We may have picked up the pilot around 2300 last night but I certainly didn’t stay awake to find out.

This morning was another matter. That is, if you define morning as anytime after midnight. We pulled anchor about 0345 and were on our way. I had expected actually that we would have started a lot earlier. But there are so many factors that go into starting out the convoy through the canal. Make no mistake about it, it is a convoy. Parts of the canal have two channels, the rest one. So it completely depends on a continuous flow of traffic in both directions managed actively with opposite directions only able to pass in the Great Bitter Lake or where there are two channels. This is similar to other long channels with the exception that this is all sea level – no locks involved.

I’m not going to repeat the history of the canal which dates back to the 1800s. Or two millennium prior to the Common Era depending on whether you want to believe Wiki which is normally pretty reliable or the kindergarten teacher masquerading as a lecturer on ship.  When you look carefully at the early history to include Darius I, it is fairly obvious that they were not looking to connect the Med with the Gulf of Aden but rather to connect the Nile to the Red Sea/ Great Bitter lake to make an East-West passage.

In any case – the canal entrance on the Red Sea end around 0400-0500 in the morning …

followed by what you could see as the sun was coming up.

Our view this time was different than the last two – we were on the right/north/east channel depending on your point of view. So we had a lot of sand. And construction and more sand.

Cross Stitch update –

About 2000 the Middle East decided to assert its authority. The winds came up and along with it came lower temperatures and sand. Sand on balconies and the outer deck, and, as it turns out, sand in the communications apparatus. Not exactly exciting or comfortable for those who like hanging out on balconies or open decks. Since I have spent a significant amount of time in various “garden spots” in the mideast, I had no interest in sand in my teeth. Or my clothes or food…. I stayed inside with the comment “sucks to be out there….” as I watched people attempting to walk around Deck 10.

As you probably gathered, comms went out for a significant length of time.

None of this affected me at all. Except for not being able to post this on time due to lack of internet.

Last night started the overnight blackout period with Decks 4 & 10 off limits. Deck 9 remains open but the lighting is limited. Same with any of the lounges with windows that can’t be completely covered. It is not that I mind sitting the dark. It is just that I like to be able to see food, drink and cross-stitch.

During the day, Jill and I spent time again in the Viking Crown stitching. There are always people stopping by. Mostly but not always women with comments. From the crew it is about their mother or grandmother who stitched and/or taught them. From fellow passengers it is usually comments about the pieces. So far, ID rate on cross-stitch is running 80%. Actually better than knitting which non-fiber folks get right only about 50%! After all, if you can chose between knitting and crochet why not make a random guess?

There were star fruit and passion fruit in the Windjammer last night and I am about to eat the last of the pomegranates.

Since it is pull the drapes and keep the lights down time (along with another time zone change tonight) I am thinking about an early bedtime.

her last route

When we arrive in Barcelona, the Legend will be leaving RCCL and going to Thompson/Tui.  We will be setting sail in the evening. I am hoping for the Suez during the day since one can never have too many digital photos, can one?  I might get off the ship in Malta, but haven’t made that decision as of yet.

It will be a bittersweet journey. I really like the ship and staff. There are ships which I have cruised more often, mostly because of location and time frames. But the Legend? She has been the venturesome ship, the one to try new ports, new travel routes.  I understand intellectually the idea of disposing the smaller and more expensive ships, but there are of those who pick them for their size, lack of whiz-bang and diminished number of the under 15 set.

The Itinerary as Planned

From Barcelona, I will be beating feet for the airport. Due back at the Center on the 29th and should still be pretty much timezone whacked.

BTW – I did get off the ship today. We had to, otherwise I didn’t see the point. Since the shuttle bus to the mall was free – that seemed like a much better deal than hanging out in the terminal.

The usual buildings were passed. The Frame is still…… under construction and just as stupid looking as before. Pictures obviously taken from the moving bus…

Surprisingly, some items are limited. For example stationary supplies and reading lights. No one carried the Pilot erasable pens and apparently clip on reading lights, even LED, are now passe.  Back on board by noon, the DL was the place to hang out till it became well overcrowded…

Imagine my shock when coming back from upstairs. I had headed up to a reception which I found was called on account of wind. Not unexpected, I have no clue why the ship’s crew thought that a reception on a formal night on the aft of Deck 9 would be a bright idea. Admittedly it is a better idea than holding something on the prow, but still. There is wind. There are people dressed up. There is food…… not a good combination at all.

Anyway – on my way downstairs –

On Display

Obviously there had been a towel folding demonstration. I can only be grateful that one of my routine instructions to my cabin attendant is to “spare the towels and keep away those things.”

Just in case you have never been the victim of something strange on returning to your cabin on a cruise….

as examples.

Tomorrow is our last day. Might do a couple of the usual behind the scenes tours. There is a luncheon. And, of course there is packing since I am once again changing cabins….

The owl and the pussy cat went to sea
in their beautiful pea green boat…

Well, I only have the owls on one scarf and there are absolutely no cats in sight. If I want cats, I have to settle for pictures sent to me by the Eldest and Maus. [now, doesn’t that sound strange? Cat pictures from Maus].

Anyway. I had a lovely day doing not much of anything. Taking advantage of loyalty perks, I did take the opportunity to tour the bridge figuring limited availability on the next cruise. Not likely before the Suez, certainly not during Gulf of Aiden through, and limited number of days after. Plus with the increase in senior loyalty program members things are going to get crowded.

The instrumentation is original from the ship build in 1995. Obviously there have been multiple software updates since then. The young Romanian second officer was both articulate and funny. He managed to answer a lot of questions while conveying his pride in being part of the fleet staff.

The rest of my day was devoted to relaxing, napping and a bit more on the cross stitches.

and not much else.

Sea day. Talked with a few people. Didn’t get a galley tour. It was scheduled at 0930 and the Breakfast with an Officer @ 0900. Bit of a time conflict you think?

Bonnie’s Shawl – through the second repeat of Chart 3

Is mostly noted for an incredible number of stores and shopkeepers just all enthused about separating you from your money. There are linen stores, jewelry stores, souvenir stores and the ever ubiquitous liquor location – here it is guavaberry as the local specialty. It doesn’t matter, there is always something to buy for the souvenir hungry. Given that there are several huge piers – it also seems to be popular with the cruise ships. Today, besides the Freedom – there was the Harmony hulking like a behemoth next to us (and we are not tiny).

Harmony & Freedom

to top it off – I saw the new paint job on TUI Discovery 1 (aka the old Splendour of the Seas) and the Britannia which I thinks belongs to P&O but I didn’t bother to look it up. This all made for a variety of languages, dialects and accents in the passengers pushing and shoving in the pedestrian zone.

After a few hours, I wandered into town in search of embroidery floss and found that I can’t get it in Philipsburg. The woman @ Penny’s was helpful, as was the woman at the Fabric store, two of the linen stores and a Chinese gift shop. I had a bit of the red color with me – but couldn’t match it. I bought nothing at Leather-world. The Art Box is always a different story, limiting myself to one pair of earrings.

I was early back to the ship, wading through crowds going in both directions. I should tell you that I took advantage of the rest of the day to try out my new sunblock purchased yesterday in San Juan, but I took a nap instead.