March 28, 2010

This morning we arrived in Aruba, one day late, but that's not bad. Most shops are closed since it is Sunday, just two are open in the terminal building. I bought a fridge magnet (I have been collecting these for years, and always try to get a special one) and a beautiful wooden carving, I think it is called Mopu Mopu technique. I received a folder, but it is in my cabin. I will correct it, if not right.

The good thing is, we will be in Curacao tomorrow, so I can have a haircut. Due to the sun, the wind and the salt water, my hair seems to grow faster than normal. I can go to the ship's hairdresser, but he mainly cuts the male crew, and they seem to turn out all the same. Short all over, with an even shorter part in the middle!

So, I think it will be better to wait till tomorrow.

Due to head winds we needed three seadays instead of two, to reach Aruba. We will skip Jost van Dyke, and guess what, there was a complaint from one of the passengers! He wanted to go to Jost van Dyke to buy a t-shirt. I told him to order it from the internet. He then asked: is that possible? I think so, I said. But to be honest, I have no idea. Most passengers though, were pleased with the extra seaday.

The weather has been quite rough. We again had a lot of seasick passengers. The positive side is, that the dining room is less crowded.

The deck crew is busy changing sails. We got five new sails on board and one by one they will be put up. They come from America and are quite different from the ones already on the ship.

I have to check what happened on the days since my last blogmail. To be honest, I have no idea if something important has happened. Days go by so fast, it is amazing. I just realised why I could not remember the last couple of days. I have been quite sick. At first, I toughed I was having a sun stroke, so I stayed inside for two complete days! Terrible, staying inside the airconditioned piano bar. But I got feeling worse, and at one point I told the Captain I was going to see Aime, the nurse. He looked at me, and immediately told Ashley to get Aime for me! How thoughtful. She gave me some salt tablets, and told me to get some ice wrappings. I was running quite a fever at that time. So I went to bed, Aime brought me some dinner, but as the day before, when I slept from 16.00 till 22.00 and from 24.00 till 07.30, I slept nearly 12 hours. After some brackfast I fell asleep in the piano bar. Then one of the passengers gave me some high vitamine C tablets, another one gave me something else, and I all took it. It was mainly vitamine C. When I was on my way to recovery, I finally realised it had nothing to do with a heat stroke. I had been in the sun for more than 5 weeks! I then remembered I had been bitten by an insect during the Panama canal crossing. Within two hours I start to feeel sick. So probably been allergic to the bite of the insect. I think it was a bee, since I had to take out a stingy bit of material out of my leg. Better get it checked out when at home. But I am back to my usual self, as they noticed when coming onto the deck early morning. I always start of by singing: Goodmorning, goodmorning, how are you today! Several passengers told me they missed my singing!

I heard today that perhaps Betty and Richard will be returning to the ship, to join us for the transatlantic crossing! Would be lovely. If so, looking forward to their return. Why don't you all (well most of them) return for the crossing. Would that not be fun? I don't expect anything special for the upcoming talent show, well at least nothing that can beat the one we had!

I just went inside the terminal, but the machine were you can buy internet access, has broken down. A serviceman will show up in about an hour, but knowing their culture, I would not be surprised if it will take over 2. Again that is no problem, since we all have to be back on board at 21.30 hours tonight. Departure for Curacao is at 22.00 hours.

For the people back at home, today I posted some postcards. I wrote them on March 17, but the ship wanted to have usd 2,= per stamp, and in Cartagena, they asked usd 3,= per stamp!

Today I bought stamps for just over usd 1,=! So some of you might finally receive a postcard.

Today we are having a deck lunch. A lot of people just returned from their island tour. Another excursions was horse back riding, they told me they had a lot of fun. I won't tell you what a certain lady told me she finally got!

Helena and I went into town, in front of the Renaisance hotel there is a beautiful park, named after our former queen Wilhelmina. Tried to took a photo of an iguana, have not idea yet if it is any good. We there met Margaretha and Peter and the four of us, just walked around town. There were some men riding their third youth' Harley, but none of us was interested. For the rest it just seemed if everybody was still in bed or in church.

The crew normally knows were you can get the best deals, where to get cheap phone cards and a free internet connection. So today, instead of sitting in an airconditioned area just inside the harbour, I walked to the Starbuck's cafe. They offer free wifi, even without taking an order. But I bought a tall black coffee, not too bad. Next to me, some dj started up, deafening! So I have no idea how long I will last at this place. I am expecting Armtjong, the second officer, any moment. His was on duty till 16.00. I had dinner with him last night. Very pleasant young man, only 27 years of age, but I told him that I had adopted him as my son, during the trip. He did not object.

This morning I spoke some Dutch with the Pilot. A good looking guy, but will stay behind in Aruba. Shame! I do not know if I have mentioned that there are two other Dutch people on the ship. We sometimes use the fact, that nobody can understand what we are saying. Since the mix is 50 percent English speaking and 50% German speaking, I am constantly switching between Dutch, English and German. Good for my German. Had not used it for a couple of years. My French is non-existing, there is luckily only one French speaking couple on the ship.

For most of the passengers there is only one week left. 28 Stay behind, and 60 are coming on board.

For me only 25 days out of the 70 days are left! I definetely will suffer from a shock when being back home. No one to make my bed, no one to cook my meals, especially me special deserts, no one to talk to, brrrrrrr.

I hope to find an internet cafe in Curacao, so I can download some of the photo's I took in Cartagena. There are not many, since I returned to the ship very soon, still not feeling very well. But they are nice.

For the person who asked Walt's blogname: I have no idea, since I have not opened it yet. Will leave that till I am back home. But if you google rosaslovian, you might find it. His blog is very posh. He is having an Apple air book, and they have a lot of possibilities. He also prepared his blog weeks before he got on the trip. I just got this computer a couple of days before I left, hence my blog is very basic. But they are completely different. Will be fun to read his blog.

Well, that is it for the time being. My coffee is nearly finished, I still have to check my email and must download several updates.

Take care, en Stella, ik hoop dat alles goed gegaan is met je operatie.

Ineke

March 18, 2010


Today is the day of the Captain's dinner and the talent show. People are very interested in who will be at the Captain's table. I know of several, and some people asked me if I knew the secret to: "how to get invited to the Captain's dinner". In my opinion, it is the hotel manager and the Captain, who decides who is getting an invitation. Based on being a repeater passenger (but since 65% of the passengers is a repeater, the decision will not be easy), nationality, and the mix of the guests. This time it was an interesting mix. German, American, Australian were there.

Before dinner, the guests are having a glass of champagne, then all the non-choosen ones are decending down the stairs, followed at a respectable distance and time, by the Captain and his guests.

The Captain held a really nice speech. One of my tablemates said: he was the most human captain she had came accross within Star Clippers. I totally agree with her.

H., a German guest, held a short speech. He has bothered every passenger on the ship with stories that go on and on and on. I think I am the only one on the ship who has been succesful in avoiding this. A couple of days ago he targeted me, while I was sitting on the foredeck. I noticed this in time, and just took my walkman, put in my earplugs, turned around and after ten minutes, he left. Fine with me.

Then came the talent show.

Klaus started of the show with playing "when the Saints come marching in" on his bagpipes. Followed by a group of six men and six women, who performed an act on the song: he had it coming. The men were sitting on chairs, behind them the six women. I was woman number six. The women were all in jail for committing several serious crimes. We then went on by doing another one: killing the guy in front. It was a huge success.

The atmosphere was there, but it was followed by a passenger who told a story of a rabbit. The passengers did not like this, it was more stuff for a Kindergarten. But the story came to an end. The following act was a dance, performed by Chutima, the Thai massage girl. It was very graceful and her dress was beautiful. The Indonesian crew performed a song and Ariel, one of the bartenders, sang a song.

Then the Coconut boobies sang the following:

Bloody Mary mornin' sing along

Verse and refrain

Well it's a bloody mary mornin

we left Cocos without warning

Sometime in the night.......

but we're sailing down to Perlas

Hopes still high regardless of our plight

2

We went snorkeling with the sharks

and hiking in the parks

and bought t-shirts........

but the government officials

they did not like our papers

said "leave our dirt"

Refrain

3

Oh the rumours running rampant...

illegal fishing or deer hunting in the park

or the last Hinano beer can be found on the beach after dark

Refrain

4

we had boobies on the yardarms

dropping booby poop bombs on our head

may be that's the reason we were told to exit the Cocos by the Feds....

Refrain

Well it's a bloody mary mornin

'we left Cocos without warning

sometime in the night........

but we're sailing down to Perlas

Hopes still high regardless of our plight.

This was followed by some of the crew doing the Bamboo dance. Normally it is difficult as it is, but on a moving and rolling ship....... Aimee, the nurse, did a wonderful job, not getting caught up between the bamboo sticks.

Then the sportsteam came on, they did the disappearance trick. They did it a couple of years ago to me, one of the lady passengers is invited to join them, then she disappears behind a sheet, and suddenly a very tiny bikini top appears over the top, followed by an even more tiny bikini bottom. This time the lady in question was as thin as a needle, but I never was and still not am a skinny type of person. In my opinion, doing this trick with somebody who has a more voloptuous figure, does the trick.

Then came the success of the evening: Rokie anounced that amongst the passengers there were two previous European, World and Olympic champions synchronised swimming!

I tried to take some photo's, but never got close enough. It looked like all the passengers were in the Tropical Bar enjoying the show! I might receive some photo's from passengers who left today (Saturday - Panama). As soon as I have them I will put them on my blog.

Ross and Jen were the "swimmers", it was a huge hit from the first moment they started "swimming". It is very hard to tell why it was such a hit, just looking at their movements and their faces, hilarious. Near the end a male leg suddenly appeared, later on followed by two hairy legs. As soon as I saw the leg, I knew it belonged to Adrian.

Walt made a movie, and I hope he will show it on the internet, either on his blog or on Cruise Critic, under the Star Flyer heading.

This act was followed by a performance of Danny, who has a beautiful voice indeed. The sportsteam and Hal (alias Ken) did one last trick, but they themselves had trouble to keep straight faces!

The last part of the show was performed by the Star Flyer choir. Below are the lyrics. There were 17 passengers taking part, and we all enjoyed doing it.

I got the lyrics from Winnie and are based on My Bonnie...

(Patrick) My bacon lies over my French toast

Patatoes lie under my eggs

My pancakes are drowning in syrup

No wonder I can't see my legs. "refrain #1"

(Hal and Jan) Mateo and Kemik they tempt us

with food that we cannot resist

Rare roastbeef, garlic shrimp and lasagna

are right at the top of the list *refrain #1*

(Gudrun, Lorene) Ein Duft wedet Dich morgens im Bettchen

Garlic'ne Wolke schwebt durch Neptuus Bar

Selbst Kuchen erhaelt dies Aroma

Man glaubt's nicht - es ist aber wahr!

Refrain

Knoblauch, Knoblauch

dem Daft kann man nirgends entfliehen

garlic, garlic

wo fluechte ich mich bloss hin?

(Dorene and Ricardo) We're tired before breakfast is over

A nap to revive us for lunch

And then we have 4.30 nibbles

Before the huge dinner we munch *refrain #1*

(Helen) Gymnastics with Gustav is helpful

A mile with Victor is fine

For lunch I will have me a salad

Unless there is beef cooked in wine *refrain #1*

(David) Ariel, Ashton and Danny

They fill us with cocktails and beer

While Joey is dancing with Claudia

They're heading for Broadway, we hear *refrain #2*

(June) Each day we have so many choices

There never will be enough time

Deck golf, yoga, tai chi and pilates

Missing bridge is considered a crime *refrain #2)

(Betty and Richard) Each evening we meet after dinner

For Saskia's contests and more

Frog races and great Karaoke

The lectures are never a bore

(Gudrun and Lorene) Von Seefahrt und all ihren Tuecken

Kann Klaus uns ne'Heuge erzaehlen

Kunstfaelschern faellt Knut in den Ruecken

ent???? und beweist ihr Verhegh

Pentinmenti und Crackeles taeuschen ihn nicht

Faelscher, Betrueger

Sie fuehren ihn nicht ........ licht (Knoblauch refrain)

(Ruth and Peter) Starlight dancing to music by Joszef

Keeps everyone up on their feet

And then when he plays the piano

It's always a wonderful treat *refrain #2*

(Ross) Swedish lessons with Victor and Gustav

We laughed until tears filled our eyes

But now we speak beautiful Swedish

"Vi Elskar er", you adorable guys *refrain #2

(Joe) The Captain and crew they have brought us

Across the Equator in style

The Sea Queen will stay in our memory

The devils will bring back a smile (no refrain)

(Adrian) First kissing a fish for King Neptune

Then jellyfish, flour and rum

The sirens then dunked all the virgins

It was quite dramatic for some *refrain #2

(Gudrun and Elenore) Wir loben am Abend "Regina"

Sie Schenkt uns den Fangfrischen Fisch

Der "Green Flash"er weist sich als "nie da"

Enttaeuscht schleppen wir uns zu Tisch

Segeln, Schlemmen und Schaukeln im Suedlichen Wind

Traeumen, Nichtstun, das ist es weshalb wir hier sind

(Char) Star Flyer is like a narcotic

One go and you're hooked on this ship

So many familiar faces

Returned for this fabulous trip *refrain #2*

(Peter) Great Britain, New Zealand and Iceland

Australian and German and Swiss

All laughing and playing together

On this voyage we couln't resist (no refrain)

(Ineke) Canadian, Argentine, Irish

American, Austrian and Dutch

All singing and dancing together

All eating and drinking too much

(Winnie) Star Flyer sails over the ocean

Star Flyer sails over the sea

This is such a magical journey

How lucky, how lucky are we *refrain #2*

*refrain #1*

Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my body to me, to me

bring back, bring back, oh bring back my body to me.

*refrain # 2*

Old friend, new friends

Laughing and sailing across the sea

Sharing, caring

One happy family are we.

-------------

To me, this was one of the better talent shows.

Take care,

Ineke

Hello everybody,

Today we are in Cartagena, it is very, very hot and humid. At the moment I am sitting at a WIFI spot in the harbour, but just the walk down there is exhausting.
We have had very rough weather, a lot of the passengers have been seasick, terrible for them, but for the remaining passengers, it meant a half full dining room. Tonight there will be a local dancegroup, they arrive at 10.30, sail away will be at 24.00 hours. Rough weather is expected again, so many sea sickness people again.
I am organising a photoshoot for the 47 passengers, who stayed on the ship going to St. Maarten. We all got a nice poloshirt, either in Antique Coral or light blue. Finally Star Clippers managed to get us some shirts that fit. They usually have an extra large, which will fit size 38 in Europe! If you look at the clothes in the sloopshop, even the male shirts are way to small! Strange.
The photoshoot will take place on Tuesday March 30, at 16.30 hours. The Captain is invited, and the purser will print the invitations. Very nice. Looking forward to that.
In the meantime I had to get adjusted to the fact that a lot of new made friends have left the ship.
Ross, Jen, John, Rokie, Carla, Ed and Sue and many, many others, you are all missed a lot.
I am still waiting for the "hunk" to get on the ship, but again, no such luck. To the oldies, it seemed that a lot of even older people joined the ship. But no nice single good looking guy! There are a lot of smokers though. On the first leg, there were probably about four people smoking, now they are everywhere. I am glad this trip will only last fourteen days. On the St. Maarten to Lisbon stretch, there will only be 85 passengers, perhaps the Hunk will be one of them.
I went into Cartagene this morning with Kathryn and Patrick, we shared a taxi, but went our own way. After strolling down the old city center and finding no luck with a working internet possibility, I went back. Yesterday I suffered from a minor sun stroke, it still bothers me today.
Walt, Leone and Tom are off to do the vulcano mud baths. Again I had to drop out due to my knee.
Due to the rocky weather I woke up last night, laying on my belly, but my legs were sticking out the bed. My cabin is way forward, and it sure feels like being in a rollercoaster all the time. Even with my weight, I nearly fell out of my bed (backwards, since my bed is between the ship's side and the bathroom wall).
Joel, I have spoken to a couple, you met after you left the ship. Since there are so many newbies, I cannot recall who they were though! Sorry about that.
There is a new first officer, Mariusz, from Poland. Axel is the new hotel manager and Sophie joined the sports team, she is, as usual, from Sweden. I cannot remember if I have mentioned in one of the previous messages, that Albertion, my cabin steward, had to leave the ship due to illness. I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.
I have no idea when there will be another internet possibility. The internet on the ship will not be available till the ship will leave Lisbon. It is just the same with my new matress, after leaving Lisbon, there will be a new one. Way overdue, to be honest.
Well, I have to close, hope everybody is in good health, the passengers who left the ship are hopefully save at home, some of them even back at work! Poor guys. We are sorry for you.
This trip is going buy faster than I can blink my eyes. Already six weeks from home, only four weeks to go. I know, you don't have to feel sorry for me.
Well, take care, and if you are up to it, leave a message!
Ineke