Days 23-25 Jan 28-30

Day 23 (Moving On) Monday Jan 28
Missed a Rumba lesson in order to go to a very interesting lecture on the Falklands, a bit about the war and then about penguins. Decided to change my walking tour (which I can easily do on my own) for a trip to a penguin rookery. Apparently there is only a 50% chance that we will get into the harbour at all, we have to be taken off by tender since this ship is too big, & it can get very windy, sounds fun(not!).
Neither of our quiz teams did very well, but who would believe that the French put parrots at the top of the Eiffel Tower in WW1 to warn of approaching aircraft! Did they screech ‘avions, avions’?!
There was a ‘Ladies Day’ this afternoon, and part of it was a quiz, which amazingly enough we won! So we got a small bottle of ‘champagne’ each & a prize voucher. Apparently about 50 of those will get you a key ring!
Finally managed to amend my house plans and fax with a covering letter to NZ, it cost $15! While in the ‘Business Centre’ there was a ‘priority 2’ call to a cabin on my deck, I learnt early in the cruise that this means somebody has died, not surprising given the age of the passengers, apparently some even come on here to die, and coffins are carried routinely. When I went down to my cabin I saw a guy in green ‘scrubs’ and a mask round his neck just coming out of a cabin so I guess that’s where it had happened. This is definitely a microcosm of a small town.
Entertainment tonight was a Scots singer called Mark O’Malley, whose background is in musical theatre. Consequently he belted out songs very well but sometimes rather too loudly for the acoustics of the Grand Lounge. Then I won $50 in the casino, but I’m only getting back what it owes me! Fun though.
Day 24 (Trip) Tuesday Jan 29
Arrived in Montevideo at 8 a.m. this morning after a very slow entry up the River Plate. The anchor of the Graf Spee is on display very close to where we docked. We all went for a 2.5 hour walk round the town, since the others don’t like being ‘herded’. Interesting but I think you learn more on a tour so am going on one this p.m. ‘Art & Architecture’. What struck us all was the decaying opulence on display, not as run down as Salvador, & definitely more genteel, but decaying never-the-less. This is a recent phenomenon it seems, presumably to do with the economy of Uruguay, hopefully I will learn more later.
On the tour visited 3 art museums, & saw the affluent houses in the eastern suburbs of the city, lovely tree-lined avenues. Walked a bit in the ‘old town’ at the end of the tour, and saw the cathedral and the City Hall which we’d missed in the morning, so was worth it. I was one of only 2 English on the tour, all others American. 3 of the ladies obviously didn’t want to be on the tour at all, and left it once we reached the centre, think the guide was a little upset by this.
Evening entertainment was a local tango music and dance presentation, which seemed to be extremely popular with the rest of the audience, lots of bravos, but not to our taste apart from the dancing. Stayed overnight here, very strange going to sleep without the noise of the engines, & I found it quite difficult!
Day 25 (Watch yourself) Wednesday Jan 30
We all went shopping this morning, to a leather shop recommended by Cunard. I spent lots, bought 4 handbags (not all for me!), a belt for David and spoilt myself with a leather jacket. The sleeves were too long, they said they could fix it in an hour and deliver to the ship. More than 2 hours later, & approaching gangway up time, still no sign. So getting a little worried went to bottom of gangway and fortunately it was just being delivered, not sure what would have happened if it arrived too late. During sail-away party spoke to a guy I met on the Barbados trip, who had been robbed the day before, jumped upon, knocked to the ground (& he’s a BIG guy) in broad daylight and had his wallet taken, so his view of Montevideo was not good. Everybody else thinks it was great, a really pleasant place to visit with an ‘old-world’ feel.
Kelly Montieth was very funny this evening, I remembered him from his TV shows, he looks a lot older now, I guess we all do!
Comments re drink: I make a bottle of wine last for 3 meals (David be proud of me!). This is because it is relatively expensive, and at home I have a glass while I’m cooking! Also the others on my table drink very little (Trisha & Hilary not at all, not because they don’t drink, but to avoid spending too much). I very rarely have alcohol at any other time, sometimes a beer during the quiz, & I did buy a very expensive half bottle of ‘champagne’ for the sail-away. Felt good though, the weather is fantastic, brilliant blue skies & warm, managed to get a little bit sunburnt without realising it during that time.