First Day Afloat Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

We slept in till 0930! Unheard of other than when we’re sleeping in an inside cabin! Just proves what a total blackout can do.

Went up to the buffet for breakfast. Bob had a massive full works English and I had a dollop of scrambled eggs and a black coffee. Still got plenty to lose but trying hard. After breakfast we went down to the library to sign up for cinema tickets for the 12am show. Unlike Aurora where the films were shown in the Playhouse which seated about 200 people, films on Arcadia are shown in the Screening Room. It’s a lovely little cinema with massive reclining leather armchairs but it only seats about 30 people. To compensate they show the film about 5
times a day but you have to get a ticket. Today’s film was “A Walk in the Woods” with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte in an adaption of the Bill Bryson book.

In between getting the tickets and the start of the film we explored the ship and had a walk on the open decks. Really foggy today but reasonably balmy at 17C. Couldn’t see a thing though so not very scenic. We were passing through the Straits of Taiwan apparently.

Enjoyed the film. It was gentle and funny. Nothing startling but good. Both actors look incredibly old. In some respects Redford looks older than Nolte which seems unfair given the Nolte has lived a hellraising life.

Went straight to the port talk for Jeju Island, South Korea after the film. The port presenter is
much better than on Aurora and she actually was informative beyond selling the P&O tours. Looks quite an interesting place.

Had a bit of a read then and soon it was time for art. The teacher on this trip is possibly
Spanish??? Not sure. Very different from James on Aurora. He demonstrated rather
than taught and I’m glad we’d done some before because it would have been hopeless for a beginner. The picture today was a spaniel puppy and I was only 50% pleased with mine. The eyes were good but there was something wrong with the muzzle. I think I’d have been better just going for my own interpretation rather than trying his particular technique but who knows. Bob was so upset with his that he tore it up!!! Ah, well…… we must practise more.

Dinner (dorn of hake followed by a sirloin steak, double espresso) and then a show: The Blue Jays, a rock and roll band specialising in 1950s music. Not totally my favourite but they were truly excellent musicians and singers. Great show.