DAY 53 - DAY FORTY FIVE ON THE CRYSTAL SERENITY

We now have had over 50,000 visitors to our Blog.  This includes those who visit once or visit more than one time.  We hope that you are enjoying our Blog and feel part of our adventure.  As a reminder, if you have questions or just want to leave a comment you can do so by clicking on the comments button found at the end of each post.

These are some additional photos from the first Segment of the World Cruise.

Last evening we dined with friends Elaine and Peggy and Elaine's Daughter, Janice, at Tastes.  This was our third time to Tastes and this is the dining venue which was redone as part of the Lido Deck makeover late last year and has an all new menu.  The menu features food that is served family style in small tastings representing cuisine from around the world.  

We had just an absolutely wonderful time.  We enjoyed lots of good conversation, lots of laughs and a lot of very tasty food representing many areas around the world.  

From Left to Right - Elaine, Elaine's Daughter Janice, Anne Marie, Keith, & Peggy

We tried several of the items on the menu.   In some cases we ordered one, two or even three of the same item so that we could all share them.

We began with the Greek Octopus Salad, which we had not had before. 

The table shared two orders of the Scottish Cured Salmon.

We also shared the Gambas a la Plancha, which was Jumbo Shrimp with Italian Bread.

We  shared the Alsatian Tarte which is like a little Pizza and the Lebanese Flat Bread.

We also had the North African Lamb Dumplings and the California Street Tacos.

After all of this we shared three desserts.

We had the Coffee Macchiato, which included Stirred Coffee Ice Cream with Chilled Espresso, and we shared the Dark Chocolate Crème Brulee and we also shared the Banana Foster Bread Pudding.

It does seem like a lot of food, but you are getting a tasting of most items so it is a little of this and a little of that and overall not as much as it appears to be.

While some of the items we have had before, some of the items such as the Greek Octopus Salad and the Lebanese Flat Bread we had for the very first time.

We enjoyed each of the items. They were each presented very well and they were very tasty.

During our meal, we heard Louis Armstrong sing which was the signal that we were leaving the port of Shanghai.  That was about 8:15 PM.

We had a terrific time and we never ran out of conversation.

We slept well as we are now sailing to our next port of call, which is Hong Kong.

Keith woke first and did some laundry while he also read and wrote.  Later, he was back at the Lido Café for some coffee and he returned to the room with some coffee for Anne Marie.

We both walked in the morning before it was time for breakfast in our room.  Like clockwork, a few minutes before 8:00 AM, Rao brought our breakfast which we enjoyed as we watched the Daily Morning Show.

Keith took the Spin (indoor cycling) Class for the first time since his medical episode and did not push it.  There was only Keith and a fellow World Cruiser who has been taking the class along with Keith.  Fitness Director Scott taught the Class.  Keith brought a bottle of Power Zero with him and drank that and a bottle of water during the class.  He told Scott that he would not push it to the max but would just do what he felt he could do.  In the end though, Keith worked at about 90% of his maximum for the portions of the class where they are asked to give it their all.  Still, his legs go quite fast at that level and faster than most.  If some of the photos look blurry it was not the camera but the legs were moving very quickly during those photos.

Fitness Director Scott.

Shortly after the Class ended,  Anne Marie took a personal training class with Fitness Instructor, Scott.  Scott is going home for Holiday in a few days when this cruise ends in Hong Kong.  

There were two lectures today plus a Cooking Demonstration.  The two lectures focused on both China and Japan and as usual they were quite informative.

Keith met up with Anne Marie in the Crystal Cove after she finished.  We spoke with guests and some of the senior officers including Hotel Director Josef.  After Anne Marie went to knitting, Vice Captain Nenad stopped by to speak with Keith.  Anne Marie has been enjoying knitting and she completed the first of the two kits that she purchased today.  She is also working on needlepoint too.

We had Team Trivia again today and tomorrow will mark the last of the games for this second segment of the World Cruise.  We did very well and answered 13 questions out of 15 correctly.  

We enjoyed another nice lunch and as you guessed it we each had a salad entree.

In the afternoon, we both walked together for one hour and then shortly after that Anne Marie attended afternoon Yoga while Keith met with dear friend Bob.

This evening we are dining at Silk Road.  It is a black tie optional evening on the ship and we tend to prefer to dine in other venues other than the Crystal Dining Room on these evenings other than the first Black Tie Optional of each segment when Anne Marie's favorite, Lobster is served.  We just find the other venues tend to be quieter on the Black Tie Optional nights as the Crystal Dining Room, particularly during the early seating tends to be fairly full those nights.  We do miss the Dining Room though, as tonight will be the fifth consecutive night we are dining somewhere else.  We will be back to the Dining Room the next few nights though, other than one of the nights in Hong Kong where we will be attending the first of two World Cruise shoreside events.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY……..

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." - John F. Kennedy

Keith & Anne Marie