We're wrapping up the crossing - getting so close to Lisbon that we can practically taste it (the 'it' being the pastel de nata)!
Yesterday was a more eventful day. The morning started as the past few have - extremely windy. I tried to do my morning walk out on deck but it was impossible so I succumbed to the treadmill. We're talking about 40 knot winds here. The wind becomes important when I tell you "the rest of the story" (does anyone out there remember Paul Harvey?).
Then it was good news as we passed our required Covid test to get into Europe - phew!
At about 9 am the Captain announced that we would not be stopping in Funchal and that they would be doing a helicopter evacuation of the ill passenger. At 10 am the interesting procedure began. First we saw a couple of planes circling the ship.
Apparently, one of the planes was there to refuel the helicopter, if needed. Then the helicopter arrived and this is where the wind came into play. As some of you know, the Riviera has a fitness track that circles the stack at the stern. The ship was positioned so that the stack blocked the wind and they used the fitness track as the deck for performing the evacuation. A couple of people were lowered onto the deck, the patient was brought out, secured to a stretcher and then brought up to the fitness track. And then, of course, the harrowing thing was watching her being hoisted up to the chopper. We're sure that she must have been heavily sedated.
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That was the excitement for the morning. Linda had a small win at bingo which was the excitement for the early afternoon. Then we took a pasta cooking class in the Culinary Center. We've cooked lots of pasta but you always learn something in these classes.
If yiu get a chance in Lisbon, there is a restaurant called Solar des Preguntas that has the best grilled octopus, and ofcourse, other good food as well!!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! Hope you got to pair that pasta with some other food for an enjoyable meal!
ReplyDeleteA heli Lifting is always a big thing on cruise ships but the pilot must have been a master of his profession with such wind condition. I hope that patient made it on time to the needed medical help, knowing that there is only 1 major hospital in Madeira 😳.
ReplyDeletePlease enjoy a pastel de nata for us as well - and we'll have some together in September 😋😋😋
You two are such professional cruisers. Cooking on deck 12 with 40 knot winds. I’m proud of you.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Lisbon! (As if you wouldn't)
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