Zoom!

LAfter the sun rose, the clouds lifted and disappeared leaving a beautiful, fresh morning in the high 60s with flat seas and no breeze other than what we generate motoring.  At breakfast met Dan and Vickie from St Louis. 1 26 y/o daughter w 3 kids. Nurse.  So I went back, got swimsuit and headed for the hot tub.  Donna shortly arrived.  After a hot soak we went in the salt water swimming pool. Met Max's wife Lora from near Moscow.   It might be convection heated. We returned to the room. I dashed off to a Cha Cha class, pausing for 2nd breakfast.  At Cha Cha met Tom and Darla - he works for a seed corn co and she for a MD office in Indianapolis. No kids, 2nd marriages, 32 yrs.  Then to cooking school with T &  D then back to room to catch up with Donna who had been to a orientation on shore excursions.  Lunch with Fen and Betty, who have been married 62+ years - he says the secret is her bad hearing. On to card making with Krazy Kevin at 1:15p then wine tasting ($30) at 2p.  OK wine (and 5 glasses of it each), good cheeses, good company (Richard and Ann) and a HORRIBLE, screaming-for-a-full-hour wine steward who rambled on and on at 90db completely destroying what other would be an amazing ambience.  Stopped off to get ice cream then outside on the rear deck to watch whales. Then to front observation lounge as the Captain navigated us through a 10 mile passage only a quarter mile wide. Next, an awesome stage show, buffet dinner, and back to the room.