World Cruise Day 60/152 - Sea Day - Crossing the equator again - welcome back to winter

Cruise day: 60/152

Ports days: 18
Sea days: 42
Countries: 6
Continents: 2
Ports: 11

Wow - it seems like it was just summer.  Oh yeah, it was, right until 3:10 PM today, Cape Verde time (UTC -1) when we crossed from the Southern Hemisphere back to the Northern Hemisphere and sailed right from summer to winter.  It was a toasty warm 81F on the south side and a chilly 81F once we crossed.  Brr... Good thing Viking supplied us with the spiffy coats so we can stay warm.

Here's the interesting thing.  We crossed from north to south in the middle of the night, so everyone was either sleeping or unable to really see anything as it was dark.  But today, in broad daylight, as we approached the equator, you could see it clearly.

Here is the equator, right off our balcony.

And here it is as we sail by.

Who knew it was so visible?  It is just like it looks on globes and maps!  Amazing!

I missed getting a compass reading right on the equator as I was taking photos.  

To celebrate the equator crossing, Viking threw a county fair on the pool deck.  They had music, finger foods like corn dogs, skewered potato chips, and more, plus a variety of drinks and shots available.  All the departments set up booths to visit with games.

The engine room and maintenance team had us assembling mismatched nuts and bolts for time and driving a nail as far as we can with a single swing of the hammer.

Housekeeping was showing us towel animal folding.

The retail shops had us donning a maintenance jumpsuit and then stuff it full of balloons.  We fit 18 balloons in with Arlona!

The spa blindfolded me and then had me apply nail polish to Arlona's nails.  Suffice it to say that she will not be wearing that color.

The Captain was having a ball running around and taking staff photos.

Guest Services had us guessing the number of coffee beans in a huge cylinder

The restaurant team had us feeling items in a box and guessing what they are.

They also had a pop-the-balloon dart toss.

The bar staff had us playing beer pong.

Arlona killed it with 2/5 made. 

Me, not so much.

The medical team tested our steadiness with a game where you move a wire loop around a curved wire path, trying not to touch the curved wire.  If you did, a loud buzzer sounded and a light lit up.  

They also taught us to use pipettes by drawing up some tasty liquid.

As we visited each station, they stamped our "Chilean passports", a nod to the complex process we all had to go through for the Chilean mobility passes.  I think it's great that Viking maintains a good sense of humor about it all because as difficult as it was for guests, the amount of work Viking did to ensure we could visit Chile was astounding.

I missed getting photos of the entertainment staff who were in the pool and coordinating a guest ball shoot-off, tossing a volleyball from the deck through a life preserver that was suspended above the pool.

Based on all the smiling (or I assume smiling based on folks' eyes since everyone was masked) faces, the event was a big success.

Arlona's project today was a "View through a porthole. More quality art from our new resident artist.

As for the regular schedule, let's just say that bridge was "interesting" today.  Bridge play with our partners afterward was a lot of fun.

A reader (OK - it's my cousin, Janice) suggested a photo of the daily schedule.  Here is today's schedule.

It is a little different because the noon party today resulted in the cancelation of other activities between noon and 2PM, but it gives you an idea of a typical sea day here on the Viking Star.

Tonight's entertainment was once again, magician Greg Moreland.  He did another extremely funny and entertaining show, getting several audience members involved.  Lots of laughs and lots of "wows" throughout.  It was a fun evening.

Two more sea days and we'll see land.