Clay Clayton

Our optional excursion today was called “A taste of Morocco”. It was held at the Argan museum and from what I understood, it’s a co-op mostly of women producing and selling this traditional product of the Berbers. The Argan tree only grows naturally in Morocco and is prized for its oil which is used for cooking and cosmetics.
 

When we arrived at the beautiful museum we had a bowl of chicken, potatoes, turnips, onions, carrots, garlic, preserved lemon, tomatoes, olives, and zucchini waiting on us. We first placed the chicken in the bottom of the tajine and poked slits in it. It was then sprinkled with salt, pepper, turmeric, and dry ginger. After a generous dollop of Argan oil, we layered the veggies in a teepee around it topping all with more spices, oil and the preserved lemon. The top was then placed tightly on and each was placed on a charcoal brazier. While they cooked, we made a salad and dessert.

We each made our own salad using tomatoes, cucumber, onion, peppers, parsley, Argan oil, lemon, salt & pepper. It was amazing to see how diffferent each person’s salad turned out…but all were delicious!

Dessert was a type of barley couscous steamed three times (for a few minutes each time), the last two with the addition of amlou which is a paste made of ground almonds, Argan oil, and honey.  The big bowl of couscous you see was prepared before we arrived.  We each then made our own bowl of it with a well in middle and almond stuffed dates on top. Amlou was then poured into the well. It was a delicious and very filling dessert.  I don’t think anyone finished their whole bowl!

We were served delicious mint tea as the grand finale for our meal.  We learned that the reason for the fancy pouring is to get some foam on the top of the tea! #whoknew
 

While our tajines were cooking and our salads marinating, we did a tour of the museum. There was a section dedicated to information about the tree and the climate of Morocco, a section with a Berber lady showing us the traditional way the nut was opened and then later ground to release its oil.  We also saw a more modern machine which grinds and oils them.  We then were able to taste what our guide said was a typical breakfast-bread with bowls of oil, amlou, and orange honey for dipping.  And then of course we exited through the gift shop!😂. The museum was beautiful and the people we met so friendly and warm.  

We are looking forward to Casablanca tomorrow (and a very light supper tonight😂)

Unfortunately, I can’t get the rest of the pictures to load.  If you’re interested see Instagram @ClaynMike 

Just now, deec said:

Clay,        I did not know anything about santiago calatrava's buildings and bridges.  A Google search and I am awed....now I want to go find as many as we can....maybe a driving tour throughout the USA?  Pretty sure we saw "woman's bridge"  in Buenos Aires from the bus.

Not sure where you are but if anywhere near Milwaukee-then his addition to it is where I would go. Time it so you’re there at noon (verify I have the time correct) so you can see the wings flap. 

Just now, OneSixtyToOne said:

This one in Buenos Aires? It’s right down the street from the hotel we stayed at on the Viking extension.

 

Did you get to see it open?  

Fun day day before yesterday in Tenerife-we did the included which took us over the mountains to Porta de la Cruz. Enjoyable free time there followed by a short ride to the botanical garden and time there.   

After returning to the pier, Mike and I walked to the Auditrorio for their guided tour.  Easy to reserve online and only €5 (unless you’re like me and over 65 in which case it’s only €3.50!). This was the last major building of Santiago Calatrava we hadn’t visited so happy to get to tour it in person. 

From scuttlebutt, most everyone enjoyed the port. It was interesting to be back in a port with other ships. We were joined by Sky Princess, Norwegian Star, Celebrity Ascent, and a National Geographic Expedition ship. 

Chag Pesach Sameach to all who celebrate Passover.  We joined some of the Jewish guests onboard for Seder this evening. @drjj (who apparently has been leading the Sabbath services) asked Viking if it was possible to have a Seder and other than putting together the program and leading it, the great staff and crew onboard did the rest.
 

This was Mike’s first Seder ever and my first in at least 45 years so to us it was perfection. Some of course said their Mother’s Matzo Ball soup (failed to take a picture) was better but then shouldn’t it be? 😂 All in all, an enjoyable and educational evening learning about our friends and fellow passengers.
 

Happy Passover everyone!

(and yes the two of us WILL be eating bread for the next 8 days-we just went to a dinner-we didn’t convert😂.

Linda won LCR again today-that’s five in a row!   
 

of course “Linda” was guaranteed to win today😂 even the crew was Linda!

Join us the day after Tenerife at the pool bar after the “Voices of the Sky” concert for our penultimate match. 

 

LOL-don’t think that is the case…..and the lamb chops last night weren’t a special request, but sure glad we got to have them. 

OMG, new favorite main dish onboard. The feta crusted rack o’lamb is so so good. Sorry that it’s unlikely it will be offered again before they make us leave on May 6th😢. 

Just now, Cruising Domer said:

Our experience was the opposite of Clay's -- we tendered in Svalbard / Longyearbyen and used the SeaWalk (floating dock) when in Geiranger although the original itinerary had us tendering in Geiranger.

 

In Longyearbyen, we actually were docked our first day and then were tendered for the second day.  The tender ride was short -- 10-15 minutes tops from boarding the tender to setting foot on shore.

Mike had corrected me (after I read your post)-we too tendered the 2nd day.  

Just now, Jim Avery said:

World cruises "follow Summer" more or less.  We have never needed heavy gear or boots.  Nothing more than a light jacket or maybe a sweater.  You start out in the Southern Hemisphere soon after leaving the West coast and it is their Summer.  When you cross the equator northerly it is usually well into Spring on the Northern side.  Finish nearly into our Summer.

We have worn our WC jackets once, it was chilly in Cape Town.  Other folks wore theirs between Santa Barbara and Hawaii. 

Just now, OneSixtyToOne said:

Left Center Right

A game of pure chance.

Requires no skill to play.

Google is your friend:

https://www.wikihow.com/Play-LCR

So this is the fourth day that a Linda won LCR. The other Linda won $33 today!

Join us tomorrow at 3:30 at the pool bar as long as your name isn’t Linda!

Just now, TravelerTeacherRetired said:

Where are you now? 

On the Aquavit finishing lunch😂

if you mean where is the ship, we are off the coast of Mauritania headed towards Tenerife where we are to dock day after tomorrow.

11 hours ago, shadowlover said:

We will be going on this cruise in August.  I have some logistics questions.

For the tender ports - how long did it take to tender in Geiranger and Longyearbyen and do you remember the last tender times?

Do you remember if the included tour "highlights of Longyearbyen " was close to the port?  We are hoping to do another excursion close to the time that this tour ends.

 

Hope that makes sense!

TYIA

We got lucky and were able to dock in Longyearbyen so can’t speak from experience on how long the tender would take.  But another ship was tendered while we were there and they were relatively close to shore.  I can’t imagine it would take any longer than 20 minutes from shell door to pier. Most of the tender time I’ve found is in loading and unloading. 
 

We didn’t take the included tour here as it was (as I recall) a bus ride to the center of town and access to the museum. Instead, we booked a glacier excursion with Hurtigurten’s Svalbard directly. That excursion left from the pier next to where we were docked.  If you’re leaving on any water based trip, I think they will likely leave from the same location. Later, we took the complimentary shuttle into town and wandered for a bit before walking back to the ship. It is probably less than a mile to the center of town. 
 

In Geiranger, we did tender and I think they said to allow 30 minutes for the ride to shore and it was I think less than that. Below is a picture of Saturn anchored behind a HUGE Costa ship that used the floating pier. You can see our tender leaving the pier headed back to our ship. Costa arrived after we did and boy did it change the atmosphere in the little town.  It’s one of those ports where they should really only allow one ship a day. 

LCR today at 3:30 at the pool bar. Come see if Linda will make it a four-peat!  By my calculations she has won close to a hundred bucks…seems like it’s time for someone else to win. 

5 hours ago, Pappri said:

They’re the 8th and 9th, and we’re the 5th and 6th.  My fingers and toes calculated the original 3 days apart.  Plus I have a “our bus broke down in Dakar story”

Apparently along with everything else I’ve forgotten how to do over the last four months, counting is one of them.  My bad.  Thanks for setting me straight!

Amazing breakfast selections aboard Sky this morning.  Beautiful and delicious spread of mezze. We didn’t know it was breakfast food but according to our friend Wiki it is!  #yummy.

Just now, Twitchly said:

I’ll be curious to hear what you think of Gorée. I was there many years ago and found it fascinating. It was nearly empty at the time. No idea what it’s like now.

It was not empty. Lots of tourists and seemingly an equal number of roving sellers of beads, statues, fabric, etc. 

My biggest takeaway was the contrast between the island’s colorfulness and  the atrocities committed

Just now, deec said:

I just saw that more of my favorite Viking folks have joined you on the SKY...Mike and Wendy Seigel.  Make sure to attend Mike's lectures...they were always well prepared, delivered and enjoyed!  His wife, Wendy, is a delight too.  If anyone has the opportunity tell them Dee and Pat Clark from the Jupiter in 2022 send our best!

He is the guardian on our excursion today. When I showed him your post, he said “oh-the Clarks.  Tell them “Cheers!”

Just now, BobCatter said:

We arrive in London May 8, disembark May 9.

Isn’t that a day early?  Thought yall were 3 days behind. 

We are in Gorée Island & Dakar! Much to my surprise given it’s been removed from most (all?) itineraries over the last few years. 
 

1 hour ago, Zippeedee said:

Was that on the Getaway where we had a conference room booked and played every afternoon? I had so much fun and met so many nice people by playing that game.

I wasn’t on that cruise…this was on Dawn (maybe Star?) and we played out back. 
 

We also had some fun LCR play on Celebrity Millennium on our transpacific where they gave us a conference room. 

2 hours ago, deec said:

I did not know MAX ( if he the same Max) was onboard...he was on the Jupiter with us in 2022 when we went from Santiago, Chile. to Buenos Aires to Barcelona to Bergen to Amsterdam ( loved those Covid cancellation and 25%)...he and his team worked miracles as things opened and closed as the world was reopening!  You were lucky to have him trying to navigate the mess you all faced!

That is our Max, along with Sam Brown the Guest Services Manager.  Both of whom have been great!  Well except for Max’s jokes IYKYK😂

So only two days behind.  When do you arrive London. Is it a day early also?

Just now, DJVKN said:

We are all still here at least the last 558 of us. Tooling our way north heading to Dakar. Not a whole lot to report. Trivia, baggo, wine tasting and lectures are still in full swing along with the Viking Guest Choir and crafting. There is a major photo scavenger hunt in progress right now that was put together by Russell Lee and his wife Gail. Stiff competition and very secretive. It is a four day event ending tonight at 6:00 and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Later!

When do you get to Dakar?  Are you still two days behind us? We are scheduled to arrive there on 19 April. 

Just now, DJVKN said:

We are all still here at least the last 558 of us. Tooling our way north heading to Dakar. Not a whole lot to report. Trivia, baggo, wine tasting and lectures are still in full swing along with the Viking Guest Choir and crafting. There is a major photo scavenger hunt in progress right now that was put together by Russell Lee and his wife Gail. Stiff competition and very secretive. It is a four day event ending tonight at 6:00 and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Later!

WOW, four days!!!  The 2nd scavenger hunt on Sky was yesterday and had a 30min time limit.  Good luck to all who participate.  Our choir is preparing for their 2nd performance (if you don’t count the flash mob they did during one of our guest entertainer’s show) on the 23rd before we arrive in Agadir. The first one was conducted by Bruce our CD before he got sick. This time a guest is conducting-he was a choir director pre-retirement. I suspect that the Star Theatre will again be packed!

Just now, TravelBySea23 said:

Actually, we’re still looking for the buoy 😂😂

According to a post on the site that cannot be named, the buoy was removed in 2020!