This may be by way of a finale to an amazing cruise which began so confidently with that magnificent fireworks display on the evening 10th January. We docked at our final “exotic” port of call today; we are due to call at Fort Lauderdale after two sea days, and in the Azores after a further six.
The Captain’s announcement that new passengers, crew and entertainers would not now be allowed to board at Ft. Lauderdale was met with applause and approval in the Lido early this evening, obviously relieved that all was being done to eliminate the risk of Coronavirus being introduced. (Just to “put the mockers on it,” we have at least one passenger who joined, I think, in San Antonio who he tells me, flew in from Rome, and that CV takes at least a fortnight to incubate…that’s what he told me!)
Oranjestad was even lovelier than suggested in the travel brochures with its traditional pastel shaded architecture and perpetual very warm weather. But, there seemed to be an overriding finality as the final sector of this historic South America voyage approaches, and the certainly that these hot Caribbean days are numbered. And I have probably been on the final (or penultimate, if we still call at Ponta Delgada, in the Azores) shore excursion. I did get to see much of Curacao from a rather cramped bus which doubles as a coach complete with air-conditioning and non stop talking tour guide. I felt an air of nostalgia as we visited a liqueur factory, the Hato Caves, and Curacao’s museum. Fine views were had from the spectacular Queen Juliana Bridge whose structure was painted in the colours of the flag of Curacao. The promised flamingos put in a brief but plentiful appearance at a lake where the bus paused all too briefly for “through-the-tinted- window” photographs. In the museum, paintings, a dining-room table setting, and an amazing ancient key-board instrument where the “keys” play a carillion of bells. Our guide demonstrated her skills playing the first notes of “When the Saints go Marching by!” All very “touristy.” We did get to see the preserved front end of the very first K.L.M. (Dutch Royal Airline) plane from 1919. Just for me, there was what looked like a quarry train, a small yellow narrow gauge diesel shunting locomotive attached to two wagons on a tiny section of railway. Eventually, time was up and our “coach” took us back to the ship. I found a park bench facing M.V. Queen Victoria, looking splendid in its berth. While talking to a guest, also called David, I thought of all the places that particular ship had conveyed me to. San Francisco to Sydney last year was remarkable, but a mere shadow of this year’s voyage around South America.
For a second time, dinner was al fresco aft on deck 9. We were joined by table companion Janet who has arranged to stay on board to Southampton. Jo and I rounded off a perfect day deck walking before attending the Show Night and then “calling it a day.” Thanks for reading, David. (Blog completed 15th April : 16.11hrs, after winning at whist!)
David's Cruise 