DAY 30 MARCH 12 MANILA, PHILIPPINES...EARTHQUAKE AFTERMATH

JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI UPDATE

Several of you have sent emails asking about our safety.  Thank you very much for your concern about our well-being.   All is well in Manila.  Our fuel barge was not allowed to leave the dock for our refueling operation-delaying our refueling- so we will leave Manila tonight at midnight-6 hours later.  As I mentioned yesterday I was a nervous pervous and Bubba remained calm. I didn't have tremendous faith in the Captain due to his not being able to figure out the tides to get over the sand bar near the equator 2 days ago.  As I am sure you are reading and hearing about the quake and tsunami- we pray for those poor folks in Japan. It truly is a miracle "more" people were not killed in this horrific disaster.  Talk about being prepared. We were concerned about the Chinese earthquake a few days ago. Seems like our international travels involve several national disasters-last year cruising around South America we ran into flooding at Machu Peechu, earthquake and tsunami in Chile killing thousands, nasty seas in the Drake Passage, flooding in Argentina etc. The moral???  Don't cruise with the Collins?  It's interesting what goes through your mind when a potentially life threatening disaster is on the way.  Although I like to think I have a strong faith I still panicked.  Why would I panic and not remain calm?  Is my faith fluff?  Is my faith a facade?  Was I not as "prepared" as the Japanese people?  As a Christian I should be prepared every day for my time to "fall asleep in the lord" or as the Protestants say "going home".   Same idea for flying when the turbulence occurs.  I would like to think I am "complete" ( old EST term meaning your relationships and communication with loved ones is up to date and resolved as possible) with family and friends.  I reflected during panic mode yesterday, that was not the case.  Complete?  Hell, our wills are not even remotely up to date.  For the past few years I have been haranguing Bubba to get the wills updated.  Over and over to no avail. If it was so important why didn't I just get the wills updated?  It's obviously a simple process.  Beyond irresponsible. So what was the reluctance?  Is it that I (and we in this case) don't want to face our own mortality?  We have all seen when a person passes and there is no will to follow and family fights start up, creating bad blood etc.  How about details and particulars for burial, svs etc? And how about the living will for medical care?  I have a request.  You can support Boca and Bubba is to make sure we get all of those documents in order within a month of being back home.  I thank you in advance for that support.  Now as far as the faith- or lack there of- maybe Father Chris can get me on deck in these potentially hairy situations.  Or for that matter daily life and whatever it brings.  I want to live my life like Papo (my 2nd Dad) ready to go at any time, not afraid to face death or die and all details spelled out how all was to be handled.  How about you?

I must say this disaster took my mind off my Montezuma's revenge...same day different disaster.

Montezuma II  was Emperor of Mexico from 1502 to 1520 -per Wiki

"Montezuma's revenge"

Traveler's diarrhea  is the most common illness affecting travelers. Traveler's diarrhea is defined as three or more unformed stools in 24 hours passed by a traveler, commonly accompanied by abdominal cramps, nausea, and bloating. It does not imply a specific organism, but enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is the most common.  Each year 20%–50% of international travelers, an estimated 10 million people, develop diarrhea.  Oh joy, I am not alone. The primary source of infection is ingestion of fecally contaminated food or water.  Remember, I also contracted in Peru last year. Lovely. The most important determinant of risk is the traveler's destination. High-risk destinations are the developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

There are a number of colloquialisms for travelers' diarrhea contracted in various localities, such as "Montezuma's revenge", "tourists", or "Aztec two step" for travelers' diarrhea contracted in Mexico, "Pharaoh's Revenge," "mummy's tummy," or "Cairo two-step" in Egypt, "Kurtz Hurtz" in Uzbekistan, "Bombay belly" or "Delhi belly" in India, "Suryavarman's Revenge" in Cambodia, "kabulitis" in Afghanistan, "holiday tummy" in United Kingdom, although this is not directed at tourists in the UK but at British tourists abroad, "Bali belly" in Bali, or "Taghazout Tummy" in Taghazout or "Katmandu quickstep" in Nepal. In Canada it is termed "beaver fever". In China it is referred to as 拉肚子, which literally translates as "pulled stomach." A recent local term in Pattaya, Thailand, is "Thai-dal wave".  Peacekeepers to Arabic-speaking countries have called it "yalla yalla" (Arabic for "fast, fast") referring to the extreme urgency it causes. This one is similar to "corre corre" meaning "run run" used in some regions of Colombia.  Have you had the pleasure????

Bubba thought we were experiencing after shocks.  Um, not so much Bubs.  Do you think this  is KARMA about my Bali remarks?  Bali Bummer is now Bali Belly.  Yeeeow!

DAY 29 MARCH 11 MANILA PHILIPPINES- EARTHQUAKE/TSUNAMI

Here in Philippines.  On edge about the predicted Tsunami to roll this way in a one hour.  Captain said we "should" be ok with the predicted wave height for this area. Is our will updated Bubba?  Love to all and please pray for all those affected by this quake/tsunami.  Yep I am scared.  Will report back in one hour....or not.  Poor Pleep is under the bed.  Bubba is calm  I am wearing the Heating pad like a babushka.

DAY 28 MARCH 10 SANDAKAN, MALAYSIA-NOT!

Malaysia stop canceled.  Say what?!!!!  The Pleep had his heart set on the ORANGUTAN SANCTUARY excursion.  We have to take a detour...huh?  We can't make the high tide to get over the sand bar?  Even Bubba got his dander up over this one.  A call to the General Manager, Michael- what the hey?  You people don't have Tide Charts?  In Florida we can tell when the tide is up or down a year in advance!  This just ain't right.  Pleep and I had our heart set on the stop in Malaysia.  Sorry Mr. Collins and Mr. Pleep...we're doing the best we can.  Another day at sea.....but rumor from below deck and reliable Texas sources  say there are Pirates in the area so we need to vamoose!!!  Pirates?  Oh the Pleepster got all excited- forget those darn Malaysian Monkeys.  Pirates sound way more fun Dad!

Bubba couldn't convince the Captain and Tenille to man up.  Get yer guns and pstolas.  We're MERICANS and we don't run.  To no avail.  So Bubba started to surf the net for his next cruise, no more Regent Girlie Man WUSSY Cruises for him and Pleep.....and low and behold he found just the perfect cruise.

L u x u r y    C r u i s e    L i n e s Now Accepting Reservations! Additional cruise information available below. To The Point Cruise Lines is excited to offer the ultimate adventure cruise, along the pirate-infested coast of Somalia    Ultimate Adventure Cruise Route Rates and Availability

Ship Name Starting Price Days AvailabilitySun Splendor $5,200.00 5 Fully Booked Grand Voyage $6,150.00 7 Reservations Available Horizons IV $7,091.00 10 Reservations Available Horizons III $5,200.00 7 Fully Booked Grand Voyage II $6,300.00 7 Fully Booked Grand Voyage III $5,200.00 5 Reservations Available Coastal  Paradise $5,200.00 7 Reservations Available Coastal  Paradise II $8,200.00 10 Reservations Available Peril Princess $5,200.00 7 Fully Booked Peril Princess II $5,200.00 7 Reservations Available  We board our luxury cruise ships in Djibouti on the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea, and disembark in Mombasa Kenya , seven adrenaline-charged days later. Reservations start at only $5,200 per-person (double occupancy, inside room) and $6,900 (verandah complete with bench rest).

You'll relax like never before! That's because you are welcome to bring your own arsenal with you. If you don't have your own weapons, you can rent them from our onboard Master Gunsmith. Enjoy reloading parties every afternoon, with skeet and marksmanship competitions every night! But the best fun of all, of course, is...    ...Pirate Target Practice!   The object of our cruise is to sail up and down the Somali Coast waiting to get hijacked by pirates!    Weapons rentals:  Weapon Selection Price DescriptionAK-47 Light Assault

$12.00 Per Day On a budget? Rent a full-auto scope-mounted AK-47 for only $9/day with 7.62 ball ammo at $12 per 100 rounds:M-16 Full Automatic

DAY 27 MARCH 9 AT SEA INTERNATIONAL WATERS-CROSSING THE LINE

Day at Sea
So many of these world cruisers prefer days at sea rather than a port stop..."Boca, we've been here and there so many times.  Go on honey, you and the Pleep be sure you see all the destinations as I know many are a first for you".  As Bubba said, you were dismissed like the help.  Hmmmf.

Boca and the Pleep do enjoy their days at sea when there's a lot of spa-ing going on.  They're not too keen on the Mah-Jong (am I back in Boca?), Jig Saw Puzzle (surely you jest), Morning Stretch (Bubba does that for us), Walk A Mile with that wretched Trainer (yeah, sure), Needlepoint (I am afraid of needles), Beginners Bridge (yes Pleep enjoys hanging around the Bridge, doesn't that count?), Salsacise- huh?, Trivial Pursuit (a blood sport on board), Social Dance Class (everyone with 2 left feet please sign up), Duplicate Bridge (isn't once enough?), Anyone for Checkers ( eek!), Top Toss (Pleep was initially interested as he thought the entertainment girls were tossing their tops poolside), Arts and Crafts (now that got Boca rev'd up), Skittles (don't you eat them?), Wine Tasting- I'm in,  Evening Stretch with that witch again followed by indoor cycling ( can't wait), and don't forget Tea Time and FRIENDLY TRIVIA ( I guess more blood in the Horizon Lounge will be cleaned up before cocktail hour).
SEA DAY SCHMEA DAY.....THIS IS A SPA DAY
None of that  Sea Day stuff for Boca and Pleep.  SPA DAY for the Pleepster and Boca.  Pleep thought we already did the massage thing at the airport with the TSA man/??

No little Pleepie....first we start with the steam, then peat scrub and wrap and then a massage....

Oh yes... this is my cup of tea .....











But first we must have the Organic Mermaid Purse Wrap Peat Rub.  The Peat what?  Yes, it's organic from Europe and will remove all of our toxins and filthy habits.  Pudge told me it's well worth the price.  You know how they add another zero on all of the cruises.  Boca, do you mean we pay money for someone to rub dirt on us?  Yup but its special dirt Pleep.  IT'S SPA DIRT.


Hey Boca, are you sure this is working?  Maybe we should have had the Euphoric Detox Wrap?  Too late now Pleep.




Yes, the Canyon Spa Manager guaranteed I would be a size 6 without those pesky toxins.....
Pleep, will my bum look big in those polyester pull on's I brought to accomodate the Desert Trough?




Now on to the massage.....I think I'll try the Combo....Thai-Shiatsu-Tension Zone-Canyon Ranch-Aromatherapy-Stone-NON SPORTS-Massage.  Yeah, that's the ticket.








So after a day of transformation at the spa we were ready for the Crossing Ceremony.  The what?

Crossing the Line

Yes we had a very corny ceremony for the first timers of Crossing the Line.  The ceremony of Crossing the  Line is an initiation rite in the Royal Navy, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and others like us Regent nutz-which commemorates a "sailor's first crossing of the equator".  So are you a Shellback (been there done that) or a Pollywog (haven't got the t-shirt yet).  I guess I didn't have enough of that Green Mystery Drink they were passing around to get the deal?  This is no Absinthe like we had in Montreal!

DAY 26 MARCH 8 CRUISE THE JAVA SEAS

Java Sea, Indonesian Laut Jawa, portion of the western Pacific Ocean between the islands of Java and Borneo. It is bordered by Borneo (Kalimantan) on the north, the southern end of Makassar Strait on the northeast, Celebes and the Flores and Bali seas on the east, Java on the south, the Sunda Straits to the Indian Ocean on the southwest, Sumatra on the west, and the islands of Bangka and Belitung (bordering the South China Sea) on the northwest. The sea measures about 900 miles east-west by 260 miles  north-south and occupies a total surface area of 167,000 square miles. It covers the southern section of the 690,000-square-mile  Sunda Shelf. A shallow sea, it has a mean depth of 151 feet. From September through May surface currents in the sea flow west. For the rest of the year they trend eastward. I am learning much about the sea out here.  Of course, Bubba always likes to read about all the battles out here....the Battle of the Java Sea, during February and March 1942. was one of the costliest naval battles of World War II. The Naval forces of the Netherlands,  Britain, Australia and the U.S. were nearly completely destroyed trying to defend Java from Japanese attack. The lectures on board also add to the old noggin. And speaking of lectures we have quite a diverse selection of topics - some interesting, some lame.
 Please NO MORE WIRE HANGERS OR LECTURES ON THE HISTORY OF TEA!

Speaking of learning- Pleep attended the Learn How to Decorate Your Chow Class.  He absolutely loved it and won the teacher's affection by doing a self portrait.  After much fan fare, picture taking and celebrating his new found talent he convinced the head Chef to display his work at the  Captains table.  Of course this would include an invitation for him to sup with El Hefe.  Pleeps reputation had proceeded him and the Chef was concerned about possible bad behavior which would be unacceptable at the Captains Table.  After much promising of "good" behavior the Chef was convinced that indeed the Pleepster could and would behave dining with the Captain.  Pleep took great pains in readying for the dinner-another trip to the spa for extra grooming, brushing up on his Italian honoring the Captains heritage, studying the wine menu to show all that Larry had taught him and stopping by the food and beverage managers office to make sure the wine was being readied properly for this great meal.

Yes a couple bottles of the Petrus please.  My buddy Larry life's too short to drink cheap wine.  So order us up whatever Larry was drinking last night.  Following in a long line of brotherly tradition I can just sign like Nick used to do and my mom will take care of it at check out......

FLASHBACKS OF THE RECEPTION LADY AT DISEMBARKATION OF THE NICHOLAS CRUISE HISTORY-







THE GANG OF EIGHT DINES AT SEVEN AT EIGHT
After attending our Friends of Bill Meeting....over to Prime 7 for more steak and vino.

Poor Marcel, the Matre D, has been put through his paces with this thirsty and hungry crowd.

Hey, Marcel, you know Mrs. Collins- turn the lights and the AC down 10 notches.

Patricia thinks- hmmmm those folks from Horseshoe have got that cleavage thing A LA TEXAS!

Hey, Bubba do you think your cake is tall enough?











BOCA AND BUBBA ACTUALLY STAY UP FOR THE PLATTERS!

This "group" started in 1953 and a variation of them still going strong.  Sat in the front row sang along and even boogied a bit....praise God most of the guests were tone deaf and our dance equals.  ;)

DAY 25 MARCH 7 BALI HIGH or BALI BUMMER?

As Carly Simon sang...ANTICIPAAAAAAATION - "we can never know about the days to come, but we think about them any way".   Ain't that the truth Carly.  Aaccording to a new study from a team of Dutch researchers, it may be the anticipation that makes us happiest. In an analysis of 1,530 people, 974 of whom took a vacation during the study, researchers found that, unsurprisingly, people anticipating a trip reported feeling more content than those not about to go on vacation.   Well, duh.  But, perhaps more interesting, people reported being happiest in the lead-up to the vacation.  And  what we experienced on our day excursion "Colors of Bali" certainly falls in line, not quite matching the "anticipation fantasy" in my head. 

  
Taking the tenders over to the dock we saw the Volcano behind the tree line.  Pleep heard about the volcano-Mt. Bromo- erupting  over in East Java last January and ashing the heck out of Bali.  He was very excited with hopes of a replay right here so he could see ol'Batur light up.  No thank you Pleep.  Bubba is not in the mood for any more eruptions-  Boca's are ENOUGH.....


 Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied.  Pleep thought this was a fitting way to greet his arrival.

After the next "greeting" or barrage of folks selling us fabric, trinkets, drivers etc we elbowed our way to our tour bus.  Wow said Pleep.  I didn't know those Bali people were soooo ....persistent and polite?.  Do they have Amway here? 6 Hawkers to every one tourist.   One guy told me:

I have travelled to Bali each year for the past 25 years staying 6 months at a time and I must say I have never seen so many beggars in Bali as I have on my last visit.Yes it must be a hell of a way to make a living but I know for a fact that they make more money daily than people who work. So many beggars on the streets of Bali is not a good thing and I know tourist do not like to see it.

There are many old women on the streets holding babies and I know they “rent” these babies for the purpose of begging, this women are past child bearing age and it plain to see this babies are NOT theirs. I hear the Police are trying to stop the beggars on the street.

And my friend from Boca, Sandy R,  shared that  when she and Sweetie Petey were here she got separated from him and knocked about....well I guess there is one good thing about being a big gal.  Hey Bubba, come get me! No knocking Boca down but it was quite the gauntlet to get to the bus!






Then the fun began.  Who knew a bus ride could mimic  the thrill of a roller coaster?  The Pleepster was in 7th heaven as we whizzed by in the mix of what seemed like zillions of motor bikes weaving and bobbing down the road.  Ya hoo!  Boca asked the tour guide- hey whats the white line in the middle of the road for/???  And Larry kept yelling out USE YOUR HORN!   We also asked the tour guide why no blowing of horns with this traffic cluster?  Ah, we are not angry so no need to blow the horn.  This just the way it is.  No problems.   Pleep loved that we were in the front seat and had the best "view"-yikes- on the bus.  The near misses continued throughout the day and we only saw one accident.  Boca covered her eyes over and over as we tooled on down the road.  Bubba thought  it was a lot more dicey than Saigon.  Pleep?  Could barely control himself...did backflips up and down the aisle and waved to all who passed the bus.  




 I was very surprised to see a lot of garbage along the road way from the docking area to town-Denpasar.  Garbage piled  everywhere on Bali?  I asked our Tour guide about this-how could it be on one of the most famous places for it's beauty  and serenity and this?  He shared that it is against the law  to throw garbage anywhere but many of the locals don't follow the law.  I asked how the recession has effected Bali's number one source of income, tourism and he said they were down at least 30% and it has hurt the island a lot.  The excursion was a quickie (8hrs) taste of the city, Denpasar/the capital, area attractions.  

The majority of the people adhere to Balinese Hinduism.  Pleep convinced Larry and Bubs to go native.  Hey, Lar, let's do some of that Hare Krishna chant.

Balinese dances often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with the heavy Balinese influence.  We had the opportunity to see a very nice performance at an outdoor theater. Pleep swore the Monkey character called him to the stage.  More Pleep Mayhem broke out.  The Barong play was about Good and Evil- Pleep take note!

Balinese traditional architecture and buildings are commonly decorated with carving and colors which express symbols of beauties and communication.  Animal shaped decoration functions as ritual symbols presented in the form of sculptures.  Pleep took great pleasure posing all day.








PER PLEEP "IT'S GOOD TO BE THE KING!







Lunch is always good with a cold local brewski!







This global destination is known for the uniqueness of its cultural artworks, including painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts and performing arts.  Hey Bubs,  do you think Susan would go for this?




I think it would look fine in our foyer....






                                                                                Back on the Bus Big Guy!

We did have some laughs and one of the "most thrilling" bus rides in recent times.  Next visit, hire the driver to take Boca straight to the Aman Resort for a little of that world famous chilling.  Bubba thought that was a good idea- I am sure he will still be looking for those topless Italiano hottie's.  The Pleepster .... PEMAKSAN BARONG DENJALAN- I'LL BE BACK!


BACK AT THE VOYAGER
A delightful meal with some new Aussie friends- Marie and Ed.
They have holidayed many times in Bali as it is only a 3 hour plane ride from Perth.  PERTH???  Yup there really is a Perth Boca. Perth became known worldwide as the "City of Light" when city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962. The city repeated the act as Glenn passed overhead on the Space Shuttle in 1998.  NOW HOW COOL IS THAT!

DAY 24 MARCH 6 VACATION ELATION! ON THE ROAD TO BALI

While today is another "sea day" it is a time to anticipate our visit to Bali tomorrow.  Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west (only 2 miles away via ocean) and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.

With a population recorded as 3,891,000 in 2010,  the island is home to most of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. In the 2000 census about 92.29% of Bali's population adhered to Balinese Hinduism while most of the remainder follow Islam.  It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music.  Oh no Bubba, don't even think about another wooden animal of gigantic proportions sans Thailand.  Bali, despite being a tourist haven for decades, has seen a surge in tourist numbers over the years in spite of the horrid night club bombing several years back and  recent global recession.

The island is divided into 9 districts and is 2,174 sq miles. Someone said there are 60,000 temples there?   Do they include private Shrines in this number?  The Balinese have strong religious beliefs and practice their Hinduism daily.  Their beliefs are very much a part of their everyday life. I read in a January NYX article "Maybe it was the topless women that the German painter Walter Spes captured in his lsland landscapes of Bali during the1930's.  But ever since, foreigners have come to undress.  Shirtless Australians, surfboards strapped to the side of their motorbikes,  buzz around for the best waves.  At five-star resorts, bronzed Italian women in tiny bikinis while away the days with wine.  Farther inland, spiritual seekers wrapped in body-skimming sarongs commune in temples.....a place where many let it all hang out".  So my expectations of the fabulous resorts- our favorite the Aman" this and that, a pristine island and serenity on steroids.  As Carly Simon sings it ANTICIPAAAAAAAAAATION....

Pleep is anticipating great fun...

Bubba's anticipating beautiful Balinese ladies....




Boca is anticipating serene- Eat Love Pray

EVENING FUN

We had dinner with Larry and Catherine.  These fine folks from Toronto were quite interesting.  Talk about well traveled.  They have been married 32 years and traveling in high gear all those years.  What is it about us Americans that for the most part we take 1 or 2 weeks vacation a year?  The Europeans, Australians and Canadians and others have it "right"- minimum a month per year is a good idea.   They also do a lot of international travel which gives a person a much broader perspective on life and people.  As you know Bubba and I are big on exploring the good ol'US of A.  But have no doubt, seeing and experiencing other cultures and peoples is a big part of our travel enjoyment.  Ditto for Pleep.  After all, it is a question of time and money and each one of us prioritizes what goes on our "list" and in what order.   Larry is an avid Golfer and on his list is playing at the top 100 Golf courses in the world.  He is a few shy of that goal...Augusta being one of the few.  What a wonderful way to experience a sport that you are passionate about  as well as seeing the world.   Bubba and I could have listened to their traveling stories and adventures all night long but Pleep reminded us to get to sleep early enough so we would be fresh and ready to go for our visit to Bali High!!
www.top100golfcourses.co.uk

DAY 23 MARCH 5 CRUISING THE TIMOR SEA

The Pleepmeister loves "at sea" days.  Timor Sea?Timor Sea, arm of the Indian Ocean, lying southeast of the island of Timor, Indonesia, and northwest of Australia. Located at latitude 10° S and influenced alternately by the southeast trade winds and the monsoon belt, the area is well known for generating typhoons. About 300 miles  wide, it covers about 235,000 square miles  and opens west into the Indian Ocean and east into the Arafura Sea of the Pacific Ocean. 

Pleep remembers reading about the massive oil spill in the Timor Sea a few years back and unlike his US Gulf Coast Oil Spill last year it was cleaned up post haste...he also heard about the Timor Gas Leak, which he thought was sooooooooo funny...

AND YET ANOTHER LE FANCY-SCHMANCY DINING EXPERIENCE A LA PLEEP


Pleep has been making sure the wait staff is up to snuff for the Gang.  As a matter of fact he helped the Mater D with training of staff today.  Pleep's words of advise:









Pleeps Fine Dining Customer Service Pointers for THE GANG

Customer service in a fine dining restaurant is much more attentative than in casual dining establishments.  And with this gang you better step  it up.   Fine dining service goes far beyond taking an order and delivering food.  These folks expect you to wait on them hand and foot.  BEWARE!

MAKE SURE::

• Escorting patrons to the table, holding the chair for women- no bum pinching or asking for stock market tip on the way to the table and make sure Boca's chairs has sliders on the legs so pushing in her chair looks effortless 

• Escorting patrons to the restrooms - no peeking, in this group the gents go more than the ladies

• Crumbing the table in between courses - no raking onto Pudge's  lap or palming the crumbs for latter

• Replacing linen napkins if a patron leaves the table- the Collins are known for wearing their dinner, be sure to have enough napkins to cover this practice

 • Explaining menu items without notes- not to worry, Bubba can't parlez vous so just tell him it's fried something and he will go for it

 • Serving food directly on the plate at the table- watch out for Boca, at this pooint she is usually hungry and has been known to fork the hand of the wait staff if they are not fast enough removing the lid from her dish

All of the details that are expected of a fine dining server require that your staff be rigorously trained.  If not Larry will be sure to let PRESIDENT OBAMA know about it.  The staff should be able to answer any and all questions they may have about a menu or item or wine.   You may be able to BS Bubba about the French Food but there's no screwing around with wine knowledge, reccomendations or serving  it to LARRY THE NOSE.  He has been known to hurl the decanter across the restaurant if not aired properly.  Duck .  The staff should also be ready to make menu recommendations, if asked.   This group of KNOW IT ALLS would never ask.  Not to worry.  No detail is ever too small to pay attention to in fine dining.  Plan on sleeping in tomorrow as this group will run your butt off tonight!

NO BUDWEISER AT THIS TABLE PLEEP.

WE STUCK PLEEP WITH THE WINE BILL!