Monday 14 April 2025

Still Crossing the Atlantic

Still crossing the North Atlantic, but the Nieuw Statendam is nearing its first European port tomorrow (Wednesday): Falmouth, Cornwall, UK. This is about as far southwest as anyone can reach without trekking out to Land's End, which is only a few kilometers away. I have visited this part of England once before, back in ancient times--May 1976, just ahead of the year I came up for tenure at VCU.

I won't be venturing all the way out to the end on this visit, but here are two very old photos, taken with film and then copied on to the computer--so forgive the poor quality.

Monday begins with another breakfast in the dining room:  yogurt with fresh berries and a very large stack of buttermilk pancakes with fruit and hot maple syrup. 

The seas are still rough today so I settle in for another movie in my stateroom. I finally get to see Barbie--and I am quite disappointed. While director Gerwig's intentions may be good, I find the film trite and, worst of all, humorless. Even the sets and costumes lack imagination; yes, I know it's all a cartoon, but there is a lack of energy in the Barbieland scenes. The best part of the film is the relationship between Gloria (America Ferrara) and her daughter, Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt).

Moving on . . . I have a late afternoon snack of fruit and cheese in the Lido Marketplace. I am still full from the pancakes this morning, but my stomach needs some preparation for my now daily pre-dinner martini in the Ocean Bar. By the way, all the alcohol I drink (I could have up to 11 free drinks per day), soft drinks, cans of water (there is no free water anymore), two dinners in specialty restaurants, and unlimited wifi are part of the special fare I pay. So, all in all, I think I have been pretty restrained.

Tonight I have my second included specialty dinner in Tamarind, with Asian/fusion cuisine. My reservation is for 8:00pm, so I stop in the World Stage to see and hear Emer (long "E," as in "Eat") Barry, a very attractive and very talented Irish soprano. Tamarind is way up on deck 10, so things are a little shaky, but I manage to hold on to my food and water without much trouble. As on the night I ate in the Pinnacle Grill, there are not many occupied tables here. And, again, there is a great deal of food.

 

Even before ordering I am presented with a tray of three spicy dips and large chips for tasting them:

For appetizer I have hot lobster wontons and a small oriental salad.

The main course is Mongolian lamb chops served with bok choi in oyster sauce, one of my favorite Asian vegetables.

Dessert is the strangest and most indescribable cheesecake I have ever encountered--Yazu cheesecake. You will have to guess for yourself, but it tasted wonderful.

And so to bed.