The Northern Isles Day 7
The Northern Isles
Day 07 - Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - ms Rotterdam - At Sea
Another time change. Last night we made up the 30 minutes we had picked up when we entered St. John’s. Now we are 2 hours ahead of New York. The TV showed us that the ocean temperature was 45 degrees and the air was not much better - 50.
The ocean is still very tranquil with no real wave action at all. What is interesting is that as far from land as we are, there are all sort of sea birds out there. They fly, dive and sit on the ocean.
We slept in this morning - 8 AM and then went upstairs - Deck 8 to have breakfast. Gennie found fresh squeezed orange juice for me so that was a treat. I am really trying to watch the food intake.
Everything is so good and so well presented that one wants to try everything. The breads are excellent and that can be my downfall. So this morning I had juice, fruit and coffee.
We returned to the room and Tony was cleaning it so I grabbed the computer and we went downstairs (Deck 5) to send out a few e-mails and for Gennie to do her online attendance and grades. We sat in an area right in the middle of the ship right by the casino where the wireless node transmits.
As we were working, Gennie mentioned to me that someone had seen some whales this morning. She then looked around, out the windows on the port side and out of nowhere, she saw 4 spouts of water go up. She yelled “WHALES” and we all turned around and about 300 yards out from the ship there was a whole pod swimming.
We could see their backs when they came to the surface but I had not taken the binoculars with me so the view was only with the naked eye. People congregated around us as we watched and then they passed on. Nice sight!
At 10:30 there was a tour of the kitchens and this was impressive. As we entered we saw the padlocked wine bar, then the cold food preparation area, and the escalator to serve the upper dining room.
The dish washing area, glasses and then porcelain. They wash 3,000 dinner plates and 5,000 glasses ever night. We passed an ice artist working on an ice sculpture, then the area of salads, bakery (20 different loaves of bread daily - 4,000 dinner rolls).
The fish preparation room is all done in the large cold storage area. Then the hot kitchen, from La Fontaine meals, mass production of pizzas, hot taco bar items, soups, and all of these on steam tables. The crew was very accommodating, answering questions and allowing pictures.
As we exited there was a cooking demonstration by the chefs from the exclusive Pinnacle Grill. They showed us how to make their specialty salads and then the Dungeness crab cakes we had previously eaten. They handed out recipes to all and then at the end they served everyone a portion of the salad and cakes.
At 11:30 we went to the spa to participate on a foot reflexology seminar. The attendant gave all of us an opportunity to participate, speaking to the small group about how parts of the foot reflect the rest of the body. It was interesting and after Gennie worked on my foot it felt a lot better. As usual.
We came through the eating areas and saw what they had to offer in different areas of the ship. As we got to the stern we saw people laying out in the cool sunshine day. Gennie took 4 laps around the promenade deck to get a little exercise.
We are presently in the Labrador Basin and have 3800 feet of water under the keel. We are traveling at 20 knots. Outside temperature will stay in the 50s but sunny all day. We are now at 52.5 degrees north. We should arrive at Greenland at 10:30 tomorrow (Thursday) entering the fjord at that time.
For a change of pace, we had a sit down lunch at 1PM in the La Fontaine Dining Room giving us a different meal from the buffet they serve in the Lido.
Gennie had a teriyaki turkey appetizer and a vegetarian pizza. I had a sardine salad appetizer and a taco salad. We met an elderly couple from Cleveland/South Carolina and we conversed for some time about their trips on Holland America.
At 2:30 we listened to a PowerPoint talk (read) on the geology of the earth. Not much new except why Iceland is so geologically active - it is in the convergence of the North Atlantic and Eurasian Ridge.
Gennie went to turn over our passport to the ship’s authority for our entrance into Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, England, France and Holland.
Gen took a little nap while I worked on the pictures. I then watched Tuck Everlasting and liked the message - eternal life vs. experience of life with its ups and downs.
We then went to SHOWTIME where the Ian Finkle performed for the group. He is the son of the old teacher in Boston Public. Not my kind of music but it was good to get a little broader perspective.
As we left the show we stopped to have a glass of wine and a few things as appetizers. Then to La Fontaine for dinner - both Gennie and I had the halibut with horseradish sauce. At ten we left and agreed with Bob and Susan to get together with them tomorrow at noon to go to visit Greenland.
ms Rotterdam
Comments
Featured Journal
Day 13: Azores & Madeira: Portugal's Unspoiled Archipelagos
Day 13 - Saturday, April 22, 2022 - Depart for U.S.
The hotel prepared a box breakfast for us as we had to be in the lobby way before the breakfast room was open.
Last night we found out that our departure flight back to...
