A different Christmas!

As usual us in the portside watch were woken up at 03:30 to start our watch at four o´clock. As soon as we got on deck a smile was put on everyone’s face, its Christmas eve and we could see land for the first time in a few days. Since we went by engine the whole watch, we did not have much to do which meant that we could play games and look at star constellations.

Our watch ended at 8 o´clock and everyone in the portside watch went to bed for a few hours to be ready for the day in Funchal. After arriving to port and the captain had gone through all the rules and restrictions to be followed in Funchal, I and some friends from portside went into the city center for some sightseeing and shopping.

For this being the first Christmas ever I do not celebrate in Sweden, I am very positively surprised. 20 degrees and sun is something I will always choose over our traditional Gothenburg weather. Of course, you miss relatives and friends at home, but tomorrows “real” Christmas celebration with our Swedish Christmas table and Christmas activities I think will give us all a fairly good Christmas feeling.

Arvid Molin, portside