DAY 69 - DAY SIXTY ONE ON THE CRYSTAL SERENITY

We wanted to begin with additional photos from the orphanage.  We all were brought into a room where the younger students were seated and the older students performed for us.  They did four different dances with different students performing.  This followed a talk given by the Director of the Facility with the tour guide doing the translations into English.

The orphanage has approximately 150 children who live there.

After the dances were performed the adults were invited on stage and some danced with the children.

At the conclusion of the dancing gifts that were brought to the orphanage by both Crystal Cruises and by Guests were made.  Crystal Cruises made several donations including several boxes of clothing.  Some guests brought various supplies and other items to donate.  That is what we did two years ago.  This time around Keith made a cash donation to the orphanage.  None of this was required but something many people such as ourselves wanted to do.

Two blankets were donated to the Orphanage as well.  One was made by many of the women in the knitting group and the Knitting Instructor on the left made the donation and the other one was made by one of the guests who made a blanket all by herself.  On the right is the Director of the Facility.

We enjoyed a very nice dinner on the Ship last evening.  We were back to the Crystal Dining Room.  The menu featured a Thai Theme.

Our Wait Staff team.  From L-R, Head Waiter Augusto, Senior Waiter Ivano, and Waiter Lazlo.

We began our meal as we always do with salads.  Keith enjoyed his standing order salad and Anne Marie had the Iceberg Wedge Salad.

Although we had the Grilled Fresh Swordfish Steak which was featured on the menu, Head Waiter Augusto special ordered it for us Butterfly Style.  We loved it this way as we did the first time we had it a couple of weeks ago.  The taste is just wonderful as is the texture.

We had our usual side orders of Asparagus, and Peas (for both of us) and a Baked Potato for Keith.   Keith enjoyed Baked Potatoes (no toppings needed) and one of the nutrients he was not aware it had is potassium so he has been having it much more frequently since his Medical Episode as this was one of the Electrolytes that was out of balance.  He always had a banana and continues to do so with Breakfast.

For the final course, dessert, it was a Sugar Free Ginger Panna Cotta for Anne Marie and Berries for Keith.

After dinner, we went to the evening entertainment which featured vocalist Jonathan Hawkins who we have enjoyed throughout the World Cruise along with the magnificent dancing of Curtis & Beverly who have wowed us on each of the World Cruises we have been on with their incredible dancing.  The show was absolutely incredible.  Jonathan's voice is beautiful and he did dazzle other with a range of singing including opera and Curtis and Beverly danced beautifully.  Unlike a Production Show which is written and choreographed on land, Jonathan and Curtis put this show together while on the ship (sometime since January 18) along with the Galaxy Orchestra.  In fact, Jonathan and Curtis never worked with one another until they met on January 18.

After the show, we returned to our room and there was a letter on our bed from World Cruise Hostess with information on upcoming activities and there were two gifts on our bed (one for each of us) with cards from Captain Birger. The gift for Keith was cufflinks and the gift for Anne Marie was a scarf.

We slept very well last evening.  The ship left port at approximately 8:00 PM.  We just wanted to mention that in Cambodia many people had taken the shuttle which dropped them off at a beach resort.  Some people stayed at the resort/beach and said the sand was absolutely beautiful while others took local transportation, Tuk Tuk's (sp) and were driven into town or around parts of the area.

As usual, Keith was up first and worked out at the Fitness Center.  He also read and wrote before he went up to the Lido Cafe to enjoy some coffee.  

After Anne Marie had some coffee, we both walked outside on the Promenade Deck.  We walked part of the way with good friend Elaine.  One side of the ship was nice and shady and cool and the other side was warmer.

We enjoyed breakfast in our room thanks to Rao.  We each continue to eat just cereal with a banana.

Today we arrived to Koh Samui, Thailand.  This Island was added to our itinerary when the itinerary was revised to drop Bangkok due to the political unrest and warnings of safety for tourists visiting this city.  We mistakenly thought we had never been to this island but Keith realized that we have. One of the benefits of doing Blogs is indeed a written record of each of our adventures and Keith verified that it was in 2008 that we visited this Island for the first and only time.  This is a resort island with beautiful resorts and beaches and is very popular with the Europeans during their winter months.  

A tender is required to get to and from the Crystal Serenity and the Island.  We took the first tender and arrived shortly after 10:00 AM.  When we were here in 2008 we took a tour that took us all around the island and it is a very beautiful island.  This time we didn't do that and just walked around the town.

After arriving by tender there were lots of vendors offering private tours.

We saw several fishing boats that were quite unique.  You could smell the fish.  

We walked by an area selling fish. The quality of the fish looked quite good.

We walked by several fruit and vegetable markets.

Some of these wires do not look so very straight forward.

We walked by many small restaurants.

After all we are in Thailand so you will see lots of places offering massages.

A woman selling Peanuts.

After walking around for about ninety minutes we decided to take a tender back to the ship.  

We enjoyed lunch on the ship and as usual we had another Salad Entree and we enjoyed a leisurely afternoon back on the ship.

Later we sat with some Senior Officers and enjoyed an nice conversation and then we walked for an hour on the Promenade Deck.  Since it was shady on one side and hot on the other side we stayed on the shady side.

We enjoyed the Serenity the rest of the afternoon

This evening we have plans with another couple.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY…….

"We are so very fortunate to live at a time when travel is so much easier compared to each generation which preceded us."  -  Keith & Anne Marie

Keith & Anne Marie