Cruise Day 3

Friday February 25

Cruising the Atlantic Ocean

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I am a bit frustrated. Tried before going to bed to get yesterday's pictures uploaded to the computer and again first thing this morning. No luck. So, no blog.

Still very windy. The sky was blue and we found seats for breakfast in a shady spot. Good thing because soon it was overcast and we even saw rainbows. One on the left and one on the right but both showing only the right side. Funny. I could not get the photo when it was the brightest. Pretty. Good thing we set in the shade (under cover) because suddenly it rained for a short moment. The waiter laughed. "Welcome to the Caribbean". Over all it was a nice day.

Of course after breakfast we set out to get some steps. We try to do that on the upper level around the pool. Looking at the pool we saw that it was being drained. Because of the wind it was a bit rocky and the water in the pool had high waves. It was shortly after 9 am. 

It was not as windy as the day before and we saw that the ropes at the bottom of the stairs to go higher were gone. We decided to use the Fitness Track up there. A change!

When there was a short shower again we had fled a level down under cover and decided to play a card game. I was losing seriously in the beginning but at the end I lost only by 4 points. Oh well. We like it when it is a bit more equal like that.

We were not really hungry (surprise, surprise) but went. Soup and salad is always good. At 2 pm I had to be at the Artist Studio. I had signed up for some reverse painting on a glass plate. I decided learning a new technique for something one can do with friends sounded like fun. There are 3 sessions and there are actually 3 classes. The first one was already fully booked and I got the last spot in the second. 

12 places were ready with apron, tools and material and each place had a name on a sheet of paper to identify who had done what.

So, you paint on the backside. And actually of course you have to do first what you normally would do last. I am not that happy with what I did because the best ideas came later. But it will be what it will be. 

Here is "my effort" at the end of the first session. 

The back side.

The front.

He explained that the next step at the next session will totally change the look anyway. He had sheets of colored paper to give us an idea.

While I was making "art", James went for more steps. He also went on the hunt for some outlet converters. We could not believe when we arrived that almost all outlets in our room were european. None for USB cables and only two for American electric plugs which are so close together that you can only use one at a time. And, ha-ha, even the provided hairdryer needs the USA one. They seemed to be surprised at the  reception desk, were very nice but could not help. James' hunt was fruitless. Sigh. If we had only known ... at home we have a whole drawer full from all our travels. 

The rest of the afternoon we were lazy and just read. I, of course, tried my luck with the internet every once in a while. I could not get myself to complete my goal of the daily step count.

When it was time for dinner we stopped for a while to listen to the string quartett again. I think I have already mentioned that they are awsome. Not so nice ... other people were there too having a drink and talking quite loudly. 

At dinner we had a table for 2 again. By chance (?) it was the same one again as the night before. A prime spot one. Lovely. The service people are just so nice. Everybody seems to know our names by now. 

The sommelier seemed a bit disappointed that we didn't want any wine but James had a Guinness and I a Newcastle beer. We just felt like it and it fit the meal.

I tried to be better today. 4 courses really is a bit much. We selected each course very carefully. With my steak I had very nice veggies instead of french fries. 

We didn't do the timing well enough and we were finished a while before the 9:15pm show. James read some more and I actually walked around the pool enough times to finish my goal. I was totally by myself.

The show was incredible. Just awsome. We said to each other already that on this cruise the entertainment is our best yet. Today it was Martin Kaye, a pianist from Manchester England. "Fireball" is the best word which comes to my mind. The enthusiasm and the energy is just phantastic. Obviously he is known by many except us. He played Jerry Lewis in a show called "The Million Dollar Quartet". When we are back home and have internet I need to look him up. He was also very funny.

Did I say that he not only played incredible tunes jumping up and down and with his hands behind his back, he also sang running through the ailes. 

When we left the showroom we also talked to the 4 boys from England from the night before. One is from Bournmouth. He knew Christchurch where one of James' sisters and family live very well.

Right after there is a show in the Horizons with the same band/singer as before, just every night a different theme for the songs. And we thoroughly enjoyed that too. Goodness, we are turning into night owls. But the Entertainment Director told us we could sleep in. We are not at the harbor before 11am.