We received an interesting bit of news from the captain today. We will not be going to Recife, Brazil, because their immigration officials are suddenly demanding a $500 fee for each Filipino crew member aboard! Apparently it is just this particular state of Brazil that has come up with this corrupt policy, so we will go to Fortaleza, a port in the neighboring state, instead. According to our captain, Fortaleza is a nicer place anyway, with prettier beaches. Last night the cruise director interviewed our captain, Terje Ulset. He is about 43 years old, 6' 5", with red hair...and is hilarious! He followed a very rocky path to becoming a captain, including driving a truck in Norway for two years, and getting laid off -- twice -- as a deck hand when Norwegian crews were replaced
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