PRELUDE TO YET ANOTHER NOWAT

{click me}

Ahhhhh Yes, Dear Hearts and Innocent Bystanders, as the scratchy strains of RULE BRITANNIA fade eerily into the background we are happy to announce that it's:

HIGH TYME for another NOWAT!!! 

And the NOWAT series will never be the same again... or so we're told.

And why RULE BRITANNIA you ask?  

Welllll... Once Upon A time... 

[Uh Oh, he's startin' that stuff again!]

OK...OK... Many Ages ago, or maybe quite a few years back, or...

   "Get on with it!"

   "Yes Dear."

Sooo, several years ago in another life, Two Very Dear Friends of Uncle Chuck & the Ever-Lovely Dragon Lady, Donna & Lenny Tempelman once worked with The Dragon Lady at BellSouth Advertising and Publishing. [Who will hereafter be referred to as "The Templeshifs" {he'll explain that one later} or D&L {not to be confused with DL]  

And over the years they have spent many a happy celebration together, from Birthdays, Anniversary's, New Years Eves etc. to the "Templeshif Wedding Cruise", [yeah, they took 24 hearty souls along on their honeymoon]    

But ever since The Templeshifs "Retired" to Las Vegas many mango seasons ago {and created a Highly Successful Catering Business - so much for retirement}, visits and celebrations have become too few and far between.

Until now when they all "jointly" agreed that it was "high tyme" to rectify the situation. 
The significance of these "references" will dawn on you as this NOWAT progresses.

{Hang in there.... he's getting to it}

Now first, you must know that D&L are ardent cruisers, having achieved "DIAMOND PLUS" status with Royal Caribbean, and they have been after the Chucky and DL to travel with them again for some time now. Over the past several years, one thing after another always seemed to have gotten in the way, not the least being 2 little guys named Dave & Jon, [along with school and their parents work schedules].... until now.

It was after The Templeshifs Australian cruise and subsequent Circumnavigation of New Zealand followed by a trans-Pacific re-positioning cruise to Seattle, which was then followed by a Mediterranean Cruise, with a Trans-Atlantic ship Re-positioning which was just prior to a trip to Israel... 
[Yeah... they're Wacky Tourists as well]
that D&L announced that a Cruise Around Britain out of Amsterdam was being planned for the summer of 2017. 

And... thanks to Dave & Jon's summer trip to visit the other Abuelo & Abuela in Colombia, HUZZAH!!!
Chucky and Dragon Chic were able to squeeze in 2 weeks for this cruise. 
{WTF?!? Who says HUZZAH nowadays?!?}

Whew... that was a long way around to explain... ummm... uhhh...
What was the question again?

Oh yeah... Rule Britannia - which, if you've been paying the least bit of attention rather than just glazey-eyed skimming this diatribe - explains the Title, Graphic Header and opening music of this particular NOWAT.  

And yes, for those who DID pay attention during the "Wrap Up" of: 

NOWAT - THE CAPITOL 2017 
Dave & Jon Do D.C.

THIS Trip Around The British Isles is what he alluded to there and Donna asked him not to discuss until properly introduced.

Sooooo... on the 24th of June, Chucky and DL hop another DELTA flight to Amsterdam via JFK [PULEEZE... NO DRAMA this time, the past 2 NOWAT had all the DELTA DRAMA we need for some time to come].
They'll spend a couple days catching up on what they didn't get to do last year on the way to that Gremlin plagued, Swollen Rhine, Viking RiverCruise 2016. 

Upon landing in A'dam, they'll join up with the the "Templeshif Entourage" [D&L + 3 other couples who D&L met along their various adventures - yeah... they still travel in a pack - all of whom have become great friends and travel resources and now + The Wacky American Tourist & Ever-Lovely Dragon Lady- hereafter referred to as the TE10].  

Much more will no doubt follow on this eclectic troop of peripatetic, pre-geriatric, fun-seeking, party-animals in the ensuing posts both prior to and during the cruise.

Now for the Basics:

A 12 night Cruise around the British Isles on Royal Caribbean's [of course] Vision of the Seas out of A'dam and as usual there will be plenty of tours of Rocks, Ruins, Castles, Pubs and most importantly... Scotch Distilleries - hereafter referred to as: [R-R-C-P+D] for which HE may post links to and pics of, or not, depending on his down time, speed of internet service, his mood, the amount of Scotch consumed that day... etc. 

With stops in:
Bruges [with tours to Brussels and beyond], 

Edinburgh, [R-R-C]

Inverness, [R-R-C]

Greenock {Glasgow} [C+D]

Dublin, [R-R-C+P]

Cork, [R-R-C]

St Peter Port [Hunh? - sumpin' about cows.]

and back to A'dam for any missed museum or tour and maybe one last "high tyme" for good measure, before flights home.

Suffice it to say, as always, he WILL take you along, Step by Painful Step, so you too will get to see, hear and taste whatever they get into [Although some serious imagination might be required for the taste part] 

Ok... Nuff4Now, there's plenty of time in the coming weeks for HIM to concoct more obscure if not clever {and hopefully} witty tidbits for your amusement, enlightenment or whatevah. 

Lastly, since this Adventure of The Wacky American Tourist & The Ever-Lovely Dragon Lady involves the home of his Favorite Beverage he's off to Toast it All... with You-Know-What.

Ciao 4 Now,

Uncle Chuck & The preparing for another Great Shoe Hunt,
Dragon Lady