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Day 21: Ship—>Caernarfon Castle—>Holyhead—>Ship

After taking 3 travel sickness pills last night and sleeping for about 10 hours, I woke up right as rain! We had to meet our tour to Caernarfon Castle at 8:15, so we were all up and ready by 7. Soon after I used the app to get a table for breakfast, I was notified our table was ready and we headed down and ordered. The waiter misunderstood my order and brought me a single banana. Oh well. We finished our breakfast and headed to the meeting place for our excursion.

I have to give Carnival props for their level of organization. We were checked into the holding area, the large theater, and given a number for our bus/tour. Then they called the numbers and we all walked to our buses and boarded. Orderly and organized, just as I like it!

We were the first ones to our bus and were able to get the front seat as B and I were still on the razor's edge of motion sickness. The entire bus was delayed for 2 stragglers. As they got onto the bus, the elderly woman made a snide comment about me and the boys in the front row. Typically, I would absolutely give up my seat but her snide, rude comments for no reason cemented me in my seat. Even the tour guide thought she was rude!

Anyway, we got to Caernarfon and only had about an hour to wander. We did wander a bit, but after a while, a castle is a castle. E-Koog had seen an ice cream shop as we exited the bus, so we left the castle in search of hufen ia (ice cream). An hour in Caernarfon was just not enough. Especially when the shops open at 11. We had to be back on the bus at 11:20. E got his milkshake and I found a shop that sold Welsh Flag underwear. Mrs. Koog is a lucky lady, indeed!

Once on the bus, I fell asleep for a bit and all of a sudden we were back at the cruise port. We got off our tour bus and hopped onto the free shuttle that takes you to the bridge into the town of Holyhead. It reminded me of Baltimore, yet without the glamour. Yes, I said that.

We went into a store that smelled so bad of mold and cigarettes, we had to immediately turn around and walk out. The boys found a store that sold exotic fish and axolotls. Similar to the discussion at The Knight Store we were not buying anything, we cannot import live animals even in a soda bottle.

I think we saw all we needed to see of Holyhead in about 10 mins. We headed back to the footbridge to the shuttle and returned to the ship. We had a quick lunch and the boys went swimming.

After we got back from the pool and the boys showered, we settled in for some quiet time for me to write and the boys to draw. I really love glancing up at them engrossed in whatever they are drawing. I love seeing them collaborate. I loathe seeing the collaboration decline into pretend farting and copying contests. But, they are boys not angels!

Quiet time is over and now we get ready for dinner. I booked 2 dinners throughout the cruise at the 555 Fahrenheit steak house. Food was excellent. E-Koog had a 16oz large NY strip and he ate almost all of it. B-Koog and I had surf and turf. B was very inquisitive with the server, “um, ma’am, what is the oz’s of the filet? Oh, 4 oz? Perfect, I think that is an appropriate size.” The server had all she could do not to laugh.

B-Koog, our teetotaler, was appalled when I ordered a Pinot Noir. “I will never drink alcohol in my life!” He declared loudly as I took my first sips. I finished it. His one man temperance movement is funny when it’s not annoying AF!

They were off to the pre-teen club to participate in a video game night. I’m sitting in a quiet hall called Sunset Lounge at the front of the ship decorated like an Italian garden where I’ve come to like to write.

As I close this report of our 21st day, sitting alone in this pretty place, I miss Mrs. Koog. I’m super happy she’s having an awesome time in Croatia, but I’m missing her.

Until tomorrow…

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