A day at sea was most welcomed today by most everyone we knew. The temperatures remained on the cool side, but that was also most welcomed. We know that in a few days, we will lose the coolness in the breeze, the low temps, and almost cold interiors of the ship.
After breakfast, we took our deck walk, finding most all of the teak lounges full of cruisers. It had been several days of touring and exploring for everyone, whether in port or overland, and now we had some time to do nothing if we chose.
We are so far behind with reports, that we went back down to our room to work on that….and photos. For some unknown reason, only six of the pictures are getting posted to each report. We sure hope this gets resolved soon.
Lunchtime came fast, so we went to the dining room for a change. Susie and Woody were at their table for two, and we waited for Barb, who joined us at 12:15pm. She is on a trivia team, and the game ends about then. The menu is always good for lunch, not just sandwiches. The starters can be the best such as breaded chicken tenders, and crispy salads. There might be fish and chips, a burger, or a pasta. All in small portions. Or even smaller, if you order the mini-version.
There was an article for the Mondesa Youth Opportunities, the charity that the passengers raised money to donate to. The final amount came to $9,738.50. This will be presented to the group of children and their sponsers at a special concert while we are in Walvis Bay tomorrow.
Barbara H gave her talk on what to see and do in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Even though we have been there on past trips, we still like to listen to her lectures. She gives many little tips, something new at every port, and we can never learn enough.
New speakers are onboard. George Sranko, who spoke about the deserts, and Valerie Mock, who dealt with the whaling industry.
Having made some progress with our homework, we relaxed across from the Ocean Bar to listen to the Ocean Trio. Susie and Woody joined us, while Barb trotted off to Name That Tune with piano man, Jamm. She has the best time there.
Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill. The theme was Tamarind, the Asian inspired menu. Last year on the world cruise, they offered a one page Tamarind meal with limited choices. This year, they have the full menu that you can find on any large HAL ship. We do hope that they will see fit to continue this venue on next year’s world cruise. Anyway, we ordered several appetizers to share, and the wasabi-crusted steak. It just about melted in our mouths. The stack of tempura onion rings was a nice change from the usual potatoes. Dessert was great too. One fortune cookie and one chocolate special filled us to the brim….again. This was the final evening this venue was offered, and it was sold out.
There was one problem with our reservation tonight. We had reserved our usual table by the window, but it was still occupied. This couple had begun their dinner at 5:30pm, and were still there at 8pm. We waited for 15 minutes, then Tina, the manager, seated us temporarily nearby at a small table. It wasn’t until 8:30pm before our table was vacant, and we were transferred there. Now, we wonder if there is a time limit for diners at high end restaurants anywhere else? There seems to be a hesitation to say anything to people who drag their feet. It’s one of those “rules” that is understood, but not written.
The entertainer this evening was Brett Cave, back with an all new show. Since we missed his performance the first time, we assume he is a comedian. However, we were still eating dinner when his show began, so we missed it again.
Tomorrow, we will be in another African country…..Namibia.
Bill & Mary Ann
