There are times when I know for sure I married wisely. Last week was one of those times.
My wife, Andrea Leon, top Lapostolle winemaker and all round great woman, got invited to do a tasting, a talk and a winemakers dinner onboard The Residence at sea , otherwise known as The World. I tagged along on the husbands freebie.
We got an all expenses trip for 6 days and seven nights on a ship of total luxury. Guests of the Residents. Residents are the people who live in apartments onboard this amazing ship that travels around the world.
We boarded the ship in Ushuaia in Argentina and sailed around the tip of Chile through Patagonia and landed yesterday in Chacabuco.
The ship has two swimming pools four restaurants (East, The Marina, Tides and Portraits) a delicatessen, a gym, a cinema, putting greens a tennis court and many other fantastic facilities. The restaurants are superb. We ate in East twice. Asian cuisine. In fact East was named one of the best Asian restaurants on the planet last year! How many Asian restaurants can there be? I had the best cod of my life. Cooked in miso.
The ship has a superb wine list, with literally hundreds of great wines from all over the world. The bars have amazing selections of spirits. The best single malts, cognacs, gins and vodkas and all other flavours and types you can think of. One evening we spent sat at the bar tasting fifty year old Armanac’s.
The World is a very unique ship. To the people who live on board, or the Residents as they are known, this is their home and the ship must be treated with the respect you would show in someones private home. We were invited guests and felt very privileged. We were accepted on board by everyone and were even invited to lunch and dine with some Residents.
Andrea did a great talk on Wednesday evening to a crowded restaurant. We had a six course meal. Prepared by Executive Chef Paul Oppenkamp and paired with several Lapostolle wines including Clos Apalta and Borobo and ending with Grand Marnier Cuvee de cent cinquantenaire
We had a fantastic time and I will post more later, about the winemakers dinner and some images from Patagonia which I made during the voyage.
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on January 28, 2011 at 2:17 pm
I am completely envious! Sounds like a wonderful trip and what a gorgeous shot of the ship! Can’t wait to see the rest!
(And it’s a wise man who knows he married wisely!)
on January 28, 2011 at 3:24 pm
You re not selling it enough. It sounds awful. Nice photos though…
on January 28, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Am amazing experience I’m sure … did you get any great shots at sea? (Amid 50 year old Armagnac)
on January 28, 2011 at 4:02 pm
@ Sol, not sure I need to sell this ship, I think it does well enough. More photos to follow.
@Fermented, will upload some soon, the morning after the Armanac was interesting as the ship swayed in the sea
on February 7, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Matt you sure are a lucky man!!! looks amazing, hope Andrea got time to chill! jelous……….jo xx
on February 7, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Cheers Jo, yes it was “AMAZING” and yes Andrea got her Chill time.