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Published: September 29th 2016
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Today is the day we transfer to our cruise ship. Breakfast at the hotel (where we say good-bye to our British friends), pack and check out. We have been extremely happy with the Olimpia.
Of course, we have to drag all our bags back over the bridges to the Piazalle Roma. On the far side is an electric tram called the People Mover that connects directly to the cruise port. (Did I mention how well this trip was planned?) In fairly short order, we are on the tram and within minutes at the port. About 10 minutes' walk required before we reach the pre-boarding processing area and commit ourselves to the care of Holland America.
Our ship, the Oosterdam, has a similar layout to other HAL boats we've been on, but it is larger, certainly the largest cruise ship we've been on. Our room is identical to cabins we've had before. We get some lunch and settle in.
The departure is spectacular. The ship backs out of dock, then skirts the southern shore of Venice, passing by the south end of the Grand Canal, offering gorgeous views of Piazza San Marco and the Doge's Palace, as well as San Giorgio Maggiore, a cathedral that stands on the opposite bank of the canal. Shortly after, we skirt the north coast the Lido, one of most exclusive (and expensive) addresses in the world. The Adriatic beckons.
We are fans of open seating for supper, which means you turn up when you want and get seated with a random group of strangers. Today's draw is: three Australians travelling together, one of whom immigrated from Czechoslovakia; and a couple from near Palm Springs CA, one of whom escaped from communist East Germany. That's why we like open seating!
Lots of entertainment on board, so much so that you can't catch every act every night. We start with the B.B. King All Stars, an all-black blues and soul band: male and female vocalists, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet and sax. They are dynamite: crisp, tight and polished. I just love this stuff.
We scoot over to the Lincoln Center bar, which features classical music: piano (Steinway alert!), violin and viola. They play some standard light classical stuff, then the viola player introduces a piece by Shostakovich that I've never heard of before: Five Pieces for Two Violins. Simple but gorgeous.
Next we move to a show with the house band, the Oosterdam singers and dancers. They are good, but to my mind they are white bread after soul food.
We end off the evening at one of the two piano bars. The Billboard on Board group comprises a male/female piano and singing duo, that is, two singing pianists playing together. Their enthusiasm is great and I like the way they have arranged their tunes for two pianos. When their set ends, we fall into conversation with the girl, Meghan. Her home is in Detroit, but she has lived all over the world and, of course, her current gig has her travelling quite a bit. Delightful person. Maybe I'll see if she can give me access to a piano.
Late to bed, lulled to sleep by the gentle sway of the ocean.
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