Its about 5.30pm on a partly cloudy afternoon as we pass through ‘oil rig alley’ and cruise towards our first port of call Stavanger. The weather for our departure yesterday from Dover was blustery and bright but the choppy sea and Force 7 wind meant that many cross-channel ferries were late and so as the Captain put it ‘it was not our slot for departure’ so with a tug pushing hard on our stern to prevent us from being blown off the dock we waited patiently for an hour, eventually leaving at 5.30pm local time.
To begin with it was a little rocky but once past Ramsgate and turning North the wind was astern and so was the swell and we settled in for a very smooth and comfortable ride overnight.
Of course the main event of yesterday was my Birthday and a maiden event for me on a Fred Olsen vessel. I was a little dubious at what might happen since Fred always celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at the dinner table. I need not have worried since I joined a table of 8 singles that were very pleased to share in my celebration.
There was a knowing look and note of relief and interrogation in the waiter’s voice as I sat at the table - “You are Sir Terence?!” and then he quietly asked if I was happy for the waiters to sing Happy Birthday and for a cake to be shared with my table companions.
Fortunately the Braemar has a resident waiter who can play guitar. On my earlier cruise this year aboard Black Watch we had had to suffer some enthusiastic celebrations that sounded more like an out of tune football crowd their being no guitar accompaniment only a wooden spoon on the back of a saucepan!! For me I had a choir of some 8 and in tune waiters to serenade me at the table.
The cake too proved to be very acceptable and was served to one and all with some vanilla ice cream. The waiters clearly enjoyed this little celebration and even at breakfast this morning three came up to me and congratulated me! I suppose its one way of getting to be known!!
So where does Ying & Yang fit in? Well each table has two waiters – a boss and an assistant. In this case one waiter is called “June” and the other “Jong” so for me that has become Ying and Yang. In fact the June introduced the other as “his partner” to which he very quickly added “he is my business partner you understand and not my partner!!” so it looks like being a cheery table.
The evening show was another energetic performance by the production company on board with Broadway musicals as the theme and I turned round to find a guest who I had met on the Round South America cruise in 2012 – Roland from Deal so we ended the evening rounding off a great birthday in the Observatory Bar.
Well it time to get ready for the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party so Au Revoir for now and to meet the Captain – see photo.
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