Azores, Madeira, Spain and Gibraltar: Day 10 Atlantic Ocean

 

Day 10 Saturday 28th April Atlantic Ocean

We had decided that this day was going to be our late breakfast day. I went up to the Horizon Restaurant and picked up fruit for our light breakfast. The cornflakes looked tempting and I added some fruit to mine before coming back to the cabin.

Peninsular Club lunch

I had to dress more smartly than usual on this sea day as we were to have the Peninsular Club lunch. We were joined by our friends and another couple from our evening table. The lunch was in the upper tier of the Meridian Restaurant that was reserved normally for Freedom Dining. Our host for the meal was a ship’s officer who looked after part of the galley team. I chose Beetroot Tartar with Goats Cheese, Peach Sorbet, rack of Dorset Lamb and then Rhubarb Cheesecake.

I had declined the offered champagne at the start of the meal. Our evening wine waiter was on duty nearby and combined with our table’s own wine waiter, I was kept well supplied with the special house red wine. After the ship’s officer left to continue his duties we finished off the meal with tea and some delicious Petit Fours.

A quick change in our room and we were out on the Promenade Deck. The walk around the ship was to tr y and loose some of the calories that we had just eaten. We managed two miles before we decided that enough was enough and retired back to our cabin.

On one of the ship’s TV channels we watched a movie about a team, Highland, playing rugby in Arizona. This team had a New Zealand heritage and did the Haka before every game. This was a true story about a player who joined the team after a drink drive charge. The story was how the ethics of the team changed his life forever. This is one film that I will look for in the charity shops.

Peninsular Club Cocktail Party

The evening was our third black tie event and kicked off with the Peninsular Club Cocktail Party. This was held under cover around the Neptune Pool.

After the speeches we managed to have some canapes along with some very welcome gin and tonics. This evening we were lucky again and did not win the raffle prize of yet another P&O photo album.

We went down to dinner immediately after the party. This started with Gravalax again for me, Cobb salad again then Maryland chicken and rounded off with rum and raisin ice cream.

Soon Arcadia would be in Spanish waters and purchases on-board would be subject to their VAT. I ordered an extra bottle of wine to last me for the few days that we would be in Spanish waters.

After dinner, we joined the syndicate quiz but again missed winning by choosing the wrong answers from the team yet once again!