At Sea (yesterday) and Tallinn, Estonia (today)

Yesterday we slept in and enjoyed a lazy breakfast then ran off to play the $100,000 Jackpot Bingo. We didn't win $100K but Dane did win a bingo game and won $63. Which pretty much paid for the bingo cards with $13 to spare but it was still a good time. After that we went to the spa then an art auction. I've been eyeing several pieces of art the last week or so and finally decided to go to the auction. I bid on the two pieces I liked and was able to purchase them for the reserve price of $385 and $465 - amazing. The pieces are huge. Not as big as my Temple of Isis piece, but they are very nice. After the art show we went wine tasting and the head wine attendant was the most wonderful, humorous German. He was great. Frank - that's his name. Anyway we tasted all sorts of wine from all over, including Washington, and tried the wine with different foods like apricots, Thai shrimps, pate, chocolate, strawberries - it was great fun and we learned a lot about wine. I guess Frank lost about 200 wine glasses on the rough day at sea we had at the beginning of the Baltic Tour portion.

After the wine tasting we had just enough time to change for Alan's cocktail party. So by now I was having a good afternoon since I had champagne (for FREE) at the art auction, the wine tasting and now the cocktail party. We chatted with a nice couple for an hour then it was time to get ready for the Officer's Ball, which I had to look my best for so I could woo the Captain. We went to our scheduled fancy dinner at the Pinnacle and just barely made it up to the Crow's Nest for the beginning of the ball. I danced with the Culinary Director and Frank (I won a bottle of champagne from that dance since Frank had the particular winning envelope - some game they play) and Scott - the Canadian "have fun" guy. I'm not really sure what his title is. Then I got to dance with the Captain!! He told me to find him for the last dance but some other gal elbowed me out of the way so of course she got the grand prize, which I guess was a shirt and some other stuff. After the 5 Officer dances some of the crew stayed dancing, including the Captain who danced with me. I chatted his ear off about stuff, especially boat questions till Dane muscled his way in and took over flirting with the Captain. They talked ship for a long time - so long that I finally gave up trying to woo the Captain and resigned to dancing with the ship's girl crew members. We had a good time and I'm sure I was three sheets to the wind, which Dane says is real bad in a ship with no sails. :-) After my 8th Grey Goose vodka-soda I was dancing with the Captain and we were making small talk. He asked about Dane and how long we have been married and if we were planning on having kids. I ended up telling briefly that I was not planning on having kids but that today (August 4th) would have been my daughter's 9th birthday. He asked about that and I told him about her. He was shocked and actually said "But you are so bubbly?!" I didn't really have an answer for that. He said he was sorry and offered his condolences. Then, as he was leaving he said something to Dane that made Dane light up like a Christmas tree. I asked what the hubaloo was about and the Captain said that Dane would tell me then he left. I asked Dane what could be so exciting, aside from the Captain asking me to his quarters, and Dane said that the Captain invited us to the Bridge the next evening to watch the departure from Tallinn! We couldn't believe our luck! We even confirmed it with the front desk. Excited like kids we danced the night away and didn't get to bed till 3 am!!

Woke up this morning at 7 am and thought for sure we wouldn't make it on our tour. But we rallied and slept on the bus. We drove about 1.5 hours outside of Tallinn to a small countryside town where we went to a museum, tried some local vodka (well, Dane did - I am vodkaed out) and went to an old medieval fortress and played around all afternoon. Then we went back to Tallinn and walked around town. It was fun. Nothing too exciting to write home about. Once back on the ship we had just enough time to change and get up to the Bridge where we took a thousand pictures and watched the Officer's pull away from port and listen to the calls and stand on the glass floor. The Captain even let me blow the ship's giant foghorn whistle. THREE TIMES!!!!! It was amazing - what a treat. I can't believe how lucky we are. Dane got to ask the Captain a million more questions - so many that Dane says he truly does not have any more questions. After spending time on the Bridge the Captain showed us his room so now I can honestly say that I made it to the Captain's quarters! But, so did Dane so the reality didn't quite play out like my fantasy. Just kidding. Dane is right here snorting/laughing next to me. We had a great time with the Captain and I almost want to book another cruise just to hang out with him again. He really likes Dane too - he must if he gave us passage to the Navigation Bridge. Dane is still in shock. He wants to be a captain. :-)

Now we are going to enjoy coffee and dessert and then I'm going to go out with the girls - the crew member girls I met last night, so that should be fun. I'm kinda tired from last night's excursions but I can't pass up the opportunity to spend some girl time on the boat.

Tomorrow is St. Petersburg - a day and evening excursion so it there will be a lot to do and blog about. I miss everyone. It sure is fun out here but I miss the States. I miss home. I did find a MacDonalds and mowed down a large fry. It was awesome.