There is nothing more relaxing than a day at sea. And our cruising today on the Coral Sea confirmed that statement.
After an early breakfast outside on the deck we spent some pleasant time on our balcony just watching the blue water roll by. Then it was time for the lecture by the Resident Astronomer Alan Wright who traced the development of NASA from the space race to land a man on the moon to the International Space Station. He reported on the latest NASA project dubbed "Orion", coincidentally the name of our ship.
Then there was lunch. I've mentioned before our favorite spot for lunch, a Norwegian "deli" called Mamsen's. The luncheon menu is simple and always the same open faced sandwiches: steak tartare, roast beef, gravlax, and shrimp. There is also a savory waffle, which Jan likened to a grilled cheese sandwich, and several pastries for dessert. (The photo shows the sandwich collection.) We like it because the setting is intimate, quiet and the food is delicious.
In the afternoon was a second lecture by Dr. Peter Donovan on "Australia's Convict Era Legacy". He was addressing the perception that Australians still feel the effect of being a nation built on and by convicts sent there from the British Isles essentially as a way of getting rid of them. The result, he said, is a strong egalitarianism - "Jack is as good has his master, maybe even better", avoiding the class differences of other civilizations in the northern hemisphere.
Tonight, the Viking Orion continues to cruise the Coral Sea on our way to Cairns, where we will finally get to see and snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. More to come...
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