Hi everyone: Cruise is going great. Wonderful group of people, good weather (other than two rainy looking mornings with lightening that blew over)and some great food. Enjoying pre-dinner get togethers and some die hards are staying up visiting afer dinner.

John Barron is such a great cruise director. He did trivia today and this is one talented man. He could easily be a stand up comic.

Big disappointment tonight, society night and no Dover Sole!! First time I have ever seen that. They substituted Halibut but they still have the Rack of Lamb. I guess I will survive. They had a veal chop a few nights ago that was out of this world so I will forgive and forget the lack of Dover Sole.

Ports of Call - Ken will post some pictures soon under these notes.

Nessebur - a couple of shots of the old town.






In Odessa on our last trip we took a taxi and saw the sights that way. This time we decided to simply walk the town and really look at all the gorgeous buildings. They have come a long way since we were here last and continue to improve the city and restore the buildings. Ken picture of the Opera House. A truly spectacular structure.



In Yalta. Since we had already done all the palaces on an earlier trip we walked the Marine Parkway where there was an old fashioned midway. The midway was complete with carnival stands to win stuffed animals with various games of skill. All the normal midway attractions. It was a beautiful weekend day and the place was full of the locals and probably Russian or Ukranian tourists. Parents, little children, the typical beautiful young women in their skin tight clothing with the highest heels you can imagine. How do they walk around on concrete in those heels? We really enjoyed the people watching.

Below is Ken's picture of one of the booths where you dress up and have your picture taken. I am sure if Anne and Gary were with us they would have done this in heartbeat. Absolutely GORGEOUS costumes and many different settings for the photographs. I have to admit I was tempted. Never seen anything that rivalled this before. The detail work on the gowns was incredible.



Had a nice day in Sevastapol on the "Fred and Pat" private touring excursion. I joined the normal suspects today and we visited the Panorama Museum, the Submarine Base and visited an outlook where you can see the Crimea battle fields where The Charge of the Light Brigade took place. My favorite was the Panorama Museum, I would consider this a MUST SEE when in Sevastapol. Ken will post some pictures. A circular painting depicting 5000 soliders that is lit entirely by natural light from mirrors that reflect light from the roof of the building onto the canvas. In front of the painting are objects that also depict the scene. Though the objects and the canvas never actually touch they blend in to the point you cannot tell where the objects end and the canvas begins. The result is a spectacular visual effect. You feel you are looking at scene that goes miles into the distance. Next post we will show pictures of this day.

Of course the boys loved the secret soviet submarine base and I found it interesting also.

Pooch is in full swing now with about 14 people playing. If everyone comes at the same time we will have to move out of our cabin into a lounge to have enough room to accomodate everyone.



A couple of shots from the BK Cocktail Party.



John and Christina from Hawaii



Mike, Bettye, Sue and Rusty posing with the Captain. Many of the LCT'ers have met these two couples but they do not post.

Tonight is the society party and are looking forward to dinner with Brad, Leslie, Andi, Doug, Sharon and Dick (signed up Sharon and Dick for LCT today). They have been on many escorted trips but never visited LCT before.

Have to get ready now so be back later. We are all so busy there is just no time. The spare time is taken up with POOCH