Hello Everybody, this is our fourth day at sea and some people are getting grumpy. The computers are slow-like a massive dial-up-with lots of people trying to get on all at once. Not only do we have the Internet lounge, but everyone has an Ipad and they log in from thier seats every where they sit. Everything seems overpowered , and we are 3000 miles out in the middle of the Atlantic, so I don't know what they expect. Since things are a little slow, I'll only stay on a little while. BTW, the Editing part of this blog is that I will soon go over the posts and correct all the spelling errors. Usually I am in line or in a hurry and things get on here fairly quickly. Also, I plan to add some things with photos as soon as I can figure out how to do that.
We are on the Anytime Eating Plan, so we can go in the dining rooms (2) at any time during the evening. We are excluded from one of the dining rooms as that is reserved for 6 and 8:15 for those who have recquested an eating reservations each night. So, we wander in around 6:30 each evening, and as we greet the MaitreD', I ask for a shared table with "nice" people. Now he knows me and promises the "Nice" people! Last night we ate with a couple from Slovenia. Slovenia is only 3 hrs across in any direction. It has 2 million people, and it has the same problems as other European nations. We are so interested in all our fellow passengers. The woman was absolutely beautiful, tiny, and spoke little English. She told us they had been on a Round the World cruise last year and they had an English teacher on board who gave classes. That got me going. Maybe Princess would like to hire me to teach English on board! And, give me a free cabin. Anyway, Slovenia has lots of spa resorts, Mariana said. Her husband told me they are leaving Galveston after 32 days to board a Carnival ship for 2 weeks in the Caribbean, and then changing again to go down into South America, finally finishing up back in Ft Lauderdale after 48 more days. They stay home in the summer months only. Her only complaint was that the music on the ship was not very good for dancing. We have a normal dance band, a Beatles era or 50-60's dance band, and on occasion a country western group, all in different spots every nite, so I don't know what she wants. We do not have a grand ballroom; maybe she wanted that. Anyway, we can be entertained. I am going to find out more about Slovenia.
Today Jim had on his Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival tee and a lady asked if he lived there, and when he said no, Whidbey Island, she said she lived in Coupeville. She and her husband had moved from New Jersey and love it on the island. And, we met a couple on a bus who are retiring and want to move out of California, and now await an invitation to visit us because they are very interested in Whidbey. Mike says I have to quit inviting people! Everytime we identify ourselves as coming from Whidbey, people say they have been to Whidbey or know it and want to go there.
We also have met people who tell us about the amazing trips they have taken all over the world. When we first started I was sure I would never need to go back on another cruise to the same areas, but now I understand why the Cruise Critic people were planning tours to areas outside Rome. They take this trip over and over and get to spend times in areas not in the immediate port area. Some people are so savvy, they know to tell the tour guide they only want to see the Bottecelli paintings in Rome, and the tourguide takes them to the churches that have those paintings, and no where else. Another group went to three Tuscan villages for wine tasting and a grand lunch. The tours will do anything you want and with a small group, it is not difficult. I told the driver I wanted to get some wine in France, so he pointed out a grocery store and told me to go there. Others told me about going to a winery where they would fill up a plastic jug with fresh wine for only 5 Euros. We have learned so much, I feel like I should have a notebook to write down the travel tips I learn on each outing and at each meal. One interesting fact is that few people we talk to have traveled on Norwegian. Did I say that before? Anyway, I wonder what the deal is with that. One couple told me Carnival was not loud or young because they only travel on Carnival after October and every young family has gone home, leaving old people.
Today and tomorrow at sea, and then we are in Ft Lauderdale for a day. We are going on an airboat ride in the Everglades. That's for Jim, since I am not very interested, but he thinks it will be cool. Hope we don't see too many alligators! Then we have two more days to reach Galveston. I am getting sad the trip will be over soon. I think I could stay on the ship for many more days and be happy. Who knew! Best to all, and more later. The Whidbey Wagners
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