DIAMOND PRINCESS 2nd Cruise: Days 6 and 7 at Sea

The Diamond Princess left Phuket, Thailand, and will be at sea for three days, returning south past Singapore, then heading north to arrive in Nha Trang, Vietnam on Day 9.  Map on right just shows the juxtaposition of these stops.

On Day 6, my usual ramen lunch, with a lot of veggies and a piece of meat or two, plus a beer.

Again, took a nap, then walked a mile around the ship.  Had a drink in the Captain's Reception,

On to dinner at Pacific Moon.  Menu.

Started with the chowder and tender greens salad.  No wines tonight.  Leftover from pre-dinner drinks.

Cumin spiced beef short ribs with chilled coconut soup.  I've never used a straw for soup before.  This was not a great combination.  The beef was dry and the soup too sweet.  But this was expected, for it included orange, honey and lychee.

Rum Raisin Panna Cotta with Drambuie on rocks.

We were early for the theater show, so stopped by for a drink at the Wheelhouse Bar.

Then on to Born to be Wild in the Princess Theater.  Probably the best show we've seen on this ship.  The cast of maybe 14 used a Pink Cadillac to tour the USA and sing songs we mostly knew.

Then a bit of karaoke.

Followed by our usual late night stop at Crooners Bar, where we ordered a hamburger, cheesy fries and chili.

5193 steps today.

Day 7 at sea was not much.  Up at noon and up to the Horizon Court buffet for lunch.  Started with a corn chowder, then added the noodles, plus Kirin Lager,

Went for my mile walk and found myself above the pool, where Santana was playing.

For the first time on this 19th day on the Diamond Princess, we decided to skip the nightlife and instead eat in our stateroom and watch two films.  We could have called room service, but we decided to be more adventurous and find our own food.  Our cabin is only a few short steps to the aft elevator, which conveniently from our 11th to the 14th floor, has Prego Pizzeria and the Outrigger Bar.  Also on the 14th floor is the Horizon buffet, where I made an augmented Caesar Salad.  The problem is how to carry all this stuff to the room,  But we somehow made it.  Remember that the ship is moving and just walking around can be a challenge,

Our room is not well-equipped for meals.

I picked the R-rated 2006 Little Miss Sunshine as my choice.  Rotten Tomatoes scores of 91/91.  In her first film, 10-year old Abigail Breslin played 7-year old Olive.  Also featured Gregg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin and Paul Dano,  A truly messed-up family with one bit of cute stability, a mis-contender for Little Miss Sunshine.  Abigail, now 29, went on to a nice career, although I haven't seen her in anything for almost a decade.

The second film was the lugubrious 2017 Columbus,  It was a shock to find out that Rotten Tomatoes gave scores of 96/80. Seemed so slow-moving and non-essential.  Starred John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson.

It was all but architecture and great buildings.  So I asked Google AI about this:

Columbus, Indiana has great architecture because J. Irwin Miller, leader of Cummins Engine Co., initiated a program in the 1950s that paid for top-modernist architects to design public buildings (schools, churches, etc.) if the city chose from a pre-approved list, creating a unique collection of world-class modern design with works from legends like Eero Saarinen, I.M. Pei, and Harry Weese, making it an architectural mecca. 

Key Factors:

• Cummins Foundation Architecture Program (CFAP): The engine company's foundation started paying architectural fees for public projects, encouraging modern design choices.
• J. Irwin Miller's Vision: Miller believed good design elevated the community and company, fostering a culture of architectural excellence.
• 

  World-Renowned Architects: The program attracted Pritzker Prize winners and leading figures in modernism, including:
  • Eliel & Eero Saarinen (First Christian Church)
  • I.M. Pei (Cleo Rogers Memorial Library)
  • Harry Weese
  • 
    César Pelli
  • Kevin Roche
• Public & Private Investment: Beyond schools, this philosophy extended to churches, libraries, fire stations, and corporate headquarters, resulting in over 90 significant buildings and artworks.
• "Athens of the Prairie": Columbus is now known globally as a hub for modern architecture, ranking high nationally for design, rivaling much larger cities. 

• Columbus, Ind.: A Midwestern Mecca Of Architecture : NPR

  Jul 30, 2012 — Six of Columbus' modern buildings have been designated as national historic landmarks. The city's philosophy of attrac...

  

  NPR

  
• How Columbus, Indiana, Became a Mecca for Modern Architecture

  The town's reputation among architects took off in the mid-1950s, when its largest employer, the engine manufacturer Cummins, bega...

  

  Bloomberg.com

  
• Columbus, Indiana: Mecca of Modern Architecture – The Municipal Art Society of New York

  Columbus, Indiana is known as the Mecca of Modern Architecture because it has more significant Modern architecture per capita than...

  

  Municipal Art Society

  

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Walked 3369 steps.

To end:

Cruising expert Gary Bembridge compares five "premium" cruise lines, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Each line offers unique experiences, from classic elegance to modern luxury, catering to diverse traveler preferences. Discover which cruise best fits your style and desired itinerary.

Click on Gary Bembridge or this to watch his 17min 45sec analysis.  He begins with Princess.

Oops!  Just got the message that high winds will prevent our call to Nha Trang tomorrow, Day 9.

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