We got here about 6 pm yesterday. The Marriott is a lovely hotel.

Leslie and Brad, Andrea, Suzie, Marilyn, Suzanne met up with us in the hotel bar around 6:30 (duh) and headed out to dinner. The restaurant was situated an old cloister near the Royal Palace gardens. Atmosphere was amazing .. food ok to very good. I can now check the box that says "try carrot ice cream .. once". Fairly tasty; will never give chocolate a run for its money on the popularity charts. That leaves 999 other things to do before I die.

We got right back in our best sailing form and closed the restaurant last night near midnight. The route to the bathrooms involved walking up a steep corkscrew staircase. As Suzanne aptly noted, we needed to be kirful! The waiter was explaining the wine pairings to us, waxing eloquently about the special location of the California chardonnay. As they say in one of the car rental adds, "not exactly". There was one other group down at the other end of the room. We got into a karaoke contest with one another. It was, we're fairly sure, a first in that particular venue. They smiled broadly when we asked for cabs back to the hotel.

It was dark out by the time we left the restaurant. I woke up and saw light creeping around the window's edge. Ack! It was 4 am. Fortunately I got back to sleep until about 8. We opted for the executive floor at an extra cost of around $50. Free breakfast (about $25 downstairs) and free internet ($15 for one hour, about $30 for 24 hours) in the lounge. Wireless is also available. I'm not sure if it's free in the public areas downstairs. I'm also unlikely to find out! They offer hors d'oeurves from 5:30 to 7:30 in the lounge. That could easily substitute for dinner. Drinks are NOT free outside of coffee, tea and the like. It is a madhouse up here this morning for breakfast.