Every year at Thanksgiving we try to remember both the memorable and the forgettable Thanksgivings that we have had together over the past forty plus years. Many were in foreign lands with exotic menus, others not as exotic but fun and worth remembering. The duds we have to look up in Cindy’s extensive and well documented travel journals. I have the distinct feeling that we shall both remember this one for a long time.
We are on the Regent Splendor, a luxury cruise ship that we sailed last year and wanted to try again. We picked up the ship in Barcelona on the 20th and sailed away for two days before arriving in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Somewhere along the line I contracted food poisoning or an intestinal virus and spent the night of the 21st and all day on the 22nd in various states that required me to stay very close to our toilet. In between violent bouts of explosions, I alternated between horrible chills and shivers and massive sweat sessions which soaked my night clothes and the bedding. Finally, on Thanksgiving morning, I was feeling much better and had the energy to stray out of the cabin into the sunlight for a cup of tea and a biscuit. I was up on the pool deck with my tea when I heard the unmistakable Dixie Land rendition of "When the Saints Come Marching In." Suddenly out onto the deck came a seven-piece marching band led by the cruise director carrying large Mickey Mouse balloons above his head. Following the marchers were crew member dressed like individual Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Floats. It was just fantastic and so unexpected because Cindy and I had failed to read about it in the daily program. I thought it was a great way to start the day and had high expectations for the rest of Thanksgiving.
I joined Cindy on deck for lunch, which for me was one piece of broccoli, a piece of cheese and a cracker, a scoop of coffee sorbet and a half glass of Champagne. I did not want to push my luck. All the food stayed where it was supposed to and I was able to walk around the deck for awhile before returning to our cabin for a nap. We both napped and then Cindy walked the deck again before getting a mani/pedi. We dressed for dinner and since it was Thanksgiving we put on our finest. (Cruises no longer require formal wear or even jackets and ties in the evenings but we like to dress up for dinner.) We stepped out feeling hungry and looking sharp.
We went to a quiet bar, most everyone was still at dinner at 7:30, and enjoyed a lovely drink. I was able to sip most of my Champagne and felt the worst was over. We went to the main restaurant that was serving traditional Thanksgiving dinner (as well as many other dishes) and it appeared everyone on the ship had done the same. At 8:15 there were still lines of people waiting for tables so we gave the maître d' our name and went to the bar for Champagne. The server told us they were out of Champagne and it would be ten or fifteen minutes. That was a first! Normally these places have ample supplies but we found out later that they had not anticipated so many people eating at this restaurant. Turns out everyone wanted turkey and everyone thought this was the only restaurant serving turkey. What management failed to tell everyone was that turkey was available in all five venues! We probably wouldn't even have ordered it but we certainly would have gone to a different restaurant had we been aware of the turkey scrum. Because so many people were waiting for tables, they sent out trays of Champagne to be enjoyed until their tables were ready, thus draining most bars of their supply of Champagne. (Don't worry, there was more in the hold of the ship, just not reality available.)
Not to be deterred we waited our turn and by 8:45 were seated at a lovely table. As we sat down I noticed that Cindy looked a bit pale. I asked how she was feeling and she said "not that great." That is like a normal person saying I’m miserable, horrible, uncomfortable, and I feel like crap. I asked if we should leave but she wanted to try to tough it out. We ordered one thing to see how it went - a beautifully presented deviled egg on smoked salmon for Cindy and chicken bouillon with Matzo ball for me. When the food came Cindy took one look and said she had to go to the bathroom and I could meet her there - and we were done for the night. I ate my soup - which was delicious - quite fast knowing that was it for the day in terms of dining.
We made it to the room and poor Cindy went through exactly what I had the days before. All night she was up and down, either sweating bullets or shaking like a bowl of jello while everything she'd eaten that day was being expelled. By eight the next morning she felt almost human and I went up on deck to get her some hot tea and biscuits. She seems greatly improved and is able to move about and doesn’t feel the need to be close to porcelain!!
So how was your Thanksgiving? Cindy & Wm
PS the ship is gorgeous, our suite is large with a great balcony, the Broadway-style shows are fabulous, and the two dance bands are excellent. We are healthy again so you can hold your pity!
