DAY 39---PORT VILA ON THE VANUATU ISLAND OF EFATE

                                       

Today we are docked at the commercial pier of Port Vila.  It was rainy early this morning as we approached the dock.  It is upper 80's and very humid.

Background Info:

        Port Vila is the harborside capital and largest city of Vanuatu and is on the island of Efate.  The island of Efate is 19 miles long and 19 miles wide and is Vanuatu’s 3^rd largest island with a population of 66,000.  Also formed by volcanoes it is rugged with highest mountain at 2,123 feet.  Captain Cook named the island, “Sandwich Island”, back on his 1774 voyage here.

        We were in Port Vila back in 2010 on that world cruise.  Port Vila is the economic and commercial center of Vanuatu.  Port Vila is Vanuatu’s most important harbor and the center of the country’s trade.  Fishing and agriculture are the city’s major industries.  Tourism is becoming important especially from New Zealand and Australia.  It has over 100,000 visitors from there and cruise ships annually.  Vanuatu is a tax haven so offshore financing is an important part of its economy too.

LAST EVENING

                            Terry Bishop hosted a pre-dinner special Valentines Day show.

                                                   Two passengers doing a tango dance.

Ross, pianist, doing a number with Terry.

                                                      Nunzio and Sienna doing a dance.

                                                               Sienna singing with Terry.

                                               Some of the crew doing a black light number.

                                The crew members that did the black light number.  Great show!!

             Murphy, sommelier, presenting this Barnard Griffin California merlot.  I liked it.

The fried chicken thighs we had ordered were over cooked and too dry so I ordered this shrimp pasta which was very good.

                                                    Apple & blueberry tart with ice cream.

                                   Jimbo & Mary Ann Todd.  Two great friends from Oklahoma.

                                           Eddie & Lyn Zito.  Long time friends from Florida.

        The Captain made his departure PA at 5:30 prior to the 6pm Valentines show.  During it he said there was 5.2 earthquake centered about 25 miles inland from our ship.  Rebecca and I were in our suite during the afternoon watching a movie when we felt what seems like something hitting our ship.  I looked out our balcony and saw nothing.  Now we know it was an earthquake.  It just lasted maybe 10 seconds.  You may recall on last year's world cruise when departing New Orleans a tornado just missed out ship.  What next????

TODAY

Our pier.  Wet as has been raining.

                                                                 A look towards town

                                     Some taxis and souvenir tents just outside the pier area.

  We were supposed to take a special 5 hour tour with lunch compliments of Distinctive Voyages which our travel agency, Pavlus Travel, is a member of.  But when I looked out there were no large buses for the ship's tours or ours.  Just these small vans.  No way we were going to ride around in these packed 

full vans with coughing passengers and no air conditioning.  There are some folks isolated now so suspect covid is on board. 

        Not sure how far downtown is or how much a taxi would charge.  Don't guess I really need anything so we did out treadmill time between 9 and 10am.  The crew is doing a crew emergency drill this morning.  Rebecca went to the launderette to wash 3 of my red t-shirts.  Didn't want the ship's laundry to do them.

        They had mostly Indian food for lunch in La Veranda and down in Compass Rose.  I have never cared for Indian food so had a pasta and some pizza.

        We may watch another movie this afternoon.  We watched "Evolution" yesterday.  It was about two naval pilots, one black and one white, and the Korean War.  Very good movie with sad ending however.  Rebecca is watching her soaps.

        We will be sailing at 4pm today and will have two days sailing in the Coral Sea before reaching Alotau on Papua New Guinea on Saturday, our time.

        Cocktail hour in Mariner Lounge as usual followed by dinner in Compass Rose.  We will have the veal piccata.

        The production cast will be doing "Divos & Divas" show at 9:30.  We'll probably go.