More enjoyable sailing among the islands. 

We had dinner at Manfredi’s, the specialty Italian restaurant, a bittersweet experience because Andri, the waiter we have become very fond of (and, seemingly, he of us leaves the ship in three days to return home to Bali to his wife and three sons (until he returns to the Viking Sun in August for the 250 day world cruise!!)   Andri is in Manfredi’s at dinner and always takes care of us even when we are not seated in his area.  Breakfast and lunch he is in the World Café, always sees Chris enter and helps him get food and take it to our table.  He continues to keep an eye out and appears at our table to tend to our every need.  We will miss him! 

Another staff member who has been helpful on excursions and is disembarking in three days at Valpariso is our assistant cruise director Brian Rodriguez.  He is also a tenor and had a farewell show tonight so we went—one of the very few evening shows we’ve been to.  Turns out he has a fantastic voice with a wide range.  Although there seen to be a lot of people with the same name doing music, you can find some clips on Youtube if you search Brian Rodriguez Viking music.  He is very short and slight—he told us during the performance that he is actually 5’ 3 1/2” and that ½ inch is important to get him into some rides at Disney World—and comes from a city in northern Cuba known as Miami, Florida.  Cruise directors have to have a sense of humor…