ABOARD THE SEABOURN ODYSSEY – Okay, so what letter in the Greek alphabet is the name of a famous movie star?
Delta? That was my first guess, but I went back to my sorority days and ran through that alphabet in my head and then whispered, “No, I have it!” and scribbled “Zeta” so that my team members could read it and approve…or not.
They did, and Catharine Zeta Jones won us 20 points in Team Trivia.
Yesterday we boarded the Seabourn Odyssey in Lisbon, Portugal, and today was a full day at sea. We usually participate in the Trivia sessions because it is a great way to meet new people.
But let me tell you, Trivia on this ship is serious. Nearly 100 people on ten teams showed up promptly at noon today for a rousing Trivia session that last an hour and a half. This is the first day of a 12-day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and there will be ten days at sea, hence, ten Trivia sessions.
We soon learned that many of the same people sign up each year for these crossings, so they know one another. They also know who they want on their team. We were newbies but my being a journalist seemed to qualify me as one who might know a little about a lot of things. Our unofficial leader, Cathy, is a doctor and she brought with her a list of possible team names. Am I serious? Indeed. We went with “Pink Freud.”
I also nailed the fact that it was indeed Billie Jean King who won the first tennis singles title in the “Open Era” in 1968. So I guess I contributed. But we lost the 100-point bonus round by predicting that Haley’s Comet would appear again in 2062…the answer was 2061.
That was the most excitement that we have had in what has been a quiet day. I think everyone is adjusting to the traveling and time change. We went to two lectures and spent much of the intervening time reading. We just enjoyed afternoon tea and are getting ready to attend the Captain’s Gala Reception. We are pleased that the captain for this trip, David Bathgate, is the same as on our last Seabourn trip on the Spirit in 2010 and we have been invited to sit at his table this evening.
Tomorrow is our only port day. We visit Funchal on the island of Madeira. As this will be my only shopping opportunity, I hope I can snag a bottle of Portuguese olive oil. I love bringing home souvenirs that I can use.
December 8, 2016
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
