DAY 110---NOSY BE, MADAGASCAR

 

        We anchored just off the coast of Nosy Be this morning by 9am.  It is sunny, 91 degrees, and 50% humidity at 11am.  

Historical/Background Info:

        This is a new destination for us.  Nosy Be is a small island (8 miles long and 6 miles wide) off Madagascar’s northwestern coast.  Madagascar is only about 200 miles, at its closest point, off the coast of Mozambique, Africa.  Nosy Be is Madagascar’s busiest and largest tourist resort with a population of 109,500.  The capital, known as Hell-Ville, has French colonial buildings and a covered market.

LAST EVENING

    I had this double order of fole gras for my starter.  I have to have it on the ship as can't get it in Durango!

          Mykonos salads for both of us.  We asked for extra feta cheese and some tomatoes.  Very good.

Miso glazed sea bass.  It is marinated for 2 days before cooking.  So sweet and melts in your mouth.

         After dinner and Marcia's reception, Rebecca went up to the suite to freshen up.  I went to the Mariner Lounge for a "Happy Happy" and listened to Ross, the resident pianist while waiting for Rebecca.  We then went to the theater balcony for the show.  We were late arriving, the show had begun, and there were no seats with a good view of the stage.  We had seats but someone came and sat down in front of us (big people) and blocked out view so we left.  It appeared the theater was pretty full for the ballroom dancers.

TODAY

                                                   Tender returning from the small pier.

                                           Another even smaller island just south of Nosy Be.

                                               What the island looks like from our balcony.

                 Not sure what this couple are doing out here but it is way too hot to be doing it.

        Brandy glazed country ham was at the carving station in La Veranda at lunch.  I got a toasted hamburger bun from the pool grill and made a very nice ham sandwich.

        Most are off the ship on tours today so we pretty much had a private dining room for a while.  Others did show up later.  

        We turned out tour tickets for today in yesterday as destinations department said the transportation would be small vans and full.  They may or may not be airconditioned.  With the temperature to be in the 90's we decided not to do it even though this is our first time here.  

        I was planning to take the tender to the pier and catch the shuttle bus to downtown.  I backed out of doing that as it was not airconditioned and would be full of guests and crew going ashore this afternoon.  Sorry no photos of here.

        We will be sailing again at 5pm.  Our next destination is the Comoros island of Mayotte.  The Comoros islands are 4 volcanic islands 150 miles off the northern part of Mozambique.  We should be anchored there by 8am tomorrow.

        So we will enjoy our cocktail hour in the suite again this evening.  I have requested room service bring us 3 pig-in-a-blanket and 3 jalapeno cheese balls at 5:30.  At noon I also asked Nino, the F&B, to sent up another bottle of sweet vermouth as the one we have is getting low.

        This is tonight's Compass Rose menu where we shall be dining.  I think Rebecca is interested in the turkey.  I may try the grouper in a bag.

        We want to go to tonight's headliner show in the theater at 9:30.  It is featuring another new act that just got on board in the Seychelles.  "John & Paul-The British Invasion Show" will do a tribute to Lennon and McCartney.  It should be a good show so will try for our front row seats.