Wool and More
- At December 10, 2023
- By Jessica
- In Travel
0
It's a good thing we love the shipboard life. They just cancelled the 3rd port (out of the first 5) due to weather. It's beautiful out here in the middle of the ocean though.
Just finished lunch and another pear cider. Feeling no pain. Did very well at today's Daily Trivia. Getting really for another round of duplicate bridge. After the pear cider I'm seeing double, not duplicate.
We attended a fabulous lecture this morning on....are you ready....wool!
We learned about the history of the wool trade starting from the Middle Ages.
A few fun facts:
- The Vikings made their sails from wool. One 2,000 sf sail took the wool of 1000 sheep.
- There were 13 steps from shearing to pressing to make wool cloth. Step #8 is called "Fulling." This step entailed soaking the woven wool in hot, stale, human urine and stomping (like grapes) to tighten the fibers. An I Love Lucy missed opportunity?
- The Hundred Year War between England and France was over wool. And it was actually 116 years. Joan of Arc helped France end and win that war (you go girl!). Two years later, the War of the Roses started in England due to devastation and disorder from the 100 (116) years war.
Most interesting to me is how many common idioms originated in the wool trade. Dyed-in-the-wool (steadfast) comes from wool that is dyed early in the process. Shoddy (poor quality) refers to discarded or reused wool then relegated to peasant clothing. Pop Goes the Weasel come from the sound a drop spindle makes when the weasel comes off. I could go on....
But maybe the most interesting new fact is that the wool industry was considered so important to England that in the 14th century King Edward III decreed that the Lord Speaker of The House of Lords must sit on a sack of wool. This custom is still done to this day!! Ronnie Stewart - please confirm or deny.
Oh! We crossed the International Date Line today. Wonder what the time is in the T shaped cutout and why...
Greenwich, England
- At November 12, 2023
- By Jessica
- In Travel
- 0
Greenwich, England from the sea
We anchored off Greenwich, England this morning waking up to a beautiful day. Leaving shortly for our last excursion: Shakespeare's Globe Theater.
Alas, after four months the cruise portion of our trip is coming to an end tomorrow. We'd like to counter some misconceptions about this type of cruise.
1. Cruises are Sedentary
Actually, cruises can be quite strenuous. When in port, we are usually out and about for at least 8 hours. We regularly logged 10,000+ steps. On At Sea days there's the gym, walking on the deck, exercise classes, and the pools. In fact, the only negative experiences related to other passengers really not up to the activities who slowed the group or irritated us with their complaining.
2. Cruises don't afford enough time in each port
Viking did a great job of planning the time in each port, usually 1-3 days. Never did we feel our time was cut short.
3. Cruises are cramped and uncomfortable
The pampering and luxury is beyond expectation. The staff is amazing.
4. You gain weight from all the food
Before our Covid quarantine, where we basically sat in bed for five days, we had both lost weight despite all the proffered food.
It really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
FUN FACTS:
Distance Travelled (LA to London) 28,341 miles
Cookies consumed 168,000
Eggs consumed 180,000
Filet Mignon consumed 17,000
Wine consumed 10,000 bottles
Toilet tissue used 35,300 rolls
We didn't go to a single evening show, preferring to retire to our room and read. We read 22 books, many taking place in the locations we visited. The lectures were fabulous, especially those by a speaker called Russell Lee, proving a great speaker can make any subject interesting - even wool.
We learned so much about the world, and how everything interconnects, about the senseless wars and aggressions throughout history, and how people everywhere are the same at their core.
