Val-Para-E-So! So now you, too, can sound like a local!
First, in the highly competitive "Games" arena--Karen & Fritz earned a Holland America "South America" pin for being on the winning Orange team at Bean Bag Toss.
Look at the concentration!
Look at the form!
And, i will have you know that these pins are much more coveted than the "ms. Zaandam" pins given out to the winners at Trivia (at least to us they are, especially as we are still putting in "presentable" but not winning scores at Trivia). There are a two guys from Canada--"the Canucks" (how original) who manage to win most of the Trivia contests. We speculate that it's much easier to decide when you haven't got 6 different, strongly voiced, opinions!
Look at the concentration!Look at the form!There is still no official winner from the Dalton Gang Shuffleboard tournament and we did have to put off round two as Mum hasn't finished her acupuncture course for the pinched nerve she suffered in round one!
Mark and Andrew didn't enter the Table Tennis Tournament despite hours of practice in 100 degree heat. There were about 25 entrants and they were afraid that it might run long causing them to miss $1 second drinks at Happy Hour in the Crow's Nest! (Yes, it is all go, go go here!)
In the Dining Category--the dining room has now got in their own supply of Boddington's beer which the Bar Manager said was easier than sending a runner to the Mix Bar every day for our table's order! Luckily, no special action is required for a deliciously lemony Lemon Drop Martini which my Mother & I are happy to avail ourselves of at the $1 for the second drink Happy Hour (or in the dining room)!
On the last formal night we had a delightful and delicious dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. This is the specialty restaurant that focuses on Northwest Steak and Seafood. The service was impeccable, and the food was fabulous. We especially enjoyed the Dungeness Crab Cakes and steaks from the Okanagan. Also, it turns out that many of the waiters on board are from Bali. When this is discovered we then have "old home week" as it turns out that Andrew has visited everyone's home town, and in one case stayed in an Aunt's hotel during his month-long visit to Bali.
Here we are all gussied up for another formal night. Don't the guys clean up well? (Thanks Tom & Tristan for the duds).
Mum & Dad have trumped the sports pins with their Holland America Medallions for being valued repeat cruisers! They were presented by the Captain at a special event and luncheon. We have warned them that they are likely to go straight to the bottom if they happen to wear them swimming, or if they go overboard! 
Mum & Dad were talking to some people about which table they were at for dinner, and one of them said, "oh you must be near that table of firefighters--you know, one of them has a beard and a braid". When they were able to compose themselves they said that, yes, Mark was a firefighter, but the rest of us couldn't be trusted to carry buckets of water. Mark has been proudly sporting his Stevens County Volunteer Fire Fighters T-shirt (see ping-pong above), which has obviously not gone unnoticed!
Random Events--Mark became concerned when he walked past one of the lounges and heard "serious, rousing, hymn singing". As it was Friday, he was wondering if he had missed an announcement, and should we be assembling at lifeboat station 3?
Karen asked the crew member in the hallway which way to the Gang Plank. He replied, somewhat frostily, that the GANG WAY could be found on Deck 1--forward!
As we crossed the Equator there was a very serious ceremony to indoctrinate those who were doing so for the first time (Pollywogs). It involved having their crimes read out for King Neptune who meted out the punishments and then everyone ended up in the pool and we all got certificates granting us equatorial passage as Shellbacks from now on.
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