Cruise with Glenbrooke RT Out of San Francisco

Join your friends and neighbors on an Alaska Cruise on August 31, 2012.     We are making the arrangements through Zoe’s Cruises*.  If we get enough people to go, the bus will pick us up at the Arbour Lodge, load our luggage, and drive right into the terminal in San Francisco and the luggage will be delivered right to your cabin.   If you have already booked, be sure to read the note below!

Even if you THINK you might like to go, be sure and book it.  Zoe’s cruise specialist will ensure you receive the lowest possible fare and Zoe's does not have  service or cancellation fees.   Why is it so important to book right away when the cruise isn’t until August?

1)      The price has already gone up since we starting planning this trip and Zoe said it is likely to go up again.

2)      She already has over 300 people booked for this special escorted cruise and you may not get the cabin location you desire.

3)      We will have a great time!!!! You will be sorry if you miss it.

4)      We need you to make the trip complete and the bus to pick us up and drop us off here.

NOTE: If you have already booked, you must call and let them know you are with “THE GLENBROOKE GROUP.”  I know people that are booked but Zoe was not showing them as part of the group.   

Remember, your family and friends are encouraged to come.  The more the merrier!!!

 * Call for current pricing!

Just like a kid, forget the historical significance, show me the fish!

We had a wonderful day at the Mission today.   Hope you enjoy some of the sights too.   [[Show as slideshow]]

We saw three different kinds of dolphins in only two hours.  They were the  Common Dolphin,  the Bottlenose Dolphin  and the shy, Risso's Dolphin.   We didn't see any whales on this trip but will try again Tuesday and let you know what we see.

No other airline flies this route, and flights from nearby Sacramento or San Francisco airports are going for more than $200 roundtrip.

Sale fares are valid on select Friday and Monday departures through May 14 -- ideal for a long-weekend escape. We found the greatest availability through December. Additional dates start at just $10 more each way.

For more information about this sale and to book, click the link below. This sale ends Nov. 9, but we expect flights to sell out sooner; early booking is encouraged.
http://www.travelzoo.com/newsflash/71424695-1124380/

How to book:
-Click on the "Flight Only" button in the top booking box
- Select your departure city and destination city, choose
your travel dates and then select one adult and hit "Search"
- The next page will show a calendar with the lowest fares
(listed at $12.99 each way). Hit the "Continue" button on
the bottom of the page to proceed, or click an alternate set
of travel dates
- Enter traveler information, then the next page will
display the total cost of the fare. Click on the blue link
that says "Click here to remove all seat selections &
priority boarding" to get the lowest pricing. Note: There is
a $5.99 fee to choose your seat. This is an optional step,
you can skip over it to see the final price on the next page

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The World of River Cruising 101:  7 - 8:30 PM.  Learn about this unique fast

growing travel option with Viking River Cruises and Sherwood Travelers.  Wine,

cheese, and fruit.  Door prize drawings.

Book Any Princess Cruise & Receive:~ Reduced Deposit ($100 per person)~ Onboard Coupon Booklet Worth Over $325

2012 ROUNDTRIP SAN FRANCISCO ESCORTED DEPARTURES   

BONUS FEATURES

Free Roundtrip Bus Transportation From:

Modesto, Stockton, Lodi, Sacramento,

Sun City Roseville, & Vacaville

Daily Gifts, Special Events, Amenities

Exclusive Casino Slot Tournament, Private Group Party 

Full-Time Services of An Experienced Escort 

 We chose Zoe’s Cruises because of past personal  experience and their  Tours Escorted Departures are unique and not available through any other agency.  They include the gift of roundtrip transportation from the locations noted on the flyer; lovely gifts each day of the cruise; a Group Party in Tracy Arm, a special Casino Tournament just for Zoe’s passengers; a Group Photo which is another gift; a private Galley Tour; and the full-time services of an Alaska expert every day at the Hospitality Desk.

Corrections from previous post:

1)  Please ask for any Cruise Specialist and they will be happy to assist you with questions and booking your cabin.  They can be reached through the 800#, or contacted by using the emails noted above.   It is good to indicate you are a member of the " Glenbrooke Group"  – that way they can keep track of those coming from Glenbrooke and it will be  noted on the invoice.

2)   Cruise fare for August 31 begins at $974 per person, not $924 per person;

3)  It is incorrect that  residents can book Zoe's Escorted Departure through their “own agent or online” – they will only be a part of our Escorted Departure with all the benefits if they are booked through Zoe’s Cruises and Tours .  Zoe's  will not coordinate their dining, offer gifts, offer transportation, or any of the other services and amenities if they are not booked with Zoe’s Cruises and Tours.

Invite your friends, relatives and neighbors!

Zoe’s Cruises & Tours

916-456-4256 / 800-444-4256

www.zoescruises.com

We will travel by bus to the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building. There you will have the chance to purchase fresh local produce and gourmet foods.

Then on to Clement Street, San Francisco’s new Chinatown, where you will find fish sellers, herbs and spices, tea tasting, a cookware store, and a bookstore with a good selection of new and used cookbooks.  The day will also include a stop at a neighborhood cheese store and a stop at Fisherman’s Wharf with time to explore the fish markets and purchase a loaf of San Francisco sourdough French bread.

You will have time for a light no host lunch at either the Farmers Market or on Clement Street. Trained chef, Bob Bacon, will be available to help you choose produce and fresh fish, and will answer your questions about using unusual ingredients.

October 1, 2011,  we will depart from Elk Grove at 8:30 am and return about 7:30 pm.

Participants should be able to walk several city blocks.

Tickets are $65.00 per person.

The cost includes bus transportation, light snacks on the bus and the driver’s gratuity.

To make your reservations please contact Terri Bacon listed in the Resident Directory.

by Kent Sherwood

All 32 of us have returned safely and healthy after a very busy six days in Branson.  We were fortunate on the weather with mostly sunshine and only a couple of partly rainy days at the end of the week.  The rain usually chose to pour heaviest while we were inside shows and then conveniently stopped when it was time for us to leave!  Fortunately the flooding that the low lying areas of Branson experienced in the early spring abated prior to our arrival.

About half of our travelers were from Glenbrooke and other friends from Northern CA and San Diego.  Branson, MO has essentially grown into a family oriented Las Vegas (minus the gaming) over the last two decades with millions of visitors to a city of only about 11,000 permanent residents.  The approximately 120 shows, beautiful local lakes and rivers, extensive shopping, the Ozarks and friendly people all combine to make a Branson trip an enjoyable adventure.

Our hotel gave us great service and even a public welcome (see picture).  The most incredible performance was Noah the Musical presented in a theatre with over 330,000 sq. ft. and nearly 2100 seats!  After the intermission, we literally found ourselves sitting inside the Ark with 65 live animals and many more artificial animals (are they really fake?) such as lions, tigers, giraffes etc. on three levels.  This was truly a fantastic performance presented in a respectful manner.

The Branson Belle Showboat cruise on gorgeous Table Rock Lake provided  an excellent dinner and world class entertainment one would expect to find only on Broadway.  The Dutton Family Show did not disappoint with their spectacular stringed instrument playing, the singing  was something else.

Roy “Dusty” Rogers (son of Roy Sr.) and his son Dustin Roy Rogers (see picture) charmed us all not just with authentic western music, but with first hand stories about Roy and Dale Evans and their incredible family experiences in Hollywood.

At the Shepherd of the Hills farm, The Son’s of the Pioneers Chuckwagon Show and dinner brought us more authentic western music which has been performed continuously for over 75 years.  The outdoor Pageant with great actors and many live animals took us back to an earlier time.  The 240 ft. Inspiration Tower gave us all incredible views of Table Rock Lake, Branson, and the Ozarks.

Different venues included such shows such as Hooray for Hollywood, The Twelve Irish Tenors, and the Hamner Barber Variety Show.  Each of these had their own special talents and entertainment.  After ten shows, we all felt we had a pretty good sample of what Branson is all about.  Along the way, we ate quite well and too often! The “Hard Luck Diner” with its terrific singing waiters was a real kick as well.

Free time to take a break, shop or just “kick back”, rounded out our six days.  One of the optional choices most of us made was to visit the Titanic Museum.  This private museum is extraordinarily well done and we almost felt we were on board for that fateful voyage.

Departing on Frontier Airlines from the new Branson Airport, just 15 miles from downtown made our return trip easy and more pleasant.  Both flights to Denver and Sacramento were on time, even with the bumpy air in the airspace around Denver.  This compatible group of “mature” adults had a great time with one another, and showed Branson what a class act group of travelers is all about.  Our good old Ozark country boy motorcoach driver Russ agreed and reminded us “Y’all come back”. We shall see….!

Capitol Hornblower

The Saturday before Mother's Day,  our children came down from Redding to spend the weekend with us.    We were looking for a pleasant way to enjoy the warm spring afternoon together.        For ten dollars a ticket (though Goldstar) we boarded the Capitol Hornblower in Old Town Sacramento shortly before 3:00PM.

Tower Bridge

There were just a few other groups on the boat and the crew of three.     Easing out from the dock, we headed north, turning around to look at the Golden  Tower Bridge - its design was  taken from London Bridge.

Not being from this area, we learned that citizens picked the color and the paint job cost over a million dollars.   Note how high the river was -close to flood stage.

RR bridge -upper car deck was added later

The Captain explained we were going very slow to wait for the railway bridge to open and allow us through. It's  not usually necessary for the Hornblower but remember the water was still too high for us to pass under.  This bridge swung open by using a giant gear supported by concrete in the middle of the river.

Cruising up the river we saw where the American River meets the Sacramento River.  It was interesting to see the two different colors of the water.  Sacramento is more muddy and the American is much colder and clearer.

Two rivers converge

Air Force Dock

Farther up the river we saw where there is still a very large deck that was used in WWII to repair aircraft.  They would send the parts up river from San Francisco and crews from Mather would repair them on the dock and ship them back to San Francisco.

Virgin Sturgeon

Other points of interest were the flood channels and the gate keepers house.

The local hang outs included  the  Virgin Sturgeon restaurant, which is actually a converted house boat and uses a Pan Am airplane ramp for the walkway from the parking lot.

Flood Control Gates and Gatekeeper's house

Of course I always like looking at the beautiful houses along the river.  This picture shows a circular rock wall that, according to our tour guide, is a pool that overflows like a fountain in the summer .

Beautiful homes

We made a note to come back to the water intake buiding to look at the art.

If you visit local points of interest, please consider sharing them with us- remember many of us are new to the area.   Email to newsofglenbrooke@gmail.com

Water intake building