AMERICAN CRUISE LINE AND JAMES BOND MUSEUM

CRUISES/JAMES BOND/SUNBLOCK AND MORE

I know it has been a while since my last blog.  I am hoping that you have been listening to the Zee Michaelson Travel Podcast.  Well my team and I have been busy traveling and discovering new and exciting places to go and see.  I also have been learning more about some other travel excursions.

Well let's first chat about THE AMERICAN CRUISE LINE.    It is a true American Company.  Owned in the U.S.  They fly the American Flag and even the ships are built in the United States!
If you love to go on River Boats down the Rivers of the U.S.  You must check out the American Cruise Lines. They are in the Southeast, New England, Mississippi River and the Pacific Northwest.  Imagine traveling the Hudson River during the autumn months and seeing all the splendor of the fall foliage or cruising the mighty Mississippi where the tales of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer all started.  They have 5 night/7 night and 21 night cruises....its up to you.  They have many styles of ships even paddle boat styles....with historians on each ship to let you know all about the ports your about to visit....I know I am making plans to get on one of these great ships...or should I say River Boats.

I like my martinis..."Shaken not Stirred"...is the classic line from the James Bond Flicks.  I am a big James Bond Fan.  I, of course, have my favorite Bond actors...Sean Connery/Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan...I think I still need to get use to the new ones...However...the movies are great.  And if you want to experience the ultimate in Bond Excursions from the Movie Spectre...the location is in Solden Austria....nothing says Bond like 10,007 feet above sea level in the summit of Gaislachkogl mountain.  They made a museum called ELEMENTS 007.  It may be a little tough to get to...but well worth the trip.  Where else are you going to see The Briefing Room  or The Tech Lab...and of course Bond Flicks......The "Klinik" is actually a restaurant called "Ice Q"   I do have one request...if you get here before I do...take loads of pictures and send me some to post....

Now we are all concerned with saving the Earth...we worry about our gorgeous coral reefs...Well Hawaii is the first U. S. State that is actually going to ban certain sunscreens...they believe that the oxybenizone and octinoxate are destroying the coral reefs...these are underwater habitats for many types of marine life...not excluding the reef itself.  Don't worry...there are still plenty of sunscreens that still work as good...like those containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide...Hawaii says the ban will go into place by 2021...more than likely it will be that they will start by not selling it in the stores.  So no excuses..pack the sunscreen!

Are you thinking of traveling by train.  Amtrak is a great way to explore some of the United States.  Now if you are going to use one of those sleeping cars...Amtrak is introducing some Hot Meal Options for those passengers but only on two of their routes, for testing purposes. These routes are between Chicago and the East.  Passengers that are booked in sleeper accommodations would also enjoy unlimited soft drinks and airline-style amenity kits and the first round of beer/wine or liquor is on the house...so remember only the first round.  I am still waiting for those trains of yesteryear where you could dine in style and relax and enjoy your meals on board...  They have some of those style trains still in operation over seas...Now that's relaxing on the train.

So I promised the recipe that I spoke about on my ZMT Podcast.  So here it is...

BAKED SUGAR-CURED HAM, SOUTHERN PACIFIC
1 Raw Ham (1 lb raw weight per person)
1 lb brown sugar
2 oz whole cloves
1 pt boiled apple cider for basting

Soak ham in cold water over night, refresh, put on fire and bring to boil.  Let simmer for two and one-half hours and remove from fire.  Leave in broth fro another hour.  Plunge into cold water and skin.  Press into fat about an inch apart whole cloves, coat with the cider and sprinkle with the sugar.  Bake in moderately heated oven, basting with cider and sprinkling with the sugar occasionally, until nicely browned and done...about one hour.
As a hot dish use the following sauce:
Cut one medium sized onion, one young carrot and two branches of celery (small) and saute with three tablespoons of ham drippings.  Add two tablespoonfuls of flour.  Make sure when adding the flour the liquid is bubbling lightly...When completely absorbed add one cupful of ham stock and one quart of tomatoes.  Cook thoroughly, season and pass through a strainer...now add one-half pint of the boiled apple cider...

ENJOY...

If you have a recipe you would like us to talk about on the podcast...please feel free to email it to me.