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11/17
A day at sea. Restful, peaceful, playful. Always something to do and no pressure to do it. It’s an informal night, coat and tie, and I’ll wear my special cruise tie.
Dinner dreadful, the worst meal yet. Nothing from which to choose and the only credible choices – all shrimp – not very good. Even the Scampi was pretty godawful, grilled shrimp with little flavor and a risotto held together with school paste instead of cheese. The evening’s entertainment was a man who plays the trumpet and the piano and the body parts and looks like a Peter Allen clone, even playing piano with his left leg up in the air. Left it after two numbers and joined Robbie and Celine in the Crow’s Nest bar for drinks and laughter. Much better choice.
11/18
A day in Salvador da Bahia. Fabulous place! Robbie, Bob and I went ashore in the early morning and wandered around the old city, the Pelourinho, for a few hours. We shopped, visited 16th century churches and people watched. I bought some music, some souvenirs, and in the afternoon we took a bus tour of the larger city. It was very interesting to see some of the finer neighborhoods and hotels, see the beautiful ocean-side beaches. (Note: Bob and a friend overlooking the port of Bahia; click to see them large.)
A formal evening, tuxedos and gowns again. One more free gift (my third) from the ship and one more good meal, although the caviar - finally offered - was generic lump fish and not much in the portion-control - you could count the eggs without trying. I added a serving of escargot as well. Main course was lobster and/or filet mignon (I had both). There was the usual, and expected, Baked Alaska dessert.
The evening show was number four, and a new one, with a reported $100,000 collection of Bob Mackie costumes. He made out like a bandit on this job.
11/19
A final day at sea. Porpoise and whale watching, lots of container ships and freighters in the area, and even a few oil rigs. A party in the crow’s nest this afternoon and some time spent straightening out the bill. Lunch in the dining room with Louis, Ira and Ira’s cousin Batami from Israel. All in all a very pleasant day with a few silly moments thrown in for good measure, especially photographing Robbie and Celine lying down on the dance floor in the ocean bar photographing the ceiling frieze of nudes.
More work than should be done on a ship filled with passengers. Our cabin reeked of fuel fumes all day, but its gone now. Health concerns on this vessel should be the passengers’ and not the line’s. Dinner was less than memorable and the clouds obscured the southern cross which Bob and I discovered out on deck last night.
Tomorrow: RIO. Four days there and then the long trip home on Thursday night, just in time to miss Thanksgiving.
Will try to communicate one more time before taking the overnight flight!!
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