Day 21, Sunday, March 16, At Sea, Crystal Serenity

The Crystal Symphony is in Phuket, Thailand. The MS Amsterdam is at sea from Colombo to Maho, Seychelles.

I woke up about 4:30. Since I had not finished Saturday’s post before retiring I processed my photos and went on line before starting my walk. It was a very cloudy morning, although a full moon did find a little break on lap 1 on it’s way to the horizon. The sun was never visible until it was high in the sky on my final lap.

It was an extremely busy sea day, World Games Events included Basketball, Solitaire, Gin Rumnmy, and a Mixed Doubles Walking Relay. I missed most of the events due to conflicts with lectures.

My days events started with the Protestant Worship Service at 9 in the Hollywood Theater: https://wcmedley2014.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/sunday0316.pdf
The Crystal Visions Enrichment Program started at 10 with Clem Sumter with “A History of Scenario Planning and How it Has Evolved”, discussing how his definition of options related to the end of Apartheid. That was followed at 11 with Ambassador Tony Leon on “Leadership Unusual”.

In his noon update Captain Vorland reported we are continuing on 3 of our 6 generators and it will be a close call if we will need to use a 4th for a while. We are now over 600 miles from the nearest land. I enjoyed my usual lunch at the Trident Grill.

The afternoon lecture at 1:30 was former Warner Brothers executive with “Sound Comes to the Movies”. Later in the afternoon the Mixed Relays were held on the Promenade Deck. Finally, the Festival of Purim was celebrated in the Stardust Club. The celebration is based on the Book of Esther and commemorates the undoing of an order by Haman to eliminate Mordecai and the Jews. Many people at the celebration were dressed in costumes, including Rabbi Hershman. As the book of Esther was read, each time the name Haman was mentioned, the people used noisemakers to create a raucous outpouring of sound. After the ceremony there was dancing and refreshments. Today, as often happens Rabbi Hershman and Pastor Voosen attended each other’s services.

All were present at table 102 for dinner with people looking very sharp on this formal night. The entertainment was an excellent piano concert by Philip Wojciechowski in the Stardust Club.

Today’s parting shot is a bit of a personal story about Philip Wojciechowski. I have sailed with him several times, including my 2011 New England Canada trip from Montreal to New York. The last morning, as we were sailing into New York, people were on deck and Wojciechowski asked me to take his picture with the statue of Liberty behind him. On this voyage we are assigned to the same lifeboat. I called to him after the Muster Drill and asked how long he would be on the ship. He told me Maritius, and said “I remember you from New York”. I find him not only a great pianist but a wonderful human being.

Roy

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