DAY 67--AT SEA

Our noon position as we sail towards the light blue dot which is Barbados.  It is 84F with easterly winds gusting to 25 knots causing 5 foot waves and swells that are hitting ship's right side.  This is making us rock n roll today.  Our Captain on her noon PA says it will get worse later today.  YUK!

What We Did Last Night:
        We were two our of three last night in Compass Rose.  I had requested french fried soft shell crabs for appetizer.  They were the best yet-not over cooked.  I also ordered a special salad with hearts of palm, artichokes, avocado, and cherry tomatoes with green goddess dressing and it was also fantastic.  Now for entree I had ordered "fresh" grilled salmon NOT the regular Norwegian salmon.  The chef had said he could do "fresh" salmon for us anytime.  Well, Norwegian salmon came to our table.  It was not good so sent it back and asked to see menu to order something off it.  Two out of our three orders were not screwed up.  I know I had specifically ordered the fresh salmon the night before but guess the head waiter just wrote down salmon.  Tonight the "fresh" salmon is one of the entree choices on the regular menu so will get it tonight for sure.  Sorry to bore you with my problems.
        We were sitting on the front row in the theater waiting for the show to start when Jamie came up to us and asked our opinion.  Due to the ship's movement he had changed the show at 8pm from "Film Flashback" to "Dancing in the Streets".  The latter was safer for the Jean Ann Ryan dancers to perform.  Jamie, the cruise director, wanted to know if he should announce the change before the show or wait until after the show.  We told him to wait until after the show.  I told him 90% would not know the difference anyway.  He waited until after the show like we recommended.  The JAR company did a fantastic job.  They had rehearsed the other show, not the one they did, plus the ship was moving some which makes dancing a real challenge.  They are real professionals!

What We Did Today:
        The ship has been rocking and rolling since we left Devil's Island at 7pm yesterday.  It is mostly sunny this morning with over 25 knot wind blowing out of the east causing the waves and swell. During my flying career when flying down in South America, we called this area of northern SA the "intertropical convergence zone".  It was an area of instability where storms were common.  Maybe our rough ride is associated with that???

We had lunch today with Marshal and Mikah, the Jean Ann Ryan singers.  It was a great lunch with great conversation.  They both live in New York City and will go home Friday also as this is the end of the cast's contract.
        I started watching the movie, "Papillon" last night and am finishing it this afternoon.
        At 6:00 pm in the showroom there is a "007 James Bond" cocktail time presentation featuring the JAR singers and dancers performing some Bond movie theme songs.  It's always fun.
        We are meeting Susanne Peters for dinner later in Compass Rose.  Tonight's show in theater features Mike Sterling.  This is his second show and has a great voice.  He has performed "Phantom of the Opera" over 1000 times in London's West End.  We'll definitely go to his show.  After that show we'll go up to the Observation Lounge to see "The Liar's Club".  This is where three cruise staff members give the definition of obscure words and we have to figure out who is telling the truth.  Always fun! Tomorrow we will be in Barbados.

DAY 66--DEVIL'S ISLAND

 Arrived here around 1:30 pm.  The seas today are very rough with heavy swells and ship was rocking and rolling all morning.  The Captain has anchored the ship behind one of the islands to protect the ship from the swells and allow passengers to be tendered to Isle Royale.

It is 84F with the humidity at 75% so will be VERY hot ashore.  There is a 20 knot wind which should help.  We are not leaving the ship.  You will, however, be seeing my photos from 2012.

      Kourou is where the prisoner ships arrived from France.  You will read about that below.

Historical/Background Info:
France's, Napoleon III, established a penal colony for the exile of French political prisoners, murderers, and thieves from 1852 to 1953.  The penal colony consisted of 3 very small islands located 7 miles off the coast of French Guiana and 2 prisons located on the mainland itself.  There are three small countries on the northeast corner of South America:  Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.  They lie on the coast between Venezuela and Brazil.  French Guiana is still under French control but the other two have gained their independence.  Today, the economy is based on the near equatorial Guiana Space Center, the European Space Agency's primary launch site.  From physics we

we learned that it is easier for space vehicles to obtain Earth orbit if launched from near the equator. (I never took physics, if the truth be known.)
        It was one of the most infamous prison systems in history.  A vast majority of the more than 80,000 prisoners sent to Devil’s Island never made it back to France.  Many died due to disease, beheadings, and other harsh conditions.  The only escape was by water and few did due to strong currents and sharks.  The prisoners came by prison ships to Kourou on the mainland to be processed and assigned to work camps or solitary confinement.  Most of the movie, “Papillon” was filmed on the French Guiana mainland prisons but near the end it was filmed on the islands.
        The three islands were:  Isle Royale, Saint-Joseph, and Devil's Island.  Over time the mainland and island prisons became known collectively as "Devil's Island".  We stopped at the larger of the three islands, Isle Royale,  Isle Royale is where the  administrative buildings were located.  The Governor’s house, guard house, hospital, church, as well as prisons were here.  Devil's Island was the smallest of the islands and only 30 of the most infamous political prisoners at a time were located there.  Escape was almost impossible due to the very strong currents and rip tides, plus sharks inhabiting the waters surrounding the islands.
        Although you will see many trees on the island in my photos, during the time that the island was a prison, the French made the prisoners cut down all the trees so they could not be used to make rafts for escaping.  I cannot imagine how HOT it must have been with no shade.
        I think it is shameful that the French government has not done more to preserve the buildings on Isle Royale.  I guess they are embarrassed by the inhumane treatment the prisoners received.  They should be!  Go rent the movie "Papillon".

What We Did Today:
        Swells and waves were 8 feet today so the ship was moving around this morning.  I decided to put half a patch behind my ear to prevent sea sickness.  I take no chances!  The chef made biscuits and gravy for me this morning.  Not like what we get in States for sure, but was not bad.  We got our workout in earlier than usual as fewer folks are using the fitness center this segment.  We went to Compass Rose for some lunch and both had "fish and chips with mushy peas" (an English thing). Even had some very good no sugar added butter pecan ice cream for dessert.
        I will be putting a link to some photos I took yesterday evening and today of the islands.  I am also putting a link to the photos I took when on the island back in 2012.  They are pretty good and know you will enjoy them.  I'm not going ashore today as it is just too hot and there are rain showers roaming around.
        I had already published this but after trying for 2 hours of trying to get the tender operation going, our Captain made PA saying it could not be safely done today.  So no one is going ashore here!  Another missed port of call!!!  More unhappy cruisers now.  She said we would just be sitting here bobbing around in the water until our scheduled departure time of 7pm.
        As soon as I publish this blog post, I am going down to the internet center.  If I use one of the ship's computers, I can print my online Fidelity tax forms.  I have already started putting my tax information on my CPA's website.  Hoping I won't have to file for a filing extension.
        Tonight we will be dining in Compass Rose.  I am having a bottle of our good champagne chilled for dinner.  I have also requested the chef prepare french fried soft shell crabs, a special salad, and fresh grilled salmon for the two of us.  We did not really care for the regular menu so just made my own up.  After dinner we will be going to see the JAR production show, "Film Flashback".  It will be the forth time we have seen the show but love it every time.
        We will be sailing at 7:00 pm and will be at sea tomorrow.  Here is the link to my photos from last night and today:

                                             Atrium is decorated for St Patrick's Day

                                        Jamie had a St Patrick's party in Horizon Lounge

                                                              Samantha's show

                                                       Building on Devil's Island

This is Isla Royale where the prisons and administration buildings were.  Where passengers will be going today.  Well, SUPPOSE to be going.

Here is the link to my 2012 photos of Devil's Island.  Good thing since no one is going to see the island today except YOU.

https://goo.gl/photos/UcuQtwP8u2gRMu7K8

DAY 65-AT SEA

                          HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY

   

Our position at noon today.  82F with winds out of NE gusting to 25 knots.

                    This map shows our route back to Miami through the eastern Caribbean..

 What We Did Last Night: 

      Some thunderstorms roaming around as we sailed in Amazon yesterday afternoon.

"Wieners in a blanket" delivered to the suite at 5:00 pm second evening in a row.  Needed a snack.

 Last night Rebecca and I had dinner with Donald, the F&B Director.  Just the three of us enjoyed this lovely Chilean syrah.  Mirijana, the cellar master, personally selected this special wine for us and was in decanter for over an hour when we arrived at the table.

Miso sea bass is our favorite.  Again, it is marinaded for 48 hours prior to being cooked.  Came with sticky rice but I substituted baked spud and carrots instead.  After we had finished dinner Chef Michael and Dusan, the Restaurant Manager, stopped by our table.  This typically happens as Donald is their boss.  I asked if the chef knew what chicken fried steak was.  None of them knew what it was so I described it.  Donald suggested the chef google it.  I told them CFS also had to have cream gravy with it.  Strange but the chefs do not know how to make cream gravy.  Brown gravy is served if meal calls for gravy.  Brown gravy was served with turkey and stuffing.  I told the chef I could teach him how to make cream gravy.  I also mentioned I missed biscuits and gravy.  He said he knew what that was (looked it up on internet) and prepared it for another passenger this cruise.  I guess he did make a cream gravy for this.  So tomorrow morning he is preparing it for me.  This should be interesting!

        Did not go to the show but went to Stars Lounge with Joe & Judy for a "happy happy" drink.  I'll get recipe for it from Emil, the bartender who invented it, before leaving the ship.  Eddie and Lyn showed up a little later as they had gone to hear the guitarist's show.  They walked out during her first number as we had done several days ago during her first show.  We were back in suite by 10:00.  

What We Did Today:       

        We dropped our two river pilots off at Macapa around 3:00 this morning.  It awakened me due to ship slowing and making some weird noises.  At first I thought we were stuck in the mud.  We crossed the Equator again at Macapa so are back in the Northern Hemisphere.  This morning we are still sailing out of the Amazon River and will be back in the Atlantic Ocean this afternoon.  Sure have enjoyed the smooth river sailing this past week. 

        As has been typical during our mornings in the Amazon basin this past week, there is an overcast layer of clouds I would estimate to be 1000 above the river and rainforest.  In the late mornings the sun starts breaking the clouds up and pops through.  It was 80F with 85% humidity at 10:00 am.  By mid afternoon there are showers and thunderstorms roaming over the rainforest.

 The lunch pool grill today was a fish al fresco BBQ.  We had lunch down in Compass Rose however.

       

        This evening we are meeting Eddie, Lyn, Joe, & Judy for cocktails then dinner in Prime 7.  Afterwards we will be going to the 9:30 show featuring the vocalist, Samatha Ivey.  She is very good and we liked her first show.  We have talked to her several evenings at the bar.

Tomorrow afternoon we will be anchoring at Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana.

        

          

DAY 64--SANTAREM, BRAZIL

In Santarem (lower right corner) today.  At noon it was 77F and has been raining all morning.

At 2:00 pm we continue to sail eastward to leave the Amazon tomorrow.  We'll drop the two river pilots in Macapa as we exit the river.  Then we will make a left turn to head northern toward Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana.  (the light blue line indicates our track to get here)

                                                               Rainy day
Historical/Background Info:
This important financial and economic center is located midway between the two largest cities on the Amazon.  Manaus is 500 miles to the west and Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon, is 500 miles to the east.  It is located where the Tapajos River flows into the Amazon River which results in another “meeting of the waters” (deep blue Tapajos River water flows into and meets the dirty brown Amazon water)  The city has a population of 300,000.  Founded in 1661 by the Portuquese, it is one of the oldest cities in the Amazon basin.
    The highway south out of the city is used to transport soybeans from plantations to the Cargill storage facility here and is then loaded on ships for export.  Soybeans are also barged down the Tapajos River to Cargill here.  Huge cattle feedlots, mining, and tourism are also important to the economy here.
What We Did Today:
We docked at 8:00 am.  It was pouring rain when we arrived and at noon it is still raining albeit, lightly now.  So did not go on the tour and didn't even take the shuttle to the shopping area.  We worked out this morning and about to go have some lunch.  I'm tired of salads for lunch.
        Yesterday afternoon we watched the latest "Mission Impossible" movie so may watch another movie this afternoon.  This evening is the Seven Seas Society cocktail party at 6:00 pm.  Probably go but not sure yet.  We will be dining with Donald, the Food & Beverage Director, again at 7:15.  The classical guitarist is featured in the showroom at 9:30.  NOT going to that.
        Well, the neighbors on both sides of us have changed each segment and they have all been very quiet, except this segment.  On one side of us the French couple like to slam their balcony door shut. We have never met them and I would not know them if I ran into them.  The slamming started at 6:45 this morning.  Did it multiple times so I finally got up.  Opened our curtain to see it was pouring rain so not sure what the hell they were going out for.  They've done this whole segment but thought I could handle it.  Well, I went down and complained at Reception.  I'll let them deal with it.

Rebecca got to do some dancing last night.  I even did my once a cruise "token" dance with her.

      Docked just ahead of us today is Chinese grain ship being loaded with soybeans.

                                                     Sunset yesterday.

DAY 63-PARINTINS, BRAZIL

 At noon we are anchored off the shore of Parintins.  It's 85F with 65% humidity and partly sunny skies.  Looking like rain later in the afternooon.

Historical/Background Info:
Parintins is the second largest city in the Amazon basin with a population of 110,000.  It is located on the island of Tupinambarana in the Amazon River.  It’s claim to fame is its annual three day festival in June called Boi Bumba.  It is second only to Carnival in Rio in size and colorful floats and costumes of the dancers and musicians.
What We Did Today:
We anchored here from noon to 6:00 pm and had to again use the tenders to come ashore.  Our only reason for stopping here was to see a Boi Bumba Folk show.  The show was put on just for us to give us an idea of what the big celebration will be like in June.  I am going to put my
photos taken in 2012 of this show on this blog posting.  As I looked at them again, I don't know how they could be improved upon.  I know you will enjoy them.  We will probably not be going ashore today.  They will be tendering probably 500 people to shore and back.  That does not appeal to us.  Besides we're "been there, done that".
        I was awakened at 1:00 am with sound of a boat.  I looked out and our side of the ship was lit up and what appeared to be a pilot boat was just leaving.  I assume we changed pilots.  This morning we passed many small houses along the river banks.  The banks had been cleared of trees for a couple hundred yards or more so they could raise a few cattle and gardens.  It is overcast with light rain.
        We did our normal routine this morning besides viewing the wonders of the Amazon as we made our way back eastward.  If I had to recommend two cruises to you, one would be the Panama Canal and the Amazon River would be the other.  I guess I should say something about the Zika scare in Brazil due to mosquitoes.  The ship has provided small spray bottles with insect repellent for us to use.  I used it one day but really never saw any insects.  I have yet to see even one mosquito.  My tour yesterday was on the Rio Negro river and due to its high acidity, mosquitoes cannot exist on it.  They can on the waters of the Amazon but I have not seen any.  All kinds of mosquitoes in Dallas but so far none here.
        Well, first sign of the cruise coming to an end soon.  We got form to fill out detailing our travel plans once we get off the ship in Miami on March 25th.  Our flight is at 10:55 am on an American Airlines Boeing 777 to DFW Airport.  The 777 was scheduled as our plane when I booked the flight. Glad for the change as I will be back on my favorite aircraft to fly during my 30 year American career.  We are in first class but now sitting across the aisle from each other due to change in equipment.  That's ok!  This morning I went on AAL's website and selected our lunch entree for the flight.  As one of our new Regent Titanium benefits we will be getting a private car to take us to the MIA Airport from the ship.  No bus or taxi!  Yea!!  
        Shortly after sailing at 6:00 this evening we will head down for pre-dinner cocktails.  Of the six entrees on tonight's Compass Rose menu, we have our eye on the golden fried wiener schnitzel with warm potato salad.  I ran down this morning and made a special request with Manuel, a head waiter, for this salad:  hearts of palm, artichokes, avocado, and tomatoes with green goddess dressing.
        Since we will be stopping at Devil's Island on Friday, in the showroom tonight they are showing the movie, "Papillon" starring Steve McQueen.  Also tonight back in the Horizon Lounge at 9:30 there is a dance party featuring the JAR (Jean Ann Ryan) cast singing songs with the orchestra for dancing.  We will probably go to this.  Tomorrow we will be in Santarem.  Remember we sailed past it on our way up to Manaus last Friday.

 The bank of the river is changing constantly as it is eroded and the shallow rooted Amazon basin trees are swept into the river

                                            Lots of debris floating down river

 This morning we were passing by some small houses along the banks.  Notice houses are on stilts due to river water levels changing with seasons.

                                         Sorry for picture quality but it is lightly raining.

                                                     Some cleared land.

 The caboclo people living along the river pretty much raise their own cattle or chicken or fish for meats.  I'm sure they raise vegetables also.  Other supplies they get from the supplies boats on river.  Kind of like floating stores!

                                        Ship provided this but really have not needed it.

                                   They were paranoid so gave us two of these also.

                                 This and next 6 photos are of shore line at Parintins.

                               Some telephotos shots now.  These are the river supply boats.

                                          Smaller supply boats for along river.

         I'm guessing these barges have fuel for the electricity producing turbines here.

This is being served today at the pool grill.  I brought a taste back to the suite but did not care for it.  We will order salads for lunch from room service when Rebecca gets back from working out.
Ok, here are today's photos.  First link are photos I took this morning as we cruised in river and then of Parintins from ship.

This link is to my 2012 photos of the very loud, colorful, beautiful Boi Bumba Show and of Parintins. I think you will really enjoy these photos.  Sorry for all the heads in my pics but we were on back row and not raised seating.  Copy & paste to your browser.

https://goo.gl/photos/Fyec5LiRRjUYRctd8