LOCATION: Montevideo, Uruguay on board the Azamara Pursuit
WEATHER: Another nice one. High 82
We moored overnight in Montevideo so were able to return to town to continue our exploration. The port is mostly commercial with containers and container ships filling the area. We have to take a shuttle bus through the container traffic, for safety.
We walked around the Old City, found a nice bar/restaurant with wifi, and sipped on drinks while we used their wifi.
When we returned to our cabin, an expert on Uruguay was on the TV comparing Uruguay to…. Iowa! There are a lot of similarities, he said – similar population, more animals (cows/pigs) than people, similar size, and under-appreciation of the state/country, and excellent education. The similarities certainly end with the weather and location. …..it is pretty warm here all year long, and is located on the water….
We napped in our stateroom in the afternoon. We were a little taken aback by the crewman washing our window!
We then explored the ship some more – found a ping pong table, a few cozy rooms for games, a library, and specialty restaurants. Unlike most cruises, there is no casino here. It is much more low-key, not a party group.
We listened to some live music over appetizers and drinks – in 2 different bars.
We ate dinner in the main restaurant. George had rack of lamb and I had two appetizers – a tuna poke’ bowl and a slice of pate’. Trying to eat quality, not quantity.
We joined the Captain’s Welcome Party. He (from Finland) introduced the senior staff. It is so interesting to see how multi-cultured the officers are – from Brazil, Ukraine, UK, Philippines, Poland, Canada, and Indonesia. Most of the support staff seem to be from Ukraine, Russia, and Indonesia. (Unlike the Princess cruise where almost all were Filipino). The boat’s capacity is 700, but there are only 472 of us, with 392 staff, equally multi-cultural.
Then, the house band put on a show, introducing us to all the entertainers that we will be enjoying throughout the cruise. A lot of talent!
Another early night for us – 10:00.
Reids on the Road with Joy 