Life Is Rough Or Weird
Holland America brings nightly shows to their ships.
January 7, 2014
After breakfast at the Lido buffet restaurant, I rushed to the 9th deck for the 9:00 am watercolor class while Bert went to attend a Microsoft sponsored technical class. This was my first day at the watercolor class, and most of the seats had already been taken. I took a seat opposite an empty one on a small bistro table for two.
A guy with a silvery Gray beard and matching pony tail, sat across me. My German cruise mate from last year, Mailou, sat down a few minutes later, and she whispered,” Charlotte, is that your new boyfriend?”
I replied with raised eyebrows and face and said, “No way!” “Talk to him, “ she continued teasingly. “I already said Hi to him but he didn't respond,” I answered while we giggled like school girls at the same time. The guy across from me pretended not to hear us, and was looking at his papers on the table. He had large ears that matched his large bulbous nose. His forehead was dotted with several pimples, his teeth yellowed and his black shirt was covered with dandruff flakes. I thought we were so far away from San Diego and yet, here in front of me sat what looked like a run away from the Zoo?
Our instructor soon started the first day class and this guy started making eye contact, and some short remarks. “Yours is better,” he said pointing to my watercolor shades that I mixed on the small Styrofoam palate provided for all of us.
“She did that last year,” our instructor answered. “Whose the best painter? “ the guy asked.
”You mean, whose the best painter in the class?” a lady across the aisle replied.
“It's Jesus Christ, HE is the best painter in the world!” the man stated loudly. Hearing that, we all kept silent and worked on our watercolor project for the day.
Soon, the class was over and we all rushed out. Mailu and I sat at the Lido for a while to discuss some of the tours we are going to take in various islands along our cruise. “I was in Papua New Guinea last year and the locals came to welcome our ship. They danced and we left for our tour. After four hours we came back and the locals started dancing again. They danced for two hours straight . “They had beautiful headdresses and the women were half naked,“ she told me.
“They are booby birds!” a man seated behind our table shouted. He proceeded to stand in front of us, and recited more about birds. Mailou and I looked at each other wondering, what the hell is this man talking about. “The other one is a gannet! Do you know what a gannet is?” he asked looking at both of us. “Yes, I replied forcing myself not to burst out laughing. On my left I can hear my own voice, “Oh God,this is weird. Two in a row. We were talking about boobs not booby birds.”
A few more informative facts about birds were forced into our auditory canals, before the man left us.
The minute he walked away, Mailou and I looked at each other and laughed so hard. “He is like somebody I know who is always at your face!” she joked. Mailu and I stopped for 45 minutes of table tennis and then a quick shower, then luncheon with the group from Cruise Critic. Bert caught up with me at the La Fontaine Dining room after he was through attending the regular cooking lesson. At 1 pm we both attended the Digital Camera Course taught by the ever supportive Craig, from Yaletown, Vancouver. At 2:00 pm. I met up with a few fellow passengers to discuss some shore excursion options. At 3:00 pm, Bert and I met up again at the afternoon tea at Crows Nest for scones and sandwiches and then back to the cabin.
On the cruise ship, time flies so fast with various activities on board. We didn't even have the time to consider the water aerobics, the Tai-chi lessons, body conditioning,stretching, and the fab-abs. Nor did we look at the schedule for the learning game of bridge, mahjong, trivia and domino. There's ballroom dancing, and line dancing lessons, and regular karaoke sessions.
As the sun was fading, we got ready for early dining at 5:30 pm. There's always the entertainment to look forward to at 8:15, repeated at 10:00 pm.
Tomorrow is our first port stop in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. We are very excited; as well as the ladies who miss their shopping. They were just about to enter a withdrawal mode. It's hard to tell if their shaking is shopping related, or just normal.
I must say, with our daily schedule on board; life is rough, and the weird people you meet on board are usually priceless!
Comment
Lol....OMG!..would love to be a fly on the wall for some of this stuff Charlotte!! be well and have tooooo much fun! Hi to Bertus. From Marcelle, on Jan 9, 2014 at 04:57 a.m