WLV BCV OKW DCL - May, 2009

[ehagerty]

I did not take quite as many pictures this time as I did in 2008 - no need to repeat what I already have, unless it is different, or the people are different, etc.

To see the pictures from 2008, click on these links:

Click on this link for 2008 - Part 1

Click on this link for 2008 - Part 2



Getting started - a toast to vacation

The food is arranged in 5-6 "stations", grouped by theme - seafood, dessert, pastries, cheese, etc.





Flowers, in the middle of the station area:

This station was centered around an ice-carved basket containing fresh flowers. Below the flowers, slightly washed out by the camera's flash, is a unique "pegboard" - metal, curved, with slots for spoon handles. Each spoon contains the same tantalizing tidbit. In 2008, it was a very thin slice of ahi tuna with lemon and caper. I forget what it was this time, but I might have a closeup further down the thread.

Appetizers

Melon and Prosciutto

Tomato and fresh mozzarella

Marinated Scallops

Shrimp

Stone Crab Claws

Ham and Asparagus

Grilled Vegetables

DH's appetizer plate, with shrimp arranged for me!

Various cheeses from the cheese station:

Brie

The cheese with no name - rather, the cheese I forgot to photograph its name

Pretty sure this was a Stilton

Breads

Pastries

Entrees

You can preview, near the kitchen. Here are representative plates, so that you can observe them before you order. On this side of the kitchen, the traditional breakfast options - eggs, pancakes

Close-up of the pancake, which appealed to me because of the description of the filling (something to do with whipped cream and orange). DS21 ordered it, I tasted it - and decided to get it next time. Others on the disboards have not been as enthusiastic about the pancakes (I think the word "gritty" was used), but I really enjoyed the one bite I had

To the right of the kitchen is the day's offering for fish, veal, etc.:

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[ehagerty]

Dessert

Chocholate pots

I-forget-the-name, in Palo china (looks like a creme brulee, but doesn't make sense because they wouldn't be able to caramalize the sugar)

Tira Misu

Looks like mini-triffle

Petit fours

....with a close up of what looks like a caramalized sugar decoration

Items we ordered

Someone ordered a variation on Eggs Benedict - looks like spinach and asiago

Strawberry flatbread

Grape and blue cheese flatbread

Fish

The Dis-famous Stollen (toasted) with whipped cream and berries

People we met

Bruce, Chef (Gordon?) and PJ (Maitre d')

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[BigEeyore]

Happy to see a new post today! I am really enjoying your TR - lots of great pictures. Really nice food presentation on the cruise!

 

[ehagerty]

I did not do justice, pictorially, to this meal. I still think that Palo is "somewhere between the California Grill and Victoria & Alberts. I have no menu notes. Next time, I'll ask for a menu copy!

Just a word - we like small portions and a lot of variety - after a couple of dishes, we started asking for half portions so we could try more dishes. They were very accommodating, but it was a challenge for poor chef in the middle of the dinner rush. We didn't realize it until our waiter appeared a little flustered - then we changed gears. My point - besides the great food and customer service - is that some of the portions you see here may not be representative of a normal portion. That's all

Waiting for DS21

Walking by the open kitchen - I think his name was Chef Gordon ...

... but I didn't capture the name tag

The view from our table

The menu and table flower

Frederick - our wine steward from the 2008 DVC cruise - was on duty again here. The bottle = "Purple Angel" ...

... poured from this lovely decanter ...

... and a toast to DS21's birthday (again) and our good fortune to be here ...

Bread Dips ... Mayo-something, olive tapenade, roasted red pepper....

Antipasto

Ahi Tuna (thin slices)

Portobella Mushroom something (Risotto? Mousse?)

Calamari

Gnocchi

Ravioli so good, we ordered another

Linguini with seafood something (tasted better than it photographed)

Something rigatoni

Mushroom risotto

Ravioli?

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[ehagerty]

Click here if you want to view Part 1 - Appetizers


Fish

.. and a different fish, with polenta

Palette cleanser - lemon ice

Lamb

Filet

Veal

Chocolate Souffle

Pane Cotta

Tira Misu

Limoncella chasers

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[ehagerty]

This was my first time participating in either activity. One of the fun parts of delivering FE gifts is the opportunity to see how everyone decorates their door. I realize, at the end of my distribution run, that I might want a picture of my own door, however plain it might be. It would appear from the ones I saw that some others have been evolving their "door decoration collection" over time - kind of like Christmas Tree ornaments (dates of prior cruises, etc)

Anyway, here is my plain door, with cruise line logo magnets (thanks to fellow disser) for each of us, along with a couple of 8.5x11 magnet prints of my pictures (used to test the magnetic paper print in preparation for creating FE gifts):

The FE was bought on ebay - reasonable price ($2) with relatively unreasonable shipping ($8?). Turns out "granny" something on ebay is shipping from Hong Kong. No surprise there, eh?


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[ehagerty]

Thought I would post this here. The pictures are not the greatest, but it is worth noting that - at least on the 7 night cruise - they organize fun stuff, like this 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Also thought that you might recognize one of your own from the cruise in the pictures.

The ref providing rules

My crew (two of whom rarely play b-ball) playing against a b-ball couch and his two sons. Guess who won!!

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[ehagerty]

Normally, I would not be attracted to something called Pub Night, but people on the DIS recommended trying it, so we did.

The first song was fairly "traditional" - something they said was sung in Irish pubs.

I don't recall how many they did, but they became progressively funnier, including David's rendition of the Beer Song, captured here, in crib note style, for those who didn't take notes, but want to impress their friends, sung to the tune of "Do, a deer...." from "The Sound of Music."

Do - what I buy beer with.....
Ra - the guy I buy my beer from
Me - the guy I buy my beer for
Fa - the distance to the store
So - I'll have another beer
La - la la la la la BEER!
Ti - No, I'll have a beer
Do - what I ran out of

The finale was very amusing - I can't recall the lyrics, but the execution was very funny, especially the tennis guy.

David, the house manager for Rockin' D, in his pink tutu

He was very good, by the way. If his career goal is Cruise Director, he is definitely earning his stripes.


p.s., Pictures are "clarity challenged" because we are not allowed to use flash....
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[ehagerty]

DS21 went on this excursion (as he is the only certified scuba member in the family). I don't have a lot of commentary, but will enhance after the fact.

This was the kind of weather-day we'd had the entire week before the cruise, and pretty much persisted on and off until we got back to port. Not complaining, just explaining.

Also, these pictures were taken with the Canon D10, just for reference.

Tortola, in port, from the ship

Boarding the scuba boat

Meeting fellow DCL-scuba folks

Getting the spiel

Looks like the Baths, from the scuba boat

Scuba - in fairness to the D10, we didn't remember to turn on the "underwater" setting until we got home (the down side of having the camera show up the day before we left - we skimmed the manual, but didn't retain enough). I have provided a link to another post at the end if you want to understand better what the D10 is capable of, with the proper setting (which, basically, eliminates the "green cast", and shows color better)

http://ehagerty.zenfolio.com/img/v8/p1041586994-3.jpg/img]




[img]http://ehagerty.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p1005234719-3.jpg

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Sample Canon D10 - Same shot without, then with, the underwater setting, from different disser = Pooh_Friend#1:

In the water:
Forgot to put it in underwater mode:

Switched to underwater mode:

Click here to read full discussion thread about underwater cameras (if interested):



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[ehagerty]

We were having tea during our January, 2008 visit, when my son texted a college friend who stays at the GF regularly - sending a picture and message - something to the effect of "Look where I am". She texted right back, saying she had just walked by the GF tearoom. Neither knew the other was coming!

This visit, Brian KNEW his friend would be there, so we arranged to meet for tea on the only day our vacations overlapped.

Here we are, approaching the tea room:

If you were hoping for a more comprehensive report about the details of the tea itself, click here.