UMTravels

The adventure begins with a nice lunch at the Yankee Pier after doing a little book shopping. Got a book on the wine industry in California as reading material – will probably pass it on the Jimmie when I’m done with it…saw one on Tiki Culture in the US, but thought I’d get that one on the way back through – don’t think it’s much of a page turner, more a reference work.

Lunch was a glass of the Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel, half a dozen Malpeque (crassostrea virginica) oysters on the half shell (actually seven), and some lightly fried clam strips on a bed of lettuce. More that I really wanted to spend, but I’m on holiday and deserve a little reward for whipping that bathroom into shape (and the rest of the house) in three days.

Already have met another “couple” headed for the same cruise. At least I think they are a couple – both male, 5-10 years older than I am, talked about “their” dog. I see some other folks in the waiting area with Viking River Cruises bag tags – some of them look a little “skelator.”

Talked to Mark Pucci last night – he had a recommendation for a jazz gig in Shanghai. Apparently a good buddy of his is a piano player. They are playing at the Shanghai Ritz-Carlson. Think the trio is led by Dennis Day (not sure of last name).The piano player is Billy Marcus. We’ll see if I can make it – they play six nights a week just not sure which six.

Picked up two bottles of MacCallan Elegancia 12-year-old single malt scotch at duty-free. Second bottle was 30% off. My favorite brand, and on sale! The limit of duty free into China is 2 bottles of booze and two cartons of cigarettes.

Seated in Economy Plus on our 747-400. Means extra leg room, but I’m not in an exit or bulkhead – my favorites – but when I checked in, the seat next to me was still open. We will pray. All the China flights are configured 3-4-3 seating for ten  across rather than the more comfortable 2-5-2 seating for nine across.

Flight across the water was eleven and a half hours, with three meal services, dinner, snack half way through, and more like a lunch service. The usual of scotch before dinner, wine with dinner, cognac afterwards – and then back to scotch… probably had half a dozen scotches over the course of the flight. With the last service they only had one bottle of wine left that they couldn’t get the cap off of. Mind you these are the small bottles. My seatmate finally got it off for me – but the flight attendants felt bad so they brought me two glasses of wine from business class – much better. Saw three movies: Something New, something else, and Seabiscut (which I had already seen.)