MAC N CHEESE

September 20, 2019


Tonight’s menu offerings were presented in the same format as on formal nights, but it was not formal night.  It means that there are more upscale offerings, but less overall choices.  I ordered teriyaki salmon for my main course.  The sides which accompanied it were a rice cake (yuck) and some island vegetables (tasting them was also yuck). 

Anticipating that I might not like the vegetables, I asked Nelson, our waiter, if mac n cheese was available – Carnival’s is very good (haven’t yet tasted CFA so I can’t compare – maybe some of my readers can).  Nelson said it isn’t available.  I asked him, with a smile indicating I was joking, “Are there any other restaurants?”  Moments later I decided if I had to eat island vegetables, I’d at least be warm – it was brrrrr cold in our part of the dining room – and headed to our room to get my sweater.  As I passed Nelson, I said, “I’m going looking for mac n cheese.”  He smiled. 

When my dinner came the above offerings were on the plate, and then Nelson came back with a large bowl of mac n cheese.  He asked the kitchen to make an order especially for me.  I appreciated it, cleaned the bowl, and told him how much I appreciated it.  The rice cakes and island vegetables were returned to the kitchen virtually untouched.

Today was the partial Panama Canal transit.  Since we’ve been privileged to do this before, we did not go up and join the throng crowding around the bow of the ship, but rather enjoyed the passage into the lake from the starboard side on Deck 10.  Interestingly, we went into the lake from the new locks and came back out into the Atlantic Ocean through the old locks.  We’ve never done that before, and it was kind of neat.

One of the activities today was Coloring at Sea in the Cat Lounge (there are large pictures of cats and we will remember to take pictures of them for the folks at 2042).  We had our choice of adult coloring books, plus colored pencils and colored makers.  Mom colored a turtle, I chose a mermaid.  She used colored pencils.  I used the markers and colored outside of the lines (remembering when Mac was chastised for coloring a picture in black – we artistic types must have our individuality recognized!).  At the conclusion of the hour our hostesses, Gemma, who is also the comedy club host, and Lucky Lizzie, also the bingo host, told us we had to turn in our coloring devices – which we anticipated – and our coloring books – which we did not anticipate.  They did tell us we could tear our pictures out of the books.  We took ours, plus three more for later.

In the Carnival Fantasy Panama Canal Cruise 2019 Rummy Contest, I have won the last two games to take my first lead 3 games to 2.  I keep saying my opponent is cheating me, but with her injured wrist she can neither shuffle nor deal so I am doing both.  How she is bamboozling me is a mystery, but I have finally taken the lead.

On Carnival Journeys cruises, there are additional activities for the guests not available on regular cruises.  One, of course, are the enrichment lectures, delivered on the Fantasy by yours truly.  Another is a ball room dance couple giving instruction to the willing, able, and not so able (also us), led by friends of ours from previous cruises, Tom and Jo.  A new one on this sailing is a caricature artist and we got an appointment today and sat for him.  It is a fun drawing, and as with all caricatures, there are recognizable features, and some changed for just the drawing.  Bonnie said, “I love it!  I have boobs and a narrow waist!”  I still do not have any hair.

Well, it’s Puerto Limon, Costa Rica tomorrow, and we’ll report back from our adventures.

TTFN