Day 12 – Sail the Pacific Ocean

I could get used to these lazy mornings, although I am certainly looking forward to visiting the many ports on our itinerary.

The World Café presented another culinary event for lunch today. This one featured a Cioppino Station, one of Tim’s favorite dishes.

Cioppino Station

Although I missed Guest Lecturer Andrew Roberts’ morning lecture on “The Railroad that Went to Sea,” I was able to watch it this afternoon on our stateroom TV. That is such a convenient feature that Viking offers. All lectures and port talks are recorded, and you can either watch them live, from the comfort of your room, or at your convenience.

The lecture brought me back to Miami again and refreshed my memory of why Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railway, also known as the Overseas Railroad, to Key West. Unfortunately, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 partially destroyed the railroad, and it was never rebuilt.

The Railroad that Went to Sea

Another handy thing that Viking provides is the Viking Daily, a newsletter that is delivered to our stateroom every evening at turndown. The Daily, which is also available on the Viking Voyager App, provides a complete listing of all activities for the following day, as well as meeting times for excursions and other general announcements.

The Viking Daily

Complete Listing of All Daily Activities

Tim and I dined again at the Chef’s Table, and tonight’s menu was Lotus, described as follows:

A five-course gastronomic journey of traditional Asian dishes.

Lotus Menu, With Descriptions of the Five Courses Pictured Below

Amuse Bouche, First Course, Granita, Main Course, and Dessert

Tim and I had never tried this menu, and it was delicious. Although I loved all five courses, the Chili Soft Shell Crab was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, I had soft-shell crabs from time to time. However, they were nothing like the one I had tonight!

The evening was also special because we happened to sit next to Bill and Cathy. We had a wonderful conversation and look forward to seeing more of them during the next six months.