Another multi-day post to get around wifi issues, which seem to have settled down as we near Uruguay.

February 10, 2022. 51°F/11°C

#myvikingstory

While Ted worked through hundreds of bird photos to choose the ones for this blog, I attended 2 of the 5 onboard lectures offered today: “A long way from Windsor: A Queen in Latin America & the Pacific” with Nigel Cox, and “Climate Change part 1: Messages from the Past” with Philip Creaser. The plan is to have learned new things and feel smarter by the end of the cruise.

The day flew by for both of us, and all of a sudden it was time for dinner and a show.

Tonight’s guest entertainer was Mark Hussey, a flamenco guitarist from Oxford England with a show he called “The Best of Classical Guitar”. In addition to a couple of Spanish style numbers, he also performed some Eagles, Clapton, Chet Atkins, Willy Nelson, and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

February 11, 2022. 57°F/14°C

There were 3 lectures offered today, but only one that interested me, so I dropped in on naturalist Stephen Marsh’s Q&A on whales and dolphins while Ted did 12 laps (3 miles) on Deck 2.

After lunch I went to a craft workshop with our Assistant Cruise Director, Damian, to make a collaged bookmark. No picture – in an effort to create dragon-fire for my eldest grandson, I ended up with a mess. Truly hideous.

Then we both attended the future cruise presentation about Viking’s 93 day Grand Pacific Explorer itinerary, which is one we’re interested in doing in 2023 or 2024. These presentations always include a signature “destination cocktail”, which in this case was a delicious combination of crème de cacao, vodka, chocolate gelato, and chilies! It was meant to evoke spicy Indonesia and India, but to me it tasted like Mexican chocolate with chilies – one of my favourite flavour combinations!

After dinner with our new friends Allan & Karin, all 4 of us headed to the theatre where guest entertainer Tanya Roberts was making her second appearance, in a show she called “The Hostess with the Mostess”.

February 12, 2022. 61°F/16°C

Mid morning there was a mandatory crew drill. These take place once per week; sometimes they are fire drills, sometimes related to simulated engine or hull breach issues. Emergency lights are activated, select fire doors close, and crew move to their action stations. No action is required by passengers.

Today was a Code Echo: an evacuation drill, accompanied by the general emergency alarm, which sounds like a sailor’s whistle blown 3 times loudly over the PA system. (A single long whistle is the “abandon ship” signal.) In normal times, passengers would take part, gathering at their designated muster stations, ready for lifeboats, but due to Covid protocols we’re exempt from congregating in large groups, so did not participate in the drill. Nonetheless it was interesting to listen as various instructions were given, and watch as crew moved efficiently to perform their duties.

I find it interesting that the captain always apologizes for any inconvenience caused by these drills, as if getting a latte or being greeted by name at the café entrance is on an equal footing with being kept safe.

In preparation for our excursion in Uruguay tomorrow, we attended a talk on the country’s history. This reminded me to comment on the quality of guest lecturers travelling with us. Today’s talk was given by Retired Wing Commander William (Bill) Simpson, OBE, who is our “Resident Historian”. Bill served in the Royal Air Force, and was decorated twice by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, one of those decorations being his Order of the British Empire. He penned the acclaimed biography “The Prince”, and now writes historical novels. That’s quite the résumé, and quite the resource for the rest of us.

I also took in the next of Dr. Bradley’s textile talks, this time on The Art of Balinese Textiles and Costume, with lots of information that I’ll be able to look back on when we’re in Bali in November. We generally don’t buy souvenirs anywhere, but a sarong might just be on my wish list.

I probably won’t be able to afford anything made of Perada cloth, which is decorated with actual gold leaf, or gold-wrapped silk yarn, which is just as well since we try to pack light!

Captain Olaf announced at noon today that due to adverse weather conditions (high winds) we will not be able to call in at Punta de Este, as originally scheduled for February 14th. Instead, we’ll spend two days in Montevideo. Ted and I had signed up for a boat excursion around Sea Wolves Island to photograph sea lions and fur seals, but if the waters are too rough for the Star to anchor and tender us ashore, they’re DEFINITELY too rough for us to be in a little motorboat. I’ll be doing a wine tour from Montevideo instead, and Ted has chosen to amuse himself on board.

Today is the 46th anniversary of the day Ted asked me to marry him, which is a date we celebrate annually in lieu of Valentines Day, so we decided to enjoy dinner at the Chef’s Table, where the theme was Great Britain.

We were well and truly spoiled.