Sailing Toward France

Our Friend 'Dewa' From Prior Cruise

Cheryl & The Captain

Sea days are always special for us. A day to relax & typically just recoup - & we ran pretty hard all week with several consecutive ports. We started our Rummy card games about mid-morning, poolside. Temps were in the lower 80's - just a picture perfect morning. I blamed it on the Bloody Mary, but Cheryl won the first game quite handily. No worries at that point.

We attended a Mariner function at 11:30 where we received recognition for having sailed 812 days with Holland America. Only one other couple had more, and I believe they were just north of 1,000 days. We don't keep track - we just enjoy. There were several other couples in 200-300 day range, and they were recognized and received very nice medals along with photos with the Captain & Second Officer. The fairly large group were then escorted to the lower dining room where they'd prepared a special lunch for us.

Once finished, Cheryl and I went back up top for more cards - she won the second game, and once again, by a fairly decent margin. It had to be the Grey Goose & Bloody Mary. I called for a third & final game - I wasn't about to be swept for the day. But I was!! So, I'm now 0-3, and a little embarrassed. I still say it was the Goose that got me, and not total lack of talent.

At 6:30, we had a brief, 30-minute cocktail reception with the Captain & his wife, Tunde. There were 3 other couples invited. Coincidentally, one of the couples was from Arizona. Even more of a coincidence, from Saddlebrook - a community just south of us where our dear friends Charlie & Tooti Congdon live! Amazing - it really is a small world afterall! They were seated right next to Cheryl, and I was next to an older couple from Germany - very 'thick' accents, so I had a real hard time understanding them. I just nodded & smiled when I felt it was appropriate, and they were probably doing the same thing - no real conversation - just nods & smiles. Awkward!!

We were then escorted to dinner in the lower dining room. The Captain has his own table there, and seating was preassigned as is normally the procedure. Who should end up next to the Captain?? You guessed it! It wasn't enough that she destroyed we & won three consecutive card games earlier...now she has prime seating next to the Captain! I was at the opposite end of the table with the Captain's wife, Tunde, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed our evening together. She's from Hungary, and while she too had a very heavy accent, she was pretty easy to understand. She's been with Holland America 13 years & works in the Shore Excursion office. The Captain's contract ends in 2 months while she'll remain on the ship another month before joiniing him at home. The Captain doesn't know it yet, but she says he'll have quite a lengthy 'honey-do' list waiting for him once he gets home to keep him out of trouble - he'll be a very busy boy.

Toward the end of dinner, I get tapped on the shoulder - turn around, and it's a bar waiter from our last Asia cruise who'd been moved from the Amsterdam to the Oosterdam. He served us for 80 days (every afternoon) in the Ocean Bar. I was overwhelmed with emotion...stood up from the table, and gave him a big hug! Totally inappropriate, I'm sure, as the whole table was disrupted - but this young man from Indonesia took very special care of us and we ultimately became Facebook friends and have stayed in touch since. With that said, neither of us knew he would be onboard, so it was a wonderful surprise. And for Orlin & Barbara Stansfield who were with us in the Ocean Bar each day and who follow this blog, 'Dewa' wanted us to pass along his greetings to both of you as well! 

Aside from the awkward cocktail party, it was a very enjoyable evening for both of us. 

We'll be arriving in France later this morning and have a land tour scheduled. I have no idea what's in store for us - we always look forward to a new adventure. The only thing I'm certain of today...NO card games!