Day Three, Mid-Atlantic Already

It always amazes me how the ocean looks different every day. Wednesday, our first day out, it was all a hazy shade of grey, both the sea, quite calm, and the sky. Yesterday, Thursday, was a bit stormy, the sea was the deepest shade of steel blue, slamming against the hull, creating waves with an undertone of the most beautiful shade of  sapphire, as seen in the photo. Today it's whitecaps cresting out of a more turquoise Atlantic, the sun is out and the breeze is stiff but not stormy like yesterday. This ship handles the sea very well.

We have a cute little sparrow on board,  hopping around the lido deck at the stern of the ship.  I wonder if he's a New Yorker, or if he's been on since Rotterdam, making a back to back transatlantic. There are quite a number of Dutch on board doing just that, who were treated to a special Indonesian Reistaffl lunch today in the main dining room. It's fun to mingle with the Dutch, I'm constantly asking how to say this or that in their language.  The food on board has been quite good, and the crew is friendly and helpful. Funny thing though, yesterday was Bastille Day and German food was featured on the dinner menu. Vive le sauerbraten!

Curiously today during lunch we ground to a very quick stop. The dining room is at the very stern of the ship, there was a great shuddering as the propellers must have gone into reverse (full astern matey!). I have no idea why yet, but I will get to the bottom of this. For a moment I was sure we had struck an iceberg, but then I remembered we are taking a southerly route, and besides, it's the wrong season!

The entertainment and lectures onboard have been outstanding. Bill Miller is a passenger liner historian with a great gift of gab, and has presented two lectures so far, Transatlantic Floating Palaces, and a history of Holland America Line. A fantastic Big Band called the Pasadena Roof Orchestra did music from the 20's and 30's last night after dinner, curiously they are not from Pasadena, but England. I must get to the bottom of that as well.  Cheers for now!