Atlantic Crossing: Day 3
From the North Atlantic:
We watched the sun setting over the Verrazano Bridge. People stared up in terror and fascination as the ship’s funnels seemed to clear the underside of the bridge by 20 feet.
A police boat escorted us out as a pitch black chopper flew around and over us well out to sea. After passing the narrows, a small coast guard cutter with a very prominent gun on the deck took over escort duties.
As we watched the embarkation party on the aft deck pool area, Anil, our butler, brought Champagne and canapés out to our balcony (on which you could organize a volleyball game). It turns out there are only two suites like ours on the entire ship, one port, and us, to starboard.
This was a “casual elegant” night so I got away with a jacket and no tie as we were introduced to our table in the Queen’s Dining Room, on the window. However, there is a special restaurant for an extra charge that we’ll try tomorrow. I left Maria in the casino and had a cigar and brandy in the Churchill Room. It’s right below the bridge, and it’s eerie to watch your brandy gently sway in the glass. Walking the length of this ship clearly violates my three-block maximum walking rule, so I’ve had to waive it.
I couldn’t get my Internet service to work, so Anil found Mitch, who’s in charge of the ship’s Internet, off duty. He finished his dinner then visited the suite and gave me his own account to use while he researched the problem. How’s that for service?
He called later to tell me that my password was fine (Koufax) but that I had misspelled my last name on the sign-up process (Wiss). Could happen to anyone, right?
I’m sending this at 8 in the morning (you move the clock ahead an hour each sunrise) on the balcony, watching the wake stretch to the horizon on an incredibly calm ocean. Sort of like our opportunities, if we choose to look at them that way.
(Click on images to enlarge)
© Alan Wiss 2008. All rights reserved.
