MERRY CHRISTMAS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!
Last night’s entertainment, a variety show featuring all the staff and dancers was superb – a standing ovation for the dancers and their waltzing – plus Irish dancing to boot.
We got our usual seats, down front, and Carol was able to see all the action. Afterward, we spent 45 minutes listening to our favorite piano key tickler, Brad Stevens – he is a nut! He has his own words to so many songs which make you laugh. He and I have become good friends, as he has a book he wants to publish on taking good pictures with your digital camera.
It’s another beautiful day, sun shining through a pretty thick cloud cover, but looks like a squall may be headed our way – it’s mighty dark ahead and I see rain over the horizon.
So, today is the day of our savior’s birth – a time to look back on the year and reflect on our blessings. We hope the New Year will bring Carol’s eyesight back to normal – we are going to work hard on that. We hope our grown children, their children, and their children will have a wonderful day and receive the gifts they want, but nothing can beat the most wonderful gift we all received 2009 years ago.
May the good Lord be with you and in your hearts as you celebrate Christmas with those you love.
We thank all my customers for your faith in me and my work. Your support is truly appreciated from the bottom of our hearts.
I have more novels planned for 2010 – the next in January – “Palmyra, Isle of Death”. I know you’ll enjoy this ribald tale of pirates, treasure hunters and adventure set in the south Pacific and Hawaii. It’s a different story than my previous ones – one which I consider my best effort so far. I hope you’ll purchase a copy and tell me I’m right.
My lecture is scheduled for 2:45 this afternoon. I hope to have a full audience in attendance and sell the remainder of my books on hand. We need the space in the suitcase! The extra clothes we had to buy will fill that small case in a hurry.
Today is another day at sea, followed by hopefully a visit to Devil’s Island – seems a strange place to spend the day after Christmas, doesn’t it? We probably won’t go ashore as we’ve been there before – it’s an hour’s walk around the island, hot and humid, and probably another hour to spend visiting the hotel, remains of the hospital, the graveyard and the “sweat box”.
Since I’m speaking of Devil’s Island, I’ll describe what you really see. You do NOT go to Devil’s Island. That is a small uninhabited island apart from the main island, which is not that big itself. You can throw a rock and possibly hit Devil’s Island, but that’s as close as you come.
Devil’s Island is only ten feet high at its highest point. There were no barracks as those depicted in the movie, Papillon; there isn’t enough space. The island you visit is the administrative headquarters, probably 50-75 feet high at the center, where the hotel sits above everything.
It’s not a steep climb. There are NO cliffs to jump off as the movie depicted Steve McQueen doing. There were also no small huts. The only communication device is a steel box hooked to a steel cable that runs through a pulley. The overseers used that to send over food to Devil’s Island – if they remembered to do so.
The movie was shot in the Caribbean. There is no river for them to travel on – again, liberties were taken. Like I said, you can walk around the complete admin island in an hour.
The only people buried in the cemetery there are people who worked on the island. The bodies of dead prisoners were fed to the sharks that circle the island. Not enough space to bury them.
Below the cemetery is a small cement building with no windows and a heavy steel door. It’s called the “sweat box” for unruly prisoners who spent many a day there. I was in it for five minutes and sweat was pouring off me. Not a happy place – you can almost feel the fear of ghosts of the past.
Walking is difficult, as there is only a bare path where coconuts and palm leaves lay where they’ve fallen. The surf is rough and a lot of ships are unable to visit because of that. We have several people who visited earlier and were unable to tender into shore. We hope our fellow passengers are luckier.
Sometimes, things are not what they are advertised to be.
Time to practice my lecture once more while Carol has her nails done.
Here’s another hint for cruising, one you should keep in mind:
Never think that you won’t gain a little weight on a cruise. Oh, yes, you will say, “I’m going to watch what I eat”! And, you will, watch everything you eat go down your throat.
There is no way to avoid eating. Food is everywhere on the ship. The buffet is open 24 hours a day with 40-50 or more inviting items at every meal. Breakfast: omelets made to order on one side; Belgium waffles on the other, and every breakfast item known to man in-between. Lunch and dinner are the same – food, food and more food. Then ice cream and cookies are served in the afternoon, or are available from a handy kiosk by the pool. The dining room serves three complete meals a day with many, many items to choose from, and there is always afternoon tea with scones.
Alongside the pool, there are hamburgers with a heaping plate of greasy fries, chicken sandwiches and hot dogs at one place, while another offers a wide variety of pizza with all the toppings you want, plus extra cheese.
Then, there are the special occasions on deck when you have a party with LOTS of tempting deserts, or a barbecue under the stars, or different theme nights where they serve food from various countries. You CANNOT avoid eating, believe me!
So, how do you help keep those pounds off?
You walk the stairs instead of riding the convenient elevators. You also walk the top deck circle track every morning or night. You swim every chance you get – that’s SWIM, not lay around soaking up the sun and eating something else.
Then there is the exercise area on the top deck. You can ride bikes in place, do the treadmill and several other muscle-straining devices to make you sweat off the pounds. The sauna helps too.
But walking is your best bet, or jogging or running on the top deck. Take your pick; and then pass the chocolate syrup for the ice cream, please!
One other short hint that I forgot to include when talking about laundry:
Bring along two or three rolls of quarters to feed the machines. They cost $1.00 each, as does the soap, bleach and the scented sheets for the dryer. They have a money changer in the laundry room, but it’s been known to run out and you have to run down to the pursers’ desk for more. (But, running there might burn off that ice cream we just ate)!
Hints keep coming to mind: I don’t think I told you how to remember where things are on a ship. All the entertainment is to the front and places to eat are to the rear. Bow and Aft would be more like it. Shops are usually located on Deck 5 in the center of the ship, but on larger ones, they can be on two or more decks.
The Pursers’ desk is usually in the center or the lower deck of the atrium; however, this ship, the Royal, has the reception desk to the rear on Deck 4.
Other very important items to locate are the public restrooms on each deck. Learn where they are as soon as possible, as you never know when the need will arise and it may be a long walk to your cabin – you do a lot of drinking on board, iced tea, coffee, coke, and mixed drinks, plus tons of water in the hotter areas of the world. Handicapped restrooms are usually at a premium. There are only two on this ship, one on Deck 4 and the other on Deck 9.
If you’ve never been on a cruise, you’ll have to get used to the loud noise the vacuum toilets make when you flush. Everyone makes up jokes about being caught on one when it flushes and you get sucked down and wedged in the seat. (It never happens – it’s just a joke). Imagine a huge elephant passing gas and you’ve got the idea!
This had turned into a longer blog entry than I intended, but I hope I haven’t bored you. We’ll post this and add to it after my lecture. Wish us luck. I already have at least 4 books sold to new friends.
Until then,
Via con Dias and Merry Christmas my friends and especially our family. We love you all!!
Karl & Carol
