Now that we are crossing the Atlantic, we subtract an hour a
day from the clock. The captain comes over the PA and says that noon is now 1
pm. That’s the painless way to handle jet lag. Currently, we are 5 hours ahead
of Salt Lake City time. We should be acclimated by the time we reach the Canary
Islands.
I went swimming for the first time yesterday in the late
afternoon. It was wonderfully invigorating. We met a nice couple from New
Jersey.
We are taking classes on using Windows 10. I am intrigued
with the prospect of talking to the computer, like Scotty in Star Trek.
Weather is gorgeous. We are spending way too much time in
the cabin because of logistical problems. Neither of us has been ill.
Our next tour is called Panoramic Mt. Teide on Nov 10. It’s
a volcano in the Canary Islands. We will pass through two UNESCO sites--La
Laguna and Canadas del Teide. “The area
includes an enormous volcanic crater, more than 29 miles in circumference.
Rising out of the crater is the impressive Mount Teide at 12,300 feet, the
tallest mountain in all of Spain’s territory.” Tomorrow’s history lecture is
about Admiral Nelson who lost an arm and a battle in the Canary Islands, so
there’s a nice tie in.
The ship is visiting 22 ports but we are only taking
excursions in ten ports. We would go on more but some places can’t handle
special needs and some ports are reruns. We have been to Rome so many times
that we don’t plan to go anywhere that day. There are plenty of new things to
do and see in Rome but none are available for scooters. Rome is especially bad
for people with disabilities.
The last time we docked in Rome was in spring 2013. We were
forced off the ship because of a stomach virus outbreak on board. The whole ship
was being cleaned and we had to clear out. Our choice was to sit on the dock or
take a free tour of Rome. Having spent some time in Rome previously, we were
not happy but we took the tour. It was just as bad we remembered it. We had to
navigate the cobblestones and curbs as best we could. The restaurant lunch was
good, though. It’s hard to find bad food in Rome. We ate gelato for lunch and
dinner one time. I still remember the gelato at one of the famous places. I
can’t remember the place but I remember the mint chocolate chip (big slabs of
chocolate).
We are in love with the Maasdam. Too bad we discovered it so
late in our cruising career. It’s being sold next year.
