Sunday February 19, 2012
@sea enroute to Bali, Indonesia

Last night was a formal night and it was great.  It was the french theme and the food was wonderful.  They had the production show Curtain Call which we have seen numerous times but just love it when it ends with the huge Mama Mia finale.  Everyone is always up on the feet dancing and singing.  After the show I wanted to go to the dico for Karoke.  Bill took me in and I was greeted by Josef the hotel director  I ordered a dirty martini and Bill went next door to smoke his cigar.  David and Karen host the Kareoke and were doing a great job.  Three different people got up to sing and they all had great voices.  I sang along where I sat.  We closed the place down at 1:00am and then I read till 2:30am.  It was a long day and night,
Bill woke me up a little after 8:00 he was watching the Morning SHow with Rick and Elise and they always have trivia for prizes.  It was like Wheel of Fortune  you had to guess the phrase.  I could hardly see since I just woke up didn't have the hearing aid in but I knew it was Into Thin Air so I called and won leather luggage tags!  After the morning show we went down for breakfast as Bill had a date to play backgammon with Leo.  Leo is the Matre D of the dining room.  We met Becky and she joined us for breakfast. Bill went to his golf clinic and I wasn't interested in the lecture so I went to watch Bill hit the ball.  Only thing is that they were doing  Yoga today!
 Lunch time they had a jazz brunch and it was great.  After having my chocolate fix I came back to the stateroom for a rest until Memoir writing.  Then it was back to relax before we met Tom and Cheryl for an earlier dinner.  Tom and Cheryl usually eat at 6:00 and we usually eat at 8:30 so Leo and Augusto had a nice table for us for 7pm.  They had the swordfish I had the veal.  Augusto ordered us a special dessert.  Tiramisu it was without a doubt the best Tiramisu I have ever eaten!  After dinner we went to the show it was a magician and he was very good.  I am going to finish my 10th book.  I started it 3 days ago The Girl with the Tatoo can't remember the real name.  All in all another glorious day at sea!
We have another sea day tomorrow but we are arriving into Bali tomorrow evening instead of the next morning.  All the work I did on my memoirs the other night is gone.  I can't find it and I have to rewrite my chapter on Hannibal as Joe want's to have that chapter read at the end of this segment.  So folks I have homework to do.
And as Bill says Another day in the books!
Augusto promised Bill a surprise.  I think  he is making him spaghetti with clam sauce.  They discussed it and he said they did not have any fresh clams on board.  But they did load up on all kinds of fish in Perth!
So good night and God Bless!

giving us the go ahead

David the captain singing

More entertainment

Some decorations in Palm Court

Pan Am Peanuts

Another "Captain"

Our table walking behind James(with sign) into plane

"Captain" Rick

Menu

Our tickets and our pins

Lobster Salad

Dessert Chocolate mouse in the middle to die for!!!!!!!

Walls and windows covered to look like the inside of a plane

Saturday, February18,2012

@ Sea enroute to Bali, Indonesia

@sea enroute to Bali, Indoneshia

Last night was a World Cruise only event  It was called Pan Am Mania.  It started with cocktails at 7:45 in the Palm Court.  We didn’t get back from our tour until 5:00pm so it was somewhat of a rush as we stopped for coffee and tea before we headed to our room.  There was dancing and singing and then Rick (Cruise Director( said we are now boarding Tables ----.  So when it was our table we went into the pool area.  They had it all set up like an airplane.  You had to walk through the airplane but first they took the group picture. Then we went through security and of course mine beeped.  I really think he was truly enjoying patting me down a little too much!  James Coughlin the Shore Excursion Manager hosted our table.  Each table was hosted by an officer.  We had a great table right by the pool which was transported into a stage!  There were three rows of tables so it was awesome that we were right by the stage!  All the entertainers were dressed as captains or stewardesses.  It was so much fun.  They sang and danced and then we were told to return to our seats we were experiencing turbulance and our next course would be served.  It was a lot of fun. Inbetween courses they sang and danced and at the end one of the Pan Am "Captain's" was pulling a large duffle bag and Cathy Rigby jumped out.  It was wonderful.I did not take pictures of the food but I did the menu.   Poor James had them all running around when I said I was allergic to the lobster.  They wanted to get me anything.  I said no I’ll wait for the soup, which was delicious. The wine was flowing they even had a dessert wine which I did not have!  All in all a great evening.   And a huge thank you to all those who worked so hard to get it done in such a short time!  The ship carpenter’s actually constructed a stage over the pool! They really had all the little details down to Pan Am napkins at the cocktail party.  They do such a great job.

Today was my free cell olympic tournament.  The first two games I was great the last game terrible. I would have won a gold medal if I had only stayed the course with the last game.  Oh well,  Then came backgammon well they changed up the board and I was so confused not an excuse just a statement. I don’t have a good sense of direction  to begin with so with the start on the other side it confused me and I didn’t play well.  End of story.  No medals for us but we had fun and that is what it is all about.  

Tonight is a formal night and then a production show which we have seen but will probably go again.  I can’t keep going to be so early!  I went to the medical center today.  I was so dizzy that I walked into the wall instead of through the door.  The good news is that my blood pressure was great 130/74 they think I am dehydrated because of the water pill.  That made sense it happened to me before and I forgot about that but now they are making me drink Powerade Great just what I need more calories to make me hydrated but I must say I do feel better.  I am almost finished with my 10th book this trip.  I have to download a few more soon.  I am running out of options in the library.  So guys another wonderful day at sea enroute to our next stop Bali, Indonesia,  I am truly thankful that I have been fortunate to have this experience and also that Bill is also enjoying it.  Or else it would not be so good if he was miserable. 

The captain’s quote for today “ Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift.  Well said Captain Glenn

Well my laundry beckons it should just about be done and I need to get it out of the dryers before someone has a cow.  They don’t like if you leave it in there.  But tonight is the Crystal Society party and getting ready to start for the early seating so I am in luck.  In fact only one other washer was in use!

Then I need to wash this hair again and decide what I am wearing.  So that’s all for tonight,  Hope all is well with each and everyone of you,  We are having a ball one month down two to go!  It went so fast!

Good night and God Bless

  

Sand Dune Lancelin Australia

We drove up and down these glad lunch was after

Sand boarding

Our vehicle

view from the sand dune

Koalas all over the place here like deer back home

Koala's in their natural envirnonment

Me getting reading to sand board!

Today we did a 4x4 sand dune tour.  It was amazing.  It was a long 2 1/2 hour ride to the sand dunes. As we headed out of Fremantle the houses started to get nicer, then bigger.  It was a beautiful ride! And it was well worth it. We stopped for a potty break and he had to let most of the air out of the tires!  We had 100 pressure and had to go down to 40~! First we just started going around the perimeter then he got us on the top of the sand dunes and down we went.  It was so great.  Glad lunch was after this.  I felt like my stomach just went out. He kept going up and down and there was a tv on the bus so you could see when we were getting to the top and everyone was screaming.  It was a lot of fun! Then we went to the top of one and he took out the sand boards.  He waxed them up and down we went!  My picture as I was getting ready is on top unfortunately, Bill was laughing so hard he didn't get a picture of me coming down the hill!

After we had a nice lunch of bbq shrimp, and kielbasi, then lamb chop, steak and sausage with the strangest Casesar salad I have ever seen.  It had cooked potatoes, cooked eggs and bacon in it.  plus a tossed salad, we went to the National Park.  Unfortunately it was hot so the kangaroo were hiding but we did see a few Koala.

Then we headed back.  Our driver took us to Perth which was a lovely city.  And so different from Fremantle.  We drove back along the waterfront and it was truly lovely.  We got back and had just enough time to shower and change for our World Cruise Pan Am Mania event.
It is not letting me pull up the pictures so they will have to wait until tomorrow.
But I just want to say it was a fabulous event and James Coughlin, Shore Excursion Manager was the host of our table and  we just love James he is so sweet.  He is also very good to me explaining what I should do and what tours I should try to stay away from.  So Until tomorrow it is 11:10pm Saturday night here so I am going to get ready for bed.
I have Olympics at 9am:
I can't believe that we left home 1 month ago today it seems like we have only been gone a couple of weeks.
This so far has truly been a remarkable trip and look forward to more good thing to come.  We are truly blessed to be able to do this.
Good night and God Bless!!!!!!!

Church in Fremantle

One of the main shopping streets

Tea House where we had a bite to eat

My Steak Pie

Good evening from Perth/Fremantle, Australia
Today we docked in Fremantle.  Perth is a 15 minute train ride away.  We decided to just see what Fremantle had to offer.  We took the Shuttle bus into the town it was about 5 minutes away.  And we walked up and down the streets in and out of shops.  They even have a Target here!  Bought some toiletries I am afraid we might run out of and don't want to be in china without toothpaste or deodorant,  We then stopped in a Tea House and had a bite to eat.  After lunch we headed back to the ship around 2pm.  I had to take my advil and lie down.  My hip really start to hurt last night and was continuing to hurt.  I think maybe my shuffle board the other day I moved different from what I normally do anyway I actually slept for about an hour and then read till it was time for dinner.

Augusto made us a Casaer  Salad and a great pasta dish.  Tonight there is really no entertainment as we are still docked and lots of people are off the ship!  We decided not to go to the movie as we have a really really early tour tomorrow.  We are going into Perth, then to the National Park and 4x4 in the Sand Dunes!  We are in the Western part of Australia and it is not very populated here.  Today a lot of the big shots from NYK Shipping line which is the owner of Crystal where touring the ship.  There was a lot of bowing going on.  I hear when we get to Japan there will be even more.  Guess they need to check on their investment.  We had a nice day today but I really would have liked to have had an overnight in Melbourne instead of here.  There just doesn't seem to be that much to see and do.  I am not into seeing anymore prisons and that seems to be what all Australian Cities have!  The people are just so friendly.

We have an all day tour tomorrow from 7:50am to 4:30 and then at 7:45pm we have a World Cruise affair to go to Called Pan Am Mania.  Tonight when we returned to our cabin after dinner we each got a magnetic pin like the wings of Pan Am.  So I if I am not too tired tomorrow evening I will post all about our tour and our World Cruise event if not it will have to wait until the next day.
Hope all is well with you.  Not hearing from too many of you.
Good night and God Bless!

LtoR Anne Marie, Keith, Celeste, Bill, Becky

Dinner at Silk Road

We had another great day at sea.  More Olympic games and the first medal ceremony,  Bill participated in the golf putting today.  I went and had my hair done.  I had a large stripe down the middle of my hair my roots and gray were showing so I went and had my hair colored and cut.  He did a great job!  I was worried but one thing about hair, it always grows back.

We had dinner tonight in Silk Road with our friends Anne Marie, Keith and Becky and also they all had sushi I had tempora  veggies.  They all had some type of fish I had chicken.  All in all the dinner was great.  Good food, good friends and good wine!

Tomorrow we will be in Perth/Fremantle Australia,  we will overnight here.  We do not have a tour tomorrow.  I am having a pedicure in the early am before we get off the ship.  Will try to do some shopping tomorrow and then on Friday we have a tour of the state park and 4x4 in the sand dunes.  Should be fun.

Friday night there is a world cruise event and I will report on that later after we attend.  So a busy few days for us then on Saturday Bill and I both entered the backgammon tournament so we shall see.  I also entered Free Cell.  So that's all folks I am getting ready for bed.

Good Night and God Bless

PS Sue the Opera was fantastic!  Even Bill said it was good!!

CRYSTAL COVE DECORATED FOR MIXER

VALENTINE'S DAY CHOCOLATE TEA

CHOCOLATE TEA

MY PLATE EVEN THE SANDWICHES WERE HEART SHAPED

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Today there was so much going on.  We went to a lecture by Tom Ferrante. We met Tom and his wife Cheryl on the Symphony in South America.  Tom is a Globalist and very interesting.  We were having tea and coffee in the Bistro the other day when they boarded and he came running up to me and wanted to know where my scooter was he was so happy to see me without it.  They live in Scottsdale!  Anyway after that there was a mid-day Valentine's mixer,  The orchestra played and people danced.  Then Karen Jeffries sang and Beverly and Curtis danced.  Then there were some other songs performed.  They served, bloody mary's, mimosa's and champagne.  It was a fun filled hour.  After lunch Bill went to his golf clinic which he just started to take a few days ago.  John Clark runs it and he is a PGA pro who teaches on the world cruise.  We meet him and his lovely wife in 08 and he tried to get Bill to take the lessons.  He had to leave the ship in Maui as his son was very ill but Thank GOd it worked out and he came back in Sydney so Bill decided to take the lessons.  No Olympics for us today.  After Bill's golf clinic we went to the Valentine's day chocolate tea..... Yummy yummy yummy  even the sandwiches were shaped like hearts!  tonight we have dinner in the main dining room .

Dinner was great.  We each had the cream of tomato soup with ricotta dumpling,  filet mignon with bernaise sauce, grilled veggies and baked potato  Bill had macaroons for dessert I had the "Be My Valentine.  As we were finished our waiter Javier presented me with a long stem red rose.  It was truly a special day.  Some more pictures.

My dessert called "Be My Valentine"

After dinner outside Dining Room

Our nighttime surprise!

Crepes Suzette our dessert tonight

chocolate mouse dessert last night

Augusto cutting the Eggplant Parmagian he made special for us

Eggplant parmargiani

Rick and Capt. Glen @ Opening Ceremony

Cathy Rigby

Elise handing off torch

Peter and Cathy lighting torch

Peter and Cathy

Capt. Glen

Bill's happy face cappacuchino

Bill

Self Picture

At Enroute to Perth/Freemantle
Day 26
We had another wonderful day at sea.  Last night was the opening ceremony for the World Cruise Olympic Games.  It was a fun event.  I posted pictures from it.  Today I competed in Shuffleboard.  Haven't played since I was on here in 08 and wasn't sure if I could do it.  I did it and made it past the first round!  The next round the women got a 10 and I couldn't hit her but I did knock one of her discs into -10 so she had zero unfortunately I did not get any of mine in so she won the bronze metal. Lois if you are reading this Mrs. T. was knocked out and won Silver and Mr. T yelled at her threw his hands up in the air and left!!!!!!!  I felt like I won the gold metal to be able to bend and twist and do it was awesome.  Of course I am a little sore tonight so I will take some advil.  Wasn't able to go to my memoir writing course today since I made it past the first round! Tomorrow there is so much to do and so little time! But still have not used the scooter!  YEAH!
Last night we gained another 1/2 hour and tonight we will gain 1 hour and another 1 hour tomorrow night.  God it is going to be awful when we start giving them all back.
Tonight the entertainer was Jay Johnson he is a ventriquist and he was on Soap as Chuck and Bob, we have seen him before and he is quite funny.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and they are having a mid-day mixer for valentine's day so that should be fun and then the Chocolate tea!  I don't have class so I will be able to go!
Tonight was my favorite Wiener Schnitzel I started with a real small portion of spaghetti carbonara and we ended with Augusto making us a special dessert Crepes Suzette.
Anyway we have two more sea days before we reach our next port of call Perth/Freemantle Australia where we will overnight!  I am going to turn my watch back an hour and then read for a little while,
Hope all is well with you all
Good night and God Bless!

Nissan Patrol Bill wondering if they are coming to America

Crocodile Dundee line dancing

Koala we spotted from the window of bus

One of the Squares downtown Adelaide

Let me off this bus and no one gets hurt!

World Cruise Day 25

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Greetings from Adelaide, Australia Prettiest Town the Ozzies Ever Made.

Adelaide is stretched along the banks of he gently flowing River Torrens is what many consider to be Australia’s most livable community.  In fact, some experts compare Adelaide favorably with the Scottish landmark city of Edinburgh.

Today we are in Adelaide Australia.  I love Sydney and Melbourne but I adored this city.  It has lots of little squares in the middle of the city just like Savannah.  Houses had balconies like New Orleans.  It is a large city but it had the feel of a much smaller one.  We had an early tour this am 8:15am.  We headed to Historic Handorf which is a German settled town that was settled in 1839. It was settled by settled by German Lutherans.  It was a lovely town.  We stopped first at Mt. Lofty for a look over the city of Adelaide.  We met Becky who was on the Panaramic City tour.  It was a lovely view and we boarded the buses again and headed for Handorf.  Our guide was very informative as we drove all around all over downtown Adelaide.  We were docked in the outer harbor which was quite a distance away.  The Celebrity ship has been with us since Syndey and they are here today also.  When we arrived in Handorf the bus parked and we had 3 hours on our own to walk around and explore all the craft shops, restaurants, bakeries and whatnots.  Lunch was on our own and we ate in the German Cake house.  I had the steak pie I just love these pies that the Aussies make (Sorry Diane I know you hated them)  Bill had a steak and mushroom pie.  They kind of look like a pot pie mine was filled with seasoned steak and gravy and was very good.  We shared a piece of the best apple strudel I have ever eaten.    We went in and out of the shops.  There was one true German shop that sold the most beautiful Black Forest Coo coo clocks and I was truly tempted they even ship but alas I was good.  I want to buy it in the Black Forest if I get one!  When we boarded the bus and started to drive, our guide passed around fresh strawberries that he had bought at the local produce stand.  They were soooooo sweet.  Instead of taking the highway back we came the old road (kinda like Rt 66 use to be)  The businesses all closed since no one travels it anymore but he said we would be able to see some Koalas in the trees.  Harry our driver was really good and when we did spot some he stopped the bus for everyone to take a picture through the window.  We saw 3 on our left side and 1 on the right.  We were on the left and I spotted the first one!  We then road into town and down Victoria street where there were the prettiest houses.  This is the most expensive real estate $1,000,000 being the cheapest for a house.  We then continued on King Williams Road into the center of town where our shuttle bus stops.  We decided against getting out but some people did get out to shop.  I had walked enough and being Sunday a lot of the stores were not open!  So back to the ship we came where I promptly lied down for a little while.  Augusto is making us eggplant parmigana tonight.  At 10:15 we will have our opening ceremony for the World Cruise games.  Cathy Rigby is on again this year.  We will then have three relaxing days at sea before we reach Perth on Thursday Feb. 16th.  All in All a great day in Adelaide, Australia A place I would come back to for sure!