Thursday and Friday, October 17 and 18, 2019 - At Sea heading to Cabo

Thursday and Friday, October 17 and 18, 2019 - At Sea, heading to Cabo San Lucas

Fresh flowers in the suite!

Last evening, decided to go down to Earth and Ocean (a casual dining venue on the pool deck) for a light meal, which turned out not so light!!   This meal was actually a milestone for me as it is the first time I've dined solo outside of my suite.   Daunting, but with the help of my laptop, some Words with Friends, and checking up on emails, the experience was not too painful!  The waning light, together with beautiful clouds edged in soft orange color as the sun went down was truly beautiful. 

  

On my promise to myself to try to eat lighter today - well, almost made it.    On the menu last evening was a healthy grilled salmon atop a bed of stewed green lentils - and it was delicious - but the salad undid my austere dietary goals! . . . heirloom tomatoes topped with fresh Burrata (a large portion).   OMGosh!   It was so delicious, ate every bite!!   Took only one caramel cookie to my suite when finished dining, and enjoyed that to the last crumb - even licked my fingers.   Am going to try to get the recipe for these cookies, as they are perhaps the best cookie I've ever tasted.

Then watched a couple of movies.  The first - Amazing Grace - a documentary of a young Aretha Franklin recording gospel music in a church - music was awesome and choir was equally awesome - not for everyone, but good for me as I do appreciate and enjoy gospel music.   The second movie was so awful so as not to be at all memorable - can't remember what it was called, or who acted in it!

This morning, Thursday, am sitting in Seabourn Square checking emails, bringing this post up to the minute, enjoying a vanilla latte and watching the ocean go by.   Later on we will begin a new round of Team Trivia - should be fun.  Think I'll try to catch a lecture this morning -  interesting topic - Anthony Maingot will present "General Overview of Mexican History and its Relations with the US:  A Case of Love-Hate Relations".   This one could go anywhere!!

Completely unrelated, there is a painting in one of the ship's corridors, painted on a semi-folded pleated and sideways window shade.  When seen straight on, looks like this:

However, when viewed from the left, and then from the right looks like this:

  

Very clever!

I did attend the lecture and left half way through.  The speaker obviously hated the United States, Mexico is wonderful and one of the best places on the planet – culture, opportunity, etc.  Though am not one to ask tough questions publicly, it was on the tip of my tongue to ask why, if Mexico is so wonderful, do thousands and thousands of their citizens risk their lives to enter our country illegally.  Will try to attend another lecture, but may leave half way through once again!  This is why I always sit at the back of the room!!

Yesterday turned out to be an exercise in patience for me!   I joined a couple from Maine for lunch out on deck.   They were very nice, BUT . . . did a bit of complaining about Seabourn, though his complaints had warranted "things getting fixed".  What was “best” about the time I spent with them was the fact that they were true “Maineacs” – her term!   Really strong Maine accent, so much fun to hear, BUT. . . every statement she made was punctuated with a look at her husband and “Isn’t that right, John” – truly every sentence!

In the evening dined with the Chief Engineer - had to when I saw the invitation, because his first name is Adolfo!!! Small table, total of five, and easy to converse.   When speaking about future cruises, mentioned that I would be again on the Sojourn for the last leg of the world cruise, Sydney to San Francisco, in late April, 2020.   One woman insisted that I’d booked incorrectly.  This ship would not be going to San Francisco after Sydney, but heading to Alaska.   Everyone agreed with her.   I quietly took out my phone and checked Eric’s emails to me.   Found the one that had my booking and when appropriate, said that I’d checked and was indeed going to be on this ship as stated.   She looked at me like I was brain dead!!

After dinner I went up to the Casino and in conversation, asked Stelios, the casino manager if he could check (on his computer) to see where the last leg of the World Cruise would be on Sojourn.   He confirmed my data.   Guess who should come in to the casino later – YEP! – same lady.   Told her I’d checked, and my data was truly correct!   She is still not a believer!!  EXHAUSTING!!!

Her traveling companion turned out to have spent some of her formative years in Los Altos – small world - so we reminisced about some of our old haunts.   Always amazes me how small this world can be!!

Tomorrow was to be my first excursion off the ship in Cabo San Lucas - an all-day catamaran cruise, with snorkeling in a secluded cove where we could view lots of tropical fish.   I reread the description and noted that there was a maximum age stated - UGH, again!  Believe the age limit is because one has to climb down a ladder to enter the water, and then up the ladder to get back on the boat.   Though I could probably do this without too much strain, it wouldn't be fair to others if I became a problem.  Am seven years over the limit.   Don't know why Seabourn let me book it!   So, I did cancel and though it is too late to get my money back, Seabourn Services informed that not too many people had signed up for this cruise so it would probably be cancelled - then I will get my money back.   Though, if not cancelled, I might protest their keeping my funds!

Weather is balmy today, but the sky is barely blue, with lots of light cover.  All sun lounges are filled with baking bodies.  Seas are calm.  Nice sailing.   

Our trivia team at its second day on this leg is in a solid third position (out of 10 teams) - we are now "The Colonials", our team being made up of mostly Kiwi's and Aussies.   Nice folk!  Here's a great exercise:  Since the inception of the Summer Olympics in the 1860's up to present time, name the top ten medalling countries - names of countries as they are now named, not as they were years back.  Our team got eight out of ten - not bad.  For the answer you can check https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1896_Summer_Olympics_medal_table/

Went down to The Club for my customary glass of wine before dinner, and was pulled into a conversation with the Master of the ship, Captain Hamish Elliott.  The lady who hadn't believed my itinerary for April 2020 immediately asked the Captain about my supposed trip on the Sojourn from Sydney to San Francisco!!!  I smoothly interjected that I was most happy to be joining the Sojourn again in several months in Sydney and would be sailing home.  Really!!!   Captain Hamish will be ending his time on Sojourn and leaving the ship in Sydney for a two-month rest.

Tonight I dine with the Destinations Manager, Ben Luckx - interesting spelling of last name!  Has a Belgium origin.  More on the dinner later.

Six persons at dinner tonight - again, great people - Ben a very good host!   Then on to Casino - tonight had quite good "skills" at the Blackjack table - HAH!