At Sea

April 30, 2016

I had another night that I found it hard to fall asleep.  I had a song running through my head and I was trying to figure out what the name of the movie it came from was (I could remember almost everything about the movie but the title) .  After an hour I got up and tried to look it up on the internet but the ship's system wasn't working.  Back in bed for another hour of tossing and turning.  Got up at 2 and tried again and was able to get online.  Once I had the title I fell right asleep.

There was a travel trivia by Kainoa, the location guide, at 9:00 in the Crow's Nest.  It was really hard and dealt with places we had been and/or his talks about Polynesia.  Susie won with 14 - I had 9(out of 26).

1. Where was Amelia Earhart headed when her plane disappeared?
2. What year did Captain Cook arrive in Hawaii?
3. What does Moorea mean in the native language?

Sit and Stitch was next (and in the same place).  About seven were present.

Because of a number of afternoon events, trivia was at 11 (again in the same location).  Five of us played and we had 11 1/2 out of 16 (the same as the artichokes) but the winning team had 12.

1.The Rhodesian Ridgeback was originally bred to hunt what animal?
2.The record temperature was 134F set in 1913.  Where did it happen?
3.How much is a bullseye worth in darts?
4.How many hours a day does a typical sloth sleep - 4, 14, or 20?

The "Whatever Floats Your Boat" contest was held at 11 also so I missed it.  I did get to see two of the boats by the Lido Pool later.

The Lido featured a "Seafood Extravaganza" for lunch so I had crab legs and shrimp.

We were supposed to meet for Bunco at 1:30 but only three of us showed up so we sat and talked instead.

Name That Tune was at 3 by the Seaview Pool.  The weather has turned cooler with temperatures in the mid-60s and mostly overcast.  It felt nice sitting by the pool however.  The topic was Elvis songs.  We (really Susie and Louis) had 5 correct but the winning team had 9.  They were tough and I was never much of an Elvis fan.

I had a snack of tortilla chips and cheese sauce instead of my usual ice cream while I sat by the Lido pool and read.

Six of us played trivia.  We tied another team (not the artichokes) with 14 and we actually won the tie breaker!

1.What was Samuel Beckett's first play?
2.What are the two official languages of Vatican City?
3.What element is last on the periodic chart?
4.Which US President made a major faux pas by kissing the Queen Mother on the lips?
5.For which movie did John Wayne win his only Oscar?
Tie breaker - About how many gallons of water does an average person drink in a lifetime?

Tonight was the last Gala Night.  Our table had fun taking numerous pictures with everyone's cameras.  I had the Surf and Turf and cheesecake for dessert.

On the way back to my cabin I stopped in the casino and actually won $15.00 on the slots (that's a lot for me!).

The show was "Ever After" which I had seen last year so I did not go again.

Pictures from the Seafood Extravaganza

Two of the boats in the contest

Dinner table 163

Travel trivia
1.Howland Island
2.1778
3.yellow lizard

Morning trivia
1.lions
2.Death Valley
3.50
4.20

Evening Trivia
1.Waiting for Godot
2.Italian and Latin
3.Zirconium
4.Carter
5.True Grit
Tie Breaker - 16,000 (we guessed 12,500 and the other team guessed about 8000)

Smooth sailing until next time!

At Sea

April 29, 2016

Busy day!  I was contemplating getting out of bed about 9 when the phone rang.  It was Barbara from the front office saying that the $29 for the Pinnacle Grill dinner had been credited to my onboard account.  After that I was awake so I got up and got my laundry ready to send out.

Went to Sit and Stitch about 9:45.  There were only about seven present.  Word went around that the Internet was working so I quickly logged in and posted yesterday's blog (minus pictures)  before it died again.  I stayed until 11:15 and then went to lunch in the Lido.

For lunch I had a made-to-order Chef Salad and a bag of chips.  Then back to the Crow's Nest for afternoon trivia.  Sherita, Susie, and I played but only had 8 correct - the winning team (not the Artichokes) had 13.

1.Orange peels sprinkled in a vegetable garden will repeal which household pet?
2.Bagpipes were originally made from the whole skin of what animal?
3.What was Tokyo formerly known as?
4.What was unique about Einstein's last words?
5.In England, what is a "Bap'?

From trivia, Susie and I went to HAL trivia.  She won a goodie bag.  Next was "Name That Tune" and the subject was the British Invasion. (Last year the British Invasion included Amy Winehouse and Queen among others.  At least Jorge got the right decade for the British Invasion.) We had 11 correct but the winners had 13.

At 3:30 we had our second Cruise Critic meet and greet.  About 50 attended and Captain van Eerten came and spoke to us.  Unfortunately some people brought up grievances that should not have been included in that setting.

I had an appointment with the Future Cruise Consultant at 5:00.  I bought a future cruise credit and also made a pre-booking for the 2018 World Voyage!

Six of us played evening trivia but we only had twelve.  Two teams tied at 13 - guess who won?

1.Who wrote "The Importance of Being Earnest"?
2.Which was the only group to have two top ten best selling singles in the 70s?
3.How many official languages are there in Switzerland?
4.How many US states border the Pacific Ocean?
5.Which was the first culture to use paper for blowing their nose?

All seven were present for dinner but Heinz is still not feeling 100% yet.

Tre Bella performed again but I skipped it because we lose another hour tonight.

Captain van Eerten

Afternoon trivia
1.cats
2.sheep
3.Edo
4.it was spoken in German which his nurse did not understand so nobody knows what they were
5.a roll

Evening Trivia
1.Oscar Wilde
2.Bee Gees
3.4
4.5
5.Japanese

Smooth sailing until next time!

At Sea

April 28, 2016

I was pretty much useless today.  I watched the Morning Show and skipped Sit and Stitch as I was very slow getting going today.  The gray skies and rain did not inspire me to be vert active.

I went to the lecture called "Hot, Hot, Hot, the Music of the Caribbean" by Angela Schneider at 11 am.  It was interesting to learn about the beginning of genres like Reggae and the development of the pans (or steel drums).

Had to leave the lecture a little early because we were meeting for a Cruise Critic lunch at the Pinnacle Grill at 11:50.   Because of the lunch, Susie and I missed 1 pm trivia.  I had the hamburger which was only OK in my estimation.  I had the same starter and dessert as last time so no photos of that.

After that huge lunch (which I did not even finish) I was ready for an afternoon nap.  I tried to get on the internet but after a half hour of getting on, getting kicked off within a couple of minutes, logging on, getting kicked off, etc. I gave up and took a nap.

There was an unusual Culinary Trivia on a sea day at 4.  Susie and I played with three others.  The topic was cheese and we were able to get 12 answers (I knew 2) but the winning team had 13.  I then spent another fruitless half hour trying to get on the Internet before I gave up.

1.Chevril is French for cheese from what kind of milk?
2.What is a turophile?
3.Name four cheeses native to the US?

I had purchased a dinner at the Pinnacle Grill prior to boarding but then received a free one from my travel agent, so I went to the Front Office to see if I could get the money I had already paid credited to my onboard account.  Although it took about 10 minutes she was able to do it.
The man next to me was asking about the lack of access to the Internet.  The lady was trying to tell him there had been no reported problems.  I spoke up and said I had not been able to get on  all day either.  She then made a call and came back with the we were out of range of the satellite.

It was then time to get ready for dinner at Le Cirque.  I never realized until I was onboard (and booked) that the Cruise Critic lunch and Le Cirque were on the same day.  I really wasn't very hungry after the huge lunch but I'd paid for it so I went.  There were supposed to be five of us but one Cruise Critic member wasn't feeling her best so there were only three.  The food was very good and I think the creme brûlée was the best I have ever had.

We were finished by 8:30 so I went to the Crow's Nest for 80s Name That Tune.  The winners had 14, we had 13.  We played with Carl and Linda and after trivia was over we sat and talked with Jorge, the Show Host, for about an hour.  I then went to the Indonesian Crew Show.

When I returned to my cabin there was a little gold box with two truffles in it and a note thanking me for eating at Le Cirque.

This entry is late because the Internet was still not working as of 12:25 am on the 29th.

The burger from the Pinnacle Grill lunch

Le Cirque monkeys

Lobster salad starter

Chateaubriand

Creme brûlée 

Creme brûlée recipe in the bottom of the dish

After dinner treats

Box with two truffles (that were really good!)

Pictures from the Indonesian Crew Show

Culinary Trivia
1.goat
2.lover of cheese
3.jack, American, brick, and Colby

Smooth sailing until next time!

At Sea

April 27, 2016

As I was getting ready to leave my cabin this morning there was a "Bright Star" call (medical emergency) to a cabin just a few doors down.  When I left the cabin there were at least six officers around the cabin door.  Hopefully, it was not anything too serious.

About seven for Sit and Stitch today (we had to move because a large group of German speaking people (we have a number of Swiss as well as some German onboard) getting directions on arriving in San Diego.

I left about 11:15 to change into my bathing suit.  The "King Neptune Ceremony" (also known as "Crossing the Line") was to be at 1 p.m. and I figured I would be cooler in my bathing suit.  After lunch in the Lido I went out to claim a spot by the Seaview Pool.  I arrived just after noon and I was only able to get a second row seat.  The good part was that it had grown overcast and it was not nearly as hot or muggy as the last few days.  I sat and finished reading my book while waiting.

This was my third ceremony but it is fun to watch the "pollywogs" (those who had not crossed the equator before) be judged by King Neptune, kiss the fish and then get mucked up with all sorts of nasty smelling food products before being pushed in the pool or having to sit and let the stuff dry on them.  Once it is over, they are officially "shellbacks".  There were pirates to make sure the pollywogs did not escape judgement (and also to dump ice on them).  On HAL only members of the crew take part in the ceremony while on Cunard some passengers can actually take part.

Since the Seaview pool was now a mess, I went to the Lido pool.  The water was sloshing nicely in the pool and it was quite warm - I stayed in about 45 minutes.  Since it was overcast it was cool enough to sit and listen to some music on my MP3 player without broiling.

There were six of us for evening trivia (no afternoon trivia because of the ceremony and a wine tasting scheduled at the same time).  We had 12 correct but the artichokes won with 13.

1.On what day of the week was John Lennon killed?
2.What was Mother Theresa's given name?
3.What do you call a cluster of bananas?
4.What is the text of an opera called?
5.What is the first word in "Citizen Kane"?

All seven of us were present for dinner.  I had pork loin which I left most of because it was very fatty.  The strawberry sundae was delicious, however.

I went to the show which featured Dick Hardwick, a comedian/musician.  He was actually funny and I don't care for many comedians.

We lose another hour tonight.

The fish was a moon fish that had been caught in Papeete

The officers who stayed far enough away to make sure they did not get thrown in the pool

Two pictures of the pollywogs getting slimed with goo, some of which was made with eggs and ground up fish (no wonder they smelled so bad!)

Jorge really did not want to kiss the fish

King Neptune, his queen and one of the Pirates

Judge Mario

A mermaid, the fish, King Neptune, the Queen, and Mario

(Don't know the woman getting her picture taken with them)

Evening trivia
1.Monday
2.Agnes
3.a hand
4.libretto
5.Rosebud

Smooth sailing until next time! 

At Sea

April 26, 2016

The Internet was very slow last evening and my pictures would not upload so about midnight I gave up and went to bed thinking as tired and achy as I was, I would fall right off to sleep.  How wrong I was.  I tossed and turned and still could not fall asleep.  At one am I decided to see if I could finish my blog entries.  The Internet was zipping along (for a ship) and I was able to get both parts of entry up.  I then had time to look on Facebook and catch up a little on the world voyage blogs I am following,

At 2 I decided to try for sleep and this time fell asleep quickly.  Woke up about 10 and watched the morning show as I got ready.

About seven of us were at sit and stitch.  At 11:15 I left for the Mariner's Lunch.  The captain and the cruise director welcomed us.  The menu was almost identical to last year's with only a few different vegetables or garnishes.  I ate with four roll call members and a lady by herself.  The food was good and the service prompt.  HAL gives a ceramic tile for the Mariners.  I did not get one last year but now have one.  The tiles are designed by the famous maritime artist Stephen Card and are made by Royal Goedewaagen which has produced Delftware in Holland since 1610.

After lunch it was time to prepare for our Cabin Crawl.  The six cabin hosts were invited to Jacqui's suite to get the information for the cabin crawl and poker run.  About 35 people participated in the cabin crawl, touring in groups of 4 or 5.  It took about 45 minutes for all the groups to make it through my cabin.  We ended with a meeting in the Crow's Nest to determine the winner of the poker run.

It was about 3:30 when we finished so I went up to the Lido to read and have my afternoon ice cream.  Today's soft serve was raspberry.

Because of the cabin crawl I could not go to afternoon trivia so I was more than ready for evening trivia.  Four of us played and we lost to the artichokes in a tie-breaker.

1.What is the most popular breed of dog in the US?
2.What does the "C" in JC Penney stand for?
3.Who defended the Boston Strangler?
4.Who expected to be paid £2000 pounds for the surrender of West Point?
5.Which female group had the most top 20 hits?


Tonight was another Gala Night.  Once again most people were dressed nicely.  I had the filet mignon and fruit for dessert.  We had a hosted table again with one of the medical officers, Judy, and her husband Steve, a retired police officer.  They were a very nice couple.

For whatever reason, somebody thought it was a good idea to have the Officers' Black and White Gala in the Crow's Nest.  The place was packed and had to be at least 85F.  I only stayed a few minutes.  Last year it was held in the theater (Vista Lounge) and you could actually see the officers as well as having plenty of seats.

Mariner Lunch menu

Crab, Shrimp, and Avacado Timbale

Braised short ribs

Coconut creme brûlée 

The tile

Loads of people at the Black and White Gala

Couldn't really see much it was so crowded

Evening trivia
1.Labrador
2.Cash
3.F. Lee Bailey
4.Benedict Arnold
5.Supremes


Smooth sailing until next time!

Taiohae, Nuku Hiva

April 25, 2016

Today was another one of those days that I can say, "Been there, done that, don't need to do it again."  But more on that later.

We were supposed to arrive at 10 am and my tour was supposed to start on the dock at 10:30.  Since the long wait a couple of days ago for a tender, I was afraid I would not be able to make it.  So, last night I had talked with some Cruise Critic friends who were on an earlier tour to see if they could take me with them on the early tender.  That was no problem.

As it turned out we arrived much earlier at about 8 am.  Going over with my friends I actually arrived on the dock about 9:15.  The island had just finished building a shelter (last Friday) with benches so I was able to sit in the shade (yes, I said shade - the sun shone all day!) with a nice breeze until we were ready to go.

There were supposed to be 22 of us but a few did not show.  There were also a few who had booked separately.  Because we were in a group, our tour was 6500 xpf (French Polynesian francs) or about $65.  Those who booked on their own paid 7500 xpf.  The ship was charging $129.95 for their tour that did not include all the scenic spots ours did.

There are no large tour buses on the island (there are no large roads) so almost all the tours are done in people's personal 4-wheel drive vehicles.  Most tours went with about five vehicles and one English speaking guide.  We would go to a viewpoint, every one would get out of the vehicles and listen to the guide.  Then back into the vehicles and repeat.  Many of the vehicles were high off the ground and I would not recommend this for anyone with knee problems or back problems because the roads are fairly bumpy.  Also if you get motion sickness you might not want to try it because there are many hairpin turns as you wind your way up and down the mountains.

One of the views we had was where one of the tribes was located when Survivor: Marquesas was filmed here a number of years ago.

We went to one ancient site that I was not going to go to because the ground was very uneven and you had to cross a bridge made with four large logs strapped together.  One of the vehicle drivers said no, I had to go and she held my hand and helped me across the bridge and up and down the large stepping stones.

Before heading back we had a bathroom break and a chance to buy a cold drink (did I mention it was hot and muggy?).  Our last stop was at the Roman Catholic cathedral.  Although cannibalism has been practiced in the Marquesas up to at least 20 years ago, the majority of people were converted to Catholicism by missionaries in the 1800s.

I am glad I took the tour because the views were unbelievable but I don't think I will ever feel the need to go inland if I come here again.

I waited in line about 20 minutes for a tender to return to the ship (there is only room for one tender to tie up at a time).  I was the next to the last person to get off the tender and the lady in front of me fell badly as she was getting back on the ship.  It took a few minutes to get her up (she uses a walker) and I was a bit surprised that they did not take her name and cabin number.  I realize that somewhere in all the small print of the contract you sign away your rights but even still it might have been good relations to at least call her later and ask how she was.

I was back on board about 4:15 and hungry so I decided to give the Dive-in a try.  Many people on Cruise Critic love the burgers and fries - I only find them so-so.  Today, however, I was so tired and hungry they tasted good.  I grabbed an ice cream cone before heading for a cool shower.

I dragged myself to trivia although I could easily have fallen asleep instead.  Six of us played but we only had 11 correct.  Three teams tied with 12 with the artichokes ultimately winning.

1.What polar animal got its name from the Swedish words for "horse" and "whale"?
2.Which nation produces more Major League Baseball players per capita than any other?
3.What organization did the USSR start to counter NATO?
4.Who was the first actor to sign a million dollar Hollywood deal?
5.What dog name means "faithful" in Latin?
Tie-breaker #3. How many verses are there to the Greek National Anthem?

I walked very slowly to dinner as my back was hurting from all the bouncing about and hauling myself (sometimes with help) in and out of the van.

Only six for dinner as Heinz was feeling bad from his day in the sun.  I had steak and a delicious raspberry sorbet.  As I was leaving the dining room I put my key card on top of my iPad - a certain kiss of death for the card.  I went down to the Front Office and got a new one.

The show was Tre Bella (three female singers) but I was way too tired to go see the show.

We set our clocks ahead 30 minutes again tonight.

My view while waiting for the excursion

Some homes we passed

A stream with a sporting event field

Another home

A view of the new elementary school - when students reach 15 they are sent to boarding school in Tahiti

We saw many horses along the side of the road

Our vehicle (looks better than it rode!)

Above are some of the amazing views from the overlooks

A banana tree - can you spot the seed pod?

A very old banyan tree.  There is an 1872 picture of this tree showing it with human heads all over it (the dead were not buried but dried out)

Three pictures from the historic site

Two pictures from the rest stop which was right on a black sand beach

Trivia
1.walrus
2.Dominican Republic
3.Warsaw Pact
4.Charlie Chaplin (nobody believed me)
5.Fido
Tie-breaker. 158!

Smooth sailing until next time!