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May 9, 2012: Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal |
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May 2-18, 2012: Aboard the Noordam |
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Return to the Index for Our Cruise to Europe |
"A day without a port is a day without a shore excursion," or so the saying goes, and for the next six days of our cruise, there won't be any ports, hence no shore excursions, hence relatively few pictures. But we didn't just hibernate in the suite; there was always plenty to do aboard ship- and not all of it involved food.
The days of the crossing had their own familiar routine: Breakfast. Bridge until noon. Lunch. Duplicate bridge (for me) and other activities for Greg and Fred. The gym. Some downtime. Dinner. A show (usually) or a movie.
And so it went for six very relaxing days. As for pictures and movies, we've already dealt with pictures of the ship itself, and later on we'll take a look at the unique decoration of this particular ship. So what pictures and movies there might be will mostly involve activities like the shows. Let's just cross the Atlantic one day at a time.
Thursday, May 3: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Thursday, May 3, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 28°40.8'N, 075°15.4'W |
| Weather: | Gentle northeasterly breeze, smooth seas, very low swell. Clear skies, I022hPa, 25°C/77°F |
The Day's Activities
This morning began early for me. I seem to be developing a habit of getting up fairly early, often while Greg and Fred were still asleep. I think the light wakes me, but I'm not sure. In any event, I usually leave them to arise on their own and head up to the Lido Restaurant for breakfast.
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I got a table out along the starboard side of the ship by the Lido Pool, and played a few games of solitaire on my iPhone. It was about eight-thirty when I got done, so I went back down to the suite where I found Greg and Fred just leaving to get some breakfast of their own. The first bridge lesson of the cruise was this morning, and I planned to go to that, and Fred said he might stick his head in as well. The lesson was pretty straightforward, but at the end of it I stood up and asked if there were any really novice players who might like to play in the mornings. I got a couple of responses and a couple of cabin numbers.
I think we had lunch with Jim and MaryEllen, whom we'd met the night before, and then I went off to play duplicate bridge while Fred and Greg went to a lecture on "real women pirates," a lecture they later reported was interesting as a topic but kind of deadly as a presentation. Meanwhile, I hooked up with a gentleman about my age who needed a partner for duplicate- Bill Flank. We played and did right well, so we planned to play each afternoon of the crossing.
After bridge I got back together with Fred and Greg and we all three went to the gym for an hour or so. After that, we went to our second LGBT gathering which had moved to 7:30 in a standard location- the Oak Room of the Crow's Nest. There, we began to get to know David Hales and his partner Frank a bit better; they are the couple who go back and forth between Marbella, Spain, and Puerta Vallarta in Mexico. They turn out to be very interesting people with a lot of life stories to tell. There were eight or ten other folks there as well. We had dinner with some of them and then headed to the Vista Lounge to see tonight's performer.
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After his introductions and a toast with the passengers, the Cruise Director introduced piano player and entertainer David Howarth, who put on a humorous show. You can watch an excerpt from it with the movie player below:
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This Evening's Towel Animal
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This one seemed easy to guess, but you can see if you agree.
Friday, May 4: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Friday, May 4, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 31°10'N, 066°57'W |
| Weather: | Fresh north-northeasterly breeze, smooth seas, very low swell. Clear skies, I022hPa, 23°C/73°F |
The Day's Activities
This morning was much like yesterday, with me being the first of our group up to breakfast. Today, I asked the servers in the Lido Restaurant to get me a whole grapefruit. They seemed bewildered, but in a few minutes one had been sent up from the kitchen. I prevailed on the bartender who was opening up the Lido Pool bar to let me borrow one of the paring knives he uses to cut lemons and limes, and sat at our usual table patiently peeling and seeding the grapefruit. Although it took some time, there was a lot less waste, and I enjoyed it a great deal. I paired it with what became my signature cereal- a mixture of Raisin Bran and All-Bran. They have those little single-serving boxes in the morning.
The guys joined me as I was finishing, and we made a date to be in the Hudson Room at nine-thirty; I had the night before called the two respondents from yesterday who said they would meet us to play. I figured this would be better for everyone than attending a bridge lesson next door; those tend to be dominated by the good players who like to ask questions more to show off their knowledge than anything else. We had a pleasant morning, and quit about twelve-thirty so the ladies could meet their husbands for lunch. MaryEllen and Jim came in towards the end of our session, and we made arrangements for them to play with us tomorrow.
began early for me. I seem to be developing a habit of getting up fairly early, often while Greg and Fred were still asleep. I think the light wakes me, but I'm not sure. In any event, I usually leave them to arise on their own and head up to the Lido Restaurant for breakfast.
We had lunch in the Lido Restaurant, and then I left to play duplicate with my partner, rejoining Fred and Greg later for the gym (part of our routine), some reading and email, and then the LGBT meeting at 7:30, which also became part of our routine. We'd tired of the lengthy dinners in the Vista Dining Room, so we had supper in the Lido. We watched a bit of the second Sherlock Holmes movie, but the screen was fairly small and the sound not so good, so we went on to the 10PM show in the Vista Lounge instead. It was called "Simply Broadway," put on by the singing/dancing troupe that is a permanent fixture on the Noordam.
Afterwards, we went next door to the piano bar to have a listen to Jim Fischer, the performer there for this first cruise. He was certainly entertaining, and not a bad singer- fairly typical for a cruise ship. Tonight was "Elton John Hits," and you can watch Fischer and have a listen with the two movie players below:
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"Philadelphia Freedom" |
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" |
As usual, we walked the ship for a while, and had a late-night dessert in the Lido Restaurant before heading back to the suite.
This Evening's Towel Animal
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This was another one that was hard to guess. It seemed like some kind of flying creature, but we weren't sure. What's your guess?
Saturday, May 5: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Saturday, May 5, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 33°37'N, 058°51'W |
| Weather: | Strong northwesterly breeze, moderate seas, low swell. Partly cloudy skies, I009hPa, 21°C/70°F |
The Day's Activities
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The Lido Pool Cover Retracts |
We had our first bridge session with MaryEllen and Jim, and I am sure that it will become our routine across the Atlantic to play with them in the mornings; it is extremely enjoyable. We had lunch and I had another duplicate session in the afternoon, and we hit the gym again.
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Evening on Our Crossing |
I also made a movie as we sat here in the twilight on our balcony, looking forward along the port side of the ship. You can watch that movie with the player at right.
Lance Ringnald in the Vista Lounge
The performer tonight was a first for us; he was neither a comic (although he was funny on occasion), a magician, a singer, a dancer or a musician (although he did play the piano for a bit). Actually, he was a gymnast.
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One of his first "flips" came in a car accident. Recovering well, he became more serious about gymnastics, he moved to New Mexico to train, eschewing the NCAA route and putting his educational goals on hold. He went on to become the youngest member of the team, although he did not place in Seoul. He continued in the sport, hoping to make it to the 1992 Games in Barcelona. He injured himself at the 1991 World Championships and also at the 1992 Olympic trials, earning only a spot as the alternate on the 1992 team.
Unfazed, he aimed next for the 1996 Olympics, but a dismal placement at the 1993 World Championships likely contributed to Lance's retirement. But since retiring, he has worked on the entertainment aspect of the sport, and developed a performance suitable for private venues such as cruise ships, and he has performed on a number of them (as have other Olympians). In his particular performance, he has brought in comedy and also his childhood-learned piano skills to make a show that is more than just gymnastics.
As a postscript, Lance was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame at the U.S. National Congress, held in conjunction with the 2001 U.S. National Championships in Philidelphia, PA.
We took some pictures during Ringnald's performance, but movies are better.
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Ringnald did juggling as well, and at one point seemed to catch one of the balls with his head and upper back- right at his neck. Then he proceeded to do some balancing, all without losing the trapped ball. You can watch the humorous results with the player below:
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Fred took some good pictures of the gymnast on the silks, and if you click on the thumbnail images below you can have a look at them:
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And I made two movies of Ringnald- one when he was working on the silks, and the other when he was playing the piano. You can watch them with the players below:
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Ringnald on the Silks |
The Piano Virtuoso |
Ringnald put on an interesting show, although I wonder what he might do when he can no longer do his gymnastic routine. Fred and I walked around the ship for a while, sticking our heads into the piano bar, and then had a late-night dessert in the Lido Restaurant before heading back to the suite.
This Evening's Towel Animal
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Could've been a peacock, I guess, but I opted for the Thanksgiving guest of honor.
Sunday, May 6: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Sunday, May 6, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 35°39'N, 050°06'W |
| Weather: | Moderate westerly breeze, slight seas, low swell. Partly cloudy skies, I003hPa, 20°C/68°F |
The Day's Activities
Today was probably the quietest, most routine day so far. Breakfast in our usual spot. Bridge with MaryEllen and Jim in our usual spot. Lunch with them in the Lido. Duplicate bridge for me, reading and photo editing for Fred and Greg. The gym. The LGBT meeting. Dinner in the Vista Dining Room.
Mike Robinson in the Vista Lounge
The show this evening, which the three of us attended, was ventriloquist Mike Robinson.
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"Original, creative, and versatile are fitting adjectives for describing Mike and Woody, a ventriloquial team providing wholesome entertainment for all ages. Mike and Woody joined forces over twenty years ago and began their professional careers, entertaining audiences of all ages in a variety of settings throughout the country. (NOTE: Robinson is from Nova Scotia, Canada)"
"Mike and Woody are veterans of TV and radio programs, concerts, festivals, and conventions. They have brought their own special brand of lively entertainment to schools, universities, churches, senior centers, and youth organizations. They are equally at home under the lights of nightclubs as they are at private parties. Mike and Woody have shared the stage with such well-known entertainers as B. B. King and Sheb Wooley."
Most of the work that this team does, however, is right here on Holland-America cruise ships; they have been performing for the line for over 20 years. They not only do ventriloquism, but magic as well, and Robinson did a couple of tricks in both the performances we saw. Apparently, his magic is pretty good, because a few years ago he was doing a cruise of of New Zealand when his figure (the trade term for "dummy") never arrived on the ship. He did the entire cruise just doing stand up comedy and magic. He was really very funny, and we enjoyed him a great deal.
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When we left the Vista Lounge, we went up to the Crow's Nest to listen to a solo singer who was performing- her name was Ashlee Rose. She was pretty good, I thought. Maybe not "American Idol" quality, but with a blend of guitar-based songs that were certainly easy to listen to. We were up there until just before midnight, and as we were heading back to the room, we took note of the ship information display down on the Promenade Deck.
This Evening's Towel Animal
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We seem to be alternating between recognizable creatures and others not so much. Your guess here would be as good as ours. There ought to be something in the next day's Explorer (the daily program) to tell you what the previous night's creature was.
Monday, May 7: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Monday, May 7, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 36°56'N, 041°26'W |
| Weather: | Moderate southwesterly breeze, slight seas, low swell. Partly cloudy skies, I001hPa, 19°C/66°F |
The Day's Activities
Today was just as quiet and just as routine as yesterday. Breakfast in our usual spot. Bridge with MaryEllen and Jim in our usual spot. Lunch with them in the Lido. Duplicate bridge for me, reading and photo editing for Fred and Greg. The gym. The LGBT meeting. Dinner in the Vista Dining Room (with Jim, MaryEllen and their friend Sally). But then we spent most of the evening with them.
Jim Fischer in the Piano Bar
Tonight, the piano player was doing a "Guess the Broadway Song" show in the Piano Bar, so after dinner the six of us trooped down there to have a listen.
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The only seats we found together were behind the piano player; while that didn't detract from our listening to the music and trying to name the song and Broadway show, it did make for boring picture-taking.
Fred did try a couple of movies, though, and even though you are just looking at Fischer's back, you can at least hear a couple of the songs (and members of our group singing along). You can watch these with the players below:
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We had a good time with the songs, but about 10PM Fred and I left to go next door and have a look at the evening's entertainment in the Vista Lounge.
"Ballroom Rush" in the Vista Lounge
The show this evening was another unusual one. You may remember the "America's Got Talent" contestants some years back who were "quick change artists?" The one with the lady whose outfit kept changing impossibly fast? Well, tonight's performers combined some of that with an exhibition of ballroom dancing.
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This Evening's Towel Animal
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Not only was the towel animal this evening hard to figure out, it was the first animal that seemed to have been made with more than one towel; we counted three, without taking it apart. Let your imagination run wild on this one.
Tuesday, May 8: At Sea
From the Ship's Log
| Tuesday, May 8, 2012 ~ At Sea | |
| Position at Noon: | 37°37'N, 032°24'W |
| Weather: | Fresh southeasterly breeze, moderate seas, low swell. Partly cloudy skies, I000hPa, 19°C/66°F |
The Day's Activities
This was our last sea day before getting to the Azores. We'll have another sailing day after we are there to reach the European coast, but we are certainly getting close.
And it was an entertaining day. The three of us had a leisurely breakfast by the Lido Pool, and then headed off to the Hudson Card Room for another morning of bridge with Jim and MaryEllen. We had a nice lunch in the Lido Restaurant (I have become fond of California Rolls and rice noodles and wasabi from the Asian buffet), and at the afternoon duplicate, Bill Flank and I came in second our direction (I may not have mentioned that we had won the day before). We relaxed in the suite, did the LGBT meeting, and had dinner with some of those guys in the dining room.
One oddity today (which is actually the second time it has happened) was that the ship's clocks were set forward one hour. This is actually the fifth time since we left Fort Lauderdale that we have done this, but this was the first time that it wasn't done at two in the morning; it was done at two in the afternoon. On the ship I guess it didn't matter much, but it would be holy hell trying to do that anywhere else. Our duplicate games run from 1:30 until 4:30, which usually gave us time for 24 hands or so, but right at 2PM, when it became 3PM, the director announced that we'd only play fifteen hands.
At 10PM, Fred and I watched a show entitled "If Walls Could Rock," in which the Noordam Singers and Dancers imagined a New York brownstone coming to life in singing and dancing numbers. Photography and video recording were disallowed (why, I am not sure) and for once I didn't just do it anyway. Greg went to "Name that Tune" in the piano bar, and we joined him after the show. And Fred and I went up to listen to Ashlee Rose again in the Crow's Nest for a while before returning to the suite to prepare for our first shore excursion tomorrow. (Most of them started fairly early, so we had to learn how to leave wake-up calls, a task which became my responsibility).
This Evening's Towel Animal
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If last night's animal was hard, this one was easy. It was easily my favorite of all of them so far, and another multi-towel creation. In fact, I kept the pachyderm up on the shelf for quite a while before allowing it to be recycled into linen again.
You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.
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May 9, 2012: Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal |
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May 2-18, 2012: Aboard the Noordam |
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Return to the Index for Our Cruise to Europe |
