La Isla Bonita

Life on the Island is a little different this time. Usually I stay on a vessel with lost of Aker people, and you have plenty of people to talk to at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But this time I am on a vessel with only one other Aker expat. So I find myself sitting" alone" for just about every meal. But I am by no means alone! I have made lots of new friends! The vessel if full of Agip (the Client) personnel, and Italians are as Italians are; very friendly and talkative, at least to me….! Yesterday I found myself in a bizarre situation. I got personally invited to an Italian special pasta dinner. Mess hall (after closing) at 20, Special Pasta Genovese! So at 20 I show up to a room full of Italians! Two of my "new friends" come and talk to me right away, so I do not have to "hang around" alone, puuhh! And after 10 min or so a man shows up at the table with a hairnet and apron, with a huge kettle of fantastic-smelling pasta. Plates are filled, and I get served first, nice! And then the senior managers, and then the rest. The "chef" sits down next to me. We have a great pasta dinner with extra parmesan and olive oil, and nice conversation! I am not the best with remembering names, they are all called Giorgio, Luigi, Franco, Claudio, and Roberto… how I am supposed to know that the guy in the hair-net next to me is the big boss?? Well well, that I found out later, after playing with a "home-made phone" and singing karaoke with the guys...! I had a great unexpected "dinner and games" on the Shkotov! This beautiful picture was sent to me by one of the guys...! No comment needed....!