Highlights, East Coast Cruise 2017 September
The most significant highlight of this trip for me, was the travel companions. Travelling with my mom is so very special. I am so fortunate to have these opportunities to include her in my journey.
A reunion and two lovely weeks with a lifelong friend I met forty years ago, Rosemarie. She and I met in University and have stayed close all these years. She has supported me in every way every year since. What a delight to share time with her again.
Travelling with other great friends and new friends on this trip was also fantastic and made this trip a success. We dined and toured and shared laughs together. Hugs to all of you!  
Halifax is always a favourite stop for me. Shoe shopping at John David Shoes! Fantastic! Walking the boardwalk, enjoying the sights of eastern Canada and all its history. Eating gluten free pizza with a bevy (prosecco) with Lesley and my mom. Great time!
I love to travel when it is warm. Summer travel is great for this type of trip. New York City is a wonderful stop. I love the lights, skyline, excitement, anticipation, bridges, bright lights of Time Square, high buildings, Broadway theatre productions, great food, and busy-ness and this trip I got to spend some time in the amazing Central Park. A highlight! The greenery of the many varieties of trees, interesting bridges, vital energy, people enjoying this green space, the pedicab and stories …. sharing it with the people I love …. yup. Fabulous!  
Cruising with Oceania is always special, on board Insignia, 11 nights on board, balcony stateroom, specialty dining, ship board credits, room service, enrichment, exciting ports of call, fantastic food and wonderful service. I love the comfy beds, salt water pool, Canyon Ranch spa services and familiarity of the ship! Welcome Home! I think my 9th cruise with this company. This time, I hosted a nice size group … captains parties, wine package to share and new friends and so much more.  
We embarked in New York City and sailed out past the Statue of Liberty and under those magnificent bridges ….. on to Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport, Bermuda (again)for a few nights and days, Halifax and back to New York … great relaxing itinerary including lighthouses, beaches, swimming in the sea, hop on busses, walking cliffs, sunshine, walking and shopping. I really enjoyed the pace!  
It was a delightful trip and I am almost home.  
It has been a busy year of travel.  
Time to relax and enjoy my home town and family as well as friends in Victoria. Drop by if you get the chance, and keep in touch.
Ciao ciao for now!  
Pamela

Full day in NYC
I started the month, 1 September, in the city that never sleeps, New York. We met for complimentary breakfast in the lobby area to plan the day. We went to catch the hop on bus, Rosemarie, my mom and I. We did two complete tours and enjoyed the sunny scenery and great stories told by the commentators.  
Back to the hotel around five pm to prepare for our night out and Broadway production of Hello Dolly with Bette Midler at Schubert Theatre. David Hyde Pierce was also starring in this award winning stage production. We were high in the balcony and I managed an end row. It was amazing and so very different from Come From Away that we enjoyed the previous evening. Fantastic entertainment.  
Today we visit Central Park and get a few last minute purchases, perhaps the Empire State Building and maybe a matinee? Then we will be packed up to move to New Jersey location near the airport to fly home in the wee hours.  
As the trip draws close to an end, we continue to enjoy all that New York offers.  

New York, New York. 
We arrived a little later than planned from the cruise ship yesterday due to crazy storm at sea for two nights … it slowed down the speed the ship could safely travel.  
Now on dry land and happy. Six of us shared a hired vehicle to our hotel Manhattan on Times Square. I have stayed here on previous trip to New York and it is centrally located and fun. We are on the 14 th floor with a view of the city streets and taller buildings that surround.
We spent the afternoon wandering after we lunched at Ellen’s Stardust Diner (where the wait staff sing and perform Broadway hits as we eat :). Then we checked out the gigantic three story M and M store with huge green m and m created into Statue of Liberty. Very cool. Onward to the Times Square ball drop site and some watching of people and feeling the city vibe. New York Yankee paraphernalia … and ticket booth, NYPD everywhere. 
We got tickets to see Come From Away on Broadway at Schubert theatre. We returned to our hotel, prepared for dinner, found fabulous gluten free pizza place near the theatre, Johns of Times Square, pizzeria. The inside is like a converted theatre with one large wall of black and white drawing of New York City from the air. It is beautiful and great huge brick oven, thin crust pizza …. yummm. In shifts we ate, then we enjoyed the show. We were all proud Canadians and entertained by this wonderful creation of artistic expression of a difficult time in North American history. Highly recommended.  
On the walk home to the hotel, we noticed how bright it was on the street. Lit up by the super large video screens stacked high and wide along the strip. The only way to know it is nighttime is to look straight up and see the black sky above. Hoards of people, streets are packed with locals and tourists alike. Fantastic really.