Bordeaux

The sea was still calm as the Silver Wind made its way across part of the Bay of Biscay. Diva spotted a couple of dolphins leaping out of the water as they came over to investigate the ship. It was good to hear that one of the waitresses (20 years with Silversea) had been able to find time to visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao.

A few nights ago, Diva thought that the butler was very efficient on a time-change night as the alarm clocks has been altered. Turns out it was TSH who was the efficient one.

Bordeaux is a beautiful city which can be appreciated even from the mooring close to the city centre. The only other vessels there were river boats, including one belonging to Viking. The morning walk took in the seafront, a farmers’ market and several large squares, including the one between the cathedral and the hotel de ville and the one with the main theatre.

Referendum: One young woman thinks that the best prospects for the UK lie in Brexit and then becoming a tax haven. Her greatest fear was of extreme German socialism. Not sure which kind of socialism she was afraid of.

Whale

The day at sea for the journey through the Gulf of St Lawrence towards Prince Edward Island should have been uneventful except for the Galley Lunch (Buffet style, laid out in the Galley, extremely wide range of choices, everybody eats even more than usual). The weather was colder but still clear and the water perfectly flat.  But in the afternoon, a school of dolphins could be seen leaping out of the water in classic style. There were several groups, all around the Silver Whisper. After they moved away, in the excitement of seeing this for the first time ever, Diva swallowed the wrong way and started to cough. The water TSH brought did not totally solve the issue, so he went down to the suite for some mints. And whilst he was away, a hump-back whale came out of the water and dived, showing its forked tail. TSH only saw the ripples. And Diva is very sorry.

A day in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, once more brings sunshine and blue sky. Anchored (new anchor) in a very pleasant location and tendered in. Thermal vests and fleeces have not been needed for days now.

One of Charlottetown’s claims to fame is that it is near where Anne of Green Gables was written and set. So …. AoGG chocolate and ‘Anne and Gilbert, the musical’ as well as many themed tours. TSH has never read the books and it’s so long since Diva did that the details are blurred, so no participation in any of that.

Arrangements keep changing. The planned tour to Acadia National Park, planned for a few days time, has been cancelled because of the US Government’s funding difficulties.