Day 53, Mardi Gras at sea!

Making Poi!

The Maori Cultural Ambassadors were leading a class on “How to make Poi” at 9 AM by the Lido Pool.  Having been on cruises with the Maori Cultural Ambassadors before I knew that when they said “Poi” they meant the balls, attached to a rope, that are used as part of their performance.  A few people arrived expecting this to be a class on making “Poi”, the food, which is only seen in Hawaii. 

Unlike some of the classes with the Polyneisian Ambassadors, this class did not fill up and there were plenty of seats available at the scheduled starting time.

The leader of the Maori Ambassadors sat at our table and he was helpful in giving us some tips on how to proceed once the class started.  The class took about 30 minutes.

Later in the day, they would be holding a class on how to use the Poi we made in a performance.  Judy stopped by and took a few pictures as I was busy playing Texas Hold’em.

COFFEE CHAT WITH ANNIE FRANCES

I was late to coffee chat this morning due to the Poi class so I couldn’t get my usual seat which is best for taking pictures.  That’s why the shot below is from such a distance. 

Annie Frances is a wonderful performer and a charismatic, bubbly personality.  She is very popular with the guests and the Explorer Lounge had a larger crowd than normal for her interview.

COCONUTS FOR LUNCH

While heading to the Seaview pool, where we normally eat our salad for lunch, I noticed many people drinking from coconuts with paper straws.  At first I thought it was the Drink of the Day special, till I saw one of the children taking part.  I learned that fresh coconuts were available in the Lido, in the area where they normally have the sushi bar.  I decided to try one and was a little surprised to discover that the coconut water only had the slightest taste of coconut.  After drinking the coconut water, they would chop the coconut in half if you wanted to eat the meat. 

AFTERNOON LECTURES

We have never been to Tonga before, so Judy went to the EXC lecture to pick up any tips on what to see and do.  We booked a private driver and guide for the day, but it’s always useful to learn more about what to expect.

Judy stayed in the Mainstage for the follow-on lecture on “Plants and Animals on the Polynesian Voyages of Discovery”. This lecture was about the plants and animals that originated in other parts of the world and migrated to the Islands via the explorers, settlers, wind or sea.

MARDI GRAS AT SEA

The ship was celebrating Mardi Gras today so the dining room was decorated with festive purples and gold.  Plenty of Mardi Gras beads were available on each table.  The waiters were wearing jester hats along with sequined vests and large bow ties.  We were able to borrow one of their hats and bow ties to go along with our purple and black outfits along with some Mardi Gras beads we had from previous Mardi Gras party.  Most everyone was in the spirit wearing a little purple or more.

STEVEN RAGARTZ

The performer on the Mainstage was juggler Steven Ragartz, who used to perform with Cirque du Soleil.  He was outstanding and put together a wonderful ensemble of juggling, pantomime and tricks.  He wowed the crowd with an inventive use of common objects including a child’s Diablo toy, red balls, an umbrella and a briefcase.  Very entertaining and impossible to stop watching.

CROWS NEST MARDI GRAS PARTY

After the show we headed up to the Crow’s Nest for the Mardi Gras After Party which was in full swing.  There were plenty of people wearing colorful costumes and our funny hats didn’t feel out of place.  Once the Station Band quit playing, the room emptied and the party was over.  When we were almost the only ones left, we asked the DJ to play the Iron Butterfly classic, “In A Gadda Da Vida” and we danced the night away – at least for a few minutes.