Still looking for Moses on the Red Sea

Going through the gulf of Aden into the Red Sea

So we have Ethiopia and Dijobuti on the left and Yemen on the right. We haven’t been any of these places and we cannot see land from the ship though occasionally a bird. Also I’m surprised not to see more water craft in our sights.

Chanai Crete

This is our stop after Rhodes and not one we’ve visited before. Not a very large island and while it used to be  a tender port, we will be able to dock always a convenience.

Crew Staff Safety drill

These are held regularly and do not involve anything on our part except that the ship comes to a “nothing going on” feeling as all of the staff participate. We aren’t required to do anything.

Alexander the Great

I had read a children’s book about him earlier in the cruise and this was a good review and visual appreciation of how amazing a life he had (died at 32 after conquering most of the known world at the time).

Trivia

No danger this morning or this afternoon. But do you know what “perry” is? A pear alcoholic drink.

Lunch

Ed and I ate alone. He doesn’t much like this. I find it nice for a change.

Casual portraits

They have us doing crazy things and we know the photographers well enough now that they try things a little differently. I’ll miss them when they are gone. Uros leaves us in Venice. All of them are going to Petra to photograph the over 200 passengers who are doing that trip.

Entertainment

Mickey Finn and his banjo playing wife and Sonny Charles who was also a nice singer. Nothing spectacular but nice hour.

The experience of the Red Sea

Which of course looks like any other ocean/sea. There are several little islands along the sides now and then. We see convoys of big tankers. Staff and passengers speculate on what they must be thinking. This ship is doing over 19 knots on average as we have a lot of sea to cover.

Staff appreciation night

The captain and upper staff are serving dinner for the crew tonight in the Panorama Buffet so it is off limits to us. It’s a nice gesture. Last we heard, the Captain was carving the pig. The Cruise Director was serving the drinks and clearing tables. What a nice tribute to these folks we never see and those we do who work endlessly and tirelessly to make this cruise great for us.

Many of them who have never seen snow tell stories of the captains making a special effort to see that they get off the ship and get a chance to experience snow. That’s terrific.