Greetings From...

...The Bermuda Triangle! Yes, it's true, I am currently in that mythical place and so far we are staying afloat. Right before bed last night I read the 'Princess Patter' which told us that we would be in the infamous Bermuda Triangle until noon today. I was exhausted but fell asleep wondering if I would awaken in my bed or in some unknown place far, far away. Whew! I woke up in my own bed and we are still floating toward Europe, unless Murray, we are now in an alternate universe!

And the weather is beautiful so I look forward to a 2nd day in a beautiful, calm ocean! A busy day today, hmmm, who could be bored on the ocean in a ship that is a small city! And there seems to be a lot of interesting people just waiting to be met. Yesterday I had breakfast with a lovely couple from Canada and the wife had been a hair stylist for years and admired my 'straightened hair' and her husband had been a geophsysist (?) and followed that career with one in animal training, he trained marine animals at marine parks. I was fascinated with his stories! Of course! What fun that was and what stories I have to share some day with my kids when we study those animals. Whales, amazing, he said their ability to reason is astounding. I am not sure I could have met a more interesting man, with my love for animals! At lunch, which was on a lounge chair by the pool in the beautiful sun was a slice of pizza, actually the best I've had on a ship, and a chat with 2 ladies from Holland who flew to Florida to take this cruise back home. They said I made a great choice to visit the Keukenhoff tulip gardens when I am there. And dinner was with my new table for the trip, interesting people with so many travel experiences to share. I enjoyed the lecture on the Azores and had a bit of late lunch at the "english pub" luncheon at a bar on the ship. The cottage pie was good, although I only ate a bit. I had to turn down Jenny's invitation to join her and Bernie for tea at 3:30 and I ended up with a much needed nap until dinner. Short day it seemed. I ended the day with my first visit to the "Movie Under the Stars" which was a fun event. I have pictures of me lying under the stars watching the big movie screen. There is a popcorn machine for real movie popcorn, then they come around passing out small snack pieces of pizza and then they come around with hot cookies and milk! I think there are few places you can go where there isn't food! Such a pleasant night under the stars, even if I was unable to eat the snacks!

It is obvious that Princess is feeling the economic pinch too. There is always a captain's champagne party on the first formal night and a large party on the last formal night where the champagne fountain is built in the atrium and there is music and dancing. Last night it was all combined as one event and it wasearly in the evening without the dancing. Dinner was interesting, the food was still good, but the souffle was tiny, 1/2 the size of the container, the only difference in the food I've noticed so far. But it seems the cutbacks are not effecting the pleasure at all, so far.

I was sorry to see that all of the people I met on this ship in October when I went to the Mediterranean are on their breaks so I don't have a friend on the crew, that was sad. I'm used to usually finding someone I know. The tour office manager was a lady I met on the Mexico trip who was a friend of Hernan's, another crew friend, but she left the ship 2 trips ago and will return in 2 more. The photographers are gone too. So I will make new friends I think.

Today's agenda will provide another relaxing day. I just might run out of time to write my book, which was my goal on this part of the journey. I will now go eat breakfast, it's about 10AM here. Then I will meet Jenny for a wonderful lecture from a prosecuting attorney from LA about the OJ Simpson case. I didn't see the man yesterday, but he was fascinating I heard, speaking about the Manson murders. Then we will have a nice sit down lunch in the restaurant and then I will go to the 'towel folding' class to make sea turtles, how could I miss that? Next is the Lisbon lecture which isn't totally necessary since I have my own personal Portuguese tour guide! Then Jenny and I are going to swim in the wave pool and then I'll soak up some sun and before I know it, it will be time for a little nap and then dinner. I'm not sure what evening entertainment I'll enjoy, maybe then I'll just sit and write, maybe.

So, from the sea once again, a fond farewell! (

And Murray, thank you for your suggestion! I put off that class until after the Lisbon/Vigo visit so I will have the pictures to use, but if anything changes, your suggestion is wonderful, something I didn't even realize!)