My Souvenir Memories: Sunday at Sea...Day 1 of 5 Back Across the Pacific

Sunday, February 11, 2024

The buffet was relatively quiet when we arrived around 7:30. After a week of consecutive port days I think everyone was glad for a "down day". Bob was headed to pickleball so he didn't want to eat, but he was nice enough to sit with me while I had my usual...two poached eggs on an English muffin with a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with berries and granola.

My usual. I splurged and had hollandaise sauce on one of the eggs.

Our room was being cleaned when I got back, but I was more than happy to sit on the balcony until they were finished. Back in the room I spent time organizing some of the accumulated papers and working on the blog. Bob came back around 9 am with a bowl of oatmeal from the buffet. At 9:00 they have pickleball instruction for the newcomers so he left while that was happening. We sat on the balcony while he ate and then he went back to the sports courts.

At 10:15 I decided to go to Billboard Onboard and work on the blog and get a good seat for the 11 am "tech talk." I was surprised to find that the Hawaii geology lecture that was taking place in the main theater was also being streamed on the many video screens in Billboard Onboard. There were enough monitors that everyone there had their own screen! Kainoa, the Hawaiian ambassador giving the lecture did a great job. The one take away from his talk was that someday a large chunk of the Big Island will break off and when it does it will cause a tsunami wave tall enough that it will wash over the top of Diamond Head on the island of Oahu!!

I had planned to stay for the "Tech for Travelers" presentation in Billboard Onboard. Today's talk was titled "Sharing Your Journey." Kristen, the CD, arrived a few minutes before 11:00 and started giving out handouts for the presentation. When I looked over the paper it appeared that the talk was going to cover how to use a smart phone camera. I'm pretty sure I have that figured out better than most so left before it even started. I walked by the Dutch Cafe just to see what kinds of desserts they have and ended up talking to a Dutch lady waiting in line who raved about the Bossche Bols and apple pie.

I hung out in the room until Bob returned at noon. The main dining room was serving Sunday brunch and I convinced Bob to go. (He prefers the buffet.) We ordered starters and a main course, but no dessert. As soon as we had finished eating we walked to the Dutch Cafe and ordered one Bossche Bol and one slice of apple pie. And...of course Bob couldn't go to the Dutch Cafe without getting a bowl of pea soup. We took the food back and ate on the balcony. (Is it obvious how much we are enjoying the balcony??)

Bossche Bol (which we referred to as a bocce ball) and Apple Pie.

Before we sailed away from the warmer temps, I wanted some sun time by the pool. Bob wanted to attend the second watercolor class so we parted ways. There was no problem finding a lounge chair by the aft pool because the Super Bowl was being broadcast in the main theater and on the big screen at the Lido pool. I was half dozing when I felt some water drops. It was a little windy so I thought it was spray from the hot tub but then I figured out it was raining! I took cover briefly and gave it another go at sunbathing but the clouds were rolling in so I gave up.

Super Bowl on the big screen by the lido pool.

I turned on the Super Bowl on our cabin TV in time to see the halftime show...the only part I care to watch. Bob had played some more pickleball after the watercolor class and then he joined me and watched the 2nd half of the game in our cabin. It was an exciting finish...after being on the bottom for the whole game, Kansas City won in overtime!

The game ended just as we were ready to leave for our 6 pm reservation at the specialty Asian restaurant, Tamarind. The crowds were leaving the theater and also the lido pool all at the same time and getting into an elevator was impossible. Bob ran up the 5 decks of stairs to let them know that I and another couple from our floor were on the way. The three of us finally got on an elevator going down and then rode it back up to Deck 10. Sid Davis' comedy show in the main theater was postponed for a half hour to accommodate the Super Bowl award show that was being shown on TV in the theater.

Sid jumped into the elevator with us and someone asked if he was going to be funny tonight. He replied, "not without coffee" and got off at the buffet!

This was our third time to eat at a Tamarind restaurant and the food was excellent as always. We left the restaurant stuffed and tired so we went back to our room. It was so nice to be able to relax in our own space without the noise from BB Kings that we experienced during the first half of the cruise.