We were on the Panorama Terrace well before sunrise, drinking coffee with the usual coffee klatch characters. The sunrise was not a particularly spectacular one (there was a cloud bank sitting right at the horizon), but, when it finally peeked through the clouds, it did so with streams of sunbeams, something I always find beautiful. We sat there, and sat there (thankfully I limited myself to one slice of stollen (#10 of the season), an egg white veggie omelet and a couple of Cutie clementine tangerines) until we could sit no longer. I spent some time swimming while G used the hot tub for the first time today (it turned out to be a two hot tub visit day for him).
This was amusing...the GPS locators on my photos showed our progress across the North Atlantic Ovean
At 10:15am, I went to the first culinary show we've seen this season. Our Mediterranean cruises with their two sea days each were not conducive to holding any non-essential sea day activities. Maitre d' Oscar showed up wearing new jammies (a minion), and he was harious. The only problem with attending the cooking demonstration is that it makes one very hungry for lunch, especially when we could see it being prepared as we toured the galley. Honestly, seeing those huge pots filled with scalding liquids makes me wonder how in the world the galley team was able to prepare and the dining team serve all those meals on our roughest days at sea. They are a wonder.
Executive Chef Amadeo and Maitre d' Oscar
Saiteesh. Marco, Ferdinand and Tommy- all favorites of ours
So we did go to lunch in the Club Restaurant (gazpacho and calamari for me) but went to the pastry extravaganza in the Panorama Buffet for dessert (pavlova). We sat out on the Panorama Terrace enjoying the sun and the warmth and, for the hundredth time were thrilled that we are not disembarking tomorrow morning. Europe was spectacular but for these two beach lovers, the best is yet to come.
I returned to the cabin for a final hair coloring session and took a few minutes to pack away my jacket and hats and gloves and clogs and heaviest clothes and pull out the (very) few shorts and t-shirts I had brought from home. Finally, I took advantage of G's second visit to a hot tub to give myself a manicure and am ready for the next cruise, looking a little travel worn but generally respectable.
We went to dinner simply to say goodbye to our next door tablemates and not one bit hungry. Dear Sally handed me a bag stuffed with all sorts of goodies, including Christmas earrings and a coloring book and water color pens. What fun! We really have met the nicest people on these cruises, particularly this transatlantic crossing. I think that, in some ways, we all feel like survivors.
The entertainment tonight was a (very young) saxophone player Andrew Preux, who was really superb and played some more contemporary music (which was much appreciated). Backed by the Pacific Princess showband, it was a good and different type of final show of the cruise. We settled in with Jere Ring in the Casino Lounge and he started the night by playing Christmas carols. Jere and I tease the heck out of each other, but he spoils me by playing songs he knows I love (his Do You Hear What I Hear is a particular favorite of mine).
We move clocks back one final time tonight and will be on EST, at least for tomorrow. We'll eventually move them forward an hour when we get to the islands and so will spend most of the Caribbean cruise in the same time zone we've been in since Bermuda. We are currently less than 100 miles from Fort Lauderdale and our excitement is starting to build. We have so much to look forward to tomorrow, and for the 13 days of cruising after that.
Life is good. :-)