Atlantic Crossing - Part Seven

Mel and I headed over to the photographer who had set up opposite us on the other side of the atrium to capture the patrons as they passed by. Just hand over your ship card and the rest is painless. At least 'till you have to pay the piper.

Mel and I sidled up and begin performing enumerable calisthenics and unnatural acts for the photographer to work her magic. Sideways, headstands, me on all fours and Mel spurrin' the bull. Etc., etc. Mel looks awesome. Me? Well what can you do with old fat guy? Dress him up in a skirt. Lots of bright colours, flashy buttons and an ornate jeweled sword, all wrapped up in a crisp bow tie and I still look like a soggy mutt. With a grin from floppy ear to floppy ear.

Before it was all said and done, we had the bit of a queue that had formed, the photographer and ourselves in a wee laughing fit. Something about the fat guy in a kilt I think. We move out to dinner.

The Silhouette had four specialty restaurants aboard. In addition to the Ocean View (the buffet) and the Grande Cuvee (the sit-down) you could, for any evening dinner, choose to dine in the exquisite elegance afforded by any of the four. Actually, three for the masses. One of the facilities, The Spa, was reserved for members of the health club. Surprise, surprise --- neither Mel or I ever got around to joining that club. The choices for fine dinning included The Murano, Qsine and TheTuscan Grill.

All of these three involved a flat, additional fee of $40 per couple for attendance, over and above the included free food package offered everywhere else. But as it turns out, this fee is negotiable as you get to know the ship personnel. Tonight we visited The Murano. Classic Italian fare with a French service flair in that they prepared some of the dishes table side. We discovered that the theme of this restaurant as well as the theme of The Tuscan Grill change depending on the destination of the cruise. As we were destined for Rome, both restaurants were providing Italian along the way.

The restaurant was all a bustle yet our seating was quite secluded. Before starting, I requested the sommelier and he arrived in short order. I explained our purchase of the specialty wine package and asked if he would recommend, from our wines available, something that would complement our dinner choices. He was more than pleased to comply.

Mel and I settle in to the decisions confronting us. One is simple. Two, warm-seared, low fat, pate de fois gras, avec une petit morceaux du poire brissee sur le cote. Tremendous. For the primi plat, Melanie settled on a truffle risotto and I elect the diver scallops en croute. The second includes beef tenderloin done three ways pour ma femme and I opt for the sea bass. Yes I know it's endangered. But I figure, some very bad man already killed it, so how much worse could it get? Absolutely delicious.

Then the carte du fromage arrived at table. Mel decided on three hard selections and I go for the opposite end of the spectrum, including one that is sooooo runny and odorous it is remarkable they allowed it on board. This course was paired with a Portuguese 1986 Port. Heavenly.

Somehow the maitre d' knew it was our anniversary. I guess when I booked the cruise way back in December I told somebody and that info found its way months and miles later to our table side. The waiter showed up with an exquisite, triple creme, chocolatey mousse, fudgie-onna-top, cake thingy with Happy Anniversary scripted all over. Of course this, after we had already ordered an orange souffle for our dessert. That arrived all beautifully puffy and somehow hollowed out. They then poured the most exquisite liquidy chocolate sauce into the centre so it erupted up and over and flowed down the sides, surrounding and engulfing all of the inhabitants of the village. So we ate them too.
Delicious.

The waiter and our bus lady approached the table. They congratulated us on 25 years of marital bliss. They then told us they were engaged to be married! They had met elsewhere but soon after decided they wanted to travel the world together while making some money. So they signed on with Celebrity. As we were chatting, the maitre d' and a chef from the kitchen arrive table-side. Quite a crowd was gathering at this point. Turns out, not just any old line chef. This is the head chef d'cuisine pour toute le bateau!!!! And she's a woman from Scotland. When she heard there was a member of the clan in the house that night she had to come out and say hello. I rise from my chair and she said, "No, no please, stay seated." I reply, "How am I to thank you with a big hug for such a spectacular meal from down there in the chair?" Laughs all around. Followed by a very kind hug and we were outta there looking for the next adventure.