Thoughts and more thoughts Tuesday March 12, 2013

THOUGHTS, THOUGHTS AND MORE THOUGHTS TUESDAY MARCH 12, 2013 PART ONE

While the cruise isn't over for a few more days and I still have Cabo to spend some time in and since today I am in a writing mood I thought – there is that word again – I would take some time and start putting some of those thoughts – stop it Dennis! - into words and into cyber space.

First off – a special thank you to some of the cruise critic people I have met on board the ship and special thanks to the following people. Anne, Barbara and Paul from south Florida who have been table mates for many dinners in the Michelangelo Dining Room and seat mates on some of Anne's tours. They are getting a special reward of a free dinner in the Crown Grill – the Steak House on this ship.

Penny and Marlene for putting up with me at morning coffee or during Trivia.

Wayne and Bonnie from Nevada – Wayne was the one who kept things flowing on the spread sheet for the past two years and Bonnie who took the time to stop and see how I was.

Don and Debra – follow Canadians – hailing from the Ottawa area – interesting discussing Canadian issues and ribbing each other about our hockey teams – me the Canucks and them the Ottawa Senators.

Garry and Nancy from the Greater LA area who while on Cruise Critic aren't very active - I had a chance meeting them in the hot tub early in the cruise and have spent time chatting with them – we are trying to arrange a dinner together before we hit San Francisco.

Tom, Joe and Mary Ellen from the Bay area – interesting conversations with them - Tom and Joe are a long time same sex couple – can't legally marry in California and Mary Ellen work with Joe as a court reporter for many years. While on the cruise Tom and Joe managed to sell their large condo in downtown S.F. For $50,000 over the asking price – since both are now retired they are moving to Williamsburg, Virginia where they also own a house.

Janelle and Phil from Brisbane, Australia – tour organizer in Lima and always willing to chat for a few minutes.

Janet and Lewis from Missouri and Clive and Margaret from Australia who often ate at the table next to me in the buffet.

Mary and Tom who organized my Fortaleza tour.

To the couple who I met on the train from Boston who I spent so much time getting to know that I haven't been able to remember their names.

There are probably others but these are the name players that have help me through this long cruise and helped cheer me up when as I have posted I was having one of my down days.

MEALS:

I won't comment on the quality of the food as that is always a subjective subject but as I like to say – ANY MEAL THAT I DON'T COOK IS ALWAYS A GOOD MEAL.

BREAKFAST – after about the third or fourth day I found a home for breakfast at the International Cafe on deck 5 – they have light pastries and a coffee bar not unlike Starbucks and at times as busy as them.

I settled into having two apple like turnovers and a chocolate donut – I became such a regular that Jhoel – he pronounces it Jonathan would see me coming and have the plate ready for me.

LUNCH – on sea days I would vary it - some times in the buffet – where I tended to over eat and other times in the Crown Grill where they offered a English style pub lunch – I would have Fish and Chips - also took advantage of the pizza slices up on the pool deck and the delicious cheese burger and fries offered at the Trident grill on deck 14.

DINNER – when I wasn't eating with Anne and company in the restaurant it would be the buffet – they varied their menu – I like potatoes – half of me is Irish – but I have never seen so many names and types of potato dishes as I have on this cruise and believe me I tried most of them.

I also was a regular at the ice cream bar – enjoying a vanilla soft cone most days after lunch.

Cookies – when I had no junk food available - were my “treat”

As for beverages – with the morning meals it was usually just water and for the remainder of the meals - water and diet pop.

For the most part any adult beverages I consumed them in my cabin while reading a book or working on editing my photos and video.

End of Part One.