Up early as usual to the Winjammer for breakfast. (Wish I had taken pictures of one of my favorites on the cruise, the Chef at the Omelet Station. Great way to start the day. One of those health or weight loss lectures we attended said to reverse your meals eating like a King at breakfast with lunch and dinner smaller. These OMELETS were definitely King meals.)
My food choices overall have not been the healthiest, not a cruise to lose even though I had those intentions. Ray, Sue and Owen have been a lot more exercise conscious than I have been. My exercise is the walking on excursions and getting around the ship.
Have scheduling down to enrichment lectures by Jeff Davidson of Raleigh's Breathing Space and location lectures by Professor Steve Ian Dutch of University of Wisconsin at Green Bay PLUS our Cocktail Seminars PLUS whatever interests us on the daily schedule. There is something for everyone, unbelievable the activities on the ship. Sue catches most of the dancing classes. No time for Trivia Quizes this time plus no art auctions with champagne but would like to have taken the watercolor classes or scrapbooking. These At Sea days can be busy as you want or you can drop down in a deck chair and read or be mesmerized by the passing sea.
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Notes from:
Shore Excursion Lecture
Ashdod-six largest city
Arrive 6:30-terminal- shekel-
Immigration info -- need shore pass, passport, cruise card
Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion and lunch
Wailing wall, Temple Mount mosque, Via Dolorosa
Bethlehem
Haifa-
Leisurely Galilee where Jesus spent his youth, sermons, beatitudes, miracles
Needs: passport, sea pass card, shore pass
(Note taking dragging this morning-bits and pieces.)
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Lecture: Cultivating or Rediscovering Your Hobbies by Jeffrey Davidson
Hobbies help with mental alertness, could be social.
Quality of collections better than quantity.
On average, people would pass away seven years after retiring (used to be so).
Lessons:
Collecting:
Crafts:
Mental Games: jumble, sudoku, crossword puzzles
Pastimes: gardening
Tips:
1) Make regular time for your hobbies. Schedule.
2) Online: Meetup.com. Support groups
3) discoverahobby.com
WiseGeek.com
All about you.com
Abebooks.com
4) Prepare a hobby budget
5) Honor your dreams not your comfort zone.
🌊🌊☠☠☠🌊🌊YIKES PIRATES🌊🌊☠☠☠🌊🌊
Captain Diego on in-cabin TV....hopefully you have read my letter about Pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The United Nations and NATO have sent a fleet of ships if needed. We have lookouts on deck around ship. There have been no pirate attacks recently. We assure you we are well prepared. Our ship is not the type usually targeted. Outside decks will be closed. Keep your curtains closed and lights off on your balcony. There is no reason to be alarmed. I will use a code word: Safe Haven if there is real danger. Passengers in inside staterooms should go to them and stay. Passengers in outside staterooms should go to corridor close to the floor. Our ship is faster and more maneuverable. We will encounter many small fishing boats and will maneuver to keep them at a safe distance. Do not be alarmed. The safety of our guests and crew are of utmost importance. Better safe than sorry. Enjoy your vacation.
🌊🌊☠☠☠🌊🌊YIKES PIRATES🌊🌊☠☠☠🌊🌊
I was worried about terrorists. Pirates? Never entered my mind! Ignorance is bliss. Found out that we took on British Navy men, NATO, armed, to defend against danger. Guess that is why we were stopped in the water near land. Pirates! Yikes. The letter from the captain was tucked in our Day One Compass. I thought it was a welcome letter and didn't read it. All the dangers were spelled out. I remember Captain Philipps, a worst case scenario.
Tonight the deck doors are locked. Windows are covered. We noticed this leaving the theater. Our show tonight was David Knight, the hypnotist. Some of the subjects were overly dramatic particularly a woman named Debbie. Questionable. (Either a plant or a put-on actress wanting attention.) The hypnotist might come in handy dealing with Pirates.
They've told us on TV of the danger and steps they have taken. We had the letter if I had taken the time to read it. (My feelings are that we should have been made aware of the situation and possible pirate attack when we scheduled giving me a chance to make an educated decision. Wonder if I would have scheduled hearing those details. Maybe not, but we would have missed a fantastic cruise!)
Under Important Things To Know Today in the Cruise Compass Newsletter: Gulf of Aden Safety Information: For the safety of our guests and crew, the outer decks 4, 9, 10 will be limited for guest usage from Friday, April 8 morning 4:00 AM to next day Saturday, April 9 Sunrise.
[Captain: "Oh, by the way, you won't be able to use your balcony or lights. We will lock doors and put brown paper over some windows. Pirates, you know."
Me: "Really? Pirates? Psssh, No problem, world traveler here. Got it. Code-Safe Haven-US to inside hall close to floor."]
Kidding aside, I may have been startled when I caught the captain's announcement but never really afraid. We headed to our cabins after the show and settled in for the night, an undisturbed night. I may have pictured the armed men walking the decks as lookouts and felt the situation well managed.
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