Day Four: At Sea

Those beautiful four words again, another day at sea. I like the land excursions and we have two in a row coming up . . . but there is something so tranquil about the days at sea . . . especially when you have a terrace with two lounge chairs (and table with four straight chairs too).

We just barely made it to stretch class as I was blogging away but we did get there. And let me tell you, that is so lovely to stretch, just stretch, with the huge ocean windows in front of you and the polished wood floor swaying you ever so slightly. I won't ever be able to work out on a steady surface again. As a matter of fact, I forgot to say yesterday that the only vertigo I have had was when we were aport at Cabo San Lucas and standing in the tiny museo. I felt a little peculiar for a minute and then realized I was landsick! (It passed.)

After stretch, we grabbed some breakfast, filled up our bottomless Coca Cola mugs, and headed to bridge class!! Sar, a very thick-accented Indian man . . . who came to the United States in 1960 and was an automotive engineer in Detroit before retiring to bridge and the waves . . . taught us about the take-out double. Uh-oh, I'm in trouble I thought. We had missed the first class two days earlier and when I saw the topic, I told Bennett I don't even know what a double is. Bennett reminded me that you double the opponent's bid. And that's all I knew. (I haven't played bridge in 20+ years and even then was only a raw beginner; Bennett is beyond that but for many years has only read the bridge column and played on the PC.) Well, let me tell you, after an hour, I can tell you about the take-out double, the fact that you better bid back if your partner take-out doubles or you will be walking home, when to bid 2 hearts when your opponent bids one heart (Michael's cue-bid), and how to understand Sar when he speaks so fast and Indianly. I would almost be ready to play a hand of bridge . . . if you could guarantee that when the dealer bid one heart, I had five spades in my hand with five in a minor (clubs or diamonds too.) ;-)

Mostly the day passed on our veranda, in the sun, reading, sleeping, waking up, reading, sleeping, waking up. Did I mention the hot tub on the veranda; Bennett lolled in there quite a while. I never got off my chair. We did go to lunch by the poolside, hamburgers and delicious vegetables (how's this, Bennett says the cruise vegetables have been the best part!). Glynne, I don't know how to describe food; maybe bringing a sub-cruisee with me to sub-blog the food would have been good, get the hint girl who should have been a sub-cruisee?

Speaking of girls, I do miss my girls. I received the most wonderful email any of you (including me) have ever read from Natalie yesterday. She had an amazing couple of days in Tennessee. And I am so glad to read a post from my gal Mal. I will be thrilled to hug you all again.

After lunch, we went to the library to look at maps. To see that I have been south of the Tropic of Cancer once before, in Hawaii. But now we are going south of that. It definitely has a very tropical feel in the air. After departing Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja California, we sailed west back oceanward but now are more easterly again and tracking the Mexican coast which we can see far away.

Then more veranda time, Pilates with Russell a bloke who does not know Pilates but what the hey. Captain's Club (cocktail party by invitation only - we're not Captain's Club but we are suite clientele) in the Constellation room on deck 11 practically on the prow or at least the windows made you feel it. The captain and many crew were there so now I can say we met the ship's Captain (Glynne, Cap'n Mac is my Captain Mickey Mac, ya know the one who took my mom to the hospital 50 years ago.)

We went to the formal dining room for dinner, only our second time so far. This is where we have the same dinner table for eight and it is very lavishly served. Our table mates are from Georgia a man and his 17 year old son - he has six children and gives them each a fortnight's vacation for high school graduation whereever they want to go; from Texas a "small" oil and gas company owner and his wife/girlfriend/goombah? whose gigantic bosoms pouring out of her halter top each had a little hand print tatooed on it; and Vella (California) and Bob (North Carolina) who are nearly 80 and met on the internet . . . . The table is prime as Georgia and Texas (and Maryland) are suite clientele. Vella and Bob, well they must have ended up at our table because there was room as I'm not sure they even have a porthole, they did it all "on the internet."

Back to our royal suite, bed turned down, chocolates on the pillow. Must rest for early day in Acapulco tomorrow . . . .