At Sea on the Atlantic

Today (Monday the 28th) we are crossing the Atlantic Ocean on our way to
Ft. Lauderdale. The last two days at sea have been very nice,
temperature in the low 70s, sunny and the seas calm. Today it appears
that that may change as it is overcast and threatens to rain. No
lounging on our balcony if that happens.

These days at sea are why we like transatlantic crossings. Nothing but
relaxing, reading, Bingo, lectures, etc. And later in the day a bit of
gambling in the casino. Nancy and I find small differences between
Celebrity Cruise Line and Holland America mostly in the service. We much
prefer Holland America.

Our table mates at dinner are a nice group: an Episcopal Priest and his
wife from Maryland; a retired nuclear power plant engineer and his wife
from Syracuse; and a retired business man and his wife from Arizona.
Some of the conversation are interesting as Nancy and I are the only
liberals. Such as life!

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Yesterday we were in out last port before crossing the Atlantic -
Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The weather was wonderful - in the low
70s and sunny. We took the "Hop-On Hop-Off" bus around the city and then
just strolled down the waterfront boulevard. Back to our ship for lunch
and then attempted to read out on our balcony. Unfortunately, after a
short time out there a big tanker along side just below our balcony to
fuel the ship. And it was noisy.

Today we are on the Atlantic on our way to Ft. Lauderdale. Again it is
pleasant, low 70s and sunny. Let's hope it stays like this all the way
across.

Gibraltar

Today we are in Gibraltar before heading out in the Atlantic. After
breakfast we walked into the city and made our way to the cable car to
take us to the "Top of the Rock." There is a platform half way off where
you can get off, browse from the road there and see Barbary Apes that
are generally there. This time it didn't stop there but it did on the
way back down. At the top it was pleasantly cool there and the sun was
bright so it was quite nice. For this post I had a choice between a
photo of the city and harbor from on high or an ape. I picked the ape!

A couple of years ago when we were here there were quite a few apes
wandering around the platform and restaurant but today there were only a
few. On the way down the cable car stopped at the mid-point and we got
off. On the road there a dozen or so apes ran around and jumped on top
and rear view mirrors of the tour buses that stop there. One was
especially interesting. It was a mother with a very young one and the
mother was grooming the youngster by picking fleas out of the fur. While
we were there only one ape jumped on someone's shoulders.

On the was back down Main Street we stopped for a beer and coffee. (You
have to guess who had the beer and who had the coffee.) Then back to the
ship. All in all a pleasant few hours. We will leave here at about 5:00
PM or so and tomorrow we will be at sea. On Friday we will stop for the
day in Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Alicante and Malaga

Yesterday we were in Alicante and the weather was not very good. In fact
it stunk. At about 11:00 AM the sun was out and it was about 64 degrees
so we decided to go out and take the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus and go around
the city. We were sitting on top until the fortress on the top of the
city when the heavens opened. And it rained . . . and it rained . . .
and it rained. We went down below under cover and sat there until the
bus got back to the ship. So, the only "Hop-Off" we did was to hop off
back at the ship.

Today we are in Malaga - a port city that we have never stopped at
before. After breakfast and a round of trivia (and didn't do well) we
took a bus into the center of the city. Spent quite a bit of time in the
Malaga Cathedral and then went on the the Roman Theatre and the Alcazaba
- an old Muslim fortress. (I generally like to include one photo with a
post but the internet service on this ship is too slow.)

Tomorrow was originally scheduled to be a day at sea followed by a stop
at Funchal, Madeira on Thursday. However, Thursday is scheduled to be a
national strike for all of Portugal (including Madiera) so tomorrow we
are going to stop in Gibraltar, followed by a day at sea and then stop
at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Actually I would much prefer
Gibraltar over Funchal for two reasons. (1) We were there in March of
this year and (2) on the previous stop in Gibraltar Nancy did not feel
well and she did not see the Barbary Apes on top of the rock. (The
Barbary Apes are not really apes, but are monkeys. They are though from
Barbary.)

That's it for now.

Barcelona and Sagrada Familia

Yesterday was our last day in Barcelona before boarding the Celebrity
Constellation and our last chance to visit the Sagrada Familia Basilica.
We did finally make it inside and see Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece. The
basilica was begun in the late nineteen century and it is expected to
finally finish it sometime in this century. The most interesting part of
the basilica (I think) is the model shop in the basement of the
basilica. There are hundreds of models that Gaudi and his workmen design
this unique church.

The high point of the day was really the trip on the Metro back to the
hotel to get our baggage and head on to the ship. At the stop just
before our hotel a gentleman in front of me asked me in Spanish if this
stop was for Sagrada Familia (it wasn't) a couple of times and also held
out his jacket in front of himself as if to give me the jacket. At the
same time a man and woman behind me moved close and I felt something on
my left side (my wallet was in my laft front pocket) and saw the woman's
scarf along side me. I felt something and I grabbed what turned out to
be her hand. I yelled out, Hey! You son of a bitch!" This was just as
the doors of the Metro car opened. The man behind me said something
about his wife and the three of them ran out the door. My first time
that I had someone try to pick my pocket. Although they did not get my
wallet, I was pissed!

We did finally get to the hotel and then to the ship. Our luggage didn't
get to our cabin until about 8:00 PM but this was OK as our dinner was
at 9:00 PM. The ship is fine, just bigger than I really like. I guess
I'm too used to Holland American Line.

Today we are in Alicante and it is raining. We shall see what happens.

Figueres, Spain

This morning we took the Metro to the Sants Station to take the train to Figueres, about two miles north-east of Barcelona. We wanted to got to the Dali Museum in Figueres. Purchased tickets and men never ask directions ever - I mean never - so we headed down to the platform that I knew was the correct platform for the 9:46 AM train. Boarded the train and road it to L'Hospitalet and that was as far as it went. As you probably already knew, I picked the wrong train. We turned around and took the train back to Barcelona and I asked at the information desk, "What was the train number? What platform was it on? What should it say on the front of the train (ie, the destination)? Took the correct train and got there in two hours!

 The train was packed for most of the trip, mostly school kids, so the trip was a bit noisy but not that bad. The first thing we did when we got to Figueres was to have lunch. (Keep in mind we blew quite a bit of time with or trip to L'Hospitalet and back to Barcelona Sants.)


After lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Dali Museum and it was well worth the trip. In addition to Dali's paintings and papier mache works, there is one separate building for jewelry that he had done. The one thing about Dali that I had recalled was his drooping watches. Here is a piece of jewelry that he had done with the drooping watch.

Yesterday we received an email from Celebrity Cruise Line via our travel agent saying that we would not be able to check-in tomorrow until 2:00 PM and cabins will not be available until 5:30 PM (obviously we will not sail at 5:00 PM) so that they can do a thorough cleaning job as apparently there was an outbreak of Norovirus  this week. This is good and bad. The bad is the Norovirus but the good is we can spend a couple more hours in the morning in Barcelona. This is our fourth time in Barcelona and every time we have been here we have seen

Gaudí's church, Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) but have never been inside. This time we can make it.

Barcelona and Montserrat

Barcelona Friday Nov. 18 6:10 PM (12:10 PM EST)

This morning, after sleeping almost fourteen hours, we had breakfast at our hotel and then took the Metro to the La Espanya Station to board the train to Monserrat. Montserrat is about 35 miles northwest of Barcelona, about 30 minutes on the train. Then a 20 minute ride in a cog-rail train up the side of the mountain. Spent quite a bit of time up there in the Basilica - an impressive building.

 
At 1:00 PM there was a presentation by a boys choir and the Basilica was packed. We had lunch on the mount and then wandered around the grounds. Then the train(s) and metro back to the hotel. About 8:00 PM we will walk around the corner for dinner. Tomorrow we will take the train again. This time we will be going to Figueres to visit the Dali Museum.

Maloneys in the 1920 Federal Census for Rochester, NY and Jackson, MI

The 1920 Federal Census for Rochester shows my grandfather's family still at 54 Greig Street on line 70.  My grandmother, Bridget Josephine Hanley Maloney, had died in 1913 and my grandfather married Bridget's sister, Mary, in 1916. This census record has a column to add when a person immigrated but for Mary it is blank. All five of the Maloney children are included in this census: Mary, Helen, Catherine (sic), Joseph and Leo.

Fred Maloney Family in 1920 Federal Census in Rochester, NY

 Thomas Maloney, brother of my great-grandfather, Francis, is shown living at 1130 Lake Avenue in Rochester on line 47. In addition to Thomas is his wife, Katherine, and Katherine's sister, Lillian. The record lists Thomas' birthplace as Ireland but it is difficult to read the date given as when he immigrated. His wife is listed as being born in Canada.

Thomas Maloney in 1920 Federal Census in Rochester,  NY

Fred Maloney's sister, M. Frances (Aunt Frank) is listed in the 1920 census as living in the city of Jackson, MI on line 9.

M. Frances Maolney in 1920 Federal Census in Jackson, MI

Hawkins in the 1910 Federal Census in Michigan

In the 1910 Federal Census for Michigan, my great-grandmother, Sarah Weed Maloney, Hawkins, is still living in Leoni Township and (I assume) still on Hawkins Road. The Hawkins family is shown on line 37 and consists of: John Hawkins, Sarah, and two children, Harold and Alice.  In a few of the census years women were asked how many children they had had and how many were still alive. Although the printing is somewhat difficult to read, it looks like Sarah had had eight children and six were still living. I have only been aware of six; three with my great-grandfather, Francis Maloney, and three with John Hawkins. Here is the census page:

John W. Hawkins Family in 1910 Federal Census in Leoni Township. MI

Here is the other John Hawkins family also living on Hawkins Rd. (line 62)  I am not completely sure what the realtionship between this John H. Hawkins and John W. Hawkins is.  Also listed on line 76 is the McGill family, the family of my grandfather's first wife - Jennie McGill.

John H. Hawkins Family in 1910 Federal Census in Leoni Township, MI