Yesterday we arose very early for us, put our luggage out into the hallway, had breakfast, and got on the first bus to transport us to the port in San Antonio, Chile where we would board our ship, the Emerald Princess. It’s about an hour and a half from Santiago to San Antonio and Princess sent a guide on the bus to tell us where we were and what we were passing. It made the time go quickly and soon we were in San Antonio. Everything went well until, once again, I fell. It wasn’t a bad fall at all but I decided I was sick of this tripping, and had them bring a wheel chair. Because of being in the chair, just like at Chilean custom, we went right through the embarkation process first. We were up on the ship by 11:45, it having taken about fifteen to go through he embarkation and security process. Our room was actually ready, so we left the carry-ons and had a lovely lunch. We had crawfish and smoked salmon as a starter and trout almondine as a main.

We wandered around the ship, had the muster drill, and then waited for the suitcases. One came, and we unpacked that, so at least we each had half our clothes, but it took a long while for the second one to come. While waiting we enjoyed the sunny weather by sitting on our balcony, watching the port activities.

 

We had started to pull away from the pier before the second suitcase came.

I unpacked that one while Alan ran up to the laundromat and did two loads of clothes. Surprisingly, there were other people up there doing laundry, all of them in our circumstance of having already traveled a week. The laundry was done just in time for us to go to dinner (we have late seating so can go as late as 8:15. Our table (for two again) is about three tables away from where we sat on our transatlantic voyage, so it feels like home. We had a great dinner, both of us starting with ceviche, then Alan had pork roast with beans and apples and I had crawfish etoufee that had been flamed with cognac. Excellent idea, by the way. For dessert, we split a flourless chocolate cake and had a limoncello to go with it. We walked up the stairs (always if we are going to eat like this), realizing that we don’t quite have our sea legs yet.

Today is an “at sea” day and we started by going to the Club Class dining room for breakfast. Somehow, we qualify for this on this cruise and, so far, have gotten two bottles of wine waiting for our arrival in our room and being able to eat in this much smaller, quieter room. We both had the “Happy Salmon” plate, which was a fun way to start the day.

After breakfast, again we wandered around, listened to the port talk and then heard a lecture about Darwin in the Galapagos and how his theories shocked Victorian society. Lunch was back in the Club Class dining room. We started with hot and sour soup, and then Alan had fresh, made by the maître d’ , pasta primavera and I had a Cobb salad. We then went to the specialty coffee bar for coffee. Somehow, I prebought four coffee cards of 15 specialty coffees each. That’s 60 coffees over two weeks. I think we will have some left, but can actually carry them over to another voyage. Alan left me to go play 3 on 3 soccer. Yes, he really found a soccer game to play in aboard a ship in the South Pacific! We (Alan) started with a 2 on 2 game with the game coordinator and 2 other 60 plus year olds and then recruited 2 16 year olds. We finished off playing 2 on 2 against the two kids. BJ said that didn’t sound fair. It wasn’t, we won 5 to 3. I (BJ again) shopped and actually bought two tee shirts. He just got back from soccer having had a great time and a steward just delivered 4 chocolate covered strawberries. We don’t know where they came from but, boy, were they good. We need many more staircase walkings now.

The internet is very weak out at sea right now, so I am writing this off line and will add to it as we go. When I get a better signal, I will post it.

Tonight was the first formal night and before dinner we watched the Bujacich Tango Quintet play some tango music including some Piazzola. While they were playing, we got to see the champagne pyramid being built. Watching it being built is actually much more interesting than watching the champagne cascade down it.

We then hid out in a bar and read until dinner. Dinner was asparagus soup with a salmon quenelle for me as a starter and smoked duck breast for Alan. Alan then had the barramundi for the main course and I had tiger prawns. Dessert as bananas foster, but I have to say, my Daddy’s bananas foster were much better than these.

Back in the room now to fill out Chile landing forms. The one minor glitch is that we need our passport numbers and they took our passports when we embarked. Luckily, I was able to get to Dropbox and find the copies I have stored there. All is well. We have a very early morning tomorrow so will eat a quick breakfast in the room. Then it’s onto the tenders and off to Puerto Montt where we are scheduled to go to a waterfall, a volcano, and a German settlement. More tomorrow.