For the second night in a row, the surprisingly cheerful bells from Rome’s Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help tolled brightly, calling the good people of Santa Maria to a celebration, this time aboard Calliope. But, as they arrived and scurried up the boarding ladder, any memory of the previous night’s roast pig and frijoles faded quickly. The ship had been transformed into a giant, floating feast.
Calliope. On the foredeck barbecue sizzled an array of prime Argentinean beef and succulent New Zealand lamb. The mid-deck grill featured schools of freshly caught dorado, albacore and spiny lobster, alongside kettles brimming with green-lipped mussels and fat Manila clams.
The villagers wandered in stunned amazement from station to station, sampling the glorious fare under the watchful eye
