The Buzz - July 20th, 2015

 

President Tony called the meeting to order at 1215pm and welcomed guest Elaine Hook.

 

Health of the Club – Paul had no report… all in good health.

 

Massie Report – in his final weeks in Canada, Massie has gone to the Alberta Museum, and enjoyed his farewell dessert party, he joined Ken Drever in Hardisty and they attended the rodeo and parade, he’s been playing pool, crib and enjoyed two movies in Edmonton. Massie returns to Brazil after the August long weekend.

 

                Executive meeting July 21^st at 515PM at the Camrose Resort Casino boardroom.

 

                Next week’s meeting – Club, Community, International and Youth Services committee chairs are to lead discussions at their individual tables, then report to the club so members know the direction the committee is heading in the new year.

 

                2016 Rotary Gala – Dan handed out “lead sheets” to members in attendance asking for help from members to give the committee direction on new Live Auction package suggestions and silent auction leads. Members are asked to return the forms before the first meeting in September. The first Rotary Gala meeting will be held in early September.

 

Happy Bucks – members noted a great number of things to be happy about including the recent rain, slopitch, BC trips, bike runs in Banff and Camore, family visits, birthdays, car shows, Hawaii, summer baseball and so much more!

 

Guest Speaker – Ray and Elaine Hook spoke about their trip on Viking Cruises from June 13 to 30^th this year. They joined 898 other passengers on the maiden voyage of the new ship.

 

June 15^th - Happily cruising the fjords of Norway on Viking Star - a brand new ship of 900 passengers. More Norway tomorrow, then Denmark, and 6 other countries along the Baltic, Russia later next week (St Petersburg)

 

 

June 17^th - Latest shots - Elaine's birthday cake from dinner last night, and a lovely lunch as well as proper afternoon tea.. too much food! And then there are the Norwegian trolls...

 

June 19^th - One of the most famous paintings on the Berlin Wall (The Kiss of Death - our version is much nicer!), depicting Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev kissing his East German counterpart Erich Hoenecker after the wall went up. We spent the day in Berlin after a 3 hr bus ride from the port of Rostock). Got to stop at Checkpoint Charlie - kind of a disappointment - tacky and too commercialized!). Now on the Baltic Sea enroute to Poland (Gdansk tomorrow!)

               

June 21^st - Very calm sea today - sea was glass-like at dawn, temperature great and they opened the door at our table at lunch time!

 

June 23^rd - Candid shots from Tallinn Estonia - lovely city despite 8000 visitors from 6 cruise ships in port today - for Longest Day Festival! Plus - we enjoyed the ship's sauna room complete with heated stone loungers and the snow room!!

 

June 24th - St Petersburg - quite impressive! The Church of Our Redeemer (or Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood - the exact spot where where Alexander II was assassinated in 1871, to the Hermitage Repository - a "minor" collection of incredible artifacts that don't fit in the 3 MILLION others in the main Heritage Museum.to the Coronation Coach of Catherine 2nd - intended fr her Mom Cath I, but she ied before it was built in 1 And even a performance of operatic arias by the Marinsky Theater Singers (a soprano and mezzo-soprano and pianist) on board ship in our main theatre last night - Russians love their culture!

 

 

Sailing for Stockholm this evening after a night and most of today in port in Helsinki. Cruise continues to be wonderful, even with the few wrinkles associated with a new ship. Looking forward to a full day in Stockholm (and two nights - although the second night ends at 4 am when we get up to be off the ship by 5 am for our 8 am flight back to Iceland- Rejkavik) for our 3 day extension there.. could be an early night that first night there, s our tours aren't until the second day. Weather improving, and sunrise at 3 am makes for long days too.... maybe more photos once in Iceland - too busy now!! Hope all are well – we are!

 

 

June 28^th- Hi there - we arrived safely and on time yesterday in Reykjavik, about 0930 local time (1130 am from Stockholm!). After baggage etc, we met our Viking rep and the bus for the 28 or so of us who are staying in Iceland for the 3 day extension. Got our room early (yea!) in the Hilton, and needing food (been 7 hrs since breakfast on the ship - 3 hr flight leaving at 8 am and arriving at 0930am - you do the math, we grabbed a quick sandwich at the hotel lobby, then got our free bus pass and caught a bus to the main downtown area in Reykjavik ( 5 mins by coach). Enjoying the sunny and cool (+16C) weather - no rain - we wandered about the shops and sightseeing spots (photos to follow again later), had a coffee and treat before returning to hotel - starting to drag - for a rest and then walked up the street for an early dinner. Tours start today (Sunday). VERY expensive here - a coke is $4, and any main course dish in hotel stats at about $40. A club sandwich is $30. We get breakfasts an one lunch but rest of meals are on our own "hook" so to speak. Even fish is expensive, so the pizza joint up the street is quite reasonable, and a nice change from the over - eating on board ship for last 14 days! Now 0630 and breakfast is open. Bye!!

 

June 30^th - Last day in Iceland....hard to sleep here right now - sunset about midnight (photo taken at 11:45 pm last night) and sunrise about 0330. Never really gets dark, but wait for winter - not much daylight. Did the Blue Lagoon hot springs yesterday, including facials with silica -made us 10 years younger, for at least a minute. Driving through the lava fields out to the Lagoon was quite dramatic. Off to the Botanical gardens before checking out of hotel at noon. Looking forward to coming home - our plane departs at 4:45 pm local and we land in Edmonton about 40 mins later (5:25 pm local), not counting the 6hr time change. Better that the 9 hrs from St Petersburg!

 

Parting shots…. Memories of a Cruise - we won't forget the sunset on the Baltic on the longest day June 21st - it was very windy at 11:00 pm that night, but worth the wait..

 

Thanks for the presentation Elaine and Ray! Looks like a trip of a lifetime.

 

Paul Harris Fellowship presentation – Roy had the unique opportunity to present Elaine with a Paul Harris Fellowship, the result of her husband Ray’s transfer of PHF points. Elaine has been very active in the Camrose community, with the Anglican Church Women’s group and the church itself, Neighbor Aid, Alberta Food Banks, and so much more. Congratulations Elaine!

 

NEXT MEETING – Monday, July 27^th at 1145AM in the Regal II ballroom at the Best Western Plus Camrose Resort Casino.

Guest Speaker – this is a club assembly where the four avenues of service will meet with their committee members and report to the club.

Greeters – Carman Mason and Ron Grue.