On our way to Paris!
Door: Linda
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Linda
27 April 2014 | Frankrijk, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
April 27th 2014
Hi Everybody,
How was your Easter?? Hope you all had a good time!! Have you been able to find all the eggs???!!! Here on the ship we didn’t do all that much about it, we had Easter decorations, lots of chocolate and lamb for dinner, but that was about it. No looking for eggs here, although there would have been enough places to hide them in!!haha
On Sunday we were in Conflans and because of Easter the lock we have to go through was closed, which meant we couldn’t leave in the afternoon, like we usually do. So we stayed in Conflans and on my break I had time to see the town!! I had a great time, I got to see the town, the sun came out and it was my one month anniversary on the ship!! So that was great!!!
So instead of leaving for Paris in the afternoon, like we usually do, we left at 3 am! Fortunately I’m not a sailor!!!haha
When we got to Paris, the weather was absolutely beautifull, so I took my book and a cup of tea into the parc, which is right across from where we are docked! It was great!! Only downside is, that when you go back to work, you feel really sleepy from the warm sun on your face!!haha
Last Tuesday we got a new group of people on board, mostly women this time and boy, do we have some characters on board!!!haha
Jean-Loup, our Cruisedirector, who’s really nice and really good, already got one of them hate his guts for having to go through the mandatory safety drill!!haha Not that he cares one way or the other, because everyone has to do it…but I think they’ve changed their minds about it, now that we’re almost at the end of our cruise!
Jean-Loup has already told us a couple of stories about things that have happened to him during his work!! Amazing the things he tells us!! People that were left behind, sitting next to John Travolta on a plane and so on, I’m telling you he should write a book!!! I don’t think he will be able to do this until he retires though!!haha
So Sunday I celebrated my first anniversary and then got into a really big dip is what we call it, not a depression, that would be too strong a word, but I just didn’t feel like being here for some reason. Really tired, making stupid mistakes and so on..no idea where it came from, but it wasn’t pleasant.
Just bone-tired I guess. I’m doing allright now, I would like to catch up on some sleep, but I’ll be allright.
I think hearing a couple of good things helped as well!!haha
For instance, Jayson and I again got the highest score for the questionnaires from the last group again! (I know it is starting to become a habit!!) The NR does all this, but they thought he had done something wrong, so Jayson did it again and turned out that we had even more points!! Less than last time, but still more then the oterh departments!! This is going to look sooo good for next year!! Keeping these scores will mean we have a better chance of the company asking us to come back next season!!
Then the next piece of good news is, that the carreer of our current NR, might be cut short sooner then he thinks!!!! I found out the other day that someone who works in the bar right now, would like to become a nightreceptionist!! She is already working with Jayson and he says she’s really good…now one of the waiters would like to work in the bar, so that would fill that gap. I’m hoping she’ll be on our team soon, so the current NR can pack his bags!! He used to be a waiter, but I don’t think they would want him in the restaurant either!!! I think even our Hotelmanager has had it with him, so he’s sure to be going. Don’t know when, but I can be patient! I was soo happy, my roommate had heard about it and told me, but I didn’t know about it. To be honest I thought she might be after my job, but this is even better!!!
Then my roommate tells me that one of her friends that is working on a rivercruiseship in Germany, told her that one of the waiters was leaving and asked her to come and work there!!! She has already talked to the Hotelmanager about it and I hope she can go there!! It would work out well for the both of us!!! She’s also told me some things of how the other waiters are treating her in the restaurant and the kitchen and they’re not very friendly, to say it mildly!! Really unbelievable!! These people are mostly from the East, Hungaria, Bulgaria and they don’t really take to women and have a weird way of communicating…with people who are not from their country that is!! Among themselves they’re right as rain! So for her it would be good if she can be with her friend and more people from her own country, I would get some sleep, so like I said it would work out well for both of us!!
And I got a really nice compliment from the Hotelmanager! When I told her I had my one month anniversary last Sunday, she said they also had reason to celebrate, because they were glad I was there with them and I was good at what I did…coming from her that was really big!! I mean Jasyson is bragging about me to other people, but I had never thought she wouls say something like that!! So that also really made my day!!! Not that I really doubted it, but it is always nice to hear!!
O and the fact that I can have half a day off every week, also made my day!! Not that I think I really need it, because compaired to other crewmembers I have the laziest job and the most free time already. But I never say no to some more free time!!haha We started this last week, I had half a day off on Friday..and of course it was raining!! Luckily when I went out to get some groceries the rain had stopped, but that wind…my God, there’s just no getting away from it!! It’s like being at home …or in NZ for that matter!!hahah I felt a little bad for Jayson, he doesn’t get a day off because he’s senior now, but when he was a second last year he also didn’t get extra time off. So he wasn’t all too happy, but I gave him an extra hour off, so we had divided our time equally. Now we’re going to see every week when I can have that time off. Friday’s would work best, because all the guests are at the Normandy beaches, but we can also do it on Sunday, we’ll see.
It was kind of weird to have dinner and not have to get dressed to go back to work again!!
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a bookstore that sells English books here in France, but I have managed to find an interesting book here in the ship’s library!! I’ve found one about General Grant, Civil War, great to read after reading the book about Lincoln and the one his secretaries wrote!!
On Thursday the Cruisedirector got together with the guests from Australia and NZ to hold a ceremonie for the fallen of WWI, 1914-1915. In Australia and NZ, they call it ANZAC-Day, is held on the 25th at dawn, on the ship they held the ceremonie in the evening, so they would be holding it at the same time as the people back home would. One of the guests asked me to type a little messages and the words of the Ode in it.
“They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them
Lest we forget”
These are the most famous lines of a poem written by a Mister Laurence Binyon, I had heard about the Ode, but never heard these words. So I’m glad I was able to help the gentleman by typing these words and learn something in the process!! I wasn’t at the ceremony, but the Cruisedirector said it was a nice, humble ceremony and other guests had joined them as well. Going to the beaches, the gentleman I typed the message for, had pinned all of his medals on his chest. I asked him what the day was like for him and he said it was good to be there, to have seen it.
O here’s another thing I just have to tell you!!!
Last Thursday I was sitting in my usual spot when one of the guests came up and started talking to me. I didn’t have anything else to do at the moment, so I listened and asked him questions. Then the phone rings and one of my co-workers asks me to come to the bar to look at something, forgot what it was. So I tell the guest I have to go to the bar, I go over there and find my co-worker laughing his head off!!! And he tells me the Cruisedirector asked him to call me, so we could get rid of the guest!!! The cruisedirector has his desk next to the reception desk, so he heard our conversation, he was doing some administration and he couldn’t concentrate!!! So he made my co-worker call me so we could get rid of the man!!!hahah The thing was that the same guest/man had come to him earlier to start a conversation and he’s a pretty patient man, just not when he’s trying to do his administration!!!
So eventually the guy went to the back lounge. Then the cruisedirector got himself a cappuccino, but the man didn’t start a conversation with him, so h got away!!haha
I didn’t mind having that conversation, it was pretty interesting from what I could understand…the man is from Long Island NY, very heavy accent!! But he didn’t have anything else to do, we think his wife told him to get out of the room while she was resting or something!haha
I felt sorry for him, but it was funny!! It is a kind of ‘weird’ man though, the other day when I asked him how the day at the Normandy Beaches was, all he could talk about was fishing….when I’m sure that is not the reason why the people are going out there…..
Yesterday we had another crewshow and we got a lot of nice compliments from the guests!! Some had already seen other crewshows and they told us that with our team you could really see we had fun doing it…good as long as it looks that way, we’re set!!haha
No it’s allright, I didn’t really feel like doing it, but the guy I’m doing the skit with should be in theater himself, he’s really good and he always makes me laugh, which makes it easier to do it!!haha
We have a second captain here, Frenchman. Yesterday one of the sailors took his picture and the way he held his face made me think of Captain Haddock (Tin Tin) immediately!! He just looked exactly like him, he hadn’t shaved, the way he put his face…so I told Jayson, who had never heard of him, but found some pictures of him online…and he printed one and put it on the door of the 2nd captain’s cabin!!!!haha Hope he likes the joke!!haha
We’ll find out soon enough!
That’s it for today, back to work in half an hour!!
Love
Linda
Hi Everybody,
How was your Easter?? Hope you all had a good time!! Have you been able to find all the eggs???!!! Here on the ship we didn’t do all that much about it, we had Easter decorations, lots of chocolate and lamb for dinner, but that was about it. No looking for eggs here, although there would have been enough places to hide them in!!haha
On Sunday we were in Conflans and because of Easter the lock we have to go through was closed, which meant we couldn’t leave in the afternoon, like we usually do. So we stayed in Conflans and on my break I had time to see the town!! I had a great time, I got to see the town, the sun came out and it was my one month anniversary on the ship!! So that was great!!!
So instead of leaving for Paris in the afternoon, like we usually do, we left at 3 am! Fortunately I’m not a sailor!!!haha
When we got to Paris, the weather was absolutely beautifull, so I took my book and a cup of tea into the parc, which is right across from where we are docked! It was great!! Only downside is, that when you go back to work, you feel really sleepy from the warm sun on your face!!haha
Last Tuesday we got a new group of people on board, mostly women this time and boy, do we have some characters on board!!!haha
Jean-Loup, our Cruisedirector, who’s really nice and really good, already got one of them hate his guts for having to go through the mandatory safety drill!!haha Not that he cares one way or the other, because everyone has to do it…but I think they’ve changed their minds about it, now that we’re almost at the end of our cruise!
Jean-Loup has already told us a couple of stories about things that have happened to him during his work!! Amazing the things he tells us!! People that were left behind, sitting next to John Travolta on a plane and so on, I’m telling you he should write a book!!! I don’t think he will be able to do this until he retires though!!haha
So Sunday I celebrated my first anniversary and then got into a really big dip is what we call it, not a depression, that would be too strong a word, but I just didn’t feel like being here for some reason. Really tired, making stupid mistakes and so on..no idea where it came from, but it wasn’t pleasant.
Just bone-tired I guess. I’m doing allright now, I would like to catch up on some sleep, but I’ll be allright.
I think hearing a couple of good things helped as well!!haha
For instance, Jayson and I again got the highest score for the questionnaires from the last group again! (I know it is starting to become a habit!!) The NR does all this, but they thought he had done something wrong, so Jayson did it again and turned out that we had even more points!! Less than last time, but still more then the oterh departments!! This is going to look sooo good for next year!! Keeping these scores will mean we have a better chance of the company asking us to come back next season!!
Then the next piece of good news is, that the carreer of our current NR, might be cut short sooner then he thinks!!!! I found out the other day that someone who works in the bar right now, would like to become a nightreceptionist!! She is already working with Jayson and he says she’s really good…now one of the waiters would like to work in the bar, so that would fill that gap. I’m hoping she’ll be on our team soon, so the current NR can pack his bags!! He used to be a waiter, but I don’t think they would want him in the restaurant either!!! I think even our Hotelmanager has had it with him, so he’s sure to be going. Don’t know when, but I can be patient! I was soo happy, my roommate had heard about it and told me, but I didn’t know about it. To be honest I thought she might be after my job, but this is even better!!!
Then my roommate tells me that one of her friends that is working on a rivercruiseship in Germany, told her that one of the waiters was leaving and asked her to come and work there!!! She has already talked to the Hotelmanager about it and I hope she can go there!! It would work out well for the both of us!!! She’s also told me some things of how the other waiters are treating her in the restaurant and the kitchen and they’re not very friendly, to say it mildly!! Really unbelievable!! These people are mostly from the East, Hungaria, Bulgaria and they don’t really take to women and have a weird way of communicating…with people who are not from their country that is!! Among themselves they’re right as rain! So for her it would be good if she can be with her friend and more people from her own country, I would get some sleep, so like I said it would work out well for both of us!!
And I got a really nice compliment from the Hotelmanager! When I told her I had my one month anniversary last Sunday, she said they also had reason to celebrate, because they were glad I was there with them and I was good at what I did…coming from her that was really big!! I mean Jasyson is bragging about me to other people, but I had never thought she wouls say something like that!! So that also really made my day!!! Not that I really doubted it, but it is always nice to hear!!
O and the fact that I can have half a day off every week, also made my day!! Not that I think I really need it, because compaired to other crewmembers I have the laziest job and the most free time already. But I never say no to some more free time!!haha We started this last week, I had half a day off on Friday..and of course it was raining!! Luckily when I went out to get some groceries the rain had stopped, but that wind…my God, there’s just no getting away from it!! It’s like being at home …or in NZ for that matter!!hahah I felt a little bad for Jayson, he doesn’t get a day off because he’s senior now, but when he was a second last year he also didn’t get extra time off. So he wasn’t all too happy, but I gave him an extra hour off, so we had divided our time equally. Now we’re going to see every week when I can have that time off. Friday’s would work best, because all the guests are at the Normandy beaches, but we can also do it on Sunday, we’ll see.
It was kind of weird to have dinner and not have to get dressed to go back to work again!!
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a bookstore that sells English books here in France, but I have managed to find an interesting book here in the ship’s library!! I’ve found one about General Grant, Civil War, great to read after reading the book about Lincoln and the one his secretaries wrote!!
On Thursday the Cruisedirector got together with the guests from Australia and NZ to hold a ceremonie for the fallen of WWI, 1914-1915. In Australia and NZ, they call it ANZAC-Day, is held on the 25th at dawn, on the ship they held the ceremonie in the evening, so they would be holding it at the same time as the people back home would. One of the guests asked me to type a little messages and the words of the Ode in it.
“They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them
Lest we forget”
These are the most famous lines of a poem written by a Mister Laurence Binyon, I had heard about the Ode, but never heard these words. So I’m glad I was able to help the gentleman by typing these words and learn something in the process!! I wasn’t at the ceremony, but the Cruisedirector said it was a nice, humble ceremony and other guests had joined them as well. Going to the beaches, the gentleman I typed the message for, had pinned all of his medals on his chest. I asked him what the day was like for him and he said it was good to be there, to have seen it.
O here’s another thing I just have to tell you!!!
Last Thursday I was sitting in my usual spot when one of the guests came up and started talking to me. I didn’t have anything else to do at the moment, so I listened and asked him questions. Then the phone rings and one of my co-workers asks me to come to the bar to look at something, forgot what it was. So I tell the guest I have to go to the bar, I go over there and find my co-worker laughing his head off!!! And he tells me the Cruisedirector asked him to call me, so we could get rid of the guest!!! The cruisedirector has his desk next to the reception desk, so he heard our conversation, he was doing some administration and he couldn’t concentrate!!! So he made my co-worker call me so we could get rid of the man!!!hahah The thing was that the same guest/man had come to him earlier to start a conversation and he’s a pretty patient man, just not when he’s trying to do his administration!!!
So eventually the guy went to the back lounge. Then the cruisedirector got himself a cappuccino, but the man didn’t start a conversation with him, so h got away!!haha
I didn’t mind having that conversation, it was pretty interesting from what I could understand…the man is from Long Island NY, very heavy accent!! But he didn’t have anything else to do, we think his wife told him to get out of the room while she was resting or something!haha
I felt sorry for him, but it was funny!! It is a kind of ‘weird’ man though, the other day when I asked him how the day at the Normandy Beaches was, all he could talk about was fishing….when I’m sure that is not the reason why the people are going out there…..
Yesterday we had another crewshow and we got a lot of nice compliments from the guests!! Some had already seen other crewshows and they told us that with our team you could really see we had fun doing it…good as long as it looks that way, we’re set!!haha
No it’s allright, I didn’t really feel like doing it, but the guy I’m doing the skit with should be in theater himself, he’s really good and he always makes me laugh, which makes it easier to do it!!haha
We have a second captain here, Frenchman. Yesterday one of the sailors took his picture and the way he held his face made me think of Captain Haddock (Tin Tin) immediately!! He just looked exactly like him, he hadn’t shaved, the way he put his face…so I told Jayson, who had never heard of him, but found some pictures of him online…and he printed one and put it on the door of the 2nd captain’s cabin!!!!haha Hope he likes the joke!!haha
We’ll find out soon enough!
That’s it for today, back to work in half an hour!!
Love
Linda
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