Africa & Europe, Spring 2024

Talking animatedly, we drove off and it was not long before we found 7 lions. They were fresh off a kill, a small giraffe, and were recovering. They were lying about, breathing fast, and looking lazy. We had time to identify an old male, a young male, and 5 females. Hope we got some great pictures. As we were sitting there enjoying the lions we could hear elephants trumpeting in the distance. Landon decided to go and have a look. We found a huge family of elephants feeding and playing. It was fun to just watch and some came up very close to the vehicle. From this part of the reserve, we traveled on and soon found a leopard resting under a tree where he had hidden his fresh kill, a full size impala. It is so amazing how a leopard can drag something that is heavier than themselves high up into a tree. We were able to watch for a while before another vehicle came and we needed to share our amazing view. We saw a lone water buffalo in the riverbed and that gave us 4 of the big 5 on our first drive. This could NOT be better. When we stopped at sunset for cocktails, Jacky played bartender. The view was lovely, and the colors intensified as the sun disappeared. We drove back to camp and had time to clean up a bit before we had dinner. Our chef John had prepared a true feast of small dishes. We enjoyed each one as it was presented and I wondered why we don’t eat like this at home, taking time to truly appreciate each taste. We had springbok as an appetizer and our entrée was filet de Eland. I was not sure how I would feel about eating the animals we had been photographing but they were delicious. Not gamey or tough but rich in flavor. After dinner we waddled to our beautiful room and settled in for the night. Now back to our room. It is huge with the most glorious views from our private patio. The bathroom is out of a magazine with a deep claw footed tub and an indoor and an outdoor shower. After a long soak in the tub for both of us we settled in for a deep sleep. The end to a perfect day!!

We had a great lunch, including kudu, before heading out on the afternoon game drive, our rhino hunting expedition. Our first stop was to see some giraffe that were munching on the treetops. The female was a lighter color, but the male was deep mahogany color. From there, we traveled to get to the area where the rhino was last sighted. Along the way we saw a huge bull elephant that Landon had not seen before. He had the longest tusks any of us had ever seen. We enjoyed watching him munch as we moved around to get better shots. The one animal in the big five that we were not sure we would see because of all the poaching was the rhino. It was such a treat to find a huge male and be able to observe him without anyone else around. He was massive and just a bit skittish of the vehicle, but Landon and Jacky managed our position so we got great shots and he did not feel threatened. After all the pictures were taken, we stopped for cocktails. It is always fun to stand around and chat and today Jackie shared his wife’s use of natural remedies and how well they worked. We arrived back at camp and Tandy greeted us with warm towels and a welcome drink. We went to the room and dropped off cameras and hats and headed to dinner. They had us set up in separate rooms for anniversary dinners. The table was lovely and we had a fire going. Chef John introduced each of his dishes and each one was more delightful than the last. The main course was fillet of warthog with roasted veggies enhanced by a pesto vinaigrette. It was delicious and I asked Chef how he knew what temp to cook warthog. He said he always went with medium. The dessert was a chocolate extravaganza and the perfect end to a perfect day.

After our respite we drove back to camp which took much longer than I expected. We had driven much further than I thought. Back at the camp we had breakfast, yogurt, fruit, and frittatas today. It is another warm and sunny day, and we sat by the pool and journaled and uploaded pictures. As happened yesterday, a nap was in order so we retreated to our room. After nap time we went out by the pool and journaled until time for lunch. We were joined by 4 more people, Bill and Ann from Scotland and 2 young gentlemen from Brazil. After a delicious lunch we got our gear for our afternoon game drive and the newbies went with another driver. Landon and Jacky had found some African wild dogs earlier in the week and wanted us to see them. We have seen the big 5 multiple times the last few days, but these dogs are the most elusive and the most endangered. We drove a good distance from our usual area and found the dog’s den. There were 4 dogs and this is a new pack. There were pups in the den that we could hear but mom did not bring them out. We are so blessed to have been able to see them. In all our safaris ,this is only the second time seeing the dogs. We had our sunset cocktails in the savannah before we started the drive back to Geiger Camp. We thought we were lost but suddenly we came to a lantern lit area with tables and the smell of great food. We were having a bush dinner, a boma! What a lovely surprise. Chef John had prepared a fabulous meal and we had music and dancing. We sat with Landon, Jackie, Peter, and Jen and of course we were the last to leave. Back at the lodge we talked to the new folks for a bit before heading to our room for our nightly bubble bath and a peek at our pictures for the day!

After we had eaten ,we went to our room to upload pictures and look over them. We soon found our eyes closing and we took a nap before showering and heading out to the pool to journal and enjoy the view. After a nice shower I journaled and caught up to our morning drive. We had a wonderful lunch including very tasty ribs before gathering our cameras and heading out on our afternoon drive. Landon’s girlfriend Gabby joined us and we took off to the far reaches looking for a white lion. On our way we saw wildebeest, 2 huge elephants, and some dikdiks. The road was rough, and we had to hold on. We made it to the area where the white lion had been spotted but even with Jackie on foot tracking, we were not able to find that particular lion. We were slowly driving down the road and Gabby spotted the lion pack lying among the trees. Landon and Jackie both missed them and we had driven past. We backed up and to our amazement it was 10 lions not just 1 or 2. They were beautiful, strong, and very healthy looking. We were able to just sit and watch as they preened, then slowly one by one took off. It was an impressive site to see 10 lions walking in a row on the road and then in the bush. The pack separated and some went one way and the rest another. We were deep in the bush following them and suddenly it was dark and Landon said he and Jackie were not familiar with the area and we needed to find our way out and head back. We decided not to stop for cocktails but made a straight trip back to the lodge. On the way back we saw a side-striped jackal. Back at the lodge we said our goodbyes to Gabby and headed in to freshen up for our dinner at the Chefs table. We arrived at 7 and were escorted to the kitchen. We got to enjoy Chef John’s food and watch him prepare it. He is so meticulous in his presentation. It was a joy to share this experience with him. The Kudu fillet was the highlight but my second fav was the tortellini with shaved parmesan, truffle oil, pine nuts, and chiffonnade of basil. What a marvelous day!

We had time to freshen up and empty the safe before we headed out to say our goodbyes. All the staff came out to say goodbye and soon we were on our way to Motswari to settle our bill and get our ride to the airport. We said sad goodbyes to Landon and Jackie and started the 1.5 hour trip to the airport. We made it safely and had time to sit for a while before we boarded our Air Lift flight to Cape Town. The flight was uneventful and soon we arrived, got our Uber, and made it back to the Radisson Red at the V&A waterfront. We checked in, retrieved our stored luggage, and took all our bags to the room. We then went out for a walk and to get some dinner. We were sleepy by the time we made it back to the hotel. We cleaned up and were in bed before 9.

It was a beautiful day and when we made it back to V&A waterfront we walked thru the mall and into some of the local shops before going back to the hotel to rest our feet. On our way to dinner we talked to our friend Elliot that works at the hotel. He said he was off tomorrow but would have his friend take care of our bags the next day. At dinner time we went to Quay 4 and had a delicious seafood meal. Back at the hotel we spent time getting ready to board the ship tomorrow.

Today we awoke to the delivery of our coffee and showered and went to the dining room for breakfast. There were very few people eating and we had a window seat where we could see the 8 to 9 foot waves. The ship has been rocking and rolling since we left Cape Town. After breakfast we went to the enrichment lecture by Dr. Sherry Hutt. She was a wonderful speaker, and we learned a lot of the history of the area we will be seeing in 2 days. After the lecture we worked on our scavenger hunt, and we mistakenly thought it was going to be too easy. There are some images we cannot figure out and believe me we have tried. Oh, well there are other sea days to continue the hunt. We love to do this and appreciate the swag we can get with our Big O points. We went to the cabin and got our dirty clothes ready for the laundry. We took them up and there were 2 machines available. I put them to good use getting our safari clothes clean and ready for our shore excursions. I ironed the few things that needed pressing and put the clothes in the dryer before we went to the dining room for lunch. This time it was busier. The service was slower, and I ran to the laundry to get the clothes while we were waiting on our entrees. After lunch Hugh went to the afternoon enrichment lecture by Dr. Peter Grant-Peterkin while I ran to the spa for a drawing for $500 spa credit. I didn’t win and joined Hugh in the lecture on the history of the Cape trade route. This was very interesting, and the Dr. is an entertaining speaker. We headed to the cabin to journal and work on pictures but ended up taking a nap. After our nap we showered and dressed up for the captain’s welcome cocktail party. We sat with a lovely English couple, and we were having so much fun we went to dinner with them. We were seated with another English couple who were also lovely but had a very strong accent and were a bit hard to understand. We stayed and talked until time for the show. We all headed to the showroom and the singer was fantastic. He could change from Tony Bennett to Engelbert Humperdinck, and you would think a new singer was on the stage. We can’t wait for his second show. It was off to the cabin to read.

We had lunch at Waves and then headed out for walk in Luderitz. We walked straight up the hill to the church because not only is the church lovely but there is a great view of the town. We have been here before, but we still enjoyed it. From there we walked through the town with a stop at the museum before we headed back to the ship. We took a short rest and then went to Horizons to enjoy the view as we sailed. We took our computers, and we were getting some things done until the ship started rolling a bit and typing was making us a bit queasy. We went to the cabin and continued our journaling and picture editing until time to dress for dinner. We headed to the dining room and while we were standing in line a Maître De asked if we were a party of 4. It seems they were looking for a party of 4 to take a table in the specialty restaurant Toscano. We decided with the couple in front of us to take it. We went to Toscano and enjoyed sharing stories with a lovely couple from Florida who were originally from Haiti. They lived in Dubai for 6 years and had lots of stories to share. We had a great meal and just made it to the show at 9:30. Tonight our entertainer was a magician/comedian. He was good but not as great at the singer from last night. We headed back to our cabin around 10:30 and prepped for our bicycle tour in Swakopmund tomorrow.

Our driver picked us up here and we drove to a home where we had a traditional meal. The meal consisted of black-eyed beans..aka black-eyed peas, spinach, and Mopane worms which are considered a delicacy and are served with oshikundu, Namibian polenta. We tried everything and even enjoyed the fermented drink that is a stable in the local homes. We were also served some nuts and fruits that I cannot identify for dessert. After the table was cleared we were entertained by an A Capello group that performs for money and shares their gain with others who need a helping hand to get off the streets. They were amazing and we could have listened for hours. We then drove to Swakopmund for a city tour. We walked around the city and saw the municipal building and the lighthouse as well as local stores and restaurants. The palms here are the largest we have ever seen. Then it was back to the ship where we rested and then had our face to face immigration clearing. We showered and dressed for dinner. We had a lovely meal with a couple from California who had lived all over the world due to his work. We barely made it to the showroom for the cast production “Good Lovin”. It was a fun show and after the show we were informed that we gained an hour of sleep. It was off to read and relax for us after a busy day.

Today is the first of 3 sea days and we are trying hard to establish a good routine. Up for coffee at 8 and then off to the dining room for breakfast. Our next stop was the lecture on the area where we are traveling and the history that made it develop the way it has. The speaker is wonderful and we enjoy each one she does. Then it was off to the room to change into exercise clothes and then up to the gym. I stopped at the spa on the way and booked a massage for later today; I took advantage of the 20% off special. We exercised hard, Hugh doing the machines and me following Rebecca’s workout plan. From the gym we walk our mile before going into the Terrace for lunch. This was our first time here this trip and we enjoyed the selection on this, the ship’s buffet restaurant. We looked around for more of our scavenger art clues but came up empty. It was time for the afternoon lecture so we headed to the showroom. This lecturer is very animated and a pleasure to listen to no matter the topic. Today he spoke on the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. He brought out stories of her life that we had never heard. We both agreed it was very informative and entertaining. I went for my massage and Hugh went to the library to work on pictures. I met him there after my most-relaxing massage and we went to the cabin to rest before dinner. We showered and dressed and went to listen to the string quartet. Our timing was terrible. After just 2 songs they took a 45 minute break. We decided to head into the dining room, again our timing was off and the line was very long. We were seated with 2 ladies from California, and it was not a very stimulating evening. After dinner our timing was better, and we were able to listen to the quartet before heading to the showroom for the show. It was Chris Richie the singer we liked so much the other night. He put on a great show and we were sad that he will be leaving the ship at our next port. It was off to bed for us and some time to journal and read.

After drinking coffee and tea in our cabin, we went for breakfast in the dining rom. This is a lovely way to start a day, good food and service. Doctor Sherry’s lecture at 9:30 was excellent as always. From the quiet of the showroom we headed to the cabin to change and join the herds walking on deck 10. We walked until we were sweaty and then heady to the gym for our workout. We are trying to be good but it is hard. For lunch we ate in the Terrace so we did not have to change clothes. We then went to the afternoon lectures and then we journaled in the library before going to the cabin for a shower. At 5:30 we went to the church service and then listened to the strings quartet until dinner time. We played cards after dinner and then went to the show. Tonight’s entertainment was the magician and this show was ok but not great.

This morning we awoke with the idea of changing our routine. We dressed for breakfast and found ourselves at the main dining room…so much for change. Next up was the enrichment lecture and then quess what?... we changed up our routine and went to the chef’s demo. We enjoyed this very much. Can’t wait to try some of the dishes at mealtime. Next up was exercise. We are trying very hard to get some gym time each sea day. We walked our 2 miles and then headed to the gym. We worked out hard and then headed to the room to shower. We had lunch in the main dining room and then went to the afternoon lecture. We had time for rest before time to dress for dinner. We decided to really change things up and play cards in Horizons before dinner and then we ate in the Terrace. Buffets are not our favorite but it was a nice change. We then headed to Horizons for Brain Teasers. The teams seemed to be already set so we formed our own 2-man team. The questions were varied and we got 13/16 and finished in 3rd place. We played some mor Kings on the Corner before heading to the show room for the string quartet performance. We were very surprised that they sounded so much better in the large room than in the small space where they usually perform. It was off to the cabin for us and journaling and editing.

We showered immediately and then headed to the Terrace for a late lunch. After lunch we tried to get some journaling and pictures done but found that we were so sleepy form the heat that we had a short nap. We did some work and the dressed for dinner. On our way I stopped to ask if we could go to a specialty restaurant and we could, Toscano at 6:30. We had cocktails and listened to the string quartet until time to eat. In Toscano we were seated with 2 lovely couples and we had lively conversation and delicious food before the show. Tonight’s show was the Nautica cast in Gatsby, music of the 1920’s. It was fun and energetic and we enjoyed it very much. Back in the room I did get a little journaling done before the eyes became too heavy.

Today we truly broke our routine and had breakfast in the Terrace and then we went to the morning lecture on Togo. We have been there before and we saw all the things she talked about. We liked hearing about the history and how the country is changing and growing. After the lecture we changed into gym clothes and went up to get our walk in and then our time in the gym. We got in a good workout and then went back out to walk and watch the shellbacks and polliwogs, aka people who have not crossed the equator on a ship, get inducted. King Neptune makes you beg and then you have to kiss a fish and be dunked. Today they just poured water over everyone. It is fun to watch and each ship does it a little different. We were hot and sweaty so we stayed near the pool and had lunch at Waves. We then took our computers to the library and edited pictures. It is amazing how long it is taking us to get through our game drive shots. The first of the afternoon lectures was on Charles Lindberg and it was very illuminating… who knew he had 9 illegitimate children from women he had affairs with. These children were all German and the affairs took place while he was helping the Germans right before WWII. Controversy on top of controversy. The next lecture was on Ghana and Ivory Coast and it was wonderful to see the changes in Ghana from 2010 when I was last there. I look forward to seeing a totally different port of Ghana than what I have seen before. After the lectures we went to the cabin and read and rested before showering and heading out to listen to music. We were seated with a lovely couple from Arizona and we talked until the dining room closed. We just made it to the show which was two South African entertainers who did a fabulous job singing Motown. They got a standing ovation and everyone left happy.

Once we had completed our walk we waited a short time for the shuttle to the ship. Back on board we washed our faces and hands and headed to a late lunch. After lunch we got serious about journaling and editing, and I can say I am caught up. When Hugh finished what he needed to get done we realized we were very tired. We went to the cabin to rest, read, and I even got a load of laundry done before time to shower and dress for dinner. This ship has been very casual with people showing up in the main dining room in clothing choices I have not seen on Oceania before. We dress each night in country club casual and often feel overdressed in comparison to our table mates. Tonight, we were seated with 2 lovely ladies, both who were avid travelers, and loved hearing their experiences. We all declined dessert and had time to listen to the strings quartet before heading into the show. Gabby, one of the cast, did her one man show, and she did a great job. Her choice of music was optimal for her voice and range. After the show and a cocktail, we headed to the cabin. See you tomorrow in Ghana!

From here we travelled to Bingerville and the Musee Charles Alphonse Combes. This museum houses the works of Combes, a French “Master” painter, sculptor, and writer who was born in Paris in 1891 and moved to the Ivory Coast in 1925. Once in Africa he established the Applied Arts of Bingerville to teach students… it is now the Technical Center of Applied Arts where the museum is located. The museum houses 91 pieces of his work. Our next stop was The Orphanage de Bingerville. The orphanage is housed in the old governor’s palace, a beautiful colonial building that is falling into ruin because of lack of funds. It began as a home for children orphaned by war or “bastards” of colonial soldiers mixing with the population. Today it houses 200 boys and girls. We were saddened to see these precious children in such poor surroundings. The rain started in earnest as we drove away, but our fearless leader took us to the botanical garden anyway. This garden began in 1904 as the private garden of the governor. When the capital moved to Abidjan it became a trial garden for growing plants brought from other subtropical regions. It is lush and rather wild and probable not at its best in the rain although we walked a great deal of it. It was now well past lunch time when we arrived at the restaurant. This tour had a bout 16 busloads and we were one of the last to arrive. They ran out of seats and had to hastily but up a table outside and get some food for us. Not the best idea to overrun a restaurant with this many people. On our way back to the ship we stopped at the Akwaba Artisans Market. Hugh stayed on the bus and I walked through. It had art and textiles and lots of Knick knacks that we do not need. There was a lot of haggling going on and a lot of people had bags as we reboarded the bus. Back on the ship we showered and played cards while listening to music. At dinner we sat alone and enjoyed the quiet. The show tonight was one of the cast and our assistant cruise director, Ian Charles. He did a great job on a medley of Broadway hits. It was off to bed after the show. It was a very long day!

This morning we awoke and planed for a usual sea day. It was breakfast in the dining room, lecture at 9:30, and then the chefs’ demo at 11. The unexpected change in our itinerary was Hugh started vomiting and having diarrhea about 10:30. He felt like sitting for the chef’s demo but did not feel like going to the gym. We went to the Terrace for lunch and I ate very lightly and Hugh skipped it altogether. We went to the track and got some steps in before going to the 2 pm lecture. We went to church at 3:30 which was well attended. Afterwards Hugh napped and I read until time to dress for the Captain’s cocktail party. We dressed in our party clothes and greeted the Captain and enjoyed some cocktails. We sat with a lovely couple from the UK. We were called on stage to receive our platinum pins and be recognized. Usually when we are dressed so nicely we go to the dining room but we went up to the Terrace and again I ate very lightly and Hugh Had some coke and bread. He still was not feeling well at all. We headed to the cabin after dinner forgoing the show. By the time I dressed for bed I was not feeling well. A short time later the vomiting started for me. We had a horrendous night with no sleep and frequent trips to the toilet.

After a horrid night Hugh called the medical center and the nurse came and checked our vital signs and gave us some Imodium pills. We stayed in bed all morning trying to stay hydrated and get better. We both slept on and off all morning. At lunch we had bread and some lemonade and actually made it to the afternoon lecture. By dinner we again ate very light and skipped the Captains cocktail party this evening. It was back to bed for us. We are learning that a lot of people are sick on the ship, almost certainly form the lunch in The Ivory Coast that about a half or more of the passengers attended.

At the simple building that housed the National Museum of the Gambia Hugh paid for us to go in and included our escort. She had not been here, and I think she enjoyed it as much as we did. After enjoying both floors of exhibits we were getting tired, and Aimee got us a taxi back to the market. We exchanged contact info during the trip and arrived back just in time to hail the bus and hope on. Back on the ship we rested until dinner time. After a refreshing shower we again went to Toscano for a delicious dinner. We stopped to listen to the string quartet before going to the show. Tonight was the second performance of Wayne and Morgan, our wonderful Motown singers from South Africa. This show was as excellent as the first and we were so happy we felt like coming. Off to the cabin to prepare for our long excursion in Dakar tomorrow.

We arrived at the port and Abu purchased our tickets to Goree Island. We boarded the ferry and in 20 minutes we were in line to get off on Goree. The island is lovely but has a horrible history. We stopped for lunch but I only had a coke. We were serenaded by a gentleman who sang quietly and played a homemade instrument called a Kora. It had 21 strings and sound like a harp. Our next stop was the Slave House UNESCO world heritage site. Over 2,000,000 slaves passed through this island. The Portuguese traders lived in luxury in houses above the horrid slave pits below. This is a well-presented exhibit, and the original house is well preserved. From the horrors of the slave trade which lasted for 312 years beginning in1536, it was off to the Historical Museum of Senegal. This museum showed the different stages of Senegal’s history. After the museum we went to the port for the 4 pm ferry and there was no line. Abu went to check and found that the ferry would not come until 4:30 which will put us back late getting to the ship in my calculations. We walked the lovely flower lined streets, and I fretted but Abu remain calm. When the ferry arrived, we sat by the exit and when we docked Abu and our driver literally pulled me through the masses and to the car. We made a quick trip to the dock, and I ran on board just slightly before they took up the gangway. It was a most wonderful day even with the last-minute glitch. I found Hugh reading in the library and I got to share my experiences with him. We then headed to the cabin and after a shower we went to the Terrace for a light dinner for Hugh and a bigger meal for me. Tonight’s show has been canceled as there are sick cast members. They are doing a movie night instead, but we decided to read and rest in hopes of a great day tomorrow.

This morning dawned sunny and with both of us feeling much better. We went to breakfast and Hugh was able to eat. Our appetites are not back to normal as there are foods that do not appeal yet. We went to the lecture at 9:30 on Tenerife and stayed for the art one also. We then dressed for a walk and went on top to get in several miles. Neither of us had the energy to go to the gym but we walked for a long time. We decided on lunch at Waves and then some more walking. At 1:45 we grabbed our computers and went to the lecture on the HMS Beagle, but the lecture was so interesting we did not get any work done. It was time to rest. After waking up from our “reading”, we showered, dressed for dinner, and headed out to work on our art scavenger hunt. We found quite a few before we headed to dinner in the main dining room. After dinner it was kings on the corner listening to music until time for the show. Tonight’s entertainer was Lorraine Brown, and she was amazing. Can’t wait for her 2nd show! It was off to bed looking forward to our time in Cape Verde!

Back on the bus we headed out of town and began our ascent of Mount Grande the highest peak on the island. We drove on cobblestone roads built by hand in the 1920’s. They were in good condition but still very bumpy. We made a stop at a farm to see how they were able to grow veggies on this volcanic island. The views of the sea as we climbed higher were spectacular. At one stop we saw turquoise water and a sand dune whose sand had blown here from the Sahara. We stopped in a very small village where there was beautiful artwork depicting the life of the locals. There were also a group of men laying a cobblestone walkway and we could see how difficult it had been to pave the streets. We reached the highest peak and the temperature had dropped significantly. It was windy but the views were amazing. We could see the harbor and the Nautica. As we watched it was a constant changing view as the fog blew in and out. This fog provides water for this area. It is trapped in special cloth at night and condenses into a cistern below. We were served 3 local rum products, but we skipped them to protect our tummies. All too soon it was time to head back to our home away from home. We said goodbye to Larissa and went to the ship for a late lunch. After lunch Hugh and I walked back into town. On our way we stopped to gawk at a huge luxury yacht docked behind our ship. I looked it up online and found that it cost $45 million and another $4.5 million a year to run. Its owned by a Chinese heiress worth $5 billion. Our trip into town gave us some exercise but not anything new to see. Soon we were back on the ship for a rest and some journaling. We had dinner in the dining room with several other couples and then listened to music and played cards before the show. I had my favorite cosmo and Hugh had a martini to celebrate feeling much better. We went to the show and laughed at the humor of ventriloquist Jerry Goodspeed.

Today was a sea day and we were determined to get in some exercise. After breakfast and the 2 morning lectures we headed to Horizons to get our work out of the way. I was very behind on my journaling and spent the next 90 minutes catching up. I was almost up to date when lunch time rolled around. We headed to the dining room for a light lunch and then changed clothes and went for a walk. Once we had our nautical mile behind us we spent the next hour in the gym. We went to the afternoon lecture and then headed to the cabin to relax and read aka nap. We showered and dressed for dinner and went to hear the string quartet. Dining tonight was in the Polo specialty restaurant. We were seated with 2 other couples and we had a great time leaving just in time to get to the show. The show tonight was Showdown where each cast member competed against the others for the championship. Ian is the defending champion but tonight he lost to Emma. Another great day until Hugh had stomach issues all during the night. He felt fine and hopefully it was just too much hard to digest food on his still healing tummy.

This morning dawned with two very tired and sleepy people. After getting dressed we made it to church and it was wonderful to see so many people worshiping together. After church we got our computers and headed to Horizons. It was time to get caught up on my journaling and Hugh to get on with picture editing. With hot tea and croissants in hand we got down to work. It took a while, but we got completely caught up. I was amazed that Hugh was able to stay up but he did well. We took our computers to the cabin and then went on an art scavenger hunt. We are down to 5 that we need to find. After much walking up and dwon stairs and starring at art we were down to 3. I am thinking that Bryn and Ian are trying to drive us crazy. We had a light lunch in the Terrace and as we were walking out I spotted one of the art pieces we were looking for. Now we have only two to have a second perfect score. From our late lunch we headed out looking for the last pieces. After much examination Hugh found one and I found the last one as we were heading to the room for a well-deserved nap. After our nap Hugh drank coffee and I colored my hair. When we were all showered we headed out to play cards and then listen to music. We had dinner in the Terrace and played trivia. It was music time when we headed down and it was show time with the 2nd show of our favorite, Lorraine Brown. It was amazing and she received a well-deserved standing O. So sorry she is leaving us tomorrow. Off to sleep so we will be ready for our next port.

Our next stop was back to the ship and a rest for our feet. We covered over 7 miles this morning and our feet were tired. We had a late lunch in WAVES and enjoyed the view. After our rest we decided we would walk in a different direction and see the auditorium, Opera house, a fort, and the botanical garden. The shuttle was outside the gangway so we decided to take it. Big mistake! It dropped us off a long way from where we would have been had we walked out and it put us in at the opposite end of the harbor from our destination. The weather had warmed up and by the time we made our way to the auditorium and fort we were questioning our need to see the botanical garden. We loved what we saw and enjoyed the walk but we decided to turn around. We strolled back to the port and once on the ship we realized we had coved over 10 miles that day. We deserved a rest and we got it. We showered and dressed for dinner. We ate in The Terrace. There was no show tonight as we don’t sail until 8:30. They had movie night, One Life, with Anthony Hopkins. It was a great movie, but the popcorn needed butter and salt!!!

We walked back into the town for ice cream and photographed some of the elaborate balconies. Needing to explore more, we continued our walk around the shore and made it to the other side of the city to the beaches and hotels and gardens. It was getting late, and we were hungry, so we headed back the same way we came. When we arrived at the port the shuttle was on break, so we decided to walk in rather than wait. We could see where we needed to be, but it was a long walk through a very lovely port shopping and restaurant area to get there. Back on board we had a very late lunch and the read and rested our feet. At sail away time we went on deck and as we sailed, I saw an IKEA and we also saw the shipwreck , the Telamon, that is just off the coast. We went through our usual evening routine and dined with other couples in the main dining room. We just made it to the show which was the 2nd ventriloquist show. He still did not grab the audience but his dummys (the wooden one and the human one) were very funny.

Couscous changed our Hammam appointment from 1 to 12 since we did not spend time shopping. We arrived at the Argan Palace and we were escorted to a reception area and given tea. Then we were taken to the treatment area and asked to take off all our clothing but mistakenly we left on our underpants. We were then coated in a think argan paste from the neck down and put in the wet steam room to soften our skin. We were there for 20 minutes and then we were showered and given an intense body scrub with black-olive soap. The dead skin just rolled off us. Another shower and then we were coated in a type of argan mud and spent another 15 minutes in the steam area. We were then given a 3rd shower and wrapped in thick robes. We were escorted to the massage area where we had an hour massage that went from the tips of our toes to the top of our heads. We were thoroughly cleansed and relaxed when we left. We were driven back to the port and when we arrived in our cabin we showered the oil off and marveled at how soft our skin felt. We had a very late lunch, washed our clothing from the day, and relaxed and read for the last bit of the afternoon. We had a lovely dinner and then went to the show. Our performer was a flautist from Spain named Andrea Mata.

Today started at 8 and was busy almost all day. We had 3 lectures, reveal of the art scavenger hunt, BIG O point redemption (we kept ours for the next cruise), and of course meals. There is not a lot to write about on sea days so I am keeping this brief. We did not have a show but movie night instead. We had not seen Out of Africa before, so we invested 3 hours in the movie and then went to bed!

When we arrived at Restorers Square, we decided to get a Hop On-Hop Off for the rest of our exploration. It was very hot, we had sore feet, and it was a nice break! We just rode around listening to the commentary until we reached Hieronymites Monastery. This monastery was built in 1601 and is the burial site of Vasco de Gama. It is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE MONUMENT. The line was too long to go into the cathedral, but we were able to walk around, get our photos, and explore some sites nearby. We had a light lunch in a small café before walking around the Tropical Botanical Garden. Everything was lush and green and the palms very tall and straight. We saw the Discoverers Monument dedicated in 1940 to all the Portuguese who participated in the Age of Discovery! We reboarded a tour bus and continued our trip through this old port area. We passed the Belem Tower which we had seen before. We made the journey back to where we started, and it was time to walk back to the ship. We choose a different route, and we wandered down a pedestrian street that was filled with restaurants and shops and people enjoying it all. When we arrived back on the ship all was quiet and we went to the cabin to rest and then shower before dinner. We went to the main dining room and were seated with a fun couple, and we sat and talked for the longest time. It was not very full, rough seas, and travel weariness. We went to the show and when we arrived there were no people. But our cruise director quickly got on the intercom, and it filled to about 1/3 capacity. This was the 2nd show of Andrea Mata, the flautist and it was wonderful.

Our next stop was St. Nicholas Church built in 1743 in honor of sailors. Across the street was the most prominent Gothic monument in Porto, St Michael’s. Founded around 1245 it is the most elaborate sanctuary done in the Baroque style. We finished our walking tour and made the last-minute decision to walk up the hill to the Porto Cathedral. Although it was started in the 12th century it was not finished until 1736. We used the church yard to get wonderful views of the city, but we did not have time to go in as the line was very long. We walked around the squares and meandered among the mansion lined streets on our way back to our shuttle stop. Back on the ship we went to the port lecture on Compostela by Dr. Sherry. We then showered and went to the captain’s cocktail party. At 6:30 we went to Toscano with the couple we met in the party. We had a great evening and had just the right amount of time to get to the show which was a comedian. He was British and was funny but not great.

We stopped for cappuccino and churros in the Paradise Café. We continued our walk through the narrow streets, some covered passages, and back into the main square. This area has a lot of Celtic influence and there were bagpipers playing all morning. We sought refuge from the rain under a passageway across from the cathedral until time for our lunch. We had lunch at the 5-star hotel Hospederia San Martin Pinario. It was very elegant, and we had a delicious 3 course meal with wine. We were seated with a great group and enjoyed our time immensely. Then it was a trek back to the bus and then the long drive back to the ship. Carlos talked about the music of the area and played some for us before he retired and let everyone rest. When we arrived back in our cabin we were cold and damp so we rested a bit and then had hot showers. We ate in the Terrace, played cards, and went to the show which was the ship’s cast in Good Vibrations. This was a much stronger performance than last time. Off to bed for us!!

We stopped for snacks in a café and people watched while we ate. Our next stop was the train station but to get there we strolled along the river admiring the statuary and the view. The train station borders on old town Bilboa and seems to be in a strange location. It is a lovely old building opened in 1870 and is the main railway station for the area. We ventured into Old Town and the main square. From the square we could see the opera house, The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, and the Santiago Cathedral. There was more to explore but our time was running out. We began the walk back to the meeting point thinking we had an easy stroll. As the minutes ticked away, we had to pick up our pace. We arrived back in time to catch the last shuttle back to the ship. Back on the ship we had a late lunch and then rested our feet. We read, did pictures and of course we napped a bit also. We dressed for dinner and listened to music before heading into the dining room. After dinner it was more music and the 2nd show of the comedian. Off too bed after preparing for a big day tomorrow.

Close to the basilica is the Pont de Pierre bridge and we decided to walk across it. This is a brick arched bridge and unique among all the other bridges. On the other side we saw people living their lives and we came to a wonderful community church that was very friendly feeling. We made the walk back and about halfway we were wondering if this had been a good idea. Back in Bordeaux we walked along the river until we came to the water mirror and the Stock Exchange Square. We took off our shoes and enjoyed a walk in the water and the lovely reflections of the historic buildings. We watched the Marina sail away and the Nautica back into its berth before heading to the city center for our dinner reservations. Tonight, we are dining at Brasserie Bordelaise which is one of the finest in the city for authentic French food. It was a good walk to the restaurant, and we were ready to sit and enjoy. We had just ordered when we waved at the entertainers from the ship and they came in to dine also. We took our time enjoying every bite of the food, we both had the beef cheek with mashed potatoes, and every sip of our Bordeaux wines (did you know this region produces more white than red wine?). We extended our time with dessert. It was 2 very weary people who got on the ship after 9. Wow what a wonderful day!!!

When we finished the museum part we skipped the wine drinking and headed back to the ship. Hugh was fading fast. We had a light lunch and retired to the cabin. Hugh rested and I did laundry and sat on deck and listened to the new Janet Evanovich novel. At sail away time we went to the Terrace patio and sat and watch as we left Bordeaux. It was lovely and we decided to have our dinner on the terrace. After dinner Hugh got in the hot tub and I caught up on emails before we returned to the room to read. Hope my love feels better tomorrow.

Today dawned cloudy, windy, cold. Hugh still did not feel great so we took it easy. We skipped traditional breakfast and sat in Baristas and had hot tea and mini pastries. We went to the lecture mid-morning and spent some time doing a load of laundry. At lunch we ate in the Terrace and then Hugh went to rest, and I went to the afternoon lecture and then did some art searching and by the time I went to the cabin I only needed 2 more. We showered and then had dinner alone in the dining room. We went to the show and then it was off to bed!

From the market we made our way to Oliver Plunkett Street known for shopping and nightlife. The rain had slowed to a dribble, so we continued to the Elizabeth Fort built in the 17th century and named for Queen Elizabeth I. It was built on high ground but as the city grew it became located in the center of the city. We continued our walk to St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral which is a Church of Ireland cathedral. It is most impressive from all sides but we could not go in as they were having services. We admired the outside views and the gardens before continuing on. We took our chances on the weather and made the very long walk to the University College of Cork founded in 1845 as Queens College. The college is notable for being the college where the first two women in Ireland graduated in medicine. This time our luck did not hold, and the rain started again but we were determined. We walked through Fitzgerald Park on our way to the Cork City Gaol (the jail). The building is an imposing structure and was used as a co-ed jail until 1923. The walk here was an up-hill climb and we mistakenly thought the walk back to the train station would be a down-hill. Boy were we wrong. We did not realize how far we had walked and as the rain poured we drudged on. Almost an hour later, soaking wet, we made it to the train station. We had a short wait for the train and soon were on our way back to the ship. We were so happy the station was just outside the entrance to the ship. We rushed back on and headed for a hot shower. We dressed and went to the 6pm show of the ship’s cast in Gatsby. It was terrific and had us tapping our toes to the music of the 1920’s. We had a leisurely dinner in The Terrace and then played cards until time for the main show at 9:30. This was the piano/vocalist that we had missed earlier. He was amazing and we hated when the show ended.

Today we did the bridge tour and the first one was the 1874 Grattan Bridge. This bridge has cantilevered walkways and lovely wrought iron railing and lamps. As we continued our walk we came to the Ha’penny Bridge which is a favorite landmark of Dublin. It opened in 1816 and cost, you guessed it, a ha’penny to cross it. It is an arched bridge and affords lovely views up the river. We deviated from our tour to go see the Temple Bar and the iconic “tart with a cart”, Sweet Molly Malone. Our bridge tour ended at the Butt Bridge and the Custom House. Our next stop was lunch. We found a bar that had a lot of locals and stopped for fish and chip. Hugh had a pint of Guinness but I stuck to water. We lingered and people-watched for a bit before starting the trek back to the shuttle. We walked through Trinity College and its beautiful old buildings before we made it back to the bus. We were in luck as the 4:30 bus was just getting ready to leave. We made it back to the ship and showered and dressed or dinner. I beat Hugh at several games of kings on a corner before he got on a roll. After dinner we went to the show and then off to bed to rest our weary feet! The sea is rocking so we should sleep well.

This morning we got back on our usual routine and after coffee was delivered we dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. This is our last day, and we are going to make the most of it. After breakfast we headed to our cabin to get packing out of the way. You would think it would be easy because we have the same things we came with minus our sneakers which we threw away. It WASN’T easy! I finished first and sat and read as Hugh finished getting organized. At 11:30 we went to the scavenger hunt reveal and collected our Big O points. Not ready for lunch, we went to Baristas and did some computer work, and then to the dining room for lunch. After a very leisurely lunch we headed to the showroom for the Big O point redemption. The line was already long even though we were 25 minutes early. We stood in line and swapped stories until time to shop. We made 3 purchases and headed to the room to nap. Last day to be lazy, why not!!! Once we were fully awake we showered and went to listen to the string quartet for the last time. We have enjoyed this each night. We had reservation in Polo and we were seated with a couple from Austin that we have had dinner with before and 2 ladies traveling together. It was a fun evening and since there was no show we went back for the last of the string quartet performance and then it was off to bed.

After the church we stopped at a cute café for people watching and something cold to drink. From here we made our way to the Luxembourg Gardens and watched the sailboats on the fountain, enjoyed some quiet time among the statues and even strolled completely around the gardens. When we exited we saw the Pantheon and ended our lovely day at Perradin Restaurant. I had steak and frites with salad and Hugh had classic beef Bourguignon. Back at the hotel we sat in the courtyard and Hugh rescheduled us a tour to the Loire Valley as our small group got cancelled. We attempted to do some work but found we were too sleepy and went to bed.

On the way to our next next visit we passed several other historic chateaux and we were able to get some pictures. Our bus was having a/c problems before we reached Chenonceau Chateau. This is the best-known chateau in the Loire Valley and the 2nd only to Versailles with visitors. The Chateau was built in 1514-1522. The bridge over the river was added in 1556. It is gothic and early renaissance in style and has all original furnishings. The current owners live on the 2nd level. We loved photographing this chateau and the walk along the river was lovely. There are 2 gardens, the queen’s garden and the mistress’s garden. This chateau has a colorful history and is known as the ladies’(not lady’s) castle. After our tour we had lunch at a small outdoor café and then boarded our very hot bus for the trip to Cheverny. This chateau has been in the same family for 6 generations and the descendants still live on the grounds. It is very elaborate and was decorated by Catherine Medici’s favored designer. It has a private chapel and is an important hunting venue. We reboarded our bus and the driver had worked on the a/c and it was slightly cooler. When we arrived back in Paris we got an Uber and at the hotel we bathed and cooled off before we headed out to dinner. We ate light and walked along the Seine before heading to bed. It was a draining day and we do it again tomorrow.

We went to a lovely restaurant for lunch before we traveled on to Versailles. By the time we arrived at Versailles, the temperature had risen to almost ninety and the sun was beating down. We were happy when we passed those golden gates and entered the palace. This understated little hunting lodge was commissioned by King Louis 14th and finished under Louis 16th. This 2300 room palace covers 1 million square feet under roof. It is opulently furnished, and the garden are magnificent. There was some work being done for the Olympics, but we enjoyed the outside as much as the inside. It was a quick trip back to Paris and soon the Eiffel Tower was just outside our window. We said goodbye to our guide and walked to the tower for a view with the Olympic rings. We walked along the river looking for a cruise on the Seine, but hunger took over and we found a restaurant. We ordered pizza and drinks, but poor Hugh was stuck on the phone with Verizon as we had lost our cell service. After well over an hour phone conversation, they said it was their problem and everyone was without service. Should be fixed in 24 hours, ha ha! Frustrated we got an UBER back to the hotel, thank you wonderful server for sharing your hotspot! We sat in the garden and did some work and the showered before bed.In Progress..........

Next, we took the metro to Ile de Cite to see the progress of Notre Dame restorations. Sorry to say she is not ready for her close up yet. We walked along the Seine enjoying the breeze as we made our way back to the hotel to rest our feet for a bit. We journaled in the garden then showered and dressed for dinner. We took the metro to the restaurant area and then enjoyed a wonderful meal at Chez Renee’. Our waiter Daniel is a uTube celebrity and he did not disappoint. His English was funny, but his professionalism and knowledge of the menu items was impeccable. He had real flare and said he had been working there 30 years, this was a profession for him not a job. His recommendations were spot on and we had a fabulous last night in Paris. Back at the hotel we packed and readied ourselves for an early morning and a very long day.

Today we were up early, caught our scheduled Uber, & flew nonstop to Salt Lake City, Utah. Lori and Ron were waiting at our house and we went to the pool. Great memories!!! /susan