Sea days can be sometimes just as busy as port days!
I have pretty much gotten into a routine where I get up early, walk with Karen, then go to the gym, eat breakfast, then go to knitting, then the rest of the day is up in the air with different activities.
Here is a recap of the different activities I have done over the past four days!
Cooking - We went to see George Geary again and watch him demonstrate how to make dips. He made and we sampled, traditional salsa, hummus, clam con queso and black bean chipotle dip. They were all really good and now I have about 50 new recipes to add to my collection!
Tea - Since we are in Indonesia and many of the crew are Indonesian, they have had several events centered around their culture! There was an Indonesian tea where they served traditional desserts, teas and coffees. They made this one pastry that was filled with shredded coconut - it was really good! There was also coffee presses with Sumatra coffee!
King Neptune Ceremony - To celebrate crossing the equator, we were invited to a ceremony by King Neptune (known in Greek mythology as Poseidon) who granted us safe passage. For the ceremony, the ship's staff was sacrificed and had to undergo extensive tormenting.
Birthday Lunch - It was Carol's birthday so we had a big celebration! Plans went into effect last week with Brad and Gloria making invitations and George Geary made one of his famous cheesecakes. We actually had the Pinnacle all to ourselves and we were seated at the large table in the back! We had an excellent meal and wonderful time!
Indonesian Dinner - Our formal night was Indonesian themed with our meals reflecting the cuisine of Indonesia.
Indonesian Crew Show - The talented Indonesian crew took the stage to present traditional music, song and dance from their homeland of Indonesia. It was a great show and they put tremendous effort in creating very intricate dances and songs.
George Geary's Cooking Class - This was a great activity! George is not only a great chef, but he is extremely funny and nice! There were ten of us that got to participate in a hands - on cooking class. We made an entire meal complete with Drunken Shrimp, Spicy Chicken Lettuce Cups, Potatoes Au Gratin, Beef Tenderloin and Baked Apples. We each paired up - Me and Karen, My Mom and Linda - We made the potatoes and mom made the beef. It was alot of fun! I learned how to make new recipes, from scratch, and then afterwards we all went to the Pinnacle to eat the meal we made! Everything was delicious!
Well we are on our way to Asia and will arrived in Hong Kong tomorrow. So the past few days have been mapping and planning our days in the city! We got out maps, talked with Sita (a woman who lived in Hong Kong and knows everything about the city), went to presentations, and then mapped the route to hit the most markets and top sight seeing places. We have a great plan and our anxiously waiting our arrival! I plan to be up and ready by 6am for the sail into Hong Kong. There are several people getting off the ship in Hong Kong, including the Chief Officer, Friso, and the knitting organizer, Arna, so we will be saying our goodbyes today!
It is hard to believe that we are about 1/2 done with the cruise! Time has been flying by, but I have had the chance to meet some wonderful people! I haven't been on too many cruises but I see that being on a longer cruise has allowed me to develop great relationships with people on the ship whereas on a shorter cruise you don't have the chance to create friendships. I know that my mom and I will continue to be friends with a good group of people after this experience is over (we are actually making plans already to meet up!)
Lately, the seas have been calm and the water has looked almost like glass, but today, the seas are full of large swells and the waves are smashing the side of the boat with great force! Since this ship is so large, it is hard to feel the movement, but this morning I got feeling the difference in the seas!
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