Thanksgiving at sea

Happy Thanksgiving! This is the first time I’ve ever celebrated this holiday at sea! One acknowledgment was turkey on the menu. Also, the Golden Lion was bedecked with fall orange and red and brown tissue garland and festive paper napkins.  I enjoyed the Jazz Lunch in Golden Lion. I really do like authentic fish and chips, though dark ale will never be on my preference list

I watched paddle tennis which I never knew was such a cut-throat sport. Perhaps any sport is cut-throat as someone always seems determined to win despite any obstacles. This explains a lot about why I am not a sports person; most the time I really don’t care who wins, I just want to see good competition. I started to write fun, but then realized when I watch professional or collegiate sports, it is never about having fun - it’s about satisfying sponsors or alumni who have the money. 

I hoped Johnny Breeling would improve with a second lecture, sadly that was not the case. His topic this time was the recording studios at Muscle Shoals. I did learn some things, but mostly he read the slides. One point in his favor - this time he let more than 20 seconds of a song play. I had a better time chatting with the gentleman sitting next to me. Mike and his wife are on their way back to USA after his year long stint as a visiting professor of ecology at the Sorbonne. As he was telling about their travels around Europe, I asked if he was impressed by the 1000 year old rose bush. He’d never heard of it. I called it up on my phone and let him read about Hildesheim’s famous plant. When we left the theater, he was telling his wife about it. Jurgen would be proud of me.

I was astounded that this ship showed a Hallmark Channel movie this afternoon! Marrying Mr. Darcy pays homage to Pride and Prejudice so perhaps that’s why. Still, it’s a far cry from the Star Wars and Indie films that have been offered this trip. 

I finished a scarf and read some more of my book on the Seminoles that Steve gave me.

I joined in the group sing-a-long in the Grand Lobby. It reminded me of the way we shared carols last Christmas. I sang softly so no one would be offended, but turns out I am not the only tin-eared passenger aboard. 

Chatted with Dr. Yvonne and Peter for a bit over tea. Talked with Karen about Richard’s having lived 16 years in an Ashram in Tibet when he was younger. We had a meaningful conversation about what constitutes enlightenment and what happens after you reach nirvana. I am still kind of intrigued that you just keep seeking fulfillment, it seems never-ending. Perhaps that’s the secret. The journey is never ending. What a bummer. I’d like a journey to have a definite end, so I could begin another with a clean slate, but with the memories of what I learned previously to help me along my new path.

Sitting in the hallway leading to Illumination and watching the ocean, I realized as the bow wave surged past my window its crest, just below the white top, is the exact same pale aqua of the submerged portions of the icebergs I’ve seen in Alaska and Canada. This suggests the water is really cold. Also the ever rolling swells are kind of hypnotic. Though I did enjoy the birds that followed the ship for quite a while. An officer walking by suggested they were from the Azores, when I asked. Not a very good picture, but the sunlight glinting off their wings made them look like jewels against the deep blue sea. 

Chatted with Ivy after asking about her hat. It’s by an Australian - Helen Kaminski. Ivy assured me her website was easy to follow. I plan on investigating when I get home. 

Treated myself to an Irish Coffee to ward off the chill, then went to RADA’s performance in Carinthia of piano and passionate poetry. I really like multi-level readings, especially when I recognize about half the pieces. I know my literature background helps. My seat mates for the performance were Jacob and Anne, retired teachers from Dorset; she in Home Ec and he in Maths. We had a lot of common ground. 

Another good day at sea.