Monday, November 13 – Gruz, Croatia

We were docked in Gruz today, the closest port to Dubrovnik.  Our impression is that the only way to get ashore in Dubrovnik itself is by tender.  With the number of walkers and scooters on the ship, tenders would have been a disaster waiting to happen.  So Gruz it was.

Streets awash in blood! Half-naked women running through the town!  Warriors and court intrigue.  These are all elements, we are told, of Game of Thrones which we don’t watch.  Well, we didn’t see any of that today either because we stayed on the ship.  It was a woulda/coulda kind of decision, but with MA’s dizziness yesterday, pre-existing walking problems and cobblestone streets, we were afraid of a face-plant in the middle of town.  Add the threat of rain to the mix and we opted on the side of caution and safety.  It was a great disappointment since we had never been here [and someone was looking forward to the running naked women].  The rain either did or did not occur and in varying degrees of intensity and duration judging from comments by returning passengers.

While MA was getting dressed this morning, D went in search of the Shorex staff to find out about refunding the shuttle tickets we were unable to use.  He could find none on the ship, so he went ashore.  At the foot of the gangway, one of the port lecture staff was telling an woman about the shuttle, so D said he had two tickets if she were interested.  She only needed one, so he gave it to her.  She asked the price and he told her but said he would take whatever she wanted to pay.  She said she had no change on her but would send it to the room.  Our cabin number was on the ticket, so she knew where to send it.  This was an act of faith and we were prepared to be disappointed [it was that kind of day].  Lo! And Behold!  An envelope with the full price was stuck under our door with a “get well” message written on the envelope.  Our faith in Mankind has been restored.

Instead, we made it yet another sea day on the Veendam.  Judging from the people in the Lido at lunchtime, we had a lot of company.  We slept in past breakfast in the MDR but went to the Explorations Café for a yuppie coffee for MA.  D went to the Lido to get a cuppa and the NYT which had not made it to our cabin by 10:00; that delivery boy is not getting a Christmas present this year!  We read the paper, did the puzzle separately and read books on our tablets before going for lunch.

R&R after lunch, of course, was followed by more reading and writing.  Between us, we have finished about a dozen books so far.  After dinner it was more of the same as we skipped the evening entertainment again.

The captain made several announcements this afternoon before casting off.  The more important one dealt with an outbreak of noro-virus on board.  Approximately 2.5% of the passengers[35] are afflicted currently as well as 2 crew members.  We are in a Code Red situation in which passengers touch nothing in the Lido or dining room.  Salt and pepper shakers have been removed from the tables; crewmen are dispensing Purell at the doors to dining venues; and the ship is being sterilized [Most of the passengers have already undergone this].

Tonight, the captain said, will be bumpy and rainy [as if anyone is going outside] and we might have rain in Corfu.  We expect to brave the weather tomorrow, but we’ll see about that in the morning.

TOMORROW – Colorful Corfu