THE CUISINE ON THE SEABOURN ODYSSEY IS FABULOUS...AND SO IS THE SERVICE

Yesterday we were ported in Bateman's Bay, the stop for Canberra. If you want a simple bus ride to this nation's capital and back, where they just leave you to wander about the city on your own for three hours, the price of this tour is $159/person. Of course, it is a combined 5-hour ride, as the roundtrip will be close to 200 miles.

Today will be all about food. I slept until late in the morning and avoided breakfast. So lunch turned out to be a 2-hour extravaganza. A buffet at Colonnade, you pick what you want. Lamb, plus.

See that bowl with the cover on the right? That is my egg blossom soup. I ordered a Macallan Malt Whisky to pour into the soup. Then drank the remainder over rocks.

We got to know Anatoly from Russia, who is swiftly becoming our personal sommelier.

After a splendid 2-hour lunch we strolled by the pool bar and, amazingly enough, Vinay remembered us, and gave us a whole bottle of Glenmorangie. While there he poured six jiggers of Macallan over ice for her, and some more in my gelato.

When we returned to our cabin, a surprise. Happy birthday!

As I have not shown you our cabin, here are a few photos. The bed is larger than I thought it would be, there is a full walk-in closet, a large bathtub plus accompanying shower, while the video programs feature the latest films and at least a thousand songs with which you can make a personal list or two or more.

After a relaxing afternoon, on to dinner at The Grill by Thomas Keller. He is the chef of French Laundry and Per Sé fame. He is the most awarded chef in American with seven Michelin Stars. Known for refined, but simple, fine French Cuisine.

He travelled to France and worked at Taillevent, Le Pre Catalan and Guy Savoy, before opening Rakel in New York City, Then he bought a little stone farmhouse in Yountville, California to open French Laundry and became famous. I visited the place a decade ago.

Started with some wine for the vegetable appetizer.

After the vegetable appetizer, the first course was some hamachi sashimi with truffle consommé. No wasabi on the ship. Tabasco and shoyu sufficed.

Then a blue cheese iceberg salad with the main course combo of ribeye steak and bolognese lasagna, featuring Anatoly and a great Syrah.

Then another birthday celebration.

After dinner a night out with Lisa.

So far, this is the best cruise I've ever experienced.

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