Our second whole day at sea and we decided to explore the last few bits of the ship that we hadn't seen yet. So we went up to the sports deck where there were basketball courts, mini golf, table tennis and an open air climbing wall. Soon James was climbing high aloft, with the enthusiasm of the Anderson male who likes to climb anything he sees!
We spent the rest of the day relaxing by the small pool. It was fascinating when we zig zagged through the narrowest part of the Strait of Messina, we could watch the captain through a viewing window as he worked with the Messina pilot, who had boarded from a small boat. There were signs saying "Do not knock on the window" so of course James and I were tempted to knock and then point accusingly at one of the other passengers. However we managed to restrain ourselves! Another highlight was passing the Aeolian islands. Most of them - Volcano, Lipari etc - were blue grey hills on the port side, seeming to float above the blue sea. On our starboard side we passed Stromboli which had some smoke coming out of its caldera. We passed it on the way south at the beginning of our holiday but only saw the green side with white houses clustering down at the shoreline. This time we could see that one side was covered in ash; it looked very active! I can't imagine what it must be like to live there! It was very beautiful in a threatening sort of way!
This evening was full of "lasts" - last swim and jacuzzi, last lovely dinner in the Swan Lake dining room, last drink in the Cosmpolitan Club, last dance at the disco. It really has been a great week. Will we go cruising again? Most definitely!
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