18Feb Chef’s Table – Dinner for six in galley

This is new for the world cruise.
I mean there will be cover charges this time.
We were invited to have complimentary dinner in the galley during world cruise 2010 as part of ship’s appreciation program for suite passengers.
It was an idea to dine in the galley and lot of people remembered it as fun experience.

Executive chef Bernie is personally cooking for one table only for six passengers tonight.
I was reluctant to sign up for this as it comes in high price tag.
But, Greg convinced me with 7 courses of finest menu and quality wine to match with.
Our usual table mates Susie and Sky also joined the dinner as well as our long time cruise friend Anne-Marie from Monaco and her Dutch friend Joot are the rest of four.

While six of us sat and waited in the wine cellar at 6:30, the Pinnacle restaurant manager Kim and the ship’s cellar master Ingo served us finest French champagne to start with.
The moment of truth!
I felt that this is going to be a very special night with extra treat!
Kim from Holland is one of the loveliest persons we have known for many years personally guided us through the galley.
She explained how different kitchen departments work and introduced each chef to us.
We were impressed by the table nicely set up in the main kitchen area.
Bernie the executive chef greeted us with warm smile on his face.
We were fascinated by number of dishes prepared and especially the army of waiters rushed in and out of the hustling and bustling kitchen in their regular dinner operation.
Some waiters stopped by to say hello to their regular table customers.
The hotel manager Henk, restaurant manager Tom and other officers also dropped by.
Plates that the foods were served looked absolutely beautiful.
So are all the delicious gourmet meals.
Ingo from Germany was more than generous with wine refill and made sure our glasses are not running short.
Everyone agreed with my verdict of the best dish of the night which was Seared Foie Gras.
Most delicious!
Joot who runs one of the biggest catering companies in Holland also served Royal Dutch family was commenting that this delicious French dish is no longer available in her country.
Against animal cruelty would be the reason, perhaps!

Cold soup presented with two bowls has unique fresh tangy flavor was also everyone’s favorite.
One of the bowls with ginger granite granules was actually made out of carved ice block!

We all left with big satisfaction after the unique dining experience.
Thanks to Bernie and all other staff involved in for giving us extra attention and making tonight very special.
Cute little souvenir was the menu with Executive chef Bernie’s hand-signed autograph!

Molossol caviar crown on smoked salmon and shrimp tartar, topped with quail egg – Champagne Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, France

Lobster, crab and avocado salad with mango puree – Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand 2010

Seared Foie Gras with aged brandy marinated figs and Balsamic reduction – Hedges “Three Vineyards” Washington State 2008

Lime and candied ginger granite in a crystal carved ice bowl with papaya consommé

Tenderloin trio of veal, beef and lamb, truffle au jus with Roquefort polenta, Napa cabbage and squash puree – Arboleda Carmenere, Chile 2009

Goat cheese cake, Chaumes and Old Dutch fruit compote – Grahams Porto Six Grapes, Portugal

Grand finale dessert – Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest, Chile 2007

HAL Coral choir performance by talented passengers

16Feb Papeete, Tahiti

Tahiti is part of French Polynesian islands.
The MS Amsterdam arrived in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti at 7am just before the sunrise.
Watching beautiful island Moorea on sunrise was priceless.
Greg and I signed up for a tour organized by our travel agency.
It is called Tahiti’s Natural Treasures.
The tour includes driving around the main island of Tahiti Nui and it takes about 4 hours with few stops for photo shots.
After quick breakfast on board, we were already ready for the tour by 8am.
Greg was quite happy that I ran off the ship quick enough to secure front seats of the tour bus.
Tom, the tour escort at the bus greeted and told me to seat anywhere I like as there is no one in the group requires front seat for physical reason today.
^^;

There are more than 100 waterfalls in this amazing island.
The local tour guide told us the history of human sacrifice which is no longer in exercise.
Thank goodness!
There used to be a sacrifice of burning a man alive or cut his head.
It was always a man and a volunteer.
Too much for an honor!
Sacrifice was done when a man becomes drunk and hallucinated with cava drink that is Polynesian traditional alcohol.

We stopped by restaurant Gauguin for refreshment that is run by English and Chinese Tahitian couple.
The restaurant is located by the sea with lagoonarium with lots of colorful fish swimming around.
It has a background of beautiful part of smaller island Tahiti Iti.
I noticed that there are big holes around the lawn.
According to tour guide, they are burrows of inland crab.
Tahitians cook everything with coconut milk includes inland crab.
Wish I had an opportunity to try the local delicacy!
Coconuts are protected by metal rings around the trunk so that rats can’t climb the tree and ruin young coconuts.
Most of beaches in Tahiti Nui are black from volcanic ash.
Some are white as they are made of coral.

I was so impressed by the beauty of rugged mountain, valleys, tropical coconut trees alongside beaches and seaside of the island.
This place truly deserves to be called Paradise!!!
Can’t wait to visit Moorea and Bora Bora where the beauty of rush green mountains, turquoise blue water and white coral beaches are much greater than Tahiti Nui!
…one day…

Beautiful Island Moorea can be seen from town of Papeete

Papeete

Welcome performance by local band.
We were all given a white flower (Tahitian gardenia) as we were getting off the ship and placed it on hair

Black beach Papara with few surfers

Coconut and palm trees everywhere…simply gorgeous!

At Les Jardins dÉau de Vaipahi (Vaipahi botanical garden) , our tour guide was explaining exotic tropical fruit trees and flowers.
She is holding is a Tahitian chestnut.

Mangostin fruits ripening on tree

Water lilies blossoming in between rambutan trees and palm trees

Bread fruit tree. Bread fruit can be cooked in many different ways like potato and tastes like potato.
Garden of Gauguin restaurant.

With background of Tahiti Iti (smaller island attached by narrow peninsula).
Restaurant Gauguin with lagoonarium.
Huge parrot fish and Jack fish are in captivity of the lagoon.

Haleconia! Gorgeous!

Les 3 Cascades have three waterfalls and they are 200 meters high!
How spectacle views it was!

One of the main tourist attractions of Papeete, local market Marché Municipal.

Polynesian BBQ on Lido deck is our dinner party tonight on board.

Absolutely bucketing down like cats and dogs after 3pm until we left the island at 10pm. So lucky that our tour finished before the rain!
We managed to go out after dinner to take few more photos of the night scene. The town center was absolutely dead at night.

14Feb Valentine’s Day Ball

La Fontain restaurant is again transformed into romantic colors for love

Greg heading to the ball after usual caviar and lobster dinner ^^

Queen’s lounge is decorated in glittering sea of pink and red

Greg with Nao from Nagoya, the ship’s spa member.
She is so excited as this is her first ball on this cruise.

Cruise director Bruce is busy with lots of Champaign bottles to give away for dancing couples during the ball.
There has also been a competition to guess how many heart shape confetti in a Champaign glass.
I handed out with 2140 but the correct number is 3914.

Donna in red from Chicago is posing on my right side
On my left side are Ping fang from Taiwan and Regina from the Philippines, both are members of the ship’s spa