NEXT STOP, FUNCHAL

November 4, 2019


Actually the last stop before Fort Lauderdale.  Tomorrow one of our favorite islands, and we have booked an all-day tour to the western side, a part where we’ve seen a few bits and pieces, but nothing comprehensive like this promises to be.  The ship will be in port 8.5 hours, and our tour is 7.5 hours, so unless there is a gelato stop at lunch time, we’ve had our last for a while.  And we meet up at 7:30, so we’ll have to get up before dawn’s crack in order to take care of our morning ablutions, feed the body, and get our going ashore kit ready.  It should be a very good day.

When we are on Carnival, it is typically two or three days before the end of the cruise before they put out information about disembarking, and that worries Bonnie.  Well, night before last when we came back to our stateroom, the form was waiting for us to fill out and turn in.  Holland America has already paid for our transport from the ship to the airport.  Yesterday was busy with going ashore in Malaga, so I dropped it off today, and that part of the cruise has been set to easy.

One of my regular correspondents asked if I’d gotten the computer fixed, as I’d talked about it earlier.  Actually, there was nothing to fix, just see if the new one would talk to the ship’s system, and answered prayer, it did.  I met the stage manager at 11 this morning to check it out, and the crew was setting up for tonight’s performance, “The Stunning Voice of Annette Wardell.”  Her voice is stunning, but what I witnessed was a prima donna demanding her own way. 

The crew had set up the grand piano and the drums and were placing the stands for the other instruments when Annette appeared and told them, “This will simply not do.”  And insisted everything be moved to the front of the stage.  Well, I am not an opera singer, barely a bathtub or shower singer, but I couldn’t see the harm of the instruments towards the middle, not even the back.  Oh, no.  They had to come up front.  And she insisted, it be done now because there certainly wouldn’t be time enough to do it at the 4 o’clock rehearsal.  I could tell the guys were frustrated, so I told them, go ahead and move the pieces.  I can do my talk working in front or beside or in back of the piano.  I got several smiles and a relieved look or two from them.  And I was fine at “Are We There Yet?” 

But back to her voice.  Pappy Carter would have called her a radio singer.  He would not have liked all of her theatrical motions.  And neither did his oldest daughter.  But holy cow, can Annette sing.

Tonight was the first formal night of the cruise, one of my favorite nights.  It was frustrating getting ready, however.  First World problems as Michael would say.  I bought an orange bow tie.  One of the colors in Holland America’s decorations is orange, the color of the Dutch Royal Family.  I tied, and retied it, and re-retied, and took it off and put the old black one on.  The orange tie, and its matching pocket scarf goes on eBay when we get home.  Mom looked great in black slacks with a black, red, and white top.  She fusses about formal nights, but she is ready in about 3.5 minutes and always looks great.

For formal night, I had a traditional appetizer of escargot.  When the young man delivered them I said, “I asked for escargot.  These are snails.”  It took him a couple of seconds and then you could see the smile spread.  Bonnie said, “Don’t pay any attention to him!”  He said, “Yes, Ma’am.  I shall listen to you.”  My main course was beef tenderloin – very good – and she had stuffed shells with a tomato sauce she described as excellent.  Cheese cake finished it off for her and a chocolate souffle with dark chocolate sauce for me.

Okay, enough of that.  It’s time for my cruise buddy to give you her day.

TTFN

Well, my day woke up about 3 times during the night . The ship was moving back and forth and made going to the bathroom a challenge. When we awoke at 7 this morning it was still dark. Even after it got light outside there was no sun just a clouded overcast gray day. Wasn’t any rain that I could see but a very bouncy day. The waves and swell are still pretty strong tonight. You had to be careful walking about. You walk like you have had a few too many to drink.

I had a rather boring day. I sat on deck 3 in the café for a while then moved down to 2 outside the theater. I sat through their snowball bingo game. 4 games the first worth $75, then $100, then $125 and the final game a coverall game. You had to cover all the numbers on your card in 50 balls to win the $1000 jackpot. After 50 balls it became a regular game of coverall for $150 and the jackpot rolls over to the next day.  They have rather a subdued game compared to the shenanigans that happen on Carnival and Princess. But this is a more subdued crowd.

After bingo David found me and we went to the Lido for a little lunch. Tuna salad for me and chicken noodle soup(with almost no chicken or noodles) for him with half a ham sandwich. We had waffle ice cream cones for dessert. Then, back to the room. He got ready and went to the other lecturer’s talk at one and I rested and then went to his talk at 2. After his talk I had a short nap before we dressed for supper.

We have found a table with a very nice waiter and have made reservations for his table every night. We will have to give him a nice tip. He is very prompt and  attentive. We usually get in and out in about an hour. Time to make the first show.

The show was okay. Lovely voice but too much putting on airs for me. Her on stage performance was too phony. Most of the songs were in Italian so I couldn’t  understand them but the music was very pretty. The band did a nice job. The elderly lady sitting beside me thought the music was too loud and spent most of the evening with her fingers pressed in her ears. Earlier before the show started the group of people she was with from Canada was complaining that the music all over the ship was way to loud.

Well, it has been pretty cold most of the day except in the theater where it seemed warm today. The cruise director was booed this evening when he told the crowd we had to be back on board at 3:30 tomorrow. He said he wasn’t driving the ship and they would have to take it up with the Captain. Haha!!

Well, I have my glass of coke zero and I will take my pills and head off to bed. We are going to get up at 5:30 as we have to be at the meeting place for our tour at 7:35.

Love you all, Mom, Granny, Bonnie

Prayers for Ivy and her step dad and Frank, Karen’s husband who has shoulder surgery on the 6th.