Mon 25 Nov- we had to get up early to have breakfast; everything closes about 8 am, and we were supposed to vacate our rooms by then. Our departure was scheduled around 10 am, so we went to the library and read our books.
Disembarkation was smooth, wait for a taxi was short and before noon we were at Ft. Lauderdale airport. We checked with the Southwest agent, and managed to get on an earlier flight. We arrived in Denver, had lunch, got on another plane, and arrived on time in San Jose. Amazingly all our luggage made it, too. Alan was ther to pick us up.
On the way home Kiyomi requested a stop by Nijiya, the big Japanese supermarket. After nine months, she had an overwhelming urge for mizudake, a Japanese soup made with lots of vegetables, so that was our first meal at home.
So ended our grand trip through Europe: safe at home, healthy and with all our luggage.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Mon 24 Nov- Our last day of the cruise
Mon 24 Nov- we enjoyed the final buffet breakfast, and then walked the deck to enjoy the nice weather as we steamed toward Miami. Stan had finished 'The Singularity is Near' and had started on Thomas Friedman's 'The World is Flat'; so he was trying to finish as much as possible before disembarkation, while Kiyomi was trying to finish her book. We enjoyed the Horizon Lounge for a while, and then played Held in the Game Room.
Although the Regatta had nominal Internet access, it was $1/minute, a rate that just didn't justify using the Internet, especially considering the very slow connection speed (satellite link - cable is not available at sea!). We did make an exception and checked in at Southwest for our flight tomorrow, and just that cost about $10. We enjoyed the last String Quartet performances.
Dinner tonight was at the Tuscana, an upscale Italian themed restaurant, where we had an excellent Italian dinner, complete with olive oil and balsamico (which we now appreciated after our tour of Tuscany) with the bread, freshly-made pasta, and Stan had the dessert quintet special, similar to the Polo Grill, it's a selection of five Italian desserts
Although the Regatta had nominal Internet access, it was $1/minute, a rate that just didn't justify using the Internet, especially considering the very slow connection speed (satellite link - cable is not available at sea!). We did make an exception and checked in at Southwest for our flight tomorrow, and just that cost about $10. We enjoyed the last String Quartet performances.
Dinner tonight was at the Tuscana, an upscale Italian themed restaurant, where we had an excellent Italian dinner, complete with olive oil and balsamico (which we now appreciated after our tour of Tuscany) with the bread, freshly-made pasta, and Stan had the dessert quintet special, similar to the Polo Grill, it's a selection of five Italian desserts
Sun 23 Nov- Jacques Pepin cooking demonstration
Sun 23 Nov- after breakfast, the enrichment lecture was 'The Environment and You', in which Derek pointed out the need for taking better care of our environment, emphasized by the photo of the small-looking earth as seen from the moon. There was not much disagreement about the need to be good custodians of our world so we can leave it in good shape to our descendents.
The final Jacques Pepin cooking demonstration was enjoyed by a large number of passengers; many, including Kiyomi, got autographed books or DVDs after the demo.
We had an early dinner so we could listen to the String Quartet for a longer time, then attended the show 'Salute 2008', which featured not only all the entertainers, but also the officers and crew from all departments of the ship. There was mutual appreciation expressed between the officers and crew, and the passengers, and an 'Auld Lang Syne' rendition by everyone.
The final Jacques Pepin cooking demonstration was enjoyed by a large number of passengers; many, including Kiyomi, got autographed books or DVDs after the demo.
We had an early dinner so we could listen to the String Quartet for a longer time, then attended the show 'Salute 2008', which featured not only all the entertainers, but also the officers and crew from all departments of the ship. There was mutual appreciation expressed between the officers and crew, and the passengers, and an 'Auld Lang Syne' rendition by everyone.
Sat 22 Nov- Hamilton, Bermuda
Sat 22 Nov- after another nice buffet breakfast, we decided to walk to the Bermuda Botanical Garden (http://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=852). Once we left the center of town, it was a very nice walk (except for lack of sidewalks) through pretty lush countryside. It's surprising how well everything grows, considering the soil is mostly limestone. The garden was very enjoyable, not just a compilation of plants, but an enjoyable layout with interesting areas, including a small-scale example of four different types of gardens. We got our exercise for the day walking there, walking around the garden, and then walking back to the ship. The ship departed for Miami as we watched from the rails. We enjoyed another great dinner and String Quartet music.
Fri 21 Nov- Hamilton, Bermuda and Stan's birthday at the Polo Restaurant
Fri 21 Nov- when we awoke and went for breakfast, the sea was much calmer. We decided to play Held and read in the Horizons Lounge. During and after lunch, we were approaching our port, Hamilton Bermuda. We sailed past beautiful tropical islands with lush vegetation, and fabulous mansions with yachts anchored in front.
After the ship docked, we disembarked and walked around the town. We found a flower shop where we bought Casa Blanca lilies for our cabin, and also picked up maps with tourist attractions. The GPS did not know about Hamilton, but we saved the ship's location so at least we could head back in the right direction. Hamilton is an attractive, clean town (a map and tourist info is at http://www.lookbermuda.net/bermuda.aspx?id=8002&client=undefined, and has a nice park downtown next to the library, the Par-La-Ville Park. We walked around for a couple of hours, then returned to the ship for the Quartet and then dinner.
We had dinner in the Polo Grill, a separate restaurant on Deck 10, which specializes in meat dishes. The view of Hamilton was beautiful; they have already started putting out Christmas decorations, and it is quite pretty. Stan had the 'Surf & Turf', beef and lobster; Kiyomi had the New York Steak; both were excellent; and we had Asti Spumante to go with it. For dessert, Stan had the special quintet of desserts, a little taste of five of the items on the dessert menu. It was a very enjoyable meal celebrating Stan's 66th birthday.
After the ship docked, we disembarked and walked around the town. We found a flower shop where we bought Casa Blanca lilies for our cabin, and also picked up maps with tourist attractions. The GPS did not know about Hamilton, but we saved the ship's location so at least we could head back in the right direction. Hamilton is an attractive, clean town (a map and tourist info is at http://www.lookbermuda.net/bermuda.aspx?id=8002&client=undefined, and has a nice park downtown next to the library, the Par-La-Ville Park. We walked around for a couple of hours, then returned to the ship for the Quartet and then dinner.
We had dinner in the Polo Grill, a separate restaurant on Deck 10, which specializes in meat dishes. The view of Hamilton was beautiful; they have already started putting out Christmas decorations, and it is quite pretty. Stan had the 'Surf & Turf', beef and lobster; Kiyomi had the New York Steak; both were excellent; and we had Asti Spumante to go with it. For dessert, Stan had the special quintet of desserts, a little taste of five of the items on the dessert menu. It was a very enjoyable meal celebrating Stan's 66th birthday.
Thu 20 Nov- another rough day at sea in the Bermuda Triangle
Thu 20 Nov- We awoke to another rough day; we were again glad our cabin is amidships. Some passengers had trouble sleeping, and we noticed a number of seasickness remedies, including a bracelet that applies pressure to the wrist and Dramamine or Bonine patches. Oceania@ sea put on a 'The Amazing iPod' presentation, showing the timeline of the iPod from its first appearance to this year. It really illustrates Ray Kurzweil's thesis in "The Singularity is Near" that the rate of adoption of new things like cell phones and personal music devices is accelerating. A cooking demo by Jacques Pepin was scheduled for immediately after, but had to be canceled due to the rough seas; Kiyomi and many other passengers were disappointed. Maybe it has something to do with our traveling through the Bermuda Triangle
After our buffet lunch, Stan attended the enrichment lecture 'Man on the Moon'. It was quite interesting, illustrated by many photos.
The Art Seminar 'Spanish Masters' compared and contrasted Spain's two surrealist painters, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro. Stan and Kiyomi still don't like Miro, but understand his art a little better; we got an even greater understanding and appreciation of Dali.
The Regatta String Quartet played for Afternoon Tea, so we again enjoyed their styling. The after-dinner show was supposed to be Hanna Starosta in a new show, but the rough sea caused her to cancel. Instead, we got a show featuring several of the other singers, plus the Regatta Orchestra.
After our buffet lunch, Stan attended the enrichment lecture 'Man on the Moon'. It was quite interesting, illustrated by many photos.
The Art Seminar 'Spanish Masters' compared and contrasted Spain's two surrealist painters, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro. Stan and Kiyomi still don't like Miro, but understand his art a little better; we got an even greater understanding and appreciation of Dali.
The Regatta String Quartet played for Afternoon Tea, so we again enjoyed their styling. The after-dinner show was supposed to be Hanna Starosta in a new show, but the rough sea caused her to cancel. Instead, we got a show featuring several of the other singers, plus the Regatta Orchestra.
Wed 19 Nov- another day at sea - a Country Fair and 'Destino'
Wed 19 Nov- after breakfast, the crew put on a Country Fair. This is where they put up many games of skill and chance for the passengers to try their skill or luck, things like ring-toss, basketball toss, etc. We had more fun watching than actually participating. Some of the games were quite amusing to watch. Fortunately the sea had calmed somewhat.
After the buffet lunch there was an art auction preview, with free champagne to lure people in. Kiyomi and Stan would have attended even without the champagne inducement; there was a lot of interesting art to look at, by well-known as well as unknown (to us) artists. Stan likes Salvador Dali, and they had a special presentation of 'Destino' created by collaboration between Walt Disney and Dali, setting Armando Dominguez’s Mexican Ballad 'Destino' into an animated short based on Dali's art ( http://www.animationartconservation.com/destiny_of_dali_destino.html). There's lots more if you google the words: disney dali animated short.
The String Quartet played at Afternoon Tea, then workout, then yet another great dinner, followed by a comedy and magic show featuring Mark Worgan in a new show. Once again his act was very enjoyable, with hard to believe effects.
After the buffet lunch there was an art auction preview, with free champagne to lure people in. Kiyomi and Stan would have attended even without the champagne inducement; there was a lot of interesting art to look at, by well-known as well as unknown (to us) artists. Stan likes Salvador Dali, and they had a special presentation of 'Destino' created by collaboration between Walt Disney and Dali, setting Armando Dominguez’s Mexican Ballad 'Destino' into an animated short based on Dali's art ( http://www.animationartconservation.com/destiny_of_dali_destino.html). There's lots more if you google the words: disney dali animated short.
The String Quartet played at Afternoon Tea, then workout, then yet another great dinner, followed by a comedy and magic show featuring Mark Worgan in a new show. Once again his act was very enjoyable, with hard to believe effects.
Tue 18 Nov- a rough day at sea
Tue 18 Nov- the ship was rocking pretty vigorously, so getting breakfast was a challenge, avoiding other people who were also having trouble walking in a straight line. We managed successfully, and heard some of the passengers comparing this 'little roughness' to some real heavy seas they had encountered on other crossings. We were glad we were not on them! The enrichment lecture was about 'College Hall - RAF Cranwell', apparently Derek Clark's alma mater, which was also attended by both Prince William and Prince Charles. If you're interested, try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_College_Cranwell but the anecdotes told by Derek Clark were quite interesting. A cooking demo by Jacques Pepin was scheduled; Kiyomi and many other passengers were inspired.
The String Quartet didn't play at Tea today, so we spent more time in the gym, trying to burn off calories that have been building up and out from all the good food.
After replenishing the lost calories at another delicious dinner, we attended the show 'Collections' featuring Emily Garth (see http://hstrial-egarth.homestead.com/references.html for a bio and photos; she's also on FaceBook and MySpace.) You can hear her singing a few nice songs on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vLOSFSYe-Y
The String Quartet didn't play at Tea today, so we spent more time in the gym, trying to burn off calories that have been building up and out from all the good food.
After replenishing the lost calories at another delicious dinner, we attended the show 'Collections' featuring Emily Garth (see http://hstrial-egarth.homestead.com/references.html for a bio and photos; she's also on FaceBook and MySpace.) You can hear her singing a few nice songs on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vLOSFSYe-Y
Mon 17 Nov- another day at sea
Mon 17 Nov- after breakfast there was an Oceania@sea seminar on using the Internet to shop, then an art seminar on Picasso -'the artist who changed the world of art'. Then the buffet lunch, which features many delicious desserts and 8 or so flavors of ice cream with various toppings that Stan cannot resist; and cooked-to-order pasta that Kiyomi cannot resist. The enrichment lecture presented 'Travels of a Spaceman', which Stan found interesting, but Kiyomi skipped.
After the Afternoon Tea with String Quartet concert, and the trip to the gym, it was again time for another great dinner.
The show was a hilarious 'The Liars Club' presentation. We found out there is actually a phobia about getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_phobia_is_the_fear_of_peanut_butter_sticking_to_the_roof_of_your_mouth), among learning other interesting (but not very useful) words. The truth was often as fantastic as the lies.
After the Afternoon Tea with String Quartet concert, and the trip to the gym, it was again time for another great dinner.
The show was a hilarious 'The Liars Club' presentation. We found out there is actually a phobia about getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_phobia_is_the_fear_of_peanut_butter_sticking_to_the_roof_of_your_mouth), among learning other interesting (but not very useful) words. The truth was often as fantastic as the lies.
Sun 16 Nov- another day at sea
Sun 16 Nov- after breakfast there was a cooking demonstration by Jacques Pepin scheduled but a rough sea caused cancellation. The ship was pitching pretty vigorously, but fortunately neither of us got seasick. We kept busy playing Held and eating. The guest enrichment lecture by Derek Clark was "it's Rocket Science", a topic dear to Stan's heart, since he was a rocket scientist for 20 years, but Kiyomi decided to skip it.
After another delicious dinner we skipped the show (singing style we don't like) and listened to the String Quartet instead.
After another delicious dinner we skipped the show (singing style we don't like) and listened to the String Quartet instead.
Sat 15 Nov- Funchal, Madeira (Portugal)
Sat 15 Nov- today we docked in Funchal, Madeira (actually part of Portugal) for 8 hours. We went ashore after breakfast, with a shopping list that included flowers for the cabin and Port wine for after-dinner enjoyment. We walked around the town, enjoying the warm day, blue sky, kind of windy, but really quite pleasant. We found some nice flowers, but not the fragrant variety of the 'Casa Blanca' lilies we wanted. The flowers do add nice color and some pleasant fragrance to our cabin. We found some nice "Casa dos Vinhos Madeira" port, 3 bottles for the price of 2, so we bought that. It's really good as a sweet after-dinner drink. We walked back to the ship through Santa Caterina Park, enjoying the garden aspects and the nice view of the harbor and town below.
Back on the ship, we enjoyed lunch and later the String Quartet. We relaxed, reading our books and playing 'Held'.
The show (after anaother delicious dinner) was 'A Celebration of Music', featuring the vocal styling of Emily Garth, Kami Rodgers, Chris Shafer; and the music of the Regatta String Quartet and the Regatta Orchestra (all Russians, playing very jazzy arrangements of tunes).
Back on the ship, we enjoyed lunch and later the String Quartet. We relaxed, reading our books and playing 'Held'.
The show (after anaother delicious dinner) was 'A Celebration of Music', featuring the vocal styling of Emily Garth, Kami Rodgers, Chris Shafer; and the music of the Regatta String Quartet and the Regatta Orchestra (all Russians, playing very jazzy arrangements of tunes).
Fri 14 Nov- Jacques Pepin Cooking Demonstration
Fri 14 Nov- highlight of today was a cooking demonstration by Jacques Pepin, one of Kiyomi's favorite cooks. Master Chef Pepin is the Oceania's executive chef, and has many 'signature' dishes available in the dining room. He is onboard for our transatlantic crossing, and today gave a demonstration that was packed with interested passengers. The link connects to the KQED website, where Jacques records his shows for PBS. You can get lots of information there, including recipes and future programs schedule. Afterwards, he autographed cookbooks that were eagerly snapped up. Kiyomi got three total, one for her, and one each for our children.
We enjoyed the Regatta String Quartet performances, then had another delicious meal, and the hardest part was choosing among all the interesting menu items (the next hardest part was eating everything - there was sooo much and an irresistible desert came just as you felt you could not eat another bite!) Afterwards we enjoyed the comedy and magic of Mark Worgan 'Unseen by millions'. It was fun, his magic seemed like it wasn't working, but at the end, to our surprise, everything came out right.
We enjoyed the Regatta String Quartet performances, then had another delicious meal, and the hardest part was choosing among all the interesting menu items (the next hardest part was eating everything - there was sooo much and an irresistible desert came just as you felt you could not eat another bite!) Afterwards we enjoyed the comedy and magic of Mark Worgan 'Unseen by millions'. It was fun, his magic seemed like it wasn't working, but at the end, to our surprise, everything came out right.
Thu 13 Nov- Day Two
Thu 13 Nov- the ship docked at Tangier, Morocco but we stayed on board, enjoying the view of the city from a distance. We had been there on a previous cruise, and didn't need to renew our acquaintance. After a leisurely breakfast buffet, we played some ping pong, read our books, and played our favorite card game, 'Held'. It's a competitive version of solitaire that gets pretty wild at times (especially with more than two players). If you're interested, I'll try to find the rules (pretty simple, actually, if you know the version of solitaire it is based on).
Our daily schedule is usually Afternoon Tea at 4, then from 5 to 6 or so, a trip to the gym, where Stan rides the stationary bike, Kiyomi does the Stairmaster; then both of us do resistance training on the equipment. We burn off a few calories and enjoy the exercise. We enjoyed the gym and exercise quite a few times during the cruise, as well as walking around Deck 10 that overlooks the pool in one direction, and the ocean in the other.
After the gourmet dinner and listening to the Regatta String Quartet in the Upper Hall, we went to the show featuring Kami Rodgers in "Opera in Concert", a selection of arias that we both enjoyed, as did the other passengers.
Our daily schedule is usually Afternoon Tea at 4, then from 5 to 6 or so, a trip to the gym, where Stan rides the stationary bike, Kiyomi does the Stairmaster; then both of us do resistance training on the equipment. We burn off a few calories and enjoy the exercise. We enjoyed the gym and exercise quite a few times during the cruise, as well as walking around Deck 10 that overlooks the pool in one direction, and the ocean in the other.
After the gourmet dinner and listening to the Regatta String Quartet in the Upper Hall, we went to the show featuring Kami Rodgers in "Opera in Concert", a selection of arias that we both enjoyed, as did the other passengers.
Wed 12 Nov- Day one, at sea
Wed 12 Nov- the Regatta serves an extensive breakfast buffet, as well as a sit-down breakfast, which is served by waiters in the Grand Dining Room. We usually opted for the buffet at the Terrace Cafe, going for the fresh fruit, fresh bread, cooked-to-order eggs or omelet, and plenty of coffee (Stan added the cocoa mix to his, as might be expected).
After breakfast was an Oceania@sea presentation, 'Digital Camera and Photography - Tips and Tricks' presentation that Stan enjoyed, learning several new things. Then it was lunchtime, and we usually go to the Terrace Cafe for the extensive luncheon buffet; Kiyomi having pasta, vegetables and salad while Stan tries several of the desserts and ice cream with various toppings (usually including chocolate syrup).
In the afternoon there was an enrichment lecture 'Journey into Space' (or why you don't want to be an astronaut!) by Derek Clark of the RAF (retired). His talk considerd the effect on the human body of space flight, and the living and working conditions in a space microgravity environment. The talk then considered the uses of space, such as the Global Positioning System (which I used extensively in Europe) and space surveillance, before ending with a discussion of the Challenger accident. He had a host of stories, and lots of pictures about the early days of space travel.
At 4 pm daily is the Afternoon Tea, which features hors d'oeuvres and tea, but more interestingly, music by the Regatta String Quartet. The quartet is composed of 2 violins, a viola, and a cello. The performers are 3 lovely ladies and a handsome guy, all Russians, all professional musicians, playing all kinds of music, from classical to pops, and often very unusual and interesting arrangements. There is a photo here: http://hutchings.smugmug.com/photos/433158617_LCFmC-L.jpg. Stan made it a point to attend the Afternoon Tea daily to hear the quartet. On our trip over, there was also a Regatta String Quartet, but they were 4 different musicians, 4 lovely ladies.
I'm not going to do a thorough daily report on the food experiences; if you've taken a cruise, you know the experience; and if you haven't taken a cruise, imagine dining in a four-star restaurant. Suffice it to say each evening was a gastronomical adventure: delicious food in an elegant setting in the Grand Dining Room, served by attentive waiters. Each day had a different set of choices for appetizers; salads; soups; main courses; and desserts. Fortunately the servings were not excessively large; unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to decide on one each - sometimes Stan or Kiyomi just had to order more than one.
After dinner was the entertainment, first the 8:15-9:00 performance by the Regatta String Quartet, than at 9:45 the featured show. Tonight was Hanna Starosta, a virtuoso violinist. You can see a Hanna Starosta Promo at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL6Ap03twtc. She gave a rousing performance, similar to the YouTube performance. .
After breakfast was an Oceania@sea presentation, 'Digital Camera and Photography - Tips and Tricks' presentation that Stan enjoyed, learning several new things. Then it was lunchtime, and we usually go to the Terrace Cafe for the extensive luncheon buffet; Kiyomi having pasta, vegetables and salad while Stan tries several of the desserts and ice cream with various toppings (usually including chocolate syrup).
In the afternoon there was an enrichment lecture 'Journey into Space' (or why you don't want to be an astronaut!) by Derek Clark of the RAF (retired). His talk considerd the effect on the human body of space flight, and the living and working conditions in a space microgravity environment. The talk then considered the uses of space, such as the Global Positioning System (which I used extensively in Europe) and space surveillance, before ending with a discussion of the Challenger accident. He had a host of stories, and lots of pictures about the early days of space travel.
At 4 pm daily is the Afternoon Tea, which features hors d'oeuvres and tea, but more interestingly, music by the Regatta String Quartet. The quartet is composed of 2 violins, a viola, and a cello. The performers are 3 lovely ladies and a handsome guy, all Russians, all professional musicians, playing all kinds of music, from classical to pops, and often very unusual and interesting arrangements. There is a photo here: http://hutchings.smugmug.com/photos/433158617_LCFmC-L.jpg. Stan made it a point to attend the Afternoon Tea daily to hear the quartet. On our trip over, there was also a Regatta String Quartet, but they were 4 different musicians, 4 lovely ladies.
I'm not going to do a thorough daily report on the food experiences; if you've taken a cruise, you know the experience; and if you haven't taken a cruise, imagine dining in a four-star restaurant. Suffice it to say each evening was a gastronomical adventure: delicious food in an elegant setting in the Grand Dining Room, served by attentive waiters. Each day had a different set of choices for appetizers; salads; soups; main courses; and desserts. Fortunately the servings were not excessively large; unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to decide on one each - sometimes Stan or Kiyomi just had to order more than one.
After dinner was the entertainment, first the 8:15-9:00 performance by the Regatta String Quartet, than at 9:45 the featured show. Tonight was Hanna Starosta, a virtuoso violinist. You can see a Hanna Starosta Promo at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL6Ap03twtc. She gave a rousing performance, similar to the YouTube performance. .
Tue 11 Nov- Depart Barcelona, Spain for Miami, FL USA
http://hutchings.smugmug.com/ (photos)
Tue 11 Nov- we got up, had coffee and finished our packing. Ship boarding started from about 3 pm, so we had a last lunch in Barcelona at a nearby restaurant, Cafe Roma: a bottle of 'Senorio de Aldaz' rose; spaghetti with garlic oil; grilled cuttlefish with salad and fries; cost E35. It was quite good, a last taste of Europe in Europe - Italian food in Spain.
We did last-minute Internet work, then checked out of the Torre Catalunya, took a taxi to the port and boarded the Oceania lines ship Regatta. It was the same ship we took to Barcelona 8 months ago. The boarding formalities were unexpectedly smooth; a few minutes of check-in and we boarded the ship and were taken to our room.
Stan hurried to the library to check out Ray Kurzweil's 'The Singularity is Near', which he started on the way over. Fortunately it was still in the library. Kiyomi signed up for the Spa and Beauty parlor. Then we checked out the food - they were already serving hors d'oeuvres, and we wanted to sign up for the specialty restaurants: the Polo (specializing in beef and other meat) and the Toscana (specializing in Italian).
The ship 'set sail' for Tangier, Morocco, and we settled into our cozy inside cabin. We chose inside because in the event of rough weather, the inside cabins closest to the intersection of the three axes of rotation have the smoothest ride. Also, there is no porthole, so there is no dawn to awaken you; you just eventually feel you've had enough sleep and get up nicely refreshed.
Tue 11 Nov- we got up, had coffee and finished our packing. Ship boarding started from about 3 pm, so we had a last lunch in Barcelona at a nearby restaurant, Cafe Roma: a bottle of 'Senorio de Aldaz' rose; spaghetti with garlic oil; grilled cuttlefish with salad and fries; cost E35. It was quite good, a last taste of Europe in Europe - Italian food in Spain.
We did last-minute Internet work, then checked out of the Torre Catalunya, took a taxi to the port and boarded the Oceania lines ship Regatta. It was the same ship we took to Barcelona 8 months ago. The boarding formalities were unexpectedly smooth; a few minutes of check-in and we boarded the ship and were taken to our room.
Stan hurried to the library to check out Ray Kurzweil's 'The Singularity is Near', which he started on the way over. Fortunately it was still in the library. Kiyomi signed up for the Spa and Beauty parlor. Then we checked out the food - they were already serving hors d'oeuvres, and we wanted to sign up for the specialty restaurants: the Polo (specializing in beef and other meat) and the Toscana (specializing in Italian).
The ship 'set sail' for Tangier, Morocco, and we settled into our cozy inside cabin. We chose inside because in the event of rough weather, the inside cabins closest to the intersection of the three axes of rotation have the smoothest ride. Also, there is no porthole, so there is no dawn to awaken you; you just eventually feel you've had enough sleep and get up nicely refreshed.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
