AT SEA DAY

Today was a lovely relaxing start to the day. When we emerged from our cabin, Raymondo (our cabin boy as Trish likes to call him) greeted us warmly and off we went to forage for breakfast. We sat at a table with some other folks from Louisiana about 75 miles south of New Orleans. I was able to ask them about eateries that they enjoy when visiting the city. Still preparing for our return on the 24th. They were kind to tell us of several – except for their accent – I only was able to understand one place. SIGH** So I then asked them about soft shell crabs. They practically drooled at the thought of them. I found out that soft shell crabs are more harvested than caught. Evidently they are crabs that shed their shells periodically and then their innards are only being held together by a soft membrane. At that precise time (and a very small window of about only 24 hours before the new hard shell forms again) they are plucked from the water, seasoned, battered and deep fried until the succulent morsels are served at a restaurant and you eat them whole. We will be trying those for sure.

I also asked about crawfish – for Trish as she is a lobster girl. It was then we learned about Break, Suck and Pop. What is that you ask? Well the correct way to eat a crawfish is to break them apart, suck all the juice out of the head and pop the tail and eat the meat. I’ll leave that to Trish – I will be busy with the soft shelled crabs. We tried our luck at Bingo – it was expensive and we didn’t win – nuf said! Tomorrow we are in port in Costa Maya Mexico – don’t have anything planned – so we will just wait and see what the day brings!