Happy 60th Birthday, Mom!
30 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
Mom and her pina colada
Monday, May 30, 2011
Happy 60th birthday, Mom! The big day is finally here. We’re still in Venice. Our ship spent the night in port and we are scheduled for departure at noon today. Since we don’t have enough time to go back to St. Mark’s Square, we’ve decided to treat this as if it were another day at sea. We slept in a bit and had a leisurely breakfast in the dining room.
Tracey and her "Lovers" cocktail
We changed into our swimsuits and went on deck. But, lounge chairs are difficult to find today. I suppose the other 4,000 passengers had the same idea we did. We finally found a whole available deck, but it had no view and was mostly shaded. No matter. As long as we had our cocktails, nothing could bother us. We spent the entire morning relaxing on deck. However, it is very windy and cold!
St. Mark's Square as we depart Venice
At noon, all the cruise ship passengers came on deck to watch the ship sail. The views of Venice were incredible. We watched as the Italian Coast Guard assisted the ship as it maneuvered out of port. Once back out at sea, we grabbed deli sandwiches for lunch and went in search of a less windy sunbathing location. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one and we ended up curled up in towels on our stateroom balcony deck chairs. After an afternoon nap, we showered and got ready for a special birthday dinner at the ship’s steakhouse.
Mom and her birthday cake
The steakhouse requires advanced reservations and a special $30 per person charge (all other food on the ship is all-inclusive). It wasn’t difficult to figure out why. We were treated to the very best including champagne, surf and turf, escargot, lobster bisque, mashed potatoes and a chocolate dessert sampler. It was highly indulgent and wonderful. After we rolled out of the steakhouse dining room, we wandered next door to a lounge. The lounge was hosting Karaoke. We sat and watched for awhile, trying hard not to laugh when a woman with a thick German accent sang “Achy, Breaky Heart.” It was hilarious! From there, we wandered around listening to bands at various bars and lounges and browsing the shops. When we returned to our stateroom later, we had a chocolate birthday cake waiting for Mom. Unfortunately, after the kind of dinner we had, the chocolate cake remained untouched for the next day or two until it started gathering dust and we had to toss it. Ah well. It’s the thought that counts…
