We were kind of hoping for a Seaview Pool day, but after going outside for our morning walk, we found it was very windy and quite wet. One side was worse than the other as we rounded the corner. Few people were outside, but we stayed long enough to get in at least one mile. Not only do you get wet from the rain, but the tender boats overhead tend to drop even more water because you have to walk under them. The lanai lounge pads were totally soaked, making them unusable.
You never would have guessed that we were crossing the Equator today, as we always associate this area with extreme heat and humidity. Last night we had a message delivered to our rooms explaining that there would not be a King Neptune Ceremony this time, but we could be reassured that he had gracefully pardoned one and all until we cross again in the spring. No, we will not lose any sleep over this one.
So this morning was dedicated to photo sorting and fact collecting to complete yesterday's activities on the island. To enhance the experience, we turned on the re-make of the movie, Papillon, which was released in 2017. There were not too many scenes that looked familiar, so we suspect it was filmed elsewhere, as most movies are these days. And it seemed long, compared to the Steve McQueen depiction many years ago.
The highlight of the day had to be the very first Sunday Brunch Sampler in the dining room at 11am. Unlike the Sunday Brunch on the Tales of the South Pacific, this was a 3 course set menu, served sampler-style. There were at least a dozen small servings of a variety of food….some breakfast, some lunch. Sometimes, many of the offerings are seafood and shellfish, which one of us cannot eat. So it is a waste of food in that half of it is thrown away. We ended up going to the Lido around 3pm for our usual salads and shared pizza. Our buddies Bill & Leta came by, and we had a nice visit. On most sea days, they know they can find us at the pool, but with the inclement weather, we have only made it back there two days so far. Oh well, we will not be getting a surprise sunburn, so that is good.
Some of the Grand World Voyage collector's merchandise was unveiled today in the shops. Or should we say, outside the shops. For some reason, the sales people are using the area where we like to sit and listen to the Ocean Quartet before dinner. It is an attempt to get people to see the t-shirts and such as they exit the casino. Speaking of the casino, we sure have not seen a lot of players in there. On the last trip, there was not an empty slot machine, or a seat at the tables almost every night. This is a whole different crowd for sure.
With the football games being shown in the Sports Bar as well as on our TV's, many folks have been watching those, including us. By the time Super Bowl arrives, it will be party time for many fans, regardless of who is playing.
Dinner was fun with our group back together. Barb had been invited to the Pinnacle Grill with close friends, but she was back tonight. We all agreed we have the best tablemates, even nicer when we all have known each other for several years now. The closest to a fish entrée was paella, so one of us ordered an entrée salad, and the other a meatless spaghetti. Both tasty and on the lighter side for a change. Greg and Heo have been finishing their meals by 9:30pm, so they can attend the show. The rest of us stayed behind and chatted the night away. Tonight the entertainer was a comedian/musician, John Bressler, his second time around. We chose to catch the last half of the Seahawks@ Packers game instead.
Ready for tomorrow's port of Belem, Brazil, even though most of the attractions will be closed.
Bill & Mary Ann
Monday, January 13, 2020
Report #67 Day at Sea January 12, 2020 Sunday Cloudy with rain & 85 degrees
