Posh dinner

Our travel agent, Edward Infanti, had given us a dinner at one of the special restaurants on board, and we were debating when we should cash it in as it were. Well, Sunday October 8 was the day our families were getting together to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, so we decided we would join them in spirit. We knew that there would be no turkey or pumpkin pie on our menu, but were sure we could find something just as celebratory.

That afternoon we got pedicures, and then took care to dress in our finest, despite the fact that short sleeved shirts and trainers seem to align with both casual and “gala” events for many of our fellow passengers. Not for us! There are few enough times in life when people dress well for a special dinner and we are two people who appreciate the effort made and the feeling doing do gives us. So, little black dresses and sparkly jewellery were de rigor for the Robson/Butler ladies!

We had a warm lobster pate as an ‘amuse bouche’. Bouches now amused, Mom ordered crab cakes, lamb and a chocolate-vanilla soufflé, while I pushed the boat out with lobster bisque (for you Martin), filet mignon and a baked Alaska the size of Montana. We also shared at bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne. The room was pleasant, the food good, distant live music in an upstairs lounge just the perfect level of sound and quality of tune.

We thought of the loved ones who were able to get together eating dinner together at our house, everyone bringing something to contribute and Martin doing the lion’s share of cooking, which is exactly what he likes. They all went out for a walk in the sun after and Martin shouted a round of coffee, while we instead stumbled back to our stateroom, sat out on the deck in the dark to hear the constant whoosh of the waves as our boat cuts through the swells, and slowly feel able to lie horizontally. Some of our loved ones are scattered elsewhere, in Budapest and Ithaca, and we thought of them too, grateful we are all well and happy and engaged in our lives in whatever capacity works best for us.

 

PS, the very next night, Monday and the actual thanksgiving Day in Canada, we only felt like a little bit of salad, when we noticed that the buffet was serving roast turkey, with cranberry sauce, and even pumpkin pie! All the Indonesian and Philipino servers imitated our shrieks of joy and surprise.