MACEIO, BRAZIL - DAY 12

   

                              

        Our location today is Maceio.  At noon it is 91 degrees with 75% humidity.  YUK!  In the lower photo our position is at the circle.

Historical/Background Info:

        This is a new port for us.  The city began in an old sugar mill and plantation complex around the 19^th century.  Its development started with the arrival of ships taking wood from Jaragua Bay.  Later sugar mills started to export sugar, then tobacco, coconut, leather, and spices.

        The name “Maceio” is an indigenous term for a spring (water way).  There are numerous springs and lakes in this part of Brazil. 

        Maceio has a population of nearly 1 million.  Local industry is based on chemical products from brine pumped from deep wells on the outskirts of the city.  Another industry is the production of ethanol and sugar from sugarcane grown in the region.  In the last 30 years the tourist industry transformed the coastal areas of the city into vibrant centers of entertainment for both Brazilian and foreign tourists.

LAST EVENING

                                           First of two bottles of Makers Mark gone.

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                                          Kax, presenting the zinfandel wine I ordered.

Our special order of osso buco.  Very good. The sides of polenta and zucchini was  very good.

                                         This is an apple buckle with ice cream.  Super good!

   Again, I was the first to enter the theater when they opened the doors and got our front row seats.

        Rebecca doesn't come down until about 10 minutes before the show starts at 9:30  I order a chardonnay,

and for me, amaretto on the rocks.

                                                                        Great show!

TODAY

        

        We woke up at 7am and turned on the tv to see that the US and Israel are attacking Iran.  The Iranian regime has to be taken out.  The regime supports terrorism and their nuclear weapons program HAS to be eliminated.  Praying for our and the Israel forces.

        At 10am the Captain made a PA saying due to a docking problem we cannot call on the port of Belem on March 4.  Instead we will be stopping at Fortaleza, Brazil, on March 3rd.

    The water is an aqua color this morning.  We had smooth sailing last night and this morning.

                                           We approached the pier in Maceio just after 11am.

               Tug boat standing by just in case ship was to lose power.  Just a precaution.

                             This is the pier the Captain will back the ship up along side to.

                                     We will have a view of the city from our balcony today.

Well, after we got all the backed along side of the pier, we actually had this view of a cargo ship.

                                                                La Veranda lunch menu.

                  Took these photos from our table in La Veranda.  The buses look very old.

                   Started with my usual:  shrimp, anchovies, blu cheese, and gravlax.

                       The brandy-glazed ham at the carving station looked very good.

                                                                So I had to have a piece!

        This penne alla vodka had smoked salmon and a creamy tomato sauce.  I added some chili flakes to spice it up.  Loved It!

        I was scheduled to go on a 1:45 "Maceio Highlights" 3 1/4 hour tour with a 5pm return to the ship.  After seeing the old buses and the heat & humidity, I cancelled.  I then considered taking the shuttle bus into town and then right back to the ship.  Decided against that plan also.  Crowded buses are good way to catch a bug.  I do not want to get sick.  I was told last night that some of the production cast and the drummer are sick.  Not sure what they have.

                They were practicing with the emergency boats this afternoon.  This one is different.

                             Here is tonight's Compass Rose menu.  Turkey looks good to us.

        We are not sailing until 8pm as it is just a short hop up to Recife, our next port of call.  Cocktail hour at usual time and place followed by dinner in CR.  The guest entertainer in the theater is Isaac Rico, a classical pianist.  Count us out!!