Saying we are at sea doesn't mean much. I can be so slow at time. We can sea the ships current position on the TV in the room, so here is a screenshot showing our location this morning as we sped along at 19 knots toward our stop tomorrow at Tobago.
Required breakfast photo.
Thought I'd try to post some photos of different areas of the Zuiderdam. This is the nearest lobby on our floor where we can use the stairs or elevators. The stairs are to my back so are not show.
There are reproduction pieces of art throughout the ship. Linda says she can always tell when she reaches our lobby by the two chairs. I just look at all the "8's".
Linda attended a presentation on Brazil.Where Linda sat.
I attended the following presentation what to do on Tobago. This where I thought I was going to have to sit until the announced it was also being shown live on the TV's in the lounge we like to frequent. An easy chair and adult beverage to watch the presentation, Priceless. Smart Bob.
Another meal, more food never before eaten onboard.Same with the desserts. There are so many to chose from I've had to double up for fear of not tasting every one of them before the crise is over. Pinocchio Bob.
It is hard to the difference between our room and a hanging garden. Linda really liked the idea of using magnets (the walls in the ship are all steel) to expand the storage space. I'm not going to say she overdid it, but....
The hook magnets are 100 lbs. magnets and I can tell you getting them off the wall is no easy task.
The tee shirts I designed for our cruise. Linda has already been asked by someone where they could buy one because the are much nicer than the ones they sell on the ship. Makes me realize the effort was worth it.
A late afternoon knock on the door. It was our steward Patrick with a special something for the birthday girl.
Such a wonderful surprise compliments of the Captain and crew. And it wasn't a computer signature, the Captain had actually signed the card.
Sometimes it is the little things that count.
Tonight is formal night and all those clothes we bought at Amazon, Kohl's, Burlington Outlet and the Salvation Army Thrift Store are going to be worn.
It has been over twenty years since I last tied a tie. Talk about a struggle! Eventually I got it tied the way I wanted. Loosened the knot enough to slip it over my head and set it aside so I could simply slip it on and tighten it when the time came to get dressed.
Birthday girl gets a present from Shari.
No, it's not a family portrait, but there is a story to it. The gentleman between Linda and I is Henk Mensink, the Hotel General Manager of the ship, a rank that reports directly to the ship's Captain. Bert, Shari, Linda and I and sitting in the Pinnacle Lounge having adult beverages, when Henk walks by, stops, puts his hand on my shoulder, turns to Bert and Shari and says," You must be the couple who signed up for the cruise and caused these two to sign up to join you." Wish I had a photo of Bert's mouth dropping open at that comment. (Henk and I had a fascinating conversation a few nights ago outside the Rolling Stone Lounge and he remembered my story about how we came to be onboard the ship.) It's not always what you do, sometimes it's who you know.
The specialty Candied Bacon appetizer served in the Pinnacle Grill. It was my Birthday present to Linda, a non-surprise, surprise dinner with Bert and Shari in THE place to dine aboard ship.
Linda made sure to photograph all of her courses. This was the stuffed crab appetizer.
All the candied bacon was gone. It is the kind of restaurant where the portions are just right and quality is indescribable.
Linda's scallops, a main also ordered by Bert and Shari.
Of course I had to be different, but my Lamb chops ranked in the top three I have ever eaten in my Life.
Linda's Flan dessert. She said it was unreal.
I watched many YouTube videos before this cruise and universally everyone of them said if you eat at the Pinnacle Grill, you must have the Baked Alaska for dessert as it is unreal. I'd say after eating that it is other worldly.
We had read repeatedly that Holland America is a step above other cruise lines, and the things they did for Linda today have me believing it. When I made the reservation I never said anything about it being Linda's birthday, but just after the chef left our table after talking about the meal, our waiter placed this absolutely, unbelievably decadent chocolate dessert in front of our Birthday Girl. Somethings have to be lived to be understood.
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