SAILING THE BAY OF BISCAY

THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF SAIING THE BAY OF BISCAY. THE BAY OF BISCAY IS A CHANNEL BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN AND IS VERY CROWDED. THE SEAS ARE FILLED WITH VESSELS OF ALL SORTS: MILITARY VESSELS, CRUISE SHIPS, FISHING BOATS, CONTAINER SHIPS, OIL TANKERS, AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT FLOATS. THE SKY IS STEEL GREY AND THE WAVES ARE HIGH ENOUGH FOR JERRY TO PUT HIS PATCH ON. PERSONALLY, I LOVE IT WHEN THE SHIP MOVES. IT IS VERY RELAXING. THIS MORNING I SLEPT REALLY LATE AND JERRY THE EARLY RISER WENT TO A COOKING DEMONSTRATION. NOW HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE BLACK FOREST CAKE. THAT WILL BE THE DAY! I WOULDN'T HAVE A KITCHEN LEFT.

SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD ABOUT EATING AND HAVE BEEN WALKING MILES EVERYDAY. IN AMSTERDAM WE SHARED A TINY PIECE OF CHOCOLATE WHICH COST OVER $3.00 US. IN ROUEN WE SHARED A CHICKEN SANDWICH ON A GREAT PIECE OF FRENCH BREAD FOR ABOUT $6.00 US. WE COPIED THE EATING HABITS OF THE LOCALS AND WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED. WE EAT ON THE RUN BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING AND NOT WASTE TIME IN A RESTAURANT. THERE IS SO MUCH TO EAT ON THE SHIP THAT WE WILL NOT STARVE.

SO FAR, EVERYWHERE WE HAVE BEEN HAS BEEN A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, EXCEPT WHEN JERRY THREW UP IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN STATION IN AMSTERDAM. BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. EVEN THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN NICE TO US. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE MAKE THE EFFORT TO SPEAK A FEW WORDS IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND WHEN THEY SEE HOW PATHETIC WE SOUND THEY SWITCH TO ENGLISH BEFORE LAUGHING UNCONTROLLABLY. WHAT IS SO WONDERFUL TO ME IS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS. YOU REALIZE EVERYONE IS TRULY THE SAME WHEREVER YOU ARE. WHAT I ALSO LOVE SO MUCH IS SEEING THE MAGNIFICENT ARCHITECTURE THAT HAS SURVIVED THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES AND MANY WARS. IT IS TRULY AWE-INSPIRING.

WE ARE HEADING FOR SPAIN WITH TWO STOPS IN LA CORUNA AND MALAGA, BOTH OF WHICH WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH. I CAN'T WAIT TO SPEAK SPANISH AGAIN AND HAVE MY CHURROS AND CHOCOLATE. MY MOUTH IS WATERING AT THE THOUGHT. I HOPE WE HAVE GOOD WEATHER. WE ADORE SPAIN EVEN THOUGH BLONDES ARE IN THE MAJORITY. ACTUALLY, IT WAS GETTING BORING WITH EVERYONE BEING BLONDE.

IT IS ANOTHER FORMAL NIGHT TONIGHT. UGH! I AM BEGINNING TO HATE GETTING ALL DRESSED UP. HOPEFULLY, I WILL SEE MY NEW BOYFRIEND, THE CAPTAIN, AS WE ARE INVITED TO A PARTY HE IS HOSTING. THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY FLING. NO MAN CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF MY LITTLE ETHAN!

ADIOS FROM THE BAY OF BISCAY WHERE I HOPE JERRY'S PATCH STARTS WORKING SOON OR I AM IN FOR A HELLISH NIGHT!