiushui Market than there used to be along Silk Street, there is still no way to completely keep knock-offs out of the market.
Shopping in Xiushui Silk Street
Commodities mainly sold in Silk Street are shoes, bags and cases, leather, famous brand, casual wear, fashion clothing, cowboy series, sports leisure attire, knitted dress, kid's clothing, tie, silk handkerchief, silk wax printing, craft table cloth, handicraft, jewelry, antique, calligraphy and painting, Beijing roast duck and characteristic snack.
Open Hour: 9:300 AM to 9:00 PM
Website address: Xiushui Silk Street
Famous Shopping Places in Beijing
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Be happy no matter what....
Re: SILK SHOPPING IN XIUSHUIJIE
This would work as the thing with maximum outcome because being into shopping during the tours is a must and at the same time it helps things to grow better.
In all these manners we can get to keep things in an alive mode which is tremendous.
In all these manners we can get to keep things in an alive mode which is tremendous.
As a traveler its a lot of fun getting into things like http://bestbustours.com/3-days-from-new-york-to-niagara-corning-boston-tour.html/ which is the best part for me.
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Lucas, George W., Jr.
George W. Lucas, Jr., 1944–, American film director, producer, and writer, b. Modesto, Calif. Although Lucas's first film, THX-1138 (1970), was not successful, his next two, American Graffiti (1973) and Star Wars (1977), set the course for filmmaking in the next decade. The first made song scores an acceptable alternative to symphonic orchestrations; the second presented a simple action scenario bolstered by amazing special effects. Both were tremendously successful, the latter becoming the first film to top $200 million at the box office. Lucas then formed Lucasfilm (which has since become a business conglomerate and in 2012 was sold to the Walt Disney Co.) and produced two further installments of the Star Wars tale, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). In both films he promoted a special effects-driven aesthetic through the formation of Industrial Light and Magic, a division of Lucasfilm focused on special effects.
Lucas also produced the popular Indiana Jones series, which mixed spectacular stunt work with a seriallike content of inescapable traps from which the stalwart hero escapes. In addition, he has provided financial sponsorship for more traditional work, such as Akira Kurosawa's Ran (1985). In 1987 he won a special Academy Award for lifetime achievement. By the early 1990s he controlled a large, multifaceted entertainment business empire. Lucas subsequently produced, wrote, and directed three additional installments of the Star Wars cycle, "prequels" entitled The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005).


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Sabrina Learman began her training in acting while spending summers in San Francisco, attending the American Conservatory and Attic Theaters. During her high school years, a fascination with the art of singing took over, leading to degrees in vocal performance from the Eastman School of Music and New England Conservatory. Having taught voice for more than 20 years, Sabrina's enormous passion is undeniable. Her students have been heard and seen on (and off-) Broadway and international tours; they have been accepted to prestigious, intensive conservatory and summer programs in opera and musical theatre, both nationally and abroad; and they have taken prizes in a myriad of local and national competitions. Sabrina is on the voice faculty of Emerson College's BFA Musical Theatre program, as well as New England Conservatory's Preparatory School, where she is spearheading and teaching their first-ever musical theatre classes for teens. She also runs a private studio and has given master classes in performance and audition techniques at many colleges and music programs. Summer teaching/vocal directing includes Emerson College, Newton Summer Theatre, Fusion Arts Exchange, Hotchkiss Summer Portals Vocal Chamber program, New York State Summer School for the Arts, and Creative Arts at Park. (Former faculty posts: Entrepreneurial Musicianship, New England Conservatory; University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth; Brookline Music School).
Sabrina has enjoyed a career as a soloist with countless New England area chamber groups, choruses and orchestras - touring, championing new works and collaborating with composers. She was a founding member of Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston for over 12 years. For 18 years, she has performed with the prestigious Boston Baroque chorus, with whom she has also recorded and been a soloist. Sabrina has performed live on WGBH Radio several times and has recorded for Albany Records, the Discovery Channel, Cakewood Records, and the Zamir Chorale. Sabrina's teachers have included Kathleen Kaun, Ruth Falcon, Thomas Paul, Lucy Shelton and Tamara Brooks, with chamber music studies under the tutelage of Jan DeGaetani. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Photo by Liz Linder


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The DC Newcomer With Quiet Confidence
A Clever Downtown Washington Hotel
At Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel, you'll feel like you've just arrived at your stylish friend's urban home. Situated on a tree-lined street just steps from the bustling 14th Street action, the stylish and masculine venue emanates an air of richness — in the most unassuming way. Guests come for the prime location, creative spaces that host meetings and events, and, of course, Kimpton's consistently clever style and elevated standard of service. An innovative cuisine-driven cocktail bar — Radiator — and a seasonal rooftop oasis are further reasons to frequent this stylized perch, where efficiency and professionalism come along with a complementary dose of warmth.
Check Availability
Book Direct on our website.
Our Best Rates + Perks. Always.
Best Hotel in Washington DC, 2019
- US News & World Report
Top Hotels in Washington DC, 2018
- Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards


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Punk '77: an inside look at the San Francisco rock 'n' roll scene, 1977
RE/Search Publications, Mar 1, 1999 - Biography & Autobiography - 97 pages
Punk '77 covers the beginnings of the San Francisco Punk Rock scene through the Sex Pistols' final concert at Winterland in interviews and photographs by James Stark. James was among the many artists involved in the early punk scene. His photos were published in New York Rocker, Search & Destroy and Slash, among others. His posters for Crime are classics and highly prized collectors' items. This book contains over 100 photos, including many behind-the-scenes looks at the bands who made things happen: Nuns, Avengers, Crime, Screamers, Negative Trend, Dils, Germs, UXA, etc. Interviews with the bands and people on the scene give vivid, darkly humorous glimpses of events in a Please Kill Me (Legs McNeil) style. An authentic document of punk's beginnings.
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Punk '77: An Inside Look at the San Francisco Rock 'n' Roll Scene, 1977
James Stark
No preview available - 2006
Common terms and phrases
Alejandro Escovedo artists Avengers bass player Blondie Bob Banks Bob Moselle Bobby Death Britley Black Caption should read Chip and Tony Chip Kinman club Danny O'Brian Devo Dils Dirk Dirksen Don Vinyl drummer Frankie Fixx going Greg Ingraham guitar guys hanging happening Helen Howie Klein Iggy Pop interview Jeff Raphael Jennifer Miro Jerry Paulson Joey Swails Johnny kids kind knew LaRue later looking loved Mark Mothersbaugh Michael Belfer Michael Kowalsky Mike Varney night Nuns and Crime Oleaner Patti Smith Penelope Houston place to play play bass poster punk bands punk rock punk scene Ramones record rehearsal Ricky Williams Ritchie Dietrick rock bands rock n roll Ryan Screamers Search & Destroy Seattle Sex Pistols Sex Pistols show sing singer songs songwriter started stuff Tattoo Lagoon thought Tomata du Plenty Tommy Gear Tony Kinman Trixie Tupperwares Vale wanted weird Winterland Wisley


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English Vocabulary Launch: Adjectives Set 2
Anthony Kelleher, BA TESOL - Founder of Sir English - English Tutor
- 0.5x
- 1x (Normal)
- 1.25x
- 1.5x
- 2x
1. Words and Definitions (Learning Stage)6:32
2. Pronunciation Training (Learning Stage)2:08
3. Brain Training Exercises (Learning Stage)3:38
4. Speaking Practice (Mastery Stage)3:02
5. Listening Practice (Mastery Stage)6:18
6. Joke, Quote and Fact Corner (Mastery Stage)5:00
About This Class
English Vocabulary Launch is an English vocabulary course taught by me, Anthony, a native British English speaker. You will learn the target English vocabulary at a deep level, so that you can sound more native-like when you speak English.
Start to speak with more creativity and variety by upgrading your English vocabulary!
This course includes:
- lectures for the target vocabulary
- pronunciation and meaning training for every single word
- speaking practice for every single word
- listening practice for every single word
- PDF transcripts
- and MP3 downloads so that you can learn anywhere, any time.
Each section focuses on five carefully selected target words so that you can master each one and produce them accurately in your spoken English.
This course is extremely detailed, so you can fully master the target English.
If you want to speak English more clearly, if you want to sound more native-like, or if you simply want to take your English to a higher level, this course can help you achieve your goal of taking your English to the next level.
This course is also perfect for anyone taking an IELTS test, TOEFL test or TOEIC test.
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Hello there.
My name is Anthony, and I'm from London, England. I have thousands of students enrolled on my online courses, which focus on learning English as a foreign language.
I have a bachelor's degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Linguistics, and I have taught thousands of students all over the world for the past 10 years. My teaching has brought me from London to China to South Korea. I have now returned to London where I run a successful l...


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The Chinese economy exceeding that of the U.S. is a near certainty. The question is: When? We don't have much to fear from China, however, even when that happens, for two reasons:If China can maintain a GDP growth rate of above 5% (present is 7.5%), the Chinese economy will overtake the US economy by 2030. This is common knowledge these days within economist circles.
When exactly do you expect the Chinese GNP to exceed America's? 2150?
But if the US economy GDP growth rate increases itself by a significant margin, then yes it will take much longer for the Chinese to catch up, but one day eventually the Chinese economy will exceed the US economy.
1-The U.S., even when it takes second place in economics size, is likely to remain a "superpower" through the end of this century and (though predicting so far is risky) probably the end of the next as well.
2-As China grows an educated middle class will emerge, just as it did in Europe. And, just as in Europe, that middle class will collectively demand a more representative form of government. If we hold our lead for a century or so, when the Chinese catch up, they'll look so much like us it won't matter who is in the lead. (democracies don't go to war with each other.)


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ESA's Faint Object Camera First Images
Two views of a small (4.6 by 6.2 arcsecond) star field in the galactic cluster NGC 188 containing two stars separated by 2.9 arcseconds in the sky. Located at a distance of about 5,000 light years, both stars are far too remote for their surfaces to be resolved, and are therefore suitable point sources for evaluating optical imaging quality.
The ground-based image on the left was obtained with the 2.5 meter Nordic Optical Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma. At the time this exposure was taken the atmospheric conditions were such that the stellar images were blurred to an apparent diameter of 1.9 arcseconds - somewhat poorer than typically found at this excellent site.
The image on the right is a portion of one of the first images obtained with ESA's Faint Object Camera onboard the NASA Hubble Space Telescope. Even though this test image was taken with the telescope still not yet completely in focus, the dramatic improvement in spatial resolution provided by the Faint Object Camera is immediately apparent. The stellar images display a sharp core of diameter less than 0.1 arcseconds surrounded by an approximately 8 times larger diffuse "halo".
It is expected that as the focus of the Hubble Space Telescope is further improved in the coming weeks, the light currently present in the halo will be concentrated within the 0.1 arcsecond diameter core – thereby yielding still sharper images.
NASA, ESA, and STScI;
Ground Image: Nordic Optical Telescope/Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos /La Palma.


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Farming and photos are unique activity opportunities this coming weekend.
Farming and photos are unique activity opportunities this coming weekend.
Farm City Day is presented Saturday by the Craven County Cooperative Extension Service, Tryon Palace and the New Bern Farmers Market.
The free events are at the New Bern Farmers Market and North Carolina History Center, both on South Front Street in New Bern.
Activities and participants include Havelock High FFA; Craven/Pamlico Beekeepers Association; N.C. Soybean Producers Association; Eastern N.C. Rose Society; Rachel the Milking Cow; 4-H demonstrations; horse and carriage rides; music by �Pickin�n Grinnin;� farm animals; vintage farm equipment and vehicles; New Bern Fire and Rescue; and the Craven County Extension & Community. Call 633-1477.
Also on Saturday, the Coastal Photo Club of New Bern has its fall competition from 9:30 a.m. until noon at the New Bern-Craven County Public Library. This special event replaces the regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The public is welcome to attend and view club members� best photographs in three categories: color, monochrome and visionary.
�There is no better way to improve your photography than to challenge yourself to make the best image you can possibly make and have it judged and critiqued by professionals,� said CPC President Tom McCabe. �We hope visitors to the competition will enjoy the photos and learn from the experience, too.�
The CPC currently has more than 60 members and holds a juried competition twice a year, in fall and spring. Members are each eligible to submit up to three entries in each of the three categories. The prints are displayed prior to anonymous review one at a time by two judges who are not members of the club.
Judges for the November competition are two award-winning New Bern artists: Adrian Henson and Jill Eberle. On the web: coastalphotoclub.com
Here is a sampling of the week�s other activities:
The Pamlico County Historical Association will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Pamlico Heritage Center in Grantsboro.
The guest speaker is Danny T. Ferguson, who will introduce two historical novels he has written.
In �Vow of Vengeance,� Ferguson writes about four men �two good and two evil �who are zealously headed on a quadruple collision course that is destined to change the legal and political future of America.
In the second novel, �The Titanic Atonement,� a galvanizing thriller, a guilt-ridden pirate leaves a last will and testament, claiming the sinking of the Titanic was intentional.
Ferguson has been a lawyer for 31 years and lives and practices in Winston-Salem. A board-certified criminal law specialist, he has been involved in hundreds of criminal trials, including numerous capital murder cases. Maintaining a waterfront home in Bath �North Carolina�s oldest town and near the ancient haunts of Blackbeard �he has a great interest in coastal history.
Books will be available tonight and in the future at the museum. For information, call Pat Prescott at 745-2239.
The Craven County Democratic Party hosts its monthly meeting Monday at Famous Subs & Pizza at 2210 Nevus Blvd. in New Bern. The business meeting with a guest speaker starts at 6:30 p.m. Call Bob Livingston for additional information at 636-1465.
Bear Cub Preschool Art Class is at 1 p.m. Monday at Bear Hands Art Factory on Pollock Street in New Bern.
Instructor Hannah Mathiot will provide different mediums and teach how to put shapes together for artwork.
Admission is $15 per child. On the web: bearhandsart.com
Unknown Tongues Cajun Zydeco Band & Halloween Monster Mash Costume Contest is Thursday at the Isaac Taylor Garden on Craven Street in New Bern.
The gates open at 6 p.m.
There is live music, bear, wine and food by David Cook.
The cover charge is $5. On the web: itaylorgarden.com
Call 649-1712.
�Fall Feast � Candlelight Dining at Tryon Palace� is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Palace Kitchen Office.
It features Chef Ashley Moser of 247 Craven for cocktails and dinner. It is a unique three-course menu inspired by 18th-century recipes. It features fresh, seasonal, locally sourced food.
Each course will be presented with information about the historic inspiration of each dish and costumed musicians will provide period entertainment.
Call 639-3524 for information.
A Craven Early College �First Generation College Scholarship Fundraiser� features Dayton Vesper in Concert Friday at Orringer Auditorium on the New Bern campus of Craven Community College.
The concert is at 7 p.m.
There is a silent auction is from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., with a spaghetti dinner with seatings at 5 and 6 p.m.
Tickets are $10. Advance tickets are available at cravenearlycollege.org, click the Dayton Vesper link.
The Pamlico County Library hosts SRP Preschool Storytime Friday at 10 a.m. in Bayboro.
It features stories, puppets, crafts and lots of fun interactions with Ms. Fran.
At 3 p.m. Friday, the Anime Club will watch, play and talk about anime. At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Storytime Outreach with Pamlico Christian Academy is scheduled.
The Bridgeton Women�s Fellowship Fall Bazaar is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bridgeton United Methodist Church, 510 B Street.
The focus of this year�s bazaar is �Made In America� with craft items to include gourd art, �Duck Dynasty� aprons in pink cami-fabric, holiday items, handmade crafts, a bake sale, a white elephant table,DVDs/books, kitchen and jewelry boutiques, garden items, the Fellowship cookbook and a raffle of kitchen, spa and hospitality baskets.
Proceeds benefit local charities to include Coastal Women�s Shelter; Little Red Bookmobile; MERCI clinic; Radio Reading Service to the Blind; RCS; local nursing homes; Methodist Children�s Transitional Home; and a Camp Don Lee Scholarship.
Call Carol Haggett at 638-4638.
The Oriental Woman�s Club and Ladies of the Neuse hosts a �Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale� on Saturday at the clubhouse on Gilgo Road in Oriental.
The event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There will be �Holiday Baskets� filled with treasures and gifts, homemade crafts, stocking stuffers, plants, Christmas ornaments, homemade baked goods, jams and jellies, chutneys and cookies by the pound.
All proceeds benefit the Oriental Woman�s Club and Ladies of the Neuse donations to local charities and scholarships.
Cedar Grove Cemetery Tours by the Earl of Craven Questers continue this week and each of five Saturdays in November at the Queen Street historical graveyard.
Tours are at 4 p.m. at the main gate.
Established in 1799, Cedar Grove Cemetery contains more than 1,000 marked graves. Some of the earliest residents fought in the American Revolution, and the cemetery abounds in grave sites of Confederate soldiers. Others buried at Cedar Grove were artists, educators and politicians who played key roles in the early North Carolina history.
Preservation of Cedar Grove is the focus of the Earl of Craven Questers, a group comprised of 20 women who reside in the Downtown Historic District.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the New Bern Historical Society or at the tour site. The cost is $10, with all proceeds going to preservation of the cemetery. Call 635-1374.
A �Jewelry Open House Gala� is scheduled Saturday at 1906 Wilson St. in New Bern, featuring area jewelry artists.
It is from 4 to 8 p.m. and hosted by Nancy Pocklington, who makes healing stone jewelry.
Four other jewelry artists who will be exhibiting and selling their wares include Katie Chenoweth with Angel Hands Design; Victoria Fox with her popular wire wrapped crystals; Branham Talton with his eclectic mixed media designs; and Ashley Moore with her enameled copper pendants.
Some of the artists have credit card capabilities. Cash and checks accepted. Special orders and lay-away are available as well.
For information, call Pocklington at 637-8161.
Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or firstname.lastname@example.com