12 We went to a wedding today.....

At our Chef’s table the other night we met a lovely couple from Colorado who had just celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary. As part of that special celebration they decided that they would renew their Vows during this cruise....  You all know that things happen faster on a cruise ship including the bonding of friends...  So by the end of our Chef’s table evening we were all invited to the upcoming nuptials. 

Now this is a package that Princess offers and our new friends, Angel and David were treated to a champagne breakfast, along with a massage each and a visit to the bridge.  The renewal took  place in the beautifully decorated library....  When all 12 guests turned up the captain commented “you have lots of friends” .... we heard that there were another 2 weddings that day .... Obviously not as well attended...

Angel glowed just like all brides do...  Princess gave her a lovely fresh bouquet of flowers and they both walked down the aisle together to the waiting captain Rickard, who performed a short and moving ceremony.  Lucky camboy was there and he recorded the event so now they can take it home to show the family.  Princess also had a photographer there for them.

We all then headed down to the Club Bar for a glass of champagne and another opportunity for us all to get to know each other better.

 

11 Komodo Island....

Today we were excited as we were visiting somewhere new...  We woke early and turned our window on so we could see when we were approaching land...  Komodo is a tender port and a world heritage site.  You are not allowed off the ship unless you have booked a ships or private tour.  We had a private tour booked and everyone’s information had to be given to shore excursions office for us to be allowed off.... we were assigned the first tender, so we were ready to make a quick get away...

Once on the island our group was lead to an official where we were given the rundown of our visit.... On top of the cost of our tour we also had to pay $10 for each camera and $18 for each video camera.... The talk was short and sweet but a bit worrying when it ended with the words “Good Luck”...... and a smile!!

Each of the groups had a Ranger and a Komodo Local, they had a long stick with a forked end that would be our only protection from the Dragons....A dragons bite is venomous and they can move at very fast speeds if they decide they would like you for dinner.

We trekked through park ascending up a steep hill for sweeping views of the island and our ship, but no dragons.... we walked and walked and still no dragons... eventually we came across a young dragon of only 3 years....  probably about the size of a goanna.... From there we moved on and on and on.... and we were worried that that may have been our only sighting of a dragon....  Looking a little disappointed the guide said to me.... “don’t worry, a big one is waiting for us”  and he was not wrong... towards the end of the walk there is a dried up waterhole where the dragons like to lie around the banks...  Sure enough there around 4 large dragons sunning themselves, poking their heads up and flicking their tongues every now and then to see what was going us.... So would you if had 100 Princess passengers all snapping away merrily and the guides working over time trying to keep everyone out of harm’s way...

That was the end of the Komodo dragon part of our tour... we were then boarded on a small boat where they cooked us a lunch of rice, noodles, fish, chicken and calamari.... stir fried vegetables and lots of fresh fruit...  We anchored out in the middle of the bay and some decided to jumped in the very refreshing looking waters.

After lunch our tour guide took us sightseeing around Pink Beach and then back over across the bay pass the village where approximately 2000 Komodo Islanders live... Once back at the Jetty we were bombarded by children all asking to give them a dollar.... some just for the sake of it... others offering a small carved Komodo Dragon and others in water asking for money to be thrown in so they could dive for it...

Just like all islands we visit there is the mandatory market, Tshirts, magnets, carvings and of course fresh water pearls that will not melt if you hold a flame to them.... and at the bargain price of $10 who can refuse them...  But man are they pushy...

We watched sail away from our back deck....and couldn’t believe it when we saw at least 8 canoes around the boat with children calling out to those on the balconies to throw them money....  Regardless of the fact that we are not allowed to throw anything over board , passengers where throwing them fruit among other things...  If they missed their boats it didn’t matter, the kids would dive into the water to retrieve it...  Amazed that no child was killed or hurt during this sail away .... it was still a lovely sail away, small islands and rocks jutting out of the water all around you .... dolphins diving in and out of the water... life couldn’t get any better.

 

10 Breakfast, Lunch and a Steakhouse Dinner

The food on the ship has been top notch so far .... well to the standards we have experience on the Dawn Princess anyway.... I swear even the eggs taste better, you toast your own bread so you take it away warm and fresh....

Today we had a Cruise Critic lunch scheduled.... Carlos and our Chef organised it so that we had a special pasta cooked for us.... it was devine , a tomato and chilli based sauce with prawns ..... I could have gone another plate but I was looking forward to the paella from the menu...... in hindsight I wished I had another plate full of pasta....

Then it if that was not enough we had arranged to have dinner in the steak house with our friends Ron and Edie... we knew we would be missing a formal not .... but what I didn’t realise was that I was going to miss out on Lobster night .....

I was heading up there all gun ho about getting the wait staff to run down and bring me a lobster tail for my entree.... we that was until I saw the Menu.....  OMG Princess why can’t we have this menu on our Aussiefied ships....

Prawns, carpaccio, scallops or lobster cakes for appetisers.... a Black and Blue onion soup that Edie assures me is to die for.... Finally a nice fresh salad WITH avocado......

No chicken here as an alternative...... Grilled Tiger prawns in whiskey and Chilli ( my entree ) or pan roasted sea bass,,,

And the meat not even I could resist.... the usual cuts  but with add rack of lamb or pork chops....

Baked, French fried or mash potato’s, asparagus, spinach and mushrooms

All topped off with 4 different desserts.....  I can’t believe I am saying this.... but I can’t wait to go back...

 

9 Darwin

There is something about sailing into Darwin that we really like.... There are no Opera Houses or big bridges to sail under, just in the distance you see a small city grow and it is not until you get closer that you realise that it is perched up on a bluff.

We were biting at the bit to be one of the first of the ship so we could race up to the city to collect our hire car as we were going to spend our day at Litchfield Park.  We waited on deck as we pain stakedly watched them slowly attach the gangway to the ship, then listen to the quarantine instructions that must of listed every single food item not allowed.... but at last the starting pistol fired... and we were off..

We also were lucky enough to have Ron and Edie with us on our adventure today.  We meet them last year on our European Cruise.  When we finally got our car we headed down the Stuart Highway for our 2 hour drive to the park... 80km, 100km, 110km..... What is that! 130km per hour.... never seen that speed limit before...

Our first visit in the park were the Termite mounds.... huge structures that these little tiny creatures had created.. many many years in the making....

Next was the a look out to the Tolmer Falls ..... all the falls were spectacular today due to the fact that Darwin was in still in the Wet Season... This meant that each of the waterfalls had plenty of water cascading down along the rock faces... But it also meant that we were not able to swim in the very inviting looking Wangi Falls plunge pool...  with so much water and flooding there is a high possibility that the odd croc or two may have found it’s way into the water.. Once in the dry and access limited, the pools are cleared of any unwanted visitors and swimming is permitted again...

The one falls where we could swim were at the Florence falls... but it came at a price... 135 steep stairs to get to the bottom.... and of course the same to get back up... The heat and viewing platform from the top made it too irresistible not to venture down....  Once at the bottom we scurried over the rocks and jumped in the pool... instantly we felt our body temperature drop with the coolness of the water.... so clear you could see those little ( and big ) fishies coming up and nibbling at our toes.

We didn’t stop here long as we had to get back up to car and head straight back into town... Making it back in enough time to visit Coles and the Bottle Shop ....when Garry walked into Liquorland with his world cruise backpack the girl said ” so you must be after 2 bottles of Wine.... “

Back on board it was into the pool, not quite as refreshing as the plunge pool .... but it was wet... One thing that we have found with the pool on the Ocean Princess ... it is really salty you practically have the same buoyancy as you do in the Dead Sea... well not quite, but it feels like it....

The back deck which leads off from the Panorama Buffet is a lovely spot for sailaways, well we think so, but not many others as we seemed to enjoy it as if it was our own private balcony with our own private wait staff... Leaving Darwin is just as pretty as arriving and as the sun starts to set it gives a beautiful light over the city...

 

8 Chefs Table

When we embarked the other day one of the first things that I did was ring and book our spot for the Chefs Table.  During each cruise Princess offers what is known as the Chefs Table..... it is only available to 10 people at a cost of $95 each .... eek

There are rules and we had to sign a note before we started... We needed to wear freshly laundered clothes, no open toe shoes and we had not been sick within the last 24 hours.  But when you head down into the galley you can understand why.... cleanliness is very important as once illness rears it’s ugly head it spreads quickly throughout a small ship like this....

We met at the entrance of the Club restaurant where we were given our white lab coats and then lead into the Galley.  Here our Maitre de Carlos Serrano Da Rosa gave us the run down to how it all works all while the wait staff ran around us delivering their meals to the diners outside... 

We then were taken downstairs to where the real action was taking place... of course that was after we all followed procedure and thoroughly washed our hands... Once down in the kitchen we were introduced to our Executive Chef Gaetano Patamia. We taken into a small area that was beautifully decorated and set up for us to start with our appetisers and entrees ( yes that is plural ).

First we were all offered a glass of champagne but first we were shown the correct way to open it and the correct way to pour..... no one how to show us the correct way to drink it !!

Then the food came....

First came:

Duo of Jalapeno & spicy red chilli Tuna Cocktail....... yum

Then:

Foie Gras on Bread Brioche, Berry Jam & Aromaric Reduction .... just devine

Emmentaler Mini Quiche with Black Truffle and Sun Dried Tomatoes ...... heaven

Orange Bacardi Lobster panko with Wasabi Soy Dip..... no words can describe...

Each of these washed down with more champagne.....

Now we were taken upstairs to the Sterling Steakhouse where the Chefs table was beautifully set for us to finish our meal.

Next Course was:

Saffron & Wild Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Seafood Ragout...... OH MY GOD

Lip-Smackin Bloody Mary Sorbet ..... The chef came around with a bottle of grey goose to pour over the top ..... this was to refresh our palette

Double Impact Surf and Turf.... the biggest mixed grill I have ever seen.... each of these courses where brought out on a platter before being served up to us.... the particular course came out then flambed in front of us .... just spectacular....

Baked Camembert with Pine Nuts.....  I just love cheese...

The meal ended with the piece of resistance ( you need to read that with a French accent)

Belgium Chocolate Dome, Mascarpone Soft Centre.... The plating of this dish was spectacular coloured sugared toffee created a murano glass display that surrounded our dome.... pictures do not do it justice...

Throughout the meal we were served white, red and dessert wines and it was all finished off with coffee and Petit Fours....

The meal was just spectacular and worth every cent for what we experienced tonight.. The boys were presented with a signed copy of the princess cook book ( so they could cook for us ) and the girls were given a single red rose .... cause we are special!!