#12 Another Day at Sea

March 24 – At Sea.  A well placed day at sea.  Very normal day for me didn't do anything different.  In fact I did less.  No sports activities today, just sat around and talked or read.

 

Diana has been going to the lectures by Kate Ross.  She has been talking about Africa and it's traditions and developments over the centuries.  Her first presentation was 'Africa's Artistic Traditions'.  She showed how art is a part of their every day life and how it is used in festivals, religions, to identify status and gender roles in the community.  In the second she discussed the role of sugar and chocolate on Euro-African-Asian trade with the Americas.  Her third discussed trade in potatoes and corn and how it affected the worldwide exchange of plants, ideas, foods, people and diseases.  In her fourth she described the Great Trading Kingdoms of West Africa that existed before Europeans came there.  She's an entertaining and informative speaker and that's about the best thing you can say about someone who lectures.  High praise indeed.

 

The string trio that plays in the Explorer's Lounge has proved to be so popular that often there are no seats available.  This is quite unusual and a testament to the talents of the group and especially the violinist.  They are the best string trio I've ever heard on a ship.  Thom, our cruise director, decided for tonight he would move them to the main showroom to play a 50 minute set before the evening's show.  That was a very good idea and the showroom was full by 7:15pm.  When the dinner chimes rang for the late seating at 8pm seats opened up for the first seating fans to come in for their show.

 

Author's Secret Note:  I like music of all types with the possible exception of Chinese opera but I'll let you in on a dirty little secret.  I can't stand Andrew Lloyd Weber.  This stems from three main sources.  I hear a lot of other people's music in his tunes so to me his originality is questionable.  Secondly, the performers say his name in soft reverent tones as if they were talking about God.  They describe him in hyperbolic superlatives as though he had somehow fallen from the heavens as the Golden Child.  Thirdly, way too many performers sing and play way too much of his stuff.  It just gets tiresome.  Our entertainer this evening, Jackie Clune, is described in the program as a 'Star of London's West End'.  This is entertainer's code for "You are about to receive a huge dose of Andrew Lloyd Weber."  Therefore, Rod will not be attending this evening's show and I am unable to report on it.  Many of my friends on board tell me that she is very talented and has great stage presence.  All that means to me is that the music I can't stand will be well performed.  Well, so was the Chinese opera I didn't like and I don't go to that anymore either.

 

Remember I warned you about the italics.

 

Tomorrow we are in The Gambia.  We were here three years ago and enjoyed it very much.