The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

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Karin Ridenour (Anderson)

I've cruised with Royal Caribbean several times in the Caribbean, Millennium in Alaska, Holland America in the Black Sea and Mediterranean,  and a river cruise in Holland and Belgium.  I prefer the smaller ships and fewer kids.  River cruising tends to be slower and calmer and more quaint towns that ships could never get too.  The food has always been stellar and the excursions interesting.  You absolutely have to be back on time!  Sometimes the stop is til 7 or 10 pm; it just depends on where you are going. If you want upscale, I'd avoid Carnival and Royal Caribbean.  Most ships do have at least one top restaurant that you have to make reservations for and dress up for but the main dining room is usually more casual and open seating.

Cruising is a great way to see more of the country and then you could go back to the places you really liked and stay longer on land and have the late night and early morning experiences you want, Steve. Though  many times you wake up in the new city (at least on the river cruises) so you could totally go to a cafe and lounge over coffee and wander the streets.

VacationsToGo.com is a great source of last minute discounted high quality cruises.  They send out emails with the Top 20 River Cruises, ocean cruises, safaris, escorted tours.  You can save up to 82%.  A local tour operator is Collette which handles the Garland Senior Center trips.  I did one with my mom in 2005 that included London, the Channel high speed train, Paris, several towns in Holland, the Netherlands, and Koln, Germany. In 2015, we did Holland and Belgium on the rivers. Cruises still on my bucket list are Provence, France, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

Mike Marks

IWe just returned this past Sunday from our Cruise with the Royal Caribbean ship Harmony of the Seas. It was our 10th. cruise with Royal and we love the ships and all they have to offer. We had a group of 20 close Lake House friends to make it even better. This time we visited CoCo Cay, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel. Amazingly enough, I only gained 4 pounds as we stayed pretty active. 

David Cordell

Mike, 

Did you run up the steps of that pyramid? You didn't let that little string stop you, did you?

David Cordell

Mike Marks

David,

The Pyramid (Chacchoben) pictured was the smallest of the 4 we toured. With my wonderful knees, I may have been able to run to the top, but it would have been neccessary to crawl down. My Wife (Lee) played Volleyball not Football, and went to the top of the main ruin. There was a great deal of Science regarding how the Pyramids were aligned with the Sun to predict the spring rain season.  

By the way RHS Classmates, Royal Caribbean is expanding it's Port in Galveston to accomodate the Oasis of the Seas, the largest Cruise ship category in the world. Not upper crust elite, but outstanding in every way, including Broadway entertainment. No one will ever be bored on this class of ships.

Steve Keene

Lance,

You don't hike Yellowstone without bear spray and you don't visit jungles without DEET spray.  Ask Teddy Roosevelt.

Mike Marks

Lance,

In Cozumel, we simply did an all inclusive day at Chanknaab National Park. This included a Dolphin Encounter, Sea Lion show (very funny), Buffett, Drinks, and my favorite-snorkeling.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Happy birthday Sabra!  I hope you are doing well and celebrating in style this morning!

Steve Keene

Lance,

Do you think the other Captain and Navigator had too much port?

Steve Keene

Mike Marks,

I have a friend that likes to travel during the Christmas Holidays, but is too afraid to fly.  He has to go everyhere by car or truck.  He told me that he would only be comfortable flying if Cher, Keith Richards, or Ruth Bader Ginsberg were on the same flight.

Steve Keene

Lowell,

Since your friend was the personal assistant for Gene Cernan before taking her position as Cruise Travel Agent, are you trying to tell me a cruise booked with her will be out of this world?

Steve Keene

Hull Barbee,

The NCAA just put TCU on probation for 33 players paid for work they did not do.  If they put you on probation for being paid for not working, you and I would be serving life sentences.

See attached:

Steve Keene

Lance,

I will never ride the bullet train.  They are in the planning stage for the route and intend to confiscate ranches and farms with eminent domain laws taking some property that has been in the agrarian family for generations.  Hunting property is ruined (deer don't hang out next to 200 mph movement), farming operations are ruined with small pasture cut off from water and access, and livestock operations are impeded for many of the same reasons.  Worst of all, your right to peace and quiet in the country is ruined because some asshole is not satisfied to take an hour flight between Houston and Dallas.  Reminds me of these jerks glued to their phones.  They live a virtual existence.  They miss out on life because they want to stay connected to every human being on the planet, who they will never interact with in their life for any reason.  The 200 mph train riders have forgotten the joy in the journey and the sights.  All they can think of is the destination and can it get there faster so I can get back on my wifi at the hotel or the house.

Lowell Tuttle

I liked train trips.

One time, the train trip was from Dallas to Boston.  Just mom with us three kids. 

I remember wanting a drink from the water fountain at the end of the train car, jumping in the air, wondering why I didn't get closer to the fountain.

We had three berths, one for mom and sis, one for each my brother and I.  We got to a holdover city for a few hours (Pittsburgh?) and when we got back on, one of our berths was occupied by a family of Eastern Europeans.  There were about six of them.  My brother and I shared thru New York.

In New York, we switched trains at Grand Central.  It must have been 1964 or 65...because I remember buying a newstand paper which claimed an autopsy photo, center page, or Oswald.  Sure enough, it was in there.  My mom was horrified I bought it and confiscated it.  But not before I was scarred for life.

Plane from Boston to Halifax was a jet, but a puddle jumper from Halifax to Charletown PEI was the scariest flight I was ever on...bumpin and dropping...shakkng side to side.  It was a two propper.

Steve, trains have been invading landowners for almost 200 years.  The complaints you mention are warranted...Not so sure I understand it being you who is complaining about taking away lands for progress or right of ways.  Seems we do that all the time here in good old Texas.

Steve Keene

Lance,

The pipeline actually opened up previously dead end migration corridors.  In winter time, the crude pipeline stays above freezing and caribou and other wildlife shelter under it for warmth.  Excuse me, where was the deer stand in your train picture?

Steve Keene

Lance,

I found a picture of the QMary2 cruise ship with it's captain.  It kind of puts things in perspective.  I don't see how something this size could be that environmentally friendly, either.  Do they still dump the trash into the ocean among flocks of seagulls and sharks off the back of the ships?  Perhaps a sailing ship like the old clipper style would be more appropo for you and the Greta Thornburg crowd.

David Cordell

Doesn't the front of that "bullet" train look more like the backside of a frog??

Steve Keene

Lance,

Holy Cow, they wouldn't get away with that on the Mumbai to New Delhi route.

David Cordell

The Cowboys stink.

You may quote me.

Steve Keene

David and Hull,

Here is the guy we could have drafted.

https://www.facebook.com/SNFonNBC/videos/2498730973735746/?

Steve Keene

Lance,

Steve Keene

At Star Wars Planet Hollywood, a libation, ordered I.  hrmmmm

Steve Keene

David,

The Cowboys do stink.  We are commemorating them in a live Christmas Tree Celebration in Carl's Corner:

Steve Keene

Lowell and Hollis,

I got a gift from my pastor for Christmas this year!

Steve Keene

Lance,

I've got a big picture of that.