康州紐海文市候船／莊峻華

 康州紐海文市候船／莊峻華

經過多日折騰，餘事仍未了，榮祥來訊，無法提供五日住宿，於是我開始準備，我先下飛機，尋問大都會交通北段，搭車到康州紐海文市，找到西郊一汽車旅館，每日搭巴士逛耶魯大學，邂逅一位中國美女研究生，參觀耶魯校園，郵輪啟航日，再從紐海文市，搭原班車回曼哈頓港口，非常有趣。

紐約市旅館很貴，我因貪小便宜，幾十年都是叨擾容祥兄，但又口無遮攔，言語經常冒犯人，因此需要被考驗，我曾住紐海文市一週，拜訪耶魯大學，甚有美憶，論旅遊價值是上選，有位機場資訊小姐，寫張字條，教我如何換車，一路問道，我是津津樂道，中間遇到許多少數民族善人幫忙，在綠公園旁一中餐廳，找到這客棧，每天從西郊握爾碼站，搭免費巴士到耶魯大學，這大學校園，就在紐海文市城中，這時候是春初，市立公墓有鮮豔櫻花幾株，引我入境。

愛美電話來曰與新輪胎行夥計爭吵，說是要告此人，這是因為元兒換四輪胎後，車盤紅燈亮，元兒再回車行，車行調整後收費$250，愛美不服又去責問，隨後自己輪胎也有問題曰，前日赴哈比機場接我，夜間路不熟，又撞到甚麽，卡斯可大店無其型輪胎，要她開車到凱蒂鎮卡斯可店，她又不敢去，還好我已打電話向新輪胎行夥計道歉，說是愛美要我請他原諒告人威脅，我是早了一步棋，這都是在墳墓牆外，我再電話給夥計，請他幫忙照顧愛美輪胎，特別交待我在紐海文付帳，然後我叫愛美開車到輪胎行找他，我在外候船，還需處理家務事。

這位姑娘父母親來自廈門，但她無法語廈門話，倒是北京語字正腔圓，她很耐心陪我逛這美麗墓園，她是環境科學管理博士班，已在伊莉諾取得碩士，這時候輪胎行夥計電話來，我拿出信用卡，却無法看明背後三字密碼，馬上煩請姑娘幫忙，於是我甚感謝她的耐心，邀請她翌日午餐，她也大方答應，我們有一有趣豐盛之中餐，席間又遇見一位英國姑娘住牛津市，能語中文，我旅行過牛津市數次，我提到一處她說是牛津草地港，草地座落泰晤士河畔。我取下這位博士班姑娘電郵地址，一路上橫跨大西洋，都向她報平安。

紐約市回程，我搭第一班車回紐海文綠地城中，這是週日，火車站專車停駛，一位善心流浪者，指點我搭一般巴士，這位流浪者能西班牙語，英文也甚道地，顯然受過很好教育，他就睡在騎樓下，我有很多感處。我是一路問道抵達曼哈頓碼頭，最後一段是搭巴士到終站，一位善心執勤女士，走出地鐵站，伴我走到巴士站，肯定我上車後始離去，在終站轉角處，有西藏人在示威抗議中國統治，讓我憶起當年我們抗議國民黨中國人蔣家在台統治，已經是25年前之往事矣。

20 days between cruises/Carlos Pueblo

 20 days between cruises/Carlos Pueblo

There were 4 cruises for me this spring that forced me to recognize my aging, especially on the first two weeks intermediate. I was on my way back to Houston, the plane was canceled after I checked in my luggage. Luggage were sent to Dallas according to the original flight; therefore, I couldn't get them when I arrived Houston Hobby Airport. Amy came to the airport to pick me up for an immediate trip to Austin for her house sitting while they were on a pre-planned vacation to Mexico. The airliner allowed me to pick up misplaced luggage after a week when I came back to Hobby for my returning trip to La Guadia in New York City for my second cruise with the same ship. Amy had a hard time to reach the airport and there was a story behind it.

We came back home on Sunday night and I found a note on the table from my son Arthur. he had a flat tire yet didn't bothered me. He drove my old car to work. I went to check his flat tire in the trunk which was like an explosion. He did explain the ordeal which he had experienced, his phone was out of battery and struggle to make it to a car garage and walked home. I decided to take him to replace the damaged tire on Monday. Tuesday I needed to leave again as I described for my second trip to Europe on cruise.

Monday morning, we went to a new tires store to replace all 4 tires and came back to our subdivision area for banking and replacing his i-phone battery. I got my $300 cash alright in a bank envelope and placed in my short pant's pocket. Phone company's store opens at 10 am. We went to a store to buy a Teflon pans for Amy. The phone shop clerk referred us to a store called You broke it I fix it to see if they could help us. The technician indicated that the battery was still 90% good and no need to replace the battery. We went to the tire store to pick up his car and that was quick as promised. When I arrived home, I needed to prepare a dental appointment to clean my natural teeth left inside my mouth. I couldn't find my cash envelope. It was gone and my blood was boiling up.

The dental hygienist couldn't perform the powerful cleaning. I was worry about the $300 lost money for my trip. I followed the same track to the You broke it I fix it store for my first try of many stores which I had been on that morning including the phone shop, huge Teflon pans store, and the tire store. I knew my chance to recover the cash was very little. Lucky me, an honest technician returned my lost cash back to me. He only asked me what was the content.

Tuesday was another busy day and the day for me to leave Houston again. I first sent Amy to a Sugar Land Hospital for her small procedure on her left breast diagnosis. Then, I drove back to Houston to take my Covid-19 test for my cruise and back to take her home. The problem was that she kept on bleeding and I didn't know what to do. Finally, I managed to take two buses to get to Hobby to stay overnight for an early flight.

下船20日／莊峻華

 下船20日／莊峻華

從寶石號下船後，我在紐約市又住上幾天，最後一日，榮祥好意開車帶我到法拉盛唐人街，專程拜訪其公子，愛美外甥，一位藥劑師，與人合夥在法拉盛開設藥局，門市就在一三角攤，算是鬧市，這外甥十分忙碌，也不知應對，我連忙退下，榮祥語我兒子不悅我們打擾，我想是藥局尚有其他合夥人，但是我也不高興，回公寓後講些重話，翌晨我就搭機返家，我是準備10日後回紐約市搭寶石號到羅馬，一共16日。

飛機有誤，原班飛機取消，臨時安排我直飛休市，我正憂慮已託運之兩箱行李，果然無法同時到達，行李按照原班計劃，先送到達拉斯機場，要翌日始可抵達，我因計劃當夜趕往奧斯汀，幫琳兒照顧家人愛犬愛貓五日，所以要愛美來哈比機場接我，但又無行李，只好先回家，再上路，在奧斯汀幾日，均不愉快。回家後發現元兒字條，其車爆胎，半夜走路回家，我看爆胎粉碎，幸好人有驚赫身無恙，我連忙帶他到鄰近輪胎店，換下四新輪胎，這一日我甚忙碌，先是換輪胎，然後到大通銀行領現金三百，準備橫跨大西洋，等美國電話店十點開門，換元兒手機電池，先到鄰近握爾瑪店買鍋給愛美，電話店介紹我到另家專門店名曰，你弄壞我修理，店員檢查後曰無礙，我們就離去。

回家後發現現金三百銀行信封，不翼而飛，我真是五血沸騰，剛好我又有洗牙約會，小姐量血壓165太高，不敢動工，只好另作安排，我心掛念丟掉三百元，況且牙齒剩下不多，年紀也大，無需計較。回家時，我先回你弄壞店，詢問店員是否看到一銀行白信封，年輕人先問內容為何？我說三百元，他入內拿信封還我，美國是有好人。

翌日，就是我啟程回紐約市搭船，我先送愛美到糖城醫院做乳房切片手術，然後再到藥局做武肺鼻測，以供上船許可用，再回糖城帶愛美回家，下午愛美血流不止，非常緊張，我是舉止無措，愛美抱怨我經常旅行，我又回罵她死好，找峻嚴幫忙，他說眼睛夜晚失明，可能需找兩兒子，我聽下心冷，問愛美一姊姊在夏威夷旅行，另一長姊84歲，愛美只好按緊胸部止血，我連忙搭巴士到哈比機場，還好血止。

Waiting for the embarkation in NYC/Carlos Pueblo

 Waiting for the embarkation in NYC/Carlos Pueblo

Back in April when I started back for my cruise journal, I waited for the embarkation in New York City as well  as the disembarkation. It is all because that I love NYC and in consideration of the airfare. Lucky me, Mr. Yong my brother-in-law came in to help as my host and guide. He used to work with the Metro till his retirement. 

We went to my favorite marinated duck restaurant near the Moss Street at Manhattan Chinatown. This time I skipped to carry out the duck due to long walk of the day, yet we had a good nice meal at the small restaurant. I even waited at a drug store to get my 4th booster shot afterward. NYC is a famous metropolitan city and very interesting.

He lives at Astoria near the Laguardia at Queens. He took me to a nice park by the East River with a cargo rail above it. The East River, east Hudson, is nice and quiet and I don't mind to march here in the morning every day for my exercises. It was a nice and chilly spring day not many people. We went to the Flushing Chinatown as well. I mentioned that I bought 6 quevas and broke my tooth on the first bite.

He took me to visit the Roosevelt Island on a cable over the East River. I didn't see the United Nations building and he did mention a story of the old UN residents near by. Now it is very expansive area. He also took me to visit a supermarket where shoppers carry their purchase to take home by train. It is very different from what we do in Houston by your vehicle on the back of the trunk.

I had a very nice Korean meal with an old friend, Patrick at Flushing Chinatown. He is familiar with the Korean cuisine and the restaurant is very nice. I think that I shall be doing fine if I have an opportunity to live in NYC.

紐約市候船／莊峻華

 紐約市候船／莊峻華

這次郵輪旅行，選擇紐約市上下船，主要是連襟榮祥兄住紐約市，有一沙發讓我候船，何以候船，因為機票昂貴考慮，所以我早到幾天，晚回來幾天，也麻煩他甚多，紐約市是大都會，許多人都貪小便宜，尤其是親戚朋友，剛好，榮祥好客，我如此叨擾也有幾十年歷史，他在州府地鐵工作到退休，紐約市非常熟悉，而且也是好導遊，省下很多時間。

他介紹我潮州滷鴨，我來紐約市一定光顧，這餐廳座落於曼哈頓唐人街，靠近莫街，他認識兩代老闆，所以我的三鮮麵料特多，以前我感謝他給我方便，每次都提滷鴨外賣送他，和他喝啤酒，人生一樂也。這次我們再到曼哈頓唐人街，我甚至打了武肺第四針，也在街上多作一次鼻測檢驗，我行前在休市藥局先作一次，一次老人健保理賠七十五美金。

下船後，又待上三天候機，給他很不方便，他還是很耐心的帶我逛紐約市，我們到法拉盛唐人街，拜訪他長公子之藥局，年輕人努力工作，紐約市一小獨門獨院老磚房，要價約兩百萬美金，我在一水果店買了七粒蕃石榴，一磅是三美金，回公寓後，一口咬斷一片牙齒，神經曝露，很是馬煩。

紐約市很熱鬧，我很喜歡紐約市，他帶我逛一家超市，非常有趣，這超市客戶都是搭車走路來，所以不能攜帶過多，整個店擠滿客戶，他要我體會大都會生活，和鄉村城市休市有異。

他帶我參觀東哈德遜河兩次，一次就在公寓附近，環境幽雅，東河很乾淨，最近新聞讀到海豚已經開始回紐約市，還有一次是參觀羅斯福島，坐攬車掛在河上，也是東河，聯合國在附近有宿舍住宅區，現在已經是非常昂貴。

Re-visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Re-visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands 2022/Carlos Pueblo

Tortola is turtle in English. I believe English have taken Virgin Islands from Spain and still keep the Spanish name for the capital town. There is another Virgin Islands that under the U.S. control called the U.S. Virgin Islands where I have been visited several times. This island is famous for the international re-insurance business that I still like to know more about it; however, I don't know how to start to ask because that I don't see any sign of financial activities around the port. 

I do see many luxury villas on the hill. Residents must drive down to the downtown Tortola for grocery shopping or evening activities. I can see some damaged buildings from various hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. Usually I walk to the left first from the pier on the main avenue shops on both sides. Then turn left to view some more. I couldn't find the tent church on a field this time that might not be on Sunday. It was for local residents.

Thanks to Yong for his patient and allowed suggestion just walked around. He was just out of a severe sickness and I had no habit to swim on the beach. I took some pictures of local flowers of the Bougainvillea and the Poinciana or the Phoenix. Phoenix flowers remind me my youth time in Taiwan. Flowers are red blossom in the summer when there is a summer vacation from schools or the graduation to participate various entrance examinations for schools such as the middle school, senior high school, and college, etc. The climate of Virgin Islands are similar to Taiwan or Hawaii. We can see many similar plants and flowers. I also took many photos for mango trees with fruits.

I got my watch battery replaced here. Yong didn't mind to have a break in front of an office building to read his mobile phone. There is a small nice rest room building near by. I used to take a nap at this park where I was tired and had no where important to go.

The Filipino technician was surprised of my basic Tagalog where I learned on ships. He is a young man and like to visit Taipei on the way back to Manila. I told him not this year because that you are required the quarantine time.

重遊英屬維金群島龜鎮2022／莊峻華

 重遊英屬維金群島龜鎮2022／莊峻華

龜鎮是西語命名，英國取得統治權後，經營幾百年，頗具規模，也是全球財務中心，加勒比海颶風頻頻，鎮上建築零落痕跡，但見富裕，我來過龜鎮好幾次，都是逛街，有一年甚至參加原野草場禮拜，這次未見教堂，顯然不是週日，龜鎮山腰許多別墅，歐美富人，喜歡加勒比海氣候，加上英語，非常方便，開車下山購物，海水浴場，鎮上也有夜生活，我帶榮祥兄左右逛街，然後讓他在一辦公大樓前院滑手機，我就繼續尋找手錶電池店，這次幾經介紹問路，終於在一商區找到，十美金一粒電池，皇天不負苦心人。

這時候龜島鳳凰花開，台灣鳳凰花盛開於夏季，正是學校畢業，聯考時刻，這都是年輕時代之辛酸甜苦辣，我們都是經過一番寒澈骨的歲月。小鎮小規模，我想了解一些再保險公司內容，顯然不甚普遍，畢竟龜鎮不若倫敦紐約，不到中午，我們就打道回府，畢竟船上活動多，經濟實惠。

我喜歡郵輪旅行，因為舒適方便安全，包括食宿交通，我尚且可以上兩節菲語課，船上有許多藝人表演，當然，最主要者為年輕有禮，工作勤奮之船員，我因為搭乘此郵輪公司幾十次，結交許多美麗親切青年，郵輪旅行就像回家一樣，這次旅行結束回家，處理一週家務事，我將搭此船，橫跨大西洋到羅馬。